Kingdom Hearts: Final Confrontation
by LordCavendish
Summary: A darkness looms over Destiny Island. From the ashes of destruction, a forgotten enemy of the past comes for revenge, to slay the Child of Darkness and consume all worlds into everlasting shadow. Conlusion of The Third Epic.
1. Shattered Peace

Shattered Peace

It had been six years since the end of the ordeal with the Empire. In those six years, peace and prosperity began to blossom again. Within the Disney Kingdom, King Mickey reigned supreme over his people, leading wisely and compassionately. Unlike many other kings of other realms, who were at times despotic and tyrannical, Mickey was always able to maintain a sense of justice and knew how to contend with the problems his people faced. Unlike most other royals, he was very generous and would go out to the streets to greet the people personally. The people would bow to him in respect rather than fear. The times were good and the kingdom had reached a state of stability.

It was on this particular day that Mickey began to address his subjects, telling them of the good future to come. The people gathered in front of the grand palace to hear their king speak. King Mickey, with his Queen Minnie, head wizard Donald, and Goofy, captain of the palace guards, beside him, stood tall before the crowd. He raised his hands into the air.

"My people," he began, "luck smiles upon our beloved kingdom this fine day. It has been six years since the ordeal we faced when the eminent threat of the Dark Empire was upon us. We seemed so vulnerable and helpless when this great threat was knocking on our doorstep. However, thanks to the efforts of our allies and our friends in other dimensional realms, our combined strengths were able to fend off this cunning scourge. We now gather, six years from that era of chaos, to celebrate the prosperity of the kingdom. For this, I wish you all the best of wishes to you and your family and friends."

"Hail, King Mickey!" the crowd shouted. "Hail, King Mickey! Long Live the King!" The cheering increased, but Mickey only raised his hand, gesturing to the masses to quiet down for he still had much to say to them.

"This day, I declare our independence day!" he continued. "Each and every one of you has contributed for the good of this kingdom. You reaped and sewed the soil you live on. You have shown great support to me. In gratitude, I have always stepped aside and lowered myself of high position to hear of your opinions. How to make this world better, how to make our kingdom better than it ever was before. You should not be thanking me for I have done very little to be given such praise. You should thank yourselves. Thank yourselves for all the achievements you have done to better your own lives as well as the lives of your neighbors! It was because of you that our kingdom has remained untouched for the passed six years. And let us continue to prosper and work for the sake of the kingdom, to keep the kingdom strong and keep it a nice place to live. And let us hope that there will be an everlasting peace for us all in the future to come."

There was a loud roar and the people cheered away at the King. Mickey raised his hands, greeting the people and again there was a great uprising in the praising voices of his subjects.

"That was such a brilliant speech, your majesty." Donald uttered.

"You have done well to keep our kingdom strong." Queen Minnie replied, kissing King Mickey on the cheek. Mickey blushed.

"Ah shucks, Minnie." Mickey uttered.

At the same time, however, another individual was watching the king make his speech as well from a television monitor. This dark individual clicked off the screen and sat there in the dark, slightly chuckling for himself.

"I commend you, King Mickey." he uttered in a sinister and mechanized whisper. "You certainly know how to motivate the people don't you. There is nothing wrong with wishing for everlasting peace, but the fact of the matter remains. Is the universe ready to embrace such an ideal?"

"Then, it would be best if we show them otherwise right, my lord?" said the subordinate next to him. "Soon, the Disney Kingdom will experience a rude awakening, will it not?"

"Yes it will." The figure sipped wine from a golden bauble. "My late master had entrusted me with the radical ideal of changing the face of the universal society structure completely. It is not right that some may live in peace while others are purged into war. What right does King Mickey and his subjects have to live in peace when others are suffering and dying out there? In the realm where the Z team dwells, there are still conflicts against factions of the former Dark Empire. Not only do the factions fight the alliance, but they also do battle against one another as well. Well, that will change in the time of my coronation. Once I have established myself within the Disney Kingdom, I will be able to link to other worlds without the Universal Alliance being the least bit suspicious of my activity. Then, once I have gained enough ground, I will use my full force to destroy the leaders of the battling Imperial factions and unite all the regions of the former Dark Empire. Just as his Excellency, Master Cavendish did before. Then, once the factions are unified under my banner, I will attack the alliance itself and destroy the only other power that stands between me and total domination. Even the Z team will not be able to stop me without the help of the Universal Alliance."

"An excellent plan, my lord." The subordinate uttered. "We will be domineering over these dimensional realms in no time."

"But first thing is first. I must also rid myself of all possible obstacles that may pose a threat to me. Especially…him."-

"Him?"-

"The one who stole my pride those many years ago. I will make sure that he pays."-

"Would it not be best to attack the Disney Kingdom as you had planned?"-

"I intend to do so." The figure uttered again, sipping his wine. "We will first attack the Disney Kingdom and secure that realm in our hands. This way, our enemies do not have a remote place to fall back and regroup. Besides the Disney Kingdom, you know the other targets right?"-

"Yes, my lord." The subordinate unleashed as scroll from his sleeve. "We take over the Disney Kingdom and secure it as our headquarters. Twilight Town and Traverse Town must also be placed under our control."-

"Those are your orders. Carry them out."-

"I will inform our forces right away." The subordinate began to leave.

"Wait one moment though." the figure said. "Also, make sure that our conspirator is ready to take down our two significant foes."

"He informs me that he has hired a new man to help Archibald and him to carry out with their mission. A former Imperial I think he is."

"Well done." The figure stood up from his chair. "Now get going."

"Yes, my lord." The subordinate left the room, leaving his lord alone in the dark. The figure sipped from his cup again.

"Soon, my dream will be fulfilled along with my vengeance." He uttered to himself. "We will see which one of us is worthy to bear that same name."

It wasn't long before the day of celebration in the Disney Kingdom had grown sour. In the midst of their celebration, the people's joys were shattered when exploding shells began to rain down upon the streets of the city. King Mickey could only watch in horror as he saw the shells bursting upon his people.

"Your majesty!" Goofy cried. "We gotta get you out of here!"

"Hurry!" Donald added.

"But my people…" Mickey said. "I can't leave them to this slaughter…"

"Please my dear." Queen Minnie uttered. "The people would be disheartened if you were killed…"

"I suppose you are right."-

Mickey and the others withdrew into the safety of the castle. At the same time, the armies of the kingdom rushed forth to defend the inhabitants from further annihilation. However, their efforts were in vain as the hordes of enemy troops began to swarm into the streets, overwhelming any resistance that dared to stand in their way. The thin lines of loyalist troops easily fell to the oncoming threat. Thousands of civilians rushed into the walls of the palace, many being shot in the back by attacking forces. The loyalist armies fought as best they could, but the oncoming horde of enemy soldiers proved to great. It wasn't long before the invading armies had demolished much of the city and were now upon breeching the gates of the castle.

"It's hopeless!" Donald cried. "Our forces are no match for such overwhelming numbers!"

"There's still a little bit of hope left." Mickey uttered. He turned to Donald and Goofy. "I want you to take the gummi and head to Oceansburg. Inform the Universal Alliance of our dire need of aid."

"But what about you, your majesty?"-

"I will stay here and support my people. The last thing that I want them to see is their king deserting them when they need me the most."-

"But your majesty…"-

"Do as I say, Donald! We haven't much time!"-

"I understand…" Donald turned to Goofy. "Well, let's go, Goofy…"

"Alright…" Goofy turned to Mickey. "I hope you'll be alright, your majesty."

"I'll be fine." Mickey looked at his frightened queen next to him. "Minnie, I want you and Daisy to accompany Donald and Goofy to Oceansburg. You will be safe there."

"No…" Minnie replied. "I will not leave you!"

"You will do as I say! I don't want anything to happen to you!"-

"I will not run away! I will stay by your side!"-

"I will too!" Daisy added. "We can't just abandon you, your majesty!"

"I will not be defied!" Mickey shouted.

"Please, Mickey!" Minnie cried, tears running down her eyes as she grasped firmly onto Mickey's arm. Mickey only smiled and placed his hand on her face.

"Very well…" he uttered with a sigh. "You may stay here and support me."

"Thank you…"-

"We will stay by your side, your majesty." Daisy said.

Mickey then turned to Donald and Goofy.

"Well, get going." Mickey said. "Time's growing short for us."

"We will return." Donald implied. "We will come back to help you!" he turned to Goofy. "Let's go!"

"Right behind ya!" Goofy chuckled. The two bounded for the gummi ship.

At the same time, the thundering sound of pounding shells began to lash at the wall. The sound of battle continued as the loyalist fought off the forces of the invaders. Slowly, the walls began to crumble brick by brick and the eminent danger began to draw nearer.

Donald and Goofy reached the launch pad where a gummi sat waiting for them. Donald jumped in and ignited the rockets. In the meantime, Goofy looked over the railing to see masses of enemy troops pounding against the wall of the castle.

"Hurry up, Goofy!" Donald ordered. "Stop gawking and let's get going!"

"But Donald…" Goofy uttered.

"The more time we waste standing around, the more time is lost for our chances to rescue the king and this kingdom!"-

"Looky there!" Goofy pointed towards the banners of the hordes. Donald joined him and gazed at the insignia of the enemy.

"But that's…" upon the crest of the fluttering banners, was the familiar shape of a cross. The Imperial Cross of Conquest, which was the symbol of the late Dark Empire. And silhouetting behind that symbol was the familiar shape of the Heartless insignia. Donald and Goofy cold only fear what the meaning behind the banner and the purpose of the attack was. "Could it be that…the Dark Empire and the Heartless have finally combined to form one great power?"

"Gawrsh… I hope not…" Goofy uttered.

"We have no time for this right now. We have to get going. The fate of our nation depends upon us."-

"I gotcha!"-

Goofy and Donald hesitated no further and jumped into the gummi ship. The rockets ignited and the little vessel lifted off at light speed.

In the meantime, the walls of the palace had finally collapsed and the hordes of enemies began to pour into the castle grounds. Queen Minnie and Daisy escorted the people into the safety of the palace halls. At the same time, Mickey took personal charge of the royal guards and prepared to battle. Using the power of his new keyblade, the _'Garion Concorte Noria,'_ he prepared to strike down all enemies who dared to stand in his way. Forming the Gatotsu stance, Mickey led his troops into battle."

"Today, we fight to the bitter end!" Mickey shouted. "For your families, for your homes, and for your country, we fight! We fend off the second invasion of our nation!" Mickey rushed forward, his guards swarming behind him in hordes. They met the face of the enemy and fighting began to ensue on the castle grounds. But the royal guards, despite their gallantry and their dedication to king and country, could not gain even a toehold in the fight. They fought as best they could. Mickey, who was in the fray of the fight, took down a hundred, or more enemy troops, but to fight against so many minions. The small force of royal guards, numbering only up to seven hundred had to confront a force that was fifty times larger. To add, the bombardment of the castle did not stop. Slowly, but surely, defeat was eminent. Though the enemy took more casualties against the veteran royal guards, their number were easily replaced by reserves. The guards themselves, however, could not contend with even one loss on their side. But still, despite being outmatched and outnumbered, they continued to fight, slowly being pushed back to the castle itself. Fighting slowly mellowed down though as one guard after another fell, but not before taking out ten to thirty times his, or her figure. The sound of battle died out completely, when Mickey and his guards found themselves completely surrounded by an angry horde of invaders. They clustered together in a tight circle, their weapons drawn out against their foes. But by this time, the battle had ended and no one man or woman dared to attack.

"You have fought bravely." A voice suddenly uttered amidst the enemy horde. "But you must realize by now that continuing to resist would be a futile effort. There is no need for you to needlessly throw your lives away for the sake of a cause you know is already lost. Your kingdom is in shambles and your lands are firmly under my control. What would be the point of you dying here, when there is no chance for you? Certainly, you may die honorably, but is that really how you want your lives to end? And what of your families? Do you want them to feel the pain in losing you? I think that would be the last thing that you want for your loved ones. To have them suffer more than they already have." It was then that the invaders split to form a long corridor. From their masses, a man dressed in grey and black came forth. Upon his head was a masked helmet, black and gothic, with glass eyeholes that reflected the glimmer of the sun.

"Who are you?" Mickey asked.

"I am the one responsible for leading the attack on this kingdom." He subtly replied. "And you must be the venerable King Mickey that I have heard so much about."

"What is it that you want from me? Why have you attacked us?"-

"For the sake of universal domination as well as to plunge this world back into darkness."-

Mickey then saw the familiar insignia on the man's shoulder. It was the crest of the Empire and the crest of the Heartless intertwining with one another, almost mixing with one another to make a single symbol. He gazed about to see that same symbol inscribed upon the banners of the horde.

"Are you of the Dark Empire, or of the Heartless?" Mickey asked.

"You may say that I am half and half." The figure uttered, "Fulfilling the wishes of my late master as well as fulfilling my own wishes and desires. This day, I will create a new era for my ambition. I will create a new era for the sake of his late Excellency, Master Cavendish, and for my late master!"

"Who is your late master?"-

"That little matters to you." The figure stepped forward. "Here are my terms. If you and your men lay down your arms and grant me your unconditional surrender, I will see to it that their lives, as well as the lives of you and your people are spared. However, should you refuse to do so, I will see to it that each any every one of you are executed. Every man, woman, and child." Mickey could only sneer, but he was in no position to resist.

"Lay down you arms…" he uttered in shame. The guards hesitated for a minute before laying down their arms and placing their hands behind their heads.

"King Mickey. If you would care to join me," The man uttered, "I would like to take a look at the palace." Mickey walked by his side, head down. The man went with a handful of his soldiers, up the stairs, to the grand gates of the palace itself. In the meantime, the remaining of the royal guards were escorted out of the palace grounds and placed in an area, deep behind enemy lines, where they could be of no use for aid, should an uprising occur.

The party entered the grand hall of the palace, the people still there, watching with fear and hatred in their eyes at this villain who had so ruthlessly attacked their kingdom.

"Escort these people out." The man said. "Have them placed in our internment camps. And if there is to be any resistance, kill those in rebellion and a hundred others to make an example."

"Yes, Sir." one of the officers replied. He then deployed his men to round up the people within the palace and escort them out.

"You are a cruel man." Mickey said. "Just because people refuse to do what you tell them, you can render their lives expendable?"

"The lives of peasants are nothing to me." the commander said. "I could care less if one, or all of them died."

"You monster."-

"Empty insults only fan the flames."-

"Mickey!" Minnie cried, running into his arms.

"Minnie." he uttered. He embraced her tightly.

"I see you are well loved." The evil man said. "But as if that really matters now though."

The band moved about the grand halls of the palace and into the throne room. The throne room was vast, with great tapestries decorating the wall. A red carpet stretched from the main door to the thrown itself. The party walked ever closer to the golden chair.

"So this is where you seat yourself during the grand processions you throw, eh?" the commander chuckled. He halted the party, keeping Mickey and Minnie at bay. He stepped up to the thrown and sat down gently in it. "I could get quite used to this."

"How could you just disgrace something sacred to us that easily?" Mickey asked.

"That's quite simple, my boy. I have no concern with what is sacred to you. I could easily dispense with your sacred relic as easily as I can take the life of a child." The commander stood up. "As of this day forward, King Mickey, you are relieved of your position as ruler of the Disney Kingdom. You have advocated your throne to me, the new lord of a new Dark Empire." He turned to one of the other officers who had accompanied them. "Dispense with both the king and queen. I have no further use of them."

"Yes, sir." The officer replied. "Shall we kill them here, or wait for a proper date to execute them."

"On second thought, do not kill them. They may prove to be more valuable to us alive, rather than dead. Take them to our prison in Cetorburg, I'm sure that no one will go so far as to rescue them so deep within that territory."-

"Sir." The officer escorted Mickey and Minnie out of the throne room.

"You will not get away with this!" Mickey cried. "Your kind will never gain power over the people."

"You misunderstand me." The commander chuckled. "I told you before that the fates of these people are of no concern to me. I only wish to gain all of this territory. Soon, all others will fall just as easily. Then I will give rise to a power that will restore the might of the former Dark Empire."

"Who are you!"-

"If you really must know…" the man stepped from the threshold of the throne. "You may call me the Phantom Lord."

With those final words, Mickey and Minnie were taken away, the grand doors closing behind them.

Just as the doors closed, another man presented himself before the Phantom Lord. He walked at a swift pace to the throne and kneeled before his leader.

"My lord." he uttered.

"Aw, General Gryphon." the lord replied. "Have your forces been deployed to take over the key worlds needed to establish a firm expansion of our territory."

"They have, my lord. I have sent the other five generals out to engage in those campaigns against the resistance. It will not be long, however, before victory is in our grasp."-

"Then, once we have firmly established control of the marked regions, we can begin the process of creating our weapons necessary to ensure complete takeover of all the realms. But in order to fulfill that goal, we must first take out the major powers who would prove to be the greatest threat to us." The Phantom Lord walked about and then turned again to his still kneeling general. "What of our conspirators who are engaged in the key elimination of our main targets."

"I have not received word from them yet, my lord."-

"Well, I expect to hear results soon. Otherwise, I will have to make a personal appearance myself! And to place my presence before those two prematurely would be something I'd like to avoid."-

"I understand, my lord. I will see to it that word comes to you as soon as possible."-

"I want a progress report on all of our movements. I want complete details on the conflicts to which we are engaged."-

"Very well, my lord. I shall take my leave." With that, General Gryphon departed from the throne room. The Phantom Lord turned and sat back in the throne. He placed his hand on his cheek and sighed.

"It won't be long before victory is in our grasp." He chuckled to himself.

The Disney Kingdom had fallen so easily to the power of the Phantom Lord and other worlds would be on the verge of collapse as well. However, all wasn't lost for this kingdom as there was still a ray of hope. Goofy and Donald were on their way to Oceansburg to inform the Universal Alliance of its dire situation.

It wasn't long before the little gummi ship reached the walls of the grand capital city of the Universal Alliance, Oceansburg. The little gummi landed in the main courtyard of the senate building. The two stepped out of the ship and ran into the building, but they were stopped by several officers.

"You two can't go in there." One of the officers said.

"We have to get in there!" Donald shouted.

"Yeah!" Goofy added. "It's an emergency!"

"The Disney Kingdom had been taken over! Let us by! Let us by!"-

"I can't let you in without proper clearance!" the officer said again.

"What is going on here!" a voice suddenly shouted. Goofy and Donald looked to see a familiar face looking at them. It was none other than the legendary Hound of Ulster, Cuchulain.

"Cuchulain!" Donald cried.

"Officers!" Cuchulain instructed. "Unhand them!"

"Sir!" the officers replied.

"Now what is going on? Why are you in a rush?"-

"We have to see Sneer as soon as possible!"-

"Why? What's happened?"-

"Our kingdom has been overrun and taken over by an invading force!"-

"I see!" He turned to the officers. "Let these two through!"

"Yes, Sir!" the officers uttered.  
"I will escort you to see Sneer."-

"Thank you very much!" Donald implied. "It's good to know that we know people in high places!"

The three made their way to the top of the building. It was there that Sneer awaited in his office, finishing paper work, regarding military reforms. It was at this moment that the three entered his office.

"Well, Cuchulain," Sneer uttered. "What is the meaning of this intrusion?"

"We have a crisis on our hands, sir." Cuchulain replied. "Donald and Goofy are here to request and audience with you."

"Well, well, well," Sneer stood up, "It's been quite a while hasn't it. Six years I think it has been since the last time we met."

"We come begging for your assistance!" Donald began.

"Why? What has happened?"-

"Our kingdom…the Disney Kingdom has been overrun by invaders!"-

"Is this true?"-

"That's right!" Goofy added. "They attacked when we least expected it!"

"And what of your king?" Cuchulain asked.

"We don't know!" Donald said. "He ordered us to seek aid from the alliance. I don't know what has happened since."

"Could you identify who it was that attacked you?"-

"I don't know, but I think that they may have been a faction power of the former Dark Empire. Goofy and I saw this symbol on the banners that they carried into battle." Donald took a piece of paper and a pen from Sneer's desk and scribbled the best he could the symbol that was inscribed on the cloth of the flags. As soon as he presented the picture to Sneer, the alliance president knew exactly who it was that assaulted the Disney Kingdom.

"So is it confirmed?" Cuchulain asked.

"Without a doubt." Sneer uttered. "This is the symbol of the Midnight Faction! Viro's old organization! It seems that they have decided to reunite all the former followers of the Dark Empire."

"Didn't you mention earlier that out of the factions that splintered after the fall of the Dark Empire, the Midnight Faction was the one power that posed to most dangerous threat?"-

"That is correct. Out of all the factions that were formed after the collapse of the Imperial power, this one is the most dangerous and the most threatening, even to the Universal Alliance." He turned to Goofy and Donald. "It was no wonder that your kingdom fell so easily to them. The foe you had fought is the strongest of the former Imperial organizations. As reports say, the Midnight Faction has already managed to eliminate several of the other powerful factions and have their resources and manpower flock to their banner."

"It must be due to the thanks of their leader."-

"Who is their leader?" Goofy asked.

"We don't know his real name, or his identity." Sneer implied. "We only know him by the title he has declared for the public… The Phantom Lord…"-

"The Phantom Lord?"-

"Unlike many of the other faction leaders, he is the most superb and the most deadly. Unlike many who stick to the old thoughts of Imperial rule, the Phantom Lord has adopted to techniques that were considered too radical even for the upper lords of the former Dark Empire."-

"Is there anything that you can do for us?" Donald asked. "Can you send forces to help us battle these foes and regain our land?"

"The situation isn't as easy as that?" Sneer said. "Our forces have been deployed too thin as they are already. We have troops trying to fight off the forces of the former Arakis Foundation. And they pose just as great a threat as the Midnight Faction. Then there's the Red Ribbon Faction that has established itself within the Kambrian Empire. To add, there are thirty other major factions that have been harassing our coalition forces for the past six years. I can scarcely spare any man to be deployed from those areas."

"So what you're trying to tell me is that you won't do anything to help our kingdom?"-

"I never said that now did I Donald. I have every intention of helping your kingdom as much as I can. However, the fact of the matter is if we'll be able to lighten our efforts on the other areas just to help one kingdom. If I even spare one regiment of alliance troops, I weaken our other fronts. But if I don't give you aid, I only give the Midnight Faction the opportunity to strengthen their own defenses and make it harder for us to face them in the future. Even the might of the Z team is not enough to stop the chaos. Goku, Vegeta, and the others are right now trying to take out the main strength of the Red Ribbon Faction and the Arakis Foundation."-

"Please, Sneer, is there anyone whom you can spare?"-

"There are at least two whom I can spare, who'll be equally matched to at least delay the progress of the Midnight Faction. You know them well. You have journeyed with them before. Of course, it may be a little hard to persuade them from leaving their peaceful lives."-

"Are you talking about…?" Goofy asked.

"Yes. We must call upon the two keybearers to assist us once again." Sneer turned to Cuchulain. "Cuchulain, I want you to take the responsibility of retrieving them, alright?"

"I had a feeling that this might come up." Cuchulain said. "That's why I took the liberty of sending our assistant inspector to send them the message."

"Very well."-

"I have also instructed him to test their fighting skills through a trial battle of competency."-

"Then there is no time to lose." Sneer turned to Goofy and Donald. "You will accompany Cuchulain to retrieve the keybearers. Understood?"

"We gotcha!" Donald implied.

"Oh boy!" Goofy chuckled. "It'll be just like old times."

"Now there's no way that we can lose."-

"Come on, you two!" Cuchulain said. "We have no time to stand around!"

"Right behind ya!"-

The three rushed to where the gummi ship lay docked. As Sneer watched the gummi ship take off within minutes after the three had left his office, he placed his arms behind his back.

"It'll be up to those two young men to save the world from being consumed by the darkness again." He thought to himself. "Riku…Sora…"

_It was on that fateful night at Halloween Town, when the KH team confronted the Imperial forces under the command of the infamous Gatler Generals. The night was cold and foreboding, but the team went forward to destroy the infamous Apocalypse Cannon, which was being constructed by the Dark Empire, to help speed the process of conquering the Empire. The fight against the Imperials was hard and without a doubt one of the toughest fights ever to be waged against the two sides. But the most intense fighting came between Riku and Sora against the two Gatler Generals, King and Triiken. However, it was the fight between Triiken and Riku that was the most recalled. Unlike many of the opponents that he had fought in the past, this new foe that Riku faced far surpassed the skills of the foes he had fought before. Riku desperately fought against this second strongest of the Gatler generals._

_"You truly are a skilled warrior." Triiken chuckled. "Truly you are! However, it is because you are a highly skilled warrior that I cannot allow you to win! I know that by letting you emerge victorious, you will only slow down, if not halt the progress of the Empire!"_

_"I must commend you on your strength as well!" Riku replied. "Unfortunately, it is because you are strong that I can't allow you to succeed! Because I know that you would end up causing more pain and suffering if you emerge victorious and have your way!"_

_"Your sentiment is understandable, boy, but I will not lose to the likes of you!"-_

_"Funny! I feel the exact same way!"-_

_"Don't fool yourself, boy! You will be defeated this night! And your eminent defeat will come from none other than me, General Arinario Triiken, leader of the 2nd Gatler division! I shall claim your life, key bearer!" The two continued to battle against each other, clashing their swords and forcing sparks to fly. Their movements and skills were without flaws. But that was to be expected of truly talented warriors. The two clashed their swords for ten minutes, although those ten minutes seemed like an eternity, an eternity with no ending in sight. Finally, a last push came as Triiken and Riku locked their blades together, hoping that one would eventually give in. In the end, however, both jumped back and took their vigilant stances again. _

_"You're gonna have to give in sooner, or later!" Riku said. "There's no way that you'll be able to beat me!"_

_"Is that so, boy?" Triiken chuckled. "Then you truly haven't seen the full extend of my skills arsenal." Triiken suddenly crouched down, extending his right leg in front of him and placing the whole of his body weight upon his left leg. He stuck out his left elbow, drawing his blade back. He then, grasped the bottom side of his sword, almost reaching the tip of the blade and nuzzling it between his thumb and index finger. "Your death is assured this night, key bearer." _

_It was at that moment that Triiken lunged with all his might. Riku was almost caught off guard as he suddenly saw Triiken thrust the blade in front of him with great intensity. It seemed as if in slow motion as Riku saw the blade suddenly appear only a few inches away from his face. There was a sudden pause, as if time seemed to stand still._

_"This attack…" Riku uttered. "This attack…could it be…?"_

_There was a sudden flash of light._

It was at that moment that Riku awoke from his bed. His chest and arms were covered in sweat and he sat up in his bed, heavily breathing as if something had scared him. Riku looked out of his bedroom window to see a storm begin to form. Lightning and Thunder bellowed in the air. He stood up, shirtless, wearing only a pair of blue jeans. He walked to the window and stood out on the little balcony of his room. He could feel the wind continuing to blow.

"It was all a dream." Riku uttered to himself. "A dream about the past. But I've had these dreams before. Why is it that now I feel so uneasy about the whole thing?" He walked back into his room and shut the balcony doors behind him. He lay on his bed, atop the covers and placed his hands under his head. "Is there something about those dreams that I must be aware of? I have gone through matches where I nearly lost my life? Is that it? Is it because I was so near to death that I could have lost my life had I not made the right decision?" Riku then sighed and placed his pillow over his face. "It's probably just bad memories that's all. That was all in the past. I'm here at home, safe and sound and there is no attempt on my life." Riku laid his hands on his chest, the pillow still gently lying on his face and fell asleep.

The next morning, the storm had passed and the bright sun was gleaming over the horizon. Riku, by this time, was awake and had already rowed out to the small island where he and his friends hung out at times. He was alone on that island, carrying out with his exercises as he did every morning during the summer. He now trained with a variety of blades. He would at times spar with Sora, using blunt steel swords, or wooden swords. He also used his sharpened katana for meditation fighting, moving in certain patterns and combating imaginary enemies. But most importantly, Riku would train with his new keyblade, the one give to him by the Universal Alliance six years earlier. The _Ginroio Noria_, The Way of Justice. A glimmering keyblade of black, red, and blue, it was quite a beautiful keyblade. As he trained with these weapons, the sound of the early morning breeze ruffled in the tops of the palm and paopu trees, the waves gently crashed on the white sand.

It was at that moment that Riku heard a voice call to him.

"Hey, Riku!" the voice shouted. Riku turned to see Sora just tying his boat at the dock.

"Hey there, Sora!" Riku replied. "Good morning!"

"I hope I'm not too late."-

"Too late for what?"-

"What else…?" Sora picked up one of the wooden swords. "A spar against you! That's what!"

"Already, Sora? You just got here."

"What's the matter, Riku? Are you scared of me? Afraid that I'll kick your butt?"-

"So you want it that way? Alright, Sora, let's see what you can do!" Riku withdrew his keyblade and picked up the other wooden sword. "Here are the rules though! No using any energy attacks, or magic."

"I gotcha!"-

The two young men made their stances and prepared to battle. Sora was the first to make the move lunging at Riku. Riku made an attempt to strike at Sora, but the young man leaped over his friends head. Sora landed gently on the sand and struck from behind. But Riku easily dodged the attack and thrust with his wooden sword. Sora blocked the attack and began a repetition spin, jumping about against Riku using 360 degree spins. Riku managed to counter however, side sweeping Sora's feet from beneath him. Sora fell, but leaped up again. Again and again, the two managed to evade and block without any trouble. Neither, so far, for an estimated thirty minutes or more, was able to even strike at the other. Finally, with a last attempt to strike one another, Riku and Sora swung their wooden swords and managed to strike at each others' throats.

"It's a draw…" Riku said.

"Neither one of us gained the upper hand." Sora added. They lowered their swords and sat down, side by side, on the sand. Sora threw his shirt from off his back and lay in the warm sand. "Man, I really built up a sweat."

"You and me both." Riku uttered, already shirtless himself. "It doesn't matter how much we spar, we never can seem to break that constant draw."

"But then again, I noticed that you weren't really taking me seriously were you."-

"No, I wasn't. But then again, neither were you."-

"I guess we're both just a couple of idiots."-

"Speak for yourself!" Riku suddenly grabbed Sora and got his head in a lock. He then gave strong noogies on the top of his head. Sora pulled his head out of Riku's grip. "I gotcha good that time, Sora."

"Oh yeah!" Sora pounced on Riku, wrapping his arms around his friend, tackling him to sand. The two rolled about, grappling with one another. But finally, Riku gained the upper hand over his younger friend. He managed to roll Sora over on his back. Riku then straddled himself on Sora's stomach and pinned his arms on the ground. Sora kicked his legs in the air, trying to get Riku off of him, but he was stuck underneath him.

"You're hopeless, you know that!" Riku chuckled. He added weight onto Sora's belly, forcing some of the air out. "You should know by now that you can't beat me in grappling."

"You…just wait…" Sora strained, trying to force Riku off his gut and free himself. But Riku kept his legs wrapped tightly around Sora. All the thrashing amounted to nothing and Sora was at his friend's mercy.

"That's right!" Riku said. "Struggle all you want, Sora. It won't do you any good." He added more weight onto Sora's stomach. Sora wrenched up, throwing his left leg into the air. "Just give it up, Sora. Say you give up!"

"In your dreams…"-

It was then that another familiar voice made itself known.

"Hey, you guys!" it said. "What are you two doing out here!"

The two young men looked up to see Kairi standing over them.

"Kairi…" they both uttered.

"She didn't come alone." Another voice said. The two looked to find Tidus standing behind her. "You two roughhousing again?"

"Hey Tidus!" Riku chuckled.

"This looks like fun." Kairi chuckled. "Can I join in?"

"Sora just had to pounce on me!" Riku said.

"You just wait until next time!" Sora shouted. "Next time, it'll be me that pins you down, Riku!"

"Is that so?" Riku then looked at Kairi. Kairi sat down just opposite of Sora's head and with both her hands, began to tickle him at his sides. Sora began to bawl out with uncontrollable laughter. He continued to kick, hoping to break himself free. But the more he struggled, the more Riku held him down. Tidus sat squatted next to the three.

"You might as well give it up, Sora." He chuckled.

"Alright! Alright!" Sora laughed. "I give up!"

Riku let himself off of Sora's stomach and helped his friend up.

"Maybe next time, you'll be lucky!" Riku said.

"Next time." Sora smiled and went to retrieve his shirt.

"So, what're you two doing here?"-

"Well, I came to get you guys." Kairi replied. "I just wanted to know if you guys were hungry because they're having that pancake bash at the Seaside Café."

"Hey, that sounds good!" Sora shouted, rubbing his stomach. "I could really go for pigs in a blanket!"

"Sure, I'm game!" Riku added. "What about you, Tidus?"

"I've already eaten." Tidus chuckled. "I just came here to set up the place for our annual summer beach party. You guys coming?"

"Has there ever been a year that we've missed?"-

"Then, I'll see you guys later tonight."-

"Don't worry about that." Sora said. "We'll give you a hand after we finish breakfast."

"We can't let you do this on your own, Tidus." Kairi added.

"Thanks a lot, you guys!" Tidus chuckled.

"We'll be back in an hour." Riku said. The three went off, heading for the dock. However, when reaching the dock, Riku suddenly went into a daze. His vision suddenly saw flashes of light and events from the past appear before his eyes. He only gazed out into the blue of the ocean. The waves seemed to babble the sounds of battle and of thousands of screaming men entering a great fray. He stood their as his memories continued to bombard him. Suddenly, his nostalgia was shattered by a shouting voice.

"Hey, Riku!" Kairi shouted. "You coming!"

"Come on!" Sora added. "My stomach is growling!"

"Alright!" Riku replied. "I'm coming! I'm coming!"

Riku, however, continued to go in a dazing faze, suddenly cutting his body away from his mind. During the row back to the main island, Riku was silent all the way, locking his thoughts in his mind, not uttering a word to either Kairi, or Sora. When they finally reached the shore, Riku lagged behind and took his time, while Sora and Kairi were chatting away in front of him. Riku gazed at his feet as he walked, then suddenly stopped to gaze for a moment, or two, at the beautiful shoreline with its waving palms. It was at that moment that he felt a hand placed on his shoulder which broke him out of his spell.

"Riku?" the voice uttered. Riku looked to see Sora by his side.

"Sora…" Riku replied.

"Are you sure that you're feeling alright?"-

"You seem to be preoccupied for some reason." Kairi added. "As if your mind were someplace else."

"It's nothing, honestly." Riku said.

"I have a hard time believing that…" Sora implied.

"You've been acting like this since we left the island." Kairi added. "You seem to have something bothering you."

"Tell us Riku. What is it that's bothering you? Maybe Kairi and I can help you out with this problem."-

"Well…" Riku paused for a moment. "I'm just experiencing old memories… That's all…"

"Memories of what?"-

"Are they good memories?" Kairi asked. "Like the memories of us three when we were kids, and going of on adventures?"

"Not at all…" Riku said. "They are memories that are far from pleasant. Memories that I'd like to forget."

"What are they?" Sora asked.

"It was regarding… The Gatler Generals…"-

"The Gatler Generals…?" Kairi asked. "Who're they?"

"Are you talking about the commanders that we confronted at Halloween Town six years ago?"-

"Who are the Gatler generals, Sora?"-

"They were three powerful Imperials of the Dark Empire that we had confronted six years ago. They were excessively powerful. More powerful than even a few of the members of the Cavendish Shinobis. But this is the first time that we've ever mentioned this to you, is it, Kairi?"-

"Yes, it is…"-

"Are these events the memories that have been keeping you dazed all this time?"-

"Yes…" Riku implied. "I remember that epic battle against the Gatler generals in thorough detail. To tell you the truth though, that was the one battle that I always seem to remember the most, but never mention it."

"Why is that" Kairi asked.

"Because it was the one battle that I was the most scared."-

"Scared?"-

"I never mentioned this to either of you, but that battle with the Gatler generals was the one confrontation that nearly cost me my life. The general whom I fought, General Triiken, was perfect in form and skill with his sword. His style of combat was without a doubt one of the best I've ever seen. His swordsman skills were equal to the skills of even General Kai himself."

"I see…" Sora uttered.

"I know it sounds a little bit strange…"-

"Not at all, Riku. You never really talk about the events that took place six years ago. It's not often that you refer to your past like this."-

"I agree." Kairi added, smiling. "I think it's great that you mentioned this to us. It makes us feel like you're really starting to open up."

"I guess you're right."-

"Well, come on, old buddy!" Sora chuckled, slapping Riku on the back. "Let's you, Kairi, and I go off to the Seaside Café and gorge ourselves in pancake heaven!" It was then that Sora's stomach growled. "My stomach can't wait any longer!"

"You're right!" Riku stuck his head up. "Then let's go and eat!"

"Yeah!" Sora wrapped his arm around Riku's neck and led him down the road. Kairi nuzzled up close to Riku too. Riku could only smile, wrapping both his arms around his friends. However, the smile he had on his face could not hide the memories of that fateful night.

"I have not had dreams about the past for the passed six years." Riku thought to himself. "Why now, of all times, do they decide to resurface in my mind? And why is it that it makes me feel so uneasy!" But Riku only let his memories slide and rejoined his two friends in their merriment.

Meanwhile, Tidus was back on the small island, setting up for the beach party. Setting up torches and a grill, he made the beach a soothing sight for his coming guest.

"I hope that it'll be another great bash this year." He thought to himself. "We always seem to have fun at these annual beach parties. And that's a tradition I wouldn't break for anything."

But as he set up one of the last torches next to the seaside shack, something caught his eye. He turned his head to see a man dressed in an old sports coat and raggedy old cloak, carrying a duffle bag on one shoulder.

"Excuse me!" the man said, with a high, squeaky voice.

"Can I help you, Sir?" Tidus asked.

"I'm an herbalist from the eastern isles. I specialize in the making of golden seal and a well known herb called senzu. He tipped off his hat and bowed respectfully and humbly towards Tidus. "Please to meet you, young man. My name is Kuroda. Yamagata Kuroda to be precise." He took out of the duffle back, a box with a bizarre symbol upon it. He opened the box and displayed several herbal sampled before Tidus. Tidus, however, suspicious of why his mad was here, happened to looks at the man's hands, noticing that there were calluses on only his right hand. Looking at his own right hand, he observes that his own calluses were identically placed to the man's. He then noticed the fine powder of herbal mounds placed in tissue within the box. "First of all, if you have some spare time on your hands, I would like to tell you more about these special herbs. They can heal bruises and broken bones, cure ailments and illnesses."

"No use trying to bother me with your trade." Tidus interrupted. "I'm not exactly interested in herbs. Besides, no one lives on this island."

"No one lives on this island you say? Are you sure about that?"-

"I've been coming to this island all my life and I can tell you that there isn't anyone who actually lives on this island, it's too small. A salesman should have known that from the start."-

"Well, I'm new at this. This is my first attempt to trade my herbs and spices."-

Tidus ruffled the fine herbal powder between his fingers.

"This is quite fine powder" Tidus said.

"Why thank you, sir." The man replied.

"Tell me, do you use a grindstone to help make this fine powdered herb?"-

"Of course I do."-

"Is that so?" Tidus stood up and sneered at the man. "You certainly are terrible when it comes to lying aren't you!"

"Lying?"-

"First of all, even a novice salesman makes sure to travel only to those places that are heavily populated! Secondly, you said that you used a grindstone to make this powered herb! But the reality is that you couldn't get such fine power with a grind stone, no matter how hard you tried! And even if you did, the labor would require two hands instead of one! From the looks of your palms," Tidus grabbed the man's palms and pointed out his evidence, "you only use your right hand for grinding! To make fine powder with only the use of one hand at the grindstone is impossible to do! Finally, the calluses developed on your right hand are identical to my own, which only points out to me that you are not an herbalist, but a man who excels in swordsmanship! Tell me, who are you!"

"You certainly are perceptive aren't you, young man." Suddenly the man's voice transformed from a squeaky, annoying voice, to one that was deep and threatening. "I'm impressed, Tidus, Defeater of Sin." Tidus backed away from the man. "So it appears that the key bearers are not here right now. However, I'm sure that they'll return, due to the hustle and bustle that you're causing here. So the best way to give my regards is to leave them a gift." The man unfurled his cloak from off his back and drew out a concealable sword from behind him.

"So you were carrying that thing the whole time, eh?" Tidus's sword was not with him, so he went for the next best thing. He grabbed the lantern he had recently stuck in the sand and broke it in half, attempting to use it as a weapon. "You came here with every intention to fight and cause trouble!"

"This guy must be after Riku and Sora…" Tidus thought to himself. He threw the broken staff before him. "Alright, pal! If you've come here hoping to fight, well then you found the right guy to battle! Just tell me this! Who are you really and what do you want with Riku and Sora!"

"As if that really matters to you." Kuroda chuckled.

"Fine, then you're gonna play dumb until the end are you? Then I'll find out who you are by letting this staff do the talking!"-

"If you were wise, you'd forget this futile effort and tell me where I can find the key bearers."-

"You'll have to beat it out of me first!" Tidus suddenly flipped into the air and slammed the staff right onto Kuroda's shoulder. There was slight tension as the staff made contact with Kuroda's shoulder. Tidus smiled. "Hey, sorry to lay it on you so hard."

However, Kuroda only grinned back, in a sinister fashion. Tidus was shocked that there was no reaction of pain. He stood back, letting Kuroda crack his neck from side to side.

"Interesting, my boy." Kuroda chuckled. "Your reputation certainly precedes you and that strike to my shoulder definitely proves it. You without a doubt deserve the title of the 'Defeater of Sin.'"

"I didn't even faze him one bit." Tidus thought to himself. "But that can't be. I put everything I had into that strike."

"However, you were merely facing a third class entity. To add, these are the peaceful days of the new Reconstruction Era. Had you been present in one of the bloodiest wars in universal history, you would have fully realized that your sword strikes would have amounted to nothing." Kuroda crouched down, extending his right leg in front of him and placing the whole of his body weight upon his left leg. He stuck out his left elbow, drawing his blade back. He then, grasped the bottom side of his sword, almost reaching the tip of the blade and nuzzling it between his thumb and index finger.

Suddenly, Kuroda attacked with intense force and speed, taking Tidus completely by surprise. Even for one who ran on fine sand, the speed was without question, unrivaled. Kuroda thrust his blade forward with great force and pierced the sword through Tidus's right arm. The force of the impact caused Tidus to bind backwards, hitting and breaking through the fragile wooden wall of the seaside shack. But in the rush, do the incredible power behind the thrust, the blade fractured and snapped in half. Tidus slammed against the opposite wall and fell to the ground. The fragmented tip remained lodged in his shoulder, but did not pierce all the way through. In the meantime, Kuroda skidded across the sand and stood up after managing to stop his body from sliding. He gazed at the fractured weapon.

"How monotonous is this?" he thought to himself. "Though these concealable swords have their uses, the blades they obtain are as brittle as glass. To inflict major damage against an enemy is almost impossible with such a flimsy weapon. When it boils down, there is nothing I prefer more than an Imperial class sword; whether it be a fencer, or a katana. Anyone of those would certainly put this piece of trash to shame." He threw the broken sword down on the ground. But when he did, Kuroda realized that Tidus was still conscious and was staggering to his feet. The blood from his wound dripped down in small streams down his arm.

"You just wait there, you bastard…" Tidus uttered. "I'm not finished with you yet! This battle is far from over!"

"I think it would be in your best interest to remain still and not attempt any futile effort to retaliate against me." Kuroda said. "Though the wound I gave you is not a fatal one, it is indeed a serious injury. Attempting to use your arm any further would only complicate the problem and…"

"Shut your mouth! I may be wounded, but I still have enough energy left to fight you!"-

"But you are severely crippled on your dominant arm. As a result, your effectiveness has been cut by half!"-

"That's not open for discussion!" Tidus lunged forth, with his staff now placed in his right hand. But as he attempted to strike, Kuroda easily knocked the staff out of his right hand. He then slugged Tidus in the stomach. Tidus hunched over in pain. Kuroda then threw Tidus against the wall again and pounded his hand into the broken sword tip, still lodged in his arm. The blade pierced straight through Tidus's shoulder, piercing him against the wooden walls of the shack. Tidus screamed out in agony, but Kuroda grabbed him by the face and slammed his head against the wall. Tidus went unconscious and hung limp and lifeless upon the sword fragment. Kuroda wiped the blood from his hands and walked away.

"Perhaps, those two keybearers will realize soon enough what they contend with." He walked away, leaving everything behind. His broken blade was never retrieved and the box of herbs remained visible on the beach. Blood was splattered about the walls of the shack and Tidus's blood spilled from his wound in rivers.

In the meantime, Riku, Kairi, and Sora had just finished their meals. Sora rubbed his stomach, feeling its fullness.

"Man, that hit the spot." He uttered.

"That certainly was a pancake bash alright." Kairi added. "A buffet of pancakes with no limit in sight."

"Well, now that we're finished with breakfast, and have full stomachs again, what do you say we go out and give Tidus a hand getting ready for our annual beach party?"-

"That sounds great."-

Sora and Kairi began their walk to the dock, their arms linked to one another. But it was then that Sora realized Riku was again in that dazed spell. He left Kairi's side and walked up to Riku.

"Uh…Riku?" Sora asked. Riku looked at him and smiled.

"Sorry about that, Sora." Riku uttered.

"Are you sure that you're feeling alright? Are you having those memories again?"-

"I am…"-

"This is really starting to concern me, Riku." Kairi said.

"Yeah." Sora added. "Your memories never took hold of you like this before."

"Then again, I've never allowed my memories to overcome me like this." Riku said. "I just…I just feel…"

Suddenly, Riku felt a blow to the back of the head that caused him to fall flat on his face. He looked up to see Wakka and Selphie walked behind him.

"I got you good, ya?" Wakka chuckled.

"You can be such a jerk sometimes, Wakka." Selphie said. Kairi helped Riku up.

"Are you alright?" Kairi asked.

"I'm alright" Riku replied. "I was just taken off guard, that's all."

"You?" Selphie said, in a sarcastic manner. "Caught off guard? I can hardly believe that!"

"It's true though, Selphie." Kairi said. "Riku's been spacing out lately. He says that it's his old memories."

"The funny thing is that they have never bothered him this much." Sora added. Sora turned to Riku. "You sure you're OK, Riku?"

"I'll live, Sora." Riku replied, rubbing the back of his head.

"Anyway, what are you guys doing here?"-

"We were going to help Tidus set up for the party tonight." Selphie explained.

"We're you now?"-

"That's what we were going to do too." Kairi added.

"Well, since we're all headed over there, let's go together!" Selphie said.

"We're gonna have another great party, ya?" Wakka chuckled.

"Then let's go." Riku said.

The party got into their boats and rowed over to the island. The wind was calm and the water smooth. So making their way over to the island went nice and slow. As they reached the dock, they could see the torches, the beach chairs, the volleyball net, and the barbeque grill all set up.

"It looks like Tidus has been busy, ya?" Wakka uttered.

"I guess he really didn't need our help." Selphie said.

"Speaking of which…Where is Tidus anyway! He would be out here somewhere, ya?" The party stood on the doc and looked around.

"Tidus!" Sora cried.

"Tidus?" added Kairi

"Come on out here, Tidus!" Wakka shouted.

"Where are you, Tidus!" added Selphie.

"Tidus!" Riku hollered.

There was no answer though. Only the sound of the breeze and the crashing waves could be heard. Riku and the others looked about.

"Where could he be?" Sora asked. It was then that Sora happened to look at the seaside shack and saw a massive hole in the wall. His eyes grew with fear. "Guys!"

"What's the matter Sora?" Selphie asked.

"Look! The shack!" Sora pointed to the little wooden structure. The massive hole in the side was apparent.

"Oh my goodness," Kairi uttered, "what happened."

It was then that Riku caught a familiar and rather foreboding scent. Immediately, his heart began to pound.

"That smell…" he said. "The smell of blood!"

"What?" Wakka asked. "Blood?"

The team rushed to the shack. On the ground, they saw drips of blood. Riku ran to the hole in the shacks wall and peeped in. And there, still impaled through the shoulder against the wall, Tidus hung, lifeless.

"Tidus!" Riku cried, rushing in to help his dying friend.

"Oh no, Tidus!" Sora added, moving in to assist.

As the others peeped in, there were utterly terrified of what they saw.

"Tidus!" Selphie screamed. "No!" She turned away, daring not to look any further. Tears ran from her eyes. Kairi too became teary-eyed at the sight, covering her mouth in utter shock. Riku and Sora pried Tidus off the wall and carried him out of the shack. He had lost a great deal of blood and hung limp in the arms of his friends. They lay him on the sand.

"Poor Tidus…" Selphie sobbed, her eyes filled with tears.

"Is he in?" Riku said, checking for a pulse and breathing. It was then that he felt a slight pulse of a slow beating heart. "He's still alive!"

"We gotta get him to the hospital immediately!" Sora instructed. Taking off his shirt and belt, Sora made a temporary tourniquet to help stop the bleeding. They cleaned the wound with water from the spring falls and shipped him onto one of the boats.

"I'll take Tidus, ya!" Wakka said, volunteering to watch over his dying friend.

"Very well." Riku implied. "Then we leave him in your care, Wakka." He turned to his friends. "I want you guys to follow Wakka and make sure that Tidus makes it to the hospital in time."

"What about you, Riku?" Sora asked. "Aren't you coming with us?"

"I'll stay here and investigate this crime scene."-

"Alright…" Sora turned to the others. "Come on, you guys. Let's hurry. The more time we waste, the more critical Tidus's condition will become."

"Right." Wakka said. The party climbed into their boats and rowed away, back to the settlement, at a quick and steady pace. Riku stayed behind, hoping to find evidence of who it might have been who attacked Tidus.

He walked about, looking at some to the key elements that were left behind. The herbal box with the strange symbol on its lid was only one thing that any significance. Riku gazed more at the symbol, hoping to see if it held any real significance. It was then, with utter shock and fear that he realized what the symbol represented. Turing the box, with lid opening away from him, Riku realized that this symbol was none other than the letter 'G'.

"Is this symbol what I think it is?" His memories flooded into his mind again, searching to that incident where he had encountered this symbol before.

In an inn, not too far north of the main settlement, a group of men sat about, chatting the night away. But this conversation was not the average meeting so to say. It was more of a conspiracy plot. Among the three was none other than the so much talked about Yamagata Kuroda.

"I am deeply honored to know that you have decided to join us, Inspector Kuroda." The first man said. "Or would it be better if I addressed you by your true and famous name, Mr. Triiken?"

"Address me however you please."-

The man poured rum into his pewter glass.

"I hope you don't mind rum while we go through the steps of our plan."-

"I'm sorry," Triiken uttered, "but I must decline to your kind offer. I have no tolerance for any sort of liquor whatsoever. That's why I don't touch the stuff."

"Really? I'm surprised that a man as strong as you can't hold his liquor."-

"It's not that. I just have this policy that one who drinks may lose track of awareness of the environment around him. One's heightened awareness is always an element to hold on to. Especially when you have a record so full of scorn as mine. That is why I've held back on my consumption since the fall of the Dark Empire."-

"I see what you mean. Then I will not force you to take any." The man poured sum into his own glass. He then placed the pitcher on the table "Now then, down to business… Your mission right now is to track down…"-

"The keybearers, I know that much already."-

"Well, you certainly work fast don't you?" The man swigged from his glass again.

"Knowing that they were in the town, I decided to take the liberty of rowing out to that small isle off the coast. It was there that I would place my evidence to make the keybearers aware of my existence. Knowing Riku, he may already have picked up my scent. However, he won't know the reason for my being here with only the box as his evidence. Next, there will be a written letter addressed to the keybearers, stating my terms. They know of the position I take, so they'll have to agree to any terms I set before them."-

"Well, I'm glad to see that you're putting so much effort into helping us, eh Triiken? I never would have thought that one like you would accept an offer like this from me?"-

"I was also surprised to here about you. Who would have thought that you of all people were the former minister of propaganda, Armadillo Ranker. You certainly knew how to manipulate the people for the old Imperial regime. To think that you were the one to hire me for this job. And the first task I'm assigned is to eliminate the ultimate arch rivals of the Gatler Generals." Triiken then leaned closer to the two men sitting at the table with him. "By the way, I'm quite curious to know the identity of the client who wishes to have the keybearers dead."

"You shouldn't ask so many questions." The second man uttered. "That's a good way to get yourself killed."

"And who might you be who's been silent the whole time?" Triiken uttered.

"I'm none other than Ilian Archibald."-

"Now, now…" Ranker uttered. "There's no need to be hostile, Archibald. Remember, we are all on the same side here, fighting for the power of Imperial rule. There's no need for us to bicker amongst ourselves. Now what do you say we help ourselves to some good food and enjoy ourselves for the rest of the evening?"

"I apologize." Triiken uttered. Placing on his hat and coat, he linked on his belt, which a heavy sword hung down. "Normally, I would accept such an offer of generosity, but I must return to my patrol as the alliance assistant inspector. If I don't fill in my reports, they may get suspicious."

"I understand."-

"Until next time, Gentlemen, I wish you good night." Triiken walked out of the inn with a tip of his hat to the hostess and disappeared into the night.

"To think that a man like him, former commander of the 2nd Gatler Tank division, Arinario Triiken, is serving under the authority of the Universal Alliance, the one power that he tried so desperately to destroy. He even went so far as to change his name to Yamagata Kuroda so as not to spread a scandal within the alliance. The world is quite a different place now. To think that someone with such a soiled reputation for ruthlessness, like Triiken was even accepted as an assistant inspector for the alliance's top secret security agency. I'm surprised that the alliance even accepted him in the first place."

"I really don't like him though." Archibald implied. "He's just another one of those sorry bootlickers working for the police."

"Just the same though, Archibald. Despite his employment into the alliance, he is still an Imperial by heart. The alliance certainly made a mistake hiring him though. Triiken should have been the last to be chosen. He acts as a link between us and the Alliance. At the amount of information given to him by the alliance, he could easily supply us with enough information to bring down that corrupted organization from the inside."-

On that cold night, Triiken moved down back to the settlement where he was staying at another inn outside of town. It was a warm, clear night. The stars twinkled brightly in the midnight sky. Shooting stars flashed and glimmered amidst the dotted lights in that sea of black. The sound of crickets filled the night air.

"These days of peace will soon be turned upside down." Triiken thought to himself. "And once again, the universe's fate will be decided. There will be another reign of chaos that stretches throughout the worlds. I'm sorry to say that your little era of peace has come to an end. You must pick up your weapons again and fight, keybearers. Fate will no longer have you standing idle. To fight is the only fate and only destiny which you two have…Riku…Sora…"


	2. Presence Known

Presence Known

The night passed on as the stars grew brighter and more numerous is the sky. However, even in the deepest of the night, Riku remained on the island, gazing at the evidence left behind him. The party had been cancelled due to the incident and Riku spent the night on the island, pondering at the artifacts found at the scene of the crime. He observed the box with the letter 'G' inscribed on it and the broken sword, which was used to strike down Tidus. Examining them by fire light, Riku thought and thought. Perhaps this incident was linked to the resurfacing of dreams he had been having in the past.

"Why…?" Riku asked himself. "Why of all times…?"

It was then that he heard someone walking on the sandy beach. He drew out his keyblade. In the midst of the shadows surrounding the little campfire, Riku observed a figure approaching him.

"Who's there!" he shouted.

"It's just me!" the voice replied. Riku realized, as the figure became more illuminated by the fire light, it was only Sora.

"Oh, it's you, Sora…"-

"You've been here all night, Riku. Don't you think that you should be going home?"-

"It's alright. I was just investigating the crime scene."-

"Really? What have you concluded to?"-

"That's the thing. I haven't really reached any conclusions. Not with the amount of evidence here."-

"Whoever this guy is, he certainly knows not to leave a great deal of evidence behind."-

"Yeah…"-

Sora sat down besides Riku and gazed up into the night sky.

"The stars are beautiful tonight." Sora uttered. "Too bad this had to happen though."

"How's Tidus's condition?" Riku asked.

"He's doing fine now. He just needs at least a few days rest. The doctor said that he would have died, however, had he lost a few more ounces of blood. The wound itself was not a fatal one. The blade pierced all the way through Tidus's shoulder, but it didn't puncture any vital arteries, or shatter any bone, or main muscle. It was just a clear stab through flesh."-

"I see. So Tidus will make a full recovery?"-

"From what I understand, yes." Sora looked at Riku. "But I have to ask you something, Riku. Tidus is the third toughest on Destiny Island, compared to you and I. He's a tough guy to take down. And since that ordeal he went through against Sin, he's vastly improved. I mean, there are not a lot of guys who can beat him up so badly to the point of death. What kind of guy could have done that?"-

"I know…" Riku implied.

"You know?" Sora glared at him in shock. "You know who did this to Tidus? But how?"

"Simply by looking at these items that I found when we discovered Tidus half dead." Riku picked up the box and handed it to Sora. He then pointed at the letter 'G' inscribed on the lid. "You've seen this symbol before haven't you? We've both seen it."

Sora recalled the memories to when he saw this strange insignia. It was at that moment that he realized what he was looking at.

"But this…this…" he uttered. "this…is the symbol of the Gatler Generals of the Dark Empire. I remember seeing this same emblem on the collar of General Durovano's uniform. But are you saying that it was a Gatler General that did this?"

"None other…"-

"But what would a Gatler General be doing here? I thought that the doors to all worlds had been sealed, except the one held in Oceansburg by the Alliance?"-

"I don't know…"-

"But if there is a Gatler General wandering about Destiny Island, which of the three would he be? And why would he come here in the first place?"-

"Perhaps looking for revenge." Riku stood up and picked up the fragments of the broken sword. "Revenge on either one, or both of us. However, I have a feeling I know who's behind this." Suddenly, Riku fell to his knees, grasping at the right side of his throat.

"Riku!" Sora shouted, rushing to his friend's side. "What is it? What's happened?" He noticed that Riku was covering his throat. "What's wrong with your neck?"

"Just old memories, that's all." Riku removed his hand and on his throat, there was a red streak running across the entire right side of his throat.

"What is that?" Sora looked at it closer. "It looks like someone was trying to cut your throat, or held a sharpened blade to it anyway."

"Every time I think of that battle against the Gatler Generals, this old wound resurfaces to remind me of that incident. But the pain has never been as excruciating as this." Riku looked at Sora. "That's why I told you that the fight against the Gatler Generals was the most frightening battle I ever engaged in, because I was standing on a thin line between life and death. And it was because of that battle that I have been having these strong nostalgic feelings return to me. The force of that attack used against me, which inflicted this scar, was one that surpassed any other devastating attack I encountered before."

"What kind of an attack was it?"-

"It was a thrust attack."-

"That's it?" Sora folded his arms in front of him. "Just a simple thrust attack?"

"Not just any thrust attack, Sora. But one that is the basis for all thrust attacks used in the universe. The basic fundamentals for the perfect thrust attack. One used by many Imperials. The Imperial Thrust. This technique was the first well established strike that could kill an opponent with one hit. Many other thrust attacks are based off this style, from Cloud Strife's Sonic Blade to Saito's Gatotsu. The Imperial Thrust is an unrivaled attack that dwarfs all others in speed and power." Riku showed Sora the sword. "This broken sword is evidence of that power, snapping in half so clean. The amount of power and speed used to break this blade must've been immense. To add, this sword is made from the same material that our old Imperial katanas were made of. To have the sword snapped in half so easily…there must be quite a lot of energy behind it."

"So how did this attack create that scar?"-

"The attack," Riku continued, "accumulates sharp air currents around the blade during the thrust. The blade didn't even touch my throat. It was about an inch away from by flesh, but the powerful air pressure accumulating from the sword, ruptured a few of the nerve endings and capillaries in my skin. That's how this scar was formed. Normally, it's not visible. However, when that memory is triggered, that old scar begins to throb and reveals itself again." Riku gazed into the night sky. "It was the attack, which nearly ended my life if it were not for my fast thinking and quick reflexes. It was the one version of the Imperial Thrust that he created and alone perfected…The _Noctin Exmortin_."

"Who's he?" Sora wanted to know. "Who was the one who gave you the scar and injured Tidus? Which of the three is it, Riku? If you know, please tell me."

"The leader of the 2nd Gatler Tank division…General Arinario Triiken. The skills of Triiken have not diminished. He's still as good as when we first confronted each other at Halloween Town. My own skills have depleted though since the peace we established six years ago. With my skills depleted to at least three quarters of what they were before, and with my vow never to rely on the dark powers within my heart, would I be able to confront such a foe."-

"Of course you will!" Sora chuckled, coming up from behind and putting both arms around Riku, squeezing him. "You know why? Because I'll be there to help you! That's what friends are for!" Riku, seeing that happy-go-lucky grin on Sora, and that same twinkle in his sky blue eyes, could only smile. He grasped at Sora's hand.

"Thanks, Sora." He uttered.

"Well, what do you say we go home now, eh buddy?"-

"That sounds good now. After all that's happened today, I could really go for a nice rest in my own bed…" Riku now stumbled slightly, due to his fatigue. His eyes were now slightly open, his eyelids slowly closing.

"I'll help you home." Sora said. He stamped out the fire and slung his friend's arm over his shoulder. Then, like two drunken men, they hobbled to their boats and rowed home.

The following day started out quiet and without real activity. The early morning saw a beautiful sunrise and a clear day. The air was still crisp and cool and the dew on the leaves of plants and trees were still heavy. It was at this early morning that Sora and Kairi walked down to visit Riku. They walked up the door of his home and rang the doorbell. Riku, who was now in his mid twenties, had gained enough income to settle in his own residential home. So it was alright for them to ring the bell in the early wee hours.

"Riku!" Sora shouted. "You home!" There was no answer though. Kairi ran to the balcony of his room.

"Riku!" she cried. "Get up sleepy head!" Still there was no response.

"Riku!" Sora shouted again.

"He's not home right now!" a voice said. Sora turned to see one of Riku's neighbors out, watering her flowers.

"Where did he go?"-

"Last time I saw him, he went that way, up the hill towards the cemetery."-

"The cemetery?"-

"Oh no…" Kairi uttered. "Not again."

The two went running up the hill to a small graveyard just atop the ridge. It was there that they saw Riku kneeling over the grave of a well known friend. The two walked up to him, just in time to see him place a bouquet of flowers over the grave. On the head stone was carved the name…

_Namine_

"You're here again, Riku?" Kairi asked.

"Just came to pay my respects to the one I love." Riku uttered. He gazed at the grave of Namine so tenderly. "She was one who would always be there for me. Just like you two. Even though she was Kairi's opposite, she still loved me. It was even a miracle that she found her way to this world. She must've somehow seen my longing for a companion to enjoy life with. Thus, Namine found it within herself to somehow take on a physical form by her own free will. After being a by my side that time fighting the Organization, I believe there was a connection between the two of us."

"Namine was such a fine young woman. And one to befriend so well. You might say that we were sisters."-

"It's hard to believe that she's gone." Sora uttered. "She was so lovely too."

"It was an advanced stage of tuberculosis that took her life, despite her being a Nobody." Riku said. "She was susceptible to the same diseases as the rest of us. She came onto Destiny Island shortly after we arrived from our ordeal against the Organization and the Heartless. It had only been two years that she came to live with us on our island when she died of this sickness." Riku placed his hand on her name. "I miss her so much." Kairi placed her hand on Riku and caressed him to her bosom. Riku's eyes suddenly filled with tears. Sora sat next to his friend and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"We will all miss her." He uttered. "Namine was one of us, one of the gang."

"She was also a part of me." Kairi continued. "No doubt that she once again resides within me. Though she was a Nobody, I believe that she might have found a heart to go with her body. It just goes to show how boundless and unpredictable our hearts can be. They too have the capability of forging other hearts."

"Farewell, my sweet." Riku stood up and wiped the tears from his eyes. He then turned to his two friends. "So what brings you two here?"

"We came to ask you if you wanted to join us to go the hospital. We were going to go and check on Tidus and keep him company for a while."-

"That sounds good. I think we could all do with a little socializing." Riku stretched his back. "Let's get going."

"Great!" Sora chuckled. The three began their trek to see their friend Tidus, who still lay in bed at the hospital.

When they reached the hospital and entered the lobby, they walked up to the front desk.

"We've come to visit our friend, Tidus." Kairi implied to the nurse.

"May I have your names please?" the nurse asked.

"Sure. I'm Kairi."-

"I'm Sora." Sora added.

"And I'm Riku." Riku finished off.

"Sora and Riku?" the nurse asked. "There has been someone looking around for you earlier?"

"Really? Who?" Sora asked.

"I don't know. He never gave me his name. And I've never seen his face around here before." Immediately, fear entered the minds of the two keybearers.

"Could you tell us what he looked like?" Riku asked.

"I don't know what he looks like. He had sunglasses and a cap on. But he was slightly tall. A little taller than you, Riku." She pulled out of the desk, a slip of paper. "He said that he wanted me to give this to you." She handed the paper to Riku. Riku unfolded the paper to see what was written. As he looked, he saw the word 'soon' written on it.

"Soon?" Sora asked, looking at the simple word on the note. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know." Riku folded up the note and put it in his pocket. He then turned and walked out of the hospital. "I have to go."

"But Riku…" Kairi uttered. "What about Tidus?"

"I'll be back soon. I just need to take care of something."

"Take care of something? But Riku…"-

It was then that Kairi felt Sora's hand fall gently on her shoulder. She gazed at him, but instead of his happy-go-lucky smile, there was a concerned look on his face.

"Don't worry, Kairi." Sora uttered. "Riku will be back. He just needs to take care of some business."

"What kind of business?"-

"Just a little favor he has to fulfill for someone." Sora began to walk down the isle, towards the room where Tidus was in. "Come now. Tidus could use some company."

Kairi could only watch the door, when Riku stepped out. She sighed and joined Sora to visit their bedridden friend.

They entered the little room where Tidus lay. His shoulder was wrapped in bandages and he was placed on a life support. The two stepped up to the bed.

"Tidus?" Sora uttered.

"Tidus." Kairi added. "It's us."

Tidus's eyes remained closed for the time being. The two watched as their friend continued to slumber away. Kairi place her hand on his head, moving the strands of hair from his eyes. Sora took up a couple of chairs and placed them next to Tidus's bedside. There they sat for a while, keeping vigilant over the sleeping Tidus.

At the same time, not too far from the hospital, at a small restaurant just up the road, General Triiken, also known as Yamagata Kuroda, was sitting down to his breakfast. The waitress came with a plate of cornmeal grits. She placed the dish before him and smiled.

"Here you go, sir." She said. "Our top quality grits for you. Enjoy and take your time."

"Thank you very much." Triiken said as she walked away. "But I'm in rather a hurry so I better eat quickly. Time is of the essence right now."

But as he placed the napkin in his lap, the door opened with the ring of the bell, latched to its top, and none other than Ilian Archibald entered the restaurant. He sat himself on the seat opposite of Triiken.

"Is that all you're having!" Archibald said, in a rather aggressive and irritable nature, "one platter of plain, cornmeal grits! I could scarcely call that breakfast! Wouldn't you agree General Triiken!

Triiken only quietly placed a slice of butter atop the mound of ground cornmeal.

"I like my grits plain and unaccompanied by any other unnecessary dish that may fatten me up. To be fat is not a good condition for one of my athletic abilities. And to add for now, my name if Inspector Yamagata Kuroda." Triiken tapped his fork on the table and scooped up a little of the first grit. "I believe your name was Ilian Archibald, was it not? Is there something of great importance that you must tell me if you have enough nerve to interrupt my meal? Or is there something that you want from me?"

"It's neither of those things! I just really hate you and your attitude, Kuroda!" Triiken took no note of his ally's hot temper and continued to scoop up his grits and placed it in his mouth a little at a time. At the same time, Archibald continued to aggressively attack him with his words. "I was the one who was supposed to take out the keybearers. I was in fact the one originally assigned to take care of all missions in this realm. But Mr. Ranker decided to hand the job over to you, the new guy, simply because you happen to have some experience fighting with those two kids! Listen, if you're going to fight them, then fight them and get it over with, so that you can get yourself killed a lot quicker! That way you can make room for the more experienced assassins! You keep going at this snails pace and sooner, or later, someone's gonna be tempted to stab you in the back! You understand what I'm saying!" It was then that Triiken began to chuckle. Archibald, angry at this spectacle, slammed his hand hard on the table. "What the hell are you laughing at! You think I'm kidding around with you! You better learn to take me seriously."

"Oh, there's no need to be so irritated by my actions." Triiken explained as he wiped his mouth with his napkin. "I understand completely how you feel. It's only natural for someone like you to act like a spoiled little child just because things aren't going your way."

"You trying to be funny, or something!"-

"I never said that now did I. Listen to me, Archibald. You want to increase your status as being an ultra class 'A' assassin, am I right? Well, then I'll gladly let you have it. Let's drop our individuality for the time being and make this mission a cooperative effort. What do you say?"-

"Heh! If you think that I'd ever cooperate with the likes of you, then you're only fooling yourself."-

"Just calm down and at least listen to my plan." Triiken scooped up the last morsel of cornmeal from his plate. "During the meeting we three had last night, I had explained that I had left a few items back on that small island off the coast. Now, knowing Riku, he must know by now that I am involved. If you recall, I mentioned that last night. However, he can't fully guarantee anything with only a box and a broken sword as his only clues. So, naturally, he would be waiting for me to make the next move. So, earlier this morning, I dropped a message at the hospital where their friend, Tidus, is being cared for. Now, naturally Riku will want to search the areas where I would most likely be, fearing the safety of his other friends. He will eventually want to seek out any suspicious activity at his own home. It was there that I left a declaration in his letter box. Written on it is the place where I will meet both him and Sora. However, instead of finding me there, they will be confronting none other than you."

"I see what you're getting at." Archibald chuckled. "You'll be acting like the bait that lures the keybearers in am I right?"

"And you will be the one in charge of their execution. Does that sound fair enough?"-

"It's not too bad! Not too bad at all! But there's something about this plan that I don't like. You also mentioned last night that Riku and Sora were the ultimate arch rivals of the Gatler Generals. I don't get why you would just hand those two guys over to me without any strings attached. How do I know that there ain't any kind of catch?"-

"Well, I might have said that the keybearers were the ultimate rivals of the Gatler Generals before our late minister of propaganda, but I obviously don't care about that issue anymore. As a well known Gatler general, I made sure to engage in confrontations that I knew would benefit mostly to me, without the threat of some retaliation. Right now, I enjoy the way my life is going, living in peace with the occasional amusement every now and then. Instead of taking one radical and drastic leap, I like to take multiple and more precarious baby steps to help ensure success and have established a strong foundation for myself. That way, I have something to fall back to in case there is a need for it." Triiken then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bag of gold coins. "And just to assure you that I will not go back on my work, I will pay you a grand bounty for your efforts." He handed the bag to Archibald.

"Now I know you want something in return if you're so willing to pay me to do what you were assigned to carry out."-

"There's no catch at all." Triiken chuckled. "If you manage to kill both of the keybearers before this evening, I will pay you ten times the amount I have given you now."

"You really mean that?"-

"I swear to you as a follower of the Imperial code."-

Archibald grinned and greedily grabbed the bag from off of the table. He dumped out the coins in his hand and counted them. After doing so, he placed the coins back in the bag and put it in his pocket. He then grinned at Triiken.

"I still don't like it, but I like the story you made as well as the proposition you've given me, Kuroda!" Archibald stood up and walked away. "Very well, I'll do your bidding and kill the keybearers for you! But just because I'm getting paid by you, doesn't change the fact that I still hate your guts! And just another word in for you! Despite what you, or Ranker think, there's one thing that you should drill into that thick skull of yours. The best man that we have working this operation is none other than me!" With an arrogant gesture, Archibald exited the restaurant, leaving Triiken to finish his meal. But Triiken, despite Archibald's sentiment, was little fazed by the harsh statements made. Instead, he only smiled to himself.

"Idiot." Triiken uttered to himself. "If he wants to fight the keybearers so badly, then let him do so. I have no interests in petty quarreling. His personal issues are completely insignificant to me."

Meanwhile, after searching for any suspicious activity, as Triiken had predicted, Riku had finished investigating the homes of his friends. He eventually made his way back to his own house. It had been over two hours since he left Sora and Kairi and was now reaching the end of his destination.

"Triiken must be around here somewhere." He thought to himself. "But knowing him, he's waiting for me to make the first move. But I'll pull a reversal on him and wait for him to make the first move." Sure enough, as he walked to the front of his house, he noticed an envelope with that same seal, the letter 'G' posted on its front. He took the envelope and opened it up. He read the note that was written on it. Instantly, Riku's eyes turned with a burning determination to finish this dispute once and for all. He sat upon his porch, with note in hand, pondering of the action he must take.

It was then, just a few minutes after he had sat down that Kairi and Sora appeared, walking towards him.

"Riku!" Sora shouted. "There you are! We were wondering what happened to you!"

"Are you OK, Riku?" Kairi asked. Riku quickly shoved the letter into his pocket and stood up to meet his friends.

"Could you two come in for a while?" Riku asked.

"Yeah sure." Sora implied. "But you look like you have something on your mind. What is it?"

"It's a little complicated." Riku took out his house key and unlocked the door. The three stepped into his home. Riku then halted them. "Kairi, could you wait in the living room for a minute. I need to discuss something very important with Sora."

"Sure." Kairi replied. "But what must you discuss that you can't share it with me?"

"Please Kairi…" Riku turned his back towards them. Kairi lowered her eyes, but Sora patted her on the shoulder.

"We won't be long." Sora uttered to her. "Just wait for us please."

"Alright." Kairi uttered. She walked into the living room and sat on the couch.

"Come with me, Sora." Riku requested, climbing up the stairs. Sora followed closely behind him. They entered Riku's room, where Riku shut the door behind him.

"OK, Riku," Sora said, "I know there's something on your mind. So what is it that you wanted to discuss with me?" It was then that Riku pulled out the letter. He gave it to Sora.

"I found this letter in my mailbox today." Riku uttered. "I want you to read it."

Sora unfolded the letter and read it. The letter stated as followed.

_Keybearers,_

_So I have finally caught up with you. It seems that we have an old score to settle. I stand to maintain the honor of the Gatler Generals and resolve the fight we never concluded. I will be waiting for you today at the isle off shore, upon the sandy beaches._

_Triiken_

"You were right." Sora uttered. "What'll we do?"

"We'll never find peace so long as there is one last Imperial who wishes to settle the score with us." Riku explained. "The letter specifically calls for both of us. If Triiken has come for a rematch, then it's a rematch that we'll give him."

"But when will we go to meet him?"-

"We leave now."-

"But what about Kairi?"-

"It's best that we don't get her, or any of the others involved in this. They've suffered enough and I don't want to break this peace for them."-

"But what will we tell Kairi?"-

"Leave that to me, Sora." The two exited the room and descended back down the stairs to the first floor where Kairi was still waiting for them.

"Well, it took you long enough." Kairi said. The tone of her voice was rather irritated now.

"We have to go away for a while, Kairi." Riku stated.

"You and Sora?"-

"Yes."-

"So you guys intend to leave me behind again? What is it that you two are keeping from me? I want to know!"-

"It's better that you don't know."-

"I want to know! Let me in on it!"-

"It's better that you don't know what'll happen."-

"I don't care! What is it that's so important that you don't want me to find out about it!"-

"I can only tell you this much, Kairi." Riku placed his hands on her shoulders. "Something bad is going to happen and I don't want you, or the others to get involved alright."

"What do you mean something bad is going to happen! What is it!"-

"Let's just leave it at that, Kairi." Riku walked towards the front door. "Right now, I want you to stay here and watch the place while we're gone."-

"You intend to dump me here and yet you expect me to watch your house for you!" Kairi's attitude became more aggressive.

"Please do what Riku says, Kairi." Sora uttered. "For our sakes as well as yours."

"Is it that bad!" Kairi cried. But Riku and Sora said no further words and walked out of the house. Kairi ran to the doorstep and watched her two friends walk away. "Darn those two, always leaving me out of their play."

It wasn't long before Riku and Sora had rowed their boats out to the little island off shore. They stood on the beach, browsing for Triiken's whereabouts.

"Triiken!" Riku shouted. "Sora and I have come just as you had requested in the letter! Now, show yourself!" There was no response. The two walked into the center of the sandy beach.

"Come on out, Triiken!" Sora hollered. Still, there was no answer.

"Sora." Riku said. "I want you to stay out of this fight."

"But why?" Sora asked.

"I have a feeling that Triiken's main objective for being here is to settle the score with me. So, I want you to stay out of this fight alright?"-

"But what if you need help?"-

"I can handle this, Sora. I've faced Triiken before. But if you intervene, I'll have to worry about your safety as well."-

"Don't worry about me, Riku. You're looking at the guy who went head to head with Lord Arakis six years ago."-

"I'm asking you as a friend to stay out of this fight alright!" Sora lowered his head then raised it again.

"I understand. This is strictly a fight between the two of you. Then, I won't interfere." Sora walked away and ascended to the stone pathway that overlooked the beach, leaving Riku standing alone on the sand.

There was no sound from anywhere, nothing besides the rustling of the leaves on the trees, the crashing of the waves on the shore, and the sound of seagulls cawing in the air. Riku looked around, hoping to spot a lone figure hoping to face him.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a heavy object flying through the air behind Riku. The sound drew nearer and nearer. Riku, sensing the danger, dodged the sound's source. Sure enough a massive spiked mace ball attached to an extended chain flew by the young key bearer. The mace ball slammed into the remains of the seaside shack, shattering the structure with its impact. The ball then rebounded back, harmlessly passing Riku.

"I guess I couldn't expect less from the keybearers." A voice shouted. Riku turned around to find a large man, dressed in rusty old armor, like that from ancient China and classical Europe. He wore an old, blue linen cape and the facial characteristics were like that of a stone head. His face jagged in appearance and rather rough looking. His face was scraggly with a premature beard. And across both eyes, two tattooed bars draped down his face, from his forehead to his cheeks. A samurai helmet, bearing a large crescent moon symbol, acted as head protection, making the appearance of his outfit rather unique.

"That's not Triiken." Sora thought to himself.

"Who are you?" Riku uttered. "And what are you doing here?"

"I am Ilian Archibald! An ultra class 'A' assassin! And I have come here to take the lives of the legendary bearers of the key blades!"

"How would this guy know about us?" Sora wondered. "Could it be possible that he's an Imperial too?"

Meanwhile, back at Riku's house, Kairi sat about on the porch awaiting the return of her two friends. It was at that moment that Wakka came strolling up the walkway.

"Hey there, Kairi!" he stated.

"Oh, hey there, Wakka." Kairi replied.

"What are you doing here at Riku's house?"-

"I'm just watching over the place."-

"Why? Where is he?"-

"Riku and Sora stepped out at least thirty minutes ago."-

"Where did they go?"-

"I have no idea. And I really don't care right now." Wakka sat next to her.

"Why didn't you go with them?"-

"They didn't want me to come along with them."-

"That doesn't sound like Riku and Sora. Why didn't they take you with them?"-

"They were talking about how something bad was going to happen and that I shouldn't get involved. But if you ask me, those two are probably up to no good. And I can't help feeling what it's about."-

"I don't think that Riku and Sora would be up to anything bad. It doesn't sound like them to cause trouble."-

"That may be so, but still…"-

It was at that moment that a figure appeared at the entry way to the house.

"Excuse me!" the figure cried in a high pitched voice.

"Can I help you?" Kairi asked.

"Pardon for my intrusion." The man said. "My name is Assistant Inspector Yamagata Kuroda."

"What can I do for you, inspector?"-

"I was wondering if I could find a young man named Riku here. I understand that he lives at this residence."-

"So Riku and Sora did get themselves into trouble, eh? What is this about?"-

"I am an officer from the Universal Alliance."-

"The…Alliance?" Kairi's eyes grew side with fear. "What would the alliance be doing out here?"

"I was sent here by President Sneer of the Universal Alliance to patrol this world along with some other agents. There have been reports that there are some ruffians of the former Empire who have somehow managed to sneak their way into this realm. And we believe that some of these strays may be after Riku and Sora."-

"How do you know about Riku and Sora?" Wakka asked.

"I'm sure there's not a single person in the Alliance who hasn't heard of the legendary keybearers who fought off the forces of the Dark Empire. Their reputation as heroes precedes them."-

"So you're saying that someone is after Riku and Sora?" Kairi asked.

"From what my sources say, yes. That's why I have been assigned to protect Riku and Sora, as well as those around them. I've received word that these former Imperials, who are seeking revenge, are not only targeting the keybearers, but are also after their acquaintances."-

"Oh no…"-

"I hope it isn't too much trouble, but would it be alright if I wait for them to return? I don't want to have to leave and find out later that they've returned after I have departed."-

"If it's that important, then sure." Kairi escorted the tall, handsome, man into Riku's home. She then beckoned to Wakka. "It's best that you stay here too, Wakka."

"Of course I'll stay here. Who knows what'll happen, ya!" Wakka replied. "But nothing could really happen when it's still daylight right?"

"I wouldn't recommend it, sir." Kuroda implied. "These Imperials are more effective attacking their victims in the day time. They can see you better."

"I guess you're right." Wakka and Kairi moved to the living room, unaware of the sinister smile streaked across the inspector's face.

At the same time, Riku was confronting the infamous ultra class 'A' assassin, Ilian Archibald. Archibald was armed with a large scythe, with the spiked mace, acting as a counterweight to balance the weapon, attached to the lower end. The weapon itself was a sight to behold, being such a massive object that seemed one to bulky to be used for swiftness. However, the devastating power behind it more than made up for its lack of speed.

"I can understand why there would be those who are after our lives." Riku said. "However, I have no intention of surrendering my life to someone for an unknown reason. Before we begin, tell me why you wish to kill us? And how is it that you have some connection with General Triiken?"

"Listen, I ain't much of a talker." Archibald said. "So why don't we just get down to business!" Archibald began to charge against Riku, tossing the blade of the scythe into the air. Riku immediately saw the danger and dodged far before the strike could be deployed. "You think it's that easy!" The mace counterweight flew in the opposite direction, heading where Riku had landed. "This is over for you!" But as the mace hit, Riku was no longer there. He had used Shadow Decoy to elude the attack. Archibald was stunned. "That's impossible."

"It's not impossible when you're me." Riku uttered, appeared to the right of the assassin.

"How did you do that?"-

"I'm gonna ask you again. Why are you after us? And what links you with Triiken?"-

"You think I'll utter a word to you!"-

"Tell me, now."-

"All I want is to go down in history as the one who defeated the legendary keybearers! And then, only after that, my reputation as a true elite assassin will be fulfilled!" Archibald came charging at Riku, with his scythe drawn behind him, attempting to swing. However, Riku suddenly attacked him and knocked the lumbering assassin off his feet. But the assassin retaliated, tossing the counterweight at his enemy. But Riku instantly saw the strike and deploying his keyblade he rushed across the flying chain and cut the mace from its link.

"This guy," Archibald uttered. "How can this guy be so powerful? He's just a kid." Archibald swung the scythe again, but Riku saw the strike and instantly dodged it. Now, without the use of its counterweight, the scythe itself was too heavy on one side, slowing down its effectiveness.

"Why don't you just give up?" Riku said. "There's no way that you can beat me as you are now. Continuing would be futile, if not pointless."

"You'll regret ever saying that!" Archibald shouted. "This is just round one! Now, get ready for round two!" Suddenly, the blade of the scythe detached from its staff and extended its reach to where Riku was. The chain, which was the attachment to the counterweight, now kept the large scythe blade attached to the staff. Like a chain mace weapon, Archibald swung the mighty blade around and around, hoping to strike Riku. However, despite the transformation of the scythe, its swinging chain was easy to predict. Riku managed to dodge the chain without much effort.

"You fool." Riku uttered. "The chain of your scythe is too predictable with that massive blade being held at the end. Stop wasting my time already and give up."

"That'll be the day!" Archibald shouted. "The day that I give up to a kid is the day hell freezes over!"

"Then, maybe I should end your life and see if it's true if hell froze over, or not!"-

"Dream on!" Archibald swung the blade again, but by this time, Riku had enough. After dodging the blade for the tenth time, he moved in at a quick pace. Using the keyblade, he cut the scythe staff in half and kicked his opponent straight in the face. Archibald tumbled about in the sand, landing on his face.

"I told you it was pointless to resist."-

"That's it, Riku!" Sora shouted from the sideline. "That's showing him."

Archibald attempted to stand only to find Riku standing over him, his keyblade drawn straight at him.

"So this is where it ends for you." Riku uttered. But as soon as Riku finished his statement, Archibald began to back down, begging for his life.

"Please! Spare me!" Archibald pleaded. "Spare me, Riku!"

"Tell me what links you to Triiken?"-

"He offered me a great deal of money to get rid of you!"-

"So that's it, eh? What could Triiken be thinking, sending a mongrel dog to fight me instead of having the guts to face me himself?" He gazed at Archibald. "I don't believe everything you've said, but I'll let you go. And don't try an attempt to fight me again, because the next time, my face will be the last thing you'll ever see."

"Yes, sir…" Archibald uttered.

"That was great!" Sora shouted. "You sure showed him."

Riku turned away, heading for the boat. But as he did, Archibald stood up again.

"The last thing you'll ever see is my foot on your face!" he shouted. From his left armored sleeve, chained counterweights were deployed. "Turning your back on me was the biggest mistake!"

"Riku, look out!" Sora shouted. He jumped from the path onto the sand and pushed Riku out of the way. The chain wrapped itself around Sora's throat.

"Sora!" Riku cried.

"Well, what do you know?" Archibald chuckled. "The wrong throat! But it'll still do!" Archibald pulled on the chain and sent Sora flying towards him. He grabbed a hold of Sora, wrapping his arm around his neck. From behind him, Archibald pulled out a short sword and held it in front of Riku. "Now what do you plan on doing, Riku? Your best friend is now my hostage. Try anything funny and I swear I'll cut his throat!" He held the sharpened blade to Sora's throat, forcing his head up.

"R…Riku…" Sora uttered.

"You call this fair!" Riku shouted.

"Who said anything about life being fair!" Archibald implied. "I don't see you as calm and reserved as you were before! Just go ahead and try me! Just try me! I swear that I'll slit your friend's throat from ear to ear! I may not have the advantage when it comes to speed, but in terms of power, I have the advantage! And playing dirty is the way an assassin always plays! So taking a hostage is the norm for me!" Riku began to sweat with concern, seeing his best friend at the mercy of his enemy's blade. "Someone's life will certainly end today! But it won't be mine that's for sure!"

"You'll pay for this!"-

"And what do you intend to do about it! You make one move on me and I swear I'll cut Sora's jugulars!" He pointed his sword at Riku. "I guess it's pointless to resist anymore."

"Let me go!" Sora cried.

"Not a chance, kid." Archibald whispered into his ear. "You're mine now."

"I said… let me… go!" Sora suddenly thrust his head back and putting the assassin straight in the face. Archibald jerked back, blood spurting from his nose and mouth. Sora distanced himself from Archibald, but Archibald jerked the chain back, forcing Sora to rebound. "Where do you think you're going!"

"Sora!" Riku shouted, rushing to help his friend. But the young man came one second too late as the assassin pulled Sora, by the throat, back to him. He threw his hand around Sora's chin and lifted his head up. He then drew the sharpened steel so close to Sora's throat, that it began to leave a red mark on his skin.

"You thought you were so smart doing that to me!" Archibald shouted. Tears began to run from Sora's eyes as he feared that this would be the last breath he took.

"Leave Sora alone!"-

"And what are you going to do about it! This kid's throat will be severed long before you could ever reach him! Let this be a lesson to you never to mess with an ultra class 'A' assassin!" Riku could only back down now as he knew Sora's life was in a critical spot. He drew his head down. But as he did, Riku sensed a strange power that was growing straight in front of him.

"This power…" he thought to himself. "Sora?" It was only then that he realized Sora's strength was growing from the inside, which was unusual, yet familiar. "This is the same power I sensed when he fought General Ameba back in Gombria. But what is this power?"

"Stop standing there all dumbfounded, boy!" Archibald chuckled. "If you wanna see death, then take a good look at it! I was going to kill you guys anyway, so why don't we start killing now! Starting with your friend here!" Archibald looked at Sora, his eyes were still shut. "Come now, kid! I want to see your eyes fill with fear, so I can satisfy my fathom knowing that you died in fear and agony! That fear in your eyes is what I am most hoping to see!" But as Sora opened his eyes, the feeling had changed. His eyes, instead of those beautiful blue eyes, were now a bright yellow, protruding straight through Archibald. "What the hell? What is this!"

Suddenly, without warning and with out thought, Sora grabbed Archibald's right hand and tightened his grip. Using his left hand, Sora clutched the sharpened blade, causing his hand to bleed furiously, so as to prevent sudden jerking from severing his flesh. He then forced the blade upward and away from his throat. He then slammed the back of his head into Archibald's face again. The assassin jerked back. Sora jumped away and drew out his keyblade. He thrust out his hand and deployed the Tundra Canister. Archibald was shocked at what he saw. The ice hit and clung to him, freezing the assassin in place. Sora threw the chain off from around his throat.

"Not so funny, when you're the one who's in a tight spot is it?" Sora uttered in a rather deep and sinister voice.

"Sora…?" Riku uttered, only fearing what he saw.

"What…what are you?" Archibald said, fearfully. "You're not a regular young man."

"This is what you may call my more aggressive side." Sora replied. "You can call me The Keyblade Hound."

"The Keyblade Hound?" Riku uttered.

"Now you will meet your end!" Sora roared. He rushed against the assassin with great neck speed. The look in his eyes and the aura was so intense that is caused even the infamous ultra class 'A' assassin to tremble with fear.

"This kid…" he uttered. "He ain't human!"

There was a sudden flash of light and loud clash of steel. Sora's keyblade made contact, breaking the ice tomb of Archibald. The assassin went flying into the remnants of the old seaside shack, demolishing it completely. And there the assassin lay, motionless and prostrated on the ground.

"My God…" Riku uttered. "What was that?" Sora stood up and withdrew his keyblade. Riku walked up to him. First, he observed the body of the assassin lying at the crumbled foundation of the shack. Then, he turned to see Sora change back to himself again. "What was that power you were using just now?"

"That was the power of the rage." Sora implied. He pointed at the collar around his throat. "It was all thanks to Cuchulain. He gave me this collar."

"That was awesome, Sora." Riku said, padding his friend on the back. "But you didn't happen to kill the guy in the process did you?"

"No, I didn't kill him. But he'll be waking up to a pain that would be deemed unbearable. So, he won't be coming after us anytime soon." It was then that Riku noticed the cut on Sora's hand.

"First thing's first." Grabbing his friend's left hand. "Let's get this hand bandaged up before we head back. Knowing Kairi, she'll want to know what happened and she'd really have a fit if she saw your hand in this state."

"Alright."-

The two sat on the old paopu tree that had acted as Riku's thinking spot years before. It was there that Riku, using the concealed bandages he brought with him, in case such an emergency emerged, mended Sora's hand.

"There we go, Sora." Riku implied. Sora moved his hand about.

"Thanks Riku."-

The two jumped from the old Paopu tree. But before walking back to their boats at the dock, Riku stopped for a while, gazing at an old head stone that was placed under the Paopu tree.

"A lone grave upon this isle." he uttered. "A great warrior is buried here."

"What're you talking about, Riku?" Sora asked. "There's no one lying underneath that tombstone. That was supposed to be your grave. Until Sneer and Goten wished you back to life with the dragon balls."

"Well, you know how I like to mock my own death." Riku chuckled. He then stared down at the tombstone in a silent and humorless manner. "Sora, if the time should come and I meet my fate, I want you to keep this grave open for me. That way, I can remain vigilant and watchful over the island and the children who play on it for years to come." Sora placed his hand upon his friend's shoulder.

"Now is not the time to think of your own demise." Sora said. "I've lost you before. I won't let it happen again."

"I suppose you're right." Riku smiled and the two headed back down to the dock. They passed by the assassin who was still unconscious on the ground. "I guess he'll be laying there for a while.

"After the attack I gave him, he probably won't be able to move for a week. The funny thing is that attack was no stronger than the one I used against Madam Caesar in the 'Ico Realm.'"-

"He won't be causing any trouble for us any time soon then."-

The two boarded their wooden vessels and began their journey back to the settlement.

At the hospital, Selphie had gone to visit Tidus, who was still heavily slumbering in his bed. She sat by his bedside, holding the young man's hand tightly. Taking a handkerchief, she wiped the small drops of sweat on his forehead.

"Poor Tidus…" she uttered. "I'm sorry that you had to endure so much pain and suffering for the past couple of days." It was at that moment that the nurse came into the room.

"Selphie…" the nurse uttered. "You have a phone call."

"Who is it?"-

"It's your friend, Kairi. She wishes to speak to you."-

"Very well." She walked out of the room and took the phone at the front desk. "Hello, Kairi?"

"Selphie…" Kairi uttered. "We have a problem here."

"What kind of a problem?" Selphie asked.

"Apparently, there is some one who is after Riku and Sora."-

"Someone is after Riku and Sora? Who?"-

"I don't know, but I believe that they may be trying to take their lives." There was a sudden silence between the two before Kairi began again. "Whoever it is, they really mean business. They even have the Universal Alliance on their tail. One of the alliance officers has come, acting as a bodyguard for Riku and Sora."

"Are the guys there right now?' Selphie asked.

"Not right now. They said that they had to take care of something and I can't help thinking that it's something regarding this situation. The officer tells me that these guys are after Riku and Sora and will go after anyone who has been acquainted with them. So, I fear for you and Tidus over there. Someone may come and try to hurt you."-  
"I understand. Then, I will stay here with Tidus. The hospital is full of employees right now and other patience. So, I think we're quite safe from harm."

"I want to go out an find the guys, but I…"-

"Don't do that!" Selphie advised. "If you go looking for Riku and Sora, you may end up encountering whoever it is that's tracking down the guys. The safest place right now is to stay where you are because the alliance agent is there to help you out if you need it."

"I understand. Then you take care and look after Tidus for us."-

"I will, Kairi. Good bye." She hung up the phone and walked back to the room where Tidus still lay asleep in bed. She once again sat by his bedside and watched over him. "Tidus. Something bad is going to happen and I don't know what it's about. But I fear that all of our lives are in danger from this outside threat. Whoever is after Riku and Sora, they may tend to kill all who have come in contact with them. Suddenly, Selphie saw Tidus's hand raise and clutch around her own hand.

"Selphie…" he uttered. His eyes slightly opened.

"Tidus…" Selphie replied. "You're awake…"-

"I… need… to help Riku and Sora…" He attempted to sit up in bed. But Selphie held him down.

"No Tidus. You're not well enough to start moving on your own. Never mind trying to help anyone."-

"I have to…" Tidus pushed her away and sat up. He dangled his feet over the edge of the bed and stood up on the cold floor. "I have to help… my friends…"-

"Tidus…"-

Back at Riku's house, Kairi rejoined Wakka in the living room. She sat down on the couch as Wakka was finishing eating a snack he had helped himself to from Riku's kitchen.

"Well, did you tell Selphie to stay put and watch Tidus?" Wakka asked.

"I did." Kairi replied.

"I thought you were going to go out and look for Riku and Sora. They've been gone for most of the day now, ya? They should have been back."-

"I want to go look for them, but Selphie advised that the best course of action is to stay here and keep ourselves safe. To add, it'll be dark soon and I don't want to risk having to walk through the streets knowing that there's some sort of homicidal lunatic on the prowl. Besides, I know that Riku and Sora would never allow themselves to fall prey to any enemy that confronts them." Kairi then stood up, noticing that inspector was missing. "By the way, where is Inspector Kuroda?"

"He should be in the back yard. I saw him out there, standing vigilant as if he's meditating, or something."-

"I'll go see."-

Kairi got up and walked to the backyard. There, Kuroda stood vigilant as if in meditation. She walked up to him.

"Are you alright, Inspector?" Kairi asked.

"I am just taking in a little bit of fresh air and preparing myself for the next battle." Kuroda replied. He unsheathed his sword half way and flicked his finger upon the sharpened steel. Kairi took a closer look at it and realized what it was.

"That's an Imperial katana. Where did you get it?"-

"It was a little souvenir that I picked some time ago. To me these swords are the strongest in the Universe. Light, sturdy, and strong all at once. It was hard to persuade the alliance officials to allow me to carry such a high quality blade, but I would never trade this blade with anything else." There was a smile on his face. Not those of a villain, but of a happy-go-lucky look that only Sora was known for doing. "You might say that I've come quite attached to this weapon."

Kairi only smiled and walked away, leaving the inspector alone to meditate further.

The sun was beginning to touch down in the west, turning the sky a bright gold. It was at this time that Kairi had regressed to waiting outside at the front gate, hoping to see the two friends. She by now had taken one of Riku's blankets and wrapped it around her for a shoal. There she waited in the coolness of the dusk, anxiously hoping for the safe return of Riku and Sora. Sure enough, she saw, coming towards her, from down the road, Riku and Sora.

"Riku!" she cried. "Sora, you're back!"

"Kairi?" Riku uttered. "What're you doing out here?"

"What do you think! I was waiting for you two to return!"-

"You seem stressed." Sora implied. "Did something happen while we were gone?"

"Why the hell are you two acting so calmly about everything when you know someone is after you!"-

"Kairi…" Riku uttered, stopping in his place. "Where did you hear that?"

"Did you think I wasn't going to find out about that! If it wasn't for the Universal Alliance getting involved here, I might not have realized what was going on!"-

"The Universal Alliance?" Sora asked. "What does the Universal Alliance have to do with anything?"

"Apparently, they caught wind of the activity that was going on here and knew that your lives were in danger." She led the two from the gate, through the house, towards the backyard. "That's why they took the liberty of sending one of their top agents to act as a bodyguard for you."

"An agent?"-

"Bodyguard?" Riku uttered.

"Now, none of us have to worry about any prowlers anymore with this man here!" Kairi presented Riku and Sora to the inspector. "This is assistant inspector Yamagata Kuroda and he will be watching after you guys for awhile."

But as the two keybearers laid eyes on the inspector, their eyes grew large with fear and shock. The inspector remained standing, his back towards them.

"You had a hard time with Archibald didn't you." The inspector uttered. "You've diminished in your strength more than I had anticipated." There was a sudden silence between them.

"Riku…" Sora whispered.

"I know…" Riku replied. The inspector turned his head slightly, as if to hear better the comments that came from the mouths of the young men.

"The last time I think we did battle was at the foundations of Oogie Boogie Manner, just a few miles from Halloween Town, was it not?" the inspector uttered. "It's been six years since that day hasn't it."

"Riku? Sora?" Kairi said. "Do you know inspector Kuroda?"

"I see." Riku implied. "So you decided to change your name to Yamagata Kuroda, eh? It figures that you'd do something like that. Especially, when one has a record as twisted and marked for blood as yours."

"Six years." Kuroda uttered. "Six years… It's only two little words to utter. And six years can seem insignificant compared to ten, or even twenty. But these past six years, knowing that our little dispute ended without any identifiable outcome, was a hell to live through."

"I can't believe that you've come all this way just to settle the score!" Sora shouted.

"For you two it was well worth it." The inspector continued.

"Riku, Sora?" Kairi uttered.

"You came all this way seeking retribution against us." Riku said. "But who would have thought that you would stoop down to using tactics like this? The last time we did battle, you were a man of chivalry, hoping to keep everything honorable between us. But now, when we suspect it's you, you send a mongrel dog to face us instead of having the guts to confront us directly. I can't believe you would stoop so low! I guess six years was enough time for you to lower yourself to the level of vermin! Were you hoping to not dirty your hands? Or is this only a pebble of a much larger picture?" By this time, hearing this talk, Wakka and Kairi's eyes grew large with fear, not knowing what was going on. Not know how Riku and Sora know Kuroda. "But I guess a man of vengeance will always remain a man of vengeance. And an Imperial will always remain an Imperial!"

"Imperial!" Wakka asked, stunned. "He's an Imperial?"

"Oh my…" Kairi uttered.

"He is none other than one of the infamous three!" Riku shouted. "He is none other than Arinario Triiken, former commander of the 2nd Gatler tank Division!"

"He…he's a Gatler General! Like the one you mentioned about before!"-

"Then this is the guy!" Wakka uttered, in fear. "The guy who's trying to go after Riku and Sora!"

Triiken began to walk closer and closer to Riku and Sora, at a slow and steady pace.

"I knew that your swordsman skills had diminished." Triiken began. "But I never thought that your intellect would be this depleted as well. Archibald was a mongrel dog, you say? A fool weakling like him could never hope to fulfill the roll of a dog. Someone as incompetent, scurvy, and arrogant as he isn't worthy of such a title. We of the Gatler Generals know the power of the keybearers better than anyone else. Especially me, when having to go head to head with the infamous Child of Darkness. However, you had trouble today, even against the likes of a weak opponent like Archibald. Had you been in top shape, you would have been able to defeat him within a matter of seconds. However, because your strength had diminished over the past six years, due to the lack of powerful opponents and an undisturbed peace, you had a difficult bout against him. To add, the situation itself was no more safe for your friends. The real Child of Darkness would have seen this most elaborate plan unfold from the start. While you had your hands full fighting against Archibald, I was here the whole time. To top it off, your ignorant friends dropped their guard so easily simply because I said that I was an agent of the Universal Alliance and wore an Alliance uniform. There lives were open to me. In other words, if I had a desire to kill them, I could have done so at anytime I pleased." There was sudden silence before Triiken began again, stopping just a few feet before the keybearers. "However, this wasn't the first incident when your loved ones were in danger of being disposed of. When Master Cavendish and Lord Arakis made their first appearance upon Destiny Island six years ago, then that little incident in Traverse Town, then in the 'Seed Realm' and the 'Ico Realm,' even as far as Halloween Town when your young friend Sora confronted the infamous General Kai, leader of the Cavendish Shinobis, at a time when he needed your help the most, you allowed the people in your life, your loved ones, your closest acquaintances, to fall so easily into the hands of your enemies. And even more pathetic, you allowed a complete fool like General Ameba to gain the advantage over you, to torture and torment you. Such mediocre strength is as good as nothing and the words of a hypocrite are empty words that disgust me. To allow yourself to be dragged into a situation, which you should have seen coming from the very beginning. How pathetic a person you have become, Riku. I no longer hold you in the esteemed position as I had once seen you."

"You take that back!" Sora shouted, defending his friend. "The only reason why Riku placed himself in those tight situations is because he was trying to ensure the safety of those around him. He was only trying to protect those around him. That's the only reason. Every time, something was wrong and his friends were in danger, Riku would always be there to help. He would always make the greatest effort to come to our aid. Even if he came too late, or at the last minute, there is no question that Riku would always make the effort to be there. So you should give him the proper respect than what you've shown towards him now, you creep!"

"Is that so? Then, what about your young friend, Tidus, the Defeater of Sin? If I had the urge to do so, I could have ended his life at that very minute. I didn't see Riku coming to the rescue during that incident."

"You…you did that to Tidus?"-

"As you said before, Riku," Triiken continued. "Six years was enough time for someone like me to lower myself to the level of vermin. At least I still obtain the potency of a true warrior who can guarantee victory every time. Unlike you, who has been drowned in a passive mind after six years of an undisturbed peace in this realm, a warrior who has accepted peaceful ways and does not wish to unleash the gift that was given to him by birth? How could the Child of Darkness ever learn to accept such a laid back, mediocre life and deny the use of his inner gift, the gift of darkness? And yet you stand there saying that you never intend to use it ever again? By doing so, you could never hope to defeat me in battle."

"I've managed to hold my own against you before without delving into the darkness." Riku said. "I don't need the power of darkness to ensure victory because I know of the consequences that would occur if I were to do so. I would lose myself in darkness and become a completely different man, the man who so desperately tried to kill his best friend ten years before at Hollow Bastion. It is because of that, that I will not regress to using the power of the dark element."

"But you have used the darkness before. When you fought against Kahn in the 'Rurouni Realm,' you didn't seem to hold back in using the dark element. Even when confronting General Kai, you used the power of the Dark Element to aid in the battle."-

"But when I did, I could feel my own consciousness slip away. That is why, after our ordeal, I would never use the dark power again."-

"You say you lose yourself when delving into the darkness. However, you also lose who you are when you deny yourself of your natural gifts." Triiken unsheathed his sword and crouched down in the _Noctin Exmortin_ stance. "Then if you are so determined to take your stance in the direction you have chosen, denying your own strength, I myself shall take the responsibility of denying you of your entire false existence. I challenge you to a one on one duel, Keyblade master!" Riku's friends stayed close to him. "What are you waiting for now? Are you just going to stand there and allow your friends to feel the power of the Noctin Exmortin as well?"

Riku stepped forward into the open courtyard, keyblade appearing in his hand.

"Riku…" Sora utters. "You don't have to fight this guy alone. You and I can fuse to become one warrior. Our power will be doubled, our skills will be unrivaled, and double keyblade attacks will be advantageous."

"That's a tempting offer, Sora," Riku replied, "but not this time."

"Why not?"-

"This is a fight between him and me. He's not using any sort of fusion to aid him in this fight. So a fusion would not be the proper way to test out my own strength." Riku stepped down to face Triiken. "From this point on, no matter what happens, no matter what trouble I am in, I don't want any of you to interfere. Is that clear?"

"But Riku…"-

"Just have faith in me. Believe in me, Sora. Believe in me you guys."-

"I believe in you." Kairi said.

"It's you all the way, Riku!" Wakka cheered.

"I'm here for you, Riku!" Sora shouted. "Your friends are with you all the way!"

"Thanks." Riku replied. The two combatants took there positions opposite each other. Triiken took his stance with the Noctin Exmortin, crouching on his left leg, letting the weight bear on it. His sword lay nestled in the crotch of his index finger and his thumb at the underside of his right hand and the hilt of the sword pulled back by his left. There was a moment of silence as the two combatants made ready for the face off.

It was then that there was the sound of the grandfather clock in the house ringing out its individual clangs of the bell, determining what time it was. As the last ring of the bell sounded, Triiken suddenly rushed forward with incredible speed against Riku. Riku instantly saw the attack and leaped into the air, avoiding the head on thrust, by only a few inches.

"He dodged it!" Sora said. "Riku's not weak! He's the best there is!"

"That's showing him, Riku!" Wakka added.

"Do you honestly think you've won because you've dodged one attack!" Triiken shouted. "Well, you're wrong, key bearer!" Triiken suddenly flipped into the air in a spinning motion and slashed Riku across the chest with his sword. Riku fell to the ground, landing on his feet. He grasped at the slash wound that was made. The slash streaked across his chest.

"Riku!" Sora shouted.

"You fool." Triiken explained. "Despite your ability to dodge the attack, doesn't guarantee that you've effectively avoided it altogether. I am able to transform my attack from a thrust to side slash, or an overhead slash. By using the momentum of weight and speed, I can transport all my thrusting strength into a slashing movement without pause. Had you decided to dodge to the side, I could have easily side slashed. When you leap straight into the air, I can use an overhead slash to strike you. It was this style of attack that inspired the basic form for Saito's Gatotsu."

"So that means he has every tactical advantage over me." Riku uttered to himself. "And now that I have a crippling wound across my chest, this battle may be more than what I have bargained for."


	3. Unveiling

Unveiling

The battle had made a sudden shift as Riku had emerged as the first to be wounded in the confrontation. Triiken stood with his sword in his hand, watching as the blood slowly dripped from Riku's open wound.

"I'm rather astonished to see that you are still alive even after that attack." Triiken said. "But then again, I am not contending with my average opponent. However, despite your strength, you are no match for the one thrust attack that is the basis of all thrust attacks. It is because the Imperial Thrust is so universal that it can easily counter any other thrust attack. This strike, which was created by his late Excellency, Lord Drako Arakis, has gained a reputation for being the superior thrusting attack of all time, being able to adapt to any close combat situation. Especially, the variation that I had created and I alone had perfected, The Noctin Exmortin."

"What does Noctin Exmortin mean anyway?" Sora asked.

"It stands for one who meets their demise at the hands of shadows and emptiness."-

"The Dark Death." Riku implied.

"You know your Oceanarian terms quite well, Riku. I commend you."-

"I know that by facing such a durable attack that can instantly transform itself; I have a narrow margin of dodging. I have to somehow strike before he does." Riku drew his hand back, accumulating his energy into one spot. "Right now, the best course of action would be to demobilize him with an elemental attack." He noticed Triiken was crouched down again in that same pose.

"That stance," Kairi uttered, "Is it the Noctin Exmortin again!"

"Riku," Sora shouted, "look out!"

Triiken suddenly came charging again, using his infamous attack. But this time, Riku was ready. He waited for the moment when Triiken would deploy the attack and lunge the sword forward. Then, at that critical moment, Riku threw forth his hand and fired the Iceberg Shurikens at point blank range. However, Triiken saw the attack coming and somersaulted over Riku's head, his sword still in the striking position.

"Nice try," Triiken chuckled, "but not good enough!" He thrust his sword into Riku's back. Riku, sensing the blade coming closer, dodged in time, but the sword managed to cut him a little at his side. The general landed on the ground, rolling and flipping back onto his feet. "You did better than I anticipated. Who would have thought you would use an elemental attack at point plank range. You hoped to demobilize me didn't you. But I could sense that inner strength accumulating from the start. As long as I have the ability to sense power levels, along with the power of my Noctin Exmortin, I have no open weakness visible whatsoever."

"Riku!" Kairi cried. She attempted to rush to Riku's side, but Sora grabbed hold of her and prevented her from advancing any further. "Please Sora! Riku's in trouble!"

"You think I don't know that, Kairi!" Sora replied. "Right now, it's Riku's battle. He does not want us to intervene, no matter what. I will honor his word by doing as he says."

"Sora…" Kairi could only turn and watch what was about to happen.

"So, this is as much skill you have left?" Triiken scoffed. "You certainly have been slacking off then, these past six years." But as Triiken observed, there was something different about Riku after that last attack. His eyes had changed, growing intense in heat, as if he became more determined to redeem himself. To add, a dark shadow began to accumulate around his body. "What is this? Riku's appearance has changed to what it was when we first began this fight."

It was not only Triiken who witnessed the change in appearance. Sora also saw this strange phenomenon. It was an appearance that was familiar to him.

"That aura…" Sora uttered to himself. "I recognize that aura. Could it be that Riku's… delving into the darkness? Is he attempting to summon its power? But that can't be. He vowed never to use the dark power ever again. But this feeling in my heart, this pain. Is it possible that the darkness within Riku's heart is attempting to unleash itself against his will? It has been a long time since Riku depended upon the dark powers. Even in those fights against the Empire. Even when fighting against General Kai, he refused to use the dark powers within him to their absolute limit, fearing that he may be overcome by it, changing him completely. Despite the teachings he's learned from the past, Riku still considers the darkness his enemy, despite it being a gift given to him. But he's been holding it back for so long that the darkness has been accumulating more and more within him. Soon, the seal that's been holding it back this whole time will break."

"If you are quite finished resting," Triiken continued, "may we proceed!"

Riku stood up to face his opponent once again.

"Let's continue." Riku said. He drew his keyblade before him. Triiken crouched down in the Noctin Exmortin stance, pulling the sword back with his left hand and resting the blade between the index and thumb of his right.

At that moment, Triiken rushed again, striking at Riku, but Riku dodged the attack evading the blade by a few inches. Triiken transformed his thrust into a side slash. However, this time, what he encountered was a decoy, an afterimage of Riku. He felt Riku appear at his extreme rear. Triiken, side-kicked his leg, hit Riku in the gut. Riku went flying back, tumbling on the ground.

"What was that?" Triiken thought to himself. "That surpassed my own expectations. And this power that I'm sensing from him. Could it be…?" Triiken saw that Riku had changed again. His body seemed to be covered in shadows. "Yes, as I had expected. With each strike I throw upon him, the more the seal in his heart breaks. The darkness begins to leak out little by little and soon the young key bearer will return to what he was before. His former self, the one who was consumed by the darkness, The Child of Darkness."

By this time, even Wakka and Kairi could see the change in appearance.

"What's going on with Riku?" Wakka asked. "He's changed."

"He seems darker now?" Kairi uttered. She turned to Sora. "Sora? What's going on? What's happening to Riku?"

"It's begun…" Sora uttered. "I can't believe that Riku will be overwhelmed today of all days."

"What do you mean he'll be overwhelmed? Overwhelmed by what! Tell me Sora! What's happening to Riku!"-

"Remember how we used to tell you how Riku was once overwhelmed by darkness?"-

"You mean…?"-

"Yes. Riku's darkness will emerge once again and he will become the Riku I fought ten years ago at Hollow Bastion. He will reemerge as Dark Riku, The Child of Darkness."-

"But what will happen when he becomes Dark Riku?"-

"If Riku loses the light, if he gives in to the darkness, his personality will change. He will no longer be the Riku we know, but an evil and sinister Riku who embraces only the darkness. The Riku we know will be gone forever."-

"No!" Kairi cried out. "We have to stop him."

"This is something that we cannot intervene with this time." Sora stepped down, observing the fight even closer. "It's up to Riku to decide whether he will keep the darkness at bay, or if he'll be completely overcome by it. It's his call."

"But we can stop this! Stop the fight! We have to stop the fight, Sora!"-

"That's impossible." a voice uttered. Kairi, Sora, and Wakka turned to see Tidus; his shoulder slumped around Selphie's neck, coming towards them.

"Tidus!" Kairi cried.

"You're supposed to be in the hospital." Wakka uttered.

"I wanted to see this fight." Tidus said. "Those two aren't fighting here on Destiny Island, but rather doing battle as they did six years ago."

"It's the battle of Halloween Town all over again." Sora added. "I want you all to watch because this is the first that you would have seen this sudden change."

"Change?" Selphie asked. "What do you mean change?"-

"Watch." Sora uttered.

There was a sudden pause in the confrontation as Triiken and Riku stood head to head against one another. Riku, however, was not achieving the better of the deal. He had been wounded twice already and the energy from his body began to seep away. However, the darkness within his heart made up for that lost stamina.

"What's your call, Riku?" Triiken asked. "You know you can't beat me as you are now. Unleash your true rage. Open your heart to the darkness and become darkness itself. Bring back the Child of Darkness, so that I may see for the first time if the rumors are true about your legendary strength. The strength that was used to battle Sora."

Suddenly, Riku began to cry out at the top of his lungs. His body was suddenly consumed by the darkness. Then from that shadow, Riku's appearance had changed completely. There he stood, dressed in the Heartless garment of darkness, that dark body suit with the symbol of the Heartless placed upon his chest.

"The darkness will destroy you." Riku implied.

"What's happened to Riku?" Kairi asked. "He's changed completely."

"Whoa!" Tidus uttered.

"Riku has transformed into Dark Riku." Sora uttered. "He is again the way as he once was those many years ago. He has transformed into his former self, the opponent that I had almost lost my life and my heart to at Hollow Bastion."

"So this is what Dark Riku looks like." Wakka uttered.

"So, it has commenced." Triiken uttered. "By facing me in battle, you have once again returned to what you once were. But I never would have thought that there would be this type of transformation." This time, he shifted his sword from his left hand to his right hand. "From this point on, I can no longer play around with you."

"He changed hands." Wakka said.

"That must be his dominant arm then." Sora explained. "By using his dominant arm, he increases the speed and strength of his attack. Now that Riku has transformed into Dark Riku, Triiken knows better than to use the primary stage of his attack. As a result, he moves to his secondary stage."

"Prepare yourself, Riku!" Triiken lunged forth with all the possible strength he had. Riku's reaction time was quicker this time, dodging the thrust attack as if it were nothing. He appeared again behind Triiken. Triiken swerved around with a side slash, but hit only a shadow decoy. Riku appeared again, behind Triiken, from the extreme rear. Triiken attempted to strike at the young warrior, but was met again by another shadow decoy. Riku emerged again, striking Triiken in the back. This time successfully. He struck the general at the back of the head. Triiken flew forward, slamming into the stone wall that bordered the house.

"The power of your attack is without a doubt unrivaled." Riku uttered. "However, it is not as invincible as you thought. After seeing it four times, I know at least one or two ways around it." Triiken staggered to his feet, the clouds of dust and debris still encircling him. "Stand up, Triiken. This would a pitiful ending indeed for our first battle in six years."

"I wasn't expecting this though." Triiken uttered. "But it doesn't matter now. If it is a true battle you want, then it's a true battle you'll get." As he emerged, Sora noticed that Triiken's eyes too had changed.

"Those eyes." Sora uttered.

"This battle is turning out better than I had expected." Triiken took his stance, but this time, it was a stance completely different from his earlier attack. This time, he held the sword in front of him at an angle. His right hand holding the hilt at eye level in front of him, with the blade held up by his right, between the index and thumb. "Now I can unleash more techniques within my arsenal. This is another one of my basic techniques, the Vigra Noctin, meaning Gallant Darkness."

"That stance," Riku uttered, "That stance is almost identical to my own. He must be planning to use a swift attack. Very well, then the least I could do is oblige him." Riku took his famous swift attack stance, with keyblade held at eye level and his left hand extended in front of him. He moved slowly towards Triiken. "Let's go."

Triiken suddenly attack, clashing with the keyblade. Riku did a quick retaliation, doing a turn about strike. Then, he struck down and outward with the keyblade. However, his attacks, which were effective against many enemies in the past, including Sora at Hollow Bastion ten years before, did not seem to work against Triiken. Triiken himself was using the same techniques and managed to evade and dodge each attack. For ten minutes the two clashed with one another, each not being able to inflict any further damage. The intense swordplay was without rival as Imperial steel clashed with the keyblade. Riku engaged in teleportation tricks and deployed everything that he had learned from the past including his most recently learned: Iceberg Shurikens, Cinder Canister, Hurricane Slash, and Darkness Decoys. However, his elemental attacks were not as effective as he had expected as Triiken was able to elude each attack and either deflect, or evade it. But Triiken's own abilities were no more effective than Riku's. He continued to battle head with his present techniques hoping that as some point Riku would reveal a flaw in his technique and Triiken could take advantage of it.

"Some one, stop them!" Kairi cried. "If this keeps up, Riku will be lost completely."

"We can't." Sora said. "It's Riku's own decision to make, not ours. Only he can prevent himself from being completely overwhelmed."

"But what if the darkness should swallow his heart?"-

"As long as we have faith in Riku, and believe that he will come back to us, then he will. We're his friends and we should stand by his side no matter what happens."-

"I'm with you there!" Tidus said.

"Me too!" added Selphie.

"We're here for him all the way, ya!" Wakka added.

"Have faith in Riku." Sora uttered. "He's never given up on us. Let's not give up on him."

"Sora…" Kairi uttered. She clutched her hands into tight fists. "You're right. I should have confidence."

"Ten minutes of battling and yet we're still at a stalemate." Triiken uttered.

"But not for long." Riku implied. He suddenly began to hover as a dark aura began to accumulate around him. "Dodge this!" Riku suddenly made a rushing thrust attack straight at Triiken. Triiken easily dodged the attack, but Riku suddenly appeared again. Again Triiken dodged, but again Riku appeared, using the darkness to make multiple attacks from all directions around Triiken in a 360 degree area. Finally, with one last blow, Riku slammed himself into the ground and a mighty darkness energy wave bellowed out along the ground. Triiken, not seeing the attack on time was hit by one of the waves. This gave Riku the upper hand against him. Riku took the opportunity to strike Triiken down to the ground with an over the head strike. Triiken went flying to the ground, but he managed to regain stamina and somersaulted onto the ground. But as he turned, he saw Riku coming at him in a dramatic rush.

"Now let's see how you enjoy this thrust attack!" Riku shouted. "The thrust attack I picked up in the 'Rurouni Realm,' compliments of Kenshin Himura. Kuzu ryu sen!" Triiken was struck at all nine points of his body all at once. He once against slammed into the stone wall.

"That's showing him!" Wakka cheered. "Give that old Gatler general a one and a two and a three!"

"Keep it up!" Tidus and Selphie added.

"Go for it!" Kairi cried.

"That's the way!" Sora shouted. "Give it to him, Riku!"

"I guess you weren't as tough as I thought you were." Riku said.

"That was rather unexpected though." Triiken uttered, staggering to his feet. "Especially that last stage. I never would have thought someone could deploy a thrust attack that could hit all nine points of the body at once. However, it was because you attacked all nine points at once that your thrust attack had been weakened." As Triiken stood up, there was barely a scratch on him from the Kuzu ryu sen.

"I don't believe it." Sora uttered to himself. "Not even a scratch on him. And that was supposed to be the second strongest attack of the Hiten Mitsurugi style."

"Instead of concentrating on one point, you decided to concentrate on attacking nine points at once. As a result, your attack power was divided by nine. That's the reason I'm still alive right now. Besides, that was a one shot success. I won't be falling for that same attack again."-

"You assume too much." Riku uttered.

"Prove me wrong then."-

"I will."-

Riku took his stance with the Kuzu ryu sen and rushed again. But Triiken didn't bother dodging. Instead, he took an unexpected turn and stood sideways, leaving only the right side of his body exposed. He then crouched so as not to expose his full height. He then threw his sword out in front of him. There was a bright flash of light and in an instant, the attack was over. However, Riku suddenly collapsed soon after. He had received another slash wound on the other side of his body, just below his rib cage.

"Riku!" Sora cried. The others gasped at what they saw. Riku staggered to his feet.

"You took the Kuzu ryu sen head on." Riku uttered. "And yet you still managed to inflict more damage on me than I on you. But how can that be?"

"Quite simple." Triiken explained. "The Kuzu ryu sen is a powerful attack indeed, striking all nine critical points of the body at once. So in order to avoid what happened last time, I gave you less of an area to strike. By turning to the side, exposing only the right side of my body to attack, I subtract the effectiveness of at least six of those strikes. To add, when crouching down on the ground, I not only reinforced my stance when met with your attack, but I also decreased the points of attack by two, leaving only one weak thrust. As well, I thrust my own sword out to increase my own chances of delivering a fatal blow and impaling you upon my sword. You, however, are more skilled than I had expected you to be. Managing to see my retaliatory strike and evade it at the last moment. Had you seen it too late, the out come would have been different and you would have been skewered at the end of my blade. I must give praise to your resolution of the matter."

"Has Riku already run out of options?" Sora thought to himself.

"It looks like you're out of ideas, boy."-

"Not so fast." Riku uttered. "I still have a few other techniques that I want to show you!" Riku suddenly jumped high into the air and descended back to the ground with incredible speed. His keyblade was drawn straight in front of him. His descent targeted Triiken from above. But Triiken saw the attack coming and dodged quickly out of the way, without trouble. But as Riku made impact with the ground, he rebounded into the sky again and descended to the ground, targeting Triiken again. Again Triiken managed to dodge the attack without further difficulty. The process was repeated several times. By the eighth and ninth attempted strike, Triiken began to grown irritated.

"Are you just trying to provoke me now?" Triiken asked.

"Not exactly!" Riku suddenly changed his stance on the final descent. The dark power burned fiercely from within him. At that moment, he failed to hit the ground. Instead, Riku hovered in the air for a second, or two, the dark power accumulating a dark aura that surrounded his body. The young man then engaged in the inter-dimensional thrust attack again. This time however, Triiken was completely off guard. He was stricken simultaneously from the attack, not able to retaliate, being pummeled back and forth and back and forth. "I knew that changing my strategy would end up catching you off guard." Riku went for the coup de grace of his attack, attempting to slam his power straight into Triiken with all the strength he had. "This is over for you!"

"You idiot!" Triiken roared. "You honestly think you've gained the upper hand!" Before Riku could complete the final stage of his attack, Triiken suddenly appeared to his side and punched the young man off his course. Riku fell to the ground, landing near his friends watched. "Attempting to use your full strength to finish me off with one final blow was a costly mistake. It was because you tried to summon your full strength at that moment that you forgot about timing. That small margin of delayed time allowed me to regain stamina and retaliate against you."

"Riku!" Kairi cried.

"Are you alright, Riku?" Sora asked. But Riku remained silent as he stood up and taking his stance to fight Triiken again.

"You've done well, young Riku." Triiken chuckled. "I think this has been the first time that you have been fighting at full strength. And this is the first time in over fifteen years that I've actually shed blood for an opponent. You should feel honored to have succeeded where many others have failed." Triiken took his stance again. "However, I'm starting to get a little irritated with the fact that you're still standing here. This time, I will attack you with the true Noctin Exmortin! No more holding back!" Triiken took his stance for the Noctin Exmortin once again. But this time, the stance was completely different from the first two that he used. Instead, his held the sword with both hands level to his eyes. The right hand placed at the top half of the hilt while the left held the bottom half. The sword was flipped with blade facing upward. He crouched down, pressing the weight on his right leg. "Let us begin."

Triiken suddenly attacked with great speed, which surpassed his usual attack by at least three times. He thrust the sword in front of him so fast, there was barely anytime to react. But Riku saw the attack coming and by a narrow margin, dodged without a scratch. He then appeared behind Triiken attempting to exploit that same weakness, attacking on the extreme flank.

"Triiken should know by now that a thrust attack like that won't work on Riku anymore." Sora thought to himself. "His back is completely vulnerable." But as Sora had finished uttering those words, a strange twist of fate became apparent. As Riku attempted to slash at Triiken from behind again, he realized that Triiken had without pause transformed from offensive to defensive, slinging the sword behind him, blocking his attack. Riku's keyblade made stiff resistance this time.

"Not so easy as before is it!" Triiken then forced Riku's blade upward and lunged back. Riku saw the blade coming and dodged. But this time, he did not emerge completely unscathed. The sword managed to cut the right side of his neck, nearly severing his jugular. Riku's eyes grew large with fear. Had Triiken finally done it? Had he finished what he started at Halloween Town six years before? The key bearer backed off and grasped at the cut with his hand. The sword had been a few millimeters away from severing the right jugular. "Well, it seems you've managed to dodge my thrust. If it wasn't for your quick reflexes, the sword would have cut your main artery and that would have been a fatal hit indeed."

"Riku!" Sora cried. His friends could only watch as Riku nearly lost his life to the infamous Gatler General.

"This is the true form of the Noctin Exmortin, which I've dubbed the Noctin Exmortin Imperin, meaning the Imperial Dark Death." Triiken explained. "The attack allows me to transform the lung attack into any other type of offense, or defense I please. And unlike the regular thrust attack, this one allows me to defend myself even from behind." Triiken took the stance again. "Let's try the attack for a second time shall we?"

"That same stance..." Wakka uttered.

"It's another one of those attacks!" Tidus added.

"Here we go!" Triiken shouted. He lunged again with the Noctin Exmortin Imperin. Riku, still in a daze, shook himself out of his hypnosis, to see the attack approaching in time, and he dodged without pause. "It's not over yet!" Riku turned to see Triiken retaliating again. Riku then again dodged. But as he did, he saw Triiken appear again with that same lunge. Again he evaded, but again the general attacked. Then, on the fourth attempt, Triiken struck a near fatal hit, cutting the left side of Riku's throat. Riku had managed to dodge in time, but the damage had been done and blood seeped from a large cut on his throat. However, the strike did not severe his jugular. He fell to the ground in utter exhaustion.

"A multi-directional thrust attack." Sora uttered to himself. "That was a style similar to both Cloud's Sonic Blade and Riku's own inter-dimensional thrust."

"Riku!" Kairi cried. "Get up! Please!"

Riku staggered to his feet, blood seeped from the open wounds in his neck. Still, he took his stance.

"The only way for me to properly cripple Triiken is to deprive him of his weapon." Riku thought to himself. "However, I can only counterattack with my own thrust. Elemental attacks won't work on him so long as he's able to sense power levels accumulating within me." Riku stood forming the Kuzu ryu sen.

"Shall we begin?" Triiken said, taking the stance of the Noctin Exmortin Imperin.

"I'm ready."-

Triiken suddenly attacked with full force, accumulating speeds that were ten times faster than before. But Riku was ready this time. As Triiken deployed his sword in front of him, Riku unleashed his own attack. There was a bright flash of light. Suddenly, from that light; a shiny, spinning object came at the observers. It hit the side of the house, sticking deep into the wood. Wakka, standing closest to the place of impact, realized that the object lodged in the wood was none other than half of Triiken's blade. The observers saw that Riku and Triiken stood with their backs towards each other. Triiken's blade had been severed in two.

"Man…" Sora uttered. "Riku managed to cut Triiken's blade in half. This battle is over."

"That young man is quite resourceful." Triiken uttered. "He knew he couldn't possibly evade the thrust of the Noctin Exmortin Imperin, so his only option was to counter my thrust attack with his own thrust attack. Using the Kuzu ryu sen, he concentrated all nine strikes on the middle of my blade, causing it to fracture and break. Still…"

"You've just lost the effectiveness of your sword." Riku uttered. "There's no point in continuing. You can't beat me as you are now." But still, despite his warning, Riku noticed Triiken taking the stance of the regular Noctin Exmortin again.

"What's up with that?" Tidus asked. "Doesn't he see that his sword is broken?"

"He doesn't stand a chance against Riku with a broken blade." Sora uttered.

"I guess you Imperials never knew when it was in your best interest to quit." Riku said. "Is your life so expendable?"

"As a Gatler General who follows the old way of the Empire," Triiken uttered, "I abide my actions from the ancient Imperial code 'Death before Dishonor.' And fleeing before the enemy in front of you is not an option!" Triiken threw the hilt of his sword straight at Riku. Riku, experiencing near fatal cuts to the throat, and several other wounds, did not care of the swords impact. He thrust out his hand and deflected the broken blade off course, the blade itself cutting through his glove and into his flesh. But still, he did not flinch. Triiken was unarmed now and the battle was strictly in his favor.

"He chooses honor over life as a true Imperial should." Riku uttered. "How pathetic, throwing your life away for the sake of pride alone."

"This fight is over." Sora uttered. But it was then that he saw a bright light appear at Triiken's extended index finger, which was placed in front against Riku. "Oh no! He's gonna…!" But it was too late.

"You think just because I have no sword that I'm completely defenseless!" Triiken uttered. From his finger, an energy beam blew out and made impact with Riku's right arm at point blank range. The impact jolted Riku, knocking the keyblade out of his hand. The impact itself, left Riku's arm useless for the duration of the battle.

"What was that!" Tidus uttered.

"Oh my God!" Sora uttered. "Triiken used an energy beam!" With the keyblade out of his reach, Riku was left vulnerable to attack. Triiken did a multi-punch strike to Riku's gut, causing blood to spurt out of the young man's mouth. "Without his keyblade, Riku's defenseless."

Triiken unbuckled the best around his waist and wrapped it around Riku's throat. He then jerked Riku upward, choking him.

"What's he trying to do?" Tidus asked. "Is he trying to snap Riku's neck in half?"

"I don't think it's something as merciful as that." Sora uttered. "Breaking Riku's neck would be a gentle way of dying. It's instant death for the victim. Triiken definitely has Riku in a strangle hold."

"That means he's trying to suffocate him!"-

"Riku!" Kairi cried. Riku thrashed about violently, but could not free himself from his opponent's stranglehold. To add, he could not attempt a head but do the the thickness of the belt that had him confined.

"Just because you deprived me of my weapon doesn't mean that I can't fight back." Triiken uttered. "One must not depend on the use of a weapon alone."

Riku, with one eye half open, gazed to see his keyblade lying on the ground. With all of his strength and heart, he grasped for the blade. Suddenly, the keyblade disappeared and reemerged in Riku's left hand. With the hilt of the keyblade, he slammed it into the general side. Triiken flinched in pain, loosening his grip on the belt. This slack allowed Riku to jolt his head back, knocking Triiken in the chin. The two separated from one another.

"This is an intense battle." Sora uttered to himself. "Riku barely has enough strength as it is. And he can't use the Curaga spell because that spell only replenishes the will to fight, but what good is that when there is barely any physical strength for the body itself. Even Triiken is completely exhausted from those last few attacks that Riku inflicted on him. Both have been drained of much of their energy. I guess in this particular scenario, only he who can endure the longest will survive."

"That was a marvelous confrontation." Triiken uttered. "However, we have not come to any resolve, or outcome. Except for the fact that we are both drained of our energy." Triiken loosened up his shoulders and cracked his knuckles together. "What do you say that we finish this and see who truly is the best of the best here."

"I agree." Riku uttered. "This battle will decide which one of us deserves the right to go on living."

On the sidelines, Kairi fell to her knees and began to cry.

"Why?" she uttered. "Why is Riku doing this? Why is he so eager to throw his own life away for the sake of his pride?"

"Kairi…" Sora uttered, comforting her. Kairi threw her face into his chest and wept. She looked up a Sora.

"Why is Riku doing this, Sora? Is his life so expendable? Does he want to die that much? He's had close brushes with death too many times in this fight! What is he trying to prove? Tell my Sora! Tell me!" She began to cry again, pressing her face on Sora's chest. "Stop them! Please, stop them, Sora!"

"This battle is out of my grasp, Kairi. If I intervene, Riku will have to worry about my own safety. And that is something I don't want to burden him with."-

"Sora…"-

"This time, no more holding back!" Triiken suddenly began to power up with the full extent of his power. A bright red aura bellowed forth, causing the winds to pick up and blow violently in the courtyard.

"So, you've been holding back this whole time, eh?" Riku uttered. "So have I…" Riku's dark aura began to accumulate as well, growing greater with every passing second.

"I can't believe it." Sora said. "Riku's actually using the full strength of the darkness within his heart, unleashing everything without holding back. But if he continues to delve into the darkness at this rate, he may not regress to the same Riku we know."

"Now let us see how the Child of Darkness does against the infamous leader of the 2nd Gatler division!" Triiken roared.

"Die!" Riku shouted at the top of his lungs.

Everything seemed to slow down at that moment as both combatants charged against each other again. Kairi continued to weep, not daring to witness what would happen. Sora and the others could only watch as the final conclusion was beginning to unfold before their eyes.

But as soon as the two rivals had engaged in battle again, a voice boomed out from the back door of the house.

"That is enough!" the voice roared. The battle stopped temporarily. Sora and the others looked to see who it was that hollered. When they laid eyes on the one shouting, Riku and Sora couldn't believe who it was standing at the doorway. It was none other then their closest ally, Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster. "Get a hold of yourself, Triiken! Your only task was to initiate the strength level of Riku and Sora, to conclude whether they were as potent in their strength as they were six year ago!"

"We're in the middle of something, Cuchulain." Triiken uttered. "I will allow no one, not even you, the infamous Hound of Ulster, to interfere with this battle."

"I understand the situation at hand, Triiken. As a former Gatler General, I know you have your honor to obtain. But right now, both you and Riku are highly needed. I can't afford to have both of you dying on me just because your pride is at stake."-

"So you're the true mastermind behind this, eh Cuchulain?" Riku uttered.

"That is correct." Cuchulain stepped towards the combatants. "And I didn't come alone either." From the doorway, the familiar faces of Donald and Goofy came peeking out.

"Goofy!" Sora cried. "Donald!"

"Hey there, Sora!" Goofy replied.

"What are you guys doing here?"-

"We came to talk to you." Donald explained. "It's really important."

"Who the heck are those guys?" Tidus wondered. "They just popped out of nowhere."

"These happen to be members of the Universal Alliance." Sora explained. "The tall one is Goofy, the small one is Donald, and the guy with the long hair is Cuchulain, also known as the Hound of Ulster."

"They were the ones who helped Riku and Sora six years ago." Kairi added.

"They also happen to be our closest friends and allies."-

"I see." Tidus uttered. He then looked at General Triiken. "So what does Triiken have to do with you guys?"

"Triiken is acting as our undercover agent." Cuchulain uttered. "Sorry that we had to be so rough on you. However, it was necessary to see how effective you two were after six years of tranquil peace. If we had told you ahead of time, you may not have wanted to take the fight seriously."

"I see…" Riku uttered. "So that's why Triiken came here in the first place." Suddenly, due to sudden exhaustion and blood loss, Riku collapsed to the ground. The darkness jumper of Dark Riku had diminished in a puff of shadow and darkness. Riku had regressed to being the person he was before having to delve into the darkness. "I am still myself…"

"Riku!" Sora shouted, as he ran to assist his friend up. Riku could only kneel for the time being, using his keyblade for a crutch. Sora placed his hands underneath his arms and attempted to pull Riku back on to his feet. The blood continued to drip from the open wounds on his neck and body. Sweat dripped down from his forehead, intermingling with the blood and the open wounds causing a slight stinging sensation. Sora gazed at his injured comrade. "Are you alright, Riku? Can you stand?"

"I'll be fine, Sora." Riku replied. "But tell me this much at least, Cuchulain. What gave Triiken the right to attack one of my friends?"

"Attack one of your friends? Which one?"-

"Tidus had an unexpected encounter with him on Destiny Island yesterday. The result of this encounter was that we found Tidus almost dead because of him. Tidus could have died if we hadn't come along to find him mangled up."-

"Is this true?" Cuchulain said to Triiken, with an angry sneer upon his face. "Is it true that you deliberately attacked one of their comrades!" There was no response from the former Imperial. Cuchulain grew angry. "I'll ask you again! Did you deliberately attack one of Riku and Sora's friends!" Still there was no answer.

The reason for Triiken's silence is because he had detected a faint power level from near by; a power level that peeked from the front of the house. Though the others were not aware of it, the presence did not elude Triiken. From the other side of the house, Ilian Archibald, who had regained consciousness and had worked his way to Riku's residence, hoping to seek vengeance on he and Sora, overheard the conversation made between Cuchulain and his comrades. Knowing this, he realized that they were engaged in something far bigger than they had expected and was now trembling with great fear.

"I can't believe that the Hound of Ulster is here." Archibald uttered to himself, sweating with fright. "This matter is even bigger than I had expected. I have to warn Mr. Ranker of this." He scurried away, not knowing that Triiken was aware of his presence. Triiken, making an attempt to pursue Archibald, only sighed latched his belt around his waste, sheathed his broken sword and began to walk away.

"Well, well, well," he uttered. "That's the end of that scuffle." He looked at Riku and Sora, who were sneering at him. He grinned and stared at Riku only. "It looks like our little confrontation will have to be postponed to a later date. Your life has been spared for now key bearer. But next time, you won't be as lucky."

"Next time…" Riku uttered. "It'll be you that won't be so lucky."

"We shall see won't we…?" Triiken wiped the blood from his mouth and walked away, but not before being confronted by Cuchulain.

"Just a minute, Triiken!" Cuchulain shouted.

"According to my observations," Triiken explained without making eye contact with the Hound, "The present Riku is of no use to us whatsoever. However, the infamous Child of Darkness may prove to be quite useful. I would suggest hiring the latter rather than the former." With that final utter of words, Triiken, without a second glance, without further eye contact with anyone else, walked away, disappearing into the dark of the night.

"That man is insufferable at times." Cuchulain thought to himself. "Sometimes I have no clue what the hell kind of ideas run through his head. Those Imperials are all alike. More like stray dogs. You don't know if they'll bite until you get your hand too close."

"Cuchulain." Donald uttered. "What about Riku?"

"Yes." Cuchulain stepped up to Riku and kneeled next to him. He took from his pocket a bag of senzu beans. "I think this may come in handy."

"A senzu bean." Riku uttered. "Looks good right now." Cuchulain handed the bean to Riku and the young man ate it. Within seconds of swallowing it, Riku stood up as good as new. His wounds were healed, his strength had returned, and his will had been replenished to its full capacity. "Man, I feel great now! Thanks Cuchulain!"

"It was the least that I could do for a friend."-

"Did you see that?" Wakka said, his eyes bulging out of his head.

"I saw it." Tidus uttered. "But I don't believe it."

"Riku just ate that bean he was given and was back on his feet as if the battle never occurred in the first place."-

"I could really go for one of those right now." Apparently, Cuchulain overheard his statement and turned with another bean in his hand.

"Your wish is granted, young Tidus." Cuchulain implied, throwing the bean to him. Tidus caught the bean and looked at it for a moment, or two.

"Go ahead, Tidus." Riku implied. "Eat it."

"It'll replenish your strength." Sora added.

"Alright." Tidus implied. "I will do as you say." He took his chance and ate the bean. A second, or two after swallowing the morsel, Tidus suddenly felt his energy return to him. His sounded arm seemed to lose the throbbing pain. He took off the bandage and realized that wound he had received was no longer present. Not even the stitches remained. "Incredible! I feel better!"

"Well, now that we have that settled," Cuchulain said, "it is best that we get things over with here. I need to explain to you of the situation that we are facing and that we request your assistance again."

"Assistance?" Riku uttered.

"Again?" Sora added.

The party moved into the house, stationing themselves in the living room. Cuchulain sat on an overstuffed chair, before the group.

"So are you gonna tell us what it is you're doing here?" Riku asked.

"I won't double-talk you, my friends." Cuchulain began. "I will just get to the point." The group huddled around, waiting to hear the news. "The Midnight Faction is on the prowl."

"The Midnight Faction?" Tidus uttered. "The name doesn't ring a bell. Who are they?"

"Are they similar to the Midnight Organization that's under the control of the Dark Empire?" Sora asked.

"It was an organization under the control of the Dark Empire." Cuchulain replied.

"Was?" Riku asked. "What do you mean by was?"

"It's been six years since you were cut off from the outside world hasn't it. Well, I'll tell you what has been going on for the past six years. For one, the Dark Empire is no more."-

"The Dark Empire is no more?" Sora wondered. "What does that mean?"

"Just that." Cuchulain continued. "The Dark Empire is no more. Six years ago, there was a great confrontation that took place at Gombria and Vandor. Both cities fell to the forces of the Universal Alliance and their allies. To add, the Three Excellencies were killed in the process of the battle. Lord Drako Arakis and Lord Dextera Viro were killed just outside of Vandor and Lord Cavendish followed their fate, three days later, sucked in as a victim, into the hell of his own creation, called Hell's Vortex. With the fall of the Three Excellencies and the capture of the two major cities of the Empire, the rest of the Imperial power had dispersed. The Universal Alliance then took the process of having to eradicate all possible organizations related to the former Empire. However, just because the Empire itself as a whole was destroyed didn't guarantee that peace would be obtained so easily. There were still billions of those who were faithful to the Empire. However, now three distinct organizations have emerged from the rubble. Each of them is hoping to restore the Dark Empire to its former glory, but into the image that their own leaders have conjured up."

"What are the three?" Riku asked.

"They are the three original organizations that played a major role in the forming of the Dark Empire." Cuchulain continued. "To review, the Dark Empire consisted of three distinct branches, each controlled by one of the Three Excellencies. After the fall of the Empire; the three split from one another and are now trying, not only to eliminate the Universal Alliance, but also are trying to eliminate each other. The first of the three, called the Red Ribbon Faction, is commanded by the infamous Kambrian commander, Delorion Rellantando, who hopes to restore the former Imperial might and place it under Kambrian rule. Then there is the Arakis Foundation that originally acted as the financial backbone of the Dark Empire. They are controlled by Arakis's son, Mulian Nidarach Arakis. Under Mulian's rule, the Arakis Foundation hopes to regain the full territory of the old Imperial regime, but form it as it once was, abiding by the old Imperial code and declaring that only those of Oceanarian descent are allowed to flourish. Finally, there is the greatest threat, the only one of the three that poses the greatest threat, not only to the universe to where the old Dark Empire resided, but to all other worlds as well. It is none other than the infamous Midnight Faction."

"Well what makes this faction more dangerous than the rest?"-

"The reason is because the Midnight Faction did not establish its center within the universal realm of the old imperial regime, but rather they are expanding their power to other worlds. By doing this, the Midnight Faction will be able to conquer without interference from the Universal Alliance, on account that the Alliance has enough trouble as it is fighting with the other two organizations. This way, there will be no great threat to stand in the way of the Midnight Faction's progress."

"Well, where have they established their headquarters?" Sora asked.

"They've concentrated the center of their government in the Disney Kingdom."-

"No!" Riku and Sora uttered together.

"What's so significant about the Disney Kingdom?" Tidus asked.

"The Disney Kingdom was the link between the Universal Alliance and the other dimensional realms." Cuchulain continued. "It was the one stronghold where if there ever were to be interference with other worldly affairs, the Alliance would be able to quell the impeding threat, by way of King Mickey's Kingdom. But now, the Midnight Faction has taken over the Disney Kingdom and has claimed the access to all other worlds as their own. That means that the Midnight Faction can have unlimited access to any world that they please. Using the gummi technology to its full advantage, the Midnight Faction can spread throughout the worlds like a cancer and destroy all who stand in their way, or defy their rule. To add, the Midnight Faction has joined up with a more cunning and more numerous ally."-

"And who might that be?" Sora asked.

"Donald. It is time."-

Donald took out from his pocket, the symbol of the invading force that attacked the Disney Kingdom. Being placed it before the key bearers and their friends on the living room table, Riku, Kairi, and Sora instantly recognized the two symbols that intermingled with one another.

"Is that what I think it is?" Sora uttered, gazing at the familiar heart shaped emblem acting as the background for the symbol.

"You're right." Riku uttered. "That is the symbol of the Heartless. And look at this." He pointed at the cross in the foreground, being the main focus of the emblem.

"That is the Cross of Conquest," Kairi uttered, "or something close to its resemblance."

"So are you telling us that the Midnight Faction has combined forces with the Heartless?"-

"That's correct." Cuchulain implied.

"But how is that possible?" Sora uttered. "Kingdom Hearts, the door to darkness, had been sealed up since ten years ago."

"You only prevented the Heartless from emerging into other worlds in mass numbers and on their own free will. However, it doesn't necessarily mean that they've been permanently confined to the Shadow Realm. You should know that by now, since the incident in the Rurouni Realm six years ago."-

"That's right! We did fight off the Heartless in the Rurouni Realm! But that was only because Kahn managed to summon them from their world!"-

"So whoever must be leading the command of the Midnight Faction must be a true master of the Darkness." Riku said. "But who could it be? Who is in charge of the Midnight Faction?"

"That's the thing." Cuchulain continued. "We really don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"-

"That's just it. We don't know. Unlike the other two organizations whose leaders have gained a high reputation for their ruthlessness, or their family origin, the leader of the Midnight Faction is a complete unknown. He's remained elusive since the fall of the Dark Empire and we don't know what his identity is, or even what he looks like. We only know this much though, due to the rumors that have been fluttering about lately. All we know is that this individual has been dubbed the name the Phantom Lord."-

"The Phantom Lord?" Sora asked.

"Yes. And it's because of him that so far two hundred different worlds have fallen to him."-

"T...two…two hundred?"-

"Two hundred worlds?" Kairi said. "How long has this guy been out there conquering?"

"That's it." Cuchulain said. "The Midnight Organization has been on a rampage for only one year in conquering other worlds. That's how fast they can operate. If you can imaging taking over two hundred worlds in only a year, we are looking at the total conquest of every other world within the next decade, or so."

"And you say that the Universal Alliance has no manpower to spare to stop them?" Riku asked.

"If we did, I wouldn't have bothered to require your assistance. Right now, you and Sora are the only ones who can reseal the doors and close them off."-

"Wait a minute! What do you mean reseal them! Are you saying that the doors to other worlds are being unsealed again!"-

"But that means that…" Sora uttered. Fear now appeared on his face.

"Whoever this guy is, he must have access to a keyblade. The keyblade is the only thing that can reopen the doors to other worlds."-

"That's why we request your help." Cuchulain uttered. "You are the only ones who can also close the doors and seal the worlds again."

"If you can help us regain our kingdom," Donald implied, "We will see that you're well rewarded."

"There's no need for that." Riku said. "You two are our friends and we can't ask a price in return for saving your home."

"You mean you'll…" Goofy uttered.

"That's right." Sora replied. "You can count us in!"

"I'm surprised that you two agreed to help us without any hesitation." Cuchulain stated.

"We've learned from past experiences that if we insist on not doing anything, sooner or later our world would meet the same fate." Riku explained. "We suffered enough having to deal with the Dark Empire as a whole. And there's no way that we'll allow an organization like the Midnight Faction to have its way either. Despite our opposition to engage in battle again, to fight is the only option we have right now."

"You can count us in!" Sora said.

"Very well then." Cuchulain uttered.

"By the way. I noticed that King Mickey didn't accompany you. Where is he?" There was silence amidst the three visitors.

"Has something terrible happened?" Riku asked. "What's happened to King Mickey?" Donald raised his head.

"The thing is that…" he uttered. "I fear that His Majesty has been captured by the Midnight Faction."

"Captured?" Sora said, shocked.

"When we took off, we could see the dwindling number of the Royal Guards grow smaller and smaller. We fear that the Kingdom has already fallen into the hands of this Phantom Lord."-

"Then, we have another task besides saving the other worlds and that's rescuing your king."-

"When do we leave?" Riku asked.

"We leave as soon as possible." Cuchulain implied. "So get your battle gear ready. We move out within the hour."

"Right."-

"What about us?" Kairi asked.

"You guys have to stay here and watch out for things while Sora and I are away."-

"You mean you just want us to stay here and collect dust?" Tidus protested.

"Yeah!" Wakka added. "Me and Tidus can fight alongside you!"

"Don't forget that I was the one that defeated the entity Sin!"-

"And what about me!" Selphie said. "I can fight as well! I'm good at it!"

"Same here!" Kairi added. "You were the ones who taught me how to fight and I've improved a lot more since the last time! Please, you guys, take me with you!"

"That is out of the question!" Riku said. "You guys are to stay here!"

"But why!" Tidus said. "We've improved so much compared to six years ago! Give us a chance!"

"And that's why we need you to stay here." Sora implied. "You guys need to stay here and face any threat that might attack our own home. Who knows, the Midnight Faction may target our home next. If you guys come with us, then who will be left to fend off the fiends who may want to enslave our families?" There was silence amongst the group. "You guys are helping us by protecting our home. That is the one task we're entrusting you with."

"I see what you mean." Tidus uttered. "Alright, then I will stay here to defend our home."

"I will too." Wakka added.

"Me too." Selphie agreed. Sora then turned to Kairi, who still remained silent.

"Do you understand, Kairi?" he asked.

"I do…" she uttered, looking up into his big blue eyes. She laid her head on Sora's chest. "I just don't know what I'll do if I don't see you two again…" Sora only smiled and stroked her red hair ever so gently.

"Don't worry." Sora placed the side of his index finger under Kairi's chin and lifted her head up so that her eyes could meet his again. "I swear to you that Riku and I will return home safely."

Kairi could only smile and nuzzled against him tightly. Tears dripped down her cheeks, expressing the emotional twist stirring within her.

At the same time, however, in that Inn just a few miles out of the settlement, another conversation was commencing. Archibald had made it back to Mr. Ranker's quarters, where he began to tell of the plot that Triiken was involved in.

"I see." Ranker uttered. "So Triiken was sent here by the Universal Alliance to test the grit of Riku and Sora eh?"

"Never mind about all that!" Archibald shouted. "Now that the Hound is here how, can we be sure that our plan will work! What if Triiken is really siding with the Universal Alliance and is only using us as pawns?"

"I wouldn't worry about it. Like I said before, Triiken is an Imperial just like us. And he would do anything to see that the Universal Alliance is quelled and the new Imperial regime is established as the absolute power throughout the worlds."-

"But I still think…"-

"I wouldn't put any of this to heart. An Imperial will always remain true to the cause he fought so hard to obtain, whether or not the Empire exist."-

"Well it doesn't matter! All I know is that the Hound of Ulster is fighting on their side! And I don't know about you, but I ain't fighting against someone like that! If the Alliance is causing strong guys like him to side with them, then I think it is better that I don't get involved anymore than I have already! I didn't even manage to lay a hand on those two key bearers! They were even stronger than I thought!"-

"You mean to tell me that you were the one's who fought the key bearers?" Ranker stood up from his chair, angrily. "I thought I told you not to interfere with that. Triiken was strictly given that assignment to take care of personally. What caused you to fight them without my orders?"

"It's not my fault! Triiken offered me a great amount of money to take care of that job for him!"-

"Going against my orders, eh?" Ranker uttered to himself. "Well, when Triiken gets back here, I'll just have to give him a piece of my mind."

"It still hasn't changed the fact that I'm leaving!"-

"Are you turning tail on me?"-

"What you say no longer matters to me! I have my own life to worry about! And I don't know about you, but I don't intend to lose my life to the likes of a powerful warrior like the Hound of Ulster! You couldn't pay me enough to tackle that job! So if you don't mind, I'll be taking my money and split while the splitting is good! I'll probably find a nice, safe place to live the rest of my days. I might try Traverse Town, or Twilight Town, or someplace like that!"

"Oh, but I know of a much better place that you can go rather than Traverse, or Twilight Town." A voice suddenly uttered from the doorway. Archibald instantly recognized the voice spoken. He looked to see none other than General Triiken standing in his way. "It's a place called hell. I'm sure that you've heard of it."

Before Archibald could even utter another word, Triiken took one swipe with a spare sword that he brought with him, severing the assassin's head from his shoulder. The blood splattered throughout the room, causing the walls and the floor to turn a crimson red. Ranker, frightened by the spectacle, fell to the ground in fear. He then glared at Triiken.

"How…how could you?" he uttered.

"There is no need for a mongrel dog like him to linger about the place." Triiken uttered. "There is no place of a mongrel dog like you either."

"What do you mean? We're supposed to be working together on this, Triiken! This is our one chance to restore the Empire to its former glory! Why would you want to gum up the works! Don't you care for the efforts we're making here! Don't you know what we're doing here could resurrect a greater power! Where is your Imperial pride!"

"My pride as an Imperial remains in tact! And we swore by the old Imperial code 'Death before dishonor.' However, as a Gatler General, we pledged our loyalty only to the Three Excellencies! I don't remember pledging allegiance to the likes of an opportunist like the Phantom Lord. He follows the way that counters everything of the old Imperial code of chivalry. If the Dark Empire were ever to collapse and the Three Excellencies meet a sorry end then fate was never on our side to begin with. If the old Imperial regime was to be vanquished, then all that flocked to its banner should disperse and learn to accept this new era."-

"So, you're just going to give up on the Imperial regime like that, when we have this one chance to revive it to what it once was, or even greater?"-

"You are truly a fool, former Minister of Propaganda! You have no idea what true loyalty is because you have never in your life, since the moment of your employment to the Imperial regime, ever set foot upon the battlefield! I have engaged in so many confrontations and have seen so much chaos and bloodshed; it would haunt my memories, even if I were to die a million deaths! As a Gatler General, I had pledged my vow to end the chaos and create that ideal world where all were united under one banner. Well, fate has chosen the Universal Alliance to be the power to take all people under its wing! Therefore, I shall fight for its preservation!"-

"It is you who are the fool! You dare to fight and protect the one power that you and your deceased comrades had desperately tried to destroy! How could you allow the deaths of your comrades to be in vain!"-

"You believe that because our cause was lost that my comrades' sacrifices were for nothing!" Triiken drew his sword towards the frightened minister. "You don't fully realize the larger picture placed before you! My comrades and I were also ones to help build this new era by being the ones who lost. To end the chaos, I will eliminate all those who dare to oppose the greater power! As a Gatler general, I with my other two comrades, now long deceased, abided also by the code sworn by the Cavendish Shinobis. 'Exmortin en quenchai un quency.' 'Death to treason and traitors.' And you, who dare to strike against the might of the alliance, shall die!"

"No!" Ranker pleaded. "Don't you realize what you're doing! If you can just help us in our cause, your name will go down in history as being the backbone to our success! You will be well rewarded and shall live in luxury and riches, beyond your wildest dreams, for the rest of your life!"-

"You can train a dog with food as easily as you can bribe a corrupt heart with promises of vast wealth and profit! But there is no man alive who can corrupt the way of the true Imperial!" With that, Triiken thrust his blade deep into Ranker's throat. Blood spurted out like fountains, covering the floor, turning it more crimson. Ranker twitched for a few seconds before going limp and lifeless against the wall. Triiken glared at him before extracting his bloodstained sword from the flesh of his victim. "How pathetic your life has been! You shall spend the rest of your days in hell! The moment that the Dark Empire fell was the day that you should have accepted the new era of the Universal Alliance. Further resistance to the new power would have been futile! And I have seen that to its end. As the Gatler General of the Universal Alliance, I will maintain the peace, even in the most brutal fashion and against former allies and comrades." With those final words, Triiken left the room without a second glance, leaving the mutilated bodies of his former comrades prostrated on the floor.

Within the hour, Riku and Sora had prepared themselves for the journey ahead. With new clothing on their backs, this time of their own choosing, they met with Cuchulain, Donald, and Goofy at the gummi ship. Tidus and the others accompanied the two key bearers to the ship.

"Well guys," Sora uttered, "We're off now."

"We'll be waiting for you guys to come back safely." Tidus implied. "We'll be here, fending our home from any villains, or ruffians who may try to take it over."

"We're counting on you to hold down the fort." Riku said.

"Hurry, you two!" Cuchulain shouted from the gummi's entry. "Time waits for no man!"

"We'll be there in a minute!"-

"You two be sure to come back to us safely." Kairi implied.

"We will." Sora said. It was then that Kairi took from her pocket, a hand crafted heart made of brass. It was a puzzle that she had custom made, giving it the ability to split into three separate pieces. She handed one piece each to the two young men. Sora gazed at the piece given to him. "What's this for?"

"I'm giving you two each a piece of this heart." Kairi explained. "This is a very precious puzzle to me. I want you to promise that you'll return and give them back to me." Sora glanced for a while and then smiled.

"I promise."-

"Don't worry." Riku added. "We'll come back safely."

Kairi, filled with emotion, could only embrace her two life long friends, wrapping her arms tight around them.

"That's a promise then…" she uttered.

"We will return, Kairi. I guarantee it."-

With a final glance, the two entered the gummi ship. They looked out at their friends for the last time before the seal closed and the rockets of the ship ignited. Riku and Sora looked down seeing their friends continuing to wave at them. They could see Kairi's face as tears dripped from her eyes. The rockets increased in power and the gummi was off, heading out of the atmosphere.

"Full speed ahead, Donald." Cuchulain uttered.

"Aye, aye!" Donald replied. "Full speed ahead."

"So where are we headed first?" Sora asked.

"We are heading for the capital of the Universal Alliance itself," Cuchulain replied, "the city of Oceansburg."

"Really?"-

"Oh yes, this will be the first time that you've actually laid eyes on the capital city of the alliance, isn't it?"-

"Tell me, Cuchulain," Riku uttered. "Is it as magnificent as they say it is."

"More than you can ever imagine."-


	4. The Plan

The Plan

It was not long before the little gummi ship made its way to the Oceanaria, the planet to where the center of the Universal Alliance resided. The gummi descended over a sea of clouds that were tainted gold by the early morning sun.

"It's a beautiful morning here." Riku uttered.

"Wow!" Sora added. "It's such a nice view."

"We'll be descending under the cloud line in thirty seconds." Donald implied. "We are now reaching Oceansburg airspace."

"I hope that you are ready for quite a view of the city from above." Cuchulain said. "Perhaps you will have the same reaction that I had the moment I first saw the capital city of the alliance in all its glory."

The little gummi descended below the cloud line, descending to Oceansburg below.

"Reaching the lower atmosphere," Donald counted, "in 5…4…3…2…1…"

In that instant, when the gummi cleared the cloud line, Riku and Sora laid eyes on the most spectacular sight they ever had the pleasure of gazing upon. The city of Oceansburg was a beautiful sight indeed. Its tall buildings and vast skyways stretched for miles on end. Memorials and deity like figures stood high within the city as if greeting any weary traveler who wished to descend upon it. The city itself seemed to be plated in a glimmering pearl white and well polished gold, with a dash of blue to add a soothing effect to its appearance. Because vehicles and industries were charged by special, natural energies, there were no billowing puffs of smoke that spewed into the air and no pollution to mug up the sky. It was indeed a beautiful sight indeed.

"Well," Cuchulain asked, "what do you think?"

"It's simply incredible." Riku uttered.

"Incredible is hardly the word." Sora added. "This is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen."

The little gummi ship began to descend to what looked like a grand glass pyramid. Of all the structures in Oceansburg, it was this glass pyramid that was the grandest and the largest.

"What's that pyramid building?" Sora asked.

"That is where we will be meeting with Sneer." Cuchulain replied. "That pyramid is the very center of not only Oceansburg, but the entire organization. This building, simply called 'The Glass Pyramid' is the universal symbol of the Alliance."

"That is a sight alright." Riku said.

"And it's the only building that has its own internal network. So in case there is ever an attack on Oceansburg, the Glass Pyramid would be able to survive in tact."-

The gummi ship reached a glass gate that opened up on the side of the pyramid. Entering the building, the appearance within was just a magnificent as the appearance from without. The gummi made port at one of the docking areas as the gate resealed itself, cutting off the outside world once again. The glass panes filtered out the sunlight, so that the heat within was not too intense.

The party departed from the gummi ship, leaving it to the maintenance crew to repair and refuel it. Sora and the others worked their way to the very interior of the building where a series of glass elevators awaited them. The crew stepped aboard the elevator and transported themselves to the very top of the pyramid. While going, Riku and Sora were amazed by what they were seeing. The interior of the pyramid, where most of the daily business commenced, was more elaborate and sophisticated then ever. A futuristic type of world bellowed and billowed before them.

"It's just as incredible inside as it was outside." Sora said. "The sight of this place stirs something in me."

"It's probably your stomach." Riku uttered, pointing out that Sora was staring at a food court which accumulated a series of soothing and tasty aromas.

"That might just be it."-

"We'll be reaching the top floor soon." Cuchulain said. "So make sure that you look presentable before entering Sneer's chamber. I don't want him to think that you've been slacking off for the past six years."

The elevator eventually made it to the top floor, the very tip of the pyramid itself. It was here that Sneer awaited them. As the lift doors opened, they revealed a grand room to where the president resided and carried on with his business. However, unlike the gilded elaboration of the rich and elite spectacle that was encountered in the lower levels of the pyramid, the office was more simplistic, laid back, more homely, and comfortable. The floor, instead of that shiny black marble or white tile, there was a well polished hardwood floor. Upon the hardwood, there were tapestry rugs and carpets. Standing upon them, well polished wooden tables, exquisite in design, from the bottom of the legs holding up the platform to the platform itself. Antiques and bowels of fruits sat upon the center of each table. It was a touch of home and an easy lifestyle. Before, the doors of the lift, a large hall rug reached all the way to a desk and overstuffed chair facing the window. It is here that the president did his work. The party approached the desk.

"Sneer," Cuchulain uttered. "I have brought them."

There was no answer from the chair, no response whatsoever. Cuchulain drew closer. Suddenly a voice uttered from behind the party.

"I'm over here." It said. The party turned to see Sneer standing in front of the window, painting upon a canvas slab. He dipped his brush onto his easel and swirled it about on the canvas. "I find painting to be most enjoyable."

"I have brought Riku and Sora as you had requested, sir." Cuchulain said.

"Well done, Cuchulain, well done." Sneer laid his brush and easel upon his working table, which was covered with painting equipment. Wiping of his hands with a damp cloth, he resided to his desk. "Thank you for coming here, my friends. I'm surprised that you would accept coming here. Especially, after that near death experience that you had six years ago."

"It's not as if we have any other option open to us." Riku said. "Had we not got involved the last time, the Cavendish Shinobis would have achieved their primary goals and the Universal Alliance might have been placed at the mercy of the Dark Empire."

"That is correct. If it had not been for your participation, it would have been Lord Cavendish you would be talking to in this office instead of me."-

"We understand that the doors to sealed worlds are being opened again."-

"That is also true. The worlds are being reconnected with the help of the Phantom Lord."-

"But why would he do a thing like that?" Sora asked. "By reopening the doors, he's allowing better access for the Heartless."

"And if the Heartless regain their foothold as they did a decade before, there's no doubt that more worlds will be plunged into darkness."-

"But why would the Phantom Lord do such a thing."-

"By combining with the Heartless, he believes that he can obtain absolute victory in a short amount of time. In most cases, that particular outcome will occur."-

"But doesn't he realize that he can't control the Heartless." Riku asked. "One who is able to manipulate the power of the Heartless only becomes food for the Heartless in the end. If he allows himself to be overcome by the darkness, then he will lose his heart to the darkness." Riku lowered his head, clutching his fist. "I'm one to know how the darkness operates. If consumed by it completely, allowing your hate, your envy, your negative energy to overtake your own logic and reason, then you are lost to the emptiness of shadows."

"Riku, Sora," Sneer said, "As of this point in time, you are the only ones who can fight against the Phantom Lord and the Midnight Faction. You must seal the doors to those worlds still remaining. It is there that the Midnight Faction is concentrating their offensive." Sneer pushed a small red button at the side of his desk. Suddenly, from the top of his desk, a small icon emerged. It suddenly repelled light, projecting a 3-D image of a map. "This is the entire layout of the Midnight Faction's territory. This is as far they have gone already. The Phantom Lord uses the Heartless to invade the worlds and weaken the resistance. By doing this, he allows his own troopers, the Phantom Forces, to overwhelm and destroy the rest of the resistance without very much difficulty." Sneer pointed out the key worlds needed to be held in order to stop the advance of the Midnight Faction. "Some of the key worlds, which are being used as key points for further advancing of the Faction, are ones that you had sealed before in the past. To add, there are new worlds that are being targeted by the Phantom Lord and his minions. Do you recognize some of the worlds, Sora?"

"Yes." Sora implied. "Wonderland has been reopened. So has Agrabah, the Deep Jungle, and even the Imperial city of China."

"Those are some of the key realms that must be resealed. To add, the keyholes are now scattered in different areas of those worlds." Sneer then pointed out several other key worlds that have played a part in the strategic movement of the Midnight Faction. "Then there are several others that you have been to already that now have keyholes. The Rurouni Realm, the Seed Realm, and the Wing Realm have developed passages for the Heartless to move through. To add, in some particular worlds, the faction is rebuilding key equipment to help ensure an easy takeover. From what our sources tell us, the Midnight Faction is beginning the process of constructing a new Apocalypse Cannon, and inter-dimensional tunnel, ten divisions of Gatler Tanks, a division of new model mobile dolls, and a legion of mobile droid Heartless. Much like the anti-Riku and anti-Sora you two had to fight."

"What?" Riku uttered. "You mean they're planning on creating more of those Super anti?"

"But we had enough trouble having to fight against the ones deployed by General Kai." Sora added.

"If you thought it was tough against two, can you imagine a legion of five-hundred million marching upon the worlds?" Sneer said.

"If we're going to seal these worlds," Riku said, "then we should start with the ones that pose the largest threat."

"The only problem is that we haven't confirmed which world has what."-

"Leave that all to me!" a voice suddenly shouted out from behind. The party turned to see a familiar and hostile face gazing at them.

"General Triiken!" Sora shouted.

"What are you doing here!" added Riku.

"No one sent for you, Triiken!" Cuchulain said.

"Then again, I don't really need permission when it comes to giving vital information." Triiken replied.

"And what vital information have you brought us?" Sneer asked.

"I have the information that you require." Triiken stepped before the desk, handing a sheet of paper to Sneer. "It is the information regarding the construction of the Apocalypse Cannon and the Trans-dimensional portal."

"And what have you found out?"-

"The trans-dimensional portal has already been completed and resides within Wonderland. The Apocalypse Cannon is at this moment being constructed within the Deep Jungle. Actually, two are being constructed. And both are being manufactured in separate realms in order to prevent a critical blow if you decided to interfere with the plans of the Midnight Faction."-

"Two?" Goofy uttered.

"The Midnight Faction is manufacturing two of those?" Donald added.

"To make matters worse, the second one is an upgraded version, called the Apocalypse XG-1." Triiken continued. "Unlike the earlier model, the XG-1 doesn't have to worry about recharging after firing."

"You mean it's a…" Sneer uttered with fear.

"That is correct, sir. It can be fired at a random time interval and it has ten times the destructive capacity than the original model."-

"And where would the XG-1 be located."-

"We have confirmed that it resides within the Seed Realm, being manufactured by Coordinators."-

"Damn…" Cuchulain uttered. "The Midnight Faction has elaborated their plan more than we had expected."

"Also, trying to gain access to those three particular structures are not that simple. Hordes of Heartless Behemoths, Soldiers, and Invisibles are guarding the area along with a million troops of the Phantom Forces. To add, they've picked up a few other strays, acting as bodyguards and mercenaries, along the way. I doubt that even these two can handle such a task."-

"You just wait and see, Triiken!" Sora shouted. "We'll be able to take the Heartless and the Phantom Force out, even if we have to do it on our own!"

"That won't be necessary though." Sneer implied.

"What do you mean?" Riku asked.

"For one thing, you have Goofy, Donald, and the faithful Hound of Ulster of to assist you and of course General Triiken, if he agrees. To add, I also have other friends of yours who will be helping you along the way. As we speak, they are already in those worlds overlooking the situation. All we need is you two to lock the doors for us."-

"And which friends would those be?"-

"Let me see." Sneer pulled out a list from the top drawer of his desk. "There are also Cloud Strife, Yuffie, Auron, Squall Leonheart, Cid, Sojiro, Goten, and Lu Xun. Also you may meet some other members of the Z team, or Dynasty Warriors that may assist you."

"Well, at least we know there are some old friends out there willing to give us a hand." Donald mumbled.

"Other than what I have told you, there is nothing further that you need to accomplish." Sneer stepped from behind his desk. "Riku, Sora, and company, I leave the fate of the universe and all dimension worlds and realms in your hands."

"We understand." Riku uttered. "Then we shall be on our way." The company turned toward the elevator.

"You won't go far without a plan." Triiken uttered.

"Well, no one asked for your opinion." Sora replied.

"To go into battle without the slightest clue of your enemy's strengths? That is terrible judgment on your part."-

"Why you…!" Riku raised his hand in front of Sora.

"No Sora." He implied. "I'd hate to admit it, but Triiken is right. If we decide to enter enemy territory without truly understanding our enemies potential, that leaves us vulnerable." Riku stepped up to Triiken. "Tell us, what should we do Triiken?"

"You're just going to randomly attack any world and stop their progress?" Triiken uttered.

"That was what we were planning to do."-

"Well, that plan won't work in this particular scenario. You must also understand that there is more sophistication to this plot than you think. Let us analyze the situation." Triiken went to Sneer's desk and reopened the holographic map with a push of little red button. "I had told you that they were constructing two Apocalypse cannons and a trans-dimensional tunnel. Now, I'm sure that you perceived that those were mere obstacles. However, there is a greater reason behind their purpose."-

"And what would that be?"-

"Think about it. Why would they even want to use a trans-dimensional portal to transport their manpower and supplies when they have the passages created by the keyblade? Large masses of troops can be efficiently maneuvered through the Heartless passages when properly coordinated. So why go through the trouble of having to construct a trans-dimensional portal. It wastes only good funding." Triiken walked to the center of the group. "I'll tell you what the portal is for. What the Midnight Faction truly intends to do with it. Instead of using it to transport men and resources, they intend to use the portal rather as a dimensional window to open to other worlds. It is then that they use the Apocalypse cannon to aim its powerful energy beam through that window and inflict a fatal shot to that world."-

"You're kidding." Sora uttered.

"That is no joke. The Midnight Faction is a radicals organization and they tend to use methods that ensure fast and easy victory with little effort, or waste of manpower on their part."-

"That means that they'd be able to inflict serious damage on other worlds without having to deploy troops, or Heartless there." Cuchulain said.

"But by using that type of tactic," Sora uttered, "they'd be able to inflict serious damage upon multiple worlds at once."

"That is the true intention of the Midnight Faction." Triiken explained further. "By using this tactic, they'd be able to threaten and conquer multiple worlds all at once with very little attempts of retaliation. This way, the worlds attacked have no way of reaching their enemy for an attempted retaliation."

"Then, I think the best course of action is to go to wonderland and take care of things there." Riku said. "At least if we destroy the portal, it'll prevent mass chaos to others worlds."

"That is until they plan on constructing a new portal. I don't think you're aware of this, but creating trans-dimensional portals is a simpler task then manufacturing the Apocalypse cannon. If I were you, I think about sealing the world first, before destroying the portal. That way, you have more time afterward trying to destroy the two cannons."

"Perhaps, it would be more advantageous if we split into two groups. One takes out the portal while the other brings down one of the cannons."-

"That would prove to be advantageous in most cases, but in this particular scenario, that concept does not apply. The reason for this is because these three structures alone are heavily guarded. Even if you were to use the full bulk of your inner strength and combine to make a fusion, it would not be enough against the likes of the Midnight Faction." There was a sudden silence within the party before Triiken unleashed a real secret that was necessary information needed to closing the doors. "Besides, this time, the keyholes will require two key bearers to seal the worlds, not just one."

"What do you mean two key bearers?" Sora asked.

"I have managed to track down only one keyhole and it lies with the Lotus Forest. The keyhole is accumulating a mixture of negative and positive energy. This indicates that both key bearers are required to reseal the worlds."-

"Why didn't you mention this before!" Riku demanded. "Don't you think that's vital information! If you hadn't told us, we might have split into two groups! Did you have to give us that last bit of information at the last moment!"

"I don't understand why you're losing your temper." Triiken uttered. "I gave you the information you were seeking."

"Tell me, is there anymore information that we need to hear?"-

"Those are the vital clues you need. I will continue to inform you along the way. However, just because we've decided to cooperate, don't think that anything has changed between us." Triiken glanced at Riku only. "Remember Riku, we still have a personal score to settle as well."

"Then, I'll make sure not to die until then." Triiken then walked away, entered the elevator of Sneer's office, and descended down into the pyramid.

"I say," Sneer uttered, "trouble follows you like your own shadow. You must certainly have a lot of scores to settle with people, eh Riku?"

"Riku has a tendency to have some weirdo follow him every once in a while." Sora chuckled.

"You should know…" Riku implied.

"Well, it's best that you boys be on your way." Sneer said. "Time is of the essence here and we can't afford to lay back and relax."

"Right."-

"Riku, Sora, the fate the worlds depend upon your efforts."-

"Don't worry, Sneer." Sora said. "If it's help you've requested, you've come to the right guys to ask."

"We'll do our best, sir!" Donald said, in a proud and bold manner. "We shall go forth and fight this cunning scourge called the Midnight Faction and bring them down to their knees!"

"That is if they don't kill us first." Goofy uttered. Donald elbowed the imbecile in the groin.

"That's not the type of attitude we need right now…"-

"You just had to make a speech." Sora chuckled.

"Then, be on your way." Sneer said. "Farewell and I wish you the best of luck!" The party left sneer in his office, entering the lift and descending into the pyramid's lower levels. Sneer turned to see the morning sun reach higher and higher into the sky. "The fate of the entire universe and all worlds thereof are in the hands of those two youngsters. I really wish them the best of luck."

When reaching the dock, the party reached their newly supplied and repaired gummi ship.

"Your vessel has been repaired and supplied again." The chief mechanic uttered.

"Very well done." Donald implied. The group began to enter the gummi. Cuchulain stopped just before the ramp.

"I wish you guys the best of luck." He said.

"Aren't you coming with us?" Sora asked.

"I won't be able to accompany you right now." Cuchulain said. "I have to go and help aid in the resistance in another world. That way, I can at least stall the progress of the Midnight Faction."

"Where are you headed?"-

"I don't know. Perhaps I'll either go to the Deep Jungle, or the Seed Realm. That's where they're constructing the large Apocalypse cannons and that's where I'll catch them off guard. Besides, we have some other friends working over there to aid the resistance as well."

"Then you take care."-

"I'll see you two later."-

"Good luck." Riku said.

"The same goes for the two of you and the rest of the KH party." Cuchulain smiled and walked away. But suddenly, he stopped and retraced his steps. "Oh yeah, and one more thing." He reached into his pocket and took out several summon spell gems. "I think you could use some help from these guys again."

"These are the summoning spells." Sora uttered. "How did you get them?"

"It wasn't easy persuading them to help. Especially, in times of peace, but when I said that you and the rest of the KH team would get involved, they immediately agreed. So, I was able to salvage all but three and that would be Tinker Bell, Mushu, and Genie. The reason why is there is a lot of factional activity going on there. However, since you are going straight to The Imperial Palace and Agrabah, I thought it would be best if you ask for their help personally."-

"Thanks a lot, Cuchulain."-

"Come on, Sora!" Riku said. "We're waiting for you!"

"I'll be there!" Sora replied.

"I hope that I might bump into you guys later." Cuchulain implied.

"I'm sure we will."-

"You guys take care of yourselves."-

"Good luck to you too." The two shook hands and Cuchulain walked away, looking forward to his own task. Sora turned to the others.

"I was wondering when you two were gonna stop chatting." Riku said, with that crooked grin of mischief on his face. He slapped Sora on the back. "We have a long way to go."

"You're right." Sora said. "Then, let's get going then." The four entered the ship and tucked themselves into their individual seats. Donald activated the data and set the coordinates to Wonderland. Once again the rockets ignited and the little gummi ship was off to see adventure once again.


	5. Back to Wonderland

Back to Wonderland

Wonderland, a place of awe and imagination, a place where everything is possible, even the impossible. The lotus forest was filled with the sounds of wild life and strange activity of nature. However, there was also another sound that echoed in the lotus forest that intermingled with the peaceful sounds of nature. And that was the sound of marching feet. A patrol group of five hundred elite fighters of the infamous Phantom Forces march about in perfect fashion watching out for any suspicious activity. It was in the particular area that the keyhole resided.

"Companies!" the commander of the patrol roared. "Halt!" The men halted in unison, their boots pounding on the ground causing a thunderous roar to bellow into the calm of the forest. "We well take a five minute rest period! Fall out!" The men dismissed themselves from their ranks and sat down under the lotus leaves.

It was that this particular time that a man dressed in green walked up to the commander of the patrol group. He was a rather tall and sleek man, with a premature beard growing from his chin. He seemed rather rugged in appearance, but his uniform, an impressive military frock of green, white, and gold, was as eloquent and debonair as any seen in a gentlemen's army. His hair, a dark brown color, seemed rather wild, as if he had ruffled it to make his bangs drape down his face.

"Commander." He said with tough, rough sounding voice. The commander stood up in attention.

"General Venti…" the commander uttered. "I am surprised to see you here."

"Never mind that." Venti replied. "I would like to know if things are going well here. Has there been any peculiar activity going on around here?"

"No recently, sir, there has been no disturbance from the local inhabitants."-

"If you see anything that is remotely suspicious, or if you see anyone that is remotely suspicious, deal with the situation harshly and without mercy. We can't afford to have any trouble brewing in this realm."-

"But it's not as if anyone is dumb enough to actually oppose us."-

"All the same, I want strong patrols here and everywhere else in Wonderland. I have situated the troops so that most of them can be within easy reach of the keyhole and the portal. We want the plans of our Lord Sirius Viicous to succeed. He plans on using this realm to manufacture more portals."-

"It's amazing that we were able to assemble such a force here."-

"By the way, make sure to keep your men in check and well maintained in their appearance."-

"Is there some special occasion going on, general sir?"-

"Lord Sirius Viicous himself will be coming to oversee the progress we have made so far and he wants to see if the place is well secured."-

"Lord Sirius Viicous is coming? When?"-

"He will inform me within the hour." General Venti walked away from the commander. "So, if I were you, I'd make sure that I would not allow him to see me, or my men slouching about in this laid back manner."

"Yes sir." The commander turned to his men. "Alright men, back on your feet and get back into your ranks! Let's keep moving!" The patrol reformed their ranks and columns so perfectly and began to march away as they did before. Once again the sound of marching feet echoed throughout the tranquility of the forest.

Meanwhile, undetected by the forces of the Midnight Faction, the KH team had arrived, descending down the rabbit hole to the rooms of the sleeping doorknob without any resistance. They worked their way to the area, having some trouble squeezing though the series of tiny doors leading to the room where the doorknob resided, called the Bizarre Room. Sora a few times got stuck in the process and the rest of them had to push him through. Eventually, they managed to make their way into the Bizarre Room. Before them, the doorknob hung on his little door.

"Great…" Riku said. "Another little door."-

"Excuse me." Sora uttered.

"Yes…?" the doorknob mumbled, waking up from his slumber. "What is it that you want?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could just open up your door so we can get through."-

"Sorry…" the doorknob made a loud yawn. "I can't open up for you right now. Just give me five minutes at the least to finish napping. Five minutes is all I need right now."

"Do you ever wake up! This happened the last time we were here!"-

"Do you want me to handle this, Sora?" Riku implied.

"I don't think so, Riku. I know you, and you can be reckless at times."-

"Hey fellers!" Goofy said. "Looky here on the table." He pointed to two separate vials on the table, one of red and one of blue. On the side of both bottles were the words "Drink Me." Goofy took the red one in hand. "This looks delicious." He sipped it a little from the bottle. It was at that moment that an old memory struck Sora, remembering the purpose of the "Drink Me" bottles.

"Goofy, wait!" Sora cried, but the damage had been done, Goofy suddenly began to shrink into a pint sized halfwit. The party looked down at Goofy who was now three inches tall. Sora looked at him with that familiar "I told you so" look on his face.

"Hey," Goofy cried, "How'd you all get so big!"

"Big nothing," Sora said, "You're shrunk to the size of an action figure."

"Goofy," Donald said, frustrated, "once again you have proven the height of your stupidity."

"Gawrsh," Goofy implied, "so does this make you dumber than me?"

"What do you mean by that!"-

"Well, you're taller than me ain't ya?"-

"What does that have to do with anything!"-

"Well, you said 'height of stupidity'"-

"Why you…!"-

"That's enough!" Riku shouted. "Just tell me one thing! Is that normal!"

"That's what the 'Drink Me' bottles do." Sora explained. "One makes you small and the other one must restore you to your regular height." Sora then remembered another detail to the Bizarre Room. "That reminds me." Sora saw the bed at the corner of the room. He peeped his head behind the head of the bead.

"What're you doing?" Riku asked.

"I knew it." Sora said. He pushed the bed aside and revealed a small door just behind the bed. It was six inches tall and at least four inches wide. "I remember there being a door here. It was the alternative way that we were able to get into Wonderland."

"Good job, Sora."-

"Then shall we all take a swig of this?" Donald said.

"Bottoms up, as they say." Sore implied. Donald took a sip and shrunk to Goofy's level. Then, Sora and Riku took a small sip and they too shrank down.

"What a rush." Riku said. "OK, you guys. It's into the unknown." The party stood side by side and marched through the door.

The atmosphere was different now and things seemed rather unfamiliar.

"That's odd." Sora said. "From what my memory recalls, this door should have lead straight to the garden maze of the Queen of Hearts."

"This looks more like a lotus forest to me." Donald implied.

"Maybe the Queen decided to redecorate." Goofy said.

"Not with a personality like hers."-

"Well, this is called Wonderland." Riku implied. "I wouldn't be surprised if the scenery changed every so often."

"Hey!" Goofy pointed out. "Over there in that clearing!" The lotus forest ended before a vast clearing. There, a quaint little house lay just off the dirt road.

"Well now, this is new." Sora uttered. "I never recall seeing a house like this before."

"Maybe we should knock and see if there is anyone home." Donald said.

"Wait a minute." Riku stated. "How do we know that there isn't any trouble here?"

"You can sense darkness can't you, Riku?" Sora asked.

"I can. The place is clean of darkness. But what if there are Faction spies about?"-

"We'll just have to kick their butts!"-

"Good point."-

"Go ahead and knock." Goofy stepped up to the door and knocked.

"Hello!" he hollered. "Is anyone home, anyone!"

It was as he finished speaking that the door pried itself open a little and a familiar face peeped out. It was the white rabbit.

"Hello?" he said, in a frightened voice. "Who is it?"

"Hey, I remember you." Sora said. "You're the white rabbit."

"I don't know you. Please go away."-

"Don't you remember us though?"-

"Can't say that I have."-

"We're the ones who were involved in that trial with Alice ten years ago."-

"Ten years ago?" The white rabbit took a closer look at Sora. He then opened the door all the way. "Aw yes, now I remember you. You are the young man the queen trialed for trying to steal her heart a few years earlier! Sora wasn't it! Pardon my manners! Come in! Come in!" The party entered the house. The white rabbit looked about suspiciously before closing the door. He then leads the party into his parlor. Being a courteous host, he poured each of the four a cup of tea and placed a plate of biscuits and crumpets as a small snack. "So now, what brings you to these parts?"

"I don't know it you are aware of this, but we've come to stop an organization called the Midnight Faction from using this world as their own; personal hideout." Sora implied. The rabbit stopped sipping his tea. Immediately after speaking those words, Sora realized that the rabbit was crying, a tear dripped down his face.

"Heaven has blessed us." He uttered. "You have come to defeat that scourge. Oh, things have been miserable since they came."

"Why? What happened?" Donald asked.

"It was six months ago." The white rabbit began. "Wonderland had endured a long period of prosperity under the Queen of Hearts. Things seemed to be going so well. However, when on my way to work, at a hasty pace, I was stopped by a group of soldiers. They were not royal guards under the Queen, but rather soldiers of another army. They said that I was not to go the Queen's Palace because it was restricted. I told them that I acted as the messenger for the Queen of Hearts. Immediately, after uttering those words, the soldiers apprehended me and sent me to be imprisoned at the palace. The Queen, her soldiers, and all her subjects were confined in outside pins, I myself included. For three days I was imprisoned. But for that time, I was them begin construction of a rather large structure. It looked like a big metal ring with all these runes inscribed on its side."

"Giant ring?" Goofy uttered.

"That must be the portal." Sora said.

"Guys." Riku interrupted, giving the silence gesture with the index finger across the mouth. "Will you please continue?"

"In those three days, I managed to squeeze myself through the bars." The white rabbit continued. "I attempted to free the queen and her soldiers, but the Midnight Faction caught up to my plan and I was forced to flee for my life. I safely made it to my little house where, for the past few months, I was able to stay safe. So far, the Midnight Faction hasn't found this place yet."

"Well, I can guarantee you this much. You will not have to worry about the presence of the Midnight Faction for much longer."-

"Yeah!" Sora shouted. "We're here to put an end to their shenanigans."

"Yeah, and we'll stop them from causing trouble too!" Goofy chuckled.

"But I don't know how you'll do it." The white rabbit implied. "The bulk of faction's power resides at the palace of the queen. And they don't stop moving their forces about for anything. The place is heavily guarded."

"That's nothing we can't handle." Riku said. "We've engaged in these rather sticky situations before."

"You have nothing to worry about." Sora chuckled. "We'll put a stop the Midnight Faction's activities here."

"But first thing is first. We have to seal the keyhole first and cut off the manpower of the faction." It was then that something caught Riku's attention. He ran to the window and peeped out.

"What's wrong, Riku?" Sora asked. Riku could sense a familiar scent accumulating in the air. Immediately he knew what it was. It was the smell of darkness. He turned to his friends.

"They're here." he uttered.

"Who's here?" Goofy asked.

"Heartless…"-

"Heartless!" Donald said.

"Are you sure?" Sora asked, rushing to peep outside too.

"The Heartless?" The white rabbit uttered. "Are you talking about those things with the glowing yellow eyes?"

"You've encountered these things before haven't you?" Riku uttered.

"I do not dare to go outside after dusk. I have seen shadows emerge out of the ground with their yellow eyes glaring straight at me."-

"Then, it's without a doubt, you've witnessed activity of the Heartless. Even if the Phantom Forces haven't fount this place, the Heartless have." Riku turned to his friends. "Let's go you guys."

"Right." Sora implied.

"I'm with you all the way." Donald added.

"Let's get 'em!" Goofy said.

The four rushed out of the house to the front yard. Sure enough, shadows appeared and the Heartless emerged with those same yellow eyes.

"It's them." Riku said. "The Heartless."

"Well, what do you say we have some fun with them?" Sora said.

"This is no time for having a ball. Faction members may be close by, so we have to dispose of these heartless swiftly and silently."-

"Let's go get them, you guys!" Donald cried.

The party entered the fray fighting off the Heartless. Small heartless like the shadows, the soldiers, and green requiems appeared, as well as large heartless like the defenders, dark balls, and large bodies. The KH team eliminated the group of heartless that appeared first, but as soon as they were driven off, another wave of heartless would appear. The fight continued on for ten minutes. The KH team made sure refrain from using any of their more powerful attacks, so as not to attract attention, or give away any of their more powerful techniques to enemy spies who may be watching. Five waves of Heartless came attacking in that period of time, but the KH team was able to hold their own. Using only minor spells and attacks, the quickly disposed of the Heartless horde.

"I hope that battle was quiet enough for you." Sora said.

"Just as long as you didn't use any of your more powerful attacks, I think we'll do fine for now." Riku said. "The last thing we need is for the Midnight Faction to intervene."

"Uh, fellers…?" Goofy uttered his eyes wide with fear. He pointed to the edge of the clearing. The group gazed to find fifty men in black uniforms, many of them not identical to the other. Some of them wore Imperial black frocks, others wore a type of armor, and others wore a combination of the two. But one thing was for certain, each soldiers bore the symbol of the Midnight Faction upon them, whether the insignia was a shoulder band, inscribed upon their armor, a chest plate, a belt buckle, or a bandana.

"Well, well, well, look at what we have here," The leader said, "A couple of key bearers."

"What should we do with them, sir" one soldier asked.

"You guys may have been more than a match against the heartless, but how do you fair when coming against guys like us?" another soldier added with such confidence behind his words.

"We are the soldiers of the Midnight Faction." The leader implied. "And you guys have just assaulted our allies, the Heartless. Well, we can't overlook this little scenario." He then looked at the key blades that the two were holding. "You must be the legendary key bearers aren't you? The ones named Riku and Sora."

"You know us?" Sora asked.

"I certainly do. There is no one alive within the Midnight Faction who hasn't heard of your deeds against the former Dark Empire six years ago. My, how youngsters like you grow up so quickly. But despite that, you two still look like teenagers."

"I'd watch my mouth if I were you." Riku said. "We've vastly improved since our confrontation with the Heartless ten years ago."

"Our skills grew even greater when fighting against the Organization and the Unknowns." Sora added.

"And we mounted to the pinnacle of our strength when we confronted the seven members of the Cavendish Shinobis and the Gatler Generals."-

"You guys certainly talk big, but how well can you back it up?" the leader said. 'From what I understand, your world has undergone a time of peace for the past six years and yet you're telling me that you'll be able to perform at the pinnacle of strength after such a period of tranquility. I'm sure that your powers have diminished greatly since then." The leader then pulled out his sword. The other fifty men followed his example and drew out their blades as well. "Let's see how you go against the elite Phantom Forces of the Midnight Faction."

"Are we gonna fight them?" Goofy asked.

"There's no choice." Sora said. "If we allow them to send word back to their main HQ, there we'll have to contend with the full bulk of their forces."

"But in order to keep the word from spreading," Donald uttered, "you mean we have to…?"

"Yes." Riku added. "We cannot allow any of them to escape." The KH team drew their weapons. The white rabbit, scared by this incident, hid in his house, gazing through the crack in the door. The soldiers of the Midnight Faction drew their weapons, some armed with swords, others armed with spears, and some acted as covering fire with their blasters.

"Alright, boys," the leader of the soldiers said, "Kill them." The soldiers went screaming into battle all once against the oncoming troops. However, they were unaware that Riku and Sora had a plan already. Riku deployed the infamous Hurricane Slash, jolting many of the soldiers into the air. At the same time, Sora deployed the Tundra Canister, locking some of the soldiers in place. Then, rushing it, they cut down a quarter of the attacking soldiers.

"Goofy, Donald," Sora shouted, "Fusion!"

"I gotcha!" Goofy shouted. His spirit merged with Sora's while Donald's fused with Riku's. Soon, Riku and Sora became more like hyper warriors, using a series of techniques and unique attacks to eliminate the soldiers one by one. Eventually, there was only the leader, who was now terrified of the outcome of the battle.

"It's impossible." He said. "How could only four defeat fifty of the faction's toughest soldiers?" The bodies of the slain soldiers lay strewn all over the ground. However, each was killed instantly and was blessed with a quick and painless death. "You…you will pay for this!"

"Just the way it should be." Riku said as he saw the leader firing away with his blaster. Riku dodged, or deflected each incoming beam and rushed in. There was a bright flash of light when the two made impact and ended up landing opposite each other. The outcome became remarkably clear when the leader fell to the ground slain. Riku retracted his blade and the fusion between him and Donald ended. Sora's own fusion with Goofy ended as well.

"That's that then." Sora said.

"What now?" Donald asked.

"We have to get to the lotus forest as soon as we can." Riku implied. "Time is still against us."

"But we've managed to defeat all the soldiers."-

"That's not the point. Trying to hide the absence of fifty men is hard and it won't be long before the faction realizes that they're missing. We have to go and finish what we came here to do right now." Riku turned to Sora. "I want you to tell the white rabbit to leave his house as soon as he can. I fear that the Midnight Faction will discover what has been going on here and they'll want some form of retribution. Most likely they'll kill the white rabbit and torch his house. So in order to avoid that, he needs to leave his house at the earliest."-

"Right." Sora said. He ran over to the rabbit's house and the white rabbit opened the door for him. "You have to leave your home as soon as you can."

"But why?" the white rabbit asked.

"The Midnight Faction will find this place sooner, or later and there won't be anywhere for you to run when they do."-

"But leave my house to the mercy of those villains?"-

"You have no choice in the matter."-

"No! I refuse to leave!"-

"You have to."-

"I won't!"-

"What is taking so long, Sora!" Riku shouted.

"The rabbit doesn't want to leave!"-

"We don't have time for this! If he doesn't want to leave than let him stay here!"-

"But we can't just leave him, Riku. He'll never be able to survive against the faction!"-

"Then, it's his problem, not ours!"

"No, Riku! It is our problem and I won't allow him to encounter such a fate!" Sora rushed into the house, to the second story.

"Stop right there, young man!" the white rabbit protested, chasing Sora up the stairs. At the same time, Riku's veins began to pop out of his head.

"Why do you always have to be so damn stubborn, Sora!" he mumbled angrily as he marched off the give Sora a hand.

In the meantime, Sora had gone into the rabbit's bedroom, seizing his suitcase and was stuffing it with many of the rabbit's garments. The white rabbit continued to protest.

"I told you that I am not leaving my house!" the rabbit shouted.

"Listen, it's better to leave all this and be alive then to stay here and die." Sora said, trying to be as calm as possible. "I don't want to leave, knowing that I just allowed you to remain in danger." He stuffed in some white shirts and black pants into the suitcase.

"Be careful with those!"-

"There's no time. You can iron them later." It was then that Sora found a box of well designed cookies with the words 'Eat Me' written on them. "Oh, I hope you don't mind if I help myself to one of these 'Eat Me' treats." He took a bite from one of the cookies. "Hey, that's pretty good."

"What did you say, Sora?" the white rabbit realized that Sora just took a bite off of one of his 'Eat Me' cookies. Immediately, the rabbit's eyes grew large with fear. "No! Don't eat those things…!" But it was too late and the damage had been done. Sora suddenly began to grow out of control, his body growing larger and larger.

"What's happening to me?" Sora cried. The white rabbit ran out of the room before Sora took up all the space.

Meanwhile, Riku could hear all the commotion going on from outside.

"What the heck are you two doing in there!" he shouted as approached the door. But as he did, he saw the white rabbit rush outside at a quick and hasty pace. "What just happened?"

"Sora ate one of my 'Eat Me' cookies!" the rabbit replied.

"Eat Me cookies?" Goofy asked. "What are 'Eat Me' cookies?"

"So he ate a cookie." Riku said. "You say that as if it were a bad thing."

"It is a bad thing!" the rabbit implied.

"How can eating a mere cookie be bad?" It was then that a giant leg burst from the doorway and passed by Riku. Riku instantly recognized the big shoes. Riku rolled his eyes upward, before closing them in utter disgust. "Sora, what did you do now?"

"Well, there's your answer."-

"What happened?" Donald uttered, in a rather shocked manner. "Sora just took up the whole house."

"He sure got big didn't he, Donald." Goofy chuckled.

"You think!"-

"Help me, Riku!" Sora cried from inside the house. "I'm stuck!"

"I'm not surprised!" Riku shouted. "Your right leg is sticking out of the front door and your leg is sticking out of the side door! So I wouldn't be the least bit surprised that you're immobile at the moment!"

"Please, Riku. Help me!"-

"And how do you propose we do that?"-

"We can just yank him out of the chimney." Goofy implied. The party looked at him, dumbfounded.

"Sometimes I wonder if you can be any stupider." Donald uttered.

"Well, I thought I'd just bring it up."-

"It's a plan though." Riku interrupted.

"Don't tell me that you're actually gonna take Goofy's mumbo jumbo seriously are you, Riku?"-

"If a simple cookie can allow Sora to grow into a giant, I'm willing to believe anything."-

"Well, what can we lose…besides more time."-

"Then Goofy will carry out the mission."-

"Me?" Goofy said.

"Yes you." Riku implied. "This was your idea."

"I guess you're right."-

"Hey Sora, we're gonna try and yank you out through the chimney!"-

"Are you off your rocker, Riku!" Sora said. "How can that be possible! Have you seen the size of that chimney flew! That's like trying to squeeze myself through a straw!"

"If drinks and cookies can let us grow big and small, then this will be possible too."-

"Just remind me never to eat those stupid cookies again." Then, Sora's stomach began to rumble, causing a loud yet subtle roar. "I'm still hungry though." In the meantime, Goofy had made his way to the roof and was now attempting to shimmy down the chimney flew.

"Don't worry there, Sora!" he shouted. "I'll have you out in no time."

"I don't care how you look at it," Donald uttered, "there's no way that you'd be able to pull Sora through that flew."

"I feel just like Santa Claus!" Goofy slid down the chimney, into the fireplace, forcing ash and suit to bellow into the air.

"Goofy…" Sora uttered. He began to inhale the air and made ready to sneeze. From the outside, Riku and the others could see the house toss and turn.

"Well, that's not a good sign." Riku uttered. Suddenly, with one great puff, Sora let out a mighty sneeze. The air was forced upward through the chimney and like a bullet from gun, Goofy went upward bound into the air until he could no longer be seen in the big blue above.

"There goes Goofy." Donald uttered. "But I know him. He'll be back in five minutes."

"We're just gonna have to find another way to get you out of there!" Riku said.

"Oh my poor house." The white rabbit complained and sobbed.

"Well, look on the bright side. At least you'll have a good excuse not to stay anymore."-

"Riku…" Sora uttered. "I'm still hungry…"-

"Will you shut up Sora! Instead of complaining about how empty your stomach is, try thinking of a way that we can get you out of there! Unless you have forgotten that we may be expecting company soon!"-

"Well, all I need is a little nourishment." It was at that moment that Sora spied a carrot garden next to the house. "Carrots. Don't mind if I do."

"Wait!" the white rabbit protested, rushing to his garden. "You can't eat those carrots! These are my prized carrots for the fair next month."

"I'm sorry, but I have to eat something." Sora reached down to grab one of the carrots, but the rabbit guarded his carrots viciously. Finally, Sora had to pick the rabbit up, who was violently holding onto one of the large carrots plucked from the ground. "Can't I just have a nibble?"

"Not on these carrots!"-

"Perhaps you're right. In that case…" Sora brought the carrot closer to his mouth and licked the surface, just in case the carrot too had some strange effect on him. But as he did, Sora suddenly began to shrink. His legs receded through the doors and arms receded back through the open windows.

""What just happened?" Donald uttered.

"Sora," Riku shouted, rushing into the house, up the stairs, to the now demolished bedroom, "Are you alright?"

"More or less," Sora uttered, "but I think I'll be fine."

"You're back to your normal size again."-

"I don't get it though. The carrot had the opposite effect that the cookies had. I wonder what made it do that?"

"Never mind, you're back to normal now and that's all that counts." Riku helped his friend up to his feet. "Right now, we gotta get to the lotus forest as soon as we can."

"I gotcha."-

"But what about me?" The rabbit said.

"You're coming with us!" Sora picked up the rabbit and the suitcase and the three rushed outside.

"Come on, Donald!" Riku said. "Let's go."

"But what about Goofy?" Donald said. "He still hasn't come down." It was then that the group heard that familiar yell. They looked up to see Goofy falling fast to the ground. Instantly, when hitting the ground, a large hole, shaped like his body was formed. Goofy staggered up, stars circling around his head.

"Is it night time already?" he babbled. "Look at all the pretty stars."

"Come on you lumbering old buffoon!" Donald uttered, pulling his friend out from under the shoulders. "Are you alright?"

"I'm only three and a half years old." Goofy started jiggling his finger across his lips.

"Snap out of it, fathead!" Donald slapped Goofy across the face. Instantly, Goofy regained his composure.

"Oh, Donald, where are we?"-

"Never mind where you are! We gotta get out of here!"-

"Ok!" Riku said. "Then let's finally be on our way!"

The party left the sight of the rabbit's house, which now lay in ruins due to the cookie incident. The bodies of the fifty slain soldier remained on the ground and the place looked as if a great campaign between two mighty armies had commenced there. Thus, ended the first skirmish in Wonderland. However, there would be more battles to take place as the KH team headed towards the heavily guarded lotus forest.

It wasn't long before the suspicion regarding the fifty missing men began to spread to the high command. The one most concerned was General Venti who was the one in charge of operations there.

"Have the patrols reported anything yet?" He said angrily.

"Nothing yet, sir." One of the subordinates implied. "The third and seventh patrols have found nothing."

"Have you checked the coast, the queen's courtyard, or what about the country road to the outskirts of wonderland?"-

"There are still no messages coming in."-

"I want word sent out to the patrols as soon as possible. I need the information."-

"Sir!" another aid shouted. "We have confirmation on the missing men."

"Well, what have you got?" There was a dead awkward silence after that. Quietly, the aid placed his headset down. He then gazed at the general.

"Dead, sir…they are all dead…"-

"Dead…What do you mean dead?" asked the general.

"Apparently, the soldiers engaged in a battle. None of them survived."-

"Was it an ambush!"-

"Possibly, but it hasn't been confirmed yet, sir."-

"Well as far as I'm concerned, there are people out there who are killing my soldiers. Increase the patrols and I want the Heartless out there tracking these rebels down! I won't have any interference with our plans here!"-

"Understood!" The subordinate gave out the orders. "This is central command! This is central command! All reserved patrols head out at once for active duty! Be on the lookout for suspicious individuals! I repeat! Keep a look out for suspicious individuals!"

Suddenly, from the ground, two figures appeared. They were the new hybrid mobile droid and Heartless combination, patterned after using the data that came from Riku and Sora during the final days of the Empire, the Super Anti-Sora and the Super Anti-Riku. The two kneeled respectfully towards the general.

"Send out your Heartless legions." General Venti ordered. "I want them to prowl all of Wonderland! I want you two to personally take charge!" The two Antis receded into the shadows and disappeared. "Whoever these people are, they will regret ever daring to cross swords with the Midnight Faction."

It wasn't long before the KH team had reached the outskirts of the lotus forest. It was there that they came across a shabby little cottage. In the front courtyard, there were colored lanterns surrounding a long table. Upon it was every type of treat imaginable, along with a great deal of teapots, steaming with some sort of hot contents within. The spouts of the teapots spitted and puffed their steam, tooting a little melody in the air.

"This looks like some sort of party, or something." Sora uttered.

"I'm surprised that they haven't caught further attention." Riku said.

"This is the cottage of the March Hare and the Mad Hatter!" the white rabbit said.

"No wonder the place looked familiar." Sora implied. "We've been here before."

"You have?" Riku asked.

"It was when we first began to confront the Heartless ten years ago."-

"Now that we're here, we still are."-

"I've never actually met the Mad Hatter and the March Hare face to face though."-

"And you wouldn't want to meet them face to face." The white rabbit implied. "Those two are rather daft, as if there's no one upstairs."

"Well, I think I can cope with that."-

"You won't think that when you've actually had a conversation with them."-

"Aw, they can't be goofier than me can they?" Goofy uttered.

"They are more like you than you think."-

"Well, let's go in." Sora said.

"We don't have time to be reminiscing with a couple of halfwits!" Riku protested.

"Come on Riku, it'll be fun!" Sora pushed Riku from behind. "Now don't be shy talking to the nice nutcases!"

The party approached the table to see the Mad Hatter and the March Hare sitting down drinking there tea in their own daffy way. They sang in verse like drunken men at a pub.

"Um…excuse us…" Riku uttered.

"No room!" The two suddenly shouted out, when they saw the party coming in. They rushed over to them, leaping over each other's heads chanting and raving the same line over and over again. "No room! No room! No room!"

"What are you talking about no room!" Donald shouted. "It looks like there are an awful lot of empty chairs around this table! Not unless you're still waiting for some more guests to arrive!"

"Yes, but it's very rude to sit down without being invited." The March Hare jabbered.

"I'll say it's rude!" said the Mat Hatter. "It's very, very rude indeed."

"Sorry about intruding." Sora said.

"We did enjoy your singing though." Goofy added. "It sounded so harmon…harmon…harm."

"Harmonious." Donald said.

"That's it!"-

"You enjoyed our singing!" The March Hare chuckled, twiddling his fingers about.

"Oh how delightful!" the Mad Hatter added. "You know this is so exciting! We never get company! You must have a cup of tea!"

"Aw yes, the tea, you must sit down and have a cup of tea!"-

"Well, the fact of the matter is…" Sora uttered.

"Oh tish tosh! You should have some tea! We'd enjoy your company!"-

"Well, we'd love to stay here and celebrate your birthday but…"-

"Birthday!" The March Hare protested. "Why young man, this is not a birthday party!"

"Of course it isn't." the Mad Hatter added. "This is an un-birthday party!"

"An un-birthday?" Donald muttered. He turned to Goofy, twirling his index finger in circles at the side of his head, indicating that these two were nuts.

"What the heck is an un-birthday party?" Sora asked.

"It's very simple!" the March Hare explained. "You see an un-birthday…wait…" he scratched head with his ears before attempting to define the term again. "An un-birthday is when you have a birthday…you…" The March Hare began to mumble to himself. "They don't know what an un-birthday is."

"It's quite simple to explain." the Mad Hatter said. "Now, statistics prove that you have one birthday!"

"One birthday, just imagine one birthday every year!"-

"Aw, but there are 364 un-birthdays!"-

"Precisely why we're gathered here to cheer!"-

"But wouldn't that mean that you have nothing better to do than to celebrate un-birthdays once a day?" Sora asked. "Doesn't that get old!"

"Listen, you two!" Riku interrupted. "We don't have much time and we…"-

"Now my dear boys!" the Mad Hatter said. "Something appears to be troubling you!" He took another sip of tea. "Would you mind explaining more about it!"

"Start at the beginning!" the Hare implied.

"Yes, and when you reach the end…stop…"-

"I was wondering when you would take this seriously." Riku said. "I'll get to the point. You see we…"

"Clean cup! Clean cup!" The Mad Hatter suddenly spurted out. "Move down!"

"Clean cup! Clean cup! Move down!" the Hare repeated.

"I told you it was a waste of time trying to talk to these two." The white rabbit implied.

"Would you young men like a little more tea?"-

"We haven't had any yet." Sora uttered.

"Now, as you were saying before?" the Mad Hatter asked.

"Well, the thing is that I would like to know about…?" Riku said, before he was once again cut off.

"This is quite excellent tea that we picked out for today's un-birthday celebration isn't it?" The March Hare implied.

"I have to say so." The Mad Hatter said.

"Listen, before I was so rudely interrupted…" Riku said.

"Come now, my boys. Don't you care for tea?"-

"I'm alright with tea, but the thing is…"-

"If you don't care for tea, you could at least make a polite conversation!" The Hare added.

"But I've been trying to tell you…!" Riku's voice grew higher in pitch and become more hostile, but again he was interrupted.

"I have an excellent idea…let's change the subject!"-

"ARGH!" Riku roared and attempted to lunge at the two, but Sora, Donald, and Goofy held him back.

"Stay calm, Riku!" Sora shouted. "Stay calm!"

"I'm going to kill them! I'm going to kill them myself! Forget about the Midnight Faction getting to them first!"-

It was those particular two words that halted the antics of the March Hare and the Mad Hatter. Their daffy attitude turned to fear and seriousness.

"The Midnight Faction!" The Mad Hatter uttered. "Do you know about the Midnight Faction!"-

"Yes we do." Donald said.

"You're members of the faction then, aren't you!" The March Hare implied. The two fell to their knees and begged for forgiveness.

"Oh please forgive us!" they bawled.

"We didn't know!" said the Mad Hatter.

"Forgive our rude behavior!"-

"We meant nothing by it!"-

"Don't take us away!"-

This sudden plea of humbleness caught the KH team by surprise. Riku calmed down and regained his stamina.

"I take it that you have encountered the Midnight Faction before." He uttered.

"Yes, we have."-

"Well, you have nothing to worry about." Sora implied. "We're not members of the Midnight Faction."

"But how are you affiliated with them?" Riku asked.

"Well, it's not that we've actually encountered any members of the Midnight Faction, but we've heard rumors throughout Wonderland of the cruel and terrible things that they do." The March Hare said.

"They even managed to capture the Queen of Hearts and her subjects." The Mad Hatter added. "We've tried our best to keep our lives the way they are, but this impeding threat seems to getting closer."

"Don't worry though," Riku said, "That's why we're here."

"Yeah," Sora added. "We're to stop the Midnight Faction's activity in this world."

"We've come to find the keyhole!" Goofy said.

"Speaking of which," Riku said, "We better get going. We've wasted enough time already." But as soon as he uttered those words, a strange sensation began to encircle the area. Riku knew exactly what it was "We have company."

"We have company?" Donald asked. "What do you mean?"

"Be on your guards!" Riku unleashed his keyblade. Sure enough, several pairs of yellow eyes peeped from the shadows.

"Heartless!" Sora shouted, deploying his own keyblade. Goofy and Donald deployed their weapons.

"But how did you know they were coming?" Donald asked.

"You forget?" Riku implied. "I can detect darkness through my being. It reverberates throughout my body affecting all my senses. And that particular type of darkness puts a foul taste in my mouth." Sure enough, groups of Heartless began to emerge from the shadows and darkness, surrounding the team.

"What are these?" the Mad Hatter implied.

"Heartless." Sora said. "We've fought these guys more times than we'd like to remember."

"We have to seal this world as soon as we can." Donald said

"This is intolerable." The white rabbit uttered, peeking from behind Sora's leg.

"Well just make sure that you stay behind us, you three." Sora looked at Donald. "Donald! Fusion!"

"Right!" The two made temporary fusion and began to hack away at the Heartless.

"Make sure only to use minor attacks." Riku said. "We don't want to attract further attention."

"I gotcha!" Sora said. He hacked and slashed at the Heartless as best he could without drawing further attention to their presence. Fighting the Heartless was completely different from fighting soldiers of the faction, so Sora spared none without a second thought. But then again, the Heartless were the types that would never back down from a fight. Riku and Goofy on the other hand kept a tight perimeter around the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and the white rabbit. They attacked all who dared to strike at them. However, the Heartless numbers did not seem to ease up. When it seemed that one wave of Heartless was defeated, another would rush in to take its place. Sora kept close to the group, fighting off the bulk of the attacking Heartless. Riku and Goofy took out the ones that somehow managed to filter themselves passed Sora. Fire and ice mowed down the Heartless by the ranks, reducing their numbers dramatically. It wasn't long before Sora's temporary fusion with Donald ended and the two split up again.

"We've run out of juice!" Sora shouted.

"Then, leave everything to me!" Riku implied. "Goofy!"

"I gotcha!' Goofy said. The two made a temporary fusion and Riku's body could feel the essence of Goofy enter him. He then took over the position of fighting the Heartless, slashing away and further dwindled their ranks. Eventually the Heartless ceased to attack as there were no more to fight. The entire force had been eradicated.

"I guess that takes care of that." Riku said as his fusion with Goofy ended.

"Thank you!" The Mad Hatter implied. "You have saved our lives!"

"Well, it was really nothing." Sora said.

"We have to get going." Riku said. "The more time we waste, the more likely the faction's plans will succeed."

"Riku has a point." Donald added. "We've overstayed out welcome."

"You're right." Sora replied. "Then, we better be off."

"Wait!" The March Hare said. "What about us?"

"The only thing I can say is you three stay in doors and keep quiet. Now that the Heartless have fought us on your premises, there is no doubt that they'll be back."-

"Let's go." Riku uttered, walking away without a second glance. Sora and the others followed him. Little did they realize that they were being watched by a pair of Heartless who had observed the fight from afar. They were none other than the Super Anti- Riku and Sora. The two, artificial Heartless withdrew into the shadows and began a silent pursuit.

It wasn't long before the group reached the region of the lotus forest. However, there was no hustle, or bustle going on, no activity whatsoever. There was only the rustling of the trees and the sound of insects hovering in the air. The KH team entered the vicinity, looking around for the elusive keyhole.

"Now, where the heck is that keyhole?" Donald implied.

"Keep a lookout." Riku said. "I know this type of tactic. If the keyhole is around here, it would be guarded by the Heartless."

"Do you think we'll encounter legions of them like before?"-

"We'll be confronting legions of Heartless alright. And I'm referring to those big Heartless that are tough to take down. Those will be the ones we confront."-

"Can you sense any presence?" Sora asked.

"Not yet." Riku gazed about, using his ability to sense the darkness in order to pinpoint the exact location of Heartless ambush parties.

"Gawrsh." Goofy uttered. "Sure feels uneasy."

"Ah phooey!" Donald shouted. "Let those Heartless come and pick a bone with us! I bet they're scared to fight us!"

"Shut up, Donald." Sora said. "The last thing we want is for those legions of Heartless to come down on us when we're most vulnerable."

"Too late." Riku said. He suddenly felt an great amount of darkness emerging from all around them. "We have company."

Sure enough, as Riku had finished his statement, there were again legions of Heartless appearing from out of thin air. The team drew their weapons out and began to hold off the Heartless legions. Riku and Goofy once again merged with one another and Sora and Donald did the same. Their fusion made short work of the first wave of Heartless. However, a second wave emerged and attacked the group. There were hundreds of Heartless in the second wave and their overwhelming numbers seemed to take a toll of the KH team.

"There are just too many of them!" Sora said.

"Don't give up!" Riku implied. "We have to prevail as best we can!"

For ten minutes, the two fused individuals slashed and struck at as many Heartless as they could. Eventually, the fusion ceased and the two were once again four. This time on their individual basis, each fought his own share of Heartless. Riku unleashed many of his newer attacks which finished off the Heartless instantly, like the Iceberg Shurikens and Cinder Canister. Sora did the same, using powerful attacks that were yet minor at the same time, so as not to attract further attention, deploying tactics like the Tundra Canister and Twister Strike. He used his minor teleportation technique to surprise his enemies from behind. At the same time, Donald and Goofy continued their own fighting. Donald backed up the rest of the group deploying Curaga, Thundaga, Firaga, and Stopga spells. He used every spell in his arsenal, from healing his comrades, to providing thunder strikes from above, to deploying wind shields to prevent serious blows from being inflicted. Now that the team was fighting against the Heartless, Curaga could be used to its full advantage, so no casualty was inflicted. With every hit taken from the Heartless, the MP level increased within them. And Donald did not have to use as many vials of Ether, or potion.

"Just like old times, eh guys?" Riku asked.

"Definitely!" Sora added.

"Let's keep it up!" Donald shouted.

"Come on!" Goofy cried, deploying his tornado spin.

The Heartless continued to attack in waves however, and the KH team despite superior fighting skills was eventually starting to lose ground against superior numbers. It seemed that after defeating ten or twenty Heartless, another one hundred would take their place.

"This place is heavily guarded by Heartless!" Sora said. "The keyhole must be here then."

"There seems to be no end to them!" Donald implied.

"The darkness around us is still lingering." Riku explained. "But it seems that they're running out of manpower in this area. Just keep fighting for a few more minutes and we'll be able to drain them of their numbers."

The KH team fought valiantly with each passing minutes seeming like an eternity now. Gradually, with each casualty they inflicted on the Heartless, the less frequent the Heartless seemed to appear. Soon, within ten minutes time, the conflict was over and the hordes ceased to attack.

"There it is!" Goofy shouted. The team glanced to where he pointed and saw a large keyhole inscribed on the side of a huge boulder.

"That must be it, eh Sora?" Riku said.

"It sure is." Sora replied, but as had finished that statement, he saw a shadow appear behind Riku. Its shadow sword was drawn upward ready to strike. "Riku, look out behind you!" Riku turned to see the blade coming down upon him, he dodged the strike, but the sword itself grazed his arm. Blood dripped from the open wound.

"What's this? The Heartless can't inflict physical wounds like this!" He looked up to see the familiar face of the thing that he did battle with in the depths of Gombria six years earlier. "The…Anti-Riku…"

"It's one of the Super Anti!" Sora added, his face dripping with fear.

"This thing must be an artificial Heartless, much like the ones we fought in Gombria. I wasn't able to sense the darkness coming from those back then. The same goes for this thing. There seems to be no real dark core within it."-

"It's definitely a hybrid. A real Heartless, no matter how strong, cannot inflict a wound that can draw blood. So this is definitely a Super Anti, combined between Heartless and mobile droid. But this one is completely different. I couldn't even detect an energy source when it appeared."-

"I guess they've perfected this new hybrid Heartless. Not only can it inflict physical wounds this time, but it also has no energy signal. It must consist mostly of mobile droid make up."

The Anti-Riku slowly drew itself closer, hovering over the ground like a ghost. Its yellow eyes glimmered brightly upon its shadow like body. Riku and Sora grasped at their keyblades tightly, ready to battle.

"Are you ready, Sora?" Riku asked.

"Yeah." Sora replied.

"Look out fellers!" Goofy shouted.

"Behind you!" Donald added. Riku and Sora turned quickly to see another shadow appear behind them. Dodge rolling to evade the strike; the two rejoined each other to see a bizarre combination.

"That's…that's…" Sora uttered.

"A Super Anti-Sora…" Riku added. They saw as both Anti stood side by side, their pair of eyes glowing profusely upon their shadowy being. "This is just like back in Gombria. Because they don't contain any true darkness within, I can't detect them through my sense of darkness. To top it all off, because they're artificial, they don't accumulate any energy so we can't pick up their power levels."

"I was able to defeat them the last time though." Sora uttered. "With the power of the rage that Cuchulain gave to me, I was able to take them down."

"Then if you don't mind, could you use the rage and get rid of these buggers."-

"There's only one large difference though." Sora implied. "When I fought them in Gombria, it was within the darkness. But here, it's sunny and there are only a few shadows to which they can hide. How will they adapt in this particular scenario?"

"Good point. Without the presence of shadows, they have no protective cover."-

"Will they use the after image technique like last time and try to elude us?"-

"That's one of the oldest forms of Heartless deception. Without a doubt that's what they'll attempt to do!"-

However, the hypothesis made by Riku and Sora were wrong. Instead, the two Anti attacked head on with full force, their swords drawn towards the key bearers. Riku and Sora were taken completely by surprise. They drew up their keyblades and took on the impact of the Heartless shadowswords. The minute their weapons made contact, both Riku and Sora realized the full strength of the foes that they were confronting. Instantly, the two sides began to grapple with each other with intense force and precision. The battle raged on as blades clashed with great swiftness. Riku vs. Anti-Riku and Sora vs. Anti-Sora, the battle became an intense spectacle.

"Riku, Sora," Donald shouted. "Let us give you a hand!"

"No!" Sora implied. "We can't afford to have you guys hurt right now!"

"Stay right where you are!" Riku added. "I have a plan! Just stay clear of our fight!"

"A plan?" Goofy uttered. "I wonder what kind of plan?"

"Whatever it is," Donald implied, "we have to stay out of this fight. Knowing Riku, he probably has a good initiative set up."

The two watched on as the fight between key bearers and the Anti raged on. With such nimbleness, such swiftness, and such skill, the two opposing sides battled putting all other fights in the past to shame. However, there was a difference between the two. Because the Anti-Riku and Sora were artificial, they did not endure any type of fatigue. They slowly began to wear Riku and Sora down with every blow given and taken.

"We won't last like this!" Sora shouted. "I mean these two haven't lightened up on their attacks."

"That's precisely what those two are trying to do, Sora." Riku implied.

"What do you mean?"-

"Though our fighting strengths and skills are equal, these two are artificial. Therefore, they don't experience any sort of fatigue, or weariness. So they can maintain that same level of intense fighting for as long as they so please. You and I, however, are only human beings and we get tired after an extended time of physical strain. If this keeps up, we won't be able to contend with anymore powerful blows."-

"What do you propose we do?"-

"Donald, Curaga spell now!"-

"Right!" Donald shouted. He replenished Riku and Sora with new energy. Riku and Sora were back on their feet and more intense than ever.

"That's good!" Riku said. "Keep supplying us with a squirt of Curaga!"

"That's your plan then?"-

"All we need is for you to do is revive our strength every so often."-

"I understand!"-

"Sora! Let's finish this now!"-

"Right!" Sora suddenly powered up. "Close your eyes Riku! Close your eyes you guys!" Riku and the others concealed their eyes. "Corona Flash Barrage!" Suddenly, he unleashed a barrage of bright flashes of light. The two anti were caught completely off guard. "Riku, use your Cinder Canister to finish the job!"

"Here it goes!" Riku also began to power up and unleashed the attack. The energy balls went flying towards the blinded antis. There was a loud impact and a series of explosions amidst the blinding light. The heat that accumulated was so intense, it force Riku and Sora to shield their eyes with their arm. As the light and heat subsided, the forms of the two antis fell to the ground. Riku and Sora, depleted of their energy, could barely stand. They collapsed to the ground on their knees and breathed heavily.

"That was intense!" Riku said.

"Too intense if you ask me." Sora uttered.

"Hey!" Donald implied. "You guys did pretty well out there! Here's a squirt of Curaga just for you!" Donald showered the boys with the Curaga spell and they jumped back onto their feet, ready willing and able.

"Let's just be glad that there were only two of those things." Riku said.

"Now I see why Sneer wanted us to eradicate the assembly line for these antis." Sora said. "They'd be able to cause destruction throughout the worlds in no time."

"Though replenished, we used up all our energy again in order to unleash such a powerful attack." The two turned their attentions back to the keyhole on the side of the boulder.

"Well, shall we then?"-

"Let's"-

The two keybearers stood back to back. Then, turning their heads towards the keyhole, they raised their blades in unison. At that same instant, two beams of light, one blue and one red, deployed themselves towards the keyhole. There was a bright light that accumulated from the keyhole before it diminished from sight, leaving only its imprint upon the rock.

"That's one mission accomplished." Sora uttered. "Now, all that's left is to destroy that inter-dimensional tunnel."

"Too bad for you two!" a voice suddenly shouted. "You won't be getting that far from now on! Your little escapade ends here!" Riku and Sora turned to see none other than the infamous leader of the Phantom Forces within Wonderland.

"Who are you?" Donald asked.

"I am General Venti," he replied, "The leader of the Phantom Forces here!" The General began to approach the team. "I never would have thought that you two would be getting involved in other world affairs again. It's bad enough that your meddling brought down the foundation of the former Dark Empire, but now you have to interfere with the activities of the Midnight Faction!" Suddenly, hordes of Heartless Behemoths, Dark Balls, Defenders, and Invisibles appeared. Alongside them came the patrol units of the Midnight Faction. The Phantom Force and the Heartless surrounded the KH team, their blades and blasters drawn upon them. "If I were you, I'd suggest surrendering. There's no way that you can stop this many powerful foes. Not with the dwindling amount of supplies you have now."

"Why you…" Sora uttered.

"Don't Sora." Riku implied. "Despite our skills and strength, we wouldn't last long against them. We're gonna need some help." The KH team drew down their weapons.

"Alright men," Venti uttered, "Take them away!" The team was deprived of its weapons and was bound. The faction then escorted them to the prisons where the rest of the poor Wonderland inhabitants were being held. It seemed that all their efforts and all their sacrifices had come to an abrupt end. Or is it that Riku has some other plan waiting to be unleashed?


	6. The Phantom Lord

The Phantom Lord

The KH team was led to the palace of the Queen of Hearts. Heavily guarded by the Midnight faction, they were marched through the hedge maze of the palace and into the main grass courtyard. This place, once used as a sight to entertain the queen's guest, now had portable prisons set up about the perimeter. It was here that the poor inhabitants of the land were confined, including the queen herself. She was not given any sort of leverage, or special treatment, despite her royal position, but rather both she and her tiny little husband, the King of Hearts were placed in one of the compounds like mere commoners. It was in this same compound that Riku, Sora, Goofy, and Donald were placed. It seemed as if things were once again turning against them. Bound by chains, they were forced into the compound.

"This is your new home, boys!" General Venti said. "You'll be lucky to know that you won't have to endure staying in these quarters for very long. You'll be executed within the hour."

"What do you mean executed?" Donald asked.

"Oh not you, my fine feathered friend. And this doesn't apply to that stupid idiot next to you as well."-

"Where?" Goofy said, looking around to see if he could find anyone to fit the description of a stupid idiot. "You know who he's talking about Donald?"

"This also doesn't concern you, Sora." General Venti implied. "No, you three will have the privilege of keeping your necks, unless otherwise notified." General Venti suddenly grinned in a threatening way towards Riku. "It's you that we plan to execute, Riku."

"Why only me?" Riku asked.

"Apparently, these were orders set down by his Excellency, the Phantom Lord. He gave us the order that if we were to encounter the key bearer, named Riku, we were ordered to issue an immediate execution. Now, I don't know why he would want only you killed, but all I know is that he wants you dead."-

"And who might this Phantom Lord be?"-

"I don't know who he is either. No one has ever seen his face. I included. All I know is that he bears some personal grudge against you. Oh well, it's really none of my business. His orders were to carry out your execution, so that's what I'm gonna do."

"You won't land a hand on Riku!" Sora shouted out.

"Yeah!" Donald protested.

"We're Riku's friends!" Goofy added. "We won't give him to you!"

"This does not concern you three." General Venti implied. "So I suggest that you stay out of this affair. Otherwise, if you try to resist this declaration, then you may end up dead as well. And I'm sure you wouldn't want that."

"Why you…" Sora uttered, angrily. Riku raised his arm in front of his friend.

"Don't do this, Sora." He said.

"But Riku…"

"This Phantom Lord seems to be after my life. I don't know why he wants my execution, or why he would bear a grudge against me, but I know this much, this is an affair that concerns me and only me. I don't want any of you to get involved. Doing so would only promote your own demise."-

"But we're your friends, Riku. We don't wanna see you die." Sora lowered his head. "Or have you forgotten…" Sora raised his head again, tears running down his face. "Have you forgotten what we had gone through in the dark of Gombria!" Sora turned away, not able to look at his friend. "I don't want to endure such a loss again." He then felt Riku's had on his shoulder. Sora gazed at Riku, who still looked ahead towards Venti.

"I don't intend on dying yet, Sora. Not when we're still so early in the game." Riku glared at Venti. Venti only grinned menacingly and withdrew with his troops. At the same time, the weapons of the KH team were placed on a wrack just a few yards away from the compound to which they were confined.

"But I wonder who this Phantom Lord is?" Donald asked.

"I don't know," Riku said, "but as far as I know, he could have been an innocent individual I may have victimized those many years ago. Perhaps when I was serving under the Heartless, this individual may have emerged in my life." He then turned to Sora whose eyes were still moist. "I told you Sora, I don't intend to die that soon."

"Well, that's a well in good, but how do you intend that we get out of here?"-

"What I plan to do is…" But before Riku could finish, along came a big brash lady in a red and black dress. She was eloquent and robust in appearance. However, her attitude was anything, but petite.

"Well, well, well," she uttered calmly at first, "If it isn't that boy that saved my heart those years ago."

"You're…you're…" Sora stuttered. "The Queen of Hearts."

"So, you're the monarch we've heard about." Riku said.

"You dear boys must have tried so hard to rescue me."-

"Well, what we really came here for is to…"-

"Off course we came here to save you!" Sora interrupted, jumping about to attract the queen's attention. "That's why we have traveled all the way here to Wonderland!"

"Oh how bold of you two young men!" The queen blushed and turned away temporarily.

"Have you gone insane?" Riku whispered to Sora, angrily. "Come all this way to save the Queen of Hearts! Have you looked at her lately!"

"We don't want to cause tension between us and her." Sora replied, big drips of sweat rolling down his face, due to his fear. "You don't wanna tick this queen off. Otherwise, heads will roll…literally."

"Well, I wouldn't blame you two for saying that." A voice uttered. Sora and Riku looked down to see a small man with a crown on his head stand just between them. Riku and Sora jumped up in fright. "Don't worry. I won't tattle on you. I too have had my hard times with that woman. She can be over-eccentric at times."

"Exactly who are you again?"-

"Oh, where are my manners." The little man drew up his hand to shake hands with the two young men. "I am the Queens significant other. I am the King of Hearts." Sora looked at him and then looked at the queen. He then looked down at the king again, then back at the queen.

"You two are a little bit of an odd couple."-

"A little bit?" Riku said.

"Anyway, what have you really come here for?" the king asked.

"We've come to save this world." Riku explained.

"Yeah." Goofy interrupted. "And we also came to destroy a big tunnel!"

"He means the inter-dimensional that was constructed here."-

"Well, why didn't you say so?" the king said. "You'll find that massive structure within the courtyard of the palace itself. You can in fact see the structure from here." The king pointed towards the towering steeples of the palace. There, just below these tall structures, the shape of a large metal ring could be seen."

"That's the gate alright." Riku said.

"How are we gonna get to it?" Goofy asked.

"Yeah, we're still trapped behind this stockade!" Donald added.

"You forget?" Riku replied. "Sora and I are armed with keyblades. All we have to do is summon them to us and they will appear in our hands."

"Just one problem though." Sora implied. He pointed to a pair of guards who stood vigilant at the wrack where the keyblades were placed. "If we try to summon our keyblades now, that will be a signal for those guards to assemble the rest of the faction here. Then escaping will be literally impossible."

"You're right. And these guys were definitely ready for us. They have the stockade equipped with a force field top to prevent any ascended escaping."

"Then how will you initiate your escape?" the King of Hearts asked.

"Fellas…" Donald implied. He pointed to where the keyblades were at. Peering out of the brush of the maze was none other than the white rabbit, the March hare, and the mad hatter. They sneaked about along the brush.

"Are those guys nuts?" Sora uttered. "What if they're caught?"

Just then, the March hare leaped out of the brush and tackled one of the guards, forcing the soldier to fall flat on his face.

"I'm fastest as can be!" he chuckled. "You'll never catch me!"

"Why you little…!" the guard shouted. Both soldiers began to chase the agile hare around and around the courtyard with no luck of laying a finger on him. The hare only whistled and chuckled, running and hopping about, eluding the two guards. Pretty soon, more soldiers of the faction were involved in the chase, trying to catch the hare.

"He's not trying to sneak about." Riku said. "He's acting as a diversion."

As soon as Riku had uttered those words, the white rabbit was next to leap out of the brush. More so he was kicked into the open by the mad hatter.

"Oh dear!" he cried as the soldiers began to chase him as well. The rabbit ran out of sight, with twenty soldiers trying to chase after him.

"Looks like the coast is clear." Sora uttered.

"Then, let's get our keyblades back." Riku implied. The two used their hearts to summon the keyblades. The keyblades vanished from the wrack and emerged in the hands of the two keyblade masters. Riku aimed for the lock on the stockade gate. "Sora, you free the card guards."

"Right." Sora said. The card guards had been placed in card deck prison cases and were crammed tightly together. Sora aimed for the lock and released the guards. The gates to the stockade were unlocked and the prisoners came pouring out like gushing water. The guards retrieved their weapons and began to fight the soldiers of the faction within the vicinity.

"Thought you boy could use a little hand." The Mad Hatter chuckled, leaping from the bushes.

"I thought we told you guys to stay out of this." Sora said. "It's dangerous."

"I know, but we couldn't just allow you to go in without a battle plan." Sora could only smile.

"Well…thanks."-

"Well done, boys," the King of Hearts said. "Well done. Splendid display of talent you've carried out with."

"It was nothing." Sora uttered.

"Come on, Sora." Riku implied. "We don't have very long. We have to get to the palace and destroy that inter-dimensional tunnel."

"Right."-

"Let's get going, fellers!" Goofy added.

"This ends now!" shouted Donald. The four rushed to their next destination.

At the same time, General Venti, still unaware of what happened at the stockade, awaited the coming of his leader, the Phantom Lord. The Phantom Lord had come the way by gummi ship and now his ship secretly descended in the Lotus Forest. The reason for this is because he was expecting to give a surprise inspection of the operations there. As the gummi landed and its sealed hatch opened, the masked tyrant emerged from within it. General Venti keeled before his lord, bowing his head solemnly.

"My lord…" he uttered. There was a slight stuttered in his voice, as if there were something wrong. The Phantom Lord immediately picked it up. "I hope you had a pleasant trip?"

"More or less." The Phantom Lord replied. "Stand up, General Venti. Stand up and look me in the eye." Venti stood up and slowly raised his head, having his eyes have contact with the eyes of his lord, which lay behind thin sheets of glass that were built into the masks eyeholes. "There is something bothering is there. I can tell by the way you talk and the way you are looking at me. You had a slight tremble being your words as if you're afraid to tell me something. Well, that's exactly what I want to know. Tell me what it is that is on your mind."

"Well, you see, my lord. The door to this world…it has been closed…"-

"What…?"-

"It's true, my lord. The door to this world…has been shut again…"-

"That's ridiculous. Only someone who wields on of these has the potential to close the doors that connect worlds." The Phantom Lord revealed his dark keyblade to the general. "Tell me who it was that resealed the door to this world?"

"It was the keyblade masters."-

"That's utter nonsense. They were supposed to be assassinated by Ranker and Archibald back on Destiny Island."-

"Well apparently, it seems that their attempts have failed. I saw the keybearers here with my own eyes. In fact, we were the ones that helped capture them for you."-

"You captured them?"-

"Yes, my lord. But we were too late to help prevent them from sealing the door."-

"Then I will just have to reopen the door." The Phantom Lord raised his keyblade and aimed straight for the imprint of the keyhole, which still remained on the rock from where it first appeared. He then fired the beam of the blade into the imprint, hoping to reopen the seal. But for some reason, his keyblade had no effect on the keyhole. He tried again, but the seal remained in tact. "What is this? Why won't my keyblade reopen the door? It should be able to break the seal of their keyblade."

"That's because they both sealed the door." General Venti implied.

"What do you mean they both sealed the door?"-

"They aimed their keyblades and fired at the keyhole in unison."-

"Damn!" The Phantom Lord retracted his keyblade. "They used a double sealing technique. Now not even I can reopen the door." The Phantom Lord sneered behind the mask. He turned to Venti. "I want you to carry out with the execution of Riku as soon as possible. The sooner we're rid of him, the sooner we can stop the KH team and their allies from pummeling our plans again."

"I understand. However, if you don't mind me asking, my lord, why have you chosen Riku to be your scapegoat?"-

"There is no need for a tainted soul like that to exist. One who can balance the scale of light and darkness in his heart does not deserve to exist. The reality is that you must be either all one or all the other. There are no compromises."-

"Still…"-

"Do you wish to further question my orders?" Venti suddenly silenced himself as he saw the Phantom Lord gaze at him.

"I will carry out your orders, sir, no questions further asked."-

Suddenly, a transmitted message set off the General communication device. He took out the device and activated the holographic image.

"What is it?" Venti asked.

"Sir," the aid uttered, "We have a major problem, sir. There has been a jailbreak and all the prisoners are now engaging in battle with our soldiers in the compound. Once more, the key bearers have escaped and it seems that their on their way to the palace."-

"What!"-

"I'm terribly sorry, sir."-

"How could you let this happen!"-

"It was by some strange twist of fate, sir."-

"How long ago did they escape?"-

"They started moving about a half an hour ago."-

"Then, why didn't you inform me of this predicament ahead of time!"-

"There was no communication from the stockades, so we fear that many of the soldiers on duty were probably killed or taken captive."-

"Never mind the rest of those idiots, I want all defense concentrated on the queen's palace! You said that the key bearers were on their way to the palace. Without a doubt, they must be going after the inter-dimensional gate. We need to prevent them from destroying that gate at all cost! We're on a tight schedule enough as it is and we cannot afford to waste anymore time trying to build a second one. I will be there as soon as I can."-

"I understand, Sir." The transmission ended.

"My apologies, my lord," General Venti implied, "But I have a situation to attend to."

"I thought you said you had everything under control here." The Phantom Lord said.

"Well, we never would have thought that such a thing would happen! But I can assure you that the key bearers and their comrades won't go any further. Security is tight around the palace and even they can't stand against overwhelming numbers. So, if you will excuse me, sir." General Venti scurried off to the palace as quickly as he could with his staff, leaving the Phantom Lord standing idle near his gummi.

"You fool." He uttered. "It'll take more than mere manpower to stop the key bearers."

The compound was now in utter chaos. The card guards of the queen clashed against the forces of the Midnight Faction, pushing their way to the palace. Leading the way was Riku and Sora, slashing away with their keyblades at the numbers of faction soldiers and heartless that emerged from out of the wood work. The number of cards equaled the number of faction soldiers and heartless and the battle lines receded and advanced continuously. However, one point of the line, like the head of an arrow, was lead by the KH team who continuously pushed their way to the palace.

"Come on!" Riku shouted.

"Let's get them!" Donald added, firing endless barrages of magic spells at the attacking hordes of heartless and faction troops.

"We got them!" Goofy said, using his shield to fend of the attackers.

"Keep pushing forward!" Sora cried.

What the Phantom Lord had said to General Venti was true. It would take more than just manpower to stop the strength of the KH team, who were now at the gates of the palace. Guards and heartless attacked from all directions in swarms, but even so, they were no match for the oncoming KH team and their legions of cards.

"We're almost there!" shouted Donald.

"Just a little further and we would have reached our destination!" Sora added.

But as they reached the gates of the palace, faction soldiers from atop the high walls began to barrage the attackers with their blasters. Explosions decimated the ranks of the attacking cards. It was at the wall that the line of cards began to waver and recede.

"Sora!" Riku implied. "Those guys on the walls could prove to be some trouble for our forces. I want you to deploy some of your elemental spells and keep them silent. At least until we manage to break through the gate."

"I gotcha!" Sora replied. He turned to Donald. "Donald!"-

"I'm way ahead of you!" Donald implied.

"Fusion!" The two fused bodies and Sora could feel a new strength merge with his own. Using his flight ability, he ascended to level himself with the wall. He then deployed the Twister Strike, blowing off many of the soldiers from atop the wall. He landed on the walkway of the wall and deployed Tundra Canister, spilling across the ground so that the troops who would try to re-secure the wall would slip and tumble on their way up and not put up much of a resistance. Sure enough, several squadrons of faction soldiers began to ascend up the walls by stair access. However, the slippery ice prevented them from advancing any further.

"Takes care of that." Sora chuckled. But suddenly, from above, Heartless appeared to stop them. "What's this, more idiots?" The Heartless came soaring down upon Sora with great force. But Sora only smiled. "You just never learn do you? You're not dealing with a naïve young teenager anymore, but a mature young man!" Sora leaped up and fired a barrage of spells, eliminating the heartless waves with ease. The Heartless, despite their numbers, which came in the hundreds at times, could not resist for very long against the battle hardened key bearer.

At the same time, Riku increased his own strength and used the Cinder Canister to break down the gates of the castle. The fireballs created quite an impact of the gates, breaking them from their foundations, the gates fell to the ground and the loud thud of the falling wooden structures reverberated throughout the battlefield.

"The gates have been opened!" Riku cried. "Charge, charge, charge!" The legion of card guards rushed through the gate where the rest of the Midnight Faction was waiting for them. The faction soldiers fired their blasters through the gateway, causing utter devastation amidst the ranks of the attacking royal guards, but still the queen's soldiers pushed forward. They forced their way upon the ramparts, fighting every faction soldier and Heartless that dared to appear before them.

"We're almost to that dimensional gate!" Donald shouted.

"Keep pushing, men!"-

"Riku, we're almost there!" Sora shouted. "Come on you guys! Let's keep going!" By this time, many of the faction soldiers had been either taken prisoner, or were killed. Thus, resistance became less frequent. The only place where intense fighting still resided was in the palace of the Queen of Hearts.

The KH team and their card allies continued to force their way onto the stone sentinel where the massive gate had been constructed.

"There it is!" Goofy shouted. "Just a few more feet!"

"It's an open road to victory!" Donald implied.

But just as he had uttered those words, who was to appear before the gate? None other than General Venti himself who stood at ease with what looked like a massive sword upon his back.

"I must commend you." The General uttered. "But I can't allow you to go any further than this."

"Is that so?" Sora said, joining the KH team as they neared the structure. "And how do you intend to stop all of us at once."

"I have my ways." There was a sudden change in attitude as the general unleashed his full strength. The energy that the key bearers felt was something that had not been encountered since the arrival of Triiken back on Destiny Island. It immediately sent chills down their spines.

"This energy." Riku uttered. "It's greater than I had expected."

"By far." Donald added.

"I take back my earlier comment." Sora said.

"Now behold the power of General Venti!" There was a sudden flash of light that nearly blinded the attackers. When the light faded, the KH team looked to find what looked like an energy bubble completely surrounding the gate. "Now you have no choice, but to fight me. In order to break that energy shield, you'll have to defeat me. And I can tell you this much. I don't go down that easily." The General unleashed the massive blade on his back. "This is my little friend, which is called the Iron blade."

"What the heck kind of sword is that? It's so big."-

"Whatever kind of sword it is, it'll have no chance against us." Riku said. "For one thing, that massive blade is only good in two ways, attacking downward, or to the side. And the margin to which he changes his attack is so big, there has to be at least three seconds for him to switch from a downward slash to a side slash. So if we continuously attack him from an upward angle, then he won't be able to reach us."

"I gotcha."-

The key bearers went in for the attack. But as they did, they were in for another surprise. As Sora attempted an attack from above, knowing that the blade couldn't be used effectively being swung upward, it appeared the assumption that both he and Riku had concluded to was wrong. General Venti unleashed the sword and swung if upward as if there was no strain to doing so. Sora, stunned by the outcome, evaded as soon as he could. He dodged out of the way, and landed next to Riku. He looked down to see that his shirt had been cut, but no blood seeped from any wound on his chest itself.

"Nice try." Venti chuckled, "However, the battle's not gonna be a simple as you thought it would be."

"Hey, Riku," Sora uttered, angrily, "I thought you said that he couldn't swing that sword upward."

"I assumed that the bulk of that sword would prevent that type of maneuver due to its excessively large size." Riku implied. "But that attack that he just did baffles all logic. No can lift a sword that big in an upward movement like that without showing a sign of strain, but for some reason, he's managed to do such a thing. There was no opening."

"So that's what you were trying to do?" Venti chuckled. "Just because this sword is big doesn't mean that it can't be maneuvered efficiently. The reason is because this sword consists mostly of size and less mass. The sword is a basic triangular design and constructed of the lightest, yet strongest alloy material thus, making it strong and swift at the same time. To add, I have concentrated most of the power around my arms. Continuously training with excessively heavy weights to build up the power in my upper body, I have perfected a way to use this massive sword to my every advantage."

"Well, now what do we do?" Sora asked.

"I don't know."-

"Let's just use our elemental attacks and be done with him."-

"I'd like to agree with you there. To attack him at long range would be easy. But I don't think they'll have much of an effect against this guy. The chi within his body is like Lu Bu's, or Triiken's. And that means that whatever element we throw at him, it's just gonna bounce off of him."-

"So in other words," Donald uttered, "You have no plan."

"Now, now, Donald," Goofy implied, "It takes a while to think."

"In your case, that's a tremendous foot indeed."-

"Enough standing around!" Venti shouted. He suddenly began to charge. "This time, I won't hesitate to kill you!"

"He's coming!" Sora cried. The four evaded as the massive sword swung down upon them. With such ferocity and such power, Venti swung the sword about like it was nothing. His massive weapon turned and twisted along with his body, making the sword almost like an attachment of himself. The KH team did their best to evade the blade and attempt a strike the general.

"This guy's like a panzer tank!" Sora shouted. He powered up. "Alright you, let's see how you like this!" Sora powered up and unleashed the Tundra Canister against the General.

"You idiot," Venti chuckled. "Elemental attacks won't work on me!" He threw his word out in front of him and repelled the shattering ice shards away from him. The raining ice fell upon the legions of cards and heartless down below, immobilizing some of them.

"Then try this one on!" Sora deployed the infamous Twister Strike and a powerful tornado descended upon the general. But the general only chuckled. Then, using his word, he slashed downward, rupturing the spinning force of the twister, cutting it in half. "He cut my twister in half."

"This guy is in completely different class." Riku uttered, sweat appearing at his temples. "No matter, we'll take down eventually." Sora stood vigilant next to Riku.

"What do we do now, Riku? Should I unleash the rage, or Saiyan Devotion?"-

"No. Though this battle has been going on for ten minutes, we have to maintain our strength. We don't know what further tricks he may have up his sleeve."-

"This time, you're not gonna be evading anything!" Venti shouted. He lunged forward with all his strength, slashing and thrusting the massive sword about, hoping to strike at the key bearers. But at every last minute, Riku and Sora managed to elude the sharpness of the blade.

"That's his weakness…" Riku thought to himself. After five minutes of evading, Riku and Sora landed safely away from Venti. "I realize his weakness now."

"You know his weakness?" Sora asked.

"Though he shows no pause in using that sword, the bulk of the sword still manages to limit some of his movements. The reason is because, despite his swiftness, the sword itself only allows him so much room to swing. And because it's so big, the sword's own movements can be seen no matter how fast the user goes. The only weakness he seems to have diminished is being able swing the sword upward. All the other limitations seem to have remained. Despite what he said about conditioning his own body, that in itself may be true. But all that training doesn't change the nature of the sword itself. A sword of massive size will always have that one weakness. It'll always be too slow to be used effectively."

"Then, how do you explain the rip on my shirt!"-

"That was due only to your own stupidity."-

"Excuse me? You were the one who said that he couldn't swing that monstrosity upward!"-

"Well, at least now we know that that's the only weakness he's done away with."-

"So what's your plan?"-

"We have to somehow get in close where he can't use that sword effectively. So, I will use shadow decoys to distract him and cause an opening. Then, when he's open, you go in for the kill."-

"I understand."-

"Goofy, Donald, you make with our back up just in case. Goofy, if Sora fails, I want you to use the strongest shield you have try to block the swinging sword. Donald, I want you to stand by and provide us with Curaga just in case."-

"I gotcha." Goofy implied.

"Right." Donald added.

"Then, let's got for it!" Sora shouted.

Riku went in for the first attack. Venti, seeing his foe charging head on swung his massive sword the key bearer. But as he did, he realized that what he struck was a mere decoy. Riku suddenly appeared again to Venti's side. Venti hastily swung his sword in the direction where Riku was closing in, but again it was another decoy he struck.

"Stop fooling around fight me right!" the general roared. Riku appeared again, this time from above. Venti swung it upward with little strain and a lot of anger and struck Riku, but once more, it was a mere decoy. "You're making me mad!"

"Not good for you." Riku implied. "You're getting emotional. The more emotional you become, the more blinding the rage, and the less focused you are. Lu Bu made that mistake and I made that mistake, which is the reason why we lost our battles many years ago."-

"Shut your yapping! I don't care about the morals of your past! It is of no concern to me!"-

"And that is the reason why you will never be able to win." Riku appeared again, attacking from a lower angle. "You might have mastered the fighting techniques of that massive sword, but your own abilities are still undisciplined. And that is why you will never improve beyond mere techniques."

"If you were a real warrior, you'd stay put and fight me head on!"-

"Fine, then I'll fight you!" a voice shouted. Venti turned to see Sora lunging in at an alarming pace. Venti swung the sword, but as he did, Goofy intervened, using the defender to block it. At the same time, Donald used his Stopga spell to temporarily freeze the general in place. Not too far after, Sora fired Tundra Canister at point black range into the general, locking him in a tomb of ice. Then, using the keyblade, he sliced straight through. There was a pause for a moment as Sora skidded on the ground opposite the general.

"It's over…" Riku uttered, appeared before the general. The ice tomb broke around the commander.

"This…this…cannot be…" Venti uttered, collapsing to the ground. "My lord…fellow generals…I have failed you…" The general fell to the ground, never to stand after that.

"Well, that went well enough." The shield around the gate collapsed with the general, leaving the gate itself vulnerable to the KH team. "Now, to destroy this thing." Riku walked to the panel of the gate, which was unguarded by an access code and pressed the little red, self-destruct button as he did to the previous gate six years earlier at Hollow Bastion. Immediately, the gate collapsed with a great thunderous moan and the great ring itself shattered into millions of useless shards. The KH team watched as they saw the structure fall to its foundations. With the collapse of the inter-dimensional gate, the threat within Wonderland had ended. There was a great cheer that erupted from the masses of liberated citizens upon the ruins and carnage of the battlefield.

"Congratulations my boys!" the king of hearts chuckled as he went to shake the hands of the KH team members. "You have once again brought peace back to Wonderland. Now, with the fall of the faction, we have nothing to fear and our everyday lives can go on as they did before. With our deepest gratitude, we thank you for what you have done for us."-

"There's no need to thank us." Riku said. "You should thank yourselves for having the courage to stand up to the might of the Midnight Faction."

"You boys were absolutely amazing!" the mad hatter chuckled.

"Quite superb in battle!" added the March hare. "You did splendidly!"

"Ah, it was nothing." Sora said.

"You boys have saved our kingdom!" the queen of hearts cried, picking Riku and Sora up and squeezing them.

"Thank you for that…gesture…" Riku uttered, straining his face.

"Can't…breathe…" Sora implied. "Suffocating…"

"My dear, please." The king uttered. "The last thing these boys need are broken backs." The queen let them down, leaving Riku and Sora with sore backs.

"Well, at least we know that the faction won't cause further trouble here." Riku implied. But as he had finished that statement, something had caught his attention. He felt a presence still about in the area. In fact, it was a presence that was very close to them. Despite the cheering and boasting, Riku's senses could not help notice this dark presence.

"What's the matter Riku?" Sora asked.

"There's an ominous presence still here…"-

Sure enough, the boasting and cheering the victorious was short lived as the sky grew dark with black clouds and lightning and thunder began to hail down upon the small kingdom.

"What is happening?" the king of hearts uttered.

"A storm?" Goofy implied.

"That's no storm." Riku said. He turned to see a figure standing at the opposite side of the stone sentinel. This figure was dressed in a black overcoat with red lining under the cape and the coat itself. There were steel shoulder guards worn underneath the elbow length cape and he wore long white gauntlets. A large saber was buckled by a white strap that was slung over his right shoulder. Upon that shoulder strap was the familiar symbol of the Midnight faction. Under the coat was a black frock with barred lining, with a brass button placed upon the axis of each intertwining line. He wore a white belt with a brass belt buckle that also bore the symbol of the faction.

"Who is that?" Sora asked.

"I never would have thought that you would involve yourself in otherworld issues again, Child of Darkness." The figure said.

"So are you the mastermind behind all of this?"-

"I am."-

"So you must be…" Sora uttered.

"That is correct, young Sora. I am the Phantom Lord. However, you may address me as Lord Sirius Viicous."-

"Sirius Viicous…"-

"Then, tell me this, Sirius Viicous," Riku shouted, "What is it that you have against me? General Venti had revealed to me that I was the only one to be executed. Is there something about me that you despise!"

"More so than you think." Sirius replied. "As long as you are alive, I will never realize my dream. To have a tainted soul like you existing in this universe can only spell disaster for all who come in contact with you."

"So you want to get rid of me?" Riku drew out his keyblade. "Well, here's your chance."

"Very well then…" Sirius drew out his sword. "Let us end our little dispute here and now." The two stood vigilant towards each other. Suddenly, Riku lunged forward against the Phantom Lord. But as he did, several other entities emerged from out of nowhere and blocked the way of the charging key bearer.

"Hold it right there!" one of the individuals shouted, deploying a twin swords before him.

"Riku!" Sora cried, rushing to aid his friend.

"In order to get to Lord Sirius Viicous, you'll have to go through us first."-

"What is the meaning of this?" Sirius uttered.

"My lord." One of his commanders said landing by his side.

"General Gryphon."-

"You must not fight, my lord."-

"This whelp is nothing compared to me."-

"Even so, you still have our other goals to achieve. There will be more time for personal revenge. Besides, that boy has not the experience of battle like you, my lord. You were born to fight."-

"I guess you are right." Sirius looked at Riku, who was being held back and guarded by Sora, Goofy, and Donald. "I have greater things to contend with than just fiddling with you, boy. So our little match will have to wait."

"You running!" Riku shouted.

"Now is not the time. Besides, I already know that my strength dwarfs yours by far. You wouldn't stand a chance against me. To give me a more decent challenge, I will give you time to train."-

"What are you talking about! You're not stronger than I am!"-

"You delude yourself, boy. You know how to sense power levels, so you know the truth."-

"He's right…" Riku thought to himself. "His power far exceeds my own so trying to fight him now would only assure my own death. Even if I was to fuse with Sora and we both use our full strength, there would be no way to beat this guy. He's in a completely different class than us."-

"Let us play a little game."-

"What do you mean a game?" Sora asked.

"It's quite simple." Sirius uttered. "You must face the five trials in order reach your two main goals."

"And what would those trials be?" Riku asked.

"The five trials are standing before you." He pointed to the five individuals standing before him. "These men standing here are known as the five Blade Generals, each one mastering a certain fighting style and weapon. General Knives, General Dagger, General Bayonet, General Saber, and General Scimitar, they will be the opponents you face. If you manage to defeat all five of them, you would have achieved one of your two goals."-

"You say we have two goals to achieve." Sora implied. "What's the second one?"

"One of your goals is to battle me after defeating the five Blade Generals. The Second goal is to rescue them." Sirius pulled out a holographic transmitter, and unleashed the images of King Mickey, Queen Minnie, and Daisy.

"Oh no! King Mickey!"

"And Queen Minnie too!" Goofy implied.

"Daisy!" Donald shouted as he saw the image of his love.

"Defeat the five Blade Generals and you can save these three from certain death." Sirius chuckled. "However, you must defeat all five Blade Generals in order to rescue them. No less than that. To add, like the Cavendish Shinobis before you, each of the Blade Generals will carry an information disk that gives the whereabouts of the others, as well as a small piece of a puzzle that'll help unlock the special seal to where the King and Queen are being held. In other words, you can't rescue them from their prison without achieving all five pieces. Unfortunately, I have no intention to giving you a starting clue to where the first of these five men before you will be located. That's up to you to find out."

"You sick son of a…" Riku uttered.

"You can insult me all you want, but that doesn't change the fact that these three are still in our custody. If you attempt to fight me before defeating the Five Blade Generals, then those generals remaining will carry out with the execution of the king and his queen. Then all your efforts to track down the five would have been a complete waste of time. So play your cards right if you want to save lives." Sirius and his minions retreated from the palace. "I'll be waiting for you, Child of Darkness. Or should I say Noctin Tilandir."

With that, the Phantom Lord and his minions vanished from sight.

"What do we do now?" Sora asked.

"The only thing we can do." Riku implied. "We'll have to face the five Blade Generals and rescue King Mickey."

"You would do that for us?" Goofy asked.

"I can never allow my friends to be placed in such a position and I not do anything about it. You have done so much for me in the past; I should do the same in return." Riku raised his keyblade in the air. "And when they are safely back in our hands, I will defeat Sirius Viicous and send him back into the pit of darkness to which he came."-

"And I'll be at your side, Riku!" Sora shouted, raising his blade as well.

"Me too!" Donald added, raising his staff.

"Me three!" Goofy chuckled, raising his shield.

Meanwhile, back in the Lotus forest, Lord Sirius Viicous and his minions returned to the gummi ship that transported them there. As Sirius boarded, General Gryphon soon followed humbly behind.

"Pardon me, your Excellency." He uttered.

"What is it?" Sirius asked.

"If I may speak freely of my opinion, my lord, do you think it a wise decision to tell Riku and Sora of King Mickey and his queen?"-

"They will do whatever necessary to rescue them. As a result, they will be going after the five Blade Generals. When they finally defeat the five, they will go to rescue King Mickey. But by the time that happens, our own plans would've succeeded. This entire trial is to stall the KH team. I've placed the five Blade Generals in worlds that are utterly insignificant to us. That way, the KH team will be lured away from the key worlds of my operations."-

"But what if they decide to sidetrack away from fighting the Generals?"-

"They won't. I could see the hatred burning in Riku's eyes. He wants to fight me so badly. The least I could do is to oblige him."-

"But wouldn't it have been better for you to just deal with him there and then. If you would've taken him out when you had the chance, then you would have carried out with his execution and he would no longer be a threat to us. To add, they wouldn't have been able to seal anymore doors because it takes both Riku and Sora to seal them."-

"I could have ended it all. But to tell you the truth, I didn't want it to end that way."-

"And why is that?"-

"Because I want to see how Riku favors against me in a future battle. I sensed his inner strength and I can assure you that it dwindles in comparison to my own. It wouldn't be any fun trying to kill him when I know he has no chance of winning against me."-

"But why take that chance? Why jeopardize all that we have strived for just for the sake of your own pride?"-

"General Gryphon, does your faith in my strength appear to be wavering?" Gryphon silenced himself soon after. "Now that I think about it, this was the best suggestion I could have made. I right now am so riled up at fighting Riku. I don't know what I was thinking when I said that I wanted him executed prematurely. I forgot how invigorating it would be to fight the true Noctin Tilandir. But in order to achieve the climactic battle between us, I must force him to unleash as much strength as possible. Trying to battle him as he is now would not only be a waste of my time, but I feel that I was given a victory on a silver platter. If I want to show that the Midnight Faction is the ultimate power since the Dark Empire, I must first carve out a reputation for our organization."-

"Still, I would have to say that defeating the key bearers here would be more advantageous."-

"Have you been hearing the publicity we've been getting from the Universal Alliance and the other factions of the former empire? It is mostly negative, if not all negative sentiment. They call the Midnight Faction mere scavengers who have only a history not worth being honored. And I intend to agree with them. But what better way to create a reputation for ourselves then to do something memorable. And killing the key bearers in battle would prove to be the ultimate promotion. The key bearers would strive so hard to stop us, only to be halted by none other than me."-

"But what good is reputation. We've already achieved the reputation for being ruthless and opportunistic. So far, the Midnight Faction has gone unopposed. We've achieved more than even the Red Ribbon Faction and the Arakis Foundation could ever dream about. Are you willing to place all of that in jeopardy?"

"But it's not only the key bearers we have to watch out for. Or have you forgotten that there are others in league with the Alliance who will be trying to stop our progress as well? It would make no difference if we were to kill the key bearers now, or later, those other threats would not go away."-

"But letting them go only increases those threats."-

"Then since this whole thing bothers you this much, then you deal with the key bearers yourself. Use whatever means necessary to stop and kill them. It's not my job to do the dirty work anyway now is it? However, if you fail, then we do things me way."-

"Then I shall bring the heads of Riku and Sora back to you!"-

"Then, I'll expect to see results."-

The gummi ship took off, leaving General Gryphon behind.

"He can go and fight the key bearers if he wants." Sirius thought to himself. "But he'll soon know the cold truth that he is outclassed by them. Besides, the Apocalypse Cannons are mere pebbles compared to the true bulk of our strength. But this rash action, I have a feeling that this fight may be Gryphon's last."

At the same time, back at the battlefield, the soldiers and officers of the Midnight Faction were taken into custody and placed in the same stockades which were used to confine the subjects of the Queen of Hearts. Among those officers was none other than General Venti who had been temporarily knocked out by Sora. Now he was bound and chained.

"I've really hit rock bottom here." He uttered.

"You should be grateful that you still have your life." Sora uttered.

"It would have been better if you just killed me. I've shamed myself, being taken prisoner like this."-

"Quit your belly-aching."-

"Well, we've managed to close one world," Riku explained, "But who knows how many other countless worlds are out there that still need to be sealed. To add, several of those worlds are bearing highly destructive weapons."

"I think it best that we take out the cannons next." Donald implied.

"But what about the Blade Generals?" Goofy asked. "Don't we have to find them too?"

"And where do you propose we start looking?"-

"I have a plan." Riku implied. "The best course of action would be to take out the key weapons of the faction. Perhaps our interference would drive the Blade Generals out of their hiding places so they can try and stop us."

"An excellent plan," a voice suddenly uttered. "However…" The KH team looked to see a familiar face gazing at them.

"Triiken!" Sora shouted.

"What are you doing here?" Riku asked.

"Isn't alright that I am here." Triiken replied. "I am after all the one to give you the vital information that you need."

"And what vital information is it that you have for us?"-

"I had overheard that you plan on destroying the main weapons of the faction am I right, to somehow lure the Blade Generals out of their assigned areas?"-

"What about it?"-

"I would like to ask you if you are willing to have the same result occur like what happened at Halloween Town six years ago? I'm sure you remember what little incident where you had to deactivate the Apocalypse Cannon there?"-

"Yes…" Sora uttered.

"And I'm sure you remember that massive explosion that took place a result?"-

"That's right!" Riku implied, remembering that fatal explosion that destroyed everything within a one, or two mile radius. "Because we tried to deactivate that monster, the results were catastrophic."

"But the explosion you experienced was a mere sideshow. The reason was because that cannon was only in its early developmental stage. The Apocalypse Cannons you will be encountering now are almost on the verge of complete upgrades. That means that without the proper input, the cannon will go into automatic meltdown. As a result, the explosion this time will have an effect three hundred times greater than the one at Halloween Town. The explosion will atomize everything within a three to six hundred mile radius."-

"Oh my God…" Sora uttered.

"So how can we deactivate the cannon permanently?" Riku asked.

"There is one way."-

"And…?"-

"You must retrieve the red information card that deactivates the cannons active power without triggering meltdown. Once you have that data and implemented it into the main control of the cannon, the power generating within the weapon will diminish to one thousandth of it original destructive power, rendering the cannon to become no more effective than a simple siege weapon."-

"So where do we find this card?' Goofy asked.

"One of the Blade Generals holds it for safe keeping." Triiken continued.

"And which of the five is it?" Sora asked.

"None other than General Knives."-

"And where do we find him?" Riku asked.

"You may find him in a new world called Sherwood. He's engaging alongside the royal ministry of that world to help deprive the peasants of their livelihood by raising their taxes. This tax collection is used to provide the Midnight Faction of revenue. In return, Knives gives his protection to the royals."-

"What can you tell us about this General Knives?"-

"He is a master of the double swords. Other than that, he really has no other skills. He's considered to be the pup of the five."-

"So he has the data card we need to get?" Sora asked.

"Precisely." Triiken implied. "However, there is another catch. The card does not work for both cannons."

"Not for both?"-

"As a precaution, the faction had created two separate cards with two separate data inputs. So if, for some reason you did manage to retrieve one card, it would be useless for the other cannon. This maneuver was used as a precaution in case you managed to get your hands on one card."-

"Then tell us who has the second input card?" Donald asked.

"It is General Bayonet and you can find him in the 'Wing Realm'" Triiken said. "He has gone there to oversee development of new mobile doll models to help aid in the faction's process. Defeat those two generals and you will be able to harmlessly deactivate the two cannons without catastrophic results."

"Tell me how you know all this." Sora asked, "Just out of sheer curiosity."

"I have my sources and anonymous tips. Otherwise I would not be acting as a spy within the Alliance."-

"Then it is best that we be on our way." Riku implied.

"But which one do we go after first?" Donald asked.

"It's best that we go after the one that contains the data for the more powerful of the two cannons."-

"But which is the one that carries the data of the more powerful cannons?"-

"I would suggest that the one that's stronger would obtain that info."-

"That's where you are wrong." Triiken implied. "All of the five generals are on equal level. It's their fighting styles that make them seem strong. The point is it doesn't matter which one you decide to fight first. The point is to eliminate one of them."

"So that's your little plan is it!" a voice bellowed out. The team looked to see a figure standing above them on one of the castle towers.

"Who is that?" Goofy wondered.

"Hey, that's the guy who was beside Sirius Viicous before they left." Sora pointed out.

"Who are you!" Riku demanded.

"I am General Gryphon!" the man replied. "I will be the one to halt you in your tracks."

"Is that so?" Sora said. "If you hadn't noticed, the faction has been defeated here. There's nothing that you can do to now!"

"Then you underestimate my abilities!" The General leaped from the tower and landed on the ground. The impact that was made caused the ground to rupture beneath their feet.

"I take that back. This guy isn't going to be as easy to take down as we thought."-


	7. Another Showdown

Another Showdown

The mighty General Gryphon stood vigilant over his enemies. He was a rather tall and monstrous man. He was dressed in black armor with white cape. His face was unlike anything Riku and Sora had ever seen before. He had a dark blue complexion like navy and a black beard upon his face. His eyes were a light orange. And upon his shoulder, he carried a giant stone mace. He glared at the KH team with those intense orange eyes of his, like two lit candles from a burning skull.

"If it's a fight you seek," Riku implied, "Then you've come to the right guys to battle."

"I don't know what it is that His Excellency finds so irritating about you, Riku." Gryphon uttered. "However, I can assure you that I will not allow you, or your friends to proceed any further! There is a grand opportunity before the Midnight Faction and I am not going to let you spoil it for us!"

"But what the faction is doing is wrong." Sora said. "What you guys are doing is for the well being of the faction itself. Not the people that you conquer."

"I order to unify all worlds as one, we must show a clenched fist and cold steel to our enemies and open the way to a new power, the new imperial power!"-

"But what means would you have gained? By subduing people, you only cause hatred and hopes of retribution against you! There will be nothing, but an era of endless chaos and rebellion. People should be allowed to live their lives in any way that they please! But forcing them to do something they don't want to do only causes a sentiment of scorn!"-

"That is why we must show harshness and ruthlessness to these people, so that they will never attempt to raise arms against the faction ever again."-

"For the sake of power and glory," Riku uttered. "You'll never achieve anything with that sort of twisted logic! If there is one thing I know, it's that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. That is an experience that I have encountered myself and I never want to experience again." There was a silent pause before Riku began to speak again. "You seem all powerful when you have all this strength and hundreds of minions behind you. But strip a person of that and they are no more powerful than you. They are just another individual. I had encountered such a feeling of helplessness after I was stripped of my power and influence. But when I realized that I still had friends out there that cared for me; that was all the power that I needed."

"What you say doesn't matter!" Gryphon shouted. "Friendship and compassion are irrelevant compared to the ultimate goal of total unification. Don't you realize that if we integrate all worlds into one great melting pot, there would be a great amount of diversity? There would be no need for boundaries, or barriers. All people would be as one under the flag of the Midnight Faction."

"But by doing that, you strip people of their own identities as a society. What these people are hoping for is a life of peace. But you take that away by conquering them, subduing them, and exploiting them. And when they try to resist, you attack them mercilessly. Attempting to unify the worlds only brings more pain and suffering to the people who live on those worlds. And as long as they are suffering by the hands of tyrants like you, we will not back down."-

"Anyone who has enough nerve to form an alliance with the Heartless is out of their mind!" Sora implied. "What do you plan to achieve with the Heartless on your side? You'll never be able to obtain such a goal with them at your service!"

"The Heartless are merely a tool to help us further our expansion faster and more efficient." Gryphon continued.

"But by employing the Heartless, you have also become food for them. Rely on the dark powers too much and they will consume your heart!"-

"Not a chance! My heart is too strong to be consumed by the likes of them. Besides, I never rely on the Heartless to fight my battles!"-

"You'd be surprise how vulnerable your heart is…" Riku uttered.

"Now enough of your blathering," Gryphon said, deploying his mace before him. "Talk is cheap compared to taking action. I said that I would kill you two and I will."

"Why can't a person like you listen to reason?" Sora said.

"A person like him never listens to reasons." Triiken interrupted. He stepped forth before the two key bearers. "For ones like him, they need to be taught the hard way in order for the point to be drilled into that thick skull of theirs. So I hope you don't mind, but I will be facing this foe myself."

"But why would you get involved?"-

"I just hate his face that's all." Triiken stepped forward. "I shall be the one to fight you, Gryphon."

"You stay out of my way!" Gryphon demanded. "I have come to fight the key bearers! They are the ones that pose the greatest threat here! Not you! So get out of the way unless you want to die!"

"Me? Die? That's very amusing. You almost sound convincing."-

"Are you mocking me!"-

"Yes, in a way I am provoking you."-

"You mustn't value your life that much then if you have the audacity to confront General Gryphon of the Midnight Faction."-

"You assume too much and you think too highly of yourself." Triiken's mockery began to wear down on the faction general. "Are you just as big a novice as General Venti?"

"I heard that!" Venti shouted as he was being lead to the stockades.

"If there's anyone who thinks too highly of themselves, it's you!" Gryphon said

"Unlike you however, I know the position I'm getting into." Triiken replied.

"Shut up! You irritate me!"-

"Oh am I getting under your skin now? If I irritate you so badly, why don't you come here and force me to shut this hole in my face."-

"That's a very good idea! Then, why don't we start now!"-

"Man!" Sora uttered. "When Triiken gets under your skin, he really gets under your skin."

"Look at that fire in Gryphon's eyes." Riku added.

"He really wants to hurt him doesn't he?" Goofy implied.

"You think!" Donald shouted.

"Now die you ignorant scum!" Gryphon came charging head long with his mace. He swung the massive weapon at Triiken. Triiken at the last minute leaped over the attacking general's head. The mace itself caused a sonic boom due to the incredible amount of speed placed behind it. The KH team could feel the energy and ducked to the ground. The powerful sound wave blew everything within its path away."

"Did you see what I saw?" Sora uttered.

"That guy uses sound waves to cause destruction." Riku implied. "And it's all due to that giant mace. Some how, he's able to distort the air pressure and cause sonic booms."

"Not bad for a guy that's armed with such a bulky weapon."-

"Then again, I've never seen anyone who could do such a thing with such a massive mace. He's definitely not as big a novice as General Venti."-

Gryphon swung the mace so easily as if were a mere extension of his body. The mace posed no real maneuverability limitations, since it was less in length than the sword used by Venti. However, it's mass made it a rather heavy weapon to use. But that posed no problem for General Gryphon who was a master at using such a clumsy weapon.

"Unlike General Venti who thought he had an advantage mastering that massive 20 ft. sword, I have the special ability of causing ruptures in the air pressure around me with the mass of this mace and create powerful sonic booms to battle my opponents." Gryphon chuckled. "Venti thought that he had no weakness whatsoever with a large weapon like that sword to protect him. But he forgot to add one other factor into his equation and that was the length of that sword. Despite being lighter than most other swords, the length itself slowed him down and made even his quickest attacks seem slow and predictable." He continued to battle Triiken for an additional ten minutes. By now the area had been cleared and many of the queen's subjects as well as the KH team watched the intense battle unfold. Every time Gryphon unleashed a sonic boom, they would duck in fear. Gryphon continued his lecture while still fighting. "I however don't have length to make my moves predictable."

"You boast yourself too much and your blathering bores me." Triiken uttered. This caused Gryphon to cringe most hatefully towards his foe. "So far, despite swinging that bumbling monstrosity and causing fatigue upon me with that constant, meaningless chatter, you haven't even managed to cause the slightest bit of damage to me. Perhaps you should change your tactics. Just drop the mace and defeat your enemy by talking them to death with your mindless dribble. It seems to work on me."

"You dare to mock me! I will not have some lowly alliance dog show me up!"-

"Then quit your chatter and hit me with that clumsy weapon of yours."-

"Then die!" Gryphon suddenly leaped into the air and using the power of the mace, he slammed the weapon upon the ground. A burst of energy erupted and spread like a nuclear explosion for a mile, or so. The powerful attack nearly blew all within that one mile away.

"Did you see that?" Riku uttered.

"No, but I felt it." Sora implied, staggering to his feet. "How the heck did he manage to unleash and explosion like that?"

"What a rush." Donald said leaping back to his feet.

"Did someone get the number of that truck?" Goofy uttered.

They gazed upon the battlefield where the confrontation was taking place. There was utter silence upon the battlefield. Gryphon looked around, but there was no sign of Triiken.

"I guess I made quite an impression on him that time." He chuckled. "That fool didn't know what hit him."

"A fool am I?" a voice uttered. Gryphon looked around to see who spoke.

"Where are you! Show yourself!"-

"In my opinion, you are an even bigger novice that General Venti."-

"How dare you! Show yourself and say that to my face if you're not a coward!"

"Just looking at your face makes anyone a coward. You should consider a makeover. Or better yet…plastic surgery."-

"You insolent…show yourself!"-

"You certainly aren't very bright either. You've been looking around for me, but you didn't bother to look up." Gryphon looked up to see Triiken hovering in mid-air.

"But how did he manage to survive that attack at so close a range?"-

"Oh you found me. Congratulations, shall I give you a prize for that?"-

"You will regret mocking me!"-

"So far I've experienced no regrets for making sport of your idiocy." Triiken descended to the ground. "I wonder now if it was worth taking up the challenge with you. So far I am displeased with what I've encountered."

"Then, encounter this then!" Gryphon suddenly lunged forward unexpectedly and at such speed that the human eye could not possible register his movements. He swung the massive mace in front of him. "I will not allow myself to be insulted by a mere policeman of the alliance!" With one great crack, he smashed the mace against the side of Triiken's face. "I don't hear you making any wisecracks now. Hope you liked having your face broken." But Triiken straightened his neck out and crack his jaw. A drip of blood trickled down his face. This sudden twist of events caused Gryphon to stand with a shocked look on his face.

"A mere policeman you said?" Triiken chuckled. "I beg to differ. My reputation is far greater than you yourself know. But you mustn't be familiar with the outside world if you don't know who I am. If you did, you would not have bothered to challenge me from the start."

"How can that be! I slammed the mace across his face with everything I had, but he experiences no severe damage"-

"Did you see that?" Riku uttered.

"His face should have been jelly by now." Goofy implied.

"Triiken took that mace head on," Sora added, "And yet he has no scratch on him."

"This guy is something else." Donald said.

"I'm surprised that he was dubbed only as a mere general by the Dark Empire."-

"You didn't even bother concentrating the energy through your mace this time." Triiken uttered. "That's how you managed to create that power sound wave in the last attack. However, you thought that you had no need to do so when you thought that I was off my guard. But the reality is that I saw that attack coming head on and I could have easily dodged it. However, I decided to hold my ground and allow you to strike me. This way, when the conclusion revealed itself, you would realize that you stood no chance from the start." Triiken wiped the blood from his mouth, with his finger, and flicked it to the ground. "However, you have caused me pain and that is something that I can't allow you to get away with. Now is the time for me to fight back." Triiken suddenly unsheathed his sword.

"You mean all this time," Sora uttered as he watched, "Triiken has been fighting Gryphon with his sword sheathed?"

"He's too cool I think." Riku implied. "He knew that Gryphon never stood a chance against him from the start. But Gryphon must not have the ability to sense power levels."

"As of now, your death has been assured." Triiken uttered.

"Now it is you who talk too much." Gryphon uttered. "I'll be able to break your flimsy little sword with this great mace! And you will soon realize that a mere policeman could never face me and win, no matter how talented they are!"

"After all this time, you still don't realize who I am do you?"-

"I don't know and I really don't care!"-

"You soon will!" Triiken took his stance for the Noctin Exmortin.

"The Noctin Exmortin." Riku uttered.

"Then I guess Triiken plans to finish this fight with one strike." Sora implied.

"Now die, agent of the Alliance!" Gryphon roared as he attacked. "And realize your stupidity for facing me, General Gryphon of the Midnight Faction!" But as soon as he had uttered those words, there was a sudden flash of light and clash of steel. Triiken had suddenly appeared before him; his sword now relaxed at his side. There was a dead pause then.

"You never figured out who I am." Triiken uttered. "So let me tell you the code to which I live by. 'Death before dishonor.'" Suddenly, blood spurted out of a deep wound sunk in the middle between Gryphon's eyes. At the same time, the stone ball of his mace shattered into thousands of pieces.

"Arinario...Triiken…" he uttered before falling dead to the ground. Triiken swung his sword, forcing the blood of the glittering steel of his blade and sheathed it gently into its scabbard.

"Pity, such a waste of talent." He implied.

"That was an intense fight." Sora said as he and the others stepped upon the battlefield.

"He was definitely not as big a novice at Venti is." Riku said.

"But how did you manage to hold your own against him?"-

"That should be more than obvious." Triiken said. "He was weaker, less experienced. And by his tone, he was one who was battling for the sake of progress. That sort of cause is not one to truly motivate one's heart." Triiken began to walk away. "I will sort with the things here. You on the other hand have more pressing matters to attend to."

"Yeah, that's right." Donald said.

"We have to save the king." Goofy added.

"Then, let's be on our way." Riku said.

"Yeah." Sora implied.

"Once again, thank you very much for you help." The king of hearts uttered as he and his queen approached. "We could not have gained our kingdom again if it were not for you gallant efforts."

"There was no trouble at all."-

"Let's get going." Riku said. "More time we waste here, the more time we allow the Midnight Faction to carry out their plans." The KH team took one last gaze before returning back to the rabbit hole to where they had disembarked from the gummi ship.

As they had worked their way back to the gummi ship, Riku had been preoccupied and was rather slow when going back to the gummi. He would always take a second glance back as if he had forgotten something. As he looked back for a second or third time, he felt a hand gently lay itself on his shoulder. He turned to see Sora standing there with a concerned look on his face.

"Riku," he uttered, "You're having one of those nostalgic moments. What's on your mind this time?"

"Sirius Viicous…" Riku replied.

"What about Sirius Viicous?"-

"There's something about him that seems so familiar. Yet, I have no idea where I've picked up his energy before."

"You mean you might actually know who this guy is?"-

"I might, but I can't remember. It may be someone from my past, who has been long forgotten. But if they had been long forgotten, how come this feeling I have is so familiar to me. I had sensed this same feeling for sometime. And when we finally came face to face, that same aura grew more intense. I know that there is some link between us. If only I could remember."-

"Right now, we need to focus on the matter at hand. We have to save King Mickey and Queen Minney."-

"Don't forget about Daisy!" Donald shouted.

"Of course not!" Sora implied. He turned to Riku. "Let's go, Riku. I'm sure you'll find the answer that you're looking for." Riku, unable to speak, only nodded his head and joined the rest of the group to work their way to the next destination. But which world will they save next?


	8. Sherwood

Sherwood

The gummi ship had managed its way to the next realm, where it was said that the first of the five Blade Generals resided. The gummi ship disembarked into the thicket of a dense forest. There was no sign of civilization anywhere. Only the quaint sound of nature echoed about, under the canopy of high oaks. There was the chirping of birds high in the trees, the sound of a nearby stream, and the smell of lavender and wild flowers freely growing in what seemed like a spring mood. Sora inhaled the fresh spring air.

"Nothing like the sound of the great outdoors." He chuckled.

"Don't get too intoxicated over this." Riku said. "We have a mission to fulfill. We have to track down General Knives."

"I wonder where we start" Donald implied. "This is an awfully large forest. I don't think that there's anyone about in the middle of the woods that would be of any use to us."

"Then, it's best that we start searching for any signs of a possible settlement." Sora said. It was at that moment that there was the sound of trumpets bellowing in the air, interrupting the tranquil peace of the forest. It seemed to sound like a royal fanfare.

"You wanted to know if there was any civilization about," Riku said, "then that must be the source." The KH team left behind their gummi ship, locking and securing it before departing. They rushed to where they heard the sound of the trumpets. Sure enough, as they came to the edge of a clearing, there was a dirt road upon the ground and coming of the road were a series of different animals. In the front, an alligator dressed in a red cloak, bearing what looked like the flag of a noble. Following him were a few elephants that blew their trunks like brass horns of royals. Upon their erected trunks, there flew that same symbol, representing someone of high or even royal status. Following close behind was a company of rhino guards. They were dressed in heavy chest armor and carried long staff battle axes at their sides. They marched in unison as if with one soul. Behind that company were four other rhino guards carrying a golden chest that was tightly locked and chained. Following them was a pair of those same trumpeting elephants who drew behind them a gold carriage with red drapery as the interior. And following the carriage were two more companies of those rhino guards with their battle axes erected into the air. They marched like thunder down the road.

"Without a doubt," Riku implied, "That must be nobility, if not royalty."

"Maybe they can tell us where we can find the next town." Sora said.

"Don't rush in too hastily. Don't you remember what Triiken said? The royals of this world are helping the Midnight Faction increase their revenue by exploiting the rest of the population. And I don't know about you, but that escort must be in league with the Midnight Faction."-

"What should we do then?" Goofy asked.

"We stay out of sight, away from this road and observe from a distance."-

"Riku's right. We should not go in without knowing the intensions of our enemies." Sora agreed. The KH team retreated to the thicket and observed as the party went by.

But as they observed, two gypsy fortune tellers emerged on the scene. One was rather short and scrawny. The other was large and rather plump.

"Oo-de-lally!" the smaller one shouted. "Oo-de-lally! Fortune tellers!"

"Fortune's forecasts, lucky charms!" the fatter one added.

"Get the dope on your horoscope!"-

"Who are those two?" Donald wondered.

"Fortune tellers." Goofy implied.

"Hey Riku," Sora said, "maybe we can get those two fortune tellers to see if we're gonna win or not."

"Don't tell me that you actually believe in all that mumbo jumbo." Riku replied.

"It's fairly possible though."-

But just as he had finished this statement, a head suddenly appeared out of the golden carriage. It was a royal due to the crown atop his head. He was a lion, a rather young and ignorant one at that. It was none other than the venerable and phony king of England, Prince John.

"Fortune tellers!" he chuckled. "How droll! Stop the coach!"

Soon after, a serpent dressed in a miniature cape and hat emerged poked his head out of the carriage. It was Prince John's closest advisor, Sir Hiss. He had a suspicious look on his face, not trusting the two gypsies that appeared on the scene.

"Sire, sire," he uttered, "they may be bandits."

"Oh poppycock! Female bandits, what next? Rubbish." He waved to the two gypsies. "Come forward my dear ladies." The two giddily approached the carriage. John stretched forth his hands, revealing rings with exceptionally large stones upon his fingers. "My dears, you have permission to kiss the royal hands whichever you like." The two gypsies' eyes grew big. The small one grabbed one hand and quickly slid the ring off the king's hand.

"How very gracious of you, sire," the smaller of the two gypsies uttered, "and generous."

"Sire, sire!" Hiss shouted. His slithery tongue tickling the inside of John's ear. Prince John threw his finger in his ear.

"Hiss," John said, "stop hissing in my ear."

Sure enough, the fatter of the two gypsy women kissed John's other finger, taking the stones of the rings with each pucker. Hiss saw this point blank and warned his majesty. But John was too wrapped up in his own superiority to realize what was really going on.

"Did you see?" Hiss cried, his slithery tongue entering John's ear again. "Did you see!" John dug his finger into his ear. He then grabbed Hiss by the throat.

"Hiss!" he roared. "You've hissed your last!" He threw the serpent in a basket and flopped onto the lid. "Suspicious snake."

"Masterfully done, Your Excellency." The smaller of the two gypsies said, as she entered the carriage and closed the drapes. Meanwhile, the fat one meandered around the carriage, listening to their conversation. It was then that she took out a round glass orb with a few fireflies buzzing about inside.

"Alright you little fireflies." The fat gypsy uttered, hanging the glass sphere on a string attached to a stick. "Glow babies, glow."

"Those two are nothing, but a couple of frauds!" Sora implied.

"It's just like bandits stealing from a royal." Riku added. "But I think that fat prince needs to get ripped off. He's too high and mighty for his own good."

"Hey! Look at what that fat one's doing next!" The KH team saw as the fat gypsy managed to slip unnoticed passed the guards and cut a hold at the bottom of the golden chest. A great deal of gold coins came pouring out from under the chest and the gypsy let the currency spill into her blouse. Soon after, the small gypsy emerged from the carriage, wearing the red satin robe of a noble. There were two large sacks of what looked like gold in her hands. The two scurried off into the woods. The minute the prince threw open the drapes to his carriage, John was in his Johns. He looked to see himself deprived of all clothing, not including his long, thermal underwear, and the two gypsies scurrying away.

"Robbed! He cried. "I've been robbed! Hiss, you're never around when I need you!" Hiss managed to free himself from the basket and approached John. "Eh…I've been robbed."

"Of course you've been robbed!"-

"Oo-de-lally, Oo-de-lally!" the small gypsy cried.

"Fortune's forecasts, lucky charms!" the fat one cried.

"After them, you fools!" Prince John ordered. Immediately, the guards began to take chase.

"It looks like those two gypsies are running." Sora said.

"Yeah," Donald uttered, "And their coming straight for us!" The KH team realized that they were in the path of the fugitive gypsies.

"Watch out!" the smaller of the two shouted.

"Gain way!" Goofy cried. But it was too late, both of the gypsies managed to trip over the KH team. Gold coins flew into the air and landed on the ground. Both parties rubbed their craniums and gazed about.

"Didn't we tell you to move!" the smaller gypsy said with a deep voice. The disguise had been knocked off and the head of a male fox was revealed.

"You…you're not a woman." Sora uttered. "You're a…a guy."

"Of course I'm not a woman. This plan was going well until you pummeled into us!"

"C'mon Rob!" the larger of the two said. "We gotta go. Let's pick up what we can of the gold and skedaddle!" The two scurried to pick up what gold coins they could.

"There they are!" one of the rhino guards shouted. "And they have accomplices!"

"Us?" Donald uttered. "Accomplices?"

"Well, it looks like we're all in the same boat now." Sora implied.

"I'll draw their attention." Riku said. He jumped up to face the oncoming guards.

"Riku, are you crazy, or something! Get back here!"-

"These guys are easy pickings. I can take care of them no sweat!"-

"Man…"-

"One of them is getting away!" the guard shouted. "Catch him!" Riku, using Darkness Decoys, created several images of himself and had them scatter about the area, confusing the guards into different directions. "They're running back to the road!"

"Don't let them get away!" another guard cried.

"Well, that'll stall for time." Sora implied.

"OK, Rob," the larger of the two bandits uttered, "Let's get going."

"Right." The small one replied.

"Wait!" Sora said. "We're coming with you."

"Come with us?"-

"These guys already think that we're bandits, so trying to negotiate would be out of the question."-

"So be it. Follow us then into the thicket of the forest."-

"Riku, we're going with them!"-

"Way ahead of you!" Riku chuckled, as he appeared ahead of Sora.

"I really hate it when he does that."-

"Let's get going." Donald shouted. The four went sprawling after the two bandits. In the meantime, Prince John's guards rushed back to where their master awaited them.

"Well, what is the meaning of this!" Prince John scowled. "Not only do you all run off leaving me completely unprotected, but now you have the audacity to come back here empty handed?"

"But Sire," the captain of the guards said, "they managed to get away by running into the darkness of the forest. To make things worse, they had what seemed like hundreds of men under their wing."

"Hundreds you say?"-

"Our men were trying to trek them down, but it was if they were chasing mere shadows."-

"Shadows?"-

"What's going on here?" a voice shouted out. Prince John looked to see a band of Horse men approaching at quick pace. Upon the leading horse was none other than General Knives. The general was of average height; about 5 ft. 9 in. tall. He had long flowing blond hair in the shape of a ponytail. He wore a distinguishable red trench coat seemingly patterned in an early 19th century fashion. Beneath it was a glimmering armored chest piece. Accompanying General Knives was the Sheriff of Nottingham as well as soldiers of his staff. "And why are you indecent, your majesty."

"Bandits ran off with the gold, General." John implied, trying to conceal his long johns. "As well as my wardrobe."

"Bandits!"-

"They came in dressed as fortune tellers and conned me into believing that they could see my future. Foolishly, I accepted them and they ran off with my gold."-

"You mean my gold."-

"Could it have been Robin Hood?" The sheriff uttered.

"Without a doubt!" Prince John replied.

"I tried to warn you, Sire." Hiss said.

"Silence you…!"-

"Confound that Robin Hood!" The sheriff said. "He's always causing trouble for us."

"I take it that this Robin Hood has notorious reputation for being a master thief then?" General Knives implied.

"He's one of the best I think." Prince John said. "He's always managed to elude us."

"Then, I shall send in the best of my men to trek him down."-

"Believe me, we've tried that. But it seems as if they just disappear into the forest every time we're hot on their trail."-

"Well, perhaps you can some how lure him out." General Knives dismounted his horse. "We'll continue back to the castle. Meanwhile, on the way, why don't you inform me on the back ground of this Robin Hood? Is there anything that he may find of interest, or great value?"-

"We'll um…"-

The party continued on their way back to castle.

Meanwhile, the KH team followed the two bandits behind a raging waterfall into a hidden nook which acted as their hide out. The two undressed themselves out of their dressed and back into their green wardrobe.

"At least we managed to get away with this gold." The larger bandit implied.

"I agree." The smaller of the two added. "If it wasn't for these young men helping us, we would have been caught for sure." He walked up to Riku and Sora and shook their hands. "Thank you for helping us."

"Who are you exactly?" Sora asked.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Robin Hood. And my large companion next to me is my closest friend and ally, Little John."-

"Little?"-

"You're not the first one to make that mistake, kid." Little John chuckled. "Don't let the name fool you. In real life, I'm really big."

"I'm Sora. And these are my friends, Riku, Donald, and Goofy."-

"It's a pleasure." Robin Hood implied.

"So tell us what you two are planning to do with that gold?" Riku asked.

"What we intend to do is distribute it back to the poor in Nottingham. You see, Prince John has been burdening the people with heavy payments of taxes. Many of these simple folk are only given so much for their hard work, but are expected to pay twice of what they've earned. Because of this, many of the people can't even afford to feed their families, or clothe their children due to the high prices in taxes. Those who couldn't pay lost everything they owned, or were sent to jail. That is why we steal the money from Prince John, so as to give it back to the people."-

"Prince John's just the phony king of England." Little John implied.

"When you say phony King of England, do you mean he's just filling in for someone else?" Riku asked.

"Our true king, King Richard the Lion Heart," Robin explained, "Has gone off to fight in the crusades. His halfwit brother now abuses the power of royalty for his own amusement."

"To add," Little John said, "he's almost impossible to oppose now ever since he allied with that general."

"General?" Donald asked.

"Yeah, he's one of those generals in charge of what looks like a mercenary group. His men marching around in those black uniforms."-

"Black uniforms?" Goofy said.

"He also has shadows for soldiers."-

"Shadows?"-

"Heartless…" Sora whispered.

"Do you remember his name?" Robin Hood said. "Prince John said it once back in Nottingham."

"I think it was something like knives, or something." Little John replied.

"General Knives!" Sora said.

"Then it is him." Riku implied.

"You two know him?" Little John asked.

"He's the reason we've come in the first place." Sora said. "He is one of the five Blade Generals."

"Blade Generals?"-

"Five powerful commanders of the Midnight Faction. What he's trying to do is collect revenue for the Midnight Faction and he's using Prince John as his pawn."-

"He's collecting revenue?"-

"Why do you think Prince John is burdening the people with such high taxes?" Riku said. "He's using the people to pay for the faction's funding."

"In exchange, Prince John has gained a powerful ally." Robin said. "And he'll have no trouble seizing the throne itself."

"Then this will work out well for both of us. You want to stop Prince John from seizing control and we need to stop the faction from gaining revenue here. So the best course of action would be to help one another."-

"What do you propose we do?" Sora asked.

"We have to somehow create a rift between them and break up their alliance. Only when we break their alliance do we have a chance of winning this. Now, seeing Prince John, he doesn't seem like one who marches into battle first, so he'll be easy to subdue. But it is General Knives we have to put an end to. When we defeat him, not only do we gain the necessary data, but we also manage to save this world in the process."-

"That's sounds good!" Donald said.

"That sounds great!" Goofy added.

"That sounds like an excellent plan!" Sora chuckled. But as he finished his statement, there was a loud rumble from his stomach. "But first, you think I can have a little something to snack on."

"Sora, you're hopeless." Riku said with as smile, placing his arm around his best friend. "I guess there's no use doing anything on empty stomachs."

"Then let's pull out some grub." Little John implied. There was a good laugh amongst the group.

Back at the castle, General Knives joined with Prince John, Sir Hiss, and the Sheriff in a private meeting in the prince's counting room. He poured a brandy into four separate baubles and gave them to Prince John and his two well trusted subordinates. He then sat down with them.

"Now tell me all you know about this Robin Hood." Knives implied. "I want to know all the information you have regarding this elusive individual."

"I can tell you this much." Prince John replied. "Robin Hood is one of the craftiest thieves ever to roam about the English countryside. He is also considered to be the best archer in the land."

"An archer you say?"-

"Yes. And we have attempted to do all in our power to try and find him. He has been looting the parties that carry my taxes and your revenue."-

"He claims to give it back to the poor." The Sheriff added. "I believe that this rumor is true. The reason why is because no matter how heavy the taxes, some of the people manage to have extra coins on them. Go figure."

"For years I have been trying to catch Robin Hood and march him to the gallows." Prince John said again. "But I never manage to find him."

"Perhaps the best course of action would be to lure him to us somehow." General Knives instructed.

"How are we to do that though?" Sir Hiss asked.

"You say that he is the best archer in the land. Well, the best course of action would be to oblige him on his title. You must throw a public event and invite the greatest archers in the land. Once he hears word of this, Robin Hood will not be able to resist the temptation of participating. He'll be like the pike lured to the bait of a fisherman's hook."-

"But how do you know that Robin Hood will be lured into the trap. Even he wouldn't dare to chance being discovered just for the sake of proving his archery skills." Prince John implied.

"I can assure you that a man like that has his pride to worry about. He'll make an appearance. And without a doubt, he will come disguised. However, the detail of his disguise cannot hide his eye for targeting a bull's eye in the absolute center. I can assure you that the one who emerges victorious in this archery contest will be Robin Hood."-

It was at that moment a young woman entered the chamber.

"My Lord." She uttered. "I take leave to my quarters."

"Very well, my dear." Prince John implied. "I shall see you in the morning." The young woman curtsied and withdrew from the room. For that brief moment, this young vixen had caught the eye of General Knives.

"That young fox," he uttered, "who is she?"

"That is Maid Marian. She is staying here at the palace for a temporary period to make appearances to the people. We royals must show good image at times of turmoil you know."-

"Anything significant about her?"-

"Nothing out the usual, General." General Knives stood up and walked to the door.

"I shall return." General Knives walked out of the room. He quietly went down the hall, to the door of Maid Marian. The door was slightly ajar and he peeked in. There, he saw Marian dancing about. In the room with her was her helpful hand, Lady Kluck keeping her company.

"Aw me," Lady Kluck uttered, as she knitted yarn into the form of a blanket, "Young love. Oh, it's a grand thing."

"Surely he must know how much I still love him." Marian said, opening door of her wardrobe cabinet, revealing the wanted poster of Robin Hood. She looked at it with great passion.

"But of course my dear. Believe me my dear some day soon, your uncle, King Richard, will have an outlaw for an in-law."

"But when?"-

"Patience my dear, patience. Remember absence makes the heart grow fonder."-

"Of forgetful. I've been away so long. What if he's forgotten all about me?"-

"Oh you'd be surprised, my dear, how much such a loyal heart yearns for a familiar face."-

This conversation between Marian and Lady Cluck was all too clear to the general who at that moment thought of a perfect plan. He meandered back to the counting room where Prince John, Sir Hiss, and the sheriff were still sipping away at their brandy.

"I was wondering where you went off to." Prince John implied. "I must enlighten you on what we were discussing in your absence. Now just suppose that there is an archer out there that we don't know of, who has skills that even exceed Robin Hood's. What if that person were to win? We couldn't just assume that that was Robin Hood in a simple disguise could we?"

"If you're going to bring up an alternative plan," General Knives insisted, "Then I have a full proof strategy that is sure to lure the fox out of his layer. What have you decided on as the reward to be given to the winner?"

"I was thinking of giving the winner a golden arrow, forged by fifty of the purest gold coins within this counting room."-

"How about a consolation prize to add to that."-

"What is it that you had in mind?"-

"Tell me what Maid Marian's reputation is, other than being compassionate and being a royal."-

"She has a reputation for being one of the prettiest young women throughout England."-

"Then I suggest that we offer her as that consolation prize."-

"What! A royal being given to a mere peasant!"-

"No, just a kiss to the winner."-

"That's rather interesting." Prince John stood up. "Then it shall be declared that the winner of the championship archery contest shall receive the golden arrow and a kiss from the lovely Maid Marian."

"Well, that's in it for me." The Sheriff uttered, standing up with a love gaze in his eyes. "If there's a kiss an a little bit of gold in it all, then count me in." The sheriff dashed out of the room. "I better go tend to my bow!"

"That poor man has no chance whatsoever."-

"And how will Maid Marian's involvement in this help lure out Robin Hood?" Prince John asked.

"Not even he can put down being kissed by such beauty." General Knives implied.

"I suppose you are right."-

"Besides," Knives thought to himself, "knowing Robin Hood, if his heart is as loyal to Maid Marian as earlier stated, then he would do all in his power to prevent anything bad from happening to her. He will become reckless and hope to save her. And when that happens, the infamous, elusive bandit will finally be captured."

At this same time, Robin Hood and Little John were attending to the KH team, keeping them as comfortable as possible. Robin was responsible for cooking a thick stew. He sat near the pot stirring away. But at this time, he seemed rather odd, humming a sweet tune with the look of lightheadedness on his face. Little John on the other hand, wearing a white apron, was busy hanging the laundry. Sora and Riku sat down near a large boulder. Goofy and Donald polished their weapons near a large oak tree.

"Man," Sora uttered, his stomach rumbling, "I'm getting really hungry."

"Well, it's been a while since we've eaten." Riku added. "We could all use a little nourishment right now."

"Don't worry," Little John chuckled, as he hung up a shirt, "Supper is almost ready." He turned to Robin Hood who still stirred away at the stew and hummed. "Hey Rob, how's that grub coming man, we're starved." There was no answer as Robin continued to stir away. "Rob? Robin? Hello?" There was still no reply. Finally, Little John had to shout out. "Hey!"

"Hey what?" Robin Hood muttered, snapping out of his daze, "What did you say?"

"Oh forget it. Your mind is not of food. You're thinking about someone with long eyelashes and you smell their sweet perfume." However, the aroma that lingered was not that of sweet perfume. Instead, it was the strong, irritable smell of an overcooked meal. Little John began to cough as the aroma lingered in the air.

"Oh, the soup's boiling over!"-

"You're burning the chow!" Little John took the cauldron pot off the fire and placed it on a rock to cool.

"What happened?" Sora asked. "Did the food burn?"

"Is everyone alright?" Goofy said as he and Donald ran to see what was going on.

"Well, the food was just a little overdone." Riku implied as he inspected the contents within the pot.

"I'm sorry, Johnny." Robin Hood said humbly. "I guess I was just thinking about Maid Marian again."

"Maid Marian?" Donald asked.

"Who's Maid Marian?" Sora asked.

"Only the one woman that old Rob here has fallen head over heals for." Little John explained. "Every time, he thinks of her he acts like his head is up in the clouds."

"She really must have charmed you." Riku chuckled.

"She is the most beautiful sight I had ever bestowed my eyes on." Robin said. He wiped off the morsels of food from his shirt. "I can't help it. I love her, Johnny."

"Ah Rob, look why don't you stop moaning and moping around and just marry the girl." Johnny implied.

"Marry her? You don't just walk up to a girl, hand her a bouquet and say 'hey remember me? We were kids together. Will you marry me?' It just isn't done that way."-

"Aw c'mon Rob! Climb the castle walls, sweep her off her feet and carry off in style."-

"He's right Robin." Sora implied. "Express your love then there will be no denial after that."

"If you let this opportunity pass you up, you'll never have a second chance." Riku added.

"It's no use, fellows." Robin uttered. "I've thought it all up, it just wouldn't work. Besides, what do I have to offer her?"

"Well for one thing you can't cook." Little John said, sniffing the burnt stew.

"I'm serious Johnny! She's a natural born lady of quality!"-

"So she has class. So what?"-

"I'm an outlaw that's what! And that's no lifestyle for a woman like that, always on the run. What kind of life would that make for us?"-

"Ah, for heaven's sake son!" a voice shouted out, scaring the party. They looked to see an old badger friar standing there. "You're no outlaw. Why someday, you'll become a great hero."

"Who is that?" Donald asked.

"Oh, I see we have company." The old badger uttered. He shook the hands of the KH team. "Allow me to introduce myself, young sirs. I am Friar Tuck, the local member of the clergy. You might say that I'm the one who distributes the money to the people."

"Nice to meet you." Sora implied.

"You say that one day Robin will become a great hero?" Riku asked.

"That's right, young man. A great hero! When the rightful King, King Richard, returns, he will set things right and brand this outlaw as the savior of a nation!"-

"A hero, he says." Robin chuckled. "Did you hear that Johnny boy? We've just been pardoned."

"That's a gas." Little John said. "We haven't even been arrested yet."

"Alright, laugh you two rouges." Friar Tuck implied. "But there is going to be a big to do in Nottingham. The word is out that old Prince John is throwing a championship archery tournament tomorrow."

"Archery tournament, old Rob can win that thing standing on his head, eh Rob?"-

"Thank you Little John." Robin Hood replied, tipping his hat and bowing respectfully. "But I'm sure we're not invited."

"No, but there will be someone who'd be very disappointed if you don't come." Friar Tuck explained.

"Yeah, yeah," Little John said, "Old bushel britches, the honorable sheriff of Nottingham."

"No. Maid Marian…"-

"Maid Marian…?" Robin's heart began to pound.

"Yep, she's gonna give a kiss to the winner."-

"A kiss to the winner?" Robin suddenly began leaping for joy. "Oo-de-lally, c'mon Johnny, what are we waiting for!"

"Hold it there, Rob! Hold it!" Little John protested. "That place might be crawling with soldiers."

"Aw, but remember. Faint hearts have never won fair ladies!" Robin threw his had up in the air. He then shot an arrow with his bow. The arrow ricocheted off an iron pan, a rock, and the cauldron before flying skyward and hitting Robin's hat in thin air. The hat then landed gently upon his head again.

"That was cool." Sora said.

"Fear not my friends for this will be my greatest performance."-

"It's best that we keep an eye out though." Riku whispered to the KH team. "Knowing this, there might just be a ploy to capture him. It's best that we keep a close eye out tomorrow."

Night had passed quickly and the day of the tournament had arrived. There was great fanfare of the trumpets and the soldiers marched in a grand procession. To add, now there were now soldiers of the Midnight Faction who stood guard. They were posted in droves near the royal box. In the meantime, the rhino guards of Prince John stormed in unison before the surrogate king. Prince John sat on the king's high throne, which proved too big even for him. Next to him was Sir Hiss, dressed in an orange hat and cloak.

"Well, Hiss," Prince John uttered, "This is a red letter day, a Coup d'etat to coin the Norman fraise."

"Yes indeed, Sire." Hiss implied. "Your plan to capture Robin Hood is shear genius." Hiss heightened himself, confident of the plan, little knowing that he sat taller than Prince John.

"Hiss, no one sits higher than the king." He lowered his subject below his height. "Must I remind you, Hiss?"

"Oh do forgive me, Sire for not expressing my humility before you." It was at that moment that General Knives presented himself before the royal box.

"All troops have been stationed and the trap has been set." He said. "Now all we have to do is wait for our prey to reveal himself. I hope you don't mind if I seat myself for this upcoming military procession." He took the seat next to Prince John and admired the spectacle of the royal guards. This position, however, did not bode well in the eyes of Prince John, who found the general's actions insulting. Not only did General Knives not bow before him as he entered the box, or bother to stand at attention before the prince. Instead, he only walked in and sat himself down on the chair to the far left. However, Prince John did not dare to utter a word, knowing the position of power that the general took. After the military procession, the general stood up again. This time, he bowed respectfully, but indirectly at Prince John's side. "I take my leave, Sire. I shall continue to patrol the area for this insolent blackguard." He walked away without a second glance.

"How dare that man sit higher than the king." Prince John implied. "And how dare he not give me proper homage when he came before the royal box."

"Such insolence." Sir Hiss added. "He showed no humility when he sat down next to your majesty. In fact, he's had a scorn for you since our alliance was first formed."

"But then again, I am in no position to be badgering him about it." Prince John gazed at the soldiers in black who were stationed throughout the area. "I must have our alliance prevail. I can't gain control of this country without him. And I cannot afford to have General Knives turn against me."

"Then, you should do away with him, your majesty."-

"And declare war on the Midnight Faction? What a ridiculous notion."-

At the same time, Maid Marian and Lady Kluck were working their way passed the different color tents to the royal box. Maid Marian was ecstatic with joy as she had heard from Friar Tuck that Robin Hood was to be there, competing in the championship.

"Oh, Klucky!" she giggled as she danced about as if in a dream. "I know that Robin will be here. But how will I recognize him?"

"Oh he'll give you the hint." Lady Kluck replied. "That young rogue of yours is so full of surprises my dear." The two continued, not knowing that Robin Hood, Little John, and the rest of the KH team were watching from the thicket of trees. They had disguised themselves as peasants, except for Little John who acted the part of a nobleman. Robin Hood himself had dressed as a fiddle-legged stork.

"There she is, Johnny." He uttered as he emerged from the brush on his stilted legs. "Isn't she beautiful?"

"Cool it lover boy!" Little John said as he pulled Robin back into the bushes and placed a fake beak on his face. "Your heart's starting to run away with your head."

"Little John has a point." Sora implied. "We wouldn't want to blow our cover in such a hurry."

"Aw, stop worrying," Robin said, "This disguise could fool my own mother."

"Yeah, but your mom ain't here." Little John replied. He pointed out and there, the Sheriff of Nottingham came strolling through. "You got to fool old bushel britches." Robin only winked and, dressed like a stork, emerged from the bushes to confront the sheriff head on.

"Sheriff, your honor?" Robin spoke in a high squeaky voice to conceal his identity.

"Yeah?" The sheriff replied. Robin shook his hand hardily.

"It is a really pleasure. Meeting you face to face is a real treat, a real treat."-

"Well, thank you. Thank you kindly. Excuse me I got to go win this tournament." The sheriff wiped his hands on his coat not feeling comfortable with shaking hand of who he thought was a mere vagabond.

"He actually got away with it." Sora uttered.

"You wouldn't even know he was a fox." Donald implied.

"Come on, you guys." Riku said. "Let's mingle with the crowd."

"Alright." Goofy agreed. The KH team worked their way through the crowd.

"Hey, Rob's not a bad actor." Little John chuckled. "But wait till he sees the scene I lay on Prince John." With that, Little John emerged from the bushes and approached the royal box. In a high ranking tone, Little John introduced himself. "Ah, my lord, my esteemed, royal sovereign of the realm, the head man himself, you're beautiful."

"He has style, eh Hiss?" Prince John implied.

"You wouldn't mind if I called you P.J. would you?"-

"P.J. I like that! You know I do! Hiss, put it on my luggage!" Prince John gave a simultaneous snicker. "P.J…"

"And you…" Sir Hiss implied, rather brash. "Who might you be, Sir?"

"I am Sir Reginald." Little John replied in the best snooty accent he could muster. "Duke of Chutney." He then saw Hiss's serpent snake stick out. Taking the hat from atop the advisor's head, he stuffed it over Hiss's mouth. "And don't stick your tongue out at me, kid." Resuming his roll, Little John kneeled before the prince acting so humbly before him. Taking the Royals hand, he attempted kiss in respect, or so it seemed. "And now, your mightiness, allow me to lay some protocol on you."

"Oh no…!" Prince John said, pulling his hand away. "Forgive me, but I intend to lose more jewels that way. Please sit down."

"Thanks P.J. You can't get a better seat than this, the royal box." Little John sat himself on the chair in the far left of the box, right next to Sir Hiss.

At the same time, Riku and Sora, along with Goofy and Donald, gazed around the area. At every corner they turned, there were Midnight Faction soldiers standing on guard.

"Why the heck are there so many faction soldiers around?" Sora asked.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were getting ready for a big coup." Riku explained. "And Prince John will be too powerless to make a difference."

"If General Knives seizes power, he'll suck the population dry of their livelihood. Every scrap of gold, silver, and jewelry will go to funding the revenue of the faction."-

"And the funny thing is that the amount of revenue made here is barely at the 1 level."-

"Uh fellers?" Goofy implied. The KH team looked to see a company of soldier Heartless emerge from the ground. They spread themselves about, going on patrol.

"Heartless." Donald said.

"The Heartless must be looking for us." Sora said.

"We mustn't deploy our keyblades then." Riku replied. "Otherwise, it'll be our necks they'll be after. And we can't afford to confront Prince John as long as he obtains an alliance with General Knives. We have to somehow break up their alliance."

"But how do you know they will want to break up their alliance?"-

"A man like General Knives doesn't want an inept leader like Prince John to coexist with him."-

"Hey listen." Donald said. The four heard a sudden conversation emerge from behind one of the tents.

"I cannot afford to form an alliance with such an imbecile!" the voice shouted. The four hid in one of the vacant tents. They observed to see where the enraged voice was coming from. It was at that moment that General Knives appeared with one of his subordinates.

"It's General Knives alright." Sora said.

"That Prince John is nothing, but an incompetent royal with no responsible attitude except for the welfare of his own selfish pride!" Knives roared.

"I understand, sir." The subordinate agreed.

"The revenue we collect here doesn't amount to more than a single percentage level. I was only placed here to deter the keybearers from interfering with our main plans. I was hoping to form an alliance and gain vital information that might help us in our cause and to help strengthen our forces when the key bearers arrive, but there is nothing here for me to gain. Besides, this alliance was a mistake to begin with. That ignorant royal only wanted an alliance so he could seize power from his brother!"-

"Prince John is nothing to us, sir. Why not eliminate him from the picture."-

"That time will come soon. But my coup will commence as soon as Robin Hood is executed. That way, Prince John can be satisfied about his accomplishment before I kill him. To add, if the key bearers do arrive, they won't have the pleasure of forming an alliance with the bandit. It'll deprive them of the one individual that may allow them to gain a strong foothold in this world. Alert the troops, tell them to start the coup as soon as the bandit's head has been severed."-

"Yes sir." The two departed without saying anything further. Riku and Sora however had heard the entire plot and knew exactly what to expect.

"So, General Knives is planning to initiate a coup." Riku said. "This will be perfect for us to cause that rift in their alliance."

The trumpets blew and the contestants marched in respect before the royal box. Prince John, Sir Hiss, and Little John observed the procession. By now, Maid Marian and Lady Kluck had taken their seats in the royal box.

"I hope that you are enjoying our festivities, my dear." Prince John implied.

"Of course, Sire." Maid Marian replied.

"The finest archers in the land assemble to achieve the title of being the best."-

It was at that moment that Robin, dressed as a gangly stork, came romping up to the box, presenting himself before Maid Marian.

"Ah, your ladyship." He said with charm as he handed her a simple lily. "Begging your pardon, but it is an honor to compete for such a lovely lady like yourself. I hope I get the kiss." He winked at her in a playful gesture. Immediately, Marian knew who it was behind the mask. Recalling those familiar dark and beautiful eyes, she smiled.

"Why thank you my fiddle-legged archer." she whispered to him. "I wish you luck…with all my heart." Robin bowed respectfully and joined the other contestants at the firing line.

The captain of the guards presented himself before the royal box. In his hands, upon a velvet red pillow, he presented the golden arrow.

"Your highness," he said, "With your royal permission, we are ready to begin."

"Precede Captain." Prince John implied.

"Archers take your places. The Tournament of the Golden Arrow will now begin." The archers assembled at the firing line and made ready to open fire. There was a drum roll as the archers drew their bows. Then, almost in unison, they released their arrows and a hail of wooden projectiles hammered into the targets. For five minutes, the contestants released arrows until their ammunition was almost spent. Within that period of time, only two contestants stood out. One was of course Robin Hood and the other was the honorable, yet infamous sheriff of Nottingham, who came to closest to striking the bull's eye.

Robin however, despite trying to act as foolish and carefree as possible, could not help hitting the target's center at every draw of his bow. It was due to his continuous success of striking the center of the target that Prince John began to take notice.

"A perfect bull's eye." He uttered. "Well, well…"

"That's what you call pulling it back and letting it go, P.J." Little John chuckled.

"I know I'm gonna win that golden arrow." Robin pretended to brag, being highly enthusiastic. "And then I'm gonna present myself to the lovely Maid Marian."

"Listen scissor bill." The sheriff implied. "If you shoot half as well as you blabber mouth, you're better than Robin Hood."

"Robin Hood he says. Wow wee!" He slapped the sheriff on the back. "I'm tip top alright, but I'm not as good as he is." Robin once again drew his bow like an idiot and didn't bother aiming for the target. But despite that, his accuracy was deadly, striking the center of the bull's eye once again.

Riku and Sora continued to watch as Robin successfully struck the center of the target every time he shot.

"Doesn't he realize that he'll give himself away?" Riku uttered. "If he keeps striking that bull's eye dead center, he's gonna be singled out. Then no amount of disguise will be able to hide him."

"We have to warn him." Sora said.

"That's not a good idea. If we reveal ourselves, the faction will be coming after us. We need to turn Prince John and General Knives against one another. We have to leak out the information of Knives's coup somehow."-

At the royal box, by this time, Prince John's suspicions were starting to mount at the performance of this new archer who had appeared from out of nowhere. Little John, knowing the situation, began to boast the lad's talent.

"That kid's got class," he chuckled, slapping his knee. "Ain't he P.J?"

"Indeed he has, Reggie." Prince John clapped silently. "Bravo, bravo…"

"Archers, hold your fire!" The captain of the guards shouted. The contestants ceased their fire. The captain approached the targets and drew out the arrows from each target. "Attention everyone, the final contestants are the honorable sheriff of Nottingham." There was suddenly a great moan of detesting from the crowd as the sheriff presented himself. "And the spindle-legged stork from Devonshire." Immediately, there was a roar from the crowd. Great boasting and hurrahs for the young archer.

From the royal box, Maid Marian waved at the disguised Robin. Her gesture caught Prince John's eye.

"My dear," he said, "I suspect that you favor the gangly youth."

"Why yes, Sire." She replied. "At least he amuses me."

"Coincidently, my dear, he amuses me too."-

"For the final shoot out, move the target back thirty paces!" the Captain ordered. Soldiers moved one of the targets back thirty paces. The sheriff and Robin took their places. It was the sheriff who shot first and his aim was dead accurate as the arrow hit the very center of the bull's eye. The crowd detested the result.

"Well that shot wins the golden arrow, the kiss, and the whole caboodle." The sheriff chuckled. But as soon as he had uttered those words, Robin stepped up to the line and drew his bow. He released the arrow and with incredible results, he hit the very center of the bull's eye, slicing the sheriff's arrow in two. There was a great roar of cheering from the crowd. It was this final stroke, which proved to Prince John without a doubt it was the infamous bandit in disguise. Glancing at the captain of the guards, the signal was made.

"They know…" Riku implied. "Without a doubt, they know…"

Robin Hood waved to the crowd as he approached the royal bow. Little did he know that six rhino guards followed close behind him.

"My dear archer." Prince John declared. "You have shown great skill and talent today. It is here and now that you shall get what is coming to you…our royal congratulations."

"Oh thank you, your high and mightiness." Robin burst out loud, shaking the prince's hand. "Meeting you face to face is a real treat, a real treat." However, his acting did not fool Prince John as the prince already knew who he was.

"Release the royal fingers!" Prince John demanded, pulling his hand away. He then took his sword and posed as if to dub Robin. "And now I claim you the winner…or more appropriately…the loser." He suddenly slid his sword into Robin's coat and cut it in the back, revealing the bandit standing on high stilts. The crowd was shocked when they saw what had happened. "Seize him."

With that order, the six rhino guards tackled Robin, constrained him and bound him with rope and chain. By this time, General Knives had made his way to the royal box and witnessed the entire scenario.

"Excellent." He thought to himself. "Now Prince John will have no other choice, but to execute him and when that happens, our own alliance shall be broken and his severed head will be placed right next to Robin Hood's."

"I sentence you to sudden, instant, and immediate death!" Prince John declared.

"Oh no!" Maid Marian cried. She placed herself before the prince. "Please Sire, spare his life! I'm begging you, please have mercy."

"My dear emotional lady why should I?"-

"Because I love him, your honor."-

"Love him? And does this prisoner return your love?"-

There was a temporary silence as Robin and Marian gazed into each others eyes. Marian could only stare at those warm youthful eyes that she had known since she and Robin were children.

"Marian, my darling," Robin suddenly spoke, "I love you more than life itself." Marian's eyes filled with tears when she heard those words. It was without a doubt that Robin still loved her even after all these years.

"Oh young love," Prince John uttered most cruelly. "Your pleas have not fallen upon a heart of stone. The traitors to the crown must die!"

"Traitors to the crown!" Robin filled with a terrible anger, finding John's declaration to be merely an act of arrogance. "That crown belongs to King Richard! Long live King Richard!"

"Long Live King Richard!" the crowd shouted.

"Enough!" Prince John shouted, jumping up and down angrily. "I am King, King, King!" With a last sneer, he shouted out for execution. "Off with his head!" The sound of the execution drum began to bellow and the executioner, armed with a headman's axe began to approach. The people could only watch on helplessly as they saw the hooded man come closer.

"What a fool that bandit is." General Knives uttered to himself. "Shouting out that fiery declaration has only caused him to seal his own fate. But then again, it is for the best. Once his head falls, John's own will follow." But it was at that moment that he realized that Sir Reginald had disappeared. "Now where did that other noble bugger off to?"

There were tears in Marian's eyes. Not bearing to see her lover's head severed, she drew her head against Lady Kluck's lap and wept. Lady Kluck could only comfort her up to that point. It seemed that the end had come for the bandit and with him the hopes of the people. But then a change of fate occurred.

"Stop, executioner, stop!" Prince John suddenly bellowed. "Hold your axe!" The reason for this sudden change in heart is that Little John had managed to creep behind the royal box, directly behind the prince's chair. Grabbing him by the back of his shirt collar and holding a dagger to the middle of his back, Little John made his own threat on the royal.

"OK, big shot," he implied, "Now you tell him to untie my buddy, or I'll…" He dug the dagger into the prince's back. Prince John, knowing his life was in danger, began to plea for Robin's release.

"Sheriff, release my buddy…" Prince John said, "I mean release the prisoner!"

"Untie the prisoner?" the sheriff asked.

"You heard what he said, bushel britches!" Lade Kluck shouted.

"What on earth are you saying!" General Knives demanded. "Don't you realize that you have his life at your disposal! All you have to do is initiate that one order and Robin Hood's head will fall! Then your thirst for revenge would be completed!"

"I have to agree with the general, Sire." Sir Hiss implied. "You have been waiting all this time to capture Robin Hood and here's your chance to dispose of him for good."

"Give the order, Sire."-

"Just one little word and you won't have to worry about this upstart anymore." agreed the sheriff.

"Sheriff, I make the rules!" Prince John cried. "And since I'm head man…" He felt the dagger poke him on a sensitive spot on his back. "Not so hard you mean thing…" But Little John only dug the dagger deeper. "Let him go for heaven's sake! Let him go!"

"Yee hee!" Lady Kluck cried. "Love conquers all!" There was a great burst of cheers from the crowd.

"I don't understand this." General Knives implied to himself. "Just a few minutes ago, he was demanding for the bandit's death. Now he can't even stand the thought to shedding the blood of the one he despises?"

Robin had taken the chains and ropes off of him as Marian ran up to him. They embraced one another. He then gazed into her eyes.

"I owe my life to you, my darling." He said.

"I couldn't have lived without you." Marian replied. They embraced again so tenderly. This sudden twist of fate had the sheriff confused.

"There's something funny going on around here." He uttered. He noticed Prince John's posture and despite moving about, his head stayed in the same place the whole time. He went around the royal box to investigate. It was there that he saw Little John, holding a dagger up to the prince's back.

"OK, buddy." Little John uttered. "Now tell my pal to kiss Maid Marian, or I've just found a new pin cushion."

"Why you…!" The sheriff roared. He swung his sword, attempting to strike Little John. But Little John was too fast and managed to duck. He then nailed the sheriff with an upper cut to the jaw. However, the minute he released his hand, Prince John was once again free and his so called sympathy was transformed into burning aggression and hatred.

"Kill him!" he suddenly roared. "Don't stand there, kill him!" Robin and Marian were shocked at this declaration along with everyone else. The guards immediately went into action, attacking Robin. Robin pushed Marian away as he engaged in combat. Little John threw him a sword and the two engaged in combat against the guards.

"Damn!" General Knives implied. "A battle has ensued. If you wish to take revenge, cut the bandit down!"

"Yes, yes," Sir Hiss agreed. "Strike down Robin Hood, Sire!"

Prince John drew out his sword and attempted to strike from behind. But Robin easily saw the attack and with one strike, knocked the blade out of the prices hand.

"Don't hurt me." Prince John pleaded. "Please don't hurt me! Help!" He ran out of the royal box and hid behind and ale barrel.

"Your Majesty!" Sir Hiss cried.

"Such incompetence!" General Knives implied. "I will have to kill this bandit myself."

"Run for it Lassie!" Lady Kluck said to Mad Marian. "This is no place for a lady." Lady Kluck, using the golden arrow, engaged in battle against the sheriff and the guards as well.

Amidst the chaos of the confrontation, Riku and Sora could only watch on as the pandemonium spread.

"It's a fight, Riku!" Sora cried. "What'll we do!"

"The one thing that we can do!" Riku said. "We battle them! However…" Riku picked up two fallen swords. "It's best we only use our basic fighting skills. No magic, no energy waves, nothing that'll attract attention. We don't want the faction to realize that we're here yet."

"But that limits my own abilities." Donald said.

"Then find another way to combat these guys without magic!"-

"Let's go!" Sora cried.

The battle grew more intense as the guards continued to assault the small band of freedom fighters and their allies. Robin Hood tried his best to stay close and protect Maid Marian, Little John used his heavy staff to fend off the hordes of rhino guards, Lady Kluck and Friar Tuck engaged in battle as best they could, the peasants scrambled to an area where they knew they'd be safe, and the KH team fought off the bulk of the attacking soldiers coming in as reinforcements.

"These peasants are pathetic." General Knives uttered. "Faction soldiers, to the front!" Just as he had given the order, it seemed as if the enemy forces had increase in numbers by ten fold. Now, faction soldiers rushed in to fight alongside the royal guards to eliminate the rebellion.

"Great!" Sora said. "Now the faction is starting to battle against us."

"The majority of these soldiers don't know who we are though." Riku said. "Let's keep it that way until the time is right." Many of the soldiers who confronted the band of merry men were struck down suddenly and defeated. However, things would change once General Knives entered the fray.

Robin Hood managed to fend off thirty of the rhino guards, the captain of the guards, and the sheriff of Nottingham, but it was in confronting General Knives that the situation would drastically change.

"You are quite skilled, Robin Hood." The general implied.

"And who might you be?" Robin Hood asked.

"I am General Knives, leader of the Midnight Faction's 2nd legion."-

"So I finally get to engage in a one on one battle with the infamous leader."-

"You should know that you stand no chance against me." General Knives suddenly unleashed twin swords from beneath his flowing red overcoat. "You confront an elite member of the Blade generals."

Robin Hood, with his sword dawn, attacked the general, but Knives was too agile and too quick for the bandit.

"You are a fool." General Knives implied. "If that is the best of your fighting skills, then you really are in trouble."

Robin Hood fought valiantly against the general, but it was apparent how wide the gap was between their fighting skills. Robin Hood, who excelled mostly in archery, had little knowledge in the manner of sword play. General Knives could have easily danced circles around him.

"Why don't you stand still and fight me right!" Robin demanded.

"Awfully overconfident aren't we?" General Knives implied.

"Perhaps if you'd actually fight me head on, you'll realize that I'm more skilled than you think!"-

"I can't help put down a death wish. Very well, but you will regret ever emitting such a declaration." Suddenly, General Knives attacked head on, using his double blades to battle. He struck at Robin Hood with simultaneous blows. Robin had realized that he was entirely outclassed by this officer and could only use his sword to defend himself.

"Robin's in trouble!" Little John cried.

"I'll give him a hand!" Friar Tuck shouted.

"I don't think so, fat friar!" a voice shouted out. Friar Tuck looked around to see that he was practically surrounded by faction soldiers and rhino guards. "Lay down your arms." Friar Tuck, not wanting to lose his life in such a meaningless fashion, dropped his staff. Little John, unable to give further aid, could only continue fighting on his own.

Several other peasants had been captured and shackled and were sent back to the castle dungeon.

It was the KH team that continued the brawl and made it difficult for the faction and the royal guards to quell the rebellion.

"These guys are starting to get on my nerves!" Riku implied.

"I'm with you there!" Sora added.

"Don't give up!" Goofy cried as he smacked several guards at the same time with the flat edge of his shield. It was in the midst of this battle that they saw Robin fighting and losing to General Knives.

"Riku," Sora cried, "General Knives is fighting Robin!"

"I'll go to his aid!" Riku said. "Keep up the battle!" Riku lowered his sword and rushed to where Robin Hood was doing battle.

"Riku wait, I'm coming to help you!" But as Sora attempted to break from combat to follow his friend, he confronted the Sheriff of Nottingham.

"Sorry, kid," the sheriff said. "You'll have to get through me first!"

"Get out of my way!"-

"I think not! And I believe I should be more than a match to a whelp like you!"-

"Idiot! You don't get it do you!"-

"What was that!" Sora and the sheriff engaged in hand to hand combat. Heavy sword clashed with heavy sword, causing sparks to fly.

"What's the point of fighting me!" Sora said. "You have other enemies to worry about!"

"What are you blathering about, kid?" the sheriff asked. Sora managed to push the sheriff away after a temporary deadlock between the two.

"Even if you did win against me, you still wouldn't have extinguished all your enemies."-

"Enemies?"-

"One of your enemies happens to be the one man that your prince has allied himself with."-

"General Knives?"-

"That's right. General Knives plans to start a coup against Prince John and gain total control!"-

"You lie!" The sheriff charged again and the two clashed swords again.

"It's the truth! You really think that someone like General Knives would allow himself to coexist with a leader like Prince John! He only allied himself with you so as to find out as much information as he can about you! Now that he has acquired all the necessary data, that makes you and Prince John unnecessary to him. He intended to break the alliance when you killed Robin Hood. He only wanted Prince John to savor his revenge. Once that was over, he could kill Prince John and all those closest to him without knowing he owed any favors!"-

"How do I know that this isn't all some big story you made up!"-

"Why do you think General Knives has been acting rather dominant and rebellious at times, even though he is a mere general? He knows that you and Prince John are no threat to him! Not only was his alliance formed to help gain knowledge about you, but also to get rid of my friends and I? he has no intention of helping Prince John take over this country!"-

"And what do you and General Knives have in common?"-

"We came here to stop him!"-

"And who are you exactly?"-

"I am a key bearer!"-

"A key bearer?"-

"We're the ones that he's after. When my friend Riku aids, Robin Hood, General Knives would've already figured out who we are. Then there will be no need to conceal ourselves any further."-

"And why would he want to get rid of you!"-

"Because we're trying to help save this world from being taken over! Once the Midnight Faction has gained its dominance in this world, there would be o need for any other dominant rulers!"-

At the same time, Riku continued to work his way to where the battle between Robin and Knives was taking place. Robin Hood, by this time was being pounded by General Knives.

"Do you now realize the large gap between us?" General Knives implied. "You stand no chance against the likes of me!" With one final blow, General Knives broke shattered Robin's sword in half. Robin fell to the ground, his broken weapon laying next to him. "So much for the infamous Robin Hood."

"Sir!" one of the soldiers interrupted. He and another soldier had managed to capture Maid Marian. "We've captured to girl!"

"Excellent."-

"Marian!" Robin cried.

"Robin!" Marian replied.

"You let her go!"-

"And what if I refuse to obey?"-

"I swear that if you harm a hair on her head…!"-

"Stop there!" General Knives approached Maid Marian and plucked a single hair from her head. He then broke it in half. "You were saying?" He turned towards the guards. "I want her to witness as I bring an end to the life of her lover." General Knives drew out his sword. Holding over his head, he made ready to deliver the final blow.

Suddenly, a voice cried out from afar.

"Robin!" it cried. General Knives looked to see Riku coming straight at him. Pushing his way through the crowd of soldiers, he rushed to the aid of the bandit.

"And who is this reckless youth who wishes to lose his life at such a young age?"-

"Riku!" Robin cried. It was that single word that caused General Knives's heart to sink.

"What did you say?" he uttered, his eyes filled with shock. Riku leaped upward and landed before Robin, shielding him from Knives. "It's you! Noctin Tilandir!"

"That's right." Riku replied.

"But how long have you been present in this world?"-

"Long enough to know your real plan! You only came here for the sake of luring us away from the key worlds that were the most important to the faction. Yet, you are important to us because you hold the key."-

"Yes, yes, I am quite significant to you aren't I." General Knives lowered his sword. "My intentions in this world are absolutely meaningless. This world was just one of those unfortunate worlds that happened to be opened to the Heartless. Otherwise, there is no other significance about it. But I'm sure you already figured that out."

"Enough talking and let's finish this!"-

"Oh, that won't be necessary." General Knives drew back his blades. "I feel rather fatigued now. Let's call it a day shall we?"

"What are you talking about?"-

"In other words, we should battle next time, when I'm more in the mood."-

"Don't give me that! You'll fight me here and now!"-

"I refuse to do so."-

"Then, I'll force you to fight me."-

"Idiot, you try to force me and there will be some heartbreak today." General knives pulled out one of his swords again and held it against the tender, young throat of Maid Marian. "That is unless you want this young woman to die."

"Marian!" Robin Hood cried.

"Go ahead and force me to battle." Knives chuckled. "But you'll regret it if you do. We can battle if you want, but as a result for forcing me, I'll have to take this young maiden's life. And I'm sure that's not what you want. So go ahead and insult me, put me down. Pressure me enough and I'll draw my swords, but not after I cover one of my blades with this woman's blood."

"You monster…"-

"That's it, keep fanning the flames."-

Riku did not utter another word and threw down the sword he carried. He didn't bother to release his keyblade.

"We're withdrawing back to the castle!" General Knives ordered. "All units withdraw. Take all prisoners back to the dungeon. Leave Riku and that bandit here, but take the girl."

"Robin!" Marian cried.

"Marian." Robin uttered. He watched as the faction and the royals all withdrew from the field, taking his love with them.

"Riku, what happened?" Sora asked as he and the rest of the KH team came running to him. "Did you fight General Knives?"

"I couldn't." Riku implied.

"Why not?"-

"He had the blade at Marian's throat. He threatened to kill her if I dared to fight him. I couldn't fight him." Riku fell to his knees. "Have I really become that soft? Before, I would have fought him, no matter what the circumstances? Have I grown soft?"

"Riku…" Robin implied. "I think you made the right decision. If you had not restrained yourself, Marian would have been killed. I thank you for making the right choice not to engage."-

"It wasn't weakness, Riku." Sora uttered, kneeling next to his best friend. "I think you've matured in attitude and have realized that being soft doesn't necessarily mean being weak."

"Thanks Sora."-

"Well, now what do we do?" Donald asked.

"We're gonna get Maid Marian and the rest of those people out of the clutches of the faction." Riku said. "We're gonna rescue them."

"That's a good idea." Robin implied. "We should plan a jailbreak later tonight. The we'll…"-

"No…"-

"What do you mean no?" Goofy asked.

"Explain Riku." Sora asked.

"We won't plan a night raid on the castle." Riku continued. "We're storming the castle now."

"Why now?"-

"General Knives would expect us to plan a night raid, but he would never suspect a full out counterattack just after a large battle. His men are tired and exhausted, which will give us the edge."-

"But to attack a heavily guarded castle in broad daylight?" Little John implied.

"Little John is right." Robin Hood added. "That would be mere suicide."-

"When matched against our power," Riku chuckled, "They won't stand a chance, no matter how thick the walls are."

"Riku's right!" Sora shouted.

"Let's give the faction a fight to remember!" Donald cried.

"Yeah!" the KH team shouted.

"They've lost their minds." Little John said, "Attacking the high walls of a heavily guarded castle head on and in broad daylight no less."

"But then again, we haven't seen what they can do in battle yet." Robin implied.


	9. Master of the Twin Swords

Master of Twin Swords

Once returning to the castle, it was now apparent that there was a rift between General Knives and Prince John. There was sudden tension mounting between the two commanders now and it could be felt throughout the castle. General Knives sat in the counting room, pouring himself a glass of brandy.

"The key bearers are here now and I had no way of knowing." He thought to himself. "That worthless royal has allowed them to ally themselves with Robin Hood. Now, there is no guarantee of absolute success now. But perhaps I can change that. I know that Robin Hood is no match for me. But Riku and Sora may prove to be a much larger challenge. And if they manage to fuse together, I may have quite a lot of trouble on my hands." It was at that moment that two faction soldiers had brought Maid Marian and Lady Kluck.

"We have brought them as you ordered, sir." One of the guards uttered.

"Leave us." The guards left, leaving the two women before him. "You thought that you were pretty clever didn't you? You thought that by opposing us you'd be closer to your love. But that bandit has dared to oppose the greater power and must be eliminated."

"But Robin is only doing what he thinks is best for the people." Maid Marian implied. "He is only looking after their livelihood and wants to see them happy."

"Those peasants are of no concern to me. Their fates I could care less about. All I know is that Robin Hood has made it difficult for me to collect the revenue for the Midnight Faction. That is a slight deterrent for me. The faction could use free money and what better way to get it than to take it from those who are not worthy of having a life of luxury."-

"These people are poor enough as it is. A single gold farthing is equal to a king's ransom to them. They barely have enough money to pay for the homes they live in, the clothing that they wear, and the food that they eat. They starve every day. And ever since Prince John took over, he's been increasing taxes and causing severe poverty amongst the masses."-

"Well, if those people intend to die miserably, then they'd better get it over with and decrease the surplus population as soon as possible."-

"How can you be so heartless?"-

"Quite easily, my dear." General Knives stood up and sipped his brandy. There was a slight silence before he began to speak again. "This is what I shall do. I shall help increase the revenue back to the people and giving money back to them…" There seemed to be some hope behind his words, but it turned out to be a plan more sinister than expected when he finished his statement. "And I shall increase the take in of the money by the people by decreasing the population."

"What do you mean decrease the population?" Maid Marian asked. "In order to decrease the population, you'd have to…" Her eyes became filled with a great fear as she realized what he had meant. The sinister grin upon the general's face was too apparent. "You wouldn't…"

"I told you that the fate of the people is of little matter to me. I will decrease the population by executing the twenty-five people we took prisoner in the tournament rebellion. I will also execute Friar Tuck for insurrection against the faction." Knives sipped more brandy from his bauble. "Guards!" The two faction soldiers reentered the room. "Take these two back to their quarters. Keep them locked up unless I say so. And if they try to escape, kill them." The faction soldiers saluted and escorted Maid Marian and Lady Kluck out of the room. "I'm sure that ruffled their feathers a little bit."

Suddenly, Prince John stormed into the room, severely angry. He was accompanied by the Sheriff of Nottingham, Sir Hiss, and a dozen rhino guards. He presented himself before the general.

"General Knives," he shouted, "I place you under arrest for conspiring against the crown!"

"What on earth gave you that notion that I was conspiring?" General Knives asked.

"The Sheriff has told me that you were planning to engage in a coup against me!"-

"And how did he come to that conclusion?"-

"He was informed by one of our enemies. One of these so called key bearers that you had mentioned!"-

"And how do you know what the key bearer said isn't a lie?"-

"I have my notions! You are too domineering and your continuous lack of respect for me only points out that you are a man who wants the power all for yourself!"—

General Knives placed down his bauble and chuckled.

"You certainly are barking loudly aren't you, boy?" General Knives said. "But you didn't seem to be barking as loud when you had to confront Robin Hood. Instead, you ran from battle with your tail ducked between your legs." General Knives placed his hands behind him. "And a mongrel dog who dares to duck his tail between his legs and runs from battle should not bark!"

"How dare you…"-

"It's true. You only speak loud when you know you're behind your pompous guards and your think walls. But the spectacle earlier this afternoon has guaranteed that you are not much of a threat to me. You were right that I was planning to start a coup against you and seize your power. However, it is within my opinion that you must first have your own revenge fulfilled and that is by killing Robin Hood. When you allowed Robin Hood to escape, you might say that was a godsend on your part. Otherwise, if you would have executed him at the tournament, your head would have been laying beside his."-

"You mean you really intended to kill me and start a coup?"-

"Your revenge would have been savored and no one deserves to die without having their revenge savored. Only after that would I kill you." General Knives suddenly deployed his twin swords, swooped forward and held the blades to the prince's throat. "But if you would like, I can kill you now. Now your guards might butcher me, though I doubt they're skilled enough to do so, but I can assure you that I'll severe your jugulars before they even have the opportunity to draw their blades. Now you have two choices." He held the blades tighter against the prince's throat. "One, you can submit to me and declare me as the soul leader here, or I can just end your life and risk mass murder." There was tension within the counting room. But suddenly, Prince John turned to his men.

"Lower your arms." He uttered. The guards did as they were ordered and lowered their arms.

"You made the right decision." General Knives lowered his swords. "Now pledge your loyalty to me." Prince John hesitated, but managed to kneel before the general and pledge his loyalty.

"I swear absolute loyalty to you, sir." Prince John said.

"Excellent." He looked at the others. "And what do you all say?"

"We pledge our loyalty to you." All within the room kneeled before the general.

"Then your first act of loyalty is to arrest Prince John and lock him in the dungeon."-

"But I have pledged loyalty to you!" Prince John pleaded.

"No offense, but I can't allow someone like you smearing my reputation. Sheriff, take him away. And as a precaution, I will have my guards follow you to see if you are as loyal as you say you are."-

"Yes sir." The sheriff replied. As he assisted Prince John up, Knives snatched the crown from atop his head.

"This will be an excellent boost in our revenue." He tossed the crown upon the bags of gold. He then turned to the guards. "This is my first order as your new leader. Go to the walls of the castle and prepare for an attack!"

"Sir!" The rhino guards cried. "They marched out of the room towards the battlement.

"Without a doubt, we will be attacked by those keybearers and the bandit." He turned to Sir Hiss who remained in the room. "Make a declaration that Friar Tuck will be the first of the prisoners to be executed tomorrow. We'll make it a public execution."

"Executed?" Hiss asked.

"I will use that overstuffed clergymen as bait to ensnare Robin Hood and the key bearers."-

"Another trap?"-

"Of course, once my declaration of execution for tomorrow has been announced, Robin Hood will have no choice, but to save his comrade."-

"But hang Friar Tuck, a man of the church?"-

"That is the best way to lure out the prey, by providing bait. And that friar is fat enough to fulfill that roll. And once our elusive hero comes to rescue him that is when we strike."-

"An excellent plan then, sir."-

"You think so? If that is true, then you truly don't know how to read this man's thoughts. Once he catches wind of this, he will attack prematurely by initiating a jailbreak and save Friar Tuck. However, having concern for the people and their livelihood, he will have to fulfill at least four other goals. One is of course to save Friar Tuck, the second would be to save the twenty-five prisoners in the tower dungeon, the third is to steal the gold and return it to the people, and the forth would be for his own love confined in her quarters. Thus, he'll be confined within these walls for an extended amount of time. That gives us plenty of time to trek him down and capture him." General Knives picked up his bauble and sipped more brandy. "Now go and carry out with my orders."

"Yes General." Hiss bowed respectfully and withdrew from the room. General Knives was left alone in the room. He sipped again from his cup and smiled.

"By tomorrow morning, the key bearers and that master thief shall be dead and there will be nothing to deter the Midnight Faction from achieving its goal."-

Despite his plan being full proof, General Knives had not taken into account that the KH team and its allies would storm the castle by that late afternoon. The sun was already on the verge of setting and the entire countryside was silhouetted under a beautiful sky of deep yellows, oranges, and reds. The castle was heavily guarded and faction soldiers and royal guards, as well as a few dozen heartless were now on patrol. It was at this particular point in time, that one soldier gazed into the west. Looking at the town, he saw no one stir about, no one emerge from their homes. All was quiet on the western front and no suspicious activity was taking place. But then, something caught his attention. As he gazed at the main road, leading to the castle, he saw six figures emerged from over the crest of the hill. The six suddenly stopped and stood their vigilant for a minute, or two. The KH team had arrived along with Little John and Robin Hood.

The KH team observed the heavily fortified castle and saw dozens of soldiers seated atop the walls, most of them faction soldiers.

"So now what is the plan?" Robin Hood asked.

"Sora, Donald, Goofy, and I will distract the guards by concentrating all their manpower on us." Riku implied. "While we're doing that, I want you and Little John to rescue Friar Tuck and Maid Marian and fulfill as many goals as needed."

"But you'll be facing against at least seven hundred soldiers at the same time." Little John implied. "That's over hundred and fifty of them to every one of you."

"Don't worry about it." Sora chuckled. "We've faced far worse odds than that."

"Just let us do the fighting." Riku insisted.

"Very well." Robin uttered. "But what makes you think that you stand a chance storming against a heavily guarded castle."

"We have our ways."-

"Should we engage in a fusion?" Sora asked.

"That won't be necessary." Riku suddenly increased his power and seven fire balls emerged over his head. "These guys won't put up much of a fight. Besides, we have to stall for time as best we can." The sight of the fireballs over Riku's head was rather frightening to Robin Hood and Little John who had never seen such a sight before.

"How are you doing that?" Little John asked.

"Is it some sort of magic?" Robin Hood asked.

"More like our inner strength that can take shape into any element we please." Riku replied. "This little maneuver is called the Cinder Canister. It'll be able to blast giant holes in the outer walls like they were nothing." Riku deployed the seven fire balls against the west wall in several locations.

Suddenly, there was a series of loud explosions and the majority of the wall blew away, great masses of falling masonry landed upon the defenders.

"Alright, you guys!" Sora deployed his keyblade. "Let's go!"

"To the end!" Riku added, deploying his keyblade as well. The four attacked, leaving Robin Hood and Little John to slink under the noses of the defenders undetected.

This sudden attack on the castle was unexpected for General Knives who continued to savor the taste of his brandy. When the castle shook violently, he wondered if there was some sort of seismic activity commencing.

"What in hell's name was that?" he uttered. It was then that one of the faction soldiers ran into room.

"Sir, the key bearers," he cried, "The key bearers are attacking the castle!"

"What's that? That can't be! That's a complete impossibility!"-

"They've demolished the western wall!"-

"You lie! How could they demolish the wall without explosives! Explosives don't even exist in this world!" General Knives rushed to the battlements to see what had caused the massive explosion. Sure enough, as he gazed out, he saw the defenders fighting off the KH team as best they could. "But how in the world could they be able to defend themselves against over a hundred times their number?" General only sighed and then grinned. "Oh well, it's not as if the fate of those soldiers are of any concern to me. They're confident now, but sooner or later those two key bearers will tire themselves out. Once they reach me, they'll be too tired to continue." General Knives only turned and went back to the counting room to finish his cup of brandy, having little concern for the presence of the KH team.

By this time, faction soldiers, royal guards, and at least three hundred heartless, including a dozen behemoths, descended upon the KH team, but Riku and Sora had no concern for their fate, knowing that they were more than a match for them. Goofy and Donald, through their journeys with Riku and Sora, had vastly improved in their own fighting skills. In the process of the battle, they had done several acts of fusion to further increase their power and destroy the stronger of their foes, especially when it came to fighting against the monstrous behemoths that stood almost three stories high. To add, since their confrontation with the Cavendish Shinobis and the Imperial forces of the Dark Empire, Riku and Sora had excelled in physical and inner strength and had gained more destructive powers they would not have otherwise gained before when confronting the Heartless. Due to this powerful upgrade, there were instances that there was no need for temporary fusion. In the course of the battle, Sora deployed many of his more powerful elemental strikes such as the Tundra Canister, the Twister Strike, Lu Bu's Seismic Stomp, and the infamous Corona Flash Barrage. Riku did the same as well, initiating powerful attacks like the Iceberg Shurikens, Cinder Canister, Hurricane Slash, Shadow Decoys, and the infamous Musou attack. These widespread techniques were ones that easily did away with the enemy and put previously learned techniques to shame.

"This is too easy." Sora said, as he slashed through the ranks of the soldier Heartless. "It's so easy that it's scary."

"Don't get too cocky, Sora." Riku implied. "They still outnumber us a hundred to one and we need to conserve as much of our energy as possible."

"Concentrate all your devastating attacks on the bulk of the enemy." Donald shouted. "Take out as many as you can with one swoop."

As the KH team continued to battle against the defenders of the castle, Robin Hood and Little John had managed to slip by the masses of the enemy without being detected.

"Those guys are concentrating on Riku and Sora." Little John implied.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Robin replied. "After what I've seen them do, I'd probably concentrate on defeating them first as well if I were the enemy." Robin ran to the prison door and snatched the keys that hung from a small wrack just outside the barred gate. "Alright Little John, you free Friar Tuck and the others while I go for the royal treasury and rescue Maid Marian."

"Be careful, Rob."-

"Hey, it's me…"-

"And that's precisely why I'm worried."-

As Robin scampered off to rescue his love and return the gold to the people, Little John rushed into the prison. While entering, he was a door that had the saying _'Death for Treason.'_ It was without a doubt that Friar Tuck had been placed in that cell. He opened the door to see the fat friar shackled to the wall. Friar Tuck opened his eyes.

"Oh, little John," He said, amazed, "It can't be."

"I'm gonna bust you out of here." Little John implied as he unshackled hi comrade.

"Thank God, my prayers have been answered."-

The two quickly rushed out of the cell and started heading to the main cell where the twenty five civilians were being held prisoner. But as they did, they came by another solitary cell and from behind the door, there came pleas for help. Little John realized that the cell door had a small opening hatch, so one could peep in to see who was inside without unlocking the door itself. As he peeked in, he saw none other than Prince John sitting on the floor.

"Well, well, well," Little John chuckled, "If it isn't the phony King of England."

"Prince John?" Friar Tuck uttered as he looked in as well. "How did you get imprisoned?"

"You must've done something bad again haven't you?"-

"No it's not that." Prince John implied. "I was over thrown by that General Knives. He initiated a coup against me."

"By the way you act, I wouldn't be surprised."-

"Would you be so kind as to let me out?"-

"Nothing doing, I don't trust you."-

"I'll see that you are handsomely rewarded for you action."-

"Just so you can tax me out of my money again? Forget it. Besides, that reward money will only come from the pockets of the people. And swindling them out of their money is something that I refuse to take part in!" Little John turned away and continued towards the main prison. "C'mon Friar."

"I hope you won't take this personally, your majesty." Friar Tuck uttered. "But I've wanted to say something to you for a while now."

"And what is that?"-

"Get stuffed." Friar Tuck snickered and ran off.

"You fools, I'll see that you all hang for this!"-

The two reached the main cell and began to free all of the prisoners.

In the meantime, Robin Hood headed towards the counting room, where Prince John had placed all the taxes. As he rushed down the corridor and entered through the door, what he discovered was an incredible sight. There was a great deal of gold, much of it placed in bags while other coins were stacked high in little towers. The sight was a sight to behold, all that wealth and it all being spent for the sake of the rich and powerful.

"I guess I don't have to worry about the counting room since the gold won't be going anywhere?" Robin uttered to himself. He quickly rushed out of the counting room and dashed for Maid Marians headquarters. Upon reaching her quarters, he opened the door and rushed into the room. However, Maid Marian was nowhere to be found.

"Marian!" Robin cried. "Marian, where are you!" It was then that he heard a muffled cry coming from the closet. He opened the wardrobe door and found Lady Kluck tied and gagged. "Lady Kluck," he quickly untied her, "Are you alright?"

"Thank you, lad." she implied.

"Who did this to you?"-

"That scurvy louse of a general was the one what did it to me."-

"General Knives?"-

"Aye, he just barged in and tied me up. He then took Marian."-

"Where's Marian."-

"I don't know."-

"Come, let's rejoin the others." But as they turned to exit out of the room, they came across another foe, The Sheriff of Nottingham.

"Well, well, well," he chuckled, "Would you take a look at what I found here? It looks like the hero's trying to find his love."

"Where is Maid Marian, Sheriff?"-

"I don't know and I really don't care. All I care about is putting an end to your miserable life." The Sheriff drew his sword and held it against Robin Hood and Lady Kluck. "I've been waiting a long time to do this and now my time has come. After so long, after all this time planning and plotting, I finally get to savor my revenge. I finally get to eliminate the one great foe that has been a thorn in our sides for all this time. But now, standing here, I am now able to deliver the final…"

"Enough! Enough," Robin roared.

"Hey, it's not polite to interrupt!" But the sheriff realized that Robin and Lady Kluck had a strange glare in their eyes. "What are you looking at me like that for?"

Suddenly, the two snatched the sheriff and pulled him into the room. There was a sudden scuffle and the next instant, the sheriff found him self tied and gagged and thrown in to the closet. He shouted and screamed in muffled cries. Robin Hood and Lady Kluck just looked at him with that same funny look on their face.

"If you're gonna fight, then fight, don't talk." Robin implied. "Too much talking gets you nowhere."

"Just like a typical villain." Lady Kluck added. "They always monologue too much."

The battle outside soon died down as many of the faction soldiers and royal allies were slain by the keybearers. Others dropped their weapons and fled instead of being taken prisoner, fearing bloody retribution from their enemies. All Heartless soldiers, including the one dozen behemoths, were extinguished. The peasants rushed out into the courtyard and inhaled the fresh air of freedom. As they did, Little John and Friar Tuck, being the last ones to exit the prison, again passed the cell where Prince John was held.

"Will some one get me out of here." They heard him cry.

"I just can't stand to hear that pitiful sound." Friar Tuck implied.

"You're right." Little John added. "I'd hate to see someone cry for help like that, even though he is a no good, slithering, blubbering, weaseling, miserable, pompous old twit." He opened the little peeking hatch on the door. "Alright, John, we'll give you a hand."

"Aw, thank you, thank you." Prince John implied. Little John threw him the key that unlocked his cell.

"We're in a bit of a hurry though. So if you wouldn't mind, could you let yourself out?"-

"I can do that." The prince snatched the key from the ground.

"I'm glad that we came to a mutual agreement." Little John and Friar Tuck continued on their way. It was only after they left that the prince realized that his arm couldn't reach the lock through the little hatch. He was in fact too small to even reach the little hatch.

"Hello!" he cried out. "I can't reach the lock! Hello!"

Friar Tuck and Little John bawled out laughing as they exited the jail.

"I can't believe he actually fell for it." Little John chuckled. "Even though he has the key, it's worthless if he can't reach the lock."

"Mind you that was still a treacherous deed you conspired." Friar Tuck chuckled.

"Treacherous deed, or not, that was downright hilarious."-

At this time, some of the peasants had managed to retrieve bags of gold from the counting room and distributed it amongst the other grateful subjects. Robin Hood and Lady Kluck reunited with Little John, Friar Tuck, and the KH team.

"You boys certainly did an excellent job fighting the faction, the heartless, and the royals all by yourselves." Robin implied.

"This was a mere exercise session for us." Sora chuckled.

"Quit bragging." Riku implied.

"We did it." Donald chuckled.

"Yeah, we did it!" Goofy added.

"It's not over yet though." Robin implied.

"What do you mean it's not over yet?" Little John asked.

"He took Marian."-

"He?" Friar Tuck asked.

"General Knives."-

"General Knives again," Riku said, "That guy's really starting to get on my nerves."

"Riku," Sora implied, "We still need to find General Knives and bring him to justice."

"He still has the key to deactivate the Apocalypse Cannon as well as the one piece to help rescue King Mickey, Queen Minnie, and Daisy."-

"We have to trek him down now."-

"Aw, there will be no need to engage in such a hasty action, my dear boys!" a voice suddenly shouted.

"Up there!" Goofy cried, pointing a demolished section of the wall. The party looked up to see the infamous general, standing upon the destroyed walkway of the wall. In his arms, he held Maid Marian, his sword drawn in a threatening manner.

"General Knives…" Riku said with a sneer.

"I must congratulate you on your instant success over the faction in this world." General Knives said. "However, I have more important things to do than to converse with the likes of you. I have places to go and people to kill, so there is little time to be fraternizing." He presented Maid Marian to the party. "I suppose you are looking for her, bandit?"

"Robin, help." Maid Marian cried.

"Marian!" Robin shouted. "Knives, you let her go this instant!"

"There is only one way for me to guarantee success now." General Knives chuckled. "Only through her can I bend fate in my favor."

"You are a coward, General!" Riku shouted, "Hiding behind a defenseless woman in such a way!"

"Talk all you want, Noctin Tilandir, but talking doesn't get you anywhere, only through action can things be done."-

"So much for a powerful general," Sora scoffed, "hiding behind a hostage like that and you call yourself an elite soldier? Don't make me laugh!"

"What was that!" General Knives asked. "You say that I am not an elite general?"

"I'm not saying that. A man like you isn't even worth being ranked up as elite."-

"Why you…"-

"In my opinion, General Venti and General Gryphon were more elite than you." Riku added.

"How dare you…"-

"Just as I thought," Sora continued, "You're the hypocritical type. You say that you are elite, but when you confront danger, you back down with your tail between your legs and attempt to hide behind a hostage, using them as a shield."

"I would mind what I would say if I were you, Sora." General Knives implied. "If you and Riku carry on with these insults, I just might be tempted to end this woman's life."

"And once you do, who's gonna prevent us from killing you?" There was a slight silence before Knives began to speak again.

"You do have a point. However, even if you do manage to defeat me, you will still have this young lady's death to linger on your mind in the aftermath. You would have failed in protecting her from the very beginning." He held his blade to her throat. "Now if you don't mind, I'll be making the negotiating."

"Your actions certainly are ones of a true faction officer." A voice suddenly shouted. General Knives looked to see a cloaked figure suddenly appear near him on the walkway.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Where did that guy come from?" Sora asked.

"I don't know." Riku added. He suddenly sensed a familiar presence resonating from the individual. "That energy level, why does it seem so familiar…?"

"You're right, I've sensed that type of power before."-

"And who might you be, who is so courageous as to risk your own life." General Knives inquired.

"Being a faction officer, you should already be familiar with my tactics." The figure uncloaked him self. Immediately, the face that they saw shocked both the general and the KH team.

"Is that who I think it is!" Sora implied.

"I would like to say yes," Riku said, "but I probably wouldn't believe it."

"Lord Lucien Exmortus Thundro." General Knives implied.

"It has been a while hasn't it, Riku and Sora." Thundro implied. "I see that you have excelled in your fighting skills, most impressive."

"Exactly how long have you been here!" Riku asked.

"I've been here the whole time, ever since you came in contact with Robin Hood."-

"If you were here the whole time, why didn't you give us some assistance!"-

"So far, you didn't need it. However, now that you have encountered a hostage situation, I figure that you might need my expertise."-

"I really hate it when he does that." Sora said. "Just pops out at the last minute when we really need him."

"But then again, I guess having him pop out of nowhere is the best tactic so far for us." Riku implied. "Thundro hasn't let us down yet."

"You two know that man?" Robin asked.

"He's an old ally who helped us when we confronted the Dark Empire six years ago."-

"I do not have a quarrel with you, my lord." General Knives. "Do not involve yourself in this affair!"

"I would suggest that you release your hostage at this time." Thundro implied. "Otherwise, there may be consequences for you."

"You dare to challenge me, Thundro!" He turned against the lord. "You come anywhere near me, and I'll see that this young woman dies!"

"A general as powerful as you hiding behind a hostage…?" Thundro pulled out his sword. "I've seen you fight and I can assure you that you are a true master of the twin swords. But you regress yourself to this level just for the sake of your own protection." Thundro made ready to engage with the Imperial Thrust. "It is because you fear death, more so than Lu Bu himself. But at least that warrior never ducked his tail between his legs and depended upon others to fight his battles."

"Silence, I will not have you lecture me as well!"-

"Talk is cheap then, I will just have to prove my point with the point of my blade."-

"You fool, do you truly wish to see this young woman harmed! If you dare to approach me, I can guarantee that this young woman will die today! And you will be responsible."-

"And what makes you think that I have a problem with that?' Immediately, Knives realized that he was confronting a warrior who did not allow anything to obstruct his goal. "That young hostage is a mere obstacle between you and me, so if she must die then I so be it. As an Imperial lord of the former Dark Empire and a member of the Death Lords, I have learned to extinguish myself of such petty attachments." General Knives, knowing what the outcome would be, lowered his sword. Maid Marian ran from him towards the stairs, leading to the main courtyard. But as she did, she confronted Lord Thundro. Thundro lowered his sword and only gazed at her. Suddenly, angered by the event, Maid Marian slapped him across the face.

"You think that you can just hold life so cheaply!" she implied. "Is my life not worth anything to you! You are a heartless beast!"

"I take that assault on my very personally, my dear." Thundro implied. "However, if I had decided not to intervene, your life would have ended long ago." Thundro turned away from her and continued to confront General Knives. "If you would like though, I could end it myself." Marian didn't dare to defy this most powerful of lords and withdrew. Robin Hood ran up to meet with her.

"Are you alright, my dear?" he asked, as he embraced her in his arms.

"Robin." She uttered.

"It'll be alright." He led her away from the danger zone.

"Now, let the true battle begin." Thundro said. He turned to Riku and Sora. "This fight will commence between General Knives and the two key bearers. No one is to interfere."

"Very well," General Knives implied, "I will dispense with these upstarts very quickly then."

"A little overconfident aren't we?" Riku implied as he and Sora stepped forward with their keyblades drawn.

"You overconfidence will be your downfall," Sora added, "Just as those who came before you."

"Be careful that you aren't too overconfident yourself." General Knives advised. He deployed his second blade and prepared to battle.

Immediately, Riku and Sora charged against the general. The three clashed blades and the confrontation commenced. But despite being outnumbered, General Knives conducted his fighting abilities with such grace and agility. Riku would always attempt a faint attack, pretending to strike, while Sora would attack suddenly from the flank, from above, or from below, hoping to cripple the General. The keyblades clashed and sparked with the glimmering blades of General Knives's twin swords. At one point, Riku and Knives were engaged in a deadlock as they were pressing their blades together. At the same time, Sora was ready to strike from behind. But as his keyblade edged forward, General Knives suddenly, used both swords to lock Riku's keyblade and with one swift twist he flipped head over heels just before Sora could strike. As he made the twisting movement, Riku was forced into the spin as well when his keyblade started turning. He fell to the ground on his back. As he looked up, he saw General Knives coming at him with both blades ready to thrust and impale his body. Riku quickly rolled out of the way. The twin swords slammed into the ground, causing a sudden sonic boom. There was a sudden pause after the impact. Riku and Sora rejoined one another and stood ready to go head to head with the general a second time.

"Your skills are impressive." General Knives implied. "I had completely underestimated you as you said. I am quite pleased with the results of this battle."

"We could say the same about you, General." Riku replied. "I thought that we had you beat and this would be an easy victory, but you certainly had us fooled."

"You can say that again." Sora added.

"I am glad that you have such respect for my skills. Unfortunately, however, a sense of respect is something that really doesn't count in the midst of a battle. Only in the end can perceive on whether you are a worthy foe, or if your opponent was worthy." General Knives sheathed his twin swords. "You are certainly experts when it comes to using your blades, but how well is your knowledge of the elements." General Knives suddenly deployed a barrage of ice balls against the key bearers. The two key bearers dodge rolled out of the out of the way, avoiding the oncoming ice spheres. The minute, the ice spheres made impact with the ground, they exploded and froze everything within ten yards of impact.

"The Iceberg Shurikens?" Riku uttered.

"You liked that one? Well how about this one!" General Knives then deployed a series of fiery spheres which he deployed as well. The fire balls came close to hitting the key bearers, scorching their clothing. The impact of the fire balls caused massive explosions and singed the ground. Particles of sand were turned into glass do to the extreme heat.

"The Cinder Canister too?"-

"How about a little bit of this to add!" General Knives jumped into the air and deployed the wind element as well. Three F2 tornados suddenly formed and began to spin around him, destroying everything within the surrounding area.

"He also knows the wind element." Sora uttered. "That attack was like the Twister Strike. But instead of one tornado, he managed to deploy three."

"How do you like that so far?" General Knives chuckled. "And this isn't the end yet. What you had just witnessed was only a sampling of the elements I'm capable of doing. But I can assure you that I have found ways to increase the power of these three elements even further."

"That was an incredible foot indeed," Riku said, "Unfortunately what you have just displayed are basic moves of those elemental attacks. It's not as if we hadn't encountered these maneuvers before."

"What do you mean?"-

"Meaning who do you think was responsible for blowing those big holes into the western wall of the castle?" Riku suddenly formed the seven fire balls over his head again. "That fire technique you just unleashed is almost similar to my own ability." Riku deployed his attacks against the general. General Knives quickly evaded the attack and a series of explosions erupted.

"Most impressive." General Knives chuckled.

"It's not over yet."-

"What?" General Knives looked to see that three of the seven energy balls were sill in flight and heading straight for him. "That's impossible."

"It's not impossible if you learn from the best. Unlike your elemental fire attack, the Cinder Canister fire balls lock onto the energy signal of your opponent and use it as a homing signal. So no matter where you go, or what you do, you'll never be able to dodge them. And even if you do, you'll get caught in the explosion."

"Very clever, very clever, however…" General Knives suddenly unleashed his ice element. Ice and fire converged and there was a massive explosion in mid-air. "However, I can always find a way to counter fire and ice and that is by using the one against the opposite."

"He's a lot better than we expected, Riku." Sora implied.

"Be careful, you two!" Goofy cried as he and Donald watched from the sidelines.

"I can see that both sides have strong knowledge of the basic elements." Thundro uttered in his mind as he saw the battle continue. "Riku and Sora have certainly come a long way since that trial against the Cavendish Shinobis."

"It seems as if our knowledge of the elements is about equal." General Knives implied. "But let us see how far we can get with the use of our blades alone."

"That sounds like an interesting challenge." Riku said. "Very well, then let's see how much you know about swordplay."

"I'm in there with you." Sora cried. The two drew out their keyblades again. General Knives unsheathed his twin blades. The two sides once again glared at one another. Suddenly, there was a smirk emerging of the face of General Knives.

"Let's change the rules a little bit shall we?" He then, taking the two swords by the hilts, latched them together to form a bladed staff.

"He converged both of hi swords at the hilt to make one weapon."-

"If you thought that I was deadly before, you have seen nothing yet." General Knives suddenly began to charge against the two. Now that his twin swords had become one weapon, he did not have to concentrate on the independence of two individual blades. His movements were in sync now and he appeared to have no vulnerable openings in his offensive and defensive maneuvers. Now he could make sudden thrust attacks and cause severe injury at very close margins. Riku and Sora had to change their tactics a little and try to outflank him somewhere. Unfortunately, the length of the staff allowed Knives to increase his striking distance as well as well as allow him self to protect the area within a 360 degree angle. The fought continued for ten minutes.

At this time, Robin Hood and the others could only watch from the safety of the castle as the battle continued to unfold.

"I don't believe it." Robin implied. "These men are in a completely different class."

"You're telling me." Little John added. "I've never seen such a spectacle before. These guys certainly know how to fight."

"Who do you think will win?" Friar Tuck asked.

"To tell you the truth," Robin said, "I don't know who'll win. Both sides are evenly matched in strength, agility, and speed. The uses of their weapons are flawless and seem to bear no openings, making them vulnerable. However, despite this, I will always favor Riku and Sora to win. They right now are the only obstacles that stand between us and total annihilation of our world. We must maintain our faith with the two key bearers."

"They will not let us down." Maid Marian uttered. 'Those two young men are fighting for the sake of our freedom. All of our prayers and hopes lay with them."

The fight continued, becoming more intense with every strike of the blade. Riku and Sora's abilities were now heightened to the absolute limit. But despite fighting with all their strength, they did not seem to break the offensive and defensive capabilities of this new foe.

"What's wrong, boys," General Knives implied, "Are you giving up already?"

"Not yet…" Riku said. He turned to Sora. "Fusion Sora!"

"Right!" Sora replied. The two converged to form a fusion warrior.

"What is this…?" General Knives uttered as he saw a new warrior emerge. "Fusion."

"Now let's see how well you do now." Riku's voice uttered.

"Now that we've merged, we'll be able to extinguish you for good." Sora's voice added.

"You two might have become one being," General Knives implied, "But you still have a long way to go in order to break my defense."

"Let us see which one of us is the true master of the twin blades."-

The new hybrid key bearer charged into the fray, both keyblades ready for combat. There was a sudden clash of steel and the sparks flew. By now, the sun had already set and darkness fell over the landscape, what illuminated the battle was the bright full moon in the clear sky as well as the burning debris that still lay strewn over the battlefield. The Hybrid commenced to continuously outflank the general with Riku and Sora's evasion techniques, teleportation and the Shadow Decoys. However, despite this, General Knives's battle instincts could detect when and where his foe would emerge next, for another ten minutes, the two went at each other. Finally, with one last strike, the two once again engaged in a weapons deadlock.

"Such is the power of the keyblade." General Knives thought to himself. "The strength of these boys are not their own. They would be nothing without the use of their keyblades." At the same time, Riku and Sora began to experience the after effect as they had pushed their fused bodies to the limit.

"He's tougher than I had expected…" Sora's voice implied. "he's even managed to push our fused bodies to the maximum level of strength."

"Its not gonna last at this rate." Riku's voice added.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light and the two warriors broke themselves away from the deadlock. But in the process, Riku and Sora were once again split up into two separate individuals. General Knives chuckled as he saw this small spectacle.

"Fools," he uttered, "Even when fused, you still had no chance against me."

"Well, it's been a while since Riku and I formed fusion." Sora shouted. "So excuse us if we're a little rusty."

"We just wanted to weaken you a little bit, that's all." Riku added.

"What do you mean?" General Knives wondered.

"It's rather simple. As a fused warrior, our combined strengths allow us to perform combination techniques we would not have otherwise been able to perform as well as contribute to the amount of strength the Hybrid will accumulate in battle. But the damage taken by the Hybrid and the energy lost by him have no effect on our individual bodies when Sora and I separate. We would have lost no energy and suffered no wounds. For Sora and I, the fusion technique is a way that we're be able accumulate spare energy to help fight our enemy."-

"In other words you use that technique for whenever you engage in a massive battle and require an extra boost of energy. Not only do you become a more powerful warrior, but you benefit by not loosing any of your strength by hiding in this one body. However, all these techniques are simply due to the power of the keyblades. Without those weapons, you wouldn't be able to fuse for perform all these techniques."-

"That is true. When Sora and I fought the Cavendish Shinobis and the Dark Empire six years ago, we did not have the luxury of having the keyblades by our side that time. So performing fusion, most magic spells, and summoning spells was out of the question. However, we maintained some basic spells and battle techniques that did not require the use of the keyblades. As well, we learned techniques that could heighten our own abilities in battle. So both Sora and I don't really need the keyblades. But when fighting against such mass numbers, or such powerful foes, the keyblades come in handy and at times are the deciding factor in out confrontations."-

"But I guess the keyblades are so powerful that no one person can bear them. Thus, you are not the true master of the twin swords because one an individual level, you can't handle the power of both keyblades."-

"Is that so?" Riku turned to Sora. "Will you care to do the honors, Sora?"

"If you don't mind it, Riku." Sora replied.

"Then give this guy one hell of a show." Riku threw his keyblade over to Sora. The sight of Sora holding two keyblades caused ripples of fear to creep down the spine of General Knives.

"That's impossible!" he said. "How are you able to bear the power of two keyblades?"

"You truly are a fool." Sora said as he walked to the battle. "Riku and I can bear both keyblades when we want to. The keyblades are simply weapons and are no more than that."

"Very well, since you are so confident in your own abilities, let us see if you can battle me on your own."-

"I'll be more than a match for you."-

"Then come at me."-

Sora launched his attack while General Knives remained on the defensive. The two engaged in combat once again. This time, General Knives split the staff in two and once again fought with individual twin swords. The sword techniques that each displayed was beyond comprehension and both were swift and agile in their movement, almost as if they had been rehearsing the battle for a long time before. Each knew the other's movements with extreme accuracy.

"Sora has certainly improved since the last time." Riku chuckled. "At this rate, he might actually pass me up."

Battle movements were precise in this confrontation. There were instances where General Knives was on the verge of cutting Sora, but Sora always managed to evade at the last moment. Despite the battle only lasting for three minutes, it seemed like an eternity to the eyes of the combatants whose very lives were in jeopardy.

"Quite impressive," General Knives chuckled, "You certainly have allowed me to see the truth in your strengths. I must say that I was fooled by many of your tactics, such as the fusion and the wielding of both keyblades. In fact, I did not imagine that you'd be this powerful."

"Thanks for that compliment." Sora added as he continued to battle. "I can't deny that I have found your strength and agility awesome, Knives. I was unaware that you had knowledge about elemental attacks as well."

"I respect you and your abilities, Sora. However, you and I fight for causes that are completely opposite. And I know that you will not change your mind for the sake of respect."-

"You are the same as I. You believe that your cause is the right one as well. That is why I can't allow you to win!" The two made one final strike with their blades before receding to catch their breath. "But I only know this, if I allow you to have your way, then I know that thousands, if not millions of people will suffer and die! So I will not back down to the likes of you ever!"

"That is correct." General Knives suddenly crossed his swords in front of him. As he did, his blades suddenly began to glow a deep blue. "The only way that you will ever back down is through death!" It was at that moment that General Knives unleashed a pair of sharp sound waves in the form of an X that cut through the air so smoothly and had a high pitch squeal to accompany it. Sora saw the sound waves coming at him as an incredible speed. He quickly evaded, but not entirely, the edge of the sound waves sliced his left arm and leg. He dropped one of the keyblades and fell to the ground. A gaping wound had been inflicted on his leg and he could barely move in now.

"Sora!" Riku cried.

"This is it!" General Knives chuckled as he went in for the final blow. He swirled both sword unhanded so that he could inflict a double stabbing upon the young key bearer. "Now die, Sora!" But as he did, Riku quickly intervened. Using his Iceberg Shuriken, he hit General Knives at point blank. The general went flying through the air, covered with ice, and slammed against the wall. The ice covered his body and locked him in a temporary prison. Riku ran to Sora's side to see the wounds inflicted. They were ghastly wounds and they were bleeding profusely.

"Sora…" Riku uttered.

"I'll be alright." Sora implied. "They can easily be repaired."

"Goofy, Donald, get Sora off the battlefield now."-

"We gotcha." Donald cried as he and Goofy rushed out to retrieve Sora.

"Hang in there, old buddy." Goofy uttered as he picked Sora up and placed Sora's arm around his neck.

"It's just a small cut." Sora mumbled. "Nothing to get all worked up about."

"Hurry and get him clear of here." Riku ordered.

"I'm an invalid now, Riku." Sora gave him the other keyblade still in his hand. "It's up to you to continue the battle and finish it."

"I'll finish this alright. I'll let him get his just deserts." Sora smiled and was assisted away. Riku picked up the other keyblade and prepared to do battle.

"OK, Knives, let's finish this."-

"Let me guess," General Knives implied. With all his strength, he broke the icy barrier that held him prisoner. He landed gently on the ground and brushed the ice particles off of his coat. "You intend on fighting out of revenge are you?"

"I never said that, did I?"-

"No, but after the severe wound I inflicted on your friend, I would think that you would be fighting now for the sake of retribution."-

"Sora will be alright. He's not gonna die from a cut to the arm and leg. So fighting for revenge has no meaning. The reason why I fight you is because I know that if I don't, you'll only continue to let these people suffer. And that is something that I cannot allow." Riku prepared for battle. "Sora started this fight and now I'm going to finish it."

"Awfully big words there, Riku, do you intend to back them up?"-

"Of course I do."-

"Then, let's have at it!" General Knives lunged with his twin blades, but Riku managed to evade by flipping over the head of his attacker. Riku rebounded attempting to strike from behind. But General Knives was crafty and turned in time to counter the blow. Then taking his twin sword in the left hand, he eased his tension and swirled around, hoping to deliver a fatal blow from his left. But Riku saw the blow coming and ducked just a hair's length from the sword's path. The two began to grapple in the most intense style ever witnessed. Like the fight between Sora and Knives, this new fight was just as intense. However, there was a slight difference in this fight. Due to Sora's efforts, General Knives became wearier in body and mind. While in Riku's case, he was entering the fray refreshed and rested, even though his reprieve was for only three minutes. It was still enough time for him to regain his stamina and study the movements of his enemy. General Knives on the other hand had confronted the Hybrid of Riku and Sora, followed by an intense battle with Sora himself. Now, Riku entered the fray, and without a moments rest, the stress began to have its effect on the general. But still, despite being more tired, he remained more than a match for the young key bearer.

"Even after engaging in two intense battles with no rest period," Riku uttered in his mind, "General Knives still has an incredible amount of strength. I wonder where he ranks amongst the other Blade Generals."

"You'll never defeat me as you are now." Knives chuckled. "Despite your strength, you don't know how to economize it and increase the time expansion of your endurance."

"You assume too much."-

"I do, do I? Then explain why you can't outdo me with such ease? A battle like this should be mere child's play for you."-

"I follow the traditional fundamentals of battle. One fact is know your enemy. You've already made some large assumptions about me, but that'll be a mistake on your part."-

"Is that so!" General Knives suddenly knocked the keyblades away from protecting Riku's body and he used the hilt of one sword to strike at Riku's throat. Riku gagged for a moment, but in that time, General Knives flipped behind him and slashed him in the back. Riku fell to the ground, his back dripping blood from the large cuts on his back. "Damn, that attack did not inflict as much damage as I had expected. You're better than I had hoped, you being able to dodge my attack in the knick of time. If you had delayed a hundredth of a second longer, my swords would have been able to cut through to your vital organs and might cause severe damage that may prove to be fatal."

"It was a mistake I refuse to repeat." Riku uttered. Blood dripped from his mouth. "There is no other choice, but to end this fight. If I delay any further, I might just initiate my own death."

"You needn't worry about that little trifle. I'll initiate your death for you." General Knives suddenly lunged himself again, but Riku managed to dodge the sharpened steel. The blade tore through the front of Riku's shirt, cutting through the skin across his chest. He spun and side kicked the general at the side of his head. General Knives fell to the ground. Riku regained his stance and stood ready for battle again. His opponent was quick to do the same. A stream of blood began to trickle down the side of his face right where Riku's foot had made impact. General Knives's facial expression had changed. He wiped the blood from the side of his head.

"Sorry about that."-

"I bleed…" General Knives sneered with a great amount of hatred. "I bleed! I bleed!"

"I know you bleed, you don't have to tell me. I can see it plain on the side of your head."-

"You little bastard, I've never bled for anyone! But now I am forced to shed my noble blood to keyblade scum like you! You will pay for this insult!"-

"What, I just cut you a little and now you intend to put me out of my misery?"-

"I've never shed blood in battle before! This is an ultimate disgrace and it is a disgrace that I will erase with bloody retribution."-

"Not good, you're getting emotional. And expressing such blind, empty emotion will blind your judgment. In the end, you'll only bleed more and more!"-

"Silence you! I will finish this!"-

"Not if I finish it first."-

"Die you bastard!" General Knives unleashed another devastating attack. "Try this on, my Multi-Slash Spin!" General Knives began to spin like a top and from that spin, several devastating air pressure waves flew through the air. Riku dodged each of the energy slashes. Some cutting him on the arms and legs in the process, but no severe damage inflicted.

"Nice try, but you'll have to do better than that!" Riku chuckled.

"You think it's over!" The general suddenly unleashed that same attack he used on Sora, the X Slash attack. But due to his raw emotion, Knives deployed his attack too late. Riku saw the attack coming and leaped up into the air. The energy waves passed by harmlessly and Riku continued his assault. General Knives, however, saw the next attack coming as the key bearer came swooping down on him. He unleashed the Multi-Slash Spin attack at an upward angle. But Riku evaded the attack again, landing upon the ground even closer to the general. "Stand still you little maggot!" General Knives deployed the same attack again, but again, Riku jumped up to evade. This time, the general knew what to do and attacked with the X Slash attack. "It's over for you!"

But as he formed to attack, Riku threw one of the keyblades at his feet. General Knives leaped back, evading the strike.

"Nice try, boy," Knives chuckled, "But not good enough!" But as Riku landed, he suddenly leaped forward. Then will all his might, he launched the one attack he had picked up from Kenshin Himura in the 'Rurouni Realm,' the Kuzu Ryu Sen. General Knives, not able to dodge the attack, was struck at all nine points. In an instant, after a series of bright flashes, Riku had passed by General Knives, his keyblade still erected in front of him. General Knives was still in a protective stance. There was a slight pause before Riku stood up and lowered the keyblade.

"Now, it's over." He uttered.

"Why…must I die like this…?" Knives spoke before falling to the ground. His body lay upon the ground. Riku turned to see his fallen foe.

"The young man has concluded the battle." Thundro implied to himself, watching from the demolished walkway of the wall.

The people began to emerge from the safety of the castle's inner structures.

"That was incredible." Robin Hood said as he walked up to Riku.

"You used the Kuzu ryu sen to finish him off eh, Riku?" Sora said. His foot and arm mended and bandaged.

"Are you alright, Sora?" Riku implied.

"I'll be alright. Thanks for taking him out for me." Sora limped off towards Riku. "You've been wounded too I see."-

"These are just scratches." Riku retrieved Sora's keyblade. "I think you might need this." Sora grasped at his keyblade and both key bearers withdrew their weapons.

"Man, oh man," Little John said, "I never would have thought that I would see the day when two young men would manage to take down a fortress all by themselves."

"Your skills are quite impressive." Robin Hood implied.

"Because of your skill and dedication to your cause," Maid Marian added, "You have saved out world from oppression and perhaps total destruction."

"It was nothing." Sora chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Sora," Riku implied, "Don't forget, we still need to seal this world."

"That's right."-

"But I wonder where we can find the keyhole?" Goofy wondered.

"Maybe we just have to look around." Donald said.

"Or maybe, we just have to find the right door." Riku pointed to the main gates of the castle. As they gazed at the main gates, a sudden glow emerged from out of the wood and the shape of a keyhole appeared before them. Riku and Sora approached the door and with their keyblades drawn once again, they deployed the locking beam which sealed the door for good. There was a bight glow from the keyhole and once the locking sequence had ended, the keyhole's glow diminished and only the outline of it remained, embedded in the wood of the gates. "This world has been sealed, forever this time. From this day forward, the Heartless shall never step foot in this world again."

"Fellers," Goofy shouted, "Look!" Riku and Sora turned. They suddenly saw the body of General Knives begin to glow in a bright light. Suddenly, from out of his still body, two energy spheres emerged. The key bearers approached the icons and took each of the two glowing spheres. Instantly, they had achieved another new technique. Riku had gained the infamous X Slash and Sora gained the Multi-Slash Spin.

"New techniques." Riku said.

"Riku." Sora pointed as three other items emerged from the body, perhaps from a coat pocket. One was a piece of the puzzle, which would help rescue King Mickey, the second was the deactivation card, and the third was a summon stone with the picture of a pink bubble engraved in it. "A summon stone as well."

"We'll have to visit Merlin and the Fairy Godmother in Traverse Town later to see if they can unleash the new summon spell for us."-

"And we have the first piece of the puzzle and the deactivation card to go with it as well."-

"Very well done boys," Thundro said as he descended upon the party, "Very well done indeed. I can see that you have vastly improved since you fought the Cavendish Shinobis. However, your physical strength has diminished quite significantly. But that has no meaning if you have the experience."

"It's been a while hasn't it, Lord Thundro." Sora implied.

"Exactly what are you doing here anyway?" Riku asked.

"I have been requested to give this to you." Thundro said. He pulled out a bag and gave it to Sora. "Goten said that you might need this for later." Sora opened the bag.

"Senzu beans!" he said. "A full bag of them too!"

"There are at least thirty in all. But Goten informed me that these beans have been concentrated ten fold, so one half of the bean should be more than enough to restore your strength and heal your body." Riku took out one bean and split it between Sora and himself. They ate their half and instantly after swallowing, their wounds were healed and their energy replenished.

"Thanks Thundro." But Thundro only turned and walked away.

"Just because I gave you a hand doesn't mean that I'll be coming to rescue you again."-

"Then why bother helping us?" Riku asked.

"The only reason why I help you is because Goten holds you in such high esteem. He says that you're the best thing to happen since his father and Vegeta became the so called saviors of the universe." Thundro took no further glance. "I wish you the best of luck." With that, he flew off into the distance, disappearing into the night sky.

"Still the same charming guy as ever."-

"I hope I'm not drastically changing the subject," Donald implied, "But we should get back to the gummi and make preparations for the next destination."

"You're right." Sora added. "We should get going." He turned to Robin Hood and his companions. "Well, it looks like duty calls, Robin."

"We just want to thank you on all that you have done for us." Robin Hood said. "You have made our homes safe once again."

"What do you intend to do now?"-

"We'll be rebuilding our home and the gold collected will be distributed back to the people."-

"What about Prince John?"-

"Don't you worry about him," Little John implied. "We'll make sure that he, the sheriff and Hiss are all kept under lock and key until King Richard returns."

"Thank you." Robin Hood said. He held out his hand. "We are eternally indebted to you."

"We only wish we could do more." Riku said. The two shook hands.

"Good luck on your trek, my friends." With a final glance, the KH team departed back to the gummi ship that still awaited them in Sherwood Forest.

Once returning to the ship, Donald made some quick analysis of the deactivation card. After a few seconds of scanning the info through the main computer, he came to a conclusion.

"Well, it's confirmed," he explained, "This data card helps to deactivate the model one apocalypse cannon."

"And where do we find the model one?" Sora asked.

"The apocalypse cannon is located within the Deep Jungle."-

"Then that's where we go next."-

"Then buckle yourselves in fellas!" Donald ignited the rockets and the gummi ship blasted off out of Sherwood and into the night sky.

While in the ship, Sora noticed that Riku seemed rather quiet and dazed, gazing out at the stars, which streaked passed the windows of the gummi's cockpit.

"Riku?" Sora uttered as he placed his hand upon his friend's shoulder. Riku was suddenly awoken from the daze. He looked at Sora.

"Oh, sorry Sora." Riku replied.

"You look like you have something on your mind."-

"Well…"-

"Tell me about it."-

"To tell you the truth, I was just thinking about the Phantom Lord, Sirius Viicous."-

"What about him?"-

"I'm still trying to think about where I've sensed that power before." Sora only smiled and rubbed Riku's shoulder, followed by a hardy slap.

"Well, I really wouldn't worry about it, Riku. Whoever, he is, we'll find out sooner, or later. You know the old expression. 'We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.'"-

"I guess you're right."-

"Don't stress yourself out, dwelling on that idea, Riku." Donald said. "Just focus on the matter at hand. We'll all need to be in top mental condition when we reach the Deep Jungle. I suggest that you and Sora get some sleep.

"You do have a point. No use in trying to worry over small issues like that." All was quiet again in the gummi ship, spare for the surround sound music that was playing, compliments of Goofy. But even so, despite the advice given to him by his friends, Riku still had a nagging feeling that he just couldn't shake. He only gazed out into space, pretending so sleep and quietly he thought to himself of this new foe and where and when he had encountered him before.

"The energy I sensed from him." Riku thought to himself. "That guy…Sirius Viicous. Where have I sensed that particular energy signal? I know that he's a new foe, but his attitude, his energy, and his gestures seem so familiar to me. Who could he be? I don't want to worry my friends about this. But this is a personal issue that I must resolve myself." His eyes slowly closed and the streaks of light became more blurred and faded. "I'm probably stressing out over nothing." With that, Riku's eyes closed and fell into a deep sleep.

The next destination…The Deep Jungle.


	10. The Deep Jungle

The Deep Jungle

Once again, the KH team had found their way to the one world where almost a decade before they had clashed against the Heartless, hoping to find King Mickey in the process. It was only Sora, Goofy, and Donald back then, and Sora was still a young teenage kid back then, considered still a boy and at a middle school age. His battle techniques were mediocre and rather primitive. Now, however, Sora was a man in his early twenties. His battle techniques had vastly improved. In fact, many of the techniques he used in the past were considered child's play to him now; which before were considered difficult for him to do as a kid. This time, instead of three, there were four, the fourth member being his best friend Riku. A decade before, this world was of little significance to the KH team, except to close the door. Now, there were two major goals to accomplish, one was to seal the door that had reopened, and two was to deactivate the Apocalypse Cannon, as well as to cease the present activities of the faction within that realm.

The gummi ship landed within a clearing amidst a thick bamboo forest. Riku was the first to step upon the green grass. He gazed about, looking for any possible danger.

"What do the sensors detect!" he shouted back to the cockpit.

"So far, the sensors detect no activity around here." Donald replied. "There is no sign of the faction within this vicinity."

"I wonder where we can find the faction then." Sora thought.

"First things first, I have to initiate the optical stealth, so no one can detect our ship, whether on radar, or visual." As the KH team exited the craft, Donald, with the use of a remote, activated the optical stealth and the ship vanished from sight.

"So, where do we start?" Goofy implied. There were two passage ways leading through the thick of the bamboo forest.

"Perhaps, if we were to split up…" Sora instructed.

"Well, you've been here before right?" Riku asked. "So, you should at least have some knowledge of where to go."

"I would love to be of great help, but I haven't been here for a few years, so I'm not really sure where led where anymore."-

"I think it's best that we stay together." Donald said.

"Donald has a point. We should first gain knowledge of where we are and the layout of the jungle." Riku added.

"Good point." Sora agreed.

"Let's head down that passage, through that narrow gorge." The KH team began their trek through the gorge and out of the bamboo forest. They had not gone a hundred yards before they reached what looked like an old campground.

"There must be civilization around here somewhere." Donald said.

"This is that old camping ground that we visited years before." Sora implied. "This is where we met…"

"Met who?" Riku asked.

"I can't remember their names. It was a young woman and the wild man. I just can't remember their names." He thought hard until it finally descended upon his memory. "Tarzan and Jane, that's it! That was their names!"

"Well, they still must be around. The place looks like its still being lived in."-

It was then that they heard a voice coming from a large canvas tent on the other side of the camp.

"Hello?" the voice uttered. "Is there anyone out there?" Sure enough as soon as the KH team heard the voice, a young woman emerged from the tent. The minute she saw them, her eyes were filled with a great nostalgia. "Sora…?"

"Is that you Jane?" Sora asked. "It's been quite a long time hasn't it?"

"It certainly has been a while hasn't it." Jane walked to the KH team. "I remember you and your two friends here. Donald and Goofy wasn't it?"

"That's right." Goofy chuckled.

"I see that you remember us." Donald added.

Jane then laid her eyes on Sora's other companion.

"And who is this strapping and handsome young gentleman accompanying you?" she asked.

"This is my best friend, Riku." Sora implied.

"Nice to meet you." Riku said.

"It is a pleasure." Jane replied. "So you were the young man that Sora was always talking about. You must be quite the lady's man." Riku could only blush and avert his eyes temporarily. "It's nothing to be ashamed of I might add. I'm sure that you are quite popular amongst the young ladies." She then looked at Sora. "Look at you. You have certainly grown to become a fine looking young man."

"I've been meaning to ask you, Jane," Sora said, "Do you know where Tarzan is?"

"He's gone off to do some foraging near the old tree house."-

"Perhaps you could help us with something then."-

"Of course."-

"Could you tell us if there has been any suspicious activity going on lately within the jungle?" It was then that he realized that Jane's smile had vanished from her face. She walked back to the tent and beckoned them over. The KH team wandered into the tent and Jane closed the flap behind her. She and her guest then sat down to converse.

"To tell you the truth," Jane implied, "There has been some suspicious military activity taking place not too far from here. I believe its ten miles south of the tree house. Tarzan and I have seen the activity commencing there from that elevation. There is a large military compound that has been set in a vast field. From there, we could see them constructing a gigantic contraption. From its shape, it looks like a massive artillery piece."

"Then that must be them." Donald said.

"The Midnight Faction." Sora added.

"The Midnight Faction?" Jane asked. "Who are they?"

"They are the reason why we've come." Riku implied. "Apparently, what you have seen was the Apocalypse Cannon, a highly destructive weapon capable of wiping away all life on a planet."

"Are you serious?"-

"Why would we lie about something like this?" Donald said. "This thing is capable of incinerating the entire jungle!"

"But I don't understand? Who is the Midnight Faction and why would they build such a monstrosity?"-

"Allow us to explain the entire scenario to you." Sora began. "The Midnight Faction happens to be a military organization whose soul purpose is to conquer all worlds and establish itself as a great super power."

"They plan to use the Apocalypse Cannon to force other worlds to submit." Riku added. "A powerful weapon like that would be able to wreak havoc, chaos, and destruction upon the target it hits."

"Oh my God." Jane gasped. "But don't they care for the lives that would be lost?"

"The Midnight Faction only cares about quick and easy victories in order to achieve their ultimate goal. And unifying all worlds underneath their banner is that number one achievement. It is absolutely vital that you show us where this compound is. Then, we'll be able to deactivate the cannon and render it useless for the faction."-

"Very well then, I shall take you to the tree house myself. There you can observe the compound from afar."-

"But with a structure like that protruding through the trees, wouldn't the faction also be able to see you and the tree house?" Donald asked.

"So far, we have been lucky that the faction hasn't bothered to fan out into the jungle. Besides, due to the heavy canopy of the trees, the tree house itself blends nicely into the background." Jane said.

"And how recently has it been since you last observed the compound and the cannon?" Sora asked.

"I had just been up there this morning, watching what was going on. The compound itself and the activity there has been stretching for several months now and there has been no sign of protruding military force since then. Thank goodness."-

"Well, we'd better hurry and deactivate that thing before the faction has the opportunity to transport it out of this realm and into a place we won't be able to follow." Riku said.

"If we take it out now, then we've cut the threat of mass destruction by the faction in half." Sora added.

"Then, let's get going." Donald implied.

"Just follow me." Jane said.

But as they exited the tent, something awaited them as they exited. From out of the blue, a company of Heartless appeared to do battle.

"Heartless!" Goofy cried.

"But how did they find us?" Donald said.

"The Heartless must've been observing and scouting this area." Sora said.

"We have to fight them." Riku implied. He deployed his keyblade. "Let's take 'em out!" The KH team stood ready to battle against the horde of shadows. Engaging in hand to hand combat, they made easy work of the Heartless, slashing through their ranks like a hot knife through butter. The Heartless had not changed their tactics since Riku and Sora started their journeys into other worlds a decade before, so their maneuvers were easy to predict. And with the new powers they had learned from the foes they fought during the reign of the Dark Empire, the devastation was side spread. Almost as quickly as they had appeared, the Heartless were dispersed.

"Well, that was easy work." Donald implied.

"That may be so," Riku said, "But even though that was a skirmish, the Heartless already know that we're here and they'll rally that news to the Midnight Faction. That's why we have to move out now."

"I hope that Tarzan is alright." Jane uttered, emerging from the tent after the fighting subsided. "Could it be possible that he might have encountered those fiendish creatures as well?"

"I'm sure he might have." Sora replied. "The Heartless I know he can take care of though. It's the faction soldiers that concern me the most."

"You said that he was somewhere near the old tree house right?" Riku asked.

"That's correct." Jane said.

"Then we better get over there and give him a hand. If the Heartless have managed to make it this far into the camp, I have no doubts that the Midnight Faction's rogue scouts will be out here patrolling as well." The KH team made their way to through the jungle, passing a lagoon, making their way into the canopies of trees, moving through thick underbrush and vines. Eventually, they made their way to the tree house.

The tree house, abandoned for so many years, had vegetation growing from out of its wooden floors and walls. Vines wrapped themselves about the pillars and supporting beams. Jane walked upon the old wooden deck and searched the inside of the house.

"Tarzan!" she cried. "Are you there?" There was no response. Instead, there was a lingering sense of uneasiness in the air. The KH team walked close to Jane. Again she cried out for Tarzan's name, but still there was no response. "I hope that he's alright. It's not like Tarzan to just disappear like this."

"Perhaps he decided to go back home." Goofy said.

"That's right; he could have taken a different path home." Donald added.

"I suppose you are right. But for some reason, it just doesn't feel natural that he wouldn't be here." Jane said

"You have that same feeling too, Jane?" Riku implied, "That feeling of uneasiness?"

"Yes, Riku, but how did you…?"-

"Something's wrong here." Riku gazed about in the empty house, looking around for any signs of danger. "We have to get out of here now."

"Riku, look out!" Sora cried, he pointed to one of the beams above. Riku looked up to see a large form pounce upon him. It was a jaguar, big and ferocious. It attacked Riku, knocking him down. Using the keyblade as a barrier, he held the big cat's teeth at bay. Sora side-kicked the cat off of his friend, and the jaguar retreated for the time being, moving amidst the darkness of the abandoned tree house. "That was a close one."

"Thanks Sora." Riku implied.

"You OK, Riku?" Goofy asked.

"I'll be fine, but this cat…"-

"It can't be…" Jane uttered. "Is that…Sabor?"

"Sabor?" Sora asked. "You mean that big cat that we fought ten years earlier?"

"That's right."-

"But how can that be? Tarzan and I dispensed with that cat back then."-

"Tell that to the spotted monster with big sharp teeth!" Donald said.

"He couldn't just come back from the dead could he?"-

"Either that cat used one of his nine lives to return back from the dead, or he's a splitting image." Riku uttered. "Look at those eyes." Riku pointed out the eyes of the jaguar. Sure enough, what they saw were not the eyes of a fearsome predator, but rather the eyes of a Heartless. "That's definitely a Heartless disguised as an old foe. I was wondering why the aura felt so unnatural."

"Be on your guard." Sora said. Suddenly, the jaguar disappeared into the shadows completely.

"He vanished." Goofy said.

"Look out!" Donald cried as he turned around to gaze behind. Sure enough, the jaguar appeared again from the rear, attempting to slash at his victims. But as he approached, another individual appeared from the beams and stood in the way of the attacking feline. A tall, muscular man he was, with long brown hair, and dressed in nothing but a simple loincloth. He was armed with a strong wooded spear and used it to keep the cougar at bay.

"Tarzan!" Jane cried.

"Jane…you OK?" he asked.

"I'm fine."-

"Sabor…" he said as he pushed off the cat. "How could it be? I thought I killed him long ago." After a minor scuffle and the arrival of Tarzan, Sabor withdrew from the area completely. Tarzan stood to face Jane. "I'm so glad Jane OK?"

"I'm fine silly, nothing to be fussing over." Tarzan then looked at the faces of the KH team. He then gazed upon that same face he knew ten years before.

"Sora…" he uttered.

"It's been a while hasn't it." Sora replied.

"You and your friends helped to save Jane…"-

"Yes."-

"I thank you." He looked at the faces of Sora's companions. "What are the names of Sora's friends?"

"These are my closest companions, my best friends, Riku, Donald, and Goofy."-

"Riku…Donald…Goofy…" He then approached Riku, laying his hand upon his chest. "Riku…"

"Uh…Sora…" Riku uttered. "What is he doing?"

"It's his way of acknowledging that you're my friend." Sora replied. "Ten years ago, when I mentioned your name, he thought that your name meant friend. In many cases, that rings true."

"I see."-

"Riku…Sora's friend…" Tarzan chuckled. "Me Tarzan…"-

"Nice to meet you…"-

"I really hate to break up this little moment of male bonding," Donald said, "But we're still not out of the woods yet!"

"Don't you mean jungle?" Goofy asked.

"That's not what I meant, you halfwit!"-

"He's right." Riku said. "We have to get down to the compound and deactivate the Apocalypse cannon."

"Tarzan," Jane said, "Sora and Riku need your help. Will you help them?"

"Yes," Tarzan implied, "Tarzan will go with Riku and Sora."

"Sounds like a plan." Sora implied. "Let's go!"

"Jane," Riku said, "Are you sure that you're up to this challenge?"

"I know I can't leave Tarzan alone." Jane chuckled. "Besides, he'll definitely need me when he gets himself into trouble."

"Well, I'm glad to see that you don't need anyone to hold your hand, Jane."-

"Oh tish-tosh, I haven't been living with a wild man all this time to act like a servile lady of quality."-

"Then, let's go you guys!"-

The KH team and their new companions worked their way down to the compound, traveling silently amongst the thick vegetation of the forest.

Meanwhile, within the compound of the Midnight Faction, the Heartless possessed Sabor had appeared. The jaguar walked about the compound as if no one noticed its presence. The jaguar worked its way to a large tent almost at the center of the compound. The tent itself was large and rather grand, as if it were the quarters of someone of high position. Before the entry of the tent, there were two sentries who guarded it, which could only indicate that the tent did belong to someone of great authority. The big cat presented itself before the tent.

"Sabor as returned." One of the sentries implied. "Inform the colonel at once."

"Sir!" said the other and entered the tent in a respectful manner. Sure enough, the sentry reemerged with a young woman soon appearing from the tent after him. She was sleek and slim, with a perfect figure. Her skin had a well tanned appearance and revealed no blemishes, from atop her head, dark brown hair draped down freely. Using a brass hair band, she bound it into a ponytail and allowed it to spout up into a bushy arch and fall upon her shoulder. Her lush brown eyes gazed steadily at the jaguar that sat respectfully before her. She placed on her black uniform, which was a solid black frock with gold trim and a white collar. The sentry stood at attention when she emerged. "Sabor has returned, colonel."

"Excellent." She implied. She kneeled down and stroked her hands across the back of the cat. "You certainly finish your missions very quickly, don't you? You must have some information for me am I right?" She then held her hand firmly on the jaguar's head and sensed the inner feelings of the creature. Upon reading the mind of the jaguar, she saw visions of past events. Gazing deeper and deeper, she came across the memory that she was looking for, the vision concerning the battle against the KH team.

"Has Sabor brought any news, ma'am." One of the sentries asked.

"Yes, yes." She replied, "And quite excellent news I might add. Apparently, we'll be having company soon."

"Company, ma'am…?"-

"Alert the troops and send out at least a hundred men, in groups of ten, to fan out into the jungle and create a perimeter on the eastern side of the compound."-

"Are we expecting to engage in battle, colonel?" the other sentry asked.

"That is correct. Apparently, the key bearers are on their way."-

"The key bearers…?"-

"That's right. They must have come here to deactivate the Apocalypse Cannon. Well, little do they know that we'll be ready for them when they come." She turned to the sentry. "Hurry and give the order now!"

"Yes ma'am!" One of the sentries ran off to inform the other units.

While she continued to stroke the jaguar's head, two powerful officers, supposedly mercenaries, due to their fearsome appearance, emerged. Both were wearing heavy chest armor and shiny black helmets with tinted visors concealing their face. However, the weapons they carried were different. One carried an old Imperial katana, perhaps scavenged off an officer of the former Dark Empire. The other carried a broad sword which was slung on his back in an orange colored scabbard.

"What is your bidding, colonel?" the 1st officer asked.

"I am glad that you came at my bidding, Captain Tyran, Major Cedor." The colonel implied. "You are the men in charge of this operation."

"We understand." Tyran implied. "Who is the enemy that we must face?"

"The key bearers…"-

"The key bearers…?"-

"I understand that they have gained a rather ruthless reputation within the faction." Cedor added.

"That is right." The colonel continued. "And I have a feeling that they intend to deactivate the Apocalypse Cannon and render it useless for our cause."

"Then, we'll just have to initiate a new access code for the cannon."-

"The situation is not that simple. In order to change the code, we must first eliminate the data inscribed on the red card. I'm sure by the presence of the KH team; they have defeated General Knives and managed to retain the card. That is where you two come in. I want you to capture them and retrieve the card. Then, we can input the card and deactivate the present code and replace it with a new one."-

"You want us to capture them?" Tyran asked.

"Would it not be more advantageous if we just kill them?" Cedor added

"No. I believe that the KH team would be more valuable to us if they are alive." The colonel continued. "If I present the key bearers in tact and unmolested to his Excellency, then we might be promoted and perhaps well rewarded."

"As you wish then..." Cedor replied. "Your command will be our bidding."

With that, the two officers turned about and walked away to lead the troops into battle. The colonel continued to stroke her hand on the jaguar's head.

"Besides…" she uttered to herself. She continued to rewind the image in her mind. Especially when laying eyes upon the elder of the two key bearers…Riku. "I think I could well do with such a talented and handsome subordinate."

While nearing the compound, the KH team could see the bulk of the new weapon appearing from over the tree tops.

"Man," Sora implied. "I forgot just how big the Apocalypse Cannon really is."

"We wouldn't want something like that to explode prematurely now would we?" Riku added.

"By the way," Donald asked, "Where's Tarzan gone?"

"He's scouting for us just above us." Jane pointed out. Tarzan was swinging from one branch to the other. "If there are any enemies about, he'll see them."

But as soon as Jane had uttered those words, Tarzan landed on the ground, by a swinging vine.

"Hide!" he said.

"Hide?" Goofy asked.

"Why, what's the matter?" Donald asked.

"Men come in this direction." Tarzan replied. "Many of them dressed in black."

"Black you say?" Jane asked.

"The Midnight Faction." Sora implied.

"Quick, hide!" Riku said. The party quickly hid amidst the thick underbrush, hoping not to be seen. Sure enough, from all around, faction soldiers began to appear.

"How on earth can there be so many? This is too big for an expeditionary force."-

"Then there's only one logical explanation. They already know we're here."-

"But how could they have known?"-

"I don't know."-

"Keep it down you two." Donald whispered. "Otherwise, we're bound to be discovered." The KH team watched as the parties passed them, one man at a time. At times, the soldiers came so close to the underbrush they were hiding in that it seemed as if they knew where they were, but were waiting for the opportune moment to strike. But that moment never came and the soldiers of the faction continued to pass them, unaware of their presence.

It seemed that the last of the soldiers had passed without knowing their location. That was until fate stepped in. One of the soldiers straggling behind almost tripped on a vine and flicked the pollen of a flower into the underbrush. Goofy, by fate, was sitting closest. The pollen was inhaled when he took a breath and soon he began to huff an puff in a manner that could only indicate that he was going to sneeze. Again he huffed and puffed, delaying his reaction. Donald quickly streaked his hand across Goofy's nose, hoping to prevent the sneeze from happening.

"You better not sneeze, you chucklehead." Donald uttered.

"I'll…try not to…" Goofy replied, barely able to hold it in. After a few seconds, Goofy calmed down and his attempt to sneeze was over. Donald sighed relief and removed his feathered hand from his friend's nose. But the minute he did, like a moment from an old cartoon short, Goofy sneezed anyway. And the sneezing reaction was loud.

"Great…" Donald uttered.

"Bless me." Goofy chuckled.

"There they are!" a voice shouted out, "Underneath that vegetation!" The KH team looked about to find the faction soldier running towards them at full force. Alongside them, several Heartless units also appeared.

"Well, this is great!" Sora implied.

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about being inconspicuous anymore!" Riku added. He drew his keyblade and jumped out of the heavy brush. He charged and began to cut his way through the ranks of faction soldiers and Heartless.

"Where are you going, Riku!"-

"Head for the compound and deactivate the cannon!" Riku took out the red card and threw it to Sora. Sora caught it as the card descended.

"What about you?"-

"I'll divert them for as long as I can!"-

"Alright, Riku, but don't do anything reckless!"-

"You know me!"-

"I know and that's what worries me right now!"-

"Just get going, Sora!"-

"You take care!" Sora and the rest of the team ran off in the direction towards the compound while Riku stayed behind to go against the hordes of troops. He used the Shadow decoys to make the soldiers believe that he had increased in numbers. He struck soldiers simultaneously, wounding one after another. He hoped not to take anymore lives, so he went for crippling his foe out of action. But at the same time, he would slay the Heartless, knowing that could only be defeated if their essence was diminished completely. However, despite his valor, he was not able to prevent many of the soldiers from pursuing Sora and the others.

At the same time, the forces of the Midnight Faction and the Heartless continued to harass Sora and the rest of the KH team as they attacked from all directions. Heartless continued to appear from all round them. It seemed as if they would be caught by this oncoming horde.

"I will slow them down!" Tarzan cried. He suddenly stopped and went to face the oncoming hordes alone.

"Tarzan!" Jane cried.

"Jane go with Sora! I stay here to face these enemies!"-

"Come on, Jane!" Sora said, taking her by the hand and rushing as fast as they could.

"Tarzan!" Jane cried as she could only watch as Tarzan was overwhelmed by the numbers.

Now, only Sora, Jane, Donald, and Goofy remained. But despite Riku and Tarzan sacrificing their own safety, the faction soldiers continued to close in. This time, many of them were coming from the compound itself. Using as many techniques as he knew, he plowed many of the enemy soldiers down like they were nothing. He continued to clear a path through the jungle with the faction soldiers regaining their stamina and continuing their pursuit.

Once again, they found themselves being attacked by Heartless and faction soldiers from all directions.

"Sorry, Sora…" Donald uttered. He suddenly stopped.

"Donald," Sora shouted. "What're you doing!"

"Keep going, Sora!" Donald implied. "I'll keep the pursuers at bay! It's up to you three now!"

"Donald!" Goofy cried.

"Go, Goofy! Make sure that Sora gets to the cannon!"-

"Donald!" Goofy could only look forward and continue to follow Sora.

"Goofy!" Sora implied. "We gotta fly!" Sora picked up Jane. "I beg your pardon, Jane!" Sora then leaped up and glided all the way to the compound itself. Goofy took flight and was quick behind him.

The three flew straight into the compound where even more soldiers awaited them.

"Where on earth are they getting their manpower?" Jane asked.

"No time to explain." Sora said. "We gotta get going!" But sure enough, they found themselves surrounded. Sora grew agitated. "We don't have time for this!" He unleashed a foot stomp and blew the faction soldiers away. Sora suddenly unleashed Saiyan Devotion and teleported as quickly as he could to the cannon. Jane and Goofy were quick behind him. But as he lunged towards the cannon, he was struck by a strong electrical surge. Sora was blown back with great force.

"Sora!" Jane cried, as she and Goofy came running to his side.

"Are you OK?" Goofy asked.

"There's a barrier protecting the cannon." Sora implied.

"Did you think that you would get to the cannon that easily!" The three looked up to see a figure descend from the air. It was infamous Captain Tyran. "It was a good thing that I stayed behind to protect it." He unleashed his Imperial katana. But instead of deploying the sword from its sheath, Tyran kept it tucked away in the scabbard. "In order to break down the protective shield, you'll have to go through me first!"

"If that's what it'll take, then that's exactly what you'll get!" Sora unleashed his keyblade and unleashed both the Saiyan Devotion and the Rage.

"Let's see what you've got."-

"You intend to fight me with your sword still sheathed?"-

"That's what I intend to do! Fighting someone at your level with a drawn blade would be an insult to me."-

"Why you…" Sora attacked head on. But as soon as keyblade and katana made contact with one another, even with both the rage and the Saiyan Devotion deployed, this new foe was equal in strength to his own. "This guy…he's powerful. I can sense his inner strength. His power level surpasses even my own." The two continued to grapple. At first, the battle was rather simplistic as both clashed their weapons against each other. But after the first couple of minutes, the battle began to go skyward and the two began to do battle in the air. Sora deployed magic spells and a few energy attacks to attempt to break his opponent. But the more he tried, the more it seemed as if this new foe knew his every move.

"Come on, now!" Tyran chuckled. "How am I supposed to get a proper work out if you keep fighting me at this pace? C'mon fight me right."

"Shut your mouth!" Sora shouted.

"Not good, getting emotional."-

"I don't understand this." Sora uttered to himself. "Even with the rage and the power of Saiyan Devotion deployed, I'm still no match for this guy. But how can that be? Not even General Kai had this much power." Sora landed back on the ground. He turned to Goofy, "Fusion Goofy!"

"I gotcha!" Goofy replied. His being was suddenly absorbed into Sora and the key bearer's strength suddenly doubled.

"A fusion this time, eh?" Tyran chuckled. "Then, I guess I'll just have to increase my own strength." Tyran unleashed even more power and continued to battle against the young key bearer.

"I don't understand this." Sora uttered, as he continued to battle, "How can he obtain this much strength?"

"You see, I'm in a completely different class from you." Suddenly, Tyran slammed his sheathed sword upon Sora's shoulder, forcing the key bearer to drop his weapon. Instantly, the fusion ended and Sora and Goofy once again were divided into separate beings. Goofy lay on the ground, birdies flew around his head. Sora on the other hand, now transformed back to normal and his strength diminished to what it once was, attempted to rise to his feet.

"That style of combat." Sora uttered to himself as he saw Tyran suddenly stand over him. "And his strength…Why does it seem so familiar?" he gazed up at his opponent. "And why is it that he did not bother to strike me until that last minute? Was he just wearing me down?"

"It would be easier for me to kill you and get it over with." Tyran chuckled. "But then again, it would have been a waste of talent." Tyran searched Sora's pockets and retrieved the red card. "It looks like you lose this round."

By this time, the battles that had taken place had subsided and astonishingly, all the members of the KH team had been taken prisoner. They had been bunched in a large group and were marched before the Apocalypse Cannon. Riku, Tarzan, and Donald were escorted next to Goofy and Jane.

"Sora!" Riku cried as he ran to his friend's side. He slung Sora's arm over his neck.

"Hey…Riku…" Sora uttered.

"Are you alright?"-

"I've had better days…I tried to get to the cannon, but there was a powerful barrier protecting it…I couldn't get to it in time."-

"Well, at least you're not hurt."-

"Just in pride though."-

"You certainly fought well." Tyran chuckled. "Unfortunately, your efforts were just not good enough."

"Though I must admit that both key bearers were tough challenges…" Cedor chuckled as he rejoined Tyran. "I had the privilege of battling against the infamous Child of Darkness. Though despite his strength, he was no match for me."

"And now, we have what we came for."-

"Colonel, we have captured them all alive as you had requested."-

Just then, that same female officer with the fair figure presented herself before the KH team, her possessed pet next to her.

"Very well done, Major Cedor and Captain Tyran." She implied. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Colonel Ophelia Billiard, the commander of this little operation. These are by two most trusted officers, mercenaries by origin and personally hired by me, Captain Vale Tyran and Major Stent Cedor." She approached the KH team. "I must congratulate you on your efforts and that you have strived so hard to achieve your goals. However, by engaging in such actions, you slow down the progress of the Midnight Faction. And that is something that we cannot have continuing."

"The faction's only goal is to cause further chaos and open the paths of war once again." Sora uttered.

"That may be so, but the path to chaos is the only path that can be taken if such a radical dream like that of Lord Sirius Viicous can be achieved."-

"That nutcase is going to spread death and destruction amongst masses of people." Riku said, "But you intend to see it through?"

"I have learned that there is nothing more to life than the path to chaos! Only the strong will survive, only the mighty will prosper. That is the only true destiny for all things that exist in this universe!"-

"But to think in such a way, to have such notions, only gives people the right to force others to suffer!"-

"But why would someone like you be having so much talk of passion, Riku! You are just like me, always wishing to be the best and to see your own desires fulfilled! Is it not true that you abandoned your friends, family, and home long ago for the sake of wanting to see other worlds? Was it not you who was willing to ally yourself with the darkness in order to find your friends? And was it not you who was willing to kill one friend in order to save the other?" Riku could only look downward, not able to look anyone in the eye. "Your heart only knows how to throw away! It keeps no memory sacred and you are able to dispense with anyone! Your heart is like that of a rogue, who cares only for himself and no one else! That is why you have been dubbed the name Noctin Tilandir, the Child of Darkness!" She approached him. "That is why I have a proposition for you. The Faction could use someone like you in our ranks. If you were to join the faction and become my subordinate, then I will see to it that the lives of your friends are spared and you are given anything that you desire."

"If I refuse?"-

"If you refuse, then you and all of your friends will die today." Riku could only lower his eyes again.

"Don't listen to her, Riku." Sora implied.

"Yeah," Goofy added, "She's just trying to get you to join them."

"Don't lower yourself to their level." Jane said.

"They're just gonna use you like they did before." Donald agreed. Riku could only look down. His head filled with questions of what is more important. What was the right decision? What was worth more? He looked to his past and the consequences of his actions. Finally, he raised his head.

"If I join the Midnight Faction," Riku implied, "I would be following my old path of a rogue and would throw away everything I ever knew. I would throw away my friends, my family, and my home, as well as the cause that I have sacrificed so much for." Riku stood to his feet. "I refuse to throw away anything dear to me ever again! I had made it my vow when I was brought back to life six years ago! And it is a vow that I will keep until the day I die! I may lose my life, but my friends will always be within my heart and there will always be someone stronger to take my place!" The response given by Riku was one that infuriated Colonel Billiard.

"If that is your final stance on the matter," she uttered, "Then you and your friends meet your fate here and now!" She stepped back. "Kill them!" The soldiers drew their weapons and attempted to strike.

"Now, now," Tyran uttered, "Was it not your idea to bring them in alive?"

"Even though Tyran and I are officers of the faction," Cedor added, "We are still mercenaries. And as mercenaries, we expect a large reward for our troubles. I'm sure that Lord Sirius Viicous would more than happy to reward us for our troubles. We know that he wants us to execute Noctin Tilandir, but what would he be worth if we brought him and his friends to his Excellency alive." Colonel Billiard drew up her hand to cease her soldiers. "Like you said…we'd be well rewarded for our efforts."

"I suppose you're right." The colonel implied.

"But before we take them back to our HQ, how about we perform a last Coup de Grace for them, by letting them watch as their last goal is snatched from their fingers by rendering this card useless."-

"That would be a sight wouldn't it." Colonel Billiard stepped aside. "Then commence as you will."

"Thank you, ma'am." Cedor turned to Tyran. "I will let you do the honors, Tyran."

"With pleasure…" Tyran replied. Taking the card, he deactivated the shield, slid the card into the slot and inputted the data. It had finally ended for the KH team. Or so they thought.

Suddenly, the loud speaker bellowed out when the data was inputted.

"Destructive capacity of Apocalypse Cannon diminished." It shouted. "Increased power functions ceased. Mass destruction capability deactivated. New access code implemented. Former data no longer applicable."

"What are you doing, Tyran!" the colonel shouted. "You idiot, your deactivating the cannon!"

"Well, he's doing as I told him." Cedor chuckled. "He's rendering the card useless. Funny thing is that I forgot to mention that we'd also render the cannon useless along with it."

"You dare to betray the Midnight Faction!" she turned to her soldiers. "Seize those traitors!"

"To tell you the truth," Tyran said, "We were never traitors to begin with." It was then that he began to take off his helmet. "Oh yeah, any by the way, my name's a fake too." When he revealed his face, it was a face that was all too familiar to the KH team. "My real name is Son Goten."

"Goten!" Sora cried.

"It's Goten!" Riku added.

"It's good to see that you guys weren't too badly injured after our little masquerade." Goten chuckled.

"Then, who's the other guy?"-

"You've never met me," Cedor chuckled as he took of his helmet. The KH team gazed upon the youthful face of a young man with blue eyes and purple hair. "My name is Trunks Brief."

"And we're agents of the Universal Alliance."-

"How did you manage to deceive me!" Billiard shouted.

"You were too focused on catching the KH team that you were willing to take in anyone with battle experience." Goten implied. "Even us."

"So that was a big mistake on your part." Trunks added.

"You fools!" Billiard turned to her men. "Kill them all!" The faction soldiers and the legions of heartless descended upon the KH team and their allies.

"Riku, Sora," Trunks threw the keyblades to the two, "You two might be needing those."

"Right!" Riku and Sora replied.

"The same goes for you three!" Goten shouted as he tossed the spear, the magic staff, and the shield to Goofy, Donald, and Tarzan.

"Great!" Donald shouted. The group drew their weapons and began to do battle against the forces of the Midnight Faction. Seeing the situation, Tarzan swung to a near by tree and began to bellow.

"What is Tarzan doing?" Sora asked.

"What else," Jane implied, "He's calling for reinforcements."

"Reinforcements…?"-

It was then that there was the sound of rumbling emerging from the underbrush. The ground began to shake violently. Not too long after, from out of the jungle brush, hordes of angry animals began to charge. Elephants were the first to emerge out of the jungle at an angry charge. Soon following were the members of Tarzan's group consisting of a number of angry gorillas and baboons. The animals in waves joined the fray, running over the faction soldiers like grass.

"Those are our reinforcements?" Goofy asked.

"Well," Donald implied, "They're better then nothing."

"Now, we're sure to win!" Goten said.

Now with hordes of jungle beasts aiding them, and Goten and Trunks now fighting on the side of the KH team, Riku and Sora had no trouble at all sweeping through the compound, defeating many of the faction soldiers. However, these faction soldiers were ones who chose death before dishonor and many of them lost their lives in the process. They were a dedicated lot, who even though maimed would continue to engage despite their injuries. The keyblades for the first time in their history began be covered with the blood of many soldiers. However, Riku and Sora saw it as a necessity to kill, or be killed. Though severely crippling many soldiers, or knocking them unconscious, they couldn't help delivering a death blow to some of them.

In the midst of the battle as the fighting raged on, Riku suddenly came face to face with the infamous Colonel Ophelia Billiard herself.

"Noctin Tilandir." She uttered. "You are the true enemy of the faction. If you are not willing to join me and become my subordinate, then you must be eliminated!"

"You will not have my life so easily, Miss." Riku replied.

"Come and do battle with me then."-

"Very well."-

"But not here." Billiard's eyes suddenly began to glow. Riku was suddenly caught in strange trans. Then, at that that moment, the two vanished from sight. Sora and the others had witnessed the phenomenon.

"Riku!" Sora cried.

"He…he vanished…" Goten added.

"Guys!" Trunks cried. "We have bigger problems on our hands. He pointed out to reveal that Heartless giants were beginning to make their appearance.

"Where the heck are all these Heartless coming from?"-

"We have to seal the door this world." Sora implied.

"Well, you have the keyblade now, don't you?" Goten said. "Why don't you just find the keyhole and close it while we battle these guys."

"It's not as simple as that anymore. Closing the doors now require two key bearers instead of one. I need Riku for that."

"Sora," Goofy cried, "Look out!"

Sora looked to see the Heartless version of Sabor attacking him. The possessed cat, with its claws drawn, swiped at the key bearer. Sora evaded the attack, eluding the sharp claws by just a couple of inches.

"Stupid cat…" Sora implied. "If you want a piece of me, then come and get it." The creature attacked head on again. This fight was easy for Sora though. In the process, he unleashed Tundra Canister and froze the cat in place. Then, with his keyblade, he sliced through the cat. The Heartless Sabor diminished into the shadows. "You should have known better than to deal with me in battle." But there was no time to rest for Sora as he continued to battle against hordes of Heartless and faction soldiers. He continued to fight the masses of soldiers who came at him from every direction. "I sure hope that you're having more luck than I am, Riku."

Riku and Billiard suddenly found themselves near a large waterfall. The water splattered upon the rocks there, letting a series of droplets splash upon the faces of the combatants.

"How did we get here?" Riku uttered. "What happened to my friends? What is this place?"

"I have brought you here because I want no one to interfere with our battle." Billiard inquired. "We have traveled to the realm of the keyhole."

"The keyhole, the keyhole is here?"-

"Behold there." She pointed towards the water fall. Riku gazed up at the roaring falls and sure enough, the glowing outline of a large keyhole emerged.

"Why have you brought me here?"-

"I wanted you to see where the keyhole was before you met your demise. That way you could realize that your efforts were in vain."-

"A little overconfident aren't we Colonel Billiard?"-

"It is you who seems to be overconfident. I wanted to see the power of the legendary Noctin Tilandir for myself." She pulled out what looked like a black iron fan. She unleashed it and revealed its beautiful ironwork in a style that would put most other Victorian style fans to shame."However, your tactics and skills are still no match for my own. Not only do I have the power to transport my opponent and I to another location whenever I get the urge, but I also have the ability to read everything in your mind by placing my bare hand upon your body." She drew the fan closer to her. "But I have no interest in your past! Your past is probably better off being kept from me! Otherwise, I may begin to sympathize with you. And sympathizing with an enemy you have sworn to kill is something I wish to avoid."

"That's alright with me." Riku drew his keyblade. "I don't intend to have you find out anything about my past anyway."

Suddenly, Billiard attacked with her fan drawn. Riku made ready to engage her. But suddenly, from behind the iron fan, Billiard unleashed a sleeve dagger and struck at Riku. Riku, nearly taken by surprise blocked the incoming dagger. The dagger came so close that it cut a hope in his black trench coat. Ophelia landed upon the shoreline with both fan and dagger drawn.

"Not bad don't you think." She chuckled.

"She just might be more trouble than she's worth." Riku thought to himself.


	11. A Change of Heart

A Change of Heart: The Connection

The confrontation had begun and already, Riku had received minor damage, though it was a simple split of his clothing. He awaited another attack from Ophelia who stood at the ready on the opposite shore. She had a mischievous grin on her face, as if cutting his jacket was great achievement.

"It just goes to show you that I am not as weak as I appear." The colonel implied. "Just because I happen to be a woman doesn't mean that you should take me for granted."

"I never said that I would underestimate you would I." Riku said. He sensed the chi coming from her. It was equal to his strength. "I can see that you are quite skilled in the techniques of fighting."

"I was top of my class in training, when I joined the Midnight Faction six years ago. And I am still top of my class. I had sworn to ally myself with the Midnight Faction and offer them my services."-

"Why did you join the faction?" Riku implied. "Don't you realize what they are trying to accomplish?"

"I see perfectly well what they are trying to accomplish and I think that it's the greatest thing that has ever happened. Unifying all worlds under one banner is a really exciting feeling and I shall be one to help create that new world." Riku jumped over to the same side, landing on the branch of a tree.

"But don't you realize what the results are for aiding the faction?" he implied. "Because of the actions of the Midnight Faction, thousands, if not millions of people are suffering because of their heinous activities."

"In order to obtain the grandeur and magnificence of the dream of total unification, sacrifices must be made, no matter how tremendous, or insignificant they may appear."-

"You just don't understand do you?"-

"It's you who doesn't understand, Child of Darkness!" Ophelia attacked suddenly, using the iron fan and the dagger to battle against Riku and his keyblade. "You think that you fight for the sake of people everywhere, but all that is a lie. You fight for a cause that only leads to chaos, keeping the boundaries between people. As long as the people are limited by those boundaries, they will never be able to integrate and share ideas. They will never be able to except one another for who they are and they won't want to know those people. As a result, hostilities continue to thrive and those people will never be able to see eye to eye." Ophelia struck at Riku time and time again, her attacks seeming to become more aggressive with each strike. Riku did his best to avoid the dagger. He realized that she primarily used the fan as a shield, blocking his vision as well as protecting herself from harm if he decided to retaliate. She knew the art of contraction and retracting the fan as to confuse him and catch him off guard.

"She's tougher than she looks." Riku implied. "She has mastered the use of the fan and dagger and has created a style that is strong in both offense and defense. By battling her, I already realize how strong she actually is." The two went at a sudden stand still to catch their breaths. "I can tell by the accuracy of her timing and technique, she truly believes in what she is fighting for. She has a clear mind and has freed herself of expressing any kind of emotion in battle."

"What's the matter, Riku," Ophelia chuckled, "Have you had enough?" Riku stood up straight, his keyblade lowered to his side.

"You excel well in your fighting skills." Riku said. "Too bad you're using it for the side of evil."

"What do you mean the side of evil? It is your goal that leads to the way of chaos. Must I continuously repeat myself in order to get the message clear through that thick head of yours? Separating the people lets them become strangers. Becoming strangers, they begin to have doubts about the other's intention. As a result, hostilities grow and flourish. Soon enough, a boundary is formed and those people become two different cultures."-

"But isn't culture a good thing? By unifying all worlds, you may have eliminated all boundaries and made way for the integration of all people into one society. But in the process, many people begin to forget the cultural values that were passed on by their ancestors, from father to son, or mother to daughter. They lose interest in cultural values and throw them aside. As a result, those centuries of culture are lost and the people forget their traditions, their old ways of life, and perhaps a proud history along with it. Eventually, the next generation would be a lost one, not being able to identify themselves as an individual person."-

"You fool, the concept of individuality is the one thing that causes chaos. If you give people their freedom, then without a doubt they will have opposite opinions, at times the issues are very strong. When they take stances on opposite sides, they begin to argue and that argument leads to conflict. If people could only see through the common eye, then perhaps confrontation can be avoided."-

"And that is how you intend to justify for the deaths of millions of men, women, and children? You're just going to say that they died for the sake of total unification?"-

"That's right!" Ophelia attacked again, fighting with her hearts content. "In order to obtain unification, change society's structure as well as the people's opinion of anything, we must make war so terrible, so treacherous, and so horrific that it'll force people to change their opinions for good, to see only the good side of things!" For ten minutes, from the riversides and the rocky cliffs to even behind the falls, they battled, neither giving in to the other. However, there was a significant difference psychologically. Ophelia's eyes began to fill with rage and agitation. Her emotions began to accumulate more and more with every word that Riku said. Riku sensed the shift due to the fact that now she seemed lagging in her timing.

"So you're saying that you would have people live an unhappy life for the sake of unification?" Riku said.

"Once unification is realized, then we will oversee the development of the next generation." Ophelia continued. "That way they will not be exposed to opinions that my counter our own and they will obtain no kind of influence from those who disagree. It will be that generation that will become happy. They will only lead their lives in a certain way, in a way that we have chosen."

"In other words you intend to close their hearts to others." Riku continued to battle. This time, he was slowing gaining the upper hand. "However, sooner or later, despite your attempts, somewhere out there, someone will reopen Pandora's Box and the flow of new opinions and ideas will return. Thus, your conventional way of life will begin to dwindle again."

"When that day comes, I will be there to put out the flames!" Ophelia continued to battle. "I will maintain happiness for all!"

"But there will always be those who are unhappy with their lives. The reason why is because some of them don't have the ability to stand up for their own beliefs."-

"There will be no such notions of different beliefs and different opinions once the Midnight Faction takes over. Then there will be no one who will desire to fulfill their own personal gain."-

"But despite what you may think, everyone is out for themselves, whether for good, or evil." Riku knocked her away and the two were once again at a standoff. "Even you fight for the sake of your own goals. You wish to achieve something in exchange for your sacrifices. Tell me, what is it that you fight for?"-

"How many times must I reiterate myself to you! I fight for the sake of total unification. Any other goal is insignificant."-

"That is not what I have observed. If you truly were fighting for the sake of unification alone, then your timing would not have changed so dramatically. A soldier who fights for the sake of unification alone would only consider the concept of finishing off their opponent as quick as possible. But you have been keeping me alive on purpose, hoping to change my opinion. To add, a person who fights for the sake of unification alone would not allow anything to faze them. Yet when fighting you, I sense that there is something that you fight for other than the concept of unification. This confrontation has proved that to me without a doubt. You fight for the sake of making yourself stronger." It was that final statement that caused Ophelia's heart to sink. Had Riku found out the truth? Had he read her like an open book, predicting her true objective after this confrontation? "You intend on making yourself stronger, that way you can eliminate suffering and the concept of death from your mind, so you are not bothered by the sight of carnage and destruction. You want to harden your heart and deprive it of all emotions that would make you weak. But why would you deprive yourself of such emotions? Perhaps it has something to do with a friend, or a loved one? Perhaps there was an incident which traumatized you and you have been haunted by that same incident over and over again, wanting to make things different."

Again, Ophelia's hearts sank with every word that Riku uttered. Instantaneously, her mind began to fill with memories. Her head began to fill with events that flashed in her mind. She remembered those moments in thorough detail.

"Father…" she uttered to herself. "Sister…"

Riku overheard her uttering.

"I see." He implied. "So this is something that regards your loved ones. Perhaps people who were closest to you."

"You shut up!" Ophelia roared. "I've heard enough out of you!" She charged at Riku with great fury. But this time, it was just reckless striking instead of coordinating herself. Riku had struck a weak spot alright, the one weak spot that brought the dam crashing down. Now, Ophelia was attacking with raw emotion. "You think that you know me! You don't know me! You assume too much!"

"I assume too much?" Riku implied, as he easily blocked and dodged each blow. "If I had made only assumptions, then they were pin pointed rather well weren't they."

"So what if I am fighting for the sake of loved ones!" She continued to slash at him. "What would the likes of you know about it! I know all about you, Child of Darkness! Unlike me who fights will all my heart, you have no heart! You just fight for your own selfish pride! You think I don't know about you and your past and how you were involved with the Heartless before! You threw everything away just for the sake of your own ambition! You gave up your home, your family, and your friends for the sake fulfilling your own selfish goals! Then, you allied yourself with the darkness hoping that if would help you find your friends. And once you found them, you were willing to kill one for the sake of saving the other! It just goes to show how much you care you're your friends! Your heart only knows how to throw away! It doesn't know how to value anything, or anyone!" Those final words were the last straw. With a sudden jerk, Riku slammed his keyblade upon Ophelia's dagger and splintered the blade like glass. She was shocked at the outcome. Riku head had been lowered, the bangs of his hair concealing his eyes.

"What you say is more than accurate for me." Riku implied. "Long ago, I did leave everything I knew behind for the sake of exploring the unknown. I do not deny that I had abandoned my friends and family so that I may explore other worlds. I do not deny that I had turned to the dark side in order to find the two friends that had followed me. And I will not deny that I had attempted to take the life of my best friend for the sake of my other best friend. My heart knew nothing, but how to throw away. However, I had learned some valuable lessons. My closest friends would never abandon me even in my time of need. I thought that my heart could never love. I thought it could never find peace. Not after all I had done to cause suffering for others. But there are two things that will always remain sacred in my heart, the two events that practically changed my heart forever. One was when I met Sora and Kairi and how they would be my friends no matter how far we were from each other, no matter how hostile we became towards each other. The second event was when I met her…my love…Namine…"

"N…Namine…?" Ophelia uttered. "Could it be…?"

"Namine was the greatest thing that had happened to me since Sora and Kairi." Riku continued. "She was the one who taught me true love, who was always there for me. She was originally a Nobody, Kairi's opposite. She had come to be with me when she saw that I remained incomplete. By her newly found will, she forged herself into her own physical body and descended upon me. Unfortunately, we would never grow old together. Two years after she had arrived on Destiny Island, she contracted an advanced stage of Tuberculosis, which proved to be fatal. She was in critical condition when they brought her to the hospital. She drowned in her own body fluids and died. I was there when they tried to help her. I could only hold her hand and grasp it as she died."

"You bastard!" Ophelia roared. She threw the fan at him. The fan spun at a fast pace. Riku saw the fan coming at him at the last minute. The fan, which had a razor sharp edge, cut deep in his side. The fan, like a boomerang, returned to her hand. She then attacked the severely injured Riku and threw him to the ground. She held the blade to his throat. "You didn't bother to save her did you! You didn't bother to help her when she needed it did you! It was you…you were the one who killed Namine!"

"How do you know Namine?" Riku's voice seemed to tremble.

"I knew Namine better than anyone else! The reason why is because she was…my sister…"-

"Your sister…?"-

"My sister…!"-

"But how could that be?" Riku asked. "Namine was Kairi's opposite. She never had any natural born parents."

"My father and I found her shivering in the cold one night, so we took her in." Ophelia explained. "Almost instantly, however, she and I became the best of friends. More than friends, we were sisters. We would share each other's secrets, share each other's memories. However, she never had any memories of her own I could sense that they were all made up. But I didn't care. She was there to keep me company. But no sooner had we taken her in as part of the family, then a group in black coats came and took her away, claiming she was a Nobody and her fate was of little concern to us. In the process, they took the life of my own dear father."-

"The Organization…"-

"Ever since, I have been seeking revenge against those men in black coats, but I never found them. That's why I joined the faction, I was promised to know the whereabouts of these men in black coats."-

"I'm sorry," Riku uttered. "But the organization was destroyed long ago."

"What…?"-

"They fell about eight or nine years ago." Riku saw in the eyes of his foe the utter pain that she suffered.

"It was bad enough that our father was killed! But now…now my sister, my only kin left and had not seen since we were children, is dead! And it's all because of you!"-

"So you blame me for the death of Namine?" Riku lifted his head, revealing his eyes to Ophelia. "If that is what you believe, then you may take my life."

"I will!" Ophelia held the fan at Riku's throat. She held it so tight to his skin that parts of his skin broke and began to drip blood. But as she gazed into his eyes, she saw a great sadness that she had never laid her eyes upon before. She lightened her grip on the battle fan. Gazing into his sky blue eyes, Ophelia could see what went on in his head. Still straddled over Riku, she placed her hand on his chest and read the inner emotions of his heart. What she saw were the sad visions of Riku's life. He had endured so much suffering. She saw his feeling of betrayal by Ansem, to the minute that he lost his sight, even so far as to see Riku's suffering and torment at the hands of General Ameba. But what attracted her most was how much he loved her sister and how much anguish he went through after she died. Seeing such sad images in his heart, Ophelia couldn't bear to kill him. "I can't…I can't do it…I can't take another's life… I've had enough already…" She retracted the fan and sat on the ground, crying. The droplets from the water fall fell upon her head, helping to conceal her tears. Riku, grasping his wounded side, lifted himself up. "I have no right to kill you…Riku…I have no right to kill anyone...I never had." Ophelia placed her face in her hands and curled up like a ball. "My father and sister were kind people and cherished the lives of others. They would be ashamed of me if they could see what I have become. I can only see the faces of those unknown people who I have killed and those who will suffer…"

But as she cried, she felt Riku's hand place itself on her shoulder. She gazed up to see Riku smiling sadly at her.

"I loved your sister with all my heart." He said. "We both loved your sister. If I could, I would do everything in my power to bring her back. When she died, I didn't know who to blame, I didn't know who to point the finger at. I thought before that everyone was to blame. I figured I could seek justice for letting them kill Namine. But the reality was that there was no one to blame. It was all the raw emotion that lingered in my heart."

"I've been blind…All this time…I was wrong…" Ophelia began to cry even more than ever. "I just wanted to end the suffering so that no one would have to go through what I went through. I wanted to become stronger, so I wouldn't hesitate to take action again. I wanted to deprive myself of all my emotions and become a perfect warrior. But I just only realized that to fulfill the concept of unification, I only promote further suffering…The one thing that I tried so desperately to fight against."

"You are still young though…You can change your ways despite what has occurred in the past. Just do as your heart wishes you to do. Do what you think is the right thing to do." Ophelia, gazing into his eyes even more, dropped the battle fan at her side and began to cry in his arms. Riku cried with her, tightly embracing her. "It is alright…You've done nothing wrong…"

But at that moment, due to the crippling wound at his side, Riku collapsed to the ground. Ophelia bended over him, looking at the severe wound at his side.

"I'm so sorry…" she uttered. Riku only looked at her and placed his finger on her chin.

"No need to shed tears for me…" Riku implied. "I'll be fine. It just needs a little mending that's all."

"Well, then let me help you…" She pulled Riku over to the rocky cliff side behind the falls. It was there she tore the sleeves off of her white undershirt. Tying them together, she made a tunicate to help stop the bleeding.

"Thank you, Colonel Billiard." Riku said.

"It was the least I could do for wounding you. But in reality, I should be the one to be thanking you. You opened my eyes to the bigger picture."-

"The way we converse now, it's hard to believe that we were bitter enemies just a few minutes ago." Riku laid his head against the rocky surface of the cliff. "Amazing how some things turn out in the end." It was then that he felt a presence approaching. But they were not hostile entities, but rather the power levels of his companions. Soon enough, Riku heard a familiar voice.

"Riku!" it cried. "Are you out there!"

"It's Sora…" Riku uttered. "It looks like they found me…" He then gazed at the tender eyes of Ophelia. "You better get out of here, Ophelia…Otherwise, they'll catch you…"

"You're not going to turn me in?" she asked.

"I think not. You've done so much for me, the least I could do is return the favor." Riku smiled. "Now get out of here before my friends catch up."

"Will you be alright?"-

"I'll be fine. What about you though? Will you be returning to the faction?"-

"Perhaps its time I start finding the truth for myself. No, I won't return to the ranks of the faction. Instead, I will find my own version of justice." She walked away hastily, but then turned again to look at Riku one last time. "Will we ever see each other again though?"

"Perhaps…"-

"Thank you for everything, Riku…"-

"Likewise…" With that final gesture, she vanished into the underbrush of the jungle.

Riku rested his head against the rock.

"Riku!" Sora cried again.

"I'm over here, Sora!" Riku implied.

"Where are you?"-

"I'm underneath the falls." Soon enough, Riku saw Sora's face peering at him from behind the falls.

"Here he is!" Sora ran over to Riku. "You've been wounded."

"It's just a little scratch." Riku replied. In pursuit of Sora were Donald, Goofy and Jane.

"There you are, Riku." Goofy chuckled.

"We thought something bad had happened to you." Donald implied. "We thought that Colonel Billiard vaporized you, or something. But here you are…"

"Tell me," Riku uttered, "How did you guys know that I was here?"

"We sensed your energy accumulating around this area." Sora explained. "So we figure that you had to be somewhere near. You must've been fighting easily with her weren't you? From what I sensed, your strength was still at a normal level."

"It wasn't as easy as you think it was. She too was concealing her power."-

"Speaking of which," Jane said as she bent down to inspect the wound, "Where has she gone? I could have sworn that I saw someone run from the area just before we arrived."

"I let Ophelia go…"-

"You let her go?" Sora asked. "But why…?"

"Because she was just like me before…She thought that she was fighting to make things right and make things better. However, in reality, she was fighting for a cause that only showed the splendid aspect of it and never the severe consequences in spite of it."-

"So where did she go?"-

"She first helped mend my wound. At first she wished to turn herself in, hoping to repent. But I thought it better that she find the truth for herself in the larger world. She took me up on the offer and withdrew."

"She did mend you up rather well." Jane implied. "She managed to make a tight tunicate to help prevent further bleeding."

"But how do you know that you can trust her, Riku?" Sora asked. "How can we be sure that she won't return to the faction?"

"Well, I made my own assumptions about that." Riku explained. "During the battle, I realized that even though she knew I was an obstacle standing in her way, thought she was fighting for the sake of the faction's dream; there was something in her mind that continued to plague her. Instead of killing me right off, she began to explain why she was doing what she did. But someone who truly believes in their cause would act more like a fanatic and not waste time on explanation. Through this converse with Ophelia, I realized that she was hoping that I would turn to side with her, so that an unnecessary confrontation could be avoided. The reason why is because she probably feared killing me. This revealed to me that despite her ability to kill, when killing people with her own hands, she intends to hesitate. I think that she still feels pain and remorse when taking the life of another." Riku sat upright as best he could, the wound as his side causing a stinging pain.

"Don't strain yourself now, Riku." Jane implied. "You are still severely wounded." Riku slumped forward. Sora kneeled next to him and put his hands on Riku's shoulders, hoping to hold him upright.

"Besides, I could see that there was still a sensitive and frightened side of her behind the glare in her eyes." Riku continued. "They weren't the eyes of a murderer, but that of a confused young individual." Riku gazed into the falling waters of the falls. "To add…when I looked into her eyes…they were the most beautiful things that I had ever laid my eyes upon." Riku then gazed downward. "By the way, where are Goten, Trunks, and Tarzan?"

"Oh yeah," Sora implied, "We were so caught up in your situation, we forgot about the results of the battle at the compound."

"Yeah," Goofy added, "We won the fight."

"All those Heartless and faction soldiers were easy to take down!" Donald chuckled."

"What are you bragging now?" Sora uttered. "Well, anyway, Trunks, Goten, and Tarzan have rounded up the remaining faction soldiers and are waiting for Alliance prison transports to show up and retrieve the POWs."

"Our work here is done then." Riku implied.

"Well almost." Sora then pointed to the massive keyblade that lay just a few feet away from where they were sitting."

"Yes," Riku picked up his keyblade, straining at first. "One last job for us."

"Maybe it would be better if you take one of these." Sora implied. He pulled out the bag of senzu beans. Breaking one in half, he gave one of the halves to Riku. Riku quickly swallowed it and soon enough, the wound was mended and his energy had been replenished.

"Thanks, Sora, I feel much better." The troop exited the underside of the falls and walked to the opposite side of the shore, which led to the bamboo forest, where the gummi ship laid waiting for the KH team to return, and the camp ground just beyond that. But before departing, Riku and Sora stepped upon a series of rocks that lay just before the falls. With their keyblade drawn, they aimed at the massive keyhole inscribed upon the rocky cliff of the falls. "You ready for this, Sora?"

"Ready." The two in unison deployed their locking beams at the same time. There was a bright light that accumulated from the keyhole and within seconds, the light faded from view and the keyhole diminished, leaving only the imprint of its shape lodged in the rock. Riku lowered his keyblade.

"This world has been sealed from the Heartless." He said.

"Again…" Sora added.

"What do you say we return to the compound and see if the transports have arrived?" It was then that they heard the sound of rumbling engines from above. Sure enough, as they looked up, they saw several prisoner transports making their way to the sight of the faction's compound.

"It looks like the transports have arrived." Donald shouted.

"Let's hurry back and see if the others need assistance." Jane added.

"Shall we go then, Riku?" Sora asked.

"Why not…" Riku implied, "Though I doubt that Goten and Trunks would have trouble subduing the faction soldiers." The group made their way back to the compound.

Upon arriving back at the compound, they witnessed as the faction soldiers were placed into the cargo holds of the transports. Goten and Trunks instructed the few guards that accompanied the convoy and kept strict vigilance over the prisoners.

"It looks like you have everything under control." Riku implied as the KH team approached.

"The remaining faction forces will be sent behind Alliance lines." Goten said. "This battle is won and the faction's threat in this world has ended."

"Speaking of which," Trunks added, "Did you manage to defeat Colonel Billiard?"

"Well…" Riku said. "The reality is that I let her go…"

"You let her go?" Goten asked. "But why would you do something like that?"

"I figure that she just needed to find the truth out there for herself."-

"But she's the enemy…"-

"In this particular scenario," Trunks explained, "We can't really distinguish the difference between good and evil. It has been every person's dream to stop the fighting and endless confrontation that erupts in this world. It's been everyone's dream to see people living together. The concept of total unification and all people living under one great nation is what the faction represents. But in the process, different groups must disperse with their individual identity. Thus, even though the people have integrated, they have lost the cultural values that they have grown up with and whose lineage has been passed on for generations. Though both are good in certain ways, they also have their drawbacks. The purpose of the Alliance is to maintain the peace, not to unify the worlds. If we dared to, we would only be giving rise to further chaos and would be doing the same as the faction. But as we fight to maintain the liberties of separate societies, the Alliance must also be there to halt any type of massive confrontation between two people."

"Trunks is right." Sora added. "There is no possible way to distinguish the line between good and evil."

"I hate to interrupt this little seminar of ours," Donald implied, "But have you forgotten that there is still one last excessively large cannon waiting out there to be fired?"

"Donald has a point there." Riku said. "We better get going before it's too late."

"Alright," Sora said. He turned to Goten and Trunks, "We leave everything in your hands, you two."

"Don't worry about us." Trunks implied. "It was nice to finally meet the mighty key bearers."

"Same to you…" Sora and Trunks shook hands. "Thank you, you two, for coming to our aid."

"Take care and good luck." With that, the KH team made their way back the gummi ship.

Upon reaching the gummi ship, Donald set the course for their next destination.

"What's the next stop now?" Goofy asked.

"We'll be heading into the 'Wing Realm.'" Donald implied, "That is where our next obstacle lays.

"General Bayonet." Sora uttered.

"General Bayonet is inspecting the development of new mobile doll models and hopes to retrieve the plans for their mass production. He is the one that we must find. He obtains two things. One is the other deactivation card. And the other is the second piece of five pieces that will free King Mickey and the others."-

"Then if the 'Wing Realm' is our next destination," Riku said, "Then, let us get there to halt his plans."

"Wait!" a voice cried out. The KH team looked to see Jane and Tarzan approaching them.

"Oh," Goofy said, "Tarzan, Jane, what're you doing here?"

"Goten wanted me to give you this." Jane implied. She had, in her hand, an elongated box. Taking the lid off, she revealed a large stock of at least five hundred small vials of mega-ether.

"Mega-ether…!" Sora implied.

"He said this would come in handy."-

"And how…!" Sora was given the box. "Thanks a lot you two! This'll definitely come in handy."

"All of our hopes rest upon you."-

"Don't worry." Riku said. "We will not lose face. Thanks to you, this mega-ether will prove to be the deciding factor in this confrontation."

"Let's go you guys." Donald said. Riku and Sora bit farewell and the hatch closed behind them. Tarzan and Jane waved good-bye as the gummi ship took off. The rockets ignited and the ship vanished into the blue.

Next destination…the 'Wing Realm.'


	12. Crisis

Crisis

It had not been long when the small gummi ship reached the 'Wing Realm.' While hovering over the Earth's surface, Sora saw the nearby colony clusters, which hovered about like great rings in the midst of space.

"Beautiful…" he uttered.

"Alright you guys," Donald said, "We'll be descending onto the Earth's surface, so hang on to your hats."

There was a bumpy descent towards the surface of earth, having to land through the natural barrier. The KH team watched as the flames of the barrier began to blaze around the ship. There were bumping and sudden drops as the gummi pushed its way into the atmosphere. Eventually, after getting through the barrier, the gummi was now at a free fall. Donald stabilized the ship and ignited the reinforcement engine to ease the descent. Sure enough, the little ship landed in the middle of a cornfield. It was nearing dusk and the sun was starting to touch the horizon. The KH team disembarked from the ship and looked around at the vast sea of crop.

"Well, this is great." Sora uttered. "We're in the middle of a cornfield."

"It may not look like it," Donald implied, "But this is the best place to hind the ship."

"How do you know though?" Riku asked. "The farmer may come out to harvest his crop tomorrow."

"Well, we won't be here for long right?"-

"Now that we're here though," Sora said, "Where do we start looking?"

"First things first, Sora," Riku implied, "We have to go and refresh ourselves with something to eat and a little rest in a nice warm bed."

"I'm with you there."-

"The gummi sensors indicate that there is a road just a mile away from here." Donald said, still gazing at the ship's info screen. "That may lead us to a town somewhere."

"Which direction?" Goofy asked.

"We head westward, towards the setting sun."-

"Go west young man, go west."-

The KH team began to move through the stocks of corn, towards the setting sun. Donald's predictions had come in accurate. Sure enough as they had traveled a mile, they managed to reach a paved road.

"Now, which way?" Sora asked.

"Let's see…" Donald looked at a nearby sign that pointed the directions and destinations. "This sign indicates that the next town is at least ten miles northward."

"Ten miles…? By the time we get there, it's gonna be dark already." Riku implied.

It was at that moment that an old pick-up drove by. It was a rather rusty and dirty contraption, indicating that this was a field working car that had been in use for some years now. It suddenly stopped before the KH team. The door of the truck opened and the face of a youth appeared. He was dressed in a T-shirt and jeans that were rather soiled, as if he has spent all day working out in the fields.

"Hey," he said, "You guys need a lift?"

"Would you do that for us?" Sora asked.

"Yeah sure, I mean it wouldn't be right to just let you walk to town in the dark would it."-

"Thanks kid." Riku said. "You certainly saved us a lot of trouble."

"No problem." The KH team boarded the truck. Sora, Goofy, and Donald sat amidst the warm hey bales which were piled in the cargo hold in the back while Riku sat in the front. There was a small window which connected both the rear and the driver's compartment, so Sora stuck his head in to converse with the youth and Riku.

"So, what are you guys doing out here so late in the day?" the youth asked.

"We're looking for someone." Riku implied, "Someone who goes by the name of Bayonet."

"Bayonet eh?" the youth uttered.

"Yeah," Sora implied, "He was said to be around this area."

"This area you say? Who is this Bayonet anyway?"-

"He's a criminal." Riku said.

"A criminal…? Then you guys must be bounty hunters, or something."-

"You might call us that. In reality, we're more like keepers of the peace."-

"Peace keepers you say. Well, we could use guys like you around these parts."-

"Why's that?" Sora asked.

"There has been some trouble going on around here lately." The youth implied. "You see, there have been these guys who arrived in this area not too long ago. They call themselves the soldiers of the Midnight Faction and they come into our town with their black uniforms and their weaponry and act like a bunch of hooligans gone wild."

"The Midnight Faction," Riku said, "Did you just say the Midnight Faction?"

"Riku…" Sora implied. "That means that Bayonet must be close."

"Riku," the youth uttered, "Your name it Riku?"

"That's right." Riku replied.

"You wouldn't by any chance be the legendary key bearer would you?"-

"What if I was?"-

"The reason why I asked is because the faction has been keeping eye out for a guy named Riku and another named Sora and they're said to be legendary warriors who battled against the forces of the Dark Empire. I was about ten at the time when that crisis took place. I remember that war against the Empire. Those Imperials killed a lot of people six years ago. But for some miraculous reason, there was a great event that occurred that would reverberate throughout history. It was a great resurrection where all those who had died by the hands of the Empire were mysteriously brought back to life."-

"A great resurrection…?" Sora thought to himself. "It must've been that wish I made with the dragon balls. Incredible…"

"Anyway, rumors quickly spread throughout Earth and the colonies about the key bearers after that crisis. To add, the faction is after those same individuals. So I was wondering if you two were the same guys."-

"I guess the cat is out of the bag now." Riku sighed. "Your assumptions were right young man. I am Riku and this is my friend Sora."

"Oh my God." The youth implied, feeling his heart throb in his throat. The shock caused him to swerve the truck about. He gained his consciousness.

"Easy kid…easy…"-

"I can't believe it. You two are the legendary keybearers." The youth smiled. "If you want to know my name, it's Areo, Areo Shiro."

"I'm Sora." Sora replied. "That's of course my pal Riku and our friends Goofy and Donald."

"Hi!" Goofy and Donald chuckled as the poked their heads alongside Sora's through the little opening.

"It's an honor." Areo uttered, still stiffened. "It's a real honor. I still can't believe that you are the legendary key bearers and I'm driving you in my car."

"Don't get a heart attack now." Donald said.

As they entered town, the KH team soon realized that it was merely as small farming community with no more than a hundred inhabitants. The truck stopped before an old hotel.

"Here we are." Areo said. "I know it doesn't look like much, but this is the best hotel in town." The KH team stepped out. "Oh yeah, and if you guys need me, you'll know where to find me. My house is just up the road from here. When you hit the fork in the road, go right. My house will be the first one you come across."

"Thanks for the lift Areo." Riku implied.

"Hey, no problem, for you guys, anything." He took one last glance and drove off, his hand still waving out the window.

"Nice kid." Sora said.

"Well, since we're here," Riku added. "Let's rent out a room and get some shut eye."

"I'm with you there." They entered the hotel. There was nobody about except for the clerk at the front desk.

"May I help you gentlemen?" She asked.

"Yes," Riku said as the team approached the desk, "We'd like to have a room for tonight."

"And may I have your name please…"-

"That won't be necessary." A voice uttered. The KH team looked to see a tall man dressed in blue approach them. "These four will be staying with me."

"And may we ask who you are?" Riku asked.

"Just follow me and be quick about it." The KH team asked no questions, but followed the man back to his room.

Upon entering the room, the man shut the door behind them.

"Riku and Sora I presume?" the man uttered.

"Who are you anyway?" Sora asked.

"I am an agent of the Universal Alliance." The man implied. He showed his badge to the group. "I am agent Kent Dorian."

"And what are you doing here anyway?" Riku asked.

"I don't think you realize how serious the situation is here right now, Gentlemen, to go on blathering about and giving your identity away to random strangers poses a serious matter here. Don't you know that by mindlessly addressing yourselves by who you really are, you'll give yourselves away to the enemy?"-

"Well we…" Sora uttered.

"Who else have you come in contact with?"-

"We came across a young man named Areo Shiro."-

"You fools! As far as we know he could have been a spy."-

"A spy…?"

"Yes, a spy." Kent looked out of the closed blinds of his room. "The Midnight Faction is known to hire civilians as spies for a hefty price."

"Funny though," Riku thought to himself, "That young man didn't seem to have the trait of a spy."

"To answer your question, Riku, I have been here for the passed three months observing the activity of the Midnight Faction, hoping to see if I can get any leads to the whereabouts of General Bayonet. He's said to be the one responsible for faction activity in this world and I intend to put a stop to his operation."-

"What is General Bayonet doing here anyway?" Sora asked.

"From what I understand, he was sent here for two reasons." Kent explained. "One was to somehow lure you here, knowing that you needed to retrieve the access key to the Apocalypse Cannon. The other reason was because he was assigned to overlook the development of new mobile doll models that may prove to be useful in future campaigns."

"What you said earlier, Mr. Dorian," Sora implied, "You said that there were faction spies everywhere, even amongst civilians?"

"That's correct."-

"So is there a lot of faction activity going on around this area."

"More so than you think. Most of the activity that takes place in this area takes place in the dead of night. Every night, a faction convoy comes through this town to help initiate certain acts. They have also declared a strict curfew for the people in this town. If there is anyone out and about after the curfew, they are usually shot without question and without mercy, which is the reason why the town seems so deserted at times. Many of the inhabitants have left, fearing for their own lives. The ones who remain are the ones whose lives have been built in this small town."-

"You're an agent of the Alliance aren't you?" Donald asked. "If it's such a hot spot here, how come you didn't call for back up?"

"You think if I had the option of calling for back up, that I'd still be here in this rundown old hotel staking out the activities of the faction? The faction has set up a communication barrier so electrical transmissions are limited in certain areas. That means I can't send any transmitted message, or receive any. I would have to travel three hundred miles to get out of the transmission shield's range in order to properly send a message."-

"Hey fellers, do you here that?" Goofy uttered. Sure enough there was a rumbling sound coming from outside. The party looked out of the window to see what looked like a convoy heading down the main street of the town.

"It's the faction." Kent uttered.

"The Midnight Faction's nightly convoy," Donald asked, "The one that you said comes here through the dead hours of the night."

"Shut off the lights, Goofy."-

"I gotcha…!" Goofy implied. He ran over and shut off the light. They watched as the convoy moved its way into the town, illuminated the darkness with the lights of their vehicles. What they were transported on were not futuristic crafts, or any spectacular contraptions, but rather, they were simple military trucks that were used by the military in the 'Wing Realm.'

"There must be about a dozen vehicles in that convoy." Riku said.

"The last thing we want it to draw attention to ourselves." Kent implied. "We don't want the faction soldiers to be stopping for anything now do we."

"I guess you're right." Donald implied.

"Look!" Goofy said. "The convoy stopped." The team noticed that the convoy had stopped, right in front of the hotel. The lights beamed through some of the windows.

"Duck…" Kent uttered. The KH team ducked their heads beneath the window so that they would not be spotted peering through the shutters. It was five minutes before the convoy started up again. Taking no further mind to the town, the faction convoy continued on their way. As the lights of each vehicle shined the window, the KH team made sure to keep their heads hidden from view. As the last convoy truck passed, the team poked their heads up again.

"What a cliffhanger." Donald implied.

"That was really close." Goofy sighed.

"It's a funny thing though." Kent said. "The faction convoy never did that before."

"Never did what before?" Sora asked.

"They've never stopped like that for five minutes straight. For a minute I thought that they found us out."-

"But how could that be?"-

"I think I know." Riku implied. "Perhaps what Kent said was right. That young kid Areo Shiro must've been a civilian spy for the Midnight Faction. He was in fact the only one that we came in contact with before and the only one whom we shared vital information with."

"We were all deceived." Sora said. "And we never realized."

"I've been such a fool."-

"But if that kid would have given away the information," Kent explained, "Wouldn't the faction have stormed in and taken us prisoner by now?"

"That is strange."-

"Looks can be deceiving and you can never trust anyone, no matter what their appearance. I believe the best course of action is to stay alert for the rest of the night."-

"Well, I'll stay alert that's for sure." Sora chuckled. But as he uttered those last words, his stomach, like clockwork, began to rumble loudly. "But of course I'd be a lot more alert if I had some food inside me."

"Of all times to work up an appetite, Sora," Riku uttered. But soon his own stomach began to rumble, "Well, what do you know…"

"Oh Riku, of all the times to work up an appetite…" Sora had that same mischievous grin on his face.

"Well, I guess we could use a little something to snack on."-

"Me too…" Donald added.

"Me three…" Goofy implied.

"You boys are hungry at this hour?" Kent stood up. "Well, I guess I could go to the kitchen and ask the lady to cook up something for you and have it brought up. I'll be back." Kent exited the room and walked downstairs towards the kitchen.

Being left in the room, the KH team waited for the food.

"I wonder what he's gonna bring up?" Goofy wondered.

"I hope he brings up some roast turkey and sweet potato pie." Donald implied. "Or maybe mashed potatoes…"

"I don't really care what food he brings up so long as it's good and there's plenty of it." Sora added.

"Perhaps he'll bring…" Goofy uttered. Suddenly, he, Sora, and Donald broke out in song. "Turkey, Lobster, sweet potato pie, pancakes piled up till they reach the sky…"

"La-la, la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la…" Donald sung.

"Oh….! And we'll eat and eat and eat and eat and eat until we die!"-

"Turkey, lobster, sweet potato pie, pancakes piled up till they reach the sky! Lots of starches, lots of greens, fancy chocolate covered beans…! And we'll eat and eat and eat and eat and eat until we die!"

"I can't believe that you guys are that desperate for food." Riku uttered as he looked out the window in the direction that he saw the convoy leave. But as he continued to gaze, he saw something reflecting like in the darkness. "What is that?" Riku turned and headed for the door.

"Hey, Riku," Sora uttered, "Where are you going?"

"I'll be right back, you guys. I just need to check something out." Riku closed the door behind him. Sora, Donald, and Goofy took no further notice of Riku's absence and continued to chant away.

Riku worked his way downstairs and walked out of the hotel. Walking along the areas where he was concealed by the shadows, he made his way to the area where the faction convoy had made their exit. He moved silently through a grassy knoll, his head bowed down and body slightly bent. He then slipped into the stocks of corn at the edge of another vast cornfield. It was there that he stopped to find a rather shocking surprise. The convoy they thought had passed through the town had not gone far. Instead, they had lined themselves up along the road with their headlights extinguished.

"They're still here." Riku uttered to himself. "The convoy is still here."

Meanwhile, back in the room, Sora, Goofy, and Donald were still chanting away, hoping for food. It wasn't long before Kent emerged with a tray full of hot food. He placed the tray before the hungry KH team whose eyes grew large with gluttony.

"Oh boy!" Goofy said, his mouth drooling.

"Look at all this food!" Donald added.

"We'll definitely eat well tonight." Sora chuckled.

"Alright you guys," He said, "Don't be shy and just dig in!"

"You bet!" The three shouted and began to gorge themselves in the food like a pack of raved dogs.

"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!" Goofy said as he stuffed his face with mashed potatoes and grilled tri-tip.

"This is heavenly!" Donald agreed as he sunk his teeth into a nice fat turkey drumstick.

"That's right you guys." Kent chuckled, "Eat up, eat to your hearts content."

"What about you, Mr. Dorian?" Sora asked. "Aren't you gonna have any?"

"I don't usually eat at this time of night. It's too late for me."-

"Aw c'mon," Donald said, "Take a walk on the wild side and join us."

"No thank you. I don't like feeling stuffed near bedtime. Besides, one of us has to be fit enough to keep his guard up."

"I'm sure you're right." Sora chuckled.

"I guess that means more for us then." Goofy added. The three continued to gorge themselves. It was at that moment that Kent realized Riku was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, do you know where Riku went?" he asked.

"How should we know" Donald implied. "All we know is that he said he would go out for a while."

"He did, did he?"-

As Sora and the others ate their share and stuffed their faces, Riku lay on the cold ground, observing the faction soldiers, who were still stationed on the road just outside the town.

"I wonder why they're still here." Riku thought to himself. "Whatever the reason, I just don't like how things are turning out here."

"I don't get it." He suddenly heard one of the officers utter. "Usually, that one light in that hotel is on. This time it isn't."

"That must've been the signal that our sources must've told us." One of the lower ranked soldiers implied.

"Without a doubt, the key bearers are there."-

"So, #93972 must've already come in contact with them."-

"Who is #93972 I wonder?" Riku thought to himself.

"He had already given us the signal by turning off the light in his room. He did say that would be his indication that the key bearers were in his quarters and he was ready to spring the trap." The officer implied.

"Lights off?" It was then that Riku realized what the officer had meant. Putting the pieces of the puzzle together, he made the realization of the events that took place during that night. He remembered how they had turned to lights off when the convoy was passing by and how the faction convoy had remained idle in front of the hotel for five minutes before continuing. To add, the presence of the convoy was still near the town and why their lights had been distinguished. Riku knew now that the spy the officer was referring to was Agent Kent Dorian. "Dorian is a faction spy. And we fell right into his hands. I have to warn the others."

"You won't be going anywhere." A voice uttered from behind. Riku suddenly felt the edge of a well sharpened sword held at his throat. "Stand up." Riku stood up very slowly. He had been caught by ten faction soldiers who had been silently patrolling through the cornfield.

"Major!" the soldier shouted. "We caught an intruder!"

"An intruder?" the Major replied. Twenty soldiers moved to intercept the group and help aid them.

"Look who we caught sneaking through the corn." They shined a bright light on Riku's face.

"Well, well, well," the major implied. "And what do we have here, Riku the legendary key bearer, also known as the infamous Child of Darkness, Noctin Tilandir. Your reputation for being the more conscientious of the two key bearers precedes you. I never would have thought that you could see through our plans, but I guess they don't call you Noctin Tilandir for nothing. However, even though you know our plans, your friends are unaware of the plot and are probably dying of boredom. That is until we spring our little trap. One of our top agents, #93972 is on the job ready to give us the signal to move in."

"You mean Kent Dorian the spy." Riku uttered.

"Yes, you might call him by his alias. He can put on one hell of a masquerade and no one would be the wiser."-

"I can't believe that we fell for his act."-

"Don't feel too bad. Even we would've fallen for his plot if he were fighting against us. But it's a good thing that he's on our side and not yours." The Major pointed out to the soldiers. "Take him away and tie him up. I'm sure that he'll be worth a lot if we bring him in to the general alive."

"That's a rather nice gesture for having me hang around, but I have other important things to worry about." Riku suddenly lunged forward knocking the major and several of the soldiers down. He then flipped upward into a spin and landed behind the convoy. Unleashing his keyblade, he unleashed his new attack, the X slash, and hit one of the jeeps. The vehicle exploded and a great flash of fight and puffs of smoke illuminated the darkness. The major gazed out passed the fading light to see the silhouette of Riku running down the road away from the town.

"After him you fools!" the Major ordered. "After the dog!"

Several of the soldiers were in hot pursuit of Riku. Little did they know that what they pursued was only a decoy of him. Riku in reality was actually headed back to the hotel, leaping from shadow to shadow, concealing his movements. His escape was interrupted however by the appearance of two large body heartless who appeared in his way, lured by the power of his keyblade. Riku evaded the two heartless and withdrew his weapon. However, this incident did not go unnoticed. The Major, reluctantly looked back towards the hotel and saw the confrontation take place.

"You idiots," he shouted, "The key bearer is heading towards the hotel! The one you're pursuing is a decoy."

The soldiers drew their weapons and were quick to pursue the young key bearer. Riku rushed into the hotel where the clerk at the front was still sitting, reading book. She saw him rush in and up the stairs.

"What's the rush, young man?" she asked.

"Get out of here while you still can," Riku implied. "The faction will be here soon."

The young lady, fearing the retribution of the faction did not hesitate and rushed out of the hotel faster than lightning. Riku on the other hand had a job to do. He could not leave his friends to become prisoners of the faction. He rushed into the room.

"You guys!" he cried. But as he looked down, he saw Goofy, Donald, and Sora lying still on the floor. He ran over to Sora. "Sora, Sora, get up, please get up, we got to get out of here." There was no response out of Sora. He remained limp in Riku's arms as if he were dead. Riku had assumed the worst. He gazed at the remnants of the food and feared that his friends might have been poisoned. Believing that he was the only survivor, he had to do something. Hearing the rush of feet coming of the stairs, Riku bolted the heavy door to the room behind him. He gazed out of the window and saw faction soldiers rushing in. He ran into the bedroom that had a burned out bulb. Spotting a descent size window, Riku made the decision that it would be his way to freedom and to attack the faction from behind.

"I'll eliminate the faction here once and for all!" Riku implied. "He ran to the window to open it. But as sure as he entered the room, the door suddenly slammed behind him, leaving Riku illuminated by the bright light of the full moon that beamed through the window. Suddenly, he felt two strong harms wrap themselves around him. One of the hands had a dank cloth soaked in chloroform and was pressed against Riku's face. He tried to struggle with this unseen foe. The attacker threw Riku face down upon the bed and then wrestled him to the floor. Both legs wrapped around Riku's waist and forced him on his back. Riku thrashed about violently, trying to free himself. But the more he struggled, the more effect the chloroform had on him. Riku's kicking eventually gave way to exhaustion and unconsciousness. His legs, illuminated by the light from the window, gave expression the final blows he made. Starting out in a kicking movement almost equal that to a run, eventually died down to that of a slow walk, until finally, his thrashing ceased all together. Riku's arms fell dead at his side and the confrontation was over. All he could recall was gazing out of the window before everything went black.

The clock struck twelve o'clock in the evening when Riku regained consciousness.

"Riku…" he heard a voice. Riku slowly opened his eyes to see his friend Sora sitting next to him. "Are you OK?"

"Sora…" Riku uttered, "You're alive…"

"We all are." Goofy said.

"For now anyway..." Donald added. Riku became more aware of the surrounding. As he regained his full consciousness, he realized that he and his friends had been captured and bound by chains. Around them were soldiers of the faction.

"So you finally decided to wake up." Kent Dorian chuckled. Riku gazed up to see that the spy had changed in outfit. Now, instead of his original blue uniform, he was now dressed in the black frock of the Midnight Faction. "You put up one hell of a fight."

"You were the one who knocked me out?"-

"That's right."-

"So, you are a faction spy, the one who goes by the serial number 93972."-

"That's who I am. I certainly had you and your friends fooled didn't I!"-

"We trusted you."-

"You just happened to make an incorrect assumption. But then again, being deceitful is what I'm good at. You wouldn't be the first to fall into my trap though."-

"What do you mean we weren't the first?" Sora asked.

"It's quite simple. I'm much like the spider who leads flies to his web. In the process of three months, I was able to ensnare thirty of the Alliance's top agents and they were never the wiser, even the most talented of them. But I must admit that you were just a little tougher. You nearly got away from me too if it wasn't for you being so concerned about the safety of you friends, Riku. That's the reason why friends are a weakness; their lives only burden you in the end."-

"Sorry Riku."-

"It's not your fault, Sora." Riku implied. "It was my fault for not seeing through their strategy from the start. But there's something that I still don't get. How was it that you knew when and where to find and capture us?"

"You might say that a little bird came and whispered it in our ear." Dorian chuckled. He turned about. "If you would care to present yourself, Colonel Billiard."

"Colonel Billiard…?" Goofy uttered.

"It can't be…" Riku implied. Sure enough, from behind the soldiers, the same pretty and familiar face made its presence known. There, before the captured KH team, the ravishing and beautiful Colonel Billiard emerged. "Ophelia…"

"Well, well, well," she uttered. "So we meet again, Riku."

"Why…why are you here?"-

"Isn't it obvious, I'm serving the greater glory for the Midnight Faction."-

"But why? You said that you wouldn't return to the faction!"-

"You simple-minded fool. You should have guessed from the start that I was only playing with you."-

"But what you told me…Your father…Your sister…Namine…"-

"I said that I would prevent further suffering. But I realized that the only way to do so is to see through with the goals of the faction. Only when all opponents of the faction are eliminated, then will the suffering end. The deaths of millions, even billions of people seems a small price to pay for the sake of eternal peace and the end of suffering and chaos. And only when that day comes will I finally be satisfied."-

"You betrayed me, you betrayed us all…"-

"It's not that, it's just that your soft-heartedness only made you vulnerable. If you had been at top shape, you would have seen this little plot from the start."-

"Perhaps if you put my words to heart, you wouldn't have been caught in this situation." Kent Dorian chuckled. "Appearances can be deceiving and you can never truly trust anyone, even those who are closest to you."

"The reality is that you can only trust yourself, everyone else must be treated as an enemy."-

"It's your fault, Riku, allowing your friends to walk right into our trap."-

"No!" Sora protested. "It wasn't Riku's fault! It was my fault for allowing myself to put my guard down! I was so caught up in my own well being that I put everything else aside"

"That goes for me too!" Donald added.

"Me too!" Goofy said.

"Riku was the only one who knew what was going on!" Sora shouted.

"Sora…" Riku implied. He lowered his head, covering his eyes.

"Ah, isn't that sweet." Billiard mocked. "But that still doesn't change the fact that you and your friends are tide up."

"What should we do with them…General…?" Dorian uttered. The KH team raised their eyes. Sure enough, the soldiers made another clear path and low and behold came the infamous leader of the operation, General Bayonet.

He was sleek in appearance, wearing a dark green frock, with double rows of buttons draping down the front of his uniform. The frock was knee length and fastened around his waist was a white belt, which held an officers sword at the side. Keeping the belt in place was a white shoulder strap that decreased the pressure around his waist. His hair, which was a fiery red, was cut short in the back, but draped in long locks on the right side of his face, almost curling at the ends. Though he seemed normal in appearance, when one looked into his eye, their opinion would change dramatically. He had two different color pupils though. His right was a beautiful emerald green, an eye that one could gaze at with comfort. However, his right pupil, shaded by the long locks of his fiery red hair, was a fearsome yellow, similar to Cuchulain's eyes when he delved into the rage and transformed into the Hound of Ulster.

He made his way to the captured group.

"What to do, what to do…" he uttered. "Oh what should I do with you…?"

"Shall we have them executed, sir?" Dorian asked.

"No, no, that would be too easy. I suggest that we take them back to our headquarters back at Romefeller. I want them to see what we are planning to initiate."-

"Is that really wise?" Billiard asked. "I don't think it would be a good idea to have them witness what we are about to do."

"There is no reason to be concerned with any type of retaliation. With these men under my custody, there will be no threat of the sort." General Bayonet gazed at his prisoners. "Here's the plan that we will initiate. We will imprison these three with King Mickey." He pointed at Sora, Goofy, and Donald. "These three will have the privilege of being held captive by the faction for the rest of their lives. They pose not real threat to us anyway." He bent down to the three. "You three should consider yourselves lucky. You don't have to face death so hastily." It was then that he turned his attention towards Riku. "You, however, I cannot take any chances with. I want this one executed as soon as we leave."

"But why!" Sora cried. "Why Riku!"

"I just can't take a chance with him still alive. There might be the slightest chance that he'll manage to interfere with our plans. I know that killing him goes against the altered plan of our lord, but I cannot afford to take such a risk with both key bearers alive."-

"Then, wouldn't it be better if we kill the younger one?" Dorian asked.

"No, no," Bayonet implied, "Unlike Sora, Riku has the power of darkness on his side. And if his little friend is killed, then he may wish to seek retribution…bloody retribution. And that is something that I cannot allow to be unleashed. Sora on the other hand is not one who can control the darkness without being consumed by it entirely."

"Apparently, you don't realize Sora's true strength." Riku thought to himself.

"Dorian, Billiard, I want you to take Riku out to the middle of the cornfield, with at least four, or six of our top elite soldiers to go with you, to the area where we had prepared a deep pit. And there I want you to end his life."-

"Understood…" Ophelia Billiard implied.

"We will carry out your bidding, sir." Dorian added.

"Take them away, gentlemen." General Bayonet ordered.

"You won't get away with this…" Riku implied. "One way, or the other, you will not live to see tomorrow. This I swear…"

"And how do you intend to retaliate against us! Unlike General Knives, I don't let down my guard that easily. To add, those chains are a special type, which conducts energy accumulating from your body. So even if you were to increase your strength, the chains would only sap it up. So stop fooling yourself and accept your fate."-

The soldiers grabbed hold of each of the captives and forced them out of the room. Riku was the first to go, being violently pushed out of the room. The soldiers pushed hims so hard that he actually slammed against the wall. The soldiers, however, showed no mercy.

"Get up you…!" Billiard shouted as she kicked him and forced the bounded Riku on his feet. "Get moving!"

"Quite Hypocritical aren't we!"-

"Like you're in any position to talk…!"-

"Let go of me!"-

"Riku!" Sora cried as they watched the colonel and the other soldiers shove his friend around like a hay bale.

"No wait!" Donald shouted.

"Don't do it!" Goofy added. The three went on, kicking and screaming, hoping to stay united with Riku. But the soldiers managed to split them up. As they dragged the captives down the stairs, they separated Sora and the others from Riku. As Sora, Donald, and Goofy were forced out through the main entry to the street, Riku was directed outward from the rear entry and into the cornfields just a few hundred feet away. Sora could only watch helplessly as his friend was dragged off in the opposite direction and disappearing amidst the masses of soldiers.

"Get them into that truck now, quickly!" General Bayonet instructed.

"Sir!" the Major implied. He practically threw the captives into the truck. "Get moving you."

"Riku…" Sora uttered as he lay on his side. The Major picked him up and forced him to sit upright.

"You might as well forget it, kid. You're never gonna see your friend ever again. And from now on, you'll never see freedom again."-

"Take these three back to our headquarters at Romefeller." General Bayonet implied. "I want to show them just how much they have lost and how much we have gained. Then, we will take them back to our main headquarters from there."

"Understood…"-

General Bayonet boarded on the lead jeep.

"Let's move out back to Romefeller!" he shouted. "We have our prize."

The engines of the trucks ignited and the convoy was once again on their way, leaving the peace of the late night to the sound of crickets and the cool breeze rustling through the trees and corn.

Still, there was the matter at hand regarding Riku's fate. He was practically dragged and pushed for a mile, or so, through isles of corn stocks. Eventually, they came to a deep pit that had been made amongst the corn stocks. Only a few had been removed so that the presence of the gap was indistinguishable. They put Riku before the pit.

"Get on your knees, kid." Dorian chuckled. He pushed the key bearer to the ground. Riku bent over slightly due to the amount of pressure and it seemed as if he would fall into the pit at that moment.

"I never would have thought that it would end this way." He uttered.

"Well, believe it." Billiard chuckled. "You made a lot of mistakes that lead you to this little incident."

"I guess having sympathy for you and sparing your life was one of them."-

"It certainly was."-

"Stop your chatter, boy." Dorian said, with a rather sarcastic tone behind it. "You just have to face the fact that you lost. You should consider yourself lucky though, your suffering is over."-

"But the suffering of others will continue."-

"That little matters to you and it little matters to us."-

"To be betrayed in such a fashion."-

"Shut up." Dorian chose two of soldiers to hold Riku's head in place. "Make sure that he holds still. I only want to do this once."

"Yes, Sir." The soldiers implied. The two soldiers held Riku at the shoulders while Dorian latched upon his arm an Imperial blaster. Activating the cell of the blaster, he raised the power level to do significant damage to Riku without endangering himself, or his other comrades. He held the blaster at the back of Riku's head.

"Don't take it personally, Riku."-

"Forget yourself, you bastard, it doesn't get any more personal than this." Riku implied.

"Tough nuggets pal. You should have seen all this coming from the start and maybe you wouldn't be in this little predicament. But as I said before, appearances can be deceiving and you can't trust anyone. This concept applies to everyone, there are no exceptions."-

"He's right, Riku." Ophelia agreed. "That concept abides to everyone and there are never any exceptions. Not even he…"

It was at that moment that Ophelia drew from under his sleeve, a dagger. Without hesitation, she thrust it into Dorian's chest. The spy was completely caught off guard and death took him almost instantly. His aim was thrown off and he ended up shooing of the head of the soldier who was on Riku's left. The colonel then unleashed from her other sleeve, a battle fan similar from the one she used to battle Riku back in the deep jungle. A black oriental, paper fan with metal razor edge, she threw it in a solid spinning motion and severed the throats of the two guards on the left side of the pit. The fan flew back to her hand and she used it as a shield. While at the same time, she extracted her dagger out of Dorian's chest. The three remaining guards drew out their weapons. But from out of the corn stocks, they were simultaneously hit by flying daggers. Each was struck in the middle of their back. The daggers entered through the rib cage piercing the heart and it was instant death for the soldiers.

Riku fell to the ground on his side. He gazed up to see that all the soldiers had been killed. He then looked up and saw Ophelia Billiard standing alone over him. He saw that her weapons had been tainted with blood meaning that she had killed them. Death to the soldiers was instant and there was no time for them to react. It had occurred in the blink of an eye.

"Are you OK, Riku?" she uttered as she kneeled next to him.

"You…you didn't betray us?" Riku asked.

"I never betrayed from the start." She took the chains from off of Riku. "I was a spy acting as a spy."

"Thanks…"-

"Sorry that I had to be a little rough on you though, Riku. But the only way to put on a good masquerade is to fool even the ones you're trying to rescue." Riku gazed into her eyes. Ophelia, overtaken by his gaze, could only look away. She began to blush, but luckily the night concealed her emotion. Riku lifted her head back towards him.

"I never thought I'd catch you here though."-

"Well I…" Ophelia continued to blush. Her emotions heightened by the look in his eye.

"Why would you do something like this for me?"-

"Well…" She smiled and gently grasped his hand. "You might say that I've grown quite attached to you since the last time. I don't think I was lying about that."

"I see…"-

"Besides, I didn't act alone in this." She stood up and whistled. From out of the corn another familiar face came in. "I want you to meet my back up."

"Hey there, Riku!" said the other individual.

"Hey you're…" Riku uttered in amazement. "You're…Areo Shiro…"

"In the flesh…" Areo implied. "Actually, Areo Shiro is my alias name. My true name is Daisuke…Daisuke Yamada."

"Daisuke…?"-

"He's a member of the Preventers." Ophelia implied.

"Preventers?" Riku asked.

"I told you that if you ever needed help, just visit me at my house." Daisuke implied. "Or should I say our HQ."

"We're heading over there now." Ophelia uttered. "Some of Daisuke's superiors are there. I'm sure that you'll recognize some of them."

"Alright…" Riku said.

"But first things first, we'll have to dispose of these bodies. Throw them into the pit." The three pushed the bodies of the slain soldiers into the pit and threw the soil over them, concealing the burial place. As soon as they had finished, they began their way back the Preventer HQ. Along the way, Riku converse with Ophelia.

"For a while back there, I thought that you really had betrayed my trust." Riku implied.

"How could I ever hope to betray someone who had so dearly loved my sister?" Ophelia implied. "Besides, every time I gaze into your heart, I see no dark intentions, or any will to dominate. I was born with the special ability to read peoples minds and hearts. Just as my sister, Namine was given the ability to alter the memories of others."

"But if you could read hearts and minds, how is it that you came to be of service to the Midnight Faction? Could you not read their hearts?"

"I was never able to come in contact with the Phantom Lord Sirius Viicous himself, so I was never really sure. But it seemed as if the goal he was after was something that I too was after. He promised me that he could bring everlasting peace and love to the people of the universe. But as I gazed into the hearts of some of his officers, I realized that they had evil intentions and desires to gain. But I never heeded any mind. I was only doing this for the sake of fulfilling my own goals. But perhaps I could not see the darkness in their hearts before because my own heart obtained darkness as well. And when one has darkness in their heart, they can never distinguish properly between a sense of evil and a sense of justice. However, when I looked into your heart, I had seen great scenes of tragedy and how you had so desperately wanted to repent for all the wrongs that you had inflicted. It was in your heart, through the shaded darkness, that I found the light. A pure light that dazzled me and forced me to realize that I had been deceived by something that I only thought to be right. But now I am no longer in denial and I now know what to distinguish."-

"But even though you have found the light, you must also take into consideration that there is darkness within light as there is light within darkness. Both are optional ways to take. It is up to you to decide what path to take. And you can always change. The two paths are not entirely separate."-

"Hey, you two," Daisuke interrupted, "I don't mean to pry into your conversation, but here we are." The three came to what looked like a humble abode. It was a rather cozy looking house with fresh white painted walls and well maintained windows. It was surrounded by the stocks of corn and an old snake rail fence. They came to the main door on the front porch. "Just a minute you two, I have to do this right." Daisuke looked at his watch, gazing at the second hand. He then knocked three times on the door, one knock for every passing second. He then waited for five seconds, then rung the door bell three times, using the same time span as he did with door. He then knocked four times after six seconds had elapsed.

"What was that for?" Riku asked.

"It's a secret knock to distinguish friend from foe." Ophelia implied. "Believe me, I asked the very same question when young Daisuke did it when I was accompanying him the first time."

"Oh…"

As soon as he had finished with his secret password, the door opened and another young man appeared from the doorway. He was about twenty-one years old at the least. He had hazel green eyes and sandy brown hair. The hair style was rather unique. Though cut short and smooth in the back, it draped down in long locks over the young man's right eye. He wore a black jacket with a tad of green that draped from the neck, down the shoulder and ending at the elbow. Upon the shoulder was a symbol that looked like a diamond forming the letter 'P.' Thus, it became apparent that this young man was a member of the Preventers group.

"Glad to see that you and Ophelia are back, Daisuke." The young man uttered.

"We have brought Riku, the key bearer as you requested." Daisuke implied. The young man gazed at Riku.

"So we meet again, key bearer."-

"Do I know you?"-

"Well, it's been six years and we've only met once. You know, back when you helped defeat Horus of the Cavendish Shinobis. My name is Trowa Barton."-

"Trowa? Oh yeah, one of Heero's friends right?"

"Speaking of Heero," Daisuke implied, "Has he and the others arrived yet?"

"All five of us former gundam pilots are here now." Trowa implied. "Come on in." The three walked in. "Heero, Duo, Quatre, Wu Fei, they've come back with the key bearer!"

Sure enough, as Trowa had finished his statement, the other four gundam pilots appeared. They had aged alright. Though their appearance in dress and attitude did not really change, their physical appearances had. They were taller, sleeker, and every way excessively attractive to the eye. Heero was the first to enter the room.

"Well, well, well," he said, "If it isn't Riku, the keyblade master."

"Heero, Heero Yuy, is that really you?" Riku asked. "It has been quite a while, you've grown taller."

"Allow me to introduce you to my other colleagues in case you had forgotten them." He introduced one after the other. "This is Duo Maxwell, Quatre Reberba Winner, and Wu Fei Chang. They too are members of the Preventers."

"So you are the legendary keyblade master, eh?" Wu Fei implied.

"Just a minute though." Duo said. "Weren't there more of you before?"

"Yeah, your other friend, Sora." Quatre added.

"That's the thing…" Daisuke explained. "Sora and the others were with Riku, but they had been captured by General Bayonet."

"General Bayonet?" Heero asked. "You saw General Bayonet?"

"That's right." Ophelia implied. "General Bayonet had made his presence known. He insisted on being there after I leaked the information to him that Riku and the others would arrive in his trap."

"Do you know where they were headed?"-

"From what I understand, they're heading to their headquarters in Romefeller."-

"Romefeller eh? I guess he thinks that Riku is dead now and wants to rub it into the faces of his other comrades."-

"I understand that he's overseeing the development of new mobile doll models." Riku said.

"That's correct." Duo said. "There have been rumors of that, but we haven't picked up any leads to where they were being built until Ophelia filled us in not too long ago."

"We had assumed that they were building new mobile dolls," Wu Fei added, "But whenever we try to get within striking range of Romefeller, the Midnight Faction manages to counter and weaken our forces, causing us to pull back. Even going out on night raids, they manage to fend us off."

"To add, every time we attempt to attack Romefeller," Quatre explained. "General Bayonet attacks one of our supply depots, or reinforcement columns, or military bases. And we never know when or where he'd pop up next. We figure that by eliminating him first, we'd be able to save ourselves a lot of trouble and stop these surprise attacks on our units. Thus, we'd be able to march head on to Romefeller. But that rascal has managed to elude us every time we're on his trail."

"But thanks to you, now we know his exact location." Trowa added. "He's heading back to his base at Romefeller. It's here that we'll catch him off guard."

"But there's something I don't understand." Riku said. "How is it that General Bayonet managed to gain power over the Romefeller Foundation? I thought Treize Khushrenada was in charge of that organization."

"Well…" Quatre uttered.

"Well what…?"-

"After the ordeal with the Empire, the Earth and the colonies had formed a pack to prevent any further conflict, ending the hostility between the earth sphere and the colonial clusters. The Preventers were created to help ensure the peace, with Treize acting as the head of the organization. But when the faction came, Treize was assassinated by General Bayonet and his allies in this realm, the Barton Foundation. Using the threat of throwing a stray colony towards earth and an alliance formed between Dekim Barton of the Barton Foundation and the Midnight Faction, the earth and the colonies were placed under another era of chaos."-

"Treize was the most influential individual to live." Heero implied. "When he was killed by faction assassins, it was easy for the faction and the Barton Foundation to gain political control. However, as sovereign citizens of the recently formed Earth Sphere Unified Nation and as members of the Preventers, it is our responsibility to halt further progress of this alliance between both organizations."

"Relena Peacecraft, or should I say Vice Foreign Minister Dorlian, acts as the main figure head to leading the Earth Sphere Unified Nation. She's the only reason why the majority of Earth and the colonies haven't fallen under the power of the Midnight Faction and the Barton Foundation."-

"But aren't you afraid that she might be assassinated?" Riku asked.

"There have been hundreds of attempts to kidnap, or assassinate her." Trowa implied. "However, with the top agents of the Preventers watching her hours around the clock, there has been no success."

"To add," Wu Fei said, "It wasn't long ago that we regained control of the colonies that the Barton Foundation intended to throw upon Earth's surface. But by that time, our enemies had already gained a powerful foothold in this realm. And they had to make sure that they maintained the power that they achieved."

"So General Bayonet and Dekim Barton intend to initiate the creation of a powerful military force to help maintain the power they had already gained." Duo added.

"That's what explains the development of new mobile doll models." Riku said.

"That's why we have to get into Romefeller and destroy the facilities that are overseeing the production." Heero implied.

"Then, we have to move now!"-

"First thing's first though." Daisuke interrupted. "We have to initiate a plan first."

"That's what we intend to do." Heero said.

"We'd be able to storm in with no problems if it wasn't for that heavy security that they have stationed around and within Romefeller." Quatre said. He pulled out a map that was imprinted on a piece of canvas. On it was the layout of the Romefeller Foundation's territory. He pointed to the icon that was initialed 'power plant.' "However, if we could somehow knockout the main power plant located here, we'd be able to shut down at least eighty-five percent of the entire regions productivity and protective security system. In that time, we can search for the facility that is overlooking the production of the new mobile doll models and destroy it entirely. Now there are at least fifty security hangers in the entire area and each are separated far from the reach of each other. So trying to destroy them one at a time will take a lot of effort and time. And time is something that we don't have. As far as we know, they could be finished with those models and are ready to send them into battle."

"I can find out the plans though." Ophelia implied. "I can return pretending that I was wounded. Once I've infiltrated the main HQ, I'll relay the message to you."

"Alright, but we'll have to initiate our plan accurately. Here's what we will initiate. Ophelia will infiltrate the main HQ and relay the information to us. Meanwhile, Riku and Daisuke head towards the power plant and begin planting explosions on the generators. Wait until 0500 hours, which is three hours from now then detonate the explosives. Therefore, Ophelia must relay the necessary information to us before 0500. If we don't receive the information, we'll assume that something has happened and Riku and Daisuke initiate the destruction of the plant. Our assembled forces will move in to attack the security hangers and search for the one with the new models."

"This plan is perfect." Duo said.

"We can't fail with this." Trowa added.

"Alright, you guys." Heero implied. "Let's move out. Quatre, contact our HQ to fulfill out request for troops by connecting to the telephone wires and use Mores code. The barrier doesn't prevent that type of transmission. We'll be expecting the Preventers to be there in full force by 0500."

"Understood…" Quatre said.

"Then let's head out!"-

The Preventers moved out from their headquarters to initiate the final strike against General Bayonet and bring an end to the faction's presence in the 'Wing Realm.' As Riku emerged from the house, he gazed up into the stars. The stars gleamed so bright and beautiful and twinkled like sparkling lights. In that moment, he remembered how the stars looked back on Destiny Island.

"Though all these worlds are separate, they all share the same sky." Riku thought to himself. In that moment, he saw the friends gazing down on him and he longed to be home again. He then remembered that he still had other friends to rescue from the faction. "Donald, Goofy…Sora…" He could see Sora's face with those intense blue eyes and that kind smile. "Sora…"

"Are you OK, Riku?" Ophelia asked.

"Just thinking of home…"-

"I know what you mean. Don't you worry though, once the chaos ends, you'll see your home again."-

"You're right…" Riku once again raised his head towards the sky. "Soon Sora, soon…"


	13. Utter Chaos

Utter Chaos

It was only three hours before the hasty convoy had reached their headquarters in Romefeller. The entire region established as the territory of the Romefeller Foundation's main Headquarters, was now surrounded by guards, and barbed wire fences. Search lights and lookout towers were constructed and an elaborate security system was on high alert. Soldiers of the faction marched up and down in companies. To add to the defense, hundreds of Heartless searched the sky, the land, and the sea, waiting for that inevitable, impeding threat to emerge.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy were completely unaware of the scene surrounding them due to the canvas cover of the truck, which prevented their outlook beyond the confines of their moving prison.

"Riku…" Sora thought to himself. "Is it true that you are really dead now? Is it finally over for us?" Sora then glanced up through the tops of his eyes. "No, I will not believe such a notion. It takes more than a few troops to get the best of you."

It was then that the truck finally stopped. Sora and the others waited for what was going to happen next. The Major suddenly stuck his head through the rear flap of the truck and threw it open.

"Alright, get the prisoners out!" he ordered. The soldiers shoved the three captives out of the truck and pushed them to the ground. Other troops stood the three back up and presented them before General Bayonet.

"I would like you to take one last final glance of freedom," He chuckled, "Because after this, you'll be confined behind walls of stone for quite a long time. But before we send you off to the prison, where we are holding your other companion and leader, King Mickey, I would like to show you on what we are planning to unleash against the other worlds. Bring them into the development hanger."

The soldiers escorted the still bound KH team to one of the hangers. Using a special access code, they entered the facility. It was there that General Bayonet presented the KH team before the developing room, where the large mobile doll models were being assembled and completed. What the KH team saw was a monster of a machine.

There were two mobile doll models that were now on the verge of completion. One of them, looking rather large and bulky was armed with a double gatling gun on the right arm. The other was armed with what looked like a cell charged energy cannon, a beam saber, a set of energy disks that could be deployed as a protective barrier, and what looked like funnel icons that could be deployed as to inflict damage upon the enemy from a different direction. These contraptions filled Sora with a great sense of fear. He turned his head slightly to see where they were, _Hanger 15_. It was a number that he drilled into his mind.

"Well what do you think, Sora?" Bayonet asked.

"So these things are what you've been secretly developing?" Sora replied.

"That is correct. Quite a magnificent piece of work wouldn't you say? These are the special mobile doll models we've been secretly contemplating for the past three months."-

"A work of genius if I do say so myself." A voice said. The party looked to see a tall, gangly man, dressed in a black overcoat, approach them. He was an elderly fellow with a shaggy moustache on his face and bags under his eyes, showing that he had some age behind him.

"Ah, may I represent my ally and leader of Barton Foundation, Dekim Barton."-

"So this is the feared warrior you were telling me about, General Bayonet? He is nothing but a mere boy."-

"Yes, this is the legendary key bearer."-

"I thought they were two?"-

"There were two. I had his companion executed."-

"Tell me," Sora implied, "What is it that you intend to do with these mobile doll models?"

"That should be obvious." General Bayonet implied. "I am planning to have these dolls mass produced, so that they may be deployed throughout all worlds and force those worlds to surrender unconditionally to us. The faction was in desperate need of a new type of weapon that could easily prove to be a deciding factor in our takeover of the worlds. Thus, I turned to the 'Wing Realm' to ensure that ideal. It wasn't long before I came across a brilliant leader, hoping to conquer the earth sphere and the colonies and bringing them under his power, the man that you see before you, Dekim Barton. He said that he was developing a new type of weapon to help engage in his uprising against the Earth Sphere Unified Nation. However, he needed influence and protection in order to do so. He needed more strength and I needed a weapon, so we joined forces."

"That is correct." Dekim Barton added. "In exchange for helping develop the mobile dolls for him, General Bayonet has ensured that no one was to interfere with production, which is the reason he sent out a great deal of spies and scouts, to help eradicate any attempt to storm Romefeller and protect our research."

"But I don't understand it," Sora said, "How could you have achieved so much power in this world."

"You might say that we had to do away with certain individuals."-

"You mean…assassination…?"

"That is correct."-

"It was I," General Bayonet implied, "That took over Romefeller and imprisoned many of its representatives. However, there were some who needed to be executed because they were too dangerous to keep alive and they endangered the grip we had on this world. One of them was the chief sovereign and highly respected leader, Treize Khushrenada."

"Treize, you assassinated him?" Sora asked.

"He gained too much favor from the military and was highly influential to many of the top leaders of the Romefeller Foundation. We realized that with Treize pulling all the strings, we couldn't gain a proper foothold. However, once we had him killed, all the others fell like dominos and became easy prey."

"However, there has been some rumor that Relena Peacecraft has been acting in Treize's place as the chief figure head to rally the people together." Dekim Barton said.

"And unlike Treize, Relena is much more difficult to get at. So instead of wasting time trying to take her life, we plan to initiate a massive coup with the overwhelming number of these mobile doll units."-

"And exactly what makes them different from the other mobile dolls that you used in the past?" Sora asked.

"These models will be far more superior to the old Taurus and Virgo mobile dolls. They are a type of weapon that no one has ever laid eyes upon before. You should feel honored, young key bearer, you are the first outsider to see these new models. But soon, everyone in this world will see them. And once the coup has been staged, and these new weapons are unleashed, then I have gained total power in this world and have established a new era for the Barton Foundation." Dekim Barton walked up to the rail and began to point out the details of their functions. "The one with the double gatling gun on the right shoulder is one of my earlier models, but still just as effective. It is called the Serpent and was pattered after Trowa's mobile suit, the Gundam Heavyarms. Not only is it armed with the double gatling gun, but it also carries a set of sixteen missiles in the shoulder cavities, as well as a beam cannon, and bazooka. The main function for this model is to shower the enemy with a barrage of projectiles. Then, there is the upgraded model, which we have dubbed the name the Scorpion. This model has the functions of most of the older mobile doll models. It has the same electromagnetic shield that can be activated when those special disks over the head are deployed. Also, it is armed with a powerful beam cannon, so it can be used effectively for long range battle. It is also armed with a beam saber to help engage in close range combat. And although it is built rather bulky, like it's old predecessor, the Virgo mobile doll, it has the reaction time and swiftness of the old Taurus mobile doll." Dekim then pointed out to the last characteristic. "Finally, there is the one feature that had never been seen upon mobile suits, or mobile dolls before. They are called funnel icons. These special contraptions, located on the shoulder area of the doll, are able to initiate a barrage of energy beams at an opponent from any direction chosen. Not only are these deployable icons able to inflict damage upon the enemy, but they also have the ability to distract the enemy."

"And with these two new designs in our favor," General Bayonet chuckled, "Conquering all outside worlds will be easy for the Midnight Faction." The General turned towards his three captives with a sinister grin streaked across his face. "Now that you know of our plans and intentions, there is no need for you to be here any further. Take them away to the launch hanger. There, you will keep them under heavy guard until the transports arrives to deliver them to our prison in Cetorburg where our other guests are being held."

"Cetorburg…?" Sora thought to himself. "Is that where King Mickey and Queen Minnie are being held?"

"Move along you three!" the Major in charge ordered, pushing them along.

"Hey, don't be so pushy, pushy!" Donald gloated.

"Enough of your chatter and move!" As the KH team was lead away and disappeared out of view, another soldier appeared and presented himself before the general.

"Sir," he said, saluting first and them presenting an information disk to him, "Here are the complete developmental models of the news suits you've requested."

"Very well done, very well done indeed." General Bayonet complied, taking the disk from the soldier. He gazed at it. "All the information needed has been collected in one neat little package. Now I can relay this information to our mobile doll manufacturing facility and tell them to commence with the full scale, mass production of these new weapons. Soon, there will be enough units to bring down the rivaling factions and the whole of the Universal Alliance. Then Lord Sirius Viicous's dream will become a reality."

"General Bayonet," Dekim Barton implied, "If I may be so bold as to speak out."

"Go ahead…"-

"Since those outsiders know of our true intention, would it not be best if we eliminated them just in case."-

"I must keep them alive, my dear Dekim. I have already taken the life of the infamous Noctin Tilandir. And that was an act that defied the word of his Excellency. So I will have to make up for it in one form, or another."-

But as soon as the soldier had walked away, there was a call over the loud speaker, requesting his presence.

"General Bayonet," it stated, "Please report to the hanger lookout immediately."  
"Blast it, what on earth could they possibly want now?" He turned to Dekim Barton. "If you please excuse me, sir…" He rushed up to the lookout and joined the observers there. "Now what is all this commotion about?"

"We've had a security breach, sir!" the chief observer explained.

"What do you mean we had a security breach?"-

"There's a Preventers jeep heading this way at full speed from the eastern gate."-

"On screen!" the general demanded. Sure enough, they saw a jeep heading towards them at an extraordinary rate. "How did they get passed out defenses?"

"They gave us an access code." The chief observer implied. "To add, there was a distress call that was relayed to us on that vehicle's radio."

"What was the message?"-

"We managed to have it recorded into our data. This is what is said, sir." The man played the recording of the distress message.

"General Bayonet," it began.

"That's Colonel Billiard!" Bayonet said to himself.

"Riku, the Child of Darkness, has escaped."-

"He what?"-

"We were attacked by an unseen force from out of the cornfield, causing us to drop our guard. Riku then somehow managed to use this interruption as a decoy and deployed a special technique to elude us. He then struck each of us down from out of nowhere. Now he's coming this way, he's coming this way…" After that, the recording ended.

"Sir," one of the observers said. He managed to angle a close up of the jeep's occupant. "It's Colonel Billiard, sir!"

"Colonel Billiard…" He looked to see that the young lady was driving with a severe wound on her shoulder and a cut on her head. "Send a troop to meet with her and give her aid! And send out this message to all units in the compound! Strengthen the outer defenses! We don't want the Noctin Tilandir to break through and seek retribution!"

"Sir, we're receiving another incoming message!" another observer implied desperately. He played it over the loud speaker in the lookout.

"This is an urgent message…!" it cried.

"It's Colonel Billiard again."-

"There are several units of Preventers heading this way!"-

"On screen…" Bayonet ordered. Sure enough, not too far from the outer defenses, several mobile suits made an appearance. Most of the force were consisting of Taurus mobile suits while one, a white mobile suit armed with a mega cannon, the Tallgeese III, piloted by the venerable Zechs Marquise, acted as the leader of the assembly, standing in front, before the whole force. "Blast, it must've been a trap set up by the Preventers. They knew that we were out there and attacked at the last minute. They managed to somehow interfere and allow the Noctin Tilandir to escape! Damn them!"

"What about Colonel Billiard?"-

"Tell her to go straight to the medical center. I will meet her there as soon as I can. Give her the information." General Bayonet said nothing further and withdrew from the observation tower, destined for the medical center.

"Colonel Billiard," The chief observer implied, "Word from General Bayonet, madam."

"Yes?" Billiard replied.

"He says to go straight for the medical center."-

"Confirmed…" The transmission soon ended after that final statement.

Little did General Bayonet realize that the plot was far more elaborate than he had perceived. In the jeep, with their heads ducked down, young Daisuke Yamada and Riku were huddled behind the back seat.

"I never would have thought that you'd go so far as to cut yourself like that." Riku said. "And all just for the sake of a plan…"

"Deception is everything right now." Ophelia Billiard implied. "If I were to have returned, saying that I was struck down by the infamous Child of Darkness, and not have a scratch on me, they wouldn't believe a word of it."

"Still…" Daisuke implied, "You have to admit that that kind of act was rather extreme."

"Never mind about me, what about you two? I hope that you're ready to take the plunge."-

"We are," Riku said, "But don't you think putting on this faction armor was necessary?"

"If you want to get around in this region, you have to look like faction soldiers. And that black armor and clothing should do nicely. Now remember, the explosives are located in a canvas sack just behind the pipelines at the right side of the rear entry way. You also have the access cards I gave you?"-

"Yes."-

"Then get going."-

"Right…" Riku he lay down flat at the end compartment and opened the little hatch in the back. The hatch flapped up and down and there was a clear tumble to the road. "Alright Daisuke, ready to take the plunge…?"

"Yeah…" Daisuke uttered, timidly. He lay on top of Riku and Riku wrapped his arms around the boy.

"Here we go!" With one push, both went tumbling to the ground. They skidded for a while along the course dirt of the road and onto the soft green grass.

"Good luck you two…" Ophelia uttered to herself as she saw the two disappear into the darkness.

The two got up from the dirt road and dusted themselves off.

"That went well." Riku said.

"That was the first time I went tumbling off the back of a fast moving vehicle." Young Daisuke uttered.

"Come on let's get to the power plant." The two began walking to the massive power plant. The power plant, with its bright lights and its condensation of wires elaborately intertwined with one another, made it easy for the two young men to find.

Meanwhile, amidst the Preventers force, Zechs Marquise looked about with his binoculars, observing the ever increasing force of faction soldiers along the outer perimeter. His subordinate, Lucrezia Noin, watched alongside him.

"The faction must already be on to us." Noin implied.

"That's no surprise though." Zechs said. "We are acting as the decoys. Our main purpose is to draw the faction's attention away from our operatives within the region." He then looked at his watch. "It's almost 0400." Noin looked at her watch as well.

"One hour before we strike. I certainly hope that Colonel Billiard can relay the necessary information for us regarding the location of the developmental hanger. Otherwise, we're gonna be fighting here for a while."

"And by that time, it may already be too late."-

"Where are Heero and the others?"-

"They're mobile suits are assembling on the opposite side of the region. So far, all the effort of the faction is aimed towards our unit and we're gonna make sure that it stays that way."-

Zechs and Noin continued to observe as the defenses around the region of the Romefeller Foundation continued to swell.

At the same time, Ophelia had arrived at the medical center, her wounds still dripping blood. She jumped out of the jeep and walked towards the center's doors. Several doctors came to her aid.

"Colonel Billiard." One of the doctors implied, rushing towards her. "I've received word from General Bayonet that you were on your way here. Let us patch you up, madam."

"There will be no need for that." Ophelia said. "They're just minor scratches. Speaking of the general, is he here?"

"No madam. But he's on his way."-

Sure enough, as if by coincidence, General Bayonet arrived at the center with one of his aids. He jumped out of the vehicle and walked to Ophelia.

"I'm glad to see that you are alright." He said.

"They are just minor scratches…" Ophelia replied, "Nothing that a little bandage can't fix."

"So tell me Colonel…were you the only survivor?"-

"The reason why I'm still alive is because I had enough brains to play dead. Dorian and the others insisted on fighting head to head against a powerful enemy."-

"But it's not your style to play dead though."-

"I thought it best for our interests."-

"Is that so?"-

"I wanted to tell you that the Child of Darkness has managed to escape."-

"Yes, you told me that much already."-

"I want to tell you that since he had managed to escape, it would be best that we not allow him to reunite with his other comrades."-

"You do have a point."-

"I have failed you, sir." Ophelia fell to the ground and kneeled before him, her open wounds still dripping blood. General Bayonet only lifted her to her feet again.

"At least I know that must've put your best effort into fighting them right?"-

"But at least allow me to make up for it by finding and killing Noctin Tilandir."-

"No…" General Bayonet implied. "In your state, your skills have been cut in half. No, I have a much better idea." He turned away from her. "Once you are mended up by these doctors, you shall carry out with another task, one that would be more beneficial to us."

"I shall carry out with anything you desire."-

"Then this is what I expect. I want you to kill Riku's companions."-

"Kill Riku's companions?"-

"That is correct. I know that Riku is powerful, but getting rid of one will be easier than getting rid of three. And I don't want that key bearer, if he is already here, to gain any further reinforcements. To ensure that the two key bearers do not reunite with one another, we must eliminate one of them. And since we know where Sora is, him and his friends being prisoners and all, then he will be the first of the two keyblade masters to meet their demise."-

"I understand…"-

"Very well then…" General Bayonet turned with a sinister look on his face. "Then you will be the one to carry out with Sora's execution."

"I will…" Ophelia stood at attention.

"See to it…" General Bayonet boarded his jeep. "I expect you to carry out with the mission before 0500 this morning."

"I will not let you down."-

"I know you won't." With that, General Bayonet drove away. Ophelia's plan had worked. She knew Bayonet to be the suspicious type. Once she delved into his mind, seeing his suspicions of her, she made it so that it would seem as if she were after Riku instead. But General Bayonet still suspicious of her true intentions, ordered her to execute Sora rather then have her go after Riku. To go after Sora was something that she had in mind all along. And to carry out the mission within the hour worked right into her hands.

"Get these wounds mended up!" she ordered.

"Yes ma'am…" one of the doctors implied.

"And make it quick. I have to finish this job in an hour, or it'll be my head that the general will want next!"-

"Yes, ma'am…" The doctors escorted her inside.

At the same time, Riku and Daisuke managed to make it to the rear entry of the power plant. There had only been a few guards about and with the help of the confiscated access cards allowed them easy passage into the compound.

"Let's hurry up and set in those explosives." Daisuke uttered. "We have less than half an hour."

"I know what you mean." Riku said. He slid his card through the information bar and tapped in the particular numbers given to him by Ophelia. The door opened and the two walked into the power plant. What they saw were fifteen large energy generators buzzing and rumbling continuously. They were at least six stories high and looked like giant grooved screws covered by a glass shield. Beneath each generator was a control panel. Along the walls were a series of pipes that ran throughout the compound. "OK, Ophelia said that we could find the explosives behind the pipes just to the right of the rear entry way."

"Hey look." Daisuke pulled out a canvas bag from behind the pipes. They opened the sack to find thirty satchel bombs a two detonation devices in it. "This must be the one."

"Alright, well let's get going and place two explosives on each generator."-

Riku and Daisuke scurried from one generator to the next. They managed to rig four of the generators before the unexpected had happened. From out of nowhere, four guards, two of the Midnight Faction and the other two of the Barton Foundation, entered the facility. Seeing the eminent danger, Riku and Daisuke hid from sight.

"Damn it." Riku said. "What a time for those guards to take duty. And we still have eleven generators to rig."

"We'll just have to take our time and use the shadows." Daisuke implied. "And if worse comes to worse…" He then revealed eight throwing daggers from beneath his coat, "We can always do with no witnesses."

"Wait a minute." Riku implied. "That gives me an idea."

"What did you have in mind?"-

"I notice that those four walk around the generators."-

"So?"-

"So the best course of action is to take out one of the guards and take guard duty in his place. That way, they have one blindside."-

"Good idea."-

"Take out one of the faction soldiers as quietly as you can. I'll continue to plant the detonation devices."-

"But make sure to linger in the shadows and not step underneath the pathway lights."-

"Don't worry about me, Daisuke. Darkness is my specialty." Riku continued to sneak by with the canvas bag and place the satchel bombs on each of the generators.

In the meantime, Daisuke kept watch on one of the faction guards and stayed close behind him. He waited for the right moment to strike, as soon as both guards on the opposite ends of the compound were out of sight. He had a short margin to strike and kill the guard and take his place. But the timing would take too long to eliminate the guard and by the time he struck the guard down and took his place, one of the two guards would already be in sight.

Riku managed to work his way to the sixth generator and placed one explosive on. But as he did, he saw Daisuke sneak back to his side.

"It's no use, Riku." He implied silently. "The margin is too short for me. I won't be able to take out that guard without one of the two on the opposite ends of the compound spotting me."

"Hmmm…" Riku said. He then had an idea. "Give me one of your throwing daggers." Daisuke asked no questions and instinctively gave him one of the knives. "Here's what I'll do, I'll throw the dagger in the direction of the rear entry and distract them. The minute you hear the noise, strike down the intended target."

"I see."-

Daisuke retreated and resumed his pursuit of his target. In the meantime, Riku gazed towards the rear door. With dagger in hand, he threw it towards the door. With the impact, there came a loud bang, which instantly caught the attention of the guards.

"What was that?" one of the guards cried.

At the same time, when the bang reverberated throughout the compound, Daisuke took one of the daggers and threw it at his target. The dagger pierced deep into the guards back, killing him instantly. There was no noise that accumulated from the attack. Daisuke rushed quickly to retrieve the guard and hide his body in the shadows, up against the generator. He then quickly took the guards place, taking his coat and his weapon and masquerading as if on duty.

"There's no one there." Another one of the three remaining guards implied.

"Just a false alarm…" Another said. "Get back to your posts."

The guards returned to their post and continued their watch, not knowing of the sudden switch. Riku continued to plant the explosives while Daisuke watched him, while pretending as a guard. Now with only three sides being patrolled, planting the bombs was easier and much quicker.

Daisuke looked at his watch.

"Another half hour before we detonate…" he thought to himself. He then watched as Riku finished rigging his eighth generator. "That's eight down and seven to go."

At the same time, after having her arm and head bandaged up, Ophelia Billiard made her way to the transport station, where Sora and the other members of the KH team were said to be held.

All three of the KH members were bound and guarded by seven guards and the major, who acted as the officer in charge. So there were eight soldiers guarding them altogether. And because of the special chains that drained energy, Sora and his friends couldn't raise their strength to attempt an escape.

"To think that it all ends here…" Donald uttered.

"Gawrsh…" Goofy said. "We had so far to go too."

"No…" Sora implied. "I'm not willing to call it quits yet."

"Shut up!" the major said. "Your talking is beginning to irritate me. You say that you don't want to call it quits, but as far as I can tell, you are the ones who're tied up at the moment. There is no one coming to help you now. And even if there were, you'd be long gone, or dead before they manage to even hope of rescuing you. So you might as well face the facts and shut your pie hole."

"You certainly have a lot of courage shouting at a guy who's tied up."-

"Your smartass remarks won't last for long, kid. We've received word from General Bayonet that Colonel Billiard is coming to carry out with your execution."-

"What?" Donald said, shocked.

"Execution…?" Goofy asked. "We're gonna face execution?"

"That's right, you dippy dog." The major chuckled. "You're gonna be executed soon."

"But why…?" Donald asked.

"General Bayonet never said why, but I know the general and his reasons are good enough for me."-

"That bastard…" Sora implied.

"Don't be so glum, kid. You should feel honored that you are going to be executed by the mighty Colonel Billiard. Out of all those sent to carry out execution, she's the one that most prefer. And do you want to know why?"-

"I hate to know…"-

"Well, I'll tell you anyway. She instantly kills her victims, swiftly and without a second thought. You should be lucky that she's the type that wants to see a swift and painless death. If it were me doing the executing, I'd let you suffer first!"-

"Well, then I'm so glad that it's not you proceeding with our death penalty."-

"Of course, there is one draw back though. You never got to rescue your friends did you? You never got to stop the faction from accomplishing its objective, and you never got to seal the worlds and cease the faction's presence in many of them. Oh well, it's no a total loss…for us anyway."-

It was then that from out of the main corridor, leading to the loading platform, Colonel Ophelia Billiard emerged. The major was shocked to see the state she was in, her head and shoulder wrapped in bandages.

"Colonel Billiard," the major asked, "What happened?"

"Didn't General Bayonet inform you when he contacted you?" she said, pretending to be furious.

"No, ma'am, he never told me what happened."-

"Riku, the Child of Darkness, has escaped."-

"What…! But how can that be, colonel? I thought you were to oversee his execution?"-

"You're right there. I was supposed to oversee his execution, but those damned Preventers interfered with the process and they allowed the Child of Darkness to evade death. Now, as far as we know, he's on his way here."-

"But that can't be."-

"Riku..." Sora demanded to know, "Riku is still alive?"

"Yes he is, boy." Ophelia said. "And it may be possible that he's joined with the Preventers and is moving this way as we speak. But we can't allow him to rejoin you can we? That's why General Bayonet has ordered me to carry out with your execution personally, to see that you don't rejoin with that key bearer and cause any further trouble."-

"So that's why you're gonna execute them, eh?' the major implied. "Good plan."

Ophelia unleashed her fans.

"I want you and the other guards to watch, major. I want you to watch as death wreaks upon this platform today."-

"Yes ma'am."-

"This is the end for you!" But as she unleashed her fans, she instead turned on the guards and killed three with one slash.

"Colonel Billiard, what are you doing!" The Major demanded to know as he saw her strike down her own men.

"What does it look like? I'm carrying out with the execution." She deployed as second fan and killed another guard.

"You traitor!" the major took out his pistol, but Ophelia cut his hand, forcing him to drop the gun. She then lunged forward, slicing him across the chest and gut with her black fans. The other two guards aimed their blasters, but she deployed her fans and cut their weapons in half, rendering them useless. She the cut both guards at the throat. The blood of the guards fell to the ground as quickly as they did. One other guard tried to run for the corridor, but Ophelia took out the dagger strapped to her back and threw it. The dagger spun violently before piercing through the back of the retreating guard.

"Well that's the end of that." She said.

"You…traitor…" the major implied. "How…could you…?"

"Very easily…"-

"Guards!" the major shouted, but there was no response. There were no reinforcements, not sound of rushing feet anywhere.

"If you're looking for help, you won't get it."-

"What do you mean?"-

"I took the privilege of killing all of the guards within the transport station before coming here."-

"Traitor, traitor!" the major reached for his pistol and turned to shoot Ophelia. But as he did, one of Ophelia's fans struck him in the middle of his head. The fan cut deep into his cranium, killing him before he could take a shot. He fell dead on the ground, his blood rushing from the open wound in his head.

"I never liked you and your cocky attitude anyway." She retrieved her fans and her dagger and walked up to the KH team who were still tied up. "Just stay put you three, I'll get you out of here."

"You…?" Sora uttered. "What are you doing this for?"

"You still haven't got it do you? I'm on your side?"-

"Our side…? Since when…?"-

"Ever since you got here, silly…" She untied the three of them.

"Wait a minute!" Donald implied. "How do we know that you're not just acting like our friend and plan to betray us later?"-

"That's because betrayal only works once and in only one direction. I can't betray one side and then later betray the other. It just doesn't work that way."-

"What about Riku?" Sora asked. "Where is he?"

"Where is he you ask? Who do you think was the one who allowed him to escape? He's already here. He along with one of the Preventers agents, Daisuke Yamada, are at this moment planting explosives in the main power plant of the Romefeller Foundation."-

"So Riku is here?"-

"Yes. Now if you don't mind, could you tell me if you were ever given a tour of the hanger that holds the new mobile doll models?"-

"Yes we were." Goofy chuckled.

"Shut your trap, Goofy!" Donald implied. "How do we know that she isn't a play acting spy?"

"I don't think that a spy would go around butchering their own guys." Sora implied. He turned towards Ophelia, looking into her emerald green eyes. "To answer your question, yes, we did see the new models."

"Do you remember the hanger?"-

"Wouldn't you know that?"-

"Only General Bayonet, Dekim Barton, and a selected few only know. To everyone else, the information is strictly confidential."-

"I see. Very well then, the hanger was hanger 15…"-

"Are you sure?"-

"I should know. I was there."-

"Good. Then, I'll have to relay this information to Zech Marquise and Heero Yuy. Let's hurry." The KH team followed her as she ran through the main corridor. "We'll use the main computer of this facility to get the information out. We have fifteen minutes to do so."

"Fifteen…" Sora asked. "Why fifteen?"-

"Because in fifteen minutes, when the clock hits 0500, Riku and Daisuke will detonate the bombs set up in the main power plant and cause all electrical activity to cease functioning. There will be total a black out due to the explosion. That's why I have to relay the info to the Preventers headquarters immediately."-

"I see…"-

"So I guess she isn't a spy." Donald said.

They four rushed to the main observation tower of the station. Ophelia activated the main drive and began to hack into the main computer. She opened a secretive outside line that linked her location to the Preventers.

"Hanger 15 you said, right?" she asked Sora to confirm.

"That's correct." Sora replied.

"Good, then all I have to do is relay this message to the Preventers headquarters and hope that the information gets to them on time." She typed into the main frame and made contact. Immediately, the message was sent to the Preventers main force.

Within a minute, the message was relayed to Zechs Marquise and Noin, who awaited the information.

"Colonel Zechs." One of the Preventer soldiers implied. "We've just received the message."

"The message you say?" Zechs said. "Is it Colonel Billiard relaying the data?"

"Yes, sir, it has been confirmed."-

"And which hanger is developing the mobile doll models?"-

"She says that Hanger 15 is the facility."-

"Are you sure?"-

"Yes."-

"Hanger fifteen is it?" Noin uttered. She took out a map that had the charted layout of Romefeller's entire region. "No wonder, that facility is practically in the very center of the region."-

"So that's why they're developing the mobile dolls there." Zechs added. "Being that far into the interior, they would have no fear from any form of attack from the enemy whatsoever. And with those protective barriers surrounding the area, the place is inaccessible."-

"But the defense shields and all electrical activity will shut down as soon as our agents are able to destroy the power plant."-

"Yes… and only then will we initiate the attack…"-

Meanwhile, Riku and Daisuke were almost finished planting the explosives. They had managed to reach the end, planting bombs on fourteen of the generators leaving only one to be rigged. Daisuke once again looked at his watch.

"Riku, we have to wrap this up." He uttered. "We have ten minutes left before the scheduled detonation."

"Then, you'll just have to take out the remaining three guards, starting with the one coming up." Riku instructed.

"Leave it to me then."-

As the guard appeared before Daisuke, he looked at him for a long while before realizing that this was not the same guard as before.

"Hey," the guard uttered in shock, "You're not…"

But before he could utter another word, the youth threw another dagger straight through the man's throat. The guard fell to the ground silently. Riku then emerged from the shadows and dragged the body next to the last generator. As he finished, he placed the last two explosives on the fifteenth generator.

"Now let's get out of here." Riku implied.

"But what about those last two guards?" Daisuke uttered.

"Do whatever necessary to silence them and keep them from sounding an alarm."-

"Right…"-

Daisuke hastily moved to the other side of the compound where the other guard was stationed. The guard caught a glimpse of his attacker, confused at first by the uniform and weapon that he bore. But by the time he realized who it was, Daisuke threw another dagger and struck the man straight into the heart, killing him instantly. But this time, the other guard was present and saw the whole thing. He reached for his gun, but Daisuke threw another dagger and struck the man in the head, making another instant kill. He dragged both bodies into the shadows, concealing any evidence of any kind of activity.

"Alright," he said, "That's all of them."

"Let's get going." Riku implied. "What does your watch say?"

"We have seven minutes."-

"Then there's no time to waste."-

The two rushed out of the compound as best they could. They snuck passed the guards who patrolled the grounds and made their way back to the gates. They casually made their way through, nodding their heads to the guard who was on patrol. They sped up their pace once they were fifty feet away from the gate.

"How much time do we have now?" Riku asked.

"Two minutes." Daisuke said.

"Then, this is far enough I think." He pulled out the detonators and gave one of the two to Daisuke. Daisuke looked at his watch again.

"Ten seconds now." He said.

"Then we commence with the detonation," Riku said, "In…5…4…3…2…1…"

Both of them pressed the detonation switches at the same time. Immediately, there was a large explosion as the thirty detonation devices all went off at the same time. The explosion was so great that the entire facility blew up, accumulating a bright flash of light and clouds of smoke into the early morning sky.

The explosion could be seen from the positions of the Preventers.

"They did it." Zechs implied.

"You wanted a signal," Noin said, "Well there it is in all its glory."

"Send word to our other units to begin the surprise attack."-

"Very well…"-

At the same time, while riding to the front, General Bayonet saw the explosion erupt and was caught completely off guard.

"What the hell was that?"-

"Sir," said his driver, "That's the power plant."

"What!" All lights throughout the region suddenly shut off and a total black out commenced immediately after the explosion. "Damn that Noctin Tilandir. It has to be his doing. Without any power in the region, I can't relay the information to our assembly facilities. But wait…" It was at that moment that Bayonet recalled a spare generator that was used separately to power up the main assembly hall of the Romefeller Foundation. "The main assembly hall has a separate generator. We can use that facility to relay the message."

The minute that the lights went out, all hell broke loose. From different directions, the Preventers moved in. Explosions erupted throughout the region, lighting up the morning sky, as the advancing mobile suits of the Preventers met stiff resistance from the heavy artillery around the first line of defense.

Dekim Barton rushed out of hanger 15 to see the enemy coming towards the facility. And with no electricity to power up any of the nearby transmission devices, attempting to call for reinforcements was futile.

"Damn them," he said, "Damn the Earth Sphere Unified Nation. They've ruined our plans."

"Sir," one of the soldiers cried, as he rushed to his side. "Commander Barton, you must retreat to the safety of the hanger." Filled with rage, Dekim Barton initiated a fiery decree.

"Send out the serpent and the scorpion now."-

"But sir, the new models have only been completed about 80. If we sent them into battle now, there will be no guarantee of how effective they might be. Besides, we can't activate them without any electricity.

"You fool, you can activate the individual system from the cockpits. These may be mobile dolls, but they can also act as mobile suits because they have cockpits for the pilot. Simply enter the cockpit and activate the dummy system. Now no more stalling and carry out with the order."-

"Understood, sir." The soldier withdrew back to the hanger, leaving Dekim Barton to watch the confrontation unfold.

"You just watch, you fools. Soon you will see the advanced combat capabilities of these new models."-

Meanwhile, amidst the explosions of the bombardment by the Preventers, Riku and young agent Daisuke Yamada confronted several faction soldiers and troops of the Barton Foundation. Daisuke, using his daggers for hand to hand combat now, faced off against the impeding threat of soldiers descending upon them.

"Come on, you guys," he mocked, "How do you intend to beat me!"

"Don't get too cocky, Daisuke." Riku said. "Just be lucky that there are only soldiers attacking us."

"What else could attack us besides soldiers?" But as he uttered those words, several large body Heartless appeared in the midst of the attacking soldiers. Immediately, Daisuke's eyes grew large with shock and fear.

"Does that answer you question?"-

"What the hell are those things?"-

"Those are Heartless."-

"I've never seen anything like that before."-

Riku gazed about and realized that more Heartless were beginning to appear to aid the faction.

"There's no doubt." Riku thought to himself. "These Heartless are coming out of the woodwork. So a keyhole must be nearby somewhere."

At the same time, at the transport station, Sora could feel the battle that was going on. He sensed that Riku was in trouble, feeling his energy rise and fall with every passing minute.

"Riku must have his hands full fighting those Heartless." He said.

"How do you know?" Ophelia asked.

"I can sense his energy?"-

"Even amidst all this chaos?"-

"When it comes down to it, all I have to do is trek down Riku's energy signal and I'll know where he is every time. And right now, he probably needs help." Sora turned to Goofy. "Goofy, give Ophelia a senzu half."

"I gotcha." Goofy implied. He took off his hat and pulled out the bag of Senzu beans. He took out a bean and snapped in half, then gave Ophelia one of the halves. "here ya go."

"What is this?" she asked, looking at it queerly.

"If you eat it," Sora said, "It'll heal your wounds and replenish your strength."

Ophelia asked no further question and ate it as instructed. Instantly, her strength returned, replenishing her completely.

"My God, this bean certainly did the trick."-

"Just like I said… Now let's hurry and give Riku a hand."-

"Let's take the jeep then." Ophelia and the others jumped into the jeep. She then hastily started the engine. "Hold on to your hats, boys! Here we go!" Immediately, she began to speed off in a reckless pace. Donald who hadn't sat himself down in time was nearly blown off the back of the jeep.

"Hey, not so fast!" he cried. "I still haven't put on my seat belt!"

"Will you shut up and sit down, you loudmouth fowl!" Ophelia ordered. "We're on a tight schedule right now and Riku needs help!"

"By the sound of your voice," Sora said, "It sounds as if you've developed feelings for Riku, or something…"

"That's beside the point!"-

"I didn't figure you guys were fighting against each other that long back in the deep jungle. He must have had a great first impression on you." Sora gave that wise guy look. Ophelia knew exactly what he was thinking and began to blush.

"Shut up, Sora!"-

In the meantime, General Bayonet reached the main assembly hall of Romefeller. He walked into the facility that was completely dark. He turned on one of the light switches, but still there was no light.

"Blast," he said, "The emergency generator must still not be active." Using an emergency flare, he worked his way downstairs to the where the generator resided. Looked about on the device, he gazed at the control panel to see a little red button that glowed a soft red. On the button's surface was inscribed the word _activate_, which only indicated that this was the button to push to start up the generator.

"Now to work my magic." Bayonet uttered to himself. He pressed the activation button and immediately, the generator began to rumble. Soon enough, the generator began to glow and brighten up the room. Soon following, all other electrical devices began to activate. "I can finally relay the information back to our headquarters." He stepped up to one of the computers and tried to link it to the outside communication system, but as he tried to make access, there was no response whatsoever. "Damn, I can't activate to the outside line with this computer." The checked the rest of the compound. "In fact, almost all the computers are none compatible to linking with the outside, save one, the main computer in the assembly hall itself. And that's located on the first floor." Bayonet made no further gestures in his mind and began his rush to activate the main computer.

Meanwhile, the Preventers were continuously pushing forward. They were now almost reaching the sight where hanger 15 was located. Zechs Marquise and Heero Yuy made quick work of the outer defenses.

"There it is, Heero!" Zechs implied. "Hanger 15 is dead ahead."

"Locked onto the target." Heero said. But as he did, something came into his sights. From out of the hanger, two mobile suits appeared, activated and ready for battle.

"Heero!" Duo cried from the gundam Deathscythe. But as he joined Heero and Zechs, he two stopped in his tracks as he saw the mobile suits appear out of the hanger. "Are…are those the new models?"-

"Confirmed…" Heero replied. "There is no data indicating the model type of these mobile suits."

"So they must be the new mobile doll models."-

"Trowa, Quatre, Wu Fei, Noin, we'll need your assistance."-

"What's wrong Heero?" Trowa asked, over the transmission system.

"Get hanger 15 in your sight. We're encountered the new mobile suits."-

"Oh my God, you're right." Quatre implied.

"There is nothing in my data banks on these models." Wu Fei said.

"So these must be the new mobile dolls." Noin added.

Suddenly, one of the two mobile suits began to initiate the attack. The first to engage was the serpent, slowly making its way to the battle front.

"I got this one!" Duo chuckled. The Deathscythe moved in for the kill. But as he did, the serpent began to unleash a heavy barrage of bullets upon him with the double gatling gun. "Man talk about firepower."

"That must be the secret weapon developed by the Barton Foundation." Trowa implied. "That is the MMS-01 Serpent."

"You mean you have some knowledge on this suit?" Heero asked.

"I don't know much about it, but I remembered some of the chief mechanics speak of its development years before. Its capabilities are similar to my mobile suit model, the Heavyarms."-

"So how do we combat it?"-

"The same way that you combat the Heavyarms…The main strategy is to destroy the enemy by showering them with an endless barrage of bullets and missiles. However, once the ammunition is spent, the machine will be helpless. So the best course of action for us is to wait until it uses up all of its ammunition."-

"However," Quatre interrupted, "Since this thing is a mobile doll, would it not be more accurate in aim and not have to worry about wasting as much ammo."

"That's true," Wu Fei added, "And it won't miss its target as much a human pilot."-

"That's the reason why we're fighting it." Duo chuckled.

"I don't think we'll need to be patient with this one mobile suit." Heero implied. "Duo, do what you can."

"Leave it all to me!" Duo charged forth against the mobile suit, the winged shields of his mobile suit preventing significant damage from being inflicted. But as he charged head long at the mobile suit, seven large Behemoth Heartless appeared from out of nowhere. Duo, never laying eyes on the Heartless before, could only halt in fear. Everyone present also had the same reaction.

"What…what the hell are those things?" Duo uttered.

"Where did they come from?" Trowa asked.

"They just popped out of nowhere." Quatre implied. "Are they some type of mobile suit?"

"Not even mobile suits just appear out of thin air like that."-

Suddenly, the Behemoths began their attack, unleashing a barrage from their horns. At the same time, the Serpent mobile doll continued to harass the gundam pilots by firing upon their mobile suits. The intensity of the fire caused them to scurry and jump about.

"Watch it." Zechs implied. " That mobile suit had dead accurate targeting. Make sure to keep on your guard."

But as the gundams prepared to initiate another strike against the Serpent and its new Heartless allies, the Scorpion rose into the air and began to unleash a barrage with the use of its beam cannon. Quatre was the first to experience the accuracy of this new weapon as a shot from the Scorpion blew a hole near the cockpit.

"Quatre!" Trowa cried. The others looked in shock as they thought the inevitable happened. The gundam Sandrock fell to the ground.

"Oh God, Quatre!" Noin shouted.

"Quatre, Quatre," Duo shouted, "Are you alright." Sure enough, the head of a young boy popped out.

"I'm alright…" Quatre implied. "Just a little shell shocked that's all. But that new mobile suit took me out of action. My gundam is no longer able to function properly. You'll just have to continue without me."

"Alright," Heero said, "Get to a safe zone, Quatre. We'll handle it from here."

"I gotcha." Quatre didn't hesitate and went out to seek shelter on one of the nearby hangers."

"Alright, you guys," Duo said, "We better think of a strategy."

"Heero," Zechs implied, "I'll take out that mobile suit hovering above us."

"I'll help him." Noin added.

"Very well," Heero said, "Then we'll go after the Serpent and take down those creatures assisting it."

"Roger that."-

Noin and Zechs flew upward to confront the Scorpion while Heero and the others attempted to break the defenses of the Behemoths.

Dekim Barton watched from the safety of the hanger, observing how the events would unfold.

"That's right you fools." He uttered to himself. "Go forth and fight these mobile dolls. But you will soon realize that they are more dangerous than you have perceived."

At the same time, not too far away from where the battle between mobile suits and Heartless was taking place, Riku and Daisuke continued to battle against the Heartless just outside of the demolished power plant. It had been ten minutes, but each blow continued to wear them down. Riku, using the power of his keyblade and the methods he had learned in the past was virtually unstoppable, providing enough protection for both he and Daisuke. Daisuke, despite being a young and rather skilled agent of the Preventers could only watch in awe as he saw this young key bearer fight.

"Where did you learn how to fight like that?" he asked.

"I've had a lot of experience." Riku implied. "So battling like this comes naturally to me."

It was then that from out of nowhere, twenty defender Heartless appeared to do battle.

"What the heck are those?" Daisuke asked.

"Defender Heartless…" Riku moaned. "I hate these guys. Oh well…" Riku suddenly power up and deployed his Hurricane slash. The sharp winds cut through the shields of the defenders as if they were cheese. Immediately, the twenty defenders that came to stop them were no more. "I bet you fatheads never came across that kind of attack now did you!"-

"How did you to that? Are you some sort of trickster, or magician?"-

"No magic was involved in that, only the power of the elements."-

But no sooner had he had finished that statement, when Riku found himself confronting three large Behemoths. He gazed up and yawned.

Suddenly, there was a series of explosions and the Behemoths were destroyed instantly.

"Riku!" a voice shouted. Riku looked to see Sora and the others coming straight at them in a fast moving jeep.

"Hey Sora!" Riku replied. The jeep stopped and Sora jumped out.

"I see that you've managed to hold on to your own…as usual."-

"Ten years ago, fighting three Behemoths at one time would have been out of the question. Now, it's merely child's play."-

"Blast, you get to have all the fun!" It was then that Sora spotted young Daisuke. "Hey, I remember you. You're the kid who drove us to town. Areo Shiro wasn't it?"

"Agent Daisuke Yamada reporting for duty…" Daisuke replied. "It's good to see that you and the others are alright, Sora."

"So you happened to be one of the good guys after all."-

"And I see that you picked up another ally as well." Riku implied as he gazed at Ophelia.

"Hey there…" Ophelia uttered. Riku walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks for getting Sora and the others back here alive."-

"Why, you're welcome…" She then glanced in Riku's eyes. She immediately began to blush and turned away. "Sorry about that."

"Now all we have to do is find General Bayonet and defeat him."-

"Uh…Riku…?" Sora asked. "You did knock out the power plant right?"

"Of course he did!" Donald shouted angrily. "Remember how all the lights went out when that big explosion erupted! That can only prove that he took out the power plant!"

"Why would you ask that question anyway?" Daisuke asked.

"Well, the reason I asked is because if the power plant has been destroyed and there's no more light, how come that building still has light." Sora pointed out into the distance at a series of lights that illuminated the darkness.

"We did destroy all the generators right?"-

"Why does that building still have light?" Goofy asked.

"Oh no…" Ophelia implied. "That's the main assembly hall of the Romefeller Foundation!"

"Is that a bad thing?" Donald asked.

"I see what you mean." Riku agreed. "At times the most important buildings even have their own energy source, in this case, its own electrical generator."

"So that building has its own generator?" Sora asked.

"That's right, Sora."-

"But who would have activated the electrical energy there?" It was then that they realized that the one responsible for activating the generator.

"General Bayonet!" they all cried.

"We have to get to that facility." Riku shouted. "If I know General Bayonet, he will use this one opportunity to open a transmission to the main headquarters of the Midnight Faction and relay the information of those new models."

"Everyone, get on the jeep." Ophelia ordered. The KH team and their allies jumped on. "And hold on to your hats, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!" Ophelia stepped on the gas pedal and drove towards the facility in a rather reckless manner. But would they be able to reach their goal in time…?


	14. Closing Accomplishments

Closing Accomplishments

Amidst the chaos, the gundam pilots continued to engage in heavy fighting against the infamous new models of the Midnight Faction and the Barton Foundation as well as the powerful Behemoth Heartless. The Behemoths, despite their rather clumsy and sluggish movement were found to be tough to take down. They had somehow managed to orchestrate a defense that could not easily be broken, even by the swifter gundams. To add, from behind this protective line of heartless, the Serpent continued to fire simultaneous and accurate shots at the gundams who tried to make an attempt to break the line.

"Damn it!" Wu Fei shouted as he was nearly struck by another Behemoth barrage. "Those things are awfully skilled for being so slow."

"I can't unleash a barrage on that line." Trowa added. "That Serpent keeps on shooting at me, nearly striking the weak points of my mobile suit. Heero, it's all up to you right now!"

"Roger that." Heero implied. He flew a great distance away and prepared to fire his buster cannon. "This has gone on long enough." Heero fired his buster cannon at the defense line. The line of Behemoths turned to confront the incoming beam, but the intensity of the buster cannon's attack was so great that all seven were instantly vaporized. This left the Serpent vulnerable to attack.

"Well, that went well enough." Trowa implied.

"I guess all that was needed was just a little long range action." Duo chuckled.

"Duo," Heero said, "Finish it off."

"I gotcha…" Duo rushed in. The Serpent fired away with a mighty barrage of missiles and bullets, but the Deathscythe at the last moment unexpectedly threw its double sided beam scythe at the target. The scythe spun swiftly through the air. The mobile doll, not able to move quickly at short range was struck down. The serpent was cut in half and its remains fell to the ground before ending in a deafening explosion. The scythe, like a boomerang, returned to the hand of the Deathscythe. "Piece of cake."

"Great work, Duo." Trowa said.

"Now to take care of that last mobile suit that Zechs and Noin are fighting." But as Duo uttered those words, the Scorpion appeared from above him.

"Duo, look out!" Heero cried. But it was too late for the Deathscythe as the monster mobile suit unleashed its beam saber and sliced the Deathscythe in half, severing the head and the right arm from the rest of the body. The saber had managed to cut into the cockpit, missing Duo by a foot, or so. The remains of the Deathscythe fell to the ground. Duo tumbled out of his demolished mobile suit.

"W…what the hell was that?" he said. "I didn't even see him come at me."

"Why that…" Wu Fei uttered. He charged to strike down the mobile suit, but as he did, the Scorpion like an acrobat flipped over his gundam and severed the head from off the body. "It can't be!" The gundam Altron had been rendered useless by the swiftness of the new model. "Nataku!"

"What kind of mobile suit manages to move like that?" Trowa asked

"One that knows how to disappear…" A voice implied. The gundam pilots look to see Zechs and Noin halt their pursuit.

"Disappear?"-

"Just as I said, not only does this thing have extraordinary swiftness for something so big, but it also has the ability to disappear."-

"It's some sort of optical stealth that allows the mobile suit to vanish from sight and conceal itself on radar." Noin explained. "When Zechs and I were attempting to battle it, it would just disappear from out sensors."

It was then that mobile suit vanished from sight again.

"They're right." Trowa implied. "It…it just vanished into thin air."

"How do we track something down that we can't see?" Heero implied.

"Use your heat sensors." Zechs said. "That's the only that'll work against this mobile suit when it's in stealth mode." The Gundams turned on their heat sensors and immediately picked up the signature. "We have to somehow disable the optical stealth system on that mobile suit."

It was then that the suit began to attack again. But this time, the remaining mobile suits were completely aware of its presence and began to dodged and evade its attacks, but at the same time, hoping to probe it for weaknesses.

Meanwhile, Duo and Wu Fei managed to get themselves out of their demolished mobile suits and get to a place of safe distance.

"Duo, Wu Fei…Are you two alright?" Trowa asked, over his loud speaker.

"In most cases…!" Due implied.

"It's all up to you guys now!" Wu Fei hollered.

"We'll take care of this thing." Trowa assured them.

"Go get 'em." Duo said.

"You heard 'em, Trowa." Heero said. "Let's finish this!"

"Right." Trowa replied.

"To have a monstrosity like that mass produced for world takeover," Zechs said, "Is the last thing that we want happening."

The four mobile suits attacked the one mobile doll with great fury. But even when fighting four on one, this new model seemed to anticipate every move made by his opponents.

At the same time, the KH team was now nearing their destination, reaching the main assembly hall of the Romefeller Foundation. Ophelia pulled up to the steps of the foundation. Even before she stopped, Riku and Sora hastily jumped out of the moving vehicle and rushed inside.

"Hurry, you guys!" Riku implied. "He dispatched his keyblade and made ready to go against anything that stood in their way. But as he reached the top steps, a line of Heartless suddenly appeared in their way.

"Riku!" Sora pointed out.

"I see them, Sora! Don't worry about the ones around us. Just go for the ones that are straight in our path!"-

"I gotcha!" Sora unleashed his keyblade and the two began to hack and slash at the heartless in their path.

"Hey, you stupid Heartless," Ophelia shouted, "Did you forget about us! She unleashed both of her black fans and tossed them about like spinning boomerangs. The Heartless were struck down simultaneously by the hordes.

"Gain way!" Donald shouted, striking down Heartless left and right.

"Here we come!" Goofy added, striking down heartless with his shield.

Meanwhile, within the compound, General Bayonet had managed to activate the main computer and make an outside line. He placed the information disk in the drive and downloaded the necessary information regarding the data for the new mobile suits. He watched anxiously as the loading bar slowly reached 100.

"Excellent." He said. It was then that he heard commotion coming from the front chambers. Yet, despite the sounds of battle that accumulated outside, he only grinned as if there was no need for concern. "So, they're here…"

Only after he had finished the download, the doors of the main chamber burst open and the KH team, along with their new allies, stormed into the room. Riku led the charge, stopping just short of few feet.

"It's over for you," he shouted, "Your reign of terror in this world ends now!"

"Very well done, my friends," Bayonet chuckled, "Very well done, however, I must inform you that you are too late." He pressed the send button, relaying all the information regarding the new mobile dolls models. "The message has been sent to our manufacturing plants. Soon they will begin mass production of the mobile dolls and send them storming into other worlds ready to be conquered."

"No…" Sora uttered. "We were too late."

"Had you arrived here earlier, you might have been able to prevent me from relaying the information." He then looked at Sora and Ophelia. "And I see that you managed to survive, Sora, you and your captured friends. By the looks of it, Colonel Billiard was the one responsible for you being here. I had my suspicions about her actions during the past few events. But I never thought that she would ever go so far as to betray the faction openly."

"I no longer need the faction get my answers." Ophelia implied. "I no longer need the faction to help me answer my questions. I can always seek the answer on my own."

"But you had a home with us, my girl. You had a family to come to."-

"That's right…a family that only gave me orders and never bothered to stop and ask about how I felt about the whole thing. I realize now that I was merely a pawn in the faction's plan for total conquest."-

"You couldn't be more right, my dear. You are a pawn and the pawn's only purpose is to move forward, even at the cost of their own lives."-

"But that's where you are wrong." Riku said. "Ophelia is not a pawn, but a person who is trying to find her own answers and seek her own satisfaction."

"She's free of your hold." Sora added. "She no longer needs to be blinded by the faction's tyrannical ways."

"I see…" Bayonet chuckled. "So you have chosen the way of chaos then have you, Colonel?"

"I see no way of chaos in the direction that Riku and the others are going." She replied. "I can only see the light. They have revealed to me that killing won't change what has happened in the past. Killing will not bring my father or my sister back from the dead. So why should I kill others who're only fighting for the sake of their homes and cause further suffering to their households?"-

"That is the way that things work in this world. People can never be satisfied by letting things go unresolved and they must seek relief to ease the burden that weighs heavily in their hearts."-

"All this time, hoping to prevent the suffering that I went through, I only helped the thing I wanted to destroy, by killing the members of families and cause them further pain of loss. That is something that I want to put behind me."-

"So you will fight against the faction and kill its soldiers? So be it, but you should realize that by doing so, you haven't changed the concept that you will still be killing and causing further suffering to the families of those soldiers."-

"That's where you are wrong!" Sora protested. "There is a significant difference between what we fight for and what you fight for. For one thing, we fight to maintain the peace and restore a sense of tranquility to all worlds. The times have chosen the Universal Alliance to be the great super power. And as the great super power, the alliance has the responsibility of maintaining the peace and preventing disputes from erupting. Sure there will be suffering no matter how much the alliance tries to prevent it, but there is nothing that you can do to change that concept. You however fight for a cause that wants to control all worlds through fear and death and you are willing to go so far as to sacrifice billions of innocent people for the sake of unification alone. Even so, even if you were to unite the entire universe and those worlds surrounding it, you would not end the suffering."

"The concept of suffering and pain will always remain." Riku added. "No matter what, sorrow and misery will always remain. But it is how we cope with it that matters, how we tolerate the pain and how we can bring it to a close in our every day lives. Things happen and there's no way to change them. But there has only been six years of peace and still chaos erupts. And all due to your hope to change the society structures of all peoples and make them the same as your own. But I have come to conclude that people refuse to change, they don't want to change. And many would rather go through pain and dying than to just give up on a way of life that they have only known since they were born. Each life is precious and has its own identity. That is how cultures form, through the sense of their own individual being. You take that away from people and they will lose a sense of who they are. They will be just nameless people without a past."

"And that is why we are engaging in our operations." Bayonet chuckled. "We want the people to become lost and faceless. That way, they only know of the faction's ideals and are willing to fight and die for its glory. People who have individual identities hold themselves as being the most important in the world."-

"But to some, that is exactly what they are."-

"I understand, but deprive a person of that position and they either become lost, or hostile. In most cases, it is the latter that is most widespread." General Bayonet walked towards the KH team. In his right hand, he held and elongated box. He placed it flat on the ground, only a few feet away from the KH team. "A person's life, if lost, can be so easily replaced. It's a cruel irony, but it is true, no matter what anyone says. People replace other people. And that is what the Midnight Faction hopes to accomplish. By eradicating the old world, we can create a new one that pledges loyalty only to the faction and reveres its teachings. Everything else that counters the way of the faction would be a danger to the structure and must be swiftly eliminated."

"But such ideology makes the lives of others meaningless." Sora implied. "They would be no more of value than worker ants in a colony."

"And that is precisely what we want. If people think that way, then the chaos will end."-

"Allowing people to throw cherished things like lives away as if it were garbage," Riku uttered, "Making their hearts so they only know how to throw away. I've have gone through that vision of hell and I will not allow it to spread."

"I will not allow the lives of my father and sister to go about in my mind as if they meant nothing to me." Ophelia added. "They were my whole world when I was young! I seek to find peace for them. But I could never do that when fighting for a cause that can so easily dispose with the value of life."

"I've heard your arguments, ladies and gentlemen," Bayonet implied. "However, I am getting rather bored with consistent chattering. So there is only one way to determine whose side is truly in the right. As they say, actions speak louder than words." Bayonet opened the box and pulled out a metal gauntlet. Upon the fingertips were five long, razor sharp blades, equal in length to a rapier. "Only when one side has been defeated can the outcome truly be recognized."

"What on earth kind of weapon is that?" Daisuke uttered.

"I've…I've never seen anything like that." Donald added.

"This is the weapon that I along have mastered to its absolute limit." Bayonet explained. "This is called the talon gauntlet."

"So that is why Bayonet is known as the Master of the Talons." Ophelia implied.

"So you have mastered that bizarre set of blades eh?" Riku said. "By the look of your weapon, however, it doesn't seem to be a very sturdy one."

"Shows how much you know, boy." Bayonet chuckled. "But then again, you never know the outcome until you actually engage in battle!"

It was then that the door suddenly closed to the main chamber and the box, which once contained Bayonet's talon gauntlet, exploded and a cloud of mist accumulated from it. The KH team suddenly found themselves engulfed in the surrounding mist.

"Where did he go?" Sora implied. The KH team huddled together.

"I'm right here, boy!" Bayonet shouted. He suddenly rushed forward against Sora, his gauntlet raised ready to strike.

"Take this!" Sora used the Firaga spell to strike his opponent, but as he did, General Bayonet suddenly appeared to his side and struck. Sora, at the last minute, dodged. But it was too late. The tips of the blades slashed clean cuts on his chest. Sora fell to the ground, blood seeping from his new wounds.

"Sora!" Riku cried.

"Sora!" The other soon followed.

"Are you OK?"-

Sora slowly stood up, grasping at the five slashes received on his chest.

"That attack…?" Sora uttered. "How come I wasn't able to follow it? He just appeared at my side like it was some sort of magic."

"I don't know. I didn't even sense his energy moving."-

"Aw, what's the matter…?" Bayonet chuckled. "You look rather surprised at the results. But you should have seen the outcome from the start. My speed and agility are so fast that they even outpace the speed of light."-

"What was that?" Daisuke uttered. "You can move faster than the speed of light?"

"You heard correct, young man. I can move faster than the speed of light."-

"No wonder we weren't able to detect his energy." Sora implied.

"I don't believe it!" Riku said. "There's no way that you could have moved that fast."

"Is that so? Bayonet chuckled. "Perhaps I should give you a sample of my proficiency as well." General Bayonet suddenly began to rush at Riku at a very high speed. Riku, with keyblade drawn, prepared to face off against his attacking foe. Bayonet came closer and closer, ready to strike, but Riku saw him coming and struck first. However, as soon as he lunged forward with the keyblade, Bayonet appeared behind him and slashed Riku deep in the back. The young key bearer fell to the ground.

"Riku!" the others cried as they saw the impact.

"He got you too, Riku…" Sora said, kneeling by his side. "Damn him…"

"Had he come any closer," Ophelia uttered as she looked at the five gaping wounds on Riku's back, "He could have severed some of your vital organs."

"Then, I'll just have to make sure that he doesn't strike me that close again." Riku attempted to stand, but collapsed again.

"Hang in there!" Sora said.

"That hit really weakened me." Riku thought to himself. "How in the world could he have been able to strike me without me detecting his energy? Attempting to move at the speed of light would require a great amount of energy. So I should have been able to see him coming. But for some reason, he's able to conceal his energy completely. He doesn't accumulate an ounce of energy. But even so, even if he were to conceal it completely, he should give out at least a small trait. My instincts would usually pick up such movement, but not in this case. It's as if my senses have been nullified, or something."-

"Well, are you finished standing around?" Bayonet chuckled. "If you don't mind, I'll just conclude this battle here and now."

"Is that so…?" Riku said, staggering to his feet.

"You OK?" Sora asked.

"I'll be fine…" Riku stood before the general, keyblade drawn. Sora too stood by his side, keyblade drawn.

"We finish this here and now, Bayonet."-

"Bold statement, young Sora," Bayonet chuckled, "Quite a bold statement. However, with the results that have accumulated on the battlefield so far, I am not the least bit concerned with your threat."

"Let's get him."-

"I'm right behind you!" Ophelia said; her two black battle fans ready for the confrontation.

"So am I!" added Daisuke as he revealed his melee blades to grapple the general with.

"Same here!" Donald and Goofy implied in unison, their weapons drawn to battle.

"You poor, simpleminded fools," Bayonet chuckled, "I give you a chance to withdraw and surrender, but you insist on doing battle with me. Very well then," Bayonet crouched down in battle formation, ready to unexpectedly strike again, "as of this day, key bearers, you both shall meet your end."

Meanwhile, in the air space over hanger 15, the four remaining mobile suits went head to head with the elusive and agile Scorpion model. Because of its optical stealth, the radar sensors could not detect its movement. Therefore, the gundam pilots had to rely on the use of their heat sensors in order to trek down this evasive foe. From all directions, this mobile suit attacked the gundams, inflicting minor damage on them.

"This mobile suit," Zechs implied. "It's stronger than we had ever perceived."

"I don't understand how a single mobile doll can be this effective." Noin added. "I mean, it's like whatever we try to do, it manages to keep the upper hand and evade our plans every time."

"This thing is no ordinary machine though." Trowa implied. "This mobile suit is also equipped with a style of technology that we could only dream about."

"Optical stealth…" Heero added. "To disappear from both radar and visual contact completely is definitely an advanced form of technology."

"And here I was thinking that Duo's gundam, the gundam Deathscythe, was highly advanced in stealthy tactics. This thing can disappear completely, even from the naked eye."-

"It would make our job a lot easier if we could somehow disable the optical stealth." Noin said. "That way, we'll be able to pick up the machines movements, both visually and on radar."

"Let me hit this thing with a barrage of bullets and missiles. Perhaps doing so might be able to disable the optical stealth."-

"It wouldn't work, Trowa." Heero implied. "Even if you were to unleash an endless barrage of projectiles, that mobile doll would only deploy its energy shield and deflect your attack."

"We have to somehow attack it when it's most vulnerable." Zechs implied. "See if we can initiate a strategy that will somehow catch it off guard." The gundams ceased their confrontation, attacking the mobile suit. "This is what I will do, I will use the mega cannon to overwhelm and break the shield. That electro-magnetic shield can only take so much pressure and is bound to break. It'll need a second, or two to reconfigure its defenses. In that time, Trowa will fire his barrage. Perhaps, his attack will disable the optical stealth of the mobile suit. If not, hopefully, it would have disabled the combat efficiency of the mobile suit altogether."

"I understand." Trowa implied.

"Once the optical stealth is down, that thing will be a lot easier to battle. We won't have to rely on the use of the heat sensors alone anymore."-

"Mission accepted." Heero said.

The four mobile suits deployed themselves at their posts. Zechs powered up the Tallgeese III's mega cannon. Immediately, the four pilots saw the shield suddenly deploy.

"It looks like that mobile suit is prepared to initiate a defensive stance." Noin implied. "The shields had been activated. It must be hoping to take Zechs's attack head on."

"That thing may have its shields deployed," Zechs said, "but even so, it won't be able to hold back the intensity of this attack!" Meters for the mega cannon were full and up to its limit. The next moment, Zechs deployed the blast from the cannon and a powerful energy beam came screaming through the air.

"It's over for that thing." Trowa implied. But as he finished uttering those words, fate made a sudden change again. Noin looked at her heat sensor readings and noticed that there was a large heat source accumulating from the mobile doll and it was approaching fast.

"Oh no,' she uttered, "That things about to fire its beam cannon as well."

Sure enough, from the air space, where the Scorpion was detected, a bright flash of light bellowed forth and a large yellow beam came streaking through the sky.

"What in the world…?" Trowa uttered.

"That mobile suit fired its beam cannon to counter Zech's attack." Heero implied.

The two beams made contact with one another, pushing each other back and forth for a few seconds. The gundam pilots had never seen such a sight before. Two energy waves from two different cannons pushing each other back and forth, retreating and advancing, pressed against each other, causing a great amount of friction.

"Look at that!" Duo uttered as he, Quatre, and Wu Fei observed from a safe distance.

"Have you ever seen anything like that before?' Quatre asked.

"I never thought that I'd ever see two beams from two beam cannons go head to had in that fashion." Wu Fei added.

Just then, when it seemed as if both beams were going nowhere, there was a massive explosion as the friction between the two colliding beams proved too much. The explosion rang out, reverberating throughout the region. The light grew so intense that it seemed as if the early morning had become midday in an instant. The explosion could be heard and felt for miles. The gundam pilots were nearly blinded by the flash of bellowing light and were forced to shield their eyes from the intensity of the rays. Their mobile suits were forced back by the explosion.

As the light faded and the dust cleared, the four mobile suits regained their stance to confront the mobile suit Scorpion. The Scorpion, by now, had lowered its shield and now remained standing vigilant, ready to take on whatever attack the four opposing mobile suits might have in plan.

"That thing managed to cancel out my attack." Zechs implied.

"I never thought I'd live to see something as phenomenal as what just happened a moment ago." Noin added.

"That mobile suit has the ability to counter a long range attack from another mobile suit." Heero said. "It must've some how calculated the destructive capacity of Zech's mega cannon and knew that its shield alone wouldn't be able to withstand the impact. Therefore it made the alternative to fire its beam cannon to counter Zechs's own attack."

"As a result," Trowa added. "Both energy waves canceled each other out."

"Then, it's hopeless." Noin implied.

"Not necessarily." Zechs explained. "Just because that first attack didn't work doesn't mean that all is lost. We just need to revise our strategy first."

"What did you have in mind?" Trowa asked.

"This is what we'll do. I'll attack the mobile suit with my mega cannon again. Without a doubt, that mobile suit will engage in the same maneuver as it did before. But while I'm engaged against the mobile suit, Heero will attack it from behind. The mobile suit will attempt to either deploy its shield to its rear, or try to evade. If it manages to evade, Noin, you barrage it with your blaster."-

"I understand." Noin complied.

"That should give me enough time to regenerate my mega cannon and fire a second blast, to attempt to neutralize its shield. However, engage only if the mobile suit tries to evade."-

"And what if it were to maintain its present position, hoping to withstand our attack?" Trowa asked.

"If that's the case, then Noin does not have to worry about attacking. Instead, we will continue with the present plat to neutralize its shield. Once the shield had been retracted, Trowa and the gundam Heavyarms will unleash a barrage of projectiles at the mobile suit. That should be enough fire power to cause some damage and at least deactivate the optical stealth and perhaps destroy the mobile suit entirely."-

"I understand."-

"Roger that." Heero added.

"Then, let's do this." Zechs said. He began to increase the fire power of his mega cannon. Once again, the invisible mobile suit deployed its shield. Zechs, not hesitating any further, unleashed a powerful energy beam. The beam came charging straight at the mobile suit. Immediately, the mobile suit charged up its own beam cannon and fired away, countering Zechs's strike. The beams once again collided and clashed with one another, pushing back and forth as what had happened before. "Heero, do it!"

"Roger that!" Heero complied. He landed his gundam, the Wing Zero behind the mobile suit and fired his buster cannon. The beam came close to striking the mobile suit, but as Zech's predicted, the Scorpion evaded, rather than deploying its shield to the rear.

"It dodged it!" Trowa shouted.

"I got it!" Noin cried. She flew her white Taurus straight at the mobile suit and began to fire her blaster. Immediately, the Scorpion's shields were deployed to protect it again. The beams from Noin's blaster were simply repelled. "Blast it!"

"Not this time!" Zechs's shouted. His mega cannon was increased to its maximum level and without hesitation, Zechs unleashed the massive power of his ultimate long ranged weapon. The shield was instantly neutralized.

"Trowa, now…!" Heero cried.

"I'm on it!" Trowa replied. "I won't hold anything back!" Trowa unleashed a massive barrage of missiles and bullets against the mobile suit. The mobile suit was struck randomly, being inflicted with damage to its outer armor. Immediately after the barrage, the mobile suit had appeared from out of thin air. Its outer armor accumulated a few electrical surges indicating that something had been severely damaged.

"The optical stealth has disengaged." Zechs said. "Heero, deliver the finishing blow!"

"Roger that!" Heero implied. He prepared to fire his buster cannon a second time. But as he was ready to deploy another blast, the mobile suit suddenly vanished from sight. "What the…?"

"Where did it go?" Noin said. She checked her heat sensors. This time, there was no reading. "There's nothing there. It's like it just vanished."

However, as soon as those words were uttered, Zechs's sensors picked up another energy signal. He gazed about to see that the mobile suit had appeared behind the Wing Zero.

"Heero," he cried, "Behind you!"

Heero looked to see that the mobile suit had managed to appear behind him. It had deployed its beam saber and made ready to strike. At the last minute, Heero managed to dodge the attack, but this sudden ambush allowed the Scorpion to cut both the Wing Zero's shield and buster cannon in half, rendering them useless. Heero deployed his beam saber and engaged in battle with this foe. However, the fierce mobile doll continued to strike at him with great ferocity.

"Heero, I'm coming!" Trowa shouted. He aimed his Gatling guns at the mobile suit. But as he approached, the Scorpion unleashed his shield disks again. This time, however, the disks for the electromagnetic shield did not deploy as a protective barrier for the mobile suit. Instead, the disks were being use for offensive purposes, being deployed as projectiles to inflict damage upon its enemy. Trowa evaded as best he could, dodging the disks. However, two disks managed to ram themselves into the chest area of the Heavyarms and the mobile suit came crashing down to the ground. Trowa tried to stand his mobile suit up again, but as he did, the disks came flying at him, hoping to strike the vital part of the Heavyarms.

At the last minute, Noin intervened with the Taurus, kicking the disks away from Trowa. The disks immediately returned to the Scorpion. Zechs joined Heero as his reinforcements.

"Are you OK, Heero?" Zechs asked.

"I'm alright." Heero replied.

"And Trowa?"-

"I'll be OK." Trowa said. "It was just a close call that's all."

"I don't understand it." Heero said. "How in the world did that thing just vanish and then appear right behind me without any of us picking up its movements?"

"I don't know." Zechs implied. "It defies all logic."

"To add," Trowa added, "That thing also managed to use its shield disks for the offensive, turning them into projectiles."

"It's hard to believe that something like this mobile suit is so technically advanced to our own mobile suits."-

From the safety of the hanger, Dekim Barton watched on as the battle continued to escalate. He was amazed as well as utterly shocked to see how superior the Scorpion model was compared to his Serpent model.

"General Bayonet, you have deceived me!" He thought to himself. "And here I trusted you! You said that you'd be completely honest with all the information regarding both models and yet you never told me about this feature. The model Scorpion has the ability to somehow transmit itself behind its enemy. Perhaps it's a type of dematerialization system." Angered by this sudden turn of events and the thought of such deceit from General Bayonet, Dekim Barton rushed over to the main control room, twenty of his soldiers in quick pursuit of him. Knowing that there was no electricity within the entire compound, he only had battery powered hall lights to guide him. He opened a fuse box, just right of the main entryway to the room, revealing what looked like an activation switch. It was the switch that activated the back up generator for the main control room and the main control room only. Flipping the switch, the lights and computer monitors were activated and all systems were up and running again. Dekim, with a smile across his face, rushed to one of the developmental computers and activated the information files regarding the design of the mobile suits.

"General Bayonet can be deceiving, but then again, so can I." Dekim said to himself. "I never told him that this room had its own electrical generator. So it serves him right, keeping information from me. I guess that he was planning to overthrow the Barton Foundation sooner, or later using his new mobile suit models. To think that this Scorpion model of General Bayonet's exceeds the capabilities of my Serpent by far, the Serpent didn't last a minute against the gundams and it was being backed up by those creatures, but this Scorpion model has managed to get the best of those opposing mobile suits of the Preventers dwindling their numbers to only four. And all this done by a single mobile suit. I could scarcely imagine the thought of having to fight ten, or a hundred times that number. With that kind of advancement in technology, Bayonet could have easily destroyed my organization without any trouble." Dekim began to browse the files regarding the machine development for the mobile suits. "Perhaps I'll be able to use this confidential data and use it to enhance the fighting capability of the Serpent. Then, if Bayonet and the Midnight Faction dare to go to war with us, he'll be in for a really nasty surprise. First thing's first though, I must acquire the name of this system that allows the mobile suit to teleport."

"It is called the Zero Shift System." A voice uttered. Dekim turned about to see a man dressed in blue with a sword sheathed in a white scabbard on his side. It was the infamous commander and last of the Gatler Generals, General Arinario Triiken. "It's a system given to us, compliments of our friends in the "Enders Realm."

"How did you get in here?" one of the guards in the room demanded.

"There's no need for me to explain the details to my being here." Triiken implied. "I'm here to retrieve that data."

"Are you of the Midnight Faction?"-

"No…I'm here to kill you."-

"Is that so? Well you certainly have come to the wrong room then." Triiken suddenly saw himself surrounded by guards. "If you intended to assassinate me, you should have initiated your attempt when there weren't so many guards around."

"Don't think that there is safety in numbers here. I can fight against a thousand of you easily." Triiken suddenly unleashed his sword and sliced three of the guards in half with one swoop. Immediately, some of the guards began to shoot, but Triiken easily made quick work of them. The bullets flew around him, not one striking, and Triiken managed to slay every guard within the room within a matter of seconds. Dekim Barton could only watch in horror as his men were cut down by the files. After the onslaught, Triiken sheathed his sword and approached Dekim Barton. "I told you that safety in numbers does not apply for this particular scenario. Now if you don't mind, be a good little boy hand me that information."

"You fool!" Dekim chuckled. He configured the computer and initiated the delete sequence. He then placed his finger over the enter key. "Go ahead and threaten me. However, if you dare to harm me, I'll delete all the files regarding the information on the new mobile doll development. Then, your trek here would have been in vain!"

"If you delete it, your life ends. And I don't know how the Barton Foundation will hold out without you leading them and spreading your mindless propaganda. Thus, your cause would have been a waste." These words caused Dekim to withdraw his finger. "But then again, I could care less about what happens to the Barton Foundation. Besides, if you were to erase all that data that means that you have lost a great deal of information to help counter against the uprising of the Midnight Faction. General Bayonet only needed your expertise and resources to create these powerful new mobile suits. That's the only reason why he joined you. This way, while you waste your technology and resources, as well as manpower to help develop these monstrosities, General Bayonet needs only to sit and watch, not losing anything of his own in the process."

"So he would have overthrown me sooner, or later then."-

"The presence of another ambitious leader like you means that the faction just might face possible hard times. However, I can prevent such hard times from happening just by dispensing with you."-

"You…"-

"I am willing to make a deal with you though, Dekim Barton. You give me the information I need and I'll let you live."-

"For the restoration of the Barton Foundation and its road to power, I will do as you ask." Dekim Barton canceled the delete sequence and initiated to save the information on a disk. On the moment of completion, Dekim presented the disk to Triiken. Triiken took it and smiled. Without a second glance, he turned and walked away.

"I thank you for assisting me, Dekim Barton."-

"We are still agreed yes?" Dekim Barton asked.

"That is correct. I will not kill you." Triiken then turned towards the fuse box and deactivated the generator. The computers and lights as well as all electrical appliances shut down again, leaving only the battery powered lights to illuminate the room. Triiken then cut the activation switch in half, rendering it useless. "Instead, I will have the faction do away with you."

"What have you done? Now I can never relay the information to my other comrades."-

"That's just too bad for you then isn't it?"-

"You…you took away my victory!" Dekim Barton took out his gun and shot away. But the bullets missed Triiken.

"Attack me while my back was turned eh? That is unforgivable." Triiken turned to face Dekim and unsheathed his sword. "I gave you your life and yet you try to kill me in return! For that insult, I will see you dead."

"Die!" Dekim fired repeatedly, but missed again and again. Finally, almost within arms reach, Triiken sliced off the arm that bore the pistol. Dekim screamed out in pain.

"A man who has the audacity to attack from behind without warning, yet has no skills as an assassin, is a man who has no true courage. And it is that type of person that I cannot stand. Therefore, by breeching your conduct of honor, I will carry out with your execution."-

"But you said you wouldn't kill me…"-

"Your honor no longer has any value to me. Therefore, I needn't keep my end of the bargain."-

"Who…who are you?"-

"I am Arinario Triiken…your executioner." Triiken placed his sharpened blade at Dekim's throat and with one slash, cut the old man's throat, ending his life. The body of Dekim Barton fell flat to the ground, the blood spilling into a pool around him. Triiken cleaned his sword and sheathed it. "My mission is completed. Now I must catch up with the key bearers."

At the same time, there was a continuous standstill between the Scorpion Mobile doll and its four opponents. There was now a sense of hesitation on attacking the Scorpion.

"It's been five minutes." Noin implied.

"That mobile doll certainly doesn't act like one." Trowa added. "It goes into a stand off as well."

"We have to somehow strike it," Zechs said. "We have to somehow go for its weak point."

"But now that it's activated that teleportation system, there's no guarantee that we'll be as effective against it as before."-

"This new system must be some sort of back up in case the optical stealth fails to operate." Heero explained.

"That means in order to render it helpless," Zechs added, "We'll have to deactivate this new system."

"But how?" Noin asked.

"We just need to damage it a second time, just as we did before." Heero complied. However, I won't be of much help, now that both my shield and buster cannon have been rendered useless."

"Then we'll just have to initiate a different form of strategy." Zechs said.

But suddenly, just as that statement was made, the Scorpion suddenly unleashed its five funnel icons.

"What the heck are those?" Trowa asked. "That mobile suit looks as though it just deployed missiles."

"I don't think those are missiles." Heero said.

Suddenly, the funnel icons began to fire laser beams at the four mobile suits. The four pilots, shocked by what had just happened, scattered. Zechs's Tallgeese was struck by three of the beams. As a result, his mobile suit had been rattled and the lasers themselves had caused some severe damage to his outer armor.

"Those laser icons are more dangerous than they look.' Zechs implied. "Watch out."

But just as those words were uttered, the Scorpion went on the attack, striking at Zechs first. Zechs quickly deployed his beam saber and engaged in battle with this new foe. The Scorpion deployed its shield, repelling his saber stroke. Zechs engaged in hand to hand combat with this new mobile suit.

"Zechs," Noin cried, "We're coming!"

But as the three other mobile suits moved in to fight, the funnels rushed at them, preventing them from coming to Zech's aid. The Scorpion itself continued to slash at the Tallgeese III, inflicting damage upon its outer armor. The more Noin and the others tried to help, the more intense the protective barrier from the funnels became.

"Those laser devices are acting like some sort of bodyguards." Trowa said. "They're preventing us from intervening."

"But why is that mobile suit attacking Zechs first?" Noin asked.

"Zechs right now is the only one with a powerful beam cannon." Heero said. "As long as there is that type of fire power on the field, we have the capability to neutralize that machine's shield."

"But how can we help Zechs? These damned laser icons are preventing further advancement."

"We have to somehow break their defense. Try and take out the icons."-

"I gotcha." Trowa implied. He began to aim and shoot at the funnels, but like speedy little gnats, the funnel icons could not so easily be shot down. Again they aimed well, but again they failed as it seemed as if the funnel icons could predict every movement.

At the same time, Zechs went on the offensive, using both saber and heat rod whip to coordinate an effective attack. However, the despicable shield disks repeatedly formed a shield to protect the Scorpion from harm. To add, they were continuously being used as projectiles to damage the Tallgeese.

"Damn this mobile suit!" Zechs shouted out loud. "How could a mere doll have so much capability in its combat skills!"

Heero and the others could only watch as the fight became more intense as well as seeing the tide turn against Zechs.

"If Zechs loses, then we would have lost all chances of breaking that shield!" Heero said. He turned to Trowa and Noin. "Trowa, Noin, I'm going in to help Zechs. Hopefully, the laser icons will follow me. And when that happens, I want you to shoot them down. They'll be concentrating all their fire power on me, so aim carefully."

"But you might be killed, Heero!" Noin protested.

"It's a risk that we must be willing to accept and a loss that you must be willing to accept! It's our only chance at victory!"-

"But Heero…!"-

"Cover my back!" Heero lunged forward towards the combating mobile suits.

"I've got your back, Heero!" Trowa complied. "Noin, aim for the icons when they pursue Heero."

"Right…" Noin said. Sure enough, as Heero broke through the defense and rushed at full speed towards the Tallgeese and the Scorpion, three of the icons went in quick pursuit.

"Now!" Trowa shouted. With everything they had, they evaded the two funnels still on guard and unleashed a barrage of projectiles against the three pursuing icons. The funnels were too caught up in pursuit that they did not realize the danger that was commencing and like fish in a barrel, they were struck down and rendered useless.

"We did it!" Noin cried.

"Great work!"-

"Now, to finish off this mobile suit." Heero said.

In that time frame, the Scorpion had dealt a critical blow to the Tallgeese III, severing its right arm from the elbow down. It then severed its right leg with a second swoop. The Tallgeese fell to the ground not able to stand.

"Blast it!" Zechs said. He then saw as the Scorpion prepared to initiate a finishing lunge straight into the cockpit of the Tallgeese. "So this will end the confrontation now will it?"

Just as it seemed the end for Zechs, losing his life at the hands of this new model, Heero swooped in and severed the Scorpion's entire right arm from the back of the shoulder down. In the process, he severed both the funnel control and the shield control. Immediately, both the icons and the shield disks fell to the ground, useless.

"Zechs," Heero cried. "Finish it off!"

"Right…" Zechs implied. "Thanks for the assistance, Heero!" Zechs deployed his mega cannon and aimed it at the scorpion at point blank range. "You're not so tough without all your little toys now are you!" Without hesitation, Zechs fired the mega cannon. The Scorpion, now that it had been rendered of most of its unique weaponry. Its systems were in shock and locked, further making it vulnerable. In a might flash of energy, Zechs annihilated the Scorpion, scattering its pieces to the winds. When the light faded and the dust had settled, the supposedly invisible Scorpion was no more.

"We did it!" Noin cheered.

"We took down that monster of a mobile suit." Trowa complied.

"They did it, they did it!" Duo, Quatre, and Wu Fei shouted with glee as they witnessed the final result emerge.

"Mission complete." Heero implied.

"Thanks for backing me up back there, Heero." Zechs said. "Now that those mobile dolls are out of the way, I think it best that we begin our pursuit of the two ring leaders responsible for all this, General Bayonet and Dekim Barton.

"Perhaps they might be in that hanger." Trowa said.

"There's only one way to find out." Heero implied. He jumped from his mobile suit and reached the entry way to the hanger. Duo, Quatre, and Wu Fei were there waiting for him.

"Heero," Duo said as he and his comrades met up with him at the hanger doors, "So you think that both commanders are here?"

"Possibly…" Heero replied.

"Speaking of which," Quatre said, "What about Riku and Sora? They must have united by now right?"

"I'm sure that they have. And they have Daisuke and Ophelia there to help them too. Knowing those four, it'll take more than a few faction, or Barton Foundation soldiers to stop them."-

"I hope you're right."-

As a matter of fact, things were turning out to be far worse than the KH team had expected. General Bayonet's mysterious techniques proved to be more elusive than expected. He now toyed and taunted the key bearers as if he had nothing to fear from them whatsoever. He had made no attempt to strike them again. Instead, he continued with his mocking and his continuous cackling.

By this time, Sora grew more agitated with his mockery. He stood up and faced the darkness of the assembly chamber.

"I've had enough of this!" he shouted. "Why don't you come out and face us like a man, General Bayonet! Or are you too afraid!"

"Don't leave the safety of the group, Sora!" Riku instructed. "That is exactly what he wants you to do!"

"I don't care anymore! His incessant cackling is driving me nuts! Get out here, Bayonet, and take your lickings."-

"Aw, what's the matter boy," Bayonet mocked, "Are you growing tired of this, afraid of the dark? Well, you should be, it's not safe to linger out into the unknown, especially when there is a blood-thirsty killer like me, on the prowl, looking for fresh blood." Bayonet suddenly appeared from out of the darkness, his black cape covering one half of his green uniform. He lingered in the mist like a phantom.

"Come on and fight me!"-

"Do you wish to die so young?"-

"Why you…"-

"Sora…" Riku uttered, placing his hand on his friends shoulder. "There's no need to be so aggressive. If you become too aggressive, you might just blind yourself with rage and then you'll really be open for attack."

"Riku…"-

"You should listen to your friend's advice." Bayonet chuckled. "Riku gives you words of wisdom. So it's best that you pay attention. Not unless you want to be the first to meet your demise."

"You talk too much for you own good, Bayonet." Riku said. "Your own arrogance will be your downfall."

"Your threats are idle. I know that you're no threat to me. As long as you are under my power, under my spell, you will never gain the upper hand."-

"Spell…?"-

"If you're so determined to be bold and brave and play the hero, Riku, then why don't you take the privilege of fighting me instead?"-

"I just might do that." Riku began to step forward, further from the protection of the group and deeper into the emptiness of the chamber.

"Riku…" Sora uttered. He took hold of Riku's shoulder. "You can't go out there, its utter suicide."

"Don't worry about me, Sora. You forget that I can beat him at his own game." Riku stepped forward to fight the infamous commander. His keyblade drawn for battle, Riku made ready to take on any attempt to hinder him. "I'm ready for anything you want to throw at me, General Bayonet."

"I applaud your boldness, young key bearer." Bayonet chuckled. "I must say that you are quite the courageous figure. Trying to impress someone now are you?"

"I'm not doing this to make an impression. I'm stepping forth to fight you because I know that I can beat you in no time."-

"We'll just see what other tricks that you have up your sleeve." He spread out the blades of his talon gauntlet and made ready to attack. "Whenever you're ready, key bearer."

"Here I go!" Riku charged as fast as he could. General Bayonet did the same thing. Both neared closer and closer to one another until they were within striking range of one another.

"You lose!" Bayonet chuckled. He suddenly appeared to Riku's side and slashed away. But what he struck was merely an after image what vaporized into thin air as soon as he struck it.

"Guess again!" Riku shouted, appeared to Bayonet's right. "It's over!"

"You think so!" Riku suddenly looked to his left to see bayonet appear again.

"But how could he have out dodged me?" Riku thought to himself. Sweat of worry dripped down his face as he saw the razor sharp blades come straight at him. In one final move, he managed to dodge the attack, but not close enough. The blades streaked themselves across Riku's chest and the upper part of his right arm. Riku fell to the ground, his new wounds dripping with blood. Riku staggered up as best he could.

"As I said before, Riku," Bayonet chuckled, "You lose. Next time I say something, it would be best to take my advice to heart." But he was shocked as he watched the young key bearer stagger to his feet again. "Most impressive though, I must say. You've lasted longer than most other opponents who have confronted me. Usually, a surprise attack like that would finish off any ordinary opponent. But then again, you aren't the average opponent I've faced. For that I must commend you."

"You can thank my quick reflexes for that. Otherwise, it would have been my throat that would have received the slash, not my chest."-

"Don't worry; I intend to cut your throat as soon as I unleash another attack on you. Besides, with the amount of blood being lost from those gaping wounds, you won't be conscious enough to be aware of your surroundings. This indicates an easy kill for me."-

"Not if I have anything to do with it." Sora shouted. He unleashed his keyblade again. "To kill Riku, you'll have to kill me first."

"Is that so?"-

"Sora, what are you saying!" Riku said, shocked. "Don't make such a declaration!"

"You did the same for me back in Gombria, Riku. The least I could do is return the favor."-

"Sora…!"-

"Well, if you are so willing to die for the sake of your friend, then so be it. But I can assure you, Sora, you won't last long against me."-

"I'm ready for you!"-

"Then meet your end, boy!"-

"Sora, no…" Riku uttered.

Bayonet charged head on against Sora. Sora, in response, used the Stopga spell to attempt and paralyze the general and catch him off guard.

"I got you this time!" Sora shouted. But as he attempted to unleash the spell, Bayonet appeared behind him and slashed the young key bearer across the back. Sora fell to the ground. Five new slash marks appeared on his body, dripping blood.

"Well," the general mocked, "You said that you have me this time, what happened?" Sora rose to his feet, wavering at times.

"Sora!" Goofy and the others cried.

"We're coming to help!" Ophelia cried.

"Oh no you don't, traitor!" Bayonet chuckled. "Not unless you want to experience death in a quicker manner." The others could only maintain their ground, fearing that they might just die if they attempt to intervene. "Now if you don't mind standing down, you can save yourself a lot of trouble."

"No, I won't just keel over and die just like that." Sora implied.

"Well, I can certainly help you with the dying part."-

"Bring it on, you freak!"-

"Sora, don't," Riku uttered. "You'll die…" His wounds began to sting uncontrollably, forcing him to crouch and care for them. Riku raised his head to see what would happen. But suddenly, there was a difference in the battle. He watched to see that General Bayonet was not even traveling at an incredible speed, but rather, he was merely jogging at a rather slow rate. Riku didn't get why Bayonet moved at such a sluggish pace, but he realized that Sora too was acting rather sluggishly. "Sora, he's in your grasp! Strike him!"

"I gotcha!" Sora replied and attempted to strike. But again, he seemed to strike as if he barely had any energy left. Riku then noticed that Bayonet simply moved to the side as Sora sluggishly thrust his keyblade downward.

"Sora, what are you doing! He's gonna flank you from the right!" The outcome was too late though as General Bayonet managed to strike Sora again. This time, he grazed the young key bearers arm. Sora fell to the ground, his flesh receiving even more cuts than before. Riku didn't understand what was going on. "I don't understand it. Bayonet was merely jogging his pace. How could Sora not see it coming?" It was then that Riku noticed the mist accumulating around the chamber. He then looked at the box which held the talon gauntlet. It still continued to accumulate that strange mist. Immediately after acknowledging this evidence, Riku's eyes grew wide with shock.

"I know this style of combat!" he thought to himself. "I know the secret behind Bayonet's technique! I know how to break it!"

"You know," Bayonet said, "I'm getting rather bored with all of this battling with weaklings. So I shall conclude this confrontation. Thus, I've made my decision to eliminate both of you key bearers in the process. The only question is who to take out first."

"You dare to defy the orders of Sirius Viicous?" Ophelia asked. "You know the consequences if you disobey his orders."

"I'm sure that Lord Sirius Viicous will understand. I'll explain to him that killing either one, or both of the key bearers was a necessity. In this case, I think it best to extinguish both of them. Besides, Billiard, you are a traitor to his Excellency. Therefore, your opinion does not matter. To add, because you are a traitor to the Midnight Faction, I will see to it that you suffer greatly before you die. Die the death of a traitor." He then gazed at the two bearers. "However, before any of the rest of you die, it's best that I do away with the major obstacles first." He then extended the index blade of his talon gauntlet. "Now which one of you two key bearers will be the first to meet their demise?"

"There is no argument here." Riku shouted, standing before the general. "I will be the first to battle you!"

"No, Riku!" Sora cried.

"Sora, this is my decision and I will be the first to do battle."-

"No, Riku, I won't let you!"-

"I will have no further arguments about it."-

"But Riku…"-

"If anything were to happen to me, Sora, then you would be the one to complete our mission and prevent the faction from advancing its colors into other worlds. Besides, you might say that I have one more ace up my sleeve."-

"A little overconfident aren't we, Riku?" Bayonet chuckled. "You know perfectly well that you stand no chance against me."

"You always seem to underestimate me continuously. That however will be the link to your undoing."-

"Don't make me laugh, key bearer! Can't you see that I bear no injuries on me while you and your friend, Sora, have emerged with several deep cuts all over your youthful bodies. Don't go telling me that I'm overconfident. I think it more proper that you're overestimating your own strengths."-

"Well, if you're so sure that you'll win, see if you can get the best of me in this next bout. If you can kill me in this next bout, then you can gloat all you want. But until then, I suggest that you keep your mouth shut!"-

"Riku," Daisuke shouted from afar, "Don't anger him. Otherwise he might just fulfill that death wish of yours."

"No…" Ophelia implied. "If Riku really knew he didn't stand a chance, it would have reverberated in his emotions and physical expressions."

"What are you saying then?" Goofy asked.

"Are you saying that Riku might win?' Donald added.

"There is no doubt about it." Ophelia implied. "Riku must have some sort of plan up his sleeve. Why else would he be acting so calm? Even if he were to play a bluff, he wouldn't remain this calm. He must have found a way to defeat Bayonet."

"Alright, Riku," Bayonet chuckled, "Since you are so willing to die first, then you will have that honor!" Bayonet lunged forward. "Say your prayers, key bearer. This next attack will cut your throat wide open. Bayonet suddenly vanished. He then reappeared behind Riku and slashed away with the talon gauntlet. But this time, Riku saw the attack coming and blocked the blades from coming in contact with his skin. The results caught Bayonet by surprise and a sense of fear began to reverberate down his back. "How in the world did his see my attack? I should have severed him by the throat by now. Yet somehow, he managed to see my attack coming."

"You see…" Riku implied. "You underestimated my skills, especially my ultimate skill, the power of observation."

"Riku managed to counter Bayonet's attack." Sora uttered, shocked at the results. "Does he have a strategy to bring this guy down?"


	15. The Youth Appears

The Youth Appears

This sudden turn of events was a drastic one. General Bayonet, who seemed to have had the upper hand all this time, was now faced with the grim reality that perhaps his techniques were not as invincible as he had earlier taken into account. The truth became painfully clear as he saw Riku's keyblade manage to hold up against his talon gauntlet.

"Could it be that this young man has managed to see straight through my technique?" Bayonet thought to himself. He then began to scan the events that had passed, through his mind and perceived Riku's defense to only be a fluke. "No, there's no way that he could have seen through my technique. I must be some kind of coincidence, or something."

The two pushed each other away and went back into their defensive positions. The other members of the KH team could only watch in awe at the events unfolding before them.

"Did you see that?" Goofy asked.

"I did." Donald added.

"Riku somehow managed to counter Bayonet's attack." Ophelia implied.

"But how did he do that?" Daisuke asked. "Before, Riku seemed confused at where to predict Bayonet's sudden strikes, but now he seems all calm and reserved about it as if he can see every move the general makes."

"Well," Bayonet chuckled, "You certainly caught me by surprise young man. I would have thought, after that last attack, you would have met your sorry end."

"I told you that you shouldn't underestimate my skills." Riku chuckled.

"You shouldn't get too confident my young lad. That one shot was by mere luck. But your luck won't be resurfacing again." General Bayonet bent down, preparing to charge again. "This time, you won't make out my movements. I'll take you down before you ever acknowledged that you've been slain."-

"Come at me then."-

Bayonet charged head long against Riku. He then stepped to the side and thrust his gauntlet forward, hoping to cut Riku's throat again. But again Riku managed to block the attack. Bayonet tried again, evading to the other side, but Riku again caught wind of the attack and blocked it a third time. By this time, it had become painfully clear that this was no fluke. Riku had managed to crack Bayonet's secret.

"How the heck did Riku do that?" Sora thought to himself as he saw the confrontation. "Riku all of a sudden can predict General Bayonet's movements as if he knew where he'd pop up next. But how can that be? I can't even sense his energy moving. Yet Riku for some reason can see every move, like he knows where he'll initiate his next attack."

"Damn…" Bayonet uttered. "This is no fluke. You know the secret behind my techniques don't you."

"That's right." Riku implied. "And I don't intend to have you using your trickery on us again!" Riku unleashed his Hurricane Slash and cleared the entire room of the mist. He then used his Cinder Canister to destroy the box that accumulated the mist. "Now you're completely helpless."

"But how did you manage to see through my technique? How could you manage to break my secret?"-

"I told you before not to underestimate the power of my observation skills."-

"But Riku," Sora asked, "How did you manage to see straight through his technique?"

"It's elementary, Sora. I just happened to look at some of the items that he used and the strategy he deployed in order to successfully carry out with his little ploy. Had I not noticed what was going on, I could have ended up dead a long time ago."-

"So tell us how he did it."-

"It's simple. Bayonet's using a similar technique that Kahn used when Cuchulain was fighting him, back in the 'Rurouni Realm' six years ago."-

"Which techniques was that though?"-

"Remember when Kahn used Goten as an energy source and created that massive bubble around the battlefield?"-

"How can any of us forget that incident?" Donald mumbled.

"When Kahn deployed that bubble, or the Darkness Umbrella I think it was called," Riku continued, "He had managed to alter the atmosphere within it. Being the master of darkness, he was able to manipulate the environment to his leisure. In this case, when he was fighting Cuchulain, he had channeled the atmosphere so that the mind of his opponent would be nullified and placed into a sort of sleeping trans."

"A sleeping trans…" Daisuke asked. "Like hypnosis or something light that?

"That's exactly what it was. It was some kind of hypnotic energy that causes the opponent to believe that he or she was in an aware state of mind, but the reality was that they were not. This effect on the mind allows the person to think that they're fully aware of their surroundings, but their body moves at almost a snail's pace. The same purpose applies here as well. Bayonet used a similar kind of hypnotic against us here. I'm sure that you all remembered the mist that was accumulating around the room."-

"You mean…?"-

"That's right, that mist was the hypnotic substance that practically subdued our true awareness. We were placed in a dream like state when we inhaled the mist. Thus, our senses were nullified. The thing is that we never even knew it until now."-

"But where did the hypnotic mist come from?" Sora asked.

"I'm sure you remembered that box that held Bayonet's gauntlet right?"-

"Yeah…"-

"That was the source of the mist. Using a powerful misting machine, Bayonet was able to transform hypnotic water into that fog. And to maintain the effects of the hypnotic mist, he closed the doors to the chamber so than none would escape. Thus, we experienced the effects of the mist more intensely. Only after I blew away the mist with my Hurricane Slash and destroying the mist box, did the effects begin to subside. All this time, General Bayonet has been using this screen of deceit to maintain a firm hold over us. But now that the mist has been cleared, our senses have been revived to what they once were. Now he's no longer a threat to us."-

"That's very clever," Bayonet chuckled. "Very clever, but I would like to know how you managed to escape from you nullified state of mind in the first place."

"The same way Cuchulain managed to break Kahn's hypnotic spell back in the 'Rurouni Realm.'" Riku continued. "The minute you began to use your technique was the minute you should have killed me. The reason why is because by inflicting continuous wounds on my body, you allowed my mind to return to its fully aware state. The wounds I've received cause severe sharp pains. But it is those pains that are the key. By concentrating on the pain of my wounds, I return to a clear state of mind where I am fully aware of the environment that surrounds me. Thus, I am able to see your movements. To the nullified mind under your hypnosis, you seem to move at the speed of light. But to a fully aware conscience, you move only at a joggers pace."

"Again I say very clever, Riku, very clever, you have revealed the secret to my techniques. But what now, you've figured out my strategy, that's true, but how do you intend to battle against me as you are now? In the period of time what we've been conversing, your life's blood has slowly been depleting thanks to the wounds that you've received. You can barely hold your keyblade up, let alone fight me effectively. Both you and Sora have lost a lot of blood due to my attacks. And since you two are the only ones to be my true equals, it is only with your deaths that I am hoping to fulfill. The lives of your other friends I could care less about. Their strengths are insignificant to me."-

"Insignificant are we!" Daisuke shouted. He prepared to throw a dagger at the general when Ophelia stopped him.

"Don't do it!" she cried, grabbing his wrist.

"What are you doing?"-

"Don't you get it? That's what he wants us to do. General Bayonet has a tendency to kill anyone who attacks him. Right now, the four of us are completely powerless against him."-

"I have to at least try."-

"There is no try against him. You either succeed the first time, or die."-

"You should listen to Colonel Billiard, boy. She knows what she speaks." General Bayonet chuckled. "You attack me and I will guarantee you instant death in return." Daisuke, not willing to make such a bold move, lowered his daggers. "That's a good boy. You've made a wise choice. Trying to smite me would have been fruitless. The four of you combined would never be able to match wits against me, but Riku and Sora are the ones who can equal my strength in a one on one fight."

"And that's the reason why you initiated a hypnotic spell." Sora uttered.

"You guessed it, young Sora. You and Riku are no longer naïve, young teenagers, but mature, young men. However, even though you have managed to break my secret, you two have lost a great deal of blood and with it, your strength. Now your skills have diminished to less than a quarter of what they were. Riku, you might have been able to fend me off after cracking my technique, but I was only using a quarter of my strength. Let's see how you do when I fight at my full capabilities." But as his fiery declaration was given, the doors to the assembly hall opened suddenly, bringing in the light of the early morning. The sunlight blinded Bayonet and the KH team. He held his arm over his head to shield his eyes from the morning sun. "What in the…?"

"The doors opened." Goofy said.

"You think!" Donald gloated.

"But who opened those doors?" Ophelia implied.

"I don't know…" Daisuke said. "I can't see…"

"There won't be any further necessity for you to battle the key bearers any further." A voice suddenly uttered. General Bayonet gazed about in the bright sun to see a shadowy silhouette standing in the entry way of the door. "From this point on, your opponent shall be me."

"Who are you?" Bayonet asked.

"Come, come now. You are familiar with famous officers of the former Empire are you not? Then you should know me very well." The light faded to reveal the face of the infamous former leader of the Gatler Generals.

"It's…it's…" Sora uttered. "General Triiken."

"Triiken…?" Bayonet uttered. "It can't be…"

"Well, well, well," Riku said, smiling, "We were wondering when you were gonna show up. Knowing you, you like to pop out of the wood work every now and then."

"I thought that you two idiots would have finished this battle with Bayonet a long time ago. Instead, I find you cut up like a pair of poltroons at the market."-

"It's not our fault!" Sora protested. "The guy managed to lure us into a hypnotic trap."

"That's no excuse. Being experienced warriors, you should have seen his plot unfold before you very eyes. Instead, you figure his secret out only after you're half dead. But then again, after six years of undisturbed peace on a remote set of islands, I wouldn't be surprised if your glint has become a little faded."-

"You can't be here, Triiken. You're dead, you're dead!"-

"And where did you ever hear that?' Triiken implied.

"You were said to be killed at the Battle of Dorian, during the Valorian Campaign."-

"Well, being a participant in that exasperating confrontation, I can assure you that the courier system was not well organized and a lot of assumptions were made during the conflagration at Dorian. One of them was the initiation of my own demise, which in reality was not true."-

"No, you can't be General Triiken. You can't be him. You're merely an Alliance officer taking on his name and appearance."-

"You're in denial, my dear friend. If you wish to test the accuracy of my existence, then by all means attack me." There was a stand still between the two men. The stand off lasted for five minutes with both generals, one former and one present, gazing into each others eyes. Finally, Triiken began to speak again. "Well, what' taking you so long? Why do you not attack? If you're so convinced that I am an imposter, why hold back on your aggression?" General Bayonet remained speechless.

"I can see why he hesitates." Riku thought to himself. "Look how worried Bayonet is. He's shaking like a leaf, even though he says that Triiken's a phony. Yet, his fear and uncertainty are too obvious. The difference in their attitude and the stance they take." Riku gazed at Bayonet and then gazed at Triiken. "Bayonet's flaking out, but Triiken seems to be as firm as stone. That gaze in his eyes is unbroken. He must be itching for Bayonet to fight him. Bayonet doesn't stand a chance and Triiken knows it."

"Well, if you don't attack me, then I'll be the first to start off." Triiken implied. He drew out his sword and began to slowly advance.

"You take one step closer to me…" Bayonet shouted. He suddenly ran over to Sora, knowing the keyblade out of the young mans hand. "And I'll see that this young key bearer dies!"

"Sora!" Riku cried.

"You heard me, Triiken, I'll kill him!" But Triiken took no heed and continued to advance. Bayonet's talon claws edged up to Sora's neck. Sora, too weak due to the loss of blood, was simply too powerless to resist and was a puppet in the hands of the merciless Blade General. "Did you hear what I said? I said not to come any closer, or I'll kill this young man! I sweat it, I'll kill him!" Still Triiken continued to advance.

"Triiken, stop…!" Riku demanded. "If you keep provoking Bayonet, he'll kill Sora! Is that what you want!" Triiken suddenly stopped.

"This matters little to you right now, Riku." Triiken implied. "I will kill General Bayonet myself."

"But what about Sora…?"-

"Sora's life is insignificant to me."-

"What…?"-

"You truly are a fool!" Bayonet chuckled. "Are you willing to sacrifice this young man's life just for the sake of getting to me?"

"That's exactly what I plan to do." Triiken continued to advance. "If I hadn't made myself clear, Sora's life is insignificant. He will just be another sacrifice to the cruelty of chaos. If you wish to kill everyone else, then so be it. But sooner, or later, you're going to run out of hostages to take and there will be nothing to stand in my way."

"You bastard…!" Riku cried. "How can you be so cold?"

"I am a true Imperial, Riku. And as an Imperial, I take no value in the life of one. Their deaths pale in comparison to the grater picture. And the greater picture to me right now is to restore the peace for the universe. Sora is merely an unfortunate victim of circumstances who happens to be blocking the path between me and my target." Triiken then formed his stance for his infamous attack, the Noctin Exmortin. "In fact, Sora, you should consider this an honor. For you will die gloriously in battle. The manuscripts of history will state that 'the gallant Sora, with no means of concern for his own safety, eagerly sacrificed himself, holding the blood-thirsty General Bayonet in place while General Triiken delivers the finishing blow.'"

"But that's not how it's happening right now." Sora implied.

"No one will be the wiser, Sora. You will go down in history as dying a gallant death as a valiant warrior. Not dying a miserable death as an unfortunate hostage."-

"You bastard…!"-

"Your friends will thank me later."-

"You fool. You really intend to sacrifice him." Bayonet uttered.

"Talk is cheap." Triiken chuckled. "It's action to back of your words that count!" Triiken lunged forward.

"Sora…!" Riku and the others cried as it seemed death was eminent for the young key bearer.

"Then, watch him die!" Bayonet chuckled. But as he made ready to cut Sora's throat, Triiken fired an energy beam at Bayonet's elbow. The beam struck the sensitive spot in Bayonet's elbow, temporarily locking it in place.

"Duck Sora…!" Triiken shouted. Sora, seeing Bayonet's arm in temporary paralysis and the blades of his gauntlet an inch away from his throat, ducked and escaped his grasp.

"You little…" But Bayonet saw Triiken coming straight at him. He moved to the side, ready to counter attack. But as he did, Triiken struck Bayonet's left arm, cutting it at the shoulder. His black cape was now severed at the shoulder. Triiken stopped himself and stood ready to battle.

"That little impact just goes to show how big a difference in our strengths is."-

"You…you…"-

"Now are you convinced, Bayonet? Now are you convinced that I am the real general Triiken?"-

"You won't get away with this."-

"Bayonet has his back towards us now." Donald implied. "Goofy, it's time to aid Riku and Sora. Give them a bean."

"I gotcha…!" Goofy replied. He took a senzu bean from out of the bag under his hat, snapped it in half and threw each piece at the key bearers. "Riku, Sora, catch these."

"Incoming, Sora." Riku said.

"I see it." Sora replied. They both caught their separate halves and ate them.

Meanwhile, unaware that Riku and Sora were revived to their full strength, General Bayonet continued to confront General Triiken, hoping that he would retaliate successfully against the former Gatler leader.

"You managed to graze my arm." Bayonet uttered. "But that will be the last attack for you."

"And how to you intend to retaliate against me?"-

"Simple, I'll attack you first this time."-

"As if you're any match against me."-

"You just wait! I'll put you in your place!"-

"Just a moment, Bayonet!" a voice shouted from behind the general. Bayonet turned to see Riku and Sora, their keyblades drawn, all healed and ready to go. The sight of the two key bearers healed caused further worry to affect him. "Remember that we still have our fight to finish."

"It can't be. You two were half dead a minute ago!"-

"It just goes to show you that you should never underestimate your enemy." Sora said.

"Doing so eventually only leads to your downfall." Riku added.

"This…can't be…"-

"It seems that the odds are against you now." Triiken implied. "Now, you shall meet your demise."

"No!" Sora shouted.

"What is the meaning of this, young man?"-

"You forget, I still have this fight to finish. It was my life he threatened, so I demand retribution."-

"Sora has a point." Riku implied.

"Very well then…" Triiken said. "It is Sora's right to seek retribution against Bayonet. Therefore, we will not interfere with the fulfillment of you vendetta. I hope that evens up the odds for you, Bayonet."

"It seems fair now." Bayonet chuckled. "Taking out one of you will be easier than taking on three at the same time. This fight, however, will be an easy victory for me."

"Don't be so sure about that." Sora implied. "I'm stronger than you think."

The two separated themselves from the rest of the group and made a stand off.

"No, Sora, don't fight him alone." Goofy cried.

"Let us help you!" Donald added.

"There will be no intervention with this battle." Triiken instructed. "This is simply a battle between Sora and Bayonet. Any further intervention would be misconduct to the rules of this duel."

"Shut up, Triiken, you have no idea what you're talking about. Sora doesn't have to fight this guy alone. Besides, why should you care about how he conducts himself? You could care less what happens to him."-

"You have a point there, my fine feathered friend. I don't really care about Sora's fate. If he must die, then at least he will die honorably."-

"That's nonsense!"-

"Donald…" Riku uttered. "You saw how Bayonet threatened Sora earlier. Sora wants to resolve that issue by challenging Bayonet in one on one combat and prove that he is stronger than Bayonet perceives him to be."

"Riku…?"-

"Besides, you think Sora would be crazy enough to fight Bayonet one on one if he knew he didn't stand a chance? I mean look at him. Sora's so calm and reserved, confident that he will emerge victorious." He looked into the eyes of his friend, seeing no sign of fear, or doubt. Sora was willing to fight…to the death if necessary.

"Sora…" Goofy uttered quietly.

"You think that Sora might win?" Ophelia asked.

"There's no doubt about it." Riku said. "He will."

Suddenly, there was a glint from Bayonet's eye. He rushed at an extraordinary pace, against Sora, his talon gauntlet ready to execute the critical strike. Sora, however, still remained reserved and calm. It was then that Bayonet lunged his claws forward, hoping to dig his blades deep into Sora's gut. But the young key bearer saw the attack coming from the start and leaped into the air, flipping over the head of the general. Bayonet saw the evasion, thus stopping in his tracks and slashed from behind. But Sora saw the attack blocked the razor sharp blades with the keyblade. Bayonet quickly slid his bladed fingers down the shaft of Sora's weapon and lunged at close range. The blades missed by an inch. Sora quickly ducked and side swiped the general, forcing him to fall to the ground. But General Bayonet flipped back to his feet, using his left hand as a support. He then did a spinning lunge at Sora, hoping to drill his blades into the agile young key bearer. Sora saw the attack again and evaded the attack, spinning about and landing at Bayonet's rear. By now, Bayonet realized that Sora was evenly matched with him, if not greater.

"This young man." He thought to himself. "Despite being of a young age, he's managed to achieve skills that match my own abilities. I must somehow exploit a weakness or an opening in order to gain the upper hand. Otherwise, this battle may have the opposite outcome than I had expected. Perhaps it is best that I wait for him to attack."

"Try this!" Sora shouted. He unleashed a Stopga spell and temporarily froze Bayonet in place.

"What in the…!"-

"It's over for you!" Sora rushed forward with his keyblade drawn, ready to strike the final blow. But as he neared, General Bayonet managed to break himself free of the spell's effects and evade at the last moment. Sora dodge rolled as he saw the sharpened blades reach for his throat again. He evaded by a hair and ended up facing Bayonet in a stand off again. "Impossible."

"Thought you had me back there did you? Luckily my own strength broke me free from that paralysis attack. Otherwise, I would have been dead."-

"Bayonet's a lot tougher than I thought." Riku said.

"No," Triiken implied, "It's just that Sora still hesitates to kill him. Even though he has killed before, Sora wants of avoid killing his opponent as much as possible. Bayonet on the other hand, kills whenever he gets the chance to. That's why the battle is being prolonged."

"I think it best that Sora not kill him. Otherwise, his hands will be stained with blood again and it may not come off this time."-

"This has all been fun, Sora." Bayonet said. "However, I'm starting to get a little bored with this. How about with finish this with one last attack. The last man standing…or more appropriately the man left alive is the winner."

"He doesn't intend to continue this fight." Sora uttered to himself. "This time, he wishes to end the battle as quickly as possible. Then, there is only one way to resolve this confrontation." Sora drew his keyblade in a rearward position.

"That's the stance for Battoujutsu." Riku uttered. "Sora intends to finish the battle as well. Thus, he's going to deploy the ultimate attack that was taught by Kenshin Himura back in the 'Rurouni Realm.'"

"What was that?" Triiken asked. "Battoujutsu…?"

"Whenever you're ready!" Sora shouted.

"Then prepare for death!" Bayonet roared. He lunged at an incredible speed towards Sora, his cape fluttering violently as his charged. He then extended his left arm, holding the rim of the cape, causing it to puff out like a sail. "This attack will end the life of that upstart key bearer in an instant. Then, they will soon realize that I am not one to be easily overthrown."

Sora still remained still, waiting for than one instant when he would attack with all he had. Suddenly, Bayonet leaped into the air and came flying at Sora like a vampire. Using his cape, he hoped to wrap it around Sora's head and cut his throat as he tightly fastened it, smothering the young key bearer in the process.

"It's over for you!" Bayonet shouted. But as soon as he was in striking distance, Sora suddenly unleashed his attack. There was bright flash of light and loud clash of steel. Soon following, there was the sound of tearing cloth and breaking metal. The result was that Sora had struck just before Bayonet. The other members present watched as Sora had mangled Bayonet up, tossing him into the air like a rag doll. In the process of the attack, the beautiful black cape upon Bayonet's left shoulder was torn to rags. To add, the blades on his talon gauntlet were snapped clean from their foundations. The gauntlet was now useless now that all five blades were severed from the fingertips. Bayonet, beaten and battered, fell to the ground. Blood seeped from his mouth now and he had received a large cut to his side. He lay there as if he were dead. Sora retracted his keyblade and stood tall from the stance.

"Sora did it." Riku chuckled. "He defeated General Bayonet so easily."

"Just to inquire," Triiken uttered, "What attack was that, which Sora just used?"

"Did it surprise you? That was the ultimate attack of the Hiten Mitsurugi style, taught to him by Kenshin Himura, also known as Battousai the Manslayer. It's called the Amakakeru ryu no Hirameki."-

"The Amakakeru ryu no Hirameki eh…? Quite an impressive attack I must say. I should keep that into account, just in case I have to encounter it myself."-

"Did you kill him, Sora?" Daisuke asked.

"No…" Sora implied. "He's still alive, but he'll have some difficulty standing up after that attack." But as soon as Sora had uttered those words, he noticed that Bayonet was suddenly staggering to his feet.

"Oh no…" Ophelia uttered.

"He's getting up." Goofy added.

"It can't be." Sora thought to himself. "That attack should have been enough to keep him down for a while."

"Bayonet's endurance is even stronger than we thought." Riku said.

"You fools…" Bayonet implied, grasping at his bloody side. "You think that this is over? You might have bested me this time, but I can assure you that I will have my day again."

"You won't be having another day to retaliate." Triiken said, walking up to Bayonet. "You'll be taken into the custody of the Universal Alliance and stand for trial for insurrection."

"Damn you to hell, Triiken. I will not be going anywhere!" Bayonet took from his pocket, a white ball. He threw it to the ground and on the moment of impact, the ball exploded, creating a large cloud of concealing smoke.

"It's a smoke screen!" Riku cried. The team began to cough, nearly stifled by the smoke screen.

"You'll never catch me!" Bayonet bellowed, running out of the chamber. He closed the doors behind him and activated the lock. He made his escape, rushing into the bright sun. Taking the jeep left by the KH team, he hastily drove his way to the transport station, hoping that the supply ship had arrived and was still unloading its cargo.

Meanwhile, Riku, Sora, and the others were still trying to overcome the effects of the smoke screen that continued to linger about their heads.

"This smoke is so thick…" Daisuke uttered.

"I…can't breathe…" Sora cried.

"Now's not the time to get so mellow dramatic." Riku implied.

"Who's getting mellow dramatic?"-

"Oh for crying out loud…!" Riku unleashed Hurricane Slash and cleared the air. Sore inhaled a puff of fresh air.

"I can breathe again!"-

"Great, great, we're very happy for you, Sora. Now let's get going. Bayonet's just made his escape."-

The KH team moved the doors, attempting to open them, but soon realized that they were now entrapped within the chamber.

"The doors are looked." Goofy cried. "How are we gonna get out!"

"Use your head, stupid." Donald implied.

"Uh…yeah, that's a good idea!" Goofy started banging his head against the door.

"I don't mean literally, chucklehead!"-

"Stand aside, you blithering idiots," Triiken implied, "Otherwise, we'll never exit from here." Triiken threw his arm in front of him and deployed a powerful energy beam. The beam slammed into the doors, causing a massive explosion. Since the doors were made of wood, they easily splintered into clouds of debris. The morning sun once again beamed through the chamber.

"That was nice and subtle." Ophelia uttered.

"Hurry up, you guys," Riku said, "Before Bayonet makes his escape."

But as they rushed out, they realized that the jeep they came in before had been commandeered and General Bayonet nowhere in sight.

"That fathead took our vehicle." Goofy uttered.

"I wonder where he went off to." Ophelia asked.

Riku looked down to see the tire tracks turn about and drive off in the opposite direction.

"By the looks of it, Bayonet took off in the direction we came from earlier," He explained, "Which only indicates that he's headed for the transport station, awaiting a supply ship to come and rescue him."

"Then, we have to stop him before that transport arrives." Sora said.

"But how are we gonna get there?" Daisuke asked. "We have no means of transportation."

"Imbeciles…" Triiken implied. He began to levitate himself into the air. Daisuke and Ophelia were shocked at this sudden spectacle.

"Oh my God, would you look at that."-

"He can fly?"-

"What are you doing, Triiken?" Sora asked.

"You boys can fly can't you?"-

"Well, yeah…but…"-

"We don't have time to sit around and gloat, we have a nemesis to capture."-

"Triiken has a point, Sora." Riku said. "I'll carry Ophelia, you carry Daisuke."

"Right…" Sora replied.

"You…you guys can fly?" Daisuke asked.

"Oh yeah, you're not accustomed to seeing something like that are you?" Sora wrapped his arms around Daisuke and levitated himself into the air. "Hold on tight, kid."

"Do I have any other choice?"-

"Come on, Ophelia." Riku said.

"Well I…" Ophelia implied, blushing a right red.

"It'll be OK." Riku wrapped his arms around her and began to levitate.

"Riku…" Ophelia's eyes turned away. Here heart pounded in her chest as she felt herself being carried by this tall, handsome, young man. Again she blushed.

"Are you alright?" Ophelia suddenly found herself gazing into his eyes. She turned away, continuing to blush.

"Fine…"-

"Hey, what about us!" Goofy cried. "Don't leave us!"

"You chowder head," Donald shouted, slapping him over the head, "We already know how to fly!"

"Oh yeah…I forgot…" The two levitated themselves into the air.

"We have to hurry." Riku implied. "We won't be able to keep ourselves levitated for long."

"Then, let's be off." Triiken said. The KH team, with their full strengths began to fly, or glide towards the station.

Meanwhile, General Bayonet had arrived at the station and rushed to the landing dock. There was no ship present at the moment and began to worry that the KH team might catch up with him.

"Damn it!" he shouted. "That transport should have been here already. Or perhaps it already departed and left me behind. Blast the KH team and their allies for ruining my plans." Bayonet sighed before grinning again. "Oh well, no sweat off my back. At least the KH team won't be able to get their hands on these delicate little items." He pulled the access card, the information disk, and the key piece out of his pocket and gazed at them. He then placed the access card back in his pocket, but he continued to hold onto the info disk and the puzzle piece. He took a long gaze at the puzzle piece, which would free the king and his queen. "Without this piece to have, those fools will never be able to rescue King Mickey and Queen Minnie. The best way to see that the rodent king never escapes his prison is to see that this piece is destroyed." But as Bayonet prepared to do away with the key piece, he heard the sound of rocket engines descending to the loading dock. He gazed up to see a small transport ship appear from out of the sky. It landed upon the ground, its rockets slowly disengaging. As the rockets were deactivated and fell silent, the main hatch to the ship opened up.

"Excellent," Bayonet uttered to himself, "The transport made it here on time. Now, I can get out of here."

"Sorry," a voice suddenly implied from behind, "But that's my ride, not yours." Bayonet immediately turned to see a young boy appear from out of the shadows of the terminal entry.

He seemed a young boy in his early teens, at least twelve, or thirteen. Perhaps fourteen at the most, he had shaggy, dirty blondish hair that hung loosely over his forehead. Meanwhile, wrapped around his forehead was a red bandana. He had such a tender and innocent looking face, as if it knew no sin, or evil. His eyes were blue as the sky, the light causing a slight reflection in his irises. The uniform he wore was a grey, double breasted shell jacket with white inner lining and a red collar and worn over a black vest. He wore a white waste belt with a brass belt buckle. The pants he wore were solid black with red lining at the sides, tucked into tall white boots with gold tips. Under his belt was a katana placed in a shiny black sheath.

"And who might you be, boy?" Bayonet asked.

"That's irrelevant to you." The boy replied. "There is no need for me to reveal my identity to someone who is about to die."

"What do you mean?"-

"I'm just doing what I do best…killing…" But Bayonet only scoffed at the boy's fiery declaration.

"Ha, am I supposed to be afraid of you, a mere boy? You're not even old enough to grow facial hair and yet you say that you'll kill me, the Great General Bayonet? I might be wounded, but even that's enough to defeat a whelp like you."-

"You misunderstand me, sir. I'm merely carrying out orders from his Excellency." The young boy unsheathed his blade. It was a shining new blade with untainted steel.

"And what would you know about his Excellency?"-

"You might say I'm doing a little favor for him in exchange for achieving my own goals."-

"Are you sure that you can handle using a sword? They're a might heavier than wooden ones." Bayonet reached for the boy, hoping to grab hold of his throat and slash open his throat with the remaining stubs of his talon gauntlet blades. But the youth only evaded easily and sliced the back of Bayonet's left leg. Bayonet fell to the ground in agonizing pain. "Why you…!"

"Are you still convinced that I'm just a whelp?" the boy asked. The glimmering blade of his sword now turned crimson with the blood of the general.

"You'll pay for that!"-

"Awfully big words for a tough general like you who couldn't even defeat the key bearers."-

"Shut your mouth, boy!" Bayonet lunged again, but again the young boy dodged the attack, this time cutting the back of Bayonet's right leg in the process. After that fatal hit, Bayonet could no longer stand up. He could only kneel, or lay flat. He staggered, only to fall to his knees. "I don't understand. How can I be bested by a mere brat?"

"Just as Lord Sirius Viicous predicted," The boy implied, "he knew that you never stood a chance against the key bearers, no matter how hard you tried. He said that once they figured out the secret behind your little deception technique, you'd be vulnerable soon after and then would run away for the sake of saving your own skin. The one thing that Lord Sirius Viicous hates the most is seeing his officers flee. And your flight was well too obvious for me."

"You…have you be watching me all this time?"-

"Lord Sirius Viicous knew you to be the weakest of the five Blade Generals and knew that you weren't worthy to face against such tough opponents like the young men of the KH team. Therefore, he wanted me to keep a specific eye on you only to make sure that you fought to the end. If you didn't fight to the death and instead take flight, I was to initiate your demise."-

"But why…? I serve Lord Sirius Viicous faithfully!"-

"Then if you serve so faithfully, why did you run? Lord Sirius Viicous says to always face your enemy even if it may lead to your own destruction. Running from the fight altogether is something that both he and I detest the most. And those who run from battle are not worthy to keep alive." The boy then lifted his sword into the air. "From this point on, I'll be taking your place."-

"Damn you to hell…boy…"-

"You shouldn't take this personally. I'm just carrying out orders." With one swipe, he severed the general's head from his shoulders. The body flopped to the ground with a great thud. The puzzle piece that Bayonet still clasped in his hands dropped from his dead fingers and skidded along the cement floor. The boy saw this glimmering piece and picked it up. "This is beautiful…I guess you won't be needing it anymore."

It was only soon after that the sound of rushing feet was heard coming down the corridor. The boy stood by as the faces of the KH team appeared from out of the main entry of the terminal. Riku and Sora had finally arrived. As they drew nearer, they noticed the body of the infamous General Bayonet lying stiff on the ground, his head severed from his shoulders and laying only a few feet away from the rest of the body.

"Bayonet is dead…" Sora implied.

"That boy," Triiken implied. He noticed the blood on the boy's sword, "he must've been the one who killed Bayonet."

"But why would he do that?" Daisuke asked.

"Well, well," the boy implied, "so the mighty key bearers and their friends have arrived at last. But you're too late. I finished the job for you. At least you don't have to worry about completing your mission and have to stain your hands with this coward's blood."

"You…" Riku said. "Were you the one who killed Bayonet?"

"I was and I did it so well don't you think?"-

"How can you boast at killing someone so highly like that?" Sora asked. "You're so young."

"My youthful appearance doesn't mean that I have to take the form of a helpless child."-

It was then that Sora noticed the next puzzle piece in the kid's hand.

"That piece in your hand. Can we have it?"-

"I don't think so. General Bayonet won't be needing this piece anymore, so I'm going to keep it for myself."

"But that piece is absolutely vital to us. We need it."-

"Ask me if I care."-

"You little brat," Donald shouted, "Give us that piece!"

"Well, since you're going to be nasty about it," the boy said. He then placed it in his pocket, "I think I'll hold on to it for a bit longer."

"But we need that piece to save our king." Goofy pleaded. "Can we please have it back?"

"Sorry, but I claimed this as my own first, so by my right I am allowed to keep it. And if any of you have further complaints, why don't you step up to the plate and take me on in a little one on one match. But I warn you, any of you dare to take me on to single combat," The boy lifted his sword and pointed it in an aggressive manner towards the KH team and their allies, "you'll only end up the same way as Bayonet."

"You're awfully cocky for a kid, aren't you?" Sora implied.

"What are you gonna do about it, key bearer?"-

"We need that piece you stole." Sora unleashed his keyblade. "If having to combat you is the only way we'll get it back, then so be it. I will be the first to engage you in combat."

"Alright then, Sora, come at me."-

Sora made ready to battle, but he suddenly felt Riku's hand touch his shoulder.

"Riku…?" Sora uttered.

"This fight is mine, Sora." Riku implied.

"But why, I thought I was going to fight him?"-

"But you know me, Sora. I can lose my temper at times, just like what happened in the fights with the Cavendish Shinobis and the Dark Empire six years ago."-

"I know how you feel, Riku. But I don't intend to back down like I did when I first fought against Drako Arakis."-

"That may be so, but I would feel much more reassuring if I fought this kid myself. That way, if I lose then the responsibility falls upon me."-

"Riku…"-

"Let me take this kid on, Sora."-

"You don't have to fight him alone. We can battle him together."-

"He wants a one on one fight. And that's what I intend to give him. No special tricks, no hyper mode fusion, just a one on one fight strictly between him and me." Sora knew for a fact that once Riku made up his mind, he would never change it. Therefore, trying to reason, or argue with him would have been a waste of time. He backed down and let Riku have his way.

"Alright…" Sora uttered, humbly. "I'll do what you say. You can fight him. But you have to beat him, Riku. This might be the only chance we have. We may never see that kid again."

"I understand." Riku unleashed his keyblade and walked to the battle front, ready to face the boy.

"So, you've finally decided who would do battle with me, eh?" the boy chuckled.

"Go get him, Riku!" Donald shouted.

"Let him have it, Riku!" Goofy added.

"It's up to you!" Sora said.

"You can do it!" Ophelia and Daisuke cried together.

The shouts of confidence and cheers favoring the young key bearer continued, even after Riku engaged in a stand off with the young boy.

"Your friends seem to have a lot of confidence in your abilities." The boy said.

"My friends stand by my side as I would stand by theirs." Riku implied. "Before we begin though, may I ask your name?"

"I will not reveal myself to the likes of you! Despite being a key bearer, your importance to me is insignificant compared to the person I'm hoping to trek down."-

"And who might that be?"-

"I will not utter a word! We came here to battle, not converse!"-

"So, you're gonna stay cocky are you?" Riku's attitude towards the boy became more aggressive as he continued to assault the key bearer's pride.

"With my level of skills, I have the right to be cocky!"-

"Well, that attitude's going to change here and now!"-

"Let's fight!" The boy made ready to strike. Riku complied and did the same. Both were now in their battle stances, waiting for the other to make the first move.

Suddenly, Riku made the first move, lunging with his keyblade extended in a thrusting move. The boy made ready to take on the impact of the thrust, but Riku suddenly changed his tactic. The thrusting move was only a faint. He instead, leaped upward, flipped over the lad's head and landed to his rear. He then swung his keyblade around, hoping to strike from behind. But as he did, the boy turned suddenly and blocked the attack with his sword. Riku was stunned by the level of skill involved in blocking the attack.

"This kid…" he thought to himself. "He managed to see my attack and block it. Maybe he's more than just talk."

"Not so easy as you thought is it?" the boy implied, confident of his strength. Riku broke the lock and the battle began. Riku's agility was unrivaled and flawless. His battle skills were those of legends. But despite his superb battle techniques, he could not hinder the young boy. The young boy, though at a tender age, had achieved combat skills that Riku could have only dreamed about at that age. The KH team was shocked as what they saw.

"I don't get it." Sora said. "Is Riku holding back?"

"No." Triiken implied. "What you're seeing now is Riku's full combat ability. That is the same kind of strength that he displayed when he battled me back on Destiny Island. I can assure you, Sora, Riku is not the type of fighter to hold anything back."

"But how come Riku can't fight this kid?"-

"It's the boy." Ophelia remarked. "He's in a completely different class than any fighter at his age. He must come from a long line of great warriors and fighting is his way of life." She continued to watch the boy battle against Riku. She noticed the same glare in Riku's eyes. The same glare that she saw when she battled him in the Deep Jungle. "Those eyes of Riku's…How they can penetrate through one's soul. That is the same kind of ferocity that I faced back in the Deep Jungle. Riku's power is at an all time high, but he's still not able to break this kid's defense."

"This boy must've been raised on the concept of battle." Triiken said. "Otherwise, if that were not the case, he wouldn't move as flawlessly as this."

They watched as the fight escalated to even greater heights. The battle continued for five minutes with neither combatant lightening their attack, or defense. Throughout the corridor, the two did battle, slashing and thrusting. However, despite the rising aggressiveness, neither Riku, nor the boy drew blood from the other.

"This kid..." Riku thought to himself. "How could he be so powerful for such a young age?" The two suddenly halted in their combat and engaged in another stand off. Riku drew heavy breaths and a few drops of sweat fell down his face. His opponent, however, did not waver.

"What's the matter, Riku?" he mocked. "Are you getting tired now?"

"You're just too confident in your own abilities."-

"Not like you, you're not so sure of your abilities."-

"What do you mean by that?"-

"I know about you and your ability to control the darkness. I know how you like to hold back on that."-

"Riku has the ability to enhance his strength by controlling the darkness?" Ophelia asked.

"Yes…" Sora replied. "It's been a trait since he was fifteen years old."

"Then, why doesn't he use it?"-

"There are reasons. Every time Riku uses the darkness, he loses himself in it. If he unleashes too much of the darkness, it will consume him. I've encountered it before."-

"You should heed, Sora's words, Colonel Billiard." Triiken implied. "What he says is true. That young man's enhancement into the darkness is an unrivaled power. I too have engaged in battle with that strength. It was unlike anything that I have encountered before, so there is a reason why they call him Noctin Tilandir, the Child of Darkness."

"If Riku were to unleash his full strength, it would be equal to ten thousand demons."-

"If he had decided to unleash that kind of power against me," Ophelia thought to herself, "I may not be here right now. No wonder I sensed a dark inner strength when I searched his feelings. It was something that I did not dare to approach."

"So come on!" the boy mocked. "Are you gonna show me the fearsome Child of Darkness, or are you just scared of it?"

"I know you want to see it, but to unleash the darkness within me is not an option." Riku implied. "If you want to fight someone, you fight me, Riku, not the Child of Darkness."

"Fine, then taking you down will be an easy win for me. However, I will find little pleasure in killing you because you decided to wimp out."-

"Say what you want, but I will not unleash the darkness."-

"Have it your way then." The boy rushed in and attacked Riku. Riku saw the attack coming and easily dodged. But the boy suddenly unleashed his sheath into the battle and struck Riku to the side of the head. The key bearer nearly fell to the ground, but managed to stand up. But as he did, the boy threw his sheath around his head and began to strangle Riku. Riku gagged as the boy pressed the sheath tighter at the front of his throat. Riku flipped over, hoping to break the strangle hold, but the boy still held on, fast. He managed to flip Riku on his back and continued to strangle him. Riku struggled, hoping to break the boys hold, but to no avail.

"It's over for you, Riku!" the boy chuckled.

"It's not…over yet!" Riku cried. He pushed his head forward and then suddenly thrust it back, head butting the boy in the mouth. The boy let go of the sheath, releasing Riku from the strangle hold. The boy regained his stance and stood ready to continue the battle. Riku rubbed his throat while coughing at the same time. The boy wiped his mouth and a small smudge of blood seeped into his white glove. Though not a big smudge, it caused the boy to increase in temper.

"You've caused me pain." The boy uttered. "That will cost you dearly."

"Maybe now, your ego won't be as big."-

"Is that so? That was just a lucky shot. But I won't make that mistake again."

"Your cocky attitude is really starting to irritate me. And the only way to shut you up is to make sure that you learn your lesson, even if it has to be in the most severe manner." Riku put himself in ready to battle the young man again. Once again, the two were engaged in a stand off.

Sora and the others only continued to watch as the battle entered another lingering stage. Sora, fearful of Riku's safety, began to develop sweat drops on the side of his head.

"This fight's entering another stand still between the two." Ophelia uttered.

"I wonder who will be the one to deliver the first blow." Donald said.

Just then, Riku vanished from sight. He then suddenly appeared behind the young boy.

"The teleportation technique…!" Sora uttered. "It looks like this battle is in the bag for Riku."

The result of Sora's expectations, however, proved to have the opposite outcome. Though Riku was now behind him, making him vulnerable for attack, the young boy seemed to have anticipated Riku's strike and flipped over the key bearer's head. He unleashed his sword and struck Riku in the back. Riku had been caught off guard and the sword cut deep into his back, streaking from the top of his right shoulder, to his lower hip. Riku fell to the ground, blood spurting into the air and falling to the ground. His keyblade fell to his side.

"He managed to evade a teleportation strike from the rear." Riku thought to himself. He fell to the ground face down.

"Riku…!" Sora cried. He wanted to rush to his friend's side, but Riku stopped him.

"No…Sora!" he shouted. "Stay…where you are…"

"But Riku…"-

"He just grazed me that's all."-

"I must admit you're better than I thought you were." The boy implied. "No one before you has ever survived that attack of mine. But you managed to read my actions in the knick of time. However, now that you're wounded, your strength has been severed by at least a quarter, or at the most, a half. We were at equal strength before, but with that crippling blow across your back, how will you fair against me now?"

"He's right…" Riku thought to himself. "That attack could have cut me in half if it wasn't for my quick reflexes. But how will I battle him with this large cut on my back. If the cut had been any deeper, my vital organs might have been severed." Riku suddenly felt himself go dizzy. He fell to the ground. Gazing at the boy, his vision suddenly went out of focus. "I'm losing too much blood now. I won't be able to battle this kid as I am now."

"You know that you can compensate for the loss of strength by using the power of darkness. C'mon Riku, use the darkness, become darkness itself, become Noctin Tilandir."-

"I will not…" Riku uttered.

"Do it, or you will surely die."-

"If I do, it'll be a power that I myself couldn't fully subside…"-

"But you know you can't beat me as you are now. Use the power of the darkness and return to the man you once were. A warrior cold and ruthless, who was not afraid to have the darkness consume his soul."-

"If I do, I will lose my memories and become a different man. I will not unleash the darkness for a kid like you. You're not tainted enough."-

"What?"-

"You have a goal to accomplish don't you. Tell me what it is."-

There was sudden silence between the two before the boy began to speak.

"If you really want to know," the boy implied, "I'm looking for someone and I will do whatever possible to find that person!"

"And who is this person you wish to find?"-

"I won't tell you anything more."-

"You're saying that you're willing to do anything? Then you are no different than what I used to be like. Once you achieve that goal, the outcome you were expecting will be completely different from the concept that you've perceived."-

"Not a chance. I'm too strong to allow myself to be consumed by the darkness."-

"No one's heart is strong against the darkness if they are only driven by raw emotion and their own personal wants."-

By this time, the young boy had become agitated with Riku's words and grew impatient.

"Enough of your bickering!" he shouted. He lifted his sword over his head. "You're only stalling for time to see if you can attack me. Well, it ends here…" The boy prepared to strike down, delivering the finishing blow.

"Riku…!" Sora cried, rushing into the fray. The boy thrust down his sword, but Sora threw out his keyblade and blocked the attack.

"You…" the boy said.

"Forget it, kid! You're not taking Riku's life!"-

"Sora…" Riku uttered. Sora pushed the kid away and prepared to defend his comrade. "I told you not to interfere!"

"I'm not gonna stand by and let him kill you! Listen, we've completely underestimated this kid because of his appearance and age, but he's proven to be even stronger than the Blade Generals we've confronted so far."-

"But Sora…"-

"We'll have to withdraw for now and fight him again later."-

"But what if we can't find him at another time?"-

"It's either that, or losing our lives here and not proceed any further. We still have three Blade Generals left to battle. We get their pieces first then we'll go after this kid."-

"That won't be necessary." Triiken uttered, stepping up next to the key bearers. "We can finish this here, but allow me to battle. Your lives are far too valuable."

"Triiken…" Sora uttered.

"My life is expendable compared to yours. Besides, to die gloriously in battle and join the sides of my former comrades will be an honor for me." Triiken confronted the youth. "Now you battle me, boy."

"And what makes you think that you'll favor any different from Riku, or Sora?" the boy asked.

"Unlike the young men you've been fighting, I am not one who'll hesitate to kill my opponent."-

"You are the last of the Gatler Generals are you not? I've heard about you from some of the former Imperial officers of the Dark Empire. I never thought that you would sacrifice your life so willingly for the sake of the key bearers."-

"You misunderstand my reason. I do not do this out of charity, but as a necessity. You are one who dares to oppose the greater power and further spread the chaos. And that is something that I cannot have. As a Gatler General, my objective is to maintain the order of the greater power. If I am to lose my life, then so be it. It is something that is expected and emotions play no part in it." Triiken pulled out his sword from its sheath and presented the glittering steel towards his opponent. "Now tell me boy, you might have been a match for the key bearers, but can you stand in open combat against a Gatler General?"-

"I believe that my chances are as good as any."-

"Then let us begin."-

But as the two took their stances, the portable transmitter that the boy carried began to buzz. He took the transmitter from out of his pocket and activated it to receive the incoming message.

"What is it?" the boy asked.

"Word from his Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous," the voice message implied. "You are to return to HQ immediately. He has another assignment for you."

"Excuse me, but I'm in the middle of challenging an opponent. Lord Sirius Viicous should know my policy for not fulfilling a one on one fight."-

"His Excellency has informed me that you might object. He also says if that's the case, then he won't bother helping you track down the person you seek."-

"But I…" the boy paused, lowering his head. He then gave another reply. "Very well, I will abide by his orders and return. Over and out..." The transmission ended and the boy placed the transmitter back in his pocket. He gazed up at the KH team and Triiken. He then glanced at Riku and Sora. "Sorry guys, I can't play anymore. I just received word from Lord Sirius Viicous to return to HQ. We'll just have to postpone for now."

"Are you running from me?" Triiken implied.

"Even if I decided to stay, you would never have stood a chance against my skills, Gatler General. Fighting you would have been a waste of my time."-

"Maybe…"-

"As for you two…" the boy looked at Riku and Sora. He held the puzzle piece in his hand and smiled mischievously. "I'll be holding onto this for a while."

"Next time…" Riku uttered as he staggered to his feet. "You won't be so lucky."

"Sure…" The boy turned away and walked towards the transport ship. He entered its hold and the doors closed behind him.

The rockets ignited and the transport began to lift off. Triiken, however, did not accept the fact that the boy was retreating after he had dared to challenge him.

"You dare to turn tail on me?" he uttered. Triiken formed an energy ball and prepared to launch it at the ship. "Then you die a coward's death."

"No…" Riku said, placing his hand on Triiken's arm and lowering it to the ground.

"What is the meaning of this, Riku?"-

"I want to fight that kid again."-

"But you'll lose your one chance to retrieve that piece."-

"I want to prove to myself that I can beat that kid."-

"Very well then…" Triiken extinguished the energy ball. "It is your right as a warrior."

"Thank you…" Riku then stumbled again.

"Riku…" Sora said, managing to catch his friend in his arms.

"I must admit though, Sora," Riku smiled, "that kid certainly gave me a run for my money."

"You think we'll see him again?"-

"Yes…And when that day comes, I'll be ready to fight him in a rematch. And this time I'll win…"-

"First things first, you need a little pick-me-up. Goofy…"-

"I gotcha…" Goofy took out another Senzu bean and broke it in half. He gave one half to Riku and Riku was back in good health within seconds of ingesting it.

"So, our work here is done then." Donald sighed.

"Not entirely." Riku said. "Look." The team looked up at the main entry. Above the archway, a keyhole appeared. The two key bearers aimed their keyblades and fired their locking beams in unison. There was a bright light that accumulated from the keyhole and within seconds, that same light diminished and the keyhole vanished from sight.

"This world has been secured." Sora uttered. Riku in the meantime, walked over to the body of General Bayonet and searched his pockets. "What're you doing Riku?"

"I'm looking for the items that we came here for." Riku implied. Riku stumbled across three valuable items though. One was of course the access card for the last active Apocalypse Cannon, the second was the information disk foretelling the whereabouts of the next Blade General in line to battle, and the third was a summon stone. Riku looked at the stone. It was a yellow stone this time with the symbol of a cloud. "It looks like we found another summon stone."

"That makes two." Sora implied. "We better stop at Traverse Town and see if we can get Fairy Godmother to unleash them."

"But first, we have our next assignment to carry out. Let's join Heero and the others and get things sorted out first."-

The KH team and their allies took their leave from the transport station. The confrontation and the threat of the Midnight Faction in the 'Wing Realm' were finished. All that was left to do was to ensure that there would be no further threat from the faction, or any other power so desperate to seize control.


	16. Further Plans

Further Plans

It had not been long before the KH team and their other comrades met up with Heero and the others. The fight had ended and many of the faction soldiers and surviving insurrection soldiers of the Barton Foundation were taken into custody. Romefeller was now strictly under the command of the Preventers and the Earth Sphere Unified Nation. The KH team presented themselves before the Preventers.

"Mission accomplished." Heero implied.

"The Barton Foundation and the Midnight Faction won't be starting anything now." Zechs added.

"What happened to General Bayonet?" Noin asked.

"General Bayonet has been killed." Riku uttered.

"Him too…?" Wu Fei implied. "So that means that both leaders have been killed."

"Two leaders…?"-

"Dekim Barton was found dead in the developmental room in Hanger 15." Heero said. "It looks as though someone had assassinated him."

"Are you talking about that old man that I killed?" Triiken implied. The Gundam pilots looked that the tall man in blue.

"You killed Dekim Barton?"-

"Is that so tragic? I think he's better off dead."-

"Who are you anyway?" Duo asked.

"That's General Arinario Triiken," Sora implied, "Assistant Inspector of the Universal Alliance and former commander of the Dark Empire's 2nd Gatler division."

"Well, glad to know that there's one skilled Imperial that's on our side."-

"Here is the necessary information that I took from Dekim." Triiken took from his pocket the information disk regarding the developing stages for the new mobile dolls. "I shall make a copy for your archives, so if you must encounter the same type of technology, you'll have a clear picture of how to counter it."

"So that's the end of the faction's presence in this world right?"-

"I'm afraid not." Riku implied. "There may be a slight chance that they might initiate a retaliatory strike."

"That's right." Zechs added. "Just as they did six years ago…"

"Now that we have all the necessary information that we came for," Donald said, "We should get going."

"Very well," Triiken implied, "I shall remain here and assist the Preventers with their activities. If you are heading to Traverse Town in the near future, to consult with the Fairy Godmother, I will have a shipment of supplies awaiting you there. But I recommend extreme caution."

"Why is that?" Sora asked.

"Recently, there have been a lot of activities commenced by the faction there. At this present moment, they have a garrison of highly skilled soldiers stationed there. Be cautious."-

"We understand."-

"Never the less, I will be sending Ophelia Billiard to join you in your further expeditions. At least until you make it to Traverse Town."-

"Well I…" Ophelia uttered. She gazed again at Riku, but turned her head away in a blush as his eyes nearly came in contact with her own.

"Don't worry." Sora said. "Riku and I can look after her, isn't that right Riku." Sora nudged at Riku's side. "Yes, Miss Billiard would love to come along."

"What are you trying to get at, Sora?" Riku asked.

"Oh nothing…Just inquiring… Isn't that right Miss Billiard?" Sora grinned at her.

"Uh…well um…" she stuttered.

"Very well then," Triiken implied, "I trust that you'll accept her as one of your own, despite her being a former faction colonel."

"Of course we will." Riku said. He placed his hand on her shoulder. Ophelia gazed into Riku's eyes and saw a kindness there that she never realized was there. "Just stick with us."

"Thank you…" she uttered.

"We'll take our leave, Triiken."-

"Good luck on the rest of the journey, lady and gentlemen. The fate of all worlds depends upon you."-

"Understood…"-

"Thank you for helping us out you guys." Duo uttered.

"We couldn't have done it without you." Heero added.

"Hopefully, our paths will cross again." Zechs said.

"Good bye, sir." Riku and Zechs shook hands before the KH team continued on their very way, back the cornfield where their gummi ship resided.

Upon reaching the gummi ship, Donald immediately placed the information disk in the main data drive. He downloaded the data and scanned the information given.

_General Dagger is overlooking a major desert campaign in the 'Zi Realm' hoping to gain information regarding the use of Zoid cores and self-generation with the use of organoids. Mobile doll units will be available to him as soon as you retrieve and relay the information for the new mobile doll designs._

"Great…" Donald implied. "This certainly narrows our margin of success. The Midnight Faction is starting a research program of organoids now. If they manage to obtain that type of information, they could use it to enhance the fighting capability of the mobile dolls. To add, we failed to stop Bayonet from transferring the development plans to their mobile doll manufacturing facilities."

"Well, couldn't we destroy the factories and stop production?" Sora asked.

"We could do that." Riku implied. "Unfortunately, however, we have no knowledge of where these facilities are."

"Oh, that's right…"-

"Did you also forget, you guys?" Ophelia uttered. "We still have a mission to accomplish in the 'Seed Realm.' We have to demolish the second Apocalypse Cannon."

"I understand what you mean, Miss Billiard." Riku said. "But we're still held up by a dilemma. If we go after the cannon first, we allow more time for the faction to mass produce their mobile dolls as well as allow them to complete their research on the use of organoids in the 'Zi Realm.' Yet at the same time, if we try to track down their facilities and destroy them, at the same time stopping the completion of their research in the 'Zi Realm,' we allow them more time to make final preparations to activate the cannon."

"I believe that we should take out the cannon first. First of all, we already know where it is, unlike the mobile doll assembly facilities. And two, by taking down the cannon, we would have saved far more lives."-

"Very true…"-

"Wow," Sora implied, "I still can't believe that we used to be enemies, Miss Billiard. You certainly are a great addition to our team."

"Yeah," Goofy chuckled, "It's great to have you aboard."

"I'll have to agree with Goofy." Donald added. "For a while back there I thought you were still the enemy."

"Well, it just goes to show you that some people's hearts can so easily be changed at times." Ophelia implied.

"Well, shall we be off then?" Riku uttered, gazing at Ophelia. Ophelia's eyes caught his and she immediately turned away, blushing.

"Uh…yes…we should go…"-

"Then, let's get going…" Sora chuckled. "It's off to the 'Seed Realm.'"

The KH team boarded the gummi ship. Now accompanied by former colonel of the Midnight Faction, Ophelia Billiard, the team had gained another trusted ally to fight against the faction.

At the same time, within the cargo hold of another ship departing from the 'Wing Realm,' the young boy who had earlier confronted and battled the KH team, awaited to reach his destination, back towards the main headquarters of the Midnight Faction. He sat within the passenger seat, patting his sword with fine powder. It was only then that his transmitter again began to signal him of another incoming message. The boy extracted the transmitter from the back pocket of his pants and activated it to receive the relayed data.

"Yes?" He uttered. Upon the screen came the face of Sirius Viicous. "My Lord…"

"You've done well, my boy…" Sirius Viicous implied. "You have succeeded with your assignment. So tell me, are the key bearers equal in strength to my own?"

"To be honest with you my lord, I was rather disappointed. They stood no chance against me."-

"Is that so?"-

"But then again, he never revealed his true strength."-

"He…?"

"The Child of Darkness, he was the one I fought…"-

"You say that he never unleashed his true strength?" Lord Sirius Viicous asked, inquiring with curiosity.

"No he didn't." The boy continued. "And here I was hoping to battle the legendary Noctin Tilandir."

"It was best that you did not. Had he unleashed his full strength, you might not be here to tell me of your report."-

"You're telling me that the Child of Darkness is even more powerful than me?"-

"You would be surprised how much more powerful he would have been if he summoned forth the darkness. You would not have stood a chance against him."-

"Now I definitely have to battle Riku again."-

"For now, however, I am giving you another assignment."-

"Another assignment, my lord?" the boy implied.

"That is correct." Sirius Viicous replied. "I have set up a garrison at Traverse Town. That is one of the most vital destinations of the KH team. Therefore, I placed the entire town under the faction's control. I need you to go there and oversee command."-

"But my lord, I thought that after I complete my assignment fighting the key bearers and taking Bayonet's place, I would be allowed to roam about looking for…" There was sudden silence as the face of the Phantom Lord became stern and cold. The boy immediately ceased his statement. "I'm sorry my lord."

"I understand your determination to look for this person you long to see, but I need you on the front lines right now. The key bearers will be stopping by that town sooner, or later, to meet up with their connections. There have been rumors of Alliance traders in the city. What your next assignment will be is to prevent the KH team from entering the city and coming in contact with their allies. If you find any Alliance spies, or those in connection with the Alliance, or anyone that looks suspicious, I want you to eliminate them, understood? Traverse Town is as far as they go."-

"I shall carry out with your bidding."-

"That's a good boy. And once your assignment has been fulfilled then you can continue your search for the person you seek. If, however, you disobey my orders and go out on your own prematurely, then I will interpret your illegal action as an act of mutiny and you will be branded as a traitor to the Midnight Faction. Thus, as a consequence, I will see you executed." The boy was shocked by the fiery declaration of his lord and a drop of sweat, due to worriment, dripped down his face. His heart began to pound fast and his breathing became heavy. "So, follow my every command to the letter, boy. It's the only way you'll ever fulfill your goals."

"I understand. I will do as you command."-

"Is there anything else you wish to say to me?"-

"If I may be so bold as to speak up front, my lord…" The boy hesitated.

"Speak freely…"-

"Why is it that you did not allow me to finish my challenge?"-

"I need you someplace else, my boy. Your personal quarreling with the KH team and their allies are insignificant to me."-

"But you should know of my strict policy to finish a fight and never back down."-

"You stand down when I give you an order. Otherwise, you would be free to do as you wish." The boy looked down as if wounded by an arrow, which pierced his heart. "Now, is there anything further you would like to say?"

The boy could only look down for a minute, or two, not able to speak. He looked at the screen of his transmitter.

"No, my lord…" The boy uttered, in a most humble manner.

"Then I expect you to be in Traverse Town within twenty-four hours. Report to me personally of your arrival in the settlement when you get there…"-

"I understand…Over and out…"-

The transmission ended and the boy's device deactivated, the screen turning black and all systems functioning. The boy closed the transmission device and placed it in his back pocket. No longer having the urge to condition his sword, he wiped the powder from the blade and sheathed it into his scabbard. Placing it upon his lap, the boy lowered his head, his bangs covering his eyes. He pulled the puzzle piece he took from Bayonet from out of his jackets inside pocket. He gazed at it for a while.

"Riku and Sora are trying to find someone dear to them." He thought to himself. "Perhaps it would have been better if I didn't take this thing from them. If we do meet again and they overtake me in battle, I shall return this piece to them." He gently placed the puzzle piece back in his pocket. He then pulled out from under his black vest a golden ring. It hung by a golden chain around his neck. Upon its surface were strange runes. He gazed at it. "This is my own link to my own goal. I would hate to have someone steal it from me." He placed the ring back underneath his dress shirt below his vest. He then gazed down, remembering the moment when he turned away from the duel with General Triiken. "My policy to fight an opponent in single combat is more than just a policy…"

The ship continued on its way, the boy saying nothing further to complicate the thoughts that ran through his mind.


	17. Naturals vs Cooridnators

Naturals vs. Coordinators

The 'Seed Realm,' a world of unimaginable chaos. In the history of this realm, human beings, hoping to assure themselves as the most intellectual beings on Earth, forged ahead to better themselves by creating more enhanced human individuals. These humans who had been successfully bred into the world were altered in their genetic makeup. All superior traits within the DNA strand were kept so that these altered people were stronger, faster, smarter, and in every way better than those who were born of natural birth. These altered humans thus became known as '_Coordinators_,' or those who had been genetically altered. However, it was because of their superior skills that '_Naturals_,' those who were born of natural birth, found it hard to accept them for who they are. The Naturals eventually began to fear the rise of the Coordinators and began to declare the cleansing of their 'Blue and pure world.' Thus, Coordinators constructed their own nation, the nation of ZAFT. However, their presence still agitated the Naturals still on Earth. Thus, one fateful day, called the Blood Valentine Tragedy, the earth launched a nuclear warhead and inflicted genocide upon one of the colonies, wiping out everyone who lived there. This act of aggression caused the Coordinators to retaliate in full force. Using Neutron Jammers, they were able to cease all nuclear fusion on the Earth sphere. Thus, a bloody war between ensued between the Coordinator forces of ZAFT and the Earth Forces.

However, personal hatred between the Naturals and the Coordinators ceased as a new threat arose to destroy both societies. The imperial forces of the Dark Empire, commanded by General Ameba, attacked without mercy against the Earth Forces and the ZAFT forces. Tremendous casualties were inflicted on both sides, but once they had joined together as one great power to face the onslaught of the Imperial forces, the Dark Empire quickly withdrew. It seemed that the threat of the Imperials had ended only to have them return, this time in force. The man who was no in charge of the second attack was the commander-in-chief of the Dark Empire, Lord Vischerz Von Cavendish. Within a period of a single day, he was able to completely subdue the 'Seed Realm' under Imperial rule. However, resistance against the Dark Empire still remained and the combined forces of the Coordinators and Naturals continued to harass the Imperials. Eventually, due to the news that the Imperial forces were puling back from other worlds they had conquered, the Dark Empire withdrew their rule from the 'Seed Realm.' And after the '_Great Resurrection_,' where those killed by the empire mysteriously were revived back to life, a new era of peace was established and Natural and Coordinator stood hand in hand in brotherly love…Or so they thought.

However, it wasn't long before there was another rise to confrontation. Five years after the 'Great Resurrection,' a new terrorist group calling themselves the "Supporters of Justice," consisting of Coordinators, began to attack the Naturals and other Coordinators who either lived together, or sympathized with Naturals. The terrorist had kept their operations secret, attacking when the people least expected it. It was during this course that fate stepped in, favoring the 'Supporters of Justice.' The Midnight Faction, a former branch of the now dissolved Dark Empire, came to the aid of the terrorist making a bargain with them. The 'Supporters of Justice' were to see the development and manufacturing of a new type of weapon of mass destruction…The Apocalypse XG-1.

In return for their efforts, the Midnight Faction had promised to ensure the reign of the Coordinators within the 'Seed Realm.' They would help the terrorist rise to power and become the deciders of the world's fate. The Midnight Faction aided the terrorist by killing all Naturals and Coordinators that coexisted with Naturals. It would be here that the KH team would play a most vital role.

Once again, the KH team found themselves descending upon the Earth's surface. This time, they made their descent in a grassy field. Using optical stealth, they lowered themselves down to the ground. Night time had fallen, so there was no one about the area. The KH team descended from their ship and gazed about.

"So," Sora uttered, "now that we're here, where do we start looking for the cannon?"

"You were part of the faction, Ophelia," Riku implied, "would you have any knowledge about the cannon that we could go by?"

"The faction never told me more than I should know." Ophelia implied. "And those who assisted in its manufacturing knew to keep away from me, knowing my special power. And besides, back then, I could have cared less about what they were doing. I just stuck to my own assignments. Now, I wish I would have been more aware of the issue."

"Maybe we could go into town and ask around." Donald said. "It's a start, but we could at least try and gain some leads."

"Yeah…" Goofy chuckled. "And maybe we could get some food too. It's been a while since we ate last."

"I have to agree with you there, pal. Entering combat every so often can really build up an appetite."-

"Then, let's go look for something to eat." Sora chuckled.

"But make sure to remain on your guards this time." Ophelia implied. "The Midnight Faction is known for sending out spies to every town and seep out either resistance fighters or agents."

"She's right." Riku added. "We'll have to be more aware of who we allow to come close to us. Otherwise, we'll end up in the same type of situation as what happened in the 'Wing Realm.' So no ordering big platters of food again…!" Riku glared at Sora, Donald, and Goofy.

"Don't worry." Sora assured him. "We won't make any huge orders this time."

"Yeah," Riku thought inwardly, "but what bothers me still is having you three make a spectacle of yourselves."

"Hey." Ophelia implied. She pointed to a collection of lights no more than a mile from where they stood. They were street lamps and house lamps illuminating the night. There was the sound of music and nightly life from the town, intermingling with the sound of the evening breeze and the chirping of crickets. "There's a small town not too far from here. We can take up shelter there."

"Sounds great…!" Donald said.

The KH team began their walk to the town. Upon reaching its outskirts and strolling down Main Street, the town was a quaint little settlement. It had its open air restaurants with their lively music and the sound of laughter filled the air. There were only a few people about, walking around enjoying the peaceful night.

"This looks like a great place to stay for tonight." Sora chuckled. "It's so…so…so lively."

Though Goofy, Donald, and Sora gazed about, looking at the place, they failed to realize that people were stopping and staring at them. Riku, however, took immediate notice at the glaring people. He quickly glanced into some of their eyes to see that there was coldness and hatred within them. While some looked as if shocked, or frightened, others would cringe at them. The feeling made him uncomfortable. He soon realized that it was Ophelia they were glaring at mostly.

"Something's wrong." Riku thought to himself. He turned to his friends and their eyes immediately made contact.

"Let's hurry up and find a place to stay." He uttered, anxiously. He quickened his pace.

"What's wrong, Riku?" Sora asked. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Just hurry up and follow me." The KH team didn't ask any further questions. Instead, they continued to follow him, trying to walk as fast as they could. It wasn't long before Sora, Donald, and Goofy began to notice the cold stares that the people were giving their group.

"What's up with them?" Sora thought to himself. "Why is everyone looking at us?" The feeling of uneasiness began to increase as the number of eyes falling upon them continued to grow in number.

The KH team managed to make it to a small hotel on Main Street. Called 'La Plaza,' the hotel was a rather cozy and humble little establishment, soothing to the eye and quite attractive with its golden doors. Seeking the comfort of the building, the KH team entered. They gazed out to see people still glaring at them even while continuing to walk. Others just stopped and gathered just outside of the hotel.

"What is it with everyone in this town?" Donald asked. "Why were all those people glaring at us?"

"I don't know." Sora said. "But I can assure you that I didn't feel very comfortable. It's seemed as if everyone was giving us the evil eye."

"But what did we do to them?" Goofy asked.

"That's right," Donald added, "This is the first time that we ever came into this town. Why would everyone look at us like we were criminals?"

"Maybe they don't like strangers."-

"That can't be the case." Sora said.

"It isn't…" Riku implied. "It's us that they don't like."

"But why would those people not like us? We've never seen any of them before and we've never come to this town before. Why would they not like us here?"-

"It's by our appearance."-

"What do you mean, Riku?" Donald asked.

"I mean by what we are wearing." Riku continued to explain. "I noticed that most of the hostile looks were aimed toward Miss Billiard, isn't that right?"

"It's true." Ophelia implied. "I could somehow feel their eyes descend upon me like hungry vultures. I wasn't comfortable with it when we were walking down the street."

"But how come the people in this town are acting so hostile towards Miss Billiard." Donald asked.

"It was because of the way she was dressed." Riku pointed out that Ophelia was still wearing her faction officer's uniform. "Miss Billiard is still wearing the uniform of the Midnight Faction. Now, knowing the faction's presence in this world, they must've somehow wreaked havoc upon this town, or another neighboring settlement. Thus, these people showed a lot of loathing towards her, believing her to be a faction officer and believing us to be possible bodyguards."

"Well, if they thought that," Sora said, "I'm surprised that none of those people tried to assault us."

"I think the reason why the people didn't just attack us was because they probably know that there are faction spies about the area. Had they decided to attack us straight out, those spies would immediately relay the message to the faction headquarters in this realm. As a result for supposedly attacking faction sympathizers, the Midnight Faction might just deploy soldiers to terrorize this town and force the inhabitants to suffer." Riku placed his hands on Ophelia Billiard's shoulder. "The best course of action would be to take that officer's shell jacket off so that we don't arouse anymore suspicion."

"I see what you mean." Ophelia uttered. Riku helped slip the shell jacket from off her shoulders. He then folded it gently and handed it to her.

"Now that that's settled," Donald remarked, "Can we check into a room now. I feel really bushed right now."

"I could really go for something to eat." Goofy added.

"Let's register then." Sora said. The team walked up to the front desk where an old man, almost asleep in his chair, silently read a book.

"Excuse me…" Riku implied. The old man looked up.

"Aw, good day kids." The old man said in a scratchy, high pitched voice, like that of a miner.

"We would like to have a room for rent."-

"Of course…I will need you to sign your name here." The old man took out a red, hard backed book and opened its dusty pages. He marked the page with an empty writing space. Riku took an old feathered pen and began to inscribe his name. However, knowing that there were faction spies about the place, and suspecting the old man of being one of them, Riku used an alias name. He used the name that Daisuke Yamada used back in the 'Wing Realm…' _Areo Shiro_. The old man then took a key from the key wrack and handed it to Riku. Upon the key was inscribed the number 25 indicating that this was their room number. "Your room is room 25, up the stairs and straight ahead."

"Thank you, sir." Riku implied. The KH team quickly made their way to the room. When entering, they quickly locked the door behind them. Riku peeked behind the curtains of the window. So far, there was no further commotion outside and the night life continued as it did when they first arrived.

"So, you think the faction has already made their presence known to this town?" Sora asked.

"There's no doubt about it." Riku implied. "The faction must have placed a negative impact on this world. Otherwise, why would everyone we passed tonight give us that cold look?"

"That was stupid of me to be wearing my uniform about in town." Ophelia implied.

"Well, we never figured on anyone actually identifying a faction uniform."-

"So what do we do now?" Goofy asked.

"I don't know about you guys," Donald said, "But I don't intend to go meandering about on the streets after seeing those cold stares from everyone."

"Donald's right." Riku implied. "For some reason, we've caused a great amount of suspicion in this town. There's no doubt that they may suddenly gather into some kind of vigilante party and demand our execution. Starting tomorrow, early in the morning, we leave this town, just to be on the safe side. Until then, I suggest that we stay in the room and remain quiet about this."

"Then, I suggest that we get some sleep." Sora uttered.

"That's a good idea, Sora. Get some sleep so we'll have enough energy for tomorrow."-

"But what if something were to happen when we're all asleep?" Donald asked.

"Donald does have a good point." Ophelia said. "They may try to come into the room and try to kill us in our sleep, or even worse, take us prisoner and torture us, hoping to extract information."

"Then, one of us at least needs to stand guard."-

"I'll do it." Sora said. "I'll stand guard tonight."-

"Are you sure, Sora?" Riku asked. "I could always take the first shift."

"You've had a real rough day, Riku, more so than any of us. So you especially need a good night's rest."-

"Thanks, Sora…"-

But as it seemed that the night would go peacefully, there was a gentle knock at the door. The KH team immediately stood up. Sora walked to the door and peeked in the little peephole to see who it was. It was the old man from the front desk.

"Who is it, Sora?" Ophelia asked.

"It's the old man from the front desk." Sora replied.

"Well, ask him what he wants." Riku said.

"May I help you, Sir?" Sora uttered through the thickness of the door.

"I have something for you ladies and gentlemen." The old man implied. I've brought up your evening tea."-

"We didn't order any tea."-

"It is not an order, sir. It is how I treat all of my guests."-

"What do you think, Riku?"-

"Are you alone?" Riku asked as he walked to the door.

"I am, Sir…"-

"Well, I guess it'll be alright to let him in."-

"Are you sure, Riku?" Sora asked.

"He seems to be telling us the truth." Riku remarked. "Besides, he probably doesn't get a lot of company."-

"OK then…" Sora unlatched and opened the door. "Come on in, Sir."

The old man came in with six little cups on individual saucers and their own stirring spoons. There was a porcelain teapot and a platter of biscuits alongside the cups.

"There's nothing like a cup of hot tea and a side of biscuits to warm up your night and make you feel more at ease." The old man said. He poured the tea into each of the six cups and handed them to each of the KH members. The first he served was Ophelia.

Ophelia Billiard thus took the opportunity to grasp the old man's shaky hand. In that instant of contact with each others hands, she delved into the very deepest psychic areas of the man's mind. She searched out his true intentions. And to her amazement, there was no feeling of suspicion, or hopes of treachery behind his somber gaze.

"Thank you, Sir…" she implied with a smile, taking the cup from his hand.

"So, how long are you five staying in town?" the old man asked.

"We'll…" Riku uttered. He then looked at Ophelia.

"I checked his motives." She replied. "The old man can be trusted."

"Alright…" Riku continued to speak to the elder. "We'll be staying here until tomorrow morning. We'll be leaving early."-

"I see." The old man said. He gazed at the officer's shell jacket that lay gently on the bed. "You wouldn't happen to be members of the Midnight Faction now would you?"

"No, we aren't. In fact, that's why we are here. We're here to stop the Midnight Faction from spreading their chaos into this world."-

"It's very noble of you to do so, but the task that lies ahead of you is not going to be an easy one. By defying the faction, you could not only endanger your lives, but perhaps the lives of this entire town."-

"The entire town…?" Sora asked.

"That's correct, young man." The old man continued. "The Midnight Faction has been attacking towns and villages throughout this entire area. So far, they haven't attacked large cities, or so I've heard. But when it comes to small towns like this, they just wipe the entire population out."-

"You mean they just march into town and commit total genocide?"-

"That's right. I've had my suspicions that the Midnight Faction might be in league with the 'Supporters of Justice.'"-

"The Supporters of Justice…?" Goofy asked.

"Who are they?" Donald added.

"They are a new terrorist group that arose not too long ago. They are a group of Coordinator radicals who want to see a new era for their people rise and dominate the entire world. There primary targets are Naturals and sympathizing Coordinators who live side by side, or show compassion to Naturals."-

"Naturals…? Coordinators…? What's the difference between the two?"-

"I think I remember hearing this." Sora implied. "Aren't Coordinators kind of like genetically enhanced humans?"

"That's correct." The old man implied. "Coordinators are enhanced human beings who have been born with altered DNA strands. Naturals on the other hand are humans who had been born naturally. It's because Coordinators are so much more advanced that Naturals tend to be very hostile towards them. In fact, that's why a bloody war between the two people erupted."-

"But what happened after that?" Ophelia asked.

"It was only after that massive confrontation with the Dark Empire that Naturals and Coordinators realized that they had more in common with each other than had earlier been perceived. For one thing, Coordinators realized that they were not so intelligent or strong as they had earlier thought, ever since many were bested by the Empire. The Naturals saw this too and took into account that Coordinators weren't as invincible as they had thought before. As a result, Coordinators and Naturals began to coexist with one another, especially after the 'Great Miracle.'"

"The Great Miracle…?" Sora asked.

"That's right." The old man said. "For some reason, a day after the Dark Empire withdrew from this world; all those who had died in the Imperial attacks were brought back to life. Now that was a great miracle."

"That must've been due to the wish I made with the dragon balls six years before." Sora thought to himself.

"But only after a half of a decade of peace, now this new threat, these terrorist calling themselves 'Supporters of Justice' have been wreaking havoc upon the earth sphere, especially against Naturals. They viciously attack Naturals and Coordinators who, as I said before, sympathize with them. They never used to attack openly, but since they teamed up with the Midnight Faction, their attacks have become more frequent and more open." The old man lowered his teacup, his hand shaking. "Another era of chaos has erupted and all because a few individuals want to wipe out an entire population just to see their own thrive to greater heights." He then gazed again at the shell coat. "So you are sure that you aren't faction soldiers?"

"The last time we checked." Donald said.

"Well, I meant no offense. It's just why would you be wearing a faction officer's shell jacket?"-

"None of those guys are faction soldiers." Ophelia implied. "But I am…Or was at least…"

"Ophelia…" Riku uttered.

"So you are a faction officer?" the old man implied.

"I used to be." Ophelia continued. "I used to have so much faith in the cause. I figured that if we were to make war so terrible and so frightening, no one would be willing to ever engage in another war again. However, I never realized that what we were doing was beyond the concept of evil. And I was assisting to promote the one thing that I had vowed to destroy."

"There is no shame in realizing your own truth, my dear. You were a faction officer, but you had found your heart and soul. You are still young and are capable of doing great things. If you know of the wrongs you did and wish to make up for it, then you will soon learn that you are worth more than you think."-

"Let me ask you old man," Riku said, "Are you a Natural, or a Coordinator?"

"I won't lie to you, young man." The old man implied. "I am a Coordinator."

"How old are you?" Sora asked.

"I was one of the first Coordinators to be born into this world and I have seen chaos beyond your wildest imaginations. I was in fact a technician for the ZAFT organization. Back then, I still had a spark left in this old body to contribute to the cause. Back then, I hated the Naturals with all my heart and soul. I wanted to see them all dead for what they did during the Bloody Valentine tragedy. However, after the rise of the Dark Empire and seeing those Naturals fight with everything they had, I began to realize that there was a significant difference that made the Coordinators seem weak. The Naturals, despite being overpowered by the Imperials and their mobile dolls and their massive destroyers, continued to battle even to the last man. Even going so far as to enter frays that a Coordinator would dare not enter, they succeeded in those areas where we as Coordinators deemed impossible to last. It was the account of the human spirit that made the Natural stronger than the Coordinator for that brief moment. For once I felt what it was like to be in the shoes of the Naturals and feel what they felt, being deemed insignificant and pathetic. After the war, I came down to earth and started running this small hotel. Now-a-days, I acknowledge the Naturals as being my equals. The Naturals in return have learned to respect me."

"So things turned out well in the end for you…" Sora chuckled.

"That they have…"-

As the old man became more acquainted with the KH team, they began to hear someone shouting from outside. The sound of an automobile was heard rumbling down the street. Riku opened the shades and the window and stuck his head out. Sora and Ophelia peeked out in the space left over. What they saw was jeep driving down Main Street in a panicked fashion. Everyone on the street strived to get out of the vehicles way. People who were in the bars and clubs, or who had just dozed off to sleep, peeked out to see this spectacle create such a racket. In the jeep, a man dressed in blue shouted out to the people.

"They're coming!" he cried. "They're coming! The Supporters of Justice and the Midnight Faction is coming! Run for you lives! Run for your lives!"

Some of the spectators, fearing the worst, rushed through the streets and back to their homes, packing their personal belongings and hoping to skip town. Others only stood about, hoping to hear more. The jeep was about to pass by the hotel when Riku shouted out to stop him.

"Hey!" he cried to the driver. The driver stopped in his place and looked up. "You say that the faction is coming? Are you preferring to the Midnight Faction!"

"Where have you been all this time!" the man replied in a rather desperate and rude manner. "There's only one faction here!"

"How many are coming!"-

"It's a raiding party, about five hundred or so!"

"Thank you!" The man in the jeep nodded and went on his way. Immediately after leaving the scene, people could be seen running from their establishments and heading down the road, in the direction the jeep took off. Riku turned to his friends. "Alright guys and gals, let's get down there!"

"Right!" Sora and the others replied. They rushed down the stairs, with Riku leading the way.

"Wait," the old man said, "Where are you kids going?"

"We're gonna defend this town." Sora chuckled. "Don't worry, we'll be back!" He followed his friends down the stairs and out into the street. The old man cried out from the window as he saw them exit.

"Wait!" he cried. "Come back, kids! Come back! You'll be killed if you try to fight them!" The old man, fearing for their safety and the safety of the citizens within the town, rushed to the phone to call for back up.

Meanwhile, on the edge of town, the few police officers who guarded the town went into battle with several jeeps and armored vehicles. Their line slowly cracked as the masses of rebel Coordinators and Faction soldiers slew every defender they came across. Some of the police officers, seeing that their defense was folly, turned and ran. The rebel Coordinators watched on as they saw the law enforcers scatter and flee.

"Look at them." The Coordinator commander chuckled, as he saw the police line unfold. "Another stampede…"

"They won't go far, sir." A subordinate uttered. "They'll eventually be trekked down and killed."

"They certainly will. After all…Naturals are stupid and pathetic. Inferior people like them don't deserve to intermingle with the superiority of Coordinators." It was then that a transmission came in from the leader of the Midnight Faction raiding party. The Coordinator officer received the incoming message. "Yes Major?"

"Lieutenant," the Major implied, "Have your men pillage this town and burn it to the ground. We must give an example to these Naturals who dare to stand in the way of our ideals."

"With pleasure, sir." The Lieutenant replied. "I'll make sure that all the Naturals are dead." The transmission ended and the Lieutenant turned to his men. "Alright, boys, take this into account. Kill everyone in this town. Leave none alive!" The raiding party cheered. "We'll give these Naturals a taste of the pain and tragedy that they so heartlessly gave to us during the Bloody Valentine Tragedy." There was a cheer from the line and the rebel Coordinators began to advance.

But as they neared the sleepy little down, they were soon confronted by five individuals that blocked their path. The KH team had assembled themselves, ready to do battle. The rebels halted their advance.

"Who are they?" the Lieutenant asked.

"They're nobodies." The subordinate implied. "They're just cocky Naturals hoping to give one last line of resistance."

"They must be really desperate if they have enough nerve to stand up against two companies of Coordinators. Lead our troops and kill them."-

"Yes, sir." The subordinate jumped out of the jeep and rushed out to the front lines. "Kill them!" The rebels aimed their weapons and the KH team. But as they did, Donald unleashed the Aeroga spell and provided everyone with a wind shield. The Coordinators fired at them, at almost point blank range, but the bullets were immediately deflected by the wind spell. The Coordinators were stunned by what they saw. Despite being showered by a hail of bullets, the KH team still remained standing.

"Thank goodness for the aero shields." Donald implied.

"That's impossible." The subordinate implied. "How could they just deflect all those bullets?"

"We're only going to ask you once!" Riku declared. "Leave this town alone, or suffer the consequences!"

"Damn!" the Lieutenant uttered from his jeep. He contacted the cockpit of the tack accompanying them. "Take 'em out with a round."

"Roger that." The tank cockpit replied and the thunderous armored vehicle rumbled to the front line. The Lieutenant jumped from his jeep and hitched upon the back of the iron beast. "Ready to fire on your order, sir..."

"You're way in over your head, Natural!" the Lieutenant chuckled. "Let's see you deflect this!" But before the cannon could fire, Riku unleashed the Iceberg Shuriken technique and froze the barrel of the cannon completely. Now the cannon could not fire without the threat of blowing itself up.

"How…how did they do that?" the subordinate uttered. "He just unleashed ice from out of nowhere and sealed the barrel to the cannon.

"Why you…" The Lieutenant uttered angrily.

"I'll tell you again." Riku said. "Leave this place at once, or you'll have to contend with us."

"You're not going to scare us, Naturals. You're no match for us! Kill them!" The Coordinators, confident of their own superior skills, rushed against the KH team blazing their guns away.

Donald, however, unleashed another Aeroga spell and created another shield. Riku and Sora in the meantime deployed their ice attacks, Iceberg Shuriken and Tundra Canister. The Coordinators were instantly frozen, locked in tombs of ice.

"You guys don't have to die today!" Sora uttered. "We want to avoid bloodshed altogether. So stand down."

"You fools!" the Lieutenant scoffed. "I will not bow down to Natural scum like you! Call for our mobile suits!"

"Roger that." The pilot in the tank's cockpit replied.

"Now kill them!" The Coordinators still mobile, knowing their guns were useless against the KH team, dropped their weapons and deployed their melee knives instead, ready to engage in hand to hand combat.

"Try to avoid killing them." Sora uttered.

"I understand." Riku implied. "Kill only if necessary."

"Let's get 'em!" Donald shouted.

The KH team rushed into the thick of the Coordinators. The Coordinators attacked from every angle, but could not effectively strike at the two agile key bearers and their allies. Ophelia unleashed her battle fans and tossed them about like gracious boomerangs, cutting down rebel Coordinators by the dozen. Riku and Sora slashed through the ranks using all magic spells and fighting abilities that they knew. Their skills had proven to be so effective that the Coordinators began to think them not as Naturals, but Coordinators. Perhaps they were even Berserker Coordinators.

"Give up this fight!" Sora shouted.

"Never!" a soldier shouted and attacked Sora. Sora leaped over his attacker's head and cut him at the right shoulder and leg, severely maiming him. The soldier could on longer stand and fell to the ground, giving up every attempt to retaliate.

"It can't be." The Lieutenant uttered. His eyes filled with fear. "How could Naturals be able to fight off Coordinators that are ten times their number?"

"Maybe they aren't Naturals…" the pilot of the tank implied.

"They are the key bearers!" a voice shouted out from behind. The Lieutenant gazed behind him to see the Major of the Midnight Faction and his soldiers rushed into the fray. "Faction soldiers, defeat the key bearers." The faction soldiers attacked with the Coordinators against the KH team.

"Faction soldiers coming straight at us!" Sora shouted.

"I got' em!" Riku implied. He unleashed his Cinder Canister, deployed seven fiery spheres into the ranks of the attacking faction soldiers and their Coordinator allies. In a single attack, a hundred and fifty men were lost. The staggering number of losses by a single strike caused the Coordinators to waver and flee, fearing for their own lives. The faction soldiers, however, knowing only to fight and to die, remained steadfast, willing to fight to the death. The major rushed into the fight. But as he did, he came face to face with Ophelia Billiard.

"Colonel Billiard?" he uttered, shockingly.

"Yes, I am." Ophelia replied.

"Why…why are you fighting against us? Are you not with the Midnight Faction?"-

"Not anymore…"-

"You…you…traitor!" the Major roared. He attacked Ophelia with all he had. "You are a traitor to your own comrades! How could you betray us like this! How could you betray His Excellency!" He lunged his sword downward, but the colonel caught the blade with here two battle fans.

"When I realized that I lowered myself to your level!" Ophelia leaped up over his head and landed just behind him. She took her two fans and sliced the calves of the Major's legs. The Major fell to his knees. His anger began to build and he slashed his sword behind him, hoping to strike the young lady. Ophelia, however, managed to evade the attack. Unleashing the grappling dagger from the scabbard strapped to her back, she thrust the blade deep into the major's side. The major thus fell dead to the ground. She tore the blade from his side and continued to battle.

By this time, the battle raged on and on and the casualties on the side of the raiding party began to mount. With the death of the Major and their numbers dwindling to less than a quarter of what it was, the Lieutenant could not endure anymore.

"This is manslaughter!" he uttered. "How could seven Naturals be able to fight off so many Coordinators and yet hold their own in the end?" He shouted over the tanks loud speaker. "All units withdraw and reform! I repeat, withdraw and reform." The soldiers, both Coordinator rebels and faction soldiers, abided by the word of their commanding officer and withdrew. The KH team watched as the remaining soldiers withdrew into the night.

"You've made the correct decision." Sora said. "It would have been futile to battle anymore."

"You might have been more than a match for our ground troops, but let's see how you fare against our mobile suits! They should be here soon." It was at that moment that the sound of rockets began to sound out from afar. Sure enough, from out of the darkness five mobile suits, two Ginns and three Dinns descended from the night sky and presented themselves just behind the tank. "Now let us see how well you do! Kill those fools sho dared to defy us and destroy the town!"

The mobile suits aimed their guns at both the KH team and the town.

"Now what do we do?" Goofy asked.

"Anyone have any ideas?" Donald asked. "Can you defeat something that big?"

"We could." Riku implied. "But it would take some time. These things aren't as easy to take down as those giant Dark Sides or Behemoth Heartless."

But as it seemed that fate had planned a cruel fate for the KH team, five beams appeared from out of nowhere and blew off the heads of the five mobile suits. The massive Ginns and Dinns fell to the ground backwards away from the town. The impact of their collapse caused the ground to shake and rumble violently. The crashing of metal bellowed into the night air. Clouds of dust bellowed into the air and the KH team shielded their eyes.

"What just happened?" Sora uttered.

"Where…where did those blasts come from?" the Lieutenant said, his eyes filled with fright.

Suddenly, from out of the night sky, two mobile suits just over the town appeared; two very familiar mobile suits. They were the mobile suits Freedom and Justice. The Lieutenant, fearful of retaliation withdrew without a further thought. The rest of his men followed in disorderly retreat. The KH team looked up to see the mobile suits descend. Just behind them were soldiers in armored vehicles.

"Where did these come from?" Goofy thought.

"Sora, Riku…!" a voice shouted from one of the lead vehicles. The KH team looked to see a familiar face, standing upon the passenger seat of the fast moving jeep.

"It's Cuchulain!" Sora shouted. The Hound leaped from the moving vehicle and presented himself to the KH team.

"Glad to see that you decided to make it." He turned to the men in the jeep. "Catch those men and bring them back alive!"

"Yes, sir." The driver implied and the troops went off in pursuit of the retreating raiding party. Two other mobile suits rushed to the battlements, aiding the pursuing force. They were the mobile suit Buster and the mobile suit Strike. Cuchulain turned to his comrades. "I see that you managed to defend the town in our absence."

"It wasn't easy." Riku said.

"So what are you doing here?" Sora asked.

"I told you before." Cuchulain implied. "I was here aiding the defense forces here." Cuchulain watched as the two mobile suit pilots from the Freedom and Justice descended to the ground. They began to walk to the KH team. "I'm sure you know these two."

The pilots took off their helmets and presented themselves before the key bearers.

"Lieutenant Colonel Kira Yamato reporting." One pilot addressed.

"Colonel Athrun Zala reporting of the United Defense forces reporting." The other said.

"Athrun...? Kira…?" Sora uttered.

"It's been quite a long time hasn't it, Riku…Sora…"-

"It has been a long time." Riku implied. The two sides shook hands hardily.

"When Cuchulain told us that you guys would be coming to aid us," Kira said, "we couldn't say no."

"What I can't believe is the result of this battle." Athrun added. "How on earth did you manage to defeat so many rebel Coordinators?"

"Yeah…?"-

"It was all in a days work actually." Riku said.

"Man, Cuchulain was right about you."-

"How did you guys know that we were here though?" Sora asked.

"We received a call from a desperate member of the town residence." Cuchulain explained. "An old man is what he sounded like. He said that five young people were standing alone to do battle with the raiding party. I asked what they looked like and he mentioned one with brown hair and big shoes and the other with silver hair and a black trench. Immediately, I knew who they were talking about." Cuchulain then pondered. "But when he said five young people, I was a little confused. I know you, Riku, Goofy, and Donald, but who was your fifth member?"

"Oh, we forgot to introduce her to you." Riku said. He took Ophelia by the shoulder and presented her before the hound and the two Coordinators. "This is Miss Ophelia Billiard, or should I say colonel."

"C…Colonel Billiard?" Cuchulain's eyes grew wide with fear. "Are you talking about the infamous Tiger of Goth?"

"Tiger of Goth?"-

"Yes…" Ophelia implied. "My reputation has spread throughout the alliance, even to the high command of Oceansburg."

"You never told us that you were well known throughout the alliance too." Sora remarked.

"Are you kidding?" Cuchulain uttered. "She is known to be one of the fiercest warriors within the Midnight Faction. But what is she doing here? Has she been captured?"

"Well, not exactly…"-

"I am here of my own free will, sir." Ophelia implied, standing at attention. "I am Colonel Ophelia Billiard, the Tiger of Goth, and a former officer of the Midnight Faction." Cuchulain eased his guard and gazed into her eyes.

"And how did you come to switch sides, Colonel Billiard?"-

"You might say that I have opened my eyes to world. I have come to understand what the alliance is fighting for. To add…" she lowered her head. "I have found people who care for me for who I am instead of what I am. I was never understood deeply in service of the faction, I was only seen as an officer with skills and abilities useful to them. My opinions and emotional needs were of no concern to them. I might have become as hard and cold like a rock if it weren't for someone showing such tenderness to me." She raised her eyes to look at Riku, but did not dare to go any further. She immediately began to blush at the thought of him looking upon her.

"I sense a great deal of positive energy accumulating from you, colonel." Cuchulain said. He placed his hand on her shoulder. She gazed up into the blue eyes of the Hound. "If you have joined alongside us, then we welcome you. And I don't think you would have found any more loyal friends than Sora and Riku. They will be your fellow brothers in arms." He turned to Riku and Sora. "You two make sure you stick together."

"We understand." Riku and Sora replied in unison.

It was then that the old man, who ran the hotel, appeared before the group.

"Thank you very much for saving our town." He uttered.

"It was nothing." Sora chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Were you the one who contacted us earlier?" Cuchulain asked.

"It was I, young man." The old man replied. "I figure that I could not stand to watch these five gallant people enter battle alone and face imminent death."

"Well, you did the right thing." The old man walked up to the key bearers.

"Tell me, are you Coordinators?"-

"Sorry, old man." Riku said. "I hate to say it, but Sora and I are Naturals."

"Naturals?" The group of mobile suit pilots were shocked at what they heard.

"What's that?" Mu uttered.

"They're Naturals…?" Dearka implied.

"But that can't be." Kira added. "How could you two be Naturals?

"That's impossible." Athrun thought to himself. "There's no way that a Natural could have actually won against two companies of highly skilled Coordinators." He gazed at the dead and wounded upon the ground. "But then again, Riku and Sora aren't your average warriors and their fighting techniques are anything, but natural…"

It was then that the pursuing party had returned from their chase. They had managed to capture a hundred prisoners, both faction and rebel soldiers. They were transported in trucks and led back into town where they would be kept under guard. The two mobile suits what assisted in the pursuit, landed not for far from where the group was assembled.

From the cockpits, two other pilots descended to the ground and made their way to join the group.

"Glad to see that you two made it back safely." Kira implied.

"That pursuit was a lot tougher than it looked." One of the pilots said. They took off their helmets and presented themselves to the allies. "Major Mu La Fllaga of the Orb United Defense Force reporting in."

"Captain Dearka Elsman of the Orb United Defense Force reporting in." said the other pilot.

"Mu, Dearka," Athrun implied, "I'm sure you remember our old allies from six years ago, Sora and Riku?"

"How could we forget?" Mu said. He shook the hands of the key bearers hardily. Dearka did the same. "It was thanks to you two that our world was saved."

"How did your pursuit go?" Riku asked.

"Well, we managed to track down a hundred of the fleeing rebels." Dearka replied. "However, I think the supreme commander of the force managed to get away."

"Then there may still be a chance that the Midnight Faction and the Supporters of Justice may try to retaliate."-

"That's not a good thing right?" Goofy asked.

"No, it isn't." Donald sighed, placing his face in his feathery hand and shaking his hear. He later uttered to himself. "How in the world did Goofy ever get position as captain of the guards in the first place?"

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Cuchulain implied, "Now that the battle is won here, it is best that we initiate our next plan to stop the activity of the Midnight Faction and break their alliance with the Supporters of Justice."

"Right…" Sora uttered.

The KH team and their allies withdrew back into town to discuss their next plan of attack.

Meanwhile, no more than twenty miles from town, the Lieutenant who had evaded capture had managed to reach the farmhouse outpost where he had earlier initiated the plan of attack. By this time, he had regressed to using a jeep instead of having to ride on the back of the tank he earlier took into battle, knowing that the jeep was faster and could make it back to his destination in a shorter time period. It was when driving towards his destination that he spotted someone awaiting his return. Just outside of the establishment, he saw a dark figure standing near the front door of the house. As the lieutenant neared the doorway, he realized that it was none other than the infamous former commander of ZAFT's elite fighting mobile suit team, Ra Le Creuset.

He wore upon his face, a white mask to conceal his identity. To add, he had long, wavy blond hair. He was also dressed in an outdated ZAFT military uniform, a white frock with black trim.

He had originally been part of the ZAFT military and served it faithfully until the days following the period of the Great Miracle and the withdrawing of the Imperial forces of the Dark Empire. Only after those days had passed did Le Creuset's ideals and popularity plummet.

After the ordeal with the Dark Empire and the near destruction of both ZAFT and the earth sphere, an alliance was formed between the Naturals and Coordinators. This alliance became a permanent establishment when Naturals realized that they had skills that surpassed Coordinators and when Coordinators realized that Naturals were not as weak as they had perceived years before. Thus, a tight bond of friendship between Coordinator and Natural was formed. The Nation of Orb, under the command of Lord Uzumi Athha and his daughter Cagalli, in league with ZAFT's new chief representative, Lacus Klein, took on the role as being the leading nation of Earth and integrating Coordinators and Naturals together. Thus, the new Earth Nation was born with the Orb United Defense Forces acting as the police, consisting of both Naturals and Coordinators.

It was this convergence of the two societies that angered radicals like Ra Le Creuset to turn to the terrorist group 'Supporters of Justice.' His other ally, former Chairman Patrick Zala, who had been resurrected back to life after being killed by the Empire, had been killed for good when he attempted to bring down plans to unite ZAFT and earth into one great super power by trying to kill Lacus Klein, gunning ten other diplomats in the process. Now, Ra Le Creuset declares revenge and the opening of a new era of chaos.

The lieutenant stopped the jeep in front of the house and stepped out. He presented himself before Le Creuset.

"Colonel Ra Le Creuset," the lieutenant implied, "Is the commander here?"

"Both of them are here." Le Creuset replied. "We have been waiting for you."

"Both of them…?"-

"Please step inside."-

Le Creuset led the lieutenant in. There, before him were two men. One was the leader of Midnight Faction's forces, Lieutenant Colonel Hydra Dunker. He was a brash and tall military man dressed in a solid black, double breasted frock that draped down to his knees. Everything he wore was a gothic black, from the frock to the trousers, to the gloves, and down to the boots that he wore at his feet. The only part of that uniform that was not black was the stripes on the side of his trousers and the belt he had around his waist, which were a pearly white. His facial features were young, slightly tanned and his hair was a mellow light brown and trimmed very well, being combed completely to one side. The other individual was named Romulus Von Console, the commander in chief of the infamous terrorist organization, The Supporters of Justice. He too, being a young leader, had a very pale complexion. On his right cheek, there was a scar. Perhaps inflicted by a highly sharpened blade, it streaked across that side of his face, starting from the lower part of his temple and ending at his chin. His eyes were a dim grey and his hair a grey black and combed back with a couple of strands hanging over at the side. He wore a while shell jacket with black trim and black trousers with white trim, same as Dunker's. The two men sat at a table awaiting the lieutenant to bring I his report.

"Good to see that you're still alive, lieutenant." Von Console began. "And how did your night raid go?" There was hesitation in the lieutenant's expression that something had gone terribly wrong.

"It was a disaster, sir." He uttered.

"Speak up, I can't hear you."-

"It was a disaster, sir."-

"And explain how it could be so disastrous." Lieutenant Colonel Dunker said. "Did it end in folly?"

"Yes, sir…" The Lieutenant continued.

"But how could such a raid end in folly?" Von Console asked. "Even if our location was given away by spies, or scouts and the town put up a resistance, there's no way that they could have won against you. That's a Natural's town and no Natural can ever match the strength and cunning of a Coordinator…ever."

"But they had Coordinators fighting us!"-

"Coordinators?"-

"Yes, sir, five of them…They were able to fend off our forces like they were nothing. They even managed to take out the major, leader of the Midnight Faction forces in the raiding party."-

"That's impossible. What were they armed with?"-

"I've never seen such weapons. They were armed with these fancy looking swords that looked like keys."-

"Did you say that their weapons looked like keys?" Dunker asked.

"That's right, sir." The lieutenant implied.

"Then the group you fought is none other than the infamous KH team."-

"They were the KH team?"-

"Are you talking about those warriors who have been harassing the Midnight Faction recently?" Von Console asked.

"That's exactly who I mean." Dunker replied.

"But even so, even though they are an elite group, they couldn't just take out an entire raiding party single handedly."-

"You fool; the KH team is capable of unleashing attacks, which you would consider to be unnatural. This lieutenant is a witness to that power. He has perhaps seen some of the elemental attacks deployed by the KH team, am I correct?"-

"Yes, sir." The lieutenant uttered. "They were unleashing ice and fire."

"But the majority of our men had guns." Le Creuset interrupted. "Why didn't you just use those to execute this KH team you speak of?"

"We tried to, but that group just suddenly deployed what looked like a shield to protect them. They deployed it out of nowhere and the bullets just ricocheted right off. No matter how many rounds we used, we couldn't break that shield. Then we tried to fire a round from the tank, but they encased the barrel in ice."-

"This is all nonsense! No one could unleash natural elements from out of thin air like that. You men must've been under some type of hallucination."-

"I know what I saw and I can tell you that it was real, sir."-

"Lies! All lies!"-

"That's enough, Colonel Le Creuset!" Dunker remarked. He stood up and paced to the window. "What this man says is true. It is you who doesn't fully understand the power of the key bearers, not ever confronting them yourselves. And despite being a small group, The KH team is a force that should not be underestimated. They are able to initiate devastating strikes that would turn you pale. And out of all the members in that group, the ones you have to worry about the most are the keyblade masters."

"The keyblade masters?" Von Console asked. "They're the ones with the key shaped swords the Lieutenant was talking about right?"

"The Major called them key bearers." The Lieutenant said.

"The two infamous key bearers, Riku and Sora…" Dunker continued. "Those are the two we have to eliminate first. As long as those two are alive, there will never be any progress for us."-

"Tell me," Von Console implied, "Are these two key bearers Berserker Coordinators?"

"It would comfort you if I said they were, but they're not. Their more like the ones whom you have declared total genocide upon. Those two are Naturals." There was a sudden silence in the air before the room filled with a maniacal laugh from Von Console and Le Creuset.

"Don't make me laugh." Le Creuset chuckled. "Naturals couldn't possibly be able to initiate a defense like that."

"Le Creuset is right." Von Console added. "These two young men you speak of must be anything, but Naturals. A single Coordinator is more than a match for twenty Naturals or more. A Natural wouldn't be able to take down a Coordinator single handedly. That is an impossibility."-

"You seem so sure of that." Dunker said.

"It's simply logical. A Natural would never have enough skills to outwit the superior cunning, agility and strength of a Coordinator."-

"This raid was simply a fluke." Le Creuset implied. "The Lieutenant just initiated his strategy in an ill mannered fashion."

"Then tell me this." Dunker asked. "If this raid was a fluke, how is it that out of the two hundred and fifty Coordinators deployed in that raid, only thirty managed to survive unharmed?"

"There is an explanation to that. Those boys you speak of are Berserker Coordinators, nothing more."-

"If they are Berserker Coordinators," Von Console said, "Then I should be able to match with them at an equal level."

"And why is that?" Dunker asked.

"It is because I too am a Berserker Coordinator. And not just any Berserker, but the best to ever live." Hydra Dunker only turned away and gazed out the window.

"Those bastard Coordinators." He thought to himself. "They seem so confident of their imminent victory. No doubt that they'll take this situation for granted. I must initiate my own plans to kill the key bearers and protect the cannon being assembled here. But even so, I hope to see these arrogant men get their just desserts. Only then will they realize the true power of the key bearers."

Back in town, the KH team sat about, ready to hear the next plan initiated by the Orb Defense Forces and the Universal Alliance. The group met in a small tavern just a hundred yards from where the battle took place. Guards were vigilant just outside the room, looking for anyone suspicious. It had been fifteen minutes since they had assembled and yet hoping to discuss the plan of attack was not commencing.

"It's been fifteen minutes since we assembled." Riku implied. "Why don't we discuss our plans already?"

"We're still waiting for another one of our fellows to arrive." Athrun said. "The last mobile suit pilot on this mission, Yzak Joule."

"Well, I hope that he gets here soon."-

"Well, Yzak should have been here by now." Mu La Fllaga uttered.

"He was assigned to join us at the last minute though." Athrun implied

"What does he do for your group?" Ophelia asked.

"Yzak is responsible for sniffing out spies. He's the chief of Central Intelligence. And I can assure you that he's very good at it. I mean, he managed to break up ten spy rings that were in league with the Midnight Faction and the Supporters of Justice. And those rings he broke up weren't small fries either."

"Is that so?"-

At the same time, Dearka was browsing at a picture that was taken not too long ago. It was a picture of a baby girl, perhaps only six months old. Sora walked up behind him and observed the picture quietly.

"That's a cute little girl." He uttered.

"Yeah…" Dearka said. "She's my daughter…"

"You're daughter…? You mean you're already a father, Dearka?"-

"Can you believe it? I'm a father at my age? It's quite a feeling, a good feeling to be precise, to see your pride and joy come into this world with your own eyes."-

"Is she a Coordinator like you?"-

"No…" Dearka smiled. "She's more like her mother. She's a Natural…"

"But I would have thought you might have wanted a Coordinator for a daughter."-

"That's what I had planned before. But this was a spur of the moment birth. And to tell you the truth, Sora, I wouldn't have it any other way. She may be a Natural, but she's still my little girl. And I would fight and die for that little girl." Dearka placed the picture back in its protective case and put it in his pocket. He then turned to Sora, confronting him face to face. "I guess that's the goal we have been striving for, to know that Naturals and Coordinators can learn to love one another. I may be a Coordinator and I may have a Natural family, but they are still my family and I would defend them from all hostilities, whether they be Natural or Coordinator, even at the cost of my own life."-

"I believe that that is an incredible goal to strive for." Sora chuckled. "That is true bravery. A man can never be called a man if he can't protect his family, whether they be Naturals or Coordinators."

It was then that a soldier entered the room and stood at attention.

"Colonel Athrun Zala." The soldier declared. Athrun turned to face him.

"What is it soldier?" he asked.

"Chief Inspector Yzak Joule."-

From the doorway came a young man with silvery hair and sky blue eyes. A scar streaked across his face like lightning. He wore a black trench coat and had it tightly wrapped around him. The collar was standing so it gave Yzak the appearance of a secret agent.

"I'm sorry that I'm late." Yzak declared. "I had some business to sort out first back at headquarters."

"We were beginning to wonder that happened to you." Athrun said. "May I introduce you to the KH team and the members of the Universal Alliance; the two key bearers Riku and Sora, their comrades, Miss Ophelia Billiard, Donald, and Goofy, and Cuchulain, representative of the Universal Alliance?"

"A pleasure I'm sure."-

"Good evening, Mr. Joule." Cuchulain said as he and the KH team nodded their heads in respect. Yzak nodded respectfully, but Riku noticed that he seemed rather nervous, not wanting to make direct eye contact.

"So, let us begin to initiate our plans." Athrun pulled out a map of the area where the Orb Defense Forces were concentrating their plans of attack. "It's obvious we know where the main headquarters of the Midnight Faction and the Supporters of Justice is. However, it is a well fortified area that has a high concentration of advanced weaponry and a high security system, capable of detecting any open attack we initiate on them. Since the area is operated my mostly Coordinators, they have proven to be more of a hassle than earlier expected."

"To add, they have that impregnable shield protecting the entire area," Mu La Fllaga implied, "A highly dense electromagnetic shield that can deflect any long range weaponry. For that matter, the shield can repel anything else that tries to get through."

"However," Dearka added, "the shield is only deployed when an imminent attack has been confirmed. This way, they can maintain the generators that form the shield."

"Also," Kira implied, "Even when we attempt to assemble troops close enough to strike effectively, the Midnight Faction and the Supporters of Justice attack us from out of nowhere, as if we knew we were there all along. The thing is that we keep our security tight and we never give our position away. But somehow, they still discover us. This would be the fifth attack in a row that has been discovered and extinguished."

"Did you monitor all transmissions going in and out during those operations?" Riku asked.

"We only use secure lines that link our transmitter straight to headquarters."-

"How about checking for scouts who may be observing you from afar?"-

"During each of those operations, we had at least three hundred highly skilled men on guard around a two mile perimeter. There's no way that the enemy can determine what goes on from such a long distance away. To add, it's not easy for someone to just walk right into our camp and then walk right out without the scouts spotting or intercepting them."-

"Could it be possible that the Midnight Faction might be using ninjas as spies?" Sora asked.

"That could be a possibility." Athrun uttered.

"Miss Billiard," Riku said, "You were an officer of the Midnight Faction. Tell us, would ninjas be used to penetrate through the Defense Force's lines and gain information?"

"That may be possible, but not likely."-

"Why's that?" Donald asked.

"For one thing, the Midnight Faction would never fund for hiring or training ninjas." She explained. "Ninjas are too expensive. For one thing, it takes a great amount to training in order to grasp the skill to conceal oneself completely. As well, since ninjas are the ones to put themselves in a highly risky situation that may result in death, they have higher fees to pay. If even one ninja is killed in action, or maimed severely, all the money spent on training and payment fees would have been a waste. A single ninja's employment is equal to the payment of an entire regiment of soldiers. The Midnight Faction however cannot afford to have that kind of funding for a single man."

"Then could it be possible for the Supporters of Justice to use ninjas?"-

"The same concept applies to the Supporters of Justice." Athrun implied. "They barely had any funding before joining with the Midnight Faction. That is why they engaged in sneak attacks and sudden raids against both the defense forces and civilian towns and cities. Attempting to confront the defense force head on would have been futile and a waste of manpower."

"But they've recently become bolder since siding with the faction." Kira added.

"Then, there is just one explanation for this." Yzak implied. "There are spies amongst our ranks."

"Spies…?" Goofy asked.

"That's right. Someone is secretly trading information with our enemies."-

"But how could spies possibly be able to exploit your activities?' Ophelia asked. "You send only transmissions on a secure line and you have a tight security formation around your encampment to make sure that no scouts or spies can operate freely. Since there are no ninjas used in either scouting, or attack operations, how could they gain access to the whereabouts of your troops?"

"I can only come to one conclusion." Yzak uttered. "The spy is here amongst us, the officers who have participated in the last five attempted operations. One of us is the spy. Only an officer has the capability of relaying information to the enemy in order to engage in such a pin point counteroffensive against five times in a row."

"One of us…?" Dearka uttered. "You're saying that one of us is the spy?"

There was silence amongst the group and eyes began to stare and glare at one another, fearing that there was a possible spy. Yzak drew the shutters and closed the door.

"No one is leaving until I find out which of you has been leaking out the information to the Midnight Faction." Yzak remarked.

"I can't believe this, Yzak!" Athrun said. "You're accusing us of being spies."

"We may be close acquaintances Athrun Zala, but there may be a chance that you might just be the one we're trying to seek out. The guy with the cleanest slate is the one less suspected. Therefore, that person is the most likely to be the one."-

"This is uncalled for!" Mu said.

"Is that so, La Fllaga! How do I know that you're not the spy?"-

"What!" Mu grabbed Yzak by the front of his trench coat. "Listen you, I am not a spy!"

"Mu, calm down!" Kira said as he and Athrun tried to hold him back

"You're making some pretty big assumptions, Yzak." Athrun added. "Why conclude that one of us is the culprit?"

"My sources have indicated that the attacks on our last attempted strikes were too accurate, even for scouts. As I had just stated, the only way for counterstrikes to be so accurate is if the information was sent from headquarters itself. And since you gentlemen were responsible for deploying the attacks on our target, one of you has been secretly working for the faction."-

"You're so full of yourself!" Mu shouted angrily.

"Is that so? As the chief inspector of Orb's inner intelligence, it is my responsibility to sniff out spies."-

"I would have to agree with Yzak." Riku implied.

"Riku…!" Sora uttered.

"Are you crazy?" Donald said.

"No. One of us is the culprit alright." Riku remarked. "And they're somewhere in this room."

"I can't believe you're actually going along with this witch hunt."-

"If it's true, then our plans would be ruined. Only when we confirm if there is a spy amongst us do we commence with initiating our attack."-

"Riku's right." Cuchulain added. "It's best to search out those who may be against us."

"Alright," Athrun said, "If you know who it was, then tell us."

"We haven't pointed any fingers yet. But let's hear what Yzak has to say and we'll make our prosecution from there."-

"Very well…" Dearka uttered.

"I still hate this idea." Mu implied.

"Riku," Sora whispered to his best friend, "Why are you siding with Yzak? He's making some pretty large hypotheses. Do you really think that there's a spy here?"

"I'm positive, Sora. In fact, I have an idea of who it is."-

"Who?"-

"Just wait for Yzak to make his assumptions. If he is right and the cards are dealt out properly, we'll find our traitor."-


	18. Interrogation

Interrogation

Tensions within the tavern had arisen now and the allies, who started out in good friendship were now suspicious of each others intensions. Yzak sat down and glared at some of his allies, deciding which would be most likely to betray the Orb Defense Force and the Earth Nation.

"I have an idea of who might be responsible for relaying information to the Midnight Faction and the Supporters of justice and slowing the progress of the Defense Forces." He implied. From there he pointed out his possible suspects. "Now, since these events happened before the Universal Alliance and the KH team ever arrived, that counts them out as being suspects. As for Kira Yamato, knowing his position on things from the beginning, battling against ZAFT and managing to form strong relations to both sides, he's not applicable in this particular scenario. That just leaves you three." He pointed his fingers at Mu La Fllaga, Dearka Elsman, and Athrun Zala.

"Why me?" Mu asked. "Why would I want to support the Midnight Faction and the Supporters of Justice? The last time I remember, I was a Natural. So why would I favor a side that would wish for my inevitable destruction?"

"From what I understand, you have been meeting secretly with our old leader, Ra Le Creuset." Mu's eyes suddenly widened with fear. "Perhaps you were sharing some vital information with him."

"But why would I be meeting with him? He's my sworn enemy. You remember during the one year war. We were always in constant battle."-

"Perhaps, but maybe you have somehow come to terms with Ra Le Creuset. If you want my view, he must have been acting as a representative in favor of the Midnight Faction during those meetings. There have been eye witnesses that you met with him not too far from this town and received a pay off am I correct?"-

Mu, overcome with guilt sat down and placed his hand on his forehead.

"It's true…" he uttered. "I have been meeting with Ra Le Creuset and I have been secretly taking payments from him…"

"You what…!" Athrun uttered.

"Mu, how could you?" Kira said.

"I was falling into bad debt and there were a lot of bills I had to pay." Mu explained. "A soldier's pay was not enough to maintain a civilian's lifestyle. And being a military pilot, I had no other real skills, so finding jobs were tough. The more I was turned away from jobs, the deeper my debt became. And with it my state of depression, so I had to find some source of currency that might help get me out of debt. Le Creuset caught wind of my dire predicament and made me an offer I just couldn't refuse. So for the past six months, I've been secretly meeting with him. And he would always pay me a sufficient amount of money to help me out of debt. But he distributed the money to me in portions to which I would need his assistance again. To think that I've stooped down so low as to take payments from a guy I swore to kill."-

"So it is true then…" Kira said, his head hanging heavily. "Mu, how could you stoop so low as to do such a thing to your own comrades?"

"I am sorry, you guys…"

"So we have found our spy." Yzak concluded. "You decided to sell us out and trade information with the Midnight Faction."

"No." Mu pounded his hand on the table which he sat at. "I may have been low in receiving payments from the Midnight Faction, but I never gave information in return."-

"You didn't?" Sora asked, inquisitively.

"That's right. I was paid off for two reasons only. One, I was not to involve myself in missions concerning a major offensive against the main headquarters of the Midnight Faction. And two, I had to keep my mouth shut if I suspected anyone of being spies. But that's it I swear!"

"So why didn't you just not receive his payment and just defy his word?" Yzak implied.

"Because Le Creuset also had three other objectives of his own if I didn't do as he said. One, he would withdraw his payments from me and force me into debt again. Two, he would make doubly sure that my reputation was ruined completely, so that no one would every hire me for a job or position. And finally, he would order the instant and immediate death of those closest to me. If I were not to take his payoffs, then he would threaten me by killing my closest friends. You were one of them, Kira. I couldn't risk it, so I took his payments without question."-

"I get it now." Riku implied. "It was forced payment that Le Creuset was inflicting on you. You really had no other choice, but to accept his offerings so you wouldn't have to put your friends in danger."

"Then that settles it, Mu isn't guilty." Sora added. "He was just doing it to save his friends."

"And how do I know that your alibi isn't some sob story you just made up at the last moment?" Yzak interrupted.

"But what if he's telling the truth?"-

"There's no evidence other than his words saying that he didn't trade information with the Midnight Faction."-

"That may be true, but then again there isn't any physical evidence saying that he did."-

"We'll just have to keep him into account." Riku said."

risk it, so I took his payments without question.eaten me by killing my closest friends.ld every hire me for a job or position "Let's here the other arguments that Yzak has placed before us. Now that we have concluded Mu as being a possible suspect, tell us why Athrun and Dearka might be possible saboteurs as well."

"Yeah, wise guy!" Donald shouted. "Tell why you would want to accuse these poor unfortunates as being the bad guys!"

"Now, now Donald…" Goofy uttered. "No need to be angry."

"Well, since you're so eager to find out," Yzak said, "Let us begin with Dearka Elsman. Unlike the rest of us, Dearka was the only one who was present at all five attempted missions. Now isn't it funny that he happened to be there all five times and yet all five times the forces engaged were driven back by sudden ambush parties who seemed to have been lying and waiting all that time."

"Well, the only reason why I was there during all those five times was because I was the only pilot who was held in reserve to assist in engaging the enemy." Dearka said in his defense. "The attack parties were in desperate need of skilled mobile suit pilots and soldiers to assist them. And since I excelled in both ground battle and mobile suit battles, and since I volunteered to be held in reserve for any attack on the main headquarters, I was always summoned to participate in the operation."

"That's what you say, Dearka, but you forget that I know you. You dislike Naturals almost as much as I do. Perhaps even more, but instead of maintaining the peace that we have fought so hard to obtain, you decided to side with the Midnight Faction, hoping that you might actually bring in a new world, which the Coordinator would reign supreme. Not that I'm disagreeing with the thought of a world where Coordinators reign supreme, but to extinguish a peace that has managed to stabilize itself for the past six years is rather extreme."-

"I never said that I hated Naturals! I no longer have a right to hate them! For God's sakes, I have a wife and a daughter who are Naturals!"-

"That action was merely a masquerade to deceive those around you, so that you would be the last person to be suspected of betrayal. By integrating into a family of Naturals, you have managed to construct a shield in which your family will always be able to back you up, helping to claim your innocence. That's a strategy that most spies use. They obtain and strengthen the bond between their enemies and themselves to assure that suspicion would not fall upon them." Yzak confronted Dearka face to face. "You want to know how he did it, I'll tell you. Fearing that the Midnight Faction's main HQ would be overrun by the Defense Forces, Dearka, you eagerly volunteered in the strike against the faction. That way, when in camp, you somehow managed to plant a location transmitter within the perimeter. This allowed guerilla forces to locate the whereabouts of our ground troops. Thus, they were able to slip pass the defenses around the camp and initiate a surprise attack." -

"No, it's not true! I never did that! I never did such an action! I love my family! I love them with all my heart! They're my pride and joy! I would never do anything to hurt them! I would never favor a side that would want to see my family hurt, or killed simply because of who and what they are."-

"Dearka…" Kira uttered.

"You're telling the truth…right…?" Athrun said.

"Isn't it amazing that you begin to express your loyalty when it's being questioned?" Yzak implied.

"You have to believe me!" Dearka cried out. "I'm innocent. I swear I'm innocent!"

"Is that so?"-

"That's enough, Yzak!" Kira shouted.

"If I may be so bold as to state my opinion…" Ophelia interrupted.

"Of course, Miss Billiard..." Athrun remarked.

"Dearka, you said that you were present during each of the five failed missions am I correct?"-

"That's right." Dearka replied.

"Can you describe how the soldiers attacked you?"-

"The ambush parties would just appear in the camp and cause havoc."-

"When you and the survivors escaped, did the defense line rush to where the battle was at once when they heard the commotion?"-

"That's right."-

"Yet Kira stated that the front line was tough to penetrate am I correct, Kira?"-

"Yes, Miss Billiard." Kira responded.

"Now, during all the five missions, was this defense line always placed around the encampment's perimeter?"-

"It was a standard defense formation for encampments."-

"Now tell me Dearka." Ophelia continued. "Were the same troops used to guard the perimeter?"

"No." Dearka replied. "There would always be a change in guard. Three different companies would take watch over the area."

"What exactly are you trying to get at?" Yzak asked.

"Only this, if there were ambush parties about the place, wouldn't they have to get by the defense line first?" Ophelia continued. "And since Kira claimed that the defense line consisted of highly skilled soldiers, wouldn't they at least cause some commotion and warn the main camp in the process?"

"I see what you're getting at, Miss Billiard." Cuchulain concurred. "How could an ambush party, large enough to thwart an offensive force, be able to stealthily pass such a well skilled line of soldiers without anyone seeing them? Three hundred soldiers and yet not one saw anything suspicious going on?"

"There's only one explanation for this. The ambush party was already lying and waiting in the area before the task forces could even set up. If Dearka was responsible for sabotaging the operations and did use transmission devices to lure in the predators, then the ambush parties themselves would have to become practically invisible in order to carry out with the attack on the main body of troops without rising up the outer defense line. Thus, I have concluded that the faction and Supporters of Justice knew where the task units would settle ahead of time. And the only way for that to happen is for someone, who knew the very location and coordinates of where the task forces would assemble, to have relayed the information before the operations commenced."-

"So it was an officer who was responsible." Sora said.

"But which one of you was responsible?" Riku asked.

"There was only one man who knew the whereabouts of the assembled troops before their deployment." Yzak implied. Thus, he pointed his finger. "It's the last suspect in line. It was none other than the commanding leader of those operations, Colonel Athrun Zala!" The KH team and their allies looked at the young man who began to sweat.

"Me?" he uttered. "No, I never did anything like that. I would never try to eradicate the peace that we fought so hard for! I would never betray my friends and allies I swear."-

"Is that your final alibi, Athrun?"-

"But what makes you think that Athrun's the culprit?" Sora asked.

"It's quite simple." Yzak explained. "Athrun is trying to take revenge for the death of his father, the late Chairman Patrick Zala of ZAFT. Chairman Zala, who had been speaking out against uniting Coordinators and Naturals, attempted to assassinate Lacus Klein during a diplomatic assembly meeting. In the process, he gunned down ten other diplomats who were representing individual districts. Athrun was hoping to make aments with his father, after seeing him die before. But since his father was miraculously resurrected from the dead, during the Great Miracle, Athrun thought he could make it up to his father. But his father, after trying to kill Lacus Klein, was ruthlessly gunned down himself by Naturals who acted as guards during the meeting. Athrun for a while became disillusioned by the loss of his father and at times raved out in anger that the Naturals killed his father and he declared that he would have his revenge, isn't that right, Athrun?"

"Yes…" Athrun implied. "I always wanted to live up to my father's expectations, but he was killed long before I ever had a chance to do so. Now he's dead for good this time and I will never have a chance to make it up to him and make him proud. I did grow angry and I did ramp and rave about it. I wanted to blame someone, so I blamed the Naturals for killing him. I thought to myself that they were the ones who drew my father to his own destruction. But then again, wouldn't you say things you don't really mean when you're angry? If you lost someone you wanted to please so much, wouldn't you want to blame everyone too?"

"But that doesn't justify the action that you took as a result of that, Athrun Zala. Knowing that you still have a high rank within the Defense Forces, you used your influence and power to initiate this most elaborate of operations to prevent the Defense Forces from destroying the occupancy of the faction and the Supporters of Justice. Thus, you exchanged information with the faction in hopes of getting even with those who killed your father. Like Dearka and me, you were once a loyal soldier of ZAFT, who hated Naturals. Though that sentiment has mellowed down, we still consider Naturals to be the source of all evils and the causes to all problems. But you had to take it a step further by hoping to shatter the peace that has been established."-

"No, that's not true!" Athrun objected. "I would never put my own gains over the larger picture. I may have been angry over the death of my father, but I knew that taking the life of another, or blaming them out of blind rage wasn't the answer. To do something like that would not bring my father back from the dead."

"But who else could have been responsible?" Dearka asked.

"He's right." Mu implied. "You are the only high commanding officer involved in those five operations."

"No, I'm innocent!" Athrun cried. He looked to see each eye gazing at him. He then turned to Kira. "Kira, don't you believe me?"

"I believe you Athrun." Kira said. He placed his hand on Athrun's shoulder. Athrun lowered his head and turned away. Kira glared at Yzak.

"You've made some pretty big assumptions, Yzak." He said. "You've pointed the finger at them long enough."

"It is a necessary process though." Yzak implied. "The arguments I have presented before you are accurate enough to cause certain speculation."

"So you are certain that one of them is the spy?" Riku asked.

"I'm positive. However, I will need to gain further information regarding their involvement in secretly passing information to the Midnight Faction. Until then, I will keep these three under guard until I return." Yzak turned to exit out of the tavern, but Riku stepped forward.

"There will be no need for you to leave. I have a way to find out."-

"You do?" Kira asked.

"And how do you intend to carry something like that out?" Yzak said in a rather arrogant manner. "Do you have some sort of psychic power at your disposal?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." Riku said. "Miss Billiard step forth." Ophelia presented herself before the three. "See if you can seek out the culprit."

"I will." Ophelia replied. She first stepped up to Mu La Fllaga and placed her hand on his chest. Mu slightly blushed.

"What is she doing?" he asked.

"Miss Billiard will be the one to find out who the true spy is." Riku implied.

"She has the power to read the deepest secrets in one's heart and mind." Cuchulain added. "With this power, we will reveal who the true traitor is."

There was a sudden silence before Ophelia's hand began to glow. For a minute or two, she kept her hand on Mu's chest, feeling for his heart. And as soon as she had placed her hand on his chest, she withdrew it. She gazed up at him and then gazed at the group surrounding her.

"Well?" Kira asked. "Is Mu innocent or guilty?"

"He's clean." Ophelia implied. "He hides no secret, but the one he had confessed. He was tricked by Ra Le Creuset who forced him to take the payments. In exchange for his cooperation, Le Creuset would not hinder those closest to him. There were two people whom you dearly care about, Mu. One is of course young Kira Yamato standing here. The second is a young woman whom you deeply care for and love. Her name is Murrue Ramius." Immediately Mu's eyes grew large with a sense of surprise and fear.

"How…How did you know that?" he uttered.

"I can see even the deepest thoughts in your heart. You care for these two people because they have become a great part of your life. And you were not willing to risk endangering their safety."-

Mu backed away, still shocked from what Ophelia had revealed. Colonel Billiard then turned towards Dearka and placed her hand on his chest. Like Mu before, her hand began to glow against is bosom. Dearka was frightened by what he saw and nearly backed away. But the sensation he felt nearly paralyzed him and caused him to stand still. He felt as if she was draining him of all the worry in his heart. Finally, within a minute or so, Ophelia withdrew her hand and gazed into Dearka's eyes. Dearka had the same shocked look on his face.

"You are innocent as well." She uttered.

"I am?" Dearka said. He made a sigh of relief, but the experience still had him in a surprised state.

"You engaged in all five missions in a row, but you had no intention of giving away your position to the enemy. Certainly, you hated Naturals before, but since then, you have become more acquainted with those people and have learned to love them, even going so far as to start a family with a young Natural girl. She is one you love dearly, a young woman named Miriallia. She conceived a little girl, a daughter, which you have named Olivia."

"Olivia…My little girl…" Dearka's eyes became moist with tears. He then thought of Miriallia. "Miriallia…my sweet…"

"You would fight and die for them. Prevent anything bad from happening to them."-

"But how did you know their names? I never mentioned them to you before."-

"I know your feelings. Your intentions are pure."-

"So that means Dearka isn't our culprit either." Sora said.

"Then, with those two deemed innocent," Yzak remarked, "We can only come to one conclusion." The responsibility now came to Athrun whose eyes were filled with fear. He looked at Kira.

"I'm innocent." He uttered. "I'm innocent."

"Athrun…" Kira implied.

"Guards…!" Yzak cried. Four defense soldiers marched in. "Place Colonel Athrun Zala under arrest for turning against the Earth Nation and leaking information to the Midnight Faction."

"Kira…" Athrun cried. "You believe me don't you? You know I would never turn against the Earth Nation. I would never let my rage get the best of me." Two of the soldiers took Athrun by the arms and led him away. "Kira…!"-

"I want to believe you, Athrun, but…" Kira could only turn away.

"Kira...!"-

Guilty or not, Kira would not allow his best friend to be arrested and convicted like a common criminal.

"Soldiers, release him!" he ordered. "As your commanding officer, I order you to release him." The soldier did not heed his words.

"I am in charge of searching for spies. With those last two confirmed innocent, only one remains. Take him away."-

"Wait a minute!" Riku objected. "We haven't finished here."

"What are you talking about? You heard Miss Billiard's testimony. La Fllaga and Dearka have been found innocent. Therefore, the guilty one is Athrun."-

"Just wait and see if we can confirm if he's guilty or not!" Sora said. There was a slight silence in the tavern before Yzak hesitantly allowed Athrun to be screened.

"Very well." He replied. "Let him go." The soldiers released Athrun and the young mobile suit pilot presented himself before Ophelia Billiard. She placed her hand on Athrun's chest and immediately her hand began to glow. Within a minute of contact, she withdrew her hand. She then gazed into his emerald green eyes.

"Well?" Sora asked.

"What's the result?" Goofy added.

"Is he guilty or innocent?" Donald asked. Ophelia turned towards the KH team and looked into each of their eyes. She then turned to the mobile suit pilots within the room and gazed into their eyes as well.

"Athrun is…" she uttered. There was a tension within the group as they were so eager to hear the result. Finally, she declared the verdict. "Athrun is…innocent."

"Innocent?" Mu asked.

"Are you sure?" Dearka added.

"I am positive. Athrun has a strong sense of will power within him. Though he was filled with hatred and anger for the death of his father, the late Chairman Patrick Zala, he knew that taking his anger out on others, finding them as scapegoats, would never bring his father back from the dead. I could see what caused him to deter from the path of destruction."-

"What was it?" Cuchulain asked.

"I could see a distant battle from his past. I saw his two closest friends battling one another. One of the combatants was Kira. The other was a fifteen year old mobile suit pilot with light green hair. His name was Nicol Amalfi."-

"Nicol…?" Dearka uttered.

"He saw how much Nicol's death upset him. Thus, Athrun wanted revenge for his death by killing the one who slew him, his own best friend Kira. They dueled in an epic battle. But Athrun realized that killing Kira would never bring Nicol back. As a result, instead of losing one friend, he would lose both. Therefore, knowing the consequences of bitter hatred from that past event, Athrun turned away from the path of chaos in the knick of time. He knew that hating those responsible for his father's death would never bring his father back. Though Athrun was responsible for the five missions that were planned and failed, he did not raise a finger to halt the progress of the cause he so strongly believed in, the hope of a new world where both Naturals and Coordinators could coexist."-

"Athrun…" Kira uttered. Athrun suddenly collapsed to his knees. He fell to the ground and cried. Kira kneeled before his friend and placed his hand on his friends shoulder. "You're innocent, Athrun you're innocent." Athrun looked up at his best friend, tears in his eyes. He nuzzled up to Kira and cried. "It's alright, Athrun. It's alright."

"It can't be." Yzak uttered. "How in the world could my calculations be off so much? My assumptions were wrong then. There is no one to suspect here. Therefore, there is no longer a need for me to be here." Yzak turned towards the door, ready to exit.

"You might be willing to conclude this case." Riku implied. "However, there is still one last suspect that we haven't interrogated yet."

"But we've already counted out all three suspected." Sora said. "Why bother carrying on with the investigation?"

"Because, Sora, the turncoat is still here in this room..."-

"They are?" Goofy asked.

"Are you sure?" Cuchulain added.

"Yes." Riku continued. "In fact, I know who the real culprit is."

"You do?" Kira asked.

"Who is it?" Dearka said.

"Please, Riku, tell us." Athrun added.

"The real suspect here is none other than you!" Riku declared. His finger pointed straight at Yzak. "Yzak Joule, you are the one responsible for leaking out the information to the Midnight Faction."

"Yzak's the one?" Mu uttered.

"That can't be right." Athrun implied. "Yzak is the most reliable man we have in the organization."

"Athrun's right." Kira added. "Yzak is the one who maintains the order behind the scenes. He's the one that finds out spies."

"All the better to be suspected." Riku said. "As you had said earlier during this meeting, it's the guy less likely to be suspected to be the one who actually carried it out."

"But to suspect Yzak is too big an assumption." Athrun implied. "He's the most trustworthy guy in here."

"Or so he makes it seem."-

"And how did you come to suspect me?" Yzak asked.

"If you would like me to explain, I'll gladly do so." Riku sat himself down at one of the tables. "First of all, even though you are the chief inspector of the Defense Force's central intelligence, you too are also a Coordinator am I right? Therefore, you too must've had a possible motive. You stated earlier that you hated Naturals just as much as Dearka did, but unlike him, you only nodded and avoided eye contact when you entered the tavern. In the process, you only cracked a nervous smile as if you wanted to make a first impression on us. But if you hated Naturals, why bother smiling? This action pointed out that despite trying to seem calm and reserve you hated the sight of us, knowing that we were Naturals. But how could you have known that? We only just met tonight. It is within my opinion that someone informed you about us and who we were ahead of times." Riku turned to the other mobile suit pilots. "Tell me, does Yzak usually act nervous around Coordinators?"

"No." Dearka implied. "He would usually have a stern look on his face as if he was best of the group. However, when it comes to Naturals, he hates the sight of them and…" Dearka recalled Yzak's actions when he confronted the KH team and how Yzak didn't bother to make direct eye contact. "He would try to avoid direct contact with them."

"Now did anyone inform Yzak of who we were?"-

"I told him that the KH team and the Universal Alliance would come to assist." Athrun said.

"But did you tell him that we were Naturals?"-

"No. Yzak never found out that you were Naturals. In fact, we never knew ourselves that you were Naturals until you told us tonight."-

"Even six years ago, we never knew you were Naturals." Kira added

"Nobody was the wiser, but how did Yzak know?" Dearka asked. "He never acts so nervous like that unless he's around Naturals."

"The only others in this world who know about us are the forces of the Midnight Faction." Sora said.

"So my argument holds water after all." Riku implied.

"Just a mere reaction…" Yzak said in self defense.

"Still, you wouldn't react that way unless you knew we were Naturals ahead of time. To continue, you seemed rather nervous about something, as if some heavy burden was wearing on your mind. But the way you were acting now, you would think that you weren't the type to get nervous, yet when you first came in, you seemed hesitant and rather insecure. This indicates to me that you had something planned. In this case, it was trying to find a scapegoat that could be accused of being a spy so that your own loyalty would not have to be questioned. Thus, as I had noticed, when you began to interrogate Mu, Dearka, and Athrun, I noticed that your attitude became more confident as your investigation progressed. You figured that no one was onto your little game and would be able to make a successful accusation against one of the three without having anyone become the wiser. Yet when the three were declared innocent, you decided to leave as quickly as you could so as not to arise any suspicion of your own motives."-

"So that's why you wanted to call off the interrogation and leave as soon as your plans were foiled." Cuchulain said. "You were hoping to have someone arrested tonight so that they would be taken away. Meanwhile, you would remain here to listen to the strategy we conducted for our next plan of attack. Then, you would relay the information back to the Midnight Faction and then they would ruin another attempted attack on their HQ." The more the KH team explained his motives, the more nervous Yzak seemed to become. Eventually, all eyes were turned upon him and Yzak seemed enclosed in a shell. Riku continued his investigation.

"You also knew that you were summoned here to attend the meeting to hear the plans of our attack. So why would you just want to leave without hearing the plan? You made a fatal mistake by wanting to leave, hoping that suspicion wouldn't fall upon you. Had you remained calm and decided to stay, it would have been much harder to suspect you." Riku folded his arms in front of him. "The second thing I'd like the point out is your position as chief inspector. Quite a position for a Coordinator who still has a strong disliking for Naturals. A perfect motivation in order to seek out highly classified information. This way, acting as a chief inspector, you have access to top secret files and data that would otherwise only be entrusted to a select few." Riku turned to Athrun. "Tell me Athrun, did Yzak gain full knowledge and detail regarding the earlier attacks on the Midnight Faction's headquarters?"

"Well, yes," Athrun implied, "I have to file the report of Yzak. So if anything were to happen to me, he would pass the word along to another chain of command, so that my predecessor would carry out with the strategy."

"But that means Yzak had the opportunity to also relay that information to the Midnight Faction." Dearka revealed.

"That's not true!" Yzak protested.

"Is that so?" Riku uttered. "Being the chief inspector, you have the power to question anyone and everyone. Only who questions you and your loyalties?"

"I would never leak information to the faction, I swear!"-

"But you were the only other person whom I gave the full details of the attack to." Athrun said. "You had every chance of revealing our strategy to the Midnight Faction."

"And because you were Chief Inspector," Dearka added, "You always interrogated suspected individuals, but your own intentions were never put into account. How could we place the fate of the Earth Nation into the hands of a person who wants to see one half exterminated?"

"You still have a strong disliking for Naturals, Yzak." Mu said. "How do we know you haven't secretly made deals with the Midnight Faction and the Supporters of Justice behind our backs?"

"These accusations against me are all a tissue of lies!" Yzak shouted.

"Well, then I hope you don't mind if we initiate a screen test." Riku said. "Miss Billiard, if you please?"

"Yes…" Ophelia replied. She walked towards Yzak, her hand open, ready to place itself upon his chest. Yzak backed away, hesitant to have her touch him. "If you have nothing to hide, just stand still. It won't take long." Yzak's heart began to pound and the sweat began to form on the sides of his head. Just before Ophelia could lay her hand on his chest, Yzak smacked it away. Suddenly he turned and ran, heading for the front door.

"Guards," Kira shouted, "Stop him!"

The guards blocked Yzak's path of retreat.

"Get out of my way, you fools!" Yzak ordered.

"As I said before," Riku implied, "Yzak was the one to betray us."

"But how did you know?" Sora asked.

"That's simple, Sora. I recall a similar incident that occurred in this realm six years ago with another chief inspector of Orb, Takanishi Sibuna, aka Anubis, member of the infamous Cavendish Shinobis of the Dark Empire."-

"Oh my God, that's right." Kira uttered. He remembered that incident in the past when the KH team had been accused of being saboteurs when they first arrived in Orb territory, due the speculations of Takanishi Sibuna. "Now that you mention it, Anubis used the same method and performed the same accusations as Yzak is doing now."

"As the chief inspector, like Anubis before him, Yzak hoped to win the support of the high ranking officials within the Orb Defense Forces. And like Anubis, he did a great amount of research, exploiting the negative aspects of people's true intentions and had them mixed around so it seemed as if they were the true culprit. Thus, erasing any traces leading to his own treachery and betrayal. However, just like Anubis, he made a few mistakes here and there. And they were mistakes that would have been better off not made in the first place."-

"You bastard…" Yzak uttered. "You…you're ruined my plans. All of them!"

"You were the one all this time then!" Athrun uttered. "You betrayed us, Yzak. You betrayed our nation. Why?" Not being able to contain himself any longer, Yzak just blasted out in anger.

"I will never support a world where Naturals and Coordinators coincide with one another!" Yzak rushed for the window and crashed through. He made his way down the street.

"Stop him!" Dearka cried. The mobile suit pilots and the KH team ran out, following him. Yzak turned to face them.

"You were right, Riku!" Yzak shouted. "You were right all along! I was the one responsible for leaking information to the Midnight Faction! In exchange for the promise of a world where only Coordinators reside, I will give my full body and spirit to see that dream conceived! I will see the age of the Coordinator rise and become the dominating force of this realm."

"But what makes you think that Coordinators will be any different from Naturals?" Kira implied. "Certainly Coordinators are far more superior physically and mentally, but we still maintain the same level of virtues and betrayals as Naturals. The only thing that will change in the reign of the Coordinators are the battlefields."

"I would rather see Coordinator fight Coordinator than have them fighting endlessly with the pathetic Naturals."-

"You're saying that all Naturals are pathetic?" Mu said.

"That's right," Yzak shouted, "All Naturals are worthless living things not meant to live in the same world as us, the mighty Coordinators."

"You forget that I'm a Natural." Riku implied.

"Me too." Sora said.

"Me three." Goofy added.

"Yeah!" Donald remarked.

"Same here!" Mu shouted.

"That's right." Ophelia said.

"There are eleven of us here." Cuchulain implied. "And seven of us happen to be Naturals."

"And that means what to me!" Yzak mocked.

"You forget that it was us who managed to eliminate over two hundred Coordinators on the field." Riku implied. "Though you are a Coordinator, though your skills surpass ours, there's one thing that you have forgotten to add into the equation."

"And what might that be."-

"You lack in courage."-

"I'll show you then, Riku. I'll show you what true Coordinators can do!"-

"Then show me…"-

Yzak pulled out his pistol and aimed it at Riku. Using his well developed aiming skills, he fired at Riku. But the agile key bearer, sensing every moment when he pulled the trigger, dodged and evaded Yzak's line of fire. The other mobile suit pilots only watched in awe at this sudden spectacle.

"Riku can dodge bullets?" Dearka uttered.

"It's not that." Sora implied. "Riku knows when and where Yzak will pull the trigger."

"But how is he doing that?" Athrun asked.

"Riku is reading Yzak's emotions." Cuchulain explained. "Yzak right now is attacking out of a combination of pure rage and arrogance. Riku can sense this and can easily evade it."

"How are you doing this!" Yzak demanded to know.

"It just goes to show you…" Riku said in a clam voice. "You may be a Coordinator, but your skills are still undisciplined."

"Die you!" Yzak by this time was fed up with Riku's presence and by now began to fire at random. Riku forced Yzak to aim at him and away from the others, assuring that no one else would get hurt. But after unleashing a deadly shower of bullets, Yzak eventually ran out of ammunition. "It can't be."

"Now what do you intend to do now, Yzak?"-

Yzak's rage began accumulate. It was then that Riku sensed an inner darkness accumulating within the young man. It was a familiar darkness that he knew all too well. And it was not just Riku that sensed it. Sora and the other members of the KH team could feel the radical change in energy from positive to negative.

"Are you feeling that?" Donald uttered.

"It's spooky." Goofy added.

"It's the power of darkness." Cuchulain said.

"You think it was the Midnight Faction's doing?" Sora asked.

"Without a doubt…"-

"So," Riku uttered to himself, "Yzak has the power to summon forth soldiers of the darkness…the Heartless…"

"Come forth my allies and crush my enemies!" Yzak shouted. Immediately, the shadows of the night grew darker and more sinister, as if they were surrounding Yzak and Riku. Sure enough, within seconds, bright yellow eyes appeared from the ground and formed of shadows began to emerge. Some others only suddenly appeared from out of thin air. Within seconds, fifty Heartless stood in defense of their summoning master.

Though the KH team and the Universal Alliance were use to seeing the Heartless; Kira, Athrun, and the others were rather were frightened by the sight and looked on in horror at these walking shadows.

"What the hack are those things?" Dearka uttered.

"Did Yzak summon those things?" Athrun asked. "Are those the allies he was talking about?"

"Those are his allies alright." Sora implied. "Those are the Heartless."

"The Heartless?"-

"They are creatures of darkness who swallow the hearts of people."-

"Oh my God…" Mu said.

Riku, however, was not the least bit worried at the sight of the Heartless who stood between him and his target.

"Tell me Natural," Yzak chuckled, "Can you do something like this? Now that the faction has given me the power to summon forth the Heartless, I can unleash my own army to wreak havoc upon the enemies of the Supports of Justice. And through the power of the Heartless, the new dawn of the Coordinators will rise!"

"You are a fool, Yzak." Riku said. "It would have been better off if you hadn't summoned them in the first place. You're only begun to scratch the surface of the Darkness. If you delve too deep and rely only of the Heartless for power, your own heart will be placed in jeopardy."-

"And what would the likes of you know about the darkness?"-

"I have experienced the power of the darkness. You are not strong enough to wield its strength. Turn back now before it's too late."-

"I will not be threatened by a Natural! I am a Coordinator and as a Coordinator I will have greater power over the Heartless then you can ever hope to imagine!"-

"You fool."-

"Kill him, my minions!"-

The Heartless began to advance towards Riku.

"Should we help him?" Kira asked as he and the others watched on.

"There's no need to help him." Sora chuckled. "If I know Riku, taking out fifty Heartless isn't even a sweat breaker."

Riku unleashed the power of his keyblade, the Ginroio Noria, and prepared to unleash its wrath against the Heartless horde.

"Now, Yzak," he uttered, "You shall know the true meaning of justice."

The young key bearer lunged forth. There was a bright flash of light before he appeared right in front of Yzak within a second or two. Riku straightened himself up and lowered his keyblade. Immediately after standing fully erect to his feet, all fifty Heartless evaporated into the air, the essence of their dark beings diminished back into the night.

Again, Kira and the other mobile suit pilots, as well as a hundred soldiers present and eye witnesses to the action, stood with their jaws hanging down.

"I don't believe it!" Kira uttered.

"Well, I can't believe it!" Dearka added.

"Riku took out fifty of those things in the blink of an eye." Athrun said. The KH team on the other hand clapped their hands and cheered.

"Well done, Riku!" Cuchulain cheered on, clapping his hands.

"But as if that were anything new to us though." Sora added.

Riku glared at Yzak.

"Now what do you intend to do?" Riku asked.

"It's not over Natural!" Yzak shouted. He again summoned forth the Heartless. This time, they emerged five times the number as before.

"It can't be!" Dearka uttered. "There are even more of them!"

"Kill them!" Yzak ordered. "Kill them all! Riku and his friends die today!"

"The only thing you're coming closer to is your own doom." Riku said. "If only you truly knew the power of darkness. Then, perhaps you wouldn't take such radical actions."

The Heartless spread out, attacking everyone, soldiers, civilians, anyone they could find.

"They're attacking!" Dearka cried.

"What are we gonna do!" Kira said.

"Fight them!" Sora replied as he deployed his keyblade and struck one of the attacking Heartless.

"Fight them?" Mu asked. "With what?"

"You have pistols and melee knives right?"-

"Yeah…but…" Athrun said.

"Then those are good enough!"-

"Do what Sora says!" Ophelia shouted as she deployed her razor edged battle fans against the enemy, taking out a dozen Heartless in a single attack. "He knows of what he speaks."

"Well, what are we waiting for then!" Kira said. He took out his pistol and began to shoot, taking out several of the smaller Heartless. The battle raged in the streets and the Orb United Defense Forces clashed head to head with the Heartless. Many of the soldiers, not accustomed to fighting against such creatures, were easily consumed and their hearts swallowed. But after seeing such gruesome spectacles and fighting alongside the KH team, the mobile suit pilots were able to adapt and avoid a similar fate. Sora and the others fought off against bulk of Heartless, slashing their way through the ranks and eliminating a great deal of the shadow creatures.

Yzak watched as the Heartless, though superior in numbers were easily quelled before the might of the KH team and their allies. He especially kept his eye on Riku who never once was hindered by the Heartless.

"That damned Natural." He uttered in anger. He unbuttoned the front of his trench coat and pulled out a rapier. "I'll show him sword play."

Riku continued to battle against the advancing Heartless taking out ten or more at a time. It was only after defeating ten defender Heartless that he saw Yzak charge towards him with his rapier straight in front of him.

"So you decided to fight me face to face after all, eh Yzak?" Riku said.

"I'll kill you, Riku!" Yzak roared, slashing away with his Rapier. "I'll kill you!"

"And just how do you intend to do that? Do you have experience with a sword?"-

"If I can fence with the beam saber of a mobile suit, I can sure as hell fight with a rapier."-

"There's only on difference between sword play with a mobile suit and sword play against me."-

"And what's that?"-

"When I strike you, there will be no instant repairs to the damage."-

The battle raged on as the Heartless continued their assault. However, with the KH team and the mobile suit pilots fighting side by side, the Heartless began to dwindle in their numbers. Eventually, it was the Heartless that became outnumbers. The ones remaining were large Heartless like the defenders and large bodies, whose defensive abilities proved formidable, but not impregnable.

"Keep fighting!" Cuchulain shouted as he used the power of his spear, the Gae Bulga, to vanquish many of the Heartless. "We have them on the run!"

"Within a period of less than five minutes, the KH team and their allies had vanquished the entire force of Heartless. All two hundred and fifty or so Heartless were eliminated with unbelievable efficiency.

At the same time, the fight between Yzak and Riku began to shift again. Yzak, despite his skill, slowly allowed his emotions to get the best of him. Suddenly, as quickly as he had engaged Riku, Yzak fell to his opponent, being struck at the shoulder of his dominant arm. Yzak's arm went numb and fell useless at his side. He dropped his rapier to the ground.

The KH team and the mobile suit pilots surrounded him.

"It's over, Yzak." Athrun said. "Give it up."

"I would rather die!" Yzak uttered.

"There's nothing left for you." Kira implied.

"You've lost." Riku said. "Now, allow these men to arrest you."

"As long as I wield the power of the Heartless," Yzak uttered. Soon the young man's body began to grow dark with a shadowy essence. Riku sensed the dark energy accumulating rapidly within Yzak. "As long as this rage burns inside of me, I will never surrender!"

"Yzak, don't!"-

But it was too late, overcome by his grief, his sorrow, and his rage, Yzak's heart was overwhelmed by the darkness. Yzak suddenly screamed out in agonizing pain. The dark essence continued to grow around him, concealing his body in shadows.

"Yzak!" Athrun cried. "Yzak!"

"What's happening to me!" Yzak shouted in terrified shrieks.

"It's too late for him." Riku uttered. "His heart has been overwhelmed by the darkness. Now the Heartless consume his heart."

It was then, from Yzak's eclipsed being, a bright orb, shaped like a heart exited out of his body. And as soon as it had appeared, the orb vanished from sight. Following soon after, Yzak's body regressed and disappeared into the shadows.

"What…what happened?" Kira asked.

"Yzak is no more." Sora implied. "His heart was consumed by the darkness."

"You mean he's dead?" Dearka asked.

"To become a Heartless is a fate even worse than death." Riku explained. "Yzak was consumed by the darkness. His sorrow, his anger, his hatred, and all that negative energy accumulated strongly within him was what caused this outcome. His heart, being a thing as fragile as glass, was easily shattered and his being overtaken by the darkness."

"Yzak…" Athrun uttered in despair. Falling to his knees, he began to cry. "Not even he should have deserved such a fate. If I could have done something to…"

"There's nothing that you could have done, Athrun. Yzak was overcome by his own arrogance and hatred. It was up to him to relinquish the darkness. But he didn't, so as a result, he had to pay the price."-

A strange silence emerged and the group stood quiet, still overcoming the loss of Yzak. Yzak, despite being the traitor and the betrayer, was still a former comrade in arms to Athrun and Dearka. Thus, there was still a sense of mutual respect for him. Drying the tears from his eyes, Athrun stood up.

"Farewell Yzak…" he uttered. He and Dearka then stood at attention and gave a farewell salute to their comrade in the old ZAFT tradition. Though they no longer wore the uniforms of ZAFT, they held on to their pride as former ZAFT soldiers and gave the utmost respect to their fallen comrade. Like Riku and Sora, it was the ties of the past that bound them together forever as a band of brothers.

As the night passed little by little, the cloud of sorrow still hung over the mobile suit pilots, Dearka and Athrun, since the diminishing of their comrade, Yzak Joule. The thought of seeing their friend suffer in such a horrendous way, and to a fate that was unfathomable, lingered in the back of the minds of the two former ZAFT pilots like a shadow. For an hour or so, the KH team and their allies allowed the two remain in idle mourning. But as the hour passed and the clock reached 11:00 p.m. it was up to Cuchulain to step in. The group still lingered in the tavern, the two former ZAFT pilots sitting alone at a table. Cuchulain approached them solemnly.

"I'm sorry to interrupt." He uttered. "But we still have a strategy to configure."

There was still a silence lingering between the two. Athrun suddenly stood up. He wiped the moist from his teary eyes and then sneered into space. Dearka looked up and saw this sudden change in mood. Athrun had gone from begin sorrowful to being stern.

"What's on your mind, Athrun?" Dearka asked.

"Yzak is gone and there's nothing that we could do." Athrun implied. "His heart was consumed by his own hatred and loathing. That's how he was consumed by those Heartless beings."

"But even so, he was still one of our comrades, Athrun. We were once members of the Le Creuset team, so we held a common bond with one another."-

"I know, but he's gone now and no amount of sulking will bring him back."-

"Let me be perfectly frank though." Cuchulain implied. "Your comrade will not be the last victim to fall to the Heartless."

"What?" Athrun uttered.

"Riku and Sora were the ones who have confronted the true terror of the Heartless. That's why they have been dubbed at the key bearers."-

"Cuchulain is right." A voice implied. The three turned to see Riku and Sora standing behind them. Sora was the first one to speak. "The Heartless have only shown a portion what they intend to do. Yzak's demise was utterly tragic, but he was not the only one who lost his life as well as his existence to the Heartless. Many of your soldiers were eliminated as well, their hearts snatched from their bodies."

"Because they had much weaker hearts and larger fears of the Heartless," Riku added, "They fell as easy prey to the legions of shadows."

"And they won't be the last. If the Midnight Faction and the Supporters of Justice have their way, the same fate for many will occur. Innocent people will lose their hearts to the Heartless and those people, without their hearts will become Heartless themselves. They will be mere walking shadows with almost know knowledge of their own existence."

"And that is a fate, which no one should ever have to experience."-

"Yzak's own ambitions led to his fate." Athrun said. "But people who only want to live their lives in peace will encounter the same fate and they did not ask to be consumed by the darkness. That's why we must fight, for the preservation of our world."

"That's the spirit." Cuchulain said.

"I'm with you." Dearka added. "We may have lost our former comrade and our fellows in arms, but we will not allow anyone else to suffer the same way."

"Sora," Riku implied, "Alert the others and tell them to assemble here. We're ready to initiate our attack plan."

"Right…!" Sora replied. He ran to the others who were either waiting outside or in another part of the tavern. The allied forces assembled at the table.

"Alright," Goofy said, with a big grin on his face, "the gang's all here."

"So are we ready to initiate our plan of attack?" Donald asked.

"As ready as we'll ever be." Athrun said, strong and bold.

"I'm glad to see that you and Dearka are back in the game." Kira remarked, patting his best friend on the back.

"Same here, let's do this…"-

"Then this is how we will initiate our plan." Cuchulain began. "First of all, we…" The Hound of Ulster began to explain the plans well passed midnight. The next day they would be ready, ready to bring the downfall of the Midnight Faction in the 'Seed Realm.'


	19. Operation Overthrow: First Stage

Operation Overthrow

The night slowly passed and the sun eventually rose to illuminate the sky. It was at the headquarters of the Midnight Faction and the Supporters of Justice that security began to slowly decrease in its awareness. In the control room, both leaders of the esteemed organizations, Hydra Dunker and Romulus Von Console stood vigilant in the observation room watching all activity that was commencing.

"Commander Von Console," one of the Coordinator operatives implied from his station, "Our scouts report a large condensation of mobile suits forming up not twenty miles from our front line defenses."

"Send out one of our designated raiding parties to deal with them."-

"Begging your pardon, sir, but it'll take more than a single raiding party. This force looks more like they're ready for a massive assault."-

"Well, they can't do anything from that range. We can easily deploy our shields and fend them off. It's the whereabouts of the ground troops trying to penetrate our outer defenses that concern me the most. Not even our scouting parties can detect those. And even if they were to stumble upon one of those ground forces, that protective outer line of theirs would only complicate matters and allow that ground force to disperse for a temporary period of time before they engage us again."-

"We're doing our best to maintain a strong alert, sir."-

"Do what you can. We can't afford to have any Defense Force ground troops pass the security of our front line."-

"Yes sir."-

"Perhaps it would be best if I sent out a few more parties to search for possible enemy positions." Hydra Dunker implied

"I cannot afford to waste any manpower." Von Console remarked. "After that pummeled raid on that Natural town, we should be more cautious."

"It was only one disaster. Are you just going to let one disaster wear on your mind?"-

"It was the first time that either of our organizations lost so many men. All thanks to those key bearers you were talking about."-

"You do have a point, but still we could at least expend our numbers."-

"If you're willing to risk that kind of situation then so be it, but you use your faction soldiers. My Coordinators will remain here on guard."-

"Very well…" Dunker turned to the operatives at their stations. "Inform the 6th Dorian regimentals, tell them to split up into parties and patrol all roads around our first defense line. And place the first defense line on high alert."

"Yes sir." One of the operatives replied.

"If there is any attack on our front lines, inform us immediately."-

"Yes sir."-

"There is nothing to worry about." Dunker implied. "As long as our first line of defense holds, there is nothing that we have to concern ourselves with."

"But our first line of defense is just a hundred yards or so underneath our shield barrier. If any ground troops of the Orb Defense Forces get to the front defense line, they would have already gone beyond the protective barrier of the shield. So even if we did deploy the shields, the enemy would have already assembled underneath the protective barrier and may make an attempt to break through the front lines."

"Well, I suppose you're right. But still, even if they did pass through the shield, they would have to confront the bulk of the first defense line. If for some reason they manage to sneak passed the first line, they have at least a mile or so, having to go through hordes of Coordinator rebels and faction soldiers in order to reach the second line which is even more protected with long range artillery and a larger number of troops. But even if they somehow miraculously pass the second line, which I doubt, they would have to go through the same type of defenses for a mile or so, as they did from the first to the second defense lines, before reaching the third defense line which is even more protected. This time, they would have to contend with your mobile suit units. And if they manage to get passed the third line to here, they would have to contend with our three ace mobile suits, the Raider, the Calamity, and the Forbidden, which we managed to confiscate after killing their former pilots. Only when they reach our headquarters, will they be able to shut down the shield in its entirety."-

"Well, if you put it that way, our HQ does seem rather impregnable." Von Console rubbed his forehead. "Still, I would prefer to keep the enemy at bay. There would at least be some word from Yzak Joule. Yzak would never leave us blind."

"Not him again..." Dunker implied. "The faith you have in that young man is sickening."

"Well, he's the only one who knows the top secret plans to the Orb Defense Forces. Thus, he is of great value to our organization. It's because of the information he provided for us that we were able to exploit the whereabouts of the coalition forces who were attempting to attack the front defense line. Because he gave us the information ahead of times, we were able to set ambush parties in the area where the ground forces would assemble. Thus, we took them completely by surprise, inflicting massive casualties on their side with barely any casualties on our own. Imagine if we didn't have the information provided by Yzak and we had to storm against the coalition forces the old fashion way. Or perhaps endure a siege, or a surprise attack. We would have lost a great deal of resources and manpower trying to fend them off. But with the help of Orb's so called 'trusted chief inspector,' we were able to avoid losing perhaps fifty percent or more of our troops."-

"But there's one thing you have not added into your equation, Von Console. Yzak Joule may be the most valuable to us, but if he is ever found out, then there goes our strongest asset."-

"I think not. Yzak is well concealed as one of the highest ranking men in Orb's United Defense Force."-

"And that is precisely what bothers me."-

Meanwhile, near the front line, the troops were on high alert there. Reserves had been placed and artillery and machine gun pits were highly active, ready to fight anything that came their way. It was at that moment that a soldier, who guarded the main entrance of the first defense line, saw two individuals approach the front gates. It was Ophelia Billiard and Sora. Both now dressed in faction uniforms, Sora pretended to carry Ophelia by the arm as if she were wounded.

"Are you sure this'll work?" Sora asked.

"It should." Ophelia replied. "Once we're in, that's when we cause havoc. We have to make it to the interior of the compound."

"I still can't believe that you actually stabbed yourself again with your own dagger."-

"It's only a minor wound and I can always use the Senzu half to repair it."-

"But it still seems a little extreme to me. I wouldn't have enough courage to inflict pain on myself for the sake of fooling someone."-

"Well, when we get in there, just keep your mouth shut and let me do the talking. And above all, don't raise that tinted visor. You don't want anyone to recognize you."-

As they neared the gates, the soldier on guard blocked the way, aiming his weapon at the two KH members.

"Halt!" The soldier shouted. "Who goes there?"

"Please open the gates!" Ophelia shouted.

"Identify yourselves."-

"I am Colonel Ophelia Billiard! I have an urgent message for Lieutenant Colonel Hydra Dunker!"-

Several soldiers came in assistance to the two, bringing them in. But as they entered through the gates, a burst of gun fired came from the underbrush, and surrounding wooded edges.

"We're being attacked!" another soldier shouted. "Get those two into the compound, all units to level one battle stations. Return fire; I repeat return fire."

Immediately, the machine guns began to fire into the areas where the shots rang out. After a few minutes of engaging in fire, the attacks upon the first line ceased. The faction soldiers lay Colonel Billiard on a stretcher. In the meantime, one of the soldiers contacted the main HQ.

The soldier sent a transmitted message on the communication device. Instantly, the face of Lieutenant Colonel Hydra Dunker appeared.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Lieutenant Colonel Dunker, sir," the soldier replied, "We have two faction soldiers in our custody. They were being pursued by the Orb Defense Forces."

"What was that?" Von Console uttered, shocked, "You mean that the Defense Forces managed to reach the front defense line and exchange fire with you?"

"Yes sir, Mr. Von Console."-

"Have you retrieved their identification?" Dunker asked.

"One of them claims to be Colonel Ophelia Billiard." The soldier replied.

"Colonel Billiard? Not the infamous Tiger of Goth is it?"-

"Lieutenant Colonel Dunker!" Ophelia Billiard managed to stand up from the stretcher and pushed her way in front of the monitor, hanging injured on Sora's neck.

"Colonel Billiard!" Dunker arose in attention. "I'm glad to see you alive, madam. But I thought you were acting as a scout in the 'Wing Realm.'"

"I was until I heard that the key bearers had escaped and managed to make it to this realm."-

"What happened?"-

"Just after arriving, my escort was attacked. Six of my bodyguards were killed."-

"Why didn't you contact us before your arrival?"-

"Our communication had somehow been tampered with. Not only that, but when arriving, we were attacked by soldiers dressed in faction uniforms and rebel uniforms."-

"A spy unit possibly?" Dunker asked.

"That's precisely what I mean." Billiard implied. "There must be alliance agents portrayed as faction soldiers and are lingering within your ranks. They're known to be deceivers and may try to accuse me of being a turncoat. It's already happened once in the 'Wing Realm.' I fear that they may be the same ones who set me up back then."

"I understand. I'll keep my eyes open for any ruffian who dares to accuse you of being a traitor."-

"But all of that's not important right now. I have urgent news for you."

"What's that, madam?"-

"I wish to tell you that a large force of soldiers is heading towards you. I believe it's a mobile suit unit." Ophelia implied. "They're no more than twenty miles from here."

"That must be the force that we were informed of before." Von Console uttered.

"How large is the force, Madam?" Dunker asked.

"It's massive." Ophelia implied. "I'd have to say about ten divisions of ground troops and five mobile suit units." Ophelia grabbed her wound and cringed, nearly fainting.

"Colonel Billiard!"-

"It's a mere scratch nothing more."-

"Nevertheless, madam, you need rest." He turned to the soldier who he had communicated with earlier. "Soldier…!"

"Yes sir." The soldier replied.

"See that Colonel Billiard and her bodyguard are escorted here to the main HQ facility."-

"Sir…!"-

"I thank you for your kindness, Lieutenant Colonel Dunker." Ophelia implied.

"It's the least I could do for you, colonel."-

With that the transmission ended. The soldier turned to the other troopers.

"Prepare a jeep and escort Colonel Billiard to our central intelligence."-

"Sir…!" one of the other soldiers implied. They placed Ophelia on a stretcher and rested her in the back of the jeep. Sora sat in the passenger seat watching over her. Ophelia looked at him and smiled, giving him a thumb's up gesture.

"It won't be long now." Sora thought to himself. "If all goes well, we can easily bring an end to the faction's reign in this world."

At the same time, watching quietly from a thick clump of trees, two hundred yards or so from the faction compound, Riku and Cuchulain were observing the actions that were taking place.

"It looks like they've taken the bait." Riku implied, looking trough a pair of binoculars.

"Now we just have to wait for the designated time to arrive." Cuchulain implied. "We make our diversionary strike at 7:00 a.m. sharp."

"What time is it now?"-

Cuchulain lifted up his sleeve and looked at the watch strapped around his wrist.

"It's right now 6:45 a.m. Fifteen minutes before we go into action."-

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Hydra Dunker and Romulus Von Console now awaited the arrival of Colonel Billiard, who would arrive soon.

"So Colonel Billiard is well known throughout the Midnight Faction?" Von Console asked.

"That's correct." Dunker replied. "She's known for her ferocity and cunning in battle."

But as the two conversed, the lieutenant, who had survived the blundered raid on the Natural settlement, presented himself between the two commanders.

"Lieutenant Colonel Dunker, Mr. Von Console," he implied, "If I may be so bold."

"What is it Lieutenant?" Dunker asked.

"That woman whom you just finished conversing with…"-

"That was Colonel Billiard, one of the faction's trusted officers. What about her?"-

"I believe she might be a spy, sir." Von Console and Dunker reacted in slight shock.

"A spy you say?" Von Console uttered.

"Yes sir. She was fighting alongside the key bearers during that attempted raid on that Natural settlement."

"Are you sure about that?"-

"I would never forget a face."-

"I see." Dunker implied. "Then, I suggest stationing yourself at the gate of the third defense line to intercept her."

"And then what?"-

"Well, do what you think is best."-

"Yes sir." The Lieutenant saluted and marched out.

"Sergeant…" Dunker implied to a soldier standing at attention near the entry way. The sergeant presented himself before his commanding officer.

"Sir…?" the sergeant asked.

"Accompany the Lieutenant to the gate of the third defense line. If taken, let be, if slain, slay in return."-

"I understand sir." The sergeant saluted and withdrew from the room.

"Are you sure it was wise to let the Lieutenant go?" Von Console implied. "Colonel Billiard implied earlier that there may be some alliance agents within our ranks who may accuse her of being a spy. Don't you suspect the Lieutenant of being a possible spy?"

"Then again, however, one who was a spy wouldn't mention Billiard being a spy after hearing the statement she made. That's why I sent the Lieutenant and the sergeant to the third defense line. It is there that we will decipher whether we have a spy in our midst or not."-

"How's that?"-

"If you have recalled what I had stated to the sergeant earlier, 'if taken, let be, if slain, slay in return.' This means that if the lieutenant takes Colonel Billiard into custody, he is not a spy. However, if he attempts to kill Colonel Billiard, this would be more of an act to rid himself of the one witness of his true intentions. As a result, the Lieutenant will be marked as a spy and will be killed instantly by the sergeant."-

"I see."-

When they had reached the third line of defense, Sora and Ophelia believed that there plans would progress without any flaws. They had managed to slip by the first line of defense without any trouble and the second line of defense practically let them through immediately. Now that they approached the final line of defense, there was no need to maintain a strong guard. Still, despite easy access at the first two gates, Sora became worried at times when passing through the barracks and heavily fortified perimeters between each main line. But now that they reached the final line of defense, all his worries slipped away.

"We're almost there to the final defense line, Colonel." He implied.

"Very good…" Ophelia implied. She patted her pocket, confirming that the half of the Senzu bean she was given was still there. "It won't be long."

But just as they had arrived at the third gate, they were in for a shock. Unlike the first couple of lines that lacked in defense, the third defense line had soldiers surrounding the main entry way. The jeep stopped.

"Why have we stopped?" Ophelia asked. She stuck her head above the seat and saw several soldiers surrounding them, their weapons aimed at them. "What is the meaning of this?"

"So," a voice shouted from behind the soldiers, "Colonel Billiard was it?" Then, from behind the line of soldiers, the face of that same Coordinator lieutenant, who had led the blundered the attack on the Natural settlement, appeared before the two KH team members. "I see that you decided to sneak into our main HQ eh? Planning on doing a little sabotaging were you?"

"I…I don't know what you're talking about."-

"Is that so? Then how come I saw you fighting alongside the KH team and killing my men?" The lieutenant practically shouted out that statement so that all the soldiers around the jeep could hear him loud and clear. Immediately, there was murmuring coming from the soldiers as if they began to suspect the colonel.

"You dare to accuse me of fighting alongside the enemy?"-

"That's exactly what I'm saying."-

"Then you must be a spy of the Universal Alliance!"-

"What?" The Lieutenant was stunned at the statement. "You must be mad or something. I would never allow myself to be…"

"Is that so? Then how come I was attacked when reaching this realm, by soldiers dressed as faction troopers of the Phantom Forces and rebel soldiers of the Supporters of Justice?"-

"I don't know what you're talking about." Again there was murmuring from the soldiers. Now, they began to suspect the Lieutenant as well as the colonel.

"Just as I thought…" Ophelia implied, creating a convincing story for the other soldiers to hear. "You hoped to intercept me again, knowing that I managed to survive. Thus, when the opportunity made itself known, you would kill try to kill me and wipe out the only witness who knows your true intention."

Immediately the soldiers began to make their own accusations.

"She's lying!" the Lieutenant attempted to persuade. "You're lying! I serve only the might of the Supporters of Justice and the Midnight Faction! Don't believe this…this…Natural! Everyone knows that Naturals are nothing, but deceiving little fiends! She's only using her reputation and her rank to deny her guilt and point it towards me."

"Where is your evidence besides your own word?" Ophelia said. She now wore down on the lieutenant's mind deploying questions that would make it seem as if he were the real culprit.

"What about you?" the Lieutenant implied. "Where's your evidence?"

"I have one." She then pointed at Sora. Sora, seeing Ophelia select him out, began to pant behind the tinted visor of his helmet, "My only surviving personal bodyguard who managed to return to my side. He is strictly known as 3#."

"Doesn't he have a name?" the Sergeant asked.

"No, he was deprived of his real name years ago and has only been given the title as 3#. The faction doesn't really take personal bodyguards into account unless suggested by the officers themselves."-

"Then why doesn't your bodyguard, reveal himself to us." The Lieutenant remarked. "Take off your helmet soldier and look me in the eye. Tell me from your own mouth what happened."

"But I…" Sora uttered.

"He's been severely deformed from our recent battles." Ophelia objected. "It's best not to look at him."

"I'm sure that I can take the shock." The Lieutenant said. "Take off your helmet soldier. If you have nothing to hide, then you wouldn't mind if we reveal this young man's face, no matter how distorted it looks."

"Do as the Lieutenant says…" The Sergeant implied.

"I order you not to take that helmet off!" Ophelia shouted.

"Soldiers, restrain the colonel from any further outburst." The soldiers aimed their weapons at Ophelia, keeping her silent. "Now take off your helmet as instructed."

Sora was nervous now. If he revealed his true face, no doubt that the faction soldiers, perhaps even the lieutenant would recognize who he was. To add, if they realized that his face was not deformed, they would know that all this had been a lie and he and Ophelia would have to contend with the masses of troops surrounding them.

"Hurry up!" the Lieutenant shouted. Sora placed his hands on his helmet, but also made ready to deploy his keyblade if need be. He prepared to lift up.

At the same time, not too far from the first line of defense, one of the soldiers who acted as a lookout looked at his watch.

"7:00 a.m.…" he uttered to himself. He gazed out through his binoculars. "So far, there has been no sign of another attempted strike on our front lines. What a way to start the morning." But it was then that he saw a solitary individual approaching the main entry of the first defense line. It was Riku and he was beginning the first phase to execute the plan. The soldier dropped his binoculars and aimed his gun. "Halt, who goes there!"

"It is I, Noctin Tilandir!" Riku replied.

"Noctin Tilandir? Who's that?"-

"Noctin Tilandir!" one of the faction soldiers cried. "It's the Child of Darkness! The Child of Darkness is here!"

"The Child of Darkness…! The infamous key bearer, Riku!" another soldier shouted out. "Kill him! Kill him!"

The officer in charge of the operations of the front defense line gave the order.

"Target the key bearer and shoot him down!" he ordered.

"Yes sir!" The guns began to open fire on Riku.

Riku, however, only smiled and deployed an Aeroga shield. The wind shield prevented the bullets from striking and they were ricocheted off the shield.

"I hope you'll forgive me for doing this." Riku uttered. He formed the seven infamous fire balls for one of his most powerful long range attacks, the Cinder Canister. He unleashed the balls against the chain linked fence and the towers that overlooked the area. The impact of the intensely heated fire balls incinerated the outer defenses. Many other soldiers, fearing for their lives, ran before the balls could make impact. The explosion that bellowed was like nothing ever heard before. A great many of the defense structures of the front line were incinerated by the heat and many others caught aflame. When the dust settled and the flames extinguished themselves, a massive hole in the defenses had been formed. It was a hundred yards wide and an easy access point for the Orb Defense forces.

Immediately after the explosion, Cuchulain, Donald, and Goofy ran to Riku's side.

"Well done, Riku," Cuchulain chuckled, "There's no way they can possibly stop us now."

"It was a little much though, don't you think?" Donald asked.

"That was just a warm up for me." Riku said.

"Alright…!" Cuchulain took a flare gun in his hand and fired a sparkling flare into the air. Immediately after doing so, several teams of ground troops ran out from the under brush and entered through the large hole in the first defense line. Immediately, there was a great amount of shooting that was commencing.

"Try to avoid killing as best you can." Riku said.

"I don't think there's any getting around that." Cuchulain implied. He charged into the fray of soldiers, dodging the bullets and flying high into the sky. Using the power of his Gae Bulga, he thrust his spear deep into the ground. Immediately, three powerful shockwaves reverberated through the ground and tore through the ranks of the faction and the Supporters of Justice. Riku soon followed the hound and unleashed Hurricane Slash. Many of the soldiers were blown away by the intense wind of the attack. Others were killed instantly by the sharp air pressure that struck their bodies and severed vital arteries, or caused internal damage to their organs. No blood was spilled, only a painless death. Riku was at times sickened at the death he inflicted upon the soldiers, but he could not help killing at times. Either he killed, or he was killed himself. Donald and Goofy provided back up for Riku, at times engaging in hyper mode fusion with him, thus causing more damage amongst the enemy ranks.

Soon following the attack of the ground troops, a mile down the road, several Infantry trucks and armored tanks rumbled down the paved road leading to the first line of defense. The vehicles by this time had no resistance before them since the KH team and the ground troops broke up most of the defenses within that sector.

Instantly, hundreds of soldiers were rushed to engage the Orb Defense Forces at the break, but they were stricken with the grim reality of the situation as they saw the infamous Child of Darkness unleash attacks that would have otherwise been deemed impossible to carry out. The entire first line, despite their efforts and their stubbornness, easily began to break and flee before the oncoming troops. Many of the battle hardened Coordinator rebels, who once fought for ZAFT, and the faction's veteran troops, met their fates at the hands of the Hound of Ulster and the Child of Darkness.

It was Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster, that the troops feared most of all. The reason for this was because Cuchulain had delved into the rage and truly became a rage warrior. Despite the bullets and the shells trying to strike him, the Hound's speed was indescribable. It seemed as if he could dodged each bullet that dared to hit him and his agility and speed were at times so quick, it seemed as if he had disappeared and reappeared at times, like he was using some sort of magic to unleash such unnatural powers. Many experienced Coordinator soldiers were killed without even knowing that they had been slain.

Alongside the KH team, the Orb Defense Forces, stormed through the first line of defense with barely any trouble. They now made their way through that one mile stretch separating the first line with the second line. The result had been completely different for the rebels and the faction who did not think they could be so easily broken. Moral instantly dropped when the rush of the Orb coalition stormed in at an incredibly fast pace. Those in the front dropped their weapons and surrendered. Those in the rear turned and ran to the safety of the second line.

"It just goes to show you that their defense was not as strong as they thought it was." Cuchulain implied.

"Even after all the talk, they don't have enough nerve to stand and fight us." Riku added.

In only a matter of minutes, the coalition forces had managed to break through the first defense line with barely any resistance.

It wasn't long before a transmission of the break was relayed to the main HQ of the Midnight Faction.

"Sir!" one of the operatives implied. "We have an urgent distress call coming from the second line of defense."

"From the second line?" Von Console asked. "Don't you mean from the first line?"

"No sir. The second line…"-

"On screen…"-

The operative activated the transmission system and brought in the incoming message. One the screen the face of a captain of the Midnight Faction appeared.

"What news do you have for us?" Dunker asked.

"They've broken through?" the captain cried. "The Orb Forces have broken through the front line!"

"What!" Von Console uttered in shock.

"You say that they broke through the front defense line?" Dunker added.

"Yes sir. They've broken through the first defense line and are storming against the second line!" There were sudden explosion occurring behind the scenes. "They're knocking at our front door!"

"On screen for the first line!"-

"Sir!" one of the operatives replied. They activated the monitors for the first line of defense. Sure enough, the image they saw was a shocking one. Hundreds of Orb ground troops were making their way through the demolished front line. Trucks carrying infantry and heavy armored tanks rolled passed the demolished defenses.

"This can be!" Von Console uttered.

"These results can't be right!" Dunker uttered. "They can't be right!"

"How the hell did the coalition forces managed to break through our first line of defense so easily?"-

"We don't know sir." The captain explained. "The first line of defense was so easily broken. It broke within a matter of minutes. None of us had time to react. Now their tanks are pounding at our front line. They've already managed to eliminate several of our artillery batteries."

"Who was it that demolished the front line in the first place?"-

"Sir, we have a monitor recording of who struck the front line first." The operative implied.

"Show us." Dunker ordered. The operative activated the footage and there on the screen was Riku, performing the Cinder Canister. "It can't be…"

"Who is that young man?" Von Console uttered.

"That's one of the key bearers. Riku, the Child of Darkness."-

"What, he's one of the key bearers, the ones that you warned about?"-

"I had no idea that he was this powerful."-

Von Console could only watch as the process of destroying the first defense line came into focus.

"I never realized that our defenses were so fragile! Contact Ra Le Creuset! Tell him to get those mobile suits into action at once! And deploy the shields! The least we can do is prevent any further reinforcements of Orb from coming in! Then we can finish the forces within the shield off, including that key bearer!"-

"Yes sir." The operative implied. He made contact with Ra Le Creuset.

"This is Ra Le Creuset." He implied on the screen.

"Le Creuset," Von Console ordered, "Get your mobile suit units up and out! Eliminate the Orb defense forces within the shield's barrier."

"I understand." Le Creuset ended transmission.

The events that were taking place now had ended the interrogation of Ophelia and Sora.

"What is going on!" The Lieutenant uttered.

"It seems that the Orb defense forces have broken through our defenses." Ophelia implied.

"They've reached the second defense line!" one of the lookouts shouted.

"What's that?" the sergeant uttered. A sense of fear now reverberated through the ranks of the third defense line. "How could they have managed to reach the second defense line so quickly?" It was at that moment that they saw the light of the shield pass them, soon followed by the units of deployed mobile suits, led by none other than Ra Le Creuset.

"Well, all their efforts will be in vain." The Lieutenant implied. "Now with the shield up, the coalition forces can't receive anymore reinforcements and they can't retreat back to their lines. There operation ends here."

"Is that so?" Ophelia implied. She suddenly stood up, deployed her dagger and thrust it into the lieutenant's head. The soldiers were shocked at the sudden result. Ophelia had ingested the senzu bean while the soldiers watched on as the fighting at the second line commenced. They were only now realizing what had happened. While their attention began to concentrate on the colonel and her bodyguard, Ophelia then unleashed her fans and struck down twelve of the faction soldiers and Coordinator rebels. "The Lieutenant assumed correct. But it's a little two late for you men!"

"She's the spy!" the sergeant shouted. "Have her executed." The soldiers aimed their weapons. But as soon as they opened fired, an Aeroga shield was deployed to protect Ophelia. Sora then leaped out of the jeep and deployed Tundra Canister. Many of the soldiers were frozen instantly.

"It looks like we'll be doing things the hard way." Sora implied. He delved into the rage, with the power of Cuchulain's collar and also unleashed Saiyan Devotion given to him by Vegeta six years before. Sora, then unleashed a series of energy attacks, destroying all the defense units, the chain rail fences, the guard towers, machine gun pits, and artillery batteries along the defense line. The damage was next to catastrophic. The soldiers themselves were terrified at what they had seen. "Let's go and take down this shield."

"Right…!" Ophelia implied. They rushed towards the main compound with hundreds of enemies swarming around them. Using more mega-ether to replenish his magic power, Sora created strong Aeroga shields around himself and Ophelia to protect them from any kind of projectile. They easily made their way to the building of central intelligence. And without the aid of Le Creuset and his mobile suit units to support the third defense line, resistance was easily repelled.

This activity did not go unnoticed in the central intelligence building as they observed what was going on. Hydra Dunker and Romulus Von Console were shocked at the result. Dunker especially was shocked, if not heartbroken at the sight of Ophelia Billiard's betrayal to the faction. Her actions were all too clear now. She had truly turned against them.

"I just can't accept this…" he uttered to himself. "Colonel Billiard, one of the most influential individuals and courageous heroes of the faction has turned against us… This is an outrage."

"I can't believe that this base was so vulnerable." Von Console implied, his hands turning sweaty from his fear. "But then again, we've never encountered someone like that key bearer."

"I didn't even know that someone was capable of initiating attacks like that. That young man is no man, but a monster. He managed to inflict heavy damage on the third line of defense by himself. I didn't think that the key bearers had this much power. No wonder they were able to defeat even the mighty Cavendish Shinobis." Dunker's fist bounded onto the arm of his chair. "But what angers me the most is Colonel Billiard's betrayal to the faction! I can't believe that she's fighting alongside Sora and Riku! They must have somehow managed to manipulate her against us. Now, she fights against former comrades. That damned little…"

"I thought she was wounded though." Von Console said. "She was severely wounded and bleeding when we last saw her on the first defense line. How can she all of a sudden be battling against our troops so effectively? It's as if she weren't wounded to begin with."

"It was all just a ploy! A ploy to penetrate our defenses. I can't believe that I didn't see it coming from the start!" Overcome by anger, Dunker tightened his fist, so tight that he punctured his own palms with his fingernails, thus drawing blood. "She will pay! That traitor, she will pay dearly for this outrage! Only one fate awaits those who betray the faction. And that is death!"-

"Sir," one of the operatives implied, "They're tearing through out ranks and are working their way here!"

"Lieutenant Colonel Dunker," another shouted from his post, "The Second line is beginning to crumble, not even Le Creuset's mobile suit units are having very much effect. Many of the enemy units have those strange shields surrounding them and Le Creuset's team isn't able to inflict any damage on them."

"This cannot be!" Von Console uttered. "This all couldn't have happened as a result of those damned Naturals. Those damned Naturals!"

"Sir," another operative remarked, "The turncoat and the key bearer are still rushing this way. They're making their way to this facility."

"Damn it!" Dunker stood from his chair, the blood still dripping from his hand. "I know it's a little early, and I know that it's not capable of unleashing its full potential, but it'll at least stop those kids from advancing any further. Activate the Apocalypse XG-1!"

"What…!" Von Console uttered. "You want to operate the cannon! But it hasn't been fully developed to have maximum effect yet!"

"It can still fire right!"-

"Well…yes, but it won't have the devastating results as expected."-

"Well if it fires, then it's good enough! We have to stop those kids from getting into this central intelligence building! Otherwise, they'll wreak havoc upon us just like they did with the defense lines! Commence with activating the cannon! That is an order!"

"Yes sir." The operatives implied. "Preparing to activate the cannon!"

"Wait a minute!" Von Console objected. "The cannon may not fire more than 1 of its true devastation capacity, but that's still enough to be a danger not only to the enemy, but to us as well! If we fire the cannon at those kids, certainly it'll wipe them out, but the after effect will reach as far as the second line of defense, destroying more of our own protective equipment."

"But at least we'll be deprived of the key bearers. They are the ones we have to eliminate first. Once they're out of the picture, the rest will fall as easily as ever. The sacrifice will be worth it!"

"But still!"-

"Sir," the operative implied. "We have incoming mobile suit units approaching the perimeter of our first defense line."

"What was that!" The main screen was activated and on the monitor, the mobile suit units of the Orb defense forces were beginning to assemble just outside the perimeter of the shield. They were the mobile suits Freedom, Justice, Strike, Buster, and at least twenty of Orb's Astray models. The famous legged ship, the Archangel, was also present, hovering over the coalition forces like a huge leviathan. Plus, there was a heavy convoy of armored tanks and missile launcher trucks. "Blast, they're already on top of us! If they manage to take down the main generator for the shield, we won't stand a chance!" Dunker turned to the operatives. "Inform Le Creuset for him and ten mobile suits to withdraw in defense of the third line. Also, get the Forbidden, the Calamity, and the Raider ready in case the shield is to break. Keep them out of the pathway of the cannon though!"

"Understood…"-

"And get space fortress barge online! Tell them to dispatch the mobile doll units and attack the Orb main force outside the shield."-

"Yes sir…!"-

"Space fortress barge!" Von Console implied. "You never told me that you had such back up awaiting orders."

"I don't see any point to inform you of everything." Dunker implied. "Now, you maintain command here! I will go forth and commence with firing the cannon." Dunker ran out of the room. Von Console sneered, but maintained his stature. He turned to the operatives at their monitors. "I want all available reserves at level one battle stations. Prevent the key bearer and the turncoat colonel from entering this facility."

"Yes sir…!" they replied.

At the same time, Riku and Cuchulain and the other members of the KH team and their allies, who had taken cover from the attack by Le Creuset, watched as the eleven of the mobile suits withdrew to the rear.

"Something's up." Goofy said.

"You think?" Donald implied.

"Those mobile suits are more of a problem than we thought." Riku said.

"But why did they retreat?" Cuchulain pondered. "They had us pinned down."

Riku then looked to the rear and saw that the Orb main forces had arrived.

"I see," he said, "The coalition forces must've had them spooked. Tell the men to press forward!"

"Right…!"-

"Let's keep it up!"-

Donald unleashed more Aeroga to protect the KH team and the leading assault units.

"Advance and provide covering fire!" Cuchulain passed on to the other units. The assault teams received the order soon after and began to fire away at the defenses, providing back up for the KH team who lead the charge. Riku unleashed his newly learned attack, taken from General Knives, the X slash. The attack cut through the chain linked, barb wire fence, taking an artillery piece and a lookout town along with it.

"Talk about a powerful attack." Riku thought to himself. "I'm sure to these people; these abilities are equal to that of a god's."

Meanwhile, Kira and Athrun, as well as the other mobile suit pilots, who still waited with the main coalition body, observed the battle from the cockpits of their mobile suits. The fight was growing more intense with every passing minute. But despite that, the coalition forces within the shield would not last much longer now that they have met stiff resistance in the second line.

"Not bad for a few minutes of fighting." Athrun implied. "But still, they won't last long now that they've met stiff resistance from the second line."

"Yeah, but Riku and Sora are there." Kira said. "After seeing what they can do, I feel sorrier for the Midnight Faction."

"You won't think that if they lose, kid." Mu remarked from his cockpit. "Knowing those faction soldiers, they won't stop until they meet their own demise."

"Gentlemen." Murrue Ramius implied from the Archangel. "Remember that we are still at level two battle stations. If I know the Midnight Faction, they may be targeting us as well."

"Understood…" Kira said.

But just as they had finished with their conversation, the sensors in their cockpits began to pick something up.

"Heat sources detected." An operative implied from the Archangel.

"Where from?" Murrue asked.

"They're descending upon us. They're incoming mobile suits. Checking the model..." The operative gazed at the screen and suddenly began to cringe as he received the data. "Mobile suit class confirmed."

"What are they?"-

"They're mobile dolls, ma'am."-

"Mobile dolls!"-

"Confirmed, Taurus and Virgo class mobile dolls, at least five hundred of them."-

"Five hundred mobile dolls…?" Murrue alerted all mobile suits. "Attention, all mobile suit pilots, we have a large body of mobile suits coming this way."

"Confirmed..." Athrun implied. "Do you know what model?"

"Taurus and Virgo…"

"Taurus and Virgo…?" Kira uttered. "But those are…"

"They're mobile dolls…!" Dearka implied.

"All forces to level one battle stations." Murrue ordered. "I repeat all forces to level one battle stations, prepare to engage in mobile suit battle. Archangel, take off to initiate covering fire!"

"Engaging against the enemy…" Mu implied.

"This'll be a tough one." Dearka added.

"Maintain your formations." Kira said. "Don't let the dolls separate our forces."

"Roger that." Athrun replied.

At the same time, the Archangel made its descent to provide covering fire for the battling mobile suits.

"The Archangel will provide covering fire." Murrue Ramius ordered. "Aim Gottfrieds, Valiants fire!" The main cannons of the Archangel fired away, but the Tauruses were too swift and easily evaded the attack. At the same time, the Virgos fired their beam cannons and destroyed the left artillery pieces. Another struck the left Booster engine.

"Ma'am," one of the operatives implied, "Left Valiants have been destroyed and left rocket booster has suffered an immense amount of damage. We won't be able to ascend any higher than our present elevation."

"Damage to the ship is mounting over 25." Another operative implied.

"I don't understand." Murrue uttered. "We only just entered battle. How in the world could we be crippled so quickly and so easily?"

"Your orders ma'am?"-

"Maintain present altitude and use remaining Valiants and Gottfrieds to provide covering fire. Unleash anti-missiles for any further attacks."-

"Confirmed."-

The Orb forces intercepted the mobile dolls and a climactic battle between the United Defense Force and the artificial grit of the Taurus and Virgo mobile dolls ensued. Now, not only did a battle ensue from within the shield, but from outside of it as well.

However, it was during the battle with the mobile dolls that something was terribly wrong. Despite exploiting the weaknesses of the models and having a grasp on their tactics, this battle proved to be even more difficult than before. Though Kira and the others engaged in well executed counterattacks, they had little effect on the formations of the mobile dolls. The Archangel was the most obvious target that the dolls aimed for, inflicting highly accurate and highly devastating blows to the ships hull. Kira and Athrun did their best to support the Archangel, but attacks seemed to occur from another area that was the less defended. The mobile dolls made quick work of the elite legged ship. The Orb defense forces fought for five minutes against small squadrons of mobile dolls, inflicting little casualties on them, while suffering higher casualties of their own. The Astray mobile suits easily fell to the power of the mobile dolls. In those first five minutes of battle, already 50 of the Astray force was demolished. The four commanding mobile suits themselves had trouble as well.

"I don't get it." Dearka implied. "We have all the knowledge regarding the weaknesses of these things, but we can't seem to exploit them."

"They seem faster and somewhat more agile that they were six years ago." Athrun added. "But then again, it has been six years since we fought against these kinds of suits."

"Even so," Kira said, "They shouldn't have this kind of capability. Without a doubt, these things must've been upgraded to a new level. Their speed, agility, and strength are at least five times greater than when we fought them before. The Astray forces consist of many of the top aces in Orb. If they've already suffered 50 casualties in only five minutes of fighting, then it must be due to a sudden upgrade of the Taurses and Virgos. To add, they have us outnumbered at least thirty five to one and those odds keep growing. We have to somehow outsmart the system and eliminated them in clusters. But make sure to stay together. That's exactly what they want. They'll attempt to separate us and destroy us one at a time."

"But don't you find it rather interesting." Mu remarked. "The way that these mobile dolls fight, don't their tactics seem somewhat familiar?"

"What do you mean, Mu?"-

"Check out the way they move, their timing, their formations."-

"He's right." Dearka said. "The way these things move it seems so familiar, so familiar that it's scary." The pilots did battle with their opponents, not able to effectively diminish the forces as quickly as expected. Normally, Athrun and Kira alone would be more than a match for the mobile dolls had the mobile dolls not been upgraded and had they the inner knowledge to battle the machines. But this time, it seemed as if they had no effect on the doll ranks, even though they unleashed the Berserker rage from within. It wasn't until ten minutes had passed before Kira realized what Mu was talking about.

"I get it." Kira implied. "I get it. I get why we can't fighting them as easily as we thought."

"Why's that?" Athrun asked. "Why don't we seem to be getting any results?"

"Those mobile dolls have been implanted with our battle data."-

"What?"-

"Are you serious?" Dearka asked.

"Think about it." Kira explained. "The Tauruses go in for close range combat, using their agility and numbers to confuse those in the front line. While at the same time, the Virgos act as long range support, much like the tactic that we four use."

"So you're saying that those mobile dolls are implemented with our data?"-

"Our data, our combat strategies, those machines react and perform as well as we do."-

"So it's like we're fighting ourselves." Mu said. "In this case, it'll be really difficult."

"Well, we have to somehow figure a way to break the formations and tactics of the dolls." Athrun implied. "And the only way to do that is to exploit our own weaknesses."

"That's a lot easier said than done." Kira remarked.

"We don't have much of a choice, Kira. We either exploit our own weaknesses or we die on the field today. Archangel, what's your status?"

"We're taking on heavy damage." Murrue Ramius implied. "Those dolls have managed to intercept our attacks and prevented us from providing any effective covering fire. The Archangel has already suffered over 40 damage."

"Then send word to Orb. Tell them that we need immediate reinforcements."-

"Understood..." She turned to her crew. "Relay a message to Orb. Tell them that we need immediate reinforcements."-

"Yes ma'am…!" one of the operative implied.

"We won't be able to last without support."-

At the same time, Hydra Dunker had managed to reach the hanger where the Apocalypse XG-1 was located. The operatives were calculating the cannon's status, making it operative and activating it to fire at its present capacity.

"Is the cannon ready for firing yet?" Dunker implied.

"It's activated sir and is ready to fire, but we still need to lock onto the intended target." One of the operatives said.

"Then target Colonel Billiard and the key bearer. They're no more than six hundred yards from this base."-

"Hit only two people with the cannon?"-

"Just do it! Otherwise, there will be no stopping them."-

"Yes sir."-

"Soon you fools will realize the power of the Apocalypse XG-1." Dunker thought to himself. "Now witness the power of the ultimate artillery piece!"

Sora and Ophelia were battling against the continuous flow of ground troops, using every technique that they knew. Sora, by this time, was so drained of his MP, he could no longer sustain the level necessary to maintain the power of the rage, let alone Saiyan Devotion, but the impact that he had earlier on the third defense line was a lasting impression, creating a hole in the defenses three hundred yards long. He searched his pockets feeling for how many bottles of mega-ether and potion he had left.

"Blast, only two of mega-ether left." He said to himself. "And three bottles of potion left."

"Don't waste the remaining ether you have." Ophelia implied. "Use the keyblade to slowly regain your MP. Then use magic only when you feel you have a need for it."

"But if I cut back on the magic, storming this facility will become more difficult for us."-

"It's best to use a little at a time then use it all and have nothing left in the end."-

"I suppose you're right, Miss Billiard." But as they neared the facility, they soon realized that the attacks from the faction and Coordinator rebels became less frequent. Soon, they ceased altogether.

"Now that's strange." Ophelia implied. "Why did they stop attacking us?"

"Miss Billiard…" Sora uttered, his eyes were filled with fear. "Look…there…" Ophelia looked to see a most horrific shock. Before them, atop the facility from a hill just behind it, the shape of a large gun barrel appeared.

"It can't be…" Ophelia stood in fear at what she saw. "That's the Apocalypse Cannon model XG-1."

"Is it ready to fire? It can't be." But as they both saw the energy accumulate from the barrel, it was all too apparent that the cannon was fully operational.

"It's ready to fire alright."-

From the hanger of the cannon, Hydra Dunker gave the order to initiate a commencement of firing the cannon.

"Locked onto the targets." One of the operatives implied.

"Now show these fools the power of the cannon." Dunker gave the order. "Fire!"

Suddenly, a massive beam of energy bellowed out towards the key bearer and the colonel.

"Dodge!" Sora cried. He grabbed Ophelia around the waste and leaped high into the air. They could only watch as the massive energy beam went flying passed them.

Riku also sensed the energy coming. He gazed toward the area where the central intelligence building was located and spotted a large beam of energy coming straight at them.

"What is that light?" he thought to himself.

"They must've fired the cannon." Cuchulain shouted. "Evade! All units evade!"

"Oh dear…" Goofy uttered.

"Shut up and jump!" Donald shouted. The KH team jumped up as high as they could and watched as the beam prepared to make impact. The beam hit the ground near the remnants of the first line of defense. The explosion bellowed throughout the compound, incinerating some of the Orb armored vehicles and tanks that couldn't evade in time. The screams of men encountering swift death were heard amidst the explosion, then nothing.

The light accumulating from the attack was so powerful that even Kira and the others could see it from outside of the shield.

"That blast…" Kira uttered. "Where did it come from?"

"It must've come from the Apocalypse XG-1." Athrun uttered.

"Are you talking about that massive weapon that central intelligence said the faction was working on?" Dearka asked.

"That's exactly what I mean."-

"I can't believe it." Mu said. "That thing is already operational, and using it when the shield is still up? I hate to see what the aftershocks do inside the compound."

Mu was correct about the aftermath. The explosion's sound waves could only escape from the area concealed by the shield. Thus, high winds and rumbling of the ground caused the most damage. The KH team was blown from the sky by the shockwaves and was sent falling to the ground, but they managed to regain their stamina and land on their feet. They watched as chaos reverberated throughout the area.

"Blast." Riku uttered. "With the shield still up, the shockwaves have caused mass destruction to the area within."

"We have to make ready in case they decide to fire that thing again." Cuchulain said.

"It's up to Sora and Miss Billiard to take that thing down. Otherwise, I don't think that this region could withstand another attack like that."-

Meanwhile, Sora and Ophelia had touched upon the scorched ground when the beam had passed.

"We need to take that thing down!" Sora implied.

"But we have bigger problems on our hands." Ophelia uttered. They looked to see that the faction soldiers and Coordinator rebels were beginning to attack again.

"Let's hurry." They began to rush towards the facility and way from the pursuing soldiers.

At the same time, in the XG-1's hanger, Hydra Dunker planned another commencing fire.

"Get the cannon ready for a second strike!" he ordered.

"Sir." One of the operatives implied. "If we fire the cannon again with the shield still up, we'll only be letting the energy of the explosion's aftershock, tear apart our facilities again. Not even our own defenses can withstand another blast like that. If we fire the cannon again, we'll only be inflicting an equal amount of damage on our own forces as well as the enemy's."

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is killing the key bearers. We eliminate them, then there will be no further resistance against us and the coalition forces will withdraw."-

"But sir, take into account the lives of our men and the resources that will be lost. Please be reasonable."-

"I don't give reasons, I give orders. Now do as I say."-

"Sir," Another one of the operatives implied. "Sora and Colonel Billiard are within a hundred yards of the door and closing!"

"What's that?" Dunker's eyes grew wide with fear.

"If we fire the cannon at that range, we'll only eliminate ourselves in the process."-

"Damn that boy! Where are the reserves that are supposed to protect the entrance!"-

"Their accumulating at the front gate as we speak. There are also at least a thousand men in pursuit of them."-

"Surround and destroy them then! And put this facility under emergency lockdown! Seal all the doors! I don't want those two getting in! Without a doubt, they'll target the shield generator!"-

"Yes sir."-

"And get Romulus Von Console on line!"-

"Yes sir." The operatives linked the hanger in communication with the main control room of the central intelligence facility. "Lieutenant Colonel Dunker, I have Von Console on the line."

On the monitor in the hanger, the face of Von Console appeared.

"What is it, sir?" he asked.

"Von Console," Dunker replied. "Sora and Billiard are no more than one hundred yards away from this facility's main entrance! Therefore, I've placed the facility under emergency lock down. But I still fear that they may somehow be able to get into this building. So I'm leaving you in charge of protecting that generator!"

"I understand…"-

"Then get to it!"-

"Sir…" Von Console ended transmission. Dunker than pounded his hands upon the cushions of his commander's chair.

"This is not turning out to be what I had expected." Dunker uttered to himself. "Where are those damned Heartless when we need them the most?" He then gazed up and saw the operatives looking at him. "Well, don't just sit there, you idiots, prepare to fire the cannon!"

"But sir," one of the operatives said, "Sora is too close to the facility."

"Well, if we can't get rid of both of them at the moment, we can at least get rid of one of them! Target the second line of defense and aim for the Child of Darkness, Riku!"

"You're not serious on firing the cannon again are you, after what happened earlier?"-

"You will do as I say," Dunker then pulled out his pistol strapped to his side, "or I will assure your death instead of his!"-

"Y…yes sir…" The operatives made no further judgment and continued to prepare the cannon for a second shot.

"Without that red access card," Dunker though to himself, "we can't use the cannon to its full potential. To have it fire at a semiautomatic pace would be out of the question in this particular scenario. We can only use the cannon as a siege weapon, nothing more. But knowing the key bearers, at least one of them has to have the card that was confiscated from General Bayonet. In this case, it must be Sora that carries it. Otherwise, why would he be attempting to risk his life to storm the very heart of this facility? If I can somehow retrieve that card…"

While outside, the resistance to the entrance became more intense as faction soldiers and Coordinator rebels unleashed a hail of bullets against the KH team. But with the help of the Aeroga shields, the bullets only ricocheted off, bringing no harm to either Ophelia, or Sora.

"Man, if it wasn't for the Aeroga shield, we'd be peppered with holes by now." Sora implied.

"Sora," Ophelia cried. "Look at the door!" She pointed towards the entrance. Low and behold the reinforced doors began to close little by little. "They're hoping to keep us out!"

"Not if I can help it!" Sora leaped up and unleashed Tundra Canister. A large of ball of ice went flying towards the gate. The ball then shattered against the iron surface of the door, freezing it in place. The falling shards of ice also froze many of the faction soldiers and Coordinators in place, many of them locked in a terrified pose. "Don't worry! They'll thaw out in about an hour or so."

"That was a great move." Ophelia implied. "But now that the door's been stuck into place, what's to prevent our pursuers from following us in?" Sora then glanced behind to see that there were still a thousand ticked off Coordinators and faction soldiers charging them.

"Uh…well… actually I forgot all about them."-

"Oh brother…"-

"Well, I'm sure that we can make quick work of a thousand of them." Sora chuckled. They were no more than ten yards from the main entrance when Sora stopped. "Let's just fight them here."

"Uh…Sora…" Ophelia pointed out again to reveal a new enemy that made itself known of the field. From out of the blue of the morning sky, a thousand Heartless suddenly appeared.

"Heartless…! Oh great, what a time for those guys to show up!"-

"If we fight them here, we only waste more time. And in that time, the faction forces within this building would have come up with a strategy to trap us inside."-

"So what do we do?"-

"You go in there and destroy the generator and the cannon. I'll stay here and fend those guys off."-

"But I don't know my way around in there."-

"Neither do I, so we're both in the same boat."-

"But don't you…"-

"Do as I say! And no more arguing about it!" Sora didn't dare to defy her words. He could see the look in her eyes saying that she would stay there and fight. Sora could only sympathize."

"Are you sure that you'll be alright though?"-

"Fighting the Heartless, faction soldiers, and Coordinator ground troops is the easy part for the Tiger of Goth. It's fighting those mobile suits that would be the problem. Thank goodness they're still too occupied with trying to fend off those Orb missile barrages." Sora gazed up to see the mobile suits returning fire against the Orb forces at the second defense line. "Now go!"

"Then you take care of yourself, Miss Billiard. I wouldn't want to go back to Riku and tell him that you were dead."-

"What are you getting at?"-

"I know how you're been looking at him and then turn away, blushing, when he looks back. You like him don't you…" Sora grinned in a mischievous fashion.

"Well…I…I." Ophelia stomped her foot on the paved stairs. "I don't think this is the time to be having that conversation! Now will you just get in there and do your duty, you halfwit!"

"Alright, I'm going. Be careful."-

Sora rushed in the facility, leaving Miss Billiard to battle against the oncoming horde.

"Alright you faction pansies," Ophelia uttered, she unleashed her black battle fans and used them as shields, "If you boys want a piece of the Tiger of Goth then come and get it! But I can guarantee that this fight will be your last!"

Once again, the team split up. As Ophelia Billiard prepared to wreak havoc upon the two thousand pursuers, Sora entered the main HQ of the Midnight Faction alone. He gazed around wondering where to start first. Coming to a fork in the hall, he didn't know whether to turn left, or right.

"Without any knowledge of where to go, I'm stuck." He thought to himself. "Do I first go left, or right?" Sora made the decision and started to head down the path to the right. But as he walked, it suddenly dawned on him. "Wait a minute. Miss Billiard has the ability to read people hearts and minds. Maybe she can…" Sora, too filled with anxiety to speak, turned back towards the main entrance.

Suddenly there was a massive explosion from the front entry way. The explosion reverberated through the hall and the shockwaves and fire forced Sora to the ground. He slowly got up and rushed towards the main entrance. The explosion came from the main entry way, where Ophelia had decided to make her stand. Sora feared the worst for Colonel Billiard.

"Miss Billiard…no…" he uttered. He looked to see that the door had closed and smoke bellowed up in the hall. "I should have stayed out there with her."

But as he finished uttering those words, a blackened figure appeared from behind the clouds of dust and debris. Sora unleashed his keyblade, preparing to strie what he thought would be an enemy. Instead, to his surprise, it was Ophelia Billiard. Her face and uniform were blackened with dirt and soot and her hair was all frizzy as if she had been static shocked.

"Damn it that hurt!" she uttered, dusting herself off.

"Miss Billiard…you're alive." Sora said.

"Uh…no…I'm actually dead and I've come back to haunt you. Of course I'm alive!"-

"But I thought you said that you could fight two thousand Heartless, faction soldiers, and Coordinators all by yourself?"-

"Well that was what I was planning before one of those stupid mobile suits joined the fight! You think I'm crazy enough to face one of those?" She sighed. "Besides, being stressed out after all of that, I forgot that I had the unique ability to read people's hearts. We can just snatch a faction soldier and I can read in his heart and mind and know the whereabouts of where we should go. To add, as a second confession, I was hoping to act all heroic back there."

"So that's why you wanted me to go in alone, so you can prove your grit."-

"I know that it was a stupid move, but I have a reputation to uphold."-

"Well, if I had your stature, I've probably to the same thing." Sora retracted his key blade. "Now that we're both in here, let's see if we can find the generator and the cannon."

"Right…"-

The two began their trek down the right corridor when suddenly, they came across stiff resistance. From the other side of the hall, several faction troops appeared. Spotting the two intruders they began to fire their weaponry at Sora and Ophelia. The two ducked behind the corner.

"More resistance I see." Sora uttered.

"Yeah, but this time," Ophelia implied, "we have the advantage."


	20. Operation Overthrow: Second Stage

Operation Overthrow: Escalation

In the main control room, Romulus Von Console watched as the thin line of Orb coalition troops stubbornly made their way towards the second line. However, despite their courage, the band of fighters slowly began to dwindle, little by little, with every man killed or wounded. Their fighting spirits low and their ammunition nearly gone, they couldn't hope to last much longer. Not even Riku and Cuchulain alone, despite their incredible strength, would last long against heavy fire and attacks from mobile suits from above. Von Console chuckled.

"I guess the second line has managed to create a defense strong enough to hold back even that key bearer." He said to himself. "With the shield still up, their forces dwindling beneath it, and their reinforcements harassed, their operation has failed. I guess Dunker was right. Though we suffered over 50 casualties during all this, we have proven that this base is a strong establishment. Soon, the reign of the Coordinator will come."

Just then, when hopes were high and things seemed bright for the Midnight Faction and the Supporters of Justice, another transmission was sent.

"Sir," one of the operatives said, "I have Lieutenant Colonel Dunker on the line for you."

"Send it through." Von Console implied. The message was accepted and the face of Lieutenant Colonel Hydra Dunker appeared. "Well, it seems what you said was correct sir. Our forces are holding well and our shields have managed to severe the strength of the enemy. Victory is as good as ours."

"I'm glad that you find it amusing," Dunker replied, "but while you've been gallivanting mindlessly in that control room, Sora and Colonel Billiard have managed to cut off their pursuers."

"What do you mean?"-

"What do you think I mean! Those two have managed to make their way into this facility!"

"What's that?"-

"See for yourself."-

"Security monitors on!"-

"Security monitors activated." One of the operatives implied. The main monitor showed where the battle was taking place. Sure enough, at the entry way, Sora and Ophelia Billiard were busy fighting it out with the resistance. "Damn, how did they get passed the resistance?"

"They managed to deploy an elemental attack of ice and freeze the door in place, along with entombing the defenders in ice. To make matters worse, one of those damned mobile suits of yours reluctantly shot at the door, allowing both Colonel Billiard and Sora to be cut off from their pursuers. Now there's nothing in here that can stop them."-

"But you're wrong." Von Console chuckled. "There is one person who can stop him. And that would be me."

"Yes…" Dunker agreed. "You are a berserker coordinator and should be more than a match for the key bearer and the colonel. Then here's the plan, prevent Sora from reaching the main generator to our shields, understand?"

"I understand. I will do my best."-

"No, you will succeed or you will fail. There is no doing one's best. If you fail to protect the generator, Sora will destroy it and deactivate the one thing that stands between us and total annihilation."-

"He will go no further than the information chamber. It is there that I will prove that so called Natural that Coordinators are the better species."-

"Then go…"-

"Bring me my sword." Von Console ordered. He stood up from the command chair and made his way to the door. "Today's the day that the key bearer meets his fate. Until I return I want each and every one of you to maintain a visual on all the battles that are taking place."

"Sir." The operatives responded.

"By the way," Dunker implied, "I have another request of you."

"Sir…?" Von Console asked.

"We cannot use the full potential of the Apocalypse XG-1 without the special red access card that can activate the secure data from within. Sora managed to confiscate that red access from General Bayonet in the 'Wing Realm.' Thus, once you are finished with that boy, search him, take the card and come to the XG-1's hanger."-

"I understand. And once the cannon has been activated, the faction would have achieved its goals, and the Supporters of Justice would make this world secure and safe only for the Coordinator."-

"Yes, of course. Just retrieve that card." The transmission ended and Von Console was left to fulfill his duty.

"Soon, this world will fall into the hands of the Coordinators." He thought to himself. "The reign of my kind shall rule forever and ever." Taking his sheathed sword, he walked out of the room without a second glance.

In the meantime, Sora and Ophelia were being pinned down by heavy fire.

"I'm running low on magic power and we only have two bottles of mega-ether left." Sora thought to himself. And who knows how long it'll be before we reach the entry."

"You can regain your MP by defeating your opponents, right?" Ophelia asked.

"Yeah…"-

"Then all you have to do is cast Aeroga shield, charge down that hall and take out as many as you can before the effects of the spell run out."-

"You do have a point."-

"And don't you have summon spell that is able to revive your full MP?"-

"Hey, you're right. I forgot all about the summon spells. I guess I never really needed them until now."-

"Well, that's what they're there for."-

"I'll use your strategy first though and see how that works out." Sora unleashed his Aeroga spell and cast another shield upon him. He then charged into fray of the bullets. Once again, the guns of the enemy proved useless against the strong wind currents of the shield. Sora unleashed his keyblade and struck at all those he came across. Many of the soldiers unfortunately were killed by the impact. However, many were wounded to the point where they were no longer able to put up much resistance. Sora quickly regained his MP and could feel his strength to initiate spells return full swing.

"You were right, Miss Billiard," He chuckled, "That did work."

Suddenly, he saw one of her fans hit the corner of the ceiling above him and saw sparks fly down.

"What was that?" he asked. "What did you do?"

"I'm destroying the security monitors." Ophelia implied as her fan boomeranged back to her. "The best way to conceal any movement, or plan is to destroy those monitors, so they can't observe us."

"Good thinking."-

"Well, I like to use both sides of my brain at times."-

It was then that they stumbled upon a young faction soldier, who had received a wound at his leg and right arm. Unable to pick up his weapon, he was virtually helpless against the colonel and Sora.

"This one's still alive, Miss Billiard." Sora said. "You think you can do it?"

"I can." Ophelia placed her hand on his chest and read his mind and heart. Within seconds she gained all the information that she needed. "I got it."

"Well?"-

"The way we're headed leads directly to the shield generator."-

"Great, then we're on the right trek."-

"However, the left pathway that at the entrance leads to the main control room and the hanger where the Apocalypse XG-1 resides."-

"So we take out the shield generator first, then we move to the XG-1"s designated hanger."-

"No, you will take on the task of destroying the generator."-

"What…! What about you?" Sora asked.

"I shall go down the opposite pathway and take over the hanger where the XG-1 resides. This way, we can hit two birds with one stone."-

"I understand."-

"Then get going."-

Sora nodded and continued down the hall, leading the way to the shield generator. Meanwhile, Ophelia stayed behind. She was about to stand when the wounded soldier grabbed her hand. Ophelia looked down at the young man.

"Miss Billiard." The young soldier uttered, "Why? Why have you betrayed us…?" Ophelia could only look into the eyes of this wounded young man.

"I needed to find the truth for myself…" she implied.

"But you were so loyal…to the faction…Why now…when we need you the most, do you turn against us?"-

"Do you wish to end the suffering? Do you wish to end the chaos?" The soldier only nodded, not uttering a word. Ophelia smiled. "Then you must know the way of tolerance."

"What do you mean…?"

"You must find that out for yourself, young man. I cannot give you the answer. But I can guarantee you this," She began tearing the material from her pant leg and bandaged up the young man, making tourniquets to stop the bleeding of his wounds, "you'll never find your own truth if you die here."

"Are you being deceived?" he asked.

"I can read people hearts, young man. I can't be deceived. The question you must ask yourself is if you're the one who is truly being deceived." The young man gazed at her and then closed his eyes.

"Am I?" he uttered to himself.

"Be true to your feelings." Ophelia uttered. She sat there by his side for a good while all the time hearing the battle that was commencing from both outward and within.

The battle intensified as the attacking coalition of Orb slowly began to diminish. The soldiers had to regress to using the ammunition from their wounded and dead comrades and enemies. Explosions erupted as both faction cannon and Coordinator controlled mobile suit showered the soldiers with an endless barrage. By now only a few armored tanks and vehicles remained and at least two thousand coalition troops remained, fit to fight. Riku, by this time, was growing weary and agitated by the resistance of the second line.

"What the heck is taking them so lone to bring down the shield?" he said.

"Maybe they ran into trouble." Goofy said.

"Miss Billiard and Sora are attacking the main facility of the Midnight Faction after all." Donald added.

"Just give them a few more minutes, Riku." Cuchulain advised. "Five minutes at the least."

"In five minutes, we could all be dead." Riku said. "I only fear the worse that Sora and Miss Billiard have been either capture or killed." Riku rested his head against rock, leaning his back upon its surface. "I give them five minutes. But if the shield isn't down, by then, I rush in."

"Riku," Donald cried, "Look to our left flank."

Riku turned to his left and there, from the side of the coalition forces, a large horde of Heartless descended upon them.

"The Heartless…!" Goofy cried in a panic.

"Great," Riku uttered, "What a time for those guys to show up."

"What're we gonna do?" Donald asked.

"The only thing we can do! Fight them!"-

"Riku," Cuchulain implied, "You go ahead and battle them. I'll stay here and continue to lead the troops."

"But we need you, Cuchulain."-

"These troops need me even more. They wouldn't stand a chance against the Heartless, Coordinator rebels, and faction soldiers, as they are now with their ammunition dwindling as fast as their spirits. I have to make an example of myself and lead them on."

"I see what you mean. Then good luck and hold down the fort for us!"-

"Same to you."-

"Donald, Goofy, let's go!"-

"Right…!" the two shouted in unison. As they went off to battle against the Heartless, Cuchulain kept the spirits of the coalition forces high. Delving into the rage, he attacked some vital areas of the second line, destroying some of the guard towers and batteries while evading deadly fire from faction soldiers and rebels."

Meanwhile, Kira and the other mobile suit pilots had their hands full fighting against the newly upgraded mobile dolls. After calculating in the movements and timing of the mobile dolls, they were able to counter rather quickly. The Freedom, Justice, Strike, and Buster, managed to hold their own, while at the same time, managing to eliminate a hundred and fifty Taurus and Virgo mobile dolls. But despite this, there were still an estimated three hundred and fifty mobile dolls still active and just as tough. To add, many of the ground troops units had been dispersed and out of the twenty Astray mobile suits that accompanied in the main coalition, only five remained and they two are on their last legs. The Archangel too had been grounded to scrap. The mobile dolls had surrounded it and eliminated the major weapons on board like the Valiant and Gottfried cannons. The anti-missiles of the Archangel had been spent as they were easily shot down by the accurate aim of the Taurus mobile dolls. The rocket boosters had been targeted and destroyed. Thus, the great legged ship fell to the ground, causing great devastation to the surrounding area that lay in the path of its descent. Even with Athrun and Kira transformed into Berserkers, their own ammunition and armaments began to dwindle and soon found themselves overwhelmed by the hordes of mobile dolls.

"These damned mobile dolls!" Dearka shouted. "They just keep coming!"

"Keep on fighting, kid!" Mu implied. "If we don't, we die! At least this way, we'll bring along many of them to hell with us!"

"These mobile dolls are tough," Athrun said, "Very tough. They seem to predict every move we make. Normally, we would have finished all of them off by now. But because they were encrypted with our data input and their own abilities upgraded, they prove to be a tough opponent, formidable to be precise."

"I'm surprised that we didn't see these things from the start." Kira remarked. "Damn the Midnight Faction for causing this misery on us."

"Our forces are dwindling." Mu said. Just then, his energy meter began to flash. Mu looked down and saw that he was nearly out of power. "Damn it. The Strike's phase shift is starting to dwindle. I'm out of power."

"Same here…" Dearka added. His energy level monitor began to flash as well, indicating that the Buster had gone beyond its limits.

"It's up to you two to finish the fight, Kira."-

"But we can't take on the rest by ourselves." Kira objected, "Not as we are now!"

"We don't have a choice, Kira!" Athrun said. "We have to continue fighting, to the death if necessary." Athrun contacted the Archangel. "Archangel, can you give us covering fire?"

"That's negative, Athrun Zala." Murrue Ramius implied. "All of our major offensive weapons have been rendered useless and the Archangel itself has suffered over 75 damage. Attempting to take off would be out of the question, let alone providing support fire."

"What about a call to Orb, telling them of our predicament here?"-

"We sent a transmitted message fifteen minutes ago saying that we needed assistance, but they won't be here for another hour. They're sending fighters and ten Astray units to back us up until the main force is assembled, but I fear that they might have been intercepted by the mobile dolls. That means that we've on our own for a little while longer."

"Damn it."-

Suddenly, a blast from one of the Virgos struck Athrun's mobile suit in the chest, just above the cockpit. The mobile suit went crashing down to the ground amidst a grove of trees.

"Blast it!" Athrun shouted. He tried to stand the mobile suit up. "Come on, move!" But as he tried to stand the mobile suit up. One of the Virgos came in front of him and aimed its cannon at point blank range, targeting the cockpit. Athrun's mind filled with a great fear. Had he finally reached the point where he would die? "It can't be. Why must I die like this when everyone needs me the most?"

From the hanger of the XG-1, Lieutenant Colonel Hydra Dunker watched as the end came for the coalition forces just outside of the shield. Rather happy with the results, he watched on as the inevitable end came for Kira and Athrun.

"It looks like the end for the main body of the Orb coalition." He thought to himself. "The data of Kira Yamato, Athrun Zala, Dearka Elsman, and Mu La Fllaga we implemented into the systems of the Tauruses and Virgos was an excellent strategy. With that data, those four engaged in a battle against an opponent that thought and acted the way they did. And since three out of the four are Coordinators, there was no real weakness to exploit. And by the time they figured out a way to break the defenses, they had already lost a great deal of their own strength and resources. Such a pity though that those four legends have to meet their fate at the hands of the mobile dolls."

"Athrun…!" Kira cried as he saw the imminent death of his best friend. He tried to rush to Athrun's aid, but Athrun was too far to reach. "I'm not gonna make it."

The Freedom rushed as fast as it could, but it seemed to Kira as if time slowed down, preventing him from reaching Athrun in time. Kira could only await the sudden death of his closest friend.

Suddenly, from out of the blue, an energy beam came flying through the air and struck the back of the Virgo. The Virgo's main system erupted and the mobile suit seemed to explode entirely. Athrun, blinded by the explosion, covered his eyes.

"That blast," Kira uttered to himself, "Where did it come from?"

It was at that moment that Athrun picked up a large heat source approaching from the rear.

"We have incoming mobile suits coming this way." Athrun said. "Confirmed, there are at least six mobile suits on their way."

"Only six?" Kira asked.

"Orb's reinforcements have arrived." Mu shouted from his cockpit. "It must be the frontline soldiers."

"And it's about time." Dearka added.

"Checking the mobile suit models." Kira implied. But as he checked the identity of the approaching models, they were completely unknown. No data was filed on the incoming mobile suits.

"Well…" Athrun asked. "What type of model mobile suit are they?"

"The…the record doesn't show…"-

"What…!"-

"There's no data on the incoming mobile suits."-

"Are you sure?"-

"I'm positive. There is no data on these models."-

"Then, are they on our side or are they enemies?"-

The arrival of the six unknown mobile suits did not go unnoticed from the main HQ of the Midnight Faction. From the XG-1 hanger, the operatives picked up their advance.

"Lieutenant Colonel Dunker," a Coordinator operative implied, "We have six incoming mobile suits coming this way."

"What was that?" Dunker implied.

"Checking the data bases for possible models…" Another operative implied. He checked the data base to identify the mobile suits. "There is no record of these mobile suits in our data base, sir."

"No data? Are they Orb's newest models, ones that we haven't gained any knowledge of?"-

"It could be sir."-

"Get a close up and see if you can identify those suits."-

"Yes sir." The operative locked onto the leading suit. The minute that the suit came into clear view, Dunker could only look on in horror.

"It can't be…" he uttered, sweat of worry dripping down his face. "It's the Tallgeese!"

"The Tallgeese sir…?"-

"It can't be! The Tallgeese can't be here! Check the status of the other remaining five."-

"Yes sir." The operative set the coordinates. Again, when the remaining five were identified, Dunker again reacted in shock. "The Wing Zero, the Deathscythe, the Heavyarms, the Sandrock, and the Altron, those are all mobile suits from the 'Wing Realm.' But what are they doing here of all places!"

Suddenly, appearing on the monitor, the pilot of the Tallgeese III made his presence known.

"This is Preventer Wind calling." He said.

"Zechs Marquise!" Dunker uttered. "But how, how are you and the other gundam pilots here?"

"We've come to assist the 'Seed Realm' in this battle."-

The mobile suit pilots of Orb could only watch as these six mobile suits quickly approached.

"Who are those guys?' Kira asked.

"I don't know…" Athrun replied. He made contact with the incoming mobile suits. "This is Colonel Athrun Zala of the Orb United Defense Forces. Unidentified mobile suits please identify yourselves."

Sure enough, the face of Zechs Marquise was the first to appear on the screen.

"I am the pilot of the Tallgeese III and my name is Zechs Marquise." He implied. Sure enough, the others made themselves known as well.

"I'm Heero Yuy, pilot of the Wing Zero." The second implied.

"I'm Duo Maxwell, pilot of the Gundam Deathscythe." The third said.

"I'm Quatre Reberba Winner, pilot of the Gundam Sandrock." The fourth said.

"I'm Trowa Barton, pilot of the Gundam Heavyarms." the fifth said.

"I'm Wu Fei Chang, pilot of the Gundam Altron." the sixth added.

"We've come to assist you in this confrontation, by request of the Universal Alliance."-

"Those are also gundams?" Kira uttered.

"This is Mu La Fllaga." Mu said from his downed mobile suit. "You guys came at a bad time. These mobile dolls are a lot tougher than they look. They've already managed to take out over 75 of our coalition forces."

"Mobile dolls will be easy to deal with." Zechs implied.

"Activating zero system…" Heero said. Immediately, the Wing Zero took command. The six gundams attacked the bulk of the mobile dolls. The mobile dolls, with their new upgrades would prove to be more of a challenge than earlier expected. But despite their upgrades, they were no match for the power of the zero system. With the zero system in their favor, the Wing Realm Gundams made easy work of the remaining mobile dolls.

Kira and the others could only watch as these mysterious six suddenly gained the upper hand over the artificial intelligence of the dolls.

"They're making quick work of those mobile dolls like they were nothing." Athrun uttered, stunned by the sudden change in the tide of the battle.

"Whoever you guys are," Kira implied, "It's a good thing that you showed up when you did."

"Our target is the Midnight Faction." Duo said. Using his scythe, the threw it in a spin and eliminated at least three of the dolls in one attack. "These mobile dolls are a heck of a lot harder to fight than the ones we always fight in the 'Wing Realm,'" Duo slashed at another, destroying it instantly, "But they're still just dolls to me. You don't expect a gundam pilot to lose to dolls do you?"

"My God," Athrun thought to himself. "These guys are doing what we deemed impossible. Even as Berserker Coordinators we couldn't even come close to defeating 50 of the mobile doll units. But these guys are dispensing with them in only minutes."

"These guys," Dearka uttered, "Are they Coordinators?"

The battle was witnessed by Dunker in the XG-1 hanger. He was utterly angered at the results.

"Damn those loathsome 'Wing Realm' gundams and the zero system." He said to himself. "With the zero system in their favor, even those Naturals can overtake Coordinators. And since they are used to the effects of the Zero system, those 'Wing Realm' gundam pilots aren't over taken by the system itself. They're cutting through the dolls like a hot knife through butter."

The battle was also witnessed by Riku and the KH team who fought the hordes of Heartless.

"Aren't those the mobile suits from the 'Wing Realm.'?" Donald implied.

"They are." Riku said as he struck down another Heartless. "But what are they doing here? Maybe the Universal Alliance requested that they help out."

Kira and the others only watched as the last of mobile dolls was shot down from the sky.

"That was incredible." Athrun implied.

"Our work is done here, gentlemen." Zechs said. "Now let us give our allies a hand."

"Roger that." Heero remarked.

The 'Wing Realm' Gundam pilots landed their mobile suits on the ground. The 'Seed Realm' mobile suit pilots descended from their mobile suits to meet these pilots from another world. They watched as the gundam pilots descended from their cockpits soon after landing. The two sides confronted one another. Zechs Marquise stepped forward. He saluted in respect to his 'Seed Realm' comrades.

"Colonel Zechs Marquise and the agents of the Preventers reporting." He implied. Mu La Fllaga stepped forth to represent his allies.

"Major Mu La Fllaga of the Orb United Defense Forces." He said. "I'm glad to see that you guys came to our aid. Who sent you and where are you from?"

"The Universal Alliance had requested that we give you aid in this time of need. They were rather desperate for our participation. Since our main purpose is to maintain peace for our world, the 'Wing Realm,' against such dark forces like the Midnight Faction, we figured that it was in our best interest to assemble ourselves as a coalition force to help aid in other worlds."-

"We appreciate your help." The two shook hands and the two sides came together as strong allies.

"We understand that Riku and Sora are here." Heero said. "Is that true?"

"You guys know Riku and Sora?" Kira asked.

"That's right." Trowa replied. "They were the ones who helped us fight of the Midnight Faction not too long ago."

"They also assisted us in fighting off the forces of the Dark Empire six years before." Quatre added.

"Are you serious?" Dearka asked. "They did the same for us too."

"That was some skilled piloting with those mobile suits that you performed." Athrun said.

"And that's why we'd like to ask," Mu said, "Are you guys Coordinators or Naturals?"

"Meaning…?" Duo asked.

"In other words, were you born into this world naturally and considered a natural, or have your genetics been altered as Coordinators."-

"Well, if I had my way," Heero said, "I'd have to say that I'm a Natural."

"You guys are Naturals?" Dearka uttered in a rather shocked manner. Not wanting to cause any further hostilities, the three present Coordinators did not say any inappropriate remarks. Instead, Kira stepped forward and smiled.

"Then it's good to have you guys on our side." He implied.

"If it's alright with you," Zechs asked, "Would it be possible to fill us in on the current status of the situation."

"Of course…" Mu said. "Our commander of the operation, Colonel Athrun Zala will present the case." Athrun stepped forward.

"Gentlemen," Athrun said as he stepped forward, "As you are aware, our present target lies before us. This is the center HQ of the Midnight Faction. We had earlier initiated a frontal attack against their defenses. However, the faction was able to initiate in deploying their protective energy barrier in which nothing can go in and nothing can come out. Sora and Colonel Ophelia Billiard have been sent to destroy the main power generator of the shield and thus eliminate the energy barrier. Only until that moment comes will we be able to provide any further support. For now, we must reassemble and salvage what is left of our force. We must make repairs on the mobile suits and get them ready for the imminent second strike."

"Very well…" Zechs said. "Then we will do what we can to help out."

"It's appreciated." Athrun then turned to Dearka. "Dearka, assemble the remainder of our forces and tell them to assemble into their battle formations."

"Yes sir." Dearka said, saluting. He turned and reported the plan to the remaining remnants of the coalition.

"Kira," Athrun implied, "Contact the Archangel and ask them if they still have the ability to repair our downed mobile suits."

"Sir." Kira replied. Saluting, he turned his attentions towards the Archangel.

"What would you like us to do?" Quatre asked.

"I want you to check the status of your mobile suits." Athrun instructed. "If you are well equipped to go into the upcoming battle as you are now, then maintain a perimeter in case we are attacked by faction raiding parties. If, however, your mobile suits need to be refitted with armaments, report to the Archangel and they will see to your needs."-

"Yes, Colonel Zala sir. Thank you, sir."-

"Any further questions you would like to imply?"-

"Colonel Athrun Zala, sir," Heero said, "If I may be so bold."

"Yes?"-

Heero took from his pocket an information disk with the encrypted data of the zero system.

"I think that this system may come in useful to you, sir." Heero explained.

"What is it?" Athrun asked.

"This is the layout of the zero system. It's a highly advanced system that unleashed the pilot's full potential. It's what we used to combat the mobile dolls."-

"I see, so that's how you were able to accomplish the fight with the mobile dolls."-

"I must warn you, Athrun, this system is unpredictable. Once implemented into the system, the mobile suit itself can develop its own personality and take over the mind of the pilot. You can see not only the movements of the enemy so clearly, no matter how fast they go, but you can also see the out come of the battle itself and the deaths that would occur during that battle. To add, you can also see the path which you were destined to take. Whatever happens, don't let the system control you."

"I understand." Athrun took the data files from Heero. "Thank you for the advice." Athrun looked at the disks and pondered at what Heero had told him.

"To think that a system like that would be able to unlock a pilot's full potential." He thought to himself. "I never thought such a system was possible, a system that could even decipher one's destiny in life, and system that can render the pilot unnecessary. If this system can make a Natural exceed the piloting skills of a Berserker Coordinator, I wonder what effects the system would have on a Coordinator himself?"

"Colonel Zala," Wu Fei asked, "When to we enter combat again?"

"Until that shield comes down, there's nothing that we can do. We just have to wait and put our faiths in Sora and Colonel Billiard."-

What was occurring within the main base of the Midnight Faction was utter chaos. Hundreds of troops went rushing into the hall where Sora was located. Still making his way to the chamber bearing the generator, he fought gallantly against every soldier that dared to confront him. Using the Aeroga shield, he rendered guns useless as their bullets would always bounce off the shield's surface. Sora struck several soldiers simultaneously, trying to maim and knock them out. Those, however, who were too stubborn to quit, usually met a glorious death. Sora, however, did not put their deaths on his mind, but continued to fight, knowing that if he wavered on their faces, he too would become a victim of the slaughter.

"It is their fate as is mine to fight." He thought to himself. "When this is all over, I will never raise my keyblade in anger again."

Many of the soldiers, severely maimed and semiconscious dared no proceed any further. Instead, they withdrew from the fight, not willing to do battle with the key bearer, which they had deemed invincible. It was after at least ten minutes of fighting through the hordes of troops that Sora came to the very end of the hall. At the end of the hall, there were two metal doors. Sora approached them without any further retaliation or attempt on his life. As he approached the doors, he noticed there were words on it, inscribed in black. They said 'Archives and Generator Facilities.'

"This must be the place." Sora thought to himself. As he stood in front of the doors, they automatically opened and revealed a special room that had brightly polished, chrome walls in which his image was reflected flawlessly from the metal. The room's structure was like a giant dome. Implanted along the wall's exterior were a series of exhibition cases that held artifacts from ancient civilizations like the Greeks, the Romans, the Chinese, the Assyrians, and every other type of old society. On the other side of the room was another door that had the words 'Generator Chamber' inscribed on it. It was Sora's final destination. But in order to get there, Sora would have to pass its guardian.

Standing before the door, with rapier in hand, Romulus Von Console acted as the final obstacle between Sora and the generator.

"You have certainly done well, young Sora." Von Console chuckled. "I didn't think that you would have been able to penetrate so far into the interior of this base as you have already. But your little expedition ends here."

"Who are you?" Sora asked. "And how do you know my name?"

"There isn't a single person who doesn't know your name. Especially after how they witnessed you storm a heavily guarded fortress almost single-handedly. My name is Romulus Von Console. I am the leader of the terrorist group, the Supporters of Justice."-

"You're the leader of the Supporters of Justice? You give your title away freely as if you had nothing to fear."-

"I don't have anything to fear from you anyway, Natural."-

"You might have been more than a match for the faction soldiers and the average Coordinator, but let's see how you fare against me."-

"And what makes you different from all the other Coordinators?"-

"What makes me different from all the other Coordinators is the genetic structure that I am made of. Unlike many others, I am one of the elite Coordinators, much like Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala. I am a Berserker Coordinator, an Ultimate Coordinator. In other words I'm able to generate skills that would be deemed impossible to your average Coordinator."-

"Is that so?"-

"And my goal is to secure this world for the hope of the greater species. The world where only Coordinators reside will soon be upon us. It'll be a world not fit for your kind to thrive."-

"My kind?" Sora uttered.

"That's right." Von Console chuckled. "You Naturals are the reason peace can never be achieved. It's because of the existence of the Naturals that wars and conflagrations always erupt. The two people can't be separated and they certainly cannot be integrated! The only way to assure total peace to assure that one side is completely destroyed."

"So that's why you're declaring acts of total against Naturals, for the sake of a world that only accepts one kind of people?"-

"Coordinators, no matter how low in stature they are, will always be able to outdo a Natural, anytime and every time. The Naturals have always been jealous of Coordinators because we can do what Naturals consider impossible. We're better in both physical and mental aspects."-

"The only reason why you had those abilities in the first place is because they were given to you. Your genetics were altered to make you have all the positive attributes of human strength and ingenuity and none of the setbacks. But that was a terrible thing to unleash as well. The reason why Naturals are so jealous is because they think that they're weaker than Coordinators. However, there is one way to close the gap. Only when a Natural is determined, that person will be able to achieve levels of skills equal to that of Coordinator."-

"Don't make me laugh, kid!" Von Console chuckled. "No matter how hard a Natural may try, they will never be able to unleash the same about of intellect and strength like a Coordinator can…ever."

"You hold yourself too high in position." Sora said. "And that's the type of attitude that's ticking people off. Can you blame Naturals for acting that way? Many of them can't do what Coordinators do. But at the same time, Coordinators stick their noses up and look down on Naturals like they were insects. Can you blame Naturals for being so envious?"-

"And as a result of their inferiority, the Naturals start a war to try and tame the Coordinator. But such a conflict is folly to the Naturals who stand no chance against the might of Coordinators. Coordinators will always be better than Naturals…always, just like I'm even better than you, Sora."-

"There's only one way to find out." Sora unleashed his keyblade.

"That's the spirit." Von Console chuckled. "You're no match for me anyhow. So I'm not the least bit concerned. You came this far only to meet your fate at the hands of the Ultimate Coordinator."-

"Stand down, Von Console."-

"I think you have it wrong. Those are my words. I will not allow anyone to stand in the way of our ideals. Not even you."-

"The ideal of assuring one type of people's survival and the death of the other is an ideal that shouldn't have been cast in the first place."-

"Now die, Natural!"-

Von Console attacked with his rapier raised over his head. Sora threw out his keyblade, ready to block the attack. But Von Console suddenly leaped over Sora's head. He landed to Sora's rear and attempted to slash at him, but Sora, aware of the attack, easily dodged, spinning away to avoid the blade. Von Console was shocked at what he saw.

"That…that kid managed to evade that attack." He uttered to himself. "Even the most skilled of Naturals would have died by that first attack."

"You're gonna have to do better than that." Sora said. "A simple evasion attack won't work on me that easily."

"Well, then let's see how you do against me when I attack head on!" Von Console attacked again. Sora was quick to react and deployed the keyblade. The two thus did battle alone in the archives room.

This battle did not go unseen from the XG-1's hanger. The activity that took place in the archives chamber was observed by one of the operatives in the main control room and that operative relayed the image to the hanger, where Lieutenant Hydra Dunker awaited the activation of the next cannon shot.

"What's taking so long with activating the next shot?" he inquired.

"We're having trouble locating Riku's location, sir." One of the operatives implied.

"It doesn't matter! Just fire the cannon! Fire it at the entire second defense line if you have to! The explosion alone will be enough to kill that key bearer!"-

"But if we do that, we'll end up destroying the one line that stands between us and the coalition forces."-

"It'll be worth it! The coalition forces will be easy to take out! It's Riku that I want dead!"-

"Sir…"-

"Sir," another one of the operatives implied. "There's a message from the main control room."-

"What is it?"-

"They say that a battle's commencing in the archives chamber between Romulus Von Console and one of the key bearers."-

"On screen…" The operative transmitted the image of the battle onto the main monitor. "Blast it! That idiot has no idea who he contends with."

"Commander Romulus Von Console will win for sure." One of the Coordinator operatives implied. "That Natural doesn't stand a chance against him."

"That idiot, Von Console," Dunker said to himself, "Even if he were to accumulate his energy at full strength, he would still be no match for Sora. Typical Coordinator, always taking things for granted." Dunker slumped in his chair and sighed. "Perhaps it would be best if I initiate my true objective." Dunker turned to the operatives.

"Contact the main control room." Dunker ordered. "Tell them to assemble a squadron of our best faction soldiers."

"Just faction soldiers, sir?" an operative implied.

"I'm sure that Von Console would hate it if I used his Coordinator rebels to do our dirty work."-

"Yes sir."-

"I will take leave and assist Von Console." Dunker prepared to leave the room.

"Sir…!"-

"What is it now?"-

"We just lost communication with the main control room."-

"What was that?"-

"Yes sir. We tried contacting them, but there is no reply."-

"What is going on down there? Could it be possible there was an explosion that took out the control room? No, there couldn't be. Otherwise, why we would have felt the aftershock and that image of Sora and Von Console battling would have been eradicated from the screen." It was then than Dunker realized something wrong with the image he saw on screen. Though Sora was fighting with Von Console, there was no sign of Colonel Billiard anywhere. "Wait a minute, where is Colonel Billiard? Where is she?"

"Are you looking for me?" a voice implied from behind him. Dunker turned from his chair to find Colonel Billiard herself standing in the doorway. "I was wondering when you'd notice that I wasn't present at the battle with Sora and that Ultimate Coordinator. Of course, knowing Sora, he won't lose to the likes of him."

Suddenly, several of the Coordinator operatives stood up and took out their pistols. They aimed steadily at the colonel and shot away. Colonel Billiard, however, was more than a match for the average Coordinator. Using her black fans, she spun them about like boomerangs. The fans spun flawlessly through the air, striking and killing the operatives who resisted. One hid behind his chair and used it as shield while firing a hail of bullets at the Colonel. But Colonel Billiard caught one of her fans and used it as a shield. She then dodge rolled towards the resisting operative and threw the fan into a spin again. The razor tip edge cut the man's throat, killing him instantly. The other remaining operatives, at least three remaining, hid behind their chairs and whatever kind of object that would be a protective barrier against the colonel's fans.

"Why you…"-

"Oh yeah, and don't bother calling for backup. If you're wondering by now why you lost connection with the main control room was because to I took a pit stop there before coming here. All the reserved troopers and operatives were taken down so easily."-

"So it is true Billiard. You did decide to betray the faction. But why would you, a true loyalist to the faction and the infamous Tiger of Goth, dare to turn against us?"-

"Because I found the truth out for myself…"-  
"And what would you know about truth? You had no evidence that the KH team was fighting for the side of righteousness. Don't you know that their cause will only leave further chaos and separation amongst the masses?"-

"The only reason why I fought for the faction was to assure to fulfill my own happiness in a peaceful world that would emerge after the chaos. But what was revealed to me was that my happiness had died some time ago when I decided to take the happiness away from others by further spreading the chaos and driving them from their homes and their worlds. I only realized that reality only recently. My goals and hopes were also dashed when it was revealed to me that my sister, the one whom I've been searching for these many years, had died long before I ever joined the faction and entered the battlefield. I was hoping to create a world that would rise in peace and harmony, so when I found her, we would be together as we were when we were children. But now that she's dead, there is a big hole in my heart and my motivation to fight for the faction died with her."-

"Is that so?"-

But just as their conversation had ended, the sounds of running feet were heard rushing down the hallway. Colonel Billiard turned to see the door behind her open and four Coordinators, who managed to evade her earlier onslaught, began to fire their guns. Colonel Billiard was quick to react. Though a bullet grazed her left arm and right leg, she managed to pummel three of the guards and kill them with her fans. The fourth, however, managed to shoot her in her right shoulder, severely crippling her, before she was able to slay him.

In the meantime, Dunker saw this as his opportunity to carry out with Colonel Billiard's execution. Reaching into a hidden compartment on the commander's chair, he retrieved a pistol, cocked it and aimed it. As Colonel Billiard turned to face him again, the Lieutenant Colonel shot the gun, inflicting a mortal wound on the Colonel. Colonel Billiard fell to the ground. She collapsed against the wall. The bullet had managed to pierce just below her right breast and was lodged in her gut. Blood flowed out of the wound staining her white shirt red. She grasped at the wound, further staining her gloves.

"You…" she uttered.

"Well, that takes care of that, traitor." Dunker addressed her. "I knew that you were supposed to meet your fate by our hands, but I never thought it would be like this."-

"What…what do you mean I was supposed to meet my fate at your hands…?" A stream of blood began to drip from her mouth.

"What I mean was that we would have killed you sooner or later." Dunker stood over her like a hungry vulture. His eyes were filled with delight as he watched the wounded colonel bleed to death. "There's a secret behind the reason of your employment, which the faction has concealed from you until now. And since your demise is close, I figured to let you in on it here and now, while you're still breathing. It's the real reason why faction wanted you and what we were planning to do with you afterward." It was here that Dunker began to reveal the faction's true intentions. "Despite being loyal to us and showing great dedication to the faction's success, you were already too old when we took you in. You were old enough to live on your own. However, when we came across you, you were living a life of misery and poverty. Now, normally we would have put you out of your misery long ago if it wasn't for Lord Sirius Viicous taking a shine onto you. I was present when he made his declaration to bring you in. The reason why we took you in was because, not only were you rather defiant and determined to see your hopes and dreams fulfilled, but you were also blessed with that special gift."

"Are you talking about my ability…to read the hearts…of others?" Ophelia inquired.

"That is correct. We realized that with your special gift, we would be able to exploit even the darkest and most hidden secrets of our enemies. Thus, we took you in giving you the delusion of making a better world where no chaos resided. There was only one problem though. At times you would read the hearts of some of our trusted advisors by accident. But in the process, you would end up seeing their true intensions and their ability to do evil. After seeing their thoughts, you would at times waver and question the cause to which we were fighting for. This did not bode well in the eyes of Lord Sirius Viicous. We were also concerned that if you managed to read his thoughts and the thoughts of our top officers, you might interpret our intensions as being evil and only further leading into chaos. That's why we made sure that you stayed away from those certain individuals. Over time, however, as you matured into a young woman, we began to notice that you also developed a personality in which you began to think more independently. This further caused concern within the faction. Eventually, Lord Sirius Viicous came to the conclusion that despite your unique abilities and your undying loyalty, you were becoming more of a threat than a benefactor to us. Thus, as a result he declared to his trusted officers only, I myself included, that once you had carried out your usefulness, we would dispense with you secretly. We were planning to kill you, once this matter with the key bearers was resolved. However, it appears that after engaging against them, you have somehow read their hearts and have realized their true intentions. If I didn't know better, I thought that you probably also fell for one of them."

"So…you intended to have me killed…all this time?"-

"I must say that your act of treachery was unexpected. I never would have guessed that you would end up betraying the faction in the end. But then again, you might say that it was us that betrayed you, or eventually would have."-

"So you pulled on my emotions and feelings…like strings on a puppet."-

"And you danced magnificently for us. I must say in a way, your betrayal was more of a godsend. Before, we would have hesitated to kill a loyal follower of the Midnight Faction. However, now that you have been branded as a traitor to the faction, it was much easier for me to carry out with your execution." Dunker then thrust his foot on Billiard's mortal wound. In a blood curdling scream, she cried out in pain as more blood spilled from her mouth. The blood from the wound ran like a rill. Dunker then watched as Ophelia's cried grew shallower and her breathing became heavier. "With that gaping and mortal wound inflicted, you won't last much longer. You'll eventually die from the blood loss. So that's why I decided to reveal the truth to you that has remained hidden until now. And as a traitor to the faction, you shall die a slow and agonizing death. That's why I won't give you a finishing bullet through the head. I want you suffer by bleeding to death."

"You…bastard…" Ophelia's head then hung lifelessly to one side and her hand stopped grasping at her wound. Dunker looked down on her still with that same sinister look on his face.

"Have a nice afterlife in hell." He said. Lowering his pistol, he turned towards the three remaining operatives. "It's alright, boys. Come out."

The three that remained were Coordinator operatives who presented themselves before the Lieutenant Colonel.

"Thank you, sir." One of them said.

"You saved us." Another implied.

"Thanks for making my job easier." Dunker chuckled.

"What do you mean, sir?"-

Before an explanation was made, Dunker pointed his gun at the three coordinators and shot them all in the head, killing them instantly. The expressions on the faces of the slain Coordinators were a cold look of shock. They didn't even know what happened to them. Dunker lowered his pistol.

"Those Coordinators," he uttered to himself. "They're so pathetic. And their existence can only prove to be a burden to the faction. That is why they must all be extinguished." Dunker went to the body of Ophelia Billiard and searched her pockets. "Colonel Billiard's presence in the hanger must only indicate that the KH team was planning to kit two birds with one stone. While Sora attempted to shut off the generator, Billiard must've come here to deactivate the cannon. That must indicate that Billiard must have the red, access card on her." He checked every pocket on her, but there was no sign of the card. "What, where is the card, where could it be?" Dunker looked about to see if Ophelia had dropped the card in the process of her battle. There was nothing. "Fool, Sora must still have the card with him." Dunker sighed. "Oh well, if the key bearer still has the card, I'll just take the opportunity to snatch it from him." Walking out of the hanger, Dunker placed his pistol in his belt. "Now all that's left is to kill Sora, retrieve the card, and end this campaign against the key bearers. And perhaps take out some other obstacles in the process. Only then will the Midnight Faction have no further obstacles to surmount."

What Dunker had said earlier was correct. Despite being a so called Berserker Coordinator, Romulus Von Console did not seem to be gaining the upper hand against the young agile key bearer. Sora was able to evade his sword attacks like they were nothing. Romulus continued to battle, but he was not able to scratch Sora even once, despite battling for ten minutes or so.

"I don't understand this," he thought to himself, "How can this Natural be able to outdo me in a fight. I am a Berserker Coordinator. I am an Ultimate Coordinator."

"You're only been deceiving yourself." Sora said.

"What was that?" Von Console replied angrily.

"This fight was lost for you from the start."-

"Shut up, Natural. I will not have you talking down to me as if you were the more powerful of us."-

"Just because you're a Coordinator, you think that you can overcome me so easily just because I'm a Natural."-

"Silence you!" Von Console charged forth, slashing away with his sword, but with every strike, Sora always managed to block and evade. Finally, the two went into a deadlock, pushing their blades tight against one another. "You'll never win against me! A Natural can never win in a one on one fight with a Coordinator!"

"Is that so?" Sora suddenly let himself slide back and Von Console toppled over, flipping over Sora and landing on his back. Sora stood up, his back turned against the Coordinator. "Then you underestimate the will power of Naturals. You think that Naturals are more inferior than you are. But the reality is that a Natural can even best a Coordinator if they are determined enough."

"You only delude yourself boy!" Von Console stood up. "A Coordinator will always be better than Naturals. Always have been and always will be."-

"If that's so, if you are superior as you say you are, why is it that you haven't even struck me down yet? A Coordinator would have been able to finish off a Natural like me a long time ago, yet still I remain standing."-

"Don't you dare talk to me as if I were the inferior individual here!" Von Console shouted. His sword drawn upward, he lunged forward, attempting to strike at Sora again. "I am a Coordinator! And I will never be outdone by a Natural like you!" Von Console attacked as ruthlessly as he did before, mindlessly swinging his sword in bitter rage. "As a young boy, I was able to excel in fighting skills that a Natural would never be able to achieve, even when reaching their twenties. I can out best anyone, even you key bearer!" Von Console lunged his sword at Sora again, but again, he missed.

"Such idle threats and a weak spirit of determination cannot defeat me." Sora implied. Using the back of his keyblade, he struck Von Console for the first time in the entire battle. The first strike in the entire battle and it was done by a Natural. This was a further insult to Von Console's pride. He skidded across the ground, tumbling about on the polished metal floor. His sword slid across the floor, stopping not too far away from him. "You're not as powerful as you had perceived yourself to be."

Von Console slowly arose. With every passing second, he grew more agitated and more hateful of the battle.

"How can this be?" he uttered angrily. "I don't understand, I'm an Ultimate Coordinator! I can't be losing to the likes of this…this Natural! It's impossible!" Von Console became so filled with rage; there was a sudden shift in his power. Unlocking a hidden potential, he unleashed the power of the Berserker Coordinator. His eyes thus lost their gleam and became like that of a wild animal, cold and thirsty for blood. "Hear me key bearer! You will meet your demise this day! I will kill you!"

"His power level has risen substantially." Sora thought. "I wouldn't expect less from a Coordinator, but then again will he be able to use his full potential effectively with his mind as confused as it is?"

"Now die!" Von Console suddenly attacked with such speed that it was hard to spot him. However, Sora was not the least bit concerned. Able to sense the movement of his aura, Sora was able to detect when and where Von Console would strike every time. To add, because Von Console was full of only raw emotional hatred, his timing was slower than what it should have been. The difference in their strengths had become too obvious. Even though transformed into a Berserker Coordinator, unleashing his ultimate power, Von Console was still not able to strike at the key bearer. He lunged and attacked with sword techniques that would have been deemed impossible to even the best swordsman. But still he was not able to hinder Sora. Finally, in another insulting gesture, using the flask side of the keyblade, Sora struck Von Console across the face and pummeled the Coordinator. Sora then used his teleportation technique to suddenly appear behind Von Console and struck him across the chest. The Coordinator flew through the air and landed hard on the metal floor. Tumbling across the sheets of metal, he streaked the polished surface.

"I can't be losing!" he thought to himself. "I can't be losing to a Natural." Von Console lay on the ground after that tumble, but again he slowly staggered to his feet.

"Are you still convinced of your so called superior abilities?" Sora asked as he once again lowered his keyblade.

"You…you bastard…" he uttered as he slowly stood. "You will not get away with this…"

"I already have for the past ten minutes. You, being a Coordinator should have been able to finish me off by now. But I find myself still breathing."-

"You're in way over your head, Natural! You…you and your kind will be nothing compared to the might of the Coordinators." Using his sword almost like a crutch, he stood in almost a kneeling position. "The Coordinators will reign supreme in this world whether you like it or not! Once the Midnight Faction and the Supporters of Justice achieve victory here, then the fate of all Naturals, including you, will be sealed! Once the genocide begins, you will be one of the last to go! That way, you can see the rest of your Natural bastard friends suffer and die in the most agonizing way. Then the rule of the Coordinator will finally be realized!"

Sora, tired of this talk slapped if not punched Von Console across the face. Von Console was stunned by the amount of force behind the punch. There was a look of shock in his eyes.

"Now, have you come to your senses," Sora shouted, "Or are you still so blind over your own superiority that you haven't come to realize the reality of the situation! You have been bested in battle by me!"

"And what does that prove? That proves nothing!"-

"It proves a lot, Von Console! This battle has proven that Coordinators aren't as high and mighty as you had thought they were! And Naturals aren't as weak, stupid, and pathetic as you had earlier pictured them as!" Sora turned his back on Von Console. This further insulted the Coordinator.

"Don't you dare turn your back on me in such a way, Natural!"-

"I believe I have every right to do so. This fight is finished."-

"What do you mean finished! I'm still standing and I still have enough strength to defeat you!"-

"You were never a challenge to me from the start. I could sense your inner strength before this battle even began. I knew that you were all talk and nothing more."-

"What was that!"-

"Your power was lower than mine from the start and eventually lowered to weaker levels. In fact, you're not much of a challenge to anyone anymore."-

"You…" Von Console grew angrier, seeing this Natural insulting him.

"I'm satisfied now," Sora implied, "Your so called unbreakable Coordinator pride had been dashed and shattered to pieces. You have fought and lost to a warrior who is superior to you in every way. And to make matters worse, he's just a pathetic Natural right? So now you've regressed to throwing idle insults at me, hoping to preserve what's left of your pride. I guess name calling is all that you're good for now since you're too weak to beat me any other way."

"How can this be, how can I, an Ultimate Coordinator, be outdone by Natural trash like you!"-

"Would you like me to give you an explanation!" Sora retracted his keyblade, diminishing it within his heart again. He then stood to confront Von Console. "As a Coordinator, you were not blessed with your abilities, but you were given them through requests and scientific experimentations. Thus, all these special talents are practically given to you on a silver platter, whereas a Natural would be lucky to have such attributes. However, as a Coordinator, you have a responsibility never to take your abilities for granted and at the same time, never let them go to your head. Do you think it's easy to be a Natural and see Coordinators do things that you can never even begin to imagine of doing? It's that type of gap that causes Naturals to become angry and envious of Coordinators. And Coordinators, knowing that Naturals can never achieve what they find so easy to accomplish to them, will always be able to rub that inflated pride in the faces of on looking Naturals. Do you think it's easy to be thought of as inferior and not able to do anything about it? Naturals, seeing this gap between Coordinators and themselves, both physically and mentally, lose all hope of ever bettering themselves. Coordinators on the other hand, having all these abilities done so easily, they forget what the meaning of humility is and from my point of view are rarely grateful for what talents they've been given. It's equivalent to a rich man believing that he has the right to look down on the poor. But he himself has never experienced poverty. However, when confronted by that scenario, it's a feeling that scars them and traumatizes them. The outcome of this battle is the same. You have been so confident of your abilities as a Coordinator that you never experienced what if feels like to be insignificant. Naturals however know this feeling very well. However, as a Natural, I have come to realize that if we were to set our minds to one goal, like being the best, we strive hard and work endlessly to fulfill that goal. Coordinators however find everything to be easy for them and thus don't know the feeling of satisfaction after such hard work. You thought because I was a Natural, I would be so easy to take down. But the outcome was completely different from what you had expected. It just goes to show you that the one who maintains a righteous cause that protects anyone and everyone will always emerge as the better man than the one who believes that his own personal gains are the most important. It is the sense of what we are fighting for that will always determine the outcome."

"Does Sora tell the truth?" Von Console uttered. "No, he's wrong! Coordinators will always be better than Naturals. But then why has the battle resulted in my defeat! I am a Coordinator and my abilities surpass that young man's by far! But then why is it that I have lost? Could it be that Naturals obtain some sort of hidden strength that we as Coordinators could never understand?"

"Naturals are not the source of all evils in the world." Sora continued. "They just have trouble accepting inferiority as their identification to the eyes of Coordinators. It's very easy to look down on someone who can't perform as well as you can, but it's much more difficult to accept a person's arrogance, knowing that you'll only be second best in what you do. You, Von Console, had concluded that in order to eliminate this hatred, you have to eradicate all the Naturals first. Only then, in a Coordinator dominated world, will peace ever be achieved. But how long do you think it will last, despite being a Coordinator or a Natural, we both have the ability to hate and envy. You, being a so called Ultimate Coordinator, will become the envy of all Coordinators. Soon more will want to be like you. Then soon after Ultimate Coordinators will become superior to regular Coordinators and the conflict begins again. But this time, it will be the Coordinators at the average level that will be the cause of the conflict because they have been placed at a lower playing field." Sora looked at Von Console who by this time managed to stagger straight up. He approached his Coordinator foe, without showing any aggression. "Even so, a world dominated by Coordinators might not ever come to be."

"And why is that, if you'd be so kind as to explain?" Von Console said.

"The fates of both Coordinators and Naturals would be sealed by the hands of the Midnight Faction. Forming an alliance with them was the last thing you should have done."-

"But it was because of the faction that we're able to achieve dominance over this area."-

"But not for long. As a person who has been fighting the faction, I know the intentions of their leaders. Once they have achieved their ultimate goal, there will be no need for you any longer. And they will break off their alliance and become your new enemies."-

"You lie, Natural, you lie!"-

"It is the truth. If you deny my words now, you'll end up dying by their hands."-

"Now, now," a voice remarked from behind. Sora and Von Console turned to see Hydra Dunker standing in the door way, his pistol aimed, "You should not heed the words of this snake, Von Console. His tongue is full of lies and deceptions." Dunker did not hesitate and shot Sora. Sora, not able to react in time, was shot almost in the same area as Colonel Billiard was, just underneath his right breast. Sora fell to the ground, the blood flowing from the wound. The blood stained his white shirt and black vest. "I've come to get the access card, key bearer. I've already dispensed with Colonel Billiard and I couldn't find the card on her."

"You…you killed Miss Billiard…?" Sora uttered in a strain.

"Well, not right out anyway. I made sure she suffered the death of a traitor by bleeding to death. Now, I see that it's your turn." Dunker turned to Von Console. "Now, if you don't mind, see if you can find the access key to the Apocalypse XG-1."

"I understand." Von Console kneeled over Sora and checked all his pockets. Sure enough, in Sora's right pocket of his vest, Von Console took out the card. "I believe this was what you were looking for?"

"Very well done…" Dunker took the card from Von Console. He placed it in his pocket. "You've served your purpose well, Von Console. Lord Sirius Viicous thanks you for helping us conquer this world and place it under the rule of the Midnight Faction."

"What? I thought you said that the Coordinators would be able to rule this world?"-

"I lied." Dunker pulled the trigger of his pistol and fired it at Von Console. Von Console saw the trigger being pulled and attempted to dodge, but the bullet struck him in the right shoulder, shattering the bone. His arm rendered useless, Von Console fell to the ground in agonizing pain.

"But why…?" he uttered. "Why have you betrayed us?"

"You fool…! There was no betrayal from the start. Our main goal was to take over this realm, but in the name of the Midnight Faction." Dunker fired a second shot and the bullet pierced straight through Von Console's left leg. The once agile Coordinator could no longer stand up. "You should have heeded Sora's warning. What he said was the truth. Our objective was fulfilled, but this world would fall under the rule of the Midnight Faction, not the Coordinator. The Midnight Faction needed a nice secluded area where the Universal Alliance couldn't touch us. To add, it had to be a world of conflict in which we could easily extract a certain side and its resources. Thus, we turned to you, the terrorists of this world, the Supporters of Justice. With the help of your ingenuity and resources, we were able to complete the Apocalypse XG-1. And now that the cannon has been completed and will soon be an perfect working order, you and the rest of those Coordinator rebels have lived out your usefulness. Such a pity though that all your men will die in vain because once they realize what is happening, it will already be too late."

"You…bastard…" Von Console threw his head back, laying it against the floor. "Sora was right…Not only did I underestimate him, I also did not heed his word until now."

"Fighting against Sora was a further mistake on your part. Though he is a Natural, you were fighting against the same young man who defeated the infamous Cavendish Shinobis and went head to head with Lord Drako Arakis of the Dark Empire himself. Your battle was lost from the minute you dared to face him. You never stood a chance against him, which is why you fell so easily to him. But you certainly saved me a lot of time and effort of having to face him myself though. Not only do I wipe out a key bearer and extinguish the hopes of closing the worlds to the Heartless, but I also managed to eliminate the greatest threat to the Midnight Faction. So your sacrifice wasn't in vain for that motive. You will go down in history, Von Console, as the man who helped make way for the ruling of the Midnight Faction." Dunker patted his pocket where he held the access card. "I thank you for your time, gentlemen."

"You will not…get away with this…" Sora uttered with the last ounces of his strength.

"And who's going to stop me, key bearer? You are at death's door so you are in no position to be threatening me. You can never hope to finish me off now."-

"No he can't, but I can." A voice uttered from behind him. Dunker turned around to see a familiar face looking straight at him.

"Colonel Billiard…!" he uttered. But those were the last words he uttered. As Dunker tried to aim his pistol, Ophelia Billiard, grabbed his wrist, pushing the gun away from her. She then drew out her dagger and thrust it deep into the Lieutenant Colonel's head. Blood splattered everywhere and what Sora and Von Console saw was the most gruesome sight they ever dared to witness. Despite being a good-looking young woman with a polite personality, when entering battle, she became more of a blood thirsty monster. Droplets of blood splattered on her face and her uniform. Dunker's hand dropped the gun and his eyes rolled back to the back of his head. Extracting the dagger, Ophelia let his body fall. The still body of Dunker lay on the floor, tainting the polished metal a crimson red.

"It is done…" she said.


	21. Operation Overthrow: Conclusion

Operation Overthrow: Closing

There was silence now in the archives chamber. Lieutenant Colonel Hydra Dunker had been killed by a former comrade, Colonel Billiard. Despite the death of her old ally, Ophelia displayed no feelings of guilt or remorse for him. The truth had been revealed to her of the faction's treachery and now knew that she could openly oppose the faction demanding retribution. She cleaned her dagger of its blood and sheathed it back into the scabbard strapped on her back. She then approached Sora who was semiconscious on the ground. She kneeled over him and picked his head up.

"I've seen you have better days, Sora." She implied.

"I…I thought you were dead?" Sora uttered. "I feared the worst. Then…what would I have said to Riku?"

"Well, now the boot's on the other foot now. Where's the senzu half that you took with you?"-

"It's in the right pocket…of my shorts. Von Console never got around to searching that pocket." Ophelia opened up the yellow pocket at the side of Sora's trousers and pulled out the little senzu half. Placing it in Sora's mouth, Ophelia watched as Sora chewed and swallowed the bean half. Within seconds, Sora was back on his feet. "Thanks Miss Billiard."

"No problem. But as I had mentioned before, the boot was on the other foot and I would never have been able to face Riku and tell him that you died. But you can't die, not so early in the game." Sora only nodded.

It was then that they laid their eyes on the wounded Coordinator, Romulus Von Console, who still grasped at his shoulder. Sora and Ophelia stood over him, gazing at the ugly wounds inflicted upon him. Von Console smiled at his two foes.

"I guess…this is the end of our cause…" he uttered. "The end of my life…But I would rather see it done…than to have to fight side by side with the Midnight Faction…This betrayal is unforgivable…But I bet you two delight in seeing me like this…A Coordinator humbled like this before a Natural…"

"We never said we enjoyed seeing you like this now did we?" Sora implied.

"Why now…It's always been every Natural's dream to see a Coordinator humbled at their feet…like a helpless child…"-

"I don't care that you're a Coordinator. I don't care that your genetic make up is altered on. I don't care if you have better attributes than me." Von Console's look became confused.

"You mean…you don't envy me for being better?"-

"You are better only in your genetic make up. However, you are not better than me when you regress to fighting for a cause that issues the total annihilation of an entire people. Despite being a Natural, I'm still better than you. The reason why is because I have found a cause worth fighting for, a cause that assures the survival of both sides. Kira Yamato, Athrun Zala, and Dearka Elsman are Coordinators just like you, but they are still better than you because they have found a cause that benefits to both sides."-

"That may be fine for now, but the Naturals will never truly accept us and we as Coordinators can never truly accept Naturals."-

"Then why don't you tell that to Dearka's daughter, Olivia." Sora folded his arms in front of him. "Dearka is the father of a Natural child and is in love with a young Natural woman. Miss Billiard revealed that information to us when she searched his heart. Dearka even told me about his daughter before than, showing me a picture of her. And I say to myself, how could anyone want to wish for the death of something so young and so helpless? What wrong did they inflict and to whom?"

"Those words are useless to the Naturals who inflicted such genocide amongst the Coordinators during the Bloody Valentine Tragedy when an entire colony was eliminated by nuclear power."-

"And you think that seeking bloody retribution will bring those people back? Even if your plan did succeed, how long do you think it would be before more conflict breaks out? As I had said before, both Coordinators and Naturals have the basic human instincts to love as well as to hate. Envy and arrogance lead to hate, which is why that tragedy occurred in the first place. But Kira, Dearka, and Athrun are fighting to prevent that sort of thing from happening."-

"You should heed Sora's words." Ophelia uttered. "It may be hard to swallow right now, but it's the truth. If you people can accept your differences and at least tolerate it, then things would be a lot better off."-

"But people don't like changes…they hate changes…"-

"Then would it have been better if we allowed Dunker to kill us and have his way?" Those final words silenced Von Console's tongue. The thought of such a radical change to a different world, but in the hands of a power only looking out for its own benefit, rushed through the Coordinator's mind "We've wasted enough time and many of our friends are dying out there. Sora, deactivate the shield if you please."

"Right…" he uttered. Sora turned towards the door leading to the chamber. The doors automatically opened when he approached and Sora entered the facility. Sure enough, standing before him was a giant pillar of metal. Electrical currents flowed up and down this metal structure through a series of transparent pipes. There was a large control panel at its base. The main switch was a large handle bar switch with the word 'power' boldly inscribed in black on its panel. Sora clutched the switch's handle bar tightly. "For the preservation of peace in this world…" Sora pulled down the switch and instantly the electrical currents ceased to flow and the generator went silent.

Meanwhile, outside on the battlefield, Riku and the others were in desperate need for reinforcements by now. The second line had proven to be more bothersome than they had anticipated. The stubborn resistance of the second line had caused their numbers to dwindle. To add, more Heartless kept him and the rest of the KH team busy in the fight.

"Damn it, Sora," Riku thought to himself, "How long does it take to shut down a generator anyway!" But as soon as he had finished uttering that statement, Riku saw as the surface of the protective shield began to recede. Within seconds, the shield's surface had vanished and the clear blue sky of the morning atmosphere rained upon the Orb coalition forces. "Well, it looks like I spoke too soon."

"They did it!" Cuchulain shouted. "Sora and Colonel Billiard have done it! They've taken down the shield!" There was a great cry for the soldiers ho remained.

Kira and Athrun saw the same result as they witnessed the recession of the shield.

"The shield's been deactivated!" Athrun cried, tears of joy moistening his eyes. He made contact with all mobile suits. "All mobile suits prepare to be deployed!"

"Roger that." Heero Yuy implied. "Wing Realm gundams ready to be deployed."

"Astray units and Buster ready for deployment." Dearka said.

"Ready to go." Mu La Fllaga implied.

"Are you ready Kira?" Athrun asked.

"All mobile suits have been refitted and are ready to enter combat." Kira replied. "New Zero system installed in Justice and Freedom confirmed."

"Then let's go!" The mobile suits thus began their attack.

"It's about time to!" Duo Maxwell chuckled from the cockpit of the Deathscythe.

Entering the fray, they easily eliminated the remaining Ginn and Dinn mobile suits.

This turn of events did not bode well in the eyes of the remaining defense forces, the mobile suits that remained. Ra Le Creuset watched as the last barrier between them and total annihilation had been diminished.

"So, things have turned out for the worst." He thought to himself. "Oh well, this would be an excellent opportunity to show what kind of power these mobile suits have. All units deploy!"

"Yes sir." The pilots of the remaining mobile suits said. Soon enough, the battle ensued above the main HQ of the Midnight Faction.

Inside the compound, Sora and Miss Billiard sighed relief. Making sure that no one could ever activate the shield again, Sora unleashed his new attack, the Multi-Slash, which he picked up from General Knives. The effect that occurred was more than what Sora had expected. There was a large explosion and the entire pillar fell to the ground in a thunderous rumble of crashing steel and broken glass. Sora had to back away, out of the chamber, in order to prevent to debris from falling on him. The force of the fall caused a gush of wind to blow out of the room and spread debris into the archives chamber.

"Don't you think you overdid it a little, Sora?" Miss Billiard implied. Sora could only smile in such a goofy looking fashion while rubbing the back of his head. It was then that he noticed a strange blue light accumulating from the darkness of the chamber. Both of them looked to see what it was that was causing the glow. Sure enough, there was a sight that the two were simply awed over.

From the place where the generator used to stand, the shape of a keyhole appeared. It was a large keyhole that seemed to be suspended in mid air by invisible strings.

"There it is." Sora thought to himself.

"The keyhole." Miss Billiard added. They gazed at it for a minute or two. But Sora soon gazed down and walked away.

"There's no use trying to close it." He uttered. "It takes both Riku and I to initiate its sealing. Until then, we have our other goal to accomplish."

"That thing…" Von Console suddenly said, straining as he laid eyes on this bizarre phenomenon. "What is that giant keyhole?"

"That keyhole is what will open this world to darkness." Sora said. "If it remains open, this entire world will be under the mercy of the Heartless and all hearts will be swallowed up, consumed by the darkness."

"Can't you close it?"-

"I can, but I need my friend Riku to help me." Sora kneeled next to the wounded Coordinator. "This is the result of siding with the faction. By allying yourself with the Phantom Lord and the Midnight Faction, you have allowed this world to fall prey to the darkness. Soon all hearts will be consumed by the darkness unless we seal this world and lock the door." Sora raised his hand. "I know we are enemies, but I can't allow you to die in such a miserable way."

"I don't need your help."-

"You aren't in a position to be telling us what we can and can't do." Miss Billiard implied.

Sora took off his vest and tore in strips. He then used the strips as tourniquets to stop the severe bleeding from the shot wounds.

"Alright, let's get you out of here." Sora said.

"I said I don't need any help from you." Von Console uttered. "I don't need help from Naturals."

"Would you rather we let you die?"-

"At least allow me to keep my dignity as a Coordinator."-

"Well, we don't have time to argue with you." Sora took out a bottle of potion from his left pant pocket and placed it next to Von Console. "This potion won't be able to heal your wounds, but it will manage to sustain your life a little better."

"Sora," Ophelia implied. "We still have a mission to accomplish."

"Right…" Sora and Miss Billiard went on their way, heading towards the exit of the archives chamber. But as they reached the door, they heard Von Console muttering again.

"Why…" he said, "Why are you doing this for me? Why are you being so kind despite my opposition?"

"You might have been our enemy, but by nature, you are not an evil person. You've only been scarred in such a way due to some traumatizing situation that made you hate Naturals. But maybe our act of kindness would at least give you an aspect that not all Naturals are weak and not all Naturals are hateful towards Coordinators."-

"Before you start judging our intensions," Miss Billiard added, "You should first search your soul and see who truly is wrong here."

"Why don't you use your so called special power to see if I accept your advice or no?" Von Console implied.

"Because I will not decipher the decision you make for yourself. It's up to you to choose which path you will take. However, I can guarantee this much, if you dare face me or my comrades on the battlefield again, I will assure your death."-

They no longer engaged in conversing and Sora and Miss Billiard exited out of the room, leaving the wounded Coordinator lying on the floor.

"Could it be that Sora is correct?" Von Console thought to himself. "Have I only been spreading the chaos further? Have I been fighting for the wrong cause all this time?" Von Console lay down his head and closed his eyes. "Perhaps I need to rethink my logic."

At the same time, with the shield down and the Orb coalition forces rushing in, the second line was easily quelled. And with the help of the Gundams from the 'Wing Realm,' the defenses of the second line crumbled before the advance.

"The second line has collapsed." Athrun implied.

"I guess there was no need to be all worked up about arriving to reinforce the KH team and the head coalition in time." Dearka said.

"Don't let your guard down yet." Mu La Fllaga suggested. "We still have the elite mobile suits under Le Creuset's command to worry about."

"Zechs," Athrun implied, "You and the other Gundam pilots remain behind and act as reinforcements."

"Understood…" Zechs replied. "All 'Wing Realm' mobile suits will stay behind as reinforcements."

"Roger that." Heero implied.

"I understand." Quatre added.

"Then, we'll remain behind to guard the second line." Wu Fei said.

"Thank you." Athrun implied.

"Athrun, Kira," Heero said, "If you need to use the Zero system, activate it only when you think it necessary. The system has the ability to decipher your destinies, so whatever image comes into your mind, don't pay it any mind."

"You never specified what the nature of the Zero system is." Kira remarked. "What exactly is its purpose?"

"The Zero system eliminates any flaws that might affect your efficiency on the battlefield. Stay aware of your actions when using the system. Even the most experienced pilot can be overcome by it."-

"I understand."-

The 'Seed Realm' mobile suits rushed into the fight, attacking the final defenses at the third line. Immediately after they began their advance, Le Creuset and his soldiers charged into the fray. Amongst them were the infamous suits who originally served under Blue Cosmos, the Calamity, the Forbidden, and the Raider. Those particular three along with Commander Le Creuset himself proved to be more than a match for the four attacking mobile suits and their Astray units. Mu La Fllaga was the first to engage against Ra Le Creuset.

"Le Creuset," Mu shouted, "Today's the day that we settle this matter between us once and for all." Mu used the Strike's laser rifle to assault against Le Creuset's mobile suit, The Providence Gundam, but Le Creuset's fast reaction time allowed him to dodge and evade with ease. Countering with his own laser rifle, he attempted to shoot down his enemy. However, like Le Creuset, Mu was a skilled mobile suit pilot as well and he managed to evade Le Creuset's attacks on the turn of a dime. This frustrated Le Creuset even more.

"You always seem to be getting in my way, Mu La Fllaga." he replied. "Though I imaging you're probably saying the same about me."

As Mu continued to battle against Le Creuset; Kira, Athrun, and Dearka battled against the Calamity, the Raider, and the Forbidden in one on one battles. However, for some reason, despite engaging in one on one battles, the infamous three mobile suits had coordinated themselves to be a match for even the top aces of the Orb defense forces. Athrun and Kira, though unleashing their true potential was no match for the sudden power of the mobile suits.

"Something's wrong." Kira implied. "How did these suits suddenly become so accurate and powerful? Not even Coordinator pilots are that precise."

"What is with these mobile suits?" Dearka added as the fight continued. Using this buster rifle, he attempted to attack one of the mobile suits, in this case the calamity, at point blank range. But at the last minute, seconds before firing his cannon, the calamity suddenly evades upward avoiding the blast as it was deployed. This kind of accuracy baffled Dearka. "They seem so agile and their reaction time surpasses even my own."

"It's possible that they're skilled Coordinators who have been trained to specifically to battle against us."-

"But what are the chances of that happening?"-

"No, you're wrong, Kira." Athrun implied. "Take a look at how these mobile suits are fighting. Don't their moves and reaction time seem somewhat familiar?"

"Now that you mention it," Dearka observed. He then realized where he had seen the combat style that the mobile suits were initiating. "Yes, these attacks, they're similar to Ra Le Creuset's own style of combat."

"This only indicates that we're not fighting human pilots, but three artificially programmed units who perform like Le Creuset, but are able to think independently."-

"But that means we're fighting against…?" Kira uttered.

"That's right we're fighting against mobile dolls."-

"Great," Dearka implied, "I hate fighting mobile dolls!"

It was the battle with these particular four that the Orb forces had come to a further halt. The other remaining mobile suits, the Dinns and Ginns, went head to head against the Astray units in final climactic combat.

From the outskirts of the battle, Heero Yuy and the other Gundam pilots of the 'Wing Realm' watched on as the battle commenced. By this time, the battle had subsided at the second line and the Gundam pilots decided to exit out of their gundams and watch the battle from afar.

"Talk about an intense battle." Duo said.

"Yeah…" Heero replied. "Their reaction time and their combat abilities are incredible."

"Have they been using the Zero system?"-

"No. If the zero system had been activated, there would be a significant change in the tide of the battle."-

"Well, well, well," a voice implied, "I never would have thought that you guys would show up here of all places." The two Gundam Pilots turned to see Riku and the KH team coming up from behind them.

"Hey, Riku," Duo said, "What're you guys doing here?"

"We're here fighting the Midnight Faction. What brings you guys here?"-

"We're doing the exact same thing."-

"The leader of the Alliance, Sneer I think his name was, paid us a visit and told us of the situation regarding the campaigns with the Midnight Faction and the other forces of the old Dark Empire." Heero implied, still looking through his binoculars. "He said that we could really be of some use acting as a coalition force to aid other worlds from being attack by the faction. Knowing the situation that we were previously in, we couldn't refuse. The only way to stop the faction from attempting to attack our world again, we took the liberty of acting as a coalition force to help stop the spread of the faction."

"Our first assignment was to come aid this realm." Duo continued. "Who would have thought that we would be bumping into you guys?" The group watched as the battle raged on.

"It's amazing to see that those four mobile suits haven't received any damage yet."-

"Those are Coordinators for you." Riku implied.

"Coordinators…" Heero asked. "What exactly are Coordinators anyway? Athrun and Kira always mention that they're Coordinators. What makes them so different from us?"

"Coordinators are genetically altered human beings. Thus they have faster reflexes, greater strength, and better thinking skills than we do as naturally born individuals."-

"Is that so?" Duo uttered.

"Then perhaps maybe," Heero thought to himself, "They won't be affected by the nature of the Zero system."

The fight continued as the mobile suits proceeded to fly about, battling one another in intense confrontation. Most of the combat was aggressive hand to hand combat. It seemed however, that the defense forces were slowly being pushed back by the intense fighting capability of Le Creuset and his mobile dolls. At the same time, the Dinns and the Ginns who fought for Le Creuset had managed to eliminate the last of the Astray mobile suits. Despite only being ten Dinns and Ginns, only three had been brought down as casualties. Now, with no Astray mobile suits to worry about, they concentrated their aggression on the four remaining mobile suits; the Freedom, the Justice, the Strike, and the Buster.

"How in the world could have all our Astray mobile suits have fallen so easily" Dearka thought. "They were the top brass pilots of both Naturals and Coordinators."

"The pilots in the remaining Dinns and Ginns must've also been the top brass." Athrun implied. "But whatever the situation may be, it doesn't change the fact that we're being bested in this fight. Now would be a good time to activate the Zero System that Heero installed."

"Are you sure about that?" Kira asked. "We're never tested this system for ourselves."

"I'll be the first to try it and see what happens." But before Athrun could even activate the system, something suddenly struck him from behind. One of the Providence's independent laser emitters had managed to strike Athrun from the rear. The blow was a critical hit to the Justice. For some reason, this one hit had managed to paralyze all combat capability. It was then that Le Creuset's Providence Gundam came charging at Athrun. Athrun, still able to move at least, evaded as best he could. But the Providence was able to slice off the right leg of the Justice.

"Athrun…!" Kira cried. "Athrun are you alright!"

"Damn it," Athrun uttered, "That last hit was certainly a critical one. It managed to rupture the combat system of the Justice. I'm no longer of any use here."

"Withdraw for now."-

"I will." Athrun deactivated his rockets and landed the crippled Justice on the ground near Orb's defense line.

"What happened to Mu?"-

"It looks like he's all out of power. That's why Le Creuset went after me." The two looked to see the Strike had lost its phase shift and was now propped on the ground helplessly.

"Blast," Mu La Fllaga implied. "I'm almost out of power. Damn that Ra Le Creuset, sucking all the energy out of my mobile suit. Sorry you guys."

"Damn," Dearka uttered. "There are only two of us fit enough to continue. Kira, if you have a plan, now's the time to use it."

"I don't know," Kira replied, "I don't know." Suddenly, a transmitted message entered his cockpit. It was Heero Yuy attempting to contact him.

"Kira, Kira, can you hear me?" he asked.

"I can hear you, Heero."-

"We're preparing to reinforce you right now. Use the Zero system to defeat a few of those mobile suits."-

"If it's recommended, then I'll do as you say." Kira, taking Heero's advice, activated the Zero system. Immediately, after doing so, Kira was suddenly filled with a clear image of the enemy. Suddenly, his performance had increased ten fold. Two Dinns attacked him from two different directions, but Kira saw his enemy and defeated them instantly, first evading then quickly retaliating. His reaction time was so accurate now; it seemed to him as if the enemy were standing still. "This system, it's incredible."

"I can't believe it." Athrun saw from afar. "That system suddenly made Kira faster and stronger than before. And I thought he was flawless as he was already."

"At a boy, Kira," Dearka cried. "Give 'em hell!"

Kira now made instant death against the remaining Dinn and Ginn mobile suits, cutting them down in a matter of seconds. But in the process, something was happening. As Kira finished off the last of the Dinn and Ginn suits and turned his attention towards Le Creuset, he started seeing what looked to him like visions. Instead of seeing Le Creuset, he was a thousand Calamities, Raiders, and Forbidden mobile suits attacking him at once. Instantly, Kira became panic stricken after what he had seen. He fired his beam cannons at each suit, but from those suits, he saw his own friends and allies caught in the blast. They were all killed. Kira cried out in agony. The reality of the situation was that he was merely finishing off one of the mobile dolls, the Calamity, with his beam saber, not his cannons. The Calamity suddenly exploded its metal body shattering into pieces.

"Kira," Athrun cried, "What's happening?"

"It must be the effects of the system." Heero implied through the Wing Zero's transmitter. "Even he as a Coordinator can't seem to harness the effects of the Zero system."

In the midst of this sudden turn of events, Le Creuset couldn't believe what he was seeing. Kira had somehow managed to eliminate the remaining remnants of his force in only a few minutes.

"Kira Yamato," Le Creuset thought to himself, "How is it possible for him to be performing this well. These mobile dolls are equal to my own strength and their coordination in combat is flawless. How could it be possible that Kira was able to break their formations? Even as an Ultimate Coordinator, he couldn't possibly have been able to break the strategy of the Calamity, the Raider, and the Forbidden so easily."

Kira suddenly turned again towards the three remaining suits.

"All those who fight…" Kira uttered, "All those who fight in battle are my enemies."

Kira attacked the remaining mobile suits so ruthlessly and so heartlessly, as if he were a killing machine now. The Raider and the Forbidden were battled with and destroyed. Kira then turned his attentions on Le Creuset's Providence gundam.

"You will not have my life so easily." Le Creuset announced and began to move with incredible speed. Using his laser emitters, he attempted to damage the Freedom from all directions. But despite the deployment of the emitter units, Kira managed to dodge and evade the laser beams with ease. "How could he simply dodge the emitters like they were nothing?"

"All those who fight are my enemy!" Kira repeated. "I'll kill them all!"

"Kira…!" Heero shouted from his cockpit. Kira looked to see the 'Wing Realm' gundams approaching. "Kira, don't let the Zero system effect you." But Kira did not heed the word and aimed his beam cannons at them.

"He's gonna fire on us!" Trowa implied.

"That system has certainly got a firm grasp on his mind now." Duo said.

"At this rate, he will not only assure the deaths of his enemies," Zechs said, "But the deaths of his allies."

"That's because he's targeting all those who fight, as his enemy." Wu Fei said. "He has become the perfect soldier."

"Kira, we're you allies!" Quatre shouted. "Don't do it, don't let the system overrun your mind.

"They are my allies?" Kira thought. "No, they fight so they are my enemies. Therefore, I will kill them all!" Kira prepared to fire his beam cannons.

"Hmm," Le Creuset thought to himself. "It appears that this Zero system is quite a powerful weapon. A system that can unlock the pilot's full potential. If I could somehow get my hands on that system, I could become the ultimate pilot. If such a system could increase Kira's abilities, imagine how effective I would become."

"I will kill them all!" Kira shouted, aiming his cannons. "I will kill them all!"

"Kira, don't be foolish!" Trowa cried.

"I will kill all who dare to stand in my way!" Kira unleashed the power of his beam cannons, but as he did, Athrun charged up to Kira's mobile suit.

"Kira, no!" he cried. Sora saw the beams of his cannons enter the cockpit of the Justice. Athrun, overwhelmed by the energy, was consumed and killed by the beams. The Justice exploded before Kira's eyes.

"Athrun…" Kira uttered. "No Athrun!" But he blinked again and found that in reality Athrun had managed to kick the Freedom upward, shooting the beam cannons harmlessly into the atmosphere. Kira began to sweat and gasp for air as he was overcome by a grief that had no meaning.

"Kira," he heard Athrun uttered, "Kira, are you alright?" Kira looked to see that the Justice was still in one piece and that Athrun was still alive.

"Athrun…" he asked.

"You nearly lost it back there, pal. It's that system, it's even too great for you to wield."-

"I saw all these visions. All these…tragedies…All these…deaths…" Kira released the controls of his cockpit and began to cry.

"It's alright, Kira. No one got hurt."-

"Sorry for interrupting this tender moment, but we are still engaged in battle here!" Athrun and Kira looked to see Le Creuset's mobile suit coming straight at them. Kira and Athrun evaded the attack. Kira, still active in combat mode, deactivated the Zero System.

"I can't afford to have myself be controlled by that system." Kira thought to himself. "I must fight this man with my own abilities."

"That Zero system of yours seems rather unique! I could use something like that, which is why I intend to take it from you!"-

"You're such a fool, Le Creuset!" Athrun shouted from afar. "If Kira couldn't master the system, what makes you think that you can?"

"Because I have no flaws that will hold me back…!"-

"This is one screwed up battle." Dearka implied as he watched the Freedom and Justice go head to head with the last remaining mobile suit. "For a minute, I thought Kira was gonna kill his own allies. And now, after that tender moment, Le Creuset attacks again wanting that system." But suddenly, from below, a series of missiles and projectiles went flying at Dearka's mobile suit. He looked down to see that there were still rebels and faction soldiers putting up a resistance. "Well, it seems there are a few more resistant patches about. I better go take care of them before they cause us anymore trouble."

At the same time, Heero and the others hovered not too far from the fight.

"It seems that Kira managed to shut down the system before it consumed him completely." Quatre implied.

"Shall we continue our intervention?" Trowa asked.

"No." Zechs implied. "If all of us intervene now, we'll only be getting in the way. Heero and I will be the ones to provide assistance. The rest of you see if you can assist Mr. Elsman and help demolish the last remnants of resistance on the ground. They may prove to be troublesome for us."

"Right…"-

"Heero, let's go."-

"Roger that." The Tallgeese and the Wing Zero began their advance. "We're backing you up, Athrun and Kira."

"Appreciated..." Athrun said. Now it was four once again that contended with the mighty Providence. The battle continued to rage on, considering that the main central intelligence had already fallen to the KH team.

At the same time, Sora and Ophelia continued to work their way to the Apocalypse XG-1 hanger to deactivate the cannon. But as they passed the main control room where she had been before, Ophelia once again glanced into the room, scanning at the monitors. It was scanning at the monitors that caused her to stop. She walked into the control room and stared at the screens in shock.

"Miss Billiard." Sora uttered. "Miss Billiard, we have to deactivate the cannon."

"Why are they still fighting?" Ophelia asked. "Why is the Midnight Faction still fighting? This facility has already fallen to us. Isn't it all completely meaningless?"

"They don't know what has been going on here. As far as those defenders are concerned, the base is still under the faction's control."-

"Well, it's about time that they know different. Sora, get to the hanger and deactivate the cannon."-

"What are you gonna do?"-

"I'm going to stay here and announce the fall of this base."-

"But…"-

"I don't want to see anymore lives senselessly wasted over a cause that has already been lost." Sora could only look down. He then looked up at Miss Billiard.

"Alright," he said, "I'll go and deactivate the cannon. But be careful. There may still be some resistors meandering about."

"Same to you…" Miss Billiard replied. Sora rushed out of the room and continued his way to the hanger. In the meantime, Miss Billiard prepared to make her announcement to the entire compound through the loud speakers.

At the same time, Cuchulain, Riku, and the rest of the KH team watched as there saw the continuous battle commencing just between the final defense line and the second defense line.

"I don't know why they keep fighting." Riku said.

"Yeah…" Donald added, folding his arms in front of him. "Don't they realize that it's all just a lost cause now? The shield has been deactivated and our reinforcements have stormed the compound and are ready to break through the final defense line. Why the heck are they putting up such a fight for?"

"This is there last line of defense." Cuchulain uttered. "Though the shield has been taken down and the possibility of the compound's fall is eminent, they still continued to battle."

"But why do they continue to fight?"-

"They fight for the cause to which they strongly believe. This battle is the final act of desperation on the side of the faction. If they are defeated here, there is no place else to go."-

"But this battle is completely against them." Riku said.

"That's true." Cuchulain explained. "But a true warrior will always battle, despite the cause being lost or not. Those men have dedicated their lives to seeing their dreams fulfilled. Even if it is a goal that is narrow viewed and perceived by us as evil, they continued to fight for it because it's the one thing that motivates them to fight. To surrender openly to the Orb coalition and us would be an act of dishonor. Only through death would they be satisfied."

"But it all seems so sad." Goofy said, looking down with a sorrowful frown on his face.

"It's such a waste of life." Riku added.

"It's natural for you to feel sad for them." Cuchulain explained. "That is why battles are so tragic. If they weren't, then we would take pleasure in ending the lives of others far too much."

But as the battle raged on, a booming voice was heard over the loud speaker of the compound.

"Attention resistance forces of the Midnight Faction and the Supporters of Justice," the voice announced.

"That voice," Riku uttered, "It's Miss Billiard."

"Cease this fighting at once and drop your weapons." Miss Billiard continued to declare. "The main compound of the Midnight Faction has already fallen to the Orb coalition forces. Cease your fighting immediately. Cease your fighting immediately and surrender."

Soon after this declaration, there was a rise of shouts of decent and scorn coming from the ranks of the Midnight Faction and the Supporters of Justice. The firing of guns didn't grow silent, but instead intensified.

"I don't believe it." Riku said, frustrated. "Those damned idiots won't listen to her."

"Hey fellers," Goofy said as he was looking through the binoculars, "It looks like they're trying to storm the main compound. The soldiers are trying to break through the main doors."

"Let me see." He took the binoculars from Goofy and gazed into the distance. Sure enough, Riku saw at least two thousand faction troops and Coordinator Rebels trying to break through the main gates, using every explosive imaginable. "I better go give Sora and Ophelia a hand." Riku jumped from the rocky face of the hill to which they were standing and leaped down toward the hell awaiting him at the final defense line.

"Riku, come back!" Goofy cried.

"We're coming with you!" Donald added.

"Not this time!" Cuchulain cried. "We have much bigger fish to worry about." He pointed to show a large body of Heartless suddenly appeared between Riku and themselves.

"Not these guys again."-

"Stand fast." Cuchulain unleashed the Gae Bulga that was strapped on his back and presented the spear before his attacking enemies. "We finish this here and now." Goofy and Donald brought forth their own weapons and prepared to take on the dark hordes head on.

Meanwhile, Sora had made it to the hanger where the Apocalypse XG-1 was. Sliding the card through the access slot, he deactivated the constructive output of the cannon reducing the weapon to become no more effective than the average siege weapon. While doing this, he watched on the monitors in the hanger as the battles continued to rage on and on.

"Even after Miss Billiard made her declaration, those people refuse to stop battling." Sora thought to himself. Taking the access card and putting it in his left pants pocket, he rushed back the control room, hoping to assist Colonel Billiard.

It had not been five minutes before he reached the control room. There, he saw Miss Billiard still gazing at the monitors. She rested herself upon the control panel. Her arms stiffened straight, bearing the front of her weight.

"Despite what I said, those people continue to fight." She implied.

"Those guys are fighting out of desperation now." Sora said. "But their chance of winning now dwindles as fast as their numbers do."

"Did you deactivate the cannon?"-

"I did. The cannon's no more of use than as an effective siege weapon, nothing more." Sora happened to glance at one of the monitors that observed the activity at the front gates. What he saw were thousands of angry troops slowly breaking through the reinforced doors of the compound. "It looks like we'll be expecting more company."

Ophelia glanced at the monitor too and saw the angry looks on the faces of the soldiers.

"If they manage to break through those doors and storm in, they'll try to kill us." She uttered, "In response, we'll have to kill them and more lives will be lost! That means more death and more suffering for the people who await their return."

"Nevertheless, we have to stop them." Sora turned to rush out of the control room and back to the main doors. But as he turned, he found himself face to face with an old enemy.

"Going somewhere so soon, Natural?" It was Romulus Von Console standing before the two KH team members. He leaned up against the frame of the door, the dry blood soiled all over his white shell jacket, tainting it a crimson red. He held a gun in his left hand. His right arm had been rendered useless from Dunker's gunshot wound, so he tried to hold the gun up as best he could with his left. He aimed it at Sora. Sora wouldn't have time to dodge this time. Otherwise, he would be shot at almost point blank range. "It looks as though I finally caught up with you."

"So," Sora implied, "You're still as determined to make your dream a reality in the end eh?"

"Sora…!" Ophelia shouted.

"It's alright. I guess it had to end somehow." Sora opened his arms and prepared to receive the shot he knew was coming. But it didn't come. Sora opened one eye and looked at Von Console who still held the gun at him.

"I'd kill you, but I have no right to do so anymore." Von Console implied. "Even if I was to kill you and the Orb forces were dispersed by some radical form of luck, we'd still have to worry about the hostile takeover of the Midnight Faction and the plunging of this world into darkness. If that happens, then the sacrifice my men and I made for our cause would have been a waste." Von Console lowered his gun and dropped it on the floor. "My men would never listen to a stranger's advice, but they will listen to me." Von Console stumbled into the room, nearly falling. Sora managed to catch the young man, preventing him from tumbling to the floor. "Take me to the control panel." Sora slung the dying Coordinator's arm around his neck and led him to the control panel. Leaning over the microphone, he prepared to make his declaration to the remaining defenders.

Amidst the chaos of the battle, Von Console's voice began to boom out throughout the compound.

"Attention, attention," Von Console began. "This is my declaration to my faithful followers of the Supporters of Justice and you soldiers of the Midnight Faction."

"That's Commander Von Console." One of the soldiers implied. The Coordinator rebels ceased their firing for a short period of time to listen to the declaration given out by their leader.

"That must be Romulus Von Console." Athrun uttered. He and other mobile suits ceased their battle with Le Creuset. Le Creuset ceased his fight as well, listening to the declaration of Von Console.

"What is the meaning of this declaration?" Le Creuset implied.

"My brave brothers in arms," Von Console began, "Each and every one of you has proven his grit and his courage upon this field of honor. You have served faithfully to our cause and to our dream of creating a new world. But now it is time for us to put down our weapons for good. This facility has already been taken over by the Orb coalition and their allies. To add, the faction leader, Lieutenant Hydra Dunker has been killed in battle. I realize the situation now and I fear I have not long to live. But I am determined to tell you all, with the remaining strength that I have left, to drop your weapons and surrender yourselves. There is no longer a need for you to sacrifice yourselves anymore than you already have."

"I cannot believe what I am hearing." Le Creuset uttered to himself. "Why would he surrender?"

"We have been striving to create a peaceful world. The reality however is that we had a peaceful world from the start, but by arming ourselves and fighting against the whole of the Earth Nation, we had shattered that peace to which so many in the past had spilled their blood for. Thus, I am announcing the immediate disbanding of the Supporters of Justice and our alliance with the Midnight Faction. For those who wish to go in peace, drop your weapons and surrender. For those of you, who will continue to fight for this cause, end your lives now to help maintain peace in this world. It has been an honor to fight along side you brave souls, but now we must retire and sheathe out swords, for the better of this world."-

"You made the correct choice, Von Console." Athrun implied to himself.

Immediately, the firing of the weapons began to slowly, but surely die down and the peaceful morning sounds of birds in the trees and the rustling of trees in the breeze could be heard again. Many of the faithful who followed Von Console, though disgusted with his declaration, did not dare to challenge his word and many surrendered. Others who refused to relinquish their hopes, charged desperately against the coalition forces, losing their lives or severely wounding themselves in the process. The Midnight Faction, with no leader, and seeing their allies abandon their ranks, as well as seeing the continuously growing number of Orb troops, followed the example of their Coordinator comrades and surrendered themselves as well.

The only one who refused to surrender without a fight was Ra Le Creuset who continued to battle against the Orb forces.

"You fools," he shouted, "You dare to surrender yourselves to the enemy?" Le Creuset, angered by the result, began firing at those who surrendered. The Orb forces and the KH team were shocked at what they saw. Hundreds of faction solders and Coordinators were caught in the blasts from the laser emitters of the Providence and were killed upright. While some picked up their weapons and continued to fight, fearing for their lives, others ran and hid to conceal themselves from Le Creuset's rage as well as protect them from the explosion.

"Le Creuset, you monster," Mu La Fllaga roared, "How can you stoop so low as to kill your own men!"

"There is no room for cowards here!" he declared. "And I will kill all those who dare to flee before the enemy!"

"Your cause is already lost, Le Creuset!" Athrun shouted. "And you're only killing more of your comrades!"

"Then if I must fight alone, I will do so! But our plans will succeed! It's all that matters if one wants to emerge victorious!"-

"Stop this at once." A voice shouted from the Providence's transmitter. Le Creuset looked to see the face of Von Console appear on the screen. "I have already declared my surrender, Le Creuset. Stop fighting already."

"I am the only one who continues to fight for the good of our cause!" Le Creuset. "I am fighting longer than anyone. I am fighting longer than even you, Commander Von Console. Then I will be portrayed as a hero to future generations as the one who never gave up. My sacrifice will give rise to yet another battle and further resistance until our dream is finally realized."

"So you'll give rise to further chaos and cause more lives to be lost?"-

"This world is only meant for the Coordinator and the Coordinator alone."-

"Even so, this world will still fall into darkness."-

"I will fight and fight and I will kill all who dare to stand in my way!"-

"But you will never be revered as a hero, Le Creuset! Not after you inflicted death and destruction upon your own comrades!"-

"But once our dream is realized, then I will be revered as a hero through the history which I am creating!" Le Creuset continued to battle and battle, not letting up against the mobile suits that dared to attack him. "And I will become darkness itself in order to fulfill that dream."

"Then, you are evil!" Wu Fei suddenly shouted. "And all evil must be destroyed!" From his post, Wu Fei charged at the Providence.

"Wu Fei!" Duo shouted. "Be careful!"

"I will rid this and every other world of evil once and for all! I will defeat the enemies that must be destroyed!"-

"But your crusade ends here!" With one kick, Le Creuset knocked away the Altron Gundam. Wu Fei went crashing to the ground. Le Creuset then unleashed a barrage of lasers upon the Altron. But at the last minute, Quatre rushed in with the Sandrock Gundam blocking the beams.

"Wu Fei!" he cried.

"You fool," Wu Fei shouted, "What are you doing?"

"Giving you a hand, what else?"-

"Then you both shall die!" Le Creuset unleashed a barrage of lasers, inflicting serious damage on the Sandrock. But for that moment as Le Creuset unleashed his barrage, Mu La Fllaga appeared from behind him.

"This ends now!" Mu shouted. Before Le Creuset could react, Mu struck the back of the Providence with the strike's beam saber, nearly slicing the mobile suit in half. The beam saber pierced the cockpit and cut Le Creuset deep in the side. "You thought I was finished in this fight, all the better for you to let your guard down on me. It's a proper death for a monster like you, Le Creuset."

"You…bastard…" There was a massive explosion and the Providence exploded in a grand display taking the former ZAFT officer with it. But despite being an enemy, Athrun and Dearka, once part of the Le Creuset team, could only salute respectfully to their fallen comrade.

Then, from the cockpits of the remaining mobile suits, their sensors picked up a large heat source approaching.

"Another large object is making its way here!" Kira shouted.

"It's coming from above." Duo added.

The mobile suits looked up to see a large, elongated ship descend upon the compound. It looked like a large cigar still in its silver casing. It glimmered like the mid-morning sun. Upon its side was a symbol that most were all to familiar with.

"That symbol…" Zechs uttered.

"But that's the…" Athrun implied.

Soon, a series of underside battle turrets emerged from the bottom of the ship and a declaration over a large speaker began to blast out.

"This is the Universal Alliance!" it shouted.

"That voice…" Riku said.

"Could it be…?" Goofy implied.

"It's President Sneer." Cuchulain uttered.

"But what's he doing here of all places?" Donald wondered.

"This is a declaration to the Midnight Faction." Sneer continued. "Discard all your weapons and surrender. You are now under the jurisdiction of the Universal Alliance and your presence here in this world is no longer acquired. Surrender at once or you will be fired upon. I repeat, surrender at once or you will be fired upon."

The remaining faction soldiers, who still put up resistance, finally realized that continuing to battle was futile. They dropped their weapons and surrendered themselves without further delay. The remnants of the Supporters of Justice, seeing their own downfall, quickly surrendered as well, according to their leader's wishes.

"Well, it's about time that you guys showed up!" Duo shouted.

In the control room, the three who remained watched as the downfall of the Midnight Faction and the Supporters of Justice unfolded before their eyes on the monitors of the control room.

"Well, that's that I guess." Sora uttered.

"I guess it was for the best." Von Console uttered.

It was then that on the monitor, where there was once an angry mob of soldiers trying to break in, Ophelia Billiard spotted Riku passing by the now surrendering soldiers and walking up to the main gate.

"It's Riku." She uttered. Searching for the activation switch for the front doors, she opened them hastily. Riku, sensing where they were, headed down the left passage leading to the control room. Within minutes, Riku was there in the control room.

"And here I was hoping for a good fight." He uttered as he came into the room. "But it seems you guys beat me to the punch."

"Glad to see that you're alive and in one piece…" Sora implied. "I'm surprised none of those soldiers tried to attack you. How did you know where to find us?"

"Well those soldiers knew that it would have been a waste of their efforts to attack me when it seems pointless. As for finding you, you were giving off enough energy for me to find you." He walked up to Sora and Ophelia. "I'm glad to see that you two don't have any scratches on you."

"Well, it was thanks to those senzu beans." Ophelia implied.

"I'm glad to hear that." Riku smiled at her. Ophelia, still rather shy to look Riku eye to eye, turned away slightly. Again she began to blush. "You did well…Ophelia…"

Ophelia, summoning enough courage, looked at him in the eye. The two smiled, looking into each other's eyes softly.

"Uh…I hate to break it up…" Sora uttered. "But what do we do with this guy?" Riku and Ophelia looked to see the dying young man hanging on Sora's shoulder.

"Who is he?" Riku asked.

"This is the leader of the Supporters of Justice, Romulus Von Console."-

Romulus looked up at Riku, admiring the sight of the tall young man in his black trench coat.

"So you must be the feared Noctin Tilandir." He asked.

"I am." Riku implied.

"You don't seem as dangerous now as you did before."-

"And you are the leader of the Supporters of Justice."-

"Tell me, did I do the right thing, surrendering my men?"-

"To tell you the truth, it was an admirable deed you did." Ophelia inquired. "It would have been easy to fight to the last man, but to spare the lives of your men was an even more difficult decision to make."

"I just wanted…to engage in one act that might help me realize…my new opinion on the world." Von Console lifted his eyes at Sora. "You were right, Sora. Naturals and Coordinators…can get along. It matters on tolerance. We all have a responsibility…to uphold. And to stop the chaos…that I created…was my responsibility…I can't undo the acts I did…but I can make up for it…I hope it was the best decision…for the entire world…" Von Console, severely weakened by the loss of blood, died still hanging onto Sora's shoulder. There was silence as the KH team witnessed the death of their foe that had made his last act as repentance for the crimes he committed.

"He's dead." Sora uttered.

"But his sacrifice was not in vain." Riku implied. "He had gained a sense of respect and responsibility for both Coordinators and Naturals." Sora laid the young man on the ground.

"Shall we bear him out?"-

"No." Ophelia advised. "Allow him the dignity of dying alongside his comrades." Sora made no argument and left the body lying as it was. "It's still not over for us here though. You two still have that keyhole to lock."

"Oh that's right." Sora implied. "In the generator chamber…"

"You mean you found the keyhole to this world?" Riku asked.

"Yes, it's in the generator chamber."-

"Then we better go close it."-

The three made their way out of the control room, not glancing back a second time and rushed to the generator chamber on the other side of the compound. As they entered the chamber, the three once again laid eyes upon the massive glowing keyhole.

"There it is." Ophelia uttered.

"Then let's lock this world up for good." Sora said.

"Forever this time…" Riku added. Deploying their keyblades, they aimed at the keyhole and in unison the energy beams from their keyblades were deployed. The two beams intertwined and struck at the massive keyhole. As what happened in years past, the keyhole was consumed in a bright light. Once the lock was complete, the light faded and the keyhole vanished from sight. Both key bearers lowered their weapons and diminished them into their being.

"So, it is done…" Riku uttered.

It was noon by the time the chaos subsided. Thousand of faction soldiers and Coordinator rebels were assembled and held as prisoners by Orb and the Universal Alliance. Riku, Sora, and Ophelia Billiard emerged from the main HQ to find Donald, Goofy, Cuchulain, and President Sneer himself standing to meet them.

"Well, it seems you managed to get out of that hell without a scratch." Cuchulain chuckled.

"The same goes for you." Sora added.

"Well done," Sneer said, "You have managed to subdue the Midnight Faction and drive them from this world. Have you the leaders in custody?"

"Both of the leaders are dead." Riku said. Sneer was shocked at what he had heard, but he lowered his head and sighed.

"Perhaps it was for the best then. They wouldn't have to suffer the humiliation of being captured. Could you tell me their names?"-

"It was Hydra Dunker and Romulus Von Console."-

"I shall take their names into account. And it is best that you keep their identities a secret. Despite being our foes, I do not want to cause them further humiliation by desecrating their bodies."-

"Understood…"-

Sneer then happened to look at Ophelia Billiard. Presenting himself before her, Sneer looked at her with a glance into her eyes.

"You must be Colonel Ophelia Billiard." He implied. "The infamous Tiger of Goth as you are sometimes referred as."

"Yes sir." Ophelia implied.

"You are a faction officer though. Why are you siding with us?"-

"Well I…I…"-

"She's been through a lot, Sneer." Riku said. "You think you can take it easy on her?"

"I need to confirm on whether or not she can truly be trusted, Riku. Colonel Billiard has gained a reputation for being a ruthless warrior and has battled against the Universal Alliance many times, sparing no one. So I must hear from her own mouth what her true feelings are." Sneer turned towards Ophelia. "Well, I'm waiting for your excuse."

"I…I…" Ophelia sighed and swallowed her fear. "I was revealed the truth by Lieutenant Colonel Hydra Dunker. Once the faction was done with me, they would dispense with me believing that I was a threat to their security."

"Is that so? It sounds good."-

"You have to believe me, Your Excellency. It's true that I was an officer of the faction and that I ruthlessly killed your men or extracted information from them to gain further knowledge for the faction. And I had every intension of killing the key bearers just as Lord Sirius Viicous instructed me. But after encountering the KH team, I managed to search the heart of Riku and began to realize that perhaps what I have been fighting for was only for the sake of achieving the goals of men concerned with their own position. Whereas, the KH team is fighting for the better of the universe, much like yourself, Mr. President. You might say that I had a drastic change of heart." She looked at Riku for a second or to. When Riku looked at her, Ophelia's shyness reemerged and she turned her head away again, blushing. Clearing her throat, she stood tall before the president of the Universal Alliance. "Instead of questioning what I was fighting for, I began to question what I should really be fighting against. Thus, I turned to the KH team for help. It wasn't until recently that I realized that the Midnight Faction was planning to kill me once the ordeal with the key bearers was concluded." Taking her dagger, Ophelia placed the blade across the palm of her hand and slashed a deep cut in it. Her hand seeped drops of blood that dripped upon the dry ground. "Let this be my act of atonement to your Excellency."

"I'll decide that for myself whether your intensions are pure or not." Sneer implied, "Because like you, I too have the ability to sense the inner feelings and emotions of one's head and heart." Sneer took her other hand and placed his hand upon hers. Sneer then scanned the deepest psyche of her mind and heart. Even the deepest places of her soul were scanned. Sneer then gazed up at her. Suddenly, upon his face, there was a smile. "Well, my dear, it seems you've found your soul after all. Welcome as a member of the Universal Alliance and the KH team."

"Thank you, Your Excellency."-

"As for you, Riku," Sneer looked at Riku.

"Sir…?" Riku asked.

"You and Sora certainly have a charm. You must have made quite an impression on this young lady." Sneer turned away. "Take care of her as best you can. A young lady like that needs to find at least a little hint of love in her life am I right?"

"We'll take care of her." Riku placed his arm around her and held Ophelia against his breast. Ophelia began to blush again and smiled. Sora looked on and then nudged Riku in the side.

"It looks like you really hit it off with Miss Billiard, Riku." Sora chuckled with a mischievous grin on his face.

"What are you trying to get at, Sora?" Riku uttered. He suddenly began to blush.

"Hey, hey, what's this, Riku? Is that sunburn on your face or are you blushing?" Riku smacked Sora at the back of the head.

"Shut up, Sora…" he mumbled trying to keep a smile.

"Very well done, very well done indeed." Sneer chuckled. His amusement turned to seriousness soon after. "However, despite the success in this realm, it doesn't necessarily mean that your job is through. Thought you have managed to take down the Midnight Faction's greatest weapon, there's still the matter at hand regarding the mass production of the new mobile doll models."

"Oh year, that's right." Sora uttered, rubbing the back of head. "We have to eliminate the mass production facilities for those mobile dolls."

"But there's one problem." Ophelia implied. "We have no way of knowing where the facilities are."

"Well, you're in luck." Sneer chuckled. "That's why I have come here personally. I have come to tell you where the mobile doll production facilities are.

"Well, give us a clue." Donald said.

"Yeah, so we can get going." Goofy added.

"You will find these facilities in the 'Rurouni Realm,'" Sneer explained, "It is there they are assembling the mobile dolls."

"The Rurouni Realm…?" Sora uttered. "But that's where Kenshin and his friends live. That's the Meiji Era of Japan. Don't you think the assembly of advanced mobile dolls would look all too suspicious?"

"In a way yes, but manufacturing the mobile dolls in a world where industrial technology is still in its infancy, the Midnight Faction would have no trouble in taking it over and breaking up any resistance. That's why we need you to help save that world and bring an end to the mass mobile doll production. It would be beneficial to both us and that realm."-

"But wait a minute though." Riku implied. "We still have a Blade General to go after, that General Dagger whose doing research on Zoid cores in the 'Zi Realm'."

"You don't have to worry about that, Riku." Sneer implied. "I have a few agents working there who have contacted the authorities in that realm and they are keeping an eye out for General Dagger and the faction. Believe me, if it were a drastic measure, I wouldn't be delaying you in your quest. But right now those mobile dolls manufacturing facilities are the greatest threat to us and you are the only ones I have available to cease the activity there. If the faction manages to complete the production of their mobile dolls, those new models will be able to crush the rivaling factions and force them into submission. Then once they join the ranks of the Midnight Faction, they'll prove just as great a threat as the former Dark Empire."-

"I see what you mean." Riku nodded. "Very well, then the 'Rurouni Realm' is our next destination."

"And just in case you meet some stiff resistance," Sneer then turned to Cuchulain, "Cuchulain, I want you to go with them."

"Sir…?"-

"You have done well assisting me by engaging in the assignments I've given you. But from this point on the KH team will be facing against more powerful foes and surmounting obstacles even greater than the ones already encountered. Thus, I would like for you to accompany them."-

"Sneer," Sora implied, "Do you think that this is wise? You'll be losing one of your best fighters to us."

"You ladies and gents need Cuchulain's help right now. He has proven to be reliable and quite effective in battle. You've seen that first hand already. And believe me, when you confront the faction beyond this point, you will need as many allies as possible."-

"Then welcome aboard, Cuchulain."-

"We could always use an extra hand to help." Riku said. Stretching out his hand he gave the Hound a hearty shake.

"Then so be it." Cuchulain replied.

"But we still need to get our ship." Donald remarked. "And it's still sitting in that field thirty miles from here."

"There's no need for you to trek that far." Sneer said. "I have a little something for you." Sneer pointed behind him and revealed the ship.

"The gummi," Sora uttered, "How did it get here?"-

"We detected its homing signal, so I decided to pick it up. It's been refitted, repaired and given maintenance. Use it well."-

"Thanks Sneer." Riku said. "But you didn't have to go out of your way to do that for us."-

"We may be at war, but there is no excuse not to help fellow comrades in need is there? This is an act of civility towards you."-

"Thanks."-

It was then that the 'Wing Realm' and 'Seed Realm' pilots approached the group and presented themselves before Sneer.

"Colonel Athrun Zala reporting." Athrun replied with a salute.

"Colonel Zechs Marquise reporting." Zechs added. "Our mission has been successful and all prisoners have been apprehended.

"Very well done, Colonels." Sneer implied. "You have my gratitude."

"Hey," Sora said. "I didn't know that you guys from the 'Wing Realm' were here too."

"Hard to believe isn't it, Sora." Duo chuckled.

"What brings you guys here?"-

"We were brought here to aid the 'Seed Realm'." Trowa added. "We're acting as a temporary coalition. At least until this thing with the Midnight Faction is over."

"Once again, we are glad to have you aid us." Mu La Fllaga implied.

"Speaking of which," Sneer said, "I have a proposition for you gents of the 'Seed Realm.' I would like for you to help aid the Universal Alliance in quelling the faction's activity from other worlds."

"What was that?" Dearka asked. "You want us to participate as well?"

"It's up to you though. I'm giving you a choice whether or not you would like to act as a temporary coalition force siding with the Universal Alliance. If you accept, I would like Athrun Zala and Kira Yamato to help lead as co-leaders with the ranks of Lieutenant Generals."-

"What…?" Kira uttered.

"Lieutenant Generals…?" Athrun added.

"Yes," Sneer said, "You will be in charge of a 'Seed Realm' coalition that will be deployed at your own digression, much like those of the 'Wing Realm'."

"I don't know. The rank of a Lieutenant General, that's an awfully large responsibility."-

"It would be in the best benefit for both the universe and the 'Seed Realm'."-

There was a slight silence within the group Athrun and Kira huddled together to discuss the terms given to them. They then raised their heads.

"Kira and I have made a decision." Athrun implied. "We accept the terms you have given us."

"It will be for the benefit of the 'Seed Realm'." Kira added. "If the faction isn't quelled, then there's no guarantee that our home will be safe from such an outside threat."

"The rank of Lieutenant General," Dearka uttered, "You two are so lucky. But then again, you do have that bigger responsibility."

"It's going to be a tough assignment for you two young gentlemen." Sneer implied. "I'll explain the details regarding your participation later."

"Well," Riku said, "I congratulate you, Kira and Athrun, but the KH team has an assignment of its own to fulfill."

"That's right." Sora added. "The longer we delay, the more likely the faction will carry out with its plans."

"Then carry on ladies and gents." Sneer implied. "And may good luck smile upon you."

The KH team bowed respectfully and retired to the gummi ship. The pilots saluted as they watched the KH team depart.

Their next destination…the 'Rurouni Realm.'


	22. The Rurouni Realm

The 'Rurouni Realm'

The endurance encountered in the 'Seed Realm' had made the KH team even stronger and more determined than before. Their success had boosted their morale and had given them a strong boost of confidence. Now there were six members of the KH team with the power of the Hound of Ulster fighting alongside them. Now, the 'Rurouni Realm' lay before them. It still was a sight to behold as they flew over the historical streets of a city in Japan during the reign of Emperor Meiji. This time, they arrived during the early morning, so rarely anyone was out and about.

"This place sure has changed a lot since the last time we were here in this realm." Sora said.

"How's that…?" Donald asked.

"Well, for some reason, this city looks more…I don't know…westernized."-

"That's because this it the reign of Emperor Meiji." Riku implied. "Remember that he was in demand for everything western. And Japan was undergoing a radical change of society from the old shogunate to a more modern way of life to compete with the rest of the world."

"Little do these people realize how advanced the rest of the universe has become." Cuchulain said. "This age of history has no knowledge of large moving war machines, let alone mobile suits. So if the mobile dolls were to be deployed in this realm, it would seem like the end of the world to them."

"So is that the reason why the Midnight Faction assembled their mobile doll mass production facilities here?" Sora asked.

"The faction knew that this world, being in an early industrial stage, would not be much of a threat to them. So even if they were discovered, they would be able to unleash their dolls and take over this entire country in only an hour or so."

"Well, now that we're here, where should we start?" Donald asked.

"We should try landing this thing first." Riku said. He spotted a grassy clearing surrounded by some trees. There an old shrine, no longer in use, stood there. "Make our descent there. It's nice and secluded. I'm sure no one will look for it there."

"I gotcha…"-

The gummi made a stealthy descent into the clearing and landed safely onto the ground. The rockets were extinguished and the gummi was deactivated. The doors of the gummi opened up and the KH team walked out into the early morning atmosphere, breathing in the fresh air. The dew still hung upon the leaves of the trees and the air was still a crisp and fresh taste.

"Well, now that we're here," Goofy inquired, "Where do we start looking?"

"We could start by asking around town." Ophelia remarked. "We can find out from the local inhabitants on whether there has been strange activity going on around here."

"It's still the early hours of the morning in this world though." Riku said. "I doubt that anyone is out and about yet."

"Well, let's start looking around at least." Sora said. "We have to break the ice at some point."

"Sora does have a point." Cuchulain remarked.

"Then let's go." Donald stated. "No use standing about here like a bunch of dummies."

The KH team began their walk. They crossed a bridge that was built over the local river that passed through the city. As they walked quietly down the road, they watched as some of the locals who were out and about began to open up shop. Others were sweeping the entryway to their establishments and then throwing cup loads of water on the ground to prevent dust from accumulating during the day. The local inhabitants made solemn bows as the KH team walked by. The KH team in response nodded respectfully in return.

"I must admit, the people certainly are friendly in this town." Sora implied.

"That's because it's common courtesy to greet someone who passes by." Ophelia implied.

"Well, I could really go for something to eat." Goofy said, rubbing his rumbling stomach.

"Goofy does have a point." Sora implied. "We haven't eaten since our trip to the 'Wing Realm'. Maybe this time we could at least have a decent meal without having to worry about being poisoned."

"That's a lot easier said than done." Ophelia implied. "It's still the early morning and people are just opening their shops. I don't think that anyone has started cooking yet."

"Excuse me." A young lady implied from the front of her establishment. The KH team looked to see that she was standing underneath what looked like a restaurant. It was called the Akabecko and the young lady who beckoned them was, unknown to the KH team, the owner of the restaurant. "Come here please."

The KH team approached.

"Yes, ma'am," Sora asked. "What can we do for you?"

"My name is Miss Tai. I couldn't help overhear your conversation, but did you say that you were hungry?"-

"Actually yes we are."-

"You wouldn't happen to have food ready would you?" Goofy asked.

"We're hungry." Donald added.

"Starving…"-

"Famished…"-

"We haven't had a decent meal for a while ma'am." Riku said. "Would it be alright if you were to prepare something for us?"

"Of course," Miss Tai said, "Come on in and we'll have you set up. I hope you like beef pot."

"Beef pot…?" Sora asked.

"It's kind of like beef stew." Riku said. "It's easy to prepare."

"Sounds good…"-

The KH team entered the establishment and was placed in a sitting booth on the floor. They sat around a fire pit placed in the center of the booth with a large black pot of boiling water placed over it. A series of chopsticks and small dishes were placed around them.

"What the heck are these?" Donald asked looking at the chopsticks.

"Are they like drumsticks?" Goofy added.

"They're chopsticks," Cuchulain implied, "An eastern style eating utensil used widely in all parts of the Asian sector on Earth. It's also widely used in many parts of the Universal Alliance. I remember Sneer teaching me how to use these when we went out for sushi one time." Cuchulain placed it in his hand and began to move it about in a pincer fashion.

"I like using chopsticks for when we have noodle soup." Sora chuckled.

"You place them in you hand like this." Riku explained, pointing out the way the chopsticks should be held. "Once you have the chopsticks placed in you hand like this, you use you middle finger to move the upper stick up and down like this." Riku tapped his middle finger on the upper stick, making it clamp against the lower chopstick like a pincer.

"Oh, I get it." Goofy implied.

"But what's the point of eating like this?" Donald said. "Why can't they just use a knife and fork like everyone else?"

"It's to help maintain one's manners," Miss Billiard said, "So one doesn't, how shall I say this, make a pig out of themselves."

"Oh I get it, common courtesy right?"-

"That's right."

"Ladies and gents," Miss Tai said, returning with a large assortment of different dishes consisting of beef and vegetables, "Here you go and help yourselves. Please call for me if you need anything else."

"Thank you." Riku said.

"But all this food is raw though." Goofy said.

"You idiot..." Donald implied. "That's what the big pot in the middle is for. You stick all this stuff, the beef and the vegetables, into the pot and you cook them to the desired condition you want it. If you like your beef well done, you leave it in for a while. And if you like your beef a little more medium rare, you leave it in for half the time."

"Shall we?" Sora said.

"Let's go for it." Riku added.

The team placed the goods into the pot and had them boil for a good few minutes. The smell that accumulated from the pot was a heavenly one that made their mouths water.

"This smells good." Cuchulain chuckled.

"I'm practically drooling." Goofy uttered as he watched the beef boil to a nice brown.

"Well, let's see." Ophelia implied. She was the first to dunk her chopsticks into the pot and pull out a large piece of cooked beef. Placing it on her dish, she blew to level down the heat. Then, with a small bite, she tasted it. "It's well done and pretty good, you guys. Dig in."

The KH team began to ravage at the beef pot like a school of piranha, slowly picking at the morsels in the pot a little at a time.

"I can't believe how much there is." Sora said and he ate another morsel.

"There's certainly a lot more than we had expected." Riku added.

"Who cares," Donald chuckled, "This is filling. I feel as though I've gained a lot today. I learned how to use chopsticks and now I'm gaining a full belly again." The KH team enjoyed their first hot meal that have had not been able to have for at least a day or two. This time, there was no danger of the food being drugged. By this time, passers by were starting to fill up into the restaurant and the beef pot shop was beginning to engage full swing to serve its customers.

"I can't believe how this place suddenly filled up with customers." Sora said. "And it's still morning too."

"Well, we have been here for a while." Ophelia said. "By now the people are out and about in their trade, doing whatever it is that they do daily."

Miss Tai returned to check on them.

"Well," she said, "How are you ladies and gents doing here?"

"This is the best meal we've had in ages." Sora said.

"I'm glad you like it."-

"Tell me miss," Riku implied, "Now that you're here, you think you can fill us in on something?"

"Of course, sir, what would you like to know?"-

"I've been meaning to ask you if there has been any strange activity been going on lately."-

"Well now that you mention it." Miss Tai lowered her voice to a whisper. "There has been some strange activity going on."

"Like what?"-

"Well, for one thing, we've been seeing people walking about wearing the kind of outfit like what this young lady here has on."-

Ophelia looked down at her black shell jacket.

"So," Cuchulain uttered, "The Midnight Faction is here."

"Without a doubt." Riku added.

"Has there been any trouble from these people?"-

"So far, there hasn't been any kind of scuffle from them." Miss Tai explained. "They sometimes come in for a meal and don't start any trouble. People around here figure that they must be some sort of government officials."

"Trust me, ma'am." Ophelia implied. "The guys wearing these uniforms are anything, but government officials."

"Have they made constant appearances in this town?" Cuchulain asked.

"Well, actually," Tai said, "They only make an appearance on rare occasions. They've only made appearances when a murder was committed. This month alone has seen over fifteen murders."

"Fifteen…?" Donald uttered.

"That's right."-

"Perhaps the faction has been initiating these murders then." Sora said, "Trying to kill anyone who knew too much about their activities here."

"We're those guys in black always present at a murder scene?" Riku asked.

"No, only on occasion," Tai continued, "They would be more like passers by to say the least."

"So maybe, it's not the faction." Sora said.

"It's the faction alright." Ophelia implied. "This is the way that they initiate their ability to execute individuals who know too much about their secret activity. They would send out their mercenaries or their hired assassins, trek down their target and kill them, in most cases in a secluded area where there are no chances of help and no witnesses about. On occasion, to throw the authorities off their trail, they would make an appearance at the crime scene and act as if they were merely spectators."

"So it's possible that these people killed found out about the faction's activities here." Riku said.

"We have to be on the lookout for members of the faction. They also deploy spies dressed as civilians through the streets to sniff out other spies or to find out other vital information. They're main goal for this operation is to maintain a safe barrier between them and their secret projects."-

But just as the group became more involved with their discussion, there was the sudden sound of what sounded like arguing just outside the Akabecko. Curious to see what was going on, the KH team along with a few other customers, anxious to see what the commotion was about, walked to the entrance of the Akabecko. It was in the street near the entry way that a peddler who was selling his produce of vegetables was being harassed by five tall ruffians.

"You should watch you mouth." The first ruffian said.

"Yeah," the second ruffian implied, "You have no idea who we are. We have special jurisdiction over this entire area and we're allowed to do anything we please and get anything we please."-

"But sirs," the old peddler implied, "Selling these vegetables is my livelihood. It's the only thing I have to live on. I can't just let you take my produce without paying."

"Is that so?" the third ruffian said. "Then consider this your punishment." The ruffian took up some vegetables and started throwing them on the ground. He then trampled all over them.

"Too long!" the forth ruffian chuckled.

"You do it like this." The fifth added. "It saves more time." He approached the peddler's wagon from the side and tipped it over. The vegetables scattered all over the road.

"No," the peddler cried as he watched all of his vegetables fall to the ground and scatter about the street, "My vegetables."

"Now you have no livelihood." The first ruffian implied.

The KH team watched in disgust as they saw these five men badgering this helpless old man.

"So they think it's funny to pick on the weak do they?" Sora implied, his fist clutched in utter rage.

"Then let's stop standing around and break this up." Riku added. But as they prepared to make their presence known to the band of ruffians, another figure appeared from out of the crowd. He was a young man, fair in complexion, and a head of black hair that seemed to be thrown around in a rather wild manner. He carried a solid wooden sword in his hand. He stepped forth to aid the peddler from his tormenters.

"That's enough." The young man said. "You have no right whatsoever to harass these people."

"And who the hell are you?" the first ruffian asked.

"I am Yahiko Myojin." The young man declared, "The senior student of the Kamiya Dojo. And I will not allow you to torment this elderly man any more than you have already."

"Yahiko…?" Riku uttered.

"Hey, Riku," Sora said, "Isn't Yahiko that young kid that fought along side us when we came to this realm six years before?"

"That's right. And it's that same kid who stands before us now, now a skilled swordsman."-

"Alright punk," the second ruffian implied. "You think that you can take us on?" The five gangsters suddenly drew out concealed weapons. Three armed with concealable swords, the other two armed with knives.

"You ain't so cocky now are you!" the first ruffian said. They came at Yahiko all at once and from all sides. Yahiko, being a highly skilled swords man now, used his wooden sword and managed to fend off the thugs and their drawn blades. Even though outnumbered against dangerously armed individuals, Yahiko with his swordsman skills managed to disarm the bandits, knocking the blades out of their hands. The fight only lasted a minute, but it was enough for Yahiko to emerge on top.

"Now I suggest that you give up now." Yahiko declared. "You can't beat me."

"Is that so, kid?" the fourth ruffian implied, picking up his sword. He ran at Yahiko while his back was turned and tried to slice at him when from out of nowhere, another individual intervened and knocked the attacking bandit off his feet. The bandit hit the ground, falling hard into the dust. Yahiko looked to find another young man, no older than a few years, standing behind him. He wore white pants and shirt with the symbol for 'bad' on his back. His hair was spiked like that of a rooster and had a bound red bandana around his head.

"That was a close one, don't you think, Yahiko." He uttered.

"Sanosuke…!" Yahiko said.

"Hey," Sora implied. "That's Sanosuke, the guy who fought alongside us as well."

"He hasn't changed much." Riku said.

"You'll pay for that!" the first ruffian shouted. He suddenly pulled out from his shirt pocket, a revolver.

"A gun…?" Yahiko implied. "You call that being fair?"

"Who said anything about being fair, kid!"-

The ruffians retrieved their blades while the first ruffian held the gun aimed at the two young men.

"You die today, scumbags." The third ruffian uttered.

"It's over." The first ruffian chuckled. He aimed his gun at Yahiko first and slowly squeezed the trigger. But before he could even fire the shot, Yahiko and Sanosuke were suddenly surrounded by the Aeroga spell. The bandit fired his pistol, but the bullet only ricocheted off the Aeroga's shield. "What in the…?"

"How did they deflect that bullet?' the fourth ruffian said.

"You think that using a gun against fist and sword is fair right now?" Sora said and he walked out of the crowd to face the group personally, his keyblade drawn. "I have to disagree with that. If you're gonna fight then you fight with your blades."

"Who the heck are you?" the first ruffian asked.

"He's no one that you have to be concerned with." Riku replied as he walked out of the crowd and took his position next to Sora. "The only thing you have to ask yourselves is whether you feel lucky or not."

"Fine then, if you want a piece of the action; then have some of this!" The first ruffian aimed his pistol, ready to fire. But Sora managed to unleash the Stopga spell and freeze the bandit in his place. The bandit could no longer move his finger to pull the trigger."I…I can't move…"

"Surrender yourselves and turn yourselves in." Sora said.

"You little punks!" the four remaining bandits attacked the key bearers with their blades, but with a few slash maneuvers, the KH team made quick work of the bandits. The ruffians thus fell to the ground practically unconscious and too beat up to move.

"Well that settles that." Riku implied. They then turned to Yahiko and Sanosuke who gazed at them with widely opened eyes. "Are you two alright?"

"Riku…Sora…?" Yahiko uttered. "Is that you?"

"It's been quite a while hasn't it, Yahiko." Sora chuckled. "You certainly have grown up to be a handsome young man."

"I still can't believe that it's you though."-

"Well done, Riku, Sora," Cuchulain chuckled as he and the other KH team members made their way through the crowd to meet up with their comrades. "You certainly gave those guys a run for their money."

"Hey, I remember you." Sanosuke said. "You were the guy who fought head to head with that Kahn guy six years ago aren't you?"

"That's correct, Mr. Sagara. I am Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster."-

"Don't forget about us." Donald said.

"I'm sure you guys haven't forgotten about these two." Sora declared, "Goofy and Donald."

"It has been a long time hasn't it." Yahiko said. He then laid his eyes on Ophelia Billiard. "And who's this young lady with you?"

"Oh yeah," Riku implied, presenting the young Colonel to their old comrades, "This is the newest member of our team, Miss Ophelia Billiard."

"It's a pleasure, gentlemen." Ophelia implied.

"Say," Sanosuke said, "You're wearing one of those black uniforms. Are you a member of those secret police or something?"

"Sano," Yahiko mumbled, "That's not a nice thing to say to a lady. Especially to one you first met. She might have the wrong impression about you."

"It's alright." Ophelia remarked. "To answer your question, this uniform is not one that belongs to any secret police, but rather…" Ophelia suddenly stopped.

"What's the matter, Miss Billiard?" Cuchulain asked.

"We're not alone…" she replied, "On the roof of the Akabecko."

"Where…?" Yahiko asked.

"Nobody look up." Ophelia unfurled one of her large, black battle fans and thrust it upward towards the roof. No sooner than she had thrown it, a dark figure upon the rooftop of the Akabecko suddenly dodged her fan and retreated from sight.

"Who was that?" Sanosuke asked.

"It was a faction spy. A flying phantom I think."-

"Should we go after him?" Sora asked.

"No, it's already too late. If there was one spy present, there are sure to be more. By now, the Midnight Faction already knows we're here, so trekking down the spies would be a waste of our time. Besides, by the looks of it, that was a hawk eye."-

"A hawk eye…?"-

"They're faction spies who are able to send word to far away points within a short amount of time by flying on large dark wings."-

"What do you suggest we do?" Riku asked.

"Is there any place that we can stay and discuss this issue privately?" Ophelia asked.

"We could go back to the Kamiya Dojo." Yahiko implied. "That's the safest place to go right now."

"Then lead us there. Only then will we reveal anything. Until we reach our destination, no one is to say a word, understand?"-

"We gotcha…" Sora said.

"Follow us then." Yahiko remarked. "I'm sure the others will be happy to see you too."

"Others…?" Donald asked.

"Are you talking about…?" Sora uttered.

"Yes, Kenshin and Kaoru will find your arrival here to be a very pleasant surprise. Then again, they may have a surprise of their own to show you."-

"What's that?"-

"You'll find out soon."-

The KH team kept themselves silent and followed Sanosuke and Yahiko back to the Kamiya Dojo where Kenshin and Kaoru awaited their return.

The events that had taken place did not go unseen by the spies of the Midnight Faction. The spy, who had escaped death at the hands of Colonel Billiard, now returned to the headquarters of the faction. Using large dark wings to travel halfway across the country of Japan, to the outskirt regions just outside of the city of Kyoto, the spy reached his destination, coming upon a region known as Mt. Hiei, in an area known as the Shrine of the Six Arches, where the forces of the Midnight Faction resided. It was here that their headquarters and their mobile doll assembly facilities were located. The spy entered the realm and made his way through a grand labyrinth of halls and rooms to a specific room called the "Room without Space." It was here that the spy presented himself before the leader of the faction operation.

The leader was a tall man named Vermoncht Delinor. He was dressed in a grand imperial uniform dating back to the days of the former Dark Empire, except that this time he bore the symbol of the Midnight Faction. He was scarred above the right eye and another scar streaked in a crescent shape across the left side of his face. He had a rather dark complexion and his hair was at shoulder length and tied as a ponytail at the back of his head and shined a dark purple in the dim light. His eyes were an emerald green, intense in appearance. He stood over a table looking over maps alongside some of his subordinates.

"Commander Delinor," the guard at the door implied, "One of our spies has returned from his recognizance mission in Tokyo, sir."

"That'll be all gentlemen." Delinor said. "Please excuse us until I summon for you again."

"Sir…" said one of the officers. The subordinates exited out of the room while the spy was escorted in. The guard made sure that the other personnel were escorted out of the room before excusing himself. The spy presented himself before the commander, kneeling respectfully.

"So, you have news for me then?" Delinor asked. "Your presence can only indicate so."

"I do sir." The spy said. "It is very urgent news that I bring."

"Well…?"-

"There was a scuffle with some of our agents just outside a restaurant called the Akabecko."-

"So they engaged in a scuffle, so what?"-

"They seemed to have gained the advantage near the end until two young men appeared to engage them as well."-

"Two young men…?"-

"Yes. And I overheard their names being addressed. Their names are Riku and Sora."-

"What was that? What did you say?" Delinor accumulated a sudden look of shock on his face. "Did you say Riku ad Sora?"

"Yes sir."-

"Then that only means that the key bearers and the KH team have managed to find us out." He pounded his fist on the table. "Damn, they came a lot sooner than expected. We've only managed to complete a division of mobile dolls. That's not even enough to confront the forces of the other factions, let alone the Universal Alliance."

"What shall we do, sir?"-

"Do you know where they were headed?" Delinor asked.

"Well, they did meet up with what looked like old acquaintances that live in this realm." The spy continued. "I believe their names were Sanosuke Sagara and Yahiko Myojin."-

"But those are close friends to Kenshin Himura. That means that they must be planning to bring the KH team back to that old dojo. The Kamiya Dojo I think it was called. There they will meet up with Himura."-

"When you say Kenshin Himura, are you talking about the infamous Battousai the Manslayer?"-

"Yes. Besides, Riku and Sora, Kenshin Himura is the second greatest threat to us. Until now, he's been unaware of what has been going on, so there was no real concern to be rid of him or to attempt to take over this realm prematurely. However, now with Riku and Sora here, he's sure to find out about our operations here. It's best that we prevent both sides from joining one another."

"Shall we eliminate either the key bearers or Himura the Battousai to prevent such an alliance from being formed?"-

"But now it's too late to prevent the two sides from uniting isn't it. And besides trying to fight them openly would only be a waste of resources and man power. The Battousai and his group, as well as the KH team, will not be easy foes to vanquish."-

"What do you suggest we do?"-

"We'll have to engage in a plot so cunning and yet so despicable that it would seem cowardly to them. But right now, trying to keep the KH team and the Battousai away from this facility is the only goal right now. Send out our best assassins to attack the Battousai. Send out Agent Hate and Agent Loath. They might just be enough to face against the KH team and the Battousai."-

"Do you want them to kill our foes?"-

"Killing them would only give the KH team and Himura's friends an excuse to take revenge. That is the last thing we need right now. Besides, Hate and Loath aren't strong enough to deliver such a final blow. Not against such extremely powerful foes. That is why I am initiating a night attack. We attack them when they least expect it."-

"I understand." The spy implied. "How many men would you like me to assemble?"

"Assemble at least fifty of our best men at the most. No more, no less. Besides, once the KH team unleashes the full force of their keyblades, they will have their hands full fighting against the Heartless who will without a doubt appear to do battle with them. Our main purpose is to make sure that the KH team and the Battousai are kept at bay, so be sure not to waste our resources or our man power needlessly."-

"I understand." The spy bowed his head. "I will see to it that your orders are carried out. I will inform your officers and your assassins at once."-

"Then get to it."-

"Sir…" the spy turned around and prepared to exit out of the room until Delinor spoke again.

"Oh and one more thing," he said, "Tell the lead overseers in our mass production facilities to increase the assembly of the mobile dolls. And also, trek down those five agents that caused trouble in the street this morning and kill them. Tell them that there is no need for undisciplined rabble amongst our ranks. It was because of them that our operations here have been placed in possible and inevitable jeopardy."

"I shall see your wishes carried our, sir." The spy exited the room and moved to inform the other officers. Delinor placed his hands of the table where the maps lay flat.

"The key bearers and the Battousai are too powerful even for the likes of Hate and Loath to handle, but right now, they are the only ones who can actually stand up to the Battousai and the key bearers. They may not be much of a challenge, but they'll fight to the death if necessary. And that is what makes them effective in battle. They will fight and die. Our completed division of mobile dolls has already been deployed to other worlds to aid in the faction's takeover. They can't be called back here. And without any dolls reserved here, we're practically open and vulnerable. If only I had known about the KH team's destination to this world sooner, I could have maintained a squadron of mobile dolls to initiate a takeover of this world. But now it's too late. My only other option is to assemble more mobile dolls as soon as possible to counter their threat. I just need until nightfall to complete at least a handful of mobile dolls. Then once they're deployed, they'll be able to wreak havoc upon this entire world. Then the Rurouni Realm will have no other choice but to give in to us and surrender their resources and manpower. But it's up to the assassins to keep those meddlesome do-gooders away from our assembly facilities until then."-

At the same time, the KH team followed their hosts managed to make it back to the Kamiya Dojo. A place where students learned the way of the sword that protects, the Dojo had picked up quite a few students. Since the tussle with Makoto Shishio and Master Kahn of the Cavendish Shinobis, the attack of the Empire and the Great Resurrection that occurred six years before, life in the Dojo has remained in a calm peace of tranquility.

"Well, here we are." Yahiko implied as they approached the front entry of the Dojo.

"This is a pretty big place." Sora said. "It's more like a fortress with its high walls."

"This is where I spent most of my life. And I'm glad to have my life ever since that miracle that happened six years ago."-

"Miracle…?" Riku asked.

"Yeah, there was some sort of phenomenon that has never been seen before by anyone. It was the day the dead came back to life."-

"That must've been the effect of my wish." Sora thought to himself. "Those dragon balls are more powerful than I had imagined. They even affected this world."

"That's right." Sanosuke said. "I was at least one of those people who died and came back to life. I mean, I saw my entire life flash before my eyes."

"Really," Donald implied, "What did you see?"

"I don't think he could have seen anything." Goofy uttered. "Wouldn't it be all dark?" Donald smacked Goofy at the back of the head.

"This is not a time to be pulling puns, chucklehead."-

As the group reached the entry way, Miss Kaoru Kamiya was sweeping the dust from off of the walk way, making the place look more presentable.

"Kaoru…!" Yahiko replied. She turned to see him standing in the doorway.

"Well, hello there, Yahiko." Kaoru replied. "You came back a lot sooner than I thought you would. I thought you were on your way to the Akabecko?"

"I was, but had to turn around."-

"Why's that?"-

"Sanosuke and I had to drop off some guest here."-

"Guests, we have guests?"-

"It's alright, you guys and gals, come on in." Yahiko beckoned. The KH team walked through the door. Immediately after seeing them, Kaoru's eyes grew wide with surprise.

"It's…it's you…" she uttered.

"Hello there." Sora said politely bowing. The others followed his exampled and bowed as well.

"You're the young key bearers right?" Kaoru smiled. "I never thought that you would be stopping by again. Just one moment, I'll get Kenshin."

"Kenshin…" Riku said. "It's been a long time since we've seen him. I wonder how he's doing."-

"We'll soon find out." Sora implied.

It was at that moment that there were shouts of what sounded like children in the training hall.

"Well, I'll take my leave." Yahiko implied.

"Where are you going?" Donald asked.

"I have a class to run."-

"A class to run…?" Ophelia asked.

"That's right." Yahiko continued. "We've gained a number of students attending the Dojo now. And with Kaoru engaged in…how shall I say this…other activities; I have taken over her position as the new assistant instructor of the Kamiya Dojo."

"Then what were you doing at the Akabecko?" Sora asked.

"I had to run an erring. When I do that, my head students take my place to instruct the class. But I can take care of my erring later since I'm already here back at the dojo." Yahiko placed his sword on his shoulder. "Well, I'm off."

"Well good luck." Cuchulain chuckled.

"And keep your students out of trouble." Donald added.

Firmly grasping his wooden sword in hand, Yahiko walked into the training hall.

Not long after he had gone, then another familiar face appeared from the main entry to the house. The KH team was astounded to see this face. It was the face of none other than the famous swordsman in all of Japan, Kenshin Himura.

"Well, well," Kenshin said as he walked out to greet the KH team, "This is a pleasant surprise, that it is. If it isn't the two young men who assisted us six years ago. Riku and Sora right?"

"Mr. Himura," Sora said, "It's been a while hasn't it."

"Ever since those fights with Kahn and Makoto Shishio," Miss Kaoru stood behind Kenshin, passive and quiet now, "Please come in and make yourselves at home."

"Thank you very much for you hospitality, Mr. Himura." Cuchulain implied.

"We always try to make our guest comfortable."-

"I'll go prepare some tea." Miss Kaoru said. She walked off to the kitchen to prepare the beverages. In the meantime, the KH team entered the hall. Taking their footwear off, they stepped onto the well polished floor and followed Kenshin into the guest room, where they would fraternize and converse with their visitors.

While seating themselves in the guest room, Kenshin took on the responsibility of keeping his guests occupied.

"It has been quite a while." Kenshin said. "And a lot has happened for the passed six years. Tell me what brings you to Tokyo? I had thought our worlds were separated again."

"They were." Cuchulain began. "That's the reason why we're here."

"Tell us, Kenshin," Riku said, "Has there been any suspicious activity going on around here?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary…" Kenshin replied. "Why do you ask?"

"That's the reason why we've come to this world again. There may be a chance that your home might be in danger again."-

"It may be on the verge of another hostile takeover." Sora said.

"An old Imperial organization calling themselves the Midnight Faction has set up headquarters somewhere in this world." Cuchulain added. "We believe that this is where they are assembling war machines called mobile dolls."

"Mobile dolls?" Kenshin asked. "What are those?"

"In this world, they're machines that you couldn't possibly comprehend."-

"We have to find the facilities of the faction." Riku continued. "That's why we were asking you if you have any leads for us."

"I'm afraid that I won't be of any significant help to you in this particular situation." Kenshin implied. "I didn't even know about all this until now."

"Then ask me this, Mr. Himura," Ophelia implied, "Were there any individuals who were wearing uniforms identical to the one I'm wearing?"-

"Well now that you mention it, there have been men in black walking around Tokyo lately. But we figure them to be government officials of the highest position. No word has been given out to the public and no one wishes to question them."-

"So, they're acting as if they were secret members of the government, eh? That's definitely a tactic of the Midnight Faction alright, so as not to draw any attention to themselves." Miss Kaoru by this time was handing out the tea cups to her guests.

"Well," Sanosuke uttered, "If this Midnight Faction is our enemy, how is it that you're wearing their uniform? Are you associated with the faction?"

"I was a top ranking officer of the faction."-

"So what are you doing fighting against the faction? I'd like to know what your intensions are."-

"I too would like an explanation that I would." Kenshin said. "Not to be rude or suspicious of course."

"I only recently found out that once I wore out my usefulness to the faction," Ophelia implied, "They would dispose of me. That is something that I will not tolerate. And I will defeat anyone who dares to question my integrity."

"I see."-

"Then you share the same feelings as me." Sanosuke implied, as he gazed back at his past full of deceit and betrayal.

"Well," Cuchulain said, "All we need to know is whether or not you have any vital information that may lead us the mobile doll facilities of the Midnight Faction. If the faction manages to unleash their mobile dolls into this world, it'll fall as easily as it did against the Dark Empire."

"I'm sorry." Kenshin uttered. "I have no knowledge that may be vital to you."

Suddenly, from out of the next room, there came the coo of a little child.

"Mommy…?" the voice said.

"Who's that?" Sora asked.

Sure enough, a little boy, no older than six, came into the room. He was rubbing his eyes indicating that he had just woken up from a nap. He had long reddish brown hair that was bundled up in a little pony tail and brown eyes. He was no higher than three feet tall and had a cute expression on his face.

"Kenji…" Miss Kaoru uttered softly. She walked over to the boy and picked him up. "I see that you're awake already."

"Hold on a minute." Cuchulain implied. "Mr. Himura, would that happen to be your son?"

"Yes…" Kenshin implied. "He's my one and only little boy that he is. My little boy, Kenji Himura"

"Wow." Sora said. "He's a cute little sucker isn't he?"

"It's hard to believe that you're a father." Riku added. "Congratulations."

"You must be very proud." Cuchulain said, "Very proud indeed."

"I am…" Kenshin said.

"Mommy…?" Kenji uttered quietly.

"Say hello to our guests, honey." Kaoru whispered. Kenji waved his hand at the KH team. The KH team, their hearts taken by this little bundle of joy, waved back with a smile.

"Ain't he precious…" Goofy said. "He reminds me so much of my own son back home."

"He reminds me of my nephews." Donald added. "I hope that they're alright, especially after all that's happened."

"You all are extremely lucky to have such joys in your life." Cuchulain uttered. His smile then gave way to a solemn look. Letting the bangs of his hair drape over his eyes, Cuchulain stood up. "If you excuse me…" He walked out of the room without saying another word. His sudden change in mood concerned the KH team.

"What's the matter with Cuchulain?" Ophelia asked.

"He suddenly changed in attitude." Donald added. "One moment he was enjoying the conversation, the next minute he acts unsociable."

"Maybe there's something bothering him." Sanosuke said.

"But what could it be?" Riku thought to himself.

"He did seem to change when Kenshin's son came into the room." Goofy said.

"Do you think that's it?" Kenshin asked. "Maybe Kenji's presence triggered something."

"There's only one way to find out." Sora said. Sora got up and walked out. "I'll see what's wrong."

"Sora," Riku implied, "Cuchulain looked rather emotional before he left, so mind what you say to him."

"I will." Sora bowed respectfully and walked away.

"I wonder what they'll discuss." Ophelia said.

"I don't know," Riku replied, "I don't know."

Sora walked towards the entry way, there was no sign of Cuchulain. Sora put on his shoes and walked out.

"Cuchulain…!" Sora cried. "Cuchulain, where are you?"

"I'm over here, Sora." Cuchulain replied. Sora looked to see the melancholy hound sitting at the base of a tree. The young key bearer walked over to him.

"What's the matter, Cuchulain?" Sora asked. "Are you alright? You seemed rather upset when Kenshin's little boy came into the room."

"I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting Kenshin to have a son. The shock was too much for me."-

"Is that a bad thing that Kenshin had a son?"-

"Of course not, I'm overjoyed that Kenshin was blessed with a son. It's just that seeing those little eyes triggered an old memory."-

"Memory…?" Sora looked down at the space next to Cuchulain. "Do you mind if I sit down with you?"

"Go right ahead." Cuchulain scoot himself over and let Sora lean against the tree.

"Would you like to talk about it?"-

"I don't think I can."-

"You can, Cuchulain. You can tell me anything." The Hound only remained quiet as if he had an old memory passing through his mind. "Did you ever have a son?"

"As a matter of fact," Cuchulain stopped for a while and began to talk again, "I did."

"What?" Sora's eyes were stilled with surprise. "You mean…you had a son of your own?"

"Yes…"-

"What did he look like? What was his name?"-

"Whoa, whoa there Sora, don't rush me. At least let me explain the events that lead to this scenario."-

"OK."-

"Well, it's a good thing that you stopped him when you did!" a voice shouted out. Sora and Cuchulain looked up to see Riku and Kenshin standing at the entry way.

"We were wondering about what was going on that we were." Kenshin said.

"Fill us in, Cuchulain." Riku implied. The two sat down near Cuchulain wanting to hear the story as well.

"Well," Cuchulain smiled, "Maybe it is best that I discuss this matter with you guys, get all this off of my chest." Cuchulain began to tell his story to his comrades. "It was some time ago, perhaps about twelve, thirteen years ago, I can't really recall, when I was still in my early or mid teens. I had gone to an island just Northeast of Erin, across the water channel. It was there that I received training under the powerful warrior princess Skya, whose skills were virtually unrivaled, even by the toughest of men. She was in fact the one who gave me the Gae Bulga, this faithful spear that you see here." Cuchulain pointed at his weapon, showing its glimmering black staff and its three polished gold prongs. "Anyway, one day, Skya's sister, Ayfa, another warrior princess of the Lands of Shadows, had declared war on her sister. Like her sister, Ayfa was a powerful woman warrior who knew no equal. She obtained strength that put most men to shame."

"Sounds like Miss Billiard." Riku said.

"And Kaoru…" Kenshin added.

"It was during this time that I challenged the mighty warrior princess to a one on one duel." Cuchulain continued. "However, her strength and agility were equal to my own, if not greater. I knew that fighting a duel on strength and agility alone would not be enough to battle against her. Thus, I turned to my cunning to help decipher the outcome of the battle. Thus, before the fight, I asked Skya what her sister's most prized possessions were. She told me that Ayfa cherished her horse and chariot more than anything. Sure enough, when I entered battle against Ayfa, her skills and strength surpassed even mine. The battle seemed to turn in her favor. But I used that to my advantage, realizing that she only used her strength and not her intellect. I then shouted out that her chariot horse was in dire need of aid. Emotionally linked to that horse, Ayfa dropped her guard for a split second. It was for that split second that proved critical. I managed to overpower her and win the duel. She was then taken as a prisoner, but unlike what you think of prisoners, it was custom to treat our foes more like welcomed guests. And since Ayfa and Skya were sisters, the hospitality was that of high standard, equal to that of a king. At night, to prevent any attempts to escape, I acted as guard to Ayfa. Only after making acquaintance every night, we finally grew attached to one another. One night, she took me into her room and…well we…" Cuchulain then stopped. He looked at the faces of his comrades who seemed rather eager for him to continue. He blushed and smiled, "I'll leave you to think about what happened in your own minds. Anyway, to make a long story short, I had heard from Ayfa, before leaving back to my home in Ulster that she was with child. She was bearing my unborn child and a son to be precise."

"How did you react?" Sora asked.

"I was overjoyed by the thought of having a son. Before departing for Ulster, I told Ayfa about a name to give to the child. I suggested the name 'Cunla,' which means 'son of the hound'."-

"Cunla eh…?" Riku said. "I like that name. There's power behind it."

"I then left a momentum for Ayfa," Cuchulain continued, "I gave her a golden ring that was given to me by my foster father, the mighty Conchobar Mac Nessar, the King of Ulster. What my foster father passed on to me, I passed on to my son. I told Ayfa 'when Cunla is old enough to fit this golden ring upon his finger without having it slip, send him to me and I will train him to become an even greater legend.' I then bestowed upon him three prohibitions that he must abide by in order to become a great hero. One, he will never give way to any man who dares to face him. Two, he will never surrender his name to any man. And the final prohibition, he must never put down a one on one fight no matter how powerful his opponent is. Any violation of these prohibitions will result in only one outcome…death. And death is guaranteed for defiance of one's gess."

"That's not a good combination though." Kenshin uttered. "By doing that, he has to face battle every time he's challenged."

"That was the way of life for us. We gain status only through battle, whether for good or evil. If you had a good reputation for being a powerful warrior, you were praised and treated with dignity. However, if you did not gain a good reputation, you were shunned and treated as an outcast."-

"That's harsh." Riku said.

"I wanted my son to grow up to be a powerful warrior and fight his way to the top and carry his own legacy." Cuchulain continued, "One that surpassed even mine."

"So, what did your son look like?" Sora asked.

"I don't know."-

"What do you mean you don't know?"-

"At least five or six years after my declaration to Ayfa and my unborn son, the Dark Empire came to my world. That bastard, Kahn of the Cavendish Shinobis, destroyed everything I ever knew. He killed my friends, my family, even my enemies fell to his power and that of the Empire. Throughout all that hell, I don't even think Ayfa would have been a match for him. And my son would most likely have died at his hands. That is why I savored my revenge when I struck Kahn down those six years ago. He took something from me that I could never get back. If my son had managed to survive, he'd be about twelve or thirteen by now. Somewhere along those lines anyway."-

"That was a sad tale you told us that it was." Kenshin implied. "You never even got to see your son."

"The son that you never met…" Sora said. "That's so tragic."

"That is why you must always cherish your child if one is conceived for you." Cuchulain uttered. "You never truly know what you have until you lose it." The Hound then stood up and grasped firmly at his weapon. "Well, enough of the sob story. There is nothing more to discuss."

"Where are you going, Cuchulain?" Sora asked.

"Since we're here in the 'Rurouni Realm,' I'll take a look around and see if we can get any leads on the whereabouts of the faction's mobile doll facilities."-

"You want us to come with you?"-

"I don't think that'll be necessary. You guys need to be ready in case the faction attacks the dojo."-

"How do you know they will attack the dojo?" Kenshin asked.

"Knowing the faction, they would use this opportunity to engage in a raid against us, when we least expect it. Most likely it will be a night raid and they'll go after the most precious things to you." Cuchulain turned and placed his hand on Kenshin's shoulder. "I want you to keep an eye out for your son alright? The faction may try to take him."

"But why would they do that?"-

"Trying to kill us, the top fighters of the group, would be a waste of time and effort, as well as a needless waste of manpower and resources. So they'll most likely take hostages and try to keep us at bay. Your main goal is to defend the helpless here. The dojo can always be repaired."-

"I understand. Then I can assure you that my son will stay safe. I will look after him and die for him if need be."-

"Don't die yet, Himura. We still need you in the oncoming fight." Cuchulain turned to Sora and Riku. "Hold down the fort as best you can. In the meantime, I'll do all within my power to see if I can sniff out of the Midnight Faction. They'll truly wish that they never dared face against the mighty Hound of Ulster."

"We gotcha…" Sora said. Cuchulain smiled and nodded and went off to seek out the faction.

"I hope that he'll be alright on his own." Kenshin implied. "Tokyo is a big city. He could easily get lost."

"As long as he's able to sense out energy, he'll be able to make it back here, even in the dead of night." Riku said. "But right now, we have to be on guard and make sure that we're ready for anything." Kenshin and the two key bearers departed for the house to make ready for battle. But at the last minute, just before entering, Sora decided to stay out a while. Riku looked back. "C'mon Sora, what're you waiting for?"

"I hope you don't mind if I take a look around the place, Mr. Himura." Sora said. "I'd like to see what kind of activity is going on."

"Feel free to do as you please." Kenshin implied. "And there is no need to be so formal. We're all friends here, so be free to call me Kenshin."

"Thanks Kenshin."-

"You stay out of trouble, Sora." Riku said. "I know you. You like to stick you nose into other people's business at times."

"Aw, don't worry about that, Riku," Sora chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "I'll make sure not to poke around too much." Riku nodded and he and Kenshin went in to discuss the matter at hand.

Sora, being curious and wandering in mind, began to meander about the dojo gazing at everything that went on. He was especially attracted to the noise and commotion that was going on in the training hall. In unison the shouts commenced and Sora drew closer to the doors of the training hall. He walked in to see what was going on. Sure enough, when entering, he saw two rows of young students down swinging their bamboo swords. Yahiko, observing the timing and the swinging technique, looked for any mistakes made.

"That's enough." Yahiko instructed. The students stopped their swings. They then turned to their instructor and bowed respectfully before seating themselves upon the training floor. "Next, we will commence with one on one sparring." It was than that Yahiko saw Sora standing at the doorway. Ceasing the activity of his students, he beckoned Sora to come in. "My students, I would like to introduce to you Sora, the young man who fought alongside us in Kyoto six years ago."

The students bowed respectfully as the young key bearer came in. Sora then sat next to Yahiko.

"Now, commence with sparring." Yahiko continued. Pointing at two of his students to engage, he instructed them to enter the space to which the other students had cleared into an arena, themselves acting as the boundaries. "Fight…!"

Soon after Yahiko gave the signal, the two combatants in the ring began to engage, swinging and thrusting their bamboo swords at one another.

"You certainly teach your students well." Sora implied.

"Kaoru taught me all the techniques of the Kamiya Kashin style and I've taken them to heart. I've even entered battle with these techniques and have succeeded countless times. Now I find myself teaching the students and passing that knowledge on to them."-

"That's good, to think that someone as young as you is already an assistant instructor."-

"By the way, Sora, I've been meaning to ask you, what's been going on? What brings you and Riku here?"-

"Well, I don't know if it would be appropriate to discuss the matter here, with all these kids still present."-

"You can tell me."

"Well," Sora whispered into Yahiko's ear, "We believe that the Midnight Faction might be here, preparing to take over this world."

"The Midnight Faction…?"-

"They are an old organization from the old Dark Empire."-

"You're kidding…" Yahiko's eyes grew wide with fear. "It can't be. After what the Dark Empire had done before in the past, this Midnight Faction wants to take over this world too?"-

"That is exactly what the faction is planning to initiate."-

Yahiko only nodded.

"Thanks for the info." He then turned to the sparring. The students continued to battle. "That's enough…" The two students ceased their fighting and bowed respectfully to their instructor. "Next pair…" From the body of students, another pair stood up to volunteer. They took their place in the arena. They bowed first to Yahiko; then they bowed to each other. "Fight…!" The pair began to battle.

"Anyway," Sora continued to discuss, "A battle plan has been initiated."

"Tell me the details."-

"Our friend Cuchulain has gone out, scouring for information regarding the whereabouts of the Midnight Faction. In the meantime, the rest of us will remain here in case there might be an attack from the faction.   
"I see…" Yahiko folded his arms in front of him. "This Midnight Faction you speak of. If they are as terrible as you say they are, then there is without a doubt they'll try to engage us in a night raid."

"We've already reached that conclusion. After you're done here, we'll go meet up with the others and help carry out with their strategy."-

"Understood…" Looking to sparring match again, Yahiko watched as his students continued to battle. "Cease…" The students on command stopped their sparring match. They turned to their instructor and bowed respectfully. "Very well done, you two."

"Thank you, sir." The two students implied. Yahiko then stood up.

"Boys and girls," he announced. "Due to some issues that I must take care of, we will be ending our class early today. I thank you for coming today and I will see you tomorrow."

The class bowed respectfully to their instructor and Yahiko bowed respectfully in response. And one by one, the students began to leave, a few at a time. While the last of the students left, Yahiko placed his wooden sword upon a wrack.

"Sorry for this inconvenience." Sora implied. "You had to end your day of instruction early."

"It's alright though." Yahiko replied. "A short class is insignificant to saving our home. Besides, if I don't do anything to help save this world, I may never see some of my students again." Yahiko walked up to Sora. "Now what do you say that we join the others?"

"Alright then…" With a final nod, the two walked out and went to assemble with the rest of the group.

In the meantime, Cuchulain, who had been scouring about the streets of Tokyo, had o luck finding anyone who looked as if they were members or agents of the Midnight Faction, and there were no leads to where any of the faction members would be found. He asked store clerks, peddlers, officers, and simple folk on the street whom he thought might have knowledge. For three hours he asked around until the mid day sun beamed on him. Keeping his senses upon the activity at the dojo, he was able to sense whether his comrades were in dire need of his aid or not.

"I can't believe it." Cuchulain thought to himself. "There have been no leads and no one seems to know anything about the faction. The Midnight Faction has certainly hidden themselves well this time. Without a doubt, the faction's spies must have already informed them of our coming and know that we're planning to intervene." As he continued to look for the faction, he realized that many of the people were gazing at him as if they were either fearful or suspicious of him. This did not bode will with the Hound, walking around in unfamiliar territory.

Sitting down at a noodle house table, he sat down and rested his tired feet. Three hours he had tried to seek out the faction, but accomplished nothing.

"The faction is well aware of my presence here no doubt." The Hound uttered. "I'm surprised no one has tried to kill me."

"That's because no one within the faction's organization has enough guts to fight you." A voice uttered from behind. Cuchulain quickly turned to see what looked to him like a familiar face.

"You…Aren't you…?" There was silence on his tongue as he looked into the eyes of this old acquaintance.

"I guess I never got to thank you properly last time, Cuchulain."-

Meanwhile, the KH team and the Kenshin group waited patiently for their comrade to return.

"What time is it?" Sora asked. Donald took out a pocket watch and gazed at the ticking hands.

"It is thirty minutes passed noon at the least." Donald replied.

"I wonder what's keeping Cuchulain so long."-

"I hope that he's alright." Goofy said.

"I know Cuchulain though." Riku said. "He would never allow himself to be overpowered by anyone. Besides, I can sense his energy from here. He doesn't seem to be in any dire stress yet."

"Are you absolutely certain that the Midnight Faction will attack us?" Kaoru asked.

"It's the most likely tactic." Ophelia implied. "I know the strategies of the Midnight Faction like the back of my own hand. They will definitely attack us at night. For one thing they will attack us when we are most weary. In this case, since we are so stressed out about this, we will lose more mental strength. To add, the faction does not want to lose manpower and resources needlessly. They have to conserve their own energy. Thus, they will not fight us directly. They may try to take hostages, so take care of those who may not be strong enough to fight for themselves."

"Well, I'm tired of standing around here." Sanosuke said. "Why wait for those goons to come to us. We should attack them when they least expect it. Then they won't find that type of tactic so amusing."

"I know how anxious we all are to rid our home of the faction that I do." Kenshin said. "But right now, we have no knowledge of where the faction really is. If we were to leave the dojo now, two things might happen. One, the strength of our defenses here will be cut in half, thus increasing our chances of being overwhelmed by the faction when they initiate their attack, and two, if we dare to go out looking for them, we'll end up being targets for a possible ambush. And we can't afford to lose anyone ourselves either."

"Damn it." Sanosuke shouted as he walked out of the room and stood in the entry way. "I wish those faction guys would just show themselves so that I can nail them in the forehead once or twice."

"Still haven't improved on your defense eh?" a voice suddenly uttered.

"Who the…?"-

"Who's there?" Sora implied. Kenshin and the others looked out to see who uttered those words. Sure enough, there was someone there, standing against one of the pillars. It was none other than Hajime Saito.

"Saito…" Kenshin implied.

"What the hell are you doing here, Saito!" Sanosuke demanded.

"Well, it seems that you haven't learned any manners, moron."-

"If you would be so kind as to explain what you are doing here, Saito." Kenshin said.

"It's only fair to warn you that the Midnight Faction is on the move." Saito explained.

"Wait a minute?" Sora asked. "How do you know about the Midnight Faction?"

"There has been some strange activity that has been going on, not here in Tokyo, but in Kyoto."-

"In Kyoto…?" Kenshin asked.

"Though the activity in Tokyo and other major cities have not had such activity going on at a common rate, Kyoto has repeatedly been placed under siege by these individuals of this so called Midnight Faction you speak of. Up until now, we've been keeping a low profile on the issue regarding this new organization, preventing this from leaking out to the public. But recently, the faction's actions have become more aggressive. That is why I've come to consult with the Battousai, to see if he will assist in putting an end to the faction's rule in this world." Saito turned to Kenshin. "Unless you and your other comrades help deter the faction's activities here, it will be most likely that all of Japan will fall under the rule of an outer world power."

"Tell me, Saito." Kenshin asked. "How is it that you have obtained so much knowledge about the Midnight Faction?"

"Besides, the increase of faction activity in Kyoto, our assistant inspector has managed to apprehend a few suspects who were acquainted with the faction."-

"Assistant inspector, I thought you were the assistant inspector."-

"It just goes to show how far behind in the times you are, Battousai. This mediocre life has obviously dulled your senses as Battousai the Manslayer." It was then that Saito laid eyes on Kenshin's little boy who walked about on the wooden walkway without a second thought. "And I can see why." Saito leveled himself from off of the pillar. "I am the new Chief Inspector of the police department. Speaking of which, the assistant inspector should be coming here soon. He accompanied me to solve the matter here."

"Who is he?"-

"Perhaps you know him from a time long past, dating back to the reign of Shishio. He is quite a talented young man."-

"Hey," a voice shouted from the front, "Is everyone still here?"

"That's Cuchulain." Sora shouted. "He's back."

The group made their way to the entry way of the house and found Cuchulain standing in the doorway.

"Cuchulain," Riku said, "You're back sooner than expected."

"Sorry about that," Cuchulain chuckled, "But I wasn't getting anywhere fast, what with all the faction spies disappearing into the woodwork. I did, however, manage to pick up another ally."

"Another ally…?"-

"Yeah, he's the assistant inspector of the police department." Cuchulain made way for the young man. The young man made his presence known to Kenshin and the others. When laying eyes on the young man's identity, they were shocked to see who it was.

"Sojiro…" Kenshin uttered.

"Surprised?" Saito uttered. "This is assistant inspector Sojiro Seta. After returning to this world after the chaos with the Dark Empire, Sojiro became a member of the police department and has worked his way up to the rank of assistant inspector. And still at such a young age."

"I have vital information for you and the KH team, Mr. Himura." Sojiro said. "It's regarding the exact location of the Midnight Faction's headquarters."


	23. Attacks Initiated

Attacks Initiated

Commander Delinor entered the hanger where the mass production of mobile dolls commenced. The large machines were being built at a brink and hasty pace. The machines and mechanics who worked on the giant mobile weapons were reaching the limit of their abilities. The machines that assembled the limbs, welded the circuits, and bolted the joints together were now burning red hot from their overuse. And the technicians, in charge of using those machines, were working themselves stiff. Rivers of sweat dripped from the mechanics and technicians who worked on each individual mobile doll. The chief technician, in charge of overseeing the entire production would only hasten the speed.

"Things aren't going smoothly, sir." He explained to Commander Delinor. "These technician teams and their machines have been working at a speedy pace just to get these new mobile dolls up and ready. We can't continue to process the dolls like this. If we continue at this rate, there is no doubt that an increase of flaws in the dolls' systems will emerge and the dolls won't operate correctly once they enter battle."

"I don't care about whether or not they are perfect or not." Delinor said. "I just want at least enough of the mobile dolls up and running to be able to take over this world."

"Sir both our main teams and the reserve teams have all been deployed for this next assignment, but they and their manufacturing machines have been overworked already, trying to assemble that last division of those new model mobile dolls. Those new models take up more time, at least three to five times the usual extent; they require more resources and more man power than the Taurus and Virgo class mobile dolls. And because these Scorpion mobile dolls are equipped with more sophisticated systems, they require more precision."

"I understand that, but I cannot recall that recently deployed division of Scorpions back here. For one thing, Lord Sirius Viicous would not allow me to weaken our forces that are in need of the dolls. And even if I was given permission to recall them back to defend this world against the Battousai and the key bearers, by the time they manage to return, it'll already be too late. The only option we have right now is to assemble those dolls as soon as we can."-

"Sir, even if we were to work ourselves to death, we won't be able to complete any mobile dolls and have them ready for battle until early tomorrow morning."-

"Damn," Delinor slammed his foot on the ground, causing a loud thud to echo throughout the assembly hanger, "I can't believe that we were so vulnerable." Delinor clutched his fist even tighter. "I will contact agents Loath and Hate and tell them to keep the key bearers and the Battousai at bay until tomorrow morning. I've sent out fifty of the top fighters of the faction on duty in this realm. This base is only guarded by new recruits fresh from their training camp. If the attack fails and Himura and his allies march here to the Shrine of the Six Arches, then there will be no way that this base will be able to defend. And we'll end up suffering the same fate as what happened in the 'Wing and Seed Realms.' That is why we must have those dolls up and ready. Only they will be enough to bring utter destruction upon this world and stop our foes from ousting our power in this realm." The chief engineer could only look down. Taking one large sigh, he gazed up at his superior.

"I will do what I can, sir." He implied.

"No," Delinor walked up to him and glared at him with those intense emerald green eyes of his, "You will succeed, or we lose our ground here. Our foe is very conning and very determined. It won't take them long to oversee our overthrow in this world."

"Very well, we will see to it that your orders are followed to the letter."-

Delinor said nothing further and walked away hastily. The chief technician could only sneer, gripping his hands into tight fist, nearly spilling his own blood. One of his assistants, seeing the confrontation between his superiors took his place at the chief's side.

"Sir," he uttered, "You know perfectly well our men are working to the limit here. We've spent countless hours and tons of machinery, in such a short period of time, trying to assemble these Scorpion mobile dolls. These are not like the other models. These men are more familiar with the Taurus and Virgos. If we were assembling those models at this pace, we could have an entire legion ready for deployment, but these new models are practically unknown to us and they require a lot more resource, especially for those numerous weapons in their arsenal."

"I know your concern," the chief technician implied, "but we have no choice in the matter. We either carry out his Excellency's orders or we suffer the consequences."

"I understand sir."-

"Right now, our cause is the most important thing. This world has inferior technology compared to us. That is why we chose this world to initiate the mass production of mobile dolls. That way, if they do plan to attack us, we can use the mobile dolls to eliminate any force that the Meiji government sends against us. But if the Battousai and the key bearers reach this facility, we might as well just open the doors and let them in."-

"Very well, sir."-

"I know that it's painful and stressful on us as advisors, our assembly teams, and their machines, but it has to be done. We'll just have to endure."-

"Sir…" The assistant only saluted and returned to his station. The chief engineer on the other hand, was stricken with grief.

"This is utter madness." He thought to himself. "We're only initiating our own destruction." Gazing at the skeletal structures of the dolls, he only sighed and hung his head down. "These mobile dolls will only give rise to further chaos and a chaos that knows only tragedy and genocide. This is now a war for the sake of victory and obtaining power. Yet we are only slaves of the faction to assemble this army of soulless monsters."

In the meantime, back at the Kamiya Dojo, the KH team and the Kenshin group awaited to hear the information obtained from their allies in Kyoto, Hajime Saito and Sojiro Seta. Once again, the group assembled in the guest room where they awaited to hear the news from the two inspectors.

"It has been quite some time, Sojiro." Kenshin uttered. "You've grown up to be a handsome young man that you have."

"I thank you for you compliment, Mr. Himura." Sojiro said. "However, that is not the reason why Inspector Saito or I are here. I am here to tell you that I have located the facilities where the Midnight Faction is assembling their mobile dolls."

"And what did you find out?" Sora asked.

"I have discovered that the mobile doll assembly facility is in a region near Kyoto called Mt. Hiei, at a place called the Shrine of Six Arches."

"The Shrine of Six Arches…?"-

"Yes…"-

"And how do you know this?" Riku asked.

"There has been some sort of blockade that prevents any visitors from going up to that area. In fact, anyone who dares to come close to the paths leading into Mt. Hiei are either killed or captured. No questions asked."

"Did you know about this, Saito?" Kenshin asked.

"Sojiro, being the assistant inspector, is to report all the findings regarding this issue and the Midnight Faction to me." Saito replied. "However, I was not aware that they were called the Midnight Faction until today. Tell me, how is it that you knew the name of this organization."

"I had a talk with Cuchulain about the faction. He told me that he was searching for faction spies. The tactics as he described, that these spies used, were very similar to the tactics that those whom I had tried to trek down were using. Thus, when I asked what they looked like and what kind of uniform they wore, he made a description that was again identical to the ones we encountered in Kyoto."-

"Tell me," Ophelia Billiard implied, "Did these uniforms look like this?" She stood up and put on her officer's shell jacket. Immediately, Sojiro reacted. Jumping back and drawing his sword, he prepared to battle.

"You," he shouted, "You're a member of the Midnight Faction!"

"Whoa, whoa there, Sojiro," Sora said, standing up and blocking his path. "It's not what you think."

"Get out of the way, Sora!" Sojiro demanded. "She's a faction spy!"

"Then why would she wear her uniform openly like that?"-

"Well, I…" Sojiro pondered on the situation and logically thought the issue over. He then lowered his sword.

"She is a member of the Midnight Faction, isn't she?"-

"Had you asked me that same question seventy two hours ago, you would have been right." Ophelia stated. "But no longer am I fighting for the sake of the faction."

"This is Miss Ophelia Billiard of Goth." Riku implied.

"She can be trusted." Sora added.

"I can vouch for that that I can." Kenshin said. Sojiro, trusting the words of his comrades, sheathed his sword.

"Then, may I ask you this, Miss Billiard," he asked, "If you are no longer a member of the faction, why is it that you are wearing their uniform still, even though you no longer pay loyalty to them?"

"Think of this uniform as my distinction on the battlefield. I am able to fight without holding back. This uniform has struck fear into the hearts of the Universal Alliance and it can sure as hell strike fear into the hearts of the Midnight Faction, no matter how hard the warrior has become."-

"I see." Saito implied. "Well, I'm sure that you have your reasons and I'll entrust the fate of this world onto you. However, if you are to turn against us, then I will thus turn my sword against you. I am not as easy to persuade as those other fools. You must first show and prove your loyalty. And by doing so, you will earn my trust." Saito then turned to the rest of the group. "As for your plan of attack, how will you initiate your strategy?"

"We have decided to wait here and wait for the faction to attack." Kenshin implied.

"And how do you know that the faction will attack?"-

"Now that the faction knows that we're here and that our alliance has been formed, we prove to be an even greater threat. And with the KH team here, the faction knows that we will eventually march onto their facilities. Thus, perhaps aware of this problem, the faction will send out there top fighters to attack the Kamiya dojo. Since they cannot afford to lose any of their best men, they will without a doubt attempt to attack by night, using ambush and surprise attacks, perhaps taking hostages of the weaker individuals here and hope to keep us at bay."

"They know that by fighting us directly, they lose a great deal of their stronger soldiers." Ophelia added. "So hostages and ambushes would be the most likely tactic. But once they attack us, we fight them and take out as many as possible and hope that we're able to thwart them with a counterattack."

"Either that," Saito uttered, "Or they intend to distract us with a diversion."

"What do you mean?"-

"These mobile dolls you speak of, what are they?"-

"Yes," Sojiro added, "Now that you mention it, I too would like to have an explanation of what they are."

"Well," Cuchulain implied. "Mobile dolls are large metal weapons called mobile suits and they…" he then paused and then reached into his left pocket. He took out a holographic info disk and opened it. "I have a better idea. Perhaps, you'll get a better grasp of what we're dealing with if I show you instead." Cuchulain activated the disk and throughout the room, the images of the battle that took place in the 'Seed Realm' were revealed to Kenshin and his friends. "If you take a good look at what we're dealing with, you'll realize that this world would be at the mercy of these monsters. Now these mobile dolls are called Virgos and Tauruses. They are outdated and obsolete compared to the mobile dolls they're manufacturing in this world, but they still have enough ferocity to be a threat to this entire realm."

"What kind of magic is this?" Sanosuke asked. The Kenshin group only watched in horror as they saw the carnage erupt in the battle that took place in the 'Seed Realm' The mobile dolls were swift and made quick work of many of their enemies.

"My God…" Saito implied.

"These things…" Sojiro uttered. "These things are monsters."

"That's not the half of it." Cuchulain continued. "If these new mobile dolls are unleashed in this world, there will be no force that can stop them."

"Exactly how long does it take to assemble mobile dolls?"-

"To complete one suit efficiently and at a hasty pace, a mobile doll could be completed within two hours. If there were ten separate teams, each working on a single suit; that means that they're able to construct ten within two hours. That means at this rate, the faction would be able to assemble a company of a hundred by early the next morning."

"Then that's where my point is made." Saito said.

"What do you mean?" Miss Kaoru asked.

"Only this," Saito began to point out his view. "You say that a single mobile doll can be completed in two hours. That means that if there were ten teams on the job assembling the dolls, they'd be able to assemble a large enough force to be a threat to the entire world. Perhaps, their attempted attack is only meant to keep us at bay. And if we were to wonder away from the safety of the dojo, especially in the dead of night, we'd be attacked and slain and not even know what was going on."

"So what do you propose we do, Saito?" Kenshin asked.

"We attack them at the same time that they attack us. We send out our own fighters to attack the facilities of the Midnight Faction."-

"Are you sure that that's a wise decision?" Ophelia asked. "If we attempt to attack their facilities in the Shrine of the Six Arches, we'd only be severing our own manpower here in half."

"I understand that, but you have forgotten that each and every one of us has battled against the Imperials in one form or the other. Thus, even if they are sending their most powerful fighters, they will still be no match for us here. Since the KH team is most familiar with this issue, they shall be the ones to initiate the attack."-

"No…" Riku said. "Since we assume that all the best fighters of the Midnight Faction in this realm are coming here, we can assume that there aren't any really powerful fighters guarding in defense of the facilities. Thus, we only need at least three."

"Then I guess," Sora implied, "Since you and I are two of the top fighters in the KH team, we'd stand a better chance fighting on our own against the Midnight faction. So only the two of us shall go."-

"But you don't even know your way around there." Donald implied. "You'd get lost in the wilderness."

"No they won't." Sojiro said.

"What do you mean they won't?"-

"Because I'll be going with them…"-

"And why should you go? You don't know your way around that area any better then the rest of us. Or do you?"-

"As a matter of fact…I do…"-

"You do?" the others asked.

"But how would you know your way around Mt. Hiei?" Kenshin asked.

"It's because…" Sojiro paused for a second or two before continuing with his statement, "It's because the Shrine of the Six Arches was the original headquarters of Makoto Shishio and the Juppongatana."

"What…?" There was silence amongst the group.

"The Juppongatana," Sora implied, "You talking about Shishio and his cronies?"

"That's right." Sojiro replied. "Since I was one of the closest and most loyal of Mr. Shishio's syndicate, I took the entire inner structure of the realm to memory. I still remember it to this day. The Shrine of the Six Arches is an exquisite labyrinth of hidden passage ways and concealed rooms that lead to different areas of the compound. So, even if one were to attack that fortress, they would be lost in that grand construction. The Midnight Faction must've somehow stumbled upon the old establishment and are now using it to help manufacture these mobile dolls."

"Would there be any features on Mt. Hiei big enough to construct machines as large as the mobile dolls."-

"There is a deep gorge, wide enough to fit a thousand of those machines and still have enough room. It was once called the Inferno Room where Mr. Shishio manufactured oil and kerosene. I believe that would be the area where they would assemble the dolls."-

"Excellent." Riku implied. "Then let's go with Saito's plan. If the Faction is only hoping to keep us at bay, we can at least foil their plan and hope that it backfires into their faces." He turned to Saito. "Saito, can you get a message out to the police units in Kyoto? Tell them to assemble and be prepared to storm the facility when we give them the order. We'll fire a flare from the mountain and that will give them the order to advance. But we need to exploit the inner works of the Shrine of the Six Arches first."

"I can run to the police station and give them the information by telegraph."-

"That's great."-

"Inspector Saito," Sojiro said, "Also request to have a carriage come here and pick us up. We'll then take the next train to Kyoto. We have to conceal our movements. Right now, the Midnight Faction has no idea that we know of their whereabouts. They still think that we are unaware of the location of their facilities. I would like to keep it that way. They would never suspect us if we travel by train and carriage."

"I can assure you that it will be arranged, Mr. Seta." Saito replied. "And I will also have two extra police uniforms brought as well."

"Why's that?" Sora asked.

"Well, we can't have either you or Riku attracting attention to yourselves when you are in enemy territory dressed like that. Besides, you'll deceive the Midnight Faction a lot better if you seem to be only mere officers on patrol. However, if you are discovered in a secluded area, you must silence anyone who is present…permanently…"

"Understood…" Riku only nodded, knowing the consequences of what would happen if they were discovered. "Then, I'll make sure that we're not discovered."

"Then I take my leave ladies and gentlemen." Saito put on his shoes and hat and walked from the dojo. The others could only wait until his return.

Saito did not waste time on the matter. Within less than an hour, he returned with carriage and clothing to the dojo, stepping from the carriage, he came before the KH team and their allies.

"That was fast." Sora implied.

"Not fast enough." Saito replied. "The next train leaves within thirty minutes, so I suggest that you get ready." He gave Riku and Sora a pack of clothes. "Put these on and accompany Sojiro to Kyoto."

"Right..." Riku said. Sora and Riku went back into the house and quickly changed as the others awaited them to reemerge. Within a few minutes, Riku and Sora came out of the house, dressed in officer uniforms.

"Hey, not bad," Kenshin said, "You two look good in those uniforms that you do."

"Gawrsh," Goofy said, "I wish I had one."

"Well," Riku said, "we're off."

He, Sora, and Sojiro boarded the carriage.

"We're counting on you three to succeed." Cuchulain said. "Good luck."

"So far, so good," Riku implied, "Hope that you guys do better than we." Riku and the Hound shook hands and were on their way.

"I sure hope that they succeed that I do." Kenshin said.

"Our hopes lay with them." Cuchulain replied. "All we can do right now is do our best to battle off those who will attack us."

The KH team and the Kenshin group prepared for battle, assembling themselves in certain areas where they would be most likely to be attacked.

Meanwhile, in the carriage, Sojiro and the two key bearers awaited to reach the train station. From there, they would ride to their destination at Kyoto.

"So tell me, Sojiro," Riku said, "At the rate of speed that we're going, how long will it be before we get to Kyoto?"

"At this rate," Sojiro replied, "We should be able to get there by nightfall at the latest if we go by railway. I estimate that by the time we get to Kyoto, the Midnight Faction would have already started their attack on the Kamiya Dojo. It would be a rather shock to find us attacking."

"That's why we have to hasten our pace." Sora said.

"Relax, Sora, relax," Riku said, "I know that we're not going as fast as usual, but we can't draw attention to ourselves and blow the whole operation. You'll just have to wait it out. But I know Kenshin and the others. They can handle themselves."

The night came swiftly, faster and sooner than expected. The Kamiya Dojo was well lit and members of the KH team and the Kenshin group were stationed on different parts of the premises. The night was filled with stars and the sound of crickets sounded in the night. Goofy and Donald stood watch at the gate, hoping for the attack to come.

"All is quiet on the western front." Goofy said.

"There's no sign of anyone around here." Donald added. "Maybe what we predicted was wrong."

"I don't think so." Ophelia implied, as she walked towards them to see how they were doing. "The Midnight Faction commonly attacks in the dead of night and when our guards are down. Right now, most of us are tired from waiting for this moment. As a result, our mental strength has been worn out. That is why I am telling you to remain calm and don't allow your anxiety to get the best of you."

"We'll try our best, Miss Billiard." Goofy said.

"I'll keep my senses on any surrounding energy. If they do initiate an attack, we will know where and when."-

At the same time, Yahiko and Miss Kaoru, who had just recently put her son to bed, watched as Cuchulain slept silently against the wall. He had a young boy like expression of innocence on his face.

"He looks so young when he's asleep." Yahiko said quietly.

"Like a small child in rest." Kaoru asked. "It's hard to believe that he's a powerful warrior."

"Even with all the tension in the air, he can sleep so soundly."-

"That means that he has nothing on his mind to trouble him." A voice implied. Kaoru and Yahiko turned to see Kenshin standing in the doorway. "Cuchulain must not take into account the battles that he fights and the aftermath that results that he does."

"Hey, Kenshin," Yahiko asked, "If the two of you were to fight, who do you think would win?"

"Yahiko," Kaoru interrupted, "to ask such a question."

"It's quite alright, Miss Kaoru." Kenshin implied. "If Cuchulain and I were to fight, I believe that we might be about even that we are. But then again, this young man was the same young man who went head to head with Master Kahn those six years ago." Kenshin then bowed his head low. "As for me, I have much to worry about. I have to worry about all of you in this upcoming skirmish that I do. Especially…" He looked into the room where his son, Kenji slept. "Cuchulain said that I must protect my son to the best of my abilities and if need be die for him. And that I will do. If there is anyone who dares to harm my son, or any of my friends and allies, I will fight and defeat them."

"But if the time comes and you can no longer defeat your enemy without killing them, will you slay them?" a voice said. From the darkness, Saito stood against a tree.

"What are you talking about, Saito!" Sanosuke shouted, hearing the conversation from not too far away. "Kenshin will never regress to killing anyone ever again. He made a vow never to kill again and that's what he will abide by until the day he dies."

"You moron… If that day does come, it may come sooner than you think."-

"Kenshin would never kill anyone no matter what the cause." Yahiko said.

"Well, he's going to have to." Another voice said. The group saw Colonel Billiard walking towards them from the darkness. "These faction soldiers are the top best of the best and their strength is incredible including their thoughts regarding their own lives. Like you, Saito, these men and women will not hesitate to kill themselves. They will fight and to the death if necessary. Once they enter battle, they will be a force that you never could have reckoned with before."

"Quite interesting," Saito said. He pulled out a cigarette, lit it and began to smoke it one puff at a time, "Then I guess I have no need to hold back."

But as the group ended their conversation, something caught Colonel Billiard's attention. She stood up and sensed the area around them.

"They're here." She uttered. "All hands to your battle stations!"

The Kenshin group quickly scurried to their posts and hid themselves as they had been instructed by Colonel Billiard. Kenshin tucked his sheathed sword into his pant strap. He then looked back at the room where Kenji slept quietly.

"Kenji…" he said.

"Don't worry," Kaoru implied, "I'll protect Kenji to the best of my abilities."

"I will do my best to protect the both of you."-

"Yahiko, get ready…"-

"Right…" Yahiko implied. He then turned to Cuchulain who was still asleep against the wall. Without thinking, he shouted Cuchulain's name. "Cuchulain, we got to go, the battle's about to begin!" The Hound, startled by the shouting, opened his eyes and raised his head. There was a look of shock in his eyes and sweat rushed down his face as if something terrible had occurred.

"What…what has happened?" he said to himself.

"Hey, Cuchulain…!" Yahiko shouted again, walking up to Cuchulain and shaking him by the shoulder. Cuchulain looked at him funny with those two half open eyes of his, "Didn't you hear me? The battles about to begin! Miss Billiard sensed the faction's approach, we gotta go!"

"What…have you done…?"-

"I've woken you up! Now let's go!"-

Cuchulain shook his head. He then grabbed the Gae Bulga, which leaned against the wall and joined the others.

"Alright, let's go!" he said. He joined the others and prepared to battle.

They took their places ready to fight. Donald and Goofy made ready as they stood at the gate with their weapons drawn, awaiting the first attack. Sure enough, from out of the darkness, there was the sound of rushing feet. The two looked around, listening to where the attack would come from. Suddenly, from out of the darkness, ten men came rushing at the gate. Dressed in black armor and bearing sharpened blades and a few with blasters, they charged head on against the gate way.

"Here they come!" Goofy shouted.

"They're right on top of us!" Donald added. He fired a blast of the Firaga spell, spreading flames into the ranks of the oncoming troops, but the flames missed their targets as the soldiers leaped up and avoided the attack. "Uh oh, these guys won't be easy that's for sure."

"C'mon, Donald, let's go get 'em!" Goofy declared. His shield ready, he deployed his infamous Tornado Spin against one of the attackers. Goofy engaged against the first of the ten soldiers. But the other nine came charging through the gates.

"We need help!" Donald shouted as he used his most powerful elemental attacks and spells to stop the attackers. The gates were splintered by sudden force deployed by the soldiers, causing Donald to fly into the air and breaking through the paper walls of the living quarters. He reemerged with stars buzzing around his head in circular motion. The soldiers began to spread out into the dojo's premises, but as they did, they came face to face with Kenshin Himura.

"It's him," one of the mercenaries implied, "It's the Battousai!"

"Kenshin Himura…" Another one added.

"Withdraw at once." Kenshin implied.

"Kill him! It's just one man!" another mercenary ordered. One of the mercenaries attacked without question to the order and faced Kenshin head to head. But Kenshin's superior swordsmanship skills and the knowledge of the Hiten Mitsurugi style allowed him to defeat his opponent with ease. The man fell unconscious on the ground. Another came to challenge, Kenshin.

"Kill him!" the mercenary said. The next soldier assaulted Kenshin, but he too was knocked out of submission. "Idiot's he's alone!"

Two of the soldiers who had been struck down, regained their consciousness. They picked up their weapons and attacked Kenshin from two directions. Kenshin, however, saw the attack coming, sensing their emotions, and jumped to evade the attack. He then slammed his sword onto one of the mercenaries.

"Hiten Mitsurugi style," he shouted, "Ryu Tsui Sen!" he cracked his sword upon his opponent's helmet, cracking it in two. The full blow was blocked, but the aftermath caused the soldier to fall in shock, falling unconscious to the ground.

"Die!" shouted the other soldier, hoping to strike the Battousai from behind. But Kenshin managed to evade the attack and cut his opponent down by the knees.

"Impossible," said the leading mercenary, "It's one against many…"

"You fools!" a voice shouted out. "You're risking your lives to fight one man?" The soldiers looked up to see two figures standing above the doorway of the dojo's main entry.

"Agent Hate, Agent Loath!" the lead mercenary implied.

Agent Hate and Agent Loath were similar in appearance. Both were dressed in black, identical to ninjas with their masks covering their mouths and noses, revealing only their eyes. They did not wear the hoods of ninjas, thus their hair blew in the wind. Agent Hate had bright green hair while his comrade, Agent Loath had bright blue hair. Agent Hate was armed with what looked like grappling claws on both of his hands, while Agent Loath was armed with what looked like a grappling chain with what looked like a razor sharp pendulum blade at its end. The two jumped down to fight against Kenshin.

"Don't waste your time on that trash." Hate said. "Go and take any hostage you can find. And kill anyone that gets in your way!"

"Leave the Battousai to us!" Loath added.

"Sir…" the soldier implied. They rushed away from the fighting area and headed towards the other parts of the dojo. But as they did, they came across the faces of Saito and Sanosuke.

"You plan on doing any further damage," Sanosuke said as he cracked his knuckles, "You'll have to get passed me first. I've been itching for a fight like this for a long time."

"I hope that you've said your prayers." Saito implied to his opponents. "There may be a chance that you'll never live to see tomorrow."

One of the soldiers, feared of Saito's appearance, began to back off. But as he turned to run at the last moment, Loath's chain swung at him and the large pendulum blade sliced the soldier's head right off.

"You are the best of the best in the faction." Loath implied. "You should not be feared of death! You are all merely pawns and pawns are only allowed to move forward and sacrifice themselves if need be! Lowly pawns like you do not have the option of retreating!" Loath swung the chain around and caught the blade between the index and thumb of his right hand. "If any of you wish to run like cowards you can, but you'll have to get passed me first."

The soldiers, feared of what would happen, attacked their opponent.

"That's a lot better." Saito chuckled. He formed his stance for the Gatotsu and lunged at his opponent. Two of the soldiers were killed by his blade, but the others managed to dodge the attack.

At the same time, Sanosuke attacked his opponents, using the power of his fists to bring down his opponents.

"These guys are a lot tougher than we thought." Sanosuke said.

As Sanosuke and Saito did battle with the head mercenaries, Kenshin was ready to confront the two top fighters of the group.

"So, Battousai," Hate said. He showed the glint of his claws, "You feeling lucky today?"

"You should retreat while you still can that you should." Kenshin said. His eyes were focused and he was ready to confront these two darkness misfits.

"You think that we should be afraid of you?" Loath chuckled. "As if…You're not even worthy enough to lick the dirt off of our boots."

"Our individual strengths surpass even that of Makoto Shishio." Hate added. "It is you who should surrender. Here's the deal, leave us to finish our business here and no further harm will come to you."

"But you intend to take over this world regardless that you do." Kenshin implied. "Therefore, letting you have your way is not an option to me."

"Fine," Loath implied as he began to swing his grapping chain around and around, "then perhaps it'll be easier to negotiate with you from your grave!" He threw the blade at Kenshin, but the blade missed as the Battousai evaded the attack. The blade crashed into the entry way of the house and cut the greeting tapestry in half. Pulling the chain back, he tried to strike Kenshin from behind with the blade's horn. But again Kenshin evaded. Loath charged in, grabbing the blade itself. Rushing in, he attempted to cut hit opponent with the blade. Thus, the battle became more intense as the two went into battle with one another.

Meanwhile, Sanosuke managed to fight off and knock out the three mercenaries who dared to confront him. They lay on the ground unconscious and their bodies covered with bruises.

"Well, that was easier than I thought." He said. "I thought that these guys would be tougher than this!" But suddenly, he heard something swoop from above. Sano looked up to see a soldier with large black wings descend upon him. From underneath the vast wings, two sharpened blades appeared. Sanosuke didn't see the soldier coming. It came upon him like a phantom. At the last minute, Sano dodged, but the blades managed to severe him in the back. Sano cried out as he felt the blades cut deep into his flesh. He fell to the ground and blood immediately began to rush from the open wound.

"I can't believe this." He thought to himself. "That guy actually managed to get me off my guard." Staggering to his feet, he could feel the blood drip down his back and soak his shirt. Sano stripped the shirt from his back and prepared to take on another attack from above. "Without a doubt, that guy will attack from the air again." But as he concentrated on an attack from the air, another soldier appeared from on the ground and lunged forth with his drawn blade. Sanosuke, too caught up in anticipating an attack from the sky, was caught off guard again. He saw the soldier attack at the last minute. He dodged, but the sharpened blade managed to cut him deeply in the side. "Damn, I got cut again." Using his reserved strength, he attacked the soldier who slashed at him, causing him to go unconscious. But as the soldier fell to before his feet, the winged soldier attacked from above, cutting him again. Sanosuke received a severe wound across the abdomen and he fell to his knees, his blood dripping upon the ground.

In the meantime, Saito had finished off his own attackers, killing each and every one of them without a second thought. As he finished off his last opponent, he saw Sano falling to his knees.

"That moron." He said, "Too caught up in remaining on the offense. He's done nothing to improve his defense, which is the reason for him being regressed to that pitiful state." But as he had finished his statement, another one of the winged phantom soldiers swooped down and struck at Saito. Saito saw the attack coming and dodged as best he could, but the erected blade from the soldier had managed to graze his cheek, cutting it from his ear to his chin. Saito wiped the blood from his face, having it stain upon his right glove. "That was uncalled for. I'll take your life for that."

Again the soldier swooped down, but Saito had his own ace up his sleeve. Using the third style Gatotsu, he lunged upward and pierced his attacker straight through the throat, killing him instantly. The two fell to the ground, but Saito managed to remain on his feet. Taking his sword, he drew it out of the soldier's throat, blood dripping from the ghastly wound.

"It will take more than you to defeat a former leader of the Shinsengumi." Saito said. However, as he had wiped the sword clean of its blood, two other warriors came to face him. Saito, grinning upon his face, fought off his other two opponents.

At the same time, Goofy and Donald had managed to retreat to the safety of the dojo and fought off even more soldiers, who proved to be too powerful even for them.

"Talk about the best of the best alright." Donald said. But as they battled, they saw as Sanosuke began to lose his grip. He continued to fight, but his physical strength continued to decrease as the same flying phantom randomly swooped down attempting to strike him.

"Sano needs help." Goofy said.

"Then let's give him a hand." Goofy and Donald came to aid Sanosuke. The winged soldier came swooping down again, hoping to deliver the final blow. But from out of nowhere, Goofy and Donald came at the soldier. Goofy blocked the blade with his shield while at the same time, Donald unleashed a Blizzaraga spell. The soldier had been turned into ice and went skidding along the ground.

"Are you OK, Sano?" Goofy asked.

"Thanks you two," Sanosuke implied, "That guy was certainly something else, swooping down at me from anywhere." But no sooner had he finished uttering that statement; then five other soldiers came swooping from over the wall. "Great…more of those idiots to worry about…"

"We'll just have to do our best for now." Donald said. The three awaited the attack, ready to face their foes.

In the meantime, While Sanosuke, Goofy, Donald, and Saito were battling with the lower of the soldiers, it seemed that Loath, in his battle with Kenshin was not going as well as he had planned. Loath, despite his cunning and his strategies, he was not able to hinder Kenshin. After five minutes of fighting, and seeing no clear winner, the two broke off from combat.

"I don't understand this." Loath said. "How is the Battousai able to predict every one of my moves? It's as if he can see my attack before I can even deploy it."

"You fool," Hate chuckled, "The Battousai is using your emotions to predict your every move. It doesn't matter how fast you move or how agile you are, he can always see your bodies motions."

"Then how do you propose that I fight him?"-

"You could always use assistance."-

"What do you mean?" But as Loath turned to face Kenshin, he was the red haired samurai charge straight at him.

"Hiten Mitsurugi style," Kenshin shouted, "Kuzu ryu Sen!" Kenshin's attack struck the assassin at all nine points of his body and sent him flying into the wall. The impact of Loath's body against the wall caused the wall to crack and break, forming a large hole. Kenshin lowered his sword. "Why don't you give up? There's no point in continuing, you can't beat me."

"I will not allow you to do me over, boy!" Loath shouted as he staggered to his feet. "You'll have to kill me in order to do that. But I know you. You're not the type to kill anyone, which gives me the slight advantage." Loath suddenly attacked with unexpected speed. He threw out his blade and attempted to cut Kenshin. Kenshin managed to dodge the blade, but Loath retracted his blade suddenly. Kenshin was caught off guard this time and the horn of the blade sliced him across his abdomen. Kenshin fell to ground, but Loath took advantage of the situation and kicked the Battousai in the air. He then slammed him down into the ground again with his fist. He then tried to throw his foot upon Kenshin's back, hoping to break it, but the agile samurai managed to roll away. He stood back on his feet, grasping at the wound across his gut.

"I was careless." Kenshin thought to himself. "Too careless…"

"Well, well, well," Loath chuckled, "it seems that you've run out of ideas. You thought that you were such hot stuff against me weren't you. But now the tables have turned." Kenshin stood up to his full height, but as he did, two daggers suddenly struck him in both shoulders. Kenshin fell to the ground, severely wounded now. His sword dropped at his side. Kenshin could only look at his fallen sword. He attempted to pick it up, but his wounds were so severe, he could no longer pick up his blade.

"Now, now," Hate chuckled, landing next to his comrade, "we can't have you retaliating against us can we." The daggers came from the retractable claws on his gauntlets. The blades of the gauntlets could be deployed as daggers, severely wounding an opponent from a safe distance away. Hate shook the gauntlet that deployed the two daggers and the stationary blades took their place.

"This can't be…" Kenshin thought to himself. "These two are in a completely different class. Their strengths surpassed far beyond my own expectations."

"This battle has turned in our favor." Hate said. "It seems that the might of the legendary Battousai was nothing, but a rumor." He stepped on Kenshin's wound, causing it to sting. Kenshin lay on the ground, unable to even pick up his sword. It seemed the end for him. He would soon meet his fate at the hands of these powerful foes. "And it looks like your little friends have lost this fight as well." Kenshin looked to see more faction troops storming over the walls and through the gates, rushing into their home and training hall from all entry points.

"Kenji…" Kenshin uttered. "Yahiko…Kaoru…"

"Well, it was fun while it lasted, but it was really nothing to boast about, especially since we stormed a hall full of nothing, but weaklings. And now," Hate kneeled over Kenshin and held one of his sharpened claws to the young samurai's throat, "I shall end your suffering by putting an end to your own miserable life."

"But before we kill you, Battousai," Loath said with a smirk on his face, "Let me ask you where the key bearers are? This fortress would not have fallen so easily if they're here. Tell us where they are hiding."

"Agent Loath and Agent Hate," a voice uttered, "Just like you two to act above your station." The two assassins looked toward the darkness of the house entry way. From the darkness of the house, two black fans spun out and cut down the attacking soldiers. They then came flaying back to the darkness of the house. "However, I know you two. It's easy to take advantage of one who holds the value of your lives more than you will ever show to anyone else." From the darkness came a familiar face. It was the face of an old faction comrade.

"Colonel Billiard…" Hate uttered. "What are you doing here?"

In the meantime, Kaoru and Yahiko fought to the best of their abilities against the forces of the Midnight Faction. The soldiers stormed into the house and fought against the two brave defenders. Kaoru and Yahiko, despite their courage were completely overwhelmed by the well trained faction soldiers.

"There's too many of them." Yahiko said.

"It doesn't matter." Kaoru implied. "I have to protect my son." She struck at three attackers, fending them off for a short period of time. But more soldiers continued to engage them. Finally, one of the soldiers struck the sword out of Kaoru's hand and knocked her against the wall.

"Kaoru…!" Yahiko cried. He rushed to her rescue, but one of the faction soldiers thrust his sword deep into Yahiko's arm. Another struck him into the gut. Yahiko fell to the ground, up against the wall, dying. "Kaoru…" Yahiko could only gaze at his teacher and friend before his eyes closed and his hand fell heavily to his side.

"Yahiko…!"-

"Shut up you!" the soldier shouted, slapping her across the face, causing her mouth to bleed. "One more word out of you and you'll die too!"

"Sir." Another soldier said. "Look at what I found here." The soldiers looked into the next room. And there, huddled in the corner, frightened and awake, was little Kenji.

"Heh, that must be the Battousai's kid. There's a strong striking resemblance between the two."-

"Mommy, Daddy," Kenji uttered, his eyes filled with tears, "help me."

"Your mommy and daddy can't help you now." He turned to his soldiers. "Take the boy back to headquarters."-

"Yes sir." Another soldier implied. The soldier came towards the boy.

"Leave me alone!" Kenji cried.

"Like you can really do anything to us." The leader chuckled.

It was then, from out of the shadows, the glimmering brass head of the Gae Bulga appeared from out of the darkness. And following it was the figure of the Hound.

"You heard what the boy said." Cuchulain uttered. "You leave him alone."

"It's…it's the Hound of Ulster…" another soldier uttered. "Cuchulain…"

"I don't care who you are!" the leader shouted. He drew out his sword and charged against the Hound. "Die!" But instantly, he was killed as the felt the spear enter through his chest and bursting out his back.

"Then you and all your men will die." Cuchulain's eyes suddenly turned from their kind blue to the soulless yellow. His K9 teeth grew sharp and his aura began to glow. Cuchulain retracted his blade and attacked all the soldiers.

At the same time, Loath and Hate were now confronted by the infamous Tiger of Goth. There was a strange smirk of pleasure on the face of Colonel Ophelia Billiard. Loath and Hate were now full of a deep fear, knowing what they faced.

"So it is true." Loath said. "You have betrayed us."

"Wrong," Billiard uttered, "It is you who have betrayed me. And like you, I too don't play by the rules."

"Shut your yap!" Loath swung his chain. "I'll show you what the faction does to traitors." But before he could attempt to cut her, Billiard unleashed her own dagger and aimed for his throat. The blade sunk deep into the assassin's throat. Immediately, Loath stopped swinging the chain. Releasing the chain, it went flying into one of the trees nearby. The blood splattered about from his throat and the look of shock and surprise fell over the face of the stricken head assassin. He fell to his knees, his hands shaking tremendously, hoping to grasp at the dagger. But Loath was never able to pull out the dagger. Instead, he fell to the ground, landing flat on his belly, the dagger was forced straight through his throat, piercing out the other side and blood spurting out from where the blade made its exit. His eyes seemed to roll to the back of his head and within seconds, the assassins twitching stopped. Within seconds after impact, Loath was dead. Ophelia Billiard glared at the still corpse of the mercenary.

"I suggest you shut yours first, bastard."-

"Impossible." Hate thought to himself. "She killed Loath in a matter of seconds. He was able to defeat the Battousai, but he lost so easily to the Tiger of Goth."

"Kenshin Himura has not fought a strong opponent since the fall of the Dark Empire." Billiard implied. "His power has diminished since that time, so I wouldn't be the least bit surprised that he's a little rusty. I, however, am still in my prime. And I won't hesitate to kill anyone who stands in my way." She unleashed one of her black fans. "Oh and one more thing, this battle is far from being in your favor."

Suddenly, from behind her, within the dojo, there was a sudden crash and several faction soldiers went flying to the ground. From the darkness of the dojo, the Hound appeared. He found himself surrounded by several faction soldiers. These elite soldiers, despite their experience, knew the power of the Hound and his reputation of being a cold blooded killer in the midst of battle. Cuchulain's eyes were a soulless yellow, like that of a wild animal. The soldiers hesitated.

"If you wish to die, then come at me." Cuchulain implied. "I'll be glad to end your life now." Ophelia turned her eyes towards Agent Hate, a sinister grin upon her face.

"As I said," Ophelia declared, "This battle is far from turning in your favor. You thought that you had us figured out and that we were open to any attack you threw at us. But since I was a former member of the Midnight Faction, I know the way you think and what strategies you initiate. It was how we were able to create a strong enough defense. As a matter of fact, we came up with our own counterattack."

"What are you saying?" Hate uttered.

"To answer your earlier question about Riku and Sora, they are our counterattack."-

"What's that?"-

"They are to help progress with the attack on your assembly facilities on Mt. Hiei, at the Shrine of the Six Arches."-

"What…?" Hate's face showed fear. "How did you know about its location?"

"We learned that information from an anonymous yet reliable source."-

"It can't be…"-

"Oh yes. You had hoped to create a diversion by attacking this dojo, but now you realize that your own plan had a flaw in it. Thanks to our quick realization of your plan, we were able to create a retaliatory strike."-

"You traitor…" Hate sighed and began to chuckle again. "Oh well, it doesn't really matter. Even if they were to charge into the facility, they'll have to penetrate through a highly elaborate labyrinth before they can get to the mass manufacturing hanger. And by the time they reach it, it will already be too late." Ophelia became silent after those words. "I guess you didn't plan on having to meet up with that dilemma now did you?"

"Again you make a long winded assumption." Ophelia stated. "You may have had an ace up your sleeve, but so do I."

"What do you mean?"-

"One of our allies, who is accompanying Riku and Sora, was a former member of the infamous troop Juppongatana. And he knows the layout of your labyrinth like the back of his own hand."-

"You lie. Kyoto's at lest two hundred miles from here. They'll never make it."-

"Now would I lie about something like that?" The glint in her eye made it all too clear to Agent Hate that what she said was indeed true. "They left early this afternoon."-

The truth was real and it was indeed a serious threat to the Midnight Faction. At that moment, while Hate and the remains of his forces continued to battle against the Kenshin group and the KH team, near the outskirts of Kyoto, another little carriage, that had been awaiting the trio at the Kyoto train station, was now carrying Riku, Sora, and Sojiro. Immediately after reaching the station, they boarded the carriage and headed to Mt. Hiei. It took until nightfall as Sojiro predicted, but they had finally reached their destination. The carriage made its way through the streets where at least three thousand policemen awaited them. The carriage stopped amidst the police body. The commander of the force approached the carriage to greet assistant inspector Sojiro Seta.

Sojiro, Riku, and Sora emerged from the carriage and the head officer and his subordinates saluted them.

"Inspector Seta sir," he said, "I'm glad to see that you made it here."

"And I'm glad to see that you have successfully assembled your men." Sojiro replied. "Has there been any suspicious characters hanging about when you assembled?"

"No sir."-

"Very well, you know your orders correct?"-

"We are not to advance until you give us the signal."-

"You know what to look for am I correct?"-

"Yes sir."-

"Very well then," Sojiro fixed the front of his jacket, unbuttoning it down to his upper chest area, "These two officers and I shall take the lead to Mt. Hiei alone."

"I understand sir." The commander saluted and Sojiro saluted back. The three then turned and began their silent approach to Mt. Hiei.

While ascending up to the mountain's summit, Sojiro had informed Riku and Sora to stay off the main paths and instead travel along the side of the road, so that they would not be spotted by the enemy in the process. Not talking above a whisper, they continued on the path to the Shrine of the Six Arches.

"Make sure not to drop your guard." Sojiro implied. "There may be ambush parties awaiting us around here."

"How much longer before we get there?" Sora asked.

"Not too far now. The reason why they call this realm the Shrine of the Six Arches is due to the distinctive characteristics of the shrine's entry way. It bears six red arches that are constructed before its gates. Thus this place was given its name." The trio reached the next bend in the path. "Once we pass through these trees, we should be able to see the arches."

Sure enough, as they approached, they reached the entry way. Even in the dead of night, the magnificent red arches could be seen, silhouetted by the little moon light that touched them.

"Wow," Sora said, "So those are the arches."

"Not too loud, Sora," Riku implied, "we don't want to get caught now, do we?"

Suddenly, Sojiro stopped and made the gesture to get down low. Sora and Riku did as they were told. They looked to see at least twenty-five men on guard duty at the entry way.

"Man," Sora whispered, "They certainly have a lot of guys guarding this place."

"Sora, Sojiro," Riku uttered in a hoarse whisper, "Over there." He pointed into the darkness and revealed that there were defense pits on each side. There were at least ten defense pits on both sides of the main path, each holding five to ten men, no more, no less.

"Oh God," Sora said, "They're all around us?"

"We didn't even see them." Sojiro implied. "And by the looks of it, they haven't seen us either."

"It's a good thing that the moon isn't entirely full and that we stayed in the shadows. Otherwise, an alarm would have sounded and they would have been swarming all around us."-

"Well, we'll just have to get rid of all of them. That is the only way in and out of the fortress." Sojiro drew his blade. "We have to take out all the soldiers. Do what you can, silently and swiftly."

"Right…" Riku and Sora unleashed their keyblades. Swiftly, they split up and took out each section. Sora attacked the soldiers on the right, while Riku ambushed the defense pits on the left side of the path. And Sojiro attacked the guards at the gate head on, silently and without any sound made. The guards, who were waiting for action to occur, never expected an attack to come from behind.

In Sora's area, the young key bearer unleashed his Tundra Canister, freezing many of them in their places. He then struck each of them down. Those who weren't frozen were paralyzed with Sora's Stopga spell and he dealt a severe finishing blow against them.

At the same time, Riku used his swift attacks and Iceberg Shurikens to finish off his opponents. Using the shadows to conceal his movements, he managed to eliminate each soldier without creating any noise to awaken the others.

Sojiro, using the powerful legwork of his Shukuchi and the Shuntensatsu to eliminate the twenty five men on guard, quickly dispensed with the soldiers in less then a minute. The darkness of the night allowed him to conceal his movements. With the power of the Shukuchi at his disposal, Sojiro was able to cut through his enemies and then vanish like a phantom.

Within that single minute period, all the guards were dead and an open path to the shrine stood before them.

"Well that was easier than I thought." Sora implied as he withdrew his keyblade.

"It's a good thing, however," Riku added, "That there weren't any Heartless about. Had they decided to show up, we would have had to storm through without stealth." But as Riku had finished his statement, as the three joined together, several Heartless appeared out of the darkness and began attacking them. The three drew up their weapons. "I spoke too soon."

"What the heck are those things?" Sojiro asked.

"They're Heartless. They must've been attracted to the keyblades."-

"They just popped out of thin air."-

"Make sure not be overwhelmed by them and their darkness," Sora implied, "Otherwise, they'll swallow your heart up." The thought of such a fate as that made Sojiro cringe…

"What a time for these guys to show up." Riku said.

"Well, look on the bright side. At least they're appearing now. Can you imagine how much more difficult it would have been for us had they decided to attack us while we we're initiating our plan. The alarm would have been sounded."-

"Get rid of them as quick as you can." Sojiro said. The three split up again and silently killed their opponents. The Heartless they faced were mere relics of the past, mostly consisting of old soldier type Heartless. The attack was executed, the finishing blow swift, and the Heartless were easily eliminated.

"Takes care of them…" Sora said, putting his keyblade on his shoulder.

"We don't have time," Riku said, "Let's keep going." He turned to Sojiro. "Sojiro, ignite the signal flare."

"Understood…" Sojiro replied. He took from underneath his coat, a signal rocket. Sticking into the ground, he aimed it upwards towards Kyoto. Sojiro then pulled out a box of matches. He lit the fuse and ignited the signal flare. The rocket went flying into the air in a brilliant stream of light. It traveled no more than four hundred yards in the air before exploding.

The signal flare did not go unseen by the police forces who awaited their advance. The commander, upon seeing the flare, turned to his subordinates.

"That is inspector Seta's signal." He implied. "Get the men ready, we're moving out."

"Sir…!" the subordinates replied and made their way through the ranks to spread the word. The three thousand police men quickly assembled into their formations and made ready to attack Mt. Hiei at full force.

Sojiro, Sora, and Riku, watched as the flare illuminated the night sky in a bight red hue of light for that single split second.

"Well, the signal has been initiated." Sojiro said.

"Let's finish this thing with the faction." Riku added. The three rushed into the facility, ready to end the faction's reign.

The flare did not go unnoticed by the Midnight Faction, whose sensors picked up the explosion over their airspace. Commander Delinor was present in the observation room of the assembly hanger when he received word from his aids.

"Sir," one of the soldiers said, "Our sensors detect a small explosion over our airspace."

"What was that?" Delinor asked. "An explosion you say?"

"Yes sir."-

"What was it, was it a large explosion?"-

"We managed to get these images from our surveillance cameras, sir." The soldier input the data and revealed the images on the main screen.

"What kind on an explosion is that?"-

"Sir," said another soldier at his station, "It seems to be a signal flare."

"A signal flare," Delinor uttered, "A signal flare for what?"

"We don't know yet sir."-

"Well find out. And I want an analysis of where that flare originated."-

"Sir, sir," said the first soldier, "We've confirmed movement in Kyoto."

"What was that?" Delinor said, turning his head in shock.

"We've confirmed sir. A large body of policemen from Kyoto are heading hear towards our defenses on Mt. Hiei."-

"That's impossible. Could someone have figured out our plans? Tell our outer defenses to engage the advancing police. Tell them to keep them at bay until we are able to set up a counteroffensive."-

"Yes sir." The first soldier said.

"How in the world could this have happened?" Delinor only sighed. "Well, it's only three thousand policemen we're dealing with here. They won't be much of a threat to us. I doubt that they'll even put a dent in our front defense line."

"Sir, sir," the first soldier implied, "We are not receiving any response from the defense line at the six arches."

"What?" Delinor's fears became even greater as he heard this news. "What do you mean we're not receiving any response?"

"Sir," the second soldier shouted, "We've confirmed the origin of where that signal flare was fired."

"Well…" Delinor said.

"It was fired at the entryway sir."-

By this time, bombarded by too much of this bad news, Delinor pounded his fist on his commander's chair.

"I want all outside surveillance cameras set to our first defense line!" he ordered.

"Sir…!" As the soldier activated the surveillance cameras posted at the shrine's entryway, what was revealed to them confirmed Delinor's worst fears. The bodies of all his men lay strewn over the ground.

"It can't be. Who could have done this?"

"We've checking the recording of the cameras sir." The soldier commenced with turning back the camera. Sure enough, the activity that occurred in the dead of night was confirmed. Delinor and his soldier watched as their comrades were struck down by a swift and merciless enemy. Seeing the identity of their attackers, they had assumed that they were mere policemen.

"Policemen…" Delinor uttered. "Our entire front line defense was defeated by only three policemen?" But as Delinor continued to watch, he saw the recorded Heartless battle against the three intruders. In the process, he immediately recognized of the weapons that two of officers were holding. And it filled him with a great fear. The two weapons he identified were none other than the keyblades. "Those aren't policemen…"

"Who are they sir?" ask the second soldier.

"They're the key bearers."-

"That can't be? Are you sure sir?" the soldiers present in that room were struck with a sense of fear and worry as the thought of the key bearers entering the facility came into their minds.

"I want all available units ready to meet them head on and I want all defense turrets and shields up and running! Kill the key bearers if you can! And fend off that mass of policemen if you can! Just keep them away from the main hanger!"-

"Sir," the first soldier said.

"Confirmed," said the second soldier. The soldiers began to relay their orders to all their reserved units.

"I can't believe that the key bearers are here." Delinor thought to himself. "I thought that they were still in Tokyo fighting against Agents Hate and Loath. They can't be here, It's impossible. How could they have seen straight through our plans?"  
He sighed relief as best he could, finding some positive emotion in this situation. "Well, even if they did manage to get passed the outer defense, they still have an elaborate collection of hidden passages, concealed rooms and multiple chambers to exploit. I'm sure that they'll be eliminated in that process. They'll never be able to find their way through this maze. I'm sure of it."

In the meantime, the trio approached an old wooden bridge, which acted as the original access point during the reign of Shishio. It was a suspension bridge that hung over a rock cavern. Many a poor soul who had been swept off the bridge was now a permanent resident at the bottom of the black abyss. Sojiro, Sora, and Riku quickly hastened across the bridge. On the other side, two guards made a converse, not paying attention to their duties. This was indeed a fatal mistake on their part. When hearing the bridge creak and squeak, the two dropped their conversation and picked up their weapons. But as they did and turned their attention to the bridge, it was already too late. Immediately, Sojiro came upon them, his sword drawn from its sheath and he struck the guards down with one strike. Sojiro wiped off the blood from his sword.

"Well, that was a little easier than I had anticipated." He thought. "Thank goodness there were only two guards on duty." No sooner had he spoken those words then from out of the darkness over three dozen sets of eyes emerged from the shadows. The Heartless had emerged to engage the KH team.

"More Heartless, Riku," Sora said as he drew out his keyblade, "There's never a dull moment with them."

"We have to finish them off as soon as we possibly can." Riku implied. "Eliminate them as fast as you can."

"I gotcha…"-

The three attacked their shadow opponents, striking them down one to five at a time. After countless confrontations with the Heartless in the past, and battles with excessively powerful enemies before, the KH team made quick work of the Heartless who stood in their way. No sooner had they appeared then the Heartless were all eliminated.

"That's another wave down." Sojiro said.

"But not the last," Riku explained, "There'll be more on the way."

"It's not the Heartless we have to worry too much about." Sora said. "It's the Midnight Faction soldiers we have to watch out for. They're far more dangerous because unlike the Heartless, who mindlessly attempt to swallow our heart, the factions soldiers intend to kill us, to prevent our hearts from continuing to beat."

"Well, we've reached the main interior of the Shrine of the Six Arches." Sojiro stated. He walked into the wooden hall. It was laden with bright lights, which were electrically powered and replaced the old kerosene torches. "Well this is new. I never saw anything like this before. It's almost like day in here."

"Other than that," Riku asked, "Is this place practically the same as it was the last time you were here?"

"Just about," Sojiro looked around, "Now follow me."

But suddenly, from the end of the hall, the sound of hundreds of running feet echoed. It wasn't long before hundreds of faction soldiers came charging at the trio.

"There they are!" one soldier shouted. "The key bearers…Kill them, kill them all!" The soldiers came storming against them.

"Here they come." Sora said. "And they don't look too happy!"

"Let's get them!" Riku shouted. He drew out his keyblade and charged head long into the horde of soldiers. Sojiro and Sora looked at each other and nodded. They then drew up their weapons and attacked. The soldiers went clashing against the KH team, fighting them in the old wooden halls of the Shrine of the Six Arches.

Meanwhile, as the mass of soldiers, heavily armed with rifles and sabers, came charging up the slopes of the hill, nearing the entry way of the shrine, a company of faction soldiers appeared from the gates and spread out in a thin defense line in front of the advancing police columns. They were armed with blasters, which could easily tear holes into the lines of the police. Also, from out the ground, popping out of what looked like metal hatches, ten laser turrets emerged. Their gun barrels aimed at the policemen.

"Fire at will!" the faction commander of the company shouted. "Fend off the enemy as best you can!" The faction soldiers and the turrets began to fire and rain their devastation into the mass of attacking policemen. The explosions were equal to that of cannons and the police quickly scattered, hiding behind every mound of dirt and every tree they could reach.

"Return fire!" the captain of the police forces shouted. "Return fire!"

The police began to fire back, aiming as best they could in the darkness. Casualties were light on both sides when the battle began, but the intensity of the defense forces of the faction were so intense that they kept the policemen pinned down. All the police could do was stay still and hope to pick off their enemies one at a time and decrease their forces.

The battles that took place from both within the compound and from the outer defenses were observed by Commander Delinor, who watched with a certain amusement.

"This last minute strategy was a success." He said. "I bet that the key bearers were hoping to get reinforcements from the police. But now both forces have been separated from one another. Without the support of the police, the KH team will eventually wither away in their strength and they can't afford to lose one man. To add, they still have an endless amount of rooms and halls to exploit. I doubt that even the might Riku and Sora could scarcely make it through the labyrinth, let alone to the main hanger. They'll get lost in some cavern where the combined forces of my soldiers and the Heartless will destroy them. Then the faction will have no great obstacle to worry about."


	24. Victory and Defeat

Victory and Defeat

The fight at the dojo continued to increase in its aggression as the remaining force of the Midnight Faction began to sweep into the dojo's premises. They battled head to head with Saito, Sanosuke, Cuchulain, Goofy, and Donald. At the same time, Miss Kaoru watched over the dying Yahiko and her little boy, Kenji, keeping them out of sight of the faction. Kenshin was still strewn on the ground, his wounds still dripping blood and both his arms still rendered useless by the daggers that struck them. As well, Ophelia Billiard began her fight with the last of the super elite assassins, Agent Loath. The two battled it out, not giving in to one another. However, unlike Kenshin, who had not picked up his sword in aggression for the passed six years, Colonel Billiard still maintained the wrath of a wild tiger. Battling her was more than what the bloodthirsty agent had expected.

The battle between Agent Hate and Colonel Billiard became more intense. Out of all the battles that took place within the dojo, it was this single battler between two former comrades that was the most intense and the most significance. This battle made proof to the rest of the troop that Ophelia Billiard had indeed changed sides, opinions, and her ways of thinking. She used all within her power to fight and defeat this most deadly of assassins.

"I cannot believe that you would dare turn against your comrades for the sake of saving the weak!" Hate shouted. "It is those same weak who only want things for themselves."

"It's the strong who make it that way!" Ophelia shouted. "They give no leverage to those less fortunate and have them remain in a state of suffering. Those people who are weak would then die a horrible and meaningless death. If such an outcome was to always occur for those less fortunate, then it would be no better than if they had ever come into existence in the first place."

The two continued to fight. Hate launched several of his daggers from his grappling gauntlet, hoping to strike at Ophelia from a long range, but the agile young female warrior easily dodged or blocked the blades with her black fans. She threw one of her fans against the assassin, hoping to cut him, but Hate as well eluded her attack, jumping high into the air, evading the fans razor sharp tips. The fan boomeranged back to Ophelia. At the same time, However, Hate, with his grappling gauntlet's blades spread out, hope to cut her with an aerial attack. Ophelia dodged the attack and landed not to far from him. However, once the assassin hit the ground, he leaped into the air again at a high elevation and descended rapidly upon her again. Ophelia once again dodged and evaded the attack. This process occurred seven times before Hate changed his plan. At the last minute, instead of jumping into the air again, he lunged for her. But Colonel Billiard was expecting such a change in tactic. She knew that he was only hoping to affect her thinking and get her used to seeing him use the same attack repeatedly, then attack in a way least expected. Such a tactic would have worked on any other opponent, but Colonel Billiard had a reputation for being one of the most cunning officers within the faction. She used both of her fans to launch an attack, hoping to sever her opponent's head from his body. Hate dodged the attack at the last minute, but he was not able to move his hand away fast enough and the fans cut into his left grappling gauntlet. The fans had managed to slice into the metal armguard of the gauntlet. Shocked at the outcome, Hate retracted his hand and got it away from the gauntlet.

"I can't believe it." Hate thought to himself as he gazed at what the fans had done to his invincible grappler gauntlet. "Those fans of hers can even cut through solid metal. If she's able to do something as remarkable as that, then her strength surpasses even my own."

Ophelia stood fully erect, her fans lowered to her side. She gazed at her opponent and sneered.

"The faction had been planning my demise from the start." She said. "Once my usefulness had been worn out, I would be disposed of without question and without mercy. Before then, when fighting with the faction, I had my doubts on whether what I was fighting for was for the better of things or for the worst. However, once I was told that my life was not worth anything, but for the sake of fulfilling other people's goals, I felt used, molested, and most of all…betrayed. For these many years I had placed my faith in the Midnight Faction because I thought that they would be the ones to lead us to a world of everlasting peace. A fabulous utopia where no conflict or suffering would ever occur again, and it was for that reason that I took many an innocent life, even though I knew it sickened me through and through secretly. But now, I realize that I've only been fighting for the sake of the ideals of the few who only wish to have their own power and status increase. And thus they would eliminate anyone who proved, or was suspected of being a threat. Because of my unique abilities, I would be later disposed of because you people feared that I might learn the truth and find some deep dark secret lurking in your heart. Is that not true?"

"I would not blame the faction for carrying out with such a demise. However, if you were to have remained with the factional ranks, you would have had a chance, but now it is assured that your death will come and by the hands of one of your former comrades no doubt. As a traitor to the faction, you will pay with your life." Hate attacked again with his right handed gauntlet, swiping and slicing at the colonel. "You were too old and too pure hearted to ever become someone like me. Had you lost all hopes and were embraced by the darkness, perhaps your opinion would not have changed as early as this! Word has spread throughout the faction and those who once looked up to you now despise and hate you. The faction in its entirety wants to see you dead! So you are a disgrace to wear that uniform any longer."-

"And that is the reason why I bear no symbol of the faction on me!" The two continued to fight until their energy was almost depleted. "Besides, whether I stayed with the faction or not, it wouldn't have changed the fact that I would have died by your hands eventually. But there is one thing that I have learned while fighting against the faction for the passed three days or so. I've learned that the faction is not interested in justice or peace, but they only look to the benefaction of the ones who lead them and no one else. All you want is victory and you will do anything to get it, no matter who feels the effect of it."

"The faction only cared about uniting this universe under one banner. Once all are under one banner, no one will have the urge to take arms against us."-

"The universe is a big place!" Ophelia continued. "Not everyone will see eye to eye with you and they never will. But because they don't agree with you doesn't mean that you have a right to declare total genocide on them and their people and force them to see things your way. That only gives rise to further conflict."-

"That is why those who are defiant must be eliminated!"-

"People will always have their individuality. And those who aren't aware of that concept will eventually find out from some kind of source. It will be considered revolutionary to those who discover it. There is nothing that one can do to prevent that question from resurfacing, no matter how much you kill, or manipulate. Thus I have come to one truth, a truth that has eluded me up until recently. I will no longer fight against those who wish to protect their homes, their families and friends, and their individuality! Instead, those who are my enemy are those who will try to deny them that. Those who give raise to chaos are my enemies! And those who attempt to take my life and those within my life are my enemies! No questions asked!"

"Then you give rise to further chaos!" Hate shouted. "You speak as if the faction does not have that same goal! They are both the same!"-

"It may seem that way! But they are far from being identical! Do you fight to protect?"-

"I fight for the preservation of a grand idea! The world ruled by the Midnight Faction. A world that will know no war or conflict! That is what I fight for."-

"Then that is what will be your downfall. If you have nothing to protect more than a simple cause or ideal, than that is something not worth fighting for!"-

"Then tell me what you fight for, colonel?" Ophelia looked around, watching her comrades fight as hard as they could, comrades whose very lives depended on her success against Agent Hate or not.

"I fight for my friends! The friends who care more about my life and fate than the faction ever did! To me, they are far stronger than the Midnight Faction could ever hope to be!" Ophelia charged against her opponent. "And I will do so much for them as they have done for me!" The two clashed again and the battle grew even more intense.

At that same moment, not too far from where Agent Hate and Colonel Billiard were engaging in battle, Sanosuke, Goofy, and Donald remained together, fighting off the attackers. However, Sano's wounds were beginning to get the best of him. With every drop of blood falling to the ground, he lost more energy and fighting the professional soldiers began to take a toll on him.

"I'm not gonna last much longer." He said. "Not in the condition I'm in any way."

"Goofy," Donald implored him, "We have limited manpower here right now, so we need everyone in tip top shape. I want you to give everyone whose been mortally wounded a senzu bean."

"But what about you, Donald…?" Goofy asked. "You can't fight these guys all on your own."

"Right now, the lives of our other comrades are in danger. Look at Sano." Goofy glanced at his comrade, who was slowly losing strength. "At the rate he's righting, he won't live long enough to see victory achieved. Give him a senzu bean. Once Sano's fully recovered, he and I can fend off the faction soldiers, in the meantime, you go around to our other comrades and give them a senzu bean if you need to."

"I gotcha…" Goofy dropped his guard and ran over to Sanosuke, while Donald used the major elemental spells to fight of the attackers. Goofy took off his hat and took the bag of senzu beans. He took one out and split one in half. "Here ya go, Sano. It'll make you feel better."

"Thanks a lot there." Sano replied. He took the bean half and ate it. Immediately after swallowing, Sanosuke's strength had returned and his wounds were healed. "Alright, now I'm back in the game!"

"Hold them off! I'll go help the others!"-

"Guaranteed…" Sanosuke charged against the soldiers who were shocked about how quickly he had healed up. Before, he was such a pitiful sight to behold, but once again, after eating the bean, Sano was back into action, charging against his enemies. "OK you bastards, you thought you had me down, but you won't have the last laugh this time!" And away Sanosuke went, knocking the lights out of all who came in his way.

Goofy on the other hand, ran about into the dojo checking to see if his allies were alright. He first rushed to the area where Ophelia and Hate were fighting. He looked around and eventually saw Kenshin lying on the ground, almost dead.

"Hey, Kenny," Goofy shouted, "Don't worry, I'm coming to the rescue!" He pulled out the other half of the bean he earlier split and gave it to Kenshin. "Here ya go, Kenny!"

"I am grateful that I am…" Kenshin uttered. He opened his mouth and Goofy stuck the senzu half down his throat. Kenshin bit and chewed on the little piece. Within seconds, his wounds too were healed and his energy replenished as if he had never entered battle in the first place. He sat up. "I fell much better that I do." He then picked up his sword. "And now to continue fighting…"

"Hold down the fort, Kenny!" Goofy said. "I'll see how the others are doing."

"Very well…"-

Goofy scurried off again like the angel of hope, a rather imbecilic version of an angel of hope, to help his friends. He rushed to the other side of the dojo where Saito and Cuchulain were fighting. They did not seem to be in any need of aid, so Goofy continued on his way. It was then that he heard Kaoru crying.

"Yahiko…!" she cried. "Please don't die. Please, Yahiko, don't die on me."

"It sounds like I'm being paged." Goofy said to himself. "Exit stage left!" He rushed into the room where Kaoru, Yahiko, and little Kenji were huddled together. He came into the room and saw Kaoru and Kenji comforting the dying young man.

"Yahiko…" Kenji cooed. "Don't go away from us! You'll stay here right?"

"I don't know if I…can…Kenji…" Yahiko whispered in a labored statement, his breaths becoming shallower with every moment passing.

"Don't die on us…" Kaoru said, hovering over her pupil's head and cradling him. "Yahiko, don't leave us." Yahiko tried his best to hold on, grasping at Kaoru's hand.

"Have no need to fear," Goofy announced in a loud, heroic voice, pushing out his chest and putting his fist to his side, "Goofy is here…with a present." He took out another senzu bean, broke it in half and gave it to Yahiko. "Here ya go, Yahiko…"

"Thanks…" Yahiko uttered. Goofy put the bean into his mouth and the young man slowly chewed and swallowed. Immediately, he regained his strength. He gazed at his wounds, looking for an opening, but there was no wound, only dry blood. He sat up and clutched his fist. "I feel a heck of a lot better. Thanks a lot, Goofy."

"Don't mention it!" Goofy chuckled. But suddenly, as their hopes had returned to them, a faction soldier burst through the wall, catching all four of them by surprise. The soldier was one of the winged phantom soldiers. However, the soldier did not bear his blades outward as if hoping not to fight. The reason for this is because the soldier was not interested in killing his victims, but taking hostages. And the one that he was hoping to grab was none other than Kenshin's son, little Kenji. Without a second thought, he pushed Goofy, Yahiko and Kaoru aside and grabbed the boy.

"Kenji…!" Yahiko cried.

"My boy…!" Kaoru wailed.

"Oh no…!" Goofy added.

"Mommy…!" Kenji cried as he tried to grasp at his mother, hoping that she'd be able to take him back. But the soldier quickly evaded them and exited out the same hole that he created. He then ran down the wooden walkway.

"Kenshin…!" Kaoru cried. Kenshin hear his wife's cry for help. "They're taking him! They're taking Kenji!"

"Kenji!" Kenshin said. He quickly rushed to where he heard Kaoru's shouted. It was only then that he saw the phantom soldier with his son in his arms. "Let my son go!"

"I don't think so!"-

"You will let my son go!"-

"Or you'll what!" The soldier held his blade to his Kenji's throat. "You take one more step and I swear, I'll kill this kid!" Kenshin knew the risk he was taking and he couldn't bear to put his son's life in jeopardy. "Stand aside and let me pass, or I'll severe this kid's jugulars!"

"You give me back my son!" Kenshin grasped for his sword, standing in the Battoujutsu style.

"You are in a position unsuitable to give orders."-

Cuchulain, while finishing off the last of his foes, saw the scenario unfold before his eyes. He quickly ran to Kenshin's side.

"Give me back my son!" the Battousai shouted again.

"And what will you do!" the soldier mocked. "Are you willing to risk your own son's life in exchange for your grit!"

"You are a coward!" Cuchulain stated loudly. "Using a child as a shield…!"-

"Oh is that what you think, Hound? Well, you're wrong here! I'm only using this child to stop your attacks on us!" The soldier jumped high into the ground and his grand wings were caught in the night wind. He flew over head and out of the dojo, too high for anyone to reach.

"No, Kenji…!" Kenshin cried as he hoped to run after the phantom, but more faction soldiers stood in his way.

"You won't be going after him!" one of the soldier shouted as he attacked Kenshin.

"Get out of my way! I have to save my son!" Kenshin struck down all who stood in his way, but it was already too late. The soldier, with little Kenji in his firm grasp, vanished into the night sky. "Kenji…!"

In the midst of the crises, Hate had gazed up to see the spy fly off with Kenshin's son. For a moment, the fighting between the two sides stopped.

"It is done then." He chuckled. He gazed at Ophelia. "The boy is in our hands now." Hate lowered his battled gauntlets and chuckled. "It appears that we have gained a hostage. That means that your fight is now meaningless."

"What do you mean?" Ophelia asked.

"What is mean is that you shall cease your meaningless resistance or I will make sure that the boy dies! You will stand down at once, or you I will make sure that the little brat dies this night."-

"You are a coward, taking a little boy hostage and using him to bend the outcome of the battle in your favor."-

"Still, it's the Battousai's son we're talking about." Hate grinned that same sinister grin of villains. "If the Battousai or any of you don't value the life of that little brat then by all means continued fighting. However, if you cherish that whelp, then I suggest that you cease your retaliation against us."

"What do you intend to do with that boy?"-

"We will hold him as a hostage to keep you and your people at bay. Since we now have a firm grasp on the boy's life, we have forced you to submit to us. And once that soldier returns to our HQ at the Shrine of the Six Arches, he will also persuade the key bearers to cease their attempted attack on our mass manufacturing facilities. Otherwise, I can assure you that we will put an end to that child's life."-

"Are you talking about this child?" A voice suddenly uttered from behind Agent Hate. Hate turned around.

"Who is there?" Hate demanded. "Show yourself!"-

From out of the shadows, a figure appeared, dressed in a blue uniform with yellow trim, He wore a white belt and cross straps that fastened both sword and belt. He had black hair that spiked up slightly, with a few ends falling over his forehead. On his side, an old Imperial katana, the strongest of sword brands in the universe. And on his brass breast plate, the symbol of the Universal Alliance was engraved.

"It can't be…" Hate uttered as he recognized the face that emerged. But then again, Ophelia was rather surprised at who she saw as well. However, her reaction was not that of fear, but wonder. Hate began to tremble and sweat as he bestowed the eyes on the tall figure. "General Triiken…"

"Triiken…" Ophelia implied.

"Triiken…?" Donald and Goofy said as they looked on at who it was that stood in the doorway.

"Triiken," Cuchulain said, "What are you doing here?"

"I was in the neighborhood, Hound." Triiken replied. "As a matter of fact, I was flying on my way here to give you a message. It was while approaching that I saw a winged phantom soldier flying towards me, unaware of my presence. Without question, or reason, I killed him. It was perhaps simply because he was a member of the Midnight Faction that I slew him instantly. The idiot didn't even realize what struck him. It was in the process that I saw him carrying this little boy." From behind Triiken was none other than Little Kenji who shyly stuck his head out to gaze at what was going on.

"Kenji!" Kenshin cried.

"And since that soldier had just ascended from these premises, I figured that the boy was one of yours."-

"He's my son." Kenji looked at his father, who stood no more than a hundred feet away.

"Daddy…" Kenji said.

"Go to you father, boy." Triiken implied. "I have fulfilled my roll."

"Thank you, sir, for saving me…" Kenji then ran to his father.

"That was an unwise decision on your part, Triiken!" Hate chuckled. "Kill the boy!" The soldiers suddenly turned their attention on little Kenji.

"Kenji!" Kenshin cried out. He rushed in with his sword drawn and struck his sons attackers down. "I'll protect you, Kenji! Daddy's coming!" He struck all the soldiers away. Reaching his son, Kenshin grasped at Kenji, holding him tight. But the faction soldiers were quick to retaliate. Their weapons drawn, they prepare to end both the lives of the Battousai and his little boy.

"Kenshin, Kenji…!" Kaoru cried, tears dripping down her face as she watched the inevitable death of both her husband and her son. The KH team and the rest of Kenshin's friends rushed into stop the soldiers, but they were halted in their path by the remaining soldiers.

"No…!" Cuchulain cried as he watched the soldiers close in on father and son, ready to deliver the final blow.

But suddenly, the soldiers attacking Kenshin and Kenji suddenly halted in mid-air. They had somehow been paralyzed.

"Did you see that?" Goofy asked.

"They just suddenly stopped." Donald replied. "Is it Stopga?"

"Those guys just froze suddenly." Sanosuke said.

"What matter of sorcery is this?" Saito implied.

"This energy…" Cuchulain uttered to himself. He gazed at Triiken. "Triiken…"

"This power…" Ophelia Billiard said. "It's enormous. So this is what the power of the legendary Gatler Generals is like."

Triiken's energy had somehow managed to lock all the soldiers in place.

"You will not hinder my comrades." Triiken said. "The enemy can never be allowed to do so." He then concentrated his energy to raise the handful of soldiers into the air. The KH team and the Kenshin group only watched in awe and shock to see what was unfolding before their eyes. At least eight soldiers went hovering high into the air, going higher and higher and higher still, until they were at least four hundred feet into the air.

"You let my comrades go, Triiken!" Hate demanded.

"As you wish…" Triiken obliged. He released the eight soldiers from his grasp and they came falling fast towards the ground. Even being elite soldiers, without the knowledge of how to fly, they would never be able to survive the impact on the ground. The eight soldiers thus fell to their doom. Two fell onto the roof of the dojo and went tumbling down to the ground. They were severely maimed, their legs broken, thus incapacitating them from entering further battle. Another fell into the tree, hitting every branch, which helped break the fall. He crashed into the leaves and branches, tumbling and bruising. He fell to the ground at the base of the tree, cut and battered, his right arm and leg fractured or broken, but still alive. The remaining five were not as fortunate. They slammed into the ground instantly killing them. Hate looked at the ghastly sight.

"Triiken, you bastard…!" He uttered, sneering at the former Gatler General.

"Don't look at me like that." Triiken said. "I fulfilled your request to let them go. But it was you who failed to specify in what manner they should be let go."

"You have a lot of nerve, Triiken!" Hate drew up his grappling gauntlet. "For that, I will see you dead." Triiken only looked at his opponent.

"You would be a fool to even think about making such a declaration to me. You assure my death? If you could not even battle against Colonel Billiard, what makes you think that you'll have success against me?"-

"Shut up and battle!"-

"Very well then…" Triiken drew out his sword. It glimmered in the night light, its gold hilt and polished steel. But soon this glimmering magnificence would be tainted with the blood of its enemy. Triiken formed his stance for his signature attack, the Noctin Exmortin.

"That stance," Saito uttered to himself, "Is it the Gatotsu?"

"Die…" Triiken lunged forward. Hate did the same thing, lunging forward. But instead, because he had three deplorable daggers left on his gauntlet, he used the situation to his every advantage.

"You really think that you have me beat!" Hate shouted. "Well, you're dead wrong!" The assassin deployed the remaining three blades at Triiken at point blank range. Death was eminent for the Gatler General, but one must never underestimate one of them. Triiken suddenly flipped into the air and with one lunge, he struck the assassin at the right side of his neck in a downward position. He had managed to strike in a way that pierced passed the ribs and struck the heart, severing it from the rest of the body. Hate dies instantly. Triiken regain his stance and lowered his sword just as the assassin fell to the ground. Triiken then wiped the blood from his tainted blade and sheathed it back into its scabbard.

"That attack." Yahiko uttered. "That was something else."

"But the way he was standing…" Kenshin added. "It looked identical to Saito's Gatotsu."

"Impossible…" Saito said to himself. "How could there be someone else who has that same style of attack?"

The other soldiers, fearing what they would have to face made way for the door, but Triiken blocked the entry way to the dojo.

"All of you are here by placed under arrest by the Universal Alliance." Triiken declared. "Lower your arms and surrender."

Many of the soldiers refused to do so and instead, began to find other ways out. But those who remained, who wished to escape, had to contend with both the KH team and the Kenshin group. Kenshin, Yahiko, Sanosuke, Saito, Cuchulain, Ophelia, Donald, and Goofy, along with General Triiken, made a tight formation around the group of men.

"I highly suggest that those remaining should surrender." Triiken implied. "I know how you can all fight to the death, but where would it lead you except to your own demise?" The soldiers still remained defiant.

But suddenly, from out of the sky, the winged phantoms appeared.

"Incoming!" Sanosuke shouted. But as he further looked, he realized that the winged soldiers were not descending to attack, but rather, they fell to the ground unconscious.

"What in the…" Cuchulain uttered. "They're…They're all knocked out."

"Sorry that we're late!" a voice shouted from above. The group looked up to see two figures appear from the dark of the night sky. It was Goten and Trunks.

"We had to take care of a few things." Trunks said.

"These guys certainly fly around like annoying bugs don't they?" Goten chuckled.

"And what were you two idiots doing all this time, taking a nap!" Triiken said.

"OK, OK, don't get your thongs in a wad."-

"Goten, Trunks," Donald uttered, "What are you two doing here?"

"Well, we thought that you guys could use some help." Trunks said.

"Yeah…" Goten added. "And we made an entry like two super heroes!"

Suddenly, from behind, someone clonked both of their heads together… Goten and Trunks rubbed the sides of their heads.

"Hey, what the…?" Trunks said. "That hurt…"

"What's the big idea…?" Goten uttered. "What was that for?"

"That was for what you did to me earlier, you fatheads!" the voice replied. "Or should I say Captain Tyran and Major Cedor." The names of their former aliases from the Deep Jungle operation suddenly struck fear into the hearts of the two Z fighters. They slowly turned their heads to find none other than Colonel Ophelia Billiard standing over them.

"Colonel Billiard…!" Trunks shouted.

"What…what are you doing here!" Goten asked.

"Are you leading these faction soldiers?"-

"If I was," Ophelia said, a giant vain sticking out of her head, "Don't you think I would have done something a little more gruesome than clonking your heads together!"

"Ahem…" Triiken said. "Goten, Trunks, I would like to introduce you to your new ally and former faction officer, Colonel Ophelia Billiard."

"What…?" Trunks uttered.

"An ally…?" Goten added.

"That's right." Ophelia said. "Don't act so surprised."

"But I thought that you fought for the faction?"-

"I did until I found out that the faction intended to stab me in the back when they were done with my services. Anyway, enough with issues regarding me, I would like to know why you three had suddenly decided to appear in this world."-

"We were assigned to this realm because Sneer believed that you might have some trouble here." Triiken explained. "And since we had nothing better to do with our time, we thought we could use a little action to brighten our day."

"But I guess we came too late." Goten said.

"Yeah," Trunks added, "You guys already took care of things."

"By the way," Triiken asked. He looked around, hoping to spot the faces of the Riku and Sora, "I notice that the key bearers are absent. Where are they?"

"They went with Sojiro to attack the main facility where the faction is assembling their mobile dolls." Cuchulain said.

"I see, so they must have been the two other great powers that we sensed coming into this world. By the energy source, they must not be having much trouble."-

"Shall we go and give them a hand?" Goten asked.

"No, we have these prisoners to keep under guard. Not to mention, the faction may try to attack again. Besides, we have those other two to help the pair in their operation."-

"Other two…?" Donald asked.

"Yes. Lord Thundro as well, came to give us a hand, under Goten's request any way."-

"Yeah…" Goten replied. "My master would never let us down."

"So is that the big power I'm sensing right now." Ophelia asked.

"That's correct." Triiken implied. "Goten is the only key to persuade Thundro to help us. Otherwise, he wouldn't otherwise join us in our engagements. He still has that Imperial pride and does not wish to swear utter loyalty to the Universal Alliance. He's a man of his own caliber and nothing can deter him from his own goals. But then again, he's not one who would wish to give rise to even more chaos. That is why he occasionally makes appearances to aid us."

"And who is the second one may I ask?"-

"The second was just as hard to persuade, trying to lure him out of his lifetime in isolation. He's the true master of the Hiten Mitsurugi style that was taught to Mr. Himura."-

"Are you talking about my master?" Kenshin asked. "Seijuro Hiko…?"

"You managed to get Mr. Hiko involved in this too?" Kaoru asked.

"That is correct." Triiken continued. "When we told him of the faction's activity here, he knew that this was one incident he could not pass up. Thus, he agreed to engage the enemy at Mt. Hiei." Triiken walked amidst the group. "To add, I understand that there are at least three thousand officers also aiding in a frontal assault against the faction's main headquarters, am I correct?"

"That's right." Yahiko said. "That was our plan anyway.

"And whose idea was it to send three thousand policemen into action?"-

"That would be me." Saito said, as he lit another cigarette. "I was the one responsible giving the order to assemble a coalition force."

"Very well done, sir, and your name…?"-

"Hajime Saito, Chief Inspector…"-

"Well, of this moment, your three thousand officers are spearheading towards the main entry of Mt. Hiei. I could tell by the sound of battle and the flashes of light in the distance."-

"What about Riku and Sora?" Goofy asked. "Are they alright?"-

"I sensed their energy within the area." Triiken replied. "By all the commotion, they must've been able to pierce into the inner workings of the compound."-

"Don't worry," Kenshin said, "They have Sojiro leading them through that compound that they do."-

"What was that…?" Triiken uttered to himself. "So his mission was successful after all."

The fight from within the compound grew more intense with every passing moment. Sojiro, Riku, and Sora continued to battle their way through the halls, in the direction where the assembly hanger was located. On the way, the key bearers and their comrade battled against great numbers of faction soldiers and Heartless. The enemy was quick in defending and they put up stubborn resistance, attacking from out of the woodwork and taking them by surprise. For the KH team, they engaged in more of hit and run tactics, to eliminate only those who stood in their way. They would at times run down passages with laser turrets that would fire endlessly at them. Using the Aeroga spell, the KH team would manage to shield themselves and continue through a hall of heavy fire. At the same time, they would knock out, wound, or at times kill their opponents. However, due to Sojiro's knowledge of the shrine's inner construction, the team was able to maneuver straight into the direction of the hanger, thus avoiding any traps that had been rigged for them in other chambers and rooms.

"I don't know how far we would have gotten without you, Sojiro." Sora said.

"That's right." Riku added. "If it wasn't for your help to guide us into that place, we might still have been fighting against the faction and the Heartless at the entry way."

"It was the least that I could do." Sojiro said. "But in reality, it should be me thanking you. You came back to save this world again, even after the hell that you went through six years ago. For that, I should be grateful."-

"Compliments are not necessary right now though. We still have to get to that mobile doll hanger."-

"Right," Sora added, "Let's show these guys the power of the keyblades."

Using combination attacks and combined elemental attacked, they made quick work of the enemy that dared to stand in their way. The resistance, though numerous and stubborn could not hold their ground against truly powerful foes for very long.

This success by the KH team proved to be the doom and inevitable disaster for Commander Delinor's faction forces. He watched from the main control room as the trio had evaded all other chambers and halls and was on a direct path towards the main hanger.

"Damn it all." He said.

"The key bearers' course has remained unchanged, sir." One of the operatives implied. "They have eluded all other routes and seem to be in a direct path towards here."

"But how can that be? How could they manage to find their way through that labyrinth so quickly?"-

"Sir, at this rate, they'll reach the hanger in about ten to fifteen minutes."-

"Blast…" Delinor contacted the main hanger to see how the progress on the mobile dolls was coming.

"This is the assembly hanger." The Chief Engineer answered as he received the incoming transmission.

"What in hell's name is taking you so long with those mobile dolls!" Delinor roared, "Why haven't they been deployed yet!"

"I've already discussed this issue with you earlier today sir. These new models need extended time to be constructed."-

"I don't care about that! Are there any that are nearing completion?"-

"We have three that are on the verge of being completed. They still need their reinforced armor, their weapons upgraded and their systems tried and checked before they can be deployed into battle."-

"How long…?"-

"It'll be an hour and a half at the most to have them up and running and ready for deployment."-

"Get those suits ready in thirty minutes."-

"Thirty minutes? But that's too hasty a pace. If we do that, we won't get all the kinks out of the system or the unit itself."-

"Then you better see to it that you can strive for half an hour. The KH team is close to the hanger and they'll be able to reach it in less than fifteen minutes!"-

"What was that?" The chief engineer began to sweat.

"You heard what I said!" Delinor continued. "They can arrive here in less than fifteen minutes."

"But I thought that the labyrinth…"-

"They already know what path to take! Some inside information they probably received no doubt! I want those mobile dolls ready for deployment!"-

"We'll do what we can, sir."-

With that, the transmission ended. Delinor then turned to the operatives present in the control room.

"I want all blast doors and energy shields leading to the hanger activated! I want mobile droids up here at once!"-

"Yes sir." One of the operatives implied. "Initiating activation of force fields and reinforced blast doors." Tapping into the system, they activated all shields and reinforced doors, sealing off the hanger completely.

"Maybe now the KH team won't be able to penetrate through these defenses. But I can't take any chances."-

Suddenly, from behind him, there appeared two dark figures. They were the leaders of the Heartless in the 'Rurouni Realm.' They were the Super Anti-Riku and the Super Anti-Sora, two others who were molded to intercept the KH team's efforts.

"I see that you have decided to join us." Delinor said, knowing of their presence. "The KH team is too close to the production hanger. Intercept them in the last room that stands between us and the key bearers." The two Antis bowed respectfully and withdrew into the darkness of the shadows. "If there are any Heartless that can match wits with the key bearers, they can."

At the same time, the KH team continued to engage in the fight against the faction. Battling against their foes that seemed to have everlasting numbers, Riku and Sora began to feel the effects of fatigue. Even Sojiro, who had been fighting to the best of his abilities, also began to feel his limits.

"Where the heck are these guys coming from?" Sora thought to himself. He replenished the stamina and the strength of him and his friends by giving them a few squirts from the Curaga spell and a few vials of potion. But even Sora knew that the consumption of their potions and spells would not last forever. And yet they still needed enough strength to destroy the mobile dolls that were in the hanger.

"They just seem to pop out of thin air." Riku said. They continued to engage until they finally reached a room called the Room with no Space. Only after reaching this room did the fighting seem to subside. The assaults from the faction and the Heartless seemed to cease all of a sudden. The three looked at the room's title.

"We're here." Sojiro implied.

"We're here?" Sora asked. "This is the hanger?"

"No, this is the last defensive room that stands between us and the hanger. This is the Room with no Space. It's where I used to do all my training. This room was my specialty area. And it is without a doubt that the best of the best are here."-

"Best of the best, but I thought the faction sent all of its best fighters to attack our friends at the dojo?"-

"That would have been a foolish tactic to execute. I'm sure that the commander of this facility knew that there would be a slight chance of retaliation against this base. So to leave it unguarded by warriors equal in strength to our own would be the most severe act of stupidity I would ever know."

"Well, there's only one way to find out." Riku said. He stepped forward and opened the door leading into the room. The room was lit with bright lights that had been installed in the room. Clean and bear, there was no furniture present in the room, say for a foldaway table that lay against the wall on the other side of the chamber.

"A Room with no Space they call it." Sora said. "It looks like there's plenty of room in here."-

"Look," Sojiro said. He pointed out a sliding door on the opposite side of the room. "That door leads to the inferno room."

"That's where you said the hanger was located right?" Riku asked.

"That's right, but…" Sojiro looked around. There was no ambush party, not traps rigged, nothing whatsoever in the chamber. "I was expecting some resistance. This is the final room that stands between us and the faction's undoing. I thought that maybe they would at least have some powerful soldiers to greet and battle us at this time, but there's no one here."-

"I guess all the powerful soldiers were sent to attack the dojo." Sora said.

"Don't be so sure." Riku implied. "I know the faction and they just might have some sneaky trick up their sleeve." Sure enough, what Riku said was right. He suddenly felt a taste in his mouth. It was the taste of strong darkness. "Keep your guard up. Someone is here."

"What do you mean, Riku?"-

"This room is filled with darkness, which can only indicate…" Riku suddenly looked at the floor, just in front of the opposite door. A dark pool of shadow began to accumulate on the ground. "Look, over there."

From that swirling pool of dark mist, two sets of eyes suddenly appeared before them. Those eyes then gave rise to dark beings. They were the Super Anti-Riku and the Super Anti-Sora.

"Oh no…" Sora said. "It's those two again."

"More copies of us, eh Sora?" Riku implied.

"What the heck are those things?" Sojiro asked. "They look like you guys, but only in shadow form."

"They are the super antis." Riku explained. "They are implemented with the fighting skills of both Sora and I. They think like us and fight like us."

"But then again, look at their appearance." Sora said. "They're wearing the old outfits we wore when we fought against the Empire six years ago. This only points out that they're obsolete antis who only have the data from back then."-

"Still these guys are just as tough. I guess you were right, Sojiro, they did have some strong opponents still here in reserve."-

The two antis unleashed their weapons. They were still the old weapons patterned after the Imperial katanas used by the key bearers in the fight against the Empire.

"Sojiro," Riku said, "You better stand back and let Sora and I handle this."

"Right…" Sojiro replied. "But I'll be here in case you need help."

"You just make sure to keep yourself safe, Sojiro." Sora said. "You're the only one right now who can lead us through the rest of this maze."

Sojiro backed off and awaited the battles commencement. Riku and Sora drew their keyblades in a defensive stance.

"Sora," Riku uttered.

"Yeah…?" Sora asked.

"Make sure to use only your minor attacks on these guys."-

"Why?"-

"I have a feeling that the faction might have some hidden surveillance cameras some place in this room and are waiting to see what new techniques we're learned. It's best that we stick with the attacks that we've used most commonly and what they're aware of already. In this type of battle, deception is everything. We want to keep a low profile on our attacks while at the same time exploiting all of theirs."-

"I see what you mean."-

"Let's go." The Two key bearers made ready to face any attack that might come their way.

Sure enough, the two antis attacked the key bearers. They deployed the after image technique in which to fool Riku and Sora. These temporary decoys were also used to attack the key bearers. However, the key bearers only used their minor strikes to rid themselves of any of the decoys that attacked them. Their real concentration was on the main darkness which floated about from the real culprits.

Suddenly, the two super antis attacked from out of nowhere, fighting them head on. Riku and Sora braced for impact, but the antis again vanished from their sight. Then again the two antis appeared and attempted to attack, ready to deliver the finishing blow. Riku and Sora made ready again to do battle, but the antis only unleashed another evasive decoy attack and had their little pawns fight and aggravate the key bearers.

"OK, Riku," Sora implied with an annoyed scowl on his face. "I don't know about you, but these guys are really starting to get on my nerves."

"I know what you mean." Riku said. "But that's exactly what they want. They're just waiting for us to get frustrated and are hoping that we attack with nothing, but blind emotion. That's when they'll take the opportunity to finish us off. Stay calm and nothing will happen."

There was yet another stand off between the key bearers and their darker selves. The stand off did not last long and the two antis bore their fangs at Riku and Sora again. The key bearers took their protective stances and entered battle with the antis. The battle commenced ever greater than before.

Sojiro watched as he saw the battle grow hotter with every passing minute.

"This is incredible." He thought to himself. "I can see why the Midnight Faction would want them dead. They are indeed a serious threat to them."

Meanwhile, just outside the front gates, the battle between the faction soldiers and the three thousand police men continued in a heavy crossfire. Neither side could advance any further from the positions that they had started with since the battle began. Every tree was targeted, every mound was aimed at, and every rock was put into consideration. The battle turrets of the faction aimed well and fired an endless barrage at anything that dared to move from behind the defensive earth works of the police positions. Explosions from the blasters of the faction equaled to that of cannon fire. The police used their rifled to retaliate, but they only took out so little of the faction resistance. It seemed hopeless that they could not advance any further.

"The intensity of that defensive fire is even greater than we had anticipated." One of the subordinates shouted to the commanding officer of the police force. "We can't attack at the rate of fire they're using against us. We've already lost two hundred men in an attempted frontal assault. We can't risk anymore than we have already."

"What about military support?" the commander asked.

"We've gotten in touch with the reserve units from Osaka, but they won't be here until at least six o'clock tomorrow morning."-

"Damn, we can't wait that long. Inspector Seta needs our assistance right now."-

"Bet we can't get to him at this rate. Otherwise we'll be losing more men."-

"What weaklings you are." A voice uttered from behind them.

"Who said that?" the subordinate demanded.

It was then, from the darkness of the night, a figure appeared, dressed in black. It was none other than Lord Thundro.

"Who are you?"-

"Now, now, that isn't a nice tone used to address me, your reinforcements."-

"Reinforcements?" the commander asked.

"That's correct."-

"Well, where are they?"-

"They are standing before you?" The commander and the subordinate looked about, but there was no one else in sight. They then looked at Lord Thundro.

"Wait a minute…" the commander uttered. "You mean you…alone?"-

"That's correct."-

"Is this some kind of a joke?" the subordinate said. "You alone are our reinforcements? What do you think we are, stupid?"

"No," Thundro replied, "Just dense."

"What was that?"-

"Now, now," the commander implied.

"You fool, we've already engaged in a head on assault against their defenses. It's suicide out there and yet you're telling me that you are the only reinforcements here to help?" Thundro walked towards the area where the crossfire commenced.

"You lack in a sense of faith." Thundro said. "But just wait and see. Having me is more than enough to defeat these mindless fools." Thundro stepped out into the open ground between the two forces.

"Are you crazy?" one officer shouted.

"Come back here?" another cried out.

"You'll be killed." A third added.

"Come back!" said a forth.

Soon many of the officers down the line, saw this weird act of suicide and beckoned Thundro to return.

"You fools," Thundro chuckled, "You just don't get it."

"There's one!" the faction soldier shouted. Soon all the faction troopers, and the defense turrets aimed at Thundro, fired away with deadly intensity. But despite that, even though struck from every place in front of him, it seemed as if no damage was being inflicted. The police men could only watch in wonder and horror as they saw Thundro slowly approach the center the open area. As the light from the explosions grew more intense, the characteristics of the late lord's face became apparent. Immediately, the faction realized who it was they were fighting against and a great sense of terror reverberated through their ranks.

"Is that who I think it is?" one of the soldiers uttered lowering his weapon.

"It's…it's…it's…Lord Thundro!" another shouted.

"That's correct." Thundro chuckled. "And by assaulting me, you have all guaranteed your own deaths." Thundro raised his right hand and extended his index finger in a pointing gesture. Suddenly, a small ball of energy accumulated at the end of his finger. Then, without warning, he fired an energy beam at one of the defense turrets. The turret exploded before the soldiers. Some of the soldiers, caught in the explosion, were either killed, or severely wounded. Many other soldiers fell to the ground in fright, hoping that the fragments of metal wouldn't strike them in the back. Thundro aimed again, destroying another turret, killing and maiming some soldiers in the process. Thundro aimed again, destroying another turret. Again, there was another massive explosion and more death and suffering. He went down the line, destroying each turret and reeking havoc upon the defense forces that stood in his way.

"Look at that," the commander uttered. "He's managing to fight those defense forces single-handedly. No matter how much they try to inflict damage on him, he doesn't seem to feel it."

"This man," the subordinate uttered, "Is he some sort of god?"

"I don't know, but whoever he is, let's be grateful that he's fighting on our side."-

This battle did not go unnoticed by the main control room of the Midnight Faction. One of the operatives saw the action and grew frightened of the image he saw.

"Sir…" he uttered in a hesitant and scared manner.

"What is it?" Commander Delinor asked.

"We have a problem."-

"What?'-

"It's the defense forces outside. They…they're being massacred…"-

"What was that!" Delinor raised his head. "What do you mean they're being massacred, how could they be massacred by such a primitive force of policemen!"

"That's it, sir. They're not being attacked by the police force, but by…a single man…"-

"It can't be…" Delinor stood up. "On screen now…!"

"Yes sir." The operative said. He hesitated at first, fearing the reaction from Delinor, but he continued to carry out the order. Sure enough, the reaction he had feared came to pass. But it was not only Delinor that reacted to the sight, but everyone else was afraid of what they saw. On the field, a single man managed to best their defense forces.

"Impossible…" he uttered. "Impossible, who is that man?"

"We don't know, sir. But he's remarkably powerful."-

"This can't be… How could someone that powerful exist?" Delinor clutched his fists right. "I want all reserves to concentrate on the police force. If they manage to storm into our halls, this fortress will be lost."

"Sir…" The operative were quick in relaying the order to the reserved forces.

Lord Thundro kept his word well and destroyed the ranks of faction. The intense ferocity of their firepower had died down due to the destruction of the turrets. Thundro stood before the remnants of the soldiers before him.

"This fight is fruitless for you." He declared. "Surrender now and lower your arms, or meet total annihilation."

"Damn you!" a soldier shouted as he aimed his blaster at the former lord. He fired away at Thundro, but to no avail.

"Weakling…" Thundro aimed his finger at the remaining soldiers. But as soon as he was ready to unleash hell amongst the survivors, he sensed a significant power attacking from the right. He looked to see a cloaked figure appear from the darkness.

The faction soldiers too caught this figure attacking from their flank. They turned to face the figure, but it was too late. They suddenly found themselves struck by simultaneous blows and many of them fell unconscious to the ground. The figure halted right in front of Thundro. He stood up, his while cloak slightly blowing in the night breeze. It was Seijuro Hiko. Kenshin's master and master of the Hiten Mitsurugi style.

"Sorry that I'm late, Thundro…" Seijuro chuckled as he placed his sword on his shoulder.

"Actually, you're right on time, Mr. Hiko." Thundro implied. "You decided to knock those men out. I had an urge to kill them. So you're an angel of mercy on this field." Thundro then gazed that those who were still standing.

The soldiers remaining knew that engaging in further conflict would have been in vain. They thus dropped their weapons and surrendered.

"You made the correct choice." Thundro said to them.

The three thousand officers arose from their trenches and assembled at the demolished defense line. They apprehended the surviving faction soldier and attended to the wounded on both sides.

"So now that we've succeeded here," Seijuro said, "Do we attack the inner parts of this fortress?"

"No," Thundro said, "You will lead them. I have other business to attend to. But I'm sure that you can handle it."

"Of course…"-

It was then that the commanding officer of the police force came forth.

"I thank you gentlemen for coming to our aid." He uttered. Seijuro bowed his head, responding to that kind statement. However, Thundro remained stern. He turned his back to them.

"You're responsible for leading these men from here on out." Thundro implied. He then flew off into the night sky.

"He…he can fly?" the commander uttered.

"Not surprising." Seijuro Hiko implied.

"So, sir, do we attack now?"-

"Better now than later. We have to strike them while we still have the advantage."-

"Right…"-

"Assemble a thousand officers and let's begin our advance."-

The commander nodded and went to assemble his men. Within a matter of minutes, the one thousand officers were assembled, and they, lead by Seijuro himself, entered the realm.

Commander Delinor could only watch helplessly as he saw the front lines dissolve and give in to the officer forces.

"Damn." He thought to himself. "How could our forces be subdued so easily? At this rate, they'll be able to reinforce the key bearers within a few minutes." He clutched his fist again. "Those mobile dolls better be battle ready soon."

At the same time, Riku and Sora were continuously in battle with the two super antis. The battle had lasted for ten minutes already and yet despite that extension of time, the two antis had not attacked them head on. Instead, they continued to deploy evasive maneuvers against the key bearers, not fighting them directly. By this time, both key bearers began to lose patience.

"This is really starting to get monotonous now." Sora said.

"I know that it's hard." Riku uttered. "But we can't lose it right now. We have to stay focused."

Again the two super antis attacked and again they initiated the evasion attack, eluding and confusing the two key bearers. They two antis once again stood opposite of the key bearers as they watched Riku and Sora fight and defeat the decoys that engaged against them.

"I don't get it." Sora said. "These two antis are initiating a strategy that's more evasive than offensive. Why aren't they attacking us head on like what those two other super antis did back in Wonderland?"

"I don't know." Riku implied. "We're both equal in strength. I'm surprised that they don't just try to finish us off as quickly as they can. Not unless…" It then dawned on Riku about the purpose behind the two antis' evasive strategy. "I get it."

"What do you mean, Riku? What did you get?"-

"I know why they're engaging in evasive maneuvers instead of deciding to finish us off. They're trying to stall for time."-

"Stall for time?"-

"That's right." Riku explained. "By stalling for time, they allow the faction more time to set up their mobile dolls and get them ready for deployment."

"What'll we do then?"-

"Well, if they're just stalling for time, we have no reason for staying here. Head for the door opposite the way we came in."-

"Right…" Sora looked to Sojiro who was still standing idly by. "Sojiro, we're going! Come on!"

"I'm coming." Sojiro replied as he rushed to sides of his comrades.

But before they could reach the door, Riku saw at the corner of his eye, the super anti-Sora attacking him head on. Immediately he drew his keyblade and began to battle. For some reason, now the anti's attacks became more aggressive. Riku then felt the dark presence of the super anti-Riku attacking from behind. He quickly evaded the attack from behind. Now he had two of them to worry about.

"Riku…!" Sora cried.

"You two stay back!" Riku ordered. "Stand clear of this door!"

"But Riku…!"-

"You'll only get hurt by getting any closer! Stay back!"-

Sojiro and Sora backed off from the door as they watched Riku being attacked from both super antis who attacked him without mercy and without any sign of relieving themselves. Riku managed to withdraw from the door. As soon as he did, the two heartless backed off. They then stood idly in front of the door.

"That was strange." Sora said. "First of all, those two antis didn't even seem as if they wanted to fight us all this time. Now, when we try to leave, they attack us as if they wanted us dead quickly. I mean what's the deal with that?"-

"Don't you realize what they're trying to do?" Riku asked. Sora pondered on the situation for a while before realizing what it was that triggered the two antis' sudden aggression.

"I see." Sora uttered. "They're trying to keep us in this room and not allow us to advance. If we try to get to the door leading to the hanger, they will try and kill us."

"Exactly…" Riku said. "And that is the number one flaw, which we can use to our advantage. If we try again for the door, it is most likely that they'll try to attack us again. We however, know that already. Thus we can counter their offensive."

"But how do you know they will attack us again when we reach the door?" Sojiro asked. "We're only advanced once."

"That may be true. But if they become so aggressive when we near that opposite door, then there is without a doubt that they'll do it again. That's when we initiate our plan."-

"What's up your sleeve, Riku?" Sora asked.

"This is what I'll do." Riku explained. "I will attack the door head on when those two begin their evasive assault on us again. You and Sojiro attack from the flanks and head for the door as fast as you can. They'll turn around to defend the door after then and when their right on top of me, I will deploy the Shadow Decoy technique to elude and confuse them. Let's see how they enjoy their own technique thrown in their face. Then to assure that they don't analyze the situation any better than they already have, you use your technique, the Corona Flash Barrage to engulf them in flashes of light, further confusing them. Then Sojiro, you go in for the kill and defeat them."

"But what if they deploy their decoy technique?" Sora asked.

"Once you unleash the Corona Flash Barrage at point blank, they have to concentrate more on where to locate us and they can't do that while deploying another attack at the same time. Besides, my own evasive maneuver will have them pondering for a good while, a couple of seconds at the least. That's why we have to time this attack right. Now, you guys know what to do right?"

"Right…" Sora said.

"I gotcha…" Sojiro added.

"Alright…." Riku uttered. He turned towards the three antis who still stood vigilant at the door. "Let's do this you guys."

There was once again a stand off between the two forces. While Riku and the others stood ready for what looked like a defensive effort, the two antis seemed itching to attack again. Then, as Riku had predicted, the two antis began to attack again, but the KH team was ready.

"Here they come." Sora uttered.

"Wait for it." Riku implied. They watched as the two antis came closer with every step. "Hold your positions…" The two heartless drew closer, but Riku remained steadfast, waiting for the right moment. "Hold…" The heartless drew nearer, "Hold…" They came even closer, but still the KH team did not waver. "Hold…" They were practically on top of them. That's when Riku shouted the order. "Now…!"

Suddenly, all three made their rush. Sora and Sojiro ran to the opposite walls and then would rebound to the opposite door, while Riku attacked head on. The two antis quickly recalculated the sudden offensive and rushed to protect the door. Seeing only Riku as their target, they attacked the young key bearer head on. But Riku had his ace up his sleeve.

"Let's see how you guys like it when it's you who's being deceived." Riku unleashed his attack just as he became within striking range of the antis' blades. It seemed as if he had split into ten and were buzzing off in several directions. The two antis quickly resolved the situation, but as they regained what had happened, Sora appeared in front of them.

"Let there be light!" he shouted. Deploying the Corona Flash Barrage, he unleashed series of bright flashes of light which scrambled the senses of the two antis. Suddenly, Sojiro appeared after that and sliced both in half. Riku appeared again to assure that the two Heartless could never return. Using the power of his keyblade, he sliced the two in half again just as Sojiro was finishing his round.

Immediately after Riku had finished his run, the two antis suddenly burst apart, scattering their shadowy fragments about the room, which later vanished not long after hitting the ground.

"Well, that plan was well executed." Sojiro said.

"Nice work on the strategy there, Riku." Sora implied.

"Thanks for the kind compliment, Sora," Riku replied, "But we're not out of the woods yet."

"Right, then let's keep going."-

The three friends left the Room with no Space, exited out of the door leading to the hanger, and continued on their way.

It wasn't long before the operatives in the faction's main control room caught wind of the defeat of the antis as their surveillance cameras picked up the continuing advancement of the key bearers.

"Sir," one of the operatives said, "Sir, they've been defeated. The two antis have been defeated."

"Not another defeat." Commander Delinor uttered from his command chair. Sweat of worry dripped down his face. "It's all up now. But there is still hope, we still have the reserve company of Novan mobile droids left and there's no way that the key bearers can break through our defense shields. Not unless they have overwhelming power which I doubt. You'd have to have an excessive amount of power in order to break through those defense shields. And I highly doubt that even the key bearers can unleash such strength. Now only the droids and the shields stand in the way of our enemies."

The KH team made their way through the last hallway, turning and twisting through each corridor. Now, nothing of great threat stood in the way of the KH team. The trio ran as fast as they could, but not so much that they would strain their bodies anymore than they already had. It wasn't long before they saw the halls end before another sliding door.

"It looks like we're reaching the end of the hallway." Sora implied.

"But I thought there weren't anymore rooms between us and the hanger." Riku said.

"That's not another room though." Sojiro implied. "That was Mr. Shishio's old assembly hall, it looks like a room, but it actually leads down a rocky corridor that had been carved out of the mountainside. And that leads to the grand gorge called the 'Inferno Room.' I estimate that the gates to the old Inferno Room are no more than three hundred yards away from where we're standing."

"Alright," Sora said as he prepared to break through the paper sliding door, "Then I guess there is no need to walk about silently since they already know we're here." Immediately, after reaching the door, Sora unleashed his keyblade and sliced through the thin paper panels and entered the room.

However, a nasty surprise awaited them at the entry way. As the three rushed into the room, they found themselves confronted by ten to fifteen Novan Mobile droids. Sora and the others quickly ducked.

"Well," Sora uttered in a sheepish remark, "I guess this is some reason to continue walking about softly around here."

"Great," Riku uttered. "Those must be those mobile droids. The same type that make up the super antis."

Suddenly, the droids rushed out into the hall, firing their blasters. Sora unleashed Aeroga and encased the entire team with wind shields. The energy beams thus went bouncing off the of the shields protective surface.

"No what do we do?" Sora asked.

"We do what we do the best." Riku said. "We fight them."

"Leave it to me." Sojiro replied. "I can take out those droids with my Shuntensatsu."

"Alright, Sojiro, then you take the offensive. I'm sure that those droids won't be able to hinder you now that you have an Aeroga shield to protect you."-

"We'll be right behind you, Sojiro." Sora said.

"I'll finish those droids off with a single attack." Sojiro drew out his sword and began his attack. He attacked head on against the droids, but the closer he came to the line, the more intense the fire power from the droids became.

Suddenly without warning, one of the droids finally fired a certain angel and managed to break the wind barrier, leaving the young man vulnerable. Sojiro was struck then struck by another laser, striking him on the right side of his abdomen. The laser cut a deep wound in his side. Feeling the sharp pain, Sojiro fell to the ground, but another laser struck him in the shoulder, causing him to fly back violently.

"Sojiro…!" Riku and Sora cried. They ran out into the hall, exposed the enemy fire, and dragged Sojiro behind the corner. Sora held the young man in his arms and observed the severe burns on his body inflicted by the lasers that struck him.

"Sojiro…" Sora uttered. "Sojiro, are you alright. Speak to me."

"What happened?" Sojiro uttered. He tried to sit up, but the wound at his side gave out a stinging pain and the young man fell on his back again, riving in agony.

"What happened, Riku? He was doing alright."-

"It was the same thing that happened to me back in the 'Seed Realm' six years ago, when I fought against Anubis. Somehow, he had managed to break through the Aeroga shield with one of his attacks. I think it may have been the angle to which the attack was deployed that the shield was broken. The same concept applies here." Riku peeked behind the corner, risking his own chances of being maimed and watched as the droids continued to fire on them. They even began to slowly advance towards the team. "It just goes to show exactly how accurate those dolls can be."

"Are you gonna be alright?" Sora asked.

"I just need to lie down for a while." Sojiro uttered. He rested his head in Sora's arms. Sora gently placed his comrade down. He then turned to Riku.

"What do we do now? Those droids are the only things that stand between us an success."-

"I'll take over for Sojiro." Riku said. "I'll use the decoys again. Meanwhile, you follow close behind me and unleash your Corona Flash Barrage at the droids to further confuse them."

"Like what we did with the antis?"-

"That's right. Unlike the Heartless and the faction soldier, the mobile droids are more accurate and more effective. Thus, we need a strategy to take down their defense." The two key bearers awaited their chance to attack. Using the Aeroga spell, they shield themselves from the deadly fire. "Are you ready, Sora?"

"Ready, willing, and able…" Sora replied.

With a loud cry, the two key bearers attacked head on against the droids. Immediately, the droids began to intensify their rate of fire and slowly wore out the Aeroga shields. Finally, one of the droids fired at a certain angle and broke the shield, but the key bearers were ready for this predicament. Riku's shield was the first to go, but he unleashed the decoys soon after his shield gave way. The sudden evasive maneuver confused the droids who detected the energy from everywhere. This allowed Sora to move in and deploy his Corona Flash Barrage.

"This is for Sojiro!" he declared as he unleashed the attack. The flashed of light caught the droids off guard, further causing their sensors to go haywire. Riku then unleashed his Hurricane Slash and cut away at the droids. Sora unleashed his Twister Strike at well and forced many of the droids to fly into mid air. Then using a combination of fire and ice, they scorched and froze the droids, causing their systems to malfunction. Thus as a result, the droids caught in the attack were easily disposed of as their systems were destroyed by the elemental attacks. "We got them, Riku, we got them!"

"Don't praise our success too much, Sora." Riku implied. "We still have those guys to worry about." Sora looked to see more droids firing an intense barrage at them, while at the same time slowly advancing.

"Great, more of them…"-

"We'll just have to use the same technique as we did with those others." Riku unleashed aimed his keyblade his foes. "Let's finish this."

"Right…" Sora added. The two rushed into the fight, battling against the bulk of the mobile droids.

At the same time, Delinor watched as he saw the droids slowly be pushed back a little at a time. One by one, their numbers dwindled.

"The droids are being pushed back sir." One of the operatives implied. "Already over thirty percent of the droid force has been eliminated."

"I don't understand." Delinor uttered. "How could it be possible for the key bearers to wield so much power? Even the might of the droids are no match for them." Delinor stood up and cracked his knuckled together. He then turned to one of his subordinates. "Get me lash."

"Sir…?" the subordinate uttered.

"If nothing can stop these key bearers, then I will have to deal with them myself! They will regret the day they dared to make a fool out of me, the venerable Vermoncht Delinor!" The subordinate bowed respectfully and turned to retrieve his commander's weapon. "The destruction of the mobile droids was inevitable. And at this rate, so is the destruction of the mobile dolls and this facility. Once those key bearers get here, they will have me to contend with. And I'm not one to be defeated so easily. But if I am defeated and the key bearers reach the hanger, then I shall destroy this facility myself…"-

In the meantime, Riku and Sora were battling the remains of the mobile droids. The droids, despite their accuracy and flawless battle system, lacked a sense of battle instinct. Not programmed to counter elemental attacks, the dolls were easy to fall under the combination elemental strikes from the key bearers. Using summoning spells and all magic spells, Sora and Riku managed to eliminate many of the droids with very little effort. Attacks like the Twister Strike and the Hurricane slash, filled up the rocky hallway, forcing many of the units to be tossed into the air like rag dolls.

However, as the battle raged on, Sora and Riku's MP and energy levels began to drop. Eventually, their consumption of mega-ether began to take its toll. And yet there were still forty or fifty droids to take care of. After analyzing the tactics of the key bearers, the remaining droids had taken into account to avoid the elemental attacks altogether and instead engaged in more evasive maneuvers. Eventually, Riku and Sora found themselves surrounded and fired from all sides by the droids.

"It looks like they caught on to our strategy." Sora said. Should we use hyper mode fusion to finish them off?"

"The droids have learned to avoid us altogether." Riku implied. "Even if we were to fight them, we would have to fight them one at a time. Even so, the other units will provide protective fire, trying to strike at us. And as far as I have seen, those dolls seldom miss. Up to this point, the only thing that has kept up alive so far was the Aeroga shields. But they've managed to exploit that one weakness in the shield and now they know how to counter our plans."

"Then what do you suggest we do?"-

"I'm working on it, Sora, I'm working on it."-

"Well, whatever it is, you better work on it faster."-

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, there came gun fire from the entry way to the stone hall. Riku and Sora looked to suddenly see dozens of police officers advancing against the droids. They fired at the droids with great intensity, at times putting the lives of the key bearer in jeopardy. But as a result, the droids turned their attention towards the advancing police columns. To add, from out of the mass of police men, Seijuro Hiko emerged, attacking with great swiftness. Instantaneously, he managed to strike and destroy at least ten droid units.

"Well," Riku said with a smile, "Maybe in this case, all you need is a little miracle."

"Riku…" Sora uttered, pointing out that the droids had turned their attention towards the police forces.

"I gotcha…" Riku and Sora were quick to take advantage of the situation and attacked the unsuspecting droids swiftly, so the artificial soldiers didn't have time to regain their concentration on them.

The police moved in, with Seijuro Hiko leading the charge. The droids who attempted to retaliate were struck down by either Mr. Hiko, or the key bearers. Within minutes, the remaining droids were immediately defeated. Their scrapped remains lay upon the ground as if they were once living bodies.

"I never would have thought that this Midnight Faction would have been able to create such things." Seijuro Hiko implied. "Soldiers made out of metal."

"Mr. Hiko…" Sora uttered. "Thank you."-

"You really got us out of a jam, Mr. Hiko." Riku added.

"It was nothing." Seijuro replied. He looked at Riku and Sora. "You two certainly have grown haven't you, since the last time we met?"

"Thank you for the kind compliment." Sora said. "How's Sojiro doing?"

"You mean the young man we found in the hall way? He'll be fine. We've taken him back to our defense lines in the rear."-

"That's a relief."-

"Sora," Riku implied, "We still have the hanger to get to."

"Right…" Sora replied.

"Mr. Hiko, please stay here and maintain strong security within the shrine."-

"Of course…" Seijuro Hiko replied.

"Sora, let's go."-

"Alright…"-

The two key bearers continued down the rocky hall, leaving Seijuro Hiko and the police force in charge of cleaning up the mess. The young men had not gone far before they reached what looked like a recently installed wall and door. The door was too high tech to be an original feature.

"This must be one of the faction's newly installed facilities." Riku said. "This is too advanced a door and made out of solid steel no doubt."

Sora then happened to look upon a little red button on the side of the door frame.

"Hey, Riku," he said, "You think this button might open the door?"

"There's only one way to find out. Go ahead and push it."-

Sora hesitated for a moment or two, but pushed the button. Fearing the worse to happen, he closed his eyes and made ready for something bad to happen. But nothing terrible happened. Instead, the button did just as he had stated before and the might door opened up with incredible speed.

However, as the two looked into this new chamber, they realized that the hall had been further expanded into a grand hall size with a lot of elbow room. The walls had been reconstructed out of glimmering sheets of metal, reflecting the images of them off its surface with eloquent perfection. The room was lit with bright lights installed on both its walls and its ceiling. Riku and Sora walked in.

"This must be a new feature alright." Sora said. But as he gazed about, he felt Riku's hand in front of him as if wanting him to stop. "What's the matter Riku?"

"Sora…" Riku uttered. He kept a strong vigilance straight ahead of him. Sora looked in the same direction as Riku. Sure enough, he realized what Riku was looking at.

Before the two at the end of the chamber, were two grand doors. They were the original doors that lead to the inferno room. And standing just before the gates, a solitary individual stood steadfast in the path of the advancing key bearers.

"Well, well, well," the man uttered, "I never would have thought that you could make it this far into the bases interior, Riku, Sora, wielders of the keyblades."

"Who are you?" Riku asked.

"I am Vermoncht Delinor, the commander in charge of the operations here."-

"You are…?" Sora asked.

"You might say that I am rather impressed that you managed to seek us out, managed to penetrate through our defenses, and even managed to battle against the super antis and the mobile droids who guarded this facility. I congratulate you on your success. However, I cannot allow you to proceed any further than you already have." Delinor then revealed his weapon from behind his back. It was a large whip with sharpened razors at its tip, intermingling with strips of leather.

"So I take it, you being the commander in chief and all, you're the last obstacle that stands between us and the hanger."-

"That's correct."-

"Stand down…" Riku implied. "There's no use in you fighting against us."

"Don't underestimate me, young man." Delinor said. "I'm more skilled than you think."

"Shall we attack him together?" Sora asked.

"There will be no need." Riku replied. "His strength dwindles compared to ours."

"A little cocky aren't you?" Delinor said. "Don't you know that assumptions are cheap?"

"Is that so?"-

"Riku," Sora uttered, "Let me fight him."

"What?" Riku said.

"I think I can handle this guy myself."-

"Are you sure, Sora?"-

"I can sense he power. It's not as strong as mine, so I think I can fight him on my own."-

"Go ahead, Riku." Delinor chuckled. "Let the kid have his way."

"OK, Sora," Riku said with a sigh. "It's your call." Sora nodded and stepped forward. Riku withdrew from the area and leaned against the wall, eager to see his friend in action.

Sora stepped forward to fight this expert of the lash. He drew out his keyblade and made ready to battle.

"Oh and just for the record," Sora implied, "I'll let that 'kid comment' you made earlier slide."

"Offended by my comment admiring your youth, eh?" Delinor said.

"I know what you meant by it. And it wasn't to admire my youth."-

"Well, perceive it any way you wish, but let us battle first. Oh and by the way, just for the record, I suggest that you don't enjoy this battle very quickly because the tide will turn sooner than you think. I know that you can sense my energy and that it dwindles in comparison to your own. However, you will soon realize that strength and skill will not be the primary deciding factors in this battle."-

The two made their standoff, eagerly waiting for the other to make the first move. The climactic conclusion to defeat the faction operations within the 'Rurouni Realm' was about to begin. Now, the only true obstacle that stood between the key bearers and possible defeat with in that world was the commander-in-chief of the Midnight Faction's activities in the domain, Vermoncht Delinor.


	25. The Conclusion of Fate

The Conclusion of Fate

The standoff between Delinor and Sora was an intense one. There was a great sense of tension between the two combatants. They gazed into each others' eyes and then gazed that the others' movements. Who would make the first strike? Riku watched anxiously as the standoff continued.

"Sora's certainly improved." Riku thought to himself. "There's not a single flaw in his stance. No wavering, no sense of fear in his eyes, Sora is focused on the battle at hand."

"Well, what do you intend to do?" Delinor asked. "Are we going to fight or stand about?" Sora remained quiet. "Well, if you won't make the first move, then allow me to do that for you!"

Delinor was a good as his word, attacking first. Using the power of his lash, he struck at Sora with all he had. But Sora was expecting such aggressiveness from his opponent. Dodge rolling and evading the whip, Sora escaped injury from the razor tipped end. Again Delinor struck, aiming his whip as best as he could, but every attempt was evaded by the agile young man. Sora had no problem in evading the attacks.

"Stop dodging," Delinor shouted, "Fight me right if you have the guts."

"Not very good on patience are you?" Sora said.

"Don't you dare to mock me, kid!"-

"Kid again, eh?"-

Sora suddenly rushed in and deployed his Twister Strike, causing the lash commander to go flying into the air. Sora then jumped up and deployed the infamous Ragnarok attack, which he had learned and used since his early days. Following a mid-air strike, Sora unleashed a barrage of homing energy waves that simultaneously struck his opponent head on.

"This kid," Delinor thought to himself, "He's even more skilled than I had expected. With such techniques at his disposal, even I, an expert in the lash will never be able to match wits with him." Again Delinor was struck with a sonic blade strike. Sora then jumped up and kicked his opponent to the ground. Delinor went skidding across the well polished floor before stopping just short of hitting the wall.

"Sorry about that." Sora said. "But I thought you would be a lot tougher than this."

"Sora's got complete superiority in this battle." Riku said to himself. "But then again, it's not surprising that he would gain the upper hand so quickly."

Delinor staggered to his feet. Forcing himself to stand, he had a small stream of blood dripping from his lip. He wiped it and gazed at his red bodily fluid on his hand. He then looked up at Sora who still had that stern look in his eye.

"Not bad, Sora," he implied, "Not bad at all. I had figured that you wouldn't be this tough, but obviously you've proven me wrong. I thought that I'd be able to withstand your blows, thinking that there wouldn't be so much power behind it. But now that I've experienced that kind of pain, I'll know better than to attack you head on like that again."

"Even if you were to go on the defensive, that wouldn't change the matter at hand." Sora declared. "I have complete superiority over this battle. Just stand down and surrender this facility to us, Mr. Delinor. You would sure save yourself a lot of grief and pain."

"Just because you managed to get the best of me in that little scuffle doesn't necessarily mean that you'll be guaranteed success in the end. This battle has only just begun."-

"What is with this guy?" Riku thought to himself. "He knows that he doesn't stand the least bit of a chance against Sora, but he still continues to challenge him. Sora has all his elemental spells, his summoner spells, his swift attacks and his high defensive abilities at his disposal, but this guy is acting as if there is no big deal to this gig. Is he stalling for time like the two antis did?"

"Well," Sora implied, "You said that the tide of this battle would turn quickly. So far, it's still favoring me."

"Did I lie about that?" Delinor chuckled. He suddenly pulled out what looked like a remote detonation switch. "You believed that you had the edge against me, but in reality, your battle was lost from the start, from the moment that you stepped into my devious little trap."

"Trap what trap?" Suddenly, the chamber doors, to which the two key bearers had entered, suddenly shut tight behind them.

"Why this little trap. I challenged you in this room for a purpose. It was because I needed to make sure that both of you stayed in here when I pulled the plastic bags over your heads. The secret of the trap lies within this room. And this little button is what will spring the trap." Without a second thought, Delinor pushed the little red button atop the device. "Oh, and one more thing, don't bother trying to dodge it because the trap affects every square inch of this room."

"But that means that you'll get caught in it to."-

"You idiot, do you think that I'd be stupid enough to fall into my own trap?"-

Suddenly, both key bears found themselves being pressed to the ground by an unseen force. Sora and Riku were forced to their knees. Riku soon realized that it was gravity that was holding them down.

"What in the…" Sora uttered.

"Where did this gravity come from?" Riku uttered.

"This is my devious little trap," Delinor said with a chuckle, "It was the one I was talking about. This special room is called the gravity room in which the gravity here can be increased from two to five times the pull of earth's natural gravity. This is the power at its maximum, five times the level of earth."

"But…why isn't the gravity…affecting you?" Sora asked, as he was further forced to the ground.

"It's quite simple." Delinor pointed at his belt buckle. "This buckle is armed with a special anti-gravitational transmitter, which creates a special shield around me, thus preventing me from being pressed to the ground like you fools."

"So…this was all a trick…?"-

"As I said before, it won't be strength, or skill that will be the primary deciding factor of this battle. In this particular confrontation, it will be the more cunning and the more intellectual of the two sides that will win. And as you can see, I already know what the outcome will be."

"You…"-

"I must admit that I was scared back there for a minute or two knowing that you fools were known for your ferocity in battle. But now that I have you under my thumb, you're no more threatening to me than a boil under my skin." Sora tried to stand, but the heavy gravity prevented him from moving about as fast as he would like.

"You think that you'll…be a match for me?" He uttered.

"I know that I'll be more than a match for you."-

"Why don't you fight fair?"-

"Sorry, but I'm not the type who believes in all this honor stuff. I just fight for the sake of fulfilling the goals of the faction and I will use whatever method necessary to come out on top, no matter how dirty the tactic is."-

"In that case…I cannot allow you to get the best of us in this battle…" Sora drew up his keyblade, but it seemed to weigh a ton now. Delinor was surprised and rather awed by the young man's strength. He then looked over at Riku who had also managed to stand. Sweat rand down their faces due to the overwhelming stress that was put on their bodies.

"I have to admit." Delinor stated. "I never would have thought that you two would be able to withstand such heavy gravity. I was never able to master the gravity like that, which is why I require this special apparatus. Any ordinary person would have died from suffocation because the heavy gravity would force the air out of their lungs and prevent them from expanding, but I can see that you two are more durable than I had thought. For that I will commend you." Delinor began to swirl the razor bitten tip of his whip around. "However, though you might have been able to withstand the gravity from crushing your bodies, it still doesn't change the fact that your maneuverability has been reduced to that of stupefied crawl. Without a device like this anti-gravitational belt buckle I wear, you'll certainly have a hard time catching up with me, let alone, evading my attacks."

Delinor then cracked his whip in Sora's direction. Sora tried to dodge as best he could, but the gravity forced him down again. The whip missed him, but now he was helpless, being pressed to the ground.

"This is bad." Riku thought to himself. "With this heavy gravity pressing us down, we're completely helpless. Sora can't even move fast enough because of this heavy gravity. This gravitational pull, being five times that of the gravity we're used to, makes our own bodies feel five times heavier. And placing extra weight on our bodies is something that we're not used to."

"Nice dodge," Delinor chuckled, "but not good enough!" He lashed the whip again. Sora rolled away, avoiding the razor tipped end that cracked just short of striking his back. "Not only am I armed with an anti-gravitation device, but my whip too has the same apparatus in its hilt. That is the reason why it strikes fast without being effected by the gravity."

"You bastard…" Sora uttered. He aimed his keyblade and fired Firaga spell, but because of the heavy gravity, the fire balls instantly fell to towards the ground and exploded harmlessly away from the lash master.

"Fool, even your elemental attacks can't withstand the power of this gravity." Delinor lashed again. The whip cracked again, but Sora managed to stand up and evade the attack, but again his body stumbled. "Not this time, key bearer!" Delinor cracked the whip again. This time, the razor edged tip hit its target. It slashed Sora across the chest. Had it been any higher, it could have cut his throat. Sora fell to the ground. Grasping at his wound, he could feel the individual cuts that had been inflicted on him. His hand was stained with his won blood.

"Sora…" Riku uttered. He tried to walk, but the gravity forced him down to his knees again. "It's no use…I'm useless in this kind of gravity. I can barely even stand, let alone walk."

"Aw, what's wrong?" Delinor said to Riku, a sound of amusement behind his words. "You feeling left out, Riku? Don't worry, you'll have your turn soon, but after I finish killing off your friend here."

Sora staggered to his feet, but again Delinor attacked with his whip. Sora was struck again, this time on his right arm. However, fearing that he would eventually come across such a challenge, Sora made sure to wear his arm guards under the officer's jacket. Thus, when the whip edge cut straight through the cloth of the coat, the shoulder armor prevented the razors from causing any damage. However, despite the reinforced protection, the force of the blow caused him to stagger backward. Delinor attacked again, this time aiming for his leg. Sora's left leg was grazed by the razors and he felt the sting. The whip was ricocheted back and cut the upper part of his left leg, cutting through his pants. Sora cried out and collapsed to the ground again.

"Not so funny when you're the one being beaten up is it!" Delinor chuckled. Sora, using more energy just to stand, wavered and against staggered. The loss of blood now made his entire body feel as if it had gained more pounds. He could feel the intense throbbing in his left leg and it felt so heavy now that it had been cut. His trousers were now soaking with blood, turning a crimson red.

"I have to somehow get that belt buckle." Sora thought to himself. "That'll put a stop to his fun…" Sora's sweat began to rush down his face. "Perhaps if I were to use the sonic blade…No…With this type of gravity, he'll be able to see my attack before I can even hope of getting to him. This heavy gravity makes my body feel like it weighs a ton, so my swiftness is useless in this…" Sora then clutched his fist. "Still, I have to at least try…"

"Are you getting tired, my friend?" Delinor said, he looked at Sora and saw how much the gravity had affected his body. "It looks as though your legs are wobbling out of sheer exhaustion. But then again, five times earth's normal gravity is a lot of pressure on the human body isn't it."

"I can't let this guy win…He's getting to cocky for his own good…"-

"Oh I'm going to enjoy this part!" Delinor cracked his whip again. This time, he aimed for Sora's throat. However, Sora was too close to have the whip slash across his jugulars. Instead, the whip wrapped itself around Sora's throat. Sora saw the sharpened razor tips stop just short of striking him to the side of the face. "Oh well, this can easily be resolved." Delinor retracted the blade, in hopes that the razors would swing around and cut Sora across the side of his throat, severing the main artery in his neck, as the whip was withdrawn. But by quick thinking, Sora grabbed hold of the whip before it could be retracted. Placing his hand in a small space that separated the whip from his throat, Sora prevented the lash from choking him.

"That was close…" Riku said, as he watched the battle continued.

"Let go of the whip!" Delinor demanded. He tugged at the whip violently, but Sora only staggered and continued to hold firmly only the leather of the lash. "I said let go of the whip!" Delinor pulled at the whip again. Sora fell to the ground, but he still held onto the whip, not letting go. He grasped at the base of the razor tip, preventing any further damage inflicted on him as he struggled. "You were indeed smart to grasp the whip, so that the retraction wouldn't severe your jugulars. And you even managed to wedge your fingers between the leather and your neck so that you couldn't be strangled, but what now. Both of your hands are occupied. You can't move your left, because you'd risk being cut by the razor. And you can't move your right because you risk being strangled. So tell me, Sora, what is it that you plan to do in this current situation!" Delinor suddenly lifted Sora's body up into the air and swung him around like a rock on a sling. "If I can't cut you, then I'll batter you up against these metal walls!" Sora was tossed about and finally, Delinor slammed him against one of the steel walls. The impact, had caused a dent in the wall and Sora's body was shaken up by the impact. And since his body was five times heavier with the intense gravity, the impact was made even harder. Delinor swung him around again and slammed him into another wall. Sora took a severe battering in this manner, but he refused to let go of the whip. Seven times, Sora was slammed into the walls and all seven times, he refused to let go of the whip.

"Sora's taking a real bashing." Riku uttered. "I have to help him…but I can't fight him as I am now. Otherwise I'll meet the same fate. Damn it all. An elemental spell is all I have at my disposal." Riku then initiated an elemental spell.

In the meantime, Sora was still being thrashed about like a rag doll by the faction commander. Delinor finally stopped bashing Sora into the wall. Sora still grasped onto the whip, refusing to let go.

"You stubborn little insect," Delinor shouted, "Why don't you just die already!"

"Sorry," Sora uttered in a labored whisper, "But dying…really isn't something I'm good at."

"Then, I'll help you along with it!" Delinor walked up to Sora. Then with one mighty swing of his foot, he kicked Sora in the side. Some of Sora's ribs were fractured in the impact and the sound of his cries filled the room.

"Sora…!" Riku said in shock, as he heard the breaking of bone and the crushing of muscle. In this instant, Riku dropped what he was doing and stopped accumulating his energy for an elemental attack. Upon hearing the cries of his best friend and watching his friend in utter agony, Riku's blood began to boil and he filled with a great and terrible rage.

"I told you to let go!" Delinor shouted again. He kicked Sora again and again, further breaking his ribs and causing severe internal injury. Repeatedly, he kicked Sora at his side. Sora, finally, through pain and agony, released the hand that grasped at the lash's razor end. His hand fell to the ground, but this was no the end of his torment. Delinor, angered by what had happened, stomped his boot upon Sora's hand, crushing it. Sora cried out in agony as the bones in his hand were shattered and blood began to drip from open cuts. Delinor stomped on it again and again until Sora's hand was only a bloody mess. Delinor then took the whip and unfurled it from around Sora's neck. He then flipped the young man on his belly. Sora, too weak to stand, was overcome by the gravity.

"Riku…" Sora uttered. "I'm sorry…I have failed…"

"Now feel the pain of the lash!" Delinor shouted. He then cracked the whip upon Sora's back and the razors cut deep into his flesh. Sora cried out as he felt the lash dig deep. Blood began to drip from the wound, flowing out like red water. This was not the final blow however. Again Delinor cracked the whip. Again and again ten times over and Sora felt every blood until his body could no longer feel pain. "How do you like that painful sensation, Sora? This is for the faction and all the men that you killed!" Delinor then raised his whip over his head. "This final crack of the whip will end your life for good!"

But suddenly, the chamber lights started to fade as if a great shadow had emerged within it. This caught Delinor's attention. He looked at what seemed to be a strange dark mist. But as he looked up, he discovered something even more terrifying. He gazed up to find that the source was coming from Riku. As he looked into Riku's eyes, he saw as soulless being of darkness glaring at him with utmost hatred. The minute Delinor made contact with Riku's eyes; he was filled with a great fear. Riku, after seeing his friend mercilessly beaten to the point of death, he could no longer control the darkness within him.

"What…what is this power?" Delinor uttered shocked and afraid. He slowly backed away from Sora. "Is this…the true power of Noctin Tilandir?"

His power did not go unnoticed. The darkness had accumulated so strongly that it managed to catch the attention of the other KH members all the way back in Tokyo. Cuchulain, sitting upon the dojo's walkway, suddenly felt the power. He stood up, stunned by what he felt.

"That power…" he uttered. "Could it be…Riku…?"

"Did you feel that energy?" Ophelia said. "Is that Riku's full strength?"

"What's going on?" Donald asked as he passed them by to see that shocked expression on their faces.

"Riku has unleashed the darkness in his heart…" Cuchulain said.

In the chamber, Riku's rage began to affect the atmosphere and the gravity seemed to yield and bow before his might.

"It can't be…" Delinor uttered. "This is the legendary power of the Child of Darkness…"

In his rage, Riku's body began to change and he once again emerged from the shadows, dressed in his black jumper, bearing the crest of the Heartless. He had once again become dark Riku. His eyes had lost their glimmer of innocence and instead became soulless, thirsty for blood, and above all vengeance. Finally, in a roaring voice, enough to terrify even the most experienced warriors, he made his declaration.

"LEAVE SORA ALONE!" he roared. His energy unleashed itself in a combination of bright light and shadow. Without a second thought, he lunged at Delinor with his keyblade drawn behind him.

"That kid," Delinor uttered, "He…he's not human…" He watched as the face of darkness came charging straight for him and the gravity did nothing to prevent the onslaught. With one swipe, he slashed the faction commander across the chest. He then kicked him into the air and pummeled him down to the ground. Using his swift attack, Riku used his inter-dimensional attack to strike Delinor from everywhere. The blows taken out on Delinor were ten times greater than the ones used on Sora. Riku struck again with a darkness explosion, causing the faction leader to fly into the air, but again, he slammed the commander down with his clenched fist. Knocking him down to the ground, Riku unleashed his Iceberg Shurikens, freezing the commander in place. He then unleashed Cinder Canister at point blank range. The seven large fire balls exploded in the face of Delinor and the faction leader went flying. He fell to the ground and skidded across the flood. Delinor staggered to his feet, his body scorched by the fire.

"You think it's over!" Riku lunged again. But instead of striking his opponent, he grabbed his belt and ripped the anti-gravitational unit off of his uniform. Now, without his belt buckle, Delinor was now vulnerable to the gravity's pull. He lay prostrate on the ground, not able to move. Unlike Riku and Sora, he was not strong enough to overcome the gravity. "Not so funny when it's you who's being beaten up is it! Don't you just hate cruel irony!" Riku formed the seven fire spheres for his Cinder Canister. "Now you will die! This is for all those whom you have oppressed and killed and especially, for Sora!" Riku prepared to unleash the full strength of his attack at point blank range. But as he did, he heard the cry of Sora not too far away.

"Riku, stop…!" Sora cried. Riku looked to find that Sora had managed to stagger to his feet. His left hand curled up against his body, bloody and useless, and the rest of his body mangled and cut, he walked to Riku. "Riku, don't kill him… Whatever you do…please don't kill Delinor…"

"What are you saying, Sora!" Riku said, sternly. "This man was the one who caused all this trouble. He was the one who made you suffer, who made you wail in anguish! Yet you're telling me to spare his life! He's scum, Sora, low life scum who's no greater than dirt! After what he's done to you, he doesn't deserve any sympathy!"

"But look at yourself, Riku… You've become Dark Riku again. You said that you would never unleash the darkness like this ever again. If you kill him…that makes you no better than he…and you'll regress to what you once were…Even after all we've gone through…you kill him…and that means that they still would have won…But it doesn't have to be that way…Show Delinor and the entire faction that you are not Noctin Tilandir…that you are not the Child of Darkness…Please Riku…I don't want to lose you to the darkness again…" Sora staggered. He lowered his head to prevent Riku from seeing his tears. "I don't want you to lose…who you are…"

"Sora…" Riku uttered. Clutching his fist, Riku regained control of his anger and sighed relief. He thus regressed from his dark form and became himself once again. He once again felt the heavy force of the gravity upon his back, but this time, it seemed lighter compared to when he had that burden of darkness accumulating in his heart.

"Thanks…Riku…" Sora, using all this reserved energy to stop Riku, finally staggered forward and collapsed.

"Sora…!" Riku ran to Sora. Sora fell, but was caught by his friend in the knick of time. They fell close together, Riku still holding his friend in his arms. Sora rested his head against Riku's chest. Riku only smiled. "It should be me to thank you, Sora. I was so close to becoming Dark Riku again."

"It was nothing…But we still have a mission to accomplish…" Sora tried to stand up. "Give me a hand and help me up…" Riku helped his friend up and the two staggered through the heavy gravity to the great gates, leading to the Inferno Room. But as they neared the gates, they heard Delinor shout out to them.

"You fools…" he uttered. "Don't you dare…turn your backs on me…"

"Shut up…" Riku said, not bothering to look at him. "Your fight in this is over…"

"Oh no it isn't…" Delinor pulled out another detonation device. "If I can't stop you…then I'll kill you both with my final plan…I'll blow everything up…"

"What…?" Riku turned with a shocking look of fear on his face.

"You would kill everyone here…for the sake of stopping us?" Sora asked.

"It will be worth it." Delinor uttered. "When you two are dead…there will be no one who will stand in the way…of the Midnight faction…There will be no one to ruin our plans…no one to close the worlds to the Heartless…no one who will stop Lord Sirius Viicous from conquering the entire universe…"

"So you're willing to kill yourself and everyone here for the sake of that?" Riku said.

"The cause is all that matters to me! To assure your deaths is to assure the success for the Midnight Faction…!"-

"If that's so, then you'll die never experiencing that new world of yours. The only thing that you would have gained out of this is the uncertainty of whether your sacrifice was worth it or not. But being dead, you'll never know that. Once you're dead, you're dead. There is no reflection on the results after that. And if that's the case, if you wanted to die, then I would have killed you myself. But I will not tarnish my promise to Sora."-

"And why not…?"-

"I don't know the reason myself, but I can tell you this much. At least Sora gives a damn about the value of your life. I, however, could have cared less. So be grateful that there's at least one person who cares about your life's worth." Riku opened the gate. The moment the gates opened, the gravity disengaged and the system ceased. Riku, his body back in normal gravity, helped Sora out of the chamber. Delinor was also free of this gravity prison and stood up, staggering to his feet. He still held the device in his hand.

"I warn you…!" he threatened. "I…I'll destroy this entire facility…"

"Do what you will then," Riku said, "But we're not going to back down." Riku made no further comment to the wounded commander and continued into the Inferno Room. Delinor was angered at being talked down to by his opponent. His anger, gripped the detonation switch and he was ready to blow the entire facility up and take everyone with him. But he hesitated. Despite knowing the risk he would put the faction in, he was not willing to kill the one person who had showed him mercy. And that one person was the one person who he put so much suffering through. Not having the heart, he crushed the detonation device.

"That young man…Sora" he uttered. "Even after what I did to him…he still pleaded for my life…?" Barely having any strength, Delinor fell to the ground and lowered his head humbly. "It would have been better if I died. Otherwise…I wouldn't be questioning my own integrity…and the integrity in the cause to which I fight…"

As the duo hobbled into the Inferno Room, they looked up in awe at the sight that lay before them. Standing before the two key bearers lay an intricate factory. The entire gorge had been reconstructed and outfitted into a steel hanger with a dome roof. There was a large hatch on top which only indicated that this was where the dolls were dispatched. Below them, a line of new Scorpion mobile dolls were being constructed on the bottom level.

"This is it." Sora uttered. "This must be the assembly hanger."

"I can see why the Alliance wanted this place destroyed." Riku said.

But just as they walked further into the hanger, the sound of sirens and alarms began to sound out. Suddenly, from all directions, defense turrets began to fire upon the two key bearers. Riku and Sora ducked and lay on the ground, safe from the turret fire. Riku used Cinder Canister to eliminate some of the turrets, the ones that posed the most threat to them. But despite his efforts, there were still other turrets that continued to rain an endless barrage upon them.

"Damn," Riku implied, "They know we're here alright!" Riku used his elemental attacks do destroy all threatening turrets until the firing subsided completely. Seeing that the coast was clear, Riku stood up again. He then gazed at the assembly area where the dolls were being constructed. "We have to destroy the main assembly area and those dolls being completed!"

"But how are we gonna do that?" Sora asked. "I'm in no condition to continue fighting and those defense turrets are preventing us from advancing any further."

"Then, I'll just have to use the power of my elemental attacks to do as much damage as I can." Riku formed up the seven fire balls for the Cinder Canister. He then unleashed the attack, forcing the balls to fly directly at the assembly area. But the balls did not strike their target. Instead, they seemed to strike an invisible wall, protecting the assembly area from attack. "Damn it, they have an energy shield protecting that area. Even I can't break through that thing on my own. But there must be some other way to get into the mass assembly area." Riku looked around, but there was nothing to help break through the shield. He then subsequently looked up towards the roof of the hanger and gazed at the large hatch that was hanging just above the protected area. He then had a brilliant idea. "They must be able to dispatch the dolls from that hatch. All I have to do is get up there somehow and enter the assembly area from that opening."

"Riku…" Sora uttered. Riku laid Sora down onto the walkway, safe from the turret's aim.

"I have to get to that hatch, Sora." Riku uttered. "I'll be back as soon as I can." But as he turned toward the massive doors leading out of the hanger, he saw Delinor standing before him. "You again…?"

"I realize now that destroying this entire area…would have been a waste of manpower and resources." Delinor uttered. "But despite that…I still intend to stop you…but in the only way that'll prevent you from getting anywhere near that assembly area…" Delinor suddenly pulled the old chain that opened and closed the large gates. Immediately, the iron doors began to close.

"Why you…!"

"I won't be able to fight you head to head, but I can at least prevent you from escaping." Delinor drew out his whip.

"Stand aside!" Riku demanded.

"I'd die first!"-

"So be it!" Riku drew out his keyblade and prepared to battle.

Suddenly, there came the sound of rockets. Riku looked to see what the commotion was about. It was then that he spotted the one thing that he feared would happen. Three of the scorpion mobile dolls began to ascend. Eventually, the large hatch doors at the top of the dome began to open, allowing the dolls to escape into the night sky.

"No…!" Riku uttered. "I'm too late…"

"Yes, you are." Delinor chuckled. "There's nothing that you can do now. Once those dolls are deployed into this world, there will be nothing that you can do to stop them. They'll wreak havoc upon every town and city and a new era of chaos would have begun. And since this world has no efficient technology to counter the onslaught, this entire realm and everyone in it will either have to surrender or face total annihilation."

"I can't allow them to escape!" Riku unleashed his most powerful attacks against the shield, but nothing seemed to get through.

"It's no use, Riku. You'll never be able to pierce through that energy shield no matter how hard you try. Face it Riku, you've just been done in. All of your efforts were a big waste of time."-

Riku could only watch as the three dolls drew closer to the hatch, making their escape.

"I can't believe it…" Sora uttered as he saw the dolls ascend into the air. "We came all this way…only to fail in the end…"

"I have failed everyone…" Riku said, falling to his knees and lowering his head. "It's over for the 'Rurouni Realm'." But as he finished uttering those sorrowful words, there was a sudden explosion. Riku, Sora, and Delinor looked up to see that one of the dolls, the one closest to exiting the hanger suddenly blew up.

"What happened?" Sora uttered.

"An explosion…?" Riku said. "But why, how…?"

"Was there a malfunction in the doll's system?" Delinor uttered. But he soon came to realize that the explosion was more than just a coincidence. Immediately after the first explosion, the second doll, closest to exiting was destroyed as well. And finally, the third exploded. "The dolls…but how…?" Delinor sneered. "After seeing all three dolls explode, there is without a doubt that this was more than just a coincidence. Someone was behind those explosions."

It was then that they laid eyes on a small figure that descended into the assembly hanger. Riku glared hard with his eyes, hoping to identify who it was that suddenly hovered into hanger. It wasn't long before he realized who it was.

"That's…that's Thundro…" he said. "Thundro managed to make it into the hanger…!"

"Thundro's here?" Sora uttered. He peeked over the railing saw the figure of Thundro hovering about in the hanger. "It is…Thundro…"

"Thundro…?" Delinor uttered with fear behind his words. "As in Lord Lucien Exmortus Thundro, esteemed member of the Death Lords? But why is he attacking the dolls?"

"You fool," Riku said, "Haven't you been aware of the situation for the passed six years. Thundro's fighting against the Imperial powers now."

"No, it can't be. We don't stand a chance against a power like that."-

Suddenly, there was another explosion, a closer explosion. The three men looked to see that Thundro had destroyed the main control room completely. The control room was just behind the safety of the shield, so neither Riku nor Sora could get to it, but it was not safe against Lord Thundro. The destruction of the main control room was a severe and critical blow to the entire facility. With its destruction, all main operations, like deploying the dolls, activating the defense turrets, and even keeping all defense shields up, ceased altogether. The shield protecting the assembly area was deactivated, allowing the key bearers to enter into the assembly area.

"The shield…" Sora uttered. "It's been deactivated. We can continue now…"

"Right…" Riku added. Picking up Sora, they both made their way to the main assembly facility.

Delinor was crushed at the results. And his hopes for success in the 'Rurouni Realm' went crashing down just like the demolished dolls.

"Those two young men…" he uttered. "They're too powerful for us. We completely underestimated their abilities. I never would have thought that they would be able to succeed with this kind of result. And because I destroyed the detonation switch that would destroy this entire hanger, there is no way to regain victory for the Midnight Faction in this world." Delinor fell to his knees. "Then if fate has chosen that we lose, there is no need for me to fight anymore…It would all be meaningless now…" Accepting his defeat, he withdrew from the facility to turn himself into the police.

In the meantime, Sora and Riku continued to walk upon the high catwalk, watching as Thundro destroyed the remaining mobile dolls what had not reached completion. Many of the crews, still in the assembly area, turned and ran. Some resistors picked up their weapons and fired back. But there was nothing that could harm Lord Thundro.

"What a pitiful sight, these fools putting up such a futile effort." Thundro thought to himself.

"Hey," a voice shouted. Thundro looked down to the catwalk and saw Riku and Sora approaching him. It was Riku who signaled him, waving his arm in the air. "Thundro…!"

"I figured that where there's chaos against the faction, I would eventually run into you." Thundro descended to the catwalk and joined the two key bearers. He looked them over. "You look like hell, especially you, Sora."

"Well, I've had better days." Sora replied.

"And let me guess, I suppose that you want me to heal you up am I right?"-

"Well, if you could do us this little favor." Riku said.

"It's not my obligation to aid those who fight for the Alliance," Thundro said, "But I would rather have that than have these factions cause further chaos to the universe. Besides, I have a debt to pay to Sora, for that time when I was found nearly dead in the woods." Thundro placed his hand over Sora. Within seconds, Sora's body began to resonate with light and immediately there after, his wounds had been completely healed. His bones had been mended and his energy had been restored. Sora looked at his hand. It was once again fully functional and he was able to clutch his fist tightly. "Consider our debt fulfilled."

"Thanks…" Sora uttered. "But…what about Riku…He has used up a lot of energy fighting Delinor."

"But he bears no injury though, so there's no point in wasting my time."-

"But still…"-

"It's OK, Sora…" Riku said. "I bear no scratches on me, so I don't need any help. Just a squirt of the Curaga spell should do it."

"Are you sure…?"-

"I'm sure…"-

"You are too sincere, Riku." Thundro said. "Perhaps there is hope for you after all." Thundro placed his hand over Riku and restored his strength. Riku was once again in top condition.

"Uh…thank you…" Riku said.

"I only did that because of your sincere and unselfish mood. Don't think it was anything higher than that." Thundro turned away from them. "Now, if you don't mind, let us commence with destroying this facility, so it will never be effectively used in the hands of any factional power ever again."

"Right…" Riku and Sora said in unison. The three spread out and began to destroy the entire facility little by little. Using there energy to demolish key objects in the hanger and throughout the facility, they made sure that neither the Midnight Faction nor any other factional organization will have access to its advantage. It didn't take long before the hanger was nothing more than an empty shell in the ground.

Thundro gazed about, seeing the accomplishments they fulfilled.

"Our business is done here." Thundro thought to himself.

"In most cases…" Sora said. It was then that something caught his attention. He looked to see a glowing light suddenly appear at the other end of the cavern. He immediately recognized what it was. "Riku…"

"What is it, Sora…?" Riku asked. He then saw what it was that Sora was looking at. When the light faded, there on the steel wall was the figure of a large keyhole. Riku and Sora looked at one another and nodded. They aimed their keyblades and at the same time, the locking beams hit the lock. Another bright light illuminated the entire hanger. Eventually, the light faded and the keyhole vanished from sight.

"That's another keyhole locked and another worlds sealed." Riku implied.

"Now our mission truly is over."-

As they continued to walk out of the shrine, they watched as the policemen apprehended the remaining faction soldiers and supporters. They eventually emerged from out of the faction HQ and breathed the cool night air of Kyoto.

Seijuro Hiko and the police commander same to meet them as they came within sight.

"I'm glad to see that you're still alive." He said.

"Has everything been placed under police jurisdiction?" Thundro asked.

"That's confirmed." The commander said. "We have apprehended all faction soldiers and this facility is now under out complete control. Well done, gentlemen."

"How's Sojiro doing?" Sora asked.

"He's a little banged up, but he should be alright."-

"Well, if it's not too much to ask, do you mind if we see him?"-

"He should be over there with the rest of the wounded." The commander pointed out to a line of wounded men upon the ground. Both police men and faction soldiers lay side by side, waiting for their wounds to be healed. Two sides, once enemies, now cared for the other's wounds. Riku and Sora were quick to search the ranks of the wounded, looking for young assistant inspector.

Sure enough, they found Sojiro. His coat had been opened at the front and bandages covered the wounds that he received. Looking up at his comrades, the young man smiled.

"Well, well," Sojiro uttered. "I'm glad to see that you guys didn't get hurt."

"We had some help in that area." Sora said as he knelt by his side.

"How are you doing?" Riku asked.

"I've had better days." Sojiro uttered. He laughed for a while before the sting in his wound caused him to cut his humor short. "So…did you manage to destroy the facility…?"

"Down to the ground…" Sora said. But as he looked about, he realized who it was, next to Sojiro. It was the faction commander, Vermoncht Delinor. "Vermoncht Delinor…?"

"What's he doing here…?" Riku said.

"Who…?" Sojiro asked. "Are you talking about the guy next to me? He's the commander in chief of the faction operations…?"

"Yeah…"-

"I didn't know that…And he's such an honest man."-

"Say what…?"-

"He told me that the greatest sin he ever committed was submitting to an ungrateful cause and turning to the side of darkness. He was in tears. I never in my life…have seen a man so repentant…He said to me that he was willing to throw everything away for the sake of the cause, including his own life."-

"I see…" Sora implied.

"Yeah, then told me that he now knows that there were at least two men young men who opened his eyes. And out of those two, only one truly valued his life. And that one person was the one he victimized and tortured."-

"So…maybe he wasn't as bad as we had perceived him to be…"-

"So…it was you and Riku that he was referring to?"-

"He was the one whom we fought in the end…"-

"Then maybe…" Riku hesitated. "I could at least apologize to him for calling him lower than dirt scum. Someone who's repentant for what he's done deserves a little more sympathy from me than what I gave him."

"Well, just a moment…" Sojiro said. He turned to Delinor. "Excuse me, Mr. Delinor…" There was no answer. "Mr. Delinor, you have some visitors."

"There's no use talking to him, Mr. Seta." One of the medical orderlies said, overhearing Sojiro's beckoning. "That man just died a few minutes ago."

This declaration caused a shock to reverberate through the key bearers and the young assistant inspector.

"He's dead…?" Sora uttered.

"He was in critical condition when we brought him in. We already figured him for dead. He wanted to be laid out here to die at his own request."-

The three remained quiet as they watched the orderlies carry the body of Delinor away.

"Well…" Sora said. "I guess we'll never have a chance to talk to him." He lowered his head in sorrow. Riku could only look away as they took the body away. For a moment, his eyes became moist with tears. He knew that he would never have a second chance to express his apologies and it would be useless for him to do so now.

Lord Thundro stood just behind the key bearers.

"Don't you three have someplace to be?" he uttered.

"What was that?" Sora asked.

"Your comrades back in Tokyo are awaiting your return."-

"Our friends, are they alright?"-

"That's up to you to find out."-

"You said the three of us though." Riku said. "When you said three, are you also including…"-

"Mr. Seta must make his report to his superiors." Thundro knelt over the young man. "Of course, we can't allow you to be arriving back in Tokyo in the state you are in." Thundro placed his hand over Sojiro. But as soon as he was prepared to heal Sojiro, he looked about at the other wounded men. Fearing the ridicule that would reverberate in the future, Thundro withheld healing him. "I think best it I do my healing back in Tokyo, where there aren't so many eyes to gawk at us." Thundro picked up Sojiro and hitched him on his back.

"Where are you going with inspector Seta?" the commander asked.

"He'll be alright." Thundro said. "You have my word."

"Where will you be going?" Seijuro Hiko asked.

"Back to Tokyo…" Thundro turned to Riku and Sora. "Grab a hold of my arms, you two." Riku and Sora placed their hands on his arms. "Instant transmission…" Thundro placed his index finger in front of him and in an instant he, Sojiro, Riku, and Sora vanished without a trace, leaving to police to finish their efforts at Mt. Hiei.

Within a second, the four found themselves in front of the Kamiya Dojo.

"What…?" Sojiro uttered. "Where are we, are we in Tokyo?"-

"It looks that way." Riku uttered. "This is definitely the Kamiya Dojo."

"But how can that be?" Sora said. "We were in Kyoto just a second ago. What kind of speed was that?"

"It was called the Instant Transmission." Thundro explained. "It's a form of teleportation. Unlike your type o teleportation that can only be effective in a short range, the Instant Transmission can transmit a mass from a long ways away, even at distances that range into light years."

"Is that so…?"-

Just then, from out of the Dojo, they spotted Goofy, who looked to see what was causing the conversation.

"Hey, Riku, Sora," he cried, "You're back. Hey fellers, Riku and Sora are back."

"What was that?" Cuchulain said, being the next one to poke his head out of the doorway. "Hey you guys, Riku and Sora are back from Kyoto and Thundro and Sojiro are with them."

Pretty soon, everyone went out to greet them.

"Riku…!" Ophelia shouted as she ran over to the four. She presented herself before Riku. "I'm glad to see that you guys are OK."-

"Oh, Miss Billiard…" Riku said. "Thank you for your kind gesture. I see that you guys managed to hold down the fort."

"Well, to the best of our abilities anyway."-

"Hey Cuchulain," Sora said, "Did you guys have much trouble while we were gone."

"More or less, Sora," the Hound replied, "But all has been successful." Cuchulain's response seemed rather different from the usual boastful young man he usually was. Sora gazed at him and felt a sense of melancholia within him.

"You seem disturbed or something." Sora uttered. "Are you OK?"

"It's nothing…" Cuchulain said, smiling. But Sora knew. There was something bothering his friend, but he dared not cause any further stress to the situation by getting the others involved. Thus, he kept the issue to himself.

"Master…!" Goten shouted, running out of the dojo.

"Well, well, well," Thundro said, "I see that you two managed to emerge without a scratch."

"If you can really call that fight a fight." Trunks implied, walking a little behind Goten. "Those guys certainly were a pushover and we missed most of the action."

"Well, I'm glad to see that all of you are alright." Riku said.

"You just missed the police force." Donald said. "They took the remaining faction soldiers away and they cleaned up the bodies."

"What was that?" Sora asked. "So the faction did attack?"

"That's right." Miss Kaoru implied.

"Did we suffer any casualties?"-

"No one died if that's what you mean." Sano implied. "Thanks to those senzu beans..."

"And I take it from you being here that you succeeded in defeating the faction." Kenshin added.

"Yes," Riku implied, "The faction has been defeated in this realm and this world has been sealed once again."

"That's good news that it is." Kenshin then looked at Sojiro who lay on Thundro's back. "Sojiro…what happened to Sojiro."

"He's been wounded." Sora said. "He got hurt a few times by the faction."

"Well, hurry, bring him in."-

Thundro brought Sojiro into the premises of the dojo. Laying him on a futon bed, they observed his wounds.

"Well, at least he's been patched up well." Yahiko implied.

"How bad were his wounds?" Kaoru asked as she held her little boy, Kenji in her arms.

"They're not critical." Thundro said.

"And you are…?"-

"Oh, I forgot to introduce you to Lord Thundro." Sora said. "He's the one that carried Sojiro all the way here to Tokyo."

"We are in your debt, Mr. Thundro." Kenshin implied.

"His wounds are minor. They can easily be fixed." Thundro said.

"What do you mean?" Kaoru asked.

Thundro placed his hand over Sojiro. Within seconds, there was a great light that accumulated from his body. Within seconds, Sojiro's body was healed and his wounds mended. Sojiro slowly opened his eyes.

"What happened…?" he asked. He stood up and felt no pain from his wounds. He touched the areas where the wounds were located, but there was no sting.

"You're wounds no longer exist. They're healed now."-

"I thank you, sir."-

"That's just like you, Master Thundro." Goten said, watching from the doorway. "And they say you have no heart."

"That's enough, Goten. Don't get the wrong idea or parting will hurt."-

"Yeah, yeah…"-

"Well, I'm happy to see that you are still alive and well…" a voice uttered from the doorway. The team looked to see Saito and General Triiken standing at the doorway.

"Triiken…" Riku uttered.

"Were you here the whole time?" Sora asked.

"Who do you think was responsible for bringing Goten, Trunks, and Lord Thundro here? I'm here to oversee the exportation of the faction prisoners we apprehended to alliance POW camps." Triiken stepped forward and looked at Sojiro. "Stand up and make yourself more presentable, boy."

"Sir…" Sojiro replied. He stood at attention and saluted. "Assistant inspector…I mean Lieutenant Colonel Sojiro Seta of the Universal Alliance Defense Forces reporting for duty, General Triiken sir."

"What was that?" Cuchulain uttered.

"A Lieutenant Colonel…?" Sora added.

"Sojiro," Riku said, "You're an Alliance officer?"

"Did you know about this, Saito?" Kenshin asked.

"I was unaware of this until now." Saito replied.

"Heh," Triiken chuckled, "Sojiro has kept his identity a secret very well indeed. Ever since returning back to this realm, he has been secretly in contact with the Alliance headquarters back in Oceansburg, relaying the developing faction activity that was commencing here. He was also given strict orders not to reveal himself as an alliance officer until this matter was resolved and the faction was defeated." Triiken handed Sojiro a knee length frock. "Here, I think this will notify the others of your status as an alliance officer."

Sojiro took the frock from him and put it on. He buttoned up the front of the frock and there he stood, looking smart and gentlemen like in his alliance outfit.

"You look great in that alliance outfit." Miss Kaoru complimented.

"Thank you…" Sojiro said.

"Just like you, Triiken." Thundro implied. "You want to have your subordinates always at attention, not matter what the situation."

"You should talk, Lord Thundro." Triiken replied. "I guess I must thank you for joining us."

"You forget, Triiken," Thundro stood up and walked out of the room, "Just because I aided you doesn't mean that I fight for the sake of the Alliance. I still maintain my pride as a true Imperial and the Alliance is an organization I refuse to be a part of. However, I will not support any Imperial faction, knowing their intention for mindless ruthlessness and chaos. I will uphold the peace in my own manner." Thundro, without a second glance back, went outside and flew into the night sky.

"What was his problem?" Sano asked.

"Nothing was wrong with him." Goten implied. "He's just very proud, being a former lord of the Dark Empire and all."

"He was a former lord?" Kenshin asked.

"Surprised…? Most people are. But being his pupil, you soon learn what his intensions are."-

"Riku, Sora," Triiken interrupted, "I hate to rush you, but I need you to go to Traverse Town as soon as you can."

"Traverse Town…?" Sora asked. "But I thought it was in our own leisure to go there. I didn't know we were supposed to report there now. What's the deal?"

"The situation has changed now. The Midnight Faction, after their defeat in the 'Seed Realm,' was not willing to take anymore chances with you running amuck. Knowing the significance of that particular settlement, they'll know that you will somehow be lured there sooner or later. And that means you'd try to overthrow their rule there. As a result, the town is now under heavy guard. That single settlement is vital to both sides. I would rather have it in our favor than the faction's."-

"So, you want us to break the faction's stronghold there, am I right?" Riku said.

"That's correct." Triiken continued. "We need a significant outpost where we can transfer all of our arms and supplies at. And since Traverse Town has played a significant roll in the history of the KH team, I believe that it will more than suffice. Besides, the faction has been ruling that town with an iron fist. We liberate that town and the people would be more than willing to aid us."-

"Understood…"-

"Well, if you guys have to go," Kenshin implied, "Then I wish you the best of luck." Kenshin drew out his hand and smiled. "I wish you the best."

"Thanks…" Sora replied. Grasping the Battousai's hand, he and Kenshin shook hands and the KH team went off, heading back to their gummi ship that patiently awaited them in the clearing just outside of town.

Little Kenji held on to his father's hand and tugged away. Kenshin looked down at his son.

"What is it, Kenji?" he asked.

"Daddy," Kenji said in that soft cooing voice, "Where are they going?"

"They're going to fight all the bad men that attacked us."-

"That's good right?"-

"Yes, my son. That is a very good thing that it is."-

As they watched the KH team walk away, Yahiko had a solemn question tugging at the back of his mind. He walked up to General Triiken.

"General Triiken, Sir…?" He asked.

"What is it?" Triiken replied in a stern voice.

"If I may ask you a question…?"-

"I'm listening."-

"It's regarding Cuchulain…" Yahiko started.

"What about him?" Triiken asked.

"Well…"-

"What is it Yahiko?" Kenshin asked. "Is there something you wish to ask Triiken?"

"It's an insignificant matter regarding our faithful Cuchulain." Triiken implied.

"Speaking of that guy," Sanosuke said, "Does he have trouble with mood swings or something?"

"What do you mean by that?"-

"Well, before he seemed really friendly and sociable. But ever since the battle began, he's been acting kind of mean towards us."-

"Do you know the reason why?" Triiken asked.

"Well," Yahiko pondered on the situation, "He did give me a stern look when I woke him up, telling him that the battle was about to begin. After that, he seemed rather distant, as if something were on his mind, or something."

"You did what…?" Triiken uttered. There was a sound of concern in his tone.

"Yahiko woke him up…" Kaoru implied. "That's when Cuchulain went into that sudden mood swing."

"Oh dear…" Triiken turned about, gazing into the darkness towards the direction where the KH team had headed.

"What's wrong?" Yahiko asked.

"I see now why he's concerned." Triiken turned to Yahiko. "By waking Cuchulain up, Yahiko, you had defiled his geise."

"Geise, what's a geise…?"-

"It is by tradition in Cuchulain's world," Triiken explained, "That each person who is born of the Celtic warrior class would be given a geise, which is a prohibition that one must abide by for the entire expansion of their life. The more powerful the warrior is; the more numerous and more difficult their geise becomes."

"So what you're saying is that waking up Cuchulain was part of this geise?" Kenshin asked.

"That is correct. One of Cuchulain's geises was never to be awoken by anyone other than himself. If one is to awaken him; that would be a defilement of his geise. And since young Yahiko woke him up against his will, that prohibition has thus been extinguished."-

"But what happens if you defy a geise?" Yahiko asked.

"Then extreme misfortune will occur. Even death can occur as a result to breaking the prohibition."-

"Oh my God…"-

"It is all simple superstition." Saito implied. "This geise business is mere lack of knowledge regarding natural occurrences."

"Shows how much you know, Saito." Triiken implied. "The geise is very real. Since he was a small boy, Cuchulain had been taught his geise every day for his natural born life. As a result, this way of thinking had thus linked to his output of chi. Thus, when breaking such a lesson; the Hound's chi becomes unstable. He may not perform as well in battle as he would like to, or the thought of the broken geise will wear on his mind and he may not concentrate as well as he would usually do. Thus, as a result of this unstable chi, the energy around him begins to become unstable, thus affecting everything within that field."-

"What…what have I done…?" Yahiko uttered. "I didn't know…"

"It is not your fault, boy. None of you had any knowledge of such a prohibition, so it was inevitable. There is no one to blame here." Triiken looked towards the darkness where Riku and the others had vanished.

"But this single breaking of a prohibition may result in disastrous consequences." Triiken silently said in his mind. "In this case, Cuchulain may lose more than just his life. He may in fact lose something even more precious to him."

In the meantime, Sora, Riku, and the others were preparing to leave. The key bearers stripped off the officer uniform and were back in their old gear. But as the KH team boarded the gummi ship, Riku could only look back at the quiet streets of Tokyo. In a single day, they had accomplished a great deal. They had defeated the top assassins of the Midnight Faction in the realm, they defeated the faction stronghold, they destroyed the mobile doll manufacturing facility to the point that it was no longer of any use, and they sealed the world from darkness. Thus, the team was facing certain exhaustion. Yet, there was still a sense of uncertainty that Riku felt.

"C'mon, Riku,' Sora shouted, "We gotta go!"-

"I'm wondering," Riku uttered, "Is everything alright in this world now? No more Heartless, no more faction soldiers to worry about?"

"Don't worry," Sora walked down the ramp and stood next to Riku, "The alliance has a firm hold on this world."

"I suppose."-

"Hey, you two," Ophelia said from the ship, "Stop standing around. We have to report to Traverse Town."

"We're coming." Sora said. He turned to Riku. "We're all just stressed out after everything that happened, so it's not surprising that we're still on edge."

"I guess you're right." Riku implied. He turned towards the ship, but he soon realized that Cuchulain was not aboard the ship. "Hey where's Cuchulain at."

"He's over there." Goofy said, pointing at the entry to the clearing. The team looked to see the Hound standing vigilant, looking over the slumbering city.

"Hey, Cuchulain," Sora shouted, "Let's go!" But there was no response. Cuchulain remained idle as if he didn't hear Sora, despite him shouting. Riku and Sora looked at each other puzzled.

"Hey Cuchulain…!" Riku added. Cuchulain slowly turned. He smiled and began to walk towards the ship.

"What's the matter with him?" Ophelia asked. "His mind seems to be so preoccupied as if there were something troubling him."

"He did just accomplish an impossible mission." Donald said. "His mind must be tired or something."

But as Cuchulain reached the gummi, he heard the cawing of a bird from above. He looked up and saw a black raven hover above his head. The raven suddenly swooped down and perched on an old stone figure.

"What do you know?" Sora said. "It's a bird."

Cuchulain was immediately drawn to it. Suddenly, as if through magic, the Hound could hear the voice of the raven in his head.

"_You have defiled your geise and have broken the prohibition that you were branded with since birth. As a result of this, you will suffer as you have never suffered before. There will be a great tragedy in your life. And it will be one to haunt you for the rest of your days."-_

The Hound suddenly saw terrible visions of death and tragedy in his head. Though the images were mere blurs and flashes in his head, they were still enough to fill Cuchulain with a great fear and an uncontrollable sorrow. Cuchulain fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around him as if he were suffering from bitter cold.

"Cuchulain!" the KH team cried, running to his side.

"Are you OK?" Goofy asked.

"Is he alright?" Donald added.

"Cuchulain…" Sora said, kneeling by his side. He then realized that tears began to drip from his eyes.

"I'm so cold…" Cuchulain uttered. "So…cold…"-

"What happened?" Riku asked.

"I saw these visions…" Cuchulain looked up at the raven. "That raven showed me unspeakable images of sadness. Such suffering, such tragedy…"

"Tragedy…?"-

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"The raven said that I would lose a great part of my life and there is nothing I can do to stop it." Cuchulain uttered.

"And that bird is the one who showed you these images?"-

The bird suddenly swooped into the faces of the KH team.

"Never more…!" it cried and vanished into thin air. The KH team was bewildered, finding that the bird had suddenly disappeared before them.

"That was no ordinary raven…" Ophelia said.

"Can you determine what it was that Cuchulain saw?" Riku asked.

"I can try…" Ophelia placed her hand on Cuchulain's back, but as she attempted to read his heart, something dark entered her mind and prevented her from seeing the Hound's heart. She jolted back.

"What happened?"-

"Whatever affected Cuchulain's mind, it's preventing me from reading his heart and what not."-

"Do you know what it was?"-

"It's definitely dark whatever it is."-

"Why aren't you able to see Cuchulain's mind?" Sora asked.

"It's a darkness shield which will not reveal its true self until after the event has occurred. And by then, it may probably be too late."-

"Hey, you think Merlin might be able to help us?" Goofy asked.

"That's right." Sora said. "Merlin's a powerful wizard. Maybe he can help us see what it is that's affecting Cuchulain's mind."

"That's a good idea." Riku said.

"But have you forgotten?" Ophelia interrupted. "The Midnight Faction has a powerful stronghold residing in Traverse Town. The chances of seeing your wizard, without being detected by the faction will be slim."

"It's all the better reason for us to liberate that city. Once we take over that city and break the faction's hold on the town, we'll be able to do as we please without any threat of enemy presence."-

"You do have a point."-

"Then let's get going." Sora said. He assisted Cuchulain, who was slowly recovering from his episode. "I'll give you a hand, Cuchulain."-

"Thanks Sora…" Sora put his comrade's arm around his neck and led him into the ship. Riku could only ponder further at what had happened.

"Whatever it was that caused this, it certainly has a firm hold on Cuchulain. But whatever kind of darkness it is, we will find a way to break it and destroy it."-

The KH team lifted off in the gummi ship, quietly and without drawing any attention, thus leaving the 'Rurouni Realm' in peace once again. Now with the Universal Alliance present in that world, the faction was now barred from ever using it as an outpost ever again. That's just one world saved, yet there were still others to rescue.


	26. The Ultimate Tragedy

The Ultimate Tragedy: Doomed Fate

Night once again fell over the settlement of Traverse Town. But this once quiet little district, where those who lost their way and wished to find a home and safety, was now under siege. The Midnight Faction had guards guarding every sector of the town. Soldiers were on patrol twenty four seven. Even from outside the town's walls, faction guards marched about on constant patrol. Guard towers and chain linked fences with barbed wire were set up. Rifle pits and pill boxes, as well as artillery batteries were entrenched along the walls, setting up an outer perimeter. Bright lights were set up, illuminating the area surrounding the town.

The commander in charge of the outer defenses gazed about, looking for any suspicious activity that may occur about the area. Finding nothing however, he made a sigh relief.

"Nothing out here." He uttered. "Inform the commander at once."

"Sir…" one of the soldiers implied. The trooper turned and rushed to the headquarters in the second district.

The hotel at the second district plaza acted as the faction's HQ. There, in the green room, sitting at a table, the commander sat. It was the same young boy who had fought against Riku in the 'Wing Realm.' Looking at the piece he had stolen from the KH team, the young boy only sighed.

"To be placed in such a predicament…" the young man thought as he gazed into the intricate puzzle piece. "Without a doubt, the key bearers will be coming after this."

It was then that the soldier entered the room.

"Sir…?" he uttered, standing attention and saluting.

"What is it?"-

"Word from the outer defense line. All is quiet, there are no suspicious activities going on."-

"I'm not willing to take any chances. Keep patrol up."-

"Sir…" the soldier saluted and withdrew from the room. But no sooner had he left, then another soldier appeared, but this soldier made his presence on a small monitoring screen that was set on the table.

"Sir, you have an incoming message from Lord Sirius Viicous." The soldier said.

"Put it through." The young man implied. The soldier did as requested and soon the face of Lord Sirius Viicous, the infamous Phantom Lord, appeared on the screen. "Lord Sirius Viicous, sir…"

"Is everything in control over there, young man?" Sirius asked.

"There has been no suspicious activity going on. The alliance connections are under constant surveillance, so I doubt that they'd make any bold move with this many men on duty."-

"The alliance is more cunning than what you give them credit for. It's just a little lesson for you tonight."-

"Sir…"-

"I bet that you are a sight to behold." Sirius chuckled.

"What do you mean, sir?" the boy asked.

"I mean your age and rank. You're still so young, not even reaching your fifteenth birthday I imagine, but yet you maintain a rank that is higher than anyone there. To be the chief commander of Traverse Town at such a young age, you should be honored. I bet that you are the envy of the entire command."-

"Thank you for that positive comment, sir." The youth then looked away slightly in silence.

"Is there something wrong?" the Phantom Lord asked.

"Well…" The youth paused for a moment or two before continuing. "It's regarding your promise to allow me to find…"

"My boy, I know what you're about to say and I understand what you are going through, but I cannot allow you to meander about on your own, doing whatever it is that you want, without the guarantee that all my enemies have been eliminated. Your personal matters are insignificant to me. You will remain their and await my further orders."-

"But sir, I…"-

"Oh, it would be a shame that I accidentally stumble upon that loved one of yours, you know, the one that you've been searching for all this time. And such a sad conclusion it would be if they were to die…"-

"What? You mean you would kill them if I didn't do what you ordered?"-

"That's correct."-

"But that means you know who it is I'm looking for. You actually know the identity of the person I'm searching for?"-

"That's right."-

"But why didn't you tell me?"-

"You looked desperate in your quest. You want to find a loved one and reunite with them? I want victory assured for the faction. And you, my boy, are one of the best I have. You are unrivaled in the art of fighting and combat and that is a talent I can't allow to slip through my fingers. I wasn't just going to point them out to you freely. You needed to earn it. And since you managed to fondle the KH team's plans, my gift given to you is the knowledge I know of that person you so long desire to see. You do as I say and I'll make sure not to do anything…irrational"-

"So you're saying that you're planning to kill them if I don't obey is that right?" the boy uttered. "How could you be so…?"

"I'm just making a simple request, my dear boy. Just follow my orders to the letter and I will guarantee your loved one's safety. Either that, or you can shed tears of guilt over the cold and lifeless body I give to you."-

"Sir…"-

"Will you obey?"-

The young man stood up in attention and saluted.

"I will, sir…"-

"Very good, I knew that you would see the reasoning my way." With that, the transmission ended and the boy was left alone in the room once more. He sat down in the chair and placed his face in his hands.

"How is it that I came into service for such a ruthless and coldhearted individual?" the young man thought to himself. He lifted his head up and gazed into the ceiling. "He knew who that person was this whole time. And I thought he was making only a long winded assumption. To fall into the services of the Phantom Lord is entirely my fault. But still…" He looked at his sword, which was set upon a ceremonial wrack. "At least he's allowing me to fulfill one of my desires. The desire to fight…"

Defenses of the outside line were increased and soldiers kept a strong vigilance over the landscape surrounding the town. Little did they realize that their enemy was closer than had been anticipated, not to far from the defenses, the KH team had managed to land their gummi ship in a remote clearing, no more than a hundred yards from the defense line. Using optical stealth, they managed to sneak by radar scanning and the eyes of the front line.

"Man," Riku said, "When you were talking about heavy defenses, you weren't kidding."

Donald activated the gummi's scanning periscope and looked at the defenses.

"There must be at least fifteen hundred men on patrol." He said. "Look at that security. High illuminating spot lights and stationary lights, chain linked fences and barbed wire, guard towers, rifle pits, pill boxes, battery dugouts, the faction looks more like they're ready for a massive invasion than just patrol."

"How are we gonna get passed all those defenses?" Sora asked.

"The same way we did when we attacked the defenses of the faction in the 'Seed Realm'." Cuchulain implied. He pulled out a blueprint of the town's layout. "This is what I suggest we do. Goofy and Donald will remain here on the gummi ship. You two will be responsible for attacking the outer defenses. Use the main cannons to destroy the front line weapons. Aim for the pill boxes, the artillery, and the guard towers."

"What will the rest of us be doing?" Ophelia asked.

"The attack on the front line in front of the main gates will most likely catch the attention of most of the troops. While the faction is concentrating on retaliating against the gummi's barrage, you, Miss Billiard, and Riku will attack the first district, by attacking the western defenses. Use as many devastating attacks as much as you can to break up the defenses. But be careful and attack the faction soldiers only. No civilians must be involved. Since the third district is a little smaller, Sora, you take out the soldiers there. Initiate a sneak attack. Don't attack the outer defenses there, but see if you can stealthily pass them. Then attack their district defenses. That'll cause further confusion and it'll further break the faction lines apart. Can you handle it?"-

"No problem." Sora chuckled.

"In the meantime, I will attack the second district head on and break up the defenses there. Once you're finished with your missions, meet me in the second district." The others nodded.

"Should I give you guys some senzu beans?" Goofy asked.

"I don't think so. These guys may be highly skilled fighters, but they're not as tough as the ones we fought in the 'Rurouni Realm'." –

"Don't worry about us, Goofy." Sora said.

"I doubt that these guys would even me a challenge for us." Riku added.

"Good luck, you guys." Donald said. "We'll meet you in the second district when we're finished here."

"Right…!"-

The KH team departed to their separate stations. Cuchulain approached the front gates of Traverse Town, making sure that the faction soldiers did not see him. Sora in the meantime made his way to the eastern defenses and hid from the faction's view. At the same time, Riku and Ophelia took up their positions on the western side of the outer defenses.

In the gummi, Goofy prepared to initiate the barrage. Using optical stealth, they ignited the rockets ever so slightly so that they wouldn't roar out and cause an alarm to go out. The gummi then hovered almost invisibly over the front defense lines of the Midnight Faction. The soldiers, unaware of their presence and with no help from radar signals, continued to go about their rounds, not knowing that the attack was eminent. Goofy made aim for the defense structures.

"Whenever you're ready, Donald…" He shouted.

"Alright," Donald said, igniting the rockets to full blast. "Now, how about some excitement…!"

The gummi's rockets rumbled at their full capacity now. This rumble caught the attention of the faction soldiers who were on duty. They looked about, not seeing anything that was making the rumble. Still using optical stealth, the gummi was neither seen by the soldiers, despite flying directly in the sky of them, and since the faction was not equipped with radar, they could not pick up the gummi ship's precise location.

Suddenly, the gummi fired its cannons and at that moment, utter chaos erupted. The beams fired from the cannons destroyed the front guard towers and the chain linked fence. The soldiers ran amuck, many of them were aiming their blasters at whatever it was that fired upon them. Others dropped to the ground, thinking that it could be some distance artillery firing at their lines. The gummi again shot its cannons and destroyed several of the pill boxes and artillery pieces. The soldiers, by a shear stroke of luck, managed to avoid most of the weapon areas and none were killing the first attacks. The soldiers blasted their weapons into the sky, but none came close to striking the hovering gummi.

The sound of battle reverberated in the town and caught the attention of the high command. The youth, hearing the bombardment from the front lines, quickly stood up from his chair and emerged from out of the green room.

"What is going on?" he asked.

"Enemy attack…!" one of the soldiers shouted. "There's an enemy attack on our front lines!"

"Has there been any confirmation on who it is that's attacking us?"-

"No sir, not yet!" another soldier shouted.

"Strengthen the outer defenses! I don't want anyone getting through!"-

"Sir…!" The soldiers ran to the outer defenses to fend off whatever or whoever it was that initiated the strike. But despite the confusion, the boy already knew who was responsible for the attack. He already was aware of the identity of the attackers. The only enemies he knew that had a purpose for attacking Traverse Town in the first place and who would be bold enough to assault the faction defense line head on.

"Only one enemy would be able to cause such a disturbance here." The youth clutched his fist. "The KH team…"

The gummi still remained unseen by the soldiers and defenses on the ground, thus it was able to wreak havoc upon the outer defenses completely unopposed.

"At a boy, you guys." Cuchulain uttered. "You're doing a lot better than I thought you would. Excellent work, really excellent work..." He rushed into the fray while the soldiers were distracted. There were but a few soldiers how saw him coming.

"It's the enemy!" a soldier shouted. "The enemy is here!"

"Fight him," another soldier shouted, "Fight off the intruder!"

Several soldiers stood in the way of the Hound. One of them aimed his blaster at the attacking warrior and fired away. However, Cuchulain was too crafty to be killed in such a way and easily predicted the soldiers aim and execution of the blast, thus able to evade the beams. Another soldier attacked Cuchulain from the side with his sword and slashed away, but again the Hound evaded the attack. Using the base of his weapon, Cuchulain struck the soldier down and the trooper dropped to the ground unconscious.

"It's just one enemy!" another soldier shouted. "Fight him!"

More of the faction soldiers rushed to stop the attacking Celtic warrior in his treks, but though they tried to fire at the agile Hound of Ulster, Cuchulain, with the might of his spear, the Gae Bulga, slashed through them on first contact. Rushing towards the gates, he inflicted many casualties on the side of the faction. Many of the other soldiers, despite being seasoned fighters, watched as the Hound made quick work of their comrades. Many of those soldiers did not dare to stand in the way of the advancing champion.

In the meantime, another series of explosions erupted on the western side of the defense line. Riku and Ophelia began their run. Riku unleashed his most powerful elemental attacks and combo strikes to further cause chaos amongst the faction's defenses. Many of the troops, confused amidst the explosions, left themselves open to attack and many of them did fall, most by the hands of Colonel Billiard. Because Ophelia still wore her distinctive black shell jacket, she was at times confused for a faction soldier, which caused many of the defenders to drop their guard. Thus, they became easy pickings for the colonel's black battle fans.

"Come now!" Ophelia shouted as she charged into the breastworks of the faction, "Who dares to come against Noctin Tilandir and the Tiger of Goth!"

"It's that faction traitor, Colonel Billiard!" one of the soldiers shouted. "Let her pay for her treachery to against His Excellency!"

The soldiers were quick to surround her, but Ophelia unleashed her battle fans and eliminated fifty percent of the force attacking her. Many of the soldiers were maimed severely and were no longer able to fight. Some were killed right out. The remaining fifty percent wavered at the sight of this warrior woman. Some fled for their lives rather than risk being killed. They knew that their numbers and their own personal strengths would not be enough to defeat here.

"What's the matter?" she chuckled. "Are you truly that afraid of me? Well you should be, you back stabbers!"

Riku was also being attacked, at long range mostly. Many of the soldiers fired their blasters at him, but using the Aeroga spell, Riku was protected by a wind shield, and thus the soldiers could do no harm to him. Unlike the mobile dolls, who knew the precise direction to fire at the shield and break it, the faction soldiers fired at random, but their efforts were all in vain.

"You guys are afraid of dying aren't you?" Riku said. "Then run for your lives or meet certain death!" Several of the soldiers attacked Riku head on, rather than run in fear and bring dishonor to themselves. They met a swift end when confronting the dreaded Noctin Tilandir face to face. Many others didn't risk their lives and withdrew to a safer distance, where they could at least snipe at the enemy.

At the same time, Sora had managed to leap over the front defense line and climb the walls of the city without even being seen. He jumped from one of the housetops and landed right in the middle of the square. The faction soldiers were bewildered as who it was that suddenly appeared before them. It didn't take them long to realize who it was that stood before them.

"It's Sora," one of the soldiers shouted in fright. "It's the key bearer!"

"Kill him!" another soldier shouted. Drawing their weapons, they attacked Sora from all directions. Some others leaped into the air and tried to strike the young key bearer from above. Sora, however, wasn't the least bit scared.

"Big mistake, you guys." He uttered. Crouching down, he suddenly deployed the infamous foot stop that he picked up from Lu Bu. The stomp caused a massive sound wave to erupt and all the soldiers surrounding the young key bearer were blown away. Many hit the wall while others landed on the tops of their tents, their sand bag barracks, upon their stacked weapons, everywhere the soldiers landed. Many of them were rendered unconscious while others were injured in the fall. "Sorry that I have to be so rough on you."

"Kill him!" a soldier shouted. "Kill the bastard!" Again the soldiers attack. In the midst of the chaos, Sora continued to wreak his havoc upon the faction forces. He thus began the simultaneous elimination of all faction defenses in the third district. He first unleashed Firaga and Blizzaraga as starters. Then, he attacked with Stopga and Tundra Canister to first freeze his enemies into place before striking them. He also unleashed his Twister Strike and a great tornado was unleashed into the third district, inflicting heavy damage to the faction's force. Many of the soldiers were thrown by the wind and slammed against the walls of the surrounding plaza and homes, knocking themselves unconscious.

Riku and Ophelia were not slow in attacking their objective, leaping over the walls of the first district. They then started engaging in hand to hand combat with the soldiers who were present there, cutting and slicing their way in. Many a soldier fell at their hands, most severely maimed that they could no longer fight effectively in the battle. Rather than face the duo head on, those who found themselves helpless against this cunning foe, surrendered. Many others either retreated to a safer area, or returned fire.

Goofy and Donald continued to fire their gummi's cannons with no attempts to retaliate against them. With the optical stealth in their favor, the gummi was virtually invisible to the ground troops below. And the night sky further concealed their movements. Nearly the entire outer defense was destroyed.

"These guys aren't even trying to shoot back." Donald thought to himself. "It just goes to show you how effective the optical stealth is."

"I hope that the others made it in." Goofy implied.

At the same time, Cuchulain, who had managed to intermingle with the utter chaos of the first district, watched as Riku and Ophelia caused destruction against the faction. He then realized that more and more faction soldiers were emerging from the second district, hoping to aid the soldiers in the first and third district.

"It looks like they're doing everything in their power to stop the key bearers." Cuchulain thought to himself. "However, the one they really have to worry about is me!" Cuchulain rushed through the gates, leading to the second district and began to eliminate the faction soldiers.

Word reached the commander of the chaos that was erupting from all around the town.

"Sir," one of the soldiers shouted, rushing into the green room, "We've confirmed the attackers."

"Well…?" the youth asked.

"It's the key bearers and the loyal minions of the King Mickey. They're battling our forces all over this town."-

"What…?"-

"We've also confirmed that Colonel Billiard is fighting against us too. They attacked without warning and our soldiers are having trouble fighting them. There's too much confusion with fires igniting and the darkness of the night."-

"Damn it." The young pounded his fist on the table and stood up. "Get me my sword…"

"But sir, you can't go out there."-

"I may be just a kid, but I have more fighting capabilities than all of our soldiers put together." The soldier picked up the sword, which lay on a gold stand. "The only way to be rid of these key bearers is for me to take care of those fools myself." The boy took the sword and placed it under his belt. "Now, let Riku and Sora come to me and certain death."

"Sir…!" another soldier cried out as he barged into the room. "We're having some trouble!"

"What now!" the youth demanded.

"Another soldier is attacking our forces here in the second district."-

"Is he a member of the KH team?"-

"There has been no confirmation of who this guy is, but he's tearing through our forces as if they were nothing."-

"Then tell your men to withdraw. There's no use in them losing their lives here. Tell them to help aid in the fight against the key bearers. I alone will take on the task of fighting this upstart." The youth clutched his fist and walked out of the green room, to where the battle was commencing. The minute he opened the door, he could hear the sound of battle erupting not more than fifty feet away from him.

Cuchulain, in the meantime, fought off many of the soldiers who dared to stand in his way. Making his way to the center of the plaza, he fought off as many attackers as he possibly could. The battle seemed to be growing more intense with every slash of his spear.

"These guys are just coming out of he woodwork." He thought to himself. "Where are all of them coming from?" Cuchulain only sighed and continued to battle. "Oh well, it's not as if they stand a chance against me anyway."

But suddenly, without warning, the fighting subsided and the soldiers disengaged in their onslaught. Cuchulain, puzzled by this, stood fully erect, lowering his spear point to the ground.

"They just stopped fighting…" He then realized that the soldiers were somehow preoccupied. Their eyes seemed to be drawn to something behind him. Cuchulain looked around to see who or what it was that caused the soldiers to stop battling. It was then, for the first time, he laid eyes on the commander in chief of the entire faction force. There was utter silence besides the sound of battle that continued in the other districts and from outside the gates. "Who's he? Is he the commander or something? He's just a kid."-

"Very well done, my friend," the boy chuckled, "Very well done, I must say. To be able to fend off such a large body of men on your own, that is truly impressive indeed. However, it is that same skill that has drawn me out into the open. I am the commander of this entire outfit."-

"You…?" Cuchulain said. "You're just a kid."

"Is that so? Well, I tell you now, do not underestimate me just because of my tender age. I'm stronger than I appear." The young boy jumped from the stone walkway just above the plaza. He landed no more than fifteen feet away from Cuchulain. "Since I am the most powerful fighter here, I will be the one to fight you." The boy turned to the soldiers and pointed them the way out. "Take out the other members of the KH team. Leave this one to me." The soldiers withdrew from the fight. Taking their dead and wounded, they pulled them out of the plaza before turning towards the battle where Riku and the others were fighting. Once the last of the soldiers left, only Cuchulain and the young boy were left.

"You should feel honored." The boy implied. "I never fight anybody below my own status like this, a one on one fight between you and me."

"Tell me, boy," Cuchulain asked, "Who are you?"

"My name is my own and I give it to no one. Not even you. The reason why? You're just not worth telling it to."-

"And exactly how many people know your name?"-

"No one knows my name because they weren't worthy enough to hear it."-

"You're pretty arrogant for a kid." Cuchulain said. His tone suddenly grew more aggressive than before.

"When you're at my level of strength," the boy chuckled in a proud fashion, "You can afford to be arrogant. I even went head to head with that friend of yours, Riku. He wasn't must of a challenge to me, not in the state he was anyway."

"You fought Riku?"-

"Back in the 'Wing Realm' I think. He should be grateful that I decided to spare his life."

"Don't get too confident, kid. Unlike Riku, I will not hesitate to kill."-

"Oh, as if you're any match for me."-

"You know something; I don't want to know who you are anymore. If there is any enemy that I would wish to forget, it's you."-

"Aw, now I'm feeling all ashamed." The boy's response seemed so immature and rather irritating. "Poor me…" The boy chuckled a little. He then drew his gleaming sword from out of its sheath. "Just for the record, may I ask what your name is?"

"I don't intend to give my name to someone who won't live long enough to remember it. Because of your arrogant, selfish, and rather aggravating mannerism you've displayed towards me, I won't tell you."-

"Aw, that's too bad. And here I was hoping that you'd give it to me, so that I could cringe at the thought of your reputation. I was hoping that if you were worthy enough, that I'd remember you to my dying day. Either that, or you give me your name so that I may count you amongst the endless list of…nameless victims."-

"I've heard enough out of your, kid." Cuchulain drew his spear behind his back. Both went into battle stances, waiting for the other to make the first move. The two remained as at a stand still, their weapons drawn upon each other waiting for the moment to either attack or defend.

Suddenly, Cuchulain watched as the youth mysteriously vanished from sight. He then felt the young man's energy appear behind him. With quick reflexes, Cuchulain dodged the attack, quickly ducking. He swept his foot in a spinning motion, hoping to side sweep the boy and knock him down. But the young man saw the attack coming and jumped into the air. Using his sword he lunged downward. Cuchulain dodged. He swung his spear about and the two began to grapple in tight and almost impossible, yet eloquent maneuvers. The two battled with great ferocity, using techniques that would even surpass the ultimate master. It was the Hound against the youth and the two were out for blood. However, both soon realized that their fighting abilities were almost identical. The boy attempted to slice the Hound with a side slash, but the Hound used the staff of his weapon to block the attack. Using another forceful push, he caused the boy to fall back, nearly falling. But the boy, using one hand, regained his stance and flipped upon his feet. Cuchulain was shocked at what he had just witnessed.

"You've been trained in the Gaelic style of martial arts." Cuchulain uttered.

"You should talk." The youth implied. "You too have the same attack style as I do."

"Tell me, who taught you those attacks and defenses?"-

"Like I'd ever tell you, stranger…"-

"Well, whoever taught you, I can say this much. We both are equal in terms of strength and cunning."-

"Is that so?" The boy placed his sword upon his shoulder and chuckled. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but if there is anyone here who's the better of the two of us, I am. I'm gonna win this battle, Mr."

The boy began to attack again, this time with more ferocity than before. Cuchulain quickly counter attacked and the two once again engaged in an immense and grueling battle. Most of the fighting this time was a test of endurance and who would outlast the other in speed, strength, cunning, and spirit. The two went at each other's throats, and the clash of steel and grinding of teeth was felt throughout the plaza. There was not a single part of the second district that did not become some sort of sight for battle. The two even battled atop the roofs of the houses and the hotel. They ran up the walls and broke stone. At times, the two combatants would move so fast that only a series of light flashes could be seen. For five to ten minutes, the warriors battled.

"This kid," Cuchulain said in his mind, "He's incredible, he's impressive. How in the world did he manage to become such a skilled fighter at his age? He must have had to go through intense training and incredible acts of endurance in order to become as powerful a warrior as this. I haven't fought this hard since I first battled Sora in that trial battle six years ago, or when I confronted Kahn, the second in command of the Cavendish Shinobis. Whoever this kid is, he may prove to be one of the toughest opponents that I've ever fought."

Finally, the two ended up in a deadlock. The two pushed each other's weapons against each other. Sword and spear pressed up against one another, casing sparks to flash as the armaments collided. Both were gritting their teeth as they attempted to push the other and break their stance. But Cuchulain knew that strength against strength at times would not work. So instead of continuing in the dead lock, he withdrew his sword and rolled on the ground. The youth was caught off guard and went flying over Cuchulain. He fell on his back, but rolled on his stomach and was back on his feet. The two once again were engaged in a stand off.

"I can't believe it." Cuchulain uttered. "You certainly lasted longer than most at your age, kid. You even managed to go against me at equal strength even after all this time. Not everyone can last this long against me."

"I realize too that our strengths are equal." The boy said. "You've lasted longer than any opponent I fought in the past. Not even Noctin Tilandir was able to last this long against me. You certainly are one of the strongest opponents that I have ever had the pleasure of battling. However, in a one on one duel to the death, there can only be one winner and that is me!"-

The youth suddenly tossed his sword at Cuchulain. The Hound saw as the glimmering steel came flying straight at his head. With his quick reflexes, he dodged the sword. The sword itself got caught in the wall, breaking through the asphalt that held the stone blocks in place. Cuchulain turned to see the boy coming straight at him in a lunge. Before he could even react, the boy, using his sheath, struck the Hound in the gut. Cuchulain was overcome by the pain. He had never felt such pain before. Nearly falling to his knees, he staggered.

"That kid's hit…" he uttered to himself. "He managed to strike me down and force me to stagger. No one whom I fought before this kid has ever had that much power behind their strike. But this kid nearly forced me to my knees." Cuchulain suddenly saw as the sheath struck him in the face. The Hound was nearly knocked unconscious, but he regained his composure and leaped back onto his feet. But as he stood, he suddenly felt the sheath pull up against his throat. The boy had managed to come up from behind and strangle Cuchulain with his sheath. The Hound quickly tried to resist, pushing the sheath away from his throat, hoping not to get strangled. The boy pulled Cuchulain down and wrapped his legs around the Hound's waist. Cuchulain struggled as best he could, but the youth was equal in strength and was not one whose hold could not so easily broken. The hound managed to eventually break the sheath away, but as he managed to get the sheath out of the boy's hands, he felt the youth's arms wrap around his face. One arm was placed around his neck, hoping to strangle him. The other arm was tightly wrapped around his mouth and nose to help further the process of suffocation. Cuchulain thrashed about wildly trying to free himself, but the youth let his body act like a weight and keep him on his back. Cuchulain could feel himself smothering to death. He grasped at the boy's arms and slowly used all of his strength to break himself out of the boy's grip. He then used the weight of his body to swing the boy off of his back. The youth went flying into the wall, but he managed to regain himself. Cuchulain did the same thing. He breathed heavily for air after that near death experience, but he was still willing to fight.

"Well, well," the youth said, "it seems that you're starting to wear down, my friend. It appears that what you said about our strengths being equal was wrong. There is a significant gap between our strengths and abilities. So why don't you make it easier on yourself and just let me kill you. Because the longer you keep on fighting, the more agitated I become. And the more agitated I become, the more likely that your death will be anything, but short and painless."

"Sorry to break the news to you," Cuchulain uttered, "But I'm not the type who likes to give up so easily. And the last thing that you want to do is make me mad."

"Heh, idle threats won't work on me."-

"It is not an idle threat."-

"Then why don't you show your true color and get angry for me?"-

"Because if I do, your death will be assured this day…"-

"I believe I can handle whatever it is you wish the throw at me."-

Both picked up their weapons. The boy drew his sword from out of the wall and held it before him, ready to engage again. Cuchulain, made sure to maintain a strong guard against this unpredictable foe, fearing that the next time he drops his guard it may be his last.

"I can no longer take this kid for granted." The Hound thought to himself. "He's good, the strongest and youngest opponent I've ever battled. Whoever he is, he must've come from a long line of powerful warriors. Fighting is in his blood. I can see it in his eyes, so focused, with no flaws. He must've based his entire life on the principles of fighting. But I wonder…" Cuchulain looked at the boy and gripped the staff of his spear, "What is this kid fighting for? What exactly is his reason to fight?"

"Here I come!" the boy shouted. He vanished again and reappeared at Cuchulain's right flank. The Hound was quick and used his weapon to block the attack. He swung the Gae Bulga around and around in circular patterns, hoping to strike the boy. He then placed the spear upon his shoulder and engaged in a minimum jabbing attack to confuse the boy, but the tactic did not seem to have any effect. He then suddenly, swung the spear from behind his shoulders and struck with the full extent of the spear, staff and all. However, the young man only ducked and dared to cut Cuchulain across the gut. The Hound saw the attack coming and spun like a top into the air. He then lunged from mid air, but again his opponent evaded the attack. Again, the two engaged in tight hand to hand combat. Despite their efforts, neither was able to graze the other. Not a scratch inflicted, not a cut made, despite how close the weapons came close to slicing flesh. Finally, after another five minutes of intense battle, the two disengaged with one another and were once again facing in a stand off. It was at that moment that Cuchulain asked the question.

"Tell me," he asked, "I can see that you are no slouch when it comes to fighting. You are indeed superb on the battlefield and I can't but help find your power awesome. But something still bothers me. What exactly is it that you are fighting for?"

"My cause for battle is for two reasons." The youth implied. "One, I battle for the sake of battle, and two, I joined with the faction because they promised to help me find someone."

"Someone…?"-

"A family member to be precise; and the only family member I have left."-

"Is that so? This person must be very important to you."-

"Or so I believe. But enough of this talk, we're here to fight not converse."-

"But is that the reason why you joined the Midnight Faction, because they promised they'd help you find that loved one?"-

"They know who the person is and how to track that person down. I have every faith in Lord Sirius Viicous. He'll keep his word."-

"You truly are a fool." Cuchulain implied. "Don't you realize that Sirius Viicous is only using you to his will? As long as he continues to say he'd help you find this loved one of yours, he can easily pull your strings like that of a puppet and you will do everything that he commands. You would even slaughter legions for him for the sake of the promise that he gave to you. But how do you know he's keeping his word? How do you know that this isn't some elaborate plan to keep you under the faction's thumb?"

"Sirius Viicous told me that he'd help me."-

"And yet you believed him?"-

"His Excellency gave me his word. As long as I carry out with his orders, the closer I come to learning the whereabouts of the person I'm searching for. Then and only then will I detach myself from the faction."

"And when will that be, when the faction has gained complete control over the entire universe, when the end of the world is in sight? I can tell you this much though; Sirius Viicous is one who only cares about his own fate, his own destiny, his own needs. Through his eyes, you and your own personal problems and desires are insignificant.

"Whether he's lying to me or not, he's at least letting me fulfill my other desire, my desire to fight."-

"So is that the reason why you sold your soul to the faction, for the sake of fighting and hoping to obtain a promise that may prove false?" Cuchulain sneered. "Well, if I were that loved one of yours, I'd cringe at the thought of you killing people just for the sake of finding me. That loved one you're looking for will shed tears of sorrow because your hands have been smeared with so much blood."-

"And yet you talk as if you don't kill for your own cause?" The boy lowered his sword. "Tell me then, what is it that you are fighting for?"

"It's obvious what I fight for." Cuchulain replied. "I fight for the sake of the people who wish to live their lives in peace. I fight to preserve the peace and the happiness of those people, those who're weaker than me, those who're too weak to defend themselves. For those people, they need a hero, a champion, a person who would give them hope. That's what the KH team and I are fighting for. We're fighting so that the people do not become victimized by despotic rulers like Sirius Viicous whose only cause is to gain more power for himself. Thus, I kill those who would kill others and take away their happiness."

"Yet your cause also gives rise to chaos." The boy said. "You let the people have their way and chaos will continue to linger. And with that, more death and suffering will occur. Only when a strong ruler is established will the people fall into line. Then the people will no longer have to fight and instead live in peace and happiness under a single banner."

"That's the problem. People are naturally defiant. They want things to change to satisfy their own benefits. Trying to deprive them of their ways would only lead to tension and conflict. But in the ideal world where people have freedom, they are free to express themselves. It is the freedom of each individual person that makes them happy."-

"And it is that type of expression of thought and reason that will lead to battle."-

"Even so, I'd rather to see people happy in their individual freedoms than see them sad in confinement. It hasn't even been six years since the fall of the Dark Empire and yet there are still powerful men who wish to further spread chaos and anarchy, hoping to gain everything for themselves. That is why I fight against the faction powers of the former Empire. Only when they are eliminated will large scale confrontation finally come to an end. Though conflict will continue to exist, at least it will not involve others who wish to be left alone. Their happiness belongs to them and them alone. No one can dictate the path they take."-

"Well, until I find that loved one who shall show me the true way, I will never yield my opinions or my cause. I will die before I put them aside. Only then, will my opinions change. Until then, I take no advice and heed no warning from anyone, especially to likes of low level trash like you."-

"Then let's end this. If you long for death so much then so be it. But you must realize that I take no pleasure in killing such a worthy opponent, despite your insolence."-

"Save you petty comments for the weak." The boy scoffed. "I have no need for your sympathy."

"I try to show you how high I hold your life, but you just turn around and make a mockery of my opinion."-

"When it comes to dealing with unworthy filth like you, I can do and say whatever the hell I feel like."-

"You goddamned, headstrong little bastard, you have no respect for anyone whatsoever."-

"There's only one person I show respect to and unfortunately, you're not that person!"-

Cuchulain cringed, gritting his teeth. This boy was too arrogant, too proud to admit his mistakes or to accept the compassion and advice from others. This caused him to boil and sneer. By this point, Cuchulain no longer held any regards of honor towards the boy. He was now simply an obstacle and an obstacle that needed to be dealt with in a harsh and unforgiving manner. This time, it was the Hound that attacked first. And once again, the two engaged in battle, further spreading damage to the plaza of the second district.

In the meantime, the battles against the faction had subsided in the other two districts and from outside the walls. Sora had managed to eliminate all resistance in the third district. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he leaned up against one of the walls of the district and sighed.

"Man," he said, "That was one heck of a workout." He looked about at the motionless bodies of the faction soldiers. Some had been killed, but most were either unconscious, or severely wounded and no longer fit for battle. "It's a good thing that battles like these are so tragic. Otherwise, we'd learn to enjoy it far too much." Sora then picked up a peculiar sound. It was the sound of silence. The battles had stopped throughout the districts. "I wonder how everyone else is."

Sora stood back on his feet and retracted his keyblade. He then walked into the first district. When entering the gates, he once again encountered a scene of chaos. Riku and Ophelia sat side by side on the ground. Riku, lying prostrated on the ground, his arms and legs spread apart, and Ophelia leaning back, cross legged, her arms supporting her weight. She gazed up in the night sky, enjoying the peace of the night.

"It's good to rest." She uttered. "After all that chaos, I thought I'd never hear the end of it."

"I'm with you there, Miss Billiard." Riku added.

"Hey, Riku, Miss Billiard...!" Sora shouted as he ran towards them. The two looked up.

"Hey, Sora," Riku said, "Glad to see that you managed to come out of that hell hole alive as well."

"You're telling me. Those guys wanted to carve me up."-

"So, we're all here then?" Ophelia asked. But just then there were even more explosions coming from outside the wall.

"It seems that Donald and Goofy are still trying to break up the rest of the defenses outside." Riku said. "And it's a good thing too. We don't want any of those weapons left operational."

"By the way," Sora asked, "How's Cuchulain doing?"

"I don't know. Knowing him, he's probably still enjoying the thrill of the fight in the second district. He is the Hound of Ulster after all."-

"Still, sometimes I think that guy enjoys fighting a little too much."-

"Well, he does come from a proud lineage of Celtic warrior heroes and an esteemed aristocratic organization, the Red Branch."-

"I suppose you're right."-

"It's in his blood." Ophelia said. "When fighting s in your blood, you just get that urge to battle."-

"You're right there, Miss Billiard." Sora chuckled.

"Cuchulain's the type that acknowledges his own life's worth in the midst of battle." Riku added.

"And it really is the only thing he knows."

It was at that moment that Ophelia felt a sudden burst in energy. The signal it her across the head like a rock, causing her entire body to shake and her heart to beat uncontrollably. She quickly stood up and sensed the powers reverberating in the air.

"That power…" she uttered. "Did you feel that?"

It wasn't long before that same signal struck the key bearers. They quickly took notice as well.

"Man," Sora uttered, a drop of sweat accumulating at the side of his head. "That energy signal, I felt it too."

"There are two of them clashing. It seems that Cuchulain is fighting with a warrior equal in strength to his own."-

"What was that?" Riku asked. He then recognized the energy signal that clashed with Cuchulain's. It was a strength that he knew all to well.

"There's another powerful fighter here?" Sora added.

"That's right." Ophelia remarked. "And whoever this guy is, he's giving Cuchulain a run for his money."

"Then we better go give him a hand." Riku implied. "Come on, you two!"

"Let's go." Sora said

The three ran off to the second district to see if they can aid their friend. Riku, however, still had that uneasy feeling of familiarity lingering at the back of his head.

"If I didn't know any better." Riku said. "I'd say it was that kid from the 'Wing Realm'."

Help was exactly what Cuchulain needed. This boy was highly aggressive and did not seem to back down from the fight no matter what. The fighting continued with great intensity until finally, they began to grapple with one another at the center of the plaza.

"You might as well face it, my friend." The boy chuckled. "You're reaching your limit and you won't last much longer. Why don't you just surrender and make it easier on yourself. There's no point in continuing to fight if you know that you don't stand a chance."

"I'm not going to give up." Cuchulain replied. "Not to the likes of you!"

"But you've begun to concentrate more on defense which can only mean that you're starting to break down."-

"My lack in offense and concentration in defense has nothing to do with that. I just don't want to fight you anymore, kid. If you continue to fight me, you may end up backing me into a corner and into a predicament in which I have no choice but to kill. And in the process, I'll have no other choice, but to slay you. And yet you're still so young and still have a future before you; I don't wish to deprive you of your life. Please, just back down, let go of your pride, and let us take over this town."-

"My life is my own, my name is my own, my fate is my own, and no one will tell me otherwise! As for your request for me to stand down, sorry to inform you, but I have no intention of backing down. I will prove to you that I am better than you in everyway"-

"I don't want to kill you, but if you keep it up, I'll have no other choice!"-

"I wouldn't have it in any other way!"-

Suddenly, the boy lunged forward and struck Cuchulain. Though Cuchulain was able to dodge the blade in time, the boy had managed to cut off a lock of his hair. The boy then turned and smiled, confident that the battle was his. But cutting of a lock of Cuchulain's hair was the final insult.

"I told you that you were slipping, pal." The boy said. "I managed to cut off a lock of your hair. It just goes to show that our strengths are different. I am stronger than you and that gesture has proven it."

"I've been calm all this time…" Cuchulain said in his mind, his fist clutching tighter. "I've been patient and lenient for long enough, but no more will I give that little bastard anymore leeway."

Just then, he heard the gates of the district open. He looked up to see Riku, Sora, and Colonel Billiard appear on the walkway.

"Hey," Sora uttered as he laid eyes on the young man who fought Cuchulain, "That's that same kid that we encountered in the 'Wing Realm.' What's he doing here?" He then looked at Cuchulain. "Man, even Cuchulain's having trouble fighting this kid. He looks worn out." Sora then noticed the damage caused in the second district. "And I can see why he's worn out. This must've been one intense battle. This only proves that that kid's stronger than he looks and shouldn't be underestimated. Even you had trouble fighting him, Riku."-

"I had a feeling that that kid must've been the second power we sensed." Riku said. "And since his energy signal is significantly bigger than any other of the faction soldiers, he must also be the commander of this garrison. When I fought him, we were both about equal. However, had I turned into Dark Riku, things might have been different. However, I did not want to fight in that state and let the darkness control me. However, I wonder if Cuchulain will delve in the rage and finish this fight with his ultimate power?"

"Well, well, well, it seems that we have company." The boy said. "So the key bearers did manage to escape certain death after all. Not that it was surprising or anything. They're just in time though, just in time to see you meet your demise, my friend." The boy turned to the KH team. "I see that you three managed to make it all this way, through such heavy defense. But then again, I wouldn't expect any less."

"You meet your fate here and now, kid." Riku shouted.

"Still gnawing away at a chance to fight me, eh Riku? I guess I really hurt your pride back in the 'Wing Realm.' But it's alright, once I'm finished with your friend here, then we can finish our unresolved confrontation." But it was at that moment, just after finishing his fiery declaration; the boy suddenly saw the surrounding buildings become illuminated by a bright light source. Following that, there was a surge of energy accumulating behind him. As the boy turned to face Cuchulain again, he was in for a bigger surprise, a shock really. As he observed, he saw Cuchulain's body begin to pulsate and glow. The boy soon felt the emerging strength of the Hound and how large it really was. "This power… How could it be…? It's surpassing even my own…?"

"I did not think that that you were this much of a fool." Cuchulain uttered, his voice seeming to grow in sternness. "I've always considered myself a reasonable person, I've gone out of my way to tell you important facts of life and that you should not be throwing your life away so needlessly. Yet, despite my efforts, you instead turn around and mock me with my own words. You've been a cankerous soar at my side for long enough."

"How is he doing this, how is he accumulating all of this strength?" The boy's confidence suddenly turned to a sense of fear as he felt the energy, accumulated from Cuchulain. "This power, how did he gain so much power?"

"I've tried to reason with you, but you wouldn't listen. I tried to stop you from continuing to fight, but you insisted. Then you turn around and mock my words. And to add, you further insult me by cutting off a lock of my hair. No one, and I mean no one has ever dared to get the best of me like that and rub such humiliation in my face. You never seemed to take me and my words seriously, despite being serious myself the entire time. I realize now that trying to negotiate with someone like you can never be possible." Cuchulain gripped his spear tight and held it above his head as if ready top throw it. "Your logic, your reason for fighting is a twisted as your sense of fun. You say that you want to reunite with someone, yet you're willing to throw away your humanity and disregard all values of life and all values of opinion just for that. You think that you're invulnerable, but that is because you have never experienced what it truly means to feel pain, whether mentally or physically. I bet you never knew what it felt like to feel helpless and utterly insignificant. I bet you don't even know the sensation of what it feels like to be defeated, or ever to lose someone one who you highly care for. Being a warrior, you have the obligation never to show emotion in battle. But to never show appreciation for what that person has done, the effort they put in battle? That truly is heartless."

"He's letting his rage get the best of him." Riku uttered. "I guess that kid really got Cuchulain. Then again, I wouldn't blame him. That boy's attitude is enough to get under your skin. He's as good as dead now."

"No, he wouldn't…" Ophelia said. "Not to a little boy…"

"This kid gets what he deserves. After all he's done."-

"But Riku," Sora uttered, "He's about to get struck by the Gae Bulga. And you've seen what that thing can do. It never misses its target and the carnage it leaves behind is unbearable to look at."

"This kid has been a thorn in our side for long enough. He ruined out plans in the 'Wing' realm and here he is again, with that same cocky attitude. But maybe fighting Cuchulain will teach him not to be so overconfident."-

"But even so," Ophelia uttered, "Just the thought of killing a mere boy with such a powerful weapon…"

"Cuchulain, don't do it!" Sora shouted. "He may have a strong sense of pride and he may be extremely arrogant at times, but he's still just a boy!"

It was this single statement that caused the boy to turn towards the key bearer.

"What was that?" the boy thought. "What was that he said?" He then turned in terror, his heart pounding now and his confidence plummeting as fast as his courage, towards an even more terrifying surprise. There stood Cuchulain, transformed into the Hound of Ulster. Not as terrifying as what most legends described him as, but just as intimidating. His eyes had gone from an innocent glow to that of a soulless yellow, his pupils small; like that of a wolf, or a lion. His hair went from flowing strands into a more spiked form. And the light, which accumulated from his being, grew bright in an illuminating glow. The boy was now no longer the cocky young upstart he once was, but more like a humbled dog, ducking its tail between its legs. "It can't be… This is…Cuchulain?"

"That is correct." Cuchulain uttered in a deep and dark voice. "I am Cuchulain, The Hound of Ulster. Be fortunate that you knew my name. You can thus take that title and inscribe it deep into your heart, because my face will be the last thing you ever see."

"But I didn't know…"-

"It's too late for discussion, you conceded boy! If you're going to beg for your life, then why don't you let your so called invulnerability save you!" With a mighty thrust from his arm, Cuchulain threw the dreaded Gae Bulga at his target. Overcome by rage, he did not show a second though when he thrust his weapon at the boy. At that moment, everything seemed to shut down. Time seemed to slow itself and flashes of realization and regret reverberated through the young man's mind.

"All this time, I've been fighting Cuchulain, The Hound of Ulster…?" he thought to himself as he watched his imminent doom draw nearer. "Oh God, what have I done… All this time…all this time…it was him all along. And I never knew it…" The spear drew closer to him. "So far, yet so close…to fulfilling my goal…But still…it was my own fault for not realizing it…My death is deserved…"

Then, there was the sound of piercing flesh and a deep thud to the body. The KH team could only watch in horror, from the walk way above, as they saw Cuchulain's mighty weapon pierce straight into the young man's gut. The youth went flying backwards, the three prongs of the Gae Bulga digging deep into his flesh and cutting up his insides. The boy fell to the ground, the sound of metal crashing against rock. The Gae Bulga had pierced straight through his body. There, upon the ground, the boy cried out and gasped at the pain. He cried out in agony as he felt the spear dig deeper into his being. Blood rushed from his gaping wounds and caused the ground to turn into a crimson red. Blood too dripped from his mouth. He coughed and yet more small drops of his red life source flew from his mouth.

"Oh my God…" Sora uttered in horror. "The spear head is almost halfway through him."

"Such carnage…" Riku added. Even despite his earlier out lashings against the youth, Riku now regretted ever allowing his own hatred and anger to be unleashed and help promote the boy's demise. "You were right, Sora. Even if that young man was tough, headstrong, and arrogant, he still didn't deserve to be struck in such a barbaric fashion. But without a second thought, without acknowledging the consequences, Cuchulain killed that boy. Now, there is no doubt, that young man will die a slow and painful death." Riku reflected back on the similar pain he endured when he was struck down by General Ameba six years before. That thought thus began to wear on his conscience. "And that's a sensation that no one deserves to experience…no one…"

Even Ophelia Billiard, one who had seen death countless times before, could only turn away. The reason for this is because she had never seen anyone stuck so violently and yet live to feel the agonizing pain, let alone a young boy.

After the carnage was over and the battle's outcome decided, Cuchulain regressed to his original form. His eyes transformed again, from a terrifying yellow to that of innocence. His hair was once again flowing in the night breeze. Thus, after seeing the aftermath of his deed began to walk towards the boy. The youth, who lay dying before him, was semi-conscious. His body in a lot of pain.

"Do you feel it now?" Cuchulain asked. "Do you feel the pain? Do you now know why I fight for the cause to which I have dedicated my strength and time? I fight to prevent ordinary people, ones who have no intension of fighting, from experiencing this kind of pain. Up until now, you never knew what true pain was and what it truly means to feel vulnerable." Cuchulain stood over the boy and gazed into his eyes. "But now you know. And the one thing I do regret the most is having to end your life in the process. For that I am truly sorry. Once I delve into the rage, I am an uncontrollable killing machine. You should have surrendered when you had that chance. Otherwise, this outcome would not have occurred."

"Don't be sorry…I am…glad." The boy uttered. "I am glad to have fought you…Cuchulain..." Instead of cringing, the boy only smiled, as if he were happy to die. "You are as powerful…as she said you were…She said that you had…no equal in power…"

"She…what do you mean 'she'?"-

"My mother…" From the boy's vest, the golden ring he wore around his neck dropped. Using as much strength as he could, the boy slipped his finger into the band of gold. It was a perfect fit. "Her words…her stories…they were true…"

Cuchulain looked upon the ring the boy had slipped on and recognized it immediately.

"That ring…" Cuchulain uttered. "That was the ring that my foster father gave to me. I later gave it to Ayfa before I left for Ulster those many years ago. But if you have it; that means…?" It was then that sense of dread came across the face of the hound. His heart began to beat and he began to break out into a cold sweat as he gazed at this familiar band of gold.

"What is going on?" Sora uttered. "Are Cuchulain and that kid acquainted in some way, Riku?"

"I don't really know." Riku uttered. "But don't you remember about the ring, Sora, what Cuchulain said in his story he told us back in the 'Rurouni Realm,' about how he gave a ring to Ayfa before leaving for Ulster? Ayfa had a task to do in return and that was to pass that ring down to her…?" Riku suddenly realized the identity of the boy. He then remembered the conclusion of the Hound's story and now knew why Cuchulain acted the way he did. Filled with sudden emotion, Riku lowered his head. "Oh my God, oh my God, Cuchulain, what have you done…?"

"What is it, Riku, what has he done?"-

"I…I know who that kid is…"-

"Who, who is he?"-

Riku, however, was to overcome by the sudden turn of events. He could not find it within him to speak. Sora, rather than try and badger Riku about it, decided only to watch in silence the events that unfolded before him.

"I have been searching…for my last living family member…and now my search is ended…I have fulfilled my vow…" The boy shuttered again and more blood dripped down his mouth. "My mother…told me when I was still small…that once I was old enough…to fit this ring…upon my finger…I was ready to seek out…my father…"

The Hound grew weak in the knees as if he were to faint. His heart continued to pound. A sense of fear was throbbing at the back of his head. He looked down at the boy.

"What is your name, boy?" Cuchulain asked, dreading to hear the youth's answer. The young man looked up at the Hound, an innocent glimmer in his eyes and a serene look on his face. Finding enough strength left in his body, he urged himself to speak.

"My name is Cunla…" The boy uttered. "I was named by my mother, Ayfa, in honor of my father…who is named…"

"Cuchulain…" It was true. The boy bore the name that he dreaded to hear. Immediately, the Hound suddenly wailed out in agony, like that of a lone wolf, as he realized the truth. Falling to his knees, his eyes filled with tears and those tears dripped down his face in rivers. "My God…! You…you are my son…"

The young man only smiled and slightly nodded while still grasping at the hideous wound from the Gae Bulga.

"I have come all this way…to find you…and now…we finally meet…"-

"Oh God…" Sora said. "That kid is Cuchulain's son!"

"And he never even knew…" Riku said. He then pondered at passed events leading up to this moment of tragedy. "Was it that raven's doing?"

"Raven…?"-

"You remember, Sora. That raven Cuchulain said spoke to him back in the 'Rurouni Realm,' the one who filled his head with images of suffering, death, and tragedy, and how Cuchulain would suffer the ultimate tragedy."-

"You're right, Riku." Ophelia said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "This is probably the one. And I can see why those images caused him to fall in such miserable sorrow."

"This must be the same sensation he felt back then." Sora uttered. "I can't blame him. Not after striking down his own son."

"Cuchulain…" Riku uttered softly. "I…I'm sorry…"

Cuchulain, stricken with grief, lifted up the dying boy and put him in his arms. His son, his long lost son, now lay mortally wounded. The mask of death was upon the youth's face. The Hound had driven his weapon into his own son and didn't know it until the deed had been done. Had this been the loss that the raven had foretold in his visions? He immediately felt stirred emotions in his heart. He felt that he should have been the one to die, not his son. But the truth of the matter was all too obvious as he watched blood spill from his son's body. Cuchulain wept over his child, holding the boy tightly in his arms.

"How could I have been so blind…?" Cuchulain thought in his mind. "I was overcome by my own hatred that I never even realized who he was. I just thought he was another headstrong warrior, who wanted to carve a reputation out for himself, instead, I find that it's my son, my only child. Oh, curse the woman who gave him birth and doomed his fate. Ayfa, how could you go so far as to initiate the death of your own son for the sake of your pride as a warrior? Did you seal his fate to kill me, or to let me suffer when I struck him down? Damn it all…"

"Father…" Cunla uttered. "Please…don't cry…I couldn't be…happier…" Cunla smiled at the Hound. "I've…come all this way to see you…went through so much…I don't want to see you cry…"

"Cunla…" Cuchulain uttered. When the Hound spoke his name, the youth was filled with exhilaration, his eyes growing teary.

"You said my name… Could you please…say it again…?"-

"Cunla…Cunla…" Cuchulain stroked his son's head, inscribing the characteristics of the boy's face in his memory. Cunla then shuttered.

"It's so cold…I'm so cold…"-

"It'll be alright, Cunla. It'll be alright…" The Hound held the dying youth tighter, trying to keep him warm. Cunla's youthful complexion began to grow pale. He did not have long to live.

At the same time, the doors of the second district opened and Goofy and Donald came rushing in.

"Sora, Riku," Goofy shouted, "We're finally here."

"Good to see that you guys made in..." Riku implied, solemnly.

"Why the long face? Did something happen?"-

"Yes…"-

Goofy and Donald looked to see this tragic scene.

"Hey," Donald said, "Isn't that the kid that fought you back in the 'Wing Realm,' Riku?"

"That's him." Riku said.

"But why is Cuchulain holding him? Isn't that kid a faction soldier?"-

"He is. He also happens to be Cuchulain's son, Cunla. His only son, his only child…"-

"What happened?"-

"Cuchulain was the one who struck him."-

"You mean he struck down his own son?" Goofy uttered uneasy with such a thought.

"But why would he kill his own son?" Donald asked.

"None of us, not even Cuchulain, knew that he was his son until the blow had been made. That young man was just to full of pride and honor to reveal who he was. It was doomed fate I think. It is the ultimate tragedy to kill your child without even knowing who they were in the first place."-

"That's so sad…" Goofy said; his eyes moist with tears. There was silence in the atmosphere as the team watched the young man slowly deteriorate. His life was slowly leaving him. His breathing became shallower and the glimmer of life in his eyes began to dim.

Finally, Cunla spoke in a soft and weary voice.

"Father…" he said. Cuchulain looked at him. "I'm sorry…"

"Sorry?" the Hound asked. "Sorry for what?"

"I'm sorry for having…disgraced and dishonored you…I'm sorry for humiliating you…I'm sorry for mocking your wisdom…If only I had known…if only I had done things right from the start…I am sorry for everything I've done…Everything…"-

"Cunla…"-

"But if I had a second chance…to make it up…I would be honored to have fought alongside you…and the members of the KH team…I would have been honored to be a part…of your group…You and the others could teach me about the path of justice…and I would follow your words faithfully…"-

"Cunla…"-

"If only…I had a second chance…"-

"You can and you will!" Riku shouted from above. He jumped into the plaza and stood before Cuchulain and his dying son.

"Riku…" Cunla uttered.

"I realize now how sorry you are. It doesn't have to end like this. I will not let you die, Cunla." Riku turned to his friends. "Sora, bring down a Senzu bean."

"Right…!" Sora turned to Goofy. "A senzu bean, Goofy..."

"I gotcha…!" Goofy took out the bag of senzu beans from under his hat and gave a full bean to Sora. Sora then jumped down to accompany Riku.

"What are you going to do?" Cuchulain asked.

"What else." Riku said. "We're gonna save your son's life. We can't have such a powerful ally dying on us now, can we? And at such a tender young age too." Cuchulain smiled; his hopes reborn.

"Thank you…"-

Riku took hold of the Gae Bulga's staff and prepared to extract it from Cunla's body. In the meantime, Sora knelt next to the young boy with the senzu bean in his hand.

"We're going to pull the spear out, Cunla." Riku said. "Brace yourself because it will hurt a lot."

"Bite into this, Cunla." Sora said, giving one of his waste belts to the boy. "You'll need it." Cunla nodded and opened his mouth. Sora placed the belt between his teeth. Then both he and Cuchulain held the young man in place to prevent any violent struggling.

"Here we go…" Riku uttered. With sudden force, he began to pull the spear out from the young man. Cunla cried out in utter agony, tears ran from his eyes. Cuchulain and Sora did their best to restrain him as Riku pulled out the Gae Bulga from its mortally wounded victim. Cunla struggled violently, thrashing his legs about in an unrestrained manner, but still they held him down. He bit so hard into the leather of Sora's belt, permanent teeth marks were indented into the leather. After ten seconds of pain, ten seconds of struggling, Riku managed to pull out the Gae Bulga. Cunla gasped for breath and more blood spilled from his wound. "Hurry, Sora, place the bean in his mouth."

"Right…!" Sora said. He took the belt from out of the youth's mouth and placed in the senzu bean. "Now quickly, chew and swallow, Cunla."

Cunla did as he was told and quickly ate the bean. There was a sudden pause after they heard him swallow the bean. Within a few seconds, a serene calm came over the boy's face. He suddenly opened his eyes. The pain was gone. Sitting up as if alright; he felt his abdomens looking for the wounds. There were no wounds. His strength had been restored, his injuries healed, and his energy had been replenished.

"Am I dead?" Cunla asked.

"No, son," Cuchulain said softly, "You're alive. Welcome back to the realm of the living…my boy…" Cunla looked up to see a warm smile on his father's face. Overtaken by grief and happiness, Cunla placed his head in his father's chest and wept uncontrollably. Cuchulain tightly placed his arms around his son and hugged him. He placed his chin atop his son's head and stroked his hair with his hand. "It's alright now, Cunla. It's alright. Just cry your eyes out if it makes you feel better."

"I guess miracles really do come true." Goofy said, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"With a little help," Ophelia said, a sad smile across her face, "We can make everything seem like a miracle."

Later that night, with the faction in full retreat and the dismal scene of the battle's aftermath still present in the streets of Traverse Town, the KH team settled down for a good night's rest. After all that they had gone through, they would at least be able to get a proper rest. Using the cockpit of the gummi ship, Donald contacted the Universal Alliance and told them to send reinforcements to the settlement. At the same time, Riku, Sora, Goofy, and Miss Billiard were busy tending to the wounded faction soldiers who lay helpless on the ground. The local inhabitants of Traverse Town helped with clearing away the dead and helping the wounded. The dead were placed just outside the town gates, the wounded were placed in homes, the hotel, and all inside space, or portable tents. Those who were taken prisoner were confined at the center of the plaza in the second district.

Donald returned from relaying his message to the Universal Alliance and joined with the other KH team members.

"Well, Donald…?" Sora asked, as he wiped the blood off the forehead of one of his earlier opponents.

"I've contacted the Alliance," Donald implied, "They said that reinforcements will be arriving soon to take things over from here."

"That is good news…" Sora continued to clean of the face of the young faction soldier who lay before him.

"Why…why are you doing this?" the young man said.

"Why…? Everyone receives help when in dire need, no matter what side they are on."-

"But aren't you my enemy…?"-

"In battle I was, but not right now."-

"Thank you…" The young man smiled. Sora returned the gesture and patted the young soldier on the chest before standing up to leave him.

"By the way, Donald…" Sora asked. "Where's Cuchulain…?"

"I haven't seen him since the end of that bout with Cunla." Donald said. "I do remember that I accompanied them as far as the gate of the second district."

"They're up on the roof." Riku said as he passed by, carrying a bucket of water.

"On the roof," Sora asked, "Both of them?"

"They're trying to catch up on lost time. And can you blame them? They are father and son who have been separated since God knows when. It's best that they be left alone for the time being."-

Atop the roof, overlooking the activity that went on below, Cuchulain and Cunla sat together in silence. It was a rather odd situation for both of them. Now that Cunla had been revived, what was it that they were to say to one another? Cunla curled up like a ball, his knees touching his chin. Cuchulain could only look at his son, puzzled at what he was thinking. Finally, Cunla began to speak.

"Father…?" he uttered.

"Yes…?" Cuchulain asked.

"Tell me, was it fate that brought us together?"-

"Fate…?" Cuchulain paused for a moment. "I don't know what to believe anymore."

"Was it fate that caused you to strike me down as an enemy?"-

"Why would you ask such a question?"-

"Why was I given a second chance? Why was I allowed to live? I should have died back there. I should have died."-

"Don't talk that way." Cuchulain placed his arm around his son. "It might have been foreseen that you should have died, but it didn't happen. You were given a second chance to live."-

"I should have died, father, because I have broken my geise, all three of them. I was never to give in to any man, but I did. I was never to refuse a duel, but I have. I was never to give my name to any man, but I did. For defiling those points, my death should have been guaranteed."-

"But it wasn't." Cuchulain said. "You're alive because we wanted you alive. Don't talk as if you were doomed to die."

"I'm sorry…" Cunla uttered.

"I don't blame you, my son, but I blame and curse the geise that was bestowed upon you. When I was told that you would be born, I told your mother that I wanted a champion for an heir. Thus, I gave you the geise of a champion. You should never back down, you should never refuse a duel, and you should never reveal your name to anyone. But little did I know that by doing that, I only sealed your fate as being a doomed one. Therefore, it was my fault for giving such prohibitions to you."-

"Father…"-

"However, because you were denied death, you have been reborn to a new life. And as a new life, I will bestow upon you three new geises. One, you will follow your heart. Two, you will not be confined to any type of geise, karma, or fate. And three, you and you alone will decide your own destiny."-

"Father…"-

"From here on out, you are free to do whatever it is that you want, Cunla. Your fate is your own and no one else besides you will decide what path it will take. The only question is where will you go from here? Will you continue to fight for the Midnight Faction and realize the dream of a unified world under one grand super power, or will you find another path that does not require the eradication of entire peoples?" There was a silence between the two. Finally, Cunla began to speak again.

"I had promised myself that until I found you, I would serve the faction and follow their orders to the letter. I'd follow their philosophy, their ethical understanding of the world. But now that I have fulfilled that promise, I still have to fulfill my promise to you. I said that if I were ever given a second chance, I'd fight alongside you as a KH team member and learn all the philosophies and facts of life that you and the others have to offer. I have made my promise and I will stick to it." Cunla looked up at his father. "You gave me a second chance to live. And as a second chance, I have been given the opportunity to start all over again and find the correct path for me. And that path is with you."-

"You are wise for such a young age, Cunla. You must have had to learn some hard lessons to become so." Cuchulain then held his son close to his chest. Cunla rested his head on his father's bosom and smiled. "You're alive and that's all that matters to me…" Cunla's eyes became teary, thus he began to cry softly.

The two sat close together in a tight and tender embrace. And for the first time in their lives, both Cuchulain and Cunla felt complete. The Hound and his pup have finally been reunited.


	27. The Continuing Saga

A Continuing Saga

It wasn't long before the Alliance forces had arrived to once again give aid to those in need at Traverse Town. Three thousand alliance troopers and one thousand medics and doctors arrived on the scene to help with the clean up of the battle. Temporary shelters were set up for those soldiers who were left on the street. Once again, Traverse Town was transformed into a large working hospital.

Triiken was amongst those who accompanied the force. Entering the gates, he made his way to the second district. He looked about at the remains of the devastation.

"Without a doubt, the KH team is behind this menagerie." He said to himself. "But I see that most of these soldiers are severely wounded. Only a few are dead. Well, if it were me engaging these soldiers, the opposite would have been a more likely outcome." It was at that moment that he heard someone call his name.

"General Triiken…!" the voice shouted. Triiken turned to see Ophelia Billiard approaching him. She saluted him.

"I see that you have things under control here. This utter devastation looks like your work after all, Tiger of Goth."-

"If you're looking for Riku and Sora, you'll find them in the second district."-

"I have come to inform you that I have the necessary information ready for your next assignment."-

"I'll take you to them then."-

Ophelia led the former general to the second district. They made their way passed the wounded and captive soldiers, eventually meeting up with Riku and Sora, who were tirelessly looking after their wounded foes, cleaning their wounds and bandaging them up.

"Riku, Sora," Ophelia said. The two looked up, "Triiken is here to see you."

"Triiken…" Sora said.

"We were unaware that you'd be here so soon." Riku added.

"I take it by this scene that you and the KH team did not have that much trouble?" Triiken implied.

"We managed to recapture this town without inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy."-

"It would have been easier if you just killed them all. It would certainly save the alliance a lot of time and resource."-

"Sorry, but that's what the alliance does, it helps people." Sora implied.

"To get to the matter," Triiken said, "I have some issues to discuss with you, regarding your next destination. So if you would be so courteous as to follow me, I will emphasize on the details."

"Of course…" Riku said.

"Get the entire KH team assembled."-

Triiken nodded and turned away.

"Assemble at the inn at the first district. I will be waiting for you there."-

"Sora," Riku implied. "Get Donald and Goofy and tell them to meet us in the first district inn."

"Right…" Sora replied. He ran off to tell his other companions. Riku then turned to Ophelia.

"Miss Billiard, find Cuchulain and Cunla and tell them to meet us at the inn."-

"Understood…" Ophelia implied. She turned and went on her way to tell the Hound and his son of the news. Riku could only look blankly into space as he watched his two comrades depart.

"This dealing with the faction will end soon." Riku uttered to himself. "But something still bothers me…" He then remembered the face of the Phantom Lord, Sirius Viicous, and how they shared a sense of familiarity. "Who is the person behind the mask?" Riku clutched his fists tightly. Not giving the issue another through, he withdrew to meet up with the KH team in the first district.

It had not been more than fifteen minutes when the KH team assembled at the inn. Triiken awaited there arrival. Sitting at one of the tables, he watched as the members of the party drew to him. Riku, Sora, and Miss Billiard were the first three to show up, the second were Donald and Goofy.

"Are we all here then?" Triiken asked.

"All except for…" Sora uttered.

"You don't have to worry." A voice shouted. The team turned to see Cuchulain and Cunla approaching them. "We're right on time…"-

"That's good." Goofy said.

"We were just about to start without you." Donald added.

Triiken confronted the Hound.

"I sincerely hope that the breaking of one of your geise didn't slow your mentality, Hound." He said.

"I think I'll live." Cuchulain replied. It was then that Triiken laid eyes on Cunla. Cunla, being strong in spirit, met eye contact with the former Gatler General head on.

"Well, well, well," Triiken said. "So you're here too, boy? What do you think you're doing here?"

"Still as upstart as usual aren't you." Cunla replied.

"We still have an old score to settle. Remember, it was the fight that you ran away from."-

"I had other matters to attend to."-

"Now, now, you two," Sora interrupted. "Now's not the time to be quarreling amongst ourselves."

"And may I ask why this faction soldier is attending the meeting with us?" Triiken asked.

"He happens to be my son." Cuchulain implied, defending his boy. Triiken was rather surprised to hear such words coming out of the Hound's mouth.

"I was unaware that you even had a son."-

"His name is Cunla."-

"I see." Triiken then turned towards Cunla and stood over him like a tall oak tree. "So tell me, Cunla, what is it that brings you here? How do I know you are whom you claim to be? How am I certain that you're not some play acting spy, hoping to catch us off guard?"-

"I think we should know." Ophelia said. "I scanned the kid myself. He's clean and he is who he is."

"He's one of us now." Sora chuckled.

"Well, I suppose I could live with that fact." Triiken implied. "In that case, Cuchulain, if your son will be accompanying you from now on, I suggest that you teach him proper manners. That way, he won't be so insolent in the presence of a superior officer."

"He already knows how to show respect." Cuchulain replied. "It just depends on who deserves it." Triiken only sneered and then turned away. Sitting back at the table, he waited for the KH team to assemble closer.

"So what is it that's so important?" Sora asked.

"Well, now that we're all assembled," Triiken began, "I will tell you of your next assignment. As you are aware by now, the next of the Blade Generals, General Dagger, is overseeing the operations in the 'Zi Realm.' He is hoping to study more on the power and usefulness of organoids and their connection with Zoid cores."

"Yes," Riku implied, "We know that much already."

"Yet you don't realize why Dagger is doing this."-

"Well, that had crossed our minds." Ophelia said.

"Why is it that Dagger wants to know about organoids and Zoid cores?" Riku asked.

"He's hoping to gain enough information about the organoids and what there effect is on Zoid cores." Triiken explained. "As you should know, for those of you who have no idea of what I speak, Zoid cores are the living source to all zoids. It is the heart to these mechanical creatures. Organoids on the other hand are like Zoids except for their one distinctive characteristic; they all come in a bipedal dragon form. Organoids have the ability to enter a zoid's living core. In the process, they accumulate a strong energy source that has profound effects on the zoid itself. When an organoid enters the core, the zoid becomes remarkably more powerful. It enhances the zoid's strength and abilities by two to ten fold, it depends upon the strength and determination of the zoid itself. If the zoid is severely damaged, when its core is fused with an organoid, all injuries inflicted would be instantly healed."

"I see," Cuchulain implied, "What is it that the Midnight Faction is after?"

"They want all information regarding the zoid core and the effects of an organoid on that zoid core, but the intention of what they will use it for is still unclear. But for whatever reason it's for, it must be extremely important to the faction. The reason why is because the faction is concentrating a great deal of aggressive attacks to break up that world's defenses. The Guardian Force has been excessively cankerous in the side of the faction."

"So you have no recollection why the faction is there doing what it is they're doing and not letting up on that world?" Sora asked.

"If I did know, you think that would stall to tell you that vital information?"-

"Miss Billiard," Riku said, "You're a former faction officer of high status. Tell us why you think the faction is there on Zi."

"I wish I knew," Ophelia implied, "But I don't. Sirius Viicous was very conservative when it came to relaying orders. He relayed orders only to those officers involved in the project. The reason why is because he wanted to make sure that no spy could effectively gain information, or that any officer, if tempted to defect, such as myself, would not be able to reveal the faction's intensions."

"So all we know is that the faction is initiating a campaign in that world for the sake of gathering information regarding the Zoid cores and the organoids." Triiken continued. "Yet the reason why is still unknown."

"Perhaps, they're creating a new type of weapon?" Cuchulain said.

"But what type of weapon could it be?"-

"It's for a new evolved zero system…" Cunla uttered. The KH team turned to the young man. Cunla looked as his new comrades and revealed the faction's plans. "The reason for wanting to gather information about the organoids and their link with the zoid core is to help create a new zero system for the faction's new mobile doll models, the scorpions."

"What was that?" Sora asked.

"It's for their mobile dolls?" Riku uttered.

"How did you find this out, Cunla?" Ophelia asked.

"I had stumbled upon a couple of officers in their conversation not too long ago. They were talking about how they were helping to manufacture the new mobile doll units and how they were bombarded by these continuous attempts to upgrade the system. One of them then mentioned that the faction was planning to initiate an experiment that would enhance the capability of the scorpion mobile dolls. They then mentioned having the zero system linked with the organoid system."

"I see now." Triiken said. "I see what you're getting at. And I realize now what it is that the faction is trying to accomplish."

"Well give us a clue." Riku implied.

"Remember I mentioned earlier on how an organoid, when fused with a zoid core, can enhance the abilities of the zoid itself."-

"I see now."-

"So that's there intension." Sora uttered.

"If they are able to somehow fuse the zero system with the organoid system," Triiken continued, "the faction would be able to enhance the capabilities of their mobile dolls by two to ten fold. To add, if fused with the organoid system, the mobile dolls will also be able to learn from battle experience and not have to worry about mass upgrades. To add, damaged mobile dolls, when fused with the organoid system, would automatically be repaired in the midst of battle and would be fully functional for the next onslaught, without any manual repairs. That way, even with a limited number of dolls, they would still be enough to be a threat to all opposing factional powers and to even the Universal Alliance itself. We were nearly left out of the loop this time." Triiken then stood up and turned to Cunla. "And we have you to thank for this revealing, Cunla. You may prove to be more useful to us than anticipated." Triiken then turned to his comrades. "Anyway, there are still some things I have to accomplish here. I suggest that you ladies and gents wait for me at Merlin's establishment. You were on your way there to unleash those summoning stones you found am I correct?"

"Oh, that's right." Sora said. He pulled out the stones that had been recently collected. "We have to have these little guys released."

"Well, with that, I take my leave." Triiken left the group. He then stopped again. "Oh, and one more thing, I'm having some modifications done to your gummi ship. You'll be entering more hostile areas from here on out, so sudden space and air battles will be inevitable." Triiken only paused for a moment after that before continuing on his way.

The KH team thus made their way, passed the alliance guards, passed the set up hospitals, passed the wounded faction soldiers, to the fire door. Using Firaga to open the door, they came to the great lake. Before them, a series of moving stepping stones at the waters surface, led them to a small island in the very center of the lake. And upon that island, the little house of the great wizard and philosopher, Merlin, stood. As they approached the entry, Ophelia, who was leading the charge, suddenly stopped.

"What are you stopping for?" Sora asked. "We're here."

"Don't you think that it's rather rude to be barging in unannounced?" Ophelia implied.

"It's alright." Riku said. "We've been here more times than I would care to remember. Besides, if I know Merlin, he probably already knows that we're here."

"Are you sure?"-

"Of course," Sora assured, "He isn't considered the greatest wizard for nothing."

"I guess you're right."-

Sora thus entered the establishment. Knocking upon the door frame, they announced their entry. Before them, on a small stone platform in the middle of the house, there was a large table and chair, surrounded by books and manuscripts. A fired was blazing away in an iron stove, warming up the establishment. Upon the table, a set of books and a tea set with biscuits. And in the big, red easy chair, the elderly wizard, with his tall blue hat, sat coolly smoking his pipe.

"Ah, come in." the old wizard uttered. "Come on in, ladies and gents."

"How did you know that we consisted of ladies and gents?" Cunla asked.

"I'm a wizard, Cunla. I know these things."-

"You…you know my name…?"-

"Not even your pride could have kept it from me, my boy?"

"Are…are you a druid?"-

"You might say that…" Merlin got out of his overstuffed chair and went to meet the KH team. "I am glad to see that you and the others have come here safely, Sora."

"It's been a while, Merlin." Sora said.

"Well, not long enough my friend." Merlin then looked about at the youngsters along with him. "I say, you certainly have assembled a strong team of fighters." Merlin turned and headed back to his chair. He then beckoned the others to come in. "Please make yourselves feel at home."

"Thank you." Cuchulain implied.

"Can we have some of your cookies too!" Goofy said. "I've been dying for something sweet."

"I think they're referred to as biscuits." Donald implied.

"Either name is fine." Merlin chuckled. "Please, help yourself, Goofy."

"Thank you very much!" Goofy announced.

"Would anyone care for a cup of tea?"-

"I would please." Ophelia requested. Merlin, using his magic to pour the tea, cream and sugar, prepared a hot cup of tea for his lady guest. He then had the tea cup and saucer hover to her, so that she would not have to bother standing up. She stirred the contents in the cup and sipped. "Very good, thank you."

"Now, regarding what you have come to see me for…?" Merlin then said to Riku and Sora.

"Yes," Sora said, "Well you see, we…"

"Don't bother to explain, Sora, I already know that you've come to unleash the summoning stones as well as to have me find out what it is that your friend, Cuchulain, had marked in his heart right?"-

"He's good…" Riku implied.

"Very good…" Sora agreed.

"Cuchulain," Merlin implied, "Would you mind coming over here, so that I may examine your heart?"

"Of course…" Cuchulain stood up and made his way to Merlin's platform. Merlin got out of his chair and approached the Hound. "Now let's see," Merlin scanned Cuchulain front and back. After a brief scan, he looked at Cuchulain in the eyes.

"Well, what do you see?" Goofy asked in curiosity, as he ate another cookie.

"Well," Merlin then smiled. "I'm happy to announce there is nothing stirring in him. There is no darkness implanted in his mind."

"Are you sure?" Donald asked.

"I'm positive. There is nothing there that needs to be of any concern."-

"Then Cunla's near death experience must've been the event that the darkness concealed."-

"Well, at least that event didn't have too tragic a consequence." Cunla uttered. "At least I'm still alive, thanks to all of you guys."

"Hey, don't mention it." Sora said.

"We might have had our differences last time," Riku added, "But since you're one of us now, there's no reason for any of us to hold a vendetta against you anymore."

Cunla stood up and presented himself before the Child of Darkness. Reaching into his pant pocket, he pulled out the puzzle piece that he had earlier taken from them in the 'Wing Realm.' He then gave it to Riku.

"Here's that puzzle piece I took from you." He said. "I'm sorry for taking it in the first place."

"I'm glad to see that you're very considerate." Sora implied. Riku, with great benevolence, only pushed the piece away. Cunla looked at him.

"I want you to bear this piece for us, kid." Riku implied, "Just in case the worse were to happen to us." Cunla smiled and placed the piece back in his pocket.

"Thank you for understanding." The boy uttered, solemnly.

Riku returned the boys gratitude with a smile. He then suddenly looked up and realized that everyone in the room was glancing at him. Riku blushed.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "Why are you guys staring at me? Do I have something on my face?"

"It's not that, Riku." Sora implied. "I'm just amazed on how much you've changed."

"What do you mean, Sora?"-

"Well, it's just that you seem more serene and more understanding than you used to be years ago. I mean, I remember a time, if someone did something wrong, you'd give them a tongue lashing lecture and make them feel dishonored or something. But ever since we've gone on this trek, you seem a lot calmer and more open minded." Riku smiled.

"Well," Riku looked down, "I'm not that same cocky kid as I was back then. When I reflect on those years, I realize all the wrongs that I did. When I wanted to be someone of great influence to the rest of our friends, I ended up turning into somebody I didn't like."-

"To tell you the truth," Sora slapped his hand on Riku's back, causing him to jump a little, "I like this new change a lot." Riku could only smile. There was silence as the others watched this tender moment. That was until a voice broke the silence.

"Haven't you imbeciles finished your business here yet?" it implied. The KH team looked to see General Triiken at the entry way.

"Triiken…" Ophelia said.

"Triiken…" Donald added.

"Triiken…?" Goofy uttered; his mouth still full of biscuits. Donald looked at him.

"Will you clean yourself up, Goofy! What do you think you are man! Make yourself look more presentable!"-

"Sorry…" He swallowed the last of the cookies and brushed the crumbs off the front of his outfit.

"We didn't think that you'd be here so soon." Sora uttered.

"Idiots," Triiken implied in a harsh manner, "The longer you decide to procrastinate about your personal bonds, the more time we give the faction to carry out with their own operations."

"Ok, Ok," Riku said, "You made your point clear."

"Make haste…"-

"What's your rush anyway, Triiken?" Cunla uttered. "It's not as if you're the one doing the work here."

"Silence, boy, we have a crisis on our hands and yet you stand here as if you have all the time in the world."-

"Will you just give us a minute?" Riku said. He turned to Sora. "Let's get those summoning stones unleashed. The sooner we do it, the sooner tall, dark, and scary stops breathing down my nostrils."

"Alright…" Sora pulled out the two summoning stones. "Here they are."

"Well, let's see." Merlin implied, "First I need to summon the Fairy Godmother." Merlin glanced at the little pumpkin carriage on the floor. "Oh, fairy Godmother, would you mind coming out and release these summoning spells?"

As soon as he had finished speaking, the Fairy Godmother did appear. She then looked at the stones that Sora presented before her.

"Oh, the poor little things." She uttered. "Now this won't take long." Waving her wand in the air, she said the magic words. "Bibboty, Bobboty, Boo!" Instantly, the two spells were unleashed. From the stones, there emerged two entities. One was fluffy yellow cloud called 'the Nimbus Cloud,' in which only a person of pure heart could ride. The other was a little being named Kirby. This little pink ball of dough had the ability to suck up anything and everything and gain its power. Both were absorbed into Sora's keyblade.

"Thanks a lot, Fairy Godmother." Sora said. "It looks like we have two new allies to help us."

"We're grateful that you decided to help us." Riku said.

"There was no trouble at all." Merlin chuckled. "Please come again if you find anymore summoning stones or if you need assistance that requires magic."

The KH team bowed respectfully to the wizard and the Fairy Godmother before leaving the establishment.

Upon reaching the main gates of Traverse Town, they came before a newly improved gummi ship.

"Wow," Donald said, "The gummi ship has a few new features."

"So what types of upgrades did you make on the gummi ship?" Sora asked.

"I've implanted four new weapon systems onto your gummi." Triiken implied. "The first is the Zero system which when activated will heighten your piloting abilities, thus allowing you to outmaneuver and outfight your enemy if you are to engage in an aerial battle. The second feature is the Zero Shift system, which, if you are to encounter a large force and you need a way to evade, or if you are approaching a large object and are unable to draw yourselves out of harm's way, this system will allow you to teleport to a safer location. The Third is the Funnel System, which can act as supporting fire, to help break up enemy formations. Up to ten funnels emitters can be deployed at once. The final is the electromagnetic shield system, in which you may deploy the shield through those special disks, such as the ones that are deployed by the mobile dolls. The shield can be expanded to at lease a fifty foot radius. They may also be used as offensive projectiles to halt an attacking enemy."-

"You certainly go out of your own way just for us" Cuchulain implied.

"Don't get the wrong idea. This is just for the sake of making sure that you survive long enough to get through to your next mission."-

"Still, we are grateful for your efforts."-

"Don't let me repeat myself, Hound." Cuchulain could only nod. He then turned to his comrades.

"Ok, you guys, let's get going."-

The KH team boarded the ship. With rockets igniting and navigation system activated, the little gummi went flying into space and out of sight, thus leaving Traverse Town under the new protection of the Universal Alliance. Triiken watched as the team, in their gummi, departed.

"Right now," Triiken said, "You are the only ones who will prove effective against the Midnight Faction. That is why I cannot allow you to die. Only until after the faction is defeated will I disregard concern for you safety. Until then, I too will have to be a viper against those who bring chaos." Triiken turned away and never gave a second glance.

However, little did Triiken, or for that matter, any of the KH team members realize what was going on in yet another world, The Disney Kingdom. King Mickey's realm, once a bustling domain of happy subjects, who were well treated by their young king, was now reduced to into a more miserable state. Since the Midnight Faction's take over of that world, no more than two weeks before, the moral of the king's subjects were in decline. Many were still grieving over the dethronement of their king and the rise of the Faction. Now, in place of banners which bore the royal crest of King Mickey, now were banners of the Midnight Faction's crest. Many people, considered to be possible spies were confined in concentration camps, where they would remain until the faction had gained superiority over all worlds.

In the palace of King Mickey, which was now guarded by hundreds, if not thousands of elite faction solider, Lord Sirius Viicous roamed about, reflecting on the recent news that was given to him. The coming of this information had made the Phantom Lord's day anything, but a pleasant one. He had just recently heard of the downfall of the major facilities in the 'Seed' and 'Rurouni Realms.' Realms that he had thought untouchable, or unknown to the KH team, worlds that he thought were ones firmly under his control, had been lost. With it, two significant facilities were lost. The Apocalypse XG-1 from the 'Seed Realm,' supposedly the last hope for a quick and easy victory over all other opposing factional powers and the Universal Alliance had been rendered useless by the key bearers and their allies. Furthermore, the mass production facilities for the mobile dolls had been eradicated and were no longer of any further use.

"These key bearers," Sirius Viicous uttered, "These key bearers, they have set us back. They have set our goal back at least ten years. Without the Apocalypse Cannons, our hope for a swift and easy takeover has ceased to exist. In the process, the Midnight Faction has lost one of its prominent commanders. Could it be possible that Colonel Billiard heard of our plan to later dispose of her? That girl always had mixed emotions on everything. I knew because of her pure heart, there was still a chance for her to change her opinions. Now she dares to defect against me and battle former comrades. Betrayal is something that I will not tolerate." Walking to the thrown room of King Mickey, he made his way down the grand procession hall and sat in the royal throne. Placing his head upon his hand, the Phantom Lord continued to ponder ad the situation at hand and how they would be able to make up for lost time and resources. "To add, with the fall of the major manufacturing facility of the scorpion mobile dolls in the 'Rurouni Realm,' our superiority over the battlefield itself with advanced weapons have ceased almost completely. But there is still hope for us though. If we can somehow retrieve the necessary information from the 'Zi' realm, hope may not be lost completely for us. To add, we still have other factors that could help in our conquest. We might have lost some key factors, but we can still make up for it."

But as soon as Lord Sirius Viicous had reassured the confidence in his cause, further news of disaster reached his ears. A lone messenger came walking down from the entry way of the throne room to the very throne itself. He saluted and presented himself before Lord Sirius Viicous.

"Sir," he implied, "I have some terrible news for you sir."

"What was that?" Sirius Viicous uttered. His eyes behind the seeing slots of his mask grew wide with concern, but because of the mask, he seemed to lack emotion, say for his mouth that was the feature visible. "What do you mean you bring terrible news?"

"Sir," the messenger continued, "We've just received word that our stronghold at Traverse Town has been broken."

"What, what do you mean it has been broken!"-

"Sir, it's been broken. We no longer have control over Traverse Town." The messenger's words did seem to be getting through to Sirius Viicous. The reason for this is because the helmeted mask he wore, the evil lord grew enraged with both shock and hatred. He had become so angry that he even detested the sight of the messenger and the sound of his voice. In the process, he kept repeating the same sentence over and over again.

"What do you mean it has been broken!" he uttered again, this time more aggressively. The messenger became more concerned with every passing minute.

"It's been overrun by the Universal Alliance, sir." He continued, his voice becoming more nervous and more fidgety, causing him to stutter.

"What do you mean it has been broken!"-

"Sir, I just told you all the information I…"-

"What do you mean it has been broken!" The Phantom Lord began to stand from the throne, slowly. His teeth were strongly gritting against one another and his fists were clutched tight. The messenger began to back off.

"Sir, I…"-

"What do you mean it has been broken!"-

"Sir…?"-

"I'm asking you…?" The Phantom Lord suddenly threw out his hand and with an unseen force, began to strangle the young messenger. The messenger was lifted up in the air by this invisible force. He grasped at whatever invisible force it was, his legs kicking about in the air. "I'm asking you what you meant by the stronghold at Traverse Town being broken!"

"Please, sir…" the young man cried. "I…can't breathe."

"I was already in an irritable mood, bombarded by recent disasters and the loss of major key factors in our pursuit to takeover this entire universe and all others parallel to it. I was already irritated with the fact that one of our most effective commanders has defected against us in favor of the Alliance's cause. I already had enough on my mind to worry about. And yet now, when I couldn't possibly get any more agitated than I already have, you have to come in and tell me of yet another disaster for us…"-

"Sir…" The messenger uttered. "I'm only doing my job…I'm only doing what…our main…headquarters ordered me to do…"

"I have to take my anger out on something. So it's unfortunate for you that you had to find me in a rather aggressive and irritable state." Suddenly, Sirius Viicous threw the youth back towards the entry with a burst of his energy. The young man hit the ground and skidded about the floor, stopping only a few feet from the door itself. "Take that fool away, I am done with him!"

The two guards at the door picked up the battered young man and pulled him away, out of the sights of Lord Sirius Viicous. But at the same time the messenger was escorted out of the room, another figure appeared. He was a tall figure, dressed in a red frock, covered by a black overcoat with red trim. He carried a heavy saber at his side. His hair was long, black, and fair. Upon his right eye, an eye patch was placed to cover the scar of his long ago battles. His left eye, the one good eye that still remained, was a flashing crimson red, as red as a blood ruby. He was one of most trusted supreme commanders under Lord Sirius Viicous and considered to be the strongest of the five Blade Generals. His name was General Saber. The name given to him was obvious since it matched the weapon that hung at his side, the one weapon he excelled at using.

"Well, well," he implied, "Have I come at a bad time, my lord?"

By this time, Lord Sirius Viicous had calmed down. He sat in his throne and once again placed his chin over his hand, leaning on it. He looked at the general and beckoned him to approach. General Saber bowed respectfully and entered the throne room.

"I take it that you heard the news about Traverse Town." He implied.

"I did." Sirius Viicous replied. "I heard about its downfall to the alliance."

"But how is it possible for such a well and heavily guarded garrison to fall so easily? Of course I'm sure you were informed about who was behind it already."-

"I was not. You might say I lost my patience with that messenger I threw out. I never did give him a chance to tell me. However, I already know who it was that attacked them and caused the entire stronghold to cave in."-

"Is that so? Well, if you would be so kind as to tell me, my lord."-

"Who else could have attacked such a heavily armed encampment and overthrow the defense force there within less than an hour? I'll tell you who…"-

"You're not referring to the key bearers are you, my lord?" Saber asked.

"That's exactly who's responsible for this twist of events." Sirius Viicous continued. "It was because of those key bearers and their friends that we lost Traverse Town. That was supposed to be a significant outpost, which was the reason I had a heavily armed garrison set there. But now I realize that even such a well established force was no match for the Child of Darkness and his comrades."

"You had always told me of the power of these key bearers. By the sounds of it, they seem rather invincible."-

"It's not their strength that was the true factor that initiated our defeat at that settlement, but rather the way they played their strategy. Knowing that they couldn't attack head on in plain view, they initiated a surprise attack, which caught our forces off guard. To add, the KH team went for the heavy armaments instead of the soldiers, knowing that the weapons stationed in the stronghold were of a more threatening status than the soldiers alone. To add, with their reputations at hand, they could have easily caused even the most seasoned and experienced soldiers to flee in terror."-

"And how do you know all this? Is this all simple conjecture?"-

"If I were Riku and Sora, that's how I would initiate the attack. An attack that would prove effective to overthrow such a well fortified enemy and not cause heavy casualties. You might just say that I know the way Noctin Tilandir thinks."-

"I don't know if you were informed on this bit of information though, my lord." Saber interrupted. "But I find it vital that you know."

"About what…?"-

"It's regarding that young boy whom you sent to command that post."-

"That defiant youngster…? He's the one that was searching for his last family member. What I can't believe that he is somehow related to the notorious Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster."-

"Related…yes…"-

"I take it by your expression, Saber, that his fate was not a pleasant one. The boy was killed in battle am I correct?"-

"No…It's worse than that, my lord." Saber was silent for a minute or two. "He defected…"

"What…!" This news caused the Phantom Lord's blood to boil again. "What do you mean he defected, against us?"

"Yes, my lord."-

"But how can that be possible."-

"Apparently, when the KH team attacked Traverse Town, The Hound of Ulster was amongst them as well, fighting alongside the key bearers. It was he who confronted the youth."-

"You mean they had managed to reunite?"-

"Yes sir. In the beginning, both the youth and the Hound did not realize who each other was and nearly fought to the death. It was in the end that the youth realized who it was he was fighting. Nearly dying, as what some of our surviving soldiers who managed to escape were testifying, the boy revealed his identity to the Hound…" Saber paused for a moment. "The boy is Cuchulain's son. And he goes by the name of Cunla."

"The boy is the Hound's son?" The further caused Sirius Viicous to grit his teeth. "What a twist of events. Now that this Cunla has reunited with his father, there was no longer any need for him to stay with the Midnight Faction. And with his defection, there goes yet another effective officer."

"Those two defected officers, despite their strength, were still confused in their code of ethics, perhaps only initializing with the general opinion. To add, both of them were hoping to achieve their individual goals. And since we offered to aid them, they decided to join us without question until the day they had achieved their goals. Both Colonel Billiard and Cunla must've reached those goals, but at a time when they least expected it. As a result of this sudden turn of events, two of our most effective and battle ready commanders have turned against us."-

"This betrayal to the faction is unforgivable." Sirius Viicous turned to his ally. "Inform all loyal followers of the Midnight Faction and tell them that Cunla and Billiard are now enemies of our organization and anyone who comes across these particular two is to have them executed as soon as possible. Money is no option."

"Of course…" Saber saluted his superior. "I thus take my leave, your Excellency." With that, Saber turned to fulfill further missions planned elsewhere.

As soon as Saber had left the chamber, Sirius Viicous lay his head against the back of the throne. He sighed, his hands gripping tightly at the arm rests.

"Such cruel fates," He uttered to himself, "Why now of all times, when we are the most firmly established and most successful, do we have to climb over an insurmountable wall. The success of our enemies is without a doubt due to the two that lead the KH team in their continuous effort to stand in my way. Riku and Sora are the ones responsible. But then again, the one that irritates me the most is that loathsome Riku, the Child of Darkness. It is because of his presence that Sora and the others continue to defy me and my law. But that is the reason why I must have them eliminated, though I would like to do battle with the infamous Noctin Tilandir. Perhaps fate is sparing them for that reason alone. Perhaps, I will be able to go head to head with the Child of Darkness sometime in the near future. Though it is something that puts our cause in jeopardy, I wish to battle that upstart."

But as he had further engaged in his reminiscing of the past, another messenger appeared at the door way.

"Sir," he cried, "Lord Sirius Viicous! I have urgent news for you, my lord. Urgent news…!"

"What do you mean urgent news?" Sirius Viicous uttered as he sat up. "What is all this ruckus about now?"

"My Lord," the messenger stood before his superior. "The report has been confirmed. The Arakis Foundation and the Red Ribbon Faction are on the move. They too are beginning a conquest of the outer worlds."

"What was that? The other two faction powers are on the move?"-

"Yes sir."-

The Phantom Lord, agitated by further bad news, pounded his hand on the throne's arm rest.

"Blast," he thought to himself, "Why did it have to be them. It's bad enough, having to fight against the Universal Alliance, but now we have to face two other enemy forces? To add, out of all the other factional powers that arose after the fall of the Dark Empire, those particular two are the ones that are the biggest threat since they are equal in status of manpower, resources, and influence. They equal our capabilities. And the last thing that I need is to face two other enemy powers in the middle of my conquest." Sirius Viicous looked about, fearing the worst. "Blast! Well, which one of the powers is the most eminent threat to us?"

"From what our reports confirmed," the messenger continued. "The Arakis Foundation is the closest to becoming the most threatening to us. They are nearing worlds that have been placed under our control."

"Has there been any significant confrontation between them and us?"-

"No, my lord, so far there have not been any accounts of any battles erupting between our forces and the forces of either the Red Ribbon Faction, or the Arakis Foundation."-

"I will be sure to keep these fools at bay and continue our efforts to make up for lost time and resources. I will deploy the Heartless against the advancing columns of our foes and hopefully slow them down, if not cease their advance altogether."-

"Sir, if I may be so bold as to interrupt your fiery declaration for a minute or so, but you were only told the first part of the message."-

"What was that?" Sirius Viicous implied. "What do you mean that was only the first part of the message? There's more to it?"

"Yes, my lord. And it's more bad tidings I must add."-

"And…?"-

"It's regarding the coalition force recently assembled by the Universal Alliance. They've been attacking our outpost on the outer regions of our territory. Supply units, reinforcements, mobile doll units, they've all been attacked."-

"And who leads this coalition force?"-

"It's a young man who goes by the name of Athrun Zala."-

"He's that young Coordinator from the 'Seed Realm,' the one who assisted in attacking our defenses in that world not too long ago."-

"He now leads the coalition force as a Lieutenant General."-

"So, now we have four eminent threats to worry about." Sirius Viicous clutched his fist tightly. "Two of them, the KH team and this Coordinator coalition force, are already engaging our soldiers in battle. Now, we have two more even greater threats to worry about. Where is this coalition force headed?"

"From what I understand, they're making their way to the 'Zi' realm, my lord." The messenger continued. "They might be planning to stop our attempts to configure a blueprint for the new zero system."

Sirius Viicous, seeing the dire situation at hand, summoned for an officers meeting with his lead military commanders.

"Tell my head officers to report here as soon as they can." He ordered. "As soon as possible even..."

"Yes sir." The messenger saluted and went off to give the order.

"This situation requires all my available officers." The Phantom Lord thought to himself. "With four eminent threats and two already engaged against us, the Midnight Faction will be suffering a radical decrease of both manpower and resources."

It had not been long before the leading commanders, including the only Blade General present, General Saber.

"We are all assembled as you had requested, my lord." Saber implied.

"Excellent…" Sirius Viicous said. He turned to his commanders to give out the orders he had planned. "I'm glad to see that you all managed to assemble yourselves to this meeting."

Besides General Saber, who was the most feared of all the Phantom Lord's officers, that was present, there were other significant officers at the meeting as well. There was Brigadier General Svengard Stentor, who was in charge of deployment of mobile dolls in areas of conflict throughout the Midnight Faction's territory. There was also Lieutenant General Conan Krade, who was responsible for deployment of ground forces in significant battles. There was Admiral Erin Melchior, commander in chief of the space forces. Lieutenant General Felmir Noctin, responsible for maintaining the front line forces in combat, delivering supplies and reinforcements. And finally, there was General Forgan Nightshade, leader of the winged phantoms and the elite special forces of the Midnight Faction.

"I must say that it has been a while since the last time we met, my lord." General Stentor implied.

"So what is it that you would have us do, my lord?" asked General Krade.

"I'm sure that you have been hearing about our latest decline by now?" Sirius Viicous asked.

"I've heard about it." General Nightshade implied. "I heard that our efforts in the 'Seed' realm and the 'Rurouni' realm have failed. I received reports regarding the deaths and capturing of some of my winged phantoms recently."

"From what I have heard," General Noctin added, "Colonel Ophelia Billiard, the infamous Tiger of Goth, has defected against us."

"Not surprising," Admiral Melchior implied. "That young woman had issues. Certainly she may have fought ferociously for the faction and taken in our philosophy. But a person, who fights for the sake of their own goals, and not for the bigger picture, is not the type to be trusted."

"Our organization has come into decline ever since those key bearers showed up." General Saber said. "It is because of their influence that the activity in all the significant worlds; Wonderland, Sherwood, the Deep Jungle, and the 'Wing,' 'Seed,' and 'Rurouni' realms have failed."

"It is without out a doubt a severe blow to our cause." General Krade added. "With those significant key factors lost, our progress had been reduced to a stupefied crawl."

"It is precisely the reason I've called this meeting, Gentlemen," Sirius Viicous continued. "Due to those sudden drawbacks, we will have to confiscate for their loss until we are able to find a better solution."

"What was it that you had in mind, my lord?" General Noctin asked.

"First of all, I want all forces on high alert. Secondly, I want an increased number of mobile dolls and mobile droids sent out to defend against the fronts of the Arakis Foundation and the Red Ribbon Faction. I've already made orders for the Heartless to engage both opposing factional powers as well. We will initiate night attacks and ambushes to eradicate their coalition forces. As for that Coordinator coalition force under Athrun Zala, increase the number our mobile dolls there as well and send in a division of our newly manufactured Gatlers."-

"I believe it to be wiser to concentrate more on the opposing factional powers, my lord." General Nightshade implied. "They are the larger powers to deal with right now.

"I understand that they are two powerful foes, General Nightshade, but their movements are quite obvious to me. It's the smaller, more agile forces of Athrun Zala's coalition and the KH team's movements that concern me the most. Besides, the Arakis Foundation and the Red Ribbon Faction are just as dangerous to the Coordinator Coalition and the KH team as we are. Those two distinctive guilds are out for the fulfillment of their own goals and will eliminate all who dare to stand in their way, including us. They, like us, will have to sooner or later confront the two other opposing strengths. To add, they will have the Universal Alliance to worry about as well. So, most of our problems with the Arakis Foundation and the Red Ribbon Faction are menial compared to that of the Coordinator coalition and the KH team. Those particular enemies are free to roam about as they will and attack our forces at certain key points. They've successfully done so already. That is the reason why I am concentrating a larger force on the 'Zi Realm' rather than on the larger front against the two factions."-

"Regarding our mobile dolls," General Stentor implied. "Since we are using the full capacity of our mobile doll strength, should we deploy the new models?"

"Yes." Sirius Viicous said.

"But General, sir," Admiral Melchior asked, "I thought that we only had a division of Scorpions openly available to us, the ones that managed to come out of the 'Rurouni Realm'. If we deploy them, and they had not been fully tested for battle..."

"I have every confidence in the use of the new mobile dolls. I have spread the word to certain other major manufacturing facilities that will be able to assemble the new scorpion models in large numbers. Even despite takeover from the Alliance forces, I have told them to commence anyway. Also, I have instructed the increase of mobile doll manufacturing of the Taurus and Virgo mobile dolls."-

"But regarding the new models, where are they to be deployed first?"-

"We will use them against the fronts of the Arakis Foundation and the Red Ribbon Faction." Sirius Viicous implied.

"Wait a minute, my lord. If I may state my opinion, but wouldn't it be better to deploy the scorpions against Athrun Zala's coalition?"-

"That it would, but if I know the coalition under Athrun Zala, he'll be able to fend off the coalition and find new ways to beat them. In this case, updated Virgos and Tauruses will do. The new models will be more effective against the faction forces. I'm sure that the new models will not have as much trouble with them."-

Suddenly, bursting through the doors, a soldier appeared. Presenting himself before the council of officers, he saluted with great urgency.

"My lord, forgive me for barging in," The soldier cried, "But you have a very important guest to receive."

"Guest…?" Sirius Viicous asked. "I had no plan to receive any guest today."

"This gentleman made himself known and came to us unexpectedly."-

"And who is he?"-

But as he had awaited an answer from the soldier, a tall figure had appeared. He was wearing a dark grey frock, like that from the former Imperial council of the Dark Empire. He wore a sword upon his hip, its hilt gleaming brightly with its polished brass. Upon his head was a crescent hat lined with white feathers on its top and a large plume rising up like fountain water and bending to one side. On his face, there was a thick handlebar mustache. And on his left eye, a hook like scar. He seemed no older than his early thirties, yet he was a handsome gentleman to gaze upon. However, his looks and his age were not the concern to the council of factional officers.

"Gentlemen," the soldier announced. "His Excellency, Admiral Delorion Rellantando, leader of the Red Ribbon Faction." The admiral came before the council of officers and tipped his hat in civil respect.

"I hope that I have not come at a bad time." Rellantando implied.

"Admiral Rellantando," Sirius Viicous said, "We are honored by your presence, sire."

"It is an honor to finally meet the infamous Phantom Lord of the Midnight Faction, Lord Sirius Viicous."-

"And what is it that brings you here to the Disney Kingdom?" The other officers remained silent as they watched their lord speak to this leader of an enemy faction.

"I know that the Red Ribbon Faction is quite new to this outer world conquest menagerie, and I know that both of our esteemed organizations are enemies. However, we both share a common goal. We both want to restore the old Imperial rule of the former Dark Empire. Though we envision different outcomes, we still have that same Imperial code of ethics. To add, many of the officers here, you and myself included, are former Imperial officers."-

"So what is it that you propose we should do?"-

"We are not so different, you and I. We strive to fulfill our goals and bring peace and unity to the entire universe. That is why I suggest that we form a temporary alliance. Together, both the Midnight Faction and the Red Ribbon Faction will be able to fight the Universal Alliance and their hired coalition forces as a united front. We'll be able to rid ourselves of that meddlesome super power once and for all. So, what do you say?"-

There was a silence that suddenly caught the officers after Rellantando had made his declaration to Lord Sirius Viicous. There were several different looks upon the faces of his officers. Some were suspicious of Admiral Rellantando's intensions. Others were against the though of joining forces with the Red Ribbon Faction. Other of Lord Sirius Viicous's officers looked rather hopeful an enthusiastic about the idea, hoping to gain a strong ally. And the rest were all just confused at the situation, not fully ready to accept what they had just heard. Sirius Viicous put his harms behind and blinked. He waited for a minute or two before giving his next command.

"Gentlemen," He uttered, "If you would be so good as to leave the good admiral and myself alone for a while. I would like to further emphasize on the matter."

"But my lord…" General Noctin said.

"Do as I say."-

The officers, hesitant to leave the side of their leader, bowed and began to slowly depart the throne room.

"Soldier," Sirius Viicous implied. "Get a table and chairs and my best vintage of wine ready for Admiral Rellantando and I."

"Yes sir." The soldier said and ran off to seek table and chairs for the two meeting officers.

As the last of Lord Sirius Viicous's officers left the room, five other soldiers appeared, bringing with them a set of chairs, a mahogany table, a pair of glasses, and a bottle of His Excellency's best brandy. They set the table up in the middle of the room, Lord Sirius Viicous sitting on one side and Admiral Rellantando sitting on the opposite ends. The soldiers stood at attention not to far from the table, but the Phantom Lord gave a turn of his wrist as if to say they were dismissed. Interpreting the gesture as a sign to leave, the soldiers bowed respectfully and withdrew from the room. The grand doors of the throne room were sealed shut, leaving only the two leaders to converse with one another.

"If you have no objections, sir," Sirius Viicous said, breaking the silence, his voice echoing through the hall, "Shall I poor the brandy?"

"If it is required for the host to do so," Rellantando replied, "I have no objections."

Sirius Viicous bulled out the cork from the bottle and poured the contents of the bottle very delicately into each crystal glass, the liquid reaching a halfway point. The Phantom Lord then seized his goblet, while Rellantando retrieved his. The two drank a sip before placing their glasses upon the mahogany surface of the table, upon two golden coasters.

"Now," Sirius Viicous implied. "Regarding this alliance that you have proposed between our two esteemed organizations, why come to me?"

"As you know, we have four great powers to deal with, my dear Lord Sirius Viicous," Rellantando said. "We have the Arakis Foundation to worry about, the Universal Alliance to worry about, this volunteer coalition force from the 'Seed Realm,' and of course each other. Individually, our organizations would achieve very little with the other watching over the others movements. You'll be attacked by four separate enemies, perhaps all at the same time. And I will have a chance of being attacked by four separate enemies, perhaps at the same time. In the process, we would lose a great deal of manpower, resources, and revenue for the sake of our cause. However, we could reduce those results by a quarter or at least a half if we joined forces. If we were to unite as a single power, we'd be able to eliminate the rivaling factions with very little effort. Perhaps we could force them into submission. With rivaling factional powers extinguished from being threats to us, we would be able to eliminate the coalition force and the Universal Alliance soon after." Rellantando took another sip from his brandy glass. "So tell me Lord Sirius Viicous, how does that sound to you? Does it sound reasonable? By forming an alliance, we'd be a formidable foe to contend with."

There was silence now between the two leaders. Finally, Sirius Viicous began to speak again.

"And what's in it for you I dare ask?" he implied. "I know that you're not doing this for the sake of keeping the peace between us. There's something in return that you want. What is it?"-

"I am wounded by that hasty statement, my lord. Why would I want something in return?"-

"Don't act as if I'm ignorant of your tactics, admiral. A man who wishes to rule does not form an alliance without some sort of compensation in return."-

"You're wrong, my young friend. I do not dare to try anything that would betray your trust."-

"You fight to obtain total rule of this world for Kambria. As you know, I am not Kambrian, so agreeing to help you would obstruct my own goals."-

"And what is it that you are fighting for?"-

"I fight for the sake of uniting all worlds under the rule of the Midnight Faction and return them all to darkness. So even if we are willing to work together, you and I know that only one of us will be allowed to rule in the end."-

"Why not converge our two organizations and have a co-ruling?" Rellantando asked. "If such a rule could be achieved by the former Dark Empire, with the leading of the Three Excellencies, then why shouldn't it work for us?"

"You know as well as I that such a compromise could never happen. Both you and I are fighting for the sake of being the sole ruler over the entire Universe and everything within it. And as the sole ruler, you can't allow your own position to fall to the hands of such a co-leader. Unlike the Three Excellencies of the former Empire, who not only saw eye to eye of their own responsibilities, but had a sense of bond and comradeship between one another, you and I wish to have everything for ourselves. Though we are the two most able bodied to take charge; only one of us may rule."-

"But even so, the way things are going for you and the way things will go for me will be the same if we do not form an alliance." Rellantando tipped his glass to his lips and sipped a little more of the brandy. "We have all these resources at our disposal, all these men to send into battle, all this ground that needs to be taken over, but what good are all these things when we're not able to progress beyond the reach of our own arms?"-

Once again, there was silence between the two. While Rellantando seemed to by enjoying the brandy before him, Lord Sirius Viicous barely touched his, the reason for this was due to the fact that there were still things on his mind that concerned him. He looked up.

"Tell me," Sirius Viicous implied. "What is it that you hope to gain with this action? What is it that you hope to achieve by siding with me? Of the three major factions that rival each other's supremacy, why did you decide to come to me? Why not join forces with the Arakis Foundation? I understand that they're the ones with the financial superiority over all."

"You know as well as I that the Arakis Foundation is all talk." Rellantando said. "All they have in their favor is their money and their arrogance. They fight to ensure the resurrection of the old Imperial regime and its tradition and place it completely under control of the Oceanarians. The only problem with that concept is that the Dark Empire was under Oceanarian rule since the beginning. To add, they hope to obtain a world where the Oceanarian is the only race to flourish in this new vision of theirs. Everyone else must perish. But if I can somehow place all universal realms under Kambrian rule, I would not go the way of chaos as the Arakis Foundation is. Being a Kambrian, I know the value of the lives of others from other races and cultures. They must be preserved and maintain their own sense of dignity."

"So what you say." Sirius Viicous said. "But how do I know that what you say is true."

"It's merely an element of unpredictability." Rellantando chuckled. But there was a dark side to his laughter and Sirius Viicous knew that what the admiral had said was a lie. "So tell me, what do you say about my little proposal?"

Sirius Viicous only pondered in silence. He pondered for a minute or two, hearing the clinging of the crystal from the goblets, the quiet sipping sound made by the admiral every time he raised the glass to his lips, and the tap of the crystal bottom of the glass gently touching the metal surface of the coaster.

"I do not want to form an alliance with this man." The Phantom Lord thought to himself. "We both are trying to achieve total rule over all worlds and put them under our complete control. Therefore, Rellantando must be treated more as a suspicious enemy. But then again, at the rate of progress that the Midnight Faction is going, we would have made very little progress, but would have wasted tones of resources and endless manpower in the process. Even the Heartless have their limits. If I keep sending them in, eventually, their numbers will fold, despite their shadowy origin. And I can't allow them to overcome me like so many who tried to use them to their utmost ability in the past. By forming an alliance with Rellantando, we would at least eliminate one enemy and extend our fronts. Our resources and our manpower would have doubled by this. But even if all this is over and we do eliminate all of our enemies, the only enemy we have to face is each other. And by then, both of our esteemed organizations would have become formidable to face against."

"Well, what do you say, Sirius Viicous?" Rellantando implied. Finally, the Phantom Lord began to speak out.

"I am uncomfortable with this proposal you've made to me." The Phantom Lord uttered. "But it seems that forming an alliance with you would be a great benefit for both you and I. However, I cannot put aside our differences right away."

"That is understandable."-

"I will oversee my organization's progress. If there is nothing, but failure or disaster, I will consider what you have said. I will contact you then."-

"Of course…" The admiral then stood up. Sirius Viicous stood out of courtesy. "Well now that we have had our little discussion, I thus take my leave." Rellantando tipped his hat. He then began to walk away.

"I will have someone accompany you safely, admiral." Sirius Viicous implied.

"Thank you for your kind hospitality, my lord." With that, Admiral Rellantando withdrew from the throne room. One of the Phantom Lord's soldiers waited at the door, ready to escort him safely. Sirius Viicous then walked about, still pondering about what he had said.

"Orderly…!" he shouted. Five soldiers, who waited outside the door, came in. They presented themselves before their lord. "You may remove this refuse."

"Yes sir." One of the soldiers implied. They took away the tables, chairs, and brandy.

"Oh, and have my officers left?"-

"They are waiting patiently in the garden, my lord."-

"Tell them to reassemble here."-

"Yes sir."-

The soldier went off to ask in the officers, while the other soldiers finished cleaning up the table and chairs.

Soon, the trusted officers of the Midnight Faction came in. The first to speak was Admiral Melchior.

"I hope that you hadn't seriously taken into account forming an alliance with that man." He inquired. "Admiral Rellantando is a despicable despot who only wishes to see his own goals achieved."

"I would have to agree." General Nightshade added. "That man cannot be trusted."

"But then again," General Noctin said, "If we do form an alliance, we'd be able to defend ourselves against our foes as a united front."

"That's beside the point. A man like Rellantando would be quick to find out our weaknesses and what makes us vulnerable."-

"But even if he were to do such a thing," General Stentor implied, "Then wouldn't we have just as big an opportunity to do so as well. Besides, if the bond between our organizations becomes remarkably strong, then perhaps our temporary alliance would become a permanent one. Opinions change through time and progress after all and those who we consider our worst enemies and arch rivals eventually become our closest and most trusted allies. It has happened before in the past and I will happen again."  
"Speak for yourself, general!" Admiral Melchior shouted. "Personally, I would be dead before I see universal power shift into the hands of a Kambrian! And one as ambitious as Admiral Delorion Rellantando is one who will never see eye to eye with us!"

"But by forming an alliance," General Krade said, "We'd be able to achieve our objectives ten times faster."

Pretty soon, the officers began to bicker amongst each other, filling the throne room with echoes of endless chatter. Finally, General Saber, seeing Lord Sirius Viicous becoming more irritable, stepped forward.

"Alright," he shouted, "That is enough!" Immediately, the other officers ceased their quarreling. "You forget gentlemen; this decision is up to His Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous. You are not allowed to influence him in any way. His decision is his own!"

"Thank you very much." Sirius Viicous implied. He turned to his officers. "I have to admit to you that the decision I make will also have profound effect on our destiny as a factional power. I have taken into consideration the pros and cons of the situation. I, like some of you, do not trust Admiral Rellantando and some of his intensions. But we would still be enemies whether we were placed in a loose alliance with the Red Ribbon Faction, or we would have to confront him upon the battlefield. However, if we were to form an alliance with him; that would save the amount of manpower and resources that we would have to use if we confront him in battle."

"I would have to agree with you on that issue then." Admiral Melchior said. "But still, it's the fact that we'd be allowing ourselves to become completely open to an enemy. That's like sticking your hand in a bear trap that is being held open by a flimsy stick. It isn't a matter of if it will close on you; it's a matter of when."

"I have taken that into consideration, Admiral Melchior. And I can assure you that if Admiral Rellantando does go back on his word, he will pay dearly. He will then know the true glint of the Midnight Faction. For now, however, I will maintain his proposal as a favor to the faction. To quote from you, admiral, it's no longer a matter of if I want to form an alliance with Rellantando, but a matter of when the alliance is formed." Sirius Viicous then turned away from his officers and walked to the throne of King Mickey. "Now, this matter is finished for now. You may take your leave."

"But sir…" some of the officers uttered.

"You heard his Excellency." General Saber said. "This business will be discussed at a later date."

The officers, not wanting to disturb the new tranquility of the throne room with their mindless arguments, only bowed respectfully and left in silence. General Saber watched as the other officers dwindled away from the throne room. As the last reached the door, he turned to his lord and bowed in silence. As he turned to leave the room, he heard Sirius Viicous call him.

"General Saber," he uttered, "Tell me this much, by forming an alliance with Rellantando, am I becoming weak in stature?"

"You do what is best for the faction." Saber replied. "I do not doubt your decision." With that General Saber departed from the room, leaving the Phantom Lord to once again ponder in solitude.


	28. The Zi Campaign

The 'Zi' Campaign

Planet Zi, a sphere of regional features that has its forest, its jungles, its oceans, deserts, and plains, it is able to sustain life of all forms. But the most distinct feature of life that dwells on planet Zi are large mechanical life forms called _zoids_. Warriors by nature, zoids had been used in an ongoing battle between the Imperial forces of the Gylos Empire and the Republican forces of the New Helic Republic.

However, the prolonged battle between these two powers was finally over. Since the young Emperor Rudolph, leader of the Gylos Empire, had befriended the Madam President of the New Helic Republic and an ambitious young zoid pilot by the name of Van Flyheight, relations between the Empire and the New Helic Republic grew even stronger. As a result, the creation of the Guardian Force was established. This meager little force, consisting of both Republicans and Imperials, was responsible for maintaining the peace for the prosperity of the planet Zi.

It was up until six years ago, when the evil Lord Prozen, a former regent of the Gylos Empire, attempted to eliminate all life on the planet with a devastating weapon called the Deathsaur. A zoid of incredible size and unlimited power, this leviathan wreaked havoc upon the entire planet three times in its life time. The first resulted in the complete devastation of the original inhabitants of Zi, the ancient Zoidians, whose own ethnocentric superiority lead to their own destruction. The second was Prozen's first attempt to take leadership of the Gylos Empire, resulting in near devastation of the Imperial capital. The third took place at a sacred valley called the Valley of the Rarehurtz, where it was said the lineage of zoids originated. It was here that the true threat arose, not by the Deathsaur, which was a mere sideshow, but to the infamous Isis, master of ice and member of the infamous Cavendish Shinobis. His power alone had rendered even the mighty Deathsaur worthless. It was during this battle that he went head to head with the two mighty key bearers, Riku and Sora, who had allied themselves with the two strongest zoid pilots, Van Flyheight, 'the hero of Zi,' and Raven, 'the scourge of Zi.'

For the past six years, the planet Zi has overseen a great deal of prosperity and change. Unfortunately, however, this peace in would come to an abrupt end when a new threat emerged on the planet. The Midnight Faction forces, under the command of one of its most feared and effective officers, General Dagger, initiated a campaign against all of Zi. The first ones to move in to counter the attacks of the Midnight Faction; were the members of the Guardian Force, under the command of now Colonel Van Flyheight and Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Richard Shuvaultz, who was and still is a loyal member of the Guardian Force and the Gylos Empire. Both of these men were responsible for engaging against the faction. This new foe was, however, formidable and one that was not to be taken lightly.

For one thing, the faction had in their favor, the infamous Gatler Tanks, which used a special levitation system, allowing them to hover above the ground. This allowed the tanks to maneuver swiftly over even the rockiest terrain. They were armed with a main cannon, seven energy emitters at its base, which acted as short range artillery, and the most distinct feature, the three cell powered Gatling guns that were built in. Two that were placed one both sides of the main cannon, one stationary at the tanks base, the other built at the base of the revolving turret, and the third gatling gun was stationed at the top of the turret, which could be retracted back into a small crevice when not in use.

These machines had proven to be more than a match for the Guardian Force. The Gatlers were swift and easy to maneuver. They could be turned sharply and the turret could always aim well at their target. However, the Gatlers were successful up to a point. Though swift and agile, their arsenal was useless when it came to battle larger zoids with thick armor and highly devastating armaments, like the Gojulas and the Iron Kong, which proved to be quite formidable. To add, some agile zoids like the Command Wolf, the Blade Liger, and Shield Liger, the Zaber Fang, and the Lightning Saix, were equal to engaging against the Gatlers. Also, some zoids like the Imperial Rev Raptors, and the Republican Guysacks, scorpion style zoids, used their superior numbers to overwhelm the enemy and force them back. Then there were the stealthy hellcats, which were like wild cat zoids that used optical stealth to hide their movements and attack their enemy without warning, and the infamous gun snipers, swift dinosaur type zoids that were capable of sniping a target by using its tail as an effective gun barrel. These zoids and their pilots were in fact the ones that helped to withstand the continuous onslaught against the forces of the Midnight Faction. Thus, our story begins with an imminent battle that commences between the two rivaling powers.

The sound of explosions and gunfire could be heard from the nearby villages. It was mid morning and already battle was commencing between the invasion force of the Midnight Faction and the defenders of Planet Zi, the Guardian Force. Amidst the battle, the zoids of the Guardian Force continued to engage in tight formations, hoping not to be bested by the Gatlers, who moved swiftly about the battlefield. The explosions rang out at the two sides collided with one another.

In the command of the battle was the Republican commanding officer, Rob Herman, son of the current president of the Helic Republic, who had been promoted to general soon after the assaults on Zi by the Midnight Faction began. The confrontation grew more intense as the two sides sent in more of their troops. Waves of mass produced zoids, consisting of Rev Raptors and Guysacks, attacked the menial force of Gatlers. But the Gatlers, with their high speed and quick maneuvering, made quick work of the attacking waves. The remnants of zoids littered the ground, along with a few demolished tanks.

Overseeing the battle was the Ultrasaurus, a massive Saurapod type zoid that was so big, it was used as a mobile headquarters for the Guardian Force. It was here that General Rob Herman watched on as the battle began to unfold before him

"Blast," he thought to himself, "Those Gatlers are proving to be more of a nuisance than we had expected."

"The enemy is increasing its numbers on the field, sir." One of the operatives implied. "Over two hundred Gatler units are engaged."

"Any word from Colonel Flyheight…?"-

"He's engaging the enemy as we speak sir." Another attendant said. "He's attacking at the flank."

"Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Richard Shuvaultz is assisting the colonel in his Dibison, attacking from the opposite flank." A third operative implied. "Commander Irvine is right behind him with the Lightning Saix."

"With those three on the job," Herman said to himself, "There's no way that we'll lose against the likes of the Gatlers."

"Sir," the first operative shouted, "Our forces are suffering serious casualties."

"Front line Guysack units requesting immediate assistance." The second operative added.

"Battle front extending, our troops are losing ground."-

"Van, Irvine, Thomas," Herman shouted, "Aren't you guys there yet?"

It was then that the faces of the three pilots appeared on the main screen of the Ultrasaurus cockpit.

"We're doing our best to maintain position as we speak." Van said.

"Roger that." Thomas added. "We'll be reaching our destination in ten seconds."

"Let's go, let's go!" Irvine shouted.

The Ultrasaurus observed as the three most skilled pilots of the both the Empire and the Republic went charging into the fray. Van was the first to strike, extending the blades of his liger and cutting down several of the Gatler tanks that were caught unaware. Thomas Shuvaultz aided Van's assault by firing all nine barrage cannons at the front of the Dibison. Irvine on the other hand, used the swiftness of the Lightning Saix to charge into the ranks of the enemy forces and cut them down little by little. But though these three were able to handle the situation against the Gatler Tanks with very little effort, the supporting troops were finding the battle more to their disadvantage. The Gatlers, too swift and maneuverable for some of the zoids, easily mowed their opponents down. Even, the superiority of Van, Thomas, and Irving would not be an advantage to last indefinitely. With their support troops badly beaten, and the three finding themselves alone on the vast battlefield, it wasn't long before they began to feel the effects of their limitations.

"There are just too many of them for only us three to handle." Irvine said.

"Van," Thomas implied, "Our support troops are taking on heavy casualties. Their efforts don't seem to be having any more effect on this battle than we are."

"Tell the support troops to withdraw." Van implied. "It'll be better for us if we were able to fight without having to worry about their safety."

"Very well, I'll give the order."-

Not too far from the battlefield, on the opposite side, General Dagger of the Midnight Faction watched as the confrontation was slowly turning in the favor of his Gatler columns. General Dagger, being a tall man of dark complexion, he was tall and built like a brick wall. He was dressed in a black frock with a red front, two columns of buttons embedded on both sides of the red field. A scar over his right eye and a golden ear ring on his left ear, he was indeed a sight to behold and one whom would strike fear into the hearts of even the best of seasoned soldiers. There was an evil cringe upon his face as he watched the Guardian Force and their allies withdraw from the field, watching only a handful remain, including the three elite pilots.

"Well," he thought to himself, "It appeares that the Guardian Force has realized the futility of this fight. As far as I can see, only a handful of zoids stands in the way of my advancing columns."

"Sir," one operative implied, "Our forces are scattering the Guardian Force troops. The enemy is in full retreat."

"There are, however," another operative announced, "Three zoids that are remaining on the field. They seem to be having better luck fighting off our troops than the entire bulk of the Guardian Force."

"Three of them…?" Dagger asked.

"Yes sir."-

"Can you identify the models of the zoids?"-

"Confirmed sir," a third operative implied, "They are the Lightning Saix, the Blade Liger, and the Dibison."

"So," Dagger chuckled, "The infamous three of this world, Thomas Richard Shuvaultz, Mercenary Irvine, and Zi's greatest hero, the young man who supposedly defeated the Deathsaur the first time it appeared, Van Flyheight. Those three are ones who have managed to stand in our way this entire time. I must say that I'm impressed. They are proving to be quite the formidable foes." General Dagger suddenly clutched his fist in anger. "However, due to their insistent defiance of our demands, they have managed to slow our progress down."

"Sir." The first operative said, "We have scavenging parties out on the field to collect sampled zoid cores for our experiment."

"Have they managed to trek down any organoids?"-

"No sir. There have been no signs of organoids anywhere."-

"I forget," the second operative implied, "What does an organoid look like?"

"An organoid is a creature that comes in the shape of a bipedal dragon." General Dagger explained, "And by that, I mean a dragon that stands on its hind legs only."

"Have you ever seen an organoid?"-

"I personally have never seen an organoid, nor have I seen any organoids in action. That is why I personally took command of this battle, so I might witness the use of an organoid in a fight. But so far, nothing has occurred."-

"Sir," the third operative said. "We have confirmed zoids incoming."

"Where from…?"-

"They're attacking from the sky."-

"We have a visual on the incoming zoids, sir." The first operative said. "They're Storm Sworders."

"Then it must be those meddlesome bodyguards of Emperor Rudolph of Gylos." Dagger said. "Providing air support for their comrades eh?"

The Storm Sworders, giant Pterodactyl or Pterosaur type zoids, were considered in there day to be the fastest ever to fly the skies. The feature which they are most known for and from where their name originates was due to the large swords that could be deployed and retracted from the front of their wings. Piloting these two zoids were the personally bodyguards and surrogate guardians of the young Emperor Rudolph, and former mercenaries, the pair, Rosso and Viola.

"What are your orders, sir?" the first operative asked.

"Inform our battery units on the base of the hill," General Dagger instructed, "Tell them to aim and if possible, shoot down those two zoids. We don't want the enemy gaining advantage over the air space, now do we? Activate the defense shields before allowing the battery to commence firing. Then attack with everything they have after that, I don't want a single gun silent."

"Yes sir. Relaying your orders now…"-

"Orders to our anti-air artillery battery have been sent." The second operative added. "They'll be ready to commence with cannonade barrage once the shield is up."

"It will take at least ninety seven seconds for defense shield to be put in place." The third operative implied. "Commencing countdown in tee minus eighty nine seconds…"

While in the midst of preparing for a counter attack, the two Storm Sworders swooped down into the fray. Firing their missiles, they inflicted severe damage to some of the Gatler tanks.

"Sorry that we're late." Rosso shouted from the leading Storm Sworder.

"Better late than never..." replied Van from the Blade Liger.

"It's about time...!" Irvine cried from the Lightning Saix.

The Storm Sworders lunged down and with the blades on their wings deployed, they managed to cut several of the Gatlers in half. Again, the two flying zoids swooped down and down again, cutting up ten to twelve Gatlers. Now, with the Storm Sworders supporting them, Van, Thomas, and Irvine were quick at retaliating against the Gatlers, mowing them down with every strike of the claw, with every slice of the sword, with every bullet and shell. It was apparent that the tide of battle was turning against the Midnight Faction.

"We have these guys right where we want them." Van cheered.

"Let's finish this battle!" Irving added.

"Victory is assured!" Thomas shouted.

But as it seemed that the table was not in favor of the Guardian Force, a series of bombardments emerged from out of nowhere. The attack was so sudden that Rosso and Viola were completely caught off guard. The Storm Swords were practically hit at point blank.

"Mayday, mayday," Rosso shouted, "We've been hit. We're going down."

"Rosso, Viola…!" Van cried as he watched his comrades descend to the ground in a violent spin.

"Sorry about this, you guys." Viola cried from her cockpit. "I guess these Midnight Faction forces caught us off guard this time.

"We're ejecting from our zoids." Rosso shouted. Both he and Viola exited their cockpits and opened their parachutes. They watched as their Storm Sworders crashed head long into the ground below.

"Man," Viola uttered. "That was too close for comfort, don't you think, Rosso?"

"Yeah, they must have some sort of barrage artillery somewhere."-

"Well. Let's not worry about that now and see if we can land safely behind our own lines."-

The two pilots managed to direct their parachutes safely behind their lines and away from the battlefield. Van and the others watched as their two comrades, like small grey insects vanished out of sight, to the safety of the Guardian Force defenses.

"Well, I'm glad to see that Rosso and Viola managed to withdraw from this fight without encountering any enemy units who would try to shoot them down." Irvine said.

"But where the heck did that attack come from anyway?" Van asked. "It's like those blast came out from nowhere. But whatever they were, they definitely originated in the area where the Midnight Faction deployed their troops earlier." He scanned about at where the attack had originated. Sure enough, he saw, poking through the tree line, which bordered the battlefield, the glimmering gun barrels of the Midnight Faction's heavy artillery battery. "There, behind that line of trees. The Midnight Faction has an artillery battery there."

"I see." Thomas implied. "I see where they are. Their barrels are reflecting the light from the sun."

"We have to get rid of those batteries now before they stir up more trouble for us."-

"But they're too far behind enemy lines for us to get at them quickly. We won't have an effective strike against them at this distance."

"But if we don't get rid of them," Irvine stated, "They'll be able to provide support fire to the Gatler units in front of us."

"Leave those batteries to us, sir." A voice shouted. From behind the trio, a long line of Gunsniper zoids came rushing onto the field. The Gunsnipers assembled themselves into their battle formations. Each zoid turned away and aimed their tail guns at the enemy battery. "Fire away!"

The Gunsnipers commenced their volley at the hidden artillery batteries hidden behind the forest line. But as the bullets made their way to their targets, they were suddenly repelled by an invisible force.

"No effect," the leader of the Gunsniper unit shouted, "The bullets have no effect."

"It must be some form of shield." Thomas implied as he watched the bullets ricochet off the force field.

"What fools those people are." General Dagger said as he watched the attack on his batteries fail. "You should know by now that our defense shields can't be penetrated, not even by special shield penetration bullets. However, that assault on my men was uncalled for. I'll have you vanquished for that."

Soon, the heavy batteries began to return fire and destroy the Gunsnipers one by one. The soldiers held their grounds, hoping to have at least some effect, but to no avail. Eventually, they had to withdraw, knowing that they were not skilled enough to outfight even the infamous Gatlers. The Gatlers on the other hand, had formed into a solid line and were not launching energy missiles from their emitters at the front of the tank's hull. To add, the main cannons began their own barrage and the three Gatling guns hailed a shower of energy bullets at the enemy. And because the Gatlers were cell powered, they required no ammunition, thus they were able to keep up an intense barrage for hours on end. Even Van, Irvine, and Thomas found themselves overwhelmed by this sudden change in fire intensity.

"Man," Irvine uttered, "Where the heck did they get all this firepower from?"

"Can we return fire?" Van asked.

"At the rate of fire power their releasing," Thomas replied, "We won't be able to make much of an impact if we return fire."

"Should we withdraw?" Irvine asked.

"What do you mean by that?"-

"Well, there's no point in us staying here and getting massacred. Our energy is almost out and we're outnumbered fifty to one at least."-

"But if we run now, there will be a chance that the Midnight Faction will pursue us and turn our retreat into a route."-

"Thomas," Van instructed, "Tell our forces to return back the Ultrasaurus and have the Ultrasaurus withdraw from here as quickly as possible. We'll try our best to fend off the advancing Gatlers and buy them some time."

"I gotcha…!"-

"Van, Thomas," Irvine shouted, "Look…!"

They looked to find that the Gatlers had broken up their formation and were now beginning to surround the three zoids on all three sides, the front and the flank. The front Gatlers continued their intense barrage, making sure that their opponents were not able to retaliate, but at the same time, Fifty Gatlers more, each on the flanks, began to advance towards the retreating columns of the Guardian Force.

"They're heading towards our lines!" Thomas cried.

"Damn it…!" Van shouted.

But as it seemed that this battle was to transform into a route, a sudden barrage of beams came from out of the sky. They were too high elevated to be coming from the barge guns of the Ultrasaurus and they were more numerous, inflicting heavy damage amidst the Gatlers.

"That barrage." Thomas uttered. "That's not from the Ultrasaurus."

"Where's it coming from?" Irvine asked.

Suddenly, all three of their cockpit sensors picked up a large energy source from above.

"Above us!" the three shouted in unison. They looked up to see a bizarre looking ship descending at a fast pace, firing at the Gatlers along the way. It was a gummi ship that gave the support fire. The KH team had finally arrived.

Within the gummi, Donald and Goofy aimed the armaments of the gummi, deploying the new laser emitters and firing their newly upgraded double main cannons. The explosions that erupted from the gummi ship were intense, causing massive explosions and destroying the advancing Gatlers by the dozen.

"Here we come to save the day!" Goofy shouted, ecstatically.

"Let's let the faction have it!" Donald added. The others watched as the battle now turned in favor of the Guardian Force, due to the sudden appearance of the KH team.

This development however did not bode well in the eyes of the Midnight Faction. General Dagger watched on in anger as he saw this ship suddenly appear.

"Where in the world did that ship come from?" Dagger thought to himself. He turned to his men. "Tell the heavy artillery batteries to shoot that thing down!"

"Yes sir," one of the operatives implied, "Relaying orders. All batteries, target that ship overhead. I repeat, target and shoot down that ship overhead."

It wasn't long before the guns began to bellow.

However, the barrage was anticipated by the KH team.

"In coming energy source…!" Ophelia shouted, as she oversaw the radar monitor.

"Deploying shield…!" Goofy shouted. He pressed the shield activation button and the energy emitting disks were deployed. Once in place, they began to accumulate the shield's energy and thus prevent the gummi from taking on damage.

"Sora," Riku implied, "Give the word out to the Guardian Force. Tell them that we're here to give them a hand."

"I gotcha, Riku…!" Sora replied. He immediately activated the transmission system and gave identification of who they were. The word spread lie wiled fire to all units on the field. "Attention, attention Guardian Force! Attention, attention Guardian Force."

In the Ultrasaurus, the voice and face of Sora appeared on the main screen.

"Who is that?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Is that…Sora…?" Rob Herman uttered as he watched the familiar face appear in front of him.

"Attention Guardian Force." Sora began. "This is Sora of the KH team, in league with the Universal Alliance. We've come to your aid."

"Sora…?" Van uttered from his cockpit.

"That's not the same kid who helped us six years ago is it?" Irvine implied.

"Without a doubt, it's Sora alright."-

This same declaration was also received by the Midnight Faction. Of all the faction soldiers present in the control room, General Dagger was the one who was the most shocked.

"Sora…of the KH team, here?" he uttered. "It can't be…" He slammed his fist onto the arm of his command chair. "Blast it, of all times for them to show up!"

"Is it true, sir?" one of the operatives asked. "Is that the voice of the infamous key bearer?"

"He is but one of the two. They are the ones responsible for halting our plans in the 'Wing,' 'Seed,' and 'Rurouni' realms. There presence here only means that they managed to defeat General Knives and General Bayonet." The General grit his teeth as well as his fist to the point where his ivories might have broken and his nails would have cut his own palms, causing them to bleed. "Damn, those two are stronger than we had ever anticipated."

"What are your orders, sir?" another operative asked.

"Shoot them down! I don't care how, shoot them down! We can't afford to have those key bearers aid the resistance anymore than they already have!" He stood from his command chair. "Tell the batteries to initiate another barrage!"

"Yes sir." The operative contacted the batteries at the base of the hill. "Destroy the target at all cost! I repeat, destroy the target at all cost!"

The batteries complied and began to fire a barrage at the small gummi that flew overhead. However, the shield that surrounded the little KH ship maintained its formation, thus no harm was done to it.

"Sir," the operative implied, "It's no use. There's some type of force field protecting that ship sir. Our artillery has no effect on it."

"Damn it!"-

Van, Irvine, and Thomas watched as the Gatlers began to slowly withdraw, their forces eradicated by the barrage given out by the gummi ship.

"The tide has turned!" Van shouted. "Zeke…!"

Suddenly, from the safety of the battlefield, Van's metallic companion, Zeke, his trustworthy organoid, ignited his rockets. With an excited roar, Zeke ascended into the sky in a grand beam of light. The little organoid's light was a bright blue which caught the eyes of everyone who witnessed the battle. Zeke's light arches as he came streaming down into the Blade Liger. On impact, it seemed as if the organoid was absorbed by the Blade Liger. Van's zoid suddenly began to glow a bright blue, matching the energy color given out by Zeke. Immediately, Van's Blade Liger had increased in speed, agility, and strength.

"Let's go, buddy!" Van shouted. Zeke roared with his friend's enthusiasm and the Blade Liger entered battle again. This time, he proved more than a match for the Gatler Tanks.

General Dagger was once again shocked at this sudden turn of events as he watched the supposedly weakened Blade Liger suddenly attack with such ferocity at the faction forces.

"How in the world did that Blade Liger suddenly accumulate so much strength…!" He uttered. "That zoid was virtually helpless during the Gatler Barrage. How in the hell could it have suddenly regained its energy? And what was that light that hit it? Was it due to that light that the Blade Liger suddenly increased in power?" Dagger feared the worst. "Could it be that that light was…an organoid…?"

"Sir," one of the operatives implied. "The Blade Liger has suddenly picked up a great deal of strength. It's accumulating a large energy source and we don't know where it came from."

"Could it be that the Liger was somehow revived by that bright light that arched in the sky, sir?" another operative asked.

"There is no doubt that that light was responsible for that zoid's revival." Dagger said. "Did you manage to get a recording of the light fusing with Flyheight's Liger?"

"I did, sir."-

"Send the images back to our rear headquarters. Have them analyze the footage."-

"Yes sir."-

"Sir," the first operative said, "Our Gatler units are being wiped out! Van Flyheight and his comrades are wreaking havoc amongst their ranks!"

"Sir," a third operative cried, "The Lightning Saix and the Dibison are beginning to outflank the Gatlers. They're being scattered."

"Gummi ship is still providing covering fire for the Guardian Force. Our artillery has no effect on it."-

"Damn…" Dagger uttered. The General was quiet as he watched the carnage unfold before his eyes, he was unable to speak. There was a silence in the control room. The only thing that could be heard was the explosions of the battle. With a sigh of disappointment, not really willing to let go of his pride and accept defeat, The General lowered his head, his fist still clutching tightly in anger. "Issue a general order to all faction forces. Tell them to withdraw at once."

"Sir…?" the first operative uttered.

"Issue a retreat?" the second operative added.

"Carry out my order!" Dagger shouted. "It is embarrassing enough to accept defeat! But I will not have our forces suffer any more casualties than they already have! We can't afford anymore losses! Send out the order!"

"Yes sir!" the operatives said in unison. Dagger only continued to clutch his fist.

"It's all because of the KH team coming when they did." The General thought to himself. "And that organoid that fused with Flyheight's Blade Liger, if that was an organoid to begin with, that further turned the battle against us! Victory was in our grasp and we were so close to storming the Republican capital. Then we could have been able to meander about this world unopposed, with no real threat. Damn it to hell that the KH team appeared when it did! Now there's no stopping the Alliance intervention in this world! If only we had mobile doll support, then perhaps this outcome could have been avoided. We would have been able to fight these cretins on an equal playing field."

The Guardian Force and the KH team watched as the Midnight Faction departed from that world and made their way back their headquarters.

"It looks like they're retreating." Van said.

"Let's go after them!" Irvine shouted. "If we pursue them now and finish them off, we can end this thing with the Midnight Faction once and for all! Then they'll know better than to come here and cause trouble ever again."

"That's out of the question right now." Thomas implied. "The three of us can't take on that massive force on our own, even if Van has fused his zoid with Zeke."

"What do you think, Van? Should we go after them?"-

"I agree that we should go after them," Van said, "But how do we know that this retreat isn't deliberate? Remember those last few campaigns that it seemed as if they were retreating, only to have us fall into a well organized surprise attack? We can't afford to lose any more men this time around. We lost a lot of zoids and with them many of our best pilots."

"But these guys aren't planning anything this time, Van. They're running scared."-

"Are you really willing to make such a judgment?"-

Irvine only pondered and hesitated to act. He did not know whether to strike out on his own and risk possible death, or to return to their own lines and maintain a strong position.

"Besides," Van uttered, "We still have all these wounded to care to."

"I guess you're right." The three returned to their lines to refresh themselves and to allow their men some reprieve time.

The KH team watched from above as the battle came to a halt and both sides began to withdraw.

"Take the gummi down." Riku said.

"Are you sure?" Donald asked.

"But the faction's getting away." Ophelia implied.

"I know." Riku said.

"But are sure you just want them to retreat?" Sora asked. "We could just finish them off here and now. I mean we have the ability to."

"He does have a point." Cuchulain added. "We proved it throughout all the worlds we've saved."

"Yes, but not without some help…" Riku replied. "We've managed to win all those times because we used strategy and the element of surprise to our advantage. We never once attacked head one because we knew that doing so would only be a suicide mission. And besides, the commander in chief of this world happens to be General Dagger, one of the infamous Blade Generals. Unlike Hydra Dunker from the 'Seed' realm and Vermoncht Delinor from the 'Rurouni' realm, this commander has some reputation of being one of the elite brass of the faction."

"You should heed Riku's words." Cunla said. "Unlike General Knives and General Bayonet, who were and are still considered the runts of the five Blade Generals, the remaining three are the ones your have to watch out for. The reason is because they are the most crafty and most cunning for the five Blade Generals, or for that matter of any officer who serves or served under Lord Sirius Viicous."

"Cunla's right." Ophelia added. "General Dagger is considered to be a monster in some worlds."

"What do you know about him?" Sora asked.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute, you guys," Riku implied, "Before we start discussing this matter at hand, let's get down there and at least congratulate Van and the others on a job well done."

"So we're going down to the Guardian Force then?" Donald asked.

"I guess so, Donald." Goofy implied.

"We can't risk a frontal assault against the Midnight Faction." Riku said. "Even if they are in full retreat, they can still pose a threat to us. Besides, the gummi needs to be charged up and refitted."

"That's good enough for me." Sora said.

The little gummi made its descent down towards the lines of the Guardian Force.

Meanwhile, amidst the retreating forces of the Midnight Faction, General Dagger had reflected on the events that occurred only a half an hour ago. Sitting quietly in his command shuttle, he reminisced about the ending result of the battle.

"With the KH team already united with the Guardian Force," he thought to himself, "The task we face upon this planet, in getting the necessary information required for our cause, will be a lot more rigorous. I never thought that the KH team would have been able to achieve so much against us in so little time. They managed to get by Knives and Bayonet with very little effort. They managed to fondle our plans to take over those other realms and worlds that were bustling with factional activity. It's all due to those two key bearers. They're the ones that lit the fuse to chaos."

"General Dagger," the shuttle pilot implied, "There is an incoming message from headquarters."

"Yes…?" Dagger uttered.

"They've recently received information from our main establishment in the Disney Kingdom that we'll be receiving reinforcements within the next two hours or so."-

"Really…"-

"To add, they are sending two corps of mobile dolls, consisting of upgraded Tauruses and Virgos."-

"Upgraded?"-

"Yes, they've implanted the combat data of Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala of the 'Seed Realm' into the main zero system of the dolls. They've been upgraded to move faster, to be more agile, and in every way more durable."-

"Excellent work, give my compliments to General Stentor. He always goes out of the way to assure the success of our cause."-

"Yes sir."-

"Sir," said the copilot. "There's an incoming message from our realm headquarters."

"Yes…?" Dagger asked.

"They've just finished analyzing the footage data recorded during the final stages of that battle, regarding that bizarre light that imminated into Van Flyheight's Blade Liger."-

"And…?"-

"It was slowed down to one millionth of a second and it was at that speed that they saw…"-

"Saw what…?"-

"Something that looked like a silver, bipedal dragon entering the combat system of the zoid…"-

"So…" Dagger chuckled. "That was an organoid fused with the blue Blade Liger. Very well done, very well done indeed."

Meanwhile, back at the Ultrasaurus, where the Guardian Force had managed to reassemble themselves, The KH team's little gummi ship had descended just a the main elevator entrance of the massive zoid. From the gummi, Riku and Sora jumped out to meet Van Flyheight and the others, who had awaited their descent.

"I see that you guys managed to hold your own in the end, eh!" Sora chuckled as he and the KH team approached the members of the Guardian Force.

"Without your help," Van implied, "I don't think that we would've gotten very far." Both Sora and Van shook hands. "It's been a long time hasn't it."

"Too long, I think."-

"Well, it's good to know you're still able to put up one hell of a fight," Riku said, "Despite the odds." Van smiled and shook Riku's hand hardily as well.

"May I introduce you to my comrades, if you don't know them already," Van said, presenting his two closest comrades, "This is Irvine and Thomas Shuvaultz. And of course you should know my best friend and partner, Zeke." The organoid made an almost purring sound of affection, snuggling his nose on Van's cheek.

"And allow me to introduce you to some of our comrades." Sora replied. "Goofy and Donald I'm sure you already know. Then, there's Cuchulain, his son Cunla, and Miss Ophelia Billiard."

"I'm surprised that you managed to accumulate so many comrades into your team."-

"Van!" a voice suddenly shouted. The young zoid pilot turned to see a blond haired girl running towards him. It was Van's childhood friend and one of his closest companions, Fiona.

"Fiona…!" Van replied. Fiona flung herself into his arms and embracing him tightly. Tears came down her eyes and she grasped onto the youth. Van held her close and both looked into each other's eyes.

"What's wrong, Fiona?"-

"I was just scared that you wouldn't make it out of there. I thought that you were going to die when I saw the Blade Liger being shot at."-

"Fiona…" Van held her closer, placing her head underneath his chin. After a few second of a tender hug, Van then laid his hands gently on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "There's no need to worry about me, Fiona. It takes more than a few bullets to take me down."

"Van…" Sora implied. Van then looked to see the KH team looking at them with those eager eyes on their faces, hoping to see what would happen next.

"Oh, sorry about that…" Van chuckled. "I got lost a little bit back there."

"We have something very important to discuss with you."-

"You and us both." A voice shouted out. Both the KH team and the Guardian Force turned to find three individuals standing idly by. The one who spoke was also a young and fair youth, no older than twenty five or so. He wore what looked like an oriental style, sleeveless, tail coat, red with yellow trim. He wore a hand on the top of his head with a strange almost flowerlike crest at the front. With brown hair and brown eyes, he was the youngest of the three supposedly and one of the KH teams old allies. The next individual was a tall man with long brown hair and penetrating blue eyes. He could have almost been like Cuchulain's brother, since their eyes and hair were almost identical, say for the fact that the man's hair was only shoulder length and not bound into a ponytail and there was a deep scar that streaked across his face, from the upper right brow to the lower left cheek. He war a sleeveless black jacket and black pants, with a series of belts looping about his waist area. Around his neck, there was a silver necklace bearing the crest of a cross and lion. He too was one of the KH team's closest and oldest allies. The last of the three men had bright blond hair that stuck up in split ends like that of a wild porcupine, most of the ends compiling on the right side of his face, giving him a mysterious youthful look. Dressed in a dark blue outfit, he wore hip armor on his right and shoulder armor on his left. On his left hand was a clawed gauntlet used for hand to hand melee. He wore a dark red cloak, almost mauve to be precise with a black bats wing protruding and expanding from his left shoulder. Like the other two he accompanied, the young man was also an old ally from the KH team's past. They were of course; you guessed it, Cloud Strife, Squall Leonhart, and Lu Xun.

"Lu Xun…?" Sora uttered. "Leon, Cloud…?"

"It's been a while hasn't it?" Lu Xun replied.

"We were wondering when you guys were going to get here." Leon added. "We were starting to think that you wouldn't show."

"And here I was expecting you to keep them on schedule, Cuchulain."-

"Heh, heh, you'll have to forgive my tardiness." Cuchulain chuckled and he rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh yeah," Van said, "I forgot to tell you guys that Lu Xun and his friends were awaiting your arrival for some time now."

"I can see why Sneer wasn't in such a big hurry to send us over here." Riku implied. "He has everyone out in this realm helping to fight the Midnight Faction."

"Is there anyone else with the alliance here with you?"-

"Yuffie is here too." Cloud said. "Without a doubt, she must be doing her reconnaissance mission right now, so she won't be back until later."

Lu Xun then observed Ophelia Billiard and little Cunla.

"Well, well, well," he said, "What the reports said were right. The infamous Tiger of Goth, Ophelia Billiard of the Midnight Faction and little Cunla of the Midnight Faction have defected in favor of us."

"You know about us?" Cunla asked.

"It's been announced through the faction and the Universal Alliance that you defected. Now everyone in your old organization wishes to have you executed for being traitors."-

"You mean those two were faction members before?" Irvine asked.

"Surprised?" Leon uttered. "So were we when we heard the news."

"Once these two were considered the most loyal and most notorious individuals to serve under the Midnight Faction, now they're the most notorious individuals wanted by the Midnight Faction."-

"Gentlemen," Cuchulain said, "If you don't mind cutting the reminiscing a little short, we have some very important issues to discuss with you."

"And what reason would that be?" Thomas Shuvaultz asked.

"It's regarding the real reason why the Midnight Faction is here."-

"What…!" the members, outside the KH team, uttered in unison.

"You mean you guys know the real reason why the faction is here?" Lu Xun asked.

"You mean no one has told you about why the faction's here?" Sora uttered.

"There's been no word." Cloud implied.

"We were sent here to help fend off the forces of the Midnight Faction for as long as we were able." Lu Xun added.

"But Sneer said that you guys would be the ones to tell us once you got here." Leon said.

"Is it for some real big purpose?" Van asked added.

"We'll tell you as soon as we get into a secure location." Ophelia Billiard suggested. "Because as far as we know, there may be faction spies close by, listening at what we have to say."

"Miss Billiard does have a point." Donald implied.

"Very well," Lu Xun said. "Let's get into the Ultrasaurus. You can reveal the information to us there."

The KH team and there allies did not hesitate any further and instead moved into the Ultrasaurus so that the key bearers could uncover the true intension behind the Midnight Faction's activity.

General Dagger had finally arrived back at his main realm headquarters with new knowledge regarding organoids and their ability to manipulate the combat capability of zoids. His shuttle reached a large compound with a series of buildings constructed with in the center of a large circle, which had been carved out and cleared from the surrounding forest area. Like a large cement blemish it was, nestled in the center of its grand vale. Dagger's shuttled then descended upon a marked landing pad where its descent was coordinated by factional personnel. The rockets rumbled as the ship touched the ground; then slowly died away. Once secure on the ground, the hatch of the shuttle opened and General Dagger emerged from the ship. He walked down the ramp of the ship and to the main facility where all faction operation was commencing. To his right, faction soldier marched in straight lines, being deployed for the next engagement. To his right, Gatler tanks, refitted and polished were also making their way to the front. Some of them carried heavy artillery pieces behind them.

Upon reaching the half way point between the main ship and the main facility, he encountered on of his subordinates, Colonel Elias Winifred, who was the commander of the post in the absence of his superior.

"Ah, General Dagger," Colonel Winifred implied as he met with his commander, "I'm glad to see that you have managed to emerge from out of that disaster alive."

"It was a factional blunder." Dagger replied. "There were some complications to our strategy and to some sudden twists of events."

"What can you expect when you were so close to eliminating the head of the New Helic Republic?"

"Have you heard the reason why we were forced to retreat?"-

"Plus the fact of that organoid that suddenly appeared out of nowhere and fused with the Blade Liger of Van Flyheight, I also understand that the KH team had just arrived helping to initiate supportive covering fire for the Guardian Force."-

"It's because of those fools that we were forced to abandon our goal. But the good news is that at least we were able to gain knowledge of the mysterious organoid that has eluded us up until now."-

The two officers, along with their subordinates and staff, as well as a few highly trained bodyguards, entered the facility. Taking an elevator to the lower levels of the compound, they eventually reached their destination, the main control room.

"By the way," General Dagger implied, "I have been meaning to ask you, what news regarding our supply trains and reinforcements for our campaign against the Imperial capital of the Gylos Empire?"

There was a silence that suddenly accumulated in the control room, despite the beeping of computers. Dagger turned to see Colonel Winifred's facial expression. It was one that bore bad tidings.

"Sir…I…"-

"I take it by your expression that bad tidings are in store?"-

"Yes sir."-

"Well?"-

"Well, I dispatched the supply units and reinforcement Gatlers from the base early this morning as you had instructed me to do. They were about half way to reaching our front at the Imperial capital when suddenly, the convoys were attacked.

"Attacked, attacked by whom?"-

"Two extremely rare and powerful zoids…"-

"Only two zoids…? You're saying that only two zoids managed to eliminate an entire convoy consisting of over one hundred highly mobile Gatler tanks?"-

"Yes sir."-

General Dagger's fists tightened up. His teeth began to clench tightly against each other.

"Damn it, damn it," he suddenly burst out, "Damn it all to hell! How can only two zoids eliminate so many tanks…!"

"They weren't your ordinary zoids, sir." Colonel Winifred implied. "They were the same two elusive zoids that have been attacking our convoys in both the north and the south. They must work independently from the Guardian Force."

"I don't understand how they are able to strike so quickly without us even able to send our observation units into that area."-

"I do have some good news, sir. It may have taken a while, sir, but we managed to finally get an image on the two elusive zoids."-

"What was that? You mean you managed to finally gain information regarding what it was that was responsible for attacking our supply units?"-

"That is correct, sir." Colonel Winifred gave the signal and one of the operatives at his station activated the data screen. On the screen emerged the images of the two zoids responsible for the destruction of so many convoys. The two zoids were like two metallic Carnasaurs, one blue, the other red. "I present before you, sir, the two elusive zoids that have caused the depletion of our supplies."

"I see," Dagger said, "So those zoids are the ones we've been searching for. The ones that are able to attack like lighting and destroy their enemy even faster then vanish into the landscape without a trace. Hard to believe that large zoids like those could easily elude us. But I guess this time around they were not as elusive and lighting fast as before."

"We've also confirmed the type of zoids they are."-

"Really…?"-

"Yes sir. We have confirmed that the duo consists of a blue Genosaur, which is a rare enough zoid as it is, and the infamous Genobreaker, which is an exceptionally rare zoid. One that is considered more of a myth, it's the evolved form of the Genobreaker. It's mostly distinct features are the large Pincer claws at its sides used for close range combat as well as to enhance its protective shield. And of course, like the Genosaur, it is armed with a very powerful charged particle gun which can be deployed from the zoids mouth. With features like those, I wouldn't be surprised that most of our convoys in the past have fallen so easily to them. However, this convoy was split into certain groups and was at least five times bigger than most others. I guess that is the reason why they weren't able to operate their executed plan as quickly as they usually would and that is the reason why we were able to catch them in the midst of battle. To add, there are some other pieces of evidence that lead to this conclusion. The last transmitted message we received was from the convoy in their last attempts to stand up to those powerful zoids." The Colonel then activated the recorded transmitted message. The General and all in the control room listened to the final comments give by their comrades before meeting a sorry end.

"_Mayday, mayday,"_ The message began, _"This is the twelfth Gatler unit. Those elusive zoids are attacking us. One is a large red bipedal zoid with Pincers and the other is a blue bipedal. Both look as if they're the same model and… _

_There are two arches of light that suddenly appeared in the sky…_

_It looks as if they're fusing with the zoids and…_

_Oh my God, oh my God, there's a large beam of light…_

_Oh my God, twenty Gatlers have been eliminated…but how…_

_Mayday, mayday, are you receiving me HQ? We need reinforcements…repeat HQ, we need…"_

After those final words, there was nothing, but static, thus indicating that the convoy had met its end.

"All those men," Dagger thought to himself, "killed in an instant."

"Sir," Colonel Winifred stated, "If you remember what that soldier said before meeting his demise. He said that there were two arches of light that suddenly appeared in the sky. Wouldn't you say that such a description is equal to what you witnessed back in the fight near New Helic city?"

"You have a point there." Dagger said. "That only indicates that organoids were involved in that assault on the convoy. And those pilots, whoever they are, have organoids to help increase the power of their zoids."

"They must have been forced to use those organoids because they might have been meeting too tough a resistance." Colonel Winifred gave a second signal to the operative and the operative activated the new images. This time, they were ones that captured the image of the two zoids being consumed by bright light emanating from tall arches that leaped into the higher atmosphere. "In fact, we have captured footage of this sudden phenomenon. As you can see, it is the same type of fusion witnessed at the Battle of New Helic city."

"Very well done, Colonel, very well done, this morning's initiated campaigns might have ended in disaster, but the information gained because of those blunders has become a great asset. I'm sure that you are busy trekking those zoids down."

"We are, sir, and we have confirmed their present destination."-

"Which is...?"-

"They are heading for the Ultrasaurus and New Helic city."-

"Then this will work out well for us." Dagger's disappointment turned to enthusiasm as he conjured up his next plan of attack. "With these three organoids present in the same area, we could capture all three of them with no problems to face whatsoever."

"Sir…," Colonel Winifred asked. "If I may be so bold as to ask how you are going to capture them when they are so far behind enemy lines. We can't just send in another convoy to attack the Ultrasaurus and New Helic city head on. That would be suicidal."

"I know that it would be suicidal, but I never said that I would be sending in any convoy to attack them head on."-

"Then who…?"-

"Who else…the Heartless…"-

"The Heartless, you're going to send them into the fray?"-

"It stands to reason. If we send in our Gatlers and supplies, and we fail, we decrease our own resources. But if we send in the Heartless, there is no need for us to fear. They will use their superior numbers to attack our foe and their demise in battle is superfluous. They can easily be replaced."

"But still it's rather risky having to depend of them. They'll consume those who rely too much on their strength."-

"There will be no need for concern. Their only objective is to capture those three organoids."-

Suddenly, appearing before the General, another Super Anti-Riku and Super Anti-Sora emerged from the shadows. General Dagger smiled at them.

"Capture the organoids. Do whatever possible to capture them. In fact, attack what it is they cherish the most. Go for their pilot companions and they will have to defend them. Thus, they will be open to your ambush. Now go."-

The two Antis bowed and then disappeared into the shadows.

"This time, it will be us who gain victory."-

The KH team, their allies, and the lead members of the Guardian Force had assembled in the strategy chamber. On the floor was an electronic map to which strategy data could be implemented and thus give a clear picture to all in the room what the strategy would be. It was near the vicinity of the map that the KH team made ready to explain the reason that there was so much factional activity commencing within the 'Zi' Realm.

"Well," Lu Xun uttered, "Now that everyone is here, would you mind giving us the information that you received from headquarters regarding the reason for the faction's presence in this world?"

"Just a minute," Van interrupted, "We're still waiting for our other comrades to arrive."

"Other comrades…?" Sora asked.

"Hey Van," Irvine said, in a rather hostile manner, "Are you talking about Raven and Reese?"

"Of course," Van replied, "Who else would I be talking about?"

"Trusting a guy as unstable as Raven, and someone as unpredictable as Reese is a bad thing…"-

"Irvine does have a point." Thomas added. "I mean you've seen the way that Raven acts around us. He's like the tough and arrogant type who doesn't want help from anyone and doesn't want any part in helping anyone either than himself."-

"You're wrong there." Van said, defending his comrade. "I have every confidence in Raven. I mean, he may not act like it, but he's one of the most trusted guys I know besides all of you."

"Is Raven that one guy with that midnight black hair?" Sora asked. "Kind of that gloomy and cocky personality all rolled into one?"

"That's the one alright. He and Reese have been pillaging faction supply lines and reinforcements around the entire continent at lightning speed."-

"They are able to carry out their missions so fast," General Rob Herman implied, "the faction hasn't even been able to spot their zoids in action."

"So the faction has no known data on them?" Riku asked.

"That's right."-

Suddenly, the doors to the chamber opened up and a soldier came in, accompanying the two pilots, Raven and Reese.

Raven, with his black pilot jumper suit was a sight to behold. He was indeed a fine young man, his hair black as night and hanging freely from his head with a few bangs slipping over his intense purple eyes. Next to him was Reese, a fair young girl of equal beauty, her eyes both intense and innocent at the same time. Her blue hair short, a few bangs fell over her face as well. Her feminine physique was encased in a blue pilot jumper. Following just behind them were their own organoids. Shadow, a black dragon type, and Raven's closest friend, had dark wings on his back that folded in nicely behind him. The second, Reese's organoid, named Specula, was a magnificent blue with a pair of pincer tusks protruding from out of his mouth.

"Agents Raven and Reese, sir…" The soldier announced.

"I'm glad to see that you two made it." Van said.

"We had a hard time on our last raid." Reese implied. "I am glad to see that all of us have assembled though and none of us are dead."

"Well look on the bright side," Rosso chuckled, "At least you two are still in one piece."

"That mission was a blunder." Raven uttered, placing his hand at his side. "We were careless."

"How's that…?" Van asked.

"We allowed ourselves to be surveyed by the enemy." It was then that Raven looked upon the faces of the KH team and the representatives of the Universal Alliance representatives. "And who are they?"

"I'm sure that you would remember two of them at least, Riku and Sora."-

Raven, remembering the two familiar faces of the key bearers only nodded in silence.

"Not much on words is he…" Goofy whispered to Donald.

"Well, look at him." Donald implied. "The guy's a stiff."

"And who might their other comrades be?" Raven asked. "I've never seen them before."

"These are our friends?" Sora said. "Miss Ophelia Billiard, Cuchulain, and Cunla, and over there are Lu Xun, Leon, and Cloud. And I'm sure that you already know Goofy and Donald from the last time."

"Nice to see you again…!" Goofy chuckled.

Reese smiled and raised her hand as a friendly greeting. Raven only nodded without saying a word.

"Now that we have the introductions out of the way," Cloud uttered, "May we continue with the matter at hand."

"Of course," Riku said. Taking the center stage of the group, Riku began to explain the reason for the faction's presence. "Now, I'm sure you are all aware that the new foe you face is the Midnight Faction. Am I correct?"

"That's right." Herman implied.

"Exactly how long has it been since the faction arrived here?"-

"We started encountering the faction forces for about a month now." Thomas implied.

"And how many times have you engaged in battle against them?"-

"Judging by our records," Van said, "We've engaged against the Midnight Faction forces in it must be fifty-three engagements."

"Fifty three…?" Sora uttered in disbelief.

"That's right. Of those fifty three confrontations, twelve of them were major open field battles, and ten of them were sieges. The rest were more like ambushes and minor or major skirmish battles."-

"All together," Thomas said, "We're lost from about a quarter to a third of our forces from fighting the faction."

"We've mostly had to cut the factions efforts by attacking the supply lines." Irvine added.

"That's what we have been doing this whole time." Raven implied. "The faction has been concentrating most of their aggression against both the republican capital city of New Helic and the Imperial capital of the Gylos Empire. Reese and I have thus taken the liberty of cutting the supply lines of the faction forces stationed around the capitals."

"I can see why." Cuchulain said. "And how long ago has it been since you and the others arrived, Lu Xun?"

"Well," Lu Xun pondered, "I'd say to be about two weeks ago."

"Actually," a voice uttered from behind the group, "It's been a week and a half at least." The group was startled from the voice. They turned to find none other than Yuffie looking at them with a big smile on her face.

"Y…Yuffie…!" Sora uttered.

"Hey there, Kiddo…!" Yuffie chuckled. "Long time no see eh? Aw, wait, I shouldn't call you a kid anymore. You're all grown up now!"

"You know, you shouldn't be doing that Yuffie," Leon uttered, crossing his arms in front of him. His eyes closed with frustration, "You'll eventually scare someone to death."

"Nearly gave me a heart attack." Irvine uttered.

"Where did you come from?" Van asked.

"Never mind where she came from." Riku said. "The real question is how long have you been standing there?"

"I've only just arrived." Yuffie said in a giddy and happy manner.

"And how is it that we didn't see you?" Donald asked.

"Well, I'm not called the Great Ninja Yuffie for nothing right?"-

"Yuffie," Leon said, "I take it that you've finished your rounds in your reconnaissance mission."

"That's right." Yuffie said.

"And what did you find out?"-

"I found out that the faction is in full retreat now from New Helic city. That last battle certainly did them in."-

"But then again, that battle certainly did us in." Thomas implied. "Our own forces suffered greatly having to fight those Gatler Tanks."

"If it wasn't for the KH team coming to our aid at the last minute..." Van implied.

"Excuse me…!" Raven shouted, "We're steering off the point of this meeting!"

"You're right, Raven." Lu Xun implied. "Now Riku, as you were saying?"

"Continuing from where I left off," Riku implied, "I'm sure that you have realized by now that the faction, unlike their efforts in the 'Wing,' 'Seed,' and 'Rurouni' realms, or for that matter any other world that we've aided so far, have steadily increased their numbers in this realm."

"We were wondering why the faction was putting up such a resistance in this world." Leon said.

"The reason why they have become more aggressive is due to achieving one goal."-

"Which is…?" Van asked.

"They're standing in this room with us." Riku continued.

"They…?"-

"Them…" Riku pointed his finger to the three organoids, Shadow, Zeke, and Specula.

"The organoids," Herman asked, "Is that what the faction is after, the organoids?"

"That's exactly what they are after." Sora said. "That's the reason for the factions mounting offensive. They intend to secure this world under factional rule, so that they can begin the process of hunting for the organoids."

"But what would they want the organoids for?" Reese asked.

"Yeah," Rosso added, "What's the big deal with going after them?"

"They plan to initiate experimental tests on the organoids," Cuchulain implied, taking over from where Riku left off, "They want to see exactly what makes an organoid work and how it's able to affect the strength and durability of a zoid when fused."

"What's the point of all that though?" Van asked.

"The faction knows that the organoids not only have the ability to enhance the strength and ability of the zoid it fuses with, but they also have the ability to reconstruct, replenish, and rebuild a zoid that has been severely weakened or has been damaged in some way."-

"I see what you mean." Raven said. "It is due to the use of organoids that has caught the faction's attention. They plan of creating a similar entity or system that has the same abilities as an organoid so that they may use it to replenish their own battle weapons like that of Gatler tanks."

"But that's an impossibility." Van said. "There's no way that an organoid or an organoid duplicate can replenish anything like that. For one thing, the organoids need a zoid core to fuse with. Without a core, attempting to enhance the ability of a machine would be unlikely."-

"That's the reason the faction has been sweeping the battlefields of damaged zoids. Haven't you've noticed, Flyheight, the withering shells of zoids in the aftermath of a battle. I've seen them, at battlefields near the Imperial capital. All the zoids have had their cores ripped out of them."

"What was that!" the members of the Guardian force uttered.

"You mean the faction has been collecting zoid cores?" Irvine uttered, nearly sickened.

"Yes," Raven said, "The faction has been collecting a great number of zoid cores from downed zoids. Hundreds, if not thousands of zoids have been deprived of their cores."

"This indicates that they their performing some type of experimentation." Ophelia Billiard implied. "They are trying to somehow find the source that allows Organoids and zoid cores to fuse. That way, they can implement that data into their blueprints for the manufacturing of a new zero system."

"And if they manage to implement that data into this new zero system," Cunla said, "The mobile dolls will be a force to reckon with."

"OK, you've lost me now." Van said. "What is this zero system you're talking about? And what the heck are mobile dolls." The KH team was puzzled.

"Wait a minute," Cuchulain uttered, "You mean you guys have never encountered mobile dolls?"

"No, we haven't," Herman implied, "What exactly are mobile dolls and this zero system."

"Well, then you should consider yourselves lucky that you haven't faced them. They are a formidable force to reckon with. I guess this is the best time as any to give you some back up information on what these things are. For starters, mobile dolls are humanoid type machines called mobile suits, which are programmed with artificial combat data."-

"Like sleepers?"-

"What the heck are sleepers?" Sora asked.

"Those are artificially programmed zoids that act as assault units without the need of a pilot. Is that kind of what mobile dolls are?"-

"Similar to sleepers, yes," Cuchulain continued, "But mobile dolls have lightning fast reaction time and are considered in to be superior to human pilots. The mobile dolls that we have encountered frequently, outside of this world, are Taurus and Virgo mobile dolls. The Taurus model is a highly maneuverable doll that can transform into mobile armor, or a flying type of mobile suit. Their quick agility and excellent aim at long range are very effective against enemy troops. The Virgos on the other hand are not as agile or quick as the Tauruses, but they make up for this draw back with another feature, a powerful electromagnetic shield capable of deflecting any projectile or energy source. The shield grows even stronger and becomes at times impenetrable when the Virgos group together in large battle formations. To add, mobile dolls can be continuously upgraded and improved with better combat data. They especially become more effective when programmed with a sophisticated system called the zero system."-

"And what is the zero system?" Raven asked.

"The zero system is another artificial combat system that allows the mobile dolls to initiate strategy and think independently. This system was originally designed to enhance the combat capability of a human pilot, eliminating all limitations, thus transforming them into a flawless combatant. With the zero system at hand, a human pilot would be able to match power of the mobile dolls, if not exceed the capabilities of mobile dolls. With the zero system, the mobile dolls can even be linked to the mind of a human and that person can manipulate the dolls in any way they wish. They become like chess pieces, which can be moved and sacrificed at will."

"And if, for some reason," Sora began, "The faction manages to achieve their goal in creating a new zero system with the data of the organoid and the zoid core implemented within its structure, not only will the mobile dolls be able to enhance themselves beyond their own capability, but the dolls could easily rejuvenate themselves in the midst of battle if and when the organoid upgrade is activated."

"But to have something like that unleashed into the universe," Leon uttered.

"That would be the end of the world for us." Yuffie added.

"Even a small number of mobile dolls would prove to be extremely effective with that type of system manipulating them." Lu Xun added.

"That is why we can't allow the faction to gain that goal and capture your organoids." Ophelia said. "Otherwise, the next time our forces battle with the mobile dolls, the fight itself would be one sided."

"I see now." Rosso said.

"In that case," Viola uttered, adding her voice to the discussion for the first time, "Our number one priority is to prevent those organoids from being captured."

"Ha," Raven scoffed, "The Midnight Faction can do as they please, butt they won't get anywhere. So far, the only thing we have to fear from them is the use of Gatler tanks, nothing more, and they have already proven useless against us. To add, we are too far behind our defense line for them to try and initiate an attack."

"Raven does have a point." Van added. "We can always enter battle without the use of our organoid partners. That way, they can be safe behind our lines, far from the faction's grasp."

"Don't be fooled, Van." Riku said. "It is unwise to underestimate the power of the Midnight Faction. They have other means of taking what they want."

"And how's that…?"-

"Well for starters, they may unleash the…" It was then that Riku felt a dark presence suddenly enter the room. The darkness fell upon his senses ten fold, as if a great weight had landed on his back. Sweat began to drip down the youth's face.

"What's wrong, Riku?" Sora asked. The others in the room also looked at this strange change in Riku's expression. "You look scared."

"Sora," Riku uttered. He then unleashed his keyblade. "We have company."

Sora then felt the same presence biting at the back of his neck. He then saw as the shadows suddenly began to accumulate even darker in the areas of the room where no light shined. He unleashed his keyblade as well.

"Guys," he shouted to the KH team and the alliance members, "We've got company!"

"Company," Van asked, "What do you mean company?"

"Of all times to show up…" Cuchulain uttered. He reached for the Gae Bulga and made ready for battle. Cunla unsheathed his sword, Ophelia unleashed her battle fans, Goofy took out his shield, and Donald made ready with his wizard's staff. Leon made ready with his gunblade, Lu Xun unleashed his twin swords, and Cloud drew his massive sword from his back.

"What's going on…!" Irvine uttered. "Are you guys getting ready for battle or something!"

"Look!" Fiona shouted, pointing towards the ground. The Guardian Force members looked to see several sets of glowing yellow eyes suddenly appear from out of the shadows. The Three organoids, Zeke, Specula, and Shadow, began to roar out and became very defensive as they felt the sudden presence in the room and laid their eyes on the mysterious living darkness. Pretty soon, the shadows took form and began to stand upon the floor.

"What the heck are those things!" Rosso uttered, taking out his gun.

"Are they the 'other means' that you were talking about?" Raven asked.

"That's right." Riku said.

"The Heartless…!" Goofy cried.

"The Heartless…?" Herman asked. "Is that what they are?"

"The Midnight Faction must've sent them." Sora said.

"Then, let's stop them!" Raven shouted, taking out his gun and aiming it at the aggressive shadows.

"Don't show any weakness, or fear." Riku instructed. "And don't lose your will to live on. Otherwise, your heart will become vulnerable and it will be consumed by the Heartless."

"The Heartless…eat hearts…?" Thomas uttered, in fear, aiming his gun at whatever dared to attack him.

"If they consume your heart, you will meet a fate worse than death. You'll become one of them."-

Then from amidst the forming ranks of Heartless, two familiar characters made their appearance. They were too well known to Riku and Sora.

"Riku," Sora cried, "Look!"-

The minute Riku laid eyes on the commanders of the Heartless, his eyes grew wide with fear.

"The Super Anti-Riku and the Super Anti-Sora," he uttered, "Not those two again..."

"Does the faction have an unlimited supply of those guys, or something?"-

"It doesn't matter right now, Sora. They're only here for one reason and that's to retrieve the organoids. Our only objective is to protect those organoids as best we can." Riku turned to Reese, Raven, and Van. "Van, you and the others get Zeke and the other organoids out of here! We'll do what we can to fend them off!"

"Right…!" Van added. He turned to Raven and Reese. "Let's get the organoids out of here!" Raven and Reese nodded. Van turned to Zeke. "Let's get out of here, buddy!" Zeke roared and he and the other organoids began their withdrawal. The Heartless however, were not slow to attack them. But as they did, Riku and Sora cut down the first wave.

"Sora," Riku instructed, "You, Goofy, and Donald accompany Van and the others and get those organoids to safety. We'll stay here and fend them off as best as we can."

"Right…!" Sora replied. He then turned to Van and the others. "Let's get going!"

There was no further hesitation and the group exited the room.

"I'll issue the general alarm!" Herman shouted as he shot away at a few of the Heartless. He ran out with the rest of the group. The Heartless were quick to attack them in their retreat, but Riku and the others, who remained, cut down the wave of shadows.

"In order to get to them, you'll have to go through us first!" Riku said. Thus the battle commenced.


	29. Besieged

Besieged

The Heartless continued to accumulate within the compound of the Ultrasaurus. Raven, Reese, and Van continued to flee with their organoids, Sora, Goofy, and Donald quickly behind them, hoping to fend off any Heartless that appeared before them. Fiona, Irvine, and Herman were quick to accompany them as well. A general alarm had been sounded and thousands of Republican and Imperial soldiers rushed to the aid their comrades. But fighting the Heartless was a different experience. Never confronting living shadow before, these new creatures of darkness were enough to frighten even the most experienced of troops.

The fleeing group continued on their way through the endless corridors of the Ultrasaurus. Van looked back to see if they were being pursued. He then made a sigh of relief.

"I think we lost those things." He uttered.

"Don't stop," Sora shouted, "Keep running!"

But suddenly, a shadowed hand reached out and grabbed the leg of one of the organoids and pummeled them to the ground. It was Reese's organoid, Specula who was the first to fall to the Heartless.

"Specula!" she cried as she saw her beloved organoid eventually be consumed by the Heartless. She tried to aid him, but the Heartless continued to grow in numbers. Giant defenders, with their bulky shields suddenly appeared, fending off any attempt to save the organoid.

Sora lunged forth and cut down the scores of Heartless, fighting his way to save the organoid. But the defenders who stood before him were still formidable as when they were first encountered ten years before.

"We gotta save that organoid!" Sora shouted, flipping over the head of the defender and striking from behind. The defender then easily fell to the key bearer, but there were still three more to deal with. "Get out of my way!" Sora unleashed his Tundra canister and froze the defenders in their place. He then teleported behind them and destroyed all three with a single slash of his keyblade. He then slashed off the shadows that were consuming Specula. The organoid was saved for now, but the threat was far from over.

"Thank you, Sora!" Reese cried, as she reunited with her organoid.

"No time to be grateful," Sora implied, "We still gotta get out of here!"

The group continued to run.

"How are we supposed fight those things off," Raven asked, "it's as if they just pop out of anywhere."

"That's right," Sora said, "And their access is not confined to shadows. They can appear anywhere they want."

"Are you sure that they're after our organoids?" Van uttered.

"I think that last incident with Specula more than qualifies for proving their motive! Otherwise, why would just now make an appearance in this world."-

"But if one of the organoids is captured, where do they go?"-

"They'll be transported through the darkness pathways back to the main HQ of the Midnight Faction, where we can't reach them."-

"But where do we run?" Raven asked.

"Head for the main hanger and get your organoids into your zoids. Right now the only way to keep them safe is in the combat system of your zoids."-

"Hurry up, you guys!" Donald shouted, as he continuously fired a barrage of spells from behind, fending off any attacking Heartless that dared to get near.

"We're almost to the main hanger." Van cried.

But suddenly, appearing in front of their paths, two dark portals suddenly opened and from them another shocking surprise emerged. From the two shadowy doors appeared not Heartless, but faction soldiers who used the pathways of darkness to transport themselves. Twenty faction soldiers rushed from the doors before the passages faded away.

"Faction soldiers," Sora uttered, "They used the paths of the Heartless to get here."

"Kill all who resist!" one of the soldiers shouted. The faction troops began their attack against the fleeing Guardian Force members and their organoids.

"You'll die before you ever lay hands on Shadow!" Raven shouted, aiming his pistol and taking down several of the attacking enemy. But the soldiers were quick to respond and fired their blasters into the bulk of the team. The explosions caused severe damage in hall way, practically blowing away all who stood in it.

"This is not going well." Van shouted, unleashing his melee dagger and attacking those faction soldiers who remained. Zeke lunged forward and knocked away many of the soldiers.

"Sora," Goofy cried, "We have company!"

Sora looked behind to find more Heartless appearing from behind.

"Van," he shouted, as he prepared to duel the Heartless, "You guys keep going and get those organoids out of here now! I'll fend off the Heartless as best I can from behind! Goofy, Donald, protect the group!"

"There will be no need for you to stand alone, Sora!" Irvine implied, as he drew out his pistol and began to fire away at the ranks of charging Heartless.

"He's right." Herman added. As he aimed and fired at the enemy shadows as well, "Remember, you have comrades here to help back you up."

"Just keep your efforts on protecting those organoids!"-

"Very well," Sora uttered, "But you two catch up with us as soon as you can."

"We gotcha," Herman said with a smile, "Now get going."

The party continued on their way while Irvine and Herman continued to fend off the attacking Heartless, firing away with their pistols, eliminating one shadow with every shot made. Sora and the others took out the remaining faction soldiers, as they ran passed, reaching the final corridor, and leading to the main hanger where their zoids awaited them.

At the same time, Riku, Cuchulain, Cunla, Ophelia, Lu Xun, Cloud, Leon, and Yuffie were making a desperate effort to keep the massing of Heartless at bay. The Heartless by this time continued to fill the room. Using every possible attack, the team did their best to fend off their shadowy foes.

"This is not looking good for us." Cuchulain uttered. "It seems the more we take out, ten times that number is taking their place."

"I'm more worried about Sora and the others." Riku implied. "I sure hope that they're doing well getting those organoids to safety."

"Why the heck are we still holding back?" Yuffie uttered, "I know that you guys have more power than this. Why don't you use it on the Heartless and stop their swelling numbers for good?"

"That would be an excellent idea." Cuchulain said. "But have you noticed that we are in a confined area? If we were to unleash our more powerful attacks, we would not only be causing damage to the enemy, but damage to an ally facility in the process. To add, the attacks will also be damaging to everyone in here, whether they be ally or enemy."

"Cuchulain's right." Lu Xun added. "If we even think about unleashing our true capabilities, we'll be more of a threat to ourselves than to the enemy."

"The best we can do right now is hold back on our true strength," Ophelia implied, "and endure these attacks as long as we can."

"Well, since Sora and the others have managed to escape from this room," Thomas uttered, as he fired his gun at the advancing Heartless, "There's really no need for us to be defending this room anymore than we already have."

"Thomas is right." Cunla said. "I'm sure we've allowed Sora and the others more than enough time to make a successful retreat."

"Very well then," Riku said, "Then let's go and join them. Everyone make a steady withdrawal, but make sure to stay together."

"Right…!" the others shouted in unison. Riku then made his stance, fending off the attacking Heartless as his comrades made their escape one by one. Making sure that everyone left the room safely, Riku slowly made his withdrawal, being the last to exit the room.

At a hasty pace, the team made quick pursuit of where Sora and the others had gone. Thomas, in his best efforts, tried to lead the way. But then again, there was no need for him to do so. The reason why is because the path way taken by the first party still had remnants of Heartless still meandering about.

"Let's hurry," Riku said, "If I know Sora, he'll need more than Goofy and Donald to give him a hand."

Riku's prediction was correct. It seemed that Sora and his friends and allies were being bombarded by continuous attacks from the Heartless and faction soldiers who made their way into the Ultrasaurus by use of the Heartless passage ways. Sora engaged in hyper mode fusion with Goofy and Donald, doing the best that he could t fend off the Heartless. However, even the mighty hyper more fusion was not enough. To add, because they were in a confined area, Sora also risked the chances on inflicting damage upon his own allies, so initiating attacks that would otherwise destroy the enemy in an instant was out of the question. Sora could only regress to using the less devastating attacks in his arsenal, if he used any energy attack at all. Due to this drawback, the Heartless were quick in taking advantage of the situation.

"This is not going well." Donald uttered as he and Sora ended their hyper mode fusion.

"Blast it all," Sora uttered, "These Heartless are unrelenting."

"What do we do?" Goofy uttered. "We're almost out of ether and potion."

"We have to conserve as best we can! Initiate physical attacks only. Anything that consumes HP or MP, try to avoid!"-

The group continued on their way to the main hanger. Despite the corridor only stretching a hundred yards, it seemed an eternity to travel through because of the Heartless assault. But before anyone knew it, before there was any realization, the team had made it to the gates that lead to the main hanger.

"We're here!" Van shouted. "We're actually here at the main hanger!"

"Excellent!" Raven added. The team rushed through the doors. Spotting their zoids below, the pilots made a quick dash for them.

"Alright," Reese shouted, "Specula; go for the Genosaur!"

"Shadow, get to the Genobreaker at once!"-

"Zeke," Van added, "Get into the Blade Liger."

Specula and Shadow made way for their zoids first. Zeke was the last to launch, but as he prepared to make his ascent and descent into the Blade Liger, he felt several hands grab his ankles. He roared out for assistance.

"Zeke…!" Van cried as he watched his partner slowly descend into a pool of shadows. "Hang on, buddy, I'm coming!" Using his melee knife, Van detached the shadowy arms from his friend's ankles. Zeke was released from the portal and managed to escape certain doom.

Sora and the others assisted the organoid, fighting off more Heartless that dared to hinder the silver dragon.

"Hurry up, Van!" Sora shouted. "Get Zeke into the safety of your Blade Liger!"

"Right," Van uttered. He then turned to Zeke, "Get to the Blade Liger, buddy. We'll do our best to fend these things off."

But as Zeke made ready to launch, another shocking surprise was in store for them. Shadow and Specula, who had just taken off and were now prepared to fuse into the combat system of their zoids, suddenly were confronted by two Heartless entities. These heartless entities had somehow opened the dark portals.

"Shadow…!" Raven cried as he and Reese watched their organoid companions be thrown into the deep chasms of swirling darkness.

"Specula…!" Reese wailed. For the two organoids, however, hope of evading the portals was ended and both were consumed by the shadows, tail and all.

"No," Fiona uttered, watching this sudden twist of events, "We failed."

"Damn it!" Sora shouted angrily, "So close to reaching safety!"

Now, only one organoid remained. With only Zeke as the remaining target, the Heartless became even more aggressive. Their numbers began to swell and they started to overwhelm the little band that protected Zeke.

It seemed that all seemed lost, even with Sora, Goofy, and Donald on the job.

"We can't keep this up on our own!" Donald shouted. "We need Riku and the others here!"

"I know," Sora uttered, "I know."

Suddenly, as if their prayers were answered, the ranks of Heartless were suddenly diminished. Sora and the others looked to find Riku and the rest of the party charging to the rescue.

"Sorry that we're late," Riku shouted, "We had a hell of a time fighting through the corridor!"

"But now we're here to save the day!" Yuffie added, tossing her Shurikens about at the Heartless. Fight commenced in the main hanger now with Heartless numbers swelling.

"Riku," Sora uttered, "I'm sorry, but we failed."

"Failed…?" Riku asked.

"Specula and Shadow were caught in one of those collapsible darkness portals. The Heartless made the attack when we least expected it."-

"Damn. Well, it couldn't be helped. Those Heartless are more cunning than they appear."-

"Now, we only have one organoid left to save." Ophelia implied, as she joined the two key bearers in their defense.

"Don't worry, buddy!" Van assured Zeke, "I won't let anything happen to you!" Using his melee knife, he continued to cut down any shadow that came close to Zeke. Zeke in return, used his tail to knock away the incoming Heartless. It seemed that there may be a chance that things would turn out for the better, but it wasn't long before Zeke and Van came face to face with the two commanding Heartless, the Super Anti-Riku and the Super Anti-Sora.

"The…the commanders…" Raven uttered as he saw the two shadowy figures appear before Flyheight and his organoid.

"Stay away from Zeke, you hear me!" Van shouted, ready to take on the two elite shadows. The two antis only smiled and continued to near their target. Sweat was dripping down Van's face. "I'm warning you, don't come any closer." But still, the two continued to edge closer.

Suddenly, the Anti-Sora split into five. Van was confused at what had happened. Suddenly, he felt a sting across his gut and upper chest. The Super-Anti Sora had unleashed its dark-bladed sword and cut a deep wound into Van. Blood seeped from the open wound.

"Van…!" Fiona cried as she watched her best friend receive the blow. Sora and the others looked on as they watched the two antis target the young pilot instead of the organoid.

"They cut Van." Sora uttered.

"That means that those antis are fused with the mobile droid system." Riku added. "Real Heartless can't spill blood like that."

Van fell backwards, falling off the catwalk and descending fast to the hard metal floor of the main hanger.

"Van…!" Irvine shouted.

"No, Van…!" Thomas added.

"Damn it," Sora uttered, "I hope this new summoning spell works! Nimbus!" From out of the keyblade, a mysterious little cloud accumulated into the air. "Go rescue Van and hurry!"

The little cloud was quick to fulfill Sora's request. The Nimbus scurried down and placed itself under Van. Van, being pure of heart, was caught and gently rested on the puffy softness of the cloud's surface.

"Great save." Riku said.

But the hope of seeing van saved was short lived as the Super Anti-Riku jumped off the cat walk as well. Its sword drawn, the anti made ready to impale Van through the heart. However, at the last minute, fearing for his partner's life, Zeke plummeted down and attacked the anti-Riku. This decision proved a fatal mistake. It was all a concealed plan to lure Zeke to them. The Super Anti-Riku then turned towards Zeke and with a sudden shift of energy; it opened a dimensional portal that would transfer the organoid back to the realm headquarters of the Midnight Faction.

"Zeke, no…!" Sora cried. But the deed had been done; hope was shattered as the group watched the last of the three organoids disappear into the swirling pool of darkness.

Van, semiconscious, witnessed this sudden twist of fate unfold before his eyes. Realizing what had happened in the last minute, he tried to reach for his friend in a futile act of desperation.

"Zeke…!" Van wailed as he watched his partner disappear into the shadowy portal. "Zeke…!"

Immediately, after Zeke had vanished and the portal sealed soon after, the Heartless suddenly disappeared back into the shadows as quickly as they had appeared. The team was thus left with the aftermath of the result. Their efforts were in vain, their mission had failed, and now the sorrow of the organoid caretakers became apparent.

The three organoids did not take long to reach their destination. Zeke suddenly found himself ejected out of the darkness and into a confined cage alongside Shadow and Specula. They were in the medical laboratory of the Midnight Faction's realm headquarters. And there to greet them was none other than the infamous General Dagger of the Blade Generals. He watched as the three were placed in their confinement pens.

"Very well done," he uttered, "Very well done indeed, it seems that our forces have managed to capture all three organoids." The organoids roared and thrashed about in the pin, hoping to break out of their prison and escape back to their lines. But every attempt was thwarted because of the state of the art design and structure of the confinement pen. "Those metallic dragons can struggle all they want, but it will make no difference now, they are helpless in that cell." Dagger then turned to his leading scientist. "Begin dissection of the organoids and the zoid cores as soon as you can. I want that data ready as soon as possible."

"Sir," the doctor uttered, "It I may be so bold as to state that we need time to make preparations. Trying to extract the information from the organoids will take time. It cannot be rushed."

"His Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous, needs that information regarding the organoids and the zoid core fusion with them as soon as possible. We need it to finish the blue print for our new zero system. Once we have completed our mission here, we would have gained a significant factor that will turn the tide of battle completely in our favor." Dagger then withdrew from the laboratory. "Now, I want no further excuses. Just get the job done. No doubt that the Guardian Force and the KH team will be coming this way shortly to try and take the organoids back from us."

"I understand, General." The doctor implied.

"Sir," a soldier shouted, presenting himself to General Dagger, "I would like to report."

"Yes…?"-

"Sir, our mobile doll units have arrived."-

"What was that? They have arrived already?"-

"Yes, sir, two divisions of Tauruses and Virgos are descending in carriers sent by our newly arrived space fortress barge as we speak sir."-

"That is good news."-

"They need your confirmed order to send down the rest." The soldier implied.

"There will be no need." Dagger said, rubbing his gloved hands together. "Only two divisions will be needed. The rest of the corps can wait aboard the fortress barge."

"Yes sir." The soldier saluted and withdrew to relay the information at the control room leaving Dagger alone in the hall.

"Soon, Flyheight, you and your top notch zoids and their pilots will be enjoying a nice big slice of humble pie. Not even you will be a match for the power of the mobile dolls."-

Van's retribution for taking Zeke would be swift and furious. Not waiting for any orders, he jumped into the cockpit of the Blade Liger and started her up.

"Van, wait," Herman cried, "Wait a moment, Van, please!"

"I can't, Herman," Van implied, "I have to save Zeke. Knowing the faction, they're probably going to do terrible things to him. And I can't let that happen."

"But Van…"-

"He will not be going alone!" Raven said, as he boarded his Genobreaker. "I too have a friend to save. Shadow was always there for me before and I won't let him fall to such a cruel fate."

"Nor I," Reese added, climbing aboard her Genosaur, "I must save Specula."

"We're going too!" Irvine said, boarding the Lightning Saix.

"There's no telling what they'll go up against with the Midnight Faction." Thomas implied.

"But still…" There was no use arguing. Herman was a general, so he could have confined the pilots, but doing so would have meant that he would have met opposition to his order, he would have met resistance, and of course he would lose favor in the eyes of his men, especially those who were most willing to continue the fight. Besides, allowing such an emergency to go by unattended would have been an unethical decision. Herman sighed and smiled at Van. "Alright, get going and help Zeke and the others. I'll have a detachment of our best troops ready to give you a hand."

"Thanks Herman…" Van said.

"Herman," Sora implied, "we'll be going with them as well in the gummi ship.'

"Yeah," Goofy added, "No telling what kind of trouble they might get in to."

"Very well," Herman implied. "Then get going."

"Right." The KH team said.

They quickly boarded the gummi ship and accompanied Van and the others who were already on their way to the front.

"Get those other zoid units up and ready!" Herman announced. "Have them assist Colonel Flyheight!"

"Yes sir." One of the soldiers implied. He then ran off to give the order.

"Viola and I will provide air support for them." Rosso said.

"Do what you can." Herman said. "Van and the others will need all the help they can get." Rosso and Viola nodded and went off to get new Storm Sworders ready for combat.

"I certainly hope that they haven't acted too hastily." Lu Xun uttered as he watched his allies depart from the main hanger. "This is the Midnight Faction we're talking about."

"There's nothing to worry about, sir," Herman said, "If I know Van and the others, there's nothing that can deter them from their goal."

"Van…" Fiona uttered to herself she watched her comrades ride off in their zoids, towards the battlefield.

In the meantime, at the realm headquarters of the Midnight Faction, a hundred massive carriers, each carrying an equal amount of mobile dolls, closely compact to one another, were making their descent from the upper atmosphere. The observation tower, watching the descent of the mobile doll carriers, they appeared as if dots of pepper in the sky.

"Tell General Dagger that all mobile doll carriers have passed the upper atmosphere successfully." The chief observer implied.

"Yes, sir." One of the operatives replied. He quickly relayed the message to General Dagger and Colonel Winifred who waited patiently in the control room.

In the main control room, the word was received.

"General Dagger, sir," one of the operatives implied, "Current news from the observation tower regarding the descent of the mobile doll carriers. They like to confirm that all have entered the atmosphere safely."

"Very well done," General Dagger chuckled, "Give my compliments to the space fortress barge for successfully transferring the dolls to the planet's surface."

"Yes sir."-

"With these mobile dolls in our favor, we can turn to tide of battle."-

"Sir," a second operative implied, "Word from the medical laboratory. It's regarding the three organoids that were apprehended. They seem to be having some trouble trying to confine and sedate them for dissection."

"Well, they better find a way," Dagger implied, "The more time they waste screwing around with those organoids, the more time they allow the Guardian Force and the KH team the opportunity to initiate a quick retaliatory strike."

"Sir," a third operative shouted, he sounding more distressed, "Detecting several large heat sources approaching from the northwest."

"What was that…?"-

"Checking the source of energy signals," the operative activated the observation cameras. Getting a close shot at the approaching source, his reaction as well as everyone else in the room was that of shock. "It's the Guardian Force; the Guardian Force is attacking our main HQ!"

"Interesting, they planned a counterattack sooner than we had anticipated."- "Confirmed identity of approaching zoids, a Blade Liger, Genobreaker, Genosaur, a Dibison, the Lightning Saix, and at least two thousand other zoids consisting of Imperial Dark Horns, Rev Raptors, and Republican Gun Snipers, Shield Ligers, Command Wolves, and five Gojulas units."-

"Quite a formidable force, wouldn't you say, general, sir?" Colonel Winifred asked.

"Shall we dispatch the Gatler Tanks?"-

"Is there really any need, now that the mobile dolls are on the way?"-

"Deploy the tanks." Dagger ordered.

"But sir," Colonel Winifred uttered, "Do you really want to carry out with such an order? Deploying the Gatlers would be a waste of manpower and resources."

"The mobile dolls will not arrive for another few minutes. By that time, the Guardian Force would have already been able to penetrate through our shields with the use of those charged particle guns used by the Genobreaker and the Genosaur. At least, the Gatlers will give us enough to time strengthen the shield and increase our outer defenses. Order all Gatlers to the northwestern passage, tell all concealed artillery to commence firing, increase capacity of the shield as best you can, and tell them to hold out until the dolls make a safe descent to the front."-

"Yes sir." The operative implied.

"No doubt that the Guardian Force will enter battle, confident that they'll beat us with only Gatlers to support this base, and that is when we will spring the trap. Once they confront the mobile dolls, they will think differently about ever defying us openly again. Tell the carriers with Tauruses to release at lease one hundred units and those with the Virgos to deploy two hundred mobile doll units. Use the Taurus mobile dolls for aerial support of our defenses and the Virgos act as a blockade to stand in the way of the advancing enemy."-

"Sir…" The operative complied and began to relay the message to the carriers and to all outer defenses and available combat personnel.

"Now let us show the Guardian Force the ferocity that made us so feared in the 'Wing' and 'Seed' realms."-

As the Guardian Force closed in, no more than five miles from their target, they suddenly found their advance assaulted by a barrage of projectiles from the outer defenses of the Midnight Faction headquarters.

"Ground forces are meeting stiff resistance." Rosso said as he watched battle commencing from the air.

"That's what the three of us are here for right?" Viola added.

"Don't get too close to those defense turrets." Sora said from the gummi ship, "They pack one heck of a punch if they strike you."

"Yeah, we've found that our first hand earlier."-

The continuous volleys further slowed the advance of the Guardian Force columns.

"This is one heck of a heavy barrage." Thomas Shuvaultz implied as he and his comrades were consumed by the intense defense fire.

"This is nothing," Raven said, "Their efforts don't matter a damn, they don't matter at all! For taking Shadow away from me, I will see that every faction soldier dies today!"

"We're almost there, you guys!" Van shouted. "Zeke, hang on buddy, I'm coming for you!"

"Sir," one of the accompanying officers implied from his zoid cockpit, "We have Gatler tanks coming towards us, dead ahead."

"How many…?"-

"At least one thousand of them, sir…"-

"Alright, you and your men stay behind for the time being and give covering fire. Irvine, Thomas, Raven, Reese, and I will continue forward."-

"But sir…"-

"Don't worry, the Gatler tanks might be tough, but not formidable enough for us to go against."-

"Then you be careful, sir."-

"Thanks…"-

"All units," the leading officer implied to his men, "Remain behind and provide covering fire for the colonel."

"Yes sir…!" the soldiers replied. As the supporting zoid units remained behind to provide support, the five elites rushed forward to meet the oncoming Gatler tanks.

"OK, you guys," Van cried, "Let's get 'em!"

"I'll destroy you all, you meddlesome fools!" Raven roared. He fired his side arms, striking several of the Gatler tanks, causing them to explode. He then unleashed his grappling claws and took hold of the one of the tanks. Retracting his grappling claw, Raven then began to swing his victim about. Releasing it soon after, he threw the damaged Gatler into the ranks of the other oncoming tanks. An explosion erupted and several other Gatlers were destroyed in the process.

At the same time, Van unleashed his blades and sliced through several of the Gatlers with very little effort. Those tanks struck exploded amidst their comrades. Irvine, using the speed of the Lightning Saix to his advantage, made flanking maneuvers around the enemy, shooting and striking Gatlers at will. Thomas, using the full arsenal of his Dibison unleashed a powerful barrage, not on the tanks, but on the hidden artillery batteries that provided covering fire for the faction forces. At the same time, Rosso and Viola, using the extended blades of their Storm Sworders, swooped down with deadly accuracy and precision, and sliced many of the tanks in half. A series of explosions rang out as the faction attack units were slowly reduced. The Gatlers this time did not prove much of a threat this time.

"What is up with these Gatlers?" Van uttered. "Before, these things were the scourge of Zi, but now, when we're knocking the front gates of the faction's main HQ, they don't put up much of a resistance."

"It doesn't matter what's up with these Gatlers," Raven said, "I'm gonna destroy them all."

"You do that, Raven." Rosso chuckled, as he swooped down with his Storm Sworder, slicing another Gatler in half.

From above, the KH team and their little gummi ship provided covering fire for the Guardian Force frontal assault. Donald deployed the funnel emitters and unleashed a deadly fire against the faction Gatlers. At the same time, the little gummi fired its main barge cannons and inflicted further damage amongst the ranks of the faction tanks.

"Keep up with the support fire for Van and the others, Donald." Riku said.

"I gotcha…" Donald fired the arsenal weapons of the gummi ship again, striking and destroying several of the tanks in one descending swoop.

"Good shooting, kid." Viola implied as she watched the little gummi go into action.

"Who are you calling a kid!" Donald shouted.

"Hey, hey, no need to get steamed over that remark."-

"Viola," Rosso implied, "Let's go into for another dive and see if we can't give those faction bums another scare."

The battle was again shifting. This time, it seemed that the tide had turned in favor of the Guardian Force.

"Come on you guys," Van shouted, "We've got them on the run!"

"I'll take them all out with one blast!" Raven shouted. He aimed his charged particle gun and aimed it directly at the base. With a sudden explosion, the charged particle gun erupted, deploying a massive beam of energy towards the base. Several of the Gatlers were caught in the explosion and were destroyed. It seemed as if victory was assured for the Guardian Force. That is until the beam hit the protective energy barrier of the compound's shield. "What's this…?"

"It's an energy shield." Van uttered. "They're using it to protect the compound."

"It doesn't really matter now. I'll use all the strength in the Genobreaker to bring that shield down!" Raven aimed the charged particle gun again and fired another blast. The beam of energy slammed again into the shield of the compound.

"Sir," one of the faction operatives implied, "The Genobreaker is attempting to break through our shield by using its charger particle gun."

"Let them try to take it down." Dagger chuckled, as he watched the battle continuing before him.

"But sir, the energy from the Genobreaker's charged particle gun is accurate of one hundredth of a unit. If he fires that beam beyond the extended capacity of our shield generators, he'll be able to cause severe system overload and neutralize the shield. Then we'll be vulnerable to the attacks."-

"Once the mobile dolls intervene, not even the mighty Genobreaker will be enough to stop us. Besides, a zoid like that requires the use of a lot of energy. Energy is extracted from both the zoid itself and the pilot. After initiating these attacks on our shield, I estimate the Genobreaker's energy to have been reduced to a quarter or less of its original power. And without an organoid to help sustain that power, the Genobreaker will begin to shut down in no time."-

"Sir," another operative implied, "Mobile dolls are descending. Taurus mobile dolls have reached the front."-

"Excellent."-

The KH team was the first to see the incoming mobile armors.

"Riku, look," Sora shouted, pointing to the incoming objects flying the sky.

"What the heck are those?" Riku uttered.

"We have more incoming enemies." Rosso said, from the cockpit of his Storm Sworder.

"Yeah, we can see that," Viola implied, "But what the heck are those things?"

"Our radar has picked up the readings of the incoming objects." Donald said to his crew and comrades "I'm analyzing their make up and model right now." Donald then received conformation on the attacking enemy. "It's confirmed. At least one hundred individual units approaching, Taurus class I think."

"Oh my God, those are mobile dolls!"-

"Mobile dolls?" Cuchulain uttered, "Are you sure about that, Riku?"

"I'm sorry to say, but yes it's been confirmed. One hundred Taurus mobile doll units are heading this way."

"Damn it!"-

"So those are the mobile doll?" Rosso asked, "The ones that you were talking about earlier?"

"My God," Viola added, "There are so many of them."

"Whatever you do," Donald said, "I advise you not to attack them head on. They are tougher than appearances show."

"You're the expert on these things. We'll do what you say."-

"I'll send a transmission to our ground forces." Sora implied.

The dolls eventually made their presence known to the rest of the Guardian Force that fought just below them. The sensors immediately picked up the presence of the dolls.

"We have company!" Irvine uttered. "They're coming from above."

The zoid pilots looked up to see these incoming machines descending towards them.

"What the heck are those things?" Van uttered.

"There's no confirmation on what they are." Thomas implied. "I have no data in my files regarding those models."

"Attention, attention Guardian Force." Sora's voice suddenly said, reaching into the cockpits of each individual zoid. "Can you hear me?"

"Sora," Van said, "What the heck are those things that are descending to the ground."-

"Those are mobile dolls, Taurus class."-

"Mobile dolls!"-

"So those are mobile dolls!" Thomas uttered.

"Heh, they don't seem so tough." Irvine scoffed. He aimed his guns up towards the incoming mobile dolls and fired away at them. But the dolls, with their quick reaction time, easily evaded the attack. "What the…?"

"They dodged Irvine's attack like it was nothing."-

Suddenly, the mobile dolls transformed from mobile armor into humanoid mobile suits.

"Those are mobile dolls alright." Reese uttered. "Just as the KH team described them."

"Well, whatever they are," Raven shouted, "They are in my way!" He started to sporadically fire at the attacking mobile dolls, but his efforts were in vain as he watched the dolls easily evade the attacks as if they were nothing.

"Whoa," Rosso uttered, as he saw the dolls suddenly evade the barrage Raven unleashed, "Did you see that? Those mobile dolls suddenly shifted away from the barrage as if they knew it was coming."

"But those things turned on a dime." Viola uttered from her cockpit. "How could things like that react so quickly when it seemed that they were sitting ducks?"

"So what the KH team said about the accuracy and timing of the mobile dolls was more than just speculation."-

The dolls didn't hesitate on their part in retaliating and began to unleash a barrage of fire upon the zoids. The first to be knocked out of action was Thomas and his Dibison. The dolls were able to somehow aim and hit the main circuitry that powered the Dibison's combat system. Thus as a result, the Dibison was helpless when it came to using its combat capabilities.

"I don't believe it," Thomas uttered to himself, "I'm already out of action? But how can that be?"

"Sora and Riku were right," Van uttered, "Those things are dead accurate in their aim."

"Evade…!" Irvine cried. The zoids were quick to maneuver out of the way of the mobile dolls. The Guardian Force and their allies deployed their shields to prevent themselves from being damaged by the barrage.

"Blast," Colonel Winifred implied as he watched the energy beams bounce off the tough shields of the Blade Liger, the Genobreaker, and all other zoids equipped with strong energy shields, "Those stupid zoids have those damned energy shields to protect them."

"There is nothing to worry about." Dagger assured his subordinate. "They have managed to maintain a strong defense against our barrage for now. But I recall that we have special heat laser armaments for the mobile dolls, designed to cut through such shield barriers."-

"But sir, those weapons haven't been fully developed yet. They'll overheat after at least twenty blasts or so."-

"That may be so, but that will still be enough to inflict heavy damage on those zoids. Call in one carrier of Taurus mobile dolls and have them equipped with the heat lasers. Tell them to aim for the Genosaur, the Genobreaker, and Blade Liger. Those three, right now, are the ones that pose the biggest threat in this battle."-

"Sir," one of the operatives implied, "The Virgo mobile dolls have begun their descent to the ground."

"Very good, tell them to form a strong defense line in between this base and the advancing enemy columns. Have the dolls deploy their shields and keep a good, hot, massing fire on our foe."-

"Yes sir." The operative contacted the carriers loaded with the battle ready mobile dolls and gave them the strategy.

At the same time, it seemed that the Guardian Force, which had the upper hand of the battle in the beginning, was slowly starting to dwindle away. The leading zoids were still too weak to fight since their last confrontation and with out the aid of the organoids to help sustain their battle status, they became easily prey to the artificial soldiers.

"It looks like they're having some trouble down there." Rosso implied.

"We better go give them a hand then." Viola said. But as they prepared to aid their comrades on the ground, three Tauruses attacked from above.

"Viola," Rosso cried, "Look out!" Viola saw as the mobile dolls came close to striking her down. Using her quick reflexes, she maneuvered her zoid out of harms way.

"Oh," she uttered, "Trying to strike me down while my back was turned eh? I'll show you!" She fired her missiles at the dolls. The dolls managed to evade the missiles, but the warheads were already locked onto their target. "Heh, it doesn't matter how fast you can go; you'll never be able to out last my missiles." But fate stepped in again. As it seemed that the doll would be struck down from behind, it suddenly shifted upward, evading the missile and hovered just behind it. Using its beam rifle, the Taurus mobile doll shot down the scud from its rear.

"Did you see that?" Rosso uttered. "That thing managed to evade the missile." Sure enough, all deployed missiles were destroyed, not one of them hitting their intended targets.

"If I can't shoot you down," Viola said, "I'll cut you down!" Using high speed, she swooped in, hoping to destroy the mobile dolls with extended wing blades. Flying at fast pace behind one of the dolls, she made ready to deliver the finishing blow. "Now I got you!" But the doll, as if knowing when she would attack, evaded the Viola's swords at the last minute. This result left both Storm Sworder pilots stunned. "That doll dodged an attack from the rear."

"But that tactic is virtually impossible to dodge." Rosso uttered. The doll then turned and aimed its rifle at Viola. With one shot, the dolls managed to clip one of the zoid's wings.

"Viola," Rosso cried, as he watched his partner take the hit and suddenly plummet to the ground. Viola, however, managed to stabilize her zoid and bring it back skyward, "Viola, Viola are you alright!"

"I'm fine," Viola implied, "That was just a little too close for comfort. I'll have to withdraw for now. I'm of no use in this state."

"Alright then, I'll stay here and help Van and the others."-

"OK, you be careful, Rosso."-

"I will."-

Viola blew a kiss from her cockpit and flew rearward, back to the Ultrasaurus.

"Rosso," Sora uttered from the gummi ship's cockpit, "We saw what happened. Is Viola alright?"

"She's fine, Sora," Rosso replied, "That last little encounter was a little too close for comfort though. She has to withdraw to have her zoid repaired."

"Maintain a strong defense against these dolls, Rosso. They're crafty."-

"Roger that." Transmission ended soon after.

"These dolls," he thought to himself. "Their combat abilities are flawless. If they can take Viola out of the fight so easily, it's highly possible that I would meet the same fate as well. I better be on my toes from now on."

Meanwhile, on the ground, the Guardian Force was having an equal amount of time trying to fend off the pesky mobile dolls that hovered about their heads like gnats. Little by little, as the Guardian Force decreased in number, the mobile dolls increased in number. Soon, even the elite of the Guardian Force found themselves pinned down and unable to defend.

"Damn it," Raven roared, "Damn it, damn it! How the hell could we have been overwhelmed in such little time!"

"Without our organoids," Reese implied, "We can't extend the amount of time necessary to engage in a prolonged battle."

"No," Van cried, "I won't give up!" Using his extended blades, he attempted to cut through the mobile dolls. However, this did not have any effect as the dolls saw the Blade Liger attacking. With their lightning fast reaction time, they were able to avoid Van's attacks with very little difficulty, if none at all.

"It's no use, Van." Sora cried from the gummi ship, "The mobile dolls are too fast and too highly maneuverable. We'll try to provide covering fire as best as we can."

"Do whatever you can do to take out some of the dolls!"-

"Roger that." Sora then turned to Donald. "Donald, let's give him some covering fire."

"Gotcha," Donald said, "Activating all combat systems. Shields deployed, activating zero system and zero shift; funnel emitting system on line and ready to activate."

"Donald," Ophelia implied, "We have incoming heat sources heading straight for us from below. Confirmed, ten Taurus units are approaching us quickly."

"We'll take control of the funnel emitter system." Cuchulain implied. "Place the system of dual mode. Cunla, let's go."

"Right…!" Cunla replied. Both father and son took their seats at the funnel combat screens, which were deployed from a portable hatch on the cockpit's floor. Each took command of five emitters and deployed them in battle.

"Dolls incoming at nine o'clock," Riku shouted, as he observed the screen, "Prepare to intercept!"

"Buckle yourselves in my friends," Donald cried, "It's gonna be a bumpy ride!"

Riku, Sora, and Ophelia took place at the rear gun stations. Small energy emitters, which were deployed just outside the ships hull, acted as the rear gun barrels. All seven members made use of themselves, ready to use the gummi's armaments for combat.

It wasn't long before the agile little gummi went head to head with the incoming mobile dolls. Activating the zero system, Donald was able to see every move the dolls made. For that matter, since the zero system affected everyone in the cockpit, it seemed to all that the dolls were moving in slow motion.

"We have them right where we want them." Cunla shouted. Deployed his emitters, he managed to strike down at least two incoming dolls. The dolls were already taking on casualties once they confronted the KH team's activated zero system.

"What was that…?" Rosso uttered as he watched the result unfold before him. "That little ship of the KH team's already managed to pummel two of those mobile dolls. But how could they do that when Viola and I couldn't do it? What's the secret behind their tactics?"

"Sir," one of the factional operatives uttered, "Two mobile dolls have been destroyed."

"What's that?" Dagger said, shocked as what he heard, "Two dolls were shot down, but by whom?"

"The gummi ship, sir, they managed to take down two dolls."-

"Sir," a second operative cried, "Six more dolls have been eliminated."

"But how can that be?" Dagger thought, "The dolls are armed with the zero system and they've been upgraded with the combat data of Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala, two of the best mobile suit pilots who ever existed. How could they easily fall to a mere solitary gummi?"

"Sir," a third operative uttered, "The KH team's gummi is wreaking havoc amongst the Tauruses."

"Damn it; send all mobile dolls to intercept them! We can't have that gummi turning the tide of battle against us!"-

"Yes sir."-

"I don't understand it. How could a mere gummi ship accomplish what even the mighty Genobreaker couldn't fulfill?"-

"They're doing it!" Thomas shouted from his downed zoid, still awaiting aid to take him away from the field.

"They managed to destroy at least ten of those things." Van added.

"Impressive…" Raven said.

"Maybe, there is still hope for us yet!" Irvine said.

"Great work, you guys!" Riku shouted. "We managed to take down at least ten, or twelve of them."

"Don't sit too comfortable with this result." Donald said. "We can only sustain this level of power for so long. Besides, I believe we've only scratched the surface of the mobile dolls' true force."

"Uh, Donald," Goofy uttered, "We got more of them coming…"

"I've confirmed that." Ophelia implied, "Incoming mobile suits dropping from carriers, they're Virgo class mobile dolls!"

"Virgos…" Sora uttered. "Those guys are gonna be a heck of a lot more difficult to battle, having them armed with deployable shields like ours."

"It looks like the majority of the Virgos are going down to face the Guardian Force on the ground!" Cunla said.

"Then, let's get down there and give 'em a hand!" Sora implied.

"That's not the major problem we face right now!" Donald said. "Prepare to enter combat again. We have thirty incoming mobile dolls, ten Virgos and twenty Tauruses!"

"Make ready, you guys!" Riku shouted.

"Riku, Sora," Rosso shouted from his Storm Sworder, "I'll back you guys up as best as I can!"

"Appreciated…!"-

Once again, the gummi and the now lone Storm Sworder entered combat. However, unlike the first confrontation against the Tauruses, where there were only ten in number, this next encounter would be tougher to face, because not only did the dolls swell in numbers by at least three times, but now a new threat came onto the scene, the Virgos.

The Guardian Force too saw the incoming models that made a new appearance on the scene.

"More mobile dolls," Van uttered, as he watched the descent of the Virgos.

"But those are completely different from the ones we've encountered so far." Irvine said.

"Well, I won't allow them any time to engage." Raven said. He dropped his shields and fired his charged particle gun at the incoming Virgos. Unfortunately, the dolls had picked up the energy that was being emitted by the charged particle gun. Twenty Virgos thus grouped together and deployed their shields all at once, creating a single powerful energy barrier. Raven fired the cannon and a massive beam of light struck the shield of the twenty converged Virgos. But the barrier proved impenetrable, even against a powerful weapon like the Genosaur. The Genosaur's most feared feature, of all its combat systems, was rendered useless by the mobile dolls. "No, it can't be…"

"Those dolls," Van uttered, "They're different from the others alright."

"They deflected Raven's charged particle beam like it was nothing at all." Irvine uttered.

"But how do we fight against such things?" Thomas uttered.

The Virgos quickly accumulated into a single massive line, which blocked the Guardian Force from advancing any further into the faction's compound. To add, the Tauruses, like angry little sparrows fending off a predator, continued to harass the Guardian Force from the air. They now laid their sights on the back up force, firing into their ranks and destroying many of the zoids. Those armed with shields and those most agile, were able to avoid being eliminated. The back up force began to return fire. But such a random volley proved useless against the more agile and more maneuverable mobile dolls.

"Van," Irvine cried, "Our back up forces are getting pummeled by those mobile dolls. I'm going to try and help them."

"Do what you can, Irvine." Van replied. Irvine rushed to the rear, to aid the reinforcements.

In the meantime, Raven's Genobreaker and Reese's Genosaur regressed to having to use defensive maneuvers against the Virgos who pounded them with an endless barrage from their beam cannons.

"I've had enough of this!" Raven roared, rushing to the front. Not wanting to be held back by the dolls any further, he rushed head long into the thick ranks of Virgos. He clashed with their shield, using his won protective shield to help neutralize the doll's defense. But as the young zoid pilot aggressively attacked the reinforced Virgos in a futile display, Taurus mobile dolls swooped down at Van and Reese who were the only two left in the open to fight. The dolls, analyzing the combat abilities of the two remaining zoids, initiated a quick strike tactic like a hit and run strategy. They not only swooped down to agitate the two zoids, but they also maintained a long range away from their targets so as not to be subsequently shot or struck down.

"It's no good!" Van uttered, "They seem to know every attack we make on them." Suddenly, his sensors picked up a large bulk of energy coming towards them. Van looked up to observe yet another shocking surprise. More mobile dolls began to descend upon them, increasing their number to five times their original number. "Oh great…! Back up troops…!"

Riku and Sora watched as the increase of mobile dolls came upon them like so many bees defending their hive. Even with Rosso backing them up, his aid alone was not enough to deter the onslaught of the dolls.

"This is not looking good." Rosso implied. "Not only was I not able to take down as single doll, but my Storm Sworder is reaching its limit." Suddenly, from behind, one of the dolls, using the blade on its elbow, managed to strike Rosso's Storm Sworder on the left wing. Rosso went plummeting towards the ground, but managed to stabilize it. "Damn it, that doll caught me off guard. And with the crippling damage to the zoid, I'm not of much use here."

"Rosso," Sora shouted from the gummi, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Sora, but that last attack caused some major damage. I'm sorry to say, but I'm no longer of any use here. I'm withdrawing for now."-

"Alright, but be careful."-

"You too…" Thus, Rosso took his leave from the battlefield, heading back to the Ultrasaurus.

"He won't be the last." Cunla implied as he saw the wounded Storm Sworder retreat.

"Stay sharp, Cunla!" Cuchulain said. "Here they come again!"

"More dolls?" The team watched as the number of dolls, being deployed from their carriers, continued to increase at an alarming rate.

"Where the heck are all these mobile dolls coming from?" Sora uttered.

"Not even we can hold off that many units." Riku added. "We're only one gummi ship and our energy source can only maintain itself for only so long."

"We're running out of reserved energy cell power for the guns." Ophelia reported.

"Three of my emitters have been overheated." Cunla implied.

"Four emitters have been overheated on my side." Cuchulain added.

"Shield power has taken on the maximum rate of fire power possible." Donald implied. "We'll have to withdraw for now."

"But what about Van and the others…?" Sora uttered. "They still need us."

"I understand that, Sora, but the gummi wasn't fully charged up after the last battle. Our resources are dwindling and fast. If we continue to fight, we'll eventually lose all combat capability with a weak energy generator. Then, we'll really be vulnerable."-

"Damn it…"-

"Call Van and the others." Riku said. "Tell them to order a retreat from here."

"Retreat…?" Cuchulain uttered.

"There's no other option open to us right now. Either we retreat, restock and refit, and get back on the battlefield, or we die trying to force our way through those mobile dolls. We only managed to take down thirty dolls, all of them Tauruses. The Virgos on the other hand have those powerful shields to guard them and they maintain a strong formation in numbers. Our present weapons aren't even able to break through that thick defense."-

"Very well then…"-

"Van," Sora cried through the intercom, "We have to withdraw for the time being."

"Withdraw...?" Van replied.

"That's right. Our gummi ship has gone beyond its possible limit. With all these new accoutrements and systems for the gummi, our reserved power has been drained almost completely. If we stay any further, we'll only be getting in the way."-

"I understand. Then, return to the Ultrasaurus and refit yourselves."-

"Thanks Van."-

Sora ended transmission and lowered his head in disgrace.

"I can't believe this," Cunla uttered, "To lose to the faction like this."

"If it wasn't for those damned mobile dolls…" Cuchulain said, his teeth gritting against each other hard.

"This battle was not in our favor." Ophelia implied. "We and our allies rushed to this battlefield only at half strength, not knowing of the full potential of the Midnight Faction's strength. To add, the arrival of the mobile dolls further slowed, if not halted our advance for the time being."

"Ophelia's right," Riku said, "We can only withdraw for now. We'll get back at them soon enough."

"But what about Zeke and those other organoids…?" Goofy asked. "They're still confined in that there base."

"The only thing we can do right now is hope that Zeke and the other organoids can hold out until we manage to rescue them."-

The little gummi, knowing its present situation, avoided any further confrontation with the mobile dolls and withdrew rearward towards where the Ultrasaurus awaited their return.

Meanwhile, General Dagger watched with glee as he saw the Guardian Force slowly withdraw from the field. It was without a doubt that their efforts were in vain.

"Well, well, well," he uttered to himself, "It looks like even the mighty KH team is withdrawing from the field. Just goes to show you that these new upgraded mobile dolls are more effective than those that we deployed in the 'Seed' Realm. Not only are those Virgos upgraded with a more powerful shield that can withstand even the Genobreaker's charged particle gun, but they also are armed with more powerful beam cannons. As for the Tauruses, even though losing a few of their number, they are still more agile and out maneuverable than even Van Flyheight's Blade Liger. And without their organoids, the pilots can't unleash the full potential of their zoid's combat capabilities"

While in the midst of his observation of the battle, a transmitted message was sent to the control room. Colonel Winifred was the one to answer the call. After hanging up, once the message had been sent, the colonel rejoined General Dagger.

"News from the second hanger." The colonel implied. "The heat laser cannons have been distributed to the Taurus Mobile dolls. They are ready to be deployed on your order sir."-

"More good news for us then, eh…? Very well, send them in to attack the Blade Liger, the Genosaur and Genobreaker."-

"Yes sir."-

In the meantime, Raven's efforts proved futile indeed. Despite his attempts to try an neutralize the massive shield barrier of the Virgo mobile dolls wit his own shield, the results had not shifted in his favor.

"Damn it all!" he shouted. Jerking the Genobreaker back, he lowered his shield and instead used his charged particle gun to try and break the defense of the Virgos. "Suck on this, you mindless machines!" With every ounce of energy left in the Genobreaker, Raven unleashed the most powerful charged particle beam he could possible muster. The wave of energy bellowed forth, striking against the reinforced shield of the dolls. But by this time, the condensation of the mobile dolls had increased in number and they too had deployed their energy shields. Thus, even Raven's charged particle gun was no longer of any use. In the aftermath, the Virgo line remained in tact.

"Raven…" Reese uttered sadly as she watched her young companion release the last of his energy in a final act of desperation. "What's the point of carrying on? These things are too smart and too fast for even the Genobreaker to defeat."

"I'll defeat you all!" Raven declared. "You'll see…!"

But only after that fiery declaration, the Virgo mobile dolls continued to commence their barrage. Raven quickly raised the shield of the Genobreaker. But as the barrage continued, another imminent threat made itself present in the battle. The Tauruses, which were armed with heat laser cannons made their way to front. Presenting themselves just behind the Virgo shield, they fired a volley of intense heat rays. The red rays, with very little effort, cut through the Genobreaker's shield.

"What in the…!" Raven uttered as he watched beams break through his shield like it was nothing. He watched as one of his pincers was sliced from the side of his zoid. "Those things…they're armed with some sort of heat laser that can cut through my shield." Raven, knowing that he could neither defend as well as attack, began his withdrawal. But by this time, it was too late. The dolls had aimed at dead accuracy. While one doll fired a heat laser that cut off the Genobreaker's left pincer, another beam from another doll's weapon; sliced off the right foot. A third blast from the dolls cut off the left arm of the Genobreaker and a final cut off the right pincer. This severe damage caused the shield of the Genobreaker to shut down. Once the shield was down, Raven and his zoid were completely vulnerable to attack. Without mercy and with deadly intensity and precision, the Virgos began to fire away at the downed zoid, further inflicting heavy damage to its armor and knocking off chunks of it protective shell off of its surface.

With a mighty thud, the remnants of the once invincible Genobreaker, fell to the ground. Great clouds of dust bellowed in the air as the zoid skied across the fertile ground. Raven, knocked unconscious by this time, was thrown from this zoid's cockpit. Like a rag doll. He skidded along the ground before lying motionless in the dust.

The dolls continued their barrage, destroying the Genobreaker, its core and all. Raven was left helpless on the field.

"Raven!" Reese cried out as she saw the young man fumble in the dust and lay open to attack. Using the Genosaur's cannon, she fired a charged particle beam straight into the ranks of the mobile dolls. But the doll shield had proved impenetrable, despite using her maximum output.

"Raven…!" Van cried. He tried to advance to save his fallen comrade, but the heat lasers managed to strike him as well. The beams cut through his shield like a hot knife through butter and sliced off the left blade of the blade liger as well as the right foot. "Damn it, I can't get near."

"I'll get him!" Reese shouted. But as she prepared to advance, she met the same fate. As the heat lasers cut through her shield, they managed to sever the right arm and left leg of the Genosaur as well as the mounted guns atop its head.

"Reese, it's no use." Van said. "Trying to advance any further would be suicide. The weapons of those dolls can cut through our shields like cheese."

"But Raven's still out there!"-

"I know, but if you go out there, you'll only end up meeting the same fate as him. And I would be a fool to let you go out there and risk your life."-

"But Raven…Oh Raven…"-

It seemed that it was the end for Raven. That was until a mysterious little, yellow cloud, came from out of nowhere. It was the Nimbus cloud and on top of it was the young key bearer, Sora. Sora swooped the Nimbus cloud down towards the ground, where the attacks by the dolls were most intense, and picked up the unconscious Raven. Holding him tightly in his arms, Sora sputtered off at great neck speed.

"Van," Sora shouted, "Van, I have Raven!"

"Sora…!" Van cried.

"I thought you guys might need a little help here, so I came back. And it's a good thing I did. News from Herman, he says for you guys to fall back. There's no need for you to be here any further. Besides, he says a guy named Dr. D has arrived and he has something special for you guys."-

"But what about Zeke and the others…? We still need to rescue them!"

"We have to withdraw! Trying to attack any further will result in your own death."-

Van didn't want to give up hope for his buddy, but he knew that trying to advance any further would only result in another casualty, or two.

"Very well…" he uttered. Hesitant, he and Reese turned their zoids about and withdrew along with the rest of their comrades, back to the safety of their own lines.

At the same time, watching this hasty withdrawal, Colonel Winifred chuckled as he watched the supposedly mighty Guardian Force and the invincible KH team run for their lives.

"Well, well," he implied, "the youngsters are fleeing like frightened sheep. Even they knew that it was futile to stand up to our mobile dolls. And only thirty downed dolls in the process, not bad. In the midst of this battle, I believe our forces eliminated at least ten or twenty times that number we lost from the ranks of the Guardian Force."-

"Very good," Dagger chuckled, "We've managed to show our invincibility to these arrogant Zoidians. Let this be a lesson to them that no one can oppose us and our power."

"Shall I order a pursuit of the Guardian Force and have the dolls destroy the Ultrasaurus?"-

There was a silence after Colonel Winifred asked the question.

"There is no need for that, Colonel." General Dagger replied.

"What? But, sir, we need to strike them now while they're still down."-

"After the results of this battle, I feel that it would be pointless for us to carry on with such an act. We have already proven that the Guardian Force is no longer a threat to us. However, I'm more worried about confronting the entire Imperial army of the Gylos Empire. General Karl Shuvaultz is in charge of the entire Imperial army and I don't want him interfering with our operations. We take them out first. Coordinate the dolls' next destination towards the Imperial capital at Gygalos."-

"But sir…"-

"If we eliminate Emperor Rudolph and the Imperial capital first, then we've cut the threat in this world by half. If one wishes to win the duel, you must aim for your opponent's heart. If we eliminate Rudolph, the Gylos Empire will fall into disarray. Then the threat of the Imperial army will be over. Then all that's left is to eliminate the Helic Republic and they won't put up much of a fight."-

"Sir, I must protest. Even though the zoids themselves have been eliminated, the pilots still remain alive. Van Flyheight, Irvine, Thomas Richard Shuvaultz, Reese, and Raven have all managed to survive."-

"And that means what to me? Without their organoids, they would not be able to unlock the full potential of any zoid. And their present zoids can't be healed without fusing with an organoid. Thus, even if the pilots are still alive, they would still need remarkably powerful zoids in order to fight against us and our mobile dolls."-

Colonel Winifred, however, was still uneasy about allowing the KH team and the Guardian Force to be let off so easily. Dagger could see the concern mounting in his subordinate's eyes.

"Here's what I'll do though." The general implied. "If it'll make you feel any better, take at least three hundred Tauruses, including the ones armed with the heat laser cannons, and at least two hundred Virgos. Then head towards the location of the Ultrasaurus and eliminate the remnants of our enemies. No one is to survive. The Guardian Force's top officers and the entire KH team, including the key bearers, must be destroyed." This declaration made the colonel ecstatic.

"Thank you, sir." The colonel implied, with great enthusiasm. "I can assure you, sir, that the KH team and the Guardian Force will curse the day they ever dared to oppose the superiority of the Midnight Faction."

"Then be on your way, colonel."-

"Yes sir."-

The colonel saluted and quickly walked out of the control room. Dagger then turned towards the screen, gazing at the area where the battle took place.

"What fools these people are." He thought to himself, a sinister grin on his face. "Not even the KH team can withstand the power of the mobile dolls on their own. And Flyheight and his friends are incompetent little insects. By this evening at the latest, the new power that will arise in this miserable realm will be the Midnight Faction."


	30. Rekindled Hopes

Rekindled Hopes

It was all too apparent of the results regarding the battle against the mobile dolls. Such a powerful force could not be deterred by sheer force of will alone. The remaining soldiers of the Guardian Force came back, many of them wounded or tired. The zoids that returned were either severely crippled, or so thorough in damage that they could no longer be any further use.

Van Flyheight had suffered inner emotional feelings within him. Not only did he fail to take on the Midnight Faction, but he also failed in rescuing one of his closest friends. His Blade Liger was no longer useful for battle since it had lost on of its blades as well as one of its paws. Battered and beaten, the Blade Liger, like so many others were no longer fit to enter battle, at least for the time being. After docking, he exited his zoid and joined the other members of the Guardian Force and the KH team and their allies.

"Today's action was a complete disaster." Irvine implied.

"Those mobile dolls proved to be even more powerful than we had earlier perceived them to be." Thomas added.

"I'm surprised that all of us who fought in the front lines were able to get out of there alive."-

"It's a miracle really."-

"Sora," Herman asked, "I understand that you brought Raven in."

"That's right." Sora replied. "I had him taken to the medic. Reese is there now, looking after him."

"Was he seriously wounded?"-

"No, he was just unconscious and in a state of shock."-

"What about you, Van?" Rosso asked.

"It was all a failure." Van implied. His head lowered and his fists tightening. "I couldn't save him. I couldn't save Zeke. Damn those mobile dolls."

"This was a completely unexpected turn of events." Riku said. "There was no way we could have predicted that the Midnight Faction would be sending dolls to this world. But one thing is for certain, with the dolls here, that means that the faction will do whatever possible to take over this world."

"I don't understand how those mobile dolls could be so cunning." Irving uttered.

"As we said before," Cuchulain explained, "Those dolls have artificial intelligence in their favor as well as being armed with the zero system. It's because of those two elements that they prove to be a formidable force to reckon with."

"They just cut through our shields like they were cheese." Van said.

"Sir," a soldier shouted from the one of the catwalks, "The control room wants you assembled! We have a serious problem on our hands!"

"What is it?" Herman asked.

"It's the dolls, they're heading towards Gygalos!"-

"What was that!" The other members of the Guardian Force looked up in shock.

The party didn't ask further questions. Instead, they made a dash for the main control room, fearing what would be presented to them. Sure enough, as the KH team and the Guardian Force members rushed into the main control room, they saw before them, on the main observation screen, hundreds of mobile dolls assembling and advancing towards Gygalos, the capital city of the Gylos Empire.

"Those dolls are advancing on Gygalos?" Irvine said.

"But that's where my brother, Karl is at." Thomas uttered. "He's in charge of protecting the city."

"Is the Imperial capital aware of the approach of the dolls?"-

"There has been no word sent out." One of the operatives implied.

"Send word out to General Shuvaultz immediately!" Herman shouted. "Have them make ready to take on this cunning scourge!"

"Sir," another operative said, "There's static interference, we can't get through to the Imperial capital."

"Transmission scramblers…" Rosso uttered.

"That means there's no way to quickly inform Emperor Rudolph." Viola added.

"Then, we'll just have to deliver the message manually." Herman said. "Rosso, Viola, I want you to take two Storm Sworders and get back to Gygalos as soon as you can. But make sure to stand clear of those mobile dolls."

"We'll send word out to Rudolph as soon as we can." Rosso and Viola saluted before withdrawing from the control room.

"The faction intends to cut the threat they face in half." Lu Xun implied.

"Are you sure about that, Lu Xun?" Sora asked.

"It's the most logical explanation. Right now, the faction has to face two fronts, one against the New Helic Republic and the other against the Gylos Empire. Fighting on both fronts thus requires a lot of man power and resources and as you can see, the faction has very little resource on their side. So the best way to initiate a counteroffensive is to eliminate one of the threats. Once that other power has been secured in factional hands, they can thus concentrate all their efforts in eradicating the final threat."-

"But why would they go after Gygalos?" Thomas asked. "It's at least three times further away from the Midnight Faction's base than New Helic city."

"It's because of us." Lu Xun continued. "The elite of the Guardian Force is being concentrated here."

"But why would they hesitate?" Van asked. "Those mobile dolls made quick work of us and forced us to withdraw."

"Even so," Cuchulain interrupted, "The Midnight Faction knows that they're not really willing to risk another offensive because they know the unpredictable inner strengths of both the Guardian Force and the KH team. That's why Dagger isn't willing to take any chances."

"Either that," Cunla said, "Or he no longer considers us a threat and would like to demonstrate his destructive power on all of Zi, while we sit by watching helplessly as they demolish this planet's inhabitants."

"Either way," Ophelia said, "We know for sure that the faction is hoping to destroy the Imperial capital of Gygalos first. That is when we should concentrate all of our forces on attacking the Midnight Faction's main headquarters again. By the looks of it, the majority of the mobile dolls are heading to Gygalos to commence with their attack on the Imperial capital. That leaves their main headquarters weakened for the time being. I say we should attack the faction at the heart while we still have a chance."

"Miss Billiard has a point." Lu Xun said. "While the faction is concentrating all of their efforts of Gygalos, we can initiate a massive counterattack on their realm headquarters. That way, without a central command, the faction forces will have no way to coordinate themselves and they'll have no place to fall back to."

"Then, we'll assemble our remaining troops here and I will call for support from New Helic city for backup units. Then in about an hour, we will head for the faction's headquarters again and this time we'll eliminate them for good."-

"Then we still have a chance." Irvine said.

"Hold on, you guys." Van implied. "I know that forming another assault on the Midnight Faction's main HQ would be advantageous for us, but we still have the problem at hand."

"What do you mean, Van?"-

"For one thing, our zoids have been crippled to the point where they can no longer enter battle at this time. And without an organoid, self healing is out of the question. To add, even if we were to change a broken limb with a spare, it'll take more than an hour to replace. And even if they were repaired on time, what difference would it make for us? We need Raven to assist in this fight because he's just as good as Irvine, Thomas, Reese, or myself, but because of that last battle, he's been put out of commission."-

"What was that you said, Flyheight!" a voice shouted from the entry doors of the control room. The team turned to see Raven, leaning against the doorframe, a bandage was wrapped around his forehead. "You say I'm out of commission? I beg to differ."

"Raven…!" Van uttered.

"I see that that last battle didn't break your ego." Irvine added. Raven stumbled into the room. Reese was standing next to him and assisted him into the room.

"Don't push yourself too heard, Raven." She uttered. "You still need rest."

"Those damned mobile dolls," Raven uttered, clutching his fist tightly. "The damned Midnight Faction. I will show them, I will show them all that they can't get away with striking me down."

"Only one problem, how will you fight without a zoid?" Irvine asked.

"I'll have to commandeer another zoid and unleash my fury on the battlefield."-

"I don't believe that will be necessary." Another voice uttered. Raven and the others turned to find an elderly man standing in the doorway. He was short and lank, with his hail long and white, proving his elderly age. Next to him was a young woman with a dark tan complexion.

"Dr. D, Moonbay," Fiona uttered, "You're back from New Helic city."

"Hey there, Moonbay," Irvine said, "It's been a while hasn't it."

"Not long enough in some cases, Irvine." Moonbay implied. By her response, one could tell that she was laid back in her personality and rather happy-go-lucky at times.

"Who're they?" Leon asked.

"I see we have other guests." Dr. D implied. He presented himself before the KH team and their allies. "I'm Dr. D and this is Moonbay. And you ladies and gents would be…?"

"These are the friends of the KH team." Van implied, "Cloud, Leon, Lu Xun, Yuffie, Cuchulain, Cunla, Ophelia, Donald, Goofy, Sora, and Riku."

"Sora and Riku, are you talking about those two boys who put an end to the Deathsaur and that man Isis in the Valley of the Rarehurtz six years ago?"-

"They're the ones."-

"It is an honor. Your legendary deeds have preceded you."-

"Why…Thank you, sir." Riku implied.

"Boy, Riku, we're legends even in this world." Sora said, amazed.

"Anyway," Van said, "What is it that you wanted to see us for? Sora told us that you came here to give us something?"

"That's correct." Dr. D implied.

"Well, what is it?"-

"What else could it be? New zoids…!"-

"What…!" the team uttered in unison.

"New zoids?" Thomas uttered.

"Yep," Dr. D chuckled, "If you would care to join me in the main hanger, I can show you what I mean."

The group descended once again into the main hanger. They walked onto a platform, where before them, stood four large metal crates.

"I didn't think that you would need new zoids, but these rare types I just couldn't pass up. I figure that only in a state of emergency would these be zoids be used. Well, right now, this is a state of emergency. With only the Lightning Saix undamaged from that last battle, I figure that the rest of you could give these new models a try."

The team watched as the zoids were revealed from their crates one at a time. In the process, Dr. D gave a brief insight of each one's function.

"The first I would like to point out," Dr. D implied, pointing at the first zoid, "is this one, which has been dubbed the name the Shadow Fox."

"Wow…" Van uttered.

"This particular zoid acts more as a stealth zoid and has the ability to screen its movements by accumulating a thick cloud of smoke from its six dischargers. This works effectively against most sensors, so even the sophistication of those mobile dolls won't be able to spot it. It also comes with a Vulcan cannon that can turn 360 degrees, an electromagnetic net gun, and strike laser claws." He then turned you Reese. "Reese, I want you to pilot the Shadow Fox if you're willing."-

"Is that what you want?" Reese asked.

"I think it would suit you well and it's more than enough to replace the Genosaur for the time being. However, I would suggest that you refrain from attacking enemies head on. Unlike some of the other zoids, the Shadow Fox does not have any shield components, or protective armor. That's why it was designed as a stealth weapon."-

"I see…" Reese smiled. "Very well, I will be the one to pilot it."

"Now, Thomas," Dr. D said. "Since you are highly knowledgeable in technology, and since the Dibison was placed out of commission, I want you to try and pilot this zoid." From the crate emerged a pachyderm type zoid. "This is the Elephander. Unlike the Shadow Fox, the Elephander is designed to engage in prolonged, head on assaults. The Elephander can deploy a powerful shield by activating the generators on its ears. And all you have to do is unfold those massive flaps at the side of its head in order to activate the shield. The shield itself is capable of withstanding even heated lasers. That way, today's earlier incidences won't be repeated. Unfortunately, your zoid is the only one with that particular upgraded feature. The reason why is because the Elephander is rather slow in its reaction time, so it needed a special type of shield."

"It doesn't look like it would move very fast." Thomas implied.

"That may be so, but even for its size, it can still accelerate up to 130 kilometers per hour. Its trunk can also be used for close range combat. You can use it as a mace, a ram, it can also be used as a grappling arm if your target is within reach, and as an added feature; you can accumulate your shield power to your trunk and create a beam saber. Besides its variety of cannons, which I will not go through all the detail explaining about, because I'm sure you know what they're for, the trunk accoutrements and the shield are the distinctive features. However, don't try to engage in close range combat with enemies of extreme agility. They can easily outflank the Elephander and attack in the areas that are most vulnerable. To add, if too much pressure is inflicted on the Elephander, your shield will become neutralized and will eventually collapse for only so long, thus making you vulnerable."-

"Then, I will refrain from engaging in close range combat. I'll provide mostly covering fire."-

"Now, Raven," Dr. D implied to the still semiconscious young man. "Since you are mostly accustomed to piloting zoids like the Genosaur and the Genobreaker, I want you to pilot this next one." Raven watched as they removed the protective crate from the zoid. It was another Carnasaur type zoid. "This is a legendary zoid that can even surpass the might of the Genobreaker. It's called the Berserk Fury."

"Berserk…Fury…?" Raven uttered, still light leaded.

"Yes, this zoid might be considered one of the top brass of the four. This zoid is highly maneuverable and fast. To add, it has powerful body armor that makes it remarkably durable during those heavy assaults and prolonged battles. It's armor can even withstand heat lasers, but only at such an extent. So whatever you do, don't take a heat laser head on. Otherwise, you'll end up melting the armor, thus making your zoid vulnerable. Like the Genobreaker, It has its energy shield and of course its charged particle gun, which equals to the power of the Deathsaur. Its charged particle gun also isn't confined to the use of a foot lock like the Genosaur and doesn't have to be limited to firing at an enemy directly in front of you. But the cannon needs time to recharge in order to fire again, just like the Genobreaker. However there is one distinct feature that differs between the Genobreaker and the Berserk Fury and that is this feature. Instead of grappling pincers, the Berserk Fury has array blades that are mounted on its back. Each comes in a pair of three blades and can be deployed like giant fans. And like fans, they spin at an incredible rate and are able to mow down the enemy like a buzz saw. This zoid is capable of going head to head and defeating the Shadow Fox and even the mighty Elephander."-

"Well, well," Raven uttered, "Quite an impressive beast you've conjured up for me."

"But the Berserk Fury is not without its equals." Dr. D finally turned to Van. "That's where you come in, Van. You will be the one to pilot this last zoid."

"Me…?" Van uttered.

"After the Blade Liger was severely damaged by the heat lasers of those mobile dolls," Dr. D explained, "Your old zoid is unfit to enter battle anytime soon. So I want you to pilot this last one. And since you're use to piloting the Blade Liger, this shouldn't be too much of a change." The final crate was taken down and there, standing was another cat like zoid. It looked a little like the Blade Liger, but it was of a white color. "This is the one zoid that can equal the strength of even the seemingly invincible Berserk Fury. This is the Liger Zero."

"Liger Zero…?"-

"Yes, this zoid is not only fast, but agile as well, extremely agile. Its quick reflexes and its powerful jaws and front claws are its special features. As an upgrade, we added a pair of gun barrels to its chest area to give it more protective fire power, because before, this zoid had no fire power to protect it. It's most distinct feature, which initiates its most devastating attack are the strike laser claws. Like the shadow fox, this is the distinguishing move of the blade liger. It leaps up and inflicts a great amount of damage to its enemy. To add, the Liger Zero has lightning fast reflexes that can easily evade a hit, or a blow even at point plank."-

"That's pretty intense." Van uttered.

"However, what makes the Liger Zero state of the art is due to its feature to change abilities in certain times of battle."-

"What does that mean though?" Irvine asked.

"Yeah, what makes the Liger Zero state of the art?" Thomas added.

"That's simple. Unlike the other three zoids; or for that matter any other zoid in existence, the Liger Zero can interchange its armor." Dr. D pointed out to three distinctive pieces that came with the Liger Zero. "These are the other distinctive armors that can be placed on the Liger Zero. They are the Jager, the Schneider, and the Panzer. The Jager allows the Liger Zero to accelerate to speeds that surpass even the Lightning Saix. This system is good for open field confrontation. This armor allows quick flanking of an enemy and allows the Liger to strike an enemy down before that enemy has a chance to place up a defense. The next armor set is the Schneider which is able to pierce through anything with its Buster Claw. Even the shield of the Elephander and the Berserk Fury can't withstand a head on strike from the Schneider system. Finally, the Panzer armor is used mainly for bombardment and long range combat. Its fire power is capable of destroying an entire frontal assault with one shot. However, because of its heavy armaments and protective armor, the Panzer cannot be used in high speed battles. So take care when using this armor." Dr. D then looked down at the four massive zoids. "Those will be your zoids to use it battle for the time being. I hope that they live up to your expectations."

"They should…" Raven uttered. He stood up on his own two feet and gazed down at the Berserk Fury.

"But are you sure that you're ready to pilot that thing?" Van asked. "You still look a little shaky from that last battle, Raven."

"I can pilot it, Flyheight!" Raven growled, clutching fist tightly. "I can and I will pilot the Berserk Fury and take back Shadow and my pride!"

"Well, if you guys are going to save Zeke and the other organoids," Herman implied, "Then you better get going."

But suddenly, the loud speaker began to blast out along with the general alarm.

"Attention, attention," the announcer cried, "Unidentified objects approaching, I repeat, unidentified objects approaching."

"Objects…?" Donald uttered.

"Approaching…?" Goofy added.

The team hastily made their way back to the main control room. When entering, they wanted the immediate status of the situation.

"What's the situation!" Herman demanded.

"Objects are advancing on the Ultrasaurus," the senior officer implied, "At least three hundred units." The visual on the screen was closed in to see who or what it was that was attacking. But once the close visual was activated, the team reacted in horror.

"They're mobile dolls!" Van said.

"Mobile dolls?" Thomas uttered in fear. "They're here already?"

"But I thought that they were headed to Gygalos?" Irvine uttered.

"It's not surprising." Riku implied. "Remember that despite our earlier defeat, we are still considered a threat to the Midnight Faction. By the looks of it, it seems that General Dagger has chosen to finish us off after all."

"What'll we do?" Moonbay uttered. There was a brief silence before Van began to speak.

"We fight them." He implied.

"Fight them?" Thomas uttered.

"They want us dead, so we have no other choice, but to fight. We have those new zoids to our disposal, so let's use them in battle and show these dolls what we're really made of. No matter how the battle went last time, if we put all of our heart and soul into this fight then we can do anything."-

"Then, let's go." Raven said.

"Yeah!" they all cried in unison.

The Guardian Force and the KH team began their assembly to take on the might of the mobile dolls.

Meanwhile, amidst the advancing columns of mobile dolls, Colonel Winifred, nestled comfortably in the lone escort Gatler tank, watched as the dolls made their way to the Ultrasaurus, which stood like a grand mountain before them.

"There it is," Colonel Winifred chuckled, "The mighty Ultrasaurus, the mobile headquarters of the Guardian Force. Quite a magnificent sight it is. Too bad, however, that I have to demolish it bit by bit, but I'll get over it soon enough." The Gatler halted and watched from a safe distance as the mobile dolls continued to advance. "And now my dear mobile dolls; let us see a battle to remember."

Immediately, with being no more than five miles away, the mobile dolls commenced their assault. The Virgos, fifty in the front line, bunched themselves together and began to fire an endless barrage of energy beams at the Ultrasaurus. The Ultrasaurus began to receive severe damage as the beams struck its outer hull. The outer defenses of the Ultrasaurus began to return fire, hoping to break up the Virgo formations. But the Virgos, deploying their shields, deflected the barrage.

"Those damned mobile dolls are attacking us already?" Cunla uttered as he and the others made their way to the main hanger.

"They never give us a moment's rest, that's for sure." Ophelia said. The Ultrasaurus began to rumble about them, shaking violent whenever enemy fire hit the hull.

The zoid pilots jumped into the cockpits of their new zoids.

"Alright, Liger Zero," Van said, "Let's see what you can do."

"Let's go Elephander," Thomas added, "and show me what you got!"

"Let's see what the Shadow Fox is capable of doing." Reese added as she climbed into its cockpit.

"Now, Berserk Fury," Raven uttered, entering the cockpit of his new destroyer, "Let me witness the full extent of your abilities."

The four zoids roared and began to advance out of the Ultrasaurus, The Lightning Saix and two thousand reinforcement zoids following them soon after.

At the same time, the little gummi ship of the KH team, refitted and recharged for the next battle, lead the aerial support team which consisted of twenty-five Storm Sworders and one hundred and fifty Pteroses. They lead the charge against the more agile Taurus mobile dolls that made their way to the front by air.

"Here they come." Sora implied, "A hundred Taurus mobile dolls heading this way."

"Make ready," Donald shouted, "All hands to battle stations!" The KH team took their places in the gummi ship.

"Are all squadron leaders ready?" Ophelia said from her intercom to the other zoids units.

"Red leader standing by." The first officer said.

"Blue leader standing by." said the second.

"Green leader standing by." said a third.

"Yellow Leader standing by." said a fourth.

"Alright," Ophelia shouted, "Let's go give 'em some air time! Take us down, Donald!"

"Yes Ma'am!" Donald replied. "Activating Zero system and Zero Shift, shields up."

"Port funnel emitters activated and deployed." Cuchulain implied.

"Starboard funnel emitters activated and deployed." Cunla added.

"Alright, you guys and gals, time for a little excitement!" Donald cried. "Hold on to your hats!" He swoop the gummi into the threat of the mobile dolls. The flying zoids swooped down after them. Placing themselves in tight formations, the Pteroses and Storm Sworders made ready to engage.

Immediately, the mobile dolls began to fire on the attacking enemy. Twelve Pteros zoids were demolished in the first volley. Already, the tide of battle began to rear its ugly head.

"Battle from above has commenced." One of the Gatler tank operatives, watching the battle unfold from above, implied. "Twenty-five of our Tauruses have engaged against a zoid force at least eight times their number."

"It's nothing that we have to be concerned with." Colonel Winifred implied. "The mobile dolls can handle this situation on their own."

"Sir," the operative said again, "We have confirmed that at least two thousand zoids are advancing on the mobile dolls." The operative then noticed the four new zoids approaching. "Sir, there are four new zoids approaching."

"What was that, four new zoids?" The colonel looked to see the screen. "Those are completely different types of zoids. Do we have any records on these models in our zoid archives?"

"There are no known zoid files that can match with those four advancing zoids."-

"Well, whatever they are, they won't be able to match up to the power of the mobile dolls. Get the first line of Virgos ready for deployment."-

The four zoids began their advance, taking the lead of the entire task force.

"Let's finish this once and for all." Raven implied. He rushed forward with the Berserk Fury. "I'll show you faction scum and your mobile dolls the true power of this zoid!"

"Poor little youth," Winifred chuckled, "What is he trying to prove? Deploy twenty-five of our Tauruses, with the heat laser cannons, and put an end to that pilot's life."

"Sir," one of the tank operatives said.

Immediately, twenty-five of the mobile dolls stepped up in front of the Virgo's main line of defense. Aiming their weapons at Raven and the Berserk Fury, they prepared to unleash the same devastation on him as they did the Genobreaker no more than an hour before. The heat lasers fired away at the Berserk Fury. This time, however, the outcome was different. The lasers, which tore through the shield of the Genobreaker and managed to tear it limb from limb, suddenly had no effect on the Berserk Fury. The heat lasers were only deflected or absorbed by the zoids armor. This single incident caused shivers to run down the spine of Colonel Winifred who was this shocking outcome.

"It can't be…" he thought to himself. "The heat laser cannons had no effect on that zoid." He watched as the Berserk Fury came ever closer to the dolls. The mobile dolls, because of their fast reaction time, easily evaded the Berserk Fury.

"You speedy little gnats," Raven shouted, "You can't outrun me forever!" The Berserk Fury suddenly ascended into the air, its array blades deployed and like giant buzz saws, cut two of the dolls in half. The other dolls were quick to react, evading the attack. They then began to fire away at the Berserk Fury with the heat lasers again, but again the weapons had no effect. "You won't have me so easily, not with this new zoid!"

"Raven…!" Van cried, as he entered the fray with the Liger Zero. One of the dolls detected Van's advance and began to fire its heated laser at him. But Van could see every moment when the doll would deploy another beam. Using the agility to his advantage, Van outmaneuvered the doll. "Now let's see what this thing can handle," The Liger Zero suddenly pounced into the air, its claws ready to strike, "Strike Laser Claw!" The Liger Zero slashed through the mobile doll like a hot knife through butter. Immediately, the other mobile dolls began to unleash their fire power against the new zoid. Van easily evaded and dodged each attack with ease. Using his ability to strike and maneuver quickly at such a close range, he made quick work of the other mobile dolls that were either levitating of the ground, or were taking their stance on the soil.

"Let's finish them of, Van!" Raven shouted.

"I'm with you there!" Van implied. But in the process of fighting, they had only managed to take out ten of the dolls. The dolls by now, due to the zero system, had already caught on to the strategy of the Berserk Fury and the Liger Zero and knew to stand clear of the Liger's agility and effective striking attack as well as the Berserk Fury's array blade fans. Once again, both zoids found themselves being bombarded by the mobile doll's main front line.

"Damn it," Van uttered, "They must've somehow figured out our plan."

"Blast these mobile dolls!" Raven shouted.

"Raven," Reese shouted over the intercom. She with the Shadow Fox, the Lightning Saix, and the Elephander, were charging to the battlefield, along with the two thousand other zoids ready to enter the fray. The dolls fired away at the advancing enemy, but the Elephander's strong shield prevented any type of energy or solid projectile from damaging it. And the agility of the Lightning Saix and the Shadow Fox evaded the attacks from the mobile dolls

"This shield of the Elephander is incredible." Thomas implied. "Nothing can get through this shield that's for sure."

"Provide covering fire for us, Thomas." Irvine said.

"Roger that." The Elephander began to fire its large assortment of cannons and armaments at the line of mobile dolls. The dolls in response began to fire at the Elephander, but with no result.

"These dolls are still a tough opponent to face." Van said as he and the blade liger continued to take down some of the dolls a little bit at a time. "Even with these new zoids, they seem to be able to get the best of us."

"Let me try something then." Reese said from the Shadow Fox, running into the fray. The dolls saw the fox coming and began to fire their heat lasers and their beam cannons at Reese. "Now, let's see how effective you are as a stealth zoid." She activated the smoke emitters and a dark cloud suddenly began to accumulate from out of the shadow fox. The dolls were consumed by this dark cloud of smoke and their sensors began to lose precision. Due to the thick cover the smoke that was accumulating, the dolls could no longer predict the precise distance, or whereabouts of the enemy. This gave Reese a temporary advantage. She aimed her mounted guns at the dolls caught in the cloud and fired away. Five of the dolls trapped in the dense cloud were destroyed. "That takes care of them."

"Great work, Reese." Van said.

"You managed to take out five of those dolls and they didn't even put up a fight." Raven added.

"Hey that gives me an idea. Irvine, Thomas, see if you can draw the fire of those Virgo mobile dolls. See if you can agitate their right flank."-

"Roger that." Thomas said.

"I gotcha..." Irvine added. Both the Lightning Saix and the Elephander made their move towards the right flank of the dolls' front line and began to fire away with a large barrage. The dolls immediately began to show more aggression against those two.

"Now, Reese," Van continued, "While the dolls are concentrating all of their efforts on Thomas and Irvine, I want you to attack the left flank of the dolls and run down their line, releasing that cloud of smoke."

"I understand." Reese implied and she went off to carry out her mission.

"And Raven, I want you to fire your charge particle gun. The sensors of the mobile dolls will not be able to sense where we are with that large cloud of smoke, which Reese will unleash, lingering about, but that doesn't guarantee that they'll let down their shields. So, I need you to fire at the line of mobile dolls and neutralize their shield barrier."-

"I see what you mean." Raven implied. "Then, I'll give it all I can."

"Once their shields have been broken then fire with everything you have."-

"Right…"-

"All heat sensors on, so we can see the heat signatures of those mobile dolls."-

"I understand."-

"Did you all hear that?"-

"Roger that." Irvine implied. "Activating heat sensors…"

"Heat sensors activated." Thomas added.

"Heat sensors ready." Reese said.

Thomas and Irvine continued to agitate the right flank of the mobile doll line, drawing all fire towards them. With the aggression of the mobile dolls being aimed at the Elephander and the Lightning Saix, Reese and the Shadow Fox stealthily aimed at the left flank of the dolls. Then, well within the firing range of their beam cannons, risking death to herself and the fox, she carried out with her task.

"I'm at the target point." Reese said. "I'm releasing the smoke screen now." Reese unleashed the thick cloud of smoke while running in front of the dolls. The dolls, not aware of her presence were suddenly consumed by the thick cloud of the screen. Their sensors were suddenly scrambled as the smoke blocked their visual, thus limiting their ability to react to any type of danger. The smoke covered the whole line. Reese then fired a few shots. Her bullets were repelled by the still active shields. "Shields are still up, I repeat shields are still up."

"Alright Raven," Van cried, "Blast them!"

"Take this, you mindless machines!" Raven shouted. "This if for Shadow…!" The Berserk Fury unleashed a powerful blast with its charged particle gun. This attack, being equal to the Deathsaur, dwarfed the power of the Genobreaker's charged particle gun by far. Thus, it did not take very long for the Berserk Fury to break through the protective shield of the dolls. Within a matter of seconds, he had neutralized the shield barrier. The blast itself even managed to cause several of the shield disks to malfunction and the Virgos were consumed by the blast.

"The barrier has been broken!" Thomas shouted.

"All units fire on the dolls!" Van ordered. All five elite zoids and their reserves fired away at the now exposed and vulnerable line of mobile dolls. All fifty front line Virgos were destroyed.

"Yahoo," Irvine bellowed, "We did it! We defeated those mobile dolls!"

"Yeah…!" Van cried.

"They did it." Herman said, observing from the cockpit of the Ultrasaurus, breathing a sigh of relief. "Now we know how to take out those monsters."

"Look, you guys!" Cunla shouted from the gummi ship. "They did it; they managed to take out those mobile dolls."

"That's great!" Riku added.

"That ought to teach the faction." Cuchulain chuckled.

"Come on, you guys!" Goofy cheered on. "Fight them, fight them!"

"The battle has turned in our favor!" Ophelia implied. "Let's finish off the rest of these mobile dolls."

"Right…!" the others shouted in unison. They charged the gummi forward, the four squadrons of Pteroses and Storm Sworders right behind them. They rushed into the ranks of the Taurus mobile dolls that were now beginning to dwindle in their numbers.

While the outcome against the dolls was successful to the Guardian Force, it was a disaster for the Midnight Faction. Colonel Winifred was shocked at this sudden outcome and was now trembling in fear.

"How…how…how can this be?" he uttered to himself. "How could the tide of battle suddenly shift against us? Just an hour ago, we had the Guardian Force crushed. Now all of a sudden they pick up some renewed strength. Explain this to me."

"It's those new zoids, sir." The chief observer implied. "The Guardian Force has somehow conjured a strategy that can defeat the mobile dolls."

"What about the Zero system, isn't it functioning properly?"-

"The Zero system is functioning properly, sir. But this new strategy is hard to comprehend against. Not even the mobile dolls can contend with such a well executed plan."

"Did you have the images of this outcome recorded?"-

"Yes sir."-

"Send them back to HQ and tell General Dagger that I need more reinforcements. Tell him to have the space fortress barge send in more doll units."-

"Sir…" The chief observer thus began the process of relaying the details of the battle back the General Dagger.

It wasn't long before word reached the headquarters of the Midnight Faction and General Dagger. General Dagger, sitting in his quarters, sipping a cup of brandy, was interrupted in his relaxation with a voice bellowing from his room intercom.

"General Dagger," the voice said, "General Dagger, this is the control room, please respond." The general flicked on the intercom.

"What is it?" Dagger replied. "This better be very important for you to have enough nerve to disturb me at this time."

"We have an emergency."-

"What sort of emergency?"-

"It's the Guardian Forcer, sir. Colonel Winifred is fighting them."-

"And that means what to me?"-

"He says that four new zoids have made an appearance in the battle."-

"Four new zoids…?"-

"Yes sir, our data base has no record of these new models, but they are somehow initiating a strategy that is helping to defeat the mobile dolls. Colonel Winifred reports that fifty Virgos were destroyed in a matter of seconds."-

"What was that?" Dagger rose up with worry. "How can fifty Virgos be destroyed in only a few seconds?" Dagger clutched his fist. "I'm heading to the control room. Prepare a visual for me on the present situation of the battle and have it ready by the time I get down there."

"Yes sir." The operative implied. Dagger turned off the intercom and rushed to main control room.

When reaching his destination, he saw the images of the battle's events.

"What's the status?" he asked.

"As you can see, sir," the chief operative implied, "The footage recorded by our front lines indicates that these four particular zoids were the ones to wreak havoc on our mobile doll forces. They had somehow managed to block the sensor readings of the mobile dolls by accumulating some kind of smoke screen, which blocked their visual observation. Then, a large beam of energy overwhelmed the capacity of the dolls and caused the energy barrier to collapse. After that, there was a large barrage against the exposed Virgos and each doll was destroyed simultaneously."

"Damn it. Wasn't the Zero system up and running?"-

"It was sir, but this is the first time that we've witnessed something like this."-

"Sir," an operative from his station stated, "News from the front, fifty more mobile dolls have been destroyed."

"What was that?" Dagger uttered.

"It must be that same type of attack." The chief operative implied.

"Idiots, regular sensors won't work in smoke screens. Use the inferred sensors to pick up the heat sources of the zoids."-

"Sir…!"-

"Sir," a second operative implied, "Our dolls are dropping like flies now against the new foes!"

"Damn it," Dagger shouted, "Trying to resist is futile at this point now. Tell Colonel Winifred to withdraw from his mission at once! Tell space fortress barge to deploy another two divisions of mobile dolls. Have them armed with heat laser attachments for their beam cannons. There's a sufficient amount of them to arm a great number of the dolls. Tell them to activate heat sensors and have the Zero system's main control transferred over to me. I will take command of the dolls personally. I will show how mobile dolls should be used in the midst of battle."

"Yes sir."-

"I knew this was too big a task for Colonel Winifred to handle." The general thought quietly to himself, in a burning rage. "He's too caught up in playing by the book. Doesn't he realize that these old mobile doll tactics won't work against this type of enemy? The enemy has found a way to counter our attacks, so we must find a counterstrategy for their attacks."

"How are our efforts in the attack on Gygalos?" Dagger asked.

"They will be engaging against General Karl Shuvaultz's forces within the next fifteen minutes or so."

"Well, they better hurry. Our forces engaged against the Guardian Force will not last long."

At the same time, the battle had turned completely in favor of the Guardian Force and the KH team. The mobile dolls, which at one point seemed virtually invincible, were now being outdone by the Guardian Force. The same attack was initiated every time. Thomas and Irvine would attack one of the flanks, or do whatever necessary to draw the enemy fire of the mobile dolls away from the rest of the column. Then, Reese, with the use of her Shadow Fox, unleashed a thick smoke screen which interfered with the accurate predictions and readings of the mobile doll sensors. After that, Raven would unleash an explosive attack with his charged particle gun, thus breaking through the shield of the dolls. As soon as the protective energy barrier collapsed, all zoids on the field would aim and fire at the line of dolls, destroying all of them.

In the sky, the Tauruses were being outdone in their efforts against the KH team and the flying zoids of the Guardian Force.

Colonel Winifred could only watch as the remnants of their mobile dolls made one final effort to take a stand.

"Damn it." Colonel Winifred thought. "This outcome is far from what I had expected."

"Sir, our mobile doll units are in shambles." The chief Gatler operative implied. "We have to withdraw for now."

"I am not about to limp off in defeat and have myself humiliated by this…this rabble! Get the dolls into a skirmishing formation!"-

"But sir…!"-

"Do as I say! Those zoids have already figured out how to destroy our forces when their bunched up in their formations, but spread them out and our dolls will not be destroyed so easily!"-

"But sir, initiating a skirmishing tactic will cause the dolls to become even more vulnerable if their spread out. That'll make it easier for the Guardian Force to destroy them."-

"That is an order and you will obey it!" Colonel Winifred shouted. "This is just a fluke, but just you wait, the mobile dolls will emerge victorious in the end. There is nothing to stop them."-

"Have you gone mad, sir?"-

"In the end, it'll be us and our mobile dolls toasting victory in this world!"-

The chief operative could not argue. Despite being an impossible battle to win, he carried out with the order. But his predictions were right. As the dolls began to break up their formations, it made it easier for the Guardian Force and the KH team to dispose what was left of the dolls.

"A skirmish line…?" Thomas uttered.

"All the easier it will be for us." Irvine said.

"Let's finish these dolls off and be done with them!" Raven shouted. He rushed forward and easily broke through the shields of the dolls with his charged particle beam. Twenty-five dolls were obliterated without any trouble. The Lightning Saix, Shadow Fox, and Liger Zero rushed into the fray, using their mobility and agility to easily evade the mobile dolls, thus they could bring them down in only seconds. The Elephander, using its armaments to the maximum, mowed down ten Virgos.

"Come on you guys," Van cried, "We got them on the run!"

"This ends now!" Raven fired another massive energy beam from the Berserk Fury, only minutes after firing his last beam. The last of the dolls were destroyed. But the carnage didn't stop there.

The command Gatler was in the path of the oncoming beam. Time seemed to slow down as the men in the beam from the Berserk Fury came rushing at them at an alarming rate.

"Yes," Winifred chuckled maniacally. It was apparent that the colonel had lost his mind. "Do whatever damage you want, you will never be able to defeat my mobile dolls ever!"

"You bastard," the chief operative uttered, "You've killed us…"

The Gatler was then consumed by the great pillar of light and all within it, colonel and all, were obliterated by the energy wave, along with the last of the dolls. As the energy beam diminished into the atmosphere, a sudden calm came over the battlefield and the thousands of zoids emerged from the battlement as the victors.

"Is…is it over?" Fiona uttered, as she observed the conclusion of the battle from the Ultrasaurus.

"We did it!" Van cried. Soon after Van's declaration, a giant cheer from the Guardian Force erupted into the air. The shouts and hurrahs reverberated throughout the countryside.

"We've won," Thomas shouted, "We've won against the mobile dolls!"

"What a relief." Herman sighed, falling back into his chair, tears of joy rushing from his eyes.

"Those dolls didn't stand a chance against us." Irvine chuckled. "Not with the new zoids in action."

"Herman," Van implied from his cockpit, "Permission to save Zeke and the other organoids."

"Permission granted." Herman implied. "We have the Midnight Faction on the run and we have already determined that they're no longer of any threat to us. Colonel Flyheight, you have my permission to pursue and destroy the enemy. We end this thing with the Midnight Faction today."

"Thank you, sir!" Van chuckled.

"All forces forward! We destroy the faction while they have their tail between their legs."-

All forces began their advance.

"Don't worry Shadow," Raven implied, "I'm coming to get you and no mobile doll is going to stop me."

"This is great," Sora said as he watched the zoids begin their massive advance, with the five elite zoids taking the lead. "The faction's on the run now, so we can defeat them while they're still weakened."

"It serves the faction right for daring to try and defeat us when we were weakened." Riku added. "Let this be a returning of the favor."

"Don't think that the faction won't put up a sudden resistance that can easily be broken." Cunla implied.

"What do you mean?" Cuchulain asked.

"Being a close officer to the faction, if I know my background correctly, General Dagger will most likely be the one who takes control of the dolls."-

"Cunla is right," Ophelia added, "If I have my own facts straight, those maneuvers initiated by the mobile dolls were no doubt Colonel Winifred's doing."

"Colonel Winifred?" Donald asked.

"Who's that?" Goofy added.

"Colonel Elias Winifred was the type of man who enjoyed the use of classical strategy," Ophelia continued. "Like open field battles where the units would form these grand battle processions when engaged in a confrontation as a type of intimidation, sort of like the age of chivalry. He also enjoys the use of artificial soldiers like mobile droids, or the mobile dolls and he unleashes them on the battlefield much like you would use pawns in a chess game."

"Unfortunately," Cunla added, "Colonel Winifred is the type who does not fully understand the capability of the mobile dolls, which is the reason why the dolls were so easily defeated."

"He's right." Cuchulain said. "If you recall the mobile dolls that were used to attack the 'Seed' realm, they were far more aggressive and more difficult to fight. The reason why is because they were not deployed in these parade like formations like the dolls we fought here."

"Unlike Colonel Winifred, General Dagger will mostly likely use the mobile dolls to their absolute use. He'll regress to using tactics that are not conventional strategies. Dagger is the type who will do whatever possible to win. That's why he joined the Midnight Faction in the first place. Lord Sirius Viicous knew that this was the type of man who did not play by the rules and the Midnight Faction is the type of organization that has no conventional code of battle. It obtains no morals, conducts, or ethics whenit comes to fighting. All that matters is winning."-

"So in other words, this General Dagger's just a barbarian." Sora uttered, clutching his fists tightly. "He's the type of guy that would use children as a human shield. Is that what you're trying to get at?"

"That's exactly what kind of extent he's willing to go to." Ophelia uttered.

"Well, then that means the only way for us to go is straight at him." Riku said. "A guy like General Dagger, who has no moral values, or any sense of cause except to spread chaos, does not deserve to exist. When we confront him, he will die."

"I wouldn't dare trying to fight him head on, Riku."-

"Why not?'-

"From what rumors say," Cunla implied, "Those who dare fight General Dagger also have to fight each other."

"What do you mean by that, son?" Cuchulain asked.

"I don't know. I've never seen Dagger in action. The last time anyone had ever seen him in action was six years ago, when the faction began their rampage in other worlds. And even so, there has not been any record of how he fights or what techniques he uses."-

"But whatever tactic he uses," Ophelia added, "The result is always the same. All of his enemies are dead, but he has no scratch inflicted on him."

"Could he possibly be immortal?" Sora asked.

"If that was the case, Sora, then there would be no need for a guy like Dagger to serve under Lord Sirius Viicous."-

"She does have a point." Donald implied.

"Well, all we can do right now is wait for that moment to come." Riku said. The gummi thus made its way to the main headquarters of the Midnight Faction, accompanied by those of the four squadrons remaining, once again. With these new zoids on their side, will the Guardian Force be expecting an easy victory, or is what Cunla and Ophelia implied true about Dagger, and he will use whatever means possible to win? Time once again seemed to slow down as thoughts of this final battle came into their minds.

At the same time, Rosso and Viola, who were sent to the Imperial capital to warn young Emperor Rudolph, finally reached the destination at Gygalos. One the way, however, they spotted the large force of mobile dolls that were making ready to attack the Imperial capital. At least four thousand strong, the mobile dolls made their way to the Imperial capital at a quick and easy pace. They were no more than fifty miles away from Gygalos.

When arriving in Gygalos, Rosso and Viola were met by young Emperor Rudolph himself. But for a teenager, Rudolph was a wise and charismatic leader, who showed a calm and reserve nature, but at the same time, when in a time of need, knew how to take action. His earlier experiences, being exposed the hardships of the outside world, had forged this personality of strength and compassion.

"Rosso, Viola," he said, approaching his friends and trusted bodyguards, "How did it go? Has the faction been defeated?"

"We were successful in thwarting the faction, Rudolph," Rosso replied, "But there's an even bigger threat the faction has unleashed on Zi. While attempting to strike the heart of the Midnight Faction, the Guardian Force encountered a new breed of weapon called mobile dolls, artificial soldiers that equal in size to some zoids. In the offensive, the Guardian Force was nearly wiped out."

"What? They we're nearly wiped out? What about Van, is he alright? And the others; are they alright?"-

"Van and the others managed to survive, but a lot of the soldiers under them were killed."-

"My God…"-

"But that's not the real threat right now, Rudolph." Viola implied. "As we speak, the Midnight Faction is sending a large number of those mobile dolls here to Gygalos. They're planning to attack and destroy the Imperial capital."

"What?"-

"Viola's right," Rosso concurred. "Even as we speak, they are coming in force, at least four thousand strong. We encountered their movements on the way."

"Four thousand…" Rudolph's eye grew wide with fear.

"Rudolph, you have to assemble all forces to protect the capital."-

"Right…!"Rudolph turned to the soldiers who acted as bodyguards for him. "Inform General Karl Shuvaultz to assemble his troops and make ready for battle. Tell him that the enemy is approaching!"

"Sir…!" the soldiers replied and withdrew to inform the general.

"I can't believe that the Midnight Faction would engage in a massive assault on us already."-

"Rudolph," Rosso said, "We'll do what we can to fend off the faction. In the meantime, you get yourself to safety."

"You take care of yourselves alright." Rudolph said. "You two were more like a mother and father to me and I can't bare the thought of losing you."

"Don't worry about it, Rudolph," Viola implied, smiling at him, "We don't intend on dying." Rosso and Viola saluted and went on their way. They climbed back aboard their Storm Sworders and made their way to the battlefield. Before leaving, they waved farewell to Rudolph, assuring that success was at hand. Rudolph stood as the strong force winds from the Storm Sworders blew through his long brown hair.

"You two come back alive," he uttered to himself, "That's all I'm hoping for."

At the outer defense lines of Gygalos, the Imperial army was stationed, ready to take on any attack that the Midnight Faction might send their way. The time had finally come for them to resist the faction's aggressive behavior. This time, the battle would be waged within view of the Imperial capital. General Shuvaultz mounted his Iron Kong and led it to the front. The rest of the Imperial forces followed. In the skies above him, Great Whale Kings fly over head, ready to deploy their fleet of flying zoids to help provide air cover.

"The time has finally come," Karl Shuvaultz thought to himself. "The faction is going to try and attack the very heart of the empire."

"But why would they dare to attack the capital city itself?" one of the subordinates asked. "They haven't had enough nerve to face these defenses head on until up to this point."

"Well, they certainly have the nerve now."-

"What insolence," another subordinate implied, "Do they really think that they can face the might of the Imperial army?"

"Whatever it is they have up their sleeve, we have to be ready. So stay focused."-

"Yes sir…"-

"Rosso, Viola," Karl Shuvaultz uttered, contacting their Storm Sworders, "Do you have a visual on the whereabouts of the enemy?"

"That's confirmed, sir." Viola said. "They will be in firing range within five minutes."

"Confirmed," a subordinate shouted, "I have a visual on the enemy." Karl Shuvaultz enclosed the distance of his observation sensors and saw the legions of enemies that were responsible for stirring up the dust.

"There they are." He said.

"What kind of weapons are those? They're not Gatler tanks this time."-

"Are they a new type of zoid?" another subordinate asked.

"Those are the mobile dolls that we were talking about." Rosso uttered. "They're the ones who nearly destroyed the Guardian Force."

"Keep your guards up." Viola added. "And stand your ground. These dolls are not as easy to fight as you might think."

"I understand." Karl replied. He then gave the order to the blockade of whale kings above. "Provide air support. Attack the enemy from above."

"Roger that," said the chief officers of the whale kings, "Dispatching units to intercept the enemy and provide air support." Thousands of zooids, most of the Imperial Redlers, flew out of the whale kings and headed towards the ranks of mobile dolls that lay below them. But suddenly, the Virgos levitated themselves into the air unleashed their shield barriers. At the same time, the aerial units deployed a bombardment of missiles, but the warheads only struck the protective shields of the dolls and exploded harmlessly from the dolls. The Virgo mobile dolls in return, began to fire their beam cannons and destroyed many of the attacking units in a single barrage. General Shuvaultz, Rosso, Viola, and thousands of other Imperial troops could only watch as many of their comrades were eliminated by a single barrage.

"It can't be…" Karl uttered.

"They managed to destroy a large portion of the attacking Redler force with a single volley." Rosso uttered.

This single act had proven to the defenders of the Imperial army that this battle would not be an easy confrontation.

At the same time, General Dagger had just received word from the main control of the results on the assault on the Ultrasaurus.

"General Dagger," one of the operatives uttered silently, "It's over…The fight between the Guardian Force and the mobile dolls is over."

"And Colonel Winifred," Dagger asked. "What of the colonel?"

"He was killed along with everyone else in the command Gatler."-

Dagger sighed, but lifted his head up.

"The colonel was consumed by his own arrogance and confidence of the mobile dolls. And he was the type who would not accept defeat. But what a fool he was to be using the dolls for such outdated tactics."-

"Your orders, sir?" another operative asked.

"Is the Guardian Force heading this way?" General Dagger asked.

"They will be within firing range in ten minutes, sir." A third operative said.

"What about my reserve mobile dolls?"-

"The mobile dolls have already arrived and fifty percent of them have been armed with heat laser cannons."-

"Get all outer defenses ready and I want all shield generators powered to maximum output. Get all anti guns ready and have the heavy artillery prepared for the enemy assault."-

"Yes sir."-

"As for me, I shall be in the doll's central control. I will lead these machines to battle and unleash their full potential."-

"Yes sir."-

But before the general could leave, the chief scientist made his way into control room.

"General Dagger," he implied, "I'm glad that I caught you in time, sir. I have some bad news."

"What bad news?" Dagger asked.

"It's regarding the organoid dissection process, sir, most of our equipment has malfunctioned. The breaking of the outer defense shield has somehow effected the equipment and we can't begin proper procedure until our machines are up and running a hundred percent."-

"Then stop standing there and get those machines fixed. I want those organoids dissected as soon as possible. The more we stall, the closer the Guardian Force comes to rescuing those subjects. Do whatever you can to get the information out of those organoids!"-

"Yes sir."-

The general walked away leaving the chief operative and the scientist-in-charge standing about as he left the room. He walked down the corridor until coming to a passage that broke off from the main hall. This passage was slightly dark with only a few lights to illuminate it. Dagger walked down the corridor, eventually coming to a pair of doors. The doors opened wide and Dagger entered what looked like a large black dome. On the walls of this dome were implemented computer and date screens that showed all available units of mobile dolls. A few lights lit up the dome, they too implanted within the walls in a series of rows, each of these rows reaching in four different directions of the dome. He walked towards the center of this great dome, under one of these rows of lights and came before a solitary commander's chair. High in posture and curved like an eggshell, the chair was a solid black and the cushions too were solid black and made of fine leather. He sat down in it and activated a small white button on the end of the armrest. From the armrest, a control panel appeared. From the armrest opposite, a hatch opened and a device that was identical to a scouter, being a white earpiece that latched to the left ear and a red lens that lay over the eye to help detect power levels, as well as engage in other technical activity, emerged from its compartment. General Dagger then tapped in another code on the control pad and a long, well polished, silver pillar, with a single red light mounted on a round top, emerged from a hatch, just a couple of feet in front of the chair. Dagger chuckled at the sight of seeing his reflection on this silver column.

"I'll show these fools the true power of the mobile dolls!" He then activated the mobile doll central control. Placing the scouter upon his ear, he could see through the red lens, the outlay of the battlefield in a 3-D image. He could see the operating systems of each doll and would be able to adapt them to every change in fighting tactics. "With this mass Zero System control, I'll be able to initiate my strategies like I would chess, or checkers. I'll be able to see every detail of the battle from this wide view to the closer perspectives of the mobile dolls. That Colonel Winifred would never have been able to comprehend the use of a system like this. And he never realized how vital it was for teamwork of both Tauruses and Virgos to be. But I'll show them all the true power of the mobile dolls." Dagger then began the process of linking the mobile doll control with space fortress barge. "Attention space fortress barge, can you hear me?"

"This is space fortress barge," a voice implied. Dagger could see the face of the operative talking to him through his scouter lens, "Your orders General Dagger?"

"I want all reserved mobile dolls ready for deployment when I ask for them."-

"Yes sir."-

"Prepare activation of main barge cannon. Make ready to fire it on my signal. I believe that we may need all of the power necessary to defeat the Guardian Force."

"Understood sir…"-

"This is dagger over and out." The general cut transmission and continued to watch as the Guardian Force slowly neared the battle line of the Midnight Faction main headquarters. "Now, Flyheight, I will show you, your allies, and those meddlesome key bearers the true power of the dolls."


	31. Eruption

Eruption

The KH team watched from the skies above as the ground forces of the Guardian Force below, with Van Flyheight and the Liger Zero in the lead, drew nearer to the defensive battlements of the Midnight Faction's main headquarters.

"The Guardian Force is closing in on the factional headquarters." Donald said.

"All hands at battle stations." Cunla added. "Preparing to engage the enemy. We'll be entering enemy air space in T minus ten seconds and counting."

"Energy shields have been deployed."-

"Starboard side emitters deployed and activated."-

"Port side funnel emitters deployed and activated." Cuchulain said.

"Rear, starboard side gun is ready." Riku implied.

"Rear port side gun is ready." Sora added.

"Turret cannon, ready for action." Ophelia said.

"Goofy," Donald remarked, "Contact all remaining squadrons and tell them to make ready."

"I gotcha, Donald!" Goofy said, with a salute. He opened the transmission line. "Are you other squads ready?"

"Blue leader standing by." Said the first.

"Red leader standing by." Said the second.

"Green leader standing by." The third implied.

"Yellow leader standing by." The fourth announced.

"Alright," Goofy said, "All them other fellers are ready for battle!"

"Very good," Donald said. "Cuchulain, give them the order."

"Right..." the Hound replied. "All remaining squadrons; prepare to engage the enemy. Follow our lead and good luck to you all."

The gummi began a steep swoop as it loomed over the faction's head quarters. The remaining squadrons, consisting of Storm Sworders, Pteroses, and Redlers soon followed. It was during this descent through the sky that the KH team realized what they were going up against. Over the entire area of the faction headquarters, vast lines of Taurus and Virgo mobile dolls stood in wait.

"Look at all those dolls." Goofy uttered.

"Stay focused, Goofy," Donald said, "Don't let their numbers scare you."

"Well you tell my knees that because they ain't stopping their knocking for no one."-

At the same time, Van and the others were now in sight of the faction's barracks. The Liger Zero was well in the lead, with the Berserk Fury and the Lightning Saix close behind him.

"The faction's base is dead ahead." Van implied. "All forces prepare to intercept the enemy."

"Let's give them hell, Van." Raven shouted.

"Let's go, let's go…!" Irvine added.

The ground forces drew nearer and nearer to the base, but as they did, that was when they met an unrivaled barrage from the base. Sure enough, the Guardian Force found themselves confronted by thousands of mobile dolls.

"Mobile dolls dead ahead." Thomas implied.

"Prepare to engage!" Van shouted. The zoids ran head long against the barrage by the dolls.

In the sky, the KH team was met by sudden resistance as they watched legions of Taurus mobile dolls attacking. The aim of the dolls was without a doubt unrivaled as each shot seemed to cut the forces of the Guardian Force to almost half with a single volley. The Tauruses were fast in their tactics and rushed into the ranks of Redlers, Pteroses, and Storm Sworders.

"Initiate covering fire…!" Donald shouted.

"Roger that!" Riku implied. With the zero system activated, the little gummi was able to defend itself against the mobile dolls as well as put up a strong defensive. The zoids squadron's, however, were no match for the dolls. The flying zoid units, unlike the mobile dolls, could not stop in mid air and change their direction of fire. It was because of this advantage that many of the zoid air support squadrons became easy prey to the more agile mobile dolls. To add, the mobile dolls had changed their strategy. This time, instead of attacking both the gummi and the zoid squadrons, they were now attacking only the zoids while trying to avoid the gummi ship altogether.

"This isn't good." Cunla uttered. "Dagger has taken control of the Zero system."

"What do you mean?" Sora asked. "How do you know?"

"The dolls are attacking the zoid squadrons, while keeping a safe distance away from us. Only when the other squadrons are wiped out will the dolls then turn their aggression on us."-

"What are we gonna do?"-

"We have to protect the squadrons." Riku implied. "We have to get the remaining force assembled and come up with a strategy of our own. At this rate, we won't be able to fight the mobile dolls for very long."

"Alright," Donald replied, "Then let's go give those guys a hand."

"I'll take command of implementing the strategy." Cunla said.

"OK, kid, I leave it up to you."-

The little gummi turned about and made its way to where the remaining squadrons were being pummeled.

"We're not doing so well!" Red leader shouted.

"We need reinforcements!" Blue leader added.

"Don't waver! We must wait for help to come!" Green leader cried.

"We won't last here!" Yellow Leader shouted.

But as it seemed that hope was up for the squadrons, the KH gummi ship came at the dolls with a vengeance, cannons and funnel emitters firing away, the little gummi rushed into the fray, destroying ten mobile dolls in the process.

"Attention, attention," Cunla shouted, "All remaining squadrons regroup and prepare to initiate a counter offensive."

"Roger that!" Red leader said. "We'll follow your lead."

The remaining zoids regrouped and made ready to battle against the Tauruses.

"Yellow Leader," Cunla began, "Rush your Storm Sworder, through the ranks of the enemy."

"Roger that." Yellow Leader replied and rushed towards the ranks of the dolls.

"The rest of us will concentrate fire on the area where yellow leader was."-

"Roger that!" the other units replied.

Yellow Leader rushed through the ranks of the dolls. The dolls in response, concentrated their fire on the incoming zoid, but in the process, they were bombarded by the KH team gummi and the other air support zoids and twenty of the dolls were destroyed in that massive barrage.

"We did it sir!" Green Leader cheered.

"Don't get too comfortable." Cunla replied. "This fight still isn't over."

"Your orders, sir…?"-

"The enemy is split up into separate units. We must somehow separate those units and take them out one at a time. Green leader, draw attention of mobile dolls, then support covering fire yellow and blue leader."

"Roger that." The squadron leader replied.

"We'll draw the enemy fire and engage them from within. Then red leader concentrate on the after effect and provide cover fire."-

"Understood…" Red leader implied.

The strategy was initiated. In the next engagement, green leader and his squadron rushed through the ranks of the dolls. While the dolls were concentrating the green leader, the yellow and blue squadrons opened fire upon the dolls. Many of the dolls were eliminated in the process. At the same time, the KH gummi rushed through a large force of Tauruses, firing their armaments at the same time, bringing down fifteen more. Meanwhile, the red squadron initiated covering fire for after effect and many more of the dolls were eliminated.

"We're doing it, Cunla!" Sora cheered.

"That's my boy!" Cuchulain shouted. "Go get 'em, son!"

"We're winning!" Goofy cried. "We're winning!"

The tide of battle above the faction headquarters had shifted dramatically. Now it was the Midnight Faction's mobile dolls that were taking on casualties. The menial and once mediocre band of aerial zoids was now standing on equal ground with the Midnight Faction's Tauruses.

This outcome did not go unnoticed by General Dagger, who saw as fifty of his mobile dolls were destroyed.

"What's this?" he uttered. "Those fools have come up with a strategy to counter the mobile dolls…impressive." The general then realized how the zoids were able to initiate such a well coordinated counteroffensive. "The only reasonable explanation for this turn of events must be due to the KH team. Their gummi ship must have the zero system installed in their command data. How else could they carry out with such well devised strategies? Oh well, I can always fix that little problem. I'll just have to destroy them with my Trio Maneuver." With a few moderations to his own strategy, he sent up a squadron of Virgo mobile dolls to intercept. "I must remember to integrate both Taurus and Virgo mobile dolls. Only when they work together do they become a formidable opponent." It was then that General Dagger had another brilliant plan. He then dispatched two brigades of Tauruses and Virgos to outflank the Guardian Force and attack from behind. "While we're at it, let us be a little more devious in tactics. Space fortress barge come in."

"This is space fortress barge." The operative in charge implied.

"Prepare to fire the barge's main cannon. Set target to the Ultrasaurus."-

"Yes sir. Barge cannon will be fully charge in three hundred seconds."-

"Prepare to fire on my signal."-

"Yes sir."-

"Now we'll just see how cocky you are after this little engagement." General Dagger chuckled.

At the same time, the ground forces were having some trouble going against the dolls. Unlike the aerial forces, which had the KH team and the zero system to help initiate their strategy, Van Flyheight and the others had to depend on their own cunning and instinct in order to fight the dolls. The Virgos, however, unlike the Tauruses, have protective shields that could easily be strengthened when they grouped in numbers. However, unlike before, this time the mobile dolls were not placed in large battle formations. Thus, the earlier strategies Guardian Force used against Colonel Winifred was of no use. To add, the mobile dolls also had the aid of hidden artillery in their favor and these cannons engaged in an intense barrage that mowed down many of the supporting zoids. The dolls too were proving to be formidable this time.

"How the heck did these mobile dolls all of a sudden become so powerful?" Thomas asked.

"And they're not getting into any large formation." Irvine added. "Our earlier strategy won't work this time."

"And they're not making any skirmish line." Van said. "They seem to spread out and bunch up together at random."

"I'm getting tired of this!" Raven shouted. He rushed the Berserk Fury forward.

"Raven, don't…!"-

"I'll rescue you, Shadow! I'll defeat the faction!" He unleashed his array blades and attacked the doll units. But the Virgos saw his strategy coming and they clustered together. The Berserk Fury was held back by the powerful shield of the dolls. "Damn it!"

"Raven, I'm coming!" But as the Van closed in, two Virgos appeared between him and Raven and began firing away, hoping to fend him off.

"Thomas," Irvine shouted, "Let's see if we can get the attention of those mobile dolls and have them concentrate their aggression on us, just like before."

"I understand." Thomas replied. The Elephander and the Lightning Saix made their way to one of the flanks, but as they did, they suddenly found themselves being attacked by artillery forces on the hillside. To add, Taurus now joined the fray and were firing from above, pestering the zoids like they were little insects.

"Damn it!" Irvine shouted. "Now all of a sudden our tactics don't work."

"Irvine, get behind me. At least the shield is big enough to accommodate us both."-

"Right…!" Irvine ran behind the Elephander as the bombardment continued. "I can't believe this horrible development. I could have sworn that we had these dolls on the run before."

"Maybe these are upgraded models or something."-

"We have to withdraw and regroup!" Van shouted.

"I will not run!" Raven roared. "I will not run! I will not run away from you filthy little insects!" He continued to slam the Berserk Fury into shields of the condensed mobile dolls."

"Raven, get out of there, please!"-

"I need to save Shadow! I need to!" Raven's eyes began to fill with tears. "I don't want to be alone again! I don't want to lose a friend ever again!"

"Damn these mobile dolls!" Van and the Liger Zero began to falter as the Virgos continued to stand between him and Raven, firing away with the beam cannons.

"Raven!" a voice cried out. Van and Raven looked to find Reese charging into the fray with the shadow fox.

"Alright, Reese…!" Van said.

"I've got your back covered Van. Get Raven out of there!" She unleashed a thick smoke screen into the ranks of the dolls. She then ran about shooting away at the dolls, but the shields remained active. But even so, this single moment allowed Van to get Raven away from the danger.

"Raven, if you want to break that shield, you'll have to use your charge particle gun."-

"Van…" Raven uttered. He nodded and backed the Berserk Fury off. He made ready to fire the charge particle gun.

"Thanks to that smoke screen, now the dolls have no confirmed visual."-

"Alright, you guys!" Irvine shouted. "Go get 'em!"

"That a boy!" Thomas added.

But suddenly, from out of the smoke screen, three disks, which helped to accumulate the energy shield for the Virgos, came rushing at the Berserk Fury and struck it at the head. Raven's attack was a folly now with these three disks suddenly striking him down. They then disappeared back into the condensed smoke. Soon after, another barrage erupted from the condensed smoke. And this time, the barrage did not consist of blasts from the Virgo's standard beam cannon, but the heat laser cannons that had been earlier issued.

"Heat lasers…!" Van cried, as he dodged the assault as best he could, nearly being struck by the highly devastating rays. Raven on the other hand was not so lucky, as he found the Berserk Fury suddenly being hit by the heated beams from out of the smoke. To add, some of the beams were concentrated on most of his major joints and began to melt away at the protective armor. "Raven, move quickly!"

The Berserk Fury was quick to react and jumped out of the way of the heat laser barrage.

"To close for comfort if you ask me." Raven uttered.

"But how is it that they were able to fire so accurately at you guys even though the smoke screen was in front of you?" Thomas asked.

"I don't know." Van implied. "Maybe these dolls have been armed with active heat sensors and could detect the heat signatures of our zoids."

"That's the only explanation." Reese said. "Otherwise, how could they aim so accurately through such a cloud of condensed smoke?"

It was then that through the smoke, like phantoms out of the dark, the line of mobile dolls was seen, advancing slowly on their enemies. Immediately, they began to fire away at the Guardian Force, who was now dwindling in numbers. The reinforcements were slowly driven back, their numbers slowly dwindling. The front line troops of the Guardian Force were picked off one after another as the barrage continued.

"This may be the end for us." Thomas uttered. "Not even these new zoids are a match for the mobile dolls."

The KH team watched from above as the devastation amidst the ranks of the Guardian Force slowly dissolved. The Virgos and Tauruses combined proved to be a formidable enemy.

"Those mobile dolls are getting the best of the others on the ground!" Ophelia shouted.

"We better go give them a hand." Donald said.

"Hold it." Riku implied. "If we go down there now, our forces providing aerial attacks won't be able to fend off the remaining Tauruses by themselves. Not without the strategic guidance of the Zero System. So even if we were to help Van and the others, what point would it have been for if all our support teams in the air, are destroyed?"

"But if we don't do something now," Sora said. "Van and the rest of the ground forces will be wiped out."

"There are just too many mobile dolls." Donald said. "Even we can't fight against this many in a single battle."

"We have to try." Riku said.

But no sooner had he finished his statement, a sudden barrage from below them shook the hull of the ship, rocking the KH team nearly senseless.

"What the heck was that?" Cunla asked.

"We have three heat sources coming this way." Donald shouted. "Confirmed, they are Virgo mobile dolls!"

"There are only three Virgos?" Ophelia asked. "With the Zero system at our disposal, we should be able to take them out with no problems.

"Engaging the dolls…!"-

The little gummi ship entered battle against the Virgos. Using the sophistication of the Zero System, they engaged against the dolls, firing their emitters and their main cannons at the three. But the Virgos, however, immediately deployed their shields. The energy beams and lasers from the gummi were deflected of the protective barrier. In the meantime, the three mobile dolls were initiating a barrage, not by the standard cannon, but the least laser cannons that had been earlier installed with their system. The heated beams tore through the shield of the gummi and hit the surface. The laser had struck the tip of the right wing and had managed to cut a semi circle into the surface. This thus indicated to the KH team that these were not ordinary weapons. And the foes they faced were not ordinary dolls.

"That laser managed to cut through our shield." Cuchulain said.

"Those laser cannons must be heat lasers." Cunla added. "They're the same type that even managed to take down the Genobreaker."

The little gummi did its best to use swift attacks and evasion to fight the dolls. Unfortunately, the three Virgos were too tight in their cooperation and the formations that they could not be so easily broken. To add, they were armed with high heated laser cannons. To make matters worse, Tauruses from afar provided covering fire, limiting the little gummi ships ability to move. But the presence of the Taurus mobile dolls was the least of the concern for the KH team and the little gummi. It was the three Virgo mobile dolls that posed the biggest threat. At every twist and turn, the gummi found itself confronted by the three mobile dolls again.

Just then, the dolls did the unthinkable, something which the KH team had not yet encountered. The mobile dolls started to dispatch their shield disks as lethal projectiles. The disks struck the gummi's protective shield, causing electrical surges to uproar when they collided.

"I can't believe it," Donald said, "Now those stupid mobile dolls are throwing their shield emitting disks at us. What is the deal with that?"

"They must be doing it for two purposes." Cuchulain said. "One, they're hoping to neutralize our shield by colliding one set of disks with another, or two, they hope to knock us about senselessly, so we can't confirm where and when they will bombard us again with those heated lasers."

"I won't let some big, rusty old drum barrel get the best of me!"-

Donald swerved the gummi ship, up, down, left, right, in tight angles, sudden turns, and in loops, but the dolls were always behind them, getting closer to their target. The gummi continued to unleash its barrage; the protective shield and the maneuverability of the Virgos were unexpected and well executed.

"I don't understand it." Donald implied. "These three mobile dolls are tougher than most of the others we've encountered. It seems no matter what we do, they always managed to evade, or deflect our attacks, while at the same time, they're able to use those heated lasers to cut right through the surface of the hull."

"Remember," Cuchulain implied, "These mobile dolls are linked with the Zero system. So they can think independently like that of humans. And it also depends upon the nature and logic of the human controlling them that the dolls act in the way they do."

"But while we're here doing loop-de-loops with these stupid mobile dolls," Sora said, "The other squadrons are being cut down by the Tauruses."

"And why the heck are those three attacking us so aggressively?" Ophelia asked. "It seems that we're the only target they're after."

"There's a reason why these mobile dolls are attacking us to aggressively and with such precision." Cuchulain implied. "They're trying to take the brain out first. We were the ones who conjured the initiated counterstrike against the dolls, so Dagger must be overlooking the activity of these three Virgos to oversee our imminent destruction."

"We have to do something though," Riku shouted, "We can't spend all of our energy and resource fighting these three machines."

"We need reinforcements." Cunla said. "That's what we need."

It was then that a general transmission entered the cockpits of every zoid on the field and even into the main control room of the Ultrasaurus.

"Attention, attention," a voice implied, "This is Colonel O'Neal, of the New Helic Republican forces! General Herman, your reinforcements have arrived!"

"Thank God!" Herman uttered from the Ultrasaurus, his eyes moist with tears.

Colonel O'Neal, leading the entire force of zoids, converged onto the battlefield. This force consisted of the larger zoids that could not be so easily defeated. The Gojulas units were among them, a hundred strong, two thousand shield ligers, fifteen hundred heavily armed Gunsnipers, fifteen hundred command wolves, and over three thousand artificially controlled Guysacks. And in skies above, two thousand Pteroses and one thousand Storm Swords came rushing to the front.

"All units prepare to intercept the enemy." Colonel O'Neal ordered. "Initiate flanking maneuvers on the opposing force. Provide Covering fire for Colonel Flyheight."

"Roger that." The leaders of the aerial squadrons implied, as they swooped down to the battlements.

"Alright, you guys, let's give these dolls are real fight to remember." Herman shouted. "All barge cannons open fire at the mobile doll ranks."

The Ultrasaurus began its own barrage with its armed artillery, aiming at the concealed faction batteries on the hillside.

"Reinforcements have arrived." Sora shouted. There was a cheer that reverberated, not only within the gummi ship, but through the remaining squadrons that accompanied them.

"We still have a fighting chance." Riku added.

"You guys," Donald shouted, "The reinforcements are not of our main concern right now!" He swerved the gummi ship to and fro, hoping to not to be nicked or clipped from the bombardment of the three Virgos.

"Why don't these stupid dolls just give it up…!" Cunla shouted.

"You tell them that." Ophelia uttered. The KH team, not able to have their time to cheer for the arrival of the reinforcements, continued to evade and attack the three mobile dolls.

At the same time, Van watched as his comrades came rushing to their rescue.

"It's about time you guys got here." Van shouted a tone of joy behind his words. "We thought that we were finished off for sure." The reinforcements came rushing into the fray like, little knowing of what awaited them from below.

The massive assault force did not come unseen by General Dagger who had predicted the chances of reinforcements from New Helic City. He smiled in such a sinister and devious manner as he watched the massive force charge directly into the battle.

"Right into my trap," he chuckled, "You fools."

Suddenly, from both sides of the attacking force, a massive barrage of energy beams and projectiles bellowed into the air, destroying many of the reinforcement zoids in the process. Van and the others could only watch in horror as his comrades were suddenly ambushed from both flanks.

"What's going on?" Van uttered. He then realized what it was that struck the attack force. "The mobile dolls, they're flanking us!"

The attack force itself was dispersed and had to deal with the mobile dolls that were attacking from the sides. Many of them were eliminated in the process. Chaos erupted amidst the ranks of the Guardian Force and their numbers again began to dwindle. The reinforcement columns did not have much of an impact against the mobile dolls, whose defense proved impenetrable and now the dolls were swelling in numbers. The tide of battle had turned once again and this time against the Guardian Force and their allies.

"The reinforcements," Sora uttered as he watched the dolls initiated their ambush, "The dolls managed to strike unexpectedly at the reinforcement columns."

"Damn it." Riku uttered.

"Stay focused, you two," Cuchulain uttered, "We still have these three Virgos to worry about."

"I can't believe it." Cunla uttered, "Matching strength to strength with mindless machines like these."

"There must be some way to penetrate their defense."-

"With them always having their shields up," Ophelia implied, "Those dolls have no weakness."

"There's one thing that we haven't tried though." Sora said.

"What's that?"-

"The Zero Shift, that system allows us to teleport. Maybe we can use that to penetrate through their shields and take 'em out from behind."

"That just might be crazy enough to work." Riku agreed. "The teleportation effect might throw their readings off too and they won't know where to pick up our signal."

"Then, let's go for it." Goofy said.

"Alright, you guys," Donald said, "Hold on to your hats."

"But, Donald, I ain't got a hat." Donald slapped Goofy in the back of the head.

"I don't mean literally, two ounce brain!"-

"Donald, wait," Riku said, "I have an idea. Fly straight into those three mobile dolls."

"What"?-

"Are you crazy, Riku?" Sora asked. "They're gonna shoot us down without any problems if we decide to attack them head on."

"That's all part of the plan. The closer we get to them, the better their sensors will be thrown off."-

"Well, I hope you know what you're doing, Riku." Donald said. "Then let's get to it!" Donald cracked his fingers and gripped the throttle tightly. He then began to rush head on into the dolls, evading and avoiding the attacks as best he could. He fired the gummi's main assault cannons at the same time. The dolls quickly deployed their shields and waited for Donald to cease firing before they would return a volley. Donald was no more than fifty yards away from the dolls when he ceased fire. Once he ceased fire, the three Virgos aimed their heat laser cannons and retaliated with a point blank volley. "Here we go, Zero Shift activated!" The gummi ship suddenly vanished into thin air as the beams were ready to strike the hull. The dolls' sensors had gone haywire because of the sudden vanishing of their target. But little did they realize that the gummi had appeared behind them, where they were most vulnerable.

"Take this!" Riku shouted. All guns and emitters were aimed point blank at the dolls. With a mighty barrage, the little gummi peppered the dolls full of holes. Thus the three Virgos, which had managed to maintain a tight formation, were destroyed and their once weakness exploited.

"We did it!" Cuchulain cheered.

"We defeated those three Virgos!" Ophelia cried. There was a loud shout from the KH team.

"Don't get too confident in the Zero Shift's ability." Donald implied. "That last attack really did us in. That single teleportation tactic used up over a quarter of our energy."

"What?" Riku uttered. "The Zero Shift takes up that much energy?"

"It takes a lot of energy for the molecular structure of the ship to assemble and then reassemble again."-

"That means that we can't initiate the Zero Shift indefinitely." Cuchulain uttered.

"How many times can we perform it?" Sora asked.

"We can only initiate the Zero Shift one more time a full capacity." Donald replied. "After that, we're gonna have to start cutting back on our energy in order to perform the Zero Shift a third time. That's means we won't be able to use all of our weapons. We'd have to cut back on shield power, on emitter power, and rear gun and turret power. That means the only weapons we'll have at our disposal is either the two main frontal cannons, or the primary laser gun."

"Then, we'll just have to save the Zero Shift for a last resort." Ophelia said. "Right now, the best thing we can do right now is help fight off the mobile dolls."

"OK," Sora said, "Then let's get back to the squadrons and give them a strategy to go by."

"I gotcha…" Donald replied and the gummi ship once again began its run

"What's this?" General Dagger uttered, as he watched the tide of battle in the air slowly turn in the Guardian Force's favor. "The Guardian Force has managed to maintain a strong aerial defense again. It must be the KH team." Dagger observed the battle close up and saw as the gummi ship was once again free to attack the mobile doll units and execute well coordinated attacks. "By their reestablishment of command to the zoid aerial squadrons, the key bearers and their friends must have been able thwart the Virgo mobile dolls engaged in the Trio Maneuver. Quite commendable, but let us see if they can perform another miracle." Dagger dispatched three more Virgos against the gummi. "I already know that this battle is within my grasp to victory." Dagger then turned his chair to yet another battle scene that was taking place, just south of the fight with the Guardian Force, at Gygalos. "Now, let's observe how my dolls are doing in their assault on the Imperial capital."

Like the fight against Van Flyheight and the Republican brance of the Guardian Force, the Imperial army under General Karl Shuvaultz was starting to give way to the ever growing aggression of the advancing mobile dolls. Unlike the battle that took place at the main headquarters of the Midnight Faction, the city of Gygalos did not have a large number of legendary pilots like Van, Raven, and Irvine to defend it. And it did not have highly skilled and rare zoids like the Lightning Saix, the Elepahnder, the Liger Zero, the Berserk Fury, or the Shadow Fox to aid in the confrontation. To add, the Imperial army of Gygalos did not have the power of the zero system at to help aid in their defense. All General Shuvaultz and his men had at their disposal were their own numbers and skills. Out of the entire force, only General Shuvaultz himself and the personal bodyguards of Emperor Rudolph, Rosso and Viola, flying high in their Storm Sworders, providing aerial support, were the only true elite pilots of the entire Imperial defensive. But even the three of them, despite their valiance and their determination, were not enough to battle against the artificially controlled and highly maneuverable mobile dolls.

Rosso and Viola did their best to fight off the Taurus mobile dolls that hovered in the air and bombarding at the two Storm Sworder pilots and their soldiers, but even so, the limitations of their zoids began to show themselves. Their ammunition nearly spent and armed only with the blades on their wings, it all seemed hopeless to continued battling.

"Where the heck are all these dolls coming from?" Viola asked. "It's as if they just pop out of nowhere."

"Not to mention," Rosso added, "These dolls aren't exactly easy to take down. They're an even bigger nuisance then when we fought them back at the Midnight Faction's main HQ."

"Luckily for us, however, that we're highly skilled when it comes to flying Strom Sworders."-

"I wonder how Van and the others are doing."-

"I don't know, but I sure hope that they're having more luck than we are." The duo continued to battle against the dolls, providing aerial support for the ground forces as well as to help the squadrons who battled in the air.

At the same time, the first line of defense, where General Shuvaultz was taking command, began to crumble little by little as the mobile dolls continued to push forward.

"These mobile dolls are more difficult to face than I thought." Karl Shuvaultz thought to himself. "But how could it be possible that they can maintain so much power." General Shuvaultz watched as his soldiers around him began to fall prey to the oncoming enemy fire one after the other. Some of the zoids continued to fight no mater what the condition or state they were in. Some soldiers and their zoids continued the battle, a few zoids with missing front or hind legs, others with their protective armor slowly stripping off with every blast. The defense of Gygalos began to waver.

"We're starting to lose ground!" a subordinate cried out. "General Shuvaultz, we won't last here!"

"We can't give up now!" the General replied. "We have to protect the capital as best we can, to the last man if necessary."

"Sir," another subordinate cried, "Our front line of defense will not last long. We're taking on heavy casualties!"

"The center of the northern defense line is starting to break apart!" a third subordinate shouted. "We need immediate reinforcements!"

"Get all reserve troops of the front line into combat." General Shuvaultz ordered. "Tell them to plug up any hole that forms in the line! If a gap begins to form, you plug it with the back up troops, understand!"-

"Yes sir!"-

"We have to hold off these brigands as best we can." General Shuvaultz thought to himself. "If we fail, then the entire city will be at the mercy of the Midnight Faction. As a result, the Imperial capital will fall and the entire Gylos Empire will soon follow. Then nothing will stop the Midnight Faction from concentrating all their man power and resources on the New Helic Republic. Then it'll make the end of our world and our way of life. We have to hold our lines as best we can."

Emperor Rudolph watched from the safety of the palace, with his trusted advisor and loyal dignitary, Prime Minister Homeleff at his side.

"Fight on, my brave soldiers." Rudolph thought to himself. "The fate of our home and our work depends upon your conduct on the battlefield."

"You majesty," Prime Minister Homeleff implied, "We must evacuate the palace right now and make it to the safety of one of the underground shelters."

"I cannot." Rudolph said. "I cannot waver before my subjects. I don't want them to lose hope. Therefore, I must stand fast."

"But your majesty, if you don't withdraw to the safety of a shelter, there may be a chance that you might be killed. And we can't have that, sire. Once this fight ends, you must be there to help the people rebuild their spirits as well as their homes." Rudolph knew his duties as the emperor of the Gylos Empire and he knew that must boost morale of his men and his subjects as best he could, but knowing the aftereffect that would occur if he died made Rudolph yield to his Prime Minister's suggestion.

"You're right, Homeleff." He uttered. "Very well, I shall withdraw from the palace and make it to a shelter, but only after you assure that all civilians have been safely escorted to the fallout shelters."

"But, your majesty…?"-

"That is an order, Prime Minister. You get yourself and the rest of my subjects to safety and then I will join you."-

"Sire…"-

"Don't worry about me, Homeleff. I'll be alright."-

"Very well, your majesty, just please be careful."-

"I will."-

Prime Minister Homeleff bowed respectfully to his monarch, his eyes moist with tears accumulating at his lashes. He then withdrew from the observatory. Rudolph turned towards the sights of the battle and remained vigilant, watching as his soldiers continued to fight.

"Forgive me, my soldiers," Rudolph said to himself, "Forgive me for having to be forced to remain behind while you must die." Tears formed and dripped down from Rudolph's face. "But I will not abandon you here. I will remain steadfast until the day is won."

Indeed, it would take a miracle for the Imperial army to emerge victorious. All zoid units under the jurisdiction of the Gylos Empire were mustered to help aid in the fight against the Midnight Faction. But despite their superiority in numbers, the Imperial army proved to not be as effective or as well coordinated as the mobile dolls. The dolls, with the power of the zero system in their favor, easily maneuvered about on the field like pawns in a chess game, obeying the exact orders of the commander in charge. Their attacks were swift, brutal, and at most times unexpected. Even a small number of mobile dolls were able to fend off a force that was two to three times their number. The casualties of the zoids mounted while the number of destroyed dolls remained at a minimum.

"These mobile dolls are wiping us out." One officer shouted, as he watched his forces eradicated one after the other by the intense and accurate fire of the mobile dolls.

"We're not going to last!" another officer added.

"General Shuvaultz," one of the subordinates cried. "We have to withdraw to the second line!"

"We can't," the General replied, as he continued to press forward with his Iron Kong, "The fate of the Imperial city and the Gylos Empire depends upon our stubbornness on the battlefield today!" But General Shuvaultz's determination had dire consequences on those remaining on the front line. One after the other, soldiers were killed, their zoids demolished. The gaps that were supposed to be plugged were growing wider and wider with every soldier lost.

"We're not gonna be able to hold them!" the subordinate cried.

"We can no longer plug up the gaps, sir!" a concerned officer cried. "We have to pull back to the second line!"

"But we've barely done any damage to the enemy!" Karl Shuvaultz replied.

"Sir, if we stay here, we…!" Suddenly, the screen went blank. The General feared the worst that the officer had been killed by the advancing mobile dolls.

"Sir," another subordinate cried, "We have to withdraw for now!"

The general slammed hi fist at the side of hic cockpit. He grit his teeth hard.

"Blast it," he said, "All units retreat to the second line!"

The remnants of the first defense now lingered back to their second line of defense where they hoped to put up better resistance. Withdrawing the second defense line, the Imperial army continued their fight, hoping to bring down more of the mobile dolls. But the dolls once again proved too powerful and were chewing away at the second reinforced defense line within a matter of minutes.

The two most significant battles commencing on Zi were ones that seemed to be ones of eminent defeat for the Guardian force and their allies. Even with their military fully engaged in confronting the dolls, neither the Helic republic, nor the Gylos Empire were gaining favor and their ranks were eradicated one at a time. But despite this disadvantage, they continued to fight.

"It looks like we're fighting another losing battle." Irvine implied.

"Damn it all!" Raven shouted, as he pummeled three mobile dolls in the process. "Just when I think I'm at the pinnacle of zoid power, I have to meet my demise at the hands of these soulless mobile dolls. For God's sakes, there's no body piloting those stupid things!"

"Whoever's controlling them," Van said, "They certainly know our strengths and weaknesses."

"I can't even fire my charged particle gun effectively. Either they strike me with those stupid shield emitters, or they just deflect the beam."-

"There are just too many dolls!" Thomas added.

"It's their superior numbers along with their advanced battle data combined with their coordination that makes them deadly."-

"I have to go." Van said. "I can't fight these dolls as I am now."

"What do you mean, Flyheight?" Raven asked.

"I'll switch armor modes. Calling General Rob Herman at the Ultrasaurus, I'm returning to change Liger armor. Get ready the Schneider."-

"I hear you loud and clear, Van." Herman replied. "Getting the interchange chamber ready, the Schneider's being deployed."

"Appreciated, this is Van over and out." Van ceased the transmission. "Now let's see what this baby can do." Van rushed towards the Ultrasaurus.

"Where the heck is Van going?" Thomas asked.

"He's going to change armor." Raven replied.

"Alright," Irvine said. "Now we get to see what that Liger can really do." They watched as Van ran off to the safety of the Ultrasaurus, despite the explosions that came up around him.

Van maneuvered the Liger into the main hanger of the Ultrasaurus and into the newly constructed interchange chamber.

"Van," Dr. D, who was in charge of switching the armor, "The Zero Schneider is ready to be activated. All you have to do is activate the interchange."

"Roger that," Van replied. Implementing the calculations for the Schneider, he made ready to transform, "Changing to Liger Zero Schneider."

Activating the change sequence, it only took a full minute for the armor interchange sequence to complete. Thus, the former white liger zero armor was replaced by orange style armor. On its sides were two energy emitting blades, the color of a metallic blue, which could be deployed to the front when engaged in its signature attack, the Buster Claw.

"Liger Zero Schneider transformation is complete." Dr. D. implied.

"Alright," Van said, "Then, I'm off."

The Liger leaped out of the main hanger and onto the battlefield, a sight to behold and to be awed.

In the gummi ship, Riku and Sora watched as this new weapon appeared on the scene.

"Hey, Riku," Sora uttered, "Look there, look down there."

"That's one of the alternative armors of the blade liger." Riku said. "I wonder which one."

"It's orange color."-

"It must be the Schneider then."-

"That means Van will be able to cut through even the energy shields of the mobile dolls." Cuchulain added.

"There's Van," Irvine shouted, "And he's in some new armor."

"It must be the Schneider." Thomas implied.

"Not bad, Flyheight," Raven chuckled, "Not bad."

"Alright, Schneider," Van shouted, "Let's see what you can do!" He activated the buster claw and the metallic blew blades turned from being part of the liger's mane, to becoming a facial guard. Approaching the ranks of the dolls at an alarming rate, Van lunged forward when he was right in front of their ranks. "Alright, here we go, Buster Claw!" With that, the Blade Liger broke through the protective shield of mobile dolls, even where their numbers were greatest. Following his strike, several of the dolls were destroyed instantly, exploding in great flashes of light and clouds of smoke and debris.

"He did it!" Reese cheered.

"He actually broke through the protective shield!" Thomas added.

"Alright Liger," Van said, "Let's give these dolls a run for their money!" Van turned and used the Buster claw against the ranks of Virgo mobile dolls. Again, he broke through the shield with no problems and destroyed more of the dolls. He repeated his attack five times, destroying over sixty mobile dolls in the process.

"Quite impressive, Van," Raven said, "With the Schneider system in out favor, you've rendered the protective barrier of the mobile dolls worthless."

"Alright Van!" Irvine shouted. Van's performance on the battlefield boosted the fighting morale of the Guardian Force and a new hope was rekindled in each soldier's heart.

"That a boy Van!" Goofy shouted from the gummi ship.

"Come on!" Cunla shouted. "Give those dolls a thing or two or three!"

"There's no way for the mobile dolls to defend now." Cuchulain said.

"Go get 'em!" Sora added. Everyone was enthusiastic about the outcome of the battle so far, all except for Riku.

"Van is doing well right now," Riku thought to himself. "We all can see that, but then again so has General Dagger. With him in control of the Zero system, it'll be most likely that he'll use the mobile dolls in a different way to adapt to the Liger Zero's offensive."

Riku's predictions were right. The success Van now had on the battlefield did not go unnoticed by General Dagger, who watched as some of his Virgo units suddenly disappeared from sight.

"How is it possible for my Virgos to suddenly be wiped out?" he said to himself, "Not even the charged particle gun of the Berserk Fury did that kind of damage. What could have caused their demise?" Dagger made a closer observation of the recorded data. It was then that he saw the new armor of the Liger Zero. "Where did that orange liger come from?" Rewinding back to when it first made an appearance, he realized the truth. "I see, so that liger of Flyheight's has interchangeable armor. This model armor must be designed to act for offensive operations. Thus, it must be equipped with high energy emanating blades that can counter the electromagnetic pulse of the dolls' shield and break through. Well, if the shields can't be used effectively against the Liger Zero, the best way to handle this is to use the shield emitting disks as projectiles instead. And while we're at it, just to make sure that no one dares to come to his aid, why don't we isolate him from the others. To add, if the Liger Zero does manage to escape my trap, he won't be able to interchange armor again." Dagger then commenced to activate a new type of strategy for the dolls to deploy that adapted to the new tactic of the liger. He also kept an open line with the space fortress barge for the second stage of his counteroffensive.

"Alright Liger," Van said, as he made ready to deploy the Schneider again, "Let's give these dolls a real run for their money." The Liger Zero roared and rushed off into the fray of the dolls again. All eyes were on Van as he gallantly charged into the ranks of the dolls that were firing a combination of heat rays and energy beams at him. "You can fire at me all you want, but it still won't save you."

Van in went into for the leap, charging straight into the ranks of the dolls. But suddenly, from out of nowhere, a set of energy disks went flying at the Liger Zero from behind. Taking Van completely off guard, the disks managed to strike the Liger Zero at the head, forcing the zoid to tumble to its knees. Those who witnessed were shock as they saw the liger hit the ground, bellowing out a cloud of dust.

"Van…!" Thomas cried.

"He's been struck down." Irvine uttered.

"W…what happened…?" Van uttered, as he regained consciousness from the blow.

"Uh-oh," Sora uttered, "Those mobile dolls managed to knock Van off his feet."

"I knew it," Riku thought to himself, "Dagger has come up with a strategy to counter the Liger Zero's attacks. He knew that the shields were no longer a match for the Liger Zero's attacks with the use of the Schneider, so he initiated the next best defensive maneuver. Instead of using the energy emitters to form shields around the mobile dolls, he's using them as offensive projectiles to prevent the Liger Zero from performing its Buster Claw attack."

"The dolls have already caught on to the liger's tactics."-

"Riku, Sora," Donald shouted, "Over there!"

The team looked to see what it was that Donald was pointing at. Sure enough, they realized why their fowl friend had acted in the manner he did. Seen coming towards the little gummi ship were three Virgo mobile dolls, once again performing the Trio Maneuver.

"Oh great," Ophelia said, "More Virgos coming in a trio formation."

"Don't these stupid things ever give up?" Cunla asked.

"We're gonna have to fight them again." Cuchulain remarked.

"It's not as if we have much choice." Riku replied.

Like before, the gummi ship went into action against the three mobile dolls

At the same time, Van was being surrounded by the mobile dolls and was fired at from all sides. Van evaded and dodged with the liger as best he could, but now it was not only heat lasers and energy beams that attempted to strike at him, but the dolls also began deploying their shield emitters at the Liger Zero as well. Van was simultaneously struck from all directions, but he stayed on top and made sure to lose all hope and just topple over.

"Damn," Van uttered, as he tried his best to evade, "I'm trapped."

"We gotta help Van!" Irving cried.

"Let's go!" Thomas added.

"I'm right behind you." Reese said.

But as they approached, they realized that a second line of mobile dolls had situated themselves around the group attacking the liger zero and had their shields deployed for a protective barrier.

"Damn it," Irving shouted, "There's no way that we can break through that shield."

"What'll we do?" Thomas asked. "If we don't do something quick, then Van will be killed."

"Leave this situation to me." Raven shouted. "No one is to kill Van. If there is anyone who will defeat him; it's me and me alone. It is my destiny to do so!"

"And how do you suggest we approach the situation?" Irvine asked.

"I will use the Berserk Fury's charged particle gun to liquidate that shield."-

"But you know that the dolls won't allow you to charge up long enough to execute an effective energy blast." Thomas said.

"You think I don't know that?" Raven replied. "Otherwise why would I have suggested doing it?"

"He does have a point." Reese uttered.

"Then what's you game plan?" Irvine asked.

"The dolls will without a doubt try to prevent me from amassing my energy levels," Raven explained. "No doubt, that's when they'll use their shield emitters on the offensive. That's where you three come in."

"Us…?" Thomas asked.

"That's right. I want you to form a barrier around me and make sure to prevent any type of energy beam, or heat laser, or what have you that may try to strike me."-

"But if we're grouped together," Irvine said, "It'll be a lot easier for the mobile dolls to finish us off."

"You want to save Van right?" Raven asked in a stern tone.

"Yeah…"-

"Do you want to see him killed?"-

"No…"-

"You want him to come out of this alive to join and celebrate victory with us right?"-

"Well…yeah…!"-

"Then help me!"-

"Alright then," Irvine, enthusiastic about the situation and the hope Raven had presented to him, took guard of his right flank, "Let's give these dolls one hell of a show."

"I'll protect you from the left, Raven." Thomas implied. He deployed the shield of the Elephander and fired his cannons at anything that dared to target the Berserk Fury.

"I have your rear flank in check." Reese said, positioning the shadow fox from behind firing away an anything that got close. Using the smoke screen, Reese made a temporary concealment of her whereabouts.

Raven began to power up his charged particle gun. Putting his foot locks in place, he took aim towards the shield of mobile dolls that surrounded the liger zero.

General Rob Herman saw the strategy unfolding from the observatory of the Ultrasaurus.

"Van's been isolated from the others." He said. "But it looks like Raven's about to break that shield with his charged particle gun and the others are creating a protective barrier around him to assure his success." Herman smiled. "Then let's give them some covering fire. All guns aim at the attacking dolls around our lead zoids. Provide covering fire!"

"Yes sir." One of the operatives said. "All artillery units provide covering fire for the Berserk Fury."

The cannons of the Ultrasaurus rained a hail of projectiles at the mobile dolls, preventing them from concentrating on the Berserk Fury. The dolls immediately scattered.

"It's covering fire." Thomas said. "The Ultrasaurus is providing covering fire for us."

"Great work!" Reese cheered.

"Now's your chance, Raven!" Irvine shouted. "While the dolls are preoccupied…!"

"Now you will all burn!" Raven roared. He unleashed a terrible blast from the charged particle gun. The massive energy wave collided with the shield of the mobile dolls. Because the dolls were not fully amassed, the shield they emitted was easily overwhelmed by the blast from Raven's cannon. Ten of the dolls were caught in the explosion. Another twenty were caught off guard by the massive energy wave and were consumed by the bright light.

Van watched as the dolls dispersed fro the time being.

"Raven…?" Van uttered.

"What the heck do you think you're doing, Flyheight?" Raven said. "I told you before that if there was anyone who'd defeat you, it would be me."

"Raven…"-

"I'm not about to let these soulless machines get to you before I have a chance to." Raven smiled.

"Heh, I guess everybody wants a piece of Van. Thanks a lot, Raven. I owe you one." Van rushed out from the group of mobile dolls and made his way back to the Ultrasaurus. "Herman, tell Dr. D to get the Liger Zero Panzer ready. The mobile dolls have already caught on to my strategy, so I'm heading back to the Ultrasaurus to change armors again."

"Understood Van…" Herman replied. "It'll be ready by the time you get here."

"Appreciated…"-

"We'll hold them off in the meantime, Van." Irvine said.

"Thanks you guys." Van thus headed back to the Ultrasaurus at a hasty pace.

His withdrawal back to the Ultrasaurus did not go unobserved by General Dagger this time, who watched as Van made his way back to the Guardian Force's mobile fortress.

"It worked once against me already, Van Flyheight." General Dagger chuckled. "However, I will not allow you to initiate another transformation while I'm on duty. You have been a thorn in my side for long enough." Dagger thus contacted the space fortress barge.

"We're awaiting your orders sir." the senior officer at the barge implied. "Barge's main cannon at maximum output and is awaiting command."

"Fire the main cannon." The general confirmed. "Set target to the Ultrasaurus."

"Ultrasaurus targeted."-

"Fire…!"-

The main cannon from the space fortress barge deployed a powerful energy beam that was equal to the Berserk Fury's. It rushed towards the surface of the planet Zi at an incredible pace.

It wasn't long before the Ultrasaurus detected the energy beam coming for them.

"General Herman," an operative shouted, "A large heat source has been detected and it's coming straight for us!"

"Where from!" Herman asked.

"From above sir."-

"Confirmed," another operative shouted. "It's an energy beam and it's aimed right at the Ultrasaurus."

"I want all shields to maximum!" Herman shouted.

"Shields deployed to maximum output!" another operative cried.

The shields of the Ultrasaurus were deployed as the oncoming beam, from the Midnight Faction's space fortress barge, went hurling towards it. The shields were deployed to their maximum and they watched helplessly as the massive beam crashed into the shield. The shield held off the bulk of the energy beam, but the attack's power was so overwhelming, it neutralized the barrier protecting the massive zoid and broke through. The beam struck the foreleg of the Ultrasaurus and severely damaged the gravity cannon latched to its side. The Ultrasaurus, giving out a wounded moan, fell to the ground, bellowing great clouds of dust as it collapsed.

"Brace for impact!" Herman cried. The personnel within the Ultrasaurus hung tight as the great leviathan crashed downward.

"Oh my God," Irvine uttered, "They hit the Ultrasaurus."

"Where did that beam come from?" Thomas uttered. "It's as if it just fell from the sky."

"That energy beam surpassed even the charged particle gun of the Berserk Fury." Raven said.

"No," Van uttered. "Herman, Herman, are you guys alright!"

"We're fine, Van." Herman replied. "But the Ultrasaurus's combat system and all main functions have been seriously damaged. We won't be able to be of very much help here."

"Just as long as you guys are alright. That's all that matters to me."-

The KH team watched as this critical outcome unfolded before them. The great giant, which oversaw the battle, had now fallen at the hands of the Midnight Faction.

"How terrible," Goofy uttered, shutting his eyes.

"But why the heck would the target the Ultrasaurus?" Donald asked.

"The Ultrasaurus was the one source of supplies to the Guardian force in this battle." Riku said. "Not only did it carry supplies, provide covering fire, and receive damaged zoids, but it was also where the Liger Zero would change its combat armor. So, by taking down the Ultrasaurus, the Midnight Faction has limited the amount of resources and man power to those already engaged in battle."

"Without the Ultrasaurus," Cuchulain added, "Our limitations will become all too apparent."

"Guys," Donald shouted, "I think you're forgetting the matter at hand! We still have our own problems to mess with!" Once again, he was trying to evade and outflank the three Virgos that were now on their tail using the Trio Maneuver.

"We won't be as fortunate as we were before." Ophelia said. "We've only got two thirds, or at least a half of our power left."

"Then the only way to break up this doll formation is to use the Zero Shift again." Sora implied.

"Have you forgotten though, Sora? That last Zero Shift phase we used took out almost a third of our power. We can only do it one last time before we would have to shut down all our defense weapons."-

"Why can't we use the Zero Shift indefinitely though?"-

"This gummi ship is not equipped with the proper generators to maintain the energy levels necessary for short ranged teleportation." Donald explained as he dodged and fired away at the mobile dolls, sweat drops from worry forming at the side of his head. "Long range teleportation is one thing, but trying to initiate short range teleportation is another. Long range, we have a prolonged deceleration process, so very little energy is wasted by the time we reach our destination. But stopping at such a very short range requires a great deal of energy because of the decrease in deceleration time. You have to stop on a dime and that requires a lot of cell energy. Unfortunately, our generators can't handle that type of stress."

"And how do you suggest we get out of this sticky situation, Donald?"-

"I'm working on it, I'm working on it."-

"Well, whatever your thinking, do it faster!"-

"Those dolls are coming in for the kill!" Cunla shouted as he unleashed his emitters at the dolls, trying to attack from behind. But as the emitters surrounded the dolls and fired, the Virgos concentrated their shields around each other, creating a protective barrier. In the process, the dolls managed to shoot, hit, and severely damage some of the emitters. "Damn it, I'm losing emitters fast."

"Those damn dolls are really putting up one hell of a defense." Riku said.

"This is it." Ophelia said. "This may be the end for us as we speak. But at least we'll die fighting."

"I don't know about you, Miss Billiard," Donald implied, "but I have no intention of kicking the bucket here any time soon."

But suddenly, one of the pursuing Virgos hurled its shield emitters at the gummi ship, hoping to strike the cockpit. The emitters collided with the gummi's own shield emitters and both were neutralized. The shield had been broken for a temporary period of time, but that time was all the dolls needed to initiate a critical blow. One of the dolls aimed its heat laser cannon against the underside of the gummi. Donald quickly saw the danger.

"Oh no," he uttered, "Evade, evade!"

He steered the gummi ship out of the doll's firing range, but it was too late. The dolls accuracy struck the gummi ship, destroying one of the rocket booster generators. There was a great explosion and the little gummi was rattled violently by the aftershock. The crew covered their heads and took on the impact. As the shaking subsided, they looked up.

"What was that explosion?" Sora asked.

"Donald, what happened?" Riku said.

"One of the dolls has managed to hit and destroy one of the cell generators for the left rocket booster."

"Is that a bad thing?" Goofy asked.

"No, Goofy, they just winged us. Of course it's bad! Without that one generator, we've lost not only the ability to accelerate and outrun these mobile dolls, but we've also lost the ability to make sharp reaction turns in a clockwise direction!"-

It was then that the worst fear emerged before the KH team and their damaged gummi ship. One of the Virgo mobile dolls flew right in front of them and aimed its beam cannon, point blank ranged, at the cockpit.

"Oh no…" Cuchulain uttered. Time seemed to slow down for them as they watched this sudden turn of events. Immediately, their lives flashed before their eyes as they watched their inevitable doom stare them right face.

"I can't believe it," Sora uttered, "It's over…"

Death came to the KH team.

Suddenly, from out of the blue, a figure appeared from out of know where and cut the Virgo in half from behind. There was a large explosion, which rocked the gummi ship violently. It didn't take long for the shaking to subside. As it did, the KH team members looked up to see a familiar, yet hopeful sight hovering before them.

It was the Mobile Suit Freedom.

"What in the…" Riku uttered. "That's the Gundam Freedom. What's it doing here?" Immediately, with the appearance of this new mobile suit, a new ray of hope entered the hearts of the bewildered and grateful KH team. Sora was overwhelmed and a little confused at what he saw. The Gundam Freedom was out of place there. He pondered as the sight of the mobile suits presence.

"K…Kira…Yamato…?" he uttered.


	32. Arrival of the Coalition

Arrival of the Coalition

"The Mobile Suit Freedom," Cuchulain implied, "Kira Yamato, what is he doing here?"

"It's must be the coalition force that Sneer assembled." Riku said.

"Where did that Gundam come from?" Dagger uttered, as he watched this sudden intervention of the mobile suit freedom. "What's it doing here?"

"Attention, attention," the pilot of the Freedom cried. "Attention Guardian Force,"

"What is that?" Irvine uttered.

"Who is that?" Thomas uttered.

"Attention Guardian Force," the pilot continued, "This is Kira Yamato, pilot of the Gundam Freedom and co-commanding officer of the Alliance Coalition! We've come to assist you."

"It is Kira." Sora said.

"Attention Freedom," Rob Herman implied, over the intercom of the downed Ultrasaurus, "This is General Rob Herman of the Guardian Force and leader of the Helic Republican forces, thank you for coming to our aid Mr. Yamato."

Suddenly, the two remaining Virgo mobile dolls, which attacked the KH gummi ship attacked Kira's Gundam, but the young pilot, with the use of his Berserker mode and the installed Zero system in this combat data, he was able to outmaneuver the dolls and destroy them.

"Kira," Sora shouted from the gummi ship's cockpit, "Kira, I can't believe you're here. You're a real life saver!"

"Sora," Kira uttered, "You're here too?"

"This is great. With you on our side, our hopes have been rekindled!"-

But it wasn't long before mobile dolls began to attack the KH team and the Gundam Freedom.

"I will not allow even you, Kira Yamato, to interfere with my plans." Dagger shouted, as he initiated a new strategy. "You'll be even more of a nuisance than the key bearers."

The dolls suddenly began to concentrate their efforts on fighting the Freedom. But as the dolls began to condense around the Gundam, a massive barrage rained down on the soulless machines, and at least a hundred or more were destroyed in mid-air.

"Who was that?" Van uttered.

"What was that is more like it." Raven said.

From above, three more Gundams made their presence known. It was the Gundam Justice, the Gundam Buster, and the Gundam Strike and following shortly behind them, a brigade of Ginns and Dinns. They fired away at the mobile dolls from above. The dolls moved in to intercept the new enemy.

"Did you really think that Kira would be coming along." One of the Gundam pilots chuckled.

"The others are here too?" Riku said.

"You've done enough, KH team," another pilot said, "Leave the rest to us."

"This is co-commander of the Universal Alliance Coalition, Lieutenant General Athrun Zala." One pilot uttered. "We'll be providing support for you."-

"Athrun Zala?" Van uttered. "He's here too?"-

"Athrun Zala?" Raven asked. "Do you know that guy, Van?"

"Yeah, he's the guy that was taken prisoner by the Dark Empire six years ago. He knows Riku and Sora too."-

"Look at all those guys!" Irvine said.

"Are all of them on our side?" Reese asked.

"This is Mu La Fllaga of the mobile suit Strike." Mu declared. "All units attack the dolls."

"This is Dearka Elsman of the mobile suit Buster," Dearka announced, "I'll provide covering fire!"

"This is Van Flyheight of the Guardian Force," Van replied. "We appreciate your help."

"Think nothing of it."-

"All units move in to intercept!" Athrun ordered.

"I was wondering when you guys were gonna get here to back me up." Kira chuckled.

"Well, you know us, Kira; we always like to make an entrance."-

"Alright, all units engage!"-

"You heard him, Donald," Cuchulain said, "We're back in the game!"

"Alright, you guys!" Donald shouted. "Get ready for another round! Here we go!" The KH team joined the assault against the dolls as well.

"Those guys just popped out of nowhere." Herman said, as he watched battle turn in their favor. "I don't know who those guys are, but I'm grateful for what their doing for us."

"That's the assembled coalition of the Universal Alliance." Lu Xun implied as he, Cloud, Leon, and Yuffie walked into the main control room. "I was wondering when they'd be deployed to this world."

"I remember Sneer saying something about deploying them here," Leon said, "but I thought it was just mere speculation."

"Well, it looks like that old toad has certainly kept his word." Yuffie chuckled. "I guess that's why he's the leader of the Universal Alliance."

"You guys…" Lu Xun said.

"What is it, Lu Xun?" Cloud asked.

"We're heading out." The others looked at the young strategist with bewilderment.

"Heading out?-

"Heading out where?" Yuffie asked.

"Where else,' Lu Xun said, "We're heading out to the battlefield."

"We are?"-

"You think that's wise?" Leon asked. "Not even we can go head to head with mobile dolls."

"I'm not talking about fighting the dolls." Lu Xun explained. "Once the shield to that main HQ of the Midnight Faction is broken, we'll get in there and give old Dagger a run for his money. Well, what do you say?"

"Sounds good to me." Yuffie chuckled.

"I could do with a good challenge." Cloud added.

"Then, let's get going." Leon implied. The four turned about and headed out of the control room. Herman could only watch quietly as they withdrew.

"I got to admire those friends of Riku and Sora's," he thought to himself, "They're always willing to take on a challenge, no matter how big it is."

The fight was now equally matched, as the forces of the Alliance Coalition combined their strengths with the Guardian Force and the KH team. The dolls were now facing a foe that equaled in strength and cunning as they. And with the Zero System affecting the command units of the Alliance Coalition, they were able to deploy strategies that delivered critical hits of the mobile doll units.

"Alright, you guys," Kira shouted, "keep these dolls on their toes!"

"The more dolls we take down," Dearka said, "the better our chances are for retaking this world from the Midnight Faction."

"Come on guys!" Irvine cried from the lightning saix as it dashed up and down, shooting the dolls from behind. Though the coalition was not without its casualties, they were gaining the upper hand over the dolls.

"Kira Yamato," Herman stated from the Ultrasaurus, "There is another battle commencing at the Imperial city of the Gylos Empire. Do you think you can send a force there to aid General Shuvaultz?"

"Don't worry about it, General Herman," Kira replied, "We already have our comrades working on that situation right now."

"You mean you know about that second battle?"-

"How could we not know?" Dearka said. "We could see the battle commencing from the upper atmosphere."

In the midst of the battle, the city of Gygalos was on the verge of collapsing as the Imperial forces had to abandon their second line of defense and made their way to their final stand off point. By now, the dolls were in range of destroying even the inner structures of the city.

"We can't hold them, general," one of the officers cried.

"We have to," Karl Shuvaultz replied, "We have to do all in our power to keep those machines from advancing any further. They're already within an effective firing range of the capital. We can't let the city fall."

"Too many of our soldiers have died, sir."-

"That doesn't matter right now!" Rosso shouted, as he and Viola continued to battle the dolls from the air, taking down only one at a time. "We have to protect this city to the last man if necessary."

"If we just give up now, then all of our sacrifice would have been in vain." Viola added.

"Besides, Rudolph is still in his palace observing the battle."-

"But why hasn't he evacuated?" the officer asked, concerned for his emperor's safety.

"Emperor Rudolph is trying to give us hope by remaining defiant and staying in the midst of battle, despite the danger!" Karl Shuvaultz said. "As long as his life is in jeopardy, I will not give up!"-

"Sir…!"-

"I will not allow the Midnight Faction to succeed, ever." The general held his ground as the watched the dolls continued to advance. "All forces continue fighting, don't give up!"

But as the resistance continued, even more casualties were inflicted on the side of the Imperial army and the legions of mobile dolls continued to edge closer and closer.

Rudolph watched as the dolls were not closer than ever before. The explosions became more frequent in the interior of the city, but Rudolph was not ready to retreat.

"I have to give these men courage." Rudolph said to himself. "They're fighting and dying for me, for their country, and for their home. Therefore, I must give them as much support as I possibly can, even if it's only acting as a pillar of strength."

But it was that moment the young emperor saw two stray beams from the mobile doll lines, head straight for the room his was in. Rudolph rushed to the rear of the chamber and threw himself on the floor. There was a massive explosion and the entire front of the chamber was demolished. The explosion caused the entire palace to shake violently. Rudolph covered his head as bits of debris and burning ash fell around him. He slowly got up and gazed about at the damage. There was now a gaping hole where tall pillars and exquisite tapestries once decorated the chamber. In their place, only bits of charred material and debris were left, floating in the clear air.

By this time, the soldier who was sent to get him, had entered the demolished chamber to find his beloved Emperor staggering to his feet.

"Your majesty,' the soldier said. "Are you alright?"

"I'm alright, I'm alright," Rudolph said, "It was just close, that's all."

"Sir, I bring a message from Prime Minister Homeleff. He says that he and all the other subjects have taken shelter."-

"That is good news." Rudolph stood up and turned towards the battle.

"Sir," the soldier uttered, "You must get to a shelter now."

"I cannot," Rudolph said.

"But sir, you're in danger, you could die."-

"What would be the point of trying to escape if the faction succeeds? We'd all be doomed anyway. My soldiers need my support and that is what I will give them."-

"But sir…"-

"If you wish to stand by my side, then I'll be honored."-

"Sir…" The soldier took his stance next to his emperor and stood at attention. Rudolph watched as the last of his forces fought desperately for the capital.

In the midst of the fight, some of General Karl Shuvaultz's men, in acts of desperation, threw themselves into the ranks of the mobile dolls, firing away in the process. They made self sacrifices for the good of the empire and died without a second thought. General Shuvaultz could only watch in admiration as those kamikaze soldiers gave away their lives to the enemy without a second thought.

"My men," he uttered, tears in his eyes, "I will make sure that your deaths were not in vain. This I swear." The General continued to fight, until all those around him were destroyed. His Iron Kong continued to take on hits and slowly diminished, losing its strength to continue fighting. It wasn't long before his zoid had run out of energy and the Iron Kong's combat system froze. Karl Shuvaultz could no longer deploy an offensive effort, or a defensive effort. He watched as the mobile dolls began to amass themselves before him.

"General Shuvaultz," an officer cried, "You have to withdraw!"

"Karl," Rosso shouted, "Get out of there now!

"There's no longer any point of running, my friend," Karl said. "I would never be able to evade these machines in time. And since I cannot defend myself anymore, only death awaits me now." The general watched as the mobile dolls aimed their weapons at his Iron Kong. Seeing his entire life flash before his eyes, he saw the faces of his comrades and his past flash before his eyes as he witnessed his inevitable doom. "Farewell, your majesty. Farewell brother."

But as it seemed the end for General Shuvaultz, a large heat source was detected, emerging and closing in fast from the left flank of the mobile dolls. In an instant, there was a bright beam of light that consumed the ranks of the mobile dolls and destroyed a great number of them, at least two hundred at the most.

"That explosion," Rosso uttered.

"Where did it come from?" Viola added.

They looked to where the explosion had originated. What they was something out of the ordinary.

It was the Wing Zero.

"What kind of weapon is that?" Karl uttered as he saw this new figure appear from out of nowhere.

"Is that an enemy, or an ally?" Viola said.

"It must be an ally." Rosso implied. "Otherwise, why would it be attacking those mobile dolls?

Suddenly, another mobile suit appeared. Like a phantom dressed in black, it swooped down and struck more of the mobile dolls with a large beam scythe.

It was the Gundam Deathscythe

"It looks like we got here just in time." The pilot of the mobile suit uttered.

"Another one of those machines?" Rosso uttered.

"Attention, attention," a voice shouted out over the loud speaker. "This is Heero Yuy of the Preventers and the Universal Alliance United Coalition."

"That must be the pilot of that first machine." Karl uttered.

"This is a message to Guardian Force and the Gylos Empire," Heero continued, "We have come to aid you."

"They are our allies." Viola said, sighing relief.

"This is Duo," the other pilot remarked, "Let's take down these mindless machines."

"All Ginn, Dinn, and white Taurus units forward." Heero ordered

Sure enough, there were large numbers of Ginn and Dinn model mobile suits from the 'Seed' realm and white Tauruses from the 'Wing' realm descending into the fight, firing away at the dolls.

The mobile dolls were quick to react to the barrage, but as they did, they were in for another surprise. A pillar of fired emerged from behind and burned a great many of the dolls. The dolls, over come by the heat, exploded with great ferocity. The flames spread upon the field and from those flames; another gundam appeared on the scene.

It was the Gundam Altron

"Those who stand in favor of evil must be destroyed." The voice of the Altron's pilot announced.

"Wu Fei." Duo said. "I'm glad to see that you made it on time."

"Let us defeat this enemy and be done with the faction's presence here."-

"Now you're talking. Let's do this."-

"All units advance." Heero ordered. The dolls now concentrated on the new attacking enemy. But with the zero system in the coalition's favor as well, they were at equal match with the mobile dolls.

"Well, let's not stand around," Karl Shuvaultz said, "Let's finish this battle!"

"I gotcha," Rosso chuckled, "Viola, let's go!"

"Right behind you!" Viola added.

"I don't know who you guys are," Karl announced to the Gundam pilots, "But you have our gratitude! You saved us from total annihilation!"

"It's nothing, man," Duo replied, "It's the least we could do!"

"Besides," Heero added, "We have out own score to settle with the Midnight Faction."

"Look at that, sir." The soldier implied as he and Emperor Rudolph watched the battle's tide turn in their favor.

"It is a miracle." Rudolph said. "Whoever those men are, I can't thank them enough. I am eternally in their debt."

The battle at Gygalos had turned for the better as well. Now with both sides using the Zero system, the mobile dolls' invincibility had been severed in two.

This development, however, did not go well through the eyes of General Dagger who watched as this development turned the battle against him. Witnessing the turning tide in both confrontations, he became angry.

"The Gundam Deathscythe, Altron, and the Wing Zero too," he said to himself, "Along with the Gundams Freedom, Justice, Strike, and Buster as well? And they came with their own force of Ginns, Dinns, and white Taurus suits. They must be part of the coalition that was formed by Sneer." Dagger gripped his fist tightly. "Now that they're joined with the Guardian Force and the KH team, they'll be too overwhelming even for the mobile dolls." Dagger contacted space fortress barge. "Send out the remaining dolls to aid in the ground offensive!"

"We can't sir!" the chief commander of the barge said.

"What do you mean you can't!"-

"We're under attack; we're under attack, sir!"-

"Under attack by whom…!"-

"The Tallgeese, the Gundam Sandrock, and the Gundam Heavyarms, along with a large force of white Taurus mobile suits from the 'Wing' realm and ZAFT Dinn and Ginn mobile suits from the 'Seed' realm. To add, the Archangel is present as well, no more than five thousand yards away from us."-

"Impossible…"-

"We've deployed the mobile dolls to intercept them, sir. We'll initiate the firing of the main cannon to soften them up."-

"Damn it all!" Dagger grit his fist as tight as his teeth. "It's all gone wrong. Blast the Alliance coalition." He contacted the main control room. "Get all internal artillery units ready to fire! I want you to blow the coalition out of the sky!"

"But sir," The chief operative said, "If we do that, we'd have to lower the energy levels of our shields, so our firing effect can pierce through to attack the enemy outside the barrier."

"Then do it."-

"But sir, this facility is not equipped with distortion shield generators, so we can't fire through the protective barrier without lowering the defensive capacity of the shield itself. And if we do that, sir, then it can be possible for the Berserk Fury's charged particle beam to be fired at the barrier and overload our generators. In the after effect, the beam would be able to neutralize our shields."-

"I'll deal with the Berserk Fury. You deal with the coalition!"-

"But sir, if we fire the cannon now, we'll be taking out our own doll units and further decrease our numbers."-

"I'm fully aware of that! Let me deal with that situation! Just fire when the power levels are at maximum!"-

"Yes sir."-

"I will not allow the coalition to get the best of me here! Not when we've come so far!"-

Near the space fortress barge, the dolls had grouped together, being deployed in the Trio Maneuver against the mobile suits of the 'Seed' and 'Wing' realm Alliance coalition. However, even their formations were no match for the equally skilled Gundam pilots and their allies. Leading the charge was Zechs Marquise who initiated devastating swift attacks on the mobile dolls. Many of the dolls were destroyed. So even though the coalition was outnumbered at least five to one, their skills and the favor of the zero system more than made up for the lack in superior numbers.

"Great," Zechs said, "I've read their actions perfectly. I guess there is still a place in this universe for someone like me who still can't get used to peace."

"Zechs," Trowa shouted, "watch your back."

"I understand that. Make sure not to break up your battle formations. We don't want these dolls separating us and destroying us one at a time."-

"I gotcha..."-

"Roger that," Quatre added. "All units remain in your groups. Don't get yourselves isolated from the rest of the coalition."

"Copy that." One of the squadron leaders said.

"I comply." Another leader added.

"Roger, roger." A third squadron leader replied.

"Let's go and give these dolls little piece of what it means to be a mobile suit pilot." Zechs said. The mobile suits engaged again, firing away at the dolls that protected the space fortress barge.

Not too far from the where the battle took place, the Archangel of the Orb United Defense Force hovered near by. Captain Murrue Ramius was in command of the ship and she watched as the battle unfolded before her.

"Your orders ma'am?" one of the operatives asked.

"We shall stand by and provide covering fire for Zechs Marquise and the rest of the coalition engaged." Captain Ramius said. "Take in as many damaged mobile suits as you can. And tell our chief mechanic, Mr. Murdoch, for his repair teams to remain on standby."

"Yes ma'am."-

"Captain Ramius," a transmitted message said. On the overhead screen, the face of Lieutenant Lucrezia Noin appeared, "Our forces are on standby incase we engaged by the enemy."

"Stay in close proximity, Miss Noin."-

"Yes ma'am. This is an order to all reserved units, remain stationed near the archangel in case the enemy engages."-

"Roger that." Each squad leader replied.

The Archangel positioned itself at a safe distance from the battlefield with several squadrons of white Tauruses, Ginns, and Dinns ready to intercept the enemy in case an attack loomed over head.

At the space fortress barge, the chief officer frantically made preparations for a possible head on assault by the coalition.

"I want the main cannon powered up to maximum." He ordered.

"Yes sir," one operative replied.

"And I want the distortion fields up and at full power!"-

"Yes sir."-

"We cannot allow the Alliance coalition to take down this vital fortress. It's the only thing that's keeping the ground forces operative from below us."

Now, three battles had commenced; one at the main HQ of the Midnight Faction, the second at Gygalos, and the third at the Midnight faction's space fortress barge.

The battle raged on as a combination of Guardian Force zoids and mobile suits began to level the tide of the confrontation against the mobile dolls. Dinn and Ginn mobile suit units, along with Storm Sworders and Pteroses, rained a devastating volley of fire upon the mobile dolls. However, the Alliance coalition was not without its casualties. Since zero system matched with zero system, both forces were about equal. However, because of the doll's artificial intelligence, they were not ones to falter or stall in their mission. The Naturals and Coordinators of the Alliance coalition, however, at times would stall. Since it was only the commanding mobile suits that were equipped with the zero system, and were responsible for giving the orders, the soldiers below them had to obey the stages of the strategy to the letter. Any hesitation would result in death. To add, the dolls' infamous Trio Maneuver was becoming more frequent and proved to be an even greater obstruction.

"Keep it up, you guys!" Kira shouted.

"Don't give in!" Athrun added.

"We have your back!" Van said.

"Damn these dolls," Raven remarked, "There are just too many of them!"

"The dolls are putting up one hell of a fight." Mu implied.

"A lot better of a fight than we early thought." Dearka added.

"Don't let the zero system get the best of you." Kira said.

"I gotcha…!"-

"These mobile dolls are a lot tougher to fight," Athrun stated. "Even the Zero system can't easily break this threesome strategy."

"Don't lose focus, you guys." Mu implied. "We can't afford to waver at this point of the game."

But as the battle raged on, the coalition was in for another surprise. Though they had gained control of the battle against the mobile dolls, they were yet to see the next obstacle that would prove to be another difficult challenge. And this one, they would not be able to touch.

It was the KH team that spotted this new nemesis. Sora, while firing at the mobile dolls from behind, he happened to glance at the main HQ of the Midnight Faction and saw what looked like large hanger doors open up in the perimeter encircling the facility.

"Hey, Riku," he uttered, "Look at that."

Riku and the others looked to see what Sora was talking about. Sure enough, they saw the hatches opening. And from those hatches, large artillery pieces suddenly emerged from the hangers.

"Oh my God," Cuchulain uttered, "Those are Ironclad Cannons."

"Ironclad Cannons?" Ophelia said, her eyes suddenly open with fear. "You've got to be kidding me." She looked down and saw the massive artillery pieces appeared from under the ground.

"They are Ironclad cannons." Cunla said.

"What the heck is an Ironclad cannon?" Goofy asked.

"They're probably the second most powerful artillery piece in the faction's arsenal."-

"What exactly do they do?" Sora asked.

"They accumulate an energy beam that acts more like a grenade." Cunla explained. "When fired, they unleash an energy beam that is highly condensed at its head. When reached the calculated distance where the target resides, the beam suddenly explodes, unleashing a powerful sonic boom that can rupture and destroy the target in an instant."

"This cannon type was designed to destroy only the enemy without having to wreak total devastation on the surrounding area." Ophelia added. "This way, the faction is able to obtain all the resources of the enemy without having to jeopardize the resources themselves."-

Then, there was a sudden glow coming from the cannon barrels. This indicated the worse case scenario.

"They're about to fire!" Riku shouted. "Donald, get us out of range!"

"Roger that!" Donald replied. Riku got onto the intercom and relayed the message to the others.

"All coalition and Guardian Force soldiers; withdraw from your present positions as soon as possible! I repeat, all soldiers withdraw from your present positions as soon as you can!"-

"What's the deal, Riku?" Athrun asked.

"What's happening?" Van added.

"The faction HQ is about to fire their artillery barrage!"-

The pilots looked to see what Riku was describing. They observed the main HQ and sure enough, there were ten artillery pieces aimed and ready to fire at them.

"My God," Kira uttered, "Where did those artillery pieces come from?"

"All units withdraw from your current position!" Dearka ordered. "Repeat, all Guardian Force and coalition units withdraw from your current positions!"

But the order had come too late as the Ironclad cannons deployed large red energy beams bellowing into the air. When reaching their intended targets, they unleashed a powerful sonic boom, which bellowed in the air. Those who were too close to the blast were incinerated by the exploding energy. Those further away, but not far enough to escape the danger, were caught in the sonic boom and exploded. Those who were safe from harm felt the aftershock as the dying sound waves violently shook their mobile suits, their zoids, and their ships. Both dolls, mobile suits, and zoids were caught in the barrage and many were destroyed in an instant.

"That…that blast came from the faction's HQ." Mu uttered.

"That attack took out a quarter of our entire force." Dearka uttered.

"What the heck happened?" Cunla uttered.

"All Ironclad cannons went off." Ophelia said.

"Look at that," Goofy said, pointing at the aftermath of the attack. The KH team looked to see the massive devastation that had rained upon not only the Guardian Force and the coalition, but upon the ranks of mobile dolls as well.

"All that damage from one volley."-

"We have to take out those cannons." Sora said.

"But how are we gonna do that?" Donald asked.

"Well…I…I haven't figured that much out yet."-

"…."-

"Any ideas…?" Cuchulain asked.

"There may be one way to bring down that shield." Riku said.

"How's that, Riku?"-

"What's on your mind, Riku?" Sora asked.

"The only way for us to bring down that shield is to destroy it from the inside." Riku explained.

"And how do we do that?"-

"The same way we did it when we broke up that trio formation for the mobile dolls. We'll use the Zero Shift."-

The KH team gasped in utter amazement.

"Are you out of your mind, Riku!" Donald shouted. "You know perfectly well that using the Zero Shift would only decrease our energy levels even more! We can only do it one more time! We should only use it as a last resort!"

"And that's exactly what I'm trying to get at." Riku then pointed at the main HQ of the Midnight Faction. "Now take a look at what's going on over there. The faction has deployed all reserved mobile dolls to the front. But they didn't leave any in reserve to defend the inside of the shield itself, thus they left their artillery vulnerable to possible attack."

"You're right." Cunla said.

"But why would they leave their HQ unguarded?" Sora wondered.

"The faction must believe that nothing can break through their shield. I guess then never reckoned on encountering the Zero Shift phase."-

"But do you think, we'll be able to break through the shield with the Zero Shift?" Donald asked.

"There's no other choice open to us right now. If we don't try anything, then it'll only take another barrage from those cannons to severely cripple the coalition and the Guardian Force."-

"There's no alternative in this situation." Sora said. "Let's go with Riku's plan."

"Alright," Donald replied, "Then sit down and hope that we can carry out with this mission."

"I'm sure that it'll work." Riku uttered. "It has to."

"Initiating Zero Shift." Donald made the calculations to activate the system. "Heading towards the shield at full speed."

"All hands to level one battle stations." Cuchulain said. The team took their individual stations in the gummi.

"Brace yourselves for impact." Donald cried. The gummi came closer and closer to the shield with no resistance was obliged to stop them. The dolls had other foes to worry about. The gummi was no more than fifty yards away from the shield when the Zero Shift was activated. "Zero Shift engaged! Alright, you guys, here we go!"

The little gummi ship suddenly vanished into thin air and then reappeared, this time behind the shields protective barrier. Immediately, there was a loud cheer.

"We did it!" Ophelia cried. "We actually did it!"

"Yeah!" Cunla shouted.

"Yahoo!" Sora bellowed.

"Alright, guys," Riku said, "Let's take this battle to General Dagger himself!"

"Right…!" Donald replied. He thus began to fire away at the cannons and the HQ facility itself with the gummi artillery.

Instantly, the cannons were destroyed, due to the unexpected turn of events.

"Look!" Van cried. "Look, at the faction HQ!"

"Riku and Sora," Kira added, "They've managed to get passed the shield!" There was an immediate cheer from the rest of the coalition.

"But how did they manage to get through the shield?" Raven asked.

"I don't know and I don't much care!" Athrun said in an ecstatic tone. "With the KH team in the midst of the faction's headquarters, they have no way to defend! Riku, Sora, go for the kill!"

These results did not go unseen in the eyes of the Midnight Faction. General Dagger was jolted by the sudden shaking. Immediately, he started to lose contact with some of the dolls units.

"What the hell is going on!" he uttered. It was then that the chief of the control room made immediate contact with him.

"General Dagger," he said frantically, "General Dagger, sir, we have a problem!"

"By the shaking that's going on, I don't doubt that there is something seriously wrong commencing! What is it that's causing this!"-

"The gummi ship of the KH team, it's managed to break through the shield barrier and destroy all the Ironclad cannons!"-

"That's impossible! No one can get through the shield barrier, no one! How could they have gotten through?"-

"We don't know, sir."-

"They must have used some form of teleportation or something."-

"Your orders, sir!"-

"I want all facility defenses ready to do battle! Deploy the Gatler Tanks! Tell them to shoot that ship down!"-

"Yes sir!" The transmission ended and General Dagger slammed his fist into the side of his chair.

"Damn it!" he said, angrily. "Those blasted key bearers have done it again!" It was then that a loud siren like device began to shout. Dagger looked at his ground battle plan and realized that the dolls he sent to fight the Imperial army at Gygalos was being wiped out entirely. "No, this can't be! One phase of the battle has already turned against me! I can't afford to have the Imperial army attack me from the rear. And I can't call for reinforcements from space fortress barge! I have to somehow compensate for this loss."

The battle at Gygalos was a rapid turn in the tide of battle as the Gundams and the coalition made quick work of many of the dolls. Though some dolls initiated a Trio Maneuver formation, they were still outwitted by the equally tough Gundams, which were also equipped with the Zero System. To add, the Imperial army of Gygalos had regained the offensive against the dolls, now aiding as support for the Alliance coalition.

"We've got them on the run, men!" General Shuvaultz shouted. "Push forward!"

"Alright," Rosso cried from above in his Storm Sworder, "We've gained the initiative! Let's end this fight right now!"

"I'm with you there." Viola added.

In the process, Duo, Heero, and Wu Fei cut their way through the mobile dolls with very little effort. Now, not even their invulnerable shields, which earlier proved a significant factor in the beginning stages of the battle, were of any further threat. Even the reaction time of the Tauruses was rendered useless because they competed with foes of equal reaction time. Plus, because of the experience that Heero and the other gundam pilots had fighting mobile dolls from the start, to them this battle was another routine exercise. They knew all the possible mobile doll tactics and knew how to assemble a counterattack, whether on their own or in attacking formations. Not even the heat laser cannons of the Virgos and Tauruses proved to be of any effect against the agile mobile suits.

"C'mon," Duo said, "Don't these guys know my now that they'll never be able to defeat a Gundam pilot with mobile dolls?"

"Don't get too confident," Wu Fei implied, "They may be just dolls, but they've proven to be rather formidable, especially when it comes to these upgrades."

"It really doesn't matter to me. A doll is a doll, nothing more than that."-

Duo slashed away at his opponents without a second thought. The Tauruses, Dinns, and Ginns suffered casualties, but in mild numbers. Unlike the Gundam pilots, there were still those mobile suit pilots, both Natural and Coordinator, who were not familiar with fighting against the mobile dolls, thus they became the first victims of the onslaught. However, there were those who had gained experience fighting against the mobile dolls and new what to expect, even against upgraded models.

Eventually, the battle had turned completely in favor of the Guardian Force and the Alliance Coalition. With only so many doll units left, the Midnight Faction's forces started to falter. And since the dolls only knew how to advance, it was a simple task for the combined forces of defenders to eliminate them one at a time.

Meanwhile, in the midst of the fight within the compound, the little gummi ship pounded away at the factional HQ. By this time, Gatler Tanks had emerged from their underground hangers and were now firing away at the gummi. The gummi used its deployable shields to deflect any cannon shot. Using the last of their emitters and all their defenses, from the main cannons, to the laser gun, they fired away at the condensed ranks of Gatlers. The Gatlers dodged and evaded as best they could, but because their ranks had been pressed together, they were easy targets for the gummi to destroy.

But even so, despite their success for the moment, Donald knew that he would not be able to sustain an offensive indefinitely. To add, it seemed as if there was no end to the accumulating numbers of Gatler tanks. As well, defense cannons around the compound began to fire at them as well.

"We can't maintain this kind of offensive for very long." Donald said.

"Then, we have to take down those shields somehow." Cuchulain remarked.

"But how do we do that?" Goofy asked.

"The same way that we did it in the 'Seed' realm," Ophelia implied. "We find the main generator and shut it down."

"But how will we know where to find it?" Donald asked.

"Hey, I wasn't blessed with the ability to read minds and hearts for nothing. I'll just grab a faction soldier, glance into their head for a couple of seconds, and find the whereabouts of the generator."-

"We also need to shut down the central mobile doll combat system." Riku added. "That way, we can disrupt the battle in this region for good and put and end to the faction offensive."

"So we have a plan then?" Cunla asked.

"Yes, but the only thing that stands in the way of our fulfilling that goal is landing safely on the ground." Ophelia said.

"That shouldn't be a problem for us." Cuchulain replied. He turned to Donald. "Donald, open the hatch."

"What…!" Donald uttered. "Open the hatch, what for!"

"I'm going down there now."-

"Are you sure that's wise, Cuchulain," Sora asked, "To descend amidst that heavy ground fire?"

"Not even the Gatler tanks can contend with the Hound of Ulster. Open the hatch."-

"Alright, alright," Donald said, "But don't blame me if you get killed."

"A fat chance of that happening though. I'll see you guys on the ground." Cuchulain made his way to the opened hatch of the gummi ship. He stood at the edge of the gummi, the wind blowing through his long, brown hair, and looked down four hundred feet below to the Gatlers that continued to aim at him and his comrades.

Without a second though, without any concern for his own personal safety, the Hound leaped from the gummi ship and descended at an extraordinary pace. He landed hard on his feet upon one of the Gatlers. He then cut the barrel off the Gatler with one strike of his mighty spear, the Gae Bulga. The Gatler swerved about violently from the impact and crashed into another tank. Cuchulain leaped from the armored vehicle just as the two collided. There was a sudden explosion which ruptured the entire compound. Cuchulain then rolled over to safety only to be confronted by the torpedo tubes of another Gatler. He leaped just as the energy projectiles were unleashed, hitting another Gatler in the process. The Hound landed safely on the turret of the tanks and tore out the top Gatling gun.

"Get a taste of this!" Cuchulain shouted. "Morrigan Slash!" The Gae Bulga began to glow brightly at its brass head. Cuchulain then leaped up and struck down at the tank. The attack's energy had cut straight through the armored hull of the Gatler, thus cutting the tank in half. Cuchulain pushed himself away as the tank exploded. He was then confronted by another tank, but again the Hound showed no fear. He lunged at it with another secret technique. "Ulster Sudden Death!" The thrusting attack broke a hole into the front armor plating, revealing all occupants that were inside. The tank tumbled and skidded onto the ground, not exploding like the other two did.

"Are you watching this?" Sora uttered.

"That's my dad alright." Cunla said. "They don't call him Erin's most powerful warrior for nothing."

"And he hasn't even delved into the rage yet." Riku said.

Sora then stood out from his seat.

"What are you doing?" Ophelia asked.

"I'm going out there too." Sora said. "I'm not just gonna let Cuchulain face this danger all by himself."

"By the looks of it," Donald implied, "he has the entire thing under control."

"That's beside the point. I'm not gonna let Cuchulain do all the exciting stuff."-

"Exciting, you call fighting tanks with your bear hands exciting?"-

"Aw, c'mon Donald, it's just a little rumble. I'll be alright."-

Donald only sighed and then smiled.

"Well, I know you guys, Sora." He said. "You can handle yourselves."

"What do you say, guys?" Sora asked.

"I'm with you." Riku replied.

"Same here." Ophelia added.

"Me too." Cunla remarked. They all stood from their seats.

"Then let's do this!" Sora declared. "Let's stop General Dagger once and for all."

"Good luck ladies and gents." Donald said. "Opening rear hatch. In the meantime, Goofy and I will provide covering fire and inflict as much damage to the factional HQ as best we can." Sora and the others rushed to the opened hatch and leaped out one at a time.

"Do ya think they'll be alright, Donald?" Goofy asked.

"I'm more worried about having unleashed them against the faction." Donald said. "They may take it a tad too far."

The KH team began their descent to the ground. Sora unleashed his new summoning spell.

"Nimbus!" he cried. From out of his keyblade, the little yellow cloud appeared, puttering like an old model T. Sora landed gently on the cloud. His keyblade ready and set, he swooped down against the faction Gatlers. "Let's go, Nimbus!"

At the same time, Ophelia unleashed her fans and literally glided to the ground. As she landed, she was met by three Gatler Tanks. Using her fans as deployable buzz saws, she cut through the hulls of some of the tanks and severed the turrets from off others. The tanks rumbled and fumbled across the ground, none exploding in the process.

"Dare come at the Tiger of Goth do you?" she declared. "You betray me, therefore you must perish."

At the same time, Cunla landed on one of the tanks and sliced the turret off, revealing the operatives inside.

"It's that traitor, Cunla!" one of the operatives uttered.

"Now, now," Cunla replied, "That wasn't very nice." He then leaped off the tank body as the massive machine swerved out of control and crashed into the ground, digging its front into concrete surface. "Come and face the Son of the Hound if you have to guts!"

Riku, in the meantime, glided over the Gatlers. He stopped and hovered for a minute or so.

"Here's a nice surprise for you guys down there!" Unleashing his Cinder Canister, he destroyed ten Gatlers in the process. He landed gently on the concrete basin only to find a Gatler rushing at him at high speed, firing its energy torpedoes and its main cannon at him. Riku leaped up just before the blasts struck him. "That was too close for comfort." Using his X Slash attack, he cut the advancing Gatler in quarters. The tank exploded with the blast nearly blowing the young key bearer away.

In the meantime, Donald unleashed a barrage from the gummi main cannons, destroying Gatler tank after Gatler, while at the same time dodging the enemy fire from the massed metal machines. By providing covering fire, many of the Gatlers' attentions were fixed on the gummi ship instead of the KH team members that were on the ground.

Sora continued to swoop about on the Nimbus cloud, attacking the tanks from above. He slashed and cut away, destroying several tanks. He unleashed elemental attacks and his more powerful hand to hand combat techniques to defeat the Gatlers.

"Thank goodness it's just Gatler tanks we have to deal with and not mobile dolls," Sora said, "Otherwise, we'd really be in trouble. Not even we could go head to head with mobile dolls." Sora diminished the Nimbus cloud and landed safely on the ground as Gatlers were scurrying from every direction.

"Sora, are you alright?" Cunla asked as he ran up to the young warrior. The key bearer nodded.

"Glad to see that you're still in tact, Cunla." Sora replied.

"Hey, I may be just a kid, but it takes a lot to bring me down."-

"We're wasting our time here!" Cuchulain said as he rushed to his son and Sora. "The faction probably has an endless amount of these tanks and we can't fight them all off indefinitely. Our main objective is to save those organoids, shut down the shield, and defeat General Dagger!"

"I gotcha…!" Sora said.

"Then, let's go, head for the main HQ!"-

"Right…!" Cunla said.

Riku and Ophelia saw the others rushing towards the main HQ. Dropping their aggression towards the mobile dolls, they rejoined Cuchulain, Cunla, and Sora and made their way to the main entry of the headquarters.

General Dagger watched as the KH team came closer and closer to reaching the inward structures of the compound.

"It's me they're after." Dagger said to himself. "Well, let the key bearers come for me. I'll be ready for them once they reach this chamber." Dagger cancelled all mobile doll links to the Zero system and receded all appliances in the domed room, including the chair. He stood up, the scouter still on his face. He read the power levels of his approaching opponents. "Each of them has a significantly high power level and may have even more strength concealed within their being. That just gives me the advantage. Once they get here, they'll soon come to the realization that I have my own ways of winning the fight." From the center of the dome room, where the chair once stood, another hatch opened and out from the hatch came a long handled axe with a glimmering blood ruby mounted upon its head. "Soon, they will not realize who their true opponent is."

Just then, a transmitted message entered the chamber. It was the chief observer of the control room.

"General Dagger sir," he said, "The KH team is closing in on the compound!"

"I'm fully aware of that." Dagger replied.

"I've already deployed troops to the front to face the KH team and stop them from proceeding any further."-

"Do what you want! If you can finish them off, it'll certainly save me a lot of time and effort."-

"Yes sir." The transmission ended and General Dagger stood about, gazing at the axe that had emerged from the ground. Taking hold of it, he raised it into air.

"Now let these scrappers come to me all at once!" he uttered to himself. "I will see them all dead!"

It wasn't long before the KH team reached the entryway of the faction's HQ, where they met stiff resistance by the soldiers stationed their. A brigade of well trained troops stood at the entry way. Many of them armed with blaster cannons. Firing away, at the attacking team, they unleashed unrivaled volley fire.

"Brace for impact!" Sora shouted. "Aeroga shields deployed!" Sora used up a great deal of MP, creating a shield for each team mate. As a result, the energy beams were deflected from off the shields and ricocheted harmlessly into the atmosphere, or randomly struck any other object or structure, causing minor, if not severe damage.

"Let's hurry." Riku said. Using Hurricane Slash, he swept many of the soldiers out of the way instantly. Soldiers went flying, as the gusts of wind overpowered them and sent them reeling skyward. The soldiers that were still standing continued to fire at the advancing KH team. Some tried to fight them one on one, but were immediately cut down. To add, Donald and Goofy were still swooping about in the gummi ship, providing air support. They fired in the masses of soldiers, further clearing the way of their comrades. Eventually, Sora and the others made it to the safety of the hanger.

"Alright," Cunla shouted, "We're all inside!" He slammed his fist onto the control panel for the main entry doors. The doors closed, preventing the soldiers from coming back in and putting up further resistance.

"That's all we can do for them now." Donald said and pulled the gummi ship away from the headquarters. The gummi continued to engage the enemy on the ground, pouring a barrage of energy beams at the facility's main defenses and upon the remaining Gatler Tanks.

The KH team caught their breath for a minute or so.

"Well, at least the soldiers can't come in again." Cunla said. Taking his sword, he sliced off the access button that opened the door. "Not with the doors sealed."

"Yeah, but we'll have to move forward from this area soon enough," Cuchulain said. "And when that happens, we'll end up meeting stiff resistance."

"So what's the plan?" Sora asked.

Ophelia had spotted a chart, which gave the location of every significant area within the facility.

"Alright," She said. "From here on out, we have to split up."

"Split up?"-

"That's right. We need to fulfill three tasks. One is to stop the organoids from being dissected, the second is to shut down the protective barrier to this facility, and the final is to defeat General Dagger and end his campaign here in the 'Zi' realm."-

"So what's the lay out, Ophelia?" Riku asked.

"The corridor from here on out will eventually split into three separate directions. The north wing has the medical facilities and science labs. That's where we will most likely find Zeke and the other organoids. The west wing obtains the power and shield generators. And the south wing obtains both the main control room and the central command for the mobile dolls. It's in the central command room for the dolls that you will find General Dagger."

"So who goes where?" Cunla asked.

"I'll destroy the shield generator and the power generator. Cunla, I want you to rescue Zeke and the other organoids. And Sora, Riku, and Cuchulain go to the central command and fight General Dagger. He's gonna be a tough foe to fight, so we'll need you guys to work together and defeat him."-

"We gotcha…!" Cuchulain said.

"Then, let's get going." Riku added.

"Uh, you guys…" Sora suddenly uttered in a rather frightened tone.

"What is it, Sora?"-

Sora pointed towards the corridor. From out of the walls and out of the floor, the Heartless appeared.

"Oh great," Cunla uttered, "Heartless!"

"What'll we do now?" Sora asked.

"We don't have time to monkey around with these shadows." Riku declared. "We have much bigger fist to fry!"

"Let's not stop, but keep going!" Cunla added. The team ran through the main corridor as the Heartless began to emerge. The KH team slashed and struck at any Heartless that dared to attack them. As they ran up to where the corridor split into three, Sora unleashed Tundra Canister and froze many of the Heartless in place.

"That'll cool those Heartless off for a while." He chuckled.

"Here's where the split comes in." Ophelia said as they reached the separating passages.  
"Alright, you guys," Cunla said, "Good luck!"

They took their own separate routes. Sora, Riku, and Cuchulain went down the south passage, Ophelia took the west, and Cunla headed through the north passage. Through those corridors, blocking their way would be legions of Heartless and faction soldiers willing to do everything to stop them.

The strategy did not go unseen by the main control room of the Midnight Faction.

"They've split up sir," one of the operatives said.

"They must be hoping to fulfill multiple tasks all at once." The commanding officer replied. "I want all available troop units deployed to focus their efforts on the key bearers and the Hound of Ulster."

"But what about Colonel Billiard and the boy, Cunla…?"-

"I don't care about them. They don't pose as big a threat to us as the other three. Our elite guards can easily deal with them. Send out the order now!"-

"Yes sir."-

"Seal the blast doors!"-

"Sir...!"-

"I want all laser turrets activated."-

"Sir…!"

Ophelia was the first of the three groups to encounter heavy resistance. While rushing down the main corridor leading to the shield generator, she was met with stiff resistance. Twelve defense turrets appeared from out of the interior structure of the corridor, four on each wall, the ceiling, and the floor. Immediately, they began to fire an intense barrage at the colonel. To add, a series of heated lasers, capable of cutting someone in half or severing a limb, appeared from out of the walls as well. While some were stationary, others moved about sporadically, swerving every which way that would further cause confusion.

"Oh great," Ophelia said to herself, slightly yawning as if there were not real threat before her. "Is this the best they could do?" Deploying her fans, she used them as protective shields from the attacks. Risking being hit by the continuous barrage of the turrets, she stood fully erect, then concentrating her energy, she teleported behind the turrets and the heat lasers. She then looked back at the turrets.

"That was easier than I thought it would be." She chuckled. But she spoke too soon as the turrets turned about and began to shoot at her again. Ophelia opened up her fans again and hid behind the protective barrier. "OK, maybe it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be." She walked to the door where the shield generator resided, but as she neared the door, she was in for another surprise. The blast doors had been activated, thus she could not enter. "Oh great, the blast doors have been activated. I can't break through those without dropping my guard. And without knowing what's behind the door, I can't teleport. I have to have a clear visual of its interior." Her misfortune only grew worse as she heard another threatening sound coming from behind her. Looking around, she saw twelve more turrets that appeared. They too began to fire away within seconds after their appearance. Ophelia was now being bombarded on two sides. "OK, this isn't good."

At the same time, Cuchulain, Sora, and Riku were edging towards the area where they sensed General Dagger's presence. At the same time, as they ran through the corridor, they met stiff resistance as faction soldiers and Heartless appeared out of the woodwork, attempting to halt their advance. But the intensity of Riku, Sora, and the infamous Hound of Ulster was unrivaled. Though outnumbered and surrounded at times, the trio was able to fend off their enemies with very little effort. They slashed and cut, killing some of the faction soldiers, while maiming other severely, thus making them unfit to continue fighting.

"These guys just keep coming!" Sora said. "These Heartless and faction soldiers just appear out of nowhere."

"Keep fighting, Sora." Riku replied. "We still have a long way to go!"

"General Dagger is close!" Cuchulain said. As he fought, the Hound continued to sense his way to the area where the next Blade General awaited them. It wasn't long before they reached another corridor which split off from the main hall. "He's this way, you two! General Dagger is down this passage."

"Then, let's head down that way."-

But as they did, two shadows appeared between the Hound and the key bearers. It was the same two Super antis that they faced earlier.

"Great," Sora uttered, "Not these guys again."

"Don't you think you two have someplace else to go?" Riku said.

The two antis only smiled, the expressions on their faces made barely recognizable as their shadowy facial expressions were concealed by the mellow glow of their yellow Heartless eyes.

Then, from out of nowhere, a flash of light appeared just behind the heartless. It was a heartless shield. The shield emerged between the key bearers and the Hound. Cuchulain touched the shield, but his hand was repulsed as an electrical shock jerker his hand back.

"What the heck is this?" he asked.

"It's a heartless barrier." Riku said. "Not even teleportation could break that."

"But where did it come from all of a sudden?" Sora asked.

"The two antis must've set it up, hoping to keep us away from General Dagger."-

"Well, I guess he the two antis didn't time their initiative very well now did they?" Cuchulain scoffed. "Nice try, but nothing will save you from my wrath, General Dagger." Cuchulain turned to the open corridor, where not Heartless, or faction soldier resided. It was an open path to General Dagger. "I'll go and fight Dagger, you guys."

"You be careful!" Sora implied. "General Dagger will be a lot harder to fight than most of the other opponents we came across."

"Don't worry; I'll make sure to leave you a little portion!"-

"Good luck!" Riku remarked. "We'll join you as soon as we can."

"Right…" Cuchulain made a saluting gesture and ran off into the darkness of the corridor, while Riku and Sora stayed behind to confront not only the two antis, but the oncoming legions of Heartless and factions soldiers still present.

"So what now?" Sora asked.

"The only way to rejoin Cuchulain is if we take down that shield." Riku explained. "And the only way to take down the Heartless shield, we have to defeat the Heartless who cast it in the first place. In this case, it's these two antis."

"Then, let's finish them off."-

"It won't be as simple as that." Riku replied. "We still have them to worry about." Sora looked about at what his comrade was pointing out. He realized that there were still large numbers of Heartless and faction soldiers to be concerned with as well.

"You know, I forgot about those guys."-

Riku and Sora were once again back to back as enemies continued to crowd around them. Their keyblades erected before them in a defensive stance.

"So how do we get out of this situation?" Sora asked.

"The way we always do it when we're in a tough spot." Riku replied. "We go all out!"

The two key bearers smiled and without warning, unleashed their highly destructive attacks to break up the enemy forces surrounding them.

Meanwhile, Cuchulain, after a minute of running, down the corridor, he finally came to the two great doors at the end. Opening them up, he entered the mobile dolls' central command. It was bright as day in the dome and the Hound was left standing in awe as he gazed about at the massive size of the dome. But his attention to the dome's size and structure faded as he saw a form standing at the center of the room itself. Cuchulain drew out his Gae Bulga and made ready to battle. He lowered it to his side as he approached the figure.

"Well, well, well," the figure implied. "I never would have thought that you of all people would be coming here. And coming here alone to top it all off."

"You must be General Dagger." Cuchulain said.

"That is correct, Hound of Ulster." The general replied. "I am General Dagger, the next of the Blade Generals that you must battle."

"You thought that your two Heartless henchmen could prevent us from coming in eh? Well, luckily I was a good deal away from Riku and Sora before that Heartless shield was activated. I guess you never really counted on someone like me coming."-

"On the contrary, Hound of Ulster." A sinister grin appeared on the face of the large, dark general. "Your separation from the key bearers went exactly as I planned."

"What do you mean?"-

"You'll know soon enough." Suddenly, the gem on Dagger's long staffed axe began to glow a bright read. The glow filled up the room, consuming everything. Cuchulain's eyes were soaked with the red light. He was suddenly mesmerized by the sight of the light. Dagger only chuckled. "And soon, Cuchulain, you will not be able to properly distinguish friend from foe."


	33. General Dagger's Manipulation

General Dagger's Manipulation

The scientist had finally managed to get their equipment up and running again, after the first attack by the Guardian Force. But now, once again, because of the constant bombarding by the KH gummi ship, the machines involved in the organoid dissection were ruptured again and repairs had to be made.

"What is going on out there?" The lead scientist uttered. "Don't they realize how delicate all of these instruments are?"

"Sir," one of the assistance said. "We have managed to sedate the organoids and place them in hibernation capsules."

"That was well done on your part."-

"As long as they are in those capsules, they'll be completely under submission."-

"Unfortunately, because of the bombardment that's going on outside, our equipment has once again malfunctioned and will have to be repaired a second time."-

"Sir," one of the scientists uttered, "There has been a breech in the compound."

"A breech, what do you mean a breech?" the chief scientist asked in a worried manner.

"Word from the main control room, the KH team has penetrated through the defenses and is storming into the compound as we speak."-

"That's impossible; no one can get through our outer shields."-

"There has been confirmation that one of the KH team members is coming this way."-

"Damn." The chief scientist looked at the three capsules and the organoids that slumbered quietly within them. "The KH team has managed to somehow break through our defenses and now they must be searching this compound for the organoids. And we haven't even begun to extract the necessary information from the organoids."

"There is no need to fear, doctor," a booming voice said. From the doorway of the laboratory, a large faction officer, a major's rank he held, stepped into the dissection room with twenty of his most highly skilled men. "This facility is vast and we have a large number of men ready to engage these upstart key bearers and their comrades. We have some of the most elite soldiers guarding this base. Twenty of them are here behind me. I can assure you that if any KH team member dares to fight us here, they will soon regret it." The major gave a flick of his finger and ten of his elites withdrew to guard the passage leading to the medical facilities. "Don't fret doctor. These meddlesome boys and girls will rue the day they ever dared to face the faction."

But just then, there were the sounds of shouts and the rapid crackling of gun fire from the security turrets reverberating from down the corridor. There were also a series of explosions coming from down the hall as well.

"The enemy is here!" the doctor panicked.

"I want the blast doors sealed to this room." The major said. "No one, not even the key bearers will be able to break through such a reinforced barrier." He then turned to the doctor. "Continue with your work, doctor. We will remain vigilant as you complete your task. It'll take a lot of muscle to break through those doors."

"Of course." The doctor and his assistance continued with their research and repairs to the dissection machines while the soldiers maintained a strong defense line at the door. There was still the rumble from the explosions, the rattling of automatic weaponry. The shots of the turrets, and the sound of men yelling and screaming, thuds of something heavy falling, could still be heard, muffled behind the thick door. But as soon as the sounds of battle erupted throughout the whole of the northern corridor, the commotion suddenly stopped and a strange silence began to linger. All soldiers and scientists stopped their ruffling. Not a wrench twisted, not wire was rerouted, and not even the rustling of fabric from one of the scientist's lab coats could be heard. It was a dead and eerie quiet.

"What happened?" the chief scientist asked. "Did the battle stop?"

"Get a monitor on," the major ordered, "and see what the cause behind this eerie silence is."

"Yes sir," one of the doctors said. They linked one of the monitors to the security system. Sure enough, what they saw was something that caused a great deal of fear to echo in the laboratory. The images of slain soldiers, demolished turrets, and utter chaos came into view. All the casualties were there's, there was no sign of the enemy anywhere.

"View the surveillance lens to the entry of this laboratory." The major ordered.

"Switching to next surveillance angle, sir." The doctor replied. He activated the camera that oversaw the entryway to the very chamber to which they concealed themselves in. But to their surprise, though there were some soldiers who had been slain, the enemy was nowhere to be seen. "There's no one present, sir."-

"Check all the angles."-

"Yes sir." The doctor continued to look at every surveillance angle up and down the hall, but there was no one about. "The cameras detect nothing."

"How about motion sensors?" The doctor activated the motion sensors, but there were no readings.

"Nothing sir, the sensors are picking up no sign."-

"But that's impossible. No one can just disappear into thin air like that."-

Suddenly, there was a loud clang from above. The soldiers looked to find a figure breaking through an air vent installed at the ceiling of the lab. It landed on the floor, just next to the dissection table.

"It's the traitor, Cunla!" the chief scientist uttered, in a bewildered and frightened manner.

Cunla said no word, but cut down to of the enemy soldiers with his sword. Swerving around like a tip, he outflanked his opponents and killed them before they could even draw their weapons. Cunla then turned to fight another one of the guards.

"Stay calm." One of the soldiers said. "It's just one boy. He's no match for us!"

But this predicament proved false as Cunla easily cut down another opponent. The soldier he was fighting had managed to push him back. Cunla could feel the strength of his opponent and allowed himself to be beaten in the deadlock. He then kneeled and used his sword to slice the back of the soldier's left leg. The soldier collapsed in pain, but found the boys sword slice across his gut, followed by another cut to his left arm and his throat. The soldier literally fell apart, the blood spilling all over the lab floor. Another soldier tried his luck, using a heavy spear to impale young Cunla. But the son of the hound was too fast. Leaping over the soldiers head, he thrust his sword deep in the back of his opponent's skull. The large soldier died instantly and fell to the ground with a big thud. Now only six soldiers, including the major, remained. Three other soldiers began to surround Cunla, one armed with a spear, the other armed with a sword, and the third armed with a blaster.

"Kill him!" the major shouted. The three soldiers immediately attacked all at once. One soldier jabbed at Cunla with his spear. But the length of thee spear and confinement of the laboratory, made it very hard for the trooper to use his weapon effectively. Since Cunla had a shorter weapon, it was easier for him to maneuver. The spearman, caring now for his own safety, swung his spear about like a mad man, breaking medical tools and utensils left and right. Test tubes and chemical bottles were broken.

"You fool!" the chief scientist cried, as he watched battle from a safe distance. "You're destroying our instruments! We need those for our experiment!"

But the soldier did not take the doctor's words to heart and continued to swing mindlessly at the young warrior. Cunla flipped and ducked. He then lunged at the soldier, slicing him across the gut. The soldier's wild rampage died out and he fell dead to the ground.

The soldier armed with the sword attacked Cunla head on. The two clashed about violently.

"You idiots," the major shouted. "He's alone, he's just a kid!"

Cunla once again found himself in a deadlock with opponent. But as they ground their swords against one another, Cunla realized that the other soldier, armed with the blaster, stood ready to deploy a shot from behind.

"Damn it…" Cunla uttered to himself.

"No, don't shoot that thing in here!" the chief scientist shouted. But the soldier, seeing his duty, executed the shot anyway without assessing the consequences of his action. Cunla saw the shot fired and quickly fell on his back, breaking the deadlock a second time. The soldier fighting him saw death in the face as the beam came straight at him. The beam blew the trooper away and he fell backwards, hitting one of the hibernation capsules. The capsule, holding Zeke, broke and the silver organoid slumped out and fell to the ground.

"Bad move!" Cunla said and lunged for the soldier.

"Stay away from me!" the soldier shouted, blasting away at the young boy. The explosions from his blaster broke the other two pods in the process and Shadow and Specula fell to the ground as well, still in a state of suspended animation. Cunla leaped up and sliced the blaster in half. He then, using the hilt of his sword, struck the soldier in the fore head. The trooper fell backward and slumped against the wall unconscious, but still alive.

Now, only three remained.

"Impossible," one soldier uttered. "It's one against many."

"How could a mere kid defeat seven elite guards in only a matter of minutes?" the other soldier uttered.

"So," the major chuckled, "You are better than I thought you were. No wonder Lord Sirius Viicous once held you with such high esteem. And it's no wonder why he wants you dead."

"I will defeat all my enemies." Cunla said; his eyes intense with the ferocity of battle.

"Then defeat me, conceded boy!" the major prepared to draw out his blade. "And die!"

But before he could even unsheathe his blade, Cunla jumped up and thrust his sword deep into the major's right shoulder, severing major arteries, thus rendering his dominant arm useless. The major fell against the sealed doors.

"Major…!" one of the soldiers shouted. Cunla drew his sword out of the major, who was still conscious, but in a lot of pain.

"Surrender now and I will spare your lives." Cunla said. "I'll spare all of your lives."

"Why give us that option." The major uttered. "Why not kill us like you did the rest of my men?"

"It's because they decided to throw their lives away needlessly." Cunla sheathed his sword. "You are all spared. But if any of you try to stab me in the back, then you better make sure you aim well. Because the next time you try to strike me from behind, then you will die for sure."

"Damn you, boy!" The other soldier shouted. He raised his spear to strike Cunla from behind. But before he could come within range of striking the youth, a silver tail struck him at the side of his head and the soldier went flying into the wall. Cunla looked to see that all three organoids had recovered from their hibernation.

"Glad to see that all of you are alright." Cunla chuckled. The three organoids roared. "Now, let's go and help the others." Cunla turned towards the blast doors. He then ordered the last conscious soldier to move the major out of the way. "Get the major away from the door, soldier." The soldier did as Cunla said and dragged the major out of the way. With one slice of his sword, Cunla forced the blast doors open. Cunla chuckled and smiled. "It wouldn't have done any good to put up the blast doors anyway."

He and the three rescued organoids quickly withdrew from the chamber.

The soldier, who was still conscious, sneered and picked up his weapon, a blaster cannon.

"I'll kill that boy." He uttered. But the major placed his hand on the young man's shoulder.

"There would be no use trying to fight that boy." The major said. "He managed to get the best of me in this fight. If I fell so easily to him, what makes you think that you'd stand a chance?"

"But sir, I…"-

"It's over for us here." The major laid his head against the wall. "We've completely underestimated those youngsters. Fighting any further would be futile. We've lost the organoids and our forces are being repulsed by the Guardian Force and the Alliance coalition. Just let it go son, let it go for now."

The soldier gripped his blaster and then dropped it on the floor.

"Well," the chief scientist said, "The only thing we can do now is see to the wounded." He turned to his subordinates. "See to the survivors and have them bandaged up."

"Yes sir…!" the other scientists responded. They went to work immediately to help those soldiers still alive.

In the meantime, Ophelia was still trapped by the bombardment from the defense turrets. Using her fans for protection, she waited for the right moment to make her move.

"Stupid turrets," Ophelia uttered, "Always such a nuisance." She suddenly jumped up in mid air and threw her fans at the defense turrets. As she fell back towards the ground, the turrets turned their attention towards the oncoming battle fan. Ophelia thus unleashed her second fan and sent it spinning to deliver the final blow. The fan struck five of the turrets. The other fan spun sharply backward and destroyed another five turrets, leaving only two for the moment. But as the second fan began its retrieval run, it cut the two remaining turrets. The destruction of the turrets gave off some minimum explosions. The fans in the meantime boomeranged back into the hands Ophelia Billiard. She then turned towards the turrets that bombarded her from the end of the hall. "Now only one more group to deal with." She turned her aggression towards the remaining turrets and deployed the same type of strategy. Calculating the distance and the minimum space behind the turrets, because they were placed as the back of the wall, Ophelia found it crucial not to throw to hard, otherwise, her fan may get stuck in the metal plating. And this was one situation that she could not relinquish her fans so quickly

"I'll just have to modify the strategy a little bit." She said. Using her fans as a shield again, she protected herself from the barrage of bullets from the turrets. She then jumped and thrust one of her fans at the line of turrets. The turrets, like before, turned their attention towards the incoming fan. Five of the turrets were destroyed and the explosions threw off the reading of their sensors. It was during this confusion that Ophelia made her move. Taking out the dagger strapped to her back, she rushed forward. One of the turrets saw her coming and began to fire away. But she used her other fan as a shield and continued to rush towards her target. She then thrust her dagger deep into the turret and leaped away. There was another explosion and the turrets were again thrown off their accurate readings. "It's just as I had planned it." Ophelia leaped up and destroyed the remaining turrets. There was a series of explosions, but she cleared the way in time, catching the other fan, she threw in mid-air, with her hand as well. Debris fell harmlessly around her. Ophelia then stood up and smiled. "Now, there aren't anymore turrets to worry about."

"Miss Billiard!" a voice cried from behind. Ophelia looked to see little Cunla running towards her with Zeke, Shadow, and Specula.

"Oh," she replied, "Cunla, finished already? I see you managed to get the organoids back. Did you have much difficulty?"

"It was barely even a fight. Those guys didn't even put up much of a struggle, though I did find it strange to be fighting my former faction comrades." Ophelia kneeled and checked his body for any wounds. She padded him on the shoulders, the legs, and his waist. She then looked up into his big blue eyes and smiled.

"Looks like you're good to go."-

"How about you, Miss Billiard, did you have a hard time fighting?"-

"Just a little surprised but it wasn't really a difficult task."-

"Did you destroy the shield generator yet?"-

"I'm just getting around to it!" she turned and sliced the blast doors in half with her battle fans. "I don't even know why they even bother setting up those reinforced blast doors. They don't work against us. Not anymore anyway. Don't they realize that we're passed the destructive capacity of blasters now?"

The two walked in to see a giant generator accumulating a great amount of energy and electricity. Just like in the 'Seed' realm, it was an open path to destroying the generator.

"Now all we have to do is turn that thing off right?" Cunla asked. "And destroy the generator itself."

"That's all we have to do." But as they neared the generator, something caught Ophelia's eye. She looked to see a series of glowing yellow eyes appearing. "Uh oh, we have company.'

"Company…?" Cunla then realized what it was she was talking about. From all around the two former faction officers and the three organoids, a large number of Heartless appeared. "Heartless…!" Cunla drew out his sword. "Great, what a time for these guys to show up."

"They're trying to prevent us from getting to the generator."-

"So, now what do we do? Do we fight them?"-

"It's not as if we have any options open to us!" Ophelia unleashed one fan and her melee blade. The Heartless suddenly jumped on the five, attacking in mass, hoping to overwhelm the group. But it would take more than a few head on assaults to defeat the five in the generator room. And yet another battle commences.

In the meantime, Riku and Sora had their hands full fighting against the Heartless that surrounded them. Their foes seemed endless in number, but their individual strengths were weak and easily dispersed. And after ten years of fighting the Heartless, it seemed an easy task. However, it only seemed easy, since the two antis guarding the entry way to the mobile doll main control room did not intervene.

"I wonder why those two antis aren't attacking us as well." Sora wondered.

"They must be waiting for us to wear down," Riku explained, "That way they can defeat us when we're at our weakest. But we're not gonna give them that opportunity now are we."

"Yeah…!"-

"Hyper Mode Fusion, Sora! Let's do it!"-

Riku and Sora engaged in a Hyper Mode Fusion, their bodies merging to become one. Thus, as what had emerged in Wonderland, the great fusion warrior had emerged to battle.

"Now let us see how well you favor against me now!" the warrior unleashed his dual keyblades and battled the Heartless, defeating them by the wave. He unleashed a series of devastating combination attacks, mixing physical strikes with elemental spells. The Heartless were overpowered and many of the faction soldiers, who had witnessed the strength before engaging into battle, knew that daring to fight against such a powerful force would be a waste effort as well as their lives. Thus, many of them hastily retreated.

Eventually, even the Heartless offensive died down as it seemed there was nothing that they could do to stop this mightiest of key bearers. Now, within a few minutes of intense combat, only the two Super Antis remained.

"With those guys out of the way," the fusion warrior uttered, "The only matter at hand is how to deal with the two of you."

The two antis did not respond, but attacked head on as they normally did.

"So that's your answer?" the warrior said. He immediately began to increase his energy ever so slightly. "Darkness will linger, light will spread. Let the two elements that coexist intermingle to become a true force to be reckoned with!" The warrior then unleashed a series of shadow balls and had them hover about in mid air. The minute the two antis were in range, the shadow spheres suddenly bellowed out bright flashes of light. The two antis, not accustomed to the power of the light, were severely blinded and were thus halted in their tracks. This temporary blindness made them vulnerable to the attack of the key bearer. Sure enough, without warning, without mercy, and with only one stroke, the fusion warrior sliced the two antis in half. Instantly, the shadow warriors diminished from sight.

After delivering the final blow and defeating the last opponents in the corridor, the heartless shield that prevented any type of entry evaporated along with the two heartless that created it. The fusion ended and Riku and Sora were separated again.

"That was too easy." Sora chuckled.

"Let's hurry," Riku said, "Cuchulain might need our help."

"Right…"-

Both key bearers dashed off into the corridor leading to the mobile doll central command where Cuchulain and Dagger were supposed to be fighting.

It didn't take long for them to reach the doors where the two opponents were supposedly doing battle. However, it was where upon reaching there destination that the key bearers were in for a bit of a shock. The fight never even took place, rather it was more like a continuous standoff.

"Cuchulain…?" Sora uttered.

"Well, well, well," General Dagger said, "I see that you managed to break through the Heartless blockade to this room after all."

"You must be General Dagger." Riku remarked.

"That is who I am."-

"You might as well give up. There's no way that you can beat us now. The Guardian Force and the Alliance Coalition have already won the battle outside and the KH team has already done enough damage to your compound. There's no use resisting anymore."-

"On the contrary, if I can manage to defeat you, then that will be good enough for me. I don't care about whether this compound is taken or whether this world succeeds against us, if I can manage to defeat you, there will be no one after who will be able to stand in the way of our ideals again."-

"You forget though." Sora said, "You haven't defeated us yet!"

"Is that so?" Dagger asked.

"Let's finish this. It'll be us against you. And there's no way that you can beat all three of us!"-

"That maybe so, but there won't be three fighting me."-

"What do you mean?" Riku asked.

"Cuchulain…?" Dagger implied. The Hound then turned around to face Riku and Sora. But his actions were more aggressive and seemingly more hostile towards the two key bearers. Riku and Sora looked at Cuchulain and realized that something was definitely wrong. Cuchulain's eyes had changed. They had become that same frightening yellow that always appears when Cuchulain delves into the rage.

"Cuchulain," Sora uttered, "What's wrong?"

But the Hound did not answer.

"Cuchulain," Riku asked, "What are you doing?"

Still the Hound did not move, instead, he attacked his comrades, bellowing out in a demonic battle cry. His K9s had grown sharp and had elongated themselves, making Cuchulain look like a vampire. Using his Gae Bulga, he slashed at Riku and Sora. The two immediately had the front of their shirts torn; three large slash marks were torn into their clothing. Instantly, the key bearers jumped back.

"What's going on, Cuchulain?" Sora asked. "Why are you fighting against us?"

The Hound did not answer. Instead he continued his assault without mercy.

"Die…" Cuchulain said; his eyes pale and soulless.

"Cuchulain, stop this!" Riku cried. The Hound did not heed the words of his former comrades. It was as if everything said did not come through. For ten minutes, the key bearers did what they could to prevent themselves from being injured or even killed by the maniacal Hound of Ulster, who did not relent in his pursuit of blood. It was clear now to Riku and Sora that Cuchulain was indeed an enemy now, blinded by rage and doing all in his power to kill them. They knew of the danger they faced, but neither Riku, nor Sora were willing to hinder the Hound, knowing that there had to be some other reason for this sudden hostility.

"Why, Cuchulain," Sora asked. "Why are you fighting against us?" The Hound only attacked the young key bearer again. Sora evaded, but still, the thought of Cuchulain actually turning against them continued to wear on his mind.

"Has Cuchulain betrayed us?" Riku said. He sensed a dark presence in the air, something that was working on league with Cuchulain's aggressive behavior. "No, Cuchulain would never dare betray us. He knows what cause to fight for and what not to fight for. This defection of Cuchulain's is not his own doing." Cuchulain then began to attack Riku, slicing away and striking with great ferocity. "Despite being as aggressive as he is, he seems to be wanting to hold back. He's attacking us head on, but his coordination is somewhat thrown off, as if he's trying his best not to attack or hurt us." Cuchulain thrust again, but Riku dodged the attack, the spear tore through his shirt, but nothing more than that. Riku then knocked the Hound away. Cuchulain tumbled on the ground. "It's without a doubt; Cuchulain is being manipulated against his own will. He seems to be fighting his own body mentally. He's being manipulated."

"Quite an extensive power of observation you have." General Dagger chuckled. "I guess they don't call you Noctin Tilandir for nothing, eh Riku. You managed to peek through my plan."

"It was you. You're the one manipulating Cuchulain."-

"I'm astonished on how quickly you were able to conclude to that outcome. I commend you."-

"But how is he being manipulated?" Sora asked.

"Now, now," Dagger remarked, "If I told you that, then it wouldn't be as much fun keeping you in suspense."

"Well, all I know is that if you're the one controlling him," Riku shouted, "Then you're the one I have to defeat!" Riku lunged at Dagger, his keyblade drawn and ready to strike. But before he could even come within striking range, Cuchulain suddenly appeared from his left and struck him down with a swing of his fist. Riku tumbled to the ground.

"Riku," Sora cried and ran to his friend's side. Riku slowly rose up. "Are you alright, Riku?"

"I'm fine, Sora," Riku replied, "But we have to do something about Cuchulain."

"I know, but what do we do?"-

"We have to somehow break this manipulation spell and get him out of his aggressive trance. I can sense that Cuchulain is doing his best to retake control of his body, but this dark presence in his being is preventing him from gaining full consciousness. Right now, he's just a raging beast acting only on command. His real self-awareness has somehow been locked away, but how?"-

Just then, Cuchulain lunged forward again, attacking both key bearers.

"Riku, look out!" Sora made his stance, ready to battle Cuchulain. But the Hound was quick to suddenly step to the side and lunge with the Gae Bulga. Sora blocked the attack, but was only pushed out of the way.

"Sora," Riku cried. He then took his keyblade and knocked the Gae Bulga out of the Hound's hands. The Hound then turned his aggressions on Riku. "I have to believe that Cuchulain has betrayed us and has become our enemy because if I don't, I may hesitate, and then who knows how his manipulation will affect him and me."

"Die…" Cuchulain uttered, in a sinister voice. He suddenly lunged at Riku. Riku made ready to attack with the keyblade. But instead, Cuchulain leaped over the key bearers head. He grabbed Riku by the shoulders and wrestled him to the ground. Riku lost the grip on his keyblade and the weapon went flying to the other side of the room. The Hound then straddled himself on top of Riku's stomach and wrapped his hands around Riku's throat. The young key bearer began to choke and started to thrash about violently. He grasped at Cuchulain's shoulders, but the Hound proved too much, even for him.

"Cuchulain, stop this!" Sora shouted. He tried to pull the Hound off of his friend, but Cuchulain only struck Sora at the underside of his chin. Sora fell back and lay on the ground unconscious.

"Sora…!" Riku cried. But again, he felt Cuchulain's clutching fingers around his throat. Riku struggled, thrashing about, but to no avail. He tried to loosen Cuchulain's grip, but the more his struggled, the tighter the Hound's grasp became. "Cuchulain…please…don't…" But the grasp did not lighten up. Riku could feel himself losing consciousness and his thrashing became less violent. His arms could no longer maintain their resistance and fell limp to the ground. Riku's eyes filled with tears. He feared that is was by an ally's hands that he would die.

"That's right," Dagger chuckled, watching as Riku slowly died at the hands of his former comrade, "Kill him, my servant and end this resistance to the faction."

"Cu…chu…lain…" Riku uttered, his voice becoming more silent. Suddenly, the grip around Riku's throat began to loosen.

"Riku…" The Hound uttered.

"Yes…Riku…" The Hound continued to loosen his grip before finally releasing. Riku coughed violently.

"I must not…kill Riku…" The Hound slowly stood up and gazed up as if confused. "I must…not kill…my friends…"

"You are our friend." Riku uttered, rubbing his throat with his hand. There were now dark finger marks across his throat caused by the choking.

"I am…your friend…"-

"Oh no, you don't!" Dagger shouted. He threw his axe in front of him and immediately, the little stone on top of his axe began to glow. "You are my servant and you will obey only my word!"

When Cuchulain was struck by the dark light, his mental state broke down. He grasped his head and chest and began to scream out in agonizing pain. Falling to the ground, the Hound screamed out of torment as if something were ripping him apart from the inside. Riku, upon realizing what was going on, now knew the source of how Cuchulain was being manipulated.

"Cuchulain's being controlled by that stone," Riku thought to himself. "It seems every time that emanating dark light hits him, he loses control and his own self-conscience is sealed away, leaving only his body to be manipulated by General Dagger."

Suddenly, the Hound unleashed a menacing and terrifying howl that could only be described as demonic and of pure terror. This was the true sound of the Hound of Ulster. The scream itself reverberated throughout the compound, causing the facility to rumble.

While fighting in the chamber of the shield generator, the KH team could hear the howl. It was enough to cause the fighting to cease.

"What is that sound?" Ophelia said, her sol suddenly filled with a great fear.

"My father…" Cunla uttered, fearing the worse. "That's my father's cry, the battle cry of the Hound of Ulster." Cunla's heart began to pound even more and there was a sharp pain that came with every heartbeat. "My father, my dad's in trouble!"

"So are the others. I can feel a strange darkness emanating in the air." Ophelia turned to Cunla. "We have to hurry!"

"Right…!" The two KH team members and the organoids continued to fight the Heartless who still held a strong defense, keeping them from the generator.

The gummi ship also rocked with that strange scream. Goofy and Donald were shaken up by the scream, not by the rumble itself, but by the shear terror behind it.

"What was that?" Donald wondered.

"I don't know." Goofy replied, "But it sure was spooky."

"I have a bad feeling about this. Something bad is going on down there."-

"Are you sure, Donald?"-

"There's no doubt about it." Donald then looked at the shield that was still up. "I hope that the others can bring down the shield soon. I don't know how much we can last in here by ourselves." They continued to battle against the Gatler Tanks, whose numbers still continued to swell.

The scream was so intense and so piercing that the sound could be heard by those still in combat against the mobile dolls outside.

"What was that?" Van uttered, as he heard the cry.

"It's sounded like a scream." Kira said.

"But what kind of scream would sound like that?" Athrun wondered.

"Whatever it was," Irvine added, "It was something not of this world."

"Whatever it was," Raven said, "It was enough to cause terror to reverberate through even the bravest of warriors.

The Hound lay on the ground, breathing heavily, his face dripped in sweat. Still transformed, his body had flexed and had bulked up even more. His yellow eyes protruded through the long brown strands of his hair, like sapphires. His face was still distorted and his teeth still sharp. He staggered slowly to his feet.

In the meantime, Riku had fully realized that the red stone atop of Dagger's long handled axe was the source of torment and control for Cuchulain's mind.

"It's without a doubt now." He thought to himself, "That gem is the thing that's causing Cuchulain to go haywire!"

"I'll kill you…" Cuchulain uttered, staring at Riku. The key bearer looked back at Cuchulain whose image was even more terrifying. When looking at those gleaming yellow eyes, a stroke of fear touched Riku, reverberating from the top of his head, traveling down his back and reaching to the very tip of his toes. What he saw was a thing even more terrifying then any horror or terror he encountered before in the past. It was said that Cuchulain's transformation was so terrifying that those who would look upon him and gaze into his soulless yellow eyes would die instantly from fright. And now this same fear resonated through Riku, who was one that didn't scare easily.

"Cu…chulain…" Riku uttered.

Sora, by this time, had managed to regain consciousness. He looked at Cuchulain and Riku facing one another. But when he laid eyes on the Hound, that same sense of terror reverberated through Sora.

"Cuchulain…" Sora uttered. "This transformation, it's the rage, the same type of rage that manifested in him before when we first engaged in that trial battle six years ago and the fight between him and Cunla." Sora sneered at Dagger. "It's that blade general. He's the one doing this to Cuchulain." Sora picked up his keyblade. "That's the guy I have to take out."

In the meantime, Riku, concentrating all of his energy, managed to summon his keyblade back to his hand. He made ready to battle.

"There's no choice right now." He thought to himself, "Cuchulain has lost control of his own body and is now completely under Dagger's control. By the look in his eyes and this feeling I have, Cuchulain really intends to kill me. I have no other choice now, but to treat him as an enemy. I know that he's an ally, and I know that he's being manipulated, but to fight him without holding back is the only way. Otherwise, in the next attack, he may not have any inner consciousness to stop himself from killing me." Riku, increased his strength and made ready to battle against the Hound.

In the meantime, General Dagger watched as this turn of events unfolded before him.

"Quite impressive." He thought to himself, "Cuchulain's transformation into the rage is something else. The tales always said that his change, when delving into the rage, was enough to shatter the wills of even the strongest warriors. And I have seen that tale become a reality before my own eyes." He then looked at Riku and noticed that there was a change in attitude towards his comrade. "Riku seems ready to fight to the death this time. Because of this transformation, he's concluded that the only way to stop Cuchulain is to defeat him." Dagger than began to recalculate the scouter device, setting its option to detecting the level of power that was being used. "This scouter also has the ability to read power levels too. Let's see what we're contending with here."

But as he activated the scouter, the power levels suddenly skyrocketed upward. Immediately, Dagger's calmness diminished as he watched the little figures on his scouter began to rise.

"That's impossible," he said, "These figures can't be right. Riku's fighting strength exceeds even my own." He then looked at Cuchulain. "The Hound's is even greater; it's at least twice the number displayed as Riku's."Dagger smiled. "Well, I certainly picked the winning horse this time." It was then that Dagger's scouter picked up another energy level. This one was weaker than the other two, so the general was not fully concerned. He looked to find Sora ready to attack from the flank. "What a fool." The general scoffed. "Doesn't he realize that attacking me would be futile?"

"Dagger," Sora shouted, "Let's dance!" Sora attacked with his keyblade ready to strike.

But from out of nowhere, Cuchulain appeared, striking Sora across the face. All in that room, especially Sora, were stunned at what had just happened.

"That speed." Riku uttered. "I couldn't even follow him. Cuchulain just reappeared in front of Sora and struck him down. I didn't even see him move."

"That speed," Sora uttered as he regained his stance, "Cuchulain unleashed that incredible speed and I didn't even sense it, let alone see it. So this is the effect the rage has on him."

"Ha," Dagger chuckled. "Do you really think that you could attack me and not have the Hound intervene? He's the first line of defense you have to pass before getting to me."

"That may be true," Riku implied, "But even Cuchulain can't defend you when Sora and I attack you at once." Riku made ready with his keyblade. "Let's do this, Sora!"

"Right…!" Sora replied, ready to initiate an attack.

Sora suddenly unleashed his Corona Flash Barrage and filled the room with sporadic flashes of light, causing confusion for his foes. In the meantime, Riku unleashed the Darkness Decoys, causing further confusion.

"What is this trickery?" Dagger uttered, confused by the sudden appearance of a dozen Riku's and blasts of light.

Once their plan was initiated, Riku and Sora went on the initiative and attacked General Dagger at the same time from two different sides. They unleashed Aeroga shields in case of possible retaliation. Sure enough, they found it. Cuchulain was not one to be deterred by the diversionary attack and immediately struck back. Using his Gae Bulga, he struck at both key bearers almost at the same time and from two different sides. He had some way to counter the Aeroga shields, attacking from that single vulnerable angle that would break the defense barrier itself. Riku and Sora were knocked away with very little effort.

When the chaos cleared, Dagger realized that his manipulated warrior was all he needed to defeat the key bearers.

"Well, well, well," he chuckled, "It seems that my little servant has managed to fend off your attack. Even when I was caught in confusion from your earlier diversion, the effects of confusion didn't seem to phase the might Hound of Ulster. I can see why he is known as the most powerful warrior of Erin."

"He even managed to stop both of our attacks from two different directions." Sora uttered. "Even after deploying a diversion, Cuchulain wasn't fazed."

"Now, my faithful Hound of Ulster, kill them, starting with the weaker of the two!" Dagger pointed towards Sora. Sora had now become Cuchulain's main target. "Kill Sora, Cuchulain, and don't stop until he's dead." The stone atop the axe grew bright, filling the domed room with its dark light.

"No, Cuchulain…" Sora uttered. "Please don't, don't you recognize me?"

But the Hound paid no attention to the young key bearers words and made ready to attack. The Hound suddenly charged at Sora, without warning. Using the staff of the Gae Bulga, Cuchulain pushed Sora away. Sora fell backward, but the Hound quickly leaped over the young man's head and elbowed him in the middle of the back. Sora felt the sharp pain reverberate all over his back. He fell to the ground and skidded across the well polished floor. He tried to stand, but as staggered, Cuchulain lunged at him from above, the three points of the Gae Bulga ready to dig themselves into his flesh. But from out of nowhere, Riku appeared, punching Cuchulain in the face. The Hound went flying through the air, but quickly retaliated. Riku picked up Sora and jumped out of the impact of the Gae Bulga when Cuchulain lunged downward.

"Riku," Sora uttered, "You saved my life."

"No time for gratitude right now, Sora." Riku implied. "Right now we have an extremely ticked off hound trying to kill us."

"Die…!" Cuchulain uttered in a deep moan and lunged again. He unleashed his Morrigan slash and a powerful energy wave went flying through the air. Riku and Sora evaded as best they could. As the wave rushed by them, it struck the wall, creating a large cut to form in the steel surface. Cuchulain had a blood thirst cringe on his face as if he were thirsting to carve both of the key bearers up like a pair of Christmas Turkeys. "I'll kill you…"

"Cuchulain…" Sora uttered.

"It's no use trying to get through to him." Riku said. "Dagger has already managed to take hold of Cuchulain in mind and body. His self-consciousness has been sealed permanently."

"But how is he being manipulated."-

"By that…" Riku pointed at a the red gem that was embedded at the head of Dagger's staff. "Dagger is using that glowing gem to manipulate Cuchulain. For some reason, that gem is emanating a light that can resonate through the body of a person, thus closing up the part of the mind that accumulates self-awareness. Now, Cuchulain's body is being controlled against his own will."

"But if that's true, why hasn't Dagger used that gem's power on us yet?"-

"I don't know."-

Suddenly, Cuchulain appeared before the two young men and prepared to strike, Riku and Sora were caught completely off guard, not able to defend themselves. It seemed the end for them.

"Die!" Cuchulain roared. Riku held onto Sora and braced for impact, ready to act as a human shield if need be. But again, Cuchulain halted his attack and seemed to be in conflict with himself once again. He dropped the Gae Bulga, and grasped at his head and body.

"Cuchulain…" Sora uttered.

"I…can't…" Cuchulain's soft voce suddenly uttered, peering through the demonic voice of the rage. "I must' not kill…Riku…and Sora…I…I…."

"Again?" Dagger uttered. "You dare to defy my word, Hound of Ulster!" Dagger unleashed an even more powerful light from the red gem. The brighter the light became, the more painful Cuchulain's body got and the more he began to lose control. "You obey only me!"

"I…won't…" Cuchulain uttered. "You…won't use me for this…"

"Cuchulain…" Sora uttered. He tried to near his comrade, but Cuchulain looked up at him, his face in a bizarre contortion, one side of his face, the eye of the demon Cuchulain, and on the other, the kind eye of the courageous hound that the key bearers knew so well.

"Stay away from me…" Cuchulain uttered. "You'll be killed…" Cuchulain crouched, falling to his hands and knees and crying out. "You…you gotta run…"

"Cuchulain…" Riku said.

"We won't leave you…" Sora added.

"You must leave me." Cuchulain cried. "Otherwise, you will die!"

"Hear the words of your master, Hound of Ulster!" General Dagger ordered, angrily. "Kill the key bearers! Do not let them live!" Again, the light from the gem grew brighter and Cuchulain's pains and contortions became more frequently.

"Get out of here." Cuchulain uttered, continuing to plea. "Riku, Sora, get out while you still can…!" Suddenly, the scream of hound blasted out and the facility was shaken by this terrifying cry.

In the midst of the fight at the chamber, where the shield generator resided, Cunla and Ophelia continued to engage in the fight against the Heartless. Shadow, Specula, and Zeke used their tails to slap away many of the Heartless that appeared out of the ground. Again, they heard the scream of the Hound of Ulster.

"My father," Cunla uttered, "My father's in such terrible pain. I can feel his sprit wavering as if he's conflicting with a demon from within."

"I feel it too." Ophelia replied. "Riku and Sora, they may be in trouble." She cut down a few more Heartless. "Cunla, we have to hurry!"

"I've had just about enough of this!" Cunla suddenly ducked, crouching down low. "Feel the power of my secret sword one technique, the Red Branch Buster Strike. He then, with all of his strength, unleashes a powerful wind attack. Soon all of the Heartless, both big and small, within a one hundred foot radius were swept into the air. Cunla then leaped and made a side slash motion. From that, a powerful sonic boom erupted and blew all the Heartless away. Hundreds of Heartless diminished instantly.

"What the heck was that?" Ophelia looked with a puzzled look on her face. Even the three organoids with them could scarcely believe that they saw. "That attack, I never felt so much energy behind an attack like that before. This kid is good. But then again he's not Cuchulain's son for nothing.

"Hurry," Cunla cried, rushing towards the generator, "My dad and the others need our help. But again, the Heartless began to accumulate themselves in front of the generator at an alarming rate.

"Stand back Cunla!" Ophelia latched both of her fans together. They suddenly began to glow with her energy. "Double Fan Shuriken!" Ophelia, with one mighty threw her double fans through the ranks of the Heartless. The fans cut through the ranks of the Heartless, diminishing the shadows instantly. Immediately, the fans cut through the generator, from one end and out the other. They then boomeranged about and separated before being caught in the hands of the colonel. The generator collapsed from its foundation and fell upon the Heartless.

"Nice work." Cunla said.

"Thanks." Ophelia then looked as the large pillar of steel and glass, descending upon them. "Now, maybe the best thing to do right now is run!"

"Good idea!" Cunla, and Ophelia rushed outward with the three organoids soon following. They cleared the chamber just as the generator collapsed. There was a big explosion and the facility ruptured violently. The explosion broke through the roof of the compound and immediately, the shield receded.

"Hey, Donald," Goofy cheered as he saw the shield retreat, "They did it!"

"They did it, they did it!" Donald shouted with glee. "Oh boy!"

The Guardian Force and the Alliance Coalition watched as the mighty and invincible shield of the faction headquarters diminished.

"They did it!" Van cried.

"They brought down the shield!" Kira shouted.

"Alright!" Mu added.

"Alright," Athrun said, "All units push forward!"

The tide had turned completely in favor of the Guardian Force and their allies. The mobile dolls were not being overwhelmed as this over resilient zeal came to side with the defenders of the 'Zi' realm.

Word soon spread to the space fortress barge that were putting up a futile resistance now.

"Sir," one of the operatives shouted. "The Guardian Force is starting to break through. The shield of out ground base has been destroyed."

"Damn…" the lead officer uttered.

"Sir," Another operative said. "The mobile suit forces have penetrated trhough our outer defenses and are beginning to tear up the hangers within barge."-

"We can't fight anymore than we already have and our supplies are starting to dwindle." The officer placed his hands on the control panel of the command chair. "Fighting any further would be useless. Send word out to the Alliance Coalition that we surrender the space fortress barge, provided that they give us quarter."

"But sir."-

"Our deaths would have been for nothing, but honor. And honor alone will not change the world. Send out the message."-

"Yes sir."-

It wasn't long before the Archangel and all space forces heard the news.

"What's that," Murrue Ramius uttered, "The fortress barge had declared its surrender?"

"It appears that way, ma'am," Lieutenant Noin replied, "They must've realized that fighting was no longer having any effect on the tide of the battle."

"What are their terms?"-

"They will surrender under the condition that their soldiers be given quarter."-

"I understand." Murrue turned to the operatives. "Send out all transports. Tell them to send aid to the remaining faction soldiers."

"Yes ma'am." They replied. The fight in the sky had ended

Now, only resistance on the ground remained, but it wasn't as much as it had been before. The once invincible mobile dolls, without the aid of the zero system, due to General Dagger's own plans, became easy prey for the legions of zoids and mobile suits that swept upon them.

Cunla, Ophelia, and the three organoids arose from the ground after feeling the violent shakes of the explosion.

"Well, that certainly brought down the shield." Ophelia said.

"Zeke," Cunla said as he stood up, "It's up to you and the other organoids to help Van and the others. Miss Billiard and I will take it from here."

Zeke roared and he, Shadow, and Specula ran off in the direction where their comrades were fighting. Breaking through the windows of the second story, the three flew out.

"Those lights," Reese uttered. "Look at those lights!"

"It's Zeke," Van cried, "They're coming back to us! That means that they did it! They saved them!" Zeke was the first to fuse with the new Liger Zero. "Hey Zeke, you're back!"

Zeke roared, happy to be with his closest friend. Shadow and Specula too rejoined with their old friends.

"Specula…!" Reese cried as her blue organoid fused with the shadow fox.

"Shadow…!" Raven said, tears nearly coming down his face. Shadow fused with the Berserk Fury and the three organoids powered the zoids of their pilot companions to a new level of strength.

"We're back in action, you guys!" Van said. "Now let's show the faction that they can't push us around!"

"Let's finish this!"-

The three once again entered the fray and the battle again turned in favor of the Guardian Force and the Alliance coalition.

"Now that Zeke and the others are back with Van and the other pilots," Ophelia said, "What do you say that we help stop General Dagger."

"Right…!" Cunla replied. The two thus ran off in the direction where they felt Riku, Sora, and Cuchulain doing battle.

As the crying died down, Cuchulain was once again placed under the control of General Dagger, his formation even more terrifying than before. Now, it seemed as if one eye grew wider than the other, like that of a true villain.

"Cuchulain…" Sora uttered. Riku on the other hand looked at General Dagger. Dagger seemed a bit worn out after that moment of defiance.

"I see," Riku thought to himself, "Cuchulain's continuous inner struggle has caused some severe strains on General Dagger. It appears that he's having some trouble maintaining his manipulation. Perhaps, it's because Cuchulain's even stronger than even he. He's using a lot of mental and physical strength to maintain control of Cuchulain's body."

Suddenly, the hound disappeared again.

"Riku," Sora uttered, "Cuchulain's gone…"

But from out of nowhere, the Hound of Ulster appeared again, using the Gae Bulga in a slashing movement. Riku was cut across the abdomen and Sora at the side. The three cuts made by the prongs of the spear spilled blood immediately. Riku fell to his knees. Sora fell backward and tumbled. Cuchulain appeared behind Riku, ready to thrust the Gae Bulga deep into the young key bearer. But Riku quickly dodged.

"I'll kill you…" Cuchulain uttered again with that same deep, sinister voice.

"Sora," Riku cried, "let's do it, hyper mode fusion!"

"Right…!" Sora replied. But before they could even close the distance between themselves to form the fusion, the Gae Bulga appeared, striking Sora in the right shoulder. The young key bearer went flying backward and hit the side of the domed room. He hit the wall that base of the dome, which were flat and the there the Gae Bulga impaled Sora at the shoulder. His life's blood seeped from the ghastly wounds. Sora moaned out in agonizing pain.

"Sora!" Riku cried. But as he turned to face Cuchulain, the Hound was right on top of him. The Hound grabbed the sides of Riku's head and with an upward swing, kneed the young key bearer in the forehead. Riku fell back and lay at the wedge that connected the wall to the floor. Blood seeped from an open wound in his forehead now. The Child of Darkness was now unconscious, lying motionless on the ground.

"No…Riku…" Sora uttered. He then looked at Cuchulain whose own torment was apparent. The Hound began to creep up closer and closer in a staggering movement as if wanting to resist. "Cuchulain…stop this…"

The Hound didn't heed Sora's words and continued to move forward. Thrusting his hands forward, he grasped at Sora's throat and held tightly. Sora began to choke.

"That's right, my faithful hound," Dagger chuckled, "Kill Sora and Riku now!"

"I'll kill…I'll kill…" Cuchulain uttered. "I'll kill them both…!" He grasped tighter at Sora's throat.

"Please…Cuchulain…" Sora uttered. "You have to fight him…You have to fight Dagger…" Sora, weakened by his loss of blood could not even raise his hand to stop Cuchulain's grasp. With Riku unconscious on the floor, there was no one to help Sora now." Sora couldn't believe that this was happening to him. It was like the trial battle all over again. Only this time, there would be no one to save him. "Why…Cuchulain…why…" Sora's eyes filled with tears, not at his own possible demise, but the manipulation of his friend. Sora's closed his eyes and could only wait for his inevitable destruction.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a pair of fans went flying through the air. Cuchulain sensed the incoming objects and quickly released Sora and tumbled backward to face whoever or whatever it was that attacked him. The black fans had boomeranged about and returned to the hands of the one who threw them.

Ophelia and Cunla had finally arrived.

"Well," Dagger said, "I see that you two managed to make it here as well."

"What is going on here," Ophelia demanded, angrily. She looked at Cuchulain, then at the unconscious and severely wounded key bearers lying on the floor. "What is the meaning of this Cuchulain!"

"Dad, why have you hurt Riku and Sora?" Cunla asked. "Please tell me!"

The Hound only looked at them with bloodthirsty eyes, his fangs growing ever sharper. He drew out the Gae Bulga from Sora's shoulder and the key bearer slumped on the ground in pain. He gazed up to see Cunla and Ophelia standing in the doorway.

"Hey, Cunla…Ophelia," Sora uttered in a weak voice, "You made it…"

"Sora," Ophelia asked, "Are you guys alright?"

"More or less…" Sora then looked at Riku. He crawled over to his fallen comrade and placed him in his arms. Sora thus sat on the ground comforting Riku. "Damn, Riku, I've seen you have better days."

"We're coming to help you." Cunla shouted. But the Hound stood between them, his bloodstained weapon clutched tightly in his hand.

"Come not between the Hound and his prey!" Cuchulain uttered with that same creepy voice. "Or I will hunt for your blood as well!"

"What…!"-

"Aw," Dagger mocked, "Are you sad Cunla, knowing that your daddy is fighting for me now?"

"You," Cunla uttered, "What have you done to my father, General Dagger!"

"What do you mean? I haven't done anything to your father. He's just finally realized that he was fighting for the wrong side all along and now has defected in favor of me."-

"Now, I see." Ophelia uttered, "Now I see how you always managed to emerge from battle without a scratch and with all your enemies dead. You manipulate the supposedly strongest one of the group and have them fight and kill the others. In the meantime, you barely use any energy; you just use your strength to keep your puppet under control. Then once all the other enemies are dead, you go in and dispose of your puppet when they're at their weakest."

"And to think you didn't have to probe into my mind in order to figure all of that out, quite impressive, but a little too late."-

"I'll kill you!" Cunla shouted. Drawing out his sword, Cunla rushed into the fight, hoping to strike at Dagger. But suddenly, Cuchulain appeared before the boy and slammed him across the face with his fist. Cunla flew through the air.

"Cunla…!" Ophelia cried. But worrying about the young boy was the last thing she had on her mind as she saw the Hound attack her full force. Ophelia teleported to the other side of the room and threw one of her fans. The Hound was crafty through and easily dodged her attack from behind. He made his own teleportation technique with his incredible speed. He the attacked from the flank hoping to strike from an unguarded angle, but Ophelia drew out her dagger and used her other fan as a shield. She blocked the Gae Bulga with the shield, while at the same time, thrusting upward with her dagger. But the Hound was too quick. Using the momentum of his body weight, he flipped upward into the air retracted his weapon and slashed from behind. The three prongs dug deep into Ophelia's back and she fell forward as the blood began to seep from the open wound. The fan she threw boomeranged back towards her, but without Ophelia to catch it, the fan only fell to the ground in a tumbling spin before motionlessly lying on the floor. Collapsing to the ground, she watched as the Hound slowly turned towards her again. "How could you, Cuchulain…?"

"You fools," General blasted out with a chuckled, "The Hound is under my control! You think that by trying to talk to him, he'll somehow miraculously snap out of his trance. Riku and Sora tired to break my grip through their words, but all of their efforts have proven futile. So what makes you think that you can successfully fulfill where the key bearers had already failed."

"I'll kill you…" Cuchulain shouted, his mouth foaming for blood like a raved dog. "I'll kill you all…!" The stronger the light of Dagger's stone was, the stronger the hold on Cuchulain became. By now, it was clear that nothing would break the hold. Cuchulain's own consciousness had been sealed away. Cuchulain began to approach Ophelia. Ophelia, crippled by the blow across her back, found it heart to stand up and fight against the Hound. If Cuchulain had managed to strike her so effectively, despite her being fully aware of what was going on, how could she have possibly coordinate herself against him now that she was wounded.

"Damn it…" Ophelia uttered. "How could I get placed into this predicament? I can't allow myself to be killed by this man, but I can't hurt him, let alone kill him in the process. He's still one of our comrades."

The Hound stood over Ophelia, his weapon placed high above his head, ready to make the final blow.

"No Miss Billiard…" Sora uttered, still clutching to Riku who remained unconscious in his arms. Cuchulain made ready to strike her down, until…

"Father don't!" Cunla shouted. Cuchulain suddenly turned his attention towards the boy. Cunla stood up, a stream of blood dripping from his lip caused by the punch he received from his father. "Please don't do this. You're a stronger person than this! You're too strong to be manipulated!" The Hound lowered his weapon and turned towards his son.

"Cunla…" the Hound uttered.

"Come back to us, dad."-

But instead of dropping his weapon, the Hound attacked Cunla. He slashed at the boy with his weapon. Cunla dodged the attack from the weapon, but was elbowed in the chest by his father. The boy flew backwards. He slammed against the wall and slumped to the floor. As he gazed up, he saw his father standing over him like a towering, iron figure head, his pupils small and surrounded by a field of yellow in the irises.

"You are a fool, Cunla." General Dagger chuckled. "Not even you can break through my hold. Your father is completely under my control now! And I will see to it that he kills each and every one of you! None of you stand a chance against him as you are now!" Dagger stretched out his mighty battle axe and the gem at its end illuminated its dark light even greater than before. "Hound of Ulster, kill them all now! And I want you to start with that upstart boy of yours!"

The Hound drew up his weapon, ready to smite his own son, just as he did back in Traverse Town. But this time, Cunla was helpless, looking fear in the face and unable to move. Tears dripped down his face.

"Father; don't," Cunla uttered, "please don't…I love you…"

Suddenly, the Hound began to scream out as if in unbearable pain. He dropped his weapon and grasped to his head. Flashes of the past began to fill his head. He suddenly remembered the near death of his son back in Traverse Town. Cuchulain's inner emotions were beginning to resurface. The Hound roared out in pain and fell to the ground, grasping at his son's shell jacket.

"Father…" Cunla uttered. He suddenly saw the Hound like up at him. One eye had changed again, revealing the tender side of the mighty warrior. He was now in a half transformed state, his kindness desperately trying to regain the upper hand.

"Cunla…" Cuchulain said. Another pang caused further torment.

"Kill him," Dagger shouted, his voice reverberating in the Hound's head, "Kill the boy!"

"I…will…not…" Cuchulain cried. "I will not kill my son!"

"That's not for you to decide! As your master, I command you to kill the boy!"-

"No, get out of my head…I won't be a slave to your whim…You won't use me for this!"-

"Obey me, boy!" Dagger's stone grew brighter than ever. But even at its pinnacle of strength, Cuchulain's rage would not allow him to be manipulated. "You will do as I say! You are under my control and you will do all that I command!"

"No, I refuse to obey…I won't…You're head games will no longer enslave my soul! You have denied me of my will, my pride, my logical thinking, for the sake of your twisted agenda, but there is one thing that a true warrior of the Red Branch can never be deprived of, his Destiny!" The Hound roared out with that same terrifying battle cry, like ten thousand demons concentrated into one being.

"Father…!" Cunla grabbed onto his father, holding him tightly. There was a bright flash of light that illuminated as the two came together.

Suddenly, the gem at the end of Dagger's axe grew brightly against the will of the man who used it. Then, the end of the axe began to crack and break; pieces of metal starting to flack off little by little.

"What is this?" Dagger uttered. Suddenly, following another bellowing scream from the Hound, the end of the axe exploded and the gem fell from its foundation. He dropped on the ground and skid across the ground, falling not to far away from where Riku and Sora were lying. Instantly, the light started to fade and the Hound laid his head in his son's lap, still clutching to the front of Cunla's jacket.

There was a silence that followed soon after. Cunla looked at his father and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Dad…?" the boy uttered. Cuchulain suddenly looked up, but his face was no longer the mangled and twisted rage warrior who had tried to kill him a few minutes ago. Cuchulain's gentle smile had returned.

"I'm alright, son," Cuchulain replied, "I'm alright now. I won, I won."

"Father…!" Cunla threw his face into his father's muscular bosom and began to cry his eyes out. "Father, I thought I was going to lose you!" Cuchulain placed his arms around his son.

"I will never smite you ever again, my son." Cuchulain stroked his son's hair and embraced him tightly. He then pulled his son away so that could look eye to eye. "Don't worry, Cunla, I will never be manipulated like that ever again."

"Father…"-

"Cuchulain did it." Sora said. "Riku, Cuchulain did it. He broke Dagger's will." Riku still lay in his friend's arms, unconscious.

"I knew Cuchulain couldn't be manipulated like that forever." Ophelia said. "But never the less, it's good to have him on our side again.

After embracing Cunla, Cuchulain stood up and turned towards General Dagger.

"Now, I have an old score to settle with you, Dagger." The Hound growled.

"Now, now, Cuchulain," Dagger uttered, his face stricken with worry, "There's no need for you to be so hasty. I was only doing what I do best."

"You had me crawling down on all fours to you like a beast." Cuchulain picked up his Gae Bulga. "You had me do whatever you wanted! That's how you've always fought your battles, by letting others fight in you place because you're too damn weak to fight your own confrontations! But no more! Now you fight me in a one on one battle! You fight the true Hound of Ulster!"

Cuchulain and Dagger now faced one another, but it was apparent who already had the upper hand. The final battle against the next of the Blade Generals was about to begin.


	34. General Dagger vs Cuchulain

General Dagger vs. Cuchulain

The Hound made his stance glancing into the eyes of his opponent. General Dagger, though a towering and powerful looking man, seemed somehow scared and wavered a little bit. Now that his hold on Cuchulain had been broken, he now had the Hound and the rest of the KH team to deal with.

Sora looked on, waiting for the inevitable fight to unfold before his eyes. He then looked down at Riku, who still lay motionless in his arms.

"Hey, Riku," Sora uttered, tenderly embracing his friend close to him, 'C'mon Riku, open your eyes." Riku then began to stir, his eyes slowly opening to find his best friend staring face to face with him. Riku smiled.

"Hey, Sora," he uttered, "Did I miss anything?"

"Cuchulain did it, he broke Dagger's manipulation spell."-

"Is that so?" Riku looked to find the two now facing each other as enemies again. "It's about time too. For a while there, I thought that Cuchulain wouldn't be able to surmount that spell." Riku laid his head gently in Sora's arms and gave a sigh of relief.

"Hey," Ophelia uttered, walked and kneeling next to the two key bearers, "Sora, Riku, are you two alright?"

"More or less..." Sora replied. "Of course Riku's had better days."

Ophelia crouched closely next to Sora so that both were there, comforting Riku.

"Are you alright, Riku?" she uttered, tenderly to him.

"Yes, Ophelia," Riku replied, raising his hand. She grabbed hold of his hand and she help Sora embrace the young key bearer. "I'll be alright. I'm just glad to see that the two of you are still alive. You certainly have an ugly shoulder wound there, Sora." Sora smiled. Riku then turned to Ophelia. "How about you, Miss Billiard, did you suffer any serious injuries?"

"A couple of cuts on my back, but I'll be fine."-

"That's good to know."-

Now the three only watched as the next confrontation loomed over the horizon. A stand off between the two, the Hound and the Blade General, commenced for what seemed an eternity because of the surmounting tensions. The Hound gripped his spear tightly.

"You thought that you were top notch didn't you?" Cuchulain said. "You thought that you had the edge against us. You thought that you were untouchable with your so called impregnable shields, and your fortress barge, your mobile dolls, your zero system, and your manipulation tactics. But now you have been stripped of all that; stripped of every possible advantage. And this time, you have nobody to save you from me." The Hound threw his blade before him in a gesture of challenge. "Your grip upon this world will end, General Dagger."

"You do not frighten me, conceded boy!" Dagger shouted.

"A boy you say! A boy could never surmount what I've accomplished! What you see before you is a man, and a man who is known for his wrath as well as his compassion! Your injustice and treachery will not go unpunished!"

"Dad," Cunla shouted. He ran up to his father and took his place as his side. "I'll fight alongside you! I want to make sure that the good general pays for what he did to you!"

"We all want a piece of the action." Riku added. Regaining his composure, the young key bearer stood up. His wound from the earlier blow to the head still was dripping with blood. But it was only a minor complication. Otherwise, Riku was still fit to battle.

"I will fight alongside you too, Cuchulain!" Ophelia declared.

"Me too." Sora uttered, grasping at his shoulder. "I'll fight too." Sora suddenly collapsed. Riku caught hold of his friend.

"Sora," he said, "You're in no condition to fight right now. So far, you're the only one who's received a severe wound."

"I can fight, Riku, I can fight."-

"No," Cuchulain implied, "None of you will help me with this battle."

The others were shocked as what they had just heard.

"But father," Cunla uttered. He then felt the heavy hand of his father be placed on his shoulder. Cunla looked at his dad. The Hound then glanced at him and smiled.

"I know how much you would like to fight side by side with me in this battle." Cuchulain said. "But I can't afford to have you hurt, Cunla."

"But I can fight him just as well as you."-

"I know, but this is beside the point." Cuchulain took a step forward. "It's not only a matter of duty to stop this guy, but it's also a matter of honor and dignity."

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"This man manipulated my every movement as if I were a puppet on a string. He made me do terrible things to you. He made me inflict horrific wounds upon you. Had I been stronger, had I been able to break his will earlier than now, perhaps you wouldn't be suffering from those ghastly afflictions on your bodies. The head wound I gave to Riku, the shoulder wound I gave to Sora, the wounds on the back I inflicted on Ophelia, and the physical injuries in threw upon my own son. These were things of my doing and in the process some of your stamina has been reduced. However, because I have managed to break his will, I must now bear the responsibility of making up for that lost stamina." Cuchulain stepped further towards General Dagger. "I will be the one solely responsible for fighting and defeating General Dagger."

"Cuchulain…" Ophelia uttered.

"I challenge you to a one on one duel, General Dagger!"-

"Heh, you fool," Dagger chuckled, "You intend to fight me one on one?"

"That's about the size of it." Cuchulain replied, his eyes glowing with intensity.

"But you forget that you lost a great deal of your stamina as well. By fighting against your friends, you lost a lot of energy in the process. And by fighting my manipulation spell, you used up a great deal of physical and mental strength, so even now, even though you are not hindered physically, your body and mind are still weary from trying to fend off my hold on you."

"That may be so, but I still have enough strength to fight you."-

"You dare to fight me in a one on one duel, me, one of the Blade Generals!"-

"You talk tough and certainly have the physical looks to intimidate even the hardest of warriors. The way you were described before, I figured to you to be an opponent that would not go down so easily even if all of the KH team members, in top shape, were to attack you all at once. But I realize now that it was all just talk. Now, that I confront you, I'm no longer impressed. In fact, I was a fool to ever be intimidated by you. The tide has turned now. This time, it is you who is intimidated by me."

"Me, intimidated by you?" the general scoffed and chuckled. "You seem to forget that I have the advantage in power and strength here!" Dagger threw his big axe in front of him, gesturing a symbol of his might and supposedly his invincibility. "I am the one who still maintains the upper hand in this battle."

"If that's so, why is it that you seem to tremble, but I do not do the same to you? Is it because you saw the reading on that scouter of yours? Was it because of the fearsome reputation that I have gained when I joined up with the KH team, how I was able to pummel even a large group of elite and highly trained faction soldiers? Or is your wavering do more to what you saw me transform into when you manipulated me?" Dagger's wavering became more apparent as perspiration droplets began to form at the sides of his head. "You knew that I was one of the more powerful fighters and that I was capable of unleashing unlimited amounts of strength. That's why you wanted to manipulate me. So you wouldn't have to fight me directly. You knew you wouldn't have stood a chance against me fighting me head on, so you went in for the next best thing. Why fight your opponent, when you can forcibly have them defect against their comrades? And that's what you did. You were hoping to use my strength to defeat the others. And once they were all dead and my own energy was depleted, then you would take the opportunity to kill me when I was at my weakest. But your plan didn't turn out as well as you had hoped. You never anticipated that I would be able to break your spell did you? If you had, you would have taken better precautions!"-

"It doesn't matter anymore! Your energy has been depleted, so you are no match for me on your own! And yet you still want to fight me!"-

"Talk is cheap." Cuchulain took his stance. "If you truly are as strong as you say you are, then prove it!"

"Very well." General Dagger, determined to hold on to his honor, charged at Cuchulain, his massive axe raised above his head. Cuchulain immediately dodged the attack, flipping into the air and landing behind the general. Dagger swung his axe about again and dared to strike the Hound. But again, Cuchulain dodged without trouble, shifting himself to side.

"You're too slow." The Hound said. He then lunged with the Gae Bulga.

"It's not going to be that easy!" General Dagger declared. Using the weight of the axe, he shifted his body that evaded the dodge by a few inches. He landed only a few feet away from where the Hound dared to strike. Cuchulain halted his attack and looked to see opponent take his stance with the axe held before him. Cuchulain shifted the Gae Bulga behind his back.

"He's a lot quicker than I anticipated." The Hound thought to himself. "Even when armed with that heavy axe, he's still able to dodge my attacks. But then again, he won't be able to strike at me with that kind of momentum. I can read his every move when he uses that weapon." Suddenly, Cuchulain felt a sharp pain in his chest as if something had lunged through his heart. He collapsed to one knee. Sweat dripped from the Hound's forehead. His entire body seemed heavy as if weights were tide to it.

"Father," Cunla cried, "What's wrong!"

"What just happened?" Sora asked. "Cuchulain just collapsed to one knee? What does that mean?"

"He's met his limitation, Sora." Riku replied.

"What's that mean?"-

"It means that Cuchulain has been drained of his energy almost completely."-

"But how's that though? He hasn't even begun fighting yet."-

"It's not this battle that drained him," Ophelia explained. "But the battle against us that deprived him of his energy."

"But how could that be?" Sora asked.

"It wasn't the physical strength he unleashed in combat that drained him, but rather the vast amount of mental and spiritual energy that he used up trying to break the trance spell he was under. When using a great deal of mental energy, your body doesn't physically operate properly. To add, because he was using a great deal of spirit energy just to keep hold his body back from its true destructive power, Cuchulain's inner strength had been depleted substantially."

"So even if one does manage to break the trance, it leaves their body physically and mentally exhausted."-

"So," General Dagger chuckled, "You are finally feeling the effects of the trance's aftershock, eh? You had used up so much energy trying to keep your own body in control that now, when you need that reserved strength the most, you no longer have any to back you up. I must say that this is a bizarre turn of events, but then again I did say that it wouldn't be that easy to take me down."

"My body," Cuchulain thought to himself. "it feels as though I've been given a double amount of pounds in my limbs."

"You wanted to battle me right away to take revenge for what I did to your comrades that you didn't even bother to take into consideration the consequences of your hasty retaliation. You didn't allow your body to regain its strength. Now, you feel the effects of your quick resolve. That's the thing I like about my manipulating trance technique. The wall hits you when you least expect it and at a time when you really need that energy."-

"That may be true, but I still stand to fight you."-

"Your abilities have been cut in half, you can barely stand, but yet you're so determined to continue fighting?" Dagger then checked his scouter, picking up the power level. "I see your strength level has depleted below my own. Then it shouldn't take too long to defeat you."

Dagger charged again with his axe and swiped away. Cuchulain, using all of his might dodged and evaded as best he could, but the more he used his body physically, the more apparent his inevitable limitations became. He found that simply moving took a great deal of effort because it seemed as if his body now weighted three times heavier. Suddenly, Dagger slammed his axe overhead onto Cuchulain's Gae Bulga. The two weapons clashed violently, Cuchulain could feel as his energy began to drain bit by bit and the weight of the axe seemed to gain more with every push. Cuchulain gave ground and evaded the attack. Dagger was flipped over his head and landed on his back. But he didn't stay down for long. He twirled himself back up and was again in the battle position. The Hound on the other hand was having trouble trying to stand. He had to use the Gae Bulga for support.

"Damn it," he uttered to himself. "That stupid trance technique of Dagger's took out a lot more energy from me than I had expected. I can't even properly coordinate myself."

Just then, Dagger lunged forward, his axe ready to slice. Cuchulain dodged as best he could, but fatigue took its grip on him again. He did not clear the striking axe head in time and the blade cut through his black T-shirt. Droplets of blood spilled from the wound. The attack was not concluded though. Dagger suddenly lunged forward and struck the Hound straight in the chest. Cuchulain went hurling back and slammed against the side of the wall. The impact was so great that the impact against the wall, forced the dent to be formed.

"Father…!" Cunla cried.

"Oh no," Sora uttered, "Cuchulain."

"He's not gonna make it." Ophelia uttered. "That damned General Dagger took out too much energy."

"Now, do you fully realize the strength to which I am capable of?" Dagger chuckled. His axe stained with the blood of the Hound. "Not even you, the mighty Hound of Ulster can do battle with me!"

"You never stood a chance against me from the start." Cuchulain replied, as he slowly stood up. He coughed a bit and suddenly a stream of blood dripped down his lip. More droplets of blood tainted the floor. The blow from General Dagger's hit caused internal injuries to the Hound. "The only way for you to defeat me is to drain me of my energy first."

"Well, thank you for pointing that our, but that tactic should have been more than apparent from the beginning."-

"But you hold your own skills too high. You don't even realize what I'm capable of doing."-

"I've seen what you're capable of doing, but there's nothing really to worry about now. Your energy is so depleted; you barely have enough strength to stand, let alone initiate a strong defensive or offensive effort. It would be a lot easier on you if you just allow me to kill you."-

"I will not die without a good fight." Cuchulain raised his head, revealing his eyes. His eyes had suddenly changed again. His innocent and compassionate blue eyes had somehow become a more grayish, metallic blue. The glimmer of an innocent reflection had vanished and only a solid iris with small pupils emerged in their place. "I fight for my honor as a member of the Red Branch. I fight as an esteemed warrior of Erin. I fight for as a loyal member of the Universal Alliance and a trusted friend of the KH team and the key bearers. I fight for the lives of my friends, for the life of my son, and for the sakes of all those who are in need of my protection." Cuchulain stood up, still gripping the Gae Bulga tightly. "I will fight and defeat all those who dare to deny me of those goals to fulfill."

It was then that Dagger's scouter began to beep. The power reading the device picked up originated from Cuchulain.

"His strength is rising?" Dagger uttered to himself. "But how can that be? Cuchulain's majority strength should have been depleted beyond its ability to recuperate."

"Are you sensing this?" Sora asked.

"I am, Sora," Riku replied, "But I don't believe it."

"Cuchulain's energy level is starting to rise." Ophelia said. "But how is that possible? His strength has been almost completely depleted." It was then that she gazed upon the face of the Hound. She realized that it was not the same Cuchulain that was familiar to her and her comrades, but rather it was that same terrifying monster that attacked her from behind. "He's delving into the rage again."

"It seems that every time Cuchulain delves into the rage's power, he slowly, yet unconsciously becomes the Hound of Ulster."-

"It's a good thing that Cuchulain's on our side again." Sora remarked, still grasping his wounded arm. "Now maybe Dagger won't get so cocky as before now that he has to confront that."

The scouter reading on the lens continued to raise, the numbers reaching higher and higher. With this increase in battle strength, Dagger's confidence did just the opposite; plummeting downward as his hopes for victory was extinguished before his own eyes as he watched the power level increase.

"This is impossible." He thought to himself, "How could Cuchulain still have this much strength within him?"

"Let us continue…" Cuchulain uttered. He rushed forward; the Gae Bulga gripped tightly in his hand.

"I will not lose to the likes of you!" Dagger swung his axe and dared to strike at the hound. But Cuchulain was too fast and quickly evaded his attack. He dodge rolled to the left flank of the general and lunged forward. Dagger quickly evaded, using the weight of the axe to pull him away from the target point. He then used his shin to slam Cuchulain at the back of the head as he passed. Cuchulain tumbled to the ground. He eventually staggered, coughing up a great deal of blood, due to his internal injuries. But it seemed with every hit, Cuchulain's rage only became stronger.

"How can this be?" Dagger thought to himself. "This man's power level continues to grow, despite my every hit I put on him."

"This battle is far from over." Cuchulain turned to face Dagger again. Still not fully transformed, he entered the fray again. "As long as there is breath in my lungs, I will never stop."

"Then, I'll just have to make sure to keep that air from entering your lungs." Suddenly, Cuchulain attacked, even faster than before. The speed caught Dagger off guard. As if magic had some how closed the difference, the Hound appeared at the extreme left of Dagger's flank. Dagger quickly saw the attack and blocked it. Getting his axe jammed between two of the Gae Bulga's prongs, he managed to block the strike. Cuchulain, however, somersaulted above Dagger's head kneed him at the side of the face, breaking Dagger's scouter in the process. The large general went tumbling to the ground, skidding across the floor before slamming into the wall, breaking straight through.

"Did you see that?" Sora uttered. "Cuchulain actually slammed that big guy all the way through the wall."

"Incredible…" Riku added.

"And he hasn't even fully transformed yet." Ophelia said.

"That's my father." Cunla thought to himself. "I never knew that he was so powerful. Even when inflicted with internal injuries and that gaping wound across his chest, he doesn't seem to stop."

"Tell me, Dagger," Cuchulain remarked. "Is that the best you really have in store for me? If this is the full extent of your power, then I am truly disappointed. I guess in the end, all you were was talk."

Suddenly, there was a large explosion that came from the wall. The KH team ducked their heads as debris fell upon them. The Hound, however, did not flinch. Instead he remained steadfast, ready to battle whatever came out of that hole in the wall.

"Talk, talk," a voice uttered from the darkness of the hole. Suddenly, the shadowy figure of a tall dark man emerged from the shadows. Dagger emerged battered and bloodied. The side of his face that was struck by Cuchulain was now dripping with blood. There was also blood trickling down his lip and a small cut over his right eye. His teeth clenched tightly against one another. "Is that what you perceive me to be, nothing but talk! You little bastard, you'll pay for that insult!"

"I already know that you're no longer a threat to me." Cuchulain replied.

"You're wrong! I'm a bigger threat to you than you think!"-

"Then let me see what you can do."-

"Insolent youth, I'll show you that no one dares to soil the reputation of the mighty General Dagger and gets away with it!" Dagger attacked full force, with all of his strength. He lunged at Cuchulain and swung his axe at the agile young man. But Cuchulain was quick and quickly eluded the attack, jumping into the air and somersaulting to the General's rear. Dagger rushed again and attacked the young man again and again. For four minutes straight, but which seemed more like an eternity, the general attacked. Cuchulain was not one to idly stand about and allow his opponent to do all the attacking. He too went on the offensive. Still not fully transformed, he fought well to the best of his abilities. Clashing and attempting to strike one another, the Hound and the general grappled and fought. The salt of their sweat intermingled with the blood from their wounds. Both fought ferociously, but it was now apparent who had the upper hand. While Dagger was using the full bulk of his strength for this engagement, Cuchulain was cool and focused, despite being almost transformed. He was quick on his feet and even quicker with the use of deploying his skills. Not even having to impale his opponent, the Hound simply danced circles around the General.

"You speedy little bugger!" Dagger roared. "If I can't hit you from one direction, then I'll hit you from all directions!" Dagger then leaped up into air and raised his mighty axe over his head. "Let's see you enjoy this one, Thunder Clash Strike!" With a mighty slam to the ground, he caused several sharp sound waves to flower out in several directions. The KH team was overwhelmed by the attack and was pushed back against the wall. The Hound, caught off guard by the attack, was struck by one of the energy waves and throne back against the domed. He fell to the floor and thus lay there for a period of time. "Not so tough now are you!"

"Father," Cunla uttered. "No father…"

"What the heck just happened?" Ophelia asked.

"That attack was unexpected." Riku replied. "And there was a lot of power behind it."

"Look at what that attack did." Sora said, looking around. Like a giant flower pattern inscribed on the floor, the energy waves unleashed has enough capacity to cause severe damage to the domed room. "That attack was something else alright."

"This guy, he's better than we earlier perceived."-

"Well, well," Dagger chuckled, "It appears that you have met your limit, Hound of Ulster."

Suddenly, General Dagger felt a sudden jolt in his leg. It seemed to gain weight with every passing second. His leg began to wobble and he felt to one knee. The weight sensation reverberated throughout his body soon after and General Dagger had to support himself up with his axe.

"What's happening to me?" he uttered. "Why does my body feel so heavy? Why does it feel as if it's suddenly gained a great deal of weight?"

"It's because you're tired." A voice implied. Dagger looked up to find the Hound of Ulster still conscious. When the Hound raised his head up, opening his eyes, they had turned that soulless yellow, the eyes of a blood thirsty beast. "You were so caught up in your own praises that you failed to realize your body had been strained enough as it already was."

"What do you mean?"-

"It didn't seem strenuous at the time, but when you had me manipulated, you had to use a great deal of energy in order to keep me under your control. As a consequence, you had to consume a lot of your physical and mental strength. You knew that this was apparent. That's why you hoped that I would succumb to your will and kill all of my comrades, so that you would only have to content with me at half strength." The Hound gripped his weapon tightly by its staff. "However, you already had your limits apparent merely trying to keep me under control. It just goes to show you how different the levels in our strengths are. I still have the power of the rage to back me up."

"For me to reach my limit at such a critical point in this battle so soon, what a blunder."-

"Now you will die." Dagger looked up to see the glowing yellow eyes of the Hound protruding through his long locks of hair like candle flames. When looking into the eyes of the hound, General Dagger was filled with a great fear, knowing that there was no way the Hound would halt his advance. Perspiration of worry accumulated at the sides of his head and his body seemed almost to freeze.

"No, Hound, why must I die like this! Show mercy!"-

"It's too late to beg for you like, you filth!" Dagger, in defiance of the Hound, accumulating a wild pitch of rage, used the last of his strength to unleash a final attack.

"You don't dare to strike me down! I cannot die! I will not die!" Dagger rushed forward with his axe. The moment that Cuchulain and Dagger connected, there was a bright flash of light and a terrible thunderous sound. The other members of the KH team could only cover their eyes from the flash of light that illuminated the domed room in blinding beams.

As the light faded, the KH team saw as both combatants stood opposite each other as if they had bypassed each other in a final sweep. Their poses remained that of their final form when delivering the final strike.

"What just happened?" Sora asked.

"I…I don't know…" Riku replied. "I couldn't even see what was going on."

"Who do you think won?" Ophelia asked.

"I can't really tell. It seems that both of their strengths have still been maintained."-

"So no one really won?"-

"I don't know that for sure."-

There was a dead silence between the two. Suddenly, Cuchulain dropped his weapon and fell to one knee. He had been slashed a second time across the chest.

"Cuchulain…!" Sora cried.

"Father…!" Cunla cried.

"It can't be." Riku uttered.

"Cuchulain lost?" Ophelia added.

"Well, it seems that the final outcome of this confrontation has concluded itself." Dagger chuckled.

"So it seems…" Cuchulain replied.

Suddenly, Dagger dropped his own weapon and fell to the ground. Three deep slashes were made, streaking across his front and the blood spilled out in rivers. The General thus died on the field.

"It's over."-

"So, Cuchulain won?" Sora wondered.

"It looks that way." Riku replied.

"He won!" Ophelia cheered.

"Father," Cunla said. Cuchulain staggered to his feet, picking up the Gae Bulga, but collapsed a second time. Cunla ran over to his father's side. "Are you alright, dad?"

"It's just another scar on my body." Cuchulain replied. He patted his son on the head and ruffled his hair. "I have you to thank, Cunla."

"What do you mean?"-

"You managed to help me break that trance I was in and for that I thank you, son." Cunla smiled at his father and picked up him. Placing his father's arm around his neck and assisting him to his feet.

The defeat did not go well in the eyes of the faction main control room who had witnessed the entire battle first hand.

"I can't believe that General Dagger has been defeated." The chief officer uttered.

"What do we do now?" one of the operatives asked.

"I don't know, I don't know."-

But suddenly, there was a clanging of metal behind him. The chief officer looked to find that the blast doors to the control room had been cut through and not collapsed. From the door way, Leon, Lu Xun, Cloud, and Yuffie, along with a hand full of coalition ground troops entered the room.

"The alliance coalition has taken over this facility." Lu Xun declared. "Surrender and you lives will be spared."

The officer, knowing that self sacrifice would be of no use, he ordered his men to stand down. The faction soldiers and operatives dropped their guard and raised their hands up.

"Have these men apprehended." Lu Xun ordered.

"You are all prisoners of war." Leon replied. He flicked his arm in a forward motion and the soldiers moved in to arrest all faction personnel.

"Shall we go find Riku and Sora?" Yuffie asked.

"I can take care of things here." Lu Xun said. "You guys may go if you desire."

"I'll go get 'em for you." She then scurried off towards the area where the battle against General Dagger took place.

"That was an intense fight, Cuchulain." Riku said. "You definitely put that general in his place."

"Dagger may be defeated," Cuchulain replied, "But that doesn't really guarantee if the rest of the faction in this world will surrender. We still have other areas to clear."

Just then, something caught his eye. It was a glowing figure of light.

"Hey look," Little Cunla uttered. The KH team looked to see that same light accumulating at the side of the wall.

"Is that what I think it is?" Sora wondered.

"You might be right." Riku replied. As the light mellowed down, it revealed a very familiar shape. "It's the keyhole." Both key bearers lifted up their key blades and aimed at the keyhole. In unison, twin beams shot out from the ends of the keyblades and struck the large keyhole at the same time. There was another bright flash of light before the keyhole diminished into nothing.

"This world has been sealed."-

Not long after the light had faded completely, Yuffie entered the room. She then looked about at the damaged facility.

"Whoa, what happened in here?" she asked.

"You're a little late, Yuffie." Ophelia said, "You missed the best parts."

"Man, and here I was hoping to come to the rescue."-

"By the way," Sora asked, "how did you manage to get in here?"

"It wasn't easy." Yuffie replied. "We had to take on all these excessively angry faction soldiers at the main gate, then we had to battle a large number of Heartless, we just took over the main control, and by word from the outside, the dolls had ceased functioning and all resistance has ended. Or so I've been told." There was still the sound of fighting and explosions reverberating even through the inner depths of the compound. "Bu the sounds of it; not all the resistance has yielded."

"That's good to know." Cuchulain replied. "The faction's on its last legs in this world at least."

"You guys look like hell, what happened"-

"Well, it's a long story."-

"Well, never mind, we should get those wounds of your patched up."-

"Sounds good."-

It was then that something else caught their attention. The body of General Dagger began to diminish, suddenly turning a pitch black and then scattered about to the four winds. Blood and body had vanished.

"What just happened?" Cunla asked. "He…he can't just disappear like that can he?"

"The Heartless must've somehow managed to consume his heart at the last moment." Riku explained. "That's what happens to those whose hearts fall into darkness. A similar occurrence happened with General Knives."

"Hey look, Riku." Sora said. He pointed out to find two other summoning stones left behind. Riku picked them up and examined them. One stone looked as though it descended from a space rock, like a meteorite, and the second was a jagged quartz shard with a black wings insignia on its surface. "I wonder what's in those stones."

"We'll need to return to Traverse Town later and have them released." Riku replied. "And look at this." Riku picked up an information disk and another puzzle piece that would help to save King Mickey.

"An info disk and the next piece of the puzzle," Riku handed the four items to Sora. "Keep these in safe keeping, Sora."

"I'll guard it with my life." Sora replied. Taking the items from Riku with his good arm, he placed them in one of the pockets on his shorts.

"That makes three pieces collected altogether." Cunla said.

"Just two more to go and we can save King Mickey and Queen Minnie." Sora said.

"There's something else." Riku said as he walked over to where the manipulation stone lay. He picked up and examined it. "I would like to know how Dagger was able to use this thing."

"I wouldn't dare trying to use that stone, Riku," Cuchulain advised. "It only brings trouble to whoever uses it and to whoever's being used."

"Still, it would be a strong addition to our team though." Suddenly, the stone was absorbed into his being. "What's happening…!" Riku watched as the bright light entered his chest. He suddenly was picked up and hovered ten feet in the air.

"Riku!" Sora cried. Riku suddenly fell to the ground once the light had faded. Sora, though severely wounded with a damaged arm, ran under Riku to catch his falling friend. The two tumbled to the ground as Sora clumsily caught his friend descending.

"Are you two alright?" Ophelia asked, as she ran to her comrades.

"W…what just happened?" Riku uttered as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Oh, Riku, are you OK?" Ophelia uttered, putting her hand on his face.

"I'm alright."-

"I'm glad you're alright…" Sora uttered.

"Sora...?" Riku turned his head slightly to find Sora lying underneath him.

"Could you get off of me please?"-

"Are you alright, Sora?" Sora's eyes were just like that of swirling vortexes with a few stars hovering above his head like satellites. Riku and Ophelia sat him up and dusted him off.

"Sorry about that, buddy." Riku remarked.

"I'll be alright, that I will…" Sora replied in a rather goofy manner.

"Been hanging around Kenshin one too many times, eh?"

"What happened? Ophelia asked.

"I don't know." Riku said. "I just saw that stone suddenly illuminate into a ball of light end enter my body.

"What did it do to you, Riku?" Sora asked.

"That's the thing, I don't know."-

"Look Riku." Ophelia said. She pointed at Riku's key blade. On the top of the hilt, the red gem had made home on his keyblade, embedding itself in the keyblade's structure.

"Wow, Riku, you lucky dog," Sora said, cheerfully, "You get to use that manipulation stone."

"I guess I can, but I wonder what kind of enemies I can use it against."-

"Would you like me to see?" Ophelia asked. She placed her hand on Riku's arm, which held the keyblade. Delving into his heart, she was able to pick up the skills of the stone. "I see."

"Well?" Sora asked.

"Riku has gained the ability to manipulate the Heartless and can now turn the Heartless against each other."-

"But what about other types of enemies like faction soldiers and other guys like that?"-

"Unlike the Heartless, who have no sense of themselves other than what they do by nature or what they're told to do, living individuals of flesh and blood like faction soldiers have their own sense of being and thus cannot be fully controlled. If you were to manipulate a flesh and blood victim, you'd have to use a great amount of energy and strength in order to keep them under control. To add, they have to be feeble minded. Otherwise, you'll end up getting the same results as were with Cuchulain and Dagger. Your opponent has to be weaker than you in order for you to maintain control. However, you can only manipulate one flesh and blood victim with this stone. And doing so will drain you of a lot of your own energy, like it did Dagger in those final stages of his fight with the Hound."

"I will not repeat the mistakes of my enemies from the past." Riku replied. "I will not use anyone aware of their own consciousness to fight for me unless absolutely necessary." Riku lowered his eyes. "After all, I know what its like to be manipulated."

"Good for you, Riku." Sora said, patting his friend on the back.

"Hey guys!" Cunla cried, "Listen to that!"

The others stopped their activity and listened for whatever it was that Cunla heard. There was a dead silence though. No sound whatsoever.

"I don't hear anything." Ophelia said.

"That's exactly what I'm pointing out."-

"I get it." Yuffie said. "There's no sound."

"What's that supposed to mean though?" Sora asked.

"Don't you get it, Sora?"-

"If I did, I wouldn't have asked that question."-

"No sound means no fighting, and no fighting means that we've won!"-

"Alright, I get it now!"-

"Let's take a look and see." Ophelia said.

"We might as well." Cuchulain replied. "There's no use in us staying here. We've already accomplished out mission."

The team departed from the mobile doll central command room, leaving in its midst, the heavy damage that had been inflicted on the room from their previous battle.


	35. Forging Ahead

Forging Ahead

Goofy and Donald had landed not too long ago and were now checking out the damage to their ship. The little gummi was now amidst chaos, not by battle, but by the terrible aftermath. Gatler Tanks and Mobile dolls lay upon the ground in heaps of scrap metal. The towering mobile suits stood like iron figures holding a stern vigilance over the landscape. The once invincible faction headquarters had now been felled by the combined forces of the Guardian Force, the Alliance Coalition, and the individual deeds of the KH team and their comrades. The coalition has assembled all remaining faction soldiers and placed them under arrest as prisoners of war. The faction soldiers lay or sat on the ground, or stood against the wall of the demolished facility. Alliance aids were sent in to care for the enemy, giving food and medical assistance to them. Goofy looked about.

"It's over." He uttered. "I can't believe that we still got out of that fight in one peace."

"Goofy," Donald shouted, "Stop standing around with your head in the clouds. We have work to do!"

"Sorry Donald." Goofy turned back to attend to the gummi ship.

"Look at this thing." Donald sifted through each of the surface damages and through to looking at the generators. "That battle severely damaged our generators; our weaponry output is almost out of commission and our ships defenses have been severely damaged. Seven out of ten funnel emitters are out of action and one of our rocket boosters is beyond repair."

"So, you think it's bad?"-

"What do you think chucklehead?"-

"Well, I don't know."-

"There's no need for you two to be so worked up about the state of your ship." A voice shouted. The two looked about to see young Athrun Zala standing at the base of the ship. "We'll have our mechanics take a look at your damage and see if they can't do some last minute repairs."

"Appreciated sir," Donald replied. Donald slowly worked his way down off of the gummi's hull and landed safely on the ground. "Well, we'll just have to make it back to Traverse Town as soon as we can to make major repairs. There's no use in us staying here and wasting time."

"By the way," Athrun asked, "Where's Sora and the others?"

"From last I remember," Goofy said, "They were in that there facility fighting the faction."

"Hey, Goofy," Donald shouted, pointing. Both he and Athrun turned to see the KH team emerging from the main gate of the faction headquarters, wounded and weary, "They made it."

"But they look like they're in really bad shape." Goofy replied.

"Well, what do you say we go and assist them?" Athrun insisted.

"Good idea."-

The three rushed over to the KH team. While Sora was being assisted by Riku and Ophelia, Yuffie and Cunla assisted Cuchulain, who was still weak after his bout with General Dagger.

"Hey look," Sora said, "Goofy and Donald are alright."

"It's good to know that they weren't shot down." Ophelia added.

"And Athrun's with them too." Riku said.

"Hey, Riku, Sora," Goofy shouted as he rushed over.

"Hey, Goofy, you wouldn't happen to have some senzu beans now would you?"-

"Sure I got Senzu beans." Goofy pulled out the Senzu beans from out of his hat.

"Just give each of us a half." Cuchulain advised. "That should be more than enough for all of us."

"Okie Dokie!" Goofy said. He took out three senzus and snapped each in half. He gave one half to each of the KH team members. Instantly after eating their halves, the KH team members were back on their feet.

"I gotta tell you," Cunla said. "Those senzu beans definitely come in handy."

"Thanks Goofy."-

"Tweren't nothing." Goofy chuckled.

"You wouldn't happen to have a senzu bean that'll work on gummi ships would you?" Donald asked.

"Well, I don't know, let me check." Goofy went looking about in the pouch. "Do I have a senzu bean for gummi ships?"

"I was being sarcastic, you rube."-

"Why, what's the condition of the gummi?" Sora asked.

"Not good, our weapon system is out of commission, the main cannons have been overheated and can't be fired effectively anymore. The defense shields and funnel system has met its limit, one of our main rocket boosters needs to be replaced entirely and our energy generators need to be upgraded for short range teleportation. To add, four of our six cell generators have to be recharged."-

"How about our long range teleportation system," Riku asked, "Is that still operable?"

"It still works, but we have to have at least five energy generators in full to make the jump, but now because of this ordeal, only two are fully charged. That means we'll have to take the long way." Donald turned to Athrun. "Will you be able to recharge the gummi's energy supplies?"

"I can have that done." Athrun replied. "We'll have the gummi toed to the Archangel and we can have it recharged there."

"Don't we have any back up gummi ships though?" Sora asked.

"Not this time." Donald replied. "All of my spare gummi ships were in shop and being upgraded by Chip and Dale back in the Disney Kingdom. Unfortunately, that was the same day that the faction attacked us. That means this is the only one we have in stock. That's why we have to be careful with it."

"Damn…" Riku uttered.

"Then, we'll just have to use whatever resources that are available to us." Cuchulain advised.

It was then that Kira came rushing over.

"Athrun," he shouted as he approached.

"Kira," Athrun replied. Kira ran up to him. He then looked at the KH team.

"Hey, Riku, Sora, glad to see that you and the others are still alive."-

"In most cases anyway." Riku replied.

"We need a big favor from you, Kira." Athrun replied. "We need to have their gummi shipped to the Archangel to have it repaired."

"That's an impossibility right now." The KH team was stunned.

"But why's that?" Athrun asked. "Explain."

"For one thing, this battle has used up over seventy percent of our resources and manpower." Kira explained. "The Archangel is working up 98 of the time with damaged mobile suits right now. Even the captured space fortress barge is being drained of its resources to the maximum. The Ultrasaurus is using all of its supplies as well. All the teams are working constantly. I don't know if there will be enough left to do any real repairs on the gummi ship. Besides, most of the materials required to repair a gummi ship is limited. We didn't even come with any back up supplies for gummi refitting."

"Can you at least have the gummi ship repaired with other means and methods?"-

"We can take it to the Archangel, the barge, or the Ultrasaurus, but it'll take at least twelve hours or so to have it repaired to a minimum, such as recharge."-

"That's impossible." Donald said. "Time is of the essence to us right now."

"Donald's right." Riku added. "The longer we wait, the more likely something will happen with either the faction or King Mickey, who is still being held captive by Lord Sirius Viicous."

"But Riku," Sora said, "You're not suggesting that we continue to the next world in the state that our ship is in."

"Of course not, we have to return to Traverse Town and have it repaired there. Triiken did say that there was gummi supplies stored there. And it is the safest place to stop and make repairs, not to mention the closest."-

"How long would it take us though?" Cuchulain asked.

"Well, we should be able to get back to Traverse Town within a half an hour or so if we go at our normal pace."-

"Well, that'll save a great deal of time."-

"Then we better get going."-

"Hey, you guys!" a voice cried out from not too far away. The KH team looked to see Van, Raven, Reese, Fiona, Thomas, and Irving running towards them.

"Glad to see that all of you guys are still alive." Sora replied.

"Are you guys heading out?"-

"Afraid so."-

"We have other business to take care of elsewhere." Riku said.

"So all the fighting is over then?" Cunla asked.

"That's right." Thomas remarked, "From what reports tell us, my brother Karl managed to prevent those other mobile dolls from advancing any further on the Imperial capital. He said that he couldn't have done it without the intervention of the Alliance coalition.

"That is good news." Donald said.

"Hey, you guys," Cuchulain implied, "You forget, we don't have much time to reminisce. We better get going."

"You're right." Riku replied. "Then we better get going."

"Kira, Athrun," Sora said, "Thanks for giving us a hand."

"Don't mention it, Sora." Kira replied.

"So after this, where will you guys be headed?"-

"Well, I have to return to the 'Seed' realm to keep it safe from any factional attempts to retaliate."-

"As for me," Athrun said. "I've been assigned to lead the coalition to battle against the Midnight Faction. We're supposed to take a faction stronghold called Fort Trillioth, on Oceanaria."

"Then I wish you guys the best of luck." Sora said.

"Sora," Riku shouted, as he and the other began to board. "Don't forget, we still have our own mission to accomplish."

"I'm coming." He turned to Kira and Athrun. "I hope to see you guys soon after this."

"Same here," the two generals said. Sora then turned to Van Flyheight.

"My best wishes to you and your friends for rebuilding your world, Van."-

"Likewise Sora, the best of luck to you and your friends as well." Van replied.

"Hey Yuffie," Riku shouted as he awaited Sora to get on the gummi. "Give Cloud, Leon, and Lu Xun our best regards and apologies for having to take off so soon."

"Nothing to it, Riku," Yuffie replied with a chuckle.

The Riku gave a salute of farewell and was the last to board. The hatch to the gummi closed and the little ship was ready to go. Its rockets ignited and the little gummi slowly ascended into the air. Kira, Van, and the others present waved as the gummi made its departure. As it rose higher, Lu Xun and the others spotted it.

"They're on their way again." Leon said.

"The KH team's task is never done." Lu Xun replied.

Mu and Dearka watched as the gummi rose higher into the sky.

"Well, there goes Riku and Sora." Dearka said.

"Another mission awaits them I guess." Mu added.

The gummi eventually reached the upper atmosphere where the Archangel and the other gundams and mobile suits were hovering about.

"It's the KH team." Murrue Ramius uttered.

"They're still forging ahead." Noin said to herself.

"The fate of all worlds depends upon the success of those young men." Zechs uttered as he watched the gummi gain momentum and disappear in the blackness of space in a bright flash of light.

On the gummi ship, Sora twirled the third puzzle piece in his hand.

"Alright," he said, "that's three pieces retrieved, two more to find."

"Speaking of which," Donald implied, "Let's have a look at that info disk you retrieved after defeating General Dagger."

"That's right." Sora said. He pulled the info disk from his shorts pocket and gave it to Donald. Donald placed the information disk in the data bank and began to analyze the inscribed code. Deciphering the message, it read:

_Revenue must be heightened. Therefore General Scimitar has been assigned to launch a military campaign against the kingdom_ _of Agrabah. The mission is to overthrow the sultan and seize his vast wealth. To add, our forces will be scouring the desert sands for the mysterious cave of wonders._

"Agrabah again, eh," Sora said, "Don't Aladdin and his friends have enough trouble. This'll be the third time they've gotten into a situation like this."

"Well, the cave of wonders does have a great deal of riches." Donald replied. "There's so much gold in there to last you a lifetime."

"So the faction is declaring war on that world just for the sake of gaining revenue?" Cuchulain asked.

"That's how the faction engages in war, father." Cunla explained. "If there is anything, if there's any world that'll help benefit their needs, no matter how small, they will attack it."

"Take for example the reason why they decided to manufacture the apocalypse cannons in the Deep Jungle and the 'Seed' realm." Ophelia Billiard began. "The reason why those weapons were built in those specific worlds was because of two factors. One, for the first Apocalypse Cannon that you disabled and destroyed, it was built in the Deep Jungle because that world was isolated. There was no real threat that could interrupt with production there, or so we thought. Or at least that's what I thought when I was placed in command. And such a secluded world never really be taken into account regarding its importance. So what better way to build a highly destructive weapon that would draw a great deal of attention, in a place that's considered to most people as a backwater world. Secondly, with the XG-1, the reason why that cannon was built in the 'Seed' realm was not because of its seclusion, which doesn't even exist, but rather the intellectual status and the high tension between two types of people that accumulated there. Rebellious Coordinators, wanting to kill all Naturals, needed a strong ally, and they were also highly useful when it came to manufacturing the perfect weapon of mass destruction. So the faction had plenty of protection there, amongst a selected few of Coordinators and an ongoing conflict."

"Also," Cunla continued, "Another example was the establishment of the mobile doll assembly facility in the 'Rurouni' realm. The faction had chosen that world for its primitive knowledge in technology and industry. Japan, in the Meiji Era, never would have figured large mechanical weapons that could wreak such havoc, let alone mobile dolls. To add, that world was also highly inconspicuous for a mobile doll assembly facility to be established."

"But despite all this, despite all the technology and manpower, there is one thing that the faction is lacking, and that is revenue. Sure they have all this weaponry, but where do you think that comes from? It comes from other worlds, and the faction, with its limited amount of revenue, finds it hard at times to pay for some of those outstanding debts."

"I never really thought about it in that manner." Sora said.

"It stands to reasons though." Riku added. "Nobody does anything without expecting compensation in the end."

"And the faction can't use force to take over those big companies either." Cunla continued. "If they try to take over by force, those companies will shift in favor of any other power. Strong and rich enough powers that can pay them the most."

"It's all about the money." Cuchulain said. "Money is power and money is also the source of all evil. Sometimes I wonder if these people realize that money is simply a tool that should not be overused."

Suddenly, just as Cuchulain finished his statement, there was a rupture in the data system. This rupture affected the whole ship, causing the emergency lights within the cockpit to blink out their red illumination. The siren began to beep, synchronizing itself with the flashing red lights.

"What the heck is going on?" Sora asked, covering his ears.

"The command system, it's going haywire," Donald replied. He began to tap into the system to see what could have caused the malfunction. Sure enough, he found the source of their problem. "The gummi system has contracted a computer virus!"

"A virus…?" Sora uttered.

"You've got to be kidding!" Riku said.

"I wish I was kidding," Donald replied, "But unfortunately this is serious!" Donald quickly put the ship into manual drive and began to tap on a portable keyboard. "That virus is infecting our files at an alarming rate. I'm gonna initiate the anti-virus protection and see if I can confine the spreading of the virus into our other systems. So far it hasn't spread into the navigation system, or the weapon system."

"Where the heck did the virus come from though?" Cuchulain asked.

"I'm checking the data."-

"Log me in, Donald." Cunla said, as he rushed his station. "I'll handle finding the source of the virus. You concentrate on keeping it from spreading into the rest of the system."

"I gotcha…!" Donald replied. Cunla logged in and was beginning his search for finding the source of the virus. Both worked diligently, Donald unleashing an anti-viral solution into the system to prevent corruption of the files and systems still in tact, while Cunla checked all corrupted files and began to bog them down to a singles source.

After five minutes, the flashing of the lights and the beeping of the siren stopped. Donald flopped back against his chair and sighed. He had managed to confine the virus and prevent any further corruption of any of the other data bases.

"That was a close one." Donald said.

"So how much of the system was infected and how much of it was saved?" Sora asked.

"I managed to save the navigation system and weapons system, including funnel emitting system." Donald replied. "But unfortunately, I was unable to prevent the virus from spreading into the zero system data base. So that system is useless now. The virus also affected out shield system and our anti-cloaking system. That means that we're no longer able to stealthily move in space. Sooner or later, enemy space forces will descend upon us like flies around garbage."

"Well, how much longer before we reach Traverse Town?" Ophelia asked.

"I estimate at our rate of speed with the present consumption of energy, we'll be arriving there within the next twenty minutes or so."-

"Then, we better hope that no one intercepts us."-

"Cunla," Cuchulain said, "Did you find anything on where that virus came from."

"It should have been obvious from the start." Cunla replied. "I know where the virus originated."

"From where…?" Sora asked.

"The one source that had been inserted into the system not too long ago, the source was the information disk itself."-

"It came from the info disk?"-

"That's right. General Dagger knew that we needed that information in order to find the whereabouts of General Scimitar, so he took the liberty of adding another special prize for us. Once we placed the information disk into our system, the virus would quickly spread through our entire memory back and render us useless. Thank goodness that we worked fast enough."-

"But how could the firewall have been overrun?" Donald said. "It should have been able to detect the virus and keep it at bay."

"I'm sure, Donald, General Dagger already knew about that. That's why he manufactured a more potent virus, to render our present anti-virus protection system useless."-

"So General Dagger had the last laugh." Cuchulain said. "He gave us a virus as a farewell present."

It was then that Goofy picked up a reading on the radar.

"Uh fellers," he uttered, "We've got company."

"What was that?" Donald asked. He looked to the radar screen and saw fifteen objects approaching fast from behind them, each clustered into five groups of three. Donald checked to see who was approaching. Sure enough, he feared the worst. "We have mobile dolls coming this way!"

"What type?" Cuchulain asked.

"Checking mobile doll class, they're Virgo mobile dolls."-

"Virgos…?"-

"No," Sora uttered, "Of all the time for them to show up."

"They plan on initiating the same strategy they pulled on us back at the battle against the Midnight Faction headquarters." Riku said. "Why else would they be clustered into groups of three?"

"If they plan on doing that, we wouldn't stand a chance. I mean, we had enough trouble dealing with one set of three. Now, they're sending five sets to attack us?"-

"Where did those dolls originate?" Cunla asked. "Where did they come from?"

"They must've been deployed from the 'Zi' realm." Donald replied.

"But how can that be?" Sora wondered. "I thought the dolls stopped functioning?"

"General Dagger was known for keeping an independent force of mobile dolls in check, just in case such an outcome was to occur." Ophelia explained.

"But even so, why now would his dolls be activated?" Cunla said. "And to attack us of all people…?"

"He must've somehow foreseen the inevitable downfall of the faction's headquarters when the Alliance coalition arrived or when we broke through the defense shield of the base. He must've known that he and his cause was lost in the 'Zi' realm. But to prevent further intervention by us, in other worlds conquered by the faction, he made doubly sure that we would never make it to the next world. Thus, he implanted the computer virus into the information disk. That way, when accessed, it would spread throughout the ship and cause all of our combat functions to shut down. Then, when we were most vulnerable, his mobile dolls would come to finish us off."-

"Then it looks like Dagger's devious little trap has succeeded." Cuchulain said.

"I guess this was his way of a fitting end for two meddlesome key bearers, a champion, two of King Mickey's most trusted followers, and two traitors to the Midnight Faction."-

"We wouldn't stand a chance if we stay and fight." Riku said. "Without the shields and the zero system, we'd be sitting ducks."

"Was that supposed to be funny?" Donald shouted.

"I didn't mean you!"-

"We have no other choice, but to outrun them."-

"Get to your battle stations!" Cuchulain instructed. "We'll do what we can to prevent those dolls from catching up to us. All you have to do, Donald, is make sure to swerve us out of the line of fire."

"I gotcha…!" The KH team rushed to their stations and made ready to battle. The dolls were edging closer and closer with every passing second.

"Make sure to make every shot count!" Cunla said. "We have to conserve as much energy as we can in order to make it back to Traverse Town."

"Fire away!" Ophelia shouted. The little gummi began their retaliation against the mobile dolls, but immediately, their fire proved ineffective as their beams only bounced off of the dolls' deployed shields. The dolls in response began to initiate a counter offensive, firing their beam cannons at the gummi.

"Incoming energy sources approaching fast!" Donald shouted.

"Watch out!" Goofy cried. Donald swerved the little gummi to and fro, avoiding the attacks from the incoming mobile dolls.

"Oh no you don't, you bucket of bolts! You won't have us that easily!"-

"Keep up your fire!" Cuchulain shouted.

"But our weapons aren't having any effect!" Sora said. "We can't pierce through those shields with this kind of fire power."

"As long as we put up some form of resistance," Riku replied, "That's all that matters. It's better than not doing anything and let those dolls have their way with us."

"I guess you're right, but still…" It was then that Sora realized the dolls were beginning a flanking movement. Two squadrons began to speed up to attack from both sides of the gummi ship. "OK, that can't be good."

"A pincer attack," Ophelia said, "They plan on enclosing us from the rear and from the flanks and attack us out in a cross fire."

"We're losing momentum." Cunla shouted. "Donald, you'll have to pick it up a little more than this."

"C'mon Donald," Goofy said, beginning to panic, "go faster, go faster!"

"I'm doing the best I can!" Donald replied.

"They're catching up!" Ophelia shouted.

"I know that, I know that!"

"They're catching up!"-

"I know, you said that already!"-

"Ya gotta go faster, Donald!" Goofy cried.

"Would it help if I got out and pushed then?" Donald uttered.

"Really, you can do that?" Donald slapped Goofy on the top of the head.

"I was being sarcastic you fathead!"-

"Dolls are increasing in speed." Cunla shouted. It was then that the beams from the dolls began to strike at the rear of the gummi ship. Others exploded near the hull, forcing it to shake violently.

"C'mon Donald," Ophelia shouted, "do something!"

"Will you guys be quiet," Donald roared, "I'm trying to think!"

"We have to keep holding them at bay!" Riku said, firing his cannon, frantically at the dolls.

"Oh God we're gonna die!" Sora uttered, his adrenalin kicked up to a higher level. "Oh God we're gonna die!"

"Shut up." Riku shouted.

"Oh God we're gonna die!"

"Shut up, stop jinxing it!"-

"Oh God we're gonna die!"

"I told you to shut up!"-

"Oh God we're gonna die!"-

"Stop jinxing us!" Riku was on the verge of getting up to keep Sora calm, when suddenly a blast from one of the dolls knocked out one of the rocket engines. The booster began to die out and the speed had been reduced. Riku looked at Sora with narrow eyes. "I told you not to jinx it, you moron."

"Is it my fault?"-

"Gee Sora; let me think…uh yes!"-

"This is just great!" Donald shouted. "What else could go wrong!"

Suddenly, there was an explosion that shook the ship violently. Donald looked to find that the right wing of the gummi had been struck and now a gaping hole was torn into the wing.

"Uh, you know Donald," Goofy uttered. "I think we've been hit." Donald lowered his head.

"I hate you…"-

"Well, now what do we do?" Sora asked.

"Wait," Cuchulain shouted, "Look there!" He pointed out to reveal another small world just below them.

"It's another world." Cunla said.

"We should land there and make some repairs to the ship."-

"But that'll make it easier for the dolls to destroy us!" Donald shouted. "They'll catch up with us in no time!"-

"You have a better alternative?"-

"What is that world anyway?" Sora asked.

"Checking the data base," Cunla said, calculating the input, "It's within vicinity of the Arakis Foundation's territory."

"The Arakis Foundation," Ophelia uttered, "You can't land us there!"

"Miss Billiard is right," Donald added, "If we land there, we'll be gaining another enemy. The Arakis Foundation won't tolerate our presence in that world!"

"It would be no different from landing on a world controlled by the Midnight Faction." Cuchulain explained. "However, we have the advantage right now."

"How's that?" Sora asked.

"The Arakis Foundation isn't looking for us. And if the dolls do continue their pursuit for us, they'll have to contend with the might of the Foundation. Thus, we have no need to fear as long as we stay out of their way and let them deal with their own affairs."-

"I must protest this impetuous decision." Donald remarked.

"Either we stop here and conceal our whereabouts from the pursuing dolls, or we risk a 99 chance of being shot down by those machines trying to make a break back to Traverse Town."-

"Cuchulain does have a point!" Ophelia said. There was a silence in the ship before Donald nodded his head.

"Alright," he said, "Then brace yourselves, we're descending!"

The little gummi turned drastically towards the little world and descended into the atmosphere. The heat from the entrance into the atmosphere bellowed in flames as the gummi descended. The dolls quickly descended in after the KH team, but at a slower pace. The little gummi was quick in its descent through the upper atmosphere and soon found itself freefalling at an incredible rate of speed.

"We've gotten safely though the atmosphere." Donald said. "You better buckle yourselves in tight."

The KH team made sure that they were fastened tightly into their seats. Sora looked back to see the dolls slow in their descent through the atmosphere of the world.

"We're gaining distance." He shouted.

But suddenly, one of the dolls fired their beam cannon. The energy wave struck the hull of the ship, causing it to rattle violently again. The hit caused the puzzle piece from Sora's jacket pocket to fall out and ratter across the floor.

"The puzzle piece." Sora uttered. He unfastened his harness and crawled after the puzzle piece.

"Sora, will you sit down and fasten yourself in!" Donald ordered.

"I dropped the puzzle piece though."-

"You idiot," Riku shouted, "Get back in your seat and fasten yourself in! You can retrieve it later!"

Sora, however, paid no heed and continued to edge his way to the puzzle piece, which now lay nestled, a couple of inches away from his grasp, next to where the floor met the control panel.

Sora managed to grab hold of the puzzle piece, but as he did, another beam, fired from the mobile dolls, hit the hull a second time. The ship rattled violently a second time, but it was this particular shot that proved fatal. The beam had struck the part area where the cockpit windows and the hull converged. The moment of impact, half of the window panels were knocked loose and were ripped away. Immediately, there were strong winds that gushed into the cockpit. Sora, who was still not fastened his seat, was being pulled out of the cockpit by the force.

"Sora…!" Riku cried. But Sora had lost his grip and was pulled out of the cockpit and found himself freefalling away from the ship. Riku, unbuckling himself from his seat, jumped out of the ship after Sora.

"Riku, Sora…!" Cunla cried.

"Stay where you guys are!" Donald ordered.

"But they might…!"-

"We all will if we do the same! Stay in your seats!" The KH team could only watch as the two key bearers disappeared into the atmosphere, becoming no more than specks of dust in the vast blue of the sky as the distance continued to grow between them and the falling gummi.

"Donald, look out!" Goofy cried, as he pointed to a lake and forest surroundings.

"I know, I know," Donald replied. He forced the wheel back, lifting the gummi upward. He then shut down the rocket booster and activated the lift off boosters, to stabilize the distance between the gummi's underside and the ground. "Hang on tight!"

The gummi glided across the lakes glossy surface, forcing waves and ripples to form, breaking the reflection of the forest from off its surface. Donald pulled the wheel back further, bringing the gummi to a sudden halt. The gummi skidded across the shore, embedding its nose in the shoreline, which consisted of mostly pebbles. The landing was not as smooth as hoped, but at least they were alive and that was all that mattered.

"Is everyone alright?" Cuchulain uttered.

"I think I strained my neck on that last jolt." Cunla replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"That's a heck of a lot better than what just happened to me." Ophelia added. "I think I have whiplash."

"Well, at least we're still alive." Donald then looked at Goofy who was just staring out into the blue of the sky. "What're you doing?"

"I'm waiting for my stomach to come down." Goofy replied.

"You big palooka…!"-

They unfastened themselves from the seats and walked out onto the lakes shore line. Cuchulain looked at the gummi ship from afar and saw haw truly damaged it was from the outside.

"Look at that," he uttered, "The gummi certainly took a beating after that scuffle with the mobile dolls."

"What about Riku and Sora?" Cunla asked. "They never could have made that plummet, not from that altitude." Cunla fell to his knees, his eyes becoming most with tears as he feared the worst for the key bearers. "They're both dead aren't they?"

"Don't worry about those two, my son. If I know Riku and Sora, they would never allow themselves to be killed in such a fashion. Besides, you should know by now that both of those young men have the ability to fly." Cuchulain looked into the distance across the lake. "Besides, if they could die that easily, do you really think that Riku would have followed after Sora?"

"Well…I guess you're right."-

"Riku and Sora can take care of themselves." Donald said. "Right now, we have to get this gummi ship repaired."

"And how do we do that?" Goofy asked.

"We improvise…"-

"Oh I get ya," Donald walked away, but Goofy was left scratching his head. "What does improvise mean?"

In the meantime, Ophelia Billiard continued to watch in the distance, hoping to see her two friends reappear in the sky pursuing them, but they never came.

"Riku, Sora," she uttered in her mind, "I really hope you guys get back safely. We can't fulfill our missions and seal the worlds again without you."

It was at least twenty to thirty miles away that Riku and Sora landed. They had managed to land safely on the ground, but had lost sight of what direction the gummi had gone. Both were now firmly on the ground near a forest edge.

"I managed to save the puzzle piece at least." Sora said. "Otherwise, we would have really been in trouble."

"You idiot…!" Riku shouted, he punched Sora across the face. Sora fell to the ground. He placed his hand on his face and rubbed his cheek.

"Ouch, Riku, why did you do that!"-

"Shut up!" Riku stood over Sora. "You were willing to kill yourself for that puzzle piece! You were willing to throw your life away for the sake of a puzzle piece! You are such an idiot!"

"Hey," Sora shouted angrily. "You take that back! If I didn't retrieve this piece, then there would have been no way to save King Mickey!"

"So you decided to throw yourself out of the cockpit for it, eh? You are so stupid at times!"-

"Don't you call me stupid, Riku!"-

"I can call you whatever the hell I like, got that stupid!"-

"Shut up!" Sora lunged into Riku and the two began to tumble as they grappled with each other. But as had happened every time in the past, Riku managed to get on top of Sora, holding his arms down and straddling himself across his friend's abs.

"You still never learn do you!" Riku said.

"Get off of me, Riku!" Sora demanded, kicking his legs violently.

"I'm not gonna get off of you! Not until you admit what you did was a stupid thing to do!"-

"No!" Sora thrashed about, but still he was trapped under his friend.

"Say you did a stupid thing!"-

"No!"-

"Say it!"-

"No!" Sora suddenly bucked his legs upward and somehow managed to force Riku off. Riku was stunned as he found himself flipping over. Sora then threw his own weight onto Riku and straddled him in the same manner. This time, it was Sora who was on top and held Riku's arms down. "What I did was not a stupid thing, Riku! I did what had to do! And no one, not you, not Cuchulain, nor Lord Cavendish himself would be able to tell me that I was wrong!" But Sora noticed that Riku was smiling and then laughing. "What are you laughing at!"

"Look at you, Sora." Riku chuckled. "You're the one on top now." Sora looked to see that he was sitting on Riku's abs, pinning him down. Sora looked at Riku and smiled.

"You're right." Sora replied. He began to chuckle.

"I guess you proved your point."-

"I guess I have. For the first time ever, I have you pinned down." Sora released Riku's arms and got off of his friend. They both sat side by side still laughing. The humor slowly died out and the two began to focus on the present situation. "So now what do we do?"

"Well, first thing is first, Sora." Riku implied as he stood up and dusted the grass from off of his black coat. "We have to get to the others before they start to worry about us."

"You're right, we should go then."-

But as soon as both stood up, there was the sudden sound of drums echoing from not too far from where they were. It seemed to echo throughout the land.

"That drumming," Sora uttered, "Where's it coming from?"

"From over that hill!" Riku replied, pointing to the summit of the hill they had landed near. Curious to know where the drums were coming from, the two scurried up to the summit of the hill. As they reached the crest, they came before a rock cliff that overlooked a grand valley, with rolling hills and grassy fields. It was a natural beauty with trees sprouting out like little pegs upon a game board. A quaint little creek babbled through the river. There were dirt roads that cut through the hills and fields and bordered with wooden fences.

While overlooking the landscape, they continued to hear the sound of drums.

"I wonder where those drums are coming from?" Sora said.

"Sora, look," Riku pointed down at one of the dirt roads that seemed to bellow up clouds of dust. Sure enough, as Sora looked down, he saw six thousand men marching in perfectly straight formations. With the men in their battalion formations, there were also seven large artillery pieces being lugged and pulled at the back of Gatler Tanks. To add, in the very center of that force, there was what looked like a royal cruiser embroidered with gold and silver. If hovered about over the ground and was also being towed at the rear of a Gatler Tank. Whoever was in that cruiser must've been of great importance because it seemed as if the bulk of the soldiers were concentrating on protecting it. The sound of drums was accompanied by the whistling of fifes and filled the air with a classical military grandeur. Along with the sound of the fifes and drums, there was also a chorus of male vocals that bellowed out, stirring a great deal of mixed emotions. Closely listening as they passed, Riku heard the lyrics sung by the men. (The tune was patterned after the Union Song "Marching through Georgia.")

_Those Arakis fighting boys_

_Will never reach the coast_

_So Sirius Viicous said_

_It was a handsome boast_

_Had they not forgot, Alas,_

_To reckon with the host_

_While we are marching to conquest_

_Van'car! Van'car_

_Our cause forevermore_

_Van'car! Van'car_

_You hear our soldiers roar_

_Forward into battle_

_And to victory of war_

_While we are marching to conquest_

As the soldiers marched on, the two key bearers kept themselves hidden as the columns of soldiers continued their tramping, causing more clouds of dust to billow into the air. But as they observed, Riku noticed something different about these troops. Even though they were singing what sounded like an Imperial song, it was a song that shunned and humiliated Lord Sirius Viicous of the Midnight Faction. To add, unlike the phantom forces who wore these random armor pieces, the soldiers who marched before them were well uniformed, their dress all similar to the other, spare of the officers who wore something a little different. The battle dress of the soldiers was of course an Imperial helmet with a tinted visor, but the rest of the uniform consisted of a black, double breasted frock with white cuffs and gold lining coming in three strands guarding between where the white ended and the black began. On the shoulders of the frock were brass shoulder plates, giving a sense of authority to even the lowest ranking soldier The belt and chest straps were a bleached white leather, bearing a brass breast plate and belt buckle, bearing the organizational crest. The pants were black as well, with white trim streaking down the side of the leg. The pants were then tucked into polished white boots with gold tips. Each soldier wore a white glove upon both of his hands. Each soldier was armed with a long handled saber, which could be used with single of double hand grip. No soldier in those ranks were armed with blasters of any type of long range weapon, which only indicated to Riku and Sora that they must be ones to use energy or chi for long range fire.

"It's the Midnight Faction." Sora said.

"No it isn't." Riku replied.

"How do you know?"

"Take a look at the banner, Sora." Riku pointed at the banners that were carried into the fray. They were elaborate banners, but they did not bear the symbol of the Midnight Faction. Instead, the symbol was an adaptation of the Imperial crest of conquest. Three swords, two curved and one straight, converged on one another, joining at their tips. Then as a background behind the sword, a lightning bolt that streaked to one side. Under the symbol were the words "_Van'car Un'isk Concorte Irakisin"_ meaning Forever Reign Lord Arakis, or Long Live Lord Arakis. "That is the banner of the Arakis Foundation."

"The Arakis Foundation," Sora uttered, "What are they doing here?"

"Well, this is their newly conquered territory."-

It was just then an explosion rang out and tore through the perfect lines of the Arakis Foundation. Then another explosion and another and another bellowed out and ripped through the Foundation ranks. Men were killed by the dozen and they began to scatter. Three of the Gatler tanks had been hit and went pummeling into the ground. The remaining Gatlers aimed their cannons and began to fire in the direction the aggressors had attacked them. There was a series of explosions, but no enemy was seen. Again, there were more blasts coming from the other side of the field and eliminated more of the soldiers.

"Where the heck are those explosions coming from?" Sora asked.

"Look, over there!" Riku pointed out. Just on the other side of the field, another force was present and they were firing upon the forces of the Arakis Foundation. The banners of the opposing force rose and unfurled in the air revealing the symbol that was all too familiar to the key bearers.

"It's the Midnight Faction!"-

The battle began as the Arakis Foundation soldiers accumulated their energy and began to return fire with a barrage of energy beams. But just then, as the volley commenced, a battalion of Heartless appeared before the Arakis Foundation, consisting of Behemoths, Defenders, Darksides, Invisibles, and large bodies. These were no push over heartless that appeared, but the heavy artillery. However, with a single shot of energy, even the mighty Darksides were diminished.

"Those soldiers of the Arakis Foundation certainly aren't pushovers, that's for sure." Riku said. But the attack by the Heartless was only a faint. Soon, another line of Heartless emerged from out of nowhere, a larger variety of them this time, and attacked the ranks of the Arakis Foundation.

Following soon after, the forces of the Midnight Faction began their advance, crossing the lush green field with their blasters blazing away and their weapons ready to shed the blood of their foes. The Arakis Foundation soldiers quickly drew out their sabers and began to cut down their foes by the dozen. The battle raged on, but it seemed that this mediocre force of Foundation troopers were no match for the overwhelming combined forces of the Midnight faction. But still they battled as if they had nothing to lose, but their lives. The remaining cannons still functioning were unhitched and aimed at the ranks of Heartless and Midnight Faction soldiers. When fired, they accumulated a large beam that devastated the ranks, blowing many of the Midnight Faction soldiers away. The faction responded with their own fireworks, blasting away at the artillery batteries. The Heartless and the faction soldiers continued their assault, slamming into the ranks of the condensed Foundation troopers. The battle raged on and it seemed as if the bulk of the Foundation troopers were concentrating their entire defense around the golden cruiser. Suddenly, there was a series of explosions that strayed from the field and nearly struck Riku and Sora who were watching from the cliff above. The dirt and rubble pelted the two key bearers and they ducked behind the crest of the cliff.

"What a place for a battle." Riku said.

"I still can't believe that two former allied branches are fighting each other." Sora added.

"This is a hot spot alright. The Midnight Faction doesn't want the Arakis Foundation claiming themselves here in this world."-

"But now what do we do? They're both former branches of the Dark Empire and we have gained quite a reputation on both sides."-

"The best thing to do right now is keep ourselves hidden for the time being."-

"Shall we watch how this battle ends?" Riku ducked from another stray explosion.

"In most cases, I would say 'no' and want to continue looking for the others." Riku replied. "But unfortunately, our gummi ship was severely damaged after that attack by those Virgo mobile dolls, which are probably still prowling the area looking for us. Perhaps if we wait long enough, we can collect some supplies from those downed Gatler tanks."-

"But that would be grave robbing right?"-

"Do you have a better idea?"-

"Uh…no…" Riku and Sora poked their heads over the cliff and watched as the lush greed fields were tainted red by the blood of the soldiers.

"All we can do right now is wait for the fighting to subside." The fighting continued , but by now, it was already apparent who was the winner. The Midnight faction had gained the upper hand. The Foundation troopers, despite their gallantry and heroics, were eventually overwhelmed and all were either killed by the Midnight Faction soldiers, or their hearts were lost to the heartless.

Just then, there was a series of screams that bellowed out from the right flank of the Foundation line. Riku and Sora looked to find what looked like ten thousand trolls and goblins, dressed in rusty, gothic black armor, charging into the fray, battling the Foundation soldiers.

"That's no longer a battle." Riku uttered. "It's a massacre."

"I have to admit I feel kind of bad for those Foundation soldiers." Sora said. "Despite their bravery, they were completely overwhelmed."

"That's the kind of emotion that always arises when you see one side defeated."-

But as Riku looked over the ridge, he came across shocking sight. Standing upon the crest of the hill, on the opposite side of the field, a tall woman dressed in black robes. Her eyes were a mellow yellow and her face had greenish complexion. Upon her head was what looked like a devil's headpiece, black in appearance, with tall horns rising from the top. She held in her hand a long black scepter with a green glowing ball on top of it. And perched on that scepter head was a large black crow. Old and haggard it was with a decrepit yellow beak and shaggy black feathers. The woman stroked in gently on the head and down its back.

"Sora," Riku uttered, pointing his finger. Sora looked at his friend who had suddenly turned white in complexion.

"What's the matter with you, Riku?" Sora asked. "You look like you've just seen a ghost." Riku, however, was too overcome with shock to utter a word, so Sora looked over in the direction he was pointing. Sure, enough, once he spotted what Riku was pointing at, Sora's own face turned white and his eyes grew large with fear.

"Maleficent…!" They both uttered together.

"B…but that can't be," Sora uttered in fright, "She can't be here. The last time I remember, Maleficent was dead."

"Well, apparently not." Riku replied. "I thought that I was free from the sight of that woman only to find her standing on the other side of the field."

"What're we gonna do?"-

"The situation has changed now."-

Sure enough, the battle subsided as the remaining Foundation troopers surrendered and were placed on the field where most of the fighting took place. Riku and Sora watched as Maleficent walked upon the field. The faction soldiers were stationed around the downed golden cruiser.

"Now come out." Maleficent said. "Make our task easier than you've made it so far." There was no response. Maleficent gave the order and two faction soldiers fired their blasters, which broke through the protective door. Several of the goblins rushed in and checked the contents inside. Riku and Sora watched as the goblins made their search. They eventually came out with nothing to show for it.

"There's no one in here my lady." One of the goblins said.

"Blast." She uttered. "This was a decoy."

"But that can't be, my lady. The faction's reports specifically pointed to this convoy. Why else would it be so heavily guarded?"-

"I don't know."

"Maybe that device captured by the faction was wrong." Another goblin said.

"I doubt that," Maleficent said. "So far that device has managed to predict every move of the Arakis Foundation. It knows everything."

"Device," Sora uttered, "What kind of device?"

"I don't know." Riku replied. "But whatever it is, it must be able to see whatever the person wants to see. Like a mirror or something."

"Kind of like the mirror Beast had in his castle?"-

"Maybe, maybe it is a mirror like that."-

"A mirror that can foretell the whereabouts of anyone anywhere…" The two key bearers continued to watch as Maleficent entered the cruiser, looked about and then reemerged empty handed as well.

"What is your conclusion, my lady?" the goblin asked.

"We shall return to the Forbidden Mountains and see if the prediction is true." Maleficent replied. "There is nothing here for us."

The faction soldiers and the goblins withdrew from the area, down the road leaving the field in shambles. The sight of chaos and death was left behind for the birds and animals. As the last of the Midnight Faction withdrew, Riku stood up on the Cliffside.

"Whatever that device is, we have to get rid of it." He said.

"But I thought we were going to scrounge around for parts that could be used to fix the gummi ship." Sora uttered

"If they use that device their talking about, they would be able to predict our every move. Right now, they have no knowledge of our whereabouts here. But if they do find us out, they can use that device to trek us down. There would be no place for us to hide. Besides, we can't have the faction using that thing against our allies. Suppose the Alliance Coalition were to arrive and they would have to contend with mobile dolls. The faction could use their contraption to initiate preemptive strikes against our friends."-

"You do have a point."-

"Then let's go."-

The two key bearers hastily moved down the smooth side of the cliff and quickly ran over the battlefield.

"Look at this." Riku said, "You think that they would have enough dignity to bury the dead.

"There's not a single wounded soldier out here." Sora said. "They have all either been killed outright, or the Heartless snatched their hearts." But then, something caught Sora's attention. He felt a small twitch of energy coming from somewhere.

"What are you stopping for, Sora?" Riku asked.

"Wait, Riku, I felt something. Some one is still alive here." Sora then saw movement under one of the downed Gatlers. Sora ran over to where he spotted the movement. There, curled up in a ball, was a little drummer boy, at least ten or eleven years old, hiding behind his drum, which had been damaged by a piece of shrapnel. "A boy?"

"What did you find?" Riku asked, running up just behind Sora. He then gazed upon the little drummer. "A boy…"

Sora approached him, but the boy backed off, pressing his back against the metal of the downed tank. Sora gently placed his hand on the boys shoulder, easing his guard. The boy looked up with glittering eyes.

"It'll be alright, little guy." Sora said. "We're you friends."

"You are my friends?" the boy uttered.

"That's right."-

The boy, grateful to find people who did not want to hurt him, jumped into Sora's arms and held him tightly. Sora smiled and wrapped his arms around the little boy.

"It's alright, little guy." He said.

"Is he wounded?" Riku asked.

"Just a little shell shocked." The boy clung onto Sora tightly. Sora placed his hand on the boy's head and held him as if he wee his own son. "It's OK, kid, it's OK."

"We have to go, Sora. We can't waste time right now."-

"But what about the boy? He has nowhere to go"-

"If we take him with us, he'll only be put into more danger."-

"Yeah, I guess." But when Sora tried to stand up, the little boy would not let him go. Instead, he fastened himself onto Sora even tighter. "We have to go, kid."

"Don't leave me…" the boy uttered, tears dripping from his eyes. "Please don't leave me…"

"What do we do now, Riku? He doesn't want to stay here that's for sure."-

"Well, I guess we have no other choice, but to take him with us." Riku looked to the direction the faction had gone. "If we don't go now, who knows when they'll use that device again? Whatever it may be… Besides, the boy might be safer with us than if we were leave him alone in the wilderness."

"That's a good point you made out, Riku." Sora then looked at the boy who looked up at him. "You can come with us if you like."

"O…OK…" the boy replied. Grasping tightly onto Sora's hand, the little boy staggered up and followed. Sora and Riku looked as this little boy seemed to gaze down away from them.

"My name's Sora." Sora said. "And this is my friend, Riku."

"I'm Muli…" the little boy replied.

"And how did you come to be with the Arakis Foundation?" Riku asked.

"It was the only place I could hide."-

"Well, you're safe with us now." Sora said. "There's no way anyone can hurt you with us on the job." The key bearer smiled tenderly at the young boy and the boy in return responded with his own smile, as if he knew that he was safe. The three continued down the road in pursuit of Maleficent and the faction.

In the meantime, back at the downed Gummi ship, Donald and Cunla were busy eradicating the virus from the corrupted files.

"How much longer do we have to sit here?" Goofy asked. "I'm getting hungry."

"Will you stop complaining!" Donald shouted. "We're doing the best we can right now!"

"Until we have the gummi fixed up, we won't be going anywhere." Cunla said.

"You might as well toughen it up, ya Goof." Ophelia said, leaning against the downed hull of the gummi. "We're not moving from this spot anytime soon."

"I'm still hungry." Goofy uttered.

"You're like a bottomless pit, I swear." Ophelia then happened to look in Cuchulain's direction and saw him standing visual at the horizon. She walked up to him. "Are you OK, Cuchulain?"

"I was just thinking." The Hound replied. "I wonder if a battle has broken out?"

"What makes you say that?"-

"I suddenly felt at least five to six thousand energy levels appear in the distance and then suddenly fade away."-

"I felt that same sensation as well. Whatever it is, we better stand clear. Who knows what's awaiting us out there." Ophelia's thoughts then turned to Riku and Sora. "I just hope that our two key bearers are alright."

"I'm sure they are."-

Riku and Sora had continued their pursuit of the Midnight Faction, stretching for miles on end. Nightfall had come and darkened clouds now hovered above the sky, patchy and thick, covering the moon and the stars. By this time, Sora had taken to carrying the kid on his back, so as not to let the boy's tender feet be too worn out. The terrain itself had become rocky and barren, with only charred rocks and sharp formations protruding from the ground and raising high into the air.

"How long do they intend to keep going?" Sora asked.

"I don't know." Riku replied. He glanced back at Sora. "So how are you doing with that kid on your back?"

"Not so bad. It's a good thing that he's light."-

"Maybe it would have been better if we left him behind."-

"Why would you say such a thing, Riku?"

"Think about it, Sora. We're entering extremely hostile territory. To top it off, we have a kid to worry about. That boy's safety is another main concern for us. What if the enemy manages to capture him, or take him hostage?"-

"Don't worry about it, Riku. I'll take care of him."-

"Alright then, I just hope we didn't make a big mistake."-

The two key bearers, with the boy still on Sora's back, silently crept behind the forces of the Midnight Faction making sure not to pursue too close as to avoid being caught. Eventually, they worked their way to what looked like a tall summit, the tallest of a series of pitch black mountains, possible formed by volcanic activity. Upon the highest peak, a dark and gloomy castle was established, its foundations embedded in the black rock.

"I can see why they call this place the Forbidden Mountains." Sora said as he staggered up the climb.

"Quiet Sora," Riku implied. He pointed upward to the castle."

"Well, what do you know about that? It's a castle." They watched as Maleficent and her minions entered the black gates of the castle. The key bearers hid behind a large boulder, hoping to keep out of sight. As the last of the faction soldiers entered the castle, the mighty wooden doors closed tightly behind them. "That must be where the Midnight Faction is stationed. Why else would they follow Maleficent into that spooky old castle?"

"We're going in to find that device."-

"What, are you crazy, Riku? That fortress is probably crawling with faction soldier, goblins, and Heartless."-

"If it's true, and the faction does have some sort of device that can predict the whereabouts of everyone in this world, the faction can use it to hunt us down relentlessly. We need to take out whatever device is in there."-

"But what about the kid?"-

"It's best that Muli stays here out of sight and out of danger. We can't afford to bring him in there with us and risk his own life."-

"I guess you're right." Sora jiggled Muli a little and the boy stirred, eventually opening his eyes.

"W…where are we?" he asked.

"Muli," Sora said, "I need you to get down now." Muli stepped off of Sora's back. He looked around.

"What is this place?"-

"We're in the Forbidden Mountains."-

"Forbidden Mountains, but what are we doing here?" Muli quickly hid and curled up behind a rock as if frightened by where he was. Sora knelt by his side.

"It'll be alright, Muli, it'll be alright."-

"But why are we here?"-

"We're going to see if we can destroy some kind of device they have in that castle." Riku explained. "We need you to stay here and be a good boy and stay out of sight."

"But why?"-

"We can't afford to put you in danger, Muli." Sora said. "Just do what Riku and I tell you and stay here, stay hidden."

"But Sora…" Sora stood up, but as he did, Muli grabbed hold of his hand and held on tight to it. He nuzzled up to Sora. Sora patted his head and then sat him down.

"It's OK."-

"But I don't want to be alone again. I don't want to be responsible for the deaths of those closest to me." Sora placed his hand on the boy's face and wiped a tear from his eye.

"We'll be back for you, I promise."-

"You just stay here and wait for us, Muli." Riku said, "Sora and I are going to return." Riku shagged his hand on the kids head. The boy smiled sadly and nodded. "Let's go, Sora."

"Right…" Sora and Riku ran off down the path. The little boy, heeding the words of his new friends hid behind one of the boulders, free from any view of an enemy.

In the meantime, Riku and Sora made their way to the front gate of the castle. The draw bridge had been raised, so access to the castle was impossible. The castle had steep cliffs on all sides. In the front of the castle, under the drawbridge, was a fast rushing river with some jagged rocks bordering its separate banks. The river then went flowing a mile or so before plummeting down over the edge of a grand waterfall.

"Well, how do we get inside there?" Riku wondered.

"Well, could always fly." Sora advised.

"That's the easiest part, Sora, but finding an entry way that has no one guarding it and is the least conspicuous is the problem."-

"Hey wait, Riku." Sora looked to see a small opening at the base of the castle. It was no more than three feet in height and three feet in length. By the looks of it, it must've been a waste disposal passage. "There's a way in."

"Let's go then." The two key bearers flew down silently, flying unnoticed in the dark. The sentries, not able to see through the moonlight, were unaware of the presence of the key bearers. They landed on a narrow ledge next to the entryway. An iron gate had been placed over it and a lock was used to seal it shut.

"It's a good thing we have our keyblades." Sora said. Taking his keyblade and silently opening the lock, they managed to lift up the gate and crawl through. Sora was the first to go, followed by Riku who slowly shut the gate behind him, so as not to accumulate a loud clanging sound when it closed on them.

"OK Sora, get going." He said. They went crawling through the muck and through the dampness on their hands and knees.

"It's really dank in here, eh Riku?"-

"Just as long as that's all there is. It is pitch black in here too, I can't see a thing." Suddenly, Riku bumped into something soft. He felt whatever it is his face dug into. "What the heck is this?"

"Hey Riku," Sora shouted. "Watch where you're putting you hands, let alone your face!"

"Turn on a light, Sora!" Sora pulled out his keyblade and illuminated the tunnel. Immediately, Riku knew what he bumped into. It was Sora's rear he slammed his face into and was feeling about on. Turning blue, Riku spat out in disgust. "Oh God, yuck, nasty!" Riku was wiping his face with his hand.

"Shame on you, Riku, I feel so violated. Don't you know that it's not nice to go around touching other people's butts?"-

"Sora, you did that on purpose!"-

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't place your hands on my fragile person."-

"If you don't move that massive caboose of yours out of my face, I'll certainly break your fragile person! Now get going!"-

"OK, Ok, I'm going. Don't get you boxers in a knot."-

"And if you so much as break wind, Sora, if we ever get out of here, the first thing I'm gonna do is stick my hand in your ears and pull your teeth out!"-

The two continued to drawl through the dankness and darkness of the small passage for at least a hundred yards or so.

"Sora," Riku uttered, "Are we their yet? My knees are starting to go numb."

"I believe so." Sora replied. He looked to find a glimmer of light just a few yards away. "Hey, I see it. There's a small opening ahead of us. That must be a way in."

"Great, then let's hurry. I don't know how much longer I can take this crawling."

Suddenly, Sora stopped for a minute or two. Riku looked at him and stopped as well. "What are you stopping for, Sora?"

"I was just gonna say that you were the first to ever come that close to my butt before." Riku's face grew blue.

"For God's sakes, Sora, you gonna start that again!"-

"I was just about to say…I mean not even Kairi's gotten that close."-

"Will you quit this conversation! What are you trying to do, make me sick!"-

"Aw, c'mon Riku, don't you find it sexy?" Sora swayed his rear in a tempting fashion, making a mockery of Riku. It was at this point that the veins in Riku's head were about to burst, steam was whistling out of his ears.

"Here's what I think about you and your big fat caboose!" He aimed his keyblade and unleashed Firaga. There was a burst of flames. Sora cried out, but quickly held his breath. "You better not yell out, otherwise Maleficent will hear us! Now get going!"-

"Did you have to be so rough? I was just kidding with you."-

"Well, now maybe you'll know better!"-

The two worked their way to the opening and eventually reached the opening. It too was barred off with an iron grid.

"So where are we?" Riku asked. The two looked up to see where they were. Riku shook the grid a little and managed to knock it off of its foundations. Both then popped their heads out into the open.

What they saw was a dark hallway, with a few lit torches illuminating the hallway. The shadows were heavy in the passage way and the smell of wet stone lingered down the passage. The two key bearers looked about.

"The place is clear." Sora said. "There's no one about."

"Then, let's get going." Riku replied. "Slowly now…"

They propped themselves out of the passage way and quickly ran to the cover of one of the concealing shadows, not illuminated by the torches. They moved down the hallway, looking about at where they should go next. Using their senses to detect the energy accumulated by some of the faction soldiers and Maleficent, they managed to work their way into the area where the device might be located.

"I hope we're going the right way." Sora said.

"Well, wherever Maleficent is," Riku replied, "We're bound to find that device they're using to locate all of their enemy's movements."

"So does that mean we're helping the Arakis Foundation?"-

"Of course not, even though the Arakis Foundation seems to be the less hostile of the two factions, it is still a former Imperial power. And they're most likely to pose just as great a threat to us as much as the Midnight Faction." The two turned another corner without being seen. "The only thing we can do right now is make sure not to get too involved with aiding the Arakis Foundation for their sake only. Remember, they only want a universe where Oceanarians are allowed to thrive. And unfortunately for us, we're no Oceanarians."

"You're right." They continued to work their way to the inward structures of the castle.

"But Maleficent…" Riku thought to himself. "I thought that she was gone for good, but apparently, I was wrong." The face of Maleficent was on his mind. "But the power she accumulates, it seems so familiar, as if I have sensed it all my life. But where…where did I sense this power?"


	36. The Magic Mirror

The Magic Mirror

The castle seemed to grow darker as the two key bearers continued their trek through the fortress of Maleficent. As they neared the area where Maleficent was thought to be, the increase of guards and sentries became all too apparent. Not even the cover of the shadows was enough. While the faction guards were stationed about on every corner, the little goblin troopers were marching about, up and down the corridors. To add, winged Heartless hovered in the air, scanning the halls from above.

"It's getting to difficult to move about in here." Riku said.

"What are we gonna do?" Sora asked. "There are faction soldiers, goblins, and Heartless everywhere. Can't we just do like what we usually do, just cut loose and try to take out as many as possible?"

"We could do that, but unfortunately, we don't know what kind of traps or special foes they have in here. Who knows, they may have some booby trap set someplace that we don't know about and they'll just wait until we fall into it."-

"I get it."-

"We have to know our enemies abilities before we're in a position to do anything. And right now, we're at a standstill. We can't advance any further than we already have, unless…" Riku then spotted a hooded cloak, a black scarf and an armored jacket. "I have an idea."

Grabbing the jacket and cloak, he and Sora ran behind a corner and put on their confiscated gear. Since Riku was already dressed in his leather black trench, he simply zipped up the front of his coat and placed the black armor piece over his chest. He then wrapped the scarf around his head to conceal his identity. Sora, however, because he was not dressed in a full black uniform, had to wear the cloak. The cloak itself was heavy and rather stifling, but it was enough to conceal him completely.

"Are you ready, Sora?" Riku asked.

"As good as I'll ever be." Sora replied.

"Then, let's go."-

The key bearers then walked through the halls as if they were members of the faction. They didn't bother to slink about, fearing that doing so would only attract suspicion. So practically marching through the hallways seemed the best solution. Besides, knowing that many of the soldiers wouldn't stand a chance against them, they easily moved about the castle corridors as if they had been members of the faction the whole time. But little did they know, that their movements had been observed since the moment they set foot in the realm of the Forbidden Mountains. Above their heads, the dark figure of the lone crow of Maleficent was watching. The crow quickly swooped down and flew passed their heads. The key bearers saw the crow fly by and disappear into the darkness of the corridor.

"That was a bird." Sora uttered.

'Damn it," Riku said, "Its Maleficent's crow. That bird has been spying on us the whole time. He knows who we are and he's seen everything."

"What do we do?"-

"We have to catch him."-

But as they began their pursuit, a Heartless shield suddenly flashed before them. They could not advance any further.

"We've been cut off." Riku uttered.

"They know we're here already." Sora said.

"And I have a feeling I know who's going to battle us." From the ground, two shadowy figures appeared, they were the Super Antis.

"Not these guys again."-

"Unfortunately yes…" Riku and Sora heard the rushing of hundreds of feet coming down the corridor. This indicated the worst for the key bearers. From the opposite direction, the two key bearers were caught by a mass of soldiers, goblins, and heartless, who prevented any form of withdrawal from the corridor. "It was a trap all along and we fell right into it."

"What are we gonna do?"-

"The one thing that we always do, we're going to fight them here." Riku unleashed his keyblade. Sora did the same and the two made ready, standing back to back."

Meanwhile, the crow had returned to the side of Maleficent who sat upon her grand thrown of darkness. The crow landed right next to her, perching on the arm rest. Maleficent stroked its back.

"So, the boys that wield the keyblades have come have they?" she chuckled. "And they have fallen into our devious little trap." She continued to pet her black bird, ruffling its feathers. "To think that those poor boys came all this way only to fail in the end. Such a pity I think."

"One must never underestimate the power of the key bearers." A figure uttered from the other side of the throne room. "You of all people should be aware of that my now." The figure stood at the base of the throne room, standing at the chambers very center. He was a man with Black flowing hair, a pale complexion, and one good eye, the color of red. He wore an eye patch over his right eye, concealing the eye that had been badly damaged in a battle long ago and had been rendered useless, or as it was perceived to be. He wore a black overcoat over a bright red frock with white trim. On his side was a large saber with a double hand gripped hilt.

It was none other than the top brass of the Blade Generals, General Saber.

He turned to gaze at Maleficent.

"I did not believe it at first, but it is true." The general continued. "The key bearers have somehow reached this realm. Perhaps it was by fate that I should be in this realm at the same time of their appearance."

"Heed them not," Maleficent chuckled. "I have been hoping to exact my revenge on these key bearers for quite some time, especially with that bothersome youngster of the two, Sora. He's the one who coaxed my dear Riku into turning against me. I had Riku in my hands; I had him under my spell, but that friend of his managed to break that grasp. To further add, it was he who caused my downfall in the first place. But I will show them, I will show them both that no one shall ever make a fool out of me and live to tell about it."

"Your arrogance is sickening, Maleficent. You certainly aren't the type to learn from your mistakes are you?"-

"There is no need to learn from my mistakes, General Saber." Maleficent then gazed a large object that hung opposite her throne. It was covered by black curtains, torn and ragged in appearance. She stood up from her thrown and walked down one of the staircases that cascaded down to the base of the chamber against the wall. She then turned to the curtains and drew them open. Behind the tattered curtains was a magnificent mirror. "This present that you have given me had been the cause to the success that I have had for the past few weeks. It was because of this magic mirror that I was able to overthrow King Stephen and King Hubert and had them thrown into the dungeon. I had also managed to capture Hubert's son, Prince Phillip. Now all three monarchs, along with their closest subjects are now rotting away at the bottom of my dungeon. With the capturing of their kingdoms, I have begun the formation of an empire."

"But yet you let one escape."-

"Ah, Princess Aurora…" Maleficent continued to pet her crow. "She is insignificant to me. What threat can she cause?"

"As long as she is free, the people maintain a sense of hope, knowing that peace and justice will once again return to their grief stricken land."-

"And what can hope alone do against me?"-

"It only takes one person to start a revolution, no matter how minor or trivial they seem in appearance. Speaking of which, you forget that we still have another foe to be rid of. The leader of the Arakis Foundation is still at large in this realm."-

"He is insignificant here. What harm can he inflict upon us?"-

"He has the ability to summon the whole of the Arakis Foundation upon this world. Not even your minions could stop that kind of force."-

"As long as I have this mirror, there will be no need to act so hastily."-

"Then, apparently, you do not yet fully understand the limitations of that mirror."-

"Is that so?"-

"You will soon find that out."-

"Then I will show you different." Maleficent summoned the spirit of the mirror. "Slave in the magic mirror, come from the farthest space. Through wind and darkness, I summon thee, speak, and let me see thy face!"

Immediately, there was a strange mist that appeared from the mirror and a sudden flash of light. Then, appearing in the mirror, a face, like that of a mask, green in complexion, with eyes hollow and dark, made its presence known.

"What is thy bidding, my lady?" the spirit asked.

"Where is the leader whom we search for?" Maleficent requested.

"You will find your answer not far away, for behind jagged rocks this young soul lay. Look to the west down the rocky lane and you will fine a fellow filled with suffering and pain."-

"Is that so? Send out the scouts then." From the air appeared a squadron of flying heartless. "Find the leader and bring him to me." The Heartless obeyed and went on their way to find their target. Maleficent then turned to the mirror again. "Now, show us the fight against the key bearers."

"As you wish." The spirit replied. The mirror changed its image to show the two young key bearers surrounded by the Heartless and the faction and goblin soldiers.

"Let us observe this inevitable demise of the keyblade masters."-

"This will be anything, but a demise." Saber thought to himself. "The key bearers are far more skilled than they are thought to be."

The heartless and their comrades drew nearer toward Riku and Sora, who now had their backs pressed against one another.

"This isn't looking good." Sora uttered.

"Then the only way to fight our way through is with a few unexpected allies." Riku replied. "I'm gonna see if I can use the manipulation stone."

"Alright, I forgot all about that."-

"Here we go!" Riku aimed his keyblade and made ready to unleash the power of the stone.

There was only silence. Nothing had happened.

"What happened, Riku," Sora asked, "Are the Heartless on our side now?"

"I don't think so." Riku replied. The stone did not glow as it did before, when Dagger used it. There was no bizarre light coming from the keyblade. Only silence resulted in the end. "Nothing happened?"

"Maybe you're doing something wrong."-

"Probably, I still don't know how to use this thing. It's not as if the thing came with any instructions. I felt the energy heightening and was ready to be deployed, but unleashing must require some procedure." Now it seemed even grimmer for the key bearers as it seemed that there was no way out for them this time.

"Well, now what do we do?" Sora asked.

"The only thing we can do for now, fight them." Riku replied.

Suddenly, the forces of the Heartless and the faction soldiers rushed head long into them. The two Super Antis joined the fray as well.

"Sora, hyper mode fusion…!" Riku shouted.

"Right…!" They fused together and began to fight off the faction soldier and Heartless with all their might as a single warrior. Wielding the two keys, the hyper mode warrior, cut down the heartless as if they were nothing.

"What is this?" Maleficent uttered. "The two key bearers became one warrior."

"Now do you realize how wrong your predictions can be?" Saber said.

"This battle has only begun, general. I'll send in more men and more heartless."-

"So you're willing to sacrifice hundreds just to halt the advance of only two?"-

The battle continued as Riku and Sora, in their hyper mode form, maintained a tight defensive strategy. Unfortunately, however, like all things, their fusion eventually came to an end. They separated not soon after and yet they still found themselves surrounded by the enemy. And because it was in a rather confined area, their movements were limited. To add, because of their premature separation with the rest of the KH team, the key bearers were not properly equipped with potions, ether, or senzus. Thus, they found their attacks becoming more limited and less effective. Initiating there more powerful attacks would only drain them more of their mp. To regain their full magic power status, they had to strike their opponents, but doing so only fatigued them more. Sora would provide a few shots of Curaga to replenish both he and Riku's strength, which was deprived from ether the Heartless strikes, or from their overuse of energy. But with the Curaga spell alone to aid them, though they were able to continue fighting, they were not proceeding very far and they were not defeating as many enemies. And it seemed as if the enemy was continuing to accumulate around them.

The fight had lasted for only ten minutes, but those ten minutes seemed like an eternity. And in that period of time, a great deal of ether and potion had been used to heal the heartless wounds that were inflicted on them. As for physical wounds that drew blood, those injury types bearers were a little harder to manage, which is why Riku and Sora were always on their feet, hoping not to get cut or shot at. The enemy by now was drawing nearer and was swelling in number.

"We're not gonna last here much longer, Riku." Sora said. "Our own resources and energy are starting to die down."

"You're right." Riku replied. "This plan was initiated too hastily. We have no other choice right now, but to withdraw."

"But how will we do that? They have us surrounded."-

"The only thing we can do right now is unleash one last devastating attack. Sora, use the rage and Saiyan Devotion to buy us the time we need."-

"I can't, I don't have enough energy or MP in order to activate those modes. Besides, I can only activate Saiyan Devotion through the rage. And Cuchulain told me never to rely on the rage too much."-

"Then, why couldn't you have used it before?"-

"Because we're also in a confined area, Riku. If I were to have used that extensive amount of energy, not only would we have caused this castle to fall on top of our heads, but many of these faction soldiers would have been killed. And I don't want to have to take responsibility for killing these men is such a ruthless fashion."-

"This is no time to be sentimental about the lives of the enemy, Sora. They're trying to kill us! You either kill or be killed!"-

"If I were to kill them in such a ruthless manner, I would only be succumbing to the darkness! The rage, anger, hatred, they all lead to darkness. And I don't know about you, but I am not willing to become as ruthless as the Midnight Faction itself and stoop myself to their level in order to win."-

"If we don't survive, than no one will be left to close the doors."-

"I'd rather die with a clear conscience than live with such horrific guilt. Even if this is a war, there's no reason transform it from war to genocide."-

"Damn it," Riku gripped his keyblade tightly. "You're the same sentimental fool as you always were, Sora. But I guess there's no harm in that." The enemy started to close in, the two Antis in the very front, ready to annihilate them. "Do we have any ether left at least?"-

Sora pulled out a bottle of ether.

"This is the last one." Sora said. "And it's not enough to fully charge me up. I've regressed to less than a quarter of my mp."

"Then let me use it. I still have at least two thirds of my mp status left." Sora handed the vial to Riku and he dowsed himself with the ether. Riku's magic power had been fully restored. "Alright, you guys, now take on the heat if you can handle it!" Riku then began to accumulate his inner energy, concentrating his magic. Then suddenly, he unleashed a combination of two off his most deadly attacks, the Cinder Canister and the Hurricane Slash. "Take this on, you bastards, my elemental combo technique, Flaming Typhoon!" The two attacks converged to become a flaming wind strike. The Heartless and the faction soldiers were blown away, blinded, and burned at the same time. The intensity of the heat caused many to withdraw, while others were severely charred from head to toe. The majority of the Heartless were consumed by the flames and eradicated. The two antis, however, managed to avoid being caught in the attack and scurried to a safe distance and they watched as the majority of their comrades were extinguished.

"Now let's go, Sora!" Riku shouted. He threw off the armor and dropped it on the ground. The two key bearers started to run towards the exit of the castle. The majority of the soldiers, still trying to recover from the unexpected attack, could not stand up in time in order to halt the retreat.

Maleficent cackled as she watched these two powerful key bearers suddenly run away with their tails between their legs.

"As I had said before," she implied, "The mirror's predictions are never wrong. That last incident, with the attack on the leader of the Arakis Foundation, must've only been a mere fluke. Perhaps the leader managed to escape before we initiated out preemptive strike." Maleficent turned to General Saber. "With this device you have given for my use, not even the wielders of the keyblade could outwit me, though I must confess that I was rather surprised to see that bizarre outcome occur." Maleficent turned away from the general and walked to the door.

"And where do you think you are going?" General Saber inquired.

"Where else, I will personally see those two upstarts are extinguished from this world once and for all." Maleficent thus exited the room without a second thought. Victory was in her grasp as it appeared, now that power key bearers were running from the fight. "Those two young men will not go far from here. They'll eventually reach the exit out of my halls, but when they do, they'll be meeting a quite unfortunate turn of events, thanks to your efforts, General Saber."

"You will never learn, Maleficent." Saber thought to himself. "The key bearers are more full-hardy than what you give them credit for. Soon you will realize how many flaws you actually have in your plan."

In the meantime, Riku and Sora had made it out of the trap. The blockade of soldiers had been broken for the moment, but it wouldn't be long before they would initiate a retaliatory strike, regaining their positions and mounting a counter offensive. The two key bearers scurried down the hallways, looking for the exit.

"Where the heck is the exit?" Sora asked.

"We look for the main hall," Riku replied, "Then we'll find the exit."

"I can't believe that we were forced to retreat. I bet Maleficent is laughing at us behind our backs."-

"There would have been no point in continuing. Our magic has been spent; we are outnumbered a hundred to one by Heartless, goblins, and faction soldiers. We have two super antis who are equal in strength. To add, those guys know how to coordinate themselves as large fighting units. And our mistake was the premature involvement we were getting into, so we were limited in our own resources, potions, ether, and senzus. Sure we're powerful, but we're only human and we do have our limits."

"But why didn't we come more prepared?"-

"Well, if you hadn't decided to go skydiving for a puzzle piece, maybe this wouldn't have happened!"-

"Well excuse me for being human! I make mistakes too you know!"-

"You jumped out of the gummi ship cockpit without thinking of the consequences did you, Sora."-

"I did it because it was my duty, Riku. It was my duty for Mickey. He needs our help just as much as anyone!"-

"OK, OK, we can argue about this later! Right now, we have to get out of here and regroup ourselves!" The two key bearers rushed down the many corridors before finally they finally reached a well lit corridor with torches illuminating it on every side.

"Which hallway is this?" Sora asked.

"Good question." Riku replied. "I bet this must be the main hallway." They scanned both ends of the hall. One side was dark, which indicated that it only led to the interior of the castle. But as Sora scanned, he noticed two large doors at the other end of the hall. They were made out of charred oak, giving them a blackened and eerie appearance.

"There it is!" Sora shouted. "The exit, it has to be!"

"Now we can get out of here!" Riku shouted.

"Yeah, we made it; we're getting out of here!"

But as they ran, there was a sudden glimmer that caught Riku's eye. He looked down to see what looked like a thin piece of wire running alongside of the corridor. He followed the wire's trail to the twin doors that lay before them.

"I wonder why there's a thin wire running towards the doors." Riku thought to himself. "Could it be possible that…!" He suddenly feared the worst. The doors, being the only way out of that corridor, may have been booby trapped. He then saw as Sora rushed forward, making ready to push the door open.

"Sora, don't open that door!" Riku shouted. But it was too late. Sora had laid his hand on the door and pushed away. The moment he did, there was a sudden snap from the opposite side of the door. Then, without warning, there was a loud explosion and the doors seemed to shatter in front of them. Both key bearers were caught completely by surprise, as the bright light and thunderous sonic boom blinded them and blew them away.

The explosion was heard throughout the castle, causing the halls to shake violently. Maleficent had just reached the area where the battle before had taken place. She looked on as many of the soldiers, charred and burned by Riku's combination attack, many others still in shock and trying to regain their composure, staggered to their feet.

"It seems as though the key bearers have reached the end of their journey." Maleficent chuckled, when she heard the explosion and felt the violent rumbling. "They have fallen right into another trap. That explosion must've killed them both."

"Are you so sure about that?" Saber uttered, trailing behind, observing the damage. "I told you that the key bearers are more resilient in stature than you think."

"What utter nonsense. Not even the key bearers, for all their might and cunning, could ever have predicted that trap. Both of them must be dead for sure, taking an explosion and point blank."-

"Instead of making idle speculations about whether they died or not, why don't you go to the gate and investigate for yourself that the two have been successfully eliminated?"-

"Very well then, it seems the only way that you'll be convinced is when I present you before their lifeless bodies."-

"Then be on with it."-

Maleficent, Saber, and the rest of their men proceeded to the doors.

In the meantime, as the debris and dust settled from the explosion, Riku raised his head. He coughed and choked as the wooded dust lingered around him. One eye slightly opened, he looked to see the damage. Both doors had been practically knocked off their hinges. The one door that had the explosive device attached to it not had a gaping hole. The outside was gloomy and stormy looking. The clouds outside were black and ominous.

Riku observed his body. He received no wounds, not injuries. Say for a few fragments of splinters embedded in his coat and a few frayed stitch lines, he was otherwise unharmed.

"Thank goodness," he said to himself, "No damage. How about you, Sora, are you OK?" But as Riku looked on to see if his comrade alright, he noticed Sora lying still on the floor, not moving from his response. "Sora…?"

"R…Riku…" Sora suddenly uttered, weakly.

"Sora…!" Riku crawled over to his friend and turned him over on his back. The moment he did, Riku was overwhelmed by a terrible shock. Sora, being the one to open the door, had taken the full blast of the explosion. The right side of his shirt had been completely torn off and embedded in his skin were deep cuts from the shard wood and several splinters embedded in his flash. The right side of his face was bloodied and cut. The blood from his wounds spilled profusely, dripping onto the stone like rivers. "Sora…!" Sora cried out in pain.

"It burns, Riku!" he cried. "It burns…it burns…" Blood dripped from his mouth as he continued to speak, indicating that internal damage was done by the explosion. Sora's teeth were stained with blood and he could only taste its salty texture.

"It's alright, Sora." Riku said. "You'll be alright." He placed his hand around Sora's neck, his glove and coat staining with blood. He lifted Sora to sit upright. Placing his dying friend's arm around his neck, he picked up Sora and scurried out. Rush as fast as he could, with his comrade in his arms, Riku scrambled to the main gates of the castle.

It wasn't long before Maleficent and the others had reached the main hall just in time to see the key bearers making their escape.

"What," she uttered, shocked, "They're alive, they're still alive!"

"What did I tell you?" Saber said. "They are more resilient than you think."

"No, it cannot be, after them!"-

"There is no need." Saber said. "I have the solution right here." He pulled out from his coats inner pocket a detonation switch. "It was not only the doorway to the castle that was booby trapped." He pressed the button.

Riku on the other hand, holding his friend tightly against his bosom, was crossing the wooden draw drawbridge that led from the castle to the outer territory.

"We're almost there, Sora." Riku uttered. "Just hang on a little longer."

But suddenly, there was a sudden explosion and Riku was knocked nearly unconscious by the shockwave. The bridge was detonated beneath his feet and both key bearers fell down into the deep ravine.

"No," Riku uttered, "So close to safety…"

Both fell towards the bottom, which had the strong flowing river. Both fell into the water, nearly hitting the jagged rocks and rapids below. Riku shook his head and regained full consciousness. He looked down to see Sora still unconscious and wandering further away from him down the river.

"Sora!" he cried, pursuing the downed key bearer. Sora was dragged underneath the chilling current, the water turning a crimson red from his blood. Riku dived and quickly saved him, pulling upward towards the surface. He held tightly onto Sora dodging every rock they came across. Eventually, both key bearers found themselves nearing the edge of the large waterfall. Riku clutched on Sora, pressing his head against his chest. "I won't let you go, Sora, I won't let you go, I promise!"

Maleficent and the others reached the demolished bridge to find the two key bearers breeching the edge of the falls. Riku watched as is seemed the edge of the world had come. Looking down, he held onto Sora, who still lay limp in his arms.

"Sora!" Riku cried as they went over the falls. Soon, his cries were drowned out by the sound of the rushing waters.

"Went over the falls, I see." Maleficent chuckled. "They're both as good as dead."

"I would advise you to send soldiers to search for them." Saber said. "That blast alone couldn't have killed them. They're far more resistant than that."

"Even so, surviving the falls would be a miracle indeed. But I doubt that even those two could live through it. They would've struck the jagged rocks below." Maleficent turned away. "And just to prove that they are dead, I shall consult the mirror."

"You have too much faith in the use of magical objects. They too can make false predictions."-

"We shall see." Maleficent resumed her path back to the throne room.

In the meantime, the little boy, Muli, watched from afar as he had seen his two friends plunge to their deaths.

"No…" he uttered. "Riku…Sora…"

But suddenly, there was the sound of flapping wings behind him, followed by an ominous shadow hovering above him. The boy looked to see…

Upon reaching her throne room, with Saber behind her, she stood before the mirror.

"Magic mirror on the wall," she said, "Tell me if the key bearers are dead!"

"_The answer received, which you shall boast,"_ The spirit of the mirror said, "_For the foes have died at the hands of their hosts."_

"You see," Maleficent chuckled. "Both of them are dead, nothing more to it."

"I still can't see how that mirror can be so positive about everything." Saber uttered to himself.

"You must put more faith in the power of magic."-

"Magic is not the only element that works in this realm."-

"As long as I have this mirror to serve me, then no one will be able to defy my rule. Now with the two other kingdoms in my grasp, I have gained complete control over this world."-

"My lady." A faction soldier said, walking into the throne room. "General Saber, look at what the Heartless picked up, snooping around the place?" The soldier had holding by the collar, with hands bound behind him and gagged, little Muli who had been picked up by the Heartless. The soldier pushed the boy before the two leaders. Muli fell on his face. He then gazed up at the two.

"Well, well," Maleficent chuckled, "Look at what we have here. It's a little boy. And not just any little boy, but the little boy."

"We've spent a lot of time and resource looking for you." Saber said. "Take him to the dungeon and hold the boy until I call for his presence. Have our prison cruiser report here immediately, with an escort of mobile dolls."

"Sir," the soldier replied. Picking the boy up, he escorted the child to the dungeon.

"A little lenient weren't you, General?" Maleficent asked.

"That boy is the key to our absolute victory." General Saber said. "I have orders from his Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous to have him delivered safely and unmolested."

"I would find it more advantageous to kill him. So why not execute him now?"-

"I will not repeat myself if you didn't bother to listen to my first explanation." General Saber walked away.

"But the Arakis Foundation…"-

"The Foundation won't stir up any trouble, not with that boy in our custody." Saber stepped out of the chamber. "You can celebrate your victory and triumph now, Maleficent."

"Yes." Maleficent gazed at the magic mirror. "Now, only victory awaits me."

As saber walked away from the throne room and back to his quarters, a nagging question kept emerging at the back of his mind.

"I wonder how the boy got here in the first place?" he thought to himself. "Did he come here at his own free will, hoping to get his revenge or something? Perhaps it was just sheer curiosity? Or was he urged to come here? Is so, by whom?" Saber sighed. "Oh well, he's in our hands now, so these personal questions are irrelevant."

Back at the lake side, as Donald and Cunla continued their debugging of the virus from their system, Cuchulain, sitting upon a rock, was sharpening and refining the ends of the Gae Bulga's three prongs. It was during this time that something had caught his attention, which caused him to accidentally cut his thumb. Cuchulain, like all people, reacted with a shock. Looking at his blood, he realized the wound was not as bad as he had feared, but what caused him to cut his thumb was the real question at issue.

He stood up and gazed around the area, sensing the air. There had been a sudden shift in the air and it was this shift that made him uncomfortable. By this time, the sun was going down and a fire had been built on the shore line. Goofy and Ophelia sat there, warming themselves. But as Ophelia observed, she saw the concerned look on the Hound's face as if he had encountered a restless spirit. She walked up to him.

"Cuchulain," she uttered, "Are you alright?"

"I just suddenly felt two large spirit sources die out," Cuchulain replied, "Two familiar spirits."

"Are you talking about Riku and Sora?" Cuchulain hesitated to respond. Instead, he slowly nodded his head. Ophelia feared the worst. "No…Riku…Sora…"

"I don't know if they're still alive or not, but we can't confirm anything until tomorrow. Perhaps what I felt was a mistake. Perhaps they're just suppressing their energy to evade the enemy. We'll just have to wait for now."-

"Should I tell the others?"-

"No, we can't give up on our boys yet. Riku and Sora are tough. I don't think they'd just keel over and die when there is still so far to go."-

Both gazed out over the lake to the setting sun and hoped for the best for the two key bearers.

Miles down the river, a storm began to form as dark rain clouds clustered together. The shoreline of the river lay with smooth pebbles and stones. It was there, lying on his belly, Riku lay motionless. The water rushed over his feet as they still sat in the river bed. The river had managed to wash him ashore safely. Feeling the rocks and stones under his finger tips, he slowly opened his eyes. With the strength he had left, he slowly staggered to his feet.

"Where am I?" he uttered. The setting he found him self in was a deep rocky gorge. Stones and rocks protruded from out of the ground, giving this part of the river a stumbling appearance where one could not easily venture. The area was wet and moist, indicating that it had recently rained their. By the looks of the clouds above, it was possible for more rain to fall. Riku stood up, but collapsed again. His vision was still blurry and his strength still weakened from the ordeal he had gone through. "What is this place? The last thing I remember was going over the falls." But as he recalled the events, he came to realize something terrible. He had let go of Sora sometime during the tumble and now they had been separated.

"Oh no, Sora…" Riku uttered to himself. He frantically regained his composure as best he could and slowly staggered through the rocky shoreline, hoping find his friend. He looked back and forth, left and right, browsing the area, hoping to spot his missing comrade, but Sora was nowhere to be found. "I said that I would never let go. How come I can never keep my word as well as he." Riku proceeded with his search. By now, the sun had nearly gone halfway down the horizon and the dark soon fell upon the gorge. Riku for a time could not even see the rocks beneath him. He stumbled and tripped and fell, but continued to look for Sora. Finally, after thirty minutes of searching, full of frustration and exhaustion, Riku pounded his fist against a rock. "Sora, forgive me. I couldn't hold on to you."

Just then, there was a moaning sound coming from not too far away from where Riku had stopped his search. Riku, upon hearing the moan, quickly rushed over. And there, lay nestled in a rocky crevice, still halfway into the water, Sora lay, his blood still flowing from his wounds. Riku quickly went to his friend's side. He picked Sora up and trying to wake him. There was no stir in the young key bearer.

"Sora, Sora," Riku uttered, "It's me, it's Riku. Please wake up, Sora…"

Sora didn't stir. Riku nudged his friend again, but still no stir. By this time, Sora had lost a great deal of blood and it was apparent that he would die at this point. Riku, seeing his friend dying in his arms, suddenly began to drop tears in his eyes. He held Sora closely, caressing him gently like new born infant, tenderly rocking him back and forth. Rain began to fall now and sprinkled upon the two key bearers in a light and gentle, spring shower. The drops pelted Sora's face and the water washed his bloodstains away. Sora suddenly opened his eyes halfway. He then looked at Riku.

"R…Riku…" he uttered.

"You're alive," Riku said, his eyes filled with tears of joy, "Thank goodness Sora, you're alive."

Sora shuttered for a moment and looked up at his friend a second time.

"I…I'm sorry, Riku." he uttered.

"Sorry for what?" Riku asked.

"I'm sorry…for getting you into this…" Sora's eyes closed again. "If it wasn't for me…jumping out of the gummi…we might not have gotten…into this situation…"

"It's not your fault, Sora. That doesn't matter right now. All that matters is that you're still alive."-

"Riku…"-

Riku looked up to find a cave at the base of the gorge.

"C'mon Sora," he said, "Let's take shelter in that cave." He picked Sora up and carried him to the cave. Sora, however, because he was drained of so much blood, could barely keep his eyes open.

"I'm not gonna make it, Riku." Sora uttered. "I'm not gonna make it…"

"You'll make it, Sora. You have to. We still have so far to go. Remember, our friends need us. They need us to finish this task." Sora shuttered again, but kept up his strength.

"I'll try, Riku, I'll try…" His breathing became more labored with every passing minute. The rain continued to pelt them both until finally, Riku managed to get inside of the cave. The cave was rather deep, extending at least a hundred feet or more. Inside, there were piles of driftwood which had flowed into the cave at one time. But now, the river's flow had turned in some other direction, thus stranding the cave on the shoreline. Its dry floor was evidence of the shift. Riku carried Sora to a high corner of the cave and set him down gently on the rocky surface. Leaving Sora on the ground, he then went to pick up some of the drift wood inside the cave and at its opening. Placing them down in a pile, Riku used the last of his magic to unleash Firaga and created a small fire. Once the fire was going, Riku reached into the inner pocket of his jacket, which was waterproof with the help of an airtight zipper, and pulled out a plastic back. In it were few sheets of cotton, a water bag, a dry sponge, and a couple of rolls of bandages.

"I knew that something like this might happen." Riku said. "It's a good thing I came prepared this time." He sat next to Sora and stripped off the remnants of his bloodied shirt. He took the rage collar and the kingdom necklace out from around Sora's neck. He took off his gloves and his shoulder armor. He then began to clean Sora's wounds, using the sponge to clean up the dried blood. He then used on sheet of cotton to dry the moisture. He then took another sheet of cotton, cut it into strips and placed each one onto an open wound. Riku then took the bandage rolls and began to wrap it around Sora, fastening and sealing the wounds. Sora was limp in Riku's arms, still not strong enough to be fully aware of where he was.

After his wounds were mended, Riku lay Sora down next to the fire. He then went out into the driving rain to get some water from the river with the water bag. Riku filled up the bag and returned to Sora's side. He then held Sora in his arms gently.

"Here you go, Sora." He said. "I have some water for you." He put the bag's opening to his friend's mouth and gently poured the water in. Sora sipped the water little by little, a few stray droplets running down his chin and the sides of his mouth. Riku smiled as he saw that life was slowly returning to his friend. He made ready to put Sora down. "I'm gonna stand watch for a while." But as he pulled the water bag away, Sora suddenly grasped at his hand.

"Riku…" Sora uttered. "Please stay…"

"I won't be too far away."-

"Please stay, Riku." Sora shuttered, his eyes still closed. "I'm so cold."

"But Sora…"-

"Just a little longer…" Sora uttered, tears began to form in his eyes. "Just a little longer…" Riku could feel Sora's body turn cold, despite the fire that bellowed near them. It wasn't the chill in the air, but rather Sora's yearning for company. He had encountered near death as he had years before. And in his time of need, he just wanted to a friend to be there, in case he did not survive the night. "I don't want to be alone, Riku…"

"Sora…" Riku said. He only smiled and did as his friend requested. Remembering the time when Sora nearly lost his life back in Halloween Town six years before, or when he himself was dying beneath the city of Gombria and Sora was the only one present to keep him company in his final hours, Riku stayed where he was. He sat down cross legged and gently placed Sora's head in his lap. He took off his jacket and placed it over Sora, dry inside only. He tucked the dry inside of the jacket around Sora's shoulders. "Are you warm Sora?"

"Hold me…" Sora replied, shivering from the cold, his hands still like ice.

"Sora…"-

"Hold me…"-

Riku nuzzled up closely to Sora, now cradling him. He smiled, knowing that at least his friend would be happy. Sora's head lay nestled in Riku's arms.

"All I can do now is pray and hope that Sora lives through the night. But he has a strong will. I know he'll make it."-

The young key bearer grew weary himself and fell asleep up right, still holding his dying companion. The fire slowly simmered down as the night drove on. On occasion, Riku would reawaken and throw another piece of drift wood into the fire. He would then fall asleep again next to Sora.

At the same time however, young Muli was not in such a warm and caring position. He had been placed in a dark dungeon chamber. There was no bed, no hay to sleep on, no blanket to keep him warm, no food or water. He was shackled to the wall by the neck and was left to sit in an upright position in the corner. He had been stripped of his uniform and was left with only his shirt and trousers, which now bore holes, caused by the severe abuse he encountered. He had received a bruise that streaked down the left side of his face after a faction soldier and slapped him in the face with the sheath of his sword.

"Riku…Sora…" He uttered. "Why…why did you have to die?" He curled up in a ball, his knees touching his chin. He tightly held himself, trying to keep warm from the ever present draft that flowed and lingered in his cell. "I'm going to die here. I know it."

"Don't give up hope, young lad." A voice uttered from the cell next to his. The boy looked up to see another young man, perhaps in his late twenties, or early thirties, glancing at him from the shadows. He was tall and lean, with a muscular tone. His complexion was a light appearance and his hair was short and brown, combed with the cowlick on the left side of his head. He wore a brown vest and black trousers, like that of a Medieval or Renaissance style type of garment. The young man walked up to the bars as best he could, but he too was shackled. "You must never give up hope. You are still young and your life cannot be lost so quickly."

"W…who are you?" Little Muli asked the man.

"My name is Phillip." The young man replied. "Prince Phillip. I was supposed to be the next heir to the throne after my father, King Hubert, had passed away. But now, he and I, and many others have been imprisoned here."

"Phillip, my boy," another voice cried out from the chamber next to the prince's, "Who are you talking to?"

"I'm talking to this young boy in the cell across from me, father."-

"A young boy you say?"-

"A young boy?" another voice uttered. From the second cell, two elderly men appeared. One was of course King Hubert. A stout and short man, he did not really have the distinguishing characteristics of a king. It was the remnants of his old robes, not tattered and torn, that proved his position. He was pale in complexion with fat rosy cheeks. He had a small beard that grew under his chin and a moustache that linked themselves with his side burns. All hair from the top of his head to the beard on his chin, were a snowy white. He was slightly bald at the top having a mediocre glow reflected from the torchlight.

The other elderly man was a tall, lean, distinguishable gentleman of the same pale complexion. He had black hair on the top of his head, to the thick handlebar moustache over his lips, to the fluffy black beard he had on his chin. This was King Stephen whose daughter, Princess Aurora, was married to Hubert's own son, Prince Phillip. He was dressed in a royal robe of black with gold trim, now tattered as well.

Both kings spotted little Muli who was shackled to the wall.

"Oh how barbaric." Stephen said. "How could these people be so cruel as to treat such a young boy like that, shackling him around the neck like this, let alone throwing him in a dank cell in the deepest dungeon?"

"Aye," Hubert replied, "It's that Maleficent, you know, she does this deliberately."

"I believe it is more due to that pompous general of the Midnight Faction, General Saber, that's responsible."-

"At any rate, Stephen, he's in the same situation we're in."-

"His presence here only indicates that he's of either great importance, or a significant threat to both the Midnight Faction and Maleficent." Phillip said.

"How is it that you managed to come to be in this dank dungeon?" Muli asked.

"We too were great threats to Maleficent and her allies." Phillip explained. "My father and my father-in-law were and still are the two most powerful monarchs in the land. My beloved Aurora and I were wedded to unite our two kingdoms to become one great kingdom. But not too long ago, Maleficent descended from her castle along with her new allies, the Midnight Faction, and took over both of our kingdoms. No one was safe and many submitted without putting up a fight. We were eventually brought into submission."

"And so here were are." Hubert added.

"And till death do us part." Stephen said.

"Heaven forbid."-

"So all hope is lost for this world then." Muli uttered, silently.

"Not all hope is lost." Phillip said. "There is but one voice that the people listen too and are willing to take up arms for."

"Who's that?"-

"My own dear love, Aurora, she has the ability to motivate the people and give them hope. That is why she is still considered a threat to Maleficent and the Midnight Faction, though they try to say that she is insignificant."-

"She and her mother were the only ones to make it to safety." King Stephen said.

"Really," Muli asked, "Do you know where she is?"

"No we don't." Phillip uttered. "Sorry, but they were wisped to safety before the invasion of the faction and Maleficent began. They were accompanied by our closest friends and advisors, the three good fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Meriwether.

"Wherever they are," Hubert said, "I'm sure that their safe and sound from any type of danger."

"Of course they are." Stephen added. "No one knows their whereabouts, say for the three good fairies, but they vanished without a trace soon after."

"But maybe they took up shelter in..."-

"Father," Phillip uttered. "You forget where you are? We must not discuss such things before the boy, or for that matter amongst ourselves."

"Oh dear, I almost forgot?"-

"Why?" Muli asked. "Why can't you discuss such things?"

"The walls are known to have ears here." Stephen replied.

"Aye," King Hubert added. "No conversation can go unnoticed without those…those shadows always eavesdropping in our discussions."

"The faction is also known to send in spies, disguising them as prisoners," Phillip added, "to see if they can find any vital information that can prove useful to them."

"Well, I'm not a spy if that's what you're implying." Muli said.

"No, you don't seem to be the type to be sent in as a spy, but there are other elements involved. Spies don't have to be brought in. Maleficent and General Saber use the shadows to do the scouting. To add, Maleficent has that God forsaken crow working for her too."-

"He may be in here as we speak." Hubert uttered.

"Then of course there's a rumor saying that Maleficent has a special device that can seek people out, no matter how far they run or how well they hide."-

"It's a magic mirror I think." King Stephen said. "It can see through any veil and search out whoever the faction or Maleficent want to find."

"That's how they've been able to move about so easily."-

"So that's how the Midnight Faction did it?" Muli thought to himself. "That's how General Saber was able to so easily counter the movements of the Foundation soldiers. He and Maleficent must've used that mirror to seek us out. That's how they were able to attack our convoy, even when we had planned to move in secrecy."

In the throne room of the castle, Maleficent sat about on her throne, stroking the back of her faithful little crow ever so gently. She sat there, gazing at the mirror, which was once again shrouded by the tattered black curtains at its sides.

"To success my pet," she uttered to the crow. The crow too was smiling a rather sinister looking smile. "After all these years, after all this time, waiting patiently for my time to rule, I have finally gained the ultimate power in this world. With King Hubert and King Stephen, along with that meddlesome Prince Phillip, now imprisoned in my own dungeon, the people of their former kingdoms will have no other choice than to pledge their loyalty to me and only to me." She stood again and gazed closer at the mirror. "That mirror is the reason for my success. It is because of it that I have achieved my dream of total conquest of this realm."

Just then, as she was busy wallowing in her own achievements, General Saber reentered the chamber and placed his hand behind his back. He looked up at Maleficent with a rather crude glance.

"Ah, General Saber," Maleficent said, "I take it that you have successfully overseen that young boy placed in a cell of my dungeon."

"I did." He replied.

"And how long will it be before you can take him away to your lord?"-

"I have made contact with the Midnight Faction Headquarters, but unfortunately, they cannot afford to spare any cruisers or mobile dolls for now."-

"Oh, that is a real pity. How long before they do have a spare vessel for you?"-

"It will be not until tomorrow afternoon at the latest."-

"And why is it that they can't spare any vessels for you?" Maleficent asked.

"It appears that the fight against the Alliance Coalition under Athrun Zala and Kira Yamato has intensified."-

"Well, if this Kira Yamato or Athrun Zala were to attack us here, I will know their every move and will know how to counter them."-

"You know very little of them, though, to fight them effectively."-

"With this magic mirror to guide my hand, I will be able to halt all who dare to defy me."-

"You believe that faith in that mirror is all that you need?"-

"So far, this mirror has brought us nothing but success." Maleficent descended from her throne platform and pulled on the rope, which opened the drapes and revealed the mirror. "And just to show you how much faith I have in it, I will predict anything you wish. Now tell me what it is you want to know.  
"Very well," Saber replied, "But if you don't mind, I will ask the mirror myself."

"As you wish."-

General Saber stood up and looked up at the mirror. From the depths of the mirror, the face of the spirit appeared.

"_What is thy bidding my good sir?"_ the spirit asked.

"Tell me, spirit." General Saber asked. "I would like to know of the next strategic movement of the Arakis Foundation."

"_Thy enemies are close. Coming down the western passage, no more that twenty miles, a large force of soldiers, ten thousand strong, they come in force, they come in vengeance and seeking retribution for the honor that you have deprived them of. They come to take back the key; they come to take back the lives and pride of the brothers in arms that you have slain."-_

"And where is it that they are headed?"-

"_They come to the castle domain of the forbidden mountains, where I and thee reside."-_

"Thank you." Saber gave a wave of his hand and the spirit of the mirror suddenly vanished from out of sight. Saber turned away from the mirror and Maleficent lowered the drapes, covering the mirror once again.

"You did not bother to request seeing this approaching foe." Maleficent stated.

"There was no need." Saber said.

"There was no need?"-

"There was no need."-

A silence had broken between the two. Maleficent, despite her evil and her intuition, she was unable to read what it was that flowed through the mind of the general. She only smiled in a sinister fashion. Her crow seemed to be doing the same thing as well. The tall witch then walked up behind General Saber as if she were his shadow.

"Well," she asked, "Are you satisfied with the results?"

"Not at all…" Saber replied. "The movements of the Arakis Foundation and their hopes for retaliation were apparent to me this whole time."

"And how did you come to know about their movements?"-

"Isn't it obvious? There's no way that you can't pick up a body of ten thousand strong."-

"You mean you can see them?"-

"Of course I can." Saber turned to Maleficent. "Not literally though, but through energy I can detect them. But of course with you being of a Middle Ages philosophy, I wouldn't hope or expect that you'd understand."

"And tell me, how is it that you came to see them?"-

"I have the ability to seek out their energy."-

"So you are a practitioner of magic as well?"-

"I am not a practitioner of magic. I just have a great deal of knowledge at my disposal."-

"Is that so?"-

"Soon you will realize how much of a folly you have made, putting your trust in a mirror."-

Back at the lakeside, things had finally settled down. With one last click of the "Enter" button, the last remnants of the intruding virus had been eradicated and the disk, which had carried the virus, was destroyed. Cunla laid his head against the hull of the downed gummi ship.

"Finally," he sighed. "All finished."

"I'm just doing a final check to see if we missed anything." Donald added.

"You two did well." Cuchulain implied. "I'm surprised, Cunla, that you knew so much about technology, despite coming from a world where sophisticated technology like this doesn't exist."

"That's what happens when I have a lot a spare time on my hands." Cunla replied. "If I'm not doing training for my mind and body, I'll be sitting in front of the computer screen all day playing video games." Cuchulain shuffled his hand on his son's head and smiled. He then looked up at the starry night.

"It's a nice clear night tonight."-

"I know."-

"Well, it's too late for us to do anything now." Donald said. "The best thing we should do for the time being is stay put, and wait until morning."

The party grouped together around the campfire to keep warm. Each one had their own blanket to bundle themselves up in. Goofy even brought out some spare overcoats. Cuchulain and Cunla were two who wore these thick wool jackets. The shoulder length capes of the jackets were used at temporary hoods or scarves to keep the face and neck warm.

Ophelia in the meantime, had taken a few cans of spare beef barley and had it cooking over the fire in a steel pot. She stirred it about. It was thick and hearty like a stew. Tasting it, it was hot and not too salty.

"Food's ready." She said. "Come and get it."

"Alrighty then," Goofy said. Ophelia dished out a portion of the stew to each person, placing the thick soup into a tin plate. Along with the tin stew, they ate hardtack, which was more like a hard cracker. Donald tried biting into, but almost broke a tooth.

"This thing is as hard as a rock." He complained.

"Well, I guess that's the reason why they call it hardtack, Donald." Cunla said.

"You do have a point."-

"This is not bad." Cuchulain said.

"It makes me feel all warm inside." Goofy added.

But as the night wore on, Ophelia stopped eating altogether. Some of her friends ceased their consumption of their food as they saw her sitting there, next to the fire, with this sad look on her face.

"What's wrong Miss Billiard?" Cuchulain asked.

"I'm wondering," she said, "While we're eating here and stuffing our bellies, I wonder if Riku and Sora have anything to eat." The others stopped eating and suddenly gained this sudden guilt. Here they were, eating and keeping warm by a nice fire, when the thought of Riku and Sora were on their minds. "What if they're out there, cold and hungry? I mean, they should have been here by now. They should have returned to us. What if something bad happened to them?" There was a silence now and no one dared to even look up because the thought of their two key bearers kept returning to their minds.

Cuchulain suddenly placed his plate aside.

"I wouldn't worry about them right now." He said. "Riku and Sora are two tough young men, a lot tougher than we are. I'm sure that they've managed to find a place to take shelter. And Riku's very resourceful when it comes to survival. I'm sure that he's made a fire and has prepared some kind of a meal for him and Sora."

"Yeah," Donald added, "There's no way that those two would allow themselves to be caught in some sort of situation where the chances of survival are slim."

"Don't let their safety concern you, Miss Billiard." Cunla said. "They'll make it back. I know they will."

"I guess so…" She uttered. Turning about, Ophelia looked into the distance over the lake. The lake waters were glimmering under the moonlight and the sound of crickets gave her some comfort. There was no threat or danger that disturbed the night, but rather the softness of the surrounding that was soothing and tranquil.

Her worries were not ones to fret over, for the two key bearers were still nestled close to each other against the small fire. Sora slowly opened his eyes and looked up to find Riku still sitting there next to him, keeping him bundled up. Sora only smiled.

"Riku…" he whispered softly. Riku shuttered his eyes before opening them slightly. He then looked down at Sora.

"Hey Sora," he uttered, "You're awake."

"Have you been here at my side all this time?" Sora asked.

"You asked me to hold you and that's what I did." Riku then looked at the fire. "Besides, not even the flame of our fire was enough to keep us warm." He then looked down at Sora. "And how are you doing now?"

"I feel a little better."-

"I'm glad."-

"I have you to thank for that."-

"How's that Sora?"-

"Well," Sora stalled for a second or two before carrying on with his statement. "If it wasn't for you Riku, I might have already been dead. You came prepared with bandages and cotton to patch up my wounds. You made a fire to keep us warm. And you even cradled me while I was asleep. It was like what Kairi did for me when I was sick with the flu. She cradled me in her arms just as you are doing now." Sora looked up into Riku's eyes and tears began to fall from his eyes. "Why, why are you doing so much for me?"

"You can be such a cry baby some times." Riku chuckled. "Kairi and I are not only your best friends, but we also owe a lot for what you've done for us in return. Your hopes for finding us, when the Heartless first came, never died out. Even when we had separated, you were determined to reunite us. When I was your enemy for a time, you never once fought me in anger or hatred. Even when you and Kairi reunited and were close to returning home, you found it your duty to see that I was brought back. When I went into a depression after acknowledging all the terrible things I did to you, and locked myself up in my room for three weeks after the day we returned home, you still were able to forgive me, even after all the crimes I committed against you." Suddenly, Riku's own eyes were filling with tears. "And when Namine died those many years ago, you were always there to help get myself on my feet and enjoy life. Even in the catacombs of Gombria, when you were fighting against General Ameba to save me, you didn't want to take my life, despite knowing the sacrifice you had to make in order to defeat that tyrant. I've gained an admiration for you Sora. We've always been friends as we have been rivals. Nothing can tear us apart, nothing."

"Riku…" Sora uttered, feeling the tears drip on his forehead. Sora too became teary eyed. He smiled and placed his arm on his friend's shoulder. Riku looked at Sora, who still had that same sad smile on his face. "Thank you, Riku, thank you for being my friend. That's all that matters to me."

Riku, full of such sorrowful happiness, embraced his friend tightly. They both were more like brothers rather than friends. The bond between these two was strong and inseparable. Riku smiled as he slowly released Sora and lay him down on the rocky surface. He wiped his eyes of tears.

"Damn, look at me," Riku uttered, "I'm getting all emotional." Riku stood up and walked towards the cave entrance. "I'll just go stand watch for a while Sora, if that's alright with you."

"I'll be fine now, Riku." Sora uttered. "Take care of yourself now."

Riku nodded and strolled out of the cave. Sora curled up to face the fire, whose flames still flared high into the air. He once again dozed off to sleep, now warm and comfortable inside.


	37. Worthy Heroes

Worthy Heroes

Morning came as soon as the evening did. The sun once again peaked over the eastern horizon and the beams of light glimmered along the waters of the river. Within the cave, Sora slept, curled up by the remnants of the once magnificent fire. He slowly opened his eyes and looked about. The beams of the sun shined in his eyes. Blinded slightly, he used his hand to shield them from the rays. He slowly sat up, still in a lot of pain from his wounds. He looked about at the cave. It was filling with morning light and he could now see the very end of the cavern. Gazing about, Sora looked about for Riku, but there was no sign of him.

"Riku…?" Sora uttered. "Riku, where are you?" There was no response. Riku was nowhere to be seen. Sora called out for him again, but as before there was no reply. Sora tried to stagger to his feet, but the pain of his recent wounds still hurt him and put him in a lot of pain. But he bore it for a while longer and stumbled about to the opening of the cave. He leaned against one side, slightly bent as the pain from his injuries sung out, causing excruciating discomfort. Sora looked about. He realized that the gorge was surrounded by a lush green forest.

It was there, kneeling next to the river's edge, Riku was spotted. He was washing his face in the cool water. He had also taken off his shirt to rinse his arms and upper body down. Using his shirt, he dried himself off.

"Riku…" Sora uttered. Riku turned around.

"Hey there, Sora," he said, "I see that you managed to stand up. But you really shouldn't, you're wounds haven't had time to heal."

"I just wanted to know where you were, Riku." Sora clenched his gut. The pain was even greater now. Riku quickly dried himself off and rushed over to his friend.

"You shouldn't be up and about this quickly, Sora. You still need to rest."-

"But I have to regain my strength." Sora tried to walk out of the cave, but collapsed. Riku caught him and laid his friend to his knees. "I have to keep going. We still have to defeat Maleficent."

"Now's not the time to worry about that." Riku said. Suddenly, Sora grasped at Riku, laying his head on his bosom. He had keeled over from the ever growing agony that ruptured in his gut. "What's wrong, Sora?"

"The pain, Riku," Sora uttered, "The pain. I can't stand it."

"Sora…!" The peaceful morning had lost its beauty as Riku knelt next to his friend. Sora grasped at his gut as the pain grew stronger. He then felt a wet sensation on his hand. Holding his hand up, he noticed that blood had stained his palms. Riku saw this and looked down. One of Sora's wounds had opened again and the blood was seeping through the bandages. "Oh God, Sora, you're wound's reopened. I told you not to move about too much."

"I'm sorry, Riku, I'm sorry. I just got scared that's all. I didn't know where you were."-

"You don't have to worry about me. You just have to worry about yourself right now."-

"Riku…"-

"Let's get you back in the cave." Riku picked Sora up and brought him back into the cave. He placed Sora in an area where the morning sun glimmered so that he could be nice and warm. He then checked out the wound. The blood had seeped through the bandages alright, though it wasn't dripping profusely. "Just lie down and rest, Sora."

"I'll be alright, I can take this." Sora uttered. "I've had worse."

"But there's only one problem between then and now. We have nowhere to retreat to like we did when you were badly injured at Halloween Town. And I have used up all of the bandages from first mending you."-

"I'll be fine, Riku." But suddenly, there was another pain in his gut, which caused Sora to cry out even more. More blood started to drip and protrude through the bandages. Riku could only watch helplessly as the wound opened again.

"This wound was too deep for only bandages." Riku thought to himself, "It need's stitches." He then looked up to find that a small stream of blood began to drip from Sora's mouth. Riku feared the worst. "Damn it, it must be severe internal damage that's causing this. There's no other explanation."

Just then, something else caught Riku's attention, he heard the sound of footsteps coming towards the cave ending. The footsteps seemed to shift a few pebbles as they drew nearer. Riku put his hand over Sora's mouth to prevent him from crying out.

"Riku…" Sora uttered in a muffled cry, tears in his eyes as he looked at his friend.

"You have to be quiet, Sora." Riku replied. "Bear the pain because we have company."

Sora ceased his painful moaning and went silent. He slowly raised his head up to see what or who it was that was coming. Riku unleashed his keyblade, making ready to pounce on the thing that approached, if it dared to attack them in an aggressive manner. They soon watched what looked like two shadows appeared in the morning light. Sure enough the key bearers found themselves with two dark forms standing at the entry way of the cave. The two figures stared in the cave, looking at the key bearers. Their physical features were not too distinguishable because they stood at an angle that silhouetted their forms. One was tall, no taller than Riku thought, and the second form was short and stout.

"Are you alright?" the tall one asked. Suddenly, Riku's aggressiveness mellowed down as he heard the voice of the tall figure. It wasn't a cruel or harsh voice, but rather that of a kind elderly woman, like a grandmother or something. Immediately, Riku lowered his keyblade. "Do you need some assistance?"

"Why, they're two young men." The shorter one added. "No older than Prince Philip."

"I knew that I heard voices in this gorge."-

The two came forward. Both, when their features could be identified, were not at all threatening. They were two kindly old peasant women. The tall elderly woman was rather stout in composure and had a slight grey in her hair. Her cheeks were a little pudgy and wore a pink and red dress. The shorter figure was indeed stout, with pudgy cheeks, a pale rosy color, and black hair with a slight grey complexion. She wore a blue dress and bonnet on her head, like that of a nun. Both were carrying spare pieces of driftwood underneath their arms. The tall woman also has slung on her back, a twig basket with more wood stuffed in it. To add, the fat elderly woman was carrying what looked like a basket of blue barriers.

"Are you here to help us?" Riku asked.

"Of course we are dear." The taller lady said. "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Flora."

"And my name is Meriwether." The stout one added.

"My name is Riku." Riku replied. "This is my friend, Sora. You have to help him, please. His wound has opened up again."

"Sora…?" Meriwether recalled the name. It suddenly struck her, realizing who the wounded young man was. "Flora…"

"I heard…" Flora replied.

Flora placed her bundle of wood on the cave floor. She then, knelt next to Sora and examined the wound.

"The wound is deep." She said. "We have to get him to our shelter, otherwise, he won't last another day."

"Can you pick him up?" Meriwether asked.

"I can pick him up." Riku replied.

"Then you just follow us." Flora said. She picked up her basket and her bundle of wood and began to lead the way. "We don't live far from here."

"We must hurry." Meriwether added.

Riku picked up Sora and slung him over his back.

"Hold on tight, Sora." Riku said. "We're getting out of here."

"Riku," Sora uttered, "I'm not gonna make it. I can feel my life fading."

"You have to make it, buddy, we still have too far to go to quit now! I won't let you die, Sora. I promise." Riku put his hands on the underside of Sora's knees and boosted him on his back. Sora's head lay limp on Riku's right shoulder and his arms clutched each other loosely around his neck. "Let's go."

Riku walked out of the cave, following Flora and Meriwether out of the cave and out of the gorge. They walked up a cut path at the side of the gorge that worked its way up to the cliff side. From there, they began a walk into the dense woods. Through clearings and thickets, they trekked, Riku still following the two elderly women with Sora still weighed on his back.

"Are we almost there?" Riku asked.

"Just a quarter mile or so," Flora replied.

"We should be coming in sight of our cottage in the thicket any minute now." Meriwether added.

"How is your companion doing?"-

"He's hanging in there." Riku said.

"Well, once we're at the cottage, you can place him in a nice warm bed."-

"Fauna and Briar Rose will be rather surprised to see that we came home with two young men." Meriwether chuckled.

"Now's not the time for levities, Meriwether. You forget that that young man, Sora, is still in a critical and dire situation."-

"Sorry about that."-

Riku in the meantime, felt Sora's grip slowly loosen. This only indicated that unless he was given help soon, he might die.

"How are you doing, Sora?" Riku asked. Sora shuttered for a minute or so, before responding.

"I'm so cold Riku," Sora uttered softly, "So cold."

"It'll be alright though, buddy. We're almost there to the two ladies' cottage."-

"I'm glad." Sora snuggled up against Riku.

"You'll get to rest in a real bed instead of the hard ground of a dank cave. And you'll get to have something warm to eat instead of going all night with an empty stomach."-

"Last night was perfect for me, Riku."-

"Why's that?"-

"Because you were there to comfort me, you were the only friend I had there." Sora shuttered again, his limbs grew colder, with his fingers like ice. "If it wasn't for you, Riku, I might have died in the river, or in some other hostile place, all alone and without friends."-

"Don't say such things, Sora. Talking like that will only cause further grief."-

"It's just that I'm so grateful to have a friend like you, Riku." Sora laid his head on Riku's back. "You're so warm, Riku, you're so warm. Thank you, thank you...thank you for caring so much about me…"

"Sora…"-

Riku couldn't help, but drop a few tears after hearing such sentimental words from his life long friend. Despite being friends, Riku had never felt like this before. Even though he had committed so many wrongs against Sora in the past, at times making him seem insignificant and weak, Sora was still happy to have him as a friend. No other friend besides him and Kairi had expressed such emotion and sentiment. And with Kairi so far away from them both, Riku only had Sora to comfort and to be comforted in return. There was no further noise, but the footsteps they made, walking through the thick vegetation of the forest.

Eventually, as they came to a rolling hill, the four came to the sight of a quaint little cottage nestled in a clearing.

"Ah, there it is." Flora said. "There is the cottage."

The cottage was quaint alright, quaint and rather well maintained. It was a two story structure with a large window on the top floor. There was a water wheel at its side, which turned with the help of a little creek that passed through the thicket. The roof consisted of thick hey and straw, preventing moisture or condensation from leaking into the dwelling. A tall stone chimney bellowed smoke from its flew, indicating that a fire was going, to either warm the place up, or help create something warm to eat.

"Is that the place?" Riku asked.

"That's our cottage." Flora replied.

"Wow, it looks really nice."-

"It should be," Meriwether uttered, "I'm the only one does anything constructive in that house."

"Constructive…?" Flora said. "Since when have you ever been constructive?"

"Oh well, let me think! I do the cooking, the cleaning, the gathering, the maintenance on the roof; I get the water, collect firewood, and everything else. I mean the only one who actually gives me a hand is Rose."

"And you think I don't do anything constructive?"-

"Oh yeah, working on your potions and sticking your nose in books twenty four seven is real constructive."-

"Ok, Ok," Riku uttered, a big sweat drop rolling down the side of his face, "You can save your bickering for when after we get Sora mended up."

"Oh yes, I almost forgot. Come, let us hurry."-

The four went into the thicket, crossing a bridge that was built over the creek. It was just outside the house that a young woman was kneeling down to prune the flowers growing to one side of the house. She had long flowing, blond hair and glittering eyes of innocence. Her skin and fair as new fallen snow and her lips as red as the rose. She was slim, smooth, and slender, wearing the homespun dress of a peasant maid. She was singing as she worked and little blue birds gathered about her to chirp away with her song.

Her name was Briar Rose.

It was then that she saw Flora and Meriwether coming towards her. She took of her scarf and smiled.

"Rose," Meriwether waved.

"Flora, Meriwether," she cried. "Fauna, they're back from gathering fire wood."

From the house emerged another elderly woman, no older than the other two. She wore greenish dress with a white apron. She too had a kind face, slightly pudgy cheeks and grayish hair. She stood at the doorway, wiping hands with the apron, clearing the way the excess droplets of dishwater.

"Well, well," Fauna said, "Flora, Meriwether, I did not expect you to be back so soon."

"There's no time right now." Flora shouted. "Get the bed in the guest room ready!"

"Why, what's the matter." Rose asked. It was at that moment that they saw the two young key bearers following them. "Who are they?"

"They're two young men that we found in the gorge."-

"Riku and Sora I think their names are." Meriwether said.

"Sora…?" Rose uttered.

"Having that same recollection too, eh Rose?"-

"Anyway, one of them has been severely injured." Flora said. "Fauna get bandages and some hot water ready!"

"Yes…!" Fauna retreated into the cottage to prepare the medical supplies.

"Rose, get the herbal healers ready."-

"Of course…!" Rose replied. She went back into the house to prepare the herbs.

"Let's get your friend inside, Riku." Flora insisted. They led Riku up the stairs to the second floor and into a warm bed chamber. There, before them was a large bed with a blue quilt on top of it. Flora and Meriwether helped with Sora from Riku's back.

"Alright, gently, gently," Meriwether said, as they lowered Sora onto the bed.

"Riku," Flora said. "We'll take it over from here. Could you please wait outside?"

"But…" Riku uttered.

"Don't worry we'll make sure Sora's replenished as soon as we can." Riku lowered his head. He then looked up at the kind old woman and nodded.

"Take care of him."-

"We will."-

Riku turned and returned down stairs. Fearing for Sora's safety, he walked out of the cottage and walked a good deal away from the cottage. He stepped up the little bridge over the creek and leaned towards the railing. His thoughts were on Sora. Questions encircled his mind. What if he was too late? What if Sora was maimed for life? What if he dies suddenly? Riku only looked up at the trees and the rays of the morning sun that pelted his face.

In the meantime, Sora was in agonizing pain. By this time, Fauna and Rose came up with the material needed to help heal Sora. Meriwether and Flora, wearing white aprons around them, took off the old bandages and cleaned the wounds. Sora moaned in pain. He grasped at the sheet and bedspread.

"It hurts…" he uttered. "It hurts…"

"Rose," Flora uttered, "Try and comfort him."

"Alright…" Rose uttered. Rose sat the head of the bed and placed her hand on Sora's forehead. His forehead was burning up now due to a sudden fever. Sora eased a little. He opened his eyes and looked upon her face. His eyes widened slightly more.

"I…I…know your face…" he uttered.

"I know…" Rose uttered. "We've met before…"

Sora's eyes closed and he soon found himself in a deep sleep. Rose stroked his forehead and smiled. The three elderly women were surprised to see how calm the young man became when he laid eyes on Rose. They wondered, by the conversation, if they had met before. It had not been long before the three elderly women had finished mending up and cleaning his wounds. They placed the thick blankets over the young man and he slept soundly.

"Well," Flora said. "It's alright now. His wounds have been mended up and he should recovery nicely."

"Thank you for assisting us, Rose." Meriwether added. "You helped save Sora's life."

"It was the least I could do." Rose replied.

"By the way," Flora asked, "I overheard you say to this young man that you met him before. How is it that you know him?"

"It was almost ten years before, I think." Rose explained, "This young man is the same little boy that wields the keyblade."

"What…?" Flora gazed down at the sleeping youth. "Are you saying that this young man is the keyblade master?"

"Yes…"-

"So this is the young man who we owe out lives to." Meriwether uttered. "The same young boy we met those many years ago. I would never have recognized him. I wondered why the name Sora seemed so familiar."

"By the way, where's Riku at?"-

"I sent him down stairs." Flora said. "I thought it best that he stay out of the room while we were mending his friend up. I didn't want to take the chance of healing Sora with him in the room. Riku might just get panicky."

"He doesn't seem to be the type to panic though."-

"Speaking of which, you can tell him that he can come and see Sora now."-

"Of course…" Rose ran out of the room to find Riku.

She rushed downstairs to look for him, but there was no sign.

"Fauna," she asked, spotting her elder washing dishes, "Have you seen young Riku anywhere?"

"The last time I checked, dear," Fauna replied, "He was out next to the bridge."

"Thank you."-

Rose rushed out of the house and towards the bridge, but instead of finding Riku there, she instead saw him in the clearing. His back was towards her, so Riku was unaware of her presence. He stood tall and proud, his chest lifting up with every breath he took. Riku had taken this jacket off and wore only his white t-shirt, which was tucked into his black jeans. He had such a fantastic, muscular physique; Rose couldn't help admire him from afar.

Suddenly, Riku unleashed his keyblade, which further caught the young lady off guard. Riku then seemed to spar with invisible enemies, testing out his movements and his abilities. He swung his keyblade so ferociously, yet so gracefully at the same time. He lunged and thrust, swung and sliced so delicately with his weapon. He finally ended by spinning the keyblade straight into the air, before catching it with his right hand. The blade's metal seemed to clink and jingle as he caught it, very softly though.

"I did not know that you were a keyblade master as well." Rose uttered. Riku turned to face her, wiping off the sweat from his brow.

"I am." Riku replied.

"But I thought that there could only be one key bearer?"-

"Sora is the keyblade master. The keyblade master of light anyway. I, however, represent the keyblade of darkness."-

"Y…you control the darkness…?"-

"I know it's strange to hear of such a thing, but yes it is true."-

"Are you with Maleficent?" There was a pause now as Riku was rather shocked by the question. But he calmly sighed and looked up at Rose.

"No, I'm not." He replied. "In fact, that's how Sora was so severely wounded. We stormed her castle."

"I see."-

"By the way, how's Sora doing?"-

"Sora's doing fine now. In fact, that's why I came out here for. I wanted to tell you that he's alright and that you may see him."-

"I'll do that." Riku smiled before retrieving his black trench coat and slung it over his shoulder. His keyblade diminished from his grasp and Riku slung his coat over his shoulder. He passed Rose and the young woman followed soon after.

Riku entered Sora's quarters and sat next to his bedside.

"He should be alright now, Riku." Flora said.

"I thank you for helping us." Riku replied. He leaned over Sora and placed his hand on his sleeping friend's shoulder. Sora stirred for a moment, but continued to engage in a nice long sleep. "Get your rest, Sora."

"What time is it right now?" Flora asked.

"It's about nine o'clock in the morning." Meriwether replied.

"That procedure didn't take long then." She then looked at Riku. "By the by, I'm wondering how is it that your friend came to be so severely wounded and yet you emerged without a scratch, Riku?"

"It's a long story." Riku uttered.

"If you would care to fill us in," Meriwether said.

"I think I should. That way you won't have any suspicions about us."-

"Let's discuss this downstairs and leave Sora to rest for a while."-

"Miss Rose," Riku uttered, "I would like you to stay here in this room and watch over Sora for me, please."

"Of course Riku..." Rose replied. While rose took his place, Riku and the other ladies departed the room.

The group assembled downstairs, Fauna was putting the kettle on for tea. The clock struck nine thirty in the morning. The four sat themselves at a round table.

"Do you take sugar with your tea, Riku?" Fauna asked.

"Uh…sure..." Riku replied. "Thank you."

"Flora, Meriwether?"-

"The usual for us, dear." Flora replied. Fauna smiled and went off to prepare the tea. "Now, let us begin. First of all, Riku; how is it that you and Sora had come to be in this world in the first place?"

"Well, we didn't come to this world intentionally." Riku replied. "We were forced to land here. Our gummi ship was attacked my mobile dolls of the Midnight Faction and…"

"The Midnight Faction…?" Meriwether interrupted. "You know about the Midnight Faction?"

"Of course, we've been fighting against them in several other worlds for some time now. Why, do you know something about them?"-

"Of course we do."-

"They're the reason why this land is in turmoil." Flora replied.

"Could you fill me in on what has been going on here in this world?" Riku asked.

"Not too long ago, the kingdoms of King Hubert and King Stephen were conquered by the Midnight Faction. The faction took over the kingdoms, despite a valiant effort from the defenders of the realms, and had taken prisoner, King Hubert, King Stephen, and young Prince Philip, who is the husband of Princess Aurora. The faction came in league with the one person whom even the two most powerful monarchs in the land feared."-

"Maleficent." Meriwether said.

"Maleficent had always thirsted to take over this realm for herself. For years, her ominous presence has kept the monarchs on their toes. In fact, that is the reason why King Hubert and King Stephen had formed a tight bond of friendship and a strong alliance. So if Maleficent did try to attack, they would at least be able to battle her as a united front. Maleficent didn't dare to oppose them back then. But since she joined forces with the Midnight Faction, she gained enough strength to openly declare war against the two monarchs. Now, with the fall of Kings Stephen and Hubert, she has the entire land under her thumb."

"Maleficent…" Riku uttered. His fist tightened.

"Do you know Maleficent?" Flora asked.

"I know her far too well. She's the reason why you found us the way you did back in the cave. We had been washed down stream from her castle."-

"The Forbidden Mountains, you actually entered her realm?"-

"Yes…"-

"But that's crazy, to go against the very stronghold of Maleficent herself." Meriwether uttered. "And with the Midnight Faction in her service as well."

"You should have known better then to storm into Maleficent's castle." Flora continued. "Not even King Hubert and King Stephen's combined forces were able to break through to the castle of Maleficent. She has hundreds, if not thousands of goblins and trolls under her whim. And that old crow that perches on her scepter is always on the lookout for possible enemy threats."

"To add, she now has well trained faction soldiers under her whim, each one equaling the strength of ten of the king's best knights."-

"And what about the Heartless, their numbers continue to swell with every passing day and are becoming bolder as time progresses, wandering further away from Maleficent's domain."-

"So why is it that you stormed Maleficent's castle in the first place?" Fauna asked, pouring the hot water into four individual cups.

"We were hoping to seek out a special device that Maleficent has in her possession." Riku explained.

"What sort of device?" Flora asked.

"We don't know what it is. We assume that it might be some magic mirror, or something. But whatever it is, all I know is that Maleficent has in her possession a contraption that can contradict the whereabouts of any person no matter how well they hide, how far they run, or how well they conceal their identity."-

"Are you serious?" Meriwether asked.

"As far as I know, with that device, they can even detect our whereabouts here."-

"But we haven't had any incidences so far." Fauna said.

"That may be true for now," Riku explained, "But there may be a chance that perhaps Maleficent and the Midnight Faction are only biding their time, waiting for the right opportunity to strike when you least expect it. Either that, or they have larger fish to fry."

"What do you mean by that?" Meriwether asked.

"Tell me, have there been any further military campaigns waged by Maleficent after the fall of the kingdoms of Hubert and Stephen?"-

"Well, it seems that Maleficent's efforts have been drawn to opposing another rivaling power that just arrived here but a few weeks ago." Flora said. "They've been in constant battle with this new foe. I believe they call themselves the Arakis Foundation."

"The Arakis Foundation…" Riku placed his hand on the table, rubbing the tips of his fingers against the wood. "So it is a battle over supremacy in this world."

"Do you know the Arakis Foundation too?"-

"They're another branch of the former Dark Empire. However, we've never actually engaged in open conflict with them. It's mostly the Midnight Faction that we're trying to be rid of."-

"But what's the Arakis Foundation's purpose for being here?" Fauna asked.

"They intend to take over this world and claim it in the name of the Oceanarian race."-

"Are they trying to conquer all worlds as well?" Flora asked.

"Conquer other worlds in the form of hopes to unite all worlds." Riku said. "Unite all worlds and place them under Oceanarian control."

"But they still plan to place us under their servitude."-

"So they're our enemies as well." Meriwether said.

"That means we have two foes to beware of." Fauna said as she sat down after handing each cup to those around the table.

"But then again," Riku continued. "The Arakis Foundation hasn't been the aggressor. Their presence here might actually be of some use to us."

"How do you mean?" Flora asked.

"They are fighting against the Midnight Faction and we are fighting the Midnight faction. So why don't we take the initiative and combine forces with them for a time being."-

"That's not such a good idea though. If we were to help aid the Arakis Foundation, if we were to win in the end, there is no doubt that they'll be seeking some sort of compensation in return for their efforts in driving off Maleficent and the Midnight Faction."-

"I realize that. But it's either assist one enemy to destroy another, or we risk annihilation trying to stop both sides. And I can only assist you. I can't fight the war for you."-

"Riku does have a point." Meriwether implied.

"I suppose." Flora replied. "But even if we were to aid the Arakis Foundation for a temporary period of time, there's no way that we'd be able to sneak in without Maleficent seeing us with that prediction device you said she had. It's also suicide to rush head long against her stronghold in the Forbidden Mountains. She has thousands of goblins and trolls patrolling the area. You have no idea what lurks behind the rocks."

"Then, we'll just have to soften up their defenses from within." Riku said.

"From within?" Fauna asked.

"What do you mean from within?" Meriwether added.

"You say that King Hubert, King Stephen, and Prince Philip are still within Maleficent's castle, being held prisoner." Riku said.

"As far as we know." Flora replied.

"Then, that's how we'll initiate our attack. There is a small passage way at the base of the castle. It's where Sora and I had managed to sneak in. If we use that passage to get into the castle, go to the dungeon and free the monarchs, we can wither the defenses from inside and make the castle vulnerable to a stronger outer offensive."-

"I think we can handle that task." Meriwether said.

Meanwhile, as Rose sat besides the sleeping Sora, watching over him tenderly, the youth suddenly opened his eyes and gasped for air. Sweat dripped at the side of his face.

"Riku!" he cried. "Riku, where are you!"

"Sora, are you alright?" Rose uttered. Riku and the other ladies, upon hearing Sora's shouts, rushed up the stairs to check on him.

"Sora," Riku said. He knelt next to Rose. "What's wrong?"

"They're coming?" Sora replied.

"Who," Flora asked, "Who's coming?

"The Midnight Faction…"-

"How do you know?"-

"He's right." Riku said. "The Midnight Faction is on their way here."

"How can you tell?" Meriwether asked.

"I can sense the chi from the soldiers." Riku concentrated even more on the approaching presences. "They're no more than three hundred yards from here, ten in all."

"But what are they doing here?"-

"It seems that they're chasing someone."-

"Oh no," Fauna uttered, "The Queen!"

"The Queen?"-

Sure enough, they heard what sounded like desperate screaming coming from up the road. Sure enough, as they looked out the window, there from the path came a woman, running frantically towards the cottage. Behind her, slowly catching up, ten faction soldiers, dressed in their thick black uniforms, some in glimmering armor, others in wool and leather frocks, and others wearing former Imperial uniforms, but had been deprived of the Imperial crest.

The woman they chased seemed to be no older than forty years old. She ran as fast as she could with ten devils screeching behind her.

"Bastards…" Riku uttered. He quickly exited the room and rushed to save the woman.

"Riku…!" Flora cried.

The woman was halfway across the bridge, when a loose board tripped her and caused her to crash down into the grass on the opposite side. The faction soldiers, by this time, were no more than a few yards away from her. They surrounded the woman and pointed their weapons at her. She could only watch as the soldiers looked down upon her with cold unfeeling eyes.

"Sorry, miss," one of the soldiers uttered. "But we can't have you running off on us like that."

"Someone, help me!" the lady cried.

"There's no use shouting." Another soldier said. "No one can hear you scream all the way out here."

"That's what you think!" a voice roared.

The soldiers looked behind them to find a figure in black suddenly rush into the circle. Riku had made it in time to save the woman. He struck at one of the soldiers, knocking him unconscious. Riku stood to protect the woman, tall and proud, like that of the average impetuous youth. He did not bear his keyblade, but then again, he didn't really need it to outdo the remaining novice faction soldiers.

"You stay away from this woman."-

"Who are you?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Stay out of the way if you know what's good for you." Another soldier said.

"I will not permit you to torment this lady anymore than you already have." Riku explained.

"And who's gonna make us, boy, you?"-

"You don't even have any weapon to fight us with." Another soldier said.

"I don't need a weapon to defeat the likes of you," Riku replied, "But if you insist…" Riku suddenly drew out his hand and his infamous keyblade, Ginroio Noria, The Way of Justice, emerged in his hand.

Once the soldiers laid eyes on the keyblade, they now realized who they fought.

"It's Noctin Tilandir!" one of the soldiers uttered.

"The Child of Darkness!" another soldier said.

"Now let us begin!" Riku implied.

The soldiers attacked one at a time, battling against Riku. But Riku within ten seconds had managed to defeat all of them. The remaining soldiers had been knocked unconscious and now lay very still on the ground. Riku retracted the keyblade back into his palm and turned towards the woman. He stretched out his hand to assist the woman to her feet.

"Are you alright Miss?" Riku asked.

"Thank you, kind sir." The woman replied, taking his hand to assist her up.

"Your Majesty," Flora said, "are you alright?"

"I'm alright, Lady Flora," the woman said, "Thanks to this young man."

"They say that you're the queen." Riku implied. "Is that true?"

"Yes, it's true."-

"But what are you doing here though?"

"Don't you know?" Meriwether asked. "The queen and her daughter, Princess Aurora, are staying here."

"Not so loud, Meriwether," Flora said, "Who knows who else might be listening."

"Oh yeah, that's right."-

"Hurry, we must get inside."-

"But what do we do with those ten soldiers who are knocked out?"-

"Well…" Flora suddenly pulled out from her sleeve, a magic wand. She aimed the wand at the soldiers, unconscious on the floor and with a single shot, unleashed a magic spell, transforming the soldiers into flowers. "There, that ought to take care of things."

Riku stood stunned.

"Uh…am I missing something here?" Riku asked.

"Well…" Flora only sighed. "Well, we might as well tell you the whole story." She urged them to reenter the cottage. Riku made sure to check about to make sure that there was no one about, who might be watching.

Little did he realize that there was someone watching from afar, Maleficent's faithful crow that unfortunately was on patrol that time of the morning, happened to catch a glimpse at the pursuit of the queen. The chase thus led him to the cottage to know the whereabouts of not only the key bearers, but the missing monarchs and the three good fairies. Now with this observation in his grasp, he could quickly report the situation to Maleficent herself.

Riku and the others assembled in cottage.

"Mother…" Rose cried, running up to her mother and embracing her tightly.

"Aurora, my child…" the queen said.

"Aurora," Riku uttered, confused, "I thought her name was Rose?"

"Rose is Aurora's alias you might say." Flora replied.

"Why didn't you tell me about that before?"-

"Well, we couldn't really trust you before."-

"It's the silver hair isn't it? It makes me look like a bad guy doesn't it?"-

"Now, now, don't be so presumptuous, Riku. It was merely a precautionary step that we take when we invite strangers into our house."-

"But since you wield a keyblade," Meriwether said, "That only proves that you are one of Maleficent's enemies."-

"Well, enough with the secrets if you please," Riku uttered, "And can you just tell me what is really going on?"

"Well, as I have told you," Flora said, "This is the place where we are hiding the last of the monarchs. The queen and Princess Aurora are right now the only ones who escaped the clutches of Maleficent, but that's all we need to maintain a sense of hope for the people. The Queen takes daily journeys to and from the village, disguised as a peasant woman. She thus, gives her secret declarations to the people saying that hope is not lost."

"But do you think that mere declarations will stop Maleficent and the Midnight Faction?"-

"So long as the people have hope, young man," the queen replied, "Then that's all that's needed."

"But Maleficent won't back down to the people because she knows that they aren't much of a threat to her." Riku explained. "Maleficent is the type of person who has to be persuaded by force. She won't give in to reason and she won't compromise with those who are a potential threat to her. She only wishes to be ridding herself of all members of the royal monarchy." He then turned towards Flora. "Now what's with the wand and who are you really."

"Well, there's no need in hiding who we are anymore." Flora replied. Taking the wand, she changed her wardrobe appearance, from that of a peasant woman to a woman of eloquence and respect. She wore a steeple hat with a bonnet wrapped over her head, a bright red and pink gown, and upon her back were two little wings. "Fauna, Meriwether, you do the same."

"Alright…" Meriwether replied. She and Fauna took out their own wands and transformed themselves as well, changing their wardrobes. Their garments were identical to Flora's, but Meriwether was draped in blue while Fauna was draped in green.

"You're…you're…" Riku uttered.

"That's right." Flora replied. "We're fairies…"

"Well, I would have figured fairies to be…a little…"-

"More youthful, younger possibly?"-

"Smaller…"-

"Well, we can become any size we please."-

"At least you're being honest with me this time around."-

At the same time, the crow had managed to return to the side of Maleficent. It perched upon the scepter of its master.

"Ah, my pet," Maleficent said, "And how was your little expedition into the wilderness this morning?"

The crow suddenly began to speak to Maleficent, using its mind to utter its words. It revealed everything about what it had seen.

"Yes…" Maleficent said with a grin on her face. General Saber, at this time, walked into the chamber and looked up at Maleficent.

"You seem to have a rather cheerful attitude this morning, my dear lady." He uttered. "If I may be so bold as to ask what it is that has you in such a mood?"

"I finally know where they are." Maleficent replied. "My faithful pet has told me."

"Told you what?"-

"I know now where the monarchs are." Maleficent stood up and chuckled. "Now, I will be rid of them once and for all."

But as the crow continued to speak, it uttered words that ended Maleficent's jolly mood. Saber noticed how quickly her attitude changed.

"No," she uttered to herself, "it can't be."

Saber folded his arms in front of him and smiled.

"So the key bearers are alive still." He implied, "Just as I predicted."

"How did you know?" Maleficent uttered.

"I knew that they were alive from the start. And the rise of energy that I felt not too long ago indicates that they are both still amongst the living, though one of them, by the weak energy that I sensed, must be in critical condition. It must have been Sora, severely wounded by that booby trap we set at the main gate."-

"It's impossible! It's impossible! Those two young men couldn't have survived that tumble over the falls!"-

"Then why don't you just confirm it on that faithful mirror of yours and prove me wrong?"-

Maleficent quickly rushed down the stairs from her throne to the mirror hanging at the opposite side of the chamber. She threw open the curtains.

"Mirror," she shouted, "reveal to me the key bearers! And by thunder it had better be a lie that they're still alive."

"_Over the seven rolling hills to the west,"_ The mirror replied, _"in a peasant's cottage fair and bright, the wielders of the keyblade still live."_

"No, this cannot be. This cannot be!"-

"Well, well," Saber said, "It's just the way I had predicted it would turn out."

"But how can this be?" Maleficent uttered. "I don't understand. This mirror is never wrong. It said that the key bearers were dead. How could they suddenly be alive again?"

"The mirror's abilities are limited as I said. Like myself, the mirror is able to make its predictions through the measuring of spirit levels that accumulate within a person. Every living thing has a chi level, some differing greater than others. With this use of sensing energy, the mirror is able to pin point the exact location of a certain person or party with great accuracy. With its knowledge of pit pointing energy, the mirror is even able to calculate the effect that person or party will have in future events. Thus, predictions of the future are possible. But those are merely conjectures. If the energy shifts, however, a different outcome may arise."-

"When the energy shifts?"-

"That's right. In this case, the reason why the mirror said the key bearers were dead was because it was making more of an intellectual assumption. Because it could not sense the inner chi of Riku and Sora, it had assumed that they must have perished. But energy levels can disappear when someone is severely wounded and on the verge of death, or dead tired. However, once Riku and Sora were conscientious again, their chi levels were once again functioning normally."-

"But that means that this mirror is flawed."-

"Fool, everything has an explanation when you add the concept of spiritual chi and inner energy into the perspective."-

"Well, I will not have those two boys out do me!" Maleficent turned to Saber. "Send out your faction soldiers to aid my goblins and the heartless in the assault against the key bearers."

"As you wish." Saber said.

"I will crush the spirits and hopes of the people for good by crushing the last of the monarchy. Once the key bearers are dead and the queen and Princess Aurora are in my custody, then the back of rebellion shall be broken. Then all who live in this world will rue the day they dared to defy me."-

"I will do as you bid then." Saber bowed respectfully and turned away. However, as he turned away, he grinned sinisterly.

"It will all be over very soon…" he said to himself.

Maleficent took her crow, which perched itself on her hand. She then held the bird high into the air.

"Seek out the key bearers and the last of the monarchs, my pet." Maleficent implied. "Lead our troops and observe this battle, then report to me of the outcome and hope that we emerge victorious." The crow flew away to follow the faction troops. "Go, and do not fail me."

From the castle of Maleficent a whole manifestation of dark forces descended from the castle. In the lead were the Heartless, many of them of tremendous size, behemoths, defenders, and many others. Like a shadow army of terrible disarray. Accompanying them were the two antis who had confronted Riku and Sora before in the halls of the castle, taking the lead before the masses. Following them were Maleficent's own body guards, the goblins and trolls, their armors different in blackened style, rusty and ragged at best in appearance. They grunted and hissed as would be expected of such a rabble force. Following behind, with their tall banners and their loud beating drums, the Midnight Faction's own elite troops, the Phantom Forces, marched in unison. The stomping of their feet upon the ground rattled and shook the countryside. And above them all, hovering like an ominous shadow, the faithful messenger of Maleficent, the old crow, glided above the columns. Double quick time the forces moved, westward bound to untouched wilderness surrounding the domain of the former King Stephen.

General Saber watched from the tower of the castle as this large force was deployed. Accompanying him was a subordinate soldier.

"The troops have been deployed, general sir." The soldier said.

"Very good…" General Saber uttered.

"If I may be so bold as to ask you, sir, why is it that we are dispatching such a large body of men and Heartless to retrieve two women of the monarchy?"-

"The bulk of that force is meant to battle against the key bearers." Saber locked his arms behind him.

"Are the key bearers really that powerful?" the soldier asked.

"They are far more powerful than what you can apprehend." Saber reassured. "Two young men, capable of wreaking such havoc upon our forces in the other worlds, deserve to gain such a notorious reputation amongst even our elite forces. These are the same two men who brought down three of my fellow blade generals. We must no longer take them lightly at this point in the game." Saber then turned about and walked out of the tower chamber.

"Where are you going, sir?"-

"I shall return to my quarters. I have no need of further subordinate accompaniment from this point on. You may return to you post, young man."-

"But aren't you going to oversee the battle personally?"-

"I have other matters to attend to. Besides, I am confident that our forces will emerge victorious. Sora was severely wounded and won't be of much use. And with such a grand number of elite soldiers on the march, not even Noctin Tilandir will be able to fend them off on his own."-

Saber said no further word and continued on his way. But as he came out of the soldier's sight. He gave a worried sigh.

"But then again, Noctin Tilandir and his comrades had managed to defeat three of my comrades." Saber thought to himself. "There's no real guarantee that victory will be achieved with out losing a great number of our men. Forgive me, young soldiers, for sending you so early to your graves."

The soldiers, at a brisk and steady pace, neared the area where Riku and the others resided. But as this massive force of evil moved about into the wilderness, though not observed by anyone, it did not go unnoticed. Only a few miles away from where the Midnight Faction and their allies were moving, Cuchulain could sense the power that was accumulating. And with his keen sense of hearing, he could hear the distant beats of military drums. He stood vigilant at the lakeside, listening to the movement.

Cunla came over to him with a plate of sausage and eggs.

"Dad," he uttered, "Your food is getting cold. You should really eat something. That way we can start looking for Riku and Sora."

"There's no need to look for them." Cuchulain replied. "I know where they are."

"You do?" Cunla turned to the others who were sitting around the campfire. "Hey, Goofy, Donald, Miss Billiard, my dad knows where Riku and Sora are at!"

"What was that?" Ophelia asked.

"He knows where Riku and Sora are at?" Goofy said.

"Where, Cuchulain, where are they?" Donald added.

"They're at least fifteen miles south of us," Cuchulain replied. He pointed out his finger, "In that direction."

"How was it that you could sense them?" Cunla asked. "I couldn't detect anything?"

"I felt a twitch of power not too long ago, but in that instant I immediately recognized the power signature. It was Riku without a doubt." Cuchulain walked closer to the lake's edge. "To add, don't you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Donald asked.

"Listen…"

There was silence amidst the party. The sound of the water the splashing of jumping frogs, the buzz of insects, and the chirping of birds added to the confusion, but eventually, the KH team did hear something coming from the horizon, a slow and steady beat of military drums.

"That sound…" Donald uttered.

"It sounds like drums." Ophelia said.

"It could be anyone though."-

"No, it isn't." Cunla said. "I recognize that beat."

"Me too," Ophelia added.

"It's the standard drum roll of the Midnight Faction, to keep the soldiers in step. I'd recognize that familiar pattern anywhere." The sound was distinctive to Ophelia Billiard and Cunla, who have heard that same distinguishable beat continuously as former members of the Midnight Faction. The beat went roll, tap, roll, tap, roll, tap, tap, tap, and continued over again and again to keep the troops in step.

"They must be marching at a double quick time." Cuchulain said. "I can tell by the speed in tempo."

"They're practically at a running pace with that tempo." Cunla continued. "They must be taking the wide step stride, which allows a body of troops to move in unison, but at a faster marching rate than is usually expected."

"That must mean that they want to get to a specific destination in a hurry." Ophelia added.

"But the faction only accelerates at this type of speed only when it is necessary."-

"And when they speed up, it can only mean one thing. They have spotted a target that needs to be extinguished quickly."-

"Riku and Sora," Goofy and Donald uttered.

"We gotta do something!" Goofy said. "They may be in trouble!"

"Then let's go!" Donald said.

"Wait!" Cuchulain shouted. "We can't go in too hastily."

"Why not…?" Cuchulain licked his finger with his tongue and held it up in the air.

"We're up wind from the Midnight Faction."-

"So what does that mean?"-

"It means a hell of a lot for us, Donald. As long as we're up wind, the sound we make, our scent traces, and the debris we send into the breeze can be detected by the Midnight Faction's elite soldiers. They'll be able to detect our presence before we can get within sight of them."-

"That's impossible, nobody can be that accurate."-

"In my experience, seeing the Phantom Forces in action," Cunla implied, "The senses of an elite faction soldier is definitely that accurate."-

"Well, then how do you propose we approach the faction?" Donald asked.

Cuchulain pondered and pondered until he had an idea. Looking at the campfire that had been built, Cuchulain came up with a plan.

"Here's what we'll do." He explained. "The best way to cover our movement, our sound, and our smell is to cover it up. I want you guys to construct ten more fire rings for campfires. Ophelia, I'll leave you in charge of that. Cunla and I will find spare wood to burn. Donald, you prepare Firaga and ignite the fires."

"What's the plan with that though?" Donald asked.

"We'll use the fire to cover up our movements. Its ashes will be the debris, the scent of the burning wood will hide out scent. And the sound of crackling fire wood will intermingle with our footsteps."-

"I get it." Ophelia said. "Then let's do this."

"Come on, we have to hurry."-

"Time is of the essence here." Cunla said.

As Cuchulain and Cunla went off gathering some of the spare drift wood at the side of the lake, Ophelia, Goofy, and Donald prepared the circles. Once the circles were complete, Cunla and Cuchulain placed the firewood in the pits and Donald unleashed Firaga onto each of the wood stocks. Once the smoke began to bellow and the flames ignited, Cuchulain picked up his spear. He then pointed towards the area where Riku and the others were at.

"We go to battle." He said.

It didn't take long for the force of faction soldiers and their allies to reach the edge of the woods and work their way through the brush. By this time, the drums drew silent and the columns were now spreading out and worked their way through the thickets.

Riku, by this time, was overlooking the terrain from Sora's room. He knew that an attack would come, but it was only a matter of when and where from. He leaned just over the main window sill in Sora's bed chamber. He gazed and sighed. He then looked at Sora who seemed to stare off into space, uttering no word. Sora turned his head and gazed at Riku.

"How are you, Sora?" Riku asked.

"I've been better." Sora replied. "I just feel so tired."

"Well, you have been through hell and back. And it hasn't been that long since you were wounded."-

"But I can't rest now, Riku. I feel them coming. The faction soldiers are close." Sora tried to lift himself up out of bed. But Riku only placed his hands on his chest and tried to lay him back down.

"You are in no condition to fight right now." Riku said.

"But I have to fight. I can't just lay here and do nothing."-

"If you fight, you'll only kill yourself a lot faster."-

"Riku…"-

"I'll take care of these guys as best as I can."-

Sora, disappointed with this uselessness, only lay his head back down on his pillow. Riku sat next to him and laid his hand on Sora's shoulder. Tears dripped down the face of the younger key bearer.

"I will win, Sora." Riku said. "I will fight to protect everyone here."

"Thank you, Riku." Sora uttered and smiled. Riku returned to gesture and withdrew from the room, but Sora stopped him. "Wait a minute, Riku."

"What is it?" Sora drew out his keyblade from the palm of his hand. He handed it to Riku.

"I want you to take my key blade too."

"But Sora…"-

"I can't fight in the condition I'm in, but I can at least give you a hand by letting you wield double keyblades. The summoning spells might come in handy for you since your key blade doesn't have any summoning spells."

"Thanks Sora, I will fight and I will win." The youth lay his head back on the pillow. Riku only nodded and turned away, leaving Sora to rest for the time being.

Riku descended downstairs to where Aurora, the queen, and the three good fairies were sitting down, waiting.

"How is Sora doing?" Flora asked.

"He's doing alright," Riku replied, "But he's still too weak to participate in an all out fight." Riku then stepped out of the cottage altogether.

"Where are you going?" Fauna asked.

"I'm going to fight our attackers."-

"But how do you know there will be an attack?"-

"I can sense a large force approaching." Riku drew out his keyblade. "I want you to stay here and watch over Sora."

"At least allow us to give you a hand." Flora said.

"I can't afford to put any of you in danger. This fight is mine to bear." Riku walked away from the cottage, over the bridge and towards the area where the faction approached. He worked his way through the brush, edging closer to where he sensed the combination of powerful energy levels and a strong presence of darkness. He leaped up into the air and onto a strong branch of a tall oak tree. The black coat that he wore intermingled with the leaves of the oak and Riku watched as he saw the brush below him move in a straight line. There was the sound of rumbling coming through the thickets, like crashes of thunder in the distance.

Immediately after, he saw banners and glimmering spear heads waning thought the pushes and thick trees. Before his very eyes, a large of force of faction soldiers, goblins, trolls, and Heartless alike trudged forward in thick droves in a cresset formation.

"Damn," Riku uttered to himself. "They're already this close to reaching the bridge. I have to stop them here." Riku made ready to unleash his Hurricane Slash attack.

It was then, up from above, the crow, which had been scouring the skies, saw Riku in the tree. Immediately, the crow began to cry out. The faction soldiers and their allies looked up to see Riku in the tree.

"Too late, you guys!" Riku rained down his attack with powerful gusts of wind. The forces of darkness, taken completely by surprise, were struck with devastating results by the attack. Many of those in the front line were eliminated instantly.

Several of the faction soldiers aimed their blasters and fired away at Riku. The treetops were severed from their trunks as the soldiers fired away, hoping to hit the agile young key bearer. Riku descended to the ground and unleashed Cinder Canister. The seven fire spheres slammed into the ranks of the soldiers. There were deafening explosions, but the soldiers did not back down. Instead, they continued to press forward.

The forest was set aflame because of Riku's attack. Riku, quickly dowsed the flames with Iceberg Shuriken. This attack put out the fire and froze many of the enemy troops at the same time.

"Noctin Tilandir," one of the soldier shouted, "It's Noctin Tilandir!"

"Kill the bastard!" another soldier shouted.

Goblins and trolls rushed in at running speed attacking Riku from all directions. They jumped on Riku, but to their surprise, the figure they jumped on was not Riku at all.

"You guys looking for me?" Riku chuckled. He rushed into the ranks of the goblins, unleashing the attack that he learned from Kenshin Himura, the Kuzu Ryu Sen. All nine strikes battered the minions of Maleficent. Dashing, evading, and striking, there was nothing that this young man couldn't handle as he battled against the oncoming legions of the dark forces.

"Don't just stand there, you idiots," another officer shouted, "Kill him!"

Goblins and Heartless rushed into the fray, ready to battle against Riku, but the agile young key bearer, through all his experience on the battlefield, since he was fifteen, managed to fend off the frontal assault of the enemy. By this time, even the might Behemoths were eliminated with one shot. However, it was the goblins and the Midnight Faction forces that proved to be the most aggravating. Despite not being as intimidating in appearance as the heartless, their skills were greater. The elite faction soldiers for one thing were equal in strength to Riku and each managed to engage in a well matched one on one battle with the key bearer.

This disadvantage came to clear for Riku as the faction soldiers ganged up on him from all directions. The youth eventually found himself between and rock and a hard place as the faction soldiers, the goblins, and the heartless rained down on him from all directions at the same time.

Riku used every technique he knew, every attack he had in his arsenal, every summoning spell was used. Simba, Dumbo, and Bambi were the most frequently used. O course, young prince Bambi was no longer an innocent little faun. He had grown a pair of antlers and was a fine looking stag. Now, instead of prancing about, delivering bubble to replenish Riku's mp, Bambi executed a series of devastating rush attacks, which tore through the ranks of the goblins and Heartless. But even with the use of his entire arsenal and even with two keyblades, Riku found himself slowly being pushed back.

"So far, these guys just aren't giving up." Riku thought to himself. "Not only are they tough, but they have uncountable numbers coming at me all at once." Riku used combination attacks, hoping to further soften up the ranks of the dark forces. They worked for a while before the enemy regrouped again.

"You can't take us all on!" one faction officer shouted.

"So far, I think I'm doing well!" Riku replied.

"Is that so? Then try this on for size!" Riku suddenly saw the faction soldiers form their ranks. Their blasters ready to fire, they fired at the key bearer with a massive volley.

"This is not good!" Riku jumped out of the way as the explosions from the blasters bellowed out no more than a few feet away from him. Riku deployed the darkness decoys, but they were suddenly wiped out from all sides. Riku looked to find himself almost completely surrounded by faction soldiers and their allies.

A barrage rained on the loan key bearer and Riku had to take shelter behind a natural trench.

"Keep firing men!" one of the officers shouted. "Blow that meddlesome key bearer away." The barrage continued and Riku was starting to run out of options. He unleashed an Aeroga shield to protect himself from the bombardment.

"Surrender yourself, key bearer!" another officer declared. "Make your suffering less than it already is."

"That's not an option open for me." Riku uttered. "I've already used up Sora's summoning spells to their utmost maximum. Only two of them are left. One of them is the nimbus and I don't intend to use that unless it was for a last resort. The other is this untested summoning spell, Kirby." Riku pondered at the idea of using this other summoning spell, Kirby. "Well, better now than never I guess. Come on out Kirby!" Riku drew out Sora's keyblade and from the staff of glittering steel, a bright light emerged. And from that light, a little pink ball, like that of a gumdrop, appeared before Riku. It had two blue eyes and little red shoes.

"This is Kirby?" Riku said. Kirby flipped into the air and smiled. "Well, let's see what you're made of little guy."

Kirby made an adorable high pitched squeak. He then jumped onto the exposed ground where the faction soldiers were initiating their barrage.

"What are you doing?" Riku uttered. "Don't just go out there!"

Kirby stood steadfast before then enemy. The faction soldiers held their fire and lowered their weapons as they saw this little pink ball, no higher than two feet, suddenly emerge from the safety of its cover to face the bulk of the dark coalition.

"What is that?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Is that one of Riku's secret weapons." Another added.

"It doesn't look so tough." A third soldier shouted.

"Is that the best you can do, Riku?"-

"What is this? Is this some kind of sick joke?"-

"Your summoning spells have certainly downgraded, key bearer."-

"Are we supposed to be afraid now!" There was a burst of laughter from the ranks of the faction soldiers.

"Great," Riku thought, "What the heck is that little guy supposed to be doing? Is he trying to knock them out of commission with his cuteness?"

"We don't have time to be gawking at a pink pachinko ball!" one of the officers said. "We still have a mission to fulfill! Kill the key bearer at once and capture the last of the rebellious monarchs!"

"What'll I do now?" Riku thought to himself. "That goofy little summoning spell is useless."

The faction soldiers aimed their blasters and began to fire again. But suddenly, as the beams came rushing against Riku and the little summoning spell, Kirby suddenly began to inhale with his powerful lungs. His mouth grew wide and he seemed to expand like a balloon. Soon, the incoming energy waves suddenly shifted and were sucked into a strong vortex leading into Kirby's mouth.

"What in the world?" one of the soldier uttered. "What is that thing doing?"

"It's sucking in all of our shots." Another soldier said.

"Kirby's sucking in all of the blast beams from the faction weapons." Riku uttered. "But what is the purpose to doing that, what is he trying to prove?"

Soon, after consuming all of the beams, Kirby was ten times bigger than he was before.

"I don't get it." Riku said to himself. "Does he get bigger with every ounce of energy he swallows?"-

"We don't have time for this!" one of the faction officers shouted. "Fire away at Riku and take that big pink blob out with him!"

"Yes sir!" the soldier replied. They aimed their blasters and made ready to commence with another barrage. But as they made ready to unleash another bombardment, Kirby suddenly exhaled, spitting out the energy waves fired by the soldiers. The soldiers were now targets of their own attacks.

Fearing this strange predicament, many of the soldiers ran out of range, while other ducked and covered. The barrage was thrown back at the faction and many of the soldiers were forced to hit the ground as the beams went flying at them.

"That stupid thing actually spat our own barrage back at us." One of the soldiers uttered.

"Keep your heads down!" one of the officers ordered. "That thing is more dangerous than we thought."

"You're telling me." Riku uttered as he saw the little pink ball display a grand retaliatory strike against the faction and their allies. "Maybe Kirby is a lot more resourceful than what I earlier gave him credit for.


	38. The Foundation

The Foundation

Following that sudden retaliation, the faction soldiers regrouped and commenced with firing at Riku and the pink ball again. But as before, little Kirby inhales deeply and sucks in all the energy beams. He then spews them out in a retaliatory barrage, inflicting a great deal of destruction upon the dark coalition. The faction soldiers were clever enough to evade the barrage, but many of the Heartless, some too slow in their reaction, were extinguished by the bombardment. But despite that, more heartless appeared to take their place.

Even so, however, the presence of Kirby was enough to keep the forces at bay. Riku kept Kirby out for the extended amount of time that the summoning spell would allow. Soon, Kirby, using up all of the time of the spell, diminished back into Sora's keyblade. Riku once again found himself alone for the time being.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted." He uttered. Riku continued to battle against the forces of the dark coalition, taking on either multiple opponents, or one on one, depending upon the amount of strength that they had. "I haven't had anything a tough as this since the last time I battled against the Dark Empire. Bring it on you circus freaks!"

But just as he was reaching the height of his adrenalin, he confronted two foes that he wishes had gone last. From out of the ranks of the advancing Heartless, the Super Anti-Riku and the Super Anti-Sora, leftovers from the days of the Dark Empire, came rushing towards the young key bearer.

"Not these two guys again." Riku uttered. Deploying his keyblades, Riku took the assault head on. He fought both antis at the same time, evading and blocking, at the same time slashing and cutting. But the Super antis, unlike other Heartless foes, were not so easy to defeat, especially when both worked as a team against one.

"Keep attacking!" one officer shouted.

"Hold those orders at once." The senior officer implied.

"Sir?"-

"This is excellent, Riku might have been more than a match for our soldiers, but it seems he's having a little difficulty facing against those two opponents. We just have to wait till those two heartless wear him down. Then we initiate our own attack. Prepare our frontline soldiers to execute a volley fire."-

"Sir?"-

"You heard me. We will fire at Noctin Tilandir while he's battling the two antis. That'll further weaken him."-

"As you command sir," The subordinate officer turned to his men. "Faction soldiers, form firing step!"

The soldiers formed two ranks, one kneeling while the other stood. In the meantime, Riku continued to battle against the combined forces of the antis.

"You might have gotten the best of me six years ago in Vandor," Riku said, "But you won't get the best of me now!"

Riku's strength had certainly tripled since the confrontation against Dark Empire six years before, despite the temporary peace that was enjoyed since then. It was perhaps because of his battles with the Midnight Faction and the Heartless that awoke his true potency again.

But as it seemed that the young key bearer was gaining the upper hand over his shadowy foes, the two antis suddenly dispersed.

"What's the matter," Riku said, "You had enough already." But as he gazed in the distance, he saw five dozen gleaming blaster barrels aims directly at him. "Oh boy…"

"Fire!" the senior officer ordered. Instantly, all five dozen blasters went off at once. Riku unleashed Aeroga shield to protect him from the barrage. The key bearer was virtually consumed by the explosions. Though the shield managed to block the majority effect of the barrage, Riku was still blown away by the powerful sound waves that managed to pierce through the shield's protective barrier. Riku fell to the ground as the explosions continued to erupt around him.

"That was a little over the top!" he thought to himself as he regained his stance.

"Second volley fire!" he heard the senior officer shouted. Riku looked again to see the faction soldiers aim their blasters.

"Damn it!"-

"Fire!" Once again, there was a second barrage from the faction ranks. Riku quickly unleashed darkness decoys and spread them throughout the area. The soldiers began to fire at the decoys, allowing Riku to retaliate.

"Eat this!" Riku shouted. He unleashed Cinder Canister and hailed his own barrage on the ranks of the faction soldiers. The majority of the firing line had been taken completely by surprise and was hit head on by the large fire spheres.

"Reform your ranks!" the senior officer shouted. "Reform your ranks and return fire!"

"These guys just don't give up." Riku uttered to himself. "Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he saw the anti-Sora charging from his flank. From his other flank, the anti-Riku made its move. Riku, using his keyblades, blocked the shadow swords of the two Heartless. "You guys never seem to give up do you? But then again, you are derived from Sora and my battle data."

"Kill key bearer…" the anti-Riku suddenly uttered. This caught Riku by surprise. He had never once heard a heartless speak to him.

"You…you can talk?"-

"Kill key bearer…" the Heartless said again. The anti Sora suddenly swirled about and cut Riku at the side.

"Damn it!" Riku said. He evaded the two Heartless and withdrew to a safe distance. He reached to his side, feeling a large cut on the lower part of his rib cage. He looked at his hand and saw the blood smeared on his palm. His shirt too was stained with blood.

"Kill key bearer…" the anti-Sora uttered.

"Great," Riku uttered, "Both of you can talk."

But just then, the two antis dispersed again. Riku knew what would be coming soon after the retreat. He looked to find that the firing line had reassembled and made ready to fire at him.

"Oh no," Riku said, "not again."

"Aim well, men!" the senior officer of the faction roared. "Volley fire present, fire!"

All at once, the blasters went off. Riku unleashed Aeroga shield again to block the attack. Once again, he was overwhelmed by the shock of the barrage and was sent hurling backwards, tumbling on the ground.

As the barrage ended, the two antis made their attack again.

"Blast it all," Riku thought to himself, as he found himself confronted by the two antis once again, "Those two are attacking again?" Once again, the two went into hand to hand combat. It didn't take long for Riku to recognize the pattern that was unfolding before him. "I see, they've come up with a strategy. While the two antis attack me, the faction soldiers prepare to initiate another barrage. Once they see that I've gained the upper hand over the two antis, they unleash another barrage. In the meantime, the two antis withdraw to regroup themselves and make ready for another assault. They're slowly wearing me down so that I can be easier to take defeat."

Riku got back on his feet, anticipating the next attack by the two antis. Sure enough, from out of the dust and the debris, the two super antis came rushing from two different directions, hoping to catch Riku off guard, but by this time, the key bearer had figured out the strategy and knew how to counter it.

"I have to somehow rid myself of these two antis first."-

The senior officer watched as Riku continued to confront the two antis.

"So," he uttered, "Noctin Tilandir has caught on to our little diversion. He caught on a lot faster than I had expected." He turned to the subordinate officer. "Send the rest of the Heartless, goblins, and faction soldiers to carry out with their mission at the cottage where the queen and the princess are being held. In the meantime, we will deal with Noctin Tilandir."

"Of course, sir." The subordinate officer replied.

"And once he has been disposed of, I will send his still corpse back to Lord Sirius Viicous."-

"Yes sir." He turned to the force. "Firing line and super antis remain where you are and continued with attacking Noctin Tilandir. All other units proceed to the cottage to capture the queen and the princess. Then return them to Maleficent's castle."

The goblins and the heartless continued on their way, passed where Riku made his stand and made their way through the thicket.

However, their movements did not go unnoticed by Riku, who watched as the rest of the dark coalition began to move forward, passed him.

"So," Riku thought to himself, "The rest of the coalition is making their way to where Sora and the others are. That means I can't stay here fighting these two antis." Riku continued to battle against the elite heartless. "I have to take care of this thing now. When they retreat the next time and the next barrage commences, that's when I will make my move."

Riku made sure to time his actions perfectly, making it look as if his attention was still concentrating on the fight against the two antis. He made it seem as if he were gaining the upper hand again, knowing what would happen as a result.

Sure enough, both antis withdrew from the battle again and the glow of the blaster barrels illuminated in the brush.

"Now…" Riku uttered.

"Fire away!" the senior officer shouted. Once again, the barrage from the blasters commenced. Riku braced himself for the impact. Sure enough, the intensity of the barrage struck him head on.

The two heartless waited for the barrage to end. Sure enough, as Riku reappeared out of the dust, staggering to his feet, the two antis went in for the kill. Taking the key bearer completely by surprise, both struck from the rear and the flank. Riku was cut into quarters. But as the two antis realized, the figure that they cut was not Riku at all, but a decoy.

Suddenly, the real key bear emerged behind the two antis.

"Peek-a-boo, you Buggers you!" Riku shouted. "Not so tough when it's you taken by surprise!" Riku unleashed the musou attack, which he picked up from Lu Bu six years before. Initiating powerful spinning strikes, he caught the two antis in a continuous pummel, juggernauting them continuously, before ending the attack with an overhead strike. The two heartless were destroyed instantly.

"He defeated the super antis, both of them." The senior officer uttered.

"And as for you," Riku said, turning his aggression towards the faction soldiers. He unleashed Hurricane Slash and blew the ranks of the soldiers apart. Riku then remembered that he had higher obligations to attend to.

He made a swift retreat back to the cottage. Silently moving about in the brush, he concealed his movements from the eyes of even the observant crow, who was watching the movements of the troops.

In the meantime, back at the cottage, Aurora sat next to Sora's bed, watching the youth soundly sleep.

"He's still so young, after all these years." Aurora thought to herself.

"How is our little warrior doing?" the queen asked as she came into the bed chamber."

"He's still sleeping like a lamb."-

"I wonder how young Riku is doing." The queen looked out in the distance of the thicket. The sound of explosions and flashes of light, which were earlier observed, had ceased, indicating that the fighting had ended for the time being.

"I only fear the worst for Riku." Flora said as she walked into the bedroom soon after hearing the conversation between mother and daughter. "He's fighting on his own against how many of those brutes."

"I fear that Riku may die." Aurora uttered.

"No…" a voice said. The three ladies turned to Sora who had just awakened from his slumber and heard the conversation that went on. "Riku will not die. He's taken one far worst numbers than this."

"But he is still human, Sora." Flora said. "Why is it that you put so much faith in him?"

"Because I know Riku, he will never bow down to the likes of our enemies. He will fight even at the cost of his own life." Sora suddenly sat up out of bed.

"Sora…" the ladies uttered fearful of his condition.

"We must believe in him and he will succeed."-

"Sora, you shouldn't be moving like that." Flora uttered.

"I have endured far worse pain than this."-

It was at that moment that Fauna came barging into the room.

"Flora, Your Majesty, Rose," she cried, "Riku is crossing the bridge!"

"What was that?" the queen uttered. The ladies looked out and saw Riku rushing over the bridge, his hand clasped to his side.

"He's been wounded." Flora uttered.

"He must've had to fight against an overwhelming force of soldiers and Heartless." Sora uttered.

"What is he doing?" Fauna asked.

"He's taking his stance at the bridge." The queen uttered.

Suddenly, from out of the thicket, hundreds of goblins, heartless, and faction soldiers appeared charging head long against the key bearer. The cottage was within striking range of the enemy now, but Riku had created a strong defense. He rushed in against the oncoming ranks and wiped out several opponents at once. Each strike regained his mp, thus he was able to execute magic spells and devastating attacks.

Riku had replenished the summoning spells and unleashed them against the ranks of the incoming enemy. He used Simba as a cannon. His powerful roars wiped out the majority of the heartless and forced many of the faction soldiers and goblins to withdraw with temporary hearing loss. But the attack continued. The Heartless ranks were replenished and commenced with the assault.

The young key bearer unleashed his Cinder Canister and demolished the bulk of the front line attackers, but still the enemy pushed forward.

"That young man is certainly a brave one." The queen uttered.

"Even though he's injured," Aurora added, "He still fights for us, concerned only with our safety."

The battle was watched from afar by the senior officer of the dark coalition. He was outraged by the results of this battle.

"I can't understand it." He said. "That young man is able to combat our entire coalition single handed?"

"He's not called Noctin Tilandir for nothing, sir."-

"Well, enough of this foolery. Aim our blasters at the cottage."-

"But sir, the queen and the princess…?"-

"Riku cannot fight off our attacking masses and defend the cottage at the same time."-

"But the safety of the queen and the princess…?"-

"Is irrelevant," the senior officer roared. "If they die, then so be it! Maleficent only wants them out of the way! She's bound to kill them anyway in the future, so let's just save her all the trouble of having to do it herself!"

"As you command," the subordinate officer uttered. He turned to the firing ranks. "Form firing step here for double effect! Set blasters to maximum, fire at the cottage!"

The faction soldiers made ready and aimed at the cottage. As Riku continued to fight, he happened to look in the distance to once again find the glowing barrels of the Imperial blasters. But they were not aimed at him this time. He realized what it was they were aiming for.

"No…" Riku uttered. "Sora…!" It was too late for him to do anything to prevent the blasters from going off. The blasters fired a volley at the cottage. But as the beams drew closer and closer to the cottage, what looked like a wave of glittery red dust bellowed from the window. The beams, once struck by this wave were suddenly transformed into spring flowers and harmlessly struck the sides of the cottage. This sudden turn left both sides bewildered.

"What just happened…" the senior officer uttered. "Explain this to me! How did out barrage suddenly be turned into bouquets of falling pansies!"

"I don't know sir." The subordinate officer said.

"It must've been…" Riku uttered. He looked at the window to see Flora picking out of the second story window.

"We have to help." Flora said.

"But we have to stay here…" Fauna replied. "Riku said…"

"Do you want them to fire at the cottage again?"-

"Well no…"-

"Then, let's do our part!"-

"Let's get 'em!" Meriwether shouted. The three fairies reduced themselves in size and fluttered out into the battlefield in the form of three glowing lights of green, blue, and red.

"Sorry, Riku," Flora cried, "But we're helping you no matter how much you object."

"Your helps appreciated." Riku replied.

"Enough stalling," the senior officer shouted. "Destroy that cottage at all costs!"

"Front firing rank, commence firing while second line holds in reserve!" the subordinate officer shouted. "Front rank, independence, fire at will!"

The faction soldiers unleashed their own barrage of energy beams and aimed them well at the cottage.

"We have to protect the cottage." Flora shouted. They began to unleash their spells and transformed the aggressive incoming beams into other harmless material and things of beauty such as bubbles or flower peddles. The onslaught continued as the forces of dark coalition further rained their aggressiveness against this thin line of defenders.

"Do you think that they'll be able to hold off the Midnight Faction indefinitely, Mother?" Aurora asked.

"I don't know." The queen replied. But all we can do right now is wait and hope. But as she turned, she realized that someone was missing. "Oh dear…"

Aurora looked. They were still in Sora's bed chamber, but there was someone missing from the room.

Sora…

"Sora, Sora," Aurora called.

"Oh no," the queen uttered, "He must've gone down stairs to help fight."

"But he's in no condition to fight." Aurora wanted to rush out of the bed chamber, but her mother stopped her.

"No, Aurora, you can't go out there now. Otherwise you'll put yourself in danger."-

"But Mother…"-

"Sora feels helpless when lying in bed. He wants to help his friend and that's what we'll allow him to do."-

As the battle raged on, it seemed that attacking the cottage head on was of no effect now that the three good fairies had entered the fray, using their magic to thwart the long range assault of the Midnight Faction and their allies. Even the goblins, some armed with bow and arrow, their projectiles were transformed into harmless pedals or bubbles, or what have you. And with Riku guarding the creek, not even a frontal assault by the dark coalition proved effective. Somehow, Riku had managed to fend off every wave, blasting them with Cinder Canister, blowing them away with Hurricane Slash, Freezing them in place with Iceberg Shurikens, deceiving with Darkness Decoys, unleashed hell with Lu Bu's musou mode, or plowed through the enemy with the help of Kenshin's Kuzu Ryu Sen. Using swift attacks and simple strikes to replenish his mp, Riku was able to maintain a strong defense against such a mass force.

However, the majority of his attackers were either Heartless, or goblins. The faction soldiers, not willing to sacrifice their own lives in the slaughter, hung back, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

"Shall our forces attack now?" the subordinate officer asked as he watched his allies rush into the fray only to be met by death and stiff resistance.

"I am not willing to sacrifice any faction soldiers for such an onslaught." The senior officer replied.

"But sir, our allies are taking the worst of it."-

"And let them continue to do so." The senior officer looked about and realized that the fairies were too much of a hassle to deal with so he decided to go for the next best thing, a full head on assault on the bridge. But he knew that waves of heartless and men wouldn't do the job, so he decided to initiate a barrage on Riku. "Concentrate all of your fire power on Riku and take that key bearer out."

"But sir, you know perfectly well that a barrage on the key bearer won't have any effect."-

"We'll just see. Initiate the bombardment and then send in the heartless and the goblins!"-

"Yes sir…" The subordinate gave the order and the attacks died down for a time. He then turned to the firing line. "Commence volley fire, aim for the bridge. Make ready, take aim," The ranks of the firing line aimed at Riku, who was battling his last goblin. "Pour it on, boys, fire!"

The firing line shot at the bridge. Riku and his last opponent were blown away by the attack. Riku fell on his back and tumbled about on the ground. As he regained consciousness, he heard the orders given.

"Attack!" cried one of the officers. Then, soon after, the roar of a hundred men came out. Riku looked to find dozens of men practically on top of him. He still held onto his keyblade, but he had lost grip of the other and did not know where it was.

"Damn it…" Riku uttered. But as the Heartless made ready to deliver the final blow, a blast of fire bellowed from behind, blowing away the front soldiers.

Riku was stunned at what happened. Where did that blast of fire come from? He looked behind him to fine yet another surprise.

It was Sora.

"Sora," Riku uttered. "What are you doing out here?"

"What does it look like?" Sora replied, his breath still heavy. He grasped onto the sealed wound on his chest. "I'm giving you a hand."

"Sora, you nut, are you trying to kill yourself? I told you to stay inside!"-

"Sorry Riku, but I can't do that anymore."-

"Sora…"-

"You take care of the creek. I'll fight on the bridge."-

"Sora…" Riku smiled and nodded. "Alright then, stay here and don't let anyone get passed you."

"You can count on me, Riku…"-

"Then let's do this."-

Riku and Sora took their stance.

"Sora," the senior officer uttered, "Where did he come from?"

"I thought he was dead?" the senior officer uttered.

"Apparently not, but by the looks of those bandages on him, he must've bee severely wounded." The senior officer folded his arms in front of him. "He won't be as big a threat as Riku. Send in the majority of our troops to attack the bridge."

"Yes sir." He turned to the reserves. "Units seven, ten, and fourteen, take out Riku. All goblin and Heartless forces attack the bridge!"

Another attack was initiated, but this time faction soldiers joined the fray. They went after Riku, while the heartless and the goblins went after the weakened Sora.

Flora, Fauna, and Meriwether gazed down find Sora at the front.

"Hey look," Meriwether said, "It's Sora."

"What's he doing here?" Flora wondered.

"Well, it looks like he's going to fight, dear." Fauna replied.

"I can see that, but why is fighting?"-

"Some souls never find satisfaction in sitting around, Flora." Meriwether said. "He's persistent and determined, but I guess what gives him the right to wield the keyblade."

"I suppose you're right, but even the keyblade master can't sustain himself after suffering such wounds."-

The forces of the dark coalition rushed forward into the battle.

"Here they come." Riku said; his keyblade drawn and ready. "Are you ready for this, Sora?"

"Let's do this." Sora replied, still grasping at his wounds.

The two key bearers made their stance. The shock of the outcome, however, soon became obvious to the dark coalition. Despite the elite status of the faction soldiers, even they were no match against the power of Noctin Tilandir. As for Sora, despite his wounds, he proved to be just as tough, even against an overwhelming number of goblins and heartless.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing!" Fauna uttered.

"I see it, but I still don't believe it!" Meriwether added.

"They're actually fending off the attackers." Fauna said.

Riku, using swift attacks and sudden bursts of energy, managed to defeat even the best of the faction soldiers. At the same time, Sora did battle with the bulk of the heartless and the goblins. He slashed right and left, cutting down any heartless or goblin or troll that dared to pass him. But as he did, the pain of his wounds increased with every swing and every thrust. The attack on the bridge was dying down by then though as Sora's wounds grew worse. As he defeated his last attacker, Sora finally collapsed to the ground, falling to one knee and grasping his chest. Riku saw his friend fall as he sent the last faction soldier running to rejoin his ranks.

"Sora," he shouted, "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine, Riku," Sora uttered, "Just worry about protecting the perimeter."

"Don't worry, Riku!" Flora shouted from above. "We'll watch after Sora."

"Thanks a lot." Riku replied.

Once again, the senior officer of the dark coalition was angered.

"I can't believe it," he said, "even a frontal assault on the bridge and a full charge on the perimeter weren't able to break their defense."

"What shall we do, sir?" the subordinate officer asked. "Riku alone is enough to match against even the S class soldiers."

"We still have superior numbers and enough resources initiate another major assault, but this time, we're going to attack at their weak points. I want unit fifteen to fire on the cottage. Send unit seven with a support of goblins and heartless to attack from the right flank and initiate hot masking fire. And I want unit eight to climb that cliff side and take the cottage from above. Do whatever it takes to keep the key bearers on their toes. Not even they can cover that wide a perimeter."-

"Yes sir." The subordinate turned to the men. "Unit fifteen, take aim and destroy the cottage from here. Unit seven attack from the right and initiate a flanking movement to keep the key bearers concentrated in that area. Maintain a volley fire and avoid frontal assaults. And Unit eight climb the cliff side and descend upon the cottage from above."-

The units quickly mobilized and divided themselves and quickly began to move.

The movement didn't evade Sora's gaze who saw the units divide into three.

"Riku," he uttered.

"What is it, Sora?" Riku asked.

"Another unit has mobilized, they're moving against the left flank."-

"I see."-

"What'll we do?"-

"We have to protect the cottage at all costs." Flora shouted from above.

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Meriwether asked. "Our magic can only do so much."

"We'll have to do the best we can."-

"Then brace yourselves," Sora shouted, "Here they come!"

This time, the Heartless were the ones to rush head long into the charge.

"Where the heck are all these heartless coming from?" Riku asked. "They must've concealed their numbers somehow."

Suddenly, he watched as Sora collapsed again, this time falling to both knees and grasping his gut.

"Riku…" he uttered.

"Sora," Riku shouted. He looked and saw the wounds had opened again and the blood was seeping through the bandages.

"I'm sorry, Riku, I'm sorry, but I can't go on any further."-

"Just stay down, Sora, you've done enough!"-

"But if I stop now, they'll overwhelm us."-

"Stay down, Sora! Otherwise, you'll kill yourself even faster!"-

But Sora continued to stagger. Riku concentrated on three things now. Not only did he have to worry about Sora's condition, but he had to worry about the oncoming Heartless and the flanking maneuvers by the faction soldiers.

"Damn it," he uttered, "Not even I can defend an area that wide by myself."

"Sporadic fire commence!" one of the flanking officers shouted. "Fire away, lads!"

There was a barrage of energy beams from the right flank.

"No you don't!" Flora cried as she rushed to protect the cottage. Using her spell, she turned the incoming beams into bubbles. But because the faction now pertained a wide parameter around the cottage, her magic had been narrowed down and could not extinguish some of the beams. One or two of the beams had managed to pass her and they struck at the cottage. There was a deafening explosion as the beams struck the side of the house and the old waterwheel.

"No," Fauna uttered, "the cottage…"

"Your Majesties!" Meriwether cried.

"We're alright!" they heard the queen cried. "We're both alright."

"Thank goodness."-

"They're alright!" Fauna cheered.

"But there's no way that we can battle against this kind of strategy." Riku uttered. "Not on our own."

"Well, what do you suggest we do?"-

"I'm thinking about it, I'm thinking about it!"-

"Well, you'd better hurry!" Meriwether cried.

"Damn it, what do I do?" the key bearer thought to himself. He looked at Sora who had managed to stagger to his feet and was now leaning on the railing of the bridge. He looked at the damaged cottage and he looked at the three little fairies, who were slowly wearing out their magic. "It seems hopeless."

The senior officer on the other hand was rather overjoyed with the results.

"This is excellent," he chuckled, "That last strategy caught them off guard that time! One final assault ought to cease their resistance!" He turned to his men. "All units attack!"

All at once, the faction, the minions of Maleficent, and an ever growing number of heartless began to move forward all at once.

"No," Sora uttered, "There's no way we can battle against that many on our own."

"I hate to say it," Riku added, "But this may be a situation that we can't handle on our own."

"It's because of me." Sora uttered. "If it wasn't for me be a burden…"

"Now's not the time to be feeling sorry for yourself, Sora! It's not gonna help anything!"-

"I'm sorry…" Sora smiled as he tried to stand erected. But the pain caused him to collapse again. By this time, the blood was dripping down his chest and his abdomen. To ad, a stream of blood suddenly formed on the side of his mouth and dripped down his chin. Riku saw this ghastly sight. It was far worse from the first time.

"Oh my God," he thought to himself. "Sora's wounds have opened again and it's bleeding more profusely than before. He must've suffered internal injury fighting this battle."

Sora, no longer able to maintain his strength, collapsed to the ground and with him, the hopes of surviving the massive charge.

"Commence volley fire!" one of the flanking officers shouted. "Volley fire present…!"

"No," Riku uttered. "Is this it…?" He could only watch on as the blasters of the faction soldiers were raised.

But suddenly, from out of blue, a black, spinning object descended and struck each of the bombardiers, halting the volley. Riku spotted the spinning object and realized what it was that had struck down the faction soldiers.

"That was a black fan." Riku uttered. "Only one person could strike with a fan like that, as such long distance, with such deadly accuracy." Riku's hopes had been rekindled as he saw the gothic black fan boomerang back to it point of origin.

Sure enough, the fan reached the cliff side just above the cottage and was clutched into the hand of the one who threw it.

Colonel Billiard and the KH team had finally arrived.

"Well, well," Ophelia said, "I see that you managed to hold down the fort while we were absent."

"How did you find us?" Riku asked.

"With all the energy you were releasing, there was no way we could ignore it."-

"Alright you guys and gals," Cuchulain said, "Let's finish this!"

"Here we come to save the day!" Goofy shouted at the last minute.

The KH team quickly deployed themselves and rushed to the battlefield. This predicament was completely unexpected to the senior officers of the dark coalition.

"The KH team," he uttered, "How did they get here without us detecting them? We have the elite S class soldiers engaged here. We should have sensed them coming here. Their presence was downwind somewhere."

"They must've been able to conceal their movements somehow. Perhaps it had something to do with that hint of distance fire we detected earlier." The subordinate uttered. "They were probably the ones who initiated it in order to conceal their movements."

"Never mind." The senior officer shouted. "Just take them all out! Since they're here, let's take them all out!"

"All faction units, all Heartless, all goblins forward, eliminate the KH team and their allies! And kill the traitors of the faction, Colonel Ophelia Billiard and Cunla, son of the Hound of Ulster!"

With no holds barred, the entire dark coalition rushed forward. The Faction soldiers attacked each of the KH team members.

Cunla was confronted by the bulk of the faction solders.

"We'll show you what happens to those who turn against the Midnight Faction!" one of the soldiers shouted. "Die you traitor!"

"No one calls me a traitor and lives!" Cunla said. "I was merely a means to an end in the eyes of your superiors, you utilitarianist pigs! I won't let you use anyone else as a means to your ends any further!" Cunla drew out his sword. "Come and face the son of the Hound if you dare!"

The battle had once again been reinforced, this time in favor of the KH team. With the three good fairies to aid them as well, the tide of battle had turned.

Cuchulain jumped down to aid Sora and Riku. As he descended, he saw Sora laying face down on the ground.

"Sora," Cuchulain shouted. He ran to the youth's side and turned him over on his back. "Sora, are you OK?"

Sora looked to find the Hound gazing down on him.

"Cuchulain…" Sora uttered and smiled. "You made it…"

"Goofy," Cuchulain shouted.

"I'm coming!" Goofy cried. He ran over to the Hound and looked down at Sora. He then noticed the hideous wounds and how the blood seeped through the bandages. "What happened to Sora?"

"He must've been severely wounded somehow. We need a senzu bean."-

"I gotcha," Goofy took out the bag of senzu beans and pulled one out of the sack. He placed it in Sora's mouth. "Here you go, Sora, a nice senzu bean for you."

"Thank you, Goofy…" Sora uttered. He chewed on the senzu and swallowed it. Almost immediately thereafter, Sora stood back on his feet, fully charged and ready to go. "Alright, I'm back in action!"

"Great," Cuchulain said, "Then let's get out there and give the faction a taste of defeat!"

"Right!" Sora and Goofy said in unison. They split up and took their positions along the line. Cuchulain rejoined his son who fought head to head with the oncoming Heartless, goblins, and former comrades. Goofy rejoined Donald and Miss Billiard who confronted the Heartless in the center. The three good fairies provided air support and prevented the dark coalition from firing upon the cottage. And at the far left flank, Riku and Sora reunited to battle against their enemies.

"Hey there, Sora," Riku said as he saw Sora rejoin him, "I take it that Goofy gave you a Senzu bean."

"That's right." Sora replied. "Now, I'm back in action!"

"Let's show 'em what real power is!"-

"Hyper Mode Fusion!" Riku and Sora combined their strengths and formed the ultimate fusion warrior.

The senior officer saw this fusion between the key bearers and witnessed the emerging of a new foe. He watched as this single entity rushed into the ranks of the condensed heartless and broke them up with in seconds of engaging into battle.

"How is that possible?" the senior officer uttered. "The two key bearers have been able to form some sort of fusion to create one warrior."

"I thought that that young key bearer, Sora, was wounded?" the subordinate officer asked. "How could he be back on his feet? It's as if he had no wounds to start with."

"Could it be the Curaga spell? No it can't be. That spell is only effective on injuries inflicted by the dark element. It only heals wounds made by the heartless, or for that matter anyone else who uses the dark element. It can't heal physical wounds."

They could only watch as Riku and Sora slashed about at the Heartless and the goblins in a single body, double keyblades slashing away. Left and right, they took out their opponents, especially the Heartless, from the largest of Behemoths, to the toughest of defenders, to the cleverness of the Simeon like Bouncywilds, with their slingshots and their slippery bananas.

The goblins were also pummeled as they attacked the KH team members, one after the other. Though with superior numbers, their attacks were weak and each individual troll and goblin was merely an irritation.

However, it was the presence of the faction soldiers that proved to be the most significant obstacle. They were tougher than most faction soldiers that came before and knew how to initiate their attacks as a well trained unit. But even so, even with their unity, the faction soldiers were only effective against average foot soldiers. But fighting the KH team was another matter, especially when there were two former faction officers fighting along side them.

"This battle does not look good." The subordinate officer uttered. "Not even our overwhelming numbers are enough to stop them now!"

"Nonsense," the senior officer uttered. "We still have a large reserve of Heartless. Send them in and tell the goblins and our soldiers to withdraw for the time being. We'll tire out the KH team members first before we risk losing any of our more prized soldiers."

"Yes sir." He turned to the drummers. "Give the sound for withdrawal of faction and goblin soldiers! All Heartless units forward to engage against the KH team!"

The drummers began to pound their instruments, giving the signal for the goblins and the faction soldiers to fall back. Upon hearing the call of the drums, the goblins and the faction soldiers withdrew from the field and hundreds of heartless rushed forward to take their place.

"The faction soldiers and the goblins are withdrawing." Cuchulain said.

"They're only sending in the heartless this time." Ophelia added.

"Well it doesn't matter," the fusion warrior said with his double keyblades. "Let them come and fight us as best they can! It'll all be for not!" The fusion warrior rushed into the ranks of the Heartless and began to cut them down one after the other. The KH team fought the oncoming heartless who rushed at them in waves.

The Heartless, despite their numbers, were no match for the band of skilled warriors who stood in their path.

"Teach those heartless brigands a lesson!" Flora shouted from above.

"Come on," Meriwether shouted. "Let's go give them a helping hand!" The good fairies rushed into the fight. Using their magic, they were able to turn many of the heartless into bubbles or flower peddles. At times, they used their magic to cause a temporary sleeping spell upon them. But even the efforts of the fairies were not enough to be unleashed against the full force of the heartless wave.

Eventually, after ten minutes of fighting, Riku and Sora's fusion was over and the two found themselves divided once more.

"It's no use." Sora said. "Even in hyper mode, we still aren't enough for them."

"Use your rage and Saiyan devotion to break them up then." Riku said.

"I can't do that. Not in a heavily wooded area like this."-

"Let's face it," Ophelia shouted. "There are just too many heartless!"

"You got that right!"-

"That's the whole plan behind this attack," Cunla added from the cliff side, "The faction knows that our line is not so easy to break and they can't risk sacrificing more of their men. That's why their sending in only the heartless now. They intend to soften us up before they send in the elites to finish us off."

"Well, these heartless aren't going to listen to reasons." Sora said.

"Riku," Cuchulain shouted from afar. "Use that manipulation stone of yours! You can use it to control the heartless!"

"I can't do that!" Riku replied.

"What!"-

"But why not?" Ophelia asked.

"I tried it before in, but it didn't work! It didn't glow or anything!"-

"Perhaps it was the way that you were executing the attack!" Cuchulain said.

"What do you mean!" Riku asked.

"I remember when I first confronted General Dagger; he was able to execute the attack by slamming the base of his axe's staff on the floor! Maybe the energy can only be deployed through the ground!"-

"He's probably right, Riku." Sora said. "Some of the summoning spells of my keyblade that I had before required that I use the end of the it to unleash the magic. Perhaps if you were to slam the end of your keyblade to the ground that might just activate the stone's power."

"There's only one way to find out I guess." Riku replied. He shifted his keyblade underhanded. He then made the stance with both hands on the hilt as if he were to stab the ground. Sure enough, the red stone on the hilt of his keyblade began to glow. "Now come forward!"

Riku thrust his keyblade into the ground and immediately, a bight red light bellowed out.

"It's working!" Sora cried. "You did it Riku, its working!"

"That red light," Cunla uttered from afar, "Is that really the manipulation stone?"

"What is this devilry?" the senior officer uttered as he saw the light bellow out.

For an instant, the light grew so intense that it blinded all who were present on the battlefield. But as the light faded, there had been no change in the atmosphere, no change in the number of men. All was the same as before.

"What happened?" Goofy asked as he looked about.

"What was that red light that just flashed right now?" Donald added.

"Did it work?" Sora asked.

"It doesn't seem any different." Cunla added.

"No," Cuchulain replied, "Don't be so sure about that, my son."

"Ha," the senior officer scoffed. "Your efforts were all in vain, Noctin Tilandir. You have not decreased our number in any way! Heartless units, full out attack, attack the key bearers and their friends and destroy them! Destroy them all!"

But something was definitely amiss, because as the senior officer shouted his orders, he realized something. The heartless did not move on his command. Before, they had followed his every command to the letter, but now they seemed defiant, not willing to accept and follow his orders. This baffled the senior officer. "Advance, you heartless, why won't you advance!" There was still no response. The heartless remained still, as if the commander's orders fell upon deaf ears. This aggravated the senior officer. "You brainless bunch of shadowy heathens, do as I say!" Still, the heartless remained steadfast.

"What's wrong with them?" the subordinate officer asked.

"I don't know; I don't know." The senior officer clutched his fist.

"Perhaps, they've been petrified? Perhaps they were caught in a giant Stopga spell?"-

"Never mind, all goblin and faction units, take the place of these incompetent heartless!"-

"All units forward!"-

Once again, the faction soldiers and the goblins and trolls marched forward with their long spears, their pikes, their shields and swords, and blasters at the ready.

"Here they come!" Cuchulain said.

"Well, Riku," Sora asked, "What about the heartless? They stopped moving after the light shined on them. I thought they were supposed to be manipulated."

"They are manipulated." Riku replied. "I just haven't given them an order yet."

"Well, order them already! We have a thousand ticked of faction soldiers and goblins coming straight at us!"-

"Alright, let's give this thing a whirl." Riku approached the heartless. He then issued his first order. "Heartless units about face!"

Suddenly, as soon as the order was given, in unison, the heartless turned about to face the oncoming enemy.

This once again shocked the senior officer.

"What's this?" he uttered. "Why are the heartless facing us?" He then looked at Riku. "And how is it that Noctin Tilandir can suddenly shout orders to them and they obey!" He then realized what had happened. "That light, that light was somehow responsible for this turn of events. It has somehow manipulated the heartless and now they only obey Riku's command!"

"The faction and the goblins are your enemies!" Riku shouted. "Defeat them all!"

Loyal only to Riku's words now, the Heartless began their advance. As the goblins and the faction soldiers advanced, the heartless too advanced. The sudden turn of having the heartless fight against them baffled and bewildered the faction soldiers and goblins who saw the heartless attacking them suddenly. For a minute, or so, there was mass confusion amongst the dark coalition. At first, they did not know whether this was all some sort of a practical joke or whether the heartless had somehow become confused. But as the battle wore on, it was apparent to the rest of the dark coalition that the heartless had betrayed them and they were now enemies. The faction soldiers had no reason to hold back any longer and rammed themselves into the ranks of the heartless, slashing and cutting up their once trusted shadowy counterparts.

"This is how we treat traitors!" one faction soldier shouted.

"Death to the heartless!" another faction soldier shouted.

But the heartless were large in number and quickly overwhelmed the soldiers in the front. Those consumed by the heartless had their hearts swallowed up by the shadows. But such terrible sights did not deter the faction soldiers. They fired their blasters into the ranks of the heartless at point blank range, demolishing heartless by the dozens. But still, the heartless continued to rush forward.

"Alright," Riku said, "Let's push back the faction!"

"Yeah!" the rest of the KH team shouted.

"I can't believe that I'm actually fighting along side the heartless." Donald said as he and the rest of the KH team charged.

"Well, I'm used to that." Riku replied.

"This strategy has cut the numbers of the dark coalition in half!" Cuchulain shouted. "We finish this now!"

The KH team rushed into the fray, alongside the heartless, and began battling against the faction soldiers and the dark coalition. The heartless, though superior in number, were no match for the battle tested faction soldiers of the S class. But as the faction soldiers had to do battle with the key bearers and the other members of the KH team, their ferocity and invincibility almost disappeared and fell easily at the hands of the KH team. The battle was intense and within fifteen minutes or so, the heartless numbers had dwindled to half their original number. Yet at the same time, the number of faction troopers and goblin henchmen were reduced to half as well.

"We're not going to last here!" the subordinate officer shouted. "Now we're the ones on the defensive!"

"Nonsense," the senior officer shouted. "We are of the elite S class units of the Phantom Forces, we cannot possibly be defeated!"

"We have to withdraw, sir!"-

"Nonsense, maintain your formations! We will eventually break through! This low class scum cannot possibly defeat the cream of the crop! All units full attack!"-

But the faction soldiers had their limits as well and their fatigue became apparent in the final closings of the battle. There were only one or two more reserved units and even they weren't enough to stop the onslaught. During this battle, the KH team was allowed to limit the amount of power they had and let the weight of the manipulated heartless do all the work.

"Come on you guys!" Sora shouted. "We have them on the run!"

But then suddenly, from out of the blue, a large beam of energy shot down and blew away many ranks of the heartless in an instant. The KH team was also blown away, blown back across the creek to the area closest to the cottage. Each team member tumbled about before stopping in the dirt or the water of the creek.

"What just happened?" Cunla asked.

Then, as they looked up, a large mechanical beast flew down from the sky. As the KH team caught a glimpse of what it was that caused the explosion, their fears increased.

"It can't be." Cuchulain uttered.

"How did that thing manage to find us?" Ophelia uttered. "I thought we managed to evade it yesterday?"

"A mobile doll…" Sora said, his eyes filled with terror.

Yes, the lone Virgo mobile doll had found its way to the battlefield and had now descended upon the fight to aid the dark coalition. However, the dolls seemed slightly damaged and dirty, as if it had engaged in a previous battle. It's presence, though a bad sign for the KH team, was a good omen for the dark coalition.

"Well, well," the senior officer said. "It's one of the faction's mobile dolls."

"But what's it doing here?" the subordinate officer asked.

"It doesn't matter. At least it wiped out all of the heartless." The senior officer chuckled. "Ha, Noctin Tilandir, you really thought that you had the edge! Well, maybe this will teach you otherwise!" There was now a significant rise in morale in favor of the Midnight Faction and their allies. "All units destroy the KH team!"

"All units forward!"-

Once again the faction soldiers and their gobbling allies, reserves and all, marched head long against the KH team. In fact, their steady march turned into an all out charge within seconds after the order was given. And with the monstrous mobile doll looking down on them, its shield deployed and its blaster cannon fixed on the KH team, it seemed that there was no hope left for the key bearers and their friends.

"Is this it?" Ophelia uttered.

"I'm too young to die!" Donald cried.

"What are we gonna do?" Sora asked.

"I don't know." Riku replied. "We can't pierce through that shield with our strengths alone and that beam cannon is enough to clear this entire area."

"Then, I guess it's the end for us." Goofy said.

"No," Sora shouted, "I won't let it end like this!"

But his fiery declaration was all in vain as they watched the beam cannon of the lone Virgo suddenly glow. It made ready to fire its massive beam cannon at point blank range into the KH team.

Just then, as if fate made another turn, a red beam of light appeared from out of the canopy of trees and shot off the head of the mobile doll from behind. Almost instantly, the doll's functions ceased. Its massive beam cannon stopped glowing and its shield disks and severed head fell to the ground, causing large indentations in the soil.

Both sides were baffled at what had happened and the fighting against stopped.

"What just happened?" Sora asked.

"Look," Ophelia shouted, pointing upward, "the doll's head has been severed from its body." The KH team looked up.

"But how?" Cunla asked.

"Weird." Donald uttered.

"That monster was defeated?" Flora said, still hovering above the cottage. "But by whom?"

"Or what is more like it." Meriwether added.

"The mobile doll's head has been severed?" the senior officer uttered. "But by what source?"

"I don't know sir." The subordinate officer replied.

Suddenly, the dolls metal body began to collapse backward, falling upon the ranks of the dark coalition. The faction soldiers quickly dispersed as the large metal structure of the doll fell to the ground. It bellowed up great clouds of dust and debris. As the dust resettled on the ground again, the faction had once again lost a significant factor to ensure their victory over the KH team.

"That was mighty close for us." Sora said.

"I wonder who brought down that doll though." Riku wondered.

"Hey," Cunla interrupted, "Do you guys hear that?"

"Hear what?" Ophelia asked.

"That in the distance." The KH team was silent. In fact, both sides remained silent. Sure enough, something was emerging from the distance, It started in low and began to grow louder and louder with every passing second.

It was at that moment that drums could be heard coming from their rear, along with the sound of singing and the marching of thousands of feet trudging through the underbrush. The song that echoed in the air was apparent to both the dark coalition and Riku and Sora who it was that was approaching.

_Those Arakis fighting boys_

_Will never reach the coast_

_So Sirius Viicous said_

_It was a handsome boast_

_Had they not forgot, Alas,_

_To reckon with the host_

_While we are marching to conquest_

_Van'car! Van'car_

_Our cause forevermore_

_Van'car! Van'car_

_You hear our soldiers roar_

_Forward into battle_

_And to victory of war_

_While we are marching to conquest_

The sound of those familiar lyrics brought terror into the hearts of the senior officer and other members of the Midnight Faction elites. They knew who it was that shot down the mobile doll and who it was that were quickly approaching from the front. The sound through the underbrush grew louder and louder.

"It's the Arakis Foundation…" the senior officer uttered.

"What'll we do?" the subordinate asked.

"We don't stand a chance against them. We'll have to make a temporary withdrawal! Give the order!"-

"Sir!" the subordinate officer turned to the men. "All units withdraw! I repeat all units withdraw!"

The faction soldiers hastily retreated.

"They're running away." Cunla uttered.

"Guys," Ophelia shouted, pointing rearward, "Look!"

The KH team turned to discover ranks of well uniformed soldiers appear from behind, rushing into the fray. Some of the units quickly surrounded the KH team and drew their sabers upon them.

An officer in a hovercraft approached them.

"This vicinity has been taken over by the forces of the Arakis Foundation!" he shouted. "All persons present are under immediate arrest!" He pointed towards the fleeing faction troops. "Go after those men and take them prisoner! Kill all who resist in the name of His Excellency!"

The soldiers obeyed the order of their officer and continued on their way.

"As for these people," he continued, "Hold them prisoner!"

"Drop your weapons!" one of the soldiers shouted at the KH team. "Drop your weapons!"

"Why those…" Cunla uttered.

"No," Cuchulain said, "don't try to pull anything, Cunla. That'll give them a good excuse to kill us." Cuchulain turned to the rest of the KH team who were still standing on the defensive. "Lower your weapons you guys."

The KH team did what he told them and lowered their weapons. The Foundation soldiers confiscated the weapons and tied the KH team up.

In the meantime, the faction soldiers were still running from the pursuing Foundation troopers. But their attempts to flee were cut short as the Arakis soldiers suddenly appeared before them. Hidden in the brush, the ranks of the Arakis Foundation emerged from their hiding spots and quickly captured each any every one of the members of the dark coalition.

"This area is under the jurisdiction of the Arakis Foundation!" a soldier shouted. "Any faction soldier who dares to resist against us will be killed without question! Lower your arms and surrender!"

Many of the faction soldiers, knowing that it was useless to resist against such a powerful force, quickly submitted themselves into the custody of the Foundation. Others who were defiant till the end met a quick and vain death.

Meanwhile, flying over the sky, the old crow, seeing the predicament and that the fight had been lost for the dark coalition, quickly withdrew back to the Forbidden Mountains to tell Maleficent and General Saber of the predicament. He was the only one to successfully escape from the clutches of the Arakis Foundation.

At the same time, the three fairies watched from a nook in one of the trees, watching as the Arakis Foundation took the KH team and faction soldiers prisoner and bunched them into groups.

"What a time to be captured by the Arakis Foundation." Ophelia uttered.

"And when we still have so far to go," Donald added.

"Let us go!" Cunla shouted.

"Quiet boy!" one of the soldiers shouted, thrusting the tip of his saber right in front of Cunla's face.

"That's enough!" the officer in the hovercraft shouted. "They may be the enemy and they may be prisoners, but it is under our jurisdiction not to mistreat them."

"Yes sir…" The soldier withdrew his blade.

"Can I ask you the meaning of what all of this is about?" Riku asked.

"Well, well," the officer uttered. "I never would have thought that I'd see the day when I would confront the legendary wielders of the keyblades, Riku, also known as Noctin Tilandir, and Sora, the one who closed Kingdom Hearts."-

"You have no right to take us prisoner!" Sora shouted. "We're not your enemies!"

"Those who stand in the way of unification are our enemies, even you!"-

"And my I ask who you are?" Ophelia asked.

"Ah, the dreaded Tiger of Goth, Ophelia Billiard." The officer said. "From what I understand, you and that young boy Cunla are considered to be traitors to the Midnight Faction and now Lord Sirius Viicous demands your heads to be delivered to him." The officer descended from his hovercraft and stood before the bound KH team. "To answer your question, Colonel Billiard, my name is Imetriarch Crassus, the son of the late Exavier Crassus, killed in the Vandor Campaign six years ago. I am the prime minister of the Arakis Foundation."

"The prime minister?"-

"And what may I ask," Cuchulain said, "is a Foundation official as high as you doing here in a backwater world, far from your headquarters?"

"The Hound of Ulster, Cuchulain, I presume. Quite a collection of legendary heroes we have in our midst. Well, if it's any of your business, we're taking back the key to our success."-

"The key to your success," Sora asked, "what does that mean?'

"Not too long ago, a coalition was dispatched to march to our headquarters in the south. With them was a young boy who was the key to our success, a simple drummer boy whom we call Muli."-

"Muli…?" Sora and Riku's eyes grew large with surprise. The young boy whom they had saved before was the key to success within the Arakis Foundation?

"However, the coalition was attacked and Muli disappeared. No one knows where he is and we may fear that he is dead. But it is without a doubt that the Midnight Faction is behind this outrage and we were deployed to take revenge. I took lead of the Arakis Foundation retaliatory coalition personally, which is the reason I stand before you."-

"Muli," Riku uttered, "You said that the boy's name was Muli?"

"Yes it was." Imetriarch replied.

"Why are you referring to him in pass tense?"-

"Because, young Riku, we scoured the battlefield where the ambush took place and there was no sign of him. But then again, some of the bodies were unidentifiable and some of the soldiers' hearts were taken, so their bodies disappeared along with them. So we can only conclude that Muli is dead. But we haven't spread the word to the rest of the Foundation. If they were to hear such news, widespread chaos would erupt within the Foundation." Imetriarch was curious now about why Riku would ask such a question. "But why would you be so interested in the boy?"

"The reason is because we found him." Sora said.

"You what…?"-

"We stumbled across this young boy, Muli." Riku continued. "He managed to survive the onslaught of the ambush, so we took him in and looked after him."

"But we had to leave him behind because we couldn't risk having him be put in danger when we entered Maleficent's castle. But it's been over twelve hours since we left him. We don't know if he's been captured or not."-

"Maleficent?" Imetriarch uttered.

"Maleficent?" the KH team members uttered.

"You mean this it the world where Maleficent resides?" Goofy uttered.

"Are you talking about the same Maleficent we fought those many years ago?" Donald asked. Sora and Riku nodded. "But how can that be? We defeated her!"

"That's what we were thinking before too." Sora said. "But apparently, she's still alive! She was the one who initiated the attack on the convoy you were talking about!"

"I've never heard of this Maleficent." Imetriarch said. "So it wasn't the Midnight Faction?"

"Oh it was orchestrated by the Midnight Faction alright." Riku said. "In exchange for trying to capture Muli, the Midnight Faction has agreed to help Maleficent conquer this world, so that she may rule over it entirely."-

"It is true what the young key bearer says." a voice implied. The KH team and the Foundation forces looked to see Aurora and the queen standing at the doorway of the demolished cottage. The Foundation soldier quickly surrounded them and drew their blades.

"Hold your blades!" Imetriarch ordered. "We shall not treat these women in such a hostile manner." The soldiers obeyed and withdrew their blades. The commander stepped up to the two women. "And who might you two be?"

"I am the wife and queen of King Stephen." The elder woman replied. "And this young woman standing by my side is my daughter, Aurora."

"So you are the two monarchs whom the people have so much faith in. Your reputation has preceded you."-

"All we want is for our kingdoms to be restored and our people freed from the clutches of Maleficent."-

"I'm terribly sorry, but that's not going to happen."-

"Why not?"-

"Even if we were to overthrow the Midnight Faction in this world, we of the Arakis Foundation will only regain control of this realm and add it as a part of our expanding territory."-

"You can't do that." Aurora said.

"I have news for you, my girl, we intend to establish this world as a territory of the Arakis Foundation and that's the end of it. We will establish an imperial government to take over the old monarchy and all citizens must pay tribute to His Excellency. We intend on expanding and eventually lead to total unification of the entire universe and place it under Oceanarian rule."-

"No, I can't let you do that!"-

"Aurora…" the queen uttered.

"Please, your highness," Cuchulain said, "Don't do this. There's no use defying them. We're in a position unsuitable to be giving demands."

"But…"-

"The young man is right, Aurora." The queen said. "Please do not act so brash. It is unladylike." Aurora turned and began to weep, knowing that her home would never see peace again. Her mother comforted her.

"Now," Imetriarch announced, "Let us continue to the Forbidden Mountains and defeat the Midnight Faction once and for all! There is no one to stop us at this point!" It was then that Riku began to snicker and shake his head. Imetriarch heard this and turned towards the young key bearer. "Did I say something to amuse you, Riku!"

"You fool," Riku uttered.

"What was that?"-

"How far do you really think you'll get from this point?"-

"We are ten thousand strong and we can't be so easily deterred from our path, not with this hope of retribution for Muli in our hearts!"-

"Determination alone and your will of force are not enough to storm the stronghold of Maleficent! Once you enter the realm of the Forbidden Mountains, you enter her territory! And who knows, she may have thousands, if not tens of thousands of goblins, heartless, and faction soldiers waiting for you when you arrive!"-

"I doubt that." Imetriarch assured the key bearer. "At this point, we become as silent as the dead when we make our approach. No faction soldier or goblin has escaped, so there is no one to inform her."

"Well, that may be so," Riku continued, "But you forgot one thing."

"And what is that?"-

"Maleficent also has a crow that recently hovered over the battlefield not too long ago, watching the fight unfold. Seeing the faction in retreat, the crow quickly returned to Maleficent's side to inform her of the outcome."-

"A crow?"-

"A crow?" Cuchulain asked.

"A crow?" Everyone else uttered.

"That's right." Riku continued. "She has a crow that acts as a spy for her."

"What nonsense," Imetriarch chuckled, "a crow acting as an informant, poppycock!"

"Believe what you will." Cuchulain uttered. "But what Riku is telling is true because animals do have the ability to communicate with people. I should know."

"And that crow is a loyal pet of Maleficent." Sora added.

"But even if this crow did tell her," Imetriarch said, "she won't be able to assemble a force large enough to counter us. Not in the short amount of time she has right now."

"Then again, she won't have to." Riku said. "Her castle is virtually impenetrable. Even if you were to besiege it, I highly doubt that you'll be able to break through its stronghold."

"Our artillery pieces will blow down the walls of her castle with little trouble at all."-

"Are you talking about those bulky siege guns your earlier convoy was haling around, the convoy that was protecting Muli? Sora and I have seen your artillery pieces and I can tell you this. The paths leading through the Forbidden Mountains are narrow. You could scarcely get a small cart through those passageways, let alone siege guns."-

"Then we just need to clear a path for our artillery."-

"And you think Maleficent will allow you the opportunity to do that?" Riku scoffed. "She'll send in ambush parties to stop your activity."

"Then, we'll send in our own skirmishing parties to soften up her defenses." Imetriarch countered. "They can move about undetected by the enemy, even in strange territory."

"Even if you were to turn yourselves invisible, you wouldn't be able to take Maleficent by surprise."-

"And how's that possible I ask you."-

"Maleficent knows your every move, even as we speak. The reason why is because she has possession of a special device that can predict and foretell the movements of the enemy."-

"You're joking."-

"I'm afraid it's true." A voice uttered. Everyone looked up to find three little lights appear in the sky, one of green, one of red, and one of blue. It was the three good fairies.

"Who are you?" Imetriarch asked as he saw the little lights appear before him.

"We are the three good fairies." Flora said.

"Hey, how long have you three been hiding?" Sora asked.

"We've been hiding for some time now." Meriwether replied.

"Going back to the situation at hand," Imetriarch said, "What do you know about Maleficent?"

"Believe what Riku tells you, sir." Flora said. "Maleficent and the Midnight Faction have in their possession a special device that can look into the future. We believe it to be a magic mirror."

"Is that so?"-

"Even if you were to initiate an assault from here, she'd know."-

"Then what do you suggest we do to approach the situation?" He turned to Riku and Sora. "You two managed to infiltrate Maleficent's castle. How would you suggest we initiate an offensive strategy?"

"First of all," Riku said, "as I had said before, attacking the castle head on would be a costly mistake. It's built at the highest peak of the Forbidden Mountains, so they can see every move you make. The walls are thick and well guarded. As far as we know, the faction might have tampered with the defenses, placing up shields or what not."

"There is also a garrison of Heartless, goblins, and well trained faction soldiers, patrolling the area." Sora added. "A large body of men could easily be spotted. You should consider sending in only a few men in only to…"-

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Imetriarch said, "You say that a full on assault on the castle would be futile, but you say to send only a hand full of men?"

"Those men will have the task of infiltrating the castle, just as Riku and I did. There is a small passage way at the base of the castle. We used that to access the castle's interior."-

"So, you infiltrate the interior, what after?"-

"From what the queen and the good fairies have told us," Riku began, "There are political prisoners held within the castle. We have to free them and soften up the defenses from within. At the same time, the main force of men will wait outside of the walls and stand patiently for the gates to open. After that, you storm in and take over the castle."

"But those ambush parties, you spoke of earlier, will soften us up as we work our way through the rocky terrain."-

"There will be no avoiding that, but you can limit the number of losses by dividing your force into smaller squadrons, like those skirmish parties you were talking about. That way, you can soften up the outer defense forces as well. Cause as much confusion as you can."-

"In the meantime," Sora took over, "The task force can penetrate through the castle and weaken it from within."

"Then, I leave you gentlemen to do that task." Imetriarch said. "Since you're more experienced with the interior of the castle, you will execute the mission of penetrating the fortress." There was silence for a minute or two, before Riku stood to his feet.

"Very well," Riku replied, "We'll carry out with the task."

"You take this mission freely?"-

"Don't get the wrong idea. We'll do this only because we have an obligation to save this world. That includes the former leaders. We're not doing this for your sake."-

"I understand. It's best not to forge friendships with a former Imperial power. Otherwise, that'll defeat the purpose of your cause. And we both want to remain thankless of each other in case we find ourselves facing each other on the battlefield as enemies." Imetriarch turned to his men. "Untie the KH team."

The soldiers did as their commander ordered and untied the KH team.

"Glad to get those ropes off." Ophelia said.

"Yeah," Cunla added, "It was starting to irritate my wrists."

"Now you are free." Imetriarch said. "I leave you to do the planning."

"And if we succeed?" Riku asked

"If we succeed, we will thank you for your efforts by letting you and your friends go. But if you raise arms against us, then you will be treated as a threat to the Arakis Foundation and must be harshly dealt with."-

"I understand. Then I'll make sure that we don't fail."-


	39. Liberation

Liberation

It wasn't long before the crow finally reached the stronghold in the Forbidden Mountains. Flying through the dark and ominous sky, he made its way back to the thrown room where Maleficent awaited him. The crow flew down through one of the holes in the roof. Maleficent saw her pet descend towards her.

"Ah, my pet," she uttered. The crow landed on her hand. "So what good news to you bring for me?"

The crow began to speak, but the words that it uttered were not ones that bore good tidings. Instead, it was bad news the crow gave and Maleficent was shocked. General Saber happened to walk into the thrown room to find this surprised and worried look in the face of Maleficent. But the general was in no way worried. He knew what had happened.

"By the look on your face, Maleficent," General Saber said. "I can see that the crow bears anything, but good tidings." Maleficent was still unable to speak. General Saber walked up to her thrown and stood next to her. "So Riku and Sora's companions have made it to the battlefield and helped turn the tide of the fight. To add, Sora has been revived to his full strength."

"But how did you…?"-

"If you still don't get how I managed to know all those events, without being to the battlefield, or without using that ridiculous looking glass of yours, even after I explained it to you, there's no use going over it again. You'll just have to live with being stupid."-

"But how can this be?" Maleficent uttered. "How could they have survived, let alone hold off such a massive force?"

"Even the S class soldiers of the Midnight Faction were no match for the key bearers. I must have a word with His Excellency to heighten the power and skill standards for the S class soldiers. I don't even know why we call them S class soldiers. Not even the former Dark Empire would have categorized those soldiers as S class. But then again, they were supposedly the cream of the crop. It just goes to show you how talented the key bearers are and how well they and their comrades work as a team, each fulfilling a certain task. To make matters worse, the Arakis Foundation's retaliatory forces are knocking at our door. But it was inevitable I guess. Those are true S class soldiers."

"You act as if all of this was of no significant matter!" Maleficent shouted.

"It isn't."-

"And my I ask why it isn't? Our entire coalition was defeated by the key bearers, their comrades, and by the sudden arrival of the Arakis Foundation. Now, the Foundation is knocking at our door, ten thousand strong! What do you propose we do now!"-

"We must send out skirmishing lines. If I know the tactics of the Arakis Foundation, they'll march up towards the hills in mass. By sending out skirmishing lines and ambush parties, we'd be able to pick off the main body little by little. There is really nothing to worry about. Even a force ten thousand strong can be easily quelled if we use the terrain to our advantage. Besides, we can always overwhelm them with the Heartless in the end."-

"You must not rely on the servitude of the Heartless." Maleficent warned. "They consume the careless."

"Don't worry about me, my heart is too strong. So your concern is touching, but hardly necessary." Saber then looked at Maleficent with his red pupils. "Besides, it will not be I to coordinate the movement of the Heartless. That's your job."

"Mine…?"-

"You, Maleficent will have the privilege of sending the heartless into battle." Saber turned away from her suddenly and put his arms around behind him. "By the time the Arakis Foundation makes it to the summit, their troops would have been exhausted from the continuous attacks inflicted by our forces as they worked their way up. Once they've made it to the summit, then what do they plan on doing from that point on? They can't attack the castle head on with such a depleted amount of men. They can't bombard the castle after I took the liberty of setting up a defense shield system. They'd have to come close to successfully break the shield, but with all the narrow passages leading to the castle, it's highly unlikely that they'll spend all of their time and energy clearing a large enough area to set up artillery pits. And they can't hold us under siege, not when they're practically surrounded by enemy troops who may attack them from behind." Saber turned to Maleficent again. "Tell me, you are capable of creating a forest of thorns aren't you?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"-

"You can use that ability to create a large barrier to prevent, or at least to slow the advance of the Arakis Foundation. Just don't condense the thorn forests too much. Otherwise you will limit the movement of our troops as well."-

"I understand."-

"Then let us prepare for the next battle."-

In the meantime, the Arakis Foundation and their forces began the procedure of moving its soldiers into the realm of the Forbidden Mountains. Observing the rocky terrain, it was imminent that the task before them was not going to be an easy one. The soldiers could only gaze up at the frightening sight. But being soldiers of the Arakis Foundation, the notion of fear was not one that was accepted.

Imetriarch Crassus gazed over the realm and only sighed.

"To think that perhaps thousands of my best men will lose their lives today." He thought to himself. "I certainly hope that Noctin Tilandir's little plan works."

"Sir," a subordinate officer said, presenting the prime minister with a salute, "We're ready to move out."

"Divide our forces into smaller squadrons and have them spread out." Imetriarch instructed. "Don't have them walk in the center of the pathways, have them walk in single file on opposite sides of the road."

"Divide them into squadrons? But sir, that's not the issued way of assembly. We always march in with our banners flying, our blocks formed, and the drums and fifes playing away."-

"Which is the reason why the Arakis Foundation has lost a great deal of its men in the past campaigns, we use such a parade conditioned tactic to supposedly intimidate the enemy and send them sprawling rearward. But such a tactic proves useless. It only allows us to give away our position to the enemy. The Midnight Faction does not abide by such a limitation of tactics. They adapt every which possible way they can. Besides, I am not about to risk the lives of more men for the sake of formality. We face a cunning and ruthless foe. Therefore, we must become cunning and ruthless ourselves. Formality is no longer an applicable issue here."-

"I understand sir."-

"Then get the men ready for immediate deployment. Have them divided into squadrons of ten and place them no more than fifty yards from one another. Have the men form thin skirmishing lines, I don't want them all bunched together. That'll make it easier for the faction and their allies to pick us off one squadron at a time. Tell the men to lay low."-

"And our drums and fifes and standards?"-

"Have them assemble and march about here at the thicket's edge. We want them to make as much noise as possible. Tell the drum and fife corps to initiate as many tunes as they can. We want to affect the outcome of the battle psychologically as well."-

"And what of our rats?"-

"The key bearers and the rest of the KH team, accompanied by those three pixies are heading into the castle as we know it." Imetriarch boarded his hovercraft. "Now enough of this babbling, we have a mission to carry out. Get the men ready."

"Yes sir." He turned to inform the entire body of troops to prepare for the advance. Standards were placed in the rear, along with the drummers and fifers, who began to play their cadences. Immediately, the columns began to move forward, slowly making their way through the passage ways. Prime Minister Imetriarch Crassus watched on as the forces of the Arakis Foundation marched by him.

"Let us hope that this plan of Noctin Tilandir's goes as well as he described it would." He thought to himself.

The KH team had somehow managed to work their way undetected by the security forces that were concealed in the area. The three good fairies, reducing their size and dimming their light, were able to nullify several of the skirmish lines by casting a temporary sleeping spell on the soldiers. Even the Heartless who were on patrol were put to sleep by the magic of the fairies. This allowed the KH team an easy approach towards the castle.

They made their way to the same deep gorge where Riku and Sora had fallen in before. The team kept themselves hidden behind the rocks, so as not to draw attention to themselves by the sentries who were patrolling the walls.

"Well," Sora said, "There it is; the castle of Maleficent."

"Man," Cuchulain uttered, "When you said foreboding, you weren't kidding."

"Now what do we do?" Flora asked.

"From this point on," Riku said, "we have to be very careful. We can't allow those sentries to spot us."

"So where is the opening to the castle you spoke of?" Ophelia asked.

"It's just down there." Riku pointed to reveal a small opening, barely noticeable at the castle's foundation. "Maleficent must not know about that. Otherwise, she would have it guarded."

"Either that, or she might be keeping it unguarded for a purpose. Perhaps hoping to spring a trap on us when we least expect it."-

"Which is the reason why we brought the three good fairies along with us, they'll prove useful knocking out the guards with their sleeping potion."-

"Let's hurry." Cunla said. "By the sounds of it, the Arakis Foundation is already beginning to move." The sound of the drums and fifes echoed in the air.

"Fellers…?" Goofy uttered.

"What is it, Goofy?" Donald asked. He looked Goofy to find this rather pale look on his face, as if he saw something scary. The KH team happened to glance of Goofy to see this frightened look on his face.

"What's the matter with Goofy?" Cunla asked.

"Hey Goofy, you OK?" Sora asked. Goofy could only point upward. The KH team looked to where Goofy pointed. There on the highest tower of the castle, the familiar form of Maleficent could be seen, standing on the citadel of her stone fortress.

"It's Maleficent." Riku said.

"That's Maleficent?" Cuchulain asked.

"That's right." Sora said. "This is the first time you've seen Maleficent isn't it, Cuchulain."

"That's correct. So that's the one we have to defeat, eh?"-

"You got that right."-

"Then let's bring it on."-

But as they continued to observe, they realized that Maleficent was swirling her scepter above her head and chancing some sort of a spell.

_A forest of thorns shall be their tomb_

_Delivered to them with a cloud of doom_

_Now go with a curse and serve me well_

_Protect my great castle and cast my spell._

Immediately, dark clouds accumulated over her head. Maleficent then thrust her scepter forward and the clouds advanced over the whole of her realm. With lightning strikes, each road leading to the castle was struck. And with that, from every strike point, thorn trees rooted out of the ground and moved about the landscape. The thorn forests grew vast and bushy, preventing any type of access to the castle.

"What is she doing?" Cunla uttered.

"It's a spell." Riku said. "Maleficent has summoned a forest of thorns."

"She's trying to slow the advance of the Arakis Foundation." Sora added.

Maleficent then began to aim her scepter towards the location of the Arakis Foundation. Instantly, lightning strikes lashed out against the Arakis Foundation's advancing forces.

"She's even deploying lightning attacks?" Ophelia said.

"It just goes to show you that she's not taking any chances to let the foundation get too close." Cuchulain explained.

The Foundation watched as the thorn barriers popped up on every road in front of them. To add, lightning poured out against their ranks, causing devastation amidst their columns. Imetriarch Crassus watched on as they faced this new challenge.

"Where did those thorn barriers and that sporadic lightning come from?" the subordinate officer asked.

"It's without a doubt that Maleficent is behind this." Imetriarch replied. He observed the lightning flashes originating from the high tower of the castle. And atop of the tower platform stood Maleficent inflicting death upon the ranks. "So that figure on the highest tower is Maleficent." Imetriarch only smiled, the right side of his lip lifting upward, giving an evil smirk. "This should be quite an interesting battle indeed."

"What shall we do?" the subordinate asked.

"We advance. It'll take more than a few thorns and strikes of lightning to deter the Arakis Foundation from accomplishing its goals. Tell the men to keep pushing forward. Have our artillery set up at the edge of the thicket where they can initiate a clear shot."-

"But I thought our artillery pieces weren't effective enough at this range to do any significant damage to the castle."-

"I'm not trying to aim for the castle. Commence attack on those thorn thickets and clear the path for our men. Use the momentum to break up the faction's own defense hidden in the rocks."-

"Yes sir."-

"You truly think you have the edge in this battle, Maleficent." Imetriarch chuckled to himself. "But even your magic must tremble before the might of my blade."

The soldiers of the foundation continued to press forward, taking no regard for their own safety, only to press forward.

The KH team realized there presence was non-existent to the witch, noticing Maleficent didn't bother noticing them. Her attention was focused on the advancing columns o the Arakis Foundation.

"Well, at least her attention is focused on the foundation." Riku said. "That gives us the opportunity to move out and fulfill our own task."

"We have only so long to carry out the mission." Sora added. "So we better hurry." Swiftly and silently, out of the sight range of the few sentries on the walls, the KH team glided to the platform where the little opening was.

"Sora," Riku said, "You take the lead."

"Alright." Sora replied. He crawled into the little space, followed by Goofy and Donald. Cunla and Cuchulain were next to go in, then Colonel Billiard and the three fairies. Finally, Riku went in, trailing in last position. The three fairies, reduced in size, hovered just above the heads of the KH team, acting like little lanterns to help lead the way.

As before, they reached the latched grid that was at the base of the floor of one of the halls.

"OK," Riku whispered, "Flora, go up there and see if there is anyone about."

"Of course." Flora said. She flew through the grid openings of the hatch and quickly flew to the ceiling, concealing the light she accumulated. She realized that there were at least six guards; two heartless, two faction soldiers, and two goblins; patrolling the halls. She flew back to the hatch. "There are six guards taking watch. Four of them are remaining steadfast while the other two are pacing up and down the halls."

"Well, you better go take care of them." Riku instructed.

"We're on it." Meriwether said. The fairies quickly flew out of the grid hatch and towards the ceiling. The guards nearby were unaware of their presence. Immediately, the three good fairies drew a sleeping spell upon the guards. One by one, the guards just seemed to slump down and collapse to the ground, drowsy and tired, eventually falling into a deep sleep.

As the guards slumbered, Flora flew over to the hatch.

"It's safe to emerge now." She uttered.

"Thanks a lot." Sora acknowledged. He popped his head out and looked about before emerging from the passage. Goofy, Donald, and the others quickly came out as well.

"Alright," Cunla whispered, "Now we're in, let's give Maleficent and her cronies a few lessons in real battle."

"Take it easy son." Cuchulain said. "We're in unfamiliar territory. Let's not try to draw attention to ourselves just yet."

"Which way to the dungeon?" Ophelia asked.

"Well, we've never actually been to the dungeon of this castle before." Sora said.

"That's alright." Flora said. "We know where the dungeon is."

"You do?"-

"Of course," Meriwether replied, "The dungeon is always located in the deepest part of the castle. That's the strategic place to put prisoners."

"But where do we find the access point to the lower level?" Cunla asked.

"Have you guys forgotten already?" Ophelia said. "I can find out the exact location with my power."

"That's right." Riku said.

"Well, if you have such a power, Miss Billiard," Flora said, "Please hurry and use it."

"This won't take long." Ophelia placed her hand on one of the knocked out guards. She read the innermost thoughts of their heart. After only a few seconds, she retracted her hand.

"Well…?" Goofy asked.

"The access stairwell is down the main west wing hallway."-

"Just lead the way." Donald said.

"But, uh, what do we do with the guards?" Goofy asked.

"Don't worry about them." Fauna said. "They'll be knocked out until the end of the battle. Only when the battle ends will they finally wake up."

"Tell me," Sora asked, "Does this sleeping spell work on anyone?"

"It only works on those who are weak both in body and mind." Flora said. "If you're asking us to use the sleeping spell on Maleficent, it won't work. So long as their will power and physical and mental strength are greater than our own, the sleeping spell won't have any effect."

"I think you're right." Ophelia uttered. "Look."

The KH team saw that the two faction soldiers were quickly starting to come to.

"Oh dear," Flora uttered. "Now you see what I mean?"

"Well, it looks likes we'll just have to knock them out the old fashion way." Sora said. He pulled out his keyblade and turned it around, holding the weapon by its shaft. Using the hilt, he knocked the faction soldiers out of commission again. "There we go. Now they'll be asleep for a little while longer."

"Nice work, Sora." Riku said. "Alright, let's get going."

The KH team continued on their way into the castle, a little bit at a time. Keeping their energy suppressed to the best of their ability, they made sure not to be discovered by wandering eyes. Ophelia gave the directions of where to go, making it easier to make their way to the west wing hallway.

However, their presence did not go unnoticed as their stray energy signals reached General Saber, who was in his quarters napping. The sudden twitch of power awoke him. He quickly stood up from his bed. He looked about.

"The key bearers…?" he uttered. "Are they here?" Saber sensed the energy around him. "It seems as if they did not come alone this time. They brought reinforcements. But I can't distinguish who the others ones are. Perhaps they are the rest of the KH team. Or maybe…" Saber wasn't about to ask further questions himself. Placing on his uniform and overcoat, he turned on the telecommunication device at his bedside. The face of a faction operator appeared.

"Good morning, sir." The soldier replied.

"What is the time?" Saber asked.

"It's about 11:00 a.m."-

"Damn, that means the convoy won't be here for at least four or five more hours. And we no longer have the luxury of time in our favor." The general uttered to himself.

"Is there something wrong sir?" the soldier asked.

"I want all available units to set up around Maleficent's throne room."-

"But why, sir?"-

"The key bearers have returned."-

"What!" the soldier uttered, shocked. "But how can that be? I thought they were dead?"-

"Fool, have you been cooped up in your quarters all this time! The key bearers are already here in the castle!"-

"Are you sure?"-

"Are you second guessing my accuracy!"-

"No sir."-

"Then get all of our men assembled to defend the chamber and inform Maleficent at once! Tell her that the KH team is after the mirror!"-

"Yes sir!" the soldier saluted before bleeping off of the screen.

"The key bearers must know about that infernal mirror!" Saber thought to himself. "Why else would they return? What other goal would they have besides that? They must want the mirror that badly! Well, I'll be ready for them this time!" Saber sighed and casually walked out of his room, flinging his long black hair behind him. "To think that they would come to me this quickly."

In the meantime, the KH team continued to scurry along the hallway walls, making sure not to be visible to anyone who might turn a corner.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Cunla asked.

"I don't know." Flora said. "I'm not the one you should be asking."

"We're already here in the west wing hall." Ophelia said. "We have to go down a little further before we reach the access point. I'll tell you when to stop."

"Well, I hope we get there soon." Donald said. "I feel so vulnerable in this hallway."

Just then, Sora who was in the lead, suddenly stopped with the other's almost bumping into him from behind.

"Why'd you stop?" Cuchulain asked.

"Do you guys hear that?" Sora implied.

"Hear what?" Goofy asked.

"That…?" The KH team listened carefully to what it was Sora heard. Sure enough, there was the sound of hundreds of rushing feet.

"Look…!" Ophelia said in a loud whisper. The team observed to find several shadows appearing on the walls. They were the shadows of hundreds of soldiers ready to rush down that same hallway they were present in.

"They're coming!" Goofy said. "We're doomed!"

"Shut your trap!" Donald implied, grabbing Goofy's nose.

"Hey, look," Riku pointed out. He pointed towards an iron bar gate, "Let's sneak in there." The KH team quickly rushed over to the other side of the hall. Sora tried to open it, but the gate was locked.

"It's locked." Sora said.

"Use your keyblade to open it up."-

"Right…" Sora aimed his keyblade and quickly unlocked the door. He opened the gate and the team scurried into the chamber. They closed the gate behind them and watched as hundreds of goblins, heartless, and faction soldiers ran pass the gate at a double quick pace. The KH team watched as these units of the dark coalition ran passed them, unaware of their presence.

As they watched the last of the soldiers passed, the KH team sighed relief.

"That was close." Ophelia said.

"Too close." Donald added.

"But I wonder where they were going?" Cunla wondered.

"Wherever they were going," Flora said, "at least they're continuing on their way."

"Now back to looking for the dungeon." Goofy said.

"There's no need to be doing that." Ophelia replied with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Sora asked. He suddenly felt the Hound tap him on the shoulder. Sora looked at him curiously. It seemed as if Cuchulain was staring off into space, with a slight grin on his face.

"You guys…" Cuchulain uttered.

"What is it, Cuchulain?" Riku asked.

"Miss Billiard is right. We don't have to go searching anymore." Cuchulain pointed to a plaque at the side of the gate. And there inscribed on the plaque was the word 'Dungeon.' The team turned about to find what looked like a hallway illuminated by torches. And at the end of the hall, there was a flight of stairs leading downward and an old wooden wrack where keys would usually be placed on the wall indicating that this was indeed a prison, or some other confinement area.

"Well," Donald said. "That's a coincidence."

"But I wonder where the keys are?" Goofy asked. "Don't we need the keys to open up the cells?"

"There's really no need." Riku said. "Not as long as Sora and I wield the keys that can lock and unlock any door."

"He's right." Sora added.

"C'mon you guys." Cunla said. "Time is of the essence."

The KH team took their time, slowly going to the stairs. The stairs were illuminated by a few torches, leading the way to the confinement area. As they reached the bottom of the stairwell, they came to a security gate with a sleeping goblin jailer sitting in a chair next to another ring of keys. Next to the jailer was a stack of arms, such as swords, spears, shields, lances, and pikes. There were also a few Imperial blasters integrated into this medieval arsenal. The KH team moved down quietly so as not to disturb the guard prematurely.

"We better take care of that guard." Sora said.

"Leave this one to me." Meriwether said. She fluttered over to the guard and returned to her normal size. The little goblin woke up to find this monstrous fairy staring down at him. Before he could react, Meriwether unleashed her sleeping spell and forced him into a deep sleep again. "That went well."

"Nice work Meriwether." Cunla said.

"That's the power of magic."-

Sora aimed his keyblade and instantly opened the security gate. As they passed through the iron gate, they saw on each side of a long corridor a set of solitary confinement cells that had solid oak doors implanted in each entrance way as well as barred cells, where the prisoners were kept in mass and chained to the walls or to each other. As soon as the gate was heard opening, a lot of the prisoners, most of them the innocent victims of Maleficent's raids and accusations, or those captured in battle, began to holler and cheer.

"We're here to get you people out." Riku declared.

"Hold on tight." Sora added.

"We're saved, we're saved!" one of the prisoners cried.

"We're liberated!" another added.

"We've been blessed by God!" a third one cried, falling to their knees and crying.

"Calm down." Ophelia said. "We'll get you out as soon as we can." Cuchulain took the ring of keys and assisted in opening up each of the cells and unshackling each of the prisoners along side Riku and Sora who used their keyblades to unlock the cells and prisoners and the fairies that used their magic.

Meanwhile, in the interior of the castle, the mass of faction soldiers with their goblin and Heartless comrades had stationed themselves at Maleficent's throne room. They made ready incase the KH team made an appearance and tried to break through. But alas, there was no attack, nor any sign of the KH team. General Saber, who waited for word to come in the throne room itself, grew impatient. He kept sensing for the whereabouts of the key bearers, but with all the energy and rumbling that was taking place, due to Maleficent's barrage of lightning against the Arakis Foundation, he was not able to pinpoint the exact location of the KH team.

"How frustrating," Saber thought to himself, "They should have been here by now. Are the key bearers that senseless in direction?"

"Sir," a subordinate officer said. "There seems to be no sign of the KH team anywhere. Either they have lost themselves, or they have another objective in mind."

"They were after the mirror the last time. So I'd figure that it was that contraption they have penetrated our defenses for."-

"We still don't know how they got in, sir."-

"They might have used an underground passage way. Many of these old castles have that sort of thing. Maleficent certainly doesn't take the constructed features of her own castle into account." Saber put his arms behind him. "Speaking of which, has word been sent to her about what's going on? Does it take this long to reach her in the high tower?"-

"It is a long walk sir."-

Saber signed frustration again and finally swung his arms to his sides. He went over to the mirror and stood before it. He had one of the soldiers open up the drapes covering it.

"I can't believe I'm regressing to having to rely on such a faulty contraption." Saber thought to himself. "Mirror, mirror on the wall, reveal to me the whereabouts of the key bearers and the KH team!"

"_They who wield the key, in the dungeon they are,"_ the spirit of the mirror replied. "_With political prisoners freed thus far._

"Political prisoners," Saber thought. He suddenly remembered little Muli in the dungeon. "The key to the foundation, we have to stop them!" Saber turned to his soldiers. "Send out units three through six and our heartless and goblin units to the dungeon!"

"What's going on, sir?" the subordinate officer asked. "They're attempting to free the political prisoners in the dungeon! In the process, they'll free that boy, Muli, the key to the downfall of the Arakis Foundation! Hurry and get to the dungeon! Kill everyone, but don't hinder the boy!"

"Sir!" The officer spread the word in immediately, hundreds of soldiers and heartless moved to the dungeon.

"The key bearers must be hoping to weaken our defenses by freeing the prisoners in the dungeon." Saber thought to himself. "That means they'll free Muli. We can't have that. We can't have the key to our success fall out of our hands now, when we're so close to bringing ruin to the Arakis Foundation."

The order was passed and the units dispatched moved down the halls at a double quick pace, rushing to the dungeon.

In the meantime, back in the dungeon, the KH team was freeing the rest of the prisoners. Riku and Sora came to the cells of King Stephen, King Hubert, and Prince Philip.

"We're here to bust you guys out." Sora said.

"Who are you?" Philip asked.

"We're the key bearers of the KH team."-

"The key bearers?" King Stephen asked.

"You're the ones who saved our world before." King Hubert replied.

"We're in your debt." Philip said.

"Nothing to it." Riku replied.

"Riku, Sora," a voice cried from behind. The two key bearers turned to find a young boy staring at them from the darkness of his cell. The two youths couldn't believe who they saw.

"Muli…" Sora uttered.

"You've come…"-

Sora unlocked the cell with his keyblade and rushed in. Little Muli opened up his arms. Sora embraced the young boy.

"Are you hurt?" Sora asked. "How did you get here, what happened?"

"I was captured." The boy had tears in his eyes. "I thought that you were dead. I saw you fall into the gorge, into the river below."

"Hey, we're the key bearers. Riku and I are a lot tougher to get rid of than that."-

"Hey Muli," Riku said, coming to the young boy and padding him on the head. "Glad to see that you're OK, kid."

"Riku…"-

"Sora, Riku," Ophelia said from the cell door, "We have to get going."

"Right."-

"Take a weapon as you work your way up." Cuchulain instructed as the prisoners exited the confinement area one by one.

"Don't worry," Cunla said, "Just follow me and be ready to take on anything."

"We'll aid you." Flora shouted. She, Meriwether, and Fauna flew ahead of Cunla and the attacking columns. Prince Philip, Kings Hubert and Stephen, and little Muli were the last to leave, siding alongside the key bearers.

"I'm sure you know how to handle these." Cuchulain said, handing the monarchs a sword and shield.

"Don't worry." King Hubert said, with boisterous enthusiasm. "Come goblin, or shadow, or faction volunteer, I shall cut them down for revenge of my kingdom and country."

"As will I." Stephen added.

"For the preservation of our home." Philip shouted.

"You stay close to us, Muli." Sora said.

"I will." Muli replied. "I trust you, Sora, Riku."

"Let's hurry." Riku said. "I sense that the faction is already onto our escape plan."

The key bearers were the last to leave the confinement area, making their way back to the surface, where another battle would most likely erupt as both forces neared each other.

Cunla was the first to emerge from the Iron Gate back in the hallway. He looked about and gave the signal for the others to move out. But as the army of prisoners moved into the hallway, there came the sound of rushing feet, numbering in the hundreds, coming towards them. Sure enough, from the end of the hallway, the forces of the dark coalition appeared, rushing into the fray. They were screaming and shouting as they rushing against the condensed and disarrayed ranks of the prisoners.

"There they are; the prisoners!" one of the soldiers shouted.

"Kill them all!" another cried.

"Stand your ground!" Cunla shouted. The youth drew out his sword and rushed headlong into the ranks of the incoming coalition forces. Instantly, the youth killed thirty of the soldiers in the front ranks with only a couple of swipes. The soldiers were stunned. The prisoners were amazed to see how brave and how reckless this youth was. "I am not afraid to die! I will show you the might passed down from my father, the Hound of Ulster! Behold the strength of his pup!" Cunla again cut and sliced, taking down twenty more within seconds.

"Let's fight!" one of the prisoners cried. "For the preservation of our lands."

"For the safety of our families!" another shouted.

The prisoners' morale grew and their anger increased. With rage and determination in their hearts, they attacked head long into the goblins, heartless, and faction soldiers. The faction soldiers aimed their blasters and fired away, but the three good fairies unleashed their magic, turning the beams into bubbles. At the same time, they unleashed their sleeping spell onto the columns of the dark coalition. Those of faint hearts and spirits fell asleep, while others staggered from their fatigue. Riku and Sora rushed to the top to find the hall in confrontation. Everyone was battling. The prisoners fought valiantly against the extremely powerful enemy.

"They could definitely use our help." Sora said.

"Let's give 'em hell." Riku added.

They and Cuchulain charged forward and knocked the majority of them away. Colonel Billiard, with her black fans of death, used her weapons to cut a great deal of the soldiers down.

"Take a little of this!" Riku shouted. He formed seven fire spheres above his head and unleashed Cinder Canister. The seven spheres slammed into the faction soldiers and their comrades, and great explosions echoed through the halls.

The effects of the explosions could be heard and felt through the entire castle. The hot air from the fire balls bellowed in strong gusts through the corridors, reaching even the lines of men who were protecting the throne room. General Saber felt the warm gusts and knew what direction, the battle was turning.

"So," he thought to himself, "There plan has succeeded." Sensing the energy in the air, the general was aware that the tide had turned against the dark coalition. "They will wither our forces from within. It is a lost cause here. What a blunder on my part. I completely underestimated the power of the key bearers, even though I knew of their capabilities. If only I knew their true objective. Their real goal was not the mirror, but the freedom of the monarchs. And with the Arakis Foundation knocking at our door, there's no way to defend for long. It's only a matter of time before the tide turns against us and we have no way to regain."

"General…?" one of the subordinates asked. "Are you alright, sir?"

"Has word of the predicament reached Maleficent yet?"-

"She must still be on the high tower trying to fend off the forces of the Arakis Foundation. Shall I send another messenger?"-

"There is no need. The commotion taking place now ought to attract her attention."

Saber's prediction was right. The rumbling of the explosions within the castle disrupted Maleficent with her attempts to hold off the oncoming forces of the Arakis Foundation. She felt the rumble beneath her feet and automatically stopped.

"What was that?" she uttered. "Did that come from within my castle?"

"Madam," the courier cried, finally reaching the high tower. "Word from General Saber, the KH team has infiltrated the castle."

"They what?"-

"They're trying to get to the mirror."-

"No, this cannot be!" Maleficent, in a wild pitch of rage, flew from the high tower. The crow, which had been hovering about the tower, quickly flew in pursuit of its master. Maleficent flew through the opening in the throne room, landing at the center of her chamber, a green fire bellowed around her. "The key bearers, where are they?"

"They are battling our forces in the west wing corridor." General Saber uttered.

"They're what?"-

"Are your ears in need of de-waxing, I said they are fighting in the west wing corridor."-

"But that's where the political prisoners are."-

"That's correct. And while you were gallivanting about in your own activity, the KH team managed to free your captured monarchs and their followers, and is battling within your fortress."-

"But how did they manage to slip passed our defenses without us knowing?"-

"I don't know how they got in here and I don't much care. All I know is that they hold the one key that will determine our success against the Arakis Foundation in its entirety."-

"And what do you expect me to do about it?" Maleficent asked.

"I want you to find that boy and capture him. He's the only reason why the Arakis Foundation is here in the first place."-

"You expect me to trifle with that obstruction while the safety of the mirror is in jeopardy?"-

"I'm wasting a lot of man power here, keeping them stationed around your precious mirror, when they could be helping press the annihilation on the key bearers and the KH team."-

"That mirror has proven to be more significant to us than anything else so far. We need to protect that mirror."-

General Saber made no further argument. Instead, he raised his hand, with palm facing the mirror, and unleashed a powerful sound wave. The wave struck the mirror and knocked it from its support foundation. The mirror came falling down, down, until striking the chamber floor. Instantly, the mirror's glassy surface shattered into millions of shards, spilling out over the floor and with the shattered mirror sent Maleficent's hopes for obtaining total control of the land. Her teeth clutched and she sneered at the blade general.

"Now, you don't have to worry about guarding the mirror." Saber uttered.

"You fool!" Maleficent roared, her energy skyrocketing and flames bursting from her being. "Do you realize what you have done! You took the one thing that allowed me to take over this world!"

"It is you who are the fool." Saber said. "You were so caught up in your own hopes of world domination that you forgot that you were under the service of the Midnight Faction."

"And tell me how that came about?"-

"It came about the day you decided to side with us as an ally. We came to this world only to trek down and capture the boy, Muli, since we knew that this world would be his next destination, nothing more. We gave you the mirror so you could help us find him, nothing more. In the end, however, you were only using the mirror for you own personal gain. For the few months that we've been here, I've allowed you to use it to fulfill your own needs until the day that the _key_ arrived. But now you think that mirror to be the solution to all of our problems that you've regressed to worshiping it as if it were a god to give you all the answers." Saber placed his hand on his waist. "You forget that you only exist out here because of my efforts, because of the man power and resource that I provide. That's the only reason. Without me, you would still be living in fear of a united attack by the two most powerful monarchs. You should have killed them instead of letting them linger because now that they are free, their unity and their determination is stronger than ever."

"This is bad form."-

"Bad form you say. If that youngster manages to make his way back to his own lines, then the mission of the faction has failed and there will be no need for us to be here anymore. That means once we withdraw, you are on your own."-

Maleficent, fearing the withdrawal of her most powerful allies backed down from her own needs and desires and followed the command of the general. She summoned forth the heartless. In droves, the heartless appeared.

"Go forth and kill the key bearers!" she ordered. "Kill the monarchs, kill the KH team, but do not hinder the boy known as Muli. We need him to fulfill out mission." The heartless quickly rushed to the battlements.

"All units forward!" Saber ordered. "Bring success for the glory of the Midnight Faction and to His Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous!" The faction soldiers and the goblins in reserve saluted and quickly pulled out, making their way to where the fighting was commencing. General Saber then turned to Maleficent. "I leave you to lead our troops. And I expect to see good results."

"I…I understand." The sorceress bowed respectfully, with a touch of fear in her eyes, and withdrew from the chamber, leaving the general in solitude before the broken mirror.

In the meantime, the KH team and their allies were causing quite a stir as the remnants of the first wave of faction soldiers, goblins, and heartless were fended off and sent sprawling rearward.

"We got them on the run!" Donald cheered.

"Push them back!" Ophelia shouted. "Push them back!"

The brave monarchs and their followers slew goblins and soldiers every which way, but suffering their own toll of casualties as well. The forces of the Midnight Faction began to wear down as the determined soldiers of the old monarchy fought their hardest to regain their way of life. The key bearers as well did all in their power to aid the monarchs.

"This battle is quite a ferocious one." King Hubert implied.

"Quite ferocious indeed." King Stephen added.

"We're pushing them back and that's all that matters." Cuchulain said.

"C'mon!" Goofy shouted, using his tornado spin, taking out several of the heartless.

But as it seemed that the battle turned in favor of the KH team and the monarchs, there came another frightening sound echoing through the halls.

"Guys, we have company." Ophelia shouted. From the darkness of the corridor, hundreds more of the enemy came charging at them with great speed. The minuscule force of royals, having taken on twenty-five percent casualties, could not possibly withstand another attack.

"Here they come again." Sora shouted.

"Damn, they just keep coming." Riku said.

"We won't be able to hold off another attack." Prince Philip said.

"How about using more magic?" Cunla asked.

"We barely have enough ether as it is." Donald replied.

"And don't depend on us for assistance." Flora added. "We've used up more than half of our strength."

"Well what do we do now?" Ophelia asked. The attacking soldiers were on the verge if colliding with the thinning line of defenders. But just then, Riku unleashed Hurricane Slash and blew the enemy troops back. For a moment, the group was safe from attack, but not for long. Finally, Riku turned to his friends.

"You guys get out of here." he said. There was a sudden silence that came over the crowd as they heard young key bearer make his declaration.

"What's that?" Cuchulain asked.

"What are you saying?" Ophelia added.

"Sora and I can take it from here." Riku continued. "We'll stall for you as long as we can."

"But you won't stand a chance against that many enemy troops." Prince Philip said.

"I know that…"-

"Staying here to fight would be suicide for you two." King Hubert implied.

"Have you forgotten?" Sora chuckled, "We're the key bearers. We can't be defeated so easily."

"All that matters right now is that the monarchs and Muli get back to the ranks of the Arakis Foundation as quickly as they can." Riku added. "If we all stay here, then they will be put in danger. And if any of them are killed, our efforts to restore order in this world would have been for nothing."

"But Riku, Sora," Muli uttered, "you'll be killed."

"There's nothing for you to worry about, kiddo. We'll be fine."-

"Besides," Sora said, "We won't be safe anywhere as long as Maleficent has that mirror of hers to help track us down."

"They do have a point." Ophelia said.

"Now, there's no more time to waste." Riku implied. "Get going right now."

"Alright, let's go." Cuchulain said.

"You take care of yourselves."-

"This ordeal will be over before you know it." Riku replied. He gave a thumbs up and a little wink. The KH team and the monarchs, looking back for one last time, finally withdrew from the hallway, leaving the two key bearers alone, ready continue the battle. They made ready as the waves of soldiers regrouped their ranks and lunged at them with their drawn weapons.

"Here we go." Sora said.

"Are you ready for this?" Riku asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be."-

Riku and Sora engaged in Hyper Mode Fusion. Sora then unleashed Rage and Saiyan Devotion and the fusion warrior began to cut and slash through the ranks of the dark coalition with the double keyblades. Left and right, every soldier, every goblin and troll, every heartless that crossed their path was cut down instantly. The soldiers attacked the hyper warrior from every direction, but no matter what assault was initiated, the fusion warrior was able to deflect, evade, and counter every time.

"Now to work my way to the throne room." The warrior uttered. Slashing and cutting, he drove through the hallway, working his way to the throne room. For ten minutes they battled before the temporary fusion ended.

"That was a real slaying wasn't it." Sora laughed.

"No time for wisecracks." Riku implied. "We have to keep moving."

The two key bearers rushed through to the throne room. The soldiers were tempted to go after them, but a loud booming voice bellowed out.

"Never mind them." The voice shouted. The soldiers looked to find Maleficent standing before them. "The fate of the key bearers is insignificant at the moment. The only thing that matters right now is going after the monarchs and the boy Muli. Kill the monarchs, but do not hinder the boy."

"Yes ma'am!" the soldiers replied and turned to pursue the fleeing KH team and the monarchs.

In the meantime, Riku and Sora made it down the hallway that led to the throne room. But it was during the last few yards to the chamber that they realized there was no longer any resistance trying to stop them.

"Something's wrong, Riku." Sora uttered.

"You're right." Riku replied. "You'd think they would have this part of the castle heavily guarded like the last time. But there's not even a single heartless."

The two key bearers finally reached the entry way to the throne room, but as they entered, they were in for another surprise. As they entered the chamber, they saw spread on the floor, thousands of glass shards. The Riku and Sora walked about the room.

"This is the mirror?" Sora uttered.

"I wondered why there wasn't any resistance when we were coming to this room." Riku said.

"You're right," a voice suddenly uttered. The key bearers looked up towards the platform where Maleficent's throne was stationed. On the platform stood a man with black glowing hair and one read eye. His right eye being covered by a patch. He wore a dark black coat with red trim that covered a red frock underneath. "Had you come here a hour earlier, you would have gained a powerful asset, but now with the magic mirror shattered into millions of shards, your trek here was for not."

"So this is the mirror." Sora said.

"If I were you, I'd turn around and worry more about what'll happen to your comrades."-

"What was that?" Riku asked.

"Oh yes, Maleficent has another mission to fulfill, to oversee the death of the KH team and the monarchs. With luck, she has already killed them."-

"No!"-

"Oh yes."-

"Who are you anyway, Mr." Sora asked.

"I'm surprised that you wouldn't remember me, not after our first encounter in Wonderland. I am General Saber, one of the five Blade Generals."-

"General Saber…?" The two key bearers made ready to battle.

"So you're our next opponent, eh?" Riku said. "Then come down here and fight us!"

"At your present level of strength," Saber chuckled, "You're not worthy enough to lick the dirt from the bottom of my boots."

"Is that so," Sora said, "Well we'll just see about that."

"I can sense your inner strength. I can already tell that you're no match for me." Saber jumped down from the platform. He drew out a large and heavy saber from the white scabbard at his side. "But seeing that you are so determined to battle against me, I can afford to indulge with my own pleasures."

"Alright, Sora," Riku shouted, "Let's go!"

The key bearers attacked together against the general, but suddenly Saber placed his sword before him, holding the tip and the hilt. Just then, a burst of energy erupted in the form of a sonic boom and blew the two key bearers away. Riku and Sora went flying backwards, tumbling upon the broken glass. They received cuts from the sharpened shards and their clothes were torn asunder. They staggered to their feet.

"What was that?" Riku uttered. "That was a sonic boom. But how could he have performed such an attack at pointblank range? We were practically on top of him."

"That simple display has proven to me that you aren't even a challenge. You can never defeat me as you are now."-

"Don't get to comfortable yet, this battle has only begun." Riku lunged forward and struck at the general with all his ferocity and skill. But it seemed that no matter how he approached the situation, no matter what technique he used, it seemed as if Saber could predict his every move."

"Riku, I'm coming!" Sora cried. He rushed into the fight. Engaging in the confrontation, Sora did battle with General Saber as well. Now both key bearers were fighting the Blade General. But even so, their combined strength was no match for the Blade General.

"What's up with this guy?" Riku thought to himself. "He only has one eye so he has that blind spot, but he acts as if there's no blind spot at all. On top of that, no matter what Sora and I do, he always managed to get one step ahead of us." Saber's battle techniques were flawless in every way. Using his saber, he struck at Riku's keyblade, forcing the youth back. At the same time, he kicked Sora away. The two key bearers staggered and regained their stamina.

"What's wrong, boys," Saber chuckled, "You seemed so determined to battle a few seconds ago, why now do you hesitate?"

"You definitely are more powerful than what we earlier thought." Sora said. "We thought we had you beat easily, but now I realize you were more than just talk."

"I have to agree with Sora." Riku said. "Your strength is impressive. But despite that, we can't just let you walk away from this." Riku lifted his keyblade. "In order to save King Mickey, we have to defeat all five of the Blade Generals. Now I don't know if you being here was by coincidence or your assigned station, but all I know is that you're a Blade General and you have something that we need."

"Are you talking about this?" Saber asked. He took from the inside of his coat another piece of the puzzle. "Is this what you're after? Of course it is. Otherwise, you wouldn't be so desperate to defeat me."-

"We're not desperate!"-

"Well, if you keep it up at this pace, I might actually break a sweat."-

"Are you mocking us now!"-

"With my superiority in this battle, I can afford to show a little arrogance."-

"Riku," Sora shouted, "let's finish this!"

"Right," Riku replied, "Hyper Mode Fusion!" The two key bearers rushed to each other's side and fused bodies. There was a bright light that illuminated the room, but Saber was not wavered by its intensity and only gazed on into the light's rays. From the light appeared the fusion warrior of Riku and Sora.

"Now," the warrior said in its dual voice, "the tide will turn, this time against you."

"Is that what you think?" Saber chuckled. "You think that by combining yourselves into one warrior, you actually have gained the advantage?"

"You will soon see."-

The warrior, unleashed the rage and Saiyan Devotion. Just then, the warrior appeared behind General Saber and slashed away with his dual keyblades. Saber was stunned at the amount of strength that was coming from this new foe. Battling against this new fusion warrior was more of a challenge than what the general had perceived it to be.

"The strength of this new foe is incredible." Saber thought to himself. "He can move like lightning and strike just as quickly." But despite the intensity of the attacks, Saber was in no way concerned. "However, I too have some tricks to show them."

"What's up with this guy?" the warrior thought to himself. "Even though I'm attacking him with such ferocity, he doesn't seem to have any concern about fighting me, as if he knows the battle's outcome."

"That's right, young warrior, fight to your hearts content!" Saber chuckled. The General suddenly slammed his sword onto the warrior, but the fusion warrior blocked his downward strike with the axis of the crossed keyblades. He pushed Saber away and knocked the sword out of the general's hand.

"You spoke too soon." The warrior uttered. "You said fight to my heart's content. And as a result, you have lost this fight."

"I wouldn't get to confident if I were you." Saber chuckled. "Not all battles are as they seem."

"It's over." At point blank, the fusion warrior unleashed a fire barrage. The flames consumed the body of the general, engulfing him in the inferno. As the smoke cleared and the flames withdrew from sight, the fusion warrior stood vigilant with his keyblades at his side. "And so it ends."

"Not quite!" a voice shouted from behind. The warrior turned to see General Saber appear from the rear. With this sword drawn above him, Saber slashed at the youth, cutting him across the chest. The warrior staggered before the general who had no scratch on him.

"But how?" he asked. "How can you be here? I saw your body engulfed in flames."

"Perhaps you haven't had a good examination of the aftermath." Saber replied. The warrior looked to find only a stain of melted glass on the platform base. "As you can see, your attempts to strike me were futile. What you struck was a constructed clone."

"That can't be. I could sense your energy in front of me."-

"It just goes to show how advanced my version of cloning is. I can even have them mimic my energy signature so even the most skilled warriors would be fooled." Saber lowered his sword, now stained with blood at the tip. "You see, it doesn't matter how much you accelerate in skill, physically, mentally, or spiritually, it all depends upon the potency you accumulate. A spider, though much smaller and weaker than a full grown man, contains a poison to bring that full grown man down. In your case, though you have the abilities, you are not willing to use it to your absolute limit, fearing having to take the life of another. Even when battling some of the foes from the past, you weren't willing to take their lives." Saber swiped his sword downward to deprive the blade of the excess blood. "In my case, however, being a general, I am required to kill, so I kill. Eventually, after spilling so much blood, taking the life of another is as easy carving a Christmas turkey. And after all the death matches I have gone through in the past, being in battle allows me to have a strong sense of security as if I were in my own bed." It was at that moment the fusion ended and Riku and Sora had separated into two once again. "You two should consider yourselves fortunate, no one as young as you ever dared to defy me in such a way, for that I commend you."

"I can't believe how strong this guy is." Riku thought to himself. "In only a few minutes he managed to cut our strengths in half."

"He's no ordinary officer." Sora said to himself. "Could it be that he is the leader of the Blade Generals?"

"I have indulged you long enough." Saber chuckled. "But I must take my leave."

"Oh no, you don't," Riku said, "We're finishing this fight here and now."

"Your determination is admirable and somewhat eccentric, but I cannot take your lives yet. If there is anything that I found most disappointing here, I'd say it was your fighting skills."-

"You cocky…"-

"Until you can prove fighting me with more efficiency, there's not use for me to be here any longer than I already have." It was then that General Saber's form illuminated a bright light and the next instant, the form turned to a pile of broken shards that fell to the stone floor, spreading before the feet of the key bearers.

"He was just another assembled clone." Sora uttered.

"He must excel in the ninja arts." Riku said. "That cloning technique is similar to the Darkness Decoys I picked up from Kahn six years ago."

"So you think that General Saber is a ninja?"-

"Without a doubt…" The chamber was quiet, there was only the sound of battle echoing outside. Riku retracted his keyblade. "We have to go, Sora. Muli and the others need out help."

"There's only one last foe to battle."-

"Maleficent…" The two key bearers exited the chamber, little knowing that General Saber still watched from afar. He reached into his pocket and took out a portable holograph device.

"I certainly hope you know what you are doing, my lord." Saber uttered to the device. The figure of Lord Sirius Viicous appeared on the device. "I could have easily slain them here with very little trouble."

"I understand the grudge that you bear against the key bearers." Lord Sirius Viicous replied. "You and I have the same scars inflicted by them, whether directly or indirectly. But right now, there are more pressing matters to be dealt with at the present time. The Alliance's Coordinator Coalition, commanded by Athrun Zala and Kira Yamato, have already managed to interrupt with our supply lines, including the convoy that was supposed to pick up young Muli. So even if we were to accomplish our goals in the world your in, there would be no way to transport the boy from that realm."-

"Why don't I just use the dark passages to…"-

"No, taking the path of the Heartless is the last thing we want. That boy's heart is too weak. He'd never be able to last five minutes. The Heartless would indeed swallow his heart before you could reach the end of the first quarter of the path."

"And what of the key bearers? You still haven't justified why I was ordered not to kill them when the chance was placed before me."-

"As much as I'd hate to be treasonous to my own cause, I'd prefer that the key bearers be spared for the time being. Besides, no matter how much they improve, they'll never be a match for you."-

"I seriously doubt that. Those two young men have been known to accelerate in strength beyond expectations."-

"I know those boys better than anyone else. I know for a fact that they won't vastly improve above what they have already achieved. Besides, we have to take out their mobile allies first, like Athrun Zala and Kira Yamato. We eliminate them and there will be no one to help support the KH team in their greatest strife."-

"And how can you guarantee that, my lord?" Saber asked.

"We have stumbled upon a very important world. We can use that world to eliminate our enemies when they least expect it."-

"Are you speaking about…?"-

"That's exactly what I mean. It didn't take long for us to have full access to that world. So hurry back to headquarters. We'll rethink our strategy."-

"Yes my lord." With that, the transmission between general and lord ceased. Saber placed the device back in his pocket. He leaned up against the wall.

"Soon, my dear cousin," the general thought to himself, "Your death shall be avenged." A dark doorway appeared before him. Saber turned towards the door and entered the shadows. "Our sacrifices here are needless for now, but they will not be in vain when the outcome of this conflict arises." Saber disappeared through the door and the shadowy passage vanished from sight.


	40. Maleficent

Maleficent

Riku and Sora now made their way to the exterior of the castle. As they neared the place where the exited before, now there were scores of soldiers, goblins, and heartless, who rushed at them, preventing them from escaping.

"Stop those key bearers!" one of the officers shouted. "They must not be allowed to rejoin their comrades!" The soldiers surrounded the key bearers, but they were not match for Riku and Sora. Compared to General Saber, the rest of the so called S class faction soldiers proved no match for the agile young men.

"These guys are pushovers compared to Saber." Sora said.

"We have to hurry." Riku implied. "As far as we know, Cuchulain and the others are being surrounded just as densely as this."

Sure enough, just as they exited the outer castle walls, they saw that the drawbridge, which was destroyed from beneath them the night before had been reconstructed. And not too far from that recently constructed bridge, Cuchulain and the others were seen battling the large forces of attackers that struck from all directions.

"There they are." Sora shouted.

"I got them covered." Riku said. He unleashed Cinder Canister and the infamous X Slash, cutting their way through the Heartless, the faction soldiers, and the endless numbers of goblins.

"We're coming!" Sora cried. Cuchulain looked up.

"Hey, Riku and Sora!" he shouted. "They're here!"

"Thank goodness." Donald said.

"We were wondering what kept you guys." Cunla said.

"Did you find that mirror?" Ophelia asked.

"What was left of it." Sora replied.

"What do you mean?"-

"I mean the mirror was shattered into a million pieces when we found it."-

"Someone must've broken it before we got there," Riku added, "which explains why there was little, and if not any resistance when we reached the chamber where it supposedly resided."

"So you mean that entire trek was in vain?" Cunla asked.

"Well, look on the bright side my boys." King Stephen said. "At least Maleficent has no way for predicting the whereabouts of her enemies anymore."

"But that still hasn't changed out predicament." King Hubert replied.

The loyalists were killed one after the other as the numbers of Heartless and their allies overwhelmed them. There came a point where the KH team and their comrades were surrounded and condensed so tightly, there wasn't enough space to move. Before the masses of attackers, Maleficent worked her way through, levitating herself on a large stone slab.

"You poor simple-minded fools," she shouted. "Thinking you could outwit me, me the Mistress of all evil."

"Still as ugly up close as you ever were." Sora said.

"Insolent youth, you and your comrades will suffer for my earlier failures." Maleficent waved her hand and the heartless began to draw nearer. "The heartless shall consume your hearts and return you to the darkness, the origin to which all that have come to exist."-

"Don't be so sure that this battle has turned in you favor." Riku implied.

"I thought that you of all people would learn to respect the darkness." Maleficent said.

"I neither respect it nor fear it. I am the one who lingers on the side of light as well as shadow." Riku drew up his keyblade, the blade facing towards the ground, and just then the glimmering red stone on the hilt of his weapon began to accumulate a bright red. "I can control both elements to the best of my ability!" Riku thus struck his keyblade into the ground. There was a strong red light that burst forward, consuming all, including Maleficent. The light cleared only seconds later. Maleficent observed the effect, but nothing seemed different. She gazed at her hands and began to chuckle.

"Heh, and what kind of spell is that that has no effect on me."-

"It wasn't you I was aiming for." Riku replied.

Suddenly, without warning, the heartless turned away from the KH team and their allies and bared their aggressiveness towards the sorceress and her allies. The heartless then turned on the faction soldiers and the goblins who were acting as the outer ring of the coalition. The heartless quickly consumed and maimed the troops in the front, snatching hearts from their bodies.

"The heartless," one of the soldiers cried. "There's fighting against us!" The faction soldiers, confused at first, regained their stance and now saw the heartless as their new enemies. Maleficent couldn't believe what she saw. The heartless had turned against her.

"The heartless," she uttered to herself, "Why do they turn against me?" She then sneered at Riku. "It's that boy. That boy was the one who turned them against me. He'll pay for this outrage, I swear."

"Riku," Sora shouted, "We better withdraw from here!"

"Right," Riku replied, "We have other matters to attend to right now."

"Let's get going, gentlemen!" King Hubert added. The menial force, now only half its original strength, withdrew from where the heartless clashed.

"Don't stand there, you idiots," Maleficent roared, "After them!"

"Yes, ma'am!" some of the goblins and faction soldiers replied. But as they attempted to further the advance, the Heartless condensed in number and were preventing the mass of the dark coalition to proceed any further.

"It's no use, ma'am," one of the goblins said, "There are too many heartless!"

By this time Maleficent's anger was at a boiling rage. Her hand clutched tightly around her black scepter. She hovered high on her slab. Immediately, the Forbidden Mountains thundered with her vengeful wrath and frustration.

"You fools," she roared, "Idiots, imbeciles!" She aimed her scepter and from its end, volts of lighting streaked through the air. The volts hit the ranks of the heartless, breaking them up and diminishing the shadows. She aimed her scepter at the retreating KH team. Lightning bellowed out and rushed towards the retreating key bearers and their comrades.

"Look out!" Cunla shouted, pointing to the incoming electrical surge.

"Stand back!" Ophelia shouted. She drew out her battle fans and threw them at the surge. The battle fans hit the surge and deflected the volts. The surge was directed into two separate directions, striking some of the mountainsides, causing semi-avalanches. The rocks fell upon the retreating monarchs.

"Look out!" Flora cried. She aimed her wand and her magic surge transformed the plummeting debris into harmless bubbles.

"Those meddlesome little insects." Maleficent said, gritting her teeth. She accumulated another storm surge and electricity bellowed from her scepter.

"Another surge!" Donald cried.

"I got your backs, fellers!" Goofy declared. Goofy jumped up and deflected the lightning. The lightning surge was deflected off of Goofy's shield and went rushing back towards Maleficent.

"The fools!" she shouted, watching as the electricity ricocheted and was flying back towards her. Maleficent drew out her scepter and caught the surge. She tussled with the lightning and deflected it behind her. The lightning struck another cliff side rearward. "They are only mocking me now! Well, let's see how you enjoy this!" She swirled her scepter around her head then aimed it skyward above the KH team and their allies, as well as the mutinous heartless. Dark clouds bellowed and built up above the KH team. Suddenly, from above, scores of lighting flashes and thunder crashes bombarded the KH team.

"Boy," Sora uttered, as he dodged a lightning strike, "Maleficent must be really ticked off now!"

"She's not sparing the rod this time!" Cuchulain added.

"Look!" Donald cried, pointing rearward. The team watched as the lightning shattered the ranks of the defected heartless, allowing advance to come easier to the rest of the dark coalition. "She's breaking up those manipulated heartless!"

"The dark coalition's continuing their advance!" Cunla added.

"What are we gonna do!" Muli cried.

"We're almost to the safety of your own lines." Prince Philip implied.

"We'll at least find haven with the foundation." King Stephen added.

"I will not allow you to proceed any further!" Maleficent declared with a thunderous voice echoing through the sky. She again circled the scepter above her hear. The green glass globe at the end of her scepter glowed brightly and from it a dark essence accumulated. Dark clouds formed and made a ring over the head of the mighty sorceress. "May the thorns block your path and seal your doom!" She threw her scepter forward, pointing to the pathway that was clear of obstruction. The clouds bellowed lightning and each lightning strike hit the ground. And from each point of impact, large thorn trees burst skyward, moving like serpents intertwined in a bizarre mating ritual. From those slithering branches, razor pointed thorns emerged. The thorn forests engulfed the passage way, preventing them from going any further.

"Great," Ophelia said. "Now what are we supposed to do?"

"We'll just have to cut our way through." Prince Philip replied.

"But hacking through that mess will take too much time." King Hubert said. "By the time we've reached the other side, it will already by too late!"

"Not if we can help it." Sora said. "Riku, let's go."-

"Right,' Riku added. He turned to the rest of the team. "You guys work at that thorn barricade while we keep the dark coalition at bay.

"That will not be necessary." Cuchulain said. "Stand back and observe!" Cuchulain stepped forward and faced the thorn barrier. He drew up his Gae Bulga over his head. Immediately, the head of his weapon began to glow brightly, beams of light nearly blinding the rest of the team. "Now witness the true power of the Hound of Ulster! Ulster Slash!" Cuchulain thrust down his weapon in a slicing motion. With that slash, a powerful sound wave cut through the air and struck the thorn forests. Immediately, the vast barricade was eradicated, being cut at the root, once again clearing the pathway. The team was awed at the attack. Cuchulain stood tall as the clouds of debris, his mighty weapons lowered at his side.

"Did you see that?" King Hubert uttered. "That young man cleared the path with a single slash of his weapon.

"That's my father alright." Cunla uttered. Cuchulain turned to the others, noticing that their jaws nearly dropped to the floor.

"We don't have time to delay right now." He said. "We have to get to the lines of the Foundation."

"Sometimes, Cuchulain," Sora uttered, "You never cease to amaze me."

"Me either." Donald added.

"Guys," Riku shouted, "We gotta go!"

"Oh yeah," Goofy added. The KH team and their comrades stopped standing about and quickly ran through the cleared path. It seemed inevitable that the KH team and the monarchs would reach the safety of the Arakis Foundation's main line of defense. Already, the banners and the cannons were in sight. This outcome angered Maleficent by this point finally had enough. Her body raged with bizarre green flames and clashes of thunder.

"No." she roared, "It cannot be!" In a wild pitch of rage, she rushed to the front in the form of a meteoroid, burning down to stand in the way of the retreating KH team. She landed before the retreating force in a burning rage. The team halted in their paths.

"It's Maleficent!" Flora uttered.

"She caught up with us!" Meriwether added.

"Now, you shall deal with me, key bearers," Maleficent roared, "And all the powers of hell!" There was a sudden flash of lightning and clash of thunder. The form of Maleficent was once again engulfed in those strange green flames. The flames grew evermore intense and greater in height.

"Oh no," Sora uttered, "Here we go again."

From the green flames, what looked like two sinister, yellow eyes, appeared before them. From that, a black figure emerged, a large and dark body. As the flames settled, the team found themselves confronted by a new Maleficent, a form they knew very well indeed. Maleficent, unleashing the full bulk of her dark strength, had transformed into a dragon. Strong and massive, with scales as thick as shields, its teeth like swords, the claws like razors, this dragon once again caused dread to flow on the backs of the KH team. Black wings spread vastly on the back of the dragon, extending fifty feet or more. Its tail lashed down like a whip. The moment it cracked the ground, a violent tremor bellowed out, causing the entire region to shake. The monarchs and the KH team fell to the ground.

"Man," Sora uttered, "She's definitely a lot tougher than the last time we fought her."

"Her heart has unleashed the true darkness." Riku replied. "And this time, Maleficent won't spar the rod."

The dragon lifted up its head. With wings spread wide open, the dragon lifted itself upon its hind legs and roared a deafening roar. Flames of fire bellowed from its mouth. Intoxicating, the flames intermingled with the foulness of its breath. The smell was so overpowering, the KH team was nearly knocked out cold and was forced to cover their mouths and noses.

"Man," Cunla uttered, "Is that what a dragon's breath smells like?"

"Well, they don't conjure the phrase 'Dragon's Breath' out of nothing." Ophelia implied.

"I bet if you look up the term 'Dragon's Breath,'" Donald implied, "I bet you'd find Maleficent's face."

Suddenly, from out of the mouth of the dragon, the voice of Maleficent bellowed.

"So," she chuckled, "Did you really think that's you'd get away with this? You and your friends go no further than you have already!"

"Is that so?" Sora shouted. "You turned yourself into a dragon before, but even then we defeated you. We beat you back then and we can beat you now!"

"Ha, I won't make it that easy for you!" Maleficent, in her new form, suddenly unleashed a barrage of flames. The flames darted straight for the center of the KH team.

"Watch out!" Ophelia cried. She drew up her fans and threw them into the flames. The spinning fans fended off the bulk of the fire attack. The minute the last of the flames were extinguished, the fans boomeranged back to the colonel. She looked at her fans, which had been charred from the heat. "Those flames are certainly intense. Enough to incinerate you, bones and all, with one direct hit."

"We have no choice right now." Riku said. "We have to fight her. There's no way that we can avoid this battle any more than we already have."

"But what about the monarchs and little Muli?" Cunla asked. "If we fight now, there might be a chance that Maleficent will turn her aggression on them."

"I leave you and the other's to watch after them. We'll take care of Maleficent."-

"Ha, you fools," Maleficent chuckled, "I can hear your every word! With this new dragon form, I can hear even the quietest of whispers! If you think that I'll allow you to protect those monarchs and that boy anymore than you already have, you are sadly mistaken!" Maleficent turned her aggression towards the monarchs and little Muli who were bunched up together and guarded by the remaining loyalists. "Your royal houses end here!"

"This can't be." King Hubert uttered.

"It's really the end for us!" King Stephen added.

"We still have so far to go." Prince Philip said. "Why must we die like this!"

"Now perish!" Maleficent drew her head back and unleashed at point blank a jet stream of intense flames, hotter than the sun.

"No!" Sora cried, as he and the others could only watch helplessly as the flames drew nearer and nearer to their targets.

But just then, from out of nowhere, Cuchulain appeared. Swirling his Gae Bulga around like a buzz saw, he deflected the flames. The flames grew more intense, but the Hound held his ground. At the same time, Colonel Billiard appeared and got the monarchs out of harms way. Finally, the flames died out, but the Hound continued to maintain his stance.

"That was a close one." Ophelia said.

"No damage to my weapon." Cuchulain said, observing his spear's condition. The Gae Bulga was in no way singed or burned and its surface grew radically cool. "Not even the intense heat of a dragon is enough to hinder damage to the mighty Gae Bulga.

"You impudent little bugs!" Maleficent said.

"Sorry, but you forget that we are with Riku and Sora as well. To hinder them, you'll have to go through us, their friends."-

"That's right!" Cunla added, rushing to his father's side.

"We'll take you on like we did last time!" Donald declared. "We will lead you to your inevitable defeat!"

"Yeah," Goofy chuckled, "And we'll beat you too!" Donald covered his eyes with his hand and shook his head, stunned by Goofy's lack of brain power.

"How dare you interfere!" Maleficent roared.

"Riku, Sora," Ophelia shouted, "I'm getting these four out of here!"

"Right." Riku replied.

"Your majesties, Muli, hold onto me. We're getting out of here!"-

"But how?" King Hubert asked.

"Hold onto my shoulders!" The three monarchs placed their hands on the young woman's shoulders. "Muli, you take my hand."

"Alright." Muli replied. He grasped at Ophelia's hand. But the moment they touched hands, Ophelia suddenly saw the inner caverns of the boy's heart.

"Oh my, you are…" She realized now why the boy was so significant to both the Arakis Foundation and the Midnight Faction.

"Well, now what?" King Hubert asked.

"We're off."-

"Ha, foolish girl," Maleficent scoffed. "I stand in your way with miles of thorn forests blocking you path and behind you the rest of my men come in strength. There is no way for you to escape!"

"It just goes to show you, Maleficent." Colonel Billiard uttered with a smirk. "You know very little to contend with the Tiger of Goth!" Ophelia, using her teleportation technique, vanished without a trace, taking with her the three monarchs and the boy Muli. This was indeed a bizarre turn of events as the main targets disappeared without a trace.

"What happened?" Maleficent said, shocked at the outcome. "Where did they go? Where did they go?"

"Where else would they go?" Riku replied. "They've made it to safety back to the lines of the Arakis Foundation."

"But that can't be! No one can just disappear into thin air."-

"Poor Maleficent, you don't know as much as you thought you did. It just goes to show that you still have a lot to learn."-

"You insolent youth, you will pay for your insults to me."-

"Am I supposed to tremble in fear now?"-

"I was the one who took you in. I was the one who gave you a home when your world was destroyed. I was the one who gave you so many gifts to enhance you power. And this is how you repay me for my generosity, by standing in the way of my ambitions."-

"First of all, you manipulated me with false truths, using my pride and my feelings against me. You gave me gifts in exchange for my deeds. Because of that, I was forced to betray and nearly kill the best friend who stands here beside me. But you are behind your times, Maleficent. I'm no longer that naïve, fifteen year old boy with no consideration for anyone else's feelings. I've matured and this brisk young man now stands before you. I know my path and I will follow it. And no entity will deter me from doing what I believe is right."-

"And how do you know that you take the right path?"-

"Because I believe in the course I take! As long as I believe, I can never be defeated!"-

"That a boy, Riku!" Sora said, placing his hand on Riku's shoulder. "You tell her!"

"We fight together!" Donald added.

"Together as friends!" Goofy said.

"And no one will break us apart." Cuchulain said.

"As long as our hearts are one!" Cunla added.

"Mindless fodder," Maleficent roared. "Even your united hearts will not be enough to battle against me!" Maleficent's wings started to flap up and down and the dragon began to ascend into the air. Strong, foul winds bellowed as her wings gave flight. "So long as I obtain this ultimate form, I am invincible!" Maleficent drew back her head and unleashed large fire balls from her mouth. The fire balls flew towards the KH team, but they quickly scattered, avoiding the explosive heat of the sphere's when they hit the ground. Maleficent began to hover in the air like a vulture. She observed the terrain and saw the movements of the Arakis Foundation. "There will be no one who is safe from my power!" Maleficent took a deep inhale and exhaled, releasing a torrent of fire. The flames engulfed the thorn forests, causing the entire area to burn, thus forcing the Arakis Foundation to halt their advance.

"Look at that." Imetriarch Crassus uttered, as he watched this beast ascend into the air and wreak havoc upon his men. "A dragon."

"Sir," a courier said, arriving with a message, "We're received word that Muli and the monarchs have managed to make it safely to our lines."

"What was that?"-

"Yes sir, they appeared out of nowhere, accompanied by the Tiger of Goth."-

"Is that so? That is good news then! I guess the Midnight Faction's infamous Tiger of Goth has betrayed them most definitely. Otherwise, she would never have openly handed Muli back to us. Give word to bring them to the wood cutter's cottage where the queen and Princess Aurora await them. They should be safe at that distance."-

"Yes sir." The courier scurried off to relay the order. Imetriarch then turned his attention towards the battle.

"Now the KH team can battle without concern of the safety of the monarchs and our youngster."-

But at that moment, a stray fire ball made impact not more than twenty feet away from the Prime Minister. Flame and heat bellowed and the strong winds forced him to his knees. Several of the foundation troopers were killed in the explosions, others maimed and burned. Imetriarch stood up and dust himself off. One of his subordinates, fearing for his safety, ran to his side.

"Are you alright sir?" he asked.

"I'm alright, I'm alright," Imetriarch replied. "It was just close that's all." The Prime Minister watch on as the dragon continued to fly about in the air. "Maleficent's dragon form is powerful. Not only is it a threat to the KH team, but to our own ground forces as well. We have to somehow force that wretched monster out of the sky. Prepare to aim our artillery pieces. See if you can't bring that beast down."-

"Yes sir." The subordinate saluted and returned to tell the artillery to open fire.

The KH team, out of reach of the Maleficent, could only take on the barrage of flames that bellowed from her jaws. The winds from her wings and the stench which accumulated were overpowering.

"It's no use." Cuchulain said. "As long as she forces these foul winds upon us, there's no way we can get up there to stop her."

"And at her present altitude, she can observe our every move." Cunla added. "Even if we were to fly upward, we wouldn't be able to initiate a surprise attack, not so long as she can observe us from afar."

"Let me handle this!" Sora said. "I'll clip that giant's wings for sure!" Sora drew out his keyblade. "Nimbus, come to me! Give me strength!" Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light and the little nimbus cloud came forth. Sora jumped up and landed safely on the cloud's fluffy surface.

"Go get her, Sora!" Riku cried. Sora made a flanking movement towards Maleficent, attacking her from the rear flank.

"You're mine, Maleficent!"-

"You dolt," Maleficent chuckled. "Did you really thing it would be that easy!" Maleficent's mighty wings flapped violently and strong hurricane type winds gusted about her. Sora, overwhelmed by the force of the winds as well as its bizarre and odorous pong, was knocked off the Nimbus cloud. The cloud quickly shifted and rescued Sora from his free fall.

"Man," Sora thought to himself, "She's strong. A lot stronger than what I had anticipated before! Those storm winds are so powerful, they're keeping me away from her. Maybe if I were to fight fire with fire. Or in this case, wind with wind." Sora powered up and unleashed his Twister Strike. A wind funnel formed and rushed at high speed towards the dragon. But Maleficent, seeing the funnel, retaliated by unleashing her own gust of wind. The two wind surges collided and cancelled each other out when making impact with one another. "She cancelled out the attack."

"Clear the way, Sora!" Riku shouted. Sora looked down to find Riku forming his Cinder Canister. Sora realized he was in the line of fire and made a hasty withdrawal. Riku unleashed his fire attack. But for some reason, Maleficent didn't try to avoid the flaming spheres. Instead, she took them head on. The seven spheres slammed into Maleficent and there were explosive impacts that bellowed in the air.

"She took those attacks head on." Cunla said.

"More likely," Cuchulain added, "she took them on deliberately." As the smoke cleared, the KH team realized that the attack was faulty as there was no damage to the dragon whatsoever.

"What," Riku uttered in shock, "there was no effect at all."

"She took on your attack on purpose, Riku, letting them hit her directly."-

"But why? My attack should have at least damaged her."-

"I believe it was the element you used that was faulty."-

"What do you mean?"-

"Maleficent is using fire to initiate her attacks on us. At the same time, you used fire against her. But because fire is the primary source of power to her, Maleficent was not affected by the attack at all. In fact, I believe that using fire attacks would only make her stronger."-

"Damn, so that means using Cinder Canister would only be a waste of time and energy on my part."-

"Quite impressive," Maleficent chuckled from above, overhearing the conversation, "I knew that your observation skills would kick in. So you realize that flame attacks would only make me stronger. And because of that excessive amount of fire you unleashed on me, my power has doubled! I thank you Riku! I have certainly benefited from you. That's for sure!"

"Don't mock me, Maleficent, or you'll soon regret it!"-

"You have no power over me as you are now!" Maleficent unleashed more flames, singeing everyone below. And with her wings keeping her hovered over the battlefield, she could deflect any attack that came at her, using the power of the wind surge.

"Maleficent's certainly well equipped this time around." Sora uttered. "Even with the nimbus, I'm not able to strike effectively, because of her blasted wings bellowing strong winds capable of blowing me away. To top everything off, she can now absorb fire attacks to increase her own strength." It was at that moment that Sora picked up an increasing energy level. "That power, where is it coming from?" Sora looked about, wondering where that energy surge was originating. He happened to gaze off in the distance, where he felt the rising power. Far off, at the base of the Forbidden Mountains, in the area where the rocky, bear structures ended and the forest began, he saw what looked like five glowing lights. Observing more closely, he realized that they were the end of the large cannon barrels of the Arakis Foundation. "Holy God, the Arakis Foundation is planning to barrage Maleficent!" Sora quickly rushed downward. "Get down you guys, get down, the foundation is about to fire their artillery."

"What was that?" Riku asked.

"The Foundation's going to fire their big guns?" Donald added.

"Sora's right." Cuchulain replied. "I can feel that incredible energy surge. It must be coming from the cannons." Cuchulain looked up at Sora, who was quickly descending to the ground. "How many are about to fire?"

"I saw at least five beam cannons initiating a barrage." Sora replied.

"Then that confirms it, the Foundation plans on blowing Maleficent out of the sky!"-

"So it's directed at her." Donald said. "So what?"

"It's the powerful sound waves that'll follow the primary explosion that we're worried about. They'll cause incredible wind surges to blow down on us."

"And that's bad, right?" Goofy asked.

"That's a good way of putting it."-

"Everyone down!" Riku ordered. Sure enough, the KH team and the remnants of the royal guard outfit hit the dirt. Maleficent looked about, why they were taking cover. She then realized what was going on. Turning towards the horizon, where the cannons were set.

"So that's what all the commotion is about eh?" she chuckled. "Those fools, who do they think they're dealing with?"

The cannons locked onto their target. The moment the signal was made and a clear shot was confirmed, the soldier gave the word to Imetriarch Crassus, who was watching the battle unfold before him.

"Locked onto the target, sir!" one of the artillery officers cried.

"Battery fire present," Imetriarch shouted, "Fire!" With a loud burst of energy, all five heavy artillery pieces unleashed what looked like five red beams.

The beams rushed head long at the dragon that still hovered in the air. But the approach of the energy waves did not seem to concern Maleficent, who seemed to urge being hit by the beams. In fact, she maneuvered herself to stand in the path of the energy waves.

"That's right." Maleficent chuckled. "Come to me!"

"Everyone get down now!" Riku reiterated. The KH team covered their heads. The minute the beams came into contact with the dragon, there was mighty explosion that expelled great destructive power throughout the region. The dark coalition that was moving in to defeat the KH team, were overwhelmed by the incredible force of the blasts and many of them were sent rearward, being blown down the path they were running down. As the thundering explosions resided and the debris had settled, the KH team lifted themselves up and observed the outcome of the attack. There was still a large cloud of smoke that lingered in the area where the beams collided with Maleficent. Sora coughed, clearing some of the dust from out of his lungs.

"Well," he uttered, "Did the attack work?"

"I don't know." Riku replied. "I can't feel any energy yet."

"There's still a great deal of energy traces still lingering about after that attack." Cuchulain added.

"It had to have had effect." Donald said. "It just had to."

But it was at that moment, the moment of truth arising, the outcome smashed the hopes of the KH team. From out of the cloud, there came a strong energy signal. A condensed signature, the power level they sensed was even greater than before. And it was an energy signal that they knew too well.

"No," Riku uttered, "That's impossible."

Meanwhile, at the ranks of the Arakis Foundation, there was no visual, or detection of a power level by the scouters within the ranks. Imetriarch observed silently, hoping for the dust to settle quickly.

"Is there any visual?" he asked.

"Not yet sir." One of the officers replied. "We're still waiting for results."

"Was the attack successful?"-

"We're waiting for a power reading, or a clear visual, sir."-

But suddenly, the officer's scouter began to bleep rapidly as the device picked up the rising power in the air. And with the rise of the number on the displayed figure, the heart of that officer sank. Those who also wore scouters had the same reaction as they began to receive the reading on their scouting units.

"Well?" Imetriarch asked. "Was the attack effective?" The officer staled for a moment or two, unable to speak. This silence frustrated Imetriarch. "Well, tell me if the attack was effective. Did it have any effect!" The officer still gazing out into the distance attempting to overcome the shock replied as best he could.

"Negative sir." He said.

"What?"-

"The attack had no effect."-

"But how can that be?"-

"Sir, we have a visual." One of the observers shouted. The Prime Minister looked into the distance to find the ominous, dark figure of a dragon suddenly take shape behind the veil of dust and debris.

"How can that be?" Imetriarch uttered to himself. "There's no way that she can still be alive. She took on five energy beams from our cannons head on."

The same shock reverberated throughout the region. As the moral of the dark coalition skyrocketed at the sight of Maleficent, still hovered over the battlefield, the moral of the KH team and the Arakis Foundation plummeted like a rock.

"That's impossible!" Cunla said.

"Nobody could have survived that." Donald added.

From the dying cloud of dust and debris, there came a maniacal cackling. The dragon's bright yellow eyes protruded through the bellowing smoke. Just then, the sound of wings flapping up and down was heard. Instantly, the remnants of the cloud were blown away, revealing the black form of the beast.

"You idiots, you imbeciles," Maleficent chuckled, "Did you really think that you'd be able to defeat me in such a way. There is no attack you can initiate that I can't withstand!"

"Her power level has tripled at least." Sora uttered.

"But how can that be?" Donald asked. "I thought she could only absorb fire attacks?"

"Apparently not," Riku implied, "Maleficent must have the ability to absorb any attack that accumulates a vast amount of heat. That's it, she can absorb heat attacks."

"How do you know?" Cunla asked.

"I don't know, I'm simply making a conjecture."-

"If that's the case, then I have a plan." Cuchulain said. "If heat attacks increase her strength, then chill attacks should be able to cripple her."

"Then, let's try it!" Sora said.

"Here's what I propose we do." Cuchulain gathered the KH team around him. "Now you four initiate Hyper Mode Fusion. Sora, I want you to fuse with Donald and Riku with Goofy. The minute you've fused, Take the nimbus cloud and rush up to Maleficent. Then use a combination of wind and ice attacks and initiate your strike on Maleficent at point blank range.

"We gotcha." Goofy said.

"Alright, you guys," Sora cried, "Let's do this!"

"Hyper Mode Fusion!" Donald shouted. Instantly, the four began to glow and their bodies converge. The bodies of Riku and Sora emerged, but in new clothing.

"Nimbus!" The nimbus cloud appeared and swooped down to the beckoning call of the summoner. The two key bearers leaped onto the fluffy surface of the cloud.

"Now, to the front!" Riku cried. The two key bearers came head long against Maleficent, who did not notice their presence until they were right in front of her.

"Heh, you two again." She said, "What is the matter with you? You know it's futile to fight against me!"

"That's what you think!" Riku shouted. "Sora…!"

"Take this, Maleficent!" Sora cried. He unleashed Tundra Canister, while at the same time, Riku deployed Hurricane slash. The combined attack of wind and ice encircled the dragon, who did not expect such a powerful attack. The icy shards were scattered all over her and the wind helped to carry it about from the tip of Maleficent's snout, to the tip of her tail. And because this attack did not generate heat, it was not an element that she could absorb. The cold shards hit the scales on her back and the underside of her belly. This sensation was crippling to Maleficent whose body thrived on heat. The mighty dragon's wings, frozen by the scattering shards, turned inward, protecting their vulnerable tissues from the chilled element. Soon after the spells were cast, they ended the fusion and Donald and Goofy found themselves on the Nimbus cloud as well.

"We have her!" Sora cried.

"We did it!" Goofy whooped. He jumped and cheered, waving his hat.

"We brought that monster down!" Donald added.

"Excellent." Cuchulain said, folding his arms in from of him. "Maleficent will know better than to be overconfident with us next time, though I doubt that there will be a next time." But as he watched Maleficent descend, he noticed that certain points in her body were generating a strange amount of heat. Somehow the chill of the ice was having some effect on the heat on the surface of her body. To Cuchulain, these points were like dots placed on certain areas of the dragon's skin. "I wonder if anyone else notices." Cuchulain looked about and realized that no one else seemed to be aware of this sudden imbalance.

The ice spread throughout the surface of the dragon's body. And like a stone, she fell from her citadel in the sky. The position she thought she had held without fear over the battlefield was stripped and Maleficent came falling down towards the ground. Her wings were extended, but only for gliding down now. Landing on the ground, her body was covered with ice.

"Those retched key bearers." She uttered to herself. "They will pay for this insolence. They believe that they have the edge now that I've been grounded." Just then, the remnants of the royal guards came charging at her.

"No," Cuchulain shouted to them, "Don't be so hasty!"

"We'll kill that monster!" one of the guards cried.

"Down with Maleficent!" another added. But as they rushed at Maleficent, the dragon seemed only to smile.

"Idiots, your efforts are in vain!" Maleficent jumped and stood on her hind legs. The heat within her body began to rise even greater then before and melted the ice on her scales within seconds. Then, from her mouth, she unleashed a stream of fire, which bellowed into the ranks of the guards. Though some were able to avoid the flames and their effect altogether, the majority of the guards did not. Caught in the attack, they were consumed completely by the fire. The sound of dozens of petrified and dying men was heard as they were slowly incinerated, bones and all.

"Oh my God!" Cunla uttered, watching these men die such horrible deaths. He quickly turned away. This was far beyond anything he witnessed before. The flames subsided, revealing only charred ground, now blacker than night. The rocks seemed to be melted down from the intense flames.

"That monster," Sora uttered from the Nimbus, "She'll regret this!"

"Did you imbeciles honestly think you've won!" Maleficent declared. "I am Maleficent! I have no equal here! No one can hinder me! Not even the key bearers have the ability to defeat me as I am now! I am too powerful!"

Suddenly Sora and Riku landed in front of her with Goofy and Donald by their side. The key bearers sneered at the beast, their key blades tightly gripped.

"You heartless monster," Sora said, clutching his teeth with rage.

"Now do you realize how futile it is to battle against the likes of me?" Maleficent chuckled. "To think that you could defeat me was vary farfetched, even for you! I have waited a long time for this day and my body has been super conditioned to take on such a battle. The strength of the scales on my back on the plates on my underbelly is like a hundred welded shields and they cover every inch of my body. You would not be able to pierce through me, no matter how hard you struck!"

"Is that so!" Sora shouted. "Well, we'll just see about that!"

"Sora, no!" Riku cried.

"Sora!" Donald and Goofy added. Sora jumped up and slashed his keyblade at Maleficent's throat. But as Maleficent said, the moment Sora's keyblade made contact with her scaly hide; it only ricocheted off its surface. Maleficent chuckled.

"You see what I mean?" she said.

"It can't be." Sora uttered. "Not even a scratch!" Sora landed at her feet. "Her body's been super conditioned alright. The first time we met, we would have been able to inflict serious damage on her dragon body easily. But now, not even an improved slashing attack can put a dent in her.

"Then allow me to try it for us!" Cuchulain shouted. The key bearers watched as the Hound of Ulster suddenly jumped up from behind them and initiated his powerful slashing attack with the invincible Gae Bulga. Generating a great deal of energy, Cuchulain deployed his strike. "Ulster Slash!" The Gae Bulga was swung at point blank, creating a powerful shock wave to bellow forth. But as they had feared, though still hoping, there was no effect on Maleficent's skin whatsoever.

"This can't be." Riku said. "Not ever Cuchulain's slash attack was able to inflict a scratch on those scales."

"There's no use resisting!" Maleficent chuckled. "Not even you can defeat me! Though I don't know who you are, you are still insignificant to my strength!"

"You will soon know who I am." Cuchulain replied. He lowered his weapon. "I cannot help but find your strength impressive, Maleficent. Your bodily defenses are unrivaled. Like a well crafted piece of armor. But like all armor, no matter how perfect or intimidating it looks from afar, looking up close, one is bound to find a few kinks in it."

"You delude yourself, young man! I am perfect in every way!"-

"Is that so?" Cuchulain raised his arm and thrust the Gae Bulga. Maleficent saw the spear coming and easily flicked it away with her claws. Cuchulain quickly retrieved his spear, which landed not more than ten feet away from him.

"As you can see, my armor is perfect. You see how I was able to flick your spear away with ease?"-

"But let me ask you this, Maleficent. Why would you flick my spear away if you knew it couldn't pierce your armor? You didn't bother raising your forelimb when I unleashed my Ulster Slash, but this time, you decided to flick it away."-

"What are you trying point out?" Sora asked.

"Only this, Maleficent wouldn't bother flicking my weapon away unless she had something to hide." Cuchulain stepped up to the dragon. Maleficent suddenly began to tremble as if the Hound revealed a dark secret. "You say that you have no flaws in that armor of yours, but I think differently. I saw that there are certain vital points, well hidden in your armor, that are the crippling spots to bring you down. And I'm sure you know about that as well. You took into consideration where the vital spots were."

"You know about such spots?" Riku asked.

"Look for yourself." The key bearers looked on, but cold find nothing.

"I don't see anything." Sora said.

"Unleash the same attack you did before!"-

"Right," Riku replied. Sora and Riku jumped up and unleashed that same attack. Maleficent ducked as the chilling shards coverer her body. Being too big to maneuver quickly, and still numb from the last attack, Maleficent was hit head long by the frozen blast. "Now what?"

"Now observe." Cuchulain pointed to Maleficent. Just then, as he had predicted, there were sudden changes in the heat and energy signature on Maleficent. As clear as day, those points made themselves know.

"I see them." Sora said.

"I do too." Riku added. "But why can we see them now?"

"It's simple." Cuchulain explained. "The heat and the cold are colliding with one another. Because of this reaction, they are able to point out where the exiting heat is originating from."

"Enough!" Maleficent roared. "You've said too much!" Maleficent unleashed a stream of fire, but the KH team was quick to outmaneuver the attack.

"So what I say is correct." Cuchulain said. "Your armor does have flaws. Despite your denial, you know what I say is true." Cuchulain observed closer. "And I can see from here, what it is that made you block my attack. The most vital, if not the most crippling point on your bulky carcass. There's a patch in the hollow of your left breast that's completely exposed. It's only an inch in diameter, but that spot is enough to cease your resistance."

"But why is it that she has multiple vulnerable spots?" Cunla asked, walked up from his position in the rear.

"It's due to the overwhelming heat that accumulates in her body, son. Even though her body can withstand a great deal of heat, it can't hold all of it in indefinitely. If all that heat is confined in her with no where to go, Maleficent's vital organs would burn and cook like a hot potato. Therefore, she needs access points to release that excess heat. So either way, though those points are important to maintain a leveled equilibrium with heat, they are also the weak points that lead to your vital areas."-

"I see now." Sora said. "I found another one, here on the middle of her left forelimb."

"And there's another one on her right forelimb!" Riku added.

"Just like pressure points." Cunla uttered.

"And like pressure points," Cuchulain implied. "If struck with the right amount of force, they can cause temporary crippling, or stunt of the limb."

"Miserable fools!" Maleficent roared. "You might know of my weak points, but I will never allow you exploit them!" Maleficent flapped her wings again and blew the team away. She ascended into the air as she did before. But this time, her attitude towards the battle had changed. She was now on the defensive. "There's one way for me to defeat you and that's to destroy you from a good safe distance!" Maleficent began to fly rearward, back to her castle.

"There she goes!" Cunla cried.

"After her!" Donald added. The team was quick to chase after her, but they realized that there were still faction soldiers and goblins standing in their way.

"Those guys could be a problem!" Cunla said.

"Riku, Sora," Cuchulain shouted, "You go after Maleficent! We'll defeat the rest of the resistance here!"

"We gotcha," Riku said. He turned to Sora. "Sora let's go!"

"Right," Sora replied.

"Let's take the Nimbus, that way we can reserve more energy than if we just fly directly."-

"Right," Sora lifted up his keyblade. "Nimbus, come to me!" From his keyblade, the agile little Nimbus appeared and the two key bearers jumped on it.

"Okay Nimbus, let's head out!" Riku cried. The nimbus quickly went in pursuit of the dragon.

Meanwhile, Cuchulain, Cunla, Goofy, and Donald made ready to fight the oncoming forces of the dark coalition alone.

"Well, it's just the four of us now." Cunla said.

"Do you really think we stand a chance?" Goofy asked.

"I don't know." Donald replied.

"Stand your ground!" a voice shouted. The four looked up to find a familiar form affiliated itself with them. It was Colonel Billiard.

"Not bad timing, Miss Billiard." Cunla chuckled.

"Sorry I'm late you guys." Ophelia said. "I would have come sooner, but I had some other issues to take care of."

"Better late than never." Cuchulain replied. "Besides, I know you couldn't resist engaging in a good fight!" Now five KH team members found themselves almost surrounded by the dark coalition. "I trust that you got the monarchs and that boy Muli to safety."

"I did, but about that kid Muli. I know now why he' so important."-

"You can tell us after we're finished here. Right now we have a battle to fight."-

At the same time, just above the heads of the KH team, the three good fairies sat upon a rocky ledge, hidden from the sights of the enemy while they regained their strength. Slumped about like hens in a roost, they watched as the battle before them unfolded. They observed as all paths of a possible retreat were deemed inaccessible as enemy troops cut off the team from either withdrawing, or advancing. This predicament was of most concern to Lady Flora.

"This battle is the toughest we've ever faced." Meriwether said, forming a fan from out of thin air and flapping the breeze to her face.

"We used up over half of our magic power today." Fauna added.

"Well, we'll have to use that last of our magic to do some good." Flora replied. She stood up and looked to the field. "We go into battle to aid our friends again."

"Again?" Meriwether uttered. "But we barely have enough strength as it is. We can't possibly make any difference now."

"We can and we must. It is our vow as well as our duty to help those in need."-

"Flora does have a point, dear." Fauna added.

"Alright, alright," Meriwether said. "But I'm working overtime now. You two owe me big time."

"Then it is settled." Flora confirmed. "Let us aid our comrades to the best of our abilities."

"Or what's left of them." The three fairies took flight again and joined the KH team in the final struggle against the faction and their allies.

The KH team made ready to battle the legions of goblins, trolls, faction soldiers, and newly arrive heartless, who surrounded them like a thick fog. But even superior numbers was not enough to scare the KH team from fulfilling their goals.

"Get them!" one soldiers shouted. They went rushing into the team, but the small group did not falter and rushed into the ranks of the enemy.

Meanwhile, Maleficent had reached her castle, hovering over its high towers. It wasn't long before she spotted the two key bearers coming up fast in pursuit.

"Those impudent little worms!" she said to herself. "They just don't give up!" Maleficent turned to engage in battle. She huffed and putted and unleashed another barrage of flames.

"Watch out!" Sora cried. He swerved the Nimbus cloud out of the way, missing the intense flames.

"We have to cripple her somehow." Riku said. "We have to at least get her on the ground." The Nimbus encircled the dragon, dodging the intense flames that accumulated around them. "Sora, aim me at her back and I'll cripple her wings!"

"Roger that." Sora increased the speed of the nimbus cloud, hoping to confuse Maleficent. At the same time, Riku used Darkness Decoys to further confuse the dragon. The minute Maleficent saw the dark figures appear in thin air she was indeed confused, not knowing what enemy to strike first.

"What manner of sorcery is this?" she uttered to herself. "You fools, you can't outwit me in this battle!" But in the commotion, Riku had managed to jump off of the nimbus cloud and glide onto Maleficent's scaly back. Searching for possible vulnerable points on her back, Riku found them. The points were at the base of the dragon's wings. Riku crawled down the middle of her back, holding on as best he could.

"Almost there." Riku uttered. He managed to grasp onto the base of the dragon's left wing. He lifted up his keyblade. "Mock us will you!" Riku then thrust his blade into the weak point. Immediately, Maleficent's wing caved in and she was no longer able to sustain her altitude.

"At a boy, Riku!" Sora shouted from atop the Nimbus.

"Riku, you little wretch!" Maleficent roared, trying to throw him off her back. Riku held on tightly, despite the dragon's violent thrashing. He thrust his blade into the pressure point again. Black blood spurted from out of the wound he created and the dragon roared in pain, but Riku did not give in. He thrust his keyblade into the pressure point again and again, while at the same time quoting from Herman Melville's novel Moby Dick.

"_From Hell's heart, I stab at thee! For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee!"_

Riku thrust his keyblade down into the dragon's tender flesh until Maleficent could on longer sustain flight at such a high altitude. She thus began to descend upon her castle.

"Curse you, boy!" she roared. "Curse you and your comrades!"

"Save it!" Riku shouted. He jumped to the base of the right wing and began inflicting the same amount of damage to Maleficent. Now both wings were crippled and the massive reptile went crashing down into the main courtyard. Maleficent hit the ground, head first, skidding across the castle floor. Her head smashed through the outer wall and dangled at the edge of the deep gorge with the raging river below. Riku managed to jump off and prevent any injury from being inflicted on him. He rolled across the castle grounds just as Maleficent crashed into the wall, causing it to collapse entirely in one section. As the dust settled, Riku stood back up and dusted himself off.

"You did it, Riku." Sora cried as he leaped from the nimbus and onto the courtyard floor.

"That was one heck of plummet." Riku said. "That fall must have really done her in." They observed the still body of the dragon, there was no stir. The two key bearers observed the still body of Maleficent.

"Maybe it's over."-

"I don't think so. We have to finish her off in her most vulnerable spot." Riku looked about at the dragon's underbelly and eventually found the missing patch. "There it is." Riku unleashed his keyblade and made ready to thrust in his keyblade. But the minute he was about the stab the patch, the dragon's claw suddenly swung back and slammed itself right into the key bearer.

"Riku!" Sora cried. Riku flew back. His slammed into one of the stones, nicking his head on the hard masonry. The youth lay motionless on the ground, a stream of blood now dripped from the silver strands of his hair. Sora rushed to his comrades side and put him in his arms. "Speak to me, Riku, please speak to me!" The youth only shuttered, but was unable to bring himself to a fully conscientious state. "Riku…!" Sora then witnessed as the dragon regained its composure and lifted itself upon its feet. Maleficent turned towards the key bearers, black blood dripping from the wounds in her back.

"Did you really think that I would just keel over and die!" Maleficent uttered. "You fools!"

"You'll pay for what you did to Riku!" Sora shouted.

"And what can you do on your own!"-

"All that I can do!" Sora rushed into the fray. Unleashing the rage and Saiyan Devotion, the young key bearers rushed in like a maniacal monster himself. He rushed in and tried to stab to patch in her chest. But despite that, the dragon was able to fend him off. "Damn, she's much harder to defeat than I thought."

"How did this little imp gain so much strength!" Maleficent uttered. She slashed her tail about like a whip and used her claws to strike at Sora. Sora received a few wounds, but that was not enough to deter his burning rage.

"I'll kill you!" Sora roared, his eyes a pale and soulless yellow. He rushed at Maleficent head on. Maleficent in return unleashed a barrage of flames. The flames spread everywhere.

"You dare to outdo me!" the dragon then perched herself above the flames, so that her underbelly was not exposed. "Did you really think that it would so easy to defeat the likes of me again? You're completely over you head!"

"I can't attack her head on for an instant kill." Sora thought to himself. "That fire's hot enough to burn the flesh off your bones. To make things worst, since I'm the only one here, she only needs to concentrate on me. I have to somehow evade her attacks and make my way onto her back. It's the only way to get to her other vital areas."

"Now die!" Maleficent opened her mouth and unleashed a barrage of flames at the young key bearer. Sora teleported to her flank and rushed in with great haste. But the flames grew intense around the dragon, fanning further and further. The head from the fires singed Sora's vest and shorts, but it did not deter him from accomplishing his goal.

"I have to extinguish the flames!" Sora uttered. He unleashed Tundra Canister and froze up the ground, extinguishing the flames. Maleficent was caught completely off guard.

"Impossible," she thought to herself, "Is that the Blizzaraga spell? It can't be. Not even that ice spell is enough to quell the flames. And I've never seen such an ice attack before. The young man is able to scatter the shards about." She then saw Sora coming at her, using dodge roll and swift attacks to avoid a direct line of fire. "I see you. You won't outflank me!" Maleficent whipped her tail about. The shocks of her tail broke the masonry floors of the castle. Maleficent then turned and threw flames at the agile youth. But Sora was still quick to react. He turned and attacked Maleficent from up front. Summoning the Nimbus cloud again, he jumped up and made an attempt to fly over the new flame wall and jump onto the dragon's back.

"It's over!" he cried.

"Attacking head on?" Maleficent shouted. "You must be too caught up in seeking glory!" Maleficent made ready to unleash another rain of fire. But as she prepared to deploy the flames, Sora struck with his own technique. Jumping from off the nimbus deployed the one attack taken from the late General Kai of the Cavendish Shinobis, the Corona Flash Barrage. Sudden bursts of light accumulated like some many bombs. Maleficent was blinded by the barrage. Confused and bewildered, she closed her eyes. "That attack, what was that attack?" But no soon after, she felt a deep pain in her left forelimb. Sora had managed to sneak his way onto her back and thrust his keyblade deep into the hollow patch located on her left shoulder. Black blood seeped from the wound like a rill. Maleficent roared out in agonizing pain and did her best to shake off the key bearer. Sora held on for dear life as the dragon shook about violently. His keyblade was still lodged in her back, so he used that as a handle to maintain his mount on the dragon's shoulder. Back and forth like a wild horse, the dragon tried to bump him off, but the youth did not give it.

"Man," Sora uttered, "Take it easy will you!"

"You dare to mock me?" Maleficent shouted. "You cursed wretch, you'll pay for this!"

"That is if you manage to get me off!"-

"Arrogant little fool, I'll show you!" Maleficent suddenly lashed her tail upon her back, hitting the area of her left shoulder. Sora, caught off guard, was struck in the back by the tail. He cried out and grasped for his back. But by releasing his keyblade, he went flying off the dragon's back. He slammed into the wall and laid their unconscious for a moment or two. Maleficent shook harder and dislodged the keyblade from her shoulder. The black blood spilled onto the ground like shadows.

"You arrogant, insolent youth," Maleficent growled, "You decide to take me on by yourself? You are foolish!" Her left shoulder was still functioning though not as well as before the wound was inflicted. She was paralyzed for only a few seconds. "I'll see you burn in hell!" Maleficent heaved back her mighty jaws and prepared to unleash the flames directly on Sora.

But just then, she felt another stinging pain, this time on her right shoulder. Maleficent was caught completely by surprise. She looked about to find another surprise on her back.

It was Riku.

"Riku, but how?" she said, her right forelimb giving way beneath her.

"You were so caught up in killing Sora, you forgot all about me!" Riku shouted.

"But you're supposed to be dead!"-

"I wasn't dead, just knocked out. And thanks to you, I have this ghastly wound on my head! You'll pay for that!"-

Sora, in the meantime, managed to regain his composure and stagger to his feet. He saw Riku on the back of the giant, his keyblade thrust into the right shoulder.

"Riku," he cried, "You're alright!"

"You didn't think I was gonna let you take all the credit for defeating this monster did you?"-

"Heh, I guess not."-

"Well, don't just stand there, Sora, give me a hand!"-

"Right!" Sora retrieved his keyblade and rushed to the fight.

"I will not allow you two to regain your foothold!" Maleficent shouted. "Using her wounded left forearm, she thrust it down, causing a powerful sound wave to bellow. Sora, completely caught off guard by the attack, was swept away.

"Sora," Riku cried. He sneered at Maleficent. "You'll pay for that!"

"Not if you regret your actions first!" Maleficent shouted. She suddenly stood up on her hind legs, using the strength of her left arm to lift her up. She then threw herself down on the right side of her body. Riku was knocked off along with his keyblade and he went rolling across the ground. The dragon rolled onto its belly again and staggered with its two crippled arms. "You certainly inflicted a great deal of damage on me, but no more!" She heaved her chest and prepared to unleash more fire. But as she did, Sora suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Guess what, Maleficent," he chuckled, "I'm back!" Sora deployed Corona Flash Barrage, blinding the giant. Maleficent once again covered her eyes from the intense light bursts. But she made sure to keep an eye on her back, in case Sora tried to do the same as he did before. Unfortunately, Sora was not about to use the same attack twice, knowing Maleficent's ability to adapt to certain attacks. "No more fooling around. I'm going for the kill!" Sora thus unleashed the Lu Bu Foot Stomp right in front of Maleficent. The attack unleashed a powerful sound wave that pushed the dragon onto her back. Sora quickly took the initiative and rushed up on her underbelly. "Now, you're vulnerable!"

"You scoundrel" Maleficent shouted. Sora ran up to her chest area and scoured for the little patch in her chest. He soon stumbled across it, a missing patch revealing the tender flesh beneath, no larger than one inch in diameter.

"There it is!" Sora drew up his keyblade and made his thrust. But before he could, Maleficent grabbed him with her giant claws and clutched him tightly, pulling him away from her vulnerable spot.

"You mindless fodder!"-

"Let go of me!"-

"I think not! I end this hear and now!"-

"Sora," Riku cried. He quickly staggered and reached for his keyblade. But Maleficent knew better than to take her eyes off of her former apprentice. She slashed her tail about and knocked the weapon away from his reach. She then lunged forward and took hold of Riku as well.

"I've had it up to my throat dealing with you miserable little insects!" the dragon roared. She stood up high on her hind legs, balancing herself out. "And now, I will crush you beneath my weight!"

"You monster, let us go!"-

"You are in no position to be giving away demands to me, Riku! You two can just die for all I care!" Maleficent made ready to throw herself upon her crippled front limbs and bestow all of that weight onto the key bearers. "Now perish in despair, both of you!"

The two key bearers, their limbs locked in the dragon's claws, unable to break free, saw that death was eminent and there was no way for them to escape.

"Is this it?" Sora thought to himself. "Has fate abandoned us?"

Just then, from out of nowhere, a high pitched sound, like that of a screamer, bellowed in the air. Maleficent looked about, wondering where that sound was coming from. But as she looked ahead over herself, there before her was the infamous three pronged weapon of the Hound of Ulster, Gae Bulga. It came howling like a demon, heading straight for the one mark that Riku and Sora had come so close to getting. It was already too late for Maleficent. The Gae Bulga struck its target, being a weapon that never misses, piercing through the little patch. Maleficent roared out in agonizing pain, giving a dying moan. The key bearers saw the weapon lodged in her chest.

"That's the Gae Bulga." Riku uttered.

"C…Cuchulain?" Sora said, shocked. They looked to the area where the spear originated. And low and behold, standing at the gates of the castle, was Cuchulain and the other members of the KH team, still alive and kicking.

"And here I thought that you guys didn't leave anything for us." Cuchulain said.

"It…it can't be…" Maleficent uttered. Losing all of her strength within seconds, she collapsed to the ground. Her claws released the two key bearers, dropping them both on the masonry ground. Stunned and surprised, the two key bearers quickly staggered to their feet.

"Riku, Sora," Ophelia cried, "sure glad to see that you two are still alive."

"We thought you guys were surrounded by the faction." Sora uttered, grasping his shoulder.

"Heck, it takes a lot more than those simpletons to bring us down." Riku and Sora rejoined each other and united with their comrades. Cunla looked at the two young men.

"You guys look like you've been through a blender." He chuckled.

"Well, we've had worse." Riku replied.

"Well, at least you two are safe, thank goodness." Flora said.

"Goofy…" Cuchulain said.

"I gotcha…" Goofy replied. He took off his hat and reached for the bag of Senzu beans. "With those injuries, you could use more than a squirt of Curaga." He gave the two warriors one half of a senzu bean, which was all that was really needed. The two key bearers had their fill and were quickly healed and rejuvenated.

"That's much better." Sora said.

In the meantime, Cuchulain walked over the fallen body of the dragon. Reaching for his weapon, lodged deep in the chest of the dragon, he pulled it out swiftly. There was a sudden reaction as Maleficent twitched and groaned. The KH team was stunned. Goofy and Donald held onto one another.

"She's still alive!" they both cried.

"But how can that be?" Sora wondered. "Cuchulain struck her vulnerable spot."

"Maleficent doesn't give up easily does she?" Riku added.

The black blood ran from the open wound in the dragon's underbelly. On Cuchulain's weapon, the stains of the blood were still gripping the brass head of the Gae Bulga. Cuchulain thrust it in a slashing movement, throwing off the blood. The blood, like shadows, splattered all over the ground. The Hound then walked around the body to the very head of the dragon. Maleficent seemed to be breathing with great labor. Black blood flowed from the side of her giant jaws. Dying and angry, but with no means to retaliate, she opened up her big yellow eyes to gaze at the hound who stood over her.

"Who…who are you…?" she uttered, practically whispering.

"I am the Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster." The champion of Erin replied. "Remember it! Because my face will be the last thing you ever see!" With out a second thought, without regret, Cuchulain raised his weapon and thrust the Gae Bulga deep into the beast's head, striking the little hollow patch located on the top of her cranium. After the strike and after a few spouts of that shadowy blood spurted out from the wound, Maleficent's reptilian body lay still and cold. The KH team felt the energy leave her body. At last, the mighty beast was dead.

"Maleficent is dead." Riku uttered. At that moment, the massive carcass of the dragon began to smolder and smoke, its bulky hide suddenly began accumulate a black, shadowy steam that rose into the air and slowly diminished as it reached higher altitude. The dragon's body seemed to melt away like a cloud.

"What's happening?" Ophelia asked.

"She's passing on into the realm of the heartless." Riku replied, "Just as she had done before."

Within seconds, the smoke cleared and evaporated into the sky. As the shadows withdrew, only the tattered cloak of the sorceress remained. Along with the passing of Maleficent, there also came the passing of darkness in the Forbidden Mountains. For the first time, since Maleficent had claimed the realm for her own, the skies above the Forbidden Mountains grew clear with a blue sky and the rays of the setting sun. It was late afternoon by the time the battle had ended. The thorn forests diminished along with their creator. All the destruction she had inflicted on the landscape disappeared as well as if she never were. The spells cast by Maleficent vanished from sight. Seeing the Forbidden Mountains under a clear sky, the realm of Maleficent was not as foreboding and frightening as it was before.

The Arakis Foundation and all who were present on the battlefield witnessed this amazing sight. The clearing sky only indicated that the battle was over in favor of the Arakis Foundation. Immediately, there was a cheer from the men of the foundation, crying and yelling joyously. For the defeated soldiers of the Midnight Faction and the dark coalition however, this was a sign of defeat. Without Maleficent to support them and without the thorn forests there to obstruct the way of the Arakis Foundation's overwhelming numbers, the dark coalition knew that further resistance would be in vain. It was another blunder on the part of the Midnight Faction. The soldiers, though considered elite S class soldiers, knew that they wouldn't have survived long against the foundation soldiers who were of equal status. They thus began to emerge from their barricades, their trenches, and crevices in the rocks. They along with the remnants of Maleficent's minions turned themselves over to the Arakis Foundation and surrendered unconditionally. The heartless in the meantime, simply diminished from the world.

Imetriarch Crassus smiled as he saw the sky clearing above him. He folded his arms in front of him.

"The key bearers must've accomplished their mission." He thought to himself. "I guess I should be grateful. Though I fear they may become our enemies again. Best enjoy being allies with the key bearers while it lasts."

"We did it sir." His subordinate cried. "We've won the fight."

"Indeed we have." Imetriarch replied.

The KH team watched as the shadows diminished from the castle, leaving only the ruins of Maleficent's domain. Goofy, overjoyed, suddenly began to jump in the air happily.

"We did it!" he cried.

"We won the battle!" Donald added.

Cuchulain turned to rejoin his comrades. The shadowy black blood on his weapon evaporated as well.

"At last, the battle is over." He said.

"Thanks to you though." Riku replied.

"You certainly got us out of a jam." Sora added. "I thought for sure we were finished when Maleficent had us in her clutches."

"Well, if it wasn't for you guys crippling her," Cuchulain remarked, "we might have had ten times the consequence to deal with."

"That is true." Meriwether added, hovering about the key bearers' heads. "We owe it to you both."

"Well…thanks…" Sora replied.

"Sora," Riku said, "Our task isn't finished yet. I can feel it here in this castle."

"Feel what?" Ophelia asked. "What do you sense?"

"A keyhole…"-

"A keyhole, are you sure?" Meriwether asked. The three fairies were shocked to hear about the presence of a keyhole in their world.

"Positive."-

"A keyhole in our realm?" Flora asked.

"Where at?" Sora asked.

"Follow the power that rises."-

The KH team followed Riku into the castle. They worked their way through the corridors as Riku's senses pulled at him. The team eventually reached the throne room again, where the remnants of the shattered magic mirror lay.

"Is this the place?" Donald asked.

"What happened here?" Cunla asked. "What's with all this broken glass?"

"This must have been the magic mirror." Flora said.

"Did you destroy the mirror?" Cuchulain asked.

"The funny thing is that it was already shattered by the time we reached this chamber." Sora replied.

"Do you think it was Maleficent, Flora?" Fauna asked.

"It must've been." Meriwether added.

"But why would she want to destroy the one thing that she cherished the most?" Flora replied.

"In this chamber, we'll find the keyhole." Riku replied. He then looked up at the throne where the energy accumulated. He and Sora stepped up the stairs and stood in front of Maleficent's throne. Before them, the glowing outline of a keyhole emerged at the back of Maleficent's throne.

"There it is." Sora uttered. "You were right, Riku."

"Let's close this world up."-

"Yeah…" Both key bearers aimed their blades at the keyhole. Instantly, the locking beams from their keyblades were deployed at the same time. Both hit the lock, closing two separate halves. There was a bright light that accumulated in the room. The other members present stood in awe.

"So that's the keyhole." Flora said.

"How brilliant the light." Fauna added.

"That's what it looks like locking the door." Meriwether added. "Impressive."

As the keyblades finished their task, the keyhole slowly diminished from existence, slowly fading before disappearing altogether. Riku and Sora lowered their keyblades.

"This world is sealed." Sora said.

After a long hard battle and months of oppression, the light and order returned to the kingdoms of Stephen and Hubert and their children. The old crow that once was so faithful to Maleficent diminished from existence, no longer having a need to remain the in the realm of its former master. It was perhaps the only individual that was not hindered and the only one of the dark coalition to escape from the battle. Once again, the realm was as it should have been.

"We no longer have a reason to be here." Riku said as he and Sora descended from the throne's threshold to the central floor area, where the other KH team members awaited them.

"Then let's get out of here." Donald said.

But as they turned to exit the castle, there came the sound of hundreds of rushing feet. The KH team was confused. Were there more enemies here that refused to give up?

"Someone's coming!" Cuchulain said. "Make ready to battle."

The KH team took their positions, drawing out their weapons, at the ready to take on whatever it was that approached. But to their surprise, the foe happened to be members of the Arakis Foundation. They had managed to make their way to the castle and place it completely under their control. The KH team lowered their weapons.

"Oh, it's just you guys." Cunla chuckled. But his relief, as well as the relief of everyone else did not last long. The Arakis Foundation had arrived, but wielding their weapons in an aggressive state towards them. The soldiers drew out their swords and held them against the KH team.

"What are you doing?" Sora cried. "We're on your side!"

"And since when does the KH team dare to side with the Arakis Foundation?" a voice uttered. The key bearers and their friends looked to find the familiar face of Imetriarch Crassus stepping into the chamber. "Now that the battle is over, so is our alliance."

"What?"-

"You've betrayed us." Cuchulain said.

"I have done nothing of the sort." Imetriarch said. "It is you who'll betray us."

"What do you mean?" Ophelia asked.

"Though we fought together against Maleficent and the Midnight Faction, it doesn't change the fact that we of the Arakis Foundation are a former Imperial power. And as a former branch of the late Dark Empire, it is our obligation to oversee the expansion of complete Oceanarian rule over all worlds. And we can't have friends of the Universal Alliance turning against us can we." Imetriarch gave the signal and the soldiers leaped forward, seizing each of the KH members. "Have them taken to the courtyard and keep them under guard until further orders are addressed. We must apprehend and extinguish all who oppose the will of the Arakis Foundation."

"Why are you doing this?" Sora asked.

"After all that we've done to help you," Cunla shouted. "After all the sacrifices that we had to take trying to save Muli, this is how you repay us?"

"Your service is appreciated," Imetriarch said, "but we are not willing to take such a chance. Now don't take any offense to our action. I like you, I really do, but I cannot forge a friendship with individuals whose cause is countered to our own. Therefore, it is my duty to place you under arrest."

"As should be expected." Cuchulain said.

"You're holding the law up too high!" Sora cried. "We did you a favor!"

"You have our gratitude, but my orders are final." Imetriarch said. He turned to his men. "Take them away."

The KH team was led out of the castle to await some unknown fate. It was a double edged sword that the key bearers and their friends had to deal with and though avoiding being cut by one edge, they find themselves being hindered by the other.


	41. Submission

Submission

By force, the KH team was sent out into the central courtyard where the rest of the foundation forces awaited them. The team was placed before the masses of soldiers, who were stationed and formed into their formations.

"You can't do this!" Sora protested. "You can't just arrest us like common criminals especially after all that we've done for you."

"Your help is appreciated, but I am not willing to let possible enemies frolic about freely." Imetriarch explained. "You are members of the Alliance and the alliance stands in the way of our ambition. Therefore, it stands to reasons why we have to confine you until our own goal is achieved. After we have reached our goal, then you may be freed."

"But you seek universal domination." Ophelia said. "That may take years."

"Believe me you will not be confined to any solitary cell. Instead, you shall be placed at our outpost headquarters where you may enjoy a life of luxury. But you cannot leave our headquarters until the job is done."-

"So you intend to continue with conquering all worlds?" Riku asked.

"That is the only purpose of the Arakis Foundation. Our goal is to unite all worlds and place them under Oceanarian rule."-

"But many worlds would rather perish than be placed under a foreign power." Sora said.

"Well, if they'd rather perish, then they better do it and do it quickly. That'll at least decrease the surplus population." Imetriarch replied.

"You're an inhuman monster!" Cuchulain shouted. He trudged forward, but the soldiers grabbed hold of him and held him at bay. "You think that you can dictate people's lives and force them to do as you want?"

"These people are like lost sheep that stray from the flock. Those who stray become food for the wolves. The foundation is but the humble Shepard who watches over the flock, protecting them from the outer elements."-

"But people aren't sheep! That's what we're trying to tell you! They're not the type to stay in line and do whatever it is you ask or want. They live their own lives free from the oppression of others. That's how the alliance rules its territories. It watches over other worlds without interfering with their politics, or their way of life. They only aid those worlds if asked. And they always aid both sides and try to avoid bloody confrontation."-

"But then how would the alliance react if it had to fight itself one day? And because they aid both sides, there's a possibility that corrupted officials would take matters into their own hands and declare bloody retribution. The alliance depends on a diverse range of officers, but those officers of other ethnicities, other races, and other religions, cannot be trusted. Only those who are of pure Oceanarian blood are allowed to maintain such high ranks. They are the ones who know their duty and are not corrupted by personal gain."-

"And yet you think that the war between the Empire and the Alliance wasn't a war between two Oceanaria powers?" Sora asked. "Your cause is week and it has too many flaws. Just like the Red Ribbon Faction and the Midnight Faction, you want universal domination. But achieving such a goal is impossible. You cannot expect to rule without some sort of major conflict erupting. The further you expand, the more men and resources you will need. And the more territory you gain, the more ruthless you'd have to become in order to keep all of the conquered societies in line. But the more ruthless you become, the more despised you will be and the more enemies you will have. Then there will be a time when the anger of the people can no longer be maintained and violent and bloody revolution will erupt."

"All other peoples in this universe are incompetent and are ignorant of their roles and duties. But once the Arakis Foundation gains absolute power, we will be able to bestow the roles of people in the universe. They will remain in a subordinate and inferior position, while the Oceanarians become more powerful. Soon, through generations of manipulation, the lower people will know only their roles and will figure it as their only way of life. Thus, the Oceanarians will have absolute control. So as you can see, Sora, universal domination is possible. But the only way to achieve such a perfect and ideal world, you must eradicate all traces and all history of the world that came before."

"But there will be those who know of the truth and whose consciousness will be haunted by the crimes that both you and they have committed." Cunla said. "The faces of their victims will fly through their nightmares."

"Enough of your blathering!" Imetriarch shouted. "Get them out of my sight! Have them locked away for the remainder off the war!"

"To hell with that!" Cuchulain freed himself from the clutches of his captors and reached for his confiscated Gae Bulga. He seized his weapon and made ready to battle. "I would rather perish in battle than allow myself to be chained up like a mongrel dog!"

"Such insolence! If you're not for us then you're against us!" Imetriarch turned to his men. "Have this fool killed! The Hound of Ulster must not be allowed to live!"

"Father!" Cunla cried.

"Stay back, son!" Cuchulain shouted. "This battle is mine!"

"No father!" Cunla shouted. He too freed himself from the clutches of the soldiers and stood alongside his father. "I won't leave your side."

"Cunla…"-

"We fight together!" Riku shouted. He and Sora snatched their keyblades from the hands of the foundation soldiers.

"Let's go!" Sora added. "Who wants to battle us now!"-

The soldiers quickly drew out their weapons and made ready to battle with the defiant KH team. Imetriarch stood with his hands folded in front of him.

"So you dare stand against the might of the foundation do you?" he said. "You forget that I have the monarchs under my jurisdiction. If you hinder even one of my soldiers, I will send word to have those monarchs executed and we will leave this world to fall into a long period of chaos as rivaling factions engage in a savage power struggle. That means that all of your efforts here would have been sheer waste of time."

The KH team realized that this was no bluff, but the truth. Imetriarch Crassus was the son of the late Lord Exavier Crassus and a strict follower of the old imperial order. Therefore, this young man, despite his youthful appearance, was indeed capable of causing such wholesale slaughter. Not willing to risk the lives of the monarchs, they lowered their weapons.

"That's better." Imetriarch said. The soldiers once again took hold of the KH team members. They forced them to their knees to a bowing position. "Your little uprising might not have taken lives, but it has proven to me that you are too dangerous to have to continue living. I will see your immediate execution here and now."

"I believe that initiating executions are out of your hands, Prime Minister Crassus." A voice shouted. Imetriarch turned to find little Muli and the monarchs approaching them. The moment that they saw the young boy approaching them, the soldiers and the Prime Minister quickly paid their respects, bowing to the young man.

"Terribly sorry, sir." Imetriarch replied, lowering himself below the boy.

"Muli…" Sora uttered.

"Hey you," a soldier said, "You will show His Excellency respect! Don't believe you can address him so casually!"

"That's quite alright." Muli replied.

"His Excellency?" Sora asked. "What does he mean by His Excellency?"

"Don't you realize who that is?" Ophelia uttered.

"Well, all I know is that he's considered a key to the foundation's success."-

"He's not just any key, he's the key. Muli is merely the nickname he goes by?"-

"How do you know all this, Miss Billiard?" Riku asked.

"It occurred when I helped him and the other monarchs to safety. The minute he took hold of my hand, within seconds, I could see his entire history, his entire life story."

"So what's his real name?" Ophelia sighed for a moment or two before speaking again. She looked up at the boy and his dark brown eyes.

"His nickname is a shortened version of his first name. Muli's full name is Mulian Nidarach Arakis. He is the son of the late Lord Drako Arakis, one of the Three Excellencies of the old Imperial regime, and the commander-in-chief of the Arakis Foundation."-

"You're kidding." Cunla uttered. "That kid is the leader of the Arakis Foundation."

"Now I see why everyone treats him with so much respect." Sora added.

"So that is the leader of the Arakis Foundation." Cuchulain said. "I never would have guessed the fierce leader of the foundation would be nothing more than a child."

"I am sorry for not telling you sooner." Muli said. "But I could not allow my identity to go off being revealed to the enemy. I did not think you as allies until yesterday."

"Your Excellency." Imetriarch Crassus implied, "If you wouldn't mind as to give the order for execution. These people are dangerous threats to the foundation and our cause."

"I am not about to order the instant death of my friends." Muli replied.

"Your friends?"-

"I realize now that there are other people in this world who are just as determined to fulfill their rolls as Oceanarians are. And it was because of the trials that took place in this world that I have finally come to the realization that all my sacrifices, all my efforts were in vain."-

"Your Excellency, you must not be thinking clearly."-

"No, Prime Minister, for the first time in my young life I am thinking clearly. I know now that a force of arms cannot make people stop being who they are. Until now, I thought that Oceanarians were the best of the best, that no one could outmatch them in battle, or outsmart them in battle. But the ambush I was involved in proved that Oceanarians are just at fragile and vulnerable as every other being in this universe. My men were killed by the thousands and yet I only turned my head away. I thought that deaths were just figures on a piece of paper. I never knew the suffering I was causing, not knowing the horrors of war behind the walls of my home. I thought that going on this expedition would be a grand adventure. But I now know that war is anything by a glamorous exhibition of glory and romantic tragedy. It's all simply chaos and terror. And to think that I sent thousands of men, many not even twenty years old, to their deaths without a second thought."-

"You must not talk like that, Your Excellency. Otherwise such sentiment will deter you from your goal of conquering all worlds."-

"Unity of all worlds is merely a dream, an impossible dream that even the mighty Dark Empire was not able to accomplish. That's why my father did not take me with him when he went to battle. He was always afraid that I might enjoy such a sight. And I thank him for it. Otherwise, I would have made the same mistakes he would." Muli walked up to Riku and Sora. "Meeting you two was the best thing that could ever happen. It is not you who are the villains, but me. I am the real villain here."

"You shouldn't bring yourself down like that, kiddo." Riku said.

"It's alright. I like this feeling of humility. I like it because I can at least talk to you as an ordinary person rather than as a high and mighty warlord." Muli turned to his faithful soldiers. "You men rise up. You don't have to show humility to me. It should be me to do that!"-

"No, no, Your Excellency!" the soldiers cried.

"It's my fault, it's all my fault." Muli said. Again there was decent on this declaration. The soldiers couldn't believe that their leader was telling them this.

"No, Your Excellency, don't blame yourself!" the soldiers shouted.

"Hear me all of you! All the wrongs inflicted on people and on you is entirely my fault! I am the leader of the Arakis Foundation and I have a responsibility to oversee, a responsibility to you and to all, which I have turned my back on for these past six years." Tears came down the face of the young man as he reflected on all the deaths he saw on the battlefield. The key bearers and their comrades could not believe what they were hearing. Here was this ten year old leader lowering himself below his soldiers. Riku and Sora couldn't believe their ears. Before them they saw not an immature ten year old, but a leader taking on responsibility. He sounded more like an old wise man who knew the meaning of tragedy and sacrifice rather than a child.

"I've never seen him so humble." Sora uttered.

"I never would have thought that the leader of the Arakis Foundation would show such regret." Cunla added.

"Only now, that young man has come to realize the pain and suffering he caused in his hope of uniting all worlds." Cuchulain said.

Muli walked up to his men who were crowded around him. With his tender and soft voice, he made a declaration to his men.

"My men, my soldiers," he began, "I realize now that what I was trying to achieve was only a dream. I have put you all through so much suffering and I have put your families through so much misery. My words may not be able to comfort you, nor can they comfort the families whose loved ones have already perished, but I want you to find it within your hearts to forgive a blind little boy." Muli raised his head towards the sky. "My dream stops here. I will no longer send anymore young men to their deaths. I will no longer glorify war or turn my backs on my men when they most need me. But I have matured and my heart has grown stronger as I have spent my time on the battlefield with you."

"But Your Excellency…" Imetriarch uttered.

"I know that it would be foolish to stop here, but it would be even more foolish if I were to continue any further, leaving death behind me." Muli looked to his men. "You men may do as you please. Your loyalty no longer has to stay with me. This is the end of the line for the Arakis Foundation. From here on out, we concentrate on maintaining our present borders. There will be no further advancing as of this point on."

There was a silence that came over the soldiers. Even Imetriarch was unable to utter anything after that declaration. Muli lowered his head. He knew that he made the sacrifices of his men in the past in vain. They had died for him and they had died for nothing, but a lost dream. Many of the soldiers had comrades who died in campaigns before, so he wouldn't be surprised if they hated him, if they loathed him, if they saw him as an immature, incompetent ten year old leader taking on a task too big for his own good. Muli awaited the sound of ridicule and silent threats and hates from his men. He dared not look into their eyes, for he may find that they would have a glare of decent behind their expression. But to Muli's dismay, he found the situation to be rather surprising. One of the soldiers stood before him. A tall and intimidating man he was. Muli looked up at the soldier.

"I have lost many brothers and sisters because of you," he said. "They all died in battle for the dream you so dearly desired." The soldier suddenly knelt before Muli. "But I will never turn my back on you, Your Excellency. The foundation is my home. And I will fight for it whether it be for the right or the wrong, whether it be vain or not." The soldier thumped the hilt of his sword on his chest and saluted. "I will give my life for you, Your Excellency."

"I too will give my allegiance to you!" another soldier replied, thumping his chest with the hilt of his sword and saluting.

"I give my allegiance to you and the foundation, Your Excellency." Another cried.

"As will I." another shouted.

"And I." another said. The shouts started slowly, one by one, soon followed by pairs, then dozens, until the entire assembly was in an uproar. Their reaction was not as Muli feared, but rather he was overjoyed to see that his men were still loyal. He was the one who ruled over their home. Muli was happy to see this reaction. He now knew that this new way of life, this new philosophy was accepted amongst the masses. His soldiers gave him a second chance and this time the boy knew the task he had to take.

"That was quite a motivational speech." Imetriarch said.

"Do you think it was really wise of me to abandon my dream in such a way?" Muli asked.

"On the contrary, Your Excellency, I believe you have done what was right. Being the leader of the Arakis Foundation at such a tender age, you now know that decisions you must make are not always easy and are at times very, very difficult. And there will be a point where you would have to take some kind of loss." Imetriarch smiled. "By abandoning your own happiness, you have made others happy."

"If others are happy, then I am happy, the greatest good for the greatest number."-

"And the monarchs?" Imetriarch asked.

"They will be given back their lands and their titles and will be allowed to rule as they shall. I want all remnants of our forces to be withdrawn from their world." Muli replied.

"That is gracious of you, young sir." King Stephen said.

"We are eternally in your debt." King Hubert added.

"What of the key bearers and their comrades?" Imetriarch asked. Muli stepped up to Riku and Sora. He gazed at them with a smile.

"Let them be on their way." Muli said. "I owe them my life as well as my soul." The soldiers released the KH team.

"Are you really letting us go?" Sora asked.

"It's the least that I could do. For what you have done to help me open my eyes, I am eternally in your debt."-

"Thank you, Sir Mulian." Cunla said. "You've saved our lives as well."

"I wish you the best of luck."-

"Then, let's be on our way." Ophelia said.

"Excuse me," Donald implied, "You forget, we don't have a ship remember, the gummi was blasted out of the sky by the Midnight Faction."

"Oh yeah," Sora said, "That's right."

"Then I guess we ain't going anywhere then." Goofy added.

"That won't be a problem for us." Muli said. "Imetriarch, find their gummi ship and have it repaired as soon as you can."

"Yes, Your Excellency." Imetriarch replied.

"Again we are indebted to you, Muli." Sora said.

"I told you, this is the minimum that I can do." Muli replied. "I realize now that the best way to unite the universe is to help those in need. And I'll start by helping you, my friends." Sora smiled.

"Then, let's get going." Riku said.

"I'll lead you to where we left it." Cuchulain said. "It's just about a couple of miles from here."

The Arakis Foundation made their way to where the downed gummi lay. Seeing it inflicted with incredible damage, the foundation had it towed immediately. It was lifted on a repair cruiser and quickly re-supplied and refitted with state of the art technology.

"We'll have your ship up and ready in no time at all." Imetriarch said.

"Appreciated…" Cuchulain replied.

In the meantime, Sora and little Muli stood side by side, watching the repairs going on.

"You didn't have to go all out for us, Muli." Sora said.

"Don't let me repeat myself again, Sora." Muli implied. "It took you and Riku's efforts to show me the true path that I must walk. In fact, I would have to thank all of my men for letting me see the reality of the situation. If you were to have told me to turn about my cause a month ago, I would have thought you for a simpleton. Total unification of all worlds at all costs was the number one goal in my life. That way, peace would be achieved and suffering wouldn't have to occur." Muli place his arms on the oversee railing and laid his head down. "If I were to keep this path, I would bring more suffering and more hatred towards Oceanarians. Thus, the one thing that I'd try to avoid would only be another inevitable confrontation. Now that I think of it, such a dream could never be achieved. I guess that's why the Dark Empire failed in its cause and the reason the alliance tries not to intervene with other worldly affairs."

"But what will you do now that you won't promote further expansion?"-

"I will concentrate on integrating the lands we have already conquered and give power back to the original populous. I'll start on the right foot this time."-

"Good for you, Muli."-

"Sora," Muli uttered, "Do you think I did the right thing, to give up a cause I have been trying to achieve since the day I was granted power from my father?"

"When were you given power?"-

"I was given power when I was only eight years old."-

"So you were only given power two years ago?"-

"That's right. Most of the time, the power was shifted to my advisors and councilors. They always said that I must attack my enemies before they attack me. I was told that Oceanarians were the only ones worthy of anything, no one else. The urge to see one side of the universe to the other under Oceanaria control burned strongly within me. Battle was always glorified by my advisors and I tended to believe them without questioning their sense of justice. But my father, always used to tell me before he died "You must distinguish on what righteous and tyrannical power is." It was only until recently that I realized what the meaning behind his words was. True power doesn't come from our ability to take what we want, but rather to give back to others." Muli turned to Sora. Tears were in his eyes. "For that, I thank you."

"Muli." Sora took the boy by the shoulders and tightly embraced him. "You are still young. Mistakes will be made. You might not be able to change what has happened, but you can make up for it." No further word was said on the matter. The young leader had made up his mind. Though young for his age and at times naïve and a little arrogant, the young boy had learned a valuable lesson, and has gained a strong asset to b good leader.

It had been only an hour by the time the gummi was refined and ship shape. The sun, by this time, touched the horizon. Imetriarch, accompanied by Riku and Cuchulain, went to see Sora and Muli who were still standing near the railing.

"Well," Imetriarch implied. "The gummi ship has been repaired and the systems have been upgraded."

"We'll be able to continue on our way." Riku said.

"That's good to know." Sora replied.

"We should depart as soon as we're able." Cuchulain suggested. "We still have a long way to go and so very little time left to do it."

"I understand." Sora turned to Muli. He placed his hand on the boy's shoulder and smiled. "Thank you for your kindness, Muli. You'll be a fine leader. I'm sure your father would be proud."

"Yes," the young boy replied, "I believe he would."

"Sora," Riku said, walking up to him, "We have to be our way." He turned to Muli and ruffled his hair with his hand. "Take care of yourself, kiddo."

"I will." Muli said with a chuckle.

The KH team was ready to depart from the cruiser when Prince Philip, Princess Aurora, and the three good fairies came aboard to bear good tidings.

"Are you leaving so soon?" Aurora asked.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we must." Riku said.

"It's a shame that you have to leave so soon." Prince Philip implied. "My father and father-in-law were planning a celebration and were throwing a grand feast in your honor."

"That's very kind of you." Sora said. "But unfortunately we have other affairs to tend to."

"That is a pity." Flora remarked.

"I bet you two would have been the life of the party." Meriwether added.

"I'm sure we would." Sora chuckled.

"You and me both." Riku added, putting his arm around his lifelong comrade.

"I wish there was something that we could do for you in return though." Aurora said. "It seems rather selfish of us to thank you without giving you something in return. You united me with both my father and my husband, you saved our lives from the Midnight Faction, you've protected us from Maleficent's grasp, you've brought her downfall, and you've have restored the integrity and peace to our home."

"We're just as indebted to you. You helped us succeed."-

"I have a suggestion then." Flora said. "If it's alright with you, your majesties, I would like to take the privilege of aiding Riku and Sora in their time of strife." The team and their allies were shocked at the declaration.

"Flora, what are you saying?" Meriwether said.

"I would agree, Flora," Fauna added. "You've never been out of our world before."

"She's right," Riku said. "The trek we take is long and perilous and you might encounter extreme danger and possibly certain death."

"Don't do it," Sora concurred. "It's too risky."

"I know of the risk, but that is a chance that I'm willing to take." Flora said. "It would be the least we could do in return for your valor."

"Well," Meriwether uttered, "I think she has a point."

"Are you willing to be separated from home for so long?" Riku asked.

"I fear that if we do not help you, the Midnight Faction may attempt to retaliate against our home. And I don't want our majesties to be placed in danger anymore than they already have. And I certainly don't want to see our people suffer by the oppressive hands of tyrants like Maleficent." Sora and Riku huddled together, whispering their decision. They then looked at Flora and smiled.

"Very well," Sora chuckled.

"Welcome aboard." Riku added.

"Thank you." Flora replied.

"Hey Riku, Sora...!" Donald shouted from the cockpit.

"We have to get going you two." Cuchulain said from the open cargo hatch.

"We'll be right with you." Riku said. "We're just hiring another crew member."

"Another crew member?" Goofy asked, as he stuck his head out of the hatch as well, just behind Cuchulain.

"Flora's going to be joining us."-

"Then I guess we should make ready for one more team member." Ophelia said, as she stuck her head out as well.

"Make that two more." Meriwether said.

"Two more?"-

"That's right because I'm coming too!"-

"You too?" Sora uttered.

"You got it, Sora. I can't just let Flora go on this risky venture alone can I."-

"Well…"-

"You have any objections to accepting my services as well?"-

"Well no, it's not the case at all. It's just are you really willing to go with us?"-

"Discussions are over! I'm sticking with Flora from now till the bitter end. Besides, I can't have her making a spectacle of herself can I!"-

"Well, if you two insist on going, then I shall accompany you as well." Fauna added.

"You too?" Aurora uttered.

"I have to make sure that those two don't get into any quarrels. Think of me as the great neutralizer between them."

"Well alright." Sora said. "If you three are really willing to come with us, then so be it." He turned to Cuchulain. "We have three more team members coming aboard!"

"Alright!" Cuchulain replied.

"Well, I don't care if we gain twenty more." Donald shouted. "Let's just get going! I bet their wondering what the heck happened to us."

"We're coming."-

"Well, thank you very much." Sora said. "We could always do with the extra help."

"Then here's a little extra something for the both of you." Aurora implied. She handed the key bearers two rings that could be equipped with their keyblades. Sora was given the Royal Scepter, which increased his HP, MP, and AP significantly. As well, his strength could be suppressed and stored for the massive battles. Riku was given the Monarch's Declaration, which increased his HP, MP, and AP like Sora's. But with this new feature, he would be able to sap life and energy away from any enemies and thus replenish his own life and energy. As well as inflict serious damage on his assailant. "May our prayers be with you?"

"We appreciate all of this." Riku said.

"Let's get going, you guys!" Cuchulain cried from the hatch.

"We're coming!" Sora replied. The two key bearers and their new comrades joined the others in the ship. Imetriarch, Muli, Philip, and Aurora watched as the hatch closed and the gummi ship rockets ignited. The ship began to ascend into the air. Waving farewell, they looked on as the gummi blasted off and disappeared into the sky of the setting sun.

"Well, there they go." Imetriarch said.

"Imetriarch," Muli uttered, "Assemble our troops, we're leaving this world."

"Of course, Your Excellency."-

"Will you at least join us in our celebration?" Aurora said.

"That is nice of you to consider us, you majesty, but I…"-

"It would be a great honor." Philip added. "You deserve just as much credit for aiding our world just as much as the key bearers."

"Well," Muli uttered. He paused before smiling. "Of course, we'd be happy to attend. Let us oblige you and thank your fathers for their hospitality." He then turned to Imetriarch. "Have our men be placed on leave. They are to attend tonight's affair."

"I understand, Your Excellency." Imetriarch replied.

"And be sure to report to me if any of them get out of control during the course of the evening. We must make an example of ourselves as being worthy to coexist with these people."-

"Understood…" Imetriarch bowed and went on his way. The Arakis Foundation thus enjoyed the hospitality of their new allies. Never again would the Arakis Foundation walk the path of the Arakis Foundation. Though maintaining their Imperial code of honor, the new leader of the foundation declared integration of all talents, no matter what background they may be derived from. The Arakis Foundation would remain an ominous threat in the universe, but only to the other rivaling factions.

The gummi ship traveled quickly through the depths of space. There were no longer any surprise attacks initiated by mobile dolls. No faction forces lay in wait. All that were present were asteroids and nearby debris that floated about in space. The KH team members, by this time, were scattered about the ship. While Donald, Goofy, and Cunla were keeping watch, maintaining a stead speed, Cuchulain sat about in the cargo area, polishing the edges of his blade. Ophelia Billiard checked the power meters for the rockets, overseeing the equilibrium of the power levels to each booster. In the meantime, Riku and Sora sat in the rear passenger seats. Sora, sat slumped and bored. He yawned and stretched his arms over his head. He straightened his back for the stretch before slumping down in a bored position again. Riku, in the meantime, was polishing his keyblade. He equipped his weapon with the new power ring, the Monarch's Declaration. He then looked at Sora, who still sat that with that sleep and bored look on his face.

"You look bored, Sora." Riku said.

"Kind of…" Sora replied.

"After all that we went through, you still haven't had enough?"-

"It's not that. It's just that I feel so useless and cramped in the gummi ship."-

"I know what you mean." Cuchulain happened to pass by, placing the cleaning solution back in its compartment. "Hey Cuchulain! How long before we get to Traverse Town?"

"We should get there in about fifteen minutes or so." Cuchulain replied.

"Are you sure?"-

"That's what Donald said anyway. And who am I to second guess his judgment? He's more literate in the uses of gummi ships than I am."-

"You do have a point." Riku turned to Sora. "See, Cuchulain says we'll be arriving in about fifteen minutes. I'm sure you can endure fifteen minutes."

"Of course I can." Sora said. "Then if it's alright with you, I'll just take a fifteen minute snooze."

"Do whatever you want, buddy." Riku went on to polishing his sword. Sora laid his head back in the chair and closed his eyes. He took several steady breaths before falling into a deep sleep.

_Sora found suddenly found himself on the sandy beaches of Destiny Island. The breeze was blowing gently and the smell of the ocean filled the air. The sound of gulls in the sky intermingled with the whisper of paopu and coconut trees rustling in the tranquil wind. The sand was as white and as fine as it was when they were children. Sora walked about on the beach, the sun blazing down on his head. The sky was blue with a few clouds overhead. But it was expected of a tropical island._

"_Home…?" Sora uttered to himself. "Am I home? But how did I get here?" Just then, Sora saw two little boys running his way. No older than four or five, they came frolicking down the beach, smiling and laughing as little boys usually do._

"_Hey, kids," Sora said, but his voice seemed to fall upon deaf ears. The boys ran around as they did, undisturbed. As Sora looked on, he realized who the boys were. "It can't be… That's me and Riku."_

_He watched as a younger version of himself and his friend continued to play about freely._

"_I'll race you to the secret place." Young Sora said._

"_You're on." Young Riku replied. "But you know I'll win Sora. I'm faster."_

"_No you're not."-_

"_Yes I am."-_

"_This moment," Sora thought to himself. "I remember this moment."_

_Suddenly, while running up the steps leading to the upper path, young Sora fell down and deeply scraped his elbow. Young Riku, in the lead, did not notice his friend had fallen and ran into the passage leading to the secret place._

"_Riku!" Young Sora cried. "I fell down." Tears suddenly appeared on the little boy's face. His faced made a deep frowning gesture and his face turned red. "Riku, come back!" But Riku did not reappear. Little Sora began to cry even more and the tears ran down his face just as fast as the drops of blood from the scrape on his elbow._

"_Poor little guy." Sora uttered to himself as he watched his younger version bawl out in tears._

_But just then, Riku came back out of the secret place. He saw his friend sitting on the ground, holding his injury._

"_Sora." Young Riku said. He ran over to his friend's side. "Are you okay?"_

"_I got a boo-boo!" Young Sora wailed. Riku looked at his friend's cut. It was deep alright, the skin had been peeled back and the blood from the severed capillaries in the skin dripped profusely. Sora continued to cry._

"_It'll be alright." Young Riku said. He took out a band aid from his pocket. "This band aid was given to me by my mommy in case I got an injury too." Young Riku sat his friend next to the waterfall. He scooped up some water and cleaned the wound of the dried blood. "Mommy ways you always have to clean your boo-boos really good so they won't get infected."_

"_What's infected?" Young Sora asked. His bawling slowly died down and the tears decreased in their dripping intensity. Still sniffling, Young Sora was curious now about what his friend was telling him._

"_I don't know, but my mommy says that you can get really sick. I think because a bug gets into you."-_

"_Like a ladybug?"-_

"_I guess so. I guess that's why you wash your boo-boos because bugs might be in there too. Like the bugs on the ground."-_

"_Yucky…"-_

_After cleaning the wound, Riku placed the band aid on Sora's scrape. Sora cried out, but it eventually died out as soon as the stinging sensation subsided._

"_That wasn't so bad now was it?" Little Riku asked._

"_I guess so."-_

_Sora watched the little boys continued to reminisce and talk by the water fall._

"_I remember this moment." Sora said to himself. "This was the one moment where the seal of friendship between Riku and I was made. This is where we truly became friends."_

"_Thank you." Little Sora uttered._

"_Nothing to it," Little Riku replied. "You're my best friend."_

"_Really?"-_

"_Really, really," Riku lifted himself back onto his feet. "Now let's go to the secret spot."_

"_Okay," Young Sora replied, standing up as well. "You think there might be any monsters in there?"-_

"_I don't think so."-_

_The two little boys went in without a second glance back. Sora, a mere shadow to those boys, looked on unobserved. He smiled to himself._

"_Even from the beginning, we were inseparable." Sora, curious to know what would happen next, since his memory was a little vague on the details on the events after, followed in after the boys. But when he did, he was in for another surprise. He was no longer in the passage leading to the secret place, but rather a decollate landscape that had seen utter chaos unfold on it. "This place, I recognize this place." Sora remembered the scene from not too long ago. "This is the aftermath of what happened after the destruction of the Apocalypse Cannon."_

_Just then, he heard a shout from not too far away. _

"_Who's there!" the voice shouted. Sora quickly ducked, fearing that the person being addressed was him. He looked about, but there was no one there. Through the darkness, he scanned for the origin of the voice._

"_Hello?" he cried. "Is there someone there?" For a brief moment, the moon of Halloween Town broke through the veil of dust and smoke, revealing what looked like a square or a turnabout. It was large and constructed of stone and mortar. On the ground, two people sat in tight embrace. Sora quickly rushed to the square, he heard murmuring, then shouting, then murmuring again. He hastily reached the paved ground and low and behold, he saw another scene from his past. This was the aftermath of Halloween Town, where he had battled against General Kai and returned nearly half dead. "It's me and Riku again. I remember this. I was on the brink of death after being defeated by Kai."_

_Sora watched as he witnessed the younger versions of him and Riku, tightly embraced against each other. Sora was gently cradled in the arms of his friend. He heard the words that he remembered thoroughly that day, Riku quietly whispering in his ear._

"_Sora, I am but a solitary soul who pledged loyalty only to you." He heard Riku say. "To keep you warm when you are cold. To cradle you in my arms when you are alone and frightened. Here I will stay to give you new hope."_

"_Riku…" Sora uttered, watching the scene unfold before him. But just as he turned away, there was a bright flash of light that bellowed before him. Sora shielded his eyes. He looked up to find himself in what looked like a vast courtyard that expanded for three hundred yards in each direction. An above, he saw two individuals clashing. "Those people, who are they? Where am I?"_

_The clashing continued on above Sora's head. They were moving at an incredible rate. As the key bearer observed closer, he realized who it was that was battling. _

_It was Riku._

"_Riku…!" Sora cried. He then turned to his opponent to see who it was that battled again him. The realization of what battled Riku was a shock to Sora. Before him, he saw another Riku battling against clashing away. He too was armed with a keyblade and he battled against his look alike._

"_Die!" one Riku cried._

"_You first!" shouted the other.  
"They're both Riku?" Sora thought to himself. "But how can that be? How can there be two of them?" Sora remembered seeing this spectacle before. "I've had a dream like this before, but where?" Sora realized what he had witnessed, from the beaches of Destiny Island, seeing him and Riku as kids, to the Halloween Town, where they tightly embraced, to even now. "It's a dream. This is all a dream, it has to be."_

_Then, from out of the sky, he heard his name being called._

"_Sora, Sora!" it cried. "Sora, Sora."_

_With the calling of his name, the key bearer saw the battle become blurry and faded. Everything grew dark and light at the same time, but the beckoning of his name did not cease._

Sora opened his eyes to find Riku in front of him. Blurry at first, his vision cleared up and the young key bearer found himself back in the real world.

"Sora, we're here." Riku said. "We've arrived in Traverse Town."

"C'mon you two," Cuchulain shouted, "We gotta let the crew do their maintenance!"

"We're coming." Riku helped his friend on his feet. "C'mon sleepy head, it's time to wake up and smell the coffee."

"I'm awake, I'm awake." Sora replied. He gained his composure and stood on his own feet. The two key bearers were the last two to exit the ship.

Just before them, awaiting their descent, was General Triiken. He had his arms behind him, his hand locked together.

"I understand from Cuchulain and the others that you ran into some trouble." He uttered, "Which explains your tardiness."

"We were attacked by mobile dolls." Riku said.

"To add, that stupid General Dagger placed a virus in the info disk he had." Sora added. "That's how we became easy prey to the dolls."

"Not surprising though." Triiken said. "General Dagger has been known to execute such devious plots in the past, since the days of the former Dark Empire."

"If our tardiness has somehow set your plans back…" Riku said.

"On the contrary, the attack by the mobile dolls was a godsend. Cuchulain told me all about Mulian Arakis's presence in the world you were stranded on. You must have had quite an impact on him. The entire alliance is in an uproar."-

"Why, what happened?" Sora asked.

"The Arakis Foundation is pulling out, you guys." Cuchulain said, approaching the three. "They've declared themselves a sovereign nation instead of a factional power. They've withdrawn from several of their conquered territories in other realms, including the realm of King Stephen and King Hubert, and they have established a loose commerce with the cultures and societies already integrated in the foundation's interior."

"This is a significant blow to the former factions of the old Imperial regime." Triiken implied. "Now only two major factions remain."

"They certainly work fast don't they?" Sora chuckled.

"When did you find this out?" Riku asked.

"Apparently, Mulian Arakis himself had declared it while he was still in the last world you left." Triiken said. "So your little escapade was worth your time all along. I bet old Dagger would be rolling over in his grave if he ever knew that his attempt to extinguish you happened to play right into our hands."

"So everything is going well within the alliance then?"-

"On the surface yes, but that still doesn't change the recent blows to the alliance itself."-

"What do you mean, what happened?"-

"Several key officials were killed in the course of the three days that past."-

"Several key officials."-

"One of them was the secretary of the interior. Another was the secretary of international affairs. A third was a leading General in the western quadrant. There is big concern with these murders."-

"Why?" Sora asked. "Why are they such a big deal?"

"They were all secured in their sleeping quarters when it happened. There was supposedly no one in the room when the officials retired for the night. The first murder, we thought was the work of a clever assassin. But the wounds inflicted on the body were not pin points. They seemed sloppy in appearance, which indicates that the man was killed by an average thug. We scanned the rooms thoroughly, but to no avail. For a time we figured that it might have been the guards on duty that committed the crime. But that assumption proved false. This is a great concern now, especially with the safety of President Sneer. Being the top of the alliance authority structure, he's most likely to be the next victim. That's why we've set up security cameras, alarms, and what not. To add, we've sent in Trunks and Goten to watch over the president during the night. But still, there is no disturbance."

"You think we should look into it?" Riku asked.

"You have your own agenda to fulfill. We will take care of this situation ourselves and as best we can."-

"C'mon you two; don't let this talk bother you for now." Cuchulain advised. "You've had a rough day today and could use some sleep."

"Very true…" Sora replied.

"Where are the others at?" Riku asked.

"They've gone ahead to the hotel in the second district. We're to join them later."-

"In the meantime, I will have the shields upgraded to deflect even the heated lasers of the mobile doll beam cannons and do several upgrades while I'm at it." Triiken explained.

"We'll let you do you work then." Cuchulain and the two key bearers thus retired to join the others at their quarters.

The town was under alliance control now and that was apparent. There were soldiers lingering about, many of them keeping watch over the separate districts. Some artillery pieces were set in the areas where the faction had their defense weapons as well. The town had been cleaned and deprived of the carnage that happened only two days before.

"To think that this was where you battled your son, Cuchulain." Sora implied.

"I know." Cuchulain replied. "It hasn't even been a week since he defected from the Midnight Faction and yet I feel as if I've known him my whole life."

"It must be that father's maternal instinct kicking in." Riku said.

The other KH team members were already settled and nestled in a nice evening rest by the time Cuchulain and the two key bearers reached the establishment. As they had many times in the past, the team was set up in the red room and the green room. But what was also opened was the blue room, which lay at the end of the hotel corridor. The team was assembled in the green room, chatting away and getting some leverage time.

"We're here." Cuchulain said.

"I hope you don't mind." Donald implied, "but we ordered room service."

"That sounds good to me." Sora said, his mouth watering.

"We get to eat some real food this time." Ophelia added.

"You guys better get some rest and relaxation while you still can." Cuchulain said. "It won't be long before the ship is repaired."

"Did Triiken say anything important while we were away?"-

"He did mention a critical issue."-

"And what was that, father?" Cunla asked. Cuchulain lowered his head and then looked about.

"Shut the door, Sora."-

"Right…" Sora replied. He walked over to the door leading to the hall and shut it tight.

"Gather around, you guys." The team assembled around the Hound and he began to explain the situation. "From what Triiken said, the Arakis Foundation has halted its attempt to achieve universal expansion and declare itself as a sovereign nation. So the threat of the foundation is over."

"Well, that's good right?" Donald asked.

"That's the good news."-

"Is there bad news though?" Cunla asked.

"Unfortunately yes, while we were busy fighting the Midnight Faction in the 'Zi' realm and the realm of the monarchs, apparently there have been several assassinations of key officials within the high command of the Universal Alliance."

"What…?"-

"By who…?" Donald asked.

"They believe that it might have been the Midnight Faction behind the assassinations. The thing is they don't know how the assassins managed to get to their targets. Their targets were in well secured quarters with faithful bodyguards watching them when the assassinations occurred."-

"Would you happen to know about such assassins lurking about within the faction?" Riku asked.

"I was one of the top assassins within the faction." Cunla said. "I could conceal myself if I wanted to. But to disappear into thin air without a trace, that's something only the best of the best have."

"So you don't know?"-

"Sorry…"-

"I don't know either." Ophelia added. "There are a lot of things that are concealed even to the top co-leaders of the Midnight Faction. Perhaps if we could catch one of those assassins alive, maybe we could figure out how they managed to penetrate such a secure area."

"I'll have Triiken coordinate a plan to catch one of the assassins alive." Cuchulain said. "I shall return."

"Hey, while we're here," Sora implied, "Riku, let's take those summoning stones to Merlin and have him release them."

"Good idea." Riku replied. "Let's have them released so we can enjoy the rest of our leave period."

"Okay, we'll be back then."-

"Don't take too long." Donald said.

Cuchulain, Riku, and Sora once again departed from the hotel to finish up their business. At that same time, Cunla began to yawn. His eyes moist with tears. He rubbed his eyes and departed from the green room.

"Where are you going, Cunla?" Goofy asked.

"I'm gonna turn in." Cunla replied.

"Already…?"-

"Aren't you gonna have something to eat, Cunla?" Ophelia asked.

"I don't think I'll be awake long enough to take the first bite. I just feel really sleepy all of a sudden. I think that last campaign took a lot out of me."-

"Well, more food for us then." Donald said.

"Where are you going?" Ophelia asked.

"I'll crash in the blue room." Cunla replied. "It's quiet in there."

"Alright, we'll wake you up when we're ready to go."-

"Sounds good…" Cunla made no further reply. He simple waved his hand and exited out of the room. He entered the blue room. The room was like a night atmosphere with dark blue walls with stars painted within. There was a bed up against the wall, placed in the middle of it. Cunla took of his boots, his coat, and the bandana around his head. He unbuttoned his collar and sat on the bed. He threw his legs onto the mattress and rested his head on the large pillow. He didn't bother covering himself with the sheets and bedspread. He was too tired to lift them. Instead he lay on the top of the bedspread. He took several deep breaths before falling into a deep sleep. The early night came and all was dark in the room. Cunla could finally get a proper night's sleep.

But little did the youth know that he was not alone in the room. From the darkness, there came a figure, a dark figure. In a closet, not too far from where the young boy slept, a man clothed in black, possibly a shinobi, silently opened the door of the closet. Remembering his orders, he snuck into Cunla's bed chamber. He kept reciting the orders that were given to him.

"_Give them an agonizing death, but kill them silently and without spilling any blood."_

"I will carry out my order." He said.

In the meantime, Riku and Sora, upon reaching their destination, consulted Merlin and the fairy godmother to unleash the two summoning stones that they retrieved on their mission.

"Two more summoning stones, eh?" Merlin chuckled. "Well, we'll have them released as soon as we can."

"I'll take it from here." The fairy godmother said. "Bibbity bobbity boo." She cast her wand upon the stones and released the spells. The new spells were Stitch and Whiff. Stitch, a small blue alien with a destructive personality was the reinforcement spell that struck down every enemy he saw. Whiff, a purring rabbit, descended from the infamous Phantom Dark, the phantom thief. Whiff is able to transform into Dark's black wings, thus allowing the one who summoned him to fly about undetected. "There we go, two more unfortunate souls released."

"I think you ought to have these summoning spells, Riku." Sora implied. "You can also have the Three Good Fairy spell too." Sora transferred the spell from his keyblade to Riku's.

"What?"-

"Sure, why not? It would be really sad for you to have a keyblade and not have any summoning spells. So you can have these three."-

"Are you sure?" Riku asked.

"I'm sure, Riku. They'll suit you a lot more."-

"Well…thanks…" Thus, when Riku held out his keyblade, the two entities entered his weapon. The keyblade glowed for a minute or two before phasing out.

"Thanks for giving us a hand, fairy godmother, Merlin." Sora said.

"It was our pleasure." Merlin replied. "We're more than happy to help you."

"Well, if you wouldn't mind us asking you a question…" Riku said. "It's very important."

"Of course, what is it?"-

"Do you know about the murders of several Alliance key officials?" There was a sudden silence from the old wizard.

"It's a dangerous question you're asking me." Merlin said. "It's not something that can be easily shared out in the open." Merlin opened up the secret passage way in his house floor. "Let's discuss this in the waterway." He turned to the fairy godmother. "Please watch over the house while we have our discussion."

"Of course, Merlin." The fairy godmother replied. Merlin and the two key bearers descended into the water way. Looking about, he made sure that no one was within earshot of their conversation.

"Well boys, I know about the predicament the alliance is facing right now." Merlin began.

"Do you know how they were killed?" Sora asked.

"It involves a newly discovered world called Monsters Inc."-

"Monsters Inc?"-

"That's right."-

"What is this world, this Monsters Inc?" Riku asked.

"You know the stories of the boogeyman, right? And how the boogeyman comes out of the closet to scare little children in their rooms?"-

"You mean there really is such a place?" Sora asked. "And all this time, I thought the boogeyman was just something in my head."

"As you were saying, Merlin." Riku interrupted.

"It's nothing personal for the monsters." Merlin said. "They are actually quite friendly. The reason for their scaring is because their society thrives on the use of the screams of children as a source of energy. They also use laughter of children. Thus, they use the closets to access the rooms of their targets. However, since the Midnight Faction took over that world, the monsters themselves have been used for slave labor, being used only to maintain the supply of energy for that world. At the same time, the Midnight Faction is using the doors to access to the rooms of their targets. So as long as there is a closet within the room, there is an access point to even the most secured facility."

"So that's it. That's how the Midnight Faction was able to assassinate their targets without being detected."-

"That world is a highly significant world to the Midnight Faction. As long as they maintain control of that world, they'll be able to have direct access to any room in the alliance that they please. No one is safe so long the faction has control of that world."-

"We have to do something." Sora said. "We have to warn the alliance as soon as we can."

"That must come later." Merlin said. "Right now, an assassin is lurking about. He is planning to murder one of your comrades."

"What?" Riku uttered.

"How do you know that?" Sora asked.

"I can sense it. There is an evil lurking here, an evil that wishes to take the life of a traitor."-

"A traitor?"-

"He is young, a small boy, perhaps the youngest in your group."-

"Cunla!" the two key bearers said in unison.

"We have to get to him!" Sora cried.

"We can still access the hotel from the waterway gate right?" Riku asked.

"Yes, and it is the quickest way to get to your friend." Merlin replied.

"Then, let's go!"-

"Right…!" Riku and Sora quickly returned to the hotel at a quick pace.

At the same time, Cuchulain was finishing up his conversation with General Triiken.

"So, you want us to put more investigation time into how these murders were committed?" Triiken asked.

"I fear that if we don't do something quickly, more of the important officials will find themselves dead." Cuchulain insisted.

"As we speak, the alliance is doing all in their power to make sure to figure out the mystery behind these murders. But we can't just drop all of our other present activities for the sake of solving a murder case."

"If you stall for anymore time, more alliance officials may be dead by the time you take action."-

"I understand that, but there's nothing we can do. That would be an extensive operation to uphold. We have no witnesses to the murders, no leads, no evidence, nothing. If we proceed to start a full investigation, we'll be wasting precious manpower, resources, and man hours to pursue something that as far as we know might be just a wild goose chase."-

"There's some kind of massive conspiracy going on around here and we have to counter it." Cuchulain said.

"Tell you what," Triiken implied, "Have the rest of the KH team assembled here and perhaps we can initiate some sort of a plan."

Just then, coming through the gates of Traverse Town, came Cloud and Leon.

"Hey," Leon said, "I see you managed to get back to Traverse Town safely."

"Did you guys finish up your work in the 'Zi' realm?" Cuchulain asked.

"Yes we did." Cloud replied. "Lu Xun and Yuffie stayed behind to help Van Flyheight and the others restore order and clean up the mess left after the battle."

"So, did Triiken tell you about the murders within the alliance?" Leon asked.

"He's already told us."-

"The Midnight Faction has a strong asset in their favor this time." Cloud said. "If they're able to conduct assassinations so well, without leaving any witnesses, then the alliance is in deep trouble."

"We have to figure out what's going on." The Hound explained. "Otherwise, I fear that if other significant officials are killed, then the alliance will crumble from within."

"That outcome is most likely to occur." Triiken said. "That means the alliance will suffer the same fate as the former Imperial regime of the Dark Empire. The downfall will give way to another chaotic era of rivaling factions."

But at that moment, Cuchulain felt a sudden sense of fear and worry. He turned towards the second district. Cloud, Triiken, and Leon looked at him, puzzled.

"Are you okay, Cuchulain?" Leon asked.

"Something's wrong." Cuchulain replied. "Something's wrong. I feel a sudden sense of danger lurking about."

"What is it?"-

"My son, Cunla, he's in trouble." Cuchulain quickly ran back to the hotel.

"Cuchulain, what's wrong?"-

"It must be his parental instincts kicking in." Cloud said.

"Well, we best follow him and see what it was that triggered this turn of attitude." Triiken suggested. He ran after Cuchulain. Leon and Cloud, curious about what was going on, made their pursuit.

In the meantime, Cunla, still in a deep sleep, was unaware of what was about to happen. The assassin silently closed the closet door. He then went over to the door leading to the balcony and locked it and closed the drapes. He then went to the hallway door and locked that as well. He then turned his attention to little Cunla who was peacefully sleeping.

"I must somehow kill this traitor in an agonizing way." He thought to himself. "But I must do it quietly and without spilling any blood. I don't want to leave any trail of blood that might lead back to my retreat." The assassin then turned his attention to a large pillow that lay on an overstuffed chair. He quickly grabbed it and softly tiptoed over to Cunla's bed. The young warrior looked so innocent and so peaceful in his sleep, like he had no worry in the world. The assassin reached out over the sleeping youth and gently pressed the pillow against Cunla's face.

At first, there was no reaction from Cunla, but as soon as he began to loose breath, that's when he started to put up signs of a struggle. It didn't take him long to realize what was happening. The assassin was trying to suffocate him. Cunla cried out from beneath the pillow, he grabbed hold of the pillow, trying to pry it off, but the assassin did not let up. By now, Cunla's thrashing became for violent, his legs kicking violently about. He could feel himself dying.

"I'm gonna die." Cunla uttered to himself. "I can't keep this up forever. If I don't get a breath of fresh air soon, I'll die. I'm smothering."

In the meantime, Riku and Sora reached the front door of the hotel, just as Cuchulain reached it.

"Cuchulain…" Sora uttered.

"You had that same feeling too?" Cuchulain asked.

"Yes, Cunla's in trouble!" Riku added.

"We have to hurry!"-

They rushed through the doors and into the green room, where Ophelia and the others awaited them.

"Oh, hey," Goofy said. "You're just in time for dinner."

"Cunla," Cuchulain said, "Where's Cunla?"

"He's sleeping in the blue room." Ophelia replied. "What's the matter?"

There was no further answer. Cuchulain and the others rushed to the blue room.

In the meantime, Cunla still thrashed about. The assassin pressed the pillow harder and harder on the boy's face, smothering him to death.

"This is the death that traitors of the faction deserve!" the assassin openly declared. "Die Cunla, for the comrades you killed and those whom you further betrayed!"

But Cunla eventually found a way to get the assassin off of him. He reached for the assassin's face. The minute he felt the features of his killer, he felt for his throat. Then with one punch, he thrust his fist into the assassin's throat. The assassin reacted harshly and grabbed his own throat, gasping for breath. Cunla managed to get the pillow off his face and grasped heavily fro fresh air himself. He then ran to retrieve his sword as soon as he gained consciousness. The assassin took out a sword on his back.

"So, you tried to kill me by smothering me, eh?" Cunla declared. "Well, you'll pay for pressing that pillow on my face!"

"Ha, you might be strong for your age," the assassin said, "But you're still just a kid. You're nothing compared to me!"

"Try me. This time you won't have me helplessly sleeping to allow you to asphyxiate me."-

Suddenly, there came a shout and a banging on the door.

"Cunla!" Sora shouted from behind the door.

"Cunla!" Riku added.

"Son, are you okay!" Cuchulain asked.

"Dad," Cunla cried, "An assassin, there's an assassin in our midst!"

"It's too late for you kid." The assassin implied. "They'll never reach you in time to stop my blade!"

But as soon as the assassin uttered those words, the door to the blue room was struck down and Cuchulain and the others rushed in. Cuchulain took stance next to his son, while Riku, Sora, and the others surrounded the assassin. The two key bearers rushed to the closet door, fearing that he might escape in that direction.

"Are you okay, Cunla?" Cuchulain asked.

"I'm alright." Cunla replied.

"There's no use trying to escape." Riku said.

"Yeah," Sora added, "We already know about your little passage through the closet."

"The closet?" Goofy asked

"He came from out of the closet?" Donald added.

"That's right." Sora continued. "This guy came from another world, a world that links all closets."

"That's how they were able to access the quarters of those officials." Riku said. "They somehow managed to come through the closet, using another world to access to any closet or wardrobe they please."

"Is that so?" Triiken said as he walked into the room. "So that's the technique that the Midnight Faction used. They used the world of Monsters Inc. It is as I feared."

"Monsters Inc?" Ophelia asked.

"It's the world where all closet monsters come from." Sora replied.

"Is that so?" Cuchulain said.

"Cloud, Leon," Triiken ordered, "Take that man in alive. We now have our lead to what world they descend from, but I would like to know exactly who their next targets are."

"We got him." Leon said. By this time, the assassin knew that there was no escape for him. As long as the KH team was present having him surrounded and expecting anything, he realized that possible capture was inevitable. If captured, he would no doubt be interrogated in the harshest of ways. The assassin couldn't let anymore information leak out. He could not allow the KH team or the alliance to know more.

"You will not have me so easily." He uttered with a smirk behind his mask. "My secrets will remain hidden." With that the assassin self sacrificed himself. He turned his own sword against him and thrust the razor sharp blade deep into his gut. He fell to his knees and blood quickly spilled from the ghastly wound. Blood splattered from his mouth and dripped all over his mask, dripping through the cloth. Still, he cut, slashing the sword across his gut in an execution style similar to the Japanese Seppuku. The assassin screamed out in agonizing pain. The KH team and their allies could only watch in horror as the assassin died a slow and painful death.

"Oh my God…" Sora uttered.

"He's killing himself." Riku added. Goofy and Donald, sickened and horrified by the sight quickly shielded their eyes from the scene. The screaming of the assassin became a gurgling sound, indicating that he was nod drowning in his own body fluids. Triiken lunged forward and unleashed his sword. With one strike, he severed the head of the assassin from his shoulders. The head hit the wall of the closet door and rolled just behind the collapsing body. All limbs went numb and the assassin fell to the ground, dead and decapitated.

"Why did you do that?" Cuchulain asked.

"He may have been an assassin." Triiken uttered, "But even someone as despicable as he does not deserve to die in such a heinous way." He turned to his comrades. "Send word to Oceansburg. Tell them that we have found out the whereabouts of Monsters Inc. and its control under the Midnight Faction."

"We're on it." Leon replied. He and Cloud quickly withdrew.

"So," Sora uttered, "Now we know the faction's new way of assassination."

"But tell me this though. How was it that you knew about the Monsters Inc. and how you knew Cunla would be the next target?"-

"Merlin told us." Riku replied. "At the last minute we asked him if he knew about the killings. Apparently, he knew more than we thought he did. Of course being a wizard, he knows everything that goes on in the Universe."

"And you, Cuchulain," Triiken said to the Hound, "How is it that you knew about your son being in danger?"

"I just had this nagging feeling." Cuchulain replied. "I had this worry, this fear that something was wrong."

"It's those parental instincts kicking in alright." Ophelia whispered.

"Well, luckily for us, these events happened when they did." Triiken continued. "Otherwise more murders of high officials would have continued."

"But how do we know that he came from the Monsters Inc?" Donald asked. "He could have been laying and waiting for us from the start."

"Then that was a big gamble he would be making if that were the case." Sora replied. "We've never gone into the blue room until now. So that assassin could have been lying and waiting forever."

"There's only one way to find out." Riku turned to the closet door and slowly opened it.

The minute he opened the door for everyone to see, they were amazed at the sight lying before them. Through the closet was a completely different world. It was a vast world, what looked like a hanger or a large where house. Sora pocked his head through the door and looked about. The place was lit up, but deserted. Sora cautiously stepped through.

"Sora, what are you doing?" Donald shouted.

"What does it look like?" Sora replied. "I'm going in."

"But it's too dangerous, Sora." Goofy uttered. "What if ya bump into soldiers?"

"That's a risk I'm willing to take. Look, this is our one chance to stop the faction and this may be the one and only time we might actually find something like this."

"Sora does have a point." Riku replied. He quickly followed Sora.

"You too Riku?" Donald uttered.

"Don't worry, you guys can stay here. Sora and I can handle this."-

"Are you kidding?" Cunla replied. "I wanna take revenge for what these guys tried to do to me. So I'm not gonna let you guys have all the fun to yourselves."

"Alright, alright," Donald uttered. "Wait just a moment."

"Where are you going Donald?" Goofy asked. Donald came back, his hands filled with elixirs, potions, ethers, and a spare gummi capsule.

"If we're going in, we're not going in without the essentials."-

"Alright," Cuchulain said, "let's get going."

"Another faction forced world to crumble." Ophelia added.

"Aren't you coming with us, Triiken?" Sora asked.

"I must stay behind to take care of other matters." Triiken replied. "It is your task to make sure the faction is driven out of this world."

"Understood…" Riku said. Triiken saluted and closed the door. "We better mark that door to identify which one leads back to Traverse Town. This is the world leading to all closets and wardrobes and I'm sure there are more doors identical to this one."

"You can say that again." Ophelia replied. She pointed upward. The KH team looked to the top of the where house to find hundreds of other doors hovering above them in an assembly line fashion.

"Those must be all the doors to all other closets in the world." Goofy uttered.

"And I'm sure there are many other doors that are similar to ours."-

"It'll be tough finding it again if that's the case."-

"Then, we just have to make sure it's easy to find." Cunla uttered. He drew out his blade and cut an X mark in the middle of the door. "Now with that door marked, we'll be able to find it with very little effort."

"Let's go and bring the faction it its knees." Sora said.


	42. Monsters Inc

Monsters Inc.

Dusk was setting in the world of Monsters Inc and there was scarcely a soul about when the KH team entered through the closet. They scurried out of the hanger while witnesses were not present. They quickly slithered along the wall ready to hide from any suspicious persons. Along the wall, insignias and symbols were placed. The compartments where posters were placed and put on display, now bore the signature of the Midnight Faction. The slogan _"To Conquer All,"_ the battle slogan of the Midnight Faction, was posted everywhere. Marching down some corridors were soldiers and sentries who screened all authorized personnel within the compound.

"It looks like the faction has made their mark in this world alright." Sora uttered.

"But the place seems deserted." Cunla said. "We've only spotted a few sentries patrolling the halls, nothing more."

"Well, it is dusk in this world." Ophelia implied. "I'm sure that all the workers have gone home."

"Speaking of which, I thought that there were supposed to be monsters here. This world is after all called Monsters Inc."-

"Cunla's right." Donald added. "So far there has been no sign of any monsters about, not one."

"As I said before," Ophelia reiterated. "This is a dusk setting. You can't really expect a business place to be bustling with workers when it's already passed quitting time."

It was at that moment that there was the sound of marching feet. It echoed down the empty corridors.

"Someone's coming." Cuchulain uttered. "Everyone hide."

The KH team was quick to scatter and blend themselves into the scenery. Sora, Riku, Ophelia, and Cunla hid behind a landscape shrubbery. Cuchulain took refuge in one of the vacant offices. And Donald and Goofy hid in one of the empty refuse containers. They watched as a body of individuals came marching down the hallway. What they saw was both an awesome yet shocking sight. There was a large body of monsters, all of different shapes and sizes. While some were rather heavy and furry, some had a dozen eyes. Others looked scaly with a single eye in their foreheads, while some had tentacles like a squid or an octopus. But these monsters were not threatening. They in fact seemed sad and rather depressed. The monsters were chained together and were forced to walk in step. They were surrounded by faction soldiers who were armed to the teeth with blasters and swords. The monsters were helpless against these excessively powerful enemies. Some of the soldiers, armed with lashes, beat those who would straggle behind or would not step in time. Behind them were a handful of soldiers dressed in solid black, similar to the uniform of the assassin who tried to kill Cunla.

"Those must be the assassins." Sora whispered silently.

"They're the ones who are deployed to eliminate the high alliance officials." Riku added.

Behind the assassins was a group of individuals, consisting of both monster and faction soldier. The monster accompanying them looked like a crab or a spider, with five eyes at the front of his head. He was dressed in a fine coat and vest, and looked very distinguished. And next to him was a young soldier boy, no older than the key bearers, with the rank of a high officer. He had red hair and blue eyes. Alongside him were members of staff, other officers acting as advisors. A handsome youth he was, but his facial characteristics seemed so familiar to Riku and Sora.

"Hey, Riku," Sora whispered quietly, "That kid, next to that spider like monster. Doesn't he remind you of someone?"

"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking," Riku replied, "Then yes, he definitely looks like…" They gazed at the young man.

"Kairi…" they both uttered.

"My goodness," Goofy uttered. "That guy looks a lot like Kairi."

"Too much like her." Donald replied. "For a minute I thought Kairi was a faction soldier, but it's not her. That soldier's not even a girl. It's a guy."

It was at that moment that they heard the youth speak.

"You must understand the situation at hand, Mr. Waternoose." He said, "The operations that the Midnight Faction is conducting here are of no concern to you and the rest of this city."

"Mr. Waternoose?" Sora whispered.

"I guess that crab guy is Mr. Waternoose." Riku replied.

"You told me that you were willing to keep this factory open no matter what it takes." The youth continued.

"But I am not willing to go so far as to turn my employees into slaves." Mr. Waternoose replied. "These operations that you conduct are illegal. You're using my facilities to operate illegal acts of murder. And you've made access so that all doors are accessible, besides the rooms of children. We here at Monsters Incorporated only use the closet access to scare children and thus re-supply our energy source to keep the lights burning in a thousand homes. But this, this operation you commence in is something that has been a forbidden form of practice since the beginning of monster history. Using the doors to access rooms to people and killing them in their beds."

"It just goes to show you that dealing with the Midnight Faction is no easy task. But at least we're making sure to keep you in business."-

"But at what price."-

"Are you being ungrateful, Mr. Waternoose?" The grandfather like monster only sighed and turned away. "That's what I thought. Let's leave it at that then, shall we? Or would you rather have it that I chain you up with the rest of the workers and have you labor by force. That's the only reason why you're not oppressed with your faithful employees, because everyone here sees you as figurehead of the factory. But I can always change that."

"No…no…" Mr. Waternoose replied. The youth only gave a stern look and told his men to continue on their way.

Just then a monster that had the scales of a lizard came rushing behind them. He had purple scales and his movements were like that of a lizard. He had six limbs and a grinning smile, with a mouth of razor sharp teeth.

"Prince Kirin," the monster cried out. "Prince Kirin." Immediately, the youth turn to him.

"Prince Kirin…?" Cunla asked.

"I guess that's that young guy's name." Ophelia replied.

"Ah, Randall," Kirin replied. "I trust that you have your new machine up and running."

"In due time, in due time, I can assure you that this new invention of mine will revolutionize on how we are able to collect our source of energy."-

"Very good, very good Randall, at least there's one monster whose willing to do anything and break any boundaries for his goals."-

But at that moment, a lone soldier came running down the hallway at great neck speed. He hastily passed the columns of chained monsters, passed the assassins, and made his way to Prince Kirin and his staff.

"Sir," he said, "We have a problem."

"What is it?" Kirin asked.

"There's been a security breech from the outside world."-

"What was that?"-

"Yes sir, apparently, the assassin we sent in earlier to kill the KH team members one at a time has not returned from his mission."-

"So, what's the big concern? It takes a while to defeat the key bearers and their comrades. I'm not surprised that it must be taking him longer than usual."-

"But sir, that's just it. We had a tracking signal on him. The life meter gave us a reading of his heart beat and brain waves. But all of these components seemed to have ceased functioning."-

"You mean…"-

"Yes sir, he was probably killed during the mission."-

At the same time, Goofy and Donald watched quietly from the safety of the garbage can.

"They're on to us." Goofy uttered. "I just know it, they're on to us." His knees began to rattle in fear.

"Will you shut up, Goofy?" Donald said. "You're gonna give us away."

"I'm sorry Donald. I just get so nervous. I just…" Suddenly, Goofy stopped for a minute. He twitched his nose and began to heave for breath.

"What's the matter with you?" Donald asked.

"Donald, I think I'm gonna…sn…sn…sneeze…"-

"You better not."-

"I can't help it!" Goofy heaved more and more and more, making ready to sneeze. But Donald quickly put his finger under Goofy's nose to prevent the sneeze from occurring. Goofy stopped and they continued to hear the conversation going one between Prince Kirin and the soldier.

"How can you indicate that there was a security breech?" Kirin asked. "Did you have the surveillance cameras observe anything?"

"We did sir." The soldier replied.

"And what was the result."-

"The KH team has managed to infiltrate into this world."-

"What…!"-

"I'm afraid it's true, sir."-

"Shall I have a search party sent out to find these rouges?" one of the subordinate officers asked.

"Yes, I want all units to concentrate on this facility." Kirin replied. "I want this entire factory searched from top to bottom. Search every nook and cranny. They couldn't have gone far in such unfamiliar territory."

"Yes sir."-

"No doubt that they've come here to extract us from out of this world."-

But just as the officers made ready to disperse to spread the world of the prince, there was a loud sneeze that echoed through the hall.

"What was that?" Mr. Waternoose asked.

"Hmm…" Prince Kirin uttered. He then smirked. He heard the sound come from a nearby trashcan. "Perhaps, we don't have to deploy our units after all."

"What are you saying sir?" one of the subordinates asked.

"I'm saying that the KH team may be a lot closer to us than we thought." Kirin looked at Randall. The lizard grinned and like a chameleon turned himself invisible. Randall rushed over to the can, unseen by anyone. He stepped up to the lid of the waste container.

"Who's in that garbage can?" he asked.

"Just garbage…" Goofy replied from inside. Then there was the sound of a slap, the sound of Donald smacking the dippy dog across the face. Randall then kicked the can over and out came Goofy and Donald.

"Well, well, well," Randall chuckled, "Look at what we have here, a couple of trash rats." Several faction soldiers turned about and surrounded Goofy and Donald.

"It's the two loyal servants of King Mickey." One of the soldiers replied, "Donald, the chief wizard and Prime Minister of the Disney Kingdom, and Goofy, captain of the Mickey's loyal and elite Imperial Guard."

"Gawrsh," Goofy said, "How did you know?"

"You idiot," Donald grumbled, "You just had to give in to your sneezing."

"Well, ya know what they say Donald. If you can't hold it in, then don't."-

"Great, and now we'll be executed because of that little saying of yours."-

"Quiet…" one of the soldiers said.

"So, the two most trusted advisors of King Mickey have somehow managed to meander into this realm, eh?" Prince Kirin said, walking up to the two prisoners. "It was foolish of you two to come to this world on your own. But I know for a fact that you two aren't that foolish, even if your reputation depicts you as being aloof and so easily duped. I know that the key bearers are here as well. Tell me, where are they?"

"You don't have to look very far, Kirin!" a voice shouted from behind. The prince turned to find Riku and Sora coming right at them.

"It's the key bearers!" one of the subordinates cried.

"The key bearers…" Kirin uttered, "Just as I expected." Kirin summoned his assassins. "Take them!"

The assassins, who had been following the monster columns, quickly turned their attentions to the matter at hand. They rushed at the key bearers.

"Do you dare to stand against our S class assassins?" one of the subordinates chuckled.

"S class eh?" Riku uttered. Riku unleashed his Darkness Decoys, while Sora unleashed the Corona Flash Barrage. Within seconds, the attacking ninja like assassins were cut down and fell to the ground.

"Impossible!" Kirin uttered.

"You should really think about increasing the level for your S class warriors." Sora chuckled. "They're getting too easy to defeat nowadays."

"Very interesting, I never would have thought that you could so easily defeat the top brass assassins of the Midnight Faction so quickly. But perhaps, you can do well against this lot." The key bearers looked to find soldiers suddenly rushing up in full force from down the hall.

"Oh boy," Riku uttered, "More insects…"

"Kill them," one soldier shouted, "Kill the key bearers!"

But from out of their hiding places, Cuchulain, Cunla, and Ophelia Billiard emerged to help aid their comrades. Cunla took the liberty of cutting down the soldiers who held on to Donald and Goofy.

"This is a fine time for you two to be standing around like statues." Cunla said, pushing Goofy and Donald out of harm's way.

"We were just stupefied that's all." Donald replied.

"What's stupefied?" Goofy asked.

"In your case Goofy, it's just 'stupid.'"-

"No time to be quarreling!" Cunla cried.

"Let's get out of here, you guys!" Cuchulain shouted. "There are too many of them!"

"What do you mean too many?" Sora asked. "We can still…"

"We have to fall back!" the Hound whispered to the key bearers. "I know we can take all these guys on, but it's the safety of those monster employees that worry me. No doubt if the faction finds that we can't be defeated, they may use those workers as hostages and force us to stop by threatening to harm them."

"Cuchulain has a point." Ophelia uttered, "And the faction is more than capable of carrying out with such a heinous act."

"Alright, alright," Sora said. "I get it."

"Let's get out of here you guys!" Riku shouted. The KH team made a pathway through the attacking faction soldiers and made their way to the exit.

"Go after them!" Prince Kirin shouted. "We can't let them get away!"

"Sir...!" the subordinates roared in unison. They quickly reassembled their men and quickly pursued them.

"Shall I go after them?" Randall asked. "I can use my camouflage to hide from them and seek them out."

"I don't think so." Kirin replied. "I can handle this issue with the KH team myself. You, however, have other significant matters to attend to right, such as retrieving the energy source for this plant and the entire city?"

"Oh, yes, of course…" Randall bowed and withdrew to his quarters to finish his own project.

"Get those monsters to the access chamber! I want them up and scaring now! We need more energy to maintain operations here!"-

"Yes sir!" the leader of the chain gangs replied. He ordered his soldiers to continue the march. "Get these monsters to the hanger! They start working immediately! Get going all of you!" There was a crack of the whip and the monsters once again continued on their way, marching in step once again. There was a moan from the group of monsters as they commenced with their daily slavery drive.

In the meantime, the KH team found themselves being attacked by stationed faction units all over the factory.

"Is this a common tactic of the Midnight Faction?" Donald asked.

"That it is." Ophelia implied. "The faction spreads its forces out, thinly in certain areas, and uses this tactic to conceal their numbers."

"Hurry," Riku shouted, "We have to somehow elude the troops somewhere."

"Why don't we just blow the hell out of this entire facility?" Cunla suggested. 'It won't take long and it's not much trouble for us."

"You forget though, son," Cuchulain implied, "This world thrives on the screams of children as a source of energy. We destroy the factory; we can cause a severe energy crisis here. And without power, we wouldn't be able to get home either."

"You do have a point."-

"Alright," Riku said, "We need to shake these guys and I know exactly how to do it." He turned to Sora. "Sora, deception move."

"I gotcha…!" Sora replied. "Make for the exit. Riku and I can handle this."

"But catch up as soon as you're able!" Cuchulain said.

"Right…!"-

As the rest of the KH team made their retreat, the two key bearers quickly turned about to face the pursuing soldiers.

"All right, here we go!" Riku cried.

"Watch the birdie!" Sora shouted. He thus unleashed the Corona Flash Barrage. Riku in the meantime deployed the Darkness Decoys and sent them scurrying about in every which way. Sora then unleashed Twister Strike and Riku deployed his Hurricane Slash, pummeling the masses of soldiers. The intense wind, along with the shadowy decoys and flashing bursts of lights caused severe confusion amongst the masses. The soldiers for a time, were stalled in the hallway of the Monsters Inc. factory as the key bearers and their comrades gained distance.

Prince Kirin and his subordinates came to join the pursuit. When he saw his men strewn all over the ground, the young prince was angered.

"You idiots, they're getting away!" he shouted. "Go after them, don't let them get away!"

"Come on you men, come on!" one of the officers shouted, waving her sword in the air, leading the soldiers on.

"Get up, you witless pack of ingrates!" another officer roared, pulling the soldiers back onto their feet."

"They went that way!" one soldier cried.

"No they went that way!" another added.

"They must've split up sir." Another officer said.

"Then split up and go after them!" Prince Kirin roared. "I want all entryways closed!"

"Yes sir."-

The forces of the faction separated and went in pursuit of the decoys as well as the KH team. In the meantime, Riku and the others made it to the front entry way of the factory. But as they made it to the exit, they noticed that iron security gates were being lowered to entrap them in the main hall.

"They're closing the doors." Goofy cried.

"Not today." Cuchulain said. He unleashed his Gae Bulga upon the gates. "Ulster Slash!" With full force, he slashed at the gates. But to his shock and the shock of his comrades, the attack did little damage to the security doors.

"I don't believe it." Ophelia uttered.

"The attack failed?" Donald said.

"Wait." Cunla implied. He walked up to the gate and knocked on it. "This is Oceanarian Steel, reinforced and condensed. It's about three inches thick I bet. This is the same kind of steel used to guard main hangers of most faction outposts. Not even a charged particle beam could cut through such an alloy." The team could only watch as the room was consumed in darkness and emergency lights went on.

"Now what do we do?" Sora asked.

"We have no choice, we have to fight them." Riku said.

"But we can only fend them off for so long. You've seen how powerful some of those faction soldiers are. And who knows how many they have hiding in this factory."-

"Then what do you suggest we do?"-

It was at that moment that they heard someone beckoning them. Goofy was the first to spot the person. He saw lurking in the shadows, a large blue hairy creature. His fur was an aquamarine color with light purple spots on its back. On his head were two little horns.

"It's a monster!" Goofy cried.

"Of course it's a monster." Donald said. "They don't call the place Monsters Inc. for nothing." The monster then ran down one of the corridors. He waved his hand in a beckoning motion, telling the team to pursue.

"He wants us to follow him." Sora said.

"Then let's get going." Ophelia implied.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute." Donald interrupted. "How do we know we can trust him?"

"We're just gonna have to, Donald."-

"But just wait and think this over." But just then, there came the sound of hundreds of rushing feet rumbling down the corridor from whence they originated.

"We don't have time to think right now." Cuchulain said. "You forget, we have faction soldiers tracking us down."

"We have no choice." Ophelia said. "We're just gonna have to trust him."

"Let's go then." Sora added.

The team quickly followed the monster down the corridor and escaped without a sight, just as the faction soldiers rushed in. Once again, Prince Kirin, who was present with that particular pursuing party, was furious.

"They've gotten away." one subordinate said.

"They could have gone down any one of these corridors." Another added.

"Don't just stand there then," Kirin shouted, "go after them!" The subordinate asked no further questions, but ordered his troopers to continue their pursuit.

In the meantime, the KH team reached down into the deepest sectors of the factory, still in pursuit of the monster that beckoned them. Finally, in a deep generator chamber, the monster stopped. The KH team stopped just a few feet behind him. The monster turned and beckoned them closer.

"It's okay, you guys," the monster said. "Come on closer."

"I knew it." Donald uttered. "He's lured us in his lair to cook us and eat us."

"Quiet…" Sora said. The young key bearer stepped up to the monster first. The other members quickly gathered as well.

"Are you strangers here?" the monster asked.

"Well…yes we are."-

"Who are you?" Cunla asked.

"My name is James P. Sullivan. I'm one of the leading scarers in Monsters Inc. I'm also known as Sully."-

"Are you here to help us?" Goofy asked.

"It all depends, are you here to help us?" Sully replied.

"Of course we are." Sora said. "We're here to help you."

"Then, follow me." Sully opened up a secret passage at the base of the chamber, leading to the sewers.

"I'm not gonna go in there." Donald objected. "That's a sewer."

"It's the only way out right now."-

"No complaints here." Cunla said.

Sully quickly led the team into the passage. He hastily closed the door behind him. The KH team made a clean getaway from the pursuing forces of the Midnight Faction. The team was led through the sewer system by Sully. They walked for at least three hundred yards before coming to a manhole.

"Ah, here we are." Sully said. He climbed up the latter and opened up the manhole. He looked about before squeezing through the little hole. He then looked down and beckoned the team. "Come on up."

"I'll go first." Cuchulain said. The Hound quickly climbed up, followed by Colonel Billiard, then Goofy and Donald, then Cunla, and finally the two key bearers. They emerged on a quiet city street. The lights were lit and there was the sound of jazz music somewhere in the distance. The street was quaint and clean with falling autumn leaves.

"Wow," Sora said, "This is not a bad looking town."

"This way…" Sully said. He led the team to his home. The door was made of fine polished oak. "Quickly everyone inside." The team asked no questions and entered the establishment. They thus came into a rather cozy dwelling, not at all threatening.

"Is this where you live?" Goofy asked.

"That's right."-

"Wow, I never knew monsters lived so nicely."-

"Please have a seat." Sully drew the shades closed and sat in his overstuffed chair. "So you are here to help us right?"

"Your world has been oppressed, am I correct?" Cuchulain asked.

"That's correct."-

"Allow us to introduce ourselves before proceeding. My name is Cuchulain. The young boy is my son, Cunla. Then, there is Miss Ophelia Billiard, Goofy, and Donald. And of course the two key bearers, Riku and Sora."-

"A pleasure…"-

"How long has the Midnight Faction been present in this world?" Sora asked.

"The faction has been present here for over a month now." Sully explained. "But that one month was a terrible period to live through. Since the faction took over the city, they've been oppressing the people. Many of my fellow coworkers have been placed under arrest and have been forced to engage in hard labor."

"Do you know what the faction's purpose for being in this world is?"-

"All I know is that they're using Monsters Incorporated to increase production of scream energy for who knows what. Many of the experienced scarers are being driven to the point of exhaustion."-

"That's why we're here." Sora said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah," Goofy added. "We're here to save the day."

"By the way," Riku asked, "I notice that two of the monsters seem to be assisting the Midnight Faction."

"Can you describe them?" Sully added, topping off Riku's question with his own.

"One looked like a spider or a crab, with five eyes in his head. The other was a more reptilian kind of monster."

"The one that you said that looked like a spider is my boss and the third generation overseer of Monsters Incorporated, Henry J. Waternoose. The other guy you're talking about is named Randall. I can understand Randall siding with the faction. He's been hoping to climb to the top all these years. He only thinks about his own benefits. But I can't believe that Mr. Waternoose would side with the faction. He seemed so kind and understanding." Sully sighed. "I knew he would do anything to prevent the company from going under, but I never would have thought that he would do something this extreme."

"From going under?" Cunla asked.

"Well, you know about monsters in the closet right?"-

"Of course."-

"The thing is," Sully continued, "nowadays kids are becoming less and less afraid of us, therefore it is harder to find kids who still believe in closet monsters. Unlike the old days, where kids thought monsters real, now kids find other things to scare them. Compared to some other media, monsters in the closet is rather a silly form for being afraid. And because of such a result, scream energy, which generates power throughout the city have been reduced. Thus, the city encounters countless blackouts. But since the faction took over, power sources have increased. But the majority of that energy goes to the cause of the faction. The faction is using the majority of collected scream energy for their own needs instead of for the better of the city. While they're indulging in using as much energy as possible, the rest of the population of Monstropolis are still rationed their energy."

"That's terrible."-

"As far as exploiting the workers, that's all I really know. But from what I've heard, Randall has been working on a secret machine that will revolutionize scream energy production."-

"And what kind of device is it?" Cuchulain asked.

"From what I understand," Sully continued, "This device will extract screams from children."

"Extract…?"-

"That's right."-

"But how are they gonna extract screams from kids?"-

"They plan on initiating the most diabolical scheme possible. It's an activity that has been banned from scaring practice since the beginning of monster civilization. They plan of kidnapping the children from their rooms, bring them to the factory and use that machine to extract the screams from the kids."-

"That's horrible." Donald uttered.

"We can't let them get away with this." Sora added.

"So that's there other objective, eh?" Riku said, clutching his fists, "To think that the faction would stoop down so low as to kidnap children from their beds."

"Why, what's the faction's other objective?" Sully asked.

"Well…" Riku and the others paused for a minute or two before he began to speak again. "The Midnight Faction not only intends to exploit this world, they will also use this world to access to other worlds and realms and hopefully take them over."

"They'll also use this world to access to the rooms of enemy officials and have them murdered in their sleep." Cunla added.

"Oh my," Sully said, "So all this is not for energy consumption."

"The Midnight Faction always has the bigger plan in motion." Ophelia said.

"So what are you guys gonna do?"-

"What we came here to do." Sora said. "We've come to liberate this world from the hands of the Midnight Faction."

Suddenly, there was a powerful knock at the door, as if someone was aggressively pummeling the door with their fists.

"Someone's here." Cunla said. The KH team quickly hid themselves behind any piece of furniture or corner they could find.

"Keep quiet," Sully implied, "I'll see who it is." The KH team watched as Sully reached the door. Sully came up close to the door. "Who's there?"

"Sully, open up," a voice shouted from behind the door, "It's Mike."

"Ah, Mike, come in." Sully opened the door and in came a short green monster. A light green in color, his body was round like a ball with one big eye and a mouth in the middle of his head. Basically, he was all head atop two skinny, stubby legs with two little arms sticking out at the side.

"Man, it's chaos out there." Mike said, as he came through the doorway. "There are faction soldiers being deployed."

"Oh yeah, someone must've caused one heck of an uproar." Sully looked about before shutting his door tightly and locking it.

"Well anyway, I've come to see how you were doing. Just wanted to see I you were alright."-

"Oh I'm doing just fine."

"I mean even the faction has issued a search broadcast to the entire city. Take a look." Mike turned on the television just in time to see the broadcast

"Today a crisis has arisen here in Monstropolis." The newsman said. "Word from Prince Kirin of the Midnight Faction, he is looking for seven individuals who had managed to infiltrate the factory. The faction believes that these individuals might have escaped from the factory and may have made their way into the city. Therefore the Midnight Faction is sending out troops to search the streets for these individuals." There identities were caught on footage by the security cameras. Pictures of all seven KH members were posted on the television. "If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of these seven individuals, contact the Midnight Faction's main headquarters at Monsters Incorporated as soon as possible."

"Those are the fugitives." Mike said.

"Is that so?" Sully uttered.

"They could be anywhere in the city. But no one's gonna turn them in, not after the things the faction's been doing."-

"Is it alright for us to come out now?" Goofy asked as he poked his head behind Mike. Mike turned to see Goofy next to him and jumped up in fright. He screamed as he saw the other KH team members pop out of the woodwork.

"Sully, Sully, the fugitives!" Mike shouted. "The fugitives are in your house!"

"Yeah, I know." Sully replied in such a subtle and calm matter. Mike lowered his guard.

"Oh fine, leave me out of this entirely. How could you do this, Sully!"-

"Do what?"-

"Do what, do this! You took in the seven most wanted individuals in the world! And that means the faction will be coming here!"-

"Guys, this is my close friend, Mike Wazowski."-

"Friend, friend, after harboring criminals!"-

"Well, you were the one who was saying that no one would turn them in after what the faction has done."-

"Well yeah, but I was expecting it to happen someplace far away. How was I supposed to know that they would end up being harbored by my best friend?"-

"Mr. Wazowski," Riku said, "sorry we put you and Sully in this position, but we really need your help."

"And you are?"-

"My name is Riku. That's my best friend, Sora, Goofy and Donald over there, Miss Billiard next to the fireplace, and Cuchulain and his son Cunla over there."-

"We've come to help liberate this city from the faction." Sora added.

"Well that's all well in good, but have you seen the faction?" Mike asked.

"Of course," Ophelia said. "They have superior numbers, are armed to the teeth, and will torture, torment, and kill anyone who knows anything about our whereabouts."

"You just told me something I would have preferred not to know about. But how do you know about it?"-

"It's because I was a faction officer!"-

"What? You're a faction officer!"-

"She's not the only one." Cunla said. "I was also a leading officer of the faction too."

"You too?" Mike uttered. "But you're just a kid."

"Surprised?"-

"Well, I would think you to be more of a busboy or something. Well, if you're faction officers, go out there and tell those people to call off their search."-

"That would work in most cases." Ophelia said. "But there's only one problem. Cunla and I have been banded as traitors within the faction. And traitors and betrayers are considered lower than criminals. Most likely, they'll torture us slowly and in the most heinous ways before giving us a slow and agonizing death."

"Well, scratch that plan."-

"Has the Midnight Faction mainly taken hold of the factory?" Cuchulain asked.

"The faction has most of their resources at the factory alright." Sully said.

"Then, why not take out the factory itself?" Sora asked.

"We can't do that. To Monstropolis, Monsters Incorporated is the life source to this entire city. If that factory goes down, then all functions in the city shut down."-

"I see."-

"Just as I thought before." Cuchulain said. "That factory is the source of all prosperity in this world."

"So we have to somehow drive the faction out of the factory." Riku said.

"But that won't be an easy task since the faction has concentrated most of its forces on the factory."-

"If we somehow draw them out…" Cunla uttered.

But as the KH team pondered, there was another knock at the door. The team grew silent, wondering who it was outside the door.

"Open up in the name of His Excellency!" a voice shouted.

"It's the Midnight Faction!" Mike uttered in a hoarse whisper. "The Midnight Faction is here!"

"Uh…just a moment!" Sully replied. He crept over to the door to find to faction soldiers standing at the door. Their faces were covered and they were dressed in solid black trench coats. One of the soldiers pounded the door again.

"Open up this door in the name of his Excellency!" the soldier roared. "Open this door immediately."

"Do as he says." Cuchulain implied. "We may have to kill them in order keep the rest of the faction from finding out our whereabouts."

"You mean kill them as in turn them into stiffs?" Mike uttered.

"That's exactly what I mean."-

"Oh no, oh no, I gotta get out of here. I'm not accustomed to seeing such ugly sights."-

"Get ready." The KH team quickly withdrew from sight. "Sully, open the door."

"Alright…" Sully opened the door to the two faction soldiers. Immediately, Sully tried to be as calm and hospitable as he could. "Come on in, gentlemen."

"No use trying to be all nitty gritty with being polite, we already know that the KH team is here." One of the soldiers uttered.

"And it's about time too." The other soldier added. They unraveled the masks from their heads to reveal familiar faces to the concealed KH team.

"Hey," Cunla said as he rose up. "It's Cloud and Leon."

"Cloud?" Donald asked.

"Leon?" Goofy added. The team quickly arose.

"It is Cloud and Leon." Sora said. The team quickly dropped their weapons.

"What are you guys doing here?" Riku asked. "And how did you find us?"

"It was compliments of our undercover agent whose been observing factional activity in this world." Leon replied.

"You can come up Auron." Cloud said. Instantly, from out of the night atmosphere, a man clothed in red, bearing a large blade on his back, entered the room. The mentor of Tidus and one who aided in the battle against Sin came before the KH team.

"It's you, Auron." Sora uttered.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it Sora." Auron replied. "I have not seen you since that time we battled Hades and the titans. How is my old friend, Tidus doing?"

"Tidus is doing fine. But have you been here the whole time?"-

"I have."-

"How long have you been watching us?" Donald asked.

"I've been watching you since the moment you entered this world. I was originally dressed as a faction soldier and concealed myself within the factory. Anyway, I'm here to help you."-

"But what about Leon and Cloud?" Cuchulain asked. "I thought you guys stayed behind in Traverse Town."

"Well, we did have other matters to attend to," Leon said, "But Triiken saw it was our duty to aid you guys. So we hastily returned to the blue room and entered this world. Thank goodness the door was still open. So here we are."

"Now back to the matter at hand," Riku said, "How are we going to approach the factory without damaging it?"

"That's the thing," Sully interrupted, "It won't be easy."

"But why's that? All we have to do is lure the majority of the faction forces out away from the factory."-

"But even if you were to do that, the factory would still be in danger." Sully sat in his big chair. "That factory is the source of all power and prosperity in Monstropolis as I had said before. We know this and the faction knows this. And they also know that if Monsters Incorporated is destroyed, our entire existence would be placed in jeopardy. This entire city would die. If we ever dared to rise up against the faction's reign, they threatened to destroy the factory and consume as much of our energy as possible. All they have to do is destroy three areas, the access chamber, where the closet doors are stationed for us to make access to children's rooms, the door hanger which all unused doors are stored, and the power generator room. If they destroy that, they'd be able to shut down the plant for months. Each of these chambers is rigged with explosives."

"So all we have to do is discard the bombs somewhere else and everything will be alright, right?" Cunla asked.

"It isn't gonna be that easy either." Sully continued. "The bombs have been programmed so that they'd detonate if moved."

"Then, I propose we initiate this plan of attack." Cuchulain suggested. "We have to somehow infiltrate the factory and disarm the bombs. Once we disarm them, we'll be able to battle the Midnight Faction directly."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Donald asked.

In them meantime, the Midnight Faction soldiers had deployed their forces throughout the city. They entered the homes of every citizen in Monstropolis and tore the dwellings apart. There was chaos in the streets as monsters were forced out of their homes and rounded up. They were thus confined as they watched the faction tear through their houses and throw about their belongings and possessions in terrible disarray. And in the sky, the winged heartless flew, keeping watch over the city, looking for any suspicious activity. A Gatler tank patrolled the streets, echoing its loud speakers to the public.

"Attention, attention," the loud speaker shouted, "The Midnight Faction is demanding the immediate capture of the fugitives. Anyone who is harboring them, or refuses to share any information regarding their whereabouts will be severely punished. Make this task easier on us and on you. Give us the whereabouts of the fugitives and we will cease our activity. I repeat, give us any information regarding the whereabouts of the fugitives and we will cease our activity."

Faction soldiers forced their way into every house, into every apartment building, forced the inhabitants out, and tossed their belongings asunder. The faction eventually reached the street where Sully's house was located. Upon reaching the dwelling, the soldiers realized that the house was dark and no one was home.

"Open up, this is the Midnight Faction!" a soldier shouted, pounding the door. "Open up in the name of His Excellency!" The soldiers did not refrain themselves and knocked down the door. The door came crashing down and the soldiers entered the establishment. They threw about Sully's belongings without care before evacuating

"There's no one here, sir." A soldier said as he exited the dwelling.

"Prince Kirin has declared that this city is to be turned upside down and searched thoroughly." An officer said. "Don't let up, I want all available units on duty."

"Yes sir."-

The faction continued their search throughout the town, little knowing that the KH team had already left, making their way through the sewer system. They entered the secret way that they had before and secretly made their way back to the factory. The group was reduced this time. Cunla, Cuchulain, Cloud, Leon, and Auron were not present. The plan was being initiated and the groups were formed. Sully and Mike crept into the factory, leading the KH team through the factory.

"Quickly," Sully said, "This way to the key points." The team members continued, each member reciting their tasks. Miss Billiard recited the task she was left with.

"I hope I remember my training with bombs way back when." She thought to herself. She remembered Cuchulain's words.

_Since you have experience with faction bombs, you can use your skills to neutralize the explosives._

The team reached a fork in the hall.

"Alright," Mike said, "This is where we split up."

"Yeah," Sully replied. "Good luck you guys."

"Right."-

"You take care of yourself, Miss Billiard." Riku said.

"I always do." Ophelia replied. "You guys just watch out for each other."

"I'll make sure to keep them out of trouble." Sora chuckled.

"Come on, wise guy." Riku said. He nudged Sora about.

"Off we go!" Goofy said.

"Quiet!" Donald shouted. "You wanna give us away before we start!"

"Let's go, Miss." Mike said.

"Right." Ophelia replied. Mike and Miss Billiard headed down one path, while Sully and the others headed down the next path.

It was the late night now and things had mellowed down within the factory. Sentries and guards were stationed about the facility, keeping close watch over the different corridors. But the KH team was quick to knock out certain sentries on duty. They dragged off the unconscious sentries and had them tied up in a group. In the meantime, Sully continued to lead the way. They made their way passed key sentries within the main corridors, hoping not to rouse too much suspicion.

"We're almost there." Sully said.

"Now you remember your missions, right?" Riku asked.

"We remember." Sora replied. They reflected on Cuchulain's words.

_Riku, Sora, you, along with Donald and Goofy, and with Sully to lead you, will confiscate the energy canisters stored by the faction. Those belong to the people, not the faction. Also, Prince Kirin is the high command. If you can somehow defeat him, the faction's high command in this world will most likely crumble. Try not to raise suspicion until Cunla, I, and the others have initiated our part of the strategy. Also, see if you can knock out the security room. That way you can move about unobserved. I suggest that that be your first target. We have to somehow capture the factory and keep it intact at the same time. So, don't do anything reckless, like starting a major battle._

"The security is just down this main corridor." Sully said. "Be sure to move so the surveillance cameras don't spot us before we get there."

"We gotcha…" Riku replied. The team quietly moved down the hallway, making sure that no one spotted them. But as they moved closer to the security room, another obstacle came before them. Suddenly appearing in mid-air, winged heartless emerged. The team quickly ducked behind one of many decorative nooks in the wall.

"Heartless…" Sora uttered.

"They must've sensed us."-

"What are we gonna do now?" Goofy asked.

"We have to take them out silently." Riku implied. He gave Sora his keyblade. "Sora, take them out."

"I gotcha…" Sora replied. He quickly pounced out from his corner and struck all the heartless within less then a second. The heartless were quickly diminished and Sora, like a skilled shinobi, disappeared from the scene.

"Wow," Sully whispered. "I never thought that anyone could move that fast."

"It's all in the skill."-

"Alright," Riku said, "Let's go." The team quickly scurried to the door that led to the security room. Riku opened up the door. The operators within the security room weren't aware of the team's presence until it was too late. Sora and Riku lunged forward and subdued the majority of the operatives.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Riku declared, "I'm sorry to put you in such a rough position, but we'll be taking command of this security room. Cooperate with us and you won't get hurt." The soldiers quickly submitted.

In the meantime, Donald ran over to the control panel and scanned the factory for Mike and Miss Billiard. He scanned the first destination for them, the factory's generator room.

"The first destination was the generator room right?" Donald asked.

"That's right." Riku replied.

"Well, it appears that they're not in there."-

"Are you sure?"-

"I'm scanning the panel." Donald moved the camera about the room and did not find Mike or Ophelia anywhere. "They're not there. That's supposed to be the first room they come across and they're not there."

"Did you check for the marker?" Riku asked, being as discreet as he could.

"Oh yeah…" Donald scanned about the room. Sure enough, there was on the wall a fan mark, the symbol that Ophelia used as her private insignia. "I see it. It's inscribed on the wall. Man, she works fast."

"Riku, we better get moving." Sora said.

"Right…!" Riku replied. "Okay then, Sora. Goofy, Donald, and I will stay here. You and Sully continue with our mission and confiscate the canisters in the main energy storage." Sora nodded and turned to Sully.

"Aye you ready to go, Sully?"-

"Just stick close to me." Sully replied. The two exited the room. Riku then turned to Goofy and handed him some rope.

"Sorry ladies and gentlemen." Riku declared to the prisoners. "But due to chances that you may become hostile, we're going to have to tie you up for this period of time." The operatives were tied together. But to make sure that they did not attempt an uprising, Riku unleashed his third summoning spell, the Three Good Fairies. Flora, Fauna, and Meriwether appeared and cast their sleeping spell upon the operatives. The operatives would thus remain in a deep slumber until victory for the KH team was won.

In the meantime, Sully and Sora rushed to the energy storage chamber. They entered the room to find millions of cans of pure scream energy. They walked down a flight of stairs and down the pathways of the vast field of yellow canisters.

"This is incredible." Sora uttered. "This is all the energy you get from scaring children?"

"There's enough energy here to keep the city going for a full decade." Sully added. "This is what the faction has managed to accumulate, but refuses to share with the public."

"Are you surprised?" a voice shouted. The two turned to find the head of Monsters Incorporated standing at the entry way of the chamber. "This energy is what has always made Monsters Incorporated so successful. It's the very energy that allows this city to thrive. My father and his father before him had left a great legacy behind and I am not going to see it falter, no matter what the cost."

"Is that the reason why you're helping the Midnight Faction?" Sora asked.

"That is the very reason."-

"That's the stupidest reason I've ever heard. You sided with the faction so that you could keep business open? Because of your action, the faction has taken over everything. They don't care about you and they don't care about the city. They only care about exploiting the benefits of your factory, accesses to other worlds by means of those closet doors. Even though you've accumulated all this energy, do you really think that the Midnight Faction will use it to help light up the city? Of course not, they're gonna take it all for themselves."

"Mr. Waternoose, please listen to reason." Sully added. "Look at what your decision has resulted in. Thousands of people in town are always under constant rolling blackouts. The livelihood of this entire city depends on the success of this factory. Please, don't let the dream your father and grandfather built up fall into the wrong hands."

"I am sorry, Sullivan." Mr. Waternoose replied. "But it is out of my hands now."

"You see," another voice uttered, "Mr. Henry J. Waternoose is no longer in charge of this factory." Sully and Sora looked up to find none other than Prince Kirin standing in the entryway as well.

"Prince Kirin…" Sora uttered.

"I am the one who now runs this factory. As of this moment on, Monsters Incorporated will work for the benefit and the glory of the Midnight Faction."-

Suddenly, something struck Sora at the side of the head. The youth went falling, his head striking against one of the canisters. Sora was knocked unconscious and lay motionless on the floor. In the meantime, Sully felt something attack him from behind, knocking him down. Sully was tackled and subdued by some invisible force.

"It looks like you're down for the count, Sullivan." A voice uttered.

"Randall?" Sully uttered. He looked behind to find Randall putting him in the submission hold.

"That's enough." Prince Kirin said. "Release him, Randall." Randall sneered at the prince, but did not dare to defy. He then looked at Sully again with a that same reptilian glare, before releasing the big blue monster and scurrying away. "Get on your feet James Sullivan." The faction soldiers and two big defender heartless came forward and guarded the monster. "For daring to stand against me and the Midnight Faction, you are hereby exiled to the utmost remote region on the planet."

"Exiled…!" Sully said. There was shock behind his words.

"Take him away. And Mr. Waternoose, you will see to it personally that this order is carried out."-

"Yes sir…" Mr. Waternoose uttered. He seemed to sigh and lower his eyes in shame.

"Mr. Waternoose, don't do this!" Sullivan uttered. "Think of the company."

"I'm sorry, Sullivan. I am no longer the president of Monsters Incorporated. I've been relieved of my position."-

"Mr. Waternoose…"-

"Take him away, to the testing room."-

Sullivan could only watch as the soldiers surrounded him. He lowered his eyes, knowing that he had been defeated. He looked at the unconscious Sora, still prostrated on the ground.

"I'm sorry, Sora." He uttered. "I let you down." Speaking no further words, Sullivan, was escorted out by the faction and heartless guards as well as his former boss, Mr. Waternoose. As they left, Prince Kirin turned his attentions towards the young key bearer.

"What shall we do with this one?" an officer asked.

"Have the key bearer taken to my quarters." Kirin said. "I would like to test a little experiment on him." Kirin turned to Randall. "Bring your machine with you as well. I would like to have it tested on Sora. He shall have the honor of being the first test subject for the new scream extractor."

"Of course…"-

"You do well, Randall. There may be hope for a bright future for you after all."-

"Thank you for that compliment sir." Randall thus scurried away to test his new machine. In the meantime, two soldiers picked Sora up and dragged him back to Kirin's quarters.

"Be gentle with him, gentlemen." Kirin said. "We want the subject in top condition when we test our new machine on him."

All of the activity did not go unseen by Donald and the others who were watching every moment unfold in the energy chamber.

"Oh no..." Donald uttered. "Sora and Sully have been captured."

"What was that?" Riku said.

"Captured?" Goofy added.

"Where at?"-

"They were seized in the energy storage chamber." Donald continued.

"Do you know where they were off to?" Riku asked.

"I don't know. This security system does not have audio transmission linked up directly to the cameras."-

"I'm going out." Riku rushed to the door.

"But Riku…!" Goofy uttered.

"Sora and Sully are in trouble right now and I need to help them."-

"Well, be careful!"-

"I will." Riku smiled before turning and rushing out of the doors.

"Ten more minutes before Cuchulain and the other's begin their operation." Donald said, as he looked at his pocket watch. "They better hurry. Things are turning for the worst here."

In them meantime, Sully and his escort reached the testing room. It was in this room where newbie monsters, who wish to become scarers for Monsters Inc, are trained. They spend up to a hundred hours, perfecting their scaring skills and preparing themselves for the worst. In Sully's case, this was the worst case scenario. The guards made ready and stood around the prisoner. A door was lowered from the ceiling and placed onto the final test, access platform. It was an iron door, covered with what looked like ice particles, as if the door had been placed in a refrigerator.

"I've never seen this door before." Sully uttered.

"That's because this door is rarely used." Mr. Waternoose replied. "This is the exile door. This is the door only used for those monsters who have committed a terrible crime. In this case, it is standing against the faction."

"I can't believe that you would stoop so low. But I guess what's best for the company is what matters the most." The door was opened and a cold atmosphere emerged on the other side. Sullivan would be exiled in the vast open wilderness of the Tundra. The wind was hard and the snow came falling like bullets. This was a harsh and freezing atmosphere that he would be exiled in. Sully stepped up to the door. "To think that I actually held you so highly as being the best in the business, Mr. Waternoose. I guess all this time, I was wrong. But even so, you said that would prevent the company from going under. Now that it's out of your hands, it's already reached rock bottom."

The words that Sully spoke cut deep into the heart and soul of Mr. Waternoose. What he said was right. Though he prevented the company from floundering, by passing the ownership to the Midnight Faction, in the end, he lost the company after all. Now, because of this trade, the workers would be placed in a forceful and laborious working environment. The employees would be under slave conditions from this point on, chained like dogs and forced to engage in a practice that for years was a privilege.

"Enough of your blabbering." One off the soldiers said. "Get in there now."

"You heard right." Mr. Waternoose declared. "Punishment must be inflicted on those who do wrong!" Mr. Waternoose suddenly lunged forward and pushed all five, including the escorts into the freezing tundra. The two soldiers and the two heartless went stumbling into the snow along with Sully.

"Mr. Waternoose?" Sully uttered.

"Don't just sit there with you head in the snow, get back in here!" Sully quickly rushed back to the doorway.

"He's betrayed us!" the soldier shouted. He drew out his blade and quickly ran after Sully. Sully jumped through the doorway and Mr. Waternoose closed the door behind him. He deactivated the door as soon as he could so that the soldiers could not continue their pursuit. Sully turned to his boss who just collapsed next to the door.

"Mr. Waternoose," he uttered, "Why did you do that?"

"What you said was right, Sullivan." Mr. Waternoose replied. "I lost the company the minute I sold it to the faction. What a fool I've been. I intend not to make that same mistake again." Mr. Waternoose walked up to Sully and stretched out his hand. "Can you forgive a blind old fool?" Sully looked at his boss's hand. He sighed and smiled and reached for his boss's hand. With one tug, Waternoose get his most prized scarer back up on his feet.

"I guess you didn't stoop as low as I thought."-

"Now what do you say that we put this factory back into the proper hands?"-

Mr. Waternoose and Sully ran out of the testing room to aid the others.

It was good of Mr. Waternoose to realize the truth when he did. Sora on the other hand had regained consciousness and looked about wondering where he was. He tried to move his hands, but could not. He looked down to find that his hands and feet had been tied down.

"Where am I?" he uttered.

"Well, well, well," a voice said. Sora looked up to find Randall standing at his side, "It looks like he's awake."

"And about time too." Another voice said. Prince Kirin stepped before the youth.

"Where am I?" Sora demanded.

"You are in my quarters."-

"What did you do to Sully?"-

"Sully…? He's been exiled."-

"Exiled…? Where?"-

"To the far reaches of the earth for all we know." Randall chuckled. "You, however, are worth more to us than he ever was."

"And why's that, what are you going to do to me?" Sora asked.

"You, key bearer," Kirin said, "will have the honor of being the new test subject for our new screamer extraction machine. Randall has been working secretly on it for the passed month and now we get to see how well it does. The theory works, but now to put the real device to the test."

"A screamer extraction machine…? So that's what Sully was talking about earlier."-

"I'm surprised that that big hairball even knew about the machine in the first place. But knowing him, he likes to sneak about, wondering what kind of a scheme I was cooking. After all these years of being second best to that walking throw rug, I finally outrank him and I have finally climbed my way to the very top of the executive level. With this new machine, production of scream energy will increase ten fold. Henry J. Waternoose's technique of scaring will be a thing of the past. As of this point on, we will be able to snatch the children from their rooms at night and have them brought here. They will then be strapped to this chair and the machine will be placed over their mouths and suck all the terrified screams out of them. What would have taken months with the old fashion scaring technique, I'll be able to accomplish in less than a couple of days."-

"And in return for Randall's services," Prince Kirin implied. "Once I am promoted to a higher position, I will leave Randall in charge, not only of Monsters Inc, but the entire city."

"No wonder he's so eager to help you." Sora uttered, angrily.

"You got that right. If this test is successful, we'll be able to begin production of more scream extraction machines and begin to round up children and extract their screams."-

"There's only one thing that still bothers me though. If you do engage in such an act, won't the children you kidnap be wiser about closet monsters and know not to keep their closet doors open for you to access?"-

"I'm glad that you mentioned that, Sora. Without a doubt children would remember us and know not to keep their closet doors unlocked. That's why I took the privilege of having this stone formed." Prince Kirin took out from his pocket a shinning blue stone.

"What is that?"-

"This is known as the Memory Stone. It is able to restore memory as well as extract it. It's also known as the Forgetful Stone. The reason why is because one has the ability to erase memory from a person's mind. All we have to do is prevent this stone before a child subject and they won't remember a thing that happened. This allows us easy harvest. We can even erase the memories of the most hardened children, those who don't believe in closet monsters anymore, and have them reduced to believing."-

"Don't worry," Randall chuckled, "You'll know what it feels like once we're finished with our experiment."

"This Memory Stone is the only type of its kind in the known universe, a thing of legends and myths. Master Sirius Viicous entrusted me with this rock and this world. And I intend to have every intension of fulfilling his dream." Kirin rolled the stone about in his hand. "But I wouldn't worry about anything though. You won't even remember who you are after we're finished here."

"Shall be begin?" Randall asked.

"Do it."-

Randal switched on the machine. The machine rumbled and made a vacuum like sound. Randall then deployed a long hose with a mouth piece at its end. It had a strong suction force coming from hose and was slowly ebbing its way to Sora's mouth. Sora watched at the mouth piece drew nearer and nearer like a curious little animal. Time seemed to slow down.

"Before I have the screams sucked out of my head," Sora asked, "Would you mind telling me how that stone works."-

"It's really not of any significance to you, but I'll tell you since you're so curious to know." Prince Kirin said. "In fact, let's test it on you right now."

"What?"-

"Yeah, it'll save a lot of time and effort on my part." Kirin placed the stone before Sora. "In order to use the stone, you reveal it before your victim, touching their brow with it. If you want to restore memory, you say, stone restore. But if you want to erase the memory…" Kirin placed it on Sora's brow. Suddenly, Sora felt light headed and his eyes seemed to roll to the back of the head. Kirin grinned as he saw the key bearer's face contort and react to the stone's power.

"Enough said!" a voice shouted. Kirin turned to find one of his soldiers, dressed in a tinted helmet, run forward and knocked the stone out of his hand. The soldier then jumped up and caught the stone. Kirin sneered as he laid eyes upon the soldiers.

"Soldier," he shouted, "What is the meaning of this outrage!"

"I can't let you do that to Sora." The soldier replied.

"And why not!"-

The soldier turned to face the prince. The other soldiers by now surrounded the rouge trooper and made ready to initiate an immediate arrest. The soldier took off his helmet and revealed who he was. His identity was a shock to both the faction and Sora.

It was Riku.

"Riku!" Sora cried. "You're here!"

"I thought that you might require some help, Sora." Riku replied.

"Where did you come from, Noctin Tilandir?" Prince Kirin asked.

"I'm the Child of Darkness. I can slither about in the darkness as anytime I want. Thanks for the tip and this stone." Riku drew out his keyblade and aimed it at Randall's machine. "And you won't be needing this either." Riku unleashed a fireball and destroyed the extraction machine's control panel, thus rendering it useless. Riku quickly released Sora and pulled him out of the room.

"He destroyed my machine!" Randal said. "That guy will pay for this!"

"Don't stand there, you idiots," Prince Kirin shouted, "after them!"

The soldiers quickly drew out their weapons and went in pursuit of Riku and Sora. But as they opened the door, Riku still stood on the other side.

"Wrong move…!" Riku chuckled. He unleashed Hurricane Slash and sent the soldiers sprawling rearward with the mighty gust of his wind attack. Riku and Sora thus, made their escape, with the soldiers still trying to regain their strength.

"You idiots!" Kirin roared. "Go after them! I want all units to intercept them at once! I want the Memory Stone back, or all of our plans will be ruined." He then turned to Randall. "You wanted revenge for the destruction of your machine right?"

"Yes…" Randall replied, sneering behind his teeth.

"Then go after them and get back that stone. I will leave you responsible if anything goes wrong."-

"Understood..." Randall turned invisible and continued his pursuit along with the rest of the soldiers in his room.

"This is getting way out of hand." Kirin thought to himself. "The key bearers are more insufferable than I had expected."

In the meantime, Riku and Sora had managed to elude their pursuers. Sora was still a little dazed after that sudden encounter with the stone. So Riku had to carry him about, with his arm around his neck. Riku lowered Sora and gazed at his friend, who had this dazed and goody look on his face.

"Sora, Sora," Riku uttered, "C'mon pal, you gotta snap out of it." He patted at Sora's cheek hoping to wake him up. He then shook him a little, trying to jerk him out of this sleepy like trance.

"But mommy, I don't want to go to school today." Sora mumbled in a slurred tone. "I want to stay home and bake cookies with you."

"Wake up, chucklehead!" Riku slapped Sora across the face, leaving a big red mark. Sora shook his head and looked about bewilderedly.

"Who, what, where, when, how!"-

"Never mind that, we gotta get out of here." Sora regained his composure and he and Riku continued to run.

"Hey Riku, what happened to me back there." Sora asked. "I remember being confined to that chair and then Kirin put this weird blue stone on my head."

"You mean this stone?" Riku pulled the memory stone from out of his jacket pocket and showed it to Sora.

"You got it."-

"That's right and we're gonna get it by the faction if we're caught. So stop flapping your gums and keep going."-

They continued to rush down the hallway, eventually coming to what looked like a four-way intersection in the hall. As they approached, they suddenly saw two other parties coming around the corner. To their left, Riku and Sora spotted both Sully and Mr. Waternoose approaching at fast speed. And to their right, Miss Ophelia Billiard and Mike Wazowski came rushing through the intersection. Like a car crash in slow motion, all three parties did not see each other until the moment of impact, which of course was too late by then.

"Look out!" Sora cried.

"Watch it!" Sully shouted.

"Incoming!" Mike bellowed. All of them slammed into each other and fell to the floor. The six moved about in this tangle wreckage of arms and legs.

"Man," Ophelia uttered, "Did anyone get the number of that bus?"

"Miss Billiard…" Riku said.

"Oh, Riku…" Ophelia noticed that she was actually lying on top of the silver haired key bearers. She quickly regained her composure. "Sorry about that." She began to blush more than ever. She then looked up at Riku and Riku looked right at her. There seemed to be a connection between them. That was until Sora stuck his big head between them. The two realized who had interfered.

"Oh, please don't mind me." Sora chuckled. "I'm just enjoying the romantic mood."

"Sora!" Riku shouted.

"C'mon Riku, you gotta good thing going on here!"-

"Uh…now's not the time!"-

"Well, well, Riku are you blushing?"-

"Uh…well I…"-

"You're flustered too. I guess Miss Billiard is quite the charmer, eh Miss Billiard?"-

"Oh dear…" Ophelia turned away, continuing to blush.

"If you guys can cut out the lovey dovey thing," Mike uttered, "We have company!"

The team looked to find that the faction soldiers were close behind. The six regained their composure and continued to run. It was by this time that the team realized Mr. Waternoose was amongst them.

"Mr. Waternoose?" Riku uttered. "What's he doing here?"

"Are you crazy! He's the guy that's trying to sell us out, Sully." Mike shouted. "How could you bring him along?"

"He's on our side now." Sully explained.

"Sorry about earlier, chaps." Mr. Waternoose replied.

"Water under the bridge I guess!" Sora said. "Now that the faction's seen you run with us, there's no guarantee that they'll let you come back to their side."

"So, Miss Billiard," Riku said. "You and Mike must've finished your tasks?"

"That's right." Ophelia replied. "Prince Kirin will certainly be in for a surprise."

"Man, Miss Billiard," Sora added, "You work fast."

"It's what I'm good at."-

It was at that moment they ran through the corridor that they saw several heartless appear before them. They appeared thick in number and stood ready to confront the KH team.

"Sora," Riku said. "We have incoming heartless!"

"Lend me your keyblade!" Sora replied. "I'll cut those guys down to size!" Riku tossed him his keyblade and Sora went rushing into the ranks of the condensed heartless. Like a shinobi, he rushed in and slew every heartless that was present. Miss Billiard jumped into the fray, deploying her black fans, just in case any of the heartless managed to evade or survive Sora's attack. Eventually, the team reached the end of the line and the last heartless was struck down.

"Thanks for the loan, Riku." Sora said, tossing the keyblade back to his friend. Riku caught it and rested it on his shoulder. The party continued on their way. But as they turned the next corner, there was a sudden explosion that erupted in the distance. Both the KH team and their pursuers heard the explosion. Then, there came another and another and another.

"Well," Riku said, "Right on time."

"Right on time, what does that mean?" Mike asked.

"Don't you remember? The other half of the team is wreaking havoc to the faction defenses around the factory."-

"He was a little bit late though." Ophelia said.

"What's going on out there?" Prince Kirin asked as he heard the explosions.

"Sir," a soldier yelled, running down the hall towards the prince, "We beg to report."

"What is it? What are these explosions and where are they coming from?"-

"We're being attacked sir. Our outer defenses are being attacked."-

"Attacked by whom?"-

"The Hound of Ulster…"-

"The Hound of Ulster…? Cuchulain…" Kirin turned to his officers. "I want all available units out there to intercept the Hound of Ulster and his allies."

"Shall I give the order to detonate the bombs within the factory, sir?" one of the officers asked.

"No. The key bearers still have the memory stone. We have to get that back first. We must retrieve it at all cost!" He turned to his men. "All units in the rear withdraw to aid our outer defenses against the Hound! The rest of you, follow me! We're going after that stone!" The faction forces thus split up to fulfill two separate goals.

Outside, at the outer defense line, the Hound of Ulster, his son Cunla, and Cloud, Leon, and Auron, plowed their way through the soldiers and heartless that dared to oppose them. Their strength had increased so much since their earlier battles against the forces of the Dark Empire six years before, that fighting off novice and volunteer soldiers of the Midnight Faction was a cakewalk for them.

"Too easy," Cuchulain chuckled. "This is truly child's play!"

"I hope that Miss Billiard was able to execute her mission in the time period planned." Cunla said.

"She hasn't earned her reputation as the Tiger of Goth for nothing."-

"We have to draw out the faction forces to us." Auron said. "The more men they send to fight us, the more drained they will become within the factory."

"Then let's hold on for as long as we can." Leon said.

"But make sure not to drain yourselves of all your energy reserves." Cloud warned. "Refrain from using too much strength for special attacks. We have to prolong this battle as best we can."

"Alright gentlemen," Cuchulain said, "Let's give these faction newbies something to fear." The Hound and his comrades rushed forward, attacked by the swarms of defenders. Artillery was aimed at the group, but was never fired, due to the concerned safety of many of the soldiers. Many of the soldiers fired their blasters, but the beams were simply deflected back at them, causing further chaos. Even the swarms of heartless, like the winged heartless in the sky, were no match for the little group. Using teamwork, cunning, and inner strength, physical and spiritual, the Hound's group devastated even the thickest ranks of enemies.

In the meantime, Riku and the others made their way down the main corridor. They eventually reached another split in the hall.

"Alright, this is where we split up." Riku said.

"What do you mean?" Ophelia asked.

"If we split up, we can accomplish our goals quicker. Miss Billiard, you and the others get back to the storage chamber and give that energy back to the people."-

"What about you two?" Mr. Waternoose asked.

"Prince Kirin will no doubt go after us after we took something of his. So, he'll concentrate all of his efforts on us. This gives you the opportunity to take the faction's supply of energy. This way, we hit two birds with one stone. Now hurry!"-

"We gotcha…" Mike said. The two key bearers headed off in one direction, while Ophelia and the others headed of in the other direction.

Donald and Goofy watched from the security room as the party split up again.

"There they go again." Donald uttered, watching the monitor. But by this time, the look on Donald's face had become twisted and tangled with annoyance. And there was a good reason why. Because of the sleeping spell that Riku cast with his summon, the slumbering occupants had accumulated a snoring chorus, loud enough to shake the entire factory. "If I have to keep listening to that mindless snoring, I'm going to tear my ears off!"

"But Donald," Goofy said, "You ain't got any ears."

"I know that! It's just a figure of speech you moron!"-

"Well anyway, I hope that Riku and Sora can get by without our help."-

"It's not that I'm worried about. It's whether or not they can restrain themselves from going overboard."-

The two key bearers made it back to the access chamber. It was upon reaching the chamber that they spotted two faction soldiers walking out of one of the portable doors. The door was a combination of pink and white, with flowers decorated on its outside. It was here that they saw that one of the soldiers was carrying a little girl in their arms. She was crying as they got through the door. But the moment they came through, the wailing child's cries somehow had an effect on the entire factory. The lights suddenly bellowed brighter than before.

"Shut up, you little brat!" the soldier said, covering the girl's mouth. "You'll cause the entire place to rupture."

"That's why human kids aren't allowed in this world," the other soldier said as he deactivated the door they came out of and sent it back to the door hanger. "Their cries alone are enough to cause a meltdown." He then looked at the little girl. "You're a very lucky little girl. You get to have the privilege of being the first kidnapped kid to be tested for that new extraction machine."

"Not today, she isn't!" Riku shouted. The soldier turned to find the key bearers standing before them.

"It's the key bearers!" the first soldier uttered.

"Don't stand there, idiot," the second soldier said. "Shoot them!"

Both raised their blasters, but Riku and Sora were too quick and instantly struck the soldiers out of commission. The little girl was still curled up, weeping and afraid. Sora knelt by the girl's side.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a tender and loving voice. The little girl looked up at Sora and hugged him. Sora, acting like a big brother to this four year old, did his best to comfort her.

"We have to get her back to her room." Riku said.

"But how will we do that? They sent her door back into the hanger."-

"I guess you're right."-

But suddenly, Riku felt a force suddenly grab him by the throat. Riku was jerked back and was slowly being suffocated. Sora saw what was happening, but he held on to the little girl.

"Riku, what's going on?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know…" Riku uttered. "I'm being strangled…"

"But there's no one there." Sora then remembered the invisible force that struck him down back in the storage chamber. "Riku, it's Randall. He's attacking you!"

"Randall…"-

"Clever, very clever…" a voice uttered in Riku's ear. "You're better than I thought you were."

"Get off of me!" Riku tumbled and threw the oversize lizard off of his back. Randall reappeared in his hideous lizard form, bearing those razor sharp teeth. The minute he made himself present, the little girl began to whimper at the sight of him. Sora was stunned at the way she reacted. Randall happened to look at her.

"Well, well," he chuckled. "So you're the one they chose first for kidnapping."

"Randal knows this little girl?" Sora thought to himself. "That's it. Randall must be her monster."


	43. The Great Chase

The Great Chase

Randall and the key bearers now stood face to face, ready to battle each other for the fate of the world. Randall, however, being a self ambitious monster, was only doing this for himself.

"That stone is everything to me right now." He said. "I want that memory stone back."

"You want it?" Riku replied. He pulled out the stone from his inner pocket. "Then come and take it from me."

"This will be easy." Randall rushed at incredible speed and attempted to tackle Riku. But Riku, being a veteran fighter, saw the attack coming. He quickly jumped back as Randall struck. He then retaliated and knocked the lizard backwards. Randall flew rearward, but regained his stamina. He tried again to take the stone, this time trying to outflank Riku. But as before, Riku was able to elude and counter attack. Again and again, the lizard tried to tackle or outsmart Riku and try to take the stone, but the result was always the same. The young key bearer had the upper hand over the lizard. Riku didn't even bother to use any sophisticated attack with his keyblade since his opponent kept using the same predictable moves.

"You said it would be easy for you." Riku said. "How come it looks like you're having such a hard time getting this back?"

"You think you're funny don't you?" Randall replied. "Okay smart guy, let's see you handle this…" Randall suddenly disappeared. Riku, for the first time, since the battle started, was bewildered.

"He…he vanished…"-

"Riku," Sora cried. "He's coming."

Riku, sensing the movements of his opponents quickly dodged the attack. He tumbled and knelt in a defensive position.

"Okay, you little cretin," Randall chuckled, "Let's see you handle this. Let's see how well you do fighting an enemy you can't see." Randall charged again, but Riku was so accustomed to sensing his opponent's movements, not even the invisibility tactic was enough to battle against him. Randall swung and struck continuously, but it seemed that every move he made was visible, as if he wasn't invisible from the start.

"Boy, you must really be desperate for this stone."-

"How are you doing this?" Randall uttered. "How the heck are you able to see all of my moves?"

"It's really not that hard against somebody like you."-

"Somebody like me eh? Smart guy aren't you! Well, then smart guy, let's see if you ever predicted this!" Randall once again charged Riku. Riku easily dodged, but it didn't take him long to realize what his true target was. Of course by that time, it was too late. Randall suddenly turned his attentions to Sora. Sora was caught off guard as he felt the energy of the attack approaching him. Before he knew it, Sora was struck down.

"Sora…!" Riku cried. Sora fell on his back, hoping to keep the little girl safe. Sora's arms loosened around her. The little girl was then picked up by Randall. She immediately, began to cry. Randall then scurried away to the other side of the chamber. Riku ran to his friend's side. "Sora, are you okay?"

"The little girl…" Sora uttered as he staggered to his feet. "He took the little girl."

Randall once again reappeared and held the girl firmly by the back of her shirt collar.

"Now you and I are even, kid." He chuckled. "This time I have something that you want."

"Let her go, you scum!" Riku demanded.

"You give me the stone and I'll give you the girl." Riku hesitated to make a response. "Fine then, if you're going to be that way, then I can't guarantee this little girl's safety."

"You let her go, snake!"-

"If you want her, come and get her!" Randall suddenly pressed a button on one of the control panels. A door suddenly lowered from the series of hangers above. He then pressed another button and the door was raised again. Randall grabbed hold of the raising door. "If you want this kid back, you'll have to go after me if you dare."

"Riku," Sora uttered. "We gotta go after her."

"That's exactly what we're gonna do!" Riku lowered one of the other hanging doors. "Let's go after him." The key bearers leaped onto the door. Riku pressed the retract-and-return button and the door rose up again. The door was then transported through a long corridor. The door moved swiftly on its hanger and the key bearers had not other choice, but to hold on tight. The two eventually came to the end of the corridor, where a bright series of lights lay. Upon reaching the end, the two key bearers were awed by an incredible sight. Before them was a massive warehouse. The warehouse had to extend at least five miles in both width and length and the depth was at least a mile. Snake like hanger trails ran about in the corridor.

"Wow, this is incredible." Sora uttered. He then looked down to see that there were still more intricate systems of door transports below, slithering like hundreds of serpents. "Don't look down, Riku. It'll make you dizzy."

"He could be anywhere." Riku said. "Sora, keep your eye open for Randall."

The key bearers looked about, looking for the elusive lizard and his child victim. Little did they realize that Randall was not too far away from them, heading down the same way, but on a different track. Randall, held the little girl tightly against him, like a robber with his loot. The little girl suddenly began to cry in fight.

"Will you shut up, you little brat!" Randall demanded. But just then, the little girl's cries began to activate the doors. The little red light atop each door turned on, activating their access. "I told you to shut up, you little twerp!" Not only did the girl's cries activate the door, they also caught the attention of the key bearers who were right above them. Sora happened to be the one to spot Randall and the little girl.

"There they are." Sora said. "They're right below us!"

"We gotta save that little girl." Riku added. "Let's go."

The key bearers released themselves from the door and plummeted towards Randall. Randall in the meantime, being distracted by the little girl's wailing, was unaware of the key bearers coming towards him.

"I told you to shut your trap, you little brat!" Randall shouted at the child, frightening her further.

"Hey, you shouldn't speak like that to a little girl!" Sora shouted. Randall looked up to find the key bearers rushing down towards him. Sora knocked the monster in the teeth, while at the same time grabbing the little girl. Randall lost his grip and went falling to a lower track of moving doors that were headed in the opposite direction. Sora held the little girl tightly.

"Are you okay?" he asked. The little girl held on tightly to Sora.

"Is she alright?" Riku added.

"She's fine. She's just a little scared that's all."-

"Well at least the worst of it is over." Riku then turned his attention towards the door they clung to. "I wonder if we could seek haven in one of these doors."

"I don't know. Open it."-

Riku turned the knob to the door they were on and managed to open their way into another room.

"Well what do you know," Riku said, "we can access the doors after all."

"Wait Riku," Sora interrupted, "Don't you think we should get this little girl back to her room?"

"You're right. We have to find her door then." But at that moment, the moving track ended for the key bearers and the little girl as it pulled up to a large collection of doors that hung neatly on their wracks like fine coats. While coming to a stop, the light above the door went out and so did the lights on all the other doors.

"Hey, Riku," Sora said. "The light went out."-

"I wonder why though? Is the light supposed to represent something significant? Not unless…" Riku pondered for a moment before turning his attention to the door again. Hesitant at first, he opened the door. But this time, instead of a room on the other side, it was just the other side of the door that he saw.

"Hey what happened to that room?"-

"It all makes sense now. The only way to access into other rooms is for the light above the door to be activated. And all the doors in this warehouse turned on when the little girl cried out. Her screams are a source of energy."-

"Well, then we have to scare her to make her scream right?"-

"That's the only way to open up her door."-

But at that moment, the key bearers saw something heading towards them. They looked to find Randall approaching at a fast pace, moving from one door to another, edging closer to them.

"It's Randall." Sora uttered. "How did he get back here so soon?'

"That doesn't matter," Riku said, "We have to elude him somehow."

"If only we could trap him in one of these worlds."-

"I got it. The only way to do that is to access the doors. And the only way to activate the doors is…" Riku suddenly hid his face behind the door. He then popped out like a monster in himself and attempted to scare the little girl. But instead of a terrified scream, the little girl bursts out in gleeful giggles. "No, no, you're not supposed to laugh."

It was then that the door activated along with all the other doors in the warehouse. The two key bearers were amazed at what just happened. Riku opened the door to once again find the room accessible.

"What just happened?" Sora wondered. "I thought you had to use child screams, not giggles."

"Now's not the time, Sora." Riku said. "The five foot tall chameleon is coming closer and I hate to see what he looks like when he's enraged."

"Good point." The key bearers rushed through the door and into the room. They shut the door behind them.

They ended up in a world where the climate was lush and green, a tropical hideaway with sandy beaches and blue sky. Sora looked about at the sight.

"This is nice." He says. "It kind of reminds me of Destiny Island back home."

"Hurry, Sora." Riku said. "Let's go through that door." They entered the closet door.

The key bearers once again found themselves on a hanging door that hastily moved about in the hanger.

"We're back where we started!" Sora said.

"Let's try another door then." Riku implied. The little girl in the meantime was giggling and yelling with happiness, having fun jumping from one door to the next.

"Well, at least the kid's happy."-

"Let's try this door."-

Oceansburg…

The high command center of the Universal Alliance, President Sneer was once again relaxing his mind with his paintings. Adding a few touches of blue and white, he made the completing details on his work.

"As I had said before," he thought to himself. "Painting a portrait is such a relaxing and vibrant activity that stimulates the mind as well as the soul." It was at that moment he realized there was no more green paint on his pallet. "Oh bother, out of green. Oh well, I have some spare paint in the closet." Sneer placed down his pallet and walked to the closet door. But before he could open it and out jumped Riku, Sora, and the little girl. The president was taken completely by surprise.

"Where the heck are we now?" Sora asked.

"I think we're in…" Riku looked down to find that he and Sora were lying on top of Sneer. "Oh boy…"

"You little rats," they heard Randall shout, "get back here!"

"Sorry, Sneer, can't talk now!"-

"What in blazes?" Sneer uttered, with birds flying around his head.

"Let's try another door." Sora shouted. Randall passed by Sneer, who was still knocked out on the ground.

"Come back here you!" Randall roared. In the meantime, Sneer stood up, still dazed.

"What a peculiar day." He uttered. "For a minute I thought I heard Riku and Sora."

Destiny Island…

Kairi sat in her room, combing her hair. Morning had come to Destiny Island once again and the sound of the birds chirping in the distance was a pleasant sound. But even such a peaceful morning brought no comfort to the Princess of Hollow Bastion. She sighed as she combed the strands of her red hair. Looking upon a picture at the side of her desk, she gazed upon the faces of Riku and Sora, who were gone for more than a week now.

"Riku, Sora." She uttered. "I really do hope that you're taking care of yourselves. I don't want anything to happen to you two. Not like what happened six years before."

Just then, her closet door swung wide open. Kairi quickly turned to find a bright light suddenly bellow from the closet. And from out of the closet came Riku and Sora.

"Hurry up, Sora," Riku shouted, "We gotta go!"

"I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying!" Sora replied. He then happened to look to find Kairi looking at them. "Uh…Riku…"

"What?" He turned to spot Kairi as well. "Oh, hey Kairi…"

"Riku, Sora?" she uttered. "You're back…"

"Well, not exactly…" Kairi then spotted the little girl in Sora's arms.

"What's going on, who's the kid?"-

"It's a long story Kairi…" Sora uttered. It was then they heard Randall coming not too far behind them. "But I can't explain it right now! Let's go!" The key bearers continued to run. Soon after, Randall came crashing through.

"You little twerps!" he roared. "Give me back the stone and that kid!" The chase continued, leaving Kairi confused.

"What just happened?" she uttered.

Nottingham Castle…

Robin Hood and Maid Marian were wedded no more than a few hours before. Both sat in love, gazing in to each others eyes.

"You are more beautiful than ever this evening my love," Robin said, "You shine more brightly than the sun in the mid-day sky or the stars in the evening."

"Robin, you flatter me." Marian said.

"To think that you and I are husband and wife now… How grand the idea." Robin held her closely and kissed her gently. "Let us attend the royal festivities, held by your uncle, King Richard."

"Oh Robin…" Marian said. She jumped up and rushed to her wardrobe. "I must find something a little more suitable to wear."

"But you are gorgeous as you are now, my sweet."-

"You flatter me so, my dear." But as she neared the wardrobe, the doors suddenly opened and the two key bearers leaped out. Marian saw the two young men jump out and quickly evaded them. "What on earth?"

"Where the heck are we now?" Sora asked, looking about. They then spotted Robin Hood and Maid Marian.

"Riku, Sora…?" Robin uttered.

"Sorry," Riku said, "Are we interrupting something?"  
"Don't mind us." Sora added. "We're just passing through." The key bearers scurried out of the room. In the meantime, Randall was quick in his pursuit.

"Hold it right there, you two!" Randall shouted. "Once I catch up with you, I'm gonna stick my hand in your ears and pull your teeth out!" The chase left Robin and Marian pondering about what had occurred.

"Dear Robin," Marian said, "You must remind me next time to give away some of my clothing. I believe there are more than just moths hanging about in my wardrobe nowadays."

"Noted…" Robin replied.

The "Wing" realm…

Another meeting was being held by the Preventers. Heero Yuy, Zechs Marquise, Duo Maxwell, and Trowa Barton were engaging in another discussion about what their next mission would be.

"There's been word sent out by the Alliance Coalition under Athrun Zala." Zechs implied. "He wants us to join the attack on a place called 'Central.' Apparently, the Midnight Faction is trying to initiate a takeover."

"Well, let them take over it as far as I'm concerned." Duo implied. "That world's being ruled by a dictator monarch anyway, a Fuhrer Bradley I think they call him.""Nevertheless," Trowa said, "It's our duty to make sure that no other territories fall to the Midnight Faction.'

"Speaking of which," Heero declared, "I understand that there are still sympathizing factions in this world who still carry out with the dreams of the late Dekim Barton."

"Quatre, Wu Fei, and Miss Noin are taking care of that issue as we speak." Trowa said.

"Things are at least under control so far." Zechs said.

Just then, from out of the closet of the room they were in, Riku and Sora suddenly burst through.

"What in the…" Duo uttered. The key bearers spotted the members of the Preventers and only waved.

"Hey fellas," Sora said, "Sorry we can't stop and chat, but we gotta go!" After that, came Randall in hot pursuit.

"You're not gonna get away with this!" he shouted. They, like all the others, in the other worlds the key bearers passed by, were left speechless.

"Okay…" Duo said. "What was that all about?"

"I don't know and I don't much care." Zechs replied.

"They just came out of the closet." Heero said. There was a dead silence before Duo broke it.

"Heero," he said, "The way you said that did not sound right."

"I meant literally."-

The "Seed" realm…

Kira Yamato sat in his quarters, studying the new data that was received by the Universal Alliance. He had a cup of hot tea at on his desk and took little sips as he filed and browsed through the data on the compute screen. It was then that he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." he said. The door opened and Athrun walked in.

"You summoned me, Kira?" he asked.

"I did. Have you received your next scheduled mission?"-

"I have. Apparently, the faction is setting up a large supply base at an Oceanarian town called Gui Fant and I've been ordered to take it at all costs. It does stand to reason though. That town is a major supply base for the Midnight Faction. If we can capture that town and put it in Alliance hands that would reduce the faction's strength on Oceanaria by at least a quarter."-

"Still, I have this nagging feeling saying that you shouldn't go. You're penetrating into faction territory. And who knows what Sirius Viicous had in store for you when you get there."-

"At what I've seen so far, and after the constant successes we've had, Sirius Viicous is all talk. But first thing's first, I have to fulfill my present mission at 'Central.' The faction is doing all in their power to conquer that world."-

"Speaking of which, you should be on your way now."-

"You're right. Well I'll be back as soon as I deal with this next upcoming mission."-

"At the rate things are going, Athrun, perhaps peace will be achieved in a shorter time span than originally calculated." Athrun gave a salute and walked away. But before exiting the door, he turned to Kira one last time.

"By the way," Athrun asked, "Have you received any word from Riku and Sora?"

"I haven't got any news of them since the mission in the 'Zi' realm." Kira replied. "But wherever they are, I'm sure they're doing just fine."

But Kira would eat his own words when the closet door to his quarters opened up and the key bearers jumped out. They glanced that their Coordinator comrades and waved.

"Hey guys!" Sora shouted.

"It's nice to see that you guys are still in one piece." Riku added.

"We'll be in more than one piece if we don't outrun this lizard though."-

"Riku, Sora…?" Kira uttered. Randall then came bursting through the door and continued his pursuit.

"Hold it right there!" he shouted, running passed Kira and Athrun. The two Coordinators watched as the chase left the room and went off someplace else.

"You were saying about how they would be doing just fine?" Athrun said.

"That was a random moment…" Kira uttered.

The 'Zi' Realm…

Van Flyheight had completed the repairs on his zoid, the blade liger. Now, with his tasks complete, he was ready to turn in for the night. He worked his way to his quarters where upon his course he met Lu Xun, who was still coordinating the activity in the 'Zi' realm for the Universal Alliance.

"Well, well," Van said, "good evening, Lu Xun."

"I take it that you're turning in for tonight, Van?" Lu Xun asked.

"That's right. And how are things going with transporting the prisoners of the Midnight Faction?"-

"Almost complete I think. We still are awaiting a few more transports to arrive and take the remaining captives to other prison camps."-

Van opened the door to his quarters and sat down in one of the big overstuffed chairs. He took out a coffee pot and poured some of its contents in two separate cups.

"Care for some coffee?" Van asked.

"Just one helping if you please…" Lu Xun replied. "Once the transports arrive, then the alliance can withdraw from this world and allow you to continue with your way of life and your politics as they were before the faction invaded."

"After all that's happened, I don't think that Zi will ever be the same." Van took a sip of his coffee. "That's what I've been meaning to discuss with you, Lu Xun. You see, both Rudolph and the Madam President have met and asked me to pass on this message to you. It would be a pleasure if we were to help aid you in the fight against the rising factions."

"Well I…" Lu Xun stalled for a moment or two. "I don't know. I would have to consult President Sneer about this request. If we get you involved, we'd be meddling with your way of life and that's something that the president wants to try and avoid."

"But we have decided to aid you by our own will, not by anyone else's pleas."-

"Still…" Lu Xun lowered his head. "The path you will walk will be long and treacherous and many of your friends will die and suffer. What you faced here in your own world is insignificant to what awaits you in the outside worlds. You won't be fighting on your home soil and you'll be far from any origin of supplies. You may have to rely on your own wit and instinct."

"If we don't aid you, we fear that the faction may only grow stronger and somehow manage to defeat the alliance. Many of our soldiers would rather die than see such an outcome emerge."-

"I see what you mean. I will see what I can do. But whether the alliance will allow you to join us or not, is entirely up to how things will go in the near future."-

"After the success that took place here, how bad can it be for us now?"-

It was at that moment that Riku and Sora busted through the closet doors and rushed passed Van and Lu Xun.

"Hey guys!" Riku said, as they approached.

"Bye guys!" Sora shouted, as they ran passed. Lu Xun and Van were bewildered. Where did the key bearers pop out all of a sudden? It was then they saw Randall in hot pursuit. He looked at them for a moment before passing by.

"What are you looking at!" he grumbled before continuing his pursuit. Van and Lu Xun were left standing as the chase left them behind.

"What was that all about?" Lu Xun uttered.

"I don't know." Van replied. He at that moment felt a sudden burn on his lap. He looked down and realized that he spilled the hot coffee all over him. Van jumped up and brushed away the burning sensation. "Great, I spilled the coffee all over me."

King Stephen's castle…

The festivities ended in the late night and early morning and the king's subjects retired to their homes. The Arakis Foundation had long since departed from the world to start anew. A little passed midnight, Prince Philip and Princess Aurora retired to their bed chamber. Princess Aurora was still ecstatic about the festivities and continued to dance about joyfully.

"Did you enjoy the festivities tonight my dear?" Philip asked.

"It was somehow the best night of my life." Aurora replied, still in that playful daze. "Freedom has been restored to our home and I am once again in the company of my beloved husband." Philip came behind her and tightly embraced the young princess.

"I thought I was never going to see you again either." He said, whispering it tenderly in her ear. "But it was thanks to the key bearers that we were able to regain our freedom and our dignity."

"We owe a great deal to King Mickey and his allies."-

"And too the Universal Alliance as well…"-

"You're right dear." She turned around and gazed into Philip's eyes. She then placed her head against his chest. "Now that I think about it, it seems as if nothing's really changed from a month ago."

"There is that feeling of nostalgia." Philip looked at his princess and bride. "But I know this. I vow never to leave your side again my sweet." Aurora looked up at her prince. She then led him to their bed and they both sat at its foot.

"Do you promise?" She asked.

"I promise." Philip replied. Their heads closed in and their eyes drew to a close. Their lips made ready to touch one another, a goodnight kill between a princess and her prince.

Suddenly, the doors to their wardrobe burst open and once again, the two key bearers appeared. Philip and Aurora looked up to see the key bearers appear out of their wardrobe. Riku and Sora witnessed as the two monarchs were about to kiss each other.

"Oh sorry you two…" Sora said, with a blush on his face. "We're just passing through."

"Don't let us interrupt." Riku replied. The two key bearers continued on their way.

"What was that all about?" Philip asked.

"Where did Riku and Sora come from?" Aurora asked. Just then, they saw Randall suddenly come out of the closet. He looked at them in an embrace.

"Man," he said, "why don't you two get a room?" Randall carried on with his pursuit. The prince and the princess were left in the same state as all the others who witnessed the chase…bewildered and confused.

The 'Rurouni' realm…

Evening fell over Tokyo and Kenshin and Kaoru made ready to turn in for tonight. Kaoru was busy combing her hair while Kenshin sat up on the futon. There was a deep silence between the two. Kaoru looked out of the window, gazing at the night sky. There was not a cloud in the sky. Only the twinkling of the stars was present.

"Quite a beautiful night don't you think, Kenshin?"

"That it is…" Kenshin replied. "I have never seen a more beautiful night."

"Another fine day has passed."-

"How was it with Yahiko's training today?"-

"He seems to be improving more and more."-

"That's good news that it is."-

But at that moment, there was the sound of screaming and crying coming from the room next door. Immediately, Kenshin and Kaoru stood up.

"That crying…" Kaoru uttered. "Kenji…!"

"I'll go check on him." Kenshin said. He stood up and walked over to Kenji's room. Kenshin opened the door and looked about, using the oil lamp to illuminated the room, and there he saw his son shivering in the corner with a blanket pulled over his head. "Kenji…?" Kenshin put down the oil lamp and walked over to his frightened.

"Daddy…?" Kenji uttered from beneath the blanket.

"What's wrong?" Kenshin asked, taking the blanket off of his son's head.

"There's a monster in the closet."-

"Oh, Kenji, you must've been dreaming." Kenshin embraced is son.

"No, daddy, there was really a monster in the closet. I saw the closet door move by itself."-

"It's alright, Kenji. You just stay here." Kenshin walked over to the sliding door of the closet. "See, there is nothing to fear in the closet it was all just part of you imagination…"

But as Kenshin finished uttering his last word, the sliding door did open and out popped Riku and Sora, still running at fast speed. Kenshin was shocked at the sight and began to scream in that idiotic "oro" style of his.

"Hey Kenshin!" Riku said.

"Hey Kenshin!" Sora added. "Sorry we can't talk right now." The key bearers jumped out of one closet, ran to the other side of the room and disappeared in the other closet. In the meantime, Randall was still hot on their trail.

"You can't outrun me forever, you two!" he shouted, jumping out of one closet and into the other. The minute he shut the sliding door of the opposite closet behind him, the flame from the oil lamp went out.

A few minutes later, Kaoru came in with another oil lamp and illuminated the room. Sure enough, she saw both Kenji and Kenshin hiding underneath the blanket.

"Kenshin what are you doing?" she asked.

"There's a monster in my closet." Kenji said.

"I saw it with my own eyes that I did." Kenshin added. "It was big lizard with purple scales." Kaoru rolled her eyes at the back of her head.

"I swear Kenshin, you're just as bad as Kenji." She implied.

But just as she uttered those words, Riku and Sora once again popped out of the closet with Randall in pursuit.

"Hey Miss Kaoru!" Riku said.

"Hey Miss Kaoru!" Sora added.

"Hi!" said the little girl as she laid eyes on Kenji.

"Hi…" Kenji replied timidly. The key bearers once again disappeared into the opposite closet. Randall in the meantime, stopped to look at the three in the room.

"Boo!" he said loudly. There was a scream from Miss Kaoru and the lamp went out again. "That'll teach you not to stare!" Randall once again shut the sliding door behind him. Now, Kenji, Kaoru, and Kenshin were hiding underneath the blanket and shivering in the corner.

"Okay I take it back," Kaoru uttered. "I'm just as bad as you two because I believe now!"

Destiny Island…again…

Riku and Sora entered another room as they came crashing through the closet doors as they did so many times already. They came into another room which was rather messy, like that of a college kid, with stray pants and shirts thrown about the place.

"Where are we now?" Riku asked.

"Oh my God," Sora uttered, "This is my room!"

"Really…" Riku looked about the room, disgusted with what he saw. "You should really think about cleaning up more."

"I can't help being sloppy in the morning."-

"Come back here you two!" Randall shouted as he crashed through the closet doors and chased after the key bearers.

Once again, the two key bearers found their way back to the door hanger and were once again clutching to the door for dear life.

"It's no use." Sora said. "At this rate, we'll never be able to shake off that lizard."

"We have one last chance to take care of Randall." Riku said. He pointed to yet another door. This door had a series of familiar hearts on it, like that of a poker card. Riku and Sora jumped to that door, the little girl in Sora's arms still giggling away with glee, causing the lights on all the doors in the hanger to light up. The key bearers latched themselves onto the door and held on tightly.

"So what's so special about this door?" Sora asked.

"If my hunch is correct," Riku said, "This door should lead us to…" Riku opened the door and once again, they found themselves in yet another familiar area. "Wonderland…"

"This is the white rabbit's house."-

"C'mon Sora, I have a plan. If timed right, this should work out fine." Riku and Sora continued on their way into Wonderland with Randall still chasing them.

"Man, these guys," Randall thought to himself, "Don't they ever stop to take a rest!"

The two key bearers made their way through the lotus forest and towards the hedge maze of the Queen of Hearts. The key bearers knew that they were drawing close because they could hear the thunderous voice of the queen as she scolded whoever was accused over whatever it was they committed.

"Sounds like the queens in a foul mood again." Sora said.

"That's where we lay our trap." Riku said.

In the meantime, the queen was once again enraged. Hoping to enjoy her lush palace gardens, she realized that a culprit had trespassed on the royal grounds and had splattered red paint about the place. The reason was because the rose bushes that had been planted earlier consisted of pure white roses instead of red roses. This infuriated the queen who detested the sight of white roses. To add, the culprit tried to cover this evidence by painting the roses red. Such deception was inexcusable in the eyes of the Queen of Hearts. She stood before her card troops and countless subjects.

"Who's been painting my roses red!" she demanded. "Who's been painting my roses red!" She tore the rose bush from the ground and shook it violently, spreading paint and rose pedals about. "Who dares to taint with vulgar paint the royal flower bed! For painting my roses red! Someone will lose his head!" There was utter silence in the crowd. This angered queen even more. "If no one comes forth, then heads will role and I don't care whose!"

Just then, Riku and Sora came rushing through the brush.

"Hello Queenie!" Sora said.

"Halt! Stop where you are you two!"-

"We would like to, but we can't right now!" Riku said.

"You will stop where you are!" The queen rushed in and blocked their way, her guards thick behind her.

"We don't have time to monkey around with you, your majesty."-

"You will stay here unless I say otherwise."-

"Well, we know who painted your roses red." Riku continued.

"You do?" the Queen asked. "Well speak! Who was it!"

"It was the guy who's chasing us!" Sora replied.

"Yeah," Riku added, "We caught him red handed literally. He didn't want us to squeal on him."

The queen looked to find Randall coming fast in pursuit.

"Now I have you! You're not gonna be wrecking my plans!" Randall shouted.

"There he is Queenie! And he's all yours!"

"Off with his head!" The Queen shouted, pointing her finger at the monster. The cards, with their lances at the ready, attacked Randall. Randall immediately stopped his chase as he saw a horde of card guards coming straight at him.

"Hey, hey," Randall shouted, "You got the wrong guy! You gut the wrong guy!" Randall's negotiating didn't work on the cards however and he had no choice, but to withdraw. "Leave me alone! Leave me alone, I didn't do anything!"

"Bring back that laggard's head on a plate!" the Queen shouted as she led the pursuit of the guards. The entire royal assembly went after Randall, thirsting to chop his head off.

"Well," Sora chuckled, "That was easy enough. Your plan worked well alright, Riku."

"Yeah," Riku replied. "Now with that lizard out of our hair, let's get this little girl, back to her own room."

Once again, the key bearers emerged from the Wonderland door. Sora increased his energy and hovered in mid-air, still holding the little girl tightly in his arms. The little toddler cooed and giggled, watching the key bearer fly.

"We should have just flown from the beginning." Sora said.

"That would have been a good idea." Riku replied. "But flying like that uses up a lot of energy." Riku closed the door behind him and then detached the wonderland door from its suspension hook. The door went flying down towards the factory floor and shattered into thousands of pieces. "Now, Randall is stuck in Wonderland, left at the mercy of the Queen of Hearts."

"That was one heck of a plan. We sure showed him."-

"We sure did. Now let's get this little girl to her own room while the energy is still affecting the door."-

"Yeah…" The key bearers looked around for that same door with the pink flowers. Sure enough, stationed on one of the wracks, the door hung in uniform with the others. "There it is." Not bothering to climb, the two key bearers made their way to the door by flight.

"Here it is, here's your room little one." Riku opened the door, revealing the little girls room. Sora dropped off the little girl who was still cooing and giggling.

"There you go, kiddo." Sora uttered, smiling as he placed the girl in her room.

"Sora…" the little girl replied. The key bearer chuckled and carried the girl to her bed. He tucked her in and moved the bangs of her hair from out of he eyes.

"Now go to sleep."-

"Sora," Riku said, "You better hurry and get out of there. The access way is diminishing."

"Alright…" Sora looked at the little girl and slowly backed away. Upon reaching the door, he waved good-bye. The minute he closed the door behind him, the energy vanished and all the lights on every door in the hanger turned off, indicating that they were no longer freely accessible. "Mission accomplished."

"At least the trouble has stopped for a while."-

But as Riku finished his sentence, a further surprise was in store for the key bearers. From out of nowhere, winged heartless suddenly appeared and swooped down upon the key bearers.

"Great," Sora uttered, "What a time for these guys to show up."

"Oh well," Riku said, "Back to the old routine of fighting heartless."

In the meantime, Prince Kirin had lost track of the key bearers. He by this time was infuriated. Sitting in his quarters, he watched from his personal monitors the events that were taking place. A soldier entered his quarters and saluted.

"Well," the Prince said angrily, "have you found the key bearers yet?"

"We've discovered that they're in the door hanger, sir."-

"Is that so?"-

"Yes sir. Shall I send in men to capture them?"-

"There will be no need for such an action."-

"But sir, they still have the memory stone."-

"You think I don't know that? I am perfectly aware that the key bearers have the stone, but I am not about to risk sending in more soldiers and have them sacrificed. No, I have a much better plan in mind." Kirin began to type on his computer the activation code for the bombs that were set in the hanger. "Instead of having to sacrifice more men, I'll just blow the hanger up along with the key bearers. That way the stone will be easier to retrieve. It can be found again, most likely amongst the corpses of the key bearers." Kirin then looked at the battles that were commencing outside. "Consider this the consequences for starting an uprising against us."

"But sir, if you destroy the door hanger, we lose a great asset ourselves. There will be no way that we can access to other worlds. Key doors will be destroyed. You know His Excellency's orders. The factory is to be spared. Destroying it is only as a last resort." The reassuring words of his subordinate stopped him from detonating the bombs.

"You do have a point." Kirin agreed. "It would be too costly to lose. And I can't destroy this factory for the sake of my pride. I must remain calm and find another way to retrieve the stone." Kirin then came up with a better plan. "Instead, I will detonate the access chamber."

"But sir…?" the subordinate uttered.

"Listen to me, soldier, the door hanger is irreplaceable, but the access hanger can always be rebuilt. So that would be easier to sacrifice. Once the key bearers reentered the access chamber that is when I will detonate the bombs. Not even the key bearers would be able to survive such an explosion."

"I understand, sir."-

At the same time, Goofy and Donald were still watching from the security room all the conflicts that were taking place. They watched as Riku and Sora battled the Heartless in the door hanger, while Cuchulain and the others wreaked havoc on the outer defenses. They even watched and Ophelia Billiard and her party were loading up all the energy canisters in the storage room.

"This is boring." Donald said with a yawn. "While the others are busy fighting for their lives, we're stuck here being of no use to anyone."

"But then again," Goofy said, "We are able to prevent any alarms from going off."

"What's the point now? The faction already knows we're here."-

But as Donald seemed to lose interest and things couldn't get duller in the security room, shadows began to appear in the darkness. Those same bright yellow eyes appeared.

"Uh…Donald…" Goofy uttered. Donald turned to see that heartless managed to penetrate through the secure door.

"Heartless!" Donald shouted. He took out his scepter. "It looks like we get to have a piece of the action too. Let's go get 'em Goofy!"

Ophelia Billiard had all the canisters of scream energy placed into trams. Working frantically, they managed to stock up all of the canisters of scream energy.

"Now where do we take this stuff?" Ophelia asked.

"We have to transport these canisters to the energy extraction plant located on the west side of the factory." Mr. Waternoose implied. "That plant is responsible for feeding the energy to all parts of the city."

"Listen," Mike uttered, "Do we really have to do this? I mean the canisters should be alright in the storage right?"

"For now," Ophelia said, "But knowing the faction, if their grip in this world falls, then they will make sure that Monstropolis won't recover and restore itself to what it once was. But if we can get this supply source to the power plant, we'd be able to save a great deal of the energy and have it returned to the people."

"But we're exposed out there, especially when riding in this mile long tram!"-

"But Cuchulain and the others already have it planned for us. They'll back us up as soon as we're ready."-

"How do you know?"-

"They don't call him the Hound of Ulster for nothing."-

"We're ready to open the door." Sully said.

"Alright, get ready!"-

Sully opened up the doors to the storage. Mr. Waternoose took up the head of the tram and ignited the engine. The storage doors opened wide, but opened to a scene of chaos. Soldiers were running about in disarray. Some retreating, some seeking shelter, and some were charging to the front. Ophelia Billiard took her position on top the tram car hoods. Deploying her fans, she made ready to strike down anything that dared to hinder them.

"Full speed, Mr. Waternoose!" she shouted.

"Understood madam!" Mr. Waternoose replied. The tram made a brisk and steady path to the plant, which was not as well guarded as expected. Amongst the chaos, the soldiers were too caught up in battling against Cuchulain's party, they ignored the transport altogether. Perhaps some of the soldiers thought the tram to be transporting the energy supply to a more secure area. Whatever the reason, there was no resistance to stop them in their course.

"I can't believe this." Sully said. "They act as if we're invisible."

"They must think that Miss Billiard is still a loyal faction officer." Mr. Waternoose said. "She is still wearing her officer's uniform."

"You might be right there."-

Cuchulain and the others watched as the tram as made its way to the plant without any harassment.

"Well, well," Cuchulain said to himself as he continued to battle his foes. "Those faction soldiers aren't doing a thing to stop Miss Billiard. They must think that they're trying to save the energy canisters. Well, it's best to keep them deceived." Cuchulain caught his son's attention. Cunla looked up to find his father pointing at the tram.

"The tram…" Cunla uttered. "The faction soldiers aren't attacking it. They must think that they're allies."

"Deceive them!" Cuchulain instructed.

"I gotcha…!" rushed towards the tram like he was about to destroy it. Cuchulain charged parallel to his son, giving the deceptive illusion that they were after the tram. Immediately, the soldiers turned to face them and prevent them from getting anywhere closer to the tram.

"I don't believe it!" Mike chuckled. "The faction soldiers are actually trying to defend us, not attack us."

"It's open all the way for us now!" Sully added.

"Don't be too confident that things are going well for us." Ophelia said. "Just because we've come out of this unscathed doesn't mean that we can remain deceptive for long. By the time we get to the plant, the word would have already spread and the faction soldiers would have turned their aggressions against us."

"Well, what do we do when that happens?" Mr. Waternoose asked.

"We'll just have to wait until that moment comes. In the meantime, keep going at a brisk and steady pace. I'll be at the ready for any kind of retaliation." The tram continued across the factory grounds to the energy plant without any form of hostility coming from the Midnight Faction.

In the meantime, Prince Kirin watched from his quarters the events that were unfolding. He happened to see the tram making its way to the power plant on the west side.

"What is that tram doing?" he asked.

"It seems to be transporting the energy canisters to the power plant." The subordinate replied.

"I gave no orders to have the canisters transported. And why are they headed to the west side power plant? That plant aids the city, not our energy necessities." Kirin made a close up of who it was that was driving the tram. Sure enough, he saw Mr. Waternoose at the wheel. "Waternoose, what on earth is he thinking?"

"Perhaps he thought is would be best to have the canisters transferred somewhere outside of the battle area." The subordinate said.

"No," Kirin scanned the others who were accompanying Waternoose. He then laid eyes on Sully. "That big throw rug is there? I thought he was banished?" He then happened to look down the line of cars and saw Colonel Billiard on one of the car tops. "That's Colonel Billiard!"

"The Tiger of Goth, but I thought she was battling against the faction now?"-

"This can only mean one thing. Henry J. Waternoose has betrayed us too." He then watched as his soldiers were helping to defend the tram. This further angered Kirin. "What in God's name are those soldiers doing! There not supposed to be helping the tram reach the plant, there supposed to be attacking it! Don't they realize that our energy supply has fallen into the hands of the enemy!"

"They probably think that the tram is still under our control. And they…"-

"I don't care about that! They're aiding the enemy! You think that those soldiers would recognize those black fans anywhere! Tell our units to attack the tram!"-

"Yes sir!"-

"We can't have all that exploited energy fall back into the hands of the people! How could such a situation arise? I can't leave this factory to the hands of the enemy, but I can't afford to demolish it. And I can't afford to have the memory stone placed in the hands of the key bearers. This blunder is inexcusable." Kirin lowered his head. Sweat drops of worry appeared on his brow. He clutched his fists tightly. "If I fail with the operations in this world, His Excellency would never forgive me."

Sure enough, as the order was passed, the aggression of the soldiers turned from fighting off Cuchulain and Cunla, to attacking the tram. But by this time, it was already to late, the supply of energy had reached the gates to the plant and Colonel Billiard as at the ready for such a retaliation.

"It looks like they finally figured it out." She said. "But it's too late now. They can't stop us from accessing the plant now." The tram quickly made its way to one of the underground hangers. The soldiers were close behind them. Ophelia, with he black fans set, jumped from her position at the hood of one of the cars and stood before the oncoming faction soldiers. "This is where I get off. You guys close the hanger doors behind you. I will do what I can to keep the soldiers at bay."

"But you won't stand a chance against them alone!" Mike cried.

"Do not underestimate the Tiger of Goth."-

"She knows what she's doing." Sully said. "Otherwise she wouldn't take such a risk."

"Hurry," Mr. Waternoose cried. "We have to get those hanger doors closed!" He quickly rushed to the rim of the entry way, where a control panel was stationed. He pressed a green button on that panel and immediately, the doors of the hanger began to close.

"They're closing those hanger doors!" a soldier cried. "Stop them, stop them!" But as soon as he uttered those words, one of the black fans rushed forward at high speed and struck the soldier down along with several other comrades. The remaining soldiers looked on as they saw Miss Billiard standing before them. The fan boomeranged back to her hand and she once again took a defensive stance.

"This is as far as you guys go." She chuckled. "Which one of you has the guts to battle the Tiger of Goth!" The soldiers hesitated. They knew of the reputation of this former officer who once fought alongside them. But then again, they were not about to back down to a traitor.

"You will die, traitor!" a soldier shouted. "Let's kill her!" Several of the soldiers initiated a barrage with the blasters, firing away. Ophelia drew her fans before her as the explosions erupted around her. The soldiers held their fire as the clouds of dust still bellowed in the air. It was at that moment that the two fans appeared from out of the clouds of dust and debris and struck several other soldiers down with deadly accuracy. "It can't be…"

"It'll take a lot more than that to stop me." Ophelia uttered. As the fans returned to her, she rushed through the smoke and chaos and came at the soldiers with incredible swiftness and agility.

Riku and Sora continued to battle the heartless in the door hanger. Using doors as shields and barriers, the two key bearers managed to elude and evade the heartless, while inflicting serious damage on the shadowy foe's numbers. But it seemed that the more heartless they defeated, the more seemed to suddenly emerge from out of nowhere. To add, due to some of the elemental attacks used in the fight, a number of doors were destroyed. This was of great concern to the key bearers.

"We can't keep fighting in here, Riku," Sora said. "If we keep battling in the hanger, there's no doubt that more doors will be destroyed. And this world needs those doors in order to access children's rooms so they cans scare them and collect the scream energy."

"You do have a point." Riku replied. "We better withdraw from this hanger and fight the heartless someplace else." Riku then looked to the main corridor from where they first entered. "Let's go back to the access chamber. We can at least battle the faction and the heartless there without having to risk the welfare of Monsters Incorporated." The two key bearers flew up to the corridor and latched on to one of the passing doors that were on its way out to the access chamber. The heartless were quick to follow. Through the corridor and back to the access chamber, they reached their destination within a few seconds. They dropped to the floor and made ready to take their stance. The Heartless came in and charged full strength. But such a head on assault was futile against the key bearers.

"At least we don't have to worry about the doors anymore." Sora said.

Their battle did not go unnoticed by Prince Kirin who saw his opportunity to extinguish the threat of the key bearers once and for all. He cracked his knuckles and stretched his fingers, wriggling them about like worms on a hook.

"This is the end for the key bearers." He uttered. "Riku, Sora, you put up a valiant effort, but you failed." Kirin initiated the detonation code for the bombs in the hanger. "Give my regards to oblivion." Kirin pressed enter on the computer key board and the detonation was activated. But there was something dreadfully wrong. The bombs that were stationed in the access chamber did not detonate, not one. Kirin was at first confused at what happened. He then realized that the bombs did not go off and the chamber was still in tact. He pressed enter again and again and again, but there was no response. "Those little punks, they must've somehow deactivated the bombs when I wasn't looking." The young prince pounded his fist onto his desk. "How could this have happened? How could I have been taken off guard like this? The key bearers, they'll pay for this." Kirin pushed himself away from his desk and went to the wrack of favored weapons that were mounted on the wall. He took from the wrack, a pair of swords that had extended handles. "I need that memory stone back from the key bearers. And since I can't rely on my soldiers to handle this matter, I will have to deal with this situation myself." The young prince stomped away to the battlefield angrily, this weapons clutched tightly in his hands.

In the meantime, Riku and Sora finished defeating the last of the pursuing Heartless.

"That's the last of them." Sora said. But as he spoke those words, from out of nowhere, more heartless appeared. This time, they consisted more of the defender and large body heartless.

"Great…" Riku said. "The heartless are like cockroaches. Get rid of 'em and they only come back to bug you."

"But I have to praise their resilience."-

"Either that or their brainlessness."-

The key bearers once again engaged in battle. The defenders as impossible as ever, used their front shields to block the attacks of the key bearers. The large bodies used their weight to ram head long at the two youths. But such outdated tactics by an outdated opponent was mere child's play to Riku and Sora.

"That's the one thing that never changes about the heartless." Riku remarked. "It doesn't matter hoe much time passes, the strategies of the heartless are always the same and are always predictable."

"You've got that right." Sora added. For the key bearers, their major attacks were not needed, fusion was not needed, and a transformation was not needed, so long as their enemy was engaging them with obsolete battle techniques. The two young men had battled against the heartless for so long that they could even counter their attacks in their sleep. Their timing was like clockwork. Nothing ever changed. Within a minute or so, all the heartless were defeated. "I must be dreaming, it couldn't be this easy."

"Well, it was…" Riku said with a yawn. "Now let's hurry and give the others a hand. It won't be long before the faction loses momentum in this world. They can only have so many soldiers running about." The key bearers made their way to the exit of the chamber, rushing to aid their comrades.

It was at that moment, when the neared the exit, that Prince Kirin made his appearance to them. His double blades still clutched in his hand, he gave that cold and soulless look at the key bearers. Immediately, Riku and Sora stopped in their tracks as they saw this new foe emerge before them. Prince Kirin stood at the center of the exit, facing forward to his foes.

"Kirin…" Sora uttered.

"I thought that you would not proceed as far as this point." Kirin said. "I thought that I had the edge in this world. But apparently I was wrong."

"You underestimated us." Riku replied. "That was your first mistake."

"And it's a mistake that I don't intend to repeat. To place my faith in such incompetence was my mistake. I knew that if I wanted to do away with you, I should have done it myself. And that's what I intend on doing here and now." Kirin, clutching his weapons even tighter, roared at the top of his voice. "I will have that memory stone back!"

"So you're still obsessing over that stone? Well, you can have it back only when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers."-

"If that's what you wish, then so be it." Kirin took his twin swords and latched them together by the end of their hilts, making a bladed bow. He twirled the weapon around his head before lowering it to his side. Its sharpened steel glimmered in the lights of the hanger. Riku and Sora drew out their keyblades and held them at the ready. "You shall now do battle with Prince Kirin of the flaming blades."

"Flaming blades…?" Sora uttered. "What do you mean by flaming blades?"

"You will soon see." Kirin rushed in, his weapon forward. He came within striking distance of the key bearers, but suddenly leaped into the air and flipped over their heads. Riku and Sora quickly turned to cut him down at the feet, but the prince again leaped and somersaulted over the heads of the key bearers a second time. He then crouched down and sliced at their feet. But the key bearers dodge rolled out of the way. They quickly retaliated and slashed away. Kirin was able to block the attacks and initiate his own counter attack. The battle thus commenced between the three. Prince Kirin, however, was more agile and swift than what the key bearers had earlier perceived. No matter how swift Riku and Sora where, Kirin somehow managed to evade their attacks. With deadly accuracy and eloquence at the same time, the three engaged in tight and sophisticated battle moves as if they had rehearsed these moves before. The skills of the key bearers and the young prince were unrivaled in appearance and spirit.

"I have to commend these key bearers." Kirin thought to himself. "I can see why my soldiers had trouble battling against them. Even I have never had to use up so much strength for any foe before, quite excellent."

"This guy's tougher than we thought." Sora said.

"You can say that again." Riku replied. The three continued to battle away, showing no sign of fatigue or emotion. They knew to keep a cool head as the slightest mistake may prove fatal. Back and forth, they fought, two on one, but with no clear winner. Such a foe indeed this young man was, to battle the legendary key bearers. So brave were the key bearers, going against one of the most feared officers within the Midnight faction. His strength was equal in status to Miss Billiard's and Cunla's.

"I haven't fought this hard for a long time." Kirin said. "They're forcing me to use up at least fifty percent of my strength. Perhaps this battle will prove to be more entertaining than I had originally perceived. I can see why Lord Sirius Viicous envisions himself battling these two. Who would ever want to put down a good fight?" the blades clashed against and the two opposing sides were locked in a stalemate. "But I cannot allow these men to come within a hundred yards of His Excellency. I will fight to preserve the faction. And maybe, just maybe…" A flash of a promise came through the mind of the young prince. "Perhaps he will tell me what I want to know…about her…"


	44. Kirin

Kirin

The battle raged on as the key bearers battled against the leader of the faction within Monsters Incorporated. Confronting each other and holding nothing back, their wits and their agility were the deciding factors in the fight. Despite being outnumbered two to one, and fighting two experienced warriors to top it off, Prince Kirin was holding his own. This was of deep concern to Riku and Sora who had entered the battle believing that the prince could be easily duped.

"He's good…" Riku thought to himself. The battle came to a sudden standstill after locking their blades together. Pushing each other away, Kirin and the key bearers immediately took a defensive stance soon after. Both sides were slightly fatigued, but their senses were still in top condition.

"I have to admit," Kirin uttered, "You two are stronger than I had thought before. I would have mistaken you for a couple of goofballs who were undisciplined and only knew how to battle for the sake of showing off your skills."

"Your perceptions of us are incorrect." Riku said. "You should know better than to pass judgment on your opponent when you have no knowledge of what they are capable of. But then again, I myself have had my cynical views of you as well. I thought you no more than an arrogant monarch who only depended on the strength of his men to guard him."

"You've taken us by surprise." Sora added.

"Is that so?" Kirin remarked. "Well, why don't you say we turn it up a notch?" Kirin twirled his bow over his head and lowered it at his side. Suddenly, he rushed in, dodge-rolling as one would describe it, and popped up between the two key bearers. He first set his sights on Sora and attacked viciously. Sora had little time to react and did his best to fend off the attacker. Just as he was gaining his composure against the prince, Kirin suddenly slid his blade across the ground. Just then his blade seemed to catch fire. This stunned the key bearer who was still recovering from the sudden attack. He saw flamed blade come at him. Sora quickly evaded it. The flames brushed against his face, warming his cheek.

It was at that moment that Kirin turned about and lunged with the other blade. Sora was caught off guard. At the last moment he dodged, but the damage had been done. There was a piercing of flesh and blood suddenly began to drip on the floor. Sora had been cut on his left side. It streaked down the lower part of his rib cage.

"Sora…!" Riku cried.

"You avoided being stabbed." Kirin said. He pushed Sora to the floor. The youth fell and lay there on the floor with that massive cut bleeding profusely. "You're better than I thought. Usually even the most skilled of warriors are caught off guard from that attack and are impaled with the second blade. But you managed to dodge it."

Sora slowly rose up. He reached for the cut in his side that gave a slight sting. He looked at his hand. Blood was stained on his fingers. He then looked at Kirin.

"That was close." He said.

"You liked that one eh?" Kirin chuckled.

"I can see why they call you Kirin of the Flaming Blades. But how is it that you're able to keep your blade afire? It couldn't be friction. Otherwise, my keyblade would have done the same thing."-

"His blades are covered in some sort of oil." Riku said. "Or whatever substance causes it to catch fire."

"There's no hiding anything from you is there, Riku." Kirin replied. He swiped his blade towards the ground fast, extinguishing the flames on his blade. "These blades in fact have been coated with a thin layer of whale oil. Not too much so the flames can be extinguished, but not too little so they can burn through the course of a single battle."

"But that still doesn't explain why your blade managed to cause a spark so quickly." Sora said.

"It's quite simple. The tip of my blades is rigged with a set of teeth that help cause sparks when ground against a rough surface. It is what I use to initiate my attack called Light and Darkness. The flame is the light and sudden death is the darkness. But I can see that you are not ones to be fooled by the darkness." Kirin lowered his blade and made ready for another charge. "But since you are wounded now, your strength has been cut in half." He attacked Sora without warning and slashed away at the youth. Sora severely wounded and not able to initiate enough energy in such a short time to launch a counter attack, was left on the defensive against this agile youth. Kirin then pushed him down with a butt from his staff, knocking the key bearer off his feet. He then raised his weapon, making ready to thrust one of his blades deep within the key bearer.

Then, from out of nowhere, something struck him at the back of the head and the young officer fell to his knees. The thing that struck him was Riku's keyblade. The young key bearer tossed his weapon at the last minute to save Sora. Like a boomerang, the keyblade spun about in a circular pattern before returning to its thrower. Sora quickly moved out of harms way, making sure that Kirin did not take him as a hostage. Kirin on the other hand, slowly arose and shook his head about.

"What was that?" he uttered.

"Hey, Kirin," Riku shouted, "Don't forget that Sora's not the only one you're fighting. Unless of course you had forgotten about me…"

"Riku…" Sora said.

"Are you okay there, Sora?"-

"Thanks to you..."-

"Why you…" Kirin uttered. He turned to face Riku. Feeling the back of his head, Kirin felt a sudden moist feeling. He looked at his white glove. It had been stained with his blood. He sneered at the silver-haired key bearer. "You bastard, not only did you have enough nerve to strike me from behind, but you also caused blood to flow. That is something that you are going to pay dearly for, Noctin Tilandir!"

"An eye for an eye, don't you think? You caused Sora harm, so there's no point in sparing you of the same."-

"Is that so?" Kirin asked no further question or made any further comments. Instead he charged headlong against the key bearer. Sora watched as the prince made his move.

"Riku, he's coming!" Sora cried. "Be careful!"

"I'll take your life, Riku!" Kirin shouted.

"A head on assault," Riku said, "Not a good plan at all." Riku drew his arms in front of him. "Let's see how you like Kenshin Himura's attack, Kuzu Ryu Sen!" Riku rushed forward at incredible speed.

"Heh, you fool, do you think it's that easy?" Kirin suddenly separated into multiple other forms, catching Riku by surprise. He suddenly appeared behind Riku. "Now have a taste of your own medicine!" Kirin threw his weapon at Riku. And like a spinning buzz saw, it managed to slash the key bearer across the back. Riku fell forward, feeling the burning sting of the blades as they cut through his back. He collapsed to the ground and was left lying there with such a horrible gash that stretched from his lower rib cage on the left side of his body to his upper right shoulder blade. The bow boomeranged and came faithfully back to the hands of its thrower.

"Riku," Sora cried as he rushed to his friend's side. Riku slowly got up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm alright." Riku strained.

"So tell me Riku," Kirin chuckled, "How does it feel when you get struck to the ground from behind? It's not so enjoyable when it happens to you is it?"

"You…" Sora grumbled angrily. He stood up to face the youth. "You won't get away with this."

"Are we just going to threaten each other with idle declarations? Stand up and fight me properly."-

Riku found it within his strength to stand up again. He staggered for a minute or two before regaining his composure.

"I don't understand it," he thought to himself, "How could he have dodged that attack? He was initiating a headlong strike?"

"You're wondering how I was able to counter your attack aren't you, Riku." Kirin declared. "You think I haven't done my research? I know about all your techniques and special attacks. I know about your elemental strikes that you picked up when battling against the Cavendish Shinobis six years ago. You can't fool me. I know of the different poses for each attack, so I know what kind of technique you will use."

"You've been studying our techniques?" Sora asked.

"Don't act so surprised. You should have known by now that there are foes out there that will study your every move and know how and when you execute them. That's what gives me the advantage in this confrontation. As long as I keep in mind the different stances you take, then there's no way that I can be caught off guard." Kirin drew his weapon before him. "You two, however, have no knowledge on me and what I'm capable of. Therefore, you continued to confront me blindly, not knowing what attack I will use, or what effect it would have on your bodies when you are struck."

"Don't think that just because you know our techniques backwards and forwards you'll have the permanent edge in this fight." Riku said.

"I believe your hypothesis to be wrong, Riku. You see, not only do I know your fighting techniques by heart, but now both of your strengths have been cut in half due to those wounds I inflicted."-

"Heh, if you think that minor cuts like this will stop us, then you have another thing coming."-

"Then prove it to me and let's see how well you fight me as you are."-

"Fine…" Riku made ready. "Sora, let's go!"

"Right," Sora replied. Both charged at Kirin, despite them being wounded. They battled against the youth with great ferocity, but what Kirin said was right. Because of their injuries, the key bearers had been spliced of their strength. The blood dripped from their wounds. With every drop lost, an ounce of strength was lost.

"What's wrong?" Kirin chuckled. "You said that those wounds were minor cuts. They seem to be slowing you down a little more than you anticipated." The key bearers continued to fight, though their wounds stung and burned. But they weren't going to give up, not when they were so close to achieving their goal. For ten minutes, the two sides fought, but by the end of that time expansion, the physical toll came heavy to the key bearers. Their bodies seemed to grow heavier with each swing they initiated.

Soon, the battle ceased as both sides took a breather. But Kirin was in no way wavering. He was still at top shape because he was so confident in his battle techniques as well as his physical condition. Riku and Sora, however, had suffered severe blows during the early stages of the battle. Thus, their agility and their strength and awareness were severed in two.

"My predictions were correct." Kirin chuckled. "Despite your fiery declaration, you have proven ineffective against me. How pitiful…"-

It did seem, for a moment, that things were turning for the worst in favor of the key bearers. So early in the fight and both of them had already sustained severe injuries. This monarch was no ordinary officer like the rest of them. Even when working as a team, Riku and Sora caused no worry to their foe. The prince placed his weapon on top of his shoulder and gazed that the key bearers, a smirk of joy on his face watching his enemies slowly deteriorate from exhaustion and blood loss.

"So, my friends," Kirin continued, "what do you propose to do now? With every strike and every inch you move, you lose more blood and energy. I bet those keyblades of yours are getting pretty heavy. It just goes to show you that wounds can be deceiving."

"He might be right." Riku said. "We were too careless in the beginning stages of this fight, which is why this is the result." The blood from the massive cut on his back trickled down his back, staining his black trench coat, this white shirt, and the seat of his jeans. Sora was in no better condition. The blood from his cut was seeped into his white shirt, turning the entire left side of the shirt a crimson red. It trickled down his shorts, his belt and his chain and so on down his leg. Droplets of blood were now dripping on the clean floor of the access chamber. Sora could feel the weight of his weapon grow heavier and heavier. But he stood erect again.

"No," he uttered, "I won't let it end like this." He turned to Riku. "Let's give him a taste of our fusion!"

"Yeah," Riku replied. There was a sudden flash of light and the two key bearers became one. Once again, like so many times in the past, the Hyper Fusion Warrior descended before his foe.

"Now let's see how confident you are now." The warrior said, with a tone of both Riku and Sora behind his words.

"Ha," the young man scoffed, "Now because you think you joined bodies, you're stronger and more effective?"

"Let's just see if you'll be as cocky as you are now after battling with me."-

The warrior suddenly vanished. He appeared behind young Kirin, but the youth was able to evade without and problems. The warrior with his double keyblades launched into an intense battle with the prince. Their blades clashed together and the two opponents were at each other's throats, not holding back. But for some reason, the prince had overcome the surmountable odds against him. Though Riku and Sora were one, thus doubling their strength, the attacks they initiated seemed to have no effect on the youth. He later used attacks combining the separate techniques of the two key bearers, such as the flaming twister or an icy hurricane, but none hindered the prince or caused him to waver. The youth was too agile, too quick, and somehow anticipated each attack. Combined elemental attacks continued for ten minutes, coinciding with numerous outbursts of clashing blades and continuous grappling. As an outcome, however, the Hyper Mode Warrior was losing ground.

"This is absurd." The warrior thought to himself. "I'm a combination of Riku and Sora. How could I be losing?"

"Is this the best you can do?" Kirin thought. Both warriors, by this time, had come to a halt. But the fusion warrior was now out of breath and losing energy quickly. During the fight, he had received several other cuts, but not as serious as the ones inflicted before.

Just then, as quickly as it happened, the fusion ended and Riku and Sora were back to their normal selves. They were exhausted after that bout and could barely hold onto their keyblades.

"I don't understand." Sora uttered. "How could you have managed to stand against us as a fused warrior, let alone inflicting heavy damage on us and emerging unscathed?"

"You idiots," Kirin said, smirking, "Just because you're fused together doesn't, mean that you can beat someone like me. You were never aware of this, but since you were first involved with the campaigns against the former Dark Empire, all of your fighting techniques have been recorded and filed for reference. Even as we speak, you are still being recorded, so that new techniques you display will be accounted for and filed. Ever since you first got involved with issues against the faction, and ever since you gained a reputation amongst the Imperial forces, I had always dreamed of wanting to fight you and test my strengths. I don't know why, but something nagged at me, saying that you were the ones I was destined to fight. Soon enough, Lord Sirius Viicous came to us, saying that each officer must be ready to battle the key bearers, no matter how secure we thought we were. I thus began to study and view both of your attacks and techniques. And since I have a photographic memory, it came easy for me to take in all of your fighting skills. I took each technique into memory, so that I would know it forwards and backwards. I trained my mind to be quick in reaction. Using the skills I already had, and my photographic memory, I am now able to anticipate every move you make. Even your combination attacks as a Hyper Mode Fusion Warrior have been taken into account since those techniques were recorded from some of your previous battles. A shift of the foot, a wave of the hand, I will know what technique it precedes. So there is nothing that you can use that I won't see already."

"So you have a photographic memory, eh?" Riku said. "Then you truly have the edge against us. Prolonged battles don't work against you since you're able to read an attack after seeing it only once."

"Why don't you just ease your suffering and let me kill you quickly?" Kirin made ready for another attack. "You can't do anything so long as I'm able to predict each and every one of your moves. To me, you're as easy to predict as an open book."

"I can't believe it." Sora uttered to himself. "We're losing. Is this it? Is there where it all ends, by the hand of this guy? He has a photographic memory. That means he can see our attacks before it happens. So maybe all of our efforts were just a waste. Maybe we should give up." But as he dwelled on why he and Riku were fighting, Sora's head envisioned King Mickey and Queen Minnie who were still held captive by the Midnight Faction. He then remembered Kairi and the others who were awaiting their return. He remembered that sad and concerned look on Kairi's face, when they passed through during the great chase. Sora knew that he could not let any of them down. This force of will increased his stamina. "No, I will not lose, I will not die. Not when there is still so far to go."

"We can't give up." Riku concurred in his mind. "We can't give up because there are people depending on us, those who wait for our rescue and those who are awaiting our return." Riku spoke up to his foe as he raised his keyblade. "I'm not ready to give in just yet."

"Stubborn to the end I see." Kirin said. "Then come at me. But I promise you that your next attack will be your last. At the rate you're going, you might just die standing up."

"Let's get him!" Sora cried. And the two key bearers rushed forward with great fury. Kirin was ready to fight them. But the moment their blades touched, he realized that something was different. Something had changed in their attitude. This determination came in the form of spiritual strength, which had an effect on their fighting capabilities. This became too apparent to Kirin.

"How is this possible?" he thought to himself. "Just a few minutes ago, they were barely able to keep up with me, but now all of a sudden, they're able to counter my every attack." Kirin battled as best he could, but the tide had apparently turned. Now, it was he who had to initiate a solid defensive. "This can't be. I should be able to predict them. But why am I having trouble now of all times? How could the tide of battle turn like this in an instant?"

"Try this on!" Riku shouted. He unleashed Darkness Decoys. But they were countered by Kirin's multi-form technique. But just as he initiated his deceptive move to elude Riku, Sora jumped in and unleashed his Corona Flash Barrage. Bursts of light filled the room. Kirin was confused now. Amidst the light, he saw the shadowy figures of the decoys rushing about. Then, from out of the barrage of flashing lights, Sora appeared and struck the youth from behind. Kirin sensed the key bearer coming and quickly dodged, but he evaded too late and he felt a sharp sting in his side. He too had been severely cut, but on the right side of his body. Kirin quickly fell to his knees and looked on as the barrage continued.

"How come I was not able to predict this?" he thought to himself. "I should have seen it coming through their stances." He then felt the two surges of energy coming at him. At the last minute, Kirin used his multi-form technique to withdraw from the center of the light barrage and landed just next to the one of the two exits. The barrage slowly died off and Riku's decoys vanished from sight, disappearing back into the shadows. And there, before the prince, Sora and Riku stood vigilantly. Kirin sneered at the two. He placed his hand upon the wound. He then raised his hand again to see if the wound drew blood. Sure enough, the red contents on his hand proved that he too had suffered a critical injury.

"It looks like we're even." Sora said.

"But how…" Kirin uttered. "I should have been able to see those attacks. How is it that I couldn't see it?"

"You think that just because you have a photographic memory," Riku implied, "and have memorized our every technique, that you're invincible. Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but such a tactic is not always successful. After this battle, I realize now what your weaknesses are."

"What do you mean?"-

"Your weaknesses…"-

"I have no weaknesses."-

"Then if that's the case, then how is it that you were maimed by Sora during his run? I'll tell you why, it's because you aren't accustomed to fighting two skilled warriors at the same time."-

"What rubbish!"-

"It's true." Sora intervened. "You told us that you had a photographic memory. That much was too clear when you were fighting us one on one. But I noticed an influx in power between our first engagement and the one on one engagement. You seemed to have reduced your strength when fighting one on one. This indicates that you have lowered your guard to at least half of what it would usually be. I'm sure that you were aware of that as well." Immediately, Kirin began to sweat as small drops of perspiration accumulated on his temples. "The reason for this change in power is due to the fact that you are accustomed to fight one on one battles with a skilled opponent whom you already know about, using the advantage of your photographic memory. You are able to concentrate on an opponent's movements, anticipating every move."

"But when it comes to battling two skilled opponents at the same time, you seem to fall apart." Riku continued. "You seem to waver and increase in strength, thus raising your guard. You know of the attack your opponent uses, but when it comes from two different directions and at the same time, you have trouble concentrating on one or the other." Kirin lowered his head. But from beneath that shadowy concealment in his eyes, due to his long bangs of hair, there was a smile. His right upper lip suddenly curled.

"You're very observant, Riku," he said, "very observant. I guess there's no use trying to pull the wool over your eyes since you already figured out my one weakness so thoroughly. But unfortunately, you have only seen one of my techniques. The use of my photographic memory is just a preliminary tactic. Most of my opponents never live long enough to pass that stage. You should consider yourselves fortunate that you've lived this long to witness the other techniques that no one has ever laid eyes on." Kirin slid his blades on the ground, causing them to catch fire. They burned as they had done before.

"Are you intending to use those flaming blades again?" Sora asked. "Fiery blades are not all that their cracked up to be, you know."

"You don't get it do you? Well just wait until I really get going."-

Kirin's declaration was no bluff either. He began to increase his strength. Suddenly, as if coinciding with the rise of power, the flames on his blades seemed to grow more intense. The flames themselves seemed to grow bigger and more menacing. They became brighter and hotter, but the rise in temperature did not affect the blades of Kirin's weapon. The blades in fact seemed to be embracing the flames and acting as central conductors.

"Do you feel that?" Sora asked. "His power is increasing to its maximum. This guy isn't going to spare the rod on us this time."

"His energy is actually taking a visible form through the manipulation of the flames. They become bigger and hotter with every ounce of energy released."-

"There is a reason for the flaming blades." Kirin chuckled. "And their used for more than just show."

Meanwhile, on the battlefield outside of the factory, Cuchulain and the others had managed to reduce a significant number of the faction's ranks. The soldiers, many of them ambitious new recruits, were not ones to give up their lives for their cause so easily. A lot of the soldiers, not willing to die for a cause that was already lost, surrendered without further retaliation. Many of the veterans had been slain and their bodies lay strewn about the factory grounds. Many other soldiers just ran away, only to be apprehended by the concerned citizens of Monstropolis and were sent back to the factory.

"I'm glad to see that many of the citizens have come out of hiding and are now helping with the apprehension of faction deserters." Leon said.

"The people found courage to stand up and defend their home." Cloud uttered.

"All is done here then." Auron added. "And what of Sora and Riku…?"

"There is still no word."-

"What about the securing of the energy plant?"-

"There hasn't been any further sound of battle." Leon said. "I think the faction has been neutralized in this world."

"For now…"-

"So everything is secure here?" Cuchulain said as he and Cunla came to join the others.

"With the help of the Monstropolis citizens," Auron said, "The faction has been driven away."

"That's always good to hear." Cunla implied.

At that moment, something caught the attention of the hound. He suddenly felt an incredible increase in energy. He traced the source to the factory.

"Did you feel that?" he asked.

"Yes dad," Cunla replied. "There was an incredible influx of energy coming from the factory."

"Yes, and two of them are Riku and Sora's. But it's not their strength that's increasing. It's someone else's."-

"Could it be…?"-

"Yes, it has to be their opponent."-

Cunla, being a former faction officer and assassin, knew all too well of the energy that was surging. The signature was familiar to him.

"This energy level." He thought to himself. "It can only belong to one person, the only officer within the faction who combines the sharpness of his sword with the heat of fire, Kirin of the Flaming Blades. His capabilities are equal to both Colonel Billiard and I. If he is the one in charge of the realm, then Riku and Sora better be careful. If there's one thing I know about the prince, he's one not to ever lose a fight, no matter what."

The fight could be felt by Miss Billiard as well, who had finished her rounds of cleaning out the plant of faction soldiers. She and the others were unloading the energy canisters, when suddenly she felt the energy rising in the distance. Turning towards the direction of the factory, she feared the worst.

"This energy," she uttered. "Is it Riku, or Sora? No, the signature doesn't feel like them. But it feels familiar though. Could it be…Prince Kirin of the Flaming Blades? He's actually increasing his strength to the limit. This is the first time that he's ever done this before. No one has ever survived passed his Light and Darkness attack. He's not holding back against the key bearers."

Meanwhile, back in the factory's security room, Donald and Goofy watched on as the battle began to intensify. They observed Kirin increasing his strength and the flames of his blades growing intense with every passing second.

"Can you believe this?" Donald said. "That guy's going all out. With those flames, he'll be able to incinerate anything that stands in his way."

"We gotta do something, Donald." Goofy said. "We gotta help them!"

"We can't. We've been given the task of staying here and observe everything that goes on. Besides, what good would we be against a guy like that? We'd only be getting in the way of Riku and Sora and they'd have to be concerned with our safety too. The best thing to do right now is stay here and let them handle it."-

"But Donald…" Goofy lowered his head in shame. Donald placed his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I know it's hard to sit here and do nothing, but we can't afford to distract them in the midst of this fight."-

"I guess…"

The flames by this time had become three times larger from what they were before. The fire's heat was ten times what it was before.

"Now you see?" Kirin said. "You see what I can do? These techniques I have been saving only for the best of foes that I fight. And those types of foes are rare, if not non-existent. You two should be honored then. You are the first two worthy foes to ever see these attacks."

"Stay on your guard, Sora." Riku whispered. "No opponent would bluff about their capabilities with this kind of energy to display."

"Right…" Sora replied.

"Now perish in a wall of flames!" Kirin shouted. He suddenly thrust one of the heated blades down towards the ground. Immediately, the flames burst out in a ring of fire, consuming everything within its circumference. The key bearers quickly leaped above the fiery wave and landed on the scorched floor. The flames had consumed many of the access stations, charring and melting them.

"We have to get out of here." Riku said. "We can't afford to cause further damage to this factory."

"I gotcha…" Sora replied. Using their abilities to fly, the two key bearers launched themselves out of the access chamber, crashing through the glass panels of a series of skylights, located on the roof.

"You will not get away from me." Kirin said. He leaped high and landed outside of the chamber. The key bearers descended slowly down, far enough so that they weren't open to any swift attack from the young prince.

"There they are," Cuchulain shouted. "Riku and Sora have made it out of the factory." He then set eyes on the young man whom they were preparing to battle. "And that must be their opponent."

"I knew it." Cunla said. "It is him."

"Who is he?" Cloud asked.

"He's the infamous Prince Kirin of the Flaming Blades."-

"No kidding," Leon asked. "I've heard stories about him, but I they were just stories."

"He's so young too." Auron said. "He's just about Riku and Sora's age."

"Look at his blades. They're set on fire, just as his title describes."-

"We have to aid the key bearers." Cloud said.

"No," Cuchulain replied. "This fight is theirs by right. We are not to intervene. Besides, Riku and Sora are not the types to leave themselves open to attack."

Kirin looked about, seeing the other members of the KH team, the citizens, and the captured soldiers of the faction, all grouped together watching the battle unfold.

"Well, well, well," Kirin said. "It looks like we have an audience watching us." He stared at his soldiers. "So I see there are still cowards within the faction, who value their own lives over the cause." He then looked at the citizens of Monstropolis who appeared to aid the KH team. "I see the rats have come out of hiding. Perhaps they wish to throw their meager lives away." Kirin then turned to the members of the KH team. "And your friends are here too to witness your death."

"No one has to die today." Riku said. "We can end this peacefully right now."

"It's over," Sora added. "Just give up and turn yourself in as a prisoner."

"I can't…" Kirin replied. "That is an option not open to me."

"Why not…?"

"Because I gave my word that I would not lose. I would not fail and I will not allow the alliance to conquer the most important world in the faction." Kirin drew out his blades. The sting of the wound at his side grew stronger and he grasped at his wound, staggering.

"You are in no condition to continue battling. Just surrender for now before more lives have to be sacrificed."-

"My life is not worth a damn to anyone if I am of no use to them."-

"You talk as if you have no value within yourself." Riku shouted.

"It has no value, which is why I will fight to the bitter end!" Kirin cried. He suddenly leaped forward and slashed his blade before the key bearers. A wall of flames bellowed from the weapon. The fire spread, burning the grounds of the factory.

"We have to keep the battle within this vicinity." Sora said. "Otherwise, the others are going to get involved."

"Right…" Riku replied. "Use your ice attacks to dowse the fire."

"I will engulf this entire world in flames if I have to." Kirin shouted. "But I will serve His Excellency to my death!"

He slashed again with his double bow causing the flames to spread. The flames danced about wildly. The key bearers at times were caught off guard due to the flames. Kirin would suddenly appear out of the flames and battle them. The hand to hand combat was sporadic and occurred at random. Sometimes it would be a hit and run attack, sometimes Kirin would engage against them in hand to hand combat that could last from a few seconds to five minute expansions, and he would unleash wave after wave of flame. During the hand to hand combat battles, the key bearers suffered other cuts on their arms, their legs, their chests, and even their faces. But these were mere nicks and guts, nothing very serious. The only wounds that slowed them down were the ones that were first inflicted in the battle.

Kirin did not escape from the battle unscathed either. In fact, because of the wound he received on the side from Sora, his reaction time, his agility, his speed, and his strength were slowly decreasing. Kirin too felt his energy slowly ebbing away. He received an equal amount of cuts and scrapes as the key bearers did. Within the next few minutes, he too was feeling the effects of fatigue and weariness. He had reached his limit, but he was not one to back off. He was just as stubborn and just as determined.

"I want that memory stone that you stole from me!" Kirin shouted as he continued to battle.

"What is this stone worth to you anyway?" Riku said.

"That stone is a vital asset to our operations here! Without it, we cannot carry out with the plan."-

"Well, if it's that valuable to you," Riku took the stone from out of his inside pocket, "Then you can have it!" Riku suddenly threw the stone to the ground.

"You fool, what have you done!" Kirin rushed to grab the stone. But he came too late as the stone slammed onto the ground and suddenly shattered into thousands of shards. Those shards in return accumulated a great deal of light. That blue light flashed before Kirin, who was blinded by the rays. He covered his eyes and shouted. There was a stabbing pain that burned his eyes and caused his head to throb. He fell to his knees.

"Riku," Sora cried, "What did you do?"

"I destroyed the memory stone." Riku replied. "If the faction is planning to use that thing for their plans in this world, then we can't afford to have it fall into their hands, or for that matter into anyone's hand." Riku watched on with awe. "But then again, I never thought hat stone would shatter like that."

"Look at that," Cloud said, "What is that bright light?"

"I don't know." Leon added. "What is it?"

"It must be the light from the legendary memory stone." Cunla explained.

"Memory stone…?"-

"That's right. The faction has been trying its best to get their hands on the stone. It took a great deal of time and effort to find that stone, since it's the only kind in the universe. I knew that the faction was after the stone. I just never realized that they'd be using it to aid their operations here."-

"What is the memory stone anyway?" Cuchulain asked.

"It's a stone that has the ability to restore and erase one's memory."-

"I see."-

"It is my opinion that the faction might have decided to use the stone in order to manipulate the memories of victims who were brought here. This world thrives on the frightened screams of children as an energy source. The faction might have had the idea of increasing production by kidnapping children from their beds and extracting the screams within the factory. Then, they use the memory stone to wipe out any trace of their experiences here."-

"That way they can keep their energy supply well stocked."-

"But what is that light coming from?" Cloud asked.

"The stone is very fragile." Cunla continued. "Or so what I'm told. The moment it is dropped, it accumulates a great deal of light that can blind almost anyone. Once that light fades, so does the power of the memory stone. To lose that would be a fatal blow to the faction's plans and all their efforts searching for the stone and all their efforts in this world would have been for nothing. To lose something so rare and mythical is punishable by a fate worse than death."

The light bellowed before Kirin as the stone broke apart and diminished from existence. As soon as the light faded, Kirin was left lying on his back, still impaired in vision from the blue light.

"What just happened?" Sora asked.

"The memory stone is no more." Riku replied. "No one should obtain such a power as to erase and manipulate the memories of others. That stone was far too dangerous to exist, so it would be better that it didn't exist at all and fade into legend."

Kirin turned his head to find a pile of blue ash, the remnants of what was left of the stone. He grasped at the ash, his eyes wide with shock and bewilderment. He sat next to the pile of ash. He picked a hand full of the ash that transformed into a fine powder. His bewilderment turned into rage and his clutched the dust tightly in his fist.

"Do you realize what you've done?" he uttered. Throwing the ash aside, Kirin picked up his weapon and faced the key bearers. "Do you realize what you've committed? You've taken the one thing that gave all of our operations here some use!"

"Sorry about that." Riku said. "But we can't have the faction gaining anything here."

"You will pay with your lives!" Kirin roared. He suddenly rushed at the key bearers, fighting on blind rage only. This further clouded his judgment and the rest of his senses and the prince only swung mindlessly at his opponents.

"Not good," Sora said, "You're getting to emotional."

"Your letting your rage get the best of you." Riku added. Kirin struck at the key bearers with all his might, but the two youths managed to catch the prince in a deadlock and push him away. Kirin slid across the ground. His anger grew more intense and so did the flames that bellowed on his blades.

"I've had enough of this!" Kirin declared in a sudden brake of combat. "If I can't cut you down, I'll incinerate you instead!" Kirin jumped into the air, getting a wide view of the battlefield. He then unleashed a devastating hail of fire upon the key bearers, "Flaming Volley!" Spinning his weapon over his head around and around like a propeller, flaming fire balls rained down upon the key bearers. But it was not only the key bearers who were the targets, but all on the factory grounds. The factory itself was put in danger as fire balls plummeted downward.

"That crazy fool," Cuchulain shouted, "He's getting everyone involved."

"It just goes to show you how wrathful Prince Kirin can be." Cunla said. "When his temper gets the best of him, then no one is safe."

"Get the people and these prisoners out of here!"-

"Right…!"-

The citizens and soldiers scurried about like swarms of ants during a rain storm. A flock of the captured soldiers, being unfortunate, were struck by an incoming fire ball and instantly incinerated.

"Get out of here!" Leon cried. "Get out of here now!"

In the meantime, the angry young prince blindly attacked anything below him. Riku and Sora were surrounded by flames. They used their ice attacks to extinguish the flames. But the more fire they put out, the more seemed to suddenly appear. Kirin descended to the ground and continued to rain fire throughout the area.

"Where the heck is all this fire coming from?" Sora asked. "It couldn't all be coming from his blades."

"It's his fighting spirit energy." Riku said. "It takes the form of flames. And I bet that fire is also a source of energy supply like with Maleficent. If we can use ice to attack him with, that might weaken him."

"But we tried that before when we were fused. It didn't work."

"No it didn't, but if we attack at the same time, there's a chance that the ice element will be successful. He has trouble keeping coordination on both of us. Try to elude him as best you can. Don't initiate a head on assault. He'll just repel it. Elude and evade the best of your abilities. I will then unleash my wind attacks. Then you deploy Tundra Canister. Hopefully, that'll weaken him."

"But what if it doesn't?"-

"Then, we'll just have to find some other way to beat him. He has one weakness, I'm sure there are more."-

"I'll burn this world to the ground if I have to!" Kirin shouted. "If you wish me to stop, then surrender yourselves!"

"Sorry," Sora replied, "But surrendering is something we can't do at the present moment." Kirin saw Sora suddenly appear out of the flames.

"So, the key bearer decides to show himself eh?" Kirin used his multi form technique to elude and confuse the key bearer. He appeared behind Sora and deployed the same attack his used to wound Riku. The flaming weapon came at Sora and struck him from behind. But to Kirin's dismay, what he struck was an after image. "Impossible…where did he go?"

"I'm right here!" Sora said again. He again appeared out of the flames. "Are you just as confused as I? Do you see what the flames do to your sense of judgment?"

"Shut up!" Kirin's weapon returned to his hand and he struck at Sora, but again it was only a decoy.

"It is because of your own blind rage that you are not able to distinguish what is real and what is not." Sora mocked. He appeared again and again and again from three different directions. Kirin was shocked at what he saw. He drew his weapon and cut down all three only to find out that they were after images as well. "Even you have fallen victim to the one element that you mastered."

"Shut up, Sora, shut up! Don't you dare mock me!" Kirin drew his blade up and plunged it deep into the ground. Again a ring of fire bellowed out, incinerating all within its radius. The flames were so intense it was as though the sun had landed on the ground. Kirin looked about to see if Sora would attack again. After the attack, there was nothing about, but scorched earth. "Well, Sora, how do you plan to attack me now when there are no more flames to hide your movements?"

"It's not Sora you have to worry about." A voice shouted. Kirin turned around to fine Riku rushed at him head on.

"Riku…" Kirin uttered. "Attacking head on? Have you lost your mind?"

"Not quite!"-

"Then come at me key bearer and let's see how you favor against me in a one on one fight?" Kirin rushed at Riku as well, his blades still bellowing fire. The two made ready to collide, but suddenly Riku backed off just as Kirin made his somersault evasion over Riku's head. Instead, the key bearer deployed Hurricane Slash and caught the prince in wild wind storm. The flames of his blades encircled him and began to burn within the winds. Sora suddenly leaped over Riku's head and attacked with Tundra Canister. The ice particles rushed in and froze the young man, causing frost to form all over his body. This attack proved to be a fatal blow on Kirin, both in body and in pride. The combination of the flames from his own weapon, the freezing ice from Sora's Tundra Canister, and the unbearable winds from Riku's Hurricane Slash that tore and ripped at him, thrashing the young man's body about like a rag doll. The winds picked up for one last time before tossing its victim against the outer surface of the access hanger. Kirin's blades flew far from his grasp landing a hundred yards or so from him and lodging itself in the wall of the factory. One blade was instantly extinguished on impact, while the other continued to burn on the last of the whale oil that coated it. Kirin lay motionless against the hanger wall. There was no life that stirred in him.

"Do you think it's over?" Sora asked.

"I don't know." Riku replied. "But then again, I don't think anyone could have lived through that, not through the thrashing he underwent."

"They did it." Cunla cheered. "Riku and Sora did it."

"Yeah," Leon added, "He's finally defeated."

"No," Cuchulain said suddenly. The others were caught by surprise. "This is not over yet."

"What do you mean?" Cloud asked. "There's no way that anyone could have survived that much abuse."

"Don't you feel that though?" Cuchulain could sense there was still life in the youth.

"Dad's right." Cunla added as he picked up a faint signal. "Kirin's still alive."

"I don't believe Kirin is the type of warrior who would not end a fight unless it was to the death. If Riku and Sora are smart, they'll know better than to approach him."

But as Cuchulain had feared, Sora was the one to approach the still body of the prince. He came closer and closer with no occurrence.

"Hey," Sora said, "I thin k he's harmless now."

"Don't let your guard down yet, Sora." Riku warned. "He might be playing possum."

"I don't think so." Sora stood before him. "Even if he were still alive, there's no way that he could stand up after all that." Sora tapped at the prince's boot. There was no life. Riku joined his comrade's side as they gazed at Kirin. "He looks finished alright. That last attack must've really done him in. It was a good thing though. That guys was just bad to the core."

"I don' know about being bad, Sora. He didn't seem to have the eye of a cold-blooded killer."-

"Then again, they all do."-

But just as Sora uttered those words, Kirin suddenly returned to life. Raising his left hand, a blade suddenly shot out from his sleeve. Riku was the first to be targeted. The blade suddenly struck his right arm, impaling the flesh all the way through. It felt like a bullet. Riku was hit with such force that the vibrations ruptured throughout his body, knocking him unconscious. The blade that struck him was no ordinary blade, but a grappling hook which was used to strike and kill its opponent. Riku was lucky though, only being struck in the shoulder.

"Riku…!" Sora cried. But as he turned, Kirin drew up his right arm and another grappling hook appeared, crippling his left arm. Kirin then, with what was left of his strength, leaped on top of Sora, adding pressure to the blade. Sora fell to the ground, his wound dripping with blood."

"What the…" Cunla uttered. "Kirin just popped up back to life like nothing happened."

"Damn it Sora." Cuchulain uttered. "Why didn't you stay on your guard?" Cuchulain raised his weapon and ran off to aid his comrades. Cunla and the others followed.

Sora could feel the weight of Kirin pressing down on him. He could feel as the prince twisted the grappling hook in his arm. The key bearer cried out in agonizing pain. He then looked into those blue eyes of the prince. Though threatening, they were not those of a cold-blooded killed, as Riku earlier described.

"You should never have lowered your guard, Sora." Kirin said. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have been put in this predicament." Kirin twisted the blade, causing further pain. "You should have killed me. You can only win if you kill me."

"You looked dead…" Sora uttered.

"I don't want to have to make you suffer." Kirin drew out the grapping hook. Sora cried out as the blood dripped from the wound and trickled onto the ground. "I'll make you and Riku's deaths swift and painless." Kirin raised his arm, making ready to thrust the blade into Sora's gut. But as he raised his arm, a charm necklace appeared from under his black shirt. Sora gazed at that emblem around Kirin's neck. It looked like the half of a heart, the right side of a heart anyway. It glimmered and shined, reflecting Sora's image.

"That necklace," Sora uttered, "That necklace, where did you get it?"

"If you're looking for last request, I can grant you this one." Kirin replied. "This was given to me when I was still a child. Why do you ask?"

"You have the same charm as my friend Kairi. She has one just like it." It was only after Kirin heard those words, that he ceased his execution. He rose off of Sora, stunned at the declaration. Sora realized what he said had some significant impact.

"Kairi…" Kirin backed away. His fury suddenly died down. He suddenly stood up and looked about as if in a daze.

"Do you know Kairi?" Kirin could not bring himself to speak. He was left in a daze. In the meantime, Cuchulain and the others arrived to aid the key bearers.

"Are you okay?" Cuchulain asked, gently helping the downed key bearer up.

"Watch his arm, dad." Cunla said.

"How's Riku doing?"-

"He's unconscious, but he'll live." Cunla pulled out the grappling hook from Riku's shoulder. In the meantime, Cloud and Leon apprehended Kirin, who was still looking about in a daze.

"You're under arrest by the jurisdiction of the Universal Alliance." Leon declared. Kirin was shackled and confined in an isolated area, away from his troops.

Not long after, Riku woke up. He gazed about, seeing all the familiar faces surrounding him.

"Hey, Riku," Sora said, "You feel better?"

"What just happened?" Riku asked.

"I gave you a senzu bean." Goofy said.

"Goofy? I thought I told you and Donald to stay in the security room?"-

"There was no longer any need for them to be in there." Cunla said. "We've won. The faction has lost their hold in this world."

"When did this happen?" Riku asked.

"This happened about five minutes ago." Cuchulain implied.

"But what happened to Kirin?"-

"You mean him?" Donald said. He pointed his thumb at the officer who was shackled and sitting on the ground, Cloud and Leon on guard watching him.

"You managed to capture him?"-

"We had to intervene at the last minute." Cuchulain said. "He was on the verge of executing both of you."

"It was rather bizarre that that young man stopped himself from giving the final blow." Auron added.

"He stopped our execution?" Riku wondered. "But why would he do that?"

"For some reason, it was something that Sora said to him."-

"What did you say to him?"-

"Well, I thought that he was going to kill me until I mentioned about the necklace he was wearing. It was a necklace similar to Kairi's."-

"Kairi, what does she have to do with anything."-

"You can ask him yourself." Riku, curious about the entire necklace issue, decided to confront the young man personally. He walked over to Kirin, who had his head lowered. One leg was bent so that his knee was touching his forehead. He sat in a rather awkward position since his hands were shackled behind him. Riku and Sora stood over him. "Kirin…"

The prince looked up at the key bearers.

"I no longer have any purpose here." Kirin said. "I am a defeated man, a humbled man. You could at least allow me to keep my dignity."

"I don't care about the fight. I want to know the significance behind that necklace you wear."-

"And why is it that you reacted the why you did when I mentioned Kairi's name." Sora added. The young man lowered his head and began to cry, but he dared no show his tears. Riku looked at the necklace closely. It was half of a heart and it was missing the other piece. Riku lowered his head as well, giving a great big sigh.

By this time, Colonel Billiard and the others had finished their task distributing the energy back to the people. They now journeyed to the battlefield where they beheld the tragic sight of the aftermath. Spotting the group against the wall of the hanger, they decided to join in.

"Hey, hey," Mike Wazowski asked as they intermingled, "What's going on?"

"Oh," Cunla said, "I see you managed to finish your mission too."

"All the energy has been distributed back to the people." Sully replied. "Now at least, we don't have to worry about spending most of the day without energy."

"What's happening here?" Ophelia asked.

"Oh, Miss Billiard," Sora said, "you're finally here. Maybe you can help us with a little something."

"What would that be?"-

"Maybe you could somehow find out the significance behind Kirin's necklace." Donald implied.

"Well, I don't know. Does he wish to talk about it?"-

"He hasn't said a word."-

"There's no need." Riku uttered. "I know who he is."

"You do?" Goofy asked.

"Yes…"-

"Well, then who is he?" Cuchulain asked. Riku sighed again and looked up at the young man who still held his head down on his knee.

"He's Kairi's brother…" Riku replied. There was a sudden silence from the group.

"Kairi has a brother?" Sora asked, shocked. "But how do you know this?"

"Don't you remember, Sora? She told us about that special necklace when she was wearing it one day. We asked where she got it and Kairi replied saying she had it ever since she was small. She remembered as a faint memory, told by her elders when she was still a little girl, before coming to Destiny Island, that she had a brother. They were separated from each other when they were still infants. I'd recognize that piece anywhere. Kairi has the exact same one. She said it was a locket that could only be opened when two pieces are united."-

"Is this true, Kirin? Are you really Kairi's brother?"-

"I am…" Kirin said silently. He raised his head. Tears were dripping down his face. "I've had this locket since my childhood years, was told of the story behind this locket. I was told of a sister who was separated from me. For years, I wanted to know where she was, but I could never gain any leads. No matter how hard I tried, I wasn't able to find her whereabouts. That was until I came across Lord Sirius Viicous, who took me in as a faction soldier. He happened to gaze upon the locket I had around my neck and was very curious about where I got it. I replied that I had it since I was still child. He then told me the same tale of two siblings separated as infants. He knew that I was also one of those siblings and he knew about my long lost sister. I was determined to find out, but His Excellency remained silent. He said that in return for telling me, I must show absolute loyalty to the Midnight Faction. So I did and I followed his every command to the letter, no holds barred." Kirin lowered his eyes, gazing at the ground. "The thing is because of my actions in the faction, I was starting to turn into something I didn't like. I carried out actions that hurt people. And all for the sake of a promise that I wasn't so sure was real."

"How old were you when you first joined the faction?" Riku asked.

"I was nineteen years old. I was nineteen and yet I still had no goal or purpose in my life. I was confused as if a part of me were still missing, as if I were still incomplete and something was absent in my life. The only thing that really forced me to keep on living was this wondering behind this necklace. If you were to look on the back of this locket, you would find the initials _K+K_, which indicated the first letters of our names, me and my sibling. But the thing is I never remembered my sister's name until now."-

"I see." Sora said. "The shattering of the memory stone must've triggered something. It must've revealed memories of the past long forgotten."

"You're right." Riku added. "And that light nearly blinded Kirin. There must have been some sort of impact."

"Kirin…" Ophelia said as she worker her way forward and knelt before the shackled prince. Kirin looked up.

"Colonel Billiard…" he uttered. Ophelia raised her hand and placed it on Kirin's head. She then scanned his heart and his mind, glancing through all the hardships he had undergone. Instead of royalty, he had to work his way through life, doing odd jobs for the foster family who took him in. He then left home at fifteen and ventured through the countryside looking for a place he could call home. But even if he were to stumble across a comfortable home and a promising future, he would let it down because of that same nagging feeling deep within his heart. Kirin would mindlessly wander about as if lead by some invisible force, looking for that piece of his life that remained empty. But now, for the first time hearing the name of his sister, he seemed complete and the void in his heart began to fill. All this was picked up within a few seconds of Miss Billiard placing her hand on his head.

"What he says is true." She uttered. "Kirin's entire life was bent on seeking his sister, wandering about. There was something in the locket that kept eating away at the back of his mind, saying 'don't give up' repeatedly."

"Sister…" Kirin uttered. He bent his knees and fell into Ophelia's arms, still a little bit weepy-eyed. Ophelia smiled and held him gently.

"You've gone through so much."-

"I now know the name of my sister." There was a sad smile on his face. "I now know my sister's name. But alas, I will never embrace her. I am now a prisoner of war." Silence once again came before the group. Sora finally sighed and smiled.

"Cloud," he said.

"What is it, Sora?" Cloud asked.

"Unshackle Kirin."-

"What…?"-

"What did you say?" Donald added. "Did you say to unshackle him?"

"That's right."-

"But this guy is the enemy." Leon said. "He's still a possible threat."

"I'm not one to be so judgmental." Cuchulain concurred. "But I believe Leon's right. We can't just release Kirin all on account of a story. Even if he has good intensions, he's still a faction soldier."

"And not any faction soldier," Cunla added, "But one who will place his loyalty before his own feelings. I should know."

"Still…" Sora said.

"We can't risk it, Sora." Riku advised. "You must remember he's still trying to find a purpose in his life. How do we know that purpose won't be to destroy us."

"I don't want to say anything against a former comrade," Ophelia added, "But I agree we shouldn't let him go so easily."

"You should heed the words of your comrades." Kirin said. "I am still bound by Lord Sirius Viicous and I have pledged loyalty to him, no matter what the circumstance."

"I understand that," Sora said. "So if in the near future we do confront each other again, then let's give it our all."

"Heh, you're a strange one alright."-

"Alright, alright," Riku concurred. "Cloud, go ahead and unshackle him. I just hope we haven't made a mistake."

Cloud took the shackles off of Kirin and the young man stood up. He slowly arose so as not to make any suspicious moves. The KH team and the others still held their guard up in case this enemy decided to retaliate. But Kirin made no attempt to escape. Instead, he walked to the wall where his weapon was still lodged. The flames still danced on the one blade. Pulling it out, Kirin extinguished the blade with one swipe. The KH team was still on its guard.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Leon said.

"He's gonna fight us isn't he." Donald added.

"No," Kirin said. "I just happen to like this weapon a lot." Placing his weapon in his arm, Kirin then pulled out a transmitting device from his pocket. Lifting its lid, he activated the device. "Transport, transport, prepare to beam me up."

"Yes sir," the transmission replied. "Your orders…?"

"Mission was not successful. The faction has lost its hold in this world. Prepare the ship for a formal withdrawal."-

"But sir…"-

"That is an order, captain."-

"But what of Lord Sirius Viicous's orders?"-

"I will take full responsibility for this action."-

"I understand, sir. Then, we'll be beaming you up in about thirty seconds. Be ready then."-

"Understood," Kirin snapped the transmitter closed. "I'm off then."

"I still don't think we should be letting him go so easily." Mr. Waternoose said. "He might come back to exact revenge on us."

"I hope that you made the right decision." Cuchulain said.

"This falls upon you, Sora." Riku added.

"I understand." Sora replied. He looked up at Kirin. "Kirin, I'm letting you go for Kairi's sake. Even despite the opposition from my friends, I believe my action to be the right decision. Just don't let me regret my words."

"I am a man of honor, Sora." Kirin replied. "I will not betray your word. But I cannot guarantee that we won't meet again on the battlefield."

"If we do meet on the battlefield again, then let us fight as honorable as today." Kirin gave a nod. He then felt his transmitter sound out. He pulled it out of his pocket and activated it again.

"Ready for teleportation sequence, sir." The captain of the escape vessel said.

"Very well, beam me up." Kirin replied. At that moment, a field of light appeared around the officer and the young prince vanished from sight, his gaze still upon the KH team. With his parting, the forces of the Midnight Faction were again subdued and dispersed.

"Despite us being enemies," Riku suddenly added, placing his hand on Sora's shoulder from behind, "I really do hope we'll meet again."

"Yeah," Sora replied, "And I hope he and Kairi reunite one day."

"Our task isn't finished yet though."-

"You're right."-

Riku and Sora suddenly withdrew from the group.

"Where are they going?" Mike asked.

"I don't know." Sully added.

"They're going to close the door to this world." Cuchulain explained. "When there are heartless present, there is always some door to close."

"A door…?" Mr. Waternoose asked.

"I'm curious now." Mike added.

"Goofy, Donald," Cuchulain said, "You better go follow them. The rest of us will take care of things here."

"I gotcha…" Donald said. "C'mon Goofy."

"Right behind you, Donald," Goofy replied. The two loyalists accompanied the monsters and the key bearers.

The group entered the door hanger where a great number of doors still flew about on their rails. The key bearers looked about.

"The keyhole is here in the door chamber and still in tact." Riku said. "I can sense its energy."

"So which door is it?" Sully asked.

"It could be any of these doors." Mike said. "It'll take forever to find the right one."

"Not necessarily," Sora implied, "All you need to do is look in the right spot." The two key bearers sensed for the key. Sure enough, there was a twitch that caught their attention. The key bearers looked up to find a solid white door stationed on one of the other collection wracks with a single stain glass panel. And glowing on it was the outline shape of a keyhole.

"That's the one." Riku said.

"Well, let's take it back to the access chamber," Mike said, "Then we can open it up and see…"

"There's no need for that." Riku and Sora suddenly levitated themselves up into the air and hovered before the door.

"They can fly?"-

"They can fly?" Sully said.

"They can fly?" Mr. Waternoose added.

"Yes they can." Donald grumbled, "What it this, a Peter Pan musical?"

Aiming their keyblades at the door, the locking beams bellowed forth and struck the lock. Within seconds, there was a bright light and the keyhole slowly diminished from the doors surface.

"Mission accomplished." Sora said.

"Well, I guess we don't need to go to the access chamber do we!" Mike hollered.

"On the contrary," Riku said. He happened to look to the door next to the white door they just sealed. It was the closet door leading back to the blue room in Traverse Town. "Could you have this door sent back to the access chamber!"

"Not a problem!" Sully said.

"Get it to the chamber as soon as you can!"-

"We're on it." Mike replied.

"Goofy, Donald," Sora shouted, "Tell Cuchulain and the others to assemble in the access room as soon as possible. Tell them that we're ready to go!"

"We gotcha," Donald replied. "Anything else…!"-

"Yeah, get me a double cheese burger while you're at it!"-

"And a large chocolate shake!" Riku added.

"That sounds good," Goofy said, rubbing his stomach and licking his lips. "I could go for that too."

"He was being sarcastic, you knucklehead." Donald dragged Goofy along.

Later, the team assembled in the access chamber alongside Mike, Sully, and Mr. Waternoose.

"How are things going with the prisoners?" Sora asked.

"The faction prisoners captured will be transported by the alliance fleet within the next hour or so." Ophelia said. "Auron contacted them not too long ago."

"And with the help of the citizens," Cunla added, "The prisoners won't do anything rash."

"So everything's alright then?" Riku asked.

"So far, yes."-

"But even with the faction dispersed from Monsters Incorporated," Mr. Waternoose said, "The Company is still in a dire situation. Children are starting to toss aside their belief in closet monsters and soon, this company will fall into hard times along with the rest of the city to which it thrives."

"Mr. Waternoose is right." Sully said. "Without the screams of children, Monstropolis slowly wither away."

"That's not necessarily true." Sora assured. "You see, during our little escapade in the factory, we happened across a human child who was being kidnapped by the faction. We rescued her though. And in the process, we've found another source of energy that might be a little easier to gather than screams."

"Well what is it?" Goofy asked.

"What is it?" Donald added.

"It's children's laughter." Sora continued.

"Laughter…?" Mr. Waternoose uttered.

"Of course, instead of having kids anticipate with fear the appearance of closet monsters, you can instead have them anticipate with excitement the appearance of closet monsters. Find ways to make them laugh and have them coming back for more."-

"You know," Mr. Waternoose snapped his fingers, "That might actually work. I've heard of laughter being a source of energy, but I always thought that it was just a legend." He turned to Sully. "Sullivan, as of this day forward, you and Mr. Wazowski are in charge of assembling a new laughing division. We'll experiment for a few days and if all is successful, we will convert to the entertainment of children rather than initiating fear."

"That's sounds like a good idea, sir." Sully replied.

"Well, I see that you're off to a good start." Donald said.

"Alright you guys," Cuchulain said, "we better get going."

"Thanks for all that you've done for us." Sully said, shaking the hands of Riku and Sora. "Thanks to you, Monsters Incorporated has found a new ray of hope and all of Monstropolis has been restored of its dignity."

"Nothing to it," Sora replied.

"Alright," Riku said, "Let's head out."

With a final glance and a final farewell, Riku and the others walked through the door, leading back to the blue room of Traverse Town. Sora was the last to step through. He smiled and waved at Mike, Sully, and Mr. Waternoose for the last time before shutting the door. Sora waited for five seconds before opening the door again. But by that time, the access had been severed and only the back of the closet was visible.

"The way to Monsters Inc. has been cut." Riku uttered.

"Well at least we know they'll be alright." Ophelia said.

"C'mon you guys," Cuchulain declared, "Let's return to our quarters in the green room and have a nice long rest."

"Yeah," Sora said, stretching his arms and yawning. "I could really do a thousand winks right now, after all that we went through."

"Me too." Donald added.

"Me three!" Goofy concurred.

But just then, as the KH team prepared to exit the room and return to their usual quarters, General Triiken appeared in the doorway.

"Triiken…" Cuchulain said. "What's up?"

"You know perfectly well what's up!" Triiken replied, rather cross. "Your gummi ship has been ready for the passed fifteen hours. There was enough time to repair and upgrade it ten times over."

"Well, we had that issue in Monsters Inc to…" Goofy said, flustered.

"I don't want to hear another word! The longer you dilly-dally around here, the closer General Scimitar and her allies come to accomplishing them mission in Agrabah! Now get going!" The team sighed heavily.

"Well, so much for a nice long rest." Sora grumbled.


	45. The Forging of an Alliance

The Forging of an Alliance

Rain clouds hovered over the little kingdom of the former King Mickey. The Disney Kingdom had changed in its appearance. The cobbled streets and lively areas of the city, where thousands of people flocked for vacationing and nightly life, had been transformed into something more land and more militaristic. Banners bearing the name of the Midnight Faction hung from every building. In the torrential rain, the banners became heavy and soaked with water. Soldiers on patrol marched in tight formation with their draped overcoats to keep out the water. Many of the people were silent now, not as lively as they were before. Since their kingdom fell to the faction, they feel as though their world had ended and their days as a happy kingdom were ended. Now only misery and woe remained. Many households still mourned the loss of family members who were guards in the king's services who were killed by the Phantom Forces of the Midnight Faction.

The palace itself had been transformed. The once white and gold halls of marble and fine stone now seemed dim. The emblem of King Mickey had been stripped from the walls of the palace and replaced with the combined symbol of the heartless and the Cross of Conquest, the emblem of the former Dark Empire. It was in the king's throne room that the real tyrant made himself known. Lord Sirius Viicous had something wearing on his mind. Sitting in King Mickey's throne, he tapped his finger on the arm rest and stared out into space. His head lay mounted on the fist of his left hand as if he were either thinking or dying of boredom.

An attendant entered the room and worked his way to the throne. He placed himself before his lord, but Sirius Viicous did not seem to notice him. The attendant bowed respectfully before him.

"Is there something that I can get you, Your Excellency?" he asked.

"Has there been any word of further success?" Sirius Viicous wondered, still in that thinking position.

"We've received no messages my lord. But look on the bright side of things, Your Excellency; we have managed to ensnare a few helpful hands."-

"Is that so?"-

"Apparently, there was a young man whom our forces managed to capture in 'Central.' We apprehended his young sibling and his childhood friend. You might say he'll come in handy when it comes to dealing with the KH team. That is if they ever encounter him."-

"I understand that that young man had gained a reputation for himself in his world, being called the hero of the people. Do you know his name?"-

"I personally don't know it, but I do understand that he is a master when it comes to the art of Alchemy."-

"Alchemy is an obsolete practice, but I'm sure that it's still considered state of the art where he comes from." Sirius Viicous raised his head. He then stood up. "But what of our own activities, like within Monsters Incorporated?"-

"We've received no word from that world yet, Your Excellency." The attendant explained.

"If I do not receive word from Prince Kirin, I am going to send out word to him."-

"Of course, Your Excellency."-

Sirius Viicous then stood from the throne and walked passed the young attendant. He walked down the red carpet leading to the door.

"Where are you going, sir?" the attendant asked.

"There's something wearing on my mind." The Phantom Lord replied. "I'm going to take care of it. Inform me at once if something comes up."

"Yes, my lord."-

Sirius Viicous made no further conversation. Instead he walked away without a second glance. Down the hallway he went, the rain still hailing down like a thick curtain. He eventually came to a flight of stairs and descended downward. As he descended, a darkness tunnel suddenly opened up. Heartless appeared from its mouth, peeking from their domain. Sirius Viicous stepped into the passage without a care and disappeared from sight.

He eventually emerged out the other side of the passage, but when he did, he was no longer in the palace of the Disney Kingdom. Instead, he was transported to an underground dungeon, located far from King Mickey's domain. The darkness tunnel had led him to Cetorburg, a city located deep within the territory of the Midnight Faction. It was the place where King Mickey and Queen Minnie were being held prisoner. The atmosphere of the dungeon was like that of a Medieval, underground confinement area. Sirius Viicous passed the guards who stood up saluting him. He gave the word to remain at ease and the soldiers went back to doing their activity.

Approaching the door, which secured the solitary cells, he took from his pocket five puzzle pieces. Inscribed on the door, was the symbol of the Midnight Faction, which was a combination of the Heartless symbol and the Crest of Conquest of the Dark Empire. The symbol was the center piece of a large round dial, like that of a combination lock. Placing the five pieces in their proper place, the door suddenly made a loud clicking sound. The puzzle pieces had released the giant dial. A handle bar just over the seal, at the zero mark, suddenly emerged. Sirius Viicous took hold of the handle and began to turn the giant dial. The Phantom Lord turned the dial for two repetitions in a clockwise direction until reaching the twentieth dash mark. Then he turned it again, this time in a counterclockwise direction for one repetition until hitting the twenty-sixth mark. Then he turned the dial again in a clockwise direction, but went back to the zero position. Sure enough, after hitting the zero mark, there was the sound of mechanics going on behind the door. Sure enough, the giant door lifted up and vanished into a crevice in the ceiling.

Before him, there was a long corridor. Just next to the access gate, on both sides of the hall, were two solitary cells. Each one held both Queen Minnie and Daisy.

"I trust that you two slept well?" Sirius Viicous uttered.

"The Phantom Lord…" Daisy grumbled. "What are you doing here?"

"If it's any of your business, I'm here to speak to the former king of the Disney Kingdom."-

"You have no right to keep us here!" Minnie said. "You have no right to do this!"

"And who's going to stop me, eh? Your reign in the Disney Kingdom is over. The faction is continuously expanding without any interruptions."-

"The key bearers, the key bearers will be our hope."-

"The key bearers, are they the only ones you're depending upon right now? If so, I'll have you know that soon they will meet a sorry end. The Midnight Faction holds the greatest number of informants and soldiers left over from the former Dark Empire. The key bearers will definitely have a lot of obstacles to overcome."-

"You lie…" Minnie said. This was a shock to the ears of the Phantom Lord.

"What did you just say?"-

"I said you lie. I can see it in your bodily expressions. You may think I don't see it, but I do. The slight tremble in your hand only proves that things have been going wrong lately and fate hasn't turned in your favor. Am I right so far?" There was a pause between the Phantom Lord and Minnie.

"Very clever," Sirius Viicous chuckled, "Very clever. I must admit that you are quite observant. You're right that things haven't been going very well for us, but it doesn't matter to you. Because the moment the KH team approaches this realm, they'll be in for a little surprise." The Phantom Lord, bowed respectfully before turning away. "Now if you excuse me, I have a word to settle with your lover."

Sirius Viicous continued down the hallway. He unlocked a few more doors on the way, but simple lock doors this time, and descended down a long spiral staircase before arriving at the isolation cell where King Mickey himself was confined. The Phantom Lord unleashed his keyblade and opened up the door. The power of darkness and light combined was the only way to open his cell. The sealed door opened and light from the hall illuminated the inside of the confinement chamber.

Mickey, however, was treated more harshly. Unlike Minnie or Daisy, Mickey was shackled to the wall. Both of his arms were spread out cuffed and both of his feet locked by ball and chain making an uncomfortable sitting position. Sirius Viicous approached him.

"Well, well, well," Sirius Viicous uttered. "It is a real shame to have you placed in such an awkward position."

"What do you want?" Mickey said, bitterly.

"Now, now, that's no way to talk to your host."-

"If you're a host, then I must complain about the lack of hospitality I've been shown so far."-

"Still as defiant as ever, aren't you your majesty? You just won't humble yourself to me. Well, let me tell you that you better start because it's over for you." The Phantom Lord hovered over the king like a vulture. "You always wanted to be known? Well now you are. Now the Universal Alliance has sent out the KH team to rescue you. That's how important you are to them. However, I doubt that they'll get to you on time." The Phantom Lord folded his arms in front of him. "Let me tell you something, you can preach and scowl as long as you can, but there will be no one who will hear."

"You just wait." Mickey uttered. "Riku and Sora are the ones to bring an end to your reign. If they managed to battle against the Cavendish Shinobis and the whole of the Dark Empire, then they can sure hold their own against your forces."

"You will see how wrong you are though." Sirius Viicous chuckled. "I've learned from the mistakes of the Empire and I know how to handle this situation."

"It doesn't matter what you do. No matter how prepared you are, you'll still lose."-

"And how did you come to that conclusion?"-

"You were doomed from the start when you decided to carry out with the goals of the former Three Excellencies. Those who want to conquer all worlds for the sake of their own ambitions will always fail, no matter how much they debate that their cause is for the greatest number."-

"You believe that you can determine the fate of causes? Well, if things turn out right and the faction does succeed in its goal that will be the day that I mock you and your words." The Phantom Lord smirked before turning away. He exited the chamber before turning again for one last time. "Just consider yourself grateful that you're actually seeing light every once in a while. These little conversations of ours actually allow you to see the outside world for a few minutes or so. You might as well get used to the darkness because you'll be condemned to it for the rest of your days."

"You just wait…" Mickey uttered. "You just wait, Riku and Sora will succeed."-

"Not with special access to a certain world we conquered. Not even the Disney Kingdom had such access. This way, we can dissolve the Universal Alliance and other opposing powers from within. And there is no way they can track us down." The Phantom Lord turned his back on the king and sealed his cell. But before closing, Sirius Viicous uttered his final words to Mickey. "Consider yourself fortunate and I'm allowing you to linger in life for a little while longer." With a loud rumble and the low moan of the door sealing, Mickey was once again left in darkness. Sirius Viicous walked down the corridor and out of the special confinement area. He walked passed the special security door and had it resealed behind him. He took the five puzzle pieces from the door.

The captain of the guards approached the Phantom Lord and bowed respectfully. Sirius then handed the five pieces of the puzzle to the captain.

"Have these puzzle pieces burned." Sirius Viicous ordered.

"But Your Excellency…" the guard uttered.

"There is only one other set that exists and the Blade Generals will not give them up so easily."-

"I understand, Your Excellency." The captain walked over to one of the burning base torches, where the other guards gathered to keep warm, and threw the pieces in. The puzzle pieces crackled and burned before turning charred and black amidst the flames.

"If the KH team does make it this far, Give them hell."-

"I understand, Your Excellency."-

"I'm off back to the Disney Kingdom."-

"Of course, my lord..."-

Sirius Viicous opened another darkness passage. The Heartless peeked from the darkness. The Phantom Lord entered the passage and disappeared from sight. The door closed behind him and vanished from sight. The Phantom Lord emerged again in the grand hall of King Mickey's castle. Feeling assured of new success, The Phantom Lord chuckled to himself and made his way back to the throne room to wallow in this new praise. But it was on his way to the throne room that he would be told of the cruel turn the faction was facing.

The soldier who attended to his needs earlier that stormy night approached him at a quickened pace, with a fearful and worried look in his eye. He bowed respectfully before his leader.

"Sir," he uttered, "I would like to report."

"What is it?" Sirius Viicous asked.

"Prince Kirin is here to see you, Your Excellency."-

"What, Prince Kirin here? I distinctively told him not to leave his post at Monsters Incorporated, no matter what the cause."-

"We've received a further report on the fate of Monsters Incorporated from the transport captain in that world, Your Excellency. He says that the operations have failed. We've lost control of Monster Incorporated. It is now under the jurisdiction of the Universal Alliance." The report was not taken well with the Phantom Lord who was clutching his teeth and his fists tightly. He slapped the soldier down.

"Don't you dare lie to me!" he roared. "Do you know what the consequences are for giving me false information!"

"It's true, my lord. I'm merely reporting back what the transport captain and Prince Kirin provided me with."-

"Don't you realize that our operations in Monsters Inc. are very significant in order to make up for the other worlds we've lost! And yet you're going to stand before me and tell me this!"-

"I understand sir, but I just…"

"Silence, you worm, and get me Prince Kirin! I will personally have a word with him! And you better pray to God that his information proves false."-

"Yes sir." The soldier whimpered. He scurried off to retrieve Prince Kirin. His anger heightened and his frustration renewed, the Phantom Lord stomped off angrily back to the throne room.

Too frustrated and enraged by the news received, Sirius Viicous did not even bother to sit on the throne. Instead, he paced up and down with his hands in front of him. One hand, shaped into a fist, was always pounding itself into the palm of the other. At times, the Phantom Lord would pound so hard that he would cause his own hand to go numb. But this didn't seem to bother him. He was more focused on the report by Prince Kirin. He roared at the top of his lungs to let out his anger, but that single burst could be heard throughout the castle. He stomped his foot a few times on the ground, at times so hard that the marble cracked from the impact.

Just then, the doors opened and there coming down the red carpet was young Prince Kirin. He walked with as much dignity as he could, so as not to show that he was afraid. Being afraid before the might of the Phantom Lord was inexcusable. He bowed respectfully before Sirius Viicous. He then stood before the Phantom Lord. Though the eyes of his leader were not visible behind his mask, he could tell by the actions of Sirius Viicous that he was not pleased at all with his failure. Immediately, Sirius Viicous was enraged and did not ask for his officer to explain. Instead, he quickly began to lecture the prince.

"How dare you show your face to me!" Sirius Viicous said in a stern and irritated voice. "After what has happened, you certainly have enough nerve to present yourself before me."

"Your Excellency," Kirin uttered, "Please hear me out. There were complications that led to our failure in Monsters Incorporated."

"Is that so? From what I have heard by the other officers and members of your own support force who managed to escape was that our operations have come to a permanent halt. And yet you stand before me when you swore to me that you would defend that place to the death."-

"Sir, there were reasons."-

"Perhaps you misunderstood my orders about Monster Inc? Perhaps I did not make myself clear. Well, my friend, this must be made very clear. Monsters Incorporated was the last bastion and one stronghold that helped keep us afloat against the forces of the Universal Alliance and other opposing factions. And now with the Arakis Foundation out of the picture, the alliance and Red Ribbon Faction can concentrate a greater deal of their manpower and resources against us. Monsters Incorporated allowed us to eliminate our opponents without a trace, without any leads. But now that specific world is no longer under our secure control. And it was you, the leader of that realm, who is responsible for that defeat. A defeat and loss of this magnitude is completely unforgivable. I expected a warrior as esteemed as yourself to understand that. I put my faith and hopes into your abilities, but apparently I held them too highly."-

"Sir if I was to have sacrificed myself; it would have been a waste. And the KH team and their allies would have overrun the defenses within the next few hours, even if every man were to have fought to the death. I was dealing with no ordinary warriors. These warriors are the best of the best within the alliance, second possibly only to the Z team. I would have destroyed the facility if I had my choice, thus making Monsters Incorporated of no use to anyone, but you instructed me to preserve the factory and its functions at all cost, no matter what the circumstance."-

"Then why didn't you follow your instincts!"-

"I did, Your Excellency. I placed explosives in key areas within the factory, but the KH team somehow managed to deactivate them and prevented them from detonating."-

"You imbecile, you think that such an excuse is forgivable. The operations at Monsters Inc were critical to our success. And now because of your botchery, we have lost all hope of regaining a strong foothold against the Universal Alliance."-

"But you must understand the progress that we made in our time there, Your Excellency. We have managed to eliminate those certain Alliance officials."-

"I was expecting you to go for the throat! You were supposed to kill President Sneer and that blow would have brought the alliance tumbling down. But you failed to carry out your mission. I understand from our underground source that Sneer is still alive and well and continuing to lead the alliance against us."-

"We were preparing to initiate a strike, but the Universal Alliance somehow caught on and had guards stationed to accompany Sneer no matter where he went."-

"I don't want to hear anymore of the operations there! There's no use keeping them into account is there!" The Phantom Lord turned his back on Prince Kirin, who still knelt humbly before him. "And what of the memory stone? Did you manage to save that, or did it fall into the hands of the Universal Alliance and the KH team as well."

"I did not fall into the hands of the alliance, Your Excellency."-

"Well that's good. At least that's one thing you didn't botch up. Then hand it to me." But again young Kirin paused. He sighed and then looked up at his commander.

"Sir, I regret to tell you that the memory stone was destroyed." This further angered Lord Viicous.

"What do you mean it was destroyed!" Kirin, ashamed of his failure looked away.

"Riku managed to grab hold of it and destroyed it before my very eyes." He uttered.

"You blithering idiot!" No longer able to hold his rage, the Phantom Lord rushed forward and kicked Prince Kirin in his face. The young prince fell backward and skidded on the ground. A stream of blood trickled at the side of his mouth. He wiped the blood from his chin and looked up at the cold stare of the Phantom Lord. Though Sirius Viicous's eyes were not visible, his shivering fist was enough to clue Kirin that he had done something which angered his commander. He walked up to Kirin and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. He then yanked the young man close to his face. Kirin only looked away again. He could feel the hot breath of the Phantom Lord hitting his skin.

"Don't you realize that that stone was the only kind to ever exist? And now because of this incident, it is a thing that exists only in legend now!"

"Please sir, I am sorry, and I know that this failure is inexcusable. I will accept any punishment you see fit." The Phantom Lord jerked the prince away, causing him to hit the floor again.

"You will not be punished like any insubordinate soldier." The Phantom Lord shouted. "The only proper punishment for you is death, a slow, painful, and agonizing death." Sirius Viicous turned to Prince Kirin who was now looking at him in disbelief. How could his commander, whom he had been faithful to all these years, suddenly declare his execution because of single defeat? That was how severe and significant the defeat was. It was enough to order the execution of one of the faction's most favored commanders. "Therefore, you will be sentenced to execution." Sirius Viicous called out for his guards and four soldiers came in, their faces wrapped with black cloth, with a small slit revealing only their eyes. They stood at attention before their lord. "Have this disgrace removed from my sight. Prince Kirin is here by stripped of his title, his position, and his status within the Midnight Faction. Place him under arrest and stationed for torture and execution."

"Your Excellency?" the officer of the guards uttered.

"Are you questioning my orders!" Sirius Viicous shouted. The tension in the air was clear to the soldier that his lord was not one to be trifled with in the state of rage he was in. The officer ordered the other three guards to apprehend Prince Kirin. They picked him up and bound his arms behind him.

"But sir, you promised me that…" Kirin uttered.

"Oh, is that all that's on your mind right now?" The Phantom Lord scoffed. "Well, I understand how concerned you are regarding the whereabouts of your sister, but I guess you'll never find out about her now."-

"But the key bearers told me about her." The words of the young Prince Kirin shocked Lord Sirius Viicous.

"What did you say?" he uttered in amazement.

"The key bearers, Riku and Sora, they told me about my sister. They even went so far as to tell me her name. Her name is Kairi."-

"Heh," the Phantom Lord scoffed, shaking his head in silent rage. "So those meddlesome key bearers managed to reveal to you the identity of your long lost sister, the one whom you were separated at birth from. Well, I guess there's no use hiding the facts now, thanks to Riku and Sora opening their big mouths, now you know of your lost sibling."-

"If you please, sir, I would like to see her at least once. I have a name and knowing where Riku and Sora live, I know of the location of Kairi. Please, if you can just grant me a final request?" Sirius Viicous turned to the prince. He approached Kirin and placed his hand on his shoulder, giving what looked like a smile of compassion and kindness.

"Well, who am I to deny the request of a brother's wish to see his sister, one whom has not been aware of his existence from the start?" Just then, his smile turned to rage and struck the young man in the gut. The pain was so overwhelming that Kirin lost the strength in his legs and fell to his knees. The guards, however, held fast onto Kirin and kept him on his feet. They were not pleased with the way their lord was treating the young prince and two of them gave a dirty look at their lord. But the moment Sirius Viicous made eye contact, they turned away, hiding their sudden resentment. "I'm the Phantom Lord, that's who I am! And the fate of others depends upon my mood! And you, my young friend, have vexed me beyond reconciliation!" He then lifted Kirin's chin up. "Besides, I plan to kill her anyway."

"What…?" Kirin moaned, not able to accept what he heard.

"You heard me. I'm going to kill your sister. So there's no point in letting you see her is there?"

"But why…?"-

"For two reasons… The first reason is because she happens to be a close friend of the key bearers which frustrates me greatly. And the second reason is because of your failure to maintain control of a highly significant world."-

"So you'll kill her for something I've done?"-

"It's the only way to make others feel the shame of their failure or their deeds, by hurting the ones closest to them. Think of the death of Kairi as a way to make up for your inability to fulfill a mission and to make up for the actions taken against me and my soldiers by the KH team."-

"You can't do that."-

"I have news for you, Kirin, I can and I will and there's nothing you can do about it!"-

"You're…you're heartless…"-

"Of course I am. And in order to maintain universal rule, one has to be heartless even to his most faithful and closest comrades." He turned to the guards. "Get this sniveling wretch out of my sight!"

The guards picked up Prince Kirin and escorted him out of the room by force. In the meantime, another guard came in and kneeled before Sirius Viicous.

"Word from the leader of the Red Ribbon Faction, Your Excellency," The soldier said. "He is still waiting for your reply regarding and alliance with him."

"Is Admiral Rellantando that desperate?" Sirius Viicous asked. "I had hoped to avoid such an action. Otherwise, that would mean he would become an even stronger and more powerful enemy then before." The Phantom Lord turned away and pounded his fist into the palm of his hand. "But then again, the way things are going, the Midnight Faction had encountered significant flaws. Without those certain points under our control, we're at a standstill. Not even the overwhelming numbers of the Phantom Forces and the Heartless will be enough to battle against the Universal Alliance. Let alone the alliance, the KH team, the Coordinator coalition, and the other rivaling factions."

"He's in desperate need of your assistance, Your Excellency." The soldier continued.

"What was that?" Sirius Viicous was puzzled. "What do you mean he's in desperate need of our assistance?"

"Apparently, the Coordinator Coalition under the leadership of co-commander Athrun Zala has been badgering the supply lines and outer posts of the Red Ribbon Faction as well. Ever since those Coordinators engaged against our forces in East Central, Athrun's troops have been able to inflict severe casualties on our side. Heartless and elite S class soldiers alike were decimated by the mobile suits of ZAFT and the Earth Alliance. At the same time, they have been able to maintain a strong defense against the Red Ribbon Faction's counteroffensive in the north. Our forces have suffered a sufficient amount of fatalities in the East Central campaign, or so General Nightshade reports. And now Admiral Rellantando fears the same outcome of his troops. Already, he's lost six significant outposts and supply depots."-

"So, Rellantando is begging us for help, eh? I guess they fear Athrun Zala and Kira Yamato that much." Sirius Viicous unfolded his arms and then placed them behind him. "Perhaps this may work after all. With the sophisticated technology of Kambria and the Red Ribbon Faction and the endless number of soldiers of the Midnight Faction, we might just be able to withstand the attacks of the Universal Alliance and other opposing factions as a united front." The Phantom Lord then lowered his hands to his sides. "But then once we've vanquished our enemies, there will only be two of us left. And both Rellantando and I aren't about to give in to one another. There is no doubt that our blades will cross again. I must have a plan ready for him in case he dares to turn against me." He turned to his soldier. "Send word to Admiral Rellantando. We will discuss terms of a temporary truce between our esteemed organizations."

"Yes, Your Excellency." The soldier replied and scurried off to deliver the message.

"To think that I would go so far as to ally myself with a man like Rellantando," Sirius Viicous thought to himself. "He's no different from the Arakis Foundation, fighting for the sake of his own people's future, for the benefit of Kambria. Those Kambrians are too arrogant for their own good. But right now is not the time for me to go on pestering myself about the efficiency and openness of the Red Ribbon Faction. Because of that incompetent Prince Kirin of the Flaming Blades and his defeat in Monsters Incorporated, the chances of victory for me are reduced by at least a quarter, or at the most a half. If I can somehow keep Rellantando close to me and earn his trust, he will reveal all that is necessary to me. At the same time, I must be as silent and as devious as a coiled serpent. That way, when the time comes and things turn out for the worst, I can strike and strike fast."

Sirius Viicous made his way back to the throne room. He walked down the long red carpeting and sat down on Mickey's throne. But as he did, another soldier, this time a Lieutenant, came rushing to where he sat. He bowed before Sirius Viicous.

"Preparations are now complete, Your Excellency." He said. "The two men whom you have requested an audience with have arrived and are waiting to see you."

"As soon as I finish my business here, I will see them." Sirius Viicous replied. The Lieutenant saluted and went off to relay the message. But as soon as he exited the throne room, another soldier, this time a major, came before him.

"Your Excellency," he said, "News from the political front."

"And what is it?"-

"The Arakis Foundation has dissolved."-

"What do you mean?"-

"The Arakis Foundation has split into two separate powers. Ever since the leader of the Foundation, Mulian Arakis, abandoned his cause for universal domination by Oceanarians, there has been a breaking within the political structure."-

"Is that so?"-

"Apparently, the chief regent of the foundation, Lord Marcus Montague, has declared a coup de tat against the Arakis Family. He's managed to rally other disgruntled officers and political leaders, as well as forty percent of the Arakis forces. He also managed to bring in two other minor Imperial factions under his wing. He calls his new organization the Aryan Faction. And now their battling against the loyalist forces still faithful to Mulian."-

"This is excellent news." Sirius Viicous tapped his fingers on the arm rest. "I know of Marcus Montague. He was a subordinate of my late master. He may bark loudly, but his bite is weak. If we pull the right strings, we can have him quickly turn to our side. And once he's disposed of, we can take all his territory and his resources and man power. Then the Midnight Faction's forces would have doubled in size. Send word to Montague. Tell him that I propose and alliance with him and Rellantando. We can help Montague extinguish the last of the Arakis loyalists and aid Rellantando in the elimination of the Coordinator Coalition. Then once those nuisances have been eradicated, we can concentrate all of our forces on defeating the Universal Alliance and slowly reduce them little by little until there is no more."-

"Sir…!" the major said. He saluted and withdrew.

"This may turn out to be more beneficial to me than I thought." He then reflected on the matter regarding the torture and execution of Prince Kirin and the declaration to kill his twin sister, Kairi. "Perhaps, I was a little too hasty regarding Kirin's fate." He then reflected on the link between Kirin, Kairi, and the key bearers Riku and Sora and rethought his declaration. "Nah, it would be better off if they were all dead. If I show leniency now, then my future allies may find me soft and might want to overthrow me and take away everything I've worked for. No, incompetence will not be tolerated no matter what the circumstance. And Kirin's failure to hold a key position can never be pardoned." Lord Sirius Viicous sat in the throne for a little while longer. A few minutes elapsed before the same Lieutenant, who declared two individuals wishing to have a meeting with Lord Sirius Viicous, entered the throne room. He presented himself before his commander and bowed respectfully.

"The mercenaries are here, Your Excellency." The officer said.

"Show them in then."-

"Yes, my lord." He turned to the two individuals who were standing in the doorway of the throne room. Both were tall and lean. One was dressed in black and had long flowing, silver hair. He wielded a long sword at his side. Next to him was an even taller man, dressed in silver plated armor. His armor outfit consisted of mostly red with a splash of blue and black. On top of his head was a head piece, consisting of an elaborate oriental cap that fit on the top of his head. And from the cap, two large peacock feathers stuck out. They were so long that the weight of the length forced the ends to drape down behind him. In his hand, he held a mighty halberd with a gold dragon coiling around its staff. Sirius Viicous came before the two men.

"I'm glad to see that you have accepted my request." He uttered, "Now down to business."

Meanwhile, Prince Kirin had been placed in the castle dungeon. Though his confinement was not as solitary as it was for King Mickey in Cetorburg, it was still dank and lonely and not a single prisoner was about. The prince had been shackled to the wall and given rat infested food. From one of the most respected and highly prized commanders of the Midnight Faction, to a condemned man awaiting execution, things looked bleak for the young monarch. Now chained to a masonry wall, he wondered if the title of prince was even appropriate anymore. He was deprived of his officer's coat and his weapons were confiscated. The way he was treated on the way to his cell, Kirin was lucky that he still had the shirt on his back. He curled himself up in the corner of the cell to keep himself warm. There was barely any hay in the cell to make a barrier from the chill of the stormy night and blankets were absent in his sleeping area. He looked at the bread and observed it in the dim light. The bread was hard like stone and moldy. Green fungus grew in strands in the place where the bread was last bitten into. And in the caverns of bread's inside, weevils and maggots made a comfortable home. Kirin dropped the only morsel of food given to him, wanting to starve himself rather than eat the rancid leftovers from God knows when. He then took out the little pendant that hung on the thing band of gold around his neck. He looked at it, this half of a heart locket, and sighed sadly.

"I came so close to finding out what I wanted." He thought. "And now that I know where my sister is, I can't go to her. I'll never see what she looks like, though I know we were deemed twins. And she'll never know who I am, if she ever acknowledges that I existed at all. She'll never even know where I died. Will she continue to wonder or will she no longer care?" The locket glimmered dimly in the dark cell. "So far and yet so close…" Kirin then glanced at the sign that hung on his cell. _"Condemned for Treason"_ the sign read. That written statement tore Kirin to pieces from within. "I cannot believe that I've been condemned to death, all on account of a single defeat. Was it really that terrible? Was my negligence to maintain control of that world so wrong? I pledged my heart and soul to you my lord, saying that I would die for you and the cause you stood for, hoping that you would tell me of my sister, to help me find that one piece missing in my life. And yet because of one mistake, because of one defeat, you cast me aside declaring that I have no use? And even when I'm so close, when the answer is staring me straight in the face, you go back on your word, the promise that you guaranteed me the day you took me in?" Kirin then reflected on his mistakes that lead to his fate. "No, it is because of my incompetence that Monsters Incorporated was snatched away from me. If only I had taken better precautions, if only I had increased security and made more thorough a search of that world for any underground resistance, maybe these circumstances could have been avoided. Then again maybe death is what is best for me."

But again, as Kirin came to another conclusion, his mind refused to accept it. He wanted to live, but he also had his duty to the faction. He knew what the consequences were for failing to keep a key point under control. And failure would not be tolerated in such a scenario, no matter what the excuse may be. Yet, despite his duty, he found it rather harsh to be executed for one failure. For the course of the time he was in the cell, he pondered at the idea till his head was sore. Which mattered most, life or honor? If he were to choose life, then he may be able to escape somehow and see his sister at least once, but as a consequence his pride as a faction officer and turning against the one cause and the one man he pledged to uphold most dearly would have been in vain. Yet if he were to accept his pride as a faction officer first, his honor would remain in tact, but the void in his head would remain empty, not knowing of his sister. But as he thought and thought, he again reflected on events passed. This time, his mind went back to the moment he was freed by the KH team and allowed to return to his lord's side. He then remembered that of all of the KH members and all of their allies, only one was compassionate enough to have him released. Sora was the only one who showed him compassion and the only one who stood up for him. He then remembered those final words Sora told him.

"_Kirin, I'm letting you go for Kairi's sake. Even despite the opposition from my friends, I believe my action to be the right decision. Just don't let me regret my words."_

Those words were the key to finding the true path that he had to take. Kirin raised his head and stared beyond the bars, a stern and determined look on his face.

"I know what I must do now." He said. "The faction is determined to kill me for my failure, but I still have a mission to fulfill. I will choose life over honor and fulfill my lifelong desire, to fill the void within my heart. I will do what is right for my sister."

It was at that moment that there was the sound of scuffling and struggling on the top level where the entry to the dungeon was. Kirin looked about and saw shadows of men descending down the corridor. The sound of running feet echoed in the hall. Finally, the feet stopped at Kirin's cell. Standing before his cell were the four guards who apprehended him before. Their faces were covered with black cloth back then so as not to be so easily identified. But what Sirius Viicous didn't know was that the four guards happened to be the loyal bodyguards and subordinates of Prince Kirin. Their identities were hidden even from Prince Kirin himself. He didn't know of who these men were.

"Open the door." The superior of the four directed. One of the soldiers had confiscated the prison keys from the jailer.

"What are you men doing?" Kirin asked. The cell door was opened and the officer was the first to enter the cell. He and the others knelt before the shackled prince.

"Prince Kirin, sir," the officer said, "We're here to get you out."

"Get me out?"-

"Yes sir."-

"But who are you?"-

"You mean you don't recall who we are by the tone of our voices?" the second soldier said.

"No, I don't."-

"We were former members of your old outfit."-

"You were the one to help us escape with our lives during the Gui Fant campaign." He turned to the other soldiers. "Men, unwrap the cloth from your faces so our prince will know who we are. One by one, the four guards took off the cloth from around their heads.

Immediately, Kirin recalled those faces that looked upon him. He remembered their facial features well, especially in the intense battles against the Red Ribbon Faction's Kambrian troops and the capturing of the stronghold at Gui Fant.

"Yes…" Kirin replied. "I do remember you." He looked at each of the faces, starting with the officer in charge and moving down the line. He uttered each of their names. "Merrick, Minotaur, Kraken, and Welsh…" Merrick was the promoted officer of the four.

"That's right." He said.

"We didn't like the way the Phantom Lord was pushing you around." Kraken implied, being a rather stocky and jolly fellow.

"Yeah," Minotaur added. He was a tall and lean young man with a dark complexion, "He had no right to go on and execute a fine officer like you."

"Especially one as valiant and brave as you…" Welsh added, being a youth no older than sixteen.

"You shouldn't be doing this." Kirin said. "Don't you know that betrayal against Sirius Viicous can only be redeemed through death? This is high treason you're committing, aiding a condemned man."

"Sirius Viicous's dream means nothing to us." Merrick said. "He has no right to go on condemning people just because they didn't do what he told them to do. And besides, we four came to realize that our true loyalties go with you, Kirin."

"You're the man who saved out lives." Kraken uttered. "And now it's our turn to do the same for you."

"We can't just let you be executed." Young Welsh said. "Besides, you said that you were gonna see your sister right?"

"Yes…" Kirin uttered.

"Then let us hurry, sir." Minotaur said. "We don't want the guards aroused." They assisted Kirin to his feet and escorted him out of the cell and out the cell block. On the way, they confiscated his coat and weapons from the jailer who lay unconscious on the floor. The four guards took one of the tinted helmets and placed it on Kirin's head so no one would recognize him as they made their escape. They separated his weapons and separated the two blades amongst themselves, so no one would recognize the infamous weapon of the prince. Then in military fashion, they marched down the corridor like soldiers on parade. They walked as if on patrol, hoping that no one would be the wiser and stop them for questioning.

The five soldiers made their way through the palaces main hallway without incident. The other palace sentries on patrol took no notice of him. Some of them even saluted him since Kirin was the superior officer. The five made their way to the transport area where several transports were ready for departure.

"So far, so good," Kraken said. "Just a little further and you'll be home free, sir."

"Then once you're out of faction territory, you can go see that long lost sister of yours?" Merrick added.

"What about you four?" Kirin asked. "Aren't you coming with us?"

"We must return to our posts within the faction."-

"Don't worry," Minotaur said, "No one's seen us help you escape, so it could have been any one of us on duty who was responsible."

"And there won't be any leads."-

"Hurry," Kraken said, "Let's commandeer one of those transports."

"We'll watch you off sir." Welsh said.

Prince Kirin looked at the faces of his former subordinates and smiled. They handed him his blades and Kirin caressed the twin swords in his arms. He shook the hands of each and every one of them.

"Thank you, my friends," he uttered in a teary eye fashion. "Thank you for giving me this one chance to live. Perhaps in the future we will meet again."

"I hope so, sir." Merrick said.

Kirin gave a final glance before turning to head for one of the prepared transport. His soldiers watched as he boarded one of the transports. Things seemed to be going well and the transport was as well as his. But the moment he stepped on board, one of the attendants approached him.

"Excuse me, sir." He said. "This transport is destined to engage in our campaigns waged on the Relcom Empire."

"I'm terribly sorry." Kirin bluffed, "But I have orders from His Excellency to confiscate this transport."

"Do you have a written order?"-

"Of course," Kirin pretended to reach into his pocket. "I have it right here." The attendant looked to see, but as he glanced over, Kirin suddenly smacked him at the side of the throat, rendering him unconscious. The attendant collapsed to the ground.

Another one of the attendants on duty, holding a cup of coffee in his hand, saw the assault and quickly contacted for back up.

"Security, security," he said, "We have someone trying to commandeer a transport. Please send for back up."

"We're on it." The contact replied. "We'll have guards on their way."

"Thank you."-

This conversation did not go unnoticed by Kirin's comrades, who heard every word. Taking charge, Merrick approached the attendant in haste. He pretended to be an officer standing by.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"One of our transports is being hijacked, sir." The attendant replied. Just then, Merrick struck the attendant at the back of the neck. The attendant dropped his cup of coffee. The mug shattered and the contents within it spilled all over the floor. The attendant fell to the ground soon after and lay unconscious amidst the debris left from his coffee mug.

"Alright," Merrick said to the others. "Get that one attendant and put a tinted helmet on his head."

"Right..." Kraken replied. He and the others rushed to where the first attendant fell. Kirin took off his helmet and handed it to his comrades. They placed it on the man's head and pretended to apprehend him as if he were the culprit."

"You better hurry up and get out of here, sir." Welsh implied. "The guards will be coming soon."  
"Right…" Kirin replied. "Thanks again."

"Just hurry, sir.' Minotaur said. Kirin saluted and rushed to the cockpit. He ignited the rocket engines while his comrades picked up the unconscious attendant and dragged him away from the launching pad. The transport began to lift off just as the back up reached the launch site.

"He's getting away!" the officer of the support group said.

"No," Merrick said, "This is the culprit." They presented the scapegoat before them. "We managed to stop this man from hijacking the transport just when it was about to take off for Relcom. Have him taken away to the cell block."

"Yes sir." The officer then looked up and happened to glance up at the transport. From a distance, he saw the face of Prince Kirin looking down at what was going on. Kirin quickly ducked his head away from the transport window. "Well, I'll have this man back in his cell in no time at all."

"Then be on your way." Merrick said.

The guards took the attendant away, not knowing that it was not the real hijacker. As they watched the guards leave the premises with the prisoner, something concerned young Welsh who remembered their previous activity that took place at the cell block.

"Hey Merrick, sir," He uttered, "What about the jailer still knocked out at the cell block? Don't you think that the guards will be rather suspicious?" Merrick only smiled and turned his attention towards the little transport that ascended higher and higher into the sky. He saw the figure of Kirin give a wink and a two fingered salute. Merrick returned the favor in full, giving a wink and salute we well.

"No," Merrick chuckled, "Even if they were to sound the alarm, I think it's a little too late for them to pursue him."

Not long after, the attendant, who was rendered unconscious in the scuffle, finally came to. He gazed about under the tinted helmet and realized that he was actually being dragged away by two guards.

"What's going on?" he uttered. "What's the meaning of this? Why are you dragging me like this?"

"So you've finally come to." The head officer implied. "Just in time to see your hopes of escape be dashed as you're placed back in your jail cell."

"Jail cell? But I haven't done anything!" The attendant immediately began to panic, not knowing the situation. He began to struggle in the arms of the guards trying to resist being pulled to the cell block, but the guards did not let up and continued to drag him further towards the prison hall.

"No use trying to struggle." The officer said. "You'll be sent to solitary confinement for attempted escape."

"Let me loose; let me loose, you have the wrong man! I'm not a prisoner; I'm one of the launch pad attendants!"-

"And how do I know that? You could have just stolen that uniform from one of the other operatives, but then again, you were probably just some disgruntled personnel member who wished to rebel and was charged of disturbing the piece and sent to time on the cell block."-

"I tell you man, I'm telling the truth! I'm innocent, innocent I tell you!" But the man's words were futile and didn't seem to have any effect on the officer.

The men reached the cell block to discover yet another surprise. The jailer and the guards on duty had been rendered unconscious and lay piled in a corner. One of the guards was at that moment coming through, when he heard the approach of the retrieving party. The officer in charge ran to the man and assisted the men who lay on the floor. The one man shook his head.

"What's going on here?" the officer asked.

"I don't know…" the man replied. He then looked about and soon caught sight of the man apprehended by the guards. "What's all this then?"

"There's been a jail break from this block." He presented the man before him. "This man attempted to escape from his confinement quarters and hijack one of our transports."

"No, no!" the man screamed at the top of his lungs. "I'm not a prisoner!"

"Shut up!" the officer replied, bashing the man at the side of the helmet he wore, causing a dent on its surface. The man was once again rendered unconscious. "As you can see, he's certainly a violent individual and should be placed back in his cell to rot." The officer took off of the helmet of the so called prisoner, revealing the face of the unfortunate victim acting as the escaped convict in Kirin's place. "Welcome back to your confinement block."

"You idiot!" the jail guard said.

"What was that?"-

"That is not one of our prisoners!"-

"Of course it is. He was apprehended by our soldiers not too long ago as he was trying to hijack one of our transports." The officer said in his own defense.

"We've only had one prisoner recently confined on this block who could have escaped and this man isn't him."-

"Then who is it?"-

"It's Prince Kirin who was confined here. He was the only one sentenced to confinement in the castle cell block!" The moment the guard mentioned the name Prince Kirin to him, he remembered who it was that he saw in the cockpit of the escaping transport. "He was sentenced to be executed for failure to carry out His Excellency's orders and maintain control over a significant world! He was condemned to torture and death for this outrage!" Stunned, and without further words, the officer quickly ran to the alarm switch in the cell and smashed the protective glass to activate it.

Almost immediately, a loud siren began to bellow out throughout the entire castle, guards and soldiers who were on duty, or who were resting from their duties suddenly arose to hear the alarm. There was a loud announcement over the intercom.

"Attention, attention," it announced, "be on the lookout. There has been a jail brake. I repeat, there has been a jail break!"

"So they finally realized what happened." Merrick said. "But it's too late now. Kirin is already far from this airspace. Trying to catch up with him is futile." He turned to the three other men with him. "Remember, we didn't know that Kirin was the fugitive and we dedicate ourselves to His Excellency and His Excellency alone. And if any of us are found out, participating in his escape, we shall remain silent as the grave."

"Silent as the grave." The three replied in unison.

"Then fortune smile upon you." Merrick gave the order and the four men split up to help intermingle in the chaos within the palace.

The disturbance was found irritating to Sirius Viicous who was hearing the sirens and the muffled shouts over the intercom. These distractions were disrupting the peace of his meeting with the two mercenaries he summoned. Angered at all the commotion, he sent for a messenger to inform him of the activity that was going on. Sure enough, one of the soldiers appeared in the throne room where the meeting was taking place. He bowed respectfully to his master.

"Sir I humbly forgive me for interrupting your meeting," the soldier sniveled in a rather apprehensive and shaky voice.

"Never mind all the formalities," Sirius Viicous demanded. "Just get to the point! What in blazes is going on out there that involves the entire palace guard to go in an uproar!"

"There's been a jail brake, Your Excellency. We have every man available searching for him."-

"And exactly who is the one escaping?"-

"It's Prince Kirin…" The title of the escaping convict lunged deep within the Phantom Lord who was left in disbelief.

"What did you say?"-

"I said that Prince Kirin has escaped."-

"He's escaped, but how!"-

"We believe he may have had some accomplices, perhaps disgruntled soldiers. They managed to knock out the soldiers and the jailer in charge of the block and he somehow managed to escape without a trace. We believe, however, he may have hijacked one of the transports at the launch pad."-

"I want all available personnel to sniff out these men who helped a condemned man escape. I want all available doll units and attack squadrons to pursue and destroy him!"-

"Yes sir."-

"And make this declaration clear to the rest of the faction. Make sure that it's burned into their memory. Prince Kirin has been branded as a deserter, a coward, and a traitor to his lord. Have him killed on sight."-

"Yes sir." The soldier saluted and withdrew hastily.

"I will have all traces of Prince Kirin wiped away from the memories of every faction soldier." Sirius Viicous thought to himself. "He is a disgrace to have implanted in the history books."

"Is there anything wrong?" one of the mercenaries said from the shadows. Sirius Viicous turned to his comrades.

"There is no need for you to be worked up over this, gentlemen." He replied. "Prince Kirin will be easily dealt with. He may have a notorious reputation, but it's nothing compared to some of the other officers, let alone the three of us."

"Very true, very true…"-

"Now let us continue with out business and have no more of these interruptions."-

A full scale search was made and a pursuit was initiated as well. Several mobile doll units and at least three attack squadrons went in pursuit of the little transport. It was during this period that Kirin began to initiate his own alterations to the transports course. He set the coordinates of the destination to Destiny Island. The trip itself would take at least thirty minutes at the most. He prepared to initiate warp speed.

"It won't be long, sister." He uttered to himself. "Soon you and I will be reunited and the voids in our souls will be complete."

It was then that he picked something up on the radar, there were large bodies of separate units heading for him at an incredible speed.

"The faction is already on to me." He uttered to himself. "It didn't take long for them to find out I escaped and sent a posse to pursue me. I really do hope that Merrick and the others are alright and no one found them out." Kirin immediately activated the defense shields and prepared to activate hyper drive. He put the screen on visual and saw a vast number of mobile dolls pursuing him. Most of them were Taurus mobile dolls, since they were faster and more agile. "They're not fooling around this time are they?"

Suddenly, without warning, the pursuing forces unleashed a barrage at the transport. The shield deflected the attacks from the pursuers, but the impact of the blasts themselves caused the transport to shake and rattle violently. Still, Kirin held onto to dear life. "It looks like Sirius Viicous has declared no holds barred on me. He wants me dead. Otherwise, I would have gotten a declaration of possible surrender from the posse. That proves only one thing to me. I'm a renegade of the faction and can no longer return to my comrades." Kirin made ready to activate warp speed. "Then this is my good bye to all my former comrades. Good bye forever..." With one press of the button, the transport picked up a great deal of speed and vanished from sight and out of the posse's reach. The mobile dolls were not equipped with a hyper drive and could not pursue. And even if they could, they'd barely have enough energy left to engage in a proper fight.

It didn't take long for word of the failed pursuit to reach the ears of Sirius Viicous who had finished his meeting with the two mercenaries. The meeting had ended for a at least five minutes and the two men were already long gone before word finally came to the Phantom Lord. Another soldier appeared before the Phantom Lord and bowed respectfully.

"Your Excellency," he uttered, "I bear bad tidings from the posse."

"So Prince Kirin has escaped, eh?" Sirius Viicous uttered.

"Yes sir…"-

"I thought as much. I knew that a man like him would not be taken down so easily. He's certainly determined to find his sister. Oh well, it could not be helped."-

"Should we assemble another posse to pursue him to his destination?"-

"Not until I receive word from both Rellantando and Montague saying that they will consider a meeting. At this point, I have no choice, but to forge an alliance with them. Now with the Arakis Foundation dissolved into two rivaling organizations, the two mighty factions have once again become three. That means three separate fronts to battle. That means more resources and man power to use up. And with the loss of those key worlds, falling to the hands of the KH team and their comrades, our success of victory has been sliced in half. But if Rellantando does accept an alliance, we can face both the Aryan Faction and the Universal Alliance as a united front. And since the Arakis Foundation is no longer a threat, they are not ones whom we are to be concerned with. And if Montague declares an alliance with Rellantando and I, then us three can battle against the Universal Alliance itself. In fact, we would have given rise to the new Three Excellencies and possibly a new Dark Empire. Thus, we will fulfill the dreams of his late Excellency, Lord Cavendish and continue on the road to universal domination."

It wasn't long before an officer, this time of a lieutenant colonel, came in. He presented himself before the Phantom Lord and saluted respectfully.

"Sir," he announced, "Word from Admiral Rellantando, leader of the Red Ribbon Faction."

"Yes," Sirius Viicous asked.

"He says that he is willing to form an alliance with you. Admiral Rellantando declares a meeting with both you and Lord Marcus Montague of the Aryan Faction."

"He's already had contact with Lord Montague?"-

"Yes sir. He hopes for a possible unification of your three esteemed organizations, declaring that they were once part of the same great super power six years ago, the former Dark Empire."-

"Excellent, then give Rellantando a response. Tell him that I will accept a meeting with him."-

"Sir," The officer ran off to pass the word along.

"Will you need me still, Your Excellency?" the first soldier asked.

"You may return to your duties."-

"Thank you sir…" The young soldier scurried off in relief. No sooner had he gone then another officer, this time a major, came running into the room. He too bowed respectfully to his lord.

"Your Excellency," he said, "I have news from Lord Marcus Montague of the newly formed Aryan Faction. He announces that he would like to have a meeting with you, regarding an alliance with you and Admiral Rellantando of the Red Ribbon Faction." These words delighted Sirius Viicous.

"Excellent, excellent," he declared. "The pass the word along, pass the word along. Tell Marcus Montague that will accept his proposal and meet with him and Rellantando to discuss the forging of an imperial alliance with them."

"Yes, Your Excellency." The major replied and withdrew from the throne room to relay the message back to the Aryan Faction. Sirius Viicous, for the first time since his takeover of the Disney Kingdom, began to rave and shout for joy. He slapped his hands together and rubbed the palms against each other.

"Things are looking up for us now." He thought to himself. "Now the KH team and the Universal Alliance will have no choice, but to battle all three factions at the same time. With the financial backbone of the Aryan faction, the endless technological research and development of the Red Ribbon Faction, and the numerous manpower and resources of the Midnight Faction, we will be able to unleash a campaign against the Universal Alliance and their allies in a way they've never seen since the days of the dark Empire. Alone we were vulnerable, but now victory is in our grasp. And I can taste success already."

With the pact sealed, a dark alliance was formed. The three branches of the former Imperial regime had reconverted to form another great super power. Now with the former three branches of the former Dark Empire reunited, will the task for the KH team and their allies prove even more difficult? Will they even be able to will against a new menace unleashed in the Universe…?


	46. Agrabah

Agrabah

It had not been long before the KH team and their comrades reached the city of Agrabah. It was the mid morning when the little gummi ship landed quietly on the outskirts of the city, unobserved by anyone. The gummi landed on a rocky area where it was easily hidden from view. The rockets were deactivated and all engines ceased functioning. Donald sighed relief and lay back in the pilot chair.

"That was one heck of a successful landing." He uttered.

"Good work, Donald." Ophelia said as she put on her officer's shell jacket.

"Well, don't thank me. Thank these upgrades to the ship. With this new maneuvering and navigation system, I can steer this gummi like it was an extension of my arm."

"Come on you guys," Riku said, "We better get going. If we want to stop the faction in this world, we're gonna have to move."

"Good point."-

"Sora, let's get moving." But Sora was sound asleep in his chair. Riku walked up to him and took him by the shoulder. Sora slowly opened his eyes. "Let's go, Sora."

"Are we in Agrabah already?" Sora asked, groggily. He rubbed his eyes and looked about.

"Yeah…"-

"Man, just when I was getting comfortable." Sora got out of his seat and stretched.

"I know that we haven't had a lot of time to rest." Cuchulain said. "But the faction never stops and we're the only ones who are available to stop them."

"You're right."-

The latch of the gummi ship opened and the team hurried out. The hot desert sun could be felt beaming down on them, despite it being only the mid morning.

"Only the mid morning and it's this hot already." Cunla said.

"It's like stepping into an oven." Donald added. The team looked towards the city.

"So that's Agrabah, eh?" Cuchulain asked as he beheld the vast settlement. "Not bad, not bad at all."

"What's that large establishment at the end of the city?" Cunla asked.

"That is the palace of the sultan and his daughter, Princess Jasmine." Sora said.

"Talk about living in luxury."-

"Let's get down there and see if we can't find any traces of the faction." Riku advised. "If we're gonna discover the whereabouts of the faction in this world, it'll certainly be in Agrabah."

"Riku's right." Ophelia added. "Knowing General Scimitar, she enjoys these types of backwater settings. In a place as big as Agrabah, it's easy to conceal her agents."

Knowing the situation they faced, the KH team descended from their position at the outskirts of the city. They came to the gates of Agrabah. When glancing into the city streets, there was bustling business at the tiny shops set up at the sides of the road. Agrabah was a large city with vast and numerous market places and festivals. Conjurers, magicians, merchants, and farmers, both local and distant, were walking about, selling their trade for money. This fascinated the KH team as they strolled through the bizarre, amidst the crowds.

"Oh wow, just look." Goofy said. He looked at all the trinkets and material displayed at each booth, from fine silks, to sweets scent and herbs, to even the finest of tropical fruit.

"Can I interest you in some of these items, sir?" a peddler said as Goofy browsed.

"Would you like to try on these fair silk robes from the Far East?" another shouted.

"How about some of this fine perfume from India?" another implied from his booth.

"Well, I…" Goofy said, mesmerized by these exotic items.

"Come on!" Donald shouted, grabbing Goofy's ear and pulling him along. "We did not come here to do shopping!"

"But Donald…"-

"Shut up and keep moving! We're falling behind!"-

"Oh, alright…" Goofy shuffled his feet heavily, depressed that he wasn't able to look around. But it was at that moment that he heard another whisper from one of the booths.

"You look like you have not found anything to your liking, sir." The voice uttered. Goofy looked to find a short and pudgy looking peddler beckoning him over to his booth. Goofy knew that he had to keep up with Donald, but he was enticed by the little man.

"Ah, maybe just one last look." Goofy said. He walked up to the peddler.

"You are looking for something very, very special aren't you." The peddler said.

"Uh…yeah…?"-

"Well, I have something here that will be worth your while." The peddler pulled out from behind the booth a piece of gold. It came in the shape of a scarab, or at least half of one. "This is the most valuable piece I have."

"But…uh… it's only half of a golden bug or something."-

"Yes, you are right. This is the right half of two halves of a golden scarab. This half by itself is worth a great deal, but if one was to find the other half to this, they would have gained the key to unlock the door leading to legendry riches."-

"Legendary riches…?"-

"Yes. The legend says that he who unites the two pieces together shall be led to the lost cavern of vast treasures."-

"Really…?"-

"Yes…"-

"Now wait a minute though." Goofy had this rather suspicious look on his face as if he didn't fully believe the man's story. "How do I know that this ain't some kind of trick you're pulling just to get my money?"

"If I were conjuring you, sir, I would have presented you with both halves now wouldn't I?"-

"Well, I guess so." Goofy, tempted to purchase it, was caught between his temptation and his conscious.

Meanwhile, the team was still on the lookout for any faction activity. But sure enough, there was no sign of any real suspicious activity.

"Well, what do we look for first?" Cunla asked.

"We just have to wait for a sign." Riku replied.

"Why don't we just go to the palace and ask Jasmine and the sultan?" Sora asked.

"Let's not be too hasty. Things can change a lot in ten years."-

"I guess so, but couldn't we at least try?"-

"Sora does have a point." Ophelia added. "Perhaps if we could ask the higher ups about what's been going on, that might give us a straight forward answer to knowing what we want."

"You do have a point. But one fact remains. How do you plan on actually entering the palace? Even if Jasmine and the sultan know who we are, their guards aren't going to take that chance."-

"Then what do you propose we do?" Sora asked.

"I guess we do what Riku suggested earlier." Cuchulain said. "We just wait for a sign."

It was at that moment that there was the sound of shouting coming from down the street. Sure enough, the team realized that there was a chase going on. A young boy, dressed in rags, ran down the street with a loaf of bread in his hands. The guards were close behind him.

"Stop thief!" the chief guard shouted.

"Stop street rat!" another added. The boy was quick to escape his pursuers. But upon reaching the KH team, he suddenly tripped and the loaf of bread flew from his hands. The bread landed at the feet of Riku, who was surprised to see the chase end before him and his friends.

"It's a boy." Sora said.

"He must've stolen this bread." Riku added. He picked up the bread and wiped it clean. The boy could only watch as the bread was seized. It hadn't been long after when the guards finally caught up with the child and apprehended him.

"So, we finally caught you, boy!" the chief guard declared, grabbing him by the back of his shirt. "You'll pay for stealing."

"Excuse me…" Riku said. "What has this boy done?"

"He was caught stealing a loaf of bread."-

"Is that so?" he looked at the boy, ragged in appearance. Riku then pulled from his pocket, a gold coin. "I think this should pay in full for the bread." He flicked it upward and the coin landed in the hands of the chief guard. The guard looked at it.

"You are paying for this loaf of bread?" he asked.

"That's right."-

"Very generous of you…" the chief flicked it up and then caught it in his hand again before pocketing it. "However, justice must still be done. And this boy must be made an example of."

"What are you talking about? I gave you the payment for the loaf in full?"-

"That's right. You've paid for the loaf, but the boy's freedom is another."-

"You mean you're still going to arrest that kid even after we paid for the bread?" Sora asked.

"That's correct. If you want to make something of it, then go ahead. But I warn you, if you start anything, then you as well will be apprehended for disturbing the peace."-

"You're nothing, but a corrupted official then."-

"Silence boy!" He turned to the soldier holding the boy. "Take that whelp to the palace dungeon."

"Yes sir!" the soldier replied. He scooped the boy up and confined him in his arms, carrying him away like a log. In the meantime, the other soldiers, including the chief, drew their swords.

"As for you, you need to be made an example of as well."-

"Why you…" Sora uttered. But Riku held him back.

"Sora," he uttered, "Don't be too reckless. There may be faction operatives about and we don't want to draw them here to this location."

"I'll handle these guys." Cunla said, stepping forward.

"Cunla…" Sora uttered.

"Get back, Cunla." Riku declared. "Don't get involved in this. We can't get into anymore trouble than we already have."

"Riku," Cuchulain said, "Let Cunla handle this."

"But…"-

"If you or Sora engages in battle, your keyblades will attract the attention of the Heartless, if there are any Heartless present in this world. That in turn will cause the faction to concentrate their attention on us even more. Let Cunla handle this. He'll be able to dispense with these upstart guards without having to draw his blade if he really wanted to." Riku was still against the decision of letting Cunla fight, but knowing his experience and the wisdom of the Hound, he knew better than to argue. He stepped back and allowed Cunla to take his stance.

In the meantime, Donald and Goofy just arrived in time to watch the fight commencing. Donald looked at Cunla making ready to battle ten large guards, each two to three times his own size and all armed to the teeth with large scimitars.

"What's going on?" Donald asked.

"Cunla's about to battle." Riku replied.

"Speaking of which," Sora added, "Where did you two go off to?"

"I caught this chuckle head browsing the stands for a souvenir!" Donald aggressively pulled Goofy by the ear. "You didn't happen to waste all of our money on junk did you?"

"Well…uh…" Goofy mumbled.

"Oh, you did, didn't you! I knew I couldn't trust you to go browsing about without purchasing some gadget. What did you get this time, a pot, a bowl, cheap jewelry, some conjuring kit, or perhaps another doll that looks like you!"

"Now is not the time, Donald." Sora implied. "You'll distract Cunla." Donald and Goofy quickly stopped their bickering and drew their attentions to the battle commencing in the street. The citizens of Agrabah quickly withdrew, not wanting to be involved in any fight that may erupt unexpectedly.

"Look at my boy." Cuchulain uttered, proudly. "He's so focused, so determined, with nothing on his mind than the battle at hand."

"Be careful, Cunla…" Ophelia said.

"Thanks, but I won't need to be." Cunla replied. "These guys are nothing."

"A little overconfident aren't we boy?" the chief guard scoffed. "You actually believe you can fight us all?"

"I don't believe, I know."-

"Someone needs to put you in your place boy! Then if you're so willing to meet you creator, so be it! But I warn you that no one has ever stood up against Razoul and the elite palace guards and emerge victorious!"-

"Palace guards, eh?" Sora said. "Then maybe they can help us gain access to the palace."

"Fat chance of that happening though," Riku replied. "After this battle, there's no doubt that these guards will hold a personal vendetta against us."

"Take him!" Razoul shouted. The guards quickly ganged up on Cunla. But the boy only knelt down, with his hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword. With lightning fast reflexes, Cunla rushed through the crowd of guards and emerged at their rear, his sword now drawn out. He gently sheathed it back into the scabbard. The guards were so stunned. They happened to look down and notice that their sashes had all been cut. And along with the sashes went the support that held their pants up. The trousers of the guards fell to their ankles revealing a variety of different colored trunks. While some were light blue, others were pink with white polka dots, and others white with red stripes or white with red polka dots. Immediately, there was a great roar coming from the crowd as they bawled out in hysterical chuckles at the sight of the half nude guards.

"Well, well," Donald chuckled, folding his arms in front of him. "Check out all the colors of the rainbow."

"How about all the colors of the wind?" Goofy snickered. "Get it, wind, a draft?" Donald lowered his head, giving a heavy sigh.

"Work on your punch lines, will you?"-

"You idiots," Razoul shouted as he pulled up his trousers, "Don't let this boy get the best of us!" The other guards quickly picked up their pants and fastened them as best they could, though their trousers had a tendency to slip every once in a while. They drew their swords on Cunla again. Cunla turned about.

"So I guess being caught with your pants down on a public street wasn't enough for you." Cunla then happened to glance to his right and saw a rickety old fruit stand, owned by a local peddler, old and fragile in appearance much like the stand he stood behind. It stood on four flimsy legs, looking as thought it would fall from the shear weight of the produce. With barely any movement in his drawing and sheathing of his sword, Cunla cut one of the legs. The stand collapsed to one side and a wave of fruit, consisting of melons, apples, and pears went tumbling down like an avalanche. Razoul and the guards were caught in the melee and many of them fell, some slipping backwards and going backside over elbow, while other dripped over the fruit and fell face forward. The guards were covered in fruit extraction. Some of the guards suffered melons stuck on their heads. Other guards had three or for apples shoved in their mouths. Some resembled a fruit salad or a roasted pig. Cunla picked up a one of the apples and turned his attention towards the guard who was still dragging the boy to the palace dungeon. Cunla jumped into the air and quickly scanned the area. Sure enough, he saw the guard's white turban gleaming in the sun.

"Now to help the kid…" Cunla thought to himself. Taking swift aim, calculating the distance, he threw the apple at the back of the guards head. The apple flew through the air and struck the back of the guard's head from over a hundred yards away. The guard fell unconscious, with his face in the dirt. The little boy on the other hand, freed from his oppressor, hastily dashed off into one of the back alley streets.

"Did you see that?" One of the citizens from a second story window uttered. "That kid actually struck that guard at the back of the head with an apple from a great distance away." Cunla landed on the ground and then quickly leaped over the heads of his assailants after that, joining the other members of the KH team.

"Well," Cunla chuckled, "Have you guys had enough? Not only did I pummel all of you with fruit, but I also managed to save that kid you apprehended."

"You little brat," Razoul shouted, "This injustice will not go unresolved."

"What injustice?" Riku uttered. "You guys wanted to test your might against Cunla, well now you have."

"Shut your mouth." Razoul drew his sword up again. His men rose up as well, still covered in fruit. "Do you think you can fight the palace guards and not be punished for it? You are fighting the authority here."

"These guys don't want to give up do they?" Sora said.

"We may have to finish this for good." Riku uttered.

The KH team made ready to battle until the upcoming fight was interrupted by a shout from above.

"That is enough!" the voice shouted. The team and the guards looked up to find a flying carpet hovering over head.

"What is that?" Donald asked.

"Who is that?" Ophelia added.

"Is that…" Sora uttered. "Aladdin…?"

Sure enough, as the carpet landed between the two sides, there stood the former street rat. The young man was clothed in a beautiful egg white wardrobe with gold trip. Upon his head was a white turban with a blue feather sticking out as the center decorative piece. On his shoulder was his little furry companion, Abu the monkey. Aladdin stood up from the flying carpet.

"That's enough Razoul." Aladdin said. "This fight is over."

"But these ruffians dared to attack the palace guards." Razoul replied.

"Your task is to maintain the peace and prevent trouble. Not start it."-

"I understand, prince…" Razoul's stomach turned as he uttered the title of prince towards Aladdin. He turned to his troops and gave them the signal to sheath their swords. The guards did as they were told and placed their blades back in their scabbards. "Alright, withdraw from here. There's nothing more to achieve." The guards, disgusted at the result, withdrew and continued with their duties of patrolling the area.

Aladdin then turned his attentions towards Sora, Riku, and the other KH team members. Aladdin at first had that serious and profound look on his face. But it eventually faded into that same smile that he showed when he and the KH team first met. Sora nodded his head in respect and smiled back.

"You know better than to attack the palace guards." Aladdin said. "It's good to see you again, Sora." Aladdin extended his hand. Sora extended his hand and the two old friends shook hardily. Abu squeaked and squawked most joyously, welcoming his old comrades. He then he then looked at some of Sora's comrades. "I see there are others amongst your party."

"Oh, yes, allow me to introduce you to my other comrades." Sora went up and down the line introducing each of his comrades. "Goofy and Donald I'm sure you remember. Then this is Miss Ophelia Billiard, Cuchulain and his son Cunla, and of course my best friend, Riku."-

"It's a pleasure." Aladdin said.

"Your majesty," the peddler, who owned the demolished fruit stand, uttered. "What about my fruit, all the produce lost?"

"Here you go." Aladdin took out a bag full of coins and gave it to the peddler. "This should more than cover for the damage." The peddler opened the bag to find solid gold coins contained in it. He fell to his knees and grabbed the hand of Aladdin. He kissed his hand as tears rolled down his eyes.

"Thanks be to Allah that he has sent down such a kind and compassionate prince."-

"There's no need for you to kneel before me. I was once one who started like you did, roaming the streets." He helped the peddler back to his feet. "Now go ahead and go about your business."

"Thank you…" the peddler bowed and returned to his home.

"You're a prince now?" Sora asked.

"That's right," Aladdin replied. "But just because I'm a prince doesn't mean that I confine myself to the palace grounds. I've been given permission by the Sultan to make sure that the poor are treated just as well as those in the more well-to-do areas."-

"I guess coming from a poor and humble background does teach you good morals and proper ethical beliefs."-

"Now, what do you say we get out of here and head back to the palace? I'm sure Jasmine and the others would be pleased to see you."

"Sure…"-

The KH team followed Aladdin back to the palace, little knowing if there was anyone besides themselves and curious citizens who were watching the battle that unfolded in the market place. The palace itself was as grand and pleasant to the eye as it had ever been before. With its high walls and fabulous motifs, the Sultan's domain was virtually unrivaled throughout the kingdom. Its mushroom tiers reflected the suns rays as brightly as the sun itself. The team was lead passed the main gates and up a flight of stairs, leading to the grand hall of the palace itself. The hall was a glorious as it was ten years before, when Sora, Goofy, and Donald first battled the heartless. The motifs and Arabian design were a combination of red, gold, and blue.

"I was just wondering," Sora asked, "How have you been doing all this time, Aladdin? Have you been living here in the palace?"

"You might say that." Aladdin replied, smiling.

"I guess you must have put on quite an impression with the princess."-

In the meantime, some of the team members admired the exquisite tapestries that hung from the walls and the ceiling, giving a sense of comfort and security.

"Not a bad looking palace." Cunla implied.

"This is definitely worth of royalty." Ophelia uttered.

"Jasmine, Sultan," Aladdin cried, "Everyone, come here quick, we have some guests."

Sure enough, from out of the next room, Princess Jasmine and the Sultan appeared. Jasmine was dressed in a new array of clothing, with a hint of purple and gold. The Sultan, as fat and jolly as ever, wore an almost identical outfit to Aladdin. Accompanying them was Rajah, Jasmine's tiger.

"And who are these guests you speak of?" Jasmine asked.

"Guess who I found hanging around in the market place." Aladdin stepped out of the way to reveal young Sora and his comrades.

"Well, well, as I live and breathe, it's you Sora."-

"Good day, Princess Jasmine." Sora replied.

"It's been a while hasn't it."-

"Too long…" Jasmine then looked at the others trailing behind Sora.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise, young man." The Sultan said. "You are the same boy who saved our world before am I correct?"

"Yes, your majesty." Sora replied.

"Oh I say, just as kind hearted as before, eh? I guess some things never change." He then glanced behind Sora to see the rest of the team. "Oh my, you've certainly gathered a large congregate of friends this time."

"And are all of them your friends?" Jasmine asked.

"Yes, yes, they are all my friends." He presented each one before the Sultan and the Princess. "My friends Goofy and Donald, and even Riku you should know by now." Goofy, Donald, and Riku bowed respectfully to the princess and her father. "Then of course there is also Colonel Ophelia Billiard, Cuchulain, and Cunla."

"A pleasure your majesties." Ophelia implied, bowing as the others did.

"You are all welcome here." The Sultan implied.

"Thank you for your hospitality, sir." Cunla uttered.

"Hey there!" a voice suddenly shouted. The team looked up to find a familiar blue genie hovering above them.

"Who's that?" Cunla asked.

"That's Genie." Aladdin replied. He then noticed the flying carpet and a red parrot flapping down as well. "And look, Carpet and Iago are with him too."

"Iago…?" Riku uttered. "Wasn't he Jafar's parrot though?"-

"Well, there were some events that lead him to our side."-

"I see."-

Genie, always liking to make an entrance, flocked down into the middle of the group.

"Well, well, well," the blue genie boasted. "It's been so long hasn't it, Sora. Why I remember the days when we fought off that ugly old witch with the green face!" Genie immediately began to shape shift, impersonating Maleficent. "Or even that crazed silver haired kid in the black jumpers." Immediately, he made an impersonation of Riku.

"Crazed silver haired kid, eh?" Riku uttered. Genie happened to glance over to find Riku staring at him with a sneaky look on his face.

"Ah!" Genie's eyes bulged out of his head, accumulating a bizarre Model T honking sound. "It's him, he's the one!"

"Relax, Genie," Sora assured him, "This is my best friend, Riku. You've met him before."

"Oh really…!" Genie suddenly grew to enormous side. Sticking his chest out, he confronted Riku. "Then if you're Sora's best friend, I have one thing to say to you!"

"And what's that?" Riku said, accepting a possible challenge.

"What makes your hair silver anyway?" Genie mumbled in a rather high and goofy voice. "You have too many worries on your mind; you bleach it, or what?"

"Now's not a good time to be aggravating him." Sora implied. "Riku can easily blow his stack. And you don't want to know what he looks like when he's angry." Genie, taking not of Sora's words, zipped his lips shut, literally.

"Hey there, kid," Iago blasted out with that extremely irritating voice of his as he landed on Sora's shoulder, "So you're the same pipsqueak that fought Jafar those many years ago."

"I remember you, Iago." Sora said. "One of the good guys this time I see."

"Eh, it's a living. You think that I was gonna stick with that overstuffed Jafar this whole time. If he had his way, he probably would've been plucking the feathers off of me had have me roasting in an oven. With these guys, I think I have a better chance of reaching a retirement age, that's all, if you get my drift."-

"For a bird, you certainly squawk a lot." Cunla said.

"What do you mean by that, kid!" Iago flew in front of the Hound's son. "Are you implying that I have a big beak!"

"Well, to be honest…yes…"-

"And you think that's odd!"-

"I just mentioned it because I haven't met anyone with more mouth than Donald."-

"And just what are you trying to say exactly!" Donald interrupted, with a rather annoyed tone. "Are you saying that I talk too much!"

"It's not that. I was just simply making a…"-

"A what!"-

"Yeah kid, a what!" Iago added.

"Easy, you two, easy," Aladdin interrupted. "I'm sure the kid doesn't need to be squawked at by two birds." Genie suddenly appeared behind Iago and slapped a piece of tape around his beak.

"Sorry about that," he said. "You have to forgive Iago. It's nobody's fault that he has a motor mouth."

"Anyway," the Sultan implied, "That's enough arguing about which bird has the loudest beak. Please friends, make yourselves comfortable while you are here in the palace?"

"Yeah," Aladdin added. "We'd like to know what's been going on."

"How about throwing a feast, father?" Jasmine asked.

"A feast?" the Sultan uttered. "Why yes, a feast, a feast is good. Come, come, and let us prepare a royal meal so that you may enjoy your stay as well as my hospitality."

"Oh boy…!" Goofy shouted. "Food...!"

"We actually get to eat?" Donald added, letting his aggression die down, thus leaving Cunla alone. He and Goofy linked their arms and danced about.

"Food, food, food, food, food, food…" they sang. Goofy began to sing the 'Turkey and Lobster song.'

"That is a tempting offer, your majesty." Riku said, giving a sigh. "But unfortunately, we have other matters to attend to here."

"What, no food…!" Goofy and Donald moped.

"Riku's right," Sora added. "We have other things to worry about now."

"We came here for a purpose." Cuchulain said.

"Other matters…?" Jasmine asked.

"What sort of matters?" Aladdin added.

"Well…" Sora uttered. He then looked about in a suspicious manner. He then walked up to Aladdin. "I think it best that we don't speak of it right now. Let's have a private meeting in a more enclosed area."

"Of course…" The Sultan replied. "It must be of great importance."

"It is." Cuchulain explained. "And it's something that we need to discuss with you as well."

"Then by all means, let's retire to the study."

The KH team quickly followed the Sultan to his private study. Little did they realize that not too far away, another plan was being hatched, this time by old enemies.

Amidst the desert sands, General Saber awaited the arrival of special package. Alongside him was the last of the two surviving Blade Generals, General Scimitar. She was the only woman amongst the original five, but she was considered to be the second strongest of the Blade Generals. She had light red hair, more blonde actually, and it was bound tightly into a ball at the back of her head. She had those piercing green eyes. She wore a grey faction uniform, which came standard to most officers. She also wore an officer's sash that hung from her right shoulder and draped down across her chest, latching together at her left hip. Around her neck was an officer's crest, giving only to female generals. Scimitar wore a gold shoulder guard on her right shoulder. Opposite that, a black cape with red lining draped down on her left shoulder. It was fastened by a gold colored tie that held tightly under her arm. She wore black, baggy trousers, tucked into high white, officer boots. She even wore two gloves, a standard officer glove on the left hand and a white arm guard gauntlet on the right hand.

Alongside them was a local sorcerer, considered to be the best of the best in the region. He was even considered to be even greater and more talented than Jafar, who was the former royal vizier of the Sultan. Unlike Jafar, who was middle aged, this sorcerer was young and fair in appearance. He wore an Arabian sage's outfit, consisting of mostly black and blue with a hint of gold. His left hand was bear with no glove to cover his delicate skin. However, on his other hand, he bore a sorcerer's gauntlet which enhanced his spell casting abilities. He was the lord of the black sands and a powerful rogue sage. His name was Mozenrath. And hovering over him, almost like Iago used to do with Jafar and now with Aladdin, perching atop their shoulders, a mysterious flying eel named Xerxes levitated next to Mozenrath.

The three individuals were mounted on horseback, awaiting the arrival of a lowly thief who was arriving with a package for them. The sands blew around them as they saw the thief coming at charging pace on a black horse. When approaching the three within speaking distance, he pulled the reigns and the horse stopped instantly, making a whinnying cry as his skidded for a few feet across the stand before halting entirely. The thief dismounted from his horse and presented himself before the three.

"Well," Saber uttered, "Do you have it?"

"Yes, sir," the thief replied, "I had to cut a few throats, but I finally got what you desired." He took out from his tattered robe, a half of a golden scarab, the other half that the peddler had tried to sell to Goofy in the market place.

"Very well done," Saber drew out his hand. "Now if you please."

"I don't think so." The thief uttered, clutching it tightly in his fist. "First things first, we must discuss the matter of payment." But just as he finished speaking, his hand suddenly closed as if there was no golden scarab in his hand in the first place. The thief looked down at his hand and realized that the piece was gone. He shifted around, seeing if he dropped it. "Where did it go?"

"Thank you very much for your services." Saber said. He opened up his hand and revealed the missing piece. The thief was stunned.

"But…but how did you…?"-

"To the matter at hand first," Saber glanced at the piece. He then looked coldly at the thief. "This is only one half, one of two pieces. Where is the other half?"

"Another half, there was no other half, sir." Saber tightly clutched the reigns of his horse's bridle.

"Mozenrath…"-

Mozenrath suddenly lifted up his gloved hand and locked the thief in place. The thief, confused, bewildered, and frightened on what was going on, immediately began to struggle. Saber rode up to the thief and drew out his saber. He then held the blade to the side of the thief's throat.

"Please," the thief pleaded, "Don't kill me."

"I know that you have the other half of this scarab with you." Saber uttered. "Give it to me."

"There was no other half. I was not able to find it."-

"And why should I take your word for it?"-

"I swear, sir, it is the truth."-

"Another lie… Why must you keep lying to me?"-

"I'm not lying, general." The thief dared not make any sudden moves, fearing that the saber might actually cut his throat.

"You are a lowly thief. You steal and kill without a second thought. You lie in order to get your way or in order to self preserve the profits you've gained and the profits you keep, like your life. As far as I know you're lying now in order to stay alive."-

"I am telling you the truth."-

"And what is your proof?"-  
"I swear by Allah!"-

"You're not a man who follows religion and cares not whether a great Deity sees you do wrong or not."-

"I tell you that I am not lying, by all the powers of heaven!" The thief drew out his dagger and clutched the sharp blade in his hand. Then, with one streak of the blade across his flesh, the thief cut his own hand. The blood began to drip from the massive cut and landed on the white desert sand. Each drop was covered by the blowing grains. "Let this act be my proof that I speak the truth." Saber watched the blood drip from his hand. Taking into consideration the act of the thief, the Blade General withdrew his saber and sheathed it back into its scabbard.

"I suppose you are telling the truth." Saber uttered. "No thief would have sacrificed his own hand and endure pain if he were lying." Saber slightly turned his head in Mozenrath's direction. "Release him…"

"As you wish..." Mozenrath replied. He lowered his glove and released the thief. The thief fell to the sand, grasping at his cut hand. He quickly tore a piece of cloth from his tattered robe and bound his hand to stop the bleeding.

"You should consider yourself lucky." Saber told the thief. "Not a lot of dishonest men ever get passed my blade, but you have proven yourself worthy."

"You are kind and compassionate, sir." The thief replied.

"I expect you to find the other piece then."-

"I will, sir."-

"Then be on your way."-

"Yes sir." The thief bowed respectfully and turned to mount his horse. He turned the horse about in the direction from whence he came and began to ride off. But the moment he did, Saber raised his left hand, giving General Scimitar a signal. Scimitar suddenly unleashed a bladed ring, called a chakram, and threw it like one would throw a boomerang. The bladed ring screamed through the air and from a distance of a hundred yards, it cut down the thief. The thief fell from his horse and lay dead in the burning sands. The chakram returned to the one who threw it. Scimitar caught it by its handle and placed it back at her side.

"You're becoming quite a marksman with those chakrams." Saber uttered.

"You are too kind, sir." Scimitar replied.

"Why did you kill him, General?" Mozenrath asked. "I thought we were letting him go?"

"A dishonest man will always turn his back on you when you least expect it. Even a lowly thief will go so far as to inflict damage on himself in order to make his claim more convincing." Saber turned to Scimitar. "Have the men retrieve the body and have it searched before the desert sands claim him."

"Yes sir…" Scimitar replied. Scimitar turned her horse about and looked upon her men, who waited on the other side of the dune. "Retrieve what is left of the thief." The soldiers quickly rallied and headed towards the area where the thief fell.

"Is the cave of wonders really that significant to you?" Mozenrath asked.

"The cave of wonders is the secret domain of myth and legend." Saber replied. "One who enters that domain will find enough riches there to last them a lifetime."

"Is this for the sake of the hunt then?"-  
"You misunderstand; it is not the treasures of the cave of wonders that I'm worried about. Rather, it is something else more valuable. Or to be more precise, it is two things that are extremely significant. One of those two items is not found in the cave of wonders."-

"Is that the reason for your coming to this world, General Saber?" Scimitar asked. "I knew that there had been a change of plans, but I thought that I would be handling this myself. I never expected you to be taking charge personally."

"Oh no, this task requires two of us, or should I say three of us."-

"Is that why you hired my services?" Mozenrath asked.

"We want two certain items, one must be found and the other must be forged. We need means to increase our revenue as well as make us invincible. You want to become the greatest and most powerful sorcerer who ever lived am I correct?"-

"That is correct."-

"Well, in order to carry out our mission, we must work together to succeed."-

"You need us to succeed and we need you to succeed." Scimitar added.

"I told you that it would be worth your while."-

"I only wish to rule this world." Mozenrath said. "I want to prove that I am the best of the best."

"And so you shall, Mozenrath, so you shall." Saber chuckled. "You just have to stick to the assignments you've been given. Let us handle the rest."

Just then, the soldiers returned to confront their leaders.

"Well," Scimitar asked, "Did you find the other half of this scarab?"

"No, madam," the officer in charge of the dig implied. "We checked all of his pockets, his robes, his hat, even his shoes, but there was no sign of the other piece."

"So, the thief was telling the truth after all."-

"Damn…" Saber uttered. "Such a burden we've placed upon ourselves just to find these two pieces of the scarab." He turned to Scimitar. "Have you managed to search every town and city up to this point?"

"Well, not exactly all of them, General."-

"We have not searched all of them yet?"-

"No sir. There is still one city we haven't interrogated. It lies no more than twenty miles north of here."-

"And what is that?"-

"It's the one city that we originally planned to sack, the city of Agrabah."-

"Agrabah, the true objective originally targeted."-

"That was Jafar's old domain." Mozenrath said. "That's where the Sultan himself lives."

"That much is clear to us already, Lord Mozenrath. Our troops were supposed to raid that jewel of the desert and take the Sultan's fortune. But the size of the Sultan's treasure room is minuscule compared to the more recent goals that we have set?"-

"It's not only the richest though, but the largest in the land."-

"Surprising that we didn't storm it before, but then again, this is as far as the faction has gotten in this world, is that not right, General Scimitar?"-

"That is correct sir." Scimitar replied. "We cannot afford to be too hasty."

"Do we have any knowledge on the city's interior?"-

"Scouts were sent yesterday to intermingle with the crowd and find out what they can." Scimitar replied. "We're only to wait until we receive word."

But it wasn't long before word finally came. Returning on horse back was one of the spies sent to Agrabah. He galloped at a hasty pace, halting his horse from its run just it reached the three commanders. He dismounted and bowed respectfully.

"Your informants have news from the front." The spy implied.

"And what of Agrabah's interior?" Saber asked.

"The Sultan's palace is located at the very end of the city, sir." The spy took from his pocket, a map of the city, and presented it to Saber. Saber took it and looked at the outlay of Agrabah.

"I see. Very well done, soldier, very well done," Saber's eyes gazed up, looking at the spy. He then looked at Scimitar. "Let's send in the Heartless then. They've ravaged this world before. It would be interesting to see how the people would react to find the shadows of old coming to terrorize them again."-

"Of course, general," Scimitar replied, "I'll have the Heartless moving as soon as possible.

"But sir, I have further news to tell you." The spy continued. "And it is not of a positive nature."

"What is it?" Saber asked, curiously.

"The KH team has also arrived."-

"What…!"-

"Yes sir, I understand that they were involved in fight in the market place, doing battle with the guards on patrol."-

"The KH team…?" Mozenrath asked.

"What are they doing here?" Scimitar uttered.

"Who or what is this KH team anyhow?"-

"They're the nuisances that have been plaguing our efforts in other worlds from the start." Saber replied. "But what are they doing here of all places?"

"I thought that Kirin of the Flaming Blades was supposed to have ordered the execution of the KH team members," Scimitar asked, "Using the door access from that world, Monsters Incorporated of Monstropolis?"

"Well, apparently something has happened."-

"Blast, their presence in this world changes the situation completely."-

"Not necessarily," Saber pondered on the scenario at hand. "In fact, this might actually work for us."

"What do you mean?"-

"Sora has been to the cave of wonders once before, when he battled against the Heartless and the Organization. Therefore, he must know of the golden scarab and how it is the key to revealing the entry way of the cave of wonders."-

"But that doesn't guarantee that the team has the other half of the scarab in their possession."-

"I know that, but the team will realize that we're after it and will do all that they can to stop us. But even so, the team isn't strong enough or witty enough to outsmart any of my strategies." He turned to the spy. "Inform the rest of your men to be ready to engage in battle when I give the signal. Then attack the civilians. Take lives if you can. We need to have the KH team and the palace guards away from the Sultan's treasure room." The guard saluted the general. He then quickly mounted his horse, turned about, and withdrew back to the city.

"So you will be raiding the Sultan's chambers?" Scimitar asked.

"Not exactly, trying to raid the treasure room for the riches themselves would be a waste of time and far too conspicuous. We only need to find the other half of the scarab. That is the only thing that matters. And since the Sultan's treasure chambers are the only other possible place that the scarab half may be located, that is where we will initiate the search."-

"I find this strategy to be rather farfetched, sir. What lead are you going by? This is all mere conjecture. You don't know whether or not the other half of the key is there. It could have been horded off by some thief, or sold in the market place by a peddler. Believe me, it's that difficult."-

"I have this feeling about the KH team. I know that someway and somehow, they will return to the cave of wonders. We just have to keep an eye on them."-

"Still…"-

"Now enough of this second guessing. You have an assignment to fulfill."-

"Sir…"-

"Why don't I just send in my Mumluks?" Mozenrath asked, referring to his soldiers of the dead. "They can easily impersonate these KH team members."

"The team is not so easily fooled."-

"No one can catch on to the mumluks and their disguises."-

"Very well, send in a few to impersonate certain persons. As for the rest of your mummified guards, have them engage against the KH team and keep them away from the palace."-

"Of course…"-

"Then be on your way." Mozenrath bowed respectfully and withdrew. But before galloping off, he was stopped by Saber again. "Just as a further note, Mozenrath, the notes we received from 'Central' are critical. They are significantly important in the forging of the second item we have in mind. Make sure that nothing happens to them."

"I understand." Mozenrath replied. He nodded his head in respect before galloping off to the faction's main headquarters.

"Do you really think we can trust Mozenrath?" Scimitar asked. "He is rather ambitious for one so young. He may do something reckless, or may wish to initiate his own plans at our expense."

"My dear Scimitar," Saber said, "does your faith in our own strength and cunning appear to be wavering? Once Mozenrath helps forge the item for us, all we really need do is snatch it from him and have the angered citizens of this world do something about it. But then again, there won't really be anyone left to confront him will there?"

"I suppose you're right."-

"If one item found does not suffice, then maybe an item forged will more than make up for it."-

Just then, from behind, a young man appeared. Lean, yet well built in his physique and posture, he was at the same time short for his age. He was knowledgeable and smart for one still in his teens. He had bright, long blonde hair that was tide into a pony tail draping down in the back. His eyes were a beautiful gold, matching the color of his hair. He wore a black shell jacket with white trim and black pants and shoes. Upon his hands, he wore two white gloves. And covering this whole ensemble was a red overcoat. Saber and Scimitar spotted the young man.

"Well, young man," Saber asked, "Are you ready to carry out with your first missions as a faction soldier?" The young man made no response.

On the palace grounds, the atmosphere within the group turned from one of comfort and homely feeling to one of serious and foreboding tension. A pot of tea, imported from the Orient, was set on the table. Each person present was given a cup of the hot liquid. The cups themselves were designed with eastern mosaics. It was here that the key bearers would discuss the situation at hand. For a while, the silence had laid its smother effect on the assembly, before the Sultan decided to break the ice by speaking first.

"Well," he uttered, "What is it that's so important that you need to tell us?"

"First and foremost," Riku asked, "I would like to ask you a question."

"Of course, young man, what's on your mind?"-

"I would like to know if there has been any strange activity going on in this world lately."-

"Well," there was sudden silence before the Sultan continued, "There hasn't been anything happening here in Agrabah that has any real significance."

"There have been no unfamiliar people entering the city?"-

"Besides your average peddler or trader, there's been no one out of the ordinary."-

"Has anyone else seen any strange activity?"-

"Riku, your words are starting to concern me." Jasmine implied. "What exactly are you trying to get at?"

"We came here for a reason. And that reason is," Riku sighed for a moment, finding the right words to say to her, "We believe that there will be certain individuals who are planning to raid your treasure room."

"My treasure room?" the Sultan uttered.

"Yes…"-

"But why would they want to do that?"-

"Are they thieves?" Aladdin asked.

"They're more than just thieves," Sora interrupted, "They are a military coalition force of the Midnight Faction."

"Midnight Faction…?"-

"Coalition force…?" Jasmine added.

"I do not remember ever declaring war." The Sultan uttered. "I've tried to avoid conflict that would involve the whole of my kingdom. There has never been a war declared since the days of my father."

"The Midnight Faction doesn't need a reason to declare war on Agrabah." Cuchulain said. "They just fight whoever may oppose them."

"Who is this Midnight Faction anyhow?" Aladdin asked.

"They're the reason why we're here." Sora replied. "We've come to stop the faction's activities in this world."

"The Midnight Faction is a large organization that's hoping to obtain universal domination." Ophelia said. "The reason why they are after the sultan's wealth is because it will help them increase their revenue. By increasing their revenue, they'll be able to not only pay off debts to manufacturers who construct their highly deadly and highly efficient weapons, they'd also be able to gain a great deal of wealth that will make the Midnight Faction a very influential organization."

"That's the only reason why the faction is here." Cunla added, his arms folded in front of him. "They need wealth to increase their revenue. And they'll exploit anyone, no matter if they did anything to them or not."

"That would be a problem then." Iago uttered.

"What monsters." Sultan said. "I will have the guards patrolling the streets to fend off these ruffians."

"It's not going to be that easy." Cunla continued. "Your guards will not be enough to battle against the forces of the Midnight Faction. If the ones we confronted on the street were the best that you had, then there's no doubt that the faction would be able to overrun them and head straight for your wealth. And unlike the outcome from the brawl in the market place, when the faction soldiers attack, there will be more than just crushed fruit. The faction will kill anyone and everyone who stands in their way."

"You seem to know a lot about the Midnight Faction for being so young." Aladdin said. "How do you know so much?"

"It is because I was a faction soldier."-

"You were a faction soldier?" Jasmine uttered. Immediately, the tension mounted a level higher now that the sultan and the others, besides the KH team members, knew about Cunla's past.

"He wasn't the only one." Ophelia said. "I too was a faction soldier, an infamous and ruthless officer known as the Tiger of Goth."

"You too, my dear," the sultan uttered, "Oh my word."

"I too had gained a notorious reputation as well." Cunla added. "I was the top assassin and one of the leading fighters within the faction."

By this time, Sora could see that Aladdin and the others had been frightened far enough. He picked up his cup of tea and took a couple of sips. He then closed his eyes and smiled.

"There's nothing to worry about though." Sora said. "They're on our side. We can trust them with our lives."

"Well, if you say so." Aladdin replied.

"Is that the reason why you wear those black and grey uniforms?" Jasmine asked.

"These uniforms were the norm for many faction soldiers." Ophelia explained.

"But don't you think that might cause confusion, what if your own allies mistaken you for a faction soldier?"-

"The reason why we don't discard these uniforms is just for that purpose. It may cause confusion with our allies, but it will also cause confusion amongst the ranks of our enemies as well. Only when I find peace in my heart, will I finally discard of this uniform."-

"Same here," Cunla added, "But I continue to wear this uniform as a distinction on the battlefield. To taint a faction uniform with the blood of its own soldiers is of a symbolic purpose to me. It goes to show that the Midnight Faction will not be able to survive, so long as it continues to look down upon others as being insignificant."

"Well, thanks to your testimonies and the support of your comrades," the sultan said, clapping his hands together, smiling, "You have reassured my confidence in your loyalties."

"So back to the matter at hand," Riku continued, "It is best that you keep your guards within the vicinity of your treasure room. The KH team will split up into two groups. Cunla," Riku turned to the young man at the end of the table, "you, Donald, and Goofy will help aid the guards here, just in case the faction manages to get by us and reach the treasure room."

"Right," Cunla said.

"In the meantime, Sora, Ophelia, Cuchulain, and myself will search the streets for any suspicious activity."-

"And what do you want us to do?" Aladdin asked.

"Well, this is your home, place yourself in any position you see fit."-

"Then, I'll help you guys search for these faction creeps." Aladdin then turned to Genie. "Genie, I want you and Iago to stay here and help the others."

"Roger, roger," Genie replied, transforming into a United States general, with five stars on his helmet and badges on his chest. He saluted as if he were General Patton himself. "We have met the enemy and the situation is well at hand." He began to march off, with Souza fanfare music, fireworks, and banners suddenly appearing out of midair.

"Just as a final note," Aladdin asked. "Is the faction only after the sultan's treasure?"

"Not exactly," Sora said, "There's more to the faction's activities here. Not only are they after the Sultan's wealth, they're also after the wealth of the cave of wonders."

"The cave of wonders…?" Jasmine asked.

"Well, good luck trying to find it." Aladdin said, folding his arms in front of him.

"What do you mean by that?" Sora asked.

"The cave of wonders is no longer there."-

"What do you mean?"

"I mean it's gone, it vanished, and it's gone bye-bye. The cave of wonders is no more."-

"How do you know this?" Cuchulain asked.

"The entry way has just vanished under the rolling sands."-

"But we've been there before." Donald implied.

"I know that, but the cave's entry way is gone."-

"Then I guess the cave of wonders is out of the question to find." Ophelia said. "If it doesn't exist anymore, there's no use going after it."

"That's not true though." Aladdin continued. "Certainly the entry way is gone, but the cave itself is still intact."

"But you said that the entry way was concealed in sand. And I don't know if you've noticed, but that's a large area to cover. Not even the faction would be that daft to go about searching for a single entry way. The cost would prove too high for such an expedition."-

"Well, don't you know how to find the entry way, Aladdin?" Sora asked.

"Well, I never actually saw how the cave's entry appeared. I only saw it sticking out from the sand dunes. How it was activated, I don't know."-

"Well, why not ask me then!" Iago said in that loud burly voice of his.

"Do you know, Iago?"-

"Of course I know! Jafar was the one to first open up the entry way!"-

"Well, how did he do it then?" Sora asked, the anxiety rising within him.

"He used a golden scarab."-

"A golden scarab?"-

"That's right, kid, a golden scarab!"-

"What does this golden scarab look like?"-

"How the heck should I know! That was long time ago! All I remember about it was that it was gold and it came in two pieces!"-

"Uh…two pieces?" Goofy uttered.

"That's right, you dip, two pieces!"-

"Well…uh…" Goofy seemed a little jittery, as if something were on his mind. Donald looked at his tall K-9 friend suspiciously.

"Why are you so interested in that scarab?" he asked.

"Well, you see Donald, I…" The words didn't escape Goofy's mouth. Just as he was about to utter what he knew about the scarab, there was commotion coming from the city. There was first, the sound of screams from frightened subjects. Then there was an explosion.

"What on earth is going on?" the sultan uttered.

"Great," Cuchulain uttered, "It's the Midnight Faction, it just has to be."

"The Midnight Faction," Aladdin said, "How do you know?"

"Only the faction would cause such a stir." Sora replied.

"Come on you guys." Riku commanded. "Let's go." He turned to Cunla, Goofy, and Donald, "Remember the plan."

"Right," Cunla said. "Goofy, Donald, and I will stay here."

"Hold down the fort while we're gone!" Sora declared with a hint of excitement and humor behind his words. He drew out his keyblade. "Okay Riku, let's give the faction a run for their money."

"Yeah…" Riku replied, drawing out his keyblade as well. Cuchulain and Ophelia drew out their weapons as well.

"Forward…" Cuchulain uttered. The four went off to join the fray.

"Carpet, Abu," Aladdin said, "Let's get going. Sora and the others will need our help too." Abu squeaked and rambled anxiously before mounting on his back. The carpet quickly came to Aladdin's side, flattening itself out. Aladdin and Abu boarded the carpet. The former street rat turned to the rest of his friends. "Alright guys, I'm off." Aladdin turned to Genie and Iago. "Make sure to keep these faction guys away from the treasure room. The last thing we need is bandits storming the palace."

"Don't worry, Al," the Genie replied, "You can count on us to hold out and make a last stand." Genie transformed again, thus time into General George Armstrong Custer, with an arrow penetrating through the top of his hat. Aladdin then bestowed his eyes upon Jasmine who feared for the safety of her loved one.

"Don't worry, Jasmine," he uttered, "I'll be back before you know it. You make sure that you stay safe."

"Please take care of yourself, Aladdin." Jasmine uttered.

"I will."-

"Be careful, my boy," the sultan said. Aladdin smiled. He turned to carpet and gave the order.

"Alright Carpet, Abu," he said, "Let's get going." The carpet, acknowledging the words of his leader, took off at high speed after Sora and the others. They flew skyward over the city acting as the eyes from above.

"I sure hope that they'll all be alright." Jasmine declared.

"They'll be fine." Cunla replied. "If I know Riku and Sora, my dad and Miss Billiard, there is no challenge they can't handle."

"What about us?" Donald asked. "Do you really think that we'll stand a chance against the faction if they manage to penetrate into the palace somehow?"

"We'll be more than a match for them. We've been successful so far and haven't lost anyone. There's no reason for us to doubt success yet."-

"I guess you're right."-

"Don't worry," Genie said. The team looked to see he had transformed again. This time as Rambo, "I'll make sure to give them a one way ticket to kingdom come!" He fired his gun only to have a small flag saying 'bang' come out of the barrel. Cunla sighed.

"Then again," he uttered, "We just might have more trouble on our hands than originally thought."

Explosions were erupting through the city and thousands of subjects fled for their lives in terror. Aladdin watched from above as he saw the people run about like ants scattering from their mound, during a rainstorm. By this time, devastation was spreading. Aladdin watched as several fires emerged and began to bellow uncontrollably. Several of the buildings were already burning.

"Man," Aladdin said, "This is terrible. Is the faction responsible for this? Those monsters, they won't get away with this."

Riku and Sora, along with Cuchulain and Ophelia, were rushing into the fray. They saw the smoke from the fires bellow high into the air like ominous black columns. The smell of burning debris was already touching their nostrils.

"This is definitely the work of the faction alright." Ophelia said. "Just like them to go about causing devastation wherever they go."

"We have to save the people." Sora said. "Their lives are what count the most."

"Right," Riku added. "Let's spread out and see if we can't give a hand. Help the civilians in every possible way. And see if you can't put out those fires as well."

"We're on it!" Cuchulain said.

"And make sure that no faction task units get past you and make it to the palace." Sora continued. "We have to prevent the faction's advance onto the sultan's palace at all costs."

"Let's go then." Ophelia said. The four split up to aid the areas that needed help. As each team member approached their destinations, the chaos was growing more and more intense. By this time, civilians were sweeping down the streets like a mighty river. Guards and soldiers from the palace rushed to the area where the battle was taking place. Men women and children were lost in a great array of confusion. Some of the people were trampled by the rushing crowds. Old men and women, too weak to escapes, would sit at the road side and wait for them to come and take them away. Small toddlers and young children were left scouring the streets for their parents who were lost in the sea of mayhem. Explosions grew louder and louder and the yells in the air turned from ones of panicked stricken civilians to ruthless faction soldiers who were pillaging everything that they came across. Anything that had some sort of value was confiscated. It didn't take long for the mood to change from concern to all out aggression. As the civilians fled the point of impact, only renegade pillagers and blunderers remained and they were not shown any mercy.

Cuchulain for one swooped down like a phantom, slashing and thrusting, wounding or killing as many faction soldiers as he could. Many of the faction soldiers were put out of commission before they realized they were struck.

"Justice will prevail here!" Cuchulain shouted.

Ophelia used her ambush tactics, unleashing her fans into the mass of soldiers. Her lightning fast agility made it appear as if she closed a one hundred foot distance between her and the soldiers instantly using a magic spell.

"This land," she said, "plunged into war. Those who disturb the peace of this land will fall by the hands of the Tiger of Goth."

Sora used his Tundra Canister to freeze the soldiers in place as well as to put out the flames that ignited in the district. Using the power of the keyblade and his years of experience on the battlefield, he struck fast with speed, agility, and deception. However, still being one who still had a concern with the lives of his enemies, only maimed as many as he could. Therefore, the death count was not as high with Sora.

Riku too cut down his enemies with the might of the keyblade, but fighting opponents with blood as red as his, he hoped to at least knock them out of commission. He used the summoning spell of the three fairies and put the majority of his opponents to sleep. The summon spell would remain in effect so long as the soldiers were below Riku's level of strength and would eventually wear out only if and when the KH team emerged victorious. He put out the burning buildings with Iceberg Shuriken, making sure that even the faction soldiers did not burn. Some of the new recruits, who feared the reputation of the Child of Darkness, looked on in awe and wonder as they saw Riku being merciful even to his enemies.

"Is that truly Noctin Tilandir?" a soldier uttered.

"Why does he show mercy to our soldiers?" another added. "He barely struck any of them down out of malice or hatred. He did not slay as many as I had predicted."

The palace guards and the sultan's soldiers, who battled alongside the KH team, were stunned at the efficiency and strength of these young people. Even Razoul, captain of the palace guards, still bearing a disposition against the key bearers, could not help but admire the skills of these youths.

"Look Razoul," one of the guards uttered, "Those young ones are actually managing to fight several foes at once."

"How on earth could they have gained so much strength?" Razoul uttered.

"They are using magic to aid them as well."-

"They must be some sort of sorcerers."-

Even Aladdin, who flew from above, watched as Sora, Riku, and the others quickly turned the tide of battle in their favor.

"They're doing pretty good don't you think, Abu?" Abu chattered away as he watched the battles below.

The confrontation at the invasion points were not only observed by Aladdin and the sultan's troops, they were also being observed by Lord Mozenrath, General Scimitar, and General Saber. Already, there was concern as they watched the key bearers and their comrades hold back the ebbing tide of the confrontation.

"This is getting monotonous." Scimitar uttered. "Those key bearers are managing to hold back every attack we initiate."

"There is no need to be so uptight." General Saber said. "As a matter of fact, things are going better than I expected."

"Expected? Those damned key bearers are slaughtering our soldiers."-

"I think not, the number of wounded might be high, but the death count inflicted by the key bearers will be very miniscule. It just goes to who you that the key bearers, despite their years of battle experience, will always maintain that concern for the lives of their opponents. As long as their opponents draw blood, the key bearers will never kill out of hatred. They will only kill if and when they need to. And whole sale slaughter is something they wish to avoid as best they can."-

"That's all well and good, but what about that traitor, Colonel Ophelia Billiard and the Hound of Ulster? They won't hesitate to kill our troops, even if it is whole sale slaughter they're inflicting."-

"Then give the order to send in the heartless. The lives of our soldiers may be expendable at times, but their numbers aren't infinite. Let the heartless deal with these upstarts."-

"But the heartless are no longer of any threat to the key bearers. Especially when you told me about how Riku can manipulate the heartless to defect and fight against us, now that he has that manipulation stone, confiscated from General Dagger, integrated into his keyblade."-

"That's why I won't send in the heartless to battle Riku, but Sora and the others don't have that manipulative power over the heartless, therefore they will be the ones to feel the full weight of the heartless. The heartless may not be very powerful against the KH team anymore, but they have infinite numbers and can wear down and eventually overwhelm them. And since the heartless have no value in life, their deaths cost nothing." Saber then happened to look towards the skyline above Agrabah to see Aladdin flying about on the carpet. "Also, send in the winged heartless to take care of that little nuisance flying about over the battlefield. He's with the KH team and might prove to be a thorn in our sides, hovering about and giving away the positions of our attack forces."-

"Very well, sir, but what about Riku? He can easily conjure up a makeshift army with the heartless and turn them against us."-

"That's why we have to make sure he doesn't come in contact with the heartless. Our faction soldiers will keep him on his toes. Tell them to initiate hit and run tactics."-

"I understand, sir."-

Saber then turned to Lord Mozenrath.

"Mozenrath," he uttered, "Prepare to sent out your troops."

"The Mumluks are ready." Mozenrath replied.

"Tell our chosen attack force to enter the palace. And make sure that they're well disguised. In the meantime, have your other mumluks engage the key bearers. Let's see how they react with the army of the dead on their tail."

"I will do as you command." Mozenrath raised his gloved hand and from the sands and mumluk appeared. It bowed before its master. "Prepare to initiate the attack." The mumluk bowed and disappeared into the sand again. He then turned to Xerxes who lay perched on his shoulder. "Xerxes go to the palace and stay there. Find out all that you can about the other half of the golden scarab, and then report back whatever you find."

"I am at your service, Mozenrath." The eel uttered. He then flew off like a devious serpent. Mozenrath then turned to General Saber.

"He is on his way."-

"Excellent work," Saber replied. He then turned to General Scimitar. "Have our heavy artillery placed here on the dunes overlooking the battle."

"Heavy artillery…?" Scimitar asked. "We have no heavy artillery here, sir. We were never supplied with heavy guns to aid us."

"We can summon for the heartless, am I correct?"-

"Of course, but what do the heartless have to do with anything?"-

"Only this," Saber turned again towards Agrabah. "The Behemoths are capable of firing energy beams, concentrating their strength on their horns. Use them to inflict damage upon the city from here. I don't care where you concentrate your fire power, just as long as it's enough to keep the key bearers and the rest of the KH team and their comrades so occupied, they won't see the initial attack in order to counter it."-

"As you command, sir"-

"There will be no way that the KH team can stop us this time." Saber then pondered at the plans for the key strike. "And what of our rat?"

"The boy is waiting for us to give the signal."-

"Very good.-

"But tell me something," Scimitar asked, "Do you really think that we can trust that boy? He is after all being forced to carry out with our plans."-

"There's nothing to be alarmed with. He knows that we hold his brother and his best friend hostage. Should he try anything that would jeopardize our plan, I will make sure that he pays for his actions by ordering the instant death of his loved ones." Saber looked to the area where his saboteur hid. "He may be reckless and naïve, but he's not so stupid as to risk the lives of those he cares for." In his mind he could see the young man lying and waiting for the right time to strike. He was so young, so fair, and yet feisty and willing to do anything to achieve his goals much like the key bearers. Saber imagined the boy hiding in the shadows, preparing his weapons. He was a lad of great skill, a skilled fighter, and an experienced alchemist. "I know that you won't do anything that would put your young lady friend and your younger brother in danger."

"Isn't that right…Edward Elric?"


	47. The Alchemist

The Alchemist

Aladdin took the opportunity to seize pots from second story buildings and began to bombard the faction soldiers from above. A rain of pottery was sent on the masses of soldiers. Though the pots rarely struck and harmed any of the soldiers, it did force the faction troops to maintain a constant vigilant skyward. Psychological tactics more like and the soldiers were at times caught off guard by the key bearers and the KH team.

"That's right, Abu," Aladdin said, "Keep those guys distracted while Riku and Sora and the others fight it out." Abu chattered away as he dropped one last pot downward. Some of the faction soldiers armed with blasters began to fire randomly in the sky, hoping to his the carpet and cause Aladdin to plummet downward.

"Shoot that man down!" one of the officers shouted. Several foot soldiers formed a firing line and initiated a barrage, hoping to strike the carpet. But out of extraordinary stroke of luck, the flying carpet managed to dodge the beams allowing its passengers to continue their run.

"Good flying their, Carpet." Aladdin chuckled. "That was almost too close for comfort, how those guys were shooting at us and all." The energy beams continued to bellow skyward, trying to shoot down Aladdin, but at the same time, because they had concentrated on forcing the young hero to plummet, they forgot about the members of the KH team who they were originally battling. Sora unleashed the Twister Strike and forced many of the faction soldiers to be thrown skyward and then falling in every direction once being released from the wind funnel.

"Don't forget," Sora shouted, "You have me to worry about as well." Sora took the head of the charge, leading the sultan's guards forward. The fight had turned in favor of the KH team who were at the moment maintaining a strong defense against the attackers.

In the other impact areas, Riku, Cuchulain, and Colonel Billiard had also gained the upper hand over the faction solider. Many a brave trooper fell before the might of the opposition, but still they defied the might of the KH team and the sultan's army. The sultan's troops now held fast and there morale was skyrocketing, thanks to the help of the key bearers and the KH team.

"Come on," Cuchulain cried, as he led the men into battle, "Don't give in, don't give up! You're fighting for your homes, your loved ones, your families and friends! That is your number one obligation and your one duty to fight! Never let that cause be overcome by anything else!" The soldiers cheered as they continued to plow forward. The faction soldiers, despite their profession as fighters and their superior numbers, they had no choice but to fall back.

"Protect your world from total annihilation!" Colonel Billiard shouted, as she slew one soldier after the other. The faction was further disheartened knowing that former officers, whom they fought beside or looked up to, were now fighting against them.

The faction soldiers were against starting to waver before the KH team and many of the new recruits turned and ran. The officers in their ranks did their best to keep their soldiers from scattering. But many of the soldiers who were assigned to aid in the campaign in Agrabah were mere conscripts who had never before seen the carnage of battle. They broke from their ranks and fled. Only those who were veterans remained. And those veterans who battled against warriors like Colonel Billiard, or the Hound of Ulster, they did not last very long.

"We're not going to last here!" one new recruit cried. He dropped his blade and fled from the battle.

"I'm with you there." Another added. He too turned and ran. But the officer in charge did not allow it. He began to keep the soldiers in line.

"You maintain your ranks!" he ordered. "It's just one kid! You're supposed to be soldiers of Lord Sirius Viicous! Fight to the end, fight for the cause! That is why you are here!" Another new recruit turned and ran, but that was the last straw for the officer. He drew out his saber and cut the young man down. The recruit fell to the ground dead. The other faction soldiers were appalled. The officer looked up at his troops with anger in his eyes. "You will not run! You will stay here and fight! And if any of you think that you can just withdraw without the order, then so help me, I will slay you if you run!" The soldiers, fearing their own commanders as much as they did the enemy, had no choice. If they charged, they would most likely be killed. If they tried to run, they would most likely be killed by their own officers. So they took the chance and maintained their ranks. But because they were so disheartened by a threat from both the rear and the front, they quickly caved in and many of the faction soldiers lost their lives.

Cuchulain, though being a warrior of ruthless efficiency, watched as the faction soldiers were forced to maintain their ranks. Looking upon the faces of the troopers he confronted, the Hound did not see one who was of a mature age. None amongst the ranks he fought was a full fledged man. They were all still boys. Immediately, the Hound had visions of the Boys Troop back in his world.

"If you officers are so determined to fight," he declared to the ranks of the faction, "Then come at me yourselves and let those who wish to fight stay and fight instead of protecting yourselves behind a wall of scared boys!" The Hound's energy resonated and could be visibly seen as a blue light engulfing his body like fire.

"You bastard," the officer shouted, as he drew forth his blade, "I will smite you down, Hound of Ulster!" The officer's efforts were in vain though and he was cut down by Cuchulain within seconds. The officer fell dead. The soldiers were stunned to find their officer slain. They then looked upon the Hound.

"For those of you who wish to fight another day, do so now!" The faction soldiers, heeding the word of the Hound, turned and withdrew. They were not about to risk another head on assault against the Hound. It was of no surprise to General Saber who watched his soldiers withdraw from the front line. It was after all the order that he gave to the ranks. Up and down the line, the faction soldiers withdrew, save the ones who were still battling against Riku.

"They're withdrawing." Sora said.

"They're pulling back!" Ophelia uttered.

"Are they giving up?" Cuchulain wondered. "To think that such a declaration of mine would be so effective."

"Look at that!" Aladdin chuckled; as he watched the ranks of the faction withdraw from the front. "Those guys are retreating! Well, it serves them right!"

Suddenly, Abu began to scream and shatter as if panicked. Aladdin looked up to see what the commotion was about. Abu pointed his finger. Aladdin looked to suddenly find a number of winger heartless waiting for him.

"Holy smokes!" he uttered. Aladdin signaled carpet to pull up. "Carpet, get us out of here!" The Carpet pulled upward, missing the ranks of the winged heartless. The heartless quickly pursued the young man. Aladdin drew out his sword. "These guys aren't letting up are they?"

The appearance of the heartless also became apparent on the ground. Immediately after the faction soldiers withdrew, the heartless appeared before the KH team in large numbers. It was almost as if a sea of shadow and soulless yellow eyes appeared in front of them. The sultan's soldiers, though familiar with fighting flesh and blood opponents, were frightened at the appearance of the heartless. To them, it was as if an army of the underworld had come to claim their souls.

"Heartless," Cuchulain shouted, "There are heartless coming and in large numbers!"

"Don't give in to their numbers!" Ophelia shouted. "They may have superior numbers, but they're weak opponents!" She tried to keep the sultan's army steady, telling them that there was nothing to fear. "Keep a strong heart and the heartless will not conquer you!"

"C'mon you guys!" Sora cried. "Let's take them on! Follow me!" The sultan's army knew that they had no choice. If they ran then they had given up on their homes and everything that they knew. They held their ranks, though faltering wasn't uncommon. But as they regained their courage to battle, another bizarre surprise was awaiting the KH team and their allies.

From out of the ground, appeared Mozenrath's Mumluks. Almost like the living dead, their bodies were like those of corpses. They had a skeletal texture with their skin a green and decaying complexion as if they had dried in the hot burning suns of the desert. They wore an Arabian soldier's uniform, complete with turban, old and ragged in appearance as if the garments had been worn for centuries. And each was armed with a large headman's sword. They moaned and grunted as they formed their ranks alongside the heartless, the key bearers and the KH team were shocked and in all stunned at the sudden appearance of the Mumluks.

"What the heck are those things?" Sora uttered, disgusted and somewhat frightened. "They look like zombies."

"An army of the dead," Cuchulain thought to himself, "Has the faction taken in an army of the dead to fight their battles?"

"I've never known the faction to use deceased soldiers." Ophelia said.

"Living mummies," Riku declared, "I wonder what the story is behind them. Have they been summoned or have they possibly been created, or is someone controlling them from behind the scenes?" The Mumluks advanced in waves. And unlike most portrayals of the dead coming back to life and being rather immobile and sluggish, the mumluks moved about like the average soldier with the average speed. It was enough to key bearers and their comrades on their toes.

"Don't be afraid," Cuchulain shouted, hoping the keep the soldiers in line. "Do not let the army of the dead and the heartless get the best of you or you will surely perish and your hearts consumed! Show no fear and they will fall before your might! Do not fear, but hate them! Hate them for what they are doing to your homes now and what they will do when they succeed! They'll kill your families and take their hearts and you will live in shame for deserting them!" Cuchulain led the charge in alone. He struck at the mumluks and the heartless. The moment he did, his foes were turned to dust and sand and shadow, returning to the place from whence they came. The soldiers summoned their courage and rushed forward into the fray.

Though separated, the key bearers and Colonel Billiard gave that same strengthening speech to the soldiers they lead just as Cuchulain did. The word given was to never give up and always hold your ground or advance, perhaps to withdraw to rest, but never to scatter and break. The soldiers of the sultan, persistent, well trained, and stubborn as usual, did not give in. If they could do away with clever thieves and robbers and fend off hordes of raiders and renegades, then they can do the same against the army of darkness and death.

From the dunes overlooking the city, General Saber, General Scimitar, and Lord Mozenrath watched as the advance did not seem to break the resistance. Saber was rather impressed to see that the sultan's forces were keeping up a good resistance, despite being outnumbered by at least three to one in the oncoming assaults.

"I don't believe this." Mozenrath uttered, "How is it that such a small band can hold off against such large attacks from our forces."

"It's not surprising to us though, Lord Mozenrath." General Scimitar implied.

"Your troops are just as well trained are they not? They're supposed to be the toughest and most numerous am I correct?"-

"That is true." General Saber explained. "But just because there are well trained soldiers doesn't mean that they can obtain skills beyond that of the average soldier in means of techniques. The KH team has the key bearers and the key bearers hold the power of the keyblades. And it is the keyblade responsible for unleashing such incredible strength. To add, the key bearers and their comrades have been blessed with the use of the elements, thus they are able to accumulate fire, ice, wind, and what not. They have also gained so much experience in their battles with the Heartless, the former Organization, and the former Dark Empire, which is the reason for the incredible strength they display." Saber watched on as several more explosions erupted in the distance. "You must also remember that the key bearers and certain members of the KH team are warriors not soldiers."

"What's the difference between a warrior and a soldier?" Mozenrath asked.

"A soldier fights because they are required to, because they are ordered to, and because they are hoping to seek some sort of compensation in the end. A warrior, however, is a completely different breed. They fight with all their heart and soul and fight for the sake of gaining something other than compensation. They hope to gain a new skill, a new sense of duty, or possibly a new sense of self and of life. A warrior fights because he is required to. Not by a superior, but by their honor, knowing that their cause is truly just. They fight for what is right in their minds and nothing can deter them. It is for honor, true honor. A warrior will fight and expect nothing in return."-

"Is that so?" Mozenrath pondered at the words given to him by the general. "Then perhaps we can use that to our advantage."

By this time, the giant Behemoths, ten in all, had marched their way up the dun and were now placing themselves in line. Each one had a tamer that made sure the Behemoths did as they were told and did not gallivant off in to battle without thinking. The Behemoths grunted and made soft moans as they took their positions of the dunes overlooking the city of Agrabah. Mozenrath was awed by the sight of the mammoth heartless. Saber took command, seeing the key areas he wanted bombarded.

"Tamers," he ordered, "Concentrate your firepower on the city itself and the towers of the palace. Prepare to initiate the attack on my signal."

"Yes sir." The tamers replied.

"You see," Saber implied, "The thing about warriors is that they have to truly believe in what they are fighting for. They have to believe in their cause with all their heart and soul. There is no room for flaws. He must not falter no matter what." Saber pounded his right fist into the palm of his left hand in a hammer like strike. "But then again, even warriors have their moments when they must turn and run. They are after all still mortal. And the key bearers and the rest of the KH team are as mortal as they come. And no matter how brave you are, you eventually have to reach your breaking point where your life matters the most. The city of Agrabah might have been able to survive Jafar's rage. It may have survived the reign of the heartless. The city and its people even managed to survive the conspiracy of the organization and even the Imperial advances of the Dark Empire, but they will not survive me." Saber stretched out his right arm and all finger on his hand pointing towards the city and his palm pointing downward. "Commence firing!"

"Commence battery fire!" one of the tamers cried.

"Commence fire!" the other nine replied. The Behemoths immediately began to accumulate a sphere of energy between their horns.

"Fire!" Saber shouted.

With that one command, the behemoths began to unleash a barrage of energy beams at the city. All first ten hits struck at the city itself, blowing up huge chunks of the wall surrounding the city. Some of the beams struck the dwellings and established homes of the people. The explosions were so great that they shook the ground of all of Agrabah. The explosions did not go unseen either. Aladdin was the first one to see it.

"Where the heck did those explosions come from?" he wondered. He turned about to find the ten Behemoths stationed on the dune overlooking the city. "What the heck are those things?"

The explosions could be felt and heard by the key bearers, who paused for a moment after hearing the barrage of explosions erupt. The ground shook beneath their feet, causing a slight tremor.

"Those explosions," Sora uttered, "where did they come from?"

The explosions were heard all the way to the palace, which disrupted the temporary sanctity of the sultan's domain.

"Oh my," the sultan uttered, "What was that eruption?"

"I'll go take a look." Cunla said. The young boy rushed out of the guarded chamber.

"Cunla," Donald shouted, "Where are you going?"

"Those explosions came from something big and I'm going to investigate what caused it."-

"Wait there, we're coming."-

"No, you guys stay here. I'm gonna check it out myself. Stay here and be ready for whatever happens."-

"Cunla," Jasmine said. But the youth was already off.

"Whatever caused those explosions," Donald uttered, "They must be massive."

"All this fuss over a piece of gold."-

Cunla reached the main gate to find several pillars of smoke rising from the city. He couldn't believe the carnage.

"The faction's not taking any chances this time are they?" Cunla said. He then happened to look out in the distance to find ten towering objects standing at the outskirts of the city. Observing closer, he realized that the faction had summoned forth a squadron of behemoths. "The faction's sent in behemoths and their bombarding the city." At that instant, there were flashes of light coming from the behemoths. The lights were actually the energy beams being fired upon the city. The beams made impact with the dwellings of the city, causing large explosions to erupt. Large craters were formed after a single explosion and many of the homes were cut down to their foundations in an instant. Suddenly, one of the energy beams came rushing at the palace and struck the wall to the left of the pup. Cunla was nearly caught in the explosion and was knocked off his feet. He skidded along the ground amidst flying rubble and debris.

"Cunla," Donald shouted.

"Cunla," Goofy added as they rushed to his side. Cunla sat up, coughing harshly from the dust that entered his lungs. He squint his eyes. "Are you Okay?"

"I'm alright; I'm alright," Cunla replied, "Just close that's all. And what are you two doing here? I thought I told you to stay and help guard the treasure room."

"Well, we couldn't just let you run off by yourself." Donald said. "Your dad would have a fit if anything happened to you."

"I can take care of myself." Cunla then looked at the devastation caused by the explosion. "Then again…"

"What caused that explosion?" Goofy asked.

"It's those things on the ridge just outside the city." Cunla pointed to the ten large heartless standing just opposite the sand dunes. The moment Goofy and Donald laid eyes on the behemoths, a cold chill of fear rand down their spine.

"Those are heartless," Donald uttered. "They're behemoths."

"That's right. They're using the behemoths to bombard the city." Cunla stood up and dusted himself off. "I see what they're doing. They hope to cause the moral of the sultan's guards to plummet and make the soldiers lose heart. It's psychological warfare. And with Riku and the others pinned down, there's no way that they can stop those behemoths from destroying the city. Even if they did, they would be allowing the forces of the faction to break through. The faction would overrun the rest of the opposition and force their way here."

"Then, what do we do?"-

"I know this is going against orders, but we have to take that risk." Cunla turned to Goofy and Donald. "I want you two to make it back to the gummi ship and use it to soften up the faction's own defenses."

"But what about you guys?" Goofy asked.

"I can take care of anyone who tries to penetrate this fortress." Cunla drew out his glimmering sword. "Don't forget, I am the son of Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster."

"He does have a point." Donald said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Now get going." Cunla said. "Every second counts."

"But what if…" Goofy uttered.

"If anything happens, I will bear full responsibility. This is my decision and I will accept the consequences." He placed his hands upon Goofy and Donald's shoulders. "I'm entrusting you with this task. I have faith in you."

"Gawrsh…"-

"You can count on us." Donald replied. "Goofy let's go."

"Right…" Goofy said. The two leaped and glided towards the area where they hit the gummi ship.

"It's up to you guys." Cunla said. "We're counting on you."

At the same time, Sora and the others were still bewildered at what was causing the explosions.

"Whatever's causing those explosions," he uttered, "They must be really big."

"Sora," Aladdin shouted from above. Sora looked up to find Aladdin, Abu, and Carpet doing their best to fend off and elude the winged heartless were surrounding them from above.

"Oh my God," Sora uttered, "Where the heck did all those winged heartless come from?"

"If it's not too much trouble, could you give me a hand?"-

"Just stay put a moment!" Sora leaped up and unleashed a widespread fire attack, incinerating many of the winged heartless. The heartless diminished in droves. Aladdin caught Sora and the key bearer landed on the flying carpet. "I hope you don't mind a little company."

"Thanks for the help."-

It was then that Sora happened to look into the distance to find the ten behemoths standing just outside the city.

"Those are behemoths." He uttered. "What are they doing standing about like that?"

"They're the ones that were bombarding Agrabah." Aladdin said.

"Are you serious?" Sora asked.

"I was up here the whole time fighting these winged heartless and that's when I saw those things shooting some kind of light from their foreheads."-

"I get it now," Sora uttered to himself, "The faction is using the Behemoths as makeshift artillery pieces, cheap yet effective at the same time." The behemoths unleashed a third barrage volley, causing further destruction on Agrabah. "We have to somehow stop the barrage."

"But how…?" Aladdin asked.

"We just have to secure the air space over the behemoths and take them down one at a time."-

"But we'll be under constant fire from the faction."-

"If we don't stop the behemoths from attacking the city, there won't be a city left to defend."-

"What do we do?"-

"Drop me down amongst those behemoths."-

"Alright, whatever you say." Aladdin was a little leery flying behind enemy lines to take out the bombarding behemoths, but Sora knew what was best and quickly soared in the direction of the behemoths. The carpet dodged and evaded the heartless that were on their tail and dodged the incoming missiles that were unleashed by both the behemoths as well as sniper faction soldiers or faction soldiers who shot randomly in the air, hoping to shoot them down.

"Come on, Carpet." Aladdin urged the rug on, "We're almost out of the city walls."

"Aladdin," Sora said, "Once I'm safely out of the city, then head back and aid Riku and the others."

"But I can't just let you handle this all by yourself."-

"Believe me, I can handle this."-

But just as Sora's hopes were high and things would turn in their favor, a stray energy beam bellowed forth and struck the flying carpet at the center of its tapestry design.

"Oh no," Aladdin cried, trying to maintain control, "Carpet's been hit." He tried to stabilize the flight, but to no avail. The carpet had been severely crippled and was now spiraling downwards. It seemed hopeless now. "What are we gonna do now?"

"Leave it to me." Sora replied. Sora unleashed his energy and began to hover in flight over the city. He took hold of Aladdin, wrapping his arm around his waist. Abu was till clutching onto Aladdin. Sora took hold of the carpet and quickly descended. "Thank goodness for my gliding and flying abilities."

"I didn't know you could do that."-

"It took a long time to stabilize, but I finally know how to levitate myself in the air for a substantial amount of time. It uses up a lot of energy though, which is the reason why I don't fly very often, except when necessary."-

"That's good."-

But as it seemed that it was a safe passage all the way to the ground, another energy beam was deployed and struck Sora at the left shoulder. There was a deep thud of the body and a deep sinking stinging sensation on the spot where Sora was struck. His body seemed to go limp as he felt the beam hit him. The beam managed to burn through his vest and shirt, charring his skin. Aladdin was nearly released and would have plummeted to his death, but Sora held on, despite being knocked backwards.

"Sora, what happened?" Aladdin asked.

"I've been hit…" Sora uttered, the strain on his body was taking its toll. Little did the key bearer realize that the beam that struck him was not an accidental hit, it did not come from a stray beam from one of the blasters of a desperate faction soldier. The beam didn't originate from a faction soldier, but rather a faction officer, the one who had taken command not too long ago.

General Saber watched as the young man and his burdens slowly descended. He lowered his extended right arm, with a finger pointed towards the spot that Sora was hit. It was indeed General Saber who shot down the key bearer. Lowering his arm, he smirked most sinisterly as if he gained a great achievement.

"Well, what do you know," he chuckled, "I managed to cripple that upstart."

"A hit," Scimitar applauded, "An admiral and most powerful hit."

"Now, let's see if that no account key bearer can battle our large masses as he is in his present state."-

The key bearer's strength was slowly being sapped away from him. He could feel his fingers giving way to holding onto Aladdin, but Sora did not falter, he screamed out as he continued to hold onto the young man. Eventually, they were near the ground when he finally lost all the strength in his right arm and released Carpet, Aladdin, and Abu. But by this time, they were close enough to the ground to make a safe descent. Aladdin landed safely on his feet and watched as Sora slowly made his way down. Once touching ground, the young key bearer fell to his knees and grasped at the wound. The wound, by this time, was bleeding through cracked and burned flesh, causing excruciating pain. Aladdin knelt by Sora's side observing the ghastly wound.

"Sora," he uttered, "Are you alright? That injury looks really bad."

"This is nothing." Sora said. "I've had ten times worse than this." Sora staggered to his feet, this hand still clutched tightly around the hilt of his keyblade. "It'll take a lot more than that to stop me." It was at that moment that they found themselves confronted by at least twenty mumluks and fifteen faction soldiers. "It's a good thing that they didn't manage to wound me in my dominant right arm, otherwise my effectiveness would have been severed in half."

"Don't worry, Sora. I'm here to help you too." The young former thief uttered. Abu also began to chatter and squeak, ready to take on any force that came at them.

"Thanks, Aladdin." Sora and Aladdin stood together, their weapons drawn before them, waiting for the enemy to make the first attack. Sure enough, the attack came, but not from the front. Out of the shadows, ten heartless appeared, pouncing at the heroes from behind. Sora saw the cast shadows of the heartless appear behind him. He quickly turned to find the heartless almost on top of him and Aladdin. But just as it seemed that the heartless had initiated an attack that would possible do away, if not severely maim the key bearer and the new prince of Agrabah, there was a sudden flash of light that streaked through each of the ten attacking heartless. Time suddenly seemed to slow down. The heartless, when coming in striking range of the two young men, suddenly diminished into stray shadows. Sora and Aladdin covered their eyes. They then looked about to find that the heartless were no longer around.

"It's a good thing you have me to watch your back, Sora." A voice said. Sora looked about to spot his friend Riku looked not too far away.

"Riku," Sora uttered, smiling away.

"Instead of you giving the drop on me, it's me giving the drop on you. Just like those heartless." Riku joined up with Aladdin and Sora.

"Thanks for the back up." Aladdin said.

"Hey, I can't afford to lose anybody can I?" Riku looked upon the mumluks and the faction soldiers who were edging closer and closer to them. Riku drew out his keyblade before the masses. "I've been waiting for this moment to try out one of my new summoning spells."

"You mean you haven't used any of your new summoning spells yet?"-

"Just the ones Merlin unleashed while we were in Traverse Town." Riku pointed his keyblade towards the enemy. "Destruction!" Just then, Riku's keyblade began to accumulate a strange light. The energy was increasing. Riku spun the keyblade about and then drew it upward. A bright light bellowed forth and took form before the group. As the light cleared, the being from the summoning spell appeared. Its physical appearance was bewildering to both the KH team and their enemies, who first laid eyes on this bizarre creature. The being was an alien, which was dark blue and furry in appearance. He had what looked like the head of a dog, the ears of a rabbit, and the face of a koala. It had two antennae sticking up from its head. It had two sets of arms, each hand bearing what appeared to be a laser gun. The creature was dressed in bright yellow jumpers, as if a spaceman. It chattered and blathered not making any sense in the pronunciation of its declarations.

"Who the heck is that?" Sora uttered.

"More like what the heck is that." Aladdin said. Abu hid behind his shoulder, wondering what it was.

"This is the first of the new summoning spells." Riku uttered. "Stitch…"

"Um…" Sora observed the thing closer, "Not much to look at is he."

"He's small." Aladdin said.

"But appearances can be deceiving." Riku replied, "Let's see what he can do." Riku pointed towards the mumluks and the faction soldiers. "Defeat…"

Stitch, upon hearing the call of his summoner, quickly rushed into action. Though being small and not much to look at in terms of physical appearance by way of strength, Stitch proved to be more than what the key bearers had expected. Stitch moved about in a wild and uncontrollable manner. He fired his laser guns strictly at his opponents. He would then unleash his agility and ferocity and physically attack his opponents. Feared of this little gremlin, the faction soldiers and even the mumluks tried to stay out of its reach. Stitch would grapple and pummel his opponents to the ground. It didn't seem to matter to him how big the opponent was, Stitch would take him on. He would take them on and win every time. Like a raved little terrier with rabies, Stitch would attack. No one was safe against this rather bizarre looking of creatures, a creature small and meek in appearance, but had the physical powers of a titan and the agility of a mongoose. Out of the fifteen faction soldiers and twenty mumluks who confronted it, only five faction soldiers managed to escape unharmed.

"Man," Sora said, "When you said appearances can be deceiving, you weren't kidding."

"I was expecting a scuffle, not a full blown battle." Riku replied. "I guess wherever Stitch came from, he must be considered a menace to society, as if his own reason for existing was to wreak havoc and cause destruction."

"Well, then I'm glad that he's just a summoning spell and on our side."-

"Stitch return…" Riku said. He drew out his weapon. Stitch thus transformed into a source of light and was drawn back into the keyblade.

"It looks like everything's in control here." Aladdin said.

"For now…" Riku replied. He then happened to glance at Sora's wounded shoulder. "Hey, Sora, what happened to your arm?"

"Oh this," Sora said, covering up the wound at the last minute so Riku wouldn't see the extent of its damage. "This is nothing, just a little scratch."

"Where did you get it?"-

"It was when I was helping Aladdin and Carpet descend to the ground safely. I think a stray beam might have hit me."-

"What were you doing in the air?"-

"We wanted to see what was causing those explosions." Aladdin explained.

"Well, do you know what was causing the explosions?"-

"Yes."-

"And…"-

"They're behemoths," Sora replied, "They're the ones bombarding the city."

"Behemoths…?" Riku said.

"That's right. The faction is using the behemoths as makeshift artillery pieces."-

"We have to figure a way on how to bring those monsters down." Aladdin said.

"Very well, then let's do this." Riku turned to Sora. "Sora let's go and handle this thing with those behemoths."

"Right…" Sora replied.

"What do you want me to do?' Aladdin asked.

"You stay here and continue to aid our forces here in the city." Riku stated.

"Right…"-

"Okay," Drawing out his keyblade, Riku was ready to engage, "Let's finish this with the faction here and now." Sora and Riku descended into the air and made their way to the outskirts of the city. Their movements, however, did not go unnoticed by General Saber, who sensed the energy coming towards them and could feel their footsteps touch the ground.

"They're on their way." He said.

"Who…?" Scimitar asked.

"The key bearers, who else…?"-

"How do you know?"-

"I can sense their energy resonating. By now they already know about the behemoths and they will do all in their power to stop the barrage."-

"Shall I prepare the troops to counter them?"-

"Shall I send in the mumluks?" Mozenrath added.

"There will be no need for that. I will handle this situation myself." Saber drew up his index finger. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a powerful sandstorm began to bellow just outside the wall, low at first, but continued to rise. Like the base of a tornado or a small hurricane, the sands began to swirl. Unnoticeable at first, bust as the wind increased and the sands drew up higher and higher into the air, the storm became apparent. Scimitar and Mozenrath, as well as all those faction soldiers who were present, were astonished to see a sandstorm suddenly pick up. "This will more then suffice."

At the same time the key bearers managed to run through the main gates of the city and out into the middle of the sand dunes just in time to be dragged into the sandstorm. At first, Riku and Sora were only concentrating on the leviathan heartless that stood no more than two hundred yards away.

"There they are." Riku said.

"I see them." Sora replied. But as they began their advance across the dunes, it didn't take long for them to come under the realization that something was wrong with the atmosphere. The wind was picking up and the sands were rising faster. "Something's wrong here."

"Right into our devious little trap," Saber uttered, "You fools!" He raised all five fingers skyward. Immediately, the sands picked up in mighty gusts of wind, catching the key bearers completely off guard. The soldiers present said that it was like watching a giant cheese wheel suddenly appear on the dunes. The storm was blinding and the grains of sand stung as they lashed out against the skin of the key bearers.

"Where the heck did this sandstorm come from?" Sora asked as he shielded his eyes. "It just suddenly picked up when we came in sight of the behemoths."

"I don't know." Riku replied. "But it's not a natural one that's for sure. It doesn't feel right."

"You mean the faction conjured up this storm?"-

"Most likely… Someone must have known we were coming?"-

"But how can that be?"-

"I don't know. All I know is that they knew we were coming and unleashed this sandstorm so they can prevent us from stopping the barrage." The key bearers were unable to move about in such a condition. The storm seemed to suck them in, thus trapping them in the strange whirlpool of sand.

Saber watched on as the key bearers were engulfed in the trap just as he thought they would be.

"All we have to do now is keep the key bearers busy while our plans at the palace take effect." He uttered. "So while the key bearers are entrapped in my little sandstorm, I shall do the honor of giving them a little show by appearing before them."

"Are you sure that's wise, General?" Scimitar asked.

"They put so much effort in coming this far to get to me. The least I could do is present myself to them personally."-

"But still…"-

"There is nothing to worry about, General Scimitar. I've confronted the key bearers before and their present amount of strength is nothing compared to my own."-

At the same time, as the battle for Agrabah continued to escalate at the gates of the city, with the key bearers, the Hound of Ulster, and Colonel Billiard, and the remnants of the sultan's defense force holding off the every growing forces of the Midnight Faction, Cunla and the others were still awaiting any possible infiltration of the palace. The Behemoth's continued to bombard homes and buildings from outside the city walls. A few energy waves hit the base of the sultan's palace and some of the towers. The towers received large holes in their sides. The impact of each explosion was enough to rock the inside of the palace, causing the floors to shake violently. Cunla watched from the front gates of the palace. He was worried now. Though Donald and Goofy set out back towards the gummi ship a half an hour before, the behemoths' barrage carried on.

"I really hope that Donald and Goofy are alright." Cunla uttered. "It's been thirty minutes already and those Behemoths are still there on the dunes, bombarding the city from afar. If they don't hurry, Agrabah will become no more than a desolate ruin." He then looked back at the way leading to the treasure room. "But I'm sure with Genie, Iago, and the others watching the premises, the faction will think twice about attempting a sneak attack."

Just then, as the battle raged on from afar, Cunla noticed some of the sultan's guards rushing up the stairs. They were led by Razoul, captain of the guards, the man whom Cunla fought earlier in the market place. Cunla stood before them.

"What are you guys doing?" Cunla asked. The guards halted their advance.

"I need to see the sultan." Razoul declared. "It's an emergency."

"Whatever you need to tell the sultan, you can tell me."-

"You cannot demand that from me."-

"Are you giving up on the city?"-

"The sultan's safety comes first before the peasants." Cunla looked at Razoul. Razoul sneered, showing his big teeth. It was when doing this gesture that Cunla realized something. Razoul was becoming agitated seeing this boy stand before him without fear. "Are you going to get out of my way, or what, boy!"

Cunla quickly stepped aside. Razoul didn't give him a second look and continued on his way. But just as he and the guards entered the center of the main hall. Cunla called to him.

"Just one question I would like to ask you." He uttered to the captain.

"And what is that?" Razoul asked.

"First of all," Cunla suddenly drew out his sword, "Why would you come back here to protect the sultan and forget about the people of Agrabah. The sultan doesn't seem the type who would give up on his people and allow them to become prey to the wolves. Secondly, after battling you in the market place I realize that you and the palace guards are not ones to give up and run away from anything, unless ordered to. And you take no orders accept from members of the royal house. But yet you're here and with no orders given out by the sultan."

"I found it in my best interest to withdraw. What would this kingdom be without the sultan? If he were to be killed, then utter chaos would erupt amongst the masses." Razoul folded his arms in front of him. "Now if you don't mind, we have a message to deliver."

"I'm not finished yet." Cunla said with a strong and stern voice. "Just another thing," Cunla walked about Razoul and his subordinates, "When I last battled you, your fighting spirit was strong and determined. But now you're accumulating a strange energy that is in a way threatening and evil. And it seems somewhat weaker than before." Cunla then drew up his blade against Razoul's throat.

"What are you doing, boy?" Razoul asked. "I'm on your side."

"That's what you want me to think, but you can't fool me that easily. You're not the real Razoul."-

"What do you mean I'm not the real Razoul! Of course I am the real Razoul, you conceded boy! What makes you think that I'm not!"-

"It was when you were bearing your teeth at me on the stairs."-

"So?"-

"All of your teeth were in place."-

"What's your point?"-

"The last time I remember, when battling you in the market place, you had a tooth missing. And yet now, you bear your teeth at me here in the palace and there are no teeth missing this time. And from what I understand, porcelain is a very hard commodity to come by in this world. You can't possibly by such a rare item on a soldier's pay."-

Razoul suddenly began to chuckle. The other guards did the same, bawling out in laughter.

"So you saw through our little disguise eh?" Razoul uttered. It was at that moment that the figure of Razoul vanished from sight, turning into sand. As the real form of the culprits took shape, Cunla realized that all of them were indeed enemy soldiers. But they were not ones that he laid eyes on before. They were more mummified, as if they had been dead for an extended period of time.

"I knew that you were imposters," Cunla uttered, "But exactly what are you? You can't be faction soldiers." The foes Cunla was facing were Mozenrath's mumluks. The mumluks groaned and grunted as they drew out their swords to battle the young son of the hound. "You won't get the best of me, mummy men. You're dealing with the son of Cuchulain. And I am far stronger than you think."

The mumluks attacked with all their might, but Cunla managed to cut them down with very little effort. He jumped over the heads of his opponents and struck them from behind. Because the consisted of sand and mummified remains, they were a little harder to get rid of. But even so, it was a situation that Cunla could handle. He struck from behind and from the flank and at times directly in front of them. One by one, the mumluks were defeated. Cunla sheathed his sword as the last mumluk fell.

By this time, Jasmine, the Sultan, Genie, Rajah, and a hand full of palace guards rushed into the main hall, curious to know about what all the commotion was about.

"What's going on, Cunla?" Jasmine asked.

"The Midnight Faction was going on." Cunla replied.

"You mean the faction managed to penetrate this far already?" the sultan asked.

"They tried to, but they couldn't get past me."-

"Well, good job my boy."-

"By the way," Jasmine asked, "Where are Donald and Goofy?"

"I sent them out to retrieve the gummi ship and aid Riku and Sora." Cunla explained.

"But why…?"-

"That's why?" Cunla pointed towards the dunes beyond the city. The party saw the large heartless standing upon the dunes.

"What are those?" the sultan asked.

"Those are Behemoth heartless. They're being used as makeshift artillery pieces to unleash a barrage on the city. And with Riku, Sora, my father, Aladdin, and Miss Billiard pinned down against the faction's ground forces, they can't do a thing to prevent the Behemoth volleys. That's why I sent out Goofy and Donald. They're the only ones who can handle this situation right now."-

"But what if we need extra help?" Jasmine asked.

"We'll just have to do our best without them for the time being."-

"Well," Genie uttered, "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we might just have to do that." Genie pointed. From around them, heartless and mumluks began to appear like weeds in a garden. From every nook and cranny they appeared, massing themselves together, surrounding the team.

"Oh dear." The sultan uttered, hiding behind Jasmine and Cunla. "I didn't realize there were so many here already."

"Let's get ready to battle." Cunla declared.

"Right," Genie replied. He suddenly split up into his own personal army, one genie soldier for every mumluk and heartless present. They came in the form of S.W.A.T, Scottish highlanders with their plaid bagpipes a blowing, United States cavalry with their blue uniforms and yellow scarves, and even World War II parachute troops. "Let's rock and roll!"

The mumluks and heartless began their advance, attacking the million genie army and the small band of defenders and palace guards. With so many opponents to battle, some heartless and some mumluks went unnoticed. Therefore, one of the mumluks had managed to stand at the palace gates. Using the glint of his sword, he reflected the sunlight off if its surface. He pointed the sun's reflection towards a certain area. It was there that the young alchemist, Edward Elric, and a handful of faction soldiers were on standby. Edward saw the reflected beam flashing at him. Using a mirror to do the same, he acknowledged the initiation.

"It's time…" he uttered. He ran out from a nook between the houses and rushed through the gates and into the courtyard. To avoid the fighting in the main hall, Edward decided to run to the extreme right of the palace. He and the task force scurried against the wall, far enough so no one would notice them coming in. He stopped no more than two hundred yards from the right of the palace doors. Leading the faction soldiers toward to this one spot at the wall, he clapped his hands together once and then placed them securely on the wall's surface. Immediately, there was an alchemic reaction. And electrical surge flowed for a second or two against the wall and a bright light accumulated as this phenomenon occurred. Within seconds there was a gaping, circular hole in the wall.

"Hurry," Ed said to the soldiers, as he quickly rushed through the hole and into the palace's interior, "We have to find that treasure room. And make sure that those guards don't do anything to fondle our plans."

"Yes sir." The leading officer replied.

Meanwhile, things were turning out hot for the KH team defending the front of the city. Aladdin, Ophelia, and Cuchulain led the opposition against the forces of the Midnight Faction to the point of exhaustion. The sultan's soldiers were starting to lose ground. They had fought long and hard, but fatigue was starting to set in. To continue their efforts, Cuchulain and the others handed out potion, hi-potion, Mega potion, and even cast the Curaga spell to the weary soldiers. The soldiers were instantly relieved of their fatigue and were found battling against the advancing enemy troops. But by now, the potions were running dry and by this time fatigue led to weariness, thus dulling the senses of the guards. As a result, some of the guards were being cut down by faction soldiers and mumluks and were receiving deep wounds, which potion and Curaga could not mend. For a few minutes, there was a short pause in the battle as the last wave of attackers was repulsed and seen rearward to regroup. It was at this period of time that the might Hound of Ulster gazed upon the tired faces of the soldiers.

"These men are starting to lose strength at a much faster pace." He thought to himself. "The fatigue is starting to set in again and that will affect their moral, which in turn will affect the moral of the troops.

"We're not going to last!" One soldier cried.

"We can't keep this up!" Another shouted.

"They keep coming," one young soldier remarked, "How long are they gonna keep coming!"

"I don't think I can continue fighting like this for much longer." Another added. Cuchulain noticed their descent and grew concerned, not for their effectiveness in battle, but their lives.

"You're not going to give up on me!" Razoul shouted, as he passed up and down the lines. "We have to protect this city with our lives! So even if you have to fight to the death, you will remain here!"

"Razoul," Cuchulain said, "Give the order for your men to withdraw."

"What was that!"-

"You heard me. Tell your men to fall back for the time being."-

"And allow the enemy to overrun us with our backs turned! These infidels will take half the city if we do that!" Razoul's words were harsh, but Cuchulain did not waver. He simply looked eye to eye with the captain.

"Look at your men, look at them. They're exhausted right now. How long do you think they'll last with this level of fatigue?" Razoul looked at his soldiers, seeing them tired and weary. He could not deny that they were exhausted.

"I know, but…"-

"If you let them continue fighting like this, their bodies will give in before their determination to fight does. If the continue fighting, then there is no way that we'll be able to hold back the faction. Our ranks will eventually crumble and be overrun. However, if you have them pull back for now, then they'll be given a time to rest."-

"And how do you plan of holding off the faction soldiers while our ranks withdraw?" Razoul asked in a rather sarcastic way, folding his arms in front of him.

"I will fight them myself."-

"Ha, you," Razoul scoffed, "fight them all by yourself!"

"Do we have a problem with that?" The Hound's tone suddenly became a dark and threatening tone, which caught Razoul off guard. He dared not utter another word. They stood in silence for a moment or so before Razoul sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"Do whatever you want then. Just don't blame me if you get killed." Razoul turned towards his soldiers. "Alright, we're pulling back for now!" There were no quarrels amongst the soldiers since they all agreed on a nice rest. Thus, they withdrew for at least to the very center of the city's interior before they stopped to rest.

By this time, the faction forces had regrouped. Mumluks, heartless, and the elite faction soldiers advanced for a fifth time in mass numbers and at full speed. But this time it was the hound and the hound alone who stood in their way. One of the officers saw the lone hound standing before them.

"Heh," he said, "Don't fear men! The sultan's soldiers have gone! They are desperate to hold this area! They only have one man fighting against us now!"

Cuchulain smirked, urged to fight the masses.

"Apparently you don't know the Hound of Ulster." Cuchulain swung the mighty Gae Bulga about. "It's gonna be more difficult for you guys here on out. This time, I don't have to worry about holding back." Cuchulain began his advance against the faction forces alone, but it was something that he did not fret over. In fact, he was rather ecstatic about entering battle by himself.

At the same time, Riku and Sora were having troubles of their own as the sand storm began to blow faster and harder. Sora drew the hood of his vest over head and zipped it up at the front. Riku zipped up his trench coat all the way to the collar so the sand would not sting him any further.

"What a freaky sandstorm." Sora said.

"You're telling me." Riku replied. "It just popped out of nowhere."

But no sooner had Riku said that then something bizarre happened. The sands blowing around them suddenly settled, giving way to a clear sky. But the sands encircling them were still blowing high and hard. It was like the eye of a hurricane. Though torrents and chaos loomed at the edges, the center was calm and tranquil. A giant sand ring was formed, you might say.

"What the heck…?" Sora uttered, astounded, "I've never seen a storm do something like this."

"I knew it." Riku remarked. "There is someone controlling this storm."

"Nothing gets by you does it?" a voice suddenly uttered. Riku and Sora looked to find a dark figure emerging from the swirling sands. It was a face they were all too familiar with.

"General Saber…" Sora uttered.

"I'm glad to see that you managed to make it this far." Saber replied as he presented himself before the key bearers, his hands behind his back. "Small world isn't it Sora, Riku…!"

"Too small for the three of us…!" Riku replied.

"This will be the second time that you have gotten in my way."-

"We're like cockroaches. You think you get rid of us, but we always come back."-

"Yes, and like cockroaches, I intend to step on you."-

"Are you the on responsible for conjuring up this storm?" Sora asked.

"Yes indeed," Saber chuckled, "How do you like my handy work."-

"If you think that a simple sandstorm's gonna stop us, you have another thing coming." Riku declared.

"Oh, I believe you have it all wrong." Saber chuckled. "I did not conjure up this sandstorm to stop you." The general then drew out the blade which earned him his name. "I conjured up this storm to prevent you from escaping." Saber suddenly drew up the sands again. Riku and Sora were blown away by the sands, blinded by the flying grains.

"Let us see how well you do now that you are in one of my most devious of traps." Riku and Sora's vision was nearly nothing as the sands were blocking their point of view. Saber's little game to play with the key bearers would commence, putting the endurance of the two youths to the test.

But as the battle raged on at the outskirts of Agrabah, the main threat was commencing with in the halls of the sultan's palace. Edward Elric and his squadron of faction soldiers made their way into through the palace, evading the guards and avoiding the fighting that was going on the main hall. Edward led searched the entire lower level, before he came to yet another room. It was a well furnished room with plants and tapestries decorating the walls. The columns at the edges of the room were made of tall and polished marble. The sight was beautiful to the young alchemist. On the opposite side of the room, Edward noticed another doorway. This doorway had a magnificent golden glow coming from its entry way.

"That must be the room." He said, nearing the door. "What else could be causing that golden glow?"

"Shouldn't we beware of traps, sir?" the officer in charge asked.

"Nah," Ed shrugged his shoulders as if there was nothing to really worry about, "If there are any traps around here, there's no way that they'd be able to work on a guy like me. Now come on." The team followed the young alchemist towards the door. They reached the point where they would be able to see whatever it was that caused the glow. Sure enough, as the task force came within view of the room's contents, Edward and the others soldiers were spellbound at what they laid their eyes upon. Before them was a large room filled with gold items, gold coins, and gold statues. The gold coins piled up in mountains and shimmered like the sun. It seemed like heaven to the soldiers, whose eyes were bursting with lust and greed.

"Look at all this treasure." One soldier said.

"Look at all this gold." Another said. "This could all be ours for the taking."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's take this gold as our own."-

"Stay where you are." The officer in charge shouted, drawing out his sword. "We didn't come here for such insignificant trinkets. We're here to find a specific piece. Everything else is of little matter. We have very little time now. So look for that other golden piece and never mind about the rest of the items."

"Aw, come now, sir." Another soldier said, scooping up a hand of gold coins and shoveling it in his pocket. "Just a little something to bring back for the boys, eh?" But as the soldier picked up another handful, the officer slapped it out of his hand.

"Unless you want the KH team swarming over here," he growled, "then you better stop your own ravaging and stick to the plan." The officer turned to his soldiers. "Everyone out, guard the door in case we run into any trouble."

The soldier's sulked as they were forced to drop the items they were so eager to take with them and walked out of the treasure room, one after the other. The officer then turned to Edward Elric.

"I leave you to look for it," he said, "You're the only one I can trust right now."

"Just give me ten minutes at the most." Edward replied. "You and the rest of your soldiers wait outside."

"Understood…" The officer saluted and took his place next to his men. Edward on the other hand continued searching for the elusive scarab piece amidst the mountains of gold. Little did he realize that someone was watching him from not too far away. Slinking about in amongst the gold was Iago the parrot, who was watching as the young alchemist as he went scrounging through the gold.

"So," he quietly uttered, "You think you can take the gold and get away with it?"

Edward frantically searched the entire room, throwing coins and trinkets asunder and knocking over golden idles and vases. It was at that moment that he saw a golden plate suddenly fly by his head, nearly striking him.

"What the heck…?" he uttered to himself. "Where did that…?" Just then another golden plate whizzed by his head, the another and another, followed by a gold ring, a couple of gold coins, and a few emeralds and rubies. "Who the heck is…?" Ed then happened to glance down and find little Iago bombarding him with the shimmering trinkets. Iago picked up a solid gold candle holder and held it high above his head as if he were a batter ready to hit the ball.

"Not so fast, Zorro!" Iago shouted in that loud, irritating voice of his, swinging the candlestick around. Ed was puzzled. He never saw anything like this. He never saw a talking bird that could communicate with humans, let alone one that could actually fight back.

"A bird," he uttered, "I'm being yelled at by a bird?"

"You think you can take any gold from out of this vault?" Iago screeched again, "Not on my watch, pal!"

"Now, now," Ed slowly neared Iago, cooing to him softly. "That's a nice birdie, that's a nice birdie."

"Don't you give me that nice birdie speech, I've heard it so many times, it's enough to make me sick!"-

"Come on now," Ed uttered softly, "Polly want a…"

"Mention cracker and I'll smack you out of principle!" Iago was one who had been traumatized by crackers since the days of Jafar, and that was the thing he hated the most. Iago threw the candlestick at Edward. Ed dodged the candlestick. He then gave a hysterical look on his face.

"Hah, you missed me, featherbrain!" he shouted, only to be confronted by an incoming statuette that nailed him between the eyes. Edward fell backwards, almost unconscious. He then popped back up, angry and irritated, a large red bump, the size of a baseball was sticking out of his cranium. "Why you little creep, you'll pay for that!" He lunged at Iago, unleashing his vengeful wrath, but the parrot only flew into the air, losing only a few feathers in flight. Edward went crashing into a series of gold statues and vases, knocking them over and causing a great deal of racket.

"You missed me, Robin Hood!" Iago mocked, shuffling his feathered behind into the air and landing on one of the mounds.

"Don't you dare make fun of me, you stupid bird!"-

"Oh, stupid is it!" Iago shouted. He picked up a gold plated cup and threw it straight at Ed. Ed dodged the cup.

"Hah, you missed again!" Ed replied, only have a golden bowl slam him between the eyes.

"Yeah, go ahead, kid," Iago chuckled, "Make an idiot of yourself!"

"Why you…!" Ed jumped up to catch the loudmouth parrot, but missed again. Again and again, the young alchemist tried to snatch the bird, but always, he failed, grabbing only a hand full of feathers in the process. The two caused so much racket, the officer in charge of the faction soldiers poked his head in to see what was going on.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"What does it look like!" Ed shouted. "I'm trying to catch that flying feathered rodent!"

"Do you need assistance?"-

"No, I can handle this!" Ed jumped again, but missed the parrot. The officer only shrugged his shoulders and withdrew from the room. Ed, but this time was losing his temper.

"Hey there, kid," Iago chuckled, mocking the young alchemist. "Why not give it up! You can't catch me anyway!"

"You just wait!" Edward shouted, as he leaped up to try and catch Iago. "If I ever get my hands on you, I'm gonna have you stuffed! And I don't mean with crackers!"

"That is if you manage to get a grip on me!" Iago landed on a golden statue.

"Is that so?" Edward lunged forward, clapped his hands together and touched the base of the statue. Immediately after he made contact with the statues surface, there was a sudden alchemic reaction. An electrical surge suddenly reverberated through the statue. Iago, not knowing what was going on, was caught completely by surprise. Just then, the statue was transformed from the figure of a human idle, to the form of a cage, a bird cage to be precise. Iago found himself trapped behind confining bars of gold. He looked about, seeing this cage suddenly pop up all around him. The cage then landed on the ground safely on its base. Iago fell to the floor of his cage and rolled about.

"What just happened?" he said, loudly. "Where the heck did this cage come from?"

"Hah," Edward hollered, boastfully. "Hah. I caught you, I caught you at last!" I was Ed's turn to do the mocking. "I don't here your beak flapping up and down now! I don't hear you making any sarcastic remarks! I caught you, I caught you, and that's all there is to it!" Edward jumped into the air and did a few poses of joy. "Who's the man, who's the man!"

"Congratulations," Iago shouted, "You finally caught me! Any dimwitted idiot could've done that!"

"Idiot…!" Ed's attitude changed. He rushed over to Iago's cage with that same infuriated look on his face, "Watch who you're calling an idiot, you brainless flying rat!"

"Brainless flying rat, eh? You of all people should talk, you pipsqueak!"-

That was the final insult to Edward Elric. If there was one thing he detested the most, it was being called pipsqueak, shorty, a shrimp, a midget, a bean sprout, and everything else that regarded his height.

"Pipsqueak, who are you calling a pipsqueak!" Edward, without a second thought, kicked the golden birdcage against the wall. The cage crashed against the wall, bending and breaking some of the bars. The top of the birdcage flew off and the gold prison landed up against the wall, rolling about on the ground for a while before stopping. In the meantime, Iago slumped down on the ground, unconscious, with little stars swirling around his head. His tongue hung out of his head and both eyes spun about like a hypnotist wheel. "That'll keep your big mouth shut for a while."

Edward took his attention off of Iago and continued his search for the second scarab piece. Little did he realize that the activity had lured some attention to the treasure room.

While battling against the attacking mumluks and heartless, Cunla had felt the sudden surge of energy accumulating from the treasure room. By this time, Genie's million genie army was gaining the upper hand against the heartless and the mumluks. He even ended dropping a few sixteen ton weights on the heads of the mumluks and heartless in a typical cartoon fashion. At times, some of Genie's genies took on the form of Samurai, or ninjas, hollering and shouting wildly as they battled against the mumluks. At other times, Genie would transform into U.S. soldiers from Vietnam, dressed in their green vest, their long bullet straps, their heavy machine guns, their red bandanas, and a real bad attitude. Of course, what they shot we've bullets, but rather corks, which happened to infuriate the enemy more than inflicted damage. There was a time, where he unleashed a barrage of cannons while at the same time playing the 1812 Overture, and blasted the heartless out of the palace by the hand full. He even went so far as to give bombs disguised as presents to the invading horde, of course the mumluks and heartless who a got a present ended up leaving the palace with a bang…or boom if you refer to call it.

"Oh, that's got to hurt!" he chuckled. At another point in the fight, Genie even transformed himself into a giant broom and swept away the heartless and mumluks as easy as one would sweep off bread crumbs of a table's surface.

"Always trust Genie to assemble himself into his own army." Cunla said.

"How are we doing?" Jasmine asked, using a sword to fend off the heartless. Her tiger, Rajah, pounced and swiped at the mumluks, turning them to sand and turning the heartless into shadows. The sultan, dressed in his battle gear, held to fend off the invading horde.

"We're doing A.O.K!" Genie gave a thumb's up, "Not bad for a hand full of fighters and a big blue genie, eh!"

"So far no one has passed the main hall." Sultan said. "That's something to be thankful for."

"No," Cunla uttered, "Something's wrong." He sensed a rise in energy within the palace. "Something is definitely wrong." Cunla did away with his last opponent before withdrawing from the fight. He ran out of the main hall and down the corridor leading to the treasure room.

"Where are you going?" Jasmine asked.

"There's something going on at the treasure room. Hold back the enemy as best you can until I get back."-

"But Cunla…!"-

"Jasmine," the sultan said, "let the boy go. We have our own task to fulfill. We must stay here and keep the enemy at bay. I'm sure Cunla knows what he's doing."

"I sure hope you're right, father. I'd hate to have that boy wander on his own and face whatever's awaiting him back there."-

"Just focus on the matter at hand."-

"Right…"-

"Okay," Genie uttered in that tough guy accent. He held a fifty-seven magnum in his right hand and squinted like Dirty Harry. The mumluks and the heartless halted in their tracks. "There's one thing you gotta ask yourselves. 'Do I feel lucky?'" Genie's magnum then increased in barrel size and several other gun barrels, from a gatling gun, to a bazooka, two ballistic missiles, to a forty pound howitzer. "Well, do ya, punks?" The Heartless might and the mumluks might not have had a will of their own, but they weren't stupid. They knew when they were licked. Not wanting to face the genie with his massive arsenal, they whimpered rearward like beaten lap dogs. But once Genie pulled the trigger, the only projectiles that popped out of the seven dozen barrels were bubbles. Then in a loud goofy voice, Genie shot the pun. "Bubble gun… Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk…"

Back in the treasure room, young Edward Elric, was continuing his search for the single scarab half that was supposedly amongst the sultan's gold trinkets. He toppled very statue, threw about coins and vases. He tore mountains of gold coins to their foundations. No nook and cranny was left unexplored. But still, even though he searched swiftly and with efficient accuracy, making sure to look at each item in the treasure more than once, there was no luck, no sight of the scarab. Edward dug through the gold like a dog would in dirt.

"Where the heck is this stupid thing." He uttered to himself, angrily. "It has to be here somewhere." Ed fell to his knees and sighed heavily. "Damn it, that scarab piece can be anywhere in here. Of all the things to search for, it has to be something small enough to be held in my hand." I was at that moment that Ed heard one of the soldiers shout out.

"Who the heck are you!" he said.

"It's Cunla!" another soldier added. "Cunla is here."

"Cunla…?" Edward wondered. "Who the heck is Cunla?" He stood up and poked his head out of the treasure room door. And there, standing at the opposite doorway of the marble chamber, was none other than the young son of the Hound. Edward walked up to the officer in charge. "Who's that?"

"That is the traitor to His Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous," The officer replied, "Cunla, the son of Cuchulain."

"He's just a kid. He's no older than I am."-

"Be aware of his presence, Edward Elric. He is far more dangerous than he looks, so don't let his age deceive you."-

"He's still just a kid to me." Ed folded his arms in front of him as if there was really nothing to worry about.

The officer in charge stepped forward, standing tall before the son of Cuchulain. He drew out his sword from out of its sheath, revealing the sharpened, glistening steel to the boy.

"Cunla," The officer declared, "You have been branded a traitor by the Midnight Faction and have betrayed the cause of your fellow factioneers." One by one, the faction soldiers drew their weapons. Two were armed with blasters; two more were armed with grappling spears with long curved blades, resembling a saber or a machete. One soldier was armed with a giant spiked mace, while the other was armed with a grappling hook. The remaining three were armed with sharpened swords like the officer. "By order of His Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous, leader of the Midnight Faction, and to uphold the honor of the men you dared to betray, we here by order your execution." The soldiers began to draw closer to Cunla, ready to battle the boy to the death.

"You know my reputation, gentlemen." Cunla declared. "You know of what I am capable of." Cunla slowly reached for his sword. He wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his sword. Then with a click, he slowly drew out the unblemished steel from its scabbard. The drawing of the sword gave a clean, unbroken sliding sound. The blade was drawn before the soldiers. "I do not wish to take your lives, but if you must stand in my way, then I can assure you that you will not leave this chamber alive."

"Is that so? You must realize that you are battling against the elite S class soldiers, the cream of the crop. Oppose us and you will surely die."-

"It is you who must fear me." Cunla took his battle stance. "I am giving you a chance to withdraw from here. For those of you who don't wish to die, withdraw your weapons and retreat from this palace. But if you wish to fight me and maintain your honor, then I guarantee upon you a swift and painless death."

"We will not give in to traitors." One of the spear soldiers said.

"So be it. Then, I shall fulfill your duties by ending your lives."-

The soldiers began their run. One of the soldiers, armed with a sword, was the first to attack. He slashed at Cunla with great swiftness. Any other warrior would have met instant death at the hands of the elite S class soldiers. But Cunla was in a different league of strength altogether and easily evaded the attack. Using a point blank thrust attack, he flipped over the soldiers head and plunged the blade deep into the back of the soldier's throat. The blade cut through the flesh, entered the ribcage and pierced the man's heart. The young soldier was dead before he could even make a second strike. Cunla landed on his feet. Another soldier, heavily plated with black armor, was the next to attack. He kept his eye on his back, making sure that Cunla did not pull the same attack. He lunged at Cunla, hoping to pierce his gut, but Cunla side stepped, turned and attempted to strike from behind. The soldier quickly spun about to catch the sword of the young warrior. Both were caught in a deadlock as both pushed against one another. Cunla gave way to the soldier's force, causing the trooper to tumble forward. The youth then spun about again and cut the soldier down at the knee joint. The soldier staggered to the ground. Cunla spun about a third time, delivering the finishing blow. The blade came in contact with the soldier's throat and immediately severed his jugulars. The soldier was dead within a few seconds. Then the third soldier came at him, armed with a blaster. He raised his weapon and prepared to fire it point blank at Cunla. But Cunla saw the attack coming and made a sudden upward kick, knocking the blaster upward. The blaster went off and blew out a piece of the roof. Cunla then crouched down and thrust his sword deep into the man's gut. He twisted the blade upward and cut through the rib cage, severing the lungs and heart from the rest of the body. Great spouts of blood hurled from the ghastly wound.

"Oh my God," Edward uttered. "This kid is killing those soldiers in the most ghastly way." This angered him, as he saw the blood of the troopers spill in pools over the white marble.

The onslaught continued as the fourth soldier lunged forward. This soldier was armed with a spear. He lunged at Cunla from a great distance away. Cunla easily dodged the attack. The soldier then drew the side of the spear that was sharpened and attempted to cut the boy's throat. But Cunla, familiar with the grappling techniques of the spear, ducked his head in time. At the same time, he cut the soldier at the side, causing him to collapse to one knee. Then the youth spun again and connected with the soldier's throat, cutting the trooper at the neck, nearly severing his head from his body. As that soldier fell to the ground dead, with yet more blood spilling on the marble ground, the fifth soldier, he too armed with a spear, lunged at Cunla. He tried the same attack. But Cunla used his sword as a guard to prevent the head of the spear from trying to cut his throat. He then hit the back of his blade with his fist and cut the spear in half. He then grabbed hold of the spear that was disconnected from the blade, the side that was still held by the trooper. He then swung his sword upward with a fast upward thrust he drove his spear into the man's throat, killing him instantly.

"Die you monster!" the sixth soldier shouted, raising his sword above his head. Cunla saw the man coming and quickly drew out his sword from the other fighter's throat. He then jumped rearwards and used the hilt of his sword to strike the other man's throat. The soldier gasped, dropping his sword as a reaction. Cunla then slashed the man across the chest, nearly cutting him in halt. Blood spurted everywhere. The seventh soldier, armed with a blaster as well, aimed his weapon and fired away. Cunla quickly grabbed the collapsing body of the sixth soldier and used it a shield. The blast hit the back of the dead soldier, nearly burning the skin off of his bones. The seventh soldier could not see beyond the smoke that accumulated after the blast. Just then, the sword of his dead comrade went flying at him piercing through his throat. The man fell dead instantly as well. The next to battle Cunla was the soldier with the grappling hook.

"You're mine, kid!" he shouted. "You'll pay for what you've done to my comrades!" He swung the hook around like a whip. But Cunla easily evaded. Using the blade of his sword, he managed to catch the hook's end. He then secured it to the floor, thrusting his sword into the marble. Then, picking up another fallen sword of one of the dead soldiers, Cunla swiftly advanced. He then cut the soldier's arm at the shoulder. The soldier screamed as he saw his entire right arm detached from the rest of the body. Immediately after severing the man's arm, Cunla flipped his sword to the under hand position and thrust the blade into the trooper's back. Now only two remained in the way of the boy, the soldier armed with the mace and the officer in charge.

"I can't believe it." The officer in charge uttered. "How could one boy be able to vanquish even the most elite soldiers of the faction?"

"That's no ordinary boy." The mace soldier said. "That is the son of the Hound of Ulster."

"The Hound of Ulster…?" Edward wondered. "I wonder who that is."

"Kill that boy." The officer ordered. The mace soldier did as he was commanded and dared to fight the son of the Hound. He was heavily armored, bearing no real exposed flesh. To add, his weapon was slow and cumbersome, virtually worthless against a swift foe like Cunla. However, his defense and attack more than made up for his lack of speed. But what would the point be in trying to fight an enemy you can't catch. It didn't take long for Cunla to figure out the vital points of the heavy armor. Two of the points were located at the back of the knee joint, while the other two were located at the armpit. The giant swung his mace, trying to swipe at Cunla, but the agile young warrior was too fast. When the giant swung his mace full force Cunla rushed forward. He thrust his sword at the small opening of the armor at the back of the knee join, bringing the large soldier to his knees. He then thrust his sword up the nook in the armpit, stabbing the man's heart. The soldier was dead before he could take another swing, which was in most cases a futile effort.

Now all that stood in the way of Cunla was the commander. The officer took his fighting stance.

"I will not lose to the likes of a traitor." He declared.

"Then come and prove your might." Cunla replied. The officer sneered and attacked swiftly. Cunla did the same. There was a flash of light, a sudden clash and the two were found standing opposite each other. Cunla stood erect, his sword lowered at his side, covered in blood. "It over…"

"Nicely done, Cunla, son of the Hound." The officer uttered. Blood suddenly spurted out and he too fell dead along with the others. Cunla looked at his handy work. Then without looking at Edward, he began to speak to him.

"Do you want to be next?" he said.

"How could you kill those men in such a brutal fashion?" Edward asked with a sound of anger behind his words. "Did you have to mutilate them?"

"These men wanted to fight and die." Cunla explained. "It wouldn't matter how hard I would try to persuade them, they would have battled me to the end. So at least I gave them the honor of a swift and painless death." Cunla swiped his sword downward, throwing the blood from his blade. He then wiped it clean and sheathed it back into his scabbard. "If you were to look closely at the faces of these men, you would have realized by the expression on their faces that they were dead before they knew what hit them. At least I did not let them linger in agonizing pain."

"But did you have to kill them so barbarically?"-

"When you kill, you can't avoid spilling blood. Would you rather see them die in ways that don't involve spilling of blood? Would you have rather seen them drown, chock, suffocate, smother? Death in such a manner is ten times worse than seeing them impaled. The reason why is because death by suffocation isn't a pretty one. You're muscles contort, your mouth foams, your eyes roll to the back of your head, and you legs would have thrashed about uncontrollably. If you kill someone in such a manner, your victim can thrash about violently for five minutes or so, before their body ceases to function all together. Compared to that, what you witnessed was a mercy killing." Cunla then turned to Edward. "I sense a different type of energy within you though. You do not seem the type to kill mercilessly. Your heart beats with good intensions."

"You have some serious issues, kid." Edward said.

"I ask you this, my friend. Will you stand down, or fight?"-

"I came here for a reason."-

"I know what you've come for and there's no way I'm gonna let you take it."-

"I see." Edward took off his red coat and stood ready to battle in his black shell jacket. "Then I have no choice, but to fight you." He then clapped his hands together and placed them securely on the ground. It was at that moment that moment a strange blue light appeared on the ground.

"What is he doing?" Cunla thought to himself. As he watched, he witnessed Edward pull out something from the light. It was a long pole. As the object was released from the light, Cunla realized that it was a spear. The spear bore three prongs, almost identical to his father's Gae Bulga. Edward swung the spear behind him. Cunla looked at the spear. "That spear. Only one kind of person can unleash such a weapon."

"Let's fight, kid." Edward said.

"Tell me this first." There was silence between the two. "Are you an alchemist?"

"Yes…" Ed replied. "I am an alchemist."

"But how is it that you can create that spear without the use of a transmutation circle?"-

"It's a natural born talent." Ed made ready to battle. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist."

"The Fullmetal Alchemist," Cunla uttered, "That is quite a noble title for one of such skill. I know you already know my name, but allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Cunla, son of Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster."

"It's a pleasure."-

"So now that we have introduced one another, let us battle."-

"Yeah, let's do this."

And so another epic battle would ensue between Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, and Cunla, son of the Hound of Ulster.


	48. On Sand and Marble

On Sand and Marble

There was a calm silence before the storm as Cunla and Edward Elric stood face to face. Their weapons drawn, sword and lance, the two young men were at a stand still waiting for the other to make the first move. Tension was high as the two maintained eye contact, hoping to read the other's emotions. It was then that Cunla made the first move. He suddenly lunged forward with incredible speed. Fullmetal saw the attack coming and quickly thrust his spear forward. But for some reason, the young warrior dodged his thrust in time. The young lad was swift, very swift, something that Edward was not at all familiar with.

"These reflexes," he thought to himself. "This kid is fast."

Cunla then swung his sword around him, when passing behind Edward, but the alchemist swung his spear behind his back blocked the hit. He then twirled the spear about as he turned to face Cunla. Fullmetal then began to thrust the spear multiple times. This caught Cunla off guard, figuring that this fight would be just as easy as it was against the elite S class soldiers he so easily slew. Edward then thrust and swung his spear, hoping to cut the young man across the face. Cunla ducked, evading the first phase of the attack, but Edward swung about again, hoping to strike from the same direction. Cunla used his sword to block the attack. Taking advantage of the situation, Cunla swirled his sword about, having it dance at the spear's head, never losing contact. He controlled the spears movement with this tactic, spinning his sword about so that Edward could not easily control the movements of his own weapon. Cunla then maneuvered the spear, forcing its head to the ground. Once the spear touched the ground, the young son of the Hound twisted its blade and glided it up the shaft of the spear, causing sparks to fly. But Edward saw the attack coming and threw back his entire body to evade the sword's tip. At the same time, he lifted up his spear, freeing it from the weight of Cunla's sword. He quickly grabbed the spear with both hands and charged at his opponent. The two again grappled with tight and intense precision. It seemed that they both managed to evade one another. Up and down, side to side, with swiftness and extraordinary agility, both opponents fought as if they had rehearsed the movements of the battle before. The reading of each of their moves was crystal clear to the other.

"This kid," Fullmetal uttered to himself, "How can he be so fast? Those reflexes of his are unrivaled and yet he's even younger than I am. He moves even faster than the Homunculi. And they're the hardest opponents I've ever had to battle against. But how can that be?" Fullmetal's concern about the outcome of this battle was beginning wear at the back of his mind. He feared that he may possibly lose, but he did not allow that idea to overcome him.

He was not the only one to experience this same feeling, this same concern. Cunla too, at the back of his own mind, found that fighting young Edward Elric was just as intense. It seemed more as if he were battling his father, the mighty Cuchulain.

"This guy," Cunla said at the back of his mind, "He's just as good as Riku and Sora. He's even equal in skill as my father. To think that a mere alchemist could fight with such intensity. Those last few moves nearly caught me off guard. I haven't felt this kind tension and exuberance since the last time I battled my father."

Sword and Lance clashed with one another. Sparks flew as their weapons came in contact. For ten minutes of intense battle, the fight seemed to be going nowhere, but by this time, Edward was starting to slow down. He spun the lance about and moved his body tightly, evading and blocking Cunla's attacks at a very narrow margin. If he were to have stalled at least once, one of Cunla's attacks would have proven to be fatal. Finally, the two engaged in a deadlock that neither could easily break. But Edward made sure not to push too hard. He remembered how Cunla and that one faction soldier were caught in a deadlock and how Cunla used the force and weight of the soldier to his advantage, which ended in the soldier's death. Fullmetal was not about to make the same mistake. He stayed aware of Cunla's possible motives. Sure enough, Cunla used that same strategy he used on the soldier. But unlike before, he stepped to the side, allowing Fullmetal to fall to the ground. Cunla then spun about, hoping to strike him from behind. Fullmetal was ready though and dodge rolled out of harm's way. Edward jumped back to his feet and stood with his spear at the ready. Cunla stood up and faced Edward. His facial expression was the same as it was when the battle commenced.

"This kid," Fullmetal thought to himself. "Doesn't he ever get tired? Look at him." Edward scanned Cunla from top to bottom. "He's not even the least bit fatigued. But look at me, I'm out of breath. But he doesn't seem the least bit weary." Edward lowered his spear, his breathing was slightly labored and perspiration began to accumulate at his brow. He smiled at the youth.

"I have to admit, kid," Ed said, "You're a lot tougher to fight than I thought. I confess I thought you just a cocky little brat when I first laid eyes on you, but I got to tell you, you're one of the toughest opponents I've ever had to confront."

"Then we're both of the same opinion, Edward Elric." Cunla replied, smiling. "I have to admit that you too are one of the toughest opponent's I've fought. I haven't had this much on my mind, or had to use up this much strength since the last time I battled my father."

"Is that so?"-

"I always figured alchemists to be nothing more than stuffy and arrogant desk clerks who only give orders and couldn't fend for themselves against an enemy. They would always hide behind large bodyguards and have them do the fighting for them. But I can see that you've proven me wrong this day."-

"The arrogance you got right. But then again, many fighters have an ego. What I don't understand is how you can be so powerful for one so young. I mean you got to be younger then I am right, at least twelve or so."-

"I'm thirteen…" Cunla replied.

"Thirteen…?"-

"That's right, but then again I've come from a line of proud warriors. My father is Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster, and I am friends with the key bearers Riku and Sora. To add, I've been trained in the arts of war and combat since the day I could walk on my own two feet." Cunla laid his blade on his shoulder. "Appearances can be deceiving at times. Just because I happen to be only a child, doesn't mean that I'm helpless like one. I'm sure, and I hope you forgive me for saying this so directly, that many people have underestimated you for your age as well as your height." Ed's face twitched the moment Cunla mentioned his height, but he didn't take it personally.

"No, none taken…" Edward raised his spear. "You seem like a nice guy to get along with, Cunla, and I'm sure you are. But you and I are fighting on different sides. I didn't come here to fraternize with the enemy; I'm here to achieve my goal. And being the enemy, your job is to stop me."

"You are quite right," Cunla said, raising his sword. "Though we have respect for one another, our objectives are completely different. You are here to steal. I am here to prevent that." Cunla prepared to do battle. "This time there will be no holding back. You are not one to be so easily deterred from fulfilling your goal and will not be persuaded otherwise. Only in death will you be stopped. Thus, I will grant you and swift and painless death."

"So it's gonna be that way then, eh?" Fullmetal replied. "Very well then..."

"I will show no mercy and I won't hold back. And I expect you to do the same."-

"Yes…"-

Cunla then stretched out his leg out in front of him and held his sword above his head, pointing the blade towards Fullmetal with the other hand, directing it at its intended target. Suddenly, Cunla rushed headlong at Edward, faster than before. Fullmetal was taken completely by surprise and he saw his young opponent close the distance between them within a matter of seconds. He swung his spear, hoping to knock Cunla at the side of the face and throw him out of direction. But the youth saw Fullmetal's spear coming at him and instantly ducked, as if anticipating where the spear would go. The sharpened tip of the lance passed harmlessly over Cunla's head. The pup then rushed in just as Edward swung his spear passed him.

"He seems to be dominant in the right arm." Cunla thought to himself. "He's holding the spear with his right hand on top. If I can somehow wound him at the right shoulder, that'll at least slow him down." Cunla thrust up his sword, cutting through Fullmetal's vest. But to his surprise, instead of flesh being cut, instead of blood, instead of the blade going in, there was a loud clanging sound as if the sword had come into contact with some sort of metal surface. Cunla passed over Edward's head, flipping over and going backside over elbow, while at the same time he observed the wound his inflicted. He noticed that where he cut, there was no flesh. There was only metal on Fullmetal's shoulder. Cunla landed on his feet and turned to face Edward only to find his opponent already attacking.

"Now I got you!" he shouted. He thrust his spear multiple times, not giving Cunla a chance to readjust himself. Cunla then ran forward, just as Edward thrust forth his weapon. He grabbed the head of the spear and cut the weapon in half. He then turned and elbowed Fullmetal in the face. Fullmetal fell back and landed on his back, but he flipped around and jumped back to his feet. He staggered for a moment. A trail of blood began to trickle down his lip. But this time, Cunla did not attack him. "What are you waiting for? I'm unarmed now. You can attack me any time you wish."

"I can attack you anytime I wish." Cunla replied. "But I don't believe that you are unarmed. For one thing, you're an alchemist who doesn't require the use of a transmutation circle. From your earlier demonstration you have the ability to perform an alchemic reaction by clapping your hands together, which ignites the energy required for alchemic reaction." Cunla sheathed his sword. "Judging by you level of skill you had using that spear, you're capable of even unleashing a long range attack with your alchemy, am I right?" Edwards was amazed. How could this kid be so observant for one so young? But then again, he too was sharp at that age. The only that made this situation different was because of how precise Cunla managed to fit his personality just by watching him use combat techniques.

"How is it that you know so much about me?" Ed asked. "Have we met before?"

"That's not the case," Cunla replied, "I can simply read on what kind of skills you have and what kind of person you are just through your movements and your actions. For one thing, by that look in you eye, you're not the type to want to kill anyone, especially a fellow human being, which probably explains the reason why you've been holding back this whole time."

"And how do you know I've been holding back?"-

"If you weren't holding back, you would have finished this fight already."-

"Well what about you?" Ed asked. "Are you holding back? You managed to defeat those faction soldiers within less than a minute. And yet, I'm still standing as if you're taking your time with me."-

"If I were still a member of the faction, I would have ended this dispute a long time ago; beginning with the moment I charged you and struck you from behind when you attempted to knock me off my attack path with your spear." Edward remembered that moment, when Cunla struck at his right shoulder. "If I wanted to, I could have easily impaled you with my sword, striking the middle of your back and piercing your heart."

"Well, why didn't you?"-

"I didn't want to kill you."-

"And why not…? You killed those guards so easily."-

"Their purpose of fighting was only for honor and for a lost cause. You, however, had a different feeling. You were fighting for a cause, but it was not for the sake of the faction. You seemed to do it because you were forced to do it, as if the faction was holding someone dear to you as a hostage." Ed's eyes grew wide. He was shocked for some reason. "If that's the case, Edward, if I killed you, then that person would be sad. In reality, I too would have been sad if I killed you."

"And why's that?"-

"Because when I look into your eyes, when I look at your face, I see a reflection of how I used to be, willing to do anything in order to get what you longed for. Besides, I don't have the heart to kill you. You are so far the youngest person I've fought. That was the reason I aimed for your right shoulder. Seeing that it was your dominant arm and that you could perform alchemy with a clap of your hands, I was only hoping to cripple you. But for some reason, your right arm has some kind of metal guard protecting it.

"There's no getting by you is there?" Ed chuckled. "I have to admit, you are one strange kid. You say that you'd show no mercy, but you don't have the eyes of a killer. I figure you kill because you have to, but you take no pleasure in killing, let alone seeing people suffer, which is why you gave those soldiers a quick death." Edward took off the white glove of his right hand and revealed another shock. Instead of a hand consisting of flesh and blood, it was a hand made of metal. It was a cybernetic arm or automail as they called it in Ed's world.

"A cybernetic arm," Cunla said, "That's the reason why I couldn't sever your shoulder. So you must be a skilled warrior as much as you are a skilled alchemist and that artificial limb is a result of that, losing it in some great battle."-

"No…" Edward uttered. He pulled the entire sleeve of his right arm off showing the outer shell of his metallic limb. "I am not a warrior, I am merely an alchemist. And this arm was not gained by war or injury. This is what happens to you when you try to play God and try to bring someone back to life. This is the result, the result of equivalent exchange."

"You mean you performed a form of the forbidden arts?"-

"Yes…"-

"But why…?"-

"It is because my brother and I tried to bring our mother back from the dead." There was a pause between the two before Ed began to speak again. "You see, that is the reason why I am helping the faction. In exchange for my services, they will help me forge…"-

"Forge what?" Edward then looked at Cunla.

"I can't tell you anymore. I almost forgot that we are still enemies and I know that you won't let me take what I need out of that vault."

"Yes…" Cunla said, his eyes suddenly focusing, giving that cold stare. "I almost forgot too." Cunla crouched, ready to strike again, his sword sheathed to perform Battoujutsu, much like Kenshin Himura from the 'Rurouni' Realm. "Shall we continue?"

"Let's finish this."-

"I see that you are one not to accept any kind of leverage, Fullmetal." Cunla thought to himself. "Therefore, I shall take your life, though it will give me little pleasure."

"What do you say to a little blade on blade?" Edward clapped his hands together and then glided his left hand over the top of his right. It was there, stationed at the top of his right hand, a large grappling blade was formed. Edward took his stance, ready to fight.

"This should be interesting then." Cunla began his run, faster than before, but this time Fullmetal was ready for him.

Upon the dunes outside of Agrabah, Riku and Sora were having their own trouble with the elusive General Saber, who seemed to conceal his movements within the stinging sands of his self-made storm. The key bearers had gone through a ten minute lull, keeping their senses up and their eyes focused, in case General Saber attacked from out of nowhere.

"This guy is starting to get on my nerves." Sora said. "Why doesn't he just come out and get what's coming to him instead of hiding himself in the sand like a coward."

"That's what he's planning to do." Riku replied, but it's a matter of when and where he will strike. That's why you have to keep your guard up."

"I can easily fish him out." Sora used up another vial of ether and replenished his magic power in full. "Let's how he likes a taste of his own medicine."

"What are you gonna do?"-

"I'm gonna blow this sand away. Then, he won't be able to hide from us anymore."-

"Sora…"-

"Here Saber, let's see how you like this little maneuver!" Using a great deal of his MP, Sora unleashed the Twister Strike. The tornado appeared before Sora and began sapping up all the sand that blew around them. Almost instantly, the atmosphere began to clear. "It'll be cleared up in no time at all." But to Sora's dismay, the sand suddenly picked up and began to blind the key bearers as it did before. The clearing atmosphere suddenly caved in and grew thick with blowing sands again.

"What is going on?" Sora wondered. "How come the Twister Strike isn't working?"

"You are a naïve young man, Sora." Saber chuckled in the concealing storm. His voice seemed to echo back and forth, as if he were everywhere at the same time. "Have you forgotten? You and Riku have come upon the dunes of Agrabah. That means you are surrounded by desert sand dunes that can extend for miles. This further reinforces my ability to maintain a strong hold on you. The sand can always be replenished. It doesn't matter how strong the wind attack that you use is, it can never hold all the desert sand. To add, once the tornado has consumed up to its limit in sand, it has to extract it. Thus, the sands are released and sent back into my sand trap."

"He's got a point, Sora." Riku added. "We can unleash as many wind attacks that we want, but Saber will always have the upper hand. He can easily draw more sand into the trap and continue to conceal his movements."

"Damn it…" Sora uttered.

"The only way that we can escape this is find a way out of this storm."-

"Another good plan," Saber suddenly said, "But it is a concept I have already taken into consideration. You can try to escape if you want, but you won't get past the outer layer of the storm."

"And why's that?" Riku asked.

"It is because the outer winds are ten times more powerful and sand blowing in that current is highly condensed. Thus, two outcomes will occur. One, upon reaching the surface your skin will be stripped from your bodies due to the sand grains, traveling at two hundred miles an hour, or two, the sand will block off your mouth and nasal passages and you slowly suffocate. And the thing about desert sand is that its very fine and can withstand any kind of shockwave, or sound wave. Thus, using possible energy attacks would prove useless. The uses of elemental attacks are rendered inept as well." Saber's voice continued to echo about the key bearers. At the same time, he would make appearances to them before disappearing. He moved about like a phantom, a mere shadow that lurked behind impenetrable and all concealing veil. "Try to use ice and you'll only have flying ice particles to worry about. Try to use fire, and the grains of sand will only turn into flying glass particles. And I'm sure you wouldn't want glass to be flying about ad striking you in the eye. You have already seen that wind attacks are useless." Saber sleeked about like a serpent hoping to catch its prey off guard. "And one more thing to forewarn you, I would refrain from initiating anymore magic spells or super attacks."

"And why should we?" Riku demanded.

"For starters, you require ether to maintain your magic and energy abilities. After the scuffle you went through against the faction's ground troops in the city of Agrabah itself, I figure that you might have used up a great deal of that elixir. Tell me Sora, Riku, exactly how many vials of ether do both of you have left?" Sora quickly checked his pockets. He took out all he had left. Pulling out the remaining vials in his left vest pocket, he realized that he only had two vials of regular ether left. That wasn't enough to replenish all of his energy, especially after initiating the Twister Strike.

"Oh man," Sora said. "I only have two left. I used the bulk of my supply to fight off the faction soldiers." He turned to Riku. "How many do you have?" Riku plunged his left hand into his left pocket. He then patted himself to see if there were any more vials. He then looked in the inner pocket of his coat. Sure enough he pulled out what was left of his stock. To his surprise, he found only one ether bottle and one potion bottle left.

"I only have one ether vial and one potion vial." Riku replied. "That's not enough ether to use against him."

"You fools," Saber chuckled, "You should have known better than to use so much ether against the faction ground troops. Now that you're confronting me, you bear only enough for one shot at winning, quite a predicament for you indeed."

"Damn," Sora said, "It seems like Saber has us cornered this time. I don't see anyway out of this."

"There has to be a way to somehow break this sand trap."-

"Good luck trying to do something like that." Saber said. "But while you are in here, you are completely at my mercy."

"Is that so?" Sora said, determined to battle.

"Yes, that's so!" Suddenly, from out of the sands, Saber appeared, preparing to strike Sora from behind. Sora turned to find Saber coming straight at him, his blade raised about his head as if ready to strike. Sora quickly dodged just as Saber swung his blade downward, hoping to cut the youth. Sora rolled on the sand stood up again and turned to face Saber, but the elusive Blade General vanished into the sands again. He then appeared again, this time at Sora's right flank. Sora saw Saber at the last moment and raised his keyblade and his arm. Saber's saber struck at both keyblade and the shoulder armor on his right arm. Sparks flew as metal struck metal. The young key bearer staggered and fell down upon the soft dunes. Saber passed by again and vanished into the swirling sands. Sora took a look at what kind of damage had been inflicted by Saber. He looked at his shoulder armor. The metal surface had been stripped of its shine and a scratch mark, where the sword had made contact, was left.

"Are you okay, Sora?" Riku asked, turned towards his friend.

"I'm fine," Sora replied, "It was just close that's all."

"We have to keep our guard up." Riku looked about, watching for another possible retaliation. Saber was crafty and still concealed is movements. He would at times appear around the key bearers in full view, as if rushing towards them, but then would sudden vanish as if his body was being dissolved in the sand. Riku kept feeling about for Saber's presence and where he would strike at them next. Would he target Riku? Would he target Sora? The stinging of the sand and the blustering winds made it hard to determine his precise whereabouts. "He could attack from anywhere he wants. As long as we're in this sandy bubble, were at his mercy."

Sora looked at Riku and smiled. He nodded his head and quickly jumped to his feet.

"You're right Riku." He said. But as he glanced at his friend, he happened to see the image of Saber suddenly appear behind Riku, darker and bolder than before. It was apparent that this image was not going to suddenly vanish like the others. Saber was attacking again. "Riku, look out behind you!"

Riku turned to see the glistening steel o Saber's blade and the darkened form of the general himself descending upon him. Riku saw the blade charge forward in a thrusting maneuver. Quickly, Riku moved his head out of the way of the sword. Saber's sword was thrust forward, striking the top of Riku's shoulder. However, because of the steel shoulder guards on Riku's black trench coat, the saber only ricocheted off of the curved metal top, causing sparks to ignite as the sharpened edge glided on the steel.

"Nicely done, Riku…" Saber chuckled. "But…!"

Saber twisted his blade so that the sharpened edge of his sword was facing Riku's throat. He then, because he was holding the sword with his right hand, swung the blade outward, hoping to cut through the leather of Riku's collar and sever his jugulars, if not hit his head off altogether. But Riku anticipated this attack coming. He had knowledge of thrust attacks others used and knew that the thrust attack was only the primary effect. He recollected General Triiken's thrust attack, the Noctin Exmortin, which was converted into any other type of strike after the first major thrust. Hajime Saito's Gatotsu worked in the same fashion, when the thrust attack was executed and the target somehow managed to dodge the attack, Saito could easily convert from a thrust attack to a side sweep attack without pause, slashing his opponent from the side. With these factors in mind, Riku knew that the only other option was for Saber to make a side slash attack. Thus, he quickly ducked forward just as Saber slashed his saber outward, losing a few stands of hair in the process. Riku stood erect again only to find Saber doing a roundabout ad attempting to strike him again. Riku quickly raised his keyblade, holding the weapon at both the head and the hilt, to block the attack. Sure enough, Saber's heavy blade struck the shaft of Riku's keyblade. The impact caused the two combatants to rattle. Saber was aware that Riku would guard from the start. As the blades connected, he suddenly stepped forward to Riku's extreme right. He crouched down, his right leg positioned forward in a bent position. He suddenly thrust upward, hoping to sever the throat of the key bearer or perhaps impale the side of his head by charging the sharpened edge of his blade through the loop made by Riku's extended arms and the raised keyblade. Riku saw this attack coming as well when he noticed Saber side stepping to his extreme right flank and then turning the sword about. He quickly threw his head backwards and felt the sharpened steel glide across the front of his jacket. Saber retracted his blade allowing Riku to stand upright again. Saber drew his sword back as if ready to initiate a slicing attack. He then slashed at Riku, aiming for his legs, hoping to possibly cut them and render the key bearer's mobility useless. Riku quickly jumped into the air, avoiding the blade by inches.

"It's my turn!" Riku shouted. He raised his keyblade over his head and unleashed a powerful downward slash. But Saber saw the attack in time and used his sable to block the strike. Using both hands on the hilt and tip of the blade to support the weight and reduce the impact power, just as Riku did before, Saber easily stopped the attack. Riku tried to push down with all his might, but Saber's stance was firm. The general smirked and pushed Riku away. Riku flipped over, but landed safely on his feet. He then rushed at Saber with all his might. But as he came so close to smiting his foe, Saber vanished again as if he were never there at all. The winds and sand swallowed him up.

"You'll have to do better than that." Saber chuckled. "Otherwise you'll never be able break through my hold."

"He's toying with us." Sora said. "That miserable general, I just know he's smiling at us behind that sand screen."

"Calm down, Sora." Riku uttered. "That's exactly what Saber's trying to do. He's trying to test our patience. His taunts and his mocks are merely an attempt to cause us to lose our tempers and lose our focus. If we attack out of pure anger and irritation; that leaves us open to his more precise attacks. We have to stay calm."

"Face it, Riku, he has us beat. As long as we're in here, he has us beat! We can't use energy attacks because the sand absorbs the shocks. We can't use elemental attacks because that'll only affect the atmosphere around us and will do more bad than good. I bet we can't even use our summoning spells to aid us. To make things worse, we only have three vials of ether left and that's not enough to fully replenish our strength."-

"You should heed the words of your comrade, Riku." Saber uttered from all around, still moving about unseen, and appearing and reappearing before the key bearers. "Sora may be strong, but he knows a hopeless situation when he sees one. Surrender now and I will be sure to spare your miserable lives."

"I know what fate awaits us if we do." Riku replied, angrily. "Sora might be willing to call it quits, but I'm not ready to give up just yet! There's a way to beat you, Saber. And I'm gonna find it!"

"Good luck, boys. You'll need it."-

Riku turned to Sora.

"You have to stay in there with me, Sora." He uttered. "I can't have you giving up. We still have so far to go."

"I…I can't…" Sora said. "I can't take this… He has the advantage over us completely. We're helpless in here."

"You think I don't know that? I'm not going to give up and you shouldn't either! I know you're stronger than this, Sora! You've never given up before! You always pushed yourself! Don't start caving in now!" Riku's words pierced through Sora's heart, causing mixed emotions to stir.

"I'm sorry, Riku. I just lost focus that's all."-

"That's understandable, buddy. Stay focused. You've never given up on me and I'm not gonna give up on you. So are you with me, Sora?"-

"Yeah…!" Sora said. "I can't give up now. Kairi and the others are waiting for us to return home. Mickey and Minnie are hoping for us to rescue them. And Goofy, Donald, and the others are in need of our help, needing us to be there to lead them on."

"That's the spirit, Sora." Both key bearers stood back to back, their shoulders touching each other. Both key bearers drew up their keyblades, ready to take on anything that Saber might throw at them.

"Thanks Riku. Thanks for rekindling my hope and motivation."-

"You're my friend, Sora. I don't want to see you lose hope ever."-

"You are quite the motivational speaker aren't you, Riku." Saber chuckled as if seeming to mock his words. "Sora has reassured his confidence because of that marvelous little speech. But such words and such hope alone cannot break my trap." Saber appeared again, glaring that the key bearers. Riku and Sora saw him staring at them, his black overcoat and red military frock blowing fiercely in the wind. "Your morale is stronger than ever, but let's see how long it will last. Let's see if you are as confident as you are now when your bodies are covered with cuts and slash marks and your strength has been sapped from you. How long will you be able to withstand my mock attacks? Not being able to distinguish whether I will strike you or not can weigh heavily on one's mind." Saber's image again vanished from sight.

"Alright, Riku," Sora uttered, "You said that there might be a way to get out of here. So what is it?"

"The funny thing is, Sora," Riku said, rather sheepishly, "I have no idea." Sora's face dropped.

"What do you mean you have no idea! You went on and on about how you could find a way out of this!"-

"I only boosted your confidence. I haven't figured out an escape plan yet." Sora lowered his head and gave a big sigh of grief. "But from what I've observed, Saber believes that he has us completely under his control. That means he'll be overconfident, believing we're open to his every attack. That's when we strike him."

"That's when we strike him? But he can see our every move."-

"We know that as well as he does. He knows that if we try to follow him, we become vulnerable to attack. All we have to do is wait for him to come to us. And once he's within striking range, that's when we strike him with an elemental attack."-

"An elemental attack, but I thought he said elemental attacks wouldn't work in here."-

"He probably only said that to prevent us from attempting to use elemental attacks. Just because a few don't have any effect doesn't mean that all of them aren't effective." Riku gripped his keyblade. "Tell me, Sora, did you ever see shadow and light yield to sand?"

"I gotcha…" Riku and Sora rubbed shoulders as they pressed their backs tighter against each other.

"We're gonna use the evasion technique."-

"But when will we execute it?"-

"When he's within striking range," Riku said, "that's when we hit him."

"But it seems as if he's everywhere." Sora replied, sensing the energy around him. "He's even managed to conceal his power level so that we can't pinpoint his exact location. He releases energy out in one area to draw our attention to a certain direction and then attacks us from a completely different direction."

"Keep your eyes closed, Sora." Riku shut his eyes ad took a deep breath. "That'll help a lot more. If we can't see anything, then we can see his mock attacks."

"And when he does attack?"-

"He will unleash a decent amount of energy in order to deliver the final blow on us. When he does that, we'll be able to lock onto his precise location, and that's when we use the strike."-

"I understand." Sora closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on the energy around him. "I have confidence in you, Riku."

"Don't worry, Sora, we'll defeat him. We must have faith."-

In the meantime, back at the palace, Cunla and Edward were continuing to battle it out. Steel clashed with steel as Cunla's sword and Fullmetal's grappling blade caused sparks to fly. Again as they had done before, armed with lance and sword, they seemed to battle as if they had rehearsed their moves a thousand times over. They seemed to read each other's moves. Like spent boxers in the ring, both combatants fought ferociously, even when it came to the point where it seemed that they would break down. Even Cunla, despite his experience as a professional fighter, was starting to feel the effects of fatigue. His sword seemed to grow heavier with very swing.

"Fullmetal," he thought to himself, "He's hardier than the rest. He doesn't give in to fatigue that easily just as do I. I never had to battle this long before. My opponents would have met their inevitable defeat a long time ago."

Fullmetal was also feeling his body's limits. It seemed as if his reaction time and his counterattacks were becoming more sluggish with every passing second. He believed that Cunla had the upper hand against him, since the boy showed little fatigue if any.

"Damn," he thought to himself, "Doesn't this kid ever give up?" It seemed as if things could not get any worse when Edward suddenly backed into the body of one of the fallen soldiers. Loosing balance, he nearly fell to the ground. But he quickly regained his stance and flipped over back onto his feet. But as he did, Cunla rushed forward, his blade positioned in a slashing movement. With one strike, he cut Fullmetal's left leg. To his dismay, however, he felt that same repel and that same clinking sound as if his blade had struck something metal.

"Another metal limb…?" Cunla thought to himself.

Fullmetal staggered a little, but quickly retaliated. He then turned his attentions towards young Cunla.

"It's my turn!" He shouted. Clapping his hands together then placing them firmly on the ground, Edward sent an alchemic surge rushing towards Cunla. As Cunla landed, he saw the alchemic surge surround him. As an effect, the marble floor beneath him transformed into a prison cage. The marble transformed into a series of bars, surrounding Cunla. Then the marble transformed into a top, thus sealing the prison cell. The energy died swiftly after the cage was constructed.

"A makeshift prison cell," Cunla said quietly as he touched the bars, "Completely made out of marble with the use of alchemic transmutation." Cunla tried to shake the bars, but they had become part of the ground, a part of the marble itself. It was no use for the youth, he was trapped inside. Edward gave a sigh at the same time retracting his blade from his wrist. The blade disappeared, consumed by light, and then vanishing.

"There," he said, "That should keep you quiet for a while."

"Hey," Cunla shouted, "That's bad form. You can't just end the fight like this by confining me in a makeshift cell!"

"Is that so? Well I got news for you, kid. I just did."-

"Why no finish me off?"-

"I'm not a cold blooded killer. I try to avoid killing as much as I can." Edward walked into the treasure room and continued his search for the elusive golden scarab and in complete view of Cunla who watched as he tossed the gold about in the treasure room.

"You let me out of here so we can finish this fight!" Cunla demanded.

"Look at you," Ed replied, "You're like a monkey in a cage. You blow your stack when no one gives you a banana."

"Don't mock me!"-

"There you go again. Sorry Cunla, I'm calling the shots this time. I mean, hey, you're a nice kid and all, but I have mission to fulfill." Cunla began to grumble as Edward continued his search. This attracted Cunla's curiosity. He stopped his hollering and his attempts to free himself for the sake of watching Fullmetal scrap about the treasure room.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" Cunla asked.

"Why do you say that?" Ed asked.

"Well, it's because you're just tossing the gold around as if it's of little matter. I thought you were here to steal all the sultan's gold. Yet you're throwing about those treasures as if they had little value."-

"Well, that was the original case, but my superiors found it to be a waste of time and effort. They said there was something even more valuable."-

"Is that so? And what was it?"-

"I don't know. The faction is so secretive that even I don't know what the heck is going on." Edward continued scrounging around for the scarab piece, while still making a conversation with Cunla. "I just follow the orders that they give me."

"And what orders were those?"-

"It's none of your business."-

"Oh, it's not is it? And why is it not my business?"-

"For one thing, you're the enemy. And if I told you anything and if you somehow got out, which is highly unlikely with that cell I made for you, you'd go off and squeal about it to your friends and allies."-

"But that's where you're wrong. I wouldn't whimper off to tell them. I'd stop you first."-

"Well, I don't think there's a chance of you stopping me when you're entrapped in that prison. So there's no need for me to worry."-

"Is that so?" Cunla then happened to spot his sword that was still in the cell with him. He hastily picked it up. "Well, just to let you know, you made a couple of mistakes."

"Did I really?" Edward uttered uninterested, continuing his search, tossing baubles and trinkets about without a second thought, without care. "And what mistakes were those."

"Well, for one thing," Cunla sheathed his blade, "You left my sword in the cell with me."

"So what, even if you do have the sword, there's no way that you can use it against me effectively. You can't even reach me. So what's the point of making idle threats?"-

"This is anything but an idle threat." Cunla crouched down, as if ready to strike the bars.

"You can't escape from that prison cell I made, no matter how strong and skilled you are. That means I don't have anything to worry about as long as you're in that cage, unless of course you can cut through solid marble with that sword of yours."-

"As a matter of fact, I can."-

Upon hearing those words, Fullmetal turned to find Cunla suddenly drawing his sword and cutting through the marble bars. After a sudden flash of light and clash of steel, the bars collapsed, opening a way out of the cell. Cunla suddenly began his rush, his sword trailing behind.

"That's impossible." Ed thought. "He cut through that marble as if it were nothing."

"The second mistake you made was turning your back on me!" Cunla rushed in before Edward could react. The next thing that happened, there was the sudden sound of flesh being cut. Then there came the splatter of blood. Cunla had managed to cut the top of Edward's left shoulder. The shell jacket and black undershirt had been severed and with them, Ed's skin, which trickled blood. Cunla knocked the Fullmetal Alchemist to the ground. Edward rolled on the ground, but regained his posture. He grasped at his wound with his automail hand, the blood staining the fine polished steel.

"How could you have cut through those bars?" he uttered. "They were made of marble. Your sword should have lost its sharpened edge when you struck it."

"It just goes to show you how little you actually know of the worlds outside your own." Cunla explained. "You must never interpret that things in one world will have the same effects in the other, just a bit of advice for you"

"Is that so? Well, here's a little more advice for you!" Edward clapped his hands together then placed them securely down on the ground. "Never count me out of anything!" Edward then unleashed his alchemic surge. The electrical path rumbled along the floor of the treasure room, heading directly for Cunla. It seemed there was no way for Cunla to escape this time, but by a twist of fate Cunla had his own plan in mind. He suddenly jumped into the air, avoiding the intended marker. The marble floor of the treasure room came alive with large marble spikes forming and bursting upward, intended to impale, if not trap the agile pup. But Cunla was too fast this time and saw the energy surge coming straight at him. He began what looked like an evasion technique, jumping from one spot to the other, not staying in the same place for more than a few seconds. Edward could only watch as this agile youth came closer to him, his glistening sword thirsting for blood.

"He's too fast." Fullmetal thought to himself. "That kid even evaded my alchemic surge." He clapped his hands together again and drew out his grappler blade.

"A little blade on blade," Cunla chuckled, "That's what I like to see."

The two once again were clashing their weapons. But this time, it was Cunla who had the upper hand. Because of the wound on Ed's shoulder, he was slowly losing blood, which further slowed most of her other senses and bodily functions. His speed, his agility, his strength had been severed in two.

"You're getting a little sluggish in your movements, Fullmetal." Cunla said

"Shut up, will you!" Ed shouted. "I'm just tense that's all!" The two engaged in another deadlock. They pushed against one another with all their might, hoping that their opponent would be the first to cave in. But unlike before, Cunla was not giving in this time. He knew that Edward might have prepared for a possible fall back. Thus, their blades ground against each other, causing sparks to fly. They then pushed away from each other. It was at that moment Fullmetal unleashed another alchemic surge. He clapped his hands and made contact with the ground. "Try this on for size." The alchemic surge rushed at Cunla, but again the youth jumped into the air and evaded the attack. Great marble spikes rushed up from all directions where the surge had effect. It seemed Cunla had evaded another attack. This, however, worked right into Edward's hands. "Sorry kid, not this time." Ed clapped his hands on the ground again and unleashed another alchemic surge, just as Cunla descended. "There's no way you can dodge this one!" The alchemic surge lifted up from underneath Cunla. But something happened next that baffled the alchemist.

Though Cunla had landed on the spot where Fullmetal's surge lay and wait, there was no effect this time. There were no large spikes of marble appearing on the floor. There were no blocks of marble popping up. There was no makeshift cell to trap the pup. There was nothing. Edward only recalled Cunla, at that moment of impact with the marble floor, holding his blade underhanded and then thrusting its tip into the floor's surface. Then there was only a bright, blinding flash of light, which had never occurred before. Edward had performed these multiple surge attacks over and over again against countless enemies in the past, but this was the first time that a bright light and an almost God like electrical storm bellowed out from his attack. Then in the aftermath, as the smoke cleared, he realized there had been no effect, which was even more bizarre. The marble floor was just as perfect in that once spot as it was before, say for Cunla's blade that stuck out of the floor's surface. There were no other blemishes, there were no other cracks. There was no other effect of any kind.

"That was close." Cunla said as he extracted his sword out of the marble. He then held it to his side, a smirk on his face. "You did really well, Fullmetal. You almost had me. I barely managed a defense."

"But how," Edward uttered, "How did you manage to prevent the marble from transmuting after I unleashed my alchemic surge?"

"It just goes to show you how limited alchemy is."-

"What do you mean limited?"-

"Alchemy is merely a practice in which you change the molecular and atomic structure of different materials and elements. With the concept of equivalent exchange added into its practice, alchemy can be harnessed by almost anyone. However, there is another level of strength, which is not included in alchemy. To most alchemists, it is a primitive way of manipulation, the harnessing of natural energy. All things consist of a form of energy, usually not seen by the naked eye, or never experienced by most people except those who are acute to picking up such sensations. All molecules, all atoms, even the smallest of neutrons, protons, and electrons, have some form of energy. And it is this natural energy, this chi, this spirit, or whatever term you would like to use, which is what causes everything in the universe to work."-

"Is that so?" Ed asked.

"If you can harness and master that concept, an alchemist like you would be able to unlock hidden potentials in your practice. However, such a philosophy had been banned from the practice of alchemy for centuries."-

"You seem to know a lot about that. Why was it banned?"-

"It was because the concept of equivalent exchange was a much fairer way of alchemic practice. If an alchemist was able to harness the manipulation of natural energy itself, instead of just molecular structure and abiding by the concept of equivalent exchange, then that person would be able to accomplish things that even the greatest masters of alchemy could only dream of performing. They would extinguish the concept of equivalent exchange altogether and create whatever they please. They would have become a god. That's why the practice was lost. It contained too much power for anyone to harness. However, those old practices still thrive in other arts outside of the alchemic profession, which is why I can harness the power. You will find that such strength is not rare in other worlds and is a common occurrence. There are other members of the faction that have that same ability as well. But unlike them, I use my strength to extinguish the evils of the universe."-

"How do you know so much about the lost arts of alchemy and everything else?"-

"I too have practiced the art of alchemy, which is why I know so much about its basic principles and the lost history of its philosophy. Alchemy is a very powerful art, but it's only powerful because it's based off the original philosophy of manipulating chi. Because of my knowledge of both practices, I have created a an energy surge that can counter alchemic reaction."-

"He can prevent alchemic reaction too?" Edward thought to himself. "But how can that be? He's just like…" Edward remembered the chaos of his world and how he encountered such an anti-alchemic attack before. "Maybe he's right. Maybe there are others who have the same ability. I've seen it before. With the kind of knowledge they have, these guys even make the most skilled of alchemists look like novices, which may explain for the easy downfall of my world against the Midnight Faction."

"I knew that you would use a double alchemic surge to entrap me when I was still in mid air. That's the reason I initiated my counter attack. I concentrated my own energy to prevent the alchemic reaction." Cunla suddenly charged forward against Fullmetal. "Now you realize your limits and the effectiveness of outer world arts. Alchemy is no longer at the top of the food chain." Cunla slashed and thrust at Edward, this time without mercy, without giving him a chance to regain his stature and form a possible retaliation. Cunla was fighting for keeps this time. He knew his cause and the faction had to be defeated. And to prevent such a thing from happening, he had to defeat all enemies, even those who, he had made an attachment with. "You are fighting for the faction and are willing to see its goals accomplished. I, now a branded traitor to the faction, will now do everything in my power to see it fail, even if it means killing someone as talented and skilled as you, Edward Elric.

"He's not holding back anymore." Ed thought to himself. "He really plans to take my life this time." The clash of steel continued. Because of his wound and inability to find an opening in Cunla's offensive, Fullmetal had no other choice, but to continue falling back. He could feel himself growing lightheaded. "I'm losing too much blood. My body's starting to shut down." As he withdrew, still fighting Cunla, he nearly tripped on gold baubles and trinkets, at times nearly twisting his ankle or breaking his leg. Just then, Edward toppled over a pile of gold coins, falling flat on his back. He was left open to Cunla's attack. Cunla thrust his sword forward.

"It's finished!" he shouted, lunging his blade straight at Ed's chest.

"I don't believe it," Ed thought, "I'm really gonna die here." Ed watched as Cunla's blade came closer and closer. It was then that Edward realized Cunla was still in mid air, allowing him just enough time to create an evasion maneuver of his own. "No, I can't die yet! I still have an obligation to return to those I love." Edward picked up a hand full of cold coins. "Here, have some of this!" He threw the gold coins straight into Cunla's face. Cunla was caught off guard, as he saw the coins coming straight at him. He threw his hand in front of him. As he did, Fullmetal took the initiative and retaliated. He jumped to his feet and lunged forward. Rammed himself into Cunla and tackled him to the ground. Cunla, having the wind knocked out of him, dropped his sword on the ground, where he could not reach it. He fell on his back to the floor. Edward straddled himself on the boy's stomach. He then raised his grappling blade as if to thrust the blade into the youth.

For a moment, there was confusion. There was no struggle from Cunla. He was still bewildered about what happened. It was only when he found Fullmetal literally on top of him, with his blade drawn back prepared to deliver the final blow, he realized it was over. Cunla had lost and his life would once again be taken away. He fought hard and bravely, but in the end he lost due to last minute cunning from the Fullmetal Alchemist. Cunla knew it was pointless to struggle. He encountered this sensation before when he battled his father. Fighting would only kill him quicker. He lowered his head and stretched out his neck as if wanting Edward to sever his jugulars, or thrust the blade into his gullet.

"Well," he said with a smile on his face, "I fought long and hard, but in the end, your cunning and quick wit was what turned the battle in your favor. I commend you. At least give me the privilege of a swift and painless death."

"And you're just gonna give up like that?" Edward asked, "After how you rambled on about defeating me no matter what and giving me a swift and painless death as well, you just surrender like that!"

"You have me pinned to the ground. I've been deprived of my weapon. I'm helpless."-

"You could resist! You have an open opportunity to fight back!"-

"I would like to fight back. I would like to defeat you, if not finish you entirely."-

"So why don't you?"-

"The reason is because, in reality, I just don't have the heart to kill you. That's why I left myself open to your retaliation."-

"You mean you lost on purpose?"-

"I never lose to anyone unless I have a good reason to." Cunla looked into the eyes of Fullmetal. "There is innocence still behind those eyes of yours. I can't help feel that there's a story behind your actions." Edward's heart began to pound. How could this kid know so much just be looking into his eyes? "My life is open to you, Edward Elric. You may do away with me if you wish."

"If I don't, you'll only retaliate." Edward said.

"I might." Cunla replied.

Edward, with all his might and with one angered yell. He thrust his blade downward. After that, all went silent, all went still. That feeling of sorrow and melancholy filled the room. Tears fell from Ed's eyes as if he had just done a terrible injustice. But as he observed his deed, he realized that what he did was not all that horrific. His blade had thrust itself into the marble floor; left of Cunla's face, making a small cut on the young warrior's left cheek. Cunla opened his eyes.

"Why didn't you finish me off?" he asked.

"I…I can't kill you." Ed said. "I don't have the heart to." Edward staggered to his feet and stepped away from Cunla. He then collapsed to the ground. "I don't want to do this anymore."

"You should have finished me."-

"I just can't. If I did, I feel I would be doing something bad. If I killed you, then those who love you will be angry and want revenge. And they would not hesitate taking my life. Upon that, after what I've done, my soul will be eternally damned." Edward clutched his fist, not in anger, but in sadness. "But if I don't fulfill my mission, then…then…" Edward lowered his head. Cunla could see the tears falling from his eyes. He sighed deeply before confronting Fullmetal again, but not in combat this time. He sat up and looked at Edward.

"You're not doing this out of your own free will are you?" Cunla asked. "You're being forced to do this, aren't you?" Edward looked at the youth, this surprised look on his face. By the expression in his eye, Cunla knew right away that it was true. "I knew it. Then it is true."

"Was it that apparent?"-

"I could see it in your reaction. And I could see why you didn't want to kill me. You feared that in order to regain what you've lost; you would have to become a monster. But if you did, then those who hold you dear to their hearts would never forgive you for committing such heinous acts." Edward stayed quiet. It was true he was carrying out the tasks of the faction by force. And his emotions showed it. "Who is it that's been kidnapped?"

"My younger brother, Alphonse, and my childhood friend, Winry Rockbell, they were captured by the Midnight Faction. I tried to rescue them, but the faction was too powerful. They even threatened to kill my brother and Winry if I didn't do what they said. And because I have no idea where they are, I can't rescue them." Edward pounded his fist against the marble floor. "I hate the faction, I hate them, but I can't do anything about it." He suddenly felt Cunla's hand place itself on his right shoulder. Edward looked up to find the young warrior sitting next to him. Edward looked down again, not wanting to look his opponent in the eye, as if fearing to gaze into the blue irises of the Hound's son. "I had no choice, but to come here and…" Edward stalled, finding the right words. He didn't want to give away what he was seeking, but he had the urge to. "I came here to fulfill my mission. And I was to kill all whom I encountered. I hoped not to encounter anyone, so I could avoid killing. That's why those faction soldiers were accompanying me, in case I had to kill someone, but didn't have the nerve to. And then I confronted you. And sure enough, I lost my nerve. Every time I glanced into your eyes, I saw that same innocence that my brother and Winry have when I look into their eyes. That's why I couldn't kill you."

The Hound's son lowered his head, feeling that same sensation and that same sentiment and pity when battling against the Fullmetal Alchemist. He then glanced at Edward's shoulder. It was still bleeding profusely.

"How's your arm?" he asked.

"The cut's pretty deep." Edward replied, looking at his wound. He grasped the wound with his right hand, the blood spilling on the already red stained steel. His blood seemed to take on two different colors, the blood of any average person, and a darker blood, which may have been the blood of sin escaping from the alchemist's body, "You certainly cut me good."

Cunla then took off his shell jacket, revealing his black vest and long sleeve, white undershirt. He tore off his right sleeve and moved over to the side, where Edward was cut.

"Take off your vest and your undershirt." Cunla said.

"Why?" Ed asked.

"I'm the one that gave you that cut. At least allow me to patch it up for you." Edward looked at Cunla who seemed to display an innocent smile upon his face. The left side of Edward's lips lifted up, as if he tried to smile back. He took off his vest and his shirt, allowing his former opponent to clean and mend his injury.

The sands grew more intense and the tension rose with every passing second. Riku and Sora, their keyblades still at the ready and their eyes still closed, concentrated on the sudden rise of energy, indicating that Saber would finally strike at them.

"Now, now," Saber mocked as he encircled them. His image appearing and reappearing before the key bearers like phantom within darkness, "How do you intend to battle me with your eyes closed? Is it that you wish to protect your eyes from the wind? It is not the wind you should worry about, but me."

"He's taunting us." Sora said.

"Don't mind his threats, Sora." Riku implied. "Just concentrate on his movements."

"Do you really think that you can detect me that easily?" Saber chuckled, as if knowing the plan the key bearers were plotting. "I am much more difficult than that. You think I haven't realized what you are doing? You are trying to concentrate on my power level as I move about. The thing is, I can unleash and conceal my energy as many times as I wish. You'll be thrown off track. You'll be caught off guard. Even if you do sense me out, you can't tell whether I will really attack you, or if I'm bluffing."

"He knows, Riku." Sora uttered.

"Just stay focused." Riku said.

"But Riku, he's knows."-

"Keep calm, concentrate."-

Sora took a deep breath and focused at the matter at hand. He had faith in Riku's judgment and was not about to give up on him. But Saber's predictions seemed too obvious. But even so, despite such accuracy, Sora knew better than to trust Saber. And he knew from experience, that such accuracy was usually a form of deception. Sora continued to speak in his mind that Saber really had no clue about the plan he and Riku were setting in motion and that all his foresight was just clever assumption.

Saber's presence was like a vial serpent closing the distance between itself and its prey before striking, or a playful Orca having its way with its victim before devouring it. He came so close to the key bearers, that he could have brushed them on the face with his long black hair. Saber enjoyed the sight of the key bearers standing there, not attempting to retaliate.

"Are you frightened, boys?" he mocked. "Do you fear death? You should fear the safety of your friends even more." He seemed to whisper in their ear. "While you two stand here like a couple of stuffed dummies, your comrades are at this moment being overwhelmed by the forces of the Midnight Faction. While you continue to stall, the city of Agrabah is being pounded by the relentless attacks by the behemoths."

"Riku…" Sora thought to himself.

"With every passing second, another shot strikes a residential dwelling, demolishing it completely and perhaps taking the lives of innocent women and children. You can blame yourselves for their deaths because you did not bother to stop the attack. You only stood about while the barrage continued."-

"Shut up!" Sora shouted.

"Sora," Riku said, "calm down!"

"He's right! While we're standing here, more people are being hurt, dying even! And we're doing nothing to help them!"-

"If you attack Saber now, instead of sticking with the plan, you'll be killed. Then you'll be of no use to anyone!" Sora stood down from his aggressive stance, rethinking his possible actions. If he stuck with the plan, then at least he'd be able to aid the survivors. However, if he attacked recklessly, then he would be killed by Saber, and no one would be aided. And Riku couldn't fight Saber by himself. He took a deep breath and retook his stance behind Riku, guarding his back.

"I will overcome this." He uttered to himself.

"You are quite skilled with your words aren't you, Riku." Saber chuckled. "You managed to keep Sora under your wing. I see that some of his willpower and determination has rubbed off on you. But what I say is true and people are dying by the dozen with every passing minute and all because of your planning!"

"Those people will be sacrificed." Riku shouted, angrily. "There's no avoiding that! But if Sora and I die in here, then we can't help any of those people still alive."

"At your rate of speed, there will be no one left to help."-

"I don't believe that! And I don't think that your behemoth barrage is having the devastating effects that you say it has."-

"And how would you know?"-

"Just because you're bombarding the city doesn't mean that the people themselves will die in great numbers. Even if you level this city to the ground, the people will continue to live on and they will rebuild their lives and continue to prosper."-

There was sudden silence that occurred and only the roar of the wind and blowing sand could be heard. Just then, Saber began to speak again.

"You are indeed one to boost the moral of your comrades." He said to himself, drawing out his blade from its scabbard "That's why I have decided to kill you first, Riku. And once, you're dead, Sora will easily fall to my whim." Saber was holding nothing back now. This time he went in for the kill. "They're trying to sense me out. But by the time they pick up my energy, it'll already be too late." He was a serpent ready to strike, a tiger ready to pounce upon its prey from the underbrush. Sword set for a slashing movement, making sure to maintain a level of natural energy that could not be detected, Saber rushed forth with all he had. Drawing nearer and nearer, seeing that the key bearers were not yet aware of his presence, his eagerness to spill blood was higher than ever.

In the meantime, just outside of the large sand dome, General Scimitar and Lord Mozenrath watched from afar. Scimitar was focusing on the barrage of energy beams unleashed by the ten behemoths. However, Mozenrath's attention was focused on what was going on within the storm. He was curious to know since the key bearers and General Saber were concealed behind the sand screen.

"What is going on in there?" Mozenrath asked "I want to know."

"Pay no heed to the activities within that sand trap, Lord Mozenrath." General Scimitar implied. "That is of little matter right now."

"But I am eager to know the outcome."-

"General Saber is finishing off the key bearers as we speak. There is no way that Riku and Sora can win against him. He is the mightiest of the Blade Generals."-

"But still, I am in wonder and awe. How is it that he can unleash such a technique, to cause a great sand storm to bellow in such a confined area?"-

"Stay focused to the matter at hand, Lord Mozenrath." Scimitar said. "We are only to assure to safe retrieval of the other scarab half. Everything else is irrelevant." She continued to watch as the bombardment upon Agrabah continued. "Besides, if we pound this city enough with shell and ball, it is without a doubt that the sultan will want to surrender, concerned for his people. From what I understand, this sultan is a benevolent one, who cares for those sick in the streets. That is the one problem about being kind, it's a weakness. And in this particular situation, there is no room for weakness." There was a smirk upon the face of the mighty woman general. "If I had my way, I hope that he's a sultan who doesn't know the meaning of surrender. It's no fun if your prey gives up the chase."

But suddenly, as it seemed that there was no end to the bombarding, there were several sudden explosions that erupted on the dune itself. The explosions bellowed from the right flank. Scimitar and Mozenrath suddenly turned to find that the three behemoths that were bombarding on the extreme right were suddenly eliminated. Large flashes of light and thunderous booms shook the sands as the behemoths were suddenly struck. On the moment of impact, the massive heartless were toppled over and turned to shadows. There were more explosions trailing down the line of behemoth, striking every foot of sand leading to the next giant heartless in sequence like machine gun fire. Sand bellowed into the air by bombs and projectiles that did not hit their target, but when hitting the fourth behemoth, there was again a bright flash of light followed by a diminishing of shadows. In the air, there was a loud rumble like that of rockets, or jet engines. Scimitar and Mozenrath looked to up find more projectiles pass over their heads. They were shots from abeam cannon, bellowing bright streaks of white light as they passed. They missed the fifth and sixth behemoths and struck at the seventh and eighth. They missed the ninth, but severely wounded the tenth.

"Where are those beams coming from?" Mozenrath asked.

Scimitar knew, she sneered as she turned her head towards the direction from which the beams originated. Sure enough, passing over their heads was none other then the little gummi ship of the KH team. Goofy and Donald had finally arrived.

"Those meddlesome pests," she uttered, "They're ruining our plans."

With the cockpit of the gummi ship, Goofy and Donald cheered as the successfully were able to strike down at least six in the first run.

"Never fear," Donald shouted, "Back up has finally arrived."

"Good shooting there, Donald." Goofy applauded. "We did it, we saved the day."

"It ain't over till the fat lady sings!" Donald pulled back on the control stick. "Hold on to your hat, Goofy, we're going in for another run!" Goofy laid back in his chair, gripping the arm rests as Donald turned the gummi ship around to finish off the rest of the behemoths.

It was because of the sudden explosions that Saber temporarily lost focus, turning his attentions to what was going on outside and what was causing those explosions. This caused him to pause for a moment. His hesitation, thought very narrow, was enough for the key bearers to initiate a counter attack. The general unleashed his power just as the explosions on the dunes fell.

"There he is!" Sora shouted. "I feel him!"

"Now, Sora," Riku cried, "Now!"

With all their might, they unleashed the evasion attack, the same attack they used countless times against the faction. Sora deployed his Corona Flash Barrage, which bellowed out strong flashes of light that randomly burst within the sands causing confusion. At the same time, Riku unleashed the Darkness Decoys, spreading them about and have them attack Saber. Saber was confused as well.

"An evasion attack," he uttered, "They had this planned all along. They weren't planning a defense, they were initiating an offense!"

"We have you now, Saber!" Sora shouted. Saber looked to find the key bearers suddenly descend upon him. They seemed to just suddenly appear out of the flashing lights, lingering shadows, and bellowing sands. Saber could only react. He drew his sword forward, just as the key bearers initiated their strike. There were flashes of light, other than the ones created from Sora's attack, and clashes of steel against steel.

From the outside, it looked like a thunderstorm consumed inside a cloud. Scimitar was concerned, watching this event unfold before her eyes. She continued to watch, despite the chaos that was bellowing on around them.

"What is going on in there?" she thought to herself.

"Lookout," Mozenrath shouted, as he watched the gummi ship initiate its second run. Scimitar turned to the faction forces that were stationed in the rear.

"Don't stand there, you blithering idiots," she roared at the troops, "shoot that ship down!"

"Yes ma'am!" one of the officers shouted. "All units commence firing!"

The faction soldiers raised their blasters and began to unleash an endless barrage skyward, hoping to destroy the gummi as I passed.

"They're shooting at us, Donald!" Goofy cried, as he watched the incoming beams attempt to strike them.

"Shields up," Donald replied. He pressed one of the buttons on the control panel and activated the shield. The shield disks were deployed and immediately formed a strong barrier around the hull of the gummi, deflecting every beam that struck at them. "Sorry guys. We have other matters to attend to."

Donald aimed carefully at the behemoths and shot down the remaining for, unleashing an intense bombardment. The giant heartless fell before the gummi, diminishing into darkness as their comrades had before. As the gummi passed by over the head of Mozenrath and Scimitar, the forceful gusts of hot air from the gummi's rockets blew a great deal of and over them. Scimitar sneered as the gummi passed. The soldiers in the rear continued to fire away at them.

"Blast those insistent rebels." She said.

"General Scimitar!" Mozenrath shouted, pointing in the direction where the battle between the key bearers and Saber was taking place. Scimitar looked to find yet another shock. The sands of the storm suddenly began to recede back to the ground. It lowered itself closer and closer to the dunes, before disappearing completely. Once again, there was bright sunlight and a clear Arabian sky over the heads of the key bearers and the infamous Blade General. They remained in their last poses of battle, as if they delivered their final blow. All three had their weapons extended in front of them, like they finished executing a slicing move. Scimitar watched as this strange phenomenon, unfurled before her eyes.

"It's over…" Sora said. The young key bearer suddenly fell to the ground. He had received a deep cut on his left side. Sora grasped tightly at the wound, slightly moaning with a labored breath behind his lips. The blood dripped from the wound and intermingled with the grains of desert sand for a few seconds before the sand covered the crimson red completely. Riku was the next to fall. He fell to a kneeling position, grabbing his chest with his left hand. He had received a deep cut across his chest and upper abdomen. His blood turned the entire front of his white shirt a dark red, with the exception of a few patches of white not touched by his life essence.

"We did it," he uttered, "We did it, Sora."

"Yeah…" Sora replied, his voice barely above whisper.

"You did very well," Saber chuckled, "You managed to break my hold on you, diminishing the sand storm trap. Most commendable…"

"It's over for you, Saber." Riku said. "I knew that if we defeated you, then your spell would fall alongside you. This is where you meet your end."

"Oh I think not." The general said. He had received a devastating blow to the gut, his hand sealing over the cut flesh. "As I said before, I am not that easy to defeat. Observe what I mean." Saber suddenly drew away his hand from his wound. To a sudden shock from the key bearers, the general did not draw blood from the ghastly wound, but rather sand.

"He's a fake…" Sora uttered. "He was made of sand."

"I told you that you could never defeat me." Saber chuckled. His body then transformed into sand, falling to the ground and becoming a part of the dunes again.

"It was all just a hoax."-

"He turned into sand." Mozenrath uttered. Scimitar was not the least bit surprised.

"I have to admit," a voice uttered behind her. She and Mozenrath turned their heads to find General Saber lingering about the ranks of men in the rear. "The key bearers are more resilient than I had originally thought."

"He's behind us?" Mozenrath uttered.

"Why didn't you just finish them off yourself when you had the chance?" Scimitar asked.

"It's not yet my time to battle them. They are still no match for me." Saber replied.

"So you're saying that you want a fair battle against them both instead of just ending it here and now?"-

"It's a matter of pride and honor. You of all people should understand that concept, General Scimitar." Saber turned around and headed rearward. "Send word when Edward Elric returns with the scarab piece. I leave this campaign up to you now."

"Sir…"-

In the meantime, Riku and Sora looked on from the distance as the gummi ship disappeared from out of sight.

"Hey," Sora uttered, still grasping onto the wound in his side, "Wasn't that Goofy and Donald?"

"What the heck were they doing flying about like that?" Riku added.

"Well, whatever their reason was, I'm sure glad that they came when they did. They saved us the trouble of having to destroy the behemoths. And if we were to have battled the behemoths in our present state, I think we might have passed out from the blood loss and the exhaustion."-

"You have a point there, Sora."-

But as they watched, General Scimitar and Lord Mozenrath were still on the dune. Close behind them were the forces of the Midnight Faction.

"There are the key bearers, gentlemen!" they heard her shout. "Kill them here and now!"

"We've got company." Sora said as he and Riku was a wave of black uniformed soldiers marching straight at them, some armed with swords and spears, others armed with Imperial blasters. The two key bearers staggered to their feet. Riku, exhausted from their fight in the sand trap, lost his footing again and used his keyblade as a crutch.

"We can't take on that many troops as we are right now." Riku uttered.

"What do we do?"-

"We have no choice. We have to withdraw for the time being."-

"Not a bad idea." The key bearers picked themselves up and began to withdraw back to the gates.

"Stop them!" Scimitar shouted. "Don't let the key bearers get away! Kill them!"

Several of the faction soldiers took aim with their blasters and began to pour shot at the two key bearers who stumbled along the sinking sands. It seemed as if their bodies became heavier with each step they made. The blasts around them hurled great clouds of sand and dust into the air, at times nearly blinding them.

"Stop them!" one officer shouted.

"Catch them!" another soldier shouted.

"We have to hurry, Riku." Sora cried, still grasping his wound, at the same time pulling Riku along. He glanced behind to find the faction soldiers starting to run after them. "Hurry Riku..."

"I'm too tired, Sora." Riku uttered. "Saber took a lot out of me. And this wound is not helping me."

"C'mon Riku…!" Sora wrapped his arms around his friend's waste, despite the stinging pain in his side. "We have to keep moving." The key bearers were no more than fifty feet from the gate. But because of their wounds, that short distance seemed a long walk. Still they pressed on. This further enraged the Blade General in charge.

"Those two little imps are making their way back to the city." Scimitar uttered, she sneered at her soldiers. "You idiots, you call yourselves elites! You can't shoot worth scrap!" The soldiers continued to fire away, causing the sand to rupture upward, forming an impenetrable sand screen, which aided the key bearers in their escape since the clouds of dust covered their movements. "Blast, blast, the lot of you couldn't shoot fish in a barrel."

"I'll handle this." Mozenrath uttered. He lifted up his gloved hand. Suddenly, appearing in front of the key bearers were the mumluks, armed and ready to keep the key bearers out of the city.

"Sora…" Riku said, pointing towards the gate. The key bearers looked on to find the mumluks standing in a think line, ready to battle.

"Damn it." Sora uttered. "We've been cut off." Still there were more shots as the faction continued their hot volley fire. The explosions bellowed around them. When the clouds covered their movement, Sora saw his chance. He held Riku, close to him, bearing the weight of his body. "Hold onto me, Riku. This may be a little bit of a bumpy ride. Sora drew up his keyblade and unleashed a summoning spell. "Come forth, Nimbus!" There was a sudden flash of light as the spell was cast. And from out of that light, the little yellow cloud of the great warrior, Son Goku, appeared. Sora lifted himself onto the cloud. With all the energy he had left, he pulled Riku onto the fluffy top of the Nimbus. "Are you still in there with me, Riku?"

"Just a little light headed, Sora." Riku replied, still pressing against the wound that continued to seep blood. "I'll be alright."

"Nimbus, get us out of here." The Nimbus faithfully obeyed and flew away. The faction soldiers and mumluks were almost on top of the key bearers when the Nimbus flew them to safety.

Scimitar watched as the puttering cloud lifted out from the chaos with the key bearers safe and sound on its back. The Blade General clutched her teeth and hands tightly, to the point where she could have broken the incisors in her mouth, or punctured her palm with his fingernails.

"Damn it," she said, "Those key bearers got away."

Riku and Sora sat upon the sputtering cloud, reaching the grounds of the palace. Sora placed his hand on Riku's shoulder. He glanced down at the wound across his chest.

"Are you alright, Riku?" he asked.

"I'm fine." Riku replied. "This is just a scratch. Remember, I've had worse."

"That's true."-

At the same time, back in the palace, Cunla had finished patching up Edward's wound. Ed looked at the fine work the boy did on mending his injury.

"There," Cunla said, tying the end of the bandage to fasten it tightly to the shoulder. "That ought to do it." Edward moved his shoulder about. There was no leakage through the bandage and now loose ends. The wound was airtight.

"I gotta tell you," he said, "You certainly know how to heal injuries."

"It's something that a warrior must learn." Cunla sheepishly scratch the back of his head. "There may be a time when there will be no one about and you have to deal with things on your own. That's why it's best to learn everything possible in order to survive."

"Is that how you picked up alchemy?"-

"Alchemy was a curiosity of mine and I thought to myself that learning the basic arts of alchemy might come in handy. Sure enough, it did."-

"So you can cause alchemic reaction without the use of a transmutation device as well?"-

"It was not a transmutation, merely the manipulation of my inner strength."-

Fullmetal put his shirt and his vest back on and gave a tug on his collar of his shell jacket. He then looked at Cunla.

"Now what do we do?" he asked. "I don't want to kill you, but at the same time I can't stop my search."

"Your search for what?" Cunla asked. "Is it here in the sultan's chamber room?" The Fullmetal Alchemist said nothing further. He only lowered his head and looked away. Cunla gazed at his former opponent. He then gave a big sigh. "You're looking for the other half of the gold scarab, aren't you?" Edward looked at Cunla. He knew that Cunla was aware. "You're looking for the key that reveals the entry way to the cave of wonders aren't you?"

"So you knew…" Edward replied, knowing it was futile to hide anything from this kid sitting next to him. "Was it that apparent?"

"At first I was wondering what you were searching for, but now I realize that you were looking for that other half of the golden scarab. For one thing, Iago told us about the scarab and how it unlocked the cave's entry way."-

"Iago…?"-

"He's a red parrot with a loud annoying voice."-

"You mean him?" Ed pointed to the corner of the chamber where the demolished golden cage lay. And there lay Iago, still unconscious with stars encircling his head.

"Did you do that to Iago?" Cunla asked.

"Sorry to say, but yes I did." Fullmetal replied. Cunla only sighed again and smiled.

"Well, whatever caused you to do that to Iago, I'm sure he deserved it." He turned to Fullmetal. "Anyway, we know why the faction is looking for the cave of wonders. They are hoping to confiscate the riches within the bowels of the cave and use the gold and jewels discovered to help increase their revenue. And increased revenue means that they can afford more sophisticated technology, better weapons, better means of fighting against the Universal Alliance, and will be able to mass produce them. And they'll have the means to accomplish that goal if they manage to confiscate the gold. That's why I can't let you have your way."-

"But you said that you were once a member of the faction. Why did you abandon their ranks?"-

"It's because I found what I was looking for."-

"And what were you looking for?"-

Cunla lowered his head.

"I was looking for my father." The boy replied timidly.

"Your father…?" Edward asked.

"My father, Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster, he is considered to be one of the greatest heroes who ever lived."-

"Is that so? You're lucky then."-

"What do you mean by that?"-

"You at least love your father. Me, I hate my father."-

"You hate your father?" Cunla asked, stunned as if the words pierced his heart, "Why do you hate you father?"

"It's because he left my brother, my mother, and I alone to take care of things while he went out to pursue his own goals. He was never there for us. And when our mother died, he never came to her funeral. Al and I were on our own, depending only on ourselves and the kindness of Winry and her family to watch over out benefits." Edward looked at Cunla. "So you and I are practically alike. We were both abandoned by our fathers. I bet you never really understood why he left you. Being a little kid, you probably asked yourself that question a million times."

"Well, not exactly. My father left before I was born."-

"Well, that's nice. I'm sure he was a really nice guy doing that." But Edward's words had gone too far. And he saw it in Cunla's sudden change in expression. His fists seemed to clutch tighter. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that."

"I can understand how you feel. I was destined to meet my father like this."-

"And how did you feel when you first met him?"-

"We were enemies when we first met. He wore blue and I wore grey. He was of the Universal Alliance. I was fighting for the faction. I was fighting to find my father, hoping to know his whereabouts. Little did I realize that I was fighting him the whole time," Cunla looked up. "The moment I first laid eyes on him, I found him to be impressive and a strong and charismatic individual who backed down from no man. He had the eyes of a true warrior. You might say I was attracted to him almost instantly, as if we had some kind of a bond. But being enemies, I never showed it and I thought it to be a mere deception of the senses. Just as great philosopher Rene Descartes says, you can never trust your senses. But when I realized the moment he was my father, my quest had come to an end. I found my father and that was all that mattered. And when he found out I was his son, the one whom he lost years before, he expressed his love."

"But how did you know he loved you and you to him."-

"When he killed me…"-

Edward's eyes grew large with disbelief.

"When he killed you?" Ed uttered.

"He struck me down with the three points of his spear, the Gae Bulga." Cunla continued. "The prongs entered my deep into my body. I felt myself die." Cunla pulled out from under his vest, the ring he held so dearly to his heart. "My mother told me that when I was old enough to fit this ring around my finger that I was to search for my father and that he would teach me the ways of becoming a great warrior, a champion. The moment I revealed this ring to my father, he was so grief stricken. I was his own and only son and he had slain me. You should have seen the tears in his eyes. He picked me up and held me in his arms. My father's embrace was so warm, so comforting. It was a sensation that I only felt when my mother would rock me to sleep." Cunla smiled, it seemed as if he enjoyed talking about his close encounter with death. "It just goes to show you how much you really care for someone when they may not be there for much longer. But I was given a second chance to live. I was healed and my father graciously took me in. I vowed that I would follow him and learn his philosophies and reasoning. And I've made good that promise. We have found our other halves and I feel complete."

"Your dad must be really great then. And I mean that, unlike mine."-

"Perhaps if you get to know your father better…"-

"No, I can never forgive my father. I vowed that I would never look up to him and I never will." Cunla then stood up.

"You better get out of here while you still can." Cunla declared. "My friends will be here soon."

"Are you letting me go?" Ed asked. "But why, I'm doing the faction's biddings."

"I know that. But you have your own intensions. Besides, if you don't return, you'll receive more than just a slap on the wrist by the faction. They treat deserters in a very hostile manner, whether they are volunteers or not. To add, your brother and your best friend are still in the faction's custody. "-

"But what about the scarab piece?"-

"Just say that you were bested by the resistance here and you had to withdraw. No one saw our scuffle, so I'm sure your explanation will qualify." Cunla turned to Edward just as the alchemist stood up. "I don't want to fight you anymore because I don't want to upset those who are waiting for your return. Now get going. I'll cover you."

"And what if I do stay and continue to look for the piece? Will you stop me?"-

"If I must, I will. But I'm sure you feel the same way about me. You know what your cause is, but you don't want the villains to accomplish their goals alongside yours. Now go."-

Edward looked at Cunla and smiled. He sighed before turning away.

"Thanks a lot." Ed replied. He turned and quickly exited. He ran over to the wall, clapped his hands together and placed them on it. A massive hole was formed and Edward quickly exited. But he then stopped again and turned toward Cunla. "If things were different, Cunla, you and I could have been really close friends."

"Perhaps when this is all over, we can meet again under better circumstances."-

"I'd like that." Ed gave a thumb's up and vanished. Cunla waved for as Fullmetal disappeared. He then walked over to where his sword dropped and picked up the blade. He then sheathed it back in his scabbard.

Just then, he heard what sounded like a weary groan raise behind him. Cunla turned to find Iago coming to. The bird shook his head and cleared himself of his dizziness.

"What happened?" he uttered.

"So you're finally awake, Iago." Cunla chuckled, as if nothing happened. Iago stood up and gave a gesture as if he were rolling up his sleeves. He was itching to continue the fight.

"Where is he!" Iago shouted. "Where is that little pipsqueak!"

"You mean the boy? He left not too long ago. I guess I was too good for him."-

"Is that so? Where did he go?"-

"He went out that way." Cunla pointed to the hole in the wall. Iago flew over to the hole and ruffled his feathers.

"Yeah," he shouted, acting as if he did the fighting all by himself. "You better run if you know what's good for you! And if I ever see you again, I won't go easy on you next time!"-

"No use trying to shout at him. He's long gone."-

"Well, it couldn't hurt."-

Just then, as the peace replied back to the treasure vault, the sultan, Jasmine, Genie, and Rajah entered the room.

"Cunla," Jasmine said, running over to him, "Are you alright?"

"I'm okay," Cunla replied with a smile.

"I see you managed to fend off those ruffians." The sultan stated. "I guess you were right about something going on here."

"They almost got your treasure."-

"Well, good job my boy."-

"Yeah," Iago chuckled, trying to gain all the credit, "The kid helped me out some."

"Sure you did." They all said in unison.

"Hey, I'm serious. I took all those guys out with one punch."-

"No need to lie to us," Jasmine said.

It was at that moment that Cunla heard someone coming towards the marble hall. He looked to find Riku and Sora approaching them.

"Riku, Sora," he said, rushing over them.

"They're back." Jasmine said.

"Oh, thank heavens." The sultan added.

"Hey, you guys." Sora uttered as he hobbled into the room, his side still dripping blood. "I see that you managed to hold down the fort."

"You've been wounded." Cunla said, examining both of their injuries. "We have to get you guys mended up."

"It's nothing, Cunla, honestly," Riku said. "Sora and I have encountered far worse."

"Tell your bodies that." He turned to Genie. "Genie, could you give me hand?"

"Leave everything to me, kid!" Genie said. He twisted about like a tornado, then reemerging as two pairs of medics with an ambulance and siren wailing out. Genie scooped up the key bearers.

"Really," Sora uttered, "You don't have to…" But before he or Riku could protest, they were both thrown on stretchers.

"Don't worry," Cunla said, "Genie knows what he's doing."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Riku mumbled. The key bearers were tossed into the ambulance, and the vehicle sped off. Cunla shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe Riku's right." He uttered. "Oh well…"

"We have to be ready," the sultan explained, "In case the faction tries to attack us again."

"Don't worry, after what's happened here, I don't think the faction will try anything again soon."-

"Yeah, and if they do," Iago squawked, "I'll really give 'em something to ache about!"

But as the team exited the treasure room, believing that the threat was over for the time being, they seldom noticed a presence still slithering about in the treasure room. Xerxes, Mozenrath's faithful flying eel, had heard everything that went on. He smirked as he watched the team leave the vicinity. He slinked around the treasure room, trying to find any trace of the scarab, but still no avail.

"So, the boy has failed." He uttered. "He betrayed us." He looked to the direction where the KH team headed. He quickly followed. "They must know, they must know about the scarab."

At the same time, as the battle continued to roar at the city's poor district, General Saber, returning from the rear, was alongside General Scimitar and Lord Mozenrath, who watched from afar the devastation of Agrabah.

"What is keeping Edward Eric?" he wondered. "Does it take long to search the treasure vault?"

"Maybe it's taking him a great while longer." Scimitar said. "They might have run into trouble."

"That may be so. But the KH team's strongest combatants are going against our troops in the poor district. How could there be anyone else left in the palace that could go head to head with our elite troopers and the Fullmetal Alchemist?"-

"I'm wondering, do you still trust the Fullmetal Alchemist. We are after all letting him loose to do what we ordered."-

"If he values the lives of his brother and his friend, then he would know better than to desert."-

"General Saber," Mozenrath said, pointing in the distance. Emerging from the gates of Agrabah, a solitary individual came running towards them. "Some one is approaching."

"Shall I tell the troops to open fire?" Scimitar asked.

"There is no need." Saber chuckled. "Take a closer look at who it is that nears us." As the individual drew nearer, the three realized that it was no man, but a boy. "It's the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric."

"Excellent, then he's succeeded."-

"I don't know about that. Take a closer look as him." Scimitar concentrated her vision on Edward. She realized that he had been wounded spotting that bloodstained shell jacket he wore. "Fullmetal must've taken on a lot of damage during the mission. Usually, he emerges with barely a scratch on him. But this time, he seems to have been pinked rather well after this task." Edward ran up the dunes and presented himself before General Saber, General Scimitar, and Lord Mozenrath. "Well, did you manage to find the other half of the golden scarab?"

"I have terrible news." Ed replied, still looking down, so as not to make eye contact with the Blade General.

"And what news is that?"-

"I'm sorry to report, but I was not able to retrieve the scarab piece." Saber was stunned at this declaration.

"What?" he uttered shocked. "What do you mean you weren't able to retrieve the other half of the scarab?" The declaration given my Edward Elric was not one that Saber wished to hear. Fullmetal's excuse in fact angered the Blade General. Saber stormed up to Edward.

"Well I…"-

"You were gone all this time and yet you have the audacity to stand there and tell me that you were not able to confiscate the other half of the scarab?" By this time, the General was up to his face.

"There were reasons, Saber." Ed said.

"Damn your reasons!" Saber suddenly slapped Fullmetal across the face, knocking him down on the sand. "That is no excuse to come back here empty handed! Do you realize that that scarab piece is vital to our plans!" Saber grabbed Ed by the collar of his red overcoat and hoisted him back onto his feet. "I will not allow this failure to go unresolved! I told you to get that scarab piece no matter what the cost!"

"Perhaps it wasn't in there to begin with." Scimitar said. "I told you before that we were launching this preemptive strike on the city based on a conjecture. We had no proof that the scarab was even there to begin with."

"That's beside the point! Fullmetal should have been able to handle any resistance that might have tried to stop him! All the KH team's elite fighters were battling our ground forces in the city's poor district. That left only a hand full of incompetent and weak opponents to defend the palace itself. You shouldn't have had any trouble with the palace guards. That's why I sent you along with those ten elite soldiers!" Saber looked about. "Which gets me to wondering, why is it that you were the only one who made it back! Where are the other ten men I sent with you!"

"They were killed." Edward said.

"They were killed?"-

"That's impossible," Scimitar said, "Those ten men alone would have been able to wipe out all the palace guards and emerge without a scratch. They were the elite of the elite. Even the best of the Alliance infantry would never have been able to cope with those particular individuals! So what do you mean they were killed?"

"Did the guards set an ambush for them?" Saber asked. "Were they elite as well, if so how many?"

"There was no ambush, Saber." Ed continued. "All ten men were defeated by one guy."

"That's a farfetched story I find hard to believe." Scimitar said. "There's no way that one of the most feared squadrons in the faction could be defeated by one man."

"You can believe what you want, but I saw what I saw! All ten soldiers were killed in less than thirty seconds. And just to make things clear, he was anything but a man. In fact, it was a boy who defeated your so called elites."-

"What was that?" Saber uttered.

"That's right! They were all killed within thirty seconds. So if those were the best guys you had on the job, then you really are in trouble."-

"Exactly who was it who that you confronted?"-

"He goes by the name of Cunla."-

"Cunla…" Saber's eyes narrowed and his teeth clutched hard against each other.

"That's bastard's son." Scimitar said, "That traitor, that abomination, to turn his back against the might of the faction, all for the love of a bastard father."

"It still stands to reasons though. Cunla has shown his scorn for the faction already and in the most brutal fashion. He was known for killing many men within less than a few seconds. And he killed them instantly unless it was a man to man fight. He was one of the, if not the number one leading assassin within the faction and the most trusted officer in the ranks. It's understanding that you had to escape. Even you would have not been able to stand up against him in a one on one battle, Edward."-

"Yeah…" Edward uttered, looking away.

"Well, there's nothing we can do now." Saber let go of Edward, "Report to the rear and rest up, Edward. We may need you for later missions."

"Sir…" Edward withdrew to the rear, not saying another word nor making any eye contact.

"I don't trust that boy." Scimitar said, watching the boy scornfully as he withdrew. "How do we know he actually fought Cunla? How do we know that he didn't inflict that wound in his shoulder himself? Remember, he is running our missions by our threats."

"There is no need to worry." Scimitar chuckled. "Soon we will hear the truth from our spy."

"Our spy?"-

"Xerxes still hasn't reported back. Am I right Lord Mozenrath?"-

"That is correct." Mozenrath replied. "He will report to us as soon as he has gained enough information on the enemy."

"Very good, and what of your abilities to carry out with the plans that were inscribed on the documents we gave you."-

"It is taking some time. I've never had to deal with something this complex."-

"Once the plans are set though, then executing the strategy will be as easy as snapping our fingers." Saber then turned to Scimitar. "General Scimitar, order the withdrawal of our forces."

"Our withdrawal…?"-

"There's no use trying to fight here any further if we do not know of the scarab half's whereabouts. We'll withdraw for now. Then, we launch another attack at nightfall, provided that our scout returns before dusk."-

"Xerxes will return with the necessary information. He's not one to easily falter in the face of danger."-

"Excellent." Saber turned to Scimitar. "Give the order to withdraw."

"As you command," Scimitar replied.

With the order given, the forces of the Midnight Faction began to pull back. It was not apparent at first, but once the faction forces began to lose momentum in the attack and many of the reserves began to fall back, it was obvious that a major withdrawal had been made. Cuchulain and the others were amidst the battle when they watched the faction soldiers, the mumluks, and the heartless turn and flee from the city.

"They're running away." Ophelia said as she saw the soldier scatter.

"They've given up." Aladdin added.

"Let's go after them!" Razoul ordered. "We will let these men pay for what they've done to the city."

"Yeah!" his men shouted with high enthusiasm.

"Hold your positions." Cuchulain said.

"What do you mean hold our positions?" one guard asked.

"We have those infidels on the run," another added, "let's finish them off."

"Let us pass, boy!" Razoul demanded.

"Your men are exhausted," Cuchulain said, "You yourselves barely have enough strength as it is to defend, let alone launching a counter attack. As far as we know their retreat was merely a faint. They could have set an ambush out there, waiting for you to fall right in, so that can finish you off and turn the desert sands permanently red." This angered Razoul. He had never been talked to like that before. He stormed over to Cuchulain and grabbed him by the front of his shirt.

"You don't tell us what to do."-

"Is that so?" Cuchulain thumbed behind him. Razoul looked to find the hundreds of faction soldiers that the Hound defeated by himself. This frightened Razoul, fearing the Hound's possible strength. He turned to his men.

"Take your post around the city, men. Catch anyone who looks suspicious."-

The soldiers, though detesting the thought of not finishing the fight, did as they were told and took there posts around the city, ready to break up any possible uproar. Razoul sneered at the Hound and withdrew.

"I see that you even have the great Razoul under your thumb." A voice said, Cuchulain turned to see Colonel Billiard behind him.

"Good to see that you are unharmed, Miss Billiard." Cuchulain replied.

"It takes more than a few faction upstarts to bring down the Tiger of Goth."-

"Was the fighting intense on your side?"-

"Too intense, I lost a great deal of men today."-

"Same here, there may be a large list of casualties to write up."-

Just then, Aladdin flew down from atop his carpet, with Abu still on his shoulder.

"Hey, you two!" he chucked as he leaped off of carpet and before the two warriors. "What do you know about that? We did it, we beat them back."

"Don't give your hopes up too soon." Cuchulain advised. "They may come back."

"Don't worry. We'll be ready for them next time."-

"Is that so? And what if the faction decided to counterattack now with us still tired from that last assault?"-

"We lost over a third of our manpower today." Ophelia said.

"How good are you fighting solo against such great odds?" Cuchulain asked.

"Well I…" Aladdin uttered.

"Well, that's not important right now. The thing we should do right now is rest ourselves up. Let's head back to the palace."-

"I'm with you there."-

"Me too," Ophelia added. The three boarded the flying carpet and returned to the palace where yet more devastation from the attack awaited them.


	49. Fullmetal

Fullmetal

The city of Agrabah was left smoldering and in ruin. Many homes and dwellings of the city, especially those in the poor district, had been demolished. The bodies of slain faction soldier and guards of the sultan, lay strewn on streets, alleys, and back water walkways. Many of the wounded were picked up and nurtured. Many of the civilians emerged from their homes and assisted with the clean up. While some hoped to find their homes still standing, others tried to pick up what was left of their living space, collecting the memories that somehow survived. The people also tended to the wounded and helped with burial details. It was mid afternoon, by the time the fighting subsided.

The KH team in the meantime reassembled back at the palace. Aladdin, Cuchulain, and Miss Billiard stopped at the front gates, stepped off of the flying carpet's blue and gold tapestry design, and walked on in from there. As they observed, the gummi ship had also landed in the front of the palace. Goofy and Donald just got out and were preparing to meet with the others and freshen up. Goofy happened to spot Cuchulain and the others walking in.

"Hey Donald," he said, "Look whose back."

"Hey there," Donald declared, as he turned and laid eye on his approaching comrades.

"You two have certainly been busy haven't you?" Ophelia said.

"What's the gummi doing here?" Cuchulain asked.

"We had to provide air support and take out those behemoths that were bombarding the city." Donald explained.

"Those were behemoths firing at Agrabah?" Ophelia asked.

"That's right. We had to help. With you guys pinned down, there was no way that you'd be able to stop the bombardment."-

"I see," Cuchulain said. "And exactly who gave you orders to abandon your post here at the palace?"

"I did," a voice announced. The team looked to find Cunla walking down the stairs leading to the grand doors of the palace. He was a quarter way down when he stopped.

"Cunla…" Ophelia said.

"You were the one to tell Goofy and Donald to aid us?" Cuchulain asked, ascending the stairs, walking up to his son.

"I thought it was in our best interest to do so." Cunla replied. "I thought it would be more convenient for you even though it was going against orders." Cuchulain placed his hand on his son's shoulder.

"You did good, Cunla. You are a natural."-

"Thank you, father."-

"By the way," Cuchulain looked about, "Has Sora and Riku made it back yet from their positions." It was then that the realized Cunla's downward gazed. Cuchulain looked at his son, knowing that something had happened. Cunla was timid at first before speaking.

"Riku and Sora," He began, "They managed to make it back here."

"Then that's good."-

"But they were severely wounded when they arrived."-

"What was that?"-

"Severely wounded?" Ophelia asked.

"I'm afraid so." Cunla replied.

"Sora and Riku got hurt?" Goofy asked.

"How bad is it?" Aladdin asked.

"Riku suffered a severe chest wound." Cunla explained. "A sword cut across his left breast. And Sora received a blow at his side."

"Are they aright? Will they pull through?"-

"They'll be alright. But they could use a good senzu bean right now."-

"Goofy…" Donald said.

"Right," Goofy replied. He took out the bag of senzu beans from his hat and he and Donald rushed up the stairs and through the main gates.

"I really hope that Riku and Sora will pull through this." Ophelia said. She quickly went in pursuit of Goofy and Donald with Aladdin and Abu trailing behind and carpet hovering just above them.

Meanwhile, Cuchulain happened to look at Cunla's left cheek. He had placed a bandage on his face to stop the bleeding from the cut he received when battling Edward Elric.

"I see you got cut across the face, son." Cuchulain said.

"It's just a scratch," Cunla replied. "Nothing more…" The Hound suddenly wrapper his arms around his son and embraced him tightly.

"I'm just glad to know that you're still alive."-

"Father…"-

After a loving hug, Cuchulain placed his hands on his son's shoulders.

"Now let's see how our two boys are doing." He said with a smile.

"I'm sure they're doing really well." Cunla said. "I left Genie in charge of bandaging them up."

"Genie…?" Cuchulain was rather shocked. He knew of Genie's potential to become rather goofy at times and feared for the possible safety of the key bearers.

Sure enough, what they all beheld was what they feared. Genie had bandaged up their wounds, but added everything else with it. Riku and Sora were screaming out muffled cries through the cast masks.

"What on earth happened to them?" Aladdin uttered.

"I did the very best I could!" Genie said, dressed as a Scottish doctor with a heavy highlands accent. He had a busy red beard, was dressed in white lab coat, large bifocals on his eyes, and had a big theta scope around his neck. "I mended their wounds! I cleaned them up, taped them up, and put them to bed!" Genie suddenly turned from a Scottish doctor to a petite blue nurse dressed in white. He suddenly began talking in a really high voice, as if attempting to imitate a woman. "And I even threw in a nice hospital bed, a fluffy pillow, a get well card, and a bouquet of flowers."

"Genie," Jasmine uttered, covering her face with her left hand, blushing with embarrassment, "Their injuries were not that serious."

"You can never be too careful."-

"I understand that, but we were expecting you to bandage the wounds themselves, not stick Riku and Sora in a full body cast!"-

"Awe, I think they're looking a lot better though. Look at Riku," They turned their attentions towards Riku whose body cast had suddenly turned a dark red. Steam seemed to be popping out his ears and the distant sound of a kettle came bellowing from out of his head. "He looks nice and red."

"Riku," Cunla said. He walked over to Riku and tore off the bandages covering his mouth. The minute he did, Riku blasted out angrily.

"You blithering, blue idiot," he roared, "What are you trying to do to us!"

"Yep, he's feeling better alright." Genie chuckled.

"I'll feel a lot better when I get my hands wrapped around that scrawny little neck of yours!"-

"Now, now, patience shouldn't be talking to their nurses like that." Just then, Sora began crying out in a muffled tone. "And what does our other patient want?" Genie removed the mask on Sora's face.

"Genie," He cried, "Get us out of these things! I'm starting to itch like crazy!"

"No, no, no, you're not well yet."-

"But I was only cut at the side and shot at the shoulder. They weren't that bad! I was expecting you to mend our wounds, not wrap us up like mummies!"-

"You plan on sticking us in a sarcophagus if we kick the bucket!" Riku added, still burning red.

"No talking right now," Genie said. He suddenly stuck a large thermometer into Riku's mouth. "I have to take your temperature. You seem to be burning up from a fever."

"It's not a fever I'm burning up from, that's for sure!"-

"And once I'm done taking your temperature, Riku, I'll get you ready for your sponge bath." Of course that little statement was the straw that broke the camels back. Riku, virtually blind with rage, caused the red liquid in the thermometer in his mouth to reach all the way to the little glass bulb at the end, then having that little bulb blow up. He clutched his teeth so hard that he broke the thermometer's mouth piece off. With all his rage, Riku suddenly burst out of the body cast and toppled Genie. He began chocking Genie until he was even bluer in the face than ever and his eyes bulged out of his head like a fish.

"I think he's feeling a lot better." Genie gagged.

"Riku," Sora said, as Cuchulain and Aladdin helped him out of his body cast, "That's enough! I think you've made your point." Riku only growled then released Genie. Of course Genie's head deflated like a balloon, giving a prolonged raspberry when the air rushed out of his ears. "I'm just glad to see that you're feeling a lot better."

"Now I am." Riku replied.

"Here ya go, Sora." Goofy said, taking out a half of a senzu bean and handing it to Sora. Sora ate the bean and within seconds, his wounds were all healed and his strength was replenished. Goofy handed the other half to Riku. Riku swallowed his half and was back to tip top shape as well.

"Now to the matter at hand," Cuchulain said. "We've managed to fend off the Midnight Faction and protect the sultan's gold."

"If it wasn't for Cunla," Jasmine said, "Those guys would have taken all of the palace treasure while we were gone."

"They gave up on it rather quickly though." Riku said. "I would have expected the faction to send in more men to storm the palace and steel all the gold."

"Yet not a trinket is missing." The sultan added.

"That's because the faction wasn't intentionally after your gold." Cunla said. The team was curious now after Cunla's declaration.

"What was that?" Aladdin asked.

"They weren't after my father's gold?" Jasmine added.

"Apparently not," Cunla continued.

"Then, what's the point of troubling themselves with an attack on the palace?" Sora asked.

"The faction was looking for something else."-

"What was that?" Donald asked.

"They were looking for the other half of the golden scarab." Cunla said. "You know the one that helps reveal the entry way to the cave of wonders."

"So," Cuchulain uttered, "That's why they attacked and didn't take any gold in the process."

"They were hoping to retrieve that one piece and that one piece alone." Ophelia said.

"Is that piece so valuable though?" the sultan asked. "The cave of wonders must be quite magnificent."

"I've been to the cave of wonders, sultan." Aladdin said. "Sora, Donald, Goofy, Riku, and I don't know how many more of us have actually laid eyes on the riches within the cave's caverns."

"There's so much gold in the cave's treasure room alone, you could climb a mountain range made completely out of gold coins." Sora added.

"And there are chests stuffed full of gold and jewels. There are also statues that hold up the roof of the treasure room that are made out of solid gold as well."-

"With enough light in that room, the gold glimmers brighter than the sun."-

"I can see why the faction is so desperate to find that other piece." Cuchulain said. "The way you described it, there's enough gold in the cave of wonders to keep the faction set for the next century."

"Well, their attempts were in vain." The sultan said, as he took off his battle helmet. "I don't have nor have ever seen the other half of this golden scarab you speak of."

"You have a lot of gold in your treasure room though." Cunla said. "How do you know it's not there?"

"Each of those trinkets and baubles and statues were gifts from other monarchs and royals from far away lands. I can remember each one thoroughly. And I must say, in all my years, I never saw an incomplete piece like the scarab you speak of."-

"I would always remember something like that too." Iago added.

"Well, there ain't no way that them guys are gonna get their hands on that there scarab piece!" Goofy said. "No sir."

"And how would you know? Is there something you know that we don't?" Donald asked, elbowing Goofy in the side for no apparent reason. But the moment he did, Donald felt something hard strike his elbow shoulder. There was also a deep thud, indicating that the thing in Goofy's pocket was made out of gold. Donald grabbed hold of his elbow, comforting the pain. "What the heck was that? What have you got in your pocket?"

"Hey, there, Donald," Goofy said. "I hope you haven't ruined my beetle!" Goofy took the thing from out of his pocket and examined it. To the surprise of everyone, Goofy was bearing the other half of the golden scarab.

"Goofy," Sora uttered, stunned by what he saw, "Where did you get that?"

"This is my souvenir I bought today, ain't it pretty?"-

"Goofy," Cuchulain uttered, "Don't you realize what you have there?"

"Uh…a bug…?"-

"Not just any bug, that's the other half of the scarab, the thing that the faction was looking for."-

"It ain't no scarab, it's a beetle!"-

"A scarab and a beetle are the same thing!"-

"Oh…"-

"How did you come by that?" Donald asked.

"Well this guy with a big hat sold it to me." Goofy chuckled. "It was so shiny, I just had to buy it."

"So you're telling us that the other half of the scarab has been with you the whole time?" Riku asked.

"Uh…yeah…? I wanted to tell you about it before, but then we had to go into that fight and all. And I kinda forgot all about it until now."-

"And exactly how much did that thing cost you?" Donald asked, folding his arms in front of him and tapping his foot as if agitated in some way. Of course he was concerned about how much money, Goofy spent on that trinket of gold.

"Uh…well…" Goofy emptied his pocket and took out his bag of currency. He opened it. He then turned it upside down and shook it about. Only a moth flew out.

"You brainless palooka, you spent all of our money on that stupid little gadget!"-

"I was tempted."-

"Take it easy, Donald," Sora said, "For once we should actually be thanking Goofy for committing an act of stupidity this time. He saved us a lot of looking."

"But now that we know we have it," Cunla asked, "What do we do with it?"

"Goofy," Riku said, "Were entrusting you to keep an eye on that scarab piece for the time being. Keep it safely tucked away in your pocket."

"Yes sir!" Goofy said, giving a little salute.

"But we can't trust Goofy to hold onto something so important." Cunla said, fearing the scarab's safety.

"Believe me," Donald reassured the fretful pup, "If I know Goofy, you give him a mission and he sticks to it."

"But what if we enter battle?" Aladdin asked. "It may fall out of his pocket."

"Don't worry!" Goofy placed the scarab back in his right vest pocket and zipped the opening shut. "I'll make sure nothing happens to it."

"But wouldn't it be safer if we just put the scarab piece in some secret place where the faction would never look for it?"-

"As long as one of us holds onto it, we'll know it's safe." Cuchulain said. "Besides, the faction doesn't know we have it. And even if they did, they wouldn't think that one of us would be carrying it."

"That is true." Jasmine remarked.

Little did the team realize that the faction did know, or had gained knowledge in that brief moment. Xerxes, the faithful servant of Lord Mozenrath, was slinking about the area, when he heard the discussion. He heard every word. Ecstatic with what he heard, he rushed back to the faction headquarters to inform Mozenrath and General Saber of the situation.

"The only thing we have to do now is await a possible retaliation from the faction." Ophelia said. "They might have been defeated today, but they certainly won't give up. They'll attack at night and most likely, they'll attack the palace itself. They won't get the rest of the sultan's army involved in this."

"Is it highly likely that they may execute the same kind of strategy as today?" Cuchulain asked.

"That's highly possible in itself, but if I know the faction, it's more likely they'll initiate a night raid involving a hand full of their best men. They don't intend on sacrificing a lot of soldiers to handle a nocturnal mission."-

"If that's the case though," Riku said, "Why didn't they initiate a night attack from the beginning? Why did they have to go through all this trouble of sending in soldiers and sacrificing a great number of troops?"

"That's what had me puzzled as well." Ophelia continued. "I don't know whether they were trying to prove a point, if they were testing their might, experimenting with a new type of strategy, or if they wanted to decrease our numbers and possibly have some of our team members killed. Perhaps there was a significant message behind the attack, saying that we've arrived and we'll take what we want and there's nothing you can do to stop us."

"But all this carnage for the sake of an insignificant piece of gold," Jasmine said. "Hundreds of men were sacrificed today and all for the sake of that stupid scarab."

"It just goes to show you the extent on how badly the faction must want that piece." Cuchulain replied.

"That's another explanation for a full assault on the city." Ophelia added. "It might have been an act of desperation."

"But why would the faction be so desperate?" Sora asked.

"With the Red Ribbon Faction and the Universal Alliance to worry about," Cunla explained. "Along with several other smaller factions and organizations of the former Dark Empire being a threat on all fronts, Lord Sirius Viicous has to keep up with the efficiency of weaponry and manpower. But in order to achieve that, he needs revenue. And right now, the faction's revenue is only so-so. And with his territories and borders being closed in on, he needs new weaponry and he needs it in mass quantity and that requires a lot of payment. So that may explain why they want the gold from the cave of wonders."

"Then why not steel the gold from the sultan's vault as well if they're so desperate?"-

"Another puzzling question…"-

"Well, whether they did it for any of those different factors or not," Riku said, "The only thing that matters presently is that this victory brings us closer to bringing down the faction. We just have to be ready for another attack."

The sun was beginning to set now, and the desert heat began to cool down. The sky was beginning to fill with the soothing colors of dim yellows, oranges, reds, and pursued by a clear dark blue. Stars began to reveal themselves, appearing as twinkling diamonds that protruded through the rays of the setting sun. It was here that the setting sun silhouetted a rocky outcrop. Tall stone formations lifted out from the desert sands like mystic beasts of old, contorted and twisted in appearance. The sand dunes had piled at their rocky base due to the constant wind. Erosion had set into the rock, giving it a linear texture. And there, concealed and rested amongst these rocky sentinels, a glimmering metal hull, large and round, smooth in appearance. The alloy surface was scratched and scraped, with thousands of imperfections concealed on its surface with only the rays of the western sun to reveal their whereabouts. It was a ship, a grand ship of the faction, a former Imperial destroyed, originally commissioned by the former Dark Empire. Its height exceeded even that of the rocky formations surrounding it and its diameter extended over a mile long, like a giant pie tin with its sides curved to give that elongated oval effect. A metal bubble with its top flattened.

It was just outside of the ship, perched on the many natural platforms for the rocks and boulders, Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist sat gazing into the nigh sky. His left leg extended and tangled over the side of the rocky face, while his right leg was bent and used as a rest for his weary right arm. He then reached over and touched his left shoulder, feeling and examining the bandaged wound. He recalled the face of the boy he fought, the opponent he was obligated to kill, but could not. He then remembered that boy's look, that same curious and innocent look in his eye.

"Cunla…" he uttered. "Why they heck did you let me go like that? Why is it that you spared me? Was it the truth that you didn't intend to kill me, or was it for some other reason? Why would you take the time to bandage me up like this, an enemy more like?" Edward then visualized the faces of his best friend, Winry, and his younger brother Alphonse and how they were still in danger, being held as prisoners and separated from each other in unknown locations. He knew he was doing the faction's biddings, but it was for the sake of saving those who were the entire world to him. He loved his brother and Winry with all his heart and he wanted them back safely, but was he really willing to become a monster for it, to lose his humanity and his soul doing diabolical things for the faction? These questions plagued his mind. He wanted to save those who were taken away from him, but at the same time he had befriended an enemy whose cause was for the right. Edward lied back, putting his hand on his chest and crossing his legs together. He stared into the evening sky, watching the rays of the sun slowly give way to a starry night. "If I do as the faction bids me, I would have achieved my goal. But I would lose my soul in the process. But if I rebel, then I will never see my brother or Winry ever again." His brows suddenly lowered inward giving a hint of anger. Edward had a silent rage burning at the back of his head.

"Damn the Midnight Faction." He said in his mind. "If it wasn't for them…"

Just then a messenger appeared at the base of the rocky sentinel Ed was resting on.

"Edward Elric," he said.

"Yeah, what do you want?" Edward replied in a frustrated and lacked tone.

"I have a message from General Saber."-

"What is it?"-

"He wants to see you right away, sir."-

"Tell him that I'll talk to him later. I'm not in the mood to say anything to that guy right now."-

"He says that it's very important, sir."-

"I don't care how important it is. Let him deal with it himself."-

"He also says that if you don't acknowledge and accept his orders, he'll order the instant execution of either your brother or your best friend."-

Edward quickly sat up after hearing that. He looked at the messenger below him, sneering and clutching his teeth. He jumped from the rock and landed in the sand. Not looking a second time at the messenger, his heart and mind still filled with blind rage, he stormed to Saber's quarters. He stormed up the ramp of the ships main entry, went down a series of halls to the general's sleeping quarters. He pressed a small red button on the side and the sliding doors to Saber's room opened before him. In the room waiting for him was General Saber, General Scimitar, and Lord Mozenrath with little Xerxes perched on his shoulder smirking profusely. Ed walked in and the doors closed behind him. There was a tension in the air and he felt rather uneasy. He felt the cold stare from General Scimitar and the sinister look of Mozenrath coming down on him and penetrating to see his very soul. General Saber stood with his back turned towards Ed. In his hand, he held a crystal glass with gold brandy. He swirled the liquor around in a counterclockwise fashion, since he held the glass with the right hand. There was just a dead silence in the room, which slightly frightened Edward. Having enough of this lingering quiet, Fullmetal was the first to break the ice.

"Well," he said, "You dragged me in here. Tell me what it is you want from me and get it over with." There was still a silence in the room, even after the ice was broken. Again Ed spoke. "Well, are you gonna tell me what it is you want, or are you just gonna stand there?"

"Watch your tongue, Fullmetal," Scimitar said. "Or should I say traitor!"

"Traitor…!" Edward turned to Saber. "What's the meaning of this, Saber!"

"You know perfectly well of the crime you've committed!"-

"What crime…!"-

"That's enough General Scimitar." Saber said, sternly. "I will handle this." Saber turned towards Edward, his glimmering red eye gazing at the boy.

"What is it, Saber?" Ed asked. "Get on with it!"

"Well," Saber began, "Word from a reliable source has told me that you have let us all down."

"That should have been apparent to you when I came back empty handed."-

"But answer me this then. How was it that you decided to withdraw from the palace, believing you had enough?"-

"It was futile to fight against Cunla."-

"Was he the one who gave you that cut on your shoulder?"-

"Yes, who else?"-

"Then answer me this, when you had him pinned under you, why didn't you finish him off." Edward's eyes grew wide with anxiety. Did Saber know about the details of the fight? How did he know? "I understand you tried to imprison him in a makeshift cell made of marble using your alchemic skills. Why would you do that though?"

"You've been spying on me haven't you?" Edward said. "You know the outcome don't you."

"Tell me, Edward. Was it Cunla's youth and innocence that prevented you from finishing him off?"-

"I had no desire to kill him. And he had no desire to kill me, no matter how important our causes were."-

"So you decided to give in rather than fight that boy?"-

"Yes."-

Edward's response was like that of a child who had no interest and who didn't take Saber's words seriously, as it he were taunting and mocking him. Saber placed his cup of brandy on his desk and suddenly threw his hand forward and using some unseen force, pushing Edward against the wall. Edward was held in place, not able to move a single body part as if magnets clutched on to him, keeping him pinned to the wall. Saber drew out his blade and walked over to Edward. He then took the sharpened edge of his sword and held it to Edward's throat.

"I have a good mind to kill you." Saber said.

"Then why don't you do it?" Edward replied, a smile on his face. He stretched out his throat as if he wanted Saber to finish him off. "Go ahead and cut my throat, Saber. You know you want to. Yeah, it's true that I gave up on the scarab piece. It's true I had no desire to kill Cunla. But then so what, death no longer scares me."-

"Death may not scare you, but guilt will." Saber retracted his blade from Ed's throat and sheathed it back into his scabbard. "Guilt will haunt you for the rest of your life. I see why you wanted me to cut your throat. You wanted me to end your life, so you wouldn't have to live with the guilt of not bearing the responsibility of the fates of your brother and your best friend. You are weak then, not being able to stomach the burden they placed on you. Perhaps you will be more diligent in carrying out your mission if I make an example out of one of them."-

"Don't you dare," Edward said. His attitude had shifted again, this time in anger.

"I hardly think you are in any position to be telling me what to do." Saber turned his back, smirking when Ed wasn't looking. "I think I'll transmute the soul of your friend Winry in a suit of armor, just like you did with your brother's soul."

"You…" Ed uttered.

"Yes, I think I'll do that after I have her tortured nice and slowly. Now medieval tortures are always nice, boiling in oil, the wrack, the cage, mutilation, and what not, they have a way of causing people to scream out in blood curdling agony and at the same time inflict permanent damage on their bodies. Her back could break from being stretched on the wrack, thus making your friend Winry permanently paralyzed."-

"You bastard, don't you lay a hand on her!"-

"And what will you do if I don't heed your word?"-

"I'll kill you!"-

"By that time, however, it'll be too late. Besides, you hinder me and they both die. And you will be left to linger in sorrow. Even if you take your own life, your soul will still bear that burden of their deaths, knowing that you could do nothing to save them. Thus your soul will wander about the earth mindlessly, seeking to fulfill its unfinished business. You'll never be able to rest in peace with that affliction tainting your soul. Anyway, I'm not really concerned about your threat. You were no match for me when I took you in and you're no match for me now." He released his force grip and Edward fell to the ground. "I'm not asking much of you, Fullmetal. I only want you to do what we say until I believe that you're ready to be released. That's not much to ask."

"Well, you can just give your hopes up. I'd rather die than do anything you order."-

"That may come in due time." Saber placed. He turned to Scimitar. "Prepare to send word of our night raid on the sultan's palace. We're going after the scarab piece."

"Sir…" Scimitar replied.

"The scarab piece," Ed scoffed, "That scarab piece isn't there. I checked."

"Then it just goes to show you how little you know about the situation, boy."-

"What was that?"-

"The scarab was there all along. It was with the KH team."-

"And how did you come to know this?"-

"Scimitar is right, Fullmetal." Saber said. "The scarab was within the vicinity of the palace this whole time, or is now anyway. Apparently, one of the KH members, Goofy I believe, had managed to retrieve the other half, purchasing the piece in the local market, mistaking it for some kind of souvenir. He still bears it, being entrusted with guarding it."

"How did you find this out?" Edward asked.

"It was all due to the help of Mozenrath's faithful servant, Xerxes." Saber pointed to the little eel that sat upon Mozenrath's shoulder. "He found out about the scarab's missing half and how it was in the hands of the KH team. He overheard their discussion and quickly took all the facts to memory so that he could give an accurate report when he returned."

"I suppose that that slimy thing is also the one who was spying on me when I fought Cunla."-

"There's no hiding anything from you is there, Edward." Saber picked up his glass of brandy. He then turned to General Scimitar. "General, I want you to personally take command of our troops and have them attack the sultan's palace in the dead of night."

"It will be an honor, General." Scimitar replied. She saluted and withdrew. But just as she made her way to the door, Saber beckoned her again.

"On second thought," he said, "Perhaps it would be better if we gave our soldiers a rest. Besides, they do not know the interior of the palace." Saber took another sip of his brandy and placed the cup back on his desk. "I feel it would be more advantageous if you actually had someone who at least knows the interior of the palace itself." Saber walked up to Edward Elric. "I have another mission in store for you, Edward."

"I'm not gonna do it, Saber." Fullmetal growled, turning away from the general with a huff. But Saber quickly grabbed the front of his shirt's collar, forcing the young alchemist to look at him.

"You're not going to do what, boy!" There was threat behind his words indicating the consequences if Fullmetal didn't cooperate. "You forget, young man, who I have held hostage. Now if you wish to be stubborn from here on out and endanger the lives of your friend, Miss Winry Rockbell, and your younger brother Alphonse, then by all means please rebel. I'm sure they would be happy to know that you rather preferred to be pigheaded than sensible in thinking about their lives when I have them killed."

"You bastard…" Edward uttered, angrily.

"I knew that you'd see it my way." Saber released Edward, forcing the boy to stagger backwards. He turned to Scimitar. "I will have young Edward Elric be your front man in this mission, general. He shall be the one to bear the burden of retrieving the scarab piece from Goofy."

"What," Scimitar uttered, shocked at this sudden change in plans. "General Saber, I must protest. Please give this decision some more consideration. I can't have this young upstart be involved in the attack, let alone be the one responsible for the most crucial stage of the plan."

"My decision is final, General Scimitar. Carry out with it if you please."-

"I won't have it, sir. This insolent youth can't be trusted. He'd be more likely to stab us in the back than to aid us any further."-

"If anything goes wrong for any reason, I will have either his brother or his friend killed, nothing more to it." Saber glanced at the Fullmetal Alchemist, his red iris gleaming with the hue of a blood ruby. "I'm sure that you'll have no excuses this time, Fullmetal."

"No…" Edward said, looking downward.

"You will succeed in your mission, no matter what the cost. Even if your other arm and leg have to be sacrificed, you will have the scarab piece in your possession. Once it is within your grasp, you will personally hand it over to General Scimitar, understand?"-

"I understand."-

"This is an outrage!" Scimitar shouted. She made her way to storm out of the room, angry and frustrated.

"Hold your position, general." Saber implied, calmly. "I did not give you permission to go yet." Scimitar glared at him. Her eyes gave that cold stare, but Saber paid her no mind. Saber faced Edward Elric. "Once you have successfully fulfilled this mission and placed the scarab securely in the hands of General Scimitar and return here to the ship with it," there was a silence within his statement as if Saber was composing the right words to say, "I will grant you your freedom."

"What…?" Ed uttered, astonished at what he had heard. General Scimitar reacted to Saber's declaration as well, but in the opposite manner, she was not as enthusiastic. In fact, this declaration infuriated her even more.

"You heard me, young man. Once you have fulfilled your mission, I will allow you your freedom. You shall be released as soon as the mission is fulfilled. Return here to the ship and I shall give you the locations of your brother and Miss Rockbell. I will give the order to have them released and they will wait for you in the designated areas."-

"You mean as soon as this mission is finished, my friends and I are free?"-

"As soon as you return here to the ship, I will have these waiting for you." Saber walked over to his desk and took out three scrolls and a hologram messenger. "These papers will guarantee your freedom and this holographic messenger will give you a precise location of where to find them." Saber then placed them in a secure drawer. "However, you will only receive these things if you are successful in your mission. That means you have confiscated the other half of the scarab from the KH team and have successfully made your way back to the ship."

"If I fail…?" Edward asked, reluctant to utter such words.

"If you fail," Saber smirked and picked up his glass of brandy, "Then the next time you finally succeed, you will only be going home with one of your companions. The other I will have executed." He took another sip from his glass, wetting his lips with the strong liquor. "So you better hope that you succeed this time. And let no member of the KH team, especially young Cunla, try to deter you. If you confront him again, you better kill him. No questions asked. There is no room for weakness or a faint heart. You carry out with the mission, that's all that matters. You will target Goofy. He is the one who bears the scarab piece. You'll find the half in his right vest pocket. So aim for the pocket. Kill him if necessary, but get the piece."

"And how will I know what this Goofy looks like?" Fullmetal asked. "I've never seen him before."

"He's the only one of the KH team members who bears a shield and uses it for a weapon. He won't be much of a threat since he's rather clumsy and the most idiotic out of all the team members. I can only describe him as tall, lank, and a dippy looking dog. He has two bucked teeth sticking out the front of his mouth and his posture of stance is one to disgrace any vagrant. I'm sure you can handle an opponent as weak as he."-

"I will carry out with my mission, Saber." Edward's hope had been rekindled and he was overjoyed of the thought of seeing his friends again. "I will retrieve the scarab, but for my brother and Winry only. I don't care about your cause."

"Whatever motivates you, Edward, please wait outside for the time being. I have a word to discuss with General Scimitar and Lord Mozenrath."-

Edward gave no smirk of joy, no smile. Though he hoped to see his brother and young Miss Rockbell again, he took no pleasure in doing the faction's dirty work. It would be for the last time and he couldn't wait to get away from all this. He turned, not saying another word, and walked out, not glancing behind him a second time. The doors to General Saber's quarters opened, Fullmetal stepped out, and the doors closed behind him. As he stood out in the hall, he smiled to himself.

"Soon, Al, Winry," he thought to himself, "I'll have you back safely and we can continue our quest. The one we started those many years ago." With that, Edward walked away back to the ship's main access ramp, his hopes replenished, but his mind still in conflict. He would have gained something in return, but at what cost. It didn't matter. The only that mattered to him at the moment was assuring the safety of his brother and his best friend.

Only when the young alchemist was no longer present in the room did Scimitar state her opinions. And being a woman of great authority, she did not hesitate to be direct towards Saber.

"You idiot," she said, being very insubordinate and insolent as she could, "How could you announce such a declaration! Have you not realized what promise you made! That boy is going to turn on us the moment that his friends are safely with him! He was already unstable from the beginning, hating our cause since the day we encountered him! We forced him to do our bidding, placing the lives of his friends in jeopardy, and now you intend to let him run wild again, allowing him to be free to harass our forces! Once his freedom is gained, he'll side with Cunla and the key bearers and fight against us! He knows our weaknesses! He knows where we're vulnerable and he'll exploit that to his advantage!" Scimitar stomped her foot onto the ground, displaying her frustration. "You realize what you have just done, General Saber! You've destroyed our possibility of success in this world! The moment Edward returns to this ship after the mission, you have no choice, but to honor your word. If you don't, the reputation of the faction will be more tainted than it already is! Everyone in the universe will think us traitors and betrayers and will stand against us!"

"There is no need for you to go on about this in such an aggressive manner, General Scimitar." Saber chuckled, swirling his brandy about in his glass. "I know what I said. Only if Edward Elric succeeds and returns here safely to the ship with you and the scarab piece securely in your hands, then I will grant him his freedom." Saber then placed his glass back on the desk. "But what if for some reason, young Edward is killed during the mission."

"What are you getting at?"-

"Just this, young Edward Elric would have succeeded in retrieving the scarab, but at the last minute, he meets his death at the hands of his enemies." The general placed his arms behind him and strutted about. "With this sudden casualty inflicted, our little threat would no longer be alive to cause further trouble. He would never have made it back safely to the ship to gain the freedom of him, his brother, and Miss Rockbell."

"I see what you're getting at." Scimitar smirked.

"So I take it you intend on assassinating the boy?" Mozenrath asked.

"The boy dies…" Xerxes chuckled.

"That's exactly what I intend to do." Saber chuckled. "We can't afford to have the Fullmetal Alchemist trade one banner for another. The thing is that I planned to dispose of that naïve little pipsqueak from the moment we took him in. I know how valuable he is to us, but his mind refuses to accept our philosophies. Therefore, a man, no matter how effective he might be, can never be of any use to you if you can't trust him. Only after exploiting his usefulness for our necessary tasks would I have him killed. And no one is to think the wiser if he dies during a mission. We can't afford to have young Edward Elric doing the same as Cunla and Colonel Billiard, can we?"

"So how do you plan to assassinate him?" Scimitar asked.

"You will have the honor of assassinating the Fullmetal Alchemist. That's what you've craved isn't it?"-

"And when and where should I execute him?"-

"Once the scarab is safely in your hands that's when you deliver the final blow to the Fullmetal Alchemist. You silence him forever, understood? But make sure not to leave yourself open to his alchemy. Demobilize him at the arm and hand first. Then strike a critical blow that will render him senseless. Only when he's not mentally aware of what has happened, that's when you deliver the final blow."

"I'll have two men alongside me to strike him from the shadows."-

"Do whatever."-

Scimitar bowed respectfully and withdrew from the room. The doors closed after her, leaving Mozenrath, Xerxes, and Saber alone.

"If I may be so bold," Mozenrath asked, "Why is it that you are planning the execution of this young boy? Isn't he also vital to this other plan involving the documents you gave to me?"

"That is why I want you to interpret and study those documents to the last detail, Lord Mozenrath. However, the documents you presently have are copies. If you need to see the original source, it shall be in the same drawer as the freedom certificates for the Elrics and Miss Rockbell. You are a practitioner of alchemy as well are you not?"-

"Well yes…"-

"You know about transmutation circles correct?"-

"Yes…"-

"You want to achieve the greatest weapon of magic and mystery am I correct?"

"Of course…"-

"So what's the trouble?"-

"It's just that I've never come into anything like this though."-

"It's not surprising. The task you find yourself doing, following the instructions of the documents, is no easy task for anyone. But the forging of this mighty elixir requires a great deal of material, a great deal of time, a great deal of effort, and especially a great deal of sacrifice. It may be a lot to be asking of you, but I'm sure you can handle it."

"I understand."-

"Until Scimitar returns, we shall remain on standby."-

Meanwhile, Edward waited outside the ship. The sky was dark now, with only a few hints of light from the setting sun in the west left to illuminate the last of the dying desert hues before giving way to the deep blue and soothing black of the evening. The stars twinkled in their courses like so many jewels stationed in the heavens. The moon was crescent and in its waning phase, slowly decreasing in evening illumination with every passing night, slowly becoming a new moon. It was now just a sliver in the sky, like a giant fingernail of God himself. The stars embraced the moon like it was one of their own. Shooting stars could be seen in the heavens, streaking across the sky, giving off beautiful light as they made their presence known to the people who saw it. Edward spotted a star. He remembered the old tale of how a shooting star can grant a wish. Deep in his heart, the young alchemist filled his mind with the one wish he so truly desired. He then happened to look higher to find the wishing star shining high above him. Taking in the desert evening, Edward began to chant to the star, hoping that his wish would be reinforced.

"Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight." He said to himself. "I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight." Edward closed his eyes and made his wish again. "I wish to see my brother and Winry again." It was then that the star seemed to glow even brighter than before. "A shooting star and the wishing stars glow. My wish will be granted tonight."

"Enjoying the evening are we?" a voice uttered. Edward turned to find none other than General Scimitar standing behind him. Two elite guards were standing just behind her, acting as if they were her faithful bodyguards. "I'm in charge of this mission, Fullmetal."

"I understand." Edward replied. "After this night is over, I will be in the company of my brother and my best friend."

"Of course you will." Scimitar replied. Edward looked towards the distance, not noticing the smirk on Scimitar's face. "Of course you will." Just then, one of the faction privates appeared out of the shadows bearing some kind of large creature behind him. It was a solid black horse.

"Your horse, madam general," The attendant said, holding the reigns of the mighty steed, "Compliments of General Saber."

"Excellent, my compliments to the general," Scimitar replied. She mounted her horse. "Shall we be on our way while the evening is still young?"

"Yes…" Edward said. He took lead of the group. Scimitar and the two guards followed close behind. They disappeared further into the night covered dunes of the desert, increasing the distance away from the ship, until finally, the nightly sands seemed to have swallowed them up and the darkness concealed their presence.

Back in Agrabah, the sultan's troops were stationed on every street corner. Every guard was posted. Some civilians worked long into the hours of the night, still forging that they could from demolished homes, tending to the wounded, disposing the dead. The gates of the city were securely watched, closed and shut, letting no one through. From the palace, the watch fires in the city below looked like a colony of fireflies. Sora looked out at this magnificent evening scene, watching the fires glow in the city below, as he sat on the stairs leading to palace's grand doorway. He sighed to himself. It was then that a shadow suddenly appeared behind him. He turned to find Riku coming towards him

"So this is where you were." Riku said.

"Sorry, Riku," Sora replied, "I was just enjoying the peace of the night."

"It's peaceful for now, but we can't afford to lay back and relax. The faction is still out there."-

"That's why I was gazing out into the night like this, it's soothing."-

"It kind of reminds you of those moon lit nights on Destiny Island. Remember how we would all spend the night on the beach during our annual beach bash? I recall how the moon would always be so full, with that pale mix of blue and white and how it illuminated everything with its tranquil light."-

"I hope we get to see that again."-

Riku squatted down and sat next to Sora. He noticed that Sora had this nostalgic look on his face. He seemed to have an idea floating at the back of his mind.

"Is there something on your mind, Sora?" Riku asked.

"It's funny," Sora uttered, "It seems that for every world we visit, the sky always seems to stay the same. It always becomes morning, noon, and night. There are no different constellations. It always appears that no matter where we go, the sky always seems to follow us and place itself in the same way we saw it in another world." Sora laid back his head to gaze at the twinkling stars above him. He gazed at the sky and watched how the stars and the fires illuminating Agrabah would intermingle, making it difficult to distinguish where earth ended and heaven began. Sora recalled those nights where he felt that same feeling. "I can recall every time I saw the moon and the stars in their courses. I remember the night sky on Destiny Island, that fateful night when we first traveled to other worlds. I remember seeing this beautiful night sky when I first arrived in Traverse Town. I remember how the moon smiled at me and the stars twinkled when Goofy, Donald, and I were roaming those vast green fields. I recall the same sky looking down on me when I was in Twilight Town, Deep Dive city, even in our fight with the former Dark Empire, the night would always stay the same. It's as if we had a great guardian angel watching over us."

"It's a vast sky, Sora." Riku said as he looked up into the field of twinkling stars above. "Every star is a different world. And it is our duty to protect those stars from fading into darkness."

"Yeah…"-

"It doesn't matter where we go. It doesn't matter where we end up, the sky will always remain the same. It's infinite. It never changes in a single lifetime."-

"Do you think Kairi and the others are looking into that same big sky as we are?"-

"Without a doubt…"-

Sora lowered his head. He hid his eyes from view. Riku glanced at him, realizing something was wrong.

"Are you alright, Sora?" Riku asked.

"Sometimes, late at night," Sora uttered, "I have an urge to see home again. I want to return to the peace and tranquility of our island." Riku smiled and placed his arm around Sora, comforting him.

"Cheer up, Sora. We'll see home again."-

"I guess you're right." The two sat close together when Cunla appeared in the doorway.

"Oh," he said, "so this is where you guys are."

"Hey Cunla," Riku said.

"Hey there, Cunla…" Sora added.

"A fine job we did today." The boy implied, folding his arms in front of him and inhaling.

"Where's Goofy at?" Riku asked.

"Well, the last time I saw him, he and Donald were playing a game of checkers in the guest room."-

"Well, I hope he stays on his guard." Riku patted Sora on the back and stood back up. "He's carrying something very important in his pocket."

"You're telling me."-

"Well, you don't have to worry about anything here." Sora said. "If the faction tries anything they'll have to get by me first."

"Then keep watch over this door then, Sora." Riku said. "By the way, where are the others?"

"My father and Miss Billiard are watching the garden area outside." Cunla said. "Sultan, Rajah, and Princess Jasmine are over there, watching the entry ways to the treasure room and the rest of the palace interior. We have guards posted along every corridor. Many of them are pacing back and forth in the hallways, watching for spies or thieves to try and come in. Aladdin and Carpet are flying about overhead, searching for any possible intruder that draws near the palace. Genie has once again turned himself into a number of stationed guards armed with assault rifles and…well you get the idea."

"Yeah, we have a pretty good idea."-

"As for Abu and Iago, they're guarding the treasure room."-

"Not surprising."-

"With this kind of security," Sora said as he stood up again, "the faction won't be able to penetrate the palace without us seeing them."

"But superior numbers and a highly secured facility doesn't necessarily mean complete safety."-

"That's true."-

"Well, keep guard here, you two." Cunla said. "I'm gonna check the front of the palace grounds." Cunla descended downward, towards the wall that separated the palace from the rest of the city while Riku and Sora kept a visual watch on the palace doors. Little did they realize that despite their tough security, someone had already penetrated through their defenses.

Edward Elric, used alchemy to create a small crevice in the wall. He conducted his operation in the darkness of the wall, where the shadows were most heavy, located at the very end of the wall, where the manmade barrier ended and the natural barrier of the rocky outcrops began. He squeezed through the crack and hastily, but quietly rushed to the palace walls. No one saw him come in, or even cast his alchemic surge to make the hole in the wall. Riku and Sora, even young Cunla were unaware of his presence. Aladdin did not spot him from above. To them, Edward remained invisible. He watched for guards who walked about on the grounds, pacing back and forth. At the same time, he looked out for Aladdin and Carpet who were hovering over head, watching the grounds of the palace from front to back. Fullmetal would at times hide himself in crevices in the rocks, or behind shrubberies to conceal himself, he would continue his advance a little at a time until he took his station at the palace walls. Once reaching the palace walls, the young alchemist clapped his hands together and placed them on the wall's surface.

"Not too much energy." Ed thought to himself. "I don't want to attract attention." Instantly, there was a slight flash of light, an electrical surge and an instant entry way was created. It was small enough so it wouldn't draw attention from the guards, but it was large enough for Ed to squeeze through. He snuck through the hole and came into one of the vacant palace rooms. He crept through the room's darkness to the door leading out and peeped out into the hall. By some twist of fate, there were only two guards pacing up and down the hallway. As soon as they passed one another, walking away from each other, Edward quickly rushed through the hall, stealthily entering every room, to conceal his movements when the guards would turn around. He continued the process of eluding the guards as best he could until he reached the center of the palace interior. But as he came nearer to reach palace's interior, he realized it became more difficult to maneuver. The palace was better lit in the interior and the guards were more numerous, moving about, or remaining in one place.

"Damn it," Ed thought to himself. "I'll never be able to find this Goofy with all these guards hanging about. I can't even move with all these guards pacing around. Where the heck is Scimitar's little diversion?"

At the same time, as Edward was conducting his mission within the palace, the two soldiers who accompanied General Scimitar, were conducting their part of the plan. Under their superior's orders, the two soldiers placed a satchel bomb on the wall, which could only be activated by pressing the portable detonation switch. They had managed to sneak by the guards on duty, slaying those who were too close for comfort and hiding their bodies in the shadows. They walked up the part of the palace wall where Edward snuck in before and fastened the active bomb to its surface. They then hid themselves in the shadow of an alley way.

"Is everything in order?" the first soldier asked.

"Yes." The other soldier replied.

"Our order is to cause a diversion long enough for Fullmetal to retrieve the scarab piece. Then once he hands it to the general, we finish him off."-

"That's right. So let's give these guys a little wake up call."-

"For His Excellency…"-

"For His Excellency…"-

The two soldiers ducked behind a corner, a hundred feet or so from where they planted the bomb. The first soldier, who held the detonator in his hand, lifted up the safety cap of the device, revealing a bright red button. Without a second thought, without hesitation, he pressed the button. There was click from the device. Soon after, there was a massive explosion, which caused the entire city of Agrabah to stand and take notice. The blast blew away at least a quarter of the entire wall. Great slabs of stone and debris flew into the air and great clouds of dust and sand bellowed into the front court yard. The explosion shook the palace in so violent a manner, some of the guards figured the explosion to be an earthquake, or some other kind of seismic activity.

"What the heck was that?" Cunla said, as he saw the clouds of dust accumulate thickly in the vicinity of the explosion.

"It's the faction!" Sora shouted. "The faction is attacking!"

"Guards," Riku ordered, "Fight anyone who comes through that hole!"

The guards quickly rushed to the sight of the explosion, ready to fight anyone who would charge from the shadows. But as soon as some of the guards reached the gaping hole in the wall, several blades emerged out of the darkness and struck many of them down, wounding half and killing half. The key bearers watched the carnage unfold before their eyes.

"Damn the faction." Riku said. He and Sora drew out their keyblades. "Sora, stay here in case they manage to climb up the stairs."

"Right," Sora replied. He held his ground while Riku rushed down the stairs.

"Keep a vigilant eye open, you men!" Cunla shouted to the soldiers who rushed to the hole in the wall.

"What was that explosion?" the sultan asked.

"The faction might be attacking!" Sora replied.

"That explosion," a voice shouted. Sora looked to find Colonel Billiard and Cuchulain rushing into the grand hall, "Where did that explosion come from!"

"The faction is attacking, Cuchulain!"-

"Hurry," Ophelia said, drawing out her black fans. The two joined Sora at the top of the stairs, making ready to fight what they feared might be a large force approaching.

In the meantime, Edward felt the aftershocks of the explosion. The blast was so great that the ground began to rumble beneath his feet, nearly toppling him over. He threw himself against a corner, out of sight of the guards.

"Man," he uttered, "Couldn't those guys take it a little easier next time?" He then watched as the guards, who paced up and down the halls, guarding the corridors, suddenly halted in their tracks and then started running to the area where the explosion took place.

"There's been an explosion near the front gate!" one soldier shouted.

"Hurry," another added, "we have to support the others! Otherwise, well be overrun!" The guards abandoned there stations and rushed to the battlements. Edward sighed.  
"Well, at least I can move about more freely this time." He said. He popped out from his little nook and continued his search for Goofy and the scarab. He didn't have to go far though, when he heard Goofy and Donald talking in the room he was standing next to.

"Hey, Donald," he heard Goofy say, "did you feel that?"

"Its sounded like an explosion, Goofy." Donald replied. "Let's go check it out!"

"Goofy…?" Ed uttered. He looked into the room and saw Donald and his target gathering their weapons. He laid eyes on Goofy. "That must be him. The tall one is Goofy. He fits every description that Saber gave." Ed clapped his hands together. "It's now or never!" He suddenly jumped in front of Goofy and Donald, just as they were exiting out of the doorway. He caught the two completely by surprise.

"Who are you?" Donald asked.

"It's lights out, you two!" Ed placed his hands on the marble floor and immediately, an alchemic surge took effect. The marble floor suddenly transformed and a large block of it burst out from the ground. It flew into the faces of Donald and Goofy, knocking them out cold. The two went flying backwards and slammed into the chamber wall. They slunk down onto the floor, giant stars encircling their heads. Their eyes swirled about and huge, throbbing red bumps formed on the tops of their heads. There was no doubt, they were unconscious. Goofy pointed his finger towards the stars above his head.

"Oh boy," he mumbled, "Look at all the pretty stars." His head slumped to the side and the dippy dog fell into a deep sleep. Ed quickly ran over to where Goofy lay out cold and searched his vest pockets.

"Sorry about this," Ed uttered, "But I have a brother and best friend to save."

At the same time, Aladdin flew over the hole in the wall. He hoped to swoop down and defeat the enemy troops from above. But to his surprise, there was no one about. H quickly flew over to where Sora, Cuchulain and Miss Billiard stood guard.

"There's no one there, Sora." He said.

"What do you mean no one's there?" Sora asked.

"I mean there's no one there."-

"But who could have caused that explosion?"-

"I don't know."-

It was then that Sora had a bad feeling about what was going on. He quickly turned his attentions to the interior of the palace. It came to his attention that Goofy and Donald were nowhere to be seen. Usually, they would be running out to join the fight, but to his surprise, they were absent.

"Where are Goofy and Donald?" he asked.

"They might still be in the guest room." Ophelia said. "Why do you ask?"

"I have a bad feeling." Sora quickly ran back into the palace, running towards the room that Goofy and Donald were in.

Edward, by this time, had managed to search Goofy's right pocket. Sure enough, he took hold of some object in the compartment. He pulled out his hand clutched in his fingers was the other half of the scarab.

"What do you know?" he said. "This must be it." He placed it in his pocket and turned about, but as he did, he was in for another surprise. There, standing in the doorway, was none other than Genie.

"And where do you think you're going?" Genie said, his arms folded in front of him, not budging from the doorway.

"A genie…?" Ed uttered.

"OK, kid, let's see what you've got!" Genie suddenly transformed into a Samurai Warrior. He backed off back into the hallway as if ready to charge, with his sword over his head. "Bonsai!" Genie went charging through the doorway. But before he could even get into the doorway, Ed clapped his hands together and placed them on the marble floor. Sure enough, a marble wall appeared in the doorway, sealing off the entryway. There was a loud thud, followed by what sounded like the chirping of birds. Sure enough, Genie was flat on the opposite side of the wall. He peeled himself off feeling rather flat. "Well, who would have seen that one coming?"

Genie stuck his thumb in his mouth and blew. His flattened body filled with air and he blew up like a balloon. Once he was back to his old self, shaking off the twittering birds around his head. He made ready to knock down the wall

"OK," Genie shouted, "Let's see how you like this!" Genie transformed into a Norse God Thor with his mighty hammer Mjollnir. He slammed the hammer against the marble wall, but the impact only caused him to shake about like a tuning fork. As for the hammer, its head crumbled from its handle. "Alright, let's try this!" Genie became a battering ram and tried to break down the wall. But all the ramming ended up giving him a splitting headache. "OK, let's try this!" Genie then transformed into a Confederate soldier and aimed a large cannon at the wall. He fired the cannon. But the shell bounced off as wall and shot back at Genie and the cannon blowing them rearward. Genie then became a miner and tried to pick at the sealed doorway with a pick axe.

In the meantime, Edward ran over to the wall to the right of the doorway, he clapped his hands together and placed them on the wall. A large entryway was made to the other room. Ed walked through the opening he created. Then he turned back, and using alchemy, he sealed the door again. He peeked into the hallway and saw Genie still trying to knock the wall down. Genie transformed into a wrecking ball, then a construction worker with a jackhammer. Then he tried putting a great deal of explosives to the doorway. He lit all the dynamite.

While this was going on, Sora, Cuchulain, Ophelia, Aladdin, Sultan, Rajah, and Jasmine came running to the sealed doorway.

"What the heck are you doing, Genie?" Aladdin asked.

"Stand back, Al," Genie said, "This is going to be a big one!" Genie grabbed all of his friends and through them behind a barrier constructed of sandbags. The fuses of the dynamite grew shorter and shorter, until boom, the explosives all went off in one moment, causing the entire palace to shake. The corridor was blackened by the explosion. Genie pocked his head up, wearing a World War I doughboy uniform. Once the smoke cleared, he realized that the doorway was clear again. Pieces of debris fell to the ground and a thick cloud of dust still lingered. He blew the whistle as if ready to charge no man's land.

"Over the top!" he cried. He jumped out from behind the sand bags.

"It's official," Sora uttered, "Genie has completely lost his mind."

The team rushed out from behind the barrier and into the room where they found Goofy and Donald knocked out.

"Goofy, Donald," Jasmine cried. Sora ran up to Goofy and Donald and shook them to wake them up.

"Goofy, Donald," he said, "Wake up!"

"Duh…" Goofy mumbled, still unconscious.

"It's no use, they're both out cold."-

"Leave it to me!" Genie said. He transformed into a bucket of water and threw the liquid contents all over the two knocked out boobs. Goofy and Donald immediately woke up.

"Man the life boats!" Goofy cried, "Women and children first!"

"We're going down!" Donald added. "It's every man for himself!"

"Goofy, Donald," Sora said.

"Oh, Sora…" Goofy uttered. "What happened? What are all of you doing here?"

"What happened to you guys?"-

"Well, I remember trying to run out of the room, but all of a sudden this little guy came in here and knocked us out with…" Goofy then looked at the marble block sticking out of the floor. "Oh boy…"

"Where did that guy go anyway?" Donald asked.

"The scarab piece," Cuchulain said, "Do you still have it?"

"Why sure I do," Goofy replied. "I have it right…" But to sudden shock, Goofy felt his right vest pocket and realized that it had been unzipped. He looked down and felt around his pocket. There was no sign of the golden scarab half. "Gawrsh…"

"Damn it, the faction must've taken it!"-

"Do you know what the guy who attacked you looked like?" Sora asked.

"Uh…" Goofy pondered as best he could. "I don't know what he looked like. He just jumped out in front of us and that's when the lights went out.

"I know what he looked like." Genie said.

"You do?"-

"Yeah, he was this really short kid with blonde hair!" Genie's boastful voice could be heard throughout the interior of the palace. Thus, his statement even reached the ears of young Edward Elric, who was on the verge of escaping safely. No one had seen him, so he was in the clear. But the moment he heard Genie mention how short he was, that instantly angered and irritated Edward. If there was one thing that Edward hated the most, it was being called short. He rushed to the entryway to the guest room and roared out at the top of his lungs.

"Who the heck are you calling so short and puny that he makes a bug look small and you can't see him without a magnifying glass, you big fat blue-faced idiot!" He shouted. He voice reverberated throughout the corridors. Of course, by the time Ed finished what he was saying and realized what he just did, it was a little late. He blew his cover and now confronted the whole of the KH team.

"Hey, who are you?" Aladdin asked.

"That's the guy!" Genie said. "That's the squirt!"

"You make another comment about my height and I'll stick my hand in your pointy ears and pull your teeth out by the roots!" Ed shouted.

"He's the one that has the scarab piece!" Cuchulain said. "Get him!"

But Edward quickly used his alchemy to seal them into the room.

"That ought to hold you for a while!" Ed said. But as he turned, he realized that the guards had noticed him as well. They drew their blades and began to charge at him. Edward used another alchemic surge and caused an explosion to cover his escape. He took no time to think. He only went by instinct and rushed towards the doors of the main hall. But as he did, he encountered yet another for. Riku had managed to clime his way to the top of stairs after hearing the commotion in the palace. He now confronted the Fullmetal Alchemist.

"So you're the intruder." Riku said. He held his keyblade at the ready. "This is as far as you go. You'll have to get past me first."

Edward made ready to fight Riku. But he noticed that more guards were staggering towards him after that explosion he made. Fullmetal looked at Riku and smiled.

"Sorry, pal," he said, "I don't have time to deal with you right now." Edward clapped his hands and placed them on the floor. Suddenly, Riku found himself grabbed by a giant hand made from transmuted marble that just spurted out of nowhere and held him in place. Edward ran passed Riku without a second glance.

"You little punk," Riku shouted, "Get back here!"

"Short jokes again, eh?" Ed said. "I'd stay and give you a piece of my mind, but I have other matters to attend to." But just as he began his descent down the main staircase, he encountered yet another foe. This one was a foe he new too well.

It was Cunla.

"Edward Elric," he said, "so you intrude here again, eh?"

"I don't have time to deal with you, Cunla." Ed said.

"You'll have time." Cunla drew out his sword. "You took up the effort to come here to the palace again and take the scarab piece, which I'm sure you have. But I won't let you escape with it."

"So you intend to finish me then?"-

"I hate to, but I have no other choice."-

"Sorry kid, but I'm calling the shots." Edward clapped his hands and placed them on the stairs. Cunla was expecting an alchemic surge to be aimed at him, so he made his stance to counter the attack. But to his surprise, instead of a long range electric surge, Edward unleashed a sudden explosion that erupted all around him. Great clouds of dust and debris bellowed high into the air, creating a suffocating atmosphere. Cunla shielded his face and eyes from the blowing winds and the falling debris. He took in a breath of the thick dust and began to cough. But he was not deterred. He saw as the figure of Edward Elric reappeared in the dust.

"I won't let you escape, Edward!" Cunla, his eyes, squinted, rushed at the figure in the dust. He saw that flowing red coat of the Fullmetal Alchemist and prepared to strike him with a finishing blow. Though it pained Cunla to slay the young alchemist, he had to do it. It was his obligation to do so. Cunla struck at the figure. But again, the boy was taken by surprise. Before him was not Edward, but a mere decoy made out of stone with a wig of blond hair and his coat wrapped around the rocky surface. "He's gone…"

"Wrong kid," Edward said, suddenly appearing behind him, "I'm still here!" As Cunla turned, the Fullmetal Alchemist clapped his hands and placed them on the stairs. Sure enough, Cunla was grabbed by a hand of stone, much like Riku was, thus depriving him of mobility.

"Edward Elric…" Cunla uttered, struggling to free himself, but to no avail.

"I still don't want to kill you, kid." Ed said. "But I can't have you following me now can I?"

"Edward…"-

Fullmetal gave a two fingered salute and withdrew. The guards tried to stop him, but they proved to be no match for the young alchemist. He clapped hands together again and created a hole near the main gates. Edward jumped through and disappeared into the night of the city.

"Come back here, kid!" Riku shouted, still gripped in the marble fist. "If I ever get my hands on you…!"

Just then, another explosion bellowed from within the palace and again the palace was filled with dust and debris, the wind from the explosion passed by Riku's face, bombarding him with pebbles and little bits of rock and stone. Riku closed his eyes to protect them from the incoming dust. Once the wind stopped and little stone particles ceased pelting him on the face, Riku slowly opened his eyes. He found Sora and the others emerge from the thick clouds of dust, coughing and gagging, asphyxiated by the dust. They had endured another one of Genie's explosions and emerged with their hands over their mouths and eyes practically closed.

Genie on the other hand, emerged with his face black and charred, as if he had his head up when the explosion went off. He exhaled and black soot puffed out of his mouth. His beard caught fire, so a small red flame lit the tip of his singed beard like a candle.

"Yep, yep," he said, "you guys were right, that was way too much gunpowder." Then Genie licked his right hand index finger and thumb. He then enclosed them in a pinching motion on the little flame on his beard, extinguishing it.

"Riku," Sora said, as he looked upon his best friend who was entrapped in the marble hand, "What happened to you?"

"That little brat with the long blonde hair used some kind of spell to entrap me in this thing!" Riku replied, angrily.

"It was alchemy actually." Cunla said, overhearing Riku's statement.

"Cunla…" Sora said. "You too…?"

"That kid is no ordinary kid, Sora. His name is Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist."

"He's an alchemist?"-

"What's an alchemist?" Goofy asked.

"A scientist I think." Donald replied.

"No wonder he was able to seal up the room." Cuchulain said. "He transmuted the marble to take the shape he desired. In this case it was sealing us in the guest room."

"If it wasn't for Genie helping us out of there," Aladdin said, "we'd still be trying to pound our way out of that room."

"It was nothing, Al." Genie chuckled.

"Never mind all that!" Riku shouted. "Let's get that guy before he hands that scarab over to the faction!"

"I'm with you there, Riku." Sora added. He struck the marble hand with all his might, using the keyblade and Riku's confinement diminished.

"Don't forget about me." Cunla said.

"I'll get you out, son." Cuchulain said. He took one swing with the Gae Bulga and caused the stone to crumble, thus releasing his son from the five fingered prison as well.

"Thanks Dad."-

"Nothing to it."-

"Hurry," Ophelia insisted. "That alchemist is getting away!" The KH team quickly rushed down the stairs and through the hole that Edward Elric had made.

Fullmetal, in the meantime, had made his way passed the guards who were on duty. Many of the soldiers, who stood one guard, did not realize what was going on. Those who saw Fullmetal pass them did not know what to make of the pursuit. Only when they saw the KH team and the sultan's soldiers hot on the trail of the alchemist did they draw their blades and aid in trying to catch the elusive alchemist. As Ed made his way through the poor district, he stopped for a moment and turned towards his pursuers.

"These guys just don't give up do they." He thought to himself.

"There he is!" Sora shouted. "Let's get him."

"You're not getting away from us, kid!" Riku shouted. He formed the seven fire spheres, initiating Cinder Canister. This forming of fire caught Edward by surprise.

"That guy can accumulate fire?" he uttered. "He's similar to the Flame Alchemist." Ed clapped his hands and used an alchemic surge to create a tall, thick wall of soil just as Riku unleashed his attack. "Sorry, can't stick around anymore!" The wall took on the impact of the oncoming fire spheres. The fire was so intense that it turned the side they collided with into glass. The KH team stopped.

"Great," Donald said, "Now how are we gonna get him?"

"Just leave it to us." Aladdin said. "Carpet, let's go!" The flying carpet swooped down. Aladdin, Cuchulain, and Cunla jumped onto the carpet and flew over the wall.

"Alright, Nimbus," Sora cried, "It's time to do your stuff!" Sora raised his keyblade and bright light bellowed forth. Within seconds, the puttering yellow cloud emerged." Sora jumped up onto it. "Riku, Miss Billiard, let's go!"

"Come on, Miss Billiard." Riku said. He stretched out his hand.

"Right," Ophelia replied. She grasped his hand. The two jumped onto the nimbus cloud and sputtered off after Fullmetal.

"What about us!" Donald asked.

"You guys stay there in case he doubles back." Sora replied.

"I gotcha…!"-

Aladdin's party and Sora's party breached over the wall and hoped to outrun Edward, whom they believed was still below them, heading for the main gate. But to their dismay, Fullmetal was no longer on the main road leading to the gates. He had disappeared into the darkness.

"Darn it," Cunla said, "Where did he go?"

"Sora, Riku, Miss Billiard," Cuchulain cried from the flying carpet, "did you see where he went!"

"There's no sign of him anywhere!" Riku replied.

"He got away." Aladdin said.

"Let's not give up hope just yet." Cunla said. "Let's do some searching first."

"Right…!" Aladdin cried out to Sora. "Sora, we'll check the left side of the city, you watch out for the right side!"

"We'll do…!" Sora replied. The two parties split up searching for Edward Elric. Little did they notice that Fullmetal was watching them from below, he hid himself well in the shadows of some of the abandoned dwellings.

"That was close." Edward uttered. "It's a good thing I made a detour exit at the side of the city walls." Ed pulled the scarab piece from out of his pocket. He glanced at the shimmering gold. "So this is it, this is what all the fuss and suffering has been over. Now that I look at it, this scarab seems so insignificant." He clutched the gold tightly in his hand. "Well, if this is the only way to get my brother and Winry back safely, then I'm willing to take this risk, even though my deed is not for the greater good." He shoved the piece back into his pocket and scurried between the buildings, concealing his movements in the shadows.

In them meantime, Aladdin, Cuchulain, and Cunla, scanned the area for any possible signs of escape, but to no avail.

"Maybe he already concealed himself within the desert sands." Aladdin thought.

"Highly unlikely," Cuchulain said. "This kid doesn't seem the type to put himself out in the open where he would be attacked so easily."

"I should have finished him off when I had the chance." Cunla thought to himself. He then saw that glimmer in Ed's eyes. The eyes of one who did not crave power or glory, but did only what he had to do because it was his duty. "But if I did kill him, then I wouldn't be able to live with myself." The party continued their search for the elusive alchemist.

Edward continued towards the city wall. He came to a small clearing where no houses lay. It was a simple gathering square for the poor. A stone well was placed at the center of the square. At the base of the wall was the opening that Edward created so that a hasty escape could be made. And awaiting him, mounted on her black steed, General Scimitar kept watch for the young alchemist's arrival. Finally, from the shadows, Edward appeared.

"General Scimitar," Edward uttered, rushing to her side, "You're here."

"I see you managed to make it back without a scratch, Fullmetal." Scimitar said. "I trust by your arrival that you were successful this time?"

"I sure was." Edward took the scarab piece from out of his pant pocket and held it high in his hand. The gold glimmered dimly in the waning moon light.

"This must be it then." Scimitar gazed at its golden surface. It was perfect in every way. The scarab was real alright. Its golden shine was untainted and was incapable of being tainted like brass or some other gold imitation. This was indeed the real thing.

"I had to sacrifice my coat in order to get this, but it was well worth it. Losing my coat is nothing compared to getting my brother and Winry back safely."-

"I'm glad to see that you hold the lives of your brother and Miss Rockbell so highly." Scimitar stretched out her hand, wanting the young alchemist to give her to scarab half. Once the scarab is safely in my hands and we have returned to the ship, then you freedom is well within your grasp.

"But I still don't feel right about doing this." Ed uttered, looking at the piece. "If I give this to you, then who knows how many people will suffer because of it."

"Young Elric, if you don't hand me that scarab piece, the only ones who'll be suffering will be your friends." Edward looked up at the general. "General Saber is expecting us back within the next hour. So I suggest that you don't waste any time." She stretched her hand out further, her palm wide open. "Now if you please."

Edward timidly handed the scarab piece to her as if he were having an inner confrontation with himself in his mind. His head was filled with constant questions. He thought of the benefits he would gain as a result of succeeding. He would get back his best friend and his brother. They were all the world to him and they were all that mattered. The rest of the people were of no concern to him. But as he rethought his action, aiding the faction may give rise to further chaos. And there may be a time when he would have to get involved in the confrontation again. But if he failed in his mission, he might have done something for the greater good, for all the innocent whose names he did not know. But at the same time, he would lose his brother or his Winry, or both of them at the same time. He thought and thought till his head hurt. Edward finally came to a decision. He only wanted to see Winry and his brother smile. He wanted to see them happy. Without a second thought, he gave the scarab piece to Scimitar. No tricks involved, no deception, he simply handed the shimmering gold beetle to the Blade General. Scimitar clutched the piece in her hand. She glanced at its beautiful gold surface.

"At last," she uttered, "The plans of the faction will finally succeed."

"Now," Ed said, "I did as Saber requested. Now, will you guarantee our freedom?"

"A Blade General is as good as his or her word," Scimitar chuckled. "You shall be let go, young one."

Just then, from out of nowhere, two sharpened daggers came flying out of the darkness and struck Edward in both his right and left arms. The youth was caught completely by surprise. He fell to the ground in agonizing pain. Ed screamed out as he felt the swords dig deep into his arms. They had been struck at the point where the main artery was severed, thus rendering Ed's arms completely useless. His arms were paralyzed. Even his automail arm was rendered useless. Blood and oil mixed together, forming a dark crimson red. Edward lay on the ground helpless, gazing up at the sky. He tried to raise his head, but he felt himself turn light headed.

"Scimitar…" he uttered. "I've been hit…"

"I see…" Scimitar replied.

"Please help me…" But Scimitar only looked at Edward with that same cold stare. She then began to utter a few words, an evil smirk on her face.

"No, no," she replied, "I don't think I'll be doing that."

"What…?" Ed then pondered at what happened. From out of the shadows, he saw the two figures who struck him down. They were faction soldiers. Only then, when struck at the shoulders, did Edward realize what was happening. "You planned this…You planned to kill me all along. You planned to kill me from the start didn't you."

"I must confess then," Scimitar placer her hand upon her cheek, "we were planning to kill you from the start. We said we'd let you go, but we never said in what manner. But then again that's how we always treat traitors and betrayers."-

"Betrayers…?"-

"Did you think you could easily fool me, boy?" Scimitar held out the gold scarab piece. Just then, with the strength in her hand alone, she crushed the gold beetle. In reality, however, it was not a gold beetle at all, but rather a good copy made by a few gold flakes and some dirt. The gold regressed into dirt and withered away in the hands of the general. "You thought you could save both your brother and Miss Rockbell and do what was for the greatest number all at once. So you thought you could switch the real scarab piece with a fake using alchemy."

"But how did you know?"-

"I knew that such deception could only last when you are at your full strength. But now that you have been struck down and are on the verge of death, your little charade diminished as quickly as your energy did." She signaled the soldiers. The soldiers walked up to Edward and checked all his pockets. Sure enough they found the real golden scarab piece in his opposite pocket. They handed the piece to the general. "Now this is the real thing." She then looked at Edward Elric. "Thought you could fool a Blade General did you? Well you thought wrong my misguided young friend. We Blade Generals are not that easy to deceive, especially me. General Saber gives his compliments to you for helping us achieve our goal."

"Was Saber a part of this as well…?" Edward asked becoming light headed even more with every passing second. He was losing too much blood.

"We knew of the possibilities that you would turn your back on us. And the chances of you stabbing us in the back were more than likely. We knew that we couldn't keep you on a leash for long. And granting you your freedom would have been a severe blow to our cause. You would go about harassing the faction forces, trying to stop and further advance. So, we decided to end your life."-

"Then why didn't you do it when you had the chance?"-

"Well, we needed you to carry out with this final mission. We were not willing to sacrifice any of our best soldiers' lives, so we decided to use you to carry out the mission. Since your death cost nothing, we thought it best for you to take the most dangerous stage of operation, which was to get the scarab piece. And if you died during the mission, then that would save us the trouble of having to keep a close eye on you. Beside, we needed to make sure that you died during a mission. Otherwise, if word got out that we assassinated you after you wore out your usefulness, then other saps as clueless as you would never accept siding with us."-

"But what if you need me for something else important?"-

"General Saber has assured me that from here on out, we don't need your help. Therefore your necessity is no longer demanded." Scimitar turned the horse about towards the opening in the wall. "You two know what to do next. Kill the boy. Silence him forever."

"Yes…" the two soldiers replied.

"It's too bad that your ideals had to counter the philosophies of the faction, Fullmetal. Otherwise, you might have lived a little longer than this. Having to die at such a tender young age, how sad it is for you. And there's no one to mourn your demise."-

With those final words, General Scimitar galloped away into the night, leaving the soldiers to finish the job. The soldiers stood over the Fullmetal Alchemist like a couple of vultures, thirsty to strip the flesh from their prey. One of the soldiers, saying no word, unsheathed his sword. He then stood over Edward's head and pointed the tip of the sword downward, the tip of the blade aiming at the youth's chest. Edward was too weak to do anything now. The swords were stuck deep into his shoulders. He could not move his hands, his arms. He felt as though a heavy weight was placed on his body, preventing any type of movement. His fingers could only twitch slightly, but nothing more. With his arms paralyzed, the youth was unable to perform alchemy. His breathing became more labored and his vision began to blur. The blood from his wounds flowed profusely from his flesh and saturated the ground, turning it a crimson red. The mix of red blood and black oil gave a supernatural look to the ghastly scene as it lay in pull around Edward's head. He looked above seeing the fuzzy image of the shiny edge of the sword aimed at his chest. The soldier planned on piercing his heart.

Almost immediately, as the young alchemist faced death, he saw his entire life, from his childhood to the present, flash before his eyes in an instant.

"So this is where it ends." Edward uttered silently at the back of his mind. "This is the end. I came so close, but still so far. I'm really going to die here and no one will know I died. Will anyone care? Will Winry and Al know I died, or will they be killed too? Or perhaps they will be kept prisoner until they rot believing that I gave up on them." The sword was raised slightly higher so that the blade would be thrust down with more power behind it. "I'm sorry Al, Winry, I failed. Please forgive me…"

But as if some miracle occurred or some divine power intervened with Fullmetal's fate, a black fan appeared out of nowhere and struck the observing soldier in the head. The soldier's head was almost severed in two and blood spurted out in a fountain. The soldier was dead instantly. The other soldier, who was carrying out the final blow, stopped what he was doing as he saw his comrade fall. He suddenly turned to find Colonel Billiard charging at him. He tried to upright his sword to battle her, but the Tiger of Goth took out the dagger latched on her back and threw it. The dagger met its mark and lodged itself in the soldier's throat. The trooper died instantly, his sword still in his hand as he fell. Once the soldier was dead on the ground, Colonel Billiard reached down and pulled out the dagger from his throat. She then wiped the blade on the dead man's uniform.

In the meantime, Riku and Sora rushed over to Edward who was barely alive. They checked his pockets, hoping to find the scarab.

"You won't find it here…" Edward uttered.

"Where is it, kid!" Riku demanded. "What did you do with the scarab piece!"

"She took it…" With all his strength and determination, Fullmetal pointed towards the desert. They looked at the finger that pointed towards the gaping hole in the wall. And far in the distance, they saw the horse of General Scimitar gallop on the dunes at an incredible speed.

"Riku, look," Sora shouted, "There's a rider getting away!"

"Riku, Sora, Miss Billiard," a voice shouted from above. The trio looked up to find Aladdin, Cuchulain, and Cunla hovering over them on the flying carpet.

"Is there anything wrong!" Cuchulain asked.

"A rider is getting away!" Riku replied. "And they have the scarab piece."

"Leave this to us." Aladdin said. "We'll get it back." He urged the carpet forward. "Come on, carpet, after that rider!" The carpet flew over the dunes after General Scimitar.

The General had not gone two miles when she felt something gliding on the wind above her. She turned to find Aladdin, the Hound, and his son coming towards her at an incredible speed.

"So what do we have here?" she uttered, smirking as she saw them approach. She then noticed the Hound of Ulster. Scimitar clutched her teeth in anger. Cuchulain took notice of the woman's facial features. Though they were dim in what little moon light there was, concealed by darkness and shadow, the Hound could see the distinct characteristics of the woman's face. They swooped over her head. Cuchulain looked back as they passed her.

"Is that who I think it is?" he uttered to himself in amazement. "Could it be…?"

"Cuchulain," Scimitar uttered, furiously through her clenched teeth. "The Hound of Ulster…" She suddenly grabbed one of her chakrams and thrust the bladed ring skyward. Even in the darkness of the evening sky, the chakram managed to hit its target and strike the carpet, cutting its rear corner. The carpet went tumbling downward, mortally wounded, as if made from flesh and blood rather than fabric.

"Whoa carpet," Aladdin cried. He tried to steady it upward, but the carpet could not comply. He hit the ground, dragging itself across the sand dunes, finally landing at the base of one of great desert mounds. Cuchulain and Cunla tumbled off of the tapestry and into the fine sand of the desert. There they lay as if they too were victims of the great battle that took place earlier that day. But such a fall could not take the lives of powerful and agile heroes. They slowly staggered, first rising on their elbows and knees, then to their hands and knees. Soon, they started to stand upward again, as if they were encountering some form of hasty evolution from serpent to man.

"Oh man," Cunla uttered, coughing out the sand that managed to enter his lungs. "That was General Scimitar, it was General Scimitar herself."

"Scimitar is it?" Cuchulain uttered to himself. He looked of in the distance to find the mighty blade general standing upon the crest of a dune, mounted on her horse, gazing upon them. Though the night was all concealing, it could not cover the intensity of her eyes. And Cuchulain knew this. His eyes came in contact with hers and hers with his.

The chakram flew back to the hand of its thrower safely, though the general didn't bother watching it return. She simply held out her hand and the chakram seemed to obey its master as if it had an obedient will of its own. Perhaps it did. Scimitar fastened the ring on her saddle. The general continued to look at them. She, like Cuchulain, could feel the intensity in his eyes, staring right at her though the night concealed their faces. The Hound's eyes penetrated through the veil of nightly shadows.

"So I'm right." Scimitar uttered to herself. "It is you…"

"It's her alright." Cuchulain said thought his mind. "Without a doubt," His mind filled with visions of the past, temporary flashes of light in his head, which involved the face of the general. Though faint and quick and in disarray in his mind, Cuchulain could not doubt who she was, "It has to be her. I would never forget that kind of intensity."

Scimitar then turned her horse about and she then galloped off further into the darkness, where she could no longer be seen.

"She's gone…" Cunla uttered.

"We have to go after her!" Aladdin said.

"There's no use in doing that." Cuchulain said. "She's on horse back and too far away for me to lock on her power with the Gae Bulga."

"Man…"-

"Cuchulain, Cunla, Aladdin," a voice shouted from above. The three looked up to find Sora hovering about in darkness on the little Nimbus Cloud. "Are you guys alright!"

"We're fine!" Cunla replied. "But we lost sight of General Scimitar!"

"Scimitar…? The Blade General…?"-

"That's right. She's the one that took the scarab piece."-

"Can you see her from there, Sora!" Cuchulain asked. Sora looked through the darkness, but could see one. He looked around, not wandering out of the sight of the team. Though he scanned thoroughly, he saw no one. No one was about. The desert was vast and all concealing. Like the ocean, or a great forest, the environment swallowed her up. Sora found no trace.

"I can't see her anywhere!" Sora replied.

"Damn," Cuchulain uttered. "She got away then."

"Should I try and search her out?"-

"Don't bother. She's long gone by now. And even if you did find her, it's most likely that she'd be allowing you to find her so she could kill you with that chakram blade of hers.

"What should we do now, father?" Cunla asked.

"We'll just have to reform and rethink on how we're gonna find them. But we better do it soon. The faction may already have both pieces."-

"How do you know they have both pieces?"-

"I don't know if they do, I'm just assuming. But we have to conduct ourselves as if they do. We have to go after them as soon as we can, even if it has to be in the dead of night." He turned to Sora. "You think you have enough room for all of us on that cloud?"

"Uh…" Sora uttered. "I think so."

The Nimbus cloud thus bore the weight of four more passengers, including the wounded carpet and sputtered away back to where Riku and the others were waiting.

Scimitar on the other hand was riding fast and riding hard back to faction ship, the gold scarab piece jangling about in her pocket. But her mind was not on the scarab, but rather Cuchulain. Going over the features of the Hound's youthful face, she smirked with delight, as if a sinister thought ran through her mind.

"So the Hound of Ulster is here as well." She said to herself. "At last, our score can finally be settled. I will at last put that upstart youth in his place."

In the meantime, back near the stone well, where Scimitar made her escape through the desert, young Edward Elric still lay in a pool of his own blood. His golden eyes dimmed with weariness, his body aching with pain. He was almost dead. His life had been purged from his body. His breathing was slow and labored, indicating that he would not last much longer.

Riku and Ophelia looked at the youth as he slowly diminished.

"So what are we gonna do with this kid?" Riku asked.

"Well…" Ophelia said. "If I had my way, I'd say we put him out of his misery. But look at him, Riku. He's still so young. He couldn't be older than sixteen."-

"But we can't just let him bleed to death."-

Just then, Sora returned with Cuchulain and the others. They stepped off the nimbus cloud one by one and joined the rest of the KH team. They happened to gaze at the face of this young man, embraced in sweet death.

"So this is the boy up close." Cuchulain said. "The Fullmetal Alchemist…" Edward only gazed up into the night sky. His eyes losing focus more and more. His started to dilate.

By this time, Goofy and Donald and a hand full of soldier appeared. They looked about at the ghastly state.

"What's going on here?" Goofy asked. "What happened?"

"General Scimitar got away with the scarab piece." Cuchulain said

"What was that?" Donald asked.

"We couldn't get it back." Sora replied.

"And it's all because of this kid." Riku added. The team gathered around Edward. Fullmetal could only see blurred faces however.

"But he's still alive though." Ophelia said. "What'll we do with him?"

"The boy should be put out of his misery." Cuchulain said. He walked over to the Fullmetal Alchemist and practically stood over him. He then took the Gae Bulga and aimed it at the boy's heart. "It's best to see him dead than have him suffer like this." But as Cuchulain drew back his spear to thrust it into Ed's body, Cunla stepped up and halted him.

"Father, don't do it," He uttered. He went over to Ed's side and took hold of the blades still lodged in his shoulders. With all his might, the boy pulled the blades from out of Fullmetal's flesh. He threw the blades aside and picked the dying alchemist up in his arms. "Edward, can you hear me? Edward Elric, can you here me?"

Ed looked at the blurry image of Cunla. Hearing the voice echoing in the mist beyond his eyes, Edward smiled as if the very sound of Cunla's voice was comforting.

"Cunla…" Ed whispered.

"Do you know this kid?" Riku asked.

"Yes," Cunla replied. "I was the one who fought him when he tried to find the scarab piece the first time." He turned to Goofy. "Goofy, let me have a senzu bean."

"Uh…" Goofy hesitated. He saw Cunla holding an enemy in his arms and who knows what Ed would do one he was rejuvenated. But he rethought again as best he could. If Cunla was requesting a bean for him then it must be alright. "Okay…" He pulled out the bag of senzus and took out a bean, breaking it in half.

"What do you think you're doing!" Donald said. "That kid is the enemy!"

"I know, but…" Goofy uttered.

"There's no buts about it! That kid is still the enemy!"-

"Donald does have a point." Sora said. "He's still a member of the faction after all."

"And who knows what he'll do if we heal him." Riku added. "He'll go right back into circulation and fight against us again."

"You're wrong." Cunla said. "He's not a member of the faction. He never was. He was doing this by force."

"By force…?" Aladdin asked.

"He's actually doing this for the sake of his little brother and his best friend who were captured by the faction. If he doesn't do as they say, they'll kill them."-

"That's true," Ophelia said. "The faction is known for luring in talented individuals by way of threat."

"But how do we know this kid's story is true?" Riku asked.

"There's only one way to find out." Ophelia knelt down to Edward and placed her hand upon his heart. She searched his feelings, his thoughts, his memories, and his emotions. Once finished, Ophelia stood up. "You may give him the senzu bean, Goofy."

"Are you sure?" Goofy asked.

"I'm sure. This boy's intensions are pure."-

"Go ahead, Goofy." Cuchulain added. "Give him the bean."

"Alright…" Goofy dropped to his knees and placed the bean in Ed's mouth.

"Eat it, Ed." Cunla said. Edward slowly chewed on the bean and swallowed it. Then suddenly, as if by some miracle had come upon them, Edward suddenly sat up. His health was restored, his blood flowed thick in his veins again. His energy was replenished and his wounds were healed. He looked at himself, moving his left hand.

"I feel better." He uttered. "What happened?"

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Fullmetal Alchemist." Cuchulain said. Edward looked at the face around him. He tried to smile, but could not. Instead he lowered his head.

"Am I your prisoner?" he asked.

"If you want us to treat you like one, we will." Riku said. "However, we need your help, Edward Elric."

"Is it true that you were doing the faction's bidding by force?" Sora asked.

"Yes…" Ed replied. "But now I don't know. I was supposed to die. What will become of my brother and Winry now?"

"Who…?" Goofy asked.

"The one's he was searching for, you dip." Donald grumbled silently in his ear.

"If I did not do as the faction ordered," Ed continued. "They would kill my brother Alphonse and my friend Winry. I didn't want them to do that. So I had no choice by to do as they wished. But now that they think I'm dead, what'll I do now? What will happen to them?" Ed lowered his head and began to cry.

"You were supposed to die." Riku said. "That means that you are no longer in the service of the faction. But now that you're alive, what will you do? Will you side with us and aid our cause?"

"If you do, we'd be very grateful." Cunla added.

"But my brother and Winry…" Ed uttered.

"If you help us," Ophelia said, "We'll help you! If you help us find General Scimitar and stop her, then we'll help you rescue your brother and your friend." Edward was ecstatic. He knew he could trust the KH team to help him. In return, he would gladly help them in their cause because it was a cause that was in the right and coincided with his own morals and philosophies. But the question of where his brother and Winry were still plagued his mind with questions and consequences.

"I still don't know where the faction's holding my brother and Winry."-

"Well, is there any indication that might help you find them?" Cuchulain asked. "What did the faction promise you in exchange for your services?"

"I would be granted my freedom and so would my brother and Winry."-

"Can you recall what happened when you were promised this?"

"Yeah, we were in General Saber's living quarters."-

"General Saber!" Ophelia uttered. A streak of fear came over the face of the former faction colonel.

"General Saber is here too?" Cunla uttered, a frightened tone behind his words.

"You know about him?" Ed asked.

"Who's General Saber anyhow?" Donald asked.

"Only the most powerful of the five Blade Generals," Ophelia uttered. There was tension in the air now. The majority of the KH team members knew of Saber's reputation for being the strongest. But only Riku and Sora knew of his strength. "They say that anyone who fights him never lives to tell about it."

"We do…" Riku uttered. "Both Sora and I know the extent of his strength."

"You do?" Cuchulain asked. "How would you know?"

"We already fought him twice." Sora explained. "Once was at Maleficent's castle. The other happened here in Agrabah, when he unleashed a sand storm to confine us and finish us off."

"You actually saw the sandstorm trap?" Ophelia uttered. "You were actually inside?"

"Yeah…"-

"What was it like?"-

"A sand blizzard of pure hell," Riku replied.

"You never told us that you went head to head with General Saber himself." Cuchulain said.

"Sorry, but after fighting a guy like that, you'd tend to shy away from that subject."-

"I can understand that."-

"How did you survive?" Ophelia asked. "More likely, how could you survive?"

"Just luck I guess." Sora said.

"Back to the matter at hand though." Cuchulain implied. "About your meeting in Saber's quarters, what did he say to you, Edward?"

"He said that if I successfully fulfilled this last mission, then my brother, Winry, and I would be granted our freedom." Ed continued. "I was so ecstatic and hopeful, I didn't think about any possible betrayal. He then showed me three certificates proclaiming our freedom and a holographic messenger telling me of where to find Winry and Alphonse."

"Then that's what we'll need to save your friends."-

"But how did you intend on getting it?" Cunla asked. "We'll be entering a faction facility. And this time, we have General Scimitar and General Saber to watch out for. They're no pushovers compared to the others."

"I know that, my son." Cuchulain said. "But if Edward is willing to help us, then we should be willing to help him."

"I agree." Sora added.

"Me too…" Ophelia said.

"Why not…" Riku stated.

"Yeah…" Goofy added. The KH team began to nod, agreeing to help the Fullmetal Alchemist get back his brother and his best friend.

"Thanks, you guys." Ed replied, smiling a little.

"So what do you say, Ed?" Cunla asked. "We'll you help us in return?"

Edward wanted revenge, he wanted justice, he wanted to undo the wrongs that the faction did and wanted to repent for the wrong he himself committed. He looked up at the KH team and nodded.

"I'll do it." He replied.


	50. Upon Black Wings

Upon Black Wings

The sky grew darker and the stars ever brighter. The light of the waning crescent moon, though dim, still gave an eerie illumination of the glistening white sand. Upon the coolness of the night, a manifestation of creatures suddenly emerged from the sand. Lizards and scorpions were out on nightly hunts, looking for their next possible meal. They would even eat each other if one were to cross the path of the next. It was live or die, kill or be killed in this hostile and arid world. The night wind gave a slight breeze and the chill of the desert had a sting that equaled it heat. It was upon these same dunes as the mighty General Saber and one of his soldiers, acting as an attendant, awaited the arrival his most trusted of comrades. He stood not far from the ships entry way, gazing into the darkness of the sands.

Then, as if the wind were carrying a message upon its back, the distant sound of hooves could be heard from far away. Saber looked to abroad, scanning the horizon for where the hoof beats originated in the shadows. Then, to his glowing red eye, like a phantom appearing out of the dunes, a horse and its rider approached him. General Scimitar had returned.

"Well, well," he uttered to himself, "The good general has made it back safely." Scimitar came at a full gallop towards him, before coming to a jerking halt in front of her superior. The sand flew up as the horse came to a stop on the descending side of the sandy slope. "By you presence, I'm sure you had a successful mission."

"We hit a few dilemmas on the way." Scimitar replied. "But it's all been taken care of." She pulled out from her saddle bag the second half of the scarab. She then gave it to Saber without delay. Saber took hold of the other half, while at the same time pulling out the half he had from the beginning out of his pocket. He made sure not to connect them, fearing that there would be some king of reaction. He compared both sides. It was definite that he now bore both sides of the key. He clutched them in his fists.

"At last," he said, "we finally have both pieces of the puzzle." He looked as Scimitar who dismounted from her horse and handed the reigns to the attendant present. "You've done a fine job, madam general."

"It was a pleasure and an honor, sir." She replied.

"And I take it that you dispensed with the Fullmetal Alchemist in the process?"-

"The boy lies dead in the streets of Agrabah. His festering corpse has been left for the ravenous night owls to feast upon."-

"So how did you kill him?"-

"My men ambushed him from the darkness, skewering him at the shoulders, demobilizing both his arms to the point of paralysis. Thus, he couldn't even lift a finger to draw a transmutation circle. This mortal wounding also revealed his act of treachery as he tried to substitute the real scarab piece for a false one using alchemy. So it was more than fair enough to his death, being justified for his crime."-

"So you are saying that you only saw him mortally wounded." Saber asked.

"My two guards finished him off soon after." Scimitar replied. "They are two of the best that we have, so young Edward Elric is without a doubt deceased."

"You should have stayed to watch the final blow being delivered. Now, we can't even be certain if the boy is still alive or not."-

"Well, I figured that it would be more advantageous if I brought the scarab piece to you first. And it was a good thing I did. I was not two miles away from the city when the KH team attacked me from behind. Of course I managed to fondle their pursuit by cutting down their flying apparatus and forcing them to land amidst the dunes."-

"You were attacked by the KH team?"-

"Yes…"-

"Well…" Saber sighed and then turned away. "Perhaps we can afford to indulge in victory rather than have this discussion of mistakes and faults. We have what we want, now let's be off." Saber took out a glow stick, about three feet long, and accumulating a bright white light. The glow stick was bright, lighting up the sand within a twenty foot radius. Saber held the object high into the air and swung it from side to side.

Suddenly, the sound of several engines rumbled on the flat side of the dunes. Then bright lights appeared in pairs like so many eyes, like those of the heartless. Then, appearing out of the white sands were the shadowy figures of at least twenty large transport units. They were large hover vehicles, round in appearance like giant beetles themselves. The reason for their roundness, though limited in space, they were designed to deflect projectiles that struck at the armored hull. They hovered their above the ground, using their special boost system. And beside the twenty units, there were five gatler tanks accompanying them.

"What is this?" Scimitar asked.

"I took the liberty of assembling an excavation party to seize as much treasure as they can possibly carry, just in case things don't turn out as they should. Knowing the key bearers, they'll meddle in our affairs within the hour. That is guaranteed."-

"I see." Scimitar replied. "Is that why you have the gatlers as an escort?"

"These gatlers are armed with special shield penetration bullets and electromagnetic neutralizer shells, compliments of His Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous. These shells were very hard to come by so it took a great deal of persuasion to the other officers and Lord Sirius Viicous himself to have them approved and brought on our expedition. So if the KH team uses their gummi ship, these shells will be able to neutralize their combat system, making them open to an all out counter strike." Saber placed folded his arms in front of him. "These gatlers are also equipped with condensed Oceanarian Steel, making it harder to penetrate with heavy weaponry and virtually impossible to penetrate with excess physical force. Even the Hound of Ulster won't be able to easily cut through such a reinforced body."-

"I take it that these gatlers were on special requests as well?'-

"That is true. But if we are successful and manage to gain the profit desired from the cave of wonders, then we'll be able to manufacture these weapons in an even greater quantity. But then again, with the forging of our second item, we may not have to."-

"But what if the key bearers try to interfere?"-

"They'll most likely use their flight ability to aid them, whether they use the gummi, Aladdin's carpet, Sora's Nimbus, or even the glide technique. If they do, there is no doubt that the radars of the Gatlers, customized with new heat and enhanced power sensors, will pick up an energy signal or any type of object that comes within range. If the object shifts the air current, or gives off any heat or energy signal, no matter how remote or insignificant, the radars will pick them up. If the key bearers and their friends do come, the gatler commanders have been given strict orders to inform me at once and initiate a defensive strategy. So we really have nothing to fear from the key bearers."-

"I see, you've prepared yourself thoroughly haven't you."-

Just then, an officer of the faction rushed out of one of the transports. He stood straight and respectfully towards the two generals.

"The expedition convoy is ready."-

"Very good," Saber replied. He then looked about. "And where is Lord Mozenrath? I understand that he was to accompany us."

"He's in his personal quarters right now, sir. He shall be out soon."-

"Sooner than you think," Lord Mozenrath said as he appeared out of the ship, Xerxes on his shoulder. "Did you really think that I'd allow you to leave me behind?"

"I see you are just as eager as we to see this magnificent cave of wonders as well." Scimitar said.

"That is correct, madam." Mozenrath replied. "I must see for myself how grand this mysterious cave of wonders actually is."

"And how well are you prepared to initiate your part of the battle plan?" Saber asked.

"I have taken all detail into consideration and have mastered all the techniques and elements." Mozenrath replied. "I did have to scurry into your office a bit and acquire the original document though."

"You were careful with it I hope. That original text is more accurate than the copies you were given, especially the page on the transmutation circle. That is the key page that wields all the crucial writing. It would pain me to see such a valued item destroyed."

"I took care of it well and studied it thoroughly before placing it back neatly in your desk drawer. I have all necessary information imbedded in my mind now. You simply need to give me the order."

"That will come in due time, Mozenrath. We still have matters to attend to in Agrabah. I'll initiate the order as soon as our necessities there have been collected."-

"I understand."-

"Then let us be on our way before the KH team reorganize themselves and counter our agenda."-

The three walked to the convoy, whose engines still accumulated their low rumbling. Mozenrath and Scimitar boarded the lead transport unit. Saber on the other hand, took his position upon the turret of leading gatler tank. Saber stood tall upon the tank's turret and took the two halves of the scarab and brought them together.

"Now, show us the way to the cave of wonders." He said. He snapped the two pieces together. Then without warning, with its body as a whole, the golden scarab glowed brightly, accumulating a brilliant light. Its wings began to flutter about. Saber released the golden insect and the beetle dashed away over the dunes. Saber pointed towards the scarab's intended path.

"Follow the scarab." He ordered. The lead gatler began to move with a sudden jolt and increase of speed. But the momentum had no effect on the General, who stood straight and tall like a stone figure. The rest of the convoy was in quick pursuit. The scarab sped away far into the distance, far from the sight of the mother ship, through the desert's rolling sand dunes and bellowing stretches of white sea that extended to the horizon. The gold insect, like a beacon, lead the convoy to the darkest and most arid parts of the desert. For ten minutes or so, going out for more than thirty miles at high speed, the faction followed its key.

"Where in the world is that thing taking us?" Mozenrath asked, watching the scarab still flying fast over the sands. "Is the cave of wonders so far out in the desert?"

"Keep patience, Lord Mozenrath," Scimitar chuckled. "Once we reach our destination, there will be no one here to stop us. And by the time the key bearers arrive to fondle out plans, it will already be too late. Even the might of the supposedly invincible Riku and Sora are no match for the strength and cunning of General Saber."

As time elapsed passed the fifteen minute mark, with the convoy still in hot pursuit, the scarab reached the face of a perfectly round mound of sand. This dune was isolated upon a flat basin, surrounded by a rocky outcrop. The sand did not blow and form dunes within the area, giving a strange feeling of uneasiness. The golden beetle suddenly split into two and landed in two separate spots, equal in position upon the slope of the dune. The convoy halted as the scarab pieces embedded themselves in the fine desert sand.

"This is it." Saber said. "This is where the cave of wonders is hidden."

Suddenly, the ground began to shake and a supernatural moan erupted from the sand due. The scarab pieces glowed brighter than ever. Just then, the sand dune began to take form, as if each individual grain had a mind of its own and knew where to place itself. They continued to pile up into the sky, growing larger above the heads of the faction convoy. Saber jumped from the gatler turret and walked before the possessed mass of sand. Mozenrath and General Scimitar came out of the transport and joined with Saber.

"Is this it?" Mozenrath asked. "Is this the cave of wonders?"

"Scary, Lord Mozenrath…" Xerxes uttered, hiding behind the shoulders of his master.

"So this is where the secret to the ultimate treasure lies." Scimitar chuckled.

The sand built itself higher and high before accumulating into its final form. It was the head of a great tiger, the guardian of the cave of wonders. The scarabs were its gleaming eyes and they seemed to move about as if looking upon the three officers.

"Who dares disturb my slumber?" The guardian roared in a deep and frightening voice.

"I am General Saber of the Midnight Faction." Saber announced.

"Enter at your own risk mortals…" The cave opened its mouth wide, allowing the three to step inside.

"Here it is at last, the hope that bears the faction's future." Saber turned to Mozenrath and Scimitar. "Shall we descend?"

"Of course…" Scimitar replied. They along with their men began their descent down the sandy stairs and into the bowels of the cave, seeking great riches from within.

In the meantime, the mother ship was locked up and secured. Its main ramp had been sealed for the night, intending only to open up when the convoy returned. However, even the sealed hull of the faction destroyer was not enough to keep out the determined KH team, who were sneaking about the dunes, hoping to find an opening.

Amongst those present were of course the key bearers Riku and Sora, their comrades Donald, Goofy, Cuchulain, Cunla, and Miss Billiard. And even Aladdin, Abu, Carpet, Iago, and Genie were there as well. And integrated into the group was none other than Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist.

Genie, dressed as a desert storm trooper, looked through his night vision goggles, browsing for anyone who might be guarding the outer part of the ship. He looked to the left, looked to the right, looked up and down, but there was no sign of anyone.

"The area is clear gold leader." He said through a makeshift walkie-talkie. "Do you copy? I repeat the area is clear."

"We know that, Genie." Miss Billiard uttered. "We're right next to you."

"Roger, roger, this is blue leader over and out."-

"I swear," Edward uttered, "Did we have to bring that big goof ball along with us?"

"Genie may act like an imbecile at times," Sora said, "But he's the one guy you can always trust." The team stayed quiet behind the slope of a sand dune.

"So," Cunla uttered, "Do you see a way in?"

"Not from this angle." Donald said.

"That's a class C gun runner." Ophelia said. "It can house up to ten thousand men in its quarters. A ship like that could cover all of Agrabah."

"The ship is that big?" Aladdin uttered.

"So this was where the faction has been stationing its troops and resources all this time." Cuchulain said.

"In a ship that big," Ophelia said, "They'd be able to nourish themselves for a full year on the rations contained in the storage hangers alone."

"Is there anyway in?" Riku asked.

"I'm sure that there's a ventilation shaft on the surface somewhere."-

"Well, let's start looking for it." Donald said.

"And where do you suggest we start looking?" Iago squawked. "In case you haven't noticed, that thing is city sized!"

"You shut up!"-

"Make me!"-

"Oh, I'll make you, you feather brained idiot!"-

"Look whose talking!"-

"Why you…!"-

"Will you two shut up!" Riku whispered harshly. "Your bickering isn't helping anyone."

"I'm surprised that no one's even spotted something this large yet." Sora said. "Its city sized yet no one's ever told about its presence in this world."

"The faction is known for keeping scouts about in a wide perimeter." Ophelia said. "They kill anyone who gets passed their defenses."

"But why didn't we encounter any tonight?"-

"The faction always withdraws its troops back into the ship for the night. Besides, who would be wandering around the desert at this late hour besides us?"-

"You mean they just seal up the ship for the night, that's it?"-

"The ship is so well protected and its one ventilation shaft is so well concealed, they figure that no one can pierce through that armored surface."-

"Well, they'll think otherwise." Ed said. "Let's see how such a metal hull can stand up against the skills of the Fullmetal Alchemist." He stood up and rushed over to the great hull of the ship.

"Where are you going?" Sora asked.

"What else, I'm gonna break in."-

"Ophelia," Riku said, "You and the others stay here. Sora and I will follow Edward."

"Right…" Ophelia replied.

"Hey, wait a minute." Donald uttered. "You're not actually planning on taking over the ship are you?"

"We're just going in to get that messenger and those documents from Saber's quarters. That's it."-

"Hurry up, Riku." Sora said in a hoarse whisper. The two key bearers and the Fullmetal Alchemist crept down the sand dune and up next to the ship's armored hull. Ed looked about, hoping that no one was around. Riku and Sora stood close to the hull.

"Alright, Ed," Sora asked, "Now we're here, how do you intend on getting in?"

"If you can't find a way in, make one yourself." Ed replied. He clapped his hand together and placed them securely on the hull. There was an electrical surge and the hull suddenly formed a hole. "Okay, you two, let's go in."

"That was a pretty nifty technique you used, Ed." Riku said.

"Hey, Ed," Sora asked, "You think you can teach me to do that too?" Riku sighed and slapped his friend upside the head. Sora sneered at him. "Hey, what was that for, Riku!"-

"This is no time to be swapping recipes, Sora. We have mission to fulfill."-'

"Yeah, but you didn't have to smack me!"-

"Quiet!" Riku slapped his hand over Sora's mouth. "If we get caught, I'll do more than just smack you."

"Riku's got a point, Sora." Fullmetal said. "We have to hurry. Time is of the essence." Edward crawled through the hole with Riku and Sora close behind him. The two entered what looked like a janitorial room. They fumbled around in the darkness, hoping not to cause too much noise.

The other members of the team watched as the three disappeared into the hull.

"Well, there they go." Aladdin said. "I hope they'll be alright."

"Knowing those three," Cunla uttered, "Of course they'll be alright."

"You think that they might try to take over the ship?" Goofy asked.

"I don't think so." Ophelia said. "It takes more than twenty men to lift off a ship that big."

Inside, the key bearers and the Fullmetal Alchemist made their way to the ship's outer ring corridors. They slowly jarred the door open. Ed stuck his head out, then Sora, and then Riku. They looked in separate directions hoping to find no one there. Before them was a long white hall with bright lights illuminating the passage from the ceiling above. On both sides of the hall, there were a series of doors leading to different facilities of the ship.

"The coast is clear." Edward uttered. They opened the door and cautiously stepped out of the janitorial maintenance closet.

"Okay, Ed," Sora said, "Now that we're in here, where to we go?"

"We head down that way," Ed pointed to the left direction down the corridor, "And we keep going until we reach a corridor that leads to the interior of the ship."

"Do you think we might get caught?"-

"If we stick around here, we will be." Edward led the way.

"C'mon Sora…" Riku said, urging his friend to follow.

"Alright…" Sora replied. The three walked along the hallway as fast as they could. They had managed to make a distance of about a hundred feet before reaching another corridor that led further into the ship's interior and yet there was no one about. No soldier companies or solitary sentries were spotted. All was quiet in the corridor. Ed stopped the key bearers in their tracks and poked his head down the inward leading hall.

"There's no one about." Ed said. "The coast is clear."

"Then let's get going." Sora whispered. The team quietly made their way down the hall, slinking around like vial burglars. Even the Fullmetal Alchemist, who used to walk down the halls with no fear, not found himself sneaking around, hoping not to get caught. But of course, if word got out to the rest of the faction loyalists that he was dead, then it would be rather bizarre to see him walking around out of his grave.

But as they made their way into the interior, they suddenly saw a sentry appear in front of them. The soldier was patrolling the second outer ringed corridor.

"Jiggers," Sora said, "It's a guard."

"Quick in here," Ed uttered. He pressed an access button next to a nearby door. The door opened and the three quickly jumped in the room. Ed quickly closed the door behind him just as the guard turned about looking in the direction they were standing before. "That was close."

"Too close." Sora uttered.

"We better time our movement just right." Riku said. "We can't afford to have the entire ship on us."

"Why not…? We can take 'em. We did it before."-

"You forget, Sora. These are faction soldiers we're talking about. Right now, they have us outnumbered at least two thousand to one. And each of those faction soldiers is tougher than many of the strongest heartless we ever confronted in the past. Some of them may be S class elites. And unlike most heartless, they don't attack mindlessly; they'll make it difficult for us. Also, we have limited vials of ether and potion to help us and Goofy is still outside with the bag of senzu beans. Our resources are limited here. So we can't afford to be reckless. "-

"To add, General Saber and General Scimitar might still be somewhere in the ship." Ed added.

"I don't sense them anywhere though." Sora said.

"They know how to disguise their fighting spirits too, remember?" Riku uttered.

"Oh yeah…"-

"Hey, you guys," Ed uttered, he pointed to the interior of the ship. The key bearers looked and beheld a sight of possible hope. In the dim light of the room, they could see a series of faction uniforms used as spare pieces of armaments. Ed went up to the wrack and pulled out a couple of coats and helmets. He handed them to Riku and Sora. "We could use these to disguise ourselves."

"Good idea." Sora said.

"I'm dressing up like a faction soldier again." Riku added. "It's just like what I did in the 'Wing' realm."

"Hey Riku, does this look familiar?" Sora showed Riku the jacket. It was an old black leather trench coat worn by the old Organization. "Brings back old memories doesn't it."

"Memories that I'd like to forget."-

"C'mon you two," Ed uttered, "Put those uniforms on. And here…" Ed handed them spare weapons. Riku was given a sword, while Sora was given a lance.

"What do we need these for?" Sora asked. "We have our keyblades."

"You idiot," Riku grumbled, "The minute you display your keyblade out in the open, then even these uniforms won't be able to conceal us because the faction soldiers will automatically know who we are." He zipped up the front of his leather trench and then put a black helmet over his head. Riku then placed on black chest and shoulder armor. Sora in the meantime, put on the old Organization coat and pulled the heavy hood over his head, blocking the light from his face. He put on black gloves and clutched the lance.

"At least these faction guys don't have any regulation uniforms." Sora uttered. "It's just black or grey."

Ed put on a dark grey overcoat with read lining in its semi-cape. He then placed a black helmet on his head with a tinted visor that only covered the eyes.

"Now no one should get wise." He said. "These uniforms should help us in and out."

"Let's get going then." Riku implied. "You lead the way."

The three emerged from the room and marched down the middle of the hall so as not to draw attention to themselves. They passed by the guards on duty who gave a little salute, or a hand signal. It was apparent, the faction soldiers thought them to be a member of the organization and didn't bother to stop and question them. Further towards the interior they walked; their identities still secretive. They continued their way down the hall leading to the interior passing through several ring corridors and several sentries along the way.

"Are we almost there?" Sora asked.

"Just a little further," Ed replied. The three intruders passed by what must've been the eighth ringed corridor, before eventually arriving to a doorway that had inscribed on a plaque at the side of the entryway _General's Quarters_. "This is the one." Ed pressed the access button just under the plaque and the doors opened before the trio.

"So this is General Saber's living quarters." Sora said. The three entered the room and sealed the door behind them.

"Alright," Riku said, "Where does Saber keep his documents?"

"He keeps it in his desk." Ed replied. The three walked over to the desk and began to look through the drawers. "I think he keeps it in the top right hand drawer."

Riku opened up the drawer to find a great deal of documents.

"Man," He uttered, "look at all these documents." He foiled through the well organized paper, looking for the holographic messenger and the scrolls proclaiming the freedom of Edward Elric, his brother Alphonse, and his friend Winry.

"Did you find it?" Sora asked.

"There are a lot of papers in here. Which ones are they?"

"They should be neatly rolled and tied with red ribbon." Ed replied. "And the info disk should look like those black makeup compacts." But as Ed glanced at the papers Riku spread on the desk, he happened to notice another familiar document. He picked up the paper and examined it. It was an old document in a state of decay, literally crumbling, indicating that it was a piece of text, written centuries before. Ed's eyes grew wide as if he were worried for some reason. He suddenly grew silent.

Riku shifted some of the documents around before finding three rolled up declarations in filed underneath the rest of the papers. They were slightly crushed and bent a little out of shape, but they were still in good condition.

"Are these the ones?" Riku asked, pulling them out from the back. He took the ribbon off of one scroll and spread the paper out on the desk. Riku silently read the contents. "This certificate hereby declares the freedom of Edward Elric."

"Those are the ones alright." Sora replied. "And where is this holographic messenger?" He looked into the drawer and found the black compact shoved in the back. Sora quickly pulled it out. "Here it is."

"Okay, let's get out of here."-

But as they turned to towards the door, they noticed that Edward was still bet over the desk with that scared look on his face.

"What's he matter, Ed?" Sora asked.

"I don't believe it." Ed uttered. "I just don't believe it…"

"What are you looking at?" Sora wondered, as he peeped over Ed's shoulder to see what gave him that frightened expression. He saw the old document before Fullmetal. It had a great amount of text and writing along with the visual of a transmutation circle. "Is that what has you worried?"

"I know now…" Edward suddenly collapsed to his knees. "I know now…"

"Edward…" Riku and Sora knelt beside him. The boy seemed to be in a trance, as if he had suddenly lost all sense of logic and reason. Riku looked up and took the document. He scrolled down the text wondering what it all meant. There were terms that he seldom understood.

"What is this?" he asked. "Is this the thing that scared you or something?"

"I know now…" Edward continued to mutter. "I know now, I know now, I know now…"

"What do you mean you know now? What is it that you know?"-

"I know what Saber meant when he said one item must be found, the other must be forged…"-

"What do you mean?" Sora asked. "What are those plans?"

"They are the steps to perform the Grand Arcanum."-

"The Grand Arcanum…?"-

"Saber is planning to forge…" Edward suddenly stopped as if overwhelmed by some great fear in his heart.

"Forge what?" Riku asked.

"He's planning to forge…a Philosopher Stone…"-

"Philosopher stone, what's that?" Sora asked.

"Now's not the time for explanations." Riku said. "We have to get out of here before someone gets wise about what's been going on.

"You're right." Sora shook Ed up. "We gotta go."

"Yes…" Ed uttered. He stood to his feet, still clutching the document in his hand. "But first…" Edward tore the plans of the Grand Arcanum up and scattered some of the pieces about, at the same time shoving a great deal of the shredded paper into his pocket.

"What did you do that for?" Riku asked.

"Yeah," Sora added, "That document looked really old."

"Maybe this will prevent the Midnight Faction from forging such a scourge." Ed said. "And they won't be able to use alchemy to revive the document so long as its pieces are scattered and lost." Edward lowered his hands to his side. "Even though they were crucial reference to the stone, I can't have it fall into the hands of the faction, even if it delivers a critical blow to my own quest."

"And what quest is that?"-

"Never mind, I'll explain later. Right now, let's get out of here while we still can."-

"I was wondering when we were gonna get to that." Riku said.

The three quickly exited out of the room and began a hasty retreat to the outer ring and back to the hole in the hull from which they first entered.

Back outside the ship, Ophelia and the others watched the opening where the key bearers and the Fullmetal Alchemist would be reemerging. It had already been fifteen minutes and still no sign of them.

"What the heck is going on?" she wondered. "They should have been out by now."

"Maybe they got into trouble." Goofy uttered.

"I don't think so." Cunla said. "If they did, we would've known by now."

But just as the tension couldn't get any worse, they did. From out of the darkness, two faction soldiers suddenly appeared from out of the darkness. Armed with blasters, they had been patrolling the entire perimeter around the ship. Like shadows they appeared from out of nowhere. Cunla was the first to spot them.

"Guys," he uttered, "don't look now, but we have company."

"What?" Ophelia uttered. "Sentry guards, what are they doing here?"

"I thought you said that they didn't have any guards patrolling the outside of the ship." Donald said.

"Well, apparently they do now."-

"If they spot the hole at the side of the ship, it's over." Aladdin said.

As if the situation was bad enough as it was already, the team was in for another surprise. From out of the hole in the side of the ship, Riku, Sora, and Edward Elric were just emerging from hole.

"Oh great," Donald grumbled, "What a time for them to emerge."

"We better do something before those two sentries sound an alarm." Ophelia said.

"I'll take care of them." Cuchulain said. He scurried down the sandy slope with incredible speed.

In the meantime, Riku and the others popped out from the hole in the hull, unaware that the two sentries were almost on top of them. Sora came through the hole and took off his hood.

"That was too close for comfort." He uttered.

"Well, just be glad that we managed to get out of that trap alive." Riku replied. But as he turned, he suddenly spotted the two sentries, who suddenly emerged from out of the shadows.

"Hold it right there!" one of the sentries shouted, aiming his blaster at the three. The three turned to find themselves caught by the faction guards.

"Oh great…" Ed uttered.

"Breaker, breaker," one of the sentries said in his helmet communicator. "Control, we have a situation in the outer perimeter. I repeat we have…" But before the sentry could utter another word, Cuchulain emerged behind the sentry and thrust his spear deep into the man's back. The other sentry turned to find the Hound spiting his friend. He aimed his blaster to shoot Cuchulain, but the Hound quickly took advantage of the situation and used the skewered sentry as a shield. He pushed the slain soldier into his comrade. The remaining guard threw his dead comrade aside only to find the Gae Bulga thrust itself into his throat. The soldier was killed instantly. In his helmet, the faint voice of an operator within the ship was continuing to call.

"Is everything alright out there?" it said. "Over, over…"

"Cuchulain…" Sora uttered, laying eyes on their rescuer.

"It's a good thing you had us watching your backs." Cuchulain replied.

"We have the items." Riku said.

"Good, but let's get out of here before the faction realizes that two of their sentries are dead."-

Cuchulain the three back to the others who were awaiting them behind the dunes. In the meantime, the same small voice within the slain soldier's helmet could still be heard.

"Come in, come in." it said. "Is everything alright? Do you copy?"

In the ship's main control room, the operator continued to call for the sentries, hoping to respond.

"This is main control!" she shouted. "Can you repeat your last message!" There was no response. Again the operator attempted to reach the sentries. "I repeat, this it main control. Come in…over?" there was still no response.

"What is the situation?" the commander of the ship asked.

"Sir, we've lost communication with the sentries outside."-

"Damn it." The commander called the reserve guards that roamed elsewhere around the perimeter. "We have a situation. I repeat we have a situation! All stationed sentries please search the perimeter for anything suspicious!"

"Roger that." One sentry said.

"Roger that." Another added.

"Acknowledged." Another concurred.

"Send word to General Saber at once regarding out predicament." The commander ordered.

"Understood, sir." One of the other operatives said.

"I want all units on standby."-

"Yes sir."-

Several sentry units that encircled the ship searched the hull. There was more than just one party out that night. It wasn't long before they found the bodies of the slain sentries lying in the sand which now turned a crimson red. The guards who found them quickly rushed to see if they were alive. Of course it was from closer observation that they were both dead.

"Control," one guard said, "We found the missing sentries."

"And…?" control asked.

"There's been some foul play going on." The sentry then spotted the hole in the hull created by the Fullmetal Alchemist. "Oh my God…"

"What's going on?" control asked. "What do you see? Is there something else there?"

"Sir, we've just found a large gaping hole formed at the side of the ship."-

"A large hole…?"-

"Yes sir. It looks as if the hull had been melted through."-

"Is it possible for intruders to have entered the ship?" the commander asked from the control room.

"It's highly possible sir."-

"Damn it!" the commander turned to the operatives. "Send word to all personnel to be on standby! I want search parties formed to patrol the entire ship. There may be a chance that the intruders are still here."

"Yes sir." One of the operatives said. She switched over the loud speaker and turned on the emergency sirens. "Attention, attention, all military personnel! This is a red alert, this is red alert! All soldiers are to form immediate search parties and look for possible intruders who have somehow penetrated into the ship! I repeat there is an intruder on the ship! Red alert! Red alert!"

The minute the sirens went off and the announcement was made, hundreds of soldiers awoke responded to the call. Like angry hornets provoked from a breeched colony, the soldiers and their officers scurried about, grabbing their weapons and forming their ranks. Many of the soldiers were enjoying the night's peace when the silence was broken. Some of the soldiers were sleeping and resting, others entertained themselves with card games and writing, and other soldiers were in the mess hall, helping themselves to some kind of snack. All these leisured activities were spoiled by the announcement and now the soldiers were about, scowling every nook and cranny of the ship looking for intruders that were not even present anymore. Patrols were sent out of the ship. At least a thousand troopers were sent to patrol the desert sand dunes. Several Gatler tanks were deployed as well.

In the meantime, within the cave of wonders, General Saber and the forces of the Midnight Faction continued their search. The descent into the cave itself was long and treacherous with its deep descending staircase. It had been at least ten minutes to climb the entire length of the staircase.

"Do you really expect us to climb up and down and back and forth, up these stairs for the gold?" Scimitar asked. "It seems rather tedious to me."

"We don't have much of a choice do we, General." Saber replied. "Besides, you, Mozenrath, and I won't have to lift a finger. We have our men to do the work don't we?"

"Provided that we ever find this legendary treasure room of yours," Mozenrath replied.

"The gold is down here. We just need to know where to look."-

The party continued to descend until they finally reached the base of the staircase. Before them was a large dark chamber with brilliant mosaic pillars telling of old Assyrian tales and legends of old.

"I hope that this is not the only chamber in here." Scimitar uttered sarcastically. "If this is supposedly the great treasure room, then all this trouble would have been a waste of time."

"This is just a frontal chamber, nothing more." Saber replied. He then looked to the end of the chamber and saw two grand doors standing before him. "There, those must be the doors that lead to great wealth and riches, the doors of the treasure room."

The party made their way to the door. Concentrating his energy, Saber opened the doors. But the moment that the doors cracked open, a brilliant light showed through, much like the morning sun. The doors drew wider and wider until all who were present laid eyes on the most magnificent sight they ever dared to see. Before them was the stuff of legend, a vast land consisting of nothing but gold and jewels. The magnificence before the faction was that of heaven itself. There were mountains made of gold coins, large cast statues holding up the ceiling of the chamber itself. Jewels by the chest load. Precious stones and gems scattered about the floor without a care.

"Such brilliance," Scimitar uttered as her eyes sparkled with the sight of the glimmering gold. "There's so much of it."

"This chamber alone has to contain gold a thousand times greater than the sultan's." Mozenrath added.

"Scimitar," Saber uttered. "Tell the men to commence with loading this gold onto the transports."

"Yes sir," Saber replied. She turned to the men accompanying them. "You men begin the excavation. And send word to the rest of the convoy to send in the miner bots."

"General, there's a message from the mother ship." The soldier in charge of relaying transmitting communication and orders said. "They say that there has been a breech of security. Apparently, two slain guards and a large hole in the ship's hull have been discovered. They fear that there might still be intruders on board, so all available units have been called to active duty and search out the trespassers."

"What was that?" Scimitar uttered; her wonder turning to concern. "Are you saying that we have enemies on board the mother ship?"

"That's what the commander is telling us in his messages."-

"Damn it. Is it the key bearers?"-

"Possibly,"-

There was a dead silence amongst the men. Saber didn't even bother to look back. He continued to lay his visual upon the deeper chasms of the cave of wonders.

"Tell our soldiers to maintain a constant visual on the ship." Saber instructed. "The team may be trying to take over the ship. If they take over the ship, then our excavations here would have been a waste."

"I understand sir." The messenger said. "I'll relay the orders back to control."

"In the meantime, we will continue with our expedition of this cave. General Scimitar, tell our men to start loading up as much gold as possible."-

"Should we lend a hand then?" Scimitar asked.

"We have other matters to attend to in that direction." Saber pointed to the passages leading deeper into the cave of wonders.

"But I thought we came here for the gold?" Mozenrath asked.

"This treasure room is wonderful in its riches. That much is for sure. But it still dwindles in comparison to what I am looking for."-

"And what are you looking for?"-

"It is the key that will lead us to the ultimate treasure."-

"But is this not the ultimate treasure?" Scimitar asked. "This chamber of gold alone will be enough to make the faction even richer and more influential than the Universal Alliance."

"But still, we need more and we will continue to need more. And eventually, all of this gold can be spent or confiscated. But what if there was a way to keep the gold flowing forever and ever and the faction would no longer have to result in pillaging and blundering?"

"And how would you start at finding this treasure of everlasting riches, if such a thing exists?"-

"It's simply by consulting the one who knows of its location." Saber chuckled. "And that key is here, deep within the cave of wonders in a chamber lost from the knowledge of history and men. Now let us be off." Saber continued to walk to the passages beyond the treasure room. He turned again. "Make sure that the KH team doesn't do anything to wreck our plans."

"Yes sir." The messenger replied. "I will remain here and report what is going on. If anything comes up, I will inform you at once, sir." The messenger took from his transmitter packet, a scouter. "You may need this in case you run into trouble sir. And I will also be able to maintain contact with you." He handed the scouter to Saber.

"Very good, soldier," Saber replied. He placed the scouter over his left ear. The little device, with its red lens monitor, beeped a little indicating activation. "Maintain contact with the mother ship and relay my current orders."

"Yes sir."-

"Scimitar, Mozenrath," Saber looked at his two fellow officers, "Let us continue our own expedition." The three turned and began their advance into the deep of the cave. The messenger on the other hand relayed the general's orders.

"General Saber's compliments, commander," He said. "He informs you to keep on high alert and tells you to keep searching for the intruders. It may be possible that it's the key bearers who have penetrated into the ship."

"Are you sure about that?" The commander asked on the other line.

"It's General Saber's assumption."-

"Very well, we'll maintain vigilance."-

But their search would be in vain. The key bearers and the rest of their comrades had made it to the safety of the outer dunes, far from the reach of the patrolling soldiers. The soldiers did create a rather large ruckus in the middle of the vast desert though. Their forces could be seen upon the white sands of the desert. The lights of the ship protruded through the evening sky.

From a high cliff of a rocky outcrop, no more than five miles away, the sirens and lights of the ship could be seen and heard. It was here that the KH team and their allies had stationed themselves. The gummi ship was well concealed behind rocks atop the cliff. Riku watched from the cliff's side as the chaos erupted over the desert.

"It looks like they found out the evidence we left for them in the desert sands and on the hull of the ship." He said.

"But knowing the faction," Ophelia replied. "They'll concentrate most of their watch on the interior of the ship believing that we're probably still there."

"Guys," Cuchulain said, "To the matter at hand."

"Right…"-

"Now let's see if we can't get this thing activated." Cunla said. He opened up the information compact and pressed the little red button at its center. There was suddenly a burst of light from the compact. From that light, images of a map and text appeared. "We have something here."

"What does it say?" Sora asked.

"It says," Ed uttered as he scrolled the locations. He first checked the whereabouts of his brother. "Alphonse Elric is confined in the coastal outpost, coordinates D-12, block four, cell twelve." Ed then scrolled the location data of his friend Winry. "Winry Rockbell is confined in the faction outpost north of the lands of the black sands, Coordinates F-7, block nine, cell one."

"So we now know the exact locations." Cuchulain said.

"Yes we do."-

"Then we should hurry and save them." Aladdin insisted.

"Just let me integrate this data into the gummi ship's computer." Donald said. "I'll then transfer the data to the other portable gummi ship systems when we get started.

"And don't forget to scan for viruses." Cunla replied. "We don't want the combat system to crash on us like it did last time."

"I gotcha…" Donald took the compact disk and integrated it into the gummi system.

"Just a little longer, Al, Winry," Ed thought to himself. "Just a little longer and we'll be together again."

"So how should we initiate this strategy?" Sora asked.

"We'll have to split up into three separate parties." Cuchulain said. "Here's how we'll situate it."

"Three separate parties?" Aladdin asked.

"That's right. The third party will be in charge of finding the cave of wonders."-

"We have to assume that the faction has already made their way to the cave of wonders and are already pillaging it of its riches." Riku added.

"Here's how we'll situate the parties. Edward Elric will go with Cunla, Iago, and Genie to rescue Miss Winry Rockbell. Miss Billiard, Aladdin, Abu, Carpet, and I will go for Ed's younger brother, Alphonse. And Riku, Sora, Goofy, and Donald will go after the faction who has made it to the cave of wonders."-

"But we don't know if the faction is at the cave of wonders." Sora said. "What if we get there and the faction hasn't arrived?"

"Then you must wait there until they do. That's when you foil their plans. They'll most likely have transports at the sight of the cave of wonders that'll be used to take vast quantities of gold back to the ship. Destroy them at all costs. We can't afford to have any transports return to the ship."-

"Right…" Goofy said.

"Do you still remember the precise location of the cave though?"-

"I remember." Sora implied. "But the exact location is a little hazy."

"Guys," Donald shouted, from the gummi hull, "I think you might want to take a look at this."

"What is it, Donald?" Riku asked. Only the key bearers followed Donald into the cockpit. There, the master wizard had the long range radar working. And displayed on the radar screen, were a series of disturbances within the area.

"Remember how you said that the faction might be in the area where the cave of wonders is located? Well, the long range radar has picked up a few entities about thirty six miles northwest of here." He pointed towards a cluster of dots located in the area.

"So it could be the faction after all." Sora said.

"We better step on it then." Riku added. The three quickly rushed out of the gummi.

"What's up?" Cuchulain asked.

"We have to move now. The faction is already at the sight of the cave of wonders."-

"Then we better get moving." Cunla added. "Who knows how long they've been there."

"Let's get going." Ophelia said.

"But how are we gonna get to this land of the black sands?" Ed asked. "We don't have any means of quick transportation."

"Here, you go." Donald said, taking out a couple of capsules from his kit. "You might need these to get around. And this time, I came prepared." Donald clicked the top of each capsule and threw them both a safe distance away. There was sudden explosion, mild in sound, and a large puff of smoke. As the smoke cleared, two gummi ships, the old Kingdom and the mighty Leviathan appeared before the group. "I also made sure to transfer the data on the coordinates."

"Portable gummi ships…?" Cunla uttered. "I didn't know they could be pocket sized."

"It's compliments of the Universal Alliance and the Capsule Corporation." Donald chuckled.

"Great work, Donald." Riku said.

"We won't be running out of gummi ships this time." Sora added.

"Not unless someone steals the entire kit away from me." Donald replied. "Remember to run the rockets on silent and activate stealth mode so the faction doesn't pick you up on radar."

"Then let's get going." Cuchulain said. "We'll meet here when we successfully fulfill our missions."

"Right…!" the others said in unison. The separate teams took their separate gummi ships and began their separate missions to save dear loved ones and to end the faction's reign over the world of Agrabah.

The faction's success seemed inevitable though. Miner bots, hovering box machines with a container platform to place contents upon, traveled back and forth up the stairs of the cave of wonders. Faction soldiers took the responsibility of piling as much gold as they could into the container holds of the miner bots. They slowly filled the awaiting transports, waiting at the entrance of the cave, little by little. The gold had already filled to capacity one transport, making the vehicle excessively heavy and cumbersome. Already a second transport was being filled to capacity and a third was being started. The messenger, who kept watch over the transfer, maintained an open line between the mother ship, the gatlers, the transport units themselves and General Saber.

"So how many transports have we gotten filled to capacity?" he asked.

"We finished filling one transport completely." The transport officer replied. "We're on the verge of completing a second transport and we're starting to pile the gold in a third."

"Very good," the messenger switched over to the gatler tanks that patrolled the outer perimeter.

"Has there been any incident?"-

"All is quiet here." The leading tank commander replied. "If anything happens, I'll let you know."

"Very well," the messenger then relayed his message to General Saber who was by this time deep within the chasms of the cave. "All is running smoothly, general."

"Excellent work," Saber replied. "Keep me informed."

"Yes sir."-

Deep within the dark chambers of the cave of wonders, life was almost non-existent. High walls of darkness, illuminated by strange blue light, perhaps created by some form of fungus, rose up like mythical giants, towering over the head of the three faction commanders.

"Scary…" Xerxes uttered, huddling closer on Mozenrath's shoulder.

"Don't be such a coward." Mozenrath uttered. "You live in the land of the black sands for crying out loud."

"And exactly what are we looking for?" Scimitar asked. "You were a little vague on details the last time."

"We're looking for this, General Scimitar." Saber replied. He took out from his pocket, a copy of an old manuscript and handed it to his colleague. Scimitar looked at the plans in the dim light. She saw what looked like a scepter and the entry wave of the cave of wonders. There was writing upon the manuscript, but it was too small to read and the light in the cave's passage way was too dim to see what it said.

"And exactly what is this that's inscribed on the paper?" she asked.

"This manuscript tells of a special key, a special scepter that will lead us to the ultimate treasure."-

"A scepter, eh?"-

"That is correct, general. This scepter is known as the oracle scepter."-

"I see." Mozenrath uttered. "Now I know what you meant when you said you would consult who knew of its actual location."

"Yes," Saber continued. "The oracle scepter will be the one to tell us the location of the greatest treasure in this world."

"And what treasure is that?" Scimitar asked. "You still haven't told us."

"It is the one thing that will give us great riches from out of the most ordinary of items. Eternal wealth awaits us with what we search for, the Hand of Midas."-

"The Hand of Midas…?"-

"The legendary hand of Midas," Mozenrath asked. "I see…"

"A source of unfathomable riches, so that's what you meant then isn't it."-

"The cave of wonders may hold a grand chamber of gold and jewels," Saber continued, "but compared to the golden touch of the Hand of Midas, not even the cave of wonders' own contents can compare. With the hand of Midas, we'll be able to turn sand and even water into gold. With that Hand of Midas in the hands of the Midnight Faction, we'd become the richest and most powerful organization ever to live."-

"But we have to first find the oracle's scepter first in order to know the whereabouts of the hand of Midas."-

"That is why we must make haste."-

The three continued their way down into the depths of the cave, still looking for the elusive chamber that wielded the legendary scepter.

In the meantime, Riku, Sora, Goofy, and Donald flew silently towards the area where the cave of wonder was located.

"Do you see the cave of wonders yet?" Goofy asked.

"Not yet." Sora replied, looking out over the night sands.

"We should be in sight of it within the next thirty seconds." Donald replied. "According to the radar, we should be about ten miles from the sight."

At the same time, as the team drew nearer and nearer towards the cave of wonders, the gatlers were also on the watch. With their upgraded and highly sophisticated radars, they could detect any object that approached. The slightest bit of stray heat, the slightest shift in the current, or the slightest twitch of energy and the radars would pick it up. Sure enough, it did. The radar did not pick up the break in the air current because of the anti-cloaking device the gummi was armed with. And the heat signal was not picking up anything because the gummi didn't run on fuel that accumulated heat, when it ran silent. But its energy signal was well detected. Because of its use of fuel, the energy from used could be picked up.

"Something's coming our way and fast." The tank commander said. "Can we get a visual on the present coordinates?"

"Yes sir." One of the operatives replied. He confirmed a visual in the commander's monitor. And low and behold, he spotted the little gummi ship ready to fly over their heads.

"It's the KH team." The commander relayed the orders to the other gatler tanks. "All gatler units prepare to load electromagnetic shells. Set your sights on the present coordinates. Target the gummi ship. Prevent them from advancing any further."

"Yes sir." Each other commander replied. They aimed their turrets in the direction to which the gummi approached.

"Commence firing!"-

Immediately, one of the tanks fired its shell at the KH team. Then another, then another and another, until all five had ejected their shells. The explosions surrounded the gummi ship, catching the key bearers and their friends off guard. The gummi was rocked back and forth, shaking the team members violently.

"What the heck was that?" Sora asked.

"Those were shells." Donald replied. "They're shooting at us."

"But I thought you activated the ship in stealth mode."-

"I did. They shouldn't have been able to pick us up."-

"Well, apparently they did." Riku said.

"Those gatlers must be equipped with highly sensitive radar sensors that could detect heat, a break in the air current, and power levels as well. So they could have detected us by the amount of energy the ship is giving out."

"Where did those shots come from anyway?" Goofy asked.

"Down there." Sora said, pointing out over the sands of the nightly desert. From his vantage point, the faint silhouettes of the gatler tanks could be seen off in the distance. With each shot the gatlers made, their barrels gave a sudden flash of light, followed by a low moan from the cannon blast. The shells would whistle by and if they hit close enough to the ship, they would give off an ear piercing explosion. "Those are gatler tanks shooting at us."

"I'm activating the shield." Donald said. "We can't risk being shot out of the sky."

"We have to take down those gatlers." Riku said, "To your battle stations everyone."

But as the team took their positions, a shell blew up, hitting the shield of the gummi. The key bearers and their friends were shaken about violently. There was a sudden electrical current that caused some of the gummi ships functions to suddenly deactivate.

"What the heck was that?" Donald thought to himself. He scanned the source of the shell that nearly struck them.

"That was close." Sora said.

"Too close." Riku added.

"The shields are down!" Donald shouted.

"What do you mean the shields are down?"-

"The shields are down! They've been neutralized somehow. It must've been that shell that nearly hit us."-

"But how can that be?" Sora asked "No shell can break through the shield."

"But this time the faction is unleashing shells that cause an electromagnetic surge. I picked up a large source of magnetic energy from where the shell exploded." Donald withdrew the ship from the range of the gatlers.

"What are you doing?" Sora asked. "We have to get to the cave of wonders."

"So long as the gatlers are armed with electromagnetic shells, they have the capacity to neutralize our active systems, from our shields, to our combat system, and everything that functions on this ship. The system will recover, but it'll take at least five minutes."-

"We can't afford five minutes." Riku said. "We have to get to the cave of wonders now. Lost time means that the faction gains more."

"If we rush the gummi head on, it's most likely that we'll encounter that same type of barrage. We have to take those gatlers down first."-

"I have an idea." Sora said. "Donald, give me a few seconds. Keep the ship steady for as long as you can. Let's go Riku."

"What are you planning on doing?" Riku asked.

"We're gonna jump out of the ship."-

"Are you crazy?" Donald shouted.

"I'll use the flying nimbus to get passed those gatlers. They won't be able to detect me."-

"That's out of the question! Stay here and we'll think of some other plan."-

"But we're losing time hovering about like this." Riku said. "Let's give Sora's plan a try."

"But look at what happened the last time!"-

"That was then, this is now, and now is when we have to strike." There was a sudden pause.

"Alright, alright," Donald shouted. "Then go. Goofy and I will play for time!"

"Thanks Donald." Sora said. "Let's go Riku."

"Right…" Riku replied. The two rushed out of the cockpit ant to the main storage. They then opened the hatch leading to the outside. The wind picked up around them, blowing their hair about.

"Are you ready Riku?" Sora asked.

"Let's go." Riku replied. The two jumped out of the gummi ship and Sora deployed the flying nimbus. The nimbus appeared and flew down to catch them.

"Alright, nimbus, let's get to cave of wonders." The little nimbus cloud rushed to the cave of wonders. But just as the two key bearers made their way towards the line of gatlers, the gatlers suddenly began to fire their machine guns at them.

"Well, this was a bright idea." Riku said.

"I don't understand it." Sora uttered. "The gatlers shouldn't be firing. Donald and Goofy are out of range."

"It's us they want to shoot down."-

"But the nimbus doesn't break the air current, or give of heat or an energy signal."-

"The nimbus might not give off any energy, but it can still attract attention with its yellow surface. We stick out like a sore thumb, even in the dead of night."

"Those two key bearers," The lead gatler commander chuckled. "Don't they realize that riding upon that bright yellow cloud, they become an obvious target? Even in the dead of night that nimbus cloud can still be seen. Shoot the key bearers down at all costs! They are the ones we must worry about and the ones who are the most dangerous. Commence firing at your own discretion!"

The gatler tanks continued to fire shells and bullets directly at the key bearers. Goofy and Donald watched from afar as Riku and Sora were being bombarded by the gatlers.

"Donald," Goofy cried, "Riku and Sora are getting shot at."

"Not surprising." Donald said. "That nimbus cloud may not accumulate any kind of heat or energy signal, but its gold color really sticks out."

"We have to help them!"-

"That's exactly what we're gonna do!" Donald turned the ship about and headed straight for the gatlers. Goofy gripped the arms rests of his chair.

"What are ya doing, Donald?" Goofy cried, hanging on for dear life. "The shield isn't up."

"I know that, but the gatlers are right now concentrating all their fire power on the nimbus cloud. That means they've taken their attention off of us completely. That gives us the opportunity to strike while the iron's hot. All we need to do is take down as many of those gatlers as we possibly can." Donald began the run back to the gatler line. "Hold on to your hat, Goofy, and hope that we don't get hit!"

"Alright…!" Goofy held on to his hat already, nearly pulling it over his eyes. Donald went in for the kill.

In the meantime, the key bearers were sitting ducks so long as they were mounted atop a flying apparatus that accumulated a dim glow in the night sky.

"It's no good, Sora." Riku said. "As long as we're on this cloud, we're sitting ducks."

"We have to find a way out of this." Sora said. But just then, there was a sudden explosion underneath them. A shell blew up beneath the key bearers and knocked them off the nimbus cloud. The nimbus cloud itself diminished back into Sora's keyblade, leaving the two key bearers fall to the ground. They tumbled upon the soft dunes, rolling in the sand.

"We got them, sir." One of the gatler operatives said.

"Excellent work." The officer in charge replied. But their victory was short lived as they soon found themselves being bombarded. A large beam of light bellowed out from the distance. The beam rushed against the tank line and destroyed, or at least knocked out of commission, two of the tanks.

"Sir," one of the subordinate tank leaders said. "We've been hit. Our weapon system has been neutralized.

"Sir," the second leader of the second downed tank added. "We've lost our gun barrel. We can't assist you."

"Damn it.' The leader said. "All remaining gatlers, concentrate all fire power on the gummi ship." He turned to one of his operatives. "Contact General Saber, tell him that we have a situation here."

"Yes sir." One of the operatives said.

The gummi flew over the heads of the key bearers. Riku and Sora watched as Donald and Goofy made a hasty retreat.

"Why are they leaving?" Sora asked.

"The gatlers are about to concentrate all their energy on the gummi." Riku said. "They have no choice, but to withdraw."

In the gummi, Goofy and Donald feared for the lives of the key bearers. Goofy pressed his face against the cockpit's windshield.

"I really hope that Riku and Sora are okay." He uttered.

"They should be fine." Donald replied. "It's us we have to worry about right now. The gatlers are going to concentrate their fire power on us now. At least, however, we managed to knock two gatlers out of commission. That gives us a better chance of a successful run next time. For now, Riku and Sora are on their own."

The gummi withdrew out of the sight of the gatlers, leaving Riku and Sora in sight of the gatlers' weaponry.

"How are we gonna pass those other gatlers?" Sora asked. "We can't use the nimbus because it sticks out like a sore thumb. And we can't use the glide technique because that gives off an energy signal. From this distance, the cave has to be at least ten miles away from where we are."

"We'll just have to find some other way around the gatlers." Riku said.

"But if we go on foot, then we'll be open to attack, plus it'll take all night to reach the cave.

"Well, there's one thing I haven't tried yet." Riku drew out his keyblade, "The other summoning spell."

"Oh yeah, the Whiff spell."-

"Let's see what it does." Riku called forth the spell and a mixture of dark and bright light appeared before them. The key bearers shielded their eyes from the bright manifestation. Soon a figure appeared. It was white as snow and had two long ears on its head. As the light died out, the two key bearers sat in shock at what presented itself before them. Before them was what looked like a snow white rabbit with long floppy ears.

"What the heck is that?" Sora uttered.

"I think that's the summoning spell." Riku replied. Sweat drops of worry accumulated on the sides of their faces.

"It's a rabbit."-

"Well," Riku tried to justify the cuddly look of the rabbits appearance with a description completely opposite, "it may look cute and cuddly, but it might be something ferocious like what happened when I unleashed Stitch."-

"Good point. After everything I've seen, I'm willing to put a little faith in the spell."-

"Attention key bearers," they heard the leading tank commander announce, "There is no chance of you winning against us! Withdraw your keyblades and surrender yourselves, or you will be fired upon!"

"At this rate," Riku uttered, "we may have no other choice, but to rely on faith." Riku held out his hand to the little rabbit. Suddenly, the little white rabbit turned a shadowy black and latched itself to Riku's arm. Riku was nearly shocked. But after his experience with the darkness so many years before, it didn't come as a full surprise. Sora on the other hand nearly wet himself.

"Riku...!" he cried. But to both their surprise, Whiff suddenly moved up Riku's arm and attached itself to his back. The essence of the bunny suddenly began to unfurl into dark black wings. Riku looked up to see the mighty crow wings.

"Look at that, Sora." Riku said.

"It's like Sephiroth, but with two wings." The black feathers blew around the desert sand, but were in no way touched by the element. The feathers danced about as if they had a mind of their own.

"Let's go, Sora," Riku said. "We still have a mission to fulfill."

"But what if the gatlers see us?"-

"I don't think anyone will see us from this point on." Riku wrapped his hand around Sora's waist and lifted himself into the sky. The black wings on his back were so silent, no air was broken. There was only the soft brushing sound of a bird in flight, so light and abstract. The black feathers that blew about seemed to form some kind of screen to protect the key bearers from view.

The gatlers, though concentrating on the area where the key bearers fell, did not seem to notice their enemy's ascent into the evening sky. Riku's new black wings seemed was like that of an owl, they were silent as they ran. No energy was detected, no heat was given off, there was no break in the air current, and the key bearers seemed to disappear entirely. The gatler commander simply assumed that the key bearers were still behind the dunes, but he knew of their reputation for being sneaky and was not about to take any chances without the help of experienced aid.

"Keep a strong vigilant on all the dunes before us." He ordered

"Yes sir." The other gatler commanders replied.

"Has there been any sighting, any movement yet?"-

"There's been no activity within the dunes." One tank officer said.

"Nothing on radar, sir." The second officer said.

"There's no heat signal, or energy signal."-

"Any break in the air?" the leading commander asked.

"Nothing, sir." The first tank officer replied. "There's no activity."

"The key bearers might be dead, sir." The second tank officer implied.

"That may be true," the leading commander said, "But we can't confirm that outcome for sure unless we have proof of their demise."

"Sir," one of his operatives said, "An open link has been made to the general."

"Excellent, put me through to him."

"Yes sir." The operative commenced with his activity.

General Saber and his subordinates continued on their trek, searching for the lost chamber of the oracle scepter. Scimitar and Mozenrath were starting to bore themselves with the endless exploring. Every nook and cranny in the dark seemed to be another passage leading to another empty chamber. Every chamber in the cave seemed to hold some kind of secret, but Saber was continually drawn to the deepest chasms, as if he was going by instinct and knew already the location of the scepter.

"Exactly how much further is it before we find this so called oracle scepter?" Scimitar asked.

"Does the darkness frighten you, General Scimitar?" Saber asked.

"No…"-

"So then why are you so anxious to hurry the expedition?"-

"I fear for time, general. As we speak, the key bearers might have already taken over the mother ship."-

"I haven't received any word from any of our active officers regarding any possible takeover, so everything must be running smoothly." But sure as Saber assured the success of the faction, he received a message from the messenger back in the treasure room.

"General Saber, sir." The voice of the messenger said, reverberating through the transmission of the scouter. "General Saber, come in!" Saber immediately responded, linking himself to the open line of communication.

"This is Saber."-

"We have a problem, sir."-

"What is it now?"-

"There has been a confrontation at the gatler line."-

"What was that?" Saber's attitude suddenly changed. "What do you mean there was a confrontation at the gatler line? Are you talking about the gatler line bordering as a defense for our excavation here!"-

"Yes sir. I have a call on hold from the leading commander of the gatler line."-

"Put him through."-

"Yes sir." The messenger's voice was deactivated and direct communication was linked to the leading gatler commander.

"General Saber," he said, in a rather concerned voice.

"What is this that I hear about you engaging in battle?" Saber asked.

"They just came out of nowhere, the KH team and their gummi ship. They managed to severely cripple two of the gatler tanks and put them out of commission."-

"I see. And are they still advancing?"-

"We used the electromagnetic shells to soften them up a little bit so they won't attempt a full out strike. But we lost sight of the key bearers."-

"What do you mean you lost sight of the key bearers! Where did they go!"-

"They were hovering about on that nimbus cloud of theirs a few minutes ago, but we managed to shoot them down."-

"Have they tried anything?"-

"We haven't detected any movement in the area they plummeted to since their descent upon the sand dunes." The commander continued. "We figure they might have died from the impact of the shell."

"Can you confirm that?" Saber asked.

"Not yet, sir."-

"Then make sure to keep an eye on the area then."-

"But we won't guarantee complete security with only three gatlers still functioning fully, sir."-

"I see."-

"Your orders sir…?"-

Saber pondered at the situation. Scimitar and Mozenrath looked at him as he thought long and hard about the present predicament.

"What is wrong, general?" Scimitar asked. "That discussion did not sound like a positive one."

"Our original hypothesis of the key bearers going in to take over the mother ship was false." Saber replied. "The key bearers and their comrades are headed here. They've already made battle with the gatler line."

"But we haven't finished our excavation in the treasure room."-

"Control," Saber contacted the informant in the treasure room, "How many transports have we managed to fill to capacity?"

"We've estimated three and a half sir." The messenger replied. "Three have already been filled to capacity, and we're half way through the forth."

"There's been a change in plans. Tell all transports to withdraw back to the mother ship."-

"Sir…?" The messenger was stunned.

"Did I stutter? I said for all transports to withdraw back to the mother ship. And give orders to the gatlers to help escort them back."-

"Sir, what's going on?"-

"The KH team is on their way. Now no more questions! Just load up the gold already collected and have all twenty transports moved out."-

"Yes sir." The transmission ended, leaving Saber with a great dilemma.

"Are we withdrawing?" Scimitar asked.

"I've ordered the rest of the convoy to withdraw." Saber turned to Lord Mozenrath. "Lord Mozenrath, I want you to hurry back to the convoy and accompany them in the withdrawal to the mother ship."

"Sir…?" Mozenrath asked.

"You have your own plans to fulfill still."-

"I understand…" Mozenrath turned away and made his way back to the cave's entry. But before proceeding any further, Saber had a last bit of instruction.

"Oh yes," Saber uttered, "as a further note regarding the death of Edward Elric. Don't mention his demise to our other little pawn. He never really realized that Fullmetal was working our operations as well up until recently. We can't have him starting a mutiny against us when his mission hasn't been fully completed now can we. This applies to you as well, General Scimitar."

"I acknowledge your orders, sir." Scimitar replied. "No word of Fullmetal's demise will leave our lips."

"Very good," Saber turned to Mozenrath. "Continue on your way, Lord Mozenrath and heed the old adage being 'silent as the grave.' And if you must inform our other rat, please tell him to return to the ship at once and wait for my return. I will deal with the matter myself."

"Of course…" Mozenrath bowed respectfully and withdrew from the deep caverns back to the surface.

"General Scimitar," Saber said, "I want you to go up to the frontal chamber and keep the key bearers at bay for at least ten minutes or so."

"But the key bearers…" Scimitar uttered, confused.

"Have already penetrated our defenses…"-

"How do you know?"-

"From past experience." Saber continued. "That's why I wanted all transports to withdraw."

"But we haven't filled them all up yet."-

"We'll just have to make due with what we have."-

"But why send all of the transports away? Why not have the ones already filled retreat and the others stay here to be loaded?"-

"Have you not heard what I said? Or is it that you misinterpreted the way on how I said it? The key bearers are on their way. They'll mostly likely take out the gatler tanks, using sneak attacks. That way the rest of the KH team in the gummi won't have to worry about being fired upon. Also if we send out the transports that are already full, once they're in the desert, they'll be the first ones targeted. That will mean all of our efforts here would have been a definite waste if the filled transports are destroyed in the early stages of retreat. And if we leave the empty transports here, it's most likely that the KH team will sabotage them, preventing them from carrying their heavy loads. But if we withdraw all the transports, there is at least a four to one chance that the KH team may bring down an empty one. That increases our own chances of getting the gold back to the mother ship safely. And with the remaining gatlers as an escort, our chances of a successful withdrawal have increased even more. It's better to escape with what we have than risk it all on a gamble for more riches." Saber turned his back. "Now hurry back to the surface. I can take care of things from here."

"Yes sir." Scimitar bowed respectfully to her superior and withdrew. Saber turned his attention towards the darkness of the cave.

"It will not be long." He uttered to himself and continued on his way.

In the meantime, as the key bearers descended upon the remaining gatlers, hoping to take out of the operatives within, or to perhaps to cripple the tanks themselves to the point where they would not be of further use for combat, they noticed that the tanks started withdrawing from their posts and were reassembling together again.

"What in the world is going on?" Sora wondered. "Why the heck are the gatlers withdrawing?"

"I don't know." Riku replied. But as he looked about in the distance, he noticed a series of lights suddenly appear. The gatlers seemed to be moving in that direction. "Something's going on over there." Still holding Sora tightly in his arms, Riku flew in the direction where the series of lights illuminated the desert. As they drew closer, they came to realize that the series of lights belonged to the faction convoy. And the convoy itself was stationed at the entry way of the cave of wonders.

"It's the cave." Sora said. He then glanced at all the transports. "Are all of those vehicles loaded with gold?"

"I don't know, Sora." Riku replied. "But it they are then we have no other choice, but to take them down. We can't have them returning back to the mother ship and restock the organization's revenue with stolen treasure." Though the key bearers were no more than a hundred feet above the convoy, no one seemed to notice them. Even the highly sensitive radars did not detect their presence.

"They don't seem to notice us at all."-

"Perhaps it's these black wings." Riku looked at the wings that kept them hovering over the ground. "They may be designed for stealth, sealing us from the eyes of the faction."

"So how are we gonna bring down the convoy?"-

"We could try out an all out attack."-

But as the idea breezed through the key bearer's mind, he suddenly heard two men talking loudly. The key bearers took cover on top of the guardian's nose and watched as the two men emerged. It was Lord Mozenrath and the messenger.

"Look at that guy." Sora uttered.

"I wonder who he is" Riku added.

"I understand the predicament of the key bearers being a threat." The messenger said. "But we've stumbled upon a vast fortune here. We haven't even filled up four of the transports yet. Could you explain the reason behind this hasty withdrawal, Lord Mozenrath?"

"Mozenrath…?" Sora whispered.

"I guess that's what his name is." Riku added.

"He looks like a native to this world, but why would he be helping the faction?"-

"He must be some guy who wants power. I mean look at the way he's dressed. He definitely has to be a bad guy."-

"I don't know much myself." They heard Mozenrath speak. "All I do know is that the faction is not willing to take any chances so long as those key bearers are within the area. If they and their friends managed to cripple two of those gatler tanks of yours, then that's the hint giving us the signal to withdraw. Besides, you can always come back for more, so long as the golden scarab is in the hands of the faction."

"Yes, but why did the general insist on staying if we're moving out?"-

"He's still in there somewhere with General Scimitar looking for that elusive oracle scepter."-

"Oracle scepter, he's after another legendary trinket?"-

"Oracle scepter…?" Sora uttered. "What's that…?"

"Shhh…" Riku implied, giving the silence sign with his index finger held vertically to his mouth. Sora quieted down.

"And what is the significance of the oracle scepter?" the messenger asked.

"It's because Saber wants to find out where the hand of Midas is. And once he gets his hand on that, then the faction will no longer have to steal gold. They can just use the hand of Midas to turn everything into gold."-

"The hand of Midas," Riku uttered to himself, "So that's why the faction is leaving without fully exploiting the wealth of the cave."

They watched as Mozenrath turned away and headed for one of the leading transports.

"We've moving out!" he ordered.

"Yes sir!" the faction soldiers around him replied. They quickly hastened to their transports and all twenty of the large storage vehicles began their trek back to the mother ship. One by one, the transports withdrew.

"All of them are going?" Sora said.

"There's no need for them to be here anymore." Riku added.

"So what did this Mozenrath guy mean when he said the hand of Midas can turn everything to gold?"-

"Haven't you ever heard of that old tale of the hand of Midas?"-

"Not really."-

"It was said that King Midas had such an obsession with gold, he was granted the golden touch in which everything he touched turned to solid gold. But as a consequence, even food and drink turned to gold. And finally, when he placed his hand upon his beloved daughter, she too turned to gold. This forced him to rid himself of the golden touch."-

"So is that what this Hand of Midas is, it can turn everything it touches into gold?"-

"If that's the case, if they manage to get their hands on that treasure, then there's no doubt that the faction will become the richest and most powerful organization ever to exist. And we can't have their crimes be justified as law if they establish themselves as a dominant super power."-

"Then we better find Saber and Scimitar and stop them."-

"That's what we're gonna do."-

The key bearers laid low on top of the entry way of the cave, watching as the last transport made its way across the desert. Once the last of the transports had left, the key bearers descended to the mouth of the cave.

"Alright," Sora said, "Let's go."

"Just a moment, Sora," Riku implied, halting his friend in his tracks.

"What is it, Riku?"-

"Just between you and me, let's just keep our knowledge of the oracle scepter and the hand of Midas to ourselves until our ordeal with the Blade Generals is over."-

"But why…?"-

"If Saber and Scimitar manage to get away, and say that they managed to seal the cave with us still inside, then we finally get out a while after that, we won't know exactly where they were headed off to. So we'll need the oracle staff to help us."-

"I see. If we tell them about what we know, then they might destroy the scepter right?"-

"That's exactly why we have to keep our mouths shut on the matter."-

"You can trust me then." Sora chuckled. "But how did you come to that conclusion?"

"Hey, I don't attend college for nothing." Riku dismissed Whiff and the black wings of the infamous Phantom Thief vanished from his back. "And unlike someone I know, I don't tend to fall asleep in class"-

"You do have a point." Sora slightly blushed, knowing who Riku was referring to.

"Let's go."-

"Right…"-

The two key bearers descended into the cave, quietly as they could. The stairs was a long descent and at times could cause vertigo. But even the steepness of the staircase was not enough to deter the two key bearers who had been within the cave's caverns before and who were used to the thought of danger. As a brisk pace, the worked their way down the stairs, caring not if they tripped and fell. It wasn't long before the key bearers made their way to the end of the stair's descent and came to the frontal chamber. Before them, were those same grand doors leading to the treasure room. The doors had been shut though, perhaps by order of General Saber, who wanted to keep the key bearers out.

"It looks like they've closed the doors." Sora said.

"The faction doesn't want us to get in, that's for sure" Riku added.

"Yeah, but closed doors won't stop us." Sora moved forward towards the doors. But just as he began his hasty advance, reaching the center of the chamber, there was the sound of spinning steel that caught his ear and it seemed to draw ever closer. The sound was very faint, but it was clean, indicating a sharpened edge. Then there was a sudden reflection of light from a well polished surface that emerged from out from the darkness of the dimly lighted chamber. Sora suddenly turned to find himself coming face to face with an incoming blade ring, which emerged from out of the shadows. At the last moment he moved his head, but the sharpened blade managed to graze and cut his cheek, giving a burning kiss, just as it spun by. Blood dripped from the wound and Sora was quick to grasp it. He watched as the ring made a curved turn around the chamber, concealing itself into the darkness again, with only the glimmer of a few torches to point out its course.

"Are you alright?" Riku asked, running next to Sora.

"What the heck was that?" Sora wondered. He and Riku watched the object fly through the chamber as if flying in a circular or elliptic pattern. Just then, they saw the blade ring stop as it was clutched in a grasping hand. From the darkness, a figure appeared. "Is someone there?"

"Show yourself!" Riku demanded.

"Well, well, well," the figure in the dark uttered, in a low and seductive voice. "Look at what I found here, two little boys with no way out."

"Who are you calling little boys!" Sora said. "We may be young, but we're not boys!"

"For naïve young men who do not know what danger they face and heed not the warnings of past times are still only boys to me."-

"Why don't you come out and show your face then." Riku said. "Not unless you're afraid of two boys."

"Is that a challenge then?" the figure asked. "Well, I gladly accept."

From the shadows of the chamber, the dark figure approached the key bearers. Chakram still in hand, a woman with blonde reddish hair appeared, those emerald green eyes gazing profusely at the two young men who stood before her. In a flowing black cape fastened upon her left shoulder, the woman came forward.

"I welcome you for making it this far." She chuckled. "However, I will not allow you to proceed any further. Your trek stops here. But then again, I believe we were destined to fight each other."

"A woman…?" Sora uttered.

"Don't let your guard down, Sora." Riku advised. "She may be a woman, but appearances can be deceiving."

"You should heed the warning of your friend, young key bearer." The woman replied. "I am not your average faction officer."

"Who are you?"-

"I am the one whom you came to this world to stop. I am General Scimitar."-

"You're General Scimitar?" Sora uttered.

"Then you're the next blade general we have to defeat!" Riku said

"But defeating me will not be an easy task, boys." Scimitar chuckled.

"Then why don't you stop standing around and start fighting. Then, you'll see what these boys can do."-

"Brave and bold aren't we. Two handsome youths against little old me." Scimitar drew out both of her chakrams, their sharpened steel glimmering in the dim light.

"If we defeat you, then we gain the puzzle piece." Riku said.

"That's right." Scimitar chuckled.

"This is good then, this situation bends in our favor at this point."-

"And why is that?"-

"Now that we know who you are, we can take out two Blade Generals at once and end this thing here and now."-

"And King Mickey will be freed!" Sora said.

"To think that you would go so far at to assure the safety of a rodent king like King Mickey," Scimitar chuckled, placing her right index finger under her nose as if to conceal the full grin upon her face. "I find it touching that you would make such a sacrifice. But understand this, my boys; you are dealing with a Blade General."

"So what…" Riku said. "We already managed to take down three of your comrades! They all talked big, but in the end, they couldn't back it up! So what makes you think that you and General Saber are any different?"

"After this battle commences, you will realize that not all the Blade Generals are as long winded as some of the rest. They depended too much on their fancy weapons and rare items to battle you. They put so much faith in those mere objects alone that they became to overconfident and engaged in situations that they couldn't fully keep under control. To add, the other Blade Generals believed they had a natural talent and thought they needed no training, which is the reason why their deaths and defeat came as a result."-

"You should watch what you say, Scimitar." Riku unleashed his keyblade and made ready to fight. "Otherwise you'll be making the same mistakes."

"We fight for the way of justice." Sora added, unleashing his keyblade as well. "We fight to prevent the forces of darkness from spreading any further. That is why we will emerge victorious when this is over."

"We shall see," Scimitar chuckled, "We shall see."


	51. Separate Missions

Separate Missions

There was an eerie silence that came into the frontal chamber of the cave of wonders. The quiet atmosphere was only broken by the soft flickering wound of dim torches that burned on their mounted foundations on the great mosaic pillars. The figures of Arabian heroes seemed to gaze on from the shadows, waiting for the fight to commence. Riku and Sora, their keyblades drawn, awaited for the cunning and beautiful Colonel Billiard to make her move first. Her eyes seemed fixed upon the key bearers. The eyes of the key bearers in turned watched the glistening glow of the general's emerald green eyes giving that cold and relentless stare. Sora quietly gulped, forcing saliva on his tongue to withdraw to the back of his throat. Riku accumulated a small sweat drop on his brow. He was anxious, not knowing how their opponent would react. Would General Scimitar attack, or would she be the one to make the first move.

"This feeling," Riku thought to himself, "Why do I feel so nervous? I've never felt this way since the day I battled against Triiken. Even Cuchulain, when he was possessed by General Dagger, didn't cause this kind of feeling. Even when we fought against General Saber, I didn't feel this kind of anxiety. There's something about General Scimitar that scares me. Is it that intense look in her eye? Is it because she's a woman? Or is it something else?"

"Gentlemen," Scimitar uttered, "We are here to battle one another correct? So why do you stand as if petrified?"

"We're not petrified." Sora replied.

"Is that so? Then I hope you don't mind that I make the first move!" Scimitar suddenly rushed forward. Her chakrams at the ready, she began to slash and cut at the key bearers. Riku and Sora clashed, trying to find an opening against her. The moment their blades connected, hitting the sharpened edge of Scimitar's bladed rings, they realized that this was no ordinary foe. Unlike the fight with General Knives, Bayonet, and Dagger before them, General Scimitar was a different kind of breed. She did not rely on fancy items and secret weapons. And her actions were greater than her words, so she was not all talk. Like a well rehearsed mock battle, the twists and turns and close calls came within inches of inflicting damage. Thought the key bearers battled from opposite sides, the general seemed to anticipate every move, despite having her back turned to one of them. She spun around, doing several repetitions, confusing the key bearers.

Suddenly, she turned her attention towards Riku and kicked him in the gut. Riku bent over from the pain, but maintained his guard, holding the keyblade before him in case the general decided to smite him. Sure enough, Scimitar came at him with both chakrams slicing at him.

"Riku," Sora cried. He rushed in to help his friend, but Scimitar tossed one of the chakrams at him. Sora quickly dodged, just as the ring flew straight at his head. The chakram passed without inflicting any damage. The youth quickly pounced to an erect position only to find the general running straight at him. His keyblade clutched in his hand, Sora swung his weapon. But Scimitar evaded, flipping over the head of the key bearer and landing just behind him. Sora quickly turned and blocked the striking ring.

"Not bad, key bearer." Scimitar chuckled, "But I'd watch your back if I were you!" Sora heard the spinning of steel approaching fro behind at a fast rate. Sora continued to block until Scimitar pushed him away. Sora gave ground and threw his head back just in time to see the chakram pass his face, giving off a little breeze as it spun harmlessly over him. Scimitar caught the chakram and began to battle again, giving Sora barely any time to defend himself.

Riku, regaining his stamina, charged back into the battle. His keyblade was in the thrusting position.

"You're mine, Scimitar!" he shouted. He thrust forward, but missed.

"So you're back for more pain, Noctin Tilandir?" Scimitar chuckled. "Well good, let's see how you favor against this?" The general suddenly spun about like a twister, her arms extended, holding the chakrams. Like a propeller, she spun, thrusting forward, trying to mince the youthful key bearers. But Riku fell on his back and watched the blades pass his body.

"Riku," Sora cried, "I'll take care of this!" Sora made ready to unleash his Twister Strike. "Let's see how you like my version of a twister!"

"No!" Riku shouted. "Don't do it, Sora." He jumped next to his friend and threw his hand before him, indicating Sora to stop what he was about to do.

"Why are you stopping me, Riku?"-

"Did you forget? We only have so much ether to use in this battle. We can't afford to blow it all on reckless elemental attacks."-

"Well we won't know what effect it will have on her. Maybe it'll work."-

"And suppose it doesn't? Not only have you wasted energy and a bottle of ether, but you also allowed Scimitar to see one of your attacks. We just have to hold back for now until we know what she's capable of doing." Sora had to admit that he was being rather reckless in his strategy, so he relinquished his attempts to use his elemental attacks.

It was at that moment that General Scimitar unleashed one of her chakrams at the key bearers. The spinning bade shrieked as it flew toward Riku and Sora. Scimitar unleashed her second chakram and it too flew towards the key bearers.

"She doesn't have her weapons anymore." Sora said. "She's open to attack."-

"Let's go then." Riku replied. The two key bearers rushed at Scimitar, who was for the moment unarmed. But even though Scimitar saw the two boys coming at her, she did not do a thing to try and dodge. Then again, she had her reasons.

"Turning your backs against the chakrams?" she uttered. "Do you really want to die in such a manner, being struck from behind?"

The key bearers halted to hear the sound of incoming steel heading towards them from the rear. Anticipating the path of the chakrams, Riku and Sora dodged out of the way, evading the incoming rings at the last moment. Both bladed rings returned to Scimitar. But the moment she caught them, she tossed them again, catching the key bearers of guard. Riku and Sora hadn't even regained their stance after the last evasion and find themselves confronted by the two chakrams again.

"Not again." Riku uttered, as he saw the blade coming within inches of his throat. He swung his head back and watched as the blade passed by. He could feel the air coming from the chakrams gently brush on his throat like a woman's delicate hand. Had the blade been any closer, the sensation would have been a painful sting across the throat, followed by the spurting of red blood and all things going dark. Sora in the meantime used his shoulder armor to protect himself. The bladed ring sparked at the armor's polished surface and continued on its path.

"That was close." He uttered.

"Did you boys forget about me?" Scimitar shouted. The key bearers turned to find themselves confronted by General Scimitar herself, who rushed at them with incredible speed. She jumped up and kicked Riku at the side of the face while striking Sora at the shoulder, knocking him down hard. At the same time, she jumped up and caught the flying chakrams.

"I'll get you!" Sora shouted. Jumped back up and lunging at Scimitar. But as the General landed, she made a twist of her body and rebounded back into the air like a rubber ball, her body giving an elusive spin as she breeched herself over Sora's head. She landed delicately back on her feet, her chakrams clutched tightly in her hands.

"Quite invigorating." She chuckled. "I never would have thought you to last this long against me. Perhaps if you keep going, I might just break a sweat."

"She's good." Riku uttered. "Really good…"

"We can't keep this up," Sora said. "I've never encountered such lightning fast speed and agility."

"Well, she's not a Blade General for nothing. And supposedly the second strongest to top it all off, I guess it just wasn't our lucky day."-

"Well, I just hope that the others hare having better luck than we are at the moment."-

"Gentlemen," Scimitar implied, "If you are finished reminiscing, may we proceed?"

"Okay, Scimitar, you asked for it!"-

The key bearers charged forward again against the mighty Blade General and the fighting continued.

The second party, lead by Cunla and Edward Elric, was reaching its destination to the lands of the black sands. The gummi quietly hovered over the sands of the Arabian Desert swiftly and without detection. With lights extinguished, having only the glowing lights of the control pad for illumination, the second rescue party made their way to the outpost of the Midnight Faction.

"We should be reaching our destination soon." Cunla said. "How much further is it before we reach the realm of the black sands?"

"Less then five minutes," Edward replied, as he looked on the screen. "We'll soon come over a cliff face and should be able to see the black sands from there."

"Speaking of which, does anyone know about the realm of the black sands?"-

"As far as I know," Genie said, "I know that the realm of the black sands belongs to a deranged sorcerer named Mozenrath."

"Mozenrath eh?" Cunla said.

"And they say that those who enter his realm of the black sands are never seen or heard from again."-

"Mozenrath…" Ed thought to himself. "It must be that guy Saber hired not too long ago."

"Oh that's great, just great!" Iago squawked. "You just had to go and tell me about that! You just had to tell me about the dangerous stuff! I don't like dangerous stuff! I don't like danger! The only danger that I want to see is when they serve me the wrong kind of salad dressing for dinner! That's the only kind of danger I like!"

"Ah, show a little back bone, will you Iago?" Cunla said. "It's not gonna be all that dangerous."

"Yeah, when you're used to it, it isn't! But I hate danger, I hate getting into trouble!" Iago started to lose feathers off of his head. "You see, look at that, I'm so stressed out that I'm molting! I've lost too many feathers on these perilous treasure hunts that Aladdin always goes on, or when I'm being confronted by bandits! And do you realize how hard it is to keep my feathers neat and clean! I can tell you now it ain't no walk in the park to keep your feathers straight! I mean have you ever met anyone attracted to a bird that's as bald as a Thanksgiving Turkey!"

"Okay, okay, Iago," Edward uttered, "We get the message. Now will you please shut up? Your squawking is giving me a headache."

"What do you expect me to do, sit here and say it's all peachy? I don't think so!"-

"Well, stop panicking."-

"You tell my legs that!"-

"I told you to stop panicking, featherbrain!"-

"Who are you calling featherbrain, you bean sprout!"

"You shouldn't have called me that!" There was a sudden rumble in the cockpit as Edward tackled Iago.

"Now, now, you two," Cunla said, a big sweat drop plummeting down his face, "Don't fight. If you blow our cover then we'll really be in trouble. Besides, how ominous and foreboding can the realm of the black sands actually be?"

It's funny how Cunla said his words so casually. The moment that the gummi reached the crest of the cliffs overlooking the realm of the black sands, their eyes came upon a sight so frightening. The realm of the black sands was darker than the night sky. The starry night seemed to expand, splitting from a night of beauty to a night of total darkness. Rocky outcrops and cliffs stood like sentinels watching over the realm.

"Well," Iago uttered, "You wanted foreboding and you got it."

"I can't even see the ground." Ed uttered.

"It's like a vast see of shadows suddenly covered the entire region." Cunla said. "So this is the realm of the black sands."

"Winry's being held captive in that place?" Fullmetal seemed rather worried looking upon the land of darkness.

"Were you expecting a land of milk and honey? The physical description of this realm certainly does the name of the region justice."-

"But where is this faction outpost?"-

"I don't know and I don't want to find out." Iago uttered. He flew behind Genie and shivered in fright.

"Awe there's nothing to worry about, Iago.' Genie chuckled. "All we need is a little light!" Genie transformed himself into a flashlight. But before he could turn on, Edward grabbed hold of him.

"If you illuminate the place now, we'll be sitting ducks!" he uttered. "We still don't know where the faction outpost is, so don't give away our position."

"Hang on, you guys." Cunla said. He looked out over the shadowy ground and spotted something twinkling in the nightly sands. He turned to Edward. "Ed, see if you can get a night scope visual of the terrain beneath us."

"How come…?" Ed asked.

"I think I might have found the faction outpost." Cunla pointed downward. Beneath them, in the darkness of the black sands, a series of stationary lights glowed brightly as the only means of illumination throughout the region. The lights of the faction outpost gave the appearance as if a cluster of stars had fallen from the sky and landed in the darkness of the black sands. Edward activated the night vision of the gummi ship. Sure enough, upon the transmission monitor, they spotted the entire structure of the faction outpost.

"I have a visual." Edward uttered. He scanned the perimeter of the faction facility. "I can't believe that they actually built a facility this large out in the middle of nowhere."

"Let me see." Cunla asked. "Transmit the image to the front monitor."

"Right…" Fullmetal transmitted the image and the night scope visual appeared before Cunla. Cunla browsed the area.

"Just as I thought." He said. "It's a makeshift prison, designed for instant construction." Cunla analyzed the grounds of the faction facility and all the features. The compound was a large rectangular base surrounded by triple chain linked fences covered by razor ribbon wire placed at the top and the base of the fence. Four guard towers stood highly erected over the compound, stationed at the four corners of the base. In the compound itself, there were at least ten separate guard houses, a supply warehouse, and two elongated sleeping quarter buildings where the guards had their night's rest. And at the very center of the compound was the prison facility itself. It was a large rectangular building, at least two stories high. "By the looks of it, there are very few guards about. Less than what's usually expected. Then again, the majority of them might be sleeping." Cunla then observed the towers at the four corners of the compound. "They only have four towers throughout the entire facility. I guess with such a securely guarded fence line, they probably think that there's no way anyone can break through or escape their defenses."

"How many guards do you see?" Ed asked.

"At least two hundred altogether that are on guard duty. That'll make it easier for us to sneak in."-

"And how do you plan on breaking in without having any of those guards fondle your plan?" Iago asked.

"Simple," Cunla eased the gummi ship over the facility and had it hover about in midair, "All we have to do is isolate the prison by severing any open communication lines from here to the mother ship, other facilities, or any other faction units out there on patrol." The young pup steadied the gummi. He then activated one of the gummi's key features, "Now activating the transmission jammers."

"Transmission jammers…?" Ed asked.

"That's right. This will prevent all radio signals or transmitted messages from exiting and entering the facility. We can't have the personnel sounding an alarm and warning of a jail break, can we?"-

"I guess you're right."-

"Boy, you certainly are smart for a kid." Genie chuckled.

"Yeah," Iago added, "You're pretty good, almost as good as me."

"Activating transmission jammer system now," Cunla said as he unleashed the scrambler shield over the whole of the facility. Like a giant, invisible dome, the entire facility was engulfed behind the shield. "Alright, the transmission jammer field has been secured in its place." Cunla got out of his chair and walked to the teleportation platform. "Donald certainly went out of his way to have these portable gummies equipped with the best stuff and updated systems." The youth grabbed his sword. "Alright Ed, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," Fullmetal replied, "Let's go rescue Winry."

"Iago, Genie, I want you two to stay up here and keep the ship running."-

"Good idea." Iago said. "I can live with that. I can stand staying in the ship."

"Now don't touch anything while we're gone."-

"You can count on us, kid!" Genie replied, giving a little salute.

"Oh yes." Cunla added. "Just one more thing, this gummi ship's teleportation unit only works from inside the cockpit. When we come back with Miss Rockbell, I will send you a transmitted message using a secured line that'll be unaffected by the barrier I set up. Once you hear me say 'beam us up,' you press that green button on the side of the platform alright. That will allow us to be teleported back into the ship."

"What about the red button next to it?" Iago asked. "What does that do?"

"That button will teleport you out of the ship, so don't press that one. Only press the green. Red means out and green means in. Can you remember that?"-

"Of course we can!" Genie chuckled. "It's as simple as on two three. Red means out and green means in."

"Alright," Cunla and Fullmetal stepped onto the teleportation platform. "We'll be back soon. Give us at least thirty minutes."

"Well what if you don't make it back in thirty minutes?" Iago asked.

"You just better hope that we get back here on time. Failure at this point is not an option. If we're not back within half an hour, that means we've stayed on the ground and are gonna break Miss Rockbell out of prison the hard way."

"I was afraid you'd say that."-

"Good luck you two."-

"The same goes to you, boys." Genie said.

Cunla pressed the red button and he and Edward disappeared out of sight.

"Well, there they go." Iago said.

"Yep," Genie replied, "There they go." He gave a sigh before turning to Iago. "So what do you want to do while we're waiting?"-

"What do you mean what do I want to do?"-

"You know, what do you want to do to pass the time away? Shall we play cards?" Genie took out a deck of cards and shuffled them about like a Las Vegas dealer. "You feeling lucky?" He then turned into an elderly man with a V sweater with a white shirt under it, a long beard and think bifocals, "Or how about a game of chess?"

"But…"

"Or maybe checkers, that's a little easier to understand." Genie turned the chess board into a checker board, "Or maybe a nice game of charades."

"How can you even think about playing a game at a time like this!" Iago shouted. "We're up to our necks in hot water, we are hovering over a faction base, and yet you want to play board games!"

"Board games, I love board games!" Genie transformed the checker board into several other boards describing the games he suggested. "How about Mousetrap, or Shoots and Ladders, or maybe Monopoly! I get to be the battleship! Do you want to be the top hat or race car?"

"You are hopeless…" Iago grumbled.

In the meantime, Cunla and Fullmetal appeared next to one of the guard houses. The two slunk around in the darkness like a couple of thieves, making sure to conceal their movements from the sight of the guards. They hit in the shadows against the wall of the guard house and peeked behind a corner.

"We'll have to be very careful." Cunla said. "We don't want to attract any attention."

"Can't we just take the guards out?" Ed asked. "You can take them all on yourself can't you?"

"The reason why we have to be careful is so that none of the faction soldiers get the wiser and try to contact their main headquarters at the mother ship."-

"But I thought you said they couldn't contact anyone outside, or anyone could contact this base. That's why you set up that barrier right?"-

"That's right, but that doesn't mean they can't send out a runner to inform any reinforcement units. We don't want the personnel here to be suspicious of our activity prematurely and have time to send out a runner to inform their comrades elsewhere while we're still here. Besides, many of these faction soldiers are just like you and I. Their just doing their jobs. They too have families. So I would like to avoid unnecessary confrontation unless confronted directly. Only then will blood be spilled."-

"You still have sympathy for these guys don't you, even though they branded you as a traitor."-

"That's the thing about being a soldier. You have to be heartless, but at the same time you don't want to lose your humanity. Otherwise, you will be hated by everyone you know and meet. Perhaps my compassion will be passed down to those men if I make an example of myself."-

"Perhaps…"-

The two boys looked about to see if any of the sentries could be seen. They slowly crept passed the guard house. Inside, they saw several of the soldiers drinking and smocking and playing poker, laughing and singing and having a gay old time, like drunks at the local bar. Cunla and Fullmetal leaped from shadow to shadow, hiding behind supply crates and parked vehicles. They hid behind a couple of steel drum barrels just as two sentry guards passed by.

"So what are you gonna do when you get back home?" one soldier said.

"The first thing I'm gonna do is hold my three year old son high over my head." The second soldier replied. "Then I'll make sweet love to my wife. It's hard to support them at times though with only a soldier's pension."

"I know what you mean? My girlfriend only wants the best from me."-

"Women are so hard to please at times."-

The two soldiers walked by, continuing with their conversation, not noticing Cunla and Fullmetal hiding behind the drum barrels. Fullmetal watched as the two soldiers passed by. They were no older than he, perhaps a couple of years ahead of him.

"You're right." Ed said. "Those men are no different from us."

"In times of war though," Cunla said, "Even the most loving and compassionate of people, no matter how good natured they are, are transformed into beasts on the battlefield. That is why we fight. That is why we must be cruel at times, so that others do not have to experience that same type of contrast." The two boys quickly leaped up and ran over to the prison facility. Cunla continued he lecture on the way. "Humans, or for that matter all things in this universe, are susceptible to becoming monsters. In the end, the only thing that really matters in battle is your life. Whether you are on a mission or not, you always care for your life and the lives of your comrades. Everyone else is an enemy or a possible target. That's why we have to keep a low profile while we're here."

"I see what you mean." Ed said, looking down as they ran. It didn't take long for the two boys to make their way to the confinement building where the prisoners were being held. They orchestrated their moves in a timely fashion, making sure to elude the eyes of the guards on patrol, or the watchtowers observing from above. As they approached the main entry to the prison, they realized that there were two guards stationed on both sides of the steel doors. They remained vigilant of the surrounding area. To make matters worse, there were two other sentries that marched about back and forth in the area in front of the prison.

"They have guards in the front." Cunla uttered. He turned to Ed. "Are you ready to put those alchemy skills to good use?"

"I can make a hole in the side of the wall easily enough." Ed browsed around and saw a small part of the outer wall concealed by shadow do to a burned out bulb. "I'll make a hole in that part of the wall."

"Then I'll let you go into the prison, while I stay here and keep a clear route for you. Make sure to use that same way, but seal it up after you enter, so no enemy soldiers will get suspicious. I'll try and draw the attention of the guards away from that part of the wall."

"Right…"-

"We have fifteen minutes left. I'll give you five minutes to get in and get out with Miss Rockbell."-

"I gotcha…"-

"Good luck, Fullmetal."-

Ed gave a thumb's up. Cunla looked about to see where the guards were posted. Taking a rock from the ground, he threw the stone in the direction facing away from the targeted part of the prison wall. The stone hit a stack of drum barrels filled with gasoline, tumbling down causing a lot of noise. This attracted the attention of the guards.

"What was that?" one of the guards asked.

"Let's go check it out." Another guard added. The two sentry guards ran towards the area where the heard the sound. The two guards at the iron doors looked after in curiosity, their weapons at the ready. Meanwhile, Fullmetal began his own run. He looked about to make sure that the guards didn't see his movements. He scurried in the shadows, his black clothing concealing his movements. He made it to the outer base of the wall without anyone seeing him. Without hesitation, he clapped his hands together and placed them securely on the wall. There was a dim surge of electricity, not enough to catch the attention of the faction soldiers, and an entry way was formed. Ed rushed into the hole and then sealed it up with his alchemy again.

"Well, he's in." Cunla uttered. He rolled up his sleeve to look at his wrist watch. "Ed's five minutes begins now. All I can do for the time being is sit and wait."

Edward looked about, hoping that no guards were on patrol.

"Alright," he thought to himself. "I have to find block nine, cell one." Edward moved about the prison in a brisk and steady pace. Each of the cells within the compound was not your average cell with tamper tested bars, or security fiber glass. Instead, as a barrier to keep the prisoner confined in the cell, a red energy field was used. The glowing shields of each cell barrier gave out such a strange glow that it seemed the entire interior was painted crimson. Each cell was brightly illuminated with white lights preventing many of the prisoners from sleeping. Thus, as Ed passed some of the cells, the prisoners from the present world looked almost ghostly and pale in appearance due to deprivation of rest.

"Look at these people." Fullmetal thought to himself. "They look like phantoms." The people didn't bother to look up at Edward. They just didn't have the energy. Immediately, Edward became concerned with Winry, fearing that she might be found in the same condition. "I hope Winry is alright." Ed looked at each cell thoroughly, observing the characteristics and features of the confinement spaces. A solitary number was white washed above each cell, identifying the cell for each block. He then happened to look down to a series of panels along the hall, one on the right side of each cell. There was a red and a green button, perhaps to indicate whether the cell was locked or not. And since all the panels displayed red lights, this became clear that that designated color stood for locked cells.

"All I have to do is look for the cell that Winry is in and then we can get out of here." Fullmetal thought to himself. "I just have to find block nine, cell one."

Fullmetal walked to the side of each corridor, hoping that no sentries were about. He looked up to find large white numbers painted on the sides of the halls. The first white number he saw was the number seven. One the opposite side of the hall, there was a number four. He then moved down the corridor to find a directory sign, displaying the location of the different cell blocks. Ed looked at the sign and found that cell block number nine was located at the other end of the building. He hastened to the end of the compound to the ninth block, at the same time watching for guards who might suddenly appear around the corner, or might be patrolling the halls.

Silently, like a specter long deceased, Edward made his way to the ninth block. He passed blocks five and eight, then crossed over another axis of two intersecting corridors and pressed against the wall of the ninth block. He looked to the corner to see the series of cells down the block. Sure enough, the first cell he came to was cell one, located at the corner he was at. Ed peered into the cell to find young Winry Rockbell sitting curled up on the bed, looking downward.

Unlike the other prisoners, Winry was still fair and healthy. She was the sweetest and most innocent thing one ever dared lay eyes upon. Slender in physique, like many young girls her age, she was of course a ravishing blond, her hair draping down to her waist line and her eyes a delicate steel blue. She was dressed in a white tank top and a black miniskirt, showing the full slender of her legs. Edward presented himself before his life long friend.

"Winry," he whispered, "Winry."

Winry looked up to find the Fullmetal standing before her. Immediately, her hopes were rekindled.

"Edward?" she uttered. She stood up from her bed and walked over to the shield. "Edward is that you?" She rubbed her eyes before realizing that it was not a figment of her imagination. Young Edward Elric was standing outside of her cell. "It is you, Ed. You came for me."

"Try to keep your voice down, Winry." Ed replied. "I'm gonna let you out of that cell." Edward made his way to the panel, ready to press the green button. But Winry stopped him before he could press the access button.

"Don't press that button, Ed." She said.

"Why not? That's the only way to open the cell, right?"

"You can't just press the button automatically. Otherwise the alarm will go off and you'll have every guard in the compound coming here. You have to deactivate the alarm first. The green light will turn on, signaling that the security system has been deactivated. Then you can open up the cell."-

"I don't need to do that. I'll just use my alchemy to…"-

"It's no use. The entire facility block is armed with sensors. The moment you create a hole in the wall, the alarms will go off. I've seen it happen. The minute the alarm goes off, the guards from all around the compound will swarm in here like locusts."-

"So what, I can take on all the guards. I'll just use my alchemy to fend them off."-

"Are you really willing to take that chance?"-

Edward then recalled the strength he encountered when battling Cunla and how he had trouble trying to maintain equal strength with him. He then recollected on how he was ambushed by Scimitar's two soldiers and that the soldiers in the compound might do the same to him as they did before. Ed clutched his fist. Perhaps he was being too brash and too bold for his own good, to take such a reckless action in an unknown area.

"Where do I shut off the alarm system?" he asked.

"You have to deactivate the alarm from the main cell control room located at cell block one."-

"Are you sure?"-

"I saw how they take prisoners in and out of the cells before they put me in here. There should be a series of deactivation switches on the wall. Press the switch that has this cell and block number."-

"Right, don't go away." He quickly scurried towards block one, "Of all the times to have a time limit."

Fullmetal made sure to keep an eye out for any guards as he made his way down the hall towards the first block. Fortunately, for Edward, only one guard was on duty and he was stationed in the main cell control room. It took no more than forty-five seconds for him to reach the control room at the first cell block. Fullmetal peered into the room to find the guard sat at his desk, writing up paper work. He stood next to the door and clapped his hands together. He transformed his automail arm into a metal baseball bat. He then made whispering beckons, trying to catch the guard's attention. The guard heard the calls coming from outside. He stood up from his desk and peeped out. The moment he did, he happened to see Edward Elric standing next to the door and the incoming bat. There was a loud clang and the soldier fell to the ground with a red streak across his face where the bat struck him and several teeth missing. The guard fell backward and into his chair unconscious with little birds hovering over his head.

"Sorry pal." Edward said as he walked into the control room. He turned the guard's chair to make it look like he fell asleep on the job. He then looked to the side of the wall opposite the door and sure enough there were long brass columns of switches. There were nine columns altogether, each one representing a separate block, so there were nine blocks altogether. Edward scaled the ninth column and pressed the switch to cell one. There was a loud buzz indicating that the alarm was deactivated. Ed scurried back down the halls to the ninth block, back to Winry's cell. The moment he looked at the status lights as the side of the cell, he noticed that the light had switched from red button to green button. He pressed the button and instantly, the red energy shield diminished.

"Winry…" Ed said.

"Edward…" Winry replied. She ran over to him and him to her and embraced each other tightly. "I'm so glad to see you."

"Me too…" Ed said. They looked into each other's eyes. Winry looked around.

"Where's Alphonse?"-

"He's being rescued as we speak, if not already rescued."-

"But how did you find me anyway? I thought they were keeping my location a secret?"-

"We can discuss this later. Right now I'm on a time limit and I'm reaching the overdue point." Ed grabbed Winry firmly by the wrist and began to lead her to the designated area where he first entered the compound and a brisk pace.

"Where are we going, Ed? The exit's that way."-

"I know. And it's being heavily guarded by soldiers." The two eventually reached the spot where they'd make their escape. "Now stand back and hope that no sentries see us." Ed clapped his hands and secured them on the wall. There was an electrical surge and a makeshift hole was made on the wall.

"I'm surprised that there weren't sensors on the outer wall." Winry said.

"I guess that explains why there are guards patrolling outside the prison, but not inside the prison itself." Edward added. "They concentrated full automated security for the inside of the compound only. I guess they never figured on anyone using alchemy to make a hole in the wall like this." Ed poked his head out of the hold, browsing around, hoping to spot any sentries. He then happened to spot Cunla in the distance, concealed by shadow.

Cunla saw as the heads of Edward and Winry appeared from out of the darkness of the hole.

"There they are." Cunla uttered to himself. "It looks like Edward managed to rescue Miss Rockbell just in time." Cunla took another rock and threw it at the stack of drum barrels on the other side of the compound to catch the attention of the faction soldiers. Once again, there was a tumbling racket as the rock bounced off the metal surface of the barrels. The noise aroused the guards and forced them to investigate the situation.

"There it is again." One of the sentries said. The pacing guards quickly ran over to where they heard the sound. The guards at the prison doors looked on in the direction where they heard the racket. They watched as the pacing sentries ran over to the area of disturbance, not noticing Edward and Winry scurry through the shadows.

"I was wondering when you guys were going to get here." Cunla said.

"Did we cut it close?" Ed asked.

"Too close."-

"Who is this?" Winry asked.

"This is Cunla." Ed said, introducing her to the young pup. "He's the guy who'll be helping us out."

"Please to meet you at last, Miss Rockbell." Cunla replied hastily. "But we'll have to exchange kind greetings later. Right now, we got to get out of here."

"Right," Ed said. "Let's go." The three withdrew back to the area where Cunla and Edward first made their descent.

In the meantime, one of the faction officers, on his way to the prison, watched as the guards were browsing the area where Cunla threw the rock.

"I could have sworn I heard the noise around this stack of drum barrels again." One sentry said.

"I heard it too." The second sentry added. "It surely came from this direction."

"What on earth are you two doing!" the officer shouted. The guards quickly stood at attention.

"We heard a noise coming from around this area, sir." The first sentry said. "We thought it might be a…"

"You idiots, you'd attack your own shadows if they made noise. You're supposed to remain at your designated posts, not gallivanting off in pursuit of phantoms, playing the heroic lone soldier. Get you to bed. Your posts will be replenished with more experienced, more tolerant, and more disciplined soldiers. Now, away with you and stop disturbing this peaceful night, nothing remotely significant will happen here."-

"Yes sir." The two sentries replied and dismissed themselves from duty.

The officer made his way to the main gates of the prison where the two guards stood on duty, acting as aware as they could so as to avoid being lectures. The officer looked at the two sentries.

"Open the door."-

"Yes sir," the first door guard said. He activated a small switch located behind him. Instantly, the doors opened at a steady pace.

"At least there are some soldiers who know not to fool around." The officer implied. He walked into the prison compound and towards the cell control room.

"Private," he said, "You can turn in for tonight. I'll take over from here." There was no response from the soldier in the control room. Again the officer called him. "Did you hear what I said? You're relieved." There was still no response. The officer rushed towards the doorway, finding the soldier slumped in his chair, with his head upon the desk. "Sleeping on the job are we!" The officer grabbed hold of the soldier, but the soldier fell flat to the floor, still unconscious. The officer looked upon the face of young private. He had been knocked out cold, that red streak still across his face from the bat. It didn't take long for the officer to realize what had happened. He looked up at the deactivation switches of the separate cell blocks. Sure enough, he discovered that that one of the deactivation switches had been pulled. It was the alarm switch for the first cell of block nine.

"Cell one, block nine," he uttered, "But that's where we're holding Winry Rockbell." The officer quickly rushed out of the room, nearly tripping over the unconscious private. He ran over to cell one and came across what he had feared to see. The cell was open and the occupant was nowhere to be found.

"Jail break, jail break," he shouted. He quickly rushed to one of the emergency alarm buttons, which was a round red button concealed behind a thin sheet of glass. The officer didn't bother opening the little glass security door. He simply slammed his hand through the glass, breaking it and pressing red button. Immediately a loud siren was set off, bellowing in the dead of night.

Throughout the compound, hundreds of soldiers emerged from the slumbers, emerged from their feasts, emerged from their gossips and lazy smoke and drink to hear the call of the siren. Immediately, all search lights from the four towers were on searching the fenced perimeter and the interior of the prison.

"What is all this noise?" a soldier cried.

"A jail break." Another replied. "There's been a jail break!"

"Search out the escapees!" one officer ordered. Almost instantly, each soldier armed themselves and moved in pairs throughout the compound, looking for the fugitives.

Edward, Winry, and Cunla were in the midst of all the fuss, their movements still concealed by shadow. The sirens blazed out, ringing their ears.

"What's cooking, Cunla?" Ed asked.

"That'll be our heads, Ed," Cunla replied. "That's the general alarm!"

"You mean they're after us?" Winry asked.

"Who else…?" Cunla continued to run. "We have to hurry."

"Come on, Winry." Ed cried, grabbing her wrist and pulling her along. He turned to Cunla. "How did they figure out we escaped?"

"They must've tried to change shifts with the guard in charge of the cell control."-

"Oh boy…"-

"Exactly how did you take care of the guard?"-

"I just knocked him out. But he couldn't have regained consciousness that fast, not after how I pummeled him with a makeshift bat."-

"Well, whatever the reason. They already know we've escaped."-

"How far are we from the destination point?"-

"No more than a hundred feet." Cunla looked into sky where the gummi was located, hidden in the shadows, and coordinated its whereabouts with the spot they first teleported down to. It didn't take long for Cunla to spot the area, next to one of the guard houses. "There it is, not much further now."

But no sooner had Cunla uttered those words, then two of the faction soldiers, searching for them, stumbled into their path.

"Uh oh…!" Ed uttered.

"There they are!" one of the soldiers shouted. "They're here, they're here!" He raised his lance while the other soldier aimed his blaster.

"Damn it all…!" Cunla jumped up and kicked both of the soldiers down, knocking them unconscious. He landed on his feet thereafter and continued to run. But by this time, they had faction soldiers coming at them from every direction.

"Stop them!" one soldier cried.

"After them!" another shouted.

"They went that way!" said another.

"Don't let them get away!" cried another soldier.

The trio made it to the designated spot.

"Iago, Genie," Cunla shouted through the transmitter on his jacket. "Beam us up!" But for some reason, there was no response. This concerned Cunla. "Genie, Iago, over, over, come in! Beam us up!" Still there was no response.

The reason for delay was because Iago and Genie were too busy playing monopoly. Iago was the next to move, being the top hat, but he inadvertently moved into the 'go to jail' space.

"Oh man," he uttered, "I have to go to jail!"

"Oh too bad," Genie chuckled, "Just when you were on a winning streak."

"Well, that still doesn't change the fact that I have all these properties and hotels." Iago rubbed his wings together, looking at his vast empire on the board. But in the midst of their fun, the angry voice of an enraged thirteen year old roared out over the intercom.

"Iago, Genie," Cunla shouted, "Beam us up!"

"Beam us up?" Genie uttered.

"You idiot," Iago shouted, "How long have they been trying to call us?"

"I don't know. I was too busy purchasing parkway."-

"Never mind the game!" Iago flew to the control panel. He looked at the red and then at the green. "Ah, which one was it!" He pondered for a second before remembered what Cunla said. "Oh yeah, it was the green button."

"Oh no, no, no," Genie said. "I distinctly remember Cunla saying that it was the red button we have to press!"

"Are you that dense? The kid said it was the green button! Red means to be transported out! Green means transported in!"-

"No, I remember red being the one that beams you in and green beams you out!"-

"Iago, Genie," Cunla shouted, "Beam us up!"

By this time, many of the soldiers were starting to approach in the masses towards the trio. Cunla and Ed stood on the opposite sides of Winry, trying to protect her, fending off any faction soldiers that came too close.

"Genie, Iago," Cunla shouted, "We need you now!"

"What the heck is keeping those two!" Ed asked, using his alchemy to keep away the soldiers. "We're not gonna last here!"

"Iago, Genie, you better hurry up and get us back into the ship!"-

"We don't have time to argue!" Iago shouted. "I'm telling you it's the green button!"

"No, it's the red button." Genie said calmly, as if confident of his decision.

"It's the green one!"-

"I'm telling you its red."-

"It's the green!"-

"It's the red."-

"It's the green!"-

"Red."-

"Green!"-

"Red."-

"Green!"-

"Red."-

"Green!"-

"It's still red…"-

"Fine, we'll have it your way." Iago rushed at the button panel. "It's Green!" But Genie stopped him at the last moment.

"Nope," Genie said, "You're not fooling me with cartoon antics. I'm not a cartoon you know." He placed Iago on the teleportation platform. "And just to prove that I am right…"

"Genie, Iago," Cunla roared at the top of his lungs, "We're being surrounded! Stop goofing around and teleport us back into the ship!"

"Now watch." Genie said. He pressed the red button. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect of what he expected. Instead of Cunla and the others being transported back to the ship, Iago was teleported down to the battlefield. Iago watched himself disappear.

"Genie…!" he roared.

"Oops…" Genie uttered. It was too late, however. Iago had been transported into the middle of the chaos. He found himself surrounded by faction soldiers, with Edward and Cunla trying to battle them off.

"I'm too young to die!" he cried. He wrapped his wings around Winry's ankle. This spooked the young woman, who saw this feathery thing clutching at her leg.

"Get it off me!" she screamed, shaking her leg violently. "Get it off me!"

"Get what off of you?" Ed asked. He and Cunla looked down to see Iago losing a great deal of feathers from the shaking.

"There's something attacking my leg!"-

"Someone help me!" Iago squawked. "Where am I!"

"Iago," Cunla roared. "What the heck are you doing down here!"

"Don't blame me! It was that big blue doofus up there in the ship!"-

"I told you to press the green button!"-

"I told him that, but he insisted on pressing the red button."-

"Now what do we do!" Ed asked.

"Genie, you fathead," Cunla roared through the transmission device with a hot and enraged attitude, "You better beam us back up into the ship now, or so help me, I'll stick my hand in your ear and tear your esophagus out by the roots!"

"Oh…" Genie uttered sheepishly. "Iago was right, it was the green button. My bad…" Genie pressed the green button.

On the ground, the four disappeared from the sight of the faction soldiers.

"Where did they go?" one soldier asked.

"There's no one here." Another added.

"They must've used some teleportation technique!" an officer shouted. "Search the sky. They may have a ship hovering above somewhere."

Meanwhile, the four were teleported back to the ship. They all collapsed on each other as they stood upon the platform. Iago was still clutching onto Winry's ankle.

"Glad to see that you guys made it back." Genie said.

"You blithering idiot," Cunla shouted, "What the heck were you and Iago doing in here, taking a nap!"

"No, we were playing Monopoly."-

"We nearly died out there because you!" Ed shouted angrily.

"Never mind," Cunla said. "We're on board ship and that's all that matters!"

"Get off of me!" Winry cried, giving her leg one quick jerk, knocking off Iago from her ankle. Iago went flying into the cockpit windshield, with what was left of his feathers floating down to the control panel. He streaked down the glassy surface, with stars buzzing around his head, and as naked as a Thanksgiving Turkey.

"Well," Genie said to him as he slid down. "I guess you won't have to worry about straightening up your feathers anymore."

It was then that the hull of the ship began to rock back and forth as the sound of explosions echoed beneath its hull. Cunla looked out to find that the lookout towers had locked their search lights on them and every long range weapon on the compound were shooting at them.

"Get us out of here." Ed said.

"Right," Cunla replied, "here we go! Everyone get in a seat and hold on tight." Every member in that gummi ship threw themselves into a chair and locked themselves in, just as the gummi was starting to move. Cunla didn't bother with stealth mode. The enemy already knew where they were. But at the last moment, as a final gesture to the faction, Cunla turned the ship around for one last run. Despite the bullets and shells and beams attempting to strike at them, he was willing to risk the danger. He set up the protective shield. "It's just one last run then."

"Are you crazy!" Ed cried. "You're actually going to fly straight over the camp!"

"I'm going to knock out the communication system and the supply warehouse. We can't afford to have this facility raise troops or send out messages to any outside source." Cunla began his run.

"Cunla…!" Everyone cried in unison as they watched themselves draw nearer and nearer towards the faction outpost with every gun in the facility aiming and firing at them.

"Give my regards to His Excellency." Cunla uttered to himself. With that, he fired the main cannons and two homing missiles into the compound. While the beam cannon fired at the guardhouse with the transmitting station inside of it, distinguished by its large receptor built high above the guardhouse itself, the two missiles rammed themselves into the supply warehouse, where spare weapons, fuel, ammunition, and rations were stored. There were two massive explosions killing and wounding many of the soldiers and forcing the survivors to scatter. The night was filled with light and for a moment or so the entire realm of the black sands was illuminated by the light given off by the explosion.

"Whew…" Cunla sighed. "That was intense. And I still got it." But suddenly he felt the form of a fist smack him across the head. The poor pup developed a bump on the back of his cranium.

"What the heck were you trying to do!" Edward shouted, his face all contorted and his teeth sharp. "We're you trying to get us killed!"

"What was that for!" Cunla replied, angrily.

"You reckless little twerp, you could have killed us all!"-

"Who are you calling a twerp, you bean sprout!"-

"What did you say!" Ed wrapped his fingers around Cunla's throat and began to shake him violently. "Don't you ever call me a bean sprout again!"

"It's true isn't it? What did you want me to do lie?" Ed didn't let go of his neck. "Stop…choking me!"

"Why you little…!"-

"Stop it! Get off of me!"-

"Ed," Winry shouted, smacking upside the head, "Stop choking him!"

"Hey, what was that for?" Ed roared.

"You're being reckless!"-

"I'm reckless! He's the one who's reckless!"-

"Well, if you kill him, who the heck's gonna fly this thing!"-

"Oh…" Ed released his fingers from around Cunla's throat.

"We've managed to get out of that hell hole alive. Let's not ruin it for everyone."-

"Yeah you're right." Ed turned to Cunla. "Sorry, Cunla, I just got a little temperamental."

"Yeah," Cunla replied, "Ninety five percent temperament, five percent mental…"

Ed wondered if he should have taken that for an insult, but when he saw Cunla turn around and smile at him, he realized that the kid was only trying to lighten the mood, saying that it was alright.

"If I were you in your shoes though," Cunla uttered, "I would have done the same thing. But then again, I couldn't just let my emotions get the better of me. I had to destroy the supply warehouse and the transmission station, so that messages couldn't be relayed or received and there wouldn't be enough supplies to plan a retaliatory strike." There was a silence in the cockpit. "We took a subtle approach and tried to rescue Winry using a stealth strategy. I wanted to initiate an attack that would not senselessly take so many lives. Even though they are the enemy, they were all once my comrades, me friends and allies. They have families too. Sometimes, I feel bad for leaving the faction, but I do not regret turning against them. Still, I would like to see this conflict end without having to result in total genocide." Cunla looked down. "I guess that's why my father changed my geise, so that I wouldn't have to live the life of a warrior and further taint my hands of innocent blood. I remember that night in Traverse Town when he told me not to mindlessly kill whoever opposes me. He told me that his hands were so stained with blood that he could never hope to repent for all the sins he committed and all the lives that he took. He had killed relentlessly, but he didn't want to pass such a bloodstained legacy to me. He's trying to protect me, trying to not accustom me to such scenes of bloodshed. But I guess, compared to my father's acts of death, mine are mild in taste."

"Cunla…" Ed uttered. He placed his hand upon the boy's shoulder. Cunla looked up at Ed and smiled.

"I just hope that my father and the others are having just as much good luck as we are."-

At the same time as Sora and Riku were battling against General Scimitar in the cave of wonders and when Cunla and Fullmetal liberated young Winry Rockbell from her prison, Colonel Ophelia Billiard and Cuchulain, along with Aladdin, Carpet, and Abu, made their assault on the coastal faction prison. But unlike Cunla's strategy, which was to penetrate behind enemy lines unseen to save their comrade, Cuchulain's was exactly the opposite. He initiated a sneak attack on the compound itself, hoping to scatter the faction soldiers into disarray. With the gummi ship's anti-cloaking system activated, the team was able to charge at the faction base without being detected.

Colonel Billiard was at the helm, locking onto the target.

"We're within ten miles of the base." She said. "We're making ready to descend and initiate the attack."

"Very good," Cuchulain said. "Then prepare to engage. Set targets on the supply warehouse and the transmission and radar facilities."

"Right…" Ophelia locked on to the targets. "Targets in range, we'll be reaching the airspace over the facility in T minus twenty seconds."

"Aladdin, I suggest you hold on. We're going into action."-

"Right…" Aladdin replied. He buckled himself into the seat and held on tight. In the meantime, Cuchulain activated the funnel emitters, and set them to target the look out towers.

"Donald certainly put a lot of effort into upgrading these gummies." Cuchulain said. "Funnel emitter system, anti-cloaking system, and upgraded beam cannons and laser guns, front and rear. It must have cost the alliance a great deal."

"They sound like intense weapons," Ophelia said, "But let's see how well they back up their reputation on the battlefield." The former faction colonel kept the ship steady, approaching from the night sky like a bat upon an insect. "Will commence attack in T minus ten seconds. T minus eight, seven, six," the ship increased in speed, its energy levels starting to raise, "Five, four, three, two, one!"

"Fire…!" Cuchulain shouted. With that single command, the little gummi blasted away all of its weaponry. The beam cannons aimed for the radar and transmission station and blew them, bellowing a large ball of fire that lifted high into the sky. Then she aimed and fired at the supply warehouse, destroying almost all the weaponry and rations stored there. The explosives within the compound ignited and the explosion bellowed into the night sky over a mile up, illuminating the entire coast as if it were day time.

The faction was caught completely by surprise. The two hundred or so men, who were on guard, were overwhelmed by the attack. Many of those closest to the explosions were blown away entirely. The explosion took out have of the guard houses on one side of the compound and half of the sleeping quarters. Half of the fence perimeter was demolished. In the meantime, Cuchulain fired away at the watch towers, crippling them at the top, or causing them to burn and collapse. Many of the soldiers, fearing of what was happening, scattered about like mindless insects in a rainstorm.

"They're scattering." Ophelia said, watching them with the night vision.

"Alright," Cuchulain said. "I'll get down there and save Alphonse Elric in the prison compound. Make sure not to hit it by accident. Only aim for the outer defenses. When I call you with my collar transmitter, keep the ship in place for at least ten seconds allowing us to board."

"Right, you can count on me." Ophelia said.

Cuchulain stood up and grabbed his Gae Bulga. He then, walked over to the rear hatch and opened it.

"I'll be back!" Cuchulain said.

"Are you crazy!" Aladdin shouted. "We must be at least six hundred feet over the base. And yet you plan on jumping off the ship?"

"Don't worry about me, Aladdin. I'm the Hound of Ulster. It'll take more than a six hundred foot fall to kill me."-

"But still…"-

"See you guys later." Cuchulain gave a salute and jumped out of the gummi.

"Hey, wait…" But it was already too late. Cuchulain had already made his descent to the factional base below. "Man, that guy is crazy."

"He might be crazy at times," Ophelia said. "But Cuchulain can take on an entire army on his own. They don't call him the Hound of Ulster for nothing."

"I should at least give him a hand."-

"Then go right ahead, Aladdin. I can take care of these punks myself. Just don't get caught in friendly fire."-

"Right," Aladdin stood from his chair, "Carpet, Abu, let's go!" Carpet and Abu quickly stood up with enthusiasm and followed Aladdin to the open hatch. Aladdin looked down at the ground six hundred feet below and cleared his gullet. "I can't believe that guy Cuchulain jumped out of the ship from this height. He must really have guts." Aladdin and Abu boarded the carpet. "Alright, Carpet, let's go!" The carpet flew out of the ship and headed towards the ground at a very high speed.

In the meantime, Ophelia continued her run, firing her laser guns to further scatter the faction soldiers. Some of the faction soldiers fired mindlessly into the air, hoping to hit the ship as it passed. But Miss Billiard was crafty, always lurking in the shadows. She eluded the base search lights and shot down at them, further limiting the faction's abilities to spot her. Projectiles and energy beams flew into the sky, exploding all around her. But nothing could deter the colonel. Her experience in battle made her as hard as a rock, never wavering in the face of adversity.

"That's right," she said, "Fire all you want, but you will never strike down the invincible Tiger of Goth!" She unleashed a hail of bullets upon the soldiers below, causing them to duck and cover, scatter, or be struck down in severe injury or death. "This is for daring to turn your back on me, daring to try and discard me once my use was depleted!"

Cuchulain on the other hand, like a cat, landed upon the concrete ground of the faction base. Soldiers were running about like mad men, confused and bewildered. Their minds were so occupied with what was going on around them that they seldom noticed Cuchulain. And even though he wore the alliance blue instead of the Imperial grey or black, in the dark, with only the fires of chaos to identify his side, the soldiers seldom paid attention to him.

"Such chaos here," Cuchulain said to himself. "We might have gone a little overboard." The Hound quickly dashed to the area where the prisoner facility was located. No soldier lifted a finger to stop him. Their minds were concerned other pressing matters, such as trying to stay alive from the relentless barrage.

Like the base Cunla and Edward had penetrated, the prison was guarded by two sentries at the front iron gates. But unlike Cunla's operation, there was already a reign of chaos erupting throughout the compound. The two guards, despite the destruction and fire raining down from the sky, they maintained their posts, though at times, they ducked and covered. They watched as their fellow soldiers ran about like fowl whose heads had been recently severed from their throats.

Just then, from out of the barrage of chaos, like a ghost accumulating from the shadows, the figure of the mighty Hound of Ulster appeared before the two guards. At a distance, he seemed only another panicked soldier. Thus, the guards never really paid attention to him. But as he drew nearer towards the door with explosions and stray lights illuminating the color of his shell jacket, the two faction soldiers realized that he was a member of the Universal Alliance. But by that time it was too late. They tardily drew their weapons just as the Hound flew straight at them. He first slammed his weight into the soldier in charge of opening and closing the iron doors. The soldier was knocked against the wall and was knocked virtually unconscious. Cuchulain then turned his attention to the other faction soldier, who raised his sword as if ready to smite him. Cuchulain threw out his leg and kicked him in the face. The guard thus fell to the ground out cold.

"Sorry, you two," Cuchulain said, "I'd love to stick around and do battle with you, but I have other matters to attend to." He flipped the switch that opened the large iron gates. He rushed in to find the same type of facility Cunla encountered. The cells had red energy barriers, they had numbers white washed above each cell to identify the confinement area. And of course, each cell was armed with a security alarm system that had to be deactivated from the main cell control room first. He happened to look to his right and there stood the little cell control room with a solitary soldier in it. The soldier rushed out. By the looks of it, he was new recruit, a mere private, no older than sixteen. He timidly peeked out.

"What's going on?" he asked. Cuchulain came in eye contact with the boy. The boy, knowing the reputation of the Hound, quickly identified who he was. "You're the Hound of Ulster."

"My reputation is strong within the faction now." Cuchulain said. The soldier quickly ran back into the room and grabbed his blaster. He charged it and made ready to fire at Cuchulain, but he changed the destructive setting to a minimum, so he would kill the Hound, but not cause any inward explosions. He thus began to fire at will against Cuchulain. But for some strange reason, none of the shots struck the warrior. Cuchulain slowly neared the nervous recruit. The youth continued to shoot at him, but with no results. Even at point blank range, the young trooper did not strike he foe. It was at that moment was within striking distance of the boy. He raised the Gae Bulga and touched the boy's throat. The boy stopped shooting and dropped his weapon. He suddenly began to cry, knowing that this was the end.

"Please, don't kill me." He uttered. "Please don't kill me, Hound."

"I'm not gonna kill you." Cuchulain said, "So long as you do not attack me from behind, your life will be spared." Cuchulain lowered his spear. "Do not speak of me being here and your life will be spared. I will remember your face. Now go and live to fight another day, or perhaps seek enlightenment to find out what it truly means to fight for a cause that's worthy."

The young soldier backed out of the room slowly, Cuchulain didn't bother to keep his guard up on the boy, but then again he didn't have to. The boy was too scared and too concerned with his own life to be picking a fight with the mighty Hound of Ulster. The young guard quickly turned and ran out of the facility. Leaving the Hound free to do whatever it was that he wanted. Cuchulain walked into the control room and looked about at the series of switches for the different blocks. He looked carefully for the particular block and cell where young Alphonse Elric was being held.

"Let's see," Cuchulain thought to himself. "As I recall, Alphonse Elric is located on block four, cell twelve." He looked at all the cell deactivation switches on the column marked block four and happened to gaze upon cell number twelve. He pressed the switch and there was a low buzz, indicating that the alarm system had been deactivated. Cuchulain then rushed to the fourth block and searched for cell twelve. "Now, Alphonse Elric shouldn't be too far away." He counted down the cell numbers starting from one. He continued on until his hit cell number twelve.

"This is it." Cuchulain said. But as he peered into the cell, there was no one there. The only thing that was present in the cell was a bed, a sink, a toilet, and a rusty old suit of armor standing in the middle of the room, which was rather unusual décor for a prison cell. Cuchulain was left bewildered. He opened up the cell and walked in. "Alphonse, Alphonse Elric?"

"Yes?" a voice replied. It sounded like the voice of a young boy, a child more like. Cuchulain looked about the cell, but there was no boy to be seen.

"Where are you?"-

"Who are you?" the voice asked.

"I'm Cuchulain; I'm here to get you out of here."-

"Did my brother send you?"-

"I'm of the Universal Alliance and yes I know you're brother, the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric. Now could you please stop hiding? We have to get out of here."-

"I'm not hiding. I'm right here."-

"Where?"-

"Right in front of you."-

Cuchulain looked in front of him, but he only saw the armored suit in front of him.

"I don't see you, kid. Where are you?" he asked.

"Right in front of you as I said." The voice replied. Cuchulain saw no one in front of him except for the armor.

"Where, behind the armor?"-

"I am the armor."-

"What!" Cuchulain was stunned. He examined closely at the armor. The armor began to move. "Are you Alphonse Elric?"

"I told you that already."-

"Of course you did. I just wasn't expecting you to be in a suit of armor." The Hound knocked at the empty shell. "You're hollow."

"That's right."-

"Are you some kind of ghost?"-

"You might say that. I lost my body when my brother and I tried to resurrect our mom and nearly lost my soul as well. But my brother used his own blood to attach my soul to this suit of armor." Alphonse took of the helmet and revealed the blood seal at the armor's collar.

"I see. He used the iron in his blood to attach you to the armor. I guess that explains why you have the voice of a young child, despite being in a rather large piece of hardware. For a minute I was wondering why they called you the younger Elric brother. You're much larger than Edward is." Cuchulain turned away. "Well, let's get out of here while we still can."

"Right…"-

Cuchulain and Alphonse quickly scurried out of the cell and down the hall. But as they did, they found themselves confronted by at least twenty faction soldiers, armed and ready for combat.

"There they are!" the officer in charge of the troops shouted. "Kill them!"

"Great," Cuchulain said. "More trouble." He turned to Alphonse. "I hope you know how to fight, kid."

"Of course I know how to fight." Alphonse replied. "I've trained with my brother countless times and he's never beaten me once."

"I'm glad to hear that." Cuchulain drew out the Gae Bulga and prepared to engage. The soldiers slammed full force against the two, but with one swipe of his spear, the Hound managed to knock down ten of the guards with ease, giving them only minor wounds in the process. Alphonse on the other hand grappled the faction soldiers who tried to cut at him with their blades. But being a hollow suit of armor, there were no visible weak points to strike. Alphonse beat the soldiers into submission, knocking them away like rag dolls.

"Sorry," he said, "I didn't mean to be so rough."

"You iron behemoth!" one soldier shouted, raising his sword. "I'll slice you in half!" He came at Alphonse, but the boy simply raised his hand and broke the blade of the sword. As the battle went on, some of the prisoners who were witnesses to the confrontation began to cheer and holler for the Hound and the young Elric.

"That's it, let them have it!" one prisoner shouted.

"Give it to them!" another prisoner cried.

Within seconds, the soldiers were all down on the ground. Many of them wounded, while others were rendered unconscious. The prisoners in their cells still continued to cheer, though they seldom knew what was going on.

"That was easy enough." Cuchulain said. "And I didn't even break a sweat."

"Me either." Alphonse replied. "Of course, I can't really sweat, being a suit of armor and all."

"Let's get out of here. I bet your brother and Winry will be happy to see you."-

"You mean they rescued Winry too?"-

"Most likely, your brother and my son, Cunla, are in charge of that mission. So they had to be successful without a doubt." Cuchulain began heading towards the exit.

"What about the prisoners who are still here?" Alphonse asked.

"Well…" Cuchulain knew that it would best to save the prisoners. Many of them could have been civilians from the present world who were apprehended for suspicion of conspiring against the faction. But Cuchulain refused to release them. "I think it would be safer for them to remain in their cells. Otherwise, if we release them, it's most likely that they'd be killed by the faction soldiers."

"I guess you're right."-

"Let's get going."-

The two ran down the hall, despite the protests of the prisoners wanting to be released, and out amidst the chaos of the battle. All around them, soldiers were taking cover and running about, fearing that they'd be bombed or shot. But unlike before, when chaos was raining everywhere in a mindless display, some of the soldiers did take notice of Cuchulain and Alphonse walking out of the prison.

"Hey," one of the soldiers cried, "One of the prisoners is escaping! And he has an accomplice!"

"Oh boy," Cuchulain uttered, "They're onto us!"

"Get them!" another soldier shouted. At least third of the soldiers nearby heard the call and saw the two prisoners escaping. They picked up their weapons and charged towards them.

"Let's not try to kill anyone." Cuchulain said. "Enough blood has been shed already."

"Right…" Alphonse said.

"Kill them!" the soldiers shouted as they rushed head on into the fray. Once again battle commenced and Cuchulain and Alphonse did their best to fight the soldiers, but at least knock them out of commission, or wound them lightly. But fulfilling such a task was not easy and the faction troopers began to push the Hound and young Elric back into the prison.

"This is not going very well is it?" Alphonse said.

"We have no choice." Cuchulain said. "Remember, how I said not to release the prisoners?"

"Yeah…?"-

"Release them."-

"But I thought you told me not to."-

"Well, I'm sure that those prisoners will think differently. They want revenge even more than their freedom."-

"How do you know that?"-

"I don't know, I'm simply guessing. But if they really have the heart to strike back at the faction, then they'll attack whether they're armed or not."

"Alright…"-

"I hold them off." Cuchulain said as he pushed two more guards away. "You go back into that jail and press the main cell release button. That should automatically open up all the cells.

"Give me thirty seconds at the most." Alphonse uttered.

"I got your back."-

Alphonse rushed back into the prison while Erin's champion continued to battle long and hard, wounding as many as he could. Many of the other soldiers saw what was going on and quickly joined the fray.

"Man," Cuchulain grumbled, "For weaklings, you sure are persistent little buggers, aren't you."

"Kill him!" a faction officer shouted. "Don't let up."

The faction's troops jabbed ad sliced with their swords and blades, while others tried to take careful aim with the blasters. But though they were condensed and had the Hound outnumbered fifty to one, Cuchulain held them off as if he were a virtual character in a video game.

"We've had enough of this!" several of the soldiers ran forward with their blasters armed. The minute Cuchulain saw the blasters pointed at him, he ceased his fighting.

"Now, now, gentlemen," he said, "Must we have to come to such a violent conclusion. I don't want to kill anyone here."

"Is that so?" a soldier said, in a rather sarcastic tone.

"Of course not," Cuchulain thumbed behind him. "That's their job."

Suddenly, from out of the darkness of the prison, dozens of angered prisoners rushed at the unsuspecting troopers, with Alphonse leading the way. The prisoners jumped on top of the soldiers, many of them being killed and wounded from thrusting and slicing weapons. The soldier aimed their blasters, but the Hound rushed forth and wounded them as well. There was terrible violence as the troopers were being overwhelmed by the angry prisoners. The prisoners spread throughout the compound, rushing at and subduing, if not killing every faction soldier they came across. Of course, the prisoners too suffered a great deal of casualties.

By this time, Aladdin, Abu, and Carpet descended in front of the prison. He looked around and the terrific chaos that erupted in front of him.

"I see you guys have everything under control." He said.

"Aladdin," Cuchulain implied, "Let's get back to the gummi ship."

"Right," Aladdin then happened to look at the Alphonse. "Is that Ed's younger brother?"

"That's him alright."-

"I'm Alphonse Elric." Alphonse replied. "But you can call me Al if you want."

"You're nicknamed Al?" Aladdin asked. "I'm nicknamed Al too? I'm Aladdin."-

"What a coincidence."-

"You have to be at least twice as tall as your brother though. It's hard to believe that you're the youngest."-

"He can tell you all about why he's like that on the gummi ship." Cuchulain said. "In the meantime, let's get back to the gummi."

"Right…!"-

"Miss Billiard," Cuchulain contacted the gummi from his collar transmission, "We're taking the carpet back to the gummi. Prepare for boarding."

"Right…" Ophelia replied. She maneuvered the gummi high over the prison facility where the faction guns couldn't get at her. "I'm stationed over the prison. You have ten seconds."

"Acknowledged," Cuchulain ended the transmission. "Alright you guys, on the carpet! We're heading out!"

"Gotcha…" Aladdin said. He and Abu boarded the carpet amidst the battle as casually as if he were safe at the palace.

"Get on, Alphonse."-

"Uh…" he hesitated. "A flying carpet…?"-

"Don't worry, kid." Aladdin chuckled. "Carpet is perfectly stable. You can trust him with your life."-

"But do you think this flying carpet can sustain my weight? I am a suit of armor after all."-

"There's only one way to find out." Cuchulain said, pushing Alphonse onto the carpet. He jumped on the blue tapestry himself. "Alright, Aladdin, get us out of here."

"Let's go carpet!" Aladdin said. The carpet obeyed and rushed up to the gummi ship. Alphonse, not at all accustomed to such an experience, clutched tightly onto the fabric of the carpet for dear life. It took only a few seconds before they reached the hull of the gummi ship and were safe in the storage area. Alphonse was still grasping at the carpet.

"Here we are." Cuchulain said. "You can let go of the carpet now, Alphonse."

Alphonse looked around and realized that he was safe in the gummi, with the iron floor beneath him.

"Mission accomplished." Ophelia said from the cockpit.

"Great," Aladdin said. "Now let's get out of here and back to the place where we're supposed to meet the others."

"Right, then you better all get in here and buckle up." The team headed for the cockpit, all except Cuchulain, who seemed to have some kind of concern biting at the back of his head.

"Are you coming, Cuchulain?" Aladdin asked.

"Miss Billiard," Cuchulain uttered, "I want you to get the others back to the designated meeting place without me."

"What?" Ophelia asked. "But why?"

"What's up?" Aladdin asked.

"I have to do something." Cuchulain said. "I have to get to the cave of wonders."

"But why so soon?" Ophelia asked. "We're headed that way as soon as we meet up with Cunla and Fullmetal."

"I know, but there's something that has been nagging at me for some time, a thought at the back of my head, a question that needs answering. Besides," Cuchulain sensed the energy accumulating from afar. "Sora and Riku need assistance right now."

"Then we'll come with you." Aladdin said.

"No," Cuchulain said, "You have a mission to fulfill and that's get Alphonse back to his brother and Miss Winry."

"I won't argue with you then." Ophelia said with a sigh. "If it's extremely important, then I trust your judgment."

"Thanks," Cuchulain turned to Aladdin. "You mind if I take the carpet with me?"

"Go right ahead." Aladdin replied. "If Miss Billiard puts so much faith in your intensions, then I'll be as equally faithful."

"Thanks, Al." Cuchulain turned to carpet. "Let's go." The carpet flattened itself out just out of the ship's hull. Cuchulain stepped aboard. He turned to his friends. "You guys take care of each other."

"We will. Good luck."-

Cuchulain gave a thumb's up and he and carpet flew off in the direction where the cave of wonders was at.

"There he goes." Alphonse said.

"Yep," Aladdin replied. He turned to the giant suit of armor. "Well, he has his mission and we have ours. Let's get you back to your brother, kid."

"Right…"-

"Miss Billiard, let's get going."-

"Roger that."-

Aladdin, Alphonse, and Abu sat in their seats and buckled themselves in. The gummi's rockets ignited and off it went to unite young Alphonse with his brother and Winry, leaving the faction prison in utter ruin and at the mercy of the liberated prisoners. The coastal faction had fallen within less than half an hour.

As Ophelia went one way, Cuchulain and Carpet headed the other way.

"To the cave of wonders as fast as you can carpet," Cuchulain said. "We have to hurry." The carpet increased its speed to its maximum. Cuchulain, not at all scared, stood upon the carpet instead of crouching down on it. His mind was filled with questions, questions regarding General Scimitar who battled against Sora and Riku at that same moment. Her facer, her aura, they seemed so familiar to Cuchulain. The thought ate at his mind till his cranium hurt.

"It's without a doubt," the Hound thought to himself. "That fiery look, that aura, the intensity in her eyes." The emerald green eyes of the Blade General passed through his mind, embedding itself in his memories like a hot branding iron. "Even in the darkness of the night, such heavy shadows can't extinguish her flame or cover her face, the face of a true warrior. Could it be her? Could it be? It has to be. It has to. No such feeling diminishes so easily, even after years of idle speculation." Events of Cuchulain's past flashed simultaneously in his mind within a range of a few seconds. "And if she is that one woman, I fear not even Riku and Sora can stand against her, even if they were to fuse and use their combined strengths to their utmost extent." Cuchulain continued into the night, as fast as he could.

Things were quiet at the palace now, though Agrabah was still under constant guard. It was almost ten o'clock and many of the guards grew weary. Jasmine had once again dressed back into her causal wear, the wardrobe of a princess and sat down upon pillows on her bed, with her faithful tiger, Rajah next to her. The sultan walked in, fixing his coat and getting back into his casual wear as well.

"It feels nice to get that battle armor off for a while." He said. "At least things have quieted down." He then happened to gaze at his daughter. He walked up to Jasmine. "Why Jasmine, my child, why do you look so depressed?"

"Oh father," Jasmine uttered, "I'm worried about Aladdin and the others. I have this nagging feeling that something is wrong, that something is out of place."

"I understand what you mean." The sultan uttered. "But you must have faith in that boy. He can do anything. He can even make the impossible possible."

"I guess you're right."-

"Besides, he has the key bearers and their comrades to aid him too." The sultan put his hand on Jasmine's shoulder. "Now my dear, you must keep faith and Allah will protect them. And soon these faction barbarians will be driven back to wherever it is they came from."

"Thank you, father." Jasmine embraced her father. The sultan hugged his daughter.

"Now, now, no more tears for tonight." The sultan wiped away his daughter's tears. "Perk up, Jasmine, as of tomorrow, peace would have been restored to Agrabah."

"Yes…"-

The sultan smiled and walked out of the room giving Jasmine her privacy.

"My father has a point, Rajah." Jasmine uttered silently. "I must have faith in Aladdin and the others. They'll be back. They'll come back to us."

But little did they realize how grave the situation at the palace actually was. As the sultan walked through to the grand hall, he saw all of the guards, posted around the palace, lying upon the ground unconscious or dead. The sultan was taken completely off guard.

"What's all this?" he uttered.

Suddenly, something grabbed him from behind, gagging him. Then there was a sharpened weapon raised at his throat. It seemed that at that moment, the sultan's life would end until…

"Hold," a voice uttered, "We may need him for a higher purpose."

Before the sultan, a group of familiar faces appeared before him. It was the entire KH team. And the one who confronted was none other than his own son-in-law, Aladdin. For some reason, however, the faces of the KH team were different. They seemed darker and soulless as if they had been manipulated by evil.

"So nice to see you again, sultan," Aladdin said, "Going back to your royal lounging while we break our backs saving this world are we?"

"Aladdin…" the sultan uttered in a muffled cry.

"I think its time for a little change of rule. You are being dethroned."-

"I'm what?"-

"You've been sultan for long enough. I believe it's my turn now to ascend the throne and become the new sultan." Aladdin turned to Riku and Sora. "Take him away."

The two key bearers picked up the sultan and dragged him away.

"Aladdin," Sultan cried, "How could you betray me!"

"Very easily…" Aladdin chuckled. "I just bided my time, waiting for the right opportunity to strike." The key bearers dragged the sultan off.

"You'll regret this, Aladdin!" the sultan shouted. "You'll regret this!"

"Now," the dark prince uttered, "to pay a visit to a certain little lady." Aladdin walked down the corridor with pride as if he were a certified prince from birth.

By this time, Jasmine and Rajah had been standing out on the balcony overlooking the gardens. She sighed, gazing up at the starry night.

"Aladdin," she uttered, "Come back to me as soon as you can. I have wonderful news to tell you. I just wanted to keep it secret until the time was right." Jasmine placed her right hand upon her stomach. "It seems we'll be having a new addition to the family.

"Is that so?" a voice uttered from behind. Jasmine turned around and saw her husband standing just a few feet away from her, dressed in his princely outfit. Aladdin had this smile on his face.

"Aladdin…?" Jasmine uttered.

"The one and only."-

"Did you hear what I said?"-

"Of course not, I didn't pick up that last part about how there was going to be an addition to the family."-

"I wanted to tell you for the past couple of weeks, but I thought I'd save it for a moment like this."-

"I see." Aladdin slowly approached her.

Though Jasmine was thrilled to see him and was awaiting him to embrace her, Rajah on the other hand was not as ecstatic to welcome the prince. The tiger began to growl aggressively all of a sudden.

"Rajah," Jasmine scolded, "That's no way to treat Aladdin, you know that!"

But the tiger continued to growl, not heeding Jasmine's words, and crouched as if ready to pounce. But Jasmine stood in front of Rajah, blocking her path to strike.

"Stop it Rajah!" Jasmine shouted. "Stop it!"

"That tiger of yours has lost her mind." Aladdin said.

"I don't know what's gotten into her. She usually gets along with you very well."-

"Perhaps I've intruded at a bad time."-

"It's not that. Rajah only acts like this when…" Jasmine suddenly stopped mid sentence.

"Only acts like that when…?" Aladdin asked.

Jasmine turned to towards Aladdin. There was a sudden change of mood, a sudden change of expression on her face.

"What is it?" Aladdin asked.

"Tell me Aladdin," Jasmine uttered, "Why isn't your parrot friend, Abu, accompanying you."

"Well, you know Abu," Aladdin shrugged his shoulders, "He's always shedding feathers."

"Yeah, those fluffy blue and yellow feathers."-

"Yeah, of course."

"I knew it." Jasmine stepped to the side, allowing Rajah to suddenly pounce on the prince. Aladdin was nearly crushed by the big paws and the heavy weight of the tiger.

"What are you doing, Jasmine!" Aladdin uttered. "Is this how you treat your husband?"

"No, I wouldn't treat my husband like this, not my real husband anyway."-

"What do you mean your real husband? I am you real husband."-

"Don't try to fool me. I know that you're not really Aladdin."-

"And how would you know?"-

"For one thing, Rajah always gets along with Aladdin just as much as she gets along with me. She would never growl at Aladdin. Rajah only growls when I'm in danger, or when there's a stranger about. Nothing can fool her senses."-

"Is that so?"-

"Yes that's so. Also, when I asked you about Abu the parrot and his blue and yellow feathers, that was a lie too. Abu is the name of Aladdin's monkey partner, while Iago is the name of the parrot. And Iago's feathers aren't blue and yellow, they're red and green. The real Aladdin would have known that off the bat. This only indicates to me that you are an imposter." Jasmine looked at the Aladdin. "Tell me, who are you really!"

"Oh, was my identity really that obvious?" Suddenly, with one strike to the chest, the fake Aladdin knocked Rajah off of him. The Tiger went flying into the air and descended upon the edge of the balcony. Rajah landed just inside the railing and lay motionless on the ground.

"Rajah…!" Jasmine cried.

"I guess my disguise didn't fool you one bit." Aladdin said. He stood up and began to walk towards Jasmine. The princess rushed forward and tried to knock her fake husband off his feet, but the agile imposter was quick to evade, leaping over her head and landing opposite her. "Now, now, that's no way to treat your husband."

"You're not my husband! You're not Aladdin!"-

"Now that really hurt."-

Jasmine ran back into her room and retrieved her sword. But as she turned to face Aladdin, the fake prince grabbed hold of her hand that wielded the sword.

"Let go!" she cried.

"Don't try to resist." The fake Aladdin chuckled. "It'll ease your suffering a lot more."

"I said let go!" Jasmine kicked Aladdin in the gut and swiped her sword. The edge of the sword suddenly cut the throat of the imposter and he fell to the ground with grate spurts of blood gushing from the wound in his severed neck. Jasmine looked away at the grotesque sight, dropping her sword to cover her eyes. She later glanced at the damage she inflicted and saw the imposter laying on the ground, still twitching. The princess turned and walked away. "I'm sorry…"

"Now, now," the voice of the imposter uttered. "That's no way to treat someone, cutting their throat like that"

Jasmine turned to find the imposter standing back up on his own two feet, his throat healed. This scared Jasmine for one thing. It was impossible for someone to survive a throat cut and stand back up as if nothing had happened. She tried to run, but as she did, she was confronted by the key bearers and the rest of the KH team.

"Riku, Sora," she cried, "There's an imposter disguised as Aladdin."

"We know." Sora replied.

"We were wondering when you were going to figure that out." Riku added.

"What's wrong with you?" Jasmine uttered.

"What's wrong with them?" the imposter uttered. "They're with me." The two key bearers grabbed hold of Jasmine and locked her arms behind her. They then faced her towards the imposter. "I must admit princess. You were a lot harder to fool than your father. He fell for my little disguise lock, stock, and barrel."

Suddenly, the imposter transformed from Aladdin to some other individual. The figure emerging had skin that was a white and pale as snow. He was a youth no older than sixteen, well built in muscular tone. Atop his head were long strands of hair draping down as far as his waste. Like spider legs, or daggers, these dread locks hung, reflecting raven black. His eyes were a color that matched his hair, the irises as dark as a dolls, soulless and foreboding. His wardrobe was rather bare, wearing a sleeveless, black spandex, top that stopped at his upper rib cage. He wore black spandex shorts, covered by a gothic black loincloth. On his arms were black bands tightly fit around his flesh, from mid forearm to middle palm. The same with the ankle warmers that extended from his middle shin to the heel. Branded on his left leg was the seal of an alchemist, or a being created from alchemy. He was the being of legend, an alchemic creature with superhuman powers and eternal youth, but no soul, a homunculus.

"Who are you?" Jasmine uttered.

"I am merely a young man without an identity." The imposter chuckled. "I have gone by so many names. I've been everyone from higher ups and royalty to the lowliest of peasants. But many know me as Envy."

"Envy…"-

"That's right."-

"Are you a member of the faction?"-

"You might say that?" Envy flipped a strand of hair from the front of his face. "Actually, I'm here because I was promised the opportunity of disposing with a certain alchemist about so high?" Envy mocked the size he indicated, giving it a small height.

"Are you talking about that alchemist Edward Elric?" Jasmine asked.

"So I take it that you know the Fullmetal pipsqueak. Excellent, my time of vengeance will be coming soon enough." Envy looked at the KH team. "You can take the princess away. We've fulfilled out mission here."

"The key bearers," Jasmine uttered, "They're not real either are they."

"And to think that you didn't have to second guess on that bit of information." Envy chuckled. The key bearers and the KH team suddenly transformed into mumluks, groaning and moaning as they carrier her away. "Don't worry, princess, you won't be alone. You'll have your father to keep you company."

"My father…? What did you do to him?"-

"Don't worry, we didn't hurt him. Although he wasn't as smart enough to see through our deception as you were."-

"You monster!"-

"Have both of them gagged and tied and sent straight to the mother ship's confinement area." The mumluks tied a black band around Jasmine's mouth, muffling her cries. "I don't want to have them prattling all the way back to our headquarters."

Just then, from out of nowhere, black sand began to crawl into the palace like a serpent. It presented itself before the homunculus. Envy saw the sand approaching him at the corner of his eye. The sand began to manifest itself into the shape of a human. Within seconds, the figure of Lord Mozenrath appeared, a perfect clone created.

"Well, what do you want?" Envy uttered.

"I take it that you managed to complete your mission here?" Mozenrath asked.

"It was easier than I expected. Those fools fell for my disguise. All except the princess though. She was a little tougher to convince. Oh, well…"-

"I take it that you apprehended her without a scratch?"-

"Of course," Envy put his hands to his sides and smirked. "Both the little lady and her overweight father have been captured; as well as a conceived little one, or so the princess told me."

"Is that so? That information might actually prove useful to us then."-

"Also, we've cleaned out the sultan's treasure room as instructed. We're heading out now."-

"Very good," Mozenrath chuckled. "Then all is going according to schedule."

"Now that I have fulfilled my mission, can I eliminate the Fullmetal pipsqueak and that rusty tin can of a brother of his?"-

"Not so fast, not so fast, you have yet another mission to fulfill."-

"What, another mission!" The present declaration given by Mozenrath was not so easily accepted by Envy. "But I want to take care of that bastard's sons now!"

"In due time, Envy, but General Saber wants you to wait at the ship for him until he returns from his own operations."-

"Are you trying to delay me! I want to kill the Elric brothers and do away with that bastard's legacy! That'll teach him for tossing me aside like trash and make way for those little do-gooders!"-

"If you have complaints, Envy, take it up with General Saber."-

"Believe me, I will." Envy turned and stormed out of the palace in pursuit of the mumluks. With the end of the meeting, the figure of Mozenrath vanished from sight and the black sands diminished just as quickly as they appeared.

Mozenrath had been outside of the city the whole time watching as Envy's detachment withdrew from Agrabah.

"It won't be long now." He uttered.

"Boy was easily fooled." Xerxes chuckled.

"Yes he was." Mozenrath pondered at the situation. "This is quite complicated in the making. Envy's only goal is to kill Edward Elric, but little does he realize that the Fullmetal Alchemist has already met his demise at the hands of the faction. And what makes this situation even more splendid in its making is that Envy never realized that Fullmetal was aiding us all this time."

"Now it's up to us."-

"Yes, my pet. Soon, it will be our turn to leave our mark on the city of Agrabah. Soon, the most powerful source of magic will be in my hands."-

Meanwhile, over the sands expanding between the cave of wonders and the mother ship, Donald and Goofy had encountered the convoy of twenty transports scurrying across the desert sands. Like a pesky fly over a meal, the gummi fired away, trying to destroy the faction transports, while at the same time, trying to evade the incoming shells that were being fired at them by the remaining gatler tanks. Already Donald managed to take down five of the transports and at least one gatler, but the transports struck were empty ones.

"They must've had to leave in a hurry didn't they?" Donald said.

"Be careful, Donald," Goofy said. "Them tanks are still firing at us."

"I understand that."-

Just then, two transmitted messages came into the cockpit.

"This is Cunla, this is Cunla," the first message said. "Our mission was a success. I repeat our mission was a success, over."

"That's great." Donald picked up the transmitter. "I've acknowledged your message, Cunla. Great work, over."

"We're returning to the designated area, over."-

"Roger that, this is Donald over and out."-

The transmission between Donald and Cunla ended. Soon after a message transmitted by Ophelia came through.

"This is the Tiger, this is the Tiger," Ophelia said, "Mission has been successfully accomplished. Please acknowledge, over."

"I hear you loud and clear." Donald complied. "Great work, over."

"We're returning to the designated area, over."-

"Roger that, over."-

"Both parties will be joining you within the hour, over."-

"Copy that, over."-

"Also, one last thing, Cuchulain took the liberty of heading in your direction early. He's taking the flying carpet, over."-

"We'll keep an eye out for him then. Donald, over and out." Donald ended the transmission. "Goofy, keep your eye out for Cuchulain. Miss Billiard said that he'd be arriving here on the flying carpet."

"Uh, there he goes." Goofy uttered, pointing outside of the cockpit. Donald turned around to see Cuchulain pass by on the carpet.

"That was fast." There was a sudden explosion near the gummi and the cockpit was shaken violently. Donald grabbed firmly onto the helm and steadied the ship. He sighed, a big sweat drop dripping down his head. "That was close, too close for my liking."

"You should be keep your eye out in front of you, Donald. You shouldn't get distracted by anything." Donald cringed at Goofy.

"Sometimes, I really hate you, Goofy." He mumbled to himself. Donald plowed forward and continued his run against the retreating convoy.

In the meantime, Cuchulain drew nearer and nearer to the cave of wonders.

"Soon," Cuchulain thought to himself. "I'll be there soon. Riku, Sora, just hold on for a little while longer."

It wasn't long before Cunla and Ophelia's parties had reunited at the designated area. Cunla's party was the first to show up. The gummi slowly lowered itself down and the ignition was extinguished.

"Alright," Cunla said, "We're here."

"All we're doing now is waiting for Miss Billiard to come with my brother right?" Edward Elric asked.

"That's correct." Just then, the second gummi came down unexpectedly. "Speak of the devil, here they are."

The gummi ship touched down on the ground and all its functions were deactivated. The hatch opened and the first to come out was Alphonse Elric.

"Al," Ed cried, as he laid eyes on his brother.

"Al," Winry added, as Alphonse appeared.

"Al…?" Iago, Genie, and Cunla uttered, amazed at what they saw, a giant suit of armor meant to be Alphonse Elric.

"Brother, Winry," Alphonse replied. The three ran towards each other, emotions high and tears in their eyes. They hugged and embraced each other tightly.

"I'm so glad that you're alright, Al." Ed sobbed.

"Me too brother," Alphonse replied, "I'm glad to see that you and Winry are okay too."

"We worried for you, Alphonse." Winry said.

"So that's Ed's younger brother?" Iago whispered. "Boy he's tall. I'm surprised that he's considered the younger brother."

"Glad to see that you made it back successfully, Cunla." Ophelia said as she appeared out of the gummi with Aladdin and Abu, her hand at her hip.

"The same goes for you, colonel." Cunla replied. He then looked about. "But where's my dad at?"

"Your father's gone ahead to the cave of wonders."-

"He has?"-

"Yes…"-

"Then we better head that way as well before we miss all the action."-

"You're right. Let's hurry then."-

"What," Ed uttered, "Are you guys leaving so soon?"-

"We have to, Edward." Ophelia said, "Riku and Sora require our assistance."

"Wait," Edward ran up to Cunla and Billiard, "I'll go with you."

"What!" Winry uttered. "You can't be serious! After all we've had to go through!"

"I have to, Winry. It's the least I could do to repay them for what they've done for us."-

"Brother…" Alphonse uttered.

"It'll be dangerous." Ophelia said. "It may be most likely that both General Scimitar and General Saber will be there as well."

"Knowing how important this mission is for the faction," Cunla added. "I'm sure they accompanied the faction forces assigned to excavate the riches from the cave of wonders."

"If that's so," Ed uttered, "then I have no choice, but to go with you. I have a couple of questions that I want to ask Saber."

"What kind of questions?"-

"Serious questions, like why is he attempting to forge a Philosopher stone?"-

"What did you say, brother?" Alphonse said, shocked. "Did you say that he's trying form a philosopher stone?"

"That's right."-

"But how do you know about this?"-

"I saw copied documents on his desk when we were looking for the info disk leading to your whereabouts."-

"A philosopher stone, what's that?" Ophelia asked.

"It's none other than one of the most powerful weapons ever created by man." Cunla uttered.

"You know about the stone too?" Ed asked.

"It was one of the greatest legends that ever existed in the world of forbidden alchemy. I picked it up when I was still in training. The philosopher stone is a red stone that has the ability to perform alchemy without the concept of equivalent exchange. With the stone, people can be brought back from the dead, things that once were can be revived. Everything can be brought back to their original state or so the theory says."-

"But what does the faction want to do with the philosopher stone?" Winry asked.

"The one thing that all corrupted organizations want." Ed said, "Power…"

"And with the stone, the faction can increase their strength a hundred fold," Cunla added, "both at a mass and individual basis."

"I don't get it." Aladdin asked. "What's so terrible about this philosopher stone?"

"The philosopher stone is a thing that can easily corrupt men. With the stone, they can obtain absolute power. And just forging the stone is genocidal in itself, especially since Saber's planning to use the Grand Arcanum."-

"What!" Alphonse shouted. "Saber's going to use the Grand Arcanum?"

"What's the Grand Arcanum?" Ophelia asked.

"To forge a philosopher's stone, it requires one main ingredient," Edward uttered, uneasily. "It requires human lives."

"Human lives…?"-

"And with the use of the Grand Arcanum, the sacrifice will be great."-

"How great a toll are we talking?"-

"Using the Grand Arcanum, perhaps thousands of lives…"-

"Thousands…?" Cunla uttered.

"My God…" Ophelia uttered.

"But where are they planning to use…" Aladdin uttered. His mind then returned to the thought of Agrabah. "It can't be…" Aladdin turned to Jasmine's safety. He headed in the direction towards Agrabah.

"Aladdin wait…!" Cunla said. "If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, don't be reckless."

"But Jasmine…"-

"There's no guaranteeing that Agrabah will be the chosen source for forging the philosopher stone."-

"You mean they plan on using Agrabah?" Ophelia asked.

"It stands to reasons." Edward said. "Agrabah is a large city whose population numbers in the thousands, if not the tens of thousands."

"That may be so," Cunla said, "But what about the other possibilities? One, there are other cities along the Arabian coast that are just as heavily populated. Secondly, even if Agrabah were targeted, who would they use to perform the alchemic reaction?"

"Well, Agrabah's the most obvious source and the closest to the faction's mother ship."-

"But the faction is known for creating deception amidst the obvious." Ophelia said. "If only I could get my hands on someone who knew the plan, I'd be able to read their hidden thoughts and plan a counter attack."

"Well, we can't take anything for granted." Cunla said. "The faction might be planning a reversal since Saber and Scimitar know that we're fighting for the KH team."

"Well, what do we do?"-

"Colonel, I want you to take Aladdin back to Agrabah, and take Genie, Iago, and Abu with you. If the faction is planning to execute the Grand Arcanum there, we'll at least have a chance to fondle their plans."-

"Understood, but what about you?"-

"I need to help my father and the others at the cave of wonders."-

"Right…" Ophelia turned to Aladdin and the others. "Alright you four, get back into the ship, we're heading back to Agrabah."

"Gotcha…!" Aladdin said. "Let's hurry."

"Al, Winry," Edward said, "I want you to go with Miss Billiard too."

"What?" Winry asked.

"But what about you, brother?" Alphonse added.

"I'm going with Cunla." Ed replied. "If they're right and Saber is at the cave of wonders, I have to ask him about the Grand Arcanum and when and where he will initiate the forging of the stone."

"But why are you sending us away?" Winry asked. "Can't we come with you?"

"I would find it safer if you stayed as far away from Saber and Scimitar as you possibly can." There was a silence that lingered. Finally, Alphonse broke the quiet.

"Okay Ed," Alphonse said. "We'll do what you say."

"Al…" Winry protested.

"If we go with my brother, he'll have to worry about our safety as well. That's a burden that we don't want to lay on his shoulders."-

"I understand…" Winry lowered her eyes.

"Then let's go." Cunla said. "Ed and I will head for the cave of wonders while Colonel Billiard escorts the others back to Agrabah."

"Good luck!" Ophelia said. "And God's speed."

"The same goes for you."-

The two parties separated. Cunla and Ed climbed into one ship while Ophelia and the others boarded the other gummi. The ships were activated and they headed in their separate directions, as the ship lifted off, Edward couldn't help, but wonder about the safety of Winry and his brother.

"Is something wearing on you mind?" Cunla asked.

"Well," Ed uttered, "I hope I did the right thing sending Winry and my brother to Agrabah."

"Don't worry, Colonel Billiard is watching out for them. She won't let anything happen to them."-

"But what if the Grand Arcanum is going to be performed in Agrabah?"-

"That's the reason why we're gonna find Saber."-

"Yeah…" Edward pounded his fist into his open palm. "I'll make Saber pay, no matter what the cost."

Cunla and Edward headed off into the night sky, to destiny and the final outcome.

In the midst of the battle, Riku and Sora were reaching their limits in hand to hand techniques. Despite their effort, despite their talent and cunning, despite their swiftness and strength, they could not hinder the elusive blade general and her deadly rings. Around the entire chamber, they fought, off of pillars of the walls, they would battle. Perhaps it was the intimidation of the chakrams or the presence of General Scimitar and the fact that she was woman warrior. Perhaps it was the overestimation of the key bearers' strength. No matter what the reason, things were not looking well for Riku and Sora.

"I don't believe this," Sora thought to himself, "How in the world could this be happening. It's like no matter how close we get to actually striking her, she always seems to dodge and block us."

"Getting tired are we, boys?" Scimitar chuckled.

"And what gave you that impression?" Riku asked.

"I can see it in your eyes. You're starting to lose focus. You're becoming frustrated."-

"So what?"-

"You shouldn't become frustrated, my friend, it'll only cloud your judgment."-

"Stop talking!"-

"Why should I?"-

"I'm starting to lose patience."-

"Tsk, tsk, that will never allow you to win the battle."-

"Don't listen to her, Riku." Sora shouted as he stuck with his keyblade, only to be blocked by one of the chakrams. "She wants you to lose your cool so that you can recklessly attack. Don't let her do that to you, Riku."

"It looks like your young friend is giving you some hearty advice, young key bearer." Scimitar chuckled. "Perhaps you should heed his word. But then again, that only works to your advantage, which I cannot have!" Scimitar suddenly locked Sora's keyblade into the ring of one of her chakrams and withal her might yanked the keyblade out of the young man's hand. She then lunged forward and kicked Sora in the gut. Sora flew backwards and tumbled to the ground, grasping at his upper abdomen.

"Sora," Riku cried, "You'll pay for that, Scimitar!"

"Oh my," Scimitar chuckled, "I tremble with fear."

"You should!" Riku lunged forward, but like Sora before, Scimitar locked Riku's keyblade into the open center of her chakram and used Riku's weight and momentum against himself. Riku nearly fell, but kept his keyblade clutched tightly in his hand. He staggered for a moment or two

"You're better than I thought." Scimitar chuckled. "I guess there's not getting around you is there?" Scimitar at that moment withdrew her chakrams for a moment in the fight and unbuckled her thick black cape from her shoulder. "Well, let's see how well you do if you're blinded and immobile!" Using the cape almost like a lash, she threw the dark cloak around Riku's throat. Riku felt the cloth wrap around his gullet. Soon after, he felt the weight of a large body pounce on his back. Scimitar threw herself on Riku from behind. She then took hold of the cape and wrapped it tightly over Riku's head like a sack. She further wrapped the cape around one of the key bearer's arms, immobilizing him. At the same time Scimitar was doing this, she wrestled Riku to the ground, wrapping both her legs around his middle abdominal area and clutched tightly around Riku like a barnacle or a python on its prey.

"Let go of me," Riku cried, his shouts muffled by the thick cloth. "I can't breathe!"

"That's the whole point." Scimitar chuckled. "Fighting you at hand to hand would be pointless. So I'll smother you instead.

"I can't breathe!" Riku cried. Scimitar kept her self tightly wrapped around Riku's upper body, using her weight to weight him down and keep him bellied up. For a moment, Riku lost his hold on the keyblade, which proved to be another fatal mistake. Now, he tried his best to grasp at the keyblade, but Scimitar prevented him from doing so. With only one arm free, Riku was virtually at the mercy of this cunning foe. He thrashed his legs about violently as one would usually when being deprived of air in such a horrible way.

Sora in the meantime, turned about and saw the kicking limbs of his best friend. For a while, he gazed at the sight, not knowing what to make of what was going on. But as his vision cleared up, he realized what was going on. Scimitar was trying to suffocate Riku. Immediately, Sora called back his keyblade and rushed into the fight.

"Let go of Riku, you scum!" he shouted.

"Great," Scimitar uttered. "Just when I almost had Noctin Tilandir finished off." By this time, Riku's thrashing has come almost to an abrupt halt, as he used the last of his energy to try and release himself, but his was losing oxygen fast, being stifled and asphyxiated underneath that black cloak. Scimitar quickly jumped away and drew out her chakrams again. Sora rushed over to Riku and took the cloak off from around his arm, head, and neck, giving his friend time to breathe. Riku coughed and gasped for breath.

"Are you alright, Riku?" Sora asked.

"I couldn't breathe, Sora…" Riku replied, still gasping. "She tried to smother me."

"It seems that followers of the former Empire are good at that sort of thing. They know how to kill, but at the same time make you suffer horribly. That was the same feeling I had when I was attacked by the Asphyxia Twins six years ago."-

Riku grabbed his keyblade and made ready to battle.

"You won't be catching me off guard again." He uttered.

"Is that so?" Scimitar chuckled. "Then let your weary eyes catch these!" The general thrusts her chakrams forward, but again they miss the key bearers by inches.

"She's unarmed!" Sora shouted.

"Now's our chance," Riku added. "Rush her!"

The key bearers advanced, but no sooner had they begun to advance, they noticed that Scimitar only stood steadfast with her arms folded in front of her, a smirk streaked on her face.

"You fools," she chuckled, "do you really think that I would be so imbecilic as to leave myself open to attack?"

"What…?" Sora uttered. It was then that the sound of the spinning chakrams was heard again, approaching from behind. Riku and Sora were quick to duck, anticipating where the rings would strike. They dodge rolled just in time to feel the blades pass harmlessly over them. "Here we go again, the same old technique!"

"So much for your knowledge," Scimitar suddenly stretched out her hands and the two chakrams suddenly stopped in mid air and continued to spin just as fast as they did. The key bearers were back on their feet just in time to see the chakrams hovering in midair before their master.

"What the heck…?" Sora uttered. "Those rings are spinning in mid air."

"But how can that be?" Riku wondered.

"You mean, you really don't know?" Scimitar asked. "Such immature fools you are!" Scimitar pointed in the direction of the key bearers and the razor edged chakrams went flying at the key bearers again. But Scimitar was quick to turn her blades about and strike against the youths a second and a third time. By using this strategy, Scimitar was able to keep both key bearers dodging and evading, not able to regain an upward stance and initiate an offensive.

"How the heck is she doing that?" Sora asked.

"Don't you know?" Riku said. "She's using her energy to harness and control the movement and momentum of the chakrams."

"I don't believe it."-

"This is a whole new ball game were in now."-

"I guess the key bearers were not as tough as I had originally anticipated." Scimitar chuckled to herself. "It looks like the valiant efforts of Riku and Sora end here. And once they're dead, there will be no one strong enough to face the might of the Midnight Faction."


	52. The Oracle and a Forgotten Past

The Oracle and a Forgotten Past

The sharpened disks continued to hover about, manipulated by General Scimitar's energy. She could sweep them in any direction she pleased and could have them come to a complete stop on command. The chakrams did not diminish in speed. Instead, they seemed to intensify in their spins, giving the razor edges a cleaner cut. Riku and Sora were lucky so far, they had not been cut once by the chakrams, but then again, things could change at the rate they were going. The key bearers held their keyblades at the ready, awaiting that next sweep by the hovering chakrams.

"Keep your guard up, Sora." Riku said. "Those two flying blades could come at us at any time."

"I'm on it." Sora replied. The two chakrams twitched and turned back and forth, as if waiting for that single opportunity to strike.

"We have to somehow snatch the blades around out keyblades."-

"But how were you planning on doing that?"-

"We'll have to time it precisely. One wrong move can determine between life and death."-

"Enough of this," Scimitar said, "I've wasted too much time playing around." Scimitar swept her hands in front of her, giving the command to attack. Sure enough, the two chakrams made a speedy strike, rushing towards the key bearers at an incredible rate.

"Here they come!" Riku shouted. "Get ready."

"How will we do this though?"-

"We duck!" Riku and Sora bent backwards just as the chakrams passed by. But at the same time, they raised their keyblades into the air, hoping to snare the rings around the shaft of their weapons. However, the moment their weapons raised into the air, Scimitar quickly drew her hands up, directing the chakrams at an upward angle. "Damn it, we missed." Riku and Sora stood upright after the bladed rings passed over them and began to hover above their heads as they did before.

"So," Scimitar thought to herself, "The key bearers are hoping to snatch the chakrams on the shafts of their keyblades, eh? Like a ring toss. It seems they're quite scared of the bladed rings. But then again, so would I if I couldn't anticipate when or how they would strike. Oh well, I guess it can't hurt to amuse them a little."

Scimitar drew up her arms and prepared for another sweep against the key bearers. Riku and Sora saw the glittering edge of the chakrams as they spun overhead.

"Let's try it again." Riku said. "Are you ready?"

"I'm ready." Sora added.

"Now die!" Scimitar shouted. She swung her hands before her and the chakrams rushed full speed towards her youthful foes.

"Now!" Riku shouted. The key bearers bent back, throwing their keyblades up.

"Fools!" Scimitar chuckled. She suddenly twisted her hands and the key blades suddenly changed from a horizontal spin to a vertical spin. The two heroes were taken completely by surprise to find the blade spinning at them with the sharpened edge propelled vertically like a buzz saw.

"Dodge it!" Riku cried, falling completely on his back. Sora on the other hand was not as lucky. Though he evaded the chakram that targeted him, the other ring targeting Riku, came up from behind and cut Sora across the right shoulder. The young hero fell to the ground and grasped at his wound, crying out. Sora saw as the blood dripped from the severed flesh.

"It hurts," Sora cried, "I've been cut!"

"Sora," Riku uttered. He noticed the chakram turning about and making another run to cut them. This time, the chakram was heading low, hoping to finish the job. It was aiming to finish off Sora first. Riku quickly grabbed Sora and rolled each other on the ground out of the ring's path. The chakram slid against the stone floor, causing sparks to fly when the outer ring scraped along the hard surface. "That was close." Riku's sigh of relief didn't last long as he saw the second chakram flying straight at them. "Oh hell…" Riku rolled himself and Sora over again, evading the second chakram which ground at the stone floor before ascending back into the air. Then again, one of the two rings did the same and again Riku and Sora clutched tightly to each other and rolled out of the path of the spinning weapons. Again and again the process was repeated.

"You can't out roll my chakrams forever!" Scimitar shouted. "You'll eventually lose your sense of direction at this rate."

Again, the two rolled over out of the path of one of the chakrams. Riku rolled on top of Sora. But this time, Sora was getting a little uncomfortable.

"Riku," he uttered, "are you enjoying yourself?"

"What do you mean?" Riku asked.

"I mean, of all the times we've been evading those stupid razor rings, you haven't stopped rubbing yourself up against me."-

"Will you shut up! I don't swing that way!" Riku again rolled out of the way of another incoming chakram. "Not unless you prefer to get sliced."

"I'm gonna be sick at this rate."-

"You ungrateful little…" But suddenly, there was a sharp sting in Riku's back. One of the chakrams had managed to gash him across the back.

"Riku are you alright?"-

"More or less, but I think that stupid thing got me. Cut me right across my back."-

Riku released Sora in time to see the second chakram speeding towards them.

"Riku, look out!" Sora shouted.

"Damn it all! I've had enough of this!" Riku drew out his hand unleashed a powerful elemental attack. "Iceberg Shuriken!" From Riku's palm a large block of ice appeared and struck the chakram. The bladed ring was frozen in its place and was sent skidding across the floor in a big ice cube.

"What in the world?" Scimitar uttered. She sneered. "Damn, they figured out how to immobilize the chakrams." The block of ice holding the frozen chakram slid to the general's feet. She raised her foot and caught the block of use under her heal. In the meantime, the other chakram went flying back towards the general, but not after making one last attempt to try and sever the key bearers for one last time.

"Not again," Sora moaned.

"Move out of the way!" Riku ordered. The two rolled long the ground, their blood dripping and smudging the stone floor. The spinning chakram struck sparks when it grazed the ground. It then landed back into the hands of the general. Riku looked up at Scimitar. "Well, at least that's over."

"Sorry Riku," Sora uttered. He comrade looked at him puzzled.

"Sorry for what?"-

"I mean sorry for letting you lose your concentration."-

"I can understand that, Sora. If I had another guy rubbing up against me, I'd probably react the same way." Riku reached behind him, feeling the cut on his back. He drew his hand in front of him, after touching the wound, and looked at the red blood covering his glove. "The damage is done. Nothing can change that now."

"Well, well, well," Scimitar declared, "I guess I was wrong. I misjudged your abilities. You managed to survive the attacks of the chakrams and even found a way to immobilize them in their spinning repetitions. But unfortunately, you did not escape that scuffle unscathed." Scimitar smirked as she observed the deep wounds on the key bearers. "Now with those deep wounds inflicted on your youthful bodies, your strength and agility have been severed by a quarter, or at the most a half."

"That doesn't mean anything, Scimitar."-

"Oh, I'm afraid you're wrong. Now that you've been injured, you won't be able to maintain such a strong defense and offense. Your wounds spill more blood with every passing second. And I can assure you that it won't be too long before you lose consciousness due to blood loss."

"So what," Sora uttered, "We've suffered worse than this."

"That may be, but you're not dealing with a foe that uses any kind of contraption to affect the conditions in the atmosphere. I don't depend upon such devices like General Bayonet or General Dagger. I use my own strength and determination to battle you." Scimitar placed her hand before her, all fingers erect and pointing upward, much like one would clap their hands in prayer. Like some monk or mystic Buddha, she began to increase her center of energy. This became apparent of the key bearers, who could feel this sudden rise in strength. "This power is all mine."

Just then, the chakram sealed in ice, freed itself from its frozen prison, shattering the block into thousands of pieces. The chakram began to hover like a saucer, spinning ferociously as it did before. Scimitar extended the arm bearing the second chakram and released the ring sword from her grip. The bladed ring of steel did not fall to the ground though. Instead, it hovered level to the hand that released it and began spinning as well. Both were once controlled by her energy now and like two bodyguards, they remained vigilant.

"What is she doing?" Sora asked.

"I don't know." Riku replied. "Is she going to initiate the same attack?"

At that moment, Scimitar began to levitate just a few inches over the ground as if possessed by some demonic aura.

"Let me show off just one of my secret attacks before putting you out of your misery." Scimitar uttered. "It would not be improper for you to depart this life without beholding a glimpse of the power to which I am capable." The chakrams hovering at her sides began to spin faster and faster until the image of two separate spinning ring swords was extinguished giving way to a solid image. Like the rings around Saturn, the two chakrams made the solid image of a larger ring around the general. With the spinning of the chakrams, there also came the high pitched scream of steel cutting through the air, like a tea kettle giving off steam, only the sound was more metallic and consistent, not rising or dropping in dynamics.

"What the heck is that?" Sora asked. "It's like those two chakrams converged into one big ring."

"It's because of the high velocity in speed." Riku replied. "Those ring swords are spinning around her so fast, that they seem to be forming one giant ring around her. Also, at the rate they're traveling, they would be able to cut straight through solid steel with very little effort."

"This is one of my basic techniques, which I call the Banshee Blade." Scimitar explained. "Its name is derived from the screaming tone it's accumulating. With this attack, I can cut down entire legions in seconds. I can increase and decrease the destructive area to whatever extend I wish. You should feel honored. No one has ever seen this attack and lived to tell about it. But I show it to you because you two are the first ones to actually survive the primary attacks. Most others would have died a long time ago. Consider yourselves fortunate."

"Lucky us…"-

"Prepare yourselves, boys!" Scimitar unleashed her attack. Her speed suddenly picked up as she glided across the ground as if a specter. The key bearers were caught off guard from this maneuver.

"Look out!" Sora cried. The two jumped out of the way of the flying ring swords. Like a top that didn't die in its momentum, Scimitar continued to glide about. The ring around her would increase in distance and decrease in distance at will, at times subtle then unexpectedly with gusto. Riku and Sora stayed low, avoiding the path of the blades.

"Imbeciles," Scimitar chuckled, "Things are not always as they seem." The ring suddenly started to topple back and forth, wobbling itself from side to side, lowering one end to the other, as a coin does when it loses its capacity to continue rolling on its side. The descending side, when touching the ground, would no longer cause sparks. Instead, the rings would cut straight through the stone of the floor, creating these deep cuts in the rock. Riku and Sora did their best to stay away from the incoming chakrams.

"There has to be a way that we can break through that defense." Sora said. "It's too small an area for me to teleport into and get within reach of her."

"We have no choice." Riku replied. "I know we're limited on ether, but we'll have to make that sacrifice until the others come. Sora, use some of your special techniques and elemental attacks to finish the job."

"Right, it'll be my pleasure!" Sora drew his keyblade before him. "Let's see how you like this little technique!" Sora unleashed a powerful energy beam from the tip of his weapon. The beam went flying towards Scimitar.

"Nice try, but," Scimitar leaped high into the air. The chakrams continued to spin in their circle. The general then maneuvered the chakrams forward and enclosed the gap between the two ring swords with her own energy. The energy gave off a strange blue light. She had created a makeshift shield. The beam made impact with the shield and was instantly deflected. Sora was dumbfounded.

"I don't believe it." He uttered.

"She filled in the space between the two blade rings to create a temporary barrier." Riku said.

"Not good enough!" Scimitar declared in a high and boisterous tone. "I can do anything I wish with these chakrams. That was the Banshee Shield, where I concentrated my energy towards the open space between the flying chakrams and created a barrier that can deflect even your energy beams.

"Man," Sora uttered, "she's good."

"Sora," Riku said in a lowered voice. "Try and use that attack again."

"Why bother? We already know that the energy beam doesn't have any effect on her so long as she can deploy that Banshee Shield."

"I know that, but do it anyway."-

"What's up, Riku?"-

"I have a plan. Just go out with another all out attack."-

"Alright, but I hope you know what you're doing."-

"Trust me."-

Sora didn't argue. He knew that once Riku had a thought in his head, there was no stopping him. He raised his keyblade again and accumulated his combined physical and spiritual strength, with the use of ether, to create another energy beam. Sora blasted away another column of light.

"This technique again?" Scimitar uttered. "You think you would learn after the first time." She once again, transformed the spinning blades into a solid shield, Scimitar deflected the second beam. "Haven't we already tried this assault technique?"

"Not quite!" a voice shouted from behind. Scimitar suddenly turned to find Riku almost on top of her. His keyblade was drawn back to initiate a swift side slash. "It's over."

"You think it is, but you are terribly mistaken!" scimitar drew up her left arm, extending it straight. Then from out of her sleeve, a grappling dagger appeared, bursting out from under the arm of her frock like a bullet. Riku was caught off guard and the dagger impaled him through his left shoulder. He went flying backwards toward the ground, the blade still lodged in his shoulder. He cried out before slamming into the ground and skidding across the ground, stopping at the base of one of the pillars. Scimitar smirked. "That takes care of that upstart rift raft."

"Riku!" Sora cried.

"So Sora, you like to use energy attacks! Then let's play with energy attacks!" The shield that deflected Sora's aura attack, suddenly transformed from a defensive weapon to an offensive weapon. A large ball of energy appeared just before the shield. That ball of energy suddenly went flying downward. Sora saw the massive blue sphere coming at him. He panicked and quickly ran out of the path of the incoming ball. The ball made impact and caused a massive explosion that forced the entire to cave to shake. Sora was literally blown away, flying through the air with incredible force created by the explosion and landed on the hard stone floor with great impact. He skidded two to three times before coming to a complete halt just in front of the closed doors leading to the treasure room. Debris and rock dust fell upon him. The impact of the energy sphere in the chamber was so great that it dislodged one of the pillars on the frontal chamber and the column went tumbling down, taking bit of the chamber's ceiling with it. The massive structure began to collapse towards the door, where the fallen key bearer lay. Sora shook his head, clearing his senses and looked up in times to find the column of stone descending upon him.

"Oh my God!" Sora shouted, he quickly jumped to his feet and cleared the way, just as the pillar fell to the ground. The column struck the doors to the treasure room, knocking them down. The doors fell over the gold, creating a crushing sound of rock and gold. Debris of rock spewed over the golden glint of the treasure room as the column lay still upon its valuable contents. Great clouds of dust billowed into the air, creating a suffocating atmosphere of falling rock and debris. Sora lay near the fallen pillar, still weary from dodging the impact. Scimitar chuckled.

"Oops," she uttered, "I might have overdone it a little. But then again, it was well worth the effort to do away with that little nuisance. Nothing can equal the power of the Banshee Gun."

Riku raised his head to find Sora lying still o the ground almost lifeless. He tried to raise himself, but collapsed again when the pang from the wound in his arm affected every nerve in his body. The dagger had impaled his arm straight through to the other side of his shoulder, its hilt sticking out from the front like some black affliction, or blemish.

"Sora…" he uttered. Riku's keyblade lay next to him. He reached for its hilt and clutched it tightly. He raised himself into a sitting position against one of the stone pillars. Though he sat up, he could not rise. Riku had lost so much blood that merely trying sitting up caused dizzy spells. His eyesight grew blurry, not allowing him to distinguish many of the objects in the chamber. The blood from the wound on his pierced shoulder dripped profusely down his arm like a mountain stream. The cut on his back further increased the loss of blood. It looked like the young key bearers had been bathing in tomato sauce. Riku nodded his head about, unable to keep it positioned in one spot. He gazed up to see the faint figure of Scimitar hovering in mid air over him.

"Well," she said, turning her attention towards Riku, "Noctin Tilandir has fallen for the last time." She stretched her arms out and instantly the two spinning chakrams ceased their revolutions and lightly set themselves into the general's palms. "To think that you would lose in such a miserable way. Now what would be a fitting demise for the thorn in the side of the faction? Shall I be merciful and give you the honor of a swift and painless death, or should I be ruthless and let you linger until every drop of blood drains from you body. And I can tell you death by loss of blood isn't a pretty one."

"No need to tell me," Riku uttered in a faint whisper, "I know what it feels like to die slowly. I've gone through that before."

"Well, then that's no fun. If you already experienced a slow and agonizing death, then what's the point of having to go through it again?" Scimitar sighed, then lifted her head up giving this evil smirk on her face. "Of well, if not the latter, then the former shall do." The general clutched the chakram tightly in her gloved right hand. "It's a good thing that I'm one to deliver swift executions, Riku. Now die…" Scimitar drew his right arm behind her as if ready to throw it. Then with one powerful throw, she launched the chakram straight at Riku.

Sora in the meantime, had managed to raise himself on his hands and knees to find the chakram heading straight for his best friend.

"No, Riku," Sora cried.

"This is the end for you, Noctin Tilandir." Scimitar said at the back of her mind.

It seemed inevitable this time around. Riku was truly about to meet his demise. But as the fates had intervened so many times in the past, a miracle came before the key bearers in the form of a trusted comrade. From out of the shadows, Cuchulain appeared, leaping from off of the flying carpet. The Carpet swung about and hid behind one of the stone pillars as Cuchulain charged into battle He rushed forward, placing himself between Riku and the incoming ring sword. Using the tip of the Gae Bulga, he caught the open space of the ring itself. He then turned about and threw the chakram back at the Blade General. Scimitar was caught off guard and watched as the bladed ring came straight back at her.

"What in the world…!" she uttered. She drew his head to the side, just as chakram passed by. The tip of the sharpened blade grazed her left cheek, creating a cut across her face. A couple of drops of blood trickled from the wound. The chakram in the meantime lodged itself in one of the stone pillars. Scimitar sneered as she laid her eyes upon her assailant, who stood firm, gazing up at her. "So it's you."

"I didn't want to believe it." Cuchulain said. "I was hoping that my eyes and senses were deceiving me. But no amount of deception could hide your identity." Cuchulain looked at Riku. He then looked at Sora who was still trying to stagger to his feet. He gazed back at the general. "Whatever quarrels you had with Riku and Sora, you can take them up with me now."

"Cuchulain…" Riku uttered, grasping his shoulder. "What kept you?"

"Sorry I'm late, Riku. I had some delays. Are you alright?"-

"I've had better days. But then again, I've had worse."-

"Well, it's a good thing I came when I did."-

"Riku…" Sora said. When rising to his feet, he rushed to his friend's side. He knelt next to Riku, placing his hand on his wounded shoulder. Sora observed the severe injuries his comrade had received. "Riku, are you okay?"

"I've come back from even worse, Sora." Riku replied. "Thanks for asking." Sora nodded. He then happened to look up at Cuchulain.

"Cuchulain…" he uttered. "You made it…"

"Are you alright, Sora?" the Hound asked.

"I'm alright, but Riku's in bad condition."-

"Don't worry the others will make it here soon." Cuchulain then fixed his gaze back at scimitar that still floated about in the air. "So I take it that that is General Scimitar?"

"That's her alright. She's the one who did this to Riku."-

"Is that so…?" Cuchulain clutched the staff of his Gae Bulga tightly around his fingers. There was silence that came over the atmosphere as Hound and general laid eyes on one another.

"So," Scimitar said, breaking the silence, "We finally meet again…Setante." The name struck no familiarity with the key bearers.

"So it is you." Cuchulain replied. "I was right all along."

"Setante…?" Sora asked. "Who's Setante?"

"Cuchulain…?" Riku added. "Was she addressing you?"

"Yes…" Cuchulain replied.

"But why did she call you…?"-

"Setante I my birth name, it is the title that I would usually go by at times of peace or with family members."-

"But your present name Cuchulain…" Sora uttered.

"Cuchulain is the warrior title that was given to me by the members of the Red Branch." The Hound continued. "It was bestowed on me the night I killed the ravenous and blood-thirsty wolfhound of Cullen, an animal known for its ferocity. But after slaying it, I took the liberty of taking over its duty as a protector. Thus, the title Cuchulain was given. It means Hound of Cullen. But it's progressively evolved into the Hound of Ulster." Cuchulain placed his spear's base firmly on the ground with the glimmering gold head facing upward. "However, no one outside of my world knew of my birth name and I never mentioned it to anyone."

"Does Cunla know?" Riku asked.

"Not even my own son knows the true name of his father. But Scimitar knows my name." He then shouted back at the Blade General. "But then again, Scimitar really isn't your name is it! It's just an alias that you took on. And I bet no one knows your true identity either. But you can't full me. I will always remember those eyes, no matter how many years pass."-

"I would expect nothing less from you, Setante." Scimitar chuckled.

"Who is she?" Sora asked. "Is she from your world?"

"Many people throughout Erin knew of me by my warrior title, but a seldom few would have known about by birth name. One of those people happened to be the mighty warrior queen of Erin's western kingdom, a female warrior whose talents supposedly equaled that of the war god Morrigan, a fighter who put even the most gifted and talented fighting men of the four kingdoms to shame, Queen Maeve of Connaught."-

"She's a queen?"-

"It's the reason why you were wounded so severely by her, Riku. It's not that you were unprepared; Maeve has a notorious reputation for being the greatest warrior of Erin. Her strength even surpasses my own."-

"You're kidding." Riku uttered.

"Well," Scimitar said. "Now that you know who I truly am, shall we continue?"

"I can handle Maeve." Cuchulain said. "It's best that you stay out of this fight for now."

"Right…" Sora uttered. He looked to Riku. "We should hurry up and find Saber."

"You're right," Riku replied, "Let's get going." But when he tried to stand, he simply collapsed.

"Riku!" Sora aided him, keeping him on his feet.

"I've lost too much blood. I don't have anymore energy."-

"We have to keep going, Riku."-

"Why bother?" Scimitar said. "There's no one else here, but me."

"Get out of here, you two." Cuchulain said. "I can't fight to my full extent if I have to worry about you as well."

"We can't," Sora said, "we still have to find General Saber."

"General Saber is here too?"-

"Yeah…"-

"You fools," Scimitar shouted, "General Saber is nowhere around here. I was left in charge of this expedition!" She hoped that her deception might persuade the key bearers to turn towards the entrance to the cave and withdraw, but the key bearers were in no way fooled.

"You can't fool us," Riku said, his tone becoming hoarser and his breathing more labored, "We know…that Saber is down there. I can feel…his presence lingering."

"You delude yourself, boy. Saber is not here, I am the only one left."-

"Then why did you bother staying here to fight…if he isn't around? You would have departed with…the convoy long ago…" Scimitar sighed and chuckled slightly to herself. There was no avoiding that they knew, so she played along, revealing the truth.

"Very clever of you, Noctin Tilandir, I commend you most highly to see through my deception."-

"It wasn't hard…to figure out that you were…lying…"-

"Besides, we already knew that Saber was here." Sora added. "And it doesn't matter how well he conceals his strength, nothing can cover up that aura of evil."

"Is that true, or is that simply conjecture?" Scimitar asked.

"We'll find out soon enough." Sora turned to the flying carpet that was still hiding behind the stone column. "Carpet, take me and Riku to Saber."

The carpet acknowledged and swooped in. He picked up Riku ad Sora and began heading towards the downed gates of the treasure room. This in turn infuriated Scimitar.

"Damn you, key bearers." She uttered silently. She drew up her left arm, fully straightened, and fired another metal dagger. The dagger struck the bottom corner of the carpet just as he flew over the doors. Carpet was snagged and pinned to the ground. The sudden jerk threw the key bearers off. "I will not allow you to draw any closer to the general!" She prepared to throw her chakram, but Cuchulain appeared before her, his Gae Bulga at the ready.

"You forget," Cuchulain said, "You're fight is with me, Maeve."

"Do not dare to stand in my way, Hound, or I will slay you in turn."-

"Whatever the outcome, I won't allow you to harm the key bearers."-

"You fool, Setante, you think that you can outwit the mighty queen of Connaught!"-

"Why don't we find out and see if the rumors of your strength are true." Cuchulain made ready to battle, taking his stance.

"Have you not seen how easily the key bearers fell to my whim?"-

"They might be down, but they're not out yet. Not unless the great Queen Maeve has turned tail and ran. Are you more likely to dispense with wounded foes, displaying such heroics, rather than taking on a foe still fully functional?"-

"I just don't like to leave tasks unfinished."-

"Your goal is the kill the key bearers. My goal is to protect them. So in order to get to them, you'll have to defeat me first."-

"Pretty brave aren't we?" Scimitar lowered her hand. "Then I'll defeat and kill you first. An after you've met your demise, the key bearers will be open prey to the queen of Connaught."

"Very well…"-

But suddenly, coming from the entry way to the cave, two young voices were heard. Both combatants turned to find two boys running down the stairs to the chamber floor.

"Dad," one voice hollered, "Are you in here!"

"Cunla…" Cuchulain uttered. He looked to see his son coming towards him. And following soon after was the Fullmetal Alchemist. But it was the presence of Edward Elric that caused tension to grow when Scimitar laid eyes on him.

"It can't be." She uttered. "Fullmetal is still alive?"

"Dad," Cunla cried, as he and Ed rushed to his dad's side.

"Good," Ed said, "We didn't get here too late."

"What're you boys doing here?" Cuchulain asked. "Where are the others?"

"Something came up, Father." Cunla replied. "They feared for the safety of Agrabah. So Colonel Billiard accompanied them to the city."

"The faction is planning to forge a Philosopher stone." Ed said.

"A philosopher stone…?" Cuchulain uttered.

"How in blazes did you manage to survive, Fullmetal!" Scimitar demanded. "You should have died a long time ago!"

"Well, it's a good thing that the KH team came to my aid when they did." Fullmetal replied. "Oh yeah, and I'm gonna pay you back for betraying me!"

"Impudent boy, you know not who you speak to."-

"I'd say a worked up old hag."-

"Why you insolent little…!"-

Ed stuck out his tongue and gave a little of the eye, insulting the general.

"Mind what you say and do, Fullmetal," Cuchulain said, "General Scimitar is more powerful than you think. She was the one who severely crippled Riku and Sora."

"Riku and Sora," Cunla asked, "Where are they?"

"They're over there, next to the fallen treasure room doors." He pointed towards where the key bearers lay, not breaking his eye contact with Scimitar.

"You guys…!" Cunla ran over to the key bearers who were staggering a little. Cunla came to see the horrible state of his comrades. "Are you two alright?"

"Cunla…" Sora uttered. "Nice to see that you made it."

"And Riku…?"-

"I've definitely had better days…" Riku grumbled.

"Are you two alright?" Ed asked as he ran over to see what was going on.

"Hey, Ed," Sora uttered, "You're here too."

"What happened to Carpet?" Cunla asked, looking down at the rug that was pinned to the ground with the metal spike. He reached down and pulled out the spike, releasing Carpet. The flying tapestry suffered minimal damage and quickly hid behind the fallen doors.

"Well, good to see you're too badly hurt." Sora said.

"Where…where are the others?" Riku asked, not seeing any of the other party members present.

"They had to take care of important issues back in Agrabah." Ed replied.

"Don't worry," Cunla added, "Miss Billiard went with them too."

"What about Donald and Goofy?" Sora asked.

"Well, the last time we had contact with them, they were somewhere between here and the faction's mother ship."-

"I hope they're alright."-

"I'm sure they are."-

"We have to keep going." Riku uttered, he tried to stand to his feet, but collapsed again.

"Riku," Sora said, "Don't strain yourself. You're in a bad enough condition as it is."

"But we have to track down…Saber…"-

"So Saber is here." Ed uttered.

"He may have gone that way." Sora pointed to the passage way beyond the treasure room.

"I see." Edward stood up. "Then that's where we're going."-

"But what about Cuchulain?"-

"Riku, Sora, Cunla, Fullmetal," Cuchulain declared, "If there is something that you have to do, then do it. I'll stay here and battle Scimitar."

"But father…" Cunla uttered.

"This is my fight now and I don't want you to interfere, no matter what."-

"Let me at least help you, father."-

"I will fight this battle alone, Cunla. I can't go all out if I have to worry about your safety too."-

"I…"-

"Go now; get to Saber while you still can."-

"Right," Sora said. He turned to Cunla. "Cunla, could you watch Riku for me?"

"Uh…" Cunla uttered.

"I'm not staying here, Sora." Riku protested. "I'm coming with you…" But the key bearers could barely lift his body up, let alone stand. The blood lose had taken its toll on him and his body felt as if it were being weighted down by heavy chains.

"Riku, I can take it from here." Sora said. "You can't stress your body out anymore than you already have."

"But I…"-

"Listen to me." Sora placed his hand on Riku's shoulder. "I can't close the doors without you, buddy. You have to stay alive for me." Riku gritted his teeth, angered at the thought of himself being of no more use than a paperweight. He looked up and Sora and nodded hesitantly.

"Alright," he uttered, "I'll stay."

"Don't worry about Riku," Cunla said, "I'll make sure he stays out of trouble."

"Thanks kid…" Sora ruffled Cunla's hair and rushed towards the passage entrance leading to the very bowls of the cave itself.

"Wait for me!" Ed shouted as he trailed behind. He then looked about at the cavern of vast wealth and riches.

"Sora was right," he thought to himself, "This place is incredible. More incredible than I thought it would be."

In the meantime, Cunla sat next to Riku, watching the ailing key bearer hold on for dear life.

"Hang in there, Riku…" he whispered.

"I'll be alright, kid…" Riku replied. "I told you that I've had worse than this." Riku reached for the dagger still lodged in his shoulder. With all his strength, he extracted the blade from his flesh. More blood spurted out. Riku tossed and turned as the blade left his body, twitching in pain, but not once crying in pain. He gasped for breath and clutched tightly to the open wound. Cunla took hold of the wound and prevented more blood from exiting Riku's already frail from, turning his gloves a crimson red.

"I've got you, Riku."-

"Just keep out of sight…while your father and Scimitar are fighting. And stay out of the fight altogether…You don't want him to worry about you…at the same time."-

"My father's about to do battle with the infamous Scimitar of the Blade Generals," Cunla poked his head from behind the fallen door. "This will be an intense fight."

He watched as the standoff between Cuchulain and Maeve continued. The two mightiest warriors in all of Erin stood face to face in single combat for the first time in history.

"So," Scimitar said, "You and I shall do battle for the first time in the history of our nation, the Hound of Ulster against the Great Warrior Queen of the West!"

"Enough talk, Maeve!" Cuchulain said, drawing his spear for the upcoming fight. "Let's see if you can truly back up your words as a warrior!"

"Have at you then!"-

Cunla heard the declarations made by his father and Scimitar and heard the name of the legendary warrior queen.

"Maeve…?" he uttered, "As in the infamous Queen Maeve of Connaught!" He gazed at Scimitar. "My God; and I never realized it until now."

Scimitar suddenly threw the chakram still in her hand at the Hound. At the same time, she withdrew, reaching for the chakram still lodged in the stone pillar. Cuchulain saw the incoming chakram and caught it with the point of his Gae Bulga. He then launched it back towards the general as he did before. But Scimitar was ready, grabbing hold of the chakram still embedded in the column and freeing it from its stone confinement. At the same time, she twisted about and caught the other chakram just as it flew by. She flipped and landed back on her feet. The moment her toes touched the ground, she made a sudden lunge towards the Hound. Cuchulain made ready his spear and thrust forward, just as Scimitar came at him. She ducked and caught the spear between the chakrams. But Cuchulain kicked the staff of his spear and forced the general to release his weapon. Scimitar tried to slice the Hound at the ankle, but Cuchulain evaded, flipping backward. Scimitar rushed in, just as the Hound regained his stance. The fight grew more intense as the two went into hand to hand combat, their weapons clashing. Scimitar did her best to cut Cuchulain, while Cuchulain unleashed attacks of a combined slash and thrust attacks. Sparks flew as metal skinned metal, but neither warrior was able to inflict any further damage on the other. They were either to fast, or too agile to be severed and spill blood. To one point Cuchulain began a multi-thrust attack, striking swiftly both high and low, but the monarch was quick to evade the head of his spear. He then did several twists and twirls, hoping to delude and confuse his enemy, using the broad end and the sharpened head of the spear. However, Scimitar was not confused. She anticipated each attack. She in turn did the same to Cuchulain, using the chakrams to force the Hound to lose focus. But as accurate as her, Cuchulain was swift and predicted every move she made. Then finally, Cuchulain and Scimitar locked their weapons, pushing against one another.

"Not bad, Hound," Scimitar chuckled, "You are better than I expected."

"I have to commend you as well." Cuchulain replied. "I must say that I find your strength awesome, Maeve."

"However, I notice that you're holding back."-

"You're holding back as well. I can feel it."-

"So we can predict each others moves." The two pushed each other away, ending the deadlock.

"Why don't you end this fight here and now?" Scimitar asked. "You have the rage and the legendary Gae Bulga at your disposal, why bother letting the fight continue."

"Because I know you're only playing for time." Cuchulain replied. "Otherwise, you would have gone all out and would have finished off Riku and Sora a long time ago. Whatever Saber is looking for, it must be extremely valuable." There weapons clash again. "Besides, I want to enjoy this fight to its full extent. And I'm sure you're just as resilient to engage in a battle of strength and cunning as much as I am. "

"You know a great deal for someone who's still in his youth. And you have a knack for knowing the mind of your enemy."-

In the meantime, deep within the bowels of the cave of wonders, General Saber still browsed the caverns looking for the elusive chamber wielding the Oracle Scepter. He made sure to keep track of where he was because the deeper he went, the greater the labyrinth became around him.

"I'm starting to lose patience." He said. "How elusive and mysterious this chamber must be. But I suppose that is why they dubbed this place the cave of wonders." But as the general passed another corridor, he noticed that this particular path had a bizarre green light illuminating. Though faint in appearance, it was visible. "Well, do my eyes deceive me, or might this be the way to the scepter?" He walked down the long corridor, softly and quietly, edging closer to whatever created this dim green light. Sure enough, as he reached the end of the corridor, Saber entered a large domed chamber.

The chamber was vast, extending in an area of at least three hundred feet. At its center was a platform which rose almost halfway to the dome's extreme top. A flight of stairs, stacked like flapjacks, getting smaller as one topped the other, ascended to the very top of the platform. And upon that flattened surface at its peak, a rod of gold, with an emerald green jewel mounted on its top, lay in wait for Saber to retrieve it.

"Well, well," he uttered, "So there it is, the mythical Oracle Scepter." Saber walked over to the platform, ascended the stairs and came to the stone table that beheld his key. He grasped at the scepter, holding it vertically in his hand. "This has to be it. The document describes it as such, a golden scepter with a large, well crafted emerald jewel at its top. Saber held the scepter in his outstretched hand. "Spirit of the scepter, come forth and bless me with your presence!"

The emerald on the staff suddenly began to glow brighter and brighter, becoming ever more illuminant. The chamber filled with a bright green and a white light as the oracle came forth, the form of a woman appeared, fair and beautiful, consumed by this intense light.

"I am the spirit of the scepter." She replied. "I am the all knowing oracle, the all seeing spirit. I will answer whatever question you ask me, but mind you I will only answer one."

"Wise oracle," Saber began, "Where can I find the hand of Midas?"

"The hand of Midas is what you seek. Go to the coast where the land extends its one finger where the ocean turns white. There, the fingernail of night and the morning star coincide together. When the sun peeks over the east, making night into day, the resting place of the hand of Midas will appear upon an island that never emerges in the same place twice. It lies in the temple where the hovering palm resides."

"Thank you for your time." Saber said. With that, the oracle disappeared in a great flash of light. Saber placed the scepter back in its place. "I would take you for my own, but alas, I will never see you again for you wealth is miniscule to the hand of Midas." But at that moment, the general picked up the sound of running feet approaching. "Well, it seems I have company."

Not too far away, Sora and Edward Elric were nearing the chamber. They had been running down the corridor leading to the hall and the chamber of the oracle scepter. They had seen the glimpses of the light and were on their way to investigate.

"Did you see that?" Ed asked.

"A bright light," Sora replied, "Only one other person could have triggered it."

"General Saber…"-

The two turned down the hall that led to the chamber. Saber could hear the footsteps approaching fast. He descended to the base of the platform and awaited his opponents.

"So," he said, "It appears they've found me."

The foot steps came nearer and nearer until the two forms could be seen from the present dim glow of light from the scepter. Saber anticipated that it was Sora and Riku approaching.

"So both of you key bearers have managed to find me?" He uttered. But in utter shock, it was not Riku who accompanied Sora, but the Fullmetal Alchemist. "What's this, Edward Elric is still alive?"

"Saber," Sora shouted. He drew out his keyblade.

"Well, well," Saber uttered, "This is quite a surprise. By your presence, I'd say that General Scimitar failed to keep you out of the chambers. But how is it that you managed to find me?"

"I've already been to bowels of the cave of wonders once before. But I must admit this is the first time that I've been down this way."-

"Is that so?" Saber looked at Sora's wound. "I take it that you didn't escape the scuffle with Scimitar completely undamaged."

"I was lucky enough to get passed her! As for Riku, he suffered even more!"-

"I see." Saber then looked at Edward Elric. "And what are you doing here siding with the key bearers, Edward Elric? I thought you were on our side? And I could have sworn that Scimitar told me that you perished in your mission in Agrabah? Are you merely forming a temporary alliance?"

"Don't you act innocent with me, Saber!" Ed shouted. "I already know that you tried to plot my assassination! And I would have died if it wasn't for Sora and the others aiding me in my time of need!"

"You should have known better than to present yourself before me, let alone standing against me. Don't forget, I still have your brother and Miss Rockbell held hostage."-

"That's where you're wrong, Saber. You're behind on your updates! We managed to rescue my brother and Winry."-

"You lie."-

"Oh no, I'm afraid it's true!"-

"You could not know of their…" It suddenly struck Saber to realize the mistake he had made. He had inadvertently exhibited the black information disk, regarding the whereabouts of Miss Rockbell and Alphonse, to Edward back on the ship. He then remembered how the reports told him about how the faction soldiers discovered a hole in the hull and how their might be intruders aboard the mother ship. "So that's how you did it? You retrieved the documents from my desk, which explains the giant hole mentioned on the side of the ship. You created that with your alchemy didn't you?"

"That's right. You showed me the location of the disk in your desk."-

"But even if you did know their whereabouts, it would have been impossible to liberate them with such tight security. The outposts confining your friends should have been able to detect your approach and send out a warning."-

"We knocked out all communications with your outposts when we commenced with rescuing my brother and Winry. And we made sure to keep quiet when we slunk around your base."-

"Damn it."-

"Now that was your one crucial mistake, underestimating me. Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist!"-

"And it's a mistake that I don't intend to make again."-

"It's too late for that now!" Ed made his stance before the General.

"So, Edward, have you come to settle the score with me?"-

"That's exactly what I plan to do!" Edward clasped his hands together and formed his grappler dagger. "For trying to kill me, holding my loved ones as hostages, and using them to control me and use me as a doll to perform your dirty work, I'll be sure that you pay dearly for what you did." Ed paused for a minute or two. "But answer me one thing, where is it that you plan on forging the Philosopher stone!"

"Philosopher stone…?" Sora uttered. "You mentioned that before."

"Exactly how much do you know?" Saber asked.

"When filing through your documents, looking for the info disk leading to Winry and Alphonse," Ed began, "I happened to spot some old documents that came from my world, authentic documents. It was an old Ishbalan text that gave precise instructions of how to perform the Grand Arcanum. However," Fullmetal reached into his pocket and pulled out crumbling shreds of paper and clutched it in his hand, displaying what was left of that important text, "you won't be requiring that text any longer!"

Saber's eyes grew wide with shock and rage.

"What have you done!" Saber uttered. "You destroyed the document!"

"The one crucial page with the outlay of the transmutation circle and the necessary text that goes with it, I destroyed it, shred it into pieces beyond all possible recovery!"-

"You little bastard, that was the original document! That was our one piece of reference to creating the perfect philosopher stone and you destroyed it! Now the only thing we have to go by are copies of that damned blueprint! Do you realize what you've done, do you realize what impact you've made on further research!"-

"I would rather see the document destroyed than to have it selfishly used by the faction. So I took the liberty of stripping you of it!"-

Saber clutched his fists tightly, enraged and angry. But he took a deep sigh and chuckled.

"Oh well, it's not really my problem is it. I'm not one to study alchemy. It's an obsolete science anyway. The copies made might have left a few details out from the original document, but I believe that they're accurate enough. The transmutation circle has already been studied. All that's needed is the ingredients to perform the alchemic reaction."-

"Using that technique, you would have to require a lot of lives to initiate the process. Is Agrabah your primary target for forging the stone?" Saber remained silent, a smirk upon his face.

"You say as if this stone is a bad thing." Sora asked. "What is the Philosopher stone?"

"It's a stone that holds a great deal of power." Ed explained. "It has the power to transmute material without the concept of equivalent exchange. With the stone, Saber would be able to cease the aging process, he'd be able to restore things back to their original form, he'll be able to heal with the stone and even bring people back from the dead. With the stone, the one who wields it can even accumulate a great deal of strength, making them a hundred times more capable to destruction than what is usually expected of them. Possibilities with the stone are boundless. That's why Saber is hoping to forge one."

"But you talk as if forging the stone were a bad thing altogether. Can't you use the stone for good too?"-

"You can, but it comes at a price."-

"In what way?" Sora asked.

"In order to form the stone it requires one key ingredient." Edward stalled for a moment, unable to speak. "And that key ingredient is human lives."

"Human lives?"-

"Yes, in this case, with performing the Grand Arcanum, thousands of lives, if not tens of thousands."-

"My God…"-

"That means everyone within a city, the size of Agrabah, can be sacrificed for the sake of the stone, every man, woman, and child."-

Sora cringed at the thought of all those people suddenly evaporating and becoming part of the stone's makeup.

"How could you even think about creating such a monstrosity, Saber?" he asked the general.

"In order to achieve one thing, another has to be sacrificed." Saber replied. "All things must have an equivalent exchange. The ends always justify the means."

"And yet you think that you can justify the forging of the stone by sacrificing thousands of human lives!" Edward shouted, angrily. "How can you bear the thought of forging the Philosopher stone with that kind of image in your mind, the thought of thousands of people sacrificed for the sake of one item!"

"Do not speak to me as if you have the right to judge me, Fullmetal. I have seen things that you would never hope to see in your dreams. I've seen the value of lives and not just that of humans. I've seen sights that are ten to a hundred times greater in devastation and death than just the forging of the philosopher stone. I've seen millions of people destroyed in an instant. I've seen planets evaporate before my eyes. I've seen entire galactic systems vanish without a trace. Compared to that, the contrast of the forging of the philosopher stone is not even a bloodbath in my eyes."-

"How could you think that way? What kind of a man are you!"-

"I sacrificed all forms of compassion from my body since the day I was baptized into the religion of chaos. Gain only what suits you best and expend everything else. You achieve your goal no matter what the cost it may have. If you think about it, all living things are expendable. They are of no more value and worth than the trash we dispose of. When you are surrounded by death and destruction, the thought of a solitary life lost is insignificant. If I were to kill you, there would be no real outcome. That's just one solitary death. Only those nearest you would mourn your loss, but everyone else will turn a blind eye and deaf ear. No one will pass on your legacy and take it seriously at the same time. They only carry on legacies because they believe it suits only them. Religious causes don't matter a damn. After encountering so much misery, I no longer find it a tragedy, but a nuisance." Saber stepped towards the two young men. "How many people have died because of your search for the philosopher stone? How many have fallen victim to the homunculi you lured out with your research? And yet you think that's equivalent exchange? And what is your own purpose to finding the philosopher stone? Is it simply to restore your arm and your leg as well as your brother's body? At what cost did that goal have on the world."

"Shut up!" Edward shouted.

"Why, are you afraid of the truth?" Saber asked. "You and I are no different."

"Don't you dare try and lower me to your level, Saber! We're nothing alike!"-

"And do you say that because you're in denial, or are you trying to justify the ends to your own means! Is that not what you said to me before? You want the stone as much as I do, yet you don't want to see the stone gain its key ingredient, the substance that makes it work. In order to gain the power of the stone, human lives must be sacrificed!"

"I don't want the stone if it has to result in that! My brother would never want to be revived in his real body knowing that people had to be sacrificed for it to be possible. Every time he looks at himself in the mirror, he'll see the faces of those thousands of people lost! And I could never live with a clear conscious with that weight on my chest, knowing that my limbs were restored because of that!"

"But there is no other way, Edward Elric. You either achieve with sacrifice, or you don't achieve at all." Saber drew out his hand. "Come with me and I will help you achieve your goal. You want the philosopher stone don't you? Well I can help you create it. So what if a city is being eradicated from existence? Compared to the greater universe out there, the loss of one city isn't even considered chaos."

"No, stop talking!" Edward cried. "Stop talking! I'm a better person than that!"

"Child, you still have a long way to go. You still have no understanding of the greater world. You must kill in order to survive. You have to take what is yours. There is no other philosophy than the idealism that leads to chaos."-

"No…" Edward fell to his knees covering his ears. "I'm a better person than that! I'm a better person than that!"-

"Why, because you hold life higher than your own gain! Compassion is merely a crutch, a safety harness to keep you from achieving your goals! It confines you, constricts you, and holds you back! You have to dispense with that boundary in order to become a perfect individual and to achieve your goals without question!"-

"No…" Ed began to cry as his mind filled with the thought of those thousands of people. "There lives aren't worthless…"

"Once you are blessed by my hand, you will think differently." Saber reached for Edward.

"That's enough!" Sora shouted. He rushed forward, with his keyblade drawn and slashed at Saber. The gallant key bearer stood in front of Edward. "Keep your filthy hands off of him."

"Now that wasn't very nice, Sora." Saber said. "I'm only trying to reveal the utter truth to the young alchemist!"

"No, you're only trying to let him see the thing that you consider truth! The minute you were baptized to the religion of chaos and sunk your heart in darkness was the moment you forfeited you life as an individual! You're nothing now, but a lap dog for Sirius Viicous!"-

"I am no lap dog, boy! It is you who are deluded! Unlike you, I am boundless since the day I was purged of my innocence, my heart, and my soul."-

"And what makes you boundless?"-

"I can kill without a second thought, while you have trouble distinguishing who should live and who should die!"-

"Don't try to fool me with your mindless propaganda!" Sora aimed his keyblade and unleashed a fire ball. But the general vanished from sight. He appeared behind the Fullmetal Alchemist and the key bearer, standing at the entry way to the chamber.

"Say what you will, key bearer," Saber continued, "But I will forge the philosopher stone. But now that Agrabah is too obvious, I can't afford to use that city anymore, knowing that you'll fondle my plans. I'll just have to deal with one of the coastal cities instead. There are about four other major cities along the coast that are just as heavily populated as Agrabah. Perhaps one of them will suffice."

"Saber, come back here!" But Saber had already slunk back into the darkness, leaving the two in the chamber. Sora prepared to pursue, but realized that Edward was still on his hands and knees sulking and crying. "Get up, Fullmetal. We have to go after him!"

"I can't…" Ed uttered.

"Of course you can. Come on!"-

"Saber was right. I'm no different from him."-

"Edward…"-

"I wanted to find the philosopher stone so badly. But when I found that it could only be forged with the use of human lives, my hopes shattered. If I wanted to get my arm and leg back, and restore my brother's body, it could only be made possible by the use of the stone. But in order to get the stone, a greater sacrifice would have to be made."-

"Edward…"-

"I'm no different, I'm not different!"-

Sora suddenly clutched Edward and wrapped his arms around the boy. Edward was dumbfounded and confused.

"Listen to me, Edward. What Saber said was wrong. If you let him have his way, then he's already won. But we can't have that can we? You are a far better person because you know better than to indiscriminately take human lives. A life in itself is precious and a single life can affect the outcome of history itself. You for example are such a person, just like Riku, Cunla, Cuchulain, and myself. It is our actions that decide our legacies and fame for future generations. But we will be branded as heroes instead of villains because we did all in our power to protect people, not kill them without a second thought. We all have the capacity to kill, but it is our ability to withstand that urge that make us better." Edward began to cry on Sora's shoulder. "Come back to us, Fullmetal." Sora pulled himself away and looked at Ed straight in the eye. "You are still so young. Don't allow yourself to go wrong in your time of strife."

"Thank you, Sora…" Edward replied. Sora hugged the boy again, comforting him. Ed wiped away his tears and smiled.

"Now, what do you say we get back at Saber?"-

"Yeah!" Ed replied.

"Oh and one more thing," Sore quickly ran up the flight of stairs and took the oracle staff.

"What's that for?" Ed asked.

"You can never tell when we might need it." The two scurried off in pursuit of the Blade General.

By this time, however, General Saber had made his way back to the treasure room, only to spot Riku and Cunla sitting next to the now fallen doors of the chamber of wealth.

"Well, well," he uttered to himself. He gazed at the downed key bearer who was severely wounded and on the brink of death. "It looks like Riku received the wrong end of the stick. Scimitar has pinked him good this time. Perhaps it would be beneficial to me if I killed him and the little traitor now." Saber reached for his blade, but did not draw it. Another thought entered his mind. "No, not yet, the time is not right for their demise. There's a much better way for them to suffer."

Saber then laid eyes on the battle between Scimitar and Cuchulain. Even as the battle progressed, it seemed that no side had gained the upper hand against the other. Cuchulain and Scimitar, despite their attacks and cunning, they never once cut each other.

"This fight is getting us nowhere." Cuchulain said.

"But you said you wanted to proceed with this battle to its full extent." Scimitar replied.

"I understand that, but you are hoping to end it as much as I do."-

"So you're saying that we should finish this fight in sudden death? Very well then," Scimitar extended her hands and caused the ring swords to levitate and spin in mid air. The two chakrams began to revolve around her faster and faster until they formed one ring. "If you don't mind, I'll finish you off now, with the power of the Banshee Blade!"

"So be it." Cuchulain extended his spear, holding it at the center of the staff. With one hand, he began to spin it. His fingers maneuvered faster and faster before the Gae Bulga formed into what looked like a buzz saw with a golden edge. "Then I shall defeat you with this attack which I named after my fallen comrade, Ferdia's Bane."

"Prepare yourself, Hound!"-

But before both opponents could unleash their attacks, General Saber appeared before them both.

"That's enough." Saber said. "Stop playing games with this rift raft, Scimitar."

"General Saber." Scimitar uttered.

"Saber…" Cuchulain added.

"You forget," Saber explained, "we have a mission to fulfill."

"Don't stop us now, sir," Scimitar said, "I'm on the verge of bringing a downfall to the Hound for good!"

"You will do as I say." Saber turned to Cuchulain. "Thank you for the entertainment, but we must dash, until next time, Hound of Ulster."

"Not so fast!" Cuchulain shouted. "I'm not going to let you go that easily!"

"You will no better to whom you speak to." Saber drew his finger before him. Suddenly, there was a bright blinding flash of light that forced the Hound to shield his eyes.

"My eyes, my eyes…!" Cuchulain covered his face, preventing the light from further blinding him.

"Father!" Cunla cried, but he too was blinded by the light.

"What it that?" Riku asked. "Where's that light coming from?"

The light penetrated into the treasure room and illuminated the entire chamber, creating an overwhelming flash. Edward and Sora, by this time, reached the treasure room, but were forced to shield their eyes because the strong luminance was too painful to look upon. It was as if they were looking into the sun itself.

"Where is this light coming from?" Ed asked.

"I don't know." Sora replied. He then felt a deep surge of energy coming from outside of the treasure room, a power he was all too familiar with. "Could it be General Saber who's unleashing this light?"

Once the light faded, the KH team members were deprived of their vision. This allowed the two Blade Generals to depart without any opposition. Saber and Scimitar turned towards the exit and withdrew.

"That should hold them off for a while." Saber chuckled.

"What was that light?" Scimitar asked.

"It was an evasion technique. It'll keep the key bearers and their comrades visually impaired for a good few minutes." Saber began to ascend up the stairs.

"But wouldn't it be more beneficial if we killed them now?"-

"I don't intend to kill them."-

"Why not, are you being merciful?"-

"Mercy has nothing to do with my actions, general. I find it to be more invigorating to have them live on knowing that they failed to stop us. Let them linger with their failure. To linger about in shame is even greater than any consequence death can conjure up."-

"I see. Quite a devious mind you have."-

The two generals made their way out, leaving the KH team blind and confused. Cuchulain fell to his knees, trying to open up his eyes, but his eyes still stung from the light. He could sense the energy of his enemies moving further away, but the flash of light somehow diminished his strength, paralyzing him.

"I have to stop them." He uttered.

Edward and Sora were not as affected by the flash, and were able to make it across the treasure room to their comrades. They first came to Riku and Cunla who were blinded by the light's reflective power. Cunla was rolled on his belly covering his head with both arms. Riku had shut his eyes as tightly as he could.

"Riku, Cunla," Sora uttered, as he rushed to their sides, "Are you two okay?"

Cunla popped his head from under his shoulders and looked about. He glanced at Sora, his eyes still trying to focus on the key bearer. As soon as he vision cleared, and the image of Sora came to his eyes, the boy smiled.

"Sora," he uttered, "You made it back."

Riku opened his eyes and saw the image of his comrade sitting next to him.

"Hey, Sora." He uttered. "Were you successful?"

"More or less, we didn't manage to take out Saber."-

"Not surprising, though. That guy's like an eel, he slips right through your fingers. I'm surprise all of us are still alive, especially after having a third encounter with that nutcase. He didn't bother to finish us off."-

"But then again," Cunla implied, "We never actually saw him pass us. He just appeared from out of nowhere, interfering with the fight against Scimitar and my father."

"Where is Cuchulain anyway?" Ed said.

"I think Cuchulain got the worst of the flash." Riku said.

"Father…" Cunla uttered. He rubbed his eyes and peeked over the fallen door. There he saw his father kneeling down, trying to stand. Cunla rushed over to his father's side. "Father, are you alright?"

"My eyes," he uttered, "My eyes, I can't see."

"Keep you're eyes closed for a while." Ed said. "They'll clear up eventually."

It was then that there was a sudden rumble started to rupture. The KH team members fell to their knees, preventing themselves from being falling from the quake.

"What's happening…!" Sora asked. Bits of rubble began to descend from the ceiling, but nothing life threatening. Cunla looked about at what was causing the rumble. But as he gazed at the doorway leading to the surface, he noticed that the steps of the entrance to the cave were diminishing. The warm glow of the staircase was fading and sand began to pour in, filling the mouth of the entry.

"The door," he shouted, "The entry way of the cave! It's collapsing in!"

"It's can't be!" Ed uttered. "They're sealing the doorway!"

The sand rushed in as if all the sand in the desert collapsed from the surface and came roaring into the frontal chamber like a wild beast. Like water, it easily flowed, engulfing and entrapping everything in its path. Like a tidal wave, the sand came at the KH team members.

"It's coming straight for us!" Cunla cried. "We'll be buried alive!"

"Not if I can help it!" Edward shouted. He clapped his hands together and placed them securely on the stone floor. There was an alchemic surge and a large wall of stone appeared before the team members. It rose up in the path of the incoming sand. The sand struck the wall full force, but the barrier did not falter.

On the surface, General Saber and General Scimitar watched as the great tiger head of the guardian collapsed and diminished back into a simple dune of sand. Upon the sand, one of the scarab pieces fell and slid down the done. As it rested upon the desert surface, Saber picked it up. He glanced at it and he glanced at the other piece that he extracted from the tiger head, as if pulling out one eye from its socket.

"That ought to confine those upstarts for a while." Saber chuckled. He placed both halves in different pockets.

"Pulling out one scarab piece did the trick, sir." Scimitar added. "That caused the entire entry to collapse."

"Heaven hope that the sand rushed in and smothered them all." Saber turned to Scimitar. "Speaking of which, how is it that the Fullmetal Alchemist was still alive?" Scimitar knew deep within that this subject would arise. Of course she did not try to deny the presence of the Fullmetal Alchemist in the cave of wonders, knowing that she encountered him as well. She lowered her head for a second or two, before raising it again and standing at attention.

"The KH team aided him when they found him almost dead, sir."-

"That's what Edward told me. The KH team managed to rescue him from certain death at the last minute."-

"I apologize for earlier, sir, not overseeing the final blow being delivered. It was a hasty and undetermined outcome not fully clarified. I will accept any punishment you see fit, sir."-

"But then again, I too am to blame for turning my back completely on other certain separate matters. Not only were there flaws in my conjecture about the KH team trying to take over the mother ship, which they were in no way attempting, they managed to release Winry Rockbell and Alphonse Elric from their confinement, they managed to take down two outposts without my knowing, and Edward Elric even managed to completely destroy the main document page, the original blueprint for forging the philosopher stone with the use of the Grand Arcanum."-

"Sir, I…" Scimitar was shocked.

"Compared to your mistakes for our operations in this world, mine are ten times the consequence. I will have to report this act of incompetence to His Excellency once our operations are finished here."-

"Yes sir."-

"Well, hopefully Fullmetal and the rest of those monotonous thorns are dead this time. But if he does manage to escape from that prison in the sand, then we can still satisfy the other little bastard who wants to fulfill his desire and kill the boy. Let us assume that they are still alive and may attempt a retaliation."-

"Understood," Scimitar looked the dune. "How is it that you knew taking out one scarab piece would reseal the entry way?"-

"One piece cannot sustain the structure of the door to the cave without the other. Once I extracted the opposite piece, the energetic equilibrium could not withstand the shift in its balance and had no other choice, but to collapse, causing the mouth of the cave to crumble. And now, both key bearers and the real threats to our cause are stuck down there, perhaps covered under feet of desert sand."-

"Clever, general, clever indeed."-

"Yes it was." But it was then that Saber picked up a low rumble coming from afar. He looked towards the darkness and saw a flying object heading towards the area they were at. Instantly, he realized who it was that neared them. It was Goofy and Donald in the gummi ship and they were coming to the rescue. "Well, what have we here, the king's little lackeys!"

"They must've come to aid the key bearers."-

"Well, it's too late already. The key bearers are forever embedded within the cave of wonders. And as long as I hold both pieces of the golden scarab, there's no hope for them to escape." Saber drew up his hand and extended it straight and to his side. Energy began to pulsate from his hand, accumulating a misty dark shadow. Then, from out of the night air, a black vortex appeared, a dark gateway leading back to the ship. "Now, shall we return to the ship? We have other pressing matters to attend to. We have a stone to forge, a trinket to obtain, and a sole surviving Homunculus to satisfy."

"Let us depart." Scimitar added. But she realized then that the gummi ship Cunla and Ed used was still present and in tact. "What should we do about that gummi ship still stationed here?"

"Let it be." Saber said. "The KH team is not going to escape from their underground prison any time soon, so I hardly doubt that there's any need for alarm."

"Still…"-

"Believe me, Scimitar, by the time they reach the surface, if they're not dead already, it'll already be too late."-

"I suppose you're right."-

"Now let us be off. Morning will come within the next hour or so."

"Sir…"-

The two walked into the vortex and disappeared into the shadows. The moment after stepping through, the doorway of darkness vanished without a trace, just as Goofy and Donald hovered over head. They looked down, hoping to find the entryway of the cave, but there was nothing. Only the vacant gummi used by Cunla and Edward remained next to the lone sand dune ad the rocky outcrop where the door once resided.

"That's the ship that Cunla and the others used." Donald uttered. "They must have entered the cave too."

"Donald," Goofy fretted, "We're too late, we're too late! The entry way is gone!"

"There seems to be no activity in the gummi. Could it be that they are still in the cave of wonders?"

"How are they gonna get out?"-

"I don't know, but we're heading down there to see if we can rescue them!" Donald lowered the ship, heading towards the lone sand dune. "It's up to us to save them now."

"I hope that nothing bad happened to them or anything." Goofy uttered, saddened at the thought of the worst possible fate of the key bearers. In their minds they thought the worse case scenario happened and the key bearers and the others had been buried alive in a sea of sand unable to be helped by anyone.

However, the sand filled up only one side of the wall quickly and dust fanned everywhere amidst the chaos. The KH team on the other hand was safe behind the opposite side of the wall. As soon as the commotion died out, Cunla wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"That was close." He uttered. "Great work, Ed. You saved us."

"What just happened?" Cuchulain uttered as his vision slowly restored itself.

"We were almost smothered by the sand, but Ed managed to save us."-

"It was a piece of cake for me." Ed said. "But it was cutting it a little close."

"Whoa," Sora uttered, when he saw the wall that was raised, "Did you do that, Ed?"

"I did."-

"Thank goodness you're on our side this time."-

"But it still doesn't change the fact that we're still in here." Riku uttered. "Ask Fullmetal if he can create an opening for us up top."

"Right," Sora turned to Ed again. "Hey Ed, could you make an opening and help us out of here?"

"No problem!" Ed replied. "I'll just create a hole in the roof!" He looked up to the ceiling made of rock and stone. Again he clapped and placed his palms securely on one of the pillars. The manipulative alchemic reaction forced the rock to form large hole up top.

At the same time on the surface, Goofy and Donald landed the gummi next to the ship Cunla and Edward had operated and rushed out on the lone dune to search for their comrades.

"How are we gonna open the cave again?" Goofy asked. "They're still down there, they have to be."

"Start digging, Goofy." Donald replied. But as he started to clear away sand, hoping to find some form of entry way to the cave, the sand started to give way beneath their feet as if trying to swallow them. Goofy and Donald panicked as they saw the sane suddenly come to life and begin to such them into the ground.

"The sand is alive!" Goofy cried, "It's trying to eat us!"

"No you idiot," Donald replied, "This has to be quick sand!" The two were sucked down into the sand, but found themselves falling in mid air after that. Both were screaming their lungs out as they descended. Little did they realize that they had fallen through the hole created by Fullmetal.

The KH team members heard their screaming and immediately looked up.

"What's that?" Ed uttered.

"It's a bird!" Cunla cried.

"It's a plane!" Sora added.

"No," Cuchulain uttered as he looked up, his vision fully restored, "It's a bird and a dog. It's Goofy and Donald."

"A birddog," Sora began to snicker, "That's a good one."

They watched as the two fell faster and faster until they landed right on their heads. Birds and stars hovered around their heads while spirals too the place of their eyes for a time.

"Ouch," Donald shouted, rubbing a large lump on his head, "That hurt."

"I hear bells…" Goofy mumbled mindlessly.

"Jingle bells?"-

"Cow bells…"-

"Let's try for jingle bells." Donald smack Goofy at the back of his head, despite there being more than two throbbing lumps already.

"You're right. I hear them now, jingle bells!"-

"Are you two alright?" Ed asked.

"What just happened?" Donald asked. "How did we get down here? I thought we were being sucked down by quicksand."

"No, it was just the sand coming through the hole I made."-

"So you're the one I have to thank for putting this lump on my head!" Donald started to fuss and quarrel with Fullmetal.

"Now, now, just calm down."-

"Don't tell me to calm down, shorty!" That was the final insult which triggered Ed's temper.

"What did you just call me?" Ed got Donald into a wrestler's grip, bending him like a pretzel. "You of all people shouldn't be calling me short!"

"Alright, alright, I give up! Uncle! Uncle!"-

"You see Donald, Ed really finds it offensive if you say something sarcastic about his height." Cunla mentioned.

"But how did ya manage to make a hole all the way up there?" Goofy asked as he looked up at the large opening in the cave's top, portraying the night sky.

"It was a cinch for the Fullmetal Alchemist." Ed said as he released Donald.

"Man I thought my back was gonna break!" Donald grumbled.

"Goofy," Cunla said, "You better help Riku and Sora. They've been wounded."

"Okay," Goofy replied. He ran over to where Riku and Sora were. He took off his hat and got the bag of senzu beans. He took out one bean and broke it in half. He then gave both halves to the key bearers. "Here ya go, you two."

"Thanks Goofy," Sora uttered. "You saved out lives."

"Talk about good timing." Riku added. They stuck the bean halves in their mouths, chewed and swallowed. Within seconds, the key bearers were back on their feet. "Thank goodness for the senzu beans."

"Too bad Curaga doesn't work on physical wounds. It only works on wounds inflicted by the dark element."-

"Well, now that we're back in action and have a way out, let's get out of here, while we still can."-

"We have to go after Saber." Ed said. "He's going to use the Grand Arcanum on one of the nearby cities to forge the philosopher's stone."

"Wait a minute!" Sora interrupted. "Saber still has to retrieve the Hand of Midas first!"

"Hand of Midas? What the heck's the hand of Midas?"-

"Well, I'd like to know what that thing is you're holding, Sora." Cunla asked as he spotted the oracle scepter clutched in his hand. "Is that a souvenir or something?"

"Well, not exactly."-

"Is that the oracle scepter?" Riku asked.

"Yes it is."-

"What the heck's an oracle scepter?" Donald asked.

"More likely, what does it do?" Ed added.

"And what's this Philosopher stone you were talking about earlier."-

"Never mind that, where the heck were you guys all this time?"-

"Well, I'd like to know if you managed to take out that convoy and prevent the gold from being shipped back to the mother ship." Sora wondered.

"Did you manage to destroy the carriers with the gold?" Riku asked.

"I asked a question first!" Donald said.

"No, I was the first one to ask a question." Ed protested.

"Now, now," Goofy uttered, trying to keep everything in order. But the topics were flying about amongst the team as each person wanted their question answered first, or wanted to explain the situation they were in first. Their voices turned to mindless bickering as one member tried to overrule the other. This arguing was starting to wear on the Hound's nerves.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," he shouted. The other's stopped their arguing, "One thing at a time. I keep hearing all these things about the convoy, the Grand Arcanum, the philosopher stone, the hand of Midas, the oracle scepter, and you're all trying to get your points first while they're still fresh in your minds! But this constant chattering is getting us nowhere! Let's take it one subject at a time and explain the stages at a general and hasty pace." He turned to Edward. "First thing's first! Ed, you start us off. Tell us what's been going on. Explain the philosopher stone and the Grand Arcanum."

"Alright…" he uttered.

In Agrabah, Ophelia Billiard and Aladdin, along with the other members of the accompanying party, made a successful withdrawal back to the palace. The ship made a steady descent over the front grounds of the palace. Even before the ship could successfully touch the ground, just a foot or so, Aladdin didn't wait. He opened up the hatch to the gummi and jumped out. He rushed up the stair case of the palace.

"Jasmine," he cried, "Jasmine, where are you! Answer me, Jasmine!" Aladdin reached the main hall and looked about. Razoul and the other guards were aiding those who were still alive in the palace.

"Aladdin," Razoul uttered, as he saw him rush in.

"Razoul, where's Jasmine and the Sultan."-

"Hold it right their, street rat!" The guards suddenly pulled their blades on Aladdin.

"What are you doing! We don't have time for this!"-

"Don't give us that!" Razoul shouted. "You were the one who tried to overthrow the Sultan!"

"What do you mean overthrow the sultan? I would never do such a thing!"-

"Then tell that to the men who saw you and your friends slaughter their comrades! Now tell us, where is the Sultan and Princess Jasmine!"-

"What are you talking about! They're not here!"-

"That's right! And you were the one who kidnapped them!"-

"Kidnapped!" Aladdin uttered. "They've been kidnapped!"

"Don't play dumb with me, street rat!" Razoul raved on. "I know that you planned this from the start, hoping to gain favor with the Sultan so that you could take over when the time was right!"

"I didn't do anything or plan anything like that! We've been gone the whole time!"-

"Don't you dare lie to me!" Razoul turned to his men. "Keep your blades on the street rat! The rest of you arrest his friends!"

"Who says!" a voice shouted. The guards looked to find Colonel Billiard and the rest of the KH team standing behind her.

"It's the traitors!" one of the guards shouted.

"Traitors, are you talking about us!" Iago squawked as he saw the guards coming towards them with drawn weapons. "What's going on here?"

"You have it all wrong!" Genie said.

"I'm innocent, I'm innocent!" Iago realized the words that came out of his mouth. "Did I say that? Did I say that? It's the first time I didn't do something and even I wouldn't believe me!" As the guards neared, Iago panicked and flew behind Genie again. Abu, not willing to risk a confrontation with the palace soldiers followed Iago and hid behind Genie too."

"Have them arrested!" Razoul instructed. But before the soldiers could turn to apprehend the KH team, Ophelia drew out her black battle fans and made ready to fight.

"I don't know why you're acting in this manner," she uttered, "And I don't much care! If you dare to stand against us, I will not hesitate to kill you all!"

"There's no need for that Miss Billiard!" Aladdin shouted.

"Tell that to these men."-

But just then, the marble floor suddenly came to life as arms and hands appeared and grabbed the guards, confining them in their places. The other guards still free were stunned at what occurred.

"That was close." Alphonse said. Ophelia looked to see the armor kneeling down before a transmutation circle.

"You're an alchemist too?" she asked.

"That's right. Me and my brother practiced alchemy together."-

"Well done, young Alphonse."-

"Ah, it was nothing really." His head turned bullet as Alphonse rubbed the back of his helmet sheepishly blushing.

"The metal one!" one of the palace guards uttered. "He's a sorcerer!"

"Don't fear men," Razoul shouted. "We shall vanquish this metal foe!"

But no sooner had the guards turned their attentions on the KH team, a sudden roar rumbled from one of the palace corridors. From out of the darkness, Rajah appeared, limping slightly, not wanting to strain her injured paw. The tigress came before the guards, growling and roaring and bearing her fangs. She hovered around Aladdin, acting as a barrier between the guards and Jasmine's husband.

"Rajah…" Aladdin said.

"You fool tiger!" Razoul shouted. "Why are you growling at us! We're trying to apprehend these traitors." But the Tigress continued to roar, pawing at the guards if they came too close to Aladdin. "Fine, fine, we won't hurt him!" Razoul raised his hand, giving the signal for his men to lower their weapons.

"Thanks Rajah…" Aladdin uttered.

"Are you okay, Al?" Genie asked.

"I'm fine!"-

"Stand down, you men!" Ophelia ordered. Her booming voice caused the guards to jump and they lowered their arms.

"Rajah," Aladdin uttered, observing the tigress's wounded paw, "Are you alright? What happened?" Rajah claimed down and lowered her ears in humbleness, whimpering slightly. Aladdin padded her on the head. "Rajah, where's Jasmine and the Sultan."

"They were taken…" a wounded soldier said, "Taken by you supposedly."

"By us…? But we were out the whole time as I said. Even you saw us leave, Razoul."-

"Well, I…" Razoul mumbled.

"They weren't you though." The soldier said. "I saw it with my own eyes."

"When was this?" Miss Billiard asked.

"We thought it was you at first. I thought you had betrayed us for some reason unknown to us. I played dead in case the intruders got suspicious. But when I saw them drag the princess out, she was hollering out loud, saying that the intruder was not her real husband."

"Not her real husband?"-

"And then, suddenly they all turned into zombies, or mummies, things that were dead, but were not dead."-

"They must've been those creatures we fought off before. They can take on any shape they please."-

"But not all of them looked like dried mummies. The leader did not have the distinct features of a mummy. He looked as if he were still alive. He was pale as alabaster with raven black eyes and dark hair streaming down like dagger points. He wore black clothing. A garment that covered only his upper body, not including the arms, and he wore what looked like a loin cloth or something."-

"What was that?" Alphonse asked. "This person, how old did he look?"

"No older than sixteen I think."-

"Did you happen to catch his name? Did he mention it anytime that he was here?"-

"I believe he addressed himself as Envy."-

"Oh my God…" Alphonse grew silent, as if the name itself struck his heart, a heart that wasn't there.

"Do you know this Envy?" Ophelia asked.

"I do, he's a Homunculus."-

"Are you serious?" Winry uttered.

"A Homunculus…?" Aladdin asked. "What's a homunculus?"

"Whatever it is, it sounds bad!" Iago bickered. "I don't want to know what it is and I'm not willing to find out!"

"A Homunculus is born when someone tries to revive a deceased person with alchemy." Alphonse explained. "They obtain super human strength and never age. They're considered immortal to some because they can't die, or so it seems they can't die. Envy's special talent is his ability to transform into anyone he wishes. That's the reason why it looked like Aladdin was kidnapping the princess and the sultan. It was actually Envy disguised at him."

"He must've been the one who wounded Rajah then." Aladdin said. He turned to the soldier. "Was there anything else that happened?"

"The enemy cleaned out the sultan's treasure vault as well." The soldier replied. "Not a single coin was left to bear. Also, this Envy you speak of, he had a conversation with this man dressed in black and blue garments. The funny thing was his form was made out of sand, out of dark black sand.

"Dark black sand," Aladdin uttered, "did you just say dark black sand?"

"Yes sir."-

"Does the sand have something to do with it?" Ophelia asked

"Yes, only one man could be responsible for this." Aladdin replied.

"Who?"-

"He goes by the name of Mozenrath, the lord of the black sands."-

"Mozenrath," Alphonse asked, "Who is he? Do you know him?"

"I've never actually met Mozenrath personally, but I know that he's a powerful sorcerer who's always looking for way to dominate the world. Now, he's never tried anything, but he certainly is a fanatic when it comes to craving magic items."-

"Then he must be after the philosopher stone too. That's why he sided with the faction. He might be the one to use the Grand Arcanum."-

"We have to hurry and find this Mozenrath and General Saber before they execute their plans." Ophelia said. She turned to Aladdin. "I'm heading out to meet up with Sora and the others. I want the rest of you to stay here. Try and get the civilians evacuated out of the city. If Agrabah is targeted for the Grand Arcanum, then we best get every single person out of as soon as possible." She looked at Razoul. "Does this palace have a secret escape way?"

"Why should I tell you?" Razoul said in that high and mighty manner. Ophelia had enough of the captain's sarcastic attitude. She grabbed hold of him by the collar and slammed him against the way. She drew out her dagger and held it at his throat.

"Damn it, I'm really getting tired of your smart remarks!" she roared. "Does this palace have a rear escape route out of the city or not!"

"Yes…" Razoul uttered, in a terrified manner. "It's down in the wine cellar."

"Thank you!" She released him and turned to Aladdin. "Alright Aladdin, I want you to take charge and guide the people out of Agrabah. Use the secret passage from the palace. And do it quietly. We don't want any faction spies to figure out that we've caught on."

"I understand."-

"Good," she then looked at Razoul. "And as for you, if I here that you've been causing trouble for Aladdin and the other members of the KH team, I'm gonna track you down and gut you like stocked pig, you understand!"-

"Yes ma'am…" Razoul uttered.

"I've got to go."-

"Do you want me to go with you?" Alphonse asked.

"I need you here."-

"But…"-

"You're the only skilled alchemist here. I need you to take care of things in case the enemy tries to use alchemy as well."-

"Alright…" Alphonse backed off.

"Then let me go instead!" Winry said.

"No Winry, you can't go. It'll be dangerous. And my brother would kill me if he found out that I let you go and allow you to get hurt."-

"Alphonse is right, Miss Rockbell." Ophelia said. "You'll be entering dangerous territory."

"I'm more worried about Edward breaking his automail arm again! But if I'm there to help, then maybe I'll be able to repair his arm, jerry rig it if necessary."-

"But Winry…" Alphonse said.

"Very well, Miss Winry," Ophelia said, "You come with me. The rest of you stick to the plan and try not to attract attention to yourselves."

"Right," they all replied.

"Let's get going!"-

"I'm right behind you." The two girls rushed out back to the gummi ship, leaving Aladdin and the others in charge of the evacuation.

"Alright, you guys," Aladdin said, "Let's get busy. Genie, I want you to start spreading the word. Alphonse and I will open up the escape route and Razoul, order your soldiers to begin escorting people out of the city. Tell them to bring only their necessities."

"Of course," Razoul replied, grumbling silently behind his tongue. He turned to the guards. "Alright, you men get out there and make sure that none of the sultan's subjects are left behind."

"Yes sir!" the soldiers replied and went about their business.

In the meantime, Winry and Ophelia buckled themselves into the gummi ship.

"I can't believe we're going in this flying contraption again." Winry uttered.

"It's the fastest way to get to Riku and the others, dear." Ophelia replied. "Hold on tight because we're in for a bumpy ride."

"Great…" Winry huffed and sighed, showing little enthusiasm for the ride.

"And one more thing, Miss Rockbell. Are you familiar with handling a turret gun?"-

"No really…"-

"Well, you better start learning how to maneuver it because after all the disturbances we've caused with the faction, we might encounter a little resistance in mid air."-

"Oh no…"-

The gummi rockets ignited and the little ship flew into the night sky, heading towards the area where Riku, Sora, and the others resided.

At the same time as Riku and Sora heard the information gathered from their friends within the cave and Aladdin and the others met false accusations by the palace guard, General Scimitar and General Saber had returned successfully to the faction destroyer. General Saber opened the door to his quarters and walked in.

"So," he said, as he went to is liquor cupboard and poured himself a cup of brandy, "All four filled transports made it back safely, despite the efforts of the KH team trying to destroy them."

"That's what the clerk said when he categorized the merchandise." Scimitar said.

"And what damage was suffered by our convoy?"-

"Estimated, out of the twenty transports, eleven were either severely maimed or destroyed altogether."-

"And the gatlers…?"-

"Out of the five, only two managed to return safely. But even of the two, one had run out of electromagnetic shells while the other had lost the front of its gun barrel. All would have been lost indeed if it weren't for the fact that the convoy was within range of the mother ship's outer defense system. That forced the KH gummi to withdraw."-

"Such a price we have to pay for the prosperity of the faction." Saber sipped his bauble and placed it on the desk.

"And what of the issue regarding the forging of the Philosopher stone with the use of the Grand Arcanum…?" Scimitar asked.

"We will continue with our present plans." Saber continued. "Agrabah is still our intended target."

"But I thought you said that the KH team was already wise to our attempts of creating the stone with the populous of that city?"-

"I understand that, but the obliteration of Agrabah's population, for that matter the destruction of the city in its entirety, has more meaning than just the forging of the philosopher stone itself."-

"In what way?"-

"That city has played a significant role in the history of the key bearers and the KH team. His Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous wants all traces of the key bearers' existence to vanish without a trace. That means eliminating all those who had come into contact or were in some way affected by Riku and Sora. And what better way to rid such a legacy than by destroying the place where they resided and battled?"-

"I see."-

The doors suddenly opened and Lord Mozenrath along with his servant Xerxes appeared. He bowed respectfully to the generals.

"Ah, Lord Mozenrath," Saber approached the young sorcerer, "Just the man that I wanted to see."

"All preparations have been made, sir." Mozenrath replied.

"Excellent."-

"When would you like me to commence with the operation."-

"Initiate the operation as soon as you can, at this very minute if it's possible for you. The sooner we create the stone, the less we have to worry about the KH team intervening. Make sure to initiate the creation of the stone in secrecy. But it's most likely that the remaining KH team members might have caught on to our plans, so use your mumluks to surround the city and prevent anyone from leaving. The last thing we need is for the main ingredient of the stone to go sneaking away from the city like wandering night weasels."-

"I will do as you command." Mozenrath said.

"Once the philosopher stone is forged," Saber concluded, "And once we are finished with using it, then you will be given full benefit of the elixir's power."

"You are too kind, general."-

"Too kind, too kind," Xerxes said."

"Then be of with you." Saber said. "I expect success from you, my lord."

Mozenrath bowed respectfully and withdrew from the room.

"I still can't believe you're actually going to share our labors with that cocky upstart." Scimitar uttered.

"He is doing us a great favor, general." Saber said. "He is not only an ambitious young sorcerer and a powerful one at that, but he excels in the practice of alchemy. Thus his talents have come into good use. He's not like Edward Elric who refused to do anything we asked. He's not working under threat of anything. So you should be glad that Mozenrath is openly willing to aid us."

"I'm just not comfortable with you giving him so much freedom and trust. You are more likely to be bitten by an asp if you bear your hand to close to its fangs."-

"As the asp is quick, it must beware the fangs of the mongoose, which are swifter and strike harder. Of course we will give him the philosopher stone. That is unless he meets with an unfortunate accident." Saber took one gulp and swallowed his brandy in one shot. "You should know by now that all of our informants are expendable. Once we've successfully finished our operations, our only trifle will be dispensing with the witnesses. They will all eventually meet their demise one way or the other. His Excellency cannot have such upstart antagonists fondling his plan."

"I see."-

"I want you to assemble a full company of men and have them divided into four units of twenty five individuals. Have them sent to the four cities along the Arabian coast."-

"What for?" Scimitar asked.

"The KH team already knows of our plans for the philosopher stone, but they still can't guarantee that we'll use Agrabah as our target. Knowing Billiard and Cunla, that is if possible the boy's still alive, he and the Tiger of Goth being former faction officers and all, they will do all that they can to counter our plot. They'll hypothesize on whether we might stay with Agrabah, or shift somewhere else to prevent possible intervention. But if they know better, they will keep their eyes on one of the coastal cities and hope that we may strike there instead."-

"And if they do catch on that we are going nowhere from Agrabah?"-

"Even if the operation for forging the philosopher stone does fail, we still have the hand of Midas to make up for it. If we can acquire at least one of them, then that will successfully complete our operations here. However, if we manage to get both of them, that would be an even greater victory for the faction. Whether it's one or the other, it doesn't matter as long as we don't leave without either of them." The two general exited Saber's quarters "You know your mission correct?"

"I will inform our forces at once."-

But suddenly, as the two generals entered the hall, the booming sound of an angry voice could be heard approaching them.

"Saber," the voice bellowed, "Hold it right there!"

The two generals looked to find none other than Envy approaching them.

"Oh dear," Saber uttered, "Hohenheim's forgotten little bastard makes his appearance."

"I have a bone to pick with you, Saber!" Envy shouted, storming up to the general.

"Mind who you're talking to boy!" Scimitar demanded.

"You stay out of this, woman! This is none of your concern! This is strictly between me and the good general!"-

"Why you little…!"-

"That's quite alright, Scimitar." Saber said. "The boy wishes to have a word with me, so let him have his say." He turned to the Homunculus. "Now what is it that brings you to me in such an uproar?"

"What is this that I hear about you assigning me another mission!"-

"You heard correct, Envy. You have one last assignment to fulfill."-

"I don't want to fulfill anymore of your assignments! You promised me that you would let me deal with the Fullmetal pipsqueak personally! But now my patience grows thin because of this new mission you want me to accomplish! I want to kill that bastard's son now! But now I'm hearing rumors saying that you already had Elric killed!"-

"Did I, when was that?"-

"Don't play dumb with me! I heard about your little incident in the cave of wonders! Word has it that you sealed Fullmetal in there, hoping that the sand would rush in and suffocate him!"-

"I found it an opportune moment to get rid of the entire KH team, or at least the half most effective that's all. But knowing them, they don't die that easily. So there is a chance that Fullmetal might have survived."-

"You bastard, you wanted him dead from the start!"-

"And what would that mean to you?"-

"Are you saying that you would have killed him despite my urge, despite my opposition!"-

"Of course, now if you don't mind, I have other matters to attend to." Saber turned his back on Envy, which was the final insult.

"Stop right there, Saber!" Envy shouted. "I'm not finished yet!" But Saber did not heed the boy's words. "Don't you dare turn your back on me!"

"I believe you have that backwards, boy. Perhaps you shouldn't turn your back on me." Envy rushed in and grabbed Saber by the collar, forcing him around.

"You gave me your word and yet now you back out on it!"-

"Careful boy," Saber released himself from Envy's grasp and straightened out the front of his red frock, "This uniform cost more than your own existence." Saber turned towards Envy again. "Since you're so determined to know why I killed Edward Elric prematurely, I'll tell you. I found an open opportunity to be rid of the key bearers once and for all and yet for some reason, Fullmetal was amongst their group. Did you really expect me to just lure Fullmetal out and have him isolated from the rest of his comrades for your sake alone? I'm dealing with a group that has been cankerous to the faction from the start. Already, many of our key strategic areas have been lost because of the key bearers continuing to freely frolic from one world to the other. And when I find a moment to dispense with them for good, you think I'm going to wait for your permission? I think not." Saber turned his back again on Envy. "Of course knowing the key bearers, they found some way to survive and will be back in action before we could take our first breath of relief. And without a doubt, Fullmetal will be amongst them as well." Saber began to walk away.

"That's beside the point! You went back on your word! And yet now you intend to have me continue to operate under you with the only hope that Fullmetal is still alive as your promise! He could already be dead as far as I know!"-

"Then that's your problem not mine."-

"But it's your problem too, because you if you don't have anything to assure my loyalty, then there's no need for me to be playing nice with you any longer!" Envy suddenly rushed at Saber from behind. But before his could even raise a hand, Scimitar rushed in, deploying one of her chakrams and cut the boy across the throat. Envy fell to the ground with his throat cut wide open and blood spilling from the open wound. He twitched on the corridor floor.

"Takes care of that upstart," Scimitar said. "There was no need for him anymore anyway." But suddenly, Envy arose again as if nothing had happened. The slash on his neck suddenly vanished and he was back on his feet. Scimitar was shocked.

"Now that wasn't very nice." Envy chuckled.

"It can't be. I cut you across your throat, you can't still be alive."-

"Well apparently I am."-

"Save your energy, Scimitar." Saber said. "A homunculus can't die that easily. In fact, with the use of ordinary weapons, they're virtually immortal." Saber turned towards Envy. "In order to defeat a homunculus, you have to know how to kill them first."

"Ha, there's no way that you can kill me!" Envy chuckled. He began to rush at Saber. "I'll teach you for going back on your word!"

But before Envy could even lay a hand on him, Saber drew up the sword at his side, revealing only an inch or two of the base. But that was enough to suddenly stop Envy in his tracks. The blade of the sword began to glow profusely, the light slightly blinding. For some reason, Envy was paralyzed. His body had ceased to function. He could not withdraw nor withstand the power behind the sword's light.

"What is this power?" He uttered. "What is this feeling I have?"

"It's called helplessness." Saber said. "It's a sensation that many Homunculi usually don't feel in the full course their lives. In fact, this may be the first time since your birth that you actually felt like this isn't it? That's because this is no ordinary saber."

"What…what kind of weapon is this?"-

"The sword I wield is the key that all Homunculi should fear. This saber guarantees your demise. If you are cut from this sword, you will lose all of your power and will become mortal. In other words, this sword was forged specifically to deal with your kind."-

"It can't be…" Envy fell to the ground, his body feeling heavy and full of pain as the light shined upon him. "That…that weapon only exists in legend…"

"Oh no, I'm afraid you're wrong, my young friend. If you exist, then it is possible for this sword to exist. And since you are familiar with its mythical status, then you know its power and what it's capable of doing." Saber drew his sword back into the scabbard, extinguishing the light. Envy lay on the ground, gasping and sweating. He had never felt fear before, but now after being exposed to the light of the sword, he was more frightened than before. Saber turned away. "We're going to retrieve the hand of Midas and you will be coming with us. If the key bearers did survive, they will be trying to counter our efforts. And if they do appear, Fullmetal will be there as well. You will have your revenge then. Now go."

Envy arose to his feet and sneered, but dared not assault the general again. Instead he withdrew from the corridor altogether not saying another word.

"We've lost too much time with that little bastard." Saber said. "He's been nothing, but a nuisance up to this point." He turned and walked down the opposite way of the corridor. Scimitar soon followed.

"You will make sure to dispense with him too." Scimitar said.

"All those who are not members of the faction will be eliminated. But we can't delay any further than we already have. We have a tight schedule to keep, general. And we can't waste it on complaints from mere boys."-

Just then, a messenger appeared in the corridor, bearing a letter. He presented himself before the generals and saluted.

"General Saber, sir," he said, handing the letter "Word from His Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous."

"Thank you," Saber replied. He took the letter and opened it. He browsed the letter's contents. His eyes suddenly opened wide, struck with emotion. A smirk appeared on his face followed by a slight chuckle.

"Is it good news?" Scimitar asked.

"Well, well," Saber gave the letter of Scimitar, "This changes everything then." Scimitar browsed the letter. She too had the same reaction.

"General, is this…?-

"I'm just as surprised as you, Scimitar. But we shall keep this to ourselves for the time being. No one else must know about it. Now shall we continue with our operations here?"-

"Of course, sir."-

The two Blade Generals continued on their way. Whatever the letter held, it struck them with a new burst of confidence.

The situation was clear now, the facts were straight, and all members of the KH team were aware of the situation at hand.

"So everything's explained then." Cuchulain said. "The faction is after both the philosopher stone and hand of Midas. The philosopher stone, if forged, will cost thousands of lives. And since we know of the faction's plan to possibly use Agrabah as a conductor, it'll most likely that the faction may turn their attention towards another large settlement along the coast. Then there's the hand of Midas which will allow the faction to transform everything into gold. And the way to figure out where this hand of Midas is, we have to use that oracle scepter, correct?"

"That's right." Sora said.

"At the same time, Goofy and Donald had to withdraw from destroying the excavation transports because they were too near the faction's mother ship and its outer defenses."-

"We managed to destroy eleven altogether," Donald implied, "But none of them carried any gold."

"Well, we did arrive at an unexpected time." Riku said. "I'm sure the faction hastily withdrew."

"So we have two significant tasks to fulfill, gentlemen." Cuchulain continued. "We have to stop the faction from forging the philosopher stone and retrieving the hand of Midas. Unfortunately, we have no idea of where or when Saber and his comrades will initiate their plan. We have no idea what city they will use to create the stone and we have no idea where this hand of Midas is located."

"I know." Sora said. He lifted the scepter up before the group. "Let's ask the oracle to tell us what we want to know."

"Alright," Ed said, "Let's summon this oracle out then." Sora pointed the scepter outward towards the empty darkness of the frontal chamber.

"Come forth oracle and let us hear your wisdom!"-

Suddenly, the emerald jewel atop the scepter began to glow brightly. From that glow, a beam of light bellowed forth and the form of a woman appeared before the KH team. An eloquent and beautiful woman that they ever laid eyes upon.

"Wow," Cunla uttered in awe, "Look at that."

"Pretty…" Goofy said.

"That must be the oracle." Cuchulain said.

"I am the spirit of the scepter." She replied. "I am the all knowing oracle, the all seeing spirit. I will answer whatever question you ask me, but mind you I will only answer one."

"Only one question…?" Ed asked. "Each…?"

"I guess so." Riku replied. "There's only one way to find out."

"Well, what should we ask her?"-

"Let me go first." Sora said. He turned to the oracle who awaited a response. "Where can we find General Saber?"

"General Saber searches for the hand of Midas off the coast." The oracle replied.

"And where can we find the hand of Midas?" Riku asked, delivering his question.

"Go to the coast where the land extends its one finger where the ocean turns white. There, the fingernail of night and the morning star coincide together. When the sun peeks over the east, making night into day, the resting place of the hand of Midas will appear upon an island that never emerges in the same place twice. It lies in the temple where the hovering palm resides."

"What does that mean?" Sora asked.

"It means that an island will appear off of the coast, giving location to the resting place of the hand of Midas." Cuchulain said.

"But what's with all this stuff about a fingernail and a finger where oceans turn white?"-

"The finger must regard to some kind of geographical feature like a headland or something. And the fingernail in the sky refers to the crescent moon."-

"Then if that's where Saber is headed," Riku implied, "Let's go after him."

"Wait a minute," Edward said, "What about the philosopher stone? We have to find out where they intend to create it." Edward stepped up to the oracle. "Do you know where they will forge the philosopher stone?"

"The philosopher stone is what you seek." The oracle replied. "Look to the great city in the east, the jewel of the desert, where the towering palace stands like a guardian over the settlement. There, the master of the black sands waits to do the bidding of the raven hair."-

"Master of the black sands? She must be talking about that guy, Mozenrath."-

"Mozenrath…?" Cunla asked. "Are you talking about the man Genie mentioned?"

"That's him alright. He's also happens to be one of the guys with General Saber. He wears this black and blue entourage like he was a local of this world and he's always being accompanied by this floating eel."-

"Hold on," Sora said, "Did this guy happen to be pale as alabaster, or a ghost?"

"Yeah, but how did you know?"-

"Then Mozenrath must've been the guy we saw when the faction was leaving the cave."-

"Without a doubt," Riku added.

"Do you know about this Mozenrath too?" Cuchulain asked.

"Only in appearance, but we don't know what his role in all of this is." Riku turned to Edward. "What do you know about this guy?"

"I know that he's a sorcerer of some sort." Ed replied. "That proves it then. Being a sorcerer, he must know about the fundamentals of alchemy."

"If he's a sorcerer," Cunla added, "Then he must have also been responsible for unleashing those creatures of the dead that attacked the palace before, those mummy guys."

"That's why Saber hired him. It's because he knows how to perform alchemy. He needed someone who was power hungry, ambitious, and would do anything to achieve a new strength."-

"Well whatever his reason," Cuchulain said, "we know now that they still plan on targeting Agrabah. I guess Saber was planning a reversal when he tried to persuade us when he would attack one of the costal cities. But it stands to reasons, Agrabah is the most significant city in this world, not only for the region, but for us as well."

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"That city has played a significant part in your lives correct?"-

"That's right."-

"That's why Saber is targeting that city. Not only will he gain the stone, but he will also wipe out a crucial link to your legacy and the legacy of the keyblades."-

"We have to get out of here to warn the others and tell them of our confirmation." Donald said.

"Then let's move!" Riku said. He turned to carpet, who was sitting patiently on the ground. "Carpet, take Goofy, Donald, and Fullmetal; and Sora, you use the nimbus to carry Cunla and Cuchulain back to the surface."

"What about you, Riku?" Sora asked.

"Don't worry about me. I have my own ways of transportation." Riku unleashed his keyblade and deployed the whiff spell. Whiff appeared and transformed into the great black wings, which attached themselves to the key bearer's back.

"Whoa…!" the others said in awe at the sight of the magnificent wings.

"Show off…" Sora grumbled.

"Let's go." Riku said.

"Okay," Sora looked upon the face of the oracle. "Thank you for you help, Miss."

"Farewell," the oracle said. With that, her light and form diminished from sight. Sora lay down the scepter and drew up his keyblade.

"Let's get going!" he declared. There was a bright flash of light and from that light, the little Nimbus cloud appeared. "Hop on you two!"

Cuchulain and Cunla jumped up and landed safely on the cloud's top. At the same time, Carpet swooped down and allowed Donald, Goofy, and Fullmetal to board. With Sora and the Nimbus taking the lead, the team flew out of the alchemic hole at the cave's ceiling. Once reaching the surface, they landed upon the soft sands.

"There are the gummi ships." Donald said. "Let's hurry up and board it, so we can help the others."

But no sooner had they spotted the two gummies, they noticed a flying object heading their way. From out of the darkness, a large alloy body appeared from the darkness of the desert.

"Something's headed our way." Sora shouted. But as the object drew closer, the team came to realize that what approached them was not at all threatening. It was in fact the third gummi ship bearing Winry and Ophelia.

"It's our third party!" Cunla said.

"Hey," Goofy hollered, waving his hands, trying to signal. "Hey, over here!"

Winry and Ophelia looked to find the party of lost boys signaling them to land.

"There they are." Ophelia said. "The boys are alright."

"And it looks like none of them got hurt." Winry added. Ophelia then happened to glance at Riku with his giant black wings.

"Well, look at that. It looks like Riku got a new set of wings. Incredible…"-

"Hey you guys!" Sora shouted. Miss Billiard picked up the intercom and switched to the loud speaker so that the others could hear her.

"Riku, Sora," Ophelia announced on the exterior loud speaker, "I see you guys managed to get out in one piece."

"Touch down and we'll fill you in on what's been going on." Riku said.

"Roger that!"-

The gummi began to descend with the others. As they touched the ground and disengaged the gummi's system, the two young ladies rushed out the meet the others.

"Edward," Winry cried, being the first to emerge from the ship.

"Winry," Ed said, "You're here too?" The two met up and embraced. After pulling away, Edward looked in to the eyes of his life long friend. "We don't have much time left. We have to get going."

"Oh…?"-

"It's confirmed," Sora said, "The faction is planning to use Agrabah for the philosopher stone."

"Are you sure?" Ophelia asked.

"There's no doubt about it." Riku added, as his wings diminished, "The oracle told us where the stone would be forged. The one who'll perform it is a guy named Mozenrath."

"Well, then there's nothing to worry about." The team looked at her puzzled. "What do you mean there's nothing to worry about?"-

"We figured that they would target Agrabah. That's why we took the liberty of evacuating the civilians out of the city."-

"Really…?"-

"That's right. And now that you told us that it's Mozenrath who'll do the alchemy, we'll know who to lookout for, a guy dressed in black and blue garments."-

"You know about Mozenrath too?" Ed asked.

"We knew." Winry replied. "We also have bad news for you."

"What's that?" Sora wondered. There was an awkward pause between the girls and the boys before Ophelia picked up the conversation again.

"Jasmine and the sultan have been kidnapped by the faction." She uttered.

"What…!" The team gasped.

"They've been kidnapped?" Cunla uttered.

"I'm afraid so." The colonel reassured. "They were kidnapped by Mozenrath's soldiers and their leader."

"Their leader…?"-

"Yes… His name is…" Ophelia paused and then looked at Winry. "Perhaps you better tell them."

"Right…" Winry replied. She looked at Ed, a sad and worried look on her face. "Edward, I have more bad news for you."

"What is it?" Ed asked.

"The leader of the group that kidnapped the princess and the sultan was…" she paused for a minute or two, clearing her throat. "It was Envy…"

Immediately after hearing that name, Edward's expression changed. His eyes grew large with fear.

"It can't be…" he uttered. "It can't be…"-

"I'm afraid so…"-

"But what would Envy be doing here?"-

"I don't know. All I know is that it has to be him. The way the guards described his appearance is identical to what you mentioned before, a Homunculus who can morph into anyone."-

"It's the philosopher stone he's after. It has to be…"-

"Who's this Envy we you speak of?" Cuchulain asked.

"He's a Homunculus…"-

"You're kidding!" Cunla uttered.

"I wish I was, but I'm not."-

"What's a Homunculus?" Sora asked.

"It's a creature born from attempted human transmutation." Edward explained. "They take on the shape of humans, they obtain eternal youth, they have superhuman strength in which one's ability is different from the others, but they have no soul. Their purpose of existence is to forge the philosopher stone, nothing more."

"But why would someone like that be siding with the faction?"

"I don't know, but I know this much," Edward looked up, "I can't allow him to gain such a power."

"Then we better hurry." Cuchulain said. "Here's how we'll situate it. Cunla and I will head back to Agrabah and search out this Mozenrath. Sora, Riku, and Edward will search for Saber. And Goofy and Donald, along with Miss Rockbell and Miss Billiard, will search the four coastal cities for any faction activity."

"But why would we do that?" Winry asked. "We already know where they plan of forging the stone."

"We know, but the faction doesn't know that. We have to make it seem as if we're patrolling the four major costal cities and throw the faction off guard and make them believe that they have us fooled. Only until after we've defeated Mozenrath and end the forging of the stone will we converge and finish off Saber."-

"But wouldn't it be more beneficial if Ed were to accompany you to find Mozenrath?" Sora asked.

"That would be, but Cunla too knows the fundamentals of alchemy, so he should be more than capable. Besides, I know young Ed Elric has a score to settle with his betrayers. And his skills as an alchemist may prove useful."-

"Right…!" Ed said, enthusiastically.

"Then no more discussions." Riku said. "Let's go! The night's growing shorter!"

"We'll take Carpet." Cunla said. "I'm sure he misses Aladdin."

"Okay," Donald agreed. "Then the rest of us will take the three gummies."

"Good luck to you all!" Cuchulain gave an informal salute and the three parties went on their way. But would they succeed as they further entangled in this most complicated of situations? The conclusion for the quest of the hand of Midas and the Philosopher stone begins.


	53. This Hand and This Stone

This Hand and This Stone

Night had come and gone so quickly. The twinkling stars continued to gleam, but in the east, there was already a hint of the day's rebirth. Light was starting to show itself, though barely a dim sight. Upon a long stretch of land reaching out to sea, like a large nail a mythical deity failed to hammer, General Saber, General Scimitar, Envy, and a hand full of the faction's best combatants awaited the rising of the sun. Saber took out a pocket watch from the inside pocket of his overcoat and observed the time. The watch pointed ten minutes after five a.m.

"How the night passes so quickly." He uttered. "Have we really been so diligent in our activities?"

"It will not be long before the sun breeches the horizon and the first rays of the new day appear over in the east." Scimitar said. "And when that moment comes, the mysterious island bearing the hand of Midas will finally appear."

"And a new power will be in our hands." Saber then glanced at Envy who still had this aggravating look on his face. Saber sighed. "You should really lighten up a little, Homunculus. Enjoy this tranquil calm before the storm."

"I don't understand why I'm still here doing your bidding." Envy uttered. "I was hoping to get rid of Fullmetal! But now I fear he's already dead and I'll never exact my revenge. And why…? All because of you."

"There, there Envy, you still have the philosopher stone to look forward to. And once we obtain the hand of Midas, not only will you be powerful, but wealthy as well."-

"I don't care for such trivial items."-

"Now, now, you're a homunculus. You have no soul. You're just an empty shell, a living thing with no spirit, just like a doll. But if you managed to gain the power of the stone, you will be able to forge a soul and become human. Is that not what all homunculus want?"-

"I don't care about becoming human. If I become human, that means I become mortal. And when I become mortal, I will no longer have my morphing powers or eternal youth. All I wanted was to kill Fullmetal! But as far as I know, he's already dead."-

"Then why bother staying around."-

"It's what you said before. If Fullmetal is still alive, if he did manage to escape his sandy prison, then I will be here to stop him. After everything you've done to him, he'll most likely try and settle the score. So wherever you are, he'll come after you. And that's when I take the honor of killing him."-

"So you shall," Saber said. "Then if the Fullmetal Alchemist does arrive, I will not interfere between the two of you. You can kill him for all I care."-

"Just as long as you're not saying that only to keep my hopes up."-

"I can assure you, you will have revenge against Edward Elric." Saber looked towards the sea. "And what of Mozenrath, has there been any commencement for forging the stone? I have not felt any large surge of energy yet."

"We sent three squadrons of soldiers to oversee the production of the stone and act as security." Scimitar said.

"Did you give them their specific orders?" Saber asked.

"I did, sir."-

"Very good, then all we have to do is sit and wait for out operations to commence."-

Mozenrath stood upon the dunes over Agrabah. Behind him were a hundred of his loyal mumluks, armed to the teeth and ready to do battle.

"The night reaches its end and yet not a stir from the city." Mozenrath said. "The people are completely unaware of their fate." He turned to his mumluks. "Go forth and prevent the inhabitance from escaping, should they find out our scheme." The mumluks obeyed and silently departed, spreading out around the outside of the city. There they would lie and wait and strike down anyone who dared to leave Agrabah prematurely.

"My soldiers are in position. All that's required is to commence with creating the circle."

From behind the sorcerer, like a vast shadow upon the desert, the black sands of Mozenrath's domain accumulated and festered, smothering the rest of the desert. The sands seemed to have a personality of their own. Mozenrath stretched forth his hand, pointing towards the city, and like a faithful pet, the sand advanced, as if alive and wielding a will of its own. At first, this mass of black sand moved as one body, but as it drew nearer to the city, it began to divide into what looked like long strands of hair. It slithered like serpents heading in several different directions. Once reaching the walls of the city, the black sand ascended over its top. The willful sand then began to spread silently throughout the city, not at random, but into the form of an intricate pattern. Mozenrath seemed to control the sand with his mind, orchestrating each little grain into their right full position, into the form that would become the great transmutation circle which would unleash the Grand Arcanum. There was no stir in the city, no sound, no scream. The sand quietly made its way into the city with no one bearing witness. And since it was still dark, the streams of black sand were completely unnoticeable.

"Look Mozenrath," Xerxes uttered as he watched the sands taking form, "The circle is made."

"Yes, my servant." Mozenrath replied. "And within the next few minutes, the stone will be as good as mine, provided that my aids can fend off any trouble that comes to interfere."

Appearing from the darkness, the leader of the faction soldiers appeared. He kneeled respectfully before the warlock.

"The KH team will most likely attack, sir." He said. "But when they do, we'll be ready for them. We will assure the success of your efforts this night, Lord Mozenrath."

"Very good..." Mozenrath awaited the completion of the circle.

Already the new day started to make its presence known as the sky in the east was becoming a lighter hue of blue and the stars slowly began to fade from their sentinels. Within minutes, the black sand found its connections and formed a perfect transmutation circle around and throughout the city.

"The circle is complete." Mozenrath said. "All that is required now is to execute the alchemic reaction. At this rate, we will be successful." He turned to the soldiers accompanying him. "Shall we depart for the city and commence with the operation?"

"Yes sir." The officer replied.

The group steadily made their way to the walls of the city. Nothing, is seemed, would disturb the operations at Agrabah. There was no sign of help, no sign of rescue. The fate of the people was already sealed. Or so it seemed. No sooner had the party made it within one hundred yards of the gates; a lone figure appeared from out of the shadows and placed himself between the sorcerer and the city.

"Who's there!" the officer shouted. "Show your face!"

The man in the shadows stepped forward. He slowly strolled before the group of soldiers and Lord Mozenrath. He was more than two thirds of the way between the advancing faction party and the city gates, at least twenty yards from Mozenrath himself, when his features became more distinguishable even in the dark. His face was slightly illuminated by the nightly atmosphere. He was young and fair and his hair draped down in a long ponytail behind his head. However, it was not the physical characteristics of the man the soldiers identified him with, but rather the weapon he carried. The man wielded a long spear, its golden head wielding three prongs. It was a weapon the faction soldiers knew too well.

It was Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster.

"Well, well," Cuchulain said, "It looks like we managed to arrive just in time."

"So it's you," the officer uttered, "The Hound of Ulster."

"Do not fear him." Mozenrath chuckled arrogantly. "He is but one man. You are thirty times his number and are elite faction soldiers, correct? Then he should be no match for you."

"Men, be ready to battle!" the officer shouted. "First squadron, take out the Hound!"

"Yes sir!" the soldiers replied in unison. They took their stance, drawing out their weapons, making ready to battle. Cuchulain only smirked, as if he knew the outcome already. In most cases, his intuition was true.

"Are you guys really willing to make that call?" the Hound asked. "Are you willing to cross blades with the Hound of Ulster?"

"Don't fear him men!" the officer shouted. "Stay as one and fight as one and not even the mighty Hound of Ulster can stop you!"

But no sooner had weapons been drawn, a second figure appeared, this time from the night sky. He landed amidst the soldiers and cut four of them down with one swoop. The soldiers immediately turned to find the young Son of the Hound crouching amongst them.

"My father is not the one you have to fear." Cunla said, as he stood up, lowering his sword. "He's the one preventing you from getting closer to the city. I'm the one you have to watch for."

"Blast," Mozenrath uttered, "Just when I thought it was an open road to glory, you two just had to interfere." He turned to the soldiers. "Kill them both!"

"Yes sir!" the soldiers replied.

"Take out the Hound and his traitorous whelp!" the officer ordered. "They shall not live to see the sun rise again!"

"Destroy them both!" Xerxes chuckled.

The soldiers stood their grand, prepared to fight to the death against two legendary Celtic warriors. Mozenrath made a hasty retreat, with the officer and his subordinates acting as bodyguards. The rest of the soldiers went straight into battle. But the battle would not take the shape of victory as they had anticipated. Instead, the soldiers found themselves contending with warriors who excelled beyond their own skills. Despite working as one unit, despite being experienced veterans of many bloody battles, they had never once encountered opponents with such strong fighting spirits and ferocity. Cunla easily dispensed with ten soldiers, leaving only six to fight him. With four soldiers guarding Mozenrath, and ten still in a face off against Cuchulain, I seemed as that their simple operation was fondled.

"Come on, you guys." Cunla chuckled. "You think that you can take me down so easily? You should know by now that you can't beat the Son of the Hound."

"You'll pay for what you've done, traitor!" a soldier shouted. He was armed with double blades and commenced battling with Cunla. Another soldier jumped in, armed with a spear and started jabbing away. A third soldier took his stance behind Cunla and drew his sword. The three acted in tight formation, slicing and thrusting in syncopation, so as not to cut each other in the process. But their efforts proved futile against the young boy. Cunla's strength was beyond comprehension.

"This is impossible." Mozenrath uttered. "How could one boy be so skilled as to have the ability to fend of the faction's best soldiers?"

"They don't call him the Son of the Hound for nothing." The officer said. He looked to his troops. "Do not be disheartened. Fight as one and you will be victorious!"

But no sooner had he said that, then two more soldiers were killed. Five of the soldiers who faced Cuchulain, turned to aid against Cunla.

"We don't have time for this." Mozenrath said. "Get me to the circle's edge. I merely have to use the bulk of my magic to activate it."

"Men," the officer said. "Make a hasty advance towards the city. It's only fifty yards or so to get to the circle."

"Yes sir." The soldiers replied. They began their advance. But no sooner had they started their run, the Hound appeared in front of them.

"It's not gonna be that easy." Cuchulain said. "The one you have to worry about right now is me."

"Is it too much to ask!" Mozenrath shouted, "Kill him!"

"Wicked Hound," Xerxes hissed, "You shall die!"

Two of the soldiers took their stance, but before they could raise their blades, the Hound rushed in and dispensed with both.

"Impossible…" the officer uttered.

"Don't stand there, you idiots, deal with him!" Mozenrath ordered

"Kill, kill!" Xerxes wailed.

"Sir…" The officer and his last standing subordinate faced against the Hound, taking the place of their downed comrades.

"You shall die, Hound!" the officer shouted. The two attacked in unison, keeping a tight formation against Cuchulain. Their coordination was excellent and their movements graceful, but no such talent could surmount the power of the Hound. Cuchulain was one to dodge and evade with very little effort. While the scuffle was going on, Mozenrath saw his chance.

"Now's the opportunity to finish my task, with both of those warriors distracted, I can finish my work and forge the stone." However, no sooner had Mozenrath advanced ten paces, two death screams were heard. Mozenrath turned to find both the officer and his subordinate dead. Now, no one was left to protect the sorcerer. "Impossible, how could you have killed them so quickly?"

"As I said," Cuchulain explained, "You're not dealing with your average heroes. You're dealing with the Hound of Ulster and the Son of the Hound."

"My mumluks," Mozenrath rose his voice "Mumluks, come to my aid!"

"Mumluks…? Oh you mean those mummy guys who were guarding the city's perimeter? Cunla took care of them all before we started fighting the faction soldiers. I'm surprised you didn't notice."-

"What?" Mozenrath looked about. What Cuchulain said was true because as hard as he looked, not a single mumluk was around. He turned to the Hound. "You think you're pretty clever don't you?"

"The game's over, Mozenrath."-

"On no, Hound," Mozenrath's magical gauntlet began to glow. "On the contrary, the game has just begun!" He aimed his gauntlet and fired and energy wave at the Hound. Cuchulain quickly dodged the beam and lunged forward. But Mozenrath suddenly levitated himself and began to move about, hovering only a few feet above the ground. "Fool, you are not dealing with your average sorcerer. You are dealing with the Lord of the Black sands! And all elements will bow to my whim!" The sorcerer suddenly created a large fireball over the palm of his gauntlet and threw it at Cuchulain. The Hound dodged, but the explosion was so great it nearly blew him away. Cuchulain skidded across the sand.

"Where the heck did this power come from?" he wondered. "Just a minute ago, this guy was relying on the strength of the faction soldiers. All of a sudden, he's throwing fire balls at me." Cuchulain saw two more fire balls rushing towards him. He dodged one, feeling the heat on the back of his neck. The other fire ball came rushing at him, but the Hound was quick to deflect the fireball. The heat grew intense as he repelled the attack back at Mozenrath. The sorcerer saw his own sphere of flames redirect itself in his direction. He quickly evaded a head on strike.

"What a nuisance." He uttered. "Pesky little bug, I'll show you!" Mozenrath lifted his hand. Suddenly, the sands began to rumble from beneath the Hound's feet. Then, like a breaker upon the surface, a giant wave of sand breeched out from behind the Hound and threatened to crash itself upon him.

Cunla, by this time, had managed to defeat the last of the faction soldiers when he saw the save of sand crashing upon his father.

"Dad!" he cried.

"This is the end for you, Cuchulain!" Mozenrath shouted. "Prepare to meet your end!"

"You think it's that easy to be rid of me?" Cuchulain said. He twirled Gae Bulga and then thrust upward and sideward. The impact of energy those two swings made, broke up the sandy wave, diminishing it within seconds. Clouds of debris and sand bellowed into the air as the wave crashed to the ground harmlessly. "Your sorcery is a mix of energy manipulation and alchemic reaction, using the gauntlet as a conductor. From what I can sense, all of your power resonates from that gauntlet. It's the only way that you're able to unleash your aura in a physical form."

"Very clever, very clever indeed, but such an assumption will not be enough to defeat me." From his gauntlet, a dark shadow appeared. "I summon forth the power of darkness, I summon forth the Heartless!"

Mozenrath waved his hand over the area where Cunla and Cuchulain stood. A dark shadow appeared upon the dunes. And from that massive shadow, the Heartless appeared. They completely surrounded the due.

"Dad," Cunla cried as he ran to his father's side. Father and sun stood back to back as the thousands of eyes suddenly appeared around them. The heartless took their shape and encircled the two.

"It looks like we'll have more trouble with this guy than I thought." Cuchulain uttered.

"Those two are your enemies!" Mozenrath declared. "Their hearts are open for you! Destroy them!"

The Heartless pounced upon the Hound and the pup like and army of fleas. But such numbers were nothing to the two Celtic warriors.

"Are you ready, Cunla?" Cuchulain asked.

"Let's do this!" Cunla shouted. Both began to slash and strike at the heartless. The heartless, though superior in number, their individual strengths were nothing compared to the Gaelic duo. It was the reason why so many heartless appeared on the scene.

"That ought to hold you for a while." Mozenrath chuckled. Mozenrath turned towards the city. "Not even those two can fight off that many Heartless. So long as the sky is still dark, there will be no end to the Heartless numbers. Eventually, they will tire out and their hearts will be consumed by the darkness."

However, fate would play its trickery upon the evil sorcerer once again. As he gazed upon the walls of Agrabah, another figure made himself known to the warlock. The figure appeared to be floating on some sort of tapestry. He was armed with a scimitar.

"Not so fast, Mozenrath." The figure said. "You're not doing anything with this city."

"Show yourself, foe." Mozenrath demanded. The figure descended from the wall. Immediately, Mozenrath recognized him.

It was Aladdin.

"You thought that Cuchulain and Cunla were your only foes?" Aladdin asked. "We knew you would be coming to Agrabah to create this philosopher stone of yours."

"Well, if it isn't the street rat, Aladdin." Mozenrath chuckled.

"Street rat, street rat," Xerxes chuckled.

"Or perhaps you would prefer going by your current title, Prince Aladdin. Well, don't think that I'd show any respect to you, a mere boy not worthy not lick the grime from beneath my boots."-

"I could care less about how you address me." Aladdin replied, putting his blade on his shoulder while stepping off of Carpet. "The only thing that I'm here for is to stop you from harming a single person in this city. So long as I am the new found prince of this kingdom, I will not allow you to harm a soul here!"

"Be gone with you, you wretched boy, you have no power to contend with the might of a sorcerer like myself, a warlock that surpasses even Jafar." Mozenrath's gauntlet accumulated a dark shadow. Like with Cunla and Cuchulain, he waved his hand before him and a great darkness appeared on the sands. And from that shadow, thousands of Heartless appeared. "You cannot possibly stop me now!"

"You are dead." Xerxes uttered.

"Go forth, Heartless, and destroy the prince of Agrabah!" The Heartless began their advance towards Aladdin.

"Don't underestimate me," Aladdin said, "I didn't come alone."

Suddenly, from the walls of Agrabah, hundreds of bright lights flashed on, illuminated the entire battlefield.

"Stand where you are!" a voice shouted. From behind Aladdin, hundreds of blue genies appeared in military fashion, like British Commandos or Green Berets. "Do not attempt to resist or you will be fired upon!" Also, pouring out of the gates were one hundred of the sultan's soldiers, led by Razoul.

"This is as far as you go sorcerer!" Razoul declared.

"Alright," Iago shouted, as he and Abu sided with Aladdin, dressed in combat fatigues and armed with some of genie's automatic weaponry, "Let's get this party started."

"You fools," Mozenrath chuckled, "It will take more than this to defeat the Heartless!"

"It's you and me, Mozenrath." Aladdin said, "One on one."

"Impudent fool, you shall die for you insolence."-

"Let's go!" Almost instantly, the Agrabah defenders went in at a full charge.

"Kill them all!" Mozenrath declared. The Heartless began their advance.

"Okay guys!" Genie said to his self made army. "Let's pump some lead!" There was a volley of gun fire coming from the genie line and the first wave of heartless was struck down almost instantly. But the charge did not let up as the second wave rushed forward.

"Do not fear the shadows!" Razoul shouted. "Defeat them and protect this city!"

The sultan's soldiers rushed into the fray, slashing and cutting at the Heartless. The entire front of the city was in an uproar now as the summoned heartless clashed with the band of defenders. Aladdin flew upon carpet, engaging in aerial warfare with Mozenrath, who hovered about throwing fire balls at his opponent. Aladdin would swoop in and attempt to strike the sorcerer, but Mozenrath would always counter with some type of spell, whether it was elemental or some form of energy beam.

"You'll have to do better than that if you wanna get rid of me." Aladdin chuckled.

"You just watch yourself boy." Mozenrath replied. "You'll be regretting your insolence to me!" Mozenrath quickly glanced at the sky in the horizon. The new morning was peaking over the mountains, its new found light making the sky bluer with every minute, blocking out the stars one by one. "The morning comes. Soon the hand of Midas will be achieved, but what of the stone? With this wretch confronting me, my efforts up to this point have been placed in jeopardy."

Little did Mozenrath realize that the entire battle was merely an illusion. The reality of the situation was that there was not a single living soul left in the city. Every man, woman, and child had been escorted out of the city through the secret passage way in the palace. The people were encamped on the rocky outcrops on the other side of the mountains that protected the rear of the city. Alphonse Elric remained behind to help guide the people to safety.

"I think that's the last of them." He said to himself. Al looked to the horizon, seeing the first rays of the sun peak over in the distance. "It's morning already?" His thoughts wandered to his brother and Winry. "I hope that my brother and Winry are okay."

As the sun peaked over, Riku, Sora, and Fullmetal roamed the Arabian coast looking for the so called finger where the sea turns white.

"Where the heck is this thing?" Ed uttered.

"Well, the oracle gave us a description of the coastal feature," Sora uttered, "but it was never really specific about where this area was located."

"We better hurry." Riku said. "By now that mysterious island might have appeared." It was at that moment, a transmitted message entered the cockpit.

"This is the Tiger, this is the Tiger," the voice said, "Riku can you hear me, over?" Riku picked up the intercom.

"This is Riku speaking," he replied, "I hear you loud and clear, Tiger, over."

"We've confirmed presence of faction soldiers near the coastal cities. Donald and Goofy contacted us earlier. They confirmed the same thing, over."-

"How many soldiers have you confirmed, over?"

"At least one hundred, four groups of an estimated twenty-five soldiers, they're definitely trying to catch us off guard, over."-

"It's too bad they're not aware of the information we received, over."-

"Be more discreet, they might have intercepted out link, over."-

"Roger that, over."

"Have you found the place along the coast yet, over?" Ophelia asked.

"Not yet," Riku replied. "Our information was a little vague, but it shouldn't be long now, over."-

"Alright, we'll maintain patrol, over."-

"Roger that, over and out." Riku ended transmission and resumed his flight along the coast.

"Well, what's happening so far?" Sora asked.

"The faction is trying to give us the slip." Riku replied. "They've sent out soldiers to the four major coastal cities to make it look as though they're planning to initiate the Grand Arcanum, so Ophelia's party and Donald's party are hovering over the coastal cities, pretending to scout."

"Too bad they don't realize we already know where they're planning to create the stone." Ed said.

"The only problem right now is trying to find that geographical feature the oracle mentioned." Riku looked to the horizon. He saw the first beams of light from the morning sun break through. He then looked to the moon and the morning star that were still present. "We have to hurry. I'm sure that the faction has already reached the point and is simply waiting for the island to appear, if it hasn't appeared already."

"We better step on it!" Sora said.

The first beams of the morning sun began to stretch over the land, touching everything upon the land and sea. The night had faded and the sun in the east began to pop its smiling face over the hills. Saber looked to the sun, this great egg yoke, glimmering in the distance.

"The night ends," he uttered to himself, "as the sun rises in the east. Its illuminating presence brings the world to life again, ending a period of tranquil death. The warmth of its rays creates joy upon the world. Here, it amuses the crescent and the final night jewel above. The sun brings light to me and this finger of the coast. Here, the destiny of the faction will rise and a new era shall begin."

"General Saber," a soldier shouted, overseeing the waters of the sea, "Look there!" Saber and his band turned to the blue. In the middle of that calm tide, a strange white patch of bubbling liquid began to rupture with a silent moan.

"Behold," Saber said, "The Island emerges." From the white water, a large dome like structure appeared from the surface. Upon it were the remains of a city, a civilization long since forgotten. There was a roar coming from the island as the ruins of the city breeched the surface. As Saber looked to every detail of the spit of land that appeared before him, he soon realized that the island was not at all a make up of any kind of geographical substance, but of a living biological creature. The ruins were in fact built atop a very large and possible very old sea turtle. The turtle's head looked about slowly.

"Are you seeing this, sir?" Scimitar asked.

"I see now." Saber chuckled silently. "That is the reason why the island never emerges in the same spot twice. The ruins are built on the shell of a turtle." Saber drew his hand before him, with palm and fingers vertical. "Then let us board the marine reptile before it submerges again." Saber's hand began to shake as in a boiling rage. His energy increased. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he released its force.

It was the energy that caught the attention of the key bearers, who felt the massive surge of shi arising in the distance.

"Did you feel that?" Sora asked.

"It was an immense power." Riku added.

"What are you two talking about?" Ed asked. "What was it?"

"Something's happening. This power, could it be General Saber?"-

"It can't be." Sora uttered, "It's too powerful to be Saber's."

"Well the signature seemed really familiar. It's no more than a few miles from where we are."-

"Hurry…!" The gummi increased in pace towards whatever it was that lured the key bearers.

Before the faction's band, the water began to rise above its natural level, lifting in columns as if a hundred natural spouts from the headland to the ruins suddenly came to life. The water converged into a tight formation, like that of bridge.

"It's a bridge…" Envy uttered. "But how…who did you to that?"

"Most impressive, general." Scimitar applauded.

"Shall we continue on our way?" Saber asked.

"This water bridge is firm is it not?"-

"Why would I take the liberty of forging it if it weren't?" Saber walked over the edge of the headland's cliff and upon the bridge and strolled about as if there were nothing to fear. He looked back at the members of his party. "Shall we?"

Scimitar stepped foot upon the bridge. She pressed her foot to the water. Despite being a bridge made of liquid, its walkway was a firm as steel and in no way wavered when she walked upon it. She knew there was nothing to fear and hastily joined with Saber.

"Double quick time you men!" she replied, "We have to accomplish this mission!"

"Hurry up!" Envy added, still enraged within. He too did not hesitate and sped across the bridge. The soldiers followed him briskly and the party continued on their way across the water bridge. It had not been long before the party successfully reached the other side to the giant turtle's back. As the last man crossed over safely, Saber relinquished his energy and the bridge came crashing down into the form of loose water again. The tumbling of the water created a loud roar as it descended to it original state. The water became a torrent for a few minutes before diminished altogether.

"To think that such a thing could be created out of mere water." Scimitar uttered.

"Enough of this footling about," Saber said. "Let us continue to the temple." But as the party began their search, something caught Saber's eye. In the distance he saw a flying object heading for them. The minute he laid eyes on the object, he immediately knew who it was. "Well, well, we have company." The rest of the band looked up to find the lone gummi hovering over head.

Riku, Sora, and Fullmetal looked down in awe at the mysterious isle that lay before them.

"Look at that." Fullmetal said. "That must be the island."

"Riku, look," Sora pointed to the edge of the island, spotting the faction party. "The faction is already here."

"I'll take a few shots and soften them up a bit." Riku said. He made ready to aim the gummi's arsenal, but Sora stopped him.

"Wait a minute. Don't fire anything."-

"Why not?"-

"Look at the island. Its basin isn't made out of rock," Sora then saw the giant head of the turtle. "It's…it's a sea turtle…"

"A sea turtle? It can't be. That's too big to be a sea turtle."-

"He's right though." Ed uttered. "I see its head moving about. No wonder they call it the island that never emerges in the same place twice. The ruins are built on the turtle's shell. It must be really old if it can grow to that size and support the ruins of a lost civilization."

"We should just land on it." Sora suggested. "Otherwise, if we shoot at it, we might spook the turtle and it'll submerge."

"At least that'll prevent the faction from getting the hand of Midas." Riku implied.

"Yeah, but they'll only track it down again at a later date if the hand is still stationed in its place. Perhaps if we could get the hand safely into alliance custody, or maybe lose is someplace, then we won't have to worry about the faction trying to retrieve it."-

"That's true. Alright, get ready you two, we're going down." Riku eased the altitude descent towards the ruins.

The faction watched as the gummi hovered around the turtle like a fly.

"It's the KH team." Scimitar uttered. "I'd recognize that gummi anywhere." Scimitar then remembered seeing that same gummi stationed at the mouth of the entry way to the cave of wonder. "That's the same vessel we left unmolested near the cave of wonders!"-

"Is that so?" Saber said, watching the gummi pass over them. "Then I take it the key bearers have survived."

"We can't confirm that for sure, sir."-

"Oh yes we can. Nothing can deter those boys from accomplishing their goals." The gummi flew out of sight, to the other side of the turtle's back. "They plan on touching down no doubt. Very well, if they plan on landing here, we'll be ready for them." He turned to his men. "Lieutenant, have your men stealthily make their way to the other side of the ruins and hold off the KH team."

"Yes sir." The lieutenant turned to his men. "Move out you men!" The soldiers quickly followed them.

"Envy," Saber said, "Go with them and give our enemy a proper faction's greeting. If it is the key bearers, then Fullmetal may also be accompanying them. Knowing that brat, he'll be after Scimitar and I for our betrayal. You can finish him off then."

"How do I know Fullmetal is with them, after you said how you buried them?" Envy asked. "How do I know you're not planning to us me for some further means?"

"Damn it Envy! Must you always change your opinion every so often? First you had faith, then you didn't have faith, then you had faith again, and now you doubt my words furthermore. Make up your mind on whether you believe Fullmetal is still alive or not. But if you don't go now, there's a chance you'll miss your hope of taking revenge. Then again, I'm only giving you an order. I could care less about your trifles."-

"Very well, but you better watch your back if you lie to me."-

"I'll hope of drowning myself if I be false" Envy sneered, not trusting of Saber, but did as he bid of him. He followed the faction troops close behind. "That Homunculus has been an irritant since the moment I took him in. It all has to go his way. He expects us to sacrifice our own time and efforts for his own wishes of vengeance. Well, maybe this time, he'll be pleased and be done with it. Then, I can kill him myself and end this menagerie."

"I'll be happy to see him dead and buried."-

"God willing..." Saber sighed. "Well, shall we continue to the temple?" The two Blade Generals thus continued their advance towards the temple where supposedly the hand of Midas resided.

In the meantime, the little gummi had landed on a flat stone structure that at one time might have been a harbor where ships took port. The key bearers and the Fullmetal Alchemist hopped out of the gummi and headed towards the ruins.

"We have to hurry." Riku said. "The faction might have already reached the place where the hand of Midas rests." The three ran across up a flight of stairs towards the main domed temple that towered over them like a watcher.

"The hand must be in there." Sora pointed. But no sooner had they reached the half way point, the faction soldiers appeared and began to fire their blasters and their guns at the team. There was a series of explosions that erupted around the trio.

"Great," Ed mumbled, irritated, "Of all the times for these guys to appear." Ed clapped his hands and sent an alchemic surge through the stone. The soldiers were suddenly caught by large hands that formed from the rock and held them in place. Some of the soldiers were even knocked out. "That ought to take care of them for a while."

"Let's keep moving." Riku said. The three continued their advance. But no sooner had they almost come to the top of the staircase, Envy suddenly appeared, leaping into the air and ramming his fist downward, hoping to strike his enemies.

"Take this!" he shouted.

"Watch out!" Sora cried. The three scattered just as Envy crashed his hands into the stone, forcing the slabs of masonry to upheaval. As the three regained their stamina through the falling debris, Edward came face to face with his old foe.

"So it is you…" he uttered.

"My, my," Envy chuckled. "So the good general was right after all. You did manage to escape the cave of wonders. And now I finally get to settle the score with you."

"Who the heck is that?" Sora asked.

"Oh, and you must be the key bearers, Riku and Sora. I understand that you've been giving the faction a hard time. Don't worry; I'll deal with you as soon as I finish off the Fullmetal pipsqueak."-

"Who are you calling a pipsqueak!" Ed shouted.

"And still as aggravated about your short height as usual I see."-

"Shut up!"-

"We don't have time for this." Riku said. "We have to get to the hand of Midas before Saber does."

"Sora, Riku," Ed shouted, "You go on ahead! I'll take care of Envy!"

"But Ed…" Sora uttered.

"Don't worry about me. The only thing that matters right now is to get to the hand before the Blade Generals."-

"Right," Riku said, "Then let's get going! Are you ready Sora?"

"Yeah…" Sora replied.

"Sorry boys, but I can't allow you to go any further than this." Envy said. "I won't let any of you pass me."

"Then again," Riku implied with as smirk, "We won't have to." Riku drew his keyblade over his head and summoned the whiff spell. From the spell, the little white rabbit appeared and transformed into the black wings of the legendary phantom thief. They latched onto Riku's back and spread out to their full extent. The sight left Envy speechless.

"Black wings…?" he uttered.

"Let's go, Sora."-

"Gotcha," Sora drew up his keyblade and summoned forth the Flying Nimbus, "Come to me, Nimbus!" The little cloud puttered along and allowed Sora to top its fluffy surface. Again Envy was stunned.

"A cloud…?" he said.

"Let's go!" Riku ordered. The two lifted off, but Envy was not about to let them fly off.

"You're not going anywhere, key bearers!" Envy lunged prematurely, but was stopped by a make shift wall created by Edward Elric. Envy struck the wall and shattered it into thousands of tiny pieces.

"You two better get going now!" Ed said.

"That was too close." Sora uttered. "Thanks Ed."

"Come on." Riku implied. The two ascended into the air silently and not giving off any energy signal for the Blade Generals to sense. Within seconds, they were within reach of the main temple.

At the same time, Envy stood back up, clutching his fist tightly. He turned to watch the key bearers ascend higher and higher into the air until they were too far to reach.

"Damn it," Envy uttered, "They got away." He sneered at Edward. "And I have you to thank for that, Fullmetal." But the cringe of the homunculus transformed into a smirk. "Oh well, forget them. I have what I want."

"So you and I finally get to settle the score, eh?" Ed said. "This day had to come sooner or later."

"I'm going to enjoy tearing you limb from limb, Fullmetal."-

"Fine," Ed transformed his automail arm into his infamous grappling blade. He then lunged at Envy, commencing their private brawl. "Prepare yourself!"

In the meantime, the key bearers had stealthily reached the top of the temple. They entered through one of the windows and looked about. Landing safely upon a high platform, they dismissed their summoning spells and began their exploration of the temple. Looking about, they beheld the grandeur of the old temple. The temple was tall and round like a cylinder topped with a magnificent dome. At the temple floor, giant waterways gushed out seawater which swirled about in a torrent below. The walls covered with mosaics and old paintings which were not covered by barnacles and sea weed. And in the four directions, stone palms gave offering to the temples center.

"Not a bad looking place." Sora said. "But I wonder if this is the right temple?"

"Sora, look." Riku uttered, "Over there." He pointed to the level below them. Between the four palms, there was another palm, rotating in a clockwise direction. It looked like it was made of solid gold. The hand hovered in mid air, sustained by some kind of magic or energy. And there, on the giant rotating hand, an erect statue stood, itself spinning in a clockwise direction, indicating that his had been perfectly centered to the force that turned it and the palm.

"Is that it?" Sora asked.

"It has to be." Riku replied. "This is the temple where the hovering palm resides." The two stepped down off the platform to the level below. They gazed at the statue upon the golden hand, observing it closer. The statue wielded tightly in its clutches another golden hand. This hand was smaller and had a wooden base and handle for one to grasp it. "There it is, the Hand of Midas."

"How do you know?"-

"No mistake, this is the place that the oracle said it resided. Therefore that has to be what the faction is after."-

"Well then, if that's the hand of Midas," Sora walked over to the edge of the directional hands and leaped as far as he could. He made it by a couple of inches, landing on the fingers of the hovering mass, "Let's take it before the faction gets here."

"Wait, Sora," Riku advised. "Grab it from its wooden handle."

"Why?"-

"The hand of Midas has the ability to turn all things it touches into gold. So if you touch the golden part of the hand yourself, you'll turn into gold too."-

"Good point." Sora cautiously grabbed it by the handle and gazed at its beauty. "To think that this little thing can turn everything into gold."

"Come back over, Sora. And be careful that the golden palm doesn't touch you."-

"Right…!" Sora leaped back over to Riku. They both gazed at the palm. "Now that we have it, what will we do with it?"

"I have it." Riku took off his trench coat. "We'll wrap the hand in my jacket."

"Okay."-

Sora placed the palm in the jacket. The minute the golden hand touched the cloth of Riku's trench coat, the fabric of the jacket was turned into gold leather. Riku wrapped the hand tightly in the jacket.

"Look at that." He said. "I just might be the first guy in the world to have a gold trench coat like this."

"But how come the hand's magic didn't affect you? It turned the jacket into gold."-

"I guess you can handle the golden part of the hand of Midas, so long as you don't touch the bare hand itself."-

"You're lucky, Riku. You get to have a golden jacket to wear now."-

"That's a kind offer, but no thanks. Dressing in glittery gold is not really my thing." Riku tied his coat in a knot so the hand wouldn't fall out. "Now that we have it, we can get out of here."

"Right…" Sora replied. But as they turned to leave, their simple mission became more complicated. Accumulating in the air, there was a high pitched squeal of spinning steel. It was a sound that the key bearers knew all too well.

"I know that hum." Sora uttered.

"Sora, look out!" Riku cried, throwing Sora to the ground. Just as they fell, the familiar form of a chakram appeared, dashing over their heads. It then hovered about in mid-air like a hungry predator thirsting for blood.

"Well, well," a voice shouted from the area on the opposite side of the temple, "I never would have guessed that you would have made it here before we did, even though we had a head start." The key bearers looked to find both of the Blade Generals. It was General Saber who was addressing them. "I see that you successfully retrieved the Hand of Midas for us."

"We retrieved it," Riku shouted as he and Sora stood themselves back on their feet, "but we didn't do it so you could get your mitts on it."

"I beg to differ. You will be handing that treasure over to us now."-

"And if we refuse?"-

"You don't have another say in the matter. You either give it to us, or we take it by force."-

"You can have the hand of Midas only when you pry it from our cold dead fingers!" Sora declared.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Saber raised his hand, giving Scimitar the signal. Scimitar maneuvered her chakram to cut down the key bearers.

"I'll cut you down for sure this time!" she shouted.

"Not this again." Riku uttered as he and Sora dodged and evaded.

"Sorry, Scimitar," Sora chuckled, "Not this time!" He drew his keyblade into the air. "Wind!" Sora unleashed the Aeroga spell and created wind shields around both he and Riku. Now, when Scimitar would strike with her hovering chakram, the blade would be repelled by the wind shield.

"Damn it," she uttered, "The little bastards caught on!"

"Not surprising." Saber said. He folded his arms in front of him. "Shall I do the honor of finishing them off?"

"Let me finish them, sir. It is not worth your time and effort to deal with such mindless snipes. Besides, the key bearers still have me to defeat if they want to rescue their precious little rodent king."-

"Do as you will." Saber replied. "I will wait for a precise moment to take the hand of Midas away from them."

"Very well…" Scimitar leaped into the air, landed on the hovering palm in the center and leaped again over to the side of the temple where Riku and Sora awaited her.

"Here she comes!" Riku shouted. "Sora, hold onto the hand of Midas. I'll take her on!"

"But Riku," Sora said. Before another word was spoken, the Blade General had deployed her other chakram at the same time summoning the second back to her hand. At the same time, Riku's wind shield had slowly diminished, leaving him vulnerable to open attack. He swung his keyblade at the general, but Scimitar quickly blocked. She pushed him away and tried to slice at his abdomen and his chest. The young key bearer evaded by only a few inches. He ducked and lunged his weapon forward. Scimitar threw herself back, just as the shaft of the blade flew by her throat. She caught the blade between her chakrams and slid them down the keyblade's shaft, hoping to sever Riku's arms or perhaps his fingers. The key bearer used the blade's wrist guard to block the ring swords and pulled away. Back and forth the two did battle.

Sora and Saber watched at the fight intensified between the Warrior Queen of Connaught and the Child of Darkness.

"Come on, Riku." Sora thought to himself. "Hang in there."

"The boy has certainly gained momentum since the last time I saw him. But still, neither he nor Sora are any match for Scimitar. Then again, they're no match for me either." Saber then turned his attention towards Sora. "Speaking of which; now that Riku has his hands full with Scimitar, the opportunity to take the hand of Midas away from Sora presents itself." Saber slowly approached on the temple walkway, biding his time and waiting for the proper moment to strike the key bearer.

The battle continued between the Heartless and the defenders of Agrabah. As Aladdin did battle with Mozenrath above the heads of the combatants, Cuchulain and the others slashed and struck at their opponents without pause and without mercy. He and Cunla were cut off by the countless Heartless.

"They have us completely surrounded." Cunla uttered as he and his father pressed backs against each other. "

"Are you complaining?" Cuchulain responded with a smirk.

"I guess not. I haven't fought like this for a while now."-

"You do have a point though. We've been battling here for too long. We can't have that sorcerer reach his transmutation circle now can we."-

"Where is he anyway?"-

"He and Aladdin are fighting over our heads." Cuchulain pointed upward. Cunla looked up to find the dark sage engaging against the prince of Agrabah.

"Man, that guy just won't go now."-

"We may have to deal with him personally."-

Mozenrath continued to unleash powerful elemental attacks at Aladdin. But despite unleashing these great amounts of power, his strikes were too slow and cumbersome. Thus, he was not able to strike at the young man upon the flying blue tapestry.

"You miserable street rat," Mozenrath shouted. "Don't you ever die!"

"Come on, Mozenrath," Aladdin mocked. "I thought you said you'd let me pay for my insolence, so much for the feared lord of the black sands."

"You keep aggravating me, boy. You'll soon regret your declarations!"-

Mozenrath continued his barrage, but time after time, Aladdin was quick to dodge. This frustrated the sage whose temper grew with every passing second.

"This boy won't stand still." Mozenrath thought to himself. "I must somehow trick him and throw him off his tapestry. He shall fall to the ground and be mine for the taking." Mozenrath formed three balls of fire in the palm of his gauntlet. "Yes, I have it." He threw the flaming spheres at Aladdin. But as before, the young man dodged the fireballs.

"Hey," Aladdin said, "That same old trick again? Don't you think it's getting a little bit old now?"

"Not this time!" Mozenrath chuckled.

"Boy die, boy die!" Xerxes added.

"What?" Aladdin uttered. He felt heat approaching from behind. He turned to find the three fireballs rebounding back at him. The fireball his sword and Aladdin was struck off the flying carpet, descending towards the ground. Carpet was struck too by the fireballs. He was crippled and plummeted to the ground, his end patterns and rear tassels charred from the attack. Aladdin in the meantime, tumbled about on the dunes, far away from the rest of his friends. He slowly got up, staggering at first.

"Al," Genie cried. "He's in trouble!" He rushed in to rescue his friend, but he suddenly was caught in a strange hold, suspending and paralyzing him. Genie had been caught by Mozenrath's force grip.

"You're not going anywhere, you blue oaf." Mozenrath said. "Aladdin won't be needing you to aid him any longer." The sage pulled out a bottle and maneuvered Genie into the vial. Once Genie was secured in the bottle, Mozenrath placed a cork on the top. The moment his magic was sealed in his glass prison, Genie's makeshift army vanished, decreasing the number of the city defenders to less than half its original capacity. The sorcerer gazed at the little blue genie in the bottle. "You're not as tough now are you? And without your little army, the city defenders are as good as dead and I am as good as victorious."

"Um…could it be possible for me to have a bigger bottle?" Genie complained. "My left leg's caught behind ear and it's starting to cramp."

"Silence, you idiot!"-

"Let Genie go, Mozenrath!" Aladdin demanded.

"Look at you," Mozenrath scoffed, turning his attention towards the young prince, "You give demands like a spoiled child. You no longer have your carpet to help you fly out of danger and your friends are too far away to aid you." The sorcerer swung the vial containing the genie about like a top. "Your big blue numbskull has been confined in this vial, not able to escape. So who will you look to for help, Aladdin? Your monkey ad parrot friend could seldom stand up against the numerous ranks of Heartless still present. The good captain of the guards could care less about what happens to you. You don't even have a sword to defend yourself with." The heartless numbers continued to swell as more arose from out of nowhere. "And from this vantage point, you are completely surrounded by Heartless with no way out."

"Man," Aladdin uttered silently, "Mozenrath's right. I have no way of breaking out of this one. There are too many heartless around me. Carpet was severely crippled, so he won't be able to fly, much less carry my weight. And Genie's been captured. This does not look good right now."

"Now, only glory awaits me. And the great Philosopher stone will be mine at last!"-

"Do you really think it'll be that simple?" a voice bellowed out from below. Mozenrath looked to find Cuchulain unleashing his Morrigan Slash. The head of the Gae Bulga glowed brightly before deploying a powerful energy wave into the air. A bright turquoise wave, shaped like a crescent moon, came bellowing straight at the sage. Mozenrath dodged, but not fast enough. The powerful force influx struck him downward as if a pointblank shot with a twelve pound Howitzer. Mozenrath and Xerxes fell to the sand, much like Aladdin did before. The sage and his servant fell amongst the heartless. At the same time, the power gauntlet fell to Aladdin's feet.

"It's his gauntlet." Aladdin thought to himself. He quickly retrieved it. "This is the source of all his power."

Mozenrath stood up realizing that his gauntlet had gone missing.

"My gauntlet," he uttered, panicked. He quickly covered his right had is if naked without his glove. He searched the sand ad amongst the ranks of the heartless that stood about like mindless drones. "Where is my gauntlet?"

"Hey," Aladdin shouted, "You looking for this?" He swung the glove around without care.

"Give me back my gauntlet, boy!" the sage demanded.

"Now look at who's making demands like a spoiled child? Without this thing, you're powerless."-

"I warn you, give it back to me. It's of no use to you."-

"Nah, I think I'll hold on to it for a while. In fact," Aladdin gestured as if he were about to put the gauntlet on himself, "I think I'll use it against you."

"Go ahead, but be forewarned, you will suffer the consequences if you place that leather around your palm and your fingers."-

"Like what? You can't do anything to me now."-

"It's not what I'll do to you, but rather what the gauntlet will do to you. But of course, I've already been consumed by my ambitions. And to wield that gauntlet came at a price." Mozenrath threw his right hand into the air. Aladdin's reaction was that of fear and shock as he gazed upon the hand of Mozenrath, or at least the remains of it. The mage's hand was no longer flesh and blood, but rather only bone. The skeletal remains of his hands for some reason continued to function as if the muscles in his hand still functioned though they were not present.

"You're hand…" Aladdin uttered.

"That's right," Mozenrath replied. "Trying to wield that power cost me the flesh of my right hand. Now nothing remains of it, but the skeletal structure of what used to be my fingers and palm. However, it was my ambition that prevented the gauntlet from taking the rest of my arm. However, since you are not one to do evil deeds, the cost for trying to wield the gauntlet will come at a higher price."

"Man…" Aladdin uttered. But suddenly, from behind, Xerxes appeared and snatched the gauntlet from his hand. "Hey, give me that back!"

"Master," Xerxes uttered as he slithered back to Mozenrath with the glove.

"Very well done," Mozenrath praised quietly, "You have retrieved my gauntlet Xerxes." Mozenrath placed the glove over his protruding bones. "Now, where were we?" Mozenrath began to levitate himself up in the air. "Your efforts were all in vain, Aladdin!"

"Mozenrath…" Aladdin uttered, angrily.

"Now don't be so frustrated. You should have remembered that I still have my faithful servant Xerxes with me. He managed to take my glove from you without much trouble."-

"You won't win, Mozenrath!"-

"You truly are a fool. No one can stop me now." He turned his attention to Cuchulain who by this time, he and his son eliminated most of the Heartless around them, causing the others to either flee, or stand back. Both father and son paused in their battle for a brief moment.

"Damn it," Cunla uttered, "He managed to remount himself back into the air."

"Nice try on your part, Hound," Mozenrath mocked. "But it'll take a great deal more than that to stop me!"

"Not bad, mage," Cuchulain replied. "Not bad at all!"

"Why do you praise him?" Cunla asked.

"It's the least I could do for a worthy opponent."-

"You see, even your efforts were futile against me!" The sorcerer chuckled. "Not everything is as it seems though, wouldn't you agree!"-

"Oh yes I do." Cuchulain suddenly gripped his Gae Bulga as if ready to throw it. "You're very clever, Mozenrath, very clever indeed. However, it's not good enough!" Cuchulain then thrust the Gae Bulga at the Mozenrath, the spear screaming out in a terrifying war cry. But the sage only dodged the spear as if it were not threat at all.

"You fool Hound! Could you be more desperate! The only weapon you were armed with and you waste it trying to strike me down from a long distance away!" Mozenrath formed a giant fire ball in the palm of his hand. "How pitiful for you to die in such a miserable fashion!"

"You first…"-

"Have you lost your senses, Hound, how do you expect me to die when your spear clearly missed me!" But the Hound continued to smirk.

"Who said anything about it missing you?"-

Just then, the same screaming war cry came up from behind, louder than before. Soon after, Mozenrath felt a strong force strike his back and pierce through his body. He tumbled forward. Looking only once, he saw that the three prongs of the Gae Bulga had pierced straight through him and were now exposed in his chest.

"It can't be…?" he uttered. The mage fell to the sand, his black blood flaring out from the wound like a geyser and turning the sand crimson red. The sudden loss of energy caused the summoned Heartless to withdraw back to their shadowy world. Now only the defenders of Agrabah remained. The staff of the Gae Bulga, like a flagpole, stood erect out of the sorcerer's back. Blood spewed from his mouth. "But how…how could I be struck from behind?"

"As you said," Cuchulain replied as he and Cunla walked up to him, "Things are not always as they seem. In this case, the Gae Bulga, once aimed at a target, will never miss, no matter how hard the prey tries to evade."

"How can this be…?" Blood trickled down the chin of the villainous warlock. "How could it have ended like this…?"

"Your downfall was due to a fatal mistake."-

"What…? Tell me."-

"You chose pride over duty…"-

"Damn my vengeance…" Mozenrath laid down his head. His eyes dilated, indicating that he took his final breath. He now lay dead before the Hound and his son.

"Lord Mozenrath…" Xerxes uttered. He then looked up at the Hound. Not willing to test the might of Ulster's great hero, the slithering eel withdrew from the battlefield in shame. Cuchulain and Cunla watched as the eel vanished from sight, leaving the body of his late master to lay in the sands of the desert.

"It's over." Cuchulain said.

"Hey," Aladdin cried, approaching them, "Are you guys alright?"

"We're fine," Cuchulain replied. "How are you though?"

"All thanks to you two, I got out of that without a scratch." Aladdin looked down at the lifeless body of the mage. "So it's all over then."

"That's right. The faction's attempt to forge the stone has failed. It failed from the start when they decided to stick with eradicating Agrabah. They would have been better off trying to attack some other city. But then again, this is good for us. We managed to halt the Grand Arcanum."-

"He chose pride over duty?" Cunla asked, pondering his father's words. "What does that mean father?"

"Mozenrath had an opportunity to forge the stone all this time." Cuchulain walked up to the mangled body of Mozenrath and pulled out the spear. "He had all that time to create the stone and gain absolute power soon after he struck you down, Aladdin. There was an open opportunity for him to activate the Grand Arcanum, but for that period of time, Mozenrath preferred to spend his efforts mocking you instead, thus letting his only chance slip out of his fingers. He chose to see you in humiliating defeat instead of fulfilling the task given to him, which is why this is the result."

"Is that so?" Aladdin wondered.

"So it was all for pride?" Cunla asked.

"You and I have done that before, my son. We all have, including Riku and Sora. Even the faction chose pride over duty when its superiors decided to target this city to forge the stone. Despite us knowing, they went ahead with trying to end Agrabah's existence for good. However, even if Mozenrath did succeed in activating the Grand Arcanum, the stone couldn't be forged without the key ingredient of human lives. And with everyone evacuated out of the city, the Grand Arcanum would have only acted as a fancy light show." There was a pause for a moment or two, "And all that just because of pride over duty. We have in one time or another wished to get our point straight and would at times lay down our duty and our guard for our own accomplishment."-

"That sounds like what I did." Aladdin uttered, remembering how he mocked Mozenrath when fighting him atop the flying carpet, or when he seized the sorcerer's gauntlet. "For a time, I wanted to rub it in to for my own satisfaction."

"So we have to avoid pride over duty then. Otherwise, our one chance would be lost forever."-

"Not all the time though. If we act too hastily, though the task would be accomplished, our matter with that person remains unresolved, especially if that person is no longer amongst the living." There was another pause. "Perhaps we do this because we want to rub it in. Perhaps we make too large a monologue so we can cause some kind of reaction out of our opponents, to see them sweat in fear or cringe in hatred, knowing that they are helpless against us. Or perhaps, we take pride over duty because we think we can some how persuade our antagonists to miraculously turn in out favor."

"I see…"-

"Well," Cuchulain wiped the blood from his weapon, "There's no use dwelling on the matter now. We still have General Saber and General Scimitar to defeat."

"But how are we gonna get to the others?"-

"Carpet was badly injured by Mozenrath's attack." Aladdin said. "He won't be able to take off with all our weight on his back."

"There is one way." Cuchulain began to levitate himself into the air. "We'll have to fly. But it will take a lot of energy out of me."

"But I can't fly father." Cunla said. "Not for the substantial distance between us and the others."

"That's okay, Cunla. I want you to stay here and help the others."-

"But father."-

"The faction could retaliate when we least expect it."-

"Still…"-

"I'll be alright. Remember, duty over pride." Cunla looked down for a second or two before gazing back at his father who landed back on the dunes. Cuchulain put his hand upon the boy's shoulder. "I'm depending on you, Cunla."

"I understand."-

Cuchulain smiled and ruffled his son's hair. He levitated himself into the air and sped off in the direction of the other powers. Cunla could only watch as the Hound disappeared into the horizon.

"There he goes again." Aladdin said. "He never ceases to amaze me."

"Be careful, dad." The boy uttered to himself.

"Just between you and me kid, how did you manage to confirm the faction would attack Agrabah?" Cunla looked at Aladdin curiously.

"Well…" Since the battle was over, why not tell Aladdin of what happened.

The Hound in the meantime pondered at the possible outcome of events that might occur now that he took the option of flying. He knew what kind of predicament he had on his hands and knew the outcome.

"Flying to where Riku and Sora are will take up over fifty percent of my energy." He thought to himself. "So I mustn't engage in an all out battle if I encounter Maeve or Saber. To top it all off, the amount of chi I give off may attract the faction and allow them to attack me prematurely, so I better keep a sharp eye out for any trouble." The Hound sped on his way to aid his comrades.

The Hound's streaking energy caught the attention of the faction alright, whose mother ship picked up the strong energy signal on their sensors.

"There's a large energy source heading towards the coast." One of the operatives in the main control room said.

"A large energy source heading for the coast?" the commander asked. "Do you know what's causing it?"

"By its signature, it's an organic energy source."-

"It must be one of the KH team members. They must be using their flight abilities to reach the coast."-

"What should we do?"-

"There's nothing we can do. We're still picking up survivors from the outposts that were assaulted." The commander turned to all the operatives present. "Send out word to the squadrons still on patrol. Have them pursue this energy source and eliminate it."

"Yes sir." The operatives replied. They contacted the small units of faction soldiers who still meandered about somewhere in the desert.

The faction was not the only power to detect Cuchulain's movements, Ophelia picked up his power level on the sensors of the gummi ship.

"There's a large power level heading for the coast." She said.

"A power level…?" Winry asked as she looked at the monitor.

"Only one person can accumulate that kind of strength, it has to be Cuchulain."-

"Where's he headed?"-

"He's making a direct path to the coast." She watched the energy signature heading for what was a long headland strip just off the coast. "He must be attempting to aid Riku, Sora, and Edward."

"Should we help too?"-

"That's exactly what we're gonna do." Ophelia programmed the Zero Shift. "We're within ten miles of intersecting his present path. We'll use the Zero Shift to meet up with him and give him a lift. Knowing his present flight distance, it may take up at least half of his energy to reach his destination, wherever that may be along the coast." Ophelia set the coordinates and the power consumption. "You might want to buckle in."

"Wait…!" Winry quickly ran to a seat and fastened herself in.

"Here we go, ready or not!" The zero system was activated and the little gummi made a quick maneuver to its destination.

Cuchulain, by this time, was reaching the halfway point, but already the effects of fatigue began to wear down on him. It was faint, but he could feel it.

"I'm almost at the halfway point." Cuchulain said. "I'll lower my energy and glide for the rest of the way. That only uses up a quarter of energy needed." But before he could use the Super Glide technique, Ophelia's gummi appeared before him, diminishing out of the Zero Shift phase. Cuchulain stopped just short of slamming into the hull.

"Hey there, handsome," Ophelia said, "You need a lift?"

"Miss Billiard…" the Hound uttered.

"Get in."-

"Right, open the hatch for me."-

The rear hatch of the ship opened and the Hound hovered in. He ran to the cockpit.

"Glad to see that you're alright." The Tiger chuckled. "I take it by your presence that you were successful."

"That's right. We managed to prevent the faction from unleashing the Grand Arcanum and forging the philosopher stone."-

"That is good news." Winry said.

"How did you know where to find me anyway?" Cuchulain asked.

"Hey, the faction wasn't the only one lured by your power level." She looked down towards the desert sands. In the distance, a faction patrol unit was heading for them. They aimed their blasters and fired away at the stationed gummi.

"It's a patrol unit!" Cuchulain said.

"They're shooting at us!" Winry cried.

"Sorry, boys," Ophelia said, "We don't have time to play with you right now. We have other matters to attend to." She activated the zero shift drive. "Next stop, the Arabian coast!" The gummi's energy increased and within seconds it shifted into overdrive, vanishing before the eyes of the faction pursuers.

It took no more than five seconds for them to reach the headland strip.

"What a rush." Cuchulain uttered.

"Thank God for the Zero Shift." Ophelia said. Cuchulain looked out the cockpit window and spotted lone island off the coast.

"That must be it."-

"Hey," Winry uttered, as she saw the island, "That's a giant sea turtle."

"You're right. I guess that explains why it disappears and never reemerges in the same place twice."-

"Turtle or not," Ophelia said, "We're touching down." Then a transmitted message reached them.

"Hello," the voice said.

"It's Donald."-

"What's going on out there?" he continued. The colonel picked up the intercom.

"This is the Tiger." Ophelia replied. "We hear you loud and clear, over."

"We sensed a power signature and there's been a rise in faction activity. What's up, over?"-

"We successfully managed to stop the Grand Arcanum. Now, we're after Saber, over."-

"Give us a few minutes. We'll join up with you, over."-

"Roger that. We'll land on the island and head in to help Sora and the others, over."-

"We'll be with you shortly, over and out." The transmission ended.

"Okay, we're heading in." Ophelia said. The gummi made a quick descent towards the ruins.

At the same time, Edward and Envy were dishing it out on each other with a substantial amount of energy. While Fullmetal was using all possible techniques of Alchemy, Envy unleashed his physical strength which caused several of the ruin structures to fall and crumble.

"Give it up, you worm," Envy chuckled, "You'll never be able to defeat me, I'm stronger than you are!"

"That proves nothing!" Edward replied. He slashed away with his grappling blade. But his attempts were futile against Envy.

"Is that so? Then why is it that you haven't been able to lay a finger on me yet!"-

"Stop mocking me!"-

"Admit it, little man, you're outclassed. There's no way that a mere human can stand a chance against a Homunculus."-

"Is that so? Then why is it that you're taking orders from Saber like a lap dog!"-

"Don't get the wrong idea, Edward." The two continued to grapple. "I'm only siding with the faction because they promised me to opportunity to kill you!" Envy lunged at Edward and threw him to the ground. He straddled the young man and pinned down his arms. "There might have been a few delays, but I'm happy with the results now. And after I'm finished with you, I will take out Saber as well and confiscate the stone from out of his hands." Edward kicked and squirmed, but the Homunculus had him submitted. "Which gets me to wondering, Fullmetal. Why are you here? Are you after the philosopher stone as well?"

"No… I was brought here against my will by the faction."-

"What was this?" Envy was somehow shocked, yet not all surprised of the declaration. "So you were working for the faction as well? Then this is a rather strange twist of fate. Who would have thought that you would side with the faction too? And I didn't even know about it until now."

"I'm just as surprised. I never would have thought the faction to hire a Homunculus to do their bidding."-

"I guess evil attracts evil. But you're not really the evil type." Envy released Fullmetal's arms and quickly clutched his hands around the boy's throat. "Was it the promise of the philosopher stone that lured you to the ranks of the faction?"-

"Never…" Edward gagged as he continued to kick, but still all in vain. "The reason why I sided with Saber was because he was threatening to kill my brother and Winry. I had no other choice."

"I see, so the faction gave you the promise of freeing you if you did as they said only to turn their back on you and betray your trust. Oh well, not a big loss. I guess in the end, they couldn't really trust someone like you to go free. That treacherous Saber might have pulled a few stunts to end your life prematurely, but he always said you weren't that easy to get rid of. And now I have the chance to deal with you once and for all."-

"You forget, though," Edward clapped his hands together and placed them on Envy's chest. Using a powerful alchemic surge, he blew a hole through the Homunculus. Envy was blown back and hit the wall of the temple, his blood splattering about the ruins in puddles. Edward quickly got back up to his feet. "I'm not that easy to get rid of remember."

"Quite impressive," Envy said, regenerating himself "But even though you're not easy to get rid of, I can't be disposed of, period!" the Homunculus came charging at Fullmetal.

"We'll just see about that!" Edward clapped his hands and placed them on the ground. The alchemic reaction formed a wall between him and his attacker. But the physical strength of Envy was no so easily thwarted and he crashed through each wall with ease.

"You are a fool, Fullmetal. You can never hope to defeat an immortal!"-

In the meantime, Riku had his hands full battling against General Scimitar. Back and forth around the temple, both clashed.

"You can't keep your efforts up forever, boy!" Scimitar chuckled. "You battle the invincible Warrior Queen of Connaught. There's not hope for you!"

"Don't underestimate me, Maeve!" Riku replied. "This fight won't go the same way as last time I assure you!"

Sora could only watch on as his friend battled head to head in a solo manner against the ever more powerful Blade General. He clutched his keyblade tight in his hand, urged to join the fray. But he had a duty to fulfill. He had to protect the hand of Midas from being taken.

"Stay I there, Riku." He thought to himself. But from the corner of his eye, a dark image appeared. Sora quickly turned to find General Saber standing there smiling at him. Sora instantly put his guard up. "Saber…"

"Since Riku and Scimitar are engaged in their own duel of fates," Saber said, "it'll be just you and I in this fight." He noticed Sora tensing, gripping his keyblade tightly around his fingers. "Don't make this any harder than it already is Sora. You know as well as I that you don't stand a chance against me. If you couldn't even battle me in Maleficent's castle, and later on the dunes of Agrabah without Riku's help, what makes you think you can battle against me by yourself and succeed?"

"I'll find a way." Sora said, "Even if I have to use the rage against you!"

"Aw, the rage, like what the Hound uses. But of course you know the effects that will have on your way of thinking."-

"That's why I seldom use it. I used it before when confronting the faction. I had thought I overcome its effects. But I find myself to be consumed by inner hatred for everything. That's the reason for my negligence to rely in on its power, even if it does unlock the mighty Saiyan Devotion."-

"Saiyan Devotion, well, then I guess you have to power ability to unleash power equal to that of a Saiyan warrior. But you must realize how destructive you would become."-

"Which is the reason why I will refrain from using it," Sora made ready to battle against the general. Saber smirked.

"Now you have me curious of this power." He said. "I must see if you can truly become as powerful as a Saiyan Warrior."

"No, I won't use it. If you fight me, you will fight me as I am."-

"On the contrary, you have given me something to work at." Saber looked at Riku who still fought hard against Scimitar. "Yes, you have given me a goal to achieve, my own personal goal, to unleash the true potential of you and Riku. I had heard about your power of Saiyan Devotion. From accounts, that was the same power that you used to battle against His late Excellency, Master Cavendish. I understand that you used that same strength against General Kai of the Cavendish Shinobis." Saber suddenly clutched his fist as if some harsh idea ran through his mind. "I would like to see that power of yours. So that will be what I strive for. It will be my second goal to coincide with unleashing the power of Noctin Tilandir." The general stepped forward, towards the young key bearer. "But that goal will be made in due time. Right now, I have a task to accomplish for His Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous, to retrieve the hand of Midas."

"I will never let you have it." Sora said.

"And how do you plan on stopping me. You don't stand a chance against the strongest of the Blade Generals."-

"That was last time, but I'll win for sure this time!" Sora unleashed the Corona Flash Barrage. The flashes interrupted the fight between Maeve and Riku, caught off guard by the attack. Sora lunged forward and struck at Saber. The light barrage ended within seconds and Sora crouched opposite Saber. Saber was still standing in his place.

"Very well done," Saber uttered, "but your skills are still miniscule compared to mine." The Blade General turned to face Sora and in his hands was the wrapped package bearing the hand of Midas. "Thank you for the hand of Midas."

"But how…?" Sora uttered. He checked his back, feeling and hoping that the package was still strapped to him, but there was nothing there. "How could you have…?"

"Our mission is fulfilled, Scimitar. I have the hand of Midas. Now let us withdraw back to the ship."-

"It'll be my pleasure." Scimitar chuckled.

"Thank you for you time, Sora, Riku, but I'm afraid we really must dash."-

However, no sooner had Saber uttered those words that fate turned again. To Saber's side, the wall of the temple broke apart and a large block of transmuted masonry rushed at the general. Saber was struck and sent reeling to the other side of the temple. He dropped the hand of Midas in the process which fell just short of falling into the watery torrents below. Sora quickly grabbed it and held it firmly in his arms. He then looked up at the block that charged in.

"What the heck caused that?" he uttered. Then from the falling rubble, a body descended upon him. Sora quickly dodged out of the way, just as the body hit the floor. He turned to find that it was the mangled body of Envy that lay on the ground.

"How do you like that!" A voice shouted from the hole in the wall. A top the block's shaft, young Edward Elric appeared. He jumped onto the temple walkway.

"Ed…?" Sora uttered.

"Oh, Sora, I didn't you know guys were here already. How did you manage with the hand of Midas? It's right here." He showed the gold package to Ed. "And what about you, how's your fight doing with Envy?"

"Well what do you think?" Envy uttered as he stood back up, his body rejuvenating again.

"You never find it in your best interest to stay down, do you Envy?" Ed uttered.

"Why should I quiver before a weak child like you?"-

In the meantime, General Saber slowly staggered to his feet. A drop of blood dripped from his lip. He wiped it with his finger. He sneered at whoever it was that caused him blood to be drawn. It didn't take long for him to realize who entered the temple with them.

"Envy," he shouted, "I had it in my clutches, you idiot! I was this close to withdrawing successfully!"

"What are you talking about?" Envy asked.

"What do you think! The hand of Midas! The gold package the key bearer wields!" Envy looked at Sora who held Riku's now golden jacket.

"I see, don't worry. I'll get it back for you. But first thing is first, I have a pesky alchemist to be rid of." Envy glanced at Sora. "Don't worry, key bearer. I'll deal with you in a minute, just as I finish off the Fullmetal pipsqueak."

"Stop calling me a pipsqueak!" Ed demanded.

"Silence you!" Envy rushed in and struck Edward in the gut. The young alchemist fell to the ground. Envy kicked Edward in face, knocking him on his back. He once again topped over the young alchemist's stomach and grasped at his throat. Edward again began to struggle as before. "This is it for you."

"I…can't breathe…"-

"I'll suffocate you." Edward struggled, but his thrashing began to die down. His eyes started to roll to the back of his head.

"Sora…" Ed tried to turn his head to his comrade. "Help me…"

"Edward…!" Sora cried.

"Stay right there, Sora. My fingers will find their way around your throat after this."-

Sora sneered, but through his mind, he had a brilliant idea. He quickly unwrapped Riku's jacket, revealing the hand of Midas. He picked it up by its wooden handle and held it before the Homunculus, who ceased his strangulation of Ed Elric.

"The hand of Midas," Saber uttered. "The item in its purest beauty."

"And what is it that you plan on doing with that?" Envy asked in a sarcastic manner as he stood back to his feet, letting Edward cough and gag.

"You plan on going after me next and confiscate this?" Sora said, "How about I save you the trouble! If you want it so badly, then you can have it!" Sora threw the hand of Midas at Envy. Envy didn't bother dodging. Instead, he caught the item in mid-air. He started to chuckled maniacally.

"You idiot, you give it me freely." But he noticed at Sora's expression was not that of worry, but of a sinister smirk.

"It is you who is the idiot."-

"What do you mean by that!"-

"You fool, Envy!" he heard Saber shout. "You're not supposed to touch the bare hand of Midas itself!"

"What…!" Envy looked at his hand. His fingers had grasped tightly around the golden palm itself and already his entire forearm had been transformed into gold. "What is this!" The gold took over his entire right arm. "What's happening to me, what have you done to me, key bearer!"

"It's simple," Sora replied. "I've turned you into gold."

"Not even a Homunculus can escape a gold prison created from the hand of Midas." Saber uttered.

"You little bastard," Envy cried, grabbing hold of the wooden handle. "This can't end for me!" Envy struggled, but already, his chest area had been transformed into gold. His entire arm and chest turned cold, as if they had somehow been detached from him, though they weren't. His left hand still clung to the wooden handle, but it too began to turn to gold, taking the handle with it.

Edward coughed and gagged as he watched Envy slowly turn into a glittering statue.

"Envy…" he uttered. Despite Envy being one of his arch enemies and rivals and despite him wanting to kill Fullmetal, Edward looked away. He could not bear to see such a gruesome sight. "Not even a Homunculus deserves that kind of demise. Now he truly is immortal, but forever a prisoner of alchemy's foundation. Everything, no matter whether they are mortal or immortal, is still susceptible to the effects of the hand of Midas, the thing to which all original alchemists hoped to forge. As long as something has form and is made of some type of element, they will always be transmuted into gold."

"I'm a Homunculus! I can't die!" By this time, Envy's right leg had turned to gold and now he hobbled about. With only his left leg still able. "I can't die!"

"You're not going to die, Envy," Edward declared, his head still turned away. "You're going to live, but forever cased in gold. So long as you hold on to the hand of Midas, you will never be freed from your prison."

"You bastard son of Hohenheim!" Envy stumbled as he upper right leg turned to gold and the extra weight of the gold caused him to plummet over the walkway edge and into the watery torrents below. "Damn you to hell!" After his final fiery, but futile declaration, Envy's head was encased in the creeping gold. He was now forever immortalized and in his final moments of terror and anger. The hand of Midas was still clutched in his hand and was lost for all time, being of no use to anyone. The gold figure of Envy plunged into the water and immediately sank into the darkness of the torrents. No one moved after that, both sides had ceased hostilities as they beheld the submerging of the glittering idol.

"It has ended in failure." Saber uttered to himself. "All of our efforts were a waste."

"So it ends for the last of the Homunculi." Edward said.

"And with him, the hand of Midas meets its final resting place." Sora added. "It now exists only in myth." He then looked up to Saber. "So Saber, all your efforts were a waste. You came all this way, had it within your grasp, and now the hand of Midas is no good to anyone."

"Wretched key bearer," Saber uttered. "You dare to mock me with such annotations?" The general clutched his fist for a moment in anger, but eased his rage for a simple smirk. "Oh well, though the effort here did not bear fruit, there is still one other item we have yet to achieve."

"Are you talking about the philosopher stone?" Sora asked. "If you are, then you might as well forget that too."

"What do you mean by that?"-

"We already now that you were planning to use Agrabah as a conductor for the Grand Arcanum." Edward said. "Cuchulain and Cunla were already headed for Agrabah to stop Mozenrath from activating the circle."

"You foolish whelp of an alchemist," Saber chuckled. "I might have mentioned that Agrabah would possibly be targeted, but do you really think that I would be so foolish as to use such an obvious target when I know you would only interfere?"

"Yes you would."-

"Really; and how did you come to that conclusion?"-

"We consulted the spirit of the oracle scepter." This statement caused the general's eyes to widen.

"How could you have known about the oracle scepter?" he uttered.

"We overheard you friend Mozenrath talking about it to one of your subordinates while they were leaving the cave of wonders." Sora implied.

"Curse that blathering sage."-

"Your mistake was that you didn't destroy the scepter after you were finished with it. But you didn't destroy it, perhaps believing that we had no knowledge of what you were seeking for. The reality was we were concealing that bit of information from you, so you wouldn't catch on to what we already knew."-

"To add," Edward continued, "Miss Billiard and Winry caught up with us while we were exiting the cave of wonders, due to the help of my alchemic skills. They told us on how you sent Envy in to kidnap the sultan and the princess. You must have taken them from the palace for your own purposes."

"Also," Riku announced, "We know how significant Agrabah is, not only to this world, but to the legacy of the KH team. Agrabah is a significant link in the legends of the KH team and their dealings with the Heartless and the former Order. And since we've been a thorn in your side for too long, you thought it best to destroy all traces of our existence here."

"So, when we connected the oracle's prediction with Miss Billiard's report and the significance of what Agrabah symbolized, we knew that your target had been confirmed."-

"It's not that easy to defeat a sorcerer as skilled as Mozenrath though." Saber explained. "Success is not guaranteed a hundred percent."

"On the contrary," Riku continued, "Even if Mozenrath did succeed, there wouldn't be anyone in the city to contribute to the stone's power."

"What do you mean?"-

"Miss Billiard and the others had the people evacuated from the city ahead of time."-

"I highly doubt such a thing would occur. We already took that matter into account. In case a reversal such as that ever came to be, Mozenrath would have guards placed on the outside of the city, ready to smite anyone who tried to escape."-

Now a burden was placed upon the minds of the key bearers, who knew not whether the evacuation was truly successful. But their doubts were erased, when distance voices were heard, coming from the upper halls and stairwells leading to the temple.

"Riku, Sora, Edward," a voice shouted, "We're coming!"

"That voice," Sora uttered, "That sounded like Miss Billiard."

Sure enough, through one of the four corridors Cuchulain and the others appeared to aid them.

"Cuchulain," Riku shouted, "You guys made it."

"Mission accomplished!" Ophelia replied.

"Mozenrath has been successfully thwarted!" Cuchulain added.

"Well," Edward said, "There's your proof of success, so all of your efforts in their entirety, within this world, were a waste, Saber."

"You failed in retrieving the hand of Midas and you failed to retrieve the philosopher stone." Sora said. "It's over for you in this world." Every eye in the temple came to bear upon the general, who was flustered and agitated.

Saber sneered, his fists tightly clutched as if meaning to draw blood, using his own fingernails for scalpels. But again, his rage settled to a simple smirk. The team was in question behind the smile.

"You truly are fools." Saber chuckled. "Do you really think that such trifles are of any concern to me? You think that you have deprived the faction of all its goals? You forget that we did not leave empty handed and we still have a beneficiary to ensure a safe withdrawal from this world." Saber put his arms behind him. "However, I can't just turn my back on these failures can I. You have inflicted damage to my morale. Therefore I must do the same to you. Is that not the way of the alchemist, Edward, the concept of equivalent exchange, an eye for an eye?" Edward sneered. "For the failure that you have bestowed upon the faction's efforts in this world, for depriving His Excellency of his goals, my vendetta shall rain upon you a hundred fold. If the Grand Arcanum was not able to seal the fate of Agrabah, then I will unleash an even greater devastation upon the city, by using the destroyers beam cannon to obliterate it down to its foundations. The entire city and everything within ten miles of it will be atomized." Saber suddenly opened a doorway to the darkness. "Let us withdraw to the ship, Scimitar."

"Sir…" Scimitar replied. She quietly withdrew.

"Stop there," Riku shouted, "We're not done here."

"Oh I'm afraid we are." Saber chuckled. "The significance of the hand of Midas and the philosopher stone no longer have any relevance to us, but I can't have the grief you bestowed upon us to go unpunished. You'll receive the full mark of my retribution."

It was then that a roar was heard coming from below them and a mild rumble beneath their feet. The team looked own to see the water level slowly rising as torrents rushed into the temple from their access points.

"What's going on?" Sora asked.

"I do believe that the island is submerging again." Saber chuckled. "Perhaps I shouldn't be too hasty to withdraw. But I must think of my duty to His Excellency above my own pride for the moment, until the next time. Adieu."

"Oh no you don't, Saber!" Edward shouted. He clapped his hands and created a speeding bridge towards the other side of the temple. "We still have a score to settle! Come back and fight me!" But Scimitar and Saber vanished into the door of darkness and the pathway sealed itself behind them. Edward came too late. "Damn you, Saber! Damn you!"

"Never mind Saber," Ophelia shouted, "Let's get out of here before the island retreats to the depths of the sea!"

"Right," Cuchulain added, "Let's go you guys before the gummies are lost!"

The team quickly withdrew from the ruins back to the port where they stationed their ships.


	54. Resolved

Resolved

Goofy and Donald had freed the last of the faction soldiers, who were still alive, and had them bound and subdued, taking them prisoner. They placed them in the gummi one at a time.

"I can't believe this." Donald uttered. "I was hoping to go into action, but here we are doing prisoner duty."

"I hope that everyone's alright." Goofy implied.

But no sooner had he said that, the entire KH team was seen coming towards them.

"Goofy, Donald," Ophelia shouted.

"Hey, Donald, they're back!"-

"Start the gummies now! Get into the ships and hurry!"-

"What's the rush, what's going on?" Donald asked.

"We're leaving right now!"-

"The entire island is about to submerge!" Riku added.

"Oh boy…" Donald uttered.

"Hurry, get on board, ladies and gents." Cuchulain said.

"Okay, okay," Goofy said. He turned to the faction soldiers. "Hurry up you guys! The island's gonna sink." He rushed the faction soldiers in the gummi hastily placing them in the confinement area.

"And no trouble out of any of you," Ophelia added, "Or so help me, I'll make sure to throw you out of the ship."

They boarded in and fastened up as the engines of the three gummies ignited. The ships lifted off just as the water reached the old port. The team watched as the giant sea turtle dove beneath the waves, taking with it the ruins, Envy, and the Hand of Midas. Once again, the secrets were concealed.

"There is goes," Sora said, "Back into the sea."

"We have to get back to Agrabah before the faction destroys it." Winry said.

"That's where we're all headed."-

"I came so close." Ed uttered. "Damn it, I came so close to settling the score with Saber." He gripped his hand tightly around his leg. "I'll have revenge sooner or later."

"Take it easy, Edward." Sora said. "You'll get your revenge soon. Right now, we have to stop the faction."

"I guess you're right. It would be meaningless to charge in recklessly."-

The gummies made a dash to coordinate an attack on the faction's mother ship.

At the same time, Saber and Scimitar had arrived back at the mother ship. They immediately walked into his quarters.

"No more fooling around." Saber said. "We dispatch for Agrabah here and now."

"Yes sir." Scimitar replied. Saber contacted the main control.

"Main control, come in."-

"What is it, sir?" the commander asked.

"Set a course for the city of Agrabah. Make sure to deploy our shields. No doubt the KH team will arrive at the last minute to halt our assault with their gummi ships.

"Yes sir."-

"Oh yes, and one more thing, see to it to have the prisoners escorted to my quarters."-

"Yes sir." The transmission ended.

"What do you need with the prisoners?" Scimitar asked.

"I feel a little humorous today, Scimitar." Saber said. "Let us tickle our pallets by tormenting our foes."

"This is a little out of our conduct, don't you think?"-

"Scimitar, the stone and the hand were what we came here for. Yet we failed at achieving both. Despite them now having irrelevance, it's the principle of the matter that counts. Those fools dared to strip us of our achievements. Thus, it stands to reason that we must enact revenge." Saber put his arms behind him. "I understand that Edward Elric wants revenge on us, especially me. Well, then let him have me if he wishes."-

"Edward Elric?"-

"No doubt that boy, with his alchemic skills, might have found a good reason to harass the faction. He'll take up arms against His Excellency and further become a nuisance in order to get to me. And I am not about to burden His Excellency with yet another determined youth willing to oversee the downfall of our cause. So, I'll save him the trouble of trying to find me." Saber opened a passage way to darkness. "I leave you in charge of the mission. Make sure to confirm that the deed is done."

"The city will no longer exist. It will be consumed in fired and brimstone. That will more than confirm our retribution."-

"Very well…" It was then that the sultan and Jasmine were brought in, escorted by three guards. "Well, your majesties, I hope you're ready to play pawns in my little chess game."

"What are you planning now, Saber?" Jasmine asked.

"Such bold words, princess, you are to assure the death of the Fullmetal Alchemist and hopefully the key bearers thereafter."-

"You heartless wretch." The sultan uttered.

"Now, now, you underestimate my powers of persuasion." Saber drew out his blade. "Let us be on our way."

"You might as well kill us now." Jasmine said. "We're not going anywhere."

"Determined to be stubborn are we? Not even the edge of my blade scares you."-

"Why should we be scared of cowards?"-

"I believe you're bluffing, princess. Your life is more valuable than you perceive it to be, especially now."-

"And what makes you think I'm bluffing."-

"Because you don't want to be responsible for murdering your unborn pride and joy," Saber sheathed his blade. "I understand you're with child." Immediately, Jasmine's eyes grew large with fear and anxiety. "I stand correct then by your reaction."

"Jasmine," the sultan uttered, "Are you pregnant?"

"Yes father…" Jasmine uttered. "I wanted to keep it a secret from you and Aladdin until the time was right."

"Oh dear," Saber said, "Did I ruin a nice little surprise. Oh well, it's none of my concern is it. But won't your dear Aladdin be thrilled to find out that he will be blessed with a child. But then again, won't he be in utter anguish when he heard that his unborn whelp was murdered and by the order of the child's own mother."

"You monster…"-

"A monster I am indeed. It's my business, it's what I do." Saber lifted his index finger up and a bizarre glow began to accumulate at its tip. Suddenly, Jasmine and the sultan went limp and fell forward. Saber caught both of them and hoisted them up on his shoulders. "No more prattling now." He turned to Scimitar. "I leave you in charge of the operations here. I'm expecting success."

"Pardon me of a minor protest, sir, but wouldn't it be more beneficial if we keep one of the hostages here in case we need to negotiate."-

"What's there to negotiate?"-

"I'm simply making precautions, sir. The reason why is because I notice this ship is not equipped with mobile dolls, or mobile droids, or anything of that matter, which can support up from outside."-

"Such a precaution is void. Even if the key bearers caught up with you, they would have to find someway to neutralize the destroyer's shields. But even if they did bring down the shield, they would have to initiate a great deal of fire power in order break through the hull. This destroyer has been fixed with ten feet of Gombrian steel and can withstand heavy bombardment from an entire blockade without having is shields deployed. Not even a blast from a charged particle gun can hinder effectively against it. So I believe that such a precaution is unnecessary. To add, regarding your concern about not being equipped with mobile dolls, this ship was deprived of those dolls because we figured them to be more effective elsewhere and that the primitive inhabitants of this world wouldn't be much of a threat to us. Therefore, there was no need for the dolls to be present. If the three gummies are the only contraptions that are a threat to us in this world, then there is nothing to fret over. The gummies would have to sustain a weapon three times their weight capacity in order to effectively pierce through the outer hull of the ship."-

"Perhaps you are right, sir. Perhaps I was being a little paranoid."-

"It'll take more than just three measly gummi ships to bring down a powerful destroyer like this."-

"Understood, sir."

"Be sure that nothing deters the ship from its target. No matter what the KH team smites the ship with, continue to Agrabah"-

"I understand, sir."-

Saber picked up his scouter and placed it over his good eye. He then disappeared into the darkness of the door. The door sealed behind him, leaving Scimitar to take charge.

"Your orders, ma'am?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Maintain a course for the city of Agrabah." Scimitar ordered. "Keep all outer defenses on standby and raise the shields. Have all radar, heat sensors, and energy sensors operative. I don't want those key bearers and their friends getting the advantage over us."

"Will do, madam,"-

The massive ship began to levitate into the sky like black storm.

In the meantime, the KH team hastily pursued the enemy, their gummies moving fast over the vast desert sand. Using the Zero Shift, it did not take them long to reach the area where the large destroyer was lifting off.

"There it is." Riku shouted.

"Prepare to engage!" Cuchulain ordered. "Be sure to stand clear of the outer defenses."

"Roger that."-

"Roger that." Sora added.

"Deploy funnel emitting system and Zero System." Cuchulain said. "Anti-cloaking and optical stealth activated." The three gummies made ready with their combat systems. Anti-cloaking devices activated, they stealthily approached the destroyer.

"Approaching target," Ophelia said, "Twelve hundred yards and closing."

"Hold." Cuchulain said. "I'll make the first shot at the hull."

"Ten hundred yards,"-

"Maintain formation."-

"Nine hundred yards,"-

"Beam cannon fully charged."-

"Eight hundred yards,"-

"Here we go! Deploying neutralizing shells," Cuchulain unleashed three missiles that rushed head on towards the large destroyer's surface.

The minute the bogies were deployed, they were caught on the mother ship's radar.

"We have incoming projectiles." One of the operatives said.

"What type are they?" the commander asked.

"They're neutralizers."-

"Shoot them down! We can't have them nullifying our shields!"-

"Yes sir."-

The outer defenses of the mother ship began to fire away at the incoming missiles.

"Come on, come on," Cuchulain uttered, "Just a litter further."

"One hundred yards," Ophelia shouted.

One of the bogies was shot down, but the other two hit their marker. They struck the shield protecting the hull and the electromagnetic particles nullified the barrier, exposing the metal surface.

"The shield has been neutralized." Ophelia said.

"All beam cannons open fire!" Cuchulain shouted. The three ships aimed their weapons and unleashed a barrage of energy. The hull was struck by the incoming energy and massive explosions caused the entire destroyer to shake violently.

"Damn it." The commander said. "They nullified our shields and have hit the hull."

"Heavy damage on the starboard beam," one of the operatives said.

"Any penetration?"-

"No penetration, sir, but the outer hull has been severely damaged. That attack managed to delve at least three feet into the protective surface."-

General Scimitar walked into the main control room, wishing to assess the damage inflicted.

"What's the story behind this breech, commander?" she asked.

"They used neutralizing projectiles to bring down our shields, general." The commander replied.

"I would certainly be more at ease if we actually had mobile dolls, or mobile droids to deploy."-

"Unfortunately we were ordered by His Excellency to make room for the transports and the Gatler tanks for this particular mission. He believed there wouldn't be anything threatening in this world and thought the dolls could be of better use somewhere else."-

"Well, the hull's thick enough to keep those gummies from breaking through. That's all that matters."-

"We'll do all in our power to hold them off. I'll contact our reinforcements from other realms and see if they can aid us."-

"Do what you will, but keep them off of our tail. I am not about to let all of our efforts here go to waste! General Saber and His Excellency are counting on us."-

"Yes madam."-

The battle in the sky continued as the three lone gummies harassed the bulk of the destroyer's outer defenses.

Saber had emerged in the cave of wonders with Princess Jasmine and the sultan still out cold over his shoulder. He emerged back into the chamber where the oracle scepter once resided. He placed them down over the table where the scepter once lay. Using his dark energy, he created a blue barrier that encircled their bodies. They thus started to levitate above the table's surface.

"You must pardon me, your majesties." The general snickered. "But I must away to lure a certain blonde haired upstart to his doom." Saber vanished again through another dark passage, leaving Jasmine and her father to slumber in the darkness of the cave.

The shields of the mother ship slowly regenerated, making the task of inflicting damage on her hull more difficult for the KH team.

"Stay focused to the matter at hand, ladies and gentlemen." Scimitar ordered. "It'll take more than three gummies to defeat a destroyer of this capacity."

"General," one of the operatives announced, "We're detecting a large power level on the ground."

"What was that?"-

"Monitoring the source of the power," the operative transmitted the image of the powers source. There upon the dunes, the image of General Saber appeared.

"It's General Saber."-

"What is the commander doing there?" the ship commander wondered. "I thought he departed not too long ago."

"He must've used the darkness doorway to come here. Knowing the general, he has other plans in mind, which explains his presence."-

The radars o the three gummies detected the power source as well.

"There's a large power level below us." Riku said. "Cuchulain, are you reading this?"-

"I'm picking the power level up too." Cuchulain added. "Is that who I think it is?"

"It's Saber," Sora added. "It has to be."

"Saber," Ed uttered, "Where is he! Get me a visual on that bastard."

"I'm relaying a visual." Sora locked onto the power source. On the screen, the raven hair stood with his arms folded in front of him. Edward, being stubborn and determined to fulfill his vendetta against Saber for his crimes, stood from his seat and ran to the hatch.

"Edward," Winry cried, "What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna settle things once and for all with that cocky bastard." Ed replied. "After all the hell he's put us through, I'm gonna take my time with him."

"Wait Ed," Sora protested. But Edward had already opened up the hatch. He looked down upon the general.

"I'm coming after you, Saber!" Ed jumped from the gummi.

"That's right, boy," Saber chuckled, "Come to me, come to death."

Edward landed upon the sand dunes with very little impact. He stood before the general.

"What the heck just happened?" Riku asked. "I could have sworn I saw Fullmetal jump from the gummi."

"He did." Sora replied. "He's intending to battle Saber."

The battle in the sky ceased for a moment as they two combatants stood face to face.

"I'm gonna enjoy kicking the crap out of you." Edward said.

"Oh, am I supposed to tremble at your declaration?" Saber asked. "Your threats are idle to me. I know that you have no chance against the likes of the leading Blade General."

"We'll just see about that!" Edward clapped his hand and unleashed his grappling blade. "I'll kill you!"

"Then let us see your abilities, Fullmetal." Saber created a dark portal and vanished in its shadows. Edward, not at all scared of what awaited him, pursued the general through the door.

"Edward!" Winry cried.

"Damn it," Sora said, "he went after him." Sora contacted Riku. "Riku, Fullmetal's gone after Saber through the portal."

"Great…" Riku replied. "Now what are we supposed to do. We have no idea where he's gone."

"We'll go after Fullmetal later." Cuchulain said. "The thing that matters right now is taking down this destroyer."

The main control of the destroyer watched as the two disappeared into the dark passage.

"What is the general doing?" the commander asked. "Why not battle Fullmetal here?"

"I see," Scimitar said, "General Saber is hoping to finish off Fullmetal once and for all. That boy's alchemic skills may prove a threat to the faction if he's allowed to run free. Saber must've lured Fullmetal to some isolated area where the KH team cannot offer aid to him. Most impressive…"

"But will the general be successful?"-

"It seems you lack faith in the general's abilities. He's more than a match for Fullmetal. He'll put that boy in an early grave." Scimitar looked at the commander. "Now enough of this babbling regarding the general, we have our own matters to attend to. Keep course for Agrabah and make sure the KH team doesn't fire anymore of those neutralizing missiles at our shields. I don't want this ship to suffer anymore damage than it already has."-

"Yes madam. Stay on course!"-

Once again, Edward found himself back in the cave of wonders. He gazed about, observing the familiarity of the chasms. He had returned to the frontal chamber.

"I'm back in the cave of wonders?" he uttered. "How did I get here?"

"I brought you here." Saber replied, "A nice secluded area where we can have our battle with no interruptions. How does that sound?"

"Fine," Edward said, "Get ready, Saber. You're going down!"

"Such a bold declaration you give, Fullmetal, but can you really back it up?"-

"Just watch me!" Edward was not about to sit around and be mocked by the general. Instead, he lunged forward, his grappling blade deployed. He thrust and slashed with his makeshift weapon, but Saber was too fast and agile to be hindered by the youth. Saber flipped over his head and landed softly to the alchemist's rear.

"So far, your skills are not impressive to me." He said. "I might as well withdraw from our duel. It's just not worth my time."

"Shut up!" Edward shouted. He lunged again from behind, but again Saber jumped over his head.

"The faith you bereft in your skills has failed you."-

"I'm not finished yet!" Edward quickly spun around and used an alchemic surge. Saber could feel the energy coming towards him. He jumped into the air and evaded a spike that appeared from the ground attempting to impale him. He landed and jumped again as another transmuted spike popped out of the ground. Repeatedly the process was done and with every attempt on the general's life, there came and evasion.

"This exhibition is pathetic." Saber said. "How much more of my time do you plan on wasting?"

"How can he move so fast?" Ed thought to himself.

The battle did not go unnoticed by the KH team who picked up the energy surges from the battle.

"Are you guys feeling that?" Sora asked.

"I feel it too." Riku replied. "It has to be Edward. I'd recognize that aura signature."

"That energy is coming from where the cave of wonders is." Sora quickly withdrew form the battle against the mother ship and headed towards the origin of power.

"Sora, where are you going?"-

"Edward's there alone with General Saber. We have to help him."

"But what about stopping the mother ship?"-

"We'll be back."-

"Damn it, Sora." Riku wasn't about to let Sora engage in another confrontation with General Saber alone.

"But what about the mother ship," Donald asked, "What about Agrabah?"

"That'll have to wait. I can't allow Sora to die. I can't seal the keyholes without him."-

"Riku," Cuchulain said, contacting the key bearer's gummi through the transmitter. "Where are you going?"

"Sora's heading back to the cave of wonders." Riku replied. "I'm not about to let him face Saber alone."-

"We have to take down this ship before it reaches Agrabah!"-

"I'm sorry…" Riku continued his pursuit for Sora.

"Riku, Sora, come back here!"-

"Now what are we supposed to do?" Ophelia said.

"I don't know." Cuchulain replied. "Should we go after them or stay the present course?"

"We can't possibly fight the mother ship on our own."-

"But even if there were three gummi ships working as one, there aren't enough armaments to effectively bring down that destroyer. It'll take a miracle."-

But no sooner had those words escaped his lips, a transmitted message came through to the gummi ship.

"Attention, attention, Riku, Sora," the voice said. "Come in, come in, this is Leon, over, over?"

"Leon…?" Ophelia uttered.

"Maybe we found our miracle after all." Cuchulain said. He picked up the transmission. "This is Cuchulain. We read you loud and clear, Leon."

Sora in the meantime, charged full speed towards the location of the cave of wonders.

"Ed," he uttered to himself, "Stay in there. We're on our way."

As the battles in the desert raged on, Aladdin rode upon carpet towards the cave of wonders, his mind focused on one thing, the oracle scepter. He remembered thoroughly the conversation that he had with Cunla no more than a half an hour before.

_"So how is it you knew the faction would attack Agrabah for certain?" he asked._

_"Not only was it from what Winry and Miss Billiard told us," Cunla explained, "But also we used the oracle scepter to determine where and when the action would take place and who would initiate the strategy."_

_"The oracle scepter, what's that?"-_

_"It's an item in which the inner spirit that dwells in the scepter's jewel is able to tell you anything that you wish to know. But it will only answer one question you ask. So you have to make sure you ask the right question."-_

_"I see…" Aladdin jumped onto carpet turned and that had been fully repaired. "I want you to make sure no one reenters the city until this matter is resolved with the faction."_

_"Wait Aladdin," Cunla asked, "Where are you going?"_

_"I'm gonna get that scepter and ask its spirit where I can find Jasmine and the Sultan. I'm expecting you to take care of things while I'm gone."-_

_"But…" However, before Cunla could finish his statement, Aladdin had already taken off._

"If I can get my hands on that scepter, I'll know then where the faction is holding Jasmine and the Sultan." But as he came over one of the dunes, he saw before him, the great faction mother ship, heading in his direction. Its dark form in the sky caused both Aladdin and carpet to react violently. They nearly crashed had it not been for Aladdin quickly regaining his posture. He watched the giant ship fly over his head "What the heck is that thing?" Rather than finding out, Aladdin kept on his course. "Whatever that thing is, I better stay out of sight. There's no time for me to get into any trouble right now. Jasmine and the sultan are relying on me to find them. And time might be running out for them as I speak."

The young prince continued on his way, little knowing that Riku, Sora, and the bulk of the KH team were already reaching the cave of wonders and not knowing at all that the massive object he passed was the faction's destroyer and that it was on its way to destroy Agrabah for good.

Edward still continued to battle his heart out against General Saber who had not drawn out his weapon yet.

"Is this the best you have, Fullmetal?" he said. "And to think that you're considered a threat to us. But it is not within my jurisdiction to pass judgment that easily."

"Why don't you stop playing around and take me seriously!" Ed replied. "Not unless you're afraid of me."

"Perhaps you're right. An alchemist like you doesn't need any leeway." Saber drew out his saber, which still accumulated that bizarre glow. "I have His Excellency to consider and I can't allow a whelp to deter his plans more than he already has!" Saber rushed in and engaged in his own offensive, which was more than what Edward was expecting. Slashing away at the youth, Saber entered a phase of extreme aggressiveness. He did not allow any time for the young alchemist to react and properly coordinate himself. Edward had to back down, blocking an evading.

"Where the heck did all this strength come from?" he thought to himself. "How could saber have become this powerful so soon?"

"What's wrong, Elric?" Saber said. "You said you didn't want me to play with you anymore, now you want me to go easy on you? Is that it?" Saber slashed from the side, but Ed was able to block the attack with his grappling blade. He pushed Saber away and rolled to a safe enough distance to unleash an alchemic surge. This time, he found Saber vulnerable to an all out attack. He clapped his hands and placed them securely on the ground. An alchemic surge erupted and large spikes sprang from the floor, trying to impale the general. But Saber only held his sword before him. It thus began to glow even brighter than before. As the spikes drew nearer, they suddenly diminished as if a force field or some other kind of barrier was preventing the alchemic surge from continuing its path.

"How did he do that?" Edward uttered to himself. "How could have halted the alchemic reaction?"

"I see that you are baffled by the strange phenomenon that has taken place." Saber said. "You wonder why the alchemic reaction came to an abrupt halt within a few feet of me. The solution is quite simple. It is due to the make up of this sword, which prevents alchemic reaction."

"But how…? What kind of sword is that?"-

"I'm surprised that you don't know of it. It originated from your world after all, but then again the knowledge of its existence has been lost since the days of alchemy's founding. It's called the alchemist sword."-

"The alchemist sword…?"-

"That's correct. The alchemist sword is used as a counter weapon against all alchemic reaction, but its soul purpose is to kill the one thing of alchemy that does not die so easily."-

"What do you mean?" Ed asked.

"It's specifically designed to kill homunculi." Saber replied

"Designed to kill homunculi?"

"I'm sure you are aware of the two main ways to kill a homunculus."-

"Two ways…?"-

"I see. You only know of one way to kill a homunculus and that must be by forcing a homunculus to confront a piece of what was once their original body. A homunculus is a mere reflection of their former self. Therefore if confronted by the real thing, they are paralyzed and become vulnerable."-

"I know that much already, what about the second technique?"-

"The second technique of killing a homunculus," Saber continued, "Is by slashing out the red stones that it consumed. The red stones are the things that allow a homunculus to maintain their youth and keep from perishing. One stone equals one death and one youth, as well as the physical strength needed. Deprive them of that nourishment and they become limp as pasta and can meet a sudden and rather permanent demise. However, there are some flaws to both of these scenarios. For the former, you may not be able to track down any pieces of a homunculus' original body. Perhaps there are none. And for the latter, you can't guarantee how many red stones they might have consumed." Saber held up the sword. "This sword, however, eliminates all the guess work and gives an ultimate power in one neat little package. The sword's power may not have any effect on you because you're human, but a homunculus is highly sensitive to its bizarre glow. The mere revealing of the blade is enough to cause a homunculus to enter a complete Cano tonic state. They will become paralyzed, their mental capacity will decrease, and at times they will have convulsions. Perhaps if you noticed, I never once unsheathed it when you were fighting Envy. If I had, the light from this sword would have caused his bodily functions to cease and he would be of no threat and of no use to anyone than a paperweight."

"But that sword," Edward uttered. "How could such a sword, a weapon that could kill all homunculi without the use of a transmutation circle or any original body parts, be forged?"

"It took a little sacrifice, but it was worth it." Saber replied.

"What kind of a sacrifice?"-

"If I told you, the answer you'll get will shock you."-

"Tell me!"-

"Do you know why the stones are red? Do you realize why the philosopher stone is red? The reason for this is because each soul has been somehow exposed to sin and evil. Even the slightest ounce of sin, like a little white lie, whether for good or evil, can taint a person's soul. If their thoughts are impure, no matter how minuscule, fast, or faint it might be, that's enough to pink a person's aura. This sword was created with the souls of those who had not been tainted red, or were never tainted red. Their souls were as white as snow. And it took at least a hundred sacrifices to complete the sword's forging."

"A hundred sacrifices? How the heck could you even think of creating a sword that involved a hundred sacrifices! That's barbaric!"-

"Well, as you can see by the sword's presence, I made it possible."-

"But that can't be. Even if you did fulfill that action, there can't be that many people who have never once thought of a single impure thought at least once in their lives. And even so, they would not be willing to throw their lives away just for the sake of forging a weapon. That cannot happen, would not happen."-

"Oh it was very easy for me to find a hundred such willing individuals to sacrifice. You just have to know where to look."-

"But the only kind of pure hearted people who could be sacrificed like that would be infants. They have no way of knowing how the…" But one Edward saw the face of Saber, grinning like a jack-o-lantern; he realized that he blurted out the source of sacrifices for the sword's forging. "You didn't…"

"And to think that you didn't have to second guess about the idea. It came to your lips almost instantly."-

"You monster, you used new born babies to be the conducting source for the sword! What kind of sick and twisted individual are you!"-

"One of a kind… You see infants when born are naturally pure of heart. They have no understanding of the world around them and how it works. They are not subject to sin or evil because they are not mentally developed enough to figure out such things. Thus, their souls remain untainted. Only when they reach that age, where they can think on their own and figure things out, that's when they are susceptive to the effects of sin and evil." Saber looked at the glimmering sword. "It is because of their sacrifice that this sword was able to be forged. Thus, I was able to slay six of the Homunculi, not including Envy, and their leader, the one pulling the strings. Even they were unaware of the swords power till the moment I revealed its blade. In my line of work, you can't afford to leave anything unturned."

"You killed a hundred new born babies for the sake of success?"-

"The sacrifice itself seems gruesome, but the ends justify the means in the conclusion."-

"And how do you justify this!" Edward demanded, angrily.

"Instead of scorning me," Saber uttered, "Why don't you thank me instead. I just saved you the trouble of having to deal with those homunculi. I just eliminated two to three years of evading and meddling for you. But it's typical of the world isn't it. You try to do a good deed for someone, but they interpret it as being brash and don't want anything to do with it."

"Those babies were sacrificed for an inanimate object! How could you even think about justifying the means like that! Those infants weren't even aware that they were being used as ingredients!"-

"If you think about it, humans, or for that matter any living thing is no different from the components of a bomb or a well refined machine. They can easily be replaced if they break down and they can be sacrificed for the greater good. One life is of no more worth than the other. Otherwise there would be no need for conflict."-

"You're wrong, every life is precious!"-

"That's where you're wrong, Fullmetal." Saber chuckled. "People are only precious when you want them to be. But if you say they have no value, especially someone you hate, then they have no value. Just as I. I am only acting as a tool to enact His Excellency's law and fulfill his dreams. The reason why is because I am of a great asset to him, but my life's value matters very little. The only reason why I find myself valuable is because I find myself useful. You can only guarantee your own value, but you can't determine the value of others."

"You're wrong! If you couldn't determine the value of others, then there would be no sense in making friends!"-

"That's all mere speculation. There's no real proof to it. Say, if I were to kill you here, do you really think anyone outside of your circle will mourn for you? Of course not because people don't care whether you live or die. They don't care about people they don't know. Those outside their circle are of little importance."-

"Well, at least I'll have people shed tears of sadness for me. You won't have that luxury though since you're nothing, but a tool."-

"Then let us see whose death has a bigger impact." Saber drew up his sword and a large funnel of sand began to bellow in the frontal chamber. Edward shielded his eyes. As the wind died and the sand descended to the ground in clouds, Fullmetal and General Saber stood at the ready to decipher which philosophy was the most potent. "You better be ready to kill me when the time comes, Fullmetal."

"Don't worry. After all that you've done, I won't have any trouble disposing with your worthless life."-

"Come at me then and prove your philosophy!"-

Cunla awaited the return of his comrades at Agrabah. Always, his concern focused on his father. Though the power in the atmosphere lingered, the boy prayed that it would not die out. But as he looked over the burning sands, he noticed something starting to rise in the horizon. It was excessively huge and dark, as if a large shadow was suddenly attempting to win back the land for nights past shade.

"What the heck is that?" he thought to himself. But as the big object rose higher and higher, he came to realize what it was that drew towards them. It was the destroyer of the Midnight Faction. "The faction is actually flying that large destroyer here?" Pretty soon, others present began to lay eyes upon the massive ship and a panic ensued.

"What is that thing?" one of the guards would shout.

"What demon is that?" another would cry.

"It's coming towards Agrabah." Another said.

Genie and the others, who were near Cunla, saw the massive ship heading over the desert sands.

"Hey kid," Genie said, "What's that?"

"It's that giant ship!" Iago squawked. "They're after us!"

"Get every soldier out of Agrabah now! The faction is on their way here!"-

"I'm on it!" Genie said. He quickly dispersed to tell the entire army.

"How the heck are we supposed to contend with that?" Cunla thought to himself. "It's virtually impossible to face off against a massive destroyer like that."

Suddenly, far before the large destroyer, one of the little gummies went flying towards the city. It landed hastily and Cuchulain jumped out.

"Cunla!" he cried.

"Dad!" Cunla shouted. "What's going on? Why's the faction coming here?"

"They plan on destroying the city. Listen can you give us an edge here? Can you give us at least twenty minutes at the most?"-

"What do you mean?"-

"We need a little more time before help arrives, at least twenty minutes."-

"But what do you expect me to do against that destroyer?" Cuchulain threw his son a portable transmitter that could be latched onto his collar.

"Negotiate with them! Just give us the signal on when you're ready to give your terms."-

"But exactly what am I supposed to negotiate?"-

Suddenly, Cunla watched as Colonel Billiard tossed out the faction prisoners they captured from the ship.

"Now move!" she shouted.

"Faction soldiers?" Cunla uttered.

"Perhaps the faction might be able to negotiate for their lives." Cuchulain said.

"Dad, the faction's not going to make any negotiations for the sake of a hand full of new recruits. Their lives aren't worth that much to the top brass."-

"It's the only thing open to us right now."-

"Well, I'll see what I can do."-

"Thanks…" Cuchulain turned back to the gummi.

"Wait, Dad, now where are you going?"-

"We're gonna see if we can physically hold them at bay."-

"What do you hope to accomplish with only one gummi?"-

"Whatever we can."-

"And suppose you get shot down in the process."-

"Don't worry, it's highly unlikely." Cuchulain smiled and jumped back into the ship and it sped off against the massive destroyer. Cunla only sighed.

"Just like my dad." He thought to himself. "Always has to charge in head on against an opponent large or more numerous than he. Not that it hasn't succeeded multiple times in the past though." He then looked at the prisoners who were still bound. They were new recruits alright, many of them not much older than he was. Cunla walked up the young soldiers.

"It's the Son of the Hound." The officer in charge said.

"Please, don't kill us." One soldier replied.

"I'm too young to die." Another added.

"Yep, they're new recruits alright." Cunla said. "It you want to live, you better cooperate to the letter and do everything I say. It may be the only way for you to survive."

"And why should we obey a traitor?" the officer said.

"Because I might be the only thing that stands between you and certain death right now." Cunla looked at each of the soldiers. "You're ones who'll do their duty, but I can see in each and every one of your eyes that you're not willing to die yet and in such a miserable way." Cunla unsheathed his sword. "Follow my orders and you'll survive. But I warn you, don't try any last minute heroics, or dare underestimate me because I'm a kid. You're dealing with the Son of the Hound and I've killed elite veterans within less than a few seconds." Cunla pointed his blade. "Now get up and start moving towards the city." The soldiers, not willing to take a chance, stood on their feet and walked towards Agrabah.

In the meantime, Cuchulain made his stance, hovering before the advancing ship.

"Here they come." Ophelia said.

"It's up to act as the first line of defense." Cuchulain replied.

"Then let's go for it!" Ophelia advanced the ship towards the destroyer.

In the destroyer, General Scimitar watched as the lone gummi began its run against them.

"Such futile effort." She thought to herself. "What do you intend to accomplish with only one gummi, Hound of Ulster? Do you really intend to do battle with this practically invincible battle station? I believe you've lost your head as well as your heart."

Once again, like a lone fly to a giant, the little gummi began to pester the large destroyer, though its efforts had no effect on the faction's mother ship.

The battle in the cave of wonders continued as Edward and Saber crossed blades, clashing, slicing, and thrusting. But despite their efforts, neither was able to hinder the other. However, this battle had a slight advantage against Edward Elric, whose long range alchemic surge was virtually useless against General Saber who was armed with the alchemist sword, preventing any type of transmutation or reaction to occur within his reach.

"What's wrong, Elric?" Saber chuckled. "You seem to be slowing down."

"I don't think so." Edward lunged forward with his blade, but again the general evaded.

"By the way you're conducting your strength; you're starting to battle only on emotion now. Perhaps it's the injustice that I inflicted upon you, your brother, and your friend. Is that not it?" Saber suddenly lunged at Edward, unleashing a sudden devastating counter attack, slashing and thrusting with his sword. Edward barely managed a defense. It was then that he felt a sudden pain on his left shoulder. Saber had cut him across the shoulder. Fullmetal quickly evaded and landed not too far from the general.

"Damn it…" he uttered to himself.

"I have finally hindered you, Fullmetal." Saber chuckled.

"Don't be too overconfident, it's just one cut."-

"That may be so, but it's through that cut that your body's life fluid will flow from your body. Tell me, Fullmetal, how much longer can you last against me at this rate?" Saber attacked again, using the same strike as before. Edward did his best to dodge the glowing blade of Saber's alchemist sword. He evaded again and managed to escape certain death. But once he stopped, he could feel the sudden effects that Saber was talking about. The cut, on his shoulder was more serious than he thought. His blood dripped from the wound, down his arm, stained his white glove and trickled in droplets to the floor.

"Is the cut that bad?" he thought. "No, it's this physical contact. Saber's trying to slow me down and he's using the cut to drain more blood out of me. It's like when I fought Cunla."

"Is your body getting heavier?" Saber again attacked head on lunging and slicing. Edward could only do so much. He was on the defensive now and only did what was needed for his survival. But he could feel the effects of his body. His reaction and timing seemed more sluggish.

"I'm getting dizzy," he uttered, "I'm losing too much blood."

"It's over for you, Fullmetal! Retribution is at hand!" Saber lunged again, but Edward quickly evaded. He needed more than just his grappling blade. He needed a weapon with longer range. He thus clapped his hands and summoned forth a spear. But before his makeshift spear could be completed, General Saber rushed in and sliced its staff in half. He rushed at Edward, backing the boy up against a pillar. The blade was nearly touching the boy's throat. "Your time has finally come, Fullmetal."

"You bastard…"-

"And to the victor goes the spoils."-

"Not just yet." Ed smirked for some reason. "While we've been fighting all this time, a few of my friends managed to reach the cave of wonders and are right behind you."

"Foolish boy, such a childish prank will not work on me."-

"Who said anything about it being a childish prank?"-

"But how could your comrades have come in, explain that?" Saber pulled the scarab pieces from his pockets. "The only entryway to his cave can be accessed only by the scarab pieces. And as you can see, I have the scarab pieces in my hand."

"You forget though. We didn't escape by means of the main entry way the last time. Or haven't you noticed the sunlight beaming into this chamber. The last time I recall, there was no opening above us."-

Saber at that moment, did take notice of the sunlight on the ground.

"It can't be." He uttered. "How could I have overlooked that?"

"That means that my friends can enter the cave through that outcrop in the ceiling." Ed chuckled. "And the first one you have to contend with is my enraged, younger brother!" Saber turned to find a large suit of armor appear from the shadows. "Now Al, take him out!"

"Sorry Alphonse," Saber said, "But you should know better than to sneak up on people! It's ill mannered!" Saber slashed backwards and cut the large body in half. "That ought to teach you!" However, no sooner did Saber severe the large body in half, he realized that what confronted him was not Alphonse, but a makeshift replication created from alchemy.

"Gotcha!" Edward shouted. Saber turned to find himself confronted by Edward's blade.

"This was all deception." The general thought to himself. "He used his alchemy not to create a spear, but a replication of his brother. And I fell for it. How could I have fallen for it? How could I have been fooled so easily?"-

"It's over!"-

"Why must I perish like this!"-

Edward slashed the general across the throat. Edward landed opposite the general. There was a dead silence before the general dropped his weapon and the two scarab pieces that he still clutched in his hand. Saber fell to his knees.

"This cannot be…" Saber uttered.

"It's over…" Edward said. "Revenge is mine."

"Most impressive, Edward Elric…" Saber collapsed to the ground. Edward turned in time to see the general take his final plunge, slamming onto the ground, stone dead. For a moment or two, there was a lingering silence. Suddenly, there was a whisper behind Edward. "But not impressive enough."

Edward quickly turned to find Saber behind him. The boy was bewildered. He had seen the general fall to his death, yet here he was still alive. Before Edward could recover from the shock, Saber thrust his blade deep into the boy's gut. Like a victim of the Impaler, Edward had been skewered through the lower abdomen. The blade exited through his back. The boy was struck with sudden death as he felt the sharpened steel enter his being.

"But…how…" he uttered, blood now dripped from his mouth. "How could you still be…alive…?"

"I told you that I'm not that easy to defeat." Saber chuckled. "I too can create replications. What you slew was a mere reflection of myself, a clone you might say. It thinks like me, speaks like me and acts like me, but it is not me. It is merely a conjure to deceive you. And as a result, you have been impaled upon my sword."

"I was so close…" Edward slouched over. Saber pulled his sword out from the boy's body. There Edward lay on the ground, his blood turning the stone to a crimson red. His vision began to blur as death reared its head before the youth. Saber stood over Edward.

"Be lucky boy that I'm in a humorous mood, despite what happened earlier today." Saber declared. "Since you are a worthy opponent, I find it best to honor you with a mercy killing!" Saber drew his sword over the youth, but steadied his hand. He smirked at the boy. "No, I don't think so. You're a mere nuisance who deserves to suffer. I'll let you linger a slow death instead." Saber turned his back upon the dying boy. "Now, I must ready myself for some other guests. They may be arriving sometime soon." Saber vanished into the cave of wonders, leaving Edward to suffer and die slowly from his ghastly wound.

Edward lay dying; the atmosphere around him accumulated a bizarre mist around him. He grasped at his wound, feeling the warmed of his blood drench his finger tips. His breathing became more labored at time passed. He could feel his body growing heavier, sinking into the ground.

"Winry…" he uttered. "Alphonse…Forgive me…I failed…" The young alchemist lay on the ground, growing wearier by the second. Suddenly, from the bright light protruding through the opening, two figures appeared. Edward gazed at the two figures approaching him.

"Edward...!" a voice cried. The voice was so familiar to him and yet so soothing.  
"Winry…?" the dying alchemist uttered. He tried to lift his hand, but his body had grown too heavy, he could no longer raise it.

Winry and Sora had arrived just in time, flying upon the nimbus cloud. Winry quickly rushed to Ed's side. She picked the young man up and tightly embraced him in her arms.

"Edward," she said, "Edward, don't die on me!"

"You came…" Ed uttered. His voice barely above a whisper, "You came, Winry…"

"Don't talk, Edward. Save your strength…"-

"Who did this to you?" Sora asked.

"Saber…" Ed replied.

"Where did he go?"-

"He went that way…" Ed pointed towards the darkness of the cave, to the paths leading to the inner labyrinth. Sora stood up, determined to face Saber.

"Winry," Sora said, "You stay here and keep Edward some company. Do your best to keep him alive until the others get here."

"Right…" Winry replied. Sora ran off through the treasure room still packed with gold and into the deep caverns of the cave. Winry held Fullmetal tightly in her arms.

"Winry…Winry…?" Ed uttered.

"I'm right here, Ed." The young girl replied. "I'm right here. I won't leave your side."

"I don't want to die…"-

"You won't die. Just hold on a little while longer."-

"I don't want to die…"-

"It's okay, Edward." Winry rocked back and forth, cradling her childhood friend like a slumbering infant. "It's gonna be alright."

But no sooner had Sora vanished from sight, three more figures appeared from the opening in the cave's ceiling.

"Miss Winry!" a voice shouted.

"Are you alright!" another voice added.

She looked up to find, Riku, Donald, and Goofy quickly descending upon them. They landed before the two. They looked upon the ghastly sight as the Fullmetal Alchemist lay dying in Winry's arms.

"What happened?" Riku asked.

"You have to help Edward." Winry replied. "He's dying."

"Goofy, give the kid a senzu."-

"I gotcha." Goofy replied.

"Where'd Sora go?" Riku asked.

"He went after Saber." Winry replied, "Down that way."

"I better go after him. Donald, Goofy, stay here with Winry and Edward."-

"Roger that." Donald replied.

"Here," Goofy said, tossing out a senzu to Riku. "You might need this."

"Thanks Goofy." The young key bearer replied. Riku drew out his keyblade and rushed into the cave after Sora and Saber.

Sora had only snuck a couple hundred feet passed the entrance when Riku caught up to him.

"Riku." He said. "You made it."

"Everything's alright." Riku replied. "Goofy's nourishing Ed back the health with a senzu bean as we speak."

"That's good to know. Now all we have to do is take care of Saber. He's in here somewhere." The key bearers made their way into the darkness of the chasms, their guard raised in case an elusive officer dared to ambush them from the shadows.

The efforts of Ophelia and Cuchulain, in the little gummi, proved ineffective against the bulk of the destroyer. The mighty ship deployed artillery fire at the gummi, fending it off as if it were a pesky mosquito.

"It's no use." Ophelia implied. "We've bombarded at the destroyer's hull as best we could. A gummi ship alone is not enough to battle against something that big. We would have to wield armaments at least five times more powerful to be able to deter the ship from its course. But to wield such weapons requires us to obtain a larger ship. The gummi can only act as a fighter. It's not designed to tackle an enemy this big."

"It's up to Cunla to make the next move."-

However, as the Hound finished his statement, an incoming message reached the cockpit.

"This is Cunla." The voice said. "Dad, Miss Billiard, please pick up."

"What's up, kid?" Ophelia asked.

"I'm ready to make a negotiation with the faction. Link me to the destroyer's communication line."-

"Roger that."-

General Scimitar observed the gummi's efforts. She chuckled at the KH team their futile actions to pierce through the destroyer's massive hull.

"It's no use trying to derail us from our present course, you fools," she said, "A solitary gummi is not enough to halt the advance of a faction destroyer this immense. Soon our beam cannon will descend upon Agrabah and ash and cinder will take place of the marble halls of the sultan's palace. Every dwelling will be incinerated to its foundations and the city of Agrabah will no longer be an inhabitable area. The livelihood of its people shall diminish, making the kingdom into a barren waste land of charred soil. Onward to Agrabah!"

"General," on of the operatives cried, "We're picking up an incoming transmitted signal."

"Where's it coming from?"-

"It's been linked from the KH gummi, directed from Agrabah."-

"What do they want? Have they come to declare surrender? Put the message through."-

"Yes ma'am." The operative put the message through on the loud speaker.

"This is Cunla of the KH team."-

"It's that traitor." The commander growled.

"We here you, boy," Scimitar replied. "What is it that you want?"

"I must ask you to deter your ship away from the city of Agrabah."-

"Do you now."-

"I know that you have come to this city to destroy it completely with the use of your main cannon." Cunla continued. "I ask that we come to terms and that you must spare this city from such an apocalyptic fate."

"Is that so? And what good excuse do you have that should persuade us to spare such an eyesore?"-

"If you destroy Agrabah, then you put the lives of the ten or more faction soldiers that we managed to capture from your last expedition in jeopardy."-

"What's that?"-

"That's right. They have been placed here at the center of the city. Two of them happen to be officers, one major and one lieutenant."-

"Your orders, ma'am?" an operative asked. There was a silence lingering now as Scimitar poised to think on the situation.

"Continue on course." Scimitar said.

"Ma'am?"-

"Continue on course. The faction has no concern for the lives of ten or so soldiers when thousands are dying in every campaign."-

"But Madam General," the ship commander uttered. "We can't just abandon their fates without reconsidering the consequences."

"The deaths of ten soldiers are insignificant. Press on."-

"Scimitar," Cunla shouted, "Will you not take heed?"

"You only have ten soldiers at your mercy." Scimitar replied. "That is not enough to deter us from fulfilling what is best for the greatest number."

"So you plan on abandoning these soldiers?"-

"They are not being abandoned, but rather they fought valiantly against such a ruthless foe in order for us to emerge victorious in the end."-

"Do you see them fighting valiantly? These are not soldiers. "They're boys and they're no older than I am! But unlike me who was taught the art of war from childhood and being raised in a warrior society, these young men aren't ready to lay down their lives like this."-

"You forget, Cunla. People tend to be quieter when they're dead. The outcome shall justify our actions."-

"Listen to me, they might be soldiers, but they still have lives! And their lives are being devalued with every foot closer you come!" Cunla cried.

"I don't care." Scimitar replied.

"Well, you should care! This act will not lead to your victory, but defeat. If you keep deceiving the soldiers as well as their loved ones, sooner or later they will abandon you and the number of soldiers you take in will decrease. And even if you did force them into service, their loyalties will never turn in your favor."-

"And what proof do you have as an outcome?"-

"When three of your most effective officers defected from the Midnight Faction, Colonel Ophelia Billiard, myself, and most recently Prince Kirin of the Flaming Blades."-

"What, Prince Kirin defected against us?"-

"Why do you think that Monsters Inc. is now under alliance control?" Once again there was a lull within the mother ships control room.

"Shall we press on?" the commander asked. "Or shall we make a negotiation?"

"I am not about to give in to a traitor." Scimitar said. "The orders of General Saber and His Excellency are absolute! I will not be deterred by the Son of the Hound! I will wipe Cuchulain's legacy from existence as well! Onward!"

Again the massive ship began to advance.

"General Scimitar, don't do this!" Cunla declared. "This act will only lead you closer to the faction's downfall!"

"You could care less about the fate of the faction, boy! You would much rather see it collapse and burn to ashes! The only thing you're concerned with right now is the fate of Agrabah and its people!"-

"It's not only them! You're endangering these soldiers!"-

"Negotiations are over."-

"Scimitar!" But the general disconnected the transmission.

"Carry on!"-

It seemed over for Agrabah and the KH team. The faction refused to make negotiations for the lives of the soldiers captured. Now the large mother ship began to hover over the city, eclipsing the sun from view. The sultan's army fled for their lives, hoping to escape the city.

"Well," Cunla said through the transmitter, "We tried, dad, but the faction won't listen to reason. The lives of ten soldiers are just not enough to make a compromise."

"It was worth a shot though." Cuchulain responded from the gummi.

"Now what do we do?"-

"We'll have to get the people as far away from the city as we can."-

"I understand. This is Cunla over and out." The boy ended the transmission. He then looked at the soldiers still bound together. "It's over. The faction doesn't wish to compromise for your lives. You've been cast aside."

"No…" one of the young soldiers uttered. "I don't want to die like this."

"There's no one to tell my mother that I died." Another said, tears flowing from his eyes.

"We must be strong." The major said. "It is for the good of the faction."

"Is that what you really believe?" Cunla asked. "Is that what your sacrifice was good for? What has the faction gained besides fulfilling a symbolized goal? Other than this act of butchery, they've accomplished nothing else." Cunla looked about at the city. "I just hope that everyone got out alright."

But as Cunla looked about, he still noticed the black sands that configured the large transmutation circle created by Mozenrath. It suddenly hit the boy. There was still a chance to save the city of Agrabah and at the same time fend off the faction's destroyer.

"I have it," he uttered to himself. He turned to the bound soldiers. "If you still want to live, you better follow me! Hurry, get on your feet!" The faction soldiers did as they were told and quickly stood up. They followed Cunla towards the outskirts of the city. Cunla contacted his father. "Dad, dad, come in!"

"What's up, Cunla?" Cuchulain replied.

"I have an idea. Can you see from your point of view if the transmutation circle is still in tact?"-

"Let me see?" Cuchulain looked out from the cockpit's wind shield. There below, encircling the entire city, the odd configuration of the transmutation circle lay untouched and ready for activation. "It's still in tact, Cunla."

"That's great."-

"What's up?"-

"I think I found a sure way to get back at that destroyer. Just keep them occupied for a little bit so that they don't realize what we're doing."-

"I have your back, son." Cuchulain looked to Ophelia. "You heard my son, Miss Billiard, let's make some noise."

"Roger that!" Ophelia replied. She flew the gummi towards the large battleship as if a sparrow fending off a hawk. "Look out, boys and girls, the Tiger of Goth and the Hound of Ulster are back in action!"

Riku and Sora in the meantime, quietly entered the dark chambers of the cave of wonders, looking for the evasive General Saber whose whereabouts were still unknown and whose energy was yet concealed.

"Make sure to keep your energy suppressed." Riku whispered. "We don't want to act as a beacon for Saber."

"I gotcha…" Sora replied. They reached a corner of the corridor and Sora poked his head around the bend. There was nothing, but darkness intermingling with the dim blue glow of the caves fungus. "No one there…"

However, no sooner had looked about, a couple of shadows accumulated from out of the darkness. Two pairs of yellow eyes protruded through the blackness. Riku was the first to see them.

"Sora, look out!" Riku cried. He pulled Sora away just as the newly emerged heartless attempted to strike the boy down.

"What the…" Sora uttered. He found himself being confronted by a Super Anti-Sora and a Super Anti-Riku. Their blades blended into the cave's inner night.

"Heartless…" The key bearers made ready to battle.

"You two little fools." A voice chuckled from the darkness. "Did you really think that you could attempt to ambush me?"

"Saber…" Sora grumbled.

"That bastard is mocking us." Riku added.

"You forget, key bearers," Saber continued. "You are dealing with a professional soldier. You cannot hope to avoid my awareness." The voice turned to the antis. "Now kill them."

The two antis charged forward, striking at the key bearer. Riku and Sora took on each heartless. Battle ensued as the sound of steel shafts clashed against one another. Back and forth in mortal combat, the four engaged, filling the chasms with the echoing sound of battle.

"I hate anti Rikus and Soras." Sora mumbled. "They always manage to get under my skin."

"I hate them too, Sora." Riku replied. "But we have no choice in the matter. These shadows are only after on thing, our hearts."

Within a thirty minute interval, both key bearers were able to bane the heartless, diminishing the pair back to the shadows. There was a sudden clapping in the darkness.

"Very well done, key bearers," Saber chuckled. "I commend you"

"Why don't you stop screwing around with us!" Sora demanded. "Come out here and fight fair."

"Not a chance, boy." Saber chuckled. "I'm having too much fun indulging my own pleasure seeing the two of you sweat."

"You coward," Riku shouted, "Are you that afraid of us!"

"Who said anything about fearing you? Since you two are in such an energetic and amenable mood, let's increase the challenge a bit and see if you can hold your own against this lot!" Suddenly from out of the shadows, several pairs of Super Anti-Rikus and Soras emerged, their eyes glowing in the dark and their shadowy weapons drawn.

"Man," Sora uttered, "You have got o be kidding me!"

"Finish them off." The antis rushed into the fray.

"Stay on your guard!" Riku shouted as he and Sora stood back to back. "Here they come!"

By this time, it seemed as if Agrabah would meet an abrupt and fiery end as the massive destroyer hovered above every street, turning night into day once again.

"The destroyer is above the city." One of the operatives reported.

"Excellent work," Scimitar replied. "Prepare to open fire on the city."

"We're initiating activation of the destroyer's main cannon. Preparations will meet maximum output in three hundred seconds."-

"Prepare to open fire when I give the order."-

"Yes ma'am."-

At the same time, scurrying along the ground, Cunla and the ten faction prisoners ran for their lives to the outskirts of the city. Iago, Genie, and Abu joined the young boy in their withdrawal from the city.

"What are they going to do?" Iago said.

"They plan on destroying the city with their main cannon."-

"That's impossible!"-

"Not in my line of work."-

"I won't be able to handle this on my own." Genie replied.

"You won't have to, Genie." Cunla said. "Just keep an eye on those ten and make sure that they don't try to ruin my plan."

"I gotcha…!" Genie picked up the prisoners and flew quickly from the city. Cunla in the meantime, made it to the outskirts.

"It's gonna take a lot of energy for me to activate this transmutation circle and use its power in a reverse attack to deflect that energy beam." Cunla thought to himself. He concentrated his energy to the center of his body.

"What is Cunla doing?" Ophelia wondered.

"I see." Cuchulain said. "Cunla's gonna use the transmutation circle to conduct a reversal effect, using the Grand Arcanum's power to counter the energy beam from the destroyer."

"Well, I hope he knows what he's doing."-

By this time, the battle within the cave of wonders was escalating. Heartless were now popping out left and right. Many of them were grunt heartless, while some of them large and foreboding foes. But the most powerful of the heartless were the Super antis whose strengths were at equal to those of the faction soldiers. Riku and Sora, despite their strength, were slowly being pushed back.

"This is just great." Riku uttered as he continued to slash about. "Why don't these stupid Heartless just quit it. I'm starting to get really ticked off."

"I don't know." Sora replied. "Maybe it's the pressure."

"I guess I'm just flustered and tired." Riku struck down several more foes. The two conducted themselves as a tight duo and fended off the bulk of the Heartless forces, but still the shadows continued to advance.

"Damn it, how much longer are they gonna keep coming at us?" Sora said.

"Be lucky that it's just heartless and not faction soldiers coming at us." Riku replied.

"Good point." Sora and Riku once again found themselves back to back. "What do you say we give the heartless really something to fear?"

"That sounds great." Riku and Sora combined with each other and formed a fusion warrior.

"To the death!" the warrior chuckled. He charged against the heartless and minced many where they stood. Like a thundering cannon, the key bearers eliminated the majority of the heartless in one fatal swoop. The heartless, however, having no emotions of their own, continued their onslaught despite being slaughtered themselves. It wasn't long before only a few remained. The key bearers diverted from their fusion.

"So," Riku said. "Do you guys still think that we're pushovers?"

Once again there was the sound of laughter coming from the darkness. It was the maniacal voice of Saber.

"Most impressive, key bearers," he uttered, "You certainly do well for youngsters."

"Saber," Riku shouted. "I'm starting to get a little fed up with this! Show yourself or so help me, I'll tear this place apart."

"Tsk, tsk, Noctin Tilandir, that would not be a wise choice to make on you part. You would be putting certain individuals' lives in danger. I'm sure that you don't want that."

"What do you mean?"-

"You'll soon find out. Why don't you keep going? You're no too far from where I am."-

"You just wait!" Sora declared. "You'll regret ever causing this ruckus!"

The KH team proceeded further into the darkness. The sound of Saber's cackling was ever present, encircling them. Until finally, had they not gone more than a hundred feet, the dark shape of Saber appeared.

"Saber is that you?" Sora asked.

"Show yourself, general!" Riku demanded.

"Quite impressive," Saber chuckled. "Even in the dark, you are able to escape death."

"Stop running, general, what are you afraid of?"

"I don't fear you boys. I just have the urge to play with you a little more. Much like one would torment their adversary in a game of chess."-

"Well, if you haven't noticed, none of this is a game." Sora implied.

"Not if you're not accustomed to seeing blood and death."-

It was at that minute that the sound of feet rushing from the cave entrance began to echo. The key bearers looked behind to find the other members of the KH team rushing to their aid. Goofy, Donald, Winry, and Edward finally arrived.

"Riku, Sora," Edward shouted.

"Glad to see that you guys made it." Sora said. "And good to see that you're back on your feet, Ed."

"It takes more than a near death experience to get rid of me." Edward looked at the dark figure of Saber. "Now that I'm back in action, I believe revenge is in order, don't you think, Saber?"

"You're more difficult to extinguish than a cockroach." Saber said. It was then that he heard the sound of something swooping towards them. "And yet we have another visitor coming to see us."

"What's that?" Goofy asked. The team looked to find Aladdin appear from out of the darkness. He jumped from off of carpet and landed amongst the KH team members.

"Aladdin…?" Sora uttered.

"Sorry to jump in on you like this." Aladdin replied.

"What are you doing here?"-

"I came to find that oracle scepter Cunla was talking about. He said that it would be able to tell me the whereabouts of Jasmine and the sultan."-

"You may not have to look for the oracle." Ed said. "If there's anyone who might know, it's him." He pointed to General Saber.

"So the great prince of Agrabah comes to seek vengeance as well, eh?" Saber chuckled. "Such a pity that I am plagued by so many nuisances that I have to eliminate. I'll have to start keeping records in order to keep track of them all."

"It's over, Saber." Riku said. "There's no way out!"

"On the contrary, I should be telling you those words." Saber held out his hand. "From this point on, it will not be only the lowly heartless or the fresh recruited faction conscript that you have to worry about." Suddenly, from out of nowhere, three lank and wavy creatures appeared. Unlike the heartless, these beings were dressed in white and flapped about like leaves in the wind. Upon their heads they bore a symbol identical to an upside down heart and a cross designed almost like a Christian crucifix. "I'm sure you recognize these foes."

"Oh my God…" Sora uttered. "The Nobodies…!"-

"But how did the faction deploy them?" Riku added.

"You thought that the legacy of the organization was crushed?" Saber said. "Well you were sadly mistaken my misguided friends. As long as there is darkness in every heart, there will always be a heartless. And as long as there is a heartless, there is bound to be its opposite, the Nobody." Saber drew his hand forward. "Eliminate those fools once and for all." The Nobodies drew up their ranks and prepared to battle the key bearers once again. "I would love to stand and chat, but I have some other guests to entertain. Drop by the resting chamber of the oracle scepter, if you survive that is. I'll be waiting there for you with a little surprise in store." Saber vanished into the darkness no sooner.

"Saber…!" Sora shouted.

"Now's not the time to be screaming at him." Riku said. "We have these guys to worry about."

"But I don't understand it, Riku. Now the Nobodies are involved?"-

"Whatever the reason, they're here and they want to do us harm. We better be ready!"-

"Whatever these freaks are," Edward declared, "They'll be no match for my alchemic skills." Edward clasped his hands together and deployed an alchemic surge. Thus another battle, this time with the Nobodies, commenced within the cave's lonely shadows.

The destroyer was not over Agrabah's center and its great underside doors opened up. The generating eye of the beam cannon began to glow a bright green. The energy began to accumulate to greater heights.

"Commencing firing in thirty-eight seconds and counting." The cannon operator announced.

"Take a good look ladies and gentlemen." Scimitar declared in a humorous tone. "Within the next thirty seconds, Agrabah will be transformed into ashes and its remains shall scatter to all the winds. Thus, the legendary emerald of the desert will only exist in myth. Let this day bear the mark of destruction and the annihilation of many a peasant's livelihood."

Little did they realize that Cunla was initiating his own counter attack. He and the others managed to escape the city and he now concentrated his own strength to unleash the Grand Arcanum.

"The energy is ready." Cunla thought to himself. "All that matters now is timing it right. I have to concentrate, wait for the moment that the cannon will fire." Time seemed to slow down and speed up at the same time. The light illuminating the cannon eye grew brighter than before.

"Preparing to commence firing in T minus ten seconds." One of the operatives announced. "T minus 8…7…6…5…"

"The death of Agrabah is now." Scimitar chuckled.

"3…2…1…"-

"FIRE!" The cannon's beam descended fast, unleashing a powerful pulsating effect.

"Now," Cunla shouted. He threw his hands upon the ground and immediately, the massive transmutation circle was activated. The energy of the Grand Arcanum acted almost as a neutralizing barrier that prevented the beam from harming the city.

"What's going on?" Scimitar said.

""There's a large energy source detected on the ground." An operative said. "It's a large power."

"On screen!" An image was transmitted to what was occurring on the ground. There, the Blade General, and all present in the destroyer's control room looked on to find a red dome countering the energy beam.

"What is that bizarre light?" The commander asked.

"It's the Grand Arcanum." Scimitar growled. "The KH team has somehow activated the Grand Arcanum. That fool Mozenrath kept the transmutation circle in tact."

"It's countering out beam!"-

"Sir," another operative cried. "The energy is pushing back the blast."

"Damn it! Deactivate the main cannon before the energy starts pulsating back into the ship!"-

"Deactivating the cannon, all functions cease!"-

"Too late!" another operative cried. They watched as the beam was being reflected back into the ship. The beam struck the opening on the underside just as the main cannon was deactivated. There was a massive explosion and the ship shook violently. Cunla and the others watched as the ship faltered and ruptured at its underside.

"He did it!" Cuchulain cried. "Cunla did it!"

"Alright, kid," Ophelia replied.

"Right on target." Cunla said to himself.

The outcome was an obvious shock to the Midnight Faction whose main weapon had been completely destroyed.

"What is the ship's status?" the commander asked.

"The destroyer has suffered over forty percent damage." The operative replied. "The main cannon has malfunctioned. It's no longer operable. There is severe damage on level twenty to level nine."

"Damn the KH team," Scimitar bellowed, "They'll pay dearly for this."

"Lower the ship closer to the city so the KH gummi can't attack our interior." The commander ordered.

"Yes sir."-

"You might have prevented us from destroying Agrabah with the main cannon, but you still haven't beaten us yet." The general turned to the commander. "If we can't destroy the city with one blast from the main cannon, then we'll destroy it with a devastating barrage. Prepare to fire the outer barge cannons!"

"Yes ma'am." The operative replied.

It didn't take long for the KH team to realize the situation at hand.

"Oh my God," Cunla uttered, "They're going to use their barge cannons to destroy Agrabah."

"We have to do something." Iago cried.

"Leave this to me." Genie said. "I am a genie with phenomenal cosmic powers after all."

"Then have at it, Genie!"-

"Alright…!" Genie rushed into the fray.

"Cunla," Cuchulain said through the intercom. "Are you alright?"

"Dad, the faction's about to use their barge cannons." Cunla replied.

"We'll take care of it." The gummi went off to battle against the weakened yet still aggressive destroyer.

In the meantime, Riku, Sora, and the others managed to defeat the Nobodies.

"Man," Sora said. "I forgot how tough it was to fight these guys."

"Those things," Ed uttered, "How the heck could they move like that?"

"Those Nobodies have that potential." Riku said. "They were the main soldiers used by the old Organization. Even the heartless fear them because they were virtually outclassed against the Nobodies."

"Riku," Sora said, "We have to hurry. Saber's waiting in the oracle chamber."

"Yeah, let's go."-

"You'll be mine here soon, Saber." Ed uttered.

"Let's keep going!" Aladdin said. The KH team continued on their way.

Saber awaited the arrival of the KH team. He looked over the slumbering forms of Jasmine and the Sultan.

"It will not be long." He said. "Soon the second stage to factional domination will commence." His scouter suddenly began to bleep. The reading he received was not one that pleased him. A large power was detected coming from the outside. "This power, where did it come from?" His thoughts went to the destroyer. "Something must've happened. Scimitar better not mess this up." His scouter then bleeped again. "What's this? So the key bearers and all their comrades managed to outmatch the Nobodies as well. What incompetence."

Sure enough, the team reached the chamber.

"Saber," Edward shouted, "You're mine!"

"There's no way out, Saber!" Riku added.

"You really think so?" Saber chuckled. "For your information, I am not bound to the interior of this world. I can leave at my own leisure."

"Is that so?"-

"Care to test me?"-

"You're not going anywhere!" Edward shouted. "You and I still have a score to settle!" It wasn't long before the team noticed the two floating bodies atop the resting place of the oracle scepter.

"Look, you guys!" Donald shouted.

"It's Jasmine and the sultan." Goofy added.

"Jasmine, Sultan?" Aladdin uttered.

"Well, I see you've laid eyes upon my slumbering prisoners." Saber chuckled.

"Let them go, Saber!"-

"No, I don't want to. I'm having so much fun tormenting you."-

"Give the princess and the sultan back, you scum!" Sora demanded.

"I highly doubt that you're in any position to be shouting out orders to me, you're inferior in status."-

"That's not gonna stop us!" Ed shouted as he stepped forward to confront Saber. He unleashed his grappling blade and rushed towards Saber.

"Heed my warning, Fullmetal." Saber implied. "Come any closer and you leave me no choice, but to bane the slumbering monarchs."

"You wouldn't." Winry uttered.

"On the contrary, Miss Rockbell, I am wont to executing people when they are not aware of it." Saber then drew up his hand. "But then again, I am not the one you should fear, but rather the power of an Anti."

"No use trying to bluff us." Sora said. "Your Super Anti-Rikus and Super Anti-Sora's are no match."

"Then again, I wasn't referring to those antis was I? No, rather I was referring to a new type of anti. Behold!" Saber snapped his fingers and from out of the shadows, an anti appeared. Not in the form of Riku, or Sora, but of Edward Elric. "I present to you, the newly forged Anti-Edward, or Anti-Fullmetal if you prefer to call it."

"It can't be…" Ed uttered.

"You forget." Riku said. "That's a heartless you summoned. And my keyblade, wielding the manipulation stone, can force that shadow to turn against you."

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong, Noctin Tilandir." Saber chuckled. "The manipulation stone may be able to turn heartless against their summoners, but it's not going to work on me because you see I can nullify the power of the stone. The reason why is because I was the one who presented General Dagger with that power. You think that I would give him such a powerful weapon without knowing its weaknesses. Now you'll have to contend with the shadow of the Fullmetal Alchemist."

"It's me…" Edward uttered.

"Don't be afraid." Riku said. "It's just one heartless."

"Let's get him!" Sora shouted. He took on the task of heading the charge. The rest of the team followed. However, no sooner had they reached their target, the Anti-Edward clapped his hands and unleashed an alchemic surge, catching the team completely by surprise. The key bearers were struck by the transmuted stone and were sent reeling rearward. The others scattered after that attack

"What in the…" Aladdin uttered.

"This might be a little tougher than I thought." Riku said.


	55. Grave Matters

Grave Matters

The new foe, the Anti-Edward proved more difficult to battle than earlier expected. The KH team charge head on against the heartless. But because of its ability to mimic Edward Elric's alchemic style, it made attacking the heartless more precarious. Saber watched as the key bearers and their comrades battled against the dark shadow with futile effort.

"Such superfluous attempts." He said to himself. "At the rate things are going, the key bearers will fall from mere exhaustion. Even Edward Elric is trying his best to fight his own shadow. But then again, It's difficult for him to counter his own techniques. Unlike the young Fullmetal Alchemist, however, the Anti-Edward will not hesitate to snatch away any hearts." The team suddenly stopped for a while.

"It's no use." Aladdin said. "That thing just won't go down."

"It has to have a weakness somewhere." Sora said.

"Either that," Riku implied, "or we've been approaching this fight from the wrong end."

"What do you mean?"-

"We have to somehow coordinate a series of steps to defeat this guy. We have to come up with a plan."-

"What did you have in mind?"-

"So far, the Anti-Edward has managed to fend us all off when we attack it at once. But then again, we don't stand a chance against it in a one on one fight. That much has been proven already. However, if we attack it in sequence, we're bound to succeed."-

"You fools," Saber chuckled, "All of your plotting is a futile waste. Go ahead and conjure a plan against the Anti-Edward. There's nothing you can do to stop him."

"Never underestimate the power of the key bearers!" Sora shouted. "And just to prove our point," He aimed his keyblade towards the foe, "Let's show that Anti that he's no match for the likes of us!"

"Yeah…!" the team rallied.

"Goofy, Donald," Riku said, "Go get him!"

Goofy and Donald lead the charge towards the heartless. The Anti-Edward immediately reacted, using alchemy to strike the king's loyalists. But Edward Elric countered with his own alchemy, preventing the two from being struck. The heartless quickly maneuvered and unleashed another alchemic surge. But no sooner had the heartless counter attacked, Aladdin flew upon carpet and struck at the heartless head on. Riku and Sora then jumped in and used their evasive maneuver, unleashing both the Corona Flask Barrage and the Darkness Decoys, they eluded and confused the heartless. And with one fatal swoop, they defeated the shadow. The Anti-Edward quickly diminished from sight.

"We did it!" Goofy cheered.

"So much for your heartless, Saber." Riku said. "The Heartless and the Nobodies battled us, but still we managed to win."

"Confident aren't we?" Saber said. "But don't start thinking that you're invincible, because sooner or later, you're going to fail at a certain task. And when that time comes, I'll be ready to see you fall." Saber drew up his hand. From the darkness, Dusks and Heartless appeared, banned together as allies. "But then again, I don't think I'll have to wait." Saber gave the order and the Heartless and the Nobodies made their advance. Once again the KH team entered battle.

Cuchulain, Ophelia, and the others on the other hand were having some difficulty bring down the mighty destroyer. Though deprived of its primary weapon, the faction's mother ship was still a potential threat. Its barge cannons now unleashed a barrage to keep the gummi and the helpful blue genie at bay. Genie did his best to protect the city while the gummi probed for possible weaknesses on the destroyer's surface.

"This is no good!" Ophelia said. "That destroyer is still well protected with its outer shields. And it's flying close to the ground so we can't squeeze in under it and shoot at its damaged areas."

"We have no more neutralizing missiles either." Cuchulain added. "So long as the destroyer has its shields up, there's no way that we can inflict any damage on it."

"Even genie can't keep up his efforts against such a continuous barrage. So far he's managed to save the city, but he can't keep it up forever."-

No sooner had Ophelia said that, there was an explosion that erupted on the ground. They looked to find that the tallest tower of the palace had been hit and was now collapsing upon the rest of the sultan's living quarters. Then another explosion, a section of the poor quarter was destroyed by a stray beam.

"Genie's starting to slow down. The palace is hit."-

In the destroyer, General Scimitar watched as the city began to receive damage from their constant volleys.

"That blue oaf has reached his limit." She chuckled. "Not even an all powerful genie is enough to withstand our might. Continue the bombardment until every erected foundation has been leveled to the ground."

"As you command." The commander said. "Continue the assault!"

"Yes sir." The operatives replied.

"And with only one gummi stationed here," Scimitar said, "There is no significant threat to us."

The damage to the city grew ever greater and many buildings were obliterated, taking away the livelihood and living quarters of many people who lived in the city.

Cunla watched from the ground as one by one the towers of the palace were targeted and shot. Two of the main towers cracked and fell, billowing great clouds of dust and debris. Fires erupted and began to burn profusely, especially in the poor quarters.

"The city is doomed." He uttered.

"It can't be!" Iago said. "Say it ain't so!"

"I'm afraid genie's power alone can't deter the power of a faction destroyer." But just seconds after Cunla declared defeat to himself, there was the sound of another explosion, not from the city, but from the above. He looked up to find that a neutralizing missile had hit the hull of the faction mother ship and a barrage of projectiles were now pounding at it's exposed shell.

In the destroyer, the impact caused the entire flying fortress to shake violently. Scimitar gripped to the commander's seat.

"What on earth is going on?" she demanded, "Where did that blast come from!"

"Status report!" the commander asked. "What's the situation?"

"We have incoming projectiles approaching us in masses on the port and star board sides, sir!" an operative said.

"All shields have been neutralized!" another added.

"Who could have executed the attack? Could it have been the KH team?"-

"Nonsense commander," Scimitar said, "A gummi ship can't unleash such a massive counter strike like that on its own."

"Sir, we have a large body of incoming objects approaching us fast." The operative continued.

"Where from?" the commander asked.

"Port and star board beam!"-

"On screen, we need a visual!"-

"Yes, sir." The operative transmitted a message. What appeared on the screen was not one that caused faction morale to plummet. Before them, a large fleet of mobile suits, mostly of Zaku class models came approaching at a very high speed. There was also the Archangel, carrying aboard the officials of the Universal Alliance. And leading the charge was the Freedom Gundam, accompanied by the Gundam Strike.

"It's the Coordinator Coalition, Kira Yamato's outfit!"-

"This is Kira Yamato of the Universal Alliance's Coordinator Coalition." Kira said thought a linked line to the destroyer. "This is a message to the Midnight Faction, cease your hostilities upon this world and surrender your armaments, or we'll be forced to eliminate you."

"Damn it." Scimitar uttered.

The KH team in the meantime watched as the forces of the Coordinator Coalition emerged to aid them.

"It's the coalition." Ophelia said.

"This is Leon," a transmitted voice into the gummi announced, "Cuchulain, sorry we're a little late."

"We were starting to wonder on whether you were gonna join us or not." Cuchulain replied.

"You guys can rest up. The coalition will take it from here."-

"That's a kind gesture, but unfortunately we can't. We still have our own score to settle with the Midnight Faction." The gummi rushed into the fray to aid the coalition.

"The coalition made it." Cunla cheered.

"Who are those guys?" Iago asked.

"They're our comrades in arms." Genie appeared not soon after the coalition appeared. Dressed like a marathon runner, he heaved for breath. Cunla looked at the tired blue genie. "So, how did it go?"

"Man," Genie said, "I never had such a work out before. I could really go for a refreshing shower."

The battle erupted above the city of Agrabah as hundreds of mobile suits rushed into fight the faction and their crippled destroyer. The tide had turned in favor of the alliance. The destroyer was pummeled from all sides and slowly began to decrease in substantial status to maintain their control over the world.

"We're being bombarded from all directions." The commander said.

"Damn the coalition!" Scimitar uttered.

"Damage percentage is increasing, sir." One of the operatives shouted as the ship jostled fore and aft with every hit taken.

"We have no choice then. We must make a hasty withdrawal."

"A withdrawal?" Scimitar uttered in shock.

"Yes madam there is no other option. We can't face the coalition with only our barge cannons and our ship in the condition it's in now."-

"I will not have Saber return here and say that I disgraced him by failing him! And I am not about to tell His Excellency that I fled like a coward! The Great Warrior Queen of Connaught will not run from any foe!"-

"But I f we don't withdraw now, then all of our efforts here would have been in vain and that may anger His Excellency even more!" There was a silence amongst the personnel.

"Your orders, ma'am?" an operator asked

"Contact General Saber," Scimitar said, "I will tell him of our predicament! I will need his opinion on the situation. Until then, keep the coalition at bay!"

"Yes ma'am, linking up with General Saber."-

After yet another scuffle, the KH team by this time was exhausted. But despite their weariness, they were not about to give in. Saber stood in utter disbelief as he watched all the summoned Nobodies and Heartless diminish one after the other with the swing of the keyblade.

"This is incredible." He thought to himself. "Though the KH team is weary and worn out, they still do battle even against overwhelming numbers of summoned lugs. I can see why they've gained quite a reputation in so many worlds they visit. Not even Kakarrot and Vegeta have gained such a reputation. But then again, if they were to travel to other worlds and weak havoc on us, their status would be just as great."

"I don't know how much more I can take of this." Sora uttered. "They just keep coming."

"Well, it's over now." Riku said. He turned to Saber. "That's the last of your cronies down and out for the count, Saber. What do you propose on doing now?"

"I'll just keep summoning forth more heartless and their Nobody counterparts and overwhelm you with their numbers. It seems that you're having a hard time battling now." Saber then rethought his strategy. "Better yet, I'll just kill you all myself."

However, an incoming transmitted message on his scouter prevented him from carrying out his plan.

"This is Saber." The general said.

"General," Scimitar replied from the other side of the line, "We're have ordered a withdrawal from this world."

"What do you mean you've ordered a withdrawal!"-

"The Coordinator Coalition arrived from out of nowhere and are pummeling the destroyer."-

"Blast those Coordinators, they always interfere at the wrong time! Well, did you eliminate Agrabah!"-

"We failed, sir. The KH team somehow activated the Grand Arcanum and used the energy to form a barrier. That barrier repelled our beam and caused the main cannon to malfunction. It's useless now. The ship has suffered over fifty percent damage now. We have no choice, but to withdraw."-

"Damn it all!"-

"We have to withdraw now!"-

"Then retreat to safe haven!"-

"But the coalition will never allow us to retreat. It's either surrender of be destroyed."-

"Then relay this message to them. Tell them that I have Princess Jasmine and the sultan captive. Have the alliance stand down or I will have the monarchs executed."-

"Yes sir." The transmission ended between the two commanders and General Saber made a sigh.

"Well, well," he said, "It seems that you've won this round."

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"Apparently, our attempt to destroy Agrabah has failed because someone dared to use the Grand Arcanum to counter the attack from our energy beam. Also, from what Scimitar told me, your friends of the Alliance Coordinator Coalition have arrived and are bombarding the faction mother ship as we speak."

"Then we've won." Ed said.

"It's all up for you then, Saber." Riku said. "Give up now while you still can. Even if you do manage to escape us, your friends are as good as dead."

"On the contrary," Saber said, "There is still one card to be dealt, unless of course you forgot about the slumbering sultan and his beloved daughter." Saber drew out his sword. "If I were you, I would not try any sudden heroic deeds. If anyone of you even advances one step, I will have no other choice, but to severe the jugulars of Aladdin's beloved wife."

"No!" Aladdin cried. "Don't hurt Jasmine!"

"Good boy. At least there's one of you who won't try anything reckless. It would be a shame to have to kill two of your loved ones Aladdin…or should I say three…"-

"Three, what do you mean?"-

"Why don't you know? Your beloved wife has conceived a child."-

"What…?"-

"That's right. Envy gave me that little bit of information he received from the princess herself."-

"Jasmine's pregnant?"-

"Oh dear, have I ruined a nice surprise? Oh well, it's no concern of mine if her unborn child is slain along with her."-

"You monster," Sora growled.

"Stand your distance key bearer, until the escape has been secured. Until then, you can have a little fun with these!" Saber drew out his hand and brought forth another wave of Heartless and Nobodies.

"Again," Riku grumbled, "This is starting to get really old…"

At that moment, the message was given to the coalition and the KH team. It was General Scimitar who gave the announcement.

"Attention, you members of the coalition and faction opposition," she began, "I suggest that you stand down and allow us safe passage from this world."

"Your request is denied." Kira said. "You will be stopped here."

"I have word from General Saber. He insists that you halt your assault on the destroyer. Otherwise you will bear the burden of depriving the people of their monarch."-

"What…?"-

"They didn't…" Cuchulain uttered.

"The sultan and his daughter have been taken into our custody. If you continue to harass us, we will order the immediate execution of the monarchs. Stand down and allow us passage."

"This is uncalled for." Kira said. "You have no right to hold local rulers hostage!"

"It's not open for discussion, General Yamato." Scimitar replied. "Tell your troops to stand down and allow us passage out of this world, or I will be obliged to order the execution of the monarchs! Don't think this a bluff, because I will not hesitate to give the order!" Kira lowered his head, gripping his hands tightly around the controls of his mobile suit.

"Damn it." He uttered. "All units stand down." The assault on the giant destroyer had ended and the destroyer was free to go on its way.

"Sir," one of the soldier said, "You're letting them go?"

"I have no other choice. The leaders of this world have been taken hostage. I can't afford to be responsible for the death of two monarchs and the collapse of this world's order."

"I understand…"-

"Damn the faction." Cuchulain growled. "They would stoop so low as to endanger the lives of world leaders and bring possible chaos to the people."

The coalition stood by as the giant mother ship lifted higher and higher into the atmosphere, leaving the entire landscape in ruin. Further the ship ascended until it reached the outer atmosphere.

"We've exited the world's atmosphere." One of the operatives said.

"Set a course back to the Disney Kingdom." The commander ordered.

"Yes sir."-

"Well, we managed to get out of there by the skin of our teeth, madam general."-

"Good," Scimitar replied, "Now send our word to General Saber, the withdrawal has been complete and he may return as soon as he's finished with other matters."

"I understand." The commander turned to the bridge. "Send a transmission to General Saber. Tell him that we successfully retreated and he may rejoin us."

"Yes sir." An operative replied.

In the meantime, Saber's wave of heartless and Nobodies had gained the advantage in the fight against the KH team. After several waves of attackers before that, the fight with the Anti-Edward, and deprivation of rest for the entire campaign, the KH team seemed lost. However, they were not willing to give up so easily.

"There are just too many of them for us to handle." Goofy said.

"What'll we do?" Donald asked.

"We can't give up." Sora shouted. "Our friends are depending upon success!"

"Keep together, you guys!" Riku added.

"Easier said than done." Ed uttered.

"Give us some more of the curaga spell, Donald."-

"There is no more!" Donald replied. "I'm completely drained."

"Doesn't anyone have any more either or potion, or even one ounce of MP to use?"-

"It's no use, Riku." Sora said. "We're out of everything!"

"Gawrsh…" Goofy uttered.

"It doesn't matter." Aladdin said. "if we have to fight without magic, then we'll fight without magic."

"Amazing," Saber thought to himself. "Despite reaching their limits and their power decreasing, they are determined to continue battling. I must admit, the key bearers are more durable than what I perceived. But even so, they are dwindling in comparison to me." Saber watched the fire in the eyes of the key bearers and their comrades. "Still, there's something about the fury in their eyes that is somewhat foreboding and threatening." It was then that a transmitted message reached his scouter.

"General Saber," the voice of General Scimitar said, "Come in, sir."

"This is saber." He replied.

"The withdrawal was a success."-

"Very good, over and out," Saber ended the transmission. He looked to the key bearers and their friends who stood in a circle surrounded by the minions of darkness. "Sorry ladies and gentlemen," he said. "This engagement has been fun and all, but unfortunately I must exempt myself from our menagerie."

"What…?" Sora uttered. But no further explanation was made. Instead, Saber disappeared into a dark passage.

"Saber," Ed shouted, "It's not over yet!" Ed tried to run after the general, but the passage vanished before his eyes, leaving him stranded in the chamber. "Damn it!" Ed pounded his fist against stone ground.

"He got away." Aladdin growled.

"Along with his other toadies too." Sora added.

"Look on the bright side though." Donald said. "At least we managed to prevent the faction from getting their hands of the philosopher stone and the hand of Midas."

"I guess you're right."-

"Hey, fellers," Goofy uttered, "Looky there!" He pointed to the end of the chamber. Appearing before them was the keyhole to Agrabah. The two key bearers stepped forward and drew their keyblades before them. At once, the two liking beams intertwined and hit the keyhole. There was a bright flash of light and the keyhole disappeared, diminishing with dying flickers.

As soon as the light faded, Jasmine and the sultan awoke from their slumber. They gazed about at the darkened chamber.

"Where are we?" the sultan uttered, groggily.

"Sultan, Jasmine," Aladdin said, "You're alright."

"Aladdin," Jasmine uttered, embracing her husband tightly. "What happened to us?"

"It's a long story."-

"You were brought here by General Saber." Riku said.

"That rascal," The sultan growled, "Where is he?"

"He's long gone, your majesty." Sora added.

"Yeah," Goofy added, "Disappeared into the darkness."

"And I was this close to exacting my revenge." Edward uttered.  
"Now I'll never know where he is."

"Let it go, Ed." Winry said. "You at least still have Alphonse and me with you."

"I guess."-

"This world is sealed now." Sora said, gazing at the place where the keyblade last showed its face.

"There's nothing left to do here." Riku added. "Let's get back to Agrabah then and see how everyone did."

"I hope that they were successful."-

"Wait a minute you guys," Winry implied. "Before we go, we should do a little something in the treasure room first."

"What did you have in mind?" Ed asked. Winry only smiled.

By this time, the damaged destroyer had made it far from the reach of the coalition. Saber had reemerged back in his quarters.

"What a blunder on our part." He thought to himself. "Though we did not leave that world empty handed, we could have achieved more if it wasn't for those damned key bearers. And we would have been able to wipe Agrabah from existence if it wasn't for the Coordinator Coalition barging in at the last minute." There was a sudden call on the door intercom. It was General Scimitar.

"General," she said, "Are you in there?"

"I am."-

"May I enter, sir?"-

"Come in." Scimitar opened the sliding door and entered the room. The door automatically closed behind her. "Well, what do you think of this outcome?"

"Personally, sir," she replied, "I find that despite our ability to secure all loaded transports successfully, we were not able to fulfill our main objectives. I believe it to be a personal failure and disgrace on my part."

"I feel the same way, but at least we received word of their sudden irrelevance before we had to withdraw."-

"Do you realize, sir that I managed to survive that scuffle with the key bearers? They were supposed to retrieve this black information disk." Scimitar pulled out the disk.

"It's irrelevant now." Saber said. "They came to Agrabah, but failed to defeat you and gain the puzzle piece." Saber pulled out his own information disk. "Even my disk is obsolete now. So there's no use in keeping them." Saber took the disks and tossed them in the waste paper basket at the side of his desk. "From this point on, the KH team will just have to defeat us the chance they encounter us."

"Speaking of which," Scimitar asked, "Where are you off to?"

"I must first join His Excellency at the grand procession of the Arakis Foundation." Saber said. "I hear that Lord Montague is throwing a large inspection with his best troops. It's supposed to be the largest collection of military units ever assembled since the days of the former Empire, and what of your duties?"

"I'm to oversee our progress in the Imperial Capital within the Land of the Dragons. I must make sure that our new allies maintain their new rise to power."-

"I hope that you don't botch it up like you did here." Saber reflected on his own blunders. "As if I'm in any position to be blathering of failure."

"After the trials in Agrabah, I'll know better than to make the same mistake again."-

Agrabah was swiftly restored to its original state thanks to Genie who, with replenished strength, used his power to resurrect the fallen structures of the palace and the surrounding city.

"Whew," He said, "I'm not being paid overtime for this."

"Well," Cunla replied, "At least the city has been restored to what it once was, a job well done, Genie."

"All in a hard days work."-

"Hey, you guys," Cuchulain shouted from a distance, "They're back!"

"That's great!"-

The KH team assembled to greet the incoming gummi ships. The ships landed upon the dunes and Riku and Sora were of course the first ones to jump out.

"You guys made it back safely." Ophelia said. "I'm glad to see that you're unharmed, Sora."

"There was nothing to it." Sora replied with a grin.

"And I'm glad to see that you're alright too, Riku."-

"Piece of cake." Riku said. He then walked up to Ophelia. "And how about you guys, nothing to serious I hope."

"Oh…of course not…" Ophelia looked downward, her face suddenly blushing.

"Are you alright, Miss Billiard? You look like you're blushing."-

"She's not the only one…" Sora mumbled silently, a big grin on his face as he pointed to Riku's own redden cheeks. Of course Riku gave his friend a smack on the head.

"Shut up, Sora…"-

"We've come back with spoils!" Goofy shouted, interrupting the mood. "Voila!" In the gummies were large chests of gold.

"This is to help feed the people of Agrabah and restore the wealth stolen from us." The sultan said. Of course the mood was again broken when the returning parties laid eyes on the number of mobile suits that were stationed about the area.

"Look at those big things." Edward uttered. "Have you ever seen anything like that before?"

"I wonder what they are." Winry added.

"They're called mobile suits, Miss." A voice said from afar. The team looked to fine Kira Yamato and Mu La Fllaga approaching them alongside Leon, Cloud, and Yuffie.

"Hey, Kira," Sora shouted, "So glad that you guys arrived."

"How did you know we were here?" Riku asked.

"We were given the information that a large destroyer was located in this area." Mu said.

"We also realized that you were in the area too." Leon added.

"So we thought you guys might need some help." Yuffie chuckled.

"It must've been fate working then." Cuchulain replied. "You guys came at the right time."

"You know heroes," Mu said, "We always like to make an entrance."

"Who are you guys anyway?" Ed asked.

"We're members of the Alliance Coordinator Coalition." Kira explained. "I'm the commander of this outfit, Kira Yamato. This is Colonel Mu La Fllaga, and the members of the Hollow Bastion Defense Forces, Leon, Cloud, and Yuffie. And who might you be?"

"I'm Edward Elric."-

"Edward Elric…?" Mu uttered. "No as in the Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric."

"Do you know me?"-

"Everyone in Central knows your name." Kira explained.

"You've been to Central?"-

"We were there not too long ago to push out the faction. We're still having trouble there though."-

"I see?"-

"It's nothing we can't handle." Mu said "Of course if did cost us dearly the last time."

"Sorry…"-

"No need to apologize."-

"Brother!" a voice shouted. Ed looked to see his young sibling, Alphonse running towards him.

"Al," Ed replied. Alphonse picked his brother up and held him tightly.

"You're alright, you and Winry are alright."-

"It's okay, Al. We're back together again."-

"Who is that big guy?" Leon asked.

"I don't know." Mu added.

"That's Ed's younger brother, Alphonse." Sora said.

"His younger brother…?"-

"I just love happy reunions." Goofy sobbed. "They make me all teary eyed."

"You and me both," Donald added.

"Riku, Sora…" Aladdin uttered.

"What is it?" Sora asked.

"I would like to thank you again for helping us. You managed to save Agrabah, restore its wealth, save its people and our world, and allowed several happy reunions to take place. Especially for me, the sultan, Jasmine, and of course," Aladdin placed his hand on Jasmine's belly, "our little bundle of joy."-

"There's no need for such praise. We were just glad to see you guys again after so many years."-

"We are still eternally indebted to you." The sultan said.

"Riku, Sora," Kira implied, "Now that your ordeal here is finished, I was wondering if you could aid us in our own campaign."

"What is it?" Riku asked.

"Well, we're waging a campaign in a place called Deep Dive city and I understand that you've been there before."-

"Yeah," Sora said, "The realm of the Nobodies."

"Apparently the faction has taken over that stronghold and has been unleashing these white beings against us."-

"No wonder the faction was able to unleash Nobodies here." Riku said. "They've taken over their realm."

"I've been given instructions from President Sneer to head there and close that world off from the faction after successfully securing it. And since you two have been there before, I thought that you might be able to help us with the layout of the area and what to expect."-

"I don't see why not." Sora said.

"But we still have our own mission to fulfill, Sora." Riku implied. "We still need to find Scimitar and Saber."

"Well, they might be there as well, in the World that Never Was."-

"I guess you're right."-

"Then it's settled. We'll help you out, Kira."-

"Thanks you guys." Kira replied. "Unfortunately, that's not the only problem we have right now."

"What do you mean?" Donald asked.

"There have been several other conflicts arising and we need talented fighters at the front." Leon said. "So we were wondering if Cuchulain and Cunla would be willing to come with us for a period of time and aid against faction advances at Hollow Bastion."

"Well…" Cunla uttered.

"Wait a minute," Cuchulain said, "are you saying that the team has to split up?

"Just for a temporary period of time." Leon said.

"I don't know. What if the key bearers need our assistance and we're not there to help them?"-

"I'm sure they can take care of themselves."-

"Still…"-

"I think that's a good idea." Sora said.

"Sora…?"-

"Think about it, Cuchulain. We can accomplish more if our strength is distributed in different areas."-

"He does have a point, Dad." Cunla added.

"I guess we can then." Cuchulain said. "If we can help in any way possible, then sure, we'll go along with you."

"We were also wondering if we could ask for Colonel Billiard's aid as well." Yuffie said.

"Me…?" Ophelia uttered.

"You would be a great asset to us."-

"But where do you plan on sending me?"-

"We need you to help aid in an investigation regarding the disappearance of children in Twilight Town. You would be useful when it comes to interrogation."-

"I see." Ophelia stood at attention. "Then the services of the Tiger of Goth are yours."

"What about us?" Edward asked. "Is there anyway we can do to help?"

"Are you willing to aid the alliance?" Kira asked.

"I would like to get some payback!"-

"Very well, there is still a large opposition in Central. I think you would prove more useful there."-

"Then we best better depart." Mu said. "Riku, Sora, Goofy, and Donald will come with us. We'll be heading back to Orb to prepare for our assault on Deep Dive City."

"Cuchulain, Cunla, Colonel Billiard, and Fullmetal and company will go with us back to Hollow Bastion." Leon added. "We'll send you to your separate destinations from there."

"Right," Riku said, "Let's hurry."

"Thank you again." Aladdin said. "You saved our home from certain destruction."

"It's nothing to it."-

"No, I can't let you go unrewarded."-

"Then leave it to me, Al." Genie chuckled. "I'll pay them back." He flew around Sora and Riku and placed his arms around their shoulders. "So what do you say, you two? You think you have enough room to squeeze me in again?"

"Another adventure with us?" Sora asked.

"Exactly!"-

"Why not."-

"Then just leave it to me!" Genie was once again joining alongside the KH team, acting as a strong summoning spell.

"Oh, and you guys." Aladdin implied. "I think you might find these handy." Aladdin threw a trio of stones to them. Two of them were summoning stones, one had a large cretaceous leaf on it, the other had the paw of a bear. The third was called Old School, which unleashed many of the old techniques that both Riku and Sora used in the past.

"We'll have to have these guys unleashed too." Sora said.

"That will come in due time." Riku replied. "We have other matters to look to."

"Yeah," Sora turned towards his comrades. "Then I guess this is goodbye for now."

"You guys keep safe." Cuchulain said. "We'll rejoin you as soon as we're finished with our own missions."

The teams took their separate routes, leaving the city of Agrabah and the world it resided in peace.

The destroyer was now half way to its destination when Saber, sitting at his desk snipping a glass of brandy, received a transmitted message. It was the voice of an operative.

"General Saber," the operative said, "There is an incoming message for you from His Excellency."

"By all means," Saber said, "put it through."

"Yes sir." The transmission was activated and the figure of Sirius Viicous appeared on the screen.

"Your Excellency, it is a pleasure to see you again."-

"I take it that you weren't able to retrieve neither the hand of Midas, nor the Philosopher stone."-

"Unfortunately, that is the truth."-

"Had they remained relevant, I would have found your failure intolerable. But since this change of fate has occurred, this betwixt misfortune seems not as serious.""Thank the hand of fate. It'll be quite a shock for the key bearers when they realize that a united power between the three factions has converged."-

"So tell me," Sirius Viicous said with a low shrill, "How did the key bearers enjoy our other little surprise?"

"They found it rather shocking." Saber replied. "The Nobodies proved quite a twist. Now the key bearers will have more than heartless to deal with."

"Excellent, so you will be arriving to your destination soon?"-

"Within the hour, as soon as we allow General Scimitar her descent upon the land of Dragons."-

"Then you will arrive in time to attend the procession of our new allies?"-

"Of course…"-

"Then I shall await your return."-

"I am most honored, Your Excellency." The transmission ended and Saber deactivated his message monitor. He took another sip fro his glass. "Soon retribution will flay itself upon the alliance and their friends. Then vengeance will come swift for many a slain Imperial who fell upon the fields of Vandor and Gombria. The rise of a new Empire and a new Imperial age has commenced." The destroyer continued on its path to port and future success.

It had been within a few hours before the Kira Yamato's unit arrived back in orb. The mobile suits and Donald's gummies were undergoing maintenance while the KH team joined with Kira in his quarters. Sora looked out over the vast ocean off of the Orb coast.

"I really hope that Cuchulain and the others will be alright." Sora said. "It won't feel the same without them to help us."

"I'm sure that they'll do just fine." Riku implied. "You've seen how powerful they can become. I bet they'll have the faction sprawling in fright."

"Yeah…" Sora turned to Riku. "By the way, where are Donald and Goofy?"

"They went to oversee the repairs and upgrades on the gummi ships." The doors suddenly burst open.

"I hope that you two are enjoying your period of relaxation here in Orb." Kira said, emerging in a clean uniform.

"Your hospitality is gracious." Sora replied. "Thanks for looking into our care."

"It's the least we could do. You've done so much for us in the past; I think it fair to treat you to at least one day of rest. If you see my sister, Cagalli, tell her thanks."-

"We'll keep that in mind." –

Kira looked at his watch.

"It's almost time for our council. Would you two care to join us?"-

"If we can be of any help to you," Riku said, "We'll attend your council."

The three departed from Kira's quarters and made their way to the counseling chamber, where several subordinates and representatives awaited them. Amongst them was Mu La Fllaga.

"Good," Kira said, "so we're all here."

"All except for commander Zala." One of the officers said.

"It's not like Athrun to be late from a mission. He should have been done long ago." He turned to one of the subordinate officers. "Send out word to him as soon as possible."

"Yes sir." The soldier replied and scurried off to direct the message.

"So Athrun's gone on another mission?" Riku asked.

"Yeah," Kira replied, "He was assigned to storm and capture the city of Gui Fant. That's a major Midnight Faction supply facility. It's also a crucial strategic outpost. If we can take over that city, we'll be able to severe faction territory in half."

"So you guys take turns fulfilling missions?" Sora asked.

"It's more convenient. It's a better strategy for us to split the command in two and have two separate outfits operating. And because of this, we've been able to prevent Sirius Viicous form gaining any advantage in other worlds."-

"But don't you worry about him?"-

"I know Athrun, he's not one to get himself into a dilemma. We knew of the stronghold and the possible scenarios that could have happened at the Gui Fant operation and we took it all into account. So far, all of the outcomes have proven positive. On the simulations, we always played from the Midnight Faction's point of view, but no matter what strategy we devise, the coalition forces always emerged victorious. There is no doubt that the strategy deployed will work a hundred percent." Kira sat down at the end of the table. "Speaking of which, what have you two been doing since the last time we met?"

"Not much." Riku said. "We did managed to stop the faction from achieving certain items that might have swung fate in their favor."

"Is that so…?"-

"So far, there hasn't been anything that we couldn't handle." Sora implied.

"Well, except for the incident at Maleficent's castle in the Forbidden Mountains." Riku implied.

"Oh yeah, and that."-

"And the near murder of Cunla by that assassin."-

"That too."-

"Of course Monsters Incorporated."-

"Yeah…"-

"And Agrabah, don't forget…"-

"Okay, okay, so maybe we've had a few difficulties here and there. I mean we lost track of the last two Blade Generals."-

"At least you always emerged victorious right?" Kira chuckled.

"So far…"-

"Well, so long as we're out here helping all we can," Riku said, "and so long as the Midnight Faction has to keep its eye out on several fronts, there shouldn't be anything to worry about."

But no sooner had Riku finished his statement, there were the sounds of muffled cries coming from the hallway as if there was great distress bellowing.

"Please let me in!" the voice shouted. "I have to see the general!"

The doors burst open and in ran a subordinate soldier, tears were in his eyes. The guards on duty prevented him from advancing any further.

"Such tragedy," he cried, "Such tragedy I bear, General Yamato!"

"What's the meaning of this!" Kira demanded. "What do you mean by coming in here unannounced!"

"I bear terrible news, sir."-

"Get that man out of this room!" one of the officers shouted. "Can't you see we're in the middle of a council!" The guards tried to push him out, but his was persistent.

"Wait!" Kira ordered. "Let him come forward and explain for himself." The soldiers let the man go and the lowly subordinate fell to his knees before Kira, his eyes moist with tears. "You said that you bear bad news. What is it?"

"General, I," The man paused for a minute or two, not able to speak, "I bring terrible tidings from the front line."

"About what?"-

"It's regarding our operations at Gui Fant." Immediately, after hearing that familiar name and knowing that was where Athrun's outfit was located, Kira instantly tensed. His hands began to sweat and he heard his heart pounding.

"Go on…"-

"The assault…the assault has failed…"-

"It failed," Mu asked, leaning against the wall, "What do you mean the assault failed, it can't fail! We used every scenario and strategy to predict the faction's move. And each time the faction was defeated. So how can you say that the assault failed?"

"Mu, please…" Kira uttered. He looked to the soldier. "Tell me what you know. What happened?" By this time the other subordinate, who was sent out earlier, returned with a slip in his hand. He watched the event in the room unfold.

"General…" the man uttered.

"Please," Kira was anxious to hear what the soldier had to say, but at the same time dreaded what would come out of his mouth, "tell me what happened at Gui Fant."

"Our forces were nearly victorious. It all seemed to go well. But…" the soldier paused again. "During the climax of the attack, Kambrian troops surrounded Commander Zala's assault units and…and…"

"What are you trying to tell me?" Kira said, his voice suddenly shaking.

"He's dead, sir. Commander Athrun Zala is dead…"-

"It can't be. Athrun is…?" Kira lowered his head. "It can't be…It just can't be…"

"Sir," the other officer said, "More news from Gui Fant!"

"We don't need anymore news!" Mu shouted. "We already know of what happened to Athrun! Kira doesn't need anymore grief!"

"Mu," Kira ordered, "That's enough. Let the man come forward." But Kira still had his head lowered, his bangs covering his eyes. The subordinate came forward. "Well…"

"It's a letter from one of our scouts." He began. "He writes that as Commander Zala reached the pinnacle of the battle, his entire force was ambushed and attacked from behind by thousands of Kambrian troops and Taurus and Virgo Mobile Dolls. Every man under General Zala's command, including the commander himself, was killed and their bodies burned upon a large pyre."

"Oh my God…" Kira uttered. He dared not show his eyes, but it was apparent that his heart had been broken. Tears dripped from his cheeks.

"Kira…" Riku uttered. But suddenly, that sorrow turned to rage as Kira's hand clutched into a tight fist and his teeth grit against one another. He pounded the arm rest of the chair, causing a loud thump to echo. He raised his head, gazing from the top of his eyes, portraying a great deal of rage and frustration.

"Get the Freedom ready." He uttered. He gripped the arm rests o the seat and forced himself up. "We are going to war against Kambria!"

"Wait, Kira," Sora said, "We can't be too brash! We still have the Midnight Faction to deal with! We can't take on another enemy right now!" But Kira did not heed Sora's declaration and continued to walk towards the door of the chamber. Riku stood before him, though not directly in front of him.

"Listen to Sora." He advised. "We can't stand against two enemies at once. If we defeat Sirius Viicous and the Midnight Faction first, then Kambria will have no other choice, but to back down when we have all of our resources at our disposal to fight them. However, we can't rush in against another powerful foe if we still have another powerful enemy to vanquish. We are in no position to fight from two fronts, to battle both the Midnight Faction and Kambria. Please reconsider this action, Kira."

"That doesn't matter anymore, Riku!" Kira shouted, pushing the key bearer away. "You and Sora have always been good friends. You two of all people should understand my pain! I must take this revenge! For the death of Athrun, Kambria must pay!" Kira stormed out of the room, angrily reiterating his orders. "Get the Freedom and the rest of my unit up! We take out Kambria now!"

"Kira," Sora shouted, but Riku only grabbed his friend's shoulder.

"No Sora." He uttered. "There's no use trying to talk to him. Kira has made up his mind."

"But if we try to take on two powerful enemy organizations at once, we'll be crushed in the middle."-

"It's not our call to make."-

"I still have to try, Riku!" Sora released himself from Riku's grip and ran after Kira.

"Sora…"-

"I don't know who's overreacting more," Mu uttered, "Kira or Sora."

Kira thundered down the hall towards the hanger where the mobile suits were stored. Sora ran as fast as he could and put himself before the angry young general.

"Kira, please wait!" he pleaded. "Now is not the time to attack Kambria! We must first concentrate all of our energy to defeat Sirius Viicous!"

"Never, Sora," Kira roared, "I'll destroy Kambria down to its foundations! Who cares about Sirius Viicous! He's no longer of any concern with me! My business is with Kambria now! Now out of my way, Sora!"

"Kira…!"-

"I said out of my way!"-

"Please, you have to listen to reason!"-

"Reason is the last thing on my mind! Revenge is the only thing on my mind right now! I will never forgive them for what they did to Athrun! Never!"-

"But Kira…"-

"Enough conversations, Sora, are you with me or against me!"-

"With you…"-

"Then move out! We will vanquish Kambria today!" Kira stormed off, bumping Sora on the shoulder. Sora grasped at his shoulder and watched as Kira parted. Riku, by this time, reached his comrade.

"Kira's completely blinded by rage, Riku." Sora uttered. "Can't he see that taking this action is a mistake?"

"I understand that." Riku replied. "But there's nothing we can do about it. He is after all our comrade and commander of the coalition."

"But this action he takes, it's reckless."-

"Then again, Sora, Athrun was Kira's best friend." Riku lowered his head. "If someone were to have killed you, I would do the exact same thing."-

"Riku…"-

"We promised Kira our aid. And we'll stick by him whether for good or evil."-

The key bearers only watched as Kira stormed away.

In the mobile suit hanger, Donald was overseeing the repairs for all his gummies. Goofy, was snoozing in one of the cockpits. It was Kira's thunderous voice that caused them to stand.

"I want all mobile suits ready for deployment!" he shouted. "We're waging a campaign against Kambria!"

"What the heck…?" Donald uttered. "What's all the racket about?"

"Gawrsh," Goofy uttered, "I bet something's wrong."

"You think…?"-

"Get the mobile suits up and running now!" Kira shouted. One of his subordinates came beside him.

"Sir," he asked, "I thought we were headed for The World that Never Was?"

"Plans have changed. We have a vendetta to fulfill."-

"A vendetta…?"-

"For the death of Athrun Zala…" The subordinate's eyes grew big.

"Commander Zala is dead?"-

"Killed by the treacherous Kambrians!" Kira clutched his fist. "Now carry out my orders!"

"Yes sir." The officer said, and subsequently withdrew. Riku and Sora, by this time, had reached the hanger.

"Kira," Sora uttered.

"Don't try to persuade me, Sora." Kira growled. "I will take revenge for Athrun."

"Kira…"-

"Come on, Sora." Riku said, tugging his friend by his arm. Sora knew now that Kira only saw revenge and quietly withdrew. He and Riku headed to the gummies.

"What's going on?" Donald asked.

"We're moving out." Riku said.

"So soon?" Goofy asked. "I thought we were going to take a rest for a while?"

"There's been a change of plans."-

"So we're headed to Deep Dive City now?" Donald asked.

"There's been a drastic change." Sora said. "We're no longer heading for the realm of the former Organization, we're waging war against Kambria."

"Kambria, I thought we were gonna stop the faction from using Nobodies? Why all of a sudden are we heading towards Kambria?"-

"Kira wishes to take revenge."-

"Revenge?"-

"Didn't you hear?" Riku asked.

"Hear about what?"-

"Athrun was killed by Kambrian troops at Gui Fant." Such a sudden declaration caused Donald and Goofy's blood to chill.

"Oh my…" Goofy uttered in shock.

"Now all that's on Kira's mind is bloody retribution." Sora said.

"Well, we're not gonna help him are we?" Donald asked.

"If we could, we'd leave as soon as possible." Riku implied. "But Kira is still our comrade and we need to stick by him."

"But this fight," Goofy uttered, "A fight for revenge, it all seems so wrong."

"That may be, but there's no other choice at the moment." Riku lowered his head. He looked to his friends. "Perhaps it's not too late. If there is a chance at the last minute to stop this fight, then we'll see it through."

"Can I ask one question though?" Sora asked. "Why would the Kambrians aid the Midnight Faction? Aren't they of the opposing syndicate, the Red Ribbon Faction?"

"I don't know if they were aiding them, or not. Perhaps some temporary alliance was forged, or there was some stroke of luck that Kambria wanted Gui Fant for themselves and found it an open opportunity to strike two birds with one stone. Whatever the reason, all we know is that the Red Ribbon Faction has emerged itself as a powerful threat. Let's just hope it was open opportunity and not an alliance forged between the Midnight Faction and Kambria. If it is, then we are certainly diving into hot water this time."

"But Kira should be fully aware that Kambria is the very heart of the Red Ribbon Faction's might."-

"Anger and vengeance knows no awareness. Either that, or Kira may find it in his best interest to destroy the faction by tearing at its very heart first. He's taking a large gamble though. The Red Ribbon Faction is just as threatening as the Midnight Faction. To top it all off, this is the first time that we had to battle against a faction other than the organization under Sirius Viicous."-

"I just hope that Kira comes to realize what a mistake this is before it's too late."-

"Same here, but even so, we guaranteed our help." Riku sighed. "It's best we don't go against our word. Donald, get the gummi ready. We'll be going into action."

"Right…" Donald uttered.

The gummi ships were repaired and shipped out with the rest of Kira's unit. The fleet quickly departed with Kira taking station in the front carrier, an undying flame burning in his eyes. It was apparent that nothing would deter him from waging war against Kambria.

It didn't take long for the news of the coalition's advance to reach the head of the Red Ribbon Faction's top brass. Admiral Rellantando was given word of the advance by one of his officers.

"Lord Admiral," the officer said, "Word from our scouting units. The Alliance's Coordinator Coalition under Kira Yamato is heading this way to Kambria."

"Well, well," Rellantando said with a chuckle, "Kira Yamato intends to go straight for the jugular is he? The death of Athrun Zala must weigh heavily on his mind. Seldom does he realize that Kambrians don't crack when under pressure. We are after all a superior society. Wouldn't you agree, Lord Sirius Viicous, Lord Montague?" Behind the admiral, sitting at a round table, Sirius Viicous and Lord Marcus Montague were seated. Lord Montague was gladly embellishing on his host's hospitality. But Sirius Viicous did not at all touch the wine he was offered, due to his facial wear.

"You must understand that when this battle is over," Sirius Viicous said, "the Alliance will fully come to realize that our distinguished organizations have united into an alliance in itself."

"Of course by that time, it'll already be too late." Montague replied. Montague, hued dark in complexion and scarred about the face, on the right cheek and over the right eye, was dressed in his finest black and green-lined frock, draped over by a thick grey, double-breasted overcoat. Upon his head was what looked like a German shell helmet with its topping spire and green tassel. "Our uniting will give rise to a new power, a new Imperial regime. That is after all what we all had in common before."-

"Quite correct, Lord Montague." Rellantando replied. "And how was your inspection yesterday?"

"It was a fascinating display."-

"Our dear lord has done quite well to assemble a force of loyal soldiers." Sirius Viicous chuckled.

"They would not have it being turned down by an incompetent infant ruler." Montague chuckled. "Mulian Arakis might have been the son of his late Excellency, but he was easily manipulated and persuaded. He never really had any values of his own, just the stuff that we filled into his head. But now, because he decided to abandon our cause for the sake of a single encounter with two key bearers, he's caused a great upheaval. We can't have a traitor like that running free. So I took the liberty of assembling a force to help hunt Muli and his renegades down."

"And what of our plans for the upcoming campaign to extinguish the last of the coalition?"-

"Don't worry," Rellantando chuckled, "The strategy we came up with will succeed. Soon the only threat between us and the destruction of the Universal Alliance, and perhaps total domination, will be eliminated."

"And hopefully, the key bearers along with them."-


	56. Routed

Routed

The vast valley of Lyzand, located in the outskirts of Kambria, bore geographical features from open fields of grass, to patches of densely wooded areas. There was a quaint creek that flowed down its middle like a natural border line. It was early morning and the sun was yet to rise up over the hills. It was here that the Coordinator Coalition under Kira Yamato set up their positions. Their mobile suits stood in formation, waiting for the battle to commence. On the other side of the valley, a large Kambrian force, consisting mostly of Taurus and Virgo mobile dolls, lay in wait on certain topographic heights. The coalition could see their enemy move about, ready to engage.

"There's nothing to really worry about." An officer quoted. "Those Kambrians are only using outdated mobile doll models, nothing to really be concerned with. Send word to General Yamato and tell him to give us the signal to advance and engage the enemy."

"Yes sir." The operative replied.

Word was quickly sent to the main headquarters where Kira and his staff studied the terrain. Riku and Sora were present as well, but they were not as enthusiastic about entering battle as Kira, knowing the purpose behind the campaign at Lyzand.

"We have two divisions ready to spearhead the Kambrians at the center." Mu pointed out on the map. "At the same time we have one of our 'Wing' Realm divisions under Zechs Marquise supporting the left flank and Van Flyheight's Guardian Force zoids, consisting mostly of Gun Snipers and Command Wolves, and Commander Thomas Richard Shuvaultz's Elephander, are in control of the right wing in case the Kambrians try to outflank us and cause us to cave in."

"That is correct." Van said.

"Now, we'll have our air support units, made up of Republican storm sworders and ZAFT zakus and dinns, go in to create havoc to the rear guard of the Kambrians. Riku and Sora of the KH team will lead the assault on their gummi ship."-

"I trust that you two don't have a problem with that?" Kira asked.

"No…" Riku replied, though by the tone in his voice, it was not one of enthusiasm.

"We're depending on you two."-

"Understood…"-

"I will take the lead of the spear head, with the elites leading the first wave." Mu said. "General, you will stay behind and support the second line in case there are any breaks in our defense, though I doubt such a thing will occur."-

"And what of our scouts," Kira asked, "Have any of them reported in on the strength of the enemy?"

"We're just received word not half an hour ago." Zechs said. "There are frontal units here along this tree line area leading into a wooded thicket. Perhaps the Kambrians might try to initiate a surprise attack and cut off the front line from our support. So it's best to be cautious. I suggest unleashing a sweeping barrage to clear out any possible resistance that might be hidden under the forest canopy."

"Make sure that the air support supplies a sufficient barrage." Kira advised.

"We understand." Riku said.

"How are we in numbers?"-

"Our numbers are about equal." Mu said. "There are at least twenty thousand of them, an equal amount to our own. But we have a slight advantage though. Our forces consist entirely of skilled pilots and their mobile weaponry, whether they are gundams, zoids, dinns, gummies, of zakus. In contrast, the Kambrians consist of four different unit types, Virgo and Taurus Mobile dolls and Gatler Tanks, and we already know that they don't pose much of a threat to us."

"What about their fourth type." Van asked.

"Their fourth type, and you might find this a rather amusing and stupid move on the Kambrians part, but they actually have foot infantry ready to march into battle." There was a chuckle that erupted in the room. "Our scouts say that they look like they're ready to strut about as if in a parade with their shining bayonets and their unfurled banners."-

"What the heck are they gonna do with foot soldiers?" Kira chuckled. "They wouldn't last the first barrage."

"Why would Kambria send in foot soldiers?" Sora asked Riku.

"I don't know." Riku replied. "They would know that exposed infantry are no match for mobile suits, especially when engaged in aerial combat. Best we keep an eye out for them."

"Never mind the infantry." Kira said. "You know the part that you play! We will cause Kambria to fall to its knees. We will eliminate the Red Ribbon Faction and Kambria's head of state, for our cause of freedom and for the death of my best friend and co-commander, Athrun Zala." Kira looked at each of his commanders. "Are there any questions?"

"If I may," Riku said, "It's best that we keep an eye out on the Kambrian infantry."

"Why should we? They're no threat to us."-

"I just don't feel comfortable with this. We know that the infantry are virtually worthless in a highly mobile battle like this, but I'm sure the Kambrians have seen that too. So why would they assemble a large force of infantry if they knew they wouldn't be remotely effective in the battle? I think we should take precaution."-

"The infantry will be the first ones to die." Kira implied. "They'll scatter like flies once they see our might. From what I know of the Kambrians, they only enjoy showing off their colors. They're not fighters. They depend too much on their mobile dolls. This will be a cakewalk for us."

"But still…"-

"The matter is closed. So are there any other questions?"

"No sir." Van said.

"Then let's head out and give Kambria a war they will never forget!" The officers saluted and departed on at a time. Riku and Sora were the last ones to leave, still concerned about a possible change in outcome. At the same time, another young man entered the room. He had raven black hair and a reddish orange hue in his eye. Lean and well in physique, this young man was one to make any woman swoon. He saluted Kira. Kira turned his head.

"Ah," he said, "You must be the new ace pilot of ZAFT, Shinn Asuka, am I correct?"

"That is correct, sir."-

"Tell me why you fight this war, Shinn?"-

"My family was killed by the former Dark Empire when we tried to flee from Orb six years ago. My family was never revived during the Great Resurrection. I don't know why, but it is because of the Empire's intervention that condemned them to slaughter." Shinn looked about. "It's such a strange fate that I would be traveling to these different worlds for that one reason. My soul purpose is to wipe out all forms of that former despicable organization and erase the Dark Empire from the history books."-

"You and I have something in common then. You lost your family, I lost my best friend. Therefore, we both hold this strong vendetta and hatred towards Imperials, or those destined to follow their example." Kira turned towards Shinn. "You know of the task that you face. Where are you positioned?"

"My team and I are concentrated on the spear point of the ground's frontal assault."-

"I expect good things from you then. Which mobile suit are you piloting?"-

"It's a makeshift model, patterned after the Strike Gundam. It's called the Impulse Gundam."-

"Very good, then go and clear the road to the Kambrian capital."-

"Sir…" Shinn saluted and left the room. Kira buttoned up his collar and joined the others in battle.

The sun began to rise into the sky when the Coalition began to take their positions. The sound of rockets igniting filled morning atmosphere. The glimmering shells of the mobile suits and zoids could be seen as the sun peaked over the hills. The officers and soldiers took their posts and made ready for a long valley campaign. Kira jumped into the Freedom and buckled himself in. He set the coordinates for battle status.

"This is Kira Yamato to all commanders." He addressed. "Are all units ready for deployment?"

"Left wing standing by." Zechs said.

"Right wing standing by." Van added.

"Spear head, first wave, standing by." Shinn implied.

"Spear head, second wave, standing by." Mu said.

"Aerial support units have taken off and are standing by." Riku added.

"Roger that then." Kira announced. "On my order, prepare to move out."

"Yes sir." The rest of the unit commanders responded.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the valley, the Kambrians stood in their positions. Taking command of the campaign was the venerable Admiral Rellantando from his commander's ship, which had not launched yet. He gazed out at the positions that the coalition had taken up. There was a smirk on his face, as if he had every confidence in his own strategy.

"Quite a quaint little gathering Kira Yamato has assembled." He chuckled. He looked at his commanders. "Let us engage our foe and show them the true might of Kambria."

"Shall we send in the mobile dolls?" the leading officer asked.

"Yes, send in the dolls. Let the Tauruses initiate a swift mobile attack at their aerial troops and let the Virgos deal with the ground troops. Stick with the plan and all shall be well. Then this battle will be secured in Kambrian victory. Our objective is to wipe out the coalition and prevent them from resurfacing ever again. That way, we can advance to domination without having to worry about some meddlesome coordinators getting in our way."-

"Yes sir." The commander linked up with all fighting units. "Activate all mobile dolls!"

Immediately, the mobile dolls were activated and began to move about in straight and precise formations. They made a slow advance towards the coalition lines. With the activation of the dolls and the rise of Rellantando's officer ship, the coalition knew that the battle had commenced.

"Kambria must pay for the death of Athrun." Kira uttered. "All units forward! And remember that justice is with us! Kambria falls today!"

The coalition moved forward, steady enough so that their formations didn't break. The battle started with a volley fire from the mobile dolls. Instantly, chaos broke out. The lines held as both sides charged into the fray. The KH gummi ship, high in the sky, led the assault forces into the bulk of the incoming Tauruses. By the dozen with ever passing second, dolls and suits fell. Zoids were reduced to scrap metal.

"Don't be intimidated by these dolls!" Shinn cried to his troops. "Remember that you are coordinators and you have no equal, even against machines!" There was a sudden shout and morale was increased. The coalition continued to advance.

"Right flank is holding!" Van said.

"Left flank is holding!" Zechs added.

"Press the attack!" Kira ordered. "Send these bastards sprawling!"

The gap of strength between the mobile dolls and the coalition was all too apparent. Though the dolls had been upgraded to their maximum, their design could only perform so many different strategies. And they were strategies that all commanders had come in contact with before, so finding a way to counter was easy. For one thing, the shields they used for defense had been upgraded to resist even heat. Therefore, the dolls' heat intensity assault weaponry was rendered useless. Even the trio maneuver performed by the dolls was no longer effective. After experiencing that strategy so many times in the past, not even key bearers and the gummi ship had a hard time breaking them up.

"These mobile dolls aren't much of a threat anymore." Sora said.

"That's because we've gone through several gummi upgrades since the last time we battled the dolls." Donald replied.

The fight had turned in favor of the Coordinator Coalition and their allies. The dolls, only programmed to advance and remain steadfast, were easily dwindling in their front ranks. Retreat was not in their make up, so many a large doll was eliminated from the fight. Admiral Rellantando recognized the danger. He saw how easily his dolls were defeated.

"Such incompetent machines," One of the officers said. "They're no match for the coalition."

"It's not surprising." Rellantando said. "You must remember that the coalition and their allies have come into contact with the Taurus and the Virgo Models numerous times in the past. So the outcome shouldn't be all that shocking."

"But at this rate, sir, the coalition just might fulfill their goal and make it to the center of Kambria and overthrow the central government."-

"There is nothing to be concerned with. This outcome was what I had expected. Just maintain our strategy and have the dolls continue holding."-

The mobile dolls continued to hold their ranks, though their ranks grew thinner with every machine shot down. The Tauruses in the sky were barely of any effect against the upgraded systems of the coalition. Riku and Sora swerved the gummi back and forth, firing away with their cannons and lasers inflicting horrible damage on the dolls and sending them crashing to the ground.

"This is an easy victory for us." Donald chuckled. "You guys ain't so tough after all now are you!"

"Let them have it!" Sora shouted. "Don't let up!" Sora targeted the center of one of the dolls and destroyed it. "Perhaps we were over reacting the last time. Maybe battling the Red Ribbon Faction won't be as hard as we thought."

"Don't get too confident yet, Sora." Riku advised. "This battle's only started."

"You do have a point there."-

The spearhead of the coalition continued to advance. They swept the thickets with barrages, eliminated whatever might have been hidden beneath the forest canopy. They edged closer within striking range of Rellantando's command ship.

"This is such a cake walk." Shinn said as he led the troops head on against the dolls.

"Keep advancing!" Mu ordered. "Don't let a single doll escape!"

Already the valley was littered with the thrashed metal hulls of dolls, gundams, and zoids. The once lushes landscape with its vast green fields and peaceful singing of birds and buzzing of insects was replaced by fire and wreckage and accumulating the sound of continuous battle and clashing steel and metal.

"Not even the trio maneuver, we encountered before, is having much of an effect." Donald said.

"I can't believe it." Sora added. "So far we haven't run into any stiff resistance. Are these the same mobile dolls that had us running during the fights on Zi and the advance to Traverse Town? They're so easy to beat now."

"That's what we have to be concerned with." Riku said.

"Why's that?"-

"The reason why is because no battle is this easy. And I don't believe Kambria is the type of power to just give us a simple win. And I certainly don't think them ignorant of what's been going on. We have to remain vigilant."-

"Even if they were taking it seriously, there's no way that the Kambrians could effectively counter attack at this point in the battle. By the looks of it, they haven't even been able to hold their present positions."-

"I'm just being cautious. After all that we've been through, I wouldn't be surprised if this was all some big plot to lure us into a trap."-

"You think so?"-

"It has to be."-

"Maybe, we should contact Kira then." Donald said.

"Good idea." Riku replied. "I'll relay the message right away."

"But do ya think he'll listen to us?" Goofy asked.

"He'd better. I just have this nagging sensation that something just doesn't feel right."-

"I'll open a line with the Freedom." Sora said.

Kira was conducting his own forces to defend against any possible breaks. He watched as the Kambrian mobile dolls were starting to waver in their defense. So far, all the stages of the battle swayed in his favor and the advance did not slow in momentum. But because of this undying pace in advancement, the offensive wave drew out further and further away from the main force, creating a large gap between advancing and holding positions. But in Kira's eyes, the battle was an easy sweep.

"We've managed to destroy at least forty percent of the dolls, sir." Shinn said through the intercom. "The charge has not died down."-

"That's great." Kira said. "Keep it up."

"No breaks on the right flank." Van said.

"No breakthroughs on the left wing." Zechs added."

"Second wave is going in to reinforce the advancing columns." Mu implied.

"Very good," Kira said. "At this rate, we'll overthrow Kambria by nightfall." He watched from he monitors as the battle turned to a fight of desperation. "That's the style, you guys! Keep it on them! Don't let the Kambrians have time to breathe! Keep advancing!" But no sooner had his fiery declaration ended, an incoming message was relayed to him. It was Riku.

"Kira," he said, "We've pushed the Kambrians far enough. It's best that you advance the second line and keep our forces together."

"There's no need for that, Riku." Kira replied. "This battle is as good as ours. The front line can handle itself. I have the best officers leading the charge."

"I'm telling you I have bad feeling about this. We should reorganize ourselves and not plow into the enemy recklessly. We have to withhold our advance."

"I will do nothing of the sort. We're gonna win this fight here and now."-

"But Kira…"-

"The order is final, Riku." Kira ended the transmission.

"Damn it." Riku uttered to himself.

"What did Kira say?" Sora asked.

"It's no use. He's attacking on shear emotion alone. And when he's attacking on shear emotion alone, there's no deterring him."-

"He really wants to take revenge for Athrun's death. And at this rate, all hell can't stop him."-

"All hell can't stop him, but what about the rest of us? Is Kira really willing to sacrifice all these men for the sake of revenge?" Riku lowered his head, accumulating an inner calm amidst the chaos that bombarded the gummi. "Perhaps if I were just as enraged, nothing else would matter."

By this waning phase of the battle, the Kambrian officers in the command ship were starting to become concerned. Here they were losing the tide of the battle, but their supreme commander, Admiral Rellantando sat in his chair, calmly sipping a glass of red wine.

"Lord Admiral," an officer said, "We're being wiped out!"

"You talk as if I were ignorant of the situation." Rellantando said.

"But yet you sit there as if there were nothing to fear. If they advance any further, the coalition will be within striking range of us."-

"Oh, ye of little faith," the admiral stood up, "Behold my infantry ranks, behold them." The officer looked. The infantry ranks remained steadfast and proud, still holding their formations. "My infantry may be the most vulnerable in this fight, but notice that they don't waver. It indicates that each and every one of them is a battle hardened veteran and knows not to fear death. They are each a proud and determined Kambrian and are ready to accept their fate." Rellantando took another sip of his wine. "It's only a matter of time before the tide turns in out favor again."

"But when…?"-

"Once the second stage of the battle begins," The admiral looked at his watch. "And now would be a good time to activate it." Rellantando turned to the operatives. "Deploy the second stage of our plan."

"Yes sir." The leading operative replied. "We're preparing to initiate the second stage. Deploy the second wave of mobile droids. Send our package to its destination."

"This time we go on the offensive. I want distortion shields to maximum and prepare to fire our main cannon. Shoot a blast in the ranks of those coordinators. Only then will Kira Yamato rue the day that he decided to go head to head with the might of Kambria."-

"Aye, aye, sir, distortion fields to maximum and preparing to fire primary weapon!"-

Over the battlefield, the Virgos and Tauruses were dwindling to their last defensive ranks. The bulk of the coalition pressed down on them, their advance driving them further back.

"Press forward!" Mu ordered. "Press the attack!"

"That's it, you guys!" Van cried. "Keep on holding! The battle is nearly ours!"

"Those dolls are on their last legs." Donald chuckled. "They won't last any further against this intense onslaught."

"That's what worries me." Riku said. "I'm sure that the Red Ribbon Faction has something up their sleeve."

"Riku!" Sora cried.

"What is it?"-

"There's a large power surge coming from the Kambrian commander's ship."-

"No need to tell me." Riku's gaze went automatically to the ship. There was a large red ball accumulating at its front.

"What is that?"-

"Get this ship out of the way, that thing's about to fire its primary weapon!"-

But just at that moment, Rellantando's ship fired a powerful energy beam that streaked into the ranks of the advancing coalition. The beam plowed into the advancing ranks, eliminating many of the mobile suits and zoids that stood in its destructive path. The beam rushed passed the front line and struck Kira's line. The impact of the beam against the valley hills caused a powerful eruption that caused a lot of critical damage to the coalition's support columns. It was only after the shot was unleashed did the commanders of the coalition realize that something was dreadfully wrong.

"That explosion," Mu uttered, "Where did that come from?"

"That blast came from the commanding ship of the Kambrian forces." Shinn uttered.

"That commander's ship might be some trouble. We have to destroy it before it unleashes another barrage like that."-

"Don't worry." Zechs said. "I'll take care of the ship!" The Tallgeese III and a hand full of mobile suits rushed off to assault the Rellantando's ship. But no sooner had their run began that a barrage suddenly began to rain on them from out of nowhere. Zechs halted the Tallgeese. "What in the…who's unleashing a volley?" The same effect was reverberating through the front line.

"What's going on?" Mu wondered. "Where is this barrage coming from?"

"The sensors aren't picking up anything." Shinn said.

"This tactic," Zechs thought to himself. "Where have I seen this before?" It was at that moment that he recalled in events past, the strategy similar to what he encountered now. "Oh my God, their mobile dolls, scorpion mobile dolls."

"What is going on out there?" Kira asked. "Where did that explosion come from?"

"It came from the Kambrian command ship." Van said. "Now we're being bombarded from all directions by the enemy."

"Where are they?"-

"I don't know, there is no sign of any enemy forces."-

"It might be optical stealth." Zech's advised. "These might be scorpion mobile dolls."

"Scorpion mobile dolls?"-

"We encountered them back during the Battle of Romefeller. They have optical stealth as a defense mechanism."-

"They've already mass produced the dolls?" Riku uttered. "But I thought the dolls were created by the Midnight Faction."

"The Kambrians must've stolen the information from Sirius Viicous somehow." Sora said.

"I hope that's the only case."-

"Use info red sensors to detect the heat signatures." Van said.

Each unit deployed their heat sensors and low and behold, the figures of the invisible enemy were revealed.

"There they are!" Shinn cried.

"Alright," Van added, "concentrate all your fire on those new dolls. Optical stealth can't help them now!"

Rellantando observed from afar the revealing of the dolls.

"Well, well," he said, "They discovered the dolls' optical stealth faster than I expected. Oh well, the optical stealth is merely the surface of the scorpions' potential."

The coalition began to initiate a counter attack, unleashing a barrage against the dolls. But no sooner had the volleys commenced; the dolls unleashed their defense systems, deploying their shields before them. The incoming projectiles were thus repelled off of the energy barrier. At the same time, the dolls performed swiftness that even the Tauruses were not capable.

"How in the world can those things be so fast?" Sora uttered. "Are these the same scorpion models they unleashed in the 'Wing' realm?"

"We wouldn't know, Sora." Riku replied. "We never fought against the prototype model."

"You've fought these dolls before, right Zechs?"-

"I have, but not since the fight at Romefeller." Zechs replied over the line. "I have no way to counter this model."

"Maintain you ranks," Kira ordered, "I'm coming to aid you. The rest of you remain here in case we have to fall back."

"Yes sir." The officers replied.

"No Kira." Mu implied, "Stay to the rear. We'll handle this."

"I am not about the let these Kambrians get the best of us. I will defeat them."-

The Freedom rushed to the front ranks amidst the bedlam of the turning tide. Because the coalition had little, if no experience against the scorpions, many of the pilots, whether Zoidians, Coordinators, or Naturals, were defeated and repelled from their advance. To add, Rellantando's ship initiated another attack with its primary weapon. Again the coalition ranks were pummeled and their men scattered. The explosion forced the ranks to break. The defense of the dolls was tight and their offense deadly, but it was the use of the funnel emitters that proved to be the most hazardous to the safety of the men. Because the funnels were small and swift, they were hard to lock on to and attacked at angles, which a mobile suit or zoid could not easily evade.

"Van," Thomas cried, "It's no use. These things are too fast!"

"Keep holding the flanks," Van replied, "Or we'll cave in."

"We're being wiped out, Commander Zechs." One of the subordinate officers cried.

"We have to eliminate that ship!" Zechs replied.

"I'll take care of it!" Kira said, rushing to the battlefield we a handful of elite pilots. He locked on to several of the scorpions and crippled, or destroyed several of them.

"No, Kira," Mu cried, "Are you crazy! Don't charge in alone!"

"I can handle this! I will take revenge for Athrun and all those fellow soldiers that the bastard Kambrians killed!"

"Kira…!" Mu and his unit tried to rush in, but they were easily fended off by the scorpions and were forced to call back. Kira continued to rush forward, despite casualties being inflicted from soldiers who attempted to aid him. Though he and the other unit commanders were equal in strength and skill to counter the deceptive attacks of the dolls, many of the soldiers serving under them were easy pickings for the advanced system of the scorpions.

Rellantando watched as the coalition began to waver.

"Sir," an operative said, "we managed to halt the coalition's advance."

"So they finally realize that not all is as they seem." Rellantando chuckled. "The first phases of the battle have long since passed their minds and the hopes of a swift and easy victory diminished as fast their ranks did from our main cannon."

"Sir," another operative shouted, "We have incoming mobile suits advancing beyond the safety of their ranks. They're heading straight for us!"

"On screen," The operative activated and close up visual. And there before them was Kira's mobile suit.

"It's the Freedom! And it's being accompanied by five, no six Zaku mobile suits"-

"So, Kira Yamato is attacking the ship on his own, eh? Prepare to fire our barge cannons! Blow that mobile suit and that upstart coordinator from the sky!"-

"Yes sir. Prepare to fire all barge cannons! Lock onto the Freedom!"-

The cannons began to fire away. In the charge, all six accompanying zakus were destroyed. But Kira was able to evade and dodge the beams, nearing closer and closer to the ship. Riku and Sora watched as he charged at the enemy command ship solo.

"What is he doing?" Sora wondered. "Has Kira lost his mind or something?"

"We better go help him." Riku said.

"But how?' Donald asked. "These mobile dolls are swarming all over the place!"

"We'll just have to risk it! Athrun already died! We're not gonna let Kira die the same way!"-

"Then hold on tight! We're going in!"-

"Keep an eye on the inferred monitor. The dolls are thick around us and may try to shoot us down! Watch out for their emitters"-

"All shields deployed to their maximum." Sora said. "Funnel emitters activated!"

"Here we go!" Goofy hollered.

The rest of the coalition watched as their commander-in-chief attacked the massive command ship on his own.

"Kira…!" Van cried.

"Come back here, kid!" Mu added.

"We have to help him!" Shinn said. "We have to help the commander!" But the more the coalition tried, the more casualties they suffered trying to penetrate the scorpion line. For every scorpion defeated, ten mobile suits and zoids were defeated. The doll line was literally impenetrable now. Realizing this, morale rapidly decreased from what it once was in the opening stages of the fight.

"We can't advance any further." Thomas shouted. "The dolls' defense it too strong!"

"How could this be happening?" Van uttered. "Just a minute ago, we had the Kambrians crushed. Now, we're the ones that are gaining the most fatalities."

"Our men are dropping like flies! We have to withdraw!"-

"We can't withdraw." Shinn said. "The commander is still out there!"

"We won't last here at this rate though!"-

"Damn it all!" Zechs shouted. He fired his Mega Cannon at the dolls, but many evaded, while others deployed their shields to protect themselves. The optical stealth, coinciding with the funnel emitters, the deployable shields, the beam cannons and beam sabers, and the utter swiftness, made the scorpions an invincible force.

"We have no choice," Van said, "We have to withdraw!"

But no sooner had Van turned to lead his troops back the rear, they were suddenly bombarded upon from behind.

"Those blasts," Thomas said, "Where did they come from?"

"It's the dolls!" Zechs implied. "They've gotten behind us!"

"But how?"-

"They must've activated the Zero Shift."-

"Zero shift?"-

"It allows the dolls to teleport behind their enemies and strike from behind. It also gives them the capability of closing the distance between them and their target in less than a second."-

"Those things can teleport?" Shinn asked.

"We can't possibly fight against a foe with that kind of ability." Thomas said.

"We have to withdraw from here!" Van said. "We've already lost forty five percent of our entire outfit!"

"No!" Shinn shouted. "I will not run!"

"We'll be slaughtered at this rate! I may be a stubborn fighter, but I know when a battle's lost! We have to withdraw and regroup!"-

"I will not leave the commander!"-

"We can't get to him!"-

"I won't leave commander Yamato out there to die!"-

It didn't take long for Kira to come to the conclusion that the battle was lost. After constantly being bombarded upon, he reached the hull of Rellantando's ship.

"You will be eliminated today!" Kira roared, unleashing his berserker abilities. "For what you did to Athrun and for the thousands of soldiers' lives you mercilessly took, I will unleash upon you and all of Kambria, an act of vengeance degreed a hundred fold!" Kira raised all of his guns and fired at the ship at point blank range. However, he was unaware of the deployed distortion shield that prevented the beams from striking the hull. The beams were deflected from the surface of the ship. The result left Kira spell bounded.   
"Impossible…"

"Such an upstart boy," Rellantando chuckled, "Your demise has been fulfilled!" The barge cannons gave their response, firing point blank back at the Freedom. Kira was overwhelmed by the attack and was struck by the beams. The Freedom was torn to pieces like a scaled fish filleted.

Riku, Sora, Donald, and Goofy, watched as their comrade's mobile suit was struck simultaneously.

"Kira…!" Sora cried.

"We're too late." Riku uttered. They beheld the falling Freedom as it descended to the ground. The KH team feared the worse for Kira. Riku's teeth clenched tightly together. "Those bastards…"

"You'll pay for this!" Sora shouted.

"So, so," a transmitted message replied, "you try to seek revenge for that coordinator scum?"

"Show your face, you!" An image was transmitted on the monitor, revealing the face of the Kambrian commander. "So you're the one in charge, eh?"

"And you must be Sora, the wielder of the keyblade." Rellantando replied. "I am the trusted military leader of Kambria and commander-in-chief of the Red Ribbon Faction, Admiral Delorion Rellantando."

"So you're the head cheese himself?"-

"Gawrsh…" Goofy uttered.

"You fools dare attack Kambria and its people?" Rellantando asked.

"You were the ones who struck first," Riku replied, "Attacking Athrun Zala and mercilessly butchering him and his soldiers."

"You must be Riku, the Child of Darkness. Your reputation precedes you."-

"Enough with the flattery and answer me this! Why did you attack Athrun's outfit and order his execution?"-

"They dared to threaten Kambria by seizing a faction military facility."-

"A Midnight Faction facility,"-

"And what does that mean to me?"-

"You have no affiliation with the Midnight Faction."-

"You think so?"-

"What do you mean?" Riku asked.

"Those who attack my allies are my enemy." Rellantando replied.

"You're ally…?"-

"Instead of flustering yourself over the situation, you should be more concerned about what my next move will be?"-

"His next move…?" Donald asked.

"To your rear…"-

"To our rear…?" Sora asked.

Just then, there was a massive explosion that bellowed out rearward. The KH team looked to find a large burst of light suddenly bellow, nearly blinding them. The explosion destroyed many zoids and mobile suits on the field. The bulk of the coalition's entire force was encased in the light.

"What's that explosion?" Mu asked.

"Where did it come from?" Shinn uttered. Their mobile suits ruptured. Suddenly, their combat systems began to malfunction and shut down. The mobile suits and zoids hovering in the air plummeted to the ground. As the light faded, the coalition had undergone a critical blow.

"What's going on?" Mu uttered. He shifted his gears around, but all electrical function had somehow ceased in his mobile suit. "I can't move."

"My mobile suit," Shinn uttered, "It's been neutralized."

"But how," Van uttered, "Not even Zeke has any effect on this."

"It's as if all of our mobile suits have somehow been sapped of their energy." Zechs uttered.

"The coalition," Sora uttered.

"What did you do to them?" Riku asked Rellantando. "What was that explosion?"

"That was the true objective." Rellantando replied. "Even though the scorpions gained a strong upper hand against the coalition, it would only be a matter of time before Kira Yamato and the rest of the elite pilots caught on to the tactics of the new models as well. To add, I was not about to risk damage on more items that cost Kambria a great deal to obtain. Therefore, I unleashed a secret weapon recently developed, a neutralization blockbuster. When detonated on the field, the bomb's negative charge will affect all electrical systems within a ten mile radius and cause all electrical power to shut down. In this case, I focused the bomb's effects on the bulk of the coalition's force. Now, over ninety percent of the coalition's power has ceased to be. The remaining rift raft, not affected by the blast, including you, will be dealt with by the dolls very quickly."

"He's right." Donald said. "The dolls are concentrating on those units still in action. And a great deal of them is heading towards us. I have several heat signatures approaching and fast."

"Damn it." Riku uttered. "Sora, end the transmission with that fool!" He got up and ran to the gummi hatch.

"Riku, what are you doing?" Sora asked.

"I'm going in to check on Kira. You stay here and keep those dolls busy until I can guarantee if Kira is safe or not."-

"But Riku…"-

"If we go together to find Kira, then those mobile dolls will pursue us. Then, none of us will be safe." Riku said no further word and jumped out of the gummi. Using the glide technique, he quickly descended to the ground. Sora and the others could only watch as the silver haired key bearer disappeared to the ground below.

"I just hope you know what you're doing, Riku."-

Riku's descent did not go unnoticed by the Kambrians.

"It looks like one of the key bearers is descending to the ground and fast." An operative implied.

"He must be hoping to see if Kira Yamato is still alive." Rellantando replied.

"Should I send in the dolls after him?"-

"Our infantry should be able to finish the work now. Have them advance and finish off any survivors."-

"Yes sir."-

The order was given and the sound of Imperial drums and fifes began to play. The infantry ranks began to storm forward in perfect formation.

"Donald, look," Goofy uttered. "Those guys are moving."

"The infantry's advancing." Donald said.

"My God," Sora said, "That's why the Kambrians brought infantry. They're planning to butcher the pilots."

"Stay focused, Sora. We have mobile dolls on our tail!" Sora turned his attentions back to the battle.

"I can't focus on Riku and Kira right now. The threat is the dolls. I have to stay attentive, or we'll all die." A barrage was unleashed against the gummi ship, but the little cruiser was swift and evaded the attack of the scorpions.

Riku landed slowly to the ground. The canopy of leaves and twigs were thick over his head as he reached the ground. It didn't take long for the key bearer to reach the downed Freedom. The once magnificent and charismatic mobile suit lay strewn about the ground as a great scrap heap of its former self. The sounds of batter were still muffled about, and the cries of men could be heard in the distance. Riku quickly rushed to the Freedom.

"Kira, Kira," he shouted. He jumped onto the remains of the freedom towards the hatch. There was a gaping hole on the protective surface and Riku feared the worse. He gripped the cockpit hatch and forcefully opened it. What he found was what he was afraid of seeing. Kira had suffered ghastly wound at his side. He lay there in his cockpit, semi-conscientious. "Kira…"

"R…Riku…" Kira uttered, opening his eyes. "You're here…?"

"Never mind," Riku jumped into the cockpit, unbuckled the coordinator from his pilot seat and pulled him out of the wreckage, bloody and bruised.

"How could this have happened?" he uttered. "How could I have been defeated?"

"You let your emotion get the best of you, Kira." Riku replied. "Even if you do have berserker capabilities, you think that that would be enough to fight all of Kambria?"

"But Athrun…"-

"You really think that Athrun wants you to die for the sake of revenge! He died fighting for the peace of the universe. And the last thing he would want is for you to die from vengeance." Kira lowered his head, gritting his teeth in shame and anger.

"What would you know about what Athrun would want?"-

"You said before that Sora and I were the best of friends. And we of all people should understand your pain. Revenge may seem just when you're angry. But believe me it's not. I know because I've experienced it one too many times."-

"Athrun…" There were tears falling from his eyes.

"We have to withdraw and regroup our forces."-

"We can still fight."-

"You don't realize it though. The Kambrians unleashed a neutralizing bomb that rendered all mobile suits and zoids useless. Now the majority of your forces have to fight by hand. That's why the Kambrians brought their infantry, to smite your soldiers down when they're out of their mobile suits. Don't you hear that?" Riku raised his ears to the sound of cadenced drums and twittering fifes. "The infantry is on the move now and we're behind enemy lines. Please, we have to regroup. If possible, withdraw." Only then did Kira realize the situation. He looked away.

"Yes…" he uttered. "We have no other choice. We have to withdraw." Riku picked the wounded coordinator up. He unleashed his black wings summon and stealthily moved back to friendly lines. Little did they realize that the infantry was close behind.

In the meantime, many of the downed mobile suits and zoid pilots had emerged from their now useless machines. Amongst them, Shinn Asuka and Mu La Fllaga were within close proximity of each other.

"What do we do now?"-

"That blast caused our mobile suits to malfunction," Mu replied, "Has anyone been able to repair their systems?"

"I've checked the electrical outputs. Whatever that blast was, it fried the system. It needs to be completely refitted with new wiring and chips."-

"Same here, we're all in the same boat now. The Kambrians certainly didn't want us to fight back again did they? The damage was so extensive to the electrical interior; we can't even contact our field HQ to give us backup."-

"So we're stranded out here."-

"We have no choice, but to withdraw."-

"No…" Shinn said.

"What do you mean no?" Mu asked. "It's over for us. We completely underestimated the Kambrians and completely overestimated our own mobile suit superiority. That was our biggest mistake."

"But I can't just let these Imperials, these Kambrians and all those affiliated with the old Dark Empire, get away with these injustices. They attacked my nation, killed my family, conspired against my government and home, took the lives of my closest friends in their insurrection and rebellion, and now they dared to smite us by killing all of our men at Gui Fant and murdering one of the most respected and beloved mobile suit pilots and military commanders that our world has ever known. I will not let them go any further."-

"You think they'll allow you to stand in their way. If I could have that ability, I would use my rage and destroy those mobile dolls as easily as snapping my fingers. But this is reality. No single individual can fight head to head with a mobile doll with their own physical body. Not even coordinators have that kind of strength."-

In the distance, they could hear the sound of battle. Above, the remaining mobile suits, unaffected by the blockbuster, were fighting desperately. The downed pilots quickly grabbed their portable weapons, automatic weaponry, grappling blades, and entrenched themselves behind trees and bushes. The soldiers kept their heads lowered as they watched their allies fall one after the other by the elusive mobile dolls.

"It looks as though they're fighting thin air." Mu said. "But never had thin air been so deadly."

It was then at that moment that they spotted Riku approaching. And slouched in his arms was Kira Yamato. Shinn was the first to spot them.

"It's Commander Yamato." He shouted. The soldiers went to greet their fallen commander and Noctin Tilandir. They beheld the ghastly wound inflicted upon the young coordinator.

"Stand back," Mu said, "Kira's been severely wounded."

"Commander Yamato…" Shinn uttered.

"Get a stretcher over here!" Two medics approached with kit and stretcher. Riku lay the dying general on the stretcher, the others assisting him. "You'll be alright, kid. You'll be fine."

"Shall I order a strong defense and call for reinforcements?" –

"That won't be necessary." Kira uttered. "Mu, give the order for our forces to withdraw."

"Withdraw…?" Mu asked.

"We're retreating?" Shinn added.

"I'm afraid to admit it," Kira said, "But we have no choice."

"That doesn't have to be an option, commander Yamato. I can easily send in our troops and sabotage the Kambrian forces from within."-

"No, I can't afford to inflict anymore damage, or lose anymore men. We completely underestimated the strength of the Kambrians. I thought they would be easy pushovers, but I was wrong. I thought that being coordinators, our forces would plow them over easily. But because of our overconfidence, this outcome has resulted. Now, the Kambrian infantry are starting to advance against us."-

"The Kambrian infantry?" Mu asked.

"Yes, they had it all set up for us. They intended to deprive us of the majority of our mobile suits. The Kambrians knew that we were deadly in our mobile suits, so they created a bomb that would nullify and crash the combat systems and deprive us of their usefulness. Now I fear the bulk of the entire coalition force was caught in that explosion."-

"But we still have enough strength for one last fight, sir." Shinn said.

"And how do you expect us to fight mobile dolls without mobile suits?"-

"He does have a point." Mu implied.

"We have to fall back."-

"But even if we could, we can't inform the rest of the outfits. That bomb fried the communication links on our mobile suits as well. That means we can't spread the order."-

"Send runners then to tell the other outfits, those that are still alive anyway. Shinn, I leave you in charge of keeping those Kambrian soldiers at bay. They'll be coming from that direction. You can tell their approach by the intensity of their cadence." The rumbling and rolling of drums and twittering of fifes echoed in the valley, accompanied by the synchronized tempo of marching feet.

"They're coming." Riku said. "The Kambrians are coming."

"We have to get the commander to the rear as soon as possible." Mu said.

"But it's at least five miles before we reach our rear lines." One of the soldiers said.

"Damn it."-

But no sooner had another dilemma made itself known, then a solution came before the survivors of the coalition. From above their heads, an object appeared. Because it was in optical stealth mode, the soldiers feared in might be a mobile doll. But as the stealth mode was deactivated, they came to realize that object was the KH team's gummi ship. The ship landed and Sora emerged from the opened hatch.

"Hey, Riku." He shouted.

"Sora…!" Riku replied.

"Sorry, are we late?"-

"You came just in time." Riku turned to the soldiers. "Get Kira into the gummi ship and take him back to the rear."

"Yes sir." One medic implied. "Thanks for the lift."

"What happened to Kira?" Sora asked. "How is he?"

"He's been severely wounded." Riku replied. "We have to get him to the rear as soon as we can before his condition worsens."

"I see." Sora ran back into the gummi. "Goofy, Donald…!"

"What's going on?' Donald asked.

"We're bringing Kira aboard. Get him back to the rear line as soon as you can."-

"We'll do!" Goofy replied. The medics fastened Kira down so that he couldn't move around as the ship took off. Sora padded Kira on the shoulder.

"You make it through this, Kira." Sora uttered. But Kira grabbed his hand.

"Sora…" he uttered. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"-

"For not listening to you before…"-

"It's alright, Kira. Just get back to the rear safely." Sora turned to Donald and Goofy. "You two take care of him. We're depending on you to get to the rear unharmed."

"You can count on us." Donald replied.

"But aren't you coming with us?" Goofy asked.

"I think my abilities might come in handy for this task." Sora said.

"Roger that." Sora gave a thumb's up and walked out of the gummi. He closed he hatch behind him and stood back. The gummi lifted off, initiated its optical stealth, and headed towards the rear.

"I'm surprise that you didn't go with them, Sora." Riku said.

"I figure that you guys might need my help."-

"Well, we're on our own now." Mu said. "We have to give word to the rest of our soldiers to start a retreat."

"So what do you want us to do?"-

"We have to find as many survivors as we can and tell them to begin a withdrawal. But we have to hurry." Mu lifted his ear to the sound of the drums and fifes in the distance. "It won't be long before those Kambrian soldiers are practically on top of us. So here's what we'll do. Riku, you head towards our right flank, where Van Flyheight and his zoid troops are located. Sora, you head to the left flank where Zechs Marquise and his soldiers are stationed. Find as many soldiers as you can. Tell them to group together and begin an orderly retreat."

"We gotcha," Sora said. He turned to Riku. "Are you ready for this?"

"Let's head out." The two key bearers quickly separated in different directions to inform the surviving soldiers.

"What're we gonna do?" Shinn asked.

"We are going to stay here and defend the center of our line." Mu implied. "We make a slow retreat."

"I can't believe this. We're forced to retreat before those damned Kambrians."-

"We have no other choice. We're completely outmatched now after that stupid bomb went off and rendered out mobile suits useless."-

"Yeah…" Shinn turned to the troops remaining. "You men form a defensive line! Make ready for a possible Kambrian counter attack!"

The soldiers quickly hid behind shrubs, bushes, ditches and trees. They cocked their guns and held them at the ready. The sound of the drums and fifes were growing louder, indicating a swift approach.

In the meantime, the key bearers made their way up and down the valley floor. They picked up soldiers and told them to retreat. The soldiers didn't hesitate. They quickly ordered themselves into defensive lines. While those still fit stood firm, others took on the responsibility of escorting their wounded comrades to the rear.

"Come on you men!" Sora shouted as he ran up and down the area, rallying the survivors. "Organize yourselves and withdraw back to the rear line! Stay together!" The soldiers did as they were ordered and quickly grouped into clusters. They began a slow retreat.

"Let's go, let's go you guys!" Riku declared, as he too rushed up and down the lines to every surviving coalition soldier he could find. "Get yourselves together! Carry the wounded and return to the rear!" H could hear the rumbling of the Kambrian drums of war and how they grew more intense with every passing second. "They're coming closer." He continued on his way to the area where Van Flyheight's zoids were located. Stray shots from the dolls above, still engaging against the surviving zoids and mobile suits, fell to the ground and caused simultaneous explosions. Riku was caught in the volleys at times, but he was able to avoid being struck head on. "It's getting too dangerous."

By this time, the Kambrians realized that the coalition had been forced to withdraw.

"They're running." An operative cried. "They're running, the coalition is running!"

"Hurrah!" chanted the other personnel in the cockpit.

"Quite a sudden twist of events." One officer uttered.

"Your prediction was correct, sir." Another officer added. "We have the coalition sprawling."

"Not as arrogant as they were before are they? Serves them right for trying to go head to head with the might of Kambria."-

"Spread the word of our victory." Rellantando said. "Bring me the heads of the commanders and possibly the key bearers. If you can bring them to me alive, that's fine. Dead, well it's no matter to me."

"So the Red Ribbon faction takes the prize?"-

"Of course we do. We took our prize. Now let our allies take their revenge."-

"Yes sir."-

"Send out word to the Midnight Faction and the Aryan Faction. Tell them that they may begin their phase of the attack. We've broken the line of the coalition. Now we shall break their spirit to fight. Send in all available troops and crush them. It ends today."-

"Yes sir."-

"In the meantime, let us retire back to the capital. I believe there is no reason to stay here any further."-

"Yes sir."-

The command was given and the commander ship turned about and headed away, back the Kambrian capital, leaving the dolls and the infantry to deal with what was left of the coalition.

Mu and Shinn listened carefully as the drums and fifes grew more intense in the air.

"Those drums and fifes are starting to irritate me." Shinn said. "When are those Kambrians gonna appear?"

"Commander La Fllaga!" a soldier shouted. "Commander Asuka, here they come!" The coalition looked to see a long wave of gleaming bayonets appear from the thicket opposite the vast grassy field that lay between the two opposing sides.

"Look at that." Mu uttered. "Just like an army on parade." The Kambrian troops were dressed in dark grey frocks with red trim, each one identical to the other. Upon their shoulder was a red arm band bearing the symbol of the Red Ribbon Faction. Each frock was completed with black belt and brass belt buckle, and shoulder straps, which crossed the middle of each soldier's chest and fastened with a brass chest plate. Upon their heads were short brimmed black Aussies, bend and lifted on the left side and secured with a brass insignia, and a red plume erected upward. The officer's caps were more wide brimmed and slouched, much like a Renaissance Cavalier. They bore both a red and white plume. Each soldier was armed with a different variety of weapons. The rear rank was armed with blasters. The second to last were armed with rifles and fixed bayonets. The front line soldiers were armed with swords.

"Here they come." Shinn shouted. "Make ready to engage the enemy." The coalition soldiers aimed their weapons well. "Mark your targets before you fire!"

Just then, the Kambrian officers began to shout out their orders.

"Sword ranks," an officer shouted, "Rush them!"

The swordsmen of the Kambrian ranks were the first to attack. But their swiftness was unexpected. The Kambrians were moving faster than the coalition perceived. Like lightning, they dashed across the field.

"How the heck can those guys move so fast?" Mu uttered.

"Shoot them!" Shinn shouted. Immediately, a volley of machine gun fire echoed in the thicket. Several of the attacking Kambrians were killed, but the rest of them seemed to move as if they knew where the enemy would aim. Their glittering swords drawn, the Kambrians rushed into the ranks of the coalition. The strength of this new foe was unexpected. Even the most skilled of coordinators seemed weak and incompetent against the Kambrian recruit. Though the first wave of soldiers was armed only with swords, they easily cut down the coordinators and their comrades who were armed with automatic weaponry. The coordinators could only describe the speed and skill of the soldiers as fast as lightning. Shinn and Mu, however, being skilled and seasoned soldiers, were able to fend for themselves and saved those men who were in need of assistance.

"These guys are more skilled in fighting that we anticipated." Mu said.

"How the heck can they be more powerful than coordinators?" Shinn uttered.

"They're not human that's for sure."-

In the meantime, Riku and Sora, still on their separate areas in the defense line, watched as the waving banners of the Red Ribbon faction came into view.

"My God," Sora uttered, "There are hundreds of them." But just like the center of the line, the key bearers saw as the swordsmen were deployed first. The key bearers made ready and fended off the soldiers as best they could. However, because they were armed with keyblades and had encountered a great many style of fighting, they were able to fight as equal strengths with the Kambrian foot soldiers. But despite their own advantage, the coalition soldiers around then dropped like flies. Many were caught off guard by the power of the faction soldiers. Riku looked around at the coalition, seeing that only a few of them had the skill to battle the advancing waves.

"Compared to the Kambrians," he said, "The coalition forces look like novices." He cut down several more of the Kambrian swordsmen then turned to his surviving comrades. "If you guys wish to live, you better get out of here now!" The troops didn't argue and began a hasty withdraw while Riku stood by to hold off the enemy. As he cut down a few more swordsmen, the key bearer continued down the line. "I have to get to Van before he meets the same fate. If coordinators can't fight head to head with the Kambrians, then there's no way that the Zoidians will last."

Sure enough, as Riku reached the area where Van's unit was putting up the resistance, he saw that the right flank was starting to cave in. Van's soldiers managed to take position on the high ground and fend off the advancing Kambrians. Already, every zoid on the field was demolished and rendered useless and the pilots were fighting by hand. Because of their positions on the high ground, Van and his unit were able to withstand the attacks of the Kambrians. But even so, their numbers slowly dwindled and their line slowly broke with every soldier fallen.

"This does not look good." Thomas cried as he shot several swords men.

"We need reinforcements." Van added. Suddenly, a faction swords man appeared behind the youth and attempted to strike him from behind. But Riku intervened at the last minute and slew the soldier.

"Van, Thomas," he shouted.

"Riku, what are you doing here?"-

"It's no good holding anymore. Tell your men to withdraw from here and head back to the rear lines."-

"But if we run, the Kambrians might pursue us and overtake us." Thomas said.

"If we stay here any further, we will be overwhelmed and there will be no one left to overtake. Van, we have to retreat now!"-

"You know what's best."-

"I don't know if it's the best decision, but I do know that it was an order from the commanding general."-

"In that case,' Van turned to Thomas. "Thomas, tell our troops to withdraw slowly to the rear."

"Right…!"-

But as the troops began to fall back, there was an echoing volley of screaming and whooping from the extreme right.

"Commander Flyheight," a soldier shouted, "faction soldiers are appearing from the extreme right flank!"

"What was that?" Van asked. He, Thomas, and Riku looked in the distance to find more soldiers advancing. But they were not Kambrian troops. These soldiers were dressed in a variety of black and grey uniforms. The banner that they flew over them bore a symbol that Riku was all too familiar with.

"It's the Midnight Faction!" Riku shouted.

"The Midnight Faction," Van uttered, in a shocked manner, "But what are they doing here?"

"They're encircling around our position!" Thomas cried.

"We have to withdraw!" Riku shouted. "I'll hold them off for as long as I can! You get the rest of your soldiers out of here!"

"Gotcha!" Van turned to his men. "All units withdraw to the second line!" The coalition units quickly fell back. "Zeke, let's go!" Zeke, who had been bashing at the faction soldiers with his tail, quickly rallied to his comrade. Van and Thomas quickly jumped onto the back of the organoid and flew rearward. At the same time, Riku unleashed Cinder Canister and shot the flaming spheres into the ranks of the advancing faction forces. Many of the attacking troops were caught in the explosion and killed. But the advance still continued. Riku watched as both Midnight Faction and Red Ribbon Faction troops intermingled with each others ranks and carried on with the advance.

"There's no doubt about it." Riku thought to himself. "The faction's have joined forces."

Sora, encountered the same type of situation as Riku did on the right flank. By this time, the Kambrians were swarming about against the line and utter chaos broke before the coalition.

"Ah, c'mon," Sora said, "enough already! How much longer do these guys intend on attacking us?" Several Kambrians rushed at Sora, but he managed to defeat them and fend them off and continue on his way to the extreme left. "I have to get to Zechs and tell him to withdraw." But as he approached the area where Zechs was putting up resistance, he found that the coalition had already broken and were scattering back to the rear. Amongst them was Zechs Marquise, who had to leave his downed Tallgeese behind. Zechs fell to his hands and knees. Sora ran up to him. "Zechs are you alright?"

"We couldn't hold them off." Zechs replied. "There were just too many of them! The Kambrians rushed us, they completely overwhelmed us. Then they picked up reinforcements that attacked the exposed left. Our line was too thin and began to crumble. We had no choice, but to withdraw."

"The Kambrians had reinforcements?" But soon, Sora realized how grave the situation was. From out of the thicket, which Zechs defended, thousands of Kambrian soldiers appeared. But fighting next to them, were soldiers of the Aryan Faction. Their black and green trimmed uniforms made them appear as if shadows in the shade of the canopy. Each soldier was armed with automatic weaponry and began to fire into the ranks of the retreating coalition.

"What kind of soldiers are they?" Sora wondered. "I've never seen them before."

"I don't know who they are, but we can't stay here any further."-

"I understand. We've been ordered to withdraw. You get your soldiers out of here. I'll stay here and fight them off for as long as I can."-

"But you're just one young man. You can't possibly hold all of them off."-

"I may not be able to hold them off, but I have to try at least. Besides, I am a keyblade master after all. Get going and I'll hold them off long enough for you and the others to make a safe retreat."-

"I understand…" Zechs continued his withdrawal rearward as Sora made ready to fight solo against the incoming forces of the Red Ribbon Faction. He drew out his keyblade and charged into the fray. He struck and slashed at the Kambrians. But no sooner had he put up resistance, he realized that even he could not take on the full bulk of the faction's advancing forces.

It was apparent that the battle was anything, but a victory. The coalition, deprived of their primary weapons, the mobile suits, gundams, and zoids, had lost a great asset and were now running back to their reinforcement lines.

Meanwhile, the rear line was receiving the surviving soldiers, wounded or not. The few mobile suits on duty were stationed to act as protection. But with such a limited number, their defense would prove futile against the mobile dolls.

"We're receiving the wounded from the front line." One of the medics said.

"Contact Commander Elsman," an officer ordered, "Inform him that we need immediate assistance!"

"It'll take an hour or so before he arrives!"-

"Tell him to hasten! We need aid as soon as possible. Tardiness is not an option."-

"Yes sir."-

By this time, Donald and Goofy had landed the gummi ship upon a grassy clearing near the field hospital that had been erected to assist the injured. The medics quickly emerged from the gummi and carried Kira from the cargo hold.

"Make way!" one of the medics shouted. "Make way, Commander Yamato's been wounded!"

"Commander Yamato?" one of the doctors asked. "Send word to make way for Commander Yamato!"

They rushed to the medical tent, attendants and guards accompanying.

"Wait a minute," Goofy shouted as he jumped out of his seat in the cockpit and pursued the party. But two guards held him at bay.

"Sorry, sir." One said. "You can't go any further."

"The medics will take care of commander Yamato from here on out." The other added.

"But I have something that might be able to help him." Goofy said.

"Stand back, sir. Only the general's officers and personal staff are allowed in."-

Goofy watched as the medics pulled Kira into the tent, disappearing from view. Goofy lowered his head and turned about slowly.

"No use trying to argue, Goofy." Donald said as he popped out of the hatch. "These guys don't know anything about senzu beans."

"I wish we could have helped more though."-

"It's out of our hands."-

Goofy sighed and looked to the distance.

"I hope Riku and Sora are okay." Goofy said.

"Don't worry about them. They're the key bearers. They can handle anything."-

However, being okay was the last thing the key bearers were. Riku and Sora were slowly withdrawing as they were being overwhelmed by the attacking faction forces. Sora, by this time, was not going to chance further resistance. He had already come close to death so many times engaging in hand to hand combat with the elites of the faction.

"This is insane," he uttered to himself as he dispatched with one faction soldier, but saw his foe be replaced by twenty times the number. The coalition soldiers, hoping to hold out to make time for their comrades to escape were instantly slain around the key bearer. "I have no other choice. Even I can't fight against that many troops." Sora withdrew his keyblade and started to run rearward. It seemed almost a route as the remnants scattered towards friendly lines.

But just as it seemed things could not be anymore chaotic than they were, the situation grew even worse as the Kambrians' rear battle line, the soldiers armed with blasters, began to fire a barrage of energy projectiles into the opposing landscape. Like rain, the shots hailed on the positions of the coalition. Sora felt the full brunt of it as these beams of light arched into the air and descended full force upon the soil lifting the dirt high with each impact.

Riku battled against Midnight Faction and Red Ribbon Faction soldier alike when he saw the barrage commence. There was a sudden lull before the volley, as it seemed the faction seemed to cease their advance.

"I wonder why they're not attacking." He asked himself. But a sudden rumble of booming, like so many thunder strikes in the distance, bellowed through the air. Riku looked up to see the illuminant arches rise into the midmorning sky. Then they pummeled upon the key bearer and his allies with tremendous force. Riku quickly threw himself into behind a mound of dirt as the bombs came falling down and incinerating the landscape. Screams of soldiers still in the area could be heard around him. Clouds of dust and debris lifted into the air, making it dusty and suffocating. Riku looked up as the chaos died down. "Man, what was that?"

But soon after the barrage, there was a sudden roar of yelling men. Riku only knew that the Kambrians were attacking. Sure enough, as he stood up, he saw emerging from the lingering blankets of dust, the silhouetted figures of thousands of men charging furiously towards him.

"Oh my God." He uttered. The key bearer was not about to battle against so many troops at once, knowing that resistance was useless, so he fled.

Sora also had a terrible encounter with the faction soldiers as he too saw the charging men coming straight at him.

"This is crazy!" he thought to himself. "There are too many of them." In the past, Sora had fought an odd number of heartless, Nobodies, Imperial troops, and what other enemies. But there was something about this fight that he wasn't comfortable with. For one thing, the Heartless were reckless and weak. The Nobodies, though more intellectual in their tactics, their strengths were no greater than the heartless. The Imperials excelled in strength and intellect, but the units he encountered were small in number, adding to only a few hundred in each engagement. But now, Sora found himself confronted by thousands of well trained, well disciplined, and highly deadly foot soldiers. "Kira was wrong. The Kambrians are more than just talkers." He looked about at some of the coalition soldiers who were still about, putting up resistance. "Get out of here, you guys! It's hopeless!" But before the soldiers could react, they were killed by another incoming beam.

"There's the key bearer!" one of the Kambrian officers shouted, "After him!" Sora suddenly found himself surrounded by faction soldiers, swarming about thinker than hornets.

"I have no choice." Sora thought to himself. Sora, summoning all of his inner strength, unleashed the power of the Rage and Saiyan Devotion. Immediately, his personality shifted and the eyes of the key bearer transformed from an innocent blue to fearsome, soulless yellow. The Kambrians and their allies were shocked at what they saw. The eyes of the key bearer were like that of a heartless and he seemed to glow with great intensity.

"What is this transformation?" one Kambrian soldier wondered.

"Never mind!" an officer shouted. "He's just one man! Attack him!"

The swordsmen charged in first, swiping and slicing at Sora. But the young key bearer's strength had increased dramatically. His speed and agility had heightened and his logic was only to kill those who tried to kill him. Sora could only see blood now and killing his opponents was easy. Like a savage beast, he smites his enemies. He unleashed a powerful energy barrage and deployed spirit waves in all directions of the opposing side. But the Kambrians did not waver. They were fatalistic in their fighting and knew that if death would come for them, then it would come. To add, Sora's own body was not used to the strain that the rage and Saiyan Devotion and the energy drain was more than he could handle. The fight hadn't lasted for half an hour before Sora's body started to fail.

Riku felt the incredible surge of energy.

"I recognize that energy signature." Riku thought to himself. "It's Sora…" Riku's concern was no longer with the Kambrians. Instead, he rushed to the area where his friend was doing battle.

But when he got there, Riku realized that the battle was not swaying in his comrade's favor. Sora had undergone a rapid decrease in power since his transformation. Though he was even more powerful than he would be in his Final Form, the key bearer was not used to the effects and he rapidly began to slow down. Sora slashed and killed, but eventually, the Kambrian stubbornness started to overwhelm him. But despite this defect, the key bearer was not ready to stand down.

"I will not give up." He uttered in a deep and growling voice. "I will kill them all."

Suddenly, there was an explosion from another incoming beam. Sora was not struck by it directly, but the blast managed to cut the calf of his right leg causing him to stagger and fall to his knees. But he still urged to fight even if he had to crawl and battle.

"The key bearer is slowing down!" an officer shouted.

"Kill the bastard!" another added. The Kambrians drew nearer to Sora who was still crouching and sneering with those soulless yellow eyes.

"Sora…!" a voice shouted. From out of nowhere, seven large fire spheres descended towards the Kambrian line. There was an impact and flail of flames and heat. The faction soldiers wavered and ducked for cover. Riku had unleashed his Cinder Canister to buy some time to escape. He descended upon the battlefield and ran to his friend. Sora still had that growling expression on his face.

"I will kill all my enemies." He uttered.

"Sora," Riku reached for his friend's shoulder. But the minute he did, Sora looked at him with blood lust and tackled him to the ground. He grasped one hand around Riku's throat and raised the keyblade with his other as if ready to strike.

"My enemy…"-

"Sora, it's me, it's Riku." Riku looked into those eyes, so empty and full of rage, as the time he confronted Cuchulain when he was possessed. Riku desperately tried to awaken his friend. "Snap out of it. It's Riku. You don't want to do this!"

"R…Riku…" Sora looked into the face of his friend. Slowly, his rage died down as he continued to repeat his name. His eyes shut and his aura diminished. Sora slumped to the side and fell from atop of Riku. Riku got up and shook his friend gently. The young key bearer looked up. "Riku…"

"Oh good, you're alright."-

"I tried to kill you didn't I." Sora slumped down. "I went too far with the rage."

"You couldn't help it."-

"I was nearly overcome by the rage and nearly killed you."-

"It's alright."-

"I had no choice. They were swarming around me." Sora looked upon the devastation he inflicted. Sora laid his head upon Riku's chest. "I nearly killed you, Riku. And I didn't even know it."

"You had to do what you had to do." Riku then looked at Sora's leg and the wound left upon it. He took off his jacket and tore the mid section of his white T-shirt. He then wrapped around his friend's leg. "Now let's get out of here before those Kambrians come to."

"Yeah…" Riku lifted Sora up, slung his arm and round his neck and started pressing rearward towards friendly lines.

At the same time, the faction soldier regained their posture. One of the officers of the second wave looked about.

"What happened here?" he asked.

"We met tough resistance against one of the key bearers." One of the frontline officers replied.

"I see. Those key bearers are stronger than they appear. No wonder the Midnight Faction wants them dead if a single key bearer can wreak this much havoc upon a well trained fighting force. Oh well, never mind that scuffle. We still have a goal to accomplish. His Excellency, Lord Admiral Rellantando wants the remnants of the coalition destroyed."

"I understand."-

"Have all our troops move forward and have the dolls accompany us as soon as they are finished with their current assignment."-

"Yes sir."-

The drums and fifes continued to play and the faction commenced with their advance against the coalition forces who now sulked away in defeat.


	57. Turning the Tide

Turning the Tide

The second line of defense was ill equipped to face against the now seemingly victorious forces of the Midnight Faction. There were still sounds of battle against the dolls by the last of the coalition's still functioning zoids and mobile suits. But by the late phase of the battle, it seemed over for Kira Yamato and his soldiers.

The general lay dying as the blood continued to trickle from his wound, which the paramedics tried desperately to patch up. The young general's breathing became more labored and his hands clutched tightly to the medical table he was placed on.

"General Yamato," the doctor said, "You have to calm down."

"How…" he mumbled subconsciously, "How can this be…?"

By this time, Mu and Shinn had made it back. Thomas Shuvaultz and Van Flyheight came soon after. Zechs Marquise was the last to arrive. They did not have time to rest though. They quickly confiscated the remaining mobile suits and stood on stand by.

"This is our Alamo." Mu said, "Our last line of defense."

"We have to be ready." Zechs added. "Those faction soldiers aren't gonna let up that easily."

"Neither are those dolls." Van said.

"By the way," Mu asked, "Has there been any word from Riku and Sora? Does anyone know if they made it out alright?"

"No word yet,"-

"Commander Flyheight," Shinn shouted, "Commander La Fllaga, Commander Zechs, they've arrived. Riku and Sora have past through our defense line."

"Well, at least they made it back." Zechs said.

Riku and Sora had undergone hell and felt the full front of Kambrian might. Now, charred, bloodied, and weary, the key bearers hobbled to the encampment.

"Bring a stretcher over here!" one of the medics shouted. "We have wounded men coming through!" Two medics with a stretcher approached the key bearers, but Sora refused to be attended to.

"Don't mind me," he uttered, "I can make it to the tent."

"But you've been wounded at the leg, sir." One of the medics implied.

"So what, if I managed to make it all the way from the front five miles away, I can sure as hell make it the next fifty feet to the tent."-

"Don't strain yourself, Sora." Riku said. "You've been injured."

"Man you too, Riku?" Sora sighed. Riku looked to the medics.

"We'll be fine. There may be some other men who are in need of your assistance."-

"Yes sir." The medics replied. They nodded and withdrew. Riku continued to assist his injured comrade to the medical tent. On the way, they encountered Donald and Goofy.

"Hey Riku, Sora," Goofy shouted, rushing to them.

"By the looks of it," Sora said, "You were good to your word."

"What happened to you, Sora?" Donald asked. "Are you alright?"

"He was nicked in the leg." Riku explained. "Nothing that a little patch job won't fix."

"But how about a senzu bean instead. Too bad potion and Curaga don't work on physical wounds. Otherwise we wouldn't have to worry about having to bean you up all the time."-

"We'll just have to make due with what we have and what works."-

"Right," Donald turned to Goofy, "Goofy, get out your sack."

"Okie dokie," Goofy replied. He pulled out the back from beneath his hat. But to his shock, when he reached into the bag, he pulled out the very last senzu bean. "Gawrsh fellers, this is the last bean."

"What…?" Donald said.

"The last bean?" Riku added.

"I'm afraid so." Goofy replied.

"But I thought we had enough for the entire journey."-

"Then again," Sora uttered, "we have used a great deal of beans since we started our trek. I'm surprised that our stock lasted as long as it did."

"Well, here you go, Sora." Goofy said, handing him the bean. But Sora sighed and refused to take the morsel as a whole.

"I think it best that you split it in half. I'm sure that Kira needs one too. That is if you didn't already give him one."-

"Well, I tried, but they wouldn't let me in that there tent to give it to him."-

"We'll just see about that. Give me one half." Goofy broke the morsel in half and gave Sora one piece. Sora quickly ate it and was back on his feet. "Thanks Goofy. Now let's pay Kira a little visit."

The KH team hastened to the medical tent where Kira lay in agony, but the moment they reached the tent, the guards denied them entry.

"Sorry gentlemen," the guard in charge said, "I can't allow you entry here."

"But we have means to help Kira with his recovery."-

"I was given instructions by the doctor to let no one in other than Commander Yamato's personal staff or subordinate officers."-

"Listen you…!" Donald shouted, but Riku held out his hand to silence the quacking fowl.

"If you want us to help Kira live, then let us through." Riku interrupted. "However, if you deny us access, then it's highly possible that Kira will die. Then we can say that we tried to help him, but the guard in front would rather see his general perish than to let possible means aid him. You can just live with your guilt knowing that you were responsible for allowing the commander to pass away. And that's the last thing you probably want, being marked as a villain in the history books. The guard who allowed his commander to perish." For some reason, Riku's harsh words caused the soldier to back down.

"Very well," he uttered, "You may go in then. But don't blame me if you get in trouble."

"You're standing guard right now." Sora said. "You'll have no choice, but to get blamed for letting us in." That statement caused the guard to cringe. The key bearers, Donald, and Goofy walked right in, leaving the guard to question his own integrity.

The team came before Kira who lay dying on the medical table.

"Kira," Sora shouted.

"Hey," the leading doctor shouted, "You're not supposed to be allowed in here!"

"But we can help Kira with his recovery." Goofy said.

"I don't want to hear another word!" The medic beckoned forth two of the guards on duty. "Guards, get these people out of here now!"

"Wait…" Kira uttered, "Let them come forward. They are my trusted advisors."

"But sir, your condition,"-

"Damn my condition! Let them come forward."-

"Yes sir." The doctor replied. He quickly backed down.

The key bearers came before the general.

"And here I thought they were gonna kick us out again." Sora chuckled.

"Riku, Sora, Donald, Goofy…" Kira smiled, but his happy thought of seeing them turned to shame. He turned his head away.

"What's the matter?" Goofy asked.

"I'm not worthy to look into your eye."-

"But it's just us, Kira." Sora said. "I mean, we're all friends right? So there's no need to be ashamed of your wounds. I mean to think…"

"It's not that." Kira implied. "It's what I've done that I'm ashamed of."

"Ashamed…?" Riku asked.

"I should have listened to you, but I didn't."-

"That's enough." Riku turned to Goofy. Goofy pulled out the last half of the bean and placed it into the general's mouth.

"Here, here," the doctor protested as he watched from afar. "I can't allow you to give my patient anything that might jeopardize his health."

"There's nothing to be concerned with, doctor." Donald said. "We know what we're doing."

Instantly, as soon as the bean was swallowed, the wound was healed and Kira sat up on the table.

"Thanks you guys." He said.

"It's our pleasure." Riku replied.

"Anything to help a friend." Sora added.

"If you can call me that." Kira looked away.

"What's the matter now?"-

"I still can't look upon you with friendly eyes, not after all that's happened."-

"It's alright."-

"No it's not alright." Kira raised his eyes, which were now full of tears. "I sent thousands of men to their deaths for the sake of revenge and a false sense of justice."

"Kira…"-

"I was so struck by Athrun's death, I only wanted retribution against the Kambrians. And because of my recklessness, I not only made you suffer, but everyone else. Now the families of so many slain men will never forgive me for the sin that I've committed." Kira lowered his head and placed his hands over his eyes. "I could have had a chance to hold back, but I didn't. I killed my soldiers for my own wants. Such and act is inexcusable."

"You can't beat yourself up like that." Riku said.

"But I've only worsened the situation for us." Kira tried to stand, but collapsed from the overwhelming grief. He fell to his knees and began to sob uncontrollably.

"Kira…" Sora uttered. He knelt next to Kira and embraced him. Riku and the others did the same, comforting the wailing general.

"Look at me," Kira sobbed. "I'm crying like a baby."

"That's alright. It's good to cry when you have to. Just let it all out, Kira."-

His sobbing caught the attention of many of the wounded soldiers and medics on duty. Their staring angered Donald who saw them gawk in disbelief.

"What are you looking at!" he shouted. "Are you ashamed of your general's posture! You think it's easy for him to admit defeat and a mistake!" The soldiers looked away, some in shame, other in disgust.

"Donald, that's enough." Sora said.

"No," Kira uttered, "He's right." The general wiped his tears and stood up with his regained strength. He then began to walk around the hospital tent. "I have done you men a great injustice. It was because of my arrogance and hate that led you to defeat. I wanted to avenge Athrun, but instead I shamed myself and all of you. Now many of your comrades are dead on the field and I was the one responsible for their deaths. If you wish to blame someone, blame me. I ordered you to early graves. So shun me if you wish. It is all my fault."

"No," a soldier shouted, "No commander!"

"It's not your fault!" another said.

"It is my fault." Kira replied. "It is entirely my fault!"

"No Commander Yamato!" the soldiers replied.

"I've gone too far and have abused your loyalties and dedications. We must rest now and fight another day and there will be another day when we must take up arms."-

"Hurrah!" a soldier shouted.

"But promise me this, my brave men and women, never let the faction see you run in fear of them!"-

"Let us reform our ranks!" a soldier shouted.

"Yeah," another added. "Let us reform our ranks and hit those Kambrians again! I know we can lick 'em!" The soldiers shouted and their morale was ever so high. Despite Kira declaring a battle for vengeance, he was a well respected hero and general who looked to the benefits of his men and always guaranteed success.

"You see," Sora said. "Your men would follow you to hell and back."

"I guess you're right. But their support cannot fully replenish the chip in my heart." There was a solemn lull that lingered in the medical tent. "We will withdraw as soon as we have secured all of these wounded."

But no sooner had this boost in morale taken effect; there were a series of explosions that erupted near the camp. The soldiers ducked to the ground and covered their heads. The KH team took cover.

"What was that?" a Sora asked.

"It's the Kambrians," a soldier outside the tent shouted. "The Kambrians are attacking our defense line and the mobile dolls are engaging our remaining mobile suits!"

Kira looked up to see ten Zakus, five Dins, and five white Tauruses engaging in combat above them. Kira stood up.

"Get the men out of here!" he shouted. "It isn't safe!"

Medics and soldiers assisted the wounded. The wounded that still had the strength to walk, began to withdraw from the tent to the safety of the hills. Supply units were hastily loaded and sent rearward. The crackling of gunfire and the booming of explosions could be heart echoing in the forest. The rumbling of mechanisms caused the ground to shake.

"Sir," a soldier said. "The mobile dolls are almost on top of us! They're advancing to fast!"

"Damn it!" Kira said.

"Don't worry," Riku implied, "We'll do our best to keep the faction at bay."

"Let's go!" Sora added.

"But…" Kira uttered.

"Don't worry about us. Just get your men to safety." The KH team moved to fend off the advancing faction soldiers. Kira sighed. He clutched his fist before turning to his men.

"Get the men out of here now! All those still fit to fight, head for the front and buy for time!"

"Yes sir!" the soldiers replied. Those wounded mildly ran to grab a weapon from out of stock and join their comrade on the battle line. Those severely wounded were withdrawn from the fight altogether.

The Kambrians were attacking full strength now and their ferocity was beyond comprehension. On the right flank, forces of the Midnight Faction rolled over the defenders like a great wave of a gothic hue. To the left flank, the Aryan Faction charged forth, blazing away with their weapons and shooting every opposition they came across without question and without mercy.

"Hold your ground!" an officer shouted. "Keep your ranks tight!"

"Keep it together, boys!" another officer added.

Riku and Sora joined the front and drew out their keyblades. He Kambrian swordsmen were leading the charge, evading the fire of most of the coalition troopers.

"Come on, shoot them!" a coordinator officer ordered. "You're coordinators for crying out loud! You're not supposed to lose to the likes of these novices!" But despite this pep talk, the accuracy of the soldiers' aim had not improved beyond what was expected.

"Take this!" Riku shouted. He unleashed a combination of Cinder Canister and Hurricane Slash, unleashing the X slash as a finishing combo. The devastation he inflicted upon the Kambrians was immense, creating a large gap in the ranks. This in turn caused the Kambrians to scatter and be caught off guard. Sora unleashed Tundra Canister and froze many of the faction soldiers in their place. Summoning spells were deployed left and right. The faeries would unleash their sleeping spells and force many of the Kambrians to fall asleep. At the same time they would turn deadly balls of lead, or incoming energy beams into harmless pedals or bubbles. Kirby, Stitch, Genie, Bambi, they were all deployed without haste. The key bearers and their comrades used up all their either and kept up with the fight. The line held, but not without its own share of casualties. It seemed that with every Kambrian slain, a coalition soldier was lost as well. To add, there were still five waves of Kambrian infantry still in reserve and they lay waiting not too far from the battle line. The first wave of Kambrians did not waver, despite the fact that they were the ones to enter the fray from the beginning.

Above the line, dolls and mobile suits went head to head. Zechs and the others were able to take out some of the dolls, but their losses seemed to increase with every doll they took down.

"It's no use," Mu shouted, "There are to many of them!"

"Hold your ranks" Zechs shouted. "We have to prevent the faction from overrunning us!"

"Damn these machines!" Shinn shouted. "Damn it all!"

"We have to keep going!" Van cried. "The lives of our men depend on it!"

"Hurry…!" Thomas shouted.

The fight continued, but the outcome seemed to waver in the same way that it had before.

The KH team, despite their efforts, was not able to hold the line on their own. I didn't take long for their MP and HP to lower to critical conditions. Their strength was failing and the enemy was countless in numbers.

"Send in the second wave!" the leading Kambrian officer shouted. Almost immediately, the second wave charge in to reinforce the attack.

"More of them?" Goofy uttered.

"We can't keep this up for long!" Donald added.

"We have to give time for the troops to retreat." Sora said.

"Keep holding!" Riku shouted. "Don't give up!" The stubbornness was strong, but the cost was high as one soldier fell after another.

As it seemed things couldn't get any worse, they did. From the distance, Riku spotted something that he feared would appear upon the field. Gatler tanks came up from behind the Kambrian line and roared into position.

"Gatler tanks!" he shouted. "Gatler tanks to the right!"

There was a sudden volley from the tanks and the ranks of the coalition were blown away at point blank.

"Where are the reinforcements!" an officer cried before he too was incinerated by tank fire. With dwindling resistance and no sufficient amount of heavy weaponry to aid Kira's troops, the gatlers were free to fire upon the encampment of the coalition. The bombardment destroyed supplies, armaments, and tented shelters, at the same time inflicting many casualties.

"They're firing at the encampment!" Sora shouted.

"Damn those bastards…" Riku grumbled.

"What are we gonna do?" Goofy asked.

"We have to aid the camp!" Donald said.

"But if we leave, then the defense line will crumble even faster." Sora implied. "Either way we're screwed."

"Our priority is to make sure that Kira and the rest of his command get out of here safely." Riku explained. "We have to somehow stop those gatlers from attacking the encampment. Sora, Goofy, get back to the rear and deflect those projectiles as best you can."-

"That's a little extreme wouldn't you say?"-

"Do you have a better idea!"-

"I guess you got me there." Sora turned to Goofy. "Let's get to the rear."

"I gotcha," Goofy replied. The two went off while Donald and Riku stayed behind to fend off the faction soldiers and the gatlers.

Mu and the others were still in the air, piloting the last of the mobile suits, but by this phase in the battle, the dolls had torn the limbs off some of them and the ammunition spent on fighting the scorpions was almost completely spent. Now, only Mu, Zechs, Shin, Van, and Thomas remained.

"This is impossible." Van said. "Those stupid mobile dolls won't go down!"

"And there are only five of us left." Thomas added.

"We can't keep this up forever."-

"We don't have to keep it up forever." Mu said. "Just long enough to make sure the rest of the men make it out safely."

"How long before Commander Elsman arrives?" Shinn asked.

"He won't be here for another thirty minutes."-

"It's hopeless then." Zechs implied. "We're on our own."

Just then, a scorpion appeared from behind and struck down his Zaku.

"Zechs!" Van cried. He watched as the zaku plummeted to the ground near the encampment. "Zechs are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Zechs replied, "Just out of commission now."-

"It's over…" Thomas uttered to himself. "We can't possibly beat them off at this point."

The Kambrians and their faction allies watched on as the battle turned one sided in their favor.

"This battle is over." The leading commander commented. "I don't know why they coalition intends to keep on fighting. Even if they did scurry their forces to safety, we'll still pursue and destroy them."

"What fools they must be." A subordinate implied.

"We still have three waves of soldiers and three full divisions of gatlers in reserve, sir." A second subordinate added. "We also have at least a hundred scorpion mobile dolls on standby. Shall we send them into the fray and overwhelm the opposition?"

"That would be a waste of resources to finish an enemy that's already dove for. But why not fancy the sight of total annihilation this one time."-

"Give the order to send in all remaining forces."-

"Yes sir." A soldier replied.

Almost instantly, the remaining waves of soldiers, gatlers and dolls edged towards the field.

In the meantime, within the encampment, Kira was directing his wounded out to safety.

"Hurry up and move!" he ordered. "Get to the foothills as fast as you can!"

"But what about you, sir?" a soldier asked.

"Never mind me. I'll catch up later."-

"But the coalition will crumble if you die here, sir."-

"I can always be replaced. The lives of the men matter first."-

"Commander Yamato!" another soldier shouted. Kira turned to find himself confronted by an incoming beam of energy deployed by one of the gatler tanks. The bright beam of light came rushing at Kira, but time itself seemed to slow down as the young coordinator's death seemed inevitable.

"Oh my God," he uttered, "It's over already?"

But before him, Sora and Goofy appeared. The key bearer swung his keyblade at the incoming energy ball. With all his strength, he deflected the beam back towards the faction offensive.

"Man," he uttered, "Riku wants me to deflect those things?"

"S…Sora…" Kira uttered.

"Skip the formalities and get out of here while you still can." Sora said.

"We'll hold them off." Goofy added.

"But…" Kira uttered.

"Not all commanders can be easily replaced." Sora implied. Kira realized what those words meant and quickly withdrew.

"Very well, then I leave you to do your duty." He turned to join the rest of his surviving soldiers.

"Alright, Goofy, let's give these faction guys something to fear."-

"But do ya think we can deflect all of the beams?" he asked.

"Maybe, maybe not, but we gotta do our best. Lives are depending on it."-

The two initiated their defense reaching and deflecting every possible beam. But the task proved more difficult then they thought. Because the encampment's front stretched for over a mile, and since the aim of the gatlers were focused on that entire front, Sora and Goofy found it difficult to keep the encampment entirely safe.

At the same time, Riku and Donald had over a mile of defense line to oversee. Gaps in the line continuously opened. Kambrians would rush in small groups and hack the coalition forces to pieces. Thus, the key bearer and the enchanted fowl had to rush to the break and force the faction into a withdrawal. Minutes only passed, but in that time period, the line crumbled almost instantly.

"We can't keep this up." Donald cried. "There are just too many of them!"

"I hate to admit it," Riku uttered, "But I think we're going over our heads with this." Riku then browsed the men who were still fighting. "But we can't abandon these men. If we die, we die with honor."

"But we can't afford to die. You still have to seal the worlds. And you and Sora have to seal them together. Not to mention, we still have to save King Mickey."-

"But there's no way that we can avoid death at this point." Riku slashed and defeated another faction soldier. "It'll take a miracle."

Mu managed to defeat three of the dolls, but that was a minor achievement completely overtaken by the loss of hope as he spotted the advancing columns of faction opposition approaching in masses.

"Dear God…" he uttered. "There are too many of them."

"The faction's sending in everyone." Van said. "We're finished here."

"Damn it, damn it," Shinn shouted, "I will not give in to the likes of these scumbags!"

All across the line, the soldiers saw the approaching force, nearing closer and closer. Immediately, morale dropped as the bulk of faction might reared its ugly head.

"They're sending in everything they have." Sora uttered.

"But we can't possibly fight off that kind of force on our own." Goofy said.

"It's over," Donald cried. He dropped his staff and fell to his knees. "I can't believe it's over."

"Damn it…" Riku said, falling to his knees as well, "To think that we came so far only to fail in the end." He looked at the approaching soldiers and gatlers with disbelief. "It'll take more than a miracle to help us now. It'll take an act of God's to get us out of this one." Riku watched as a gatler plowed up the line in front of him and aimed its massive gun barrel straight at him. The end of the barrel began to glow and Riku could only watch his own demise. This time, there would be nothing to bring him back.

But for that second, it appeared that God did intervene at the last moment. From out of the blue, hundreds of energy beams were unleashed and rained down upon the forces of the three factions. Both sides were stunned.

"What was that?" Mu asked. "Where did those blasts come from?"

"I don't know." Van replied.

"What's going on?" the leading Kambrian officer asked. "Where did those explosions come from?"-

"We don't know, sir." A soldier said.

"Sir," another soldier cried, "We've picked up a large power level."

"How large?" the commander asked.

"Very large, it's estimated to be at about fifty thousand."-

"That's impossible. No mobile suit is capable of accumulating that kind of strength. Not even the key bearers can come close to accumulating that kind of strength."-

"It's definitely an organic source."-

"But the only organic being that can accumulate that level of power is a…" the Kambrian commander immediately broke out in a cold sweat. He turned his eyes towards the sky. "It's can't be…"

Riku and Sora felt the surge of energy.

"This energy," Riku thought, "What the heck can be creating it?"

"I know this signature." Sora uttered. "I've felt it before, but where?" His mind suddenly returned to a moment in his past. "Could it be…?"

Riku's focus on the new power was dimmed as he confronted a present threat before him. The gatler tank still took aim with its gun barrel. Riku stood up at the last minute, just as the tank fired a round point blank at his face. He used the keyblade to deflect the projectile, but the overwhelming power nearly did him in. He managed to repel the energy beam upward, but in the process, the key bearer was knocked to the ground and left completely exhausted. His body was charred, sweaty, and bloodied. The tank, however, knew no fatigue as its operators aimed the barrel for another discharge. Coalition soldiers fire upon the armored hull with no effect. Riku saw the barrel's tip glow again and deploy another beam of energy.

As it seemed death had reached its mark after so many blundered attempts, a figure appeared in the path between the key bearer and the gatler projectile. The figure drew up his hand and deflected the energy back at the tank. The energy pierced back into the shaft of the barrel and caused the gatler to blow up from within. Shards of metal and debris scattered about, taking lives of faction and coalition soldiers alike. Riku looked up to find a man dressed in what looked like a blue jumper. It tightly hugged the mans body, allowing his well toned physique to peak through and it was covered by a glimmering armored chest piece with a hint of gold for the lower back, the shoulder straps, and the abdomen area. Upon his hands were long white, wrist guard gauntlets. And on his feet, white boots with gold tips that reached to the middle of his shins. His hair was black with a tint of dark brown and streaked upward like a head of asparagus.

"Pathetic," the man said in a rough and arrogant tone, "You fools can't even fend for yourselves against this rabble."

"Who are you…?" Riku asked.

"It depends on my mood. I'm either your ally, or your enemy."-

"Depends on your mood?"-

"Hey, Riku," Sora shouted as he ran towards Riku after seeing him nearly lose his life. The young key bearer ran to his friend's side. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Sora, but…" Riku looked up at the stranger. Sora looked up as well. He immediately recognized the man.

"V…Vegeta…?"-

"Sora," Vegeta replied, "I see that you're here too. I figure that Saiyan Devotion would have helped turn the battle, but apparently you're too weak to maintain its effects. Stand clear for a true warrior."

"You know this guy?" Riku asked.

"We met him at the Coliseum when fighting against the Dark Empire." Sora replied. "He's the guy that gave me the ability of Saiyan Devotion."

"Now stay out of my way." Vegeta instructed. "Make way for the Prince of all Saiyans." Vegeta moved forward.

"You think you're some sort of hero?" Riku asked.

"I'm not much of a hero, but at least I'm not incompetent with such an easy task."-

"What was that!" Riku sneered.

"Don't push it, Riku." Sora advised, holding his friend back. "The last thing you want is to get on Vegeta's bad side, believe me."

"Why the heck are you taking his side, Sora?"-

"It's just that. I want to stay on good terms with this guy. He's the same guy who managed to take out the rock titan, the ice titan, and Cerberus out at the same time with just one swing."-

The Kambrians watched as the Saiyan approached them.

"Is that who I think it is?" an officer uttered in fear.

"It's the lightning hair!" a soldier cried. "It's Vegeta, Vegeta is here!"

"Kill him," an officer ordered. "Kill the bastard!"

The soldiers drew up their weapons. Several swords men attacked Vegeta at the same time from all directions. But when their swords came into contact with the Saiyan, they either shattered like glass, or were snapped in two.

"Such idiots you are." Vegeta chuckled. "You think you can battle an elite Saiyan warrior like me with such trivial tactics?" The Kambrians unleashed a barrage upon the Saiyan, firing from every angle directed only at Vegeta. But the energy beams could not hinder him.

"He's still coming!"-

"Fools…!" Vegeta streaked his hand from forward, swinging his right arm from his left shoulder outward. Almost instantly, there was a series of intense explosions. Within seconds, the entire first and second waves, which had proven impenetrable against the coalition, were eradicated from existence. "Such futility…"

The other advancing ranks saw the outcome before them and immediately their morale dropped. The commanding officer watched as the first and second waves disappeared before him.

"It can't be." He uttered. "Why is Vegeta here? How did the coalition manage to hire the prince of all Saiyans to fight for them?"

"We don't stand a chance against a Saiyan warrior." A subordinate advised. "Vegeta's reputation is so great throughout Kambria since his involvement with the collapse of the Three Excellencies, even our more battle hardened and seasoned soldiers quiver in fear."

"I…I will not be made a fool by this Saiyan. We will attack! Send in all the gatlers and run that Saiyan out!"-

"Yes sir…" The subordinate immediately ordered the gatlers to redirect themselves against Vegeta.

The coalition in the meantime watched this unbelievable turn of events come before them. Riku and Sora were spell bounded. And if they were awed by what thy saw, the coalition could not believe this sudden turn of events.

"Are you seeing this?" Mu uttered.

"This is impossible." Van said. "He's just like the elites of the Dark Empire."

"All the faction forces are concentrating on that one guy." Thomas added.

"What kind of being can have that much power?" Shinn thought enviously. "No coordinator could even hope of accumulating that kind of strength."

They watched at the three divisions of gatlers surrounded the lone Saiyan.

"Idiots…" Vegeta said with a smirk.

"Fire away!" The gatlers deployed a barrage of energy beams. The Kambrian soldiers stepped forth and unleashed a barrage of energy beams. There was so much firepower going on, many of the soldiers on the field covered their ears because there was so much noise from the endless explosions. Some even described the scene as a light show. The gatlers fired away until a large crater lay in the middle of the valley. After ten minutes, the barrage finally ended

"No one could have survived that." The Kambrian commander said. But his words proved false as a figure reemerged from the center of the pit. Vegeta appeared unscathed. "It can't be."

"We have to get away from here!" a subordinate said.

"We can't fight against a Saiyan warrior!" another added. "Battle strength like this hasn't been in use since Cavendish's Imperial regime concluded."

"It's not over yet." The commander said. "Vegeta might be able to fend off the attacks from the gatlers, but let's see how he favors against the mobile dolls! Deploy all mobile dolls and attack Vegeta!"

The dolls were redirected against Vegeta. They his themselves well with their optical stealth, but even that was not enough against the prince of all Saiyans.

"Well, well," he chuckled, "More contraptions to play with?" Vegeta suddenly vanished from sight. There was a ten second lull, before beams and explosions erupted. Almost instantly, the dolls began to falter and fall one after the other. Despite their unique abilities, the dolls were still outclassed against Vegeta. He plowed straight though their protective shields, dodged the emitter beams, and deflected every arsenal equipped. To the coalition troops, the scorpions were an indomitable scourge that inflicted numerous casualties upon them. But to Vegeta, the dolls were no more than highly mechanical nuisances that needed to be swatted away like pesky little gnats. "What heaps of scrap metal. These are the things that caused so much fear to force the alliance to cringe? They're nothing, but fancy windups."

It was apparent that the tide had once again turned. This time it was against the faction. They watched as their strongest asset came plummeting downward in demolished bodies of their former selves.

"That Saiyan is eliminating the dolls as if they were nothing." The commanding officer uttered.

"Those dolls are programmed to fight other mobile suits and other contraptions less accurate in acceleration and agility." Another subordinate implied. "But their reaction time is not nearly as swift as a Saiyan, let alone the most feared mercenary who's ever lived."-

"We have no choice! We have to withdraw! None of us are a match for a Saiyan that powerful."-

The order was given and the faction soldiers began to hastily withdraw. Vegeta on the other hand, had defeated the last of the dolls. It took no more than five minutes for him to extinguish two hundred updated mobile doll models.

"Such a waste of my time," Vegeta thought to himself, "To think that I came out here to handle such incompetent adversaries." But the opinions of the coalition were completely different.

"How the heck can one guy do all that?" Kira thought to himself, watching from afar.

"The guy can fly on his own and fire self contained cannon shot from his palms." Mu added. "Where did he come from?"

"Man," Sora uttered, "I've never seen power this intense before, even when fighting against Lord Cavendish. But then again, he was holding back in that fight."

"I wonder…" Riku said silently.

Vegeta remained vigilant over the battlefield. He saw the coalition, thinly spread out over a wide terrain.

"They wouldn't have lasted long against such an overwhelming opposition." He thought to himself. "These coordinators are not as tough as they say they are." He folded his arms in front of him. "In the end, only the Saiyan is the most reliable source on the field." Vegeta then beheld the retreating faction soldiers who moved in disarrayed masses back to their headquarters on the other side of the valley. The Saiyan smirked. "Did you fools really think that you could retreat from here that easily? You think you can just walk away?" Vegeta raised his hand. At the end of his extended index and middle fingers, he formed a large ball of energy. "I won't let you run!"

"Vegeta, don't do it!" Sora shouted, knowing of what was coming next. But the Saiyan only glared at him. Suddenly, he unleashed the ball and it came falling into the center of the fleeing Kambrians.

"Sir!" a soldier shouted. The Kambrian commander looked up and saw the ball crash down upon him and his men.

"It can't be!" he uttered. "Why must I die like this!" The ball made contact with the ground and at that moment, a massive explosion rang out. A powerful sound wave and a bright flash of light bellowed, nearly blowing the coalition away.

"Whoa," Van uttered, "Look at that!"

"This explosion," Mu added, "Such power!"

"My God," Thomas said, looking at the heat source that ruptured from the blast. "The reading's off the scale. This guy has a larger heat source than the sun."

"I thought strength like this had gone extinct six years before." Zechs said. "I thought that it was a power that diminished for good. But I see it's still in use and with greater effects than I ever thought possible."

A large cloud of dust and debris bellowed high into the air and slowly fell amidst the survivors. When the smoke cleared, the soldiers beheld an apocalyptic sight. The Lyzand Valley was a scattered regression of its former self. In the wake of the explosion, not only a deep crater, Ten miles across and half a mile deep, was left. Not one tree was left standing in the area where the impact was greatest. It was clear that not a single faction soldier survived. For that moment, there was nothing, but silence.

"Look at that." Kira uttered as he looked to field where once lush vegetation inhabited.

"All of that inflicted by one man?" a soldier asked.

"Vegeta…" Sora uttered.

The Saiyan prince descended fast upon the ground, landing amidst the coalition troops. The soldiers stood back in shock and fear of this supposed ally.

"Takes care of that trash." Vegeta said to himself.

"You," a voice shouted. It was Kira who came towards Vegeta, "What's your deal! Don't you think that you went a little overboard with your destruction?"

"You must be that upstart general, Kira Yamato." Vegeta replied. "From what I understand, you in fact declared this battle out of vengeance and you hoped to destroy all of your enemies in one fowl swoop. But now that the deed has been fulfilled, you don't want it anymore."

"I was only expecting to give Kambria a clear message."-

"Well, that message was clear enough."-

"But what kind of a man are you to go around and kill every individual on the opposing side, even those who tried to flee for their lives!"-

"The same kind of man equal to you, whose people try to kill others they consider to be hostile and inferior. Isn't that what coordinators do with naturals?"-

"Vegeta was it?" Riku said, walking up to the prince. "You certainly overdid it."

"And what's it to you, key bearer?" Vegeta replied with a scoff.

"You just had to go and destroy half of the Lyzand Valley. You killed every faction soldier without mercy. You nearly put the lives of your own comrades in danger with that last attack. To add, your cocky attitude makes this situation excessively harder to accept. What you did was uncalled for. It was the deed of a villain. I can't even begin to explain how much such butchery angers me. But still…" There was a sudden pause before the key bearer began to speak again. "Thanks for giving us aid."

"Don't get my intensions wrong, key bearer. I didn't do this because I was concerned with your lives, or your fate," The Saiyan turned and glared fiercely at the KH team and their comrades. "I've had my own score to settle with Kambria since the reign of the Dark Empire. You might consider this an act of retribution. Not to mention that the Alliance's irritating little amphibian insisted that I assist you and take care of this spiteful onslaught. Besides, being of a powerful warrior race, I could not allow such a large confrontation to pass by without notice."

"Wait a minute." Sora asked. "Are you saying that Sneer knew about this?"

"We knew that the coalition was heading towards Kambria. Knowing Kira Yamato's knowledge of what happened to his comrade at Gui Fant, Sneer guaranteed that a battle of revenge would take place against the Red Ribbon Faction."-

"But there's one thing I don't understand though." Riku said. "Admiral Rellantando stated that he attacked Gui Fant because Athrun was assaulting an ally base of theirs. But that base is a Midnight Faction outpost is it not? So why would Kambria aid Sirius Viicous?"

"You mean you don't know?"-

"Know what?" Donald asked. Once again, a strange silence lingered over the survivors before Vegeta spoke again.

"The former three factions have converged to form an alliance of their own."-

"What…!" Kira uttered.

"All three factions are joined together?" Sora added.

"A bargain was made between the three leaders of the factions." Vegeta continued. "Now they have united all three main factional powers into a single front."

"So even Muli and the Arakis Foundation sided with Sirius Viicous and the Kambrians? And to think we trusted that boy, believing that he turned over a new leaf."-

"Mulian Arakis did change his philosophies and abandoned the cause for universal dominance. However, some of the regents found this withdrawal as an act of betrayal and treason. Thus, the Arakis Foundation was disbanded after the heads of state declared the boy a traitor to his people and was forced to advocate his position of importance and go into exile, leaving Mulian and at least ten thousand loyalists to wander about without a home. In the meantime, a new faction arose from the ashes of the old foundation, calling themselves the Aryan Faction, led by the former chief regent, Lord Marcus Montague."

"Great," Riku uttered, "So not only was there a rise in a new faction, but all three factions have converged into one big super power. No wonder I saw the soldiers of the Phantom Lord fighting alongside Kambrian troopers."

"That means there will be a larger and more complex fight that's coming." Donald added. "It's all three organizations we have to worry about now."

"It also means that we can no longer commit reckless acts of vengeance like this." Kira implied.

"Kira…" Sora uttered.

"I thought that this battle was just, but it was merely my anger that possessed me to engage blindly. And because of my actions, I have initiated the destruction of over half of my force's fighting strength." Kira lowered his head. "A lot of men died today and a lot of mistakes were made as a consequence of my actions. But I will not make that same mistake again." Kira turned to his officers. "We are withdrawing back to Orb. Tell all of the survivors to assemble themselves and move out. Contact commander Elsman and tell him to meet us at the new designated area. He should be arriving within the next few minutes."

"We're withdrawing for sure then?" an officer asked.

"We have to. We are the only thing right now that stands between the rising factions and universal annihilation. So we can't afford to diminish just yet."-

"Understood…" another officer replied.

"A wise decision…" Riku uttered to himself.

Kambrian confidence was at an all time high, little knowing that the battle, which they perceived to be an easy victory, emerged as a humiliating defeat. Vegeta's intervention in the Battle of Lyzand had initiated the elimination of the entire fighting force engaged. But Admiral Rellantando and his officers were still ignorant of the fight's outcome. Gathered in the Lord Admiral's quarters, they indulged themselves in song and drink, celebrating their superiority to all others. But message soon reached the Lord Admiral's ear of the route at Lyzand.

"To victory, gentlemen, to victory," he hailed, toasting to the success of the confrontation.

"To victory," his officers replied.

"I must say," the leading subordinate officer implied, "I was worried for a moment in the midst of that fight. But once you deployed the new modeled mobile dolls, the tide drastically turned."

"This will show the coalition that Kambria cannot be so easily toppled." A second subordinate added.

"Kira Yamato was attacking on shear emotion alone." Rellantando explained. "His rage was triggered from the death of his comrade, Athrun Zala. As a result, he lashed out recklessly against us, leaving all thoughts of right and justice behind for the sake of avenging his comrade. We, however, entered battle with a cool head, which is the reason why victory was assured for us."

"I bet at this very moment, that upstart coordinator is taking in his last breath."-

"There's no way that they'll survive the ruthless assault by our superior forces and the accelerated systems of the scorpion mobile dolls." The leading subordinate implied.

"And to withdraw so gracefully from the battlefield without seeing its outcome with such cool headedness, most impressive I find it."-

"I already knew the outcome of the fight." Rellantando said. "Not even the key bearers and their band of fools were able fend off our relentless onslaught. They must be dead by now." The admiral took another sip of his brandy. "I'm sure that the key bearers were equally shocked to find soldiers of our former foes fighting along side us. Now with the three main factions under one banner, our new Imperial Axis will overthrow the arrogance of the Universal Alliance and bring way to a new age of domination."

"But what of our own hopes for placing the universe under Kambrian rule?"-

"That will come in time."-

Suddenly, a soldier barged through the doors of Rellantando's quarters.

"Sir," he shouted, "Sir, terrible news from the front!"

"What is the meaning of this!" the leading subordinate shouted. "Why do you dare intrude upon our celebration with such forte?"

"What means this scene of rude impatience?" the second subordinate added.

"Silence," Rellantando ordered, putting his bauble down. "What is this word from the front that's so terrible?"

"Our forces engaged at Lyzand have been defeated, sir!" the soldier replied. There was first an awkward silence that filled the room, but is soon transformed into a guffaw of mockery.

"What does he say?" one officer asked.

"We were defeated?" another chuckled. "You amuse yourself too highly young man!"

"There is no way that our forces could have been defeated." A third added. "We saw the outcome for ourselves! Our soldiers were on the verge of crushing the coalition to the last standing trooper! Our dolls had their aerial support demolished!"

"Be off with you to pull your practical jokes someplace else!" the leading subordinate addressed.

"But sir…!" the soldier said timidly.

"Be off, boy and trouble us no longer with your amusement!" The laughter continued. But only the admiral was not amused.

"Quiet!" he roared. Rellantando stood up and walked to the soldier. "Do you find yourself a jest, soldier! Is this barging some form of joke to you? Because I am not in anyway amused by this declaration!"

"This is no joke, Lord Admiral." The soldier replied. "This is the truth collected from our surveying forces present when the battle continued on even after you left."

"Then what is the news you bear, speak!"-

"Our forces were on the verge of eliminating the last of the coalition when fate intervened to strike against us."-

"And…?"-

"What kind of strength could simply outdo our soldiers and turn the tide so drastically?" the leading subordinate asked.

"It came in the form of a Saiyan warrior." The soldier said. Immediately, there was a sudden change in mood as the humor that had tickled Rellantando and his officers plummeted.

"It can't be…" an officer uttered.

"A Saiyan warrior…?" another added.

"It was not any Saiyan warrior either, Lord Admiral." The soldier continued.

"No ordinary Saiyan warrior…?" Rellantando said.

"Aye, sir, from what reports say, the Saiyan warrior that attacked our forces was none other than the blood thirsty Lightning Hair, the prince of all Saiyans, Vegeta…"-

"Vegeta…?" the leading subordinate uttered in fright. "Vegeta engaged against us?"

"But what was Vegeta doing there?" the second subordinate asked.

"I don't know," the soldier replied. "But from what we've collected, when he entered battle, he managed to demolish our entire fighting force with a single blast. The last reading that was taken was a power level of fifty thousand."

"Fifty thousand…?"-

"Damn those Saiyans," Rellantando uttered, "They ruin everything for us. Not only is their strength impeccable, but those Saiyans have the element of surprise in their favor. No wonder our forces weren't able to set up a stronger position against him."

"Over ninety eight percent of our forces were destroyed."-

"Damn it…" Rellantando retired to his seat. "This was an unexpected turn of events."

"But there's no way that we could have predicted the arrival of Vegeta." The leading subordinate said. "We don't exactly keep track of the movements of each of the Z fighters."

"Then, perhaps we should change that. From this point on, we'll be keeping track of each of the Z fighters and make sure that none of them have the opportunity to intervene with any of our significant campaigns. Because of that meddlesome Vegeta, our victory at Lyzand has been denied and Kira Yamato's coalition force was aloud to withdraw as far as I know."-

"What are your orders, sir?"-

"We draw the Z fighters away from our boundaries by attacking their home, the planet Earth. Perhaps if we threaten the lives of the people there, then Kakarrot and those other Saiyan hazards will withdraw in concern for their home planet. The Z team can't maintain a vigilant on their home and our activities at the same time. It's too strenuous a task."-

"Understood…"-

"And what of the key bearers and the coalition?" the second subordinate asked.

"We'll track them down soon." Rellantando continued. "Now that the forces of the Midnight, Red Ribbon, and Aryan Factions have united as one great super power, there is no place for Riku and Sora to hide. It'll only be a matter of time before their down fall concludes." The Admiral stood up. "Now enough of this, gentlemen, I retire to my quarters."

"Sir…" the officers replied, saluting.

"Let this be a lesson to us all." The admiral stated before leaving the chamber. "We must see our tasks completed to its end. There will be no ore leaving the battle prematurely, believing that victory is tightly secured. Because in the end, our perceptions may prove false, the campaign at Lyzand has proven that."

"I can assure you, Lord Admiral." The first subordinate implied. "It will not happen again." Rellantando exited the room without further word.

The coalition's remaining forces, now only a third their number, began the process of collecting the dead and securing the wounded. The surviving mobile suits and zoids, or at least those still in tact, were collected and shipped out. Those mobile suits and zoids that were beyond repair were collected and scrapped. By this time, Dearka Elsman and his forces had arrived. Though they had come ready to battle, it was apparent that they came too late. Instead, they shifted their efforts to aiding the remnant units.

"The battle is over." He uttered to himself. "We didn't get here fast enough."

"At least the battle ended in victory for us, sir." One of his officers replied.

"But at what cost?"-

In the meantime, the other commanders were helping with the clean up.

"That's the end of that." Mu said.

"I don't know whether to distinguish this fight as a victory or a defeat." Zechs replied.

"Well, we did survive and we did eliminate the Kambrian opposition."-

"But in the process we lost over two thirds of our entire force and only have a quarter of the supplies and munitions that we started out with this morning. To add, over ninety five percent of our mobile suit and zoid forces have been demolished completely. So continuing on to Kambria would be a waste. We would without a doubt confront more Kambrian opposition; equal to the force we encountered here, with every advancing step we take."-

"So this would be more of a tactical draw."-

"It must've been a hard lesson for Kira to learn." Van said as he rolled up some tent canvas.

"It was a mistake on his part." Thomas said. "If he hadn't been so blinded by rage, maybe things would have turned out differently."

"Then again, it's not easy to turn your back when you know that your best friend was killed and you know who was responsible. I'm sure that if we all underwent the same type of situation, we would react the same way."-

Kira, in the meantime, stood overseeing the withdrawal. Riku, Sora, and the rest of the KH team were there beside him. Dearka walked up to the general and saluted.

"The preparations are almost complete, Kira." Dearka replied. "We'll be moving out soon."

"That's good." Kira replied.

"Once again I truly am sorry that my forces didn't make it on time. If only we had gotten here sooner. If only the distance wasn't so great. Perhaps if I didn't spend so much time getting our own preparations ready, these circumstances could have been avoided."-

"None of this is your fault Dearka. It is no one's fault. You had to rush beyond your own capabilities. But if you had come too hastily and ill prepared, you would have suffered the same fate as the rest of my outfit. I believe it was fate working against us. This battle proves that I was in the wrong and I was fighting for a cause that had no justice behind it, only vengeance. And I regret that very much." Kira turned away. "If it's anyone's fault, whatever the evidence may prove, this blundered campaign weighs entirely on my shoulders. It is my sin, my burden to bear no matter who argues otherwise."

"But Kira…"-

"I will take full responsibility for my actions. And if I am found guilty and put to death, then so be it. My sacrifice would be nothing to those many brave men who fell today." Kira turned away. "Now, let us speak no more of this. Just continue with your task and get our men out of here safely."-

"Yes sir…" Dearka saluted and withdrew to oversee his duties.

"It took a lot of guts for you to say what you said to the men." Sora uttered. "I have to admire that bravery."

"I hope I'm doing the right thing." Kira uttered.

"It may have been too late to prevent the battle," Riku implied, "But at least you were persuaded enough to withdraw for the time being and save the rest of your men."

"Has there been any opposition to my orders?"-

"There were some officers who believed that they could still continue the advance." Sora said. "I don't know how they would accomplish it though if they did."

"Yeah," Donald added. "One of them happened to be that Shinn guy."

"Shinn Asuka…" Kira said, lowering his head down again. "I'm not surprised that he wouldn't approve of my decision."

"How come?" Sora asked.

"His entire family was killed by the Dark Empire six years ago when they were seeking shelter from the battle at Orb. They were a few of the so many nameless victims that weren't revived in the great resurrection. In response, he holds a permanent vendetta against the factions. He despises all those who dare to maintain the image of the old Imperial regime, finding them to be the guilty party. He has a burning passion to wipe out all remnants of Imperial rule. You might say his hatred blazes greater than my own."-

"Commander Yamato!" a voice shouted. The team looked to find Shinn storming over to his commander. The expression on his face indicated that the young man was anything, but pleased.

"Shinn Asuka…"-

"What is the meaning of this!"-

"Meaning of what?"-

"I mean why are we withdrawing!"-

"There is no other option open for us. We can't advance any further because doing so would be futile. At the same time we can't maintain a defensive position here. If the Kambrians send in an equal strength force as what we confronted today, we would be slaughtered within minutes. Therefore, the logical action to take is to withdraw for the time being and rethink our strategy."-

"That's bull! We still have a chance to win this thing!" Shinn argued. "All you have to do is assemble a force of good mobile suit pilots and I'll begin raiding the Kambrian countryside all the way to the interior of their empire!"

"You've seen what the Red Ribbon faction is capable of." Kira replied. "Also, if you hadn't heard yet, but now all three Imperial factions have reunited themselves into a powerful organization, similar to the former Cavendish regime. We are deep in enemy country and can't afford to act recklessly."-

"This isn't reckless! I can easily conceal my unit and unleash guerilla tactics on those Kambrians for twenty years."-

"Shinn…"-

"We have this one chance! Give me ten mobile suits at least and I'll send the faction sprawling!"-

"And suppose they send in their dolls?"-

"I can take care of them! I was able to defeat ten of those dolls! That in itself is an extraordinary accomplishment!"-

"But how many skilled pilots have we lost to the dolls in this campaign. You might be willing to chance it, but I know when my men have had enough. What's the point on continuing to fight when the men have no urge to do so, or don't have the strength to do so? I am sorry, but it is out of the question." Shinn's anger began to boil.

"So you're just going to cower like a mongrel dog with its tail between its legs! And you call yourself a general!"-

"Hey," Sora protested, "Kira doesn't need this kind of aggravation right now! He's suffered enough as it is!"

"You stay out of this!" Shinn shouted. "This doesn't concern you!"

"Oh, I think it does concern us." Riku said, stepping in to defend his friends. "We're just as involved in this fight as you are, but we know that trudging forward any further will only work to our disadvantage. We can't afford to lose anymore lives."-

"And what would you know about losing lives! You being safe on that island world of yours! Yeah, I've heard all about the great key bearers seeking haven on their little island paradise far from the troubles of the real world! You have no idea what it feels like to lose everyone dearest to you! Your friends and family are safe in their own little world, far from the cries of war! You'll never have to suffer what I suffered! I lost my entire family because of those Imperial bastards! Everyone I held dearest to me, my father, my mother, and my little sister, they were obliterated and only their charred remains were left for me to mourn over! For that, I will never forgive any Imperial power!"-

"Shinn…" Kira uttered.

"So you shouldn't talk about overreacting when you don't know what it's like! And this feeling of loss burns strongly within my heart! My humanity, my compassion, and even my yearning for peace died out the day my family was killed!"-

"You certainly are a loud mouth aren't you!" a voice shouted. Shinn and the others turned to find Vegeta standing near them. "Why don't you shut your trap before you make our ears sore from your yammering and our throats sore from our counter arguing?"

"What was that?"-

"You heard me."-

"You have some nerve!" Shinn stormed to Vegeta. "You think you have a right to tell me to shut up! You think because you are capable of incredible destruction, you can talk down to me! I have every right to express my rage! I'm the only one who has lost everything, especially my family! So what would you know!"

"I know quite a lot, boy." Vegeta turned away. "You think that losing your family is devastating? Try losing your family and your home as well. My father, the late King Vegeta, was killed during an uprising against a tyrannical ruler named Frieza. He was the only family I had up until a few years ago, but he was so ruthlessly killed. In the process, my home planet Vegeta was destroyed along with the entire Saiyan population, save me, two of my companions, Nappa, and Raditz, and my comrade and rival, Kakarrot. So not only did I lose my family, I lost my home as well. You think its easy scouring world to world with no place to call your own? It isn't. But I managed to resettle and start my own family. Thus, I make sure to keep them safe, no matter what the cost. That way, I wouldn't have to undergo what I had to as a boy." Vegeta walked around Shinn. "But I'll tell you something. The impact of losing my father and my home did not scar me so deeply. The reason why was because my ambition was greater than my sense of revenge. Certainly I wanted to get back at Frieza, but not because of what he did to my father and home planet, but rather for the sake of proving to him that Saiyans are far greater than he perceived us to be. As a result, Frieza did realize what Saiyans were capable of doing and soon met his downfall by the hands of a Saiyan." Vegeta gazed at the others. "In the end, only those who are the strongest will survive."

"And you're saying that I'm not strong?" Shinn said.

"You're strong no doubt, but you lack a limit of when your strength has gone beyond its necessity."-

"What do you mean?"-

"Will you fight for the sake of revenge? Revenge against who? I can tell you that if avenging those already deceased is all you have, then your true potential will never be unleashed."-

"Meaning what?"-

"Vegeta means that you have to find something to protect." Sora implied. "Only when you find something to protect will you find your true strength."

"But what have I to protect now!" Shinn shouted. "Nothing, I have no family to watch over! Because of those Imperials, they died in the most heinous of ways!"

"But what did they die for? What did your parents die for? So that you can wallow in sorrow and declare war against an ideal? No, they died for one thing, Shinn. They died trying to protect you."-

"Protect me? They never protected me in those final moments! I was in flight to retrieve my sister's mobile phone when they were killed! They never had a chance to protect me!"-

"That's where you're wrong. They were protecting you when they tried to get you to safety from the battlefront." Those words struck Shinn with great force. He lowered his head so that his eyes could not be seen. "Your life and safety were all that mattered to them. They made sure that you got out unscathed."

"But what would you know about what they thought! You weren't there! They weren't supposed to die like that!"-

"But can you imagine the outcome if you had actually stayed side by side with them instead of retrieving your sister's phone? You wouldn't be alive right now. I believe fate had other plans in store for you."-

"There's no such thing as fate."-

"Then why do you insist on continuing to battle?" Vegeta asked. "It's because you're trying to find a way to kill yourself aren't you. You want to be with your dead loved ones so badly, you're willing to recklessly charge into battle, hoping to lose your life in the process." He turned away. "Then I guess the efforts of your little family was just a waste."

"What was that?" Shinn uttered angrily.

"Did you have to put it that way, Vegeta?" Sora implied. "It sounded a little harsh."

"This boy needs to be spoken harsh words in order to get it through that thick skull of his!" Vegeta shouted. "You're hoping to maintain the memory of them as a crutch, so you wouldn't have to worry about caring for someone else who is still alive. That way, you can defeat your enemy with nothing to lose and with no concern. In other words, you're trying to rid yourself of your compassion and kindness in order to become the perfect warrior."

"And what is wrong with that?"-

"If you throw away such feelings, then you will become what I was once before!" Vegeta suddenly unleashed his strength, transforming into a Super Saiyan. The intense chi that accumulated caused the ground to shake violently and the winds to pick up. Soldiers shielded themselves in fear at this awesome power.

"My God…" Kira uttered.

"Vegeta…" Sora added.

"I was the perfect warrior," Vegeta shouted, "Cold and ruthless! I lived by my strength alone, uninhibited by petty emotion! Strength was the only thing that mattered to me! Everything else was just a delusion for the weak! I always thought that a strong man will rise above and conquer all! I always believed that only power and brute and merciless force was the only way to express true strength. For that ideal, I stand in the form I am now, a Super Saiyan." Vegeta then regressed to his normal form. "However, it is the obligation of protecting someone that heightens inner strength. When finding someone to protect, whom you know needs it, you have an obligation to them and not just yourself. Because I used to fight for strength alone, the only thing I had was my pride. But pride can easily be lost. And it can easily be regained. But to lose someone you hold precious, you can never get back. And no amount of sulking or ruthless action will allow them to come back from the dead." Vegeta glared at the young coordinator. "Now no more of your trivial bickering, I have other matters to attend to." The Saiyan prince turned his attention towards the key bearers. He pulled from underneath his battle jacket two items, a bag and a box. "Sneer wanted me to give you these."

"What are they?" Sora asked.

"Well, what do you think they are? They're a bag of senzu beans and a box of potion vials."-

"But the potion won't work on physical wounds."-

"You think I would give you this if it didn't? This is a new type of potion called senzu potion, recently developed by the alliance. It will heal both darkness and physical wounds. They are now being distributed throughout the alliance territory. You can purchase potion anywhere under alliance control."

"Wow," Goofy uttered.

"That definitely saves us a lot of trouble." Donald added.

"Don't use the senzus unless extremely necessary." Vegeta explained. "They are to be a back up supply when you are drained of your other resources. They've been concentrated ten fold, so one half of bean for recovery should suffice."

"We'll keep that in mind." Riku said. "Thank you." Vegeta handed them the items and turned away.

"I gave you what you needed and saved your worthless hides from certain annihilation. Sneer better be grateful for my support. Now, I must take care of more significant matters elsewhere. The united factional forces, calling themselves the Imperial Axis, are spreading at an alarming rate over lands formerly held by the old Cavendish regime. Therefore, I have to aid those more strained boundaries." Vegeta prepared to leave, but halted again. "Oh yes and one more thing."

"What's that?" Sora asked.

"That Gatler General, Triiken, he wishes to inform you that one of the Blade Generals, General Scimitar I think it was, is stationed in the Land of Dragons. I understand she is aiding an uprising against the emperor and is hoping to establish a tyrannical regime long overdue to rule China."-

"What's that…?"-

"In China…?" Donald uttered.

"From this point on," Vegeta implied, "There will be no specific order of worlds to investigate and rescue. You'll have to trust in your instincts and your comrades." Not saying another word, Vegeta withdrew, flying high and disappearing into the afternoon skies.

"That upstart," Shinn uttered to himself, "He too is reckless. What right does he have to talk down to me?"

"Then again," Kira said, "None of us are in any position to oppose that kind of power. Perhaps you should heed his advice, Shinn. All of us should, including me."

"Damn it…" Shinn clutched his fists and walked away, his thoughts still unresolved. "I'll away to my duties."-

"I hope that he'll be alright." Sora said.

"Shinn has to work it out on his own." Kira said, "Even as I. I've already realized our mistakes and will make sure not to allow my emotions and rage get the best of my judgment. Right was not on our side this day. But I will be sure to make up for my error, even at the cost of my own life. The hope for peace is the only thing that matters right now. Acts of vengeance can always come later after the war is won and justice and stability have been restored." Sora smiled.

"But what did Vegeta mean?" Goofy interrupted. "Trust our instincts?"

"Have trust in our own instincts." Donald added. "Great…"

"So now what do we do," Sora asked, "If the factions overthrow the emperor in China, then they'll have control of a major world with endless resources to fuel their war machine. At the same time, if we don't stop the faction from maintaining control in the World that Never Was, they'll be able to summon forth both heartless and Nobodies. Even still, we have to aid Kira in his own campaigns. Today's turn of events has proven that we now have three different factions to face instead of one. Instead of the factions fighting one another, they have now joined forces and made our own task ten times harder." He turned to Riku. "What should we do?"

"Well, I…" Riku sighed. "I don't exactly have a plan for this. We have an obligation to King Mickey and Queen Minnie who are still being held captive by Sirius Viicous. But at the same time, we have our friends within the Alliance. They are in need of our assistance too." Riku pondered at the situation. What path would they take? It was then that Kira intervened.

"Riku, Sora," he uttered, "Go and finish what you have to do elsewhere."

"But Kira…" Sora said.

"I believe with this new enlightenment, after this failed campaign against Kambria, we'll have a better idea to strategize. We can take care of it."-

"We'll save you the trouble then." Riku implied.

"What do you mean?"-

"Our original plan was to defeat the factional forces in Deep Dive City, am I right?"-

"Well, yes, but…"-

"Then let us handle it on our own."-

"Are you kidding? From what I understand, the faction has set up an impregnable fortress there. It'll take more than the four of you to tackle this task."-

"But your forces took a severe blow today. You are in no position to continue assaulting the strongholds of the faction as you are now."-

"I suppose you do have a point."-

"Besides," Sora added, "We've been there before. We'll just sneak around the faction's defenses and surprise them from behind."

"Very well…" Kira turned away.

"Then, we take our leave of this world." Riku said. "Good luck on rebuilding your strength. The alliance will be needing you in the future."

"And good luck on your missions." The KH team saluted the young general and withdrew. They entered their gummi ship and initiated lift off.

"So I take it that we'll be storming Deep Dive City on our own then." Donald implied.

"That's right." Sora replied.

"But don't ya think it might be a little dangerous to go in without help?" Goofy asked.

"It may be dangerous," Riku said, "But it's better that we put our own lives in jeopardy instead of having to drag the remnants of the Coordinator Coalition into a whole sale slaughter."

"But will going to the World that Never Was, first a good idea?"-

"I may not know if going there will work to our advantage or not, but I know this much. It's bad enough having faction soldiers and heartless coming after us. The last thing we need are Nobodies to get in the way also. If Saber can summon forth Nobodies, then I'm sure many other faction officers will be granted that same ability. And I'm sure none of us are really in the mood to have those Dusks appear at the last minute to battle us. To stop the flow of Nobodies, we have to cut them off at the source.

"I see…"-

"Besides, we managed to defeat our enemies in that world before and we can do it again."

"Yeah," Sora shouted, "Let's do it!"

"Then hold on to your hats!" Donald said. "Here we go!" The rockets bellowed and the gummi ship took off at warp speed. Though the Battle of Lyzand ended in victory for Kira Yamato and his forces, due to Saiyan intervention from Vegeta, they had suffered a great deal and lost many talented pilots and soldiers. It would be a mistake to repeated by the coalition, the Alliance, and even the KH team. To take such a reckless action to declare revenge was the one strategy that was stricken from their planning arsenal. However, even as the KH team was attempting to turn the tide of the war with their efforts, they seldom realized that with the uniting of the three great factions, new threats and new ways of strategy would be integrated into the battle armaments of the foe. What now awaits them, victory or defeat?


	58. Detoured

Detoured 

The KH team was now halfway to the World that Never Was with no intervention from faction space forces whatsoever.

"So far no faction forces are anywhere in sight." Donald said.

"This is one of the smoothest rides we've had so far." Sora implied. "This is the first time that the faction hasn't tried to attacks us."

"I wonder what's up though." Riku wondered.

"Just as long as they're up to something far away from us, I'm in no mood to go into battle until we touch down in Deep Dive City."-

It was then that the transmission system was receiving an incoming message from an outside source. It was the voice of Sneer.

"Riku, Sora," he declared, "This is Sneer. Please come in!" Riku activated the transmission system and acknowledged the message.

"This is Riku speaking." He replied. "We read you loud and clear, Sneer. What's up?"

"First of all, I'm glad to hear that you managed to get yourselves out of that pickle in Lyzand. I hope that Vegeta came as quickly as he did. He was rather reluctant to assist those whom he considered incompetent and unreliable."-

"He managed to aid us, though his way of defeating the enemy was overdone a little."-

"I hope that he managed to give you the supplies needed for your future campaigns."-

"Yes Sneer," Sora implied, "He gave us the senzus and a box of a new potion type."

"He told you that the potion can affect both physical wounds as well as those inflicted by the heartless, Nobodies and such, correct?"-

"That's right."-

"Well good. I'm rather curious though, where do you plan on striking next?"-

"Well," Riku said, "We were planning on attacking the faction forces that are stationed in China. General Scimitar is there. Once we defeat her, then we're one puzzle piece away from rescuing King Mickey and Queen Minnie."

"Very well then…"-

"However, at the same time, we have the factions setting up a stronghold in the World that Never Was. With that world in their control, now the faction has the ability to control the Nobodies and deploy them to any world they please."-

"That's what I've heard. Now with the Nobodies aiding Sirius Viicous and his allies, our task has increased ten fold within its difficulty. I'm sure that Vegeta has told you about the three major factional powers converging into one super power called the Imperial Axis."-

"Vegeta told us about it." Sora implied.

"It was apparent in the battle itself." Riku added. "I confronted the Phantom Lords soldiers when battling the Kambrian advance at Lyzand."

"So I take it that you are planning to halt the flow of Nobodies from Deep Dive City." Sneer said.

"That would be the lesser of two evils we can deal with." Donald said.

"Speaking of which," Goofy asked, "How are the others doing?"

"Yeah," Sora added, "you sent them away to aid our friends elsewhere."-

"I had no other choice," Sneer replied. "There was desperation within the ranks. Leon and Cloud already have their hands full battling against the faction forces at the Radiant Gardens. A large body of faction forces, deployed by Sirius Viicous and Lord Admiral Rellantando are engaging against the defenses of the settlement, deploying a large number of mobile dolls, including those new Scorpion Mobile dolls, and an excessively large body of infantry, numbering up to it must be sixty thousand troops."-

"Oh my God…"-

"Right now, we have zoid forces under Raven and mobile suit forces under Heero Yuy and Trowa Barton aiding in aerial combat above the city. In the meantime, Cuchulain and Cunla have been aiding Cloud and the others against the ground troops. They have had to undergo an endless series of bombardments and night attacks for the past two days."-

"Man…" Riku uttered.

"And even with the aid of soldiers from the other worlds, the faction forces still prove to be menacing."-

"What about Ophelia?"-

"Colonel Billiard is at the moment investigating the disappearance of several children from out of Twilight Town. I'm sure that you were already informed about that issue as well."-

"Is it the faction that's causing this uneasy stir?"-

"I highly doubt that the faction is involved in the Twilight Town events. Not unless the faction has made a policy to recruit children as soldiers. No, these children have gone missing, disappearing without a trace. So far, twenty children have disappeared over the course of the passed three months."

"Oh my…" Donald uttered.

"No one knows where they've gone, or who took them. They were desperate for help. So they turned to us, which of course we could not turn down their requests. And since Colonel Billiard is highly talented in interrogation and investigation, she might prove extremely useful in solving the reason behind kidnappings."-

"So, what is it that you need?" Riku interrupted. "I know you didn't call on us about those issues, knowing what you know already. Is there something that you need us to take care of?"

"The truth is…" Sneer sighed, "Yes, your aid would be most appreciated."

"Well, what is it?"-

"You are headed to the World that Never Was, correct?"-

"Yeah…" Donald said.

"Well, on your present course in that direction, there is another world that's in desperate need of aid."-

"And where is that?"-

"It's a world called Narnia."-

"Narnia…?" Goofy asked.

"At this present moment, the people of Narnia are assembling an army to fight against a powerful sorceress named Jadis. The White Witch I think they call her, but she claims to be the Queen of Narnia. Anyway, the people's army, under the command of Aslan, the true ruler of Narnia, is hoping to fulfill a prophecy in which two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve are to take their place upon the four thrones of Cair Paravel and liberate the land from the clutches of the White Witch."-

"Wait a minute," Riku said, "What do you mean by two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve?"

"In other words, two boys and two girls of human origin are to take their place as monarchs of the realm."-

"So you want us to help Aslan and his armies fulfill this prophecy?"-

"That's right."-

"But don't you think that would be meddling too much in other worldly affairs?" Donald asked. "That rule has been a strict policy we followed by for years."

"I understand that," Sneer implied, "But the factions don't."

"You mean…" Sora uttered.

"Jadis has assembled an army of her own. To make things worse, she has allied herself with an outside power, the forces of the Aryan Faction, under the command of Lord Marcus Montague's leading officer, Brigadier General Hastings. Hastings at the present moment has ten thousand men assembled to assist the white witch. To add, there have been numerous parties of Heartless and Nobodies attacking woodland villages throughout the region, harming the inhabitants and taking their hearts, or doing what other malevolent act capable."-

"But what's the faction's purpose for being there?"-

"Hastings hopes to accomplish in Narnia what General Scimitar is hoping to achieve in China, they're hoping to gain powerful allies that would come to their aid if and when requested."-

"My God…" Riku uttered.

"With despots like Jadis as an ally, the factions would be able to assemble a foreign army and send it onto the field. Thus, they would be able to fight a battle that would not heavily decrease their income of revenue since they would have hired lugs to do the fighting for them."-

"So it's an economic battle then."-

"Yes, and to win against us, the Imperial Axis is hoping to rally as many ambitious leaders and forces under them to their banner, with promises of universal domination, reign over a present world, and what have you. To be blunt, their techniques are no different from the formed Imperial regime of the Dark Empire."-

"Not surprising…" Donald grumbled.

"Even as we speak, the armies of Jadis and Aslan are marching towards one another to engage in a battle that will determine the fate of all Narnia. However, with the Aryan Faction aiding the White Witch, with their technologically advanced weaponry, Aslan's forces don't stand a chance since they are more accustomed to a more medieval style of combat with swords, shields and lances. So, will you help aid Aslan and his army in Narnia?"-

"There's just one problem." Riku implied. "There are only four of us going to aid them. We can't fight a whole battle single handedly, let alone a full scale war, even with the keyblades in our favor."

"Riku does have a point, Sneer." Sora added. "We are in a rather tight situation ourselves. We have King Mickey to save, the Nobodies to stop, Scimitar to defeat. We can't tackle all those tasks at once."

"Besides," Donald implied, "don't you have any reserve forces to send in? I mean the alliance has plenty of man power right?"

"I understand that," Sneer explained, "And I have dispatched forces to help assist Narnia as soon as they can. Unfortunately, they ran into a scorpion mobile doll brigade yesterday and were delayed by at least twenty-four hours. So they won't reach Aslan until tomorrow. Narnia, however, needs help right now. And since you're the closest to that world, you're the only ones I can rely on. Do you think that I would request your assistance and deprive you of your own goals if I had it all under control? You're all I have." There was a dead silence in the cockpit. "Well, do you accept?"

"Gee, Sneer," Sora grumbled, "Do you have to ask?"

"We have no other choice do we." Riku added. "If we let the faction have their way in that world, then they've gained something. Our mission is to deprive them from accomplishing their goals."

"So what would you have us do?"-

"Your mission is to protect the four children chosen to be seated at Castle Cair Paravel." Sneer said. "You must protect them with your lives if necessary."

"We understand…" Donald replied.

"Then I bid you farewell." The transmission ended, leaving the team to ponder at the situation.

"So we have to protect four kids right?" Goofy asked.

"It seems that way." Sora said.

"It's a little unfair though." Donald grumbled. "That Sneer, who does he think he is, springing this on us? We have other things to worry about."

"But then again," Riku explained, "Now that the three major factions of the former Empire have rejoined one another, we have no choice, but to intervene. We didn't expect a lot of things to happen the way they did. We didn't expect the factions to converge, but they did. We didn't expect Athrun to die in battle, but he did. We didn't expect to turn our attentions from Deep Dive City to Lyzand, or Deep Dive to Narnia, but they have. Like what Vegeta said, we have to go by our instincts now. No one's going to lay out our paths for us. If helping Aslan and the people of Narnia will benefit the Alliance and bring us closer to peace, then we'll help to the best of our abilities. We'll just go with what is in a more precarious situation."

"You're right, Riku." Sora added. "It wouldn't be right to abandon people when they're requesting aid."

"But what if more requests come for us?" Donald asked. "We can't allow the team to become any smaller than it already is."

"Sneer isn't the type to abuse our usefulness. Besides, whoever sides with the Phantom Lord is our enemy. Anything that he can dish out, we can take."-

"Yeah…" Riku added.

"Alright, alright," Donald said. "You made a point. I'll go along with it. You've never steered us wrong before." Donald set the coordinates from the World that Never Was to Narnia. "Then to Narnia we go." The ship turned about and headed towards the mythical land where another great battle of fate awaited them.


	59. Narnia

Narnia

The gummi had made it, carrying the key bearers and their comrades safely to their destination. It gently landed upon a wooded area, secluded from any open view. But when landing, they were in amazement at the world they saw. A landscape completely washed in white. Snow and ice covered every inch of ground and on the branch of every tree. The team stepped out of the ship. The atmosphere was slightly chilly, but tolerable.

"Look at this place." Sora said. "It's all snow."

"Yeah," Donald replied.

"It reminds me of Christmas time." Goofy said.

"So," Riku implied, "where do we start looking for this Aslan and these chosen children?"

"I don't know." Sora uttered. "Perhaps maybe we could start in that direction." He pointed towards a clearing not too far from where they landed. When reaching the clearing, they looked about. Before them, they saw vast lands of snow touched wilderness. Every tree was bare of leaves, while others were topped with thick icy gnome caps. Every field, every hill, every mountain was covered in densely pure snow, hinting a flash of blue that intermingled with white. "This world is bigger than I thought."

"Nothing around here though," Donald implied, "Except miles and miles of snow."

Suddenly, from out in the distance, there came what sounded like a wolf's howl bellowing.

"What was that?" Goofy uttered.

"It sounded like a wolf." Riku said.

"Riku," Sora shouted, "Look!"

From out of the woods, seven dark figures appeared, approaching the team fast from several directions. Their eyes accumulated a strange yellow glow in the shadows of the woods.

"We have company."-

"Heartless…?" Donald asked.

"I don't think so." Sora said. "Heartless don't make that kind of approach. They would have appeared right before us." As the forms drew closer, the sound of growling and labored panting. Then, there was a sudden howl from one of the forms.

"Those are definitely not Heartless." Riku said.

"Those are wolves."-

The wolves came at the team in a dramatic rush. The KH team drew out their weapons. Suddenly, one of the wolves spoke out.

"Hold it right there you!" he shouted.

"A talking wolf…?" Sora uttered.

"You say that as if it were a shock." Donald grumbled. Sora looked at Donald, realizing what he was saying. He'd been around so many talking animals. Now of all times he was surprised?

"Oh yeah…"-

"These aren't the ones, sir." One wolf uttered.

"Shall we tear them apart then, Maugrim?" another asked.

"Maugrim…?" Sora wondered. "He must be the leader."

"First things first," Maugrim uttered, "Tell us where the humans are."

"What are you talking about?" Donald asked.

"Don't patronize me! I'm in no mood to be playing games! Tell me where they are, or you'll never leave this wood alive!"-

"If that's the case," Sora said, "Then bring it on because we don't know." Maugrim smirked.

"Take them out!"-

The wolves lunged forward attacking the KH team from all around.

"It won't be that easy!" Sora shouted. He unleashed his energy in the form of the Lu Bu foot stomp. The wolves were immediately repulsed. Donald then unleashed the Thundaga spell and struck several of the wolves simultaneously. But the wolves continued their assault, bearing their fangs and growling. They lunged, swiped, and snapped with their sharpened K-9s. But such gestures of aggression were not enough to scare off the KH team who were accustomed to such hostilities. The wolves, however, did not back down. Their swiftness and cunning were like nothing that the key bearers had ever encountered before.

"Veracious little rascals aren't they." Donald said.

"Keep your guard up." Riku advised as the team huddled tightly into a circle, watching the wolves pace around them with their foaming mouths, thirsting for blood.

"You don't need this kind of trouble from us." Maugrim said. "You don't need to suffer slowly. Just give up now and at least give yourselves the dignity of a quick and painless death."

"That's a tempting offer, but sorry." Sora replied.

"So be it!" Maugrim and his pack lunged forward from all directions again.

"You just don't learn do you!" Sora crouched down and unleashed another foot stomp, blowing the wolves away. The wolves, however, were not disheartened.

"Persistent…" Riku uttered.

"You'll have to do better than that if you want to defeat us." Maugrim chuckled.

"Sir," one of the wolves said, "That scent, do you smell it?" The wolves lifted their snouts to the air. A familiar smell lingered in the wind.

"It's them," Maugrim uttered. "They're close." He turned towards the KH team. "Sorry boys, but we have other matters to attend to." He looked to the pack. "Let's go!"

The wolves suddenly withdrew from the fight, no longer focused on eliminating the KH team. The wolves pushed on through the woods and vanished from sight.

"What was their problem?" Donald said. "We didn't do anything to them."

"Where do you think they were going?" Goofy asked.

"Wait a minute," Riku said, "Didn't they say they were after humans?"

"That's funny," Sora added, "You and I are human."

"I know that, but they must be after some other humans."-

"You think…?" The KH team just realized who it was that Maugrim was referring to.

"They must be after those kids we were supposed to protect."-

"Then let's go after them!" Donald added.

"Hurry!" Goofy cried. The KH team hustled and pursued the direction the wolves headed. Following the pack's tracks, the key bearers knew which direction to go.

The KH team was I hot pursuit of the wolves until they came to an icy cliff side that overlooked a grand river. Here, winter slowly diminished as the great river, which had been frozen for almost a century, was beginning to flow its mighty torrents. There was a water fall nearby, still frozen since the day ice lay thick over the edge, but was already showing signs of spring thawing. The KH team beheld the sight, scanning for wherever the wolves had gone. Sure enough, they were spotted near the frozen falls where it looked like another band of travelers were being harassed.

"There they are!" Sora shouted.

"Let's go before it's too late!" Riku added. The key bearers, Donald, and Goofy rushed to the sight, hoping to aid the needy party in time.

It was upon the base of the falls, where the waters would crash down, that a significant confrontation was taking place. Three children, a boy and two girls, and two little beavers, Mr. and Mrs., accompanying them were cut off by Maugrim's pack. Maugrim, taking charge, confronted the boy who was armed with a sword, giving threats of death to the youth.

"Leave now while you still can." Maugrim declared to the young boy. "And we'll let your brother leave with you." The boy held his sword forward as if ready to pounce.

"Stop, Peter," the elder of the two girls said, "Maybe we should listen to him!"

"Smart girl…"-

"Don't listen to him," Mr. Beaver cried, being tackled by one of Maugrim's soldiers, "Kill him! Kill him now!"

"Ah, c'mon," Maugrim continued, "This isn't your war. All our queen wants is for you to take your family and go." The boy hesitated.

"No, Peter, Narnia needs you. Gut him while you still have a chance!"-

"So what's it gonna be, son of Adam. I won't wait forever, and neither will the river." Maugrim glanced towards the ice shields that were slowly breaking up and flowing away with the tide. "One way or the other, you'll have to take some kind of loss."

"Not today, he won't, Maugrim!" a voice shouted. The wolf and his party looked up. Peter and his party looked up. Above them, upon the edge of the frozen falls, Riku, Sora, and the others stood over head, their weapons drawn. The KH team jumped from the edge and landed upon a thick slab of ice, slightly cracking upon impact.

"To get to him," Sora said. "You'll have to go through us first."

"That's right." Donald added.

"You guys again?" Maugrim grumbled. "You pesky little gnats."

"Peter was it?" Riku asked the young boy.

"Yes," Peter replied.

"We're here to give you a hand."-

"Leave these guys to us." Sora added.

"But who are you?" Peter asked.

"You might consider us to be your bodyguards for the time being."-

"Bodyguards eh…?" Maugrim chuckled. "Then you wouldn't mind if we killed you!" The wolves gathered upon the fragile ice sheets, surrounding the KH team. "That is after all what bodyguards do. They have to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the one they're protecting."

"Come on and fight then," Donald shouted.

But before a battle could commence, there was a sudden rumble.

"Peter!" the younger girl cried, looking up. Those present, friend and foe, looked up to see what it was that caused the commotion. Sure enough, the falls began to crack open the confining ice sheet and spouts of water began to spurt out.

"The ice is breaking!" Goofy cried.

"Sorry, Maugrim," Riku said, "But we have other matters to attend to." Riku turned to his comrades. "Sora, Donald, Goofy, get the kids and the beavers out of here!"

"Right…!" they cried. Sora rushed over and took hold of the two girls.

"Hang on you two!" he said. Sora levitated himself and glided safely to shore.

Riku grabbed the young boy, throwing an arm around his waist.

"Hold on, kid." He advised.

"I will." Peter replied, gripping tightly onto the key bearer's coat. Riku increased his strength and flew off. Goofy picked up Mrs. Beaver.

"Pardon…" he said.

"Oh, I say." Mrs. Beaver replied. Goofy took off soon after. In the meantime, Donald managed to sneak passed Maugrim, pummel the wolf that had Mr. Beaver pinned and quickly flew off as well.

"Sayonara suckers!" he shouted.

"Those no good…" Maugrim grumbled angrily.

"They can fly?" one of this soldiers uttered.

"You fools, get off the ice!" The wolves tried to scatter, but the ice sheet fractured and suddenly shattered. The falls were free again to flow and their torrents took the wolves with them. "Curse you, boy! We'll get even!" he pack was sent flowing down the river.

The KH team quickly landed a mile or so down the river where the landing was flat and clear. They gently released their fragile packages on the banks.

"Are you guys alright?" Riku asked. "Is everyone accounted for?"

"Yes we are." Sora replied.

"Thank you very much for your help." Peter said.

"You certainly got us out of a jam." Mr. Beaver replied.

"But, if you don't mind," the older girl asked, "And forgive me for being so direct, but who are you?"

"My name is Sora." Sora replied. "These are my friends Riku, Donald, and Goofy."

"I'm Peter Pevensie," Peter said. "This is my sister, Suzanne, and my our younger sister, Lucy. And these are our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver."

"It's a pleasure." Lucy said.

"We would've been goners without you." Mrs. Beaver added.

"Tweren't nothing…" Goofy replied.

"But how did you happen to be here in Narnia?" Suzanne asked.

"We're here as your personal bodyguards." Sora said. "That is until you fulfill this prophecy of yours."

"Did Aslan send you?" Mr. Beaver asked.

"Well," Riku said, "He kind of requested it, though not directly."

"I see…"-

"But aren't there supposed to be four children?" Donald asked. "How come there are only three of you?" There was a dead silence for a moment.

"Well," Peter said, "We did come here along with our brother, Edmund."

"Edmund…?" Goofy asked.

"Yes…"-

"Well, where is he?" Sora asked.

"I hope we didn't forget him." Goofy added.

"It's not that." Peter replied. "You see our brother was enticed and captured by the white witch."

"He was captured?"-

"Yes. And even as we speak, the white witch is after us."-

"Well, can't you just take the witch out?"-

"It's not that easy." Lucy said. "And even if we did confront her, none of us are in a position to die. We are the ones supposedly chosen to fulfill this prophecy they talk about."

"Only Aslan can help us get our brother back." Suzanne said.

"Then, if you wouldn't mind." Sora suggested. "I hope you don't object that we tag along with you."

"Why not," Peter said. "You can come with us. After all, you did say that you were our bodyguards."

"That's right." Goofy implied.

"Then let us be off."-

"We go that way." Mr. Beaver said, pointing eastward. "We head towards the stone table. That's where Aslan's army is at." The KH team now accompanied the three children and the beaver couple towards the eastern coast. As the continued their journey, they watched as the snow melted away, giving way to a lush spring growth. Cherry blossoms sprang from beneath their icicle prisons as the weather grew warmer. Green seemed to sprout out everywhere, replacing the fields of white. Birds emerged from their nests and woodland creatures made their delicate calls from amidst their burrows. It was clear to everyone that the witch's spell was fading and her reign would soon come to an end.

In the meantime, on the other side of the now free flowing river white witch overlooked the fast torrents of water and their swift descent over the falls. Next to her was her driver, a dwarf, and a small boy, the forth of the siblings, Edmund, who shivered outwardly, but smiled inwardly at the thought of Jadis's spell coming to an end. Jadis, however, was in no way amused, or awed by the lively spring thaw. Clutched teeth and tightened fist, the witch sneered at this breaking over her enchantment.

"This is Aslan's doing," she said, "I know it."

"It's not surprising." A voice uttered from behind. Accompanying the witch was none other than Brigadier General Hastings of the Aryan Faction and his subordinates. He was dressed as his lord, Marcus Montague, with the standard issue officer's uniform, black frock with green trim, an officer's double-breasted overcoat, and a slouched shako with plume and trimmings, including a gold spire atop the helmet. "One must not meddle with fate, knowing that the concluding outcome is inevitable. That is unless you're ill prepared to meet it."

"Is that so?"-

Just then, from out of the woods, several wolves appeared. In one of their mouths, they carried a red fox, who had been aiding Aslan's allies.

"You're Majesty," the wolf officer implied, "We found the traitor. He was rallying your enemies near the shuddering woods." The little fox was tossed to the ground, giving a yelp as he fell.

"Ah," Jadis said, "Nice of you to drop in. You were so helpful to my wolves last night." The white witch towered over the little fox like a leviathan out of water. "Perhaps you can help me now." The little fox bowed his head respectfully.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty." He uttered.

"Oh don't waste my time with flattery!"-

"Not to seem rude, but I wasn't actually talking to you." The fox turned his eyes instead to Edmund. This gesture towards the boy, by the fox, infuriated Jadis. She drew out her scepter and pointed it straight at the woodland creature.

"Tell me," she demanded in a subtle tone, "Where are the humans headed?"

"You're wasting your time with that rubbish." Hastings said. "He won't talk." He locked his hands behind him and strutted like a peacock. "And he doesn't have to."

"And how would you know?"-

"Believe me, I have my conjectures. You'll get your information in some other way."-

"Still," Jadis held her scepter firm, "I'll ask you one last time, where are the humans headed?" The fox's tongue remained silent and he backed away a step or two. His stalling and sealed mouth further angered the mock queen. Figuring him to be useless, Jadis attempted to strike him. But Edmund, at the last minute, intervened.

"Wait!" he cried, "No, Don't! The beaver said something about the stone table, and that Aslan had an army there!" He hoped that his plea would allow the witch to show mercy to the fox.

"An army you said?" Jadis asked.

"Well, well," Hastings chuckled, "This is a bizarre turn of events. I told you that you'd get your information some other way, but I never would have expected it to be this detailed. And with a twist to find out that Aslan has an army assembled. Quite a twist indeed."

Edmund realized that he had given away another secret, at the same time noticing that his intervention did not change the situation. He looked to the fox. The fox only sighed in disappointment, not uttering a word. But the expression on his face and his body movement gave the boy a hint that he had only allowed the witch and her allies to gain more.

"Thank you, Edmund." Jadis replied. She turned her attention towards the fox again. "Well, I'm glad this creature got to see some honesty…" She then thrust her scepter's point at the woodland creature, "before he dies!" The fox posed in a last expression of terror before being encased completely in stone.

"No!" the boy cried, but the deed had been done. Jadis then turned to him and slapped him across the face, then forcefully turned his face towards the twisted stone figure that was once the fox.

"Think about whose side you're on, Edmund, mine or theirs." Jadis looked to her wolves. "Go ahead, gather the faithful. If it's a war Aslan wants, it's a war he shall get."

"O course, my lady." the wolves replied. They scurried off to gather the forces of evil. Jadis then turned towards General Hastings.

"And you, General. You have your army at the ready?"-

"They are at your disposal." Hastings replied. "Give the word and we will swoop down upon this opposition."

"No, I want to finish off Aslan properly. We will fight them upon the open field."-

"Of course…"-

"And as for you," The witch glared at Edmund, "Your time will end soon enough. If only three seats are filled, then the prophecy will never come true. Hastings, have this boy bound and gagged."

"Of course…" Hastings approached Edmund and picked him up by the front of the collar. "You certainly are a naïve little boy aren't you. Did you really think that your words of compassion would stop the queen from hindering that woodland creature? Jadis is a true despot and she will eliminate all opposition that proves the slightest threat to her, so even gentle words from a boy cannot deter a heart of stone. But then again your own betrayal has been justified for your words as just as poisonous as hers."

"I…I…" Edmund uttered.

"You sealed the fate of you friends when you revealed their intensions." Edmund could not speak, knowing now that his attempt to save the fox only put his siblings and the people of Narnia in even greater danger. "But perhaps we should thank you more. Your friends might have to suffer, but you're proving very useful to our cause." Hastings released the boy and pushed him into the arms of two of his soldiers. "Have him bound and gagged at the queen's request."

"Yes sir." One soldier replied and dragged the regretful whelp off.

"Soon," Hastings thought to himself, "This world will be under faction control. And once the flag of the Imperial Axis has been placed here then old alliances are no longer necessary."

At the same time, the KH team, three of the four siblings, and Mr. and Mrs. Beaver had arrived at the encampment of Aslan. There, many soldiers of different societies were gathered, preparing their weapons. The ranks consisted of fawns, dwarves, centaurs, and noble beasts of the wilderness. The horn sounding their arrival bellowed in the distance. They looked upon the arriving party with awe.

"Why are they all staring at us?" Suzanne asked.

"Maybe they think you look funny." Lucy giggled.

"Oh, good," Sora uttered, "For a minute there I thought I had something on my face."

"You do, Sora." Riku chuckled. "It's called an ugly mug."

"Very funny…"-

Mrs. Beaver groomed her fur, hoping to look more presentable.

"Stop you fussing." Mr. Beaver implied. "You look lovely."

The party eventually came to a large tent at the end of the camp. Here, many of the soldiers gathered around them, as if anticipating some spectacular event. Before the tent was a lone centaur who nodded in greeting. Peter stepped forward and drew his sword and held it high I praise.

"We have come to see Aslan." He declared. The lone centaur, Oreius, looked to the large tent. Almost in perfect unison, as if they knew what was to happen, each armored combatant bowed respectfully before the elaborately embroidered entry way of the tent.

"What's everyone bowing for?" Goofy asked.

"Shush...!" Donald whispered hoarsely.

Just then, from out of the tent, Aslan, a mighty lion, appeared. The hair from his golden main glistened in the mid-day sun and waved gallantly in the wind. He stood proud and tall as a lion should. He had a kingly stride and a fearsome appearance. But the look in his eyes and the expression on his face gave a different emotion, one of kindness, wisdom, and understanding.

"Wow…" Sora said to himself. Inspired by this grand look of the king of beast, each member within the arriving party kneeled, or bowed respectfully, shielding their eyes from Aslan's magnificence.

"Welcome Peter, son of Adam," Aslan began. "Welcome Suzanne and Lucy, daughters of Eve. And welcome to you Beavers. You have my thanks." Aslan then turned his attention toward the KH team. "And welcome to you, Riku, Sora, wielders of the keyblades and also to your companions, Donald, and Goofy, loyal followers of King Mickey."

"Wow," Goofy said, "He knows about us?"

"I guess so." Donald replied. "He did send for us."

"You came in time to help Peter and the others from certain danger." Aslan continued. "I thank you."

"Ah, it was nothing." Sora chuckled, placing his hands behind his head and smiling.

"But where is the fourth?" Immediately, the mood changed. Peter rose up, a solemn look upon his face.

"That's why we're here, sir." He began. "We need your help."

"We had a little trouble along the way." Suzanne added.

"Our brother's been captured by the white witch."-

"Captured," Aslan uttered, "How could this have happened?"

"He betrayed them, sir." Mr. Beaver implied. There was a shock from this declaration.

"He betrayed them?" Goofy uttered.

"You failed to mention that." Riku said to Peter.

"Then he has betrayed us all!" Oreius declared.

"Peace, Oreius," Aslan said. "I'm sure there's an explanation." There was a silence amongst the party before Peter began to speak again.

"It's my fault really." He uttered, faltering in his words, but not afraid to express his shame. "I was too hard on him." Suzanne smiled at her older brother, placing her hand delicately on his shoulder.

"We all were…" she added.

"Sir, he's our brother." Lucy said.

"I know dear one," Aslan replied, "But that only makes the betrayal all the worse. This may be harder than you think." The three siblings looked down, fearing that nothing may be able to aid their brother. "I will do all in my power to see you reunited with your brother, but for now you must rest." The party and all around bowed respectfully. "There are some accommodations. Oreius see to it that they are comfortable."

"Of course." Oreius responded.

"I would wish to talk with you alone later, King Peter."-

"Yes sir." Peter replied. The three siblings and the two Beavers followed Oreius to their canvas quarters. In the meantime, Aslan descended to speak to the key bearers.

"Once again," he began, "I thank you for aiding us in our time of need. Sneer has told me a great deal about your ventures."

"We understand that the Aryan Faction is here siding with the white witch." Sora said.

"That's why we're here." Riku added. "We're here to stop them from doing whatever it is they're planning."

"I have seen the destructive power of the faction." Aslan continued. "They unleashed a demonstration of their destructive power in a fawn village not too far from here, inflicting five hundred casualties in all. That's a power even I cannot contend with. To add, there are those beings, Heartless and Nobodies wandering about, harassing many settlements about the region."

"Nobodies and heartless…"-

"You know about them?" Donald asked.

"I do." Aslan said. "I was informed by Sneer about them years before. To the point, he recommended that if anyone were able to help us, you would." The lion smiled. "Now, I'm sure you are weary after all you have gone through on your journey. It's best that you rest up. You will be sharing the accommodations with Peter and his sisters."

"Thank you for your hospitality." Sora said.

"It is I who should be thanking you, having you do this despite your hardships in the past." The KH team smiled, bowed respectfully, and withdrew.

The day seemed to pass unmolested as there was no signal indicating a raid or danger. The KH team, glad for such a tranquil atmosphere, sat beneath their tent's canvas canopy, indulging in sweet and hearty delicacies placed before them.

"This is incredible." Sora said. "I feel so relaxed here. And this is such pretty country around here."

"Narnia certainly has its lush cornucopia." Riku added.

"By the way, where are those three kids at?"-

"Well, Peter went to talk to Aslan and Suzanne and Lucy are down by the creek, doing whatever girls do."-

"Well, at the moment," Donald said, gulping down a bunch of grapes, "nothing could move me from this spot."

"But don't ya think we should be ready in case the faction attacks?" Goofy asked.

"He's right," Sora said, "It doesn't seem right for us to be lounging around like this. I mean I feel too relaxed."

"I know how you feel." Riku implied. "But you must remember that we've barely had a good day or night's rest since we started this journey. Whenever we get a chance to reprieve ourselves, we're always back on our feet and taking care of some other kind of danger." Riku lay back in his chair. "So let's enjoy this little bit of tranquility while it lasts."

"I guess so."-

But no sooner had the team finally begin to enjoy themselves, there was a blow of the horn not too far from where they were lounging.

"What's that?" Goofy asked.

"That's sounds like a horn." Donald replied. "Nothing to get all worked up about."

"No." Riku uttered, sitting up again. "That sounds like a distress call." He stood up and browsed about.

"Hey, Riku," Sora said, "Look!" The key bearer pointed towards the main camp road. There, they saw Peter running fast in their direction at great neck speed.

"Hey, Peter, what's the rush?"-

"I heard Suzanne's horn." Peter replied. "They must be in trouble."

"Then it was a distress call." Riku stood up and drew out his keyblade. "C'mon your guys, he might need our help."

"Right…!" Sora added. He too drew out his keyblade. "Let's go you guys!"

"Right…!" Donald added, taking out his scepter and Goofy lifting up his shield. They accompanied Peter towards the blowing horn.

Peter and the key bearers arrived at the banks of the creek. High in a tree, Lucy and Suzanne stood on strong branches, far the reach of danger. On the ground, two wolves snapped ferociously at their feet, hoping to grab a hold of their ankles. One of the wolves was Maugrim.

"Come on, girls," he shouted, "You can't stay up there forever!"

"Get back, you villain!" Peter cried, drawing his blade.

"Ah, c'mon," Maugrim turned towards the young king, "We've already been through this before. We both know that you haven't got it in you."

"Peter," Suzanne cried from the branches, "Watch out!" She pointed to the second wolf that was circling around the boy, hoping to flank him.

"You can't take on two of us at once."-

"He won't have to!" a voice shouted. Maugrim looked to find Riku, Sora, and the others approaching to aid Peter.

"Go ahead and start something." Sora said.

"You again," Maugrim uttered, "Why don't you mind your own business. This is not your concern."

"You forget," Riku implied, "We're Peter's bodyguards now. Anything that concerns him and his safety and the safety of his siblings is our business."

"In that case, why don't you accommodate my friends." Maugrim howled out. Suddenly, appearing before them were a band of heartless and a group of Nobodies, ready for battle. "Take them out!"

The heartless and Nobodies attacked the team, but before the battle could even be acknowledged, the key bearers slashed away at the ranks, eliminating over ninety percent with the first few seconds.

"Is that all you've got?" Sora said.

"Impossible…" Maugrim uttered.

"You'll have to do better than that to beat us."-

To make things worse for the two wolves, Aslan, Oreius and a company of soldiers were approaching.

"You're outnumbered here!" Donald shouted. The team made ready for battle.

"Let's get 'em." Sora said

"No," Aslan hollered, "stay your weapons. This is Peter's battle." The KH team halted their offensive.

"But I thought you wanted us to protect him?" Donald asked.

"I do. But you are required only to protect him, not fight his battles for him. In order for Peter to become a truly just king, he must know to face danger unwavering."

"I see…" Riku said. "Stand down, you guys." The KH team withdrew their weapons, leaving Peter to fight Maugrim alone. The boy held his sword straight in front of him, with both fear and determination. Maugrim circled about the boy, ready to pounce.

"You may think you're a king," Maugrim uttered, "But you're gonna die like a dog!" The wolf pounced upon the boy. However, the lunge was a mistake as the wolf ended up impaling himself upon Peter's sword. The boy was pushed down and the wolf lay on top of him.

"Peter!" Lucy cried. The two girls jumped down and rushed to their brother's side, fearing him to be wounded or dead.

"Is he okay?" Goofy asked. The team ran around the fallen king. Peter's sisters pushed the still body of Maugrim off of their brother to find the boy in a state of shock. He sat up and looked about.

"You're alright." Suzanne uttered. The two girls embraced the boy tightly.

"You did good, kid." Riku said.

In the meantime, Aslan released the second wolf and had him withdraw back to his own lines.

"After him," he advised, "He will lead you to Edmund." He turned to he key bearers. "Riku, Sora, accompany Oreius and the others. There may be a great deal of opposition when their brother is rescued."

"Right," Sora said.

"Let's go," Riku added. The KH team accompanied the soldiers in pursuit of the wolf and retrieval of Edmund.

The pursuit of the wolf was long and arduous. The sun had already dipped beneath the horizon, giving way to long shadows. It was at this time that the KH team and Aslan's company of troops reached the area where the white witch's army was encamped. It was during this raid that Jadis was in conference, holding a military council and organizing their strategy. Amongst the officers was Brigadier General Hastings, dressed tightly in his officer's overcoat. He listened actively as the plans were set before him by a Minotaur general.

"The Minotaurs will take the left flanks." He said. "We'll keep the giants in reserve and send the dwarfs in first."

"Very well," Jadis said. She turned to General Hastings. "And you, general, where will you situate your soldiers to coincide with this proposed strategy?"

"I will have my infantry forces placed at the rear of my Gatler column here." Hastings advised. "Most likely, Aslan will send in a great manifestation of birds, gryphons, and other winged creatures to rain a hail of projectiles upon your ground troops. Thus, I will use the infantry to support you as anti-aerial protection. In the meantime, the long range guns of the gatlers will pummel the rear guard of Aslan's army in case they decide to unleash a barrage of arrows upon you during your advance."

"But from what you're described, you're only acting as a supporting force. You have ten thousand men at your disposal. Why not send them in as well?"-

"The reason for this is because I find that this battle's glory should belong entirely to you. It wouldn't be proper for my troops to take that victorious embellishment from you. If you're going to take this world for your own rule, it's best to have history remember this event as a stand off, which you alone devised and executed."-

"I see your point." Jadis sighed. "I'm in no distress though, so long as the prophecy is not carried out."

"If that's the case, then kill that captured son of Adam and be done with it."-

"He may prove useful to bargain for the others though."-

"As a bit of advise, and experiencing such events in the past myself, I suggest that you kill the boy while he's still under your whim. As we speak, his brother and sisters may be plotting a way on how to retrieve their brother. Then, you would have lost this chance. Have the boy executed now, this very minute."-

"I suppose you're right. A wise man, after all, does not court danger." Jadis turned to a soldier that was standing guard, "Send out word. Have the young son of Adam killed."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The soldier replied. He quickly withdrew to carry out the order.

It was during this time that the lone wolf, from Maugrim's raid, returned, running through the camp with a pant. Only soon following, there was a rumble of hoof, paw, and foot, from out of the darkness. Just then, like phantoms, The KH team and Aslan's soldiers, under Oreius' command, struck fast and silently. The witch's soldiers had no time to react and were instantly slain where they sat, stood, and carried with their activities.

"Where is he?" Sora said.

"There," Riku replied, pointing to a scrawny little form tied to a tree. The KH team approached the form. It was a small boy, no older than fifteen, with dark hair, pale skin, slightly freckled, and dressed in the outfit of a young English boy, with knitted sweater vest and knee length shorts. He was bound and gagged. The team rushed in, knocking out a dwarf who was on guard duty.

"Is your name Edmund?" The boy nodded.

"Stay calm, we're here to rescue you." Riku slashed at the ropes and grabbed the boy. He put the kid over his shoulder. "Alright, let's go."

"Right…!"-

"We've got him!"-

"Very good," Oreius said, he turned to his troops. "Our mission has been accomplished. Let's return to our encampment." The soldiers, as quietly and unexpectedly as they came in, vanished into the night without a trace, causing mischief of their own as they withdrew.

In the meantime, the commotion had attracted Jadis, Hastings, and their officers.

"The prisoner," the Minotaur general said. "They've taken the prisoner."

"It can't be…" Jadis uttered. She ran to where the Edmund had been tied, only to find her sled driver, the dwarf who was guarding him, tied and gagged in the boy's place. Angered at what had happened, Jadis, drew out a dagger and gestured to cut up her driver for his failure to fend off Edmund's liberators. Instead, she cut the dwarf free.

"You're not going to kill me?" he asked.

"Not yet…" Jadis replied. She turned to her officers. "We have work to do."

"Are you letting them go?" one of the officers asked.

"I will deal with this little matter myself. That boy is a traitor after all, so his blood belongs to me as every traitor is bound. I'll kill him then, once I have a word with Aslan."-

"You wouldn't have to go through all that trouble if you would have just killed the boy when I made my first suggestion. Now he's in the hands of his true allies."-

"I found it more advantageous to keep him alive."-

"Well, so much for your advantage. You certainly might be a powerful sorceress, but you lack military might."-

"I will not have you address me in that manner, General Hastings."-

"I can address you any way I damn well please." The general said.

"Insolent swine," the Minotaur general growled. "You will address Her Majesty properly!"

"I needn't have to do anything of the sort. I only properly address members of the Imperial Axis. Your beloved queen is seldom worthy of such formalities."-

"You forget your place." Jadis said. She drew out her scepter, threatening the general. But her hostilities were of no concern to the general, who simply chuckled. "I am in command here."

"I would be careful if I were you."-

"And why should I?"-

"You've seen the capabilities of the Aryan Faction and the destructive power we can unleash. I highly doubt that your wand is effective at a hundred yards, let alone a good mile or so away."-

"It doesn't have to be. I can smite you down right now if I desired to. You can't possibly escape my grasp here."-

"Go ahead, I dare you. But I guarantee you, hinder me and you will have my ranks to deal with as well. You see, I am required to make a summoned confirmation that I am still alive and kicking. However, if my forces do not receive word from me at the designated time; they are to automatically assume that I have been eliminated. They will thus turn their aggression on whatever side may have been responsible for my death. And since I last reported in having a conference with you and your officers, my subordinates will insinuate that you were responsible for my disappearance, or demise and turn against you. And the last thing you probably want is the Aryan Faction turning against you." Hastings placed his hands behind him. "Or better yet, we'll just deprive you of your strongest asset and have you fight Aslan's army on you own. You don't want to make enemies out of allies I'm sure." Overruled, Jadis lowered his staff. She turned to her officers. "Inform our men and have them assemble into an escort party."

"What are your plans, Your Majesty?" the Minotaur general asked.

"I will settle this matter with Aslan."-

"Yes You Majesty."-

"You're hoping to bargain for that boy again?" Hastings asked.

"I have every right to that boy." Jadis explained. "He is a betrayer and a deceiver. He therefore is mine by right. Then, once Edmund is under my custody, I will have him sacrificed at the stone table."

"But you really think Aslan will keep his word, knowing the importance of those four children?"-

"He will have no choice. He knows the laws of Narnia's deep magic. Even he has no greater authority above the foundations of this world. As agreed, all traitors and deceivers are bound to me."-

"Then you do what you believe is the best course of action. This is your country and your custom after all."-

"At least we see one thing in common." Jadis turned towards the darkness of the night. "It will not be long before my Aslan's rule will end, when the prophecy will fail, and when I reign over all of Narnia forever."-


	60. Converge

Converge

Morning came as quickly dusk ended the day before. Peter emerged from his tent, finding Riku, Sora, and the others slumbering in the grass.

"Riku, Sora," Peter uttered. Riku was the first to wake.

"Oh, good morning, Peter." He replied. "That was a long night last night. But I still can't believe its morning already."

"Five more minutes," Sora grumbled, still slumbering away, "Five more minutes…"

"When did you get back?" Peter asked.

"We just got in a couple hours ago." Riku replied. "We just decided to sleep out here for the remainder of the night."

"What happened?"-

"Well, we managed to save your brother Edmund."-

"Really, where is he?"-

"He's over there." Riku pointed towards the hillside. There Edmund stood talking to Aslan. "Aslan wanted to have a talk with him." Peter glanced long and hard at his brother.

"Edmund…" he uttered.

"Well, if you don't mind," Riku stretched his arms and yawned, "I'll lay around for a little while longer."

"Go right ahead. You need the rest, my friend." Riku smiled and laid his head on the soft grass. Within seconds, he was asleep again.

Peter stepped out towards where Aslan and Edmund were conversing. At this time, Suzanne and Lucy emerged from their tent and happened to spot their brother upon the hillside.

"Edmund," Lucy cried. She hoped to rush to her brother, but Peter drew his hand before her, preventing her from advancing any further. Aslan and Edmund looked down upon the three other children. The mighty lion nodded his head and Edmund descended to greet his brother and sisters. Timidly, he walked towards them, knowing of the hard times he put them through. When the siblings reunited, there was some tension and Edmund did not know how they would take his presence. Especially his older brother, Peter, who had been upset with him since they first came to be in Narnia. Aslan took his place amongst the four, hoping to ease the tension.

"What's done is done." He said. "There is no need to speak to Edmund about what is past." Gracefully, the lion king withdrew, leaving the siblings to reminisce. Edmund looked upon the eyes of his brother and sisters. Summoning his strength, and tossing away his pride for that brief moment, Edmund was the first to break the silence.

"Hello…" he uttered, lowering his head humbly.

Lucy was the first to approach her brother. Instead of sarcasm or scorn as they had showed towards him before, she openly embraced her older brother, welcoming him back. Edmund was glad, wrapping his arms around his sister. Suzanne smiled and placed her hand upon his shoulder, following up with a hearty hug.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm a little tired." Edmund replied.

"Get some sleep." Peter implied. Edmund could see, however, that his brother was still rather angry with him. So, he withdrew only glancing at Peter one before retiring to the tent. But this tension diminished, when Peter turned with a smile. "And Edmund, try not to wander off."

Edmund returned his affections before continuing on his way. He passed by the slumbering key bearers, Goofy, and Donald. Sora happened to wake up a little to find Edmund passing him.

"I bet your brother and sisters are glad to have you back, eh Ed?" he uttered.

"I guess so." Edmund replied. "I don't think that they're angry with me."

"Why should they be? You're safe and sound and that's all that matters."-

"I suppose so…" Edmund continued to the tent, but stopped a second time. "By the way, I never got to thank you and your friends for saving my life."

"It's nothing to it. You are after all a king of Narnia."-

"I didn't by chance catch your name."-

"My name's Sora." The key bearer said.

"Please to meet you."-

"Well, you better go rest up. It looks like you could use it." Edmund nodded and entered the tent.

"Perhaps that kid knows now that true power doesn't come from position or possession, or even promise of reward." Riku suddenly uttered.

"You're awake?" Sora asked.

"I couldn't help overhear your conversation." The silver haired key bearer sat up on his elbows. "He's gone through that same transformation that I went through. You think that your friends and your family aren't enough, that you need more to become more, if not the most important. But in the end, your importance only falls upon those who love you the most."

"Yeah…" Sora and laid his head back on the grass and lulled in a daze. Riku rested his head too and fell asleep once again.

As the day wore on, Edmund and the KH team awoke from their lazy siestas refreshed and renewed. A meal was set out for them, so they began to feast away.

"Nothing like lunch to fill our stomachs," Goofy said.

"The people in Narnia certainly know how to cook." Donald added.

"It's been a while since we had a decent meal." Riku implied.

"You said it." Sora added. Edmund, at one point, continuously gobbled several slices of buttered toast.

"Narnia's not going to run out of toast, Ed." Lucy giggled, watching her brother indulge his pallet.

"I'm sure they'll pack something up for the journey back." Peter uttered. The four siblings and the KH team heard this declaration and stopped their munching for the time being.

"What was that?" Goofy uttered, his mouth full of food.

"You're leaving?" Donald asked.

"We're going home?" Lucy wondered.

"You are." Peter replied. He turned towards his siblings. "I promised mum I'd keep you three safe. But it doesn't mean I can't stay behind and help." Lucy then looked about at the countless faces of Aslan's soldiers, whose hopes and dreams rested upon their shoulders.

"But they need us, all four of us, all of us here."-

"Your sis has a point there, kid." Riku implied. "This country needs you more than ever."

"Please brother…"-

"Lucy, it's too dangerous." Peter said. "We almost lost our lives because of the white witch. Edmund was almost killed if it wasn't for Riku and his friends coming to aid him."

"That's why we have to stay." Edmund uttered, lowering his eyes. "I've seen what the white witch can do. And I've helped her do it. And we can't leave these people behind to suffer for it."

"Edmund…" Lucy said, placing her hand upon her brothers.

"That's the spirit." Donald said.

"Yeah," Goofy added, "Ya gotta think positive."

"Just do what you think is right." Riku implied.

"Just follow your heart." Sora added. "It's a concept that we've always known. If you only listen to your heart, and follow it faithfully, you will know the right path to take." There was a sudden silence, a positive quiet that came over the party. Suzanne smiled and lifter herself to her feet.

"I suppose that's it then." She said. She walked over to her tent and grasped her bow.

"Where are you going?" Peter asked.

"To get in some practice."-

"Man," Sora uttered, "I can tell this about your sister, Pete. Once she has here mind set on something, there's no deterring her."

"I've known that fact all my life."-

"Well, if Suzanne's going to get in some practice," Edmund said, "I find it best that we be ready too."

"You said it." He and Peter stood up and reached for their swords and shields.

"Hey, Riku," Sora said, "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"You care to duel me?" Riku replied, enthusiastically. The two key bearers jumped up and headed for the field.

"Hey wait for us!" Donald shouted. "C'mon Goofy, let's go!"

"Okie Dokie," Goofy replied. He snatched one last piece of toast and quickly gobbled it up before joining his other comrades in their practice.

The party spent some time at the training grounds, where a series of obstacles were set up. Suzanne practiced drawing and releasing her bow, hitting a target at least fifty yards away. Her faith in the bow allowed the arrows to fly smoothly, striking the center of the target every time. Riku and Sora, sparred with Goofy and Donald, seeing who could outdo the other through proper coordination. At the same time, the two brothers were mounted upon steeds, Peter on a white unicorn and Edmund on a brown stallion.

"Look at that." Sora said, admiring the two boys galloping upon their steeds. "They're getting good at combat, especially at their age."

"Don't forget," Riku added, "You and I were at that age when we were sparring."

"Very true."-

"C'mon Ed," Peter instructed, "Sword point up like Oreius showed us."

"En guard," Edmund replied.

"Now block." The two clashed their blades almost in sport. Their friends and family couldn't help but admire them, dropping their own activity to watch them.

However, their sparring was interrupted by Mr. Beaver who was rushing over to them.

"Peter," he cried, "Edmund!" Edmund's stallion bucked upward and whinnied as if frightened. Ed tried to calm the horse down.

"Whoa horsie." He said. The horse calmed down and looked back at his rider.

"My name is Phillip." He grumbled. The thought of a talking horse surprised the boy.

"Oh, sorry,"-

"What's going on?" Peter asked.

"The witch has demanded a meeting with Aslan." Mr. Beaver replied. "She's on her way here."

"The witch is coming?" Goofy asked.

"That's what the beaver said." Donald replied.

"Well, we better head back to camp." Sora suggested. "She might try and start something."

"Good point," Peter said. "Let's head back." The party quickly withdrew from the training fields and back towards the encampment, where Jadis would make her appearance.

There was great commotion in the camp as the large body of the witch's escort marched in with parade like fanfare. Jadis was seated atop her throne with four strong guards, consisting of Cyclopes, carrying her carriage. Just behind the queen's carriage, Brigadier General Hastings and some of his officers were present. The witch's driver, the dwarf, proclaimed her presence, declaring it as royalty.

"Make way," he shouted, "Make way for Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Empress of the Lone Islands!" Her very presence caused scorn and decent amongst Aslan's soldiers.

"Go away, you don't be long here!" they would shout in choruses. Peter and his siblings, alongside the KH team, stood to the side, near Aslan's tent. Aslan himself awaited the witch's approach.

"So that's Jadis, eh?" Sora said. "She doesn't look so tough."

"Beware, Sora," Edmund uttered, "She's more dangerous than she seems."

The witch's escort stopped not more than fifty feet from Aslan, surrounded by his soldiers. The carriage bearers lowered their leader and Jadis, in a sparkling, snow white dress, and pale skin, descended from where she was seated. She stepped forth before the mighty beast. She then happened to glance, spotting Edmund amongst his friends and siblings. She sneered.

"You have a traitor in your midst, Aslan." She said.

"His offense was not against you." Aslan replied.

"Have you forgotten the laws upon which Narnia was built?" Jadis's arrogant mockery angered Aslan. He replied with a stern voice and a mingled roar.

"Do not recite the deep magic to me, witch. I was there when it was written."-

"Then you'll remember well that every traitor belongs to me. His blood is my property."-

"Try and take him then!" Peter shouted, drawing his sword to protect his brother. The KH team took their places, in case a battle was to erupt. Jadis's guard was stood their ground, ready to fight. But Peter's brave declaration did not deter the witch.

"Do you really think that mere force will deny me my right, little king?" she scoffed. "Aslan knows that unless I have blood, as the law demands, all of Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water!" She pointed her scepter at Edmund. "That boy will die on the stone table as is tradition." She turned towards Aslan. "You dare not refuse me!"

"Enough," Aslan declared, "I will talk with you alone." The lion turned about and entered his tent. The witch followed in pursuit. She entered the tent, leaving them alone to discuss terms of compromise. There was murmuring on both sides, wondering what resolve would conclude the minute the two opposing rulers emerged once again.

Time seemed to pass by slowly as both friend and foe awaited side by side; anxiously awaiting what was being discussed. Tensions were strained as both sides seemed to eye one another from time to time.

"I'm surprised that those freaks with the witch haven't started something." Sora uttered.

"I know what you mean." Riku added, "But then again, they are in no position to start any trouble. They wouldn't stand a chance."

"Either that," a voice said, "or perhaps there are greater plans to be fulfilled." The KH team turned to find none other than Brigadier General Hastings standing no more than ten feet behind them.

"Who are you?" Donald asked.

"There's no need for introductions." Riku said. "I know who you are. You must be Brigadier General Hastings of the Aryan Faction."

"I see that my reputation precedes me." Hastings walked up to the key bearers. "And you must be Riku and Sora, the mighty wielders of the keyblades, am I correct?"

"What is it that the Imperial Axis wants here in Narnia?" Sora asked.

"If you really must know, we hope to gain favor with the queen and create a powerful ally. Also, this world has numerous resources. It would come in handy to expand the territories of the Imperial Axis."-

"Is that so? We know your true intensions though."-

"Really…"-

"We know that you're only hoping to help the queen until you're victorious before disposing with her." Riku said.

"You have me all wrong." Hastings implied. "We're here for one real purpose." The general folded his arms in front of him. "We're here to lure you to this world. And that's when we kill you."

"Then why wait…" Riku drew out his keyblade.

"Now, now, do not be so hasty to die. After all it wouldn't be fitting for you and I to do battle yet, Noctin Tilandir. I would prefer to see you fight on the open field against the might of the Aryan Faction. It would only be fitting for heroes of your status to fall amidst a grand battle. At least I'll give you that dignity. That way the history books will say that you fell gallantly, but in vain upon the field of battle, instead of it saying that you died by the hands of an assassin amidst an important military council." Hastings turned about with arrogance and pride. "I'll see you two on the battlefield." The general thus withdrew with a guffaw.

"What a bastard…" Sora uttered.

"I can tell you this much, Sora." Riku implied. "History will be written, but not in the way he tells it to be. We will fight upon the battlefield, but with victorious results. We'll just see how cocky that guy is when we have him sprawling."

"Yeah…"-

It was then, from out of the tent. Aslan and Jadis emerged. The group of soldiers stood up attentively and looked to the two rulers. There was silence as the lion and the witch reappeared. They wondered what outcome had been reached. The witch walked towards her carriage, but made no advance towards Edmund. Instead, she seated herself upon her throne with only a cold stare made to the boy. Aslan stood before his troops.

"She has renounced her claim on the son of Adam's blood." He declared. Immediately, there was uproar from the soldiers of Narnia.

"Hurrah!" they would shout.

"How do I know your promise will be kept?" Jadis asked. Aslan, already angered by her arrogance, roared and growled ferociously, startling the witch. She fell upon her carriage throne, stunned. There was sudden laughter and cheering from Aslan's soldiers. They mocked the so called queen as she withdrew out of the camp. Smiles and hope had returned to the faces of the Pevensies, the KH team, and Aslan's troops, but little Lucy, upon looking at the face of the noble king, realized that a bargain had been made, but one that somehow scarred Aslan deeply. Then again, Riku was also aware of this sudden change in mood on the lion's face.

It was later that night, when many of the troops had retired, and all was quiet, that Alan emerged from his tent. He silently snuck about through the camp, hoping that no one would see him, but his stealth was not all concealing, as he caught a suspicious eye. Nestled against a rock, arms folded in front of him, Riku stood, his eyes closed in meditation.

"And where might you be going so late at night?" he asked Aslan. The lion stopped and sighed.

"You were waiting for me this entire time, weren't you, Riku." He replied.

"Whatever compromise you made with the witch earlier today, it must've been a heavy price for you." Aslan lowered his ears and sighed again. Riku pushed himself from off of the rock and approached Aslan. "You bargained your life as a sacrifice in exchange for Edmund's didn't you. I could tell by that sadness in your eye."

"In order to prevent this world from coming to a cataclysmic end, the laws of the Deep Magic have to be appeased. It involves the destinies of every living thing in this world. To go against it would be wrong in itself and Narnia would pay a heavy price. That is why the witch must have a life in order to maintain that balance. She, despite being as evil as she is, has her purpose here as well. She is not exempted from out of Narnia's creation."-

"Yet you're so openly willing to sacrifice your life?" Riku asked.

"From what I understand from Sneer," Aslan continued, "You did the same for your friend Sora in a place called Gombria." Riku recalled that moment six years before, when he too sacrificed his life for his friend. "We find it noble to sacrifice our lives for those we love, or for some greater purpose, even though we tend to fear it. But such a selfless act will always be looked upon as heroism by those affected in a positive way."

"But if a battle does erupt against Jadis,"-

"You will have Peter, Edmund, Lucy, and Suzanne to lead the campaign."-

"But are you sure it would be wise to leave such a grave matter into the hands of four kids?"-

"It's happened before in the past, even from your own as I understand it."-

"I guess so."-

"There is nothing to fear. I shall return."-

"You will?" Riku asked. "But how could that be when you're sacrificing your life?"

"I understand the Deep Magic better than the witch does. She demands a life for a life as well as a sacrifice to appease the Deep Magic and maintain balance. But the matter of who she sacrifices also matters. When a willing victim who has committed no treachery sacrifices him or herself in a traitor's stead, then even death itself would turn backwards. Had the witch interpreted this as well, she would have known better."-

"So you will be resurrected and I have nothing to worry about then, right?"-

"That is correct." Aslan looked at the key bearer. "But just for the sake of the others' concerns, don't tell them about what we discussed. I don't want Peter or the others to come and try to aid me."

"I understand."-

"Then I bid you farewell, key bearer."-

"And good bye to you too, Aslan. For now…" Aslan nodded and continued on his way, into the darkness, towards the direction of the stone table. But no sooner had Aslan departed, Riku found himself being watched from the shadows.

"Riku," a voice uttered. The key bearer turned to find Sora, Donald, and Goofy standing not too far away, just behind one of the tents.

"How long have you three been standing there?" he asked.

"Long enough," Sora said. He walked up to his friend. "We heard everything. Is it true that Aslan is planning to sacrifice himself?" Riku only nodded silently. "We have to stop him."

"It's no use. This world needs to be appeased by a sacrifice and Aslan has given up his life in exchange for Edmund's."-

"Still, we can't just let him go off to certain death, knowing what we know."-

"He'll be back though. You just have to have faith in him." Riku placed his hand on Sora's shoulder. "Besides, we can't get too deeply involved. That would be meddling, right Donald."

"That's right." Donald replied.

"Don't worry; all we have to do is make sure that nothing happens to Peter and his siblings."-

"But shouldn't we tell the others?" Goofy asked.

"No," Riku assured them, "Aslan wants his sacrifice to be confidential, so no one would try and intervene, or attempt to persuade him otherwise. Strictly between the four of us, this encounter with Aslan never took place and we were never here to begin with, understood?"-

"Understood…" the three replied.

"Word will eventually reach Peter and the others, but not by us. Now, let's get some sleep."-

"Yeah…" Sora uttered. The three quickly withdrew back to their quarters, so as not to be missed by anyone. Little did they realize that as Aslan drew nearer to the stone table, Lucy and Suzanne had also intervened and were now accompanying the king that night. Eventually, though without incident, Aslan was sacrificed upon the stone table, but not before undergoing humiliating torments, being bound, muzzled, and shaved of his mane, at the same time being mocked by Jadis's soldiers. Soon after his death, in the early hours of the morning, word was eventually sent back to Peter and the others by way of the trees.

It occurred during the early hours of the morning when word was sent. A spirit of a cherry blossom tree entered the tent of the slumbering princes. Peter, feeling the spirit's presence, he quickly jumped from his bed and drew his sword.

"Be still my princes," the spirit uttered, "I bring grave news from your sisters."

In the meantime, Riku, Sora, and the others were once again asleep under the quiet evening sky, next to a roaring fire. Their slumbering was interrupted though, by the sound of the horn, arousing the troops, and rushing feet running every which way.

"Hey, Riku," Sora uttered groggily, rubbing his eyes, "Something's up." Riku sat up from his sleep to find soldiers everywhere, arisen from their own sleep, and gathering their weapons. "You think they found out?"

"Without a doubt," Riku replied. The key bearers stood up. "Let's get to Peter and the others."

"Right," Sora turned to Goofy and Donald who slowly arose, "C'mon you two."

"What's happening?" Goofy asked.

"Where are we going?" Donald added.

"We're getting ready for battle." Sora explained. "We're going to see Peter." The KH team rallied and rushed towards Peter's tent. But they only soon realized that Peter and Edmund were in fact in front of Aslan's tent with Oreius, as if having a temporary military council. Peter had just come out of the tent, this solemn look upon his face. "There they are."

"She's right," they heard Peter utter, "He's gone." He looked up to find Sora and the others approaching them. "Aslan is gone, Sora. We just received word from Lucy and Suzanne. They were with him in the end and witnessed his death."

"We know." Sora implied.

"You already knew?"-

"Yes…"-

"But how…?" Edmund asked.

"We encountered Aslan last night while he was leaving." Riku explained. "He told us everything."

"Why didn't you stop him?"-

"It was his destiny."-

"He will come back though." Goofy said.

"He'll come back?" Peter uttered.

"Over time," Sora added.

"But even as we speak," Oreius said, "even with Aslan's sacrifice, the witch still intends to battle us." There was a silence amongst the group. Edmund turned to his brother.

"Then you'll have to lead us." He remarked. Peter, however, was not entirely confident and Ed saw it in his face. "Peter, there's an army out there and it's ready to follow you."

"He's right, Peter." Sora said. "You are the high king after all."

"You'll have to take charge from here on out, kid." Riku added.

"I can't…" Peter uttered. He lowered his head.

"Aslan believed you could." Edmund said. "And so do I." There was another pause as Peter pondered at the situation.

"We all believe in you, Pete!" Goofy remarked with encouragement.

"We'll be there by your side!" Sora added.

"It's all for one and one for all." Donald assured them.

"You have strong allies by you." Riku implied, resting his hand upon the boy's shoulder. "We'll do all in our power to aid you." Peter only smiled and lowered his eyes again.

"The witch's army is nearing, sire." Oreius said. "What are your orders?" Peter stood tall.

"Rally the troops!" he instructed. "Tell them to form up and head out as fast as they can." He looked upon the map of Narnia before him. He pointed to a vast field in the north. "We will fight them here."

"Yes."-

"Then head out!" Oreius bowed respectfully and withdrew to inform the other officers. He turned to the key bearers. "Riku, Sora, stay close to me."

"Right…!" Sora replied.

"Donald, Goofy," Riku said, "Get back to the gummi ship and have it ready to go into battle."

"There's no need to go back to the ship." Donald assured him. "I can just use the capsule gummies right here in my pocket." Donald reached for the case holding the portable gummies only to find that it wasn't there. "Just a moment, let me just…" He searched his other pockets, but still no sign of the box he was searching for. "Well, where the heck did I put it."

"You had it tucked away in the glove compartment that last time I saw it." Sora implied.

"Marvelous…" Donald folded his arms in front of him. "Now when I need those portables the most, I don't have them."-

"Just head back to the ship we left behind then."-

"Why didn't I just capsule that one in the first place?"-

"Well," Goofy said, "what if you lost the box by mistake? Then we'd have no way to escape."

"True…"-

"Anyway," Riku continued, "Just head back and retrieve the ship and have it ready for combat. Once you've reached the battlefield, try and attack from the flank, but don't let the Aryan Faction detect you. No doubt that Hastings has brought along gatlers and long ranged artillery. Aim for the faction's heavy armaments and deprive them of their fire capability."

"We gotcha," Donald said. "Goofy, let's go."

"Right…!" Goofy replied.

"What a time to leave the other capsule gummies back on the ship."-

"Oh well, no use crying over spilled milk." The two withdrew to retrieve the gummi.

"Peter," Riku continued, "You plan on fighting on this vast field right?"

"Of course," Peter replied.

"I would suggest using aerial attack with the gryphons and birds, using rocks."-

"Very well…"-

"Concentrate on the flanks of the advancing enemy." Riku suggested. He pointed to a series of cliffs just south of the field. "And use this rocky outcrop as a defense, in case you are forced to withdraw."

"Edmund," Peter advised, "You take command of our forces in the rocky terrain. Have the archers placed on top of the Cliffside and provide a volley fire if we are pushed back."

"I understand." Edmund replied.

"We'll be facing an enemy far greater in numbers than us." Sora said. "And with the faction's advanced weaponry, we'll have to be very precarious on how we deploy our troops."

"Then we'll send our forces in waves." Peter said. "I'll take the lead of the front wave."

"We should try and surround them as best we can." Riku advised. "Attack their flanks."

"Very well,"-

"Then our battle plan is set." Edmund said.

"Let's go." The two brothers and the two key bearers adjourned their meeting and withdrew to lead the troops and enter the grand battle that would take place the next day.

The day came faster than anyone had expected. It was here that vast ranks of Aslan's troops were assembled amidst the rocky cliffs and narrow passages. At the very front, mounted on his white unicorn, Peter sat observing the vast field before him. He was now dressed in eloquent and shining armor with a king's war helmet upon his head. Oreius stood next to him, stern and vigilant. Acting as personal bodyguards, Riku and Sora stood tall, their keyblades at the ready. On the cliffs above, Edmund, dressed in kingly armor as well, stood side by side with Mr. Beaver and the archer columns.

"Look at that field." Sora said, gazing over the vast grass plains before them. "It's so green. I'd hate to battle on it."

"No use trying to avoid that." Riku implied. "In a few minutes, that field will be soaked red with blood and covered with the mangled bodies of many soldiers."

"Then let it be the enemy's."-

"Has there been any word from Goofy and Donald?"-

"Not yet."-

"I just hope that they get here soon. We can't fight this battle without air support."-

From the sky above, a gryphon, who had been scouting the area, came back to relay the news. He swooped before Aslan's soldiers before landing next to Peter to give his report.

"They come, Your Highness," he said, "In numbers and weapons far greater than our own."

"Numbers do not win a battle." Oreius remarked.

"That's right." Sora said. "What's the point of having large numbers if the soldiers themselves are novices?"

"You're not worried about us not having superior numbers are you, kid?" Riku asked.

"No," Peter uttered, "but I bet they help."

From across the field, the sound of blowing horns and beating drums could be heard. Then, in the distance, a small figure appeared upon a boulder. It was the Minotaur General. The general gave a lowing cry and over the ridge, banners bearing the symbol of the white witch appeared. Then vast ranks of soldiers, like a black ocean, emerged wailing and whooping in battle readiness. Dwarfs, hobgoblins, Cyclopes, trolls, Minotaurs, werewolves, giants, and hideous creatures of every kind, dressed in black uniforms, appeared in masses. Like a large rabble they advanced. And leading the head of the charge was none other than the white witch herself, dressed in a heavy chain mail dress, wearing a dragons crown and scepter in hand, Jadis rode upon a heavy chariot, pulled by two large polar bears. And behind them were at least fifty gatler tanks of the Aryan Faction followed by the organized military battalions of the infantry forces.

General Hastings and his subordinates observed from the rear, seeing the condensed forces of Aslan's troops.

"The brat intends to confront us with so very few," one subordinate uttered, "What a fool he must be."

"The boy is a poor strategist." Hastings replied. "Our advanced weaponry will blow them off from atop those rocks and Jadis' troops will overwhelm them and run them over like grass." He turned to his officers. "Have our heavy gatling guns unleashed first. No doubt that they'll initiate an aerial attack, using birds and every manifestation of flying creatures as their primary strike to slow down the queen's advancing columns. Concentrate all Gatling power focused in the air and keep those buzzards at bay."

"Yes sir."-

"And inform the queen that we're ready to execute the battle plan. She may begin her advance as soon as she's ready."-

"I understand."-

A runner was sent to the front line where the witch awaited confirmation. She glared across the field with sinister intensions. She watched Aslan's army cheering away to boost their morale.

"Look at those fools," She uttered to herself, "At least their spirits are high. It would be a shame to defeat them when their morale is low." She then observed her own line and the soldiers of evil determined to follow her. "Within the next hour, Narnia will be all mine." It was then that the runner from Hastings arrived. The soldier of the Aryan Faction knelt humbly besides her chariot.

"Your Majesty," he said, "Word from Brigadier General Hastings. He says that the troops are in position and the strategy, he is to commence with, is confirmed. You need only to give the order to advance."

"Is that so? Then so be it." She turned to the Minotaur general who stood at the ready next to her. "Give the order to advance. We crush them today."

"Understood…" The oxen commander replied.

"And one more thing, I have no interest is prisoners. Kill them all." The Minotaur general acknowledged and gave the order to advance. Like rumbling thunder, the thousands of soldiers advanced across the field in a furious charging speed.

The rumbling of the advancing troops caused the ground to shake and stir a low series of booms like distant thunder. Sora could feel their advance growing closer and closer as the shaking beneath his feet grew more intense.

"My knees are either giving way," he uttered, "Or it's the rumbling of the soldiers on the field."

"You're not the only one." Riku said. "I feel their rumble too."

"Oh well, let them come. We're ready."-

"Any word from your comrades?" Peter asked.

"Not yet." Riku implied. "But knowing Goofy and Donald, they've never let us down yet."

"Then, we'll just have to make due with what we have for now." Peter drew out his sword. He waited for the opportune moment, when the enemy was close enough to try and not commence a counter attack. Like locusts, the enemy swarmed across the field. Peter then drew his sword before him, executing the first phase of the attack. From out of the sky, a great manifestation of birds and mythical flying creatures appeared with rocks of all shapes and sizes clutched in their claws and talons. There was a great cheer as the aerial strike began.

"Look to the sky!" the Minotaur general shouted, as he observed the waves of flying beasts.

"Aim your gatling guns!" Hastings ordered from the rear. "Commence firing!"

Immediately, as if acknowledging the orders that same moment, the Gatling guns from each of the tanks fired away. The barrage of bullets struck down many of the birds and beasts were killed before they would drop their projectiles. However, the aerial participants who survived dropped their projectiles upon the advancing columns, killing many in the front. So even despite the Gatling guns acting as anti-aerial support, Aslan's forces were still able to deploy their attack successfully.

"Make ready for the second wave." Peter said.

"Understood…" Riku replied. Riku drew out his keyblade and swung it high into the air. From the right flank, an even larger force of birds appeared, swooping down with rocks clutched tightly in their claws. They swooped down even lower and threw their rocks upon the queen's soldiers, taking them out by the files.

"There's a second aerial attack on our left flank." One of Hastings subordinates said.

"An attack on the left flank," Hastings uttered. "Well, this is unexpected. Shoot them down!"

"Aim for the second wave!" The gatler tanks aimed their guns to aid the left flank. The guns bore upon the birds, killing and wounding many of them in mid-air.

"Deploy the final aerial wave." Peter instructed.

"Leave it to me." Sora said. He drew up his keyblade and made the same gesture as Riku did before. From their left, and the faction's right, another condensed wave of birds and flying beasts appeared over the horizon and deployed a great manifestation of boulders. This sudden attack again caught the faction forces off guard.

"Another attack from the air." The subordinate in charge said. "This time, they are striking at our right flank.

"Another wave," Hasting growled. "We seem to have underestimated the strength and ingenuity of our foe. What effect has the aerial sweep had on the queen's troops?"

"They're still attacking at an unrelenting speed."-

"Not surprising, our superior numbers aren't the least bit affected."-

The aerial attack, though taking down many of the advancing ranks, was not devastating enough to deter the queen's charge. It was apparent that only a defensive assault could wear them down. Peter looked to Oreius.

"Are you with me?" he asked.

"To the death," Oreius replied.

"Same goes for us too." Sora added.

"Then let's begin the advance." Peter proclaimed. He held his sword high, "For Narnia and for Aslan!"

"Let's get 'em, Riku!" Sora shouted.

"It'll be my pleasure." Riku replied. He accumulated his energy. From around him, seven fire spheres appeared. The key bearer prepared to unleash Cinder Canister. "Let's see ho you guys fair against this!" he deployed the seven spheres and they went crashing into the ranks of the attacking enemy. Great scores were eliminated as the balls erupted in massive explosions of flame.

This attack caught everyone off. Hastings watched this outcome as fire bellowed high.

"Where did those explosions come from?" he wondered.

"It's the key bearers." He subordinate uttered. "They unleashed the attack."

"It can't be. No one person has that much strength. Even Jadis lacks that kind of power."-

The witch too was stunned at what she saw.

"That fire," she said, "what kind of magic can be so destructive."

The two key bearers and their comrades watched as the witch's front ranks began to scatter about.

"Most impressive..." Oreius said.

"Let's get 'em." Riku implied. With haste, he and Sora took the head of the charge.

"Forward!" Peter cried. Like water pouring from a broken dam, Aslan's army attacked full force. Both sides yelled ferociously as they clambered against each other. With impressive speed, they charged until finally, as if everything went silent for the moment, the opposing foes slammed into each other and an eruption of clashing steel and cutting of flesh could be heard. The fighting was chaotic as it seemed as if soldier after soldier was slain, or severely maimed. Riku and Sora kept close to Peter, making sure that nothing happened to him. They unleashed powerful attacks that defeated scores of enemies. Thousands of men fell around them.

"Maintain your ranks!" Peter commanded. "Keep fighting, push them back!"

Aslan's army maintained a strong defense.

"Such fools they are." The witch proclaimed. She drew her chariot forward and the second wave marched into battle.

Hastings observed the advance.

"The queen is sending in the second wave." He said. "Then let us execute the final plan."

"Sir…" the subordinate replied. He gave the order.

From both flanks of Aslan's army, thousands of Heartless and Nobodies appeared. Like a pestilence, the forces of black and white converged with the witch's own advancing columns, pounding into Aslan's ranks with great fury.

"Riku," Sora shouted, as he struck down a Minotaur, "Look, heartless and Nobodies!"

"Damn it!" Riku uttered. "What a time for them so show up!" Riku started heading towards the flank the heartless were attacking. "I better take care of them!"

"But what about Peter?"-

"Stay here and keep him supported." Riku rushed off to take care of the heartless first.

"Be careful!" Sora cried.

"I will. You stay safe too!"-

Riku ran to where the heartless were condensing. Using the power of the manipulation stone, he turned a great number of the heartless against each other, using them to battle their own fellow heartless and the queen's soldiers. Hastings observed this sudden change in tactics.

"What's this?" he uttered. "Noctin Tilandir has the ability to manipulate the heartless? But how can that be? This changes the strategy completely."

"What do we do, sir?" the subordinate asked.

"We kill the child of darkness! Concentrate all fire power to stopping him!"-

"Sir…!"

The gatlers began to fire at Riku. Riku saw this and quickly dodged and blocked each attack using his darkness shield. Sora saw the danger that his friend was in.

"Riku's in trouble." He said.

"Go to him, Sora." Peter advised.

"But I can't leave you, Pete."-

"I'll be alright. Oreius is here with me too. Go aid your friend."-

"Thank you." Sora ran off to aid Riku while Peter continued to battle against the oncoming hordes of hideous anthroes.

At the same time, Jadis' second wave was nearing the area of battle. From the cliff side above, Edmund saw the situation.

"They won't stand a chance against those kinds of odds." He said. He looked to one of the centaur archers. "Fire…!" The archer drew back her bow and unleashed a fire arrow. From the arrow, a phoenix appeared and swooped down in a pillar of fire. It touched upon the grass on the field and sealed the gap between the fighting forces and the witch's second wave with a wall of flames. The strategy was to keep the second wave at bay while Peter's units eliminated the first wave. There was a cheer in seeing the separation, but it was short lived.

"Imbeciles…" Jadis chuckled. She aimed her scepter and diminished the flames as easily as fire atop a candle's wick. Immediately, the second wave charged in with immense fury. The soldiers in the front ranks were easily overwhelmed, three to four soldiers of the queen's for every one of Peter's troops. It was apparent that maintaining a defense would be futile.

"We're being overwhelmed!" a soldier cried. Peter clearly saw that further resistance was futile.

"Fall back!" he ordered. "Draw them to the rocks!"

"We're retreating?" Riku asked.

"We'll be overwhelmed here on the open field." Sora implied. "Let's fight them where they can't easily maneuver."

"I guess you're right. It's useless to die here." Riku turned to the troops. "Fall back! By order of King Peter, fall back!"

"Fall back!" an officer cried.

"Withdraw!" another shouted. A chorus of pullback and retreat sounded and the soldiers quickly withdrew, but in orderly fashion.

Hastings saw their opponents retreating.

"They realize now that further resistance proves useless." He chuckled, "Have the Gatlers give support fire on those rocks. Break up the opposition on the cliffs."

"Yes sir." The subordinate replied. "Commence battery fire!" Immediately, the gatlers began to fire their cannons against the cliff sides, pummeling many of the soldiers' ranks.

"What kind of magic is this that can kill people at such long distances?" Mr. Beaver asked.

"It's like the German army." Edmund uttered. He looked to his men. "Retreat, it's dangerous to stay here on the open cliff side." He instructed the troops, though he himself was in danger of being victim to an incoming shell.

"We have them on the run, men!" Hastings chuckled. "Send in our first wave to aid Jadis."

"Yes sir." The subordinate replied. "Shall I send in the Nobodies and Heartless as well?"

"No…"-

"But why not, sir, they may help turn the tide."-

"After seeing how Riku managed to manipulate those heartless into fighting against us? No, I will not take that chance. We make due with what we have. Only our soldiers will assist."-

"Sir…"

Bugles were sounded and drums began to pound and the first wave of faction soldiers, headed by ten Gatler tanks, began to push forward. Shot and shell rained down upon the concealed soldiers in the rocks.

"It's no use." Edmund said to himself. "Those tanks are preventing us from unleashing a volley fire to help Peter and the others."

It seemed as if the tide had turned completely against Peter and his soldiers. Due to the intervention of the faction's forces, the outdated tactics of Narnia's justice army faltered before the might of the Gatlers. Riku and Sora, being the only two accustomed for fighting against such foes, took matters into their own hands.

"Those Gatlers aren't going to be deterred that easily." Sora implied.

"We have to halt the advance somehow." Riku added. He looked about at the rocky terrain. "And I think I have a way to do it." He pointed to the narrow passages where the witch's troops were massing in. "Since they're condensed in those pathways,"

"I'm way ahead of you, Riku."-

The key bearers remained behind in the pass as their comrades withdrew to the safety of the rocky interior. Using their combined strength, using a combination of flame and wind, Sora's Twister Strike with Riku's Cinder Canister, they unleashed an Inferno Tornado, which swept amongst the enemy masses. Minotaurs and goblins were thrown about in fiery rage as the wind tossed them mid air and sent them plummeting to the ground. Sora then unleashed an energy wave that plowed into the oncoming soldiers. A Gatler tank that had taken charge of the Aryan Faction's advanced columns in the pass was destroyed when struck by the wave of energy. Its shields deactivated, the ironclad was the first Gatler tank to be lost in the battle. The unstable energy levels caused the metal vehicle to explode and spread debris around the battlefield close to where it exploded.

"Those are monsters." One Minotaur said.

"We don't stand a chance against them." A dwarf added. Several of the troops quickly turned and tried to flee, but they were caught off guard by the witch and were instantly turned to stone.

"There is no other direction except forward!" she shouted. "Anyone who dares to give up the fight will suffer the same consequences as these men!" The queen's troops knew they had no other choice in the matter. It was whether to turn and run or be killed by their own commander. The troops were hesitant, but slowly continued their advance.

In the meantime, Riku and Sora's stance in the pass caused Peter and his troops to regain confidence.

"Push them back!" Peter ordered. The soldiers counterattacked from every direction and descended to battle against Jadis. By this time, Edmund and his units joined the attack and were battling hard as well. For a moment, it seemed that hope had been restored to the dwindling force of royalists.

But hope once again turned in favor of Jadis. Some of the Gatler Tanks appeared from behind the rocks and started to fire round after round against the resistance. Explosions caused great clouds of dust to bellow and debris to scatter, knocking the soldiers off their feet. Hastings' infantry had stormed into the passes and over the stone boulders and were delivering volley fire with their automatic weaponry, killing and wounding scores of soldiers. The white witch, in the meantime, would smite her opponents, turning many of them to stone with her scepter. Even the key bearers had a hard time trying to hold off the oncoming waves.

"Ah man, c'mon already." Sora grumbled. "Enough's enough."

"They're not gonna let up just because we want them to." Riku said.

"We have to keep fighting!" Peter shouted. "Keep fighting for the preservation of Narnia!" He galloped up and down the line, rallying the troops to him. But before his declaration could be heard all around, a stray arrow struck down the white unicorn he rode upon, wounding it at the leg and throwing the young king off. Peter fell to the ground, where he lay for a minute or so before staggering to his feet. Edmund was the first to see his brother fall.

"Peter…!" he cried. He tried to rush to and aid his brother, but the opposition was too thick around him. At the same time, the key bearers saw the young prince fall.

"Riku," Sora said, "Peter's been hit!"

"Well, c'mon," Riku replied, "Let's get to him!" But before they could begin their rescue, several heavily armored Minotaurs appeared before them and began to swing ferociously at them with their blades. The key bearers were stalled for a while.

Oreius on the other hand, saw the danger, watching his king fall from his steed and being pursued by goblins and trolls.

"The king is in need of assistance!" he cried. He and several other soldiers quickly rushed to aid Peter. They slashed and cut through the thick wall of enemy troops, suffering numerous fatalities themselves. Oreius continued to lead the charge. He struck at foes left and right. Finding the path safe for the young king, he secured Peter and fought off the foes to the best of the strength. "You have to withdraw from here, Your Majesty." But as Oreius looked to the foe, he saw no more than a hundred yards from him, the white witch's chariot. "I shall end this here and now!" With double swords in hands, the gallant centaur rushed into the fray with only two soldiers and a white rhino to aid him.

"No, Oreius," Peter cried, "Come back!"

"Your Majesty," a soldier pleaded, "please, you must withdraw from here, we cannot spare you!"

"Oreius…!"-

Oreius chopped and hacked at the enemy soldiers, edging closer and closer to the witch. It was during this run that he encountered the Minotaur General who latched onto his armor at the gallop. But the centaur was undeterred and drove his twin swords into the back of the general. The dark Minotaur fell to his death, his loins digging into the dust. Oreius then drew out a large broad sword and leaped over the chariot of the witch. He turned and attempted to slay the sorceress, but Jadis was too quick and thrust her scepter deep into the centaur, turning the valiant soldier into stone.

"Oreius…!" Peter cried as his soldiers pulled him back to safety.

"Incompetence," Jadis said. She dismounted her chariot and joined the battle on foot, turning the opposition into stone wherever they were.

Amidst the rocks, both sides battled like animals, killing and slashing without a second thought and without mercy. The fight did not go well for the royalists as they were outmatched by the endless attacking battalions of the witch and the faction. By this time, Peter and Edmund had joined with Riku and Sora and now engaged for their very lives. Peter, however, saw the witch drawing nearer and nearer, hoping to end their lives. Seeing the vain attempt to resist any further, he turned to his brother.

"Edmund," he said, "There's too many. Get out of here now!"

"What…?" Edmund uttered.

"Get the girls and get them home!"-

"But Peter…!"-

"You heard him," Mr. Beaver said, pulling the young brother along. "Let's go!" Edmund for that moment allowed himself to be pulled away as he watched his brother grapple with a massive Minotaur.

"Sora," Riku said, "Go with Edmund! Keep him safe at all costs."

"But what about you, Riku?" Sora asked.

"Don't worry about me, just go!"-

"Hurry," Mr. Beaver cried, "Or you'll be left behind!" Sora knew the danger, but obeyed his friend's request faithfully.

Jadis, however, continued her relentless nearing towards young Peter. She was not interested in battling simple foot soldiers. Her primary concern was killing at least one of the Pevensie brothers before any further damage could be inflicted. Edmund, upon reaching an elevated area that could see the full scope of the battle, saw his brother in serious trouble. He and Riku were being completely surrounded by Minotaurs and goblins. Edmund, though fearing death, was not about to let his brother die as well. He drew out his sword and rushed back to the battlefield.

"Ed," Sora shouted, "Where are you going!"

"I'm going to help my brother." Edmund replied.

"Peter said get out of here!" Mr. Beaver said.

"Peter's not king yet."-

"Damn it, kid." Sora uttered. He rushed after Edmund to keep him safe.

In the meantime, Jadis edged closer to Peter, being no more than twenty feet away from him. She struck down and slew several more soldiers and turned many others to stone. She came almost within striking distance of the boy king when both Sora and Edmund appeared to face her.

"You…" she uttered. She swerved her scepter and sword about, attempting to confuse the two. Her main concern was Edmund, not Sora. Using her scepter, she drove the boy against a rock and thrust at him.

"Ed…!" Sora cried. He threw himself in front of the boy, taking the scepter's point. There was a flash of light and within seconds, the young key bearer had been turned to stone.

"Sora…!" Edmund cried. He sneered at the witch and charged forward. Before Jadis could withdraw her scepter, Edmund lunged forth, dodged and severed the head of the wand. Light bellowed from the scepter and it magic effects were diminished. Jadis was angered. She parried and knocked the sword from the boy king's hand. Then, with the sharpened stub of her want, she thrust it deep into Edmund's gut. The shard wand pierced through the clothing of the uniform and through the chain mail. Edmund bent over in pain, the blood dripping from the wound. He fell to the feet of Sora's stoned figure.

Riku and Peter happened to see the severe blows upon their comrades.

"Sora…" Riku shouted, gazing upon the now frozen figure of his young friend.

"Edmund…!" Peter cried, shocked at his seeing his brother fall. Immediately, his anger turned towards the witch. "You monster!"

"You'll pay for this!" both king and key bearer rushed against the witch. Jadis simply smirked and threw away her broken scepter in favor another fallen sword; she made ready to meet the tempered blows of the two young warriors.

"That's right, boys," she said, "come to me." The two young warriors clashed with the witch, but the sorceress proved just as deadly in hand to hand combat as she was with her scepter. Riku and Peter attacked simultaneously, but Jadis' defense was far too great. Even the might of the key bearer was not enough to battle against this adversary.

"Sora will be avenged!" Riku cried.

"Silence boy." Jadis replied. She slashed and thrust at Riku, using spinning attacks until at one point, she managed to knock the keyblade out of his hand then deal a severe knockout hit to his temple. Riku fell to the ground, his head nicking against a rock, causing some blood to spill. The young key bearer lay there, almost half dead, his keyblade far from his reach.

"Riku…!" Peter cried, watching a stream of blood trickle the key bearer's ghastly head wound. His rage grew even greater and he assaulted the witch. But Jadis was still just as potent and easily fended him off. For five minutes the two combated. But even still, the witch did not relent.

"You can't beat me, boy." Jadis chuckled. "I am too powerful for the likes of you."

"I'll make you suffer for what you did to my friends!"-

"You fool yourself, boy. This battle is mine." Peter knew the witch's words to be true. He looked around him as his troops were slaughtered by the oncoming enemy. Faction soldiers, Minotaurs, dwarves, and all manner of hobgoblins poured over the rocks and through the passes. It seemed at that moment defeat was inevitable.

But fate was not denied from Peter's efforts. Suddenly, in the distance, a mighty roar bellowed, which caught the attentions of both Peter and Jadis. Atop a large rock appeared a familiar face, the face of Narnia's true ruler, Aslan. He stood proudly upon the rock and roared out, causing the ground to reverberate.

"Impossible…" Jadis uttered.

"Aslan…?" Peter said. "It can't be…"

But it was true, Aslan had returned. And with him, an army ten thousand strong, consisting of cheetahs, jaguars and lions, of fawns, centaurs, and friendly giants, of dwarves, bears, and gryphons. Every noble group and every noble creature appeared alongside their king. And with Aslan were Suzanne and Lucy. Like a flood, the soldiers charged down from the heights, overwhelming the witch's forces, driving into them with immense fury. Even the soldiers of the Aryan faction were no match as they were attacked from the rear and sides of their columns. Giants toppled the gatler tanks like drum barrels, turning them onto their turrets. But Aslan's sudden resurrection was of no concern to Jadis, who turned her attention back to Peter. She struck at the boy king with her double swords, keeping the youth on his toes.

"Even if Aslan is still alive," she said, hacking away, "with you dead, the prophecy will never come true!"

Word was quickly sent to the rest of the Aryan Faction, who still stood at attention upon the vast fields. A messenger came to Hastings bearing bad news.

"There has been a turn of fate from the front, sir." The messenger implied.

"In what way?" Hastings asked.

"A large force of ten thousand troops is attacking us from the rear. They are commanded by Aslan."-

"Aslan, that's impossible. I saw him sacrificed on the stone table myself."-

"Well, whoever this new commander is, he certainly looks like Aslan. Our soldiers are requesting aid."-

"Requesting aid, to fight off primitive barbarians?"-

"Yes sir."-

"But the fools are still wearing armor."-

"Aid is needed, sir. What shall I tell them?" the messenger asked.

"I have to do everything around here. Send in another ten Gatlers and have them mow those idiots down with a hot spray of lead."-

"Understood…"-

"On second thought, to be on the safe side, send in the entire force over that hill and crush them completely."-

"Are you sure that's a wise maneuver, sir?" the subordinate asked.

"There is nothing to fear from Aslan's troops. They're simple peasants, nothing more."-

"Yes sir." The subordinate rallied the order and the entire force marched across the field. But no sooner had they begun their march when several explosions erupted. Eleven of the Gatlers were destroyed instantly. The explosions erupted amongst the men, killing many and causing the survivors to duck for cover.

"Those explosions," Hastings uttered, "Where did they come from?" Again there were more explosions amongst the men, but nothing was seen in the sky. "Where are the explosions coming from!"

"There's nothing up there, sir." A soldier shouted.

"Well, we can't be pummeled by thin air, that's not possible!"-

"Well, there's nothing up there!"-

"Sir," the subordinate shouted, "we're picking up a heat signature hovering over our airspace!" Hastings looked upward.

"They're using optical stealth." Hastings uttered. "It must be those damn key bearers and their bleeding gummi!" Hastings' prediction was correct. At the last minute, Goofy and Donald had finally arrived.

"We did it!" Goofy shouted as he watched the explosions bellow beneath them.

"Take that!" Donald added. Again, the gummi swooped by and bombarded the ranks of the faction.

"It's the KH team!" the subordinate cried. "Is has to be!"

"You think I don't know that!" Hastings shouted. "Don't just stand there you idiots, tell the tanks to activate their info red radars and shoot that ship down!"

"Sir…!"-

The order was relayed and the gatlers turned their attention to firing at the gummi ship that flew overhead. The shells exploded in mid air, hitting the gummi's protective shield and causing optical stealth to waver and the entire hull to shake.

"I think they found us." Goofy said.

"Not surprising." Donald replied. "Keep those shells from hitting us, Goofy!"

"I gotcha!"-

"We have to keep the faction away from the battle!"-

Despite the arrival of Aslan and the reinforcements, the battle continued on as the Aryan Faction and Jadis' forces maintained a strong offense against the royalists. Jadis continued her fight with Peter which lasted for several minutes. Back and forth, their blades sparked and ground against one another. Suddenly, the witch struck the back of Peter's armored boot and sent him falling to the ground. She then thrust her sword into the chain mail of his right arm, pinning it down. The blade grazed and cut the boy's flesh and he cried out. She then used the second sword to knock his shield from out of his hands.

"And so you die!" she shouted, drawing her sword up and ready to thrust the blade deep into Peter's chest. But before she could attempt to execute the final blow, Aslan, leading the charge, appeared before Jadis and leaped upon her. His pounce knocked the witch upon her back and threw the sword from her hand. For a time, Aslan and Jadis looked upon each other. There was a pause between the two opposing rulers. But Aslan knew that despite the witch's plea in her eyes, he would not let such evil thrive. Thus, with a lunge of his jaw and a bear of his razor fangs, he tore out the throat of the sorceress.

Peter could only watch in awe at the sight of the mighty lion, even when soldiers ran about around him. As if time seemed to still itself, the young king beheld the resurrected ruler of the realm.

"It is finished…" Aslan said.


	61. Battle for Narnia: Conclusion

Battle for Narnia: Conclusion

With the witch's dead, many of her soldiers began to loose heart and scattered in a disorganized retreat in every direction they pleased. Many were killed in their route, while others were taken prisoner. After the great battle, many were left dead and many more wounded on the field. Aslan had reunited with his people. Peter looked about at the devastation the battle had left.

"The battle against the witch is won." Aslan remarked. It was at this time that Lucy and Suzanne came running to their brother.

"Peter…!" Lucy cried, running up to him and hugging tightly. It was a happy reunion for the moment. Suzann on the other hand looked about for their younger brother.

"Where's Edmund?" she asked. Peter looked up at her, this worried look on his face. Suzanne knew that something bad had happened.

Only twenty feet away, Edmund lay dying with the deep stab wound forcing his blood to spill out of his body and stain his kingly uniform. His troubles were not over yet. Jadis' dwarf driver, who had survived the battle only slightly wounded, edged closer and closer to the young king, hoping to smite him with sudden death. He raised his axe over the boy's head.

"You will die for my queen." The dwarf uttered. But Peter and the others appeared in the knick of time.

"Edmund…!" Suzanne cried. She drew back her bow and shot an arrow at the dwarf, slaying him. The three siblings rushed over to the younger of the two brothers. "What are we going to do?"

"I know…!" Lucy replied. She drew out from her cloak, a vial of fire flower elixir and dropped a tiny bit into her brother's mouth. Edmund stirred for a moment or two then fell silent as if dead. His siblings feared him to be so until he stirred again. He opened his eyes and looked about to find his brother and sisters gazing down on him. Edmund sat up.

"I feel alright now." He uttered. Peter, Lucy, and Suzanne, happy of his swift recovery, tightly embraced him.

"When are you ever going to learn to do what you're told?" Peter said, with tears in his eyes." The two brothers embraced again. Edmund then laid eyes upon Aslan who stood tall before them.

"So all four of you have been reunited."-

"I would have been turned to stone too," Edmund replied, "If it wasn't for…" Edmund suddenly turned his head to see the cold stone statue of Sora standing over them. "Sora…"

"Sora…" Peter uttered. The four gazed at the frozen figure of the key bearer. Peter suddenly remembered that Riku too had met a severe blow. "Riku…" he uttered. "Lucy, come with me."

"Alright…" Lucy replied. The two ran off to find Riku while Edmund, Aslan, and Suzanne stayed before Sora.

"He's stone now…" Edmund uttered, "And all because he tried to protect me."

"There is no need to worry," Aslan replied. "Sora will return to normal." With his kingly breath, Aslan blew upon the figure of Sora. Within seconds, Sora was released from his stone tomb. He labored in breath and looked about him.

"W…what happened?" he asked.

"Sora…!" Ed cried.

"Is it over?"-

"It's over, key bearer." Aslan explained. "You've been encased in stone all this time."

"I see…" Sora then looked at Edmund. "I'm glad to see that you're alright, kid." The boy only smiled at him Sora then looked about. "But where's Riku and Peter?"

"They're helping your friend, Riku, as we speak."-

"What, what happened to Riku?"-

"He's over there." Aslan turned to the area where Peter and Lucy were seeing to the key bearer's life. Sora ran over to where Riku fell, Aslan and the two other Pevensies following after. They came to find Riku lying still as Lucy placed a drop of her healing elixir in the key bearer's mouth. Riku slightly stirred before opening his eyes.

"What happened?" he uttered. "I felt like I was hit by a big rig."

"Riku…!" Sora shouted, running to his friend's side.

"Oh, hey Sora, I see you're back to normal."-

"Riku…" Sora only smiled. But his smile and the smiles of his friends were shattered with the sound of distant explosions coming from the vast field, where the primary stages of the battle first took place. "Those explosions…"

"It's the Aryan Faction."-

"The Aryan Faction," Peter uttered, "But why would they still be fighting? Don't they know that the witch is already dead?"

"Well, from what I know of the faction, they might be saying 'The witch and her men might be willing to call it quits, but we sure won't.'"-

"This battle isn't over yet." Aslan said. "We still have to drive these foreign invaders from our soil."

"Then let's go." Sora declared.

"Rally the troops. Our task is has not concluded yet."-

Upon the vast fields, amidst the slain bodies of the soldiers in the opening stages of the battle, Hastings' gatler tanks aimed well at the concealed gummi ship. Like search lights the projectiles flashed into the sky and like clashing thunder and lingering darkness, the shells burst into the air.

"You're well trained troops!" Hastings shouted at the gatler crews. "It's just one ship and you can't even shoot that down!"

"It's moving too fast." One of the tank commanders said. "To add, it's armed with some sort of electro magnetic shield. Our shells wouldn't be able to break such a barrier even if a shell managed to hit its mark at point blank range."

"Then use the blasted neutralizing shells!"-

"But we were only meant to use those in case of severe emergency, sir."-

"And what do you call this? If the KH team's monotonous little craft manages to pummel all the tanks, then it will be a severe emergency! Have them spread out and unleash a spontaneous fire!"-

"Yes sir."-

"And have the infantry at the ready in case of a counter attack! No doubt that those Narnians have rallied themselves and are putting up stiff resistance against the queen. Have the battalions retreat temporarily, away from the gatler line. It seems that the gatlers are the primary target."-

"Sir…"-

The tanks spread out so as not to be so easily targeted. The infantry on the other hand, quickly withdrew from the gatler line, to the safety of the field's boundaries. The gatlers continued to fire away skyward, hoping to cripple the gummi. The gummi, however, lulled in its attacks, withdrawing for the time being.

"Do ya think they'll shoot some of them neutralizing shells at us?" Goofy asked.

"If that were so," Donald replied, "They would have done it already. But it's better to be safe than sorry. We'll make a cautious run this time." Donald calculated the number of tanks remaining. "So far there are at least thirty tanks remaining. We have to take down as many as we can before they manage to shoot us down." Donald went in for another run, but this time, instead of initiating a head on assault over the tanks, he encircled the line, always evading the line of fire. The gatlers had some trouble locking on to the gummi, always rotating their turrets to hope and target Donald and Goofy. At the same time, the agile little craft commenced with a series of evading and dodging maneuvers so the gatlers would not have a straight line of fire, while firing its own deadly projectiles against the ironclad line. Explosions erupted around the tank line, severely crippling some, while at the same time eliminating a few in the process.

"Not so tough as you were before are you?" Donald mocked.

"Let 'em have it, Donald!" Goofy said.

"Don't let them get away with this injustice!" Hastings shouted. The gatlers continued to fire away. "Aim slow with those neutralizing shells. Those armaments aren't easy to apprehend, fire short of the crossing path of your gun's line!"

"Acknowledged," the crew officers replied at random.

"Simultaneous barrage at twelve o'clock." One of the leading gatler commanders ordered. "Fire a shell for every .5 second interval."

"Yes sir."-

The gatlers held their fire for a time as the gummi pummeled their heavily armored bodies with lasers, energy beams, and bullets.

"It looks like they're giving up." Donald said. But his words proved false as a sudden volley was unleashed. The gummi was suddenly caught in a midair barrage as shell after shell struck near the hull. The malfunction of some of the accoutrements within the cockpit proved to Goofy and Donald that they weren't being bombarded by ordinary projectiles. "They're bombarding us with neutralizing shells."

"What are we gonna do?" Goofy asked. One my one the systems blanked offline. Donald attempted to stabilize the ship and get it out of harms way, but at the same time he watched as each drive was deactivated.

"We've just lost reinforced shield power, optical stealth, and zero shift mode."-

"That's not good right?"-

"Not good at all."-

There was a cheer from the factional forces as they watched the gummi falter.

"Give those KH bastards a pummel they will never forget!" Hastings ordered. The guns of each of the remaining gatlers fired away. The gummi was struck from every angle until finally, one shell managed to hit the rear of the ship and caused the gummi's right rocket engine to explode. The crippled gummi took a nose dive towards the ground. Once again, there was a loud hurrah from the faction soldiers. The tanks continued to fire at the gummi, unleashing their hatred upon the hull and its occupants. Donald tried to straighten the ship as it fell, so it wouldn't nose dive straight into the ground.

"Hold on, Goofy," he said, "We're coming in for a really bumpy landing!"

The gummi quickly descended to the ground and scraped its nose into the dirt, jerking the two companions in the cockpit violently. Goofy's famous holler could be heard as the crippled craft bounced and dragged along the green fields. It finally nestled itself three hundred yards from where it first touched down. The two staggered up and wobbled about with big bumps on their heads, stars and birds circling like halos, and swirling vortexes to match their concussion eyes.

"Oh," Goofy said, seeing the stars over his head. "Look at all the pretty stars!"

"We ain't got time to look at 'em!" Donald shouted, shaking his head and regaining his posture. He tried to get Goofy up and drag him out of the damaged cockpit. "We have gatlers coming at us." Donald looked through the broken wind shield of the gummi to find the gatlers approaching and shooting at them. "Whatever they're planning when they get here, it's definitely not going to involve turkey sandwiches and a pat on the back saying 'no hard feelings!'"

"Then again, ya never know…"-

"I don't know and I don't want to find out! Now c'mon, Goofy, get your big fat carcass out of the cockpit!"-

Donald managed to get Goofy out of the downed gummi ship, just as explosions were erupting around them. The two began to run just as the tanks passed their recent kill.

"We have two KH members straight ahead." A gatler driver uttered.

"Shoot them down!" the commander ordered.

"Sir…!" The tank's gatling gun aimed for Goofy and Donald's back. But before the first bullet could be deployed, the leading gatler was struck at its nose by a bellowing wall of flames and sent swerving to the side, running into the path of another tank. Both ironclads rammed into each other, crashing through the armored plating lay immobile upon the ground.

"Where did that explosion come from?" another gatler commander asked. Then there were more explosions. Hastings and his officers observed, from afar, the situation that was making itself known.

"That explosion," Hastings uttered, "Who could have…?"

"Sir," his subordinate hollered, "Look, on the cliffs." Hastings observed. From out of the cliffs emerged waves upon waves of Aslan's soldiers with the key bearers leading the charge. From overhead, looking over the battlefield from the cliff face, Peter and his siblings, under Aslan's orders, were requested to post themselves at a safe distance, knowing that utter devastation awaited the attacking ranks. There was a loud battle cry as the Narnians charged head long against the faction's forces.

Peter observed the large force that stood before them, equal in strength to the witch's force of hobgoblins, but were better armed and had technology on their side.

"There's so many of them." He uttered to himself.

"Do you really think that Aslan and the key bearers stand a chance against all those tanks and soldiers?" Edmund asked.

"They wouldn't chance a head on assault if they didn't"-

"That's why Aslan ordered us to stay behind at a safe distance." Suzanne implied. "If we would have joined the attack, our own chances of survival would be nil."-

"Can't we use out archers to bombard the faction?"-

"It's too far away." Peter explained. "We'd be more likely to hit our own troops than then enemy's. We have to stay here and pray that fate is with us."

Hastings and his officers observed as the Narnians drew closer as a tidal wave from off a beach's shore.

"They're coming. Order all Gatlers to mow them down!" Hastings ordered.

"Yes General." His subordinate replied.

The gatlers turned their attention from Goofy and Donald to aiming for Aslan's incoming troops. Riku and Sora anticipated this change of objective and unleashed their most devastating attacks to cripple the tanks as well as throw them off their line of fire. Though many of the tanks were crippled in the attacks and many others were deterred from straight fire, some of the tanks managed to evade the strike of the key bearers and unleashed all the hay upon the incoming troops. The gatlers, the torpedo shoots, and the primary cannon blazed away, maiming and killing soldiers by the hundreds, if not thousands. But despite that, the soldiers continued to advance.

Donald and Goofy, seeing the gatlers turn their attention away from them; found this the opportunity to use up another gummi ship. Donald took out the box that contained his portable capsule gummies and activated one.

"Quick, Goofy," he said, "Get inside."

"I gotcha…" Goofy replied. The two rushed into the new gummi and activated its systems. It then hovered back into the air and began to shoot at the remaining gatlers again. This sudden twist caught Hastings off guard.

"Sir," his subordinate shouted, "The gummi ship, the gummi ship is back in the air!"

"What was that?" Hastings said. He observed to find the gummi ship hovering overhead. "It can't be. We shot that thing down!" They witnessed the gummi fire its beam cannons at the gatler tanks. There were several more explosions.

"Sir," another subordinate implied, "three more gatlers have been rendered out of commission."

"They're targeting the tanks! Tell them to shoot that new gummi down! I don't care what it takes!"-

"Yes sir!"-

The gatlers aimed their cannons skyward again, hoping to shoot the ship down before more damage could be inflicted. But at the same time, Sora and Riku unleashed their flaming funnel attack and a blazing tornado swept across the field.

"It's not gonna be that easy anymore!" Sora shouted. The fire twister turned over a few of the gatlers on their turrets, rendering them useless. The tanks fired their armaments into the thick masses of attacking soldiers, killing even more. But they too were maimed severely by the gummi overhead. Some of the soldiers reached the hulls of the tanks and started climbing on top of the iron bodies like ants. The gatlers fired their weaponry at each others hulls, shooting the soldiers off. It came to the point where there were at least fourteen tanks left. Hastings, seeing the dire situation, reorganized his men.

"The tanks are being overwhelmed by those Narnians." He said. "They can't handle the fight alone without the support of the infantry. If we lose any more gatlers, we'll be at a disadvantage. Have ten gatlers withdraw to support the infantry assault. I want every odd number to aim for the gummi while the others concentrate their fire power on Aslan's army."

"The infantry?" the subordinate asked. "We're sending in our foot battalions?"

"Yes, we will use the bulk of our infantry force to battle against them. Deploy them in waves. Have them spread out so as not to be killed in masses in case the KH team decides to counter attack with any of those powerful elemental strikes of theirs. Front ranks will aid the gatler line, providing support for their blind sides. Try and aim for the key bearers and mow down anyone who stands in the way between us and them. Send out the order immediately."-

"Yes sir."-

As the battle raged on, the key bearers watched as the gatlers withdrew hastily to the other side of the field.

"There they go," Sora shouted. "They're on the run!"

"After them," Aslan ordered. "Drive the faction from our home!" Thousands of any Narnians advanced. But before them, the vast ranks of infantry lay I wait. Instantly, a thousand automatic weapons seemed to go off at once as Hastings' troops arose from the ground and commenced firing. Scores of soldiers in the attacking lines were killed or wounded. As if hitting a wall, the soldiers could no longer advance without being slaughtered in large numbers.

Peter and the others could only watch from the heights in horror as they saw thousands of soldiers fall.

"What carnage…" The boy king uttered.

"So many men have fallen…" Edmund added. Suzanne and Lucy, sickened by what they were witnessing only, turned away.

In that first rush, three thousand men were struck down. Riku knew that advancing any further against heavily armed soldiers would be futile.

"This battle is completely different from the others." Riku thought to himself. "Not even the Midnight Faction put up this kind of resistance. These Aryan Faction guys are well disciplined. Going any further like this would be a kamikaze act." He turned to Aslan. "Get your men back. It's suicide if you keep attacking like that!"

"Leave it us, Aslan!" Sora said. "We'll see what we can do the break them up!"

"But you can't fight them off alone." Aslan said. "Not against those overwhelming odds!"

"If you keep on attacking, you'll lose ten times the number you lost against the witch." Aslan could not deny this fact as he looked about to see thousands of soldiers rolling around in agony or were dead on the field.

"I'm sorry…" Aslan turned to his men. "All forces stand down and stay close to the ground!" The soldiers halted in their places and quickly lay down amidst the tall grass.

"Sora," Riku cried, "Let's go!" The key bearers began their advance.

Hastings saw the sudden change in plan, watching only the key bearers advancing.

"What kind of futile strategy is this?" he wondered. "Do the key bearers intend on ending their lives?"

"Apparently," his subordinate replied.

"What fools, what do they intend to accomplish against ten thousand well trained troops?"-

"They must be desperate."-

"It doesn't matter." Hastings placed his arms behind him. "Concentrate all fire power on the key bearers. There's no way they can stop us on their own."

"Yes sir…!"-

The infantry forces rose up and began to fire an intense volley at the key bearers, spraying them with a rain of lead. Riku and Sora quickly dodged as best they could. Riku unleashed Cinder Canister to create a temporary barrier to prevent the soldiers from having a clear range of fire.

"Fire away, lads!" an officer shouted. The soldiers continued to blaze away, though they may not have struck any target. But from out of the billowing clouds of dust and burning fire, the key bearers emerged and struck down many of the soldiers in their path, maiming many, but killing none. "Kill them, there's only two!"

"C'mon, Sora," Riku said. The two warriors assaulted the ranks, even though they were grazed about the ears by a hail of bullets.

"This is suicide!" Sora shouted. From the air, there were several explosions. Sora looked up to find the little gummi firing away, aiding them to the best of its abilities. The tanks aimed upward and continued their fire. This time, because the faction had reorganized themselves into their formations, the gatlers now proved a formidable foe. To add, due to the need of reconfiguring the controls for this new gummi, Donald and Goofy had a more difficult time using the armaments.

"This is no good." Donald uttered. "I knew we should have reconfigured the controls when we had a chance."

"I thought that the Alliance was supposed to be here by today." Goofy said.

"That's what Sneer said, but he could have been wrong!"-

"But we don't stand a chance as we are now."-

"The faction has reorganized themselves into a tight formation. We won't be as significant a turning factor as before!" But no sooner had Donald said that, there were three shots that suddenly burst in front of them. The hull of the gummi shook and the combat system failed indicating that the ship was struck by neutralizing shells. "Uh oh, the main system has been shot. We're going down!"

"What're we gonna do?" Goofy cried.

"Hold on to your hat!" Donald threw back on the stick, keeping the gummi from nose diving.

"Look," Sora shouted, pointing upward, "Donald and Goofy are coming down! They've been hit!"

"Damn it." Riku uttered. "There goes our air support." The crackling of gunfire continued and the key bearers evaded, dodged, and blocked, doing all in their power to stay alive.

The gummi crashed spiraled downward near where the key bearers were at.

"Hold on!" Donald cried. He kept pulling back on the controls until the gummi landed at an angle, tumbling about violently, knocking the occupants within about. The gummi dragged across the field until coming to a stop no more than fifty feet from Riku and Sora. Donald staggered to his feet. He looked to Goofy who lay unconscious on the ground. He ran to his friend's side and shook him. "Goofy, Goofy, wake up," Goofy opened his eyes.

"I hear birds…" he grumbled.

"Never mind the birds! We gotta get out of here!"-

"But the birds…!"-

"It's me you're hearing! And this bird wants you to stop sticking your head in the clouds!" Donald dragged Goofy out of the cockpit only to be greeted by enemy fire. Donald, seeing the danger, plus losing a few feathers from off his bum, quickly withdrew back into the thrashed gummi, dragging Goofy along with him. "Goofy, you better get up!" He smacked his dippy comrade across the face several times, hoping to snap him out of it. "We're in trouble!"

"Riku," Sora cried, watching the faction soldiers aim for the downed gummi, "Goofy and Donald need our help!"

"Well, c'mon!" Riku replied. The two quickly rushed to their comrades. Riku fired a few darkness aura balls and Sora unleashed Tundra Canister, freezing the enemy in place. Once reaching Goofy and Donald, Riku then used his darkness shield to prevent further penetration of bullets.

"Goofy, Donald," Sora rushed into the gummi.

"Sora," Donald shouted, Goofy still unconscious.

"Goofy, what happened to Goofy?"-

"I don't know? This big lummox won't snap out of it. He keeps seeing birds!" Sora glanced at Donald. "I mean besides me!"

"Well, we better get him out of here!"-

"Sora," Riku shouted, "Hurry up and get them out of the cockpit! My shield can't hold off the faction's assault for long! They're starting to outflank us!" It was then that four explosions erupted near the gummi, causing the hull to jerk upward and shake violently. Riku looked to find that several of the gatlers were aiming their heavy artillery straight at them. "We better get out of here, the gatlers are about to pound us with shells!"

"C'mon Goofy," Donald said, "You gotta snap out of it!"

"Never mind," Sora shouted. He suddenly lifted Goofy up and put him over his shoulders. "We don't have time for this!" He got Goofy and Donald out of the cockpit. "Riku, I got 'em, let's get out of here!"

"Yeah…!" Riku maintained a strong shield to deflect the bullets aimed at them. But with every impact, the shield slowly began to diminish. "Give it a rest already!"

The KH team was within fifty feet of the gummi when several energy projectiles, deployed by the gatler yanks, hit the damaged hull of the second gummi. Then there came a deafening explosion as the projectiles struck the ship. The KH team was blown off their feet and knocked to the ground.

"Man that was close." Riku uttered, staggering upon his hands and knees.

"Riku…!" Sora cried. Riku looked back to find that Sora had been wounded by a stray piece of shrapnel that slashed at the lower half of his right leg. Blood dripped from the massive wound and the young man clutched his wound in agony. Goofy on the other hand was still unconscious.

"Sora…!" Riku turned to Donald. "Donald, get one of those new potions. Give Sora a swig!"

"I gotcha," Donald replied. He took out a vial and gave it to the wounded keyblade master. Sora popped out the cork and drank its contents. "I hope that this new potion stuff works." Sure enough, as quickly as a senzu beans effects, Sora was back on his feet with full strength and a mended wound.

"Thanks Donald." He said. Donald nodded his head.

"Well," Riku implied, "at least we know it works." But then again there was a series of explosions. Riku deployed his full force to keep the shield up. "Great, they're attacking us again!"

"Hey, fellers," Goofy mumbled, regaining consciousness, "What did I miss?"

"It's about time you snapped out of it."-

"Incoming," Donald suddenly shouted, pointing out to several energy torpedoes that were shot at them. Riku braced himself as the energy spheres struck the shield. Two of the torpedoes hit the shield, shaking the key bearer violently. Then a third finally hit and shattered the defense. Finally, a forth came charging at the team.

"It's too late…"-

"Get into the sky!" Sora cried. The KH team quickly ascended just as the torpedo passed. "We did it!"

"No we didn't!" Donald cried. "Look!" He pointed to the path to which the torpedo was taking. It was heading straight for the Aslan's troops.

"Oh no, what have we done?"-

"They're doomed." Riku said. But as the energy ball drew nearer to the condensed troops, couching on the ground, Aslan suddenly jumped out and with a mighty roar cancelled it out. The energy sphere exploded and diminished before the Great Lion.

"Did you see that?" Goofy uttered.

"Aslan destroyed that torpedo with his roar."-

"Alright Aslan." Sora cheered.

"Watch out!" Aslan shouted. The KH team turned again to the faction that continued to fire a barrage at them. Riku once again took the lead, using his darkness shield to protect his friends.

"That was close."-

"Is everyone alright?" Riku asked.

"I don't know about you, but I've had enough of this." Sora drew aimed his keyblade before him and rushed forward. From the tip of his weapon, a large beam ball of light appeared. "Try this on!" He fired an energy beam at one of the gatler tanks. The pillar of light surged forth. But the tank retaliated, firing its main cannon to counter the beam. Sora was shocked at this sudden change. The two clashing essences diminished away in a bright flash of light and a clash of thunder. The key bearer was all astounded at what he just witnessed. "Well, I never say that one coming." Sora was at a complete disadvantage now, though he obtained extraordinary power.

"Damn it, Sora," Riku shouted. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Riku lunged forth and used his shield to barrier his comrade. "We're completely out of our league against these guys."-

"C'mon Riku, we can take 'em right?" Riku was only silent. "Right…?"

"I don't know, Sora. I really don't know."-

"But we managed to beat them off before."-

"You forget, they weren't in their formations before. Up to this point, we've primarily battled against the soldiers of the Midnight Faction. They commonly use hand to hand combat, which is the field we excel in."-

"But we're key bearers! We can't be defeated by these guys."-

"You think this is some kind of movie, where the good guy always wins? I don't think so. In reality, not even the good guys win all the time."-

"But we can still…"-

"We might have been a match for heartless, Nobodies, and Viicous' troops, but the Aryan Faction is different, they fight differently than any of the other foes we've battled in the past. Unlike the Midnight Faction, which acts more like a disgruntled mob at times and as formidable as they are, the Aryan Faction is a force to be reckoned with, just like the Kambrians. They rely on the use of fire power rather than hand to hand combat."

"Then how are we gonna fight them?" Sora asked.

"We'll discuss this on the ground!" The two key bearers descended. But just them, there was another shot from a gatler and the incoming shell struck Riku's shield point blank. The shield actually shattered the barrier and blew the two key bearers backward. They fell upon the grassy plain.

"Sora," Donald shouted as he and Goofy crawled over to them. The two key bearers were rendered unconscious.

"We're in real hot water this time, Donald." Goofy implied.

"It's too dangerous to deploy another gummi ship at this point. The soldiers are too close." They watched as the faction continued to mass their fire from all directions.

It seemed a lost cause for Narnia. Peter, Edmund, Suzanne, and Lucy looked on in horror as it appeared their once grand and brave army was brought to its knees by the Aryan Faction and slowly withered away like grains of sad by a forceful wind.

"This can't be happening…" Edmund uttered.

"We sacrificed so much." Suzanne added, tears in her eyes. "So many people died today and for what?"

"Is this it?" Peter wondered. "Is this truly the end of Narnia's days?"

From opposite the four child monarchs, Hastings too observed the turmoil. But unlike his counterparts, he was ecstatic at what he saw. Before him, there was absolute victory and the diminishing of Narnia's traditions and original cultures. From this point on, this lush, fertile, and newly liberated land snapped from Jadis' grasp, would endure the rule of another despotic tyrant. But this time, the power would be placed in the hands of Imperial Axis.

"It seems that their little assault has failed." Hastings chuckled. "Even the might of the key bearers is enough to deal a critical blow to an enemy with highly advanced weaponry. I must admit that their strength was impressive, on how they managed to maim gatler tanks. To think that tanks couldn't stand up to them. But in the end, Riku and Sora proved only an irritation to us." Hastings turned to his subordinate. "Have our first wave move in, but keep the gatlers at bay. I'm not going to send them in to be overwhelmed like before. Have our men mow down Aslan and his army. Also, initiate the immediate execution of the key bearers. They've proved a significant obstacle for us and must be destroyed while the chance is fresh. Only when the last of the resistance is deceased will this world be under Lord Montague's control and the Imperial Axis comes closer to universal domination."

The first columns of infantry began to march, not in Napoleonic formations, but spread out with one man ten to fifteen feet away from his comrade, shooting away as they came. Aslan's troops were killed upon the ground as they were struck by stray bullets. They piled the bodies of their fallen comrades, hoping to shield themselves from this intense fire. From the sky, flights of birds and beasts came to aid their allies as they did against Jadis, unleashing a rain of masonry bits upon the enemy. But the soldiers, upon seeing the incoming aerial support, opened fire, killing many of the fowls and hawks and gryphons, or maiming them to the point where they could no longer hold flight. Like fallen angels with their cargo they fell, some dying on impact while others used the last bit of their strength to sustain themselves to a safe landing. It seemed over for Aslan's army who had no more strength to battle with. Now they were held in a futile defense for their lives.

"Keep your heads down!" some soldiers cried.

"Keep it down!"-

"It's no use, Your Majesty," one officer said. "We're just no match for this kind of opposition!"

"If we don't do something," Aslan uttered, "Then our home is lost."

"But if we dare to charge head on against the faction's ranks, we'll be massacred. Then there will be no one left to defend Narnia."-

"Either way, we suffer. But let us not say we didn't put up a good fight!" Aslan rose up despite the danger. "My soldiers, to battle, we battle for our home! Up my soldiers, prepare to charge!" The troops stood up. "For Narnia," Aslan led the charge and his soldiers followed soon after. But as before, they met a hail of bullets that seemed to stop them in their tracks. Like lambs to the slaughter, every faun, centaur and noble beast was struck with mortal wounds. At the same time, the faction continued their advance.

"They'll all be killed." Donald said.

"Is it over for us?" Goofy asked. It seemed that even the KH team was rendered useless against such a powerful foe. With Riku and Sora knocked out from the blast, Goofy and Donald were on their own.

But as fate had intervened as it did numerous time in the past, a sign of hope reemerged. From out of the sky, a barrage descended upon the faction. Not a barrage of stones and rocks as was attempted by the birds and flying beasts, but rather energy beams and explosive projectiles. Hundreds of Hastings' troops were struck down when the strike occurred. When Hastings eyed the bombardment, he felt that something was different about the barrage.

"Those projectiles," he uttered, "They can't be the Narnians."

"Sir," he subordinate shouted, "There above us!"

The general gazed up to find rising over the rocky cliffs opposite the field, an Alliance military cruiser. The Alliance forces that were delayed for twenty four hours, had finally arrived.

"The Alliance, but what are they doing here?"-

"We won't stand a chance against those types of odds."-

The gatler tanks and the soldiers aimed upwards, firing away at the newly arrived Alliance forces, but their efforts were in vain. Cargo transports hovered high above and deployed Alliance mobile droids and elite foot soldiers armed with blasters. They landed before the key bearers and Aslan's army.

"It's the Alliance," Goofy uttered, "They made it."

"And it's about time." Donald added.

Aslan and Oreius, who witnessed this sudden drop of troops, were puzzled. Hastings clutched his fists.

"Are these friends or enemies?" Oreius said.

"They might be enemies." Aslan replied. "But their presence bears no threat against us."

Peter asked himself the same question as they watched these great hovering crafts fly over their heads.

"Who are these people?" he wondered.

"I hope they're friends." Edmund added.

"Look," Lucy cried, pointing to the swelling ranks of men in blue, "They're taking their stance next to Aslan's army."

"That proves it then," Suzanne added, "they must be allies."

The alliance soldiers began to fire a barrage with their blasters. The incoming beams erupted in multiple explosions, causing grass, dirt, and debris to bellow into the air, turning the ground to chaotic muck. The gatlers and the faction infantry returned fire and eliminated some of the alliance soldiers. From the sky, the hovering barges unleashed their own volley, aiming for the tanks, and destroyed quite a number.

"Now's our chance," Aslan shouted. "Forward men!" The Narnians rose up and renewed their attack. And with the alliance to back them up, the faction was outclassed and outmatched. The charging troops caused the factional line to falter. At some points, hand to hand combat erupted where both automatic and blaster fired converged, spreading total chaos and genocide to some ranks. But even so, with only a few tanks left and now aerial support, Hastings' troops stood no chance.

"This is intolerable." He said to himself. "How could this have happened?"

"General," his subordinate implied, "I beseech you, sir, we are no longer holding an advantage here."-

"If it wasn't for the damned alliance showing up at the last minute, I thought our space forces did away with the Alliance support coalition destined for this world. Now because of them, our superiority in Narnia has diminished as quickly as it emerged."-

"What are your orders, sir?" Hastings could only sigh and watch as the tide of battle turned against him. He knew that further resistance would only result in more loss of men.

"It would be more honorable to die in battle against such odds for a final stand than to sulk in shameful retreat. But I cannot afford to lose anymore military force and burden the leading lords' minds who take charge of this fledgling nation. Now, it is we who are outmatched." Hastings turned to his officers. "Order the withdrawal; we will live to fight another day."-

"Yes sir…"-

The order was given and the faction began its withdrawal from the field. Immediately after seeing Hastings' army turn tail and run, there was a cheer throughout the region.

"They did it!" Peter cried.

"It's over…" Aslan uttered to himself as he saw the ranks of the foreign invader take off in haste.

In the meantime, Riku and Sora were revived with potion. The two looked about.

"What happened?" Sora asked.

"We won," Goofy said, "We won!"-

"We did? But how?"-

"It's because of the Alliance." Donald explained. "They came in the knick of time." He directed the key bearers' eyes upward to the sight of Sneer's troops.

"Well," Riku uttered, "speak of the devil, they actually made it. It's been about twenty four hours or so, just as Sneer predicted."

"And it's a good thing too." Sora added. "Otherwise, the outcome of this fight and the fate of our lives would've been completely opposite."

No sooner had the battle shifted away from the key bearer. They sensed a strange source of energy near the cliffs where Aslan's army was originally stationed.

"Do you feel that?"-

"It must be…" The key bearers looked to find the bright outline of a keyhole upon the rocky face.

"Let's do it." In excellent syncopation, the wielders drew up their keyblades and aimed for the hole. At once, the two beams were executed and spiraled about in dance, intertwining with one another. The interlocked beams struck the keyhole at the same time. There was a bright flash of light before the outline simmered away, forever closing the door of the Narnia.

"That's another world locked." Sora uttered.

"Well," Donald chuckled, "Another success for us and the Alliance. We closed the door to this world, we defeated a powerful sorceress and her hordes, we saved four young kings and queens," Donald looked to the horizon, watching as Hastings' army was being pursued by the bulk of Aslan's force and the Universal Alliance, "And now we have another faction power running for its life. I'd say it was a job well done."

With overwhelming numbers and advanced weaponry now against them, Hastings' army quickly scattered into the woods and hilly landscape with the Alliance and the Narnians fast behind them. The KH team watched as remnants of the soldier outfits passed by them in floods. In the meantime, several of the cruisers landed upon the grassy fields near them. One of the cruisers actually landed before the team, causing their hair to blow back and their eyes to squint from wind and debris.

"Who the heck is that?" Sora wondered.

"Well whoever it is," Donald grumbled, "They certainly have a lot of nerve landing here of all places." Just then, as the rockets of the cruiser ceased, the hatch opened up and a tall, dark man in a blue Alliance officer's frock emerged. He stood before the KH team members.

"You must be the KH team." He said. He then looked upon the keyblades held by the two young men. "And you must be Riku and Sora, the mighty wielders of the keyblades."

"And you are…?" Riku asked.

"I am the commander of this coalition outfit, Major General Waldfeld Wulfrum."-

"I understand you guys had a little run in with faction space forces. That's what Sneer told us anyway."-

"That is correct. I thought that we wouldn't make it in time. But I see that you managed to hold your own against Hastings and his soldiers." The general took of his hat. "We watched your battle from above. It's the damnedest thing I ever saw, seeing only the four of you charging straight into battle. You certainly are courageous. May I shake your hands, gentlemen?"-

"Of course…" Riku held out his hand and General Wulfrum shook his hand hardily. He did the same grasping Sora's hand soon after. "So I take it that you'll handle it from here?"

"That's correct. My troopers will keep this world under security from faction advances."-

"Then we can be on our way then." Donald asked. "We still have other matters to attend to."

"I'm sure you do." A voice uttered. The KH team looked to find none other than General Triiken standing at the hatchway of the cruiser. "However, there are other matters to attend to."

"Triiken…" Riku said. "What are you doing here?"-

"I came to pass the word along that you are to head towards Deep Dive city first to cease Imperial access of unleashing Nobodies. But then again, you were on your way there from the start, correct?"-

"That's right"-

"But before doing that, I would suggest that you stop at Twilight Town to restock yourselves on supplies. And perhaps to get those two downed gummies repaired." Triiken pointed to the smoldering remnants of the gummi ships, now ruined fatalities. "To add, you will need a great deal more of that new potion as well as weaponry upgrades to the gummies if you plan on tackling the realm of the Nobodies."

"That's a tempting offer, but I think we can pass." Sora implied. "We won't need any of that. We can handle anything the faction throws at us. We've shown our grit before."

"It's not going to be that simple as it was many times in the past though."-

"Why's that?" Goofy asked.

"For one thing, all three branches of the Imperial Axis have stationed themselves there, supplied with heavy artillery, gatler tanks, a company of Virgo mobile dolls, plus a garrison of at least thirty thousand well trained and highly disciplined fighting men and an endless number of heartless and Nobodies. So you'll need a very large stock of supplies to get through the defenses, that and an excessively large miracle."-

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"The reason why we were hoping you would fight alongside the Coordinator Coalition is not because of the opposition at Deep Dive City itself, but rather the opposition on the way there. There is a large fleet sent out by Admiral Rellantando to prevent any massed force from breaking through the defenses on the outskirts to that world. Heartless ships and Nobody destroyers, as well as hundreds of mobile dolls lay in wait. Sneer is not about risk a head on assault with just any fleet. We were hoping that the Coordinator Coalition, being as skilled as they are in mobile suits, would serve as the bulk for this primary strike. But since their thwart at Lyzand, we could only rely on swift agitated skirmishes along the defense line hoping to break them up. So if a full fledged fleet can't hope to penetrate those defenses, there's no way in hell that one solo gummi ship or a small pack of them can get through."-

"He does have a good point there." Donald added. "Charging in against such opposition would be suicide. Despite our experience, taking on that kind of force is out of the question."

"Then maybe it would be more beneficial to stop at Twilight Town." Sora implied. "At least until the worst is over."

"Besides, I can get all the gummi ship controls configured to the way that's suited best for us as well as equipping better defensive and offensive capabilities to swell out chances, though as slim as they are."-

"What about Miss Billiard?" Riku asked. "She's there in Twilight Town as well. How is she doing in her mission?" Triiken said nothing. Instead, there was only a strange silence that lingered. "Ophelia's okay, right?"

"The thing is that we have not received any word from her." Triiken replied

"What…?"-

"But why not?" Sora asked.

"Now we don't know for sure. We believe that something might have happened to her. She was investigating several kidnappings that have taken place there. But then again, knowing the colonel's skill, she might be deliberately cutting off communication so as not to give away her whereabouts to any nearby factions."-

"That sounds reasonable."-

"Never the less, Sneer advises that when you get to Twilight Town, see if you can reestablish open communication with her."-

"Then let's go." Riku urged.

"And one more thing just as a precaution, faction activity is present in that world and we don't want our citizen aids to be revealed."-

"You have citizens working for you?" Donald asked.

"They willingly came to our aid. So best not reveal who they are and what they do in the open. Faction spies will be about, so take precautions."-

"We understand." Sora said.

"I might as well compact those downed gummies back into their capsules." Donald said. "Goofy, give me a hand."

"Right…!" The two went off to the two gummies and popped them back into their capsules. Donald placed them back into the box of other portable crafts. He pulled out a brand new gummi capsule, activated it, and the hull of the ship appeared through a mild boom and thick smoke. "That should do it." The two walked back to Riku and Sora.

"We're ready now!-

"Then we better pull out." Riku added.

"Wait," a voice cried. The key bearers found Aslan and the four Pevensies coming to meet them.

"Is it true that you're going?" Lucy asked.

"Yes," Sora said. "Our task is finished in this world. Both Jadis and Hastings have been defeated."

"Now you four can take your seats as high rulers of Narnia at Cair Paravel." Riku added.

"You've done a lot for us." Peter said. "We owe our lives to you, Riku, Sora, and company"

"As long as we can deter the faction," Sora said. "That's all that matters."

"Be good monarchs," Riku said.

"You'll come back right?" Edmund asked.

"Of course we will." Sora implied. "Some day, we'll return."

"Then we bid you thank you and farewell." Peter said.

"Let's go you guys!" Donald ordered.

"Coming!" Sora replied.

"But before you go," Aslan said, "Take this. It may aid you in future campaigns." He gave two energy essences to the key bearers titled 'Noble Strife,' which significantly raised the defense, offense, MP, and HP levels. The key bearers could feel the surge of energy enter their bodies and their strength and stamina seemed to level up almost instantly.

"Thanks…" Sora uttered.

"We'll use this new power to its utmost ability." Riku added.

"Then be on your way." Aslan explained.

"Good luck." General Wulfrum said.

"Take care of yourselves." Peter added as he and his siblings waved farewell. Triiken said nothing, but gave a stern look of confidence. His thoughts remain without interpretation for others to analyze. The KH team entered the new gummi ship, activated the system and ascended skyward.

"Our next stop, Twilight Town," Donald said. The rockets ignited far enough from off the ground and the gummi disappeared into the vast early afternoon sky. Another world had been liberated. And now another world had been sealed.


	62. Twilight Town

Twilight Town

The gummi ship landed quietly amidst the streets of Twilight Town, descending into an open, abandoned lot behind one of the large buildings. The KH team emerged from the ship to be met with a tranquil quiet. They walked through a narrow alley to the main square, where adventures before had taken place, the Tram Common of Market Street. The sun was in its twilight phases as it was before in days long past and that soft lull of coming night activity spurred a moment of nostalgia.

"This town certainly hasn't changed much." Sora said. But as they entered the center of the square, they came to realize that something was wrong. Looking about, there was no one else around in town. All doors were closed and all shutters upon windows were sealed tightly.

"It's quiet," Riku uttered, "Too quiet."

"Where is everyone?" Donald wondered.

"I don't understand it." Sora added. "This square would be bustling with activity. Now not even the trams are running."

"It's just like when we battled against the Nobodies in this town."-

"Well, there has to be someone home right?" It was then that the sound of a creaking door opening was heard. Sora looked about to find a door opening and a little boy peeking out. Sora smiled and turned towards the boy. "Well, hay there, little guy." The child smiled and waved back, but was grabbed firmly by arm by his stern mother who shut the door quickly.

"I told you not to open the door." The woman said to her son as the door closed. "You can't trust any outsiders."

"Gawrsh…" Goofy uttered. "I wonder what's going on."

"Why did that lady act the way she did?" Sora wondered.

"Perhaps the people here no longer trust outsiders." Riku said. "After all that's happened here, with those kidnappings and all, I'm not surprised they'd be suspicious of newcomers."

Just then, they heard another door creek open and a beckoning hiss like that of released steam from a kettle.

"Hey you," a voice said. The KH team looked to find a rather stout young man with dark hair and brown eyes. He was no older than Riku or Sora. "Come inside."

"C'mon you guys," Sora said, "Let's go."

"Wait a minute," Riku implied, "Don't be so hasty to judge. It may be a trap."

"What do you mean?"-

"Remember how Triiken said that there may be faction spies about the place? That guy could be one of them."-

"But then again," Goofy said, "He could be an ally."

"Whether he's an enemy or an ally," Sora remarked, "he's the first one to actually beckon us over. I think we should take a chance. Besides, this guy looks kinda familiar as if I've seen him before."

"Well, I hope your right." Riku replied. "But if we see the slightest sign of trouble, we break for it."

"Right…" The KH team approached the young man. He pulled the team into his home.

"Hurry," he said, "In here." He looked about the street as the last team member came into his home. He closed the door behind him. "You shouldn't be wandering about the streets like that. You might become victims of a mob or a murderer."

"Thanks pal." Goofy said.

"You have our gratitude." Donald added.

"Nothing to it." The young man said. He turned to Sora. "It's been a long time hasn't it."

"Um…" Sora uttered, "You do look kinda familiar, have we met before?"

"Why Sora, you don't recognize me?"-

"Well…?"-

"I was the one who accessed that password years ago remember." Sora recalled that moment and remembered the gathering of Twilight Town kids that helped him before. He recalled a kid slightly heavy.

"Pence…?" he uttered. The young man nodded. "Well, well, as I live and breathe." Sora shook his hand, following up with a hardy embrace. "How have you been?"

"Pretty good."-

"I'm sure you remember Goofy and Donald right?"-

"Hey there..." Goofy chuckled.

"How could I forget?" Pence said.

"And this," Sora put his hand on Riku's shoulder, "This is my close friend, Riku."

"Nice to meet you."-

"Same here," Riku replied, extending his hand in merry meeting. The two clutched palms and gave a strong shake.

"So how are Olette and Hayner doing?" Sora asked.

"Well, they're doing alright."-

"Hold on there, you two," Riku said. "First thing's first. Could you tell us about what's been going on here?"

"Yeah," Sora added, "Why is it that the streets are deserted and people are confined into their homes? What's been going on here?"

"Well," Pence sighed before explaining, "It's because of the kidnappings. At least twenty children have disappeared in the course of three months."

"But why?"-

"No one knows. They just disappeared without a trace, wandering off never to be seen again. When the first child, a little girl, was called up missing, we didn't know what to make of it. Search parties were sent, but nothing was found. But sure as the first child was still fresh in our minds, a second child, a little boy, disappears. Seifer, the head of law enforcement gave a strict policy that all children are to be home by a certain hour, no later than that even during the summer. But as the days past, a few more children disappeared without a trace. Seifer enforced another law that children are to stay close to their parents and all the parents are to keep a watchful eye on their children at all times. But even with a designated curfew and parents as vigilant as they were, the kidnappings continued. None of the children were ever found. Children were later confined into their homes altogether, not allowed to go out."

"That terrible…" Goofy uttered.

"It must be hard on the kids" Sora said.

"Seifer knew it was hard, but it was the only thing to keep them safe." Pence carried on. "And because of the numerous kidnappings, the townsfolk were easily convinced that keeping their children in doors was the only way to prevent them from being snatched. Seifer made another strict policy to arrest any outsiders that may come in to Twilight Town, suspecting that outsiders might have been responsible. All citizens have to avoid contact with non locals."

"So that's why you pulled us in so quickly."-

"It was the only way to keep you guys from getting arrested."-

"But if you had no acquaintance with us, would you have avoided us." Riku asked.

"I might have. But then again, no other outsider has dared to approach this town."

"No one…?"-

"Who was the last outsider to be here?" Sora asked.

"Well, the last outsider came here a few days ago." Pence continued. "It was a young lady I think, wearing a black shell jacket and had this long brown hair and green eyes."

"Black shell jacket…?"-

"Brown hair…?" Donald uttered.

"Green eyes…?" Goofy added.

"That's Ophelia…!" Riku said.

"You know that woman?" Pence asked.

"Know her, she's a member of our team. She was sent here to investigate the kidnappings."-

"Now I see why Sneer hasn't received any word from Miss Billiard," Sora said, "She's been behind bars the whole time."

"We did send word out that we needed aid to help with the investigation." Pence said. "I just never thought it would be the woman we arrested. Seifer certainly botched this one up."

"But didn't they question her? Didn't they believe her?"-

"Apparently not," Riku said, "Why else would they throw her in the clink?"

"She did try to explain her reasons for being here." Pence continued, "But she was outspoken. Seifer wouldn't have any of it. She didn't put up much of a fight, not wanting to stir up troubles or suspicions, so she quietly cooperated with the authorities."

"But why Miss Billiard of all people?"-

"Well, from what reports say, during the recent kidnappings, some witnesses could hear the voice of a young woman echoing in the night air. Then, like magic, another child was gone, vanished from their home. And since this Miss Billiard happened to arrive in our town a couple of days after the most recent kidnapping, it's no wonder that she was arrested."-

"Is that so?" Riku turned towards the door. "Where can I find this Seifer?"

"Wait a minute, Riku," Sora said, "Where are you going?"-

"I'm going to give him a piece of my mind! Miss Billiard is innocent and we need to get her out!"-

"Now don't be so rash, Riku." Pence implied. "You go out there now; you're most likely to get yourself arrested."

"I don't care! Ophelia was unjustly accused without evidence proving a crime! I can't have that! I'm gonna find this Seifer!" But just then, there was a violent pound on the door of Pence's house.

"Open up, loser!" a voice shouted. "We know you're harboring outsiders! Open up!" Goofy and Donald scared of what was happening, jumped and hid behind Sora.

"Who is that?" Sora asked.

"It's Seifer!" Pence said.

"Well, I guess did you didn't have to go looking for him after all, Riku! He came to you!"-

"Good…" Riku drew out his keyblade and made ready to open the door, but Sora rushed forward and held his friend back.

"No, Riku, don't be losing your head now!"-

"After what that bastard's done to one of our teammates…!"-

"Yeah, I know, but we can't act irrational about this. Otherwise, they'll have a really good excuse for tossing us behind bars! They'll accuse us of disturbing the peace!" Sora kept his friend back as the pounding upon the door continued. "I've met this Seifer guy before and I can tell you he's not one to easily let go of a grudge. Please Riku, for all our sakes." Riku looked at his friend. He sighed and halted his force. He withdrew his keyblade.

"Alright, Sora," he said, "I'll do what you say. But the minute he starts getting out of line and treating us like dirt, enforcer or not, I'll brain him!"

"It's a deal," Sora turned to Pence. "Open the door."

"Are you sure?"-

"Is there any other way? Besides, we did nothing wrong."-

"Alright…" Pence approached the pounding door and opened it up. Before him on the porch was none other than the scarred youth, Seifer. He barged into the house, with a handful of officers, only to lay his eyes upon the KH team.

"So," he said, "you were harboring outsiders." He turned to his men. "Have them arrested!"

"Wait a minute!" Donald said. The four members of the KH team were thrown to the ground and handcuffed.

"There's a law strictly forbidding outsiders." Seifer declared. He then turned to Pence. "Have this guy arrested too for disobeying the law!"

"Me...!" Pence objected.

"No, you leave him alone!" Sora shouted. "We're the ones you want!"

"Keep your mouth shut, loser!" Seifer shouted. "I make the rules here! For what is best for the town, I will weed out the resistance!"

"So much for being civil." Riku uttered.

The KH team and pence were escorted from out of the house and sent towards the town jail, where Miss Billiard was confined. The party made their way to the jailhouse doors where the enforcer became ever more aggressive until push cam to shove."Come on, move it!" Seifer ordered, loudly, pushing the key bearers along.

"Don't be so pushy, pal!" Riku grumbled.

"What was that?" Seifer grabbed Riku by the collar of his shirt. "You have some nerve talking to me like that!"

"It's more than you deserve!"-

"Riku…!" Sora warned. "Don't start anything!"

"Why, this guy needs a thrashing!"-

"Is that a threat!" Seifer shouted.

"Hey now," Goofy said, "Don't fight."

"He didn't mean anything by it, Seifer." Pence added. Tensions grew high between Seifer and Riku. Just then, a young lady came rushing towards the party.

"Hold it right there, Seifer!" she shouted. "What do you think you're doing!"

"Your friend, Pence was sheltering outsiders!" Seifer replied. "And you know my law of enforcement; all outsiders are to be taken into custody until this investigation with the kidnappings has been solved and closed."

"But the more people you ban from visiting our town, the greater our income with drop! This is too harsh a law for anyone!"-

"And do you think that I should be intimidated by your words?"-

"Careful, Seifer, you may be the enforcer, but I am the mayor's advisor. And I'm sure that he would not appreciate you stirring up this trouble all your own."-

"Excuse me, Miss," Sora interrupted, "You have a comrade in your custody!"

"Shut your mouth you!" one of the officers shouted.

"Hey, that's enough!" the young woman ordered. "Who is this comrade of yours?"

"She was recently arrested by your enforcer." Riku said. "She came here to help aid the investigation."

"You mean the aid we sent for?" The woman turned to Seifer. "You dolt, you arrested the one person whom we requested aid from?"

"I couldn't take that chance." Seifer replied. "She could have been one of the kidnappers! You know how reports were made about hearing a woman's voice at night, as if beckoning the children in lullaby! That young lady could have been the one!"

"Have her released at once! And have these young men released as well!" Seifer cringed. "Or would you prefer that I have you dismissed from your position as the chief town enforcer." Seifer sneered again and looked to his men. The men took the cuffs from off the KH team members and Pence. "Now see to it that the woman is brought before us."-

"Yes ma'am…" The enforcer and his men withdrew to the jailhouse to release Miss Billiard from custody.

"Thanks Olette," Pence said, "We owe you one."

"No problem," the young woman replied.

"Wait a sec," Sora said, "Olette, is that you?"

"It's been a while, Sora." Olette replied. "Donald, Goofy…" She then looked at Riku. "And who is this dashing young man?"

"That's my best friend, Riku."-

"Hello there." Riku said. Olette smiled.

"You certainly know how to attract dashing friends, Sora." Sora smiled.

Just then, Seifer and his men appeared again, this time with Miss Billiard. Ophelia looked up to find her friends awaiting her.

"Riku, Sora, Donald, Goofy," she cried. She ran up to them, a smile upon her face.

"Are you alright, Miss Billiard?" Sora asked.

"Now I am." She then looked at Riku.

"I'm glad to see that you're alright, Miss Billiard." He said. Riku walked up to her. "We were worried about what happened, how they said you weren't staying in contact."

"I would have contacted earlier if old what's his face didn't hastily arrest me."-

"I am not trusting to any outsiders!" Seifer said, "After all that's happened!"

"You're relieved." Olette ordered. "Attend to your duties somewhere else." Seifer turned away without looking back, his men followed faithfully behind him. "You must forgive Seifer. His trial battles in other worlds have made him rather strict in conduct."

"He's been to other worlds?" Sora asked.

"He doesn't like to talk about it, as if something is always on his mind. But he's a rather excellent enforcer, although the way he executes his policies are to the extreme. We have enough trouble trying to keep him in line."-

"Maybe someone ought to straighten him out."-

"I can take care of that." Riku implied.

"If it's anyone, it's gonna be me." Ophelia said. "I've been playing passive for far too long! The Tiger needs a little blood."

"You can beat the guy up later." Sora interrupted. "We have other things to worry about."

"So where do we start looking for these kidnappers?" Donald asked.

"Well, the thing is," Olette sighed, "we have no idea where to begin."

"You have no idea?" Sora asked.

"Even with the most skilled of sleuths we have at our disposal, they can't seem to pick up where the children may have gone."-

"Then where are we supposed to start with no leads?"-

"The only thing that we can go by is what the witnesses informed us about, on how they heard the voice of a woman echoing in the night sky."-

"Then I guess the best way to find these kidnappers out is to wait for them at night." Riku said. "Is there anyplace for us to bivouac?"

"Well, you could stay at Hayner's Twilight Town Inn." Pence suggested.

"Hayner's Twilight Town Inn?" Sora, Donald, and Goofy uttered.

"Since when did he open an inn?" Sora wondered.

"It's been about five years since its establishment." Olette said. "It's one of the most popular destinations for night life and weary travelers."

"Is Hayner a friend of yours?" Riku asked.

"He's the leader of our trio." Pence chuckled.

"I'm sure he'll be more than happy to accommodate you." Olette said.

"Then what are we waiting for." Sora implied. "Let's go."

"I could sure go for some food." Goofy said.

"And a nice warm bed." Donald added.

"Just follow me then." Pence said. "It's at the Station Heights on Market Street."

The Inn, a distinguished establishment on the side of Market Street, was already a bustling tavern of activity. People engaged in song and drink, others engaged in card games of poker, bridge, or blackjack, and others indulged their pallets with tender steak platters. The KH team was checked in and settled in, helping themselves to gourmet cooking. They were seated around a table with Hayner and Pence, conversing of times of the past and times of the present.

"I see," Pence said, "So you guys are on this mission to help stop these Imperial factions from spreading?"

"That's right." Riku replied.

"But keep your voice down." Donald said, "There might be faction spies about."

"Oh yeah…" Pence said, covering his mouth.

"Well, don't you worry," Olette said, "If there are any of these spies, Seifer's gang will sniff them out."

"Too bad he's not much help on these kidnapping incidents." Donald grumbled.

"He is trying to do his best. That's why he's not here at the tavern. Otherwise he'd be here every night in boasting celebration."-

"He's a regular?"-

"That's right."-

"Anyway, we heard that there was someone here who could help fix gummi ships." Sora added.

"Well," Pence said, "I don't know much about these gummies you talk of, but you can find an excellent mechanic just at the higher end of the street. He hired a bunch of new comers that came in about six months ago. Since then, his garage as been booming, of course the guys he hired are really hush-hush types. They rarely say anything. They just keep to themselves. So if you need mechanical service, then they're the ones to see."

"That's certainly obliging."-

"So do you think the kidnappers will be coming tonight?" Goofy asked.

"It's hard to say." Olette said. "These kidnappers don't follow any kind of pattern. It's just a random occurrence."

"Well, if they do come," Ophelia said, "They better watch out."

Just then, Hayner came to the table with a happy grin on his face.

"And how is everything so far?" Hayner asked.

"Everything's great," Goofy said, swallowing a bunch of grapes from the fruit bowl.

"It's really great that you allowed us to stay here at your inn, Hayner." Sora said. "We really appreciate it."

"Hey, old friends never forget each other." The young man sat on a spare chair. "Besides, you guys came to help us. This is the least I could do to help you with your troubles."

"Again we appreciate it."-

It was then, amidst the clambering of the tavern, the small coo of a young child was heard.

"Big brother…" the voice said. The KH team turned to find a young boy, no older than ten, come behind Hayner. The boy tugged at the back of Hayner's shirt. His hair was scraggly, he wore blue pajamas and carried a raggedy blanket and stuffed teddy bear, indicating that he had awoken from a gentle slumber. Hayner looked behind him.

"Hayden," he uttered, "What are you doing here?" He turned towards the boy. "You should be in bed, kiddo."

"Who's that?" Sora asked.

"This is my baby brother, Hayden."-

"Aw, he's a cute little sucker ain't he?" Ophelia said.

"Say 'hi' kiddo."-

"Hello…" the little boy uttered, timidly.

"He certainly looks like you, Hayner." Sora chuckled. Hayden nudged up to his older brother.

"What's wrong?" Hayner asked.

"I'm afraid…" Hayden replied.

"Afraid of what?"-

"I'm afraid of the witch in my closet."-

"Witch?"-

"The one that's been taking boys and girls away."-

"Aw, it's okay there, bro. There's nothing in your closet."

"Can you please sleep with me tonight?"-

"I can't right now. Your brother has customers to serve." The little boy looked down. Hayner grasped him by the shoulders. "I'll tell you what though. Let me clean up and I'll read you a bed time story, how's that."

"Okay…"-

"Pence, could you take Hayden back to his room and keep him company until I'm finished down here?"-

"Sure thing," Pence replied. H got up and led the boy up the stairs to the second floor to his bedroom. "C'mon Hayden, I can read you that bedtime story."

"Okay…" the boy said.

"I never thought you to be the tender hearted type." Sora chuckled. "I always thought you to be the rogue kind of guy."

"Well, you can't keep up that cocky leader act forever." Hayner said. "I have other responsibilities to look to now. These past events have really been hard on my brother. He's always leery about being alone at night. He never used to be, but these kidnappings have caused him to close like a shell. He always comes to me for comfort."

"Well, that's good. You're acting like a big brother."-

"I just hope that these kidnappers are caught and brought to justice. Not only is this fear bad for our kids, but its bad for businesses, for all of us, and for the community."-

"It's only a matter of time." Riku implied.

As the night wore on, the activities grew quieter until only those staying at the inn were left. Sora, Donald, and Goofy had turned in for the night. Hayner was cleaning the bar of its last few crumbs and napkins. Riku stood outside getting a breath of crisp night air. He looked about, hoping to hear the mysterious voice that the locals heard upon the wind. The clock tower at the station rang deeply. The bell rang nine times until dying down.

"Nine o'clock," he uttered, "still nothing."

"Well, Olette did say that these occurrences happened at random intervals." A voice uttered. Riku turned to find Ophelia standing just outside the door. "Sorry for barging in, do you mind if I keep you company?"

"Of course not, go right ahead." Ophelia took her place next to Riku and gazed up at the stars.

"The stars are beautiful tonight aren't they?"-

"They sure are. It's hard to believe that every one of those twinkling specks is another world."-

"It just goes to show you that no matter what world you go to, it shares the same sky."-

"One sky, one destiny."-

"I guess so…"-

Riku looked upon Ophelia's fair blazon. She seemed more beautiful than usual and it was the first time that the young key bearer realized this divine glow. Ophelia happened to catch him looking at her.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Forgive me for being rather direct," Riku uttered, "But up until now, I never realized how cute you are."

"Really…?"-

"I don't mean any offense to it, but I guess your skills as a warrior concealed your beauty at times."-

"Oh…" She turned away not knowing how to interpret Riku's compliment.

"You know, Miss Billiard," Riku continued, "When I heard that you might have been in trouble, I was really worried about you."

"You were…?"-

"Yeah, and when Pence told me about how Seifer arrested you, my rage was burning inside."-

"Really…?"-

"I guess what I'm trying to say is…is…" Riku stalled. He turned away slightly.

"Is what?" Ophelia was anxious to know. She grasped at Riku's arm. Riku quickly turned to meet her emerald green eyes.

"I like you…" Staring deep into his eyes, Ophelia felt the words pierce her heart like chilling daggers. She could feel her heart beating and her cheeks blush a deep red.

"You like me?" she uttered, astounded. "Truly…?"

"I know I'm being too direct, but there's something about your smile, your face, your personality that I like. Though you're as cold, hard, and deprived of emotion when you enter battle, I've seen a compassionate and loving side that still dwells deep inside of you when tranquility has been restored." Riku took her hand, feeling Ophelia's skin, smooth as silk. "I haven't felt this way since I held your stepsister, Namine. There's something about you that causes me to break down inside, making me weak at the knees. I never said anything because I thought you might laugh, being as proud as you are at times. You might have thought these emotions to be childish or immature, not worthy for a young man bearing the name of Noctin Tilandir."

"No, no," Ophelia took a hold of Riku's hand, "I would never do such a thing. The reason why is because…well…I like you too."

"Really…?"-

"I would be lying if I didn't. The moment I laid eyes on you, though we were enemies back then, there was some kind of connection between us. It had nothing to do with my stepsister. It had nothing to do with physical attraction. It had nothing to do with loyalties, betrayals, and what not. It was what was in your heart that attracted me. You are stern, proud, and at the same time gentle, kind, and compassionate. Otherwise, I would never have been drawn to you in this manner." Ophelia turned away for that moment, placing her hand upon the wall. "I guess after losing my father and my stepsister to fate and time, I was always in need of someone to help comfort me in my time of need. Of course, I came to realize that there were seldom any people like that. No one would really accept me. Though they were friends, they were not family. My problems were my own to bear and no one wanted to take the responsibility of having to deal with affairs that weren't theirs. That's another reason why I joined the faction in the first place, so that I could become stronger and detach myself from these inner emotions. But all my efforts, all the times of hardening my heart and purging me of a soul, saying to myself that pity and love were for the weak and weak minded, proved false. And now I find myself in need of someone."

"You can't harden you heart because it's not who you are." Riku said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "You are too pure and too kind to dub yourself a killer. You kill because you are required to, not because you desire to. Sure you must be strong and unemotional in this cold uncaring world, but that doesn't mean that you can't show emotion. Emotion can prove a weak heart, but at the same time, emotion strengthens it." Ophelia turned towards Riku again. She sighed and looked away.

"I'm just afraid that if I accept you with all my heart, you may one day end up abandoning me, or betraying me." Riku placed his hands on her shoulder and gazed deeply at her.

"I understand how you feel. After everything that's happened in your life, I don't blame you for losing trust to those you get close to. But if you give me the responsibility of keeping your affections sacred, I'll never betray you."-

"But to lose you…"-

"Ophelia…" Riku edged closer to the young woman, their lips slowly edging towards each other. Then, with magic passion, tender lips caressed each other. Riku and Ophelia, their eyes sealed shut, were taken in by this rush of uncontrollable love as this first kiss took control of their souls. They parted their lips and looked upon one another in a different light, as if to behold a sacred relic. Riku tenderly embraced the young colonel with such affection, as if keeping her warm and protecting her from the elements. Ophelia was not defiant. She was comfortable in the key bearer's warm embrace.

Little did they realize that above, gazing at them from one of the inn's windows, Sora, Goofy, and Donald watched with amusement, not at what they saw, but at the affections displayed.

"Ah," Sora said, quietly, "Isn't that cute."

"It makes you kinda feel all warm inside." Goofy added.

"I never would have thought that they'd get together." Donald said.

"I did." Sora implied. "To tell you the truth, I've never seen Riku so happy. He never was the same when Namine died. Despite her being Kairi's Nobody, who had gained her own means through shear force of will and determination, Riku still lover her with a passion. I think he's found it again."

"Should we congratulate them?"-

"No," Sora sighed, "Let's leave them alone."

"C'mon, Donald." Goofy said, leading his mallard friend away from the window sill. Sora smiled as he watched the two love birds retreat back into the inn before he himself left the window.

"You go, Riku…"

But no sooner had Sora retreated from witnessing the affair between Riku and Ophelia, a strange hymn, like that of a song began to rise from out of the night sky.

Come little children

I'll take thee away

Into a land of enchantment

Come little children

The time's come to play

Here, in my garden of magic

Sora turned towards the window. He quickly ran to the window again and poked his head out. He put his ear to the wind. Again the lulling song echoed, softly, but distinguishable.

"That sound," he uttered

"What's the matter, Sora?" Goofy asked.

"Don't you guys hear that?"-

"Hear what?" Donald asked.

"That song on the wind," Goofy and Donald came to the window to listen to the tune that caught the key bearer's hearing. Sure enough, as their perked up their ears, the sound of a woman's voice began to echo.

"What is that?"-

"It's the kidnappers," Sora said, "It has to be!" He turned to Goofy and Donald. "Tell Riku and the others! I'm gonna see where I can find this voice!"

"Right…! Goofy, let's go!"-

"I gotcha!" Goofy replied. They rushed out of the room while Sora jumped out of the window to find where the sound was coming from. But as if the wind was carrying the melodious tune itself, the origin of where it descended was indistinguishable. Sora looked about, eyeing the shadows for possible movements.

In the meantime, Goofy and Donald caused some ruckus as they scurried to the tavern. Ophelia and Riku were walked towards the stairs when the two rushing comrades ran into them, impacting hard and causing everyone to fall.

"What's the idea!" Riku said rubbing his head, "Why'd you ram into us!"

"We gotta problem!" Donald said. "We got a huge problem!"

"Slow down," Ophelia implied, "What kind of problem?"

"What's going on here?" Hayner asked, popping from behind his bar, finishing his clean up.

"The voice," Goofy uttered.

"What voice?"-

"The voice, we heard the voice!"-

"The one that Olette and Seifer were talking about, we heard it!" Donald added.

"You heard it?" Riku asked.

"Yeah, Sora went to find where it was coming from."-

Just then, Pence came rushing down the stairs in a hasty and reckless manner. He turned to the group.

"Have any of you seen Hayden!" he asked.

"Hayden," Hayner uttered, "What about Hayden, where is he?"

"He's gone!"-

"But how, I thought you were watching him?"-

"I was, but I kinda dozed off."-

"Well, he couldn't have gone far, he never came through here. And this is the only way out! Unless…" Hayner remembered that the bedroom, his little brother was slumbering in, happened to have a large window to which anyone could enter. He rushed up the stairs and down the hall to his brother's bedroom. But as he opened the door, his heart sunk. He beheld the window, left slightly ajar. He rushed to the window calling his brother's name. "Hayden, Hayden…!" He looked down to see if the boy might have fallen. There was nothing.

"He couldn't have gotten out that way, could he?" Pence uttered. But Hayner was in no state to bargain with obviously ridiculous questions. With his anger he swiped back and struck Pence across the face. Pence fell to the ground. A red mark formed on his cheek. "What was that for?"

"This is all your fault, Pence!" Hayner shouted. "You were supposed to be watching my baby brother! You shut your eyes for a few minutes and then he's gone! I was relying on you to watch him!"

"Hayner, I'm sorry, but…"-

"Sorry isn't going to cut it! My brother is missing! And as far as we know, those kidnappers have him!"-

"Stop it!" Riku shouted, crossly. "Don't take your anger out on Pence, Hayner! It's partially all our faults for not being fully aware! But bickering about it is not going to help Hayden!"

"He's right." Ophelia said. "We have to go out there and find him!" But just then, the sound of a lulling voice rose again upon the wind. "Do you hear that?"

"I do," Riku put his hand to his ear and took in the strange and haunting melody.

"That's the one!" Donald said. "That's the voice!"

"Goofy, Donald, Pence, you three stay here! Ophelia, Hayner, and I will help Sora find Hayden!"-

"We'll do our duty!" Donald said with a salute.

"Hurry…!" Hayner cried. The three ran out, down the stairs, out of the inn, and into the streets, hearing that soft melody. But as it happened with Sora, the song seemed to come from the night sky itself.

"The song seems to come from everywhere." Ophelia said. It was at this moment, a voice cried out.

"Hayner, Riku, Ophelia," it shouted. The trio looked to find Sora running towards them.

"Sora," Riku said, "did you find anything?"

"I don't know. I've looked everywhere, but I found no one, nothing."-

"Have you seen Hayden anywhere, Sora?" Hayner asked.

"No why?"-

"He's gone missing."-

"We think that the kidnappers may have taken him." Riku added.

"No…" Sora uttered.

"Hayden, Hayden," Hayner shouted, "Come back, come back!" But as he looked up into the evening sky, into the pale light of the full moon, Hayner saw something like a shadow flying overhead upon the round face. "Look, up there!" The team looked up at this figure that speedily passed by them. The shadow was distance, but it was distinguishable. The feature was that of a cloaked figure riding upon some kind of object.

"What is that?" Sora wondered.

"Who is that?" Riku added. Ophelia squinted. The object that the figure appeared to sit on was a broomstick.

"It's a witch," she uttered, "That figure is a witch!"

"A witch…?"-

"Yeah, I can tell by the broom."-

"Man, you have good eyes, Miss Billiard." Sora said. "I can't even see the broom."

"It looks as if the witch is carrying something on the broom too, a person I think, perhaps a child."-

"A child?" Hayner squinted at the figure. He immediately recognized the little individual, though it was from some great distance away.

"It's Hayden!" he cried. "Hayden…!" There was no response.

"He must have been put under some kind of spell." Ophelia said. "It must be the music the witch is singing. She's enticing him with her song."

"We have to go after her!"-

"First thing's first though," Riku said. He turned to Miss Billiard. "Ophelia, go back and tell everyone that we've found the culprit and we're in hot pursuit. When we find this witch, we'll let out an energy signal and you follow it alright."

"I gotcha," Ophelia replied, "Should I tell Pence and the others?"

"Yeah, we'll need all the help we can get. Catch up with us as soon as you can, we're moving out now."-

"I understand." Ophelia quickly withdrew, leaving the three young men to continue the pursuit.

"Come on, you guys," Hayner said, "My brother needs help."

"Let's go." Sora added. The three ran off into the darkness, pursuing as quietly as they could, the lone figure in the night sky, carrying its unwilling victim to whatever fate was in store.


	63. The Sanderson Sisters

The Sanderson Sisters

Riku, Sora, and Hayner kept their eye on the witch as it sped further and further away from them. Only by going on foot, they'd never be able to keep up.

"This is no good." Sora said. "That witch is going further and further away from us. At this rate, she'll disappear into the night sky."

"Then, let's take to the air too." Riku unleashed the Whiff spell and sprouted his black wings.

"Good idea," Sora added. He drew out his keyblade and summoned forth the Nimbus.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" Hayner asked.

"Never mind that, jump on!" The two young men landed upon the little cloud's fluffy surface. Now speed was favoring them as they were able to keep up with the witch with no problems whatsoever. As their pursuit came to its climax, the three saw in the distance, a strange pillar of smoke, bright and a bizarre like purple.

"What is that apparition?" Riku wondered.

"It must be where the witch is headed." Hayner said.

"Then, let's keep following her. That witch will have to land sooner or later." Sora implied.

But then again, the witch was aware of her pursuers and did not travel straight for the pillar. Instead, she eluded the three rescuers by disappearing into the vast thickets below. Like a phantom, she descended into the canopy of trees, just beyond the town's reach.

"She went into the woods." Hayner said.

"Then let's go after her." Riku replied. The three descended into the brush as well. But the minute they reached the bottom of the canopy, they found themselves surrounded by tall tree trunks, gnarled ad foreboding at times. They became entangled in some areas. To make matters worse, the witch was no longer in their sight. Her plan had worked.

"She got away." Sora grumbled.

"Quick, let's descend."-

"Why?" Hayner asked.

"This witch is crafty. She knew we were following her, which explains why she came under the canopy. And I'm sure she's not willing to risk flying out in the open if she knows we're looking for her. It's best to lay low and wait for her to continue on her way. That's when we follow." The three quickly landed upon the ground, the terrain covered with leaves and rather rugged. They hid behind a wall of bushes and awaited the witch's reemergence. Sure enough, from out of the shadows, the witch reappeared upon her broom, with Hayden still clutched in her hands. She quickly sped off.

"There she goes." Sora uttered, quietly.

"Let's go after her." Riku said. The three quickly pursued the witch. They pursued for almost a mile before they found the witch land upon nook in the forest. There a mysterious cottage, set in the deep wilderness, a place long forgotten by history. covered with dead vineries and flowers, stood slumped. It was here that the strange pillar purple smoke originated, lingering from atop a decrepit old chimney. "Well, at least we know where that purple smoke was coming from.

"What is this place?" Sora asked.

"I don't know." Hayner replied. "It looks like a peddler's cottage."

"But what's it doing all the way out here in the woods?"-

"Beats me…"-

"Come on you guys." Riku insisted. "We have to save Hayden." The three edged closer to the cottage towards one of the shuttered windows. There was a strange lingering odor coming from the parlor and a series of haunting chants. The three poked their heads up to find three women encircling little Hayden, who still seemed to be in a trance.

The three women were dressed in these elaborate cloaks. The first witch, possibly the eldest of the three, wore what looked like the green dress of a Renaissance lady of quality. Her cloak matched her outfit and her hair, a fiery red. Her two front teeth protruded out of her rose like lips as if a rodent. The second was a fat old peddler dressed in magenta and whose hair was crumpled as if a softy swirled in a dark purple. The third, possible the youngest, had a fair blazon unlike her two companions. She was dressed in a darker purple, but her hair was a pale blond. Hayden seemed to stare out into space, still enticed by the witches' spell.

"Hayden…" Hayner uttered. His whisper was a level too loud and the witches caught the strained notes. They quickly turned to see who said it. The three ducked their heads.

"We gotta get in there without catching their attention." Sora said. "Who knows what kind of spells those three witches are capable of casting."

"Quick," Riku whispered. "They're coming, hide." The three scurried around a corner, hiding in the shadows. They managed to conceal themselves before the fiery red headed witch blew open the shutters of the window and gazed about. Her two cohorts came out from the front door and looked about too.

"Oh look," the redhead suddenly uttered, "Such a beautiful and peaceful night. It makes me sick!" She closed the shutters as quickly as she had opened them. "Sisters…!"

"Yes, coming Winnie," The fat one uttered, "sorry."

"We're on our way dear sister." The slender witch said.

"It must've been an imp." The redhead uttered. As the shutters closed again, Hayner and the two key bearers stuck their heads out from behind the corner.

"That was close." Riku said.

"Too close." Hayner added.

"I wonder what they're planning to do with your brother."-

"I don't know, but I won't let them do whatever they have planned."-

"Hayner, Riku," Sora uttered, "Take a look at this." He pointed to a window leading to the cellar. Through the window, a strange dim glow accumulated, not like the candle light from where the witches did their activity. This had a dim glow like that of a waning moon face. The three went to the window and peeped in. What they found was not only the mystery solver, but a ghastly sight as well.

Twenty or so children were confined in a darkened room, their giving off this strange luminance. They were hovering in midair as if they were ghost, pale in complexion as if already dead.

"It's the missing children." Hayner uttered.

"What's wrong with them?" Sora wondered. "They seem almost lifeless. It's like they're in a trance or something."

"They must be under some kind of spell."-

"We have to get these kids out." Riku advised. "But first, we ought to take care of those three witches." They crept back up the window and watched the three sorceresses continue their chants.

"How are we gonna get in without them seeing us?" Sora asked.

"You guys are strong enough." Hayner said. "Why not attack them head on?"

"Like I said, we don't know what they're capable of doing." Riku implied. "We might be a match for them with physical strength, but they may obtain a variety of spells that would do greater harm than expected from them physically. Besides, they may try to hurt your brother if they find us, using him as a human shield."

"I guess you're right."-

"We should concentrate on saving your brother and those twenty children first."-

"But that still doesn't change the fact that we have no access area."-

"Hey guys, look up there." Sora pointed to an open window that led to the second story." They quickly and silently ascended and nestled on an overhang watching the witches in their rituals. They heard the three prattling on and bickering amongst themselves. The fiery redhead, known Winifred, but only as Winnie to the KH team, approached a bound covered book, resting upon a podium.

"My darling," she uttered, "My little book, we must continue with our spell now that our little guest of honor has arrived. Wake up, wake up darling." From the books lock, a human eye slowly opened and looked about curiously. The key bearers and Hayner were awed and repulsed by this grim sight.

"Did that book just open its eye?" Sora uttered.

"It's a book," Hayner replied, "It's not supposed to have an eye."

"Shut up, you two." Riku implied.

"Mary!" Winifred shouted. The fat one approached her.

"Right here, Winnie," Mary replied, "right here, sorry." Winifred gave a gesture to tend to the boiling cauldron that was set upon a fiery pit. Mary began to stir the cauldron. "I notice your sister Sarah isn't helping." The most youthful of the three hissed.

"I lured the child here." Sarah said in her own defense.

"Leave her be," Winifred ordered, pulling Mary by the ear, "She has done her chore."

"You're right," Mary uttered, "I'm wrong."

"Tis time!" Winifred raised her hands and the book suddenly opened to the page holding the desired spell. "There it is. Bring to a full rolling bubble, add two drops oil of foil." Ingredients was collected from the shelving and placed into the cauldron. "Mix blood of owl with an herb that's red. Turn three times. Pluck a hair from my head, and a dash of pox and dead man's toe." She turned to Mary. "A dead man's toe and make it a fresh one!"

"Dead man's toe, dead man's toe," Sarah chanted, jumping and swirling herself about like a jolly harlot. Mary took a basket from the shelf and threw the rotting flesh into the pot.

"A fresh one." She uttered. As she brought the basket back to the shelving, she inadvertently threw another toe at her sister, Sarah. In playful gestures they threw the foot's bits at one another. Winifred, however, was not pleased at all.

"Will you two stop that!" she roared, "I need to concentrate!"

"Sorry," Mary snickered, "she needs to concentrate." But something caught her attention. She looked about, her nose lifted to the air.

"Hide…" Riku said. The three young men ducked their heads, so not to be seen by the suspicious witch.

"I smell a child." Mary uttered.

"What dost thou call that?" Winifred grumbled, pointing to Hayden still sitting in his trance in the chair.

"Uh…a child?"-

"Humph!" Winifred beckoned her sisters. "Sisters, gather round. One thing more and all is done! Add a bit of thine own tongue!" They bit their tongues at once and spit the vile flesh into the cauldron and most aggressively, the spell reacted, bellowing clouds of foul steam into the air. The liquid confined changed its hue as well, from purple to green.

"Oh, Winnie," Mary praised, "Thou art divine."

"Tis ready for tasting." Winifred said. "One drop of this and the boy's life will be mine. I mean ours." The three turned towards Hayden still in a catatonic state, with Winifred bearing the large wooden, brewing paddle. It was raised towards the boy's head. "Alright, boy, open up your mouth!"

Hayner, seeing his brother in trouble, jumped up to confront the witches.

"You leave my brother alone, you hags!" he shouted. The three witches stood up to see this young man standing upon the second story ledge.

"Another boy!" the witches shouted in unison.

"Riku, Sora, get my brother!"-

"Right…!" The key bearers stood up and drew their keyblades.

"Three of them!" Winifred growled. "Get them, you fools!"

"I knew I smelt a boy!" Mary chuckled.

The sisters went after the three young men. Sora went head to head against Mary. Riku took on Sarah. And Hayner confronted Winifred.

"You fools, dare to oppose us?" Winifred shouted.

"I shouldn't be too hard!" Hayner said. He rushed at the witch, but Winifred unleashed an electrical surge that threw the young man off his feet. In the meantime, Sora and Riku made it easy for them to elude the other two sisters. Like ring around the rosy, both key bearers were being pursued about the cottage by the two witches. In the process, they knocked down all the shelving containing necessary ingredients to brew spell potions. Winifred watched as destruction rained upon her necessities.

"You idiots," she shouted, "Watch where you're going! Those ingredients aren't easy to come by you know!" But her sisters seemed to not heed her words as they too caused havoc in the cottage. "You idiots!"

"Come on back here!" Mary chuckled, as she pursued Sora.

"Let me play with you a while." Sarah added as she went after Riku.

"In what way?" Riku asked.

"Hey Riku," Sora shouted, "Incoming!" Riku and Sora rushed towards each other as the two witches drew nearer behind them. Unexpectedly, the key bearers evaded each other's path and let the two witches collide instead. Sarah and Mary slammed into each other and fell to the floor with a mess of stars buzzing around their heads like bees.

"Well, that went easy enough." Sora said, slapping a high five to Riku.

"Too easy." They turned towards Hayden who was still in that trance. "Grab the kid and let's get out of here."

"Right…!" Sora took hold of Hayden and tucked him beneath his arm. The two then rushed out of the cottage. Sora turned to Hayner who was still evading and dodging the electrical surges that Winifred threw at him. "Hey, Hayner, let's go! We got your brother!"

"Right," Hayner said. He turned to Winifred. "Sorry, you old bag, can't play with you no more."

"Old bag," Winifred growled, "Old bag you say!" She threw another electrical surge at the agile youth, but Hayner was quick to evade again. He then happened to look upon the massive cauldron.

"Oh yeah, and just in case." Hayner kicked the cauldron, topping it over. The contents within spilled across the floor, washing many of the fallen ingredients away.

"My potion…!" Winifred looked on in horror as the last of her potion spilled upon the floor, rendered useless.

"See ya later, you old hack!" He quickly withdrew, following Riku and Sora. He slapped his rear towards the witch as an insulting gesture. Winifred was angered. "They're escaping! Mary, Sarah, compose yourselves, we're going after them!" She looked to her sisters that were still strewn about on the floor like hay bales. "Those boys are getting away and you decide to take a nap! Get up, you blithering idiots!" She pulled them up by the ears.

"Did you have to be so rough?" Mary uttered her head still light from the impact.

"Those three buffoons have run off with our victim! And look!" She pointed to the mess made. "And this," She turned to her tipped cauldron deprived of its contents. "My potion, my beautiful potion, and all the ingredients for it, washed away!"

"We can always make more potion later." Sarah said.

"We haven't the time! The pangs will be setting in soon and our youth will evaporate!" Winifred then spotted a small puddle of potion left over in the empty pot. "Look, there's just enough left for one child! Get a vial!" Sarah retrieved a vial and the remaining potion was poured into it. "Excellent, this is perfect for that little toad headed brat!"

"But can't se just go after another child?" Mary asked.

"No! I want to get even with that older brother of the boy's. He had the audacity to tip over the cauldron and waste so much potion! I'll make him suffer for inflicting this humiliation upon me! And I'll do it by sapping the life out of his little brother! Get the brooms!" The three witches rallied and began their pursuit.

In the meantime, Sora and the others managed to get far enough away from the witches' cottage, along a forgotten road. They nestled by a tree to catch their breath.

"Whew," Sora said, "We nearly got away by the skin on our teeth."

"But we still have those other twenty kids to worry about." Riku said.

"We can't go back there! The witches would nab us sure."-

"We'll just have to defeat them first!"-

In the meantime, Hayner looked to his brother, who was still in the trance. He shook his brother, hoping to snap the boy out of it.

"Hayden, Hayden," he said. "Snap out of it, bro."

"How's it coming?" Sora asked.

"It's no good. The witches' spell is still strong on him. He hasn't come to."-

"We'll just have to carry him."-

"Allow us, gentlemen!" a voice from above shouted. The three young men looked to see the witches hovering above them.

"It's the witches!" Sora shouted.

"I don't believe we introduced ourselves." Winifred continued. "We are the Sanderson Sisters. I am Winifred!"

"I am Mary!" the fat witch chuckled.

"And I am Sarah!" the younger added. She looked to Riku. "Come with me, my silver haired prince. I'll be thy friend."

"Sorry, miss, I'm already taken." Riku replied.

"What do you want?" Hayner said.

"We want that boy, that brother of yours." Winifred explained. "His life source belongs to us."

"His life source?"-

"And what do you want with his life source?" Sora asked.

"Art thou a fool, boy?" Winifred chuckled. "His life source will retain our youth!"

"So you're the ones who have been kidnapping those children! You use them as food, sucking the lives out of them to maintain your own! That's why those kids we found in your cottage were glowing like that, you purged them of their life source! That's why they're practically dead!"-

"And what business is it of yours?"-

"I hate people who take advantage of kids like that and hurt them in such a way! That is a sick thing to do and you need to be stopped!"-

"What for, we've done the practice since the Middle Ages, and no one has ever been able to stop us."-

"Until now…!" Riku shouted. He and Sora drew out their keyblades. But the Sanderson sisters were unimpressed.

"You think you can do battle with us?"-

"There's always a first time." Sora said.

"Such imbeciles," Winifred scoffed, "Your efforts will make no difference! Give us the child and save yourselves a lot of grief."

"If you want him," Hayner said, "You'll have to go through us first!"

"That should not be too hard." The three witches descended fast, attacking the youths at incredible speed. But before they could even begin anything, the key bearers launched an elemental attack. They unleashed their wind attacks catching the Sanderson sisters in the violent torrents, nearly throwing them off their brooms. "What be this?"

"They can use magic spells too?" Mary wondered.

"It's gonna be harder than you anticipated." Riku declared.

"Then perhaps we should take more precarious measures." Winifred chuckled. She suddenly began to chant a spell.

Escape as you might

Come what may

But evening mist

Will blind your way

It was then, like a malignancy, the night air turned foggy as great waves of mist suddenly appeared, lingering like a serpent and gathering amongst the four.

"What is this?" Sora wondered.

"It's fog." Riku said. The four found themselves covered in this nightly mist.

"I can't see a thing." Hayner said.

Suddenly, from out of the fog, Winifred appeared, swiping at the group. She dared to take Hayden, but Sora quickly stood in the way, seeing her form at the last minute. Winifred instead swiped and kicked the young key bearer. Sora fell to the ground, a bruised mark upon his face.

"Are you alright?" Hayner asked.

"I'm fine." Sora replied.

"Keep your guard up." Riku ordered. "They used this attack deliberately."

"We just need to clear the fog then." Sora jumped up and unleashed a wind attack, clearing the fog. But to his dismay, the fog only advanced again into where the wind blew before.

"This fog is too thick."-

"You fools," Winifred chuckled. "You are in the everlasting fog! No matter what spell or power you use, you can never clear the mist."

"What are we gonna do now?" Hayner asked.

"If we can't cause the fog to withdraw," Riku said, "Then we can go over it." Riku sprouted his dark wings and flew upward.

"Good idea." Sora added. He released the Nimbus spell and jumped on. "Hayner, let's go!"

"Right…!" Hayner replied. He took hold of his younger brother and jumped onto the Nimbus. The three lifted into the night sky, clearing the fog. The Sanderson sisters, sensing the ascent, turned their brooms skyward.

"Confound them." She grumbled.

"Well," Mary said, "who would have seen that coming?"

"After them," The three witches lifted off after the key bearers, silently flying behind them.

The key bearers and their companions had sighed relief. Sora looked back every few seconds to see if there was anyone following.

"So far, those three witches haven't caught on to our escape." He said.

"At least we cleared their spell." Riku added. "There's nothing like a good flight into the night sky to clear up the mist. Are they following us?"

"The sky is clear. They probably think that we're still lost in the fog."-

But no sooner had that statement been uttered, a powerful ball of mystic energy came flying upward from beneath and struck Sora's nimbus cloud, affecting everyone aboard.

"Direct hit…!" Winifred chuckled. "I haven't lost my touch, sisters, see?"

"Sora, Hayner, Hayden!" Riku shouted. He quickly descended, hoping to grasp at his friends. He swooped down and grabbed all three at the last minute. Hayner was holding on to both his brother and Riku for dear life, while Sora had been knocked unconscious and hung limp in Riku's arms. "Geez, Sora, you ever think of losing a little weight?"

"Riku," Hayner cried, "Don't drop me!"

"I'm not gonna drop you!"-

The winged key bearer landed fast, into another misty atmosphere. He placed his comrades safely on the dank ground. From out of thick layer of fog, headstones, tombs, and cross appeared.

"Where the heck are we?" Hayner asked.

"It's an old graveyard." Riku replied. "By the looks of it, no one's been here for years."

"What happened?" Sora uttered, shaking his head. "I felt like I was hit by a grand piano."

"Something along those lines, Sora."-

"Here they come!" Hayner shouted, pointing upward, spotting the witches that descended upon them.

"Now, for the last time," Winifred cackled, "Prepare to meet thy doom!"

"Don't you three ever give up?" Sora grumbled.

"I will have that child!" She turned to her sisters. "Sarah. Mary, have at them!"

The three sisters split up and surrounded the young men.

"Get ready." Riku uttered.

"Don't worry." Sora said. "We have our attacks too. We'll be more than a match for these three."

"Do not be so judgmental on the situation, whelp." Winifred chuckled. "I have a way of taking care of such unpredictable opponents like yourselves." She looked to Mary and Sarah. "Sisters sing!" The three tuned in a chord and began to chant a spell.

Thrice I with mercury purify

And spit upon the twelve tables

No sooner had the chant been made, Winifred cast the declaration spell to ensure what was to occur.

"Now," she began, "Purge these fair youths of their magic power to ensure our victory this night!"

Suddenly, the bodies of the key bearers began to glow. They looked to find their bodies glow a bright blue then diminishing as soon as it appeared.

"What was that?" Sora wondered.

"What did they do to us?" Riku added.

"Now you shall perish!" Winifred was the first to attack, swooping down fast upon her broom. Sora drew out his keyblade and prepared to unleash an elemental attack. But to his dismay, no element was deployed on his command.

"What in the…?" Sora saw Winifred coming and quickly ducked, just as the witch passed by. "Riku, I can't use any elemental attacks."

"Neither can I." Riku replied, trying to deploy his own energy. "Winifred's spell did something to us."

"From this point on," Winifred chuckled, "your own spells are useless so long as my own spell holds you in its bond."

"It was that incantation."-

"Now, sisters, finish them!"-

Almost automatically, the three began to fly at the key bearers. They would pass the three young men, attempting to strike at them. While Mary and Sarah would attempt to knock them down, Winifred would unleash elemental spells cast from her book. The key bearers, thought able to block and evade some of the attacks, were struck by other attacks. If it was not Mary and Sarah they worried about, it was Winifred's spell book. And with their own power nullified by the Sanderson incantation, the two key bearers could only rely on physical attacks. But the witches were too high to reach and too fast to keep track of. Winifred, with her spell book opened, used countless elemental attacks to keep the key bearers on their toes. In the entire course of the fight's opening stages, the battle was shifted completely against the key bearers.

"Riku, Sora," Hayner shouted.

"Hayner," Riku cried, "Stay there and keep your brother safe! We can handle this!"

"Such futility," Winifred chuckled. "Did you really think that you'd stand a chance against us?"

"Don't get so cocky!" Sora shouted. He jumped into the air, leveling himself with Winifred and attempted to strike her. But with higher altitude to her advantage, the witch saw the attack coming and easily evaded.

"You little pest, I've had enough of you." Sora swung again, but this time, Winifred caught staff of the keyblade in her hand. "What insects." But then again, Winifred was in for another surprise. Her hand suddenly began to burn as it grasped the shaft of the keyblade. She screamed and drew away her hand. Looking at what burned her, she saw that the keyblade burned a streak across her palm. "What kind of weapon is that?"

"It's a keyblade. Best that you don't underestimate us."-

"You…" Winifred withdrew high into the sky. "Have some of this!" She unleashed a barrage of lighting with her spell book that at times struck and shocked the key bearers.

"It's no use, Sora." Riku said. "We're at a complete disadvantage here. They're higher up, our powers are nullified, they outnumber us, and they have endless elemental spells at their disposal."

"So what do we do?" Sora asked.

"The best option is to deprive Winifred of her spell book. That seems to be the main factor that's limiting our level of mobility."-

"So what's the plan?"-

"We have her come close. That's when we swipe the book out of her hand. But don't make it too obvious that were trying to get her."-

"Right…"-

"You two have caused enough trouble." Winifred shouted. The key bearers stood back to back as they watched the witches slowly surround them. "Finish them!" There was another lightning barrage. The key bearers dodged. Mary and Sarah, rush in at full speed.

"Here they come." Sora uttered.

"Are you ready?" Riku asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." The key bearers waited until the other two were on top of them, then dodged at the last moment. The two sorceresses ended up passing by them.

"Let's go!" Sora led the charge, hoping to strike at Winifred.

"What fools," the witch scoffed, "Haven't we've tried this already?" She easily evaded Sora's attack, seldom realizing Riku was still in midair. She looked up to find Riku throwing his keyblade in a spin straight at her. Winifred tried to evade, but the keyblade struck the front of the broom, jerking it hard. The impact forced the witch to lose hold of her book and the massive text fell to the ground. "Confound you!"

"We did it." Sora said.

"You're not so tough without your book are you?" Riku implied. But his threat seemed not to affect the witch. She only cackled sinisterly.

"You really think it's that simple?" She put her hand to the side of her mouth as if calling. She began to chant. "Book…!"-

Almost immediately, the book began to levitate itself and hovered back to its master.

"Riku look!" Sora uttered.

"She's calling the book back." Riku said.

"We have to get it." Sora rushed to prevent the book from reaching its mistress. But before even attempting to grasp at it, Sarah suddenly appeared and knocked the key bearer down. Sora slammed against a headstone, knocking him out.

"Sora…!"-

"You figured on having us beaten?" Winifred chuckled. "Perhaps this will teach you well not to underestimate the cunning of the Sanderson sisters."

"There's only one of them left." Mary snickered.

"Please, sister," Sarah uttered, "Let me have this one. Let me have my fair silver haired prince."

"Riku…!" Hayner cried. He jumped up and grabbed a fallen tree branch. He rushed to aid his comrade.

"No, Hayner," Riku ordered, "Stay back!"

"But Riku…"-

"You have your little brother to watch out for! There are still three of them! Keep Hayden safe in case they try and snatch him up." Hayner was hesitant at first, but his mind went back to his brother.

"Very well…" he turned away and went back to keep his brother safe.

"You plan of fighting all of us on your own, boy?" Winifred mocked. "You have no powers over us here."

"C'mon and fight me then," Riku said, "If you're not a coward."

"Quite a lot of spunk you have. On second thought, Sarah, I might fulfill your request this one time. This young man will give you a lot of pleasure."-

"Thank you, sister." Sarah replied. She turned to Riku. "You shall soon be mine, fair youth."

"I told you before," Riku said, "I already have a girlfriend. And even if I was desperate for one, you'd still be the last one I'd ever hook up with."

"Hold your tongue, boy." Winifred implied. "You will see just how beautiful we will become once that child's life force is drained."

"It doesn't matter how young and beautiful you might appear! You three sold your souls! You're the ugliest things that even lived and you know it!"-

"Cheeky little whelp, I'll show you!" Winifred unleashed a powerful attack from her book, using a strong electrical surge to subdue the young key bearer. Riku was struck and thrown to the ground in agonizing pain. He cried out as his body contorted and twisted in all forms.

Fate did not count the key bearers out yet. From the mist and the shadow, a spinning object emerged from the darkness. Winifred saw the incoming object and quickly ducked, but in the process, she dropped her book once again.

"No," she shouted, "My book!" She tired to grasp for it, but it fell out of her reach. It landed near where Hayner and his brother were taking cover.

"It's the book." He uttered. He rushed quickly to retrieve it. He grabbed hold of the book and held it tightly in his arms. "Sorry, witch, but no more spells for you."

"Curses, what the devil was that?" Winifred watched as the object boomerang around her. It was in fact a black fan that nearly struck her. It spun in a circular path, returning to the one who threw it.

From out of the shadows, the form of a woman appeared. The black fan, like a loyal subject, returned to her hand.

It was Colonel Ophelia Billiard.

"Sorry ladies," she said, "Riku's mine."

"Who are you?" Winifred asked.

"I am the Tiger of Goth, Colonel Ophelia Billiard."-

"A young lady, are you?" Winifred turned from scorn to interest, cutting her thoughts from off of her fallen spell book for that brief moment. "Well, well, this is a rather bizarre outcome. I see that you have some skill. We could use a woman of your talents. Why not join us and become a member of the Sandersons? You would make an excellent witch."-

"You admire my skills? That is flattering. But I must apologize, but witchcraft is not really my thing. I'm a warrior, not a sorceress." The colonel closed one fan while keeping the other spread. "Besides, I can't have any of you seductresses stealing Riku from me, can I? And anyone who takes advantage of children for their own gain does not deserve my allegiances."

"So you intend to fight us?" Mary asked.

"Bad idea." Sarah added.

"You can't fight all three of us at once." Winifred scoffed. "If your two friends were no match for us, what makes you think that you alone can stop us?"

"First of all," Ophelia said, "I'm stronger than I look. And secondly, I didn't come alone." Appearing at her side were Donald and Goofy, mage staff and shield clutched tightly in their hands. Also appearing were Pence and Olette. And soon after them were Seifer and his officers.

"There they are." Olette said.

"That must be them." Pence added.

"You kidnappers are finished." Seifer declared. "You will rue the day you dared defy me."

Riku happened to gaze upon his friends.

"Well, it's about time you guys came along." He uttered.

"Riku," Donald shouted. He took out two vials of potion, "For you and Sora, catch!" He tossed the two bottles. Riku staggered, just as the two vials approached him. He stretched forth his hands and caught them, both landing safely in his hands. He consumed one vial, healing physical wounds and replenishing his strength and determination. He then turned to Sora who still lay prostrate on the ground.

"You presence here makes little difference." Winifred declared. "Sisters sing!" Once again they performed the chant.

I thrice with mercury purify

And spit upon the twelve tables

"Cover your ears!" Riku shouted, hearing the incantation. "Cover your ears or you'll be susceptible to their magic!" Hayner covered his ears and the ears of his brother. Riku shielded Sora's ears, though his comrade was still out cold, while covering his own. Ophelia, Donald, and Goofy, quick to react, did the same. Olette was the last to cover her ears. But Pence was too slow, not knowing what to make of what was going on. And Seifer, being too stubborn to take advice from a fighter he thought inferior, allowed his ears to listen to the words of the Sandersons. Winifred finished her incantation with the concluding action that would be initiated.

Friend becomes enemy

Enemy becomes friend

Smite thy former comrades

And to their deaths attend

Almost instantly, Pence, Seifer, and the hand full of guards' eyes turned a sinister red, indicating possession.

"We will kill the key bearers and their friends." They uttered in unison.

"Oh great…" Ophelia uttered. "What a time for a possession spell." They drew up their guards to take on the onslaught of their brainwashed companions.

"We have to hold them off." Goofy said.

"But we can't just hurt them." Olette uttered. "They're our friends."

"You help Riku and Sora." Ophelia ordered. "We three can take it from here."

"Alright, just be careful." Olette rushed off to help the key bearers, leaving Ophelia, Donald, and Goofy to fend off the converted foe.

"Come on you guys, prepare for a thrashing!" Ophelia rushed forward and the battle began.

In the meantime, Riku poured the potion down Sora's throat, reviving him instantly.

"Thanks Riku." He uttered.

"No time right now, Sora." Riku replied. "We have other matters to attend to." He stood up to face Winifred Sanderson. "It looks like your little incantation didn't work this time. All we have to do is prevent our ears from hearing your poisonous words and your spells can't be cast upon us."

"Hey, Winifred," Hayner shouted. "It looks like you and your sisters are at a disadvantage now." He waved Winifred's spell book about in mockery. "You're nothing without this."

"Hey," Sora cheered, "You got the book. Great work, Hayner."

"So," Riku chuckled, "You won't be able to use anymore effective spells without that text."

"You think that's I need the book to defeat the likes of you?" Winifred chuckled. "You think that possession spells are all I'm capable of? Have you forgotten who you deal with? You deal with Winifred Sanderson! And I've been casting spells and practicing magic for six hundred years! If I can't make allies out of your friends, I'll make allies from another source."

"Another source…?" Sora asked.

"Behold…" Again, the witch began to chant.

Faithful servant

Long since dead

Deep a sleep in thy wormy bed

Wiggle thy toes, open thine eyes

Twist thy fingers towards the sky

Life is sweep, be not too shy

On thy feet so sayeth I

Suddenly, the ground began to shake, the tombstones rumbling about. The key bearers were nearly brought down to their knees as the ground seemed to give way.

"What's going on?" Sora wondered. "Is this one of her spells?" But just as suddenly as it had began, the seismic activity suddenly halted. The two key bearers stood up. Hayner, still clutching close to his little brother, spell book held tightly in one arm, looked about.

"What was that?" he wondered, "An earthquake?"

It was then that a loud and sinister scream roared out. The key bearers looked to where it was the maniacal laughter was coming from. Upon the hill, a dark shadow appeared. It seemed to have a dark glow. The figure was a man cloaked in black and mounted upon a dark steed with glimmering red eyes. In the rider's right hand, he held a sharpened saber. In the other hand, he held what looked like an intensely lit jack-o-lantern.

"Who is that?" Riku wondered.

"He must be the reinforcements that Winifred was talking about." Sora said. Suddenly, the horseman began to gallop towards them. "He's coming straight for us."

"Get ready!" The two warriors drew their keyblades and prepared to smite the cavalryman from atop his stallion. But like a shadow, the rider disappeared. He suddenly reappeared behind the key bearers like a phantom. "Sora, look out!" The two jumped out of the way of the horseman, just as the cloaked figure slashed downward with his saber. For that moment, both key bearers took in every detail of the rider. What they saw caused their spines to stiffen.

"Riku, did you see that?"-

"I did, Sora, but I don't believe it."-

"That rider doesn't have a head…"-

"It's a headless horseman…" The diabolical laughter from the ghost bellowed again before charging a second time. "For a guy without a head, he certainly laughs a lot."

"That's it." Winifred chuckled. "Rid us of these cullies, my faithful henchmen." She turned to her sisters. "Mary, Sarah, retrieve the book and I shall recapture the boy."

"Okay," Mary said. She and Sarah attacked Hayner and his brother Hayden who was still tied in his deep trance.

"Here they come again." Hayner uttered. "He placed the book next to his brother and used his brother to weigh the book down, in case Winifred attempted to summon it back to her again. He grabbed that same stick he armed himself with before.

"Now, hand over your brother and my sister's book." Sarah said.

"Not in your life, Blondie."-

"You'll be sorry." Mary implied. The two witches drew closer, but Hayner tired to swipe at them. "You can't reach us from here."

"Stop mocking me!" He held his defense against them both, hoping to strike them if they came too close. Riku and Sora saw the predicament their friend was in.

"Hayner needs out help." Sora said. But again, the headless horsemen galloped upon them, striking away with his sword.

"We have our own problems." Riku implied. "We can't concentrate on Hayner right now." The two key bearers continued to battle against the headless horseman. While in the meantime, Hayner was starting to waver as the witches, like hungry wolves, drew closer without fear.

"You can't take us both on." Sarah said. She seemed to back off a little before suddenly swooping down upon him. The young man was able to evade her incoming only to find himself confronted by Mary soon after.

"Cannon ball!" Mary shouted, rushing in and striking him. Hayner was knocked down, but quickly rose up again.

"You'll have to do better than that!" he shouted, the stick still tightly clutched in his hand.

"Then again, they don't have to." A voice uttered from behind. Hayner quickly turned to find Winifred behind him. In her hands, she had managed to retrieve his traced brother and her spell book. "You are such a fool. You were so caught up in fending off my sisters, you forgot about me entirely."

"Hayden! Give my brother back!"-

"I think not! Our maintenance of youth and eternal life rank above your brother's fate!" She looked to her sisters. "Mary, Sarah, we have what we came for. Now let us depart." The three witches began to withdraw.

"Riku…!" Sora uttered, "Look!"-

"Damn it." Riku said. "They managed to recapture Hayden."

"We're too late…" Ophelia said to herself, spying the witches and their cargo.

Hayner, distressed over his brother's fate, cried out his name, hoping the boy would hear him.

"Hayden!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

Then almost as if a miracle occurred, little Hayden snapped out of his trance. He looked about.

"Where am I?" He said. He then gazed downward, seeing his brother calling to him. "Brother…!"

"Hayden!"-

"Brother!"-

"Stop squirming you little trollimog!" Winifred demanded, grasping tight at the boy. But Hayden wouldn't stop. His arms and legs flailed about in midair violently, causing Winifred to nearly topple off. "I said stop squirming!"

"Brother, help me!" the boy cried, tears in his eyes.

"Hayden," Hayner shouted, "I'm coming!"

"I've had enough of this!" Winifred shouted. Suddenly, there was a deep pain in her body. Winifred looked at her hands to see them suddenly turned gnarled and decrepit, as if she had aged a great deal within a few seconds. "It's already started? I'm losing my youth again."

"Winnie!" Mary cried. Winifred looked to find her sister growing old. Her dark purple locks turning a snowy white.

"We have to feed on life source." Sarah cried. "We have to now!"

"Look at that." Sora uttered. "Why are they turning old?"

"They need to feed on life source in order to maintain their youth." Riku implied. "Otherwise they start turning into prunes."

"Damn, damn, double damn," Winifred cursed, "Of all times for this to happen!" Still grasping at the boy, she pulled out the vial, containing her potion. "I will feast upon your life source right now."

"No, no," Hayden cried as he squirmed, "Leave me alone! Leave me alone!" His hand flailed upward and knocked both the potion and the spell book again out of Winifred's hands.

"My book! My potion, confound you, boy!"Hayner, seeing the vial dropped, quickly jumped up and grasped it. The vial landed safely in his hands. Winifred demanded its return. "Give that vial, boy!"

"Give me back my brother first!" Hayner shouted.

"Don't be a fool, boy! Give me that vial!"-

"Put my brother down or I'll smash it!"-

"Smash it and he dies!" Winifred grasped tightly onto the boy, her gnarled fingernails at his throat.  
"Why that…!" Sora uttered, watching the events unfold.

"Sora, watch out!" Riku shouted. The headless horseman attacked again, striking like a trained cavalryman against infantry.

"Hayner," Olette cried, watching from afar, "no!"

It was an act of desperation before him and Hayner new it, seeing that glare in the witch's eyes. He knew that provoking Winifred any further would only work to his disadvantage.

"Brother…" Hayden sobbed, trying to reach for his brother. "Please help me…"

Hayner seeing no option but self sacrifice placed the neck of the vial to his lips and guzzled down the potion himself. His body suddenly began to glow, revealing his very life energy. He gazed up at Winifred.

"Now, you have no choice, Winifred!" he shouted. "You'll have to take me instead!" Winifred flew down and gazed almost point plank at the young man.

"What a fool to give up thy life for thy brother's." Winifred threw Hayden aside and picked up Hayner instead, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him up. Hayner struggled as they lift higher and higher into the sky.

"Brother!" Hayden cried as he saw his big brother taken rather than him. Winifred began to suck away at the young man's life source as if through a straw. But Hayner wasn't about to give in without a fight.

"I can see why you choose children over grownups." Hayner uttered. "They're a lot easier to handle!" He grabbed Winifred's face and pushed it upward to prevent her from taking any more sips from his energy field. Winifred drew his hand away, causing Hayner to nearly fall. He looked down, holding onto the broom for dear life. Either way, however, he was in trouble, facing death on both sides. Winifred pulled him up again and continued to absorb his energy. Hayner again knocked her away. This time, Winifred nearly lost her grasp on the broom.

"Ah, hallowed ground, hallowed ground," the witch shouted, "Sisters, help me!"

"Winnie, I'm coming!" Mary said.

"I'll assist you!" Sarah added. They quickly drew close to assist her.

"They're ganging up on him!" Sora cried.

"Not today!" Riku shouted. The headless horseman charged at Riku, but the agile key bearer jumped up and kicked the rider off the horse, at the same time kicking off towards the Sanderson sisters.

"Alright Riku!"-

"Alright, you three stooges," Riku rushed at the sisters. They looked up. "Take this!" Riku threw the Ginroio Noria and it began to spin like a buzz saw. The attack was so swift; the witches had no time to react. Mary and Sarah fell from their brooms almost instantly, but Winifred managed to hold on. That was until Hayner reached up and slapped her across the face. Then the two of them descended fast to the ground. Winifred fell face first on the soft ground. All of them had stars buzzing around their heads.

"You blithering idiot," Winifred grumbled. She lifted up her head and spit up a wad of grass. She looked at Hayner who was still prostrate on the ground. She grinned and grunted over to him, like a hog to its meal.

"Oh man…" Hayner uttered. He tried to run, but Winifred grabbed him by his vest and pulled him upward. Then like a leech, she slowly sapped away his energy. The youth could feel his energy leaving him causing him to become light headed and weak, depleting his struggling capacity. Her two sisters stood up and drew close.

"Come sisters," Winifred chuckled, "We will share him!"

"Sister," Mary said, "How generous of thee."

But before the feasting could commence, the witches realized that something was odd.

"I feel strange…"-

"Sisters," Sarah cried. She pointed to their feet. They were turning to solid stone.

"No, hollowed ground,"-

"Winnie, good bye…!"-

"Uh-oh, bye-bye…" Mary whimpered.

"Book…!" Winifred shouted. Instantly, all three turned to stone, revealing their final featured torments. Hayner managed to release himself, gazing upon the three statues that were once the Sandersons.

"They turned to stone." Hayner uttered. "But why…?"

"Hey," Sora shouted, "Keep clear, you guys!" Hayner turned to that the spells Winifred cast were still in effect. Pence, Seifer, and the men accompanying them were still under the powers of the incantation. Riku and Sora in the meantime still had their hands full fending off the headless horseman, who had remounted his steed and out for blood once more.

"I don't get it." Riku said. "The witches have turned to stone, but their spells are still in effect."

"What are we gonna do, Riku?"-

Riku pondered at the situation, trying to find an explanation why the spell's effects were still lingering. He came up with a clever hypothesis.

"I think I know why the spells are still in effect." Riku drew out his keyblade and threw it again, this time at the stone figures of the Sandersons. At the same time, the headless horseman came charging at the young key bearer, his sword raised over the place where a skull once inhabited, as if to cut down the silver haired hero. The keyblade in the meantime, struck the three statues, down their middles. The figures collapsed and crumbled before the eyes of all present. A bright light emerged from the statues, as if releasing an essence that was held captive for an extensive period.

"Riku," Sora cried, "Look out!" Riku turned to find the deceased cavalryman upon his black steed almost on top of him. But as if a phantom, with the breaking of the spell, the headless horseman vanished as quickly as he had appeared.

At that same time, those who were possessed collapsed to the ground and slowly stood up as if from a peaceful slumber. Pence shook his head and looked up. His eyes were no longer that glowing red, indicating that he had returned to his old self.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Pence," Olette said, running to him and embracing him. "You're back."

"I'm back? But where did I go?" He seemed to remember nothing that occurred. Olette was puzzled.

"You mean you don't remember?"-

"Remember what?"-

"It's no use trying to talk to him about what's happened." Ophelia implied. "The spell of the witches suppressed their memories, so they wouldn't know what's been going on. To them, it would be as faint as a dream."

"What happened to those witches?" Seifer asked.

"They've been defeated."-

"And good riddance too,"-

Hayner stood up and dusted himself off.

"I guess that's it. It's over."-

"Brother…!" Hayden shouted, running to his older sibling.

"Hayden…!" The two locked and embraced tightly, little Hayden's eyes moist with tears. "It's alright, bro, it's alright."-

"I was so scared."-

"I was too…"-

Riku and Sora walked besides the brothers to observe the dust of the witches that remained.

"Just as I thought." Riku said.

"How did you now how to break the spell?" Sora asked.

"Though the witches turned to stone, their figures still retained the potency of their incantations. Only when their forms are destroyed would the spells be broken."-

"But how did they turn to stone in the first place?"-

"Well…" Riku was stumped on that subject.

"Winifred mentioned hollowed ground." Hayner explained. "She kept mentioning hollowed ground and was doing her best to avoid falling.

"That's it then."-

"What's it, Riku?" Sora asked. "Explain."-

"I guess witches can't touch hollowed ground. Otherwise, they would turn to stone. I guess that's the reason none of them dismounted off their brooms."-

"Well, at least we solved the mystery of those kidnappings"-

"Speaking of which," Hayner suggested, "We ought to go and see how those kids are doing. Since the witches were defeated, I hope that they returned to their normal selves too."

"Then let's go." Sora said. "We'll just lead the others to the cottage and investigate." Sora ran off to assemble the team.


	64. Take Off

Take Off

The early morning sun began to rise in the skies over Twilight Town. But for that entire night, the inhabitants, fearful of the search party's fate, awaited their return. The night was restless, with very few of the townspeople getting a good night's sleep. Mothers and fathers, families and relatives awaited the return of the seekers, hoping that they would return with their children.

It was when their eyes grew heavy with weariness, their heads bobbed with fatigue, from out of the wooded path, the KH team and the supporting enforcers of the Twilight Town emerged from the dawn shadows. The people slowly came to greet them.

"We have returned!" Hayner shouted, his little brother close to his side, "And we didn't return empty handed!"

Just then, as if the roaring of a wave inland, the twenty missing children appeared, running towards the crowd where many of their loves ones awaited them. Stricken with relief, the parents rushed to greet their kids. There were hugs and kisses, tender embraces, words of love, and joyful tears as the two sides integrated into one another. The sight of joy moistened many a hero involved.

"That's so sweet." Goofy uttered. "Just seeing those kids united with their families makes ya all warm inside."

"We did our good deed for the day." Donald added.

"The reign of the Sandersons, over this town, has ended." Riku said. "With their parting, the lives of the twenty missing children have been restored."

"But I kinda feel sorry for them." Sora implied.

"Don't be, they were crazed witches determined to live forever."-

"You're right, Riku. They tried to take the lives of children to maintain their own youth. But still…"-

It was then that the returning party was greeted by none other than the mayor himself.

"Very well done," he said. "Very well done."

"Who are you?" Donald asked.

"This is Mayor Gallagher." Olette said, taking her place next to the mayor.

"The children have been rescued and returned to their families." The mayor chuckled. "This is a day for celebration." He walked up to the KH team and shook each other their hands. "Thanks to you strangers, we won't have to worry about enforcing a curfew, or confining our kids to their homes." He then turned to Seifer. "Seifer, we can dismantle those laws past. The darkness has cleared."

"But how do we know that the witches we defeated are the real culprits? There may be some individuals who'll take this event to their advantage."-

"I suppose your right. But just for today, let the townspeople enjoy their new freedom and reunion."-

"Understood…" Seifer and his men withdrew. Mayor Gallagher turned to the KH team.

"If there is anything that we can do to repay you for your strife, just name it."-

"Well," Donald implied, "If we could find someone who can repair some mechanics for us."

"Oh," the mayor neared the team, "Then you want the mechanic's garage at the station heights on Market Street."

"That's the place I mentioned before." Hayner said.

"I can take you up there." Pence declared.

"I will accompany you as well." The Mayor implied. "Whatever job you need, I'll see it paid in full."

"You're too generous." Ophelia said.

"You may also consider it repentance for the roughness and hasty accusation the town enforcer displayed against you, Miss. Let us go."-

Pence and the Mayor cut through the crowd, still in celebration, leading the team to the garage at the heights. They went through the service entrance to come face to face with the head mechanic and owner.

"Mayor Gallagher," he said, "What brings you to my garage?"

"We need some repairs done for these young people." The Mayor replied.

"And what kind of repairs?"-

"It depends on you level of expertise in the field." Riku implied. "Do you know anything about gummi ships?" The mechanic's eyes opened wide.

"You must be our connection."-

"Connection," Sora asked, "What connection?"

"Our contacts with the Alliance,"-

"Don't say that out loud." Donald grumbled.

"It's alright." Mayor Gallagher assured. "We already know of the Alliance's activities in this world and that we're to keep it hush-hush."

"You know about us then?" Goofy asked.

"Sneer told us all about your little band, the KH team," Pence declared, "and what you and the Alliance stood for. He also said that in exchange for your aid, he would like to establish a secret rendezvous point for other alliance agents and teams, giving them imported supplies in the process. He told us to keep this information classified and passed on to those already involved, fearing that information might leak out to factional enemies."-

"You're taking a big risk by doing this." Riku implied. "You're jeopardizing the safety of your town."

"I know that." Mayor Gallagher said. "I also know that the factional powers are also interested in our town. It's best to serve on the side of righteousness."

"Now," the head mechanic said, "Let's go into the back and see what we can repair for you."

"I have the merchandise right here." Donald said. He pulled out his box of portable gummies and gave the two capsules, containing the crippled ships, to the mechanic. The party went into the garage to overlook the damage.

Early morning turned to midmorning; then to noontime before the task had been fulfilled. In the mechanic's garage, the gummies were lined up three at a time and were swiftly repaired. The two significantly damaged gummies were concentrated on the most, while the other gummies were deployed one at a time to have system and weapon upgrades and reconfigurations to better accommodate anyone who piloted it. The new hired crew, being alliance men, were familiar with gummi anatomy and repairs. Thus fixing the ships was a snap for them.

"All the prepares are almost finished." One of the mechanics said.

"Very well done, ladies and gents." The head mechanic replied.

"The configurations are almost complete." Donald said. "This last ship should be ready in a few minutes." Donald tweaked with the wrench upon a screw. "I just hope that these upgrades will be enough for the kamikaze mission at Deep Dive City. Sometimes, I think we go too far over our heads."

Riku, Sora, and Ophelia observed as the crews continued their work.

"So the faction's deploying all their resources to the max, eh?' Ophelia implied. "Then this defense line of Deep Dive City will prove an almost impossible obstacle to surmount."

"It's gonna take more than just a few upgrades to help us this time." Riku said, "No doubt that those new mobile doll models will be sent out."

"What do you think our chances of defeating the faction defense line are?" Sora asked.

"I don't know."-

"Well, if we managed to best the Nobodies, the Heartless, and the Imperials before in the past, why should this be any different?"-

"After what happened at Agrabah, Lyzand, and Narnia, the task of running from one world to the other to stop the faction is no longer a stroll in the park. Even if we took individual gummies, though our numbers increase, our battle effectiveness has been severed severely. It would be no different to if we were to bunch ourselves in one gummi. Though our effectiveness has been leveled to the maximum, every weapon will be aimed at us. And now, with the converging of the new Imperial Axis, our task has become twice, if not five times harder."-

"Man…" Sora sulked, lowering his shoulders.

"Everything seems to get more difficult the further we go" Ophelia grumbled.

"How's everything going here?" Mayor Gallagher asked, as he and Pence approached the key bearers and the Tiger.

"Well, everything is running smoothly."-

"No screw ups I hope." Pence chuckled

"Again, we are in your debt, Mayor Gallagher." Riku implied. "Your efforts will not be in vain. We will see justice restored."

"Likewise to you and your friends, Riku." The mayor replied. "If it wasn't for your own efforts to return the lost children, and save them from certain doom, we might not have seen so many smiling faces as we did today. Because of you, our town is able to breathe free air again and not fear of what may happen."

"I wouldn't get too confident though. If the faction ever found out..."-

"The faction won't find out." Pence uttered. "We'll maintain secrecy to the best of our abilities. Just for the record where are you guys going after this?"

"We're headed towards the World that Never Was." Ophelia implied

"The World that Never Was…?"-

"Most preferably called Deep Dive City…" Riku uttered. "It's gonna be tough though, knowing the opposition that stands between us and our destination."

"There has to be a better way though." Ophelia said, "Tackling a force as big as you described would guarantee our own deaths. We would need more."

"If we hadn't engaged at Lyzand, perhaps a timed attack on the outer defenses of Deep Dive would have been weakened with the help of Kira's troops. But now, it's too late."-

"It'll cost us and the alliance dearly."-

"Then why not leave that world alone?" Pence asked.

"If we leave it alone, the faction will only continue to use the Nobodies as a major factor to battle against us. We have to knock them out of that world to ease the tension on the Alliance front." There was a silence that lingered. The thought of going such a well armed foe was futile. For that moment, even the key bearers feared their own demise. But this silence was broken by Sora who had emerged with an excellent alternative approach.

"Hey, Riku," He suddenly interrupted, "I just had an idea!"

"What is it, Sora?"-

"We're on our way to stop the flow of Nobodies in the World that Never Was right?" They looked at the key bearer with a dumbfounded look on their faces. They were already aware of where they were going.

"Yes Sora, we all know about that?" Ophelia said. "It's been obvious from some time now."

"Well, what I'm trying to point out is why do we have to use the gummi ship? We can use that access point at the old Twilight Town Mansion. I mean, we did it before when we first went up against Organization XIII." The others quickly realized what alternative he spoke of.

"You're right, I forgot about that option!" Riku said. "That means we have an alternative way of reaching the realm of the Nobodies!" He put his hands of Sora's shoulders. "Sora, you are a genius!"

"Ah, well I…"-

"There's one problem though." Pence implied. "No one's been to the mansion since the last time we were there. That was over eight years ago I think. That access point might have kicked the bucket by now." Immediately, spirits plummeted.

"Oh, that's right."-

"Well we don't know that." Sora said. "It could still be up and running."

"That too is a possibility."-

"There's only one way to find out." He turned to the others who were still repairing the ships. "Don't rush yourselves guys. We have another way to get to our next destination without relying on the gummi!"

"What the heck is Sora talking about?" Donald wondered.

"Hey," Goofy implied, "I think he might be talking about that way in the world of the Nobodies that we used last time. Ya know the one at the haunted mansion." Donald sighed in a shocked manner, his face turning red with anger.

"Why didn't you mention that before we did all this hard work!"-

"Calm down, Donald." Riku implied. "Look, there are several of us present who knew of the access point, and all but one of us didn't stop to think about it."

"We can access Deep Dive city from this town?" Ophelia asked.

"From the old mansion on the outskirts, just beyond the thicket."-

"Well, then this certainly eliminates confronting the faction defense line altogether."-

"Triiken did say that the opposition in the city itself was not as threatening. If we use that access point, the faction would never suspect us. We could attack them from within! If the transporter at the mansion still functions, then this will work perfectly for us and the Alliance."

"It's worth a shot." Pence said.

"Then let's be off." Sora declared.

"But what about the gummies?" Donald asked. "We can't just leave them in the garage. They're not finished yet!"

"We'll make sure they stay out of sight." The lead mechanic declared. "Besides, with all the celebrating that's been going on, I'm sure no one will come along requesting for any major repairs."

"Okay then," Pence suggested, "Let's go."

"But first," Ophelia suggested, turning to Donald, "Donald, use the secure line to contact Sneer and tell him of the alternative entryway. This knowledge may prove extremely valuable to the Alliance."

"I gotcha…!" Donald replied. He quickly sent the message before joining the rest of his companions. The team assembled and quickly resided to the grounds of the old mansion.

"How did you come to think of that access way, anyway?" Riku asked.

"I don't know." Sora replied. "I guess old memories of early adventures in this town caught my thought."

"Well, it's a good thing you reminisced when you did. Otherwise, we might have had to deal with some serious opposition just to get there."-

It didn't take long for them to reach the mansion grounds. The once majestic structure had become more dilapidated and overrun with grass and weeds over the course of almost a decade.

"This place really hasn't changed." Goofy uttered.

"It's still as decrepit as the last time we saw it." Donald added.

"A lot of memories took place behind these walls." Sora sighed. His mind filled with events of the past. As they entered the building, everything was still as it was years before, untouched and unmolested.

"Now, where do we go?" Mayor Gallagher asked. Sora observed the two stair cases, one leading to the east wing, the other to the west.

"We take the stair case on the right."-

The party descended up the stairs, reaching the door to the eastern sector of the house.

"This certainly brings back a lot of fond memories." Goofy said.

"As well as terrible ones." Donald added.

They entered the room to find that the hidden passage was still accessible

"Quite a discovery," Mayor Gallagher uttered, "I never knew that this place existed."

"The passage is just down those stairs." Sora implied, pointing to an open door on the lower level. The team climbed downward, reaching the transportation chamber, which after eight years was still active. The computer monitors were still glowing, giving outdated data on Sora and his comrades. This was where Riku and Ansem the Wise once conducted their strategies

"This is it." Goofy said. "This is the one."

"This is the place where we were hibernating." Donald added.

"And look," Sora said. He gazed at the teleportation unit. "This thing is still active."

"The Imperial Axis must not know about this." Riku implied. "Otherwise, they would have been swarming around here."

"Well, guys," Ophelia said, "This is it, the realm to where darkness and light collide, the realm of the nobodies."

"Then let's head out." The KH team stepped aboard the platform, beneath the green light, accumulating from the machine. Riku turned to Mayor Gallagher and Pence.

"Thanks for bringing us here."-

"It's the least we could do." Mayor Gallagher replied.

"We'll hold down the fort for you." Pence added. "And we'll keep those ships of yours hidden."

"Thank you…" Riku replied.

"Don't worry," Sora said, giving a thumb's up and a wink, "We'll be back before you know it."

"Yeah," Donald added, "We still need to get our gummies back."

"Good luck and stay safe." Mayor Gallagher replied. The machine was activated and the team vanished from sight.

They emerged upon the opposite side, only to find themselves in a similar room.

"Are we there?" Ophelia asked. "This looks like the same place."

"This is an exact copy of Twilight Town." Sora explained. "This was the Twilight Town that Roxas settled in."

"Roxas…?"-

"My Nobody…"-

"Like my stepsister, Namine."-

"We should find the entry way to Deep Dive City through that door." Riku implied. The team approached the door and entered the room. Before them, seen at the corner of the room, a bizarre green sphere of light was seen.

"There it is." Donald said, pointing towards the light. "There's the access way."

"All these years and that passage is still open." Sora implied.

"The Imperial Axis' grip on the realm of the Nobodies dies today." Riku uttered. The team entered through the green sphere and into the hands of fate.


	65. The World that Never Was

The World that Never Was

Night never fades from this realm of light and dark. Where the Heartless dwell, so do the Nobodies. As usual, there was a lingering silence that remained unchanged despite the years that past. Sora and his friends emerge into the alleyway into an atmosphere gothic of nocturnal life.

"Here we are again." Sora said.

"Deep Dive City." Riku added.

"So this is The World that Never Was." Ophelia uttered. "It sure is…dark…"-

"That's how the Heartless like it."-

"Does anyone live in this town?"-

"Besides Nobodies and Heartless," Sora implied. "I don't really know. But I'm sure there are others here in this city. Perhaps it used to be a bustling metropolis like what the Radiant Gardens used to be like before it was nicknamed Hollow Bastion way back when."

"The Heartless and possibly the Nobodies will be not much of a threat," Riku explained, "Since I have the power of the Manipulation stone. It's the Imperial Axis we have to worry about."

"Gawrsh," Goofy uttered, "Ya think they know we're here? Sure is quiet around here."

Sora peeked around the corner, hoping that no one would see them. There was no soul about.

"The coast is clear." He assured. "C'mon…"

The team hid in the shadows, hoping that no one would see them. Walking through the empty streets, they were able to advance without much incident. But as the team reached the more condensed areas, the presence of the enemy became more apparent. Now, they beheld sentries that were stationed upon street corner, or were pacing about. It came to the point where the KH team had to use their cunning to take out some of the sentries.

"We can't advance any further." Sora uttered, observing the few sentries on duty.

"We'll just have to take out those guards." Riku whispered. He silently deployed the three good fairies.

"Ah, Riku," Flora said, "How may we be of service?"

"You think you can knock out those soldiers?"-

"We'll do…" Meriwether implied.

"Shall we, ladies?" Fauna asked.

"Let's be on our way, girls." Flora instructed. "And be as quiet as you can." The three fairies turned themselves into smaller beings of their former selves and flew over the heads of the soldiers. Using the power of their magic, they were able to knock out each of the guards, throwing them into a deep sleep. The fairies returned to the KH team.

"Mission accomplished." Meriwether said.

"Good work, ladies." Riku implied. "You've done a well enough job." Riku drew up his keyblade and the three good fairies vanished from sight.

"They certainly come handy in sticky situations." Sora said. "We can get through the enemy and not have to worry about needlessly killing anyone."

"That's one advantage. Unfortunately, the spell on works on weak minded soldiers, and thank goodness these sentries were below average."

"Let me see." Ophelia said. She jumped into the shadows and laid her hand on one of the unconscious soldiers. She placed her hand upon his chest and read the thoughts that dwelled deep in his mind.

"What have you found out, Ophelia?"-

"Well, I can tell you this much. These guys are all new recruits, which explain why they were easily knocked out. Secondly, I know where the central command is. It's located at the main castle erected by the original Organization XIII."-

"Not surprising though." Riku sighed. "Not only is that the highest point in this world, but the strongest and easiest to defend against enemy attackers."

"I'm surprised that that old fortress is still standing." Sora implied.

"It takes a lot more to take down such a well built fortress like Xemnas' monstrosity."-

"Once the headquarter stronghold of Organization XIII. Now it's the main central command for the Imperial Axis in this world."-

"So we take that down and we end the presence of the three factions here." Ophelia said.

"Let's keep going." Sora implied. "We still have a long way to go."

The team rose up and continued on their way through the streets leading to the castle. Through the _fragment crossing_ they pushed on, towards _Memory's Skyscraper_, where countless battles against heartless took place before. Almost reaching the end of the fragment crossing, they happened to confront a large force of soldiers, possibly of the Red Ribbon Faction, dressed in their plumbed Aussies and Cavaliers. Instead of only grey frocks, each solder wore a thick winter overcoat with shoulder length capes to accommodate the endless night. They looked much like Confederate soldiers. The officers were distinguished by their standard double-breasted overcoats with wrist length capes. They marched in unison and in perfect step, like thundering horses, not noticing the KH team hiding behind barrels and other obstacles. The soldiers passed by in their blocks, allowing the KH team to pop out from behind the shadows.

"Let's go." Sora uttered. But just as they were about to carry on to their goal, something popped in front of them, five heartless that looked like massive, moving bicycle horns.

"Heartless…" Donald uttered.

"Not just any heartless. Those are Crescendo Heartless."-

"Don't, make any sudden moves." Riku said. "If those Heartless manage to sound an alarm, we'll have Imperials and more shadows to contend with."

"Can't you use the manipulation stone?"-

"That uses up a great deal of energy. We can't have the Axis detecting us when we're still so far from the castle. If we break our cover now, we'll have every Imperial swarming down on us. And the most likely bunch to attack us first is that large body of soldiers that passed by." Riku looked to see that the soldiers were still in sight, no more than fifty yards away from their passing point.

"What do we do?"-

"Take them out silently and with little energy as possible."-

"Then let me handle it." Ophelia said. She drew out her black fans and quickly tossed them at the five heartless. Before the five could sound an alarm, they were cut down and quickly diminished. The fans boomeranged back to Ophelia's grasp and she closed them quickly. The team then ducked their heads in the shadows in case the soldiers, who were still near, had a tendency to look back. But without suspicion, the soldiers marched on, as if not bearing any fear of breech in their defense.

"That was close." Sora uttered. "Nice work Miss Billiard."

"It's all in the wrist."-

"C'mon, you guys." Riku said, "We're almost at the castle."

The KH team continued, edging closer to the main gates. But as Sora dwelled on meeting more soldiers that could become stiff opposition, his mind wandered back to the soldiers that passed them earlier

"I wonder where those soldiers were headed." He thought to himself.

Little did they realize that the soldiers they passed happened to be relief sentries for the guards they had earlier rendered unconscious by the good fairy magic. The soldiers came upon this sudden shock, seeing their comrades lying strewn on the ground. The troopers quickly spread to aid their fallen comrades. While some were woke up to a rather groggy state, others highly susceptible to the spells effects were in a permanently deep sleep as if they were dead.

"Who could have done this?" the first officer uttered.

"There are no reports of any suspicious activity." The second officer added.

"Could it be the enemy?"-

"It's impossible, no enemy soldiers could make it this far, not without engaging against the defense lines. As far as reports say from headquarters, there were no breakthroughs in the defense. So how could the enemy be here?"-

"Relay a message to the commander. Tell them of the situation and have them issue an alert."-

"Sir…!"-

The castle of the former organization had been transformed into a central command that overlooked all activities concerned with the World that Never Was. It was here that the commander of the world observed. He was dressed in a black leather coat, much like the old Organization XIII. In fact, one might consider him the last living survivor, or revivalist of the forgotten order, perhaps newly arrived to take charge of a new generation. His head was hooded, the shadows covering his face. He watched on the screen as again an attempt to break the strong Imperial line was thwarted.

"The Alliance forces are withdrawing, commander." One of the operatives said.

"So they realize that further assaults on the Deep Dive line are futile." The commander chuckled. "Such fools the Alliance sends, daring to battle against the power of the Imperial Axis. This new Dark Empire will rise up and eclipse even the reign of the mighty Lord Cavendish. And I can say that it was helped forged by the power of the Nobodies and the resurrection of the old Organization XIII, with me as their leader, the mighty Xeftum!"

"I can assure you that your efforts and the efforts of the nobodies will be rewarded once the Imperial Axis rises as the absolute power." A voice said from behind. Behind Xeftum were three representative commanders of the three separate branches. The first was Admiral Erin Melchior, commander of the Midnight Faction's space forces. Then there was Brigadier General Wilfheim Capulet, the commander of the Aryan Faction's ground troops and Gatler divisions, and Major General Darrena, commander of the Red Ribbon Faction's elite 14th elite infantry.

"Your assistance to aiding the Imperial Axis will guarantee the full benefits of a worthy hero." General Darrena implied. "With both the heartless and the nobodies on our side, we will bear unlimited numbers. And they will descend hard amongst the alliance."

"Nothing can penetrate our forces here." Xeftum chuckled, "They would have to surmount our outer defenses. And from the results that have concluded since we took this realm as our own, the outcome has remained the same. The alliance has dispersed its space forces and our own defenses have held."

But their joy was soon eclipsed with the shocking news that reached the control room.

"Master Xeftum," an operative declared, "There's been a breech in security!" Xeftum and the other officers at the moment were in disbelief, not able to interpret what they were just told.

"What was that?" Xeftum asked. "What did you say?"

"There's been a breech in security."-

"Is that supposed to be a joke? If it is, I find it more repulsive than humorous."-

"There can't be a breech in security!" Admiral Melchior said. "This city is a fortress! And as far as we know, the enemy has no other way to enter this world than through our defense lines on the outer regions of this realm!"

"Reassure contact," General Capulet declared. "It just might be miscommunication."

"The officer in charge says that there were at least ten to fifteen sentries that were placed in an almost sleep like state." The operative continued. "Some of them are too deep in this sleeping phase; they were almost mistaken for dead. All these soldiers were on sentry duty in the exact same area and he fears that Alliance fighters may have found an alternative way of entry, avoiding the defense forces altogether. He's requesting that a general alarm be made out to all reserved units and have them search the area. There might be enemy forces about." There was a silence for a moment or two since the officers in charge, originally feeling that they were safe in their fortress, experienced a sense of vulnerability. "Your orders, sir?"

"Maybe they're right." General Darrena said. "Perhaps this isn't a communication error after all. Perhaps the enemy has found another way to getting into this world."

"That is utter poppycock!" Admiral Melchior exclaimed. "There is no way an enemy could pass through our defenses undetected. My fleets and fighters are the best ever cast! And our men have searched every nook and cranny of this world and found nothing! So there is no alternative entry way. That has already been confirmed!"

"But what if the Alliance has found another way in." General Capulet implied. "Up until now, we thought that this world was securely in our hands. I bet our soldiers thought that too, which might explain the reason for their lack of awareness, allowing them to be caught off guard."

"It's best not to take a chance." Xeftum said. "The Nobodies are just as crucial as anyone else. I will not allow this realm of the former Organization, and my hopes of resurrecting that old order, to fall by the hands of some unseen and unknown enemy." Xeftum turned to the soldiers in charge. "Sound the alarm! Have all reserved infantry units out on the streets looking for these imposters!"

"Shall we dispatch the mobile dolls and gatlers as well?" the operative asked.

"There is no need for that. If we are dealing with an enemy, they certainly aren't much of a threat if they don't have the courage to confront us openly. Keep the dolls and tanks in reserve."-

"Yes sir."-

"Do you think that's wise?" Darrena asked. "They might be more dangerous than we have perceived."

"The infantry will suffice." Xeftum replied.

"But still, sir, you might at least want to reconsider."-

"Tell me something, Madam General Darrena, your Kambrian troops are elite are they not?"-

"Yes sir."-

"They are the best of the best are they not?"-

"Yes they are, sir."-

"And do you, personally, believe there is a chance that they might all be defeated?"-

"I think not, sir."-

"Then why not be more enthusiastic and show more support for the abilities of your own soldiers? If they wish to keep their reputation as being the best of the best within all worlds, then they better be able to back up those words. That is unless you have been boosting our own morals based on lies."-

"I would never do that, sir. These men and women are the best of the best in Kambria. Many of them were selected by Lord Drako Arakis himself to become members of the Immortals, Cavendish's personal bodyguards, during the reign of the former Imperial regime. There's no way that they can be bested."-

"Then the infantry would suffice then."-

"I understand."-

"The same goes for your soldiers, General Capulet." Xeftum continued.

"I understand, sir." Capulet replied. "I will have my men deployed to patrol the main thoroughfares within the city."

"Very good, then carry out the order. We must extinguish this fire while it's still small."-

Memory's Skyscraper, where Riku fought Roxas almost a decade before, was within sight of the KH team.

"There it is." Riku uttered, "The structure of my memories where I fought Roxas those many years ago."

"It's also the same place where I first fought Xemnas solo." Sora added. "Now that guy was a tough opponent to beat. Fighting his heartless, then his Nobody, was tough enough."

"Don't forget, I too had to take the form of Xehenort's heartless to beat your Nobody, Sora."-

"So your history spreads even to this world." Ophelia said, "Most impressive."

"I forget," Goofy said, "How much further do we have to go before we get to the castle?"

"Not much further." Donald implied. "I always remember that the closer we are to that skyscraper, the closer we are to the fortress."

"Ya think there'll be tough opponents to fight this time?"-

"I think so."-

"Remember, you guys, we have to knock out the central command." Riku said. "That way, with the Axis' headquarters taken out, there will be mass confusion amongst the Imperial forces and their morale will drop. Many of them may try to flee. But we have to do it silently without stirring up a hornet's nest."-

"Why?" Donald asked.

"Because, Donald," Sora said, "There's a garrison of thirty thousand well trained troops surrounding us."

"So what, we managed to hold our own before."-

"Not against thirty thousand! That's too many even for us to handle. When it came to dealing with factional troops, we could only fend off less than a thousand at the maximum. Even then, those fights would completely wear us out. These soldiers aren't like heartless or nobodies. They not only can think independently and change their strategy to adapt to our tactics, but each trooper has power equal to our own. Also, in every battle up to this point, we had help, whether it be support fire from the gummi ship, or determined comrades willing to battle alongside us. In "Sherwood," it was Robin Hood and his band of merry men. In the "Wing" realm, it was the Preventers who aided us. We had massed aid from royalists, guards, or coordinators in our recent campaigns at Agrabah, Lyzand, and Narnia. Even when confronting the Sanderson sisters we had help. That's why we emerged victorious. But this situation is completely different. We're storming a well fortified world with endless supplies and resources to dispatch against us. And we stand against them alone. We won't be expecting cavalry to come to our rescue this time."

"But I thought Triiken said that the forces in the world itself were of no threat. It was just the outer defenses protecting this world that we had to worry about."-

"For him maybe," Riku implied, "But for us, it's a different story."

"I at my best can't defeat such a large number on my own." Ophelia added. "I've seen the elites of the faction. And believe me, at my utmost ability, I alone wouldn't be able to defeat a hundred of them in the course of a single battle."

But just then, echoing in the air, the sound of sirens wailed out. The KH team slightly bent or ducked.

"What the heck is that sound?" Goofy asked. Ophelia immediately recognized the screeching.

"That's the sound of the axe falling on our throats! That's the general alarm!"-

"They know we're here?" Donald asked, "But how?"

"It could be any alternative factor." Riku said. "But most likely, it could have been that faction soldiers might have found those out cold sentries we encountered."

"That force that passed us before must've been a relief column for those men." Just then, the wound of yelling and rushing feet came towards them.

"They're coming," Goofy began to panic, "They're coming!"

"Don't panic!" Donald said.

"They're all around us!"-

"I said don't panic!"-

"I'm gettin' weak in the knees!"-

"What do we do?" Sora asked. "Do we fight?"

"Not against those odds." Riku said. "The minute, the battle erupts here, we'll have the entire garrison attacking us!"

"Quick!" Ophelia said, pointing to a door. "In there!"

They ran to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked.

"It's locked!" Donald said.

"Not for long!" Sora replied. He drew out his keyblade and unlocked the door. The door opened. "Quick, inside!" The KH team dashed in and closed the door behind them, locking it. The room they came in was dark and dank, with a strange lingering odor. Donald looked about, seeing piles and wracks of Imperial uniforms.

"This must be a laundry room."-

A few minutes later the sound of rushing feet passed by. The team quickly hid in the shadows to evade being spotted.

"This is impossible." Sora said. "We're within reach of the castle and they have to come out like ants defending their colony."

"No doubt that they'll unleash their gatlers and their mobile dolls," Ophelia added.

"Taking out the central command may not be enough."-

"You're right." Riku said. "In chess, one must first eliminate the pawns."

"What did you have in mind, Riku?"-

"Perhaps if we could initiate the same strategy that we pulled in the "Wing" realm and take out the most significant facilities first, then we limit the Axis' abilities. Perhaps if we take out the plant where they've constructed a main generator,"-

"That would work in most cases." Ophelia uttered, "But it won't work this time."

"Why not?" Sora asked.

"It's because of this." Ophelia, spotting a detailed map of the Axis' military layouts, "This is a blueprint of all recently constructed or converted facilities. We have the mobile doll hanger, the gatler hanger, the fortress itself, and the quarters for the troops. And each facility has its own generator and back up. So there is no main generator plant that we can eliminate. We would have to go to the facility itself to knock out the generator. And even if we did destroy the facility's main generator, they would have a back up power source to maintain the flow of energy."

"So what do you suggest we do?"-

"If there is any facility we take out first, it would be this, the hanger that holds the mobile dolls. Without the dolls, the Axis is deprived of aerial support. The gatlers we can eliminate on our own, maybe use downed gatlers as blockades. But it's crucial to eliminate the dolls."-

"But what if the Axis catches on?"-

"That's where I come in, Sora." Riku said.

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"Yeah, what do you mean?" Ophelia added.

"While you guys head towards the plant, I'll knock out more guards in the opposite direction to draw the main forces to where I am. They're more likely to be drawn to the area that has most suspicious activity, much like a moth to a light bulb."-

"Are you sure that's a good idea though?" Sora asked, "Tackling a task that big? You'll be on your own you know."

"Don't worry, Sora. I won't fight them directly. I'll be hidden in the shadows and use the good fairy summoning spell to knock them out cold if possible." The team nodded. "I just need to stall for time. That's all that matters."

"That's a very good idea." Donald said, "Except for one minor detail you left out. How did you intend on reaching that facility." He looked at the map. "From what I can see, that mobile doll facility is halfway on the other side of the city. And if you haven't noticed, we have thirty thousand soldiers wandering about in all directions looking for us. So even if you did draw their attention away from us, how do you expect us to get through areas, where soldiers are already stationed, without being seen?"

"By using the means that you mentioned before when we entered this room," Ophelia implied as she thumbed at the laundry that was wracked with uniforms from the three separate branches.

"Well, that was obvious."-

"See if you can find any Midnight Faction gear." Riku said.

"Why Midnight Faction?" Goofy asked.

"Because their uniforms come in different styles. Besides that, the soldiers of the Midnight carry a different variety of weapons. If we were to take on the rolls of Kambrian or Aryan troops, then we'd require all the necessities of a complete uniform in order to blend in, including a standard weapon. And I don't know if you've noticed, but there seems to be a lack of standard weapons in here."-

"Riku's got a point." Sora implied.

"Then we better hurry." Ophelia said. "We can't waste anymore time on asking questions. Let's just go with what we have open to us."

The KH team quickly scurried to find excess clothing that would hide their true identity. Within the next few minutes, the party emerged from the laundry room as fearsome Midnight Faction troopers.

"Now remember," Riku said, "Don't stop and gawk, or freeze if soldiers pass by you. Be as inconspicuous as you possibly can. Act naturally as if you were one of them."

"We gotcha, Riku." Sora said. "You stay safe and good luck."

"Same to you," Riku dashed off in the opposite direction, joining behind a column of advancing Axis forces that were still on the search.

"C'mon you guys." Sora led the way with Goofy and Donald behind him. Ophelia, however, took one last glance watching her love disappear into the night.

"Come back safely." Ophelia uttered before turned to join her teammates in their mission.

In the meantime, Xeftum and his officers observed the activity that was taking place throughout the city. Soldiers were running up and down, while others were stationed on street corners, hoping to find anyone that looked suspicious. For twenty minutes, the soldiers' reports flowed in, telling of nothing significant.

"It's been twenty minutes already." General Darrena grumbled. "What's going on?"

"Perhaps it was a fluke after all." General Capulet implied.

"I told you, I told you," Admiral Melchior scoffed. "It was all just a false alarm. Those sentries must've been out at the pub before carrying on with their duties."

"I highly doubt that." Xeftum said. "There is no way that those guards could have found their way to their assigned post had they been wasted. There was no mentioning of characteristics implying that they were under the influence of alcohol or narcotics of any kind. We have a breech in security and that's all that matters right now!"

"Sir!" an operative shouted. "We have a significant report from one of our outfits!"

"Well, what is it?"-

"More soldiers have been found out cold."-

"Where at?"-

"Near the soldiers' barricades!"-

"Have our forces deployed there then! Send in the heartless!"-

"Yes sir."-

"Just the heartless?" General Darrena asked. "Why not sent in your dusk regiments as well?"

"If there are intruders about, then the Heartless will seek them out. And if they are eliminated in vast numbers, so be it. Their deaths cost nothing to us. My dusk regiments are too valuable to deploy for such menial work."-

"And our soldiers aren't?"-

"No disrespect, but I can't have the heartless working on their own. They're weak compared to my dusks, let alone your elites."-

"It doesn't seem fair though."-

"Is that so?" Xeftum looked at Darrena. "Let me remind you that you and your troops are in my world now! I call the shots here. You needed this world and my help and I gave it to you graciously. The least you can do is allow me to handle things in my own way. I was guaranteed absolute power in this world and everything in it, including your forces, by the order of the New Three Excellencies. You three were sent only to act as subordinates. And as subordinates, I expect you to agree with my resolve no matter what the case may be."

"I entirely agree with you." General Capulet implied.

"Here, here," Admiral Melchior added.

"Are there anymore concerns, General Darrena?" Xeftum asked.

"Of course not," Darrena replied. Inwardly, however, she scorned him. "Those damned Nobodies are held higher than even my soldiers. What arrogance this man has, giving no concern for anyone else, but his own kind. Insufferable…!"

"Sir," the operative shouted. "The numbers of soldiers out cold have increased. They seem to be drawing nearer to the castle!"

"Have the heartless arrived yet?" Xeftum asked.

"Not yet, sir."-

"Well, have them hurry up! Leave the soldiers on stand by in case the heartless can't handle the task. And I want all reserved forces here at the castle!"-

"Yes sir."-

"Is that a wise move?" Admiral Melchior asked.

"The only way to bring down this stronghold is for the enemy to strike at the heart, which is this castle." Xeftum implied. "This fortress was refitted to deal with possible mutinies from the rest of the city. So even if all our facilities were to fall around us, this fortress is self contained and we can fend off the enemy a million times over."

"Confident aren't we."-

"I'm always confident. Otherwise, the wheel would never turn on more precarious treads."-

Riku continued to use the good fairy summon, knocking out soldiers left and right. However, there were those select few who were to strong to be effected by the spell. The key bearer dismissed the summon and continued to hide within the shadows and amongst the confused soldiers.

"At least I'm knocking out the majority of them." Riku thought to himself. It was at that moment, Heartless appeared from out of the shadows. "Well, what have we here? Heartless I see." Riku used his keyblade to unleash the power of the manipulation spell. There was a bright flash of light, which attracted many of the soldiers. They turned to find Riku standing amidst the Heartless, his face concealed in darkness.

"There he is!" one soldiers shouted.

"That must be the intruder!" an officer cried. "Get him!" The soldiers quickly rallied.

"I'm not that easy to take down." Riku said. He turned to the manipulated Heartless. "Attack them!" The Heartless did as they were commanded and attacked the Axis soldiers. The soldiers were bewildered, some as their hearts were extracted from their bodies.

"Why are the Heartless attacking us?" one soldier asked.

"I don't know." Another said. "But if they're attacking us, then they must be the enemy! Defeat all the Heartless that dare stand against the might of the Imperial Axis!" The soldier acknowledged and began to battle with the defecting Heartless.

Riku watched from atop one of the tall buildings as the chaos that took place below.

"That's right," he said to himself, "Fight against your own comrades you shadows and make the job easier for me."

It didn't take long for word to spread of this sudden mutiny by the shadows.

"Sir," the operative implied, "We have terrible news from the front."

"What is it?" Xeftum asked.

"It's the heartless, they've turned against us!"-

"What do you mean they've turned against us?"-

"That's impossible," General Capulet uttered, "The Heartless always side with the strongest! And from what I can recall, we were the strongest force to be reckoned with in this world."

"They say that a man in black was seen amongst the Heartless." The operative said.

"He could be the one then." General Darrena uttered.

"Those damned Heartless, you can never trust them." Xeftum uttered. "You can never count on them."

"It seems that the aggression keeps edging towards the castle." The operative said.

"Then have our soldiers concentrated in the areas of conflict. Have them fend off any possible attack by the enemy."-

"Yes sir."-

"Should we send in more heartless?' another operative asked.

"No, I'm not about to undergo another mutiny. Those Heartless are unpredictable, so it's best not to get them any more involved."-

"Understood…!"-

"Would it be wise to condense our troops into that one area, around the castle, instead of having them spread out in a large area?" General Capulet asked, "Suppose that this action is only a faint meant to draw our attention away from some other objective."

"What gives you that insinuation?" Xeftum asked.

"I'm just being cautious."-

"I've known a lot of people to be cautious and precarious, taking their time to strike. But let me tell you something, being cautious gets you nowhere, it only allows the enemy to stall for time. I'm not going to overestimate the enemy's strength. I see them there and I will attack them."-

"I was just giving an opinion, sir."-

"Well, your opinion is not required for the time being." Xeftum called out to the soldiers present. "Carry on with my orders!"-

"Yes sir." The operative replied.

But Xeftum's rejection of accepting the advice from his subordinates soon proved fatal. The Axis was so worried about a possible attack near the castle, the majority of the strong elite units were quickly sent to aid their comrades near the fortress, fearing that the castle would fall. This gave countless openings for Sora and the others to rush in unexpectedly, into the hanger where the mobile dolls were kept. As they were nearing the hanger, they realized that the soldiers were passing them in the opposite direction.

"Riku must be doing well." Sora thought to himself. "He has every unit sprawling away from us."

"Never mind what Riku's doing," Ophelia said, "He can handle himself. Look up ahead!" The team came before a large hanger.

"Wow…!" Donald said.

"Sure is big, ain't it!" Goofy added.

"This must be it," Sora said. "This must be the mobile doll hanger."

"Let's go." Ophelia implied. They rushed to the entry way, passed the two guards at their posts, who figured their haste for some kind of an emergency, and into the main corridors leading to such facilities as the armory, the power generators, the main control, etc.

"So where do we go from here?" Sora asked.

"We have to look for the armory." Ophelia replied. "No doubt that they'll have satchel explosives stored away. We can use those to attach to the dolls and set them off!" But just as they were running, they heard a commotion coming from the main control room. Ophelia, upon hearing the conversation, stopped to listen.

"What's going on?" Sora asked. "Why'd you stop?"

"Listen…" Ophelia said.

"I understand, but we haven't received word to deploy them yet!" an officer was shouting.

"That's no excuse for stalling!" another implied.

"But captain, we don't have any knowledge of what the enemy looks like."-

"Well the dolls have to be programmed to attack something. They need a specific target and we're the only ones who can transfer that data. So if you don't mind, set up the program and at least get it ready."-

"So that's how the dolls operate, eh?" Ophelia uttered to herself. "That was quite some helpful advice, gentlemen." She turned to her comrades. "There's been a change in plans, you guys."

"What's up?" Sora asked.

"I believe I found a better solution to taking over this world. Get your weapons ready." The team drew their weapons. Then, without warning, they burst into the main control room. The captain, along with a lieutenant, who was the man he was arguing with, ten operatives and at least ten soldiers on guard, both of Red Ribbon and Aryan organizations, were present. They had been taken completely by surprise. Because the KH team was disguised as faction soldiers, there was brief confusion. But the moment some of the soldiers on duty were being hindered, the other reacted quickly. Ophelia, using her battle fans, used one as a shield while deploying the second as an offensive weapon. She cut down four of the soldiers in one fatal sweep. The remaining six drew up their guns and began to fire. Sora dodged and evaded the line of fire and struck down two more, knocking them out cold. Goofy, using his shield, rammed into another two, pushing them down and knocking the weapons out of their hands. Donald used his Blizzaraga spell to freeze the last two in place. Several of the operatives armed with side arms, quickly retaliated. But they too were quickly subdued.

"What is the meaning of this!" the captain shouted, "Who are you!"

"Tell me," Ophelia implied, "How do we transfer a targeted image into the data of the mobile dolls' combat system?"

"You'll get nothing out of me!"-

"Is that so?" Ophelia drew up her dagger and held it at the officer's throat, but the officer was not intimidated.

"Go ahead and kill me, but you'll still get nothing out of me. I tell nothing to the enemy!"-

"I wasn't planning to take your life. I have other means of getting what I want, even from sealed lips." She placed her hand on his forehead and read his thoughts and knowledge. "Thank you very much." She turned to Sora, who was right next to her. "Have these guys tied up."

"Right," Sora replied.

"Be sure to behave yourselves." Ophelia addressed the officer. "Otherwise, I will smite you and your comrades down. Every last one…" She looked about the room, spotting a few who were no older than Sora. "And by the looks of it, some of them are far too young to meet a sorry end."

Sora, Donald, and Goofy tied up the surviving soldiers, many of them still unconscious, while Ophelia sat before the control panel and began to type in the primary targets for the mobile dolls. Using the knowledge she absorbed from the captain, access into the system was easy. She knew the passwords and access codes to the dolls' main setup and even took precaution to reconfigure those codes into ones only she would know. The captain watched in awe as she typed away, giving away all the secrets to the dolls.

"How…are you doing that?" he asked. "How could you be able to infiltrate through the security without knowing the password."

"Oh, but I do know the passwords." Ophelia said. "I know everything about this system."

"But how?"-

"I can tell you how, because I am a soldier of the Midnight Faction! And this is an insurrection by order of the Three Excellencies!"-

"What do you mean?"-

"That, you'll have to determine for yourselves." She pressed the enter button and activated the mobile doll system. Immediately, the dolls began to move one by one, heading out of the hanger. Ophelia then turned the soldiers. "But know this. It's we who are stirring this mischief. The Alliance could never hope to break through our defenses. Thus, the only enemies you might want to question are the ones you formed an alliance with." Ophelia turned to Sora and the others. "Let's get going, our job is done here!" With that, the KH team dispersed from the compound, leaving the soldiers tied and bunched in a group, unable to move.

"What did you tell them all that stuff for?" Sora asked. "We're not faction soldiers. And you're not one anymore."

"Perhaps what's happened here might raise suspicion between the three former rivaling organizations and force a rift between their trusts. Thus, in the near future, we may see them separate from one another and begin fighting against each other once more. The Imperial Axis will live only a brief period of time. It'll collapse as suddenly as it was founded. Now let's get back to Memory's Skyscraper and help out Riku."-

"Yeah…!"-

In the meantime, what neither the Axis commanders, nor the KH team were aware of was that the portal that lead from Twilight Town to Deep Dive city had been discovered. Ten elite soldiers, all of them swordsmen under Rellantando's banner, happened to stumble across the portal while looking for possible enemies.

"Will you take a look at that." A soldier said. "What is that strange green light?"

"It's so small." Another soldier added.

"Do you think this might be the access point the enemy used to penetrate our defenses?" a third said.

"Is has to be." the first soldier implied.

"Contact headquarters." The officer in charge said. "Tell them that we found the alternative access point."

"There's no need for that." A voice suddenly uttered, in a sinister manner. "You'll be dead before such a task could ever be accomplished." The soldiers quickly turned, drawing their blades up in the process, but were cut down instantly. Only the officer remained. He saw before him two dark shadows, one looming over him like a demon. The only distinction of this individual was the bright yellow pupils, indicating a savage beast.

"Who…who are you?" he uttered, sweat dripping down his face.

"That's of no importance to you." The figure said. "Surrender now and your life will be spared."

"I would dare not disgrace His Excellency's good name!" The officer charged only to be slain instantly and fall to the ground. His last remnant of sight only bore three glimmering points upon the head of a weapon and those soulless yellow eyes.

At the same time, Riku watched from above as the last of the defecting Heartless were destroyed and the soldiers reformed their ranks once more. They had only suffered a few fatalities, their comrades losing their hearts and all, but such losses were miniscule compared to the losses of the heartless that stood no chance against these powerful elites.

"Man," he thought to himself, "Those Axis soldiers plowed over those heartless like wheat."

Suddenly, a shot broke out and a bullet sped passed Riku's ear, then another and another. He turned to find at least twenty elite soldiers on the roof of the building he was on.

"There he is," an officer shouted. "It's the intruder, after him!"

"Uh oh," Riku uttered, "I better get going." He quickly jumped off the building and summoned the whiff spell. The black wings spread out and he glided upward, using the darkness to conceal his whereabouts. The soldiers on the ground heard the commotion above and looked up to see the key bearer take off skyward towards the higher structures.

"It's the intruder!" an officer on the ground cried. "Shoot him down, shoot him down!" The soldiers aimed their weaponry and unleashed a powerful volley. But they only aimed blindly into the night sky. Riku flew high over the city overlooking the castle.

"There it is," he thought to himself, "The stronghold of the Imperial Axis." It was then that a stray bullet struck him upon the left wing. Riku quickly descended as the crippled wing curled up into that sheltering position. "Aw, man I've been hit." He withdrew the wings just as he was about to touch ground. Using his energy, he attempted to levitate himself at the last minute. He managed to land on both feet, but the impact on the ground gave a jolt, causing pain to rupture throughout the key bearer's body. "That was too close. Any closer and I could've been a street pizza." But as Riku looked up, he realized that the danger was far from over. Surrounding him were several units of infantry.

"It's the intruder!" a leading officer shouted. "He fell from the sky! Don't let him get away!"

"Get him!" another officer shouted. Several of the Axis soldiers drew their blades, while others cocked their guns, making ready to shoot Riku.

"Oh boy…" Riku uttered. "I better get out of here. I don't stand a chance against these types of odds. Not against Axis soldiers anyway." He drew out his keyblade. Immediately, the soldiers knew who he was.

"A keyblade," an officer uttered. "It's Noctin Tilandir, the Child of Darkness!"

"Get him, kill him!" another ordered. Immediately, the soldiers ran in to battle him.

It didn't take long for word to reach headquarters of Riku's presence.

"Sir," the operative said. "They've cornered the intruder."

"What's that?" Admiral Melchior asked.

"Is that so?" Xeftum chuckled. "Well, well, well, this is a bizarre twist of events. Not surprising though."

"Who is it?" Darrena asked.

"It's Noctin Tilandir," the operative replied, "The Child of Darkness!"

"The Child of Darkness…?"-

"Riku…" Melchior said.

"Riku…" Xeftum uttered, his fist clutching tightly. He rose from his seat. "So, that bastard has managed to penetrate our defenses. Not surprising though."

"Do you know Noctin Tilandir?" General Capulet asked.

"More than you think." Xeftum's teeth were tightly grit against each other. "I'll show him, I'll show him. I'll make him pay for what he did to me!"

"I take it that you'll be going after him then?" Darrena asked.

"No, not yet, I only find it fair that the soldiers take their first strikes of revenge against him. They too have been wronged by this key bearer. Let their revenge come before mine." Xeftum sat back in his chair, a smirk protruding behind his vale of shadows. "Besides, I want to see that silver haired upstart suffer little by little."

Riku fought off the soldiers as best he could, but being attacked and shot at from all sides put him at a complete disadvantage. He could not cover his flanks, his rear, and his front at the same time. The soldiers also deployed simultaneous attacks, using hit and run to wear the key bearer down. So even despite his agility and his strength and cunning, Riku could not handle this situation alone. Only a select few engaged while the other soldiers awaited their turn to attack Riku. Riku had been grazed by several bullets already and his energy was starting to deplete.

"This is impossible." He said. "I can't keep this up. I can't fight off simultaneous attacks like this."

"That's it men," an officer said, "Wear him down, overwhelm him!" The soldiers began to condense around him. Riku figured his fight and his life to be over.

"Sora, Ophelia," he uttered, "Donald, Goofy, I hope you succeeded. Don't make my sacrifice be in vain."

But no sooner had hope run out, a miracle emerged. In the distance came the rumbling of large metal bodies. Then a sudden barrage from the sky and land, which slammed into the ranks of the Axis, blowing many of the soldiers away. The ranks instantly broke, hoping to find shelter. Blasts came from all directions.

"What's going on?" one officer asked.

"It's the Virgos!" a soldier cried. "The Virgo mobile dolls are attacking our troops!"

"What, they're attacking our troops!"-

"Yes sir!"-

"But I thought they were under our control!"-

"Someone penetrated the doll hanger and reprogrammed the Virgos to target us!"-

"Damn it, all units scatter!" The soldier quickly ran amuck finding shelter.

"The dolls are attacking the Axis?" Riku wondered. Sure enough, out in the distance, the Virgos appeared, bearing their arms and deploying a devastating volley on the Imperial Axis. He thought of his comrades and smiled. "Well, well, it seems we didn't have to destroy the dolls after all. We found another purpose for them."

Word reached Xeftum and his officers not long after the dolls' assault on their troops began.

"Sir," the operative cried. "We have a terrible situation at hand!"

"Well what is it now?" Xeftum asked.

"The dolls, the mobile dolls have been unleashed!"-

"The dolls have been unleashed! But I gave no order to deploy the dolls!"-

"No order was given sir, but the dolls have been activated! They've been activated and they're targeting our troops!"

"What…!"-

"What's that?" Melchior uttered. "They're attacking our troops?"

"But why?" Darrena asked.

"It can only mean one thing," Xeftum growled. "Someone has programmed the dolls to target our soldiers." Xeftum pounded his fist on this chair. "The KH team, the KH team has to be responsible for this!"

"As I had anticipated before, sir," Capulet implied, "The actions that took place near the castle were a faint. The real objective of the key bearer and his comrades was the dolls. They might have planned to destroy them originally, but instead decided to transform them into a makeshift army to send against us." Xeftum sneered. "If you would have only heeded my advice, perhaps these circumstances could have been avoided."

"Silence, Capulet, it's rather late for complaints and regrets! We completely underestimated our enemy. And I did not anticipate our enemy to be the key bearers of all people! So it was a good thing I took precautions of reinforcing the fortress in case such a thing happened." He turned to the operatives. "Deploy the fortress' heavy artillery. I will not have those mobile dolls turning against us!"

"Yes sir!" the operative implied.

"Call for reinforcements as well. I want all units converged here!"-

"Yes sir!"-

The order was delivered and the entire garrison flocked out to aid in the battle.

Word of the KH team's involvement spread and many of the soldiers quickly went in search of them. They found the team out behind their disguises and began to brawl with them. At the fragmented crossing, Sora and his friends encountered Heartless, Nobodies, and Axis soldiers that seemed to just pop out of the woodwork like roaches.

"This is impossible." Sora said. "They're just too strong for us!"

"These are true elites." Ophelia implied. "They're not like those masqueraders we fought with when we went against Maleficent. These guys are the real McCoy!"

"They also have Nobodies fighting too." Donald said.

"And the Heartless." Goofy added. The team, almost exhausted, finding themselves overwhelmed and overpowered by endless numbers, was encircled by this thick wall of foes willing to take their life.

However, as the final blow was dealt, as time before, a miracle occurred. From out of the shadows, a figure appeared, striking down each heartless, each Nobody, and each Axis soldier. Within a few minutes, the opposition had fled to recover. Before the KH team, a slim young man stood, his weapon tainted with a heavy coat of blood, red of man and, white of light, and black of shadow. He swiped his weapon downward, throwing off the last few droplets before sheathing it untainted back into its scabbard.

"Is that…?" Goofy uttered.

"Could it be…?" Sora added.

"It is…!" Donald said. The young man turned showing a familiar face to the team.

"It's Cunla…!" they all cried in unison.

"I see that I can't turn my back on you guys without having you get into a whole mess of trouble." The young son of the Hound implied.

"Cunla, you're back!" the team greeted the young boy.

"How did you get here?" Sora asked.

"The same way you did." Cunla replied. "We used that secret entry way you informed us about. And since the Axis has withdrawn completely from the Radiant Gardens, there was nothing left to do there. So we decided to come back and give you guys a helping hand. It was a good thing that Sneer informed us when he did."

"So my message got through after all." Donald said.

"Yeah, and we'll be expecting more company soon."-

"So, did you come alone, kid?" Ophelia asked.

"No, my dad came with me as well."-

"Cuchulain's here too?" Sora asked.

"Where is he?" Goofy added.

"He's off to aid Riku." Cunla continued.

"You know where Riku is?" Sora asked.

"His energy is slowly giving way. That's why my dad went off to aid him. Speaking of which, we should head that way as well."-

"Then let's go." Ophelia said. "We can't waste all of our time here." Now with Cunla reunited with his comrades, the KH team went off to help Riku and Cuchulain.

Riku was having severe difficulties tackling so many faction troops at once, despite the rain of chaos surrounding him caused by the defecting mobile dolls and the retaliating barge cannons of he castle. These men, well trained, well disciplined, were anything but easy compared to the mock S class elites he fought against in the world of Kings Stephen and Hubert. The men he fought now were true S class elites, elites of other organizations besides that of the Midnight Faction.

"I can't handle this alone." He uttered. "My body's wearing down and I've run out of potion. It's only a matter of time before I reach my limit and am not able to stand again." Suddenly, a surge of energy erupted, which caught Riku's attention. He looked up towards Memory Skyscraper. There, on the top tier, a shadowed figure stood vigilant. In his hand was gripped a long weapon, a spear with three points. There was a sudden battle cry, a shriek so terrifying that even the elites cringed. They drew their eyes upward to find the figure standing on top of the building.

"Who is that?" one soldier uttered.

"What is that?" another added.

"Is he a friend or enemy?"-

"Could it be…?" Riku said. "Cuchulain…?"

Just then, like a ravenous night owl spreading its talons to sweep up its unsuspecting prey, the figure jumped from his top and plummeted towards the ground. As quickly as the figure fell from the scaffold, he was back on his feet on the ground. He rushed in and cut down the elites as a hot knife through butter. There was almost no time to react. The figure gave a slash of his weapon and struck down the soldiers in waves. Some soldiers were effected, even a one hundred pace distance. Riku, frightful of what this new arrival was, fell to the ground, shielding himself with the keyblade. As the chaos died down, the figure halted before the key bearer. He wore a dark blue over coat and had long flowing hair tied at the back of his head with a black ring. Riku dropped his guard, knowing now that the arrival was not a threat at all.

"Cuchulain…?" he uttered.

"It looks like I came just in time." Cuchulain chuckled, turning towards his comrade. "It's been a while hasn't it, Riku."

"Cuchulain, you're here."-

"Yeah…"-

"But I thought you and Cunla were at the Radiant Gardens?"-

"Hollow Bastion didn't need defending after Cunla and I arrived. We sent those fools sprawling for their lives." Cuchulain stretched out his hand. Riku smile and grasped his comrade's palm and was assisted to his feet.

"So where is Cunla?"-

"He's aiding Sora and the others as we speak."-

"Really…?"-

"That's right."-

"Father," a voice suddenly shouted out. Cuchulain and Riku turned to find Cunla and the rest of the KH team heading towards them.

"Speak of the devil, here they are now."-

"It looks like they're all safe."-

"Hey, Cuchulain," Sora shouted, "Long time no see!" They stopped to converse. "Riku, I see you managed to hold your own against all these soldiers. They sure were tough."

"I would have died a long time ago if Cuchulain hadn't come in to save my skin at the last minute."-

"Same here."-

"So we're all together again." Ophelia said. "The KH team has reunited."

"You said it." Goofy added.

"But how the heck did you kill so many elites at one time though?" Sora asked.

"Cuchulain did most of the last minute slaying," Riku replied, "But most of them were killed due to those defected mobile dolls, see?" Riku pointed up revealing the dolls' assault on the castle.

"Whoa…" Donald uttered. "So those dolls did come in handy."

"You guys reprogrammed them didn't you?"-

"Compliments of Miss Billiard."-

"It was a piece of cake once I hacked into the commander's mind." Ophelia replied, wiping her nails gesturing a piece of cake.

"We'll be expecting more of our comrades later." Cuchulain said. "Sneer's ordered several task forces to penetrate into this world by means of that access way you messaged him about."

"Really…"-

"So things are finally coming our way." Donald said.

"Yeah," Goofy added, "We're gonna win ain't we?"

"Now what do you say we storm the castle?" Sora asked.

"I couldn't agree more." Riku added. "C'mon…!"

The KH team had reunited under their original seven and was stronger than ever. With Cuchulain and Cunla back in the game, the team was ready to tackle anything that came at them.


	66. Storming the Fortress

Storming the Fortress

Chaos continued to erupt throughout the city, as the defected Virgos continued to pummel at the fortress and the soldiers below. The Gatler tanks had been deployed by this time and were firing away, hoping to bring down the machines. However, even their efforts seemed futile against the power of the doll shields. In the meantime, The KH team now battled against Dusks, Shadows, and Axis troops, as they head for the castle.

"We're almost there." Sora said. "I can see it, the entry way to the castle itself!" But no sooner had Sora uttered those words, the team was confronted by the bulk of the Axis force, which had condensed there under order. Amongst the soldiers was a lone gatler tank, given the responsibility of defending the entry way to best of its abilities. The team hid behind a corner, a hundred yards before reaching the front line.

"Look at the opposition." Ophelia uttered. "It would be suicide to just charge in."

"By the looks of it," Cunla said, "We don't have any other choice."

"Then let it be so." Cuchulain uttered. "We have to somehow form a way that would easily clear the area for us."

"And how do you suggest we approach the situation?" Donald asked.

"I'm thinking, I'm thinking." Cuchulain looked at the situation. "First we have to take out that gatler tank. We have to somehow cripple it, if not destroy it altogether." He looked up to find the mobile dolls battling against the Axis in some other direction, or bombarding the fortress itself. But none were present near them to aid. "By the looks of it, those stupid mobile dolls won't be doing us any favors, attacking targets at random." Then, an idea popped into his head. "I got it. Riku, you'll use your Cinder Canister to aim at the Gatler. Direct all the fire on its main arsenals. This attack will not only inflict damage, but it will also confuse the enemy. Sora then jumps in to unleash Tundra Canister, which will lock the gatler in place and hopefully some of the soldiers. Riku then unleashed the X slash attack he learned and try and cut through the reinforced armor. Then Sora rushes in to finish it off with an energy beam. Do you get it so far?"

"I gotcha…!" Riku said. Sora on the other hand still had a blank stare.

"I think I got it," he uttered, "But it's just a little complicated for me."-

"The alphabet's too complicated for you."-

"In the meantime, The rest of us will provide cover for you." Cuchulain continued. "Goofy will use his shield spin technique and guarding ability. Miss Billiard will use her battle fans to slay and maim any soldiers a threat to us. Donald will unleash Thunaga spell at long range to defeat further opposition. Cunla and I will act as the flanks, who defend the right and left of the party. So does everyone know their part in this?"

"Yeah," the team replied, nodding their heads.

"Then let's get going."-

"Let's give the Axis a real surprise!" Sora chuckled. Each team member was provided with vials of ether and potion.

In the meantime, the Axis stood about, awaiting any possible attack. Many of the soldiers present feared an attack from the mobile dolls rather than the KH team, so their minds were pointed towards the sky. One lone soldier stood about, looking towards the street that led from Memory's Skyscraper. It was down the darkness of the street, he saw seven bright spheres emerge from the shadows, illuminating the thoroughfare.

"What is that?" he wondered. Suddenly, those same seven spheres came rushing at him and his comrades. "Look out!" But soldiers were taken completely by surprise. One by one, the fire balls struck the Gatler tank, causing its front to blaze. It's barrel melted off the turret and the most of the main weapons were crippled to the point where they were no longer of any use. The soldiers began to fire into the darkness, but a barrage of ice particles blew at them. The tank was caught and incased in the sudden freeze. The operatives in the tank, seeing it futile to operate their iron horse anymore, quickly exited through the escape hatch. The soldiers on the other hand, continued to fire. They spread themselves out to avoid mass death. Sure enough, the KH team came rushing through with bullets flying all over the place. Sora unleashed his Twister Strike and formed a massive tornado, which picked up many of the soldiers and threw them away from the field.

Those elites who feared the KH team quickly hid, ran, or yielded. But the majority stood and fought. Many of the defending troops were maimed or crippled by the key bearers, Goofy, or Donald. A seldom few were killed. They were fortunate. However, those who dared stand against Cuchulain, Ophelia, or Cunla were not quite as fortunate as they were slain without question. Just goes to show the contrast of who was more used to delivering death amongst the enemy. The team stormed up the ramp towards the castle.

"C'mon you guys!" Riku shouted. "Let's go, let's go!"

Word reached Xeftum and his men of the situation.

"The KH team is storming up the ramp." The operative said.

"Is that so?" Xeftum replied, "On screen." The main screen was activated and the KH team was observed fighting upon the bridge that linked the city to the castle. "They've made it that far already, eh?"-

"What do they intend to accomplish attacking full speed into the castle." General Capulet wondered. "They're only wasting their lives away."

"You are right there, General. Observe." The KH team, not a quarter of the way up the ramp, met stiff resistance and their advance halted. "With every gun and soldier sighted on their little band, even the might KH team can't proceed any further."

"What fools they are." General Darrena chuckled.

The situation was clear, advancing any further would mean certain death. The KH team had lost the element of surprise and was now a target from every soldier in the garrison. The key bearers and their comrades hoped to storm the castle with little threat from the enemy. But because they did not bother to cover their rear, they were being shot at and attacked from behind. Now, stuck on the bridge, they could neither advance, nor retreat.

"So much for storming the castle." Donald said. "We have no means of retreating now! We can't withdraw and we can't advance!"

"Now what do we do?" Goofy asked.

"We've been put in a pickle." Cuchulain implied. "I didn't anticipate that we'd meet this type of resistance. The opposition is stronger than we thought."

Cuchulain's doubts shattered though, when there was a sudden barrage erupting from the rooftops of the buildings. The barrage pummeled the Axis troops.

"That barrage?" Sora wondered. "Where is that coming from?"

"Could it be the mobile dolls?" Goofy wondered.

Just then, appearing on the rooftops of the city, hundreds of soldiers emerged. They were not Axis troops. The hint of blue upon their uniforms made it clear. The Alliance support troops had finally arrived.

"It's the Alliance!" Cunla cheered. "The Alliance support units have arrived!"

"And it's about time!" Cuchulain said.

"The Alliance…?" Sora uttered, in amazement.

The confused Axis soldiers, bewildered of what happened, began to run amuck, fearing they would be overwhelmed and attacked from behind. Many of the veterans were apprehensive of what commenced in the shadow of night. To make matters worse, one of the mobile dolls that were attacking the castle happened to spot the entrance to the castle and began to fire a barrage upon the soldiers there. The KH team watched as soldiers blown away the rank.

"The dolls are backing us up." Ophelia said. "They're pressing the opposition."

"Then we press forward!" Cuchulain shouted. "Riku, Sora, start us off!"

"Yes sir!" Riku and Sora replied with enthusiasm. Unleashing their wind attacks, they blew the soldiers away while the opposition was still confused and broken. Behind the KH team, came a devastating support fire as a few units of Alliance soldiers came up behind them as back up.

"We have to support the key bearers!" an Alliance officer shouted. "C'mon men, forward!" There was a loud battle cry as the soldiers ran up the ramp of the castle. The Axis soldiers still outside still have hidden task units and the mobile dolls to deal with as well.

Again, the Axis headquarters was stunned at the events taking place. The defenses were slowly breaking.

"The Alliance," Xeftum uttered, his eyes widened with anger and fear, "How the hell did so many manage to get passed our defenses without being seen?"

"It has to be as General Capulet implied earlier." General Darrena said. "There must be some alternative passage way they accessed, which we don't know about."

"But we searched this city high and low. How could an alternative passage just suddenly appear?"-

"Perhaps it was a passage that was later activated, sir. From what my accounts say, the KH team had penetrated this world almost eight or nine years ago when they battled against the original organization under Xemnas. I understand that during that time, the only way for the outside world to effectively enter this world back them was via a constructed passageway that was created by Ansem the Wise."-

"That meddling old man…"-

"Ansem's creations, including his technology, were state of the art, even to this day, and were well constructed to continue lingering through the passage of time. No doubt that Riku and Sora have reactivated that same passageway and have informed the higher ups within the Alliance of its existence."

"Trust them to be the thorn in our sides." Admiral Melchior grumbled.

"As you had perceived," General Capulet added. "The KH team is truly a formidable foe to battle with." Just then, Xeftum stood up, gazing at the screen, watching the key bearers and their comrades ascending slowly up each series of ramps, defeating all possible opposition. "Is there something wrong, sir?"

"I'll be waiting for the KH team at the newly constructed Alter of Naught." Xeftum replied. "If Riku and Sora wish to have at me, then so be it. I'll give them something once more."

"What would you have from us as your subordinates, sir?" Darrena asked.

"You take care of affairs here. Lead your troops to our victory."-

"Sir…!" the three generals saluted just as Xeftum exited the control room. But as Xeftum's presence disappeared, the scorn the three commanders had against him, emerged as well.

"Is he that afraid of the KH team?" Capulet wondered. "He dares to withdraw to the very top of the fortress?"

"His strength is nothing compared to Xemnas." Darrena scorned. "Xeftum talks big, but his manipulation on the elements of this world are meek and possibly almost none existent. The new order of Organization XIII would be a laughing stock with such a cocky and arrogant individual at its head."

"Then again, General Darrena," Admiral Melchior implied, "He is still new at this. He's only been a Nobody for a couple of weeks."

"A couple of weeks and he believes he can take over all worlds by means of the Nobodies. Overconfident that one is, like a child who brags of something, but has never once experienced it. And he shows his inexperience by withdrawing to the place furthest from the KH team's advance. While in the meantime, we're here left doing the dirty work for him."-

"I see your point."-

"So what should we do?" General Capulet asked.

"We will do as the Three Excellencies have commanded." Darrena continued. "This world is highly significant because it accumulates not only a grand number of heartless, but this is the world that obtains the full force of the Nobodies. So far the Nobodies have been quite effective in all of our campaigns. That's why we maintain our stance in this world. We do it for the good of the Imperial Axis, not for the sake of mock rulers like Xeftum. If the time comes and we have to withdraw from this world, because we are no longer able to hold successfully, then so be it. We will withdraw from here and leave Xeftum to his own fate." Darrena placed her hand upon the hilt of her officer's saber. "Shall we depart?"

"Let us to the front, Madam General." Admiral Melchior implied. The three went off to oversee the campaigning against the KH team and the advancing alliance columns.

In the meantime, The KH team and the Alliance task units were being attacked from all directions. Axis soldiers, still condensed in the interior of the castle, unleashed deadly barrages the nicked and wounded many of the Alliance soldiers and the KH team members as well. Donald and Goofy split from the team to aid the fallen Alliance soldiers, using the new senzu potion to revive them. Riku and Sora also replenishing them and their comrades with the elixir as well, but potion was still not enough to quell the mounting resistance. But still, the team pressed on. By this time, Heartless and Nobodies would suddenly appear. Riku, using the manipulation stone, was able to control the Heartless in their majority and the lesser of the Nobodies.

"Well, at least we know that the manipulation stone can affect the Nobodies as well." Sora said.

"Yeah," Riku added. "But only the lower rank dusks." The silver haired key bearer used the manipulation stone and turned more and more heartless against the Axis. To further complicate matters for the enemy, the mobile dolls were still outside unleashing an endless barrage upon the castle. So far, out of a company of one hundred Virgos, only twenty had been shot down. To add, Alliance soldiers continued to pour into the world faster than the Axis could fight them off. Such signs only meant one thing. Like it or not, the World that Never Was would inevitably fall into Alliance hands.

The team, a few defected Heartless and Nobodies, and a hand full of elite allied troopers reached the Hall of Empty Melodies, where Sora confronted Organization member Xigbar almost a decade before. The team was confronted by soldiers of the Aryan Faction and the Red Ribbon faction. And leading the way were none other than the three leading commanders, General Capulet, Admiral Melchior, and General Darrena.

"So you've made it this far, key bearers" Darrena declared. "I commend you, but this is as far as you go."

"Those must be the commanders of this stronghold." Sora uttered.

"They have to be." Ophelia added. "One of them is Admiral Melchior, leader of the space forces under Sirius Viicous."

"This base and this world have been placed under Alliance control," Riku shouted, "You leaders of this garrison surrender!"

"You have been deceived." Darrena declared.

"What do you mean?" Donald asked.

"We are not the leaders of the garrison you bear arms against. Though we mark signatures of high ranks, we are simply subordinates."-

"Subordinates…?"-

"Subordinates of whom?" Sora asked.

"Why Lord Xeftum," Darrena continued, "The new leader of Organization XIII."

"Organization XIII?"-

"Don't give us that!" Riku said. "Organization XIII met its demise almost nine years ago."

"Then let Xeftum's christening lead to the revival of that order with the help of the Imperial Axis!" Darrena said.

"Not if we can help it!" The KH team drew their weapons. "We'll never let the organization be revived."

"Prove to us that you are able to do so then! Prove that you are worthy enough to battle against three of the leading commanders within the Imperial Axis!" The three commanders drew their sabers. "There is your enemy, ladies and gents! Kill them all!"

"Let's get 'em!" Sora shouted.

"Way ahead of you!" Cuchulain replied, jumping over the heads of the key bearers. "Ulster Slash!" With one fatal slash, many of the Axis soldiers were overwhelmed and slain instantly. A lot of the Axis soldiers were frightened by what they saw, but the three commanders were unimpressed.

"So, you want to play that way," Darrena chuckled, "Then let's play that way! Melchior, deal with these rats!"

"With pleasure," Melchior replied. The admiral, being large in size, wielded a rather heavy cutlass. Using his brute strength, he unleashed a powerful blade attack, equal in devastation upon the Alliance troops, the KH team, and defecting Heartless and Nobodies. "Take this!"

"Look out!" Cunla shouted. The team and many of the Allies dodged the sweeping sound wave, which rushed at them like an underground monster. There were few, who were unlucky and were struck and killed by the deadly blow. For that brief period of the time, the two sides were at another temporary standoff to watch the three officers and the KH team lead off in a jousting style battle.

"What was that?" Riku wondered.

"Admiral Melchior is known for his sword technique," Ophelia informed, "Using a combination of brute strength and the weight of his sword to create sound waves that act as a long range weapon. Those sound waves are just as fatal as being cut by a real sword. So even if he's slow and cumbersome, his long range attacks more than make up for it."

"Look out!" Sora shouted, pointing upward. Above, the ravenous General Darrena appeared with saber gripped tightly.

"Now you die!" Darrena shouted, using an overhead swing to attempt and smite anyone of the team members. Her first target was aimed at Riku, but Ophelia quickly stepped in, using her fans to block the attack. "Well, well, Ophelia Billiard, interesting that we'd still be enemies."

"Darrena, you scumbag," Ophelia replied. The two clashed hard against each other before Ophelia pushed the general away. Darrena flicked a hair from the front of her face and smiled.

"Still haven't changed have you."-

"You know her?" Riku asked.

"General Darrena was the one who bested against Sirius Viicous' elite forces way back when the factions were still enemies. She gained a reputation for being a highly skilled saberess. She relies entirely on speed. Thus, her weapon, a slim cross between a saber and a rapier, is excessively light to allow her to swing and attack very swiftly. She doesn't attack the enemy head on though, because the blade is too weak to engage in defensive battle. That's her one drawback. She relies to heavily on speed and not enough of strength. So it takes a great deal of cutting to take down a large enemy. She'll go for the throat. That's the only area that's exposed enough for her weapon to have the maximum affect."

"Thanks for telling us, Ophelia."-

"Well, you told us about two of the officers," Sora implied, "What about the third guy?"

"That's General Wilfheim Capulet of the former Arakis Foundation." Ophelia continued. "He relies a lot on close range combat, which is why he depends more on his reaction, reflexes, and agility. But he's more of a one on one fighter, which makes him so deadly. He'll hope to isolate each of us and finish us off one at a time. So be sure to stay in pairs of two or three. Being a man who sticks to his ideals of chivalrous one on one conflict, Capulet doesn't favor odds against one side. He uses that excuse to hide his weakness, which is fighting multiple opponents at once."

"We gotcha…" Donald said.

"Don't just stand there, idiots!" Darrena suddenly shouted at her men, "Kill them, kill them all!"

Again, the Axis charged, rushing at the small band of Alliance supporters.

"We have no choice," Cuchulain said, "Hold the line! Hold the line until reinforcements arrive!

"Stay together you guys!" Sora added.

Forming their long range attacks, the KH team unleashed a devastating barrage upon the attacking masses. But such attacks did not halt the ferocity of the elites. The Alliance Soldiers had massed together as well and charged head long, firing the blasters at the opposing side. The Axis returned fire, unleashing a devastating attack, killing many of the allies as they rushed. Savage hand of hand combat was unleashed, as soldiers struck and slashed, and shot and killed, blasters went off, saber strokes made, fists went flying, blades cutting, a perfect melee seldom seen by either side.

Both the leading Axis commanders and the KH team were not as effective amongst the crowds either. Anticipating that the fight would be short amongst the enlisted men and prolonging amongst the KH team and the three commanders, the outcome was completely different. The elites of both sides would not budge, and many of them targeted the famous figures. Utter confusion was the only way to describe the chaos.

"This massive melee is limiting my own movements." Darrena uttered, as she slashed away, inflicting very little damage.

"That's what happens when you rely too much on speed alone, Darrena!" a voice shouted amongst the combatants. Ophelia suddenly appeared, cutting down several Aryan and Red Ribbon soldiers in the process. She swooped upon the general. Darrena was quick to evade attack from another angle, but the Tiger easily blocked. "You've concentrated so much on your one strength, which is your speed that you didn't bother to enhance your physical strength. And this isn't some one on one battle in a clear area with a lot of open space, this is a confined platform area in which your swift attacks have been limited. But you never took that into account did you. I believe Melchior and Capulet will favor better then you."

"Actions speak louder than words, Colonel Ophelia Billiard," Darrena shouted furiously. "Let's just see if the outcome is just as accurate as your perception!" The two female warriors engaged, battling one another amongst the masses that continued to swarm in like locust.

In the meantime, Riku and Sora went against Admiral Melchior who slashed away with his devastating sword attacks. But because of his cumbersome battle tactic, he was not fast enough to compete with the swiftness of the key bearers. But the key bearers, were not able to get in close. Every time the came within close range, there would be another attack that would blow the surrounding soldiers away. This deprived the key bearers of their cover.

"We have to take this guy down somehow." Riku said. "We have to get in close."

"But when we do, he unleashed another attack and exposes where we are." Sora added.

"Then let's use the evasion technique and deceive him."-

"Good idea!"-

"Prepare to engage when I give the word."-

As Riku and Sora went against Melchior, and Ophelia battled Darrena, Cuchulain and Cunla paired in a father-son duo to go against the agile General Capulet, whose amazing reflexes and agility allowed him to move gracefully within battle.

"This guy's something else." Cunla said. "He moves around so smoothly and we haven't been able to inflict one wound on him."

"That may be so," Cuchulain implied, "But the toll is just as heavy on him. If you noticed, he's completely fighting on the defensive."

"You're right. So far, he hasn't bothered to take one swing at us."-

That was the disadvantage to Capulet's strategy. He too did not bother to exploit his own weaknesses. Though he excelled in strength, agility, cunning, and swiftness more than the other two commanders, his one drawback was that he was accustomed to battling man to man duels, one combatant at a time. But because Cuchulain and Cunla were fighting him as a tight duo, simultaneously attacking in different intervals, Capulet's offensive had sifted to a complete defense.

"This is unfair!" he thought to himself. "Battles between champions are not supposed to be like this." He managed to back off from the pair and declared his scorn. "What's your deal? This is not how a duel is supposed to be fought! It's supposed to be a one on one fight between two champions. You come from a Gaelic society that promotes one on one fights, so why do you battle like this?"-

"We may come from such a warrior society," Cuchulain implied, "But we're not stupid enough to think that individual duels are the only way of fighting. One on one brawls between two champions are rare and they're not the reality of warfare. Unlike you, we've adapted, concentrated, and learned how to fight against an overwhelming opposition all at once."

"You're too accustomed to fighting duels of chivalry." Cunla said. "Wake up, that's not the real world! A man who thinks that one on one dueling is the only way to settle a dispute has never really seen the art of combat! You're living in an outdated world. No, more to the fact, you're living in an idealized world that was never truly accepted."

"We're not that ignorant to play that game. It's easier to fight in pairs and squads than on an individual basis!"-

"Curse you to mock my chivalrous philosophy."-

"Well it you haven't noticed, pretty boy, this isn't a duel, it's a bout! And there's a big difference between the two. As a general you should know that! Which gets me to wondering how someone like you, who thinks as he does, ever got to be promoted to general."-

"Keep your tongue behind your teeth, traitorous boy! I'll show both you and your father what I'm capable of!"-

"Then quit holding back." Cuchulain declared. The three clashed again with such speed and grace, despite the clumps of soldiers still about them, falling wounded, dying, or slain.

Far above the confrontation, upon the Alter of Naught, Xeftum watched as Imperial grasp upon the World That Never Was began to falter and collapse. Nobodies and Heartless, alongside Axis elites, were meeting fatal ends at the hands of the emerging Alliance forces. Like a trickling stream through a breeched dike, Sneer's own elites appeared out of nowhere. Though in smaller groups, they easily maneuvered around the more concentrated Axis elites.

"This is the result of our overconfidence." Xeftum thought to himself. "We became so overconfident of our strength both in and around this world; we never bothered to examine possible flaws. And now our invincible security has been cracked. The Alliance is clever." Explosions erupted below as the remaining dolls fought off gatlers on the ground and bombarded the fortress, causing the massive stronghold to shake. It would take more than just the manpower he had presently to halt the Alliance's advance. "I have to call reinforcements from an outside force. But I cannot rally a force beyond the defense line. It would take too long for them to arrive. And by that time, Sneer's troops would have already taken full control of this world. I could call reinforcements from the outer defenses, but by doing that, I only increase the Alliances chances of breaking through with their siege fleets. But if this world falls first, then the defense fleet will be attacked from two sides instead of one. They'll be attacked from both the front and the rear." Xeftum clutched his fists tightly, "To think that these fools could be able to accomplish so much, despite our superior numbers of elites."

A subordinate soldier was sent to the top of the castle. She climbed the stairs to meet with Xeftum.

"Sir," the soldier cried, "Generals Capulet and Darrena and Admiral Melchior's compliments."

"What is it?" Xeftum asked.

"There is utter confusion amongst our soldiers, sir. The Allied task units are popping out of nowhere and we don't know where they're coming from. Our elite forces are scattered and those mobile dolls have inflicted 65 damage on the gatler tank forces and over 80 damage on the fortress defenses."-  
"Damn it…!"-

"Also, the Alliance fleets, in confrontation with our outer defenses, are starting to grow more aggressive and are threatening to engage in a massive attack to break through!"-

"Any chances of reinforcements?"-

"We've summoned for reinforcements, but they won't arrive for another five hours."-

"By that time, it'll already be too late!" Xeftum stretched his fingers, only to clench them again. "The only thing we can do right now is hold for as long as we can. Exhaust the key bearers and their comrades and overwhelm them. That's our only option right now."-

"But sir…?"-

"Pass the word back to the commanders! We can only rely on our present strength for the time being! Our will to continue is all we have! It will take a miracle to aid us."-

"I understand," the subordinate saluted and withdrew to return the word. Xeftum could only sigh. Though a heart was not present in his breast, it felt as if one were beating profusely in his chest.

"Then again, when was the last time that a miracle ever favored the darkness?"-

The pinnacle point of the battle, at the Hall of Empty Melodies, wavered in both ways. The KH team, despite being outnumbered by the enemy, held their ground, fighting against factional troopers by the dozen. The three commanders, needed to rally the troops, withdrew to the rear, to instruct their soldiers. Both sides quickly organized and holding actions were initiated. Alliance and Axis soldiers clashed, hundreds lost till bodies began to pile in mounds.

"How could such a small number of troops be able to fend off the attacks of elites?" Darrena wondered.

"We won't last much longer!" Genera Capulet added. "We are no match for the key bearers and their comrades in terms of strength."

"What word from Lord Xeftum?" Admiral Melchior asked.

"There is still no word from the messenger we sent."-

"I don't see how we'll be able to pry ourselves out of this dismal and rather hopeless situation. I doubt that even Lord Xeftum will be able to connive his way out of this one. How is it again that we find ourselves withdrawing?"-

"It was because we were overconfident to believing the complete superiority of our forces here." General Darrena said. "We believed that the only way to get into this world was to pass through our supposedly invincible outer defense line. We figured to be safe here. But resulting similarly, as our fight with the key bearers and their cohorts, we underestimated the situation and reexamined our concept of so called invulnerability in this world. That ideal has been rendered worthless!"

"The key bearers were stronger than we thought. They do not fight on an individual basis as it was rumored."-

"And such unexpected power and determination."-

"Madam General," an officer said, "Word from Lord Xeftum."-

"Well what does he say?" Darrena asked.

"He says to maintain a holding action as best we can."-

"Is that his only strategy?" Capulet uttered.

"Just as we expected," Melchior scoffed, "That Nobody is all talk! And his actions are reckless! To think that he would resurrect Organization XIII!"-

"What about chances of reinforcements?" Darrena asked.

"We could withdraw some units from the defense line and have them aid us." Capulet implied.

"And have the Alliance Fleet charge us?"-

"It's only a few units, what harm will it do to take a few from the front?"-

"I suppose you're right." She turned to the officer. "Then send word to the defense line, tell them that we need reinforcements and to spare a few reserve units to aid us."-

"Yes ma'am." The officer replied and called forth a messenger to give the order. But no sooner had the messenger been summoned, another messenger, sent from the main control, quickly arrived before the commanders, tired and rather worried.

"Commanders," she said, "Word from the main control, terrible news, sirs and madam!"

"Well, don't stand there flustered," Darrena implied, "what is it that's so terrible?"

"The Alliance forces have broken through our defense line!" Immediately, change in attitude and morale became apparent.

"That's impossible," Melchior uttered, "The Alliance couldn't have broken through our defense line! If they couldn't do it multiple times before, how could they possibly break through now?"

"The third outfit of the Coordinator Coalition, under the command of Brigadier General Dearka Elsman, arrived to aid the Allied fleet. Outfits from the "Wing" realm under Lucrezia Noin, and a winged zoid outfit under Karl Shuvaultz have come to aid as well. They concentrated the bulk of their attack on a single point and broke through. Now the Alliance is pushing our fleet back in confused fighting."-

"How can this be?" Capulet uttered. "How could our defenses be breeched?"

"Is the report accurate?" Darrena asked.

"Unfortunately, yes." The messenger replied. "They've gained footage of the break and control fears that it'll only be within the next hour or so that our forces will collapse."

"Damn, attacked from without and within at the same time. Not even the Heartless and the Nobodies converged with our troops ever stood a chance."-

"What shall we do?" Melchior asked. "Holding the enemy at bay would be futile now. Even if we did fend of the KH team and the Alliance from storming the rest of the castle, we can't prevent the Alliance's outer forces from breaking through."

"You fear the outcome as much as I, but there's no other way. If we stay here and fight to the end, the Axis would have lost three of its most effective commanders. We have seldom encountered defeat, if not avoided defeat all together, but there is always a first time that we must face a lost campaign. And this is one of those moments." Darrena sighed. "Contact all our forces. Tell them to start withdrawing from this world."

"We're retreating?" Capulet asked.

"We are."-

"But don't you think we still have a chance?"-

"At this point, I'm afraid not. We never would have expected the Alliance to penetrate our defenses from within. And we never took into account on how easily collapsible our outer defenses were. All this time, not seeing action, not encountering dangerous situations, and fooling ourselves that we had an invincible stronghold, has dulled out awareness and senses. That's what long periods of dormant hours do, turning us to jelly. And when action finally does arrive, we are unable to counter it." Darrena sheathed her sword. "Give the order to retreat."

"Yes, Madam," Melchior uttered with melancholy. He turned to his officers. "Maintain a holding action until our troops in the rear have successfully withdrawn from this world entirely."

"Are we pulling back, sir?" one officer asked.

"I'm afraid so, but don't fret. Swallow your pride and prepare for victory another day, this battle goes to the KH team and the Alliance."-

Disheartened, the soldiers withdrew. The Alliance quickly gained control over the world as the Axis retreated to the cruisers and destroyers that would bring them safe passage home.

The KH team noticed a change in the battle's tide as the flow of Axis soldiers regressed from a steady river, to a minor trickle, leaving only a few hundred to stand and defend.

"What's this?" Sora uttered. "There are only a few hundred left to defend. The reinforcements have stopped."

"Could it be possible that they're retreating?" Donald asked.

"There's no doubt about it." Ophelia said. "This is a holding action."

"A holding action?" Goofy asked.

"When the factions find that a battle is lost, they usually keep a unit of elite soldiers behind to maintain a holding action against an advancing enemy, so that their comrades can safely withdraw from this world."-

"Then let them withdraw." Riku said. "Enough blood has been shed." Riku gazed upon the hideous sight as the fighting slowly subsided, favoring the advancing men in blue. Many soldiers on both sides had been slain, or severely maimed. Mounds of bodies were piled where the fighting was most intense. It seemed as if those men and women had been situated in their last contorts before expiring. But the reality was that many of them now lay upon the very spot where they fell.

High on the Alter of Naught, Xeftum watched as Axis cruisers began to hover higher and higher, leaving his domain, first by the dozen, then by the hundreds. A few of them were targeted by the Virgo mobile dolls and shot down, taking tens and perhaps hundreds of lives. Xeftum's eyes grew large with shock, not because of the death that rained in the skies above Deep Dive City, but rather at the sight of the fleeing cruisers themselves. He felt betrayed by the Axis, watching them leave his realm.

"You leave…?" he uttered. "Darrena, Melchior, Capulet, you have betrayed me! You have denied me my right and the promise you gave! You dare to turn your backs on me and force me and my minions to fend for ourselves!" In the shadow of his hood, a sparkle shined, perhaps of anger, or sorrow. He lowered his head. "If this is how fate wishes for my destiny to be fulfilled, then so be it!"

It didn't take long for the man power of the Axis to die down and the path cleared up between the key bearers and Xeftum's fate. Many of the faction soldiers, seeing it no longer necessary to fight, realizing that their cause was lost, surrendered before their foes. Some, clutching their fists, others with tears in their eyes, while others, preferring death over surrender, continued to fight until they were either subdued, or met their heroic demise. The path to the rest of the fortress was open for further advance.

"Xeftum is still here." Riku said. "We have to defeat him before he gives rise to a second Xehenort."

"I'm with you there, Riku." Sora added. "Let's go!"

"But where do we find him though?" Goofy asked.

"He's at the Alter of Naught. I can feel that slight twitch of power." Sora gripped his keyblade tightly. "Just one more guy to take out."-

"Be careful though." Donald implied. "There might be more soldiers waiting for us. Maybe they might spring a trap on us."

"Yeah."-

"Riku," Ophelia said, "You and Sora go on without us. We'll stay here and keep the area secured in case of a counter attack."

"We'll keep the fires burning here." Cunla added.

"You guys go ahead." Cuchulain said.

"Right," Sora replied, "Riku, Goofy, Donald, let's hurry." His three companions nodded and quickly rushed off to find Xeftum and bring and end to his reign.

As they passed through corridors and passages, and climbed stairs where memories of old still lingered, a mass of belongings, canteens, pieces of armaments, stray cartridges and lost blades, spare clothing, and all different types of military surplus lay a strewn in large numbers, indicating that the Axis soldiers were hoping to evacuate quickly.

"They must've had to leave really fast." Sora said.

"Yeah," Donald added, "Look at all this junk."

"I guess the situation they encountered stirred a panic." Riku implied.

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about any type of opposition that might stand in our way." Sora chuckled.

But no sooner had he declared his brash relief, there was a burst of gunfire from out of one of the corridors. The team halted and ducked to find stray faction soldiers, who had been mistakenly left behind, aiming their long ranged weaponry at them.

"You were saying?" Riku grumbled.

"Well, I…"-

"It's the key bearers!" one disgruntled soldiers shouted.

"Let's kill 'em!" a second soldier added.

"No, let's take 'em in alive!" a third soldier declared. "We might get a reward for capturing them!"

"Yeah, let's get 'em!" The troopers began to shoot at the key bearers and their comrades.

"So much for an easy advance," Donald said. "Who knows, there might be Heartless and Nobodies about the area too."

"Keep an eye out you guys!" Riku ordered. "In the mean time let's kick some Imperial butt!" They drew their weapons and engaged the enemy. It didn't take long for them, however, to defeat the band of stray rogues. The soldiers were either severely wounded or knocked unconscious, but none were killed. The fight itself only lasted for two minutes.

"Aw, what, are we finished already?" Sora said.

"Never mind those guys," Donald declared, "We got a tyrant to sack!"

"Hurry up," Riku implied. The four carried on in their trek.

By this time, the larger number of faction soldiers had escaped alongside the disassembling space forces of the Deep Dive defense line. General Darrena, General Capulet, and Admiral Melchior watched as the line slowly withdrew, giving way to the Alliance fleet and their comrades.

"That's the end of that I suppose." General Capulet uttered.

"I can't believe that we withdrew so quickly." Melchior added.

"Perhaps fate was just not on our side."-

"Balderdash, it was because of our negligence that led to this outcome."-

"Gentlemen," General Darrena implied, "The fault belongs to all of these factors. Perhaps it was fate, but our ignorance of the situation itself, and our pride and arrogance believing in our own invincibility, was what aided the outcome of this conclusion."

"But what are we to tell the Three Excellencies?"-

"One way or another, they will find out about this. We may be demoted of our ranks for this as a consequence of our defeat though."-

"Blast it all!" Melchior grumbled. "It's the fault of the key bearers! They fight so wildly, how are we supposed to contend with that?"

"It only goes to show how formidable the KH team actually is."-

"Do you really think we can stand a chance against them in the future?" Capulet asked.

"Perhaps, gentlemen," Darrena placed her arms behind her, "There are rumors that Lord Sirius Viicous is cooking up a new scheme that will decide the factor of Imperial fate. We just need to keep the key bearers' minds on the matter at hand. They are still on the mission to save King Mickey and Queen Minnie, who are probably still and cold by now. At the same time, the key bearers are doing all in their power to keep Imperial rule from expanding any further. Let them continue on with their little man hunt for the remaining Blade Generals. By the time King Mickey is saved, universal rule would have changed." The young female commander smiled. "Without a doubt, we will again play a vital roll. Though we have failed, we are still too valuable to dispense with. This conflict may be shifting for the time being, but it's not over."

The KH team continued to head towards the top of the castle, at the same time defeating enemies as they went.

"He's close," Sora uttered, "I can feel him."

"He's at the top as you anticipated." Riku added.

"Hurry!" Donald demanded. The KH team ran up the flight of stairs to the Alter where years before, their earlier battles with Xemnas had occurred. Now the two stand upon the same threshold, ready to confront the man hoping to resurrect Xehenort's dreams. They finally came to the platform of battle, spying the hooded man who called himself Xeftum.

"Is that him?" Goofy asked.

"I think so." Donald added.

"Without a doubt," Riku said, "It must be him."

"Are you the man they call Xeftum!" Sora said, declaring openly to the hooded man.

"I must congratulate you." Xeftum suddenly uttered. "I never thought that you would get here so quickly. I guess security has been severely lacking."

"Never mind your blathering! You're trying to bring back Organization XIII aren't you! Well, we won't let that happen!"-

"Organization XIII put us through a lot of trouble in the past and we're not about to let that problem emerge again." Riku added. Xeftum turned to face the key bearers.

"And the reason why I'm put into this precarious position is because of your meddling, Riku." Xeftum uttered. "Or should I say Noctin Tilandir as the Imperials would call you. Because of you, my heart was seeped in darkness and I was separated from heart and soul. Thus, as my heart was lost to becoming a Heartless, my empty shell was regressed to wandering about this world, but no more. I will exact my revenge upon you."

"Have we met before?" Riku was curious now. "You speak as if you and I were acquainted somehow."

"Oh yes we are. Shall I tell you where we encountered each other? Perhaps it is best. I like to carry out with my revenge thoroughly and I like my spotted victims to be well informed. The last time we met, I was a chief inspector, hired to oversee operations regarding internal and external affairs. I was to dig out conspiracies and possible plots to help maintain the peace of our world. But secretly, I only used that identity to advance my own schemes for the cause I found to be the better of any, to see the dominance of the Coordinators!" Almost immediately, Riku and the others realized who it was they were confronting. "By your expression, you now know who I am. I guess concealing my identity is no longer a necessity." The man took the hood off from over his head. His hair was a shiny silver, much like Riku's, except it was more clean cut. The eyes were almost equal in color. One might consider them twins at first. A scar streaked across his face.

"Oh my God," Riku uttered, shocked, "So it is you."

"Yzak Joule…"


	67. Yzak

Yzak

Once a loyal follower of ZAFT and former chief inspector and investigator of the Orb Alliance, Yzak Joule, his heart and body torn apart by consuming darkness, was now taking charge as the leader of a resurrected Organization XIII, addressing himself as Lord Xeftum. But no sooner had his plans come into motion; they were inadvertently halted due to the arrival of the KH team. Now, if Yzak ever hoped to fulfill his own ambitions, he would have to defeat the key bearers once and for all. However, doing so would no longer be an easy task. With the Alliance forces swelling in his recently conquered realm, Yzak found very little chance of winning. But such a notion did not phase his determination to succeed. And once again , he and Riku faced off against one another in a final duel of fate.

"So, you've taken over this ream, declaring yourself as Xeftum, eh?" Sora said. "You hoped to resurrect the old Organization XIII. Well, sorry to spoil it for you, Yzak, but that's not gonna happen. Organization XIII was enough trouble to deal with."

"By the way you've positioned yourself as the Organization's new leader," Riku implied, "You must be Yzak's Nobody. Your heart must've been consumed after being engulfed by the darkness. Now you stand to regain power lost from Xehenort. You might as well give up though, Yzak. There is no way that we'll allow Organization XIII to thrive again. You are merely a relic from a past age. It's now come to the point where you must fade into history."

"You mistake my intentions, Riku." Yzak said. "You think I don't see what's going on? You think I'm not aware of the lost cause I stand for? I know that the Imperial Axis has fled and betrayed me, and that I am on my own."-

"Then why bother fighting?" Donald asked.

"Yeah," Goofy added, "Ya don't have to do this."

"None of you will fully understand the way I feel." Yzak said. "And it's better that you don't, because I want no sympathy from the likes of you."

"Is that so?" Riku uttered. "Well, we weren't planning on showing sympathy."

"That's good then. This way I can savor my revenge."-

"That's why you won't back down?" Sora asked.

"My cause is lost, my world is lost, and my allies have abandoned my, leaving me to fend my turf alone. But though these many strikes have been deprived from my grasp, I will at least be able to fulfill my vengeance."-

"Vengeance… Vengeance against whom?"-

"I'm looking it him." Yzak pointed his finger towards Riku.

"Me…?" Riku asked. "Why me?"-

"What do you think, Riku! You are the one who put me in this precarious position! What I can't believe is that a Natural, like you, was able to outdo an elite Coordinator of ZAFT like me!"-

"It takes more than just genetic alteration to defeat a legendary key bearer."-

"Then let's see how you key bearers favor against a new and improved Coordinator!"-

"Then again, you're no longer a Coordinator." Riku implied. "You're just an empty shell, the Nobody of Yzak."

"Silence you!" Yzak shouted. "I am who I am and nothing can change that! Despite being a Nobody, I am still a Coordinator! And as a Coordinator, I will regain my former honor. I will never back down to a lowly Natural like you!"

"Then let's see what you've got!" Sora shouted. "Don't leave us hanging!"

"Very well then!" Yzak then threw out his hands and appearing in his clutched palms, two large, spiked maces appeared, their appearance intimidating at best. The team was utterly shocked at the size of the weapons.

"Oh my God…"-

"I don't see you laughing now, boys." Yzak chuckled. "Let's see how skilled you really are! And let's see if your scrawny keyblades can withstand to my double chain maces!"

"Riku…"-

"Don't worry, Sora." Riku implied. "Those maces look intimidating, but their too front heavy. The weight will slow him down. All we have to do is be faster than him."

"R…right…!"-

"Think it's that simple boys?" Yzak chuckled. Yzak suddenly threw one mace upward. Almost as if weightless, the spiked ball sped forward, aiming for the KH team. The key bearers were once again shocked at the outcome. The mace nearly struck them. Yzak unleashed the second mace, hoping to strike at the key bearers once more. When the worst seemed to end, the maces would emerge again and attempt to maim their targets. The KH team quickly scattered.

"How the heck is he doing that?" Sora wondered, as he dodged and evaded. "Those maces look too big to be thrown around with such ease. I thought you said that the weight would slow him down, Riku."

"I'm just as bewildered as you, Sora." Riku replied. "The weight ratio is completely defied in this particular situation. Those maces shouldn't be able to be lifted so easily like that."

"So much for being slow." Donald grumbled.

"Look out!" Goofy shouted. He and Donald quickly evaded just as the mace came crashing down. The mace crashed upon a segment of the tower and caused severe damage on impact, creating a large hole upon the metal works.

"He swings those things like they had no weight at all," Sora said, "But the impact is strong enough to break through steel."

"So much for your hypothesis, Riku," Yzak chuckled. "You believed that the weight of these double maces would slow my reaction time. But the reality is that I am able to concentrate all of my strength to synchronize with the swing of the maces." Yzak swung again, nearly striking the team, causing more damage to the tower. "This is the true power of a Coordinator." He swung them in different directions, making almost and octopus type of defense which had little or no weaknesses for Riku and Sora to exploit.

"This is impossible." Sora uttered. "We can't possibly break such a well defended offense."

"Face it, key bearers, you can't beat me!"-

Riku and Sora unleashed their elemental attacks on him, fire, ice, wind, light, and shadow, but nothing seemed to work. The two used their evasion attack to try and elude him, but he struck at them as if the light and spell attacks had no effect. Donald used multiple strikes with Firaga, Thundaga, Blizzaga, and what have you, but even they had no effect.

"What's up with this guy?" Sora said. "Our elemental attacks aren't working on him. Before, you could take this guy down single handedly, Riku."

"That was before the darkness separated his body, turning his empty shell into an elite Nobody." Riku replied. "As a Nobody, he has a special ability. In this case, he has the ability to withstand elemental attacks."

"Quite observant, Riku," Yzak chuckled. "You finally came to realize that elemental attacks have no effect on me whatsoever! As a Nobody, I have gained a special power, the ability to nullify all elemental attacks! Be it wind, water, ice, fire, earth, etc, they are all rendered useless against me! Only physical attacks work on me, which is the reason for the double maces! With the chains and the spiked ball at the end, I have invented an invulnerable offensive strategy which you can't possibly counter. And because we fight on the high tower, because it obtains very little space, all I have to do is strike at you continuously and you will have no tactic to successfully break my skills. I can jerk these maces like whips, extract and retract the chains to any length I please, and am able to swing them like armed slings. At the same time, my agility and precise calculating allows me to keep my weapons separate and prevent them from entangling." Yzak moved and coordinated his weapons in ways and angles that many masters would deem impossible of performing. However, being a Coordinator, such difficult tasks were easy for him. He retracted the maces to their hilts to make a staff mace as well as lengthened them to act more as a whip. This in and out coordination of the maces caused confusion amongst the KH team, confusing them and lowering their awareness and mentality, but that was Yzak's plan from the start.

"We can't do anything." Donald said. "This guy uses those chains like a shield, at the same time raining chaos on us."

"We can't evade and block in this area." Goofy added. "It's too small."

"At this rate, he'll tear us apart!"-

"What are we gonna do?"-

"Sora, Goofy, Donald," Riku said, "If we're gonna fight this guy, we'll have to fight him in an area where there's seldom open space and obtains plenty of structures we can conceal ourselves behind."

"What did you have in mind, Riku?" Sora asked.

"Let's take him into the city."-

"But there are Alliance soldiers about."-

"Yeah," Goofy said, "We can't have them hurt too."

"If we stay here and fight, we're dead anyway." Riku said. "With no barrier to aid us, we're open to those massive mace weights. They have to be slowed down somehow."

"I'm with Riku." Sora added. "Let's go, we can't die this early in the game!"

"We gotcha!" Goofy said. The KH team quickly turned and jumped from the tower, just as the maces struck at them.

"Cowards," Yzak shouted, "I'm too much for you am I?"

"I dare you to follow us if you're not a coward!" Riku replied.

"What…?" Riku's words cut the Coordinator deeply. "Don't think that you and your friends can get away from me, Riku! I'll follow you and fulfill my revenge, even if I have to kill every last Alliance soldier who dares to stick their ugly mug before me!" Yzak retracted the chains into their hilts, thus making solid mace staffs. He then plummeted down without fear towards the key bearers. All was going as Riku planned.

"That's it." Riku thought to himself. "He's coming right after us." He turned to his comrades. "Keep your power levels suppressed and spread out! Use the shadows to attack him from different angles." The team quickly concealed themselves behind the downed buildings. But Yzak was not intimidated as hovered between skyscrapers. His mace chains retracted, he stood tall with his double weapons clutched tightly in both hands.

"You fools," he chuckled, "You really think that hiding amidst these buildings will stop me! What foolishness of Naturals!" Yzak swung his mace and smashed the spiked end upon the side of one building. Like a demolition ball ten times concentrated, the mace weight smashed through the building, cutting it in half. The team was awe struck at what they saw. Yzak cracked his mace across the wall of another building, causing the structure to collapse. The sound of screaming soldiers, evading the falling debris could be heard. "Your evasion attacks cannot withstand the power of the double maces!" The KH team quickly scattered, hoping not to be struck by the weapons.

"He can break through those buildings like a stack of cards." Sora uttered, "So much for evasion."

"That may be so," Riku implied. "We may have a small disadvantage still, but we still have a strong foothold against him."

"How's that, Riku?"-

"See how Yzak is swinging those maces." The key bearers observed the way Yzak conducted his attacks. "He's swinging away, but he's swinging his maces blindly. He can't detect our strength. He has to see us with his eyes."

"I see."-

"All we have to do is evade and confuse him. If we can just deprive him of one mace, we can reduce his defense and offense by half."-

"Right…"

"Pass the word to Donald and Goofy. Tell them to evade and confuse Yzak as best they can in order to take his eyes off of our main attack."-

"Alright, but who's gonna go in for the kill?"-

"You will." Riku implied.

"M…me…?" Sora uttered.

"You can do it, Sora."-

"But those are two big maces I have to evade."-

"Are you afraid?"-

"Well, yeah. I have those big spiked balls trying to smash my head in." Sora watched as Yzak brought a fall to another building. "But then again, if we don't do something, he's gonna demolish every building, then we'll have no place to hide behind." Sora gave a sigh. He then looked at Riku. "Give me ten minutes."-

"Right." The two key bearers butted knuckles. "Good Luck, Sora." Sora went off to spread the word.

In the meantime, Yzak was becoming flustered and increasingly more aggravated at the situation.

"Come on, you cowards," he shouted, "You can't hide forever! You'll eventually run out of places to conceal yourselves! And when that happens, you'll die!" There was still nothing but silence. Yzak clutched his fists and his teeth. "You can't fool me!" He swung his mace about wildly. Just then, from out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Riku coming straight at him from the shadows. Yzak quickly turned. "There you are!"-

"It's over!" Riku shouted.

"For you that is," Yzak used his mace and swung it at the key bearer, but the image of Riku only turned to be false as the spiked mace passed harmlessly through the key bearer's form. "What, it's not real?"

"You have to watch your back!" Riku appeared behind the Nobody. Yzak quickly turned to confront his attacker only to find that what he was attacking was another after image. "Nice try, but not good enough!"

"You're ticking me off!"-

"You're just not conducting yourself properly." Another voice uttered. Yzak saw Donald taunting from behind. "You can't get me!"-

"Stop mocking me, you feathered freak!" Yzak roared, tossing his mace again. "I'll defeat you!"

"If you can catch me that is!" Donald disappeared behind one of the buildings. Yzak smashed the building to its foundations.

"Big mistake!" another voice shouted. From behind, Sora finally made his move. Yzak, frustrated and confused as he was, did not react in time against Sora. The key bearer struck at Yzak's left arm, knocking the mace from his grasp. The chained weapon to the ground as Sora pummeled the former Coordinator. Using his keyblade he struck the young man simultaneously before striking towards the ground. "Take that, Yzak!"

"You fool!" Yzak replied. Using the chain of the mace still clutched tightly in his hand, he lashed the chain like a whip. The chain suddenly wrapped itself tightly around Sora's throat. "You're coming with me!" Yzak jerked the chain and pulled Sora down with him.

"Sora…!" Riku cried from afar as he saw his comrade plummet with the foe. The two crashed upon the ground. Sora slowly got up, the chain still around his throat. He saw that Yzak had already stood upon his feet.

"Did you really think that I'd go down that easily?" Yzak chuckled. "One good yank with this chain, and I'll sever your head from off you shoulders!"

"I don't think so." Sora grabbed hold of the chain to prevent some the force of the chain from snapping his neck.

"Fine," Yzak pulled hard, jerking Sora forward. "Then if I can't break your neck, then I'll break every bone in your body, using you as the mace weight!" The Coordinator began to swing Sora back and forth, pummeling him against the street and against the walls of the buildings. Sora concentrated his strength to brace the impact. Though the impact was hard at times, his body managed to hold with only surface damage on the skin. But the mental and physical impacts were taking its toll on the key bearer.

"I can't keep this up forever." He uttered to himself.

"You're starting to weaken!" Yzak chuckled. "Soon you'll die like a low life Natural should!" Yzak made one final swing. "I'll mash you into this building and finish you off for good!" But Yzak's hopes were smashed.

At the last minute, Sora regained his posture and instead landed feet first onto the wall of the building. He then jumped towards Yzak and with his keyblade, knocked the Nobody down. Yzak fell hard and so did Sora. Yzak turned his head.

"How can this be…?" He uttered. "How can I be losing to a Natural?" He then saw his second mace, lying not to far from him. His hopes rekindled, he picked up his weapon and exchanged them hand for hand.

Sora in the meantime, slowly staggered to his feet. But the moment he stood up, he was again jerked to the ground. He looked to find Yzak standing again, with his second mace in hand.

"You damned Natural," the former Coordinator chuckled, "Did you think you could outdo me so easily on your own?" Yzak drew the mace back. "This time, I'll smash you to a pulp and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

"Sora…!" Riku shouted. He descended to aid his comrade. "Get away from him, you bastard!"

"You again, Riku? You should know when you've had enough!" The Coordinator turned his attention towards Riku now. This time, it was not an illusion he struck with his mace. Riku, so distraught over Sora's safety, charged in blindly. The spiked mace struck the key bearer upon his left shoulder, shattering the bone completely. Riku cried out and fell to the ground. His arm was bloodied with his red life source falling in puddles upon the asphalt and concrete.

"Riku, no…!" Sora cried, watching his friend.

"Don't worry!" Yzak chuckled. "You'll be joining him shortly."

Suddenly, there was a volley of fire from behind. Yzak turned to find Alliance troops shooting straight at him.

"There he is men," an officer shouted, "That must be the leader."

"Shoot him down!" another officer said.

"Don't you interfere, you fools!" Yzak swung his mace and had the ball crash almost upon the troops. The soldiers were quick to react and evade. The dust and debris billowed in clouds as the mace made impact with the pavement. Yzak swung his mace about, knocking the buildings down, forcing the alliance soldiers to scatter. "That'll keep you away for a while." Yzak turned towards Sora. "Too bad, you had so many friends to aid you and they were of no effect against me! So I guess that makes you the first unlucky key bearer to die by my hands!"

"Yzak…" Sora uttered.

"I stand correct; there is no way that a Coordinator could ever lose to the like of a Natural!"-

"Sora…" Riku uttered, his blood seeping from protruding bones and torn muscle.

"Don't worry, Riku. You'll soon be joining Sora. But unlike him, I won't give you the pleasure of a mercy killing! I wanna see you slowly suffer and die. Consider this your repentance for doing what you did to me."-

"Why Yzak…?"-

"Why, for revenge that's why."-

"You did this all only for revenge…?"-

"You would be surprised how far vengeance will take a person. At times, some will go to the extremities to see their revenge fulfilled. Even the most elaborate plans can at times be created out of revenge. I even went so far as to side with an enemy to defeat the likes of you." Yzak clutched the handle of the mace. "Now watch, Riku, as I crush Sora's head from beneath my mace!" The Coordinator then swung, but as he did, a screaming howl emerged from the darkness. Suddenly, like lightning, an object struck Yzak in the gut. Yzak looked down to find none other than the invincible Gae Bulga piercing through his abdomen. He fell to his knees.

"What is…this…?" he uttered.

"The Gae Bulga…" Sora said.

"Cuchulain…" Riku whispered, his strength slowly dying away.

"No," Yzak uttered, "I cannot die, not yet." His strength failing, the Coordinator fell to the ground and lay there motionless on the ground.

"We came as soon as we could." A voice said. Sora looked to find Cuchulain, Ophelia, and Cunla approaching them. Goofy and Donald quickly descended.

"Are you guys alright?" Cunla asked.

"Riku," Sora uttered, "He's been hurt the worst. You have to help him."

"Riku," Ophelia uttered. She ran over to Riku's side, repulsed and grief stricken by the condition of the young key bearer. "Oh, Riku."

"Ophelia…" Riku uttered. "It's you."

"You look like hell." Tears fell from her eyes.

"I've had a lot worse though."-

"I'll have you back on your feet in no time." She pulled out a vial of potion and placed the liquid to his lips. In seconds, Riku was back on his feet, repaired and replenished, though his clothes were still bloody.

"Thanks, Ophelia." Riku said. Ophelia, only glad to see Riku well again, embraced him tightly.

"I'm just glad that you're still alive." Riku smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

In the meantime, Cunla gave Sora some potion too. Sora was back on his feet within seconds as well.

"Thanks for the charge, Cunla." Sora said.

"Don't mention it." Cunla replied with a smile.

"So it's finally over." Cuchulain implied.

"It seems that way." Sora said.

Just then, as they watched, the Nobody of Yzak began to fade away like a shadow. The KH team hovered over the fallen Coordinator.

"So," Yzak uttered, "Have you all come to mock and scorn me?"

"No," Riku said, "we're not gonna do that. You might have been an enemy, but you still have your dignity."-

"How is it that a Coordinator of my talent lost again to mere Naturals? My strengths should have been twice, if not ten times greater than yours. How could you possibly win against me?"-

"Yzak," Sora uttered, "Those logistics might apply absolutely in your world, but in other worlds those same principles may not have the same effect."

"How could you do it? How could you smash my dreams like that? Coordinators were destined to rule my world. But you took that away from me."-

"It was because what you were fighting for was wrong. You were hoping to kill one set of human beings for another. By doing that, you take away the future of so many others. A cause which benefits only one side entirely, leading the other to total genocide and annihilation, is not a cause worth fighting for."-

"I had such a bright future ahead."-

"But you gave that up when you sided with the darkness." Riku explained. "And because of that decision, you were regressed to becoming a Nobody. So whether you are a Natural or a Coordinator, none of that matters anymore once you are a Nobody. And as a Nobody, you have placed yourself in the worst case scenario. Because you no longer have a heart, you will undergo the worst type of death, if it can be called death at all. You will fade into non-existence. And that is a fate more terrifying than being lost in eternal darkness."

"Then, I have only dispersed with my own soul and know neither death nor life." With that, Yzak vanished from sight, his form diminished. The Gae Bulga that once pierced through his form not collapsed to the ground. Cuchulain picked up his weapon.

"To think that he would die in such a miserable way." He uttered to himself, "To fade into non-existence. Now that truly is a hell."

"In a way," Goofy uttered, "I feel kinda sorry for him."

"That just goes to show you that ambition can easily lead to our own destruction."-

As the smoke cleared, an alliance officer of a colonel's rank approached the party. He saluted the KH team.

"I am Colonel Robley Foote," he implied, "I am the one in charge of the alliance coalition. I would like to report that the world has been securely placed under our control. The factional fleets have withdrawn and many of the soldiers who have stayed behind have surrendered and are now in custody."

"Very good," Cuchulain said.

"I also have news from President Sneer."-

"And what's that?"-

"He wishes to inform you to leave this world once the mission was successful and return back to Twilight Town. He has ordered the destruction of Ansem's portal."-

"Destroy it?" Sora uttered.

"I'm afraid so. He believes that destroying it would prove the lesser of two evils. It would be best to prevent these people and that town from becoming the next possible victims of confrontation. Sneer wants no unnecessary civilian deaths."-

"It stands to reason, Sora." Riku said. "If we destroy that portal, then there will be no need for the alliance to set up a stronghold here to guard it. That in turn will deter the Imperial Axis from trying to take over Twilight Town and turning the settlement into a battlefield."

"I see." Sora thought. "And that way we don't have to get Hayner and the others involved in our affairs."

"That's right."-

"Then so be it." Cuchulain said. "Let's get back."

"Yeah," Ophelia added. "Our mission is finished here."

"Very well then, colonel, you take over things from here. We're entrusting you and the rest of the alliance to keep this world under control."-

"Yes sir." Colonel Foote replied. Thus, the KH team, united as a whole once again departed to the passage back to Twilight Town.

The KH team successfully made it back to the Twilight Town Manner. There were a few Alliance soldiers present on guard. They saluted to the team, presenting arms in respect.

"The Alliance wasn't fooling around were they?" Cunla implied.

"Are you the KH team?" an officer asked.

"Yes we are." Riku said.

"All members are present?"-

"Yes we are."-

"Very well," The officer turned to his men. "Gentlemen, have the transporter destroyed completely. We don't want the faction to find this facility and repair it again.""Yes sir." One soldier implied. The soldiers on duty came before the contraption and began to dismantle it in the most savage of ways.

"Let's hope that the Imperial Axis doesn't find, repair and use this contraption again." Riku uttered.

"C'mon," Donald implied, "Hayner and the others might be waiting for us at that Market Street garage." The team turned away without a second glance, leaving the soldiers to their work and headed back to town.

Sure enough, as they arrived back at the garage, Hayner and Hayden, Pence, Olette, and Mayer Gallagher awaited them.

"Glad to see that you guys made it back in one piece." Hayner said.

"It wasn't easy though." Riku added.

"How are the gummies coming along?" Donald asked.

"Your ships are ready and upgraded." Pence implied.

"That's good. Then we better get going."-

"Thanks for your help you guys." Sora said.

"It's us who should be thanking you, Sora." Olette said. "If it wasn't for you, we'd be mourning over the deaths of our missing children right now." Sora only smiled.

"Let's hurry you guys." Cuchulain implied. "We don't have too much time left."-

"Yeah…" Sora uttered

The spare gummies were placed back into their capsules and the KH team boarded the upgraded Kingdom. The rockets ignited and the little ship lifted up into the sky. The people present watched as the ship departed. They waved farewell to their saviors. With a sudden boom, the gummi flew off into the vast sky.

As the team settled themselves, Cunla asked where their next destination was at.

"So where are we headed next?" He asked.

"We're going towards China." Riku replied.

"The Land of Dragons." Sora added.

"That's where we will find another faction stronghold and an alliance with another despot. Also, that's where we'll find General Scimitar. We defeat her and we gain one more piece of the puzzle. And we come closer to saving Mickey."-

"Then to the Land of Dragons." Cuchulain said.

The gummi headed off towards their next destination and their next blood battle.

Rain again came to the Disney Kingdom and the once joyful subjects of King Mickey were left in misery and hiding to see their glimmering home soaked in the misery of the black banners of the Midnight Faction. But now tenses within the kingdom became more apparent, especially when further news of defeat and withdrawal reached the ears of Lord Sirius Viicous. He once again sat upon the throne of the late king slowly sipping on a cup of brandy. The liquor was colder than usual and brought no comfort for him. He looked upon past letters, one from Lyzand and another from Narnia. Almost five days of bad news sat before him.

"Lyzand and Narnia," he uttered, "Almost certain victories for us, then they had to show up. The key bearers have to ruin it! At Lyzand, they stalled for time, long enough to reorganize Kira Yamato's soldiers and hold a strong position. Then that Saiyan upstart, Vegeta, had to intervene at the last moment and obliterate our entire force. No doubt he was ordered by Sneer to go in to aid the KH team in the process. Then at Narnia, because of the KH team, they were able to help Aslan and those four brats defeat Jadis and Hastings, changing strategy and again holding long enough to allow the delayed Alliance forces to reach that world and turn the tide against us. Well, perhaps these defeats will convince Rellantando and Montague that the KH team is a significant obstacle to eliminate first if we want to truly accomplish anything. But then again, it is not my front plagued by Saiyans and Nameks who obtain power levels great enough to destroy planets and such. I have yet to be plagued by such beasts."

Lord Viicous tossed the letters onto the ground not wanting to see them any more than he had to and continued to sip his glass of brandy. Just then, a soldier came in bearing another letter. He saluted to the Phantom Lord.

"Lord Sirius Viicous, sir," he implied, "a message from Admiral Melchior."

"And what does it regard?" The Phantom Lord asked.

"It's regarding the situation at Deep Dive city."-

"The World that Never Was?" Viicous drew out his hand. "Hand me the message."

"Yes sir." The messenger gave the Phantom Lord the letter. Hastily, Sirius Viicous opened it. He began to read the contents. What was inscribed caused him to drop his glass onto the floor, causing it to break and spill its contents about marble floor. Sirius Viicous put his hand to his head and gave a strong sigh of descent.

"Not again," he grumbled. His voice then crescendoed to a hoarser and agitated level. "More defeat, more defeat of significant worlds! This kind of conduct is inexcusable!" He continued to read. "How is it that the KH team and the Alliance were able to penetrate that world without having to force their way through the defense line!" He read on to the deeper details. "Oh, and they also managed to reprogram the mobile dolls to attack our troops as well. It has to be either Cunla or Billiard who was responsible for that little fiasco." Sirius Viicous stood up and threw the letter to the ground, not wishing to read any more. "This defeat will not look good in the eyes of others."

Sure enough, there was a commotion outside, as if battle was taking place. Amongst the screaming voices outside the throne room doors, the distinct voices of Montague and Rellantando could be heard.

"Let us through," Montague shouted, "We demand an explanation."

"Out of our way, you fools!" Rellantando added.

Just then, the grand doors burst open and the two stormed their way in, furiously. They stormed in and unexpectedly drew their blades, even as the soldiers tried to hold them off.

"What is the meaning of this?" one of the guards demanded as he drew his weapon and stood between his lord and the other two leaders.

"We demand and explanation!" Montague shouted. Fangs were drawn on both sides.

"And may I ask what reason provokes you two to stir such a disgraceful sight of rude impatience?" Sirius Viicous asked curiously.

"Is it not bad enough to get these sudden letters of humiliating defeat? At Lyzand, then Narnia, and now at The World that Never Was! Now there are rumors that treachery has surfaced in plans for total domination!"-

"I've received word that it was you who provoked that defeat!" Rellantando bellowed. "Reports say that your soldiers mutinied under your order against our soldiers and tried to take over!"

"Were you trying to gain that world all to yourself and leave us out?"-

"You must've been hoping to keep the Nobodies and the Heartless to yourself, Sirius Viicous!"-

"Gentlemen, I assure you that these are simply false accusations against me. I would never do such a thing to break up this newly founded Imperial Axis."-

"Then explain your hypothesis and defend yourself!"-

"The KH team was responsible. Two of my most effective and trusted officers had defected to their side some time ago. Thus, they knew of the tensions and suspicions we held and still hold against one another. They took that into consideration and hoped to plant a rift between our esteemed organizations so that we would commence fighting with one another once again. And if they had succeeded, then entangled battles would have been inevitable since all of our forces have integrated into one another."-

"It is always the KH team right?"-

"You have had your own fair share of dealings with the KH team, correct? You've heard the reports from your troops at Lyzand and Narnia?" The two other leaders nodded. "The KH team's main purpose is to break us up and destroy us. Their threat to us is all too apparent now, though I knew of their capability from the start. They will do all in their power to overthrow the Imperial Axis." Sirius Viicous coolly walked over to his brandy table and took out three new glasses and pour brandy into each one. "Gentlemen, I can assure you that treachery is the last thing I want. The Imperial Axis must remain strong if we are to survive. I plan no uprising against you. Like you, I am suspicious, but we must not allow that to stand in the way of our bonds. We are all Imperials by heart and as Imperials we must stand for the same cause, or else collapse. And you have seen how difficult it is to fight as separate organizations." He turned to his comrades. "So please my fellow Excellencies, sheath your swords of anger and continue this united league. Let us toast to the success of union and our cause." The Phantom Lord's honey words stirred strong emotion of union within the hearts of the men present. Rellantando and Montague lowered and sheathed their swords. They walked up and each took a glass from the tray.

"You are right." Montague implied. "We must not drift now when the Axis is still a fledgling. I thus take my oath of Imperial brotherhood and take back whatever foul and cruel accusations I have held against you."

"Your Excellency," Rellantando added, "I kindly swear the like!"

"Then let us continue on with our brotherhood." Sirius Viicous implied. The three touched glasses and drank up. They then placed their glasses back upon the tray.

"It is the KH team we must deal with then." Montague implied.

"Yes."-

"Then let us wage war on them and take the heads of the key bearers and place them upon pikes." Rellantando said.

"You, my gentle lords," Sirius continued, "Have had enough trouble with them. Let me bear the responsibility of conniving and defeating the KH team."

"But they are powerful foes. How do you propose to defeat them?"-

"Simply by defeating their source of income."-

"You mean…?"-

"Have your soldiers been assembled in secret as planned?"-

"They have." Montague said.

"Then let me handle this situation on my own." Sirius Viicous placed his hands behind him. "I will lure the KH team to the places of my desire. They will find themselves fighting a just cause, but a blind obstacle. The larger picture of our strategy is yet to be revealed."

"We shall have faith in you then." Rellantando said.

"Consider this enforcement for any possible treachery you may still hold me accounted for."-

"You jest, Your Excellency, we did not mean to rain this unsightly exhibition of scorn against you."-

"I beseech you gentlemen to pardon me then."-

"We take our leave." The two factional leaders bowed respectfully and withdrew peacefully, withdrawing their hatred and embracing kinship. But just as they reached the door, the Phantom Lord beckoned them again.

"Master Rellantando," he said.

"Your Excellency?" Rellantando replied.

"I understand that the KH team used a secret passage way, created by the late Ansem the Wise, to infiltrate our defenses in The World that Never Was."-

"Oh is that so?"-

"The other end was established in a place called Twilight Town. From what my research indicates, that settlement played a vital roll in the history of the key bearers and the KH team. From what records say, there are still some good friends of the key bearers who continue to live there. There are also rumors of a possible alliance outpost and allied agents dwelling about the area. You might want to check on it and interrogate the townspeople."-

"I understand, Your Excellency."-

"And Lord Marcus Montague." Sirius said.

"My lord?" Montague replied.

"Any luck catching that brat, Mulian Arakis and the late Prime Minister, Imetriarch Crassus?"-

"Not quite yet, sir."-

"You must dispense with him soon. You may have control of the Aryan Faction, but those people are still loyal to the Arakis Family."-

"I have seen the tension and possible scorn against me. I will have that brat brought to justice."-

"Then I leave you in your own affairs gentlemen. I am merely giving suggestions."

"And we acknowledge your wisdom and withdraw in peace." The two factional leaders declared. They turned and exited out of the chamber.

Sirius Viicous smiled and poured another glass of brandy. It was at that moment that General Saber emerged and bowed respectfully.

"Your Excellency," he uttered.

"Ah, Saber," Sirius Viicous implied, "Am I happy with the declaration you bring? Such an enlightening subject would ease my heart of past events."

"I just came to tell you, sir that the plans are nearly complete and we are waiting for your command."-

"Very good," The Phantom Lord sat himself down in the thrown again. "In order to extinguish a fire, we must fight it with fire and prevent further consummation. Our secret weapon will bring a downfall to the KH team. Perhaps Riku will find it most invigorating and somewhat frightening."

"Perhaps sir,"-

"Saber, you will take the responsibility of unleashing our secret weapon. You have received your orders of the place?"-

"I have sir."-

"Then be on your way. And this time, guarantee the deaths of Noctin Tilandir and his comrades."-

"I will do all in my power, my lord." Saber bowed and withdrew from the premises. Sirius Viicous continued to sip his brandy.

"Perhaps Sora will find his own scorn." He uttered to himself. "Perhaps he will be just as disgraceful as Riku was. That will give my servant, or should I say my secret weapon, a better excuse to kill. Soon, the KH team will crumble once they come across the larger picture of my plan. Once they find realize what is going on, it'll already be too late and they won't be able to tackle a situation so large in scale." Taking one final sip, the Phantom Lord only chuckled silently.


	68. The Emperor

The Emperor

Fire erupted within another mountain village, the flames dancing about in the blistering cold of the snowy peaks. Hundreds of villagers run in every direction, seeking safety or aid. But nothing was going to stop the chaos. Two of the village elders were apprehended and brought before a shadowy figure, tall in stature, wearing the royal garments of China's Imperial court. With him were seven other darkened figures, glaring with cold and soulless eyes upon the old men.

"But why us?" the first elder uttered, "We have done nothing to deserve this."

"You misunderstand my intensions." The tall figure uttered. "This village is just one of the few that have not been blessed by my presence. And since certain young men of this village had enough gall to disgrace some of my officers and soldiers here, I only find it best that this torching be a fitting greeting from me."

"We found them, Your Majesty!" a soldier implied. Three soldiers had three young men, no older than seventeen, thrown before their leader. The three adolescents were shivering with fright at the sight of this villain.

"So you three thought it would be funny to make a mockery of my soldiers?" the leader said. "Then perhaps this will teach you to show a bit more respect."

"Your soldiers were harassing the inn keeper and his wife!" one young man shouted. "So they deserved what they got!"

"Really…?" The man approached the defiant youth. "Tell me, are you afraid of death?" The youth was silent, but there was still that intensity in his eyes. "Answer me, boy!"

"You can kill me if you want, but I'll never give in to the likes of you!"-

"You should, boy! I am more authority than rogue here." The leader suddenly lifted up his hand, giving a signaling gesture. The soldiers took hold of the three youths again. "Have that defiant one flogged. As for his comrades," The leader gave a second gesture, sliding his hand across his throat. This indicted only execution. The two soldiers drew out their blades and cut the throats of the defiant youth's two friends. The blood spilled upon the ground, turning the snow into a crimson red. The troops then released the still twitching bodies of the boys, letting them hit the ground and slowly die. The defiant youth screamed out.

"You monster!" he shouted, "You barbarian!"

"Away with him!" one of the officers shouted. The soldiers took the boy away.

"Let this be a lesson to you and your village." The tall leader said.

"You will not get away with this injustice." The first elder shouted.

"Oh, you're wrong, old man. I can get away with anything I please! So long as justice towards me has been satisfied, I have no further quarrels here."-

"The emperor will not allow this injustice against his people to go unresolved!" the second elder said. "He will send troops to stop you!"

"Oh, I think not. Or haven't you heard?" The tall man paused before speaking again. "I am the emperor!" The elders looked on in disbelief.

"It can't be."-

"Oh yes, I am the new reigning emperor of China. And you will come to respect me, if not fear me! And the injustice stirred by your village has been quenched!" The emperor turned towards his officers. "Let us depart!"

The officers bowed and turned to their units. The troops organized and marched out of the burning village, leaving hundreds of the people homeless. Upon the ridge, two lone officers watched on.

"Now a new monarchy has emerged." The first officer said. "And they will benefit us entirely."

"Yes…" the second officer added.

"You know what to do."-

"I gotcha…"-

Little did they realize that someone else was watching from the shadows. A figure safely observed the carnage before turning away. The figure, dressed in black, mounted upon a horse and galloped away without a second glance.

Morning came to the Middle Kingdom as the KH team landed upon the golden mountains of Imperial China. They descended amidst a bamboo thicket and concealed their whereabouts well. The seven emerged from the ship.

"So this is the Land of Dragons." Cuchulain said, "Imperial China."

"It's been over eight years since the last time we were here." Sora said. "I wonder how Mulan and the others are doing."

"Well," Donald said, "There's only one way to find out."

"Hey," Cunla interrupted, "Do you guys smell that?"

"Smell what?" Riku asked.

"That…" Cunla lifted his nose to the air. The others did the same. There was a strange aroma lingering in the air.

"You're right." Ophelia implied. "It smells like burnt wood."

"Fellers," Goofy shouted, "Look over there!" The team looked to see a light pillar of smoke bellowing from above the bamboo tops.

"Fire…" Sora uttered.

"Is it the forest that's on fire?"-

"No," Cuchulain uttered. He sniffed again and looked at the dark column in the sky. "That smoke doesn't smell like bamboo and that fire seems more distant."

"Let's see where it's coming from." Riku suggested.

The team scurried through the heavy brush of bamboo towards the fire. They eventually made their way through the foliage to a clearing. They stood upon a hill looking out towards a vast open plain. In the distance, the pillar was seen, originating from what looked like a charred settlement.

"What is that?" Donald asked.

"It's a village." Sora implied, "A burnt village."

"Let's hurry," Riku said. The party rushed down the hill towards the village. To their shock, what Sora said was true. What lay before them were the scorched and blackened remains of what used to be a country village. The team slowly made their way into the village and looked about. Each house had been burned to the ground. The warning bell that once watched the city from above was now a skeletal ruin of its former self. Ophelia scrounged about one of the burnt homes and found a half singed doll. She picked it up and held it close.

"Everyone must've left in a hurry." She said. "Who would do such a thing?"

"The Imperial Axis…?" Goofy wondered.

"Possibly…"-

"If it was," Riku growled, "Then they'll pay for this."

"Hey, look," Donald shouted, pointing towards the distance sky. "Over there, over the mountains!" The team looked to find three more pillars of smoke, bellowing in the distance. The same smell of charred wood came from them as well.

"Other settlements no doubt."-

"More burned villages." Cunla uttered.

"Whoever was responsible," Riku said, "They've gone too far."

"Is there anyone left in this village?" Ophelia asked.

"Hello!" Sora shouted. "Is anyone here!" There was no response, "Hello!"

"Don't shout too much, Sora." Riku said. "The ones responsible might still be around here."

"Then let them come." Cuchulain said. "We'll bring justice upon them."

"By the looks of things," Cunla implied, gazing at scattered goods and bits of food thrown about, "The villagers must've run off in every direction to avoid the inferno."

"Hello," Sora called again, "Is there anyone here?"

"There is no one left." A voice suddenly uttered from behind. The KH team quickly turned. They found, standing near the old bell tower, an old man dressed in what looked like a purple garment with a grey clouded frock beneath and a gold medallion necklace with the symbol of Yin and Yang inscribed on it. His skin was pail, slightly darker than the hair upon his head, which sprouted out like broom bristles. His beard was just a snowy white and his mustache was stationed at the side of his mouth like a couple of bicycle handlebars. Around the right eye was a purple insignia that swirled about. He was old in appearance, having many years behind him. He stood calmly before the key bearers and their comrades.

"You," Riku uttered, "Where did you come from? Did you do this to the village?"

"Indeed not, I am merely a passerby. The people have all escaped and have scattered about the land seeking aid." The old man placed his arms behind his back. "The land is once again in chaos. And once again, heroes of old and new must unite to fight off the scourge that has infected this land."

"Scourge…?" Goofy asked.

"Who are you anyway, mister?" Cunla said.

"I am Zuo Ci." The old man replied. He turned about and entered the darkness of a burnt home. "Your destinies have brought you here, young key bearers. It is here that the true grit of your strength will be tested."

"The true grit of our strength, what do you mean?" But the old man only slinked into the darkness.

"Hay, wait a minute!" Riku shouted. "Maybe you can help us! Tell us what's been going on here? Why have all these villages been burned to the ground?" Riku ran after him into the house, but as his reached the doorway and peered through, there was no one about, but a few stray white birds that had taken shelter in the ruin. "Where did he go?"

"Could he have been a ghost?" Sora wondered.

"Well," Goofy uttered, "He did disappear all of a sudden."

"Never mind him," Ophelia said, "we still have to find help. We have to find someone who can tell us about what's been going on here."

"You're right." Riku replied. "Standing around here isn't gonna help us. We have to find a settlement that hasn't been touched yet and see if we can't get any explanations about what's been occurring."

"Let's follow that road into the mountains." Ophelia said, pointing to a second path that led into the green of the countryside. There were no bellowing pillars of fire so there could have been a chance that there were still villages unmolested. "We might find some untouched settlements there."

"The let's go." Cuchulain added.

The team went down the second pathway, hoping to find someone who might be able to give them a sufficient amount of information.

Down the path, the KH team went. Meticulous and carefully, hoping to not to attract any attention to themselves in case they were ambushed. They traveled a mile or so through a bamboo thicket before reaching a small settlement. The village was untouched, with its homes untouched by flames, and livestock still wandering about in their pens. However, the inhabitants were nowhere to be found.

"There's no one here." Donald uttered.

"Maybe the people all moved out." Goofy added.

"That can't be." Riku implied. "There are still cooking fires burning."

"Hello," Sora cried, "Is anyone here?"

Just then, from out of one of the homes, a little girl, no more than five peeked out from her front door.

"Hey there," Cunla said, spotting her. The little girl quickly withdrew into the house. "I wonder what's wrong. Why are these people afraid of us?"-

"Word must've spread to this settlement about the raiders." Ophelia said. "They may be under the impersonation that we might be raiders too."

"You think they're planning an ambush for us?" Sora wondered.

"If they are, make sure not to draw your weapons. We don't want to give these people the wrong idea."-

For a few minutes, there was an eerie silence. But that eerie silence turned dangerous when from out of the woodwork, hundreds of villagers armed with hoes and pitchforks emerged, completely surrounding the KH team.

"Uh, guys," Riku uttered, "Don't look now, but we have company."

"Are those villagers after us?" Cunla asked.

"Who else?"-

"But we've done nothing to them." Donald said.

"It doesn't matter. We're outsiders to them. And I don't think they trust outsiders."-

The villagers drew nearer towards the team, forcing the seven to bunch up in a tight circle. Cunla clutched the hilt of his sword, ready to unsheathe it.

"No, Cunla," Cuchulain advised, "Don't draw your weapon. We have to show these people that we're not their enemies."

"But they don't seem to want to accept that." Cunla implied.

"After all that's happened, I can't blame them."-

Just then, a voice from out of the crowd shouted.

"Hey, Sora," it shouted, "hey, kid!"

"Is someone calling my name?" Sora said. The villagers lowered their weapons and turned to allow three individuals to approach. The first man was short and stubby, wearing black armor with red trim. He had thick sideburns attached to his mustache and one black eye, perhaps from a fist fight. The second man was tall and lank, like a bean pole. His chin was pointy, matching his nose. He too wore black armor, but with yellow trim. The third was a fat an rather reserved and kind looking man. Bald on top and round in face. He wore armor like the others, but with blue to fit his entourage. The KH team watched the trio approach them.

"Who are those guys?" Cunla asked.

"Well, well, well." Sora chuckled, placing his hands to his waist. "If it isn't Yao, Ling, and Chien Po, how have you guys been?"

"You still look as wimpy as ever kid," Yao replied, "but ya got taller at least!"

"Say that again?"-

"And I see you still have that chucklehead mutt and that loudmouth duck with ya too."-

"What did he just say!" Donald roared. "A loud mouthed what! Why that little…!" But Goofy covered his friend's mouth and held him back.

"Now, now, Donald, calm down."-

"You know those guys, Sora?" Cuchulain asked.

"Yeah," Sora replied, "I fought alongside them, Mulan, and Shang when we were battling this Hun named Shan Yu as well as the Organization."

"Who're your other friends?" Yao asked.

"Oh sorry, I forgot to introduce you. Goofy and Donald you already know. Then there's my best friend Riku, Colonel Ophelia Billiard, Cuchulain, and his son Cunla."-

"A pleasure." Chien Po replied. The trio introduced themselves in sequence.

"I'm Chien Po."-

"Yao...!"-

"And Ling…!"-

"Nice to meet you." Cunla uttered.

"Guys," Riku said, "Now's not the time for formalities. We have company." The KH team quickly turned to suddenly find Heartless appear from out of nowhere. The villagers scurried about in fright as the shadows appeared.

"Demons," They cried, seeking the safety of their homes.

"Not these guys again." Yao said, drawing out his sword.

"The Heartless," Sora grumbled, "What a time for these guys to show up."

"Even after eight years," Donald added, "We're still fighting heartless in this world!" The Heartless began to attack the team. The key bearers and their comrades quickly drew out their weapons and battled against the shadows. Left and right, they felled many shadows, but the Heartless continued to appear. Some went about freely in the village, attacking villagers. Riku ran up and down the settlement, striking all the heartless who tried to snatch the hearts of the villagers.

"We have to protect this village from the Heartless!" he shouted.

"Right," Sora added.

A Chinese Rouke's Drift, the small band of defenders did all in their power to defeat the flow of Heartless. However, after years of battling the Heartless, defeating them was a snap. Eventually, the Heartless numbers began to dwindle. The last wave of Heartless were Crescendo Heartless, blowing their trumpet like mouths, calling for reinforcements, but all in vain, for no new heartless appeared to aid them.

"No one's coming to help you anymore." Cuchulain said as he struck down the last of the Heartless with one blow. The KH team lowered their weapons and took a rest.

"That wasn't much of a fight." Sora uttered. "I'm not even tired. I didn't even break a sweat."

"Well," Riku said, "We have been battling the Heartless for years now and their strengths never change."

"Those dumb crescendos," Cunla uttered. "They ran out of allies, no use for them trying to call more Heartless."

"Uh, guys," Ophelia uttered, drawing her fans again. "I don't think it was the Heartless they were calling for." The team looked to find another enemy standing before them, just outside of the village. They were not Heartless, but soldiers. They were dressed in blue armored uniforms, and were well armed and well organized.

"It's them!" Yao uttered, a sweat drop falling from his face. "The elite soldiers of Emperor Kang!"

"Kang…?" Donald asked.

"Who's Kang?" Goofy asked.

"He must be the guy responsible for spreading the destruction throughout this world." Riku implied.

"Back down, you rebels of the Middle Kingdom!" one officer said. "Back down and you will be given mercy!"

"We know Kang's definition of mercy all too well!" Yao shouted.

"Yeah," Ling added, "And your leader wasn't emperor before! He just took it over!"

"This is your last warning." The officer continued, not minding their declarations. "Surrender now or you will be destroyed!"

"Shut your mouth already!" Sora shouted. "They're not giving up and neither are we!"

"So be it!" the officer drew out his sword. "Kill them all, men! And burn this village to the ground, for the glory of Emperor Kang!" The soldiers charged at the key bearers and their comrades, full force.

"Get ready, you guys!" Cuchulain shouted. "Here they come!"

Instantly, clashes of steel and slicing of flesh and the thumping of bodies could be heard as ten defenders stood alone against the massed party of Kang's troopers. The KH team began to fight harder than ever as they realized the battle was virtually one sided. They received cuts and wounds, though not too severe. A great deal of potion was consumed and the KH team continued to fight to their utmost limit. Summoning spells, elemental spells and attacks, combination strikes, all in the arsenal of the KH team was used to battle the organized enemy troops. This sudden resistance by the KH team took the soldiers of Kang completely by surprise. Now, they were the one's being pushed back as one by one their comrades fell.

"How is this happening?" the officer in charge uttered. "How could only ten individuals be able to fend off in equal match against our soldiers? No one in this land has been able to do so until now."

"What do we do, sir?" one soldier asked. "They're even able to fight off large waves or out most elite troops."

"Perhaps it is as that woman described." The officer cringed as he watched his soldiers beaten back. "We have no other choice. Tell the men to withdraw."-

"Sir…?"-

"We've not encountered such heavy resistance until now. We must fall back and inform the Emperor at once."-

"Sir…"-

The order was given and the remaining soldiers hastily withdrew from the field.

"We did it!" Goofy cried.

"And stay out!" Donald added.

"Man," Sora said, falling to his knees and sitting on the ground, trying to catch his breath. "That was one heck of a workout. It's like fighting those Imperial Axis soldiers."

"Something tells me that this next mission isn't going to be an easy one for us."-

"I wouldn't rest just yet." Ling said. "They'll be back. Once word reaches Kang about what's been goin' on here, he'll send more troops to take this village and burn it to the ground, but not after killing everyone."

"Oh my God," Sora uttered, "What kind of monster are we dealing with?"

"Will you kindly explain what's been going on here?" Cuchulain asked. "How is it that this guy, Kang, first came into power?"

"Maybe we should talk about this with Mulan and Shang." Yao suggested. "They know more about what's been going on than we do."

"Mulan…" Sora uttered. "Where can we find her?"

"We just have to wait for them." Chien Po implied. "They're going about, scouting the movements of Kang's troops. They should be back soon."

It was as that moment that the loud neighing of horses could be heard.

"Speak of the devil," Ling said, "Here they come now!"

Galloping in hard through the village, a young man and woman were atop noble steeds. The two halted their horses a few feet short of the party, kicking up a few clouds of dust. The young woman, dressed in a man's array, with sword at her side, smiled.

"Sora…?" she uttered, looking that the young key bearer. "Donald, Goofy, is that you?"

"Hey, Mulan," Sora said, with a carefree tone and a warm smile, "How's it hanging?"

"It is you, Sora." Mulan dismounted from her horse and embraced the youth. "It's been too long. We haven't seen you around."-

"We've been busy."-

"I see that you're grown and matured to be a fine young man, Sora." Shang implied as he dismounted his stallion.

"Captain Li Shang." The two shook hands.

"And I see that your party has grown substantially since the last time."-

"Oh yeah," Sora ran to his comrades, "These are my other friends, Riku, Ophelia, Cuchulain, and Cunla." The found made a waving gesture.

"A pleasure." Mulan chuckled.

"Hey, Sora, Donald, Goofy!" a voice suddenly shouted. Upon Mulan's shoulder, the little dragon, Mushu appeared. "Hey, my main man, whatcha been up to?"

"Hey, Mushu," Sora said.

"It's been a long time, you never wrote. Oh, oh, you gotta tell me all about what's been going on since the last time we hung out."-

"We'll have to save socializing for another time." Sora's face turned serious. "The reason why we're here is because you need our help."

"Tell us," Riku implied, "What's been going on here? Why are the people in China being oppressed?"-

"Well…" Shang uttered. "Perhaps we should discuss this in a more private area of conversation. Follow us." He turned to Yao, Ling, and Chien Po. "You three stay on guard. Most likely, Kang's troops will come back to reap their revenge upon us soon. Holler out if you see anything."

"Yes sir, Captain Shang, Sir!" the three replied, standing at attention with a click of the heel and a strong salute.

"You guys come with us." Mulan instructed the KH team. "We've taken up residence in a house at the end of town. It has strong walls in case of a storming by the enemy."

"You just lead the way then." Sora said.

The team followed their hosts to a strong dwelling at the end of the street.

It didn't take long for word to reach the Imperial City where Kang eagerly awaited more news. Beside Kang was a woman, beautiful in features, but treacherous in mind, his cruel and oppressive wife, Sheva.

"You have a visitor." Sheva implied.

"A simple messenger," Kang replied in that deep, scratchy voice, "Nothing more." Sitting upon the throne of the late Emperor, Kang watched as the messenger came before him. The soldier knelt before him.

"My Lord," he said, "I have terrible news from the front."

"Terrible news you say? And what could possibly be so terrible besides me?"-

"There has been further resistance in a village to the west of here."-

"Oh really, and what was it, more insults? An officer tarred and feathered possibly?"-

"Those peasants certainly come up with strange ways of showing their courage." Sheva chuckled, "They have enough nerve to play these children's games, but they have no nerve to really stand and fight."

"But they have, my lady." The soldier replied. "There has been armed conflict against our elite infantry."

"What did you say?" Kang asked. "My elites battled against peasants?"

"Not peasants, sir, but warriors, true warriors."-

"True warriors you say? And how true can they possibly be against my elites?"-

"They were forced to retreat. An elite outfit once numbering three hundred soldiers was forced to fall back, suffering at least 75 casualties."-

"That's impossible." Kang's humor quickly diminished.

"Mere ambush techniques by this rabble army." Sheva assured her husband.

"No, my lady," the soldier continued, "From what reports say, there were no ambushes set up. The enemy faced our elites head on. And…" The soldier paused.

"And what?" Kang asked.

"The elites were dispersed by a force numbering…numbering only ten." Immediately, a shock went through Kang and his wife. This was no longer a trifle, this was a real threat.

"A force of only ten men managed to push back an elite force of three hundred!"-

"This is impossible." Sheva said. "There is no way that a hand full of warriors could outdo our elites!"

"On the contrary," a voice shouted, "It can happen." The two tyrants looked to find none other than General Scimitar standing in the doorway of the throne room.

"General Scimitar," Kang uttered, "So what you said was true."

"Without a doubt," Scimitar implied, "Your resistance is none other than the KH team."

"But what would lure them here?"-

"They intend to prevent us from forming an alliance with one another. They hope to break up our league and destroy us all."-

"No," Kang pounded his fist on the armrest of the throne. "I will not have these upstarts do away with my plans!"

"What are your orders then?" the messenger asked.

"Sending in elites would be a waste of effort and a waste of man power." Kang rose from the throne. "I have a much better idea. Send in a Bruin! That should be more than enough to deal with such pests."

"I would advise a full scale attack, Kang." Scimitar advised. "The key bearers and their comrades must not be taken lightly! They've been underestimated numerous times in the past! I advise sending in overwhelming numbers to weaken them and finish them off for good! That will better assure success!"

"None sense," Kang chuckled. "Up until now, no one has ever had to contend with the might of the Bruin. The Bruin will tear these intruders limb from limb! Send the order out now!"

"Yes sir." The messenger replied and scurried away.

"You are such a fool." Scimitar said. "You'll regret not having heeded my council. Why doubt the word of someone more experienced than you?" Scimitar only sighed and chuckled silently to herself. "But soon you'll realize that one monster is not enough to match with the KH team. That is unless you know the possibilities of the enemy first."

In the darkness of a hidden corridor, the growls of a thousand monstrous things could be heard. And amongst them, the Bruin, who roared the loudest. The soldier came to the keeper.

"By order of Emperor Kang," he decreed, "He wishes for you to dispatch the Bruin!"

"The Bruin…?" the keeper said, hesitantly.

"Yes."-

"Very well then…" The keeper opened the cell where the Bruin was kept. The iron gates slowly opened, with meticulous cranking of the wheel. From the darkness, two soulless eyes began to glow and a monstrous roaring form appeared. It emerged from the darkness, a beast. It looked like a giant Grizzly bear, but it was heavily built around its chest and shoulders. And on the monster's paws were long sharpened claws, sharp enough to cut through steel and strong enough to break through stone.

"Bruin," the messenger said. "His majesty says to sniff out these intruders and kill them!"

The Bruin growled and stormed off, its footsteps heavy to cause the very earth to shake.

"There that beast goes." The keeper uttered. "I hate to be the guys who have to take that thing on."

The KH team has settled in down in a quaint home, clean and well managed. Mulan had hot tea served to the team as they made ready to begin their council.

"Nice place you got here." Donald complimented.

"We do our best to keep it clean." Mulan replied with a smile.

"Ouch," Goofy said, "The tea is hot!"

"It's freshly made."-

"Goofy," Donald grumbled, "Mind your manners.

"Now," Riku began, "if you would be so kind as to explain what's been going on? We know that the world is in trouble and we know that a guy named Kang has taken over this world. But how is it that he came into power in the first place?"

"Yeah," Sora added, "Is Kang the successor of the late emperor?"

"He's hardly a successor by birthright that is." Shang began. "Kang was a despot who suddenly appeared out of nowhere and engaged in a hostile takeover. Without warning, he appeared and stormed the Imperial capital. He overthrew the late emperor and took China for himself. Now, of course when he declared himself as the new emperor, the people were outraged. And instead of accepting his rule, they rebelled. All of China united to stand against him and overthrow him. But he suddenly emerged with his own army of manipulated and highly loyal soldiers. Plus, he had made allies with powerful warriors and bloodthirsty monsters that yearned for destruction. He even gained favor with the shadows that just came to life and struck down more people."

"The Heartless…" Riku growled.

"He would commission them into his military." Sora added.

"We have no idea where he gained such favors from powerful beings," Shang continued, "but within a few weeks, the people became disheartened."

"He's like a plague sent to this earth." Mulan said. "He crushed the people's spirits within a few weeks. In every battle, the people of China lost to the might of his army. They attacked so swiftly and suddenly, the people thought it useless to continue fighting. Those who had submitted to his rule have been oppressed severely, being used as manual labor to harvest the resources dry and taking it all for himself."

"Man," Cuchulain growled, "this guy really needs a good thrashing."

"As of now, only a few provinces continue to stand in defiance against Kang."-

"But there's one thing I don't understand though." Cunla implied. "How is it that Kang gained power so quickly and by who? Did his soldiers happen to wear a grey uniform like this?"

"Or perhaps a black uniform like this?" Ophelia added.

"I don't think so." Mulan replied.

"They wore the standard blue armor of Kang." Shang added.

"Then I guess they weren't faction soldiers after all. None of them would pledge loyalty to a man like Kang."-

"There was a woman with red hair and green eyes that seemed to follow him in his campaigns though." The KH team gasped at those words.

"Then it's without a doubt," Sora uttered, "The Midnight Faction is here?"

"Midnight Faction?" Shang asked. "Who're they?"

"The Midnight Faction is responsible for this. They formed an alliance with Kang to help overthrow the emperor and establish themselves as the new rulers of China."-

"That's another reason why we came." Cuchulain said. "We came to drive the faction out of this world."

"You still haven't answered my question yet." Cunla declared. "How is it that a guy like Kang came into power so quickly? By the look of things, he's not exactly the kind of leader who can win your heart over easily. And a guy that influential has to have some kind of reputation ahead of him."

"The thing is," Shang continued, "I think you might find this hard to believe though."

"Try us…" the KH team replied.

"Well, Kang had a reputation as a tyrant before all this happened. But from what we interpreted, he was merely the stuff of myth and legend."-

"Myth and legend…?" Sora asked.

"It's an old and forgotten legend of China. It was said that centuries ago, long before the Qin dynasty, to a time before recorded history, Kang was once an emperor, a despotic emperor, the first villainous tyrant to reign. He and his treacherous wife, Sheva, ruled the people with an iron fist, terrorizing the disloyal and horrifying the loyal with despicable acts of cruelty. He had enlisted monsters to do his bidding, summoning an army of the dead and brainwashed soldier to aid him. That's how he kept the land under his thumb. But from out of nowhere, a breed of warrior called Mystics appeared on the scene and defeated Kang and his armies. The tyrant emperor was considered to coldhearted and ruthless, the people found that death was too good a punishment. Instead, they decided to let him live on and linger. Thus, the Mystics sealed Kang and his officers in a magically sealed tower on the top of Mt. Hoshin, which explains the bizarre formation at the peak of the mountain. For centuries the story was told and retold until it reached the status of a myth."

"As children we always gazed at Mt. Hoshin and wondered about the legend and if there was really anyone concealed in there." Mulan added. "Well, that's what we thought until recently. But now we know that the legend is true."

"Now he's feasting in the Imperial city at the emperor's expense."-

"What happened to the emperor anyway?" Ophelia asked.

"He's safe, but he's in hiding with his three daughters, who also happen to be the wives of Yao, Chien Po, and Ling." Shang continued. "We managed to get the emperor to safety before Kang stormed the capital. Until Kang is overthrown, the whereabouts of the emperor will remain hidden."

"Well, that all may be well in good, but the critical matter at hand still remains." Cuchulain implied, "How are we gonna overthrow this guy Kang? We've already noticed how stubborn and loyal his soldiers are and battling them won't be easy, especially if they arise in large numbers."

"What should we do?" Cunla asked.

"We have to rally the people and attack the very heart of Kang's power."-

"Doing so won't be easy." Shang said. "Many warriors have tried so far and all have failed. Going against Kang himself would be suicide."

"Kang will fall." Sora declared. "So far, we've managed to overthrow many despotic rulers and commanders up to this point. There's no reason why this should be any different."

"Sora's right." Riku said. "If we don't stand up to Kang now, then China will be engulfed in his reign forever."

"Are you out o your mind!" Mushu shouted. "Kang will chew you guys up and spit you out! He's got soldiers, monsters, and a whole lot of weaponry. No to mention they outnumber us like a thousand to one or something."

"He has endless manpower with elite status." Mulan added. "Attacking head on would be a mistake."

"We're not gonna attack him head on." Riku replied. "We have to roll with the punches. We have to somehow attack them when they least expect it and with sudden strength."

"I don't know." Cunla wondered. "We alone are enough to take them head on, don't ya think?"

"In most cases, I would like to agree, my son." Cuchulain said. "But to defeat Kang and restore peace to this world, we will need a well devised strategy."

"The problem is how are we gonna devise a strategy? We have no real information on what's going on."-

"We'll think of something." Sora said. "We have in the past and we can do so again." Suddenly, there was a loud grown coming from the key bearer's stomach. The KH team and their comrades glanced at Sora, "But uh…how about something to eat first?"

"Sora," Riku grumbled, "You and that bottomless pit of a stomach of yours."

"Heh, heh, sorry."-

"We'll, we really haven't eaten since we left Twilight Town." Goofy said. "I could use for a little something."

"Me too." Donald added.

"Me three!" Cunla said.

"Well," Mulan implied, "I could make some rice for us."

"Okay," Riku said, "I guess we could have a little something."

"You just take it easy. I'll take care of the preparations."-

"Wait for us!" Goofy said.

"Yeah," Donald added, "We could give you a hand or something."-

"Oh no," Mulan uttered, "I can't let houseguest do something like that."

"Oh we insist." The two followed her to the kitchen.

"Okay, it you two insist."-

"Well," Sora said, "While we're killing time, I'm gonna see if Yao and the others need a hand."

"You want me to go with you?" Riku asked.

"I don't think so. You've had a busy day today, Riku. You have to take it easy once in a while. I'll be back in about a half an hour."-

"Okay, but just don't fall in the mud while you're out there."-

"Yeah, yeah," Sora walked out the door and out the gates, closing them behind him.

"Well," Cuchulain said, "I might as well take a nap."

Just then, there was a crash in the kitchen, what sounded like breaking dishes and clattering of foliage.

"Oh sorry," Goofy cried.

"You idiot," Donald roared, "Watch where you're going!"

"Never mind taking a nap." Cunla grumbled. "No use snoozing with that ruckus going on."

In the meantime, Sora was taking a walk out into the village street, greeted by every person he came across. They bowed respectfully to the young key bearer, grateful of his efforts to save their village. He came to the edge of town where Yao, Ling, and Chien Po were stationed.

"Hey you guys." He said.

"Hey Sora." Yao replied.

"Everything okay over here?"-

"So far, so good."-

"What brings you out here?" Ling asked.

"Well," Sora sat himself upon a barrel, "we're finished with our council for the time being. We're just taking a rest." Sora looked up. The sun was already in its waning phase as it entered the afternoon hours. "Mulan and Shang told us everything, about Kang and the myth behind him."

"I just never would have thought that such a man actually lived." Chien Po said. "He was what haunted my dreams. And yet now, I find myself battling against Kang."

"But how did he escape from his prison in the first place?"-

"We don't really know."-

"Well, either way, Kang will meet his end. A tyrant like that, who lets the people suffer, has no reason to exist."-

It was at that moment that a strange glow was seen out in the distance, lingering about in the bamboo. Ling was the first one to see.

"Hey, look at that." He said. "There's a glow in the bamboo."

"What is that?" Yao asked. The four observed the little ball. "It's just hovering there."

"I'll go check it out." Sora said. He walked over to the ball of light.

"Be careful, Sora. It might be Kang's army."-

"Don't worry." Sora drew out his keyblade and cautiously approached the ball. But as he neared, he realized that the light was not a ball at all, but a little white being with two earlike wings, two little stumps in the front for arms, and a fat tail like a tadpole. It was an adorable sight not at all threatening. It was small enough to fit into the palm of the key bearer. "What is that?"

"Please," the little being uttered, "Please help me."

"Help you?"-

"Help me return home?"-

"And where is your home?" But the being suddenly withdrew away. "Hey, come back!" Sora pursued the light into the bamboo thicket. But he watched it ascend higher and higher. "Was that a ghost?"

However, as Sora watched the ball disappear, there was the sound of another creature approaching him. But unlike the being of light that was small, this figure was large and foreboding, crashing through the bamboo forest and cutting them down like stocks of wheat. There was a raging growl coming towards him. Immediately, Sora tensed up and clutched tightly to his keyblade. He watched as the bamboo stocks began to shake violently and a dark figure appeared through the foliage.

"What is that?" he uttered. Then with one swipe, the last bamboo trees, standing between him and whatever it was that approached, came crashing down. There, standing before Sora, a leviathan of immense proportion, was the Bruin. "Oh my…"

The Bruin then roared out immensely, spraying its saliva in Sora face and blowing its hot breath at the key bearer, blowing his hair back. The Bruin bore its fangs.

"Uh…" Sora uttered, "No."

Not thinking twice, the key bearer made a hasty retreat. He ran out of the bamboo thicket and back towards the village. Yao, Ling, and Chien Po watched as Sora ran out screaming.

"Hey Sora," Ling said, "What happened? What did you see?"

"What's all the hubbub about?" Yao added.

"Run," Sora shouted, "Run for your lives!"

Suddenly, the Bruin came crashing through the thicket and went in hot pursuit of the key bearer.

"It's a bear!" Ling shouted, jumping on Chien Po's shoulders in fright.

"That ain't no bear," Yao added, "That's a Bruin!"

"Gain way!" Sora shouted as he passed by them. The three just jumped out of the way as the Bruin rushed them. The Bruin, however, had no interest in the villagers or the village. He was only thirsting to go after Sora.

Yao and the others watched as the Bruin passed them up.

"Uh," Ling uttered, "Aren't we gonna help him?"

"Sora's a tough guy," Yao replied, "I'm sure he can handle himself." The three nodded in agreement. The villagers watched as the young key bearer was pursued by the Bruin. Sora could feel the hot breath and thundering footsteps of the Bruin coming behind him. The more he ran, the more it seemed the Bruin came closer. Sora felt his head beating so hard, he feared it to pop out of his chest.

"Why me, why always me!" He cried, "Riku!"

He reached the house where the rest of his comrades were awaiting him. He opened the gates and quickly shut them. He stood up against the gates as if trying to act as reinforcement in case the Bruin tried to break it down. His heart was thumping and he was out of breath, literally blue in the face. Riku and the others happened to see him come in.

"Hey, Sora," he said, "Sora's back, you guys!"

"Sora," the other replied.

"We were wondering what happened to you." Donald said.  
"Mulan's finished with the rice." Goofy added.

"I'm serving it right now." Mulan replied. "I didn't know how much you wanted though, Sora. So I waited until you got back. How much do you want?" But Sora's mind was not on food, not after what he went through. He could only stutter and about what he encountered.

"Big…" he whimpered. "Big…big…!"

"Oh a big serving, eh? I can manage that!"-

"You must be really hungry." Cunla chuckled. Sora could only grumble.

"Big bear…!" he blubbered. "Big bear…!"

"Big bear," Goofy laughed, "Yeah, Sora, that's just like you! You have the appetite of a big bear."

"No…true! Big…big…big bear…big bear!"-

"You can tell he's hungry." Donald said. Sora could only shake his head. He tried to gesture with his arms the size of the monster he encountered.

"No…big…big bear! Big bear…huge! Big…furry…big teeth…big claws…monster!"-

"What's the matter Sora?" Riku asked.

"Big…big…big bear chase me!"

Sora's no longer had to utter though. Suddenly, the gate came crashing down on top of the key bearer and the Bruin stood a threatening menace before the KH team and their comrades. Immediately, the mood changed from delight to fright. Like a chorus, the team turned blue and began to scream in utter terror, equaling the roar of the Bruin.

"Oh my God!" Cuchulain uttered.

"What is that?" Ophelia added.

"It's a Bruin!" Mulan cried. "What the heck's a Bruin doing here!"

"What's it doing here! What the heck is a Bruin!"-

"One of Kang's beasts!" Shang said.

"They didn't waste any time retaliating did they." Riku said. The team drew out their weapons.

Meanwhile, the Bruin stood on the demolished gate with Sora still underneath. Sora's head popped out from beneath the heavy wood, groaning in pain, his eyes like swirling vortexes. The Bruin saw him underneath and began to jump up and down on the gate, trying to crush the key bearer.

"Oh," Sora grumbled, "Get off me! Get off me you big, hairy son of a gun…" Sora felt the wind going in and out of him like a bagpipe with that equally squealing noise. "Uncle, uncle, uncle I say! Oh, my back, my back… Get off of me you big fathead…" The Bruin only snorted and turned to fight the KH team, claws glimmering like so many sabers.

"Hello." Cuchulain uttered.

"Hell no." Cunla said.

The Bruin suddenly charged at the team, pawing at them with excessive force. The team quickly dodged the razor sharp claws.

"Hey," Riku shouted, "Stop swiping!"

"No you slappy me, damn bear!" Cunla added.

"Look out!" Goofy cried. The bear used sudden sweeping moves, unleashing a strong force that blew the team away. The team quickly retaliated, attacking the Bruin from all sides, at the same time avoiding its sharpened claws. Their strikes, however, did not seem to slow the monster down. Because of its thick barrier of hair, some of the attacks only pounced off. To the Bruin, the KH team was merely a group of pesky gnats or hornets, stinging away with futile gesture. At the same time, the monsters strength and speed surprised the KH team. Though unleashing elemental attacks, not even that slowed down the monster.

"Man," Cuchulain said, "he sure moves fast for a big walking fur ball."

"Come on, you shaggy throw rug," Ophelia taunted, "Let's see what you really got!"

Just then, the Bruin suddenly jumped up and then descended fast. The impact on the ground caused a powerful sonic boom that blew the KH team and part of the house into the air and sent them flying.

"Okay," Ophelia uttered, "Maybe that was going a little too far."

"Not only is he fast," Riku stated, "But he's strong, agile, and cunning too."

"We have to take him down somehow."-

"We need Sora." Riku quickly ran to Sora who had managed to crawl out from underneath the wood. He was now leaned up against the post to where the gate once stood, still petrified.

"Big bear…" he uttered. "Big bear chase me…"

"Sora," Riku shouted, "I need you."

"Big bear…"-

"Sora," Riku grabbed his comrade by the shoulders, "C'mon Sora, I can't lose you right now."

"Big bear…big bear chase me."-

"Snap out of it, numbskull!" Riku slapped him across the face. "That Bruin's full of hot air! We can take it down!"

"Sorry Riku." Sora sighed. "I feel better now."

"Then let's stop standing around and give this bear what's coming!"-

"Yeah!"-

The two drew out their key blades and charged the Bruin. The Bruin was swiping back and forth and lunging with incredible force. The key bearers jumped up and lunged at the beast, knocking it down. The Bruin fell, its heavy body thumping upon the ground.

"There," Sora chuckled, "That ought to teach you for chasing me through town!" But the bear suddenly struck with his paw, hitting Sora and Riku away, inflicting horrible gashes on their chests. The bear then leaped and lunged again, throwing them against the wall of the house. They lay there unconscious from the blow.

"Sora, Riku," Ophelia cried.

"Leave them alone, you bastard!" Cuchulain roared. He thrust the Gae Bulga at the beast. The spear screamed through the air and struck the Bruin in the chest. The beast staggered, fatally crippled, but its rage only grew hotter.

"It's no use," Cunla uttered, "Even the Gae Bulga's prongs aren't enough to stop it.

"Damn…"-

"Not even our combined strengths are enough to battle that thing." Shang uttered, as he watched beast continue to stagger about.

"It's definitely a raging beast." Mulan added.

The beast staggered towards the warriors, who awaited yet another blow. But suddenly a powerful wave of energy bellowed from behind forcing the beast to topple forward. Upon its back were a series of slash marks inflicted by air waves. The Bruin fell upon the Gae Bulga, forcing the weapon to pierce through completely. The Bruin fell dead and its body diminished into an explosion of fire. The Gae Bulga dropped to the ground where the Bruin was once standing.

"Whoa…" Cunla uttered.

"That was a close one." Goofy added.

"But who attacked it from behind?" Donald wondered.

"It's a good thing I arrived when I did." A voice implied. "You guys would have had a hell of a time on your own." The team looked to find a young man dressed in a red, black, and gold uniform standing at the gateway.

"Hey," Cuchulain said. "It's Lu Xun!"

"Lu Xun?" the others cried, spotting the youthful strategist at the gate.

"It's been a while, eh guys? You might want to tend to your wounded first." He chuckled.

"Oh yeah, Riku and Sora." Cuchulain uttered.

Riku and Sora still lay prostrated on the ground when Goofy came up to them and poured the potion into their mouths.

"C'mon, you two." He said. "It's time for you to wake up." Riku and Sora slowly opened their eyes and stood up. Their wounds were healed and energy replenished.

"Thanks Goofy." Sora said.

"That was one heck of a beast." Riku added.

"How did you manage to take it down?"-

"We had a little help." Cuchulain said. He stood aside, revealing Lu Xun to the key bearers.

"Good to see you're still alive and kicking." Lu Xun implied.

"Hey, Lu Xun," Sora said."

"How did you get here?" Riku asked.

"Sneer assigned me here. He told me that you guys would be coming along sometime to this world and that you might need a little help. So here I am. I could sense your power levels a mile away."-

"You certainly got us out of a jam."-

"But that was only one monster to deal with." Cuchulain implied, as he picked up his Gae Bulga. "If word gets out to Kang that we defeated his monster, there's no doubt he will send more. Then we'll be overwhelmed and might not emerge as victorious as we did here."

"Cuchulain's right, you guys." Lu Xun agreed. "We are in a very precarious position right now. Unlike the past campaigns, Sneer cannot afford to send any troops to support us. So we're basically on our own."

"That is why we need a well devised strategy."-

"And that's another reason why I was sent to help you. I excel in military strategy."-

"Then that's good right?" Goofy asked.

"In most cases yes," Lu Xun implied, "but there is also another reason why I was sent here."

"And why's that?" Donald asked.

"I was sent to find another fellow strategist who is said to dwell in the mountains. I knew him long past and at times fought against him to unite the land for our esteemed banners. He will prove perhaps even more effective than me. That is why I must seek his wisdom and advice."-

"Who is this man?" Ophelia asked.

"He's the greatest strategist China, if not the world as ever known. Zhuge Liang."-

"Zhuge Liang?" Sora asked.

"Did you just say Zhuge Liang?" Shang asked.

"I did." Lu Xun replied.

"That can't be possible though. Zhuge Liang lived during the time of the Three Kingdoms which was how many centuries ago!"-

"You shouldn't even be here either." Mulan added. "If history corrects me, Lu Xun lived the same time as Zhuge."

"That's the miracle of other world traveling." Lu Xun said. "They're not all confined to one point in history. But this present day China is just as much my responsibility to defend as it was those many centuries before. And I will defend it to the best of my ability I can assure you."

"Thank you."-

"So what do we do now?" Cunla asked.

"We find Master Zhuge." Lu Xun replied. "He lives in the mystic mountains north of here from what I understand."

"Then we better get going." Donald said.

"But what about the village?" Goofy asked. "We can't just leave it can we?"

"He has a point." Cuchulain implied. "We can't leave the villagers to fight on their own. If Kang does retaliate and we're not present to fend off any threat, this village will fall along with everyone in it."

"Then I'll just take Sora and Riku with me." Lu Xun replied. "The rest of you stay here and guard the village in case Kang decides to stir up a hornet's nest again."

"Understood," Ophelia replied. "We'll hold down the fort and keep the home fires burning."

"Then, we shall return as soon as we can."-

Mulan suddenly rushed to her horse and mounted atop his back.

"Mulan," Shang said, "Where are you going?"

"I have to inform the people that hope is restored! I must rally them."-

"Wait for me then, I'll go with you! I'll rally the military units still active against Kang."-

"We'll need all the help we can get." Lu Xun advised. "We must unite China to overthrow this monster, Kang and bring peace to the land again."

Mulan and Shang gave a nod and The two galloped off.

"We better get going too." Sora added.

"Very well," The three continued down the road towards the mountains. Cuchulain and the others stayed behind to defend the village and its people.

"Good luck you three." He said silently.

However, it wasn't long before word of the Bruin's defeat reached the ears of Emperor Kang. Some of Kang's spies, who had gone to observe the expected success of the Bruin against the KH team, returned with bad tidings as well as they fear they bore for having to inform their Master of such a disgraceful defeat. Kang as usual was seated upon the throne, drumming his fingers on the side, his wife, Sheva, at his side.

"I'm suffering from royal boredom." He uttered.

"Why don't we just go to bed, my dear?" Sheva implied. "You seem so weary and tired. You do not need this kind of aggravation plaguing you."

"I will not go anywhere until I know what has happened with the Bruin."-

Just then, entering the Imperial throne room, the spies entered. They knelt before their commander in chief.

"Well, what is the news?" Kang asked. "Has the Bruin done away with these ruffians?" But instead of an enthusiastic response of triumph, the spies only wavered and stalled, wishing not for the moment when they would have to tell the outcome. Kang realized the mood and clutched his fists. "Did you hear me! What news do you bring of the Bruin!"

"Your majesty," the leading spy uttered, "I'm afraid that I bear bad tidings." Those words struck Kang hard. He was not expecting such a response.

"What did you just say?"-

"I bear bad tidings." The spy lowered his eyes. "The battle did not turn in favor of the Bruin, my lord. These new foes, calling themselves the KH team, have managed to defeat it."

"They managed to defeat one of my Bruins?"-

"But that's impossible." Sheva said. "There is no one who can defeat those beasts, no on! A regiment of elite troops couldn't have defeated such a beast, let alone a hand full of warriors."

"But it did manage to wound some of them, my lord." The leading spy implied.

"That has nothing to do with it!" Kang shouted. "The fact still remains that these upstarts still managed to defeat a Bruin, a beast that has never been defeated before! What kind of warriors are we dealing with?"

"It's just as I had predicted." a voice shouted out. The Emperor and his wife looked to find General Scimitar standing coolly at the doorway, her arms folded in front of her. "I told you that a solitary beast was not enough to deal with the might of the KH team. The key bearers and their comrades are some of the most powerful warriors in the known parts of this universe. They are the same ones who battled against the Cavendish Shinobies, the most elite group of elemental ninjas ever known. They even went so far as to battle elite swordsmen of the former Dark Empire. So what made you think that a single Bruin could handle the job? As I said before, you should have gone out with a full scale attack. And now, because of this botched engagement, the KH team has been given the opportunity to retaliate."

"What should we do then?"-

"Keep your spies about and rally your troops. There will be, without a doubt, possible retaliation. The KH team must be stopped now before they can inflict anymore damage."-

"Then I shall heed your advice, general."-

"Then launch a full scale attack upon that village. Rally your generals to aid you in this campaign. Break the will of the people completely and take this world under your control. So far, the KH team cannot influence the people with their present status. We divide the nation and we win."

"You are quite and excellent strategist." Kang chuckled. He then turned to Sheva. "My dear wife, call forth my generals. Tell them to attend a war council."

"I understand, my lord." Sheva replied and withdrew from the room to summon Kang's leading officers.

"I will bring this world under my command and there will be no one to stop me!"-

"This task will work well for us." Scimitar thought to herself. "The key bearers are not nearly as influential as they make themselves to be. They will not win the heart of the people so easily. To add, with me in the equation, knowing of their tactics from past experiences, I can easily counter their maneuvers." Scimitar sighed to herself. "And it will not be long before that infuriating Hound of Ulster and that traitor son of his dies. Then I will be purged of Ulster's greatest champion. Then I, Queen Maeve of Connaught, will praise to my own success as to have finally beaten the supposedly invincible warrior on Erin. Beware Cuchulain, beware Cunla, soon your heads will be mine."


	69. Strategists

Strategists

Two hours had past as Lu Xun, Riku, and Sora climbed over the treacherous and rocky mountain passes of China's hills. Every time, their thoughts reached back to their comrades back at the village.

"I hope that everyone's alright back at the village." Sora implied. "I hope that nothing bad happens while we're away."

"There's no use avoiding that." Lu Xun replied. "After that incident with the Bruin, Kang will send in a larger unit of his military force. And with Scimitar at his side, he'll be able to counter our every move."

"I almost forgot about Scimitar. We still need to get her peace of the puzzle. Then we would have gained four of the five pieces needed to set King Mickey free."-

"Exactly how long will it be before we reach this Zhuge Liang?" Riku asked.

"Not too far now." Lu Xun replied.

"You said that half an hour ago." Sora said.

"I recognize this part of the area though. Even after centuries, this place really hasn't changed all that much."-

The trio climbed up a set of large boulders before coming to a small house, surrounded by trees. Lu Xun wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Here we are." Lu Xun said, "The Home of Zhuge Liang, Prime Minister of Shu."

"So this is it?" Riku asked. "This is where he lives."

"Yes, but mind your manners. He is a master of his art and deserves the highest respects."-

"Don't worry."-

The three approached the door. Lu Xun delicately knocked on the wooden door. There was no answer.

"Master Zhuge Liang," he announced, "Please, we need to speak with you! It is I, Lu Xun of Wu."

"You may enter." a voice suddenly implied. It was a calm voice that seemed to bellow not only from inside the house, but from outside as well, as if the man were everywhere. The three entered the house. They looked to their right and there sitting before an Alter of worship and mediation, the great strategist, Zhuge Liang sat. He was dressed in white robes with green and trim and gold embroidering. Upon his sleeves were the Yin and Yang. A gold cap was nestled atop his head with raven black hair flowing down his back. In his hand, he held a magnificent battle fan, a gold hilt supporting pure white feathers.

"Master Zhuge." Lu Xun uttered, kneeling before him. Riku and Sora, hoping not to give the wrong impression, bowed as well.

"It's been a long time Lu Xun. How have you been?"-

"Fine, my lord."-

"That is good. We may have had our differences in the past, but your heart is still pure." Zhuge turned to the trio. Upon his face was a moustache that draped like a cat's whiskers and a beard that dangled from the edge of his chin. He seemed pale in complexion and his eyes were intense, giving that solemn and compassionate quality. He was in no way malevolent and in every way kind. "I see you have come with the key bearers, Riku and Sora as well."

"Do you know who we are, sir?" Sora asked.

"I know of you. And I know why you have come. You wish for my services to aid you in the campaign against Kang."-

"Man he's good."-

"I would hate to inconvenience you at this time, Lord Zhuge." Lu Xun said. "But if you would be so bold as to oblige us." There was a dead calm.

"Only on one condition, young Lu Xun, I must test how worthy these key bearers are." The strategist stood up and walked of the house. The three followed him. He stood there for a minute or two before turning towards the three. "Riku, Sora, I challenge you to a duel!"

"A duel?" Sora asked.

"Very well then." Riku implied. He and Sora deployed their keyblades.

"But what are you gonna use?"-

"This of course." Zhuge replied, holding his fan high.

"You're just gonna use a fan?"-

"Be careful, Sora." Riku advised. "That might be just a fan, but if he's anything like Ophelia, then we're in trouble."

"Let us proceed." Zhuge suddenly threw his fan at the key bearers.

"Look out!" The two warriors dodged as the fan came between then. Harnessing his energy to control the fan's movements, Zhuge began to twirl the fan about him like the head of a mace. The fan at times, struck the key bearers. The feathers themselves concealed razor tips blended in with the plumage, cutting deep on impact.

"That fan," Sora uttered, "It's not normal. It managed to cut me."

"He's no ordinary strategist." Riku added.

"Keep on your guard." Lu Xun said.

"Try this on." Zhuge uttered. He suddenly unleashed an energy wave from the tip of his fan. The key bearers dodged again.

"The guy can fire energy waves too?" Sora wondered.

"We don't have time to dialect." Riku shouted. "We have to finish this thing. Our friends might need us back at the village. Deploy the evasion technique."

"Right…!" The two charged Zhuge. Unleashing shadow and light, there were a series of bright flashes and swerves of shadows. Within seconds, the fight was finished, the key bearers were found opposite Shu's strategist. The

"Most impressive..." Zhuge said, falling to one knee, holding his chest and gasping. "You two are quite determined to prove yourselves and your strength is incredible. You are as good as they say, if not better."

"Master Zhuge," Lu Xun asked, "Are you alright?"

"You have allied yourself with fine young men, Lu Xun." Zhuge turned towards the key bearers. Riku folded his arms in front of him, while Sora sheepishly grinned, scratching the back of his head. "I am honored to be of service."

"Master Zhuge, does this mean you will join us?"-

"Yes, and as a cooperative strategist, combining my talents with your own, I shall guide you to destiny." He approached the key bearers. "You have bested me, both of you. Take these as a token of my homage and respect for you. It will come in handy in future battles." Riku and Sora felt a sudden surge in both body and keyblade. They were given the _Musou Gauge recharge_. Now, instead of using ether to replenish their magic power, or wait for it to slowly regenerate, they now had the ability to replenish their MP at will and at a far faster rate. "Your energy can now be gained by either taking damage, giving damage, or simply concentrating and gathering the elements surrounding you."

"I am glad that you decided to join us, Zhuge." Riku implied. "We'll have a better chance now."

But as hope perked up for the KH team and their comrades, the hope of sudden victory changed. Flying above in the sky was a large fiery red bird, screeching away in the sky.

"What is that?" Sora asked.

"Oh my God." Lu Xun uttered. "It's Roc!"

"Roc?" Riku asked.

"He's a servant of Kang, a possessed firebird. He's the one responsible for torching many of the villages." They then watched as the bird unleashed a barrage of fireballs from his mouth. Several faint explosions bellowed in the distance. A pillar of smoke began to rise not soon after.

"They're attacking a village." Zhuge said.

"Oh no," Sora uttered, "That might be our village, the one we're trying to defend!"

"It is." Riku replied. "I can sense familiar energy signals coming from the direction we started."

"We better help them then."-

"I hope you don't mind us carrying you." Riku picked up Lu Xun. "We'll fly to the fight!"

"Let's go, Zhuge." Sora offered to give him a lift.

"There is no need, Sora." Zhuge replied. He suddenly levitated above the ground. "I'll just follow you."

"Great," Lu Xun grumbled, "everyone knows how to fly, but me. I feel my inferiority complex getting bigger." The four dashed off to aid their comrades. Since it was mostly a downhill effort, travel went faster.

The front half of the village was set on fire now as Roc laid waste to the houses, bursting them into flames. In the meantime, hundreds of soldiers were charging against the resistance of the KH team that stayed behind. Cuchulain rallied the people and the other members.

"Stand your ground!" he shouted. "Don't let your homes go without a fight!"

"Father," Cunla cried, pointing to the rear, "Look!"

Charging alongside the soldiers were three more ravenous Bruins. And with them, new foes, such as bloodthirsty and possessed wolves who howled like demons. With them also came Onyxes, which were treelike creatures that relied entirely on their brute strength. Along with them, a large amount of Heartless that appeared in waves. And overseeing the chaos was one of Kang's most trusted commanders, Konga. A large and heavily built man, he had a long red beard, equaling the length of the hair on his head. He was dressed in heavy armor, a combination of metal and animal skins. Upon his shoulder he carried a large, spiked mace.

"That's right," he shouted. "Burn this village to the ground and halt the resistance! They may put up a fight, but their stubbornness can only go so far against our superior numbers!"

"They're still coming!" Goofy cried.

"There are too many of them!" Donald added.

"Hold your ground!" Cuchulain said, striking down foes ten to twenty at a time with minor attacks. "We can hold them off all the damn live long day if we try hard enough!"

"They'll have to do better against us if they want to defeat us!" Ophelia added, throwing her fans about and cutting man and shadow down by the dozen.

"Come on!" Yao shouted as he, Ling and Chien Po surged through the waves of enemies. "Come on, let's go, let's go!"

"Hey you guys!" a voice shouted. The team looked into the air and saw Riku and Sora approaching them, along with Lu Xun and Zhuge Liang.

"Speak of the devil," Cunla chuckled, "Reinforcements!"

"We were wondering when you guys were showing up!" Ling added.

"We made sure to save a nice chunk of the fight for you!" Cuchulain implied.

Once the four touched the ground, they deployed their weapons and began to unleash hell amongst the enemy forces too. Riku used the manipulation stone to take control of the Heartless.

"You guys are fighting the wrong enemy." he said. "Those are your targets there!"

The heartless quickly changed aggressions and began to battle against their former comrades.

"The shadows are attacking us now?" an officer uttered as he watched wolf and soldiers being dragged down by the Heartless. "I thought they were on our side?"

"The numbers have been evened!" Lu Xun shouted. "Let's give them hell!"

"This ends now." Zhuge added. His energy began to pulsate and the strategist began to levitate. Then, from his fan, a barrage of energy beams bellowed and struck down many of the soldiers who were frightened by the sight.

"Look at that!" Cunla uttered.

"Who is that guy?" Cuchulain added. The Bruins and Onyxes were struck down, receiving severe damage from the attack. Now a large gap was formed in the attacking enemy's ranks. With the heartless turned against them and reinforcements arriving, the tide quickly changed. Konga was stunned at what he saw.

"He managed to take out a quarter of the force with a single barrage?" he uttered. "It can't be! Not even the mystics had that kind of strength." He clutched tightly onto his mace.

"C'mon," Yao shouted, "We got them on the run!"

"Now twelve defenders altogether, along with a hundred or so defected Heartless charged Kang's troops. Even the might of the supposedly invincible Bruins was quelled.

But as it seemed over for the raiding forces of Kang's army, a new ray of hope emerged. From out of the blue, Roc appeared and swooped down upon the KH team. With hot breath and flame, he unleashed fire upon the key bearers and their comrades, scattering them. Many of the Heartless were eliminated in the raid and the battle's tide again turned.

"Excellent timing, Roc," Konga chuckled. "As long as we control the air, we cannot be defeated. Press forward men and destroy this village! Break the will of the people completely! Let them realize that no settlement marked will be safe from harm!" The soldiers charged in again.

Riku, Sora, and the others were lay scattered on the ground. They quickly stood to reform their ranks, but found themselves in a tight situation. From one side, the soldiers and their beast comrades came charging from one front. And on the other, the firebird Roc swooped down to bring chaos to the village, destroying what remained. Many of the people in the village ran screaming, hoping to avoid become charred from the flames.

"The village!" Sora cried.

"The people!" Riku added.

"The soldiers!" Cunla shouted. They watched as Roc unleashed fire upon every house and building along the main street.

But as it seemed hopeless for that moment, like intervention from divine province, the flames did not hinder the settlement. Both sides were stunned as the flames were halted by some invisible force. The KH team observed. There was a barrier created a lone individual on the ground. He used talisman cards as conductors to concentrate his spirit energy. That lone figure was none other than the old man they encountered before.

"It's that old man," Ophelia uttered, "Zuo Ci."

"Zuo Ci…?" Lu Xun said, shocked. "But I thought he was just a myth."

"Not at all," Zhuge replied. "He's no myth, but a true master of Tao. He was in fact the one who told me of your coming."

"I shall hold this ground here!" Zuo Ci said. "Do not fear for the village so long as I am guarding it!"

"Right," Sora said. "Thanks for the help!" The team turned towards their attacking foe without fear. "Now we have nothing to lose!"

"Let's get 'em!" Donald shouted.

Again battle turned as the KH team reorganized themselves. Again, Konga was shocked.

"How is it that such a small band of fighters can outdo a large force of soldiers!" he uttered to himself. "If the elites didn't stand a chance, what do these soldiers have against them?" Summoning and elemental spells were frequent.

In the meantime, Zuo Ci held off the attacks by Roc. Flame bellowed high, but did not hinder the village. It's screeching, however, became more monotonous. Cuchulain, being the first to be pushed over the edge, turned his attention towards the bird.

"Okay," he uttered, "Now you're really getting on my nerves!" He sprang rearward.

"Cuchulain," Sora cried, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to shut up that oversized pheasant!"-

As Roc swooped down to unleash fired upon the village again, Cuchulain leaped into the air. Gae Bulga drawn he lunged and thrust his spear into the firebird's mouth, being singed in the process. The bird gagged as flames bellowed from the sides of its beak. The Gae Bulga itself was in no way affected by the flames.

"Most impressive that young man is." Zuo Ci uttered, watching the Hound tackle the colossal bird. "Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster. His name will outlive even the greatest of kings."

The Hound drew out his weapon and stood upon the head of the bird. And with one thrust, he shoved the prongs of his spear deep into the skull of Roc. The bird screeched out before perishing in flames. Cuchulain jumped from the inferno and landed safely next to his comrades.

"You're amazing, Dad!" Cunla said with pride.

"Well, what was I gonna do?" Cuchulain replied. "That bird's screeching got to me."

Konga was stunned at what he had witnessed.

"It can't be." He uttered. "He managed to do away with Roc, the firebird! But that's impossible! No one has ever hindered the firebird, let alone slain it!" Angered by such a disgraceful display of strength, Konga drew his club forward. "You men, kill them! Kill these bastards whatever it takes! We cannot afford to return in disgrace!" The soldiers continued to plow forward. The Bruins, Wolves, and Onyxes rushed in mass.

"Okay," Ophelia grumbled, "I'm starting to lose patience here."

"Where the heck are all these guys coming from?" Sora asked.

"Never mind that," Riku added. "How could they have assembled a force this large in so little time and deploy it so quickly?"

"They must be Kang's reserved forces." Lu Xun explained, "Sent from his military stronghold at castle Kokei."

"There's only one way to disperse these guys." Cunla uttered. "We take out the commander." They gazed to the rear line to find Konga standing behind his ranks. "That must be him."

"That's one of Kang's trusted and most powerful officers." Yao said. "That's Konga!"

"It's said that he can smash through solid rock with that spiked club he carries." Ling added. "I sure don't want to fight that guy head on."

"He might look tough," Cunla said, "But within, he's weak. Otherwise, he wouldn't be hanging back like that. He's hoping to tire us out first before he charges in to finish us off. Well, not this time." Cunla knelt down. "Land of Shadows Technique, secret sword one, Geise Breaker!" Cunla suddenly rushed in and unleashed a powerful slash and thrust maneuver. He flew through the ranks of the soldiers like the wind. When he emerged at their rear, sixty soldiers were either dead or wounded. He thus found himself in the presence of Konga, who was again shocked.

"Who are you?" he uttered. Cunla raised his sword up.

"No use giving my name to one whose about to die."-

"Cocky brat, I'll put you in your place!" Konga lifted his club and made ready to swing. But Cunla took the pause to attack. He lunged forth and struck Konga across his middle. The fight was over before Konga could hope to unleash a good fight. The large warrior fell to his knees as the black blood spilled from the ghastly wound. "It can't be over already."

"But it is." Cunla said, sheathing in his sword.

"Curse you…!" Konga fell upon the ground dead, his body suddenly consumed by fire and the ashes spreading. The soldiers, seeing their leader fall, quickly turned and ran. But as they did, from out of the bamboo forest, hundreds of Imperial soldiers under the former emperor, appeared with their weapons drawn.

"Hold!" A soldier shouted. "Drop your weapons and surrender!" Many of the soldiers immediately, gave up. Others took the chance to cut their way through. But their efforts were in vain as they were cut up by the massed loyalists. Amongst the Imperial army forces, Mulan, with Mushu upon her shoulder, and Shang stood ready to battled.

"If you value your lives, surrender at once!" Shang ordered. Kang's infantry quickly bore the white flag.

"Yeah," Mushu chuckled, "We did it! We came just in the nick of time!"

The Bruins, wolves, and Onyxes on the other hand continued their fight, but were swiftly cut down by the KH team and their comrades. After the battling ceased, the group reassembled.

"Good work you guys." Lu Xun said.

"Ah, it was nothing." Sora chuckled, "Just a good day's exercise."

"Let me at 'em again if they wanna fight some more!" Donald shouted.

"A most excellent effort," Zhuge added.

"Splendid, splendid," Zuo Ci said.

"And we'd like to thank you for aiding us when you did."-

"It was merely my duty to fulfill for the people."-

"I see that you managed to hold down the fort with minimal damage to the village." Mulan said.

"Yeah," Yao chuckled. "We beat them off!"

"This isn't over though." Cuchulain replied. "Kang will only send in more troops to try and crush us. And in a worse case scenario, General Scimitar might send in her forces as well, if there are any faction soldiers stationed in this world."

"Cuchulain has a point." Ophelia added. "We can't hold them off forever. If we want to finish this thing with Kang, then our only option is to bring the fight to him."

"But how are we gonna do that?" Ling asked. "The Imperial city is heavily guarded by an army of at least fifty thousand men. Not to mention there's also a garrison of about thirty thousand troops stationed at castle Kokei. In any hope to get to the Imperial capital, you'd have to pass through those defenses first."

"That's exactly what we're planning to do." Lu Xun said. "That is why we went to find Master Zhuge." He turned to Zhuge Liang. "How do you think we should handle this?"

"We can't afford to be attacked from two fronts. If we're going to fight a tiger, we must first cripple it. The best course of action would be to attack Kokei first. Infiltration would be the best course of action since attacking the defenses head on would be futile. Deception and cunning are our greatest weapons. We must use them to their utmost advantage. No doubt once word reaches of another defeat, Kang will send more forces from castle Kokei. But that's when we attack them. We engage their forces outside the walls, far away enough so that the outer defenses aren't a threat to us. As battle is going on, we'll send in a task force to penetrate inside the castle and spread chaos through false rumors, possible defections, and what not. Set fires in the castle to cause massed confusion. Once Kokei is in flames, Kang will without a doubt send in more troops from the Imperial capital. That's when we hit them again. We'll make plans for that later. Once the Imperial capital is weakened of its manpower, then we attack it, using the same means, though not as extreme, as we did on Kokei to better assure success. There will be civilians in the city, so I don't want to take any action that might weaken morale. Try and take the imperial capital with minimum damage."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Riku asked.

"We start it in this fashion." Zhuge continued to lay out his plans and the KH team listened diligently. In the meantime, word again reached the ears of Emperor Kang.

The messenger was sent bearing word of the battle's outcome. Kang and his court were eagerly waiting for what they thought to be good news. Amongst the usual faces, Kang, Sheva, and General Scimitar, were other military leaders of Kang's army. The first was Kanon. Leader of the evil mystics, he was Kang's head strategist. He wore upon his head a strategist cap of purple and gold and was heavily armored in head military garments of similar hues. The second was Karas. A blond haired Casanova in tails, he carried a rapier on his person and was deadly in the arts of chi manipulation. The third, Kresh, carried the status of size and height equal to cannon. He had silver hair tied into a pony tail and was heavily armored. He carried a double sided club. The last and possibly the most dangerous out of the four military commanders was Aria. She too was dressed in elegant robes. A small woman, highly skilled in mystic strength, she hovered about at all times. She was the commander of Kang's army of the dead. They watched at the messenger came before them.

"Your majesty," he said, "I have terrible news. Konga's unit has been defeated."

"What was that?" Kang uttered. "Defeated…?"

"But that was a substantial force that we sent in this time." Sheva added. "There's no way that they could be pummeled. What about the Bruins and the Onyxes?"

"They were defeated too." The messenger said.

"What nuisances." Karas uttered.

"These new upstarts are as you described, sir." Kresh added.

"Heh," Kanon implied, "Nothing, but pond scum. It must've been a fluke."

"What other damages were inflicted?" Kang asked.

"I hate to add that Roc was slain in the battle as well." The messenger continued. The council immediately reacted in shock.

"It can't be. Roc cannot be defeated!"-

"Apparently, as reports say, he was taken down by a warrior named Cuchulain."-

"Cuchulain, eh?"-

"That bastard again." Scimitar uttered, clutching her fists.

"You know him?"-

"We have a history of bad blood."-

"Is he unbeatable?" Scimitar turned to the emperor.

"No, he's mortal like other men. He just has extraordinary skill. Allow me to do away with the Hound of Ulster personally, your majesty."-

"Of course…" Kang said.

"I can always unleash my magic on this new enemy." Aria said. "A soldier who escaped from that fight brought back a few samples from some of these powerful warriors. I can always…"

"I do not want Cuchulain hindered!" Scimitar demanded. "I want him in his utmost physical condition!"

"So be it." Kang proclaimed. "You can deal with the others as you see fit, Aria. But this Cuchulain is not to be hindered."

"I understand." Aria said.

"Is there anymore that you need to report?"-

"I have one more bit of bad news for you." The messenger continued. "Konga was also slain in battle." The council was shocked at the news.

"Konga was killed?" Karas uttered.

"Don't tell me by the same individuals." Kresh added.

"Apparently," the messenger implied, "He was slain by a boy."

"A boy…?"-

"Impossible," Kanon growled. "No child could defeat the mighty Konga."

"It must've been that traitor, Cunla." Scimitar said. "He's the son of Cuchulain. So it's not surprising."

"You want to settle the score with him as well?" Kang asked.

"Cuchulain is all that matters. I could care less about what happens to that cocky little brat of his." Kang stood from his throne.

"Then let it be known. If these key bearers and their friends want to wage war against me, then so be it! But I will rain a terror upon them and the remnants of the rebel forces a hundred fold. They will regret the day they every sought to battle me!" Kang raised his hand in the air and unleashed a surge of energy. From his palm, a red and black sphere appeared. There was incredible strength coming from orb. He gazed at it with an evil cringe. "The dragon orb, the thing that released me from my impregnable prison upon Mt. Hoshin, now gives me the strength to confront these key bearers and bring them to justice." He turned to his officers. "Rally our troops at castle Kokei! Deploy the bulk of the entire force stationed there against this village stronghold! We will overwhelm them with our shear strength and numbers! I want juggernauts and Brutes dispatched!"-

"My lord," Karas asked, "would it not be best if we were to deploy our troops in the morning? It's already the twilight hour."

"No, I want this foe smashed! And a night attack might just be the way to defeat them! Use the darkness to confuse the foe! They'll be tired at nightfall, so they'll be easier to defeat!"-

"Understood, but it will take at lest three hours before we can properly deploy our troops."-

"Then be quick about it." Kang turned to his officers. "However, I want Kresh and Kanon to stay here to maintain order with our troops in the Imperial capital. Karas, Aria, and Scimitar may depart." The officers chosen bowed and withdrew.

Little did they realize that the KH team and the rebel forces of China were already assembling a force to counter their engagement. Word reached the KH team and their comrades of the possible night attack. It was around this time that Zhuge was introduced the effectiveness of the gummi ship. He found a fascination with the flying craft and believed it to be a strong deterrent in the fight against Kang. The team was also informed of new artillery pieces hidden on the ramparts of castle Kokei. Thus, because of these continuous emerging bits of information, Zhuge meticulously reorganized his battle plans from what they originally were. Now, there were rumors of a night attack by Kang's troops. And being the intellect that he was, Zhuge quickly adjusted.

"Sir," the messenger said before Zhuge, "News from the front. Kang's forces at Kokei are assembling as we speak. Karas, Aria, and Scimitar have been selected to lead the attack. They intend on initiating a night battle against us."

"So they intend to attack us tonight." Zhuge implied.

"Tonight," Sora asked, "Why tonight?"

"That's the best time to strike an enemy who is weary from two previous campaigns."-

"I guess they must think we might be tired from those last two engagements." Riku said. "They figure on attacking us when we've settled down and hope to use the darkness to conceal their movements."

"Thank you for your message, young man." The messenger bowed and withdrew. "That means our strategy requires another slight alteration." He turned to Lu Xun. "You, Mulan, and Shang will have to deploy your troops now and set yourselves between Kokei and the Imperial capital."

"But doesn't this change interfere with our effectiveness?" Lu Xun asked. "If we're set for a night attack, my men will be too tired to fight by the time they reach their posts."

"On the contrary, this change gives us an edge. Since it is a night battle, even with our soldiers slightly fatigued, they'll at least be able to use the darkness to conceal their movements. They'll have at least five to six hours rest. Just wait until I give the signal." Zhuge turned to the strategy table and organized the battle plans. "Now, no doubt that Kang's forces will be heading this way at nightfall. It's during that time that we'll hit them. We'll use fire and shadow to strike them on the open field. Deploy hit and run tactics to soften them up and cause confusion. This will allow Riku, Sora, and the others to sneak into castle Kokei undetected. Use the gummi ship to transfer them. There, they will set more fires and cause further chaos to erupt within the fortress. At the same time, use the gummi to demolish the artillery pieces on the walls, but only after the key bearers have finished their task. Also, fire a few big holes on each side of the castle to make storming in easier. Once news reaches Kang of Kokei's distress, he will send in the bulk of his troops stationed at the capital to aid Kokei. Kokei is a vital key point for defending the capital. Therefore, Kang cannot turn his back on it. It would prove a real threat to the capital if it were captured by the enemy. He'll have his military climbing through the rocky terrain. That's when his troops are sent into the stone sentinel maze where I will be stationed. And once that trap is activated, I will give the signal and the bulk of our strength will charge the capital city. Since there are citizens still living in the city, remember to take the capital with as little damage as possible. We can wreak havoc on the outer defenses, but keep damages to the city itself at a minimum. Perhaps, if Donald and Goofy would be so gracious as to aid in that attack, maybe the gummi will frighten Kang's men into surrendering."

"But if they're not intimidated?" Sora asked.

"If they choose to battle to the death then at least give them a quick and painless end, or perhaps cripple them to the point where they are no longer effective."-

Just then, another messenger came, this time from the defense lines.

"Sir," he said, "Cannons are placed along our line and the preparations are now complete."

"Excellent." He turned to the KH team and their comrades. "Let's head out, our destiny awaits us." The group disassembled to attend to their individual stations.

"Let's finish this thing with Kang, eh Riku?" Sora said as he, Riku, Donald, and Goofy headed to board their ship.

"Yeah," Riku added. But as they made their way to the gummi, they noticed something hovering not too far away from it. It was the same glowing figure Sora encountered before.

"Hey, look you guys. It's that creature, the creature in the light. That's the one I saw earlier!"-

"What is that?" Donald asked.

"It looks like a dragon." Riku added, "A little dragon."

"Kinda cute, ain't he." Goofy chuckled.

"You have to help me." The little dragon suddenly uttered. "You have to get back the orb from Kang. You have to help me home."

"Orb?" Donald asked.

"What orb?" Sora asked.

"You must get it from Kang." The little dragon said. "Otherwise, I'll die." The team was shocked.

"You'll die?"-

"Kang has possession of the dragon orb. That is what he used to escape his prison. He is filling it with evil as we speak. Once the orb turns completely dark, all will be lost."-

"All…?"-

"I'm afraid what the little dragon says is true." A voice said. The team looked to find Zuo Ci approaching them. "The dragon orb holds incredible power, but it's not confined to the side of good only. It can be shifted in any direction, depending upon the one who wields it. For the heart that is pure, peace and prosperity will flourish. But if placed in the hands of a corrupted heart, then the orb will know nothing, but evil and cause massive destruction. It is very important that you get the orb from Kang as soon as possible."

"If it's that important," Riku said, "Then so be it. We'll help the little dragon get it back."

"Oh thank you, thank you." The dragon spirit rejoiced. It then vanished from sight.

"You heard the dragon. We got an orb to get back."-

"Yeah," Sora added.

"But before you go," Zuo Ci implied, "I believe there is something I must do first."

"What's that?"-

"I understand that you have two summoning spells that need to be released."-

"Summoning spells, oh yeah, I almost forgot." Sora pulled from his pocket, the two summoning spells he was given way back in Agrabah, one bearing a bear claw and the other bearing a Cretaceous leaf. "But how did you know?"

"There are things that I know about you that you aren't aware of." Zuo Ci drew out his hand and released the new summoning spells. One was Brother Bear, which Sora held onto. The other was Alidar, which was transferred to Riku's keyblade. "You might need their assistance in the battles to come."

"Thanks a lot." Sora said.

"I am merely doing what is right."-

"Let's head out." Riku implied. The team nodded and headed off.

"It's only a matter of time before peace is restored." Zuo Ci uttered. "And when that time comes, I'll be waiting."

Now the KH team had a second goal, to retrieve the dragon orb and prevent China from falling into total darkness.

The sun had finally set and the stars in the sky began to twinkle brightly. Their brightness was dimmed, however, by the lit torches of Kang's assembled force that set their formations just outside of the wall. Soldiers, Wolves, Bruins, and Onyxes were stationed in tight groups. Alongside them were also a new manifestation of beast, spike backed boars, whose charge was able to smash through stone. Alongside them was Aria's army of the dead, skeletal remains of soldiers in tarnished armor. And for each platoon of dead warriors was a mage or a sorcerer who manipulated the deceased warriors keeping them on their feet. Finally there were forces of the Midnight Faction. Though not as large in scale or size, they were still a sight to behold. They were meant to act as a support group. Many were armed with blasters and guns, but the majority was armed with lances, spears, and swords, ready to unleash hellish hand to hand combat.

Scimitar rode upon her horse alongside Karas and Aria. She clutched tightly to the reigns.

"This ends today, Cuchulain." She said. She then happened to look at Aria who was fiddling around with what looked like straw stuffed dolls. She seemed preoccupied and didn't seem to be concerned with the battle. She held in her hands a couple of dolls. "Did you make those yourself?"-

"I did." Aria replied.

"Pardon me for being brash," Karas uttered, "But you were planning on joining the fight right?"

"No, I've decided to stay behind and play with my dolls." Aria gave them this suspicious look. Scimitar immediately understood.

"I see," she said, "Very well then, you stay behind and watch over the fortress. Make sure to make a doll for me as well."

"I will."-

"What is it about girls and their dolls?" Karas grumbled, still clueless of the message.

"Let's head out!" Scimitar ordered. The soldiers upon the order began their advance. Like a sea of fireflies, the masses moved with the pounding of their marching feet causing the ground to shake. Across the two mile open valley they marched as if without a care in the world. Little did they realize that awaiting behind the darkness, concealed in the bamboo thickets, thousands of soldiers and eager peasants were ready to engage their foes.

Cuchulain, Cunla, and Ophelia lay in wait, guiding their individual units. Barracks, traps, and obstacles had been set hastily to slow down the advancing forces. Cannons at the ready and bow and arrow prepared to be drawn, they waited until the enemy came close. The soldiers watched as Kang's forces drew nearer, the torches growing more intense with every step closer.

"Make ready." Cuchulain said. "They don't expect sudden retaliation from us here. On my signal draw bows." He then gazed upon the advancing columns. "Those fools, they're torch bearing will save us the trouble of setting our trap."

"Keep tight." Ophelia said, her fans deployed," Keep your heads down."

"Make ready, you guys." Cunla whispered. "The enemy is almost on top of us." The torches were within three hundred yards of their defense line.

"Draw your bows." Cuchulain said. He drew up the Gae Bulga. The soldiers quickly loaded an arrow into their bows. They then held their weapons high up, tensing the strings to their utmost maximum. Then Cuchulain drew his weapon down, giving the signal to release. All at once, the arrows were sent skyward. They came so thick, they could block out the stars. And because of a new moon, it made trying to detect them impossible.

Like a shower of death, the arrows struck killing and wounding men by the hundreds. A great moan came from the line.

"What is going on?" Karas uttered, as he watched his soldiers fall left and right. "Who's firing those arrows?"

"It must be the resistance." Scimitar replied. "They decided to attack us first and when we least expected it."

One of the fallen torch bearers fell to the ground, dropping the lit beacon. Almost instantly, the moment the fire touched the ground, the field suddenly blazed around them, engulfing many of the soldiers, sorcerers, and beasts in a hellish inferno. Screams and cries bellowed, moans from animals filled the air, like a chorus of tormented souls, in which they were.

"What is this?" Karas shouted. "Why do flames bellow from the ground?"

"It's a trap!" Scimitar added. "They were ready for us the whole time! They soaked the ground with some sort of flammable substance to catch us and engulf us in flames!"-

"What do we do, general?" an officer cried.

"Split our forces up into two prongs. Attack the flanks! Send in Aria's troops on the right flank and the beasts and other soldiers on the left flank! In the meantime, my factional soldiers will aim for the center of the line and break up any possible resistance!"-

"Acknowledged," Karas said. The forces thus dispersed and separated to attack the flanks. In the meantime, elite faction troops took their positions amidst the inferno, Scimitar still leading them on.

"Use the flames to our advantage!" she instructed. "Hide behind their protective wall and pour a volley fire into them!"

"Yes, ma'am!" the leading officer said. "Volley fire! Blasters present and fire!" The soldiers began to unleash this incredible barrage through the flames and into the bamboo forest. The loyalists were struck by the bombardment and many were killed or wounded. Cuchulain hit the ground.

"It looks like they've caught on sooner than expected." He uttered to himself. "It's not surprising though, Maeve is leading them." He turned to his men. "Keep your heads down, men! Hold the line! The future of your world depends upon your dedication to your cause! For liberty and freedom!"

The soldiers and peasants cheered out and began to continue their volley from the safety of their trenches.

In the meantime, Cunla observed the attack on the flanks.

"Here they come!" he shouted. "Let 'em have it!" The soldiers drew their bows and unleashed another deadly fire, striking down many of the foes. He contended with Aria's army of the dead which fell like flies. There was a cheer as they watched their deceased foes collapse in droves. However, that cheer was short lived as the slain opposition was suddenly resurrected by the sorcerers that accompanied them.

"What in the…?" a soldier uttered.

"They've been revived." Another soldier added.

"It can't be." Cunla said. He observed the sudden resurrection of the decaying soldiers and how they continued to advance. "Well, it's not surprising. That is an army of the dead after all. There has to be a way to defeat them somehow."

In the meantime, Ophelia and her units were valiantly battling against Kang's beasts. Wolves and boars, Onyxes and Bruins unleashed devastating assaults upon their counterparts. Ophelia, using her fans, struck down and slew many of the beasts.

"We're doing well," she shouted. "We're doing great! Keep your wits about you and don't give in to these monsters! Fight them off with every ounce of courage you can muster!"

"Forward men!" another officer added, increasing morale.

"Kill the beasts!" another implied. "One slain foe gets us closer to victory!"

The battle raged on as Cuchulain and his comrades fought ferociously against the massed forces of Kang's army. In the meantime, the true initiative was being launched as the gummi ship, bearing the two key bearers, Goofy, and Donald came hovering over the high stone structures of castle Kokei. Below were thousands of men still in reserve. At least fifteen thousand posted.

"This isn't gonna be easy." Sora said.

"We don't have any other choice." Riku replied. "The best course of action is to attack Kokei from within. If we try and storm it head on, even with the gummi ship aiding us, our forces would still suffer a substantial amount of casualties. At the same time, we'll be inflicting a great number of deaths on the enemy's side too. We have to end this thing without spilling a great deal of blood."

"I see."-

"Are you two ready to go?" Donald asked.

"We'll take it from here, Donald."-

"Be careful." Goofy implied. The hatch was opened and the two key bearers jumped from the ship. They glided quietly through the night air, unseen by Kang's forces. Like phantoms they landed upon the grounds of the castle unseen by the enemy. They quickly scurried to the main facilities of the castle.

"Let's hurry," Riku said, "Get the fires lit."

"Right." Sora replied. He aimed his keyblade and unleashed a Firaga spell against some dry tinder. The flames slowly grew more intense as the tinder was consumed.

"Good, Sora, now let's start causing some havoc."-

"Yeah," Sora replied. They began to light more fires to catch the attention of the enemy troops.

It wasn't long before their deed was noticed by the soldiers who witnessed the flames rising within the castle.

"A fire!" a soldier cried. "There's a fire burning in the castle!" The soldiers watched as the flames continued to spread.

"Put it out!" an officer ordered. "We can't have the castle burning!"

"Sir," another soldier cried, "The flames are spreading fast. We can't stop them!"

"Damn, this raging inferno will cause our morale to drop! If the castle is overtaken by the flames, then we have failed Emperor Kang! We can't afford to lose the most powerful fortress in the land!" He turned to his troops. "Put the fires out at once!" The soldiers quickly rallied to do away with the flames. "Who could have set the fires?"

"It seems we have infiltrators in our midst," a voice uttered. The officer turned to find Aria hovering not too far away. "So that is there strategy, eh? The resistance hopes to take over the castle by spreading the flames about our ramparts and cause confusion. The fight outside is merely a diversionary tactic. Their real goal is the castle."

"Damn, send out troops to find these infiltrators!"-

"There is no need for that." Aria continued to cuddle the little straw dolls in her arms. "I will deal with this rift raft personally. Your only goal right now is to quell those fires."

"I understand." Aria advanced to the area where chaos loomed.

"If these foes be the key bearers, then won't they be in for a certain surprise."-

In the meantime, over the course of the battle, the battle was about even. Though having superior numbers on their side, Kang's forces were severely crippled by the primary attacks of the resistance, losing thousands of soldiers in the arrow volleys. At the same time, though the resistance had the element of surprise and established breastworks in their favor, they were now being pummeled by the advanced weaponry of the Midnight Faction. To add, the army of the dead was proving an unstoppable force for Cunla as his men continuously slew the same soldiers over and over. And still, they were revived.

"There's no way that we can keep this up forever." One soldier said. "There's no way that we can battle an army of the dead."

"There has to be a weakness to their power somewhere." Cunla thought to himself. He rushed in and cut down more of the soldiers advancing. He stopped to rest, only to find the soldiers rise up again as only pushed down. "This is impossible. Maybe we can't win. How can we possibly beat an army of the dead?"

Just then, he realized something. The soldiers were continuously being revived due to the sorcerers who were manipulating their movements.

"I see," Cunla thought to himself. "The answer was right in front of me the whole time. The dead soldiers are merely puppets. And the only way to stop a puppet from moving is to dispense with the puppeteer." Cunla rushed in cutting his way through the soldiers. He rushed through their ranks, aiming for the mages. His sword drawn with one strike, he cut down five of the sorcerers. He turned towards the other wizards, who unleashed defensive shields to protect them. "I see, you guys are merely manipulation wizards, pulling the strings backstage. That means you have no real defense against someone like me!" Cunla's strength was far greater, and he cut through the defense spells like a hot knife through butter. "Aim for the sorcerers! They are the source of this army's invincibility!"

The soldiers aimed for the wizards, killing them by the score in hand to hand combat, or by a well aimed arrow. They then concentrated their strength on the undead warriors. Finally, once they were cut down, without the manipulation spells of the mages, the walking dead did not stand again.

"We're doing it!" a young soldier cried.

"Keep on them, you guys!" Cunla ordered. "Let's give 'em a taste of something fierce!"

In the meantime, Ophelia was cutting down beasts left and right. Neither Bruin nor Onyx was enough to fight her anymore. And since there was nothing for her to hold on, she wasn't reluctant to unleash he full strength.

"You fools," she shouted, "I was taking it easy on you before! The Tiger of Goth cannot be so easily deterred!" A Bruin came charging at her, but she easily evaded and struck the vitals of the bear. The Bruin fell slain to the ground, its body suddenly vanishing into flames and ash. "Who else wants a piece of me!"

"I'll take you up on that offer." A voice uttered from behind. Ophelia quickly turned to find Karas confronting her with his sword drawn for battle. "I knew that the beasts were having trouble with their advance. Who would have thought that the one responsible for the stall was a woman?"

"You intend to battle me?"-

"Indeed I do."-

Meanwhile, Cuchulain was trying to keep his men down as the barrage by the faction continued to rage on. The hound watched as comrades were killed left and right by the incoming beams.

"If I don't do anything," he uttered to himself, "these men will die." He tightly clutched his weapon. Suddenly, he leaped from behind the breast works and rushed into the ranks of Scimitar's troops. "Enough's enough, Ulster Slash!" Cuchulain unleashed a powerful attack that blew away many of the soldiers and extinguished some of the flames. He rushed in, cutting away at any soldier armed with a blaster. "C'mon you guys, finish them!"

Inspired by his bravery, the soldiers leaped from behind the trenches and rushed the faction infantry. Those only armed with hand to hand weapons, quickly drew their arms to meet the mad rush. Clash of steel and cutting of flesh and the thudding of bodies echoed. Cuchulain continued to fight his foes.

"Quite a motivational speaker, aren't we?" a voice said. Scimitar approached the hound.

"Maeve," Cuchulain uttered. He turned to find his old Gaelic counterpart standing with Chakrams drawn for battle.

"I knew that we would meet once again. What do you say we finish the fight we started back at the Cave of Wonders?"-

"Very well..." Cuchulain replied.

The very same moment the battle lines were drawn between Ophelia and Karas, or Cuchulain and Maeve, Riku and Sora were wreaking their own chaos, unleashing flames about the compound.

"It's working," Sora said.

"This castle will be ours in no time." Riku added.

"Or so you say!" a voice echoed. Before the key bearers, Aria hovered amidst the flames. "So it is you after all."

"Who are you?" Sora asked.

"I am Aria, the commander of this castle."-

"Is that so? Well, you're not much of a commander if you allowed your fortress to be burned by the likes of us."-

"A mere complication though. We underestimated you earlier, but no more."

"Have you come to fight?" Riku asked.

"I cannot allow you two to have your way! I fight for the sake of Emperor Kang! And anyone who dares to deny him his ideal is my enemy and must be eliminated!"-

"Then try taking us out!" Sora declared. The key bearers drew their weapons. Buy Aria only chuckled.

"Such fools you are. We underestimated your potential. But at the same time, you should not underestimate us either. I'm more powerful than I seem."-

Like the duels outside of Kokei, Riku and Sora engage against the more powerful leaders of Kang's forces.


	70. Land of Dragons: Aria and the Brutes

Land of Dragons: Aria and the Brutes

Sora and Riku found themselves confronting the most powerful of Kang's military generals. Aria, being a powerful sorceress, had many techniques hidden that were yet to be revealed. The two key bearers, their blades at the ready, held up their guards.

"I must commend you for having come so far." Aria said. "Your skills have proven unusual, being able to fight the elites of Kang's army and hold your own, let alone tackling Bruins and beasts of all sizes. However, charging into the very stronghold symbolizing Kang's strength? Not a very wise strategy. You two alone couldn't hope to take down this fortress."

"Are you done rambling?" Sora asked.

"Rambling is it? Confident aren't we. Well, let's see how confident you are when you confront my beasts!"-

"Bring them on then!"-

"So be it." Aria withdrew and unleashed a summoning spell. From out the flame and shadow, a rumble could be heard. Then from the darkness, the figure of a monster so big and terrible emerged. Whatever it was, it was a mechanical monster, armored with heavy metal plates. In one hand it wielded a massive sword.

"What the heck is that?" Riku uttered.

"Behold, the monsters of my creation, the Brute!"-

The mechanical monster suddenly attacked, swiping its big sword at the key bearers. The smash of the sword caused the ground the rupture beneath their feet. The key bearers were practically blown away by the force of the sword's downward blow. It swiped fast for a thing of metal.

"He's awfully swift for such a big thing." Sora uttered.

"Watch out for that sword, Sora." Riku replied. "We have to strike it somehow!"

"How about a little wind to slow it down!" Sora unleashed the Twister Strike. A tornado emerged and engulfed the mechanical monster, but for some strange reason, the attack didn't work. "What the…the attack didn't hurt it?"

"Let me try then." Riku unleashed Cinder Canister and shot at the Brute head on. But the fire seemed only to be deflected from off an invisible energy shield. "The fire didn't even phase it. No, the fire didn't even touch him. Something's wrong here."

"Try this on for size!" Sora unleashed every long range elemental spell he could think of, but none seemed to even touch the Brute's surface.

"Give it up, Sora. You're just wasting your energy and your ether."-

"It's no use," Aria chuckled, "There's no way you can hinder the Brute with elemental attacks. That Brute was designed to fend off the elemental strikes of sorcerers and warlocks, so it's immune to such offenses."

"So elemental attacks won't work on it then, then the only way to bring down that monster is to attack it physically." But the Brute already showed its potential to strike down its foe swiftly. "Then again, trying to deliver a physical blow wouldn't make the job any easier."

"We have to attack it from behind somehow." Sora said. "It has to have an opening."

"I have an idea. Let's attack it on the downswing. It has to have some time interval to reposition its sword for effective striking. When that happens, we attack head on. I'll try to divert it. You attack from behind."-

"Right…"-

The Brute neared the key bearers inch by inch, it's sword glistening menacingly in the fiery glow of the engulfing flames.

"Now," Riku shouted. The two split up in two directions. The Brute swung at Riku, who attacked it head on. Riku dodged the sword's first blow. The Brute then turned about and unleashed an overhead blow. The key bearer quickly maneuvered, just as the sword struck the ground. The blow from the sword blew him away, but the young key bearer quickly regained his stamina and went into a defensive stance. In the meantime, Sora struck from behind.

"I got him!" he cried. But as Sora came closer to delivering a fatal blow to the back, the Brute suddenly unleashed a wind attack of its own. Wind currents engulfed the Brute, creating a wind shield, which caught Sora and blew him away.

"Sora…!" Sora fell to the ground.

"What happened…?"-

"Heh, heh, heh," Aria chuckled, "You two just don't get it! The Brute is invulnerable. You can't hope to break through its defense. You see, though it has that stall in time, when it must retract its sword back to a defensive or offensive position, it has a small back up device to prevent any enemy from striking during that period. Thus, the Brute is invulnerable!" Aria hovered over the blazing arena, chuckling. "Face it, you two have gone over your heads. I thought that you might be a threat, but I see that all of those rumors were false."

"You're underestimating us again." Riku said. "You're putting too much faith in that mechanical monster of yours."

"Enough blathering," Area turned to the Brute. "Destroy them, my precious!"

The Brute came forth; ready to unleash a fining blow upon the key bearers. Riku quickly jumped to his feet.

"Sora," he shouted, "Evasion technique!"

"Right," Sora replied, leaping to his feet as well. The two key bearers rushed the Brute from two opposite directions. At once, they deployed the evasion tactic, Riku using Darkness Decoys and Sora deploying the Corona Flash Barrage. Shadow and light intermingled, causing confusion and disarray.

"What is this?" Aria uttered, shielding her eyes. Within seconds, the fight was over. Riku and Sora emerged opposite the beast. They fell to the ground tired from the strike.

"That was close." Sora gasped.

"What happened?" Aria then watched as the Brute suddenly fell to its knees and shattered into scraps of metal. "It can't be, you defeated the Brute?"

"It wasn't an easy task," Riku uttered, "But we managed to defeat it."

"Impossible, no one has ever managed to defeat the Brute, not ever."-

"Well, you might as well change that saying." Sora said. "Your Brute just got pummeled." Aria clutched her fists, but her agitation only turned to maniacal laughter.

"Well," she chuckled, "I have to hand it to you. You are in fact better than I thought. But let me ask you this, how do you intend to continue fighting when you barely have any energy and against another monster like that."

The key bearers then heard the thumping of another large body. Then from out of the darkness, another Brute emerged.

"Oh man," Sora uttered, "Not another stupid tin man."

"Give us a break already." Riku added.

"You have another Brute to face and yet you have no strength to even pick yourselves us." Aria said. "Your efforts end here."

"Don't count us out yet." The key bearers drew out a bottle of potion and drank the contents. Within seconds, they were back on their feet with full strength.

"Much better," Sora said. "Now we can't kick some butt!"

"Impossible," Aria uttered, shocked. "How could you have replenished your strength so quickly?"

"That's our little secret."-

"Enough, Brute kill them!"-

The second Brute advanced, faster than the previous and struck at the key bearers with all its might.

"Hey, hey, tin man," Sora shouted, "Stop swiping at me!"

"Evasion technique again," Riku shouted. The two took their stances and unleashed the same attack as before. Within seconds, the fight ended and the key bearers found themselves opposite toe Brute as the previous. But this time, it was the key bearers who fell with ghastly wounds. The Brute, however, was undamaged.

"What happened…?" Sora grasped his abs that had a massive cut across it. "Could that thing have known how to counter our moves?"

"It's not that," Riku uttered, suffering a serious gash to the chest. "Something's wrong. That Brute wasn't even touched by our keyblades. The keyblades seemed to bounce off of it."

"Idiots," Aria said from above, "The Brute is not so easy to defeat this time is it? Your attacks are useless now. This Brute was designed to withstand physical attacks just as the other was designed to fend off elemental attacks." The Brute's first target was Riku, who lay flat on his back. "Try and evade death now!"

"Then it's true why we had no effect on this Brute. It's immune to physical attacks."-

"And to think that you didn't have to read my mind."-

"Then if that's the case," Riku suddenly drew up his keyblade. "Then I hope you don't mind if I try a little experiment!" He aimed the keyblade directly at the Brute. "Iceberg Shuriken!" From the tip of his keyblade, large blocks of ice came forth and struck the Brute, freezing it in place."

"What's this?" Aria was shocked again at the outcome. Riku staggered to his feet. Taking a bottle of potion, he replenished himself.

"So that's it, this Brute can stand up to physical attacks, but it can't withstand elemental attacks." The key bearer then formed the flaming orbs of the Cinder Canister. "Then it sure as hell won't stand up to this!" Unleashing the seven spheres point blank at the Brute, Riku blasted away at the tin man, tearing it limb from limb. Like the former, this Brute was reduced to scrap metal. Once the attack was finished and the flames had diminished, Riku looked upon the charred remains of the metallic warrior. "And that's the end of that?"

"But how could you have known that Brute's weakness?"-

"I figured that positive attracts negative. What's strength for one Brute might be the weakness of the other. Complete opposites. The reality was that I was acting on instinct."-

"Well, congratulations on your success."-

"Are you alright, Sora?" Riku asked. He watched as Sora took up a bottle of potion and replenished himself.

"We really ought to find a Curaga spell that works on physical wounds." Sora said. "That would be heck of a lot more convenient."

"Glad to see that you're alright."-

"You impudent little gnats," Aria shouted, "You bested that Brute even faster than the first! How could you wield such strength?"

"I guess we're just lucky."-

"Is that so? Then since you are so eager to continue this confrontation, let's see how long you can endure with this lot!" From out of the shadows, two more Brutes appeared.

"Not more tin men. I've had enough of them."

"Kill them!" The Brutes advanced against the key bearers as their brethren did before. The key bearers dodged and evaded as they did before. Only this time, they knew what to expect and knew how to counter them.

"You can't use these monsters on us twice." Riku said. "It just gets really old after a while." Riku used Cinder canister to decipher on what kind of model they were. Sure enough, both were physical Brutes, who could fend off elemental attacks. "I see, we have to use physical strength to defeat them both, eh? Well that shouldn't be too tough. Are you ready, Sora?"

"Let's take 'em down!" Sora added.

"Evasion technique!"-

The two key bearers drew their keyblades at the ready. Then as before, they unleashed the same attack as they did against the very first.

"It's over!" Riku shouted. But suddenly, there was a deep sting in Riku's chest, as if something sharp had pierced him through the heart. The pain was unbearable and it halted Riku from deploying his part of the attack. He fell to the ground and cried out in agonizing pain. Sora saw what happened.

"Riku," he cried. Just then, the Brute swiped at the key bearer with its sword. Sora, at the last moment, saw the blow coming and he quickly evaded, using teleportation to get out of harm's way. The second Brute in the meantime, was about to strike Riku down for good. Riku, still clutching his chest, lay upon the ground paralyzed. But Sora quickly intervened and grabbed his friend, pulling him away just as the Brute slammed its sword upon the ground where the key bearer lay. Sora sat by Riku's side. "Riku, what's the matter? What is it?"

"My chest, my heart," he uttered, "It hurts, it hurts, Sora. It feels like a sword has gone through me."

"But what could've caused it?"-

"I don't know…"-

But it was Aria's maniacal laughter that made the predicament too obvious. Sora looked up.

"You," Sora growled, "You were the one who did this to Riku, aren't you."

"I can see that you're not a fool, boy." Aria chuckled. From her cloak, she pulled out the two straw dolls from beneath her cloak. But they weren't regular dolls. Both dolls were identical to Riku and Sora. Attached to them were locks of their hair. And stuck within the chest of the Riku doll was a large pin. Immediately, Sora knew what they faced.

"Those are Voodoo dolls."-

"Yes they are. You see, I took the liberty of collecting some of your hair. One of my soldiers was involved in the skirmish you engaged in and took the liberty of collecting locks from your heads. I figure I would only use these dolls as a last resort, but from what's occurred, I can see that you're not foes to so easily beat." Aria took out another pin. This time she thrust the pin into the gut of the Sora doll. Sora suddenly cringed and fell to his knees.

"Sora…" Riku uttered.

"The pain," Sora said, clenching his teeth.

"As you can see," Aria continued, "As long as I have these voodoo dolls in my possession, then you're efforts have been severed in half."

"Then, I'll just have to get them from you." Sora tried to stagger.

"Oh I think not." Aria turned the pin deeper into the Sora doll. Sora wretched over crying out from the pain. The sorceress then hovered higher and higher into the night sky. "You'll never be able to reach me from this altitude as you are now. Besides, I'm not the one you should be concerned with."

Drawing nearer the Brutes came, their swords ready to unleash the final blow upon the key bearers. Without mercy the machines attacked. Riku, summoning as much strength as he could, grabbed hold of Sora and jumped out of the way. The blows of the Brutes came hard and blew the key bearers away. They fell to the ground, billowing clouds of dust and debris.

"This isn't good." Riku uttered. "We're at a disadvantage here." Riku gazed at his gut. "There's no wound. This pain is all in the mind." Riku staggered.

"If it's all in the mind," Sora said, "It certainly has me fooled."

"If we could somehow break this hold on us,"-

"You can never hope to break the hold." Aria chuckled. "Doing so is impossible. And even if you could, you won't be given the opportunity to do so. Those Brutes won't let you!"

The Brutes rushed in, slashing away at the key bearers. Seeing the danger, the key bearers quickly withdrew. They were beaten about by the blows of the swords, receiving gashes, cuts, and bruises as the iron beasts unleashed wind and seismic aftershocks.

"It's no use, Riku." Sora uttered. "We're finished. We're really gonna die here."

"Don't give up just yet, Sora." Riku said, staggering once again. "There's still a chance. We have to get those dolls away from her, somehow." Using all of his strength, Riku tried to fly, but he could only hover before falling to the ground again.

"Face it," Aria said, "You've lost, boys. You can't take the dolls from me and hold off the Brutes at the same time." Aria took out four more pins and stuck two in each doll. Riku felt the quenching pain in his gut and left eye, blinding him. The scream he let was one that struck the deepest caverns of the soul, causing one's spine to straighten and the hair upon the neck stand. Sora bellowed out too as he was given the same, having the pain resonate to his upper right leg and his right shoulder. "However, I can't take the chance. There might be a possibility that only one pin won't keep you down."

"Riku…" Sora uttered.

"It's all in the mind." Riku staggered again. "It's all in the mind. I have to overpower this somehow." He held his keyblade at the ready. One Brute stood over him like a towering leviathan. With a swing of its sword, it struck at Riku. But the key bearer took the hit head on and held back the sword with his weapon. But with the pain being unbearable, he lost ground quickly. He was nearly crushed beneath the weight of the Brute's sword. "Maybe...maybe I've gone over my head." Just then, the second Brute emerged ready to strike from Riku's blindside side. The young key bearer quickly turned and saw himself completely open to an attack from his flank. "Oh my God, is this it?"

"Riku…!" Sora cried, seeing his comrade in danger, used all his strength to lunge at Riku. He pushed his comrade out of the way, knocking Riku to safety. But in the process, it was Sora who was struck by the full force of both Brutes.

"Sora…!" Riku cried, as he watched his comrade slashed by the Brutes. The battered body of the young key bearer fell to the ground. A massive gash across his abs and an even larger one on his back, from the left shoulder to the right hip, were inflicted, causing a lot of blood to spill. Riku feared his friend had been cut in half. He could only watch as Sora's almost lifeless body came tumbling upon the tattered ground of the castle. "Sora…"

The young key bearer lay there lifeless and battered. Riku looked on in horror as the ground around Sora turned into a crimson red by the blood. The Brute's were not merciful though. They showed no signs of giving quarter to the fallen warrior.

"That boy is as good as dead now." Aria chuckled. "After taking a head on assault by two Brutes, he no longer has the strength to lift his arm."

"Sora," Riku cried, "You gotta get up, please!" But Sora only lay there, almost dead.

"I can't, Riku." Sora whispered. "I can't move…"

"You can! You have to get up!"-

"I can't lift my arms. I can't get to my potion. I've lost too much blood."-

"Sora…!"-

"My body feels so heavy."-

"Finish him!" Aria cried out to the Brutes. The armored beasts drew up their weapons.

"Riku…" Sora uttered, his final breath leaving his body. At the same time, the Brute's swung down their massive blades upon the already broken form of the key bearer. Seeing his friend in utter pain, and not even able to help him, Riku had seen enough and unleashed a great and terrible rage.

"Leave him alone!" He roared. Just then, his body began to glow and consume itself into shadow. His energy level was increasing dramatically. The angrier he became, the thicker the shadows became around him. This sudden change halted the Brute's in their onslaught, sparing Sora's life and even caused Aria to take notice.

"What is this?" she uttered, concerned. "What is this power?" Just then, from her hand, the doll of Riku was suddenly consumed by shadow and flame. This shocked Aria even more and at best frightened. "He overpowered the Voodoo doll. But that can't be." It was at that moment that Aria laid her eyes on something even fiercer. Riku had completely changed. Upon his body was the black jumpsuit of the Heartless, the symbol of Noctin Tilandir. "Impossible, how could a mere boy have this much strength? His power is equal to Emperor Kang. If not greater…"

"You have caused enough pain." Riku shouted in a sudden dark and sinister voice. "You've caused enough pain upon me. Though my body was beaten and tattered and my mind tormented, I took no real heed. But now you and your cronies have hurt Sora. And if you have the audacity to hurt my friends then make no mistake, I will kill you!" The Brutes turned to defeat the new threat. They laid their sights upon Riku and attacked him with all their might. But Riku knew of their approach and quickly evaded. He appeared behind the Brutes and struck them from the rear without pause. The two Brutes were instantly defeated. Their iron shells collapsed and scattered into loose armor. Aria was terrified by this time.

"It's not possible." She said. "He defeated two Brutes with only one strike." Aria looked at her singed hand where the Riku doll was once grasped. "If a boy like that can over power the hold of the Voodoo and defeat two iron beasts so easily, then we have a serious threat to defeat." Riku suddenly looked at her with cold eyes.

"Now, it's your turn." He uttered.

"You're no match for me! I am the greatest sorceress who ever lived! You can never hope to defeat me!"-

"Then let's see what you can do."-

"Insolent pup," Aria began to increase her own strength and formed a large ball of what looked like the ice element above her head, "I'll put you in your place!"

But before she could thrust the ice, Riku suddenly emerged in front of her.

"It's over." He uttered.

"It can't be." Aria said. The key bearer struck her point blank with his keyblade. With one hit, Aria's powers diminished. "I am defeated…" Aria fell to the ground, her body bursting into flame and ash. Riku landed upon the ground and fell upon the rubble. His body regressed to its original form. The darkness was lifted, but it left the young key bearer exhausted. His strength had been reduced to nothing and he was left gasping, achy, and sweaty.

"Man," he uttered, "What a workout." He gazed at Sora who was still lying prostrate on the ground. Riku, using what was left of his strength, crawled over to his comrade. "Sora…" Sora was soaked in blood. Riku checked his pockets for potion. Sure enough, he found one last bottle. "You first, buddy, bottoms up." He popped the cork and poured the green limey liquid upon Sora's lips.

Sora awoke as if from a peaceful sleep. He looked about.

"I'm healed." He said. He then looked at Riku who still lay next to him. "Riku…?"

"Hey, Sora," Riku replied, "glad to see that you didn't die on me."

"What's wrong, Riku?"-

"I gave you my last potion."-

"You gave me your last potion? But why?"

"You were banged up more than I was. I mean, that isn't exactly tomato soup all over your shirt." Sora looked down and saw the gash across his shirt and the blood smothering its front into a crimson red. "Thanks Riku, you saved my life." Sora popped out his last potion vial as well. "Here you go. Just returning the favor."

"Thanks…" Riku sipped the potion and was back on his feet within seconds. "Thank God for Sneer's new potion." Just then, the two key bearers felt as strange surge of energy enter their bodies. They had gained a new technique, _The Brute's Resistance_, which allowed them to fend off basic elemental attacks. "You know, it's a good thing that we keep getting all these new techniques. Otherwise we'd have a real disadvantage."

"Uh…Riku…" Sora uttered. He pointed behind Riku. Riku turned to find faction and Kang's soldiers surrounding them. "It looks like were still at a disadvantage." The two drew their keyblades.

"We better take care of them."-

Then, from out of the blue, a series of explosions occurred. The key bearers and their adversaries looked up to find the defenses along the wall of castle Kokei suddenly destroyed. All along the walls walkways, the cannons and batteries were eliminated, going off in terrific explosions. A faint object was seen deploying blasts from above.

"Look, Riku," Sora said, "It's Goofy and Donald. They're destroying Kokei's outer defenses."

"It's about time." Riku grumbled. "I thought they'd never get involved."

"We're doing it!" Goofy cried from the cockpit. "We're winning!"

"Let's just keep at it, Goofy." Donald replied.

"Right…"-

"And watch out that we don't hit Riku and Sora. They're probably still down there. Aim only for the cannons and the wall with the main gates."-

The gummi continued to demolish the cannons along the wall, at the same time blowing holes in the wall to aid their comrades in their takeover of the fortress.

"It'll be some time before our comrades storm the fortress." Sora said.

"Then let's soften the inner defenses while we're here." Riku added.

"Let's…"-

The two key bearers drew up their weapons again and continued to fight the hordes of soldiers surrounding them.


	71. Land of Dragons: Ophelia vs Karas

Land of Dragons: Ophelia vs. Karas

The battle outside the castle intensified with fires spreading, engulfing the dead and wounded. The screams of man and beast could be heard, intermingling with the clash of steel and the eruption of cannonade. Arrows filled the sky and landed upon friend and foe alike. It was a scene described only as pure chaos. Amidst the fighting, Colonel Billiard fought the beast forces of Kang's army, cutting them down with the edge of her fans. It was during this time that she encountered one of the leading commanders, Karas. Karas, blond-haired and excessively dashing in appearance, wielded a rapier at his side. His accuracy with the blade was unrivaled by anyone. Now both the evil mystic and the Tiger of Goth have converged to battle.

"I don't believe we've properly introduced." Karas started. "I am Karas, one of Kang's leading commanders."

"Is that so?" Ophelia replied.

"The least you could do is address yourself. It would be a shame for me to kill such a skilled warrior and not know their identity."-

"The name is Billiard, Ophelia Billiard."-

"I shall remember that when I engrave it on your headstone."-

"Fat chance of that happening."-

"Is that right…?" Karas suddenly lunged at Ophelia with his rapier. Ophelia quickly evaded and retaliated. The minute that cloth of fan and steel of sword came in contact, the battle was on. Like two raved dogs bearing their fangs at each other for meat, both combatants lunged and struck with incredible precision. For a while, no one seemed to gain the upper hand. A chivalrous duel was taking place amidst the battle that erupted around them, as if the soldiers and the beasts cleared the way for their match.

"He's good," Ophelia uttered. "He's a lot better than what I thought before."

"Not bad, Miss," Karas chuckled "I never would have thought that you would be able to match my strength."

"Don't get too flattering. Otherwise, you'll regret your words when you lose."-

"I see. And how do you intend to defeat me?"-

"On shear will power and determination!" Ophelia took one of her fans and threw it at Karas. Like a discus, it rushed towards him. But Karas only chuckled.

"You'll have to do better than that." He quickly threw his head back just as the fan passed by his head. "You missed."

"Oh, did I?" Ophelia smirked. Kara's was confused, but he eventually realized why she was smiling. He suddenly heard the same buzzing of the fan approaching him from behind. Karas quickly turned to find the fan nearly striking a fatal blow to the head. He dodged within inches of the bladed edge. The razor tips streaked across his face, cutting him upon the right cheek. The fan in the meantime, safely reached Ophelia who caught it with her hand.

Karas wiped the trickling blood from his face. Immediately, he sneered at her with a menacing glance.

"Why you…?" he growled. "Look at what you did? My face, my face, you blemished my beautiful face!"

"Stop complaining," Ophelia put a hand on her hip. "You should be grateful. At least you look more like a battle hardened warrior instead of a pretty boy sissy!"

"You'll pay for your insolence!"-

"As far as I can see, you're no threat to me whatsoever."-

"Don't you dare mock me, you ignorant little cur! I'll show you my true strength!" Karas suddenly lifted himself into the air with levitation. He then formed a ball of energy in his hand. "Let's see how you like this little trick!" He threw the orb at Ophelia.

"Is that all you can do?" She simply strolled out of the way of the orb. The orb harmlessly hit the ground and diminished quietly on impact. Ophelia chuckled. "That was pathetic! You really intend to fight an enemy with such an attack?"

"Just wait." Karas replied. Just then, the ground around Ophelia began to glow. She looked to find light and a slight tremor erupting from the soil.

"What in the…?" Realizing that the attack was not finished, she quickly leaped. The ground then bellowed in a powerful explosion that blew Ophelia and some of the soldiers and beasts away. She fell to the ground, kicking dust up. "That attack, it was a delayed explosion."

"That's right." Karas chuckled. "I use it against enemies who are too cocky for their own good. It's a deceptive attack that looks like a harmless energy ball, but the aftershock is to die for. And since I can set off the attack at random, there's no predicting when it would go off. Also, each sphere has a different level of energy, thus differentiating each explosion's power, so you don't know whether it'll be a weak explosion, or a strong one. No one has ever pushed me so far as to use that attack. And even if they did, they never survive the first strike. But I'm rather surprised to see that you are still alive with only a few minor scratches. That only indicates that you are a warrior of extraordinary skill." Karas formed another ball of energy. "But I can guarantee you that you won't survive the second attack despite your superior abilities."

The mystic hovered higher into the air and fired a barrage of six energy balls. Ophelia, seeing the incoming orbs, quickly evaded. As before, the spheres were absorbed into the ground. She quickly evaded and evacuated the area. This time the spheres did not detonate. Instead, Karas descended to battle Ophelia personally. Like a phantom, he appeared before her.

"You should concentrate more on your foe." Karas chuckled. "Those orbs were mere decoys to distract you." He thrust away with his rapier, giving the fair woman warrior no time to react. "I'll teach you something savage for deforming my fair face." He clashed at Ophelia tossing her back. Finally, he swung hoping to maim her at her feet, but the Tiger quickly jumped and flipped backwards.

"That was a close one." Ophelia uttered to herself. But as she gazed at her opponent, she noticed that he still had that mischievous and rather malicious look on his face. She realized what was happening. Gazing down upon the ground, her landing point was the place where the orbs had absorbed into the soil. "Those orbs, they weren't decoys."

"Now take this!" Karas raised his arm and like controlled mines, the orbs were detonated, causing massive explosions, some two the five times the capacity of the very first. Ophelia, not able to evade quickly enough, was caught in the maelstrom and thrashed about violently. Her shell jacket and trousers were ripped and torn, forming nicks and holes. The heat from the energy itself charred the young lady. She fell to the ground, beaten and weary, and tumbled upon rocky terrain, receiving cuts and bruises. Karas landed not to far from where Miss Billiard lay. "You are such a fool. You underestimated me completely. You think just because I happen to look like this that you believe me to be a pushover? Well, you thought wrong my misguided friend. You should never underestimate your opponent. Doing so would lead to a final blow, which is the reason why this is the result." Karas came closer to Ophelia, who staggered to her feet. Her jacket had been torn up to tatters. Her pants equaled the same damage. Blood dripped down her forehead, indicating that she had hit a rock or a stone on impact. She stood tall, her fair bosom steadfast forward and fans still ready for the kill.

"You have skill, I'll admit that," Ophelia said, grinning, "But it'll take a great deal more than that to defeat The Tiger of Goth."

"Confident aren't we? I'll put you in your place soon enough!" Karas descended and attacked with a swoop. He struck at Ophelia, but the young woman easily evaded. Karas dropped more energy orbs and sent the hurling towards Ophelia. This time, on impact, the spheres exploded. Once again, the young colonel was caught in the barrage and was sent hurling. But she regained her posture. Karas unleashed another attack, but this time, Ophelia was ready and easily evaded. The orbs exploded on impact, but the young woman was far from harm's way. To add, she seemed to be taunting him in her gestures. This infuriated Karas. "You blistering little git, you dare to mock me!"

"It's not that. It's just that after a while, your moves become more predictable. Not much of a Strategist are you?" Those words angered Karas.

"You little…!" With all his rage, he sent down another plethora of energy balls. "I'll incinerate you to your bones!" But Ophelia was ready this time. Using her fans, she gave one mighty swing. Gusts of wind bellowed upward like typhoons, directing the orbs back towards Karas. "Impossible, she deflected my own attack back at me."

Karas eluded the incoming energy balls. The orbs made impact with the ground and detonated instantly. Karas covered his face, guarding it from the dust and debris. The explosions were close enough to knock him off his feet. The mystic tumbled as the winds pushed him down. Within seconds, the barrage was over and Karas stood up to his feet, weary.

"That girl, that girl, I have to get rid of her somehow." He thought to himself. "She's proven to be more of a nuisance than I had expected."

Ophelia was drained of her strength, practically hunched caused by the weight of her battle fans. But still, she made ready to fight.

"Come on, Blondie," Ophelia mocked, "You'll have to pick it up a little to defeat me."

"Don't give me your idle threats, girl! I can see by your stance and your posture that you're losing a great deal of energy! You barely have enough energy to lift up your weapons, let alone engage in another brawl against me. I guess that banging around took its toll."-

"That may be so, but you have underestimated my ability to survive such a pitiful tumble." Her fans were at the ready again. "Now put up or shut up, pretty boy."

"You little…!" Karas, hearing enough of Ophelia's mockery, unleashed a finishing move. He raised both hands in the air and began to form the ultimate energy ball. "Now let's see you take this on! Dodge it if you must, but the minute you do, everything within a one mile radius will be destroyed!"

"What…?" The Tiger's eyes grew large with shock. "But that's not fair!"

"Who said anything about battle being fair! You either win or you die!"-

The girl watched as the sphere seemed to get ten times bigger than the first ones used.

"It's no use." Ophelia uttered. "I can't dodge that thing. Otherwise, if I do," She looked upon the men who were battling near her. "If I do, then all these soldiers will die too. And I can't deflect something that big! I don't have that kind of physical strength." She watched as it seemed the inevitable doom would finish her off as well as the cause. But at the last minute, she thought of an idea that was sure to work. "There's still one last hope. I can always use that technique to defeat him."

"Now die!" Karas paused no further and launched the ball. Ophelia took a deep breath and concentrated on the threat before her.

"I must concentrate. Concentrate hard to make this thing work." Ophelia's meditation however was interpreted as fright to Karas.

"That little fool," he chuckled, "She must be scared stiff. I guess helplessness has taken over her body! I'm not surprised though. That massive energy sphere is enough to scare anyone."

The ball seemed to draw nearer with every second. Then, as if awoken by an amazing dream, Ophelia unleashed her own energy. She unleashed her teleportation technique, locating her and the sphere to another area. Karas watched as the ball and the girl disappeared from sight.

"What was that?" he wondered. "The sphere just disappeared."

"Oh no it hasn't!" a voice shouted. Karas quickly turned to find appearing and hovering like a fool moon in the night sky, the sphere of energy. It came crashing down on him.

"It can't be!" Karas could neither dodge, nor deflect, "Why must I meet my end like this!" The ball struck him and the energy consumed his body. There was a blood curdling scream that could be heard over the chaos on the ground. In a bright flash, the orb engulfed the mystic and incinerated his body in flame. Ophelia landed upon the ground as what was once Karas and the sphere evaporated into the night sky, leaving no trace of their former selves. Ophelia landed o the ground. She sat down amidst the battle, with no further care, not looking at Kang's beasts like insects. She took from her pant pocket a bottle of potion and guzzled it. She was back on her feet within seconds.

"Tiger one, Blondie zero," she said to herself.


	72. Land of Dragons: Cuchulain vs Maeve

Land of Dragons: Cuchulain vs. Maeve

It seemed that neither side knew the identity of the enemy and comrade. But there was a very distinct fight that erupted, which every soldier on that field withdrew to observe. Once again, Cuchulain, Ulster's greatest hero, and Queen Maeve, The ambitious warrior queen and now a high general of the Midnight Faction were about to square off in the _Final Confrontation_ that would determine not only the fate of China and other coinciding worlds, but the fate of who was the strongest Celtic warrior. Now the lines were drawn and the two faced each other with aggressive intention.

"So we finally meet again." Maeve said.

"We never got to finish that fight we had back in the Cave of Wonders now did we?" Cuchulain replied.

"Then what do you say we finish that battle here and now!" Scimitar drew out her ringed chakrams. "Let us determine once and for all who deserves the right of being called Erin's greatest warrior!"

"You're such a fool,"-

"Oh am I? Why don't we brawl it out for a while. Then we'll see who the fool really is!" Maeve rushed forward and began to swing away with her chakrams. Cuchulain used the Gae Bulga the block and counter. The battle began with neither opponent gaining the upper hand over the other. Their senses were high and were both aware of the other's moves. Back and forth, the offense and the defense shifted. At one moment, it was the Hound on the defensive, then it would be turned and Maeve would be on the defensive. Cuchulain for the first part of the fight, unleashed minor attacks like upper and lower slashes and thrusts. He would deploy a multi-thrusting attack, hoping to pierce Maeve. But the warrior queen only danced around his spear's prongs, avoiding by inches or less.

The tide turned again with Maeve swinging her chakrams about in the same fashion. She also threw the chakrams simultaneously, using the shadows of the night to cover their movement. But such diversionary tactics wouldn't work on Cuchulain, whose king sense of hearing was unrivaled.

"You certainly have improved since the last time we did battle." Maeve chuckled.

"Don't flatter yourself," Cuchulain uttered, "You're saying that only to boost my confidence."

"But isn't that a good thing?"-

"Not in the way you're intending. You're hoping that I become too overconfident. That way, if I make a mistake, you can take that to your advantage."-

The two were suddenly caught in a deadlock, pushing their weapons down on each other. Maeve only smiled though, as if she had a plan up her sleeve. She twisted around, giving way to Cuchulain and swung around hoping to cut him from behind. But Cuchulain swung his Gae Bulga to guard his back and prevented the chakram from striking his back. Scimitar was caught by surprise. Cuchulain knocked Scimitar off balance with a forceful shove, then turned around and swung his weapon at Maeve again. The Blade General was able to evade, but the point of the middle prong struck her should armor, leaving a small scratch on its glossy surface.

"Why you…!" she growled. But Cuchulain's offensive wasn't over. He then unleashed a sudden powerful sweep, one of his secret techniques. The head of the spear began to glow brightly. Scimitar saw the attack coming and quickly threw one of her ring swords, hoping to smite the Hound and stop him.

"Ulster Slash!" Cuchulain shouted. The energy created from the top of his spear caused a powerful sonic boom which streaked across the evening sky. Maeve was caught in the explosion and sent reeling backwards. She tumbled to the ground and lay there almost in an unconscious state. Cuchulain, however, was not so lucky either. The chakram that Scimitar had thrown struck him upon his left shoulder, cutting deep into his flesh. The Hound flinched as he felt the steel severing his veins and capillaries. Blood rushed from the wound. But Cuchulain took no real mind to it. "She got me good that time."

Maeve in the meantime, after lying on the ground for a while staggered to her feet. She still held one chakram in her hand. She stood up, her uniform tattered and face dirty with a few cuts about.

"Well," she uttered, "I can't say I was expecting that." She then glanced at Cuchulain grasping his arm and grinned. "But then again, neither were you. By the looks of it, that bladed ring actually did some damage to you. That'll certainly be a handy cap for you won't it."

"It's nothing." Cuchulain replied. "I've had worse. And this won't slow me down!"

"I'm sure it won't. But that's not what you have to be concerned with."-

Cuchulain picked up a strange sound in the air, a sound all too familiar. He turned to find the chakram Scimitar had thrown earlier and hit him, rushing from out of the darkness straight at him. He quickly threw his head back, but the blade managed to cut him across his face, severing the flesh on his left cheek. Blood dripped from the wound.

"She cut me again." He uttered. "I forgot, Maeve can control those things by means of her energy."

"Got you again, boy," Maeve chuckled as the blade spun faithfully to her side and hovered in the air. "It seems to me that you're tired of playing around with me and want to take the fight serious now. So be it." She released the other chakram from her hand and it spun fiercely, hovering next to her. "I never did get to show you this attack to its full potential back in Agrabah. Well, now you get to see them in action. It's quite a pity for you though, having it be the evening and all. That means the rings will be harder to predict."

"Don't give me that." Cuchulain said. "I've managed to dodge them before."

"That may be so, but not like this." Maeve drew out her hands, giving the signal to attack and almost instantly, the chakrams rushed in with deadly swiftness. Cuchulain was rather apprehensive when the ring swords were deployed. He for the moment was at a disadvantage. For one thing, it was dark and the fire did not exactly help in illuminating the field. To add, the strong night wind seemed to block his true hearing ability. But still kept his senses up, keeping an ear out for that familiar buzzing sound. Like wasps the blades rushed at him from all angles, at different intervals, and at different times.

"This isn't good." He said to himself. "I can't possibly dodge those chakrams. If I even let my guard down for an instant, my next mistake might be my last." Just then, one of the chakrams emerged, hoping to cut Cuchulain at the midsection. He jumped out of the way, just as the ring sword passed him. But as he thought it was safe, the second came and cut him across the chest. Cuchulain fell to the ground, grasping at the wound. Again the chakrams attacked. Still grasping on his chest wound, the young warrior took his senses off the rings for a brief moment. And again the result was the same. The young Hound was cut again and again, on the back, the leg, the shoulder and finally across the abdomen. He knelt to the ground, but dodged soon after, disregarding his wounds and concentrating more on the incoming chakrams.

Maeve chuckled as she hit the Hound from every angle. She enjoyed the sight of watching him rise, fall, stagger, and dodge, like a cornered animal.

"He's like a caged wild bird." She uttered to herself. "No matter how much resistance he puts up, he can't break through." Again she let her chakrams do the killing. "I've waited a long time to see you like this, Hound of Ulster. I've always recited the day when you would be helpless to fight against me. And now that recitation is finally a reality and the result is more than what I expected. This is for all the times you have kept me back from my ambition in the past, boy."

"I can't keep this up for long." Cuchulain uttered. "I've lost too much blood already. My senses are cut in half and my body aches all over. There has to be a better way." Just then one of the chakrams tried to aim for Cuchulain's throat. He lifted his arm and the blade did its damage upon his forearm instead of his neck. The Hound tumbled backwards and fell to the ground.

"Is that the best you have, Hound of Ulster?" Maeve said. "That was pathetic. Maybe all those tales of your strength were merely over-exaggerations. The reality is that you're nothing compared to me. If you can't even topple this technique, then you're not worthy of being remembered as Erin's strongest warrior."

"There has to be some other way to counter this attack." Cuchulain thought to himself. He then figured out a plan. "Yes, that's it. I'm surprised I didn't think of that before." He quickly staggered to his feet. He turned to Maeve and chuckled. "Actually, it's you who aren't worthy to be called Erin's greatest warrior."

"Is that so? Then by all means, Setante, enlighten me!" Maeve thrusts her chakrams in for another kill. But this time, the Hound was ready. Almost instantly, he evaded, as if knowing where they were in the first place. Again she threw the rings upon him and again he dodged.

"What is this…?" Maeve uttered. "What is going on here? Just a few minutes ago, Setante couldn't even hope to dodge without being cut. He seemed so tense and apprehensive. Now all of a sudden, he's dodging my chakrams like they were nothing." Maeve took notice even more, noticing that the Hound was no longer turning about to confirm the chakrams position. Instead, he seemed to know ahead of time when and where they would strike. "It can't be, it's as if he's no longer trying!"

Cuchulain could see every move of the bladed rings. Even the darkness and fires blazing around the field were no longer a deciding factor. He dodged and evaded as if he knew where they were. Maeve was stunned.

"You can't be doing this." She uttered. "You can't evade my chakrams! They are too powerful!" Scimitar threw them in for another run.

"Right back at you!" The Hound threw up his Gae Bulga and caught both as they tried to strike him. He then swung his spear around and threw Maeve's own weapons back at her. Maeve saw the blades coming and quickly threw out her hands to stop them. The bladed rings stopped an inch from her finger tips. She grasped at them in her palms once they had stopped spinning. She then gazed at the Hound.

"How, how did you do that?" she said. "Not even Riku and Sora were able to evade the chakrams that precisely. In the first half, you were helpless against my onslaught. Now all of a sudden, you're able to dodge them as if you predicted the outcome! Tell me how you did this!

"I have to admit that the chakram attacks were enough to scare me, but when I found the solution to breaking your technique, those chakrams were no more to me than pesky little insects. I knew I couldn't see them coming at me in the dark. Doing so was fatal as you saw earlier. And I knew that sound wasn't going to be entirely accurate since the object makes certain noises when going with or against the air current, as well as the intensity of the night wind limiting my keen hearing sense. So I did what was the most logical in this situation. I concentrated on the energy around the chakrams."-

"You what…? You actually concentrated on the energy of the chakrams?"-

"To be precise, I concentrated on your energy. Your energy was what allowed those bladed rings to move independently, without being grasped by your own hands. Without that energy, the chakrams are no better than fancy paper weights. Thus, you use your own inner strength to manipulate their movement. In most cases, I would have been in the same predicament as many others who have encountered this attack. But since I concentrated my senses on your energy signature, the favors swiftly shifted. Now evading was suddenly transformed into an easy task, rather than a task to survive." Cuchulain drew up the Gae Bulga. "Now you can't deploy your chakrams without me sensing them."

"You think you're pretty clever don't you?" Maeve growled. "Well, we'll just see how clever you are! That technique is miniscule compared to the ones I still have in store for you." The ringed swords levitated again and began to spin around profusely in hasty revolutions around the general to the point where they connected to form one big ring. Maeve hovered in the air. "Now, behold the might of the Banshee Blade!" The ring tilted from one side to the other in case Cuchulain tried to duck to the ground. But such diversionary tactics were unnecessary. The Hound had a grasp on sensing the energy used on the ring swords. Thus, no matter how fast they spun about, they could not elude the Hound.

"You'll have to do better than this to stop me." Cuchulain stated.

"You impudent little mongrel," Maeve shouted, "You dare mock me!" Maeve reformed the chakram positions. She placed the spinning ring in front of her and made ready deploy the Banshee Gun. Cuchulain was surprised and rather shocked as he saw the massive ball of light grow larger before the ring.

"An energy wave…" he uttered. "It can't be."

"Now die!" From the orb, an intense beam of light bellowed, streaking through the air and illuminating the night. Soldiers and beast alike were awed and terrified at this almost divine display.

Cuchulain drew his weapon before him as if hoping to block the attack. The beam made impact and pushed the Hound back before he managed to halt it altogether. Using all his strength, Cuchulain withstood the power of the energy beam. The sweat intermingled with his blood and his bodily strength slowly diminished. But still, despite pain and weariness, he held on. Maeve was angered at the stubbornness of her opponent.

"You bastard," she roared, "Why won't you die!" She sent impulses through the beam, increasing its strength and bearing the weight even more upon the Hound. But Cuchulain held his ground.

"You can shout all you want." The Hound uttered. "You can burden me with this intense weight, you can inflict torture and torment upon me, and you can even unleash the full power of hell itself on me. But I will never give into you! The reason is, I can't afford to lose!" With all his strength, The Hound deflected the beam outward towards the horizon. There was a bright flash in the distance, indicating that the beam hit impact someplace else.

The ordeal itself had taken its toll on Cuchulain. He collapsed to one knee, gasping, using the Gae Bulga as his crutch. Maeve hovered over him.

"You can't afford to lose you say." she said. "What gives you such strength? Even in past events you had this stubborn streak about you! You single-handedly faced my army back on Erin, battling alone as your comrades underwent the pangs of your country's curse! What is it that motivates you to fight!"

"It's quite simple. I have something to protect. I had to protect my home back then, just as I have to protect other worlds from being conquered by a foreign power now." Cuchulain stood up. He glared at Maeve with the greatest intensity. "It is my obligation to protect those around me. My goal has not changed. Then again, neither has yours."

"And what would you know of my motivations?"-

"I can read you like a book, Maeve. You have three goals in mind. The first is you want to satisfy your will to dominate, which is in the worst case scenario endless. The second is to return to our world with the title of the strongest fighter on Erin. And the third is to quench your lust to battle. You wanted to fulfill these ambitions badly, which is the reason you sided with the former Dark Empire and the Midnight Faction. They gave you the one thing you wanted most, the will to dominate and the will to fight. But as a result, because of your constant thirst for war and victory, countless worlds and their inhabitants had to be sacrificed. Thus, the chaos continued to spread. You believe that so long as you fight along side the remnants of the old Imperial regime, you can always satisfy that thirst for battle. But let me ask you this, once the fighting stops and peace is restored, what will you do then?"-

"The fighting will never stop, Hound! So long as there is the will to dominate, so long as there is a thirst for war, there will always be battle."-

"And how many more lives have to be sacrificed before you're satisfied."-

"It depends." Maeve descended to the ground. "My thirst for battle will never die 'til the day I die myself." She clutched onto her chakrams and charged the Hound again. Cuchulain raised his guard and as before they battled away. "But there is one thing I can guarantee. My burdens will be lifted once you are dead!"

"So is that an alternative reason on why you fight?" Cuchulain asked. "You hope to spite me and smite me?"

"It was because of your stubbornness and your strength that prevented me from dominating all of Erin. Had it not been for you, I would have been able to plow over Ulster's warriors like grass and take the kingdom of Conchobhar Mac Nessa for my own, expanding Connaught's boarders to the eastern sea. You killed many of my best men in the process, disposing them like sick cattle. So you might consider this also and act of revenge."-

"So you bear a grudge as well."-

"So long as you are alive, Setante, my soul will never be at peace!" Maeve suddenly knocked the Gae Bulga out of Cuchulain's hands then leaped upon him, knocking him to the ground. Straddled on top of him, Maeve prepared to tear open the Hound's throat with her chakrams. But Cuchulain grabbed hold of the general's hands, preventing the rings from advancing to his throat as well as to prevent Maeve from dropping them upon his throat, or releasing them into a spin. Scimitar pushed the razor edge closer and closer to the Hound's exposed flesh. "If I kill you, then not only will I have satisfied my own burden, but there will be no one strong enough to battle me and live! Your friends, Riku and Sora, were not my true targets! They were merely a sideshow! It is you that I want to see dead!" The edge tapped on Cuchulain's throat, causing a small cut that dripped a few drops of blood. "And once your demise has come then the people you tried to protect will no longer be safe from me! I'll kill them all without a second thought. And I think I'll start with your son…"

Almost immediately, Cuchulain's mind was full of thoughts of his son. He saw that innocent yet strong face upon the boy. Then images of his son's demise came to him, seeing the body of his only child mangled and bloodied. He could feel the anger boiling within him.

"No…!" Cuchulain shouted. With all his might, he kicked Maeve off of him, slamming her to the ground. Maeve quickly regained her stance and faced the hound who staggered to his feet. "You will not lay a hand on my son."

"And why not," Maeve chuckled. "Not only is he your son, but Cunla is also a traitor to the Midnight Faction. He turned his back on us for your sake. If it wasn't for you, he'd still be acting as our lap dog. But now that same dog has bitten the hand that fed him. So there is no room in this world for a bastard like that. You should consider it a stroke of luck though. I'll make sure to give him a mercy killing."

But as the Hound turned to confront, Maeve suddenly realized that her declaration had pushed Cuchulain over the edge. His eyes had changed to a pale and soulless yellow. His K-9's had grown to fangs, like that of a wolf. The expression on his face was terrifying, not at all like the kind young man and determined warrior he was before. And the energy that he wielded was overwhelming. Cuchulain had dipped into the rage.

"If you even think about hurting my son," he growled in a sinister and dark tone, "I'll kill you…"

"He's dipped into the rage…" Maeve uttered, a sweat drop falling down her face. The Hound turned and looked directly into her eyes. His glare pierced through Scimitar's eyes and struck her very heart and soul. For the first time in her life, Maeve was afraid of what she saw. "So this is what the rage is. I've never seen it before and have always wanted to drag it out of him. But now that I have, why do I regret doing so? Am I afraid?"

"Now that you have brought out the beast, your death is assured, Warrior Queen of Connaught."-

Maeve clutched onto her chakrams, watching any sudden moves made by the Hound. There was almost an endless standstill between the two combatants. But Maeve, thirsting to end it between her and the Hound, lunged forward.

"I'll be the first one to strike." She thought to herself. But there was something about Cuchulain's aura of the rage that prevented her from striking. It seemed as if the Hound was invulnerable. Scimitar stalled and leaped to the side, halting the advance entirely.

"What's wrong…?" The Hound uttered.

"This feeling, why am I apprehensive of this boy? I shouldn't be afraid of him. He's nothing compared to me." Maeve gazed at the yellow eyes of the Hound. "But why does this doubt prevent me from striking?"

Suddenly, the Hound attacked. Maeve was caught off guard and struck in the face. Scimitar went hurling back. Cuchulain, however, didn't stop. He turned about and struck from behind, kicking her into the air. He then leaped up and pummeled her towards the ground again. Maeve hit the rugged soil. The Hound in the meantime, took up his Gae Bulga and took his defensive stance for a possible retaliation. Scimitar slowly rose up, her chakrams still clutched in her hands. But now, blood dripped from a cut over her head and mouth. Her uniform was soiled and torn, not showing the grace it did before. She growled at the Hound, clenching her teeth.

"You should have struck me down when you had the chance, Maeve." Cuchulain declared. "You shouldn't have stalled in that last one. But then again, I understand why you didn't go through with your attack. It's because you're afraid of me."

"What…?" Maeve sneered. "I'm not afraid of you, boy! I'm not afraid of anything!"

"If that were true, then you would have attacked without pause. But yet you decided to cancel your last attack"-

"That's nonsense! I knew that such a head on attack would be worthless against you."-

"Is that so? Then why is it that I see fear in your eyes?" The Hound began to advance. Maeve raised her chakrams. "If it's not me that you fear, what is it then?" The Hound continued to move forward without pause.

"If you wish to die, then keep advancing!" Scimitar declared. But the general's words did not deter the Hound. "Is that it? You wish to die!"

"Death does not scare me, but it seems to frighten you some. That's the one thing you fear, death. It's not death itself, but rather the inability to fulfill what your heart thirsts for. If you die, you fear that none of your goals will be accomplished."-

"You lie!"-

"Do I? It seems that the subject of death makes your energy waver. I can see it as clear as day. There is nothing that you can hide from me so long as I can sense that inner strength." The Hound was so close that he could have struck the warrior queen in the heart, but he didn't. It was within striking distance of the Gae Bulga's center prong that he stopped. "That is what makes you and I different. I fear not even death itself because I have nothing else to lose. I know that my friends will carry on where I left off. I can trust them with my heart and soul. I fight to protect those around me. Thus, I can die knowing that I did my best and that's all that matters. You on the other hand have been fighting for the sake of your own ambition, taking lives instead of protecting them, not caring for the fate of others. It's because of this single track thinking that your soul will never be at ease. And because of this uneasiness in your heart, it'll cause your soul to wander about, continuing to battle for your goals that'll never be fulfilled. If you die, you lose all you have gained and with that, your legacy."

"Silence you insect!" Maeve roared. She lunged forward and fought against the Hound. The Hound defended himself against her blows. "I will not be talked down and lectured by a fledgling like you! I am Maeve, Warrior Queen of Connaught! I am General Scimitar of the Blade Generals! I am the strongest of Erin and always will be! And I will not be leveled down by an upstart like you, Setante!" She attacked with great ferocity. "My legend will live on! It will prevail over yours! I will gain the title of the strongest in Erin and Erin's greatest conqueror!"

"Even at the expense of thousands of lives, your legacy will be built on the tombs of those you slaughtered. Is that how you want to be remembered, as a murderer?"-

"I could care less if millions were the established foundations of my legacy! I will obtain a status even greater than Sirius Viicous! And the first goal to that ultimate achievement is to slay the mighty Hound of Ulster!" The two continued to battle, despite their weariness and fatigue. But Cuchulain saw his duty, to stop Maeve before more sacrifices were made.

"In that case, if being ambitious means taking countless lives, then I have no other choice!" Swinging his spear about, he struck at Maeve. Scimitar crossed the chakrams in front of her to block the attack. The blow was strong enough to push her back twenty feet. "Your efforts stop here."

"Well, by the looks of it, even with the rage in your favor, you seem rather tired and are unable to fulfill such a task."-

"Is that so…?" The Hound raised his weapon over his head and unleashed another attack. "Ulster Slash!"

A powerful sound wave erupted and attempted to strike at Maeve, but the warrior queen jumped back, avoiding the strikes devastation. Great clouds of dust and debris, bellowed in the air, blinding her.

"You'll have to do better than that if you want to defeat me!" Maeve took her stance, ready for the offensive. "I'll finish you off for good this time!"

But fate turned again. From out of the billowing clouds of dust and shadow, the glowing tip of the Gae Bulga was seen. There was a sudden pierce of flesh. The spear had struck and pierced the right shoulder of Maeve. Following the impact, a sudden surge of energy, a sonic boom, blasted out and blew the warrior queen away, tearing her right arm apart. She fell to the ground, screaming in agonizing pain. Both chakrams were thrown from her hands. Maeve lay there on the ground, the pain unbearable on her right arm.

From the darkness and debris, the form of Hound appeared, standing over Maeve. His eyes were no longer the soulless yellow, indicating that he had regressed to his former self.

"It's over for you, Maeve." Cuchulain said.

"But how," Maeve uttered. "How could you have struck me down?"

"The Ulster Slash was merely a diversionary tactic to cause a temporary screen to prevent you from seeing my movement."-

"But even so, how could one thrust attack have so much strength?"-

"What you have just experienced was the attack I wanted to show you back in the Cave of Wonders, _Ferdia's Bane_. It is a thrust attack with concentrated energy at its tip, which is deployed on impact, that way it causes the maximum damage. So even if you were to have avoided a head on strike and received only a small gash or cut, the effects would have been ten times that, severing every muscle ligament and main artery in that space. Since you were dominantly right handed, your right arm was what I aimed for. So even if you did retaliate, your effectiveness would be only half, if not a quarter of what it originally was. It's over, Maeve." Cuchulain only glared at the warrior queen, but did nothing more to hinder her.

"Why don't you kill me then? After all the things I did in the past against you and your comrades, are you not going to take revenge for them?"-

"I have every right to do so, but I won't.'-

"Why not?"-

"Because it would be a shame for me to kill a fellow Celt." Cuchulain walked up to her and opened up her frock front. "However, I will take a little something from you. Consider this your repentance on my behalf."

But Scimitar was not about to give herself up so easily. She stretched out her left hand, seeking the aid of her chakram. She concentrated her energy on it and hoped that it would come to her.

"Come on." She thought to herself. "Where is that chakram?"

"Are you looking for these?" a voice uttered. Maeve looked up to find none other than Cunla and seven soldiers standing over her as well, his sword drawn at her throat. "Sorry Maeve, don't bother resisting on our account."

"You…" she growled.

"Good work, Cunla." Cuchulain said.

"Just doing my job, Dad." Cunla replied.

"So things have calmed down?"-

"We overwhelmed that army of the dead by slaying all the wizards. After that, defeating all those dead guys was a cinch."-

"That's good." Cuchulain reached in and took hold of the puzzle piece. "I think Riku and Sora will be overjoyed to hear that we managed to confiscate the forth puzzle piece. Thanks a lot for your cooperation, Maeve."

"This isn't over, Hound!" Maeve shouted. "I'll have my revenge on you!"

"I'm sure you will." Cuchulain stood up. He pulled a potion vial from his jacket's inner pocket and drank up, replenishing his strength and healing his body. "That hit the spot." He turned to his son. "The guards can take it from here, Cunla."

"Right." Cunla replied. "Okay guys, have her mended up and kept under guard."

"Yes sir," the soldiers replied. "On your feet." They took hold of Scimitar and hoisted her up.

"You'll not get away with this, Hound!" Maeve declared. "I will see my ambitions fulfilled! I will gain the title of the strongest of Erin! I will have my revenge! So, you better watch your back!"

"It's a deal then." Cuchulain said.

"What…?"-

"Father…?" Cunla added.

"I'll take you up on that offer, Maeve. Perhaps if we meet again, we can settle the score. But it has to be a fight strictly between you and me. No one else is to get involved. If you want the title of the strongest, then you can have it. But I hold your pride in my hands. If you want it back, then you'll have to beat me next time. But now is not one of those times." Cuchulain looked back at her and smiled. "Perhaps when this is all over, we can meet again under better circumstances." Maeve only growled, but could only look away. Cuchulain turned and withdrew.

"Dad," Cunla said, "Was that a good idea to make that promise? What if she does come back?"

"If that happens, then I'll be ready for her. I'd like to test my full grit against her and without using the power of the rage."-

"You used the rage to fight her?"-

"In the end I had to. I wasn't strong enough to fight her in my normal state. It just goes to show you that I have a long way to go in terms of strength and ability."-

"But why would you want to fight her again?"-

"Because I haven't fought anyone that hard since I fought your mother, my friend Ferdia, then Sora, and then you. "-

"Really…?"-

"Really…"-

Just then, there was a series of bright flashes coming from the vicinity of Castle Kokei. They turned to find the gummi destroying the defenses on the wall as well as blowing large holes in the wall that faced them, thus making easier for the resistance to storm the castle. At the same time, the remnants of Kang's outside forces were withdrawing.

"It looks like a mission accomplished." Cuchulain said.

"Riku and Sora did it." Cunla added.

"Kokei has fallen at last! Let's strike while the iron's hot."-

"Yeah…!"

The order was passed along the line and the advance continued. With Kokei's defense both within and without in shambles, there was nothing to halt the attack of China's patriots.

It didn't take long before word reached Kang of the sudden attack on Kokei. Once again, he sat upon his throne, clutching fingers into a fist tightly.

"Kokei is under attack?" he uttered.

"I'm afraid so." The messenger replied. "There was a sudden assault on the defenses. It was a diversionary strike to draw the bulk of the defenders out. The enemy then sent task forces into the castle itself and set the fortress aflame. Now we fear that the castle might fall."

"We can't have that! Kokei is a vital stronghold! Send in our troops to defend the castle!"-

"How many units should we send in, my lord?" Kresh asked.

"I want you to send in at least thirty thousand of our elite troops to aid Kokei. I want Brutes, and Bruins, all the beasts to attack and fend off these upstarts! Kresh, Kanon, go forth to crush these vermin!" Kang then turned to his wife. "Sheva, I want you to accompany them."

"But my lord…" Sheva uttered.

"We can't just leave you to fend for yourself, my lord." Kanon said.

"Let us at least remain to aid you, my lord." Kresh added.

But Kang stood up. He drew out his hand and unveiled the dragon orb.

"Does your faith in my power seem to be wavering! Do you doubt my strength!"

"Of course not, my lord."-

"Then be off and no more second guessing!"-

"Yes, my lord." The three replied. They bowed respectfully and withdrew from the throne room. Kang retracted the energy of the dragon orb and sat back in the throne.

"Those fools," he uttered to himself, "They lack confidence in my abilities. Even my own wife questions my capabilities. Well, I'll show them, I'll show them all! I have factors present that'll assure success."

"You've made the right decision." A voice uttered. From the darkness a figure stood like a phantom. "If your officers fail, it just goes to show that they're far beneath you."

"I suppose you're right."-

"If things do turn out for the worst though, you can count on me alone to crush these mongrel dogs."-

"I'm sure I can count on you. Your reputation is after all greater than my own."-


	73. The Stone Sentinel

The Stone Sentinel Maze

From the gates of the Imperial capital, thirty thousand men and beasts marched out. The thundering of their feet rattled the ground. Sheva, Kresh, and Kanon marched forward to the field near Kokei at a double quick. As if pressed by desperation, their soldiers were almost at a run towards the castle. In the distance, there was a hazy glow where the mighty fortress was standing. The glow could only indicate a raging inferno. The commanders feared that castle had been set ablaze.

"We must hurry to our comrades." Kresh said. "We cannot afford to lose Kokei!"

The torches lit the field between the Imperial capital and the mountainous regions of Kokei. Such desperation gripped Kang's forces that they did not take notice of the rebel forces who lay in wait. Lu Xun, commander of this outfit, watched as the massed forces rumbled by a mile away. Alongside him was Shang and Mulan.

"My God," he thought to himself, "Look at that mass of troops. They outnumber us at least five to one."

"They must be Kokei's relief force." Shang said. "Kang must be desperate to keep that castle under his control."

"Not surprising. That's the only thing standing between China's fury and the Imperial capital."-

"I can see why. Our path passed Kokei was not an easy one." Mulan implied. "Getting our troops over those mountainous regions was hard, especially at a rushing speed."

"Let's get ready for this." Mushu chuckled, pounding his fist into the palm of his other hand.

It was then that Yao, Chien Po, and Ling came rushing over to them.

"Everything's set for our part." Yao said.

"Excellent, you three." Shang replied.

"So what do we do now?" Chien Po asked.

"Just make sure to keep the men ready and keep them quiet." Lu Xun instructed. "We have the element of surprise in our favor. We just have to wait for Master Zhuge's signal." The coalition needed only to wait for the right opportunity.

It was in the mountain passes leading to Kokei that the real trap was set. As Kang's forces rushed through the dense forests and rocky terrain, they were unaware that they were being looked upon by Zhuge Liang and his troops, who stealthily observed from fortified and camouflaged outcrops just above the maze, safe from any attack. Zhuge observed as the concluding ranks of Kang's troops entered the mountainous terrain.

"It is time." He said. Bearing his finger and concentrating his energy, he sealed the passage leading back to the Imperial capital. He then unleashed the full terror of his trap. "Now, behold the invincibility of the stone sentinel maze."

From the crevices of the rock and vegetation, a thick cloud of fog emerged. Sheva and the others were caught off guard by the sudden accumulation of the thick mist.

"Where did this fog come from?" Kresh wondered.

"This is nothing!" Sheva shouted. "We simply need to find the way out."

"Madam Sheva," an officer cried, "Look at the rocks! They're moving by themselves!" Sheva looked on. In the thick blanket of fog, she could see large rock formations tumble and build upon their own will.

"What sorcery is this?"-

"This has to be the work of a mystic." Kanon said, "A powerful mystic at that."

"But whose work could this be?"-

"I have heard of a hermit who dwells in the mountains." Kresh said. "He is said to be a powerful practitioner of magic and rune spells. He is also a well known military leader and strategist that goes by the name of Zhuge Liang."

"So it is this Zhuge Liang that is responsible?" Sheva asked.

"Without a doubt."-

"Then how do we escape this conjure?"-

"We must do one of two things." Kanon advised. "We must either find a way out of this trap, or we must eliminate the one who conjured it."

"Then let us do both! If we can't find a way out, then we have to kill the source!" Sheva turned to her troops. "Go now and find our path out of this trap, or Kokei will certainly fall!"

"Yes ma'am!" the soldiers replied. The soldiers and their beast comrades dispatched and fumbled around in the fog, looking for the elusive exit from the sentinel. The fog, however, was so thick, that even their torches did very little to aid them. Instead, the glare from the soldiers' torches was reflected off the thick mist, making it more difficult to see.

"They are reacting just as I had expected." Zhuge said to himself. "Now, my troops, give them a volley, pummel Kang's forces to the ground."

"Fire away!" the officer shouted. The soldiers, with bows drawn, released their arrows into the fog. Cannons that had been stationed above the sentinel maze unleashed a thundering volley into the thick fog. From that, came the haunting moan of soldiers and beasts dying.

"Those volleys?" Kresh said. "Where are they coming from?"

"We waltzed right into a clever trap alright." Sheva said. "Not only can we not see our way around this thick fog, but we're being pummeled by an unseen enemy! We have to free ourselves from this conjure if we want to get out of here alive!"

"Understood." Kanon replied. He began to increase his strength. "Then let us battle mystic to mystic."

The rise of energy attracted Zhuge, who could feel the rise in chi. He gazed in the distance to find the distinct signal of chakra.

"Another mystic." He said. "And he's a powerful one. It's best to launch the attack now while the enemy is confused." Lifting his fan into the air, he accumulates his own spirit, forming it into a beam of light, a beacon of hope to show the way. "Let this be the campaign to decide the fate of the land."

The pillar that Zhuge unleashed could be seen for miles. Lu Xun and the others saw from their positions in the thickets the incredible sight of the chi pillar. Its hue was a divine blue, standing straight and tall, as if acting as a passage between earth and the cosmos.

"Man," Lu Xun uttered, "Master Zhuge gave us a signal alright."

"It's so beautiful." Mulan added.

"Who could have thought such a thing was possible?" Shang said.

"Have the men move out." Lu Xun instructed. "We have a mission to fulfill."

"Right…" Shang turned to the task units who were on standby. "Move out, you men!"

The troops quickly deployed themselves. Cannons were drawn out to the field. Archers ran into their positions, using the darkness to screen their movements. In the meantime, soldiers carried long ladders that could breech the wall. They quietly ran through the fields and put the ladders in place. Others drew out grappling hooks covered in cloth, to prevent any excess noise. Like phantoms, they were quiet in setting their battle lines.

The guards on the walls didn't seem to notice. Like Lu Xun's troops before, they too were awed by the pillar of light.

"What is that?" one of Kang's sentries wondered.

"Is it a sign of divine intervention?" another added.

But their gazing was interrupted when the muffled thud of hooks and the clatter of ladders were heard banging against the wall. One of the guards leaned over the edge, peeking through one of the slits in the wall.

"Who goes there!" he shouted. "Who's down there, identify yourself!"

But there was no response. There was however, the rumbling of a large mass near the wall. This frightened the soldiers stationed at the top of the wall. The sentry cried out again. This time, he drew out a bow and arrow, ready to shoot into the darkness. He aimed downward. "If you do not identify yourself, I will shoot you!"

He received a response, but not in the manner he intended. Because of the torches stationed on top of the city walls, their warm glow allowed the sentries on duty to be silhouetted against the night sky. Thus, the sentry shouting was marked as a perfect target. From out of the shadows, an arrow struck him in the throat. The sentry bent over backwards and fell upon the stone walkway. This horrified his comrade.

"We're under attack!" he shouted. "We're under attack!" He rushed to the sentry towers, seeking sanctuary. "Light the signal! Light the signal!" But before he could reach the tower, he was struck by an arrow. Lu Xun's troops had quietly breeched the wall and were already securing segments of it. Cannons stationed on top of the wall were turned around and pointed towards the wall's access ramps, in case Kang's troops charged in mass. Yao, Chien Po, and Ling were the ones taking charge on top of the wall.

"Hold the position!" Yao instructed.

"C'mon you guys!" Ling added. "Move, move, move!"

"Intruders!" another sentry shouted before being struck down by the storming patriots. The cries on the wall did not go unheard. Sure enough, running up the ramparts of the wall, more of Kang's troops came, first by the dozen, then by squadrons.

"Keep them at bay until reinforcements arrive!" Yao shouted, directing his outfit into their ranks. "Shoot down at any soldiers who try to retake the wall! Use those cannons to blow them away!"

Chaos now reached the capital as bloody fighting erupted on the ramparts of the city walls. I didn't take long before word reached the center of the city where Kang has stationed himself. The messenger entered the hall and knelt before him.

"My lord, my lord," he cried. "The city is under attack!"

"What was that?" Kang uttered. "The loyalist coalition is here?"

"Yes sir. They are doing battle upon walls as we speak."-

"But how could they have penetrated so far?" he uttered. "They couldn't have managed to defeat Sheva's forces already."

"I think it might be a different force, sir."-

"Increase the guards! Send in all of the available units!"-

"But sir, we only have twenty thousand men stationed throughout the city."-

"I don't want anything to break through! Push them back!"-

"Yes sir." The messenger scurried off.

"How could such a predicament have happened? Now, these insects have the audacity to attack the capital itself?" Kang only sighed and chuckled quietly to himself. "Well it doesn't matter. Once the Brutes are in combat, it won't be long until the city walls are secure again."

By this time, fighting had become excessively intense. Up towards the ramparts, Kang's troops congested, slowly pushing the intruders back. Lu Xun's coalition troops, unleashed devastating fire with the cannons they captured, blowing their aggressors down by the file.

"We have to hold our position!" the officer said.

"Where are the reinforcements?" a soldier cried.

From the ground, Lu Xun and the others watched as their offense seemed to waver on the walls. The sound of cannons came more common, followed by the occasional low moan of men and beasts dying.

"Our troops won't be able to last much longer the way things are going." He said.

"We have to open the gates now." Mulan added.

"Aren't those cannons in position yet?" Shang wondered.

"With the new moon in place," Lu Xun explained, "It's darker than usual. Not surprising that the troops would have a little trouble getting them in place. That's why I made precautions. We'll make the gates our vulnerable torch."

Suddenly, in the distance, the gates of the Imperial city went up in flames. Like an Olympic torch, the flames rose up. Lu Xun had ordered a task force to set fire to the gates, hoping to weaken it, using a combination of pig oil and some other natural adhesive, thus making the flammable substance stick to the thick wooden doors. The burning gates also allowed Lu Xun's troops a clearer path as they moved the cannons in place through the darkness.

"The cannons are in place, sir." An officer said, confirming the artillery position.

"Fire away then."-

Instantly, the cannons began to bellow, throwing large iron balls at the thick wooden gates. Because of Lu Xun's idea to set the gates a fire, the wood of the great doors had weakened, thus allowing the cannons an easier time to work through. It wasn't long before a final shot from the cannons blew a hole through the doors, large enough for Lu Xun's troops to charge through.

"The gates have been destroyed!" Lu Xun shouted. "The capital is ours! Forward men!"

From the darkness, thousands of men rushed the gates. Kang's troops hoped to defend the gap that was made in the gates, but they were eliminated with double blasts from the cannons. The battle intensified now that Lu Xun's troops had broken through.

Far from the Imperial capital, at castle Kokei, the KH team and their forces had achieved what was deemed impossible only a few days before by China's patriots. Kokei had fallen and many of the soldiers surrendered without much resistance. Seeing the castle as lost, they threw down their arms and were taken prisoner.

"That was one intense fight." Riku said.

"I guess when it came down to it," Sora added, "once they realized how vulnerable they actually were, it was pointless to resist."

"We hit them hard when we set the castle on fire. It's like they lost faith in their invincibility."-

As they walked through the demolished remnants of where once firm buildings stood, they chanced to reunite with Cuchulain and the others. Goofy and Donald were amongst them, checking out the conditions of the gummi ship.

"Hey," Goofy shouted, being the first to spot them. "Riku, Sora, you made it!"

"Hey Goofy," Sora replied.

"I see you guys managed to give these guys a run for their money." Cuchulain said.

"I'm glad to see that you guys are alright." Riku added, "Especially after contending with a force that large."

"It wasn't easy either."-

"Riku…" Ophelia said. She walked up to him and smiled. "It's good to see that you two are alright." Riku smiled.

"It's good to know you're okay too." Ophelia slightly blushed and returned the gesture.

Sora, in the meantime, glanced at the faces of the prisoners, taking the detail of each characteristic. It was at that moment that he spotted yet another familiar face amongst the captured masses. It was General Scimitar and she was surrounded by ten elite guards.

"Hey," he uttered, "Isn't that General Scimitar?"

"General Scimitar," Riku added, "Where?" The party looked to see the beaten figure of Scimitar sitting amongst the captives. "But how…? Was she captured?"

"My dad managed to defeat her in that fight." Cunla explained. "She's the only Blade General we managed to take in alive so far."

"Well, that's a relief." Sora said.

"A little disappointing though," Riku implied.

"Why's that?"-

"I would have liked to battle her again and show her how much we've improved since Agrabah."-

"You guys definitely improved," Cuchulain said, "But I had my own score to settle with her."

"It was your right from the start though."-

"I did manage to scrape this off of her." The Hound pulled from his pocket the fourth puzzle piece. "Another piece retrieved."

"Great work, Cuchulain." Riku took the piece from his hand. "We're one more piece closer to rescuing Mickey, Minnie, and Daisy and restoring the Disney Kingdom to its former grandeur."

It was then, amidst the dying flames and chattering of ally and enemy alike, the sound of shouting and distant cannon fire was heard.

"It must be the fighting going on at the stone sentinel maze and the Imperial capital." Cuchulain said.

"Uh, guys," Sora uttered, "Exactly how long has that light been there?" He pointed upward towards the night sky. The team looked up to find Zhuge's bright pillar of light towering over them. "That's not Zhuge's signal is it?"

"I think it is." Cunla said. "That's the deployment signal he mentioned at our military council. I'm surprised that you didn't notice."

"We were a little too busy down here to notice much." Riku replied.

"That's one big signal." Sora uttered. "When Zhuge said we couldn't miss it, he wasn't kidding."

"Oh, that's right," Donald said, "They must've started their advance on the Imperial capital and we're suppose to support their ground attack with the gummi ship."

"Then we better get going?" Riku ordered. "We have to dethrone Kang while we still have the chance."

"But what about Zhuge?" Ophelia asked. "I can feel three large power levels in his vicinity. They may prove to be troublesome."

"Alright then, here's what we'll do. Sora, you go with Goofy and Donald and help break up those defenses at the imperial capital. In the meantime, the rest of us will go and aid Zhuge Liang. Once our task is done, we'll meet up with you."-

"Right," Sora replied. The team quickly split up and headed towards their separate destinations.

In the meantime, the Brutes and the Bruins, the juggernauts, wolves, and Onyxes were pummeling the resistance fighters, stationed in their pits and trenches. Zuo Ci, who had accompanied Zhuge Liang, was now engaged against the beasts and soldiers, using all his abilities to save the lives of his comrades.

"The situation grows worse for us." He said to himself. "Such unexpected strength the foe has."

Zhuge in the meantime watched as Kang's forces quickly turned the tables. Though the soldiers were easy to battle, it was the beast soldiers that were the true menace in the sentinel maze. Using their keen sense of smell and animal like abilities, these ferocious creatures were able to track down Zhuge's troops and slaughter them. To add, because this was the first time the Brutes were deployed in a major campaign there was no knowledge on how to defeat them. The Brutes tossed Zhuge's troops about as easy as a reaper to his wheat.

"This situation does not look good." He said. "The strength of the enemy was completely unexpected. These beasts are too powerful even for us. They easily pummel my troops about."

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a spirit wave bellowed, rushing towards the strategist upon his position. Zhuge quickly evaded as the beam hit, scorching the ground it touched. He looked to where the source came from.

"So I finally found the source of this maze." A voice said. Zhuge saw before him a darkened figure. "You shouldn't give yourself away like that, sir, it's a perfect way to attract enemies."

"You are a practitioner of Tao aren't you?" Zhuge said. "Who are you?"

"I am Kanon, the commander of the evil mystics and head commander of Emperor Kang's military."

"Kanon, eh…?"-

"You really placed my troops in a fix and you've made a mockery of our superiority for long enough." Kanon drew his sword which accumulated a strange red glow. "I'll see you dead this day." He charged Zhuge with all his might. Zhuge evaded then blocked as the first sword swing came down upon him. "Once you are dead, then this trap's effects will disperse, and we can continue on to castle Kokei."

"That is if you still have soldiers left to lead and if Kokei hasn't already fallen."-

"Our troops will never fall before you! They are too skilled and too dedicated! Not to mention, they know that Kokei is an invincible fortress. It can't be pummeled by any force."

"But then again, that is the single greatest weakness that fortress has."-

In the meantime, Zuo Ci and his troops were cornered by the Brutes, who massed by the dozen.

"There are too many of them." One of his soldiers cried.

"There is no need to fear." He said. "Help is on the way."

"How do you know?"-

"I can feel it in my bones."-

The Brutes drew closer, their beast and human comrades standing side by side to aid them.

Suddenly, from out of the mist, seven spheres of fire bellowed upon Kang's troops, eliminating many of them. The Brutes were the first to be targeted. While the fire attack defeated a few, there were those who were unaffected. But such a situation was expected, thus a sonic wave descended and struck the remaining Brutes.

"That fire, that explosion," one of the coalition officers uttered, "Where did it come from."

"Behold," Zuo Ci said, "our aid comes."

From out of the fog, Riku and his party emerged.

"I hope we're not too late." Riku said.

"As I had expected, you have arrived and not a moment too soon."-

"Those big steel things, the Brutes, there are two separate types. One type can only be affected by rune and magic spells. The others can only be hindered by physical spells."-

"I see."-

"C'mon, let's end this thing." Cuchulain implied. The group and their companions dashed out into the fog and battled against Kang's remaining forces. With the secret behind the Brutes' strengths, the iron monsters were easier to pummel.

Zhuge all the while continue fighting with Kanon, using every rune spell and chi attack they could muster, at the same time striking feather of fan with steel of sword. But during the battled, Zhuge could sense the sudden change in the battle's tide. He slightly grinned.

"The tide of battle has turned." He thought to himself. Kanon saw this temporary grin and it bothered him.

"What the hell are you smiling for?" he demanded.

"It's nothing of your concern."-

"You dare to talk down to me do you?" The two continued to clash away. The tide of battle had again turned, this time against Kang's soldiers.

At the capital, Lu Xun's forces were now battling against the same resistance as Zhuge's troops did in the sentinel maze a while before. The Brutes were unleashed and they had no way of defeating them. Though some were struck down, there were others that did not waver. It was due to these Brutes that the attacking coalition began to waver.

"Man," Mushu uttered, "These guys are cramping my style!" He spit out fireball barrages to cease the assault of the Brutes, but it has no effect.

"We can't stop those iron monsters!" Shang said. "Even the cannons had no effect."

"We can't give up, Shang." Mulan replied.

"C'mon, we can take 'em!" Yao shouted. "Let me at 'em!"

"This is getting monotonous!" Ling added.

Lu Xun found himself fighting against three powerful Brutes and forty elite troops. Though the elites were simple to take down, it was the Brutes' presence that made the confrontation difficult.

"These stupid things have to have weakness somewhere!" he uttered to himself. Just then, one of the brutes swung its sword and forced him to fall to the ground. Lu Xun found himself surrounded by the enemy. But as it seemed an end was near, death was relinquished of its blow when attacks from above struck down the Brutes and the soldiers. From the air, Sora appeared, standing next to Lu Xun.

"Are you alright, Lu Xun?" he asked.

"Sora…" Lu Xun replied.

"Those Brutes can be hindered by either elemental spells or physical strength. Those not effected by element, hit them with your physical strength. Those not hindered by physical strength, give them a good dose of magic."-

"I see." Upon seeing two more Brutes, Lu Xun took Sora's advice and unleashed a fire attack. The fire hindered the first, but didn't touch the other. Lu Xun, using his swift attacks, struck the second Brute, forcing it to crash down. "Now I see what you mean. Thanks Sora."

"Pass the word along and take down these guys!"-

"Yeah!" The two charged and continued to fight.

In the meantime, Donald maneuvered the gummi ship and fired at Kang's forces, inflicting heavy casualties upon the ranks. As at the sentinel maze, Kang's supposedly invincible army began to crumble.

Now, very corner of the stone maze displayed death. Zhuge's troops, from their fixed positions, maintained a continuous barrage, while others used sneak attacks to inflict damage. And with members of the KH team aiding them, Kang's deployed force of thirty thousand seemed to dwindle quickly. This time, not even the Brutes and the Bruins were much of a threat. Within the course of a single day and night, their effectiveness on the field had been severed in two. They were no longer the scourges of China. Their first appearance since Kang's first takeover, and the beasts were rendered obsolete, especially with warriors like Riku, Ophelia, Cuchulain, and Cunla present.

"We got them on the run!" Cunla shouted, striking down enemy troops left and right. The line held against Kang's infantry and pushed them back inch in by inch, leaving behind a manifestation of death and destruction that could only described as a harvest frenzy for death's eager scythe.

Overwhelmed by the sudden resistance, Kang's troops scattered in every direction within the maze, hoping to avoid doing battle with the KH team. The loyalist troops of the former emperor cheered and continued their charge.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Ophelia said. "Yesterday morning, these troops had China on its knees. Now, within the course of a day, Kang's military might has crumbled."

"It was due to several factors though." Cuchulain implied. "First there was our last change from morning battle to night battle, which gave us a stronger element of surprise and stealth. Then, we stormed and torched a vital and supposedly invulnerable fortress to Kang's military. We discovered several weaknesses behind even his most feared beasts. And finally, because of our presence in this world, our driving force has motivated the people's hopes and their urge to fight, which resulted in the death or defeat of some of Kang's most powerful officers as well as the capture of General Scimitar of the Midnight Faction."

"So in a matter of speaking," Riku said, "We've already won this fight."

"Yeah, that about tops it off."-

"From this point on," Cunla added, "Kang's guys don't stand a chance against us."

But the hypothetic statements of Riku and his allies were short lived. As they watched the loyalist troops move forward, there was a sudden explosion, a sonic boom supposedly, which blew the charging soldiers away, forcing many to spring high into the air and land upon the ground, or hitting jagged rock formations, receiving mortal wounds or death. Dust and wind intermingled with the nightly mist and blew strong gusts into the faces of the KH team.

"What the heck was that?" Ophelia uttered.

"I don't know." Riku replied.

"Whoever it is," Cuchulain said, "They have a terrific fighting strength." He felt the lingering air for traces of energy. "There are two of them facing us as we speak."

"Two of them…?" Cunla asked.

"Your right, Cuchulain," Riku agreed, "There are two of them facing us."

From the darkness of shadow and falling of debris, the two figures of Sheva and Kresh appeared. Their eyes glistening with a thirst for battle and revenge, they confronted the KH team.

"Well, well," Sheva said, "What have we here?"

"They must be the troublemakers that started this whole ordeal no doubt." Kresh added. "They're garments are not like that of this world." Sheva looked at each of the faces of the KH team.

"You must be the KH team that we've heard so much about."-

"She knows who we are?" Cunla wondered.

"How do you know us!" Cuchulain asked.

"You must be the one they call Cuchulain." Sheva said.

"How do you know my name?"-

"By your appearance, you seemed to match that description. And by your deed, defeating and slaying the mighty Roc, your reputation has preceded you." Sheva then glanced at young Cunla standing next to his father. "And I take it that's your son, Cunla."

"You know me?" Cunla asked.

"You were the one who supposedly slew Konga, am I correct? How could a mere boy be able to achieve what even the greatest warriors in this world could not? For that matter, how could such individuals be able to topple the greatest military force this world has ever known!"-

"At first we thought you were intimidating." Riku declared. "But after a while, we realized how far behind you were in means of military ability. And once the people came to realize that you could be beaten, their hopes were rekindled."

"You must be one of the key bearers." Sheva declared. "I can tell by the weapon you wield. You're the one that the Imperial Axis hates the most. You must be Riku."

"How do you know my name?"-

"It seems to fit your personality and your characteristics more. The name Riku has a fierceness and ruthlessness to it than the name Sora."-

"And how did you come to know of this?" Cuchulain demanded to know.

"An acquaintance of yours kept us well in formed. She is a leading commander of the Midnight Faction. Perhaps you've heard of her, General Scimitar."-

"Yes, we knew that she was here." Cuchulain drew into his inner thoughts. "Well, Maeve certainly was thorough in describing us."

"You know so much about us," Ophelia said, "But you still haven't told us who you are! Who are you?"

"We are the ones to end your rampage." Kresh declared. "We are the top of Kang's military might. I am Kresh!"

"And I am the spouse of Emperor Kang." Sheva added. "I am Queen Sheva."

"So now that we have made a formal introduction, allow us to end your lives!" Kresh rushed forward and swung about his _double club staff_. Using all the strength he could muster, he slammed his weapon to the ground, causing a powerful eruption. The KH team was quick to react as the large warrior wreaked havoc upon them. The eruption caused further clouds of dust and debris to bellow, adding on top the already limited vision.

"I see," Cunla thought to himself, "He's one of those warriors. Kresh uses that large _double club staff_ to strike down his enemies, using the full force of his brutish strength to finish off his opponent. So he was the one who caused that last explosion."

"This is it!" Kresh shouted. He rushed in, swinging his club at his enemies. The KH team was quick to dodge.

"That was close." Riku uttered. He landed safely upon the ground. He gazed down at his shirt and realized that it had been torn, revealing his well chiseled physique. "Any closer and I might have been gutted like a fish." But without warning, Riku coughed up blood. This came as a shock to the others.

"Riku," Ophelia cried.

"What is this?" Riku thought to himself as he gazed at his own blood. "I wasn't even touched by the club, but I'm bleeding inside."

"That guy, he uses sound waves to cause damage on the enemy."-

"That attack was similar to my own, Ferdia's Bane." Cuchulain thought to himself. "Kresh concentrated his own chakra to the tips of his clubbed staff. This in turn will cause maximum damage. Though the club missed Riku altogether, the effect was not altered. As a result, Riku's insides were beaten up like a slab of meat. And since the end o the staff is clubbed, it has a hundred times the effect because of the area it occupies. But any ordinary opponent would be dead now. Thank God Riku's a tough guy and doesn't go down that easily. However, if he were to have been struck with the mace itself, I fear that the damage would have been a hundred times greater on his body, both in and out."

"I'm not finished yet!" Kresh declared and lunged at Riku, who was still staggering from the last attack.

"It's over for that upstart." Sheva chuckled to herself. "Riku was unfortunate enough to receive the blow from Kresh. Now that he is maimed, he'll be the first one to die by his hand."

But as it seemed over for Riku, Cuchulain jumped in at the last moment and blocked the blow with the Gae Bulga. He held off Kresh's staff with all his might.

"Don't you interfere," Kresh shouted, "You'll have your turn soon enough!"

"I don't think so!" Cuchulain implied. "You want Riku? You'll have to go through his friends first!"

"That shouldn't be a problem then!" Kresh pushed his weight on the Hound's weapon. "I'll break that toothpick of yours in half!"

"You underestimate the Gae Bulga's ability as much as you underestimate our ability to work as a team."-

"What…!"-

Suddenly, from behind, Kresh felt a sharp sting to the back of both of his calves. Ophelia had unleashed her fans and severed the ligaments in the back of his legs.

"You didn't forget about me did you?" Ophelia said. "You attack my friends, you deal with me first!"

Kresh staggered to the ground. This gave Cuchulain the opportunity. He struck Kresh's weapon backwards, forcing the large warrior to fall rearward. Still holding onto his staff, he exposed his front entirely. Cuchulain swung around.

"This is it!" Cuchulain made a thrust towards Kresh's gut, hoping to deliver the final blow. But at the last minute, Kresh threw out his left hand and caught the head of the Gae Bulga. He held on, hoping the spear wouldn't pierce him. With all his might, he tossed the Gae Bulga aside. The Hound only swerved and went into a defensive position. "You're not bad, Kresh. Not bad at all."

With his legs severed, Kresh could only stagger.

"You'll have to do better it you want to defeat me!" Kresh uttered. But suddenly, like Riku before, he spurt our blood from his mouth. "What is this…?"

"Don't think you're the only one who can use sound waves."-

"I…impossible…"-

"A man like you only depends on his brute strength only. However, because of that, you lacked speed, which is the reason it was easy to topple you."-

"Why did you interfere with our battle?"-

"You never said that it was gonna be a one on one bout now did you."-

"Besides," Cunla added, "You were the first one to take a swing at all of us at once."

"Not to mention you hurt Riku." Ophelia added. "And that's something I can't allow to go unpunished."

"Impossible," Sheva uttered, shocked at what she saw, "They managed to subdue Kresh in a matter of minutes." She clutched her fist. "If he could lose so easily to upstarts…"

"Give up while you still can." Cuchulain said. "It doesn't have to end this way."

"I refuse to give in to the likes of you!" Kresh shouted. He staggered again. "I will continue battling."

"It's over for you, Kresh." Riku said with his wounds again healed and energy restored. Kresh was stunned again.

"You," he uttered, "You should be staggering like me!"

"Well, I have means that aid me in my time of need."-

"You…"-

"It's pointless to fight anymore. Your legs have been severed in the back and you've taken severe internal injury. Further resistance would be futile."-

"I will not lose to the likes of you!" He drew up his heavy weapon. "I will fight to the end!"

"If that's how it's going to be, then so be it." Cuchulain declared. "Let us finish this honorably."

But as both sides took their places, Kresh was struck from behind without warning. Both he and his opponents were shocked. Kresh turned his head to find none other than Sheva standing behind him.

"But why Lady Sheva…?" Kresh uttered, "Why…?"

"If you are so easily beaten by this lowly rabble," Sheva replied. "Then your services and your life are no longer in demand. Kang has no need for such weaklings to be a part of his military." Kresh, still confused, fell to the ground dead.

"Oh my God." Cunla uttered. "She killer her own comrade."

"What's your deal!" Cuchulain shouted.

"He was of no use to us anymore." Sheva replied.

"But that didn't mean you had to go and kill him!"-

"So what? He would have died anyway. What's the difference whether he meets his fate be it by a foe's hand, or my own?"-

"At least he would have died honorably, knowing that he gave it his best. Instead he dies at the hands of those he served faithfully."-

"He was nothing more than meat on the table for my lord."-

"If that's the case," Riku said, "Then you're nothing but meat as well."

"You're wrong, Riku. I cannot be so easily defeated as Kresh. And I will show you what I mean."-

Sheva suddenly separated in several forms of herself.

"Those are decoys." Cuchulain uttered.

"Almost like self made clones." Ophelia added.

"Now, behold my strength!" Sheva shouted. The clones rushed the KH team. Riku and the others drew up their weapons, ready to take the onslaught. But suddenly, the Sheva clones began to disperse and turn every which way around the four warriors. Then, using her energy, she unleashed a barrage of powerful sound waves that cut and distorted the rocky soil.

"Evade!" Ophelia shouted. The team quickly dodged and evaded the shock waves, which were purely visible like brightly lit blow heads, tearing up the ground. Back and forth, the team eluded, rolling and jumping to avoid being struck by the rushing surges of energy.

"There's no hope to defeat me." Sheva chuckled, her voice seeming to echo in the mist. "I am not a brute that depends upon his physical strength alone to battle. No, I'd rather much prefer to kill my opponents quickly and from an indirect approach such as what you are witnessing presently."

"She's a completely different type of fighter." Cunla said silently. "She doesn't fight her opponent head on. She uses more of a ninja style, attacking from any way she pleases, hoping to catch her opponent off guard by use of deception. To top it all off, she avoids close contact all together and slowly wears us down with this endless barrage."

"You can't out dodge my attacks forever!" Sheva declared. "You'll make a mistake sooner or later!"

"I've had enough of this!" Ophelia shouted. She threw one of her fans towards one of the clones, but on impact, the clone quickly diminished.

"You can strike back all you want, but I can easily replace it with another clone and continue with my onslaught."-

"There has to be a way to break this." Riku thought to himself.

"Idiots, you have no hope to break my technique! You barely have enough time to evade, let alone attack me! Your dodging will come to an end sooner or later. In fact let me end it for you!" Sheva suddenly deployed a plethora of gleaming orbs that hovered about the air as if they were wandering souls. Like stars upon the ground, the encircled the KH team.

"What the heck are those?" Cunla uttered. Just then a shock wave came rushing at him. The boy dodged the attack only to find himself confronted by another shock wave. Again he dodged, successfully avoiding the surge. But to his dismay, Cunla came face to face with one of the glowing orbs. The minute he touched it, he was repulsed and an electric surge flowed through his body. Almost instantly, he felt as though his body felt heavier.

"Cunla," Cuchulain cried out.

"What was that? Why does my body feel so heavy?" Cunla then saw another sound wave rush through the ground at him. He tried to evade, but for some reason, his energy had been drained. "I can't move fast enough."

"Cunla," The Hound rushed in, grabbed his son and withdrew. He held Cunla tightly. "Son, what's wrong?"

"My body, my body seems so heavy."-

"It has to be that orb of energy." Cuchulain realized their purpose. "I see now. They're meant to limit our dodging ability. They not only repel us, but they also drain the energy from out bodies."

"There's no hiding anything from you is there, Cuchulain." Sheva said. "Those orbs are meant to limit your movement. If the waves don't strike you, then you'll end up running into one of those orbs by mistake. They in turn neutralize your energy for substantial amount of time making your reaction time slower."

"It's similar to some of the techniques that Kahn used almost a decade before."-

With orb and surge at her command, it seemed that Sheva indeed had the upper hand, using a combination of strikes, which made her unapproachable and invulnerable.

"She's not letting up on us for a minute is she." Ophelia said. "Using a combination of deceptive techniques, a constant barrage of energy and unleashing orbs to limit our movements, Sheva's got us pinned down. We can't possibly defeat her in this position."

"There has to be a way to break this." Riku implied. "We have to think of a strategy and quick. Otherwise, we're good as dead."

In the meantime, Zhuge was having enough trouble trying to defeat Kanon, who relentlessly attacked. Like a persistent insect hoping to draw nurturance from a blooming flower, Kanon unleashed hell upon the strategist. He even unleashed a clone attack in which five or six copies of himself battled Zhuge at once. Simultaneously they struck at him like hornets.

"You never thought that you'd battle six of us now did you?" the six clones said.

"He's good," Zhuge thought to himself, "I can't tell which is the real one and which are his clones." The six struck at Zhuge from every direction, but the strategist managed to hold his own, avoiding the blows intended for him. But such a fight against six strong opponents armed with swords was impossible, especially for Zhuge who was a mere strategist armed only with his rune attacks and battle fan. It came to the point where Zhuge was on his last legs.

"This can't go on." Zhuge thought to himself. "This man, his fighting skills are impressive, cloning himself six times to battle against me from all fronts."

"You can't beat the leader of the mystics, sir." Kanon declared. "I am completely out of your class!" One of the Kanon clones unleashed a sonic boom that threw Zhuge back fifty feet or so. The strategist fell upon the rocky soil, soiling his elegant robes. Zhuge staggered, but collapsed again. The six mystics stood over him, vultures thirsting to ravage upon a festering corpse. Believing Zhuge to be defeated, Kanon regressed into his original self, retracting the clones back into his being. He cracked his neck a little. "You weren't much of a challenge. You're pathetically weak. But I guess that was why you hid yourself from me. You hoped that no one would find you and thought that no one could reach you so far over the battlefield. Well, I got news for you! You weren't clever enough to evade me. Being a mystic and all, I knew that you would conceal yourself until the battle was won. But you never figure on me being here now did you."

"Are you finished rambling?" Zhuge uttered.

"Do you long for death so quickly?"-

"It is not my death you have to be concerned with, but your own. You underestimate my abilities."

"As far as I'm concerned, your skills don't impress my at all. From the way you battled me, you never once really confronted me head on. Instead, you sulked around, avoiding an all out fight, even when battling me and my clones."-

"Brute strength does not win a battle and neither is charging in recklessly. You seemed to do that throughout the entire course of our confrontation."-

"But you were stalling, hoping to buy time for your comrades, hoping they would emerge victorious in the end. But such hopes are false. Now, the efforts of you and your comrades shall end." Kanon aimed his sword at Zhuge. "But know this. At least I gave you the privilege of a few last words. Have you any before I cut you down?"

"There will be no need for that." Zhuge inhaled and exhaled, concentrating in deep meditation. "I already know the end of this fight."

"So be it." Kanon attacked full force, not holding back. "Then die!"

But Zhuge, expecting such an attack, quickly retaliated. Throwing his fan before him, he deployed an unexpected rune attack for the first time in the fight. A surge of energy came forth, circular in appearance and flat like a coin. Around it, the symbols for the incantation made to deploy the technique. It came in view just as Kanon slashed his sword downward, hoping to cut his opponent in half. But the energy repulsed his word back, almost like a shield. Kanon's arm went numb.

"What was that?" he uttered.

"It's the end." Zhuge said. Kanon saw as the strategist accumulated his energy before him, in the form of a burning white light. "This ends now!" Using all his strength, he unleashed his spiritual strength into a barrage of energy beams. Kanon was caught completely by surprise.

"Impossible…" he uttered. At point blank, Kanon was struck, his body torn and battered about. Zhuge was relentless in his attack. The beams were drawn to Kanon, each one tossing him and striking him without pause.

"The end was coming. But you never thought it would be your downfall now did you!"-

"You…"-

"It's over…" With one final execution, Zhuge deployed a powerful energy wave, ten times bigger than the ones used to jostle Kanon about. The light burned hot and bright overwhelming Kanon engulfing his body in divine flame. And for an instant, one could almost here a blood curdling scream of the mystic intermingling with the roar of the rune. As the light faded, there was nothing left of Kang's favored general. Zhuge wiped the dust and sweat from his face. "Destiny did not favor you, which is the reason why you failed."

Though the fight between Kang and Zhuge ended with little excitement and a rather anti-climactic outcome, the same could not be said in the fight between the KH team and Kang's ambitious wife, Sheva, who unleashed an almost apocalyptic act of vengeance and loathing upon Riku and his comrades. Riku and his friends were struck from every direction, at times getting caught by a sound surge, or struck by one of the orbs floating about. Wounds and injuries were inflicted, some of them severe, or fatal. Only then did the team members consume the bottles of potion they had on their individual persons. However, their potion supply by this time was running low and Sheva was still at her peak, being unrelenting as ever.

"It's no use," Cunla said. "She has an unbreakable technique. As long as we're caught in this vortex, we're at her mercy."

"That is if she's even capable of mercy." Cuchulain added.

"There has to be a way to stop her! Our potion vials are running on low. I only have two vials left."-

"I only have two as well."-

"If you have any ideas," Ophelia said, "Now's the time to share them."

"I got nothing."-

"Riku, what about you?"-

"I'm thinking, I'm thinking," Riku replied, still evading the attacks. "There has to be a way. Sheva is standing a good distance away from us, avoiding a head on attack while pummeling us with energy surges. If we try to attack her, she'll be able to see it coming ahead of time. And even if we do attack successfully without her seeing us, there might be a chance that we'll attack a clone, rather than the real person. We have to concentrate long enough to get a precise location, distinguishing on which is the real Sheva and which are her clones. But at the way things are going, we won't be able to concentrate on her spirit long enough to get an accurate reading." It was then that Riku had a brilliant idea, still dodging away as he did before. "I have it! Cunla, Ophelia, I'll need your assistance."

"What do you want us to do?" Cunla asked.

"You have a plan?" Ophelia asked.

"Yes." Riku explained. "To defeat Sheva's deception, we'll use our own deceptive strategy. I'll use Cinder Canister and Iceberg Shuriken to slow her down, at the same time unleashing the Darkness Decoys to confuse her. The strike should take her mind off of us. For that brief moment, you have to focus on her spirit's aura. Once you get a lock on, use your teleportation technique to transmit both you and Cunla in front of her path and strike her. Hopefully, you'll be able to strike her down for good."

"Right,"-

"Then let's do this!" Riku formed the Cinder Canister and deployed the seven fiery orbs around them. Flame erupted, causing confusion on both sides. He then deployed the Iceberg Shuriken that spread and froze about. Ice and fire made steam bellow up, making the mist around them thicker than before.

"What fools they are." Sheva chuckled to herself, watching the elements fall around her with no concern. "Do they really believe that such attacks will work against me?" But no sooner had she uttered that, she noticed several forms attacking her from her rear. "I see, those elemental attacks were only meant as a diversion to catch me off guard. Not a bad strategy, but not good enough to defeat me!" She unleashed another surge and watched as it struck the figures down. "You thought you blinded my vision, but it is you who has been blinded, deceived by your own attempts."

"That's what you think!" a voice shouted. Appearing before Sheva's path were Cunla and Ophelia. The two rushed at Sheva. Taken by surprise, Sheva at the last moment deployed her shock waves. Both KH team members were throw off, but the damage had been done as they were able to strike both of her arms and a deep cut in the side. Cunla and Ophelia lay upon the ground, dazed at what had struck them.

"You almost had me there!" Sheva said. But as she looked ahead, bursting from the thick mist and debris, the screaming Gae Bulga came at her as well. There was a deep thud and a piercing of flesh. Sheva was struck down by the Gae Bulga, pierced through the heart. She skidded, head flying backwards, into where the fire still burned hot. Sheva roared out in an agonizing scream as her body was consumed by the flames. "You have slain me!"

"You might have got the best of us," Cuchulain said, as he walked out of the mist to confront her, "But we learn quickly. Besides, it's not as if your techniques weren't unfamiliar to us. We've encountered many techniques like that before. The only reason why you had us pinned down is because we still hadn't caught on."

"Nice job, Cuchulain." Riku said.

"It was just in case Sheva managed to avoid the onslaught from Cunla and Ophelia. She's not your average fighter after all is she?"-

"Not at all." The team congregated near the flames where Sheva still burned.

"It's over for her then." Ophelia uttered.

"Well, I say good riddance." Cunla implied.

But as nightmares tend to linger, Sheva's cry for the KH team's downfall did not cease. As a final gesture, she summoned what was left of her strength to stand before the appalled heroes. Like a human torch, the evil queen staggered, her body overwhelmed by the flames.

"Though you have won this battle," she uttered, "It is far from over! You will never stop my lord from fulfilling his ambition! Let your bodies be the foundations to Kang's new empire!" With a final cackle, the smoldering remnants of Queen Sheva collapsed to the ground and stood up no more. Only the Gae Bulga stood erected, piercing a pile of ashes. Cuchulain retrieved his Gae Bulga which bore no heat, even from the intense flames.

"False prophecies do not waver me." He said.

"I don't know." Cunla uttered. "She may not be too far off."

From out of the fog, hundreds of Kang's beasts and soldiers appeared like phantoms of the darkest thoughts. The team was surrounded.

"Of all the times for these guys to show up."-

"Get ready for the next fight." Ophelia advised.

But no sooner had the soldier appeared, there was yet more battle raging on not too far. Then, like ghosts, talisman cards appeared, striking the soldiers down. There was then a clash of swords and screaming of men dying about by the hundreds. The ranks thus seemed to waver and break. Within seconds, both man and beast scattered their columns and fled.

"Drive them back!" a voice shouted. The team turned to find hundreds of loyalist soldiers rushing forth to aid them. Amongst the soldiers, a familiar face coming towards the team.

"Zuo Ci…" Cunla said.

"I see that you were able to defeat the last of the three commanders in charge here." Zuo Cu replied. "Master Zhuge Liang was able to defeat the third, Kanon."

"I see you managed to hold your own here."-

"Kang's relief force has been defeated. There were many casualties and the survivors have either been taken prisoner or have fled, avoiding capture. Either way, the battle is finished."-

"And so there is no need for the effects of the stone sentinel maze." Another voice added. The team found Zhuge approaching them. "Our task has been fulfilled."

"Zhuge…" Riku uttered. The sounds of battle within the maze grew dimmer until only the tranquility of the night resumed in its place.

"Things have quieted down. That means that the fight is over. I commend you for the courage of you and your friends, Riku. You managed to battle against two of the strongest officers under Kang's command. China is eternally in your debt."-

"It was nothing really."-

Around them, the fog began to recede and with it the confusing formations of rocks, stray torches, thick vegetation, and formations. The reality of the area was revealed. The mountain paths were rather flat and clear. Amidst the rocky soil were thousands of slain soldiers and beast on both sides. Many still moved about, stricken from the pangs made by their wounds, giving out groans of agony. Loyalist soldiers stood about, holding their prisoners in clumps.

"So many slain soldiers…" Cunla said, shocked by the sight of the dead and dying.

"Oh my God," Ophelia uttered, "This is not at all like what we were fighting in."

"The stone sentinel maze is basically an elusion technique that affects all the senses." Zhuge explained. "Therefore, you believe what you see, even though it isn't real."

"Brilliant…" Cuchulain said.

But their conversing was broken by the sound of distance cannon fire coming from the direction of the Imperial capital.

"Those explosions," Cunla uttered, "The fight at the Imperial capital must be getting worse."

"I hope Sora and the others are alright." Ophelia added.

"We have to give them a hand." Riku said. "We have to help Sora."

"But what about the mess here and at Kokei?"-

"With the head commanders defeated," Zhuge explained, "the relief force broken, and Kokei under our control now, the morale of Kang's surviving troops has plummeted drastically. So I doubt they'll stir up any trouble this late in the game."

"Zhuge and I will take it from here, overseeing the cleanup and details." Zuo Ci added. "You get to your friends. They may require your assistance right now."

"Understood," Riku said. He turned to his friends. "Come on you guys, Sora and the others might need our help."

"Yeah," the others replied. Grabbing their gear they went off without another word, their minds leading them to the safety of their comrades. Zhuge and Zuo Ci watched them disappear into the nightly atmosphere.

"Those young people will bring all worlds closer to the light." Zhuge implied.

"The fates of all people depend upon them." Zuo Ci added. "But I do not doubt that in the end, justice will prevail."

The two mystics turned about to take care of their business with the aftermath.


	74. Kang

Kang

The thundering of cannons and the screaming of men could be heard, slowly approaching the very heart of the Imperial capital. Kang heard the ruckus growing louder as the night hours passed. He sat in his throne, drumming his fingers. Another messenger came before him.

"The situation grows worse, your majesty!" he cried. "Our forces are being driven further into the city's center! The opposition grows more hostile! Though we inflict terrible casualties on them, they seem to just leak out of the woodwork! Now the people who live within the city have taken sides with this rebel coalition and are attacking our troops from both front and rear!"

"Have the gates of the palace been secured?" Kang asked.

"Yes, my lord."-

"Then open them."-

"Sir…?"-

"I said open them!" Kang ordered, angrily standing up.

"But my lord, you would be allowing the people to storm in!" the messenger said.

"I am not allowing them to come to me. I am going to them!"-

"But my lord you can't! It's too dangerous!"-

"I fear not this rabble! So why should I hide here any further!" Kang unleashed the power of the dragon orb. "So long as this is in my possession, then I have nothing to fear from anyone!" Kang descended from his throne. "Now give my men the order and open the gates! Have my elite bodyguards deployed to aid me!"

"As you command, my lord!"-

The messenger bowed and withdrew to relay the orders. Kang slowly walked out of the throne room.

"Depending too much on the use of a weapon instead of your own strength is dangerous." A voice uttered. A shadowy figure observed from the shadows.

"There is no need for you to be concerned." Kang replied. "Unlike that old fossil who used to sit in this throne before me, I at least have the ability to fend for myself." Kang said no more and advanced to the front.

The night was dark and terrible and fighting grew evermore intense and confusing, especially for the remnants of Kang's troops who now had angered civilians as well as hostile soldiers, attacking from both sides, to deal with. Beast soldiers were easily targeted, killed by barrages of arrows, cannon fire, or lasers unleashed by the gummi ship overhead. However, it was the Brutes that proved the most formidable and inflicted the most damage with their sword strikes and wind resistance. Several fires had been lit by the battling and a few of the districts, most in the poor area, were set aflame. So not only were there battle cries, but also the dying screams of civilians and soldiers who were engulfed by the fire.

Sora and his comrades slowly gained the upper hand as it seemed now Kang's elites had been reduced to peons. Some of Kang's soldiers, seeing the fight hopeless, quickly surrendered. Others, determined to show their loyalty to Kang, fought to a fiery end. After a period of intense fighting, the team and their comrades stopped for a while to catch their breath.

"We're doing it!" Sora shouted, joyfully as he watched the resistance against Kang grow stronger, advancing without pause, or mercy. "We're pushing them back!"

"The way things are going," Shang said, "This conflict should be over by morning."

"It better be," Mushu grumbled. "I've almost had about as much fighting as I can stand. I could really go for a meat bun right now."

"You'll just have to wait, Mushu." Mulan said.

"So now what do we do?" Yao asked.

"The best course of action," Lu Xun explained, "is to hold our ground and defend what we have gained thus far in case of a possible counter attack. At the same time, I will lead my troops forward to attack and take over the heart of the Imperial capital."

"Shouldn't some of us go with you though for support?" Sora asked.

"Yeah, I'll take Yao, Ling, and Chien Po with me."-

"Right," the trio replied.

"The rest of you stay here to guide our troops."-

"We got you." Mulan replied.

"Let's head out!" The four, along with their combat units, advanced further towards the palace of the emperor.

"Once Kang is overthrown and the former emperor restored," Shang said, "peace and stability will return to the people. But after everything that's happened, I should expect that restoration will be hard, especially for those worst hit by Kang's wrath."

"As long as we're able to overthrow him," Mulan added, "Then that's all that matters."

"The way things are going," Sora replied, "That shouldn't be too long from now."

But Sora's sentiments were short lived. From out of the shadows, Heartless appeared to aid Kang's forces.

"Oh great," Mushu uttered, "Not these guys again."

"Heartless, what a time for them to arrive." The allies drew up their arms and faced the attacking shadows. "Maybe things won't go as easy as I thought."

More battle erupted as the Heartless joined the fight in swarms. Like locust, the Heartless seemed to appear from out of nowhere, overwhelming the opposition in the front line. Cannon and arrow, sword and spear struck at the new foe, but nothing seemed to halt the assault.

"There are just too many of them!" Mushu cried.

"Their numbers are nothing!" Sora said. He unleashed summoning spell after summoning spell, but still the attacks didn't die down.

"The Heartless have maintained a strong defense this time." Shang said.

"Let's see how you little bugs like this attack," Sora declared. He drew his keyblade upward towards the sky and unleashed his new summoning spell, Brother Bear. Forming before him, a great bear appeared, roaring and snarling. Brother Bear lunged forward, slashing, rolling and striking in a fashion similar to the Bruins. The summoning spell was more than Sora and his friends expected, wreaking total devastation against the Heartless. But even so, the Heartless continued their advance, emerging from the darkness of the night without hope of stopping. Eventually, Sora had to dismiss the summoning spell and rely on his own abilities again.

"Man," Mushu grumbled, "After all that, we barely put a dent in their defense!"

"We can't hold off an attack like this forever." Sora added. "We need some help, that's what we need!"

"If its help you want," a voice shouted, "Then its help you get!"

From out of the darkness, two swirling fans appeared, their razor edge glimmering in the paleness of the night and the shimmering of the flames. The Heartless were cut down by the scores with that one strike. Following the fans, large balls of fire plummeted amidst the Heartless ranks, obliterating them into smoldering ashes. Riku and his comrades had arrived at last. They landed before their comrades, weapons at the ready.

"Are we late?" Riku asked.

"You're just on time." Sora replied.

"Alright, you shadows," Cunla declared, "Let's see you bear your fangs at the Son of the Hound!"

The KH team rushed forward. Riku, being the first to make contact, used the manipulation stone and unleashed his defected Heartless army against their own comrades. Now Heartless fought Heartless as well as beast and soldier of Kang. Left and right, the shadows diminished.

"We got 'em where we want 'em!" Mushu shouted.

"For China!" Mulan added.

Unleashing their full potential and unleashing everything in their arsenal, the KH team proved more of a match then over. Now with the Musou Gauge Recharge and the Brute's Resistance at their disposal, Riku and Sora were unbound in unleashing barrage after barrage of elemental and physical attacks. And elemental Heartless could not inflict damage against the key bearers by means of the basic elements. But despite their invincibility, they made sure not to unleash full scale attacks that may ruin the dwellings of the people who lived in the capital. Even as the Heartless ranks continued to swell and congest, overhead, Donald and Goofy in the gummi ship continued to unleash a constant bombardment to break them up.

After at least fifteen minutes of fighting, the ranks of the Heartless began to die down, there numbers dwindling to only a couple hundred. At the same time, Kang's troops, seeing the futility of the fight, dropped their weapons and surrendered. The prisoners were escorted to the rear. Those who refused to surrender fought 'til reaching a glorious demise. Those who wished to fight, but did not want to risk capture, turned and fled.

"We're winning!" Mushu cried. "We got them on the run!"

"It's all do to the help of everyone." Shang said. "Now, only an open road lies between us and overthrowing Kang."

But no sooner had he said that, there was a sudden explosion coming from above. The team looked up.

"What was that?" Ophelia asked.

"Look," Cunla cried. In the sky came a falling object, set aflame at its tail. As it drew nearer to the ground, the KH team realized what it was that plummeted. It was the gummi ship.

"It's Goofy and Donald!" Cuchulain shouted. "They've been shot down!"

"Goofy," Sora bellowed, fearing for the safety of his comrades, "Donald!"

They watched the burning gummi draw closer and closer to the ground until finally it skidded through the city, destroying buildings and houses along the way. The gummi finally rested against an old dwelling just outside of the city walls.

"Oh my God!" Riku cried, as he and the others rushed to the fallen ship.

"I hope that Donald and Goofy are alright!" Mulan added. They came before the scrapped vessel. Sora ran up to the hatch and opened it.

"Donald, Goofy," he hollered, hoping that they were still alive, "are you alright! Hang on in there!"

"Hang on to what!" Donald shouted, emerging with singed feathers and a blackened face. "This pile of junk doesn't have anything to hang onto anymore!"

"I feel kinda queasy…" Goofy uttered. He stumbled out of the cockpit, covered in soot and birds flying over his head. "Hey, I hear birds!"

"They're Dodos like you!"-

Sora smiled, his eyes slightly moist with tears. He hugged his comrades.

"I'm so glad you guys are okay." He uttered.

"Awe, don't worry, Sora." Goofy said. "We've gone through worse than that."

"If we can survive a sixteen ton safe being dropped on our heads," Donald added, "Then we can survive a little tumble like this!"

"But how were you guys shot out from the sky in the first place?" Ophelia asked.

"I don't really recall, but I do remember seeing a large ball of light coming at us before striking our tail."-

"A large ball of light?" Cuchulain asked.

"That's right. We were trying to help our soldiers attack the center of the city. Apparently, they met stiff resistance against Kang's troops. It looked as if they were losing and running away the last time I saw it."-

"Our guys were running away?" Riku asked.

"They sure were." Goofy began. "They seemed to skedaddle everywhere."

"We tried to help them." Donald continued. "It was at that moment when we saw the light. Then the next thing we knew, we were shot down and were falling fast towards the ground. I managed to sustain altitude shallow enough to skid across the ground instead of nosedive into the pavement. Whatever made that ball of light, it must've been powerful."

It was then, within seconds, the retreating soldiers of Lu Xun's units were seen, rushing in disarray towards the KH team and safety. They rushed passed the team, some of them wounded, others frightened beyond all reason.

"They're running away." Cunla uttered.

"No, you men," Cuchulain cried, "Stand and fight!" But none seemed to hinder his words. They continued on to the rear without saying so much as a sentence.

Suddenly, amongst the masses, Yao, Ling, and Chien Po emerged, retiring back to their lines.

"Yao, Chien Po, Ling," Shang shouted, "What is the meaning of this retreat? Why have you run away?"

"We tried to attack," Yao said, "But these new foes, they were just too powerful."

"New foes?" Riku asked. "What new foes?"

"They were strong." Ling replied, "They overwhelmed us. We had no choice, but to withdraw."

"Were they Bruins or Brutes?" Mulan asked.

"No," Chien Po explained. "They were new types of troopers. They moved like lightning, evading every attack we could throw at them. They killed our men by the scores. Our soldiers got scared and ran, even the veterans."

"They must be quite powerful if they can scare off even veterans."-

"What about Lu Xun?" Shang asked.

"We lost track of him." Ling said. "We got separated from him in the chaos. I don't know if he's alive or dead."

"I can't feel Lu Xun's energy signal around the place." Cuchulain implied. "There's just too much congestion of hundreds of different power levels."

"I hope that he's alright." Cunla added.

"Was there anyone leading these enemy troops?" Shang asked.

"There was." Chien Po stated. "It was a tall man, dressed in what looked like Imperial robes of the Emperor. He even had the head piece."

"Then, it must've been Kang." Sora said. "He's personally leading his soldiers to the front." Without a second thought, Sora rushed to the battlements.

"Where are you going, Sora?' Riku asked.

"We have to help Lu Xun. He might be in trouble!"-

"But it's suicide going that way, Sora!" Yao shouted. "You'll get killed!"

"I have to do something! We still have friends out there fighting!"-

"I'll go with you!" Riku replied. "The rest of you stay here and hold the line!"

"We'll go with you too!" Cuchulain said as he and the other members of the KH team stepped forward.

"Alright, alright, then those who are going, come with us. The rest stay behind."-

"We'll remain behind." Mulan implied.

"We'll hold the line while you're gone." Shang added.

"Right," Sora said, "Let's finish this with Kang once and for all!" The seven members of the KH team rushed forward, even as their allies withdrew from the front.

As they rushed to the front, before them were hundreds of soldiers and civilians, wounded, dead, or seeking shelter along the main route to the palace. As they came closer to where the intense fighting had taken place, the number of dead began to escalate as they lay stripped over the ground like logs.

"Oh my God…" Cunla uttered. "There are so many dead."

"Whoever this new foe is," Sora said, "They're accurate in what they do."

"Barely anyone's alive." Ophelia added.

It was amidst the smoldering scene and still forms that the groan of a dying individual was heard. The team looked about for the one survivor amongst the dead.

"Hey, where are you!" Sora cried. "We're here to help!" But as the key bearer looked down, he saw before him a familiar figure, lying face down on the road. "It can't be…" He ran towards the figure. It was the same individual who was moaning from his pains. By glancing at the familiar red design of the uniform, Sora knew who it was. It was Lu Xun.

"Did you find him?" Riku asked.

"It's Lu Xun, I found Lu Xun! He's been hurt!"

The team quickly ran to the side of the young strategist. Sora rolled Lu Xun over on his back. He held his dying companion in his arms.

"Lu Xun," he said, "Lu Xun, we're here." Lu Xun slowly opened his eyes and gazed upon his comrades.

"Sora…" he uttered in a dying gasp. "You guys came…" The young man cringed as the pain from his wound caused every vein to throb. Upon his upper rib cage was a large slash mark, bleeding profusely.

"He's been severely wounded." Cuchulain said.

"Goofy," Sora implied, "give me one of the potion vials."

"Here ya go." Goofy replied, pulling out a bottle from his vest pocket. "This'll make ya all better." He popped off the bottle's cork and poured the green liquid into Lu Xun's mouth. Within seconds, the strategist was back on his feet.

"Thanks, you guys." Lu Xun replied. "I thought I was a goner back there."

"Who did this to you?" Donald asked.

"We met stiff resistance. These new soldiers appeared. Their reaction time was greater than what the elite infantry are capable. They move more like ninjas."-

"Ninjas…?" Cunla asked.

"From what I could tell, they must've been Kang's personal bodyguards. They acted as the last line of defense."-

"They're that powerful, eh?" Ophelia asked.

"It's not that." Lu Xun replied. "When overwhelmed and attacked from different directions, they were easy to subdue, but it was Kang who was the biggest threat."

"So Kang was fighting at the front." Riku said.

"He unleashed a series of sweeping attacks that threw our men about like rag dolls. They jostled everywhere, many of them killed by the sudden effects of the impact and sound waves deployed at them. I was hit by one of those attacks. When the men saw me fall, they assumed me for dead and lost heart. That's why they withdrew. From what I can recall, Kang withdrew back to the gates with his men."-

"Has there been any trouble from Kang's troops?"-

"So far, no, I think Kang's troops have reached their limit."-

"Then you better secure the area here."-

"Goofy, Donald," Sora said, "You two stay here with Lu Xun and keep a strong defense until reinforcements arrive."

"We gotcha." Donald replied.

"Let's go."-

The team continued on their way, leaving Lu Xun, Goofy, and Donald to keep the area under their security.

It wasn't long before they reached a clearing in the town residence, just before the large gates. The team stopped just outside the outskirts of the residential area. Before them stood a battalion of soldiers, not like any seen so far in the campaign. These men were dressed in light armor, clothed in identical garments of red and yellow, a rouge main frock and yellow scarf around the neck. Upon their heads they wore a skull helmet with red tassel atop. At least a hundred of these men stood in straight ranks, ready to battle.

And before them was none other than Emperor Kang himself. Dressed in dark purple and black robes and bearing the headwear of a traditional Chinese emperor, his yellow eyes and pale purple skin making him more monstrous and sickly in appearance, Kang held the dragon orb before him. The orb now pulsated to a darkened mauve with red electrical surge.

"Who is that?" Cunla asked.

"That must be the big guy himself." Sora replied.

"I welcome you to my humble abode." Kang said. "And I commend you for reaching so far."

"You must be Kang." Riku declared. "And that thing you hold in your hand must be the dragon orb."

"Most commendable indeed, you even know the dragon orb. I must admit that you have surprised me entirely with this outcome. Your strength was completely underestimated by us, key bearers. Yes, General Scimitar kept us well informed of your formidable status."-

"Cut the compliment!" Cuchulain said. "You should know by now that it's a lost cause for you!"

"Kokei has fallen," Ophelia cried. "It is now in the hands of the people. Your most illustrious military commanders have been defeated, including your own wife, Sheva, meeting their fates in Zhuge Liang's stone sentinel maze. Your forces have been rendered obsolete against us and have scattered to the wind. Even General Scimitar was defeated. She's in custody of the Chinese patriots now."

"You're alone now, Kang." Cunla declared. "Your ambition stops here. There is no one to stop us now besides the company of men who guard you faithfully."

"Is that so?" Kang chuckled. "I beg to differ. So long as the dragon orb is in my grasp, then I am unbeatable."

"I don't think so."-

"You doubt my abilities? Then see for yourself what I am capable." Kang drew his power from the dragon orb that pulsated and illuminated its darkened light. "Now, go forth shadows and destroy those who oppose my might."

From out of the darkness, hundreds of sets of glowing eyes emerged from the ground. It became apparent that the Heartless were being summoned into battle again. They accumulated in huge numbers, surrounding the KH team.

"Heartless again…?" Sora grumbled. "Yawn…"

"You're gonna have to do a lot better than that." Riku said. "You're just digging your own grave summoning them."

"Whose grave you say?" Kang replied. "My faithful shadow army attack!" The Heartless attacked the KH team from all directions at the same time. But the five defiant warriors were not concerned. Riku drew up his keyblade and thrust it to the ground. There was a bright light that engulfed the Heartless. Kang and his men were blinded by the intensity. Within seconds, the light faded and the Heartless stood as if waiting to be ordered to advance. They were no more than two feet from striking the KH team, but they withheld their advance.

"Finish them off!" Kang ordered. But the Heartless remained steadfast in their positions. Kang grew angry. "Attack them you fools, attack! Destroy those who are your enemies!"

"You're right," Riku uttered, "They should attack and destroy their enemies." The key bearer drew up his keyblade again and pointed it towards Kang. "There is your target! Defeat him and his minions!"

The Heartless turned towards Kang and attacked with intense aggressiveness as they did a few seconds before. Only this time, it was Riku's command that they obeyed.

"You dare to defect against me!" Kang sneered. He looked at Riku. "It was that boy. He used some sort of a technique that manipulates the shadows against me." Kang then sighed, finally grinning. "No matter, the situation is still in my favor." He turned to his bodyguards. "Show these defiant shadows what happens to those who dare oppose the might of Kang!"

The body guards formed a fighting formation before their lord and took the blows of the Heartless head on. The result of the confrontation was as Kang had predicted. His bodyguards easily evaded the attacks of the heartless and pummeled the shadows into submission. For five minutes both sides watched as the bodyguards defeated a force six times their number.

"Those guys are good." Ophelia said to herself.

"No wonder Lu Xun's troops had to withdraw." Cuchulain added. "The way these guys conduct themselves, it's not surprising that they'd be able to defeat a larger force with so little effort."

As the last Heartless fell, the one hundred guards regrouped and took their positions behind their leader. Kang could only chuckle.

"That was an excellent strategy, but it was not good enough to battle against my elite guards." Kang drew up the dragon orb. "Now let us see if you can fare against them as easily." Kang gave the signal and his guards attacked the KH team all at once.

"Stay together, you guys," Riku said, "They might try to isolate us and take us one at a time."

"Let's see you bastards take on this little attack!" Cuchulain shouted. "He unleashed Ferdia's Bane and struck down ten of the guards with one strike. At the same time, Cunla used his swift attacks to strike the flanks of the guards and cut them down. Ophelia used her fans to confuse and disorient the guards, allowing her to lunge in with her dagger and strike her foes. Riku and Sora used joint attacks, combining elemental and physical attacks, striking from long range and the flanks.

Kang was struck in shock as he saw his supposedly elite bodyguards drop like flies.

"It can't be…" he uttered. "They're striking my elites down as if they were novice recruits."

It had been no longer than ten minutes before the last of the guards was defeated. The KH team stood ready to battle again, this time against Kang.

"That was too easy." Cunla chuckled, "So much for your elites."

"You dare to make a mockery of me?" Kang shouted.

"So far, we're not impressed." Sora replied. "You'll have to do better than that if you wanna beat us."

"If that be the case, then so let it be done." Kang raised up the orb. The dragon orb began to glow again. Then, from the slain body guards, a strange light appeared. The light seemed to revive the slain soldiers. To the shock of the KH team, the guards were resurrected and ready to assault them a second time.

"It can't be…" Ophelia uttered. "Those guards have come back from the dead."

"But how…?" Riku said.

"It's the dragon orb." Sora explained. "It has to be. How else could he have revived them?"

"He hasn't revived them." Cunla said. "He's only using their dead bodies. The souls of those men have passed on. The guards we see now are merely puppets."

Suddenly, the soldiers attacked again. Again the KH team went on the defensive, using the same means to defeat them as before. But this time, the guards were always revived, all one hundred of them. It came to the point where the key bearers and their comrades realized that fighting the guards was ineffective.

"It's no use." Ophelia said. "No matter how many times we fight these guys, they're always revived and sent back to fight us."

"How the heck are we supposed to fight these guys when they're already dead?" Sora asked.

"I told you before," Cunla reiterated, "These guys are merely puppets! The only way to prevent the puppet from moving is to defeat the puppeteer! I encountered the same predicament outside of Kokei when battling against warriors of the dead. You have to defeat the conjurers that keep them on their feet. In this case Kang is our primary target."

"Cunla's right." Ophelia said. "It stands to reason. The more we kill these guards, that orb Kang has glows again, reviving the slain soldiers."

"So the only way to defeat these guys is to get to Kang." Cuchulain said. "Then let's get him."

The team turned their attentions toward Kang, who stood vigilant away from the fight. Without warning, they charged at him.

"So they finally figured it out." He chuckled. "But seldom do they realize that I am not as easy to beat as they expect." Kang began to accumulate he energy. Before him, he formed ten energy orbs "Take this!" The orbs rushed in. Seeing the danger, Sora shouted to his friends.

"Evade," he cried. The team dodged the orbs as they fell. The impact was terrifying, unleashing powerful sonic booms, which blew the band off of their feet.

"You dare to attack me?" Kang chuckled. "Then you contend with the power of the dragon orb!" Kang suddenly rushed in like a demon. The team evaded his attack, but the aftershock caused them to fall backward.

"Those must be the sweeping attacks Lu Xun was talking about earlier." Cuchulain said. "I can see why they were forced to withdraw a single attack like that could wipe out an entire company of men with one swoop."

"Now he's unleashing manipulated guards and energy barrages at us too." Cunla added. "He's too strong for us."

"The only thing that allows him to do that is the dragon orb." Sora said. "It has to be. The energy I'm picking up is definitely not Kang's. His power is far weaker."

"If that's the case," Ophelia said, "Then all we have to do is strike him before he does." Using her fans, she threw them at Kang. The spinning fans were on target. But for some reason, the fans were deflected and sent spinning off in some other direction. "Impossible…"

"You stupid woman," Kang chuckled, "I bear the power of the dragon orb. Therefore, no mortal weapon can pierce through my shield. Did you really think I didn't put that into account?" Kang rushed at them again, striking both foe and friend alike without care.

"It's no use." Cunla said. "Ordinary weapons can't penetrate that shield."

"Let me try it then." Riku said. "If there's one thing I know about the keyblade, it's no ordinary weapon." He stood before Kang just as the emperor was about to unleash another sweeping attack.

"You dare to stand in my way, boy?" Kang chuckled.

"Watch who you're calling boy, Kang!"-

"Such a fool you are fighting me head on!"-

Seeing his opponent charging him, Riku countered with Kenshin Himura's attack of the Hiten Mitsurugi, Kuzu Ryu Sen. Both opponents struck each other. But Riku was the one who received the wrong end of the stick, falling with a ghastly wound across his abdomen, while Kang was virtually untouched.

"Riku," Sora cried.

"What did that whelp dare to accomplish against me." Kang chuckled. But his arrogant words were short lived. Upon his robes, were several cuts, come of them piercing through to cut his pale flesh. "It can't be. How could I have received these wounds? His weapon should have been deflected off my defense." He looked at Riku. "Perhaps what Scimitar said was right. The keyblade is not your ordinary weapon. I can't afford to attack either of the key bearers. They may just cut all the way through." Kang unleashed more orbs before him. "The only way to win this fight with the key bearers is to eliminate them from a safe distance."

"Riku," Sora cried, running to his comrade. Giving Riku a potion, he healed the young man. "Are you alright?"

"I am now," Riku replied as he leaped to his feet. "Thanks Sora." He gazed up at Kang. The emperor had ceased his sweeping attacks altogether now. "He's caught on. And there are wounds on him. Kang has stopped his sweeping attacks fearing that he might meet the same results if he strikes at us again."

"Riku…?"-

"This only means that the keyblade pierced through his supposedly impenetrable shield. If we could somehow outflank him and strike him from behind, or at least on his flank when he least expects it."-

"Then we should use a diversionary tactic. But how we're going to approach him is another matter. Not to mention we have these swarming bodyguards to get rid of."-

"Thank goodness we have the means." Riku turned to Ophelia. "Ophelia, we need your help."

"What can I do?" Ophelia asked.

"When the time is right, I want you to teleport Sora and yourself behind Kang. In the meantime, I'll do what I can to fool the guards and the emperor by means of the Darkness Decoys. Sora, I want you to unleash your light barrage to cover our movement."-

"I gotcha," Sora replied.

"You guys know your parts?"-

"I understand," Ophelia replied. She looked as Sora. "You ready for this?"

"Yeah,"-

"On my signal," The three bunched together. The guards surrounded them, aiming for the throat. As they pounced to deliver a final blow, Riku gave his command, "Now Sora!"

"Take this!" Sora unleashed his Corona Flash Barrage. The flickering bursts of lights bewildered the guards as well as Kang who looked on with wonder.

"What on earth is that?" he uttered to himself. But as the lights faded, from out of the shadows, then times the number of the KH team emerged and began battling the guards. "What, now there are fifty of them on the field! Blast it!" Kang fired another barrage into the crowd, eliminating the cloned KH team as well as his own soldiers.

"Man, he's going all out this time." Cuchulain said.

"It's Riku's attack." Cunla added. "He got scared thinking that there was ten times our number. That a boy Riku!"

"I did my part." Riku replied "It's up to Ophelia and Sora to finish it." The three remaining team members withheld their ground as the barrage continued around them. Dropping to the ground, they avoided a head on attack by any of the incoming orbs.

As the chaos died down, Kang beheld his handy work, there Riku, Cuchulain, and Cunla lay amidst all the stricken soldiers. Besides them, no sign of the other fifty or so fighters could no be found.

"It was all merely an illusion?" Kang thought to himself. He began to laugh. "Did you think I could be fooled by such a tactic?" He observed his handy work. "I have done it! Where all the others have failed, I have succeeded! I have defeated the supposedly invincible KH team! With the dragon orb in my possession, I am truly unstoppable!"

"Then you won't mind if we relieve it from you will you!" a voice shouted from behind. Kang quickly turned to find none other than Sora and Ophelia behind him.

"Impossible…!"

Before he could react, Sora used another one of Kenshin's Hiten Mitsurugi techniques, the Amakakeru Ryu No Hirameki. This swift attack struck and cut through Kang's defensive shield and struck him at the hand, which bore the orb. The dragon orb went flying from his hands. The orb hovered high into the air, free from Kang's grasp and slowly diminished its blackened color, returning to the form it once took. Like a star from the sky, it glowed profusely in a radiant white. Kang could only watch as his great instrument of destruction was taken away forever.

"No…" he uttered. "My power…" He fell to the ground, skidding across the dirt of the road. He staggered and looked about to see the power of the dragon star slowly departing. The KH team reassembled and looked upward towards the glowing orb.

"So that's what it looks like in its purest form." Sora said.

"It's beautiful." Ophelia added.

Higher and higher the orb went, reaching towards its home. As it drew further into the sky, the manipulated guards fell dead for good this time.

"The magic of the orb has faded." Cunla said. "The guards are down forever."

Once reaching the sentinel of heaven, the orb burst into a great display of light so that all could see. Throughout that field, from the walls of the Imperial capital, to the sentinel maze, even as far as castle Kokei and the mountain village where the fight was sparked, the sight of the star and the light was observed in awe and wonder. For a full minute the light lasted before fading away into the soothing night sky.

"Now at least the little dragon spirit can return home happily." Sora said.

"Our task is at an end." Cunla added.

"Well," Cuchulain said, "not quite."

"Yeah," Riku added, "we still have a tyrant to put in his place." But as they turned, they realized that Kang was gone.

"Where did he go?" Ophelia asked.

"He's gone!" Sora uttered, "That little coward!"

"Look!" Cuchulain shouted, pointing towards the huge gates of the Forbidden City. Kang was seen closing the gates behind him.

"He's going into the palace!" Riku said. "We gotta stop him!"

"Let's go!"-

The five warriors quickly pursued. They pushed at the gates, but realized soon realized they had been locked.

"It's been barred." Ophelia said.

"It doesn't matter at this point." Cunla stated. "Not even these gates can stop us."

"Let's fly over!" Sora implied. He unleashed the Flying Nimbus. "Hop on!" Cunla and Ophelia jumped onto the soft cloud. Riku and Cuchulain used their flight abilities and sprang over the walls as if they weren't there to begin with. In the dimmed light of the vast courtyard, they could see the form of Kang standing upon the stairs, clutching his hand, easing the pain.

"They could leap over walls?" he uttered to himself. "These key bearers and their comrades, they're not human."

"No use trying to run anymore, Kang!" Riku declared. "There's nothing that can protect you from justice!"

"Is there not!" Kang turned to face the five warriors. Once again he sighed, following it up by a sinister grimace. "So much for all you know, I still have one ace up my sleeve and it is a definite winner!"

"Stop talking and fight!" Sora demanded.

"Your reign of terror ends here!" Cuchulain added. "There's nothing that can stand in our way this time!"

"If you were smart," Kang implied, "you would have known better than to waltz in here with the gates closed shut behind you. That prevents your only means of escape."

"Then again," Riku countered, "It prevents your only way out too!"

"There's no escape for you!" Sora declared. "Surrender now or we'll have no choice, but to take you down!"

There was a silence between the tyrant and his enemies. But Kang, still determined to be defiant only laughed.

"I will never surrender to the likes of you petty ingrates!" he bellowed.

"If that's your answer, then so be it! Let's get him!"-

With weapons drawn, the five charged Kang with great fury. But as they neared the emperor, the ground suddenly began to shake beneath their feet.

"What is this?" Cunla wondered.

"The ground is shaking." Ophelia added. "But why?"

They looked at Kang who stood with a grin on his face, as if knowing what caused the rumble.

"Now witness the true terror of this world!" Kang shouted out at the top of his lungs. "Come forth, my faithful bodyguard!"

"More bodyguards?" Cuchulain grumbled. "Give me a break!"

"It must be an army of them this time." Cunla added. But Cunla's prediction was incorrect. Despite the rumbling, there was no one about them. No large body of soldiers lay in wait. There were no war cries, but only the rumbling of the ground intermingling with the night air and the crackling of the torches in flame. Just then, from the steps of the palace a large figure appeared, jumping through the sky towards the KH team.

"Look," Ophelia cried, "Above us!" The figure plummeted towards them at a fast pace. As it neared, the team realized that what they saw was the underbelly of a horse. The horse was a strange color of red. It was large for a horse and swift for an animal of its size. The beast fell nearer to the team.

"Everyone get out of the way!" Cuchulain cried. The five dodged the animal as it landed. The impact the horse made on the ground was enough to shake the very foundations of the earth. The imprint it left on its point of impact was a broken circle of cement.

"It can't be…" Cunla uttered shocked. "A horse can't crack pavement like that can they?"

The team looked about to behold the horse and its rider.

"What the heck is that, a monster?"

"A demon…?"

The rider turned about his horse to face the five warriors. He was a large individual, tall in stature and heavily armored. Intermingling with his armor of silver plates and blue trim, a red sash with an identical cyan hue draped from his left shoulder to his right leg, covering one of two leg pieces. Upon the left armored plate, there was a golden piece that crested to the level of his temple, perhaps to protect from blows to the throat. On the other shoulder piece, a gold dragon, fierce in appearance was stationed. Upon his head, he wore a gold cap with blue plumes in front and two antennae like feathers, indicating the crest of a Chinese general, though the two draping stems atop the reached to his lower chins, which was uncommon to most commanders. Upon his arms he word thick armored arm guards. Clutched in his right hand was a long staffed weapon, a halberd to be precise. But this was no ordinary weapon. It was larger than most halberds. Its head was largely crescent at the main front of the blade. The crescent was double edged to inflict maximum damage in either way. A bushy red tassel separated the blade from the staff. And upon the staff itself, the slithery body of an eastern dragon coiled around it from hilt to blade, its head stopping short of the tassel's draping locks.

"Who is that guy?" Ophelia wondered.

"Whoever he is," Cuchulain said, "He shouldn't be too tough. Just because he's heavily armored, doesn't mean that he's a good fighter."

"He's probably like Kresh." Cunla added. "He depends upon brute strength only rather than speed or cunning."

"He'll be just another sorry victim we had to slay, right you guys?" But as Cuchulain looked over at Riku and Sora, he realized that their enthusiasm was not as high. In fact, he could see in their eyes a sense of fear and dread. "Riku, Sora…? What's wrong?" Both key bearers were frightened at what they saw. Riku and Sora slightly backed off.

"It can't be." Sora uttered. "It can't be. Of all people, why'd it have to be…him…?"

"He's come for revenge." Riku added, sweat dripping down his face. "He's come to settle the score."

The fear in the eyes of the key bearers became apparent to the others that this was no ordinary foe they battled. Immediately, tension grew.

"Who is he?" Ophelia asked. "Do you know him…?"

"Behold, key bearers and company!" Kang chuckled. "Behold your executioner and my faithful bodyguard! It is he who will assure your demise and regain what I have lost this night!"

The protruding eyes of the mounted bodyguard looked upon Riku and Sora with vengeance.

"It's been a long time hasn't it, Riku, Sora." The rider implied.

"I can't believe this is happening." Sora said. "It can't happen. It just can't."

"Who is he?" Cuchulain asked.

"He's the one guy I hoped we would never have to battle against again." Riku replied. In unison, the fear forced the key bearers to utter his name.

"It's Lu Bu…!"


	75. Lu Bu

Lu Bu

A great foe from their past had returned. Like a nightmare resurrected, the might Lu Bu sat mounted upon a mighty red horse. Halberd at the ready, he smirked with a lustful thirst of battle.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" he said. "I never would have thought to meet with you again."

"To think that the final guy we have to defeat would have to be Lu Bu of all people." Sora uttered.

"Who is this Lu Bu anyway?" Cunla asked.

"He's the toughest warrior that China's ever known."-

"Is that so?" Cuchulain asked. "He seems more like a bunch of hot air to me, just a lot of muscle and no real skill."

"I wouldn't be so confident, Cuchulain." Riku implied. "He's much more dangerous than he looks."

Suddenly, Lu Bu kicked the sides of his horse and charged at the five warriors.

"Fodder, come and die," the warrior shouted. "I shall defeat you from atop of Red Hare!"

The horse rumbled across the open court yard at a speed the team found baffling and impossible for more horses.

"Get out of the way!" Ophelia cried. The five dodged the horse as it rumbled by.

"We have to knock him off his horse." Cuchulain said.

"That'll be easy." Ophelia took her fans and threw them at Lu Bu from behind. The fans came closer, ready to strike Lu Bu in the back. But as they struck, they fans seldom put a dent in his plated armor. The fans ricocheted off the back of the warrior's armor like flies. "Impossible, those fans should have been able to cut through."

"That armor is thick and layered with individual plates." Riku said. "It can't be so easily cut."

Lu Bu turned his horse about and rushed at the team again. Again the team dodged, but this time, Lu Bu raised his halberd in the air and struck the very ground the key bearers and their comrades stood on. The warriors were blown away by the sudden attack.

"What was that…?" Cunla uttered. "He caused a sonic boom with his halberd while mounted on a horse." The horse suddenly turned about and attacked the team again. He struck at the five while they were still down, allowing very little possibility of retaliation.

"He's got us pinned." Ophelia cried.

"This upstart, who does he think he is making a mockery of the Hound of Ulster?" Cuchulain growled. The Hound rolled out of the horse's way. "I'll show him he's not as high and mighty as he thinks he is." Cuchulain jumped up and thrust his Gae Bulga downward with and aerial sweep. Lu Bu, however, saw the attack at the last moment and blocked the blow with his halberd.

"Nice try, young man," Lu Bu chuckled, "But not good enough."

"Hey," a voice shouted. Cunla suddenly appeared behind Lu Bu, "You didn't forget about me did you?" His sword drawn, Cunla prepared to sever his foe's head from his shoulders. But suddenly, the horse kicked up and struck Cunla in the chest with its hind legs. The boy fell to the ground unconscious.

"Oh God," Ophelia cried, "Cunla!"

"Cunla," Riku and Sora shouted, watching the boy fall to the ground.

"Cunla," Cuchulain uttered. He sneered at Lu Bu. "You'll pay for that!"

"Don't give me that glare," Lu Bu chuckled, "It's not my fault the boy was stupid enough to attack me on a horse from the rear. Red Hare only did what was natural to him if he were being attacked from behind." He pushed the Hound away and galloped off.

Ophelia ran to the boy's side. Holding him in her arms, she realized he had suffered severe internal injuries and blood dripped down his chin.

"Cunla…" she whispered. "Cunla are you alright?"

"What happened?" Cunla uttered in a daze.

"You just got kicked by a horse."-

"Horse nothing, it felt more like getting slammed in the face by a big rig."-

"Here, take this." Ophelia pulled out a potion and gave it to Cunla, healing him instantly.

"Is Cunla alright?" Riku asked.

"Now he is."-

"That's a relief." Sora sighed with hope. "Hey Cuchulain, Cunla's alright!"

"That's good." Cuchulain replied. The team reassembled, prepared to battle against Lu Bu who was still mounted atop his red stallion.

"I have to give 'em this much," Lu Bu thought to himself, "They're not ones to give up so easily."

"Incredible," Kang uttered as he watched the battle from afar, "Despite Lu Bu's ferocity, those key bearers refuse to surrender. I can see why the Imperial Axis is worried to have them roam about."

"We have to knock him off that horse of his somehow." Sora said.

"We'll use the evasion technique." Riku replied. "Not even Lu Bu can see through that tactic."

"Let's do it."-

"Wait for him to charge."-

As expected, Lu Bu charged at a full gallop again, his halberd held high over his head.

"Worthless little insects," Lu Bu shouted, "You can never hope to defeat me!"

"That's what you think." Riku uttered. Lu Bu drew nearer until he was within striking range. That's when the attack was unleashed. Light and shadow spread, causing confusion. There were several clashes of steel heard amidst the fury. As the deceptive attack faded, Red Hare emerged from the fray without a rider. The KH team had fulfilled their goal.

"We did it." Sora uttered.

"No," a voice suddenly bellowed, "I'm the one who's done it!"

From out of the sky, Lu Bu came crashing down, not at all scathed from the attack. He threw his halberd to the ground and executed a powerful sonic boom that rocked the foundations of the Imperial city. The key bearers and their companions were hurled into the air, overwhelmed by the immense power that broke up the ground and shattered the concrete basin below them. They quickly regained their status and jumped back to their feet. There before them, Lu Bu stood a menacing sight so fierce and intimidating.

"I can't believe it." Cunla uttered. "After all that, there's not a single scratch on him."

"He evaded the attack altogether." Ophelia added.

"Congratulations to all of you." Lu Bu chuckled. "You have forced me to dismount my horse. That was an excellent achievement, but not good enough. You see, I only rode upon Red Hare to be intimidating. The results were satisfactory, but I'm not a man who likes to put on a show. Riding upon Red Hare only limits my true abilities. The only thing I thirst for is battle. And if you think I was tough mounted on a horse, you should see how much deadlier I am with my feet on the ground." Lu Bu swirled his halberd around so gracefully and with such speed that the KH team was mind boggled. "The only thing that you have to worry about is how you'll die, whether it be slow and painful, or swift and painless." Lu Bu grinned. "Well, then again, I can't really guarantee that it will be painless."

"He's getting on my nerves!" The Hound uttered.

"Let's attack him together!" Riku declared. "Hit him from all directions with everything you got!"

"Yeah!" the others cried. All at once, from all different directions, using different physical and elemental attacks, they advanced on Lu Bu. Their speeds had doubled and their power increased to three times what they once were. Ophelia threw her fans. Riku deployed a combination of Cinder Canister and Hurricane Slash as well as his summoning spells. Sora deployed the same type of tactic, using Tundra Canister, elemental spells, physical attacks, and summoning spells. Cuchulain unleashed his powerful attacks from Ferdia's Bane to the Ulster Slash. Cunla used his swiftness to strike fast a Lu Bu. But despite that, Lu Bu seemed to avoid each attack and entangle the team into fighting against each other.

"This can't be." Riku thought to himself. "He can't be this fast!"

"Try this on at point blank, Lu Bu!" Sora rushed straight up to Lu Bu and used a combination strike of ice and wind, creating an icy twister. Lu Bu was caught in the frenzy, but for some reason he was unaffected by the attack.

"You'll have to do better than that!" Lu Bu chuckled. He kicked Sora away. Sora fell to the ground. Riku, fearing for his friend, rushed to his side. In that time, the fighting stopped as both sides withdrew and regrouped to catch their breath.

"Are you alright, Sora?" Riku asked.

"How can this be?" Sora wondered. "I hit him with my elemental combo attack point blank, but it didn't even faze him. Is there something wrong with my technique?"

"I don't think so. Now that I look back on it, none of our elemental attacks worked against him. It's as if he's immune to the elements."-

"I was wondering when you would finally realize." Lu Bu said. "If I recall, you used a lot of elemental attacks to fight me and weaken me those six years before in the 'Treasure' realm. It was due to your knowledge of elemental attacks and spells that I was defeated by you. After what I experienced, I figured that the best way to hold my own against you was to develop a technique that can withstand elemental attacks. And sure enough, after six years of training, I perfected my body to withstand all elemental attacks. So it doesn't matter if you throw elemental attacks at me one at a time or all at once, I can no longer be hindered by the effects of fire, ice, wind, etc." Lu Bu stood tall before the five warriors. "Only physical attacks will work on me now."

"If that's the case," Riku declared, he rushed at Lu Bu again. "Then try this little attack for size, Kenshin Himura's Hiten style, Kuzu Ryu Sen!" Riku aimed for the nine main points on Lu Bu's body. Lu Bu, however, saw the attack and quickly countered. He crouched down, his energy resonating at the soles of his feet. Sora immediately recognized the stance.

"Riku, watch out!" he cried. "He's going to unleash his foot stomp!" But his warning came too late as Lu Bu unleashed a sonic boom from his foot. Riku was blown off course and fell to the ground. "Riku…!"

"Damn it…" Riku grunted as he staggered to his feet.

"You think that you would learn the first time." Lu Bu declared. But Riku was not deterred so easily. He attacked a second time.

"C'mon, you guys!" Ophelia shouted. "Let's attack him together again!"

The five converged on the lone warrior again and fighting continued. But again Lu Bu's defense was unbroken.

"You can't win against me that easily!" Lu Bu suddenly raised his halberd into the air, at the same time releasing congested power from the sole of his foot. Because it did not take the form of his original foot stomp, it was seldom recognized. "Let's see how you like this little trick!" The minute his foot slammed onto the ground, there was strange phenomenon that occurred. The area affected by the stomp suddenly bellowed sporadic purple ad red lightning that overwhelmed the KH team, hurling them upward. Lu Bu then initiated the traditional foot stomp and sent the five flying through the air again, with more lightning filling the atmosphere. The five warriors fell to the ground.

"What kind of an attack was that?" Cunla wondered.

"That's a new technique." Sora said. "I've never seen it before."

"It was a combination of the electrical and light element and my foot stomp." Lu Bu explained. "You see, I took the liberty of expanding my abilities and have practiced the use of elemental attacks. Combining elemental attacks with physical attacks, I have gained a technique that can have both effects. If I wanted to, I could use fire and burn you all to hell. Or perhaps ice and freeze you in place so I may have an easy opportunity to smite you down. Or perhaps wind to thrash you about. And because I can combine it with physical attacks, even the elemental spells have effect on supposedly elementally immune foes." Lu Bu lowered his halberd. "I am not like the Lu Bu you fought those many years ago. You never would have thought that I would get this powerful before now did you. Well, think again my misguided friends. Ambition, revenge, and a strong sense to regain one's honor will push anyone to the limit in order to achieve their goals."

"You talk too much, Lu Bu!" Cuchulain shouted. "You're just talk that's all! You talk about all these new abilities of yours, but the concept has remained the same. We've encountered those types of techniques before, all coming with different names and different styles of executing them. Already you have given away a few of them. You'll run out of techniques and sooner or later, we'll be able to counter them all."

"You should know your enemy before making such large assumptions, Hound of Ulster. From your recent display in that last scuffle, you're in no position to be mouthing off."-

"You know who I am? I have not yet addressed myself to you. How do you know me?"-

"Your reputation as a warrior precedes you. They say that you're even tougher than Riku and Sora combined. But in that last fight, were you holding back, or was that all you were capable of? If you were holding back the whole time, then I want to see you at your maximum. I want to see this feared rage everyone speaks of. So what do you say we find out if the rumors are true, and that you are an unbeatable hero, or if it's all a bunch of bull!" Lu Bu's declaration caused the Hound to grow progressively angry and irritated, clutching his teeth and his weapon tightly.

"You dare to make a mockery of me!" Lu Bu turned to face the Hound of Ulster.

"They call you the Hound of Ulster and that you can enhance your strength by means of the rage. They say that you are a warrior to be reckoned with and that the mighty wolfhound's battle cry and fearsome appearance alone can kill a company of men. But through my eyes, you're just about as dangerous as a housebroken dog with no teeth!"-

"That's it," Cuchulain had never been so insulted since his fight with Cunla. "Your insolence won't be forgiven! A man like you who believes his strength is unmatched will soon realize that there are strengths greater than his own! For hindering my friends and damaging my pride as Erin's champion, I will see you skewered at the end of my Gae Bulga!" He felt the rage overtake him. His power began to rise and his team members felt it. They watched as Cuchulain's body began to change. His aura grew hot, his teeth bore fangs, and his eyes turned a pale and soulless yellow.

"Well, this is a new change." Lu Bu said to himself. "Could this be the great rage that knows no opponent it can't defeat? This should be interesting."

"Cuchulain…" Sora uttered.

"He's going into the rage already?" Riku added.

"Father…" Cunla said.

"Man," Ophelia implied, "Lu Bu must've really got under Cuchulain's skin with that last remark."

"Riku, Sora," Cuchulain shouted in a low and menacing, "You and the others stay out of this fight! This will be strictly between me and Lu Bu!"

"We better do as he says!" Cunla added. "When my father's in that mode, it's better not to intervene! Otherwise, he may cut us down for getting in the way!"

"That's pretty good advice." Sora replied. "Once he's at the pinnacle of the rage, there's nothing that can stop him. Cuchulain will know neither friend nor foe."

"Lu Bu's done for now."-

"Prepare yourself, Lu Bu!" Cuchulain roared. "I'll show you the true power of the Hound of Ulster! And you will regret the day you ever had the audacity to jester me!""

"Then let me tremble before you, pup! Erin's greatest hero versus China's greatest warrior! I'll stomp you into a bloody mess!"-

"Die!"-

Cuchulain suddenly vanished, his speed accelerating to ten times his normal speed. He struck at Lu Bu from behind, but for some reason, Lu Bu was able to predict the attack and leaped into the air. He landed opposite of Cuchulain and used his halberd to counterstrike the Hound. Cuchulain quickly turned about and met the blow, blocking it with his faithful Gae Bulga. Immediately, a fighting frenzy erupted as both combatants struck, blocked, and evaded. Cuchulain attacked from all sides, using his cunning and swiftness to his utmost advantage. But despite that, he was not able to even strike a mark upon Lu Bu's armor. Riku and Sora were struck in awe and apprehension as they saw Lu Bu in action.

"He's definitely changed." Riku said. "He's not the same Lu Bu we fought six years ago. There's a significant difference in his conduct and strength of the battlefield." An inevitable fact touched Riku's thoughts. "He's become stronger than ever before. His technique, his ability and agility, his strength and his cunning, they've progressed to a greater height. If he were to have fought as he did back in the 'Treasure' realm, he wouldn't have been able to withstand the attacks from all five of us at once and for that long a period."

"Look at him." Sora added. "Lu Bu is actually going head to head with Cuchulain of all people. And Cuchulain is at his maximum strength, using the rage and all."

"How is it that a man that large and heavily armored can move so fast?" Ophelia asked. "Lu Bu's not the clumsy and bulky looking warrior I thought him to be."

"It just goes to show you that Lu Bu's not your ordinary warrior."-

"Come on, Dad!" Cunla cried. "Get him!"

But Cuchulain's strength could not reach any higher. Even the power of the rage was not enough to aid him. Lu Bu was in a completely different league. The two thrust and struck, evaded and blocked, and caused the ground the rupture in great tremors. The power they accumulated was incredible. But for some reason, Lu Bu was gaining the upper hand of Cuchulain. The Hound found himself on the defensive now as his strength gave in to Lu Bu's might.

"But how," he uttered, "How could this guy be gaining ground over me, the Hound of Ulster? Even with the power of the rage, I'm no match for him!"

"I guess you're not all that you're cracked up to be!" Lu Bu said. He got Cuchulain in a deadlock, the halberd snagging itself with the three prongs of the Gae Bulga. But Lu Bu, using his elbow, struck the Hound in the face. Cuchulain arched back, falling to the ground. But he quickly regained his stance and charged again.

"Take this!" Cuchulain roared. "Morrigan Slash!" The golden head of his weapon began to glow fiercely. Swiping it before him, he hoped to defeat Lu Bu with the cutting sound waves. But Lu Bu only used his foot stomp to block the effects.

"You're no match for me!"-

"Silence you!"-

The Hound rushed in again. Lu Bu struck at him, but missed. The Hound lunged from behind, but his foe jumped into the air spinning about and landing opposite the young Erin warrior as he passed. But Cuchulain vanished again. He appeared midair, thrusting his Gae Bulga downward again, this time using the Ulster Sudden Death, one of his numerous thrusting attacks. But again Lu Bu successfully countered, though rather surprised this time around.

"I lost track of him." Lu Bu thought to himself. "This kid, he's good, a lot more than I gave him credit for." Their blades locking, he swung and hurled the Hound into the night sky. Again, the Hound retaliated, his strength not diminished, coming faster than ever. This time when he and Lu Bu struck at each other in an intense grapple, his strength somehow increased.

"I'll defeat you…" Cuchulain said. "You will see the true might of the Hound."

"His attacks have gotten stronger and he's faster than before." Lu Bu thought to himself. "This guy's managed to perfect a way in which he concentrates his anger to become raw power, enhancing all his abilities. It's not just blind rage. It's as if I were fighting…" Lu Bu's mind went to spars in the recent past. He recalled a sparring partner, dark yet dashing, his sword glimmering in the mellow light. "It's like fighting him."

"My God," Cunla uttered, "I've never seen my father fight so hard or move so fast."

"This is the first time we've ever seen Cuchulain fight like this." Riku uttered. "He's never gone all out for this long. Now that I look at it, it's a good thing that he's on our side and not fighting against us."

"Not unless someone tries to brainwash him again." Sora implied.

It came to the point where the table had turned and Lu Bu found himself on the defensive, taking on these powerful attacks from the Hound. Multi-thrust, multi-slash, clashing and banging away their weapons, grappling at hand to hand at times, the two mighty warriors shook the earth. Swiftness and strength were unrivaled to any battle previously engaged.

"Now he's forcing me to give ground." Lu Bu thought to himself. "This is getting monotonous and dangerous for me. But at the same time, I find it invigorating."

"This man, even at my maximum he doesn't give up." Cuchulain thought to himself. "No wonder he made Riku and Sora tremble. But still, he cannot contend with the power of the Hound."

"Your dad's got the upper hand in this battle now." Ophelia assured Cunla. "Lu Bu's starting to wear down, backing off."

"I told you he was no match for my dad." Cunla cheered. "C'mon Dad, give him once more!"

"I didn't want to regress to this, but…" Lu Bu thought to himself. Cuchulain banged his Gae Bulga against Lu Bu's Halberd with an overhead strike. He pushed down upon Lu Bu. Lu Bu braced himself as Cuchulain pushed his weapon against his own.

"It's over for you!" he shouted.

"This is quite an interesting outcome." Lu Bu uttered. "However, did you forget? It's Lu Bu you're dealing with!" Lu Bu suddenly began to glow a bright gold. And along with this bright glow, his power level skyrocketed. Cuchulain could feel the surge. "I am the mightiest man alive!"

"This power," The Hound uttered, his body trembling, "How could he obtain all this power?"

"The way the rage enhances your strength ten fold, this power does the same for me! It's called the Musou Rage!"-

Suddenly, a strong surge of electrical energy struck Cuchulain, paralyzing him for that moment. But Lu Bu took advantage of this moment and foot stomped the Hound. Cuchulain descended to the ground. But China's warrior was not finished. He leaped up and struck the Hound straight down. The warrior struck the ground, but met again with another of Lu Bu's assaults. He kicked him upward and pummeled him again. Cuchulain was helpless against Lu Bu now. This new strength made him invincible. His own abilities and strength had been heightened to ten times what they were. He swept Cuchulain across the ground, striking from all directions, until finally hitting him upon the ground. Cuchulain fell, bloodied and beaten, his shell jacket and black T-shirt were torn and tattered, smeared with his red life fluid. His friends could only watch on as the Hound lay almost lifeless on the ground. Lu Bu landed upon the ground and stood over Cuchulain like a vulture. The strange golden glow vanished from sight.

"You should feel honored." Lu Bu declared. "There has only been one other person who forced me to use the Musou Rage and his powers equaled the gods."

"Father," Cunla cried. He wanted to rush in and help his father, but Sora took hold of him and held him back. Cunla struggled. "Let me go, let me go, Sora!"

"No Cunla," Sora replied. "You can't go over there."

"My dad's in trouble. I have to help him!"-

"You can't do anything for your father at this point, Cunla. If you go out there, you'll get killed."-

"But Sora…"-

"Lu Bu is in a completely different class. His power has increased ten times to what it was before. Your father gave it all he had, including releasing the rage, but still it wasn't enough. If you try to help him, you'll only be getting in his way. And the last thing he wants is to see you hurt."-

"Dad…" Cunla uttered.

"I'm sorry, Cuchulain," Riku said, "We completely underestimated him."

In the meantime, Kang watched as the battle went silent, seeing the warriors pay respects to a fallen comrade.

"That's one down." He chuckled.

But at that moment, the Hound began to stagger slowly to his feet, using his fallen weapon as a crutch. His face had changed again, regressing to its normal form. The rage had diminished, leaving Cuchulain exhausted and weary. Lu Bu was astounded at the young man's endurance.

"Even after that pummel, he's still getting up." He thought to himself. "That's why he deserves the title of Erin's greatest champion."

"Cuchulain," Sora cried.

"He's alright!" Ophelia added.

"Get back here and take a rest!"-

"No," The Hound replied. "I still have a fight to finish."

"That's enough, buddy! You can't defeat Lu Bu as you are now! He's completely outclassed us this time around!"-

"I still have my pride as a member of the Red Branch. I can't back down to a foe, I won't back down to a foe, and I won't start now." Cuchulain flipped summoned all his power to stand. Once up, he flipped his spear to a throwing position. "I will defeat you, Lu Bu!"

"You're deluding yourself boy," Lu Bu chuckled. "You couldn't break me even with the rage in your favor. What makes you think that you can defeat me now!"-

"Simply by doing this!" With sheer might, Cuchulain threw the Gae Bulga at Lu Bu. But such an obvious throw was easy to evade and Lu Bu dodged the spear by throwing his head back.

"Now how do you intend to battle me?"-

The Gae Bulga swerved about and made way to strike Lu Bu in the back. The team watched as the inevitable victory against Lu Bu came.

"Lu Bu might be fast," Cunla said, "But nothing can halt the rage of the Gae Bulga once it's been thrown."

"The Gae Bulga's never missed its target." Sora added. "Lu Bu's done for."

But a shock came before the team. Lu Bu threw his halberd behind his back and blocked the three prongs of the Gae Bulga from striking him.

"Nice try." Lu Bu said. The team, especially Cuchulain was stunned.

"He blocked the Gae Bulga." He uttered.

"He blocked the Gae Bulga's attack?" Ophelia uttered.

"That's impossible." Cunla said. "Nothing can stop the Gae Bulga."

"He used his halberd to snag between the prongs of Cuchulain's spear." Riku uttered. "No one's ever been able to do that, no one."

"But how," Cuchulain asked. "How did you know?"

"It's simple," Lu Bu said. "Word doesn't escape my ear. Though others might have ignored the info, I kept my listening open. I know of your weapon, the Gae Bulga, and that it's a deadly weapon in your hands. I also know that it doesn't have the nature of an ordinary spear. It's more like a homing missile. You concentrate your energy to read your foes fighting signature. Then you transfer that information through the Gae Bulga so it knows what energy source to strike. So it doesn't matter how far or haw many times your enemy evades, the Gae Bulga will lock on to that same source all the time. But I bet you never figured on anyone knocking it out of place, or blocking it at the last minute." Lu Bu threw his halberd over his head, tossing the Gae Bulga away, far from Cuchulain's grasp, leaving the Hound without a weapon. He then held his halberd before the Hound's face. "Be lucky that I decided to give you a mercy killing instead." He raised the weapon over his head, ready to deliver the death blow upon the Hound. Cuchulain, still too weak to move, collapsed to his knees, awaiting the strike.

"It's over for me." He uttered. "I can't believe I lost."

"Father, no!" Cunla suddenly rushed in and threw himself before his father.

"Cunla…?"-

"I won't let you die father!"-

"Fool…" Lu Bu said. Cunla drew out his sword and held it up to block Lu Bu's blow. The impact was powerful, so powerful that it shattered Cunla's blade. The young boy was stunned.

"Cunla…!" Cuchulain cried.

"Not all the way through?" Lu Bu chuckled "That's too bad." He raised his halberd again.

"No, Cunla!" The Hound grabbed his son and shielded him.

"Leave them alone, you bastard!" Sora shouted, charging with his keyblade at the ready.

"You're a fool!" Lu Bu swung at the key bearer but missed. Sora landed behind his foe.

"Let's see how you like a bit of your own medicine!" Sora made ready to use the foot stomp against Lu Bu.

But Lu Bu suddenly unleashed a sweeping attack, slashing away with his halberd and striking the key bearer. He then deployed a foot stomp immediately thereafter, knocking the key bearer upon the rubble.

"You want to be killed as well do you?" Lu Bu implied. "Then I'll dispense with you first."

But as Lu Bu threw his halberd downward, Riku suddenly appeared, took hold of Sora and leaped away, just as the halberd landed upon the ground. The impact again ruptured the very ground, turning the paved surface to crumble debris. A shallow crater took the place of the leveled soil. Dust and bits of material lingers upon the key bearers.

"Are you alright, Sora?" Riku asked.

"I'm alright." Sora replied.

"That's good."

"He's just too powerful." Ophelia uttered. "We fought him as a team, we fought him head to head, Cuchulain went all out against this guy, but Lu Bu didn't even waver."

"At last," Kang chuckled to himself, watching over the fight, "The key bearers and his comrades will meet their end. Not even they were a match for the might of Lu Bu. Lu Bu is certainly the most powerful warrior in the land. Scimitar was wise to send him in as a bodyguard for me."

"This is pathetic," Lu Bu declared as he looked about. "Do you really intend to battle me as you are! You're weak and insignificant to me!"

"Lu Bu!" Riku shouted. The great warrior turned. Riku stood tall, his fists clutched. "You won't get away with this."

"Is that so?"-

"I'll be the one to put you in your place!"-

"And what makes you think that you'll succeed where even the mighty Hound of Ulster failed?"-

"I'll just have to try."-

"But I already know the outcome. You can try all you want, but your blows won't work against me."-

"Then let's see what you have, big guy!" Riku drew out his keyblade and charged headlong against Lu Bu.

"No, Riku," Sora cried, trying to stand, but falling beneath his feet due to his injuries.

"I'll aid him." Ophelia said, deploying her fans and running forth.

"No, Miss Billiard, don't do it."-

"But why not?"-

"You'll only be burdening Riku more if you charge in."-

"But Sora…"-

"Let him fight this battle alone. He and Lu Bu have had a score to settle for a long time. Let them finish it once and for all."-

"C'mon Riku," Cunla uttered, as he watched the fight, "You gotta beat him."

"It's no good." Cuchulain said. "Riku's putting his heart and soul into his combat, but even that's not enough to contend with Lu Bu."

Back and forth the two fought on, but even so, Lu Bu's defense was unwavering and his offense drew great power. Riku found himself overwhelmed by the strength o his old foe. Lu Bu had indeed improved.

"Fighting this guy head on is futile." Riku advised inwardly. "I have to outflank him somehow." Using the darkness Decoys, he split himself into several other images and surrounded Lu Bu.

"Not this tactic again," Lu Bu thought to himself. "You'll not be able to fool me with this ability a second time." He easily disposed with each of the clones as easily as one would dispense scraps into a waste paper basket. But alas none of the figures struck was the real Riku. But Lu Bu seemed not worried a bit. "You'll have to do better than that."

Little did he realize that Riku flew over head, plummeting fast, with keyblade drawn over his head, deploying an overhead slash. Silently, without a word, without screaming, he slammed his weapon upon Lu Bu with all his might. But Lu Bu, without warning, threw his halberd behind him, shielding his back. Sure enough, Riku's keyblade struck the halberd's staff, blocked from inflicting any damage upon the armored foe. Riku was stunned. He thought that he had the upper hand. He thought that he approached stealthily, believing Lu Bu was unaware. It had to have been a fluke.

"This can't be." Riku thought to himself.

"That almost had me." Lu Bu chuckled. "But you gave yourself away too easily." Lu Bu knocked Riku's keyblade off his halberd and then side kicked him in the gut. Riku flew backwards and fell to the ground. There the key bearer lay, his hands grasping the severe pain he felt. But despite the agony, he did not whimper nor groan. Instead, he summoned all his strength to raise himself up again. Lu Bu only watched, not lifting a finger to stop him. Instead he only watched with interest. "Despite six years of living in peace on his Island, Riku still obtains that fiery look in his eye; that dead determination much like Sora has." He glanced at Sora through narrow eyes. "It's because of Sora that Riku has based these strong foundations and obtained this inner strength."

"Lu Bu," Kang shouted, "What are you doing standing there? The boy is down! Kill him while you have the chance!"

"This does not concern you, Kang!"-

"It does concern me! So far, though you've maimed and struck down the majority of the foes before you, you haven't killed a single one! I'm starting to wonder about whether you're stalling this for your own amusement, or if you intend to spare their lives! We can't give the enemy leeway! They have to be defeated now!"-

"I will conduct this battle as I see fit, Kang! No more further outburst!"-

"Why you…!"-

"You had your chance to battle the KH team and you could have used your tactics back then. But you failed to defeat them! Now it's my turn to fight, so don't you interfere with my battle!" He turned to Riku. "Come now, Riku, I don't have all day to wait you know!"

"Impatient as usual," Riku strained to say as he lifted himself up.

"Now that I think about it," Cuchulain thought to himself. He looked about and saw that each of his comrades were still alive. "All of us are still alive." He glanced over at Lu Bu who still stood about as Riku continued to stagger to his feet. "Is Lu Bu going easy on us?" He looked at Cunla's broken sword that still lay on the ground. He remembered the impact of the halberd upon the blade then recalled other such impacts. "If he wasn't, then his halberd should have cut through Cunla's sword with a clean sweep and would have finished off both my son and I. Is he fighting for some other purpose? If so, what could it be?"

"Are you alright, dad?" Cunla asked. "Is something on your mind?"

"No, it's nothing. But I could use a little something to heal up these wounds. Do you have a vial of potion on you?"-

"I'm sorry, dad, I don't."-

"You don't have anymore?"-

"I used them all and used up my last vial in that fight against Kang."-

"Damn, does anyone have anymore potion?"-

"Sorry, Cuchulain," Sora replied, "I'm fresh out."

"I second that!" Ophelia added. "I used my last vial to heal Cunla!"

"We're in trouble then." Cunla uttered. "We have no means to heal ourselves and none of us have done any damage to Lu Bu."

"That means we're meat on the table for that monster."-

Riku engaged Lu Bu again. Once more the two grappled so intensely, with each other's weapons within inches, if not millimeters from severing each others flesh. Yet as before, Riku quickly found himself at a disadvantage. He knew that only physical attacks would only on Lu Bu, but so far, the majority of them seemed ineffective. If he would strike with one attack, Lu Bu would counter with another. It's as if he could read the young warrior like a book. The two once again deadlocked, their weapons pressed tight against each other. Riku's brow was dripping with sweat, the strands of his hair sticking to his flesh. His muscled ached, but still he pressed on. Lu Bu on the other hand, thought heavily armored, did not seem to waver nor strain as much as his younger counterpart.

"You're losing strength as easy as you lose the air that you breathe to keep up your efforts. But still you wish to defeat me, knowing that inevitable death awaits you. Unfortunately, I bear a destiny in which I must not yield to one such as yourself."

"I can't afford to lose against you!" Riku cried, "Because I know the fate that awaits me and my friends, as well as this world for that matter, if I don't beat you!"

"All blades I smile at, Riku. You know why? It's because I'm no longer afraid of death!" Lu Bu suddenly gave way, letting Riku slip through. He turned and attacked Riku from behind with an overhead swing of his halberd. Riku turned and saw the blow coming. He drew his keyblade over his head, barring the halberds sharpened double edges from smiting him. But Lu Bu rushed forward and kicked the young man in the chest. The key bearer tumbled back, his ribs seemingly broken from the impact. His keyblade was flung from his grasp, landing too far away for him to summon it back to his hand. Riku skidded across the once smoothly paved ground and cobbled ground, now a ragged field of dislodged stone and dirt. Dust flew in clouds as Riku settled upon the uneven soil.

"Riku," Sora cried.

"Oh God, Riku," Ophelia added.

"It's over…" Cuchulain uttered. "Not even Riku was a match for that monster."

Riku gazed about, his eyesight in a blur. He could here the faint cries of his comrades calling his name, telling him to get up. But the damage had been done. He looked to his keyblade which lay a hundred yards away. He hoped to summon it back, but the weapon was just a little out of his reach. With the keyblade deprived from his grasp and his body aching, possibly with cracked or broken ribs, Riku could only stagger and lift himself upon his elbows. And even doing that was a painful labor. He watched as Lu Bu walked up and stood over him. The armored foe thrust his halberd before him letting the razor like spire, just above the main crest, almost touch Riku's skin.

"It's over for me…" Riku uttered. "I'm finished here as we all are. With no potion to heal us and our fighting strength rendered insignificant, the KH team makes its last stand."

"Excellent work, Lu Bu," Kang chuckled, clapping. "That low level trash was nothing compared to you! Your strength is without a doubt indomitable! It is a good thing that you are fighting for me as a bodyguard instead of fighting against me as an enemy!" Kang approached the fight, thought not close enough for a sudden retaliation. "Now finish them off as you were ordered to!" Lu Bu, however, only stood there, as if dazed by the sight of Riku upon the ground. But this stall in the moment was not what Kang wanted. "Will you hurry up and finish the job! They have no strength left! They're all either struck down with severe injuries, or are overtaken by their fear! Take this opportunity to kill them now!" Lu Bu still stood, not responding. Kang grew angry, his fist tightly clenched. "I gave you an order, Lu Bu! As your superior and an ally of the Imperial Axis, I command you to finish them off, starting with that silver haired upstart! Do it now!"

"Go ahead and do it, Lu Bu." Riku uttered. "You always wanted to see me like this, at the mercy of your blade before you killed me."

"You're right, Riku." Lu Bu replied. "I have always wanted to see you in this position. I've been yearning for the day that I see you at my mercy, unable to do anything to stop me. I have proven that this day. You're strength was nothing compared to mine. I defeated you without even breaking a sweat. It just goes to show that I am the mightiest man alive!" But instead of continuing his onslaught and hindering the key bearer, Lu Bu retracted and lowered his weapon. "However, you said that when we had our rematch, you would name the time and place. As far as I know, you never gave such a declaration. So I have no right to slay you as you are now!" The warrior smiled. "Besides, I would find it more interesting to battle you after this ordeal, what do you say?"

"Are you giving me a second chance?"-

"Don't get my generosity wrong, Riku. I'm not exactly an ally, but I'm not an enemy either. The only reason why I'm here is because you are here. And until I am able to fight you in a just one on one battle with no holds barred, then I can't allow anyone else to over see your demise. I will meet it when and where I and I alone see fit!"

"What are you doing, Lu Bu!" Kang demanded. "What are you prattling about! I told you to finish off that rabble once and for all! I gave you an order! Now do as I command!"

"Kang," Lu Bu declared, "You said that you were glad to have me as a bodyguard who was faithful to the Imperial Axis rather than as an enemy. Well guess what?" The warrior turned to Kang. "I never was, never would, and never will be your bodyguard! I never pledge loyalty to anyone, but myself and my desires! And as of now, I am your enemy!"-

"What…?"-

"You heard me! And let this act be the severing of my allegiance to you!" From beneath the sash he wore, Lu Bu drew out five vials of potion and threw it to each of the KH team members. "Drink and regain your strength!"

"Lu Bu…" Riku uttered. The five popped the corks and swilled the potion. Within seconds they were back on their feet.

"What's the catch?" Cuchulain asked.

"If you want to know," Lu Bu replied, "You'll have to wait until after this fight is over. In most cases, it won't be very long."

The KH team lined up, this time with Lu Bu fighting on their side.

"You dare to betray me, Lu Bu!" Kang roared. "Such an act is unforgivable! Forward my men! Teach this turncoat and his band of rebels a lesson!"

From out of the palace, hundreds of soldiers suddenly appeared. Brutes, Bruins, bodyguards, and beasts emerged, surrounding the team.

"Great," Cuchulain grumbled, "It seems Kang still had one ace up his sleeve."

"Where the hell did all these guys come from?" Cunla wondered.

"Never mind where they came from," Sora shouted, "Let's just get rid of them!"

"They don't stand a chance against us this time." Riku said.

"Why's that?" Ophelia asked.

"Because now we have him on our side!" Riku thumbed at Lu Bu.

"This alliance is only temporary until I settle the score with you, Riku." Lu Bu replied. "Until then, I won't let anyone else get their hands on you before me, especially these worthless mongrel dogs here!"

"Let's get 'em!" Cuchulain replied. The team unleashed powerful attacks instantly eliminating a great deal of the opposition within a matter of seconds. Left and right, the team battled against the larger force of Kang's final wave.

"After fighting against Lu Bu," Cunla said. "Taking these guys down is a piece of cake."

"What a cakewalk this is." Ophelia added.

Within a matter of minutes, half of the opposition had been defeated. One point came where Cuchulain found himself fighting back to back with Lu Bu.

"It's strange that I would be fighting alongside with you of all people." Cuchulain uttered. "It makes my stomach turn."

"What's the matter, Hound?" Lu Bu mocked. "You mad just because I kicked your butt!"

"You made me look like a chump out there!"-

"I have to keep a poker face, you idiot! You pack a bigger wallop than Riku does!"-

"Are you serious?"-

"I had to use the Musou Rage and go a little hard on you! You were about to kill me!"-

"Well, I didn't know you were putting on a show!"-

"Did you expect me to give a script!"-

"I guess not." Cuchulain kinda chuckled, enjoying the mocking within the mockery.

"Then shut up and keep fighting!" Lu Bu grumbled.

"If there is anything to fight here. You're alright."-

"The same to you," Lu Bu cringed after he uttered those words. "Damn, I can't believe I'm complimenting you! I'm the mightiest man alive! I shouldn't be lowering myself to that level and kiss the ground before my rivals!"

"You can't be high and mighty all the time."-

"I guess…"-

It was at that moment that a banging sound was heard at the palace gates. The fighting soldiers near the gates, awaiting their opportunity to battle the KH team, heard the continuous banging upon the great red doors. Just then, with a final bang, the doors suddenly burst open. And from the darkness of the night, loyalist soldiers of the former emperor rushed in. Lu Xun, Mulan, Shang, and the other head commanders led the charge. Amongst them were Goody and Donald.

"The palace is as good as ours!" Lu Xun shouted.

"Drive the enemy back in the name of the emperor!" Shang added.

"For China!" Mulan declared. Clashing became even denser and more bloody as the two sides pushed at each other causing some soldiers to be trampled beneath the masses.

"Reinforcements," Cunla cried.

"Our friends have come at last." Sora added.

"Hey, Sora," a voice shouted from the battle crowd. Sora turned to find Goofy and Donald running towards him.

"Hey, you guys! Glad to see you're in one piece!"-

"Man, this is one heck of a battle." Donald implied.

"You're telling me! But Kang's troops are wavering and many of them are giving up now! It's only a matter of time before Kang's reign is finished!"-

With Lu Bu on their side, the battle quickly turned again Kang as he watched his forces slowly diminish, giving way to the loyalist soldiers and angered citizens of China. He watched as loyalties were broken and some of the men turned to flee the fight.

"You cowards," Kang shouted. "Get back in their and fight! You call yourselves the pride of my army!"

"You don't have an army anymore!" a voice shouted. Kang turned to see Riku standing before him. "It's over for you, Kang!"

"Is it?" Kang suddenly formed three energy balls before him. "I think not! I still have enough strength to battle against you and your allies!" He deployed the three orbs against the key bearer, but Riku deflected them back with his keyblade. Kang, seeing his attack rebound against him, quickly dodged the explosions. He shielded his face from the blasts. Riku suddenly appeared before him, keyblade drawn behind him for a side slash. The evil emperor, seeing the danger, leaped over the young warrior's head. "You'll have to do better than that if you want to finish me off!"

"I already have!" a voice uttered. Kang turned to find Riku coming at him from behind. Kang was stunned.

"But how…?" Kang soon realized that what he had confronted a moment ago was not Riku, but a decoy meant to catch him off guard. Unfortunately, it was too late for Kang. Riku slashed his keyblade through, cutting the emperor down the midsection. The two stood opposite each other for at least fifteen seconds before Kang fell to the ground, his body consumed in ash and flame.

"This fight is over." Riku uttered.

"No, no," Kang cried out in his final moments. "My life, my paradise, my ambition…gone…" Kang's body vanished in a great spectrum of light and fire. His soldiers could only watch in a mixed emotion of horror and sadness as their great leader was felled by this young man.

Seeing no further purpose in their efforts to fight, many of them dropped their arms and surrendered without a second through. Other's tried to fight their way out of the palace and the city altogether, though doing so was a futile effort.

"China forever!" the old loyalists cried, praising their victory over Kang's army. "China forever!" A great cheer bellowed throughout the palace and spread like wildfire, reaching even the outskirts of the city itself. The KH team looked to their lone comrade who stood upon the stairway leading to the palace.

"Riku did it!" Sora shouted. "He did it!"

"He defeated Kang!" Ophelia added, standing next to him. The two embraced and jumped out with glee.

"Yes…!" Cunla cried.

"We did it!" Goofy added.

"It's over!" Donald shouted as well.

"Not bad." Cuchulain said with an undying smile.

"The kid still has it." Lu Bu implied.

Sora led the charge to meet up with Riku.

"You did it, Riku," he praised. "You defeated Kang!"

"No…" Riku replied, walking down to meet his comrades. Ophelia and Sora, being the closest, were honored as their silver haired companion placed his arms around them. "We all did it."

Just then a strange burst of energy was felt, an energy source the key bearers knew too well.

"Do you feel that, Riku?"-

"I do."-

The team stepped up towards the palace, leaving the crowds amassed in sheer in the vast courtyard. They reached the doors leading to the throne room. There, appearing in a bright luminance, the keyhole which allowed access for the Heartless. Raising their keyblades at the same time, both key bearers executed the locking sequence. The two beams intertwined and struck the interior of the lock. A light bellowed in a pure white, eventually fading into nothing. The word had been sealed.

"This world is now secure." Sora said.

No sooner had the door been closed and locked, another bright light appeared. The team turned to find none other than the little dragon spirit of the dragon star looking down upon them.

"What is that thing?" Ophelia asked.

"It looks like a pudgy little dragon." Cunla added.

"Well, hay there, little guy." Sora said. "What're you doing here?"

"I just came to thank you all for helping me return home." The little spirit uttered. "You have done so much for me and this land. Because of you, the people have their lives back and peace can once again smile upon the Middle Kingdom. The dragon star is once again in its course and shall continue on." The little dragon began to levitate higher and higher into the air. "I will never forget the deed you have done. May fortune smile upon you all." With that, the spirit ascended until vanishing into the starry night.

"Well, that's the end of that." Donald said with a huff.

"Hey, looky, looky, over there," Goofy said, pointing towards the horizon. The team looked to see a hinted glimmer of sky blue receding the blanket of stars above.

"It's morning." Sora said. "The sun's gonna come up soon."

"Hey," Cuchulain implied, "You guys hear that?"

The team put their ears to the wind. There was nothing, nothing but the early chirping of a bird.

"I don't hear anything, dad." Cunla uttered.

"Exactly, and what a beautiful sound it is."-

"What is it?" Ophelia asked.

"That, my friends, is the sound of peace."-

The KH team realized now, there were no longer the sounds of battle, there was no longer the thundering of distant cannons. There were no poundings of war drums. Instead, there was now only a tranquil peace that came over the land. It was a sensation that the weary soldiers and civilians of China embraced whole heartedly along with the new day.


	76. Restoration

Restoration

The sun rose, arising a day of peace in the Middle Kingdom. After a night of battle, soldiers, civilians, and prisoners of both sides were weary and hungry. The cleaning process started as soon as the last of resistance within the Imperial capital had ceased. The KH team sat and observed as civilians, mostly women folk, were occupied with moving out their belongings from demolished dwellings. Though the damage to the city was greater than expected, due to the inferno and battle zones, the people were high spirits. Some even began to sing in unison as they worked away.

"Well," Cuchulain uttered, being the first to talk after an extended period of silence, "it's good to see that the people are in such high spirits, despite what's been going on."

"It just goes to show you that they're determined to put their lives back together." Sora replied, "Even if they have to start all over again."

Lu Xun passed by and stopped before the KH team. Alongside him were Mulan, Mushu, and Shang.

"I hope you guys are having a good rest." He implied.

"That fighting lasted almost twenty-four hours for us." Riku said. "We arrived here in the morning to do battle yesterday. And a few hours ago we were still doing battle."

"But your efforts were not in vain. In the course of that single day, we were able to disperse with the majority of Kang's troops. Now that word has spread of the capital's fall, many of the units still in reserve have given up. Others, however, refuse to give us so easily."-

"After six months of contending with Kang's hostile takeover," Shang said, "We've restored the emperor back into power."

"He should be arriving here within the next couple of hours or so." Mulan added. "Yao, Ling, and Chien Po went to escort him back safely."

"At last," Mushu cheered, "We get our old lives back! I'll be able to chill for a while. Perhaps get in a few pork buns for breakfast, you know."

"That's a nice thought Mushu, but it'll have to wait for a while."-

"What do you mean?"-

"Well, now with peace restored, we'll have to reconstruct everything that was destroyed by Kang. We have to send aid to those villages hit hardest by the chaos."-

"Also," Shang continued, "We still have some opposition from some of Kang's units. These men refuse to accept defeat and will continue to battle. At the same time, because of this campaign, it's most likely that bandits and robbers might be stirring up trouble in other settlements and provinces. We have to quell that as well. Then there are those civilians who weren't satisfied with the former emperor's reign. They would take this lull to establish a new monarch. So we have to use all our ability to quell any type of rebellion."

"Then there's the consideration of further intervention by the Imperial Axis." Lu Xun said. "The Midnight Faction under Scimitar was involved here. Thus, this affair concerns the Universal Alliance. I need to have a convoy sent here to apprehend and confine the faction soldiers we captured, including General Scimitar. Also, we may have to send a guardian coalition to aid this world in case the Imperial Axis decides to advance again and try another hostile takeover."

"Man, there's no end to it!" Mushu said. "I'll never get any rest at this point."

"I have an idea then." Mulan said. "Since you're so determined to get some rest and want to have a good time, why don't you go along with Sora and the others."

"What, do you really mean it?" There was a sudden twinkle in his eye.

"Why not, you could use a little exposure."-

"Alright, I'll do it!"-

"Well, that all depends on what Sora says." The two looked up at the young key bearer.

"Uh…" Sora uttered. "Well that all depends on what my friends say!" Sora looked at the others who seemed not to object.

"It's your call, Sora." Riku implied.

"Okay," Sora looked at Mushu, "welcome aboard."

"Alright," Mushu cheered. "You guys just watch me! I'll be the talk of the town! I'll put those Heartless and their buddies in place." Mushu took a breath on his claws and polished them up. "I'm the hottest item you've got!"

"Well," Cuchulain said, standing up, "We better get going. Time waits for no man."

"We have only General Saber to contend with now." Ophelia added.

"But where are we gonna find him?" Cunla asked. "We couldn't find the info disk on Maeve's person. She might have thrown it away."

"Maybe Sneer knows where he is."-

"The last time I remember," Lu Xun said, "Sneer was in Traverse Town coordinating the next strategy against the Imperial Axis."

"Then let's get to Traverse Town then." Donald implied. "We have to get repairs for the gummi ship and re-supply on potion and ether too."

"We could also do with a goon night's rest." Cuchulain added.

"Very well then." Riku implied. "We'll take a days rest once we reach Traverse Town."

"Yeah…" the other replied in unison.

"I'll take it from here in this world, you guys." Lu Xun said.

"Thanks for giving us a hand when you did, Lu Xun." Sora thanked.

"I find it best that we say that to you." Mulan replied. "Because of your efforts and determination, we have brought forth the downfall of Emperor Kang and his allies."

"You take care." Shang said. "And good luck."

"You too." Sora said.

"And you, Mushu," Mulan stated. "Make sure not to get into any real trouble."

"I can't help avoiding that with these guys." Mushu chuckled.

The team walked through the gates of the Imperial city. Donald took out another gummi capsule and deployed the ship, letting emerge with a bang.

"Alright," he said, "everyone on board."

"So," a voice uttered, "You going already?"

The team turned to see none other than Lu Bu standing at a demolished segment of the wall, his back leaning against the stone. His arms were folded in front of him and he gazed upon the KH team.

"Lu Bu," Sora said, "There you are. We were wondering about what happened to you."

"I have other matters to concentrate on." Lu Bu replied. He stood up to confront the team. "I know about everything. And I know that you're trying to save that mouse king, King Mickey."

"What's it to you anyway." Cunla grumbled.

"In order to free him, you have to retrieve the last and final puzzle piece. And in order to do that, you have to defeat General Saber, the last of the Blade Generals."-

"What point are you trying to make, Lu Bu?" Riku asked.

"Do you even know where Saber is?"-

"That's why we're going to Traverse Town, so we can consult with Sneer that he might be able to tell us."-

"Why do that when your source stands before you."-

"You…?"-

"Of course, I know where General Saber is stationed."-

"You do?" Goofy asked.

"Tell us." Donald added.

"Now hold on, before you become too anxious." Lu Bu continued. "Are you so willing to trust me? I am after all the man who fought against you earlier. How do you know if you can trust my word?"

"We have our means." Riku replied. "Ophelia knows how to read the inner caverns of your mind, heart, and soul. So if you're lying, we'll know. If you would like, we could let her analyze whether or not you're telling truth. But I won't do that."

"And why not? How would you know on instinct alone? How would you know that I'm not luring you into some sort of ploy?"-

"For one thing, if you wanted to kill us, you would have done it already. Secondly, I thought you wanted to settle a score with me yourself. Why bother letting me go off into a situation that I might die."-

"Heh, you're clever, Riku. I'll give you that much. But still, you'll never be able to match Saber as you are now."-

"Don't be so sure." Cuchulain said. "Saber may be tough, but he's not undefeatable."

"Believe me you'll be going over your heads if you fight him in your present state. If you were no match for me, then what makes you think you'll have enough strength to overpower him?"-

"He's that powerful then, eh?"-

"What I still refuse to believe is how we were defeated by you, Lu Bu." Sora said. "I thought that we improved vastly since the last time, but man you put us under."

"I'm surprised that you were as potent as when I fought you two in the 'Treasure' realm. But still, your strengths were miniscule compared to mine. If you want to find Saber, you'll find him stationed at Neverland."

"Neverland…?"-

"Did I stutter? I said Neverland!"-

"But what would he be doing there?" Goofy asked.

"I don't know much about why he's there. I just know that he's planning to spread chaos over the inhabitants of that world."-

"Is he now?" Sora grumbled, clutching his fist. "Being a tyrant comes natural to him doesn't it."

Just then, Lu Bu walked up to the key bearers. He stretched forth his hand and gave Riku and Sora two orbs of energy. "I want you to take these. Next time, when we battle, I won't have any reason to hold back my true strength." The key bearers suddenly felt their bodies surge with incredible energy.

"What was that you gave us?" Riku asked.

"That is the Musou Rage. It'll increase your fighting abilities two to ten times your normal limit, depending upon your endurance. It will excessively increase your strength, your speed, and your agility. And above all, it will make you invulnerable. However, the Musou Rage can only be used for a certain amount of time. Therefore, if you're gonna use it against anyone then you better use it fast and without hesitation. The maximum limit for the Musou Rage is one to two minutes. Also, it can only be deployed if two conditions are fulfilled. The first is that you must defeat a hundred enemies. The Musou Rage can only be used every time you defeat a hundred foes. That's what gives the Musou Rage its strength. Secondly, you must only use it when you really need to, because every time you use the Musou Rage, the more of your own energy it takes away from you, wearing down your body to the extent where it won't fully recover. So use it sparingly."

"Why, why are you giving this to us?" Sora asked.

"You'll need it to defeat Saber."-

"Thanks…"-

"Don't get my generosity confused. I only gave that to you so the next time we fight I'll at least have a decent challenge. Isn't that right, Riku?"-

"Yeah…" Riku replied.

"I've done what I came here to do." Lu Bu walked away from the team. But before departing, he turned to face Cuchulain. "Perhaps we can battle again, Hound. It was fun."

"The next time," Cuchulain replied, "You'll be the one to lose."

"We'll see…" Lu Bu again withdrew, but suddenly stopped a second time. "Oh yes, I almost forgot," he turned to the team again. "I would beware the closer you get to Sirius Viicous."

"Why's that?" Riku asked.

"When I came into the service of the Phantom Lord, there was another who was hired as well, acting as an assassin in the shadows and as Lord Sirius Viicous' personal bodyguard."

"Another…?" Sora asked.

"Yes, unlike me, he's a rather shadowy character. I don't really know why he joined with the Midnight Faction. I'm sure he has his reasons." Lu Bu suddenly had this worried look on his face, though he tried his best not to show it. "I won't deny this, but during our sparring sessions, his strength was one that matched the gods. He's perhaps the only foe I ever sporadically used the Musou Rage on. His strength surpasses even my own." The KH team was shocked. "He's the only individual that I feared to battle and the only warrior I have always lost to countless times with the same results."

"A guy who can even defeat you?"-

"My God…" Cunla uttered. "Who is this man?"

"I understand that Sora encountered him before." Lu Bu explained. "You fought him once at the Coliseum and then later at Hallow Bastion's arid outcrop. He commonly goes by the title of the One Winged Angel." The minute he heard that title, Sora froze up like a popsicle. Sweat dripped down his face as his fast pacing heart thumped in his chest as if trying to force its way out. Lu Bu looked at him. "I thought as much. You know of who I speak." Lu Bu turned away and withdrew without uttering another word.

"The One Winged Angel, eh?" Cuchulain said. "If just thinking about this guy is enough to make Lu Bu cringe and shudder, I can only imagine how intense he fights."

Sora suddenly collapsed to his knees, his eyes filled with apprehension and fear.

"Sora…?" Riku uttered, kneeling next to his friend. "Are you alright?"

"The One Winged Angel…" Sora replied, wavering in tone. "Not only Lu Bu, but him too?"

"This guy must be something else." Riku thought within. "Lu Bu reacted the same way. This guy must be one powerful warrior. I've never seen Sora in this kind of emotional state. He's really scared."

"Who is the One Winged Angel?" Cunla asked.

"He's Cloud's greatest rival and greatest enemy." Donald implied. "I wouldn't blame Sora for falling apart like this. If you would have seen the way that guy fights, you would have been traumatized by the mere mentioning of his name or title."

"That guy was a monster." Goofy added.

"So the One Winged Angel is his title?" Ophelia asked.

"Yes…" Sora replied.

"What's his name then?" Sora could barely utter the words, but he summoned all his strength to continue.

"His name is Sephiroth."-

"Sephiroth, eh…?" Cuchulain uttered. "The name itself can strike fear into the hearts of even the most battle hardened warriors."

"Riku, let's go. I can't dwell on that name anymore." Sora lowered his head, crashing upon the weight of his arms.

"Sora's really worked up." Riku said. He lifted his comrade back to his feet. "You're tired that's all. C'mon, buddy, you go in and get some rest. We'll be heading to Neverland and you can sleep on the way."

"You're right, Riku. I'm probably just tired. I'm getting freaked out over nothing."-

"Let's go, you guys!"-

"But I thought we were going to Traverse Town to restock and make repairs?" Donald asked.

"We still have to get more potions for the next battle." Cunla added.

"I think we can manage a little while longer." Riku explained. "Donald, how many more vials of potion do we have stored away?"

"We have enough to last us for one more fight." Donald replied. "At least thirty five more vials left."

"That's five for each of us."-

"But we used up over seven vials each in this campaign alone." Cunla said.

"Then, we'll just have to be more careful about how we engage. We have this one opportunity to dispense with the last of the Blade Generals and retrieve the last piece we need to save King Mickey. Let's not let this one chance pass us up now that we know where Saber is."-

"Riku's right." Sora uttered.

"But Sora…" Donald said.

"We have this one chance to truly end it with the Midnight Faction. Let's just press on a little harder for one last time."-

"Sora…"-

"I'll be alright. Once we get to Neverland, I should be fully rested."-

"Alright, Sora," Cuchulain said, "If you can do it, then let's go."

"Just one more," Riku uttered to himself. "One more battle and King Mickey and Queen Minnie will be free. Once they're free, then the tide will turn in our favor completely."

The team stepped aboard the ship. Though tired and weary from the campaign in China, their trek continued. As the ship took off, Lu Xun and the others watched in awe, waving farewell to the gallant allies who helped liberate their homeland. Far from the Imperial capital, near the mountainous passes to Kokei, Zuo Ci and Zhuge Liang observed as the little gummi lifted higher and higher into the sky. They observed on as the rockets boomed and the craft sped away with great haste.

"Farewell, my friends." Zhuge uttered. "You have made our home safe again."

"The fates of all worlds depend upon their efforts." Zuo Ci added. "I wish them the aid of the spirits."

"Our hopes are with them." With that, the two continued on with their duties.


	77. Neverland

Neverland

The booming of cannon was sounded as the Jolly Roger fired upon the young boy who mocked from the skies above. From the captain's deck, the dreaded pirate, Captain James Hook, along with his first mate, Mr. Smee, could only curse, ramp and rave, helpless to do anything but bombard a foe that was out of his reach.

"We can't seem to reach him, Captain." Mr. Smee uttered.

"Blast you, Peter Pan!" he shouted. "I'll get you for this if it's the last thing I do!"

"C'mon, Hook," Peter mocked, flying around the ship like a sparrow, "Is this the best you can do!"

"I'll have back what you stole from me!"-

"Are you still gloating about that treasure chest?"-

"I want me treasure back, you scurvy brat!"-

"Sorry, I think I'll hold on to it for a while."-

Peter then swooped down and did battle with the pirate captain. His bumbling crew, trying to aid their leader, was easily pummeled and scattered. Furious as he was, Hook continued to battle against Pan, but to no avail. In the meantime, Tinker Bell, Peter's faithful fairy companion pestered the captain and the crew, laughing at them with her jingling pixy tone. The pirates' buffoonery was a painful sight. Though pistols and cutlasses were drawn at the ready, their performance was a disgraceful sight. Many a noble pirate would sulk in shame at such a display of misconduct in battle.

"You blithering idiots," Hook shouted as he continued to fight against Peter. "Can't ye do anything right!" Hook swung again, but again the boy parried the blow. Pan flew into the air and looked upon Hook's crew that lay about in disarray.

"Face it, Hook." Peter chuckled, "You can't beat me! You never have and you never will!"

"Go ahead and fly, you coward! You would never be able to fight old Hook man to man! You'd fly away like a cowardly sparrow!"-

"You know, Hook, that line's really getting old. You've said that line like ten times already for six months and every time I've faced you. And every time I beat you! You can't win against me, you couldn't win against me, and as I said, you never will!"-

"Blast you, boy!"-

Just then, from out of the cabin, a shadowy figure emerged. With his one good eye and his black overcoat and raven dark hair, the none-other-than-venerable General Saber emerged.

"What is all the commotion about?" he said.

"That scurvy brat is making a mockery of me, General!" Hook said. Saber looked up. Peter was surprised to see this new face amongst Hook's crew.

"Well, well," the boy said, "Who's that, a friend of yours, Hook?"

"So that's the nuisance known as Peter Pan." Saber chuckled. "Is that the boy you always say has been your greatest enemy?"

"That's him alright!" Hook said.

"Hey pal," Peter implied, "Who are you?"

"If it's any of your business," Saber replied, "I am Hook's ally. I am General Saber of the Imperial Axis."

"Heh, you don't look like much!"-

"Neither do you."-

"So Hook decided to have you as an ally to get to me, eh? I guess he must be desperate to get rid of me. Still, I have nothing to fear from you."-

"And I have nothing to fear from you."-

"Is that so?"-

"I try to make it my policy not to engage with children." Saber turned away back to the captain's cabin.

"Where are you going, Saber?" Hook asked. "Aren't you going to dispense with that whelp? That's what you said you would do!"

"Did I…? I can't recall."-

"What's the matter, Saber?" Peter mocked. "Are you afraid of me? You don't want to fight me because you know I'll beat you!"

"It's not that, Pan." Saber turned to glance at the boy. "It's just that you're not worth my time and effort." For some reason, it was those particular words and that certain tone Saber executed which somehow irritated and angered Peter.

"What did you say?"-

"I said that you're not worth my time and effort, boy! Must I repeat myself continuously? Have you no ears? Or is it the dung of boyish ignorance that swells in your ears as well as in your mouth?" Saber turned away again, ignoring Peter altogether. Peter grew angry and landed upon the deck of the Jolly Roger.

"You care to say that to my face?"-

"What for? I shouldn't waste my breath prattling with you."-

"Saber," Peter drew out his dagger, "Face me!"

"Is that the wind I hear calling me?" Saber chuckled. "I believe it is. No wonder I smell a foul reek of skancum."

"I've never seen Peter Pan so upset." Hook uttered to himself. "I've never seen such anger. I guess Saber's words are too much for even him to bear. What a glorious sight. I hope it will last."

"I'm talking to you, Saber!" Pan shouted

"And you're not worth talking to." Saber chuckled as he turned. "To Hook, you might be a formidable foe, one who can't be so easily defeated! To these pirates, you're the scum of the earth that must meet immediate eradication. But to me, you deserve no more recognition than a pile of horse manure."

"That's it!" Peter charged. "You're mine, Saber!"

But as the boy drew nearer, another figure appeared from out of nowhere and struck at Peter. Pan quickly halted and flew upward, avoiding the blow. He landed upon the Jolly Roger's deck again. There, standing before Saber was a cloaked figure, head hooded and face concealed in shadow.

"Excellent timing."-

"Who is that?" Peter asked.

"Allow me to introduce you to my bodyguard." Saber chuckled. "He doesn't like it when an enemy tries to attack me. It makes him angry. So the only way to get to me is to defeat him. But then again, it shouldn't be that difficult for him to defeat you."

"Is that so?"-

"See for yourself how quickly he can end your life."-

The bodyguard suddenly lunged forward, striking with unbelievable speed. Peter was caught by surprise, seeing the gap between him and this new foe closed in an instant. The cloaked figure threw open the front of his cape and deployed his weapon. Peter, seeing the length of the weapon, leaped backward, hoping to avoid the point of whatever arms the bodyguard had. He received a small cut across his chest. He looked to Saber's subordinate, who stood slightly crouched, his weapon clutched tightly in his right hand, positioned in the after swing. To Peter's surprise, he noticed the bodyguard's weapon was one he knew all too well.

"That weapon," he uttered, "It's…it's a keyblade."

His senses did not deceive him. What he saw before him, held in the hand of his nemesis, a keyblade of black and red. The shaft itself was a gothic black, while the hilt and head were crimson red. Though simplistic in design, the keyblade had already proven its effectiveness when it came to severing the flesh of a foe.

"Where did you get that keyblade?" Peter asked. "Why do you have one?"

"If you must know," the bodyguard replied in a low and foreboding tone, "It was given to me, so that I may slay my true nemesis." The bodyguard stood erect. "I was hoping to baptize this blade in the blood of the one not fit to bear the title as I. But since you dare to stand in our way as being the first obstacle, then I will honor you by slaying you first."

The bodyguard charged again. Peter, for the first time in his life, was placed in a situation where the battle was lost from the start. Seeing that he could not contend with such a foe face to face, he made a hasty withdrawal, flying off the decks of the Jolly Roger, seeking the sanctity of the open air. He looked down to see the pirates mock him, calling him a coward and such.

"Well, well," Hook said, "It looks like that bodyguard of yours has young Pan taking flight."

"We have him on the run, Captain Hook." Mr. Smee said.

"It just goes to show you that Peter Pan is not as formidable as you had thought him to be." Saber chuckled.

"Aye, fly you coward!" the crew shouted. "Who be the codfish now!"

"You might have got the best of me this time, Hook." Peter shouted. "But I'll be back. And next time, you'll be the one running scared." Peter thus withdrew back to Neverland with Tinker Bell close behind.

"We certainly scared off that little brat didn't we?" Hook chuckled.

"Go after him." Saber commanded his bodyguard. "Finish him off while the opportunity is still open."

"I understand sir." The bodyguard replied. He suddenly lifted into the air, flying in pursuit of the boy.

"Finish him off?" Hook asked, bewildered. "But I thought I would be the one to finish off Peter Pan."

"You are mere incompetence, Hook. If I want this job fulfilled and done right, then I can only rely on my own sources."-

"But I have every right to take revenge against Peter Pan for what he did, cutting off me hand and throwing it to the crocodile. And he had the gall to take me treasure as well."-

"I could care less about your trivial issues. It's the bigger picture I'm interested in. If we attack this world then there's no doubt that the key bearers will come to try and stop us. No doubt, they might have heard by some anonymous source that I am here conducting a raid upon the people of this land. Once they arrive, then the trap will be set." Just then, appeared from the water, next to the Jolly Roger, a black vessel appeared, bearing the symbol of the Midnight Faction. The roar of its ascension caused the wooden hull of the brig to shake and sway violently as waves crashed upon its side. It was a submarine. The emerging of the ship caused Hook's crew to tremble as they have never seen an underwater boat.

"Has Davy Jones come up from the depths to take our souls?" one buccaneer uttered.

"Odds fish," Hook gasped.

"It's a bleedin' leviathan." Mr. Smee uttered, hiding behind his captain.

"What craft of the deep is that?"-

"You are behind your times, Hook." Saber said. "Submarining is a modern type of naval warfare. A steel hull that can travel in the deepest ocean currents, that is how seafaring men favor to do battle. This submarine will allow us to detect any large incoming objects descending to this world. When the key bearers come, we shall blow them from the sky."

"And it ends their efforts?"-

"Of course not, no doubt that the KH team will survive even if we shoot them from mid-air. But that is the reason I have conjured this most elaborate plan. If they do survive, they will be in for a big surprise." Saber put his arms behind him. "At the start of the day, the KH team shall prove formidable. But by the end of the day, they will be destroyed from within."

"And how is that?"-

"The KH team's strength comes from their bonding and comradeship. However, if we can create a rift by eliminating some of the key players, then they will crumble and fall. That is the only way to truly defeat them. And my faithful bodyguard will help, by stirring about chaos and confusion."

Peter was flying fast, as fast as he could. Tinker Bell managed to catch up with him.

"That guy," he said, "Saber's bodyguard, he was fast. And he was strong." Peter liked down at the rip in his shirt. "Just by that one swing, he managed to tear my shirt. And I didn't even see it." But as Peter looked back, to reminisce of his flight and the enemy he faced, he saw none other than the cloaked bodyguard following him. The boy was stunned. "That guy, he can fly?"

The bodyguard drafted behind Peter, edging closer and closer. Pan couldn't believe the speed of his opponent. Seeing that flying in a straight line was futile, Peter decided to be deceptive and lose the bodyguard in the dense forest. He plummeted and reached the canopy of the forest.

"Let's see you keep up with me now." Peter turned and swerved in the dense underbrush, dodging every tree trunk and rock. Peter was so fast, not even Tinker Bell could keep up. He then hid behind a thick oak tree, believing that he was safe from harm. Sure enough, he saw the bodyguard hovering about in the tree tops, looking for him.

"He lost me…" Peter snickered silently.

"I know you're here." The bodyguard uttered. "You can't hide from me, boy."

"That's what you think." But no sooner had Peter said that, he noticed that Tinker Bell had finally caught up with him. But due to her flying, her pixy dust left a glittering trail behind her. Happy to see that he was alright, the little fairy jingled happily over to her friend not even aware that the assassin was still hovering about in plain view. But Peter was not at enthralled with her approach.

"Don't come this way!" Peter said with a hoarse whisper, shooing her away. Tinker Bell was confused and kept advancing. She flew up to Peter undeterred. She hoped a smile from him, but all she got was a cold stare. "What are you doing, Tinker Bell! Are you trying to give me away!"

"I think she already has." The bodyguard uttered, suddenly appearing behind Peter. Using his fist, he punched the youth from the air. Peter fell to the ground. "You should know better than to make friends with brainless fairies. They don't know anything else besides their own wants and desires. That's why the world is better off without them!" At the last minute, Peter managed to regain his flight ability and prevent himself from hitting the ground. He quickly turned about and flew off away from his pursuer. Tinker Bell quickly followed.

"I got to get away from that guy somehow." Peter said to himself. "I have to get back to the Hangman's Tree and rally the lost boys." Tinker Bell flew up to Peter and apologized in her jingling. "It's alright, Tink, it's alright. But listen, get back to our hide out and summon the lost boys. Tell them to get this guy off my back." Tinker Bell acknowledged and hastily flew to where they assembled. "I have to stall this guy long enough for the lost boys to get ready." Peter stopped and turned. "Hey…! Hey you codfish! Over here!"

"No doubt that boy has something planned." The bodyguard uttered. "Well, whatever scheme he's cooking up, it won't be enough to battle against me."

Tinker Bell in the meantime, rushed to Hangman's Tree, calling forth the lost boys. The lost boys were busy doing whatever they fancied, fishing, fighting, checkers, snoozing, doing what most young boys do. The supposed second in command, Slightly, a tall boy dressed in a fox getup, slumbered away in a midday siesta when Tinker Bell came into the hideout. She jingled about now.

"Hey Tink," he uttered, groggily. "What's all the commotion about?"

"She looks kinda worried or something." Cubby uttered, being a stout boy in a bear costume.

"What's goin' on Tink?" Nibs asked, a boy dressed in a rabbit suit, who had just returned from fishing. Tinker Bell jingled about.

"Orders from Pan?" Slightly asked. Tinker Bell jingled desperately. "A flying what?"

"A flying monster?" Nibs asked. Tinker Bell nodded. "You want us to shoot it down!" Tinker Bell jingled again.

"Wait until Peter gives us the signal?"-

"Alright," Cubby chuckled, "Let's go!"

"Rally the others!" The lost boys brought the others together. The twins, dressed in raccoon outfits, quickly halted their philandering and answered the call. Tootles, the youngest of the group, dressed in a skunk outfit, rushed to aid.

"What's the news?" Twin #1 asked.

"What's the news? Twin #2 reiterated.

"We're going to battle!" Slightly said. "Get your gear!"

The lost boys grabbed their weapons: clubs, slingshots, and bows and arrows, etc, and rushed to the battlements, Tinker Bell leading the way. When Tinker Bell halted, so did the lost boys.

"Where's the monster?" Cubby asked.

"And where's Peter?" Nibs added.

"Look," Slightly shouted, "up there!" He pointed towards the sky. There, Peter flew high above them. And quickly pursuing him was none other than Saber's assassin.

"That must be him!" Twin #1 said.

"That must be him!" Twin #2 added.

Peter looked down to see his troops beneath him, concealed beneath the canopy, ready to aid him with support fire.

"There are the lost boys." He said, "Right on time."

"Ready," they all said at once, aiming their weapons skyward towards their leader's pursuer, "Aim, fire!" With a single volley, the lost boys bombarded the intruder. Peter looked behind to see his opponent struck by the incoming stones and bits of foliage.

"At a boy, you guys!" Peter landed next to the lost boys.

"We got him, Pan!" Slightly chuckled. "We got him!"

"Good work you guys!" Pan chuckled. "This ought to teach him to mess with us!"

But the barrage they threw upon the Imperial became ineffective within seconds as the soldier hovered higher into the sky.

"You dare to bombard me?" he chuckled. "You call that a barrage? I'll show you what a real barrage is!" The cloaked figure drew his hand from beneath his cloak and formed a ball of energy. He then aimed his open palm towards Peter and the lost boys. "Let this be a lesson for firing upon a soldier of the Imperial Axis! Despair and die!" From his palm, he unleashed a bombardment of energy beams at the boys. The lost boys were shocked and terrified at what they saw. Quickly scattering, they were overwhelmed by the attack as the explosions erupted around them, blowing them about like a broken jig in a storm. As the barrage and the chaos ended, the entire area was demolished, deprived of every tree and bush, leaving only smoldering and charred soil, pocked with craters and ditches. The lost boys all lay about battered and dazed. Peter lay on his back, semi-conscious.

"What was that?" he uttered.

"You are such a fool." A voice uttered. Pan watched the assassin descend and land upon the charred ground. "Did you really think that such trivial tactics would work against me?"

"Who are you…?"-

"I am a loyalist of the Imperial Axis, nothing more." The lost boys looked on in fear as this tall cloaked figure stood before their downed leader. "Did you really think that a handful of boys were enough to defeat me? Well, you thought wrong my misguided friend. Think this a harsh lesson for you, the reality of the situation. You are not invincible as you have always believed yourself to be." The figure then drew out his dark keyblade from beneath his cloak. Clutched in his hand, he drew nearer to the fallen youth. "Now let's see, where were we? Oh yes, I was about to finish you off!" The assassin raised his keyblade in the air. "Nothing personal, boy, it's not that I desire to take your life, it's just that I was ordered to finish you off. Besides, I can see for myself why General Saber wants you eradicated! It would be too risky to keep you alive." The figure made ready for the final blow.

But at the last minute, Tinker Bell began to fly around the Imperial's head, pestering him.

"Tinker Bell!" Peter cried.

"What is this?" The Imperial uttered. The pixy flew about his head ferociously, trying to defend her friend. "Speedy little gnat."

"Tink, get away from here!"-

"Tinker Bell's attacking that guy." Cubby said.

"She's mad." Slightly added.

"She doesn't want anything to happen to Peter."-

"Tinker Bell, get out of here now!" Peter cried.

The Imperial only sighed and lowered his keyblade. Tinker Bell stopped her attacks and looked at the shadowy face of the assassin.

"Quite amazing, Pan." He uttered with a concealed smile on his face. "A pixy is fighting your battle for you. I can hardly believe it. But then again, I don't believe it. And do you know why? It's because I don't believe in fairies!"

Suddenly, Tinker Bell began to dim, her warm glow suddenly diminishing. It was as if her energy was sucked out of her tiny body.

"Tinker Bell…?" Peter uttered.

"What's wrong with Tinker Bell?" Cubby asked.

"Oh dear," the Imperial asked, "did I say something to offend you, Miss? Are you acting this way just because I said I didn't believe in fairies!" Again, Tinker Bell began to dim and slowly descended to the ground as if the energy was sapped from her body, as if her very soul was depleted. "Oh, there's a slip of the tongue again."

"Stop it!" Peter shouted. "What are you doing to her?"

"Pan, Pan, Pan, you hang around with a pixy and yet you know nothing about them, not even their greatest weakness?"-

"Greatest weakness…?"-

"You see pixies only thrive so long as people believe in them. But the minute you stop believing in their existence, and deny their presence, then they diminish and die. That is the way to truly kill a fairy."-

"Stop it!"-

"Oh no, I'm enjoying this. This little insect dared to pester me. Therefore, this is a fitting punishment." Tinker Bell landed upon the ground and lay upon her back. "See her despair." The Imperial stood over the fairy.

"Please, leave her alone!" The Imperial saw as the boy's eye grew most with tears. Two drops then fell from his eyes, rolling down his cheeks. "She's my best friend! Don't hurt her anymore!" The Imperial only stood silent, realizing how much the fairy meant to the youth. He then began to speak again.

"You really do care about her don't you?"-

"More than anything in this whole world." Peter sobbed.

"Then I guess I can't afford to let you suffer that much can I." The Imperial stood over the pixy. "It would be indecent of me. Very well, I'll tell you what you need to know in order to save her."

"How…?"-

"If you love her so much and wish to revive her life, you must do these two things. You must believe and clap your hands." The boy was stunned, but did not hesitate to take action. He immediately began to clap his hands together.

"I believe…" Pan uttered. "Tink, I believe in you!" He clapped away. The other lost boys, hearing this declaration, clapped and declared their belief in the little fairy, clapping away in applause.

"We believe in you, Tinker Bell." They cried. But for some reason, their voices and their actions did not reach her ears. Tinker Bell still lay dying on the ground, her light a mere flicker of its original grandeur.

"C'mon Tink, hold on, hold on. You mean more to me than anything in the world." Peter continued to clap. "Why isn't it working?" Peter looked up angrily at the Imperial whose face was still concealed in dark shadow, the anger and tears shrouding his once happy face. "You lied to me didn't you!"

"I did no such thing." The Imperial chuckled. "I just left out a tiny bit of information. You see a fairy can only be revived by the clapping and believing of the one who hindered them in the first place. In other words, I am the one who must revive her. But as you can see, I have no intension of doing that."

"You…"-

"What do you intend to do, boy? Fight me, kill me possibly? It's not in your nature to kill anyone, Pan. You haven't the guts to strike me down. Even if you did, I doubt that you'd be much of a challenge to me. And even if by some miracle you did smite me to my deserving demise, it would not bring her back." The Imperial hovered over Tinker Bell like a great titan. He then raised his foot and placed it over the body of the little pixy. He then began to crush Tinker Bell beneath his boot. "But I do seldom hate to see such a precious thing suffer like this. So I'll give her the honor of a quick and painless death. You mustn't fear, this will be over before you know it."

"Tinker Bell!" Cubby cried.

"Tinker Bell!" Slightly added. The lost boys could only watch on in horror as their beloved fairy companion was slowly crushed to death.

Peter's anger began to boil. For the first time in his life, his blood was up, his anger was at an all time high. For the first time, he learned to hate. The Imperial looked at him.

"I can see the fire in your eyes." The Imperial said. "This is a new type of rage, the rage of hatred."

"Leave her alone!" Peter shouted, gripping his dagger. The Imperial did not relent. "I said leave her alone!" Peter lunged at this foe, but the assassin quickly evaded and kicked the young man upon his side. Peter tumbled to the ground, kicking up dust and debris.

"Attacking on blind rage? What a stupid move."-

"Shut up!" Pan attacked again, but as before, the Imperial evaded and counter struck.

"Peter!" the lost boys cried.

"C'mon Pan, get him!" Nibs shouted.

"What's wrong, boy?" The Imperial chuckled. "Is this all your capable of? I guess Hook was over exaggerating when he said you were a formidable foe. To me, you're no more dangerous than an infant that hasn't grown his first tooth."

"Why don't you shut up and fight me right." Peter said. "You're not afraid to fight Peter Pan man to man are you?"

"A cruel irony isn't it." The Imperial chuckled. "You mocked Hook for saying something similar to that. And yet now you're using the exact same words. Well, let me enlighten you my friend. You are not a man and never will be. And secondly, now you want me to limit myself in order for you to equal to my strength. Well, sorry to bust your bubble, Pan, but that's now how I play the game!" The Imperial drew forth his hand. "When I fight, I fight to kill and I don't hold myself back for anything or anyone!" With a sudden burst of energy, the Imperial unleashed a strong sound wave that blew Peter away. He flew into the distance, far from the gaze of the lost boys.

"Peter!" Cubby cried. The Imperial turned his attention towards the boys.

"I would worry more about your pixy friend." He declared. "She needs your help more than your fearless leader. But mark my words, if any of you try to aid Peter Pan then make no mistake, I will kill you." The Imperial hovered into the air and flew to where Peter went.

The lost boys attended to Tinker Bell who lay motionless upon the ground. They gathered around her, tears in their eyes.

"No, Tinker Bell…" Cubby cried.

"Is she going to be okay?" Nibs asked.

"She's going to be alright isn't she?" Tootles uttered.

"I don't know." Cubby replied. A storm began to brew over the land and lightning and thunder sounded and flashed in the distance as the wind picked up, blowing and ruffling the tops of the trees. Slightly looked up to see the darkened storm clouds looming over head.

"Peter," he uttered. "Come back safely. Avenge Tinker Bell for us."

Peter slowly awoke and staggered to his feet. He found himself near a rocky cliff. The storm grew worse around him and drops of rain began to trickle.

"Tinker Bell…" he uttered.

"I wouldn't worry about that pixy." a voice uttered. Peter turned to see Saber's bodyguard standing near the way. "I'd be worried more about myself if I were you."

"You," Peter growled, "I'll make you pay for what you did to Tinker Bell!"

"I'm sure you will!" Peter attacked again, but again he was evaded and struck by his foe. The rain grew more intense as the two battled each other on the hillside. But the gap between their strengths was obvious. Peter was giving way to the Imperial. "So this is all a stupid brat like you knows how to do!"

"Shut up!" The Imperial hovered in the air.

"Come now, let's see you battle in the air. I hear you're good at that?" But Peter could not summon the strength. "I see, you used fairy dust to help with your flying ability. And in order to fly, you have to think happy thoughts. Unfortunately, that tactic has its limits. For one thing, because of everything that's happened, you can't summon the strength to think of a happy thought. You try to fight it, but your mind keeps dwelling back on that fairy friend of yours. You don't know whether she's dead or alive. Thus, with such a state of mine, you can't even hope of hovering into the air, which gives me complete advantage over you. Unlike you, I don't have to think of happy thoughts to fly. With the power I possess, I can easily levitate without dealing with such trifles."

"I'll…I'll…"-

"You'll what?"-

"I'll kill you!" Peter rushed again, his mind filled with nothing but hopes of revenge. The Imperial drew out his keyblade and easily parried and counter struck. The two continued to fight in the torrential storm that lashed out rain and wind, lightning and thunder, until finally the two ended in a deadlock.

"All these years you thought you were unstoppable, having only Hook to battle. In those years you began to develop a sense of invincibility. Your ability to fly, your ability to mock pirates, they all made you feel like nothing could touch you. But now that you face something different, something more formidable, all of a sudden you can't deal with it and you get angry. And just like a spoiled little brat, you ramp and rave in blind anger when it doesn't go your way."-

"Stop talking to me!" Peter shouted. "I don't want to have to listen to your stupid voice anymore!"

"That's the one problem with never growing up. Because you never age, your mind never matures and you never gain any experience, which is the reason why you lose to me now. You've been so caught up with pestering Hook, you forgot what it was like to truly be challenged. Let this incident open your eyes and show you how vulnerable you really are." The Imperial broke the deadlock and with one swipe, knocked the dagger from Peter's hand. "You've never seen anyone you know die before have you, not in a world like this where death seldom occurs. I wonder, however, how your friends would react when they are told of your demise." The Imperial drew his keyblade at Peter. Peter was still curious about who it was behind the keyblade.

"Who are you…?"-

"Who am I?" The Imperial smirked and threw back the hood that concealed his face. Peter, upon laying eyes on the face of the man who fought him, could only look on in disbelief and utter shock. His heart sank as he knew the identity of his attacker. "I am just a piece of your past come back to haunt you."

"It can't be…you…" The Imperial struck Pan with the tip of his keyblade and sent the youth plummeting over the cliff to the rocky coast below. Peter, his mind still filled with shock and sadness, did not summon his ability to fly. Instead he fell into the torrential waters of the sea, disappearing into the black abyss. The Imperial covered his face again.

"Takes care of that little problem." He chuckled. "That boy has lost all hope." He turned toward the direction the Jolly Roger awaited. "Now back to aid the general and bring a swift downfall to the KH team." He flew off. "And once Sora and Riku are dead, then I will be free to regain my proper title and identity the way it should be."

In the submarine, Imperial sailors were at their posts, many of them keeping a close eye on the radar monitors patrolling the open skies over Neverland. Saber entered the submarine with Hook and Smee alongside him. The two pirates were awed by the high technology of the underwater ship.

"Such gadgets." Hook uttered, "Impressive."

"It's a tad confined though." Smee uttered.

"What report do you have for me?" Saber asked.

"Nothing to report so far, sir." The submarine captain replied. "There has been no activity in the skies lately."

"Well, keep an eye out."-

"Yes sir."-

"And what of our plans?"-

"We intend to send our marine squads ashore, sir. They'll do some scavenging and take the resources we need."-

"Excellent. However, I would also like to know if there are any local inhabitants that might be considered a threat to jeopardize out operations here."-

"I can tell you what you need to know, General." Hook said.

"Is that so?" Saber asked. "Please enlighten me then."

"The most likely threat would be the Indians that live on the western coast of the island."-

"Are they the only threat?"-

"The only one ye need to be concerned with."-

"Aye, aye, that be the truth." Mr. Smee added, assuring his captain's words.

"But there is one other threat that must be taken into consideration." Saber implied.

"And who might that be?" Hook asked. Saber pointed at him. "Me, you think me to be one of those threats?"

"After not taking your own goals into consideration and ordering the immediate execution of Peter Pan, though you wanted revenge against that boy, your own alliance with us may have rifted."-

"There be nothing to worry about, General. I am merely a humble pirate captain. As long as I get rid of what hinders me the most that is enough to satisfy me."-

"Of course it is. If I have offended you earlier, I do apologize."-

"It's entirely my fault for not looking at the larger picture."-

"Remember your reward when the mission is successful."-

"I almost forgot the reward." Hook said, "Enough gold and jewels to last us a lifetime."

"And where's your conscience now?" Saber asked.

"In Lord Viicous' pocket."-

Just then, one of the operatives shouted out.

"Captain, General Saber," he shouted, "We're picking up a large object heading this way!"

"What was that?"-

"It's confirmed, sir. We have a visual!" the monitor displayed before the commanders none other than the KH gummi ship descending towards Neverland.

"It's them alright." The sub commander said. "Its the KH team descending hard to starboard.

"Get the main cannon ready." Saber ordered. "Set target to the gummi ship!"

"Aye, aye, sir." Another operative replied. "Set lock on to the gummi ship."

"Aye, aye," another sailor said over the intercom.

"If we're lucky," Saber uttered, "We'll strike the cockpit and not have to worry about the key bearers possibly surviving."

In the meantime, Sora and Riku looked out as they descended upon Neverland. This was the first time that they and their comrades first laid eyes on the island mass itself.

"Hey," Sora said, "That's not a bad looking place. Kinda reminds me of the Destiny Islands back home."

"Stay focused," Riku implied, "We're in mid-air. There might be a chance that we would be shot down."

"I don't know." Donald assured him. "The only effective long range weaponry they have on this world is those cannons on board Hook's ship."

"Speaking of which," Goofy said, peering down towards the land, "I see his ship right now."

"Where…?"-

"It's parked there in the water."-

The team observed, seeing the Jolly Roger standing proudly with its tall masts and wooden hull, the sails folded up and the anchor weighed.

"I wonder if Saber is on that ship." Sora wondered. "Hook after all is a pirate. They might have struck a deal together."

"Do you think?" Ophelia asked, "From what I understand, Hook made a bargain with the old Imperial Regime six years before and in the end was betrayed by them."

"We know that much. We were there when the former empire gave their so called reward to Hook, having their mobile dolls broadside his ship."-

"Man…"-

"Hey," Cunla said, "What the heck is that next to the ship?" The team looked downward. There was what looked like the back of a large sperm whale with a tall affliction upon its head. The surface glimmered a hard surface, indicating a steel body, As the ship drew closer, they realized that the affliction was not an affliction at all, but an observation post. On its side was the mark of the Midnight Faction, the Cross of Conquest and the Heartless brand. "It's a Midnight Faction submarine."

"Hey, guys," Cuchulain shouted, "I'm picking up a large power level coming from that sub. It's getting bigger."

"You're telling me." Riku uttered. They witnessed as what looked like a dome emerging from the hull began to accumulate a red energy orb slightly above it.

"It's the subs main cannon!" Cunla cried. "They're planning to shoot us down!"

"Evade!" Donald said. "Deploy shields to maximum!"

The shields were deployed just as the cannon opened fire. Things suddenly seemed to slow down as the beam drew nearer towards the ship. Almost like watching death approach, the energy wave deployed was massive. Suddenly, the hull of the gummi was struck and the damage received was critical. The entire rear of the ship had been blown off.

"Damn," Cuchulain growled, "We didn't deploy fast enough."

"Father!" Cunla shouted. Cuchulain looked back to witness a terrifying sight. Cunla and Sora's station seats were coming loose from their foundations and both were being sucked through the massive hole in the side.

"Cunla, Sora…!" The team looked behind to see both being pulled away.

"No, Sora, Cunla!" Riku shouted.

"Sora," Ophelia cried, "Cunla!"

"They're being pulled out!"-

"Hold on!" Cuchulain cried. But before he could reach for his seatbelt, the two were dragged out and were falling towards the ground. "I'm going after them!"

"No, Cuchulain," Riku ordered, "Don't risk it right now! Stay in your seat!"

"But they…"-

"I know, but we can't do anything right now! Our own safety is in jeopardy! If you jump out now, you'll only increase our concerns." Cuchulain clutched his fist and turned away.

"Hold on to something!" Donald shouted. "This'll be one heck of a bumpy ride." He pulled back on the wheel to its utmost maximum, decreasing the descent angle. The ship first nicked the tops of the trees, then as it lowered further towards the ground, it began crashing into dense forest, leaving a path of debris and destruction in its wake. It skidded on the ground once, twice, and then a third time before dragging across rubble ad brush. The gummi settled down near the edge of a clearing, leaving the occupants dazed and battered.

Meanwhile, Sora and Cunla fell to the ground at an incredibly high speed.

"Sora," Cunla cried, "Help me! I don't know how to fly!"

"Don't worry." Sora cried. He fell aside Cunla and wrapped the boy in his arms, "I gotcha. Hold on tight!" Cunla embraced Sora tightly. The key bearer drew out his keyblade and summoned forth a spell. "Flying Nimbus, come to me!" From out of the sky, the little yellow cloud emerged. It swooped down and picked up the two. "It's alright, Cunla."

"Man," Cunla uttered, "What a rush."

"That was close." Sora looked down and realized that they were within a few feet of slamming into the ground, "Now to rejoin with Riku and the others."

But as hope and the chance to reunite were in view, another strange twist emerged. From out of the dense canopy of woods, a stray beam of energy struck the Nimbus cloud and sent Sora and Cunla plummeting downward. They landed in the forest, pummeled by vegetation. Unfortunately, for Sora, he had an encounter with a rock that struck him at the side of the head. He settled to the ground unconscious. Cunla on the other hand received minimal damage. He slowly arose, battered and dirty, his uniform soiled. He looked to find his comrade lying face down on the ground.

"Sora," he cried, rushing to the key bearer's side, fearing him for dead. He ran to his side and shook his motionless body "Sora wake up! You gotta wake up!" But Sora didn't stir. "C'mon Sora, you're the legendary keyblade master, you can't give up now." Sora still lay motionless.

"Your friend is dead," a voice uttered. Cunla turned to find none other than Saber's bodyguard standing behind him, his face once again cloaked in darkness. "A pity though, I was hoping to try my strength against him. But oh well, no use crying over spilled milk."

"You," Cunla uttered. "Who are you?'

"I am the faithful subordinate of General Saber."-

"Is that so?" Cunla drew out his new blade. "Then tell me, where is Saber at?"

"Do you wish to fight him?"-

"He's the one link to end the chaos! I take him down, we're much closer to fulfilling our goals."-

"Sorry boy, but I can't allow that. Being Saber's bodyguard and subordinate, I can't afford anyone to hinder him." The bodyguard drew out his keyblade. Cunla was shocked at the sight of the weapon.

"A keyblade, where did you get it?"-

"I was given this weapon through divine intervention you might say."-

"Divine intervention, I doubt that." Cunla grumbled. The two engaged, battling one another. Back and forth they fought, like two great rivals. But during the process of the fight, Cunla somehow recognized the fighting technique and style. "This style, could it be?" His mind began to dwell back on Sora. For a moment he looked to find Sora still prostrate on the ground. "Could it be that this guy's a mimic?"

Just then, the bodyguard struck the sword from out of Cunla's hand and knocked the boy to the ground. The son of the Hound could not believe the strength of this mysterious foe.

"You should know better than to take your eyes off of you enemy, boy." The assassin implied. He pointed his keyblade towards the youth. "Cunla, son of Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster, I hereby order your immediate execution for your betrayal and sudden defection against your former comrades of the Midnight Faction." He raised his sword into the air, preparing the final blow. Cunla could only watch as his imminent death fell upon him. But for some reason, the assassin held his hand. He then lowered the blade, as if postponing the execution.

"What is he waiting for?" Cunla wondered.

"So," the assassin uttered, "You weren't dead after all." His attention had been drawn to someone or something behind Cunla. The boy quickly turned. There, still with a slight stagger, Sora stood, a trail of blood dripping down his face.

"Sora…!" Cunla cried.

"Are you alright, Cunla?" Sora asked.

"Yeah…"-

"I was hoping that you would have met a sorry end in that tumble." The Imperial uttered. "But as expected, key bearers aren't that easy to kill. However, of all men you had to confront, it had to be me."

"And what makes you so special?" Sora asked.

"Oh, you'd be surprised."-

"Then surprise me."-

"Sora," Cunla cried, "watch out, this guy, he fights like you!"

"Is that so? So you copied my style of combat, eh?"-

"You might say that it came natural to me." The Imperial chuckled. "You have never once been defeated by an ordinary foe. But let us see if you fancy fighting against your own style."

"My own style you say. You might be good in imitating, but you're nothing to the real thing." Sora drew out his keyblade. "Your technique is false and that keyblade you wield is false too." For some reason, Sora's declaration fumed the Imperial assassin, causing him to clutch the hilt of his keyblade even tighter.

"My technique and my keyblade are false are they? Well, we'll just see if an imitation can be just as good as the real thing!"-

Sora and the bodyguard rushed at each other and at first strike of their keyblades caused sparks to fly into the air. Sora struck one, twice, and three times a charm. But each time, his foe countered and blocked it as if knowing where each blow would land. His technique and his movement were identical to Sora's in every way. Sora was just as stunned. Cunla was even more shocked as he saw Sora's defense and offense match that of the Imperial, as if he were battling against his own shadow.

"This guy," Sora thought to himself, "Is this for real? He's matching me in my every move. Every way I go, he seems to follow as if I were fighting my reflection in the mirror."

"He's going head to head with Sora without hesitation or strain." Cunla uttered. "The way he moves, it's really as if Sora's doing battle with himself."

The two locked keyblades and pushed against one another, hoping the other would give in. But both were matching strength for strength. Finally, the two warriors broke away and stood facing each other in a tense standoff.

"You," Sora uttered, "You managed to counter my every move and predict every blow I would execute. There's no doubt, you managed to copy my technique and style of fighting thoroughly. But even the most skilled mimic wouldn't be able to move that accurately and that precisely when using their opponent's skills against them."

"The reason for my smoothness and accuracy in using your technique is due to only one reason." The Imperial uttered. "It is because you and I are a lot more alike than you think."

"Tell me, who are you?"-

The Imperial did not hesitate to oblige and quickly drew the hood of his cloak from over his head. When for the first time they knew the identity of the attacker. With that shimmering brown hair and those sky blue eyes, Sora and Cunla could only look on in horror at the sight of the facial features. His face resembled that of the young key bearer, say for the red lens scouter that was mounted upon his right ear.

"The reason why I move like you so thoroughly," the Imperial continued, "Is because I am you, Sora. I am Dark Sora." For that moment, Sora backed away from his Imperial double. "You might say that I am the personification of what you would have been had the darkness taken over your heart. I am what you might call your evil side, the side that loves to fight and loves to kill."

"It can't be…" Sora uttered. "You can't be real."

"Oh, but I am, forged by the makeup of your own body. You see the former Imperial regime collected a sample of your blood and stored your genetic code so they would be able to create a clone that resembled you in every way. If and when they needed it, they need only to collect the DNA. But unlike you, they can do away with all those petty emotions that would slow one's effectiveness down. So unlike you, I won't hesitate to kill. I am an upgraded fighting machine, thus making the original obsolete."

"I don't believe that!"-

"Believe it. I am to relieve you of your very existence, my other self."-

Dark Sora attacked again. Sora lifted his keyblade to counter his foes strike. Both Soras seemed equal in strength, but the darker half seemed to gain the upper hand over the youthful hero. Cunla could only watch helplessly as the evil side of Sora grew stronger, gaining ground little by little. Sora, a supposedly experienced warrior seemed a novice compared to his dark counterpart.

"This isn't good." Cunla uttered. "Sora hasn't still fully recovered from that fall. His stamina was cut in half. I don't know if he stands a chance against a warrior who's in peak condition, especially himself."

It came to the point where Dark Sora pounded his keyblade upon Sora's own weapon. The two caught themselves in a deadlock, but the hero seemed to give way to the villain, lowered to his knees as the weight of the keyblade pressed down on him. In the process, the scouter upon Dark Sora's face began to bleep and chatter as it analyzed the fighting strength of the hero.

"You're not doing so well are you, Sora." Dark Sora chuckled. "Your power level is even weaker than mine. This scouter indicates as so, giving a power reading that says your strength dwindles in comparison to my own. And the funny thing is I haven't even begun to use my full strength."

"This isn't good." Sora thought to himself. "I still haven't recovered from that tumble." He could feel the blood from the wound on his head, slowly drip, staining unblemished parts of the flesh as well as the painful sting it made due to the salt of his sweat and the cold breeze of the air, giving it a throbbing sensation. His sight seemed blurred and his body heavy, as if it had a mind of its own, not properly coordinating itself. "That blow to the head has slowed down my reaction and awareness. I can't fight him like this."

"Now die!"-

"At this rate, I'll be killed for sure."-

"Sora…!" Cunla cried. He picked up his sword and charged at Dark Sora. "You leave Sora alone, you bastard!" But the evil key bearer saw the assault coming. Kicking his good counterpart aside, Dark Sora turned his attention towards Cunla.

"Stupid boy." He whispered with a snicker. "Do you really think that you can outdo me!" Swinging his foot out, he kicked Cunla at the side of the head. Cunla fell to the ground, laying unconscious on the moist soil. "That ought to shut you up for a while."

"Cunla, no," Sora cried. He sneered at his dark other. "You bastard, you'll pay for that!"

"Idiot, haven't you learned by now!" Dark Sora knocked his foe's keyblade aside. He then turned about again and with one fatal cut he struck Sora across the chest. The young man went flying through the air and tumbled about on the ground. There he lay with this grotesque slash upon his youthful bosom. Dark Sora gazed at his handy work, figuring his other self for dead.

"Don't tell me you're already dead, Sora." He said. "We haven't even begun to battle." He retracted his keyblade. "Oh well, if you're dead then that's alright. But even if you're still alive, an even worse fate awaits you when you wake up."

The Imperial hooded his head again. He then walked up to the still breathing body of Cunla, who lay face up with eyes closed shut. Dark Sora gazed at the boy for a while, looking upon his fair figure and innocent face.

"I have every right to kill you, traitor." Dark Sora said to himself. "You threw away your loyalties for the sake of a father's love. How pitiful..." He grasped his hand around Cunla's throat and lifted the dying boy into the air. He clutched tightly around his neck, chocking him. Cunla unconsciously gagged and coughed, his groans muffled. But Dark Sora eased his grip. "However, a swift death would be too merciful for you. I think it would be more beneficial if I took you in. That way, you'd be conscious when we started to torture you. A traitor deserves nothing, even a swift and painless death." He put the boy under his arms and flew back to the Jolly Roger and the Imperial sub. "General Saber would find it more beneficial if I captured you. And once I'm finished here, then I can begin the real mission of eliminating your other comrades." With no further words, Dark Sora flew off with his prisoner leaving Sora to die in the vast wilderness.

Not far from where the battle between Sora and Dark Sora took place, Peter Pan had managed to reach the shoreline. He had almost drowned in the depths of the sea. But mermaids from the lagoon rescued him and carried him ashore. There he lay in the falling rain, the drops pelting his face.

Sure enough, the lost boys had managed to track him down. It was Nibs, Cubby, and Slightly who found him.

"Peter," Slightly uttered, "Are you alright?"

"C'mon Peter," Cubby added, "You gotta wake up."

Pan slowly opened his eyes. He gazed at the three faces of his friends.

"Hey, you guys." He uttered.

"Good, you're alright." Nibs said.

"Yeah…" Peter slowly arose.

"Easy," Cubby said. "Don't strain yourself."

"Where are the others?"-

"They went back to the hideout." Slightly implied.

"How's Tinker Bell?" The lost boys stalled. "How is she?"

"I don't know if she'll make it."-

"Her light was so dim and she didn't move." Cubby added.

"We think she might be…"-

"Shut up," Peter said, "Don't talk like that! Tink is gonna be fine! She's gonna be fine…" Peter's eyes began to moisten and tears dropped from his eyes, thought they were not visible due to the driving rain.

"How could that guy do that to Tinker Bell?" Cubby uttered.

"I hate him!" Slightly growled.

"I hate him too!" Nibs said.

"I know." Peter said, remembering Sora's face and sneering. "I hate him too! And he'll pay when we get our hands on him."

"Yeah…!" the three lost boys replied. "We'll let him pay!" They helped their leader to his feet and assisted him all the way back to their hideout. But Pan's anger was not quenched as he gazed upon the face of a supposedly old friend.

"I don't know where you got off, Sora." He thought to himself. "But make no mistake, because of what you did to Tinker Bell and my friends, you are now my enemy. And I will make you suffer. From this point on, I hate you forever."


	78. Masquerade

Masquerade

Saber had returned on board the Jolly Roger with Hook and Smee later in the day. They now sat in the cabin, helping themselves to a great measure of rum set upon the table in Hook's cabin.

"Here's is to the success of the Imperial Axis." Saber chuckled. "Our plot cannot fail this time."

"So you're sure that you're able to eliminate those brats for good?" Hook asked.

"There is no doubt in my mind. Our little pawn was given his outfit for the stage. He will put on a good show for us. Hopefully, he can break up the KH team and eliminate the elites of the group while their backs are turned. Already he has eliminated two of them. Well, supposedly anyway. I don't know if the real Sora is still alive or not, but as for young Cunla, he was taken prisoner and is now being held as a captive upon the submarine. He'll be taken back before Lord Sirius Viicous and tried as a traitor. Then, he'll be executed."

"But what if things don't go as you planned? What if they catch on before he's able to initiate their executions?"-

"There is nothing to fear. Even if everything does go wrong and the KH team does manage to get the best of Dark Sora, they'll still have to contend with me and I am not one to be so easily defeated. After my previous encounters with the key bearers, I don't find them too much of a threat to me."-

"And what about your promise to give us a fare share of the profit when the Imperial Axis gains control?"-

"I understand your concern and I can assure you that we intend to keep our word, unlike the former Imperial regime. Your efforts are just as valuable and cannot go unrewarded." Saber stood and gazed out the series of windows of the cabin. "I can guarantee that it will be gold that we give to you and not a broadside." Saber began to ponder at possible defects in the plan.

"But from the presence of the KH team here," he thought inwardly, "They must've already defeated General Scimitar. No doubt that the Alliance filled them in on where she was. Thus, they are one puzzle piece away from rescuing the great rodent king." He then began to dwell on the mission. "To add, even if Dark Sora did manage to integrate himself into the ranks of the KH team, they wouldn't be fooled for long. Ophelia and Cuchulain wouldn't be lured in by the masquerade since they are able to determine the inner feelings of people. And Riku would not be fooled either, being able to sniff out darkness. They know the real key bearer too well to be fooled by a mere puppet. So it is to my hope that Dark Sora is able to kill the best fighters in the group before they realize anything. But even if he doesn't succeed, he'll at least create a significant amount of confusion amongst the team and their allies."

"Is there something wrong, General?" Hook asked.

"It's nothing." Saber replied. "I'm just envisioning mentally on how the mission would go." He took a sip of his brandy and continued to gaze outward.

At the same time, Riku and the others were waiting at the crash sight, hoping that Sora and Cunla would make it back. But there was no sign of them. Riku kept a vigilant, hoping to spot them, but to no avail. Donald and Goofy on the other hand were checking out their inventory of potions.

"So how are we with potions?" Ophelia asked as she passed by.

"So far, the potion vials are alright." Donald replied. "Not a single one cracked or broke in the fall."

"That's good."-

"Hey, Riku," Cuchulain cried, "Any sign of Sora or Cunla?"

"There's nothing." Riku replied. "It shouldn't be taking them this long to get to us."

"I know, I really hope that they're alright." Cuchulain suddenly became weak in the knees.

"Are you alright?" Riku asked.

"I just have this strange feeling that something bad has happened. I don't want to admit it, but I feel uneasy. I sensed three large power levels not too long ago in the direction where Sora and Cunla supposedly are. Then all of a sudden, they just vanished."-

"I felt that too. I too have that uneasy feeling." Riku turned to Goofy and Donald. "Hey, you two, give me a couple of potions in case I need them."

"But why?" Goofy asked. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going out to find Sora and Cunla."-

"Wait a minute," Ophelia said, "It's dangerous out there. Shouldn't we go too?"

"No," Riku implied, "You guys stay here and wait for me. If Sora and Cunla do manage to get back, you should at least be here to greet them."

"You're right." Cuchulain added.

"Okay," Donald said. He took out two vials of potion and handed them to Riku. "Just make sure not to get lost either."

"Nothing to worry about," Riku replied. He deployed his keyblade and unleashed the Whiff spell. Upon his back, the black wings of the legendary Phantom Dark fused with his body and Riku lifted himself into the air. "I'll be back before you know it." He took of in silent flight. The others could only watch as he departed into the distance.

Like a bird in flight, Riku observed the area where his two comrades supposedly fell. He cried out their names, looking for them profusely.

"Sora," he shouted, "Cunla…!" But there was no response. Then, as he observed further, he noticed a piece of ground where the vegetation had been burned and the soil had been charred and uplifted in pock like craters. It was apparent to Riku that a large battle had taken place there. He quickly descended to the ground and dismissed the wings from his back. Landing upon the dirt of ash and debris, he looked about.

"There's no doubt." Riku thought to himself. "Sora and Cunla were definitely here. There's still that lingering energy." He called out for his friends. "Sora, Cunla, where are you?!" Then, like a nightmare he gazed upon the still body of Sora lying on the ground, blood seeping from the massive wound upon his chest. Riku quickly rushed to his comrade's side. "Sora, what happened…?" He held the young man in his arms. "C'mon Sora, speak to me! Tell me you're alright!"

Sora squinted and slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Riku and smiled.

"Riku," he uttered, "You made it."

"Hold on, pal." Riku took out a vial of potion and poured the liquid upon Sora's lips. Within seconds, Sora was fully healed.

"Thanks Riku."-

"What happened?"-

"It was horrible, his strength was incredible."-

"Who…?"-

"The guy I battled. The strange thing is the man I was fighting was me."-

"He was you? That doesn't make any sense."-

"I know it sounds strange, but it's true." Sora seemed uneasy. He continued to speak. "Apparently, the Imperial Axis made a clone of me. He calls himself Dark Sora."-

"What was he like?"-

"He was everything I wasn't. I could see it in his eyes. He was a killing machine, showing no remorse in his action."-

"My God…" Riku looked about again. "Where's Cunla…?"

"I think my dark self took off with him, taking him as prisoner."-

"Damn…" Riku looked to the horizon. "We have to help him."

"It's my fault for letting him get taken."-

"But then again, after the wounds you received, you wouldn't have had the strength to stop this guy anyway." He assisted Sora to his feet. "Let's get the others. We can't do this alone."

"Right…!"-

But no sooner had they decided to return to camp and retrieve the others, from out of nowhere, great nets sprung around them and entangled the key bearers.

"What the hell…?" Riku said. "What are these, nets?" Just then, the sound of multiple shouts and hoops could be heard in the distance.

"Are they natives?" Sora wondered. Just then, popping from out of the brush nearby, a dozen or so natives appeared. Their skin was a dark brown with a reddish hue, many of them shirtless, wearing animal hide pants and moccasins. Some where armed with tomahawks, other's armed with spears and shields, and others armed with bow and arrows. They wore feathers in their raven black hair, which were braided tightly and hung to the rear or to the sides of their heads. This familiar dress could only indicate one type of warrior.

"Indians…!" Riku cried. The warriors surrounded them and subdued them.

"What do they want with us?" Sora asked.

"I don't know." The warriors took the nets from off of the key bearers and tied them up with strong rope. "What do you want with us?"

"The one with the brown hair and blue eyes," one of the warriors said, "He must be the one Little Flying Eagle is after."

"Little Flying Eagle…?" Sora asked. "Who's that?"

"Don't give us that!" another warrior cried. "We know that you attacked Little Flying Eagle and his friends and left him for dead!"

"I don't even know who that is!"-

"Save your blathering! Take them back to the village!"-

"What is this all about?" Sora cried. "We didn't do anything!"

"It's best we go with them." Riku instructed. "Maybe we can clear it up with this Little Flying Eagle."

"I hope so. I'd hate to know what they'd do to us if we're found guilty."-

The two key bearers were pushed off in a forced march back to the Indian encampment on Neverland's western shore.

Meanwhile, Cuchulain and the others awaited Riku's return patiently. They sat about, hoping to hear the shouting of a familiar voice approaching them, or a familiar face in the mid-day sky. The storm barely touched them, throwing only a few drops on the heads of the band of heroes. Ophelia sat, mending her fans of any tears or nicks in the material.

"I hope that Riku is alright." She said. "I hope he didn't get lost."

"I don't think so." Cuchulain replied. "Riku's not the type to get lost."

"Well," Donald interrupted as he passed by with a ratchet set in hands, hoping to make a few repairs to the downed gummi, "it is taking a rather long time for him and the others to get back here."

"I suppose you're right." Cuchulain stood up and clutched his spear tightly in his hand. "Maybe I should go look for them too."

"But Riku told us to stay here." Ophelia advised. "I'm sure that they'll all make it back safely."

No sooner had those words been uttered from Ophelia's mouth that was when the team heard a ruffling in the bushes.

"Do you hear that?" Goofy asked.

"It's coming from the thicket." Donald said.

"Hey," Cuchulain shouted, drawing up the Gae Bulga, "who's there?!"

"It's me," a voice replied. From out of the thicket, Sora appeared, slightly ragged and dirty. He rushed over to his friends and huffed and puffed. "I've been looking all over for you guys."

"How did you find us?" Ophelia asked.

"Well, I heard voices in this direction so I followed it. Sure enough, doing that led me to you guys."-

"Where are Riku and Cunla?"-

"I thought Cunla would be with you?" Cuchulain implied.

"We got separated. I took the flying nimbus to break our fall, but someone shot us from the sky and I was knocked unconscious. When I finally came to, there was no hide or hair of Cunla anywhere. I figured that he might have found his way here."-

"No he hasn't come back here." Donald said.

"What about Riku?" Ophelia asked. "Did you see him?"-

"I didn't…" Sora replied.

"That's strange." Cuchulain said. "It's not like Riku to miss you."

"It's a thick wilderness out there."-

"I guess so. But why didn't you increase your strength to act as a beacon so Riku could find you? It doesn't make any sense."-

"I didn't wanna give myself away to the enemy."-

"He does have a point." Donald implied.

"Oh well," Ophelia sighed, "At least you're back. That's all that matters."

"C'mon Sora," Cuchulain said. "How about something to eat?"

"Sure," Sora replied, "I could eat." Cuchulain patted his young comrade on the back. But the minute he touched his back, a sudden feeling of uneasiness and fear struck the Hound in the heart. He quickly drew his hand away. Sora looked at him. "Are you alright, Cuchulain? You look like you just saw a ghost."

"It's nothing. I just thought of something. Anyway, follow me." Cuchulain led the way with Sora following him. Ophelia watched as the two went off to retrieve some of the rations. She could sense the tension. She gazed at Sora.

"Something's strange." She said to Donald and Goofy. "Sora doesn't seem like himself."

"What do you mean?" Donald asked. "Sora looks alright to me."

"Yeah," Goofy added. "He seems just as happy-go-lucky as usual."

"On the outside yes," Ophelia said, "But there's something inwardly that isn't right."

"How's that?" Donald asked.

"I can feel Sora's energy. And for some reason, his aura feels darker."-

"Darker…?"-

"Yeah, as if there's a slight trait of evil hanging about him." Goofy and Donald were confused, not able to figure out Ophelia's premonition.

The Hound and the key bearer came to the stash of food that had been rescued and piled just outside of the gummi's thrashed hull. The Hound kneeled down and placed the Gae Bulga to the side.

"So what do you feel like?" he asked. There was a sudden pause and a dead silence. The only thing heard was the sound of Cuchulain's tinkering about the food supply. Cuchulain was immediately on edge. Usually, Sora would just blather out what he felt like. But in this case, he was quieter than the grave. "I asked you what you felt like eating."

"I feel like," Sora gave a rather sinister grin. He suddenly unleashed his keyblade and drew it over his head. "I feel like a good helping of fresh blood."

"Cuchulain," Ophelia cried, "Look out!"

But Cuchulain, aware of the danger the entire time quickly evaded with a spin. He retrieved the Gae Bulga and held it tightly in his hands.

"Sora," Donald cried, "Have you lost your mind?! What are you doing?!"

"Well, well," Sora uttered, "You're better than I expected, Hound of Ulster."

"What's Sora doing?" Goofy asked. "Why did he try to attack Cuchulain?"

"It's because this guy isn't our Sora." Cuchulain declared.

"He's not the real Sora?" Donald asked.

"No, he's rather a cheap imitation that looks like Sora. But I could tell the moment I laid eyes on him that he wasn't the real Sora. For one thing, Sora wouldn't come back here by himself without the others. Secondly, I could feel a dark aura within him. The real Sora doesn't have such a trait. Also, there was a hint of bloodlust in your eyes. You intended to kill us when our backs were turned. Sora would never attack his foe, let alone his friends from behind in such a manner."-

"I had that same feeling." Ophelia added. "I didn't have to lay a finger on him to know that something was wrong."

"I guess there's no getting passed you is there?" Sora chuckled.

"Tell us who you really are. You're not the real Sora, that's for sure."-

"That's where you're wrong! I am Sora, a clone of him anyway. And I've come only to fulfill one mission, to eliminate all of you once and for all!"-

"Is that so…?" Cuchulain said. "Well, it looks like you failed! Did you really think you could fool us? You couldn't hope to palter with us in a double sense."

"I understand that, but such a factor is irrelevant." Sora made ready with his keyblade. "I'll kill you as you are now!" The young man's aura began to bellow a terrible darkness. The KH team was shocked and apprehensive of what they saw.

"This power…" Ophelia uttered. "It's incredible."

"I'm not surprised." Cuchulain implied. "This is what Sora would have been like had he given into the darkness."

"You are well informed, Hound of Ulster." Sora chuckled. "I am the personification of an evil Sora, a sinister Sora. You can call me Dark Sora!"

"Dark Sora…?" Goofy asked.

"I shall eliminate you all!" Dark Sora attacked the Hound first. Cuchulain was quick to react and retaliated as soon as he blocked and evaded the first attack. But for some reason, Dark Sora was able to counter his maneuvers as well. Back and forth, the two fought, but the new foe seemed not to leave any opening.

"This guy," Cuchulain thought to himself, "His strength is incredible. And there is no pause or stall behind his blows. He really intends to kill us."

"You fool," Dark Sora chuckled, "You don't dare to raise your hand against a former comrade!"

"You're no comrade of mine! You're just a fake!"-

"A fake am I?"-

"That's right! And a fake can never exceed the uniqueness of the real thing!"-

"That's where you're wrong again. I am able to increase my strength to levels, which the real Sora could only dream about. The reason why is because my ambition and thirst for battle is what keeps me growing stronger."-

"We gotta help Cuchulain." Ophelia said.

"Right," Donald added, "Let's go!"

"But Sora…" Goofy uttered.

"That's not Sora, you idiot! That's an imposter!"-

"But Donald…"-

"We don't have time for this, Goofy." Ophelia said. "Donald, let's go!"

"Right…!" Donald replied. The two engaged against Dark Sora, leaving Goofy to sulk, still hesitating to attack.

Now three were battling against Dark Sora, but the evil key bearer seldom wavered.

"Well, well," he chuckled, "So you all decided to gang up on little old me, eh? Not a very sporting way to battle!"

"Shut up," Cuchulain demanded. "You're not our Sora, so that makes you disposable!"

"Oh, Cuchulain, is this the way you treat dear friends?"-

"You're no friend of mine!"-

"You can't fool us with that sheep's clothing!" Ophelia added. "It doesn't matter how good your disguise is, so long as your heart bears that hint of evil, you are not one of our comrades."

"You might as well accept me, Tiger of Goth. Your beloved Sora lies dead in the forest!" Dark Sora chuckled.

"What…?" Donald uttered.

"Sora's dead?" Goofy added, still hesitant to engage.

"You lie!" Cuchulain shouted.

"Why would I want to lie about that?" Dark Sora said. "The truth is far too much fun! I killed him myself, cutting his heart straight out of his chest. At this moment, perhaps Riku is discovering his slain corpse and is wailing over it like a child over its mother."

"Stop talking! Sora is not dead!"-

"You can believe what you want, but I speak the truth! There is no way he could survive such a hideous wound. And even if he did manage to survive the blow, then he'll die from the blood loss."-

"No Sora…" Goofy sobbed, his eyes filled with tears.

"Stop talking!" Donald shouted. "Sora would never allow himself to be defeated by the likes of you!"

"The truth is hard to face isn't it!" Dark Sora said. "Why don't you just accept his death and at least be grateful that I, being his clone, am still alive. I shall now be the one to bear the name and title of Sora the keyblade master."

"You may look like Sora, but you'll be nothing compared to him." Cuchulain declared. "You'll be nothing more than a mere copy, a double with an artificial heart!" Those words got to Dark Sora.

"Shut your mouth!" he continued to fight against the KH team. "I will become my own person! I am my own person and no one can tell me otherwise!"

"It's you who's in denial! You can claim to be a different person, but you'll always be a copy, nothing more! Your heart was manufactured. It's not real. Therefore, you're not real."-

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Dark Sora pounded his keyblade upon Cuchulain's spear, hoping to find an opening. "I'll show you that I am who I am! Unlike the Sora you knew, I don't hesitate to kill!" He slammed his keyblade upon Cuchulain's spear then kicked the Hound on the chest, forcing him downward. Cuchulain felt a sudden snap and sharp pain in his chest. Touching the ground, he coughed, having trouble breathing. Covering his mouth, he felt liquid touch his palm. Observing his hand, he realized that there was blood accumulating from his mouth. He had suffered severe internal injuries. "I guess you're not as tough as you thought you were."

"Man," Cuchulain thought to himself, "Dark Sora managed to break some of my ribs."

"Cuchulain," Ophelia cried. She sneered at Dark Sora. "You'll pay for that, you bastard!" Both she and Donald plowed forward, but the Imperial used the Lu Bu foot stomp to blow Ophelia and Donald away.

"Don't interfere with my business." He said. "Otherwise, I'll give you the same fate." He then turned to the Hound and aimed his keyblade at him, forming a large energy ball at its tip. "Since you're the one so determined to provoke me and prove me and my existence false, then why don't you have the honor and be the first to go! Then once I'm finished with you, I'll take the time and eradicate the remaining little insects here."

Dark Sora fired the energy ball almost at point blank range. But form out of nowhere, Goofy appeared before Cuchulain. Shielding his friend, he deflected the energy ball skyward.

"You're not gonna hurt any of my friends anymore, you phony!" he said.

"You'd betray your friend, Goofy?" Dark Sora mocked. "After all we've been through together."

"No, Cuchulain and the others are right! You're not Sora! You're just a copy of him!"-

"Again with the copy…!" Dark Sora clutched his teeth. "I'll show you ignorant fools that I am no copy, but a person belonging to himself!"

He charged at Goofy and Cuchulain. But as he did, one of Ophelia's fans came rushing at him from his left. He quickly stopped and evaded, just as the fan spun by. The bladed tips struck his shoulder, causing a shallow cut. A few drops of blood seeped from the wound. Dark Sora grasped his shoulder.

"How…how dare you strike me." He growled. "I'll make you all pay for this with your lives." He hovered into the air. "You might have maimed me for now. But I'll be back to finish this." With that, Dark Sora left without another word.

"Man," Cuchulain uttered, "That guy was something else. He managed to break a few of my ribs."

"He was tough." Ophelia added, "Almost as difficult as Lu Bu."

"You might need this." Donald said, handing a potion vial to the Hound.

"Thanks…" Cuchulain replied. He took the vial and guzzled the contents. He was back on his feet in a moment's notice. "Well, I gotta say this much, Dark Sora is gonna be a problem for us."

"It's hard to believe that he's so much like Sora." Goofy said.

"Well, he is, after all, Sora's clone." Donald replied.

"That may be true." Cuchulain continued. "But even though he moves like Sora, fights like Sora, and looks likes Sora, he isn't the real thing. The real Sora would never try to hurt anyone like that. Dark Sora was different. You could see that thirst for blood in his eyes."

"He's gonna prove a difficult challenge." Ophelia added. "I just hope that the real Sora is alright and that's he's back with Cunla and Riku."

"It'll definitely take all of us to beat that guy."-

Little did they realize that Riku and Sora were placed in a tight dilemma, being captured and taken prisoner by enraged Native Americans. They were paraded through the camp like freaks, passing elaborate totems and wigwams, long houses and teepees. It was a congregation of American Indians of all diverse cultures. The Indian warriors led the key bearers to the center of the encampment. There, Riku and Sora were tide to a large stake stationed at the center. Drums and ceremonial war cries were sounding and a great many of the warriors danced about in elaborate animal hide clothing. Squaws and their children watched with curiosity and anxiety as the two key bearers were bound in the center of the encampment. Piles of wood and dry kindling were set under their feet.

"What are they gonna do to us, Riku?" Sora asked.

"By the looks of that dry tinder and us being tied to this stake," Riku replied, "I think they plan to burn us alive."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute, you can't burn us at the stake!"-

"Shut your trap, kid!" one of the natives uttered. "All criminals pay with their lives."

"But we're not criminals!"-

"We'll let the chief and Little Flying Eagle decide that for themselves."-

"You keep mentioning Little Flying Eagle." Riku said. "But we don't know the guy!"

"We'll just see." Another native said.

Suddenly, the drums and the chanting came to a sudden halt. The key bearers looked about.

"Why did they stop?" Sora asked.

"I don't know." Riku replied. No sooner had he said that, the warriors, squaws, and children suddenly parted, creating a gap in the solid circle of brown skin. From the crowd emerged a tall man with a reddish face, his cheeks streaked with war pain. He wore the most elaborate of animal hide clothing and atop his head was a chieftain headdress. This indicated that he was the chief of the tribe. He came before the key bearers, tall and proud, his manly physique impressing even the key bearers. He raised his hand in greeting.

"How…" he said.

"How what?" Sora asked.

"He's greeting us, you idiot." Riku grumbled.

"Oh…"-

"So you're the evil ones who dare to disturb the piece of this land." The chief continued.

"Evil ones?"-

"We're not evil ones." Riku declared. "We've come to help you!"

"That is a lie." The chief replied. "I know that you were the ones who assisted the pirate captain and his crew. You are the ones who sail that black monster around the island."

"Black monster…?" Sora thought to himself. "Could he be talking about that axis submarine we saw earlier?"

"And you," the chief pointed his finger at Sora, "The great betrayer, you dared to betray Little Flying Eagle."

"But I don't even know who this Little Flying Eagle is!" Sora cried.

"So says you." A voice shouted from behind the chief. Emerging from the rear, a young boy in green appeared. It was none other than Peter Pan.

"Peter, it's you! Listen you gotta tell these guys they've made a mistake! I'm not a betrayer! I don't even know who this Little Flying Eagle is!"-

"That's simple, it's me!"-

"You…?" Sora was stunned. The person the natives referred to as Little Flying Eagle was Peter all along. The key bearer was confused. "But how could I have betrayed you? We're friends remember. It's been six years since the last time we met."

"And that was long enough for you to go rotten and throw our friendship aside!" Peter observed the key bearer's appearance. "Hey, whatever happened to that black uniform you had on."

"Black uniform…?"-

"Don't play dumb, the one with the red trim and those brass buttons."-

"My God," Riku uttered. "Peter must've come in contact with your other self, Sora."

"You got me wrong, Peter." Sora said. "I was not the one to attack you! I would never try to attack you! I would never do such a thing!"

"Oh right," Peter scoffed. "So you're telling me that there are two of you running around?!"

"Well, in a way yes."-

"That's an impossibility. There can't be another guy who looks like you! You're lying!"-

"Peter you know me!"-

"Correction, I thought I knew you, but I guess I was wrong."-

"Peter…"-

"Sora's not like that!" Riku defended. "He would never betray his friends!"

"And how do I know that?" Peter asked. "How do any of us know that? As far as I know, you're just making up some stupid story just to get out of the inevitable."

"Why would we lie?"-

"To save your own skins, that's why! I can't believe that you would betray our friendship like that, Sora, after all we've been through. Now you have the audacity to come back here and cause this ruckus with your goons. To top it all off, Tinker Bell is dying because of you!"-

"Tinker Bell's dying, but how?" Sora uttered. "Why…?"

"You killed her by saying you didn't believe in fairies! And now her condition is worsening!"-

"I would never say that!"-

"How many sticks of dynamite to we have to set off in those ears of yours before your head clears up?!" Riku shouted. "Sora isn't capable of betrayal! He would never do such a thing!"

"Enough of this!" Peter shouted. "The facts are facts! It was your face I saw in the driving rain, no mistake!" Peter turned away.

"Peter," Sora uttered.

"Little Flying Eagle's verdict is chosen." The chief shouted. "Have them both burned at the stake!"

"No…!" Riku cried. He tried struggling to get out, but the ropes were tied too tight around them. With their hands tied behind them as well in double knot, they were not able to free themselves in time. The warriors approached with torches, ready to set the stake aflame with its victims.

But suddenly, from out of nowhere, a strong gust of wind erupted in the encampment. The wind spun about furiously, but only in the center of the encampment. It was as if the wind wished to wreak destruction in the center of the camp without hindering the rest of the village. The fires went out and many of the warriors were pushed back. The wind, however, did not seem to effect Riku and Sora. To them, the wind acted as if avoiding hem entirely. Strong wind currents cut the rope, freeing the key bearers.

"We're free," Riku said. "Let's get out of here and get back to the others! We have to find this darker half of you so we can clear your name!"

"This power…" Sora uttered, as he swathe wind in an almost tornado like fashion. The energy around him made him nostalgic. "I've sensed this power before, but where…?"

"Come on, Sora, stop staring out into space!" Riku grabbed hold of him by the arm and pulled him away to the outskirts of the camp.

"The prisoners are getting away!" one of the warriors shouted.

"After them," the chief ordered, "Capture them and bring them back for their sentence! We can't have those two running amuck and spreading more chaos!" The warriors managed to free themselves from the wind and pursue the key bearers.

The commotion could be felt by the rest of the KH team who were still stationed at the crash site. Donald retracted the gummi, placing it back in its protective capsule. It was then that they felt the sudden surge of energy.

"Did you feel that?" Cuchulain uttered, standing once he felt the energy come at him.

"Yeah," Ophelia added. They looked to the west. "There must be some kind of battle going on! For a minute, I thought I felt Riku and Sora."

"C'mon you guys," Cuchulain picked up his Gae Bulga, "We gotta couple of comrades to help!"

"Let's go!" Ophelia said, unleashing her fans.

"C'mon Goofy," Donald declared, taking up his mage staff.

"But Donald," Goofy uttered, "We're not finished with the packing."

"Just c'mon!" Donald grabbed his friend by the wrist and pulled him along. Goofy grabbed hold of his shield at the last moment just before he went flying off his feet due to Donald's pulling.

In the meantime, evil was initiating its own plan. Saber and his soldiers stood upon the beaches alongside Hook and his pirates.

"We attack the Indian encampment, gentlemen." He ordered. "Attack from the south and the east and push those savages into the sea."

"Aye sir!" the soldiers and pirates replied.

"Are you sure it'll be alright that all of us engage?" Hook asked. "We are after all leaving our ships vulnerable with only a few men to guard them."

"There is nothing to fear."-

"But what about that boy, Cunla?"-

"He's in a highly secure cell in the submarine. I doubt he'll be able to escape." Just then, Dark Sora appeared, dressed in his black uniform and armed with his keyblade and mounted scouter upon his ear. He detected the power levels. Saber turned to him. "I hope you don't plan on retreating this time."

"I am sorry that I was not able to defeat the KH team as you instructed."-

"It's alright. I wouldn't expect you to defeat them so early in the game. They are after all the ones who went head to head with the elites of the former Dark Empire. But perhaps you'll have a better chance with your comrades at you side. That way you can eliminate them one at a time without encountering a significant amount of trouble." Dark Sora clutched his keyblade tightly.

"I will take revenge for my earlier humiliation."-

"Let's move out!" Saber drew out his sword and pointed in the direction of the Indian encampment. Like an army of rabble, the Imperials and their buccaneer allies advanced, through the thicket and the woods, towards the thin pillars of smoke where the main campfires blazed.

Riku and Sora ran furiously through the woods, hoping to evade the Indians. Riku took lead dragging his comrade along. Sora's mind was still full of the events hat had occurred a few minutes before.

"We have to keep moving." Riku demanded. "We have to get to the others."

"I can't believe Peter would think of me so heinously." Sora uttered. "Damn my darker self. He'll pay for this! He'll pay for causing me and my friends this much trouble."

"You can damn him later, Sora. Right now, we gotta get out of here!"-

Suddenly, as they reached the deep areas of the forest, most of it entangled woods, Indian scouts appeared. They had been keeping eye on the areas surrounding the encampment and now were engaging against the KH team.

"Great," Sora uttered, "More Indians…"

"We have no other choice, but to fight them." Riku said.

"We'll fight them, but don't kill them. In fact, try and do as little damage as you can. They aren't our enemies." Riku could only cringe.

"I'll do my best, but try and tell them not to hold back."-

"Get them!" a warrior shouted. The Indian scouts, armed with spear and tomahawk, attacked the two key bearers. Riku and Sora regressed to using hand to hand combat techniques and subdued their enemy without maiming or slaying them. Doing so, however, was very difficult. Because of their effectiveness in battle, they had to tone down their aggressiveness to a more defensive stance, letting their enemy attack them. They also engaged in hit and run tactics. If they managed to knock down, or knock out a warrior, they didn't stop to end the fight, but instead kept running to where their friends supposedly awaited their return. But because of the scouts appearing out of the woodwork, firing arrows, and attacking from out of nowhere, the key bearers were stalled long enough for the pursuing warriors to catch up with them. The warriors surrounded them, tightly closing in on them. Peter Pan flew over head.

"It's no use, Sora." He shouted. "You can't run away anymore! You and your friend are surrounded!"

"That's what you think!" Riku shouted. "Sora, let's use the evasion technique!"

"Right," Sora replied. The two unleash light and shadow, blinding their foes. The Indian warriors covered their eyes as the dotting flashes of silent lightning erupted before them. As the light faded, they watched as a dozen Rikus appeared and ran off in different directions.

"There they are!" one warrior cried. "They're heading off back to the camp!"

"No they're not!" another added. "They're heading towards the thicket!"

"No, they're heading that way!" shouted a third.

"No that way!" bellowed a fourth. The warriors were confused seeing the decoys run off in every direction.

"They're everywhere!" an Indian warrior shouted.

"Don't just stand there," Peter shouted, "Go after them!"

"Right," the warriors split up, hoping to catch the enemy that wasn't there at all. Peter suddenly heard ruffling in the brush. He looked up to the area where the warriors did not pursue. Sure enough, he saw Riku and Sora dispersing into the thicket.

"You're not getting away." Pan flew off at great haste.

The chief was part of the pursuing party. He looked about, seeing his warriors suddenly stand up after being struck down.

"How many casualties have we suffered?" he asked.

"That's the thing," one of the front line warriors explained. "Not a single man was severely wounded, let alone cut. No one suffered any critical blow. Just a few bumps and bruises to the head, but nothing more." The chief pondered on the situation, rather confused.

"These young men didn't kill anyone?"-

"Apparently not, sir."-

"That's strange. If they were true enemies, why would they spare all the lives of our warriors?"-

"Perhaps they didn't have time to kill anyone."-

"But even so, they would have at least dealt some severe blows in the process."-

"Perhaps they're novice fighters."-

"I don't think so." The chief implied. "These are the best of my warriors. If they could be pummeled so easily, it means that these two young men are more experienced in battle than what we think them to be." The chief scratched the back of his head. "Perhaps all this was a misunderstanding, perhaps mistaken identity."

"Chief…?" the warriors asked curiously.

"Have those two brought back alive. I want to hear their side of the story."-

"But sir,"-

"Little Flying Eagle may be our closest friend, but I believe he may have been too hasty in his accusations. We'll figure this out a little better before we pass sentence."-

Like wild animals being hunted for their meat, the two key bearers trudged further into the underbrush with every Indian warrior still looking out for them.

"I think we're safe." Sora said. "Those darkness decoys should lead the Indians further away from us."

"That's the thing." Riku replied. "Those decoys can only last for so long. It won't be long before they fade and those warriors figure out that they've been tricked." The two reached the old hangman's tree, Peter's hideout. Here they took a rest, not knowing that the danger was not yet over. "We'll rest here for a minute."

"Yeah…"-

But no sooner had they stopped then a hail of stones fell upon them. The key bearers looked up to find none other than the lost boys pummeling them with slingshots from the top branches of the dead trunk.

"It's that guy!" Nibs shouted from atop the tree. "He's the one Peter is after!"

"And he's got a friend too!" Slightly added. "Don't let them get away!"

"Who he heck are you guys?" Riku asked.

"Those are the lost boys!" Sora replied. "They're Peter's men."

"Get them!" Nibs shouted.

"Hey, c'mon you guys! We don't mean you any harm! It's all just a big mistake!"-

"Don't believe them! They're the enemy!"-

The lost boys tossed nets upon the key bearers, knocking them to the ground. They then gathered around Riku and Sora and bound them up.

"Did you guys really think you could get away from us?" a voice shouted from above. Peter was seen hovering just above the heads of the lost boys. "Maybe this'll teach you to betray friends!"

"For the last time, we didn't betray you!" Sora shouted. "This is all a ploy by the Midnight Faction to make me look like a criminal!"

"Don't try to lie to me. I would always remember your face! And it was your face I saw on the cliff." Pan clutched his hand tightly. "I guess growing up has made you forget your old friends. I always knew that you couldn't trust adults."-

"Peter…"-

No sooner had they been recaptured, the Indian warriors finally caught up with them. They had realized the deception and managed to track down the key bearers once again.

"There he is!" one warrior cried. "Take them back to camp!"

"I guess this isn't your lucky day is it." Peter scoffed in Sora's face. "You'll now feel the same pain you put on Tinker Bell."

"Why…" Sora uttered. "Why won't you listen to me?"

"Save your breath, Sora." Riku said. "It's no use trying to talk to him."

"Take them away!" Peter instructed.

"On your feet, boys." Another warrior ordered. They forced the key bearers to their feet. But as they lifted Riku and Sora up, a thundering voice suddenly shouted out.

"I would leave them alone if I were you." It declared. The key bearers and their pursuers looked up to find none other than Cuchulain and the rest of the KH team standing, ready to battle. They had finally arrived. "You guys have bigger things to worry about."

"It's Cuchulain…" Sora uttered.

"Who the heck are you guys?" one of the Indian warriors said.

"We're the comrades of Riku and Sora!" Cuchulain announced. They then introduced themselves one at a time. "Cuchulain…!"

"Ophelia…!"

"Donald…!"

"Goofy…!"

"We demand that you release the key bearers!" Cuchulain continued. "They are not your enemies!"

"Sora's innocent, Peter!" Goofy added. "You should know Sora as good as any of us that he's not the type to betray your friendship and your trust."

"What you might have confronted was Sora's dark side." Donald added.

"And why should we believe you?" Peter scoffed.

"It's because we fought his dark side. A clone of Sora is working for the Imperial Axis."-

"And how do I know that's not a lie in itself?!"-

"Are you that dense, kid?" Ophelia growled. "Don't you realize that we're not your enemies?"

"Stop it, stop it with you lies!"-

"It's not a lie!" Donald said.

"I don't wanna hear anymore of this!" Peter turned to his allies. "Get those two back to the camp! And if their friends try to intervene, let 'em have it!"

The lost boys and a few of the Indian warriors stood against the rest of the KH team, while the others escorted the key bearers back to face execution.

"You will leave the key bearers where they are if you value your lives." Cuchulain said.

"You don't scare us!" Slightly announced.

"Yeah," Nibs added, "You're outnumbered."

"And what makes you think that I have a problem with that? If your numbers are so great then who will be the first to come forth and meet their demise?!" Cuchulain then looked at Peter. "You're the leader of this band of fools. Why don't you make an example of yourself and be the first to enter combat?"

"You don't want to fight me, friend." Peter declared. "I have a slight advantage over you."

"You're flying ability? It's not all that special." Cuchulain suddenly vanished then appeared before Peter. Pan was stunned at the speed of the Hound. "I too have the ability to fly and I don't need the use of fairy dust to get me off the ground." There was tension between the boy and the Hound. Peter's eyes filled with this sense of fear and apprehension. For some reason, Cuchulain's presence was enough to cause his spine to stiffen and the hair at the back of his neck to stand on end. But Sora cried out to his comrade.

"Cuchulain," he shouted, "Don't hurt him! Peter's been through a lot! He's not our enemy!"

"Our real enemy is Sora's dark side and the Imperial forces." Riku added.

"Sora's dark side…" Peter uttered. He looked down at Sora whose eyes showed no malice or hatred. The lost boys lowered their arms. The Native Americans did the same.

"Maybe," Cubby uttered, "Maybe they're telling the truth. Maybe we were the ones who were wrong."

Just then, the sound of cannons and the shouting of angry men and the scream of terrified women and children echoed in the distance. Just then, another warrior came rushing out of the brush.

"Guys," he cried, "get back to the village! It's under attack!"

"Under attack…?" another warrior uttered.

"Yeah, Hook and his allies are battling our men just outside of the encampment and their pushing us back fast."-

"We have to defend the village."-

"Hook…" Peter growled.

"Peter Pan," Cuchulain said, "If you still think us enemies, then conclude your opinion after you see where we stand." The Hound landed upon the ground. "Release the key bearers if you want to save your village."

The Indians made no second guesses, seeing no other option, and untied the key bearers.

"Thanks Cuchulain." Riku said.

"Alright you guys. If you want a clear our names then lets prove that we're allies! We defend that village to the end!"-

"Yeah," the team replied. They drew their weapons and returned to the village, hoping to halt the advance of the pirates and the Imperial forces before they could reach the encampment.


	79. Trust

Trust

The Indian encampment became the sight of hostilities as pirates and Imperials climbed up the rocky slopes surrounding the village. Indian men rushed the battlements, armed with their bows and arrows, their tomahawks and clubs, and their spears and shields. Dressed in traditional war paint, they whooped and shouted, hoping to scare off the foe. But Hook's crew and Saber's troopers were not wavered. Instead, they continued to advance without pause. Though the Indian's outnumbered their attackers three to one, the Imperials had advanced weaponry on their side and easily subdued the outer lines with barrages of energy beams. Hook and Mr. Smee stayed in the rear alongside General Saber and Dark Sora.

"We caught the Indians by surprise, captain." Smee said.

"We have those savages on the run!" Hook chuckled.

"Push forward, my men!" Saber said. "Subdue these redskins and let them know of our superiority."

"Master," Dark Sora uttered, "Let me enter the fray."

"Do as you will, Sora. Kill as many Indians as you would like."-

"Thank you, sir." Dark Sora flew off to the fray to battle the Indian warriors.

In the front line, Iroquois, Lakota, and Cherokee warriors stood together, battling against this common enemy.

"Hold the line!" one warrior cried. "We have to protect the village!"

"Use the element of surprise to break them up!" another added. "We're defending our homes! We have the advantage here!"

The Indians used this motivation to boost their morale. Sure enough, the pirates and Imperials were halted within two hundred yards of the encampment outskirts now that they faced stiff resistance. Though many of the warriors died, they took at least one or two aggressors with them. It came to the point where they could no longer advance and could no longer hold their ground.

"We're being pushed back!" an Imperial soldier said.

"We be no match for these savage." A pirate added.

"Such fools you are." Dark Sora implied, reaching the front line at last. "These savages are no threat to us whatsoever. And yet you want to run away from them with you tails between your legs?" He looked upon his allies with scorn. "If you're gonna leave then do it yourself. We don't have room for weaklings here." Dark Sora advanced by himself.

"That boy's crazy." Another Imperial soldier grumbled. "Just because he's the clone of one of the key bearers, he thinks he's better than all of us."

The Indians saw this upstart rushing towards them. While some looked on with curiosity, others scoffed at the young man.

"That's the same kid who was standing trial earlier." One warrior said. "He's gonna try and defeat us on his own?"

"He's getting too cocky for his own good." Another warrior replied. "We'll put him in his place. He's only one man after all."

But the warriors couldn't be more wrong. Though ganging up on Dark Sora, the boy managed to hold his own and slay ten with ease. The warriors looked on, awed and frightened.

"He's only one man!" another warrior cried. More warriors converged on the youth, but they too were slain. Dark Sora gave that same sinister grin as his eyes were filled with blood lust.

"Come on you toads." He urged. "Come at me if you dare."

"Impossible," a Lakota warrior said, "It's one against many."

"He's a demon!" a second warrior cried.

The example given by Dark Sora was enough to boost confidence in the morale of the Imperials and the buccaneers.

"The boy is doing it." One buccaneer implied.

"It just goes to show you that he is willing to prove himself." A voice uttered. General Saber and Captain Hook were seen standing amongst them. "He wants to show that he is more than just a clone. And I will support this acknowledgement." Saber drew out his sword. "Now my faithful comrades, let us push these savages into the sea."

Once again, the waves of attackers continued their advance, giving a cry of cheer. Now with Dark Sora and Saber at the front lines, the advance was easier than ever before. But such notions of a swift victory died again.

From the rear of the Imperial line, the soldiers were caught off guard by the Indians who pursued the key bearers. Amongst them was the chief.

"Eliminate those men!" he shouted. His warriors assaulted the line of Imperials who were on reserve.

"We're being attacked from behind!" one Imperial cried before he was struck down. The Indians overwhelmed the line of Axis troopers.

"We have to warn the general!" another faction soldier shouted. "Send a messenger!" A messenger was sent, leaving his comrades to duke it out with the massive opposition. Fighting profusely alongside the Indians was none other than the KH team who pummeled and slew every pirate and Imperial they came across.

"Let this be redemption for the crimes you've committed!" Sora proclaimed. "And to prove our friendship to the inhabitants of this land!"

The lost boys and Peter Pan watched on as the key bearers struck down their enemy without pause.

"They're battling against the pirates and their allies, Peter." Cubby said. "They must be friends."

"If that's so," Peter grumbled, "How come all the soldiers Sora fought are still alive?"

"Well, maybe he's just trying to be nice."-

"Well, wouldn't being nice to the enemy be enough for suspicion."-

"If that's so," the chief said, standing next to Peter, "why would he do the same for my men? He left them with only minor bumps and bruises. There was not a single drop of blood spilled. He might be sparing those he fights against because he fears for their lives as well. After witnessing this show of mercy, I too am starting have my doubts on whether that young man and his friends are truly our enemies."

"Well…"-

"The chief does have a point, Peter." Slightly implied. "So far, Sora hasn't killed anyone, only injured them. He acts completely different from the guy who attacked us earlier."

"Maybe we were the ones who were wrong." Nibs added. "We only went by what you described, but we don't really know because we never saw the guy's face." There was a lull between the lost boys, the chief and Peter Pan.

"Perhaps it was mistaken identity." The chief turned to Peter. "I am not one to easily say this, knowing our friendship all these years, but I think that your earlier presumptions might have been incorrect, Little Flying Eagle. I believe that young man was telling us the truth the whole time and we unjustly accused him of being our enemy." Peter was still not convinced, but the evidence was starting to turn proving Sora's innocence. The boy was just too stubborn to realize the truth before him.

"I'm not entirely satisfied." He uttered. "I know what I saw and I could never forget a face. Until there is absolutely no doubt that Sora was not the one who attacked us, I'm still gonna treat him as a possible enemy."

It didn't take long before word reached Saber of the attack from behind. By this time, many of the Indians were wiped out while their foes barely suffered a single casualty. Saber stepped upon the body of a slain Iroquois warrior, Hook and Dark Sora by his side.

"Isn't it amazing how quickly the table turns?" Saber chuckled. "Now all of a sudden these Indians are throwing themselves at us. They must be desperate."

"With these results," Hook added, "The last great threat to our takeover will be wiped out for good."

"We're almost at the first of the long houses. Keep advancing."-

"General," a soldier cried, running to his supreme commander, "a message from the rear line."

"What is it?" Saber asked.

"Our troops are being attacked by Indians from behind."-

"What was that?"-

"They are attacking us from the rear?" Hook uttered.

"How many of them?"-

"There are at least a hundred warriors." The soldier continued. "And to make things worse, Peter Pan is amongst them."

"What…? He's still alive…?"-

"But that can't be." Dark Sora uttered. "I killed him myself."

"Are you sure it's not a figment of our troops' imagination?"-

"I'm positive, sir." The soldier replied. Saber turned to Dark Sora.

"It seems that brat still has the fight in him."-

"Let me take care of this upstart." Dark Sora growled. "This time he dies for sure."

"And this time, confirm his death as absolute." Saber said.

"I'll bring his heart back on a platter. I will not fail you this time, sir." Dark Sora turned rearward and headed to the back line to aid the soldiers. Saber turned to the soldier.

"Is their anything else you need to report to me?"-

"Unfortunately, sir,' the soldier uttered, "The KH team is also amongst the attackers." Saber's fists clutched tightly.

"The KH team is here…?"-

"Yes sir. And both key bearers are with them."-

"Damn," Saber looked to the rear. "So the real Sora is still alive is he?" But Saber only sighed. "Oh well, it's not like they're much of a threat to us here. Dark Sora will finish them off for good this time. At least I hope anyway. And even if he fails, I know this much, neither the key bearers nor their comrades will be able to contend with my power."

At that same time, the KH team and their Native American allies rushed the rear line and forced many of the soldiers and their pirate companions to break up. As their forces had made the Indians scatter, so too the Indians did the same to them.

"Take 'em down while they're still uncertain." Cuchulain ordered.

"Forward…!" the chief shouted. His warriors jumped at the chance, rushing and slaying pirates and soldiers as they fled. Peter flew through the air, rushing his foes, striking them down.

"This is what you guys deserve!" he said.

It seemed an inevitable disperse of the Imperial forces. But suddenly, like flashes of lightning, the warriors were struck down by some unseen force. Peter Pan quickly looked about.

"I never would have thought that you would still be alive even after that little fall off the cliff." a voice uttered. Peter looked to find a familiar figure standing not too far from where he hovered. Dark Sora once again confronted the boy, his keyblade drenched in blood. "But I see you still got the wind in you."

"You," Peter gasped. He finally realized that what Sora was trying to tell him was true, but he was too pigheaded to listen. There was in fact an individual who looked like the keyblade master. "Sora was telling the truth. All this time there was a guy who looked exactly like him."

"What do you say we finish this little scuffle once and for all?" Dark Sora declared. He gave no further warning and instead attacked the boy, not allowing Peter to react. The young boy was struck down by the Imperial. Peter tried to fly as he saw his enemy rushing him again. He evaded, missing the tip of the crimson smothered keyblade by only a few millimeters. But Dark Sora emerged again, this time behind the boy, and struck him to the ground. Peter dragged along the ground, heaving up great billowing clouds of dirt. Peter staggered, but could not stand. The pummel left him wearing and dizzy. The Imperial landed only a few feet away from him. Peter turned about and tried to crawl away. He came to a tall tree, pressing his back tightly to the bark as he watched the assassin draw ever closer.

"Someone, help me!" the boy cried, holding his dagger high in a futile gesture.

"Face it boy." Dark Sora chuckled, "With all the chaos that's going around, no one's about to drop their own guard to save you." Three Indian warriors, two Cherokee and one Lakota, charged into the fray to aid their boy comrade. But each was struck before they would even lift a finger to smite the Imperial.

"Peter," Slightly cried not too far away.

"We're coming!" Nibs added.

Slightly, Nibs, and the twins were the ones to rush in to save their leader. But Dark Sora only used a forceful wind to blow them back. The lost boys fell to the ground, their outfits smitten with dirt smudges.

"No, you guys!" Peter cried.

"Fools," Dark Sora chuckled. "What did they think they could accomplish battling against me?" He turned his attention towards Peter Pan again. He came so close to the boy, he could have slashed open the youth's chest simply by lifting his keyblade upward. Like a towering giant, Dark Sora raised his keyblade, aiming it at Peter's face. Peter watched as drops of blood dripped from the very tip of the evil keyblade. "Don't take this personally, Pan, but I promised my commanding officer that I would return with your heart on a plate. If you keep quiet, I'll make sure to give you a quick and painless death."

He suddenly raised his keyblade over his head and struck down without pause. But before the blade to could crash upon the youth's skull, Dark Sora's scouter picked up a familiar power level. Peter, his eyes shut tight, slowly opened to see the blade's sharpened edge an inch above his skull.

"What happened…?" he thought to himself. "Am I dead?" He watched as the evil key bearer withdrew his keyblade. He then stood fully erect. There was a sudden look of shock and irritation on his face, as if he were bothered by an ominous presence.

"So," Dark Sora grumbled, "You're still alive?"

"Leave Peter alone you filth." Voice murmured from behind. Peter looked to see none other than Sora standing there, his keyblade at the ready.

"Sora…" he uttered.

"Peter, are you alright?" Peter lowered his head.

"I'm sorry, Sora. You were telling the truth all along and I was blind not to see your innocence. I'm sorry for not believing you and putting you through all of this trouble."-

"Apologies can wait until later. I have my own score to settle with my other self."-

"A bold statement," Dark Sora chuckled, slowly turning to face his foe. "I could have sworn that you died in that last little battle."

"Well, it appears you only left your job only half done. Don't you know that you have to see your tasks fulfilled all the way through?"-

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind when I'm scooping out your brains with the edge of my blade." Dark Sora didn't pause and instead charged his enemy without mercy. He struck Sora in the chest, causing the youth to fly backwards. Sora skidded across the ground, but quickly retaliated. The two key look-alikes struck and cut at each other with all hell's fury. The two locked blades. "Well, well, where did this power come from?"

"It's from shear determination!" Sora said. The two pushed each other away and against they clashed about. But once again, Dark Sora seemed to gain the upper hand against his righteous other.

"You are such a fool. Even with this new found strength, you are nothing compared to me."-

"That may be true, but I won't submit to you."-

"Are you that determined to keep your identity?"-

"That has nothing to do with it!" Suddenly, Dark Sora pushed Sora away and made an upper slash strike with his keyblade as he had done before, which inflicted the deep wound upon the hero's chest. Sora managed to evade however, preventing the sword from cutting his flesh a second time. But his dark side transformed his upper slash to a straight forward thrust, cutting Sora's side. Sora backed off, but met the elbow across the face. He fell back to the ground.

"You're not doing so well are you?" Dark Sora chuckled. "I guess when it comes down to it I am the superior of us both." Sora slowly staggered to his feet. He turned to face the Imperial, a stream of blood dripping from his mouth and face smudged in dirt. Sweat fell from his brow and he labored in breath. He staggered to his feet.

"You might just be the superior…" Sora uttered.

"And yet you wish to continue battling me? Why…?"-

"It's because I still have friends who need me!"-

"And what are they to you?"-

"They're my friends."-

"And that is what makes you weak." Dark Sora charged again. Sore drew up his keyblade and the two battled again. But as before, darkness pushed light again and Sora fell to the ground once more. "So long as you hold those sentimental values and those petty emotions, you will never be able to defeat me!"

"You're wrong, my friends are my power."-

"And how can they be your power?"-

"It's because they are my friends, nothing more! Their welfare means more than my own wants!"-

"But so long as your mind dwells on these bugs you care for, you could never hope to topple me in a battle!"-

"That's what you think!" a voice uttered. Appearing behind Sora were his fellow comrades of the KH team. The one to stand next to Sora was Riku.

"You idiots again?" Dark Sora uttered.

"Are you alright, Sora?" Riku asked.

"Thanks you guys." Sora replied. "Be careful, Riku, he's a lot tougher than he looks." Riku sneered at his friend's counterpart.

"Friendship and compassion may be a weakness to you, but it's our greatest strength. That's what makes us unstoppable."

"You contend with Sora, you have to contend with all of us." Cuchulain declared.

"And you know you can't fight all of us at once." Ophelia added.

"And what makes you think that I have a problem with that?" Dark Sora chuckled. "You might have me outnumbered, but after our last little scuffle, I was unimpressed."

"Tell me," Cuchulain said, "How's that little wound on your shoulder doing?"

"That was a mere stroke of luck, Hound of Ulster. I can assure you it won't happen again. This time, you deaths are assured."-

Dark Sora charged the KH team and the battle rekindled into its usual bedlam.

At that same time, Saber's troops drew closer to the Indian encampment. By this time, due to the general's intervention, many of the warriors had been killed or wounded and those left the fight only held a thin line of defenders against the aggressive masses of enemy soldiers. But even despite their bravery, preferring death over life, the numbers of gallant warriors could not be replaced. Saber only guffawed at the extent the Indians went through to save their village.

"Impudent morons," he chuckled, "They're already defeated. They're rear attack was unsuccessful. Their defenses have failed and my soldiers are within a stones throw of the village. Those savages must accept their defeat. They keep up this effort and sooner or later there will be no more men to defend the encampment. Oh well, it at least makes our job easier."

"I never would have thought those Indians were so easy to pummel." Hook implied.

"They weren't easy to pummel, that's the problem. If it wasn't for me and my subordinate intervening with the confrontation, there might have been a good chance that all this would have ended in disaster. These Indians have proven to be more trouble than their worth, but once the last push is made and their encampment is engulfed in flames, there will no longer be a need to fear these heathens." Saber looks to a rock clearing. "Behold, our soldiers breach their defenses."

But no sooner had he said that, a cloaked figure appeared before the masses of attacking soldiers. Suddenly, as if God had come down to earth, the cloaked individual unleashed a powerful surge of wind. From out of the blue, large funnel clouds appeared. Twisters broke up the attacking pirates and faction soldiers and scattered them, lifting them into the air and tossing them, or dropping them in every direction. Saber and Hook were shocked at what they just witnessed.

"Swoggle me eyes." Hook murmured in such a stunned manner. "What was that?"

"It looked like the finger of the Almighty." Smee grumbled, hiding behind his captain. "He's come to pass final judgment on us."

"Balderdash, that's nothing more than an old wives tale!"-

"That surge of wind," he uttered, "Where did it come from? There was more behind that wind than meets the eye." He happened to look at the individual. "That figure at the village sentinel, he must be responsible. But who is he?" Saber recollected the movements and technique the cloaked figure used. "The wind techniques he used, they seem somewhat familiar. Could he possibly be…?" Saber had to know. He rushed in.

"Where are you going, sir?' Hook asked.

"I am going to inspect something. You stay here and keep the men advancing."-

"But what if we break?"-

"Do not break, no matter what the consequence!" Saber rushed to the battlements.

"Does that upstart think that we can possibly hold off the enemy with so little man power? After that sudden surge of wind, me crew and our allies have been severed by half our number because of it."-

"What shall we do, captain?" Smee asked.

"Nothing, if that general wants to get killed then let him. It's none of my business what happens to him!"-

Several pirates and soldiers, still alive from their encounter with the lone figure, counter attacked. The cloaked man, however, easily evaded, disappearing as if he never were, thus confusing his attackers. He then appeared from the rear and struck each man, maiming severely, but seldom killed.

"Hurray," some of the Indians whooped.

"You saved the village." a Lakota warrior implied.

"You pushed back our enemies." a Cherokee added.

"Never mind the short triumph." The cloaked man replied. "Return to your posts and keep the enemy at bay. We still have a chance to win this."

"Yes sir," the warriors replied and quickly rallied to the front. But as the last warrior left to fight, the cloaked man was confronted by none other than General Saber himself, who suddenly emerged before him without warning.

"So you're the one responsible for those funnel clouds, eh?" Saber chuckled.

"So it's you…" the cloaked man uttered.

"I thought I recognized your technique, the Twister Strike. Thus I can only conclude that you gave that skill to Sora didn't you, stranger. No, I shouldn't say that because you're not a stranger at all, though I may be to you, knowing me by my reputation alone. But you were once like me weren't you?" The cloaked man, though his face was concealed in shadow, seemed to tense due to his body movement, such as his clutching his fist tightly. But the man gave a sigh.

"I guess there's no hiding anything from you is there." The cloaked man threw off his thick cloak, revealing a young Lakota warrior. But he was no ordinary Lakota warrior. He was slim yet muscular in physique, still a young man, perhaps in his mid or late twenties. Unlike the brown animal hide loincloth, pants, and vest worn by the other Indian warriors, this young man wore the black uniform of a ninja with silver shoulder guards and spiked wrist gauntlets for close hand to hand grappling. His skin was a fair brown, not too light and not too dark. His eyes were an innocent brown. His raven black hair draped to the side of his head, resting upon his right shoulder tightly wrapped into a fine ponytail. At the same time, the loose bangs covered both his forehead as well as curbed upward like so many quills of a porcupine. Tucked just above his ponytail was a eagle's feather. Saber smirked upon knowing the identity of the Lakota youth.

"I thought as much." He uttered. "It's been a long time hasn't it, Standing Eagle, or should I say Osiris, former member of the Cavendish Shinobis."

"You should be one to talk, General Saber." Standing Eagle replied. "But then again that isn't your real name either is it?"

"I try to leave the past behind me. So tell me what it is you're doing here?"-

"I've found a small part of the world where I can live my life in peace from all this spilling of blood and endless battle. I thought that life would be so sweet. That was until you decided to make your presence known in this world. What are you doing here anyway? What business does the Midnight Faction and the Imperial Axis have here?"

"This is a new era, a new time of domination. And in a time of war, we need to establish as many outposts as possible, ones that can provide and nourish our efforts with endless resources. Soon, our new Imperial regime will rekindle and bring forth a second Dark Empire."-

"You fool, the era of Imperial rule ended the day Master Cavendish fell. Fate had already chosen the Universal Alliance to rule as the greatest super power. Our method to obtain and maintain Imperial might had proven a dead end."-

"Well, I was not so easy to give in to such an outcome. Imperialism flows through my veins since the day I took up the sword and swore to the defense of the Cavendish regime. I have come to take back what was unjustly taken away."-

"And that is why you decided to side with the Imperial Axis? Such an organization is false and is bound to fail. You think I haven't done the research? From what I know of the current Three Excellencies, they're charisma, personal gain, and ambition exceeds their ability to see eye to eye. It is unlikely that the three great factions will stay friends for long. The moment those three decided to form an alliance with one another was the day the Imperial Axis was destined to fail."-

"You think so, eh? Well, I beg to differ. So long as there are those who remember the old Imperial regime and maintain the old ways, there is still hope for a second rise of the Dark Empire." Saber drew out his sword. "And anyone who dares to stand in the way of our ambition will be cut down without pause. And since you dared to raise your hand against Imperial might, though being a former Imperial and though I regret doing so, I will have to kill you! We need neither betrayers nor traitors to smudge our reputation anymore than it already has!" Saber attacked, but Standing Eagle easily blocked. He used his evasion technique to elude and strike as Saber, but doing so only proved useless against the General since his tactics seemed somewhat similar. "Have you forgotten? I excel in such tactics as well as you do."

"You say that you battle for the sake of regaining Imperial rule." Standing Eagle implied. "But being as clever as you are, with your reputation for a strong sense of observation and logical reasoning, you should have seen that the plans to reestablish the former Empire were doomed to fail. And yet you intend to fight for it. Why?"

"If it is not trying to obtain a lost dream," Saber said, "Then it is for revenge."

"Revenge…?"-

"Yes, revenge for the death of that beloved cousin of mine."-

"Are you talking about…?"-

"Yes, I was not there when my cousin fell and never had a chance to say my farewells. Therefore, I blame the entire Universal Alliance and their friends for bringing such tragedy before me. My cousin's dreams were the same as mine, seeing all worlds under one common banner. And until our dreams of a unified universe are fulfilled, then I, General Saber will never end my fighting!" The two warriors continue to fight at the same time expressing their philosophies.

"It's all still an illusion, Saber! It always has been! I only recently realized that reality. The attempt to unify all worlds and keep them firmly under the control of a single man or group is impossible. To gain favor from every nation and world out there, you would have to eradicate all traces of their ancestry and eliminate all those who know and study that ancestry. You would be laying waste to worlds, creating more scorn against you."-

"And yet you think those people are strong enough to do battle with us? Though they bark loud, their bite is not all that threatening. That's what people are, all talk and no action!" They locked sword with iron gauntlet.

"That may be true. But if that truth were absolute, then why is it that these men are fighting?-

"They fight, but all in vain."-

"It makes no difference. They still fight even though the outcome seems grim. And if they fight long and hard enough, they may succeed in the end."-

"Foolish boy, you know nothing of the world!"-

But unaware of to Saber, the tables had turned. Hook and Smee stood by as the faction soldiers and his pirate crew continued their advance. The only problem, however, was that their numbers were slowly decreasing with every foot taken. To add, the Indians still outnumbered them three to one. The precarious situation became even more horrific when a sudden roar from the rear bellowed out. A series of whoops and cries bellowed from the underbrush and suddenly, dozens of Indian warriors rushed out, attacking the pirates and the Imperials by surprise.

"Odds fish," Hook said as he saw a wave of brown skin lunge out. Those of his men in the front were either instantly maimed or slain, while others quickly dropped to their knees begging to be taken prisoner. Those in the second defense lines were so startled, they broke and scattered instantly. "Those bloody savages are attacking us from behind again!"

"We're being pushed back, captain." Smee uttered, hiding behind his supposedly fearless leader. "What do we do now?"

"Well, I can't afford to lose anymore of me crew." Hook knew that staying to fight would only mean death for him and his men, "As they say. 'Those who fight and run away will live to fight another day.'" Hook instantly turned tail and ran. His crew, seeing their gallant captain withdraw no longer saw a purpose to stay and battle the Native American warriors and scattered back to the Jolly Roger. This in severely reduced the effective number of men, increasing the odds from thee to one to five or six to one. The Imperials, finding themselves overwhelmed quickly withdrew.

This came as a shock to Saber who turned to see his men fleeing from the battle. He grew angry and flared deeply within.

"You idiots," he roared, "You cowards, you dare to run away! And you call yourselves Imperials!"

"This battle is lost for you." Standing Eagle said. Saber glared at him.

"This is not over yet, Osiris." He sighed then smirked. "Wars are not decided by the number of battles won." The general withdrew easily and as flamboyantly as if he were engaged in a gentle park stroll. Standing Eagle could only gasp and sweat as the general departed.

"It's a good thing this battle is over." He thought to himself. "If Saber really wanted to take this seriously, I would have been dead before our duel would have even started."

Saber landed upon the ground. Several of his men running pass him.

"We couldn't hold them, sir." One soldier replied. But Saber, disgraced by their actions, slapped the soldier across the face.

"And you dare to call yourselves Imperials…?" he growled. But no sooner had he said those words, seven Iroquois warriors emerged out of the shrubbery and attacked the general.

"We have to go, sir!" another soldier panicked. But Saber only snickered, even though the warriors were only twenty feet away and closing in.

"I will not run from such primitive savages. I will make up for that weakness of yours." Saber's strength suddenly increased ten fold for an instant then suddenly diminished. His attackers weren't aware of the flaring aura, but then again it was too late for them to be aware of anything. They kept charging at Saber, believing he would not resist. But as they came within an arm's distance of striking him, all seven warriors suddenly fell dead, large fatal slashes, cuts and stabs appearing on their bodies. They skidded and lay upon the ground, their faces distorted, still in that surprised gaze. "Give the order to withdraw and return to the Jolly Roger and the submarine."

"Yes sir." The soldier replied and withdrew to relay the orders. Saber only sneered as he walked down towards the landing beaches.

"Disgraceful…"

The KH team was having trouble against Dark Sora who seemed not able to fall, or be caught off guard. But then again, deep within, the evil key bearer began to feel the effects as well. Thus his reaction, strength, agility, and mental capacity began to decrease with every passing second. And even so, the KH team would not let up.

"These guys," he uttered, "Don't they ever die?"

"It looks like he's slowing down." Sora said.

"We got him for sure this time." Riku added.

But no sooner had the tide turned, the order to retreat was made and the Imperial forces began to fall back.

"What is the meaning of this?" Dark Sora shouted. "Why are you running away?"

"General Saber has ordered us to fall back." One soldier hollered.

"Damn it," The key bearer stared at the KH team with a loathing glare. He especially turned his attention towards Sora, who was tired from the fight. "This scuffle isn't over, Sora. I will take what is rightfully mine!" With that, Dark Sora withdrew, flying off back to his comrades. There was a whoop and a cry from the Indians.

"We did it!" Nibs shouted as he and the other lost boys watched the Imperial run.

"We beat them back!" Slightly added.

"The day is ours I guess." Sora said.

"For now it is." Riku replied. "But they might come back."

"Sora," Peter uttered. The key bearers looked at their comrade who was beaten and dirty. Lowering his head, he could not bear to look his old friend in the eye. "I'm really sorry about what I've done. I just didn't know."

"Peter…" Sora said.

"Back then, I thought that that other you was the real you. When I saw his face, my heart was filled with this sense of betrayal when I thought it was you. And after what he did to Tinker Bell, saying he didn't believe in her and then nearly crushing her beneath his feet, I just hated him for it." Sora clutched his fist at the thought of what his dark counterpart had done. Peter continued to confess his wrong doing. "And I took out my anger on one of my closest friends. I really thought he was you and that's what made me mad even more. I thought that because you grew up, your heart would have changed and you would have forgotten our friendship. That's why I never want to grow up, because things like that happen. You can never trust grown ups. They lie and cheat and do bad things and I could've sworn that…" But Sora placed his hand on Peter's shoulder. Peter looked up to see the solemn blue eyes of the key bearer.

"I might have grown up, but I can never forget our friendship. I would never betray my friends…ever. And if that were to be so, then may I be struck dead for good."

"Why'd you have to grow up, Sora?"-

"I had to. I had to let my mind mature. That's what growing up is all about, to learn new things and expand your horizon. I'm not like you, Peter. I can't stay a kid forever. But I can tell you one thing, though my body may grow old, my heart will always stay true to my feelings. And that means I will be friends with you even in my dying days." Peter overcome with relief and joy could only smile, tears forming upon his eyes. Riku placed his hand on Sora's shoulder.

"That was one heck of a motivating speech, Sora." He said.

"In the end, my friends and family mean more to me than anything else."-

"It was a battle well fought, don't you think?" one Lakota warrior explained to the chief

"That may be so," the chief replied, "But the danger doesn't end here." He turned to his faithful warriors. "We must return to the village. Our enemy is bound to return and may attack our camp once again." The KH team and their comrades returned to the village with their new Native American allies.

At the same time, Saber and his men had reorganized themselves upon the landing beaches, caring for the wounded that were retrieved. Hook and his buccaneers were loading up their men into the long boats and were rowing back out towards the Jolly Roger.

"Get all the supplies back onto the jolly boats." The pirate captain ordered. "We can't afford to leave anything behind."

"This campaign was an utter disaster for us." General Saber implied. "I was sure that victory was in our hands."

"It is regrettable, general, but these unseen circumstances could not have been avoided."-

"I'm sure that it was due to many different factors we did not take into account. For one thing, we underestimated the number and determination of the Indians. Secondly, because of the sudden intervention of the KH team, our forces were struck from both the front and the rear. The unexpected survival of Peter Pan and Sora further complicated matters. To add, due to a certain nuisance guarding the village from our assault, our forces easily lost heart and were scattered."-

"These are factors that we could not have comprehended."-

"But then again, another factor was due to the desertion of your crew from the field, severely thinning our lines and allowing the Indians to break through."-

"There was no use avoiding that." Hook said, turning away.

"Oh is it?" Saber said. He suddenly turned to face the pirate captain. "Pirates usually don't withdraw from a battle unless two things emerge. One, their captain dies in battle. Or two, the captain orders a retreat. And since you're still alive, I'm hypothesizing that you ordered a hasty withdrawal. Your men faithfully followed that order, am I correct?" Hook could only remain silent. "Even after I deliberately specified to hold the line no matter what the cost, you decided that your own fate and the fate of your crew meant more."

"I have no excuses." Hook replied. "I gave the order for me crew to withdraw. But I do have me reasons. Me crew were dropping like flies and I couldn't afford to lose anymore of them to the Indians. I can't captain a ship if there's no crew left to sail it."

"I suppose you're right. No matter though, such a campaign is expendable. We have other means to eradicate these savages. Thus, we can afford to bide our time. But now we know that such a tactic would not work on battle hardened warriors like that. It only proves a waste of manpower." Saber put his arms behind him. "If I were smart, I would have destroyed them with the sub's main cannon. But I guess pride gets the best of us. We thought that these Indians would be no match for our superior tactics and not put up much of a fight, but low and behold, they managed to inflict more casualties on our forces than either one of us could have predicted."

"And what of me crew lost…?"-

"You will be compensated for the men you lost today, I assure you."-

Just then, from out of the sky, Dark Sora appeared and landed near his commander and the captain. He stormed over angrily to them.

"What is the meaning of this?" he shouted. "I had the situation under control and yet now you order a retreat?"

"It was a military blunder that's all, Sora." Saber replied. "Our soldiers were bested at the front line."

"So why didn't you continue to aid them? You were there to lend a helping hand!" Saber didn't like the sudden rise in his subordinate's voice.

"Watch that tone with me, boy. You forget that I am your superior here. I do not appreciate you questioning my actions or my authority."-

"I'm simply asking why didn't you just charge in and kill all those Indians while you had the chance! You have the power to do that, don't you!"-

"I do, but I didn't expect to lose so many men in the process. Like you before, we thought that our own might was far greater than the Indians and we might have thought that our fighting tactics were superior and we'd plow over the Indians like grass. But as many times in the past, we underestimated the ingenuity and strength of a people we considered inferior. Sure we inflicted great casualties on them, but the loss we suffered was five times what I had expected. That is why we'll regress to destroying that village by means of the submarine's main cannon. This time we hold nothing back." Saber looked at his subordinate. "Besides, had I engaged, I probably would not have escaped the fight unscathed. The reason is because amongst the Indian braves, there was an old face from way back when who stood in the way. He was a former member of the Cavendish Shinobis, the only known survivor of Kai's outfit."

"Are you talking about…?"-

"Yes, Standing Eagle, a.k.a. Osiris, the master of the wind element."-

"I see…"-

"It was because of him that many of our men were killed and wounded. Having to go against him, I would have to regress to using greater levels of energy." Saber sighed. "To add, even though he stood against me, I still have this old habit of not wanting to strike down a fellow Imperial."-

"But he's not one of us anymore, sir. He's a traitor!"-

"Old habits are hard to break." He placed his hand upon Dark Sora's shoulder. "Now, enough of this menagerie, we cannot change what's happened, but we can make up for it. Get back to the Jolly Roger, with Hook and his crew, and stay there. I'll board the submarine and tell them to engage off the west coast. They'll set target to the Indian village. I'll join you on board the Jolly Roger soon after."

"I understand…"-

"What are your intensions?" Hook asked.

"No doubt the KH team will come here to finish us off. This way, we can cut their strength in half. So while the bulk of the KH team comes here to stop us, our sub will eliminate the areas where they might receive possible supplies. And we'll start with that Indian village."-

"But why go through all that trouble? Why not just finish them off all at once at the village?"-

"For one thing, we can't guarantee that the team will be there. And secondly, I will find it more exhilarating if we finish off the key bearers personally. My subordinate and I would like to prove something to them. This time we go all out to assure their deaths."-

In the meantime, back at the Indian encampment, the KH team and their comrades came before a relieving, but at the same time grizzly sight. Though the village had been spared of any real damage, the casualties that were laid out next to teepees and long houses were appalling. There were Sioux, Iroquois, and Cherokee braves stretched out with mortal wounds from spears and sabers, gun blasts and laser cuts. Some lay mutilated with an arm or leg missing. Others were left out to die, their wounds dripping streams of blood that could not be stopped. While some were taken into the care of elders and women, other warriors were separated to meet their end, knowing that they could not be saves. The dead lay in rows, covered in blankets, an estimated two hundred or so altogether. Medicine men and their apprentices aided the wounded and chanted songs hoping to bring their spirits back to the living world, or heal their mortal wounds. There were shrieks of mourning by some families grieving over a slain loved one.

At the same time, some warriors returning from the field, came back with prizes they ceased from the dead soldiers and pirates, confiscating muskets, swords, helmets, clothing, even Imperial blasters, though they had little knowledge of how to activate it.

"A lot of our braves died today." The chief said with a tear in his eye. "These men, these pirates and these soldiers, what purpose do they have here? Why would they attack us? For years, Hook has never seemed to bother us, say for a few kidnappings of my daughter, Tiger Lilly, but a head on assault against us?"

"No doubt that they came here to subdue the people of this world." Cuchulain implied. "That is how the faction works."

"But why would they come here in the first place?" Peter asked.

"They came hoping to exploit all the resources this world has to offer without having to repay a sum for it. And what better way to do that then by conquest."-

"I'm surprised though." Sora said, "Even though there were powerful enemies attacking the village head on, they never managed to damage one dwelling."

"That's due to the determination and dedication these warriors had in protecting their homes." A voice said. The KH team and their allies looked to find the brave in blade standing against the walls of one of the longhouses. Immediately, Sora recognized him.

"Standing Eagle," he uttered, "Is that you…?"

"It's been a long time, Sora." The key bearer rushed over to greet him. The others however were baffled at who this young man was. Key bearer and brave clutched and shook hands hardily.

"What are you doing here?"-

"You might say that this is my post."-

"Your post…?"-

"Who's this?" Riku asked, walking up to the two. "You know this guy, Sora?"

"You met him too, Riku." Sora said. "This is Standing Eagle."

"Standing Eagle…" Cuchulain interrupted, "A.k.a. Osiris, wind master, and former member of the Cavendish Shinobis." The KH team was shocked, the chief and his braves were puzzled.

"Osiris…!" Donald shouted. "As in the Osiris who fought us in the 'Treasure' realm!"

"He's the one. In fact, I was the one who escorted him to the shuttle headed for this world."-

"But why was he sent here?" Sora asked.

"You might consider this my sentence." Standing Eagle replied. "President Sneer was very lenient when he passed judgment. I was originally sent to twenty-five years in prison, but he believed that exile would be more appropriate and decided to transfer me here to Neverland. He said to serve here and protect the village for the extent of twenty-five years, at the same time sending in news of current events in the outside world. Some might consider exile to be a punishment. But then again, I'd ask for nothing more. I am once again amongst my own people. Thus, I wouldn't give up this paradise up for anything."

"Well, that's a relief to know."-

"However, I would have never thought to find you guys coming here. Then again, I never would have thought I'd encounter the Imperials either."-

"Well," Ophelia said, "If the Imperials have their way, this so called paradise will fall and only hell awaits the inhabitants here."

"If that's the case, I will defeat the Imperials. They dared to attack what I have come to love and cherish and I won't let them get away with it."-

"But what should we do?" Peter asked.

"Our best course of action is to attack the Imperials and the pirates while they're still trying to recover from their earlier defeat."-

"Good idea." Riku concurred. "If we could take a handful of the best warriors here, we'd be able to take out both Hook and Saber in one strike."

"That can be arranged." The chief replied. "I'll assemble twenty of my finest warriors to go with you. The rest of us will remain behind to finish with the cleanup." The chief withdrew to call forth the elite of the braves.

"Hey Sora," Cuchulain uttered, "I wanted to ask you, where's Cunla?"

"Yeah, that's right." Ophelia added. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen Cunla anywhere?"

"Who's Cunla?" Standing Eagle asked.

"That's Cuchulain's son. He has dirty blonde hair and blue eyes and he wears an old faction uniform."-

"Tell me where he is, Sora." Cuchulain asked again.

"The thing is…" Sora stalled for a moment, looking downward, "I don't know where Cunla is."

"But wasn't he with ya?" Goofy asked.

"He was, but we both confronted Dark Sora. I was knocked unconscious with a gaping wound on my upper abdomen and chest. I blacked out until Riku found me. And when Riku finally revived me, Cunla was gone."-

"We think that Dark Sora might have taken Cunla prisoner." Riku replied.

"Cunla…" Cuchulain uttered, lowering his head with a solemn bow. Sora put his hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Cuchulain, I really am."-

"There was nothing you could've done, Sora. Dark Sora's strength was indomitable, there's no way that you and Cunla could have battled him on your own."-

"I do promise you this though, Cuchulain. We will get Cunla back."-

"Where do you think they would be holding him?" Donald asked.

"They would most likely be holding him on board the submarine. There he'll be confined until reinforcements arrive to arrest him for treason. They'll most likely execute him, but not before torturing him, or as the faction would say, interrogating him."-

"I will get my son back." Cuchulain said.

The chief returned with his twenty warriors.

"Here they are, ladies and gentlemen." He said, "The best of the best out of all the braves."

"Guys," Peter declared. "We have a home to save! Are you ready to end this thing with Hook and his cronies once and for all!"

"Yeah," they replied. A great cheer bellowed from the men and boys.

"Then let's head out for Tink, for friends, for our home!"-

"Hurrah!"-

Thus, like an army of justice, the warriors, the KH team, and Peter and his lost boys marched off hoping to restore justice and peace to Neverland. Sora gazed at the expression on everyone's face.

"Soon, you majesty," he thought to himself, "You will be freed and peace will return to these chaotic worlds once again."


	80. Battle Abroad

Battle Abroad

The darkness was both soothing yet uneasy. The sound of rushing pressure through pipes could be heard, muffled by the steel hull. There was the converse of men, possibly guards, just outside the door. It was upon a poorly matted bed frame, hanging from the wall, young Cunla laid upon. He had stripped himself of his shell jacket, vest, and gloves. His white shirt opened at the collar, he lay there perspiring. While on leg was knee bent and firmly placed upon the mattress, his other leg dangled to the floor. He looked up at the darkened ceiling. His thoughts dwelled upon his friends, especially his father whose face frequented his conscience.

It was then that the clinking of keys inserting into his cell door lock and the turning of the mechanism to unlock the latch was heard. The door opened wide and there stood a shadowy figure. Not seeing the light for a good four hours or so, though he did not recollect the time, Cunla was blinded by the sudden surge of light. He lifted his hand to block the rays, hoping to see past the light and behold the face of the one who entered. As his vision adjusted to the new atmosphere, Cunla realized that it was none other than the venerable General Saber himself standing before him.

"Well, well, well," the general uttered, a grin upon his face, "I bet you never would have thought you'd find your way back amongst former comrades of the Midnight faction now did you, Cunla? But then again, I bet you never thought you'd be here confined and under guard. Instead of being treated as a hero back from the front, you're condemned as a prisoner who dared to betray his old allies. And what was your motivation, all for the sake to achieve a father's love."

"You leave my dad out of this." Cunla growled. "It was not his fault, or his decision. It was mine."

"It's only been a few weeks, but already you two have bonded close to one another like you knew each other all along. But you should know that sooner or later you'll have to face the reality that one day, you and your father will have to take separate paths. He won't always be there for you. He may one day meet with an unfortunate accident." Cunla drew himself up from his bed. His anger rose against the general.

"Are you trying to make some kind of a threat?"-

"Of course not, my boy, I'm merely saying that possibly one day, your father won't be there to lead you anymore. You, he, and I, though our goals and ambitions differ completely, our line of work are almost identical. We're always fighting for what we believe in, engaging in campaigns that turn the future closer or further away from us. And every time we engage in a fight, we are putting our lives on the line, continuously facing life or death situations. And when the time comes and we make a fatal mistake, that one mistake could be our last."-

"My father's different. He's no ordinary fighter! He'll fight anyone who stands in his way!"-

"That maybe so, Cunla," Saber put his arms behind his back, "But just because your father is an excellent fighter and is seldom defeated doesn't mean that he's invincible or immortal. You may think that Cuchulain obtains this extraordinary amount of power and that he is unstoppable, but you forget that he is still only a man. And a man is a man and can never be anything greater. What doesn't hinder him physically, it will hinder him mentally. He has to take into consideration the countless lives that have to be sacrificed by his hand, or not. So don't believe his might to be absolute. And the same goes for the key bearers and yourself. Even I am not greater than a man. That is why I must smite down our greatest threats while there is still fire burning strongly within me."-

"I know all about your fire." Cunla growled. "From what I understood way back when I was still a part of your organization, you were fighting for more than just regaining Imperial rule, you were fighting with only one thing on your mind…revenge…"

"Is that so…?"-

"I hear that it was a beloved cousin of yours that died and you wanted to take revenge for their demise."-

"A good portion of the Midnight Faction authorities know that. My motivation is no secret."-

"But from what I understand, your cousin was killed by the hands of the key bearers." Immediately, Saber stiffened as if ice had been placed upon his back. His fists clutched. "That's the reason why you agreed to deploy the Blade Generals and have them act as leading operatives against the KH team. That way, you'd be able to execute your revenge against Riku and Sora in the manner that you saw fit. Keeping a close eye on them was all you wanted so no one else from their pasts could intervene and take away what you believed was so rightfully yours."

"I have to admit this about you, Cunla." Saber chuckled, "You certainly have a good insight. I am involved with these operations for revenge against the key bearers. But that, however, is no my top goal. My higher purpose is to serve His Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous and have him seated as the high overlord of a new Dark Empire forged in the way we had always dreamed. Thus, I will bring rise and completion to a super power that was so wrongly overthrown."

"The Dark Empire was nothing more than a mercantilist and totalitarian style of government, always hoping to benefit more by exploiting the hard labors of others. And if those determined few, who wished to remain free, opposed the authority of such a tyrannical oligarchy, not only did they pay with their lives, but the lives of their families, friends, and supporters all met with the same fate, even if they had nothing to do with the activities of those certain defiant individuals."-

"And that is the only way to maintain absolute control. Only by displaying supreme ruthlessness and threatening genocide to the rebellious nations. And once people accept the Imperial way wholeheartedly, then conflict, corruption, and chaos will end forever."-

Just then, one of the officers appeared at the doorway.

"General Saber, sir." He said, "Word from the captain. He says to report to the bridge immediately. There's a problem approaching."

"Is that so?" Saber sighed. "Very well, I'll be up their shortly."

"Sir…"-

"Sorry that we have to end our little converse so prematurely, Cunla. But I have other matters to attend to." With that, Saber turned away and exited the cell. The guard on duty closed the door again and locked it behind him, once again leaving Cunla along in the darkness of the cell. The boy looked about in the thick blackness of the shadows, his eyes adjusting to the lightless chamber.

"You're too blind to see, Saber." He thought to himself. "It doesn't matter how defiant you are and how determined you are to resurrect the Imperial Regime. You'll never be able to restore it to its former glory. And even if you could, it would be destined to fall. People will never give up their individual freedoms and desires for the sake of maintaining a lifestyle that doesn't suit them. As for me…" Cunla lay down on his bed again. "The Imperial way really doesn't suit me either. And right now, the only thing that matters is getting out and joining the rest of my friends who're probably worried sick about me." Cunla pondered. "Getting out of this cell however, is not going to be that easy." He looked about, perhaps hoping to find a way to escape. Sure enough, at the corner of the ceiling, a small screen on the air vent was stationed. It was high enough off the ground so that no prisoner could reach it. And the ventilation hatch was too small for any man to squeeze through.

"Well," Cunla whispered, "that air vent's too high for any normal prisoner to reach and too small for any man to squeeze through." Cunla suddenly stripped off his shirt and bundled it up with his vest, gloves, and jacket. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a stray paper clip that had remained dormant amongst the countless balls of lint at the bottom. He shaped it to his need. He took of his boots to muffle the impact on the wall. "Thank goodness, however, I'm not a normal prisoner or a full grown man." With all his might he leaped up towards the air vent.

In the meantime, General Saber had reached the bridge where the captain was waiting.

"What did you need to see me about?" he asked.

"We have a problem, sir." The captain replied. "Our patrol left to guard the landing beaches inform me that the Indians are headed this way. And the KH team leads them here."

"Is that confirmation absolute?"-

"Yes sir,"-

"On screen," An image was activated from the observation camera. Sure enough, off in the distance, upon the beaches, the KH team and their Indian and lost boy allies appeared from the thick underbrush and walked onto the white sand towards the sea. "Well, well, they didn't waste any time retaliating did they."

"What shall we do?" the captain asked.

"Shall we fire the main cannon?" the lieutenant asked.

"I was hoping not to finish off the key bearers so quickly," Saber thought to himself, "Not after all the efforts I went through trying to keep them alive so I could defeat them myself, but since they're already so close to rescuing King Mickey and Queen Minnie, and since this an opportunity to take them out once and for all, I don't see why not." Saber gave the order. "Open fire, set target to the key bearers and their comrades."

"Aye, aye sir." The operatives replied. "Setting coordinates to target the key bearers and their Indian allies."

"Our goal comes before revenge." Saber thought to himself. "But then again, if I know the key bearers, they're not ones to so easily die. At least I hope with this attack they'll break and scatter, making is easier for us to finish them off one at a time."

On the beaches, Sora was in shouting distance of the Jolly Roger. His blood was up against his other self and general Saber.

"Saber, Dark Sora," he announced, "Come out and fight if you're not afraid!"

Upon the Jolly Roger, pirates could be seen, glaring at them from the port side. Their cutlasses and pistols drawn, they shouted with their famous "argh" cries. On the observation deck, Hook emerged.

"What be your purpose here, boy?" he replied.

"I wish to do battle with Saber and my other self and finish this!"-

"Tell them to come out if they aren't cowards!" Riku added.

"Yeah," Donald shouted. The others began to taunt and holler.

"You wish to battle with them," Hook asked. "then you'll have to come on board and tell them yourselves!"

"Is that so…?" Peter growled. Without pause, he flew over to the ship.

"Peter…!" Sora shouted. He lifted himself into the air and followed after his comrade. Riku pursued too. He turned towards his other friends.

"You guys stay here for now." He declared. "Sora and I will take care of this."

The three advanced, hovering over the glossy surface of the sea. They then hovered over the Jolly Roger, slowly descending. They landed on the deck with hordes of pirates surrounding them with Hook looked over them from the observation post.

"I see that you've gained the courage to confront all these pirates on your own." Hook said. Each buccaneer drew out his dagger, his pistol, his cutlass, or whatever weapon he specialized in. But the three seemed not concerned.

"Like your lackeys really stand a chance against us." Peter said.

"Where is Dark Sora and Saber!" Sora demanded.

"Did I hear someone call me?" a voice uttered. From the captain's cabin, Dark Sora emerged, appearing from the thickness of the shadows as the door swung upon. His keyblade at his side, he confronted the three. "Do you have a death wish or something? Are you so eager to meet your end?"

"It's not our end we'll be meeting, but yours." Riku replied.

"I fail to see the threat here. You three are outnumbered and overpowered here. There's no way you can win."-

"We'll take our chances." Sora replied, drawing his keyblade.

Suddenly, a transmitted message was sent through Dark Sora's scouter. It was General Saber.

"Sora," the general said. "We are about to deploy a blast from out main cannon. We're aiming for the key bearers' comrades on the beach. No doubt that their guard will be dropped the moment they see the explosion. When that happens, take the time to finish them off."-

"I understand." Dark Sora replied.

"You'll be able to take them out one at a time."-

"And I know exactly who I'm going to finish off." The Imperial glared at Sora, the smirk still strong on his face.

"Well, c'mon," Peter shouted. "You guys have us outnumbered, why are you hesitating!" The pirates drew nearer, their edges of their cutlasses pointed at the trio. At the same time the stand off between the key bearers and Dark Sora was going on.

But the mood suddenly changed as Dark Sora's scouter bleeped, catching the attention of everyone on board. He suddenly turned his eyes to starboard. It was at that same moment the key bearers felt the sudden surge of energy behind them. Turning about, they saw none other than the faction sub preparing to unleash an explosive blast with its main cannon.

"The main cannon," Sora uttered, "It's about to fire."

"But what's the target?" Riku wondered.

Before a logical explanation was conjectured, the cannon unleashed a powerful energy beam. Peter and the key bearers watched on as the massive pillar of energy streaked over the surface of the sea, cutting the water in half, creating white caps that lashed out and struck the wooden hull of the Jolly Roger. Like a cork, the ship bobbed about. The crew and the key bearers nearly slipped and fell as the ship rocked about. They watched the beam in its path to the beach where the others were awaiting them.

"They're aiming for our friends!" Sora cried.

"Get out of there you guys!" Riku shouted.

Cuchulain and the others saw the energy beam advancing towards them.

"They fired the beam straight at us!" Cuchulain uttered.

"There's no way we can fend that off." Ophelia said.

"We can possibly dodge that!" Donald cried. Goofy threw himself behind his friend, covering his eyes. The heat from the beam was intense and grew hotter with every inch gained.

"We have no choice." Standing Eagle said. He threw himself before the beams onrush. Using his full power he unleashed a powerful defense. "Torrent Shield…!"

The wind picked up and spun about in an almost disk like shape. The beam struck the shield and clashed about on its surface. The aftershock caused hot wind to bellow up, causing clouds of sand and debris to fly into the air, stinging the team and the twenty or so odd warriors. Some were thrown on their backs by the wind. Standing Eagle stood his ground, slightly skidding on the white sand, the heat of the beam scorching the top layer of his skin, turning him almost a tomato red.

From the ship, Dark Sora observed the chaos.

"Interesting," he thought to himself, "So that is the legendary Osiris of the Cavendish Shinobis, eh? His reputation certainly does precede him. But I doubt even he can hold off a blast from the sub."

"Hurry," Standing Eagle uttered, his brow drenched in sweat and his body slowly shaking from the intense force, "Get out of the way while you still can! I won't be able to hold the shield for long!"

"You heard what the man said," Cuchulain shouted, "Evade!"

The braves, the lost boys, and the team quickly scattered out of the path of beam, but Cuchulain stayed at the young man's side.

"I thought I told you to get out of here."-

"I'm the Hound of Ulster. I can't be done in so easily. Also, I can't allow you to tackle this alone now can I?" Cuchulain drew out his spear. "Sound your roar, Gae Bulga and let them know your invincibility, Ulster Slash!"

He unleashed a powerful sweeping move that rushed against the energy beam just as Standing Eagle's own defense gave way to exhaustion. There was a massive explosion as opposing entities clashed. The two warriors were thrown on their backs, hurled a hundred feet before falling and skidding across the sand for an extra fifty feet.

"Look at that." Ophelia uttered. "They managed to cancel out that explosion."

"Yeah, but at what cost." Donald asked.

As the chaos settled, both Standing Eagle and Cuchulain lay there on the beach, exhausted, slightly battered and bloodied, and scorched by the heat. Drowned in their own sweat, they lay motionless upon the ground.

"Cuchulain, Standing Eagle," Ophelia rushed to their sides, "Are you alright! Are you still alive!"

Cuchulain was the first to stir, slowly lifting himself upon his elbows.

"Man, that was close." He uttered.

"Thank God…" The Tiger of Goth gave a sigh of relief. She pulled out a couple of vials of potion. "You two might just need these." She gave both warriors some potion and the two were fully healed.

"Thanks, Miss Billiard."-

"That was intense." Standing Eagle uttered.

"They're alright." Cubby cheered.

"Is everyone else alright?" Nibs asked. They looked about to find that everyone had survived.

"They're all still alive by the looks of it." Slightly said.

In the submarine, Saber and the others watched as this bizarre twist of events made its evident presence before them.

"I don't believe it." The captain uttered. "They managed to fend off and cancel out a blast from out main cannon."

"Not surprising," Saber said, "It is the infamous wind master and the invincible Hound of Ulster we're talking about. Besides, you only fired the main cannon at half strength. Had we waited a little longer to deploy the beam, the power levels would have been at their maximum and that energy beam would have gone right through."

"But still, to fend off a beam from out main cannon like that…"-

"It just goes to show how important it is to defeat those men."-

Riku, Sora, and Peter watched as the chaos ended upon the beach.

"They're alright," Riku said.

"They might be, but you're not!" a voice shouted. The key bearers looked ahead to find Dark Sora suddenly charging at them. He slashed at each one. The key bearers quickly dodged, regaining their guard. Dark Sora smirked at the heroes. "Or have you forgotten that I was here too."

"That was bad form!" Sora shouted. "What's you're deal!"-

"My deal is to kill the threats to my commander and my comrades." He looked at his other half. "And I'm going to start with you, Sora." Dark Sora suddenly rushed forward. He grabbed hold of his other self. Instantly, a cloud of shadow consumed the two before vanishing from sight.

"Sora," Riku cried, hoping to grab Sora from the darkness, but with futile effort. "Damn it, where did they go."

"We can't worry about them right now." Peter said. "We have bigger things to worry about." The two stood back to back as the pirates drew closer. Amongst them, Hook descended from the observation deck.

"Well, it looks like it's just you and us now." He said.

"Great," Riku grumbled. "Why the heck are we stuck with the leftovers?" He only gave a sigh. "Oh well, let's just get this over with." Peter and Riku stood back to back as the pirates charged at them full strength.

Cuchulain and the others watched as the fight aboard the Jolly Roger was erupting in multiple shouts of angry men and clashes of steel.

"It looks like they could use our help right about now." The Hound implied. "Let's go."

But as he prepared to aid his comrades, a series of explosions rang out to their left flank. Many of the braves were struck down and killed. Those still alive quickly threw themselves to the ground.  
"What the heck was that?" Ophelia asked.

"Look, over there!" Standing Eagle shouted. He pointed to the edge of the trees where the sand ended and the wilderness began. Behind trees and rocks, or concealed in the greenery of the vegetation, the faction patrol unit that was stationed on the beach from the beginning was unleashing a terrible barrage.

"They're faction soldiers!"-

"First things first," Cuchulain implied, jumping to his feet, "we get rid of them first!"

"Right," Donald added, jumping up too. The braves and the lost boys slowly raised themselves from out of the sand.

"Get them!" the Hound pointed his Gae Bulga and the wave of gallant warriors advanced across the white sand to do battle with the squadron of faction soldiers bombarding them.

Saber observed from the inside of the submarine as two separate battles took place upon the Jolly Roger as well as on the beaches.

"Well," he said, "This turned out better than I had expected. With the KH team completely occupied in their skirmish, only an open road all the way to the Indian encampment lies before us, excellent."

"Set a course for the Indian encampment." The captain ordered.

"Aye, aye sir." One of the operatives implied. "Coordination destined for the Indian encampment on the western coast."

"Well," Saber said, "Since this expedition will be a downhill effort, I'll take the liberty of observing the confrontation with the key bearers." Extending his arm, he opened a darkness portal. He made ready to go through when the captain stopped him as second time.

"General, I'm still a little leery about attacking the Indian encampment." He implied. "What if the KH team realizes that we're gone?"

"I doubt that. They're too preoccupied battling our men and Hook's crew. Both forces are expendable. We need only to worry about subduing the inhabitants of this world, nothing more. Neverland is full of valuable resources. It will do well to aid our conquest of the universe." Saber placed his arms behind him. "Besides, even if they did realize that we are gone, they can't hinder us, knowing that we still have a precious prisoner to them on board."

"You mean Cunla?"-

"That's right. And if I know the key bearers, they wouldn't take any action that would result in the death of one of their comrades." Without another word, Saber entered the darkness of the gate and vanished, leaving the submariners to fulfill their own mission.

But little did they realize that Cunla had successfully escaped his cell via the air vent. Stripping himself down to only his pants, he was able to silently squeeze through the little opening and crawl through the ventilation. With his belongings wrapped in a tight little bundle, Cunla quickly scurried about the different passages, hoping to find an exit.

"It's a good thing that I'm still not full grown." He thought to himself. "Otherwise trying to escape through the ventilation would have been out of the question."

As all this was going on, somewhere in an isolated part of Neverland, Sora and Dark Sora confronted each other. Where they emerged was upon a vast rocky outcrop where the winds blew hard and the sky was obscure with what looked like rain clouds. The droplets of precipitation pelted Sora's face as he looked about, his hair blowing about in the wind.

"Where is this place?" he wondered.

"We are in a rocky outcrop far from your friends." Dark Sora replied. "It is here that we shall do our battle."

"Is that so?"-

"If I had been smarter, I would have done this long ago. But I guess arrogance gets the best of everyone. But I only recently found out that you and your comrades are not as easy to defeat as speculated by many. I found that your camaraderie is what makes you strong. But if I isolate you and finish you off one at a time, then this battle will be over in no time." Dark Sora drew out his keyblade. "I've been waiting a long time for this, a proper fight between two sides of the same coin, light versus darkness. It is the reason for my existence."

"So this is what you've been preparing for, eh?" Sora said. He drew out his own keyblade. "You wanted to fight me all this time."

"It can change though."-

"What do you mean?"-

"I mean that this doesn't have to end like this. Look Sora, you and I are one in the same. We both have the same body and we both have the same charisma. I think you and I would make a great team. We could use a good man like you on our side. There would be no one who could touch us. We would rule all worlds and you could have anything your heart desires, anything. Nothing would be out of your grasp." There was a lull between the two. "Well Sora, what do you think? Are you willing to fulfill your greatest desires and join us?"

"It's a tempting offer, but I don't think so." Sora replied. "You see I already have everything I desire. The one thing I desire most right now is saving King Mickey, Queen Minnie, and restoring peace to this universe and all worlds within and out of it." He drew up his keyblade in challenge to his dark side. "Besides, you should know by now that I would never come to agreements with the likes of you and your kind, the type who would rather see people in anguish."

"So you intend to battle me for the sake of the insignificant instead of the larger picture?" Dark Sora smirked. "Oh well, it's not big deal to me. I wanted to kill you anyway. It was what I'm destined to do." Dark Sora raised up his keyblade, ready to battle. "But know this, Sora. Once you're dead, then I would have obtained the title as the one and only Sora the keyblade master."

Their keyblades are the ready. Each watched the sudden movement of the other. But as soon as the lull drew longer, Dark Sora vanished. He then appeared behind Sora. Sora quickly swung his keyblade back and blocked the first blow. Again Dark Sora went on the offensive and again his counterpart blocked. Again and again they struck at one another, exchanging blows back and forth. The two, as times before, deadlocked.

"Face it," Dark Sora chuckled, "You don't stand a chance."

"I won't know until I try." Sora replied. They pushed each other away.

"If you didn't even manage to battle me, even with the aid of your comrades, what makes you think that you're any match against me on your own?"-

"I can't help than now, can I?" Again they clashed, uplifting sparks from their blades.

"Why bother battling? You can just walk away from all of this without a scratch."-

"If I did that, then there would be no point in facing my friends again. Running away would be just a waste of my time and effort. Besides, you seem to be the one who wants to finish me off so quickly."-

"I guess I can't complain there."-

Again, the two key bearers clashed, with no favored result in sight.

Neverland was once again plunged into a massive campaign. Now instead of one large battle, the lines were drawn in different areas where smaller forces engaged one another. Saber, hovering high above in the sky, observed the separate battles. He watched as Cuchulain and the other members of the KH team were fighting faction soldiers on the beaches. He observed as Riku and Peter Pan went head to head with Hook. He looked on as the dark figure of the Imperial sub slowly cruised through the water, edging closer to the unsuspecting Indian village. He, however, did not yet notice the fight going on between Sora and his dark counterpart. Nevertheless, he was pleased to see this eruption of further carnage and death.

"The key bearers and their comrades," He thought to himself, "They're so caught up in defending this world, they have not yet realized the larger picture. And by the time they do realize it, it will already be too late. All is going according to you plan, Master Sirius Viicous. Soon your dreams will be fulfilled."


	81. Neverland: Coastal Engagement

Neverland: Coastal Engagement

Cuchulain cut through the faction soldiers one at a time. The troopers, being professional fighters, put up tall resistance. Even some of the twenty powerful Indian braves opposing them didn't go without some casualties.

"There's no doubt," the Hound thought to himself, "These are definitely elite S class fighters."

"Top veterans no doubt," Ophelia added.

"But still," Cuchulain swung about his spear, slaying off another soldier, "These guys aren't as tough as they claim to be."

"Not against us anyway."-

"Let's see you guys resist this!" Standing Eagle shouted. He unleashed the Hurricane Slash, a move so often used by Riku, and deprived the faction elites of their hiding places. Some were killed by the surge, cut by the strong currents.

"C'mon, you guys!" Slightly shouted. "Go get 'em!"

The resistance only lasted a few minutes before the last soldier met his end.

"That seems to be all of them." Cuchulain said.

"What now?" Donald asked.

"We have to help Sora and the others." Goofy implied. "They're going against all those pirates on that ship."

"I wouldn't worry about them." Ophelia assured him. "I'm more concerned about Hook and his crew actually surviving the onslaught."

On the ship, Riku and Peter Pan made quick work of the pirates. The numbers didn't last long against them as each buccaneer was easily overpowered and sent over the side. Just next to the ship, the crocodile, with its big jaws thirstily snapping away at the thought of taking a bite out of the infamous pirate captain, he didn't bother with the other pirates being thrown into the water. Of course the buccaneers, seeing the crocodile lying in wait, didn't take a chance with staying in the water and quickly clawed their way up the wooden hull and onto the deck.

"Not again…" Hook grumbled. "Why is it every time I'm this close to defeating Peter Pan, he always comes back to haunt me."

"Gee Hook," Pan said, suddenly appearing before the captain and pulling away at his moustache, "It's not my fault that you suck at fighting."

"You scurvy brat," Hook slashed away with his rapier, hoping to strike a deathblow to the youth, but to no avail. "You cursed Peter Pan! I'll get you if it's the last thing I ever do!"

"Well, I'm not all that worried because no matter how many times you say you'll get your hands on me, you never do."-

"You little," the two clashed about.

At the same time, Riku was busy knocking out each pirate left and right with barely any difficulty.

"Is that all you got?" he chuckled. "How do you guys expect to beat me?"

"Let's string him up!" one buccaneer said.

"I'm gonna make you walk the plank." Another growled.

"I'll feed you to the sharks." Uttered a third. The pirates slowly inched closer around Riku but the key bearer only yawned.

"That was a stupid move." Riku unleashed Hurricane Slash and blew all the pirates off the deck. Many flew through the canvas of the tents, while others found themselves caught in nets, or whose heads went crashing through barrels of rum and green apples. The rest of them went falling into the sea where the crocodile lay in wait.

By that time, the croc was tired of waiting. He quickly turned his attention towards the pirates and started to chase them. Of course the pirates immediately reacted, scurrying back up the ship, of swimming out of reach. Hook could only watch as his crew was decimated.

"I'm here fighting me head off and they take an afternoon dip!" he grumbled.

"No sweat, Hook." Peter chuckled, "You can join them in a minute." The two locked blades. "Give it up, Hook, give it up!"

"Never," the two broke the deadlock. "I'll teach you to cut off me hand. I'll slash you to ribbons." Hook thrust against and again.

Riku, in the middle of this sudden lull, only watched as the two great rivals did battle with one another.

"I'd say I would help you," he implied, "But by the looks of it, I don't think you need any help."

"Don't worry about a thing, Riku." Pan replied. "I got everything under control."

"Yeah, I can see that."-

"You miserable little whelp," Hook shouted. "I'll show you!"

Hook lunged about, but Peter's cunning only infuriated him with every evasion. By this time, Mr. Smee had lowered the long boat and was now retrieving all the men who fell overboard. He watched as the battle reached its final conclusion. Peter landed upon the deck, awaiting Hook's next move. In a wild pitch of rage to smite the boy, Hook lunged at Peter. But the agile youth quickly evaded. Little did Hook realize that Peter was standing at the base of the plank. He stopped just at the edge of the plank, looking at the blue water below and the jagged mouth of the crocodile's mouth that lay wide open just at the surface. In the confusion, Hook dropped his sword and tried to steady his balance.

"Well, well," Peter said, "Look at whose standing at the edge of the plank?"

"Blast you, Peter Pan." Hook grumbled.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, to think that you'd meet your fate like this."-

"You wouldn't do this to old Hook now, would you lad?" Hook fell to his already wobbly knees and pleaded that his life would be spared. "I'll do anything, just please don't let it end like this!" Pan lowered his arms and sighed.

"Yeah, it would be a rather miserable way for this to end, now wouldn't it? Besides, who could I battle against if you're not around?"-

"Oh thank you."-

"On one condition though. And we've done this before. I want you to scream out at the top of your lungs saying that you're a codfish."-

"Why you…" Hook sneered, but Peter only placed his foot on top of the plank and began to jiggle it. Hook quickly grabbed hold of the plank, praying not to fall off and hanging on for dear life. His pulse and sweat drops accelerated as his nerves went into shock. "No, no, alright I'll say it."

"Then say it nice and loud because you only got one chance."-

Dropping his pride as a pirate captain, Hook roared out as loudly as he could, declaring his humiliation.

"I'm a Codfish!" he cried out.

"So," Riku chuckled, "He admits it."

In the distance, one could hear the laughter of the lost boys and their irritating chants of taunting "Hook is a codfish, Hook is a codfish."

"Take your crew and set sail," Peter said, "And never return…" Peter turned his back on Hook. Hook slowly got up on his feet.

"Thank you…" he grumbled.

"Think nothing of it, Hook." Peter suddenly turned around, this devilish look on his face. "However, I can't forgive you for allying yourself with that Saber guy and his Sora look-alike, not after what he did to Tink." Peter suddenly slammed his foot upon the base of the plank and Hook fell off. H plummeted towards the sea and the crocodile's open mouth.

"Smee," Hook cried as he plunged into the reptile's mouth. Suddenly, Hook reemerged from the croc's gullet and screamed out. His clothes were torn and his heart nearly popped out of his chest. He jumped out of the croc's mouth with the reptile hastily snapping at him to get another juicy bite. "Smee…!"

"We're coming captain!" Mr. Smee replied, he and the remaining crew rowing away after him as he vanished into the horizon, the crocodile in close pursuit behind him.

"We did it." Peter said.

"Let's get back with the rest of the guys." Riku replied.

"Right,"-

The two lifted themselves into the air and joined the KH team and their other comrades on the beach. There they were greeted with shouts and cheers from their team members, the lost boys, and surviving Indian braves.

"You guys did great!" Nibs said.

"You beat off the pirates." Slightly added.

"Hook and his crew were easy to take out." Riku replied.

"What happened to Sora?" Ophelia asked. Their merriment came to a halt when the mention of the missing key bearer refreshed the minds of Peter and Riku.

"I don't know."-

"What do you mean you don't know?" Donald asked.

"It's just that, I don't know. Dark Sora was there amongst Hook's crew, but all of a sudden he disappeared along with our Sora."

"They just vanished in this shadow." Peter added.

"That's strange." Cuchulain said.

"I think Dark Sora transported him to some isolated area where we can't reach him."-

"He wants to finish off Sora that badly, eh? And he made sure to do it in a place far from our reach."-

"Poor Sora…" Goofy uttered, lowering his head.

Concerns for Sora were short lived though as a young Indian warrior from the village came rushing out to the beach.

"Standing Eagle," he cried, "Standing Eagle."

"What is it?" Standing Eagle asked.

"That black monster in the sea, it's approaching out encampment. It's closer than it usually is."-

"What…?"

"It must be the faction submarine." Riku said.

"What're they up to now?" Cuchulain added.

"I don't know." Standing Eagle replied. "I just have this sinking feeling that if we don't hurry back the village may no longer be there. Knowing Imperial tactics, what they can't achieve through manpower, they'll achieve by some other means. In this case, I think they're gonna use their main cannon to…" Halted by the thought of total destruction of the village, Standing Eagle stalled no further and flew off to aid his people. The rest of the KH team and their allies followed, all except for Riku whose concerns for Sora hadn't fully depleted.

"Riku," Ophelia shouted.

"C'mon, let's get going!" Donald beckoned.

"But what about Sora?" Riku said. "He's still out there."

"We can't do anything for Sora right now." Cuchulain replied. "We have to deal with the present threat at hand." Riku clutched his fist before turning away to rejoin the others.

"Sorry, Sora, you'll have to take it on your own for the time being. Just hang in there a little longer, we'll come to help you as soon as we can."-

Off the coast, the submarine lingered. Not as it had done before in the past, the sub now lingered about closer to the Indian encampment than ever before. In the iron hull, the captain observed.

"We're within range of the village." one of the operatives said.

"Very good," the captain replied. "Inform the gun room. Tell them to increase the main cannon's power levels to their maximum."

"Aye, aye sir."-

"We're going to eradicate not only the village, but the ground it stands upon."-

"Power level intake is increasing, sir. The cannon will be ready to fire within the next five minutes."-

"Sir" another sailor declared, "We're detected several large natural entities making their way to the village."

"What's that?" the captain asked.

"There are at least four excessively large ones."-

"On screen, set a visual on the coast leading to the village." An image was set and displayed before the captain. On screen, he realized that it was the KH team and their allies were the ones accumulating the enormous amounts of power.

"It's the KH team." One sailor uttered.

"Well, it's a little late for them to intervene. Once the cannon's energy capacity reaches its limit, not even they will be able to deflect out attack. They'll be vaporized along with the rest of the village."-

Upon the beaches, Riku and the others could only watch helplessly at the energy for the cannon continued to accumulate into this intensely bright red ball. He could feel the immense amount of energy reaching their maximum.

"That's too much energy." He uttered. "That won't just wipe out the village, that's enough power to take out the entire west coast of the island."

"I think that's what they're planning to do." Cuchulain said. "They intend to destroy the entire village and us with one fatal blow."

"With that kind of power, we couldn't hope of deflecting the beam this time."-

"It's over for us then isn't it?" Donald uttered.

"I don't think so." Standing Eagle replied. He increased his chakra to its maximum. "The best way to deal with this situation is to destroy that submarine before it fires its main cannon. And I have a way of reaching the hull from this distance. I've worked on a new technique that acts as a powerful long range wind attack that can topple anything even as big as that sub, the _Maelstrom Rush_. Consider it concentrated version of the Twister Strike."

"Well, that does seem like a powerful attack indeed." A voice suddenly implied. The team turned to find none other than the infamous General Saber standing amongst them. They quickly drew away and pulled out their weapons. "However, I suggest refraining from using such a technique."

"Saber…" Riku growled.

"Where did you come from?" Cuchulain added angrily.

"Now, now, don't be so brash as to scold me." Saber continued. "I'm just advising you from making a terrible mistake."

"Is that so?" Standing Eagle said. "Well, forgive me for differing, but this action won't be a mistake. I take out that submarine and I spare hundreds of lives."

"That is true. But deploy that attack and perhaps the Hound will never forgive you."-

"What do you mean?" Cuchulain asked.

"What I mean is that your beloved son is being held prisoner aboard that submarine." Immediately, the Hound's eyes grew wide with shock.

"Cunla…? Cunla's on board that sub?"-

"That's correct."-

"You bastard…!" Riku growled.

"Did you think we'd make it easy for you?" Saber chuckled. "The submarine is our strongest asset here and it would be a shame to see it destroyed. I knew that Hook and his men wouldn't prove much of a resistance for you. And after all the tussles you went through against the S class elites, I had a feeling that sooner or later they too would be defeated. Thus, you would do all in your power to get rid of the one weapon guaranteed to bring this world to its knees. So what better way to assure the safety of the submarine than to place one of your own as a captive in its iron stomach. In other words, you destroy that submarine, you kill the boy."

"Damn you!" Cuchulain shouted, drawing out his Gae Bulga and lunging at Saber. But the general only vanished from sight.

"Sorry boys, I have no time to deal with you. I have other pressing matters to attend to. So if you don't mind, I'll take my leave."-

"You bastard, come back and fight me damn it!" But Saber's presence had diminished entirely.

"He deliberately set this up for us." Ophelia grumbled. "He knew that we were helpless against him so long as one of our comrades was held as a shield against us."

"Stand down, Standing Eagle." Riku uttered. Morale quickly dropped as they could see only death made ready to cast its long shadow upon the land.

"Cunla…" Cuchulain cried as he fell to his knees, his mind thinking about his son. "I'm sorry, Cunla…"

But for some reason, Standing Eagle did not relinquish his energy. Instead, it grew hotter than ever before. Along with the increase of power came the maniacal laughter a crazed shinobi.

"Stand down," Riku said again, "We can't risk Cunla's life."

"We don't have to." Standing Eagle replied. "There's no need to take the lives of either party."

"What do you mean?" Ophelia asked.

"I didn't want to say anything because if I mentioned the nature of this attack, I knew that Saber would only strike me down. And I myself wouldn't have stood a chance against him. So I kept my mouth shut until his very presence vanished far away from us. That's when I would reveal the true nature of the Maelstrom Rush. Behold an event of biblical proportion!" From his being, a large swirling vortex of wind struck the water, making it a vast water spout with a half mile long base. The wind shot up like a pillar of water, edging closer to the submarine like a monster.

The captain and crew within the sub could only watch as this blinding wall of water blocked their view of the encampment.

"What is that?" one crew member uttered.

"It's a water spout!" the captain cried. "Evade, evade!"

"It's too late!"-

The strong winds caught the submarine in its eye and began to swirl it around slowly. The crew was thrown about as the hull was lifted into the air, whirling about in a clockwise direction like a big black cigar. In the ruckus, the main cannon had been accidentally activated by the gunman responsible and the powerful energy beam bellowed harmlessly towards the sea. A massive explosion erupted in the distance as a bright flash of light.

"The main cannon has been activated." One crew member cried.

"But I gave no word to fire." The captain replied.

"It may have gone off by mistake, sir."-

"Did the blast hit anything at least?"-

"Target is not confirmed, sir. The senses can't lock onto the power source."-

"Damn it…"-

Cunla in the meantime, still crawling about in the ventilation shaft, held on as best he could, his eyes were swirling about.

"Man, I'm gonna puke…" he grumbled as his face turned green from the continuous spinning.

Riku and his companions watched as the massive hull was lifted into the air by the intense wind funnel. Standing Eagle, sweat dripping down his face, this body weakening used all his strength to maneuver the direction of the massive tornado. He moved the pillar towards land turning the water spout into a dusty twister.

"Man," Cuchulain uttered, "Look at that."

"He's actually using the wind to move that submarine." Ophelia added.

"Amazing…" Donald uttered.

"Gawrsh…" Goofy added.

"Almost there," Standing Eagle strained, his eyes clenched tight. "Just a little further…" Once sensing the metal hull over land, Osiris slowly diminished the tornado's strength. As a result, the submarine began to descend to the ground. Within minutes, the great iron leviathan was nestled upon the soil. It thumped heavily upon the ground, giving a low roar. The ground was raised and distorted by the heavy weight, thus creating a half mile long imprint on the rich soil.

"He did it…" Riku uttered. "Standing Eagle actually disabled that sub entirely, beaching it on land."

"He prevented the sub from destroying the village." Ophelia added.

"And we didn't have to destroy the sub and risk Cunla's life either." Cuchulain added. "Incredible…"

As the submarine lay motionless upon the ground, the young Lakota shinobi fell to his knees. Riku caught him and comforted him in his arms.

"That was a rush…" Standing Eagle uttered. "I'm so tired…"-

"That was incredible." Riku said. "Donald, I need some potion."

"Right here," Donald replied. He ran up to the wearing brave and pulled out a vial of potion. He poured the semi-sweet green liquid down the young man's throat. Within seconds, he was back on his feet.

"I feel great." He said.

"After that kind of stress, you could have died." Riku implied.

"To tell you the truth, that was the first time I ever went all out like that. Any longer and I would have died. Trying to direct that twister and maneuvering that sub took every ounce of strength and mental power that I had."-

"So," the two stood up, "we have the sub beached on land. What do we do now?"

"They have no choice, but to surrender at this point." Cuchulain said.

"They can't go anywhere right?" Peter Pan asked.

"They only have one outer defense weapon and that's the main cannon. And even that was severely damaged. I highly doubt its operational anymore."-

In the meantime, within the submarine, the crew members staggered to their feet, bewildered of where they were and what had occurred.

"What's happened?" the captain asked. "Where are we?"

"I don't know," the lieutenant said, "all systems are down."

"I'll use the manual periscope to see where we are." The captain drew up the periscope and looked about. To his shock, he realized what had happened. "I'll be damned…"

"What is it?"-

"We've been beached."-

"Beached, but how?"-

"That strong wind must've blown us on shore. Now, there are natives swarming around our hull."-

"What should we do?"-

"We should fight." One officer suggested.

"And how do you suggest we do that? We're outnumbered and we have very little weaponry on board."-

"Perhaps it is best that you surrender then." A voice implied. The captain and the crew looked up to see none other than Cunla standing before them, a sheathed sword clutched tightly in his hand. His presence shocked the submariners.

"It's him…" one crewman uttered. "It's the boy…"

"It's the turn coat." The lieutenant growled.

"How the hell did you manage to get out of your cell?" the captain asked.

"It takes more than a standard security cell to hold the son of Cuchulain." Cunla replied. He walked into the main control room and gazed about. Some of the crewmen made ready to pounce on the boy. But Cunla only shook his head and his finger, as if warning them. "I wouldn't risk it if I were you. None of you stand a chance against me. And without any weapons, you'll fall victim easily. Make a wise decision and spare your lives."

"Why should we listen to you traitor?"-

"I'm giving you a chance to live. Even if you did manage to kill me, my father would make sure to slowly torture you all. That is if the Indians don't pounce on you first. They'll burn you at the stake, or mutilate you slowly. I hear they do that believing their enemies will enter the next life hacked and in pieces." Cunla slung the sheathed blade onto his shoulder. "Tell me, how many of you are ready to die, when you know there's no longer a chance for you?" The crew could only sit helpless as their new taskmaster gave conditions to them.

"What do you want from us?" the captain asked.

"I don't want anything. I can give you this much though. If you surrender now, I'll see to it that you have a fair treatment and are allowed to keep your dignity as soldiers."-

"And how do we know we can trust you?"-

"Because I said I would."-

"We can't trust you, kid." One sailor growled. "You're a turncoat."

"That may be true." Cunla replied. "I may be a turncoat, I may be a traitor to the faction, but I still obtain the honor of a warrior and a faction soldier. I can assure that once I give my word, I stick to it." There was hesitation amidst the crew. They could not escape now, not with the enemy surrounding their now beached submarine.

"Captain," the lieutenant asked. "What are your orders?" The captain could only sigh. He lowered his head, his hand shaking.

"Stand down, men." He uttered. "There's no use in wasting our lives."

"Sir…?" a crewman asked.

"We would stand no chance confined in this sub." He approached Cunla. "I hereby relinquish this sub and its crew to you, Cunla."

"I give you my word that no man will be harmed." Cunla replied. Cunla turned his back and headed towards the main hatch.

"Captain," the lieutenant whispered. "Topple the boy. He has his back turned. We can still defeat him and fight our way out."

"We wouldn't stand a chance if the enemy caught us in the hatch. Besides, that boy has obtained a reputation of maintaining his honor as a fighter within the faction."-

"But he's the enemy now."-

"That may be so, but at least he's an honest one."-

Meanwhile, Cuchulain and the others climbed on board the decks of the submarine's top and walked towards the hatch.

"Should we go in?" Riku asked.

"They might have set an ambush for us." Ophelia added.

"I don't know." Cuchulain replied. The team and their friends stood over the hatch, which was still sealed. Using the butt of his spear, the Hound pounded on the door.

"Come out!" Donald shouted. "We know you're in there!"

Just as soon as the request was made, the hatch suddenly opened, and out from the opening Cunla appeared.

"Hey you guys," he said with a smile, "Took you long enough."

"Cunla," the team cried. Cuchulain came forward and embraced his son.

"Oh, Cunla," the Hound uttered, "I'm so glad you're safe."

"I'm glad to see you too, Dad." Cunla replied.

"Hey, come out of there!" Donald shouted. "I see your beady little eyes glaring at me!"

"It's alright," Cunla turned towards his comrades. "They've surrendered."

"Man, you managed to subdue them?" Riku asked. "How many did you have to kill?"

"Actually, I didn't have to take any lives this time. The captain has ordered his crew to stand down and surrender. However, I promised that they are not to be ill handled or humiliated in any way. They are only to be taken as prisoners. They've been allowed to keep their dignity."-

"Alright then," Riku poked his head down the hatch. "You guys can come out! We won't hurt you!"

The captain was the first to peek out. Then the lieutenant and the other officers emerged, followed by the apprehensive crew. The team and their allies abided by Cunla's promise and assisted the crew members out one at a time. The Indian braves, though hating the sight of the Imperial seamen, did not raise a hand to hinder them. Instead, the men were placed under the shades of trees allowed to rest and ease their minds.

"Is that the last of 'em?" Standing Eagle asked.

"All crew members are counted for." Ophelia replied.

As the crewmen were bunched up, awaiting their fate, the captain presented himself before the KH team. He drew up the sword at his side and presented it hilt first before them.

"I would like to relinquish my sword to you." He said. "It would be better to hand this honorable symbol to worthy opponents than to the hands of a clerk."

Cuchulain stepped forward and gently grasped the sword from the captain's hand.

"We will honor your surrender, sir." He said.

"You will see that my men are given fair treatment?"-

"You have my word."-

The captain clicked his heals and saluted. The team returned the gesture out of respect. The captain then turned about and withdrew to rejoin the camaraderie of his men.

"That is one fine officer." Cunla said.

"I only wish that more faction officers were the same way." Riku added.

"Somehow," Peter Pan uttered, "I kinda feel sorry for them."

"It's expected." Cuchulain implied. "When an enemy honorably accepts his defeat, there is no other choice, but to give him respect."

The tranquility of the waning day was suddenly broken. In the distance, a sudden surge of energy erupted in the far north. There were sounds of what might have been booming cannons and the flashes of their barrels. The team was quickly drawn to it.

"Did you guys feel that?" Ophelia asked.

"Yeah, I did." Cuchulain added.

"That power," Riku uttered. "It's all too familiar." His heart thumped rapidly. "Sora…"

"Are you sure?" Cunla asked.

"It has to be. I'd recognize that signature anywhere."-

"We have to help him." Cuchulain suggested.

"Right,"-

The team flew up and headed north, but Pan stopped them in their tracks.

"Hey," he cried, "Where are you guys going?"

"We think Sora might be in trouble." Riku replied. "We're going to help him."

"Sora's in trouble? Then let me go with you!"-

"No, you gotta stay here and watch the prisoners."-

"But…"-

"Do as he says, Peter." Cuchulain said. "We've gotten you guys in enough trouble already. Standing Eagle, you stay here with the warriors, Peter, and the lost boys. We'll handle this."

"I gotcha." Standing Eagle replied. "You can count on me!"

"Right, let's go!"-

Cuchulain picked up his son and flew off in the direction where the aura was felt. Riku used the Whiff spell and sprouted his dark wings. He wrapped his arms around Ophelia and flew off.

"Hold on tight." He said.

"I will." Ophelia replied, nestling up to his warm body. Donald and Goofy used the glide technique and quickly followed, though their flight was slightly slower. They flew high into the sky until they disappeared into the distance like specks of dust.

"I hope they'll be alright." Standing Eagle thought to himself.

"How do they know that Sora's in that direction?" Peter asked.

"Instinct…" Peter suddenly lifted himself into the air and headed in the same direction, but Standing Eagle called him back, hoping to stop the youth. "Hey, Peter, where are you going? Cuchulain told you to stay here!"-

"I'm not gonna join the fight. I forgot all about Tinker Bell. She's still at the tree house all alone and injured. I have to check on her. Besides, it's only one guy they're fighting."-

"Alright, but you come straight back!" Peter didn't respond, but continued on his way. Standing Eagle could only fear the worst. He thought inwardly, sweat accumulating on his brow. "I hope you're not gonna do anything reckless, Peter. You wouldn't stand a chance again Dark Sora. To add, he's not alone." Standing Eagle would still feel a presence moving about in the distance, though very faint. "Saber is still out there."


	82. Sora vs Sora

Sora vs. Sora

As the battle along the cost was going on, Sora and his dark counterpart battled against each other with great ferocity. As if bitter enemies from the start, neither allowed the other compensate and regain strength. However, because of Dark Sora's thirst for battle and his ambition to claim what he believed rightfully his, he mercilessly battled his counterpart of light.

"What's the matter, Sora?" he uttered. "You seem to be slowing down a tad."

"Funny," Sora replied, "I'd have to say the same about you."

Rain began to fall upon the rocks and slippery slopes of granite where negative and positive entities clashed. Thunder and lightning filled the sky as if cheering to see more. The wind howled, mocking both combatants. But even such torrents were not enough to wave the key bearers who recklessly struck at each other, swinging about like mad men.

"You can't keep this up against me, Sora." The dark one said. "I'm too powerful for you."

"I see your gums flapping, but all I here is blah, blah, blah." Sora replied.

"It's true isn't it? You didn't stand a chance against me the first time. You didn't stand a chance against me the second time. And yet now you have the audacity to take me on, one on one." Suddenly, Dark Sora parried his double's keyblade and lunged forward, elbowing Sora in the chest. The key bearer of light fell backward, dragging along the ground. The youth grasped his chest, easing the pain. He sneered at his darker side. "Just as I thought, you're nothing. You could never hope to defeat me as you are now." His scouter went off, detecting a power level of an even one hundred. "You're more powerful than most, but your fighting strength is nothing compared to mine. With such and insufficient power level, you can never hope to break my techniques."

"Is that so…?" Sora uttered, rising to his feet as if the hit didn't faze him. "From what I understand, scouters at times give false readings, especially if they can't detect the strength from within."

"Impossible…" Dark Sora's scouter went off again. "His power level has somehow risen to one fifty. The same level as I am right now."

"You seem a little nervous, my other self. Did you find out that I was hiding a few ounces of energy left?"-

"Like I care, a mere fifty figure is not enough to scare me."-

"We'll just see then" Sora suddenly attacked, this time from the flank. He attacked from an angle that the body could not easily defend against. Dark Sora blocked with his keyblade and took the full force of the blow. His body seemed to shake. He quickly shook off the light key bearer and attempted to strike his lower and middle body area. But for some reason, Sora evaded like it was nothing. Dark Sora found this aggravating. He slowly found himself on the defensive, going against an opponent he thought to be weaker than him.

"A mere fifty points and he has this much power behind him?" Dark Sora thought to himself. "How could he be this powerful?" He began to notice that his scouter started to increase the figure from one fifty to one fifty-one, to one fifty-two, and so on until reaching one sixty. It was at this level at Dark Sora found himself being pummeled by his other self, It came to the point where Sora began to get closer strikes, if not with his keyblade then with his knee, leg, foot, fist, or elbow. It came to the point where Sora caught the Imperial off guard and struck him in the face. He slammed his fist on the left side of Dark Sora's skull, shattering the scouter's center bridge from the lens to the earpiece. Sora then made a mid section slash with his weapon but his darker side evaded. He leaped and landed behind the key bearer with a sudden stagger. The mood had changed, his attitude had changed. Now there were droplets of perspiration accumulating upon his brow.

"Is there something wrong?" Sora asked.

"He's stronger than the last time we fought." Dark Sora thought to himself. "There's no way he could have improved that much in only the course of two previous battles. The last time, I had him at my mercy. The second time, I was successful half way. Why now am I being the one toppled?"

"It just goes to show you that you can't always rely on technology to do the work for you. Sometimes, you have to use instinct."-

"You can't possibly be the real Sora. You couldn't have improved that much in the course of only a couple of previous battles. How come all of a sudden you're stronger than I am?"-

"I was stronger than you from the start."-

"What did you say?"-

"I said that I was stronger than you from the start."-

"You lie!"-

"Nope, it's the truth. I was always stronger than you."-

"And how did you come to that conclusion?" Dark Sora asked.

"It's simple." Sora explained. "The reason why you were able to topple me during our first little bout is because my head had previously been slammed into a rock and knocked me almost completely unconscious. When I battled you then, I was still conscious, but my awareness, due to the blow, had been severed in half. I couldn't properly coordinate myself because of that fall. Everything seemed a blur. My mind was in a daze and my reaction time was slower than usual."

"That explains it then, but what about the second battle? You were fully conscious then."-

"It's because I was still unfamiliar with your tactics. I didn't know how to fight you. But since then, I realized that the only way to battle you was to know how I would battle myself. Since you and I are the same, you without a doubt would deploy all the attacks which I am capable of. So the only way to counter that is predict how I would attack the enemy. I predicted your moves by your stances and the way you would maneuver the keyblade. It would be the same action I would take. So basically, it's like fighting my own reflection. There is nothing that you can dish out that I won't know." But for some reason, Dark Sora was amused by what he had heard. He began to guffaw out loud. This bewildered Sora. "What's so funny?"

"You are." The Imperial uttered. "You think that just because I have the same body and mind as you do that our techniques are one hundred percent the same. Well, I hate to rain on your parade, but that's not exactly true. You see, I have a special ability in my arsenal that was never a part of yours. One with a heart as pure as yours could never hope to harness this power." Dark Sora stretched forth his hand and upon his white glove, the bubbling mist of darkness began to appear. It formed into a misty ball over his palm. "The power of darkness, a force which you could never hope to harness, is now mine."

"The power of darkness." Sora uttered, watching the shadows grow.

"Now, I bring forth my executioners." Throwing his index skyward, the Imperial called forth the shadows. From the ground and the darkness of the storm, Heartless suddenly appeared. And they were not ordinary Heartless, they were in fact a company of Anti-Soras. Sora began to sweat. Now he had a hundred and one evil look-alikes to get rid of.

"Man, no one could summon that many heartless at once, especially ones as powerful as the antis."-

"Now, my faithful clones of shadow," Dark Sora commanded. "Eliminate the light!" The antis did s their summoner commanded and attacked Sora. With shadow swords and imitation keyblades of former days, the dark figures toppled upon Sora all at once. But like a hurricane, Sora retaliated, striking every Heartless that approached.

"Is this the best you can do?" Sora said as he hacked away. "You should know full well that antis are a thing of the past."

"You think me ignorant of that?" Dark Sora replied. "The only reason why I unleashed these antis is because their only acting as my cover." The Imperial suddenly lunged at Sora, slashing away. The young key bearer was bewildered as his dark counterpart would attack then vanish into the sea of shadows. "You see, with the power of darkness in my favor, I am able to use skills that you would never be capable of." He suddenly struck Sora in the gut with his knee then pummeled the young man to the ground. The hero quickly jumped up just as two antis attempted to strike him from behind. Sora twisted and threw himself back on his feet at the same time cutting down the aggressive shadows. But even so, Dark Sora suddenly emerged and again struck at his light other. Sora evaded by just an inch, the dark keyblade creating a shallow cut at his side.

"Try this on!" Sora suddenly unleashed the Twister Strike and the Berserk. He used the wind to scatter, or drive off the antis while at the same time he used the Berserk to pummel his dark side. But Dark Sora countered, blocking his attacks and attempting to retaliate with the same technique.

"Nice try, but no good enough." Dark Sora pushed his other half away then at point blank, he unleashed the Firaga spell. The fire consumed Sora's body, enflaming him by the sights. Dark Sora could only look on in twisted amusement as he watched the hero's body consume itself in the inferno. "That should take care of you for good, Sora."

But to the Imperial's dismay, Sora emerged from the fire without a singe, without a scratch. This bewildered and shocked the dark side.

"Are there anymore attempts like that you would like to show to me?"-

"Impossible, who could you escape from that inferno unharmed?"-

"Basic elemental attacks don't work on my anymore."-

"What…?"-

"That was all just fire, nothing more."-

"So you can withstand elemental attacks, eh? Well let's see if you can withstand this!" Dark Sora unleashed a combination of the Twister Strike and the Tundra Canister. "There's no way you can withstand an attack of this magnitude." The ice funnel struck Sora, at the same time taking in some of the Anti-Soras that were too close. But while the antis were frozen and diminished, the young key bearer was unhindered. This further shocked his dark side."It can't be."

"It doesn't matter how big the elemental attack is," Sora declared, "I can't be hindered by it. I have a slight advantage over you now."

"I doubt that. Since I was created from your genetic structure and given all the skills and techniques you have, then I should be able to withstand those same attacks as well."-

"You really think so?" Sora unleashed the same attack. Dark Sora, believing he had the same stamina, took the attack head on. Unfortunately, however, he could not withstand the elemental attack and was encased in a suit of ice.

"Impossible…" he uttered.

"You see," Sora said. "The ability to withstand elemental attacks was something I picked up only a couple of days ago. It was a technique you were never given."

"You…" Dark Sora's blood was up. His rage forced him to break through the icy sheet that held him in place.

"There's no point in continuing, you can't beat me."-

"So says you. If I can't take you down with elemental attacks, I'll just use physical strength to finish you." Dark Sora suddenly began to pulsate. "And unlike you, I don't have a tendency to hold back." The Imperial suddenly began to pulsate. His body started to glow. Sora was dumbfounded at the sight, sensing a familiar energy signature.

"This power, could it be…?" The wind suddenly picked up and the ground started to shake. Sora could feel the power growing. "Is this Saiyan Devotion?"

"That's right, Sora." Dark Sora chuckled. "I too have the power of Saiyan Devotion. But unlike you, I don't need the power of the rage to activate it. I won't go into a blinding fiasco and not be able to judge on who is an enemy and who is a friend just to unleash the ultimate power. I can still increase my power to great heights at the same time keeping my conscience leveled." The Imperial smirked, his teeth gritting against one another. "Now who has the advantage?"-

"This power, it's incredible."-

Suddenly, Dark Sora drew up his hand unleashed a legion of Heartless upon the key bearer. Sora took the attack head on, cutting Heartless left and right. He seldom realized that the Heartless were merely a diversion to cover Dark Sora's assault. From out of the see of black, the Imperial appeared and struck down the key bearer with incredible speed. He leaped over just as Sora fell backward and struck him from behind. He then leaped up and knocked Sora to the ground. The key bearer quickly regained his stamina and struck more of the Heartless at the same time hoping to avoid his dark side. He leaped upon a rocky face, watching the atmosphere around him. Heartless attacked again and again he struck them down.

"Having a hard time keeping up with me?" Dark Sora uttered from out of the driving rain. He appeared behind his counterpart and struck him in the back. Sora fell forward, but managed to regain his posture, he flew skywards to an area he believed was a safe haven. His prediction proved false, however, as Dark Sora appeared over him, a ball of pure energy clutched in his hand. With one throw, he unleashed the orb. Sora quickly leaped up just as the ball struck the ground beneath him. A tremendous explosion erupted, uplifting rock and soil from their foundations and kicking the rain back to their origins.

Heartless leaped up and tried to strike Sora, but he cut them down as well. However, he failed to read Dark Sora's next move, which was unleashing another energy orb. Just as the last Heartless was dispersed, the orb rushed in. The young key bearer, seeing his life in danger, quickly evaded. But the ball managed to strike him upon the right side of his body, tearing away his vest and bits of his shirt.

"Well, he dodged at the last minute." Dark Sora snickered silently, "How nimble." He watched the light warrior descend to the ground, landing with a stagger. His clothes seemed as if they had been struck by fiery claws. His delicate skin slightly singed by the energy's heat. Though not apparent in the rain, perspiration of worry touched the temples of the youth. He clutched his keyblade tightly.

"This guy," Sora thought to himself, "He's too much."

"What's the matter, Sora? You don't seem as confident as you were a minute ago."-

"He's able to use the Saiyan Devotion without the rage" the young key bearer thought to himself. "My dark side already has that blood lust in his favor. He can unleash that unbounded strength whenever he wants. Where as I, I can't even unleash that kind of strength without going into some kind of violent frenzy."

"It is as I explained before, I am more powerful that the original. Therefore, it is my right to take your identity and claim it as my own. It is the only reason for my existence." For some reason, those words had a profound effect on the young hero as he heard these words from his villainous second half. He dwelled upon the idea.

"Is that it then…" he thought to himself, "Is that why you fight?"

"Now prepare to die!" Dark Sora suddenly lunged at him believing him to be vulnerable and in his daze. But without warning, the young hero drew up his keyblade faster than light. The Imperial hovered about in the air, dumbfounded.

"No," Sora suddenly said, "I cannot allow you to have your way." His body suddenly started to glow a brilliant gold like a divine aura. Sora had unleashed the Musou Rage, Lu Bu's favored shield of absolute invincibility. The energy he gave out was indomitable and slightly pushed Dark Sora away.

"This power," he uttered to himself. "Where did he accumulate this kind of power?" Suddenly, within a wink, the youth vanished from sight. He suddenly reappeared in front of Dark Sora and struck him in the face with his fist. The Imperial went flying backward only to be struck from behind again. Sora kicked him upward towards the thick storm clouds. He then appeared again and struck the Imperial downward towards the rocky ground. And before the evil key bearer could hit, he struck him again to the side.

Dark Sora quickly regained his stamina and flipped over, sliding his feet across the ground, heaving up sprinkles of water and bits of rock. A stream of blood dripped from his mouth. He sneered as he saw Sora coming at him again. He quickly took to the air, and made ready a defense, hoping to attack the hero from above. He formed a ball of energy at the palm of his left hand, while tightly gripping his keyblade with his right, preparing for a possible counter attack. He watched as Sora's quickly flew upward to battle him.

"You won't make a mockery of me like that again." The Imperial growled. But to his dismay, Sora suddenly appeared to his blind side and struck with the keyblade. Dark Sora quickly reacted used his weapon to defend at the same time firing the energy ball. But such an attack did not hinder Sora. The orb hit him at point blank, but barely scratched the surface of the golden aura.

"What is this?" Dark Sora uttered. "How could such a defense exist?"

"You cannot hinder me as I am now." Sora implied. "Let alone defeating me."

"Shut up! I won't let you make me look like a fool! I am the strongest!"-

But as Dark Sora lunged, Sora parried and struck his counterpart. Again the Imperial attacked and again he was smitten. The tide had turned completely in Sora's favor now. This time it was Dark Sora who was receiving the worst damage. For a full minute, Dark Sora was struck from left and right till his body ached and he barely had enough energy to stand. For one last blow, Sora used the hilt of his keyblade and pounded it deep into the Imperial's gut. Dark Sora keeled over falling to his knees then collapsed to the ground altogether.

"It's not so funny when you're the one being pummeled is it?" Sora uttered. But suddenly, the golden aura vanished. And like a metric ton weighing down on him, he collapsed to his knees, tired and exhausted. "The Musou Rage, I've lost it." He only smiled to himself. "Well, Lu Bu did say that it only lasted up to two minutes and would wear down on my body." His smile vanished as he saw Dark Sora stagger up. "Oh no, he's still well enough to fight. And I barely have enough strength to stand. The Musou Rage took more out of me than I thought."

Dark Sora looked down to see that the divine glow had vanished from his other self. His rage turned from one of hate to one of maniacal laughter.

"Well, well, well," he chuckled. "It looks like you ran out of juice, golden boy!"

"No," Sora uttered to himself. "I don't stand a chance now, The Musou Rage used up over half of my strength. I can't deploy the Hound's rage, let alone Saiyan Devotion at this rate."

"You're an excellent fighter, my other self, but you are a poor tactician. You used up your most powerful techniques so early in the game. But you should know that he who acquires his techniques first is he who is going to perish. In this case, because you used your little golden attack on me so early in this battle, you've been drained by at least half of your energy. Now, you don't stand a chance against me, no matter how hard you tried." Dark Sora drew up his keyblade. "I'll make you pay for pummeling me and making me look like an idiot. I'll finish you off good and slow!" Dark Sora rushed down at high speed, making ready to deliver the final blow. "This fight is mine!"

But to his dismay, fate had not yet finished. Dark Sora suddenly felt the same feeling that his counterpart felt, an invisible ton of weight crashing down on him. He didn't even strike the youth. Instead, he fell so ungraciously upon the ground, tumbling about as he crashed. He lay to rest not far from Sora. He tried to stand, but doing so was not easy now. His body seemed so heavy.

"What's happening…?" Dark Sora uttered. "What's wrong with my body?"

"So," Sora said, "You hit the wall too. I take it your body was not used to taking that much strain. Now, you're just like me, you're at half of what you were."

"Don't you dare put me at the same level as you, Sora! I am more powerful, therefore I can endure longer than you ever could."-

"Then why do you seem to be having trouble standing?"-

"You keep thinking that." Dark Sora slowly staggered to his feet, standing up upon weary legs. Sora too erected himself onto his feet. Both slump their keyblades, not able to hold them up to their upright position.

"No matter how you look at it, you and I are in the same boat."-

"This isn't over, Sora, far from it!" Using all his strength, Dark Sora attacked. Sora quickly defended and like two spent boxers, they struck, evaded, and blocked just as intensely as before, though their bodies were weary and tired. Their minds were what kept them going and that shear will to continue and win was that drove them on.

However, during that fight, at the back of his mind, Sora kept dwelling on the words his dark counterpart had said.

"_It is my right to take your identity and claim it as my own. It is the only reason for my existence."_

"Is that what you really want out of this?" Sora thought to himself. For five full minutes, at half strength, they battled. Not as swift as before, not with as powerful hits as before, not as aware as before, but still they continued their onslaught. Eventually, the two fought to a stand still and found themselves facing one another in an uneasy rest. But Sora was determined to break the ice. But instead of attacking, he began to talk. "Tell me something, Dark Sora, why do you fight?"

"What…?" Dark Sora uttered.

"I ask you why do you fight, why do we have to fight like this?"-

"Why do you fight?"-

"I fight for the sake of saving my friends and help restore peace to all worlds. That is why I fight. But I'm asking you why you fight."-

"That's simple, I fight for the one thing I was forged to do, to fight and kill you, Sora!"-

"But why would you want to do that?"-

"Because it is my existence to do so, nothing more."-

"But what about the Imperial Axis, what do they want from you?"-

"I only do what benefits me! The Axis created me and promised me your death!"-

"And when I die, what will you do after?"-

"I will do whatever I feel like!" Dark Sora cried out. "I will do as I please! And no matter what path I take, at least I'll know that I am unique!"

"But you were already unique." Sora replied.

"Wrong," Dark Sora gripped his keyblade, "I am merely a shadow, a clone of you, Sora, nothing more!" Dark Sora attacked again. "So long as you are alive, my soul will never be at peace!" The two clashed again. This time, Dark Sora had regained the upper hand over his other self. "Are you not like the rest! You are the same as they, wishing to battle me and deny me my destiny and my rightful privilege! You want to kill me and end this chaos, but what would I lose as a result of that! You might gain ground and save another world from plunging into darkness, but what about the men who lost! What about me! You would never give a second thought about what happens to someone like me now would you! You'd just shake it off like I was some kind of nobody! But that's all I am, aren't I, a nobody! Since the day I was forged, people have been calling me a perfect clone, a mere shadow, a copy! Something that would never add up to the real McCoy! My own allies call me a copy or a forgery! Your friends, during our battle said that I was no more than a copy to them! Thus I concluded that the only way not to be declared a copy is to kill the person I was patterned after! And you are that person who I must eliminate!" The words he shouted burned through Sora's very soul. The two pushed each other away.

"So that's what's been flowing through your mind?"-

"That is what urges me to continue fighting! Above all other alternative causes I've declared, that is the one that only matters to me! Everything else can be tossed aside!"-

The two continued to battle, little realizing that they were close to the cliff edge, near to where jagged rocks withheld the force of the sea's torrent waves. Down below, hungry sharks swam about, hoping to engage in a feeding frenzy. The rain and wind fell and blew harder than ever while lightning and thunder clashed above. Each strike measured the ferocity of each strike the key bearers made upon each other.

"You have to realize that not all people share that same notion of you." Sora cried. "There are some who've never met me, thus they would never know that you were a clone!"

"And what would that prove! One person's truth is another person's lie! I only know that so long as you are alive, I will never be the person I want to be!" With all his rage, Dark Sora struck the keyblade from out of Sora's hand. The keyblade fell no more than fifty yards away from him. Sora could only look at the point of the Imperial's weapon. "And so your life ends here, Sora! No more being called Dark Sora! No more being called a clone or a copy! No more of being a shadow to someone else! I am who I am! I am myself!" He raised his keyblade over his head. "Now die!"

But before he could hope to deliver the final blow, a bold of lightning struck the tip of his keyblade and sent thousands of volts surging through his body. Dark Sora lit up like a Christmas tree. He collapsed backward, little knowing that the cliff side was no more than a couple of feet away from him. Over the side he tumbled. The keyblade fell towards the torrential waters below, sinking into the briny deep.

To his surprise however, Dark Sora did not plummet. Instead, he found himself dangling from the Cliffside. He looked up to see none other than Sora grasping tightly to his hand.

"What are you doing?" Dark Sora uttered. "You could have just let me fall."

"And what would be the point in wasting your life like that?" Sora asked.

"And what's my life to you anyway?"-

"It is true that you are a clone of me, but that doesn't mean that you can't be someone else."-

"What do you mean?"-

"Can we discuss this later? You're heavy and my arms feel like they're made of cheese. So if we could talk after I pull you up."-

Dark Sora agreed and drew himself up. After a hard struggle, Sora managed to get his Imperial counterpart back onto the cliff's edge. Sora threw himself on his back and gasped in labored breath. His body was weary and he barely had enough strength to sit up. Dark Sora lay next to him.

"Why?" he uttered. "Why did you risk your life to save mine?"

"It was the right thing to do." Sora replied. "I couldn't let you die could I?"-

"I'm just a clone. If I died, they would've just replaced me anyhow."-

"That may be true, but that clone would never have lived up to you. They would have gone off to be someone else possibly." Sora slowly lifted himself up. "Listen, you might be a clone, but that means nothing. The minute you were born into this world, you were your own self."

"You forget, I was forged not born."-

"The concept is still the same. Being a person, you have your own identities, your own personalities. It is up to you and you alone on how your life will be dictated. Of course I did find that concept to kill me a little nerve wracking. You might consider yourself a clone, others might consider you a clone, but I think you are who you are, nothing more. Only you can decide for yourself who you are." Dark Sora lifted himself onto his knees.

"Why, why are you telling me this?"-

"I'm saying this so that you can be what and who you want to be. You have the ability to walk on your own and think on your own right? Then that means you can forge your own destiny." Sora staggered to his feet and went to retrieve his keyblade.

"No, what you're saying is wrong! I was forged to kill you, but…" Dark Sora looked down, his eyes concealed by the shadows. "But what right do I have now?"

"If that's what you think your destiny is, then we can continue fighting and end it until one of us is dead." He walked over and picked up his keyblade. "But I want you to know, Sora, you fight me as who you find yourself to be, not as what other people say. Just be yourself."

"What did you say?"-

"I said just be yourself."-

"No, I mean before that. What did you call me?"-

"I called you Sora if you don't mind. If you wanna change your name that's up to you, I'm not gonna decide it for you."-

"It's up to me?"-

Just then, from out of the sky, Sora saw his comrades coming in for a landing with Riku leading the charge.

"Sora," Riku cried.

"Hey, it's about time you got here." Sora shouted. "I was waiting for you!"

"You're not hurt are you?" Goofy asked.

"Just a few, minor scratches, Goofy, but I think I'll live."-

"So where is he?" Cuchulain said. "Where's Dark Sora?"

"Don't worry, he's right over there." The team gazed at the Imperial, sitting there upon his knees in the rain.

"Is he dead?" Cunla asked.

"No…"-

"He's not?" Ophelia uttered. "Why didn't you finish him off?"

"I didn't have the heart to."-

"But he's a clone." Donald said.

"No he isn't."-

"But why are you defending him after all he's done?"-

"I don't know why. It's just that I hate to see people torn from the inside, both from within and without, whether they be friends or enemies."-

The silence of the rain was suddenly interrupted by the wailing cry of Dark Sora who suddenly raised his hands to his eyes. He began to cry, bawling his heart out like a small child.

"God, forgive me." He cried. "Forgive me."

The KH team was bewildered at this sudden flood of emotions their supposed enemy displayed.

"Why is he crying?" Goofy asked.

"I think he just realized the truth." Sora said.

"That he's a clone?" Cunla asked.

"No, that he's himself." Sora turned about towards his Imperial counterpart. Kneeling before Dark Sora who still sat there, his head lowered. Placing a hand upon his shoulder, Sora smiled at the Imperial. Dark Sora could only look up. His tears masqueraded by the falling rain.

"Why do you have to make me feel like this?" Dark Sora uttered. "I came into this world to kill you. But now that I'm face to face with you, I just can't do it. How could you be so understanding? The real Sora not calling me a clone, but accepting me for who I am."

"Perhaps it's the fact that you've found a heart of your own and it's telling you not to take certain actions."-

"Sora…"-

While this tender moment between recent enemies commenced, the team saw Peter Pan approaching them. His hands were cuffed like bowls with a pair of large leaves between them. He landed amongst the KH team.

"Peter," Ophelia said, "What're you doing here?"

"I told you to stay behind." Cuchulain implied.

"I know that." Peter replied. "I just had to come. I knew that Sora was fighting his other self. Maybe when he won, he could help me force his devious side to help heal Tinker Bell." He raised his right hand like a lid. There Tinker Bell lay, still dim and battered from their earlier encounter. "That's why I brought her along. Now, we can let that evil side pay for what he did."

"The fight is over." Riku said. "But its conclusion was far from what we expected." He pointed to the two Soras in the driving rain, who sat close to one another. Peter ran over to Sora.

"Sora," Peter asked, "what's going on?"

"Peter," Sora said, "I didn't expect you to be here too."

"What do you mean by showing compassion to this abomination?"-

"Peter…"-

"He's just a copy of you, Sora, nothing more. He's just a fiend who likes to hurt my friends. He has to pay for what he did to Tinker Bell."-

"That's enough." Sora's voice became rather stern towards his old friend. "It's not very easy for him to dismiss the fact that he's a clone. He may be a copy of me, but his heart and his mind are real enough for him to make his own decisions. No one else can decide his choice." Sora turned to his friends. "No one here has a right to dictate the lives and destinies of others! You are only allowed to make choices, or opinions. But the control over a person's destiny is not absolute." The team was somehow awed by these firm words of the young key bearer.

"Sora…" Cunla uttered.

"He's right." Riku said. "No one has the capacity, nor has the right to dictate the fate of others. A person will always be someone different to what others expect."

"Then," Peter said, "Could you at least let him heal Tinker Bell!"

"Is that all you're expecting from him, or do you want to deprive him of his dignity as well, scorn him and mock him for who and what he is?" Peter looked at Sora, then at his dark counterpart, then to the rest of the KH team who seemed to look at him with judging stares. He thought of his own actions. Though he wanted Dark Sora to pay for what he did, he did not know how far to extend it. He wanted Tinker Bell well again, but what after that? Peter thought long and hard before sighing deep relief.

"As long as Tinker Bell lives, that's all that matters to me."-

"It's his decision."-

"Sora," Dark Sora said, "let me do it. Let me undo what I've done." Dark Sora lifted his head up. "I'll do this favor as an act of atonement for being blind all this time."

The Imperial lifted himself up. He came before Peter, who opened his hands, revealing the wounded little pixy. Dark Sora, his eyes shadowed by the wet strands, began to clap steadily. The more he clapped, the brighter Tinker Bell became. Finally, in a last gesture, he uttered the words to fully revive her.

"I believe…" he uttered, giving his heart and soul into his words. There was a sudden flash from Peter's hands and bursting out from between his palms, Tinker Bell flew into the air. Stretching her arms and legs and fluttering her wings, Tinker Bell flew about, greeting Peter, Sora and the team, a smile upon her face.

"Tinker Bell," Peter cried, his eyes filled with tears, "You're alive and well again." Tinker Bell jingled before her youthful friend. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Well," Sora chuckled, "It looks like Tinker Bell's back to normal again."

"Look at that." Cunla said. "It's a fairy."

"Wow," Ophelia added.

Tinker Bell took her place next to Peter. Peter's smile slightly diminished as he had to give thanks to the one who revived her, the same who had hindered her and sent her to deaths door no more than half a day before.

"I guess I should thank you for reviving her." He uttered. "Thanks…"

Sora placed his hand upon Dark Sora's shoulder and smiled.

"You did a good thing." He said. But Dark Sora didn't reply or stir, but only stood there, his head still hanging down. "Sora…?" Just then, appearing at the side of the Imperial's mouth, a diluted stream of blood, which grow more profusely with every second. Sora took hold of his other half. "Are you alright?"

"I have been betrayed…" Dark Sora uttered. The blood began to drip from his in several streams now. The dark key bearer suddenly staggered then collapsed to the ground. Sora grabbed the young Imperial.

"Sora…!" Sora then noticed that four five large projectiles made of ice lay lodged in his back. Two of them struck the lower sides of his back, piercing his kidneys and other vital organs. Two others had struck the top sides of his back, piercing his lungs. The fifth struck at an angle on the left side of his back, piercing his heart.

The team could only watch in horror at this grizzly sight.

"What just happened…?" Cuchulain uttered.

"Dark Sora was struck down." Riku replied.

"But by who?" asked Ophelia.

"Such a defective model that one was." A voice suddenly uttered. Sora looked out through the driving rain. And there stood none other than General Saber. "I never would have thought that a purely manipulated clone would still have that sentimental and compassionate nature. But then again, knowing the origin to which he came, it's not surprising that such trivial emotions would not be fully extinguished."

"Saber," Sora growled, "Did you strike him down?"

"We can't have another defecting officer can we?"-

"You bastard, just when he found who he was, you kill him!"-

"That's what we can't have, can we? If he finds who he is, he's liable to defect in favor of the honey words of former foes, thus questioning his loyalty. It's best for him to die before he cherishes his own existence too much."-

"Saber," Riku shouted, drawing out his keyblade. The other KH team members drew out their weapons.

"I witnessed your entire battle, Sora. I must say that you are quite the motivational speaker, to affect the emotions of a clone so thoroughly, causing him to question his own existence and reason. But then again, I never thought that clones were capable of such. Well, it only proves that we have to try better and make a clone completely deprived of rational thought and emotion. That way they can never find out who they are."-

"Even now when he's dying," Sora bellowed, "You still treat him like trash!"

"That's all he is, trash, a mere clone of you. No matter what philosophy you come up with to prove that he is who he is, you will never change the fact that he's still a clone. And as a clone, he is meant to think such things. But they will never be true."-

"Bastard…" Just then Dark Sora began to stir about slightly in the key bearer's arms.

"It's alright." Dark Sora uttered. "I am glad this happened to me."

"Sora…" the young man said.

"What you said was true. I was who I am from the start. I was never you, but my own person." Blood dripped from his mouth in rivers, but the Imperial didn't heed it. He only smiled a weary smile, his eyes half shut. "Thank you, Sora, for accepting who I am instead of what I am." No longer able to keep his eyes open, Dark Sora fell limp in his other self's arms and died, his eyes closing shut, but the smile not diminished.

"Sora," Sora cried, "Sora, Sora!"

"He's dead…" Cuchulain uttered.

"My God…" Riku said.

"That's all he wanted." Ophelia added with her eyes slightly moist with tears. "He only wanted to acknowledge his uniqueness, not as a clone, but as a person. Despite what happened earlier, I kind of feel sorry for him now."

"It was hard for him to continue with his mission." Cunla said. "I bet Dark Sora never would've heard such compassionate words from anyone, especially from the man whom he was cloned from."

"Sora did something that none of us bothered with." Riku implied. "He acknowledged an independent existence with his clone."

Sora fell to his knees, still holding Dark Sora. He started crying, grieving over Dark Sora's lifeless body.

"I don't even know if his heart will meet the same fate as mine." He sobbed. "Where will his heart and soul go? Will it go the same place as mine?"

"Why don't we find out?" Saber chuckled. "I still don't understand why you weep for that defect. He can easily be replaced."-

"You don't get it do you, Saber." Sora gently placed his former enemy's body upon the ground, face down so the ice stakes could dissolve in the driving rain. "He still had a life and that life was so ruthlessly taken away and by the hands of the one whom he vowed to serve whole heartedly."-

"He seems to have failed in that department."-

"You have no right to question his being." Sora drew out his keyblade. "For taking his life, I will see that yours is taken too!"

"And how do you intend to battle me with only your half strength? Dark Sora might have been weak, he might have been defective, but at least he served his purpose weakening you."-

"Hey Sora," Donald shouted, "don't let him talk you down. You have this in your favor!" The fowl pulled out a potion vial and threw it to Sora. Sora caught it and popped the cork. He made ready to drink it. But suddenly, the vial vanished from his hand.

"What the…" Sora uttered.

"The potion," Cuchulain said.

"Where did it go?" Goofy asked.

"It was in Sora's hand." Riku added.

"Are you looking for this?" Saber said. He drew up his right hand and had clutched between his thumb and his index the vial of potion.

"But how did you…" Sora uttered dumbfounded.

"So this is the mighty elixir that you use to revive your comrades is it?" Saber then threw it onto the ground, breaking the small bottle. The KH team gasped. "Sorry Sora, you won't be using it to revive you full strength this time."

"How did he manage to get that vial away from Sora?" Riku uttered. "I didn't even see him move."

"I only felt his energy rise." Cuchulain added. "But I didn't feel it move either. It's like he never moved at all, but he still managed to get the vial away from Sora."

"Once again," Saber declared, "You sniveling wretches have outdone our strategy. You managed to halt our advance on the Indian encampment. Of course defeating Hook's crew was easy for you. But then defeating the S class elites that were stationed on the beach and later stranding the submarine on land with help from the former Osiris of the Cavendish Shinobis. Finally, you manipulate a clone that was supposed to be deprived of emotions and logic altogether. It only goes to show that only the best of the best will be capable of eliminating you. So I might as well take that privilege for myself." The Blade General drew out his sword from its scabbard. "I will enjoy fighting you fools to the last man. I won't even bother to go all out."

"You think we're pushovers?" Sora shouted.

"I don't think you're pushovers. I know you're pushovers."-

"We'll show you!" Cunla shouted as he and the other members of the KH team joined side by side with Sora and Peter.

"Aw, yes Cunla, I will have a score to settle with you as well."-

"You're fighting against the best of the best, Saber." Sora shouted. "We outnumber and we're also elite fighters. There's no way you can win against us on your own."

"Oh you'd be surprised, Sora, of what I'm capable of doing."-

The battle lines had been drawn again. Now, the only thing that stands between them and domination over the Imperial Axis is General Saber himself.


	83. Saber

Saber

Aggression had once again gripped the hearts of the KH team. Though Dark Sora was an enemy converted, he did not deserve to be slain in such a heinous way. The driving rain wore down the ice stakes in his back. Drenched and cold, the team and Peter Pan stood vigilant as the general made his approach. He made his advance ever so slightly as if he had all the time in the world.

"Why," Sora uttered, "Why would you do that to your own subordinate?"

"Must I continuously reiterate myself?" Saber said. "He was a defect. He could not be allowed to live. And there's no use sobbing over his demise. Dark Sora is dead and that's all there is to it." The General, with his soaked blade, then halted no more than ten feet from the key bearers and their comrades. "I must admit though, you certainly came far beyond what I had earlier expected. I could have sworn you to be dead when the submarine shot your vessel from the sky. I then hoped that Dark Sora would have at least killed one of you, but low and behold, you're all still alive. Then I expected the submarine to demolish that wretched savage encampment, but still I find those dwellings to be standing thanks to you and that turncoat, Osiris. I never would have thought him to turn against us. Yet now, I am the only one standing before you." Saber sighed. "Oh well it's not that I'm complaining. I will have to fight with the strength of the entire garrison all by myself."

"You don't stand a chance against us this time, Saber." Riku declared. "You have no men left to aid you. They're either dead, wounded, or captured. To add, now you have all seven members of the KH team to deal with, not just Sora and I."

"Do you really believe I'm worried about that? I have nothing to fear from you. If I wanted, I could take on ten times your number if I had the urge."-

"That's enough," Cuchulain shouted, he suddenly thrust forth his spear, hoping to impale the general. "Talk is cheap. You wanna prove us wrong then do it with your blade!" Saber parried and counter struck at the Hound. But Cuchulain was too fast and easily dodged.

"Dad," Cunla cried. He rushed in with sword drawn and helped to aid his father. Sora and the others quickly rushed in as well. Pretty soon a massive grappling engagement commenced as the team members struck from all directions at the general. But Saber, despite being outnumbered, managed to hold his own. He blocked, evaded, and counter stuck most eloquent and savagely.

"Man," Peter thought to himself. "How could they move so fast?" Through Peter's eyes, the team was almost a plethora of blurred streaks and after images that appeared at random, intermingling with the clash of steal and the flashes of light spared by the colliding arms.

"How the heck can be so fast?" Sora uttered.

"He's a lot stronger than we thought." Riku added.

"What's the matter boys and girls," Saber chuckled. "You seem to be having a difficult time trying to smite me?"

"Shut your mouth!" Ophelia shouted, swiping about with her fans, but with no success.

"The great Tiger of Goth reduced to a pussycat."-

"I'll show you what this pussycat can do when I get my hands on you!"-

"Oh, I tremble with fear." Saber suddenly unleashed the wind element and blew the colonel of her feet. But no sooner had he deprived himself of Ophelia, Cuchulain and Cunla came in for the charge again, using swift attacks and sudden strikes to confuse the general and make him open to a vital blow. But still, there was no prevail. Like water, Saber could evade each strike, no matter how narrow the margin was.

"How the heck is he dodging our attacks like this?" Cunla wondered. "It's as though he can read our movements before we can execute them."

"He's not the strongest of the Blade Generals for nothing." Cuchulain added.

"Too easy," Saber chuckled, knocking the two away.

Next came the key bearers, swinging away at the general in tight unison, but even their attacks proved ineffective against the agility and cunning of General Saber.

"C'mon," Sora shouted, "stop dodging and fight us right!"

"As if you'd be any match for me."-

It didn't take long for him to repel the key bearers as well. Goofy and Donald charged forth into the fray as well, but they weren't much of a threat to him. They were easily pummeled.

"Well, that went well." Donald grumbled. "We charge in like heroes and we get kicked out like novices."

"Gawrsh…" Goofy uttered.

"Donald, Goofy," Sora shouted. "Final Form!"

"Right," his two companions shouted. There was a bright light between the three, Goofy turning a bright green, Sora turning a bright red, and Donald turning a bright blue. They converged together, turning the three colored lights into a pure white. The KH team was blinded by the light.

"What's happening?" Cunla asked.

"It's Sora's Final Form." Cuchulain said.

"Hyper Mode Fusion," Riku uttered.

As the light faded, Sora thus stood tall with a completely transformed outfit of black, white, and silver. He held in both hands both the Aungla Noria (Way of Light) and a keyblade of old, the Oblivion, tightly in his hands.

"Well, well," Saber thought to himself. "What is this?"

"Now let's see you take me on!" Sora shouted. "You won't be as cocky as before!" He lunged at Saber unleashing the full capacity of his strength. Saber was impressed. Sora unleashed lightning attacks and elemental spells at the same time striking away with incredible speed and strength.

"Most impressive," Saber chuckled, "But not good enough!" He suddenly thrust his sword hilt into Sora's gut. The young man keeled over from the pain, but did not falter. He was on the attack again "Speedy little insect, you can't keep up these efforts forever."

"I'll beat you! This Final Form is what I used to help take down Xehenort! You can't hope to defeat me!"-

"I can't hope to defeat you! You think you're dealing with an amateur?" Saber suddenly knocked both keyblades out of the way and struck Sora again, this time elbowing him in the forehead. "If you're going to make such bold statements, do if after you first close the gap in the obvious difference between the two of us!" Sora's head jerked back violently to the point where his neck could have been snapped in two.

"Sora," Riku cried as he watched his friend fall back, tumbling on the ground. The Final Form didn't last long after that. Sora, Donald, and Goofy were split into three again and lay there almost unconscious. Goofy and Donald lay on the ground with giant swirling eyes and stars, or birds encircling their heads. Sora on the other hand was no so lucky, receiving the bulk of the impact. A stream of blood dripped from his head. The Oblivion, which lay silently next to him, vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Riku ran to his side and lifted the young man in his arms.

"Sora, are you alright?" he asked.

"I feel like a got struck in the head by a cannon ball." Sora muttered.

"If that were true, pal, your head wouldn't be there." Riku pulled out a vial of potion and gave it to Sora. Sora was once again on his feet.

"Thanks Riku." The two key bearers stood side by side, their guards reestablished. The other teamsters arose and stood on guard as well. Saber only glared at them with a sinister smirk on his face. "It seems no matter how much we improve, we can't seem to battle him head on."

"Xemnas of Organization XIII was no more than a third rate entity." Saber declared. "He was only good as a scientist, nothing more. His fighting skills may have been formidable to you, but he was no more than a cankerous nuisance to us. Had he been more than what he was, perhaps we would have paid more attention to him and Organization XIII. But a group that couldn't even attract the concerns of the former Imperial regime shouldn't even be considered a threat."

"Are you done rambling?"-

"I'm merely making a statement, young Sora. There is no need to be insulting."-

"You expect me to listen to you after what you did?"-

"And what is it that I did?"-

"You killed Dark Sora!"-

"And what was he to you?"-

"Another innocent victim of your war mongering!" Sora attacked again.

"Sora," Riku cried. He drew up his weapon and aided his comrade.

The rest of the KH team drew up their weapons and charged into the fray again. But as before, the result was the same. It was a reiterating situation, where villain would topple hero and heroine like gnats.

"I can't believe it." Cuchulain uttered. "We attack him over and over, but he still manages to beat us."

"What the heck is he?" Ophelia added. "He's not human."

"Face it, none of you could ever hope of defeating me." Saber chuckled. "I'm far too powerful."

"That's what you think!" Cunla shouted. He leaped upward and prepared for a downward slash. "But I'll show you different that you can be beaten!"

"Cunla no," Cuchulain cried. "You don't stand a chance against him one on one!"

"I'll put this upstart in his place, father!" The boy struck at the general, but Saber only parried Cunla's hit, knocking his sword straight out of his hand. He then grabbed Cunla by the throat and locked the boy in place.

"Cunla,"-

"Cunla," Riku and Sora cried.

"Cunla," the other shouted in immediate reaction.

Saber sheathed his sword and gripped tightly onto the boy's throat, slowly suffocating him. The youth reached up and grasped onto the general's clutched hand. Sweat upon his face, teeth gripped, and one eye shut from the winching pain, Cunla could only hope to endure the torture. Saber lifted the boy, leveling him eye to eye. He glared at Cunla with a blood lust and a deep rage.

"You think too highly of yourself, boy." Saber said. "You say that you're a powerful warrior. And in most cases you'd be right. You have the capacity to take on ten thousand well trained men in a single bound and not break a sweat. But it takes more than that to defeat me!"

"Let me go…" Cunla uttered.

"You are hardly in a position to be telling me what to do. You charge in recklessly, not even worrying about the concerns of your comrades." Saber looked at Cuchulain. "You should teach your son humility, Hound of Ulster. He is way too cocky for his own good."

"Get your filthy hands off of my son!" Cuchulain demanded. His eyes began to show rage. His K9's grew long and his aura began to glow profusely.

"Here's another one who thinks he has a right to tell me what to do. Go ahead and charge, Hound. But be forewarned, you're putting your son's life in jeopardy." Cuchulain's eyes grew wide with apprehension. Saber turned Cunla around and placed him firmly in front of him like a human shield, his right arm was clutched tightly around the boy's neck, while his left arm was twisting Cunla's head about. "I'm wondering how I should kill your son, Hound, this traitor of the faction. Should I twist his head about and break his neck?" Saber began to bend Cunla's head in an awkward manner as if hoping to snap his neck in half. Cunla moaned, but did not cry out. He then threw his hand over Cunla's nose and mouth and pressed tightly. Cunla struggled as he could feel himself running out of air. "Or perhaps, I should cover his nose and mouth and slowly suffocate him. Death by asphyxiation is not a very pretty sight. The eyes roll to the back of the head and a great deal of saliva begins to foam at the mouth. But it's the excessive thrashing that makes it so violent. The harder one kicks means the greater the pain. I'm sure you wouldn't want to see your boy thrashing about violently, but what better death for a traitor than a long and agonizing demise." He then reached Cunla's arms and twisted it behind the boy's back. Cunla cried out. "Or maybe, I could tear off one of his arms."

"You monster," Sora shouted, "How could you do this to a little kid!"

"When it comes down to it, all that matters is self preservation."-

"Leave Cunla alone, you bastard!" Riku shouted. He tightly clutched his keyblade.

"No sudden moves, my friends." Saber drew up his left hand and unleashed a powerful surge of energy. There up in the air, a blue light, pulsating in white and magenta, appeared above the KH team.

"What is that?" Donald asked.

Suddenly, the team members were all drawn upward towards this orb of energy against their will. They were being pulled in by the light.

"What the heck is going on?" Riku asked.

"What's happening?" Peter added.

"It's that energy orb." Ophelia cried, "It's sucking us in!"

"What are you doing to us?" Cuchulain demanded. Saber only watched with a smirk on his face as the entire team, along with Peter and Tinker Bell, was locked together around this luring light. Sora came to realize what it was that drew them together.

"This energy," he uttered, "This is the gravity spell."

"The gravity spell?" Ophelia asked.

"You're kidding." Donald added.

"The gravity spell," Riku uttered, "But how can it be affecting us? I thought we couldn't be affected by elemental attacks."

"That's what I thought too." Sora replied.

"On the contrary, boys," Saber said, "From what I witnessed in that fight between Sora and Dark Sora, you are immune to the effects of basic elemental attacks. Unfortunately for you, gravity is not one of the basic elements. Ergo, you are vulnerable to its effects. It only goes to show that you're not strong enough to fight me! You never have been strong enough and you never will be!"

"You fight dirty, Saber!" Ophelia shouted as she and the others were grouped together around the light.

"That is merely your opinion, Colonel Billiard. I find it to be advantageous and a cunning tactic."-

"You let us down right now, you fiend!" Peter demanded, Tinker Bell jingling about her anger as well, turning a bright red.

"You heard what he said!" Donald added.

"Yeah!" Goofy agreed.

"Your words fall upon deaf ears." Saber chuckled. "This is a clever situation conjured. Why destroy it? I have a hostage and you idiots are helplessly floating mindlessly in the air unable to do anything about the present situation."

"You release Cunla right now!" Cuchulain shouted

"Keep on barking, Hound. I'll not heed your threats."-

"I swear that if you even think about harming a hair on my son's head, I'll…!"

"Stop right there!" Saber plucked a single strand from atop of Cunla's head. He then stretched his hand before the team and set the strand afire. The blaze only lasted a second. "Now what do you plan on doing?" Cuchulain could only growl. But concerns for his son became increasingly higher as his rage turned into sorrow. "It just goes to show you that you are powerless to defy my desires." Cunla looked up at his father, a sad look upon his face.

"Dad," he uttered, "I'm sorry, I tried…"

"Cunla," The Hound cried.

"Now, to put an end to your life, son of the Hound." Saber declared. He drew out his saber from its scabbard and placed the sharpened blade up to Cunla's throat. "Be glad that I still consider you a worthy opponent. Thus, despite deserving the long suffering of a traitor's demise, I will make your death swift and painless."

"Please stop," Cuchulain cried, reaching for his son, "He's my only son, my only child! Don't take him away!" Saber looked up to see this enraged face of the Hound turned humble and mellow. He smirked.

"I like this situation much better." Saber thought to himself, "Besides, what does it matter to me whether I spare their lives or not?" Pointing his sword upward, he relinquished the gravity spell and the team fell to the ground. They topped on another, like hourglass sand. Cuchulain, quickly rose to his feet and tried to near his son, but dared no advance any further fearing Saber might execute instant death upon the child.

"Cunla…"-

"Father…" Cunla uttered.

"Please, Saber, don't hurt him."-

"I won't on account of one condition, Hound." Saber implied.

"What is it?"-

"Tell me, how much do you love your son?"-

"More than anything in this world!"-

"Then prove your love."-

Cuchulain's pride as a warrior was strong. He had never once in his life given into an enemy. He never backed down, nor abandoned his dignity before a foe. But here, for the first time, Cuchulain threw everything away for the sake of his son's life. Doing the unexpected, hesitating once and twice again, he fell to his hands and knees and gazed down at Saber's feet. Saber was stunned and so were the rest of the KH team members.

"Please," The Hound uttered, his voice wavering with emotion, "please give me back my son. Please don't hurt him. He's all I have. I beg you, Saber, show mercy."

"Father…" Cunla uttered, his eyes filled with tears. He never would have thought to see his father kneel before an enemy in humility. But Cunla didn't care. This gesture he knew was one that his father could not so easily do.

"Cuchulain…" Sora uttered.

"I've never seen him do something like that." Riku said, "To lower himself before a general of the faction."

"It just goes to show that he's willing to do anything for his son." Ophelia added.

"Poor guy."-

"It's not that easy to humble yourself before the enemy." Sora said. "Cuchulain must be tearing himself apart. But then again, such indignity would never be as emotional as losing his son."

There was a stand still between the two sides. Saber snickered to himself.

"I never would have thought that the mighty Hound of Ulster would lower himself to a sniveling rat for the sake of a traitor." He said. "See how pathetic you look, like a dog with its tail between its legs. I'll burn this spectacle into my memory. The day the Hound humbled himself before the might General Saber." He eased his grasp around Cunla. "I'm finished playing with you. You can have your son back." He pushed Cunla away, forcing the boy to fall into his father's arms. The two looked at each other, tears in their eyes.

"I'm sorry, dad." Cunla sobbed.

"No, Cunla," Cuchulain replied. He tightly embraced his son. "I'm sorry."

"Saber," Sora growled as he and the others rose up, "You've caused enough trouble here!"

"You're going down now!" Riku added. The key bearers charged at the general. But Saber only looked at them without lifting a finger.

"It is over for the Alliance now." Saber replied. The key bearers stopped.

"What?"-

"What do you mean it's over for the Alliance?" Sora asked.

"It's over for the Alliance." Saber said. The team members looked him bewilderedly. "I've done what I came here for. Thus, this world is no longer of any concern."

"What do you mean! What are you talking about! Answer me, Saber!"-

"You'll find out soon enough. But heed my words, key bearers. I'm letting you live for now. I'll have my revenge on you later. Right now, I have more critical matters to aid." Saber thus vanished in a billowing cloud of shadow and darkness, disappearing from the world entirely.

"What a freak."-

"Saber's such a bastard." Riku uttered. "He has us on our toes and then he just decides to leave? Was he just toying with us?"

"I wonder what he meant by it being over for the Alliance?" Ophelia wondered.

"Forget about that guy and his ramblings." Donald said. "He was just saying that to rile us." The team then looked at Cuchulain and Cunla who were still tightly embracing one another.

"Can you forgive me, father, for being reckless?" Cunla sobbed.

"You're safe," Cuchulain replied. "That's all that matters to me. But can you forgive a proud father who humiliated himself before an enemy?"

"It only shows that you love me a lot, dad. That's all that matters to me."-

The two embraced again, tighter than ever. The KH team could only look on at this tender reunion between father and son.

"Well, at least it ended happily." Donald said.

"Yeah…" Goofy added.

"For us anyway." Sora implied.

"What do you mean, Sora?" Riku asked. Sora looked to the lifeless body of Dark Sora. The ice stakes had diminished completely and dead blood flowed from the ghastly wounds upon the former Imperial.

"His dreams were shattered in a way."-

"That may be true, but I think what you said about him finding his own heart and soul might have allowed him to question his own meaning of existence."-

"Yeah…"-

"It's strange though." Riku suddenly said.

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"The energy that Dark Sora was accumulating,"-

"Yeah…?"-

"It was the same identical signature as Maleficent." Sora's eyes grew big. "I also remember Sirius Viicous having a similar aura." Sora reminisced about the battle against Maleficent and the encounter with Sirius Viicous those several weeks before, and remembered that familiar signal they both gave.

"You're right. Now that I think about it, all three did have a similar aura. But how, Dark Sora and Maleficent couldn't possibly have been in league with one another could they? Then again, they were both part of Sirius Viicous' syndicate, the Midnight Faction."-

"The thing is," Riku suddenly filled with a certain anxiety, "I've felt this kind of power before, even before Maleficent and Sirius Viicous. It's a power signature that seems so nostalgic, as if I've felt it years ago. Even during that time when we fought the Empire, in the bowels of Gombria, when you came to rescue me, I felt that same power lingering about. Even before the ordeal with the Empire, I've felt that dark energy."-

"What could it mean, Riku?"-

"I don't know. I just have this feeling that it may have something to do with my distant past. I only wish I could remember."-

Suddenly a warm feeling came upon the faces of the key bearers. They looked up. There in the sky, a ray of bright sunshine appeared through the clouds. The rain had stopped and the storm diminished, giving way to a clear day. The evil had diminished from Neverland and peace was once again restored.

Meanwhile, back at the Indian encampment, the braves kept a vigilant on the faction soldiers, with Standing Eagle as he head taskmaster. The chief stood by his side observing the peaceful atmosphere.

"So far these men haven't caused any trouble for us." He said.

"They've lost the will to fight." Standing Eagle replied. "No use for them to resist in a land far from home."

Just then, from out of the sky, the KH gummi appeared. The Indian braves were stunned and shocked at what they saw, afraid that the ship could be an enemy ship. But Standing Eagle only smiled.

"Relax," he said, "The ship is our friends'"-

The ship landed upon the ground, its rockets uplifting strong winds of heat and clouds of dust, scorching the very soil beneath it. As the rockets were disengaged and the vessel gently settled upon the ground, the side hatch opened and out jumped Cuchulain.

"Hey there, Standing Eagle." He said.

"Good to see you guys are all alright." Standing Eagle replied. "I take it that you guys beat Saber and Dark Sora."

"We won, but the defeat was not exactly as we thought it to be."-

"How so?"-

"Well, Saber was the one who killed Dark Sora and the general himself got away."-

"You mean he just left after killing his own subordinate? That's strange."-

"Yeah, I know." Cuchulain looked at the Imperial sailors. "I relayed a message to Sneer, telling him to bring a prisoner convoy here and pick up the captured faction troopers. They should be here within the hour."

"What about you guys?" Standing Eagle asked. "Will you be sticking around?"

"Unfortunately, no," Cuchulain replied. "We have to get to Traverse Town and have ourselves restocked and re-supplied. Not to mention we have to fix the damaged gummi ships. Then we have to continue our search for finding General Saber. He still has the last piece of the puzzle needed to rescue King Mickey."

"I understand. Then I wish you good luck." The two stretched forth their hands and shook hardily.

"You'll be alright?"-

"It may take a while." The chief said, "But we'll have things up and running again before you know it."

"I wish you luck then."

"You too," Standing Eagle replied. Cuchulain smiled and jumped back into the ship with his other friends. The rockets ignited and the ship ascended into the air.

"Will the Indians be alright?" Donald asked.

"They're a strong people,' Cuchulain replied as he strapped himself in. "They'll be able to take care of themselves."

"I hope so."-

"Let's get back to the battlefield and pick up Sora." Riku said. "He should be finished with his task by now."

"Dark Sora was indeed a worthy opponent." Cunla said. The ship flew into the distance leaving Standing Eagle, the lost boys, and the Indians waving farewell to their comrades.

Sora had finished his work. He had set a grave and buried his other self, using a slab of rock for a head stone with the name 'Sora' etched on its surface. Sora said a prayer to his old foe. Peter Pan and Tinker Bell were at his side.

"I don't know why you insisted on burying him, Sora." Peter said. "It wasn't your responsibility."-

"I believe it was." Sora replied. "Dark Sora also had a heart and mind. But like a heart and mind, sometimes they can be manipulated by evil men into doing things that are wrong, but are perceived as justified. Dark Sora was just another victim." He placed the belt of Dark Sora round the headstone.

"You've never really changed, Sora."-

"How's that?"-

"Even if they're enemies you never hate them."-

"I find that one must respect the beliefs of another, no matter if we think them right or wrong. You might say that he gave his life for Tinker Bell."-

"I guess so."-

Then, from out of the blue, the gummi ship appeared. It descended and landed not too far from the grave site. The hatch opened and Riku appeared.

"C'mon, Sora," he cried, "Let's get going."

"Alright, I'm coming." Sora replied. He turned to Peter and shook hands with him. "Thanks for being there when we needed you, Peter."

"I should be saying that to you, Sora. I am sorry for everything that I've done to you. I swear I'll never misjudge you again, nor mistaken you for an enemy or an enemy for you."-

"Remember, Peter, my friendship with you will never die." Sora smiled and turned to the gummi. But Peter stopped him again.

"Just one more thing, Sora," Peter said, "You think you can take Tinker Bell with you?"

"What for…?"-

"She might be able to help you on your journey."-

"Well, I don't know."-

"Please, Sora, at least think of it as compensation for all the trouble I caused for you."-

"Well, I…"-

"Sora," Riku shouted. "Hurry up and get in here! You got everybody waiting for you!"

"Alright, I'm coming! Keep your pants on!" He turned to Peter. "If it's alright with you, Peter, I'll let her come."

"Thanks Sora." Peter replied. Tinker Bell jingled joyfully and hovered next to Sora.

"I will bring her back safely."-

"I know you will. I trust you."-

Sora smiled and turned away with Tinker Bell still at his side. Both key bearer and pixy boarded the gummi and the ship lifted off and flew out of sight. Peter Pan waved farewell and watched till the ship vanished entirely. He smiled and withdrew to go back to his friends. But before he did, he gazed back at the grave of Dark Sora.

"I guess even the darkest of hearts can have a little bit of light within them." He thought to himself.


	84. Twilight Town: Kambria's Vengeance

Twilight Town: Kambrian Vengeance

The old haunted mansion lay in shambles still, as if no activity had recently taken place there. But deep in the cellars of the decrepit building, Ansem's linked doorway between Twilight Town and The World that Never Was has been demolished and sealed forever. Thus, without the use of the passage, there was no need for anyone to enter the old structure. But despite that, the local children still frolicked and explored the area without adult super vision. They enjoyed searching for ghosts and spirits that might have been hanging about the place. The ghouls, if any, enjoyed the company of children laughing and playing. However, their antics around the old foundation were a concern to many of the town's people.

Olette on this particular day had to go down to the old mansion grounds herself. She entered the old gates finding two little girls and three little boys playing about in the yard. Amongst the three little boys was Hayner's baby brother, Hayden, who pretended to be a ghost and ran about trying to scare his other companions.

"What are you guys doing?" Olette declared. "You know that you're not allowed to play on the old mansion grounds." She happened to look at Hayden. "And Hayden, your brother would kill you if he ever found you playing around here!"

"Aw, but Olette," Hayden uttered, trying to gain sympathy. But such trivial tactics wouldn't work on Olette.

"Don't Olette me. All of your parents are still concerned that there might be people out there trying to kidnap you! And after what happened to you guys with the Sanderson Sisters!"-

"But that was a long time ago. Nothing's happened since then."-

"Nothing's happened since then? It's only been a few days since that incident. And yet you guys come out here without a care in the world, as if none of that happened." She took Hayden firmly by the hand. "Now come on, your parents are looking for you now."

Suddenly, from out in the distance, a rumble began to bellow. Silent at first, it increased in volume indicating that something big was coming. The children, curious of the sound, came out from their hiding places and gathered with Olette and the others. The ground vibrated beneath their feet. The rumbling even forced some of the old features of the mansion to crumble.

"What is that?" one little girl cried.

"It's loud." A little boy added.

"Stay close to me, kids." Olette said. Altogether, eleven children, six girls and five boys, hover around their adult companion. Just then, looming over head, a large black craft roared by. It was sleek in appearance and its underside was a perfect circle, like a black saucer. It continued on passed the old mansion and settled somewhere near the town. The rumbling suddenly stopped when the object vanished from sight.

"What was that thing?" Hayden asked.

"I don't know." Olette replied. "I just have a bad feeling."

Just then, the sound of pattering feet came from just beyond the thicket. Suddenly, emerging from the darkness of the canopy, Pence and Vivi appeared.

"Olette," Pence cried, "There you are. And you have all the kids too."

"Vivi, Pence, what's going on?"-

"These guys just came out of nowhere."-

"Who are they, pirates?"-

"I don't think so. They're wearing these grey military uniforms."-

"Could they be those Axis soldiers that Riku and Sora were talking about before?"-

"I don't know, but Hayner, Seifer, and the Mayor are down there sorting things out. I just hope these guys aren't gonna start any trouble."-

"But Hayner told us to watch out for you guys and that we should stay out of sight." Vivi replied.

Suddenly, more rumbling and low roaring was heard in the distance indicating that another ship was on its way. Sure enough, appearing over the tops of the trees, a second ship appeared, smaller than the first, but just as intimidating.

"Another ship…" Pence uttered.

But unlike the first ship, which passed by with great haste, this ship tended to hover in the air. Then, the unthinkable happened. Instead of pressing on to Twilight Town, the ship descended onto the grounds just outside of the old mansion.

"Oh no," Olette uttered, "They're touching down."

"We have to get out of sight." Pence said. "If they are hostile, we can't let them see us."

"Children follow me into the mansion."-

The group hastily ran for their lives into the mansion just as the craft settled down. Pence quickly closed the iron gates leading to the courtyard and locked them. He then joined the others at the mansion's door. They watched as the hatch to the craft opened and soldiers in grey emerged. They were all dressed in identical garbs with their short brimmed cavaliers and their long grey frocks.

"Olette," Pence uttered, "I'm gonna stay out here."

"What?" Olette said.

"I want you to lock this door behind you. Go to the old entry way of that transmission room, activate its opening and then close it up to conceal any evidence of the passage. I'll try and stall them."

"But Pence, what'll happen to you."-

"I'll talk to them. If they're not hostile, they'll leave the mansion alone."-

"And if they are hostile?"-

"All I can expect is a beating. But I can take it."-

"Pence…"-

"No time to argue, go now!"-

"Alright…" Olette shut and locked the door behind her, fearing for her friend. She then looked at the children. "Okay kids, follow me and stick together. Vivi, make sure that no one falls behind."-

"I gotcha," Vivi replied. They led the children up the stairs and into the library. There, placing an old drawing on an alchemic diagram upon the table stationed in the center of the room, they activated the hidden passage to Ansem's old transmission device. The children looked in awe as they saw the floor give way to another room at the bottom.

"Hurry, kids," Olette said, "down the stairs."

"Follow me, kids." Vivi implied. The children followed faithfully behind Vivi's humorous waddling. Just then, Olette heard talking outside. She crept up to the window and peeked out. She saw the soldiers trying to break through the Iron Gate. One soldiers shot the lock with his weapon, breaking the mechanism and the soldiers, ten of them, came rushing in.

Olette then watched as Pence came to greet them. She heard their conversation, muffled through the glass.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" He asked.

"You," a soldier shouted, "Stay where you are!" The soldier surrounded Pence preventing any kind of escape. Their guns were aimed at the young man. "What is this place?"

"This is the old Twilight Town Mansion. I'm its caretaker."-

"Caretaker, eh, you're lying then."-

"Why do you say that?"-

"This place is crumbling down. It looks as if it hasn't been lived in for years! So either you're terrible at your tasks, or you're hiding something from us!"-

"I'm not hiding anything. This place said to be haunted, which is why it was abandoned. But we're planning to restore it to its former grandeur and make it a gathering hall or something. I'm just stationed here to make sure no one vandalizes it. This mansion is after all an historical site."-

"Then I hope you don't mind if we search the place." The soldiers directed his comrades to storm the mansion.

"Wait, what is the meaning of this." Pence tried to block the soldiers.

"Get out of the way."-

"But what is it that you want?"-

"We're here because there are rumors of a secret passage way to another world, something that you don't have to be concerned with."-

"I doubt what you're looking for is in an old house like this."-

"Enough arguments, you're hiding something and we demand to know."-

"I'm not!"-

"Silence," the soldier lifted up his weapon and fired a shot straight at Pence, pointblank.

Olette was filled with terror as she saw one of her closest friends shot and killed. Pence fell to the ground, lying motionless. The soldier directed the other troops. There was pounding at the main door. Olette shook off her fear and quickly withdrew into the passage. Taking the old picture from the table, she deactivated the entrance and sealed up the hidden chamber leading to Ansem's laboratory. The mechanism was quiet as it closed. Olette joined the rest of the children, her eyes filled with tears.

"What is it?" Vivi asked. "Why are you crying?"

"What was all that noise out there?" one little girl asked.

"Be quiet," Olette advised. "Be as quiet as you can."

"But why…?"-

"Those men outside…they plan to kill us." The children were suddenly struck with fear and became very scared. Some of them whimpered. Olette comforted them. "Go down those stairs and hide as best you can." The children did as they were told and quickly withdrew deeper into the old laboratory.

"What happened to Pence?" Vivi asked quietly, so the children couldn't hear them.

"They killed him, they killed Pence…"-

"Oh no…"-

"Keep the children quiet. Don't tell them about what's happened."-

They heard pattering and racket coming from outside. It could only be the sound of soldiers rushing from one side to the other, breaking up old furniture and such. Olette turned to the children's safety, and hoped that the soldiers didn't accidentally stumble onto the secret passage.

It took more than ten minutes for the soldiers to finish their search. Though the time span was not so long, to Olette, Vivi, and the eleven scared children who huddled in the darkness of the Ansem's cellar, those ten minutes seemed an eternity.

"When will they stop?" Hayden whimpered.

"I don't know." Olette replied. "Just keep quiet. Everything will be alright." She closed her eyes and prayed as the stomping of feet above in the library didn't cease. But as the ten minutes elapsed, the noise slowly died down, indicating that the soldiers had moved on to continue their search elsewhere. But despite that, the little group stayed hidden from view.

In the meantime, outside the premises, the soldiers regrouped. They had searched the place in and out, but they could not find the secret passage.

"There was nothing here, sir." One of the privates said. "We searched every inch of this old manor and found nothing."

"I guess that young man we slew was telling the truth." The leading soldier said.

"What should we do now?"-

"We must inform His Excellency Lord Admiral Rellantando about this as soon as possible."-

"Yes sir."-

The soldiers quickly boarded their craft and took off to the town never knowing that the passage was there the whole time, let alone the group of children and their adult companions.

The township was in no better predicament. The soldiers rallied every civilian, telling them to meet at city hall located near the transit station. One at a time, like a trickling stream, people journeyed to the old city hall, with its tall columns and bell tower, second only the station tower. Kambrian infantry pounded on the doors of the each citizen's home and declared their assembly at the city hall.

"All citizens of the Twilight Town district are to assemble at the city hall by 1200 today!" the officers would cry as they walked up and down the streets.

Amongst the invading coalition was Lord Admiral Rellantando himself. He stood with his arms linked behind his back. There was a rather cold stare coming from him as he watched the people of Twilight Town congest within the old wooden halls. He was in the midst of this activity when the soldiers, responsible for breaking into the old mansion, approached him. The senior of the group saluted.

"Well," Rellantando asked, "Did you find anything?"

"Nothing sir." The soldier replied. "We searched that old mansion on the town's outskirt, but there was nothing there."

"I hope you didn't encounter any delays."-

"We did have to shoot the caretaker of the residence."-

"Too bad, oh well, I'm sure they deserved it."-

"Is this all really necessary?" one of the officers asked.

"Our scouts reported that the KH team and the Alliance was present in this town no more than a couple of days ago. They know that a hidden passage to the World that Never Was had been opened in this town and may still exist. Unfortunately, those incompetent spies could not find the exact location. If we could exploit the whereabouts of it, we could turn the tide once more and recapture Deep Dive City." He glared once more at the citizens from the tops of his eyes. "These people must have knowledge of its location."

"And if they refuse to cooperate?"-

"Then this town will curse the day it dared defy the might of Kambria and the Imperial Axis."-

Within city hall, the people were clustered together. Surrounding them along with traditional tapestries and portraits of great leaders and former mayors, there were also stationed Kambrian troops with weapons presented. They stood in attention like statues. Their mere presence caused concern amongst the townspeople. Amongst the citizens were Mayor Gallagher, Hayner, and Seifer with his gang.

"I knew it," Seifer said to himself. "I knew that those guys would only bring trouble to this town. Damn me for not arresting them all when I had the chance."

"What do these soldiers want here, mayor?" Hayner asked.

"I don't know." The mayor replied.

"Could these be the guys of that Imperial Axis those Alliance guys were talking about?"-

"Most likely,"-

"But why would they come here of all places?"-

"Perhaps we can sort things out with them."-

"Excuse me, mayor," Seifer implied, "But I don't think these guys are the type that can be negotiated with. We give them what they want and they'll leave the town alone with minimal damage."-

"How do you know that?" Hayner asked.

"I don't, we just have to chance it."-

"But if we just give in, then they can't take advantage over us."-

"And yet if we resist, they'll retaliate ten fold. I'm thinking about the welfare of this town!"-

"So am I!"-

"That's enough, you two." Mayor Gallagher said. "If we talk to whoever is in charge, we might be able to make up some sort of an agreement."

Just then, the pounding of weapons upon the floor startled the people.

"Long Live Lord Admiral Rellantando!" the soldiers declared.

From the main doorways, the great Kambrian commander entered, accompanied by his men and a hand full of body guards. He took off his crescent officer's cap and looked upon the scared citizens like insects.

"This town is now under jurisdiction of the Kambrian Empire and the Imperial Axis and is hereby accused of high treason for aiding the KH team who are marked enemies of the new Imperial regime." The admiral walked up and down the open space between the civilians and his soldiers. "We know that they used a secret passage to access the parallel world, The World that Never Was and that a certain few that live in this settlement have assisted them. Now if these few are allowed to go free without paying the price of their treachery, then the rest of the town will have to endure the punishment in their stead." There was a murmur from the crowd, murmurs of worry and fear. But Rellantando only raised his hands to his sides as if offering freedom. "But I'm a merciful individual and I would so hate to see the many suffer due to the deeds of the few. Therefore I will allow you to escape the worse case scenario, but I give you only one opportunity to show loyalty to your new overseers. So those who confess the whereabouts of the passage, and point out the culprits who helped to assist the KH team while they were here, will be pardoned of their treason."

There was a silence that reverberated following the murmur. The people were at times too frightened. They feared death, but at the same time feared oppression by Kambria. Rellantando only sighed. He drew up his hand, giving the signal. The soldiers within the building stood at attention, turned in unison and marched out of the assembly hall. The soldiers and officers all withdrew, until the admiral and two guards at the door remained.

"Very well," he sighed, "You had your chance." He turned away from the people and prepared to walk out. Suddenly a voice cried out.

"Wait," he shouted. Rellantando turned to find none other than Seifer standing before him. "For the better of this town, I will tell you what you need to know."

"Well, at least there's one person who cares about your lives." He walked up to Seifer. "Tell me then, young man, what is it that you know?"

"The Mayor and Hayner, they are the ones who helped the KH team along with Pence and Olette."-

"Quiet Seifer," Hayner shouted.

"It's true isn't it? I saw you and the mayor assembling them to go to that hidden passage of yours!"-

"Keep quiet, young Seifer." The Mayor added, "Why are you saying this to them?" Seifer ignored the pleas of the mayor and Hayner.

"You can find the access point at the old Twilight Town Mansion."-

"Those two aided the KH team you say." Rellantando said, "And we can find the access point to the other world at the old Twilight Town Mansion, correct?"

"Yes," Rellantando smirked at Seifer and the people.

"Thank you very much for your cooperation." The admiral placed his hat upon his head once again. He then turned to his men. "Shut the doors." Rellantando began to walk out. "Oh yes, and Seifer was it?"

"Yes," Seifer replied. Rellantando suddenly turned around. In his hand, he held a pistol, identical to a Lugar. Before anyone knew what happened, the admiral fired a shot and the bullet struck Seifer in the gut. The people creamed in fright as they watched this murder occur before them. The young man fell to his knees. He grasped the wound in his gut. Blood dripped profusely from the hole. His mouth too dripped blood. Rellantando only smirked at him.

"Thank you very much for your cooperation." Rellantando turned away and exited the building.

"Seifer," Hayner cried as he and the mayor to his side.

"I thought you said that we would be forgiven…" Seifer uttered.

"And indeed you may, my dear boy." Rellantando chuckled as the heavy doors closed. "But that's between you and God." The doors were shut and the sounds of chains rattled outside.

"What have I done…?" Seifer slowly closed his eyes before dying in Hayner's arms. The sound of chains was pursued by what sounded like rain or some kind of liquid pouring on the roof. Little did the people realize the true extent of Rellantando's cruelty.

Outside, the soldiers poured oil and petroleum on the wooden rooftop, letting the liquid tumble down the sides of the building like a waterfall. At the same time, soldiers filled bottled with soaked gas cloths.

"We're ready to initiate your orders sir." The lieutenant said.

"Do it," Rellantando replied. "Let the fires of hell burn them all! And let them be made an example to all what happens to those who dare to oppose the might of Kambria!"

The signal was given and the torch bottles were lit. They were then thrown through the windows of the hall. Then, like a nightmare come true, the screams and cries of a thousand men, women, and children could be heard. Desperate poundings on the doors and the walls echoed. But the pleas did not faze the admiral. He ordered torches thrown. Torches were thrown onto the rooftop of city hall and like a raging inferno the entire building's outside was engulfed in flames within seconds.

"Shoot anyone who tries to escape!"-

The soldiers drew out their weapons and aimed at the windows. Sure enough, a dozen or so civilians breeched the windows and tried to crawl out. They were engulfed with raging fire, turning their bodies black and singeing their skin to a charcoal state. But the soldiers didn't give in and shot them. Some managed to leap out only to be cut down by bullets. Other people got caught in the windows, thus preventing further escape. The soldiers, many of them, were sickened at the sight and turned away.

Only the aristocrats amongst the officers didn't flinch. To them, the people screaming as the burned to death were no more than insects. Eventually, the screaming died away completely and only the roar of the fire could only be heard. Rellantando yawned and turned away.

"I wonder what the cook is preparing for supper tonight." He said.

"Perhaps we should withdraw from here then." An officer replied.

"Very well, tell the men to board their ships. We're departing for Kambria. We have to get our soldiers ready for the great campaign. Within the next twenty-four hours, the Alliance too will meet the same fate." The soldiers assembled themselves and withdrew, city hall still aflame. "Perhaps now Riku and Sora will curse the day they ever dared to stand against us. You two will scorn your own lives for daring to touch down upon this settlement. Now only ash and fire remain of the people. Let their deaths burn on your mind just as hot as they burned by my hand."


	85. Battle at Long Valley

Battle at Long Valley

The trip back to Traverse Town seemed long and arduous, but KH team had managed to return safely and without incident. After back to back campaigns at Twilight Town, China, and Neverland, the team members were exhausted and needed a good resting period. Six hours had passed quietly with no disturbances, no alarms and no assassination attempts. It was the first time the team was able to rest soundly in the past few weeks.

After arriving in Traverse Town, all seven took it easy. While Donald oversaw the restocking in potions and ether, Riku, Sora, and the others spent a quiet night at the hotel within the second district. They all fell asleep in the green and red rooms. While Riku crashed at the head of the bed in the red room alongside Ophelia, almost snuggling up to one another, Sora snoozed at the foot of the bed. Cuchulain dozed off in the red room chair, his faithful spear by his side. In the meantime, Cunla fell asleep in the green room bed and Goofy slept on the table, snoring away, causing vibration on the furniture.

Donald continued to oversee the repairs. He held a cup of strong, black coffee in his hands, and his eyes were blood shot.

"Man," he grumbled to himself. "It's been six hours since we got back here and I still find myself having to oversee maintenance."

"You should get some sleep, sir." The head alliance mechanic said. "You could use it."

"Oh no, I have to see that the tasks are done completely and correctly."-

"I'm a certified mechanic, sir. I can take care of all this for you."-

"Alright, I'll take a nap for a while." Donald withdrew and decided to take a nice long snooze. He threw himself on a bunch of supply crates and fell asleep instantly.

However, no sooner had he fallen asleep, an Alliance cruiser landed and took port. As the ship settled, the hatch opened and out emerged the venerable General Triiken.

"Inspector Kuroda," the mechanic said, saluting. "I'm surprised to see you back here so soon."

"I understand that the KH team is here."-

"That's correct, sir."-

"Where are they?"-

"From when I last heard, they were all resting at the second district hotel."-

"Is that so? And what are they doing now?"-

"I understand that they're still sleeping."-

"Sleeping, eh, and at a time when we need them most!" Triiken ran towards the second district doors. On the way, however, he saw Donald snoring away upon the crates. He approached the snoozing mallard. "Do you really think that you should be snoozing at this time, Donald Duck?" But Donald was in so deep a sleep, not even Triiken's deep, booming voice could stir him. Triiken only turned away. Taking up a bucket of water, used to clean the gummi outer shield, he tossed it upon the fowl. Donald quickly threw his head up as the cold water was dowsed all over him, soaking his feathers.

"Who the heck did that!" He shouted, waving his fist about in anger.

"It's high time you get up, mallard." Triiken said. Donald looked at the general with a groggy look.

"Oh it's only Triiken. Why the heck do you mean soaking me like that? I was having a wonderful dream. I was dreaming about sleeping."-

"Well, brush the sand out of your eyes, duck. You and your comrades are going back into battle now."-

"What, but we just got here only a few hours ago."-

"Well, a few hours are enough for you to get replenished and ready for battle!"-

"Give me five more minutes will you?" Donald threw his head back again and fell asleep. But again he was drenched with a second bucket of water, this time colder than before. "Man, not again!"

"Now wake up or I'll have you plucked, stuffed and roasted to a golden brown!" Triiken then dispersed and headed to the second district hotel.

"Boy, I tell you, we never get a break."-

The tranquil sleep was interrupted when the chief inspector stormed into the green room.

"Wake up, you idiots!" Triiken roared. Goofy and Cunla instantly rose up. Goofy fell from the top of the table and landed on his head, inflicting a serious blow and causing a large, pulsating red bump to form. Stars flew about around his skull. Cunla groggily looked at the general.

"Triiken," he grumbled, "What's the idea barging in so loudly?"

"Silence, we have a crisis on our hands and you have the audacity to be lounging about like bumps on a log!"-

"A crisis…?"-

"What crisis?" Goofy asked.

Triiken didn't bother being silent and barged into the red room.

"Wake up, all of you!" he shouted. The KH team members moaned or quickly sat up.

"What happened?" Cuchulain uttered, shaking his head, looking about. "What's going on?"

"Triiken," Riku blubbered, "Do you have to make so much noise?"

"Five more minutes," Sora added, "Just give us five more minutes!"

"We have a critical crisis presently!" Triiken shouted. "Get up now!"

"And what can be so urgent?" Ophelia asked.

"The Imperial Axis is marching on Oceansburg!" The news immediately aroused and shocked the team.

"What…?" Cunla uttered, as he peaked in the room, "What do you mean the Imperial Axis is marching on Oceansburg?"

"What do I mean?" Triiken declared. "I mean that an excessively large force of the Imperial Axis is planning to attack and destroy the capital of the Universal Alliance!"

The KH team regained their composure and assembled themselves. Donald was summoned by Goofy to attend the meeting to discuss the matter at hand.

"Alright," Cuchulain said, "We're all here. Now what is this all about? What do you mean that the Imperial Axis is attacking the capital?"

"Let me enlighten you on the present situation." Triiken began. "You remember your campaign at Deep Dive city where you stopped a second rise of Organization XIII?"

"Yeah…?" Sora replied.

"And the campaign to sever the alliance between Kang and the Axis in China…?"-

"Yes…"

"Then Neverland…"-

"What point are you trying to make, Triiken?" Donald demanded.

"All those operations launched by the Imperial Axis were none other than clever masquerades."-

"Masquerades," Ophelia asked, "How could those incidences be masquerades?"

"Though each of those goals, the Axis was trying to achieve, would speed up the conquest of the universe, they were not that significant. In fact, compared to the main goal of the Imperial Axis, those others were of little relevance if any at all."

"So you're saying that the battles we fought were for nothing?"-

"That's exactly what I'm saying."-

"How can you say that?" Cunla said. "They wasted a lot of man power and resources for the sake of those mockeries."

"Through the eyes of the Imperial Axis," Triiken continued, "those campaigns were worth the sacrifice to cover up their main attack, an assault on the Alliance capital itself."

"But how did they initiate the attack in the first place?" Riku asked.

"They may have constructed portals or used the paths of darkness, or some other means to get to where they are. All I know is that the Imperial Axis' forces appeared from out of nowhere, dangerously close to the capital. They are initiating a three prong attack using Infantry, upgraded Gatler tanks, and improved mobile dolls. From the regions north of Oceansburg, a great number of Gatler tanks are advancing and fighting our comrades, hoping to take over the mountain ranges that overlook the capital. At the same time, to the south, a large number of mobile dolls are advancing on the city of Gombria, hoping to reclaim it for Imperial rule. If they recapture the city, then they have gained a firm establishment and can become a permanent threat to Oceansburg in the south as it had been before."

"And there is no one to stop them?" Sora asked.

"Not necessarily, we managed to send word to Kira Yamato, Van Flyheight, and Heero Yuy for assistance. They already sent reinforcements and are now battling on the northern and southern fronts. So those assaults by the Imperial Axis have been held at bay for the time being. But with such overwhelming numbers, resistance will be hard to maintain."

"Well," Cuchulain said, "It seems you have everything under control."

"No, this campaign is far from being within our control. Or have you forgotten, I failed to mention the third prong of the attack."-

"What do you mean?" Cunla asked.

"Though the southern and northern fronts of Oceansburg are being held, the western front is caving in due to the threat of the mobile infantry unleashed by the Imperial Axis. They draw closer to Oceansburg every day and have recently taken over the western region of Siluria."

"But don't you have any military units to keep them at bay?"-

"There are at least a hundred thousand men protecting the city of Oceansburg. Then there are another one hundred thousand troops guarding the passes west of the city where the threat is approaching."-

"So what's the problem then?" Riku asked.

"Those one hundred thousand men are not enough to withstand the overwhelming forces of the Imperial Axis' mobile infantry."-

"Wait a minute then." Sora said. "Exactly how many infantrymen are in the Axis' advancing wave?"

"With the combined strengths of the three former factions, I'd say the number has to be at least two million men." The KH team was shocked at those words. Such large numbers of men were unthinkable.

"Two million…?" Ophelia uttered.

"Impossible." Cuchulain added.

"Two million men…?" Sora said.

"Two million battle hardened soldiers," The general continued. "The majority of them are S class elites, the cream of the crop within the Imperial Axis. They now march unopposed by the Universal Alliance. A mere force of a hundred thousand cannot withstand to take on a body that large, no matter how well the strategy is conducted or how determined the men are or how well they're situated."-

"Well, can't you send in reinforcements?"-

"We've already sent word to have reserved units arrive to aid our present forces. We have at least five hundred thousand mobile dolls on their way and a body of two million Alliance mobile infantry heading to aid the capital. Unfortunately, because the units had to be summoned from the other side of the known universe, even at light speed, they will not arrive for another twenty four hours."-

"Twenty four hours…?" Goofy uttered.

"That's too long a time." Cuchulain said.

"The infantry is the only main concern right now." The general continued. "They've gained more ground and have met the least resistance than the dolls or the gatlers. They've managed to push the Alliance resistance completely out of Siluria and are forcing them towards Long Valley. In the process, over fifty-three settlements have been raided, pillaged, blundered and burned to the ground by the enormous wave of faction troopers. At least a million or so people have been left homeless and are now in flight of the advancing faction soldiers. The Axis has declared total war on the inhabitants of each town and has ordered the instant eradication of all who were housed by the Alliance, men, women, and children."-

"Those monsters…" Ophelia growled.

"They're sparing no one…" Riku added.

"Now," Triiken continued, "as we speak, those over one million refugees and the remaining soldiers have fled into Long Valley and are now hoping to reach friendly territory, where they can seek shelter under Oceansburg's jurisdiction. Unfortunately, the Imperial Axis is no more than ten hours behind them."-

"So what's our part in all this?"-

"It's quite simple. We need you seven to help halt the advance of the infantry." The team was shocked.

"You want us to do what?" Donald uttered.

"You want us to fight that massive force?" Goofy added.

"That's exactly what I mean." Triiken replied. "You will lead the remaining Alliance troops into battle and hold off the Imperial attack until reinforcements arrive."

"Are you crazy?" Cunla uttered. "Have you forgotten what you just said? There are two million Axis elites advancing in mass from the west and yet you want us to fight them, alongside a number of less than a hundred thousand?"

"Cunla has a point." Sora replied. "We've never tackled a force that big before…ever. The maximum that I've ever defeated on my own was a thousand and those were heartless. But these S class elites are in a completely different league. Many of them are just as powerful as some of the former members of Organization XIII."

"Even at our maximum with no holds barred, we couldn't hope to defeat so many." Riku added.

"You're our only other option right now." Triiken explained. "We can't call for the Z team because they're spread out in different worlds trying to eliminate major threats on the outskirts of the known universe. Kira Yamato and the others are in no position to be sending aid to the western front and further reinforcements won't arrive until this time tomorrow. The KH team is the only reserve unit of elite warriors left that the Alliance can rely on right now."

"Still…" Cunla uttered.

"You have no other choice in the matter, Cunla. If you don't assist, then the Imperial infantry will overrun the last of the resistance and take over all of Long Valley, eliminating all in their path, including those one million or so refugees. Then they have an open road all the way to Oceansburg. They will first surpass Oceansburg itself and aid the northern and southern fronts by attacking the supply depots used by the Alliance, thus preventing any kind of sanction or reprieve for our forces. Our allies will eventually run out of resources and will be forced to withdraw. That means the northern and southern fronts will collapse and both gatler and mobile doll waves will join with the infantry and converge on Oceansburg, laying siege to the city. Through aerial bombardments and barrages, the city would eventually fall, perhaps within a matter of hours."-

"It seems we don't have a choice." Cuchulain added. "If we allow Oceansburg to fall, then disorder and upheaval will befall the whole of the Alliance. Oceansburg has had a long history and is now considered the very center of Alliance unity and the symbol of its might. If the city were to fall, the order the Alliance has managed to hold onto for all these centuries and on would be shattered." The Hound rose from his seat. "Very well, then I shall do my best to aid the remainder of our comrades." The other KH team members smiled.

"Yeah," Sora said, "We can do this. We might be outnumbered and over powered, but if we give the Axis hell, then maybe they'll reconsider attacking Oceansburg."

"I'm with you there." Riku added. "We can't fail now. If the city falls then all we've accomplished would have been in vain."

"Let's do this." Ophelia added.

"I'm with you there." Cunla added. "It'll be hard, but let's take it like warriors."

"So what's our strategy?" Donald asked.

"You will be situated here." Triiken said. From his frock, he pulled out an old map, containing a topographic visual of long valley and Oceansburg. "The Imperial forces will be marching through this narrow pass into Long Valley called the bottleneck. The area is clear and flat with vast grassy fields. It is here you will make your stand. You must also assure the safety of the one million refugees who are no more than a mile behind the present front. You must assist them across the Graakun River by means of the narrow thoroughfare bridge called the Stone Pillar Bridge, due to the erected hoodoo pillar of granite on the western bank. That one bridge is the only way to reach the eastern region of Long Valley and to Oceansburg itself. Therefore it is vital that you defend it."

"Why not just destroy the bridge if things get too hot?" Riku asked.

"The reason why is because that bridge is the only thing that links both sides of the Graakun River. If we want to quickly liberate Siluria and western Long Valley from the Imperial Axis, we must travel via that bridge. It is the lifeline between the Silurian settlements and the major trading settlements in the east. You must defend that bridge to the last. If you go, then the Imperial forces would have secured it and have gained control of the one vital point of trade. Therefore, you must hold under any condition."-

"Understood…" Cuchulain said. "Then let's get going."

"Right…" the team replied.

"What about you, Triiken?" Sora asked. "Where are you going?"

"I will accompany you to the battlefield." Triiken replied. "I must aid our forces by taking command in fending off the gatlers in the north at the Denteva Mountains."

"I see, well that is your specialty after all."-

"Let us depart."-

The team withdrew for the hotel and boarded one of the gummi ships. Igniting the engines, the team sped off to the regions surrounding Oceansburg to fend off the Imperial enemy.

It took thirty minutes for the little gummi to reach its first destination. It stealthily approached from the easy, flying over Oceansburg air space and heading north to where the gatlers of the Imperial Axis were initiating their attack. The gummi flew down to the rocky mountainous passes. Surrounding them were zoids from the "Zi" realm and a deep series of trenches and underground caverns for which the men could shelter themselves from gatler bombardments. The ship landed upon the rocky soil, kicking up great clouds of dust. The rockets were then disengaged and the hull settled quietly amongst the soldiers and pilots. The hatch then opened and Triiken emerged.

"You'll be alright from here?" Riku asked.

"I'll be fine." Triiken replied. "I am after all the former commander of the 2nd Gatler tank division, notorious fighting force of the late Imperial regime."

But before Triiken could reach the bottom of the gangplank, one of the alliance officers approached hastily and saluted.

"Inspector Kuroda," he implied respectfully yet urgently, "I'm so glad that you're here, we're having a crisis!"-

"A crisis you say?" Triiken asked. "What kind of a crisis? Are the gatlers breaking through?"

"No sir, our forces have managed to hold off the gatlers so far."-

"Then what is it?"-

"We've received word from both the southern and western fronts. They are facing terrible peril. Kira Yamato and our forces in the south are starting to get pushed back. They're breaking up because of those new model mobile dolls, the scorpions!"-

"Damn…"-

"To make matters worse, our scouts report that the Imperial mobile infantry have increased their speed, closing the distance between them and our forces in the Long Valley bottleneck. That means they'll meet and engage our forces within two hours instead of the anticipated ten hours. Furthermore, our troops are having a hard time trying to keep the refugees calm and in order. So far only ten percent of the refugees have managed to make it across the Graakun River. The rest are stranded at the western side of the bridge and are condensing with each other, blocking the escape route entirely."-

"Is there anymore bad news that you would like to report to me?"-

"No sir…"

Triiken slammed his foot on the gangplank.

"Damn it, of all the times for this to occur." He grumbled. "Just when I think things couldn't get any worse. And our reinforcements won't arrive until tomorrow. We can't possibly hold off such a condensed force with only so few to defend a massive area."

"I couldn't help overhear your discussion, Inspector." Cuchulain implied. "Are you saying that we're in a pickle?"

"At the present rate, the capital may fall. The south is in need of reinforcements and we barely have any men to guard the western front."-

"Then maybe we could help by giving our own aid."-

"What do you mean?"-

"We'll split up the team."-

"Split up the team!" Sora uttered. "Have you lost your mind, Cuchulain?"

"On the contrary, Sora, I've never felt more confident."-

"Okay, you never felt more confident." Riku said. "Now what do you propose we do to handle this situation?"

"The south is in need of reinforcements, right? Well all we have to do is let Donald and Goofy use the gummi ship and help battle against the dolls."-

"That's your plan?" Donald uttered. "You send in one gummi ship?"

"Cuchulain does have a point." Riku implied. "You two might be a lot more useful against the dolls."

"Excuse me, but have you forgotten. There are only two of us and we have to fly one gummi ship. What difference will one gummi ship make besides an added casualty!"-

"That may be true and you may be right," Sora said. "But as far as I know, Donald, you and Goofy are aces when it comes to using gummi ships. You could pummel those dolls and hold your own right?"-

"Yeah, but…"-

"You'd be a lot more useful in the south than in the west." Donald couldn't argue, knowing that doing so wouldn't make any difference.

"Alright, alright, Goofy and I will take care of things in the south then."-

"But what about you guys?" Goofy asked.

"Just leave that job to us." Sora said. "The five of us should be more than enough."

"Then you better get going." Triiken said, "You have less than a couple of hours left before the Imperial Axis makes its last push into Long Valley."

"Let's go you guys," Cuchulain shouted, "To Long Valley!"

"Everyone one, buckle up!" Ophelia announced. The team members rushed back to the cockpit and buckled themselves into their seats. The hatch closed, leaving Triiken to watch as the gummi lifted up and made its way westward. The clouds of dust caused by the force of the rockets, billowed into the air, blurring the general's vision.

"There they go." He said to himself. "Once again, fate has burdened them with a challenge and again they must persevere. I have no doubt they will emerge victorious. But at what cost?"

It didn't take long before the gummi reached the western part of the region. The team gazed to the bottom to see this vast valley spread out before them. It was a valley surrounded by steep green mountains and was practically all grass land, flat with only a slight range of shallow hills. The Graakun River was large and flowing strong with powerful currents. It was at least a quarter of a mile long with steep cliff sides as their banks, covered in lush vegetation. From the sky, he deep river cut looked more like a liquid line of a wine bottle, as if the bottle had been split in two.

"That must be Long Valley." Cunla said.

"Not surprising." Ophelia added. "It's a like a large wine bottle. No wonder they call that narrow strip the bottle neck."

Along the bottle neck, there were a series of what looked like thin blue lines. As the vision came clearer, the team realized that those thin blue lines were actually entrenched Alliance infantry.

"Look down there," Goofy shouted, "There's our fellers."

"That must be what's left of the resistance forces." Cunla added.

"They've entrenched themselves well and are preparing for an attack." Sora said.

Just then, as the came closer to the valley soil, they also saw what looked like many grains of sand accumulating on the western side of the Graakun River and trickling to the eastern side across a narrow stone structure. They came to realize that what they saw were the masses of fleeing civilians who so desperately tried to cross the bridge.

"Those are the refugees." Ophelia said. "Do they really intend to cross the river so condensed like that?"

"It looks like bedlam down there." Cunla added.

"Donald," Riku said, "Ascend a little higher. I wanna see if we can spot the Imperial forces from here."

"Alright," Donald replied. He pulled back on the stick and gain altitude. The gummi hovered over the landscape. It was then, no more than fifteen miles from where the bottleneck began, that they spotted what looked like a dark river or creature slithering about through a rocky mountain pass. To the dismay of the KH team, the creature was not a creature at all, but a mass of men. Thus, they beheld the forces of the Imperial Axis, stretched and massed, expanding twenty miles.

"My God…" Sora uttered. "Those are the soldiers of the Imperial Axis, all two million of them." They looked downward. From their perspective, the distance between the advancing forces of the Axis and the retreating masses of refugees and stationed Alliance troops was not all that great. And with the civilians still condensed at the bridge, the Alliance posed a problem. With the civilians slowly flowing across the Stone Pillar Bridge, it wouldn't be long before the Imperials overran them, pushing the survivors into the raging river below.

"At the rate things are going." Ophelia said, "Once the Axis reaches the bottleneck, they'll be able to overwhelm those soldiers down there within minutes. And if they reach the civilians at the bridge, they'll slaughter every last man, woman, and child."

"We have to get down there now." Riku said. "Land the ship a good distance away from those civilians. We don't want them to get the wrong impression and think that we're here to rescue them. Then they might tear the gummi apart, trying to get on."

"I gotcha," Donald replied. The gummi descended and landed in the area overlooking the withdrawal of civilians. The KH team, not including Goofy and Donald, jumped out of the ship. The leading officer of the remaining Alliance forces came to greet them.

She was a dark complexion woman, like an Australian Aborigine, with fine hair that was tied into a tail and hung on her right shoulder. She wore a uniform similar to what the Imperial female generals wore with sash that draped from the left shoulder and connected at the right hip, and crest of rank that hung around the neck. But unlike Imperial generals, she wore the Alliance colors of Blue, gold, and white. She came before the KH team members just as they arrived.

"You guys know what to do." She heard Riku shout. The gummi with Goofy and Donald lifted skyward and headed south to aid their friends to defend Gombria.

"Aw, you must be the famed key bearers and company." The female general said.

"And who are you?" Cuchulain asked.

"I am Madam General Gala Devardios of the 28th Alliance Army unit, a.k.a. the Army of Siluria."-

"I heard that Siluria was overrun by the Imperials." Cunla said.

"That is true. My men did their best to defend that territory as best they could, but they could not hold against a force twenty times bigger than they and S class elites too."-

"How many did you lose?" Cuchulain asked.

"Out of a force of a hundred thousand, we lost fifty percent while trying to hold several towns in Siluria. Unfortunately, we were forced to withdraw. I'd say we have about fifty thousand men left."-

"Estimated, how many soldiers did the Axis lose? I'd say about the same number, perhaps a little greater since they were on the defensive."-

"And what's your strategy?" Ophelia asked.

"I have at least forty thousand men ready to hold the positions in the bottle neck to the last man." General Devardios explained. "At the same time, I have ten thousand men trying to escort the civilians across the bridge."

"Alright," Ophelia cracked her knuckles together, "Permission to speak Madam General?"

"Permission granted."-

"If I may be so bold, I would like to make a few adjustments to the strategy."-

"Go ahead."-

"For one thing, it's going to take more than ten thousand men to escort a refugee mass of over a million. We saw from above how condensed the civilians are on this side with only a trickle emerging on the east bank. What we need to do is increase the number of those escorting the civilians to about twenty-five thousand."-

"Twenty-five thousand troops withdrawn to the rear, that's a terrible idea. That'll lower our defense force to almost half the number."-

"That's true, but what if for some reason we can no longer hold the position on this side of Long Valley and we have to withdraw across the bridge. We try to retreat, but this big bulk of civilians is still in the way. If the civilians see us retreating, they'll start panicking and try to force their way across the bridge, resulting in several thousand people falling into the river and drowning. At the same time, the Imperials will station themselves on this shallow hill and bombard that mass like fish in a barrel, killing hundreds of thousands in the process. So the present strategy is no better."-

"But if we withdraw an additional fifteen thousand men from the front line, we'll be overwhelmed a lot quicker."-

"That's why you have us, Madam General. We will more than make up for those missing ranks."-

"I see, that's why Inspector Kuroda sent for you."-

"We'll do all in our power to maintain a strong defense line."-

"Very well, then I leave you to make alterations necessary." Taking out a slip of paper and writing a few statements, she handed them over to the KH team. "Give this to my subordinates telling them that I give you absolute authority over the front lines. I'll recall fifteen thousand to reinforce the ten thousand aiding the civilians and I'll see what I can do to get them to safety."-

"Thank you for understanding and your cooperation, Madam General."-

"Who am I to defy the word of battle hardened warriors?"-

The KH team saluted General Devardios and withdrew to take care of their assignments. One of the general's staff officers walked up beside her.

"Madam General," he said, "Was it wise to transfer command to novices like them?"

"For your information," Devardios implied, "That young woman accompanying them happens to be the notorious Colonel Ophelia Billiard, the Tiger of Goth. Alongside her was young Cunla the famed faction assassin, his father Cuchulain the invincible Hound of Ulster, and the legendary key bearers Riku and Sora."

"Them…? Impossible…"-

"With a reputation like theirs, I would not underestimate their capabilities." The General placed her hands behind her. "Send word to our defense forces that I want fifteen-thousand men withdrawn to help escort the refugees across the bridge, make them fresh troops. I want all of our veterans on the field."

"You want all out veterans on the field?"-

"We'll be facing a force twenty times larger than our own. I don't want soldiers who'll be intimidated."-

"I understand…"-

It took the KH team a full hour and a half to ready themselves and the fighting force. It took almost an hour, at a jogging speed, to cover an area from the bridge to the beginning of the bottleneck. They had cut the units into five separate lines, each one numbering five thousand men with the average veteran in the first two defense lines and the more elite class veterans in the rear. All five members had stationed themselves at the pass leading to the valley's interior. The front line lay just at an edge of the woods on the crest of a shallow, yet rocky hill. The men dug themselves deep, just behind the tree line, so as to be concealed by the shadows.

"How long has it been since we gave the orders to the soldiers?" Sora asked.

"It's been over an hour and thirty minutes." Riku replied.

"I hope this strategy of yours works, Miss Billiard." Cuchulain said.

"Our main objective is to give time for the civilians to cross the bridge safely and make withdraw a good distance away from the battle line." Ophelia explained. "We can't hold them off indefinitely though, not against an S class elite force twenty times our number."

Just then, from out in the distance, the steady tempo of hundreds of thousands of marching feet could be heard in the distance. They matched with the rising melody of drums and fifes that beat with the thunderous timing. The KH team stood spread out from one another at least fifty yards or so.

"Steady, you men and boys," Sora cried. "Don't let their approach scare you!"

"They're no match for us now!" Ophelia shouted. "We have the high ground!"

"Keep your ranks tight, you guys!" Cunla announced.

"Don' open fire until you see the whites of their eyes!" Cuchulain cried. "Then fire at them with everything you've got!"

"No matter what," Riku announced, "Don't give in to them! The Imperials are the enemy! They're nothing to us!"

The chants and charisma of the key bearers and their other comrades boost the soldiers' morale and many of them seemed invincible. Some gave a roaring cheer to show that they were not afraid. But even such encouraging gestures were not enough to withstand the fear of the reality once the Imperials emerged.

Like an unbroken line of black and grey, with banners of respected branches flying gallantly in the air, and with ranks steady and unwavering. the Imperials emerged. In the front line were soldiers of the Red Ribbon faction with their grey and red trimmed uniforms and black cavaliers and plumes. They marched on without fear or worry.

To the rear, three commanding generals of the Imperial Axis watched as their troops headed towards the first line of defense. One of them was the venerable general of the Midnight Faction's ground troops and mobile infantry Lieutenant General Conan Krade, lean and youthful for a man of his position. To some, he would still be considered a boy. He was pale in complexion, with strands of light brown hair almost concealing his hazel brown eyes. He wore the uniform of a general with shoulder braids and cross straps on his chest. The second was General Vitanius Alschezar, commander of the Red Ribbon Faction's elite units. He was dressed in a thick grey overcoat, with bottom column open, revealing a bright red frock with black collar and gold trim. Fine polished black leather straps, bearing a breastplate with the inscribed symbol of his esteemed organization, was locked in place. One shoulder sling, held his sword belt level so as to bear the weight of his heavy weapon. The third was Lieutenant General Hector Fortinbras, leader of the military infantry within the Aryan Faction's jurisdiction. He was dressed as all Aryan Generals were with grey greatcoat covering a black and green trimmed frock beneath. Upon his head he wore the famed helmet and spire with tassel. He bore a thick moustache upon his face, making him resemble that of World War I German officer.

Like vultures, the three gazed on as the front line approached the final holding of the Universal Alliance.

"Even after suffering heavy losses and losing significant battles in Siluria," General Vitanius Alschezar chuckled arrogantly, "They still have the audacity to confront us. When will they ever learn?"

"I would not mock them." General Krade implied. "I believe them to be rather optimistic, preferring death over life."

"Still," General Fortinbras said, "It is rather pointless for them to keep on fighting."

"And rather cankerous for us as well." General Alschezar added.

"Awe, where is the thrill in that?" General Krade chuckled. "Let us at least entertain ourselves with the last stand of the Universal Alliance. And after they are defeated and massacred, there's going to be an open road all the way to Oceansburg."

"Perhaps you have a point."-

Onward the forces of the Imperial Axis trudged up the rocky incline towards the KH team and the alliance troops sealed behind the tree line. Sora, Riku, and the others watched as the enemy draw near, waiting for the right moment to unleash hell upon them.

"Keep steady, you guys." Sora said. "On my signal."

"Charge," he heard the Kambrian officers shout. There was a great uproar as the front line, consisting completely of swordsmen, charged up the slope. Within a hundred yards or so, Sora gave the order.

"Now!" he cried

The Alliance soldiers rose up from behind their barracks are fired away with gun and blaster alike, barraging the attacking front line, killing twenty-five percent of the Kambrian swordsmen within seconds. The Imperial didn't waver, but instead pressed on. The second line of Kambrians, consisting of soldiers armed with long-range blasters, began to counter barrage, firing a plethora of energy beams over the heads of their comrades and into the ranks of the Alliance. Men and women fell left and right, some emerging from the barrage with mortal wounds, others killed instantly when a beam knocked off their heads from atop their shoulders, or struck through the stomach or gut, tearing their bodies in half. The swords men reached the wooded area and slew alliance troops left and right. But they too met the same fate when they confronted the members of the KH team who struck them dead. To add, because of the narrow pass, it was harder for the condensed Imperials to storm the earthworks. Because they were so packed together, they didn't have enough room to swing or discharge their weapons, so the Alliance line managed to inflict heavy casualties upon them.

"Keep 'em at bay!" Riku shouted. "We've got the upper hand over these guys!"

"Maintain your ranks!" Ophelia added as she cut the throats of several attacking swordsmen.

Though heavily outnumbered, the thin line of five thousand young men and women managed to withstand the continuous attacks and the pressing weight of the Axis ranks. Generals Alschezar, Krade, and Fortinbras looked on as their swordsmen ranks seemed to wither away.

"What is that?" Alschezar uttered in dismay. "Am I being deceived or are those Alliance dogs holding our elite swordsmen off."

"So it would seem." Krade said.

"So those are the elites of Kambria, eh?" Fortinbras chuckled. "I was expecting more aggressiveness out of them."

"Silence you!" Alschezar shouted.

"That's enough." Krade demanded. "There is no use fighting amongst ourselves. It's not surprising that the Alliance is pushing us back. They are after all defending the one region that stands between Oceansburg and us. Ergo, I do not doubt their desperation. I'll send in my elites. They excel in hand to hand combat, tearing them apart would be easy for us." Krade's soldiers advanced towards the pass, aiding their Kambrian comrades who held tightly against the alliance.

The meaning was soon too clear to the KH team as they watched the numbers of their men dwindle before the might of the advancing Imperials.

"This is not going to work." Sora said.

"I agree," Riku added. "Let's take it up a notch." Increasing their strengths ever so slightly, the KH team members started to unleash more powerful attacks rather than basic hand to hand grappling techniques. However, they had to be patient when executing their major attacks, making sure not to get any of the Alliance soldiers accidentally caught in the maelstrom. Sora, at one point, drew out his keyblade and unleashed a powerful energy attack that pummeled the Imperial forces by the files.

"That ought to singe their feathers for them." He said.

The explosion rang out and could even be seen, flashing behind the tree line. The three generals were bewildered.

"What was that?" Alschezar asked.

"That explosion," Krade added. "Could that have been artillery?"

"I don't know."-

"No matter, gentlemen." General Fortinbras implied. "Even if they did have artillery, it'll take more than a few shots to batter away our forces. We have ten thousand men charging into those woods. That's not even a fraction of our true strength. In the past campaigns, we only lost sixty thousand men. So we still have enough men to aid us. And from what I understand, Kambria is sending in a force of five hundred thousand men to reinforce us. I think there's nothing to worry about."

But the three generals did not realize the stubbornness of the Alliance, or the determination of the KH team who struck down soldiers left and right. Cunla, using his swift attacks, struck fifty men down with one swoop. Ophelia, with her gothic black fans, cut down men by the files. Riku and Sora used combined elemental attacks and the evasion techniques to maim and slay their opponents. But there side too suffered casualties. Alliance troops, despite being veterans, were brought falling to the ground by Imperials just as quickly as the faction soldiers were slain.

"Little insects!" Cuchulain shouted. "Who do you think you're dealing with?" He lunged forward into the ranks of the faction soldiers. "Let's see how you favor this attack, Ulster Slash!" Like a typhoon, he unleashed a monstrous swing and the waves of energy blew the majority of the attacking Imperials in the front line, at least a hundred. Men went flying about, some with massive cuts, gouges, and mortal wounds, others bearing no wounds on their skin, but bleeding from the inside. They were tossed about and struck rock, soil, tree, and bush alike. The trees themselves wavered, their leaves being blown from their branches.

The Axis general witnessed this sudden surge, which bellowed from the woods and breezed upon their dumbfounded faces.

"What in hell's name was that?" Alschezar asked.

"That explosion." Krade added. "Artillery…? No it couldn't be. That was too powerful to be a cannon blast."

"Something's wrong now." Fortinbras said. "It shouldn't be taking this long to overwhelm them."

Just then, a messenger from the front line came before the three.

"Generals," she said, saluting them, "I have terrible news."

"What is the meaning of the ruckus that goes on behind those trees?" Krade asked.

"It's the key bearers. The key bearers and the rest of the KH team are doing battle with our forces." The confident mood of the Imperial generals suddenly decreased as the name of the key bearers had been mentioned.

"The KH team," Alschezar uttered, "The key bearers and their comrades are here?"

"I'm sorry sir, but yes." But Krade only sighed.

"I don't think there's much to worry about." He said. "The KH team is only so many men."

"I would not underestimate them." Alschezar said. "From what I hear of the key bearers, they and their comrades have been able to oust our forces time after time again. I understand that they made a real slaughter of our troops at Deep Dive City and even toppled the forged alliance between the Imperial Axis and the late Emperor Kang!"

"That may be so," Fortinbras implied, "And you may be right of their formidability. But they are only a small group who were able to rally other allies. But this predicament is different. We have almost two million certified S class elite troops storming the pass. There's no way that they'd be able to halt us all."

"Still…"-

"There is nothing to fear." Krade said. "The KH team is mortal after all. They can fight like demons, but even demons cannot fight indefinitely."

Krade's words rang true. Despite the valiance and bravery of each Alliance soldier and their KH allies, they could not withstand the continuous onslaught of the Axis that surged up on them like a tidal wave.

"It's no use," Sora cried, "There are too many of them!"

"Cunla," Cuchulain shouted, "Tell our men to withdraw to the second line! We'll hold them off as best we can!"

"Right," Cunla replied. He turned to the men. "All survivors retreat to the second line!"

The remaining Alliance soldiers quickly turned away. To Cunla's shock, as well as those of the other KH members, out of a force of five thousand, less than five hundred managed to survive, slightly wounded or unscathed. The rest were mortally wounded, dying, or killed. To add to the chaos, the Imperials were slaying the wounded. The scene left was a dismal sight. As dust lingered like a thick blanket, the bodies of at least fifteen thousand dead lay piled up in hills, many of them lying where they died.

"My God…" Ophelia uttered. "I've never seen so many dead in such a small area."

"Get out of here you guys!" Cuchulain shouted. "We'll hold them off for as best we can!"

"Riku," Sora shouted. "Evasion technique!"

"Evasion, ice, and fire wind combo!" Riku added.

Both key bearers used the last of their energy reserve and unleashed a gust of wind with flames of fire and shards of ice erupting before them. They also unleashed Corona Flash Barrage and Darkness Decoys to confuse the Imperials. The Axis soldiers were bewildered and frightened at what confronted them. Those caught in the attack were killed or wounded, charred and burned, cut and bloodied. This barrage of elements allowed the KH team and the remaining forces to withdraw successfully.

The general looked on as chaos lashed out in the woods.

"What is going on in there?" Alschezar said. "I need to know!"

A messenger then came to inform them and bowed respectfully to the generals.

"They're running, sir!" he said. "They're running. The key bearers and their allies are running."

"Well, well," Krade chuckled. "What did I tell you? Even the all powerful key bearers and the invincible KH team cannot withstand our attacks! Our numbers shall prevail over them!" Soon, another messenger came before them.

"Sir, sir," he said, "The Universal Alliance is falling back through the bottleneck of Long Valley! From what reports say, they are reforming on a mellow hill just on the other side of the woods!"

"Then advance out columns!" Fortinbras said. "Push those idiots all the way back to the gates of Oceansburg!"

"Yes sir!" the messenger shouted.

The Axis columns entered the now deserted and dismal woods. They looked on, some in terror, at the sight of their comrades' moldering and cold bodies lying side by side with Alliance soldiers. With such a display of death, the Axis soldiers were only riled up with hatred and thoughts of revenge.

In the meantime, the KH team and the remaining allied soldiers stood ready at the second line. They observed as the Imperials began to trickle down in thin lines to avoid mass casualties.

"They're still coming!" one soldier cried.

"Give 'em hell then!" Ophelia shouted. "Pour it onto them!"

"Fire!" the officer cried. Instantly, along the whole line, every blaster and gun went off, striking at the thin lines of advancing black. A hundred Axis troopers were killed in the first volley, but it didn't take long for them to unleash their own hell. Once again, both sides were being pummeled. The KH team unleashed their long-range attacks to soften up the front lines. But such efforts seemed futile as the Imperial continued to condense at the base of the incline and started to move forward, firing away as they did. Kambrian swords men attacked the left side of the line, Aryan Faction soldiers engaged the center of the line, and the Midnight Faction elites charged up the right side of the line.

"Keep them at bay!" Cunla advised. "Don't give in to them!"

Within fifteen minutes, the two sides met again and were once again engaged in hand-to-hand combat. On the vast fields between the first and second lines, at least three to four thousand Axis troops lay dead on the field. Two thousand more were slain at the crest of the hill. But despite heavy loses, the Imperials did not let up. The Alliance forces managed to hold for a good half hour, but in the end had to withdraw. Already, they lost sixty percent on the ridge.

"They're overrunning us again!" Ophelia cried.

"Damn it," Cuchulain said. "We have to withdraw for now!"

"How can they be so tough?" Riku asked.

"They are after all S class elites! And we're dealing with waves of them on open ground in the middle of the day. We have no way of persuading them to yield. They intend to kill every last one of us."-

Just then, an explosion erupted not too far from the team. They looked to find that Sora had been caught in the blast and shrapnel had torn a hole in the back of his vest. He lay there moaning in agony as the blood rushed from the wound.

"Sora," Riku cried. He ran up to Sora and gave him a potion. Instantly he was healed. Sora got back up to his feet.

"Thanks, Riku," he said, "That was a little too close for comfort."

"We have to fall back for now."-

"I'll teach you guys for striking me in the back!" Sora turned around an unleashed the Tornado Strike. Imperials went flying about as the raging twister sapped them up and sent falling to their deaths. Once again the Alliance withdrew to their third line of defense safely.

The third line, however, was better protected, not by a better entrenchment or higher ground, but rather because it was within an elevation to which stationed artillery pieces at the final defense line were able to support them. From this point on, the Imperials had to deal with artillery fire from a line they could not reach without breeching and taking over the third and fourth lines.

Immediately, as the Imperials began to charge from the second line, they were met by devastating cannon fire from the absolute rear. Explosions killed ten to twenty men at a time. At the same time, the allies began to bombard the troopers as they advanced across another grassy plain. But as death engulfed them, the elites of the Axis were not deterred and continued to advance. Some stationed themselves on the remnants of the second line and began to fire away at the third line. Again, the Alliance was pummeled as the barrages struck and killed a thousand men with one stroke.

"You have got to be kidding me." Cunla growled. "How the heck are they doing us in already?"

"We can't fight them like this." Sora said. "They're just stomping us into the ground and we have no way to defend absolutely."

"Just hold them off for as long and as best as you can!" Cuchulain shouted.

Again, the advancing troopers managed to breech the third line. But this time, they held only temporarily and the Axis was driven back. Three times they advance and yet three times they were forced to withdraw and reform their ranks. By this time, the three Axis generals, Fortinbras, Krade, and Alschezar had made their approach towards the second line.

"You see," Krade chuckled, "Though the resistance from the Alliance is greater and delayed longer than the campaigns in Siluria, they still break. Already, we have overrun the second line."

"But it seems that our soldiers are not doing well storming the third line." Fortinbras said. "From what I can see, we might have lost at least ten thousand men between this line and the third. That means we lost at least seventeen thousand within the hour."

"Our forces cannot be stopped though. Besides, the alliance must've lost at least ten thousand men as well. The difference between us and them is that we are able to take our losses."-

No more than three miles away from the front, at the Graakun River, General Devardios was conducting the evacuation of the civilians across the stone pillar bridge. Her twenty-five thousand troops, took charge, dividing the civilians into separate, smaller clusters and guided them over the bridge. On the other side, the side of salvation supposedly, the great stone pillar stood tall and erect, a sentinel of hope to the frightened people. Like a great exodus, the people moved, at a faster rate than had been before. The people moved by some vehicle or on foot across the stone arch.

"Thing are going smoothly now." She said, counting the people, "Seventy percent of the population over the bridge in only a couple of hours. That is real progress."

"Madam General," one of her officers implied, receiving a transmitted letter from the eastern bank's communication, "Our troops stationed on the eastern side of the bridge want to know where they should encamp."

"Go as far as Oceansburg pass."-

"But that's fifteen miles from here. It would take at least three hours to get there. Not to mention all these women, children, and the elderly. They'll go slow."

"You'll just have to encourage them to keep moving. And contact Oceansburg. See if you can get some transport units to here to help with the exodus."-

"Yes ma'am," The officer saluted and withdrew.

In the meantime, a messenger arrived to give her news about the battle.

"Madam General," he said, "Word from the front. The Imperials are condensing and have managed to break the defenses at both the first and the second line."

"What…?" Devardios said with as shock. "They've been pushed back to the third defense line already? I thought that the KH team would be able to hold them off a little longer than that."

"Our defense force has already lost forty percent of its men."-

"Damn…" Devardios turned towards the direction of the bottleneck. The rumble of multiple explosions could be heard in the distance. "We need just a little more time. I guess even the supposedly invincible key bearers tackled a predicament too big for them."

However, to the dismay of the Imperial forces, the third line maintained a strong foothold. Because of the position it was in, the artillery in the far rear had a clear shot of the advancing Axis and decimated their ranks with multiple rounds. However, the artillery crews had to calculate the elevation of their guns, so as not to accidentally strike their own men. But being skilled artillerymen, the units were able to coordinate themselves perfectly and fire just over the heads of their comrades. By this time, the Axis ceased their assaults on the third line and instead concentrated on battering down the third line defenses from the safety of the second line.

"Damn it," Fortinbras growled, "Our advance has been halted."

"What was that?" Krade said. He used his scouter to home in on the battle at the third line. "Impossible, how could our men be halted?"

"They could use a few more regiments to back them up, don't you think?" Alschezar implied.

"Send in more troops. Have them condensed at the captured second defense and barrage that third line to hell. Then attack with everything you have."-

"Understood…"-

Two more brigades were sent in and stationed at the front to aid in another push. All the while, the Alliance third line had lost two thousand men in the separate engagements. The bodies stacked high on the makeshift wall of old wooden carts, sandbags and earthworks. Each soldier was tired, weary, and at the same time apprehensive, fearing the fourth assault they knew was coming. Amongst the men, the KH team could hear the babbling and mutters of each trooper.

"Three times they attacked us and three times we pushed them back."-

"And all three times we managed to survive."-

"That may be so, but we may not survive the next one."-

"They keep coming, how much longer are they gonna keep coming."-

"I don't have much energy in my blaster's power cell left."-

"I got three magazines left. That's all I got, I got three."-

"This is impossible." Sora said. "The soldiers are starting to lose hope. They barely have anything to fight with. Those armed with guns and blasters have only so much left to fend off another assault and that still might not be enough."

"The Axis keeps concentrating their attacks on the center and the extreme flanks." Cunla added.

"We may have to fall back." Riku implied.

"I would have to agree with Riku." Ophelia added. "Our ammunition, our strength, our numbers, they're all dwindling to the point where we can't hope to maintain a strong defense."

"Retreating is not an option for us right now." Cuchulain said. "We've already lost two lines of defense to the Imperials. We can't afford to lose another one."

"But what are the men gonna use for ammunition?" Sora asked. "They've confiscated from their dead and dying companions. They even went so far as to confiscate the enemy's weapons and used those."

"Do whatever it takes to keep those soldiers at bay." Cuchulain turned to Ophelia. "Miss Billiard, go to the rear and say that we need more ammunition. Collect what you can."

"Right," Ophelia replied and went off rearward.

"In the meantime, collect what we have. Riku, Sora, Cunla, hold the line for as long as you can."-

"Right," Riku and Sora replied.

"Here they come again!" a soldier shouted. The team looked to find the Imperials firing and attacking again. Explosions erupted around them.

"Keep your lines tight, boys." Cuchulain ordered. "Keep your lines tight! Don't let the Imperials force you to give in! Choose death over self preservation! Your families are depending on you!"

The soldiers cheered and began to unleash hell again. Some of the soldiers, short on ammunition, picked up Imperial weapons as well as those of the dead and wounded and fired away sporadically, killing and maiming the ranks of Axis soldiers advancing. But even so, such gallantry was not enough to deter the enemy.

"Hold your lines!" Sora shouted as he cut down the Imperials who breeched the line. "Plug un any holes near you!"

The infantry stood firm, not giving way to their attackers and fired away, some hitting their targets at point blank range. Others had to regress to their hand to hand combat and grabbling abilities. Swords, the butts of rifled, blaster sides, even bare fists were used to pummel the foe. The KH team unleashed their own attacks, elemental attacks, swift strikes. But still, the Imperials did not deter. The fight lasted for another fifteen minutes until an order was given to temporarily withdraw. The Axis soldiers turned about and retreated to the second line. They had lost an additional three thousand men. But the Alliance was no better off. Even with the combined number of survivors from the first and second defenses, less than two thousand remained. Some soldiers wanted to run for their lives, but what would have been the point? They saw no purpose in running away except to postpone the inevitable. Some saw their entire way of life as doomed if the capital fell.

"They just keep pummeling those same three areas." Cuchulain uttered to himself.

"Cuchulain," Riku cried, running to him. "We have nothing left to shoot with. Some of the boys have nothing at all."

"Damn it, have you collected from the dead and dying, friend and foe alike?"-

"They boys have confiscated all they could. There are just too many Imperials for them to handle."-

"Cuchulain," Sora shouted, approaching his comrades. "Several of the men on the left flank are wounded. If the Axis attacks us again in that area, I don't think we can stop them."

"And your ammunition…?"-

"It's almost gone."-

"Dad, trouble," Cunla said.

"What is it now?" Cuchulain asked.

"Several of the senior officers have been killed and the men are starting to panic. They don't know what to do."-

"Cuchulain," Ophelia shouted, returning back from the front. "They can't spare any ammunition or reinforcements from the fourth or fifth line. They're limited on supplies."

"We can't hold this line with only two thousand men." Riku advised. "They Axis will send in two the three times our number and overwhelm us completely."

"How is our supply on potion for the five of us? I have two left."-

"I only have two vials left too." Riku said.

"I have two as well." Sora added.

"I only have three left." Ophelia replied.

"I have one." Cunla said.

"Man," Cuchulain grumbled, "We used up over half of the potions given to us."

"We've been fighting really hard that's why." Sora implied. "We encountered near death too many times and we're running out of energy a lost faster than usual because we're burning up too much of it all at once."

"Retreating is not an option open to us though. Let's hold for one last time. Go all out and replenish yourselves with potion. Take out as many of those Axis bastards as you possibly can. Once our line crumbles to the point where resistance is futile, then we will order the withdrawal."-

"Right," the other returned to their posts and stood to confront another attack.

"This is intolerable," General Fortinbras growled, "How can a force that small be able to fend off four major attacks?"

"This is taking too long." Alschezar said. "We should have broken through on the first assault."

"No more fooling around." Krade added. "I want five thousand men at this slope to join the remaining forces. Then when I give the order, I want all ranks to charge. We overwhelm them and cause them sprawling."

More men were stationed and ready to attack as the exchange of volleys continued. Then, with a final order, the Imperials again attacked. This time, a blanket of men charged, trampling over the mountains of dead and wounded comrades as if they were no different than mud of piles of dung. The Axis swept up the shallow crest and overwhelmed the last of the Alliance defenders, ten to one. A few of the Alliance soldiers were merely toppled and trampled as if the Axis troops didn't realize their presence.

"The third line is lost," Riku cried. "Withdraw for now!"

"All units retreat!" Cuchulain shouted. "I'll stand my ground and give you time to fall back!" The KH team alone stood their ground, deflecting shot, and engaging in intense hand to hand combat alike, all the while the Alliance troops withdrew, running for their lives. At the same time, the forth line began to unleash sporadic volleys, pummeling the Imperials as they reached the crest. The cannons in the rear aimed and fired, eliminating soldiers by the dozen or more with each shot.

"They're reaching the fourth line, dad!" Cunla cried.

"Good, alright you guys, let's get out of here!"-

"Riku," Sora shouted.

"I gotcha," Riku replied. They unleashed the last of their power, deploying a combination of elemental attacks and physical attacks. Cuchulain, Ophelia, and Cunla did the same, unleashing their most powerful abilities and taking down a great number of faction soldiers by the battalion. The Axis halted for a moment so as not to get caught in the melee.

"Alright, you guys!" Ophelia ordered, "We've used up the last of our strength for the third line's defense! Let's get to the fourth line!"

"C'mon," Cunla added. They withdrew to the forth line just as the Imperials appeared on the crest of the captured third defense line and began to fire away, hoping to strike and kill the KH team from behind. One exploding energy beam caught Ophelia's leg and crippled it severely.

"Ophelia," Riku cried, watching the colonel struck. He quickly ran to aid her. Ophelia staggered and fell.

"Damn it all." She growled, grasping her burned limb.

"I got you!" Riku slung her arm over her shoulder and pulled the colonel along.

"Riku, Miss Billiard," Sora shouted, "Hurry up!"

"Covering fire," Cunla ordered. "Keep those faction scumbags quiet!"

The Allies fired away at the remnants of the third line, eliminating hundreds of Axis soldiers. The factions responded by barraging the fourth line with tremendous ferocity, causing a great deal of damage to certain parts of the line. The KH team in the meantime managed to reach the safety of the barracks just as the bombardment commenced. Riku laid Ophelia next to earthworks. Looking at her leg, it had been singed and blood dripped from the cracked flesh.

"It looks pretty bad." Sora said.

"Damn it," she grumbled, "How could I let myself get struck like that? Such a mistake is inexcusable."

"Look on the bright side, Ophelia," Riku said, "At least that injury can be healed."

"You're right, Riku." The colonel drew a vial of potion from her shell jacket and gulped down its contents. Her leg was fully healed to what it once was and the blood and char was wiped off easily as if it were paint or dust.

"This is the forth line, you guys." Cuchulain said. "From this point on, it's due or die."

"This is a battle I don't think we can win." Sora implied.

"We're not supposed to win it, Sora. We just have to hold off the Imperials long enough for the reinforcements to arrive and for the civilian refugees to make it to safety." The Hound turned to Cunla. "Get in contact with the rear and General Devardios. Ask her what the situation is with the civilian exodus and tell her the predicament we're in. Ask her if she can spare at least ten thousand men at the least."-

"I can't." Cunla replied.

"What do you mean you can't"-

"A stray shot from the Imperial line has destroyed the main transmitter." Cunla pointed to the damaged sector of the line. There, a singed transmission radio lay blackened and torn upon the ground. "There's no way to communicate with the general in the rear."

"Damn it. Does anyone have a scouter?"-

"Scouter transmissions are too risky. The Imperials would be able to pick up the signal waves and have data in which to counter our strategy."-

"Damn…"-

"The only option we have right now is to deploy a runner."-

"Let me take care of it then." Ophelia said.

"Miss Billiard…?" Sora asked.

"We can't do that." Cuchulain said. "You're a vital part to the defense force. We can't spare you. We'll send one of the soldiers to deliver the message."

"I can move faster than any of these flunkies and we can't afford to waste any time. Let me take the message." There was a pause. "Besides, even if you don't approve, I'll go anyway."

"It's no use arguing with her." Sora sighed. "And we don't have time to quarrel about it."

"Alright," Cuchulain said, "Do what you have to do. Tell the general of our situation and ask her to spare more ammunition and at least ten thousand men to back up the final line."-

"I'll do what I can." Ophelia then pulled out what was left of her potions. "You guys might need these."

"But that's your potion." Cunla said.

"I know, but I'll be in the rear for the time being. Ergo, you guys need these more than I do."-

"Okay," Cuchulain took the potions from her hand. "Thank you, Miss Billiard, and we hope for your safe return."

"I'll be back with good news and even better results." She then leaped to her feet and strode to the rear with incredible speed.

"My God," Sora uttered, "I didn't know she could move that fast."

"Let's stay focused." Riku implied. "We have ten thousand Imperial ready to charge. Let's make their attempt a folly."

"It's life and death from here on out." Cuchulain said. "Take your positions and be ready for anything."

The team and their allies took their stations along the fourth defense line. There was a barrage and a charge from the combined factions as they stormed into the grassy field to the strong defenses beyond. Again, battle erupted and countless more lives were lost. Though the key bearers did not want to admit it, the fight seemed to wane out of their favor.


	86. Heroes to Legends

Heroes to Legends

It hadn't been long before Ophelia reached the stone bridge. To her surprise, the civilian exodus across the stone bridge was successful as the last of the women and children made it across the bridge. Five hundred soldiers stood about escorting the refugees across the bridge. Transports from Oceansburg had finally arrived and were now hauling the elderly, the infirmed, and the disabled onto the backs of the vehicles. Now like a great serpent, the mass of civilians disappeared down Eastern Long Valley.

Amongst the soldiers acting at the tail was General Gala Devardios herself. She directed the people towards the bridge in good fashion so as not to stir up congestion or even a panic.

"That's right," she ordered, "civilians across the bridge. Keep it steady. Stay with your loved ones and families. Continue moving. There's still a twenty mile walk. Elderly citizens, infirmed citizens, and handicapped individuals will be taken to ride on the transports. Proceed in an orderly fashion."

"Madam General," a soldier said, saluting, "Colonel Ophelia Billiard to see you, Madam."

"Ma'am," the colonel replied, saluting.

"Colonel Billiard," the general replied, "And how are things going with the resistance."

"I hate to bear bad news, ma'am, but the Imperial forces have managed to push us back to the fourth line of defense." The general was stunned.

"What was that, the defense forces have been pushed back to the fourth line?"-

"I am sorry to say, but yes."-

"Damn it…" Devardios looked to the weary civilians. "Well, at least the civilians have made it across the bridge safely. But they still have a twenty mile trek before reaching Oceansburg pass. Many of them are still tired from trying to cross the bridge."

"I hate to inconvenience you, Madam General," Ophelia continued, "But the defense line needs reinforcements and ammunition to keep the Imperials at bay."

"How many men do you need and how much ammunition?"-

"At least half the ammunition reserved and ten thousand men." Of course such a request was out of the question.

"I can't do that, colonel."-

"Why not?" Ophelia asked.

"We had enough difficulty trying to get those civilians organized and safely across the bridge with twenty-five thousand soldiers. You must realize that such a number of troops are barely a tenth of the full population of refugees on the march. My men are spread out so thin it's one soldier to fifty to a hundred refugees. Even with the help of civilian volunteers, that's not enough maintain order and discipline amongst the masses."-

"In the course of the battle, we managed to defeat fifty thousand faction soldiers. As far as I know, the number is still climbing. But even so, fifty thousand hasn't depleted a quarter of the total number. Please, Madam General, we need reinforcements and ammunition, whatever you can spare."-

"I can only give you five thousand men."-

"That's not good enough."-

"I know it's not good enough, but I can't afford to lose more than that. I need a large body of soldiers to maintain authority and give guidance."-

Ophelia lowered her head and clutched her fists tightly. She was in a touch spot, knowing that if she took men from the exodus, she would be promoting possible anarchy amongst the civilians. At the same time, if she did not call for reinforcements and ammunition, it would only be a matter of time before the Imperials overwhelmed the forth and fifth lines. The roar of the cannons and exploding energy bursts and shells boomed closer than ever before. Ophelia feared the final defense lines to be overrun. She raised her head.

"Then let me take the place of those five thousand men." She said.

"What…?" Devardios asked. "You are gonna tackle a task that big?"

"If there's something I'm good at, it's conducting rules and regulations and rallying soldiers and civilians alike."-

"This is a big task though. Your effectiveness would be better on the battlefield."-

"And what good would resistance be without reinforcements and supplies?"-

"I suppose you're right. Then I grant you permission. Go with the civilians and rally them into order."-

"Yes, ma'am," Ophelia saluted. "I'll get these people moving." She thus proceeded across the bridge to aid the people. In the meantime, General Devardios called for several of her subordinates.

"Lieutenant," she began. "I want you to go to our ranks and rally five thousand men to aid our defense forces against the Axis."-

"Yes, ma'am," the lieutenant replied.

"Major, I want you to send word to the key bearers and their friends. Tell them that we could only spare five thousand men. Tell them that I've also requested aid from Colonel Billiard to assist with the exodus and I bear full responsibility for this decision. I don't want to have to burden that girl with any regrets of leaving the front line."-

"Yes, madam." The major replied.

"Captain, I want you to set up a fortified perimeter at Pine Ridge. That's the highest ground in Long Valley, rocky and steep. We'll set up a defense line there in case the Imperial's manage to make it across the bridge."-

"Can't we just destroy the bridge ma'am?" the captain asked.

"You know that's not an option open for us."-

"I know, but still it would be worth it if we could halt the Imperial advance."-

"That may be true, but that'll also prevent us from retaking Siluria back swiftly."-

"We'll find some other means, ma'am." Devardios pondered on the idea. Destroying the bridge would be helpful in halting the Axis, but at the same time it was the only access point which could allow the Alliance to easily retake the Silurian region in mass.

"Very well, then tell our troops to set explosives on the bridge. Set them to detonate via an activation switch. Then give the device to Cuchulain."

"I understand, ma'am." The captain saluted and withdrew.

"I hope that this isn't all a big mistake."-

The fourth line proved even more difficult to overcome than the third, but such a notion did not waver the Imperial line who against lost five thousand men with in a matter of minutes due to their reckless head on charges. Twice the Imperials charged and twice they had to retreat to the third line. The fourth line, now numbering some seven thousand men, had already lost a quarter of its soldiers. For a while there was another lull between the lines.

"Again they press on." Cuchulain grumbled.

"We haven't even put a dent into their real numbers." Riku said. "Even when we go all out, we can't seem to break the Imperials up."

"I've never seen so many dead before." Sora uttered, chilled by the sight of slain soldiers.

"Then again," Cunla implied, "This is the first time that we're dealing with a force this big."

"I fear for the worse though."-

Just then, the major who was sent by General Devardios came running over to the team from the rear.

"Cuchulain," he announced, "Compliments from General Devardios."

"What's the word on the reinforcements?"-

"The reinforcements are on their way, sir. Unfortunately, the Madam General was only able muster five thousand men."-

"That's not good enough."-

"The general acknowledges that and concurs, but she figured it best that the civilians make a safe flight to safety first. She also wishes to inform you that she has taken Colonel Billiard to aid with the exodus."-

"Ophelia's in the rear?" Riku asked.

"But we need her here." Cuchulain said.

"The general found it more beneficial for her to stay behind since the colonel has the ability to rally and organize the people." The Major continued.

"Well…"-

"At least we know that with Miss Billiard aiding the exodus, the civilians will shape up and move a lost faster." Sora told his friends. "That's just as good a place as any."

"I guess you're right."-

"Hound of Ulster," another voice shouted. The team looked to find the captain rushing towards them. He saluted the Hound. "Word from General Devardios, she wishes me to give this to you." In his hand, he held the detonation switch. He gave it to the Hound.

"This is a detonation switch." Cuchulain said.

"Yes sir,"-

"But what is it for?" Cunla asked.

"General Devardios has declared the use of that switch as a last resort. She says that if we can no longer hold the bridge, we are to destroy it."-

"But I thought that wasn't an option open to us?"-

"That's why the general said to activate the bombs only if and when you have to."-

"I see…"Cuchulain sighed. "Then if that's the case, I'll be the one to detonate it."

"Sir…" the captain saluted.

"Is there anything else that you need to report?"-

"No sir," the two officers replied.

"Then get back to the rear and help with the exodus."-

"Yes sir," the two officers saluted and withdrew.

"Things get screwier and screwier." Sora said. "I wonder if Donald and Goofy are having better luck than we are."

"We can't think of the others right now." Riku replied. "We have our own battle to fight."

"Riku's right." Cunla added. "We gotta keep fighting our own battle."

"Here they come again!" a soldier cried. The team turned to see the Axis ranks charging at a full gallop once again, blasting, shooting, and screaming away. Explosions erupted along the fourth line and men were killed on several sectors.

"Alright you guys," Cuchulain said, "Let's give 'em hell for one last time!"

"Yeah," the others replied. They raced to their individual posts and helped to command the other soldiers.

"Plug in as many holes in the line as you can! We can't let those Imperial bastards get the best of us!"-

"Fire away, lads!" the officers ordered and great volleys sounded, decimating the Imperials by the hundreds. The factions rushed up the shallow incline and breeched the defenses. There was bloody hand to hand fighting as severe wounds were inflicted and blood splattered about. With the KH team at the front, the Imperials were given more than what they had anticipated.

"Damn those key bearers and the KH team ruffians." General Fortinbras growled. "They're inflicting more casualties on our forces than what we lost in the entire Silurian campaign."

"So what," Krade said. "As far as I can see, they haven't depleted the bulk of our force even by a quarter yet. At the same time, we're crushing their miniscule force like ants."

"That's beside the point. The key bearers, the Hound of Ulster, and those two traitors have done the most damage than any of those soldiers. They've taken out ten times their number with one or two strikes."-

"General Fortinbras, does your faith in the Axis' might appear to be wavering? Do you want future generations to think that their forefathers were deterred from fulfilling a certain task due to a few minor difficulties with the local inhabitants?"-

"That may be true." Alschezar said. "But such losses will not bode well in the eyes of the Axis aristocracy, especially since it's the S class elite forces that are suffering a substantial amount of damage. S class elites are not supposed to die in mass number like this."

"I would sacrifice ten million S class elites to fulfill the dreams of the Three Excellencies. You just wait and see, gentlemen. We will win and take over Oceansburg."-

"But at what cost…"-

For a full hour and a half, an eternity to the soldiers, the line wavered back and forth, bent and broke, and reassembled itself again. Fifteen thousand Axis soldiers were killed or wounded. Of the seven thousand defenders at the fourth line, less than three thousand remained. Weary and tired, their ammunition and strength depleted, the veterans of the Universal Alliance could only watch on helplessly as more Axis soldiers accumulated and restored their ranks. Each of the KH team members had fallen and replenished themselves at least once or twice in the battle. There were no more potions amongst the KH team members. Thus, their effectiveness had been severed in half.

"Does anyone have any more potions?" Cuchulain asked.

"I'm out." Riku implied.

"Ditto," Sora added.

"I have no more potions." Cunla said.

"We're reached a critical level then." Cuchulain told them. "Without any potion, we won't be able to rejuvenate our strengths. Therefore, we're gonna have to be extra careful. If we are struck down with a serious wound, then it's for keeps."

"Damn it…" Riku growled. "And there's still no end to their attacks."

"The soldiers are almost out of ammunition again." Sora said. "Their numbers have dwindled to less than half of what it was."

"If only I could use the rage…" Cuchulain said.

"Not a good idea." Riku replied. "If either you or Sora used the rage, you'll lose yourselves completely and regress into unstoppable killing machines. In the process, you might turn against your own allies."

"I know, I know,"-

"What should we do then?" Cunla asked.

"I wish that Miss Billiard was here to help us." Sora said.

"Her services were needed elsewhere." Cuchulain looked to the line of condensed soldiers in black and grey. "We have to do without her aid for now. We'll conduct ourselves like we did before. But this time, be thrifty with you techniques. You don't want to waste energy too quickly."

"Right,"-

"Here they come again!" a soldier cried. As before in the first three lines, the Axis charged with their guns a blazing in sporadic fire while whooping out terrible battle cries.

"Hold until we give the word to fall back!" Cuchulain shouted. "Until that moment comes, you give them everything you got! Send those Imperial bastards down to hell!"

"Hurrah," the soldiers cried and blazed away with what they had left. Soldiers blazed their guns and blasters away until the barrels burned read hot and melted, deforming their former shape, thus rendering them useless. They picked up spare weapons from their wounded and dead comrades, as well as wounded and dead foes. Some of the soldiers were so anxious to slay the masses of Imperials, they picked up two weapons at a time and blazed away 'til they themselves were killed, or ammunition ran out and they had to forge for another weapon or more ammunition. Those who could not find ammunition instead threw rocks at their Axis attackers. The artillery at the final line continued to pummel the Imperials, tearing the bodies of the soldiers asunder with each shot, spouting blood and flesh sky high. The defenses were eventually breeched on several points and could not be mended up again. The faction troopers literally trampled over the more stubborn defenders, crushing them to death beneath their feet. Those wounded ally soldiers, critically wounded, preferred life over death, picked up whatever weapon and struck down their foes. Some were bayoneted while others had their throats cut or heads bashed to a pulp. Cannon fire from the fifth line killed both ally and enemy alike.

"It's hopeless!" a soldier cried.

"All forces, withdraw to the final line!" Cuchulain ordered. The remaining defenders, some nine hundred survivors, withdrew as their foes fired at them from behind. Across the vast grassy fields, they fled to the sanctity of the final defense line where now ten thousand S class elite veterans awaited them. The withdrawing soldiers provided cover for their comrades before falling back themselves. The Imperials were struck down, but not without retaliating with their own conflagration volleys. Of the nine hundred soldiers, and additional three hundred were killed.

"Fire away, boys!" one faction soldier shouted. "Kill them all!"

"Get after them, boys!" an officer cried. "Don't let any of them escape!" The Imperials quickly threw themselves over the conquered fourth line and broke in mass against the final defenses.

"Hurry, you guys!" Cuchulain shouted. He watched to see his comrades reaching the last hold of barracks and breastworks. "You're almost there!"

Sora and Riku quickly threw themselves into the mass of Alliance soldiers and took cover from incoming projectiles. Cuchulain then saw Cunla taking of the rear, directing the stragglers, helping them to safety. The Imperials, however, were no more than a hundred yards away and closing in fast.

"C'mon, you guys!" Cunla shouted, tapping the soldiers on the shoulder as they passed. "C'mon, don't stop, get over the defenses!"

"Cunla, hurry up!" he heard his father shout.

"I'll be there, dad! I have to make sure the stragglers get there safely." Cunla watched as the last couple of men made for the line. "Hurry up, you guys, hurry up!"

But suddenly, like vengeful lightning against traitors, a stray Imperial blast landed no more than a few feet away from Cunla. The explosion erupted in front of him. The last of the alliance troopers who straggled, were killed instantly. Cunla was knocked off his feet, engulfed by the explosion. He tumbled and fell on the grass. He lay there semi-conscious.

"Cunla," Cuchulain quickly jumped into the open field and towards his son.

"Cuchulain," Sora shouted, "Where are you going?!"

"Cunla's been hit!"-

"What…?" Riku uttered. The two key bearers, knowing that they could not let their friends fight alone, jumped out from behind the trenches and ran in pursuit of the Hound.

Cunla, in the meantime, managed to stagger a little to his feet, but fell again. He had suffered no wounds, only a few shallow scratches and minor bruises. But as he turned, he saw the waves of Imperials charging him, at least one hundred men almost on top of him.

"There's the traitor, Cunla!" one officer shouted.

"Kill him!" another added.

They rushed the boy with weapons drawn against him. But Cuchulain quickly jumped in front of his son and began to hack and swing away at the massed Imperials. He slew each one that attacked him. One of the Axis soldiers thrust head on with his spear, just as the Hound slew another soldier. The spear cut deep into Cuchulain's side. The Hound cried out, but regained his composure. He struck the soldier down. Unleashing his inner strength, he deployed the Ulster Slash and blew a great deal of the attackers away. His wound caused him to stagger and fall to the ground. Cunla watched as his gallant father collapsed on his back.

"Dad," the boy cried. He crawled over to his father's side. The Hound drew blood from his mouth. "Dad…!"

"Cunla…" Cuchulain uttered. "Are you alright?"

"Kill them!" an Imperial soldier shouted as he and a company more attacked. But they were pummeled by Riku and Sora who used elemental attacks to break of the faction ranks. Cunla in the meantime, slung his father's arm over his neck and pulled him up. The Hound gripped tightly to the Gae Bulga, using it as a crutch.

"Cunla, Cuchulain," Sora said, "We got to get out of here now!" The three assisted Cuchulain to his feet and the four made their way back to the defense line. The artillery at the breastworks fired away, providing covering fire and eradicating five hundred attacking Imperials in a single volley. The team pulled the Hound over the line and laid him against the uplifted soil. He gazed at his wounds.

"Man," he said to himself, "I really made a mess out of that, didn't I."

"Dad…" Cunla uttered.

"Hey, kiddo, are you alright?"-

"Yes father." The team looked at the gaping wound. The spread head had pierced through his side, perhaps striking a vital organ which caused blood to drip from his mouth.

"The wound is deep." Riku said.

"I screwed that fight up." The Hound grumbled.

"With that severe wound on you gut, I don't think you'll be able to fight as well."-

"You might be right there. But we can't give up yet."-

"Commander Cuchulain," a colonel implied. "Get you, your son and the key bearers to the rear."

"What…?" Riku asked.

"You and the KH team have done enough fighting. You must get out of here now."-

"No," Cuchulain's words were slurred and his breathing labored, "We can't retreat now."

"Please, sir, you must withdraw." The colonel continued. "The survival of the Alliance depends on you!"-

"But what about you guys?"-

"We'll fight to the last man if necessary. This is the last line of defense and we won't give it up until we ourselves are killed. Just see to it that our deaths are avenged."-

"I'm sorry…"-

"Let's get going then." Riku said. "We have three miles before we get to the bridge."

"Should we fly?" Sora asked.

"No, we should walk. That'll use up less energy and we may need that soon."-

"I see."-

Sora and Riku grabbed each of Cuchulain's arms and slowly walked him rearward. The Hound was still conscious, but his body was weary do the loss of blood. He hung his head down as he moved one foot before the other. Cunla in the meantime bore his father's spear, his eyes moist from tears, fearing his father's condition.

There was the sound of a volley and the Axis soldiers were on the attack again. The screams of vengeful and hateful men were heard as both sides fired and clashed with one another. The sound of the big guns was ear piercing and caused the ground to shake.

By this time, the large body of civilians had managed to travel an incredible five miles up Eastern Long Valley, through a now heavily forested region of pine. The thick forest canopy allowed for shade from the intensity of the sun, but the terrain had also become more rugged and rocky and was more difficult for the civilians to move through. It was especially a challenge to climb over Pine ridge which was of a higher elevation than the rest of the area, the highest point in Long Valley and a natural defensive feature. In fact, General Devardios had her men stationed there, digging into the ground.

At the same time, Ophelia Billiard was busy conducting the civilians up the slopes. She summoned the volunteer aid of young men and women amongst the civilians who were willing to do some work in escorting the refugees to safety. She orders wagons and vehicles to be confiscated to aid with the people. It was mostly the elderly and children with their mothers who were allowed on board. The transports from Oceansburg also worked hard by order of the colonel. Back and forth, they would go, taking the old, the children, and the handicap, and the incapacitated. Though seeming a forced march, it was one openly accepted by many of the civilians. They openly admired the Tiger of Goth, seeing her as a saint rather than a former factioneer. Because of her guidance, over ninety five of the civilians had managed to make it over Pine Ridge, an incredible foot for such a large body of people.

"That's right," she said, "Keep it moving. Proceed in an orderly fashion."

"You've done well, colonel." General Devardios said.

"Thank you, Madam General." Ophelia saluted.

"You've come to be a great asset to the exodus. Because of your efforts, we managed to make it further than expected."-

"You flatter me." Ophelia looked to the barracks being built at the crest of Pine Ridge. "So I take it that's we'll make a defensive stance here."

"That's correct. If for some reason the defense falters and breaks, we'll at least be able to hold up here. We have just enough ammunition reserve to keep us fighting intensely for a full day none stop. And from this point, we'd be able to hold off ten times the number we have presently. Five thousand men will be stationed here to fend off the Axis. If they manage to last until reinforcements arrive tomorrow, then there is no longer a need to fear the Axis' third prong attack."

"They'll manage. I know they will."-

"Best be ready nonetheless."-

Ophelia looked on in the distance, wondering how her comrades were doing. Suddenly, she felt a surge in her heart. She began to sweat as her heart beat sped up.

"This feeling," she thought to herself, "this sinking feeling. Something's happened. Something's wrong. What could it be?"-

In the meantime, Riku and the others finally reached the shallow hill overlooking the stone pillar bridge. The great stone pillar that stood tall on the eastern side of the bridge was like a watchful sentinel, beckoning them.

"We're almost there, you guys." Riku said.

"I can't believe that we were forced to retreat." Cunla uttered.

"There was nothing we could do." Sora told him. "We ran out of potion and we can't afford to die. The fate of all worlds depends on us."

"Besides," Riku added, "we can't have your father stumbling about in this condition."

"I'm fine…" Cuchulain grumbled. "I've had worse you know. This is just a scratch."

"You call internal injuries a scratch?"-

"I can overcome anything, Riku. I am after all the Hound of Ulster."-

"He does have a point." Sora agreed.

The tranquility, however, was interrupted by the sound of five major explosions in the distance, much louder than the ones that had been going on earlier.

"What the heck was that?" Cunla wondered. They little realized that the explosions were caused by the Alliance, detonating their own artillery pieces so the Axis could not take possession of the guns and use it against them.

"Let's not worry about that right now." Riku advised. "We still have a mile to walk." The five hastily paced themselves to the bridge. It took them at least fifteen minutes to reach the stone arch.

"Here we are, Cuchulain." Sora said.

"That's great," The Hound replied. "But you guys can put me down. I can walk."

"But your injury…"-

"I told you that I'm alright." Riku and Sora released Cuchulain who slightly staggered, but regained composure as if the wound wasn't there. He grasped at the wound, his left arm curled up to comfort the pain.

"So this is it." Riku said. "End of the line."

"What do you think those explosions were anyway?" Sora asked.

"I don't know, but I have this sinking feeling that in a while we'll see Imperials stationed on that shallow hill."-

"Most likely…"-

"Then we may have to regress to destroying the bridge." He turned to Cuchulain. "You have the detonation switch."

"It's in my pocket." Cuchulain replied. He put his right hand into his right pants pocket, but to his dismay, the only thing he found was the bottom of it. He pulled the pocket inside out. "Oh no…"-

"You lost the detonation switch?"-

"It must've fallen out of my pocket somehow. Perhaps in that tumble I had."-

"Great," Sora said, "Now what are we gonna do. We can't possibly hold off the Imperials alone can we?"-

"It's possible, but not likely." Riku implied. "We've used up almost all of our strength and Cuchulain's been badly injured."

"We could always use our own strength to destroy the bridge."-

"At the level of power we have left…?"-

"But we have to destroy it…"-

"No," Cuchulain uttered, "We will not destroy the bridge."

"What…?!" the three cried.

"But dad, we couldn't possibly stop them all by ourselves." Cunla said. "Even going all out, we can't hope to battle against S class elites in that number."

"There's only one way to find out."-

There was a low rumble emerging from the horizon, followed by the sound of screaming, yelling, and hollering. It didn't take long before what the KH team feared would happen, happened. On the shallow hill, numerous banners and long staffed weapons appeared over the crest, followed by a swelling force of black and grey uniforms. They cheered as they reached the bridge.

"It's the Imperial Axis…" Riku uttered. "Damn it, they overthrew the final defense line already?"

"What'll we do?" Sora added. "There are just too many of them. There's no way the four of us alone can stand against those guys."

"You won't have to…" Cuchulain said. The three looked at him. "Sora, Riku, I want you and Cunla to get back to the others."

"What…?" Sora asked.

"What are you saying?" Cunla added.

"I'm going to fight these guys alone." The Hound gripped his crimson stained fists tightly.

"Alone…?" Sora said.

"But that's ludicrous, it's crazy!" Riku shouted. "You'd never be able to fight them all on your own, even if you are the Hound of Ulster!"

"Do you see any other option right now? This bridge is a very important thoroughfare, which I understand, through researching, took ten times the usual expectancy to build. It's been the main point that links Siluria to the rest of the Alliance territory for centuries, millenniums even. So destroying it would be out of the question."-

"Then let us fight alongside with you!" Sora said. "There's no need for you to fight alone."

"Again, that is not your call to make. You and Riku have very little energy left. You have no more potions or any means to heal your wounds and replenish your strength. To add, you two are vital to closing the doors to darkness. Who knows how many are still open in other worlds. Ergo, we cannot spare you."-

"Then Sora and Riku," Cunla said. "You two get to the rear. My father and I will stay here and fight."

"Cunla, I want you to go with them too." Cunla looked up at his father, bewilderedly.

"But why, dad…?"-

"I don't want to jeopardize your life either."-

"But I can fight. I'm good at it. You've seen me continuously."-

"That may be so, but I don't want to put you in any more danger." The Hound faced his son, looking at him eye to eye. "I don't want to have to lose you as I almost did back in Traverse Town. That loss would be too much for me to bear. You're too precious to me. My death is the only expendable death here. I want you to go back with Riku and Sora."-

"No, father, I will not!" Cunla shouted.

"Do as I say, Cunla!" The Hound was firm, but then again so was his boy.

"No, I won't let you fight alone!"-

"This is not open for discussion! I don't want to see you hurt!"-

"And how do you think I feel?! What if you don't come back, that's something even you can't guarantee! And what about me?! What about me?! My life doesn't mean anything without you, dad!"-

"Cunla…"-

"Back in Traverse Town, you bestowed onto me a new geise that I was to decide my own destiny, that I was not to be bound by any type of fate, and that I was to follow my heart!" Tears began to fall from the boy's eyes. "Well, my heart says that it has to stay with you! I will fight by your side no matter what, father!"-

"Cunla…" Cuchulain could only smile. He approached his son and wrapped his arms around him, embracing the boy tightly. "You are right, Cunla. I have no right to deny you your destiny."

"Dad…"

Cuchulain then placed his left hand on his son's shoulder. He smiled one last time.

"I want you to forgive me, Cunla." He said.

"For what…?"-

"For this…" With a mighty lunge, Cuchulain punched the boy in his gut. Cunla's eyes widened as he fell to the ground.

"Father…why…?"-

"I'm sorry, Cunla." The boy fell unconscious in his father's arms. The Hound smiled. He then looked at Riku and Sora who were just as shocked of his deed. "Riku, Sora, I want you take care of Cunla for me alright."

"But, Cuchulain…" Sora uttered.

"I understand." Riku implied. "It was the only way you could persuade him otherwise."

"Yes…" the Hound said. He picked up his son and handed him to the key bearers. Sora lifted the boy in his arms with Cunla's head resting against his chest. "He's all I have, you two. Watch over him while I'm gone."

"You plan on dying don't you, Cuchulain."-

"If it has to come to that, yes…"-

"But what will we tell Cunla when he wakes up?"-

"Just tell him that his father will be with him soon and that he loves him very much." Cuchulain picked up the Gae Bulga and faced the hordes of faction allies who stood ready to storm. "I just had to take care of a few things first."

"Right…"-

"Now go, you two. Get out of here while you still can."-

"Yeah," Riku looked at Sora. "Let's go Sora."

"But…" Sora tried to speak, but could only turn away. He looked back one last time. "You take care of yourself, Cuchulain!"

"I intend to! I am the Hound of Ulster after all! I never lose!" He then looked at the unconscious form of Cunla nestled tightly in Sora's embrace. "And Cunla, if I don't make it, I want you to know that it was my greatest honor to know you. You will forever be my son and I will always love you…"

The three generals looked to the bridge to see the lone warrior standing between them and the eastern bank.

"What menagerie is this?" General Krade wondered. "We managed to defeat that final line of defense and yet now they only have one man standing against us?!"

"What a fool this person is." Fortinbras guffawed. "And he's wounded too!"

"This'll be easy." Alschezar chuckled.

"All units attack!" Krade ordered. "That bridge is as good as ours!"

The soldiers attacked in their waves towards the bridge. Cuchulain watched as the ranks of men drew nearer and nearer. He smiled and closed his eyes. He stood there as if not putting up much of a defense.

"He's only one man!" a soldier chuckled. "He'll be dead within a few seconds!"

"Victory is ours!" another cried. Three soldiers fired their blasters at Cuchulain, but the Hound suddenly threw his Gae Bulga before him and deflected the shots back. The energy waves struck the ranks of the Axis. Some of the Imperials were shocked at what they saw.

"Who is that guy?" one officer uttered.

"Come and storm this bridge if you wish," Cuchulain declared, "But only death awaits you on the other side! Only death awaits those who attempt to cross!" He opened his eyes. They had become that pale yellow. His K-9s sharpened, his body flexed and his aura grew greater. "To get to the other side, you have to get through me first!" He swung his Gae Bulga about to a defensive position. His voice was demonic and thunderous. It was enough to make even the most battle hardened of the Axis' S class elites to tremble in fear and apprehension. "I am Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster. The Champion of all Erin! Come at me if you dare, but be forewarned that by opposing me, you march to your own slaughter!"

"He's only one man, you idiots!" Krade shouted. "Attack him!"

The soldiers charged at Cuchulain with all their might, but such an action was what the Hound was thirsting for.

"Now, I have no reason to hold back…"-

The Imperials attacked by the hundreds at a time, but that did not waver the Hound. With his spear, he slashed at the ranks of the oncoming enemies. The strong sound waves silently pierced through the soldiers, inflicting severe internal injuries. Many of them died the moment of contact. The aura of the Hound was so terrifying that some of the soldiers fell to the ground, their minds filled with an unfathomable apprehension that caused them to contort or curl into balls. Cuchulain charged the lines.

"Face it boys," he snarled, "You can never hope to defeat the likes of me! I am the mighty Hound of Ulster!" Like a demon, he cut through the ranks of the faction soldiers left and right, many of them not knowing what struck them. Some emerged with serious wounds inflicted. Others found limbs suddenly missing. The majority of the soldiers, however, were killed out right with a slash to the throat and strike to the heart lungs and vital organs. And like a rock, Ulster's greatest champion stood his ground at the bridge, covering an area that he could easily maneuver to block the path. He held back the oncoming waves of the Imperials _as if he were fighting the sea itself._ Though wounded, his ferocity was still formidable and the Axis found it frightening and virtually impossible for one man to battle against wave after wave.

"Impossible," General Alschezar was shocked at what he saw. He saw soldiers falling by the hundreds at the front, some being blown into the air and falling to their deaths. "It's one against many…"

"He's only one man!" Krade shouted, "How can it be so difficult to defeat one man?!"

"That's no ordinary warrior, General Krade." Fortinbras uttered. "That is the father of the traitor Cunla! That is Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster!"

"What…?!" Krade's eyes grew large. The mere mentioning of the Hound's name caused his spine to stiffen. "Are you telling me that he is the legendary Hound of Ulster?!"

"Yes, he is one of the greatest warriors who ever lived. He was the same man who defeated Kahn, the infamous shadow master of the Cavendish Shinobies."-

"But Kahn was an undefeatable ninja." Alschezar said. "How could he be defeated?"

"It's true, that man was responsible for his demise."-

"But he's wounded." Krade chuckled. "He won't last for long."

"This is the Hound of Ulster we're dealing with here. He might be wounded, but his potency has not diminished. When he dips into the rage, his power knows no limits!"-

"Balderdash, he might be powerful than most, but he's still mortal and he can still get tired! Thus, he can also die! Once he hits his limit, he'll be easy to take out! It's one of him verses all of our men! They'll eventually wear him down and even the might Hound of Ulster will not be able to overcome! The rage alone cannot save him!"

Cuchulain fought long and hard with every minute passing feeling like an eternity. So far, he had not suffered any additional wounds besides the one he received at his side. But it was that one wound that slightly slowed him down. With every twist and turn of his body, the wound would cause him pain and a deep throbbing. The blood loss caused his bodily functions to shut down. But even despite a severe handicap, the Hound didn't yield. Physical wounds were nothing to him. He placed himself at the bridges path again.

"What's the matter, boys?" he said, "You seem scared."

"Don't be afraid of him!" one officer shouted. "He's wounded! He's no threat to us!"

"Is that so?" Those piercing yellow eyes glared at the officer. "Then why are you hesitating? Why don't you make an example of yourself and prove your bravery by sacrificing your life to me?

"Shut up you!" the officer looked to his men. "Shoot him!" The Imperials drew their guns and blasters and blazed away. But the Hound, as if seeing the bullets coming an beams coming at him in slow motion easily dodged. He twisted his body about evading some lead projectiles, at the same time twirling his spear about to make a makeshift shield, deflecting the bullets away. Some of the lead balls he deflected back at the Imperials, killing and wounding them in the dozens. He then leaped over the heads of the Axis soldiers and slashed away with the same devastating attack. The winds picked up and hundreds more went flying into the air and falling to their death, or simple sent tumbling rearward and crashing into the ranks of their condensed comrades.

"That can't be." He said. "He dodged a hail of bullets and deflected them like they were nothing."

"This guy," another added, "he's not human!"

"He…he's a demon!!" a third shouted.

"Fear not!" one officer cried. "He has to give in to exhaustion somehow! Keep attacking him!"

The Imperials attacked again, this time with greater force. Cuchulain, feeling the already rising limitations of his strength, withdrew to the other end of the bridge.

"He's giving up," one trooper cheered. "The bridge is ours!" The infantry rushed across the bridge.

"Behold," Krade chuckled, "The Hound has given up! Our troops were too much for him!"

"But why does he hold his ground on the other side?" Fortinbras asked.

The generals watched as the unthinkable happened. Cuchulain suddenly rushed at the soldiers using the infamous _Ferdia's Bane_ to strike at the soldiers on the bridge. Instantly, every soldier that crossed the bridge was killed by the effects of the attack. Many of them fell into the torrential waters of the Graakun River drowning, or dashing themselves against some of the jagged rocks that protruded above the water's surface below. Cuchulain slashed and struck at all who dared to cross the bridge. Again he went on the onslaught, letting out all the power that the rage could muster. Almost a blood-thirsty monster on the field, he hacked and killed without regret or thought. Some faction soldiers no older than Cunla were slain without a second thought. To the now raging Hound, their lives meant nothing. Already the bodies began to pile up around him. They topped one another on the bridge. Others that fell from the bridge were swept away by the river, or were caught or impaled on the rocks below. The Graakun itself began to turn crimson because of the number of bodies that began to fall. The bridge itself was pinked in blood, dripping from the mangled and mutilated corpses. In the area surrounding the bridge's western pathway, thousands more were left slain, their blood turning the once lush green fields of grass into a dying mixture of brown and red muck.

"You idiots," he said, "You underestimate me. I am more than just a man. I am also the supposed son of Lugh, the sun god. The rage is my birthright! So long as I have the rage, I can never be defeated by novices like you!" He picked up the bombs that were stationed on the bridge and detonated them as he threw them into the ranks of Axis. They unleashed massive explosions that killed hundreds more. It was truly a holocaust, a scene of unrivaled chaos and death. Death itself had a bloody harvest as soldiers were slain by the hands of Cuchulain. "I shall bathe in your blood, a demon that cannot quench his thirst for battle and gore!"

"My God…" Fortinbras uttered. "He's killed more men in the past thirty minutes than what the defense lines could do for the past few hours."

"Perhaps he is a god after all." Alschezar said.

"Nonsense," Krade was not ready to accept the invincibility of the Hound, "He's just a punk. He can be defeated, you just watch!"

"But he's killed scores of our men like they were insects! We must withdraw and rethink our strategy. There's no way that we can defeat him like this."-

"And have people start to think that the invincible S class elites of the Imperial Axis are nothing, but cowards?! No, I will not disgrace the names of the Three Excellencies just because of one man!"-

"General…"-

"He's only taken out sixty thousand or so, but that's not equal to the numbers we still have on reserve. Therefore, we keep sending our troops into the fray. I guarantee that sooner or later, the mighty Hound will waver and fall and all of Western Long Valley will be ours for the taking. I don't care how many men we have to sacrifice, it'll be worth it all! So onward my men, onward to glory! Bring the Hound's head on a platter and his heart in a box!"

The reserves rushed over the hill and charged down to their inevitable death. But despite the swelling in numbers, the Hound was not in the least scared. With every life he took, the more his lust for battle increased.

In the meantime, Riku and Sora had made it halfway to the defenses. The region they beheld was the thick forests of Eastern Long Valley. The smell of pine and maple, the twittering of birds over head and the scurrying of woodland creatures were a soothing sensation. Not like the noise of battle and the smell of blood and gore they underwent before. Cunla still lay unconscious in Sora's arms. Sora held him tightly as they continued to walk towards the line.

"This is beautiful," Sora said.

"It's certainly nice to have a peaceful atmosphere." Riku added. "You don't have to worry about anything. No bullets or beams flying at you, no one trying to cut you down with the edge of a blade or point of a spear." Their minds then dwelled upon the Hound who battled alone against a massive force. The scent of high energy levels in the air could be felt in the distance. "Cuchulain's going all out alright. He's using the rage to aid him."

"I've never felt the rage like this before. He's holding nothing back."-

"I can only imagine the devastation he's wreaking upon the Axis. A man like Cuchulain can battle all day and night, wounded or not. He'd even strike down the sun if it insulted him, or battle the crashing surfs of the sea." Riku then looked to the vast wilderness before them. Pieces of clothing and debris lay about in the forest indicating that a massive body of people had moved through only recently. "We gotta catch up with the others as soon as we can."

"I'm surprised that such a large body of people was able to move this far already." Sora implied.

"I'm just as surprised as you. Then again, Ophelia is doing the conducting after all."-

"Yeah…"-

Just then, there was a silent coo coming from Sora's arms. The two looked down to see Cunla slightly stir.

"Father…" he uttered. "Father…"-

"Go back to sleep, Cunla." Sora whispered in his ears. "Your dad will be here soon." Cunla closed his eyes and went back to sleep. "I hope anyway."

"Let's keep moving." Riku said. The two continued their trek. But no sooner had they gone fifty feet, they heard rustling in the bushes.

"Halt," a voice shouted. The key bearers were startled some to find Alliance skirmishers appearing from behind trees and shrubs.

Ophelia continued her work, keeping the people moving. The sun was starting to set when the last of the civilians had made it over pine ridge and were moving fast to keep up with the others.

"That's the last of them." Ophelia said.

"Well done, Colonel." General Devardios said, looking on at a job well done. "We managed to get all those civilians across the bridge over Pine Ridge in record time. A million and a half moved in only a span of at least four to five hours."

"It was thanks to those transports you sent for, Madam General. They helped a lot."-

"Things turned out better then expected."-

Just then, a soldier cried out from the Pine Ridge defense line.

"Madam General, Colonel Billiard," He shouted, "The key bearers have returned."

"What…?" both uttered. They rushed to the defense line. There, coming up the hill were Riku and Sora with Cunla embraced in Sora's arms.

"Riku, Sora," Ophelia cried.

"Ophelia…" Riku uttered.

"Are you guys alright?"-

"In most cases…"-

"What happened to Cunla?"-

"He'll be okay." Sora said, resting him up against a tree. "He just needed a little rest, that's all."

"I'm surprised to see that the Imperial forces aren't on your tail right now." General Devardios said.

"We had luck on our part."-

"You're not hurt are you?" Ophelia asked.

"We're alright," Riku replied. "But…"

"But what…?" Ophelia then realized that something was wrong. There were five members of the KH team that came to battle the Axis, but now there were only four reunited. "Where's Cuchulain?"

"The thing is…" Sora said. Both key bearers lowered their heads.

"The thing is what…?"-

"Cuchulain stayed behind to battle the Axis alone."-

"What…?"-

"Commander Cuchulain is fighting the Axis forces all on his own?" General Devardios asked.

"No wonder I felt massive surges of energy in the distance. That was Cuchulain's strength."-

"Yes…" Riku replied.

"But that's ludicrous. He can't possibly battle that massive force on his own." Ophelia then realized what it meant. She collapsed to her knees, her eyes so wide with fear of the Hound's fate that they drew tears. "Oh my God, he's planning to sacrifice himself isn't he?" Riku could not utter a word and only nodded. "We have to help him!"

"No…" Sora said.

"But why not?"-

"If we go to aid Cuchulain, we'll be acting more as a burden to him than aid. We don't have anymore potions to heal us. If we try and intervene and are wounded, then it's permanent. Then he'll have to worry about our safety too. And that's something we can't weigh him down with."-

"I can spare a company of men to give him a hand." General Devardios said.

"And how much of a difference did you think that would make?" Riku asked. "The Imperials would cut them down in an instant if they tried to help. Besides, it's already getting dark. By the time we get back there, the sun would have set." Riku looked to the direction towards Western Long Valley. He quietly spoke in his mind. "I think Cuchulain's time has come. That's why he's so willing to stand and fight to the bitter end."

As the battle ensured for a full two hours, with the sun setting behind the horizon, Cuchulain's body began to slow down. The rage had taken every ounce of strength he had. The area around the bridge was a grim, apocalyptic sight. The bodies of tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of Axis S class elites lay strewn about the battlefield. And still, the elites charged at him, attacking with all they had, but still no would was inflicted on the Hound except for the one strike of the spear he received. It was that wound that took its toll. Cuchulain had lost a great deal of blood and he could no longer maintain his stamina. He grasped at the wound as it winced in pain. His bodily fluid temperature was a abnormally high.

"My blood is hot from the rage." He said. "It has not diminished, but my body can't keep up with my determination. This wound…" he reminisced on that one incident. "Whoever that faction soldier was, he may have decided my fate forever." Cuchulain found himself all most surrounded by more faction soldiers, condensed around him like vultures. He continued to battle, striking down more enemies.

"He's slowing down!" one soldier said.

"Good, let's kill him!" another added.

"It's over for this guy." a third cried.

The Generals looked over to see the final stages of the battle unfold before them.

"You see," Krade said, "He's reached his limit. He can no longer fight our superior numbers."

"But at what cost did we suffer?" General Alschezar asked.

"A mere dent in our numbers nothing more. It was worth it though. Now an open road to Oceansburg lies before us. And even if we do meet a few patches of resistance, it would all be meaningless to resist."-

"That may be true." Fortinbras implied. "But the sun is setting now and it'll be dark soon. We were originally supposed to be at the gates of Oceansburg by this time and deploying our troops to aid the northern and southern attacks. But because of this resistance, who knows what effects have been going on."

"And that is the reason why we must go on." Krade looked to see the Hound in a very precarious position. "The Hound has been blocked off and he barely has any strength to battle anymore. Send in our troops to storm the bridge and proceed. The Hound is no longer a threat to us."

"But General."-

"Do as I say. I am after all the commanding general of this expedition."-

"Yes sir."-

The order was given as soldiers columns began to advance. Cuchulain watched through the dimming light that more soldiers were going. Torches ignited, the new columns moved down the hill and towards the bridge.

"I can't let it end like this." Cuchulain uttered. More soldiers around him attacked, but again he cut them down. "I have no other choice. It was the one attack that I only use for a last resort. And now is one of those times." Cuchulain looked to his friends I his mind. "Sora, Riku, Miss Billiard, it was an honor to fight alongside you. To Goofy and Donald, thanks for giving aid when you needed to. And to you Cunla, my beloved son, I will always cherish our time together. Remember me and my words and grow to be a strong young man."

Suddenly, the aura of the Hound began to pulsate. His body began to change again and his aura was clearly visible, shining like a beacon. The Axis elites could only look at the eerie and rather frightening sight. His teeth grew long and sharp. His eyes contorted, making one bulge out and the other cave in. His hair spiked up like that of a wild porcupine. His body twisted into a demonic, almost monstrous form. Upon his skin, the streaks of dark shadow appeared. He clutched the Gae Bulga in his hands. He had regressed to the ultimate form of the rage. The true Hound of Ulster.

The soldiers were scared now at the coming of this beast. The Generals looked on at this creature that had appeared and they were filled with an unspeakable terror.

"God in Heaven," Fortinbras uttered, "What is that…that thing?"

"It can't be the Hound of Ulster could it…?" Alschezar added.

"Kill it," Krade shouted, "Kill it!"

But suddenly, the Hound vanished, the reappeared, striking and cutting down men, not by the dozens, or even the hundreds, but the thousands. He slashed and cut with incredible speed.

"He's fast."-

"Too fast," Fortinbras added.

"He is a demon!"-

"Balderdash," Krade shouted, "I will not be intimidated by a freak of nature!" But then, the Hound rushed up the hill where the generals stood. Seeing his approach, they tried to scurry away, but their fear had gripped them in their place.

"He's coming!"-

"Evade!" Fortinbras shouted.

"It's too late for that!" Cuchulain growled. He struck and the three fell to the ground along with many of their men. The soldiers fired at him, but to no avail. Cuchulain's movements could not be detected, or anticipated. Thus, the element of surprise was strongly with him. Using up the last of his energy, he slashed and cut his way through the ranks of the Axis back to the bridge, leaving many dead and wounded in his wake. The Hound reached the area just before the bridge. The soldiers charged in, hoping to strike him dead, despite knowing full well of the fate that really awaited them. Cuchulain swirled and twirled the Gae Bulga around as the soldiers gathered around to stop him.

"Behold the Hound's ultimate attack!" he roared in a deep growling voice. "Spirit of Erin!!" He slammed the Gae Bulga into the ground and like a nuclear blast a powerful sonic boom sounded and blew away all the soldiers between the bridge and the hill overlooking it. A great pillar of light burst into the air, reaching for miles.

The surge of energy could be felt by the team.

"Did you guys feel that?" Riku uttered.

"Is that Cuchulain?" Sora added. "No it couldn't be. It was too powerful."

No sooner had they felt the surge of energy, the sonic boom was heard. The blast was so great, it shook the ground.

"That explosion…"-

"Riku, Sora, look!" Ophelia shouted. In the distance, the great pillar of light was seen.

"Is that Cuchulain?" Sora asked.

"It has to be." Riku replied. "Man, what an upsurge of energy."

"Look at that." The soldiers began to murmur as they saw this awesome sight. Some thought it to be the end of the world. Others figured the light to be an omen. Whatever it was, be it bad or good, the light gave some form of strong emotion to each trooper.

"Father…" Cunla uttered, still semi conscious. Within a few minutes of emerging, the light faded away like it never happened. And with the setting sun, the sound of battle ceased to be.


	87. Bravery Remembered

Bravery Remembered

A strange mist came over Long Valley, a fog thick and foreboding. So far, the night had passed without any incident. The soldiers at Pine Ridge, their skirmish lines fixed for a night watch, encountered nothing, but the peaceful night air. The KH team settled down next to a warm fire. Riku, Ophelia, and Sora sat close to the still sleeping Cunla. Sora draped a blanket over the sleeping boy and placed his arm around him to keep him warm. The fire blazed away, crackling. The energy that once plagued the atmosphere had vanished. Now only the thoughts of the team drew to Cuchulain who still remained vigilant at the bridge.

"It's quiet," Ophelia uttered, "too quiet."

"Do you think Cuchulain managed to hold them off?" Sora asked.

"I think so." Riku replied. "So far, there hasn't been any sign of the axis advancing."

"It feels kind of uneasy lying around knowing that the Axis is still out there."-

"The only thing we can do right now is sit and wait for Cuchulain to return."-

"I hope he's alright." Ophelia said. "He's out there alone in the dark and cold night."-

"Cuchulain's tough, he can take anything nature throws at him. He is after all the Hound of Ulster."-

"Still…"-

Just then, Cunla began to stir. The three looked to the boy. Cunla slowly opened his eyes and looked about. He could only see a blur at first, but as his vision regained its proper glare, he realized that he was surrounded by friendly faces.

"Sora…?" he uttered.

"Hey there, Cunla," Sora said, "Did you have a nice sleep?"

"Where am I? Father, father…?!"-

"Take it easy, kid. You're safe."-

"We're in Eastern Long Valley." Riku implied. "You have nothing to worry about."

"My dad, where's my dad?" Cunla asked. The three could only look away, not wanting to tell the news directly. Cunla looked at his friends. "Where's my dad? Where is he?"

"He…" Sora tried to get the words out, though his mouth was dry with fear. "He…he's back at the bridge, Cunla."

"He's at the bridge?"-

"Yeah, he's battling alone against the Imperial Axis' elite infantry even as we speak."-

"No, father," Cunla he threw the blanket off of him and tried to get up, "I have to help him!" But his three teammates took hold of him and held him down. Cunla struggled. "Let me go, you guys! Let me go! I gotta help my dad!"

"There's nothing you can do, Cunla!" Riku shouted. "You have to stay here!"

"No, no, I won't let my father fight alone! I gotta help him!" Cunla tried to break free, but the three kept him on the ground. "I promised to fight along side him! I can't let him do this alone!"

"You can't, Cunla." Sora said. "If you go out there, you'll only be a burden to your father. That means that all he's been doing was in vain. He's only trying to protect you. That's why he did what he did."

"He did it for all of us, Cunla." Ophelia added. "I know it's hard to accept, but there's nothing we can do right now."

"Father…" Cunla fell limp against the tree trunk, his eyes moistened with tears. He feared for his father's safety.

"We'll just have to wait until morning." Riku said. "The fog is too thick to see. And who knows, the Axis might have been able to pass by Cuchulain undetected and are marching through Eastern Long Valley as we speak."

Cunla curled up in a ball, lifting his knees to comfort his chin. Sora tried to comfort him, nuzzling the youth. Cunla looked up at the key bearer.

"My dad's all the world to me, Sora." He sobbed. "I don't want to lose him."

"I know." Sora replied. "We all feel the same way." The four could only wait until morning which was only a few hours away.

The fog stretched all the way through Long Valley, reaching to the battlefield itself. The thick of the fog made the heaps of dead upon the battlefield seem eerie and somewhat frightening. The Axis had stationed itself on the hill overlooking the bridge. The mist was so dense; the bridge itself could not be seen. Only the shadowy outline of its stone structure was visible. The Axis soldiers stationed themselves. Some clearing ground to light fires. Others helped to clear the dead and aid the wounded, waiting in apprehension when it was their turn to go. There were rumors of a supposed night attack on the bridge. But these S class elites, despite their experience on the battlefield, felt an unwavering fear in their hearts that refused to disperse.

General Fortinbras and General Alschezar looked to the field. Their ears were perked, hearing what sounded the large body of the creature moving stealthily about the dead.

"This is not good." Fortinbras uttered.

"Can you see anything?" Alschezar asked.

"The fog is thick. I can only see a sea of mist. But there's no doubt in my mind that the Hound is still out there."-

"Exactly how many men have we lost in this campaign?"

"The five defense lines alone cost us over seventy-five thousand men. It wasn't much of a loss to worry about. But this fight with the Hound, I believe we suffered at least four hundred thousand casualties, maybe a little over."-

"Unbelievable, and all that inflicted by one man." Alschezar said. "And a wounded man to top it all off."

"We still have one and a half million men on reserve though." Fortinbras said. "If we could unleash a night attack…"-

"That's out of the question. The men, despite being the crème of the crop, are not willing to go out there and fight the Hound who might still be lurking about the bridge. And I don't know about you, but moral is severely low. Our soldiers have concluded that their invincibility is nothing compared to the might of the Hound. If he could dispense with four hundred thousand S class elite soldiers on his own so easily, what would be the point of the rest of the men going into battle when they know that they'll end up the same as their comrades? The Hound barely left any wounded. Most of them suffered from severe internal injuries and died slowly, or were inflicted instant death blows to the throat. And besides…" Alschezar looked to the rear to a lone stretcher attended by three Midnight Faction elites. Upon the stretcher was the mangled body of General Krade. "With General Krade dead, there really isn't any need to sacrifice more men. I don't know how his death will cause the Midnight Faction troops to react."-

"I agree…"-

"He refused to see it, but our men were frightened and not willing to enter battle anymore than they already had to."-

"The Hound of Ulster has broken the back of the Axis. He cut down our men like grass. If a single man could do that, I can only imagine what the true elites of the Alliance are capable of."-

"This operation was a complete blunder." Alschezar said. "We should have been at the gates of Oceansburg by this hour and laying siege to the city as we speak. But because of the resistance in Long Valley, we lost a great deal of men and a great deal of time. The Axis S class elites have never lost so many men in such a short expansion period. And because of this delay, who knows of what kind of drastic changes have happened. I can only imagine what this battle has done." Alschezar sighed and looked to his men. "But perhaps if we do make for one last push, we might be able to get to our destination by a narrow margin."

"Would it be alright, despite the decrease in morality?" Fortinbras asked.

"If we take the opportunity now, we might be able to make up for this delay. We may have lost the element of swiftness and surprise, but it's not too late."-

"Maybe…"-

But fortune would again deny the cause of the Axis. A messenger approached the generals.

"General Fortinbras, General Alschezar," he said, "I have terrible news from the Southern front. This transmitted message just arrived."

"Terrible news," Alschezar asked. "What do you mean?" The messenger handed him the message. The general opened the paper and browsed the content. His eyes grew large as he skimmed the wording. "My God…"

"What is it, General?" Fortinbras asked. Unable to bring himself to speak, Alschezar handed him the conscript. He read it and he too became wide with apprehension. "Is this correct?"

"I believe so…"-

"The Southern front has crumbled. Kira Yamato's Coordinator Coalition managed to hold onto Gombria and force our mobile doll troops to withdraw. The city still remains in the hands of the Universal Alliance." Fortinbras crumpled the paper. "That means that…"

"That means that all of our effort was in vain. We were supposed to disrupt the flow of supplies on the Northern and Southern fronts. But because of this battle, the Alliance was able to buy enough time to allow their soldiers to maintain a strong defense and eventually topple our attacks. That means with the Southern front crushed, the Alliance will be able to deploy their air support to aid the Northern and Western fronts. That means if the mobile suits come to aid the Alliance forces here, they'd be able to cut us down like grass and we'd have no chance of retaliating. Even elite S class soldiers won't be enough when it comes to fighting an enemy that is airborne."-

"Sir," another messenger arrived with a transmitted message, "Another message from our headquarters." Alschezar took the message and read it. Again, his expression was the same. The awkward silence was apparent that the news brought was not appositive one.

"Bad news again?" Fortinbras asked.

"Yes…"-

"What is it this time?"-

"A large force of Alliance mobile suits and mobile dolls, at least five-hundred thousand strong, are touching down at Oceansburg. They'll be arriving at the city in a couple of hours. Also, a large force consisting of at least two million S class Alliance elites are said to arrive within the next seven hours or so."-

"My God..."-

"So even if we do manage to cross the bridge, we'd only have to give it up again to the Alliance shortly thereafter."-

"Damn it…" Fortinbras stomped his foot on the soil. "So what do we do now?"-

"The only thing we can do now. It's pointless to stay here any further. We have no other alternative. We must order a withdrawal from here as soon as possible, even though I hate the thought of it." Alschezar clutched his fists tightly. "Inform the men and tell them to withdraw from here."

"What about the dead and wounded."-

"We'll just have to make due without them for the time being. We have to hurry before the sun begins to rise."-

"Sir…" Fortinbras withdrew to inform the other commanders to assemble their men and begin their retreat from Long Valley.

Alschezar, curious of the field before him, took up a signal flare. Pointing towards the bridge, he fired it. The flare burst, unleashing a dim red light. From his point, Alschezar observed the battlefield. He saw the dead mounted in droves on the field, lying where they fell. He saw the bridge where many a mangled body of former storming troops lay. And at the other side of the bridge, he saw the Hound of Ulster, clutching tightly at his spear, posing at the ready. He was stationed against the stone pillar like a watchful dog.

"So," the general uttered to himself. "The Hound still lies in wait for us. I guess he truly is the greatest warrior who ever lived." Steadily, through the darkness of the night and into the wee hours of the morning, the axis dispersed, their hearts broken of defeat and their bodies weary from battle. The great Imperial conquest to Oceansburg had failed.

The morning came as quickly as night had done before. The fog was still thick, giving a strange gloom over the valley. Through the night, there had been no commotion. No sound of battle stirred the tranquil silence. It was during these early morning hours that the KH team made their way back to the battlefield. Cunla was the first to arise, running all the way back to the bridge in the dense mist. His heart pounded as he ran. He hoped that his father was alright.

"Dad," he thought to himself. "Please be okay, please be alive."

"Cunla," Sora cried, "wait up!" The rest of the team was close behind him, trying not to lose to boy in the fog.

"It's no use." Riku said. "His mind is on his father. It pointless calling out to him."

It wasn't long, however, before Cunla beheld the stone pillar emerging from the mist. He quickly passed it, ignoring the crazy structure all together and made for the bridge. The KH team passed the strange structure too, concerned only for Cunla's safety. As they came in sight of the bridge, all of them stopped to behold a grizzly sight. Upon the bridge, the decaying bodies of hundreds of men lay, some mangled on the walkway, others hanging over the side.

"My God," Ophelia uttered.

"Did Cuchulain do all this?" Sora wondered.

"So many dead," Riku added. They walked across the bridge, avoiding stumbling on the mounds of bodies stretched out over the stone walkway. Down below, they saw the drowned figures of more soldiers in the strong current of the Graakun. "Not a single soldier managed to make it to the opposite side of the river."

The sight only grew more terrifying as the team beheld the vat open fields of Western Long Valley. Appearing like phantoms, out of the morning fog, mountains of bodies were strewn about, covering every inch of grown. For a mile's extent, from the overlooking hill to the bridge, dead and wounded lingered about.

"He really killed a lot of men." Sora said. "It was a blood bath." Thousands of corpses were even found lying in areas where fighting didn't take place, perhaps victims of the massive explosion that Cuchulain unleashed the night before. There were only a few still alive, severely wounded.

"So many dead in such a small area," Riku thought, "Cuchulain must have gone all out, holding nothing back."

"But where is he?" Ophelia asked. She cried out his name. "Cuchulain, where are you?!"

"Cuchulain…?!"-

"Hey, Cuchulain, where are you?!" Sora shouted. "Are you alright?!"

"Dad," Cunla shouted. "Come on out!" Again and again, they trudged amongst the dead, calling for the Hound to show himself. But not a sign of him was seen, nor a response given by his familiar voice.

Suddenly, there was the sound of running feet across the bridge. The team looked through the dense fog back to the bridge. They hoped to see Cuchulain coming to greet them. But it was only a detachment of at least a hundred Alliance soldiers coming to aid the team. General Devardios was among them.

"Color Sergeant," They heard her shout. "I want twenty five men placed on the hillside, the rest of them spread out to find any survivors."

"Yes, Ma'am," the sergeant replied. "Shape up and move out, you men!" The troops quickly spread to fulfill their duties.

"General Devardios," Riku cried, "Have you seen Cuchulain anywhere?"

"There is no sign of Commander Cuchulain so far. But we'll keep searching." The general went off to aid her men.

"It looks like the Axis withdrew from here early this morning." Sora said.

"I know, but why?" Riku wondered.

"Perhaps it was because of the reinforcements." Ophelia implied. "They might have already arrived."

"You think…?"-

"No doubt about it. Perhaps in an hour or so, we'll be hearing the rockets of mobile suits and hover crafts descending down. The faction infantry wouldn't have been equipped to battle against those types of units. The Alliance would have shot them down like fish in a barrel." Just then, the sun began to appear, breaking up the thick fog. The field could be seen now and so could its horrific contents. But still, there was no sign of the Hound anywhere.

"The fog's clearing up." Riku said. "But I still don't see Cuchulain anywhere."

"Hey," Cunla cried. He pointed to the bridge. The team turned to see. Peering through the thinning fog, standing there up against the stone pillar, on the eastern bank, the figure of the Hound still stood at the ready. "There he is! I see him, I see him! Father…!!" Cunla was so excited, he rushed across the field, waving. He dashed across the bridge, wanting to greet his father so badly. The fog covered Cunla's tracks, making it seem as if the for swallowed him up with vengeance.

"It looks like Cuchulain's alright." Sora said. "He was still standing at the ready this whole time."

"He was there all along and we didn't notice him." Riku chuckled. "I bet he was trying to scare us."

"Well, come on. Let's get down there and welcome him back."-

The three quickly rejoined each other and rushed down towards the bridge into the fog. They eventually reached the other side, hoping to witness the tender reunion between father and son in time. But when they emerged, what they found was something completely different. Cunla stood before his father, shaken and paralyzed, as if something had been done to him. Then came the low moan of weeping. The boy lowered his head and began to cry.

"Cunla," Sora said. "Cunla…what's wrong?" Cunla suddenly fell to his knees and began to cry profusely as if a great injustice had been done. His crying turned to wailing.

"My father…" he uttered. "My father…is dead…"

The team was shocked at the youth's words.

"Dead," Ophelia said, "What do you mean dead?"

The team then realized what Cunla had meant. From afar, it seemed as if Cuchulain was standing guard. But as they approached, they came to see that it was no more than a clever illusion. Cuchulain had tied himself to stone pillar, using an old cloak, perhaps dropped by a civilian, and wedged the Gae Bulga between his back and the stone, so it wouldn't drop. Cuchulain was still alive when the faction withdrew, but slowly succumbed to the wound in his side. The stream of blood had trickled down his leg and spilled upon the rock, indicating that he died of blood loss. His life had passed only a couple hours before morning. The team could only gaze in horror of the reality. The mighty Hound of Ulster was dead.

"No…" Sora's voice wavered. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"Cuchulain…" Riku said.

"Dad…" Cunla sobbed, falling before his father. "Daddy…" Tears dripped from his eyes and his body shook like a leaf. He crawled over to his father, who was now cold as ice, yet still flexible. He gently placed his hands on his father's right leg and looked up. For that moment, Cunla believed that his father was still breathing and had a little life left. His eyes beheld the face of the Hound. It seemed that Cuchulain's eyes were slightly opened. He wished and prayed that perhaps his father was only sleeping. His senses not fully perked and his head filled with wishful thinking, Cunla believed that his father was still alive, despite the lifeless look in the Hound's eyes "Wake up, dad. We have to go, we have to go now."-

"Cunla…" Sora uttered.

"Please dad, you gotta wake up. We can get you some potion and make you better." Cunla tried to shake his father up, but Cuchulain only hung limp on the rock. "Dad, dad…" Cunla tried again. His weeping turned to wailing. "You can't die, you just can't die! You're the Hound of Ulster! You're Erin's greatest champion?! Was all that just a lie?! Was it all just a lie?!"

"Cunla," Riku shouted, "That's enough!" Cunla turned to them, his eyes teary.

"But Riku…"-

"There's nothing you can do, Cunla. Shouting at him will not bring your father back. He's dead…" Cunla was helpless, unable to move. He looked at his father. Laying his head upon Cuchulain's knee, the boy wailed and sobbed.

"Riku," Sora sternly said, "That was a mean thing to say!"

"What would you have wanted me to say, Sora?!"-

"Well, uh…"-

"Trying to cheer Cunla up would only be making things worse!"-

"But you didn't have to be so direct!"-

"That's enough, the both of you!" Ophelia shouted. "Arguing is not going to bring him back…" Riku and Sora lowered their heads in shame. "The least we could do is rest Cuchulain's body down. He doesn't deserve to be left hanging like that." Ophelia went up to Cunla and embraced him. Cunla turned to her and began to cry on her soft breast. Ophelia tightened her grip around him, her eyes filled with tears.

"My father is dead…" Cunla sobbed. "My father is dead…"

"It'll be alright, Cunla. It'll be okay."-

"This is not happening." Sora said, crashing to his knees. His eyes too dripped with tears. "It can't be happening, it just can't…"

"There's nothing we can do now, Sora." Riku uttered. "The least we can do is rest his body like Ophelia said."

"Yeah…" Riku helped Sora up and the two young men walked over the fresh body of the Hound. Untying the cloak from under his arms, they slowly lowered him and placed him next to the pillar. Cunla reached over to his father, feeling his cold body. Cuchulain's complexion was still warm, indicating that he had not been dead for very long. Like loyal comrades, they encircled the Hound's lifeless form, cradling him as if he had been a father to them all. The fog had cleared and the sun shined on the mourners as if reaching for the Hound's soul, lifting him into a bright afterlife.

"If only we had been here," Sora sobbed, "if only we had come earlier."

"There's no use for regret, Sora." Riku replied. "Cuchulain is gone."

"Father…" Cunla moaned. He put his hands to his face and bawled out more tears. Ophelia could only embrace him and comfort him, though her eyes were moist with sadness as well.

It was then in the distance that the sound of rockets could be heard over head. The team looked up to find the gummi ship and a hand full of mobile suits, including the reconstructed Freedom, touching down from a now clear sky. The wind picked up and dust flew about as the ship and suits settled on the grassy fields. As soon as they touched down, the rockets were disengaged and the hatches were opened.

From the gummi, Goofy and Donald appeared. They saw their friends and rushed to them.

"Riku, Sora," Donald shouted.

"Cunla, Ophelia," Goofy added. "You guys are alright?"

"Yeah," Sora replied with a semi-smile. "We're alright…most of us anyway." The two friends came before the mournful sight as they beheld the Hound lying dead in the arms of their companions.

"Cuchulain," Donald uttered

"Oh no…" Goofy was shocked. "Is he…?" Unable to speak, the team only nodded. Goofy fell to his knees. "But it can't be…"-

"Cuchulain is dead?"-

"He died no more than a few hours ago." Riku said.

"But how did he die?"-

"From his wound…" They saw the ghastly wound inflicted on his gut.

"He died to protect us." Ophelia added. "He died to protect all of us."

Goofy and Donald slowly approached and placed themselves close to Cuchulain's fallen body. They took off their hats and lowered their heads, paying their utmost respect to a brave hero.

At the same time, from out of the Freedom, Kira Yamato descended from his cockpit. He too came to realize the death of Cuchulain. He could only stand in shock at the sight.

"My God," he uttered, "Cuchulain…" Like a picturesque scene of a hero's dramatic death, the comrades of the Hound sat and stood around him, expressing their sorrow through weeping. A great warrior they highly admired was now gone forever.

At that same time, admiral Rellantando's relief force had arrived in their carriers, ready to descend into the Oceanarian atmosphere. He stood upon the bridge looking at the fleet's grandeur.

"Now, Oceansburg is at our mercy." He said to himself. "In a few hours, the Alliance capital will be burning and the great power that has endured millenniums of warfare will finally crumble from within." He turned to the bridge. "Prepare to descend."

"Lord Admiral," one of the operatives implied. "There is an incoming message from General Alschezar."

"And what is it that he wants?"-

"He bears terrible news, Your Excellency."-

"Terrible news?" Rellantando was curious. "What kind of terrible news?"

"The operation has failed." The declaration stunned the admiral who could not believe what he was hearing.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"The operation has failed."-

"What do you mean the operation as failed?!" Rellantando's voice rose to stern anger.

"The Western front was delayed to the point where they could not reach and support our Northern and Southern fronts in time. As a result of this delay, our Southern front was deprived of its strength and was forced to withdraw, allowing the Alliance to maintain a strong foothold on Gombria. The Allies have maintained control of the city and have been reinforced."-

"Damn it," Rellantando threw a fit. "You think this is funny?!" The admiral stormed over to the attendant and grabbed him by the collar. He then smacked the young man down. "You lie, this is all a lie! This is all some massive conspiracy to keep us from touching down! The Alliance only wants us to think that our attacks have been in vain! But they just say that to prevent us from touching down and helping our comrades in the campaign!"

"I hate to say this, Your Excellency," the captain implied, "But what he says is true. There have been several other reports saying that our forces had no choice, but to disperse."

"We wasted a great deal of time and effort conducting this operation and our plans were flawless. Don't tell me that this operation was not a success!"-

"What he says is the truth." A voice uttered. From the transmission system, a face appeared. Rellantando looked top find the face of Lord Sirius Viicous himself displayed on the screen. "Our forces had lost momentum when they met stiff resistance against the Alliance in Long Valley."

"Your Excellency…?"-

"As we speak, our forces are on the run. However, this mission was an extremely risky attempt from the start. We were making a big leap from attacking the outer territories of the Alliance to trying to strike the heart of the Alliance itself, hoping to bring a quick downfall to that establishment and all who serve it. Ergo, we placed our soldiers in an isolated area where no reinforcements could easily link with them. That is the reason why we brought in only the S class elites, thinking that they would be able to push all the way to Oceansburg and not lose momentum. But again there were factors that we did not take into consideration. As a result, our forces were forced at a stand still and were delayed their scheduled arrivals to their destinations."-

"There's still a chance, Your Excellency." Rellantando assured him. "All is not lost yet! If we attack the capital now, we'd be able to…"

"There would be no point. As we speak, a large force of S class elite alliance infantry are touching down to defend Oceansburg and the areas around it. To add there are at least five-hundred thousand Alliance mobile suits and mobile dolls already there to defend the city."-

"But this is our one and only chance to take down the Alliance for good!"-

"The one and only chance we had and we blew it. We lost more than the expected number of men on all fronts. From what Generals Alschezar and Fortinbras have told me, our S class elites suffered at least twenty-five to thirty percent casualties in Long Valley, our S class elites. That's more casualties suffered on them in a single campaign than what was inflicted for the past six years of battle. Also, one of my prized generals, Lieutenant General Conan Krade has been killed in action, causing moral to lower itself even more. And because we withdrew so many elites from our other campaigns, we've lost ten percent of our recently conquered territories in the past week or so. We can no longer concentrate our efforts on Oceansburg when there are other tensional areas that need to be looked after. Therefore, I am ordering a hasty withdrawal of all forces from Alliance territory."-

"My lord, I must protest this impetuous decision!" Rellantando was furious of the thought of assembling such a large force only to disperse them.

"There's no choice. We received word that Son Goten and Trunks Brief have arrived to aid the Alliance in Oceansburg. And as far as I know, there's not a single soldier, even amongst the S class elites that can go head to head with one of them." Rellantando clutched his fists tightly. He wanted to succeed, but at the same time he knew what would happen if they pressed on any further. He gave an agitated sigh.

"I understand. Then I shall do as ordered." With that the screen went blank. Rellantando threw himself on his commander's seat. "Captain, set a course back to Kambria. We're withdrawing to our headquarters."

"Understood," the captain replied. He turned to his men. "Set a course back to Kambria! We're leaving this airspace!"

"Aye, aye sir," The operatives replied, "Setting a course to return to Kambria."

With that final order, the fleet dispersed and withdrew back to Kambria. But even so, though needless deaths were avoided, Rellantando's blood still boiled over.

"The Alliance wins for now," he grumbled silently, "But if only we had managed to succeed, then perhaps we would have to worry about further Alliance intervention anymore."

At Long Valley, a cruiser accompanied by a squadron of Alliance Virgos descended upon the Eastern Banks of Long Valley. The ship settled down and from its hold President Sneer emerged down the ramp. Accompanying him were his most trusted officers, including Inspector Yamagata Kuroda.

"Make way for the president!" one of the officers shouted. Sneer spotted the KH team and approached them. The team saw him coming and quickly assembled. Well, Riku, Sora, Goofy, Donald, and Ophelia anyway.

"Sneer," Riku said, "We weren't expecting you to come here?"

"I've just received word." Sneer replied. "I came as soon as I could. Where is he?" The team lowered their heads and pointed to the stone pillar. There Cunla sat beside the body of his father. Sneer turned to his staff. "Stay here, I will deal with this myself."

"As you wish, Mr. President." Another officer replied. The president approached Cuchulain's resting place.

"I never would have thought that Cuchulain would die." Triiken said as he gathered with the KH team.

"You were just as shocked?" Sora asked.

"I couldn't believe what I heard. I never thought that he could die, not the Hound of Ulster."-

"It just doesn't feel right. It's like this is some horrible dream."-

"No," Riku said, "This is real. And Cuchulain's death was real. We have to accept it. There's no other way."

Sneer came before the body of Cuchulain. It was here that he would meet Cunla for the first time. Cunla sat there, his father embraced in his arms. He rocked back and forth with the Hound's lifeless body as if cooing him in a deep slumber. Cuchulain's expression seemed to glow with a warm happiness though his spirit had departed long ago. The boy looked up to find Sneer standing over him.

"You must be Cunla." Sneer said. "I've heard all about you."

"Who're you?" Cunla asked.

"I am President Sneer. I knew your father well and I've come to pay my respects." He knelt by Cunla's side. "I am truly sorry about what happened to your father."

"My father died as a warrior in battle. I think it's what he wanted."-

"I've come to give you this, Cunla." Sneer pulled out from his inner coat pocket a letter addressed _'friends.'_ He gave it to Cunla. "It was a letter your father gave to me as a keepsake. I hoped that I would never have to open this letter, but my hopes proved false. I think it more appropriate that it be opened by you and the friends he fought alongside with." The KH team gathered around to see what was happening. They watched as Cunla took the letter from the president's hand.

"What is it?"-

"This is your father's last will and testimony."-

"My father's…?"-

"Yes, he told me that when his death came, I or any of his comrades were to open this letter containing his final request and fulfill his dying wishes."-

"Did he know that he was going to die?" Sora asked.

"Cuchulain entrusted me and me alone to keep it a secret until the day he died." Sneer explained as he stood to lecture the KH team on the events leading to the final scenario. "He told me many times of his demise and how its foretelling came to him in a series of recurring dreams. He explained that his death would involve a sea of black and red and that it had every intention of drowning him. But he would fight and not hold back, unleashing the full extent of the rage. He would battle the sea until finally he unleashed a death pillar of light which burst into the sky with great magnificence. The sea would then turn away in fright. But in the process, he found himself falling, but not falling. And he would die, he would die standing up."

It was frightening to compare the similarities of the dream to what they found. Cuchulain had battled a sea of red and black, waves of faction soldiers. He unleashed the rage and the pillar of light seen the night before was his uncontrollable power released. Finally, he was found dead yet still standing.

"In a way," the president continued, "I think he knew it was coming and he knew it was his time to die."

"But why didn't he say anything to us though?" Sora asked. "We could have prevented it from happening."

"I never even detected such a thought in his mind." Ophelia added.

"Cuchulain knew of his demise, but didn't heed it any mind." Sneer said. "He knew that he would die and accepted it. He just wasn't sure of when, but he told me that if he were to die, he would fall as a gallant warrior, as the mighty Hound of Ulster. Then and only then would he unleash his strength to the utmost ability he could before entering the next world."

"Yes," Cunla said as he looked at his friends, then down at his father who seemed to smile. "My father did die a hero's death. He proved himself a great warrior and an unstoppable force."

"He will be remembered, not only as the Hound of Ulster, but the Hound of the Alliance."-

"Cuchulain…" Sora uttered inwardly with his mind nostalgic of the past when Cuchulain fought beside them. Sneer placed his hand on Cunla's shoulder.

"I swear to you, Cunla." He declared. "We will honor your father's death with the greatest memorial services that the Alliance has to offer. It was because of his sacrifice that Oceansburg still stands. And his name will reverberate through time, exceeding the names of kings, outliving the memories of great battles and conquests, even outliving our own."

"My father would like that." Tears fell from the boy's eyes and pelted Cuchulain's still face. "Father, now you belong to the ages." Cunla then glanced at the letter in his hand. He tenderly broke the envelope's seal and unfolded the letter within. He began to read the context left by the venerable hero.


	88. Separate Paths

Separate Paths

With the blunder at Long Valley and the attempt to overthrow Oceansburg and bring the Alliance to its knees, the mighty Imperial Axis severely dropped in morale. The operation was costly to the three branches and further tension between already fragile bonds started to widen. The factions were again on their guard, not only against the Universal Alliance, but themselves as well. Thus, as a declaration, the Imperial Axis withdrew from any major operations for the time being. This allowed a period of lull for the Universal Alliance. For the first time in their trek, the KH team members managed to rest and ease their weary minds and bodies. But this period of rest was anything, but a boisterous one. Their greatest member and supposedly best fighter, Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster, was dead. Now only mourning took over the minds of the team, who could only abide by the final wishes of their comrades.

Two days after the battle, preparations for a memorial service were made. Cuchulain's body was prepared for final exhibition. He was placed in a shiny, black coffin with a tinted glass top. In accordance to his final wishes, Cuchulain was dressed, not in the Alliance uniform he was formerly use to, but traditional robes of a Gaelic warrior of Ulster. Thus, his entourage consisted of a blue garment tunic with gold and silver trim, short sleeved, and draped at the knee. Over that was a leather vest, consisting of thin armored plates. Guarding his neck and shoulders was an armored crest of silver, it to consisted of individual metal plates. On his legs were green leggings with brown leather straps fastening the woolen fabric tightly around his shins and ankles. On his arms, he wore brown leather arm guards with metal bolts fastening it around. He was wrapped in an emerald green cloak of gold and silver trim and gold emblem fastening it around the neck. On his chest were placed a Gaelic sword and shield, representing the royal status of the king's favored foster son.

The body was shipped to Cuchulain's home land of Ulster where he would receive his benediction and final resting place. In his last will and testimony, he wished to be buried upon his home soil of Ulster, at the grounds of his home, Dun Dulgan. Though he was a universal hero, he found no better home than his beloved Ulster.

Ulster was a grand and lush land with its vast green fields, beautiful forests, and babbling streams and brooks. The gummi ship landed upon Dun Dulgan. The inhabitants of the castle, fearing this craft that landed upon their land, hid in fear. The KH team emerged from the hull. Riku, Sora, and Ophelia were dressed as they always were. Goofy and Donald, however, emerged dressed in a black and grey entourage, being more appropriate for funerary processions. Cunla, on the other hand had changed entirely. He was dressed in a traditional Gaelic ensemble, similar to his father with armor, tunic, leggings, and cloak, but all in shades of black and grey. In his hand, he held his father's mighty weapon, the Gae Bulga. As said by Cuchulain, if he were to die, his weapon would be passed to the one who bore his blood in his veins. The team looked about.

"So this is Ulster, eh?" Riku wondered.

"This is really nice country." Sora added. "I see why Cuchulain wanted to be buried here."

"Your father must've really loved his home." Ophelia said to Cunla. But Cunla did not respond. His mind was still on his father. He could only nod solemnly.

It was then that another ship, a large Alliance cruiser, appeared in the sky. It landed no more than a few feet away from the gummi. As it settled upon the ground, the hatch opened and there emerged President Sneer himself, leading a procession of Alliance honor guards, who led the casket bearing the Hound down the ramp on a floating platform. Black draped drums pounded out their loan notes as the procession came before the castle of Dun Dulgan.

Upon the wooden barracks of Dun Dulgan, some of the guards appeared with their spear, lance, or sword and shield at the ready, in case these visitors were hostile. The Alliance columns halted and stood at attention. Sneer and the KH team advanced to the gates.

"Halt," one of the warriors shouted. The team stood their ground on command. "Who are you and what business do you have with the master of Dun Dulgan?"

"Who is your master?" Sneer cried.

"He is Ulster's greatest champion, Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster, gone these many years on a journey to the other world!"-

"Then I bear bad tidings to the fate of your lord for he has been slain in battle! We bear his body back to his birthplace for the right of final passage!"-

"How do I know what you way is true?"-

Cunla suddenly came forth and drew up the Gae Bulga. The guards were shocked to see such a familiar spear held before them.

"Let this be proof that what we say is true!" the boy shouted.

"That is the spear of Cuchulain, the Gae Bulga." One soldier uttered.

"Who are you, boy?" another guard asked.

"I am Cunla, son of Cuchulain." The boy replied. "The Hound's blood runs through my veins! Thus, I demand entrance into Dun Dulgan!"

The guards, having no choice, opened the gates of Dun Dulgan. The procession went in. Cunla lowered his father's spear and lead the party into the fortress. The procession presented the coffin of Cuchulain to the inhabitants who slowly made their way out. They gazed upon the dark casket, wondering of the identity of the dead man inside.

From the main building of the castle, a young woman of extraordinary beauty appeared. She had lovely, hazel green eyes and her flowing amber hair, intermingling with her virtually perfect womanly form made her seem angelic. She was dressed in a flowing dress, representing that of a high status lady. She came before the Alliance procession.

"What is it that you people want?" she asked.

"We bear the body of Cuchulain back to his home." Sneer said.

"My Setante…? No, my Setante cannot die. He is Ulster's greatest warrior."-

"And who might you be, miss?"-

"My name is Emer. I am Setante's mistress. The man, whose body you wield, is not my lord."-

"Then let your eyes look upon him and judge him for yourself." Sneer turned to his soldiers and gave the order. "Let them behold the warrior's face." The soldiers opened the casket. Emer gazed upon the cold face of the Hound. Her eyes did not deceive her, nor did the eyes of the people around her. Immediately, a great wail of mourning arose as men, women, and children alike could only cry and shout in tearful whimpers as they beheld their dead champion and lord. Emer came close to the coffin and placed her hand upon her late husband's face.

"Setante," she cried, "No, my Setante, you are dead? My love, how could you be dead?!" She placed her head to his chest and wept over Cuchulain.

"I am truly sorry for your loss, Madam Emer." Sneer implied.

"How did he die?"-

"The way he always wished, as a warrior in battle. He fought a sea of ferocious warriors, but did not waver in his stance. He battled 'til his very life ceased to be."-

"Setante…" Emer continued to weep over him. "My beloved Setante, even after all these years, you are still so young with that boyish face, so fair even in death." She kissed him upon his cold lips. "You were my one true love. No man could have taken your place. No one could have lived up to you, your name, and your deeds."

"Let us honor him, Madam. He awaits his final resting place."-

Word was sent throughout Ulster of the Hound's death. Word spread to all four kingdoms. It even went so far as to reach the Island of Skya and the Land of Shadows. Though former enemies, the kingdoms of Connaught, Leinster, and Munster brought forth their top officials to show respects to a man whose strength was legendary in all of Erin, many of them were survivors of the Imperial invasion that took place over a decade before, when the Dark Empire still reigned. Amongst them was none other than the venerable Conchobhar Mac Nessa, king of Ulster. He had lost his left arm and was inflicted a deep scar over his right eye when he battled against the Imperial forces, losing his limb to Kahn of the Cavendish Shinobies. Along side him was Cathbad, his druid advisor. Also present was Conchobhar's foster-son and Cuchulain's foster-brother Conall. There was also former Red Branch warrior and former King of Ulster Fergus Mac Roth, father of Conchobhar. After the splitting of the Red Branch, Fergus became a member of Connaught. But despite his defection, he made himself present amongst former comrades to pay respect to a universal hero. There was also the rather weak monarch, King Ailell Mac Mata of Connaught. He had lost the use of his right eye and his left leg after being attacked by Maeve, who was once his queen and mistress, as an act of her defection in favor of the Imperial regime.

It was the first time in over a decade that the Red Branch had come together since its break up years before. The warriors stood in their ranks, standing at attention. Next to them was Cuchulain's childhood brigade, the Boys' Troop. Youngsters, some no older than Cunla, stood with their weapons presented, each face stern, or curious of what was occurring. Many of them only knew Cuchulain by reputation alone. So mourning seemed rather unusual. The Alliance troops stood at attention, with their weapons drawn and their banners unfurled. The Cuchulain's casket was placed over a deep pit, a stone pillar marking as a grave sight.

The procession went on with each of Cuchulain's closest friends telling of their bond with the Hound and expressing their grief without fear or shame. Some of the warriors who came to speak their mind could only break down before a word was uttered. Others would talk, showing their respect, but not their emotion. Emer told of her times with Cuchulain, referring him as Setante through her speech. Her eyes red with tears, her voice wavered with sadness as she spoke. In the end, she could not completely finish and broke down in tears again. Several of the warriors had to escort her.

Sneer was the first of the Alliance members to speak. The members of the KH team stood before the coffin and spoke out, telling of their bonds with Cuchulain, how they met, what he was like, what impact the Hound had, and how much his dead affected them. Each one was touching, full of passion, and at times gave a sense of pride. But it was Cunla's speech that touched the hearts of everyone present. He stood before the casket, his eyes moist, yet strong. It was without a doubt that the boy was Cuchulain's one and only son. With the Gae Bulga clutched tightly in his hand, Cunla stood tall and proud before the Red Branch, the KH team, the Boys' Troop, and the Alliance.

"There is not much I can say about my father." He began. "I only knew him for a while. But that while seemed an eternity to me. Only a few weeks ago, perhaps a month's extension, that was the very first time that he and I ever met. And when we did meet, it was not as father and son, but rather as enemies unaware of who we faced. We were on opposite sides he and I. He was a warrior hoping to protect those who needed it. I was a warrior seeking only to fill my lust for battle. I also was hoping to seek out my father, so that he would accept me for the warrior I was. However, all that time I didn't realize he was facing against me from the start. I had always been told of his deeds, his gallantry, his victories, triumphs, and whatnot, and especially his ferocity and unyielding bravery. I had expected a man who stood tall, stern, showed no weakness or emotion, a perfect warrior, a perfect killing machine. I was even expecting a warrior that was closer to a god than a man. But when I finally got to meet my father, he was completely different from what I had expected. Instead of a warrior with the status of a god, he was only a man, mortal and vulnerable that bled and sweated, and was filled with feelings and emotions. He was not thirsty for battle continuously, but philosophical in thought and tranquil in mind. Only in battle was he ferocious. But I have seen a side to him which seldom few have known. I've seen a side that was humorous, a side that was compassionate and a side that showed great sadness as well as tenderness. My father did not enjoy the thrill of the hunt as you might have thought he did. He did not lust to kill. He had regrets. After enduring epic battle after epic battle, he came to realize how tragic war is. He always said that ambition of a certain few gives rise to chaos. He believed that people have the right to live their own lives and to express themselves as they will. Though conflict may arise every so often, eventually those people would set aside their differences and can find a way to coexist. He came to realize that compared to the larger picture, the squabbles of his homeland seemed insignificant. He admitted that his home would always be Ulster, but he hoped that one day, the four kingdoms of Erin would converge in diversity and become a single strong nation."

The people were awed by the boy's voice. His tone was as stern as Cuchulain's yet as soft as Setante.

"If you look at each other, we are all the same. Whether you are a man or woman of Ulster, Munster, Leinster, or Connaught, you are all people of Erin. Thus there is no need to continue fighting against one another. Some of you were once men of Ulster. Deep down, despite the wrongs inflicted in the past, you are still men of Ulster. At the same time, you have learned to integrate into your new home. That is what it truly means to live in peace, by understanding the ways of each other. My father had hoped that one day when he returned, he would do all in his power to see Erin become a great united kingdom. Remember him not as a hero of Ulster alone, but a hero of Erin who fought a great enemy for the sake of preserving his home as a whole. From this day forward to eternity, my father's name and legacy will always be remembered." Cunla turned towards his father's casket. Looking over the Hound, he became nostalgic of times long past. "May your name live through the ages, dad!"

Cunla knelt before his father's casket and bowed solemnly as if he stood before a king. Cunla's words had struck the hearts of each person present, far deeper than any blade. Conchobhar Mac Nessa was the first to kneel. His Red Branch Warriors soon followed in his example. The Boy's Troop did the same followed by the warriors and representatives of Connaught, Leinster, and Munster. The Alliance soldiers too knelt in humility. The color guard still stood at attention, but lowered the banners to half mass. Sora and Riku watched as each head was bowed.

"Cunla…" Sora uttered with a smile. He threw himself on one knee and bowed as well. The others followed the gesture. There was a silence amongst the masses. In the distance, the sound of pipes could be heard, intermingling with the pounding of drums. For a great while, the four kingdoms were united as they paid respect to the greatest hero that both Erin and the universe had ever known.

A squadron of ten Alliance soldiers stood and detached to form a single rank not far from the procession. As the pipes and drums continued to play away, the squadron aimed their guns in the air and gave off ten volleys, honoring Cuchulain with a one hundred gun salute. The Gaelic warriors and their families were first startled by the roar of the guns, not knowing what it was that caused the thunder. But seeing the Alliance and the KH team steadfast in solemn stance, they figured the noise only to be paying homage to Cuchulain. Sneer came before the coffin with two of his men. He placed his hand upon Cuchulain's chest.

"Rest in peace, Cuchulain…" Sneer said. His frog eyes red from weeping. "At ease…" As he backed away from the coffin, he watched as the guards closed the lid, concealing the Hound's face forever. Cuchulain's body was thus lowered into the ground, forever to rest in eternal slumber. Six feet the casket descended before touching the bottom of its abyss.

Six of Cuchulain's comrades, who had served with him long ago in the Boys' Troops and the Red Branch, took the honor over sealing the grave with dirt. As they covered it, the masses dispersed in silence. But the one's who stayed to watch the final scoops of dirt placed on the grave were Cuchulain's closest comrades. Riku, Sora, and the entire KH team remained. Sneer remained for a while longer. Conchobhar, Conall, and Fergus remained. And Emer stood the closest, crying out her tears as she watched her beloved husband leave her side forever.

"Setante," she cried, "Without you, what'll I do!"

"It's gonna be alright, Emer." Conall said. "Setante would not want to see you like this. He wants you to be happy." He wrapped his arms around her, trying to comfort her. Emer threw herself into Conall, her wailing increasingly louder.

"Riku, Sora," Sneer suddenly implied. The KH team looked at him. "I must withdraw my men for now, my friends. There are other matters that I must see to."

"I understand." Riku replied. "It must be hard being the president of the Alliance. You don't even have time to mourn. The Axis would never allow you to rest."

"Unfortunately…" He shook each of their hands. "You'll be alright?"

"We'll manage." Sora told him. "Cuchulain might be gone, but his spirit lives on. And he'll watch over us, fighting alongside us as if he never left."

"That's good to know." Sneer then looked to Cunla and placed his hand upon the boy's shoulder. "I hope that you can recover from this loss, Cunla. Your father always gave it his best and knew what to do. There's no man better than he." Cunla could not utter a word. He was still trying to overcome his father's death. He only nodded, acknowledging Sneer's words. Sneer patted his shoulder and withdrew to his ship. The honor guards followed in their formations. The team watched as the large cruiser ignited its rockets and lifted into the sky, then vanishing within minutes of liftoff.

"Shouldn't we get going too?" Donald asked. "We still have to find General Saber."

"As soon as Cunla is ready," Riku advised, "Then we'll go. Give him some time to recover from this tragedy."

Rain clouds began to form overhead. Sounds of thunder and flashes of lightning could be seen and heard.

"It's about to rain." Conchobhar said. "We must withdraw indoors. There is a Maelstrom coming."

"Stay for a while." Emer implied with her wavering voice. "Stay for awhile and keep me company. Otherwise, I'll feel so utterly alone."

"Then we should get going too." Riku said. "Donald, get the gummi ready."

"No," Emer looked to the KH team. "Please stay a while. You must come in and tell me of my husband in the other world. I must know."

"Of course," Sora replied. "We'll stay a while and keep you company."

"Sora," Riku said.

"I don't think it's right to just go off after we just buried our close friend, Riku. We should at least stay for the night and rest up a bit."-

"Well," Riku could only sigh. "Okay, just one night."

"Thank you all." Emer wept. The party began to withdraw as the first few drops of rain sprinkled upon their heads. But Cunla remained steadfast, still gazing over the fresh grave of his father. Sora stood next to him and placed his hand upon the boy's shoulder.

"Cunla," he said. "Let's go inside."

Cunla could only turn slowly, his head lowered, as if he himself were the walking dead. Sora aided the boy, leading him back to the castle and warm shelter.

It was late afternoon as the KH team was nestled in. The team was given a single bedroom in which to sleep. The group gathered in the main hall where drinks of Mead were passed about. The KH team did not touch the stuff. There was a gloomy silence in the room as each person present reflected back on Cuchulain's memory. The only thing that seemed to make such a loud racket was the fire. Certainly, there was converse within the group, but nothing boisterous. Only talk of the Hound's life and the events leading up this demise. Riku and Sora told of the things that happened in the other world and what encounters they experienced. The Ulster men and Emer were fascinated by their tales.

"I see," Fergus pondered at the thought of what ever happened to Queen Maeve. "Maeve defected against her own kingdom in exchange for Imperial might. It was just like her to always waver in favor of the greater power. I guess she saw the strength of Connaught was insignificant compared to the invincibility of the Empire. She now goes by the name of Scimitar, but was recently captured by the Alliance."

"I always knew that her ambition would lead to her downfall." Conchobhar implied. "She wanted too much for herself." The king smirked suddenly. "But tell us how she was taken prisoner. It's not like Maeve to be taken prisoner without a fight. How was she subdued?"

"Cuchulain defeated her." Riku replied. The Ulster men were stunned.

"Is that so?" Fergus asked. "Well, well, I always wondered what the outcome would be if both of them were to face one another."

"Cuchulain had no equal." Conchobhar chuckled. "Even the mighty warrior queen of Connaught was a flicker compared to my fosterling's raging fire. I bet he emerged victorious at every battle he engaged in."

"Not all of them." Donald said.

"What do you mean?" Conall asked.

"Well, there was one man that Cuchulain couldn't overpower." Sora explained. "But then again, none of us had the strength to over power him. He's a guy named Lu Bu."

"Lu Bu, eh…? Is he very strong?"-

"He's one of the strongest we ever battled."-

"But Lu Bu's a freak." Riku added. "He was stronger than most. He's up there with Cuchulain. I mean the only guys who'd ever be able to compete with him one on one would be those who wouldn't die even after being stabbed in the heart."

"I hope we would never have to face someone like that then." Fergus said. The Ulster men took another swig of their mead.

"Now," Conall asked, "Tell me about my foster brother. How did he die? I heard from that Sneer fellow that he was killed fighting a sea of enemies. Is that true?"

"We didn't actually see the fight itself." Ophelia implied. "But we did feel Cuchulain's incredible strength rising in the air. When we returned to the battlefield, we saw that he inflicted so many casualties on the enemy ranks. More casualties than we thought was even possible"

"How many…?" Conchobhar asked.

"Perhaps the number was in the hundreds of thousands." The Ulster men were again shocked.

"Setante," Emer uttered, biting her thumb at the thought of her love slaying hordes of men, "He really killed so many men?"

"There was no other choice." Sora said.

"Setante…" Emer looked away to concentrate deep in her mind her husband's final moments.

"We think that Cuchulain might have died from a deep wound he received in his gut earlier that same day." Ophelia told them. "But even though he was wounded, his rage and strength did not diminish."

"In the end," Sora added, "Cuchulain used the last of his strength to tie himself to a pillar of stone so the Imperials wouldn't dare to advance anymore than they had already. I guess they were really shook up after seeing the deaths Cuchulain inflicted on their comrades. Not of them had anymore courage to advance any further."

"You might say that he died standing up." Donald declared.

"Incredible," Conall said. "So that is how my brother died."

"It certainly befits Ulster's greatest champion." Conchobhar added. "I always knew that Cuchulain would die standing up."

"My Setante…" Emer said, trying to crack a smile beneath her sadness.

"Cuchulain was the best there was." Sora explained. "Despite being vastly outnumbered, he held his ground."

"Even in death, his ferocity did not diminish." Conall could only think of the tragic, yet glorious end of his brother. "My brother was wise beyond his years and obtained a strength that even the greatest Gaelic warrior of the four kingdoms or even in antiquity itself could only dream of grasping."

"Perhaps Cuchulain had the right idea though." Conchobhar was fascinated by the thought of a united kingdom of the Gaelic people.

"What's that father?"-

"A united kingdom of Erin, all four corners of this land under one banner. If we could unite the four kingdoms under one banner, the endless need for battle would no longer be necessary."

"But you know as well as I, father that after what went on years before, the other three kingdoms would be reluctant to merge into a single power with Ulster."-

"Especially after the Deirdre incident," Fergus implied. "That was the single even that caused the Red Branch to split in half and forced Ulsterman against his former brethren. A beautiful woman like Deirdre and her lover, along with his brothers killed for the sake of a jealous king's lust." Conchobhar sighed, regretting his actions that split Ulster.

"I admit it alright? I admit that ordering their execution was a despicable act for me to commit and I am sorry for what happened. I know that I have done many wrong doings in the past, but perhaps I could make up for it and make amends with our neighbors."-

"But even if we were to come in to good terms with them, those individual kingdoms aren't willing to sacrifice their ways of life or their heads of leadership for the sake of a united Erin kingdom. To add, three of the four kingdoms would howl at the thought of some foreigner of a neighboring monarch to ascend as absolute ruler of Erin."-

"Perhaps we could arrange a negotiation with Leinster, Connaught, and Munster. You have ties with Connaught, father. And with Queen Maeve now held as a faction prisoner to the Alliance in some other world, there is nothing that can prevent us from taking such measures. King Ailell of Connaught is a weak man and could easily be persuaded."-

"Are you asking me to threaten his position?"-

"No, there will be no forceful acts this time. After what has gone on since the day the Empire invaded, I would like to refrain from taking more lives in an all out conflict. I only wish to negotiate."-

"Are you feeling alright, father?" Conall asked.

"What do you mean?" Conchobhar was curious of his foster son's statement.

"We'll I never would have thought that I'd hear such words from you, negotiating with our neighbors. Usually, it would be invasion."-

"If Cuchulain's spirit looks down on us as we speak, I don't think he would approve of me using such barbaric tactics."-

"I do believe you have something there, Conchobhar." Fergus implied. "Perhaps if we could somehow negotiate, then we'd be able to work out a course of bringing the four warring kingdoms together."

The KH team listened to the growing plans of uniting Erin under one banner, little realizing that someone from their own party had gone missing. Sora happened to turn, hoping to mindlessly gaze at his friends. But to his surprise, there was a seat that had been vacated. Cunla had disappeared from the gathering.

"Hey, Riku," Sora said.

"What is it, Sora?" Riku asked.

"Have you seen Cunla anywhere?" Curious of his friend's statement, Cunla turned to see the place, which Cunla had been occupying, vacant.

"Well, where did he go?" The KH team's attention was suddenly turned to the missing boy.

"You know what," Donald said, "I didn't even see Cunla get up and go."

"He didn't utter a word the entire time we were sitting here." Ophelia added. "I didn't realize he was gone."

"I saw him get up." Goofy implied.

"You did?" Donald asked.

"Yeah, he went outside I think. He had that sad look on his face."-

"I see," Riku uttered.

"Then maybe, we should go keep him company." Sora said. He made ready to stand, but Riku sat him down again.

"No, Sora,"-

"Hey, Riku, what's the idea?!"-

"Leave Cunla alone,"-

"But why?"-

"He has a lot on his mind right now." Riku replied. "He doesn't want to show it, but he's still grieving for his father. Despite his best to maintain his emotions, the thought keeps reverberating in his mind."

"Riku…"-

"He comes from a proud warrior heritage. Not showing emotion is critical to maintain strength and honor. The last thing that Cunla wants us to see is him breaking down again. The loss of Cuchulain is tearing him apart from the inside." Sora lowered his head. Riku put his hand on Sora's shoulder. "I know it's tough to think of him alone, but Cunla needs to sort things out for himself right now. Trying to comfort him might not help or may only make things worse. He'll come back when he's ready."

The rain poured hard outside, drenching everything not sheltered. It was outside the gates that Cunla walked about. He had put on his faction uniform and walked about in the downpour. His clothes were soaked, but he did not waver. Though he might have gotten sick, the boy toughened out the rain, caring not for his condition. He came before his father's grave, gazing at the soaked soil where the body of the Hound rested. He then gazed upon the great stone pillar where his father's birth name was inscribed alongside his warrior title. Cunla was silent. Though he did not whimper or wail as much as he did before, the tears continued to fall from his eyes intermingling with the raindrops on his cheeks.

There was a moment of solitude for the young Son of the Hound until he heard the sound of footsteps approaching behind him. It was the sound of a large body approaching. It stopped no more than a few feet away.

"I never would have thought that I'd ever see you again." A voice uttered. To Cunla this voice was very familiar. He slowly turned his head.

Behind him was a woman, perhaps in her late twenties, or early thirties. Her blazon was fair, though covered under a vest of armored plating. She wore a thick green cloak that shielded her from the rain. The cloak's cape had a hood that covered the woman's head, allowing only a shadowy glimpse of her face and a few strands of dark blonde hair to hand down. Her eyes, though obscure by the shadow, gave a hint of brown. The woman took her hood off. It was Ayfa, Cunla's mother.

"Mother," Cunla uttered. He approached his mother.

"You've grown up, my son." She said. "It's been too long." She bore out her arms and the two embraced. For some reason, however, her hug did not comfort him. Rather, the boy was uneasy. But he didn't care.

"I thought you were dead."-

"I never die, my son. Even those Imperials couldn't outdo me." Cunla looked at his mother. Ayfa smiled, but for some reason the smile she gave made Cunla uncomfortable. She released him and looked to the grave of the Hound.

"My father," the boy said, "He's dead."

"Yes, I know." Ayfa replied. She walked up to Cuchulain's grave. "I never would have thought that he would die. I had to see for myself that it was true. Word was passed along quickly. Seafarers told of your father's demise and I rushed across the channel as fast as I could."

"You don't seem surprised about it, mom. You don't even seem grieved that he's dead."-

"Emotion is a weakness, Cunla, remember?"-

"I remember."-

"Your father was a warrior and he died. It's what is expected of one who picks up the spear and the sword." Ayfa turned to her son. "You did very well, Cunla. You've fulfilled your vow and your goal…as well as my wishes." Cunla was curious.

"What do you mean, mother?"-

"So did you have to battle your father when you first met?"-

"Yes," Cunla was getting edgy on where the conversation was going. His mother seemed to show no emotion whatsoever. Even in the pouring rain, her eyes were dry.

"And did he prove to be no match for you…?"-

"Yes…" Cunla started to get the feeling that there was a darker motivation to his mother's sudden appearance. Thus, he played the fool for a while.

"Then my wishes have been fulfilled." Ayfa boasted. "The meeting between you and your father was meant to end in tragedy."

"What do you mean?"-

"I wanted to tell you after the task was done. I didn't want you to get the wrong impression behind my motives. Your father committed a great sin against me, betraying my feelings and my honor, making me feel sick and angry."-

"Sin," Cunla asked, "What kind of sin?"

"He took up another woman over me." Ayfa replied. "He was the only man I truly loved. But when I heard news that he had taken in another woman to be his mistress, that broke my heart, and after I went through the trouble of bearing him a son too. Thus, I vowed to take revenge against your father, Cunla. I raised you just as he wanted. I made you a champion, gave you a champion's geise: never to give in to an opponent, never to give your name to anyone, and never to refuse a fight with anyone. Then I taught you everything I knew about combat, sharpening your skills up until the Empire invaded. I managed to survive that onslaught somehow, but you were already gone. All this time I thought you were dead, and my hopes for revenge were dashed. But yet you stand here, and a handsome young man you've grown into. Plus the presence of your father's grave indicates that you had done what I hoped." Cunla was shocked.

"You wanted me to kill my own father?" he uttered. He lowered his head, the bangs covering his eyes

"I know it seems cruel, but it was for the best. You had to take that path to restore your mother's honor." Ayfa turned around and approached her son. She then placed her hand upon his shoulder. "I'm proud of you, Cunla. You have done justice for me." But Cunla hit his mother's hand away. She was puzzled.

"How could you say that? How could you even think about saying something that despicable?"-

"Is there something wrong?"-

"Is there something wrong?! Well, what do you think?! All this time, you trained me and gave me a warrior's geise just so I could kill my own father." Cunla turned around. "I just realized what you had intended now that you've revealed your true motives. You wanted our meeting to end in tragedy from the start. You gave me those three geises to guarantee that what you planned would come into effect. With those three prohibitions, when I met my father, I could not reveal who I was. If he challenged me to a fight, I could not back down. And if he didn't know who I was, he'd battle me without holding back. At the same time, if I didn't stand a chance, I could not surrender to him, fearing of breaking my karma. No matter how you would look at it, our fate was doomed from the start." Cunla looked to his mother. "You wanted my father to suffer, didn't you? You wanted him to die by my hands. Either that, or if he had slain me, he'd suffer as he lingered in life knowing that he was the one responsible for killing his own son."

"I don't understand why you're so uptight about this, Cunla. You only knew your father for a day. I speculate that that first encounter was your last. And seeing by your presence, you emerged victorious."-

"Shut up!" Cunla cried, not wanting to hear anymore. "You think that you know what's happened, but you're utterly clueless. What really happened was that I was no match for my father. It was I who was struck down, impaled by the three prongs of the Gae Bulga. Thus, my father grieved over his deed after telling him who I was. That would have been one of your outcomes. And such a tragic end would have been so if it wasn't for my friends healing me and my father's love to encourage me to live on. My father wanted me to live on. He wanted so many others to live on, which is why he sacrificed his own life!" There was an intense glare in Cunla's eyes, something that Ayfa had only seen in Cuchulain.

"Those eyes," she silently remarked in her head, "I've never seen such eyes like that in a long time. Cunla definitely has his father's blood running through his veins."

"I was given a second chance, mother. And for the past few weeks, perhaps a month, I've been standing side by side with my father. It was a short period, but it was worth it. My father was wise beyond his years and compassionate for me and my fate. But what was your compassion towards me." Cunla's fists clutched tightly. "Did you ever really love me, mom, or was all that just a masquerade so that you could manipulate me. You always said that emotion was a weakness and was unnecessary. But when I was sick, or injured during our spars, you never once gave me words of compassion." The youth's mind filled with those moments when his father came to his aid. He particularly remembered the events in Neverland. "In contrast, when I was being held captive and my life was threatened, my dad threw his pride away and begged on his hands and knees that I be spared. He, the mighty Hound of Ulster threw himself on the ground and begged for our enemies to spare my life." Tension started to mount as this once happy reunion turned sour. "You said that giving in was a weakness. But when I needed some tenderness and sympathy, why didn't you throw away your pride as a warrior and be a mother to me? Sure you would embrace me, but only so often. And even so, there seemed to be no warmth in that embrace. Even as we speak, there seems to be no sympathy coming from you."

"You do me shameful injury, Cunla." Ayfa said. "You are my son. How could you be saying these things to your own mother? How could you be judging me like this?"

"Did you really care for me, or were you just worried that I would meet my demise before meeting my father and fulfilling your hopes for revenge? Did you really hate my father so much as to go so far as initiating his execution by the hands of his own son, or for him to smite his only child down so that he would brood over his deed forever?"-

"I loved your father, Cunla, more than anyone else. He was the first and only man I gave myself away totally to. He was the first and only one I ever showed true love for, showed compassion for, showed tenderness for. I thought that he would be faithful and true. But I was wrong. Your father was no different from any other man. He goes off leaving me with a child to take care of while he gallivants to the beds of other women."-

"That's not true."-

"And how do you know that, Cunla?" Ayfa's voice became stern and authoritative. "You hadn't known your father for a month at least, yet you talk as if you know him completely! The truth is that you know nothing about him, or his past, or what he had been doing in the periods that you and he were apart. Therefore, you have no right to be jumping to his defense right away!" Cunla could not argue against that kind of evidence. He lowered his head again.

"You're right," Cunla was at a whisper when he spoke again, but it increased in volume as he made his point more clear. "I hadn't known my father that long and I didn't know that much about his past. But I was alone. I thought that there was no other family besides him that was left. Thus I searched for him, hoping that when I found him, he'd take me in. I wanted to be needed, to be loved by someone. And by doing so, I did many despicable things to get closer to knowing his whereabouts." Cunla's eyes protruded through the shadows, cutting deep in Ayfa's soul. "But what were you seeking? You thirsted only for revenge just because of his betrayal of your feelings. Did you ever stop to think of how he might feel?"

"I couldn't care less about how your father felt, Cunla. Feelings are a weakness. Being emotional is a weakness."-

"No, being emotional is not a weakness. It's being emotionless that makes you weak. Without emotion, there is no need to protect. And without something to protect, what would you be fighting for except self preservation. Such a notion can only go so far. I've learned that having feelings is not a weakness. With every life I take, I keep wondering to myself how that person's life could have been, or how that person's friends and loved ones would react and how such a tragedy would affect them."

"You dwell on that and you lose the right to self preserve yourself. Just like your father. As you said, my boy, Cuchulain threw away his warrior nature for the sake of protecting you. He became emotional, which is the reason why he died. He died for you, Cunla." Ayfa turned away. "You might say that you were responsible for his death. So the outcome I predicted came to pass after all." Cunla was grief struck again. His mother's words cut deep. "As a warrior, you can't afford to show any emotion to anyone. That makes you weak, thus you lose your entire reason for existing. Your existence was only meant for the warrior's path, Cunla, death is a common thing in that style of life."

"How could you…"-

"I am a true warrior, Cunla. I show no emotion to anyone, not even you. I only take what I need of you. I know it sounds cruel and that you may despise me for my opinion, but that is an absolute law of nature. The only way to succeed is to succeed at the expense of others. Dwelling on their losses only slows you down."-

"Mother…"-

"That's another thing, Cunla. I'm a warrior first before I'm a mother. As a mother, I gave you birth. But as a warrior, I gave you strength so that you can think on your own and live on your own. The world doesn't care whether you or those around you lives or dies. You allow these feelings of yours to get to you and you break down, which only proves that you're among the weak. And I don't know about you, but I have no need for such people. That's why I say again that love and compassion are unnecessary emotions."

Not saying another word, Ayfa turned and walked away, not even acknowledging the pain her son was feeling, or acknowledging his presence. Without a word, she disappeared into the rain. Cunla fell to his knees, next to his father's grave. He sat there, unable to move. The rain continued to fall upon him, but he no longer seemed to notice. His fingers clawed at the soil.

"It was my fault wasn't it, dad." He whispered to himself. "It was my fault that you died isn't it." Cunla could feel a burning sensation accumulating within him. "Why father, why did you have to leave me? This just isn't fair." His sadness slowly grew to anger. "You were everything to me, everything..." With the grief unbearable, the youth could no longer hold in his emotions. With those last few thoughts of loss and self blame, Cunla unleashed all of his hatred, his anger, and all of his sorrow in an ear piercing scream.

With that scream came a sudden burst o energy, unlike anything that occurred before. This time, Cunla's body began to glow a gleaming gold. The force of his aura caused a sonic boom and a beam of light to bellow.

Sora, Riku, and Ophelia immediately felt the surge s it hit their bodies with enormous impact. The others dismissed it as some sort of phenomenon.

"Was that thunder I heard?" Fergus asked.

"The storm must be getting worse." Emer added. But the key bearers knew too well what it was.

"Did you feel that?" Sora said, his voice trembling.

"That power," Riku uttered, "Where did it come from?"

"Whatever it is, it certainly has a lot of strength behind it." Ophelia remarked. They stood up. "It's also a familiar power. Could it be…" The three looked to the outside of the dun.

"Cunla…" they gasped all at once. They quickly stood up and rushed into the rain.

"Where are you going?" Conall asked.

"Something's happened." Riku replied.

"It's Cunla." Sora added.

"Cunla…?" Emer asked. "What about Cunla?'

"Let's hurry and follow them." Conchobhar said.

As they rushed out, they came before a strange light that bellowed in the sky. The inhabitants of Dun Dulgan looked on in fright and awe as they beheld the pillar reaching into the sky, clearing the rain that fell around it.

"What is that?" Fergus wondered.

"Is it the sun god descending?"-

"No," Sora said. "It's Cunla."

"Get those gates open!" Riku ordered. The gates opened and the KH team rushed out.

There, standing before Cuchulain's grave, Cunla stood like a beacon. His wailing and screaming were almost supernatural, as if he had been possessed by a vengeful spirit or demon.

"It's Cunla alright." Donald said.

"What's happening to him?" Goofy asked.

"This power," Ophelia implied, "I think it could be the rage."

"The rage…?"-

"Are you serious?" Sora asked.

"I hate to admit it," Ophelia was overwhelmed, "But this is the same power Cuchulain had when he unleashed the rage."

"Unbelievable," Riku said. "Like father, like son. I guess."

"Riku, look," Sora shouted. They watched as the boy's body began to change.

Cunla seemed to increase in height. His muscle tone flexed like that of a full fledged man. His hair lengthened, hanging down to the base of his neck. Like Cuchulain, Cunla's K9s grew sharp. His eyes were still closed, bearing great floods of tears.

"He's changing," Donald said. The wind grew more intense around the youth. Finally, when Cunla opened his eyes, they were no longer that innocent blue. Instead, they regressed to a frightening, soulless yellow. His voice howled and echoed over moor and through vale. His aura made the very foundations of the earth shake. The winds picked up as if bowing to their new master. Soon after, the roaring ceased and there stood Cunla in his new form, an intimidating sight to behold.

"Cunla," Ophelia cried.

"A warrior will show no emotion." Cunla growled, his voice had changed, becoming deeper, not like the voice of a teenager, but more of the voice of his father. "A true warrior shows no sympathy to the enemy. Those who dare stand in my way shall die!"

"Cunla," the team cried. The wind blew around the boy preventing the other KH team members to approach him.

Just then Ophelia fearing that Cunla might get out of control, advanced towards him. The wind was hard, but she was not deterred. The others beckoned her to come back.

"Ophelia," Riku cried, "Come back!"

"Cunla's not himself," Sora added. "He may strike you down!"

But Ophelia continued to advance, fearing not for her own life, though the position she was in was rather precarious. Cunla, being delved into this new rage, might not distinguish her as a friend, but as an enemy and might attack and kill her. Ophelia cautiously approached the boy to the point where she could grab him. She wrapped her arms around him. Cunla was still growling, but he seemed somewhat shocked at what happened. Ophelia embraced the boy, trying to calm him down.

"Don't do this, Cunla." She cooed. "Calm yourself, return to the young man you once were."

Those words touched the heart of the boy. His rage began to simmer and the glow slowly faded. His transformed body diminished and Cunla was back to what he once was. His body exhausted from the overwhelming energy that surged through him, the young man collapsed to his knees and slept silently in Ophelia's embrace. She rubbed her hand through his hair.

"It's okay, Cunla, you sleep."-

"That was something else." Riku uttered.

"Did Cunla really unleash the rage?" Sora wondered.

"Cuchulain's blood runs through his veins. I wouldn't be the least surprised."-

Once again, the land was silent and the rain continued as it once did, pelting the already dampened heads of heroic band.

The rains finally ceased as the late afternoon turned to dusk. The sun had finally peered through the clouds only to be diminished behind the rolling hills of Ulster. The team had finally settled down for the night. The evening grew later and one by one, the team members fell asleep. In their cozy little room, the sound of heavy breathing and light snoring echoed amongst the slumbering heroes.

However, it was Riku who didn't sleep well. He tossed and turned, having to hear the endless chorus of distorted inhales and exhales. At one point, he finally did fall asleep only to be awoken by a startle. He had dreamt that someone was ruffling about in the room. Sure enough as he peered through the darkness, he realized that Cunla was not amongst them. His bed had been vacated and his belongings were missing. Not wanting to wake up the others, he quickly and quietly snuck out of bed. He looked about, but there was no one in sight. The place was quiet say for a few wolfhounds that wagged their tails, hoping to be patted.

"Cunla," he uttered, "Cunla, where did you go?" He went outside to see if anyone was about. Sure enough, he saw what looked like torches lit in the vicinity where Cuchulain's resting place was stationed. There were several individuals out before the grave. The sound of a lone bagpipe was heard amongst them. Riku hurried quickly through the gates. He watched as several shadowy figures stood at attention before the grave. The bagpipe sounded in such an eloquent way.

As Riku came closer, he came to notice a figure standing between him and the gathering. He peered closely into the darkness to find that the one standing alone was none other than Cunla.

"Cunla," he whispered. Cunla turned to see the silver haired key bearer. He smiled solemnly.

"Hey there, Riku," he replied. The two stood side by side.

"What are they doing?"-

"They're saying farewell to my father in the ancient way, playing a simple Gaelic tune on a simple Gaelic pipe, a final farewell to a brave warrior and a final passage into the afterlife."-

"I see," The two watched as the warriors gave their final respects to their comrade. The hour grew late. Riku placed his hand on Cunla's shoulder.

"C'mon Cunla," he said. "We've got a long way to go tomorrow. You gotta get some sleep." But Cunla only remained silent. "Cunla…?" The boy then sighed and turned to his friend.

"I'm sorry, Riku," he uttered, "But I will not be going with you tomorrow."

"What…?"-

"I can't go with you."-

"But why not…?"-

"After what's happened, I don't know if I'll perform well in battle. There are just too many sad memories."-

"What are you talking about? You're a member of our team."-

"I know, but I can go no further than this. The burden is just too much to bear."-

"But Cunla…"-

"You and the others have been good friends to me, Riku. I appreciate that. You took me in as a former enemy and transformed me into a trusted comrade and a true friend. I will never forget that. But despite that, I can no longer be a part of your team. I fear that every time I look at you and the others, I'll only think of my dad. I have to follow my own path now. I must seek my own answers just as my father had wished." Cunla reached to his inner pocket and pulled out the puzzle piece he was entrusted with. He handed it to Riku. "I have to go on my own. Perhaps solitude will give me a solution."

"Cunla…" The boy suddenly wrapped his arms around Riku. Riku was surprised at first, but returned the gesture and hugged him.

"You and Sora and the others will always be my friends."-

"Cunla," Riku gazed into his tearful blue eyes. "If you need us, you can always come back. No matter what, you're still a member of our team, no matter how far away you are."

"Thanks…" Cunla then put his sword in his belt, his pack over one shoulder and his father's Gae Bulga on the other. He pulled out a portable gummi ship and entered though the open hatch. "Tell Donald I'm sorry, but I had to commandeer one of his gummies."

"I'm sure he won't miss it." Riku replied. He watched as the gummi was sealed and lifted off into the night sky. Riku waved farewell until Cunla had vanished from sight. "You have to follow your own path, Cunla. And if this is what you've chosen, so be it. I can't stop you." The key bearer gazed at the puzzle piece left behind. He then looked to the sky one last time. "Good bye, my friend." Riku paced the puzzle piece I his pocket and went off to bed.

Morning quickly came without incident. Sora was the first to wake up. He stretched himself out and looked about. He noticed that Cunla and Riku were gone. All was still quiet in Dun Dulgan. He slowly got up and walked about the hall.

"What a night," he uttered, "I slept like a log." He browsed about the wooden gathering house. "I wonder where Riku and Cunla went off to."

He made his way outside to take in the fresh air. He walked out into the grassy yard and gazed around him. The only ones awake were a few women doing morning chose, a few children at play, and a couple of guards on duty. Walking further out, Sora saw Riku standing on the barracks, gazing out into the distance.

"Hey Riku," he cried and rushed up the steps to the catwalk of the stockades.

"Good morning, Sora." Riku replied. "How did you sleep?"

"I never slept so well in a long time."-

"That's good to know."-

"You're up early though."-

"I'm just taking in the last of a peaceful existence before we go into battle again."-

"By the way, have you seen Cunla anywhere?"-

"I saw him last night." Riku replied rather sternly.

"Well, do you know where he is?" Riku only turned away and headed down the steps.

"Let's get going, Sora. I'll wake the others up." Sora was curious. Riku didn't answer his question.

"But what about Cunla, you didn't tell me where he is?"-

"I'll tell you once we get the others up."-

"Oh,"-

The two came into the room just as the others were starting to stir.

"Get up ladies and gents," Riku declared, "Pack your things, we're heading out!"

"But it's so early," Donald grumbled.

"Give us five more minutes." Goofy replied. "I was in the middle of a really nice dream."

"The more we dream, the more we allow the Imperial Axis leeway." Riku said. "Hurry up and get ready."

"C'mon, you guys." Ophelia grumbled. "We got a lot to do. Best time to get up as any."

"So, Riku," Sora asked, "Where's Cunla at?" Riku was silent. The others looked up at him, their ears perked by the eerie silence.

"Riku…?" Goofy asked. "What's wrong?"

"I have some terrible news, you guys." Riku began. "Cunla will not be with us anymore." The team gasped at what the key bearer had said.

"What was that?" Donald asked.

"What do you mean Cunla won't be with us anymore?" Sora added. "What's the meaning of this, Riku?"

"He left late last night using one of Donald's gummies." Riku continued.

"He left us?" Goofy uttered.

"But why…?" Ophelia wondered. "Why would he leave?"

"He was just too overcome with grief of his father's death."-

"Yeah, but why did he have to leave us?" Sora asked.

"Too many sad memories he said."-

"But he was a member of our team."-

"And he still is."-

"So ya think he might come back again?" Goofy asked. Riku only lowered his head.  
"I don't think so." He pulled from his jacket, the puzzle piece Cunla kept on his person. "He gave this to me as a parting gift. Then he left."

"Cunla…" Ophelia uttered. The team was dismal now, fearing the fate of their youngest team member.

"I wouldn't worry about it though." Riku said. "Cunla's a strong young man. He'll be able to take whatever is dished out to him. He just needs more time to reorganize his thoughts and expand his own philosophies." Riku turned and made ready to walk out the door. "But I can assure you this much. Perhaps if we keep our faith, he might come back to us. But for now, we'll just have to do without him."

The team's morale was boosted after Riku's declaration. They quickly collected their things and prepared to leave.

The gummi ship was loaded and the KH team boarded one at a time. They each paid their final respects to Cuchulain. Sora was the last. Placing his hand upon the pillar marking the grave, he shed a few tears.

"Thank you, Cuchulain." Sora replied. "Thanks for everything you've done for us. We couldn't have accomplished what we did without you." Sora stood up and glanced a little longer at the grave. "Take care of Cunla, wherever he is. Watch over him."

"Sora," Riku called him, "Let's go."

"I'm coming." Sora turned and joined the others in the gummi. The coordination was set. Their destination was back to Traverse Town. The team quickly departed as Dun Dulgan slept. Behind them, they left memories of old comrades and better times. Cuchulain was dead and Cunla had gone on his own. A gap was left for the team to contend with. Two significant losses, the first casualties that the team had suffered since the beginning of their trek, and how many more would follow was a question they preferred not to dwell on.


	89. Assessment

Assessment

The death of Cuchulain had already lowered morale more than in had to. But now with Cunla's sudden departing from the team, it seemed as if their world was caving in. They didn't know where he would go what would happen to him. They only knew that the boy would face a great deal of hardship along the way.

"You think Cunla will be okay on his own?" Sora asked.

"There's no doubt about it." Riku replied.

"I can't understand why he would just leave us." Ophelia said. "He had a home amongst us."

"Cunla's dealing with some major issues right now. His father died and now he has to undergo severe emotional stress. At times, being on your own is necessary to dwell on lessons you learn in the past and rethink your ideas. Cunla is attempting to mend the wound in his heart and soul. I can only imagine how long it will take, tussling with this grief. But it's up to him to decide on how fast these wounds will heal."-

"I hate to interrupt your conversation, you three," Donald announced, "but we're reaching Traverse Town. Prepare for a landing."

The gummi ship landed just outside the gates of the settlement. As it landed, the team saw Leon standing below waiting to greet them. The ship touched down, settling upon the ground. Rockets disengaged and all systems shut down, the team exited via the cargo hatch to meet up with Leon.

"Hey, Leon," Sora said, "What're you doing here?"

"Riku, Sora," he replied, "I thought you guys would never get back."

"What's the matter, something wrong?"-

"We picked up some refugees not too long ago."-

"Refugees," Riku asked, "What kind of refugees?"

"You guys better come with me." Leon brought the team to the second district hotel as quickly as he could. "We placed them in both the red room and the green room so they could get a good night's rest."

He opened the door and low and behold, there were children all asleep on the bed. At the table sat a lone individual. He turned around to meet the key bearers and company. It was Goten, relieved of his post at Oceansburg for a time being. He turned to see the team come in.

"Riku, Sora," he said quietly, "I'm glad you made it back."

"Goten…?" Donald uttered.

"What're you doing here?" Goofy added.

"I was assigned to take care of these refugees for a while." The young Z fighter replied.

"I guess Sneer didn't need you at Oceansburg, eh?" Sora said.

"Yeah," Goten made a sudden sigh. "We heard about Cuchulain."

"Yeah," Leon replied. "Sorry about what happened to him."

"Yeah…" Riku replied. "It's alright though. It was just his time."

"By the way, where's that kid, Cunla?"-

"He left us too." Sora told him.

"What, he left?"-

"He struck out on his own back in Ulster last night." Donald added.

"The loss of his father was just too much to bear." Ophelia remarked. "Sticking around us would've caused too much pain."

"We didn't know." Leon tried to be as sympathetic as he could. "Sorry…"

"It's his destiny after all. We can't decide it for him."-

Just then, the team spotted another individual appearing from out of the red room. As the individual appeared from the dimness of the red room, the team came to realize that it was a young woman. A young lady they all knew too well. It was Olette.

"Olette," Sora said, "Is that you?"

"Riku, Sora," she replied, "Good to see you again." She hugged the two of them before sitting at the table next to Goten.

"What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you of all people. Are you one of the refugees?"-

"Yes…"-

"What happened?" Riku asked. Olette began to cry. She could only lower here head, not wanting to show her emotion. Riku turned to Leon and Goten. "What's going on, what are Olette and the others doing here?"

"A convoy returned to Twilight Town," Leon explained, "to make sure that things were going well since the Sanderson Affair and the penetration to the World that Never Was. But when they got there, the town was deserted. They touched down to see if they could find someone around. But there was not a single person about." Leon's fist started to clutch, he was tensing on what he was about to say next. "There was one structure, however, I believe city hall that was burned and still smoldered by the time our guys got there. The convoy troops examined the structure and noticed there were chains wrapped around the door handles of the entryway. They peered in to view what remained of the inside. What they found was…" Leon could only turn away.

"What did they find?" Ophelia asked. Leon could not allow himself to speak. It was too horrible for him to say.

"Leon…?" Sora uttered.

"They found over three hundred scorched bodies discovered in the structure." Goten said. "This indicated that the people were rounded up from their homes, forced into city hall and burned alive when the building was set aflame."

The team gasped. The sound of such horrific a scene of death was gut-wrenching. The key bearers nearly wanted to throw up at the thought.

"My God," Riku said.

"Three hundred people were burned alive?" Sora added.

"Men, women, and children were locked in." Leon said. "What reports say, they tried to escape through the windows, but were cut down by gun fire.

"What kind of monsters would do this?" Riku growled, gritting his teeth angrily.

"We later found out that Kambrian forces under Admiral Delorion Rellantando had landed in Twilight Town more than a couple days before. We think that they were the ones who gathered the people into city hall and set the building aflame."-

"But why would they do that?" Ophelia said.

"Apparently, Rellantando found out about you being there not too long before and how you were able to find a secret way to the World that Never Was. As a result, the Kambrians made Twilight Town pay, burning over three fourths of the population alive."-

"Those who refused to go were killed." Goten replied. "The convoy found some people dead in their homes."

"Hayner, Pence," Olette moaned. She threw her head into her arms and wailed loudly, muffling her cries under her sleeves, "They killed them, they killed them."

"Hayner…and Pence…?" Sora said. His eyes grew wide with disbelief.

"They shot Pence. Those soldiers just shot him without reason. They shot him and killed him. He was only trying to protect us."-

"We did all we could to help those who survived." Leon told them. "The Alliance sheltered those remaining and dug graves for the dead."

"Those bastards," Sora growled. Riku looked to find that his friend was starting to boil. Sora's fists were tightly clutched, his teeth grinding against one another. There was anger and hatred in his eye as the thought of those three hundred lost souls pounded at the back of his mind. In his fury, he drew out his keyblade. He then turned and punched the door open.

"Sora," Donald said.

"Sora," Goofy added, "Where are you going?!" But Sora didn't utter a word. He stormed out.

"Sora," Leon sighed. Riku quickly ran after Sora.

"Sora," he shouted, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to settle the score." Sora replied, his voice stressed with loathing. "I'm going to settle the score once and for all. Kambria will pay!"

"Sora," The key bearer continued his way towards the gates of Traverse Town.

"I'll take revenge for what Rellantando's done! I'll make him pay! I'll make all of Kambria pay!"

"Sora, stop," Riku ran over and grabbed hold of Sora.

"Let go of me, Riku."-

"Stop where you are!"-

"I said let go!" Sora jerked his arm out of Riku's grasp. Riku didn't give in. He threw his arms underneath Sora's and locked him in place. He then threw himself on his back. Sora struggled to free himself.

"Let go of me, Riku! Let me go!"-

"That's enough, Sora!" Riku shouted. "Listen to you, you're blind with rage! You go storming in and you'll only end up dead! You alone can't battle against Kambria!"

"I'm going to settle this, Riku! Now let me go!"-

"Sora, Sora, calm down," Riku held firm until Sora gave into exhaustion. Sora started to cry.

"I hate you, Riku. I hate you. Why won't you let me go?" He began to cry.

"Sora, you know as well as I that storming in won't solve anything. You'll die if you just charge in. Don't do what Kira did when Athrun died. If you put your life in jeopardy and you get killed, then how can we close the doors that are still open? I can't do it on my own. And what am I supposed to say to Kairi when this is over? She hopes to find you alive, not in a box."-

"Damn it, Riku. Don't you see? It's our responsibility. It's our fault that we put Twilight Town in that predicament. Those people died because of us."-

"I know, Sora. But recklessly charging in doesn't change anything that's happened."-

Sora went limp and rolled over of Riku. Riku released his friend. Sora curled up in a ball, bawling his eyes out. Riku placed his hand on his back. Sora edged up to him.

"It's our fault, it's all our fault."-

"No, Sora," Olette said as she and the others gathered around them. "None of this was your fault. We helped you because it was the right thing to do. It had nothing to do with our personal safety. You did what you had to do and we did what we had to do."

"But…"-

"You have to let it go, Sora." Riku told him. "It's too late to change the past."

"I know, but it still hurts."-

"If you want payback, Sora, then let's do it the way we were doing it before. We break the Imperial Axis up and cause them to collapse little by little."-

"The question is how are we gonna do that?" Donald asked.

"Yeah," Goofy added. "We still have to save the king and queen. And the only way to do that is take out that Saber feller. But he ain't exactly a pushover."

"Goofy's right," Ophelia said. "We never even managed to touch Saber the last time we battled him. He's just too powerful."

"Do you have any background on Saber, Ophelia?" Riku asked.

"Unfortunately, no, out of all the officers of the Midnight Faction, he's probably the most elusive, second only to Lord Sirius Viicous himself."-

"What do you mean?"-

"No one has ever seen his face, ever. He always wears a mask, or helmet mask. Even I have never had the privilege of seeing Sirius Viicous face to face, despite my notorious reputation within the faction."-

"The only option you have right now is to become stronger and learn more effective techniques that can counter Saber's skills." Leon proposed. "It's the only way I know how to defeat a man like that."

"But we know nothing about him or his skills." Sora grumbled. He stood up. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he looked to his friends. "Let's face it, Saber is completely different from the rest of the Blade Generals. General Knives was easy because he was just a double swordsman. Using twin blades was all he knew. General Bayonet had us stumped for a while, but he used only special devises to give him an edge over his foe. Otherwise, without his fancy gadgets, he would have been easy to take down. General Dagger used manipulation, which was eventually overcome. General Scimitar was tough, but Cuchulain knew her background and managed to defeat her in the end. But Saber is another story. He uses no deceptive gadgets. He has no need to manipulate anyone to do the fighting for him. His expertise probably varies over a wide range of techniques. And above all, he knows how to scheme and plan and he's just as dedicated to his cause as we are."

"Sora…" Riku uttered.

"Even if we did train ourselves to be stronger, we don't have enough time to excel dramatically. Even if we did use our time diligently, we'd only achieve so much and it may not be enough. Also, how are we to determine Saber's true strength when we've never seen his true ability?" A quiet lull came over the team and their allies.

"Sora has a point." Riku could only sigh. "We have no background on Saber's history. We have no idea of his techniques and his skills. Even after confronting him a number of times before, it won't be enough to gain a grasp on his true abilities."-

"Then how are we gonna fight him?" Donald asked.

"Perhaps we could get in touch with Sneer and ask him if he has any files on Saber stashed away somewhere." Leon advised. "The Alliance references are usually the most reliable."

"Then, let's try it." Ophelia added. "We'll contact Sneer by means of the set up transmitter in the Third District."

The team was led to the vacant house in the Third District. It was there that the alliance had set up a communication station linked back to Oceansburg. The team was permitted to transmit their message. Within seconds the connection was made and Sneer was seen in his office painting another piece at his easel.

"Well, well," he said, "I wasn't expecting you to be back in Traverse Town so early. How did the remainder of the procession go in Ulster?"

"It went well." Sora replied.

"That's not why we came to talk to you, Sneer." Riku said sternly. "We need to know if you have any information on General Saber."

"General Saber," Sneer browsed through his files. He pulled up a few archives. "I'm sorry, boys, the information on him is very vague."

"What do you know about him?"-

"As far as our archives, we only know that Saber is one of the leading front line generals of the Midnight Faction. He also acted as a field tactician during the old regime of the Dark Empire, answering to the top brass of the Imperial council only. His vital information was strictly given to those of lordly status. Also, the name Saber was just an alias he uses to conceal his true identity."-

"What is his true identity?" Leon asked.

"I don't know. Many of the Imperial files were destroyed after the Empire fell. The Imperials eliminated much of the data on their most elusive officers after the evacuation of Vandor. Saber was one of the officers classified. No previous data exist to this day."-

"Are you sure about that?" Riku asked.

"I'm sorry, but I do wish you luck on your further investigation."-

"Thank you…" The transmission ended. Things looked gloomy for the team.

"Now what do we do?" Donald asked.

"With no leads, there's no way to exploit Saber's weaknesses." Ophelia added.

"Not necessarily." Riku said, snapping his fingers. "I have an idea."

"What is it?" Sora asked.

"Saber was a tactician of the former Dark Empire right?"-

"Yeah,"-

"Well, all we have to do is track down those who might have somehow been acquainted with him during that time."-

"Yeah, you're right, Riku."-

"At last we have a lead." Donald cheered

"But how many Imperials do you know that would be willing to give away that vital information." Leon asked.

"We might be able to ask Triiken." Ophelia advised. "He was a formal Imperial."

"That's right," Sora added, "And he's an alliance officer now. He shouldn't have that much trouble telling us what we want to know. Maybe he could help us."

"Hold on," Riku suddenly interrupted, "Don't you remember, Triiken was only a general during the Imperial regime. Sneer said that Saber only gave vital information to the lords of the empire."

"Great," Sora grumbled, his hopes dashed, "that narrows it down then. Exactly how many lords of the former Empire do we know that would be willing to help us, if they're not dead already?"

"There is one man, Sora. Lord Lucien Exmortus Thundro."-

"Yeah," Goofy added.

"We know Thundro," said Donald. "Maybe he could help us."

"There's only one problem though." Leon implied, "Do you know where this guy, Thundro lives?"

"Well…" The team was stumped. They had no clue of where to find him.

"Hey, wait a minute," Sora said. He turned to Goten. "Goten, you were one of Thundro's students, right?"

"Well, uh…" Goten uttered.

"That's right," Riku declared, "You were once Thundro's pupil. Maybe you could tell us where we could find him."

"The thing is," Goten stalled for a moment, "The thing is I was not meant to tell anyone where he lives."

"But Goten…" Sora uttered.

"Thundro made me promise that I was never to utter a word of where he resided. I…"-

"Goten," Riku said. "We are dealing with a matter of life and death here. As far as we know, Thundro might be the only one who would be able to help us. You have to tell us where we can find him."

"But I promised him."-

"You have to tell us, Goten. There's no other option." Goten looked to his comrades. He didn't want to break his promise to Thundro, but at the same time he knew of what they were facing. He could only sigh, at the same time regretting what he was about to do.

"You can find him near the Gilgazion springs in the Montroze Forest, located three hundred miles south of Gombria. It's the old secret hideaway of the Death Lords. No one knows of its location except for the Death Lords themselves. And I'm not sure you're aware of it, but Thundro is the only one left."-

"Thanks for telling us, Goten." Sora implied. The young Z fighter only looked away.

"Just be careful, you guys. Thundro may not receive you very well. He doesn't like visitors and might blow his stack. He's known to kill trespassers in that area, no matter who they are. So don't expect a warm reception when you get there."-

"Oh man,"-

"Well, if the risk is too high," Riku explained. "Then Sora and I will visit him alone."

"Alone...?" Donald asked.

"But why do ya have to go alone?" Goofy added.

"We'll go with you." Ophelia replied.

"No," Riku said. "It's better that only two of us risk our lives instead of the whole team. For now, just sit back and wait for us to return."

"But…"-

"This is something that Sora and I have to handle on our own."-

"We have an old score to settle with Saber." Sora added. "We don't want you guys involved."

"Riku, Sora…" Ophelia lowered her head. She suddenly felt the hand of her beloved Riku lay on her shoulder.

"You don't have to worry about us. We'll be able to take whatever Thundro dishes out." He turned to the others. "So are there any further objections to us going alone?" Their friends were silent, some not willing to speak while others were concerned only for their safety. "Then it's settled. Sora and I will meet with Thundro alone."

"We'll be back before you know it." Sora added.

"Well," Donald grumbled, "It's not like we can stop you. Alright, just be careful."

"Be very careful, you guys." Goten added.

"We will," The key bearers replied in unison. They quickly withdrew to the gummi ship and fired it up. The team ran in pursuit. They stopped and watched as the two key bearers boarded the ship, closed the hatch, ignited the rockets, and waved farewell as they ascended higher into the atmosphere.

"You come back alive, you two." Ophelia quietly thought in her mind. "Your jobs aren't finished yet."

In the gummi, both key bearers were a little anxious and apprehensive. They wondered if what Goten said was true. If Thundro did find them about his realm, would he kill them?

"Now that I think about it," Sora said, "Is this really a good idea?"

"There's no real option open for us." Riku replied. "We need to know more about Saber. And if there's one Imperial out there that might be able to help us, it's Thundro."

"Yeah, I know, but you've seen how cranky he can be."-

"We'll just have to bear it."-

"Yeah,"-

The gummi sped off at warp speed, reaching for Oceanaria.

It took a little over than an hour for them to reach Oceanaria. Using the universal guiding system in the cockpit, the key bearers kept an eye out for the areas south of Gombria.

"Well," Riku asked.

"Nothing yet," Sora replied. He gazed at the navigation screen, then to the outside of the cockpit. Below them was a vast forest, which looked almost like a vast green carpet. "That must be the Montroze Forest."

"That's great, Sora, but where do we start looking for this Gilgazion Spring?"

"I'm still looking, Riku. Keep your pants on."-

"I hope Sneer doesn't get freaked out about us going missing."-

"If Thundro kills us, then he'll have no other choice, but the freak out."-

"Don't jinx it when we haven't even found the place yet, Sora."-

Sora kept browsing on the map until finally, a feature of a thin blue line, representing some natural water way, appeared on the screen. It's title was Montroze.

"Bingo," Sora shouted, "There it is, just three miles west of us."

"Good job, Sora." Riku replied. "Now buckle in. I'm gonna land this thing."

The key bearers fastened themselves to their seats as Riku maneuvered the gummi down. The ship landed upon a bank of pebbles. Next to it, a stream of cool running water ran by. The ship nestled on the smooth pebbles. The two key bearers emerged out of the ship and looked about.

"Wow," Sora said, awed by the thick wilderness around them, "This is pretty nice."

"Now's not the time to be site seeing." Riku told him. "We have an infamous Death Lord to seek out." He pressed a button to the side of the ship and transformed the gummi back into its portable capsule form and put it in his pocket. "Thank goodness for Capsule Corp."

"So where do we begin?"-

"Let's browse around and see if we can't find anything first."-

"Good idea."-

The key bearers made their way into the forest. Surrounding them was a brilliant forest of chirping birds and active little rodents wandering about with hordes of food in their mouths. The sun pierced through the thick canopy of high pines, making the forest seem more of a pleasant experience than an intimidating one.

"This is a pretty nice forest after all." Riku said.

"I know." Sora replied. "It just has that atmosphere. It's not like anything we've ever encountered before. And the weather is just right. Not too cold and not too hot either."

"C'mon, we have to find Thundro's hideout. We could be gazing at nature all day and still not find a thing…"-

Suddenly, Riku was jerked upward in the air feet first. Sora watched as his friend was found dangling from what looked like a concealed rope. Riku had stepped into a trap and was now hanging upside down. Following his ensnarement, a loud ear piercing sound was heard echoing through the forest, scaring off birds and animals. It was an alarm siren which was activated the moment the trap was activated.

"Riku," Sora cried. "Are you alright?! What was that?!"-

"It was a booby trap!" Riku shouted. "Get me down out of here, Sora!"

"Don't worry, buddy! I'm coming!"-

But no sooner had Sora said that then he too was sent skyward with a noose around his foot. He hung from the air kicking and screaming, not knowing what happened.

"You idiot, you fell into a trap too." Riku grumbled.

"Shut up, Riku! You're the one who stepped into a trap first, so don't you be calling me an idiot!"-

"Never mind, let's just get ourselves out of this."-

No sooner had he said that, the siren alarm stopped. Then the sound of foot steps came from behind, indicating a large bipedal individual.

"Well, well," a voice uttered, "What have we here, a trespassing duo." The key bearers couldn't see who was talking, but the voice's tone was all too familiar. "Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep and doesn't know where to find them. But unlike that old nursery rhyme, you two will not be going home wagging your tails behind you. You have dared to enter the realm of the Death Lords and your day of judgment is now imminent." They heard the individual come about to look them in the eye. "Let me gaze upon the faces of these trespassers, so that I'll familiarize their features before killing them."

Sure enough, Thundro walked before the two key bearers. Riku and Sora only smiled.

"Hey, Thundro," Sora said with a sheepish grin. "Long time no see." Thundro, realizing who it was that dangled from his traps, only gave that annoyed glare.

"So it's you two," he grumbled, "The two stooges." Thundro drew out his blade.

"Hey, hey," Riku shouted. "What are you doing?!"

"I know you two well, Riku, Sora. But you've dared to enter the domain of the Death Lords without my permission. Ergo, it doesn't matter if I know you or not. You approach this territory unannounced and without a good explanation, then you will meet your demise swiftly and without mercy." He drew the point of his blade at them. "Let me ask you this. What is it that you're doing here, how did you get here, and who was responsible for telling you where I could be found? And you better give a straight forward answer, no beating about the bush. Depending on how you answer will determine on whether you live or die this day."

"Oh my God," Sora shouted, "He's gonna kill us just like Goten said!"

"Shut up, Sora!" Riku bellowed. "You're only making things worse."

"So Goten was the one who told you, eh?" Thundro asked.

"Yes,"-

"I knew that boy couldn't keep his big mouth shut, choosing cause over master. Now I know who's responsible for telling you. But you still haven't explained to me on how you got here and why you're here."-

"We got here by gummi ship." Sora said.

"I see, and the final?"-

"We came here because we need your help, Thundro." Riku replied.

"My help, you say? And what could you possibly need my help for?"-

"We need you to tell us what you know about General Saber."-

It was those words that struck Thundro deeply.

"Sneer told us that Saber used to be a leading tactician for the former Imperial regime." Sora said. "He said that Saber answered only to the lords of the Empire. And since you were a former lord, maybe you could tell us if you knew anything about Saber."

"And that's why you came?"-

"Yes…"-

Thundro gave a sudden smirk. He raised his blade and slashed at the ropes suspending the two key bearers. Riku and Sora fell to the ground. Riku managed to land on his feet while Sora landed on his head.

"Consider yourselves lucky, boys." Thundro said as he sheathed his sword back into its scabbard. "I'll tell you what you need to know, but not here. I hate to explain things in an atmosphere where I'm not comfortable. Follow me." He simply walked away without concern for the key bearers.

Sora stood up with a large red lump on his head.

"Man," he grumbled, "You think he could have taken it a little easier?"

"Be grateful that he was easy on us at all." Riku told him. "We could have been killed by him instead."

"I guess you're right."-

"Are you two going to dawdle all day?" Thundro hollered. "I don't have time to waste with this menagerie!"

"Coming, we're coming!" The two key bearers rushed behind the Death Lord trying to keep up.

The three came to a Cliffside, jagged and formidable. Thundro stepped up to the side of the cliff.

"Here we are." Thundro implied. The key bearers looked about. To them, there was only a wall of rock, nothing more.

"There's nothing here." Sora said.

"It just goes to show how little you know."-

"What's that supposed to mean?!"-

"Silence, fool, I'm trying to concentrate."-

"Man…" Sora growled.

"Easy, Sora," Riku replied, "Don't do anything rash."

"Now," Thundro drew up his hand and uttered an Oceanarian phrase, _"Vi Da Con'corte Exmortin, Lucien Exmortus Thundro ot Radiin Noctin Imperin."_ With that phrase, the outline of a door suddenly appeared, glowing with a bizarre blue light. The design was so elaborate and so intricate, its center bearing the crest of the Imperial Death Lord symbol, the Cross of Conquest and the lightning volt. The side of the mountain began to crack open. Bits of rubble fell from the cliff's face, at times pelting the trio.

"Unbelievable," Sora uttered.

"What a door." Riku added. The door opened fully and led into a dimly lit hall.

"Well, hurry up," Thundro said. "There's no time for you to be footling about like court jesters."

"Man," Sora grumbled. "Can't he just speak plain English once in a while?"

"I'm afraid I wouldn't understand him even if he did." Riku replied.

The two followed him into the hall. The door closed behind them, making the hall seem darker than usual. On the walls were the portraits lords and leaders within the former Empire, those who deserved recognition by the Death Lords.

"Riku, look," Sora said, pointing to one of the portraits.

"Well, I'll be damned." Riku uttered. They beheld the portrait of none other than General Saber. "I guess Saber must've had a big impression with the Death Lords."

"Boys," Thundro shouted.

"Coming," the two rejoined Thundro.

After walking for about a hundred yards, they stopped before twin doors made of cast gold and silver.

"Welcome to the realm of the Death Lords." Thundro said. He swung the doors opened and before the key bearers, the more magnificent hall mesmerized their eyes with an almost envious lust. The main hall was a large dome carved into the side of the mountain. It had intricately carved designs, complex, forming a vine-like interweaving. Gold and silver were pained about. To the very top, a painting of Imperial glory colored the domes head. Bright lights lit the hall.

"Look at this." Riku said, unable to turn away.

"I've never seen anything so magnificent." Sora added.

"Boys," Thundro interrupted, "My chambers are down the west wing. Follow me." The young key bearers hastened themselves. They followed the Imperial down another corridor. But it was simple, not showing any intricate designs. They stopped by the first room and entered. "This is my quarters, make sure not to touch anything if you value your fingers that is." The three sat upon overstuffed chairs. "Now, what is it that you want to know about Saber?"

"First things first, Thundro," Riku demanded, "If you would be so kind to tell us. What's with all the secrecy and hostility? You do know that the Imperial regime has been waning since the defeat of the Three Excellencies right? So why maintain this place. Why keep it a secret?"

"You just expect me to walk about in the open as if nothing has happened? I may have defected against the Empire, but I still consider the Imperial way my way. I may have raised arms against them, but that just gives me all the more reason to repent for my betrayal. Despite proving to the Alliance that I had turned over a new leaf, not only would they have not accepted me for who I was instead of what I was, but there was still that part of me who thirsted for Imperial rule. This is the only real haven left where the last of the Death Lords can reside the rest of his life in peace."-

"You're just as proud and anti-social as usual." Sora implied.

"Don't change the subject. You came to me for help, which is bold of anybody. Even Sneer never dared to enter this realm without my permission." Thundro folded his arms in front of him. "You wanted to know about General Saber correct? So what is it that you want to know about him and why is it so important?"

"First of all," Riku began, "We need to know about Saber's techniques and skills. We have to know how he thinks and where he gets his power. We need to know him in and out so that we'll be able to counter any attack or strategy he throws at us."

"We've already encountered Saber several times before." Sora added. "At times we had to battle him. But he's so hard to figure out and so hard to approach. Those techniques that he used were mind boggling."

"And what techniques did you see him perform?" Thundro asked.

"Well…" The two key bearers pondered for a while at what they witnessed in the past worlds when they confronted the last of the Blade Generals.

"There was that time he used a clone technique on us back at Maleficent's castle." Sora began.

"Then there was that time in Agrabah." Riku added. "He used a sand storm trap on us."

"And just recently in Neverland, he used that gravity spell on us."-

"Not surprising," Thundro inquired, "Saber is very cunning, very cunning indeed. Had the Empire survived, he would have been promoted to lord due to his exquisite profile. Saber's style is unflawed, unblemished. He has the charisma and the determination that would make even the greatest of Imperial lords envious." Thundro leaned back in his seat. "If there is one important thing you should know, it's Saber's grasp on the eleven natural elements."

"Eleven elements?" the two key bearers were shocked.

"There are eleven elements?" Sora said. "But I thought there were only seven."

"You parallel that knowledge with the experience of battling the Cavendish Shinobies. But you merely battled against seven elements. You did not battle against all of them."-

"What are the eleven elements?" Riku asked.

"First you have the five basics, the one's you battled, ice, water, fire, wind, and soil, or earth as some call it. Those are the basics, especially for Shinobies. Then come the three elite basics. First, there is sound in which a master of the sound element is able to inflict severe damage to the body with the use of sound waves. After that comes the seventh element, the element of darkness and shadow, much like what you faced when fighting against Kahn. Then you have the light element, categorized as the eighth in the scale."

"Why only the eighth…?"-

"The power of light is the top of the basic elements, those that can be easily grasped by the majority. The light element is considered to be hard to grasp because of its effectiveness in battle. Lightning also adds as a sub category to this element. Others like Sora's Corona Flash Barrage rank a little higher."

"So those are the eight basic elements then." Sora said.

"Then there are the two rarities." Thundro continued. "The first of these is the element of force, much like the gravity technique you saw Saber unleash. The element of force is wide ranged. By force you can manipulate atoms and molecules to become your weapons. The force can be a repelling style. It can be an immobile style. In which one can halt an enemy's attack, forcing them to float freely in mid air against their will, or hold them in place, a sort of paralysis. Then there is the gravity effect in which an epicenter is created and draws everything to it. A true master would be able to create such a powerful force, that it levels up to the gravitational pull of a black hole." The key bearers were shocked about what they heard.

"I never knew you could bring it to that kind of extremity." Riku said.

"Then there is the tenth element, the element of dimension. This is a rare elemental manipulation indeed. The effect is that one who grasps and masters this element has the capability of bending or breaking the space time continuum."-

"Is it like the attack I use when turning into Dark Riku?"-

"Not entirely. What you undergo as Dark Riku is more of a teleportation technique that revolves within a 360 degree circumference. No, the dimensional element is different. By opening up a dimensional portal, one would be able to direct their attack, not in the direction of their enemy, but by opening a dimensional portal, they can link the attack back to the present plain and attack the enemy from a completely different angle."-

"Okay," Sora grumbled, "You lost me completely."

"Let me demonstrate then." Thundro drew up his fist and punched outward. But as soon as his arm was fully extended, this entire forearm disappeared, as if it had been cut off. At the same time, Sora felt a punch at the back of the head. Both key bearers looked to find Thundro's missing forearm behind them. "Now do you understand?"

"I see," Riku was impressed, never seeing anything like that. "So that's what you meant by breaking the space time continuum."

"You could have at least given me a warning!" Sora shouted.

"That's the reason for such a technique." Thundro continued. "That tactic was meant for deceptive moves. The dimensional element can also be used in redirecting an attack against incoming energy waves or other sorts of projectiles. One who masters the dimensional element is able to open a temporary portal and redirect an enemy's attack right back at them."

"Exactly how many people have mastered that technique?" Riku asked.

"So far, only four have ever even come close to touching that element, let alone mastering it. One who fully mastered the dimensional element was Lord Cavendish himself. Then there was Lord Arakis, followed by myself, and finally General Saber. Simply trying to acquire the basics is more difficult than what people think. Even the most talented of elementals cannot even dream of gaining such power. And one must master, or at least obtain basic knowledge of the first ten in order to obtain the final and most potent element of them all, the eleventh element."-

"And what is the eleventh element." Sora asked.

"The element of time,"-

"Time…?"-

"That's correct."-

"But how is the time element so potent?" Riku inquired.

"With the time element, one is able to slow down time or even halt time entirely in order to obtain their wanted outcome in a battle."-

"Is it like the Stopga spell?" Sora wondered.

"Not exactly," Thundro continued. "The Stopga spell is merely a cheap imitation, a paralysis technique, shutting off all basic functions of the body and mind so that an opponent is immobile to attack. Ergo, they believe they were placed in a state where time seems to cease itself. No, the time element in its purity is more than that. When one increases their stamina from within, they can unleash a halting effect in the space time continuum. Thus, all time around them halts. A single second would seem a day to one who truly mastered it. This is a technique used against extremely swift enemies, or numerous enemies. With the time element, one would be able to abide their time and not have to worry about any form of retaliation. They simply initiate the time element; inflict the damage necessary to defeat their foe, and its over. The opponent would not have known what hit them. But by then it's already too late."

"But if Saber has the ability to halt time completely, that means that…"-

"It means that if you battle him, you'd be dead before you could even draw out your keyblades."-

"Is there a counter to that element?" Riku asked.

"There is only one way." Thundro stood up and locked his hands together behind his back. "You must gain enough knowledge and power of the eleventh element to develop immunity to its effects. Unfortunately, for you, you'd be old men before you could even hope of reaching for such a goal. And I do not believe Saber will wait that long."-

"In other words we're screwed, right?"-

"In many possible phrases, yes, so you might as well forget it. Battling against Saber and actually winning is virtually impossible at your level."-

"Then what do you propose we do?"-

"If there is one way to gain quick immunity to all eleven elements, it would have to be this." Thundro drew up his hand. Suddenly, there was an immense surge of energy that lifted up from his open palm. Appearing over his fingers in a flash of red light, a gleaming white orb appeared. It was a pure white light. Around it, sparks of blue electrical surges snapped and wisped around it. There was an immense aura coming from such a small orb. The key bearers were dumbfounded by its beauty.

"Wow…" Sora said.

"What I bear here is the solution to all your problems." Thundro explained. "This little sphere is what has been dubbed the Immunity Orb in which when absorbed into your bodies, you will be able to obtain all knowledge of the eleven elements and will have the capacity to nullify their effects if they're deployed by an enemy, even if your foe combines elemental and physical components. Not even Saber knows about it." Thundro dispersed the orb into his hand. "It was a technique and quick solution passed only amongst the Death Lords. Not even a man as revered as Saber was allowed access to that knowledge."

"But why share it with us?"-

"It's because there is no other solution. You either gain it through your own means, which may take years, or you can achieve it in one little package. And in all my experience, I never knew a single man who could achieve such knowledge in a single lifetime. Saber may look young, but he's old enough to be your grandfather." The key bearers cringed a bit. Riku, however, was not deterred.

"Then, can we have it?" Riku asked.

"In your state, I think not."-

"But why not?"-

"The Immunity Orb may not look like much, but don't let its size fool you. By absorbing the orb, you gain knowledge of all the elements and develop immunity to their effects. However, as is with everything in this world, there are negative aspects to coincide with positive aspects."-

"And what's the con for the Immunity Orb?"-

"In order to fully absorb the orb, you'd have to be at least three to five times stronger than you are now. If you absorb the orb right now, it will undoubtedly kill you."-

"Kill us?" Sora uttered.

"That's right." Thundro replied. "It will kill you. The reason why is because your bodies and minds, as tough as you think they are, will not bear a quarter of the power and endurance needed to absorb the orb."

"We'll undertake it then." Riku declared. "Whatever the consequence, we have to have that power to defeat Saber."

"No," Thundro walked away towards the door. "Letting you intake the orb now is out of the question. And there's no discussion strong enough to persuade me otherwise."

"Hey," Riku and Sora got up and followed Thundro as he exited out of his quarters. "At least let us give it a try."

"A try you say? You've be dead before you realized what happened. And you're not worth anything to anyone if you're dead."-

"Listen, we don't have time to screw around right now! We need a way to defeat Saber. And if absorbing that orb is the only way, then so be it!"-

"You're not strong enough, believe me. It will kill you."-

"And how bad could it possibly be?!"

"Do you really want to know?" Thundro suddenly turned around. His hand gripped like a claw, he unleashed surge of energy through Riku. Riku was struck by an indescribable sensation of pain. It was as if something were able to blow him up from the inside. Every nerve and every capillary pounded with this sharp, gut wrenching pain. Riku cried out and screamed like mad because the sensation was so unbearable.

"Riku," Sora cried. He glared at Thundro. "What did you do to him?!"

"I'm merely giving him an example of what he'll be feeling if the Immunity Orb were absorbed in him."-

"Riku," Sora tried to touch him, but Riku only shouted him away.

"Get away, Sora!" he cried. "Don't touch me! Don't touch me!" He curled into a ball again as the pangs struck in multiple waves. The pain was so great, tears started dripping from his eyes.

"Riku,"-

"The pain, the pain, it's unbearable…!"-

"Is it really?" Thundro wondered. "I'm sure one with a will as strong as yours can take a little pain."

"Stop this, Thundro!" Sora pleaded. "You're killing him!"

"Riku wanted to experience the pain of absorbing the orb, so I gave it to him."-

"He won't last long at this rate!"-

"I don't expect him to. Riku gluttons for pain, I thus bestow that pain on him as he wished."-

"Riku,"-

"I will overcome," Riku cried. "I will overcome!" Using all his energy, he suppressed the pain. It felt as though his head was about to explode. Finally, Riku turned into Dark Riku, unleashing all the darkness he had to subdue the pain. But even so, the effects did not diminish. "I will not be defeated by mere energy!" At last, with one last push, Riku expelled the energy from his body. But doing so left him exhausted. He collapsed to the ground.

"Riku," Sora caught Riku as he fell backwards. The key bearer was drenched in sweat. His body was aching so much that each muscle throbbed with pain. Even his bones seemed to throb with pain. Riku gasped for air as the sweat trickled down his brow. Sora held him tight. "Are you alright, Riku?"

"My body," Riku whispered, unable to raise his voice above a whisper, "It's so heavy. That pain was unbearable. I'm so tired…so tired…"

"It's alright, buddy. You'll be okay."-

"What was that?"-

"What you experienced was a portion of the pain you would have felt had you decided to absorb the Immunity Orb." Thundro replied. The Death Lord knelt and laid his hand over Riku. There was a pulsating energy resonating from his palm. Within seconds, Riku was mended up and back on his feet. "I apologize for that, but you seemed determine to endure the pain. I did warn you that it was enough to kill you. It nearly did. So tell me, how did it feel?"

"I've never felt such pain before, nothing like that ever. It affected all of my senses and shut down my body. It was like all the pain, mentally and physically, I ever had to endure in my entire life all rolled into one moment and concentrated a hundred fold."-

"That's right. And even when you've gone beyond the point of feeling any pain, that pain still strikes hard." Thundro put his arms behind him again. "What you experienced, however, was only a tenth of what the true orb feels like. The true pain would have been ten to twenty times greater. And with the overload in energy, if your body was not able to suppress and maintain it, you could have blown up like a hand grenade."

"My God…"-

"So I guess absorbing the orb is out of the question." Sora said.

"I'm afraid so…" Thundro replied.

"If that's the case," Riku implied, "Then we have to become stronger so we can absorb the orb's true power."

"Riku…?" Sora was baffled, he and Thundro both.

"Is that so, and how do you plan on becoming stronger?" Thundro asked.

"We'll train." Riku replied, his voice filled with new determination.

"But Riku," Sora told him, "We can't train like we always do. We wouldn't have enough time and we'd only be able to achieve so much. We couldn't hope to become three to five times stronger in such a short period."

"We have to try, Sora. It's our only option right now."-

"But how are we gonna train? Normal training wouldn't be enough."-

"Oh yeah…" Riku pondered. Once again, it seemed their hopes were dashed. But then Sora had a brilliant idea.

"I have it!" He turned to Thundro. "Maybe you can train us, Thundro."

"I beg your pardon?" Thundro seemed rather stunned by Sora's words, but his shock didn't show behind his calm façade.

"Yeah, I'm sure you have some training techniques that might be able to make us stronger. You're the last of the Death Lords, so that means you have to have at least a few styles that exceed normal training."-

"That's right," Riku added, "You trained Goten to excel in swordsmanship in about a month's time. I remember him mentioning that when we first met. And that's incredible. If you could some how train us, we might actually be able to reach to the level of strength we need to take in that orb. And we might still have a little time to spare!"

"I see," Thundro replied. "If I take you in, then you will undergo new and rigorous forms of training that will bring your strengths to incredible heights. And once you have achieved your goal, you will be able to confront Saber and put him in his place!" The key bearers were perked by Thundro's level of enthusiasm. But the mood turned sour when his true thoughts emerged, his enthusiasm regressed to cruel sarcasm. "Are you two imbeciles running a high fever or something, how in the world could you have conjured up a strategy so idiotic?!" Of course the key bearers were offended by this remark.

"Hey, what's with the sarcastic attitude all of a sudden?!"-

"My training is only meant for the elite, not the rabble. I don't think you two are even worth my time and effort to train!" Thundro turned his back on them.

"What are you saying?" Sora growled. "Are you saying that we're not good enough?!"

"You're an intelligent young man, Sora, what do you think?!"-

"Are you trying to be funny?! 'Cause we're not laughing!!"-

"I don't expect you to. And I don't expect you to understand my reasons for rejecting your proposal." Thundro turned again to face them. "You might think you have the charisma. You might think you have the determination. You might think you have the strength, the cunning, the ability, and the power. And all these might be true. But your level of so called strength pales in comparison to my definition of these categories. Engaging in my regimen will cause your bodies to shut down and your minds to go into a frenzy of insanity. You might actually go crazy and not be able to recover. I've seen men lose their sanity and logics due to the severe stress. And they were supposed elites. So what makes you think that you are any more qualified then they are?!"

"Listen to me," Riku said with a stern tone. "You think you can just judge us without even knowing our capabilities? We're stronger than what you give us credit for. Sora and I are a team, that's what makes us strong!"

"Yeah," Sora agreed.

"Really," Thundro replied. "Then if you are so strong, how is it that every time you confronted Saber, you were somehow repelled by him? You could have used that teamwork of yours to defeat him and yet he still roams freely about with no one to oppose him. I understand that he's been sent to several worlds accomplishing in a matter of days what the S class elites couldn't achieve in a month. So how can you justify this excuse for him living?"

"Well, uh… We still don't know anything about him! We need to know him better! Those times before, he caught us off guard with his elemental techniques. But if you were to help us, then maybe we might be able to defeat him the next time we meet!"-

"Is that so?"-

"You say that we don't have the ability, right?!" Riku declared most strongly. "But I say you're wrong, we do have what it takes! We do have what it takes to defeat Saber! But training under normal circumstances will not be enough to reach the level we're hoping to achieve! If there is anyone who can help us, it's you, Thundro!"

"And exactly how desperate are you to seeking my council?"-

Riku, determined to show his will to the Death Lord, did the unthinkable. He fell to his knees and bowed respectfully. Sora saw his friend humble himself and he too did the same. Both key bearers fell to their knees and bowed.

"We're begging for your help, Thundro. Please teach us your way of preparation."-

"Yes," Sora added, "please train us."

"So you're that desperate are you?" Thundro approached them. "You certainly show humility, but my answer remains the same. You are just not qualified for my level of preparation." Thundro walked the opposite way, but Riku grabbed the bottom of his frock. Thundro turned to find Riku looking at him, his eyes filled with eagerness and desperation.

"We're on our knees letting go of our pride." He uttered. "Please…"

"I see." The Death Lord smirked. "Something is definitely pressuring you to do this, eh? How can I be certain if you're made of the right material?"-

"If there's anyway we can prove our worthiness," Sora implied, "name it."

"Very well then," Thundro helped the two young men up. "You are young, but your eyes tell me differently. You are not doing this to boost your egos. Though you might still be hatchlings, your eyes hold wisdom beyond your years." Thundro turned towards the exit of the great hall. "Then if you are so determined to prove your worth, we'll do it my way."-

"How's that?" Riku asked.

"Follow me." Thundro marched to the exit. The key bearers quickly pursued him.

The three exited the Imperial facility and walked up a narrow path. The key bearers were curious, but said nothing, fearing that uttering one word might change Thundro's mind. The train led in an upward pace, leading through tranquil parts of the forest that would have otherwise remained unseen. Eventually, the trail ended, coming to a flat basin of short grass and dusty terrain. Nearby, a water fall fell, pelting the eroded rocks at its basin, feeding the stream. It was here that the Thundro halted. The two key bearers stopped short of him.

"So what did you bring us up here for, Thundro?" Riku asked.

"You said that you wanted to prove yourselves." Thundro replied. "You want to convince me that you two are made of the right stuff, correct?"

"Yeah," Sora replied.

"Very well, then if that be the case, we handle it in the manner that I've executed to prove the worth of a student." Thundro turned, in his hand he wielded a blade, which had been concealed about his person. "Riku, Sora, I challenge you both to a duel."

"A duel…?"-

"That's right. It is how I am able to determine whether you are taken in or booted out."-

"Is that so?" Riku replied with a smirk. "Then what are the terms, do we have to beat you?"

"I wouldn't ask you to go that far. You don't have to beat me. All you two have to do is inflict one strike anywhere on my person."-

"You mean…" Sora uttered.

"That's right, if either one of you manage to strike me at least once, no matter how small the impact, then I will take on the responsibility of training you."-

"Is that all?" Riku asked.

"Then this'll be easy." Sora added. They both drew out their keyblades. "Get ready, Thundro, you're going down!"

"Now wait a minute," Thundro replied, "I haven't finished yet." Thundro reached in his pocket and pulled out a gold plated watch. He opened its lid and checked the time. He then stuffed it back in hi pocket. He then pulled out red lens scouter and mounted it upon his left ear. He pressed the little red button on its side, thus activating the machine with a soft beep. "I've checked my watch and it read 10:00 a.m. That means you have one hour, on hour to strike me at least once. However, if you can't strike me by the time the hour strikes eleven, then you go home and forget about this proposal."

"An hour time limit eh?" Riku wondered. "Well, I think that's more than enough time we need."

"Don't get too confident boys. It won't be that easy to best me."-

"And why do you say that?"-

"Do you really think I would propose such an outcome if I knew it would be easy for you?"-

"We'll just see." He looked at Sora. "Are you ready for this, buddy?"

"Yeah," Sora replied.

"Then let's get him!"-

With incredible swiftness, both key bearers launched themselves at Thundro. However, as the swung down upon him, believing that victory was theirs, the elusive Death Lord vanished from sight. He then appeared behind the key bearers and pummeled them both on their backs with two powerful picks. The key bearers fell forwards, dropping to the ground and skidding across the dusty rubble. Riku and Sora slowly rose up, coughing and choking as the clouds of dirt suffocated them. They turned up to see Thundro standing above them like a storm.

"So tell me, gentlemen," he implied, "Do you really think it's going to be as easy as you had anticipated?"

"That attack," Sora uttered, "I didn't even see him."

"It's like he just disappeared into thin air." Riku added. "Could that have been the time element?"

"That last attack had nothing to do with time, Riku." Thundro explained. "What you just witnessed was pure speed."

"Pure speed…?"-

"That's correct. And to tell you the truth, that speed isn't even a fraction of what I'm capable of."-

"Man," Sora said.

"Now do you dare try again?"-

"Don't count us out so soon in the game," Riku declared, "The party's just starting!"

"Let's hit him again, Riku!" Sora shouted.

"Yeah,"-

The two charged again and swiped and struck with all their might. Their own speed was incredible, mind boggling to most people. But to Thundro, they were moving way too slowly. He dodged and evaded as if the grapple was well choreographed ahead of the bout.

"You guys are fast," Thundro chuckled, "but you lack severely against the likes of me." Thundro elbowed Sora in the chest, while kicking Riku in the gut. The two key bearers tumbled backwards and fell in the dust again. Thundro stood up, not even laboring in breath. "Have you two had enough yet?"

"Not even close!" Riku shouted.

"We won't give up until we win!" Sora cried. They attacked again, yet the result was the same. But still they were undeterred. Again and again, they were pummeled by Thundro, but even so after every tumble, they stood back up and assaulted once more. In all their assaults, Thundro was impressed.

"I have to admit," he thought inwardly, "These two young men are determined. Perhaps they do have what it takes. Their hearts are pure, but then again so are fools. However, maybe it is because of their pure hearts that they are so determined to succeed. Perhaps maintaining those pure hearts is the only way for them to maintain their humanity."


	90. Acceptance

Acceptance

The hour quickly passed as the duel between the key bearers and the last of the Death Lords continued on. The easy victory that had filled the minds of Riku and Sora with confidence quickly diminished as they came to realize the true strength of Lord Thundro. Back and forth, with great neck speed, they struck and swiped and slashed and jabbed, putting all heart and soul into each strike. But still success did occur. Thundro managed to elude his attackers and get himself out of the tightest of predicaments without the key bearers landing a single scratch.

"Come now, boys." Thundro said as the three met at a sudden stand off. "Is that all you've got?"

Riku and Sora gasped, catching their breaths for the moment before engaging again. Though their teamwork was flawless, but even that was not enough to subdue the mighty Thundro.

"He's got to have a weak spot somewhere." Riku thought to himself.

"This is impossible." Sora inquired silently. "How can Thundro move so fast? No matter how many times we try, we can never seem to get at him."

Thundro smacked Riku away then turned his attention to Sora. He raised his sword to strike the young man. Sora drew up his keyblade, hoping to block the blow he believed was coming. But at the last minute, Thundro struck with an unexpected kick to the gut, knocking the wind out of him.

"Don't let your opponent's movements deceive you, boy." Thundro advised. "Just because a foe has a weapon drawn doesn't mean they'll use it."

"Sora," Riku cried as he saw his friend pummeled. The silver-haired key bearer flipped and retaliated against the Imperial. He swiped from behind only to have Thundro suddenly appear above him and deliver a kneed blow to the back. Riku fell to the rubble face first, taking in a mouth full of dirt.

"You'll have to do better if you ever hope to defeat me."-

"He's just too strong for us." Sora thought to himself. The two key bearers hit the ground and lay there fore a minute or two. Thundro didn't even break a sweat. It was as if he wasn't trying from the start. He simply dusted the dirt from off his black frock.

"Tsk, tsk," he said, "At this rate you won't hope of ever receiving any training from me." He pulled out his pocket watch and looked at the time. "So far you two have spent thirty minutes trying to strike me, yet I haven't even received a blemish. You might as well give up. You can't hope of hindering me."

"This isn't over." Riku said.

"Not by a long shot." Sora added. Thundro watched as they staggered to their feet again. Though exhausted, they still hand enough energy to continue battling.

"You expect me to believe that you can still fight?" Thundro asked. He checked the scouter reading. There were a few insignificant bleeps on the scouter monitor. "Your power levels have remained at an estimate level of a hundred and fifty each. Now that's definitely powerful when it comes to battling even a factional S class elite, but it pales in comparison to my capabilities. Not to mention, your power levels haven't really changed for the past half hour. Ergo, I can only come to one of two conclusions. The first is you've displayed your full strength. The second reason, which I find more likely, is that you've been concealing your true power all this time."

"Well, I guess you got us."-

"Let's crank up the heat!" Riku shouted. The key bearers suddenly began to increase their levels of strength. Thundro's scouter began to detect the increase in power and the displayed ranking was slowly increasing."

"Look at that," he quietly implied in his mind, "Riku and Sora are fired up. They're holding nothing back this time."

"Let's get him!" Sora shouted. The two key bearers lunged forward at the Imperial with all their might. Thundro drew his blade at the ready.

"Come to me, boys, come to me."-

The night was long in Traverse Town as the team and their allies went about their business, still waiting for the heroes to return. Goofy and Donald rested alongside Olette and the several children in the red and green rooms at the Traverse Town Hotel. Ophelia was giving instructions to the supply crews on restocking and repairing the gummies available. At the same time, Goten and Leon helped themselves to beverages at the inn in the first district.

"I wonder how Riku and Sora are doing." Leon said. "It's been about three hours since they left."

"I hope that they're alright." Goten replied. "This is Thundro they're consulting. He's a completely different guy compared to me. He'd be more likely to spear them than give them a warm salutation."

"I don't think so. This is Sora and Riku we're talking about. I'm sure they could smooth-talk their way out of any hostile predicament."-

"So says you."-

It was then that Ophelia appeared and joined them at the table. She slumped down and huffed.

"I tell you," she grumbled, "If you want to get things done around here, you have to do it yourself. And even so, you have to scream your head off at times until you're blue in the face."-

"I take it that the situation with the gummi ships was not exactly a joy ride." Leon said.

"Those supply crews are inconceivably incompetent. It was like I was talking to a group of monkeys."-

"Well, they are new recruits after all." Goten chuckled.

"Then someone should give those boys a damn good hiding. I hate those types of recruits, a bunch of immature high school kids whose only thoughts revolve around booze, sex, and playtime."-

"I bet you put them in their place, eh Miss Billiard?"-

"I had to bust a few skulls, break a few noses, and crunch a few nut sacks to get my point straight, but I think they've learned a little."-

No sooner had she sat down, a messenger came rushing from the transmission station in the third district. She saluted her superiors.

"Colonel Billiard," she declared. "I have a message from President Sneer." She handed a slip of paper containing the message.

"What is it?" Ophelia took the paper from her hand and opened up the letter, revealing its contents. She read what was written. As she did, her eyes opened with a feeling of apprehension and concern. There was strange eerie silence that lingered about the little congregation. "Is this right?"-

"I'm afraid so, ma'am."-

"My God…"-

"What is it?" Leon asked. Ophelia handed him the slip and both he and Goten read the contents.

"No way," Goten uttered in disbelief.

"Is this true?"-

"As far as we know, yes," Ophelia replied.

All the while, back on Oceanaria, near the Gilgazion Springs, Thundro sat upon a rock, meditating a while. The battle had ended with a temporary lull and he now took the opportunity to organize his thoughts.

"Once again the order of this vast universe and all worlds connected to it will be turned upside down." He thought to himself. "Though the Imperial regime had collapsed, it still lingers in its final waning stage. However, they begin to wax again, much like the moon. There are still those who wish to restore Imperial might, but forge it in their own image. But no resurrection would fit the former structure of the Dark Empire. Though the Three Excellencies have been restored, they consist of men who have no real intension of cooperating with one another in the end. If power does shift in their favor, and they manage to somehow bring a downfall to the Universal Alliance, the only powers they must fear and fight are one another. They will eventually turn on one another and battle one another until only one stands. And by that time, further regimes within that regime would have emerged and the chaos would erupt once more. Thus, whatever copied Empire does emerge, it will only fall in flames." Thundro tapped his fingers upon his knee. "I had hoped for peace when the Empire was still fresh, but they continuously thirsted for more war and more battle. That is the reason why I defected against the regime. A regime that only knows chaos can never find true peace. And the factions are no different, thirsting for endless battle and conquest. Thus, I must stand with a former enemy to bring down a once favored ally that knows only chaos."

"Hey," Thundro suddenly shouted, "Exactly how long do you two idiots intend on sleeping?" He looked to Riku and Sora who lay prostate and tired on the ground. They gasped and labored for air, their bodies were weary with pain and exhaustion, and the sweat trickled down their youthful faces in rivers. "Get up already! You only have twenty minutes left. You can't spend it lying around like a couple of bumps on a log."

"Man," Sora uttered, "doesn't that guy know when to quit?"

"We used up too much energy in that last bout." Riku added. "It took out so much energy, we barely have enough to stand up again, let alone battle one last time."

"I'm with you there, Riku. "I'm so tired."-

"Do you want my help," Thundro declared, seeming to mock the key bearers, "Or are you going to call it quits now? I guess what you were saying about you being made of the right stuff was just a great manifestation of falsehoods."

"Don't you be mocking us, Thundro! We're just trying to regain our composure."-

"Well, it's taking a long time for you! Hurry up!"-

"Damn it…" The two key bearers tried to stand, but their bodies felt as if they gained a ton or two, keeping them down on the ground.

"Perhaps you two nimrods need a little motivation." Thundro took out what looked like a little black book. "I could always perk you up by filling you full of guile, especially when it comes to the most embarrassing moments of your young lives."

"Ha," Sora scoffed, "Don't make us laugh! You don't know anything about us, so you wouldn't know any of our embarrassing moments!"

"Don't be so sure, Sora. I am an Imperial after all. I have my sources."-

"Then why don't you flatter us?!"-

"Alright then," Thundro flipped through the pages and stopped at one particular entry. "Aw, here's one. This is for Sora. This was the final time that you actually wet your bed. You woke up with your pajamas and your sheets wet and that recognizable odor of urine about the mattress. The funny thing is that you were thirteen years old when that happened."

"Oh that's a bunch of lies!" Riku shouted. "Sora would never…" But the moment he looked at his comrade, Sora had this rather awkward look on his face. The sweat of worry was on his brow and his face had turned almost a complete red. Riku gawked at him. "Sora, you actually…?"

"I thought no body knew about that." Sora uttered. Riku suddenly bawled out laughing.

"Oh my God, Sora, you wet the bed when you were thirteen?! That's a laugh!"-

"It's no funny, Riku!"-

"Still, that's a laugh!"-

"You are in no position to be mouthing off, Riku." Thundro replied as he flipped through the pages of his little black book. "It says in here that you didn't stop sleeping with a stuffed animal until you were fourteen!" Immediately, Riku's guffaw ended with a dead silence. "Oh yes, it was a brown teddy bear with a missing eye. You called in Mr. Lumpkins."

The boot was on the other foot now. This time it was Sora who was laughing his head off and Riku sat quietly.

"No one supposed to know about Mr. Lumpkins."-

"Well, now we all know!" Sora chuckled.

"You should be talking Mr. Bed Wetter!" Sora immediately took offense.

"Hey, you take that back, Mr. Lumpkins!"-

"Why you…!"-

"You two can start fighting when I'm finished." Thundro shouted as he flipped through his book again. "Aw, here's another one for you, Sora. There was the time when you were eight years old, you mistook Madera wine for grape juice and you were found laying in you backyard naked as the day you were born!" He flipped again. "Riku, you were ten years old and you were famished because you didn't want to eat breakfast. So you ended up eating a batch of wild laughing mushrooms. But the effect was anything by a laugh!" Thundro browsed his book again. "Sora, you were six years old when you got yourself trapped in a birdcage. And Riku, you were seven years old when you slid into the hole of your family toilet and got stuck. Or how about the time when you ripped the back of your pants back in Kindergarten, Sora. You weren't wearing any under underwear. And you Riku, you didn't stop wearing underwear with little animals on them until you were twelve. If you would like me to go on, I will."

By this time both Riku and Sora had enough having their deepest secrets revealed.

"I don't know how he got those," Riku growled, "But enough's enough."

"I'm with you, Riku." Sora replied. Both of their faces were red with both embarrassment and anger. Thy shook hands calling a truce, and approached Thundro as the Imperial continued to casually blather out their dark secrets without care.

"Let's see if we have another one here." Thundro said. "Aw yes, here's one, the secret crush with Kairi. That's the one where you two actually fought one another. You were still in elementary school and both of you sent a Valentine card to her with both cards signed 'a friend.' When you found out about each other sending her a card, you both got jealous and had yourselves rolling about on the school black top."

"That's enough," Riku shouted. Thundro looked to find both key bearers ready to strike. But the Imperial dodged without much trouble.

"Damn it," Sora grumbled, "we missed him again."

"I see you two have found the motivation to stand up and try again, eh?" Thundro chuckled. "But I'm still reminiscing, so rest a little longer. I want to get down to the nitty gritty."

"You think its funny expressing our most humiliating life moments like they were nothing?"-

"You take delight in tormenting us like this don't you?!" Riku shouted. "Well, how do you like it when someone talks trash about you?!"-

"Yeah, like your personality!"-

"There's something about your personality we hate!"-

"Yeah it has flaws!"-

"You're crude!"-

"Is that so?" Thundro said in his own defense. Riku and Sora continued to give their opinions consecutively as Thundro replied with the same response over and over again.

"You're vindictive."-

"Is that so?"-

"You're arrogant."-

"Is that so?"-

"You're anti-social."-

"Is that so?"-

"You especially enjoy making other people miserable when mentioning the darker secrets of their lives!"-

"Is that so?"-

"Not so funny when it happens to you is it?!" Sora said.

"Then again," Thundro implied, "such mockery cannot bend my will, let alone break it. And do you want to know why I am unmoved by your harsh words?"

"And why's that?"-

"It's because I have accepted your proposal on giving you aid. I'm actually offering a chance for you to train under me. The only reason is because you two are the ones who are desperate. Ergo, I'm giving you the opportunity to become stronger. To think that I, a former lord of the Dark Empire would train allies of the one organization that opposed the authority of Imperial might. So, there isn't a more understanding lord around." Thundro pulled out his watch. "To add, with all the complaining you made, you wasted a good fifteen minutes. Thus, you only have five minutes left to strike me at least once."-

"What…?" The key bearers were shocked.

"But to tell you the truth, I'm starting to get a little bored with this insufficiency on you part." Thundro lifted up his sword. "Therefore, I will not wait until the hour is up. If neither of you is able to strike me with your next attack, you can forget learning anything from me." Again the key bearers were shocked.

"Petty tricks won't work on him." Riku said to Sora. "He's dead serious. This last attack may be our last hope."

"I agree." Sora added.

"The only way to assure success is to go all out, hold nothing back."-

"Yeah,"-

"Final Form, Hyper Mode Fusion…"-

"Give me strength!" Sora shouted. The two combined to activate the final form. "I unleash the power of darkness, the power of the rage, and the power of Saiyan devotion! Let my power smite my enemy!"

The increase of strength bleeped on Thundro's scouter.

"Well, well," he said to himself, "It looks like they're holding nothing back now. They really intend to strike me down."

"Here I come!" The warrior suddenly leaped up into the air. Thundro watched as he hovered in the atmosphere.

"Smart move, taking the higher position so you can see my movements," The Imperial then leaped into the air as well. "But it'll take more than that to defeat me!"

The two clashed with double keyblade against Imperial katana. Sparks flew, a flash of a light, and thunderous waves erupted as the weapons made contact with one another. Then, everything fell silent with all surroundings going dark.

The wound of the waterfall could be heard in the distance, the sound of birds chirping sounded, and the warm sun beamed down upon Riku and Sora as they slowly opened their eyes. They both groggily lifted their heads up and looked about. There was no sign of Thundro in front of them.

"Did we do it?" Sora asked.

"What time is it now?" Riku wondered. Just then, they felt two hands grab the sides of their faces and clonked their heads together. The two for a moment ached and moaned as they comforted their craniums.

"I was starting to think that you two were going to spend of the rest of the day sleeping like a couple of lazy bums." Thundro said from behind.

"What the heck did you do that for, Thundro?!" But both key bearers came to realize their blunder. "Oh no, what's the hour?!"

"That's why I was worried. You two have been laying prostrated on the ground for over thirty-five minutes."-

"But that means the hours up, Riku." Sora uttered.

"No…" Riku uttered. The two key bearers lowered their heads. "We failed…"

"We didn't make it." There was a silence that lingered as they dwelled on a chance to improve themselves only to lose it.

"Well," Thundro said, "Even if you did manage to regain your consciousness shortly after, it wouldn't have made any difference since I declared that last attack to be your last attempt."

"But why were we both unconscious?" Sora asked. "Did you knock us out?"

"No necessarily, boys. You inflicted that black out on your own. The reason is because you were so concentrated on that last attack, putting all your heart and soul into your strike, you forgot about how you were going to land on the ground, which is the reason why you two have a concussion."-

"Oh…" But Thundro threw his right arm in front of them. On his gauntlet, the key bearers beheld a streak across the white leather guard indicating that they had managed to strike Thundro once in those final moments.

"But then again, if you hadn't gone all out with that last attack, you wouldn't have been able to inflict this on me no matter how many times you tried."-

"We did that?" Riku asked.

"So as I promised, I will take you in and train you under my wing."-

"So we did it?" Sora said.

"You begin your first day tomorrow."-

"Great," the two key bearers cheered, but their jubilation was cut short.

"Now, don't get too joyful. I still need to calculate on how long I will be training you. You do remember that the Imperial Axis may mobilize at any day when we least expect it. Thus, I cannot keep you absent from the front for very long."-

"So what do we do first?"-

"We must first get in touch with your other comrades and tell them of the predicament we face."-

"But our friends are back in Traverse Town." Riku said. "It took us almost two hours to get here, one full hour to reach Oceanaria."

"Do you forget, Riku?" Thundro chuckled. "I am a Death Lord. I know no distance too long. Grab onto my shoulders."

"Okay…" Sora uttered. Both key bearers placed their hands upon Thundro's shoulders.

"Let us be off." Instantly, the trio vanished from sight.

Back at Traverse Town, Goofy and Donald were busy playing games with Olette and some of the children.

"Now, now," Goofy would instruct them. "Ya gotta settle down, boys and girls."

"Yeah," Donald added. "Otherwise the owner would have a good reason to throw us out of here."

"Settle down, you guys." Olette said. "Some of the others are still asleep."

"Riku and Sora would be scolding you if they ever found out that you're misbehaving."-

But amidst the rowdy crowd of boys and girls, the trio suddenly appeared. Goofy, Donald, and the others were shocked and they repelled.

"Well, here we are." Thundro implied. "That took less than ten seconds considering the distance."

"You gotta teach us how to do that." Sora said.

"Sora…?" Goofy uttered. "Riku…?"-

"Oh, hey you guys."-

"But I thought you guys were at Oceanaria." Donald inquired.

"We came back only for a while." Riku explained. "We need to talk to all of you." Riku looked around. "Where are Ophelia and the others?"

"Well, Miss Billiard went out to oversee the re-supply and repairs of our gummies. Leon and Goten, however, I don't know."-

"They were at the first district inn if I'm not mistaken." Goofy told them.

But no sooner had they been mentioned, Colonel Billiard, Goten, and Leon appeared in the doorway of the green room. They were just as shocked to find the key bearers and Lord Thundro of all people standing before them.

"Riku…?" Ophelia said.

"Sora…?" Leon added.

"Master Thundro…?" Goten inquired.

"What are you guys doing here?"-

"I'm glad that you three came in when you did." Thundro declared. "Gather around, ladies and gents, gather around. Riku and Sora have something to say to you." The team came before the trio.

"Guys," Riku began, "We have spoken with Thundro. Our prospects of actually defeating Saber as we are now are nil. But due to his gracious acceptance, Thundro has agreed to train Sora and I for the upcoming battle."

"What…?" the team gasped.

"Is that true, Master?" Goten asked.

"That it is, Goten." Thundro replied. "I have decided to take Riku and Sora to my tutelage."

"Well, that's good." Goten looked at the key bearers. "You guys are lucky. You'll be training with the best."

"Oh yeah…?" Sora asked.

"But there isn't a lot of time to be training." Leon implied. "The Imperial Axis is already starting to initiate campaigns again on their outer territories."

"I agree." Ophelia replied. "That's why we came to the hotel in the first place, to explain the predicament. We bear some bad news. There was a transmitted message that arrived from Oceansburg not too long ago."

"How bad…?" Riku asked. There was dead silence for a while before Ophelia spoke again.

"We received word that Central has fallen into the hands of the Midnight Faction."-

"Central," Sora wondered, "Are you talking about the world that Edward Elric and his brother Alphonse were defending?"

"Yes,"-

"How long ago?"-

"No more than two days ago." Leon said.

"And Edward is he alright?" Again there was an eerie silence. Ophelia lowered her head.

"He was killed." She uttered. The team were dumbfounded, unable to speak a word.

"What…?" Riku gasped. "Edward Elric is dead?"

"But when…how?" Sora too was shocked.

"From what the details explained, he was killed in the last stand-off at Central. He was killed by General Saber."-

"It can't be…" Donald said.

"Saber killed him?" Goofy added.

"Damn him…" Riku growled.

"From what eye witness accounts said," Ophelia continued, "Edward was on the verge of initiating an alchemic reaction against Saber when both of his hands were suddenly sliced off from the wrists down. Then what looked like slash marks appeared on his chest then finally across his throat. Edward was dead before the battle could even begin."

"The reports said that Saber didn't even move to try and cut him." Leon added. "It was said that Edward's wounds just appeared out of nowhere."-

"Then it must've been the time element he executed." Sora said. "Ed never stood a chance."

"Saber's been up and down the lines." Ophelia told them. "He's so far the only truly active force the Imperial Axis has working."

"How many other worlds have fallen due to him?" Riku asked.

"Well, he wasn't involved in any real downfalls." Leon explained. "But he has killed a lot of top elite warriors. I think the majority of them you know."

"Like who…?" Ophelia took out of the message they received earlier.

"Edward," she began, "along with his brother Alphonse, was killed. They were the first victims. Van Flyheight was the next victim, killed in a convoy raid led by Saber, when he was returning to his own world only yesterday. Heero Yuy of the Preventers was killed, assassinated by Saber. Dearka Elsman of the Orb Union was killed by Saber along with Mu La Fllaga and Shin Asuka. Thank God Kira Yamato wasn't amongst them. All of their deaths occurred within a close proximity, perhaps within a day. That means the majority of the major ally leaders who were involved in the Oceansburg Campaign were killed."

"Now there's deep concern," Leon said, "about whether or not Saber will go after the president himself."-

"I think not." Thundro implied. "Saber is a powerful general, but he's no where near strong enough to confront the Alliance forces all on his own, especially now that the Z fighters are there protecting him, or so I've heard."

"Still…"-

"I know Saber better than anyone here. He is incapable of initiating a one man attack on the whole of the Alliance, believe me."-

"How would you know?" Sora asked, curiously. Thundro stalled, as if not wanting to explain.

"That's not important right now. The main focus is stopping the last of the Blade Generals. Saber is the only truly effective officer Sirius Viicous has serving under him. You do away with Saber and the chain of success within the Imperial Axis will be broken forever."-

"But you're a strong feller." Goofy said. "Why don't you fight him?"

"Yeah," Donald added, "You're a Death Lord. You could easily take out saber on your own, right?"

"I could," Thundro implied, "But I refuse to take such an action."

"But why not?" Ophelia asked.

"I have my reasons for refusing. Besides, I'm not the one who has a score to settle with Saber. Rather, it's the key bearers who have a score to settle with him. I find it more justified for them to break the link entirely, and to help wipe away an old grudge from one's mind."-

"An old grudge," Sora asked, "What kind of grudge?"

"The grudge that Saber holds against you two. He has mentioned it at least once, am I correct?'-

"I wouldn't be able to recall." Riku said. "What grudge does he hold against us?"

"Is there anything else you need to tell us about Saber, Colonel?"-

"Well," Ophelia said, "There is one thing. It's regarding the death reports of each of those close friends and allies Riku and Sora knew. Apparently, Saber left a mark on each of them, carving a message on their chests with his sword. The message always read the same."

"What was the message?" Leon asked.

_"Vengeance…"-_

"Vengeance…?"-

"It seems Saber is holding a strong vendetta against Riku and Sora." Thundro said.

"Could someone please tell us what it is that we did to Saber?" Riku demanded.

"Now is not the time." Thundro faced the key bearers. "We spent enough time blathering about this predicament. Let's focus on the matter at hand. You need to become stronger and I'm the man to do that. Now, if you please." Riku and Sora put their hands of Thundro's shoulders. Thundro turned to Ophelia, Goten, and Leon. "Pass the word along to Sneer and the rest of the Alliance. I will train the key bearers and make them stronger. Give me three weeks to bulk them up. Three weeks is all I'm asking."

"Three weeks?" Leon said.

"But that's an awfully long time." Goten added. "A lot can happen in three weeks."

"Then you idiots better not dawdle and make sure to prevent anything of a negative nature from occurring for that extension. And I'll do what I can to make the key bearers stronger. Hopefully, our labors will bear fruit." With that, Thundro concentrated his energy and he and the two key bearers vanished from sight.

"Oh man," Goten uttered, "When the axe will fall."

"Well," Ophelia said, "Riku and Sora will be absent for three weeks. So it's up to us to keep anything drastic from happening."

"Like what?" Donald asked.

"If Saber has enough nerve to take over worlds and kill our closest comrades, then we'll do the same thing. We do all in our power to make the Imperial Axis quiver." Ophelia turned to her comrades. "Are you guys with me?"

"Yeah," they replied.

Thundro, Riku, and Sora reappeared in the entrance hall of the Death Lords' secret realm.

"The day grows late, gentlemen." Thundro said. "You two may spend this final day of freedom as you like. Get a good night's rest tonight, because tomorrow, you two are all mine. You will undergo training that can only be described as pure hell. And because we only have three weeks, I will make sure to push you ten times harder than what's usually expected."-

"I see…" Riku replied.

"Now if you would be so kind as to follow me, I will take you to your quarters." Thundro led the way with the key bearers behind him. They headed down the East Wing to the apprentice chamber. He opened the door to their room.

The room itself was rather small and bare, having only walls, a ceiling, and floor made entirely out of cement. There was a tiny cubical where the bathroom was, with toilet, shower, and sink. There was also an old wooden wardrobe where they could hang their clothing. There were two small beds lying side by side, making an almost hallway effect in the already narrow room. There were blankets and sheets neatly folded. And above each bed was a light. The only light used to illuminate the room.

"You boys will be sleeping here in the Apprentice room." Thundro said. The key bearers were anything, but impressed with their accommodations.

"It's a little cramped don't you think?" Sora asked.

"Sorry boys, but you won't be given any type of luxury here, only the basics."-

"Well, couldn't we at least have our own rooms?" Riku requested.

"You two are a team correct? You always brag about your bond with one another. Well, as a team, you have to know how to fight together, work together, and at times suffer and die together. So in order to enforce that, you two will be living together in the same room. Now it gets very cold in these rooms and very lonely. And there are only three of us here. The only ones you can really rely on for comfort is one another, because I'm not the compassionate type. So don't come bawling to me for sympathy." Thundro walked in and opened up the wardrobe. "Also, since you two will be training under me, I expect uniformity. You will wear these Imperial uniforms for the duration of the three weeks that you are here. There will be no more individuality for the next twenty-one days. You will follow every order, every rule, every commandment, and my strict curfew to the letter. If you botch yourselves up, I will force both of you to train harder to the brink of death. In many cases that is what you will expect. By the end of the third week, you'll be wishing for death, but at the same time would have gained something greater in return. For this day only, your door will remain unlocked. But when you're training, you'll be locked in this room for the duration of the night. It's not only a team effort, but also individual endurance." Thundro turned about. "You have until ten o'clock, so enjoy your freedom while it still lingers. Thus, I take my leave." The Imperial retired to his own quarters.

"Wait," Sora said, halting Thundro in his place. "I have one more question to ask you."

"What is it?"-

"It's about Saber. You said that he bears a grudge against us, but what could we have possibly done to him that would force him to hold a vendetta against us?"-

"You know Saber more than what you claimed back in Traverse Town." Riku added. "By the way you talked about him; you must've been very close. Perhaps that's the reason why you said you refused to fight him yourself am I right?"

Thundro sighed and turned to the key bearers.

"I never told anyone about this, not even Goten." Thundro explained. "I was very close to Saber years ago." Thundro seemed to gain a sense of sentimental feelings towards the mightiest of the Blade Generals. This puzzled the key bearers. "The reason why is because Saber was one of my best students. It was I who taught him the elemental ways."

"He was your student?" the key bearers were shocked.

"I always promised myself that if there was one type of enemy I would never dare battle, it would be my own pupils. I keep that promise to myself even to this day."-

"So that's why you don't wanna fight Saber." Sora said. "He's one of your old students. Well, I guess I can understand that."

"But what is it about him and this grudge he bears?" Riku asked. "Why does he hate us?"

"It's because of what you did." Thundro replied.

"But we never met Saber until we started fighting against Sirius Viicous."-

"It wasn't what you did to Saber himself, but rather what you did to one of his closest loved ones, a younger cousin to be precise."-

"A cousin…?"-

"I really shouldn't be saying any of this to you, but if you plan on beating Saber, you should at least know everything about him, including his hidden past. Though I do not take pleasure in giving away the past of an old apprentice, I find it best for the sake of maintaining the peace." Thundro paused to organize his thoughts. The key bearers were anxious to know what he had to saw. "Perhaps you already know that Saber is not his true name."

"That's what Sneer told us." Riku replied. "He said that using that name was simply an alias he goes by so that no one could identify him."-

"That's correct."-

"Well if that's true, what's his real name?" Sora asked. Thundro again hesitated, but continued with his statement.

"His real name…is Guentory Finnele."-

"Guentory Finnele…?"-

"That's correct, Sora…He also happens to be the former leader…of the Cavendish Shinobies." Immediately, the key bearers gasped, their eyes grew wide with apprehension. Confusion and endless streams of questions entered their minds, flashing instantly in their psyche.

"He was…the former leader…of the Cavendish Shinobies?"-

"My God…" Riku said. "No wonder he's so hard to defeat."

"Yes," Thundro replied, "He was the most effective out of all the Shinobies, mastering all eleven elements. There was no other ninja who could compare to his skills. He contemplated ways of mixing techniques, studying the basis of chi manipulation, combining shinobi arts and Jutsu techniques with sciences like alchemy and transmutation. He excelled in his planning, making him the greatest general on the field since Marcus Durovano and Arinario Triiken. However, it was because he excelled in military strategy that his talents were later realized by the Imperial council. I recommended Guentory as a protégé and that he'd be given a special position as Chief Field Marshall, the officer who is in charge of all front line engagements and answers only to lords of the Empire. Thus, he was transferred out of the shinobi unit and took tutelage under the late Lord Exavier Crassus and His Excellency, Lord Dextera Viro." Thundro put his arms behind him and cleared his throat with a deep 'ahem' before continuing. "However, because of his transfer, the Cavendish Shinobies were left without a commander to lead them. But Guentory knew exactly who to put in charge. So, his cousin thus took his place as the unit leader. And he remained so until the fall of the Dark Empire." Thundro realized that the key bearer's were again stiff with apprehension and anxiety. "You know of who I speak, don't you? You should know him very well, especially you, Sora, being the one to battle and finish him off in Gombria six years before."

"You mean his cousin was…?" Sora said with a waver.

"Yes, his cousin was none other than the late General Kai, master of the light element and the final leader of the Cavendish Shinobies"-

"No wonder…" Sora gave that blank stare, turning away. "I see now why Saber holds a grudge against us." Sora tried to walk away, but fell to his knees. "It's because of me. It's because of what I did. I killed his cousin. I killed Kai. And now all these people are dying because of that grudge." The key bearer fell upon his hands. "What…what have I done…"

"Sora," Riku said, kneeling by his friend's side. "You did nothing wrong."

"I killed Kai. And because of that, so many others have to suffer because of what I've done, because of one man's vengeance."-

"You did what you had to do, Sora. There was no other way."-

"But…" Sora's eyes were moist with tears are his head filled with the faces of close comrades who Saber had slain.

"He intends to have you suffer more by eliminating those around you." Thundro implied. "He wants to break your will, he wants you to curse yourselves for what you did before going for the kill. Only when you have torn yourselves apart will he finally eliminate you."-

"So he won't stop until his vengeance is fulfilled. Is that what you're trying to say more of less?"-

"That's sizes it up perfectly. But do not let the deaths of your comrades where on your minds. It should motivate you more to know that you have to succeed, no matter what the ordeal, in order to save the other friends you have left." Thundro gave a sigh and withdrew. "Well, I've said enough. You two keep your time to yourselves. Resolve this issue if you can. As of this time tomorrow, you will be training hard. And I don't relent even on the dead. Let your minds think only of the here and now." Thundro thus walked away without saying another word, leaving Riku and Sora together.

Riku lifted his friend up and put him on one of the beds. He sat next to the downed Sora whose eyes felled tears of sorrow.

"It may sound cruel of me to say this." Riku remarked, "But I believe Thundro's right. We can't let the deaths of our comrades dwell on our minds. We have to use that motivation to excel and press on until we reach our goal."

"Riku," Sora said, his voice slightly above a whisper, "Why is it that when we try to do something good, it always ends up bad? Someone else is always affected by our actions."

"Sora,"-

"I thought I was doing good, finishing off Kai back then. I thought I was doing something to help my friends. Instead, I find myself responsible for their deaths due to someone else's vendetta against me. Is trying to help others so wrong?"-

"Helping others isn't wrong, Sora. At times people try to justify their own means in order to maintain their own happiness. But in the end, the outcome is entirely the opposite. To gain our goals, we inflict some kind of suffering upon others, whether it's taking someone's possessions or taking someone's life. I can't help that by fulfilling our goals, we deprive someone of their own. But it cannot be helped." Riku put his arm around Sora and tried to comfort the young man. "What determines our success is whether or not we have the will to continue. We're able to maintain that will because of our strong hearts. And even if we lose, if we have the will to accept defeat, then we haven't lost."

"Kai told me before he died that he had no regret fighting and dying. He said that it was an honor for him to die in battle. I always regretted taking his life, but for that moment, I thought he seemed so happy to die."-

"If that's the case, then he died honorably. Therefore, neither of you lost and both of you won." Riku smiled, trying to cheer his friend up. "Now wipe those tears from your eyes, Sora. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

Sora, unable to speak, lowered his head, giving a sad smile. Riku embraced his friend and the two sat silently together.


	91. The Chambers

The Chambers

The night was cold and unforgiving as the two key bearers slept in their individual beds. Sora and Riku were curled up like little balls in their blankets. The night was restless and neither key bearer was able to slumber soundly. Their minds were cluttered with continuous thoughts of past events, which made them uneasy. Because their cell had no windows to peer into the outside, they couldn't tell on whether it was still evening, or if the sun had already risen.

Just then, the door bursts open and Thundro storms in like the apocalypse.

"Riku, Sora," he shouted, "Get up now, it's your first day of training." The two key bearers groggily opened their eyes and gave out a fatigued moan.

"It's morning already?" Riku grumbled. "I barely even slept."

"That's too bad! You've got five minutes to get up and get dressed! Move it!"

"Alright, alright,"-

"Just give me five minutes…" Sora mumbled. "I'm not ready to get up yet."

"You get your sorry rear end up! You're under my jurisdiction now, boy!" Thundro declared.

"Just five more minutes, that's all I'm asking." Thundro sneered as he watched Sora flop his head back onto his pillow. He then gave a sudden sigh to calm his nerves. He walked up to the head of Sora's bed.

"You want five minutes do you?" He knelt by Sora. His voice seemed subtle and not at all aggressive. "Then perhaps you would like a good burking to go with it too."

"A what…?" Sora asked.

"A burking…"-

"If it'll make me sleep better, sure I'll have one."-

"Oh it'll do more than make you sleep better…" Thundro suddenly snatched the pillow from under Sora's head and then tightly pressed it against his face. Sora was taken by surprise. "It'll definitely make you sleep permanently!"

"Hey," Riku said as he watched Thundro smother his friend, "What are you doing?!"

"To burke," Thundro explained the definition, "To murder someone by suffocating them, so as to leave no marks on the body. This was named after the infamous William Burke who smothered to death several healthy men and sent their bodies for medical dissection."

"I can't breathe," Sora cried, muffled beneath the cushion. His screams were stifled as he violently kicked about.

"You encountered a similar situation with the Asphyxia twins didn't you, Sora?"-

"That's enough, Thundro!" Riku shouted, ready to intervene. "You'll kill him!"

"Very well," Thundro eased his grip and Sora fell out of bed gasping and coughing. Thundro stood up and straightened out his frock.

"Damn it," he growled as he took in deep breaths. "You could have killed me!"

"All the better for you to obey my orders, as I said, you obey me to the letter or you will be punished." Thundro turned to the doorway. "Now, no more levity, get dressed and meet me in the main hall in five minutes." The Imperial walked away without remorse or regret.

Riku knelt by Sora and helped him up.

"Are you alright, Sora?" he asked.

"I could've died because of that." Sora grumbled.

"Thundro isn't going to go easy on us from here on out, that's for sure. We're his for the next three weeks."-

"What are we gonna do, Riku?"-

"The only thing we can do, Sora. We'll just have to tough it out."-

"Yeah, you're right."-

"Now let's get dressed."-

The key bearers opened up the old wardrobe and took the uniforms folded for them.

Five minutes had elapsed and Thundro still waited patiently for the key bearers. Sure enough, Riku and Sora emerged from the East Wing, dressed in their Imperial Uniforms. Both wore black shell jackets and trousers with gold and red trim. The jackets were similar to Ophelia Billiard's shell jacket except for the number of gold chevrons on the cuffs and gold braids on their right shoulder and chest area. They both wore white belts with gold buckle, bearing the symbol of the former Imperial regime. On their left should, both wore an upper shoulder guard, much like what Cunla wore with his entourage. Upon their hands were white gloves and upon their feet were white boots with the 'Z' realms golden tips.

"So, you two decided to take my words seriously." The Imperial chuckled.

"Alright, Thundro," Sora said, "We're here, now what do you want us to do?"

"Follow me." Thundro headed towards the North Wing. The key bearers quickly followed behind him.

The North Wing doors were no different from the west, east, or south, but as they entered, what stood before them was not another hall, but a white washed chamber bearing four grandiose doors on two separate levels. On the bottom level, to the far left, there was a door made of ivory and mother of pearl. Straight ahead, there was a door made of silver. And to the far left of the chamber, there was another magnificent door of glimmering gold. And on the second level, a lone door made of Jade and precious stone.

"What are these?" Riku asked.

"Standing before you are the Doors of Might," Thundro explained. "Behind each one, there is a different training facility, each bearing its own challenges and own obstacles. It is here that you will do the majority of your training."

"So what's behind them?" Sora wondered.

"I'm about to go over it." Thundro walked to the ivory door. "This door leads to what I would like to call the Scenario Chamber, popularly known as the Pendulum Room. This facility will test your mental abilities, both in cunning as well as philosophy."

"What happens in there?"-

"I'll get to that later, on to the next door." Thundro walked up to the silver door. "This room is known as the Gravity Chamber. It will help you increase your physical stamina, heighten your abilities, in speed, reflex, and agility, and raise your bodily strength." Thundro then moved on to the final door, the door of gold. "Then there is the final door, which is popularly called the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Goten and the rest of the Z fighters can tell you all about it. This chamber will test your spiritual strength, or your endurance and determination."

"I see," Riku implied.

"Now, the first of these three you will undergo is the Scenario Chamber."-

"Wait a minute!" Sora said.

"What is it?"-

"I was wondering," Sora peered to the second level, glaring at the lone jade door at the top, "What's that door?"

"That door," Thundro looked to the door, but did not dare to explain a thing. "That door I will not tell you about until the end of the final week that you're here."

"Is it that secretive?"-

"It's not that. It's simply because you're not ready to advance to such a level of training just yet. You will start with the basics." Thundro came before the ivory door and opened.

Before the key bearers, a dark domed chamber came before them. There was no lighting system within the room say for the bizarre, glowing light accumulating from the series of transmutation circles drawn about the place. And above them, swaying back and forth like a clock piece, the great gold pendulum swung back and forth, giving a loud ping every time it hit its climax before descending again. Riku and Sora were awe inspired by the sight of the massive pendulum. Thundro shut the doors behind him.

"So what happens in this room?" Sora asked.

"As I said before," Thundro continued, "This room will test your mental abilities, both in cunning and in philosophy."

"Now exactly what do you mean by that?" Riku implied.

"What this chamber does is it transports you to a different time and place. Therefore, you will find yourself engaging in famous battles and wars fought in all different worlds in different eras. Participation in these battles will heighten your mental stamina, making you ready for any type of psychological warfare that you enemies might use against you. However, this chamber will also cause you to question your own philosophies and beliefs. You might say that this chamber is a good example where one is able to achieve ultimate enlightenment." Thundro stepped to the center of the room where four circular platforms were raised. To the center of them, a long pillar, about waste high, emerged from the floor. On its top was a control panel.

"For your first exercise, you will undergo a series of battles." Thundro continued. "All of them different." He calculated a series of scenarios. "Now, some of them may seem familiar, while others seem more distant." Thundro finished with his coordinated insert. "The scenario chamber is ready now. Please step onto one of the four circled platforms."

The key bearers did as they were told.

"So what will we be feeling in this?" Riku asked.

"While the scenario is commencing, your body will enter a nullified, hypnotic state in which your senses will be affected as if the battle were really taking place. You will feel pain, you will feel fear, you will feel fatigue, etc. You will feel as if the battle was really happening."

"So we don't really have to worry right? I mean, it's all a fake and we can come back right whenever we have to, right?"-

"Not exactly, you see, your body will simulate every physical and mental situation you get in. If you are wounded and you start to bleed, you will feel the blood oozing from your wound, though the wound is not really there. You will feel its sting and you will feel the fatigue of blood loss. And if you die, your body will simulate death as well. And so you will remain in a demised state until the next scenario. However, the only way to actually reach the next scenario is to fulfill the missions given to you. If you fail and you die, your body will enter a death phase, shutting down your mental capacity altogether. Only an outside force can bring you back. And even so, it may take days for you to recover. And as you know, we don't have that kind of leeway."-

"The way that sounds, it's more than virtual reality." Sora uttered. "It's the real thing. So if we die, we really die."

"That's why I'm saying to be careful. Also, when entering each scenario, a few things will change. Though your keyblades will still be wielded through each battle, there may be a few techniques that you won't be able to use. The reason why is because the scenarios and logistics are based off the natural laws in those individual worlds. So don't expect to charge into battle as if you were invincible. Furthermore, your wardrobe will change every time, provided what kind of battle you engage in."

"Exactly how many battles to we have to fight?" Riku asked.

"Since this is your first time, I have contemplated three major conflicts for you to engage in. I won't tell you what order they come in, or where they will take place. Your job is to fulfill the missions given to you." Thundro stepped away. "Now all you have to do is close your eyes and concentrate. Hear nothing, but the ticking of the pendulum. And when you awaken, you shall find yourself in another world. Good luck, boys, you'll need it."

"Are you ready for this, Sora?"-

"Let's do it." Sora replied. They closed their eyes and took in no other sound, but the ticking of the pendulum. Within seconds, the pendulum's clunking seemed to muffle itself into the distance, further and further with every tock. Eventually, a different sensation was felt. The atmosphere was no longer the inside of a room, but rather the fresh air of the wilderness.

"It's time," Sora thought himself. He opened his eyes and…


	92. The Colossus

The Colossus

Riku and Sora found themselves in what looked like a vast pasture field, green and lush, filled with life. In the distance were lush forests and tall mountains and rolling hills. Upon the ground, stray birds and silver-tailed lizards scurried about in search of food.

"Where are we?" Sora wondered.

"Hey, Sora," Riku said, "Look at us."

The key bearers looked at one another. They were no longer in their black Imperial uniforms. Rather, now they had changed in a more Celtic or mythical style of wardrobe. Both of them wore light woolen, short sleeved shirts with a early style of stitch, made of horse hair or some other type of fiber. That shirt was then covered by a sleeveless leather vest. Both vest and shirt were fastened by a dark brown waste belt, wielding a series of metal strips covered in fur, perhaps to muffle any clanking sound. They wore knee lengthen shorts which caressed their youthful legs. They too were stitched together with a strong fiber substance. The entire entourage was covered by an elaborate tapestry or serape that draped down to their knees concealing both front and back, but their shoulders and flanks were completely visible. Upon their arms wore leather armguards tainted a mix of brown and green with woolen cloth at the near the elbow joint to act as an enforcer. On their legs were woolen warmers fastened by leather straps which weaved their way down the shins of the key bearers and fastened to sandal footwear.

"We have new clothes." Sora pulled as some of the fabric, rubbing it through his fingers. "This is real alright."

"Well, Thundro said that there would be some changes." Riku said.

"So I wonder what our first mission is." Sora looked around to see where they were. But as he looked to the rear, he was awe struck by an incredible sight. His eyes grew wide with admiration and fear. "Riku, look…"

"What is it?" Riku turned only to react the same way. Before them was towering castle ruin like nothing they'd ever seen. The top tier of the ruin had to be at least a thousand feet up. Scattered amidst the ruins were what looked like the pillars of fallen bridges, perhaps centuries, or millenniums old. "My God, what is this place?"

"I don't know." It was than that something else Caught Sora's eye. "Riku, look at those!" He pointed to the skyline. In the distance, beams of light seemed to spurt out into the atmosphere. Sora counted them. "There are thirteen of those lights altogether."

"I wonder what they are."-

"I don't know. Let's go into that old castle and see if there's anyone who could help us."-

"Good idea."-

The key bearers went into the castle. They came before what looked like a great hall. On each side of the chamber, there were a series of what looked like large storage spaces towering at least three stories tall, which might have been used to bear some kind of massive object. On the floor of these gigantic compartments, what looked like mountains of stone rubble were piled up, indicating that something of a large scale had been demolished within the compartment. It soon became apparent to the key bearers what once stood in each space. At the very far end of the chamber, three great statues still occupied their own cubbies. At the top of the structure, a bright beam of light entered the chamber, dispersing the shadows. The mere sight of the masonry structure, the statues, and the castle's interior, though old and ancient, spurred intrigue within the hearts of the key bearers.

"I bet this used to be a really nice place way back when." Sora remarked.

"Hello," Riku cried, "Is anyone here?" There was no answer.

"Riku," Sora grabbed his friend's shoulder.

"What is it now?" The two then happened to look upon what looked like a stone alter constructed to overlook the landscape. And upon that stone alter rested a fair young maiden in a pure white dress. The key bearers rushed to see if she was okay. "Miss, are you alright?"

But the moment Riku touched the girl, his hand was repulsed. She was as cold as ice, indicating only one thing, that she was dead. Sora put his hand on her forehead. The minute he touched her icy skin, he drew his hand away.

"The girl is dead." Sora said.

"That's for sure." Riku added.

"I wonder who she was."-

"What boggles me more is how she got here." Riku took hold of her hand then let it fall. "Her body hasn't stiffened. That means she must have died not too long ago."

It was at that moment that a strange chill touched the hairs on the necks of the key bearers. They stiffened up, uneasy of the wind that brushed up against them.

"Did you feel that?"-

"I did." They turned to the vast chamber before them. It seemed to grow darker.

No sooner had the chill caught their attention, a deep, growling voice was heard from above.

"Who is it that dares to trespass upon this forbidden soil?" the voice implied.

"Who's there?" Sora demanded. "Come out and show yourself!"

"Well, well, so two others have come upon this cursed land searching for the answer to the universal question."-

"Who are you?" Riku asked.

"I am known as Lord Dormin." The voice replied. "I am the master of all you see, from the great gate to the north, to the lake of mists in the east, the mountain passes of the west, and the high sea cliffs in the south."

"Dormin, eh, where are you?" Sora wanted to know.

"I am here, all around thee."-

"Really, and what are you here for anyway?"-

"I have been summoned because a young man had come to seek my help to revive his deceased love."-

"Deceased love, are you talking about that girl on the Alter?"-

"That is correct. He had come seeking my help after hearing of the mystic powers of this land. He thus engages in a quest to fulfill his wish."-

"And what does he have to do?" Riku asked.

"The young man, Wander his name is, must finish a task in order to resurrect the young woman. He must first defeat the sixteen Colossi who roam this land."-

"Colossi…?"-

"Yes…"-

"But what are Colossi?" Sora asked.

"Behold to the very end of the chamber." The key bearers looked to the compartments again. "In each of those chambers a statue or at least a former statue of a colossus would stand. In order to fulfill his goal, Wander must destroy each of the statues. But destroying the statues cannot be done by mortal hands. He must first destroy the beast that is linked to each statue. As thee can see, already a majority of the statues have crumbled, indicating that he is already half way through with his task. He needs only to defeat three more."-

"So that's what those pillars of light are in the distance. Those must belong to the colossi he's defeated already."-

"That is correct. And once he has defeated all sixteen colossi, then the deed is done and his wishes can be fulfilled."-

Just then, one of three colossi statues remaining began to glow a strange white light. Then, there was a loud crack and the statue crumbled to its foundations.

"What the heck was that?" Sora asked.

"The statue just crumbled." Riku said. "But that must mean that…"

"Ah, yes, Wander has defeated another colossus, the infamous Cerrebus colossi of the western city ruins."-

It was at that moment, a bright light flashed within the interior of the chamber. And there, lying on the ground was the figure of a young man.

"Is that him?" Sora thought.

"That must be the guy." Riku implied.

"And so the mighty hero returns." Dormin said.

Riku and Sora ran up to the young man and helped him up.

"Hey, are you alright?" Sora asked as the young man was lifted to his feet. But the moment that they laid eyes on him, the key bearers were shocked. Wander, though a young man did not bear the complexion of a young man. His face was almost a ghostly white, strips of dead skin hung from his cheeks. The veins in his neck could be seen, pumping what looked like black blood. His eyes had turned pale. He was not a handsome youth, but rather one who might have already been dead.

"Who…who are you?" Wander asked.

"I'm Sora and that's by pal Riku."-

"Sora, Riku, what brings you here?"-

"I don't know. But we understand that you're trying to defeat these colossi."-

"Who told you that?"-

"Dormin did."-

"Man, what happened to him?" Riku thought. "Is this kid alive or dead?"

"I…I have to keep going." Wander said. He staggered and approached the great beam of light in the chamber. "I have defeated the beast of the western ruins as you have instructed, Dormin."

"Very good, Wander," Dormin replied with that deep mysterious voice, "Thou have not too far to go. Thy next foe is…" Dormin began to speak in archaic poetry, "A giant has fallen into the valley. It acts as a sentry to a destroyed city."

"I understand, the ruined city in the Northeast." Wander staggered towards the Alter and stood before his lifeless love. "I shall bring you back to life, my love, even at the cost of my own soul."

"Man," Sora said to Riku. "He must really be desperate."

"No kidding," Riku replied.

"Is there any way we can help, Wander?"-

"Do you wish to accompany me on my quest?" Wander asked.

"Yeah, that's what we're here for…I think."-

"Very well then, I could use the extra help. However, I have one condition that you must follow."-

"And what's that?" Riku asked.

"If you help me fight, you must allow me to give the finishing blow. I must slay all sixteen colossi with my own hands in order for my task to be done properly."-

"We understand."-

"We'll let you do the killing then." Sora said.

Wander walked over the edge of the alter platform and whistled loudly. In the distance, the sound of a horse galloping and whinnying emerged over the vast grasslands. Sure enough, a large, black horse, with a white spot dashed upon his forehead, came running through the fields, ran up the stairs leading to the alter and presented himself before Wander. Wander came up and padded his faithful steed.

"There we are, Agro." Wander cooed to the horse. "Easy, boy," He turned to the key bearers. "This is my beloved companion, Agro. He's been with me since the beginning of my quest."

"I see."-

"Come on, you two, jump up."-

"I don't think there's enough room on that horse for all three of us though." Riku said.

"There's plenty of room." Wander held out his hand.

"Are you sure it's alright?" Sora asked. "Agro might get spooked."

"No, he's good around other people, aren't you boy." The Horse gave his rider a whinny. "Now come on, we don't have all day."

"Go on, Sora." Riku said.

"Okay, here I go." Sora grabbed onto Wander's hand and was pulled upon the back of the black stallion. Riku was assisted soon after.

"Now, Agro," Wander declared, "Let's go to the city in the desert."

Agro neighed and galloped out of the castle. The trio turned northeast to the very edge of the forbidden lands. Along the way, the trio gazed upon beautiful landscapes, waterfalls from out of the mountains, beautiful lakes that poured into the sea miles to the west. Rolling hills and strange rock formations featured about the region, especially narrow, natural rock bridges that the key bearers had never seen before. Then, they passed through a sandy desert where again those silver tailed lizards imprinted their tracks.

No more than thirty minutes had passed before the trio reached the ruined city to which Dormin said they would find the next of the colossi. It was a vast ruin with many of its stone structures still standing. The three dismounted Agro and walked in though a grand gate, where old rune pillars were standing tall, on both sides of the entry chamber, within the structure. Some had collapsed over the years, obstructing their way in. But that did not halt the young men as they climbed over the rubble.

"So this is it, eh?" Riku asked.

"Look at this place." Sora awed. "These ruins must be centuries old."

"This once was a thriving metropolis in the time of my ancestors." Wander said. "Or so the elders say."

"Hey, Wander, this may be too personal of a question, but what happened to you?"-

"What do you mean?"-

"I mean your face and complexion. You look pale, and I hope you don't take this offensively, but you look more like the living dead."-

"Did you have to be so direct, Sora?" Riku grumbled.

"It's alright," Wander replied, "I was rather shocked the first time too. I didn't always look like a walking corpse with my pale skin and my black blooded veins and peeling flesh. When I started this journey, my complexion was no different from yours. I was a very handsome young man. However, as I battled against the colossi, defeating one after the other, I noticed that my complexion started to change. Around defeating the tenth colossi, I came to realize how much my body had deteriorated. I happened to look and saw my reflection in the lake waters while getting something to drink and when I first laid eyes on my haggard appearance, I was terrified. I was a past figure of my former self, no longer the handsome youth I once was. I had become decrepit and hideous with my white complexity and pale eyes."

"But how did this happen?"-

"It happens every time I defeat another colossus. A strange surge of energy strikes me, as if it were the vengeful spirit of the beast. It's a dark essence that always enters me. And as a result, you see the consequence. The more energy I absorb from the colossi, the more unfathomable I look. But I can't stop now when I am so close to the end. Though I did not want to bear this distorted form, I don't want to think that all my efforts are in vain. I do this for my love. As I said before, I would sacrifice even my soul in order to bring her back to life."

"Have you ever regretted taking this task?" Sora asked.

"I at times regretted going on this mission. For one thing, when my love does return back to life, I wonder what she will think of me with my body wasted from absorbing the dark life force of the colossi. Even now that same question plagues me. I don't know whether or not she could ever love me again. I wonder if it really was for love, or if it was just my youth and my body that she cherished."-

"If she truly loves you, then she'll accept you no matter what you look like on the outside. It's what's inside that matter."-

"Hey, you two," Riku said, "Look!"

Before the three young men, a row of great columns lay before them. Beyond that was a vast courtyard surrounded by older building structures.

"This is incredible." Sora remarked. "I've never seen anything like this before."

"So it's here that we'll find the next colossus right?"-

"As far as I know," Wander replied, "This is the place, the ruins to the extreme northeast of the realm."

"One thing still boggles me though." Sora was curious to know. "What does this colossus look like?"

"I have no idea. I've encounter a massive array of different colossi forms, from four legged monsters, to serpents that glide in water, or sand, or even soar high into the air. I've encountered beasts no bigger than a tiger, lizard-like colossi and especially the Minotaur colossi. They're the ones you really have to watch out for."-

"So how big do you think this next on will be?"-

But no sooner had Sora said that, a distant rumbling bellowed in the distance, causing the ruins to rattle and shake.

"Look, over there!" Riku cried. The trio turned to find at the very end of the vast courtyard, leading to a steep ravine of jagged rocks, a large form emerged. First there were two dark grey hands that slammed onto the edge of the cliff's edge. Big and furry they were, extending twenty feet long from wrist to middle finger. Then uplifted a great grey and black beast covered in fur. Wielded in its right hand, the beast gripped a massive stone club shaped like a jagged scimitar, which was meant to pummel and smash its foes. Its left arm was completely armored with old bronze or iron plating at the shoulder. And upon the face of the colossus, a frightening mask. It towered over the key bearers and Wander with a height of at least five to six stories, a leviathan of a monster as anyone would have seen.

"My God, that's the colossus?!"-

"I guess that answers your question, Sora. You wanted big and now you got it!"-

"How the heck are we supposed to battle that thing?"-

"We have to use our wits!" Wander said. "But we have a slight advantage now."

"How's that?"-

"The colossus can only go after us one at a time. To add, he might be big, but he's slow. Let's split up and confuse him a bit."-

"I understand." Riku replied. The three split up.

"But you still haven't told us about how we're gonna defeat that thing." Sora said. But Wander was already out of ear shot and the colossus was still advancing. Its glowing blue eyes stared at Sora, giving the key bearer the hint that he would be the first victim. "Great, out of the three of us, why does it have to be me he goes after first?!"

Sora ran with key blade in hand as the colossus stormed after him like a bull elephant. Sora tried to fly, but to his dismay, he could not lift himself into the air.

"Oh no, don't tell me that I can't fly in this world. Of all the things to be restricted, it had to be that." The key bearer happened to look back at the colossus. The beast at that moment drew up its club and thrust it down, hoping to strike Sora where he stood. The young warrior predicted the monster's attack and quickly eluded. However, the reach of the colossus was more than what Sora had expected and the club struck no more than ten yards away from him. The vibration of the impact caused him to stumble, but he quickly regained his foot hold and dodge rolled further out of the way to avoid any possible injury.

"Sora," Riku cried.

"Riku, Riku, Riku, get this walking throw rug off my back!"-

"Can't you just fly to safety?"-

"You think I'd be down here if that were an option?! This world's natural law forbids the flight ability!"-

"Are you serious?"-

"Yes!"-

"Damn it…"-

Again, the colossus struck, stomping his foot to the ground. Sora was knocked off his feet as the impact of the monsters lower limb caused the soil to upheaval. The key bearer crawled as fast as he could before jumping back on his feet and running as fast as he could. "Don't you dare stomp on me, rat face!"

"Hang on Sora," Riku cried. He began to accumulate the flame element to unleash Cinder Canister. "Well, it's good to see that magic works in this realm." The seven spheres of intense flames lit up the ruins. "Here you go, big guy, choke on this!"

All at once, the seven orbs of fire rushed in and pummeled the monster at point blank range. Riku smirked as he felt the heat singe the colossus, but his smile soon evaporated. As the smoke and flames diminished, he saw that no damage whatsoever had been inflicted on the monster. The colossus had received no damage.

"I don't believe this, not even a scratch."-

"Riku's attack was completely ineffective against that thing." Sora said to himself. Sora rushed in. "Now, it's my turn!" He drew forth the ice element. "Let's see you eat this, Tundra Canister!" The ice froze the monster's right leg, immobilizing it momentarily. "Now let's see you take this on!" Sora then unleashed an energy beam from his keyblade, striking the monster in the face. "I got him!" But like Riku before him, there was no effect. "Awe come on, that was point blank in the face and yet that thing still isn't hurt, not a scratch on him."

"Riku, Sora," Wander cried. The key bearers spotted him from atop a bridge overlooking the entire courtyard.

"How the heck did you get up there?" Riku asked.

"Listen to me, you guys. You can't defeat the colossus just by striking it. You have to hit its vital points."-

"Vital points, where are they?"-

"Look," Wander drew up his sword and reflected the sunlight from off its shining surface. A thin beam reflected from the sword, touched the colossus. It was then that a strange insignia appeared when the light touched a certain part of the monster's body.

"What is that?" Sora wondered.

"Those points that retain the light, in those strange insignias, are the weak points of the colossus! We strike them all and the colossus goes down!"-

"How many impact points does he have?"-

"I've so far counted only two weak spots! One is on the left side of his chest and the other is on the top of its head!"

"Is that so?" Riku said. "If that's the case," he looked down at Sora, "Sora, can you immobilize this guy for a while?! We need him to stand still for a moment!"

"I sure can!" Sora replied.

"Wander, you aim for the head! I'll go for the chest!"-

"I gotcha," Wander replied.

The three situated themselves around the colossus with Sora standing before it, Riku to its right and Wander on the bridge above it. Sora accumulated more ice.

"Okay, big guy," he declared, "It's your turn! I summon wind and ice to my command, Tundra Twister!" Using a combo attack with Tundra Canister and Twister Strike, Sora created a freezing funnel cloud that engulfed the colossus. Its feet and arms were encased in a sheet of thick ice, thus immobilizing it for the time being.

"My turn," Riku declared, "Power of wind, power of fire, I summon you forth to send this demon back to hell, Flaming Hurricane!" Using a combination of Cinder Canister and Hurricane strike, flaming projectiles struck the colossus left and right. The majority of them struck the light insignia, where its weak spot resided. "Sora, it's your turn, aim for the chest!"

"I got it!" Sora fired another energy beam straight at the light insignia. The impact was so great that within seconds, the insignia diminished, indicating that the job was successfully executed.

At the same time, Riku's Flaming Hurricane had struck a vital spot on the beast's right arm, forcing it to drop its club. The thing, still encased in ice, remained immobile, but with flames and ice swirling about, the icy prison began to melt and the colossus was about to break free.

"Hurry, Wander," Sora cried, "The colossus is gonna break my ice shield soon!"

"I'm on it!" Wander leaped from the bridge and landed atop the monsters head, just as it broke free. Under-handing his blade, he thrust the sword deep into the head of the leviathan. The colossus, overcome by loss o needed energy, collapsed to the ground. Sora quickly ran to avoid being crushed by the falling monster.

"Get out of there, Sora!" Riku cried. Within a few feet, the monster collapsed just as Sora evaded, missing him by a narrow margin. Wander too fell from atop the colossus, rolling and tumbling along the ground. They both looked at the fallen monster.

"That was close."-

"We did it, you guys." Riku cheered as he descended from the ruins. "We took down the colossus."

"That was one intense fight." Sora dusted himself off. "We did a pretty good job, don't you think, Wander?"

But Wander's mind somehow seemed occupied.

"Are you alright, Wander?"-

"Something's not right." Wander said. "Something's wrong."

"What do you mean something's wrong?" Riku asked.

"Usually, the colossus' body would have been engulfed in shadow by now."-

Without warning, the Colossus suddenly lifted its right arm up and landed upon the trio.

"Look out!" The key bearers quickly evaded, but they watched as Wander was struck by the full force of the monster's palm.

"Wander," Sora cried.

"Wander," The key bearers were concerned and ran to the beast's fallen hand. "Wander, speak to us! Are you alright?"

Just then, Wander appeared from beneath the stone like fingers and brushed himself off.

"Hey, Wander, you're alright." Riku sighed.

"What happened?" Sora asked.

"I turns out we missed as spot." Wander replied.

"Yeah…?"

"Where was it?" Riku wanted to know.

"The last weak spot was in the palm of his right hand." Wander continued. The three looked to the colossus which now lay motionless on the ground.

"Is it over now?" Sora asked. No sooner had he said those words then strange dark shadows engulfed the monster.

"It's over. The body of the colossus is diminishing."-

"That means you only have one left."-

Just then, dark waves struck Wander, knocking him unconscious. The key bearers were shocked.

"Wander!" Riku cried. The two caught him as he fell. They put him on his back.

"Wander, are you alright?"-

"I think he's out cold, Sora"-

"Out cold, but how?"-

"It might have been due to that surge of darkness."-

"Well, now what do we do?"-

As if things couldn't get any more bizarre, the trio suddenly found themselves levitating up in to the atmosphere.

"What is going on?" Sora demanded to know as this sudden levitation caught him completely by surprise. "I thought we couldn't fly in this world."-

"It must be some other kind of power."-

Then just like that, the three vanished into thin air, leaving the now stone and rubble remnants of the colossus left to lie within the ruined city, a reminder of yet another great battle.

The key bearers suddenly found themselves back in the temple from which they started.

"The temple…?" Sora uttered.

"That was fast." Riku said.

"What a way to travel."-

It was at that moment a bright light illuminated the very end of the chamber. The key bearers turned to see yet another statue glow brightly before crumbling to its foundations. They watched in awe as the form of the recent colossus tumbled into bits of rubble and debris. They then looked upon Wander who was still lying motionless upon the ground. He stirred and eased himself up, staggering to his feet.

"Are you alright?" Sora asked.

"Are we back?" Wander asked as he looked about.

"We're back in the temple." Riku replied.

"That was one heck of a fight." Sora said. "That thing was tougher to battle than I thought."

"I've had to do this fifteen times now." Wander was weary. "I had to battle against enemies, all different from the other. It's been tedious and at times unbearable, but soon my task will be fulfilled and my wish will be granted. Soon my beloved Mono will be revived."

"Mono…?"-

"That's the name of my love."-

"Oh…"-

"I see thou hast returned again in one piece." Dormin suddenly announced above the trio.

"Dormin…" Riku said.

"I have defeated the fifteenth colossus with the help of my friends." Wander proclaimed.

"And so the climax of this task has come." Dormin declared. "Thy body is weak and thy mind is weary, but all thy efforts will soon gain it's just rewards." Dormin paused before speaking again. "And now, the final colossi, thou will find it beyond the great gates to the south. The ritual is nearly over and thy wish is nearly granted."

"I am glad…"-

"But someone now stands to get in thy way."-

"Someone…?"-

"Make haste for time is short." Dormin's voice thus diminished for the time being.

"Someone's gonna stand in your way?" Sora asked.

"Whose gonna stand in your way?" Riku added.

"It may be the elders coming to stop me." Wander replied.

"Stop you, but why?"-

"When they told me about the legend behind these lands and the power that resided here, I said that I wanted to use that power in order to restore the life of Mono. But they forbade me to do so, saying that these lands were also cursed and that trying to use the forbidden spell to bring back my love would only result in ultimate suffering. But I didn't care. I just wanted my love to live again. To me, her death was the ultimate suffering. Compared to the loss of her, the pain I feel now is a trifle."-

"How did she die anyway?" Sora asked.

"She was sacrificed because the people of our nation thought she wielded a cursed taboo and that her execution was needed to maintain the stability of this land. I didn't find any purpose in her dying. It was unjust. So I took it within my own hands to undo the sin that the elders have caused." Wander walked towards the exit. There, his faithful steed, Argo awaited their return.

"Even the horse is here."-

"After fifteen times of the same procedure, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised that he'd come back to the temple automatically."-

"Either that, or he was transported here like we were."-

"Come on you two," Wander advised, "We still have quite a way to go. It's a far journey to the south, at least ten miles."

"Alright,"-

The three mounted upon Argo's back and began their trek southward to the great gates. As observed, the lands to the south were just as breathtakingly spectacular as those to the north. High peaks and rocky cliffs covered in grass and moss gave a comforting, yet foreboding look to the region. There were a few shrubs and trees they passed and some passes had a strange eerie mist lingering about, like morning fog that never fully diminished. There were vast green meadows and pastures where more of the black and silver-tailed lizards scurried about. White sky birds and hawks flew high in the sky. And on the ground, slow tortoises crawled about without a care.

"This is just as nice a place as in the north." Sora said.

"From deserts to the sea," Riku added, "What a contrast."

"Riku, Sora," Wander suddenly implied.

"Yeah, what is it?"-

"I've been meaning to say this to you guys for a while, but I'm glad that you two decided to help me."-

"Oh yeah?" Sora said.

"To tell you the truth, since I began this task a few days ago, I've felt really lonely. No one, but Argo here has been with me. My horse was my only companion. It's nice to at least have someone to talk to now."-

"It's the least we could do."-

"It's a feeling that both Sora and I can relate to." Riku told him. "We've encountered our fair share of solitude as well."

"Thank you for understanding." Wander said, his eyes tearing.

"Hey, you guys," Sora shouted. "Look, what's that over there?"

Riku and Wander looked to a cluster of high mountains in the distance. Their resemblance looked like two large pillars with a narrow crevice between them. As they drew closer across the grasslands, it became apparent that what resided between these two natural formations was a great stone gate. At its center was a round crystal window to which light from the sun beamed down, hitting a circular platform at the base of the gates. Argo stopped upon the platform.

"Well," Riku said. "I guess this is the place."

"What do you say we open this thing?" Sora added. The three dismounted and walked up to the gates. But they came to realize that manually opening the gate by hand would be impossible. The gate itself was over a hundred feet high and made of thick, solid stone.

"This is impossible." Riku folded his arms in front of him. "There's no way that we could possibly move something that massive."

"You never know 'til you try, Riku."-

"True…"-

"Let's give it one try, you guys."-

The three placed their hands upon the gate.

"Okay," Wander said. "At the count of three, we all push with everything we have."

"Right," the key bearers responded.

"Ready…?" They leaned forward. "One, two, three…!"

The key bearers and Wander pushed with all their might, grunting and moaning as they used all their strength to move the gate. But despite their efforts, the gate itself did not budge one bit.

"Let's try it again!" Sora said.

"One, two, three…!" Again they pushed, hoping to jar the gate doors open at least a couple of feet, but still there was no avail.

"One more time, let's give it all we've got!"-

"One, two, three…!"-

They pushed again, their muscles flexing and tightening as they shoved at the stone doors, but still nothing happened. They wearily looked up at the gates.

"This is impossible." Riku said. "The gates are just too big."-

"Maybe if we tried it again…" Sora suggested.

"It wouldn't make any difference, Sora. This is no good. We can't possibly hope to open these gates with our own strength. This gate is twice as big as the doors to Kingdom Hearts. And to make things worse, these doors are made out of stone."-

"Maybe I could blast them open with an energy beam."-

"Save your strength." Wander advised. "There's no use wasting energy. Besides, we need every ounce of energy to fight the last colossus."

"Well, how do we open the gate?"-

"I have an idea." Wander pulled out his sword and stood upon the circular platform.

"What are you going to do?"-

"If this sword can reflect light to reveal the weaknesses of the colossi, then perhaps if might be able to open this gate." Wander drew up his sword and reflected the light from off the glimmering blade. He aimed for the crystal glass in the gate's design. Sure enough, the moment the beam touched the window; there was another flash of light and a low rumble.

Just then, they came to realize that gate was opening, very slowly. The ground shook as the stone doors swung open. Once opening fully on their giant hinges, they struck the sides of the rock pillars causing a mellow roar to erupt.

"You did it." Sora said.

"Alright, you two," Wander continued, "Let's keep moving."

The three mounted Argo and proceeded to enter through the gates. They came before a series of stair flights and continued on their way. They eventually came to a bridge, leading to a higher series of stone structures. They dismounted at the mouth of the stone walkway.

"The colossus must be on the other side of that bridge." Riku said.

"It looks like we have some climbing to do." Sora added. "Let's go!"

Sora was the first to step onto the bridge, but the moment he did, the first stone block gave way beneath his feet. Sora screamed as the fell, but Riku and Wander caught him at the nick of time. Below Sora was a deep ravine with a flowing river at its bottom. There were also a series of jagged rocks just under him.

"Hold on, Sora!" Riku cried

"Don't let me go, you two!" Sora shouted.

"We're not gonna let you go!"-

"Heave him up!" Wander said.

They pulled on Sora's arms and brought him up to safety. Riku embraced his friend tightly.

"Thanks you guys," Sora uttered, gasping from the shock, "You saved my life."

"Nothing to it," Riku replied. The three stood up and looked at the bridge. Closely examining it, they realized that the bridge was fragile and able to crack beneath them if they tried to walk across. "That bridge is on its last legs. It seems that any added weight will cause it to collapse like dominos."

"Then, we'll just have to find some other way to get to the other side." Wander said. But as they looked to the left and the right, they noticed that no other connection arched between their side and the opposite. The other bridges around had collapsed over the years. "Well, scratch that plan."

"There's no other way to the other side."-

"Now what'll we do?" Sora asked.

"I hate to do this," Wander said, "But we have no other choice." Wander mounted back onto Argo. "Get on you guys."

"What are you gonna do?"-

"The only other option we have right now is to jump across that bridge and cross it as fast as we can and Argo's the one for the job.

"Are you crazy?"-

"There's nothing else we can do. Trying to find another way would only work to our disadvantage. It may take days or even weeks to find an alternative way. We have to risk this jump. It's all or nothing."-

"He does have a point, Sora." Riku said.

"Alright," Sora replied, "But do you think Argo will be able to support us all?"

"He can and he will.' Wander told him. "The only thing you have to worry about is holding on to dear life."

"Alright, then let's do it."-

The three mounted up. Wander then backed Argo far enough to give him a galloping start. Argo neighed and whinnied.

"I'm asking a lot from you, old friend." Wander whispered to his horse, padding him on the neck. "Can you do this?" Argo nodded his head, agreeing. "Then, let's go!"

Kicking his sides, Wander caused Argo to gallop almost instantly. Riku and Sora held on tightly so as not to fall off and into the ravine. Argos jumped upon the bridge and galloped away. Almost instantly, the bridge began to collapse. Agro made it, jumping across a gap on the other side. But as he reached the bridge mouth of the other side, the stone began to crack. Kicking up, he bucked the trio off his back, having them safely land on the stone walkways. Wander looked to find his beloved horse fall as the stone gave way beneath his hooves.

"Agro," he cried.

"Oh no," Sora shouted, "Agro!"

The three watched as the faithful stallion fell to its possible demise in the ravine. They watched as the horse fell into the river and didn't resurface. Then again, at such a deep depth, they couldn't really tell anyway. Wander reached with futility, as it he could save his horse from his plummet.

"Agro…" his voice wavered. He began to cry.

"Wander…" Sora said. He padded his back, trying to comfort him. Wander threw his head into Sora's arms and cried. "It's alright, Wander, it's alright."

"Argo, my friend, my companion, he's dead."-

"That may be," Riku implied, "But there is a chance that he might have survived. Hopefully that river down there was deep enough."

"Do you think?"-

"I'm positive."-

"Yeah," Sora added, "I'm sure Argo survived."

"I hope so."-

"Now, let's keep going!" Riku said. "We have substantial climbing to do so let's not waste all that energy sulking."

Before the three, an intricate wall of steps and platforms lay before them. They began their ascension, first overcoming a large wall. They then proceeded walking up a series of natural footing in the Cliffside.

"Whatever you do," Sora said, "Don't look down!"

"That's the thing, Sora." Riku replied. "You tell people not to look down and what do they do, they look down."

They eventually came to a flight of stairs constructed into the face of the cliff. They climbed at least two flights before reaching step pillars. One at a time they ascended. By this time, rain and thunderous lightning bellowed. The winds picked up, but such terrible conditions did not deter the trio. They finally reached the summit to a series of ruins. And before them was a large black structure.

"That was some climb."-

"You're telling me."-

"So Wander, this is where we'll find the final colossus, right?"

"That's right." Wander replied.

"So where is it?"-

"It's over there."-

"Over where?"-

"Over there, right in front of you."-

But to the shock of the key bearers, they realized that he was pointing at the large black structure before them.

"Are you talking about that big temple?" Sora asked.

"That's the one."-

"So is he at the top of that old ruin?" Riku wondered.

"No, the ruin is the colossus."-

"WHAT?!!" The key bearers looked again and realized that this large structure, supposedly a half a mile high, began to move on its own. The arms spread out and the glowing blue eyes could be seen protruding and staring right at them.

"Are you kidding?!" Sora gaped. "That big thing is the colossus?"

"That's the one."-

"That's not a colossus, that's a building with legs!"-

"It looks too big to move quickly. There's nothing to fear from it!"-

"That's what scares me." Riku implied.

"What do you mean?"-

"I mean that." Riku pointed to a series of deep crevices and craters that were embedded in the dirt and stone, as if a barrage of some sort had commenced there. "Something tells me that this guy doesn't have to move about on the field. By the looks of those pock marks all over the ground, the colossus might use a long range type of weapon."

"So what do you think we should do to avoid it?" Sora asked.

"Well, let's see," Riku pondered. He then noticed a series of stone barracks, pits and winding trenches. "Perhaps we could use those trenches to conceal out movements."

"Good idea."-

"But how accurate do you think that thing can shoot?" Wander asked.

"We'll just have to find out." Riku pointed to a fallen pillar on the ground. "Let's rush behind that stone column and see what happens from there."

"Right,"-

"On the count of three, we charge. One, two, three…!"-

The trio rushed up the ramp and quickly threw themselves behind the fallen pillar. The colossus suddenly fired a continuous barrage of energy beams, pummeling the fallen pillar. The trio ducked and covered as the ballistics kept striking at their only means of protection.

"That thing isn't letting up is it?" Sora said.

"You were right about one thing, Riku," Wander added, "That thing is dead accurate when it comes to shooting."

"That means that trying to move over that open ground is suicidal. No matter how fast we are, that colossus will be able to mark us." Riku peeked over the pillar. He noticed that the high walls and pits were vastly spread apart by open ground. "There's no way that we'd be able to advance across that without getting shot at. The colossus has the upper hand against us since it has the higher position. It would be able to spot us from anywhere on the field."

"Hey, Riku," Sora shouted, "Look at this!" He pointed to an opening in the ground near the pillar. "Do you think we could hide in there?"

"I'm sure we can. Good thinking, Sora. One at a time, we'll go in. Sora, you go first."-

"Why do I have to go first?"-

"You discovered that hole."-

"Yeah, but…"-

"No time to argue, Sora." Wander advised. "We can't stay here forever."-

"Alright, alright, since you both are pressuring me to do this." A big sweat drop formed on his brow. "Why me…?" He gave a huff before summoning the courage to make the charge. "Alright, here I go!" Sora jumped out from behind the collapsed pillar and made for the hole. The colossus in the meantime fired a barrage to strike and kill the key bearer. But at the last moment, Sora dodge rolled and made it into the hole just as the energy projectiles struck. The ground shook and thunderous booms bellowed, forcing him to cover his ears. He looked around and found out that what he was in was not just a hole, but an entry way through the trenches.

"Well, Sora," Riku said, "What did you find?"

"Get in here, you guys! This is no ordinary hole. This is the entry through the trench!"-

"Really, that's great!"-

"Hurry,"-

"Alright, Wander, you're next."-

"I gotcha," Wander replied. He huffed and puffed before charging recklessly towards the trench entry. He managed to make it just as the colossus' projectiles made a second impact. "That was close."

"Alright, Riku," Sora shouted, "Your turn now!"

"I'm coming!" Riku quickly rushed into the pit just as the bombs blew around him too. "That was close."

"You see, this is the entry to the trenches." Before the trio was a stone hall with a roof to cover it.

"Let's go then. Maybe this will lead us to the colossus."-

The three went down the corridor. They made a turn and headed down another corridor. Again and again they turned, seeming to always advance forward instead of receding. Then finally, the team reached the end of the trench. But as they emerged, they came to realize that the trench only reached half way to the colossus. If not, only a quarter. The colossus still towered above them, firing away its energy, hoping to strike the key bearers and Wander from afar. The three hid behind a pit just as the colossus' fury rained down on them.

"Damn,' Riku growled, "We're not even close to being safe."-

"That thing's still in front of us." Sora said. "Maybe there might be another trench entry." Sora looked hither and thither before spotting another entry way. "Look Riku, there's another one over there!" But to their dismay, only a few guarding walls stood to protect them. Between each pit, there was at least ten feet of exposed ground.

"Look on the bight side. The gaps aren't that big."-

"I know, but it's still too long a stretch for us to go without that monster seeing us."-

"If that's the case, then I'll stay here and distract the colossus with my Cinder Canister."-

"You'll what?" Wander asked.

"You heard me." Riku replied. "You said yourself, Wander, we have superior numbers here. Therefore, while I keep that thing's attention on me, you two hurry up to the colossus and get within striking distance."-

"I see what you mean."-

"Now go, I'll hold keep him occupied!"-

"Right," Sora said. "Let's do this!"

Sora was the first to jump out from behind the wall. The colossus fired at him, but missed. At the same time, Riku formed Cinder Canister behind the safety of the barrack and hurled the flaming orbs at the head of the colossus one at a time. The colossus was struck, but remained undamaged. It looked to where Riku was hidden and launched energy beams at the area where he hid. By this time, Wander and Sora managed to jump from pit to pit without the colossus shooting down at them even once.

"Riku's strategies work every time." Sora chuckled.

"Come on, we're almost there!" After running though a series of protective corridors and trenches, hanging from a cliff, and clutching for dear life on a narrow ledge, the two made it to another opening leading to more pits. At the distance, there was another underground entrance to more trenches, which led to the base of the colossus itself. "Just one more flight, Sora, then that thing won't be able to shoot at us anymore."

"Wander look!" The two turned to find that the colossus was continuously pummeling Riku. Riku was now giving off so many shots with his elemental spells and the infamous Cinder Canister. "Riku's in trouble."

"What'll we do?"-

"Wander, you go on without me. I'll stay here and back up Riku."-

"But…"-

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Besides, it's you that has to deliver the final blow."-

"You're right."-

"Go…"-

"Stay safe," Wander padded Sora on the shoulder and continued on. Sora in the meantime, stood up from behind the protective barrier. Aiming his keyblade, he unleashed a powerful energy way that struck the mid section of the colossus. The colossus eased its aim attacks on Riku and saw Sora just below. It then started to barrage him instead.

Riku poked his head from behind the barrier.

"Sora, Sora, Sora," he sighed, "Always playing the hero. But at least he got that thing off my back!" Riku formed Cinder Canister and began to toss the orbs at the giant from his position all the while Sora was unleashing long ranged elemental attacks from his position. The colossus tussled with both key bearers, but was unable to dislodge them.

Little did the giant realize that with all its attention concentrated on the key bearers, it forgot about Wander who had managed to emerge at its base and started ascending up its armor a little at a time. Thirty minutes had elapsed and the duel between the key bearers and the colossus did not ease up.

"What they heck is Wander doing?" Riku grumbled, "Is he taking a nap? I don't have enough energy on reserve to keep up a support fire."

"Wander," Sora cried, "Wherever you are on that thing, take it down now!"

The prayers of the key bearers were answered as they watched the colossus suddenly halt its barrage and throw its left arm behind its back as if to ease a painful kink in its spine. Its arm made its way back to the front. Then from there, its right arm raised to comfort the bicep of the left arm.

The key bearers squinted to see what was happening. To their surprise, what caused pain on the colossus was none other than Wander who had scaled upon the beast. He had jumped from the back of the monster to its left hand, scurried up its left arm then jumped upon its right hand after inflicting a stinging thrust with his sword.

"Hey, there he is!"-

"What do you know?!" Riku chuckled. "He scaled that beast!"

Wander stood upon the top side of the colossus' fury hand and fired his bow and arrow at the monster's exposed right left. The colossus moved its hand to ease the sting from the arrow, permitting Wander to jump onto its shoulder. He then scurried up the things neck and nestled at the top of its head. There, the one great Achilles' spot glowed profusely before him as his sword neared it. He drew up his blade.

"This is for Mono!" he cried. But no sooner had he prepared to thrust, the colossus began to jostle its body around, trying to shake him off. Wander held on for dear life. "Help, Riku, Sora,"

"He needs help, Riku!" Sora cried.

"Lay on a volley!" Riku shouted. "Aim for the chest!"

"Right,"-

The key bearers unleashed another barrage. The colossus was struck and forced upright. This pause gave Wander his chance. He drew up his sword and thrust it deeply into the head of the colossus. The colossus gave a dying roar and died upright as the black blood of shadow spurted from its head.

"I did it." Wander uttered.

"Yeah," Sora cheered.

"He did it!" Riku added, whooping away. "Way to go!"

Wander jumped from atop the head of the colossus and used his cloak as a parachute. But no sooner had he jumped then dark essence from the slain colossus came shooting at him and struck him from behind. Wander was rendered on unconscious as he had been many times before when defeating a colossus.

"Wander," the key bearers cried as they rushed to aid him. They caught the unconscious warrior as he descended.

"Unconscious again," Sora said. "You sleep then, kid. You deserve it." Almost like a miracle of divine intervention, the storm that erupted during the battle seemed to dissipate, breaking up to the beams of the afternoon sun. Eventually, the storm receded and a clear sky came upon the trio, warming them with warm light. In this atmosphere, the once feared colossus did not seem as threatening. "Is over…"

"Sora," Riku uttered.

"What is it, Riku?" He pointed to what looked like a couple of stubs now protruding out of his head. Sora was shocked when he took notice. It almost made the slumbering Wander frightening to look upon. "Those are…horns…"-

"My God, what has this dark energy turned him into?"-

"Perhaps Dormin might be able to explain."-

No sooner had Sora said that then all three of them began to levitate into the air.

"Uh ho, here we go again. I guess we'll find out sooner than expected."

There was a bright flash of light and the three once again vanished from sight, returning to the temple from which they came.


	93. Dormin

Dormin

Riku, Sora, and Wander once again appeared within the grand chamber of the temple.

"What a rush." Sora said.

"You said it." Riku added.

"You," a voice suddenly shouted, "who are you?!"

The key bearers looked to the direction of the altar where the voice originated. Upon the altar steps and at the altar itself, six men stood. Five of them looked like soldiers, dressed similar to the trio say for the masks that they wore. They were armed with sword or crossbow. The sixth individual, who happened to be slightly smaller in stature, must have been the leader. He was dressed in a grey hooded coat with a shaman mask in the shape of a dog or owl's head.

"Who the heck are you guys?" Sora asked.

"How did you get here?" Riku added.

"I could be asking you the same thing!" the cloaked man said. "You dared to trespass upon this ground and use the forbidden spell to release the evil?"

"What are you talking about? Who are you?"-

"I am Lord Emon, chief shaman and protector of this realm. What gives you the gall the break the seal of this world?! Are you trying to send this world into a second darkness?"-

"A second darkness…?" Sora wondered.

"Listen, sir, we don't know what you're talking about." Riku explained. "We were just helping Wander fulfill his task to revive his love."

"Wander…?" Lord Emon uttered. "So he's responsible?"

It was at that moment, Wander started to stir and stagger to his feet. His body, weak and decrepit in form, was an unbearable sight to behold.

"Wander," Sora said, "You're alright."

"Mono…" Wander uttered as he began to walk towards the altar.

"I don't believe this," Emon growled, "So it was you after all, Wander! Have you any idea what you've done?! Not only did you steal the sword and trespass upon this cursed land, but you used the forbidden spell as well! To be reduced to such a sight, you were only being used!"

"He was only being used?"-

"What do you mean he was only being used?" Riku asked.

"Wander came to beseech Dormin," Emon said, "believing that he'd be able to grant any wish his heart desired. But Dormin is not a being of wisdom. It is the evil that has been concealed in this land."

"But what about those colossi, aren't they evil too?"-

"Those colossi weren't evil! They were merely immortal guardians meant to conceal the darkness. Dormin's power was divided into sixteen separate entities. Those colossi were responsible for guarding each segment of dark energy. But now because you idiots have killed all sixteen guardians, Dormin's power has been revived and united into a single entity. He will once again become a pestilence to all the land, destroying all civilizations in his path as he did to the once thriving society centuries before. And Wander is his host body."

"His body is being used by Dormin's evil?"-

"So that's why his body looks like that now." Sora uttered.

Emon drew out his hand and the soldiers drew their weapons, drawing back their crossbows or drawing out their swords.

"Eradicate the source of the evil!" Emon commanded. One of the soldiers drew up his crossbow.

"No, what do you have to shoot him for?!" Sora threw himself in between Wander and the arrow.

"Get out of the way, fool! You dare to protect the evil one?!"-

"But he didn't know this would happen!"-

"It's too late for regret! He must die or he will spread misery throughout this land, would you prefer that?!"-

"No…but…"-

"Get out of the way young man and let us do what we have to do!"-

"Mono…" Wander said. He passed by Sora continuing to advance.

"Look, he's possessed by the dead." Emon pointed to the rear. The key bearers looked to find shadows suddenly appearing around them.

"Riku…?" Sora uttered.

"Heartless…?" Riku thought. The key bearers backed down. Their minds were filled with questions. They wanted to help Wander, but was his life more important than the fate of the land?

"Riku, what are we going to do?'-

"We have no other choice." Riku lowered his head. "We can't interfere."

"But Wander, he…"

"Look at him, Sora. He's completely possessed by darkness. I hate to say it, but we can't be responsible for bringing a downfall to this land by allowing our friend to live. We have to let Emon do as he will."-

"Wander…" Sora could only watch as Wander marched on to his doom with the dark, tormented souls following him.

"Hurry up and do it!" Emon ordered.

The soldier shot him in the left leg, forcing Wander to collapse. He moaned and cried as he grasped for the arrow sticking out of his flesh.

"Mono…" he continued to cry. "Mono, my love…"

"It is better to put him out of his misery than to exist, cursed as his is."-

Another soldier came forward and drew his sword over Wander. Wander rolled upon his back and looked up at his inevitable death. The sword hung over him, glimmering in the pale light.

"Please…"-

The soldier did not relent. With a single downward thrust, he stabbed Wander in the chest. The young man, overcome with exhaustion did not have the energy to cry out.

"Wander…!" Sora cried, as he and Riku watched their friend ruthlessly impaled.

But for some reason, he did not die. Wander grasped at the blade. The soldiers were shocked and withdrew from the possessed warrior. Wander was in no way affected by the sword which now stuck out of his chest. Black shadowy ooze spurted out of the open wound as he stood up again.

"He's possessed alright." Riku said.

Wander continued his stride towards the altar, determined to reach his love. He pulled out the sword and threw it aside. But his energy was drained and he could not advance any further. At the same time, when he extracted the sword, shadow from the wound began to manifest all over his body, covering every inch of him in shadow. Overwhelmed by this darkness, Wander gave in completely, falling to the ground. There he lay as the shadow covered him from head to toe. He lay there, motionless, the life purged from his body.The members of the party believed that it was over.

"So," Emon said, "Wander is dead."

"Wander…" Sora uttered, a tear falling from his eye.

"Damn it," Riku grumbled, "To think that it would end like this."

"His efforts were in vain," Emon thought to himself, looking back at the still lifeless body of Mono. "Wander had sacrificed everything, including his body, mind, and his soul, and yet the life of his love has not returned."

But no sooner had things quieted, the body of Wander began to manifest even further as the shadow began to spread around his being taking another shape. The being stood up, growing larger and larger until its head could reach the very ceiling of the chamber. It was a dark and sinister form with clawed hands and feet, a furry complexion, spider like limbs on its back and especially its large horns upon the top of its head. Upon its face, there was no feature, but two glowing, pale blue eyes. The thing towered over them like a mountain. The soldiers backed away.

"That's not Wander." Riku said, "Not anymore."

"Riku," Sora implied, "It looks like…like…"

"I know, that thing looks like a heartless."-

"At last," the being chuckled in a deep and sinister voice, "We have been revived to our original form. Thou severed our body into sixteen segments for an eternity in order to seal away our power. We, Dormin, have arisen anew."

"We were too late." Emon said. "He's been resurrected." Dormin suddenly slammed his hand upon the group, trying to crust them. The soldiers quickly evaded as the monster's mighty fist made impact with the floor. The stone slabs shattered and the rumble of the ground forced the group to fall.

"We have borrowed the body of this warrior!" The dead souls thus converged into Dormin, making him stronger.

"Quickly, we must place a seal over the entire shrine before it's too late!" The soldiers began to run, protecting Lord Emon. But Dormin threw his mighty arm in their path.

"Sorry, shaman, we won't let thee get away from this shrine!" The monster then unleashed an acidic breath which blinded and chocked the group. He then raised his hand above his head and made ready to unleash the final blow. "Now die!"

But before he could strike, Riku and Sora came before him and began to strike at Dormin with their keyblades and elemental attacks.

"You're right, Sora." Riku said. "This guy is just like a heartless."

"You guys get out of here now!" Sora shouted. "We'll hold him off!"

"Let's go, my lord." One of the soldiers beseeched.

"Yes…"-

The party of six withdrew as Riku and Sora stayed behind to hold off the shadowy being.

"Thou dare betray us?" Dormin declared.

"We never betrayed you!" Sora shouted.

"We never befriended you from the start!" Riku added. "Let this be our repentance for helping to release you!"

"But we are Wander, thy friend." Dormin said. "He is part of our being."

"You're not Wander, you're just a soulless monster, a heartless!"-

"Then so be it. Thou dare stand in our way? Then thou shall die for thy deception!"-

The great monster threw down his arm upon the key bearers, but his massive size prevented him from striking quickly and his lack of space prevented him from effectively striking. Riku and Sora dodged and evaded.

"Face it, Dormin," Sora shouted, "You can't catch us the way you're moving!"

"Thou dare to mock us?" The giant heartless unleashed its burning breath, hoping to cripple the key bearers, but his foes evaded again.

The duo then rushed in inflicted severe strikes against the monster. Dormin growled as he felt the keyblades strike into his shadowy flesh. Angered, he pounded again, but again the two eluded the strike only to counterstrike successfully themselves.

"What is this power?" Dormin cried as he felt the stinging of the keyblades. "It burns us!"

"You're no different from a heartless." Sora said. "Therefore, there's nothing you can do to defend against the keyblade!"

"Give it up, Dormin!" Riku added. "You can't beat us!"

"Is that so?" Dormin chuckled. "Then cut away if thee wish! But be warned that if thou kill us, then thy beloved companion shall die as well."

"Wander…?" Sora said.

"Yes, Wander is part of our being. He will thus lose his life as we." The key bearers held their assault. Dormin chuckled. "Thou fools, thy feelings get in the way. Our power is indomitable!" The giant fumed his breath. The key bearers, evaded. But because of their emotional ties with Wander, they reacted too late and were struck by the cloud. They coughed and chocked, while their eyes burned with pain.

"I can't see." Sora cried. "It burns…!"

"I can't breathe…!" Riku coughed.

"Now die!" Dormin raised his fists above his head and prepared to deliver a final blow.

However, he little realized that by fighting the key bearers, he allowed Lord Emon and his soldiers to withdraw safely from the temple.

"Ready my horse!" he instructed.

"Yes sir." One of the soldiers replied.

"Lord Emon," another soldier added. He handed Emon the sacred sword, which was retrieved during the scuffle.

"Good," Emon replied, "wait outside. I must do something first."

"Sir…" The soldiers quickly scurried back to their horses. In the meantime, Emon looked down the tower shaft to a sacred pool at the very bottom.

"If there is one way to seal away the monster for good, then it will be through means of diminishing through generation. Let the last defy his fate!" The shaman thus threw the sword down the tower and into the pool. "Be gone foul beast!"

The minute the sword struck the pool, a strange energy erupted. Powerful winds and a strong vortex like current bellowed. Dormin was on the verge of crushing the key bearers when he felt the surge of energy take hold of at him and pull him away into the sacred pool. The wind was like that of a blustery day to anyone else, but to the beast, the pull of the wind was as strong as a black hole. He could not escape it.

"No," he roared as his power slowly diminished, "Curse thee, shaman, thou hast sealed our fate!"

"What's happening?" Sora asked.

"I don't know." Riku replied. "It looks like Dormin's being pulled into something.

"Look, Riku," They watched as the shadow diminished. Dormin's form thus vanished and only the shadowy form of Wander remained.

"Mono," he cried as he reached for his beloved with futility. He was thrown back and tumbled towards the glowing cesspool.

"Is that Wander?" Sora said. "He's still alive!"

"We gotta help him!" Riku added.

The two key bearers rushed forward, trying to catch up with Wander who was still tumbling about like an autumn leaf. He reached the cesspool which glowed profusely. He grabbed to the sides, hanging on with all his might, but the strength in his arms gave way. Lacking further strength, he let go. But Riku and Sora managed to grab a hold of both of his arms.

"Hang on, Wander!"-

"We gotcha!"-

The pull of the energy was even greater and it started to pull the key bearers in as well.

"It's no use." Wander said.

"No," Sora cried. "Don't give up! Don't you dare give up on us!"

"C'mon, Sora," Riku cried, "Pull as hard as you can!" The key bearers heaved as hard as they could, but such effort was futile. The wind was too great even for them.

"It's no use, you guys." Wander said. "Just let go."

"Let go...?" Sora asked. "But why…?"-

"It's what I want."-

"But all your effort, all of your suffering…"

"I know, but it was all in vain. All sixteen colossi have been slain, but life has not returned to my beloved Mono. It was all a ploy by Dormin to free himself from his prison. His being resides within me now. I can't afford to have him roam about and regain his strength."-

"But Wander…"-

"All this time I was wrong. My ambition and desires blinded me. Let me at least repent by destroying Dormin's power once and for all. Please, Riku, Sora, let go, or you'll be dragged in too."-

"We're not gonna give up on you, Wander!"-

"If you keep holding on, you yourselves might be pulled in. And who knows what'll happen after that. Please, let go and live. It's better for one to die than three."-

"No…" Sora uttered.

"It's alright, I've accepted my fate. It's better to die than to be possessed by a demon. Now, let go."-

"Very well..." Riku said.

"But just one more thing before you do, I just wanted to tell you thanks. Thanks for accompanying me. I'll never forget you…"-

With a final sad smile, the key bearers released Wander. His body vanished into the light of the cesspool. There was a strong reaction and the energy seemed to pull and push at the same time. Riku and Sora were blinded and threw themselves to the stone floor as the energy flowed above them. Within seconds of releasing Wander to his fate, the power diminished and all was calm as they were before.

In the meantime, Lord Emon and his soldiers managed to cross the bridge back to safely. The bridge behind them began to collapse, thus sealing the way to the forbidden lands forever. Emon could only look back.

"Poor ungodly soul," he said, "Now no man shall ever trespass upon this place again." He looked at the collapsed debris of where the great bridge to the temple once stood. He watched as the dust settled for the last time in the cursed lands. Emon lowered his head solemnly. "Should you be alive, if it's even possible to continue to exist in these sealed lands, one day, perhaps you'll make atonement for what you've done."

"My lord," one soldier said.

"Yes,"-

Giving no final word or a final glance back, Emon and his troops withdrew, never to return.

Riku and Sora slowly lifted up their heads. There was a dead silence now.

"Is it over?" Sora asked.

"I think so." Riku replied.

"Poor Wander…"-

"To think that all his efforts were for nothing…"-

But just then as the key bearers lifted themselves up, they were met with the sound of cooing. They turned towards where the cesspool resided. In place of the water, there was smooth rock. And there, lying on the ground was a little baby boy. Upon his head were little stumps on his head, miniature horns to be precise. It cooed and smiled.

"It's a baby," Sora uttered.

"I know," Riku added, "But where did it come from?"-

"You don't suppose that maybe that baby is…" The key bearers examined the baby. Riku then lifted it up. The baby laughed and smiled.

"Yes, without a doubt, this is Wander."

"Well, what do we do with him?"-

"I don't know." The two key bearers set him down again.

"I guess we take care of it?"-

"Are you kidding, Sora, we know nothing about taking care of babies."-

"Well, I was just suggesting. Besides, we're the only ones here."-

"Well yeah, but…"-

Just then, the key bearers suddenly found their bodies vanishing from sight.

"What's happening to us?"-

"We're disappearing!"-

"Is this mission over…?"-

With no further words, the key bearers vanished from sight, leaving the little baby alone. Scared and cold, the baby began to cry. At that same time, the sound of hooves entered the chamber. Through the entrance, Argo appeared, limping with a sprained left hind leg. He trotted over to the altar, neighing and whinnying. He heard the baby crying. He then gazed at the still lifeless body of Mono.

Suddenly, there was a stir. The young woman suddenly opened her eyes as the lifeblood refilled her veins. She slowly arose and sat up upon the altar. She jumped from the stone platform and stood for the first time since her death.

"Where am I?" Mono said to herself. That's when she heard the cry of the baby. Curious, she walked down the chamber, passing the crumbled statues of the colossi, with Argo hobbling next to her. They came to the cesspool to find the baby boy crying. "Oh you poor thing, what are you doing here?" Taking the baby boy in her arms, Mono rocked him to sleep.


	94. The Battle of Hu Lao Gate

The Battle of Hu Lao Gate

Riku and Sora again opened up their eyes and found themselves in a different place. No longer were they within the old temple, but rather a narrow mountain pass. There was a slight mist and an icy residue upon the ground indicating that the next world they came to was one where winter had set in and a new morning was breaking.

"This must be the next battle assessment." Riku said. The air was cold and it caused him to shiver. "It's a little chilly too." But the change in atmosphere did not deter their thoughts on Wander and his world.

"Poor Wander," Sora thought to himself, "To think that he had to meet such a sorry end, regressed to an infant alone in that world."

"I know, but there's nothing we can do about it." Riku then happened to look down to realize that his wardrobe had changed again. "Sora, look at this."

Sora looked up to see that both he and Riku were no longer in the Gaelic style of clothing as they were in the world of the Colossi, but rather they were dressed in Chinese armor dating to the end of the Han Dynasty. The armor consisted of individual armored plates, with a shiny grey hue, woven together with red twine. There was blue trimming along each featured piece of armor, specifically on the arm, leg, and waist guards. The arm guards also displayed reinforced thickness for the upper shoulder in the form of beast, or dragon heads. The chest piece was slightly different, consisting of circular armored plating and a thick, reinforced base around the abdomen and lower torso, colored in gold and black. And around the color, more reinforced armor, reaching down to the middle of their back and chest and topped with scarf and connecting insignia. Around their wastes were standing sashes of thick cloth to withstand enemy attack. They were fastened with bolted belts, with the buckle as another frightening demon. Thick arm guards and shin guards, of an identical color to the rest of the entourage, protected their much needed limbs. Finally, upon their heads, they wore domed helmets topped with blue tassels and golden spires at the side of the helmet's front, resembling the fierce appearance of a dragon or lion.

"No wonder I was feeling a little heavy." Sora declared.

"We must be going into one fierce battle." Riku added.

"I know, but where?"-

"Hey, you two," a voice shouted from behind. "What are you standing about for?!"

The key bearers turned to find a man, dressed in intricate battle robes, standing behind them. He was a dashing individual, battle-hardened in appearance with his long flowing hair and his thing beard and moustache. A patch concealed his left eye and in his hand, he wielded a large sword called a Kirin Blade. His appearance was almost similar to General Saber, which was the reason the key bearers reacted harshly.

Riku and Sora jumped back and drew out their keyblades.

"Saber," Sora growled, "What are you doing here?"

"Show more respect to me, you novices!" the man thundered. "And who is this Saber you speak of? You've mistaken me for someone else possibly. My name is Xiahou Dun and don't you forget it!" The key bearers lowered their weapons.

"I don't think that's Saber." Riku said. "He's too brash and direct."

"Are you trying to be funny or something?!" Xiahou Dun walked up to them, "What are you're names?!"

"I'm Riku…"-

"And I'm Sora." Sora added.

"Well, Riku, Sora," Xiahou Dun said, "I should have you two executed for your insolence! But we can't afford to waste lives in the middle of our upcoming campaign!"

"Campaign…what campaign…?"-

"Are you idiots that dense? I'm talking about the battle that we're waging at Hu Lao Gate! There's a military meeting and I'm supposed to attend it with my cousin! You two will accompany me!"-

"Very well," Riku said. Xiahou Dun turned without uttering another word.

"Man," Sora grumbled, "What is his problem?"

"I don't know."-

"And why did you say we'd go with him? From what I can tell, he doesn't like us."-

"That may be so, but he's our first link to figuring out what's going on in this world."-

"Yeah, I guess…"-

"We'll just follow him for the time being. Just make sure to keep on his good side. He's not the type of guy you wanna screw around with."-

"You got that right."-

"Are you two coming or not?" Xiahou Dun shouted.

"We're coming, we're coming,"-

The two key bearers quickly pursued. They eventually came to a vast encampment of possibly twenty thousand tents. A few soldiers wandered about in their early morning duties. Some brushing down their horses, while others were fetching water for their comrades. Others sharpened their weapons while some men changed guard. The sun had not peeked and the stars were still twinkling, thought slightly faded by the upcoming morning. The torches in the camp were still lit and the majority of the men were still fast asleep.

The trio eventually came to a large tent near the center of the camp. There, just outside the flap of the tent, a man in blue stood idly about. Though his main battle array was blue, his battle sash and upper body guard were intricate pieces of red with gold trim. His stern face was an intimidating sight stationed within the folds of a standing collar. His hair was a raven black, matching the moustache and lengthy beard that hung from his chin. Upon his head was a royal cap, tightly fastened in place. At his side was a long sword, neatly sheathed away.

"Cousin," Xiahou Dun shouted.

"Ah," the man said, "Glad to see that you could make it." He then noticed the key bearers behind him. "What means this armed guard?"

"They're two soldiers I saw standing about just outside of camp." He presented the two young men to his cousin. "This is Riku and Sora. Boys, this is my cousin and founder of the allied coalition, Cao Cao."

"Well, well," Cao Cao looked at the two youths, "You seem like agile young soldiers. How good are you in battle?"

"As good as any man here," Sora chuckled, sarcastically.

"Is that so? I see you have a lot of spunk. We could use more frontline soldiers like you. Perhaps you would like to join us in our council."-

"It would be an honor, sir." Riku replied.

"Very well then,"-

"Cousin," Xiahou Dun implied, "our allies come."

Mounted on horses, a group of men approached. One, leading upon a white stallion was dressed in a magnificent gold colored entourage. Following him, two other men in red ensembles, one wearing a helmet with an excessively large plume at its top, the other was a large muscular man wielding a giant iron club. Soon after, three more men, robed in green uniform, came behind them. One was a large, slightly robust man, wielding what looked like a serpent headed spear. His beard was thick and bristly like a cactus. The other large man next to him wielded as spear with an excessively large head, as if a sword had been welded on to the staff of a pike. His beard was long and flowing, not at all like his stouter companion. It was such a sight draping down to his waste. Between them was a smaller man, much more distinguished and gentle-looking than his two comrades. His beard and moustache were not as exquisite, but it was a sign that he was reaching that age of maturity. But one thing was obvious, every man present wielded some kind of facial hair, unlike Riku and Sora whose faces were as clean and smooth ad an infant's backside.

"Ah, Lord Cao Cao," the man in gold said as he dismounted his horse, "I see that you've beat us to the punch once again."

"Lord Yuan Shao," Cao Cao replied, "Glad to see that you and the other officers managed to make it here without running into any trouble."

"Ha, there is nothing that Dong Zhou can do to stain the prestige of the Yuan family." The two men shook hands hardily. "Shall we begin this war council then?"

"Let's,"-

Yuan Shao first entered with Cao Cao right behind him.

"Who are those men?" Sora asked.

"Those are the commanders of the ally coalition." Xiahou Dun explained. "The man in gold is the commander of the coalition, Lord Yuan Shao, hand chosen to lead our forces by my cousin." He began to identify each man as he dismounted and entered the tent. "Then those two men in red. The smaller man with the large plume on his helmet, that's Lord Sun Jian. He resides in the Wu province. He's known as the Tiger of Jiang Dong. Then the man with the large club accompanying him, that's Huang Gai, one of the more effective officers under Sun Jian; he's an excellent strategist and a very brave and dedicated commander. Then those last three men are the sworn brothers. The stout bristly man with the serpent spear is Zhang Fei. Then there's the fellow with the long beard. His name is Guan Yu, the supposed strongest of the three brothers. However, I think Cao Cao is starting to favor him. But despite that, both are extremely fierce and formidable fighters."

"And the little guy?"-

"The smaller man is Liu Bei. You might consider him to be the heart of the trio. It's because of him that Zhang Fei and Guan Yu stick together. You might say that Liu Bei is their little brother and they have to watch out for him."

"Lord Xiahou Dun," Liu Bei suddenly said as the three approached. He examined the key bearers. "Who are these young men accompanying you?"

"Lord Liu Bei. These are a couple recruits who will be joining in our council by my request."-

"A little young to be frontline soldiers don't you think?" Zhang Fei said. "Neither of them is growing a hint of a beard or moustache. They're clean-faced!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Sora grumbled.

"Brother," Guan Yu said with his deep, robust voice, "That's awfully rude. I'm sure that these young men have the capability to battle as well as we do."

"And how would you know that, brother?" Zhang Fei asked. "They look like a couple of hams to me."

"It takes a true warrior to know. These boys may not be as much of novices as you claim them to be."-

"Yeah, yeah sure, of course I'd have to see it to believe it."-

"Don't mind my sworn brothers." Liu Bei chuckled. "So what are your names?"

"I'm Riku and this is my best friend, Sora." Riku replied.

"Riku and Sora, eh, I'll be sure to remember your names."-

With that, the three entered the tent without another word.

"Well, boys," Xiahou Dun said, "Let's join them."

"C'mon Sora," Riku implied, "You heard the commander."

"Getting a little too involved in this role aren't you, Riku?" Sora sighed. The two key bearers entered the tent. They gathered around a long table, with Yuan Shao at the head.

"Gentlemen," he said, "Let us begin this war council." Upon the table was a large map of the geographical features of the land. "So far we have managed to defeat Dong Zhou's forces at Si Shui Gate at the same time capturing a great deal of necessary supplies from that depot. Now, Dong Zhou's forces are falling back to Luoyang. The only thing that stands between us and the end of Dong Zhou's reign is the impregnable pass at Hu Lao Gate. We take that and Dong Zhou will be trapped like a rat in the Imperial capital with no one to protect him."

"So who shall take the lead in the assault on Hu Lao?" Liu Bei asked.

"I believe Sun Jian will take the lead, followed by Cao Cao and of course you at the end, Lord Liu Bei."-

"Does anyone disagree with this arrangement?" Cao Cao acknowledged.

"Wouldn't it be best to send the Vanguard in last though?" Sun Jian asked.

"We can't afford to waste time in the pass, Lord Sun Jian. If we wish to break the back of the defenses at Hu Lao Gate in a short time, we'll need the vanguard to go in first. If there's anyone who can get the job done quickly, it'll be you."-

"I understand."-

"Then we leave at daybreak." Yuan Shao boasted to success, "Generals, good fortune in battle!"

The officers stood and bowed respectfully. And one at a time, they departed from the tent.

"Well that was a short war council." Riku said.

"If you can even call it a war council," Sora grumbled.

"It just goes to show how confident we are right now." Xiahou Dun implied. "Only Hu Lao Gate stands in our way and we'll be able to break through whatever resistance that tries to stop us."

"By the way," Riku asked, "Yuan Shao mentioned a guy named Dong Zhou. Who is Dong Zhou?"

"Dong Zhou is a tyrannical despot who seized the throne after the late Emperor Ling passed away. Now he rules the land with an iron fist. We can't have a man like that in power that only looks after his own personal gains. He cares nothing for the people and their suffering. He cares not for anyone, but himself. That's why we have to put him down for good."

"I see."-

"But because of Dong Zhou's seizing of the majority of China's military forces, it's been a lot harder for us to go against him. It's not anything like the Yellow Turban Rebellion we fought against a few years earlier. Unlike them, a band of novice peasants, we're fighting against our countries own Imperial forces. And it's all due to that damned Dong Zhou and his followers."

"There's always one guy that has to be the goat." Sora grumbled. "I hope this Dong Zhou gets his just deserts."

"In do time." Xiahou Dun pounded his fists together with determination.

"Lord Xiahou Dun," Liu Bei inquired as he and his brothers prepared to depart, "If it's not too much of a bother, would it be alright if we take Riku and Sora under our wing?"

"I don't see why not. Besides, you could give these boys a few good lessons in combat."-

"That sounds good."-

"Then they're all yours." Xiahou Dun took a bow to both the brothers and the key bearers. "I must leave you now, Riku, Sora. You'll be in the hands of those three." He thus departed without a second glance, as if he were glad to be rid of his burden.

There was a dead awkward silence between the duo and the trio. But Liu Bei only smiled at them.

"So how well are you experienced in battle?" Liu Bei asked.

"We have a sufficient amount of skill to be of some use to you, Lord Liu Bei." Riku replied.

"Yeah, Riku and I have been in a lot of battles." Sora added.

"And when was the first time you battled?" Liu Bei asked.

"I was about fourteen and Riku was about fifteen."-

"I see."-

"How close are you two?" Guan Yu asked.

"Well, we've been friends since we were boys."-

"He's been hanging around me all these years and I still don't know how to get rid of him." Riku grabbed Sora and gave him a noogie upon the top of his skull.

"Hey, cut it out, Riku!"-

"Then you're more like brothers than friends." Zhang Fei asked.

"Yeah,"-

"Then your bond to fight together should be stronger than anything." Liu Bei said. "Since we have some time, I want you two to spar. I want to see how good you two are in battle."-

"Alright, you ready for this, Riku?"-

"Get ready to lose, Sora." Riku chuckled.

"Hey, hey, not so fast," Liu Bei inquired, "You didn't let me finish yet. You see, you're gonna spar, but not against each other." The key bearers were puzzled by the declaration.

"Well, then who are we supposed to spar against?"-

"The two of us," Zhang Fei chuckled as he and Guan Yu stepped forward.

"Us against them…?" Sora's Adam's apple suddenly slithered from his throat to his stomach.

"You got a problem with that, little guy?"-

"Don't call me little!"-

"If you're gonna fight alongside us, we gotta see just how powerful you two really are." Liu Bei said. "Just claiming that you're tough doesn't necessarily mean you're really effective. We have to see for ourselves."

"I see," Riku replied, "Then we'll do it to prove our grit. Sora, you take Zhang Fei. I'll battle Guan Yu."-

"Right," Sora said.

"Getting a little feisty aren't we." Zhang Fei chuckled.

"Well, I must ready our men for the march." Liu Bei declared. "I leave you four to battle."

"Understood," Guan Yu replied.

"Then I take my leave." He bowed respectfully before withdrawing. In the meantime, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei drew out their weapons and prepared to face the key bearers.

"Alright, you two, let's get started."-

"Right," Sora replied.

"But remember," Zhang Fei advised, "We're gonna fight like this is a real battle. Don't expect us to hold back."-

"We would expect nothing else." Riku said. "Are you ready for this, Sora?"

"Yeah," Sora was fired up.

"Then let's show these two what key bearers can do." They drew out their keyblades with a swing of their wrists. The blades were a magnificent sight to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei as well as the way the key bearers drew them out.

"Look at those blades." Zhang Fei said. "I've never seen such weapons."

"They look like giant keys." Guan Yu added. "I see, so that's why they call you key bearers."

"This ought to be fun."-

The key bearers suddenly charged their opponents. Zhang Fei and Guan Yu took up defense and fended off Riku and Sora. They clashed steel with steel, forcing sparks to fly. The lightning fast movement of both parties was a sight that could not be described in words. Their agility was unrivaled as the warriors were able to dodge and evade each other's attacks by inches.

Some of the soldiers passing by or on duty watched in awe as these four did battle. To them, the fighting skills they witnessed were equal to that of the gods.

"These guys are stronger than what we took them for." Riku thought to himself as he evaded the massive blade of Guan Yu's Guan Dao. "For guys so big, their agility is equal to our own."

"C'mon," Sora shouted, "You don't scare me!"

"This kid is something else." Zhang Fei said quietly. "I guess he's more than just a novice."

"I have to commend your strength, Riku." Guan Yu said as he attacked and blocked. "You are indeed one of the toughest warriors I've fought so far."

"I can say the same about you, Guan Yu." Riku replied. "You're like a war god."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far. I am just a man, but a man who excels in the art of battle."

Back and forth the four did clash, not one of them showing any signs of slowing down. In fact, they were still fighting as intensely as they had when they started, when Liu Bei returned from his rallying duties. He was awe struck by the confrontation.

"Incredible," he said, unable to express his true emotion, "Those boys are good. They're going head to head with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei at an even stride."

Just then, both combating duos got into a deadlock, pushing at each other, hoping that the other would give up, but neither side seemed to be gaining any upper ground. As the only solution break up the deadlock, both sides pushed each other away with all their might. They skid their heels upon the winter soil and held their weapons at the ready. By this time, both duos were exhausted, heaving and breathing to regain their strength.

"That was one hell of a rush." Riku said. "Guan Yu is not a pushover, that's for sure."

"I can definitely say the same about Zhang Fei." Sora added, trying to catch his breath. "He just won't go down."

"That little squirt's getting the best of me." Zhang Fei said. "I can't believe it. I thought no one besides you, brother, could do such a thing."

"I'm just as surprised as you, brother." Guan Yu added. "Riku is a veteran fighter alright. He uses that weapon with such precision and skill."

"What's wrong, you two," Sora declared in an urging, sarcastic manner, "Have you had enough? Are we just too much for you?"

"In your dreams, kid!" Zhang Fei said with a smile. "I'm just getting started!"

"So are we!" Riku shouted.

"Then are you ready for another round?" Guan Yu hollered.

"I'm afraid we don't have time, brother." Liu Bei said. "We're ready to move out."

"Already," Sora asked, "But it seemed so short."

"You four have been battling against each other for over an hour now and you showed no signs of slowing down." Liu Bei approached the four. He first complimented his oath brothers. "Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, you two were superb. I see that you perfected your abilities again." He then turned to the key bearers. "And you, Riku, Sora, you two were incredible. I never would have thought there would be anyone who could go head to head with Zhang Fei and Guan Yu of all people. I have to say that I'm impressed."

"It was nothing really."-

"But none of you even let up with your fighting to take a breather, even after a full hour of doing battle. Perhaps I could recommend you two to be assigned as members of our vanguard."-

"Na, I don't think we're ready for a promotion yet."-

"Well, at least you're honest." He gathered the four around. "It's time for us to move out. Get your gear and prepare to march. We'll be following Cao Cao's column here in a bit."

"Right," Riku said.

"Let's go then." The five departed together.

"You guys were awesome." Zhang Fei complimented. "It'll be great to see you two engage the enemy."

"I'll say." Guan Yu added. "You'll cause the enemy to flee in no time."

"Thanks for the compliment, Guan Yu." Riku replied. "I can't wait to see you and Zhang Fei in battle either."

"Me too," Sora added.

"In do time, my friends." Guan Yu said, "In do time."

"It looks like we've making really good friends here, Riku."-

"I'd say so too." Riku replied.

Just then, a messenger, mounted on a horse, came from the front. It was one of Yuan Shao's couriers. He presented himself before Liu Bei.

"Lord Liu Bei," he said, "Lord Yuan Shao's compliments."

"What is it?" Liu Bei asked.

"My lord wishes to inform you that Sun Jian's vanguard troops have engaged against Dong Zhou's forces commanded by Li Jue, Gao Shun, and Zhang Liao. It's a three pronged attack."-

"Damn it, they set a trap for us."-

"Lord Sun Jian is at the moment confronting the forces under Li Jue and Lord Cao Cao has engaged Gao Shun. Lord Yuan Shao instructs that you move to fight against Zhang Liao."-

"Understood," With that, the courier galloped away. Liu Bei turned to his brothers and allies. "Alright, get the men ready and have them move at a double-quick pace."

"Very well," Guan Yu replied. "Let's go we're heading out!"

"It looks like we'll be entering battle earlier than we thought." Riku said.

"You two stick with us." Zhang Fei instructed.

"We gotcha," Sora replied. The five hurried to their ranks and moved their columns forward to battle against Dong Zhou's forces at Hu Lao Gate.

The march to the front did not take long. Almost instantly, hundreds of wounded stragglers appeared, making their way to the rear. Already signs of devastation could be seen. There were wounded men lying side by side with their slain comrades. Supply wagons were dilapidated or burning. Arrows and bits of debris littered the pass. But such sights did not deter the advancing columns. As they reached the front, the sounds of hundreds, if not thousands of men echoed through the pass. Sure enough, there came the sight of arrow volleys and catapult projectiles being launched into the air. By the looks of it, the three pronged attack had severely crippled the allied advance.

"Man," Sora said, "Look at all this chaos."

"I know." Riku replied. They watched as Liu Bei met up with Cao Cao and Sun Jian. They overheard some of the information passed between the three men.

"I'm glad that you came just in time, my lords." Sun Jian remarked.

"What happened?" Liu Bei asked.

"They just came out of nowhere, striking my ranks with a volley and forcing them to withdraw."-

"The predicament is not looking well for us." Cao Cao said. "The morale of Lord Sun Jian's vanguard had decreased dramatically."

"We just need to break up that three pronged attack." Liu Bei suggested. "We attack their wings and force them to cave in."

"I see. Very well, then deploy your troops as soon as you can. Let's compress the enemy at their flanks and thin the front line out a little bit. Liu Bei, you attack Zhang Liao on the right wing. I shall confront Gao Shun's troops on the left flank. And Lord Sun Jian, you remain at the center and hold off the enemy for as long as you can."-

"Right," Liu Bei came before the key bearers and his oath brothers. "Alright, you guys, take your positions at the right flank."

Liu Bei's troops assembled their formations and advanced to uphold the right flank. Zhang Liao's forces stood before them, grit and stubborn veterans they were. Zhang Liao himself was in the lead. A rather intimidating sight, he was dressed in light blue armor to allow better speed on the field. He was a seasoned warrior by the look on his bearded face. In his hand, he wielded a weapon almost identical to Guan Yu's weapon, called the Gold Wyvern.

"There stands a formidable foe." Guan Yu said as their soldiers prepared to attack.

"Is that that Zhang Liao guy you were talking about?" Sora asked.

"He looks impressive." Riku said.

"If only that man were on our side." Guan Yu told them. "Zhang Liao is not only a seasoned fighter, but a respected gentlemen and loyal officer as well."

"Is that so?"-

"His loyalties should be with us though, not with that tyrant, Dong Zhou."-

"Maybe he might be persuaded." Sora implied.

"That is beside the point." Liu Bei interrupted. "Zhang Liao opposes us as an enemy and he must be defeated." He drew out his sword. "My brothers, we go to battle! Prepare and archer volley to support us!"

"Archers," an officer shouted, "Draw your arrows!"-

"Forward," Liu Bei and his brothers, along with the key bearers charged the enemy ranks.

Zhang Liao watched from afar as his opponents began their attack. He smirked and held his weapon high.

"We must preserve this nation at all costs," Zhang Liao declared. "Fight to the last man if necessary. Let none of the enemy through!" There was a great cheer from his ranks before they charged against Liu Bei's advancing columns. Volleys of arrows were unleashed from both sides, raining havoc on the other. Hundreds of soldiers were struck down. Many of them were either killed instantly, or were severely maimed. But despite the devastation, neither side relented and continued to advance.

Riku and Sora couldn't believe what was happening as death fell from the heavens and struck down the men running next to them. Almost in slow motion, they watched as both sides drew nearer and nearer until finally, both sides clashed with great impact, toppling men as they collided. Swords and spears drove deep into the walls of humanity. The key bearers were stunned at the ferocity of the fighting. Not even their fights with the Imperial Axis could compare to the blood shedding they saw at Hu Lao.

"Man," Riku said, "This isn't a battle, this is utter chaos."

"Stay close, Riku." Sora cried.

They did combat without hesitation, maiming as much as they could and killing as little as possible, a technique that had not changed since their first encounters with the former Dark Empire. However, those they did kill, they could only look into the stunned eyes of their enemies as their final breath gave way. The same haunting spectacle of a diminished life did not fade from their minds. Inwardly, both Riku and Sora were crying profusely as they took the life of another soldier. They tried to wipe from their minds that they were in a simulation, that they weren't really taking lives. But despite such logics, they couldn't help, but feel sorry for the men on both sides who were killed or maimed beyond healing. But still, it was a task they had to fulfill. Either they slew, or were slain themselves.

"Keep at them, you men." Liu Bei shouted as he struck men from atop his grey Hex Mark steed. "We must maintain the glory of the Han!"

Zhang Fei and Guan Yu sliced their way through the enemy ranks, tossing many of the soldiers asunder with such brute force, it was as if the winds obeyed their every command and pummeled men to their death.

Riku and Sora were just as formidable, unleashing devastating attacks on their enemies. But their supremacy on the field came to an abrupt end as they soon confronted the mighty Zhang Liao himself. Zhang Liao emerged from the tide of ranks like a leviathan lurking in the depths. He stood before the key bearers. For a minute, the world seemed to halt around them, isolating the three from reality.

"It's him," Sora uttered, "It's that guy, Zhang Liao."

"So we confront the head commander of these soldiers himself." Riku said with a smirk.

"I see that you two have incredible strength." Zhang Liao declared. "And I see that my illustrious name has gained fame even amongst the ranks of the individual soldier. May I ask who you are, who excel so greatly in the art of war."

"My name is Riku."-

"And I'm Sora." Sora made ready his keyblade.

"I see," Zhang Liao gave his weapon a swerve as to intimidate the youths. "Then I challenge you, Riku, Sora, to a contest of strength."

"Is that so? Then we gladly accept."-

"But do you have what it takes to battle against the invincible Zhang Liao?"-

"There's only one way to find out!" Riku implied.

The two key bearers advanced and struck from the flanks, but Zhang Liao was able to evade and block at the same time. He leaped into the air and slapped the key bearers at the side of the head with the flat of his blade. The youths attacked again and both sides engaged in another intense fight. Slash, jab, they pummeled one another, with no wounds being inflicted. The soldiers around them seemed awe inspired, halting their own battles to act as spectators to this unbelievable bout.

"Your combined strength is flawless." Zhang Liao said. "I've never felt so exhilarated in battle for quite a while. It is an honor to battle you." For a moment, their fighting stopped between them as Zhang Liao pushed the key bearers away. "However, despite that honor, I cannot allow you to just have your way. This is the future of China I battle for. And the future of the country is far more important to me than a single duel with two outstanding warriors."

"Funny," Riku said, "That's just how we feel."

"We can't let you have your way either." Sora added.

"The one to outlast the other in stamina and strength will decide the tide of this fight."-

"Then I will hold nothing back this time around." Zhang Liao declared. "If you are struck, then you will die." Zhang Liao power suddenly increased and the key bearers could feel it.

"He's serious now."-

"Prepare,"-

This time, it was Zhang Liao who was on the offensive. His blows had increased greatly, swirling and thrusting his blade with superior precision. The key bearers found countering him more of a challenge now.

"He's not giving us a chance to breathe, Riku." Sora said.

"Then if he's so determined to fight on that equal playing field," Riku replied, "We're obliged to do the same." The silver haired youth unleashed his full potential as well and started attacking with more ferocity. Sora did the same, unleashing his full potential and assaulted alongside Riku against Zhang Liao. Zhang Liao slowly gave ground.

"You two are good, but not good enough!" He started to glow a bright gold and damage inflicted on him, become none existent. At the same time, the blows he unleashed on the key bearers had increased ten fold.

"This power," Sora said, "It's the Musou Rage."

"Is that so?" Riku smirked. "Well, if he wants to play that way, then so be it!" Riku unleashed the Musou Rage as well. Sora mimicked his comrade and used the Musou Rage as well. Now all three were equal, not able to inflict damage or receive damage from the other.

"You have the power of the Musou Rage?" Zhang Liao uttered. "But how can that be? Only a selected few have ever mastered that technique."

"It just goes to show you the extent of our talents."-

"How did you achieve that strength?"-

"It was handed down to us."-

"Handed down by whom?"-

"If you defeat us, we might tell you." Sora mocked.

"Is that right? Then I'll be sure to make this fight a quick one!"-

But the battle was exactly the opposite. Zhang Liao was unable to break through the defense of the key bearers. So long as all three of them used the Musou Rage, no real goal was achieved.

"This is impossible." Riku said. "At this rate, none of us have done any damage."-

"I agree." Sora added.

But as soon as it had occurred, all three diminished in the Musou Rage's power and had regressed to their original strengths.

"Such power," Zhang Liao thought to himself, "No man has ever caused me to fight this intensely." He could only stand in admiration of the two young men. "Though they are at such a young age, they were able to level with me."

Just then, Zhang Liao came to realize that his soldiers were falling back. While he was fighting against Riku and Sora, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei were able to coordinate their forces and push back his troops, inflicting terrible casualties in the process. As if that wasn't enough, a messenger came to him in the midst of this battle.

"Message from our superiors," He said. "We've been ordered to withdraw back to Hu Lao Gate."

"Damn it." Zhang Liao growled. But he shrugged it off and smiled. "Well, Riku and Sora, you and your friends have surpassed my might, impressive." Zhang Liao turned to his men. "We're falling back to Hu Lao Gate!"

With that, the soldiers quickly withdrew to the gate, seen in the distance. There was a large cheer from Liu Bei's men as they watched the enemy pull back.

"We did it?" Sora uttered.

"I guess we won." Riku added.

Zhang Fei and Guan Yu came up to the key bearers and padded them on the back.

"That was incredible." Zhang Fei boasted. "We saw the whole thing. You really put that Zhang Liao in his place."

"You're skills are impressive." Guan Yu added. "I guess that spar with us unleashed a few new techniques, eh?"

"I guess so." Sora sheepishly said.

"Brothers, friends," Liu Bei implied as he approached them on horse back. "We don't have time to stand around. The enemy is on the run. We march to Hu Lao and break them once and for all."

"Yeah," Zhang Fei was ecstatic, "Let's break through that gate and give old Dong Zhou what's coming to him."

"Assemble the men and have them launch a pursuit."-

"Very well," Guan Yu acknowledged. The forces reassembled and continued their way to Hu Lao Gate.

Eventually, Gao Shun and Li Jue's forces withdrew as well. Cao Cao and Sun Jian continued their way towards Hu Lao Gate. With this stunning victory, morale was higher than ever. It seemed that nothing could stand in the way of the coalition. And eventually, Hu Lao Gate would fall as well. But little did they realize that toppling Hu Lao Gate would be a greater challenge than any of them expected.


	95. The Greatest Warrior

The Greatest Warrior of the Three Kingdoms

There was a boost on confidence in the ranks of the alliance coalition. Ever since they managed to fend off the enemy, despite being at a disadvantage, thoughts of glory, easy victory, and invincibility entered the minds of each soldier. Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Liu Bei rode side by side. Riku and Sora were close behind them. They looked on as the soldiers sang and praised themselves for a job well done.

"These guys are really jubilant aren't they?" Sora said.

"After routing Zhang Liao's forces, I'm not the least bit surprised." Riku replied.

"You should be jubilant too." Guan Yu said, looking back to the key bearers. "You managed to battle against Zhang Liao himself. And that in itself is a great achievement."

"Well, we could and we should, but I've always kept it to mind to always count your eggs before they hatch."-

"Well spoken, young Riku." Liu Bei said. "It's always best to save celebrating until after the task is done in full."

It was funny that Liu Bei mentioned that. Almost like a dark cloud, the joyful murmuring suddenly diminished, transforming into an eerie silence. Now, there was tension in the air.

"It got really quiet." Sora said.

"Look," Riku said, pointing to the outside of the column.

Just off the road, thousands of men were stretched out. Some of them had lost limbs, an arm or a leg. Others had hideous gashes upon their bodies, inflicted by some sharp edge. Blood was everywhere, and the moans and screams of wounded men could be heard bellowing in chorus.

Wandering amongst the wounded was Cao Cao and Sun Jian. Liu Bei and his brothers approached them. Riku and Sora quickly joined up with them.

"Lord Cao Cao," he said, "What's the matter? Why have you and the others withdrawn from the front."

"Our forces have met stiff resistance at Hu Lao Gate." Cao Cao replied.

"Trying to penetrate the wall's defense is more difficult than earlier anticipated." Sun Jian added.

"What happened?" Sora asked.

"Well," Sun Jian began, "we moved in as directed. We watched as the last of Dong Zhou's retreating troops made their way into the gate. We immediately made attempts to charge, but the vanguard was halted by stiff resistance."

"Who was holding you off?" Guan Yu asked.

"It was only one man." Cao Cao implied. The brothers and the key bearers looked on with a stunning gape of their mouths.

"One man managed to fend you off?" Zhang Fei asked.

"That's impossible." Liu Bei said. "No one man would be able to fend off an entire military force."

"Was it Zhang Liao?" Riku wondered. "He seems the kind of guy that could do that."

"No," Cao Cao replied. "It was Dong Zhou's adopted son."

"Adopted son? Who is he?"-

"You mean you don't know?"-

"Well, not exactly." Sora said.

"Well, that's a first." Sun Jian implied. "I always thought that everyone in the military knew his reputation for battlefield ferocity."

"What's his name?"-

"His name it Lu Bu."-

Immediately, the key bearers reacted at the mentioning of Lu Bu's name. They looked at each other.

"Impossible, what's Lu Bu doing here?"-

"How he got here is what I want to know." The key bearers quickly turned and withdrew from the group, heading towards the front.

"Hey, Riku, Sora," Zhang Fei shouted. "Where are you going?!"

"We've got a score to settle!"-

"Settle the score?"-

"You think they have an old grudge against Lu Bu?" Sun Jian asked.

"If they have an old score to settle with Lu Bu, they must've been really lucky warriors." Cao Cao remarked. "To survive a fight with Lu Bu is a miracle."

"We better go give them a hand." Liu Bei instructed. "We can't have those two boys dying on us now can we." They quickly pursued the key bearers to the front.

Riku and Sora pushed their way through the masses of soldiers, desperate to see for themselves if what Sun Jian and Cao Cao said was true.

"You really think Lu Bu is here?" Sora asked.

"I don't know." Riku replied. "We'll just have to see when we get there!" But his mind was full of questions. "How is it that Lu Bu is here? And how do these people know him. Could it be that this is the China to which Lu Bu descended?"

As the neared the front, they came to realize the true horror of reality. Two hundred wards away lay the gate. And it was at that distance, that no man dared to tread. It was not stationed archers at the top of the walls or falling boulders from angered defenders. Rather, what scared them the most was the man who stood in front of the closed gates, not budging for anyone. From the barracks to the walls of Hu Lao, at least two thousand men lay dead or wounded, their comrades unable to come to their aid.

The key bearers came to the front to see the carnage of the field. They were shocked at the amount of casualties inflicted.

"So many men," Sora said.

"Who did this?" Riku asked as soldier behind the breast works.

"It's Lu Bu," the soldier trembled, "Lu Bu is guarding the gates."

"Are you sure?"-

"Every man on the field saw him. It's without a doubt Lu Bu."-

"So," Riku and Sora ran out to the field alone, the only two to rush forward as those wounded still able to walk limped to the rear.

"Hey you two," a soldier cried, "stop!"

"You're going the wrong way!" another would holler. But nothing was about to deter the key bearers from their mission. A strange mist lingered about the ground. Mountain mist intermingling with smoke from small fires gave a strange atmosphere, the mangled bodies of slain men adding to the uneasy horror.

As the key bearers came before the gate, there mounted upon a red horse was Lu Bu with his heavy armor, his headdress with the massive antennae, and his diabolical weapon, the Sky Scorcher.

"Pathetic," Lu Bu growled, "Can the alliance do no better than this?! These worthless cowards are all bark and no bite!" He raised his voice to the apprehensive forces of the coalition. "You guys can fight, well can't you?!"

"Lu Bu," Riku shouted as he and Sora approached. They drew out their keyblades. "So it is you, Lu Bu."

"Well, well, two little bugs ready to throw their lives away. You dare stand against the mighty Lu Bu?!"-

"You don't scare us, Lu Bu!" Sora declared. "We've fought you before and we won't lose to you again!"

"Really, and who might you be?! I don't recall letting anyone live who dared to face me!"-

"Don't give us that," the key bearers pulled off their helmets. "You should know us." Lu Bu somehow looked confused.

"That's absurd. I've never seen you before." The key bearers were just as bewildered.

"What are you talking about? You fought against us and then alongside us when we battled against Kang."-

"I don't know who this Kang is you speak of. I think you have the wrong guy."-

"Oh, don't play dumb. You have a score to settle with Riku, remember?!"-

"Who the hell is Riku and who the hell are you two?! Are you just trying to aggravate me or something? Because it's working!"-

"Lu Bu,"-

"I don't think he knows us, Sora." Riku said. The young key bearer looked at his friend curiously. "This might be a different version of Lu Bu, perhaps before he met us."

"Oh…"-

"Alright," Riku stood tall, drawing out his keyblade. "You want to know who Riku is, eh? Well, I'm Riku! And we have a duel to battle!"

"Yeah," Sora pulled forth his weapon as well. "And I'm Sora! We're here to fight you, Lu Bu!"-

"Is that so?" Lu Bu chuckled. "Well, Riku, Sora, if you're so willing to die at the hands of Lu Bu, then so be it! I'll stomp you both into a bloody mess!" He gazed at Riku. "I don't know, but for some reason…I just hate your eyes! You say that we have a score to settle, well let it be now and be done with it!"

Lu Bu suddenly charged swiping away with his halberd. The key bearers evaded, leaping away as Red Hare charged into them.

"You'll have to do better than that!" Riku shouted. "Let's see how you like a taste of this!" He unleashed the Cinder Canister, deploying the fiery spheres all at once. But Lu Bu evaded, swaying his horse at tight turns, avoiding the impact of the flames.

"Now it's my turn!" Sora declared, unleashing Tundra Canister. But again, Lu Bu maneuvered the horse, preventing the frozen shards from encasing him in ice and immobilizing him. "Damn it, I missed."

"Not bad," Lu Bu praised the key bearers. "I see you are able to use the elements in battle. But what good are they against brute force such as mine!" Lu Bu leaped from his horse. He hovered in the air before descending two hundred feet. His halberd held above his head, he slammed the blade into the ground. The impact caused in immense explosion, cracking the earth and toppling soil over. Great gusts of debris and dirt flew into the air, blown violently by the wind. Riku and Sora were almost knocked off their feet as they braced their legs against the ground, shielding their eyes from the incoming bits of rubble.

"I see Lu Bu hasn't lost any of his potency." Sora said. But no sooner had the gusts died down, the mighty warriors appeared before the young keyblade master, his halberd slung behind his back preparing to swipe and cut the youth in half.

"You're finished!" Lu Bu chuckled.

"Sora," Riku cried. "Get out of there!"

But it was too late. Lu Bu was already on the verge of smiting Sora. His only other option was to block the attack. Sora threw his keyblade out in the path of the halberd. Metal struck metal and sparks flew. But the impact was too great for Sora and he was knocked off his feet. He could feel as the halberd's staff struck him at the side, moments after the impact was made against he keyblade. He was thrown to the side. Then there was a loud clang, the sound of metal breaking and splintering, and he felt a sudden sting across his lower shoulder blade. The lower side of the halberd's crescent blade managed to slice through his armor and slash his fair skin. Sora flew into the air and skidded along the ground for fifty feet, before lying motionless amongst the dead and dying soldiers.

"That's one down." Lu Bu boasted with warrior pride, "One more to go."

"Sora," Riku cried. But the key bearer did not respond, lying motionless upon the battlefield.

"There's no use trying to call for your comrade. He's dead."-

"No, Sora," Riku looked on at his friend's still body. He clutched his fists tightly as his sadness gave way to rage. He glared at Lu Bu. "Damn you, you bastard."

"There's no use getting angry over anything. Being mad is not going to help you in any way against me."-

"You'll pay for what you did to Sora, Lu Bu."-

"Oh, I quiver with fear!" The titan lunged forward with incredible speed, but Riku did not waver, he drew out his keyblade again and stood defensively. Lu Bu struck, but missed as the agile warrior leaped over his head and prepared to attack from behind.

"Let's see how you like it!" He charged Lu Bu's blind spot. But the mighty defender seemed unconcerned.

"You think it's that easy?" He crouched down and stomped his foot upon the bare soil. A sonic boom erupted and knocked Riku of his course.

"Damn, I forgot about the foot stomp."-

"I told you," Lu Bu jumped up, "You're no match for me!" He swiped at the key bearer, but Riku was able to throw his keyblade in front of him at the nick of time. He hit the ground and skidded about in the same manner as Sora, before he lay motionless on the ground. Lu Bu in the meantime, landed no more than fifty feet away from him. "I guess that's all you and your friend were, Riku, just a lot of talk and no action! You never stood a chance against me the moment you dared to raise your blades against me. Already over two thousand men have tried and yet they all failed. And all of them were just as talented as you. If none of them could defeat me, even with such numbers favoring them, what made you think that only two of you would make a difference?"

But no sooner had Lu Bu finished his self-praising, he realized that life still clutched onto Riku. Riku slowly staggered to his feet. He gasped and coughed, exhuming the dust from his lungs. Sweat and dirt, intermingling with blood from scrapes, did not phase the youth. He defiantly rose up and smirked.

"You still have that same power behind your punch, Lu Bu." He uttered. "But a simple display of might like that will not deter me that easily."

"Don't get cocky. You're still outmatched."-

"I wouldn't expect it to be any different."-

"And why is that?'-

"Because a man outclassed by someone like you is the reality of the world. I know I don't stand a chance and I know there's a high possibility that I may die. But still I go forward. And that in itself takes guts. That only proves to me that I am stronger than you are." But Lu Bu only mocked Riku's words.

"Just keep barking, insect. You're no match for me, ever. You may have will power, but what good is that when you don't have the physical strength. You can persist, but it will be you to die this day, just like your friend."-

"I don't care if I do die."-

"Well, you should, because you'll end up just like these men. They were strong in will power, yet they fell so easily to my blade."-

"But physical strength can only go so far. If your heart, mind, and soul aren't focused on the matter at hand, there's no use engaging in the first place. That is what will power is, the strength to confront a threat, no matter how much bigger it is than you."-

"Enough of your philosophical blathering, Riku," Lu Bu charged at him, though Riku was still weary. "Let's see if your will power can block the next blow!"

Lu Bu came nearer and nearer. Riku was still trying to recover from his pummel. The keyblade seemed so heavy in his hand now. No matter how much he tried to pull it up, his body would rebel, too exhausted to continue. It seemed over for Riku. Or so he thought.

From out of nowhere, a strong energy beam struck Lu Bu in the back, knocking him forward. Lu Bu staggered to regain his balance, avoiding falling face down on the ground. His armor had been singed. He turned to see where the blast came from. And there, standing upon weakened knees was Sora. He had managed to deploy an energy beam from his keyblade.

"Well," he said, "at least I know I can still use energy waves in this world."

"You little punk," Lu Bu growled, "How dare you pummel me in the back!"

"You should heed Riku's words, Lu Bu. You may think he's rambling, but it's true. The strength of a person's heart is determined by their will to continue on."-

"A heart is weak, a simple organ that can be easily pierced with the tip of a sword or spear."-

"Yeah, you're right there."-

"And yet you dare to stand up, knowing that you'll face the same kind of pain, especially after that uncalled-for strike against me from behind!" Lu Bu turned to face the youth. "Are you not afraid of me?"

"I'm terrified." Sora said. "And who wouldn't be. The heart may be weak and sometimes may even give in, but I've learned, in all my experiences, that there is a light that never goes out. So long as that person has the will to continue, that light will shine bright even in the deepest of darkness."

"Then let your heart try and outwit this!" Lu Bu drew his halberd up. "Rolling Thunder!" He slammed his keyblade upon the ground. A sonic boom traveled along the soil, up heaving dirt as it roared towards Sora.

"Sora," Riku cried, "Get out of there! You'll get pummeled again!"

But Sora had lost a great deal of blood from his wound and the thrashing he received from the previous fight had taken a lot out of him mentally and physically. Again, another casualty would be added to list of so many nameless victims upon the field.

But from out of the blue, a large warrior appeared before Sora, blocking the way between Lu Bu's attack and the key bearer. It was none other than the legendary Guan Yu. He threw his Guan Dao blade into the soil and cut the sound wave in two, forcing them to split up into separate paths. Sora gazed up at the long-bearded warrior.

"You've done well, Sora." Guan Yu said. "We'll take it from here."

"Guan Yu," Sora uttered, "You saved me."

"Well, who's this?" Lu Bu said, "Another insect coming to die?"

"You're the one who's going to die this time!" a voice shouted from behind. Lu Bu turned to find Zhang Fei standing stalwart next to Riku. "Sorry we're late, Riku. Did we miss anything?"

"You guys made it." Riku sighed.

"So two more insects have come to meet their maker, eh?" Lu Bu scoffed.

"Three actually," a third voice intervened. Lu Bu turned his head to find Liu Bei standing near. The three oath brothers stood no more than fifty yards away from Lu Bu, creating a triangular shape around him.

"You're brave, I'll give you that."-

"Riku, Sora, are you two alright?"-

"We've been better." Riku replied.

"You two take it easy for now." Zhang Fei stated.

"We'll handle this from here on out." Guan Yu added. The key bearers watched as the three brothers drew nearer to Lu Bu.

"It's villains like you who are responsible for the current chaos." Liu Bei declared. But Lu Bu only made light of his declaration.

"Is talking all you are good for?" he chuckled. "If you seek power, then show your might!"

"Perhaps you haven't realized," Zhang Fei implied, "but we have you surrounded and we have you outnumbered."

"Plus we three brothers excel in battle." Guan Yu added. "You can't fight all three of us at once." There was a slight lull as the three drew up their weapons, ready for battle. Lu Bu only stood there. But he broke the silence with a sinister cackle.

"It doesn't matter." He said, throwing out his halberd. "Your numbers mean nothing! By opposing me, you are only marching to your own slaughter!"

"Enough blabbing," Zhang Fei rushed in, "If you're gonna fight, then fight, don't talk!"

Lu Bu easily guarded against Zhang Fei's attack. He pummeled the muscled man to the ground. Guan Yu was the next to charge. He swung and thrust his Guan Dao back and forth, hoping to pierce his opponent. But Lu Bu easily pummeled him as well, knocking him back. Liu Bei charged forward, slashing at Lu Bu with very little result. The three men attacked from all three sides, but it seemed that Lu Bu easily thwarted them without breaking a sweat.

"Face it boys," Lu Bu chuckled, "You can never hope to defeat me!"

"Man," Riku said, running to Sora's side, "I've never seen such a battle."

"Lu Bu is fighting all three brothers off with very little effort, even after undergoing that earlier fight against all those troops and the two of us prior to this. He's not a man, he's a monster."-

"What about you, Sora?" Riku checked the gash upon his friend's back. "How are you doing with your injury?"

"Honestly, I really thought I was a goner if Guan Yu hadn't stepped in."-

"Well, this is Lu Bu we're talking about."-

"I can't believe that this is an earlier version of him and yet we didn't even scratch him."-

"Incredible if you ask me."-

The fight between Lu Bu and the three brothers continued. Flashes of light, elemental drives, Musou charges, clash of steel, sweat and blood, all these elements made the battle intense. It was a grapple between four warriors who would soon become legends and whose names would reverberate throughout all of China for centuries to come.

"You can't keep this up forever!" Guan Yu declared. "You'll have to give in sooner or later!"

"Like your idle threats worry me." Lu Bu chuckled. "You'll only meet the same fate as these men."

"But you're reaching your limit, Lu Bu." Zhang Fei said. "I can already tell that your strength is giving way to exhaustion."

"Is that so? Well, come and prove that I have lost my potency!"-

Again and again, like raved dogs, the four warriors had at each other's throats, but still no real damage was inflicted. For fifty bouts, one attack after another, they continued to fight.

"It's hard to believe," Liu Bei thought to himself, "Despite engaging in battle, without rest, prior to this right, and despite my brothers and I going all out with full strength, Lu Bu still manages to fend us off without any problems."

"What power," Guan Yu complimented. "Your skills are impressive, Lu Bu. Perhaps you are the mightiest man alive."

"You flatter me, spinach chin." Lu Bu chuckled. "And what you say is true!"

"But it takes more than just brute strength and the will to dominate to win a battle!"-

"Pretty bold words. What is it that you fight for that allows you to carry on like this?"-

"We fight for the preservation of this land and to restore the Han Dynasty to its former glory!" Liu Bei declared. "That is what we have vowed. We three brothers shall put an end to tyranny!"

"Such a lost cause, the Han is finished, there's no way it can recover from this point on!"-

"So long as villains like you thrive, the Han will never be restored."-

"I am no villain. I am merely living my ideals."-

"Is that so?"-

"And exactly what is it that you are fighting for?" Zhang Fei asked.

"You think Dong Zhou is the way of the future?" Guan Yu added. "He's a blood-thirsty tyrant! He doesn't deserve you loyalty!"

"What exactly are you fighting for?" Liu Bei asked.

"My motives are simple." Lu Bu explained as he continued to strike and slash. "I battle for the sake of battle. The urge runs through my veins. I fight for myself and only for myself! I do not care about Dong Zhou! Power and Justice can only be obtained through victory in battle!"-

"And it is that kind of selfish idealism that is bringing forth this era of chaos!"-

"You're wrong. This era is caused by the egos of ambitious men. I fight for the sake of being the strongest. Therefore I side with the strongest! You fight to obtain justice and maintain the power of the Han. One way or the other, we both have ambitions. Whether they are a positive or negative objective, the nature of it is still the same."

"But you must be reaching your limits by now," Guan Yu asked. "I'm sure that your strength is giving way with every strike you make."

"Don't get too overconfident. You haven't beaten me yet!"-

But as what Guan Yu had stated, Lu Bu could not keep up a strong defense indefinitely. His power began to fade, dropping dramatically. After defeating so many opponents prior to the fight with the three oath brothers, Lu Bu began to exhaust himself. His reflexes, his defense, his speed, his attack, they all began to suffer with every blown blocked and every blow given. Every second passing caused him to lose energy.

Soon, after one last shove, no longer at the top of his condition, his constant battle giving way to fatigue, Lu Bu had no other choice, but to withdraw.

"Have you had enough yet?" Liu Bei said.

"Ha," Lu Bu scoffed, "I have no time for you worthless maggots! I have other matters to attend to besides dealing with the likes of you mongrels!" Lu Bu drew his thumb and index to his lips and whistled loudly for his steed.

Red Hare emerged, flying over the heads of the three brothers. So gracefully, with accurate precision, the mighty warrior leaped into the air and landed upon the back of his stallion.

"You might have bested me this time, but your efforts were all in vain! I've served my purpose, but you would have been better off killing me instead!" With that, Lu Bu galloped off towards Hu Lao Gate. The great doors opened and he rode straight through. But for a short while, he stopped his flee and turned about to confront the three brothers. "Perhaps, Liu Bei, the ones you should you really fear are not Dong Zhou and I, but rather your allies."

"My allies…?" Liu Bei inwardly questioned.

"The question is who will dominate when this is over?" With that, the gates closed again.

"He's getting away!" Riku shouted.

"Let's go after him, brother!" Guan Yu shouted suggested.

"All forces, charge Hu Lao Gate!" Liu Bei ordered. "There is no need to fear their defenses anymore!"

The coalition charged towards the gates, battling against the remnants of the defenses that were left. Now, with Lu Bu no longer defending the pass, breaking through the defenses would be easy. The coalition advanced before a hail of arrows and other incoming projectiles. However, their push was not as affected this time. Now, with Lu Bu out of the way, there was no real threat besides the archers who fired down from the wall. The allies unleashed their own volley killing hundreds of defenders in the process.

Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and Sun Jian looked from afar as their troops began to gain ground, storming the walls and attempting to break the gates at Hu Lao.  
"Lord Liu Bei has done well." Cao Cao said. "He certainly has indomitable strength."

"He's only strong because he has his brothers to aid him." Sun Jian added. "It's their unity that makes them a formidable force. Alone, they'd be vulnerable, but together, they're an unstoppable team."

"Yes…" Cao Cao, however, was a little concerned with this so called unity between the three oath brothers. He inwardly commented, "I just hope that those three don't become my enemies."

"There is no need for strategy here!" Yuan Shao shouted. "All units attack, topple Hu Lao Gate!"

The fighting continued between the defenders of Hu Lao and the allied troops. Riku and Sora, desperate to help did the only thing they could think of. The end the battle, they would have to break down the gates.

"Stand back!" Riku shouted. "We'll take it from here!" The soldiers cleared the way as he performed Cinder Canister to use against the gate. "This'll take very last ounce of energy I've got!" He formed the flaming orbs above his head. Throwing both hands before him, Riku fired all the spheres at the gate all at once. There was a massive explosion of intense heat and an overwhelming inferno that singed the brick, incinerated the wood, and melted the iron hinges into formless blobs.

The entire top half of the gate was splintered while the rest of it tumbled to the ground. There was cheering from the soldiers as they watched the impregnable Hu Lao Gate fall before them.

"Most impressive," Guan Yu said.

"That was incredible." Zhang Fei added.

"Come now, men," Liu Bei shouted, "Forward to Luoyang and victory!" He and his brothers led the charge.

The soldiers advanced in mass, despite the remaining enemy archers bombarding them from the walls defenses. They stormed through the entry way and easily fended quelled the remaining forces.

Riku in the meantime, fell to his knees and sighed. Sora put his hands upon his shoulders and smiled.

"You did it again, Riku." Sora chuckled. "We got them on the run."

"Yeah…" Riku didn't have enough energy to boast, let alone stand. He could only smile and watch as the flags of the alliance coalition were placed upon the defenses, claiming Hu Lao Gate for Yuan Shao and the others.

"You two have done well." A voice said from behind. The key bearers looked to see Xiahou Dun and Cao Cao mounted upon stallions. It was Xiahou Dun that addressed them. "I guess I owe you two and apology. You certainly aren't novices. You managed to fight of Zhang Liao's troops and force them to flee You went head to head with Lu Bu of all people, and you even managed to destroy Hu Lao Gate by means of elemental chi. It is I who am the novice."

"No need to let yourself down, Mr. Dun." Sora replied. "And no need to thank us. We just did what we do best."

"Well, I can tell you that you have done a good days work for today." Cao Cao implied. "You two stay behind and get your wounds mended up. The rest of my men can take it from here."

"We can still fight." Riku said.

"And no doubt you can. But so far, you are the only two, besides Liu Bei and his brothers to actually go head to head with Lu Bu and actually survive to tell about it. You more than deserve a good day's rest." Riku could only sigh and lower his head.

"Thank you…"-

"Cousin," Xiahou Dun said, "We must join with Liu Bei and the others."

"Understood," Cao Cao replied. They thus continued riding alongside their men until they disappeared out of sight.

"C'mon Riku," Sora remarked, helping his friend up, "You need a good rest after that. You also need to get those injuries mended up." He slung Riku's arm around his neck and heaved him to his feet.

"You don't have to do that, Sora." Riku replied. "You're in worse shape than I am, with that gaping cut in your side and all."

"Ah, that's nothing. I've had worse remember. It'll take more than this little thing to slow me down."-

"You're right,"-

Close together, the two key bearers withdrew to the rear to seek much needed medical attention.

An hour had passed and things grew quiet. Now the soldiers were collecting their dead and healing their wounded. The sound of moans and shrieks could be heard from those mortally wounded. After a nice patch job with the doctor, the two key bearers assisted with the wounded and comforted them. The smell of blood and death was everywhere. The smoldering remains of war machines littered the ground. Tattered banners and broken weapons lay all about. After helping out with their tasks, the key bearers took a breather under a bare maple tree. Winter snow began to fall faintly, pelting the wounded with cold flakes.

"These winter campaigns," Sora grumbled, "I really hate them. It gets so cold at times."

"I know what you mean." Riku added. "It's seems like everything gets a little sluggish after a battle."

Just then, their conversation was interrupted by the galloping sounds of horses returning from the front. The key bearers and many of the soldiers looked to see who approached. Sure enough, it was Yuan Shao, Sun Jian, Cao Cao, and Liu Bei.

"Make way," a soldier cried, "Make way for the general!"

The warlords halted their gallop, their horses bucking up and whinnying before settling down on all four limbs again.

"I can't believe this has happened." Yuan Shao growled as he dismounted to stretch his legs.

"It was all due to Lu Bu's holding action." Cao Cao added.

"Hey, you guys," Sora asked, "What's with the long faces?"

"Dong Zhou managed to get away." Liu Bei replied. The key bearers were shocked, along with everyone else.

"He got away?"-

"Yeah, he withdrew from Luoyang, setting the capital ablaze when he made his escape."-

"No," Riku was stunned, "He burned the capital city? But why would he do a think like that?"

"He hoped to escape secretly amidst the flames." Sun Jain remarked. "In most cases, he did get away."

"Damn it," Yuan Shao shouted, "Just when we were this close to eliminating Dong Zhou once and for all."

"If Lu Bu hadn't gotten in our way," Cao Cao added, "He is a stubborn man. And one who just won't go down."

"Where are the others?" Sora asked.

"Guan Yu and Zhang Fei along with Lord Xiahou Dun and Lord Huang Gai are still at the front hoping they can begin a pursuit." Liu Bei explained.

"At this rate, I highly doubt they'll make it." Yuan Shao said.

"Do you want us to go and take care of things?" Sora asked.

"You two are still recovering from your injuries." Liu Bei said. "It's best not to overdue things in one day you know."

"We'll be alright." Riku stood up and twisted about, showing that he was in top physical condition. "Leave this to us."

"Yeah," Sora agreed.

"But…" Liu Bei didn't feel comfortable sending in two wounded youths back into the field.

"Aw, let them go." Cao Cao said.

"But Lord Cao Cao…?"-

"Those two young men have the knack for battle. Let them do as they please."-

"Still…"-

"Lord Liu Bei, I am highly confident that if we had more warriors like Riku and Sora, as well as your brothers and you, we would be able to settle this dispute with Dong Zhou in less than a week." Liu Bei could see it was useless to argue.

"Alright, alright," he turned to the key bearers, "You two can go."

"We won't let you down!" Sora said, saluting.

"Just be careful."-

"Right,"-

The two key bearers scurried off. Liu Bei watched as they made their way to Hu Lao Gate before turning his back.

"It looks like we're back to the front." Riku said.

"Let's give that Dong Zhou and one, two, three." But no sooner had they left for the front, they found themselves suddenly suspended and consumed by light. The key bearers were bewildered. They watched as the light consumed their limbs one at a time "Riku, what's going on?!"

"Oh no, here we go again!"-

"I guess our task is finished in this world."-

"That means there's only one more battle to fight."-

Liu Bei turned around again to see the key bearers on their way. By this time, however, Riku and Sora had completely disappeared and the light vanished without a trace. Liu Bei was curious.

"Well, where did they go?" he said. The other commanders looked at him. They then looked to Hu Lao. The key bearers had vanished.

"Those two are fast," Cao Cao implied, "I'll give 'em that."

"Back to the matter at hand gentlemen," Yuan Shao implied. The warlords continued their meeting as if nothing had occurred from the start.


	96. Saiyans

Saiyans

Riku and Sora once again had been transported to different world again. They no longer found themselves before the remnants of Hu Lao Gate. Instead, they entered a green yet rocky terrain. There were strange mountains and rock formations that popped up in random places, separated by fast flatland. However, the region was not a foreboding, hostile place. The greenery of grass and shrubbery hit the jaggedness of some of the formations, giving the place a smoother look.

"Where are we now?" Sora moaned.

"I don't know." Riku gave a huff of fatigue. "Good grief, I wish we wouldn't be thrown into some other parallel world like that."

"Thundro really needs to rethink on how he works his simulators" Sora and Riku then looked at each other. Again surprised, but not at all shocked, they found themselves wearing different clothing this time. They were strange outfits at that.

Riku was wearing what looked like a dark blue body suit that was tightly snuggled up to his every curve, revealing the hardness of his muscles. Over his chest and abdomen, he wore what looked like a futuristic armor piece, with gold straps and lined center for his lower torso and lower back. He wore white gauntlets and white boots with gold tips.

Sora on the other hand had more elaborate entourage. Like Riku, he too wore a jumper, but unlike Riku's, the color of the jumper was black and it did not extend the full length of his arm and leg. The sleeves were cut short reaching up the middle of Sora's upper arm. The leg length was cu short, reaching slightly over his knee joint, much like a cyclist's wardrobe. His armored piece had an extension over the shoulders that if he were to extend his arm, the length would reach his elbow. He too wore gauntlets and boots. But unlike Riku, Sora's gloves had a reinforced, gold band around them, which separated the hand piece from the arm guard.

"It looks like we're in different clothing again." Riku said.

"Do you think it's a little revealing though?" Sora asked.

"What makes you say that?"-

"Well, I'm armored all over my upper body, but…" Sora slightly blushed. Riku looked down seeing that nothing else was below that, except the bare jumper and a little skin. Not to mention, the jumper was tight against Sora's body, giving perfect muscle tone. Riku only sighed.

"I see what you mean. Well, deal with it, Sora. We don't have any other means for wardrobe."-

"I feel like I'm wearing tights."-

"Considering that you are. But you shouldn't complain, Sora. I'm wearing the same kind of clothing you are. Besides, I think it looks great. The armor isn't too loose, but it isn't too tight. It's like I'm wearing nothing at all."-

"Thanks for that detailed description." Sora was blue in the face.

"Well, enough about that. We gotta find out where we are."-

"Hey, you two!" a voice suddenly shouted. The key bearers stood in their place. The voice was deep and threatening. "I'm talking to you two! Are you the Saiyans?!"

"Saiyans…? What the heck is a Saiyan?"

The key bearers turned to see who was addressing them. When they gazed upon the face of the person who addressed them, they were in utter shock at what they saw. Before them was a large green man. He had a stern and ferocious look upon his un-browed face. His ears were pointed like an elf's yet his teeth bore fangs like a vampire. He was dressed in a purple get up, a top tucking to baggy trousers which tightly caressed his ankles at the end. Sleeveless, his arms showed a strange design of muscle, lined and colored an almost pinkish hue, representing the flexing muscles such as the biceps. His fingernails were sharp and pointed, much like a demon. Upon his feet were two brown shoes with a smooth point at its tip. He was cloaked in a white cape that extended the length of his elbows, giving him a more menacing look. At the collar, the cape was fluffed like a lion's mane. Upon his head he wore a white turban with a purple top.

"Oh my God," Sora cried. But he was quiet all of a sudden after Riku knocked him on top of the head.

"Shut up, Sora." He grumbled.

"Answer my question." The tall green man demanded. "Are you the Saiyans that were prophesized to come here to earth?"

"You still haven't told us what the heck Saiyans are." Riku said. "What the heck is a Saiyan?"

"Now I don't look that ignorant do I? I've already come into contact with that type of battle gear." The key bearers looked down at their wardrobes. "Only Saiyans wear that type of armor!"

"Listen, pal, I still have no idea what you're talking about, but you have the wrong guys. I don't even know what a Saiyan is."-

"I think a Saiyan is like what Goten and Vegeta are." Sora whispered. "Their hair turns to gold when they power up, a Super Saiyan I think Goten called it."

"Well we're not Saiyans then are we? We can't turn our hair into gold."-

"What are you prattling on about?" The green man demanded. "If you're not Saiyans, then what are you?"

"I don't think they are Saiyans, Mr. Piccolo." A voice implied. The key bearers looked to find a small boy peering behind one of the rocks. He was small, no higher than three feet. He wore a similar outfit to the green man, except without the cape and turban. He wore a white band around his head in place of a turban instead. He seemed an innocent young lad. His skin was a beige color and his hair was dark and flowing, reaching slightly down to his neck. He came out from behind the rocks and took his place alongside the green man. He walked up to the two key bearers and looked behind them. "You see, Mr. Piccolo, they don't have tails like the Saiyans do."

"Tails…?" Sora uttered.

"This just keeps getting weirder and weirder." Riku grumbled.

"Alright," Piccolo said, "If you're not Saiyans, then explain those uniforms."

"How can we explain them?"-

"You're wearing them aren't you?"-

"Well, yeah, but we didn't know they meant anything."-

"I see."-

"I think he's telling the truth, Mr. Piccolo." The boy said. He turned to Riku and Sora. "My name is Gohan. That man is my teacher, Mr. Piccolo. What are your names?"

"I'm Sora." Sora said.

"And I'm Riku." Riku added.

"So you honestly didn't know what garments you were wearing, is that what you're trying to tell me more or less?" Piccolo asked.

"For the hundredth time…"-

"I suppose you're right." Piccolo folded his arms in front of him. "Besides, from what I can pick up, you two aren't even worth detecting."

"What do you mean by that?!" Sora grumbled.

"Drop it, Sora." Riku said. "We're getting nowhere with this conversation." He looked at Piccolo. "Piccolo was it? Tell me, why would you mistaken us for Saiyans and why would you be so interested in them?"

"You're not fully aware of this probably, but it was prophesized about a year ago that two Saiyan warriors would come to Earth to challenge us and attempt to take over this world. But perhaps their main goal is to track down the seven dragon balls and have a desired wish granted."-

"And who told you about this?"-

"It was the first Saiyan that tried to do battle with us one year before. His name was Raditz."-

"Raditz, eh?" Sora was curious.

"That's right." Piccolo continued. "That's why I was concerned the moment I laid eyes on you, because Raditz was wearing a similar entourage."

"Well, you have nothing to worry about, Mr. Piccolo. We're not your enemies."-

"What did he want in this world anyway?" Riku asked.

"He was originally hoping to entice his brother, Goku to join him." The name immediately struck a chord in the memories of the key bearers.

"Goku…?" Sora asked. "We know him."

"You know my dad?" Gohan asked.

"How is it that you're acquainted with Goku?" Piccolo asked.

"He had to deliver some senzu beans to us." Riku said. "It was about six years ago."

But before Riku could initiate a conversation, a sudden surge of energy caught all their attentions. And unlike most, the strengths they felt were extraordinarily high.

"That surge of energy." Sora uttered. "What was that?"

"I don't know." Riku added. Sweat drops appeared on his brow. "But whatever it is, it's huge."

"There are two of them."-

"So," Piccolo uttered, "They've finally arrived."

"Who has?"-

"The Saiyans," The key bearers were stunned. The energy they felt was beyond comprehension. "After a full year of waiting, they've finally made their presence known. But their strengths are far greater than what I had imagined."

"You're kidding," Sora wavered as he sensed the energy. "Those are the Saiyans."

"That's them alright."-

"My God," Sora's thoughts returned to days long passed. "I haven't sensed this kind of power since we battled with the Dark Empire. The power levels are nothing compared to what Vegeta unleashed back in Lyzand, but it's still just as formidable, especially for us."

"It feels like they're not moving anywhere." Riku said.

"I hope my dad gets here soon." Gohan said.

Suddenly, there came a bright light that bellowed in the distance. Then came the aftershocks as powerful sound waves, uplifted the soil and caused the winds to blow profusely, nearly sweeping the warriors off their feet. They threw their arms in front of them, blocking the debris that flew into their eyes at the same time protecting their pupils from the blinding light. A low roar was heard, like that of a distance explosion.

After less than a minute of mayhem, the chaos suddenly ceased and things were as they were before, say for the clouds of chaos that bellowed high into the sky. Soon after, there was an uneasy lull, like a great part of the world had suddenly vanished from existence.

"This feeling," Riku said, "What is this feeling? It feels like life was just purged in that area."

"It was." Piccolo explained. "The Saiyans landed in a city not too far from here. They must have obliterated it from existence."

"But why…?" Sora asked.

"Because they're Saiyans, they value no life. I've seen the extension of their cruelty. I wouldn't be surprised if obliterating a city was just their way of showing off, or if that's the Saiyan manner of a formal greeting."-

No sooner had Piccolo finished his statement, the two great powers suddenly started moving fast and towards the very spot they were standing.

"They're coming this way."-

"Get ready." Piccolo turned to the key bearers. "So do you intend to stand by us and battle against these Saiyans?"

"Of course," Riku replied, "We can't just let those two get away with what they've done, destroying a whole city without a second thought." He turned to Sora. "You ready for this, Sora?"

"After battling against the Dark Empire six years ago, we should be accustomed to this kind of feeling." Sora, however, had something on his mind. "But seriously, Riku, despite that, we're still highly outclassed to both power levels. Do you really think we'll be able to hold our own against such a threat?"

"It's the right thing to do."-

"Be on your guard, you two." Piccolo ordered. "They're coming in fast." He looked at Gohan. "Gohan, stay focused."

"Right," Gohan replied.

"We'll be having our hands full with this lot." Piccolo took off his cape and turban, revealing the full size of his biceps. His head was completely bald. And just above his brow, two little antennae stuck out, slightly limping at the ends. The key bearers looked on in awe.

"Look," Sora snickered, "A Martian..." Riku slapped him at the back of the head.

"Shut up, Sora." He grumbled. "Mind your manners."

"Get it together." Piccolo said. "This is gonna be a very difficult fight. I don't think that we'll be able to fend off such powerful foes on our own." It was then at that moment, another twitch of energy was felt. "What was that, another twitch of energy?"

"That's impossible," Gohan said, "I thought there were only two of them."

"There should only be two."-

"I don't think so." Riku said. "This power doesn't seem as threatening"

Suddenly, from out of nowhere a young man appeared. He was a small built man, bald and nose-less. He had upon his head six dots, in two columns, inscribed on his skin. He wore an orange battle outfit, consisting of slightly baggy pants and a sleeveless shirt with the insignia titled 'Turtle.' Both were secured by a blue belt tide firmly around his waist.

"Hey there," the short man said, "What's up? I hope I'm not late."

"It's dad's friend." Gohan implied.

"So Krillin," Piccolo declared, "You decided to join us, eh?"  
"I haven't been training all year for nothing you know." Krillin then happened to look at the key bearers. The striking similarity with Saiyan armor caused him to jolt back. "Are those the Saiyans?! Stand back, I'll take care of those two!"

"Hey, hey, relax Krillin, they aren't the Saiyans."-

"How do you know?"-

"They don't have tails, see?" The key bearers turned around. And there, where a tail was expected, there was no sight of a simian fifth limb.

"Oh, I see." Krillin had a sheepish grin on his face.

"I hope we don't have to show off our butts all the time." Sora grumbled.

"Well, when the real Saiyans come, we won't have to worry about that." Riku replied.

"Sorry about that." Krillin said. "I'm just a little antsy that's all." He approached the key bearers. "My name is Krillin. I'm a member of the Earth Special Forces."

"I'm Riku."-

"And I'm Sora." Sora added.

"You guys certainly fooled me the way you were dressed." Krillin implied. "You almost look like Saiyans in that battle armor."

"It's not the first time."-

"So," Krillin turned to Piccolo, "Goku isn't here yet?"

"So far," Piccolo told him, "I haven't sensed his approach."

"Well, I hope he gets here soon."-

"I hope so too." Gohan added. "You grew up with my dad didn't you, Krillin?"

"That's right? He and I are almost the same age."-

"But how is it that he got taller?" Of course Krillin took immediate offense, but tried to laugh it off.

"Heh, heh, kids say the darnest things." He put his hands upon his waist. "Well, I wish I could have grown taller like your dad, the little…" He grumbled behind his tongue before quickly changing the subject. "So tell me, Gohan. What was it like to train with Piccolo of all people?"

"It wasn't as bad as you think. Piccolo may be a little rough around the edges, but you get used to him."-

"You must be a hard taskmaster, eh Piccolo?" Riku chuckled. But he later noticed that the green man was rather silent. "Are you alright?"

"That's enough of your pointless bickering, you four." Piccolo replied. "We have company."

The four looked up to behold a frightening sight. Above them in the sky, like a terrible omen, the two Saiyan Warriors hovered in the air like vultures. One of the Saiyans was a big, bald behemoth, with a thin moustache just above his lip. His muscles were bulking, at least two to three times the capacity of any of the warriors present. By the look of his size, he must have stretched at least eight to nine feet tall. He wore the full fighting jacket of a Saiyan Warrior. A full body suit of blue and gold with extended shoulder and hip guards. He wore thick metal arm guards extending from middle forearm to palm. His boots were heavy as well, blue body with gold ankle guard and toe tip. Upon his left ear, he wore a purple lens scouter.

His companion was smaller, at least half his size. He wore the same type of armored fighting jacket, except with the absence of blue. He wore a blue jumper, similar to Riku's outfit, along with white gauntlets and boots, except without the gold tips. He wore a red lens scouter, like Thundro wore. Upon his head, he had an impressive plumage of hair that spiked up like the head of asparagus. Down his forehead was a deep and formidable widow's peak.

Around the waists of both warriors was a brown furry band, indicating that they were tails. These were without a doubt the Saiyans so grimly anticipated would arrive.

"What powerful auras." Krillin slightly wavered, sensing the magnitude of the Saiyans' strength. "I can feel it, it's overwhelming. We're supposed to contend with that?"

"Quiet," Piccolo ordered, "They're descending."

"So those are Saiyans, eh?" Riku said.

"I didn't even sense their approach." Sora added.

"We were too occupied in our conversation, that's why."-

They watched as the space invaders descended towards them. A dark shadow loomed like a bringer of doom. This was without a doubt, a judgment day for the entire earth and all its inhabitants. The only thing standing in their way was the Earth Special Forces. Lightly settling upon the soil, they stood as an unstoppable fighting duo. The little Saiyan had his arms folded in front of him, while the larger Saiyan stood tall with one hand upon his waist.

"So, we finally meet at last." The little Saiyan chuckled. "I was wondering what kind of warriors the Earth had to offer. But I realize now that you're not much to look at."

"You're pretty overconfident aren't you?" Piccolo said. "But you'll soon realize the extent of your folly."

"That voice, I see, you're one of the warriors who was responsible for killing Raditz a year ago, aren't you?" Piccolo was baffled.

"How do you know that?"-

"Come now, I'm sure that Raditz didn't leave out that little bit of information. Our scouters also act as universal transmitters. We can hear any message received as clear as crystal from anywhere in this universe."

"Hey, Vegeta," the big Saiyan uttered, "The green ones from Namek isn't he?"

"Vegeta…?" Sora said inwardly. "It can't be."

"Yes, he's a Nameccian." Vegeta said. "I'm not surprised that Raditz would have such a hard time against such warriors."

"I'm an alien?" Piccolo thought. "Could this be true?"

"You were unaware that you are of an extraterrestrial origin weren't you? Perhaps you've be meandering about this miserable little planet for so long that you have forgotten your true ethnicity. But you should have had a clue that you were different from everyone else. The green skin and pointy ears, as well as those little sprouts sticking out of your forehead should have been a dead give-away."-

"So I am not originally of this world. It's surprising, but for some reason, I believe it's true. This sudden nostalgia with where I came from. No wonder such mixed emotions had inhabited me for so long."-

"You were the ones who told Raditz of the dragon balls. So tell us where we can find them."-

"Where can you find them?" Krillin was puzzled. "How should we know?"

"Don't play dumb with us, pal," The big Saiyan shouted, "We know that the dragon balls are here. We came here only for those, aside from obliterating life from this planet. One way or the other, we will get our hands on those balls. So if you know what's good for you, you'll tell us what we need to know."-

"So you wish to find the balls by force, eh?" Piccolo chuckled. "You wanna play hard ball with us. Well, as far as I can see, it's a lose-lose situation for us. You want the dragon balls, but at the same time, you want to purge earth of its life. Well, we can't have that. The only way for you to get what you want is to go through us first!" Piccolo and the others took their battle stances. "So go ahead and threaten us until you're blue in the face. We won't budge from this spot."

"So you prefer death over negotiation, eh?" Vegeta chuckled. "So be it."

"Vegeta," Sora suddenly shouted. The two Saiyans laid eyes upon the key bearers. Beholding their dress conduct, Vegeta and his partner were stunned.

"Nappa," Vegeta said, "Do you see what I'm seeing?"

"Yeah, Vegeta," Nappa replied. "I'm surprised I didn't notice those two warriors before. Why is it that they're wearing the same type of armor we are?"

"I don't now." Vegeta suddenly turned his attentions towards the key bearers. "You there, who are you, what are your names."

"You mean to tell me you can't remember us, Vegeta?" Sora asked, "It's me, Sora. And this is my friend, Riku."

"What do you mean? I've never laid eyes on you before!"-

"So you know those two Saiyans?" Piccolo asked. The Z fighters backed away from the key bearers, once again apprehensive on whether they were really friends, or if they were possible enemies.

"I knew it." Krillin shouted. "You two were on their side all along weren't you?"

"No, no," Sora said. He walked up to Vegeta. "Vegeta, why is it that you're acting this way?"

"I have no idea what you're blathering about!" Vegeta growled. "Are you trying to make me look like some kind of any idiot?!"

"You should know me!"-

"Well, I don't. All I see are a couple of defectors!"

"But…"-

"No use trying to explain to him, Sora." Riku implied. "You forget that we're engaged in battles long past. This was before Vegeta even met us. Like Lu Bu, he has no idea of who we are or what's been going on in our own world." Riku glared at the small Saiyan. "Besides, you can tell from those eyes that he intends to kill anyone and everyone that gets in his way. Vegeta is the antagonist in this world, which might explain his attitude and the declaration he gave back at the Lyzand Valley in our world."

"So you mean…" Sora looked at that familiar face. "He started as a bad guy?"

"There's no doubt about it."-

"No wonder Vegeta has such a big ego."-

"Tell me," Vegeta interrupted suddenly, "where did you acquire those uniforms? Are you a part of our organization and have taken it within your own power to turn against Lord Frieza?!"-

"Frieza," Riku wondered, "Who the heck is Frieza?" The key bearers' explanations began to wear down on the Saiyan.

"Don't patronize me as if I'm some sort of an idiot, you little fool! Nappa and I have been accustomed to those style uniforms for as long as we can remember. Only members of Frieza's empire have that sort of dress, unless the earthlings have somehow developed a similar style, which is highly unlikely. Now tell us, who are you really?!"-

"If you must know," Piccolo declared, "Their names are Riku and Sora." Now of course, Piccolo's reiteration of the key bearers' statement further aggravated Vegeta.

"You need to learn how to listen a little better, you incompetent Namek."-

"What was that?"-

"I'm fully aware of their titles." Vegeta folded his arms in front of him once again. "Riku and Sora was it, so what business do you have here?"

"It's really none of your business now is it, Vegeta." Riku replied.

"Heh, cocky aren't we? Well, you'll regret showing such insolence to me."-

The conversation was broken when from out of the blue, the sound of a dozen rockets were heard. Above the heads of the warriors, cruisers and flying vehicles approached. Each one bore a news crew that had destined themselves to the battlefield to supposedly record events of the upcoming battle with the two Saiyans.

"News crews," Sora gasped, "What the heck are they doing here?"

"Don't they know it's dangerous?" Riku added.

But danger was not a thing to fear to an eager reporter hoping to get the scoop. But they realized their own mortality soon enough. The big Saiyan, Nappa, suddenly turned towards the air space where the camera crews hovered. Using an energy wave, he sent a burst of power flying towards the news hawks. In the attack, two to three of the cruisers were destroyed, obliterated before the eyes of the key bearers and the Z fighters.

"My God," Krillin uttered. He watched as those who were still alive, plummeted to their deaths alongside falling bits and pieces of scrap metal.

"Well, if it's dangerous." Nappa said. "They're a little too late to think it over."

"They blew up some of those cruisers." Riku was shocked, "And with all those people in them."

"The bastard…" Sora growled. He and Riku drew out their keyblades at the same time the Z fighters took their fighting poses. But their sudden aggressiveness did not waver the Saiyans who only looked at their futile intimidation with gusto.

"So you won't cooperate, eh?" Vegeta said. "Are you longing for death that much? You'd rather have more suffering?"

"Well, that's fine by me." Nappa chuckled. "If those idiots want to die so much, then I'll be happy to oblige them." Nappa suddenly raised his hand. "Now, let's se how strong you really are." He clicked the button on is scouter's earpiece. And he examined all five of the warriors present. He first examined the key bearers.

"Heh," Nappa chuckled at the readings, "Nothing to worry about from them. The pip-squeak with the big hair is at level 125. And that silver-haired upstart is at around the same. Not much of a threat there." He then turned towards the three Z fighters, starting with Gohan and going down the line. "Let's see, the brat's at 1000, the Namek is at 1400, and the midget's at 1100."

"Is that so?" Vegeta said.

"The scouter's readings are accurate. We don't have anything to fear from any of them, though I must say that those three, the kid, the Namek, and the small fry, are ten times stronger than those little imps with the funny looking swords." Nappa put his hands upon his. "You little imbeciles, do you really think you can beat us with such puny power levels?"

"I wouldn't underestimate them if I were you, Nappa." Vegeta advised as he discarded his scouter and dropped it on the ground. "Have you forgotten that the fighters on Earth also have the capacity to concentrate their energy and raise their fighting powers? They can suppress their true strength and later reveal the full capacity of their auras when we least expect it. Don't forget that Raditz was enticed to believing his scouter's reading was absolute. The figures are thus unreliable in this case."

"Oh yeah, good call, Vegeta." Nappa took off his scouter too. "Yes, Raditz did allow himself to be persuaded by the scouter's readings, which is why he lost his fight with Kakarrot and the Namek, the weakling." The big Saiyan released his scouter, dropping it to the ground. "But then again weaklings usually do."

"Impossible," Piccolo uttered. "He called Raditz a weakling."

"A guy who could even take out Goku," Krillin said, "And he's the runt of the litter? Great, just when you think things couldn't get any worse. I thought Raditz was a monster. But compared to these two, he looks like a toothpick."

"Perhaps we can open these festivities with a little entertainment, eh Nappa?" Vegeta implied. "Let's start by sending in our front men to test out the full capacity of these earthlings."

"I get ya." Nappa said. "Are you talking about the Saibamen?"

"That's exactly what I mean."-

"Saibamen," Sora asked, "What the heck are Saibamen?"

"I don't see any men." Gohan said.

"Maybe these guys are just pulling our legs." Riku thought to himself. "But then again, I'm known to be wrong at times."

They watched as Nappa pulled out a small transparent capsule from beneath his armor. The capsule contained two sides. One was filled with what looked like little greens peas. The other contained what looked like a purple liquid. Nappa inspected the capsule, counting the pea size spheres in one compartment.

"Well, well," he said, "we're in luck. There are six left."

"Six will be just fine." Vegetal remarked. "Except for the Namek, I'm sure that the others would find the battle more than intensifying enough."

Nappa poked six holes into the fertile ground. Later, he dropped in one pod in each hole then buried them. He then drew out the purple liquid, letting every drop fall upon the soil.

"What the heck are they doing?" Krillin asked.

"I think we're about to find out." Piccolo replied.

"That should do it." Nappa declared, throwing the empty vial away.

Sure enough, there was a slight rumble in the soil where he planted the seeds. From out of the little holes, little green men appeared. They stood no higher than three feet tall. The Saibamen were a hideous bunch. Their eyes illuminated a solid red, say for the little black pupil that looked about. Their heads resembled a brain with its wrinkles and crevices separated in two hemispheres, almost like a head of cauliflower. No brow was born upon their faces. There were two pointy ears at the side. Their main body was a solid green shell, resembling the exoskeleton of a rhinoceros beetle, while its limbs were short and striped looking, bearing a trio of claws on each limb. They snickered and twitched like narcissistic junkies, yet their movements and reflexes were fast like monkey or a lizard.

The key bearers looked at the grotesque little creatures like victims of a plague or pandemic.

"Gross," Sora grumbled, "They just popped out of the ground like moles."

"They're more like giant insects." Riku added.

Gohan in the meantime, started to get a little scared. Being a young boy who had never once fought with anyone, he seemed to waver and back away slightly.

"Gohan," Krillin advised, "stay focused, buddy. We need you."

"R…right…" Gohan tried to summon as much courage as he could.

"You don't have to be scared." Piccolo said. "Remember your training, concentrate!"

"Yeah…!"-

"This should be a pretty good match up." Vegeta remarked. "These Saibamen are thirsting for a little blood and action."

"Alright," Piccolo said. "Let's split these guys up. Riku, Sora, you take those two on the right. I've got those two on the center left."

"I'll take on that one on the very left." Krillin added.

"That leaves you, Gohan. You take on the one on the center right."-

"Okay…"

"You're pretty confident to fight the Saibamen one on one." Nappa chuckled.

"Let them have their fun, Nappa. Have them indulge in their overconfidence before they meet their end."-

"You certainly have a mean streak don't you, Vegeta."-

"I enjoy watching low levels being put in their place."-

"Watch who you're calling low levels, Vegeta." Sora shouted. "We're tougher than we look."

"Then by all means, show us your power."-

"Alright, you six," Nappa shouted, "Teach these arrogant earthlings a thing or two about real fighting!"

Suddenly, the six Saibamen suddenly attacked without warning.

"Here they come!" Piccolo shouted.

"Get ready!" Sora declared. Out of the five warriors present, four rushed into the fray. Gohan, however, being his first engagement in combat, was reluctant to join in the defensive. He could barely see the movements of his friends as they jumped about almost invisibly around him. There were kick-ups of dust and flashes of light, gusts of wind and sudden pangs of striking fists, but he could not see their movement.

They suddenly reappeared, lulling on the ground or in the air. Just as things seemed to have clamed down, the Saibaman Gohan was supposed to battle suddenly appeared behind the boy. Gohan looked to find the creature about to strike.

"Oh no…" he said in his mind as time itself seemed to slow down.

But suddenly, a burst of flame appeared and struck the little alien, deterring it from its attack. It fell to the ground and skidded along the dirt, but it quickly regained its stamina and jumped back on its feet.

"Are you alright, little guy?" Sora asked. Gohan looked to find that it was Sora who had deployed the defensive attack.

"Uh…Yeah…thank you, Mr. Sora."-

"That's good to know." The key bearer lowered his weapon.

"Stay focused, Gohan," Piccolo growled in an almost scolding tone. "Don't rely on others to save you! That's a weakness, you know that!" Gohan lowered his head in shame. "I taught you better than that!"

"Sorry, Mr. Piccolo…"-

"Don't apologize, just do it!"-

"Right…!" Gohan stood up with renewed determination.

"Well, well," Nappa mocked, "Isn't that cute, you got yourself some good bodyguards kid."

"There's no need for losers like you to be here." Vegeta added. "Why don't you go back to your mother?"

"Shut up," Krillin shouted. "Gohan has every right to be here."

"Well, as far as I can see, he's only getting in the way."-

"Bastard…"-

Both sides separated to reform their ranks again. Sora in the meantime, went to check on Gohan. He smiled at the boy.

"That was a close one don't you think?" he asked.

"Yeah…" Gohan replied. But Sora noticed Piccolo's cold stare towards him. The Namek then shook his head. Though words were not spoken, Sora understood Piccolo's jester and he immediately backed off.

"Don't get too dependent on those two to protect you, Gohan." Piccolo implied. "You let Sora and Riku come to your aid in the heat of battle and you'll be expecting it. You'll only burden them. And that may prove to be fatal."

"Sorry…"-

"Not bad for a first skirmish." Vegeta chuckled.

"This is bad." Krillin thought to himself. "No casualties so far and those sprouts don't look fatigued at all."

Just then, a voice much like that of a small child was heard from above.

"Krillin," it cried. Krillin looked up to find two young warriors descending.

One was a large, bald individual. Named Tenshinhan, or Tien for short, wore green pants supported with a red sash and locked at the shins with yellow shin warmers and black footwear. He wore no shirt, thus revealing muscular torso and abdomen. There was deep scar across his chest, possibly inflicted by some sharp weapon. Strangely enough, he had three eyes, the third just above the bridge of his nose.

"Are you seeing this?" Sora uttered.

"That guy has three eyes." Riku added.

The second young man, Chaozu, was smaller, no larger than two feet high. He wore black trousers with red sash, yellow shin warmers, and black shoes. He wore a sleeveless shirt to cover his pale white body. His face looked like that of a doll with eyes that never seemed to blink and red dots on his cheeks. On his head, he wore a Chinese cap with a balled, red tassel at the top.

"Hey, Tien, Chaozu," Krillin cried, jubilantly waving. "I'm glad to see that you two made it in time!" "More insects," Nappa grumbled. The two stood before the group.

"So I see that the Saiyans didn't come alone either." Tien said. "They even brought their cronies with them as well."

"Actually, they grew them here."-

"What…?" Chaozu asked.

"Don't ask."-

"Well, it really doesn't matter." Tien gave that unbroken glare at each of the enemy before him. He then happened to look to his right to find a young boy standing next to Piccolo. "Who's the kid, is that Goku's little boy?"

"That's right. His name is Gohan. He's been training with Piccolo for the past year."-

"He's strong like his father." Tien then gazed at the key bearers. "And those two, who are they?"

"That's Riku and Sora. They came to help us fight too."-

"Who is that?" Sora asked.

"That's Tien and Chaozu." Krillin explained. "They're old friends of ours."

"So why is it that they're dressed in the same battle armor as the Saiyans are?" Tien asked.

"Don't ask," Riku grumbled, "It'll only make things more complicated."

"Just know that we're your friends and not your enemies." Sora added.

"Well, as long as you stand with us, that's all that matters to me." Tien said.

"Enough of this chatter," Nappa shouted. "You know there's no point in continuing. These Saibamen are worth every one of you. They can take you down all on their own."

The Saibamen advanced ever so slowly, biding their time, feeling the urge before striking. But their advance was once again halted by another voice and the appearance of another Z fighter.

"Wait up, you guys!" the voice cried. Everyone, including the Saiyans, glanced to the direction the voice originated. Suddenly, another young warrior appeared. He wore the same outfit as Krillin did with the same insignia on the back. He was a tall and brash youth with long black hair. Upon his left cheek was a cross shaped scar and above streaking over his right eye was another scar, most likely caused by a sharp weapon.

"Hey, Yamcha," Krillin gave an excited greeting.

"Glad you could make it, Yamcha." Tien said.

"Sorry, I'm late though."-

"Nope," Krillin chuckled, "You got here just in time."

"Cool," Yamcha turned to see the serious faces upon some of his comrades. He then happened to glance at the Saiyans. "So I take it that those are the ones, the Saiyans."

"That's them alright." Piccolo implied.

"Well, they don't look so tough." Yamcha then happened to glance at Riku and Sora. "And who are you guys? I've never seen you around before."

"I doubt anyone has." Riku grumbled.

"Don't mind my friend." Sora said. "It signifies nothing!"

"That's Riku and Sora, Yamcha." Krillin explained. "They're gonna help us fight."

"Is that so?" Yamcha said. "Then why is it that they're dressed in those Saiyan uniforms."

"It was merely a bad suggestion of wardrobe." Riku explained.

"Like we really had a choice though," Sora whispered in his friend's ear.

"Look Nappa," Vegeta chuckled, "Another cockroach to squash."

"Will we be expecting more of your friends?" Nappa said.

"Now, now Nappa, this could work out better than expected."-

"How's that, Vegeta?"-

"Let our Saibamen soften them up a bit. If they are indeed compressing their power levels, at least the Saibamen will be able to deprive them of their stamina."-

"I see…"-

"Gentlemen," Vegeta declared to the key bearers and the Z fighters, "What do you say we make this confrontation one to remember. You get to battle us once you finish off our pod soldiers. What do you say?"

"You think this amusing don't you?!" Piccolo growled. "This is all just a big game to you isn't it! You think we're here to frolic about and waste our time! No, we've come to battle!"

"Now, now," Krillin advised, "Take it easy there, Piccolo. You forget that Goku hasn't arrived yet. Perhaps if we abide by their request for a while, we can buy more time for Goku to get here."

"No Krillin, that's exactly what they want. This is all just an attempt to soften us up. That way they can finish us off faster."-

"Well," Krillin pondered on what Piccolo had said and realized that that may have been what Nappa and Vegeta were hoping for. "I never really thought about it that way."

"If that's the case," Riku said, stepping forth before the Z fighters, "Then I'll go first."

"We'll go first." Sora remarked, stepping aside his comrade.

"Look at that, Vegeta." Nappa chuckled. "The little weaklings are gonna fight first."

"I'll give them credit though." Vegeta said, "Volunteering to start off the battle."

"Alright," Sora declared, "Which one of you little green freaks wants to start off first?"

"Very well," Vegeta looked to one of the Saibamen, "you go battle him. Finish him off and be quick about it."

"No," Riku suddenly shouted. The Saiyans and the Z fighters were bewildered, "We're fighting them all at once."

"What was that?" Yamcha uttered.

"They want to fight all six of those things by themselves?" Krillin added. "But that's crazy!"

"Pretty brash for a guy with only a power level of 125," Nappa scoffed.

"Riku," Sora whispered, "Don't you think that's going a little overboard?"

"I'm not about to back down to weeds!" Riku replied. "Are you just gonna stand there and let a bunch of cabbage heads push you around, Sora?"

"Of course not!"-

"Then let's take 'em all on at once. If we can battle head to head with Imperial troops, then these guys should be no more of a challenge."-

"Yeah, You're right, Riku!" The key bearers drew up their keyblades. "Let's do this!"

"C'mon,"-

"So be it." Vegeta said.

"Alright," Nappa bellowed, "You want it that way, then you got it! Saibamen, hold nothing back! Kill those two upstarts! I want their hearts on a plate!"

The Saibamen acknowledged and suddenly sprang forward at incredible speed. The key bearers, however, did not hold back. They unleashed their full potential as well.

"Sora," Riku cried, "Evasion technique!"

"Gotcha," Sora replied. Thus, then unleashed their double attack of light and darkness. The flashes of light and lingering of shadows bewildered and awed the Z fighters. The Saiyans too were impressed. Within seconds, all six of the Saibamen were found prostrated on the ground. The key bearers on the other hand still remained fresh.

"Impossible," Nappa said.

"Those two took down all six like they were nothing." Krillin uttered.

"Where the heck did these two guys come from?" Tien wondered.

"Riku and Sora," Piccolo thought, "How in the world could they have accumulated that kind of strength? I could barely even sense them before. Now all of a sudden their energy has boosted itself beyond what I could even comprehend."

"It looks like you have a hold of a weak batch there, Nappa." Vegeta scoffed.

"No, it's impossible," Nappa growled, "These Saibamen are the crème of the crop amongst their peers. They should have won without any trouble. Their power levels are at least 1200. That means that each and every one of them has a fighting strength equal to…equal to Raditz."

"Then it is as I had predicted. The earthlings are compressing their power levels to deceive us in the long run." Vegeta slightly snickered. "But still this is a situation that we can handle on our own."

"What shall we do then?"-

"Let the Saibamen continue with their little onslaught, let's see how far they're pushed."-

One by one, the Saibamen staggered and once again surrounded the key bearers.

"Those little buggers just won't give up." Sora said.

"That's fine." Riku replied. "They want to keep going, let them."

Again, the Saibamen attacked. But again, the key bearer managed to hold their own.

"Man," Krillin said, "Riku and Sora are awesome."

"They're actually holding their own against all six of those little freaks." Yamcha added.

The Saibamen simultaneously attacked, but their efforts proved ineffective against the key bearers. Two of the Saibamen unleashed a strange attack. Their heads suddenly split wide open, much like the mouth of a Venus fly trap. From out of their hollow skulls, white ooze spurted out.

"What the heck is that stuff?" Sora said, cringing at the sight of the milky liquid. The key bearers evaded the wet substance. And it was a good thing they did. The moment the liquid splattered onto the ground, it dissolved through the soil, creating rather deep holes.

"That's acid," Riku said, "watch out and make sure it doesn't hit you!"

"Man," Krillin grumbled, "what else can those things do?"

"Look what they did to the ground." Tien implied.

"You'll have to do better than that, you little maggots!" Sora shouted. Using their keyblades, both youths pummeled the Saibamen once more. "Let's see you try this on!" He looked to his friend, "Riku, combination wind technique, flaming funnel!"

"I gotcha," At once, the key bearers unleashed one of their combo attacks. A mighty twister emerged. And combined with Riku's Cinder Canister, the flames engulfed the column of wind, turning it into a flaming inferno. The Z fighters were astounded, the Saiyans concerned.

"Look at that." Vegeta uttered.

"How powerful are these guys?!" Nappa wondered. "Not only are they taking on the Saibamen by themselves, but they can also do something like that!"

"That's exactly what their weakness is." Vegeta smirked a little.

The flaming funnel surged upon the battlefield, sweeping up each of the Saibamen, singing and burning them, at the same time slicing away at their bodies with strong air currents. In the end, as the fiery column diminished, all six plummeted to the ground. Their impact with the soil caused shallow craters to form and clouds of dust to billow. Motionless they lay. No doubt that the attack finished what was left of them.

"Impossible…" Nappa uttered. "All six have been defeated?"

"Inconceivable…" Vegeta added.

"Well," Riku said, "It looks like you little makeshift army failed to defeat us, Vegeta."

"They were nothing compared to us." Sora added with a smile.

"Why you little…" Nappa growled.

"Nappa, easy," Vegeta advised.

"Now with all six of those squealing sideshow freaks down for good, that leaves you." Riku chuckled.

"Alright, Riku and Sora," Krillin cheered.

"They did it!" Chaozu added.

"It's a good thing that they're on our side." Yamcha said.

But their jubilation was short lived as Vegeta suddenly began to chuckle uncontrollably.

"What's so funny?" Riku said. "I must have missed something."

"You honestly think that you've won?" he asked.

"Of course we won." Sora replied. "Why would you think otherwise?"

But no sooner had Sora blurted out those words; one of the Saibamen suddenly sprang back to life. The key bearers tuned to see the thing rushing at them. It was Sora the creature was going after. Sora had no time to react. But Riku at the last minute pushed him out of the way. Sora tumbled to the ground. The creature latched on to Riku, locking its hands and feet together, putting Riku in a submission hold. The Z fighters were shocked at this sudden twist. Sora quickly looked to his friend seeing him grapple with the green enigma.

"Riku," he cried.

"Let go of me, you little bastard!" Riku strained to get out of the submission hold, but it seemed that the harder he struggled, the tighter the Saibaman's grip became.

"He's got him!" Tien uttered.

"Fight it, Riku!" Yamcha cried. "Fight it!"

"I told you to let go of me!" Riku again tried to break free, but the Saibaman would not let go.

Vegeta suddenly cracked a smile, watching the events unfold before his eyes.

"As I said before." He said. "Did you honestly think you have won? There's one thing that the Saibamen are most feared for. If they cannot win a battle, then they will unleash the one attack only used as a last resort…self-detonation."

"What…?" Sora asked. His eyes wide with fear.

"That's right, they'll latch themselves onto their enemy and never let go. At the same time, they accumulate their energy from within, set to explode. Thus, they blow themselves up and take their foe with them."-

"No," Sora turned to Riku and rushed to his aid. "Riku," But the other Saibamen, much like the one, suddenly sprang back to life as well and attacked Sora. Sora saw the other five coming and quickly evaded and fended them off. In the meantime, Riku could was still struggling.

With a sinister grin upon its face, The Saibaman suddenly started to glow. Within seconds, its body detonated still clinging onto Riku. Sora could only watch on helplessly as the little green sprout erupted with a terrible explosion. There was a bright flash of light, a sonic boom, which nearly knocked the Z fighters off their feet, and a billow of dust and debris into the clear sky. Behind the chaos, the sound of Riku's bloodcurdling scream as death fell upon him. Sora covered his eyes, at the same time the other Saibamen withdrew to a safer distance.

Eventually, the smoke cleared and those present now beheld the carnage of the aftermath. There, lying upon the ground was Riku. His body smoldered, his once unsigned uniform had been torn about and charred with heat. Sora could only look on at the horror.

"Riku," he uttered. He quickly ran to his friend's side. What he found caused him to shriek out in bitter terror and sorrow. Riku's entire front had been blown off. The armor had shattered at the front and the jumper was torn to shreds. This bare abdomen and chest, once delicate and beautiful skin, was not burned in some places, and rattled with pieces of shrapnel sticking out, some of the shards from the armor, others from the detonating Saibaman. His eyes had lost all signs of life. There was no breath, no stir. Riku was dead. Sora roared out as he picked his friend up in his arms.

"A kamikaze," Piccolo said, "There's no way to defend against that kind of tactic."

"Oh well," Vegeta sighed, "It looks like a draw. Your little team has been broken up. And with it, your so called invincibility. Let's see how strong you are now fighting alone."

"That little bastard," Sora growled. "Riku…I'm sorry…"

"What a waste of a life." Nappa chuckled. "Well, at least that's one less insect to worry about."

"Pick up that worthless trash of yours, boy." Vegeta mocked.

Sora could only grip onto Riku's lifeless body and hold it tightly against him. The tears of sorrow quickly turned cold and transformed into tears of hate and anger. He glared at the two Saiyans.

"Vegeta," he sneered, "You'll pay for this!" There was a sudden change in his eye, a look of loathing. "You'll all pay for this!" Sora lay Riku down and glared at the Saiyans. His body started to glow that bright gold.

The Saiyans were astounded by what they saw. The Z fighters trembled at what they sensed. Sora had unleashed Lu Bu's infamous Musou Rage.

"What is this power?" Piccolo thought. "Where did it come from?"

"That kid is something else." Tien said.

Sora stood before the Saiyans, sternly and unwavering.

"I'll kill you." He declared.

"Is that so?" Vegeta said. "Then let's see you try."

Sora suddenly attacked, swiftly and without mercy. But the Saibamen quickly entered the fray too and all of them attacked Sora at once. But the key bearer's strength had increased dramatically and moved about the Saibamen without trouble. Using his keyblade, he struck and slew two with one his. He then pushed the remaining three away from him and struck two more dead. He then turned towards the last of the Saibamen and slashed his keyblade upward, slicing the thing in half.

"Man," Krillin was frightened, "He cut those things up so fast."

"Look at that heat in his eyes." Piccolo added. "That's pure rage!"

Sora then drew up his keyblade. A sudden ball of energy appeared before its tip and without hesitation or second thought; he practically fired the beam point blank at the Saiyans. The Saiyans, however, seemed not concerned and allowed the blast to hit them. There was an earth shattering rumble and an ear-piercing explosion. Light, dust, wind, and debris were heightened.

In the aftermath, the Musou Rage diminished and Sora fell to his knees. He gasped and labored in his breath, realizing that he had wasted over half of his fighting strength to unleash that one powerful blast.

"Man, he pounded 'em!" Yamcha stated, "Both those little green men and the Saiyans."

"At a boy, Sora," Krillin cheered.

"That's showing 'em, kid!" Tien added. Sora looked on with a smile on his face, sweat drops falling from his brow. He looked to carnage he caused with energy wave.

"I did, Riku," he uttered, "I did it."

"Oh, yeah," a voice suddenly thundered, "You did it alright!"

Immediately, Sora's smile turned to a fearful stare. The Z fighters' joy turned to terror. The impossible could not be happening. Sora hoped that it was all an illusion. But such a dream proved a reality as the forms of Nappa and Vegeta emerged from the screen of dust like phantoms in the shadows.


	97. Cause and Effect

Cause and Effect

Sora's eyes grew wide with fear and apprehension as he saw the two Saiyan Warriors appear from the debris clouds. Smirks on their faces, the two Saiyans, Nappa and Vegeta were not thirsting for a comeback.

"Not bad, boy," Vegeta chuckled. "Not bad at all. You certainly had us running for our money back there."

"It can't be." Sora thought to himself, "I put everything I had into that shot." Sora cringed as he gazed down at the ground. "Damn, if only I had brought the rage collar with me before this simulation session started, I would have been able to unleash the rage and Saiyan devotion and inflict at least a significant amount of damage on them. But I only have the Musou Rage as my trump card this time."

"I don't believe it." Krillin was terrified. "There's not a scratch on 'em."

"If Sora couldn't even hurt them, even after going all out," Yamcha added, "I wonder how the rest of us will favor against them?"

"There strength is insane." Piccolo implied in his mind. "How could they withstand an attack that massive?"

The Saiyans slowly approached.

"I have to admit, Sora." Vegeta said as he and Nappa stopped in their tracks only twenty feet away from the key bearer, "You're strong, stronger than I originally thought. Quite a surprise really, but even so, your level of skill still pales in comparison to us. The only thing that you have managed to do is send you and your comrades out of the frying pan and into the fire."

"You got that right." Nappa chuckled. "Because you took out our Saibamen so quickly, you've sealed your fate faster than usual. Now, it's our turn to battle." The large bald Saiyan turned to his partner. "Hey, Vegeta, how about I take on these guys by myself for a while. There's no sense in both of us having to stress ourselves out over this rabble. Besides, I've been meaning to get some payback for that last little act of insolence"

"I suppose you're right." Vegeta folded his arms in front of him again.

"So I have your permission to kill them then?"-

"Kill as many as you want, Nappa. Kill them all for all I care. But I caution you on one detail."-

"What's that?"-

"The Namek, Piccolo, make sure to keep him alive. He's the only one who can tell us the whereabouts of the dragon balls."-

"No sweat, I'll beat that walking mollusk into submission so he can't fight back. As for everyone else…" Nappa advanced, leaving Vegeta to stand about, acting as a bystander. "Now, I'm not gonna waste any time to choose which one of you dies first," The large Saiyan glared at Sora instantly, "Because I already know who it will be!"

Without hesitation and without warning, Nappa charged the young key bearer. Sora immediately reacted. He unleashed his combination attack, Tundra Canister and Twister Strike. A swirling column of ice engulfed the Saiyan, but to no avail. Nappa charged through. Ice particles were attaching all over him, but did not decrease the intensity of his charge.

"It can't be." Sora uttered. His attack, though devastating to any soldiers of the Imperial Axis, Heartless, or Nobody, proved ineffective against the enraged Saiyan. Nappa threw out his leg and kicked Sora straight in the gut. The key bearer flew through the air and tumbled across the ground.

"No, Sora," Krillin cried.

"Sora," Gohan added.

The youth skidded and halted upon the soil. There he lay, motionless. The Z fighters feared the worst for him, believing that he might have died.

"Sora," Tien uttered.

"That guy took Sora down with one kick." Yamcha thought to himself. He looked at Nappa who grinned like a jack-o-lantern. "He's something else. He's a monster. If Sora could go down so easily with one hit, what chance do we have?" Nappa suddenly glared at him. Yamcha backed off, his eyes wide with indescribable fear and terror.

"Don't worry, friend," Nappa chuckled, "You'll get your chance soon enough." He then looked at Sora who was slowly staggering to his feet. The result of the kick had hideous results. The armor had broken all the way through, shattering like glass, and pieces of metal were now lodged in the young man's flesh. Where the kick had made impact the jumper had been torn and Sora's skin had turned an unworldly black and blue. Blood flowed from his mouth as he gasped and coughed, indicating that his body had suffered severe internal injuries and perhaps his organs had ruptured. But still, he stood up. Weary eyed and dying, he could only make a futile gesture, lifting up his keyblade for a defensive stance.

"One kick," he uttered, "How can I possibly deal with a guy that powerful all on my own. I've never felt this type of pain since I battled Lord Cavendish himself."

"I wonder about that boy." Vegeta thought inwardly.

"Now you die!" Nappa roared. The Saiyan suddenly unleashed a powerful energy beam from his mouth. Sora, unable to move, his body heavy, and his eyes not fully focused, could only watch helplessly as the beam came towards him. Almost as if time had slowed down to make a more epic demise, Sora could only smile.

"Riku," he whispered. He looked at the lifeless body of his friend on the ground. "I have failed you."

Within seconds, there was a blood curdling scream overwhelmed by the energy and the explosion that followed soon after. Only light was seen, followed sudden darkness.

The sound of the battlefield suddenly blurred, mellowing with every second passing. There was the maniacal laughter of Nappa in the distance, as if a dream or some nostalgic thought. Then there came the familiar sound of a large object. Like an annoying cuckoo, it clanged tic-toc-tic-toc. Sora opened his eyes. The chamber was illuminated by the transmutation circle designs about the chamber. There, above his head, the great pendulum swung back and forth. He had returned.

"I'm alive," he uttered, "I'm back."

"We're back." A voice said. Sora turned to find Riku standing next to him. Sora, overcome with joy, leaped onto Riku and hugged him.

"Riku, Riku, you're alive!"-

"Of course I'm alive."-

"I thought you were dead! I saw you die when that thing latched onto you and…"-

"I know, I know, it was frightening, Sora, but it's alright. It was just a simulation." Sora looked to find that he and Riku were still in the Imperial battle uniforms they had put on in the morning when they started.

"I'm glad to see that you two managed to survive the simulation." Riku and Sora turned to see Thundro standing not too far away.

"Thundro," Sora uttered.

"How long have we been in the simulation?" Riku asked.

"You've been in your trans for about twelve hours now." Thundro replied. "It's evening at the moment, about six or seven I believe, somewhere around there."

"That simulation," Sora said. "It seemed so real."

"That's what the result was supposed to be. The simulation mimics what you would feel during a real battle, both physically and mentally. Did you feel pain?"-

"Yes,"-

"Did you feel emotion?"-

"Yes."

"Could you distinguish that it was a mere simulation?"-

"Not really,"-

"We tried to persuade ourselves believing that it was just a simulation." Riku explained. "But even so, everything we felt was so real. I didn't even think that we were in simulation, but a real live battle."

"As expected," Thundro said. He walked up to the key bearers, placing his hands behind him. "So tell me, how did it go? How did your battles go?"

"Well," The youths were silent, unable to bring themselves to speak. They couldn't really determine on whether their achievements were really victories or defeats.

"I'm sure that you did well, battling against very powerful enemies." Thundro turned away. "Come with me. Rest for a while."

"Yes,"-

The key bearers followed Thundro out of the room and returned to the main hall. Sora and Riku sat down on a cushioned centerpiece. The Death Lord stood before them with arms locking each other behind him.

"Now, let's analyze the battles one at a time." Thundro said. "Since I had programmed the simulation, I will have a good idea of what had occurred. Tell me how the battle in the forbidden lands went?"

"Well," Riku started, though hesitant at first, "we helped this guy, Wander, defeat these monsters called colossi."

"I see."-

"That fight was more difficult than we expected." Sora remarked. "Those things nearly killed us."

"Wander was hoping to revive his love, Mono, who was sacrificed for a cursed fate." Riku continued.

"And what was the nature of the outcome?" Thundro asked. "Was it as you expected?"

"We thought that we were helping Wander fulfill his desire and help revive a life he held dearly. But instead, the opposite occurred. We later found out from this shaman, who appeared out of nowhere, that what we were doing was actually something bad, helping unleash this entity called Dormin. Dormin was actually a dark being who was sealed away centuries before. He tricked Wander into thinking that he could grant any wish he desired. As a result, because Wander defeated the sixteen colossi, Dormin's power was resurrected."-

"Those colossi were actually guardians," Sora added, "acting as keepers for each segment of dark power that was once part of Dormin."

"We helped unleash an evil in that world."-

"We had to fight Dormin, even though Wander's body was acting as a host."-

"And what was the fate of this youth?" Thundro asked.

"For some reason, he was sucked into this vortex and consumed by this bright light." Riku continued. "When we later found him, he had been regressed into the body of an infant, an infant with horns."

"I see."-

"So all of his efforts were in vain," Sora lowered his head.

"How so?"-

"Well, even after accomplishing his task and defeating all sixteen colossi, his wish was never granted. The life of Mono was not restored. We saw it, her lifeless body still lying on the alter where Wander put her in the beginning."-

"So as far as we know," Riku implied, "Wander is there all alone and helpless in the form of a baby."

"So you say," Thundro suddenly smiled, "but the reality is that his wish did come true." The key bearers were puzzled.

"His wish came true?" Sora asked.

"How do you know?" Riku added.

"It is because the story of Dormin and Wander actually happened." Thundro continued. "It was an actual event in that world."

"But how?"-

"First thing's first," The Death Lord stared into the eyes of the key bearers, "How do you feel about the outcome? Do you feel as if you've accomplished something or vice versa?"

"It was all just a waste." Sora replied. "We helped defeat creatures that looked evil, but were actually good. We released a monster that was more insane than wise. A young warrior lost his body, mind, and soul to the darkness. We had to fight and defeat the monster, at the same time harming our friend. His wish was never granted and we had to leave him as a horned infant all alone and helpless with no care. As far as I know, he'll be dead within a few days. I would hardly call that an accomplishment."

"On the contrary, you spurred a chain of events that would have a significant impact in that world's history."-

"How so?" Riku asked.

"For one thing, Wander's love, Mono, was resurrected from the dead, perhaps a few minutes after you were sent to the next simulation. Mono found the baby Wander and took care of him, watching him grow strong. Thus, Wander matured again, but this time as a young man with horns. Thus, he gave rise to the bloodline of the famous and supposedly cursed horned boys."-

"What does that have to do with anything?" Sora wondered.

"The shaman you met, Lord Emon as I recall, ended up spreading the word about the horned infant, calling him the offspring of Dormin. Thus, rose the belief that any boy who was born with horns was of Wander's bloodline and wielded the cursed essence of Dormin. Because of this cursed essence flowing in their veins, the people believed that the horned boys would bring famine and failure of crop and community. Thus, when a young horned boy reached his tenth birthday, he was bound and sacrificed, being left to die in an ancient ruin." Thundro turned about, so his back was towards the key bearers. "It is believed that the one destined to break the curse would be denied his fate."

"And what's the significance of this story?"-

"The boy who broke the curse of Wander and Dormin was named Ico." Immediately, the name stuck a chord in the memories of the key bearers. "From what I understand, you were acquainted with Ico when you were battling against the Cavendish Shinobis six years before."

"Are you trying to tell me that Ico is…?" Riku uttered.

"That's correct, Ico was the one destined to break the line's dark fate. He is the ancestral descendent of Wander."-

"I never would have guessed." Sora said. "Ico was Wander's descendent?"

"So though you helped to resurrect a demon from his prison, you allowed a life of the future to be ordained. However, had you somehow prevented the events in that world from occurring, Ico would have been denied his right to exist centuries later. You might say that the outcome you believed as bad had some positive results in the long run."

"So our deeds weren't entirely in vain." Riku quoted from within.

"Now," Thundro continued, "let us assess the second battle you encountered with the same question. Did you find the nature of the outcome to your liking?"

"You mean the battle at Hu Lao Gate?" Sora asked. He looked away before making eye contact again to speak. "Well, it was a bit of half and half."

"And why do you say that?"-

"Well, we did manage to win the fight for the coalition somewhat. We went head to head with this guy named Zhang Liao and managed to hold our own."-

"That's good then."-

"But we blew it when fighting against Lu Bu."-

"Even though this Lu Bu was weaker than the Lu Bu we fought, he still had that stamina." Riku said. "It's hard to believe that he was so strong even back then."

"But then those three brothers Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Liu Bei managed to fight Lu Bu off and force him to retreat."-

"So do you consider it a victory?" Thundro asked.

"For that moment yes, the battle was won." Riku's fist tightened slightly. "However, the long run effect was anything, but a victory."

"Why…?"-

"The guy in charge of Lu Bu and Zhang Liao, I think his name was Dong Zhou, managed to reach the Imperial capital and had it burned to the ground."-

"Correct." Thundro put one fisted hand to his hip, while the other hung loosely at his side, giving him that upstart general look. "In the end, the Han capital city of Luoyang fell to the torch. Dong Zhou then withdrew from Luoyang, taking the young emperor with him, and established the new capital at Chang An."

"Well, what happened after that?" Sora was curious to know. "What happened in the end?"

"The coalition then divided and returned to their respected lands once again." Of course this conclusion shocked the key bearers.

"You mean Dong Zhou actually wins?"-

"No, Dong Zhou is eventually defeated, but at the hands of the one person he never suspected."-

"Who…?"

"Lu Bu of course."-

"What," Riku uttered, "Dong Zhou would fall at the hands of Lu Bu?"

"But I thought that Lu Bu was his adopted son." Sora said. "I remember that being mentioned somewhere, I think by Sun Jian or Cao Cao."

"But why would Lu Bu do that?"-

"It was for the sake of young woman named Diao Chan." Thundro explained. "She enticed Lu Bu to turn against and oust Dong Zhou."

"So everything turned out alright in the end then." Sora sighed relief, but Thundro's stern look told otherwise.

"No, Dong Zhou's reign was only the tip of the iceberg. In later years, those men who had formed the coalition to fight against Dong Zhou would in proceeding years turn against one another." The key bearers were stunned again. Thundro continued his lecture. "Cao Cao would soon turn against his close friend Yuan Shao and eventually oversee his defeat at the Battle of Guan Du. He would later found the Kingdom of Wei. He would then end up turning against Liu Bei and forcing him to flee into the southwestern regions of the country. Liu Bei would later establish the Kingdom of Shu. In the meantime, Sun Jian would establish his kingdom, the kingdom of Wu, in the lands along the Jiang Dong River, but would eventually be killed in one of his later military campaigns. His son, Sun Ce would rise to power and further increase the territory of Wu. But he too would succumb. Finally, Sun Ce's younger brother, Sun Quan, took the role as the leader of Wu. Thus, the three kingdoms of Wu, Shu, and Wei were formed giving way to the famous Three Kingdoms Period. And in the years to come, all three kingdoms would do all in their power to assure the demise of the others. Though there were temporary alliances between them, the reality was that none of them fully accepted the others' existence."

"So what Lu Bu said was true then." Riku said. Thundro's curiosity was perked.

"What do you mean?"-

"He said to Liu Bei that it was not him or Dong Zhou they had to fear, but rather the allies who fought along side them."-

"Excellent insight, Riku, such is the fate of ambitious men hoping to unify the land."-

"But what ever did happen to Lu Bu?" Sora asked. "I mean, what would his fate have been like had he not been integrated as an assassin of the former Dark Empire?"

"From what the history books have said," the Imperial gave the insight of his knowledge, "Lu Bu would gain a notorious reputation as a betrayer. The reason for this was because he always wanted to be on the side of strength, that way he'd be able to guarantee his rise in power. As you know, Lu Bu in those days had a fear of death, which is the reason for his ruthlessness at times. In the end, however, he started to get out of control, both to his enemies and his allies. Thus, he was betrayed and captured by his own men, brought before Cao Cao and later executed."

"Man, that's harsh."-

"So I guess Lu Bu's employment by the Dark Empire was really more of a godsend." Riku added.

"More or less," Thundro remarked. Thundro placed his hands behind him again. "Now, enough of that second assessment. Let us proceed to the final assessment, the battle against Nappa and Vegeta."

"Great…" Sora suddenly grumbled. His sulking quote made Thundro curious.

"Is there something wrong?"-

"Well, that fight we never even got to finish."-

"Is that so?"-

"Well yeah," Riku said. "Those two Saiyans managed to kill us in the simulation."

"Could you explain the nature of the fight?"-

"Well, we were met by all these guys. I guess they were Goku's friends. Then we confronted Vegeta, which I had a feeling started as a bad guy. He and his bald headed friend, Nappa suddenly unleashed these little green men that we had to fight."-

"Saibamen I think they called them." Sora added.

"Well, anyway, we managed to battle all of them at once. Until one of those little green bastards took me by surprise and blew up in my face. I think I died after that because I saw only darkness."-

"You did die, Riku. Then I tried to avenge you and defeated the remaining five. I even tried to shoot down the Saiyans. But I only managed to anger them even more. Then that Nappa guy suddenly attacked and kicked me in the gut. That kick actually broke through the armor I was wearing. After that he killed me with a beam from his mouth. Before I knew it, I was back in the pendulum room."-

"I see," Thundro pondered, trying to visualize the battle.

"But how in the world were we supposed to fight against those guys. Nappa just took me down with one kick to the gut and that was pretty much it."-

"Then it's a good thing that you were wearing that battle armor."-

"But that battle armor made Piccolo and those other guys suspect that we were Saiyans." Riku said. "Why couldn't we have been given some other types of uniforms like what the rest of the Z fighters were wearing?"

"The reason for that was because I knew you wouldn't have been able to withstand the impact of a punch or a kick from those Saiyans without them. Had you not been wearing that armor, Nappa's foot might have gone all the way through, Sora."

"I never thought of it that way." Sora said, His face turned a pale blue. "If I hadn't been wearing that armor, things might have been a little messier than what happened back there."

"Exactly,"-

"But what was the significance of that battle?" Riku asked.

"I wanted to show you that sometimes battles don't always turn out the way you expect them to. Despite your determination, you knew from the start that your chances of actually winning were slim."-

"That's right,"-

"So let me ask you this, if you knew from the start that the chances of you surviving, let alone winning were non-existent, why is it that you continued to fight?"-

"Well, because it was the right thing to do."-

"We couldn't just let Piccolo and the others fight the battle on their own." Sora said. "That's why we stayed to help. Besides, we thought that if we put our mind to it, we might have a chance to actually win."

"So would you say that it was a matter of pride as well as duty?" Thundro pondered.

"Yeah…"-

"That's very good. And in the end, you died with honor."-

"So what's the story behind that fight?" Riku asked.

"The Z fighters did manage to fend off the Saiyans, but at a heavy price." Thundro pondered again. "How many men were present when the battle began?" The key bearers pondered, recalling the number of warriors who were on the field.

"I'd say about six of those Z fighters were present."-

"That meant that by the time Goku had returned to join the fray, two thirds of the men who engaged in that fight with Nappa and Vegeta would lose their lives." Riku and Sora couldn't believe what they heard. Out of the six that Z fighters that were there, only two would survive. Then, counting their own deaths, it was a total of six losses. "At times, boys, battles cannot be won without a great deal of sacrifice."

"I never would have thought of that." Sora said.

"Well, that's enough for today." Thundro implied. He turned away from the key bearers once again. "There is supper waiting in your quarters, gentlemen. I placed them on your bedside tables. You will eat and retire for the night."

"You mean it's over for today?"-

"Don't expect the same treatment tomorrow, Sora. Tomorrow is a new trial you have to face."-

"Oh…"-

"Then we take our leave, Thundro." Riku replied.

"Don't address me with such informality from now on, boys." The youths were curious. "Since I have taken you under my tutelage, then I expect you to show a great deal of respect in return. From this point on 'til the day you depart, you will address me as Master Thundro." Thundro then glared at them. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," Sora uttered.

"Yes what?!"-

"Yes, Master Thundro…" Sora felt a little uncomfortable addressing a Death Lord as Master, but then again, he really had no other choice."

"Then be on your way."-

"Thank you, Master Thundro." Riku and Sora made a respectful bowing gesture before retiring to their quarters. Thundro watched as they entered their room and closed the door. He then withdrew to his own room, a smile upon his face.

"So far, so good," he muttered.

The key bearers turned in, closing the door behind them. They ate their set meals, which were still warm, then turned in to bed. Riku was the last to hit the sack. After a jostle with the provided tooth brush, swirling it about his pearly whites, and after a quick gargle, he sat himself upon his bed. Wearing only his jeans as night attire, he laid his head on his pillow. Sora was already half asleep. He turned and watched with half open eyes as Riku tucked himself in.

"Hey, Riku," Sora said, "What do you think Thundro has in store for us tomorrow?"

"I don't know." Riku replied. "We'll just have to wait and see."

"What did you think of that pendulum room?"-

"Well," Riku thought about what he had experienced that day, "I don't know about you, Sora, but I don't care if that was a simulation to strengthen our mental abilities. Those battles seemed so real, I thought they actually were happening."

"Yeah, me too, I could feel the pain, the stress, the emotion. You never would have thought it was a simulation." Sora looked up to the ceiling. "I wonder what the next challenge will be."

"Probably as grueling as the last one, if not worse," Riku turned to his side, facing Sora. "We'll never know until tomorrow."

"Yeah," He pondered a final through in his mind before giving his thoughts a rest.

"So what do you think, Riku?"-

"About what?" Riku wondered.

"About this whole Master Thundro thing, do you think that's going a little too far with the authority on Thundro's part?"-

"I am a little uncomfortable addressing an Imperial as Master, but then again we don't have much of a choice. If we want to beat Saber, then we'll have to undergo whatever abuse Thundro throws at us for the time we spend here. He may be the only one to help us. Besides, he may be an Imperial, but he's not a sympathizer anymore. He turned away from that path long ago."

"Yeah, I guess you got something there. Thundro isn't your average Imperial Lord anymore." Sora made a bid yawn and put the blanket close to his chin. "Well, good night, Riku."

"Good night, Sora."-

They made themselves comfortable and were fast asleep. Of course, weary minds tend to slumber faster. However, it was later that night that Sora had that terrible dream.

_"Where am I?" Sora thought. He looked about to find himself alone, engulfed in a thick cloud of fog. "Hello, is anyone out there?!" There was no response, only silence in the lingering of shadows and the thick mist._

_"Sora, Riku," a voice cried out, "I can't find you, where are you!" Sora immediately recognized the tone of the voice that called him._

_"Kairi, where are you?"-_

_"I can't find you?!"-_

_"Stay where you are, Kairi! I'll find you!"-_

_But no sooner had Sora fumbled about, he heard Kairi scream. The shriek caused Sora's spine to stiffen. The cry was like that given when inflicted with a death blow. Sora feared the worst and rushed towards the area where he thought he heard Kairi. He was panicked stricken, fearing for her life._

_"Kairi, Kairi," he cried, "Where are you?! Kairi, Kairi, please answer me!" But not only silence surrounded him. Then another voice cried out._

_"Sora," it cried, "Help me, they're killing me!" It was the voice of Riku._

_"Riku," Sora could hear his friend in pain, perhaps near the brink of death. "Riku, I'm coming! Kairi, hold on! I'll find you too!"_

_"Sora," cried Kairi,_

_"Sora," hollered Riku. But the mist was too thick._

_Then came the sound of a distant battle and carnage, the sound of a thousand men having at each other. Death cries and war cries were heard. Sora ran towards the carnage. But it seemed that the closer he got to the fighting, the further it seemed to go away. Finally, the screaming and sounds of carnage ended and again all was peaceful. _

_"Kairi, Riku, anybody," Sora cried, "Please talk to me, where are you?!"_

_But he suddenly stumbled. Sora looked to see what it was he had tripped over. The mist seemed to give way for a moment. And when it did, the young key bearer beheld a horrific sight. A dead faction soldier with eyes and mouth open wide, displaying the final death blows before the last breath was given. The slain soldier's pupils were a pure white, his lips were a death blue, and his limbs were mangled about in semi-rigor mortis, stiff and gnarled with hands clutched in a claw like form. He was dressed in a black frock with green trim, indicating that he was a trooper of the Aryan Faction. There was a deep wound in his chest, indicating that he'd been struck in the heart. At his side was a fallen sword. _

_Sora then looked to his front. The ground seemed to disperse the mist as if a magic spell was cast to withdraw the fog. Thus, the clearing revealed a scene more terrifying than the solo body of the slain soldier. Before Sora, were the mangled bodies of thousands of soldiers, much like the scene he witnessed at Agrabah, China, Lyzand, and Long Valley. Fallen weapons ad tattered banners either lay aside the one who wielded them, or lodged in the ground and draped over the dead like unfurled death shrouds. _

_In the distance, a flaming inferno appeared, further dispersing the mist. It was a town, a settlement that set ablaze. The longer Sora looked at the inferno beyond the corpses, the more the structures of the town seemed familiar. Just then, it hit him, he knew what town burned. And when he did, his heart sank with fear and sadness._

_"My God," he uttered, "That's my home." The town that burned before him was the little inhabitance which he grew up in. He ran to it, fearing the worst. He reached the settlement, fire billowing up and roaring with great ferocity. Structures crumbled around him. Amidst the chaos, he heard what sounded like clashing steel intermingling with the blaze. Sora, drawn by the sound, searched for the clashing amidst the flames. _

_He eventually came to what once was a town square. And there clashing before him were two warriors. He looked at them and recognized one of them. One of them was none other than Riku._

_"Riku," he cried._

_"Sora," Riku shouted, "stay back!"_

_"What's going on? Who is that guy?!"-_

_"It's…"_

_But before proper explanation could be given given, Riku was suddenly stabbed in the gut. _

"_No," Sora's eyes grew wide with fear, watching the blow delivered. There was a death throw as Riku grasped at the sword thrust into him. _

"_Sora," he gasped before going limp upon the blade. Sora only watched helplessly as his friend hung, impaled at the end of a sword. He looked at the individual who had dealt the blow. To his worse fears, he beheld the face of the murderer. He too was Riku. But unlike the Riku Sora knew, this Riku had the glowing eyes of a heartless. The Dark Riku withdrew his sword from his other's body and let the lifeless body fall to the ground. He then looked at Sora._

_"Now it's your turn." The Dark Riku replied. _

_"You bastard," Sora growled, drawing out his keyblade, "You killed Riku!"_

_"And unfortunately for you, you're next!" The Heartless like Riku rushed at Sora, ready to deliver a significant blow._

"Sora, Sora," Riku cried, "Wake up, wake up, buddy!" He held down Sora as the youth kicked about in his bed.

"Riku," Sora shouted, still in his violent slumber, "Riku,"

"Sora, wake up!" Eventually, Sora did wake up drenched in a cold sweat. He looked up to see his silver haired comrade looking down at him. Within moments of laying eyes upon him, Sora began to cry. He arose from bed and threw his arms around Riku, embracing him tightly.

"Hey, hey," Riku tried to push him away, but took no further action to repel the young man as he heard Sora's sobbing.

"You're here," the youth sobbed, "You're still here, Riku. This is not a dream."

"It's alright, Sora." Riku padded his friend on the back and pulled him away. "It was just a dream."

"I thought, I thought that you were…"-

"I was what…?" But Sora thought of the consequences that might arise if he told. Thus, he didn't take the liberty to explain his dream to Riku, fearing what he would think in the long run.

"It was nothing."-

"Are you sure?"-

"It was just a nightmare that's all."-

"Well, go back to sleep, Sora." Riku advised. "Everything's alright now."

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks Riku." Sora lay his head back on his pillow. Riku smiled and returned to his own bed.

Little did both of them realize that the racket had aroused Thundro from his own slumber. And now the Imperial was standing just outside the door hearing everything that was going on. Without whispering a word, he walked back to his chamber.

The next morning, the key bearers awoke again after a restless night, dressed themselves into their Imperial uniforms and assembled at the main hall where Thundro was again waiting for them.

"I see you have decided to wake up on time today." Thundro said.

"Yes, Master," Riku replied.

"We didn't want to undergo what happened yesterday, Master Thundro, sir." Sora added.

"Very good," Thundro said. "You've learned from your mistakes then." Thundro pointed towards the north corridor. "Well, shall we, gentlemen?"

"Yes, sir," both key bearers declared.

"Follow me." They once again entered the northern corridor where the four chambers resided. They went straight ahead to the silver door. "This is your next challenge, boys. Are you ready?"

"Yes, Master," Sora addressed.

"Then let's proceed."-

The next challenge…The Gravity Chamber


	98. The Gravity Chamber

The Gravity Chamber

The three followed Thundro into the room. There was not much to the room except that it was a large gritted dome. At the center of the room, a large steel pillar stood stationary to its surroundings. At its base was a control panel.

"Behold, boys," Thundro declared, "This is the gravity chamber."

"It doesn't look like much does it." Sora said.

"Do not be fooled by its simplicity, Sora. This chamber can be a death trap for anyone who abuses its incredible power."-

"So what exactly does this chamber do?" Riku inquired.

"The gravity chamber helps to increase your physical strength. Under extreme pressure, you will be able to overcome the limits that presently hold you back."-

"How do you mean?" Sora asked.

"Let me ask you this," Thundro put his arms behind him, "Have you ever once in your life experienced a change in gravity beyond what you're accustomed to."

"Well," Riku pondered, recalling any event they encountered in the past, "There was one time when we battled against the Midnight Faction forces in the 'Rurouni' realm."

"Oh yeah," Sora recalled, "That chamber where we fought that guy, Vermoncht Delinor. That had a gravity difference."

"And how did that make you feel?" Thundro asked.

"It was like I was being weighed down."-

"And how did this Vermoncht Delinor maneuver himself."-

"It was like he was accustomed to the gravity difference for a while." Riku implied. "He moved about the increased pressure like a fish in water."

"And that is exactly what I'm going to do to you." Thundro explained. "I'm going to let you train in this chamber for an extensive amount of time and at a certain level of gravity. That way, you'll become more accustomed to fighting in such an environment if the time arises. At the same time, the intense pull will increase your stamina at normal gravity. Thus, you will break your limits, becoming faster, stronger, more agile, and whatnot than you were before. You might say that everything around you will seem to pace itself in slow down."

"Wow," Sora gasped.

"We'll start you at the basics, taking a little step at a time."-

"Exactly how much can you increase the gravitational pull in here, Master Thundro?" Riku asked.

"You can increase the gravity from the minimum of two times greater, to the maximum of a thousand times natural gravity."

"A thousand," Sora gasped.

"That is why I said that this chamber is also a death trap. If you increase the gravity too high, you'll end up flatter than a pancake, literally. I've seen it happen. You will start small, from three to five times the natural level just to get your feet wet. Your bodies will become more sluggish and more stressed, but after a couple of days, you'll get used to the pressure." Thundro walked up to the control panel and inputted the necessary settings. "Since this is your first time, we'll initiate a trial run and see how far you go." He pressed a few buttons. "We'll start at three times the natural gravity just to see how much you can tolerate it." He then paused for a moment and looked to the key bearers. "Before we begin, however, I need your guarantee to confirm if I can activate the simulation. Are you ready or not?"

"We're ready, Master."-

"No arguments here, Master Thundro." Riku added.

"So be it." Thundro activated the gravity simulation. Within a few seconds, there was a sudden rumble from the system. Then, like a hand pressed upon their heads, the key bearers were knocked to their knees. They stressed and strained as the sudden change of gravity weighed them down like a ton of bricks.

"My God," Riku staggered to his feet as best he could, "This it tougher than it looks. I can barely walk."

"You should consider yourself lucky, Riku." Sora grumbled, "I can barely move, let alone walk." He then happened to look at Thundro who was walking about as if there was no gravity at all. "Hey, Master Thundro, how come you're not affected by the gravity?"

"It's because I've been exposed more to such training as this. I've been training in this kind of atmosphere since the day I was created. I've mastered the gravity level to its maximum."

"You mean you trained in a thousand times the natural level?"-

"That and higher. The gravity room you're training in presently is insignificant to the ones built for His Excellency Master Cavendish. Those simulations can reach the maximum of one million times the natural gravity level."

"Impossible," Riku uttered.

"Not for Master Cavendish."-

"No wonder he was so powerful." Sora thought to himself.

"For your first set of training exercises," Thundro began, "I want you to run ten laps around this room."

"Run…?"-

"Yes run."-

"But that's impossible, Master Thundro."-

"You will run as I have instructed, Sora. Either that or you can take a good thrashing from me." Sora backed off. "You know you wouldn't stand a chance against me though. Now will you run or suffer the consequences."

"Yes, sir, Master Thundro, we'll run" Sora and Riku moved their feet, increasing their pace to a jog. Their legs felt as if great weights were holding their feet towards the ground, making it extremely laborious to move. But despite that, the key bearers continued their run side by side ten times around the dome.

"Move it, move it, move it," Thundro shouted, like a military drill instructor, "I've seen glaciers that move faster than you! Pick up the pace, you two!"

"Yes, sir," Riku shouted.

The first lap proved a difficult task. The second lap proved just as formidable. The third was unbearable, but the key bearers continued with their laps, despite the fact that already their legs were throbbing with a pulsating ache. The fourth and fifth were just as equally unbearable as the third. Only half way to go, but already the gravity was taking it toll on Riku and Sora.

"I can't keep this up." Sora panted.

"You gotta keep it up, Sora." Riku encouraged him. "It's you and me all the way. You gotta keep going."

"I'll try."-

"Move faster," Thundro shouted, "Keep it up, only half way to go now!" The sixth and seventh passed. By this time, the key bearers were already starting to feel the numbness in their legs overcome the pain. They felt no sensation as if their legs were made of jelly. The only think they could feel was the hardness of the floor at the bottoms of their feet as they continued their lapping.

"This is so hard," Sora gasped, sweat dripping down his face.

"I know, Sora, I know." Riku replied. "But we gotta keep going."

"But I can't feel my legs."-

"Neither can I. Think about something that'll keep your mind occupied as you run."-

"Like what?"-

"Think about home, our friends, our mission, or something else to keep your mind from thinking about the number of laps we have to run."-

"Right," Sora concentrated, thinking about the things that he left behind on Destiny Island, his friends at Traverse Town and in other worlds awaiting their return. He then thought of King Mickey and Queen Minnie who have been confined for over a month now. Those thoughts helped to motivate Sora and keep him going forward.

Thundro looked on as Sora and Riku finished their eighth lap and were in the middle of their ninth. He watched them closely, gazing at their breathing, their chests going in and out as a new breath of air was taken in. The sweat dripped from their foreheads and their legs seemed to decrease in stride. But still they pressed on.

"That fire in their eyes." Thundro thought to himself. "It's just like all my other students and pupils. They have that raging determination to continue. The key bearers, Riku and Sora, they have that same attitude. They're going all out no matter what. They want to succeed. Though their bodies feel pain and their minds are weary, telling them that it's enough, their hearts urge them to continue. They know that surmounting the pain is the only way to overcome the hardship of this chamber." He smirked. "These boys, they are out to do great things, perhaps greater than those who came before them."

Riku and Sora now finished the ninth lap and were now running the tenth and final lap.

"Just a little further," Sora thought to himself, "Just a little further."

"That's it, Sora." Riku remarked. "You're doing it. We're doing it."

But by the time they entered the second half of the final lap, despite Sora urging himself to continue, his legs could not bear the stress and tear. Thus, as if running into an invisible barrier, the young key bearer collapsed to the floor. Riku saw as his comrade fell.

"Sora," he cried. He stopped and turned around. He knelt by Sora's side.

"I can't, Riku," Sora uttered. "I've reached my limit. I can't feel my legs anymore. I'm so tired."

"It's not over yet, Sora." Riku said. "C'mon, you can make it."

Sora looked up at Riku. Noctin Tilandir extended his hand, wishing to assist him. In his eyes, Sora saw in Riku a vision of himself. He had done the same for Riku, giving him hope. Now it was Riku who gave the hope to him. Sora smiled and took hold of his friend's outstretched hand. He heaved up and staggered to his feet. The two young men supported each other. Riku pit Sora's arm around his neck. The youth gazed at Noctin Tilandir, a faint sadness in his eyes.

"Thanks, Riku," Sora whispered. "Thanks for keeping faith in me."

"We're gonna beat this thing together. You and I are a team."-

"Yeah,"-

"It's only the two of us."-

"Yeah,"-

"We have to look out for each other, bro. I'll never let you go, just as you have done for me."-

"Yeah," Sora looked ahead, then back at Riku, "Just a little further."

"Let's go."-

The key bearers reached the ending mark together, though their pace had been reduced to a snail's speed. Slumped in each others arms, they reached the finale of their task. Thundro watched in awe as he beheld the determination of the key bearers unfold before him.

"Such dedication towards friends." He thought to himself, "Riku and Sora, they only live for each other. They never leave each other behind. Their bond, their friendship, it's greatly intertwined like knotted chains, firmly established like the very foundations of Oceanaria itself. Nothing could ever break them apart."

The key bearers reached the end, falling to their knees and gasping for breath. The weight of the gravity made their bones feel brittle and their muscles like thin tissue paper. Sweat fell from their faces like rain.

"Man," Riku said, "That was a workout and only ten laps too."

"It makes me feel like I'm completely out of shape." Sora added.

"This feeling of fatigue will soon pass, boys." Thundro explained. "Soon it will be no more than a distant memory. Now, get up and let us continue."

"Awe come on, Master Thundro. Can't we have a break?"-

"There will be no break for you if you keep whining, now on your feet, you two!"-

"Can't we at least take these uniforms off? They're really stifling me right now."-

"I'd have to agree with Sora, Master." Riku agreed.

"I suppose your right." Thundro thought about it. "You're not adapted to the change. So I'll allow you to strip down."

"Thanks," Riku and Sora took off the heavy shell jacket, then the vest and gloves, then the long sleeve shirt. Both decided to train shirtless. "I feel much better."

"This is just this once, boys. The next time, I expect you to keep your uniforms on, agreed?"-

"Agreed,"-

"Then for your next exercise, you will both do a hundred crunches."-

"A hundred," Sora gasped.

"Is that too much for you?"-

"Well," Sora sneered, "of course not. I can take a hundred crunches no problem."

"We'll just see about that then."-

The key bearers lay themselves on their backs and started doing crunches, hardening their abdomens. Thundro folded his arms in front of him and began the count. However, performing a hundred crunches were completely different in heavier gravity than it was in normal gravity. To the key bearers, it was like someone was forcefully holding them down. Again, after only a set of twenty, the key bearers could feel the pressure. But still they continued, despite their weariness. Through their minds, they concentrated on the battle ahead, thinking of that significant fight that would erupt in the future, the fight against General Saber.

"That's it, boys." Thundro said. "Take it at a nice, steady pace. Up, down, up, down."

"Remember," Sora thought to himself, straining to keep his mind off of the battle to come, "Your friends need you, Sora. King Mickey, Queen Minnie, and Daisy, they all need you. I have to do this to avenge my friends and allies, Cuchulain, Edward and Alphonse, Athrun…"

"That's it, Sora." Riku said. "Let your mind wander." Crunch sets fifty through sixty passed and the key bearers were only slightly aware.

"It looks like they're getting the hang of this new gravity." Thundro inwardly spoke. "They're faster than most, impressive."

Seventy through eighty passed by and still the key bearers did not relent in their crunches. It was around number ninety that the key bearers started to lose focus. They were at the end and wanted to much to get to the end. But it seemed as if the gravity had gotten a lot heavier, ninety-five, ninety-six, almost there.

"Just a little more," Sora cried. Then with one last thrust upward, the final crunch was reached. The key bearers then lay exhausted on the ground. "We did it."

"Yeah," Riku panted.

"Not bad," Thundro looked at his watch. "You managed to accomplish those a hundred crunches in only ten minutes. Quite a foot indeed, considering that the gravity pressure is three times greater.

"You can do anything if you put your mind to it."-

"I'll give you two a five minute rest before starting the final warm up exercise."-

"What," Sora was stunned, "You mean what we've been doing were merely warm-ups?"

"That's correct. You're real training will be to battle against me."-

"Oh man,"-

"Now, you have five minutes. Rest a while before we commence again."-

"Right,"-

Five minutes was not an extended period though. The key bearers barely had enough time to regain their strength before Thundro called them to their feet again.

"Alright, boys," he declared, "Your five minutes are up."

"Already," Sora said.

"Yes," Riku and Sora staggered to their feet, their youthful bodies still drenched in heavy perspiration. "Your final task is to perform a hundred push-ups."

"A hundred push-ups…?"-

"Yes, I'll count off."-

"Alright," Riku implied, "Let's do this, Sora." Sora could only nod, though he detested the thought of a hundred push-ups in such heavy gravity. They got on their hands and extended their arms straight under them.

"Let's begin." The key bearers bent their elbows and the count down began. "One…two…three…four…"

As before, the key bearers did all in their power to focus on something else other than the task at hand. Up, down, the process was repeated. Half an hour would pass before they would reach the end of the third task. And in that time, when the numbers began to wane, the minds of the youths began to waver, back and forth. Though their minds encouraged them to continue, their bodies could not keep up. By the time the Thundro cried out 'one hundred,' the key bearers simply flopped themselves onto the ground, soaked in a puddle of their own sweat.

"I can't do anymore." Sora uttered, "I'm too tired. This gravity is taking its toll on me."

"I have to agree, Master Thundro." Riku complied. "My legs, arms and abs feel like they're made of jelly."

"I'll give you boys a ten minute break to regain your strength." Thundro said. "Then you better be ready to battle."

"At this rate, I don't think we'll have enough energy to stand."-

"Well, you better get used to it, because you'll be feeling this kind of pressure from now on. I've been too soft on you already, allowing you to strip down, giving you five and ten minute reprieves. From this point on, you better be ready to die if necessary. We have already spent a full two days of our three week regimen and yet we have accomplished very little. I expect you to toughen up and take whatever I throw at you from this point on, got it?!"-

The key bearers could only give a nod. Ten minutes of rest and the rest of their stay would be nothing, but hell.

The reprieve was brief and Thundro once again took his role as the taskmaster.

"Alright, boys," he declared, "Back on your feet. We still have the rest of the day ahead of us."

"Yes, Master," Sora replied. The key bearers bore the strain and staggered to stand. They wavered for a minute or two, but regained their composure.

"Now," Upon his side, Thundro wore a gold hilted saber in a white scabbard with gold trim. He drew out the sword, revealing its flawless, glimmering, and razor sharp blade. "Let us see how you favor against me."

The youths drew out their keyblades and took a defensive stance. Thundro posed himself, making that intimidating stance as well. There was a lull between both sides as they analyzed any possible attacks that the other might engage in.

Thundro was the first to attack. He moved fast enough so that the key bearers would have a difficult time to battle him. But not so much that it would be impossible for Riku or Sora to even have a chance. There was the first clashing and clanging of steel as Thundro appeared between the two and knocked the key bearers away from each other. The youths staggered, but regained stamina.

"He's fast," Sora thought to himself. "Thundro's moves are like lightning, even in this kind of gravity."

"You think this is swift?" Thundro chuckled, "I'm barely even trying, if not trying at all." Thundro attacked again. The key bearers did their best to regain their stamina, but the gravity pressure made them feel sluggish. Thus, their reaction time was a lot slower. Back and forth the battle went, the key bearers waning in their defense as the Death Lord struck at them from all sides. "Attack blindly if you must. Attack me as if I am your enemy and I am sworn to kill you and everyone you know."

"But what if we hurt you?"-

"That is the purpose of sparring! You have to fight as if you are fighting the foe themselves, whether they be a teacher, a parent, a sibling, or even a close peer or best friend. The only thing you have to be concerned with in the heat of battle is defeating your enemy. And at times kill them."-

"But we don't want to kill you!" Riku said. "This is just a practice run!"

"That's not open for discussion!" Thundro lunged at Riku and easily pummeled him to the ground. Riku groaned as he tried to stand. Thundro only stood over him, one arm at his hip, the other wielding his sword. "This is pathetic. Is this all that the infamous Noctin Tilandir can do?"

"Leave him alone, Thundro!" Sora roared. He lunged at Thundro. But the gravity still weighed him down, making his approach sloppy. Thundro saw the attack coming well in advance and evaded with barely any trouble.

"Another pathetic loser, and so disrespectful as well" Thundro somersaulted over the youth's head and bashed him at the back of the head with his sword hilt. Sora tumbled to the ground, skidding next to Riku. Thundro eased himself upon his toes as if he were lighter than air. "I told you to address me as Master, didn't I. Your insubordination will eventually lead you to a swift downfall."

"Sora," Riku approached his friend's side, "Sora, are you alright?"

"He's making us look like a couple of chumps." Sora growled.

"I know, I know, but there is a way to beat him."-

"How…?"-

"Our team effort is our strength. If we fight together and as one, as we always have before, I believe we might be able to beat him."-

"Yeah, you're right, Riku." Sora staggered to his feet. "We can take this guy down." They raised their keyblades again, daring Thundro to attack them."

"I see that you're back on your feet." Thundro said.

"Yeah,"-

"This time around, you're going down!" Riku shouted.

"Is that so?" Thundro only snickered. "Well, I highly doubt that even with a tight effort of teamwork, you would not be able to hinder me."

"You keep talking,"-

"I think I will." Thundro suddenly pulled out from his pocket two spheres, one of glass and the other of gold. Both had little bells inside that jingled and jangled. Tossing both spheres into the air, the Imperial closed his eyes and concentrated in heavy meditation. Lifting up his sword, he held it at a slight angle, with the blade's sharpened tip pointing upward. The two balls descended and delicately landed onto the fine tip of the sword, not giving off a single ring from the bells within. They rolled down the blade, tapping each other as they hit the hilt and still no sound from the bells. "I'm so confident in your inability to fight; I'll bet that you couldn't even distract my concentration on balancing these orbs on my saber's blade." Of course these comments angered the key bearers.

"Watch what you say, Thundro," Sora said in an aggressive manner. "You're talking to the guys who defeated the Cavendish Shinobis and went head to head with the top lords of the former Empire, so don't you dare mock us!"

"I'm free to do whatever I have the urge to carry out. I already know that you're not a threat to me."-

"You've gone too far with your taunting!"-

The key bearers attacked, preparing to initiate the technique that they relied on from the start, the evasion technique. But Thundro did not waver. He suddenly tossed both spheres into the air, just as the key bearers unleashed their attack. Light and shadow filled the room. Within seconds it was over. The spheres fell towards the ground, but landed gently upon the blade of Lord Thundro. The key bearers on the other hand had fallen to the ground, struck by Thundro.

"Well," the Imperial implied, "I see that you're not as cracked up as you had thought yourself to be."

"But how," Sora uttered, "How could our evasion technique have failed?"

"It's impossible," Riku added.

"It was the most obvious attack you would use." Thundro explained. "You give off a certain signature level for that attack, which is the reason I was able to evade you." Thundro rolled the glass and gold spheres on his saber's edge with such ease and grace, at the same time giving a flaunting gesture, telling his two apprentices that they stood not chance against him. "Well, well, well, will you look at that? It seems I was able to keep the two orbs balanced on my blade's sharpened edge without any trouble."

"Stop making fun of us!" Riku shouted. The two key bearers suddenly leaped up ad lunged at him again. "Let's see how you favor when both of us are attacking you at the same time!"

They sliced and jabbed at Thundro with random attempts, all in completely different intervals. Up, down, side to side, in and out, backwards and forwards, Riku and Sora did all they could to hinder the Death Lord, or at least make him regret his own confidence and arrogance. But alas, their efforts against proved futile. To their utter shock and amazement, Thundro was able to battle them both at the same time, evade, dodge, and counter, at the same time not allowing either ball to strike the ground. They flew into the air, or swerved upon the Imperial's blade, or bounced off the hilt and back onto the tip without making a single clang or grunt all the while not making a stirring jingle from the bells. In fact, the entire spar only sounded the grunts and cries of the key bearers as they attempted to cut the Imperial.

For twenty whole minutes, the two youths attacked and struck with all they had, but still not a scratch was made on Thundro. Even the belled spheres didn't speak. So flawless and graceful was Thundro's swordsman skills, he easily fended of the key bearers without ringing a single tone from the bells within the spheres, let alone dropping them to the floor. In the end, he was able to give a good kick to the key bearers, knocking them to the ground once again. At the same time, the belled sphere's landed upon this sword's razor edge and still not a ring sounded. He then threw them up into the air and caught them in his hand. Only then did the bells jingle, very boastfully at that.

He looked at the key bearers who were dead tired and unable to rise from their fatigue.

"Well, I have proven my self correct, boys." Thundro sighed. "I told you that you were incapable of battling with me."

"But how," Sora asked as he panted, his hard, youthful body drenched in sweat, "How is it that you can move like that and not let one of those balls fall to the ground?"

"Forget that," Riku said, "How is it that you're able to move like than and not let the bells in side ring even once?"

"I've had a great deal of practice." Thundro answered. "My mind was clear of any thought. The only thing on my mind was those two orbs and how I would be able to catch them without letting either ring."

"But we were attacking you from all sides and at either the same or at different times."-

"It just goes to show how undisciplined you are."-

"Undisciplined," Sora asked, "How could you say that? Riku and I are a tight team! We've never lost many of the battles that we fought when we fight together."

"And what about your past scuffles with General Saber?"-

"Well, that was different."-

"How so…?"-

"Well, uh…"-

"I can tell you why you lost. It was a combination of many factors."-

"What kind of factors?" Riku asked.

"For starters," Thundro explained, "The gravity you were fighting in was three times greater than what you're usually used to. As a result, because of the added weight affect to your bodies, your reaction time, agility, and speed were reduced tremendously. Thus, I was able to predict every movement you made. Not to mention the fact that you wasted a great deal of your energy with those exercises I made you do previous to this fight." The key bearers slumped with awkward stares on their faces. "At the same time, you were attacking with a mix of outer emotion and interior thoughts. When meaning exterior emotions, you were inwardly enraged when I mocked you, thus you were only concentrating on how to get back and me and redeem yourselves of your supposed incompetence. This flaw in mentality clouded your sense of judgment. Coinciding with this, you might have been thinking about other things outside the battlefield. You friends, your family, if you'll win, it you are truly incompetent, questioning your ability, even thinking of your own demise and faults. These factors further cloud the mind and affect your efficiency in battle."

"Well, of course we would be concerned with our friends. And of course we'd be a little ticked off after you taunted us. Anyone would have reacted the same way."-

"No argument there, Riku. I would react the same way as well and I still have a tendency to do so. But if you were to let those things go for the duration of the battle, then you will have a better time of combating a stronger opponent. That's what an enemy like Saber will to. He will seek out your weaknesses in both mental and physical strength. You can counter this by only accepting the taunting and throwing it aside. You must not think of anything outside the battlefield except the task that you were sent there for in the first place. It may be cruel, and it may be a way of decreasing your motivation. But you concentrate too much on the people on the outside, who need you then you limit your own abilities."

"But we usually find that to be a source of strength for us." Sora told him.

"That may be true, but you let it override your concentration and that sentimental value will be your downfall." Thundro swerved the orbs around his palm, the bells not jingling. "Let your mind focus on the battle itself. Feel for your foe's movement. You concentrate on that and you'll know where they will strike next. It'll take discipline to achieve this state of mind." Thundro then tossed the orbs at the key bearers, each catching one. Sora caught the glass orb while Riku got his hands around the gold orb. The bells inside jangled loudly. "Before the three weeks are up, I expect you two to master the use of these orbs."

"Use of these orbs…?" Sora gazed at the glass ball, seeing his rounded reflection on its surface.

"In other words, you will be able to perform the same as I did in our spar, balancing the sphere upon your weapon without having it jangle or fall."

"What," The key bearers were shocked. "But that will take months or even years to master!"

"Then I suggest you start working on it and fast."-

"And how do you expect us to do that?" Riku asked. "Even after three weeks of rigorous, twenty four hour training, we'd never be able to move that gracefully and accurately by even a fraction."

"You never know what you can do until you try."-

"But we also have those other things to do, conditioning our mentality and physical strength." Sora said. "So how do you expect us to master that kind of discipline and accuracy in only three weeks with all this stuff piled on our shoulders?"-

"I have my ways. You just leave that to me." Thundro turned and walked to the control panel and upped the gravity pressure to level five. This sudden change in weight pressed down on the key bearers, making it harder for them to move, let alone walk.

"What are you doing, Master Thundro?"-

"I'm increasing the level of gravity from three to five times the natural level."-

"You're going to kill us." Riku strained to stand.

"God willing,"-

"C'mon, it's impossible for us to move in this."-

"Then I suggest that you get used to it and fast. Even if you have to bust an artery and start bleeding out your ears, you will grasp and adapt to this pressure before the day is ended."-

"So much for the royal treatment," Sora thought to himself.

"I told you, if you're going to train under me then you better be prepared to die." Thundro walked before the straining key bearers with no strain himself. To him, the gravity wasn't even worth noticing. He then drew his saber forward. "Now, prepare to battle again. Attack me!"

"You're kidding!"-

"This is no humor or falsehood, young Sora. You will do as I say or I will have no problem to thrash you about like a rag doll. The more you cry for mercy, the more you plead for me to go easy on you, I'm only going to make myself more cold-hearted and act more ruthlessly. And the thrashing you receive will be ten times more than what you've experienced presently. Now are you ready."-

"We don't have much of a choice." Riku complied.

The key bearers drew up their weapons and again they attacked. Thundro had proved good to his word. The training was anything, but a joy ride. From sun up to sun down, he pushed the key bearers to the brink of death. Their bodies were torn and muscles were stretched beyond their limit. The five times gravity broke their bodies a hundred times over, but the key bearers did not relent. Though they hated it, though they despised Thundro's mocking and taunting, they took every blow without complain. By the end of the day, the key bearers realized that nothing would persuade the Death Lord otherwise. This was Thundro's realm. Ergo, they had to abide by his rules, regulations, and way of training. Sweat fell like rain, blood flowed in streams, and their bodies became infested with indescribable levels of pain.

Nighttime fell and the key bearers were now prostrate on the ground side by side, gasping and nearly suffocating as the pressure pushed down on their chests. Thundro on the other hand hadn't even broken a sweat. He simply yawned with boredom.

"I can't do this anymore." Sora said. "I'm so tired, sweaty, and I'm bleeding and aching all over."

"You and me both," Riku added. "I'm aching in places I didn't even know existed."

"Well, well, well," Thundro chuckled, "It looks like you two managed to stay alive. Bravo."

"It's over for us. We can't do this anymore. We did more rigorous training in this one day than we've done for the past ten years."-

"Then hopefully, you've gotten stronger."-

"I certainly don't feel stronger." Sora complained. "But I'll definitely feel the pain of this training later."

"I think not." Thundro bent over the key bearers, placed his palms upon their chests, and accumulated his energy over them. The key bearers were filled with a great surge and within seconds, their energy had been fully restored and their bodies were healed of their ailments. The key bearers sat up. "Now, perhaps you won't be as whiney." Thundro pulled out his watch and checked the time. "Well, boys, let's do this."

"Alright," Riku said. He and Sora stood up again, but now the gravity pressure didn't seem to bother them as bad. They drew their keyblades up again. But to their surprise, Thundro only sheathed his sword.

"And what are you two think you're doing?" Thundro asked.

"Well, I thought we were gonna fight some more." Sora said.

"That's enough for today. I've tortured you enough. My watch gives the time about 8:30 p.m. which means we've been in here for just a little over fourteen hours." Thundro turned to the control panel and deactivated the gravity simulation. Immediately, things seemed lighter to the key bearers. "Get dressed and go back to your quarters. I'll have dinner brought up."

"I never would have thought I would be so happy to hear the word 'dinner.'" The key bearers picked up their gear. But for some reason, their bodies felt different, as if they were lighter. "Hey, Riku, do you feel different?"

"I do," Riku replied. "I feel a little…lighter."

"Those are the effects of the gravity." Thundro explained. "You'll get used to it. Your bodies are becoming accustomed to the heavy weight. Sora, give a swing with your keyblade." Sora did as he was instructed and pulled out his keyblade. He then swung his keyblade. But for some reason, the keyblade seemed light, almost weightless in his hand. It no longer seemed to strain his arm as much. To add, the swing was so swift, even Sora didn't see it.

"Did you see that, Riku?" he asked.

"I did." Riku drew out his keyblade and did the same. The result was just as surprising. "You're right, I feel faster and the keyblade doesn't seem as heavy."

"It just goes to show that your bodies have already adapted to the weight." Thundro said. "The longer you work in such heavy gravity, the faster you will become."

"Wow,"-

"No more dawdling now, boys. Back to your quarters the both of you."-

"Right,"-

"Sora,"-

"Yes…?" Sora replied.

"I want you to stay behind. I need to talk to you." Sora was a little apprehensive at first, but agreed to remain. "Riku, go ahead and clean up. You have done a good days work."

"Thank you, Master Thundro." Riku replied and scurried off back to the room. "I'll make sure to leave you some hot water, Sora!" When Riku had left, Thundro spoke his peace.

"So what is it that haunted your dreams last night, Sora?" Sora looked at him, surprised and rather apprehensive.

"You heard?" Sora asked.

"How could I not? You were wailing in your sleep crying out Riku's name."-

"Did you hear us talking?"-

"Yes, I did. You seemed rather despondent though when he asked you what it was about. Perhaps you can tell me about it." Sora didn't want to unveil anything that he might regret in the future, but he saw that stern glare in Thundro's eyes. As an added pressure, the thought of the dream weighed heavily on his mind, troubling him. He knew the only way to release this pressure was to confess it to someone.

"Well," Sora hesitated for a second or two before speaking again, "The thing is that I've been having this dream repeatedly."

"Oh…?"-

"I started having this dream about six years ago, when we were battling against the former Dark Empire. The first half always changes, but the battle that involves Riku is always the same, perhaps with a slight few changes in the way he looks."-

"And what is this part of your dream?"-

"Well," Sora took to memory each account he saw within his mind, "I always see Riku battling against himself. It's a tough fight and he never seems to beat his enemy. The thing is, the battle never had a conclusion until tonight."

"And how did it end?" Thundro asked.

"I saw Riku killed."-

"Is that so?"-

"I fear that this dream is leading up to some inevitable event and there's nothing I can do to stop it. But how is it possible for Riku to fight himself? I don't know if it's literally fighting against himself, or a metaphor. Riku does have that tendency to reject the darkness after our return from that realm eight or nine years before."-

"I believe that there may be a darkness lingering in Riku's heart that is slowly edging out. Because he is holding back, he may without a doubt unleash a terrible flood and that flood of emotion or hidden strength may overwhelm him and change his being entirely."-

"But what is all this supposed to mean?" Sora asked.

"No can really determine that right now. It's only a matter of what actions will be taken to prevent or enhance its occurrence. The thing is that you know its coming. The conclusion is inevitable."-

"But how do I prevent it?"-

"Perhaps if you told Riku…"-

"No…I can't…"-

"And why not?" Thundro asked.

"If I do, I fear I'll only burden Riku with an unnecessary emotion. And that in itself might interfere with out own objectives."-

"That's the reason you didn't tell him?"-

"Yes…"-

"Well," Thundro folded his arms in front of him, "I can guarantee this much, Sora. Whether you tell him or not, the event will occur. If you've had this dream repeatedly and virtually unaltered every time, then there is no doubt that this battle between the Riku you love and the Riku you loathe will happen. And now that you have witnessed a conclusion to that fight, that only indicates that the end is near and you can do nothing to prevent it from this point on."-

"But what am I supposed to do?"-

"The thing you have to truly ask yourself is if Riku's dark side reemerges, will you be willing to kill him if he turns against you?"-

"I don't know…"-

"Will you?" Sora could only look away, his eyes saddened with the thought.

"Riku's my best friend. I've already seen him suffer and I've already seen him die once in real life already. The loss was too much for me to bear. I don't want to lose him again. Not again…"-

"You do what you must do, Sora." Thundro put his arms behind him. "Now, enough said Return to your quarters and get a good night's sleep. And do not let this supposed prophecy cloud your judgment."

"I'll try."-

Sora saluted and withdrew.

He took his time returning to the room. The thought to the dream weighed heavier than ever. He shook his head, trying to loosen the thought.

"Why is it that this dream is making me feel less easy than ever before? Sora thought to himself. "It's never bothered me this bad. Is it because I told Thundro and not Riku?" When he came into the room, Riku had just finished showering. He sat in bet, his long silver hair a little damp. He placed his towel around his neck.

"Hey, Sora," Riku smiled, "Why the long face?"

"I…I…" Sora wanted to tell him, he wanted to tell Riku so badly, but he could not summon the courage to, fearing if he did, Riku's attitude might change. So Sora lied, even thought that by doing such a thing, he might have put his friendship with Riku in jeopardy.

"I was lectured by Thundro. He said to stop complaining, it wastes time."-

"Well, that sounds like Thundro. Anyway, the shower's free."-

"Thanks Riku." Sora undressed and walked to the shower. But at times, he would take small glances at Riku, wondering if lying to him was for better or for worse.

After dinner, they tucked themselves in and began another night of slumber. But such a peaceful night was not to be for Sora. His mind was still haunted by the dream, the revealing to Thundro, and the lie he told to Riku.

"I should have told him." Sora uttered. He looked at Riku who was sound asleep. "I should have told you the truth, Riku." He said it loud enough, hoping that Riku would hear and wake up, asking what the truth was. Then, Sora would be able to tell him and get everything off his shoulders. But Riku didn't stir. Sora only sighed, curled up in his bed and entered a restless sleep.


	99. Unexpected Chaos

Unexpected Chaos

The night swiftly gave way to morning and again the key bearers were awoken from their slumbers by the sound of the beeping clock. Riku was the first to rise out of bed. He rubbed his eyes groggily as he looked at the clock.

"Another day," he grumbled, giving a couple of yawns before shuffling his legs to the side of the bed. His feet touched the cold floor and he slightly shivered, wrapping his arms before him. He looked at Sora who was still in a deep slumber. "Get up, Sora. It's time to wake up." Sora only moaned, detesting the thought of leaving his warm bed.

"No, no," he grumbled, "Five more minutes."

"C'mon, sleep head." Riku shuffled his feet over to Sora's bed and sat down next to his sleeping comrade. He shook Sora a bit. "You gotta wake up, not unless you want Thundro to burst in here and put another pillow on your face."

"No," Sora lifted himself up and rubbed his bloodshot eyes. "We wouldn't want that now would we?"

"Then let's get up." Riku tossed back the sheets and pulled his friend out of bed. "We have about an hour before we to assemble at the main hall again."

"Alright, alright,"-

The two young men cleaned up and dressed themselves in their Imperial training uniforms and marched out to the main hall. As was routine, Thundro was already out there and waiting. The key bearers approached him, trying to snap out of their lingering morning fatigue a little.

"Another day of training, boys," Thundro implied, "Are you ready for the third chamber?"

"Let's get going and get this over with." Riku said.

"I wouldn't be in so much of a hurry, young Riku. This next training day will prove to be one of the most strenuous and the longest."-

"Aw man," Sora grumbled.

"First thing's first though, do you still have the glass and gold orbs I gave you?"-

"Yes we do." Riku pulled out the gold orb and it jangled about in his hand. Sora pulled out the glass orb from his pocket.

"You'll need those for the next exercise." He turned about towards the door leading to the Northern corridor. "Follow me to the northern hall then."

The key bearers followed Thundro back into the North Wing and approached the third door on the first level, the golden door.

"This is it, boys." Thundro explained, "The Hyperbolic Time Chamber."

"Alright," Sora said, "Let's go in."

"Sorry boys." Thundro put his arms behind him, "But you two will have to go in alone."

"But why…?"-

"The reason is because this chamber will only allow two people at a time to enter. No more than that, which is the reason why I will explain to you your tasks from outside the chamber. You will spend your time to train and spar for the duration of the period that you are in there. When you come out, I would have expected you to gain at least a quarter, at the most a half, of the skill in balancing those orbs on your keyblades. I don't care if they jangle, so long as they don't touch the ground."

"Are you kidding?"-

"I may not be one who gives up so easily," Riku said, "But I have to admit that achieving such skill would be impossible to accomplish in one day."

"But you will be able to accomplish it within a single day." Thundro assured them.

"But how…?" Sora asked.

"The Hyperbolic Time Chamber will help you with that. You see, when entering the chamber, you will enter a prolonged time expansion three-hundred and sixty five times greater than the time expansion here. In other words training in that chamber will be equivalent to training for a full year." The key bearers were surprised.

"A full year…?" Sora scratched his head. He was clueless, not grasping what Thundro explained.

"I don't get it." Riku said, just as confused. "Are you saying that we have a year to train? I thought we were only training for a day."

"Once again, you and Sora are missing the point, Riku." Thundro continued. "I'll put it in small words. The minute you enter that room, the course of a full year will commence. It would have seemed that you spent a full twelve months training, but once you are finished with that full year and exit the chamber, only a day would have passed in this world."

"I still don't get it." Sora implied.

"I get it now." Riku figured out Thundro's explanation. "What is a year in there is only a day passing here."

"That's correct." Thundro complied.

"But if we stay in there for a year, will we age a full year too?"-

"Your age will remain the same, though your bodily functions will continue. For example, your hair will continue to grow and perhaps you'll grow a little taller. But your age rate will remain stationary until you return to the outside world."-

"So we won't have to worry about aging then?" Sora asked.

"Not at all," Thundro put his hands behind him. "I can guarantee you that you will get stronger, provided that you use your time diligently. However, I must caution you on a few details. The effects that you will feel in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber will seem both natural and unnatural, from scorching hot one moment to freezing cold the next. Your emotions and feelings will also affect your surroundings. You will encounter illusions and mirages that can and will hinder you. Logistics will change, being turned upside down."

"Oh man,"-

"At the same time, you will endure areas of heavy gravity. The gravity can reach from three to ten times the natural level. The further out you go, the heavier the gravity will become and the denser the atmosphere will get. You will at times feel yourself suffocate because of the condensed air. So the chamber will challenge you both mentally and physically. You might say that the Hyperbolic Time Chamber is a combination between the Gravity Chamber and the Pendulum Room combined into one element and concentrated a hundred fold. Mostly, it tests your endurance and your will power."-

"Well, if that's the case, why don't we just spend the entire three weeks in that chamber?"-

"What are you talking about, Sora?" Riku asked.

"Think about it, Riku. If we can't age and we train in that room for the entire three weeks that we're here, we'll become stronger than ever."-

"That is out of the question." Thundro said.

"But why…?"-

"For one thing the Hyperbolic Time Chamber will only allow the same person to stay for the extent of a full year, then that person has to withdraw from the room for at least a day or so before reentering. As well, that same person can only train for a maximum of two days altogether. After that, they cannot enter, or the chamber will reject them."-

"So in other words," Riku said, "two days in the maximum limit that anyone can enter in a lifetime. Is that what you're saying more of less?"-

"That's right. Believe me, if we had an unlimited time expansion, then I would let you train in there all the time. But unfortunately, that doesn't work with the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."-

"Man…" Sora grumbled.

"Also because of the vastness of the space, I warn you to remain close to the outpost. This is not a room you are entering, but rather another dimension that spreads on for eternity in each direction. If you stray too far, you will lose yourself in that vast world and be trapped in that white dimension for all eternity. So remain within eye shot of the outpost. That is your only link between eternal nothingness and the outside world. There will be a beacon of light, stretching at least three miles up. But still, that's not tall enough to attract you from deepest regions of nothingness." Thundro placed his hand on the doors latch. "So are you two ready, or do you have any questions you would like to ask before entering?"

"Just one question," Riku said. "Besides learning to gracefully and effectively move with these orbs, what else do you want us to do?"

"Just these, use your time diligently, get stronger and above all, stay alive." Thundro twisted the handle. The doors lock made a loud clink and the gold entry opened up. The key bearers beheld a bright light that emerged from room. They squinted as they entered. Once crossing over, Thundro closed the door behind him. "It's just the two of you now." With that, he turned away to do his other duties.

Sora was awe struck as he beheld the features of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. The outpost was simple, consisting of two large beds, a bathroom with all necessities, and a storage facility with enough food to last for a full year. Above, on the ceiling, a large clock ticked away, silently and slowly. There was also two large hour glass, giving the precise time of the year. Only a small mound had formed, indicating that the new occupants had only been present in the dimensional outpost for only a few minutes.

"It doesn't look like much does it, Riku." Sora said.

"I don't know." Riku replied. "We still haven't seen the outside yet."

"The air does feel a little denser and I do feel a little heavier."-

"I know, that must be the effect that Thundro was talking about. He did say that the air would be really dense and the gravity would be heavier." Sora then ran to the steps leading to the outside of the chamber. His eyes suddenly grew large with mixed interest and fear.

Before him was a vast nothing. There was only a white world that stretched far into the distance. There was no feature, no object out in the dimensional plain. There was also an unbroken silence that lingered indicating that no living thing existed in that world.

"Look at this place, Riku." Sora uttered. Riku was just a stunned as he laid eyes upon the expansion of pure white.

"This is nothing like the realm of light." Riku replied. "There's nothing. No darkness, no shadow, no nothing. It's just a vast empty space."

"Now that I look at it, this place kind of scares me. There's nothing our there."-

"Well, we better get used to it." Riku stretched out his arm. "This is gonna be home for us for the next year."

"I don't think I can do this. I don't think I can stay here for a full year. I'll go crazy. It's just vast nothingness out there."-

"I'm scared of it too. But we mustn't be afraid, Sora. If you cave in, I don't know how I'll favor in this place." Sora took a deep breath and trying to overcome the apprehensiveness.

"You're right, Riku. We have to overcome this world and its elements. Our friends are depending on us to return stronger than ever."-

"We have to train hard, Sora. This isn't a holiday for us. We have to improve enough if we want to defeat Saber."-

"Yeah,"-

"Then let's do this."-

The key bearers stood side by side and stepped off the haven steps of the lone outpost. Thus, entering into a vast world where time and space did not exist.

_A castle long ago, a little red-haired girl runs about in the corridors free and without a care. She is curious to know of her surroundings. There is a smell of pastries and the warmth of the morning sun. Just then, she opens the door to find a little boy standing no more than a few feet away from her. He is the same as she is with that deep toned red hair. The little boy turns and smiled._

"_Good morning, little sister." He replied._

_Just then, that little girl wakes up. It was all a dream and she is left in wonder of who that face was that she saw._

Destiny Island once again met with another peaceful morning. The sound of tranquility, the birds chirping, bees buzzing, and all nature went unmolested. It was on this morning that Kairi again arose from her bed. Dressed in a silk top and shorts, she ruffled her hair and gave a big yawn. She shuffled her feet to the sides of her bed and stretched. She looked at her calendar, crossing off the days that Riku and Sora had gone. The entire month had been crossed and now the first week of the next month was already practically filled.

Kairi then glanced at her dresser, eyeing a picture of her with Riku and Sora when they were still small.

"Riku, Sora," she thought to herself, "How much longer do you intend to stay away? Is the world outside in that much chaos?"

Kairi lifted herself up and walked to her dresser. She took out a white tank top, a pair of panties, and a pair of blue Capri pants with inscribed heart and star designs on the back pockets. At the same time, she took out from her jewelry box, a piece that she hadn't seen for ages, a gold necklace with a locket in the shape of a hearts half. The locket couldn't be opened, which is why she seldom wore it, if not at all, and she didn't want to risk damaging it because of its simple eloquence as well as the secret behind it. So it stayed in her jewelry box practically forever. But for some reason, she found it to be a rather unique little piece and one she had not shown to anyone in years. Thus, Kairi took it to wear around her neck. She then made her way to the bathroom for a warm shower. But as an after thought, Kairi looked out her window, the blinds still down.

"I wonder," she recalled the event of the night before. "I wonder what that rumbling was that I heard?" Heeding no mind, she continued with her morning preparations.

After her period of supposed freshening up, Kairi went about to take care of a little business. She had agreed to help Selphie and Tidus with a little task of repairing and cleaning their boats. She made her way down the main road, gazing upon the magnificence of nature's splendor as she walked. Eventually, she reached the beach where Tidus and Selphie had assembled themselves.

The beach was quiet with its beautiful white sandy beaches, flat and clean as paper, indicating that no one had been about yet to imprint upon them. The gentle roar and flow of the waves was soothing and the wave of the palms gave a calming feel to the atmosphere.

"I've never seen such a beautiful morning." Kairi thought to herself. "I don't know why, but today seems to stick out more than usual." She put her hand over the half-heart pendant. "I should take this as a sign of things to come."

"Hey, Kairi," a voice shouted. Kairi turned around to see Tidus and Selphie no more than a hundred feet away from her. Their boats' hulls turned over and being scrubbed and washed of sea salt build up and barnacles. It was Selphie trying to get her attention.

"We're over here!" she cried.

"Hey you guys." Kairi smiled and rushed over.

"It's about time you got here." Tidus said with sarcastic humor.

"Hey, I got up a little late. Give me some slack."-

"Well, you two can give me a hand moving this boat." Tidus wiped the dirt of his hands, cleaning them at the sides of his baggy shorts. The three took hold of the boat, heaved up and lifted the hull. They then set it down on the sand and picked up the other boat and put it on the platform.

"Hey," Selphie said.

"What is it?" Kairi asked as they took their rest after setting the boat down.

"I've never seen that necklace before."-

"Oh this old thing," Kairi showed it to Selphie. "This is just an old jewelry piece I was given when I was still a little girl."

"It looks like a locket. Whose picture is inside?" Selphie gave that sneaky look of pleasure, making fun of Kairi's secret "Is it Sora, or maybe Riku?"

"Well,"-

"I know," Tidus chuckled, adding to the fun, "It's gotta be a picture of me!" He flexed his muscles like a corny first-timer.

"In your dreams," Selphie said. "You're more likely to attract flies than girls, Tidus." The two young women snickered.

"Oh yeah, for your information, the girls flock to me from out of the woodwork. I'm a regular lady killer!"-

"Yeah, that's right, the girls take one look at you and drop dead." Again there was a snicker.

"To tell you the truth," Kairi said, "I don't know whose picture is in this locket."

"You don't know, really?"-

"Yeah,"-

"Well, why don't you just break it open?" Tidus said, "It wouldn't be that hard."

"No, I could never do that."-

"But why doesn't it open?" Selphie asked.

"Look at its shape." Kairi pointed to the locket's design. "It's half of a heart, which only indicates that another half goes with it. And when those two pieces are combined, that's what unlocks the mechanism."

"Really," Selphie shook with anticipation, "Oh who could it be?"

"Well, I've had it way back when I was a child, so I don't really have a clue." But Kairi knew deep down of the lockets past and who was affiliated with it. She didn't have enough nerve to tell them though. So she remained silent. Then, her eyes suddenly shifted. In the distance, her eyes caught the form of a cloaked figure standing near the beach residential homes. The face was hooded, so the features of the face were impossible to distinguish. Like a phantom, he suddenly appeared in her view. The figure did not stir. It only stood there, watching the three. Though Kairi could not see the person's face, she had this feeling as if the eyes were peering directly at her, cutting straight into her very soul. The sight of him, however, was not threatening in away, but more curious.

"It's him," Kairi uttered. Tidus and Selphie turned to see the figure.

"Great," Tidus grumbled, "It's that weirdo."

"What does he want?" Selphie said.

"I don't know." Kairi asked.

"I gotta tell you, that guy kind of gives me the creeps, how he's always sneaking around. I think he might be a burglar or mugger or something."-

"Hey, pal, what you want?" Tidus declared.

The man said nothing. He only turned and walked away.

"Who is he I wonder." Kairi asked.

"I think he might be a drifter." Selphie said. "I've never seen him before. He just appeared suddenly about a couple of weeks ago. No one has ever seen his face. We don't even know why he came here in the first place."

"Well, whoever he is," Tidus grumbled, "He gives me the willies." Tidus went back to scrubbing the boat hull.

"Have you encountered him before, Kairi?"-

"Not face to face," Kairi said, "But I have seen him about. Sometimes in the daytime, other times at night. He frequently follows me around too. I always see him peeking behind corners, or standing just under the lamp near my bedroom window, or at times follow me from a distance."

"You think he might be a stalker, or something? He's probably a pervert."-

"I don't think so."-

"Why do you say that?" Kairi walked towards the spot where the stranger stood, but halted just a few feet away from the boats.

"For some reason, despite his dark figure and faceless expressions, I don't feel threatened. It feels more like he's watching over me than stalking me. Besides, if he really was a pervert, or a rapist, he would have attacked me already."-

"Maybe, he's just abiding his time," Tidus said, "waiting to spring when you least expect it."

"I don't know."-

"Well, I'm just saying stay away from that guy. He's nothing, but trouble. You can see it on his face."-

"Oh that's quite an insight," Selphie said, "since you've never seen his face."

"Oh shut up,"-

"Alright, that's enough you two." Kairi said. "Let's get back to what we were doing."

The day passed without further incident. The cloaked figure did not appear again and the three were able to fulfill their task and finish with cleaning and repairing their boats. The three then brought their boats to the dock and tied them off.

"Nothing like a job well done," Tidus said, wiping his brow. "Thanks you two."

"Nothing to it," Kairi implied.

"Hey, hey, you guys," a voice suddenly beckoned. He three friends turned to see Wakka running towards them.

"Hey, Wakka," Tidus greeted him. "What's up?"

"Didn't you hear?" Wakka said. "There's some kind of military force heading this way."

"What, a military force?"-

"Ya," Wakka pointed, "Can't you hear that?" The friends lifted their ears to the quiet of the late morning. In the distance, the sound of drums could be heard. They then saw people flocking to the area where the drums were sounding. "You think it had to do with that rumble we heard last night?"

"Wait a minute," Kairi said, "You heard that rumble too?"

"Practically everyone heard that rumble last night." Selphie said. "I heard it too."

"C'mon, let's go take a look!" Tidus said, leading the way. Kairi, however, stayed behind, still pondering on the events of the morning and the feeling she felt.

"Could this be why I was feeling the way I was?" she thought to herself. "Is this why today seems to stick out more than other days?"

"C'mon Kairi," Selphie shouted.

"I'm coming," Kairi quickly ran after her friends.

They assembled at the main road, leading into town. The townspeople were assembled to meet with the approaching force. Tidus and the others squirmed through the crowd to get a better view of who approached. Massed columns of soldiers in black frocks with white trimming and exterior entourage approached them. At the side of each soldier was a gold-hilt sword sheathed in white scabbards. Their appearance was both threatening and magnificent. The banner that flew over the heads of the troops bore the familiar symbol of the Imperial crest of conquest. Three swords, two curved and one straight, crossed each other at a center axis. Behind those three swords was an angled lightning volt and below the entire design were the words _Van'car Un'isk Concorte Irakisin_. But it was the Imperial crest behind the sword and lightning design that concerned Kairi the most.

"That symbol," she uttered to herself, "Could it be the Dark Empire?"

"I wonder who these guys are." Tidus said. "They better not be looking for trouble."

Along with the thundering of drums and twittering of fifes, there also came the sound of a thousand men in deep vocalization singing out a victory him. There was a sense of pride in the men as they sang, marching with great enthusiasm as they approached the coastal city of the Destiny Islands.

_Those Arakis fighting boys_

_Will never reach the coast_

_So Sirius Viicous said_

_It was a handsome boast_

_Had they not forgot, Alas,_

_To reckon with the host_

_While we are marching to conquest_

_Van'car! Van'car_

_Our cause forevermore_

_Van'car! Van'car_

_You hear our soldiers roar_

_Forward into battle_

_And to vict'ry of the war_

_While we are marching to conquest_

Just then the order was given to cease the marching and cadence.

"All units halt!" one of the leading officers shouted. The soldiers halted no more than fifty feet away from the town itself. There was great tension as the townspeople beheld the forces of armed soldiers standing in perfect order before them. Questions entered the minds of many of the civilians there. What did the soldiers want? Were they hostile? And what were their intensions?

Suddenly, two individuals came forth. One of them was a young boy, no older than ten or twelve. He was dressed in a black military uniform as the rest of the soldiers were. But the extra display in braids at the shoulders indicated that he was a boy of great importance. Next to him was a young man, dressed in similar garments. But unlike the boy, he had a stern look, like that of a guardian. Both wore plumed cavaliers, a sight unique amongst the thousands of tinted helmets. The boy was the first to speak.

"I am Mulian Nidarach Arakis," the boy declared to the civilians, raising his hand in friendship, "the son of His late Excellency Lord Drako Arakis, and present leader of the Arakis Foundation. I would like to speak with leader of this settlement."

From the crowd, the mayor appeared and approached the duo.

"I am the mayor of this town." He said. "How may I be of service?" The two approached 'til they were face to face with one another.

"We beseech you, sir, if it would be possible for you to provide us with shelter and provisions."-

"And how long do you intend to stay?"-

"We plan to depart by tomorrow."-

"And what brings you here, young man?"-

"My men and I are tired and are trying to evade pursuers who have been on our trail for a little over three weeks. We mean no harm. All we ask is for shelter and some food."-

"Well," the mayor pondered for a while before giving a courteous smile, "I don't see why not. You may enter our town provided that you and your men conduct yourselves civil."

"Acknowledged," Mulian turned to his subordinate. "Prime Minister Crassus, pass the word along. Tell every man in the column that they are to abide by the rules of this town and that any troublesome outbursts amongst our ranks will be severely dealt with."

"I understand, Your Excellency." Crassus replied. He turned to the columns of men who were still standing at attention. With a loud, booming voice, he gave instructions to the men. "Now listen up, you men! We will be allowed to take shelter in this town for the next twenty-four hours! But while you are here, you will not stir up any trouble! You will not make a spectacle of yourself or take action in any manner that would disgrace the name of His Excellency! You will follow a strict curfew and you will be forbidden to harass any of the civilians or violate their property! Every man here will be responsible for his actions! And it is up to you as comrades to assure that the other behaves himself in a proper manner! And if there is any breech of conduct here, punishment will come swiftly and without mercy! And to assure that this regulation is enforced, for any one man who steps out of line and makes a mockery of our military, then he and twenty randomly chosen men from his outfit will be punished according to the rules of the Arakis Foundation, no exceptions! Is that clear?!"

"Sir, yes sir!" the columns replied.

"I can't here you!"-

"Sir, yes sir!"-

"Very good," Crassus turned to Muli, "They will abide as promised, sir."

"Thank you, Crassus." Muli replied. He faced the mayor. "Sir, I thank you for your hospitality."

"Think nothing of it," The mayor replied. "I am glad to see that you are such a well mannered young man who knows how to keep his soldiers under control." The man extended his hand in friendship. Crassus' senses perked up and reached for his sword.

"Stand down," Muli said, "There is nothing to fear here."

"Yes Your Excellency." Crassus replied, and withdrew his hand from the hilt.

"Have the men fall out, but tell them to set up camp on the outskirts of town. I do not want to make a bother with these people. And issue liberty for two hours per company."-

"Understood," Crassus turned to his men. "Alright, fall out and set up camp here on the outskirts, by order of His Excellency!"

"Yes, sir," the soldiers replied. They immediately dispersed to the open fields just outside of town and began to set up their individual sleeping quarters.

"Perhaps, if you were to join me at my residence for a little luncheon, young man," the mayor said. "I find it always beneficial to entertain higher ups."

"I would be delighted to, sir." Muli replied.

"Shall I call for an armed guard to accompany you, sir?" Crassus asked.

"There is no need, Imetriarch. I would like to keep these people at ease."-

"At least allow me to accompany you, sir."-

"Of course, if that is alright with the mayor."-

"I do not mind." The mayor replied.

"Let us go then."-

"Young Master Mulian has certainly changed a great deal since his ventures into other worlds." Crassus thought to himself. "I guess when your eyes are open to the outside worlds, the politics and reasoning of home, which you once thought as absolute, seem twisted in theory. Perhaps the Universal Alliance had the right idea after all." He watched as Muli gave a sheepish grin, like that of any young boy. In his gesture, there reflected the personality of Sora. "Was it Riku and Sora that completed this transformation? If it is, I must say that I have to give those boys credit."

"Listen, citizens," the mayor said, "See to it that every inn and every tavern is open to these weary soldiers. They have agreed to be civil, we shall do the same. Give them the hospitality of the Destiny Islands."

After speaking those words, the mayor retired back to his estate, accompanied by Muli and Crassus. The crowd dispersed and the soldiers of the Arakis Foundation took in some time to finally relax after eluding the faction pursuers. Only Tidus and his group did not disperse as quickly.

"I don't like this." He said. "That kid, Muli said they were running away from their pursuers."

"So what…?" Selphie asked. "I don't think these guys mean to start anything. If they did, they would have done it already."

"Are you really willing to trust them? As far as we know, that kid could be plotting something."-

"Why would he do that? As far as I can see, the town wouldn't stand a chance against such a well armed force."-

"Well," Tidus rethought his theory, "maybe your right, but what about their pursuers? What if they come here and start making trouble with these guys? Our town will be stuck in the middle."

"Tidus has a point there." Wakka complied. "It would really suck if that kid brought his problems here too."

"Well, the least we could do is provide these men with a little food and shelter." Selphie said. "It's not easy finding luxury when you're a soldier. We all should know through our experiences."

"I guess you're right."-

"What do you think, Kairi?" But Kairi seemed somewhat in a daze. "Kairi…?"

"Hey, Kairi," Tidus said. Kairi looked up.

"What…?"-

"What's the matter? Is there something bothering you?"-

"No," Kairi smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. "I was just thinking to myself. What did you ask me?"

"Never mind, it's irrelevant now."-

"C'mon," Selphie said, "Let's at least try to be good hosts."

"I guess so." Tidus and the others dispersed to carry on with what it was they were doing. Kairi, however, stayed behind, still pondering at who the boy was. "Are you coming, Kairi?"

"Oh, no," she replied. "You guys go on without me."

"Suit yourself." The three withdrew leaving Kairi on her own, engulfed in her deep thought.

"Mulian Arakis," she thought to herself, "Could it be that…" Curious, she hastened over to the mayor's estate. "I gotta know who that kid is. Could that kid be related to _him_ in any way?"

The mayor, Muli, and Imetriarch Crassus were seated at a white patio table with yellow umbrella blocking the sun's rays and keeping them cool. Lemonade and appetizers were the first to be served by the staff. Gentle music was being played on a small radio.

"So," the mayor inquired, "how is it that you came across our little settlement?"

"We came here by means of our aerial craft." Muli replied. "Our energy generators, which fuel the ship, were running low and needed to be recharged. And it will take at least twenty four hours for us to restore full power. So we had to touch down somewhere. We figured that no one would hope to find us here. The Destiny Islands are secluded enough from the other worlds that we thought it might be a nice haven to spend at least one day." Muli took another sip of the cool lemonade. "Besides, my soldiers have been in desperate need for a reprieve. I think some time amongst paradise is a good remedy."

"And who exactly is pursuing you?"-

"Excuse me," a voice said. The trio looked up to find Kairi standing no more than ten feet away, "Sorry to disturb you mayor."

"Oh, Kairi," the mayor said, "What brings you here?"

"Well,"-

"Who is this young woman?" Muli asked.

"This young lady is named Kairi." The mayor replied. "She's the foster daughter of my predecessor."

"Kairi…?" The name somehow struck a chord with the boy. "You wouldn't happen to be the young woman who's in love with Sora are you?" Kairi was stunned.

"Yes, I am," she said with a surprised tone. "But how do you know that?"

"My father had always mentioned the great trial that he put Riku and Sora under in order to save you. He always said that Sora loved you deeply. And he proved that love through his actions."-

"Wait, you're father?"-

"Yes, my father, the late Lord Drako Arakis. He was a former member of the Three Excellencies."-

"You're his son then."-

"It is an honor to meet you, Kairi. Please be seated and join us for a luncheon." For a young boy, he was well mannered, standing up before her. Crassus stood, followed by the mayor.

"Oh no, it's quite alright. I just…"-

"His Excellency insists," Crassus said. "You may take my seat, Miss Kairi."

"Well, thank you." Crassus escorted her to her seat. Kairi sat down.

"Bring out another chair!" the mayor shouted. "We have another guest present!"

The four seated themselves and began to chat away with one another. The food was brought out and almost non-stop for two hours, they fraternized as if there wasn't a care in the world. Kairi's interaction with Lord Arakis' son was completely the opposite of what she had earlier envisioned of him. Instead of a stuck up, arrogant heir to a vast power structure, she found Muli to be very happy-go-lucky and cheerful. His attitude reminded her of Sora. Within the course of a single luncheon, Kairi's perception that all Imperials were the same was changed forever. As the food began to dwindle from their plates, down to the last morsels, Kairi decided to pop the question.

"So, how is it that you are acquainted with Riku and Sora?" she asked.

"You might say, Miss," Crassus explained, "that it was because of your friends' actions that young Master Mulian is still alive."

"What…?"-

"Riku and Sora saved my life and opened my eyes to the outside world." Mulian said. "I am eternally in their debt."

"They saved your life?"-

"It was because of them that my men and I are making this trek."-

"Trek," Kairi pondered, curious to know where their destination lay. "And where is it that you're going?"

"We are going to the only place where we can seek safe refuge. We're going to meet with President Sneer of the Universal Alliance."-

"What…?" Kairi was again surprised. "You're on your way to meet with Sneer of the Alliance? But why, aren't you Imperials?" There was a slight silence, but no tension arose. Muli was more than happy to explain.

"If you were to have asked me that same question three months ago, I would have gladly said yes."-

"You see, Miss Kairi," Crassus explained, "We are the remaining members of the former Arakis Foundation. Young Master Mulian is the legitimate heir to that organization. The former empire had been dissolved and rivaling factions arose to battle against one another. Each major faction hoped to regain the territory of the former Imperial regime."

"I too wanted to see conquest only because the elders would always talk about those days. Determined to fulfill that dream, I would use all the resources the Arakis Foundation could muster and retake all the territory lost by the former empire. I was so involved with the thoughts of pure Oceanarian domination over all worlds; I did not realize the cruel truth behind war. I always had this grandiose vision. But that was merely the delusion of a sheltered and pampered little boy, who did not truly understand the meaning of what it meant to fight and suffer. I thought, one day, that it would be fun to go out and join in the fray of battle. Thus, I took on the garments of a drummer boy and joined the front lines. But I couldn't have been more wrong. I realized soon enough that my ideals would have to come at a heavy price. The soldiers I sent into action were not as invincible as I thought. They in fact died just as easily as any other. I soon came to understand that if I were to fulfill this dream, I would be causing great suffering to both the enemy and my allies. I would also have to worry about the crumbling of such a large empire if I ever achieved that goal. And also, by integrating others into my dream, I would be depriving them of their own. Their cultures, their unique lifestyles would be gone with the integration into Oceanarian ways." Muli lowered his head. "I realize now what my father had said. He didn't want me to follow his path. He always said that it was better to have happy differences then unhappy similarities."

"I see," Kairi said. "But why are you seeking haven with the Alliance?"

"I have taken into consideration a truce with the Alliance and merge the foundation with them. However, this decision on my part caused severe unrest within the Arakis Foundation's top brass."-

"A few of our leading commanders decided to stage a coup de' tat against Master Mulian and combined their forces to form the new Aryan Faction." Crassus explained. "However, Master Mulian is still the legitimate heir to the Arakis Foundation and his very life is a threat to the stability of the Aryan Faction. There are already rumors that a second coup de' tat will take place in the near future as the unrest between loyalists and separatists continues to grow."-

"If we side with the Alliance, then we can end this period of bloodshed and bring a close to this era of chaos."-

"That's why the Aryan Faction has been pursuing us since the coup. They want Master Mulian dead. Only then can they gain absolute power."-

"Well, we'll make sure to keep you safe, young man." The mayor said. "You seem like a descent enough fellow. It would be a shame for you to lose your life so early."

"I thank you, sir." Muli replied. "And what about you, Kairi, I've been meaning to ask you, what was you impression of my dad?"

"Well," Kairi could only pause, not knowing what to say. In her mind, all she remembered was a man who somehow found a sense of entertainment in seeing her tormented. But could have been wrong in her interpretations? Giving a slight shake, Kairi only gave a vague response. "I never really knew your father long enough to really get to know him." Muli only shrugged his shoulders.

"Not surprising, my father always had that tendency to be secretive. He always said that though some methods of the Empire were extreme, and some of the tactics were cruel, he could not turn against his superiors."-

"But why not…?"-

"I think he foresaw what would happen, a sudden collapse of the entire Imperial regime would have occurred. I guess he knew that splitting the Empire up would only give rise to greater chaos, much like what we're experiencing now."-

"From here on out, Your Excellency," Crassus remarked, "it's an open road all the way to Oceansburg."

"Yes…"-

But no sooner had Destiny Island reach a stage of tranquil harmony, that noontime lull was suddenly broken with the appearance of an unidentified object that appeared in the sky twenty miles off shore.

The foundation mother ship, nestled within a lush green field, picked up a sudden bleep on the radar. The attendant in charge quickly took notice of the incoming unidentified object descending into the atmosphere.

"What the hell," he said. He quickly got a visual. What he saw caused him to shout of an alert. "Sir, captain sir…?!"

"What's the problem?" the captain asked, coming to observe what the fuss was about.

"We have an incoming ship appearing out of the atmosphere twenty miles off the coast."-

"What kind of ship?"-

"It's an Aryan transport vessel!"-

"Damn it, get a visual up!"-

"Aye-aye sir," The attendant quickly brought the ship's visual on the overhead screen. There was a sudden murmur amongst the men and women as they witnessed their pursuers coming towards them. "How did they catch up to us so quickly?"

"They must've tracked us down somehow!" The captain growled. "We have to inform His Excellency! Link us to the Prime Minister's Scouter immediately!"

"Aye sir," Contact was immediately sent to Prime Minister Crassus, whose scouter sat at the table's edge.

The distress signal was heard and Crassus quickly responded.

"This is Crassus," he said, "What's the distress?!"

"There's an Aryan transport cruiser heading in this direction!" The captain replied on the other line. Immediately, Crassus threw himself up from his chain, his brow suddenly sweating. The mayor, Muli, and Kairi were curious.

"What's the matter?" Muli asked.

"We have to go, Your Excellency, right now!" Crassus replied.

"Why, what's going on?"-

"An Aryan cruiser has just appeared off shore."-

"What…?"-

"We have to go now!"-

"But how…? The ship won't be ready for take-off for another fifteen hours.

"We'll have to manage!"-

"Your pursuers caught up with you?" Kairi asked.

"I don't know how they did it, but their presence only means that we have to depart from this world and make it to Oceansburg as fast as we can!" Crassus grabbed Muli by the wrist and pulled him away.

As the two leaders exited the mayor's estate, they found the rest of the town in an uproar. Towards the sea they pointed. There, hovering off not too far from shore was the Aryan mother cruiser. It was a large disk-like structure spreading over the water with a one mile diameter, a massive ship that could eclipse the sun from sight of the whole town.

"Damn it," Crassus growled, "They're that close already." He contacted the mother ship, at the same time pulling Muli behind him. "I want all engines running! We've got to make it to Oceansburg!"

"No can do, Prime Minister." The captain replied. "Our ship generators have only just reached their halfway point to completion."

"It'll have to do! We have to make it to Oceansburg! The Alliance is our only hope right now!"-

"A hasty lift off won't work, sir. That cruiser will try and shoot us if we take off. And even if we did evade destruction, we'd only have enough power to make it half way to Oceansburg. And if we get stranded out in the middle of our space travel, there will be nothing to protect us."-

"Damn it. We'll just have to withdraw from this town! The last thing we want is for these civilians to get involved. I'll assemble the men and tell them to get back to the ship."-

"Yes sir,"-

Tidus and the others looked on, not too far away. Clutching his fists, Tidus' prediction came true.

"I knew it," he said, "That kid has brought the chaos with him."

But trouble was not only going to spur the Arakis Foundation, but the whole of the Destiny Islands as well. The leader in charge of the Aryan forces was none other than the venerable General Hector Fortinbras who had helped in the failed assault in Long Valley. He observed as the visual sighted the established camp of the Arakis Foundation.

"There they are." He said. "Mulian Arakis and his band of rebels are within out sight."

"Shall we declare their option to surrender to us?" the captain of the ship asked.

"Our mission is to eliminate Mulian Arakis before he reaches the Alliance capital. Besides, there is no more suitable death for a traitor like that little upstart."-

"But wouldn't it be best if we forewarn that settlement? I don't find it necessary for them to be involved in our little dispute."-

"By order of his Excellency, Lord Marcus Montague, we are to execute Mulian Arakis without question. And all those who dare to aid him are just as guilty. This town and this world are just as treasonous for harboring him and his men. Therefore, they will suffer the same punishment." Fortinbras stood up and put one fist to his side. "Prepare to fire the barge cannons at that town and have our men board their cruisers and ready to storm."

"But sir, that's going a little overboard don't you think?"-

"Those are my orders. Now do as I say." The captain was hesitant, but carried out with the order.

"Bring the barge cannons up." He ordered the men. "Set target to the town. And assemble our men. We'll be going ashore."

"Aye-aye, sir," one of the head operatives replied.

"Don't you think this is going a little overboard for a boy?" one of the lieutenants whispered to the captain. "I mean this entire rise to power by the Aryan Faction was a little hasty."

"What a way to repay the deeds of His late Excellency, Lord Drako Arakis, by executing his only child. We have a term for such actions…ungrateful…"-

Without attempts at negotiating, the barge cannons immediately opened fire on the coastal town. Houses were suddenly demolished in flame, dust, and splintering debris. The citizens were panicked as they beheld this hostile act against them. They fled the streets, seeking cover from the ship's barrage.

"What are they firing at us for?" Kairi wondered.

"It's that young boy, Muli." The mayor replied. "They're after him."

"But we were never given a chance to negotiate."-

"Those people aren't interested in negotiating. They want that young man dead."-

"But do they want it so badly that they're willing to attack our town?"-

"They might be planning to destroy any town or city that harbors him."-

"Damn it." Kairi quickly fled to find Muli, despite the explosions roaring around her.

"Where are you going, Kairi?! You'll get killed!"-

"We have to keep that kid safe! As far as I know, he's the only sane Imperial I've ever met!" She vanished into the billowing clouds of smoke.

"We have to get you to safety." Crassus said, sheltering Muli as the bombardment bellowed around them.

"I want all civilians evacuated from here first." Muli replied.

"What's the point? It's not our problem right now!"-

"Yes it is! The Aryan Faction is attacking this town because its citizens harbored us! We're responsible for this hostility! And I am not about to turn my back on these people! I will not take the actions as I had when I was still an ignorant, pampered whelp. I will help these civilians to the best of my ability."-

"Muli," a voice shouted. The two saw Kairi running towards them.

"I'm sorry, Kairi, I brought this trouble upon you and your town."-

"We are departing from this world." Crassus added. "We've caused enough trouble."

"And let you guys lose your one chance to set things right? You'd never be able to take off from this world all the way to Oceansburg with those guys on your tail, right? So I'll help you!"-

"But why, you're friends and family are dying because of us. Why assist us?"-

"I've come to realize that if I were in your shoes, I'd be expecting some kind of aid." The then glanced at Muli. "Besides, after how you said that you made friends with Riku and Sora and how they changed your aspect on life and death, I'd never be able to look at either of them in the face if I turned you down. It wouldn't feel right to say that I met you and turned my back on you when you needed help the most." Muli was overcome with this sense of sadness, having to burden the people with such weight. He could only do the sensible thing and avert his eyes downward.

"Thank you very much."-

"Your Excellency, Prime Minister," a voice shouted. From the distance, one of the foundation officers was approaching. He came before his superiors out of breath. "The Aryan Faction is deploying their landing crafts! They're sending in their ground troops to execute you!"

"They're landing…?" Crassus uttered.

"Yes,"-

"Damn it! Have all our men assemble at the beach! If it's a fight they want, then it's a fight they'll get!"-

"Yes sir!"-

"Kairi, take Master Mulian and withdraw to the rear! Tell all civilians to evacuate!"-

"What about you?" Kairi asked.

"I must stay here and conduct our military in this campaign!" He took Muli by the shoulders and put him under Kairi's care. "You behave yourself, Master Mulian."

"No, Imetriarch," Muli cried, trying to get out of Kairi's grasp, "Don't do this!"

"The fate of the Foundation depends on your survival, sir."-

"No, no, don't leave me! Don't leave me again!"-

"I will return, sir! It's your safety that I'm worried about!"-

"But Imetriarch,"-

"Do as I say! And don't try any last minute heroics! I'll fight a lot easier knowing that you're safe!" He looked at Kairi. "Take care of him, Kairi! He's the future!"

"I will," Kairi replied. Imetriarch saluted and withdrew to the beaches where the upcoming battle would take place.

"Imetriarch," Muli uttered

"C'mon," Kairi pulled him along to the rear. "We gotta get you to safety."

In the meantime, the soldiers of the Arakis Foundation took positions along the beach. They watched as the bombardment suddenly ceased. Then, from out of the hovering mother ship, several small cruisers appeared.

"Keep you ranks, men!" Crassus shouted. "Keep down and prepare to open fire the minute those transport hatches open!" They soldiers watched as the cruisers glided through the water like great iron boxes. Like an ominous presence suddenly in their view, over twenty transport units made their way towards the coast. Once ashore, and the main hatch was opened, hundreds of Aryan Faction soldiers, in their black and green-trimmed uniforms, poured out.

"Here they come!" one foundation soldiers cried.

"Then let them have it!" Crassus shouted.

Using energy and weapons alike, the Arakis Foundation fired an endless volley of projectiles into the attacking ranks of Aryan Faction soldiers. Dozens were killed in the first volley and the numbers of the invaders were dwindled, but still they would not give up. Instead the Aryan Faction charged forward. They unleashed their own bombardment and leveled the Arakis Foundation troops in some areas of the line.

Both sides collided as gun, sword, and spear clashed. Already, hundreds were left dead and dying upon the beach and the once blue water and white sands were tainted crimson with the blood of the fallen. Despite having smaller numbers, the Arakis Foundation managed to fend off their former brethren.

"Death to traitors!" the Aryan soldiers shouted.

"Death to the treasonous!" the foundation soldiers countered. Skulls were smashed, bodies were impaled, and Oceanarian fought Oceanarian in a bloody civil brawl upon the once quiet hometown of the key bearers.

"Send in more men." Fortinbras ordered. "And have our guns concentrated on the town itself. Blast that settlement to its foundations if necessary."

"But wouldn't we be firing on our own troops?" the captain asked.

"Of course, but so what, their deaths are insignificant compared to the elimination of the traitor Mulian Arakis. I want him killed at all costs."-

"Y…yes sir…"-

"We'll flush that whelp out like a rat."-

Immediately, the cannons began to fire, pummeling the city and blowing structures up one at a time. Crassus looked up, watching the bombardment shift from them to the town.

"Damn it," he growled, "They're firing on the town itself." As the fighting continued on the beach, the town was slowly demolished little by little. "If they keep this up, there will be no town left to defend." Using his scouter, he contacted the foundation mother ship. "Captain, can you here me, over?"

"Aye, Prime Minster, I can here you loud and clear." The captain replied.

"I need you to get the ship up and moving now!"-

"But sir, we'll never make it to Oceansburg. Are you sure you want us to depart with our generators only half full?"-

"We're not going to leave, we're going to fight!"-

"To fight…?"-

"That's right. I want you to get the mother ship up and confront that Aryan super carrier."-

"Fight against the carrier? Are you out of your mind, sir?"-

"Just do it!"-

"With all due respect, Prime Minster, that tactic is out of the question! We're flying a C class battle cruiser! The Aryan Faction is armed with a class B super carrier! They outrank us in firepower, defense, and speed! They're at least twice as big as our own ship."-

"I'm not asking you to fight the cruiser directly!" Crassus said. "I want you to knock out their barge guns! That's all that matters! We have to keep them silent and protect the town as best we can!"-

"I understand, sir. We'll get right on it!"-

"Very good, ending transmission," Crassus deactivated the scouter's transmission system and continued to battle. "It's up to you boys now!"-

"Activate all generators!" the captain ordered. "We're going into battle!"

"Into battle?!" one of the staff officers asked. "Against who…?"-

"Against that," The captain pointed to the Aryan Faction's super cruiser. When mentioning their mission, there was not a single man present who feared this action.

"Going into battle against a B class super carrier? There's no way we can win fighting something like that head on!"-

"Fortunately for us, we're not gonna fight it head on." The captain looked to the crew. "Now do as I have ordered and get this thing into the air!"

"Aye-aye sir," the lieutenant addressed the crew. "Activate all generators to their maximum!"-

"Aye-aye sir," the crew would reply as the orders were passed about the bridge.

"Have all barge cannons up and ready to fire!" the captain said.

"If I may be permitted to speak freely, sir, but how do you intend to fight a B class super carrier?"-

"We're not going to battle it. We simply have to deprive it of its outer defense weaponry, nothing more. That way, there will be no way for them to provide covering fire for the ground troops."-

"I understand," The generators were activated, the rockets rumbled, and the great ship lifted into the air and slowly made its approach towards the Aryan mother ship.

In the meantime, General Fortinbras watched as his barge cannons destroyed homes and building within the coastal town.

"This would be a lot easier if I had Gatler tanks and Mobile dolls in store," he grumbled, "but those bloody higher –ups said that they were needed elsewhere! All I have for support are these blasted barge cannons!" he sighed. "Oh well, at least that's better equipment than our enemies. They have nothing to aid them, which are all more favorable to us."

"General Fortinbras, captain," one operative said.

"What is it?" the captain asked.

"There is a large object heading towards us from starboard."-

"On screen," an image was activated and there coming towards them was the foundation ship. "That's a C class cruiser."

"Is it of any threat to us?" Fortinbras asked.

"No, a C class cruiser wouldn't be able to contend with us. We have a B class super carrier, which is far more superior. I don't know what they're trying to accomplish. Going against us is out of the question, it only guarantees their deaths. Our barge cannons will be able to break holes in their armor with very little effort."-

"They must be desperate then. Shoot it down!"-

"But sir, we'd be attacking our fellow Oceanarians."-

"We are the ones who are carrying on with the true cause of the former Dark Empire! Those people are traitors to the Imperial cause and the millions of comrades who sacrificed their lives for the good of a united universe! Now shoot it down!"-

"A…aye, sir," The captain turned to his crewmen. "Set our starboard barge cannons towards that cruiser. Shoot it down."

"But sir…" one of the operatives said.

"We have no choice. The commanding officer has told us so to do." Again there was silence amongst the crew. They would be going into battle against soldiers who up to a few weeks before were their most trusted allies.

"Aye-aye, sir," the operative complied.

From the perspective of the foundation, the cannons began to appear from out of their holds.

"They're ready to fire." The captain said. "Alright, take aim and fire at the cannons. Wait until their barrels start glowing."

"But sir," one of the attendants said, "If we wait for their barrels to start resonating, that means that they're ready to fire."

"But it also means that if we destroy the cannons while they're increasing their energy, there will be a larger maximum of damage. We have to aim well and time this perfectly. I want all shields to their maximum and all guns accurately aimed and ready!"

"Understood,"-

The foundation cannons were deployed and ready, waiting for the first broadside from the Aryan Faction. Sure enough, they watched as they hatches were opened and the defense cannons emerged, their long barrels protruding like the quills of a wild porcupine.

"Hold steady on my order." The captain said.

"This aught to finish those fools off for good." Fortinbras chuckled as he watched the ship battle unfold before him.

"All artillery pieces have been aimed at the carrier." One operative confirmed.

"So be it," the captain replied. He bowed his head in repentance. "God forgive us for turning against our brethren." Throwing out his hand, he gave the order. "All starboard batteries commence firing!"

"Aye-aye, sir,"-

The cannons' barrel ends began to glow, indicating that an inevitable blast would emerge. But that was what the foundation was waiting for.

"The barrels are glowing!" a foundation operative shouted.

"Fire away!" the captain ordered.

All at once, the carrier's cannons deployed a devastating fire. The beams struck the open portholes and destroyed all the barge cannons. The great carrier swayed and shook violently as the blasts crippled the starboard side of the ship.

"What is going on?" Fortinbras demanded.

"They unleashed a barrage into the open hatches of our artillery!" an operative shouted. "All cannons starboard of the ship have been damaged beyond repair."-

"Damn it!"-

"Sir, that attack has caused severe internal damage on our starboard side."-

"They attacked our barge cannons when they were on the verge of being fired." The captain said. "That's what they were aiming for. They hoped to inflict the maximum amount of damage on us."

"Well, it looks like they've succeeded." Fortinbras growled. "Turn this ship around and give them a reply."

"But sir," the commander said, "We have to support our ground troops."

"If that stupid foundation cruiser is still airborne, then we won't be around long enough to offer support! As long as the foundation is in the air, we are vulnerable to attack. We shoot that foundation cruiser down for good!"-

"Yes sir!" he turned to the bridge attendants. "Shift this ship's gun turret around ninety degrees! Use the fore guns to shoot and destroy that vessel!"

"Aye sir." A response came from the bridge.

With a low mingled roar, the massive ship turned itself around, aiming its fore guns at the foundation cruiser. Little did they realize that the foundation was already prepared.

The crew of the C class carrier watched as the guns came to bear on their hull.

"Alright," the captain shouted. "They're bearing their fore guns at us! Prepare to open fire on the hatches if they open!" The crew watched as one by one the cannons popped out of their cubbies and accumulated the necessary energy to fire.

"They're turning about." An operative said.

"Cannons on stand by and ready to fire," another added.

"Good," fire away then.

Again, the foundation, pummeled the cannons from their stations, rendering them completely useless. With each cannon ready to fire, each was destroyed as they aimed at the hull. However, some of the faction artillery managed to hit the smaller cruiser's hull and cause crippling damage.

"We're taking on damage!" one operative cried.

"What is the status?" the captain asked.

"It's about a ten percent status of damage."-

"Then we're still in the game! Maintain fire until each of those fore guns has been demolished!"-

"Yes sir," Like a clash of old mast galleons, both ships took on an incredible amount of damage. But already the Aryan Faction had already lost all starboard guns. Now, all Fore-guns had either been destroyed or were beyond proper repair.

"Keep it up, you men!" the captain cried.

"The hull has taken on too much damage," one Aryan faction crew man cried. "We've already lost fifty percent of our heavy artillery!"

"Damn it!" the commander growled. "Now all of our fore-guns have been destroyed."

"Turn this ship around again." Fortinbras ordered. "Use the portside guns."

"It's too risky, general. They'll most likely target those too."-

"Then find a way to fire at those bastards without having them target our cannons! I don't care if you have to blow through the hatches! You shoot that eyesore down!"-

"Y…yes sir."-

The ship turned again, using the portside. One of two battery rows remaining, the portside guns were powered up. But unlike before, this time, the hatches were not opened. Instead, it was decided by the captain to fire the cannons while they were still being charged up. The hatches were flimsy enough to break up when shot at.

As the portside guns were aimed and ready, some of the crewmen were surprised.

"Do they intend to shoot their guns off when the hatches haven't been opened yet?" a subordinate asked.

"I don't know." The captain replied. "Just be ready to open fire."

Suddenly, the hatches exploded, blown from off their hinges. Then from out of the portholes, powerful energy beams went flying at the foundation cruiser.

"Evade," the ship was suddenly pulled up and half of the blasts passed by harmlessly. Others however, hit their mark, causing great damage at the hull. At the same time, the cannons returned fire and pummeled Fortinbras' carrier, eliminating over half of the barge guns. The captain wiped his brow and sighed. "This ship may not be as strong or as fast as that monster, but there's one advantage we have, a C class carrier has better maneuverability at close range.

"What just happened?" Fortinbras growled.

"They lifted up an entire side and evaded over half of our attacks." The commander said.

"Damn it, how did they do that?"-

"We overpower the C class carrier in every field except for maneuverability at close range. Because they're smaller and have less mass, they can move about easier than we ever could."-

"Blast," Fortinbras stood up from his seat, his teeth and hands clutched tightly. "I want you to destroy that thing no matter what!"

"Sir, over fifty percent of our artillery and outer defenses has been obliterated! Of that fifty percent and over, the majority of the damage has been on our fore and starboard batteries. A hundred percent has been permanently placed out of commission. That means that the foundation will be able to fire at us from the starboard and fore sides and not have to worry about any type of retaliation from us." Overcome with rage, Fortinbras stomped his foot on the ground in his frustration, causing the floor to crack.

"Those bastards, we have no choice now. We'll have to withdraw for the time being." Fortinbras scoured the coast. To the north there was a small peninsula, large enough for the ship to be docked until proper repairs were made. "Land the ship at that peninsula. We'll be able to work on the damage."

"Yes sir."-

"Until then, we'll just have to depend on the infantry to execute Mulian Arakis. I want the second wave deployed."-

"Yes sir."-

More troops were deployed as the carrier withdrew.

"They're withdrawing, sir." The operative said. "The foundation is withdrawing to that skinny peninsula up the coast."

"Shall we follow them?" another operative asked.

"We have then on the run and we've eliminated over half of their outer defenses. I don't see why not." The captain folded his arms in front of him. "Why not, give the order to pursue."

"That's not a wise decision, sir." The lieutenant implied.

"And why's that?" the captain asked curiously.

"In that skirmish, we too lost twenty-five percent of our outer defenses. To add, that last assault by the Aryan Faction managed to deliver crippling blows on us. There is a large gaping hole on the starboard bow of the ship and it's a severe exposure. If the Aryans wanted to, they could exploit that weakness and hit the very core of the ship."-

"Damn,"-

"Also, our own energy supply has been depleted by over a quarter, which means we have less than a quarter of what we started with when we fist landed. If we lose anymore power, this vessel will not be able to sustain itself airborne for long and will plummet. And it'll be no more of use for anything except as a giant paperweight."-

"What do you suggest we do then, Lieutenant?"-

"We'll have to withdraw for the time being and regain our strength. We also need to make repairs on those gaping holes and cracks on our side."-

"Very well then, our confrontation with the Aryan's carrier will have to be postponed for a later date."-

Without further attempts to battle one another, the two great ships withdrew and the battle in the air had ceased for the time being. However, the battle on the ground of the Destiny Island was far from over. By now, the coastal part of the town had been demolished by the endless barrage of the Aryan Faction. Now, because Fortinbras' men had gained numbers as well as ground, the forces of the Arakis Foundation could not hold for very long and many of them began to flee into the town.

Imetriarch Crassus and his loyal soldiers continued to fight even beyond their own capabilities. Five times the Aryans charged the line and five times they had been repulsed. Despite depleting numbers from every attack received, the bravery of Crassus' men was a sight, which would be praised by scholars and historians for centuries to come. But such valor and bravery was not enough to hold back the swelling ranks of the Aryan Faction. Crassus slew another soldier before ceasing his bloodshed to gaze at the carnage that erupted around him. He looked on as one by one his favored and elite troops were killed one after another.

"We won't last here much longer on the beaches, sir!" one soldier cried before a bullet struck him at the temple, killing him instantly.

"They're overpowering us!" an officer said. "We have to withdraw from here!"

"His Excellency instructs that we must protect this town." Crassus replied.

"We've lost over fifty percent of our men in the front line, sir and the Aryan ranks are still swelling, especially with the arrival of that second wave of troops. It will only be a matter of time before the Aryans overrun us."-

"Damn it."-

"I advise that we fall back into the town. At least we'll be able to hold off a better defense in a house to house and street to street combat tactic."-

"I hope these people and His Excellency forgive me for what I'm about to do." Crassus thought to himself. He later openly declared with a deep sigh. "Very well, tell the men to fall back into town. Tell them to engage in hand to hand combat and surprise attacks. Do whatever possible to psychologically prevent these scumbags from advancing any further. We keep them near the coastal area."

"Yes sir."-

The order was given and the Arakis Foundation soldiers withdrew from their positions on the beach. Smoke bombs were thrown as they retreated, concealing their movements.

"We have them on the run!" one Aryan faction officer cried. "Drive them back! Track down Mulian Arakis and have him killed!" But some of the soldiers were a little hesitant when that order was given. But their commander's word was law and they had no choice, but to obey.

In thin columns, the Aryan Faction ranks advanced across the bloodstained beach and into the town, passing the bodies of hundreds of slain soldiers in the process. Eyes wide open, tongues hanging out of their mouths, and limbs mangled in their final struggle, the dead was almost nightmarish, especially amongst the linger clouds of smoke made from the smoke bombs. The faction soldiers scurried into town, taking their positions behind fences, in courtyards, at the sides of buildings still standing, hoping to find the foundation forces, engage them, and destroy them. But like phantoms, the forces of the Arakis Foundation had vanished into thin air. More smoke bombs had been unleashed into the town. And the still air made the white clouds linger like a fog, making the atmosphere all the more foreboding to Fortinbras' troops.

Only the sound of crackling fires from demolished buildings could be heard. Not a soul was in sight, say for a few scared civilians who had shut themselves up in their homes and were peeking from out of windows and doors.

"There's no sign of the foundation anywhere." One soldier said.

"They're here." An officer replied. "Be on your guard." The soldiers went deeper into the town and the surrounding countryside, their eyes visual for the enemy. Little did they realize that Crassus' elites were hanging about the vicinity. The Arakis Foundation was still present, while one half stationed themselves to seal off the forces from the beach, the rest of the force lay in wait to ambush the soldiers from within the town. And because the Aryan Faction stumbled blindly about the town through the thickened screen of the smoke bombs, it made the task all the easier for the foundation to make their move.

"Take them!" Crassus shouted. Almost immediately, the foundation soldiers emerged from their hiding places and slew the Aryan soldiers with very little effort. The Aryans were left bewildered and fired blindly in the smoke, shooting at anything that moved. The shouts and screams of hundreds of soldiers could be heard as they attacked and basked, struck and slew, maimed and killed.

However, not all the attacks were successful. Some of the Aryan Faction soldiers emerged from the smoke, reaching the supposedly sheltered and secured area of the town, where the majority of the civilians still took shelter. And it was unfortunate that Kairi and Muli were in the same vicinity. Kairi had taken up two sharpened twin swords that she had used for daily solo practice, which is the reason for its sharpened edge. She had never once used her swords to kill. But now, with both the life of a young boy and the fate of her home at steak, Kairi had no other choice, but to take up arms.

She sat diligently, with Muli at her side, listening to the carnage that was taking place at the shoreline.

"I can't believe this is happening." She said.

"This is all my fault." Muli uttered. "If I hadn't decided to land here…"

"You shouldn't blame yourself like that, Muli. You couldn't have predicted this any better than I or anyone else for that matter."-

"But your homes, your people,"-

"At least you rallied them to defend us. That's good enough for me." But Kairi realized her words alone would not comfort the boy. Muli's eyes dripped tears and he slumped down into a ball against the house they were beside. He hid his face, concealing his supposed shame. But Kairi only put her arms around him and nestled him tightly.

"None of this is your fault. Don't beat yourself up. You're still young, you don't need this kind of grief on you mind."-

"But I'm scared…"-

"It's alright, Muli. As long as you're with me, you have nothing to fear. I have learned from the best you know."-

"Riku and Sora…?"-

"That's right,"-

"Hey Kairi," a voice shouted. Kairi looked up to see Wakka, Tidus, and Selphie coming towards them, armed with their prized weapons. It was Selphie that gave the greeting. "I'm so glad to see that you're alright."

"We're fine," Kairi replied. "I'm glad to see that you guys are okay too."

"It looks like your friends caught up with you, kid." Tidus addressed Muli in a rather scornful manner. "I told you guys that trouble would be coming with him. Now look, our hometown's being attacked by an aggressive band of misfits. That's never happened before." Tidus gripped his fists. "I mean if it wasn't for that brat,"

"Lay off, Tidus!" Kairi stood up stern, defending Muli, "You've said enough!"

"But Kairi,"-

"You think it's easy for Muli?! He never intended for this to happen! We were no more aware of the danger than he was! If we all were, Muli would never have landed here in the first place and the mayor would never have accepted to give him and his men shelter." Tidus, unable to find a suitable argument to back up his own view, backed down, uttering no further comment of cynicism. "I was entrusted to protect Muli and that's what I plan on doing. Your job is to protect the citizens, so go and do it!"

"Understood," The three withdrew to help fight off any Aryan Faction soldiers that might have penetrated into the heart of town.

"Thank you, Kairi." Muli said.

"It's nothing to it. Tidus can be a jerk sometimes. I think he let's his heart run away with his head. He hasn't really been the same since he had that incident with General Triiken."-

"Triiken…?" Muli was stunned. "Are you saying that one of the feared Gatler Generals was here?"

"Yeah, he came here looking for Riku and Sora. And unfortunately for Tidus, he was the first one Triiken encountered."-

"I didn't know."-

"Ever since then, Tidus hasn't really taken to trusting outsiders."-

"I see," Muli looked up at Kairi, hoping to smile and assure her of his regained comfort. But his smile was turned into a frightful whimper. Kairi noticed this strange expression on the boy's face.

"What's wrong, Muli?" she asked.

"Kairi, above you," he pointed to one of the rooftops. Kairi turned to look and found fifteen Aryan Troops glaring down at her and upon the ground, another ten. They were soldiers who managed to somehow find their way into the inland part of town and happened to stumble upon Mulian and his bodyguard.

"Well, well, well," the officer in charge chuckled. "What have we here? If it isn't the traitor, Mulian Arakis, and look, he has a bodyguard with him as well."

"A female bodyguard." One soldier chuckled.

"Not a bad looking one too." Another added. "Maybe we could spare her for later."

"I don't see why not."-

"Mind your business, men." The officer said. "We have a mission to fulfill." The soldiers descended from the roof and landed gently upon the ground. "Give us the boy, girl! We have no beef with you…for now at least."-

"Muli," Kairi implied, "Get behind me." Muli quickly took shelter behind the young woman as she drew out her twin swords.

"Now, now," the officer wooed, "don't be foolish young lady. We have no quarrel with you personally. It doesn't have to end with your death. Just let us have the boy and you can walk away without a scratch."

"Sorry," Kairi rose up her blades, "I can't do that."

"You can save yourself a lot of grief. Hand over that boy now!"-

"If you want him, come and get him! But you'll have to go through me first!" The officer only lowered his head and sighed. Then raised his eyes with a sinister smirk.

"I hate to have to do this to such a fine young wench, but if you insist on getting in our way, then so be it. But don't expect my men to go easy on you."-

"Are you done blathering?" Kairi's sarcastic tone somehow got under the officers skin.

"Insolent girl," he drew out his saber from his scabbard. "Men, kill that upstart female and the boy now! Put them in their place!"

"Yes sir," five of the soldiers attacked one at a time, believing that Kairi was no more than an arrogant amateur. But their perceptions soon proved false. Kairi did not hesitate and slew two of them without pause, at the same time maiming the other three. The soldiers were stunned at her abilities.

"You little strumpet," the officer growled. "How dare you strike down the elites of Lord Marcus Montague."

"Save your squawking." Kairi replied.

"Kill her!" The next five attacked all at once. This time, they were not giving Kairi a chance to breathe. Kairi launched her own attack and battled all five at once. She was stabbed and slashed at, but she evaded, blocked, and countered as gracefully as any. One of the soldiers tried to pass her and go for young Mulian Arakis, but Kairi quickly threw herself in front of the soldiers and knocked him back.  
"You thought it would be that easy to get by me?" The officer was infuriated.

"Come on, you idiots! It's just a girl you're fighting!"-

"Just a girl, am I? It looks like you got more than what you bargained for."-

"Get in there, the lot of you and kill her!"-

More of the elite soldiers attacked, sweeping at Kairi from all sides. Kairi had to do her best to keep them from smiting Muli, at the same time keeping an eye on her own safety.

Again, another soldier lunged forth and tried to strike Muli, but again Kairi fended him off. But no sooner had she forced back another trooper, two others lunged at her and swiped powerful blows upon her. Kairi could only block at the last moment. The impact of the blades was so great that both her swords were knocked out of her hand.

"No," she uttered. The soldiers snickered.

"It looks like there's no way out of this for you now." The officer chuckled.

"Muli," Kairi said, "Get out of here while you still can. Go,"

"But what about you, Kairi?" Mulian asked.

"Don't worry about me. You're the one they're after. Get out of here now."-

"But Kairi,"-

"Do as I say," Mulian drew back his falling tears and quickly ran away. The officer watched as the boy mad his escape.

"Go after him and kill him." He ordered.

"Yes sir," five of the soldiers ran after Muli, leaving the others to finish off Kairi. They neared her little by little, the edges of their blades aimed at her fair blazon.

"They'll take care of that little traitor soon enough." He then glared back at Kairi. "As for you, girl, your time is up here and now. There's no way out for you this time." He gave the signal to his men. "Kill her."

Five of the soldiers attacked without mercy. Kairi saw her life flash before her eyes as her final moments came towards her in the form of a dozen glittering blades.

"So this is it?" she thought to herself. "I never got to see Riku and Sora and tell them good-bye."

But as it seemed fate had decided to shift Kairi's fate towards death, it again swung about, denying her demise. From out of nowhere, the cloaked man appeared before her, revealing two large blades. With one strike, he slew all five men. The elites fell dead before his feet. His presence stunned the officer and the other troopers.

"Who are you?"

"There's no use giving my name to those who are about to die." The man replied.


	100. The Battle of the Destiny Islands

The Battle of the Destiny Islands

There was a sudden awkward moment as the soldiers observed the sudden arrival of the cloaked man. With large twin blades in hand, the man had struck down five of the attacking elites with one strike. Now, the other soldiers were on guard, their blades still drawn outward.

"You fool," the officer mocked, "Attacking alone, perhaps you are too concerned with glory."

"That has nothing to do with it." The cloaked man replied. He turned his ear to Kairi. "Are you alright, Miss?"

"I'm fine…" Kairi replied.

"If there is one thing I hate more than snot-nosed brats and sassy little girls," the officer declared, "its last minute heroics! Well, it doesn't matter. If you are so eager to save this girl, sir, then both you and she can acquaint yourselves in the after life!"

"Quit your blathering." The cloaked man said. He suddenly locked the overextended hilts at their ends, turning his once two separate blades into a doubled bladed bow, or voulge. "If you wish to get your point straight with me, you'd better be prepared to lose your life."

"It is you whose life shall be cut short!" The officer threw out his blade. "Kill that insolent bastard! I want his heart on a plate!"-

Five other soldiers attacked the stranger and struck and slashed from all sides. But the elusive man evaded and countered with such grace and agility. He maimed three of the soldiers, slew one, and forced another to fall back in fright. The other troopers sneered. The officer himself was shocked by the outcome. His men had fallen so easily to the hooded stranger.

But it was Kairi who was most astounded. For some reason, she seemed not threatened by this man's appearance. In fact, there was a comforting feeling in his presence. At the same time, there was that admiration for his skill.

"This guy," Kairi thought to herself, "He's good, very good, but who can he be? Could it be possible that…?"

"You fended off five elites again?" The officer uttered. "Who are you?"

"If you must know," The man suddenly threw off his cloak, "Then behold the truth behind the shadow." Before Kairi and the soldiers stood a tall and dashing youth, no older than Riku, his hair a dark toned red and his eyes were a sky blue, similar to the damsel he was protecting. He wore a short, black shell jacket with red cuffs, interior, gilded lining and was double-breasted with two rows of buttons. On his shoulders were brass armored blades that reached to the joint of his elbow, to prevent any upper arm damage. His trousers were black as well, with red rank lines at the side. He wore white gloves and boots with gold tips. This distinguished features of his uniform indicated that he was a member of the Midnight Faction.

"It's that traitor!" the officer was stunned, "Prince Kirin of the Flaming Blades!"

"Kirin…?" Kairi said. The name suddenly struck a chord.

"What the hell are you doing here anyway?"-

"I've come to find a certain someone in this town." Kirin replied. "And it would bog me down if I found out you and your cronies killed them."

"Traitor," the officer sneered, "I'll see you dead! Death to all traitors who stand against the Imperial Axis! Kill him!"

This time, there was no holding back. The remaining soldiers charged without pause against the prince. But Kirin was quick, throwing himself over the heads of the soldiers, cutting the throats of some, killing them instantly. The soldiers swarmed around like wasps, but none was a real threat to the agile monarch. Back and forth they battled, Kirin evading with incredible skill and the Aryan soldiers a step behind trying to slay him.

"Can't you do better than this?" Kirin mocked.

"Shut your mouth, boy!" one soldiers shouted. From all direction, they attacked, but to avail did they smite the youth. Swirling about his voulge, Kirin slew three more.

"Why is it that Kirin is fighting so ferociously for this girl he doesn't even know?" the officer thought. "Unless…" The officer soon realized. "I see, so that's why…"

Kairi looked on as this stranger battled with such integrity as if his main goal was to protect only her.

"Is he fighting for me?" Kairi thought to herself. But just then, at the corner of her eye, she saw the officer suddenly charge at her without warning.

"It's you who he fights for!" the officer shouted. "Now die!"

Kairi cried out as she saw here emanate death befall her once again. Kirin turned to see her in danger of being smitten.

"Kairi," he suddenly shouted. He pushed back his attackers and went in defense of the young woman. Just as the officer's saber fell upon her, the blade was blocked by Kirin's voulge

"What," the officer uttered. He looked to see the suddenly demonic glare in the eyes of the prince.

"You keep your hands off of her, you filth." Kirin pushed the officer away, swung around and lunged one of the blade ends deep into the officer. The officer keeled over, blood rushing from the ghastly wound in his belly. "Attacking her has cost you your life."

"Damn you," a soldier shouted, rushing at Kirin from behind. Kirin quickly turned. There was a sudden pain in his left shoulder as the trooper's pike had managed to strike underneath his shoulder armor.

"No Kirin," Kairi uttered.

"I got you, traitor." The soldier replied with a chuckled. But his smile turned inward as he saw the rage in the eyes of the monarch.

"Do you think you're dealing with an amateur?" Kirin drew up his weapon and sliced the man's face in half from the chin up. The other soldiers though elites were themselves fearing this crazed youth who had already maimed and killed many of their companions and their leading officer as well. "Have you forgotten who I am?! I am Kirin of the Flaming Blades!" Striking his blades upon the ground, the voulge became an inferno of raging fire. "Now you will all burn!" The fire seemed to dance about with a mind of its own.

Fearing and mesmerized by the dancing flames, the elites stalled in their attempts to defend themselves. One by one, they were struck by the intense heat and the sharpened steel of Kirin's voulge. Of the twenty-five or so soldiers who engaged, only ten managed to survive unscathed. They picked up their wounded comrades and quickly withdrew into the now lifting fog of the smoke bombs.

Kirin grasped his wounded arm as he watched his adversaries withdraw from the field. The blood stained his white glove and shirt, but he didn't pay any further mind to his wound. He could only look on as the last of the Aryan soldiers vanished into the distance.

"Kirin," Kairi uttered.

"Are you alright, Miss?" Kirin asked.

"Uh…yes, I'm alright." She then looked at Kirin's shoulder, watching the fine cloth stain with crimson. "Here, let me help you."

"There's no need." Kirin pulled his arm away.

"C'mon, let me help you." Kairi put her hands upon his shoulder again. "The least you could let me do is mend you up a little bit."

"Well…I…"-

"Kairi," a voice suddenly shouted. Kairi turned to see little Muli running towards her.

"Hey, Muli," Kairi replied, embracing the boy. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," Muli then happened to look at Kirin. "Thank you, sir, for saving me."

"It was nothing." Kirin replied, turning away.

"You saved Muli?" Kairi asked.

"I was just in the vicinity that's all."-

"I see," Kairi walked up to the young man. "Then I guess I owe you twice as much for saving Muli as well as I." Kirin didn't dare make eye contact. But as he was continuously enticed into gazing into Kairi's blue pupils, he had no other choice, but to give in to temptation. "Let me mend up your wound for you, Kirin."

"I guess…" Kirin was a little hesitant at first.

There was a sudden cheer in the distance, attracting the threes' attention. From the thinning clouds, Imetriarch appeared with a handful of jubilant soldiers.

"Victory has come to the forces of the Arakis Foundation this day!" he declared openly. "The forces of Montague have been quelled and are now in full retreat!"

"Imetriarch," Muli cried, running to his old friend.

"Your Excellency," the two embraced, "I see that you are still alive and well, young master."

"All thanks to Kairi and Kirin."-

"Kirin…?"-

"Yeah, the guy sitting next to Kairi," Muli pointed. The foundation soldiers were stunned.

"Isn't that the infamous Kirin of the Flaming Blades?" one soldier asked.

"What the hell is he doing here?" another added. The soldiers murmured amongst themselves.

"Enough," Imetriarch calmed them down. "I'm sure that there is a logical explanation for him being here."

"But he's a member of the Midnight Faction. He can't be trusted."-

"If that's so, why would he go out of his way to save our master?" The soldiers couldn't find an explanation. Their silence confirmed their confusion. "If Kirin is a member of the Midnight Faction, he would have done as his lord had commanded and kill Master Mulian without a moment's notice."

"You do have a point, prime minister." One of the officers concurred.

Kairi, in the meantime, took out a clean piece of cloth that was originally supposed to be used to clean the boats earlier that morning.

"Could you please take off your jacket and shirt?" Kairi asked. "I need to bandage up that wound of yours really good."

"Of course," Kirin took off his coat, armor and shirt, revealing a tight and muscular physique. Kairi was almost enticed by his youthful form, but shook it off to help mend the wound. But as she attended the injury, she noticed a half-heart locket around his neck. Kairi was shocked, but turned away as if not to notice it. But Kirin caught a glimpse of her intrigue, but said nothing.

"Prince Kirin," Imetriarch declared as he approached, "I thank you for coming to the aid of young Master Muli."

"It's quite alright." Kirin replied.

"But how is it that you have come here?"-

"I have been branded as a traitor and have been condemned by the Midnight Faction and the Imperial Axis."-

"I was unaware, sir. We have been on the lamb for quite some time and news seldom reaches us."-

"I am now scouring the worlds to find a certain someone."-

"Is that so?"-

"I'm close to finding her, I can feel it." He might have been trying to drop Kairi the hint.

"Well, I hope you find this person." Imetriarch replied.

"And what about you?" Kirin asked. "What brings you here? Is it true that you have decided to make peace with the Universal Alliance?"

"That is correct, sir."-

"Well, then I won't stop you, not like I have any reason to do so anyway. But if you do make peace with the alliance, the closer we'll be to ending this chaos. And then Lord Sirius Viicous will finally pay for all the cruelty he has inflicted on others"-

"Aye," Imetriarch bowed. "Well, thank you very much Miss Kairi, Prince Kirin, for taking care of master Muli. I shall take it from here."

"Very well,"-

"Shall we, Master?"-

"Yeah," Muli replied with a smile on his face. He turned to his friends. "Thank you very much, Kairi and Kirin." He bowed and the two walked away, their soldiers a little behind them in pursuit.

"I guess Mulian Arakis is not the ambitious tyrant he was portrayed as by the Imperial Axis."-

"Yeah," Kairi replied. There was a sudden awkward silence, broken only by the ruffling of Kairi's wrapping of the bandage. Then came the increasing sniffles of sadness. Kairi, for some reason began to cry. She suddenly laid her head upon Kirin's back.

"Are you alright, Miss?"-

"You knew my name." Kairi replied. "You called out my name." Kirin knew right away that she was aware of who he was. "You have the same style locket as me. I have to know something. I have to ask you a question, but I fear that I might be disappointed about what you might say."

"What is it?" Kirin asked. Kairi stalled, but summoned the courage.

"Are you my brother? Are you the one from my dreams? Are you the little boy that I always see playing with me as a child? I've always been under the impression that I had an older sibling." Kairi pulled out her locket and showed it to him. "I have to know, are you him?" There was again another awkward silence. This time, Kirin broke the tension, not with words, but with his actions. He took from his neck, his locket and handed it to Kairi.

Kairi took his locket and connected it with her own. The two halves were a perfect fit, a heart with insignias and designs that interwove and coincided with one another. But Kairi was still apprehensive. She knew that the locket could only be opened when the two proper sides were brought together. She tried to pry open the lid. Sure enough, to her shock, the lid did open upon their hinges. The soft tone of a sad and cheerful melody rang out and there in the heart was a united picture of a young boy and a young girl. The little girl was her. Kairi gasped with her eyes still teary. She then looked up at Kirin who had suddenly turned and was looking at her with that solemn and comforting look.

"You're my…" Kairi could only utter those two words. But Kirin only smiled and nodded. Overcome with such joy, Kairi threw herself in Kirin's arms and wept. "You're my brother…"

"Yes," Kirin tightly held her in his arms, "I needn't have had to tell you. You figured it out all on your own."

"But was that you all this time, the cloaked man?"-

"Yes,"-

"But why didn't you just say something to me?"-

"You would not have believed me."-

"But our lockets…"-

"Our lockets are insignificant. They signify nothing when the emotion is not present. I wanted you to find out for yourself."-

"I…" Kairi was dumbfounded, not knowing what to think, but she didn't care. She had been reunited with her brother. His touch, his smell, they were all nostalgic feelings and she felt no apprehension or tension. She released her feelings for that one brief moment.

"I've always been looking forward to this day when I would finally meet you again, Kairi." Kirin said. "Our destinies have led us here." He then pulled her away to gaze into her eyes. "There is nothing to be so sad about now."

"I'm not sad," Kairi replied. "I'm happy, so happy that you're here. But how did you find me? How did you know where to look? And why didn't you come sooner?"

"For a long time, though I remembered who you are, I had long forgotten your name and had no idea where to locate you. I had no links or whereabouts of where you were. But that all changed when I met two old friends of yours."-

"Old friends…?"-

"Riku and Sora," Kairi's eyes grew large.

"Riku and Sora…? Did you see them?"-

"Yes, it was because of them that I gained the one lead to finding you. They told me that you were also aware of my presence."-

"I guess it was that story I told them years ago. But how did you come to encounter them?"-

"It was under the most unpleasant of circumstances." Kirin suddenly turned away, as if avoiding conversation or eye contact. Kairi was puzzled thinking that maybe there was a dark secret behind the encounter between her brother and her friends.

"What encounter was that?" she asked.

"We met as enemies, Kairi. They were off to fight against the Midnight Faction. I was fighting for it, which is the reason for this uniform I wear."-

"You were enemies?" Kairi was starting to get a little concerned.

"There was a point where I tried to kill them both."-

"No…"-

"Yes, but fate was against me, as if to say that those two young men were not to perish by my hand."-

"Are they alright though?"-

"They emerged victorious in the end with barely a scratch to show it, while I was apprehended as a defeated man." Kirin looked at his sister. "So tell me, Kairi, can you look at me and accept me for what I've done? I had always promised myself that if I ever met you, I would be truthful to you with everything and open up as best I could. That's the reason why I kept my distance these past couple of weeks, because I knew that you, Riku and Sora are close friends. Could you accept a lost brother's words over the concern of the friends you have been near with since childhood?"

"Of course I could," Kairi stood up and confronted her brother. "I know now that Riku and Sora are alright and that they're still safe and sound! But even they could not close the gap that was left in my heart, despite their concern and love for me." Kairi grasped her brother's hand. "I needed you there as well. And now, I don't feel worried or lost anymore. I know that I have a brother, I always have. Now that little space left in my heart has been filled."

"Kairi," They locked eye contact, brother and sister. But their precious moment was shattered with the sound of guns bellowing off in the distance and the clash of battle once again echoing in the distance.

Soon thereafter, Imetriarch and Mulian, along with hundreds of soldiers were seen running towards them, heading for the northern outskirts of town.

"What's going on?" Kirin asked.

"The Aryans are starting to advance from the northern flanks." Imetriarch replied. "And they're attacking in full force again."

"Is that so? Is there anything I can do to help?"-

"If you would care to battle alongside us,"-

"I shall do so, sir."-

"Kairi," Imetriarch glanced at the young lady, "Would you care to take care of Muli again."

"Of course," Kairi replied.

"But Imetriarch," Muli objected, "let me go with you."

"We can't afford to have you in harm's way, sir. Let us deal with this." Muli knew that arguing was futile.

"Very well,"-

"Let's go then." Imetriarch led the troops to the battlements. In the meantime, Kirin has redressed himself.

"You take care of yourselves while we're gone." He said.

"But what about you and your injury?" Kairi asked.

"I'll live. I've had far worse than this."-

"But Kirin,"-

"Don't worry about me." Kirin picked up his blade and followed the column of soldiers to the fray.

As both sides engaged again, General Fortinbras was busy overlooking the battlefront. He drummed his fingers impatiently.

"Of all the times for this to occur." He grumbled. He observed the fighting. Then, observed the Foundation craft not too far off on the southern side of the island. "Damn that foundation cruiser, destroying our starboard and fore gun batteries, who would have thought that there was that much fire power and spunk in one of those lower ranking battleships. If only we had mobile dolls and mobile droids on board, then we could have demolished that eyesore and the rest of the foundation with very little effort."

"There was nothing we could do, sir." The captain replied.

"And what of our status in repairs?"-

"It's not going as well as we had planned, sir. We've suffered a great deal of damage. Our exterior has suffered over 52 damage, due to that battle we had with the foundation carrier. Of that 52, 47 was due to the obliteration of our entire artillery battery on the starboard and bow. As for our interior damage, three of our generators have been severely damaged, so taking off would be out of the question for the time being. I'm surprised we were able to sustain ourselves for as long as we did without crashing into the sea."

"Damn it."-

"Well, look on the bright side, sir. The foundation cruiser took on a lot of damage in that fight as well. Though their guns are still working, their outer defenses have been blown to hell. They'll keep quiet for a while."-

"How long will it take for repairs?" the general asked.

"Well, even at a non-stop repair pace for twenty-four hours a day," the captain replied, "It'll take at least three to four days."

"Then if we're going to be here for that long, the least we can do is cause as much damage to the foundation ground troops as much as we can. We can shift our port side guns towards the town correct?"

"Yes we can, sir."-

"And we're in range of the town correct?" The captain knew of Fortinbras' intentions and wished to openly oppose, but doing so was also treasonous.

"Y…yes sir."-

"Then if that's the case, bear down our cannons towards that settlement and flush the foundation out. We attack by day and bombard by night, depriving them of sleep. Soon, the opposition will be so exhausted, after being pummeled by our cannons, they'll eventually be overrun. I don't care if we have to destroy that entire town."-

"But they will most likely pull out, sir, in concern for the people's safety."-

"It doesn't matter. These Destiny Islanders deserve to have chaos reign on their doorstep. We will target the town for principle's sake, so the foundation can curse itself for ever touching down on this world." Fortinbras folded his arms in front of him. "Besides, we're planning on conquering this land in the near future. Let's give them a reason to fear us." Again, the captain was hesitant.

"Aye sir,"-

"Then unleash hell with our remaining guns. I also want transmission scramblers up and running. That way, no transmitted messages can be sent anywhere in this world."-

"But sir, our ship's anti-scrambler was rendered useless when it was hit in the battle with the foundation carrier. If we use the transmission scrambler, then we aren't immune to the effects of static interference. Transmitted communication we use will be affected too."-

"That too is irrelevant. As long as they can't call for reinforcements, that's all that is required."-

"But sir, we won't be able to call for backup troops either." The captain said.

"There will be no need for that." Fortinbras chuckled. "The fighting might have gone bad for us in these early stages, but we still have superiority in numbers and fire power. Eventually, the remainder of the former Arakis Foundation will fall and the threat of them merging with the Universal Alliance shall fail."-

"I understand, sir."-

"Then let us show these arrogant fools what true strength is."-

Dusk was already falling as the fighting continued into the late afternoon. Skirmishes near the town's northern outskirts had erupted and battle occurred back and forth. The Arakis Foundation's thin lines of defense swayed back and forth like waves. A mile of shrub lands and clear fields saw terrible carnage. Five times, the forces of Fortinbras advanced. Five times they pushed back the Arakis Foundation. Five times the foundation held and countered. And five times they pushed back the Aryans and regained their ground.

With the help of Prince Kirin and the defenders of the Destiny Island like Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie, Fortinbras was not able to go beyond the mile outside of town. By day's end, the fighting subsided and many of the soldiers had created shallow barracks and trenches to hide and seek shelter behind.

By this time, Kirin, Imetriarch, and the island defenders had withdrawn temporarily, leaving the subordinate commanders in charge of the battle line. Kairi and Muli were awaiting their return near the outskirts. As soon as they saw their comrades approach, smiled were exchanged.

"Brother," Kairi said, "You guys are alright."

"That was intense fighting though." Kirin replied.

"I can't believe this is happening." Tidus mumbled. "How is it that our home would become a battlefield? I never would have thought to see blood on the beaches or to see the land pocked with battle scars." He looked at Imetriarch and Mulian. "I mean, you guys could have prevented this couldn't you?"

"No," Imetriarch replied. "There's no way that we could have prevented this. Even if we didn't come to this world, sooner or later, your home would be involved in this universal conflict."

"There is no such thing as sanctuary in this war." Kirin added. "You either fight or die."

"I can't accept that answer, I won't," Tidus stomped his foot on the ground in frustration. "This could have all been prevented. This could have all been ignored."

"It could have been and it probably should have." Kairi said. "But it wasn't. You can only face facts, Tidus, war has come to our front door and there's nothing we can do about it now. The only thing we can do is to fight and defend the place we hold dear to our hearts."

"Kairi does have a point." Selphie agreed. "Like it or not, war has come and we can't change that. We'll just have to accept it."

"Damn it," Tidus growled, "as if things couldn't get any worse."

But no sooner had Tidus said that, the distant sound of booming could be heard. The allies perked up their ears to the sound of far off roaring and whistling that grew louder in pitch.

"What is that sound?" Wakka asked.

Just then, Kirin looked to the north to see balls of light plummeting towards them. He saw where they had originated, from the ship, and immediately he knew what they were.

"Get down, all of you!" he cried. He threw Kairi and Muli to the ground, just as the first shell of many, struck the ground. There was a large explosion, followed by a second, a third, and a fourth. Now, all the cannon shots were falling upon them and the allies threw themselves onto the ground for cover. Clouds of dust and debris uplifted into the dusky sky, houses and buildings, unfortunate to be hit, suddenly collapsed from their foundations, or took on a hideous form as their former beauty was retiled with projectiles and pieces of shrapnel. Explosions erupted everywhere, even in the middle of town.

"What the heck is that?" Tidus asked.

"It's the Aryan ship," he replied. "They're bombarding us!"

"Damn it." Imetriarch growled. "We have to seek shelter right away!" He looked at Kairi. "Kairi, is there any place where you can shelter young Master Mulian?"

"There's a bomb shelter at the mayor's residence." Kairi replied.

"See to it that he's brought there safely."-

"Right,"-

"No," Mulian objected, "I'm staying here, Imetriarch! I will not hide like some kind of animal! I'm going to stay here and help!"

"You will not!"-

"I will,"-

"You will do as you're told, young man! We can't afford to lose you!"-

"And yet you expect me to stand behind, sheltered in safety, while those men are dying?! Those are my men, Imetriarch, my men! They're only here because they believe in me, they believe in the Arakis name! Sure it would be easy for them to just defect against me and join the Aryan Faction, but they chose not to! They are here because they have faith in the Arakis family! Now how am I supposed to be a good leader, make an example of myself, and win their respect if I'm not there to support them?! Those are my men and they are dying for my sake! I will not abandon them in their time of need!"-

"Master Mulian…" Crassus, for the first time in his life, was astounded by his master's rebellious outburst.

"He does have a point." Kairi said.

"Well, I…" Imetriarch knew he had to take care and watch out for Muli, but now he started to question his own motives. Was he being overprotective, or was he trying to maintain his own authority over the young boy? Crassus did not want to think himself as being selfish. He could only accept that his young master was no longer a boy. Crassus bowed respectfully, "As you wish, master. I can no longer hold you back."

"Thank you, Imetriarch." Mulian replied. The boy raised himself and stood before the bombardment, fearing not his own death. "If we must face death, then we face it together!"

"Yeah," the others replied.

"But that still doesn't change the fact that we're at a disadvantage." Kirin said. "So long as that ship is bombarding us, we're left pinned down. We have to cease the bombardment before there's nothing left."

"Imetriarch," Muli said, "can you contact our ship and tell them to keep the Aryan carrier quiet?"

"I can, sir." Imetriarch used his scouter to contact the ship, but to his dismay the transmitter was undergoing static interference. "Oh no,"

"What is it?"-

"There's static interference."-

"No,"-

"It can only mean one thing then." Kirin said.

"What does it mean?" Selphie asked.

"It means that the Aryan Faction has set up a transmission scrambler in this world."-

"What does that mean?" Tidus asked.

"It means we can't communicate using transmitted messages. All communication airwaves have been nullified."-

"And that's bad, ya?" Wakka said.

"So what do we do?' Tidus wondered.

"The only other option is to send a courier to make their way back to the ship and give them the information." Imetriarch said.

"Then I think I can help with that."-

"What do you mean?"-

"I have a motorcycle in my garage. I could use that to give the message."-

"So does that mean you're volunteering?" Kairi asked.

"Don't get me wrong. I'd hate to miss all the fun, but I'm probably the only guy here who actually owns a motorcycle, let alone knows how to ride it."-

"Very well," Imetriarch implied, "Tidus, you shall be our courier."

"You can count on me."-

"Then, be off." Crassus took out a pen and paper and wrote down the orders. "Take this with you and hand it to the captain."

"Yes sir," Tidus saluted and withdrew.

"The only thing we can do now is wait for his return."

The shells fell around them, inflicting immense damage on the town. The soldiers dug themselves into the ground, using the soil to protect them. Firing continued even as the sun set and only flashes from the distant artillery and the streaks of flying projectiles could be distinguished in the night sky. Civilians either scurried to the safety of the country side, or were huddled in their homes, hoping for the worst to be over. But a projectile did not know the value or preciousness of a home and a few of the residential structures were demolished.

In the meantime, Tidus has managed to get back to his home, take out his motorcycle from the garage and sped off to the area where he saw the foundation carrier settle.

"I hope I'm not too late." He thought to himself. "Time is of the essence." Pressing down on the gear, Tidus made the motorcycle roar as it sped faster to the ship. Within five to ten minutes, he finally arrived at the ship's perimeter. The foundation guards saw him coming and shined a bright light on him. Tidus hit the brakes and stopped the bike from advancing any further. He was blinded by the bright searchlights.

"Who goes there?" one of the sentries cried. "Identify yourself!"

"I'm Tidus from the settlement!" Tidus replied. "I bring a message to you from the prime minister!" Tidus pulled out the message from his pocket and held it up. "I have to give this to the captain."

"Stay where you are!" the sentry declared. He then addressed another soldier. "Summon the captain! Tell him that a messenger has arrived from our ground forces!"

"Aye sir," a voice replied.

Tidus stood still for a good few minutes before captain finally made an appearance.

"What is the meaning of this?" he asked.

"I bring a message to you from Prime Minister Crassus!" Tidus replied.

"Preposterous, if the prime minister wants to send a message, he can just transmit a message to us."-

"But he can't. Those Aryan guys put up some kind of scrambling device."-

"Is that true?"-

"Yes,"-

"Captain," one of the soldiers implied, "he's right. The Aryans have set up and anti-transmission scrambler. That means we can't send any type of message that relies on radio waves."

"Is that confirmed?" the captain asked.

"Aye sir," The captain turned to Tidus

"Alright, young man, I'm listening. What does the prime minister say?"-

"He wishes to inform you," Tidus began, "that the Aryan Faction carrier has landed on the north peninsula of the island and is now pummeling the ground troops and the town. He wants you to get your ship airborne and cripple, if not destroy that cruiser for good."-

"Is that what he said?" He then saw the message in Tidus' hand. He asked for the slip. "Give me the written message, son." Tidus handed the slip of paper and the captain examined it. "Yes, this is definitely the prime minister's handwriting." He then looked up at Tidus. "I'm sorry young man, but I cannot fulfill the prime minister's request.

"Why not…?"-

"The Aryan cruiser inflicted a great deal of damage on us. Two of our generators have been destroyed, which means we won't be able to sustain ourselves in the air for an extensive amount of time. We'd as soon crash before even managing to lift off from this spot."-

"But the town is being bombarded."-

"I'm sorry young man." The captain handed him back the message. "You will just have to tell the prime minister that we can't aid him at the present time. Indeed, I don't think we'll get this ship up off the ground again for another five days with the amount of damage that is in need of repair."

"Well, isn't there something that you can do?"-

"Well," the captain pondered. "You need some covering fire to counter the faction bombardment. Then we can transport the mobile artillery to assist you."

"Alright then," Tidus started up his motorcycle, "I'll tell the prime minister. Have them transported as quickly as you can."

"Very well," Tidus thus pounded the motorcycle peddle and sped off. In the meantime, the captain gave order to his subordinates. "Activate those mobile cannons and get them under way to the town, for the preservation of his Excellency's legacy!"

"Aye sir," the subordinate replied and scurried off.

At the same time, the soldiers had dug themselves deep behind boulders and fallen tree trunks, watched the night diligently for any attempted night raids. At the same time, they avoided the shelling from the Aryan ship. Kirin, entrenched with the soldiers, kept a sharp eye out at the front line with Selphie and Wakka beside him.

"You know," Selphie said, "after a while, you kinda get used to all this shelling."

"Try saying that when one of them actually hits you." Kirin replied. "I've seen it happen. People get too comfortable with the sound of shelling, they forget about the force of the impact. By that time, however, it's already a little late."

"I hope that Kairi's alright." Selphie looked back to the town, watching some of the buildings and houses go ablaze and illuminating the night sky. "The town has been struck hard."

"Damn those Aryan bastards." Wakka growled. "They just had to come here and stir a fight."

In the meantime, Kairi was still vigilant over Mulian who had taken a seat near an open fire behind a stone wall. He huddled like a ball while holding hands near the open flame. Imetriarch in the meantime observed the battlements with his scouter's night vision lens.

"So far," Imetriarch said, "the infantry hasn't tried to advance in an evening attack. But then again, that would be a risky venture. They would be putting their troops in the sight of friendly fire if they did."

"I didn't realize it could get really chilly here on these islands." Muli said.

"It does get a little nippy at night." Kairi said, "Especially when it's nearing the late summer."

"Prime Minister," a sentry from the rear shouted, "Sir Tidus has returned with a message!"

"Has he?" Imetriarch said. He watched as Tidus rode up on his motorcycle. "What news do you bring? Will the captain support us?"

"He's unable to support us, prime minister," Tidus replied, "on account that the ship has lost the ability to fly due to the severe damage taken after today's assault on the Aryan carrier."

"That is no excuse! We need to have support!"-

"Well, he said that he would have his mobile artillery sent down."-

"Well, at least that's something to start on. We'll be able to use those artillery pieces to support us. But how we're going to protect them from counter-fire is another matter." Crassus pondered as the shelling continued. He then happened to look upon a clump of trees that grew high in a semi circle, providing natural cover in the line. A thought came to his mind and he snapped his fingers. "I have it." He turned to one of his subordinates that were observing the northern peninsula. "Major,"

"Sir," the officer stood at attention.

"I want you to go to our reserve forces in the rear and get three companies over here." Crassus pointed at the grove of trees he eyed earlier. "Have them dig up a deep pit where those trees are located. Tell them to dig deep enough to forge a battery position. The captain is sending us the mobile artillery, so tell the men to clear some of those trees so our pieces have a clear shot of the field and that Aryan carrier's barge cannons. Tell the men to collect as much loose debris from the town as possible to fortify that position."

"Yes sir,"-

"I want the men to work swiftly and diligently. I want that cannon pit finished before the sun rises."-

"Yes sir,"-

"Then move."-

"Sir," the officer scampered away to give the news to the reserved units.

"Tidus," Crassus said.

"Yes," Tidus asked.

"Get back to the rear and see to it that the mobile artillery gets here without delay."-

"I understand," Tidus pounded on the motorcycle peddle and rode off at great neck speed.

"You certainly are an expert when it comes to strategy." Kairi complimented.

"That's what the Crassus family has been known for though." Muli implied.

"They are?"-

"I come from a long line of superb strategists." Crassus said. "My father and his father before him were elite strategists. You might say that the tactician's trait is my birthright."

"I see."-

The night wore on and the Arakis Foundation quickly mobilized. Despite the flashing of cannons and the exploding of shells on the ground and overhead, Muli's dedicated military conducted themselves perfectly and without disorder. The three companies chosen to dig the cannon pits, hastened to the spot where they were to labor. They dug up the soil, making a pit fifty yards long, ten yards wide, and ten feet deep. They collected splintered wood from destroyed buildings and lay them on the ground as walkways in case of a storm. Trees were felled, narrow enough so the gun positions could still be camouflaged, yet wide enough for the barrels to protrude through and give an effective shot. Stones were used to make a small wall around the position.

The cannons, by the early morning, two hours before the sun would rise, had reached their destination. Going over a tedious and long procedure, five massive cannons were placed in their positions. There barrels were smothered with tree branches to help conceal their presence. Due to the constant shelling, the activity of preparing for and maneuvering the artillery pieces had gone unnoticed by the Aryan Faction. Working only by the luminance of fires along the line, the men were able to work quickly in the night. And with no full moon out, further luck was driven towards the Arakis Foundation.

Crassus and the others watched as the cannons were firmly placed in their positions.

"That's it, boys." Imetriarch would shout at times. "Keep it steady."

"I can't believe that you guys managed to set up this battery station in the course of a single night." Tidus uttered with awe.

"It just goes to show how diligent these soldiers of the Arakis Foundation are in their duties." Crassus then pulled out his watch. The time was about five o'clock in the morning. "We spared a good amount of time in this project."

Just then, Kirin, Wakka, and Selphie appeared from down the line. They were awe struck as they watched the concealing canopy finally rise over the artillery pit.

"Hey you guys." Kairi greeted.

"I'm glad to see that you were able to join us." Imetriarch said.

"We were wondering what the heck you guys were doing over here all night." Kirin said. "Now I see."

"You have been really busy, ya?" Wakka added.

"You set up this artillery pit in only one night. Man, that's fast."-

"Time is of the essence, Prince Kirin." Imetriarch replied. "These artillery pieces will work well in our defense and keeping those Aryan pieces over there quiet. Unfortunately, we only have enough energy cells to allow each cannon to fire off a hundred shots each. So we better be conservative with the ammunition when we fire the artillery. We have to make every shot count. Thus, these five pieces will be used only to knock out those guns at the Aryan carrier. And because of the lower range of firepower for these particular field pieces, we had to set them up here at the front line. Fortunately for us there is a natural barrier of trees to guard our batteries."

"You think the enemy could have seen you guys move these things?" Selphie asked.

"Not with all the commotion they were stirring up all night."-

But just then, something strange happened that caught the attention of everyone on the field. Perking up their ears, they heard a strange sound. A sound that was rather eerie, yet comforting and familiar. It was the sound of complete silence. The shelling has ceased for the night.

"They stopped firing." Kirin said.

"Yes they have." Imetriarch added.

"You think they've decided to give themselves a rest?" Wakka asked.

"Either that, or…" Imetriarch feared the worst. He turned to his men. "I want all positions on the front line held and observed!" The soldiers immediately obeyed. And it was a good thing they did. From out of their trenches on the far side of the island, the forces of the Aryan faction emerged and charged into the open ground against the foundation fortifications.

"What a way to start off the morning." Muli said.

"All soldiers to your battle positions!"-

Kirin and the others split up and took their places on the crucial areas of the line, laying next to the foundation soldiers.

"Keep your wits about you men!" Kirin shouted, arousing the soldiers, "here they come again!" The soldiers arose and immediately were on their guard. Sure enough, the Aryans were once again on top of them, charging head on against their entrenchments.

Fortinbras watched from afar as his hellish columns of soldiers advanced head on against the ever thinning lines of the Arakis Foundation.

"Nothing like a good morning charge to wake up little Muli and his band of traitors." He chuckled.

"Shouldn't we use our artillery to help in the attack though, sir?" the captain asked.

"No, I don't want to have to risk killing much needed soldiers with our own cannons. That would be a waste of artillery and manpower."

"Funny, you didn't seem so concerned with the lives of our soldiers the other day, sir." Fortinbras heard that tone of insolence from the captain. He turned and glared at the commander.

"You seem to be in a very facetious mood today. Is there something you want to say to me? Your defiance against my orders has been constant and random. Why don't you just say what you want to say and not meander about the shrub?"-

"With all due respect, I don't believe you have conducted this campaign very well from the beginning, sir. First, we attack this world, getting the people involved in our conflict, without giving a fair declaration of terms for them to deny or accept. We then battle against our former brethren. And you act as if we had no ties connected with them from the start. Then we risk hitting upon our own troops with our bombardment on the beach, hoping to break up the enemy forces as well, so we could end this unnecessary battle quickly and with very little bloodshed. And yet now you want to prolong it for the sake of the lives of those same soldiers whom you dared to unleash friendly fire upon."-

"That's the thing about life, commander." Fortinbras sat himself upon his seat and rested his head on his knuckle. "It's always about trial and error. I might have made a few mistakes here and there, but there was no real impact on yesterday's actions."

"Perhaps, sir if you were to take this battle more seriously,"-

"But wasn't it you that said it was unnecessary to engage here, yet you want to take the battle seriously now?"-

"That has nothing to do with…"-

"I am in command here, captain. If you want to give me suggestions, then go ahead. But I am the one who decides on whether to deploy our troops or not."-

"Is this the same attitude you had at the Battle of Long Valley? No wonder we lost that fight." But that statement was indeed the straw that broke the camel's back. Fortinbras suddenly snapped at the captain.

"That is enough, captain!" He raised himself from his seat and stormed to face the captain face to face. "You've made your point, now drop it! You think it's easy to see tens of thousands of men die?! I saw our finest soldiers killed by the score! That's more than what you will ever see in your entire damned lifetime!" He suddenly grabbed the captain's throat. "I have absolute power here and no one here will second guess my motives…ever. Do you understand?!"

"Y…yes, sir…" the captain strained. Fortinbras threw him down and threw himself back on his seat.

"Now, continue the attack!"-

"Aye sir," the operatives replied.

The battle would rage on upon the Destiny Islands, with the home island of Riku, Sora, and Kairi as the focal point of the entire confrontation. The battle would continue on in the early morning with random charges, holding actions, and later bombardments, with numerous deaths on both sides. The inhabitants of the island would suffer as well as they would slowly watch their once peaceful island bellow in flames. Never again would the lives of the people be the same again.

But in the deep and isolated forests of Montroze, near the Gilgazion springs, it was just another simple passing day. The training of the key bearers commenced without any real disturbance. It was once again the early morning and Thundro had dressed himself in his finest uniform. He checked his watch.

"The twenty-four hours are almost up." He said to himself. "That means that Riku and Sora's regimen in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber is about to conclude, best to meet them as they walk out."

Thundro exited his quarters and made his way to the Northern Corridor. He thus presented himself before the door of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. There he stood, feet apart and hands clutched behind his back, awaiting the emergence of the key bearers.

Sure enough, no more than ten minutes had passed before the door slowly opened. There was a bright light coming from the doorway, which caused the Death Lord to squint slightly. From that light, a shadowy figure emerged. It was Sora who first made his appearance. His uniform was tattered and frayed, inflicted by the incredible training he underwent while in the chamber. His bodily features had also changed. He seemed somewhat taller, his physique just as slender and muscular as ever. His hair had grown shoulder length, giving him an appearance identical to Cuchulain. He stood in the doorway, tall and proud of his achievements.

The next to emerge was Riku in the same tattered state as Sora. He too had grown taller and his physique was just as impressive. His hair had grown substantially as well, draping down to his lower back. Thundro was amazed at their appearance, but he was more amazed at the level of strength they gained, sensing their new power.

"Sorry we're a little late." Sora said. "Did we miss anything?"

"Not in the course of a single day." Thundro replied. "You've changed a great deal though."

"What can you expect for a full year of training?" Riku remarked.

"Your strengths have increased dramatically since the last time. So tell me, what have you gained in during your time in the chamber?"-

The key bearers had gained a great deal and Thundro would soon find that out for himself as his harsh regimen continued.


	101. Improvements

Improvements

"So," Thundro said, "What have you gained in your time within the chamber?"

"It was definitely a new experience." Sora said. "It was as you had said, that chamber is full of the unexpected."

"At times we didn't know what to think." Riku added. "The climate changed dramatically with the atmosphere in separate intervals. We encountered specters and illusions that weren't really faint apparitions."

"At times, I thought we were gonna die in there."-

"Did you have an urge to escape and end you training?" Thundro asked.

"Many times, there were those moments where I was on the brink of madness."-

"And what stopped you from losing your mind?"-

"It was those thoughts of home and the people we left behind." Riku said. "But most importantly, it was each other. Sora and I had no one else to comfort us, but ourselves."

"So do you think your friendship has strengthened?" Riku and Sora looked at each other and smiled.

"I believe so."-

"That's good then, because when it gets down to it, there are only two people you can trust, yourself and the man next to you. Thus, you must entrust even your faith and your life to your own mind and the mind of your companion." Thundro put his arms behind him. "I'm sure that you have undergone a great deal and what you have encountered in there will remain confidential amongst yourselves. But for now, I would like to see how much you've progressed. I sense a great deal of improved strength from you. I would like to see how it favors in combat." Thundro turned towards the door leading to the gravity room. "Let us head towards the gravity chamber and give your new found strength a test."

The three entered the gravity chamber. Thundro inputted the data for the required gravity, five times the normal level. The effects of the pressure could now be felt. But unlike the day before, Riku and Sora weren't wavered by the sudden change. They no longer staggered. Thundro was impressed.

"I see that you two can withstand five times the natural gravity." He remarked. "Your stamina is certainly an improvement from the other day. Yesterday, you could barely even stand in five times the natural gravity."

"We encountered those numerous changes in pressure while in the hyperbolic time chamber." Sora implied. "It's not surprising that we can withstand the level."

"The question is will you two be able to move swiftly in this type of gravity?" Again, Riku and Sora looked at each other and gave that impetuous smirk. Thundro immediately knew that the task was a simple matter to them now. He said nothing though, allowing the key bearers to wallow in their achievements. The Imperial drew out his double blades. "Now, do you two still have those orbs I gave you?"

The key bearers drew from their pockets, the orbs that were passed to them by Thundro the other day. They tossed them up into the air and allowed them to freefall back down. Just then, they drew out their keyblades and extended them outward, catching the orbs without sounding a ring from the bell inside, or letting the surface clang. The orbs remained stationed on the area to which they landed.

Thundro was again impressed, but he showed no real outward enthusiasm.

"You've improved well." He chuckled. "But let me ask you this. How good are you at balancing the ball upon the shaft of your weapon?"

"There's only one way to find out." Riku said.

"Don't get too overconfident, boys. You've only been battling each other for the passed year in the chamber. After a while, you become accustomed to the others' tactics and movement. However, fighting against someone like me will be slightly different."-

"We'll never know unless we try." Sora declared.

"So be it, let's see what you've got!" Thundro attacked both key bearers head on. The key bearers in turn reacted, tossing their orbs into the air again. The battle began just as intensely as the first time they engaged. But Riku and Sora were able to maintain the balance between themselves and the atmosphere. Though their orbs jangled at times, they managed to keep them balanced upon their blades. The key blades were now no longer a weapon. They had become the extension of their arms, a part of their body. And Thundro could see it as he battled ferociously against Riku and Sora.

"They've vastly improved since the last time." He thought to himself. "Riku and Sora have gained a new strength. They have learned to use the keyblades to the point that the weapons have become a part of their body. They can feel the slightest vibration in the air and know how to interpret the impact upon their weapons. Thus, allowing the orbs to fall gently upon their arms. They have leveled equally their mind, body, and spirit. Most excellent," Thundro smirked behind a stern glare. "Not even Guentory had ever excelled this much his first time. He barely even managed to stay in the hyperbolic time chamber for even half a day. If there is anyone who can defeat him, it'll be Riku and Sora. Still…" Thundro again pondered. "This is but a simulation of a battle. A real battle, however, will have its tosses and turns. But I'll let that off for the time being and allow these young men to boast their gains."

After ten minutes of battle, the fighting suddenly ceased and the two sides were at a stand still. Riku and Sora posed their keyblades and caught the orbs, letting them land softly upon their weapons' shafts. Thundro smiled and stuck his swords' tips into the floor of the chamber, letting them stand without attendance.

"So what did you think?" Sora asked.

"I have to admit, you two." Thundro applauded, clapping his hands. "You have done exceedingly well. You have gained a great asset in your arsenal. I can see that your time in the hyperbolic time chamber was not spent of tomfoolery."

"We underwent a great deal of hell while we were in there." Riku replied. The key bearers took their individual orbs and placed them in their pockets.

"So, do you think we're strong enough to absorb those orbs of yours now?" Sora asked. Thundro's look turned stern.

"You've improved a great deal, boys." He declared. "But you haven't improved enough to take in the Immunity Orb. You still have a while longer."

"But we've gained so much. I think we're ready."-

"Believe me, you're not ready yet."-

"But you saw what we were capable of, Master Thundro." Riku remarked. "We can balance the orbs on our blades and we can move swiftly without much trouble in five times the natural gravity level."

"That may be so, Riku." Thundro assured. "But you have become accustomed to those conditions because you had been exposed to them throughout your period in the time chamber. Real battles, as you should be aware by now, have different elements. The only thing you can rely on is the here and now. You have to think and predict. Strategy is only good for the commander. But it's up to the quick wit of the single warrior or soldier that determines how individual confrontations are decided. You should know this well since you have experienced those sensations for yourselves." Thundro picked up his swords. "Allow me to give you a demonstration of what I mean." Thundro suddenly began to increase his energy. The key bearers readied their weapons.

"This power," Sora said, "I've never felt anything like this."

"It's a strange power." Riku added. "It has a distinctive nature to it. I wonder what it is that Thundro will show us."

Suddenly, Thundro's body split into two. The key bearers were stunned, no knowing what to make of what they were witnessing. Thundro emerged, separated into two separate entities.

"You thought that fighting one Thundro was hard, let's see how good you are when fighting against two."-

"There are two of them now?" Sora uttered, sweat dripping down his temples.

"Impossible," Riku uttered, "He can't do that, can he?"

"Well, he did it."-

"This time, boys," Thundro declared, "I will not hold back! This time, you will be fighting for your lives! This time around, I will battle you and I will kill you!"

"You can't be serious."-

"Watch me." Thundro chuckled. The two separate Death Lords charged with incredible speed. Sora and Riku quickly reacted as best they could. Now, because they were fighting against two Thundros, the task had increased a great deal more. The Imperials slashed and spiked at the key bearers, hoping to impale them. At times Riku and Sora were cut across the face or on the shoulder, or on other part of their body. Their flesh drew blood and they realized that what Thundro had said was true.

"He's not bluffing." Sora was apprehensive now. "He really intends to kill us this time."

"If you plan on winning, you better be ready in two ways." Thundro said. "You had better be ready to pull out all the abilities you are capable of. And above all, you better be ready to kill me. Don't hesitate on account that I am teaching you. Consider me your enemy and fight whole heartedly."

"Very well then," Riku charged head long against the second Thundro. But for some reason, his body suddenly felt heavier and he could barely move. "What is this? I can't move."

"Me either, Riku." Sora added. "But why?"

"Now die!" Thundro shouted as he split halves attacked the key bearers. Riku and Sora saw that their lives were in danger and quickly evaded to the best of their abilities. But they evaded only by a few inches. Had they delayed any longer, they might have lost a limb to Thundro's blade. "Not bad, boys."

"But why all of a sudden can't we move?"-

"Haven't you realized yet?" Thundro thumbed to the gravity simulation. The reading gave out ten times the natural level. "I made sure to put the gravity pressure on random from a scale of one to ten. In other words, the gravity will very. This in turn will affect your reaction time just as it had a minute ago."

"That's not fair though!"-

"In battle, there are no such things as being fair. The one who is well prepared the most is most likely to be the one who succeeds. You must expect the unexpected and take nothing for granted." They battled again. This time the two young warriors were at a complete disadvantage. They converged back to back as they saw the two Thundros approaching.

"We have to get out of this." Sora said.

"I know." Riku replied.

"Do you have any ideas?"-

"There's only one way I know out of this, the Evasion Technique."-

"Yeah, let's do it."-

Unleashing the attack, Riku and Sora used the technique, using light and shadow to evade, confuse and strike the two Thundros. But to their dismay, the conclusion was a reversal. It was they who were pummeled. The two Thundros landed without a scratch.

"But how did he…?" Riku uttered.

"A tactic that didn't even work on the mighty Lu Bu," Thundro said. "Did you really expect it to work on me?"

"But that attack worked almost every time in the past." Sora gasped.

"It just goes to show that if you rely too much on a specific tactic or technique, it becomes your greatest weakness and the enemy eventually catches on." Thundro eased himself and merged into one being again. He then sheathed his blades. The key bearers sat up. "In this case, you have used that Evasion technique so many times that its reputation has spread even to the most isolated of regions. To add, you are talking to one of the legendary and infamous Death Lords. I am not as easy to fool as the rest. Most importantly, it is advisable never to show your best techniques unless necessary. This is a Shinobi method, never to display techniques and skills with such flamboyancy that your enemy will catch on to the secrets behind the ability and exploit its weaknesses for a countering measure. You must obtain a large plethora of abilities, one slightly altered than the other. This way, an enemy cannot guarantee a successful counter."-

"That sounds like Triiken's Noctin Exmortin." Riku thought to himself. "He's able to change his attack maneuvering each time so his enemy wouldn't be able to interpret the timing and technique."

"Also, another lesson to learn is to not become accustomed to any one technique of your foes. If you do, you will start to think that that's all they are capable of. Ergo, when they pull something out that's completely different from what you usually expect, the outcome can be fatal. In other words, never assume that your enemy has limits."-

"I see," Sora said.

"Also, two very important factors are always to be considered, but in most cases are seldom practiced, even by me."-

"What's that?"-

"The first is that you are not to become too overconfident in your own abilities. You yourself may think that you might not have limits, but in reality you do. Yet you're not fully aware of them. The second is not to prolong a battle for the sake of your own pleasure."-

"What do you mean?"-

"In other words, do not extend a battle just for the sake of showing off your invincibility and expressing your overconfidence. It has happened numerous times. You yourselves have encountered this before, with both yourselves as well as your foe. Delaying a battle will only allow your opponent to find another opportunity to regain strength or discover a counter that would lead to your downfall. If you find the opportunity to end the battle, do it without delay."-

"That's what I've always wondered." Riku said. "Why is it that fighter's prolong the battle?"

"It is because they want to take in that moment of weakness when their foe is powerless to stop them. They find that their dominance and superiority is an invigorating sensation and they want more of it. But such a sensation is not worth sacrificing your life or your cause over. Act quickly and end quickly, that is the number one priority of any confrontation." Thundro put his hands behind his back. He walked up the key bearers and healed their wounds by means of his energy. "Now, enough of this regimen for one day. I will allow you two to rest for today, after your strenuous time in the hyperbolic time chamber. I'll give you boys a haircut and you will be free to do as you please. It you want to do a little more training, then so be it. If you want to have an extensive day of rest, then it is done. If you would like a nature walk in the forest beauty, be my guest. This will be the one day that I will allow you to gallivant."-

"Thank you, Master Thundro." The key bearers stood up and bowed.

"I have fresh uniforms in your room. You look disgraceful with those tattered rags." Riku and Sora looked down to see their outfits pocked with rips, tears, and holes.

"I guess you're right." Sora replied with a sheepish grin.

"Go on, boys."-

"Right," the key bearers withdrew to their room, looking forward to a day of rest.

For the rest of their time in Thundro's domain, Riku and Sora would improve a great deal.

However, looking upon their distant home on the Destiny Islands, a different endurance was taking place. And it was one that was not as sheltered.


	102. A Continuing Siege

A Continuing Siege

It had become apparent that there was no stopping the Aryan Faction from their destructive path of chaos, which they rained upon Kairi's hometown. Fortinbras, determined to redeem his honor and reputation after the failed attempt during the Oceansburg campaign and the Battle of Long Valley, had closed his fist, vowing not to give in. He had complete superiority over the Mulian and the small military force of the former Arakis Foundation. Yet, despite his attempts to break their lines, his soldiers were driven back, forcing to give up all they had gained over the course of the second day's fighting.

It was already the high peak of a noon time lull and both sides were at a stand still, with minor raids and skirmishes erupting up and down the line.

"Inconceivable," Fortinbras growled, "How is it that they're able to maintain their line even after a massive attack on their defenses."

"You must understand, sir," the captain said, "Many of the men under your command are former soldiers of the Arakis Foundation. It's not surprising that they would be slightly reluctant to fight their old comrades. Some of your soldiers might have brothers, fathers, close friends, and relatives wearing the other uniform."

"That is no excuse. Those men facing us are nothing, but traitors to the Imperial cause! Our goal is to realize the dreams of the Three Excellencies and see to it that the ideals of the former Dark Empire reign absolute throughout all the worlds."-

"But at what cost I wonder." The captain thought to himself, not willing to have another outburst from the general.

At the same time, Kirin, Imetriarch, and the rest of the Arakis Foundation had dug themselves deep, watching the results of the battle unveil before them. They looked on as more of their soldiers lay dead or dying upon the already formed no-man's-land between them and lines of Fortinbras. The cannons upon the ship were quiet and no sounds of bombardment had commenced just yet. Still, the soldiers were a little apprehensive, waiting for that second when the Aryan batteries would sound off and further death would fall upon them.

"I wonder why they're not attacking again." Kirin said.

"Most likely, the soldiers are regrouping." Imetriarch replied. "As soon as they have reformed their ranks, they'll be rushing at us again."

"We wouldn't stand a chance against another massive attack like that. After this morning's fight, our men are exhausted."-

"You forget, young prince, their soldiers are just as weary after that morning engagement. They'll keep quiet for a while."-

"Yeah, but until they regain their strength, that carrier of theirs is going to blow the hell out of us, depriving us of our sleep as well as resources and man power."-

"Look on the bright side. At least they can't get their ship airborne. Otherwise, we would stand no chance whatsoever."-

"And if they do manage to get it airborne again?" Kirin asked.

"I've already taken that into consideration and am contemplating a way to keep that ship in a neutral position." Imetriarch replied. "Until then, the only thing we can do is keep it quiet."

It was then that the two saw Kairi and Tidus approaching them. They walked in a crouching position, hoping not to be spotted by Aryan soldiers on the opposite side of the field.

"How are things coming along?" Kairi asked.

"So far, all is quiet." Kirin replied. "The Aryans haven't renewed their attack yet."

"How is Muli doing?" Imetriarch asked.

"He's alright," Kairi assured him. "Selphie is watching over him. Man, I never thought that such a young boy would be so active in this."-

"He's going around helping with the moving of the supplies and ammunition." Tidus added. "He's even helping to dig those bomb shelters you ordered."-

"As should be expected," Imetriarch said. "He is His late Excellency's son after all."

"You say that so calmly. Aren't you going to detest that thought of your leader digging ditches and fox holes like a common soldier?"-

"Master Mulian has matured significantly since he left his sheltered life back home. He has completely changed his attitude towards the rest of the universe and all worlds coinciding. He in turn had changed me and many loyal followers of the former foundation. He realizes that to win respect, he must make an example of himself, which is why he works alongside his men." Imetriarch sighed. "I can't keep being a caretaker forever. Muli has grown stronger, stronger than even me."

"It would be a shame for him to do all this work only to have it be in vain."-

"So," Kirin inquired, "What's the casualty figure from this last morning battle?"

"There was a role call." Kairi replied. "At least three hundred and fifty have been killed, two hundred wounded, and fifty-seven are missing in action."

"That's almost a third of our entire force out of commission so far." Imetriarch said. "And it's only been the second day."

Suddenly, there came the sound of distant thunder. The group was fully aware of what it meant, the bombardment had commenced again. Following the distant booming of the batteries from the cannons, there pursued a high pitched whistling that accumulated from the incoming beams of light that drew closer upon the entrenched soldiers. The screaming grew louder and louder before making impact with the ground and causing incredible destruction upon the defenses.

"Here they go again!" Kirin said. "Everyone get down!"

Explosions bellowed around them and debris fell upon the team like a summer shower.

"Send word to our battery!" Imetriarch ordered one of the soldiers. "Have them target those guns on the Aryan ship! Make every round count."

"Yes sir," the soldier replied and scurried down the line, passing the word to the battery.

No sooner had the soldier left; the little group saw one of the beams heading straight for them.

"Incoming," Tidus shouted.

"Get out of the way!" Imetriarch cried, telling his comrades to scatter. All got out of the way, except for Kairi, who, unaccustomed to such extreme danger, was suddenly frozen in her tracks. Her legs suddenly went stiff and she couldn't move.

"Kairi, get out of there!" Tidus shouted.

"Miss Kairi!" Imetriarch added. Bu their words did not seem to reach her. She was petrified. The sight of her demise came in the form of an enemy projectile. She could only cover her head with her arms and scream.

"Sister," Kirin shouted. He threw himself at Kairi, grabbing her and pulling her out of the shell's path. There was a massive impact and the two were blown away, blasted with falling debris and dirt. In the aftermath, both Kairi and Kirin raised their heads. "Are you alright, Kairi?"

"Yeah," Kairi replied, "I guess so."

"The front line is too dangerous, Kairi. Get back to the rear now."-

"But, brother,"-

"Do as I say!" Kirin's tone had become hard and stern, like a strict disciplinarian. His eyes, however, expressed a different emotion, not at all firm as the rest of his body language. Kairi could see that his anger was only based off his concern for her safety. Not wanting to burden her brother anymore, she withdrew without another word.

"Kairi can be rather stubborn at times." Tidus said. "You have to be firm with her."

"I'm not surprised though." Kirin explained. "I have that same kind of attitude."

"Gentlemen," Imetriarch said, "Keep down and stay close to the matter at hand!"

"Sir," the two young men replied. They dug themselves deep and stayed close to the earthworks, avoiding the effects of the barrage.

In the meantime, the hidden battery was coordinating its guns to aim and hit the Aryan Faction artillery. The degrees were set, the power levels increased to their maximum for maximum effect.

"We're ready to fire, sir!" One of the officers declared.

"Then prepare to open with full battery fire on my signal!" The battery commander confirmed. "Aim well for the cannons themselves."

"Yes sir," the cannons were carefully positioned to hit their intended target. "Standing by for your orders, sir, we're locked onto the target!"-

"Fire," the commander bellowed. There was a series of loud booms and five beams emerged from the grove of trees. They sped off towards the open hatches of the Fortinbras' battery.

"We have detected incoming energy sources!" an operative of the Aryan faction shouted.

"What was that?!" Fortinbras said.

"Where from?" the captain asked.

"It came from the foundation entrenchments!" the operative replied. But the damage had been done and the blasts struck the side of the ship, shaking the entire carrier violently. The commander, the general, and all on board held of for dear life. Others fell to the floor and tumbled about.

"I want a status report! Where did they hit us?!"-

"Sir, our port battery had been hit. At least thirty-seven percent had been rendered out of commission."-

"What…?"-

"Damn it, that's what they were aiming for." Fortinbras growled. "They're hoping to knock out our batteries to prevent further bombardment."

"This is a definite drawback, sir." The captain declared. "We won't be able to fire at will anymore without the threat of incoming counter-barrages hoping to deprive us of our heavy artillery."

"We'll just have to find a way to resolve this." Fortinbras looked at the screen. "Detect where the source of this counter fire is coming from and blow it to hell!"

"Yes sir." The captain turned to his operatives. "Prepare countermeasure, aim towards the foundation barracks!"

"But sir, we can't do that." One of the operatives said. "If we open fire, no doubt we'll get struck by another counter-barrage."

"At least we'll be able to see where the source of that fire power is coming from. I know it's a risk, but we have to take it. Instruct those who are ready to fire to commence with their operations."-

"Aye, sir." The operative contacted the battery row. "All artillery ready commence firing for aftereffect. Close your hatches as soon as your projectiles are deployed."

"Confirmed," one of the gunners replied. There was another blast from the side of the ship and all cannons, still in operation, fired away."

They watched carefully for any possible counter. Sure enough, there came the booming of distant guns, followed by the emerging of bright glowing beams that against struck the ship. This time, however, the guns still in operation were able to close their hatches just before the impact. Some of the guns did not have their hatches closed in time and were struck and crippled. But they were not entirely out of commission.

"So," Fortinbras demanded to know. "Where did those blasts come from?"

"We picked up a signal of origin." One of the attendants replied.

"Where at?" the captain asked.

"The blasts originated from that grove of trees just at the outskirts of town."-

"I see, then that means Master Muli's troops have entrenched their guns behind that protective shield of trees."-

"I will not have you calling that traitor Master!" Fortinbras scolded when overhearing the captain's statement. The captain backed down.

"I apologize for that, sir."-

"So the foundation has their cannons behind those trees, eh?" Fortinbras chuckled to himself. "Very clever… Very clever indeed, but not clever enough, I want all batteries to concentrate on that grove of trees and blow that position to hell!"

"Aye sir," the orders were transferred and the cannons began firing at the grove of trees where the foundation cannons resided. Blast after blast struck the wooded barrier, tearing away at the trees and shrubs that grew around the area.

"Those bastards are targeting our battery positions." Kirin growled.

"It was bound to happen sooner or later." Imetriarch replied. "But even if they were to shell twenty-four hours a day for the next fortnight, they wouldn't be able to penetrate through that thick barrier of debris and mud as well as those high canopies."

The artillery returned fire, pummeling the sides of the ship, destroying more of the batteries that had remained open.

"Two more of our guns have been severely damaged, sir." The operative said.

"Damage to the enemy battery is unconfirmed, sir." Another added.

"Damn it." Fortinbras growled.

"There's no way that we'll be able to deploy covering fire so long as that battery is in place." The captain replied. "And it's well fortified behind enemy lines."

"We have to destroy that battery somehow. Otherwise, there will be no hope in prying those idiots out of their trenches."-

"How would you suggest we handle this, sir?"-

"There's only one other option I can think of, we'll just have to use the random fire method."-

"The random fire method?"-

"We pre-calculate the elevation and level of power needed for each shot and deploy the projectiles at the intended target. And we do this while maintaining a continuous rotation of the turret and temporarily opening the hatches while firing!"

"But, sir, with that tactic, there's no way we can guarantee a successful hit if the battery turret is still in motion. We'd be firing at random, chancing our attempts to hit our mark."-

"It's either that, or halt the turret, taking time to aim, thus allowing the foundation to concentrate their fire power on our own guns. If the turret is still in motion, their chances of maiming our cannons have been reduced to less than half of what would be expected if we remain stationary."-

"General,"-

"Right now, our remaining guns are the backbone of our assault and our only counter measure to repel a possible attack from the foundation. If our guns go, that gives the foundation complete advantage over us by means of fire power. Superior numbers alone will not be enough."-

"I see,"-

"We cannot afford to lose this fight. We are the only force left that stands between The Arakis Foundation and their hopes of forming an alliance with Sneer. Mulian Arakis is still a threat. The Aryan Faction is already experiencing rising tensions and rifts between its followers. Many citizens are still loyal to the former foundation and the Arakis family. Should Mulian form a pact with the Universal Alliance, he will have the means to rally those still loyal within the Aryan Faction and topple the government. Then it'll be we, the loyalists of Lord Marcus Montague, who shall be regarded as the traitors."

"I understand,"-

"That is why we cannot afford to lose this fight. Lord Montague may no be of the Arakis family, but at least he is still willing to obtain the ideas of the former Imperial Regime."-

It had become apparent of the strategy deployed by Fortinbras. He had continued his barrage upon the defenses of the foundation, but this time, the aiming of his cannons was not as precise.

"What the heck are they doing up there?" Kirin wondered. "Now, all of a sudden, they're just aiming randomly at us."

"I'm not surprised," Imetriarch replied. "Take a look at this." He handed Kirin his scouter. Kirin placed the devise on lift left ear and looked through the red lens. Sure enough, he saw the reason why the aim was now not as accurate. "The faction is getting desperate now. They realize that their own superiority is not as absolute as before. Otherwise, they wouldn't be taking this action."

"I see, they're keeping the battery turret in continuous motion so our own cannons won't effectively hit and cripple the cannons they have left."-

"That's right,"-

"Still, even if they don't hit our battery, they still have the capability of hitting someplace else. So that ship is still a menace. And to top it all off, we have no means of making any contact with the outside world for any reinforcements. We got to take that carrier out for good. Perhaps there is some way that we'll be able to penetrate their line."-

"That's impossible right now. We can't afford to storm the ship. Even we were to initiate a night raid, that's out of the question. From what my scouts have observed, the Aryan Faction has set up a perimeter of skirmish lines, each one intersecting in separate intervals with the other, so no gaps are present. They also have entrenched themselves deep on the northern outskirts, that way even a task unit wouldn't be able to make it through without getting caught in a crossfire. And right now I cannot afford to lose any men in a mission that has no guaranteed success."-

"There is one way." Tidus suddenly uttered from behind. The two former Imperials looked at him.

"Do you know how to defeat them?" Kirin asked.

"There might be a way for you to get passed their lines without having to confront their pickets."-

"How's that, Tidus? Tell us?"-

"There's an old underground waterway that leads from this area to that peninsula. The entry way can be found at the base of the mountain at the center of the island. It's no more than a half a mile out of town. It leads directly to the cliffs of the northern peninsula, just behind where the ship is. With a handful of men, you'd be able to sabotage the Aryan carrier and they won't even know about it until it's too late."-

"Excellent insight, young Tidus," Imetriarch praised, "This information will work to our advantage. We'll bring the Aryans to their knees in no time."

"So what should we do?" Kirin asked.

"Kirin, would you be willing to take the lead of the raiding party?"-

"Of course,"-

"And I'm sure Tidus wouldn't have any objections to helping?"-

"The sooner we get rid of these guys," Tidus remarked, "The sooner my town is spared."

"Well then, assemble twenty of my best men and have them gather at the town square. Wait until nightfall, when the enemy is off guard and exhausted from today's action. Then take that passage way and initiate the plan." Crassus ordered. "And be careful."

"Right,"

"And Kirin, I leave you to do the planning."-

"I understand." Kirin replied. He turned to Tidus. "Let's go."

"Gotcha," The two young men quickly withdrew, preparing for their night raid. Imetriarch Crassus in the meantime, maintained his visual at the front lines. He called forth one of his subordinates.

"Captain, captain," he shouted. A captain crawled over to him, keeping his head ducked behind the barricades.

"Yes sir?" he asked.

"We've planned a night raid. Go to our battery and tell them to unleash a barrage of ten shots per cannon on my signal. Tell them to aim for the enemy carrier's cannons."

"Yes sir."-

Crassus looked on, eagerly awaiting for the operation to begin.

As shells flew from Aryan cannons onto the foundation trenches and the town itself, Kirin had assembled twenty of Mulian's elites. Each one was a battled hardened veteran. One by one, Kirin went over the background of each soldier, where they were qualified and if they were willing to take on such a dangerous task. Kirin was especially amazed at how the soldiers remained standing in steadfast attention without flinching, despite the fact that shells and projectiles exploded around them. Their sturdy action alone was enough to convince him of their expertise in soldiering. After brief interviews with the twenty hand picked men, Kirin addressed the entire company.

"My brave men," he said, "You have been chosen for your dedication to your cause, your expertise, your strength and skill upon the battlefield, and your cunning. There is a chance, however, that many of you will not make it back. This is a tough mission we're facing. We twenty will be penetrating deep behind enemy lines and attacking the very stronghold of the Aryan Faction, their carrier. Now before I begin the briefing of the mission, is there anyone here who wishes to decline in helping with this mission? Remember, this will be a dangerous operation and your lives will be put at risk. So if there is any man among you who does not wish to participate in this, please step forward." There was no movement. Not a man came before him. Again Kirin assured them. "I ask you again, is there any man here who wishes to back down from this mission? There is no turning back after your decision has been made. I cannot afford to have the faint at heart on this operation. I'm offering you this one last chance. Anyone wish to second guess their decision?"

"No sir," the twenty men replied. Kirin smiled.

"Wow," Tidus said in awe.

"Very well then," Kirin replied. "Then let me explain what it is we are aiming for in this operation." Kirin took out a hologram image of the ship and pointed to the different areas targeted and pointed at each part as he explained. "Our main objective is to sabotage the enemy ship in ways which will give us the complete upper hand. It will be a night raid, so save your energy as best you can for the upcoming battle. First, we must sever the communication links between the carrier and any reinforcements that might come to aid them. Therefore, to isolate the Aryans here, we will have to cut off all communication. Hit the exterior communication facilities. Then, to open up our own communication, we have to bring down the communication scrambler system. And our final objective is to destroy the remaining batteries on the ship's exterior, so our forces won't fear about being bombarded." Kirin retracted the hologram. "That is the mission, men. You know your duties. This is for the good of our cause. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir?!" the soldiers replied.

"Get some rest. Tonight, we head out to finish this confrontation with the Imperial Axis once and for all. Troops dismissed." The soldiers saluted and withdrew to rest up before their nocturnal operation.

As the troops departed, Selphie had arrived at the scene. Seeing the ending stages of assembly, she was curious and approached Tidus, who had been present at the assembly from the start.

"What's going on here?" she asked him.

"We're planning a night attack on that faction ship." Tidus replied.

"Are you guys planning on going through that open ground when there are enemies everywhere?"-

"We're not going to go across the field. We're planning on using the underground water way."-

"Oh, that one, but don't you think it'll be a little risky?"-

"Our lives will be in danger, but our sacrifice will be worth the salvation of our home."-

"Will you be taking charge then, Tidus?" Selphie asked.

"No," the young man replied. "I'll be leading them through the waterway. Kirin will be the one in charge."

"I see,"-

"Well, I better go take some time to sleep if I can. It's gonna be a long night."-

"You be careful alright."-

"Give my regrets to Wakka and Kairi when you see them. This may be the last time I see them."-

"I will,"-

Tidus only smiled and walked away.

"You're planning on dying aren't you?"-

"If it comes down to it, I am prepared to give my life."-

Fortinbras on the other hand, watched from his position in the ship. So far, his barrage seldom struck the entrenched battery behind foundation lines.

"Intolerable," the general growled, "That entire barrage and we didn't even put a dent in their defense!"

"I told you, sir." The captain replied. "We're firing at a random chance. We're predicting the aim. And even when we aim well, our continuous rotating throws that coordination off."

"Then if I can't blast them out, I'll overwhelm them!" Fortinbras stood up. "I want the next wave to concentrate their attacks on that battery! Break the line and send the foundation crashing!"-

"But sir,"-

"Our overwhelming numbers will destroy them! If we attack without hesitation, then we will be victorious! Send out the next to waves to attack that one point! We will take that battery, even if every last soldier has to be sacrificed!"-

"Sir,"-

"Those are my orders! Send them out now!" The captain could only lower his head, fearing the fate of the faction's finest. But he had no other choice, but to concur.

"I understand sir." He turned to the bridge. "Send in the next wave. Concentrate all our efforts on that grove of trees where the enemy battery is located."

"Yes sir," the bridge replied.

Sure enough, within minutes, the order was given and five thousand men were sent out into the field. Charging like screaming banshees, the Aryans assaulted the sector of the line where the battery was closest.

"They're concentrating all of their men on our battery!" one of the lieutenants cried.

"Reinforce the trenches around the battery position!" Crassus shouted. "Send out skirmishers to slow them down! Fight to the last man if necessary!"

"Yes sir,"-

Soldiers were rallied to defend the position at all costs. Like hornets, they were prepared to aggressively fight off their attackers. A line of skirmishers came over the trenches and lined themselves up. They took cover behind rocks, bushes, and trenches and began firing at the mass of enemy troops. The soldiers kept attacking. Though slowed for a time, they pushed on until they reached the skirmish line. Then they started a counter fire, killing a quarter of the skirmishers. The skirmishers withdrew back to the trenches.

As soon as the skirmishers reached their own lines, their comrades began their own intense barrage. By the score, Aryan soldiers were killed and the line stagnated. The intensity of the foundation fire was so great, it was said the enemy seemed to hit an invisible wall and could not advance any further as death rained upon them.

"Keep up you fire!" the officers cried. "Keep them at bay! Pour it onto them, boys!"

It came to the point that both sides were so close, they started firing point blank into each other. There was hand to hand combat on some parts of the line and men fell with ghastly wounds and hideous gashes upon them. The bodies piled in hills along a few parts of the line. It was death's carnival that afternoon as both sides gave all they had to achieve their goal.

The confrontation continued up and down the lines, even as night began to fall with both sides taking on heavy casualties. However, the toll was far too great for the already limited number of foundation soldiers. Each soldier lost was one step closer to a lost cause. Though still holding, the troops in the trenches were losing morale due to exhaustion, the loss of comrades, and the continuous swelling of the enemy ranks. Even though only the course of an afternoon had elapsed, it seemed like an eternity to live through, not knowing if death was mingling about the corner waiting to strike down its next victim.

However, as the sun set over the horizon, the battle ceased with its final outcome. The Arakis Foundation held and the Aryans were again forced to withdraw.

"Damn it," Fortinbras scowled, "They held again?!"-

"These are the elites of the Arakis Foundation, sir." The captain replied. "The majority of them are the personal bodyguards of the Arakis family and they are willing to give their lives for their leader."

"And what about our troops, are they not former Arakis Foundation soldiers?"-

"They're not really willing to go against Mulian Arakis. They fight because they have no other choice."

"They have a choice! But these soldiers must get it through their heads that they must find a cause greater than the sake of a leader who has dishonored their Imperial cause! It is the cause that matters, nothing else! Prepare to unleash another barrage!"-

"Yes sir,"-

This time, however, Crassus' battery was ready. He watched as the turret once again began to rotate.

"They're ready to initiate another barrage." He said. "Prepare to fire on my signal!"

"Yes sir,' the battery commander replied. The cannons were aimed at the turret on the ship. "Artillery is ready to fire."

"Fire ten shots for each battery piece in a five second interval!"-

"Yes, sir,"-

The command was given and the artillery began to fire away at the ship. Explosions erupted on the carrier's surface, inflicting terrible damage.

Kairi, back in the rear, watched over young Mulian Arakis, who kept his head covered behind the barracks set up.

"There they go again." Muli said. "Hand to hand combat by day, bombardment by night, a typical strategy of the Imperial Regime."

"It's been two days already." Kairi said. "And there hasn't been a single peaceful moment. Everyone has been driven from their homes and the people are hiding in the hills on the outskirts." Kairi curled up in a ball. "I never would have thought that war and chaos would have come to our home." Her mind wandered on the people she cared for. "I hope that Riku and Sora are alright. If only they were here, at least I wouldn't have to feel so alone."

"But what about your brother, Kirin? He's here for you."-

"I know, but it's only been two days and we haven't seen each other since we were children. I know that he's my brother and all, but he's more like a total stranger to me. I have no idea what he's been through and I'm sure he has no idea what I've been through. In these past couple of days, we've seldom seen each other."-

"Does it really matter though? He's your brother and he's here. The only reason why he's not always around is because he is a soldier. And as a soldier, you have two objectives. You must follow orders and you must give your heart and soul completely to the cause in which you battle. In this case, he fights to protect you. You may not know much about your brother, but to him, you might be all that he's got. You may be the only other person who might accept him, the only other living family member. You might just be the only world Kirin has left and he's willing to fight and die for you."-

Despite Muli's tender age, his words had such passion and meaning. It struck Kairi to the very core of her soul.

"Am I really that important to him?" she thought to herself.

It was then that Selphie came along to join them in their slight rest. She gave a positive sigh as she sat and put her hands close to the fire.

"Well," she said with perk, "I can guarantee you guys that this battle with the Aryan Faction will hopefully be over by morning."

"What was that?" Kairi asked.

"Where did you hear that?" Muli added.

"Well, apparently Tidus is gonna guide a whole bunch of soldiers through that old water way that leads to that northern peninsula." Selphie replied.

"But that's insane. They'd be going right into the thick behind enemy lines."-

"Well, from what I understand, they are going to emerge just behind where the defenses are concentrated and our guys will tear them up when they least expect it."-

"But even so, even if they did go unnoticed, they're would be immense casualties."-

"That's why I fear for Tidus and Kirin."-

"What did you say?" Kairi uttered. Selphie saw that disturbed look upon her friend's face.

"What is it, Kairi?"-

"Are you saying that Kirin is going with them?"-

"He's the one that's leading the company. He's assembling his men at the town square."-

"Oh my God…" Muli whispered.

"Why do you ask?"-

But Kairi did not respond. She quickly got up and hastened to find her brother.

"What did I say?" Selphie asked.

"You said Kirin was involved. There may be a chance that he might not survive."-

"Oh dear…" Selphie realized that her words had caused mixed emotions within Kairi.

Kairi quickly scurried to the town square, despite the bombardment of shells that randomly struck the town and defenses from the carrier afar. Sure enough, as she came within sight of the town square, she beheld the twenty and some odd soldiers standing at attention, with Kirin and Tidus standing at their front. Kairi overheard the speech given from Kirin.

"Gentlemen," she heard him say, "The time has come for us to end this fiasco with the Aryan Faction. Now remember to maintain your vigilance. This is the eye of the storm we will be entering. There will be no one to help us from here on out. No one is to reveal the whereabouts of the waterway, no one is to retreat. There will be a slim chance that we will survive, but you should know that already. I had made it clear this afternoon. There is no turning back from this point on. So fight well, stay safe, and if you must die with honor!"

"Yes sir," the soldiers replied.

"Tidus rally them to the access point and make sure to cover your tracks. We don't want scouts spotting our activity."-

"I gotcha," Tidus replied. He turned to the soldiers. "Alright, you men, let's go!"

The soldiers began their march to the outskirts at a double-quick. Kirin stayed behind to make sure there were no stragglers. As the last soldier passed him, he heard the distant cry of his sister calling him.

"Kirin, Kirin," the young prince looked to see Kairi running towards him. Kairi panted and looked up at her brother.

"Kairi,"-

"It is true, are you really going to attack the enemy from behind with so very few?"-

"It's the only way to end this battle. Attacking head on would only be suicide for us. This tactic is the only other measure I know to attack the Aryan lines without being observed. We could end this and spare a great deal of lives in the process."-

"But,"-

"I have to go now, little sister."-

"But it's been so long since I've seen you. Now, we've only been reunited for two days and yet you have to go again?"-

"And look at what the faction has done to your home in two days. Your people have suffered a great deal because of our irresponsibility. Therefore, we have to end this with the faction once and for all."-

"But Kirin,"-

"It'll be alright, I will come back to you."-

"But what if you don't?!" Kairi's eyes were filled with tears. "What if you die?!"

"I will not die." Kirin replied.

"But what if you do?! You're my brother after all, don't you care about me?!"-

"I do and that is why I must go."-

"But,"-

Kirin put his hand on his sister's shoulder.

"All my life I have been trying to find you, knowing that you were the only real kin I had left, the only flesh and blood remaining. You are the only reason for my existence."-

"Kirin,"-

"You are all the world to me, Kairi. And I am prepared to give my life for you."-

Kairi, overcome with grief, put herself in her brother's arms and cried. Kirin wrapped his arms around her and tightly embraced her. Kairi was comfortable in her brother's arms. She felt the warmth of his breast, the beating of his heart.

"Thank you for accepting me, little sister." Kirin said softly. "I'll come back to you. I promise." With that, he released his sister and ran off into the dark.

"It's a promise," Kairi cried, still sobbing, "You will come back to me!"


	103. Operation Destiny's Freedom

Operation Destiny's Freedom

As the bombardment continued in the north, Tidus led Kirin and the twenty volunteers to the secret passage way leading to the old waterway. The company came before a locked gate that descended into the underground.

"This is it." Tidus said. "This is the maintenance entry to the old water way. This will lead us to the northern peninsula."

"Excellent," Kirin replied, "Alright Tidus, lead the way. I'll take up the rear to make sure there aren't any stragglers."

"Gotcha," He turned to the soldiers. "Alright guys, follow me. And be quiet." Unlocking the gate, he quickly entered, turning on a flashlight as soon as the visual became more limited. The last of the soldiers went in with Kirin at the rear. He slowly closed the door behind him and looked about to make sure that no one was following them.

The party navigated deeper and deeper until they came to the old waterway's main flow, which at the present state was a mere trickle, due to the lack of rain for the past couple of days.

"Stay close, you men," Kirin advised. "Keep your visual on Tidus. But be aware, there might be a chance that the faction might have already discovered the other side of this passage."

The soldiers scurried along the sides of the waterway, so as not to be an open target for anything or anyone that might be lurking in the darkness. The sound of exploding shells could be heard above. Some of them came so close, the impact caused the passage to shake and rattle a bit. But the soldiers were not fazed by the low booming and sudden tremors and carried on with their mission.

In the meantime, the Arakis Foundation battery continued to fire at the carrier in the far north, pummeling the sides and the hatches of the enemy artillery. Unleashing the cannon fire was not a random moment, however, as the ammunition was at a limit. Therefore, only a series of ten rounds per cannon could be used. And each shot had to be accurate, so as not to needlessly waste shells and power.

The leading officer of the battery looked on with his scouter as he saw the shells of his cannons striking the side of the Aryan carrier. At the same time, he kept his head from view in case the worst would happen. Alongside him, Prime Minister Crassus looked on with the scouter.

"So far, we've used up twenty-five shots altogether, sir." He said. "That's already five shots per cannon."-

"It's not exactly a five second interval is it?" Imetriarch replied.

"That was not an option open for us, sir. We're low on ammunition as we speak, so we had to make sure that each shot counted for something."-

"It's no matter. We just need to use those shots to keep those cannons on that carrier quiet for the time being. That's the only thing that counts. Keep them concentrating their firepower on us."-

"I beg your pardon, sir." The officer implied, "But do you really think that only twenty men could possibly storm a carrier of at least twenty thousand personnel or so?"

"Those are the best of the best, commander." Imetriarch assure him. "It would be easier to move about enemy territory with only a handful of men. If there is anyone who can pull off this mission, it is Kirin, Tidus, and our top elite fighters."

"But what should we do if the Aryans try to attack us again?"-

"We just have to hold them off as best as we can. But they won't try a night raid, not after this afternoon's assault. They'll rest up a good full night before trying to attack again."

"Still,"-

"There is nothing to worry about. Kirin will succeed. He is after all the infamous wielder of the Flaming Blades."-

Kairi, in the meantime, worried about her brother. Only two days, they had been reunited, yet he seemed a stranger to her. At the same time, his touch, his warmth, they all seemed familiar to her, nostalgic in a way. She could only think of him and feared for him.

"Brother," she uttered.

"Kirin is a powerful warrior." Muli said. "He'll be alright. I know it."

"How do you know?"-

"I know, they don't call him Kirin of the Flaming Blades for nothing. The reason for his reputation was because of his ability to escape any sticky situation and how he is always able to survive no matter how great the odds are against him. You just have to believe in him, Kairi, just like you do with Riku and Sora. If you believe, things will turn out alright."-

"Thanks for the advice." Kairi smiled, but her heart seemed to tell her otherwise. Inwardly, she feared the worst for her brother. "But what if he doesn't come back? I want to believe that everything will be alright, but what is this feeling of doubt that plagues me? Why is it that there is this pain in my heart?" Kairi silently looked up into the sky, staring at the stars that twinkled in the night, despite the hissing and bursting of shells. "To think that despite this carnage, there is still a little comfort in this world. Riku, Sora, I hope you two are doing okay too."

Thirty minutes had passed and the booming on the surface began to fade. Sure enough, there was only silence, with the occasional muffled murmuring every now and then. This indicated that they were deep behind enemy lines and the murmuring they heard was the chattering of Aryan soldiers on leave.

"Are we almost there?" Kirin asked.

"Yeah," Tidus replied, "But we gotta keep quiet. I can hear the enemy above us."

The party made it to their destination without any trouble. They eventually reached the end, seeing a hint of night light, though not very much. The sound of the waves crashing against the cliff could be heard. Tidus immediately turned off his flashlight.

"There it is." He said with a loud whisper. "There's the other end."

"Excellent work, Tidus." Kirin said.

The party emerged onto a small ledge. There was a rocky outcrop above the opening, concealing the movements from the Aryan sentries who walked about the area.

"Alright, men," Kirin whispered, "Now whatever you do, keep quiet. We don't want these guys to here us. We have to penetrate into the ship and take out the targets necessary. Make sure to eliminate the sentries one at a time and do it quietly. Kill them silently and quickly. Avoid all lighted areas alright?" The soldiers nodded their heads. Kirin took the lead, climbing silently up the rocks to the cliff edge.

Sentries marched up and down without care, perhaps raw recruits who detested the thought of guard duty. As the task unit reached the cliff edge, they overheard two sentries talking.

"I hate guard duty." The first sentry said. "It's just a lot of mindless pacing. I'd much rather prefer to be in the midst of battle like the rest of our comrades."

"I don't think you'd want that, friend." The second sentry said. "From what I understand, our guys haven't put a dent in the foundation's defenses. So far those guys have managed to push our soldiers back every time that General Fortinbras gives the order to attack."

"Fortinbras…?" Kirin thought in his mind. "So that explains the crude strategies the Aryan Faction is using."

"Fortinbras is such an egotistical son of a gun. He'd pounce at the chance to achieve glory. And after that blunder he had in the Oceansburg Campaign,"-

"Can you blame the general?" the first sentry said. "If I was in his shoes and I was bested by a bunch of freaks, I'd do all in my power to redeem myself."

"I wonder though." The second sentry continued. "Is all this fighting really worth it, battling against the very person who made us who we are?"

"Don't start having second thoughts now. Everyone knows that Mulian Arakis is a traitor to his father's name and the foundation we once stood for. Marcus Montague is our new commander."-

"But I still have that sentiment and loyalty to the Arakis family."-

"You better watch out, friend. That might be considered treason to the officers."-

"Never mind, let's just keep our guard up."-

"Right,"-

The two sentries continued on their way.

"So that's it." Kirin said.

"What's it?" Tidus asked. The other soldiers were curious too.

"It appears that the Aryan Faction is starting to waver. Marcus Montague rose to power so quickly, the people and the military of the former foundation were not given enough time to choose what side was best. So it wasn't exactly majority rules. No doubt that the officers used their military influence to persuade the populous. However, they didn't realize that there is still strong sentiment for the Arakis family amongst the soldiers themselves. This could work to our advantage."

"In what way…?"-

"We can lower the resistance by exploiting the number of loyalists to Mulian Arakis and the Arakis family. If we can cause a rift in the enemy ranks, we'll be able to achieve victory a lot easier." He turned to the twenty soldiers. "You men, this is what you will do aside from fulfilling your mission. You will eliminated the sentries and take their uniforms. You will then start spreading rumors of a possible defection. This will allow the loyalists to come out of hiding and try to mutiny against Fortinbras and the Aryan separatists. Do you understand what I'm saying?" The soldiers nodded. "Then get going."

The soldiers quickly spread out to their separate areas. As the sound of the cannons continued, the foundation elites snuck up and ambushed the weary sentries. Attacking them from behind, the foundation elites had to regress to smothering, strangling, and breaking the necks of each of the sentries so as not to stain or soil the uniforms that were needed. Every once in a while, there would be the sounds of gasping, rustling debris and roughage from kicking legs, and muffled cries as a young sentry would be attacked from behind and smothered to death. Or perhaps there would be the sudden crack of bone as their heads were severed from the rest of their bodies. The uniforms were quickly exchanged and the task units quickly made their way into the ship.

"Talk about a stroke of luck for us." Tidus said.

"This'll work to our advantage alright." Kirin said. "If there is one general who is most despised out of all the faction commanders, it would be Hector Fortinbras. With his reputation, no doubt his men will be persuaded quite easily." He turned to Tidus. "Tidus get back to our lines and tell them to send in a full company. I don't think the Aryans will try another attack until dawn. This'll give us the opportunity to attack when they least expect it."

"I gotcha," Tidus replied and quickly scurried back to the foundation lines.

"In the meantime," Kirin drew out one of his blades, "I have a reputation to uphold."

While the contemplation of the foundation was commencing, the bombardment by Imetriarch's battery had ceased its final rounds as the tenth of each cannon had gone off. Fortinbras only chuckled as he witnessed the end of the bombardment.

"So that's it then." He said. "I guess the Arakis Foundation can't keep up a steady fire like we can. How much damage did we suffer?"

"We only had two battery pieces crippled by that bombardment, sir." The captain replied.

"Too bad, and just when it was starting to get interesting, but then again their limits are too obvious now. Aim our cannons and return fire. The foundation can't keep up their bombardment, but we can. Fire away!"-

"Yes sir,"-

But no sooner had the order been relayed, another important message came to the bridge.

"General," one of the operatives said, "We have an urgent message from our guards in the primary transmission room."

"Put them on screen." The general advised.

"Yes sir," The operative initiated the on screen image, revealing a rather panicked looking soldier. There were the sounds of guns and battle going on. Immediately, the general knew that something was wrong.

"Sir," the soldier cried, "We have a crisis on our hands!"

"What is going on there?" Fortinbras asked.

"A handful of our soldiers have defected against us and are starting to kill our personnel and are sabotaging our equipment!"-

"What…?!" The general's eyes grew big with shock. "What do you mean our soldiers have defected?"

"I don't know, they just started attacking our men, crying out 'long live the Arakis Foundation.'"-

"Damn it, it seems we have some loyalists amongst our ranks."-

"What should we do, sir?"-

"They could prove to be very monotonous indeed unless we do something. Deal with them with the utmost severity. Kill them all!"-

"Sir," another transmitted message reached the bridge, "There is another defection against us, this time amongst our batteries!"

"What was that?" Soon after, another message was transmitted.

"General, sir, General, sir, there has been an uprising in the main barracks. The soldiers are fighting amongst themselves!"-

"But that can't be?" Fortinbras uttered. "Are you sure you checked the sources?"

"See for yourself!" The screen turned to a scene of devastation and death as the Aryans suddenly turned on one another. Those rebelling kept crying in an endless chorus "Long Live Lord Mulian Arakis!" "Long live the Arakis Foundation!" and "Glory to the Arakis Family!" Fortinbras could only look on in disbelief.

"How can this be happening? I did not realize that there were that many loyalists of Mulian Arakis amongst our ranks."-

"At this rate," The captain said, "we'll never be able to stop them all."-

"Oh yes we will." Fortinbras stood from his chair, his fists clutched tightly. "I will not have mutineers causing disorder amongst our ranks! I will cut them all down myself!" He turned to the captain. "Keep command here and do not surrender under any circumstance, understood?! You keep this bridge sealed from those ruffians out there!"

"What will you do, sir?"-

"I will go out there and deal with this problem myself. It has been a while since my sword has tasted blood. I will weed out the defectors and kill them one at a time!"-

"But how will you determine the defectors from our troops?"-

"Anyone who shows the least bit of suspicion will be executed without question! So it is up to the men to not act suspicious! Otherwise, it's instant death for them!"-

"Aye, sir," Fortinbras clutched his sword and stormed out of the bridge, the lust for blood in his eye. The captain only sighed. "We have a duty ladies and gentlemen. We must maintain control over the bridge."

"But sir, wouldn't it be best for us to side with Master Mulian?" one subordinate whispered.

"We must wait and see what the tide will bring. If the defection fails, then all who rebelled will be considered traitors."-

"But sir, that man is siding with the commander that defied the rule of the Arakis family."-

"Fate cares not for lineage or power. It decides who is worthy to rule. We will wait for a sign."

The turret had ceased its revolving and things once again seemed quiet. Imetriarch was baffled, yet at the same time he was relieved knowing that the operations were going well.

"I wonder if this is Kirin's doing?" he thought to himself.

"So what's going on?" Kairi asked, as she and Mulian came to the battery.

"Apparently, there has been a cease-fire with the Aryan carrier. Kirin's operation seems to be working."-

"Hey, Imetriarch," a voice shouted from the rear. The three turned to find none other than Tidus rushing at them. He stopped and caught his breath.

"Hey, Tidus," Kairi said, "What are you doing here?"

"Kirin sent me back to give you a message." Tidus replied.

"What is it?" Imetriarch asked.

"He says that the way is open and he'd like reinforcements to back up in the attack. He also says that he and his men are widening the rift within the Aryan forces, finding those still loyal to the Arakis family."-

Tidus' speech was short lived as the sound of battle echoed from the Aryan carrier.

"Is that so?" Imetriarch smiled. "Then so be it." He turned to his subordinates. "Assemble a hundred men to aid in the advance!"-

"Yes sir." The subordinates replied. They scurried to rally their best men.

"What a grand opportunity this is for us." He turned to Tidus. "You go ahead and lead our troops through the waterway, Tidus. Give my compliments to Prince Kirin when you see him."

"Yes sir," Tidus replied and ran off to do his duty.

"I want to go too." Kairi said. "I have to help my brother."

"That is out of the question, Miss Kairi." Imetriarch said. "I need you here to watch over Master Mulian."

"But,"-

"There is no need for that, Imetriarch." Muli replied. "I'll be alright for now. Let Kairi help her brother. That is the least I could do to repay them for helping me."

"But master," Imetriarch uttered,

"I'm a member of the Arakis family am I not? It's time for me to start acting like one and not have to worry others about my safety! Your job is to lead our troops and my job is to motivate them!" He turned to Kairi. "Thank you, Kairi for what you've done for me. Now you go and find your brother."-

"Thank you, Muli." Kairi bowed and withdrew. "I will come back."

"I know you will." Muli smiled. His smile quickly diminished and he turned to his men. "Now, battle positions all of you! We bring order the universe here and now! It all ends tonight!"

"Aye," the soldiers replied and quickly rallied.

"Alright, men," Imetriarch concurred. "There's no holding back this time! Reload the cannons and aim for the front lines of the Aryan faction!"

"Aye, sir,"-

Imetriarch looked at young Mulian who stood tall and proud. It was strange, but to Crassus, his young master seemed more like his father in stature.

"He has done it." The Prime Minister thought to himself. "He has gained his father's strength and charisma."

The cannons once again to echo as their projectiles were launched upon the Aryan lines.

Within the transmission room, the Aryans did all in their power to maintain control. The transmission room was vital to their ship and the only thing that prevented their enemies from contacting reinforcements from the outside.

"Hold your ground men!" the lieutenant in charge shouted. "We can't afford to lose this room to the enemy!"

"But we don't know who the enemy is!" a subordinate added. "We have to surrender!"

"And let the traitors of the Imperial cause have their way?! Are you one of them?!"-

"No sir, I…" But before any explanation could be made, the man was cut down by his superior without a second thought.

"There is no room for traitors! You are either with us or against us!"-

"In that case, you will never know who the real enemy is." A voice said from amidst the opposing ranks. From behind the defectors, Kirin appeared to confront the commander. The Aryans were shocked. "It doesn't have to end like this."

"Kirin of the Flaming Blades," one soldier uttered.

"What's he doing here?" another added.

"I thought you were executed for attempted mutiny." The lieutenant said.

"I never mutinied." Kirin replied. "I just came to the realization that my life was worth nothing to the higher-ups. They could care less about what happened to me as they could care less about you."

"No, you're wrong! The Imperial cause is all that matters! Our lives are but miniscule particles of dust! But each grain will add to the rise of a mountain in the end!"-

"So your purpose in this life really doesn't matter more than my own."-

"I will fight all who stand in the way of the Three Excellencies and their ambitions!" The lieutenant drew out his sword and charged. "There is no room for traitors like you!"

But Kirin cut the man down within seconds. Kirin stood up and wiped the blood away from his blade.

"I wonder who the real traitor is." Kirin looked at the other resisters. "Do all of you think the same as he and wish to throw your lives away for a cause that is already lost? Will you be willing to spit upon the graves your fathers and grandfathers by turning against what they stood for?" The remaining Aryans lowered their heads. Slowly, but surely, each man who had once fought in the name of Lord Marcus Montague now dropped their weapons and raised their arms in surrender. "You've made the right decision." Kirin approached the activation platform to the transmission scrambler and deactivated it. The system fell silent. "Mission accomplished."

Back at the foundation battery, a transmitted message reached Imetriarch Crassus by means of his scouter.

"Sir, sir," a sudden voice sounded. Crassus lifted his ear. He could hear the voice was loud and clear from the transmission system. It was the captain of the foundation carrier. "Prime Minister, can you hear me?"

"I can hear you loud and clear." Imetriarch replied.

"Our transmission is back up, sir."-

"That means that they've taken down the transmission scrambler." The Prime Minister smirked. "It's working, we're winning."

"Your orders, sir?"-

"Contact the Universal Alliance. Tell them that we need immediate assistance here on the Destiny Islands and to send reinforcements right away!"-

"Yes sir,"-

"Crassus," Muli said.

"What is it, my lord?" Imetriarch asked.

"Tell the captain to prepare a link to the Aryan carrier. Also prepare an escort to accompany back to our carrier. I want to make an open declaration to the enemy."-

"But my lord,"-

"The Aryan Faction may have fought against us, but they are still fellow Oceanarians. I do not wish to hold any grudge against them. Perhaps if they realize my capabilities and my intentions, they will surrender."-

"My lord,"-

"That is an order, Imetriarch." Crassus looked into the eyes of his young master, seeing the intensity of the late Drako Arakis.

"As you wish, my lord," Crassus contacted the captain. "Captain, Master Mulian will be returning to the ship. Set up a link to the Aryan carrier."

"The Aryans," the captain asked, "but why?"

"His Excellency orders it."-

"Aye, sir," Crassus then turned to one of his subordinates.

"Lieutenant," he said.

"Sir…?" the lieutenant replied.

"Have a convoy for ten elite troops to escort Master Mulian back to our carrier."-

"Yes sir," Imetriarch turned to Mulian.

"It's all set, my lord."-

"Thank you, Imetriarch." Muli replied. He accompanied the lieutenant rearward. Crassus only watched as his master disappeared into the darkness of the early morning hours.

"I just hope this plan of yours works."-

Kairi accompanied Tidus and the rest of the reinforcements through the waterway and up the cliff to the rear of the Aryan lines. Already, there was bedlam as civil brawl came before the Aryans.

"I have to find my brother." Kairi said. Armed with her win swords, she quickly rushed into the fray of the chaos.

"Kairi wait," Tidus shouted.

"Sir, what shall we do?" a soldier asked.

"Spread out and help the resistance!"-

"Sir,"-

The company spread out to help their comrades.

Kairi entered the ship without a second thought, fearing only for her brother's safety. When entering, she came before a chaotic sight. There were slain soldiers here and there and the words _Van'car Un'isk Concorte Irakisin_ written upon the wall. The sounds of battle could be heard in muffled chattering.

"My God," she thought to herself, "what has been going on here?" Running alongside the wall to avoid detection, Kairi made her way deeper into the interior again seeing the same type of carnage as she had when first entering. A voice boomed over the loud speaker.

"My fellow loyalists," it was the voice of none other than Kirin.

"Brother," Kairi said.

"The time has come to take back what was unjustly stolen from you! The pride of your families has rested upon the shoulders of the Arakis Foundation! The Arakis Family is the true path! Do not throw away the oaths that your ancestors had vowed in protection of the Arakis family! Their way is the true Imperial way!"-

As the message ended, from out of nowhere, a platoon of Aryan soldiers appeared, possibly to quell an uprising somewhere else. It was then that they happened to spot Kairi.

"An outsider," the leader shouted.

"It's a girl." A soldier added.

"She must be a foundation sympathizer. Kill her now!" The soldiers drew out their weapons and began to fire a hale of bullets into the corridor. Kairi quickly threw herself into one of the rooms just as the bullets passed and ricocheted by. The room was empty and dark and Kairi hid amongst the shadows. She heard the company draw closer and closer to the room. They suddenly stopped at the doorway, not daring to advance. Kairi could hear her own heartbeat.

Then, there was the sound of a dropping pin and a clicking metal mechanism, followed by the sound of a thrown object into the room, clanking on the ground. Kairi feared the worst, knowing what it might be. Her intuition was correct. The Aryans had thrown a hand grenade into the room.

"Take cover!" the commander shouted. But Kairi jumped out of the room unexpectedly just as the grenade detonated. Kairi jumped off the wall, off the ceiling and plummeted towards the soldiers. She slashed at four of them with one strike, maiming them and depriving them of their weapons. The soldiers were baffled, at the same time terrified.

"How can this be?" one soldier said.

"Don't stand there," the leader shouted, "Kill her!" The soldiers took aim and began to shoot at Kairi, but the girl managed to evade them at close range and cut down two more. She then used one of her twin swords and impaled one of the other troopers at the shoulder.

"Damn you," another trooper growled and aimed well, but Kairi cut his weapon in half and struck the young man in the shoulder.

"You little strumpet!" the leader bellowed, "You will die!" He drew out his pistol and shot at her, but Kairi managed to cut his pistol in half as well. The last soldier took aim to shoot the girl in the back. But Kairi sensed his presence and slashed upwards from behind. She cut the gun in two, as she did some of the others, then pummel kicked the young soldier in the gut, knocking him off his feet. The young soldier riled in agony from the pain.

"You mustn't underestimate me because I'm a girl." Kairi said. "I might be just a civilian, but I've learned from the best."

"Damn you," the leader growled.

"As you can see, I detest the thought of killing, which is why I only maimed your men. None of them will die and they're too caught up in the pain to actually pick up their weapons and fight again. Besides, there aren't any more weapons to fight with."

"You think so?" The leader quickly reached for the sword that Kairi impaled into on of his men. He plucked it out of the recruit's shoulder who screamed in agony as the blade left his flesh. "Then let's see how you favor against someone like me!"

The leader attacked and struck with great ferocity. Kairi was calm though, not wavering at her opponent's movements. By her standards, the man was an amateur. She evaded and blocked like the efforts of the leader were mere trifles.

"Is this the best you can do?" she asked.

"Don't you dare mock me!" the leader shouted, attacking on blind rage alone.

"You're getting emotional. That's not a good thing in this type of contest."-

"Shut your mouth!" The leader lunged at Kairi. This proved to be a fatal mistake. Kairi evaded the thrust, spun around and elbowed the man at the side of the head. The leader struck the wall and slumped unconscious to the ground. When all was quiet, Kairi picked up her other sword.

"You were good, but not good enough."-

"Is that so?" a voice said from further down the corridor. "You think that you're quite a skilled swordsman, girl?" Kairi turned to see a tall man dressed in a black frock, covered with a grey overcoat. His garments were far more elaborate than the other soldiers and he bore a general's black helmet with gold spire atop it. "Then why don't we see how well you favor against the likes of me."

"Who are you?"-

"I am the leader of this entire operation, girl. I am Lieutenant General Hector Fortinbras." He drew out his officer's saber.

"A top rank proves nothing."-

"Does it not?"-

The general suddenly attacked with incredible swiftness. He struck and lunged with incredible accuracy and skill. Kairi now saw that his words were more than just big talk. Unlike the miniscule leader of the platoon she battled earlier, Fortinbras proved to be a skilled combatant in the way of the blade. His timing and his evasion were just as deadly and accurate as Kairi's, if not a little greater. The young woman now faced a determined warrior who was ready to kill and had the means and the skill to do so. The battle only lasted for two minutes before a fatal blow was given. Fortinbras slashed upward then to the side, knocking both swords out of Kairi's hands. Kairi fell to the ground. Deprived of her weapons, she didn't know what to do now.

"This can't be." She thought to herself. "How could I lose so easily?"

"I guess you're nothing, but cheap talk when it comes to fighting a real warrior." Fortinbras mocked. "This type of battle isn't for feeble and fragile females such as you. The only conclusion that you will always encounter in the end is death!" Fortinbras lifted up his sword and prepared to smite her.

But at the last minute, a shadowy figure appeared, throwing its presence between the generals' descending sword and Kairi. Kairi closed her eyes, fearing the strike of the blade. But as she came to realize she was still alive, Kairi opened her eyes. She gazed up to see none other than her brother. His long handled blades crossed at the hilts blocking the sharpened steel of Fortinbras.

"You leave my little sister alone, you filth." He uttered.

"Kirin of the Flaming Blades," Fortinbras was stunned, "What are you doing here?!"

"Just passing by," Using his strength, he pushed back the general. His blades caught the spark from the grind and began to bellow flames. Kirin stood between the enemy and his sister.

"Kirin," Kairi uttered, "You're here."

"Are you alright?"-

"Yes,"-

"What are you doing here anyway?"-

"I came to find you."-

"That was a stupid thing you did." Kirin seemed to scold his little sister.

"But,"-

"This is a dangerous place deep behind enemy lines. You knew of the danger and yet you came here anyway. That was a very stupid thing for you to do, Kairi." Kairi lowered her head.

"I just…" she uttered, her voice wavering. "I just thought that…"

"Well, whatever you thought, you were wrong." There was a sudden silence. "But then again, I am glad that you came to find me. It just goes to show that I have proven myself to you."

"Brother," Kairi looked up with a half smile and tears in her eyes.

"Now, go and help the others. This guy is mine."-

"But Kirin,"-

"I'll be alright. You just make sure that we win this thing."-

"Right," Kairi didn't want to argue and quickly withdrew, leaving Kirin and Fortinbras in their stand-off. Kirin's piercing gaze was fixed on the general. Fortinbras had this smirk upon his face.

"I see," he said. "I see now why you're here. That little strumpet is your sister."

"Watch your tongue." Kirin replied.

"What fortuitous circumstance is this, to find Kirin of the Flaming Blades and his sibling here as well?"-

"I wouldn't be cocky if I were you, Fortinbras. So far your lack of strategic skill has cost you dearly. Now, there is an uprising within you own ranks."-

"And I take it that you are the one who was responsible for that."-

"I know of the hasty coup against the Arakis Foundation. I also know that amongst the Aryan Faction officers, not one is truly fit to serve as a commander, even Lord Marcus Montague himself. And of all of his officers, you General Fortinbras are the most incompetent and the most despised."-

"That's awfully bold statement, traitor!"-

"Is it not true? The only reason why you probably took on this job was because you wanted to redeem yourself for the disgraceful performance you displayed in the Oceansburg Campaign. But let's face it, you suck at strategy and leadership, which is the reason why your men hate you. It's always about you and your ego and no one else. If something's your fault, you point the finger at others to take the blame for your mistakes." Of course this lecture was wearing on the general's mind. Though he did not outwardly show it, he was boiling from within. His fists clutched tightly, but relaxed after relieving his conscience of his past mistakes.

"I have to admit," Fortinbras stated, "I have made some mistakes in the past. I may not be a great strategist and I may be despised by the very men who serve me, but at least I had the decency to remain loyal to the Imperial cause. Unlike you, a once faithful and trusted officer of the Midnight Faction, now you're an outcast, a rebel, a traitor to your comrades, your lord, and to the Imperial cause."-

"I followed the Imperial cause only for the sake of fulfilling my own goals."-

"And what goals might that be?"-

"That's not open for discussion now is it?" Kirin growled.

"I see, it must be that strumpet sister of yours. You threw all of your efforts with the faction away just because of her, didn't you? Why else would you defect?" Kirin clutched his fists. "So it is true, you cared little for the Imperial cause. You only cared about your sister."

"There's no use hiding anything from you is there?" Kirin chuckled. "I guess you do have a brain to match your ego."

"Mark my words, Kirin." Fortinbras threw his sword before the young man. "Once I dispense with you, I will then kill your sister. Then both of you can walk side by side in the afterlife."

"That's not going to happen. You're dealing with Kirin of the Flaming Blades."-

"Should I waver?" Fortinbras took a defensive stance. "The reason why I seldom excel in strategy and tactics is because that was not my main focus. My main focus was based on combat. If I didn't have to stand behind and observe our men from the rear during the Oceansburg Campaign as a good general should, I can assure you that the outcome would have been completely different."-

"I know why you were standing in the rear, so you'd be furthest from the danger."-

"Stupid boy, you will soon realize the extent of your folly. I am not as weak in combat as I am in tactics."-

"Then let's just see."-

Kirin was the first one to attack. He struck with incredible precision and speed. He thrust, knowing that Fortinbras would dodge. Like Saito's Gatotsu, Kirin twisted the blade to its side and used a side sweep. But again, Fortinbras evaded, moving out of reach of the attack. He then swerved to strike Kirin at the back of the neck. But Kirin used his other blade and blocked the attack. He swerved around again, hoping to slice the general from the side, but again the general evaded. Like two coordinated dance partners, Kirin and Fortinbras struck and counter-struck, dodged and parried, slashed and thrust, but with no clear winner.

However, it was within the period of five minutes that Kirin realized Fortinbras was not bluffing. He was indeed a formidable fighter.


	104. Peace Restored

Peace Restored

The two now stood face to face, their gaze stern as rock. Kirin, however, came to realize that Fortinbras was a more formidable soldier to contend with than originally thought.

"His strength is incredible." Kirin thought to himself. "I have to admit, I was wrong about his abilities earlier."

"So what do you think?" Fortinbras asked with a smirk. "Do you find that I am not so easy to combat with as before? It just goes to show that appearances can be deceiving."

"I'll admit, you have some skill, but don't let it go to your head."-

"Just wait and see."-

Fortinbras attacked again, slashing and thrusting with incredible speed. Kirin had found himself at a loss for words. Suddenly, with an upward slash, Fortinbras managed to cut the front of Kirin's shirt. Not close enough to cut flesh, but near enough for Kirin to maintain his guard.

"It appears that the high and mighty Kirin of the Flaming Blades is not as top notch as he thought himself to be." Fortinbras attacked again. "You'll never be able to stand a chance against me in a one on one fight. In my entire career, there has been no opponent who could best me. And you are no different from any of those preceding you."-

"You forget though, Fortinbras," Kirin said with a smirk, "You're not dealing with your average opponent."

"Enough talk," The general charged again. "Die,"

Fortinbras attacked with all his might, the two battled down the hallway without giving in.

In the meantime, Kairi was rushing in and out of different corridors gazing into rooms and seeing battles erupt all around her. She had not gone noticed the batteries of the Aryan carrier were lashed into a frenzy of skirmishes. In the midst of the inward chaos, it was hard to distinguish the difference between the loyalists and the allies.

Suddenly, Kairi found herself confronted by another large force of Aryan soldiers. This time, it was an entire company that stood before her. Kairi had nowhere to go and the Aryans were already on top of her. She drew out her swords and prepared to battle. But before a confrontation could take place, someone amidst the mass called her name.

"Miss Kairi?" it cried. Kairi lowered her weapons. One of the supposed Aryan soldiers stepped forward. But it was actually one of the enlisted men who accompanied Kirin in the first party. He approached her. "It's not safe to wander about the ship alone, Miss Kairi."

"Are you a friend, or an enemy?"-

"A comrade of the Arakis Foundation, Miss. I was with your brother when we first engaged." Kairi, then remembered seeing the young soldier amongst the other troops in Kirin's outfit.

"Oh yes, I remember you. You're a corporal right?"-

"That's correct, ma'am." Kairi observed the soldier from head to toe.

"But why is it that you're dressed like an Aryan soldier?"-

"It was the only way to cause confusion amongst the enemy ranks. But you can distinguish us from the enemy by means of the white bans we wear on our arms." He pointed to the cloth wrapped around his upper right arm. Kairi then observed the other soldiers. They too were wearing similar bands.

"I see,"-

"So anyone wearing a white ban is a friend."-

"Thank you for telling me that."-

"Hey, Kairi," a voice cried out. Kairi turned to see Tidus running towards them. "What are you doing here? It's dangerous."

"I wanted to find my brother."-

"And did you find him?"-

"Well, yes, but he didn't want me around."-

"I'm not surprised. He doesn't want you to wear on his mind in the midst of battle. You just stick with us for the time being until this thing is over."-

"Alright," Tidus then looked at the soldier beside Kairi.

"Is everything secured so far, corporal?"-

"Yes sir," the trooper replied. "We have managed to take over the communication and transmission facilities. The rift between loyalist and Aryans has reached its peak. Now, we're on our way to attack the resistance at the batteries."

"Very well, then we'll join you."-

"Sir, but we have to move out of here as quickly as possible, our comrades at the batteries need assistance in their overthrow."-

"Understood," Tidus looked at Kairi. "I hope you're ready for this, Kairi."

"I'm right behind you, Tidus." Kairi replied.

With the hundred or so men, most of them defectors, the party moved their way to the battery turret, hoping to eliminate what remained of the resistance.

Kirin's strength was found equally matched against the might of Fortinbras. For ten minutes up and down the corridors they fought. Slashing and thrusting, jabbing and striking, both combatants did all in their power to outdo the other. Neither seemed to be gaining the upper hand, but for some reason Fortinbras seemed more submissive, using a strong defense rather than offense. He seemed to taunt Kirin as a cat would with a mouse before devouring the prey. They eventually found themselves fighting in one of the isolated chambers. But both were too caught up in their fight to notice, or so it seemed.

"You're starting to stress." Fortinbras said, as he and Kirin continued to fight. "I can feel it."

"You don't know what you're talking about."-

"You believe that? The reason for your aggressive offensive is because you can't fathom my taunts. You want to end this battle with me as soon as possible. But then again, I won't allow such a thing. To be a true warrior is to find the weaknesses of your opponent, mentally and physically. I am helping to wear your body down by allowing you to continue your offensive. This takes up more energy than a defensive stance. Also, I stun your mental abilities by taunting you and forcing you to drag on, thus making you flustered."-

"Why don't you stop being a coward and fight me right?!" But again, Fortinbras evaded another swing from the young man.

"Is that what you think? That I'm a coward? There is a difference between being clever and being a coward, young Kirin. A coward will always find ways to avoid a confrontation altogether. A clever opponent, however, will use all in their power to win the fight by any means necessary. They can faint a retreat and then suddenly turn on you with incredible strength just like this."-

The Aryan general suddenly attacked and struck at Kirin. This time, Fortinbras put himself on the offensive. Kirin was overwhelmed by the sudden burst of energy and power. Left and right the general jabbed and sliced. Only by a narrow margin did Kirin manage to evade being cut. He managed to break off from the skirmish. Scraping his blades on the ground, he caused a spark and his swords caught fire, illuminating the chamber to which they combated.

"I'd be aware this time around, Fortinbras." Kirin declared.

"It is you who should be careful, boy." Fortinbras replied. "Not unless you want to blow us all to hell." Fortinbras pointed to the chamber around them. Kirin looked and realized that they had been fighting in one of the ammunition storage chambers. "Too much heat or one significant impact could cause every ammunition crate in here to detonate. To add," Fortinbras pointed above Kirin's head. Kirin eyed above and saw a gas vain which traveled along the chamber ceiling. "One careless move involving that pipe and it's death for us both."

"Damn it," Kirin glared at Fortinbras, a sweat of apprehension on his brow. "You did this on purpose. You drew us in here didn't you?!"

"You see, it's not always the strongest warrior that wins. In most cases, it's the smartest that wins the battle because they know how to manipulate the environment around them. In this case, if you try to pull off your fancy flame attacks in here; you endanger half of the ship. And who knows, your beloved sister might be on that endangered side." Kirin suddenly felt helpless before his foe. He extinguished the flames before any devastation reaction could occur. "The thing about truly skilled warriors is that they know how to probe for their enemies weaknesses and use it to their advantage. In this case, you are a warrior who wishes for a swift victory with an opponent who attacks head on. But simply attacking head on does not always determine victory. In this case, I am one who likes to prolong the battle for as long as possible. I will do whatever it takes to keep my opponent on his feet and moving about. Only when they are at the point of weariness do I go in for the kill. And it looks to me that you've met your limit. You can't use any of your signature techniques within this chamber. Therefore, you must regress to using more simple tactics. And I know that you're not willing to take any action that might involve the death of your comrades and especially your younger sibling."-

Kirin, seeming to be weary and mentally exhausted, backed off from the fight to regain his strength and think of a solution. He heaved in every breath with heavy gasps and fell to one knee, using one sword as a crutch. Sweat dropped down the side of his face. The general stood before him with that arrogant smirk of his.

"I bet this is the first time you've ever faced someone like me for this long, eh boy." Fortinbras said. "This is the first time in your life that you've ever confronted a foe this powerful and yet so masterfully skilled and clever. So the mighty Kirin of the Flaming Blades knows his utmost limits and he acknowledges that I am more than a match for his own mediocre abilities. Oh how the mighty have fallen. As you know, trying to fight me on sheer strength alone is futile." It seemed that Kirin had finally confronted a foe that had the upper hand over him in every way. But for some reason, his scared and exhausted look vanished.

"You talk too much, Fortinbras." Kirin suddenly said, his lip curving up in a clever smile. Fortinbras heard that comment and immediately his own smirk faded.

"I beg your pardon?"-

"I said you talk too much."-

"Is that so?"-

"You say that you excel in combat more than you excel in strategy. Well, if you want my opinion, you're just as lacking in skill of combat like you are in battlefield tactics. Certainly, those blows of yours were strong and I have to admit that you have some ability, but you never took into consideration of knowing your enemy first. I've already had a thorough analysis of your combat style."-

"Is that so? Well, please enlighten me of my flaws."-

"For one thing, you talk bigger than you fight. You expect your big words to intimidate your opponent. Then, when that fails, you use strong aggressive blows and extreme swiftness to gain a quick upper hand over your opponent. However, when that doesn't work, you regress to a more defensive way of fighting, maintaining your distance and not engaging too much, so as to preserve your energy, while allowing an enemy to lose theirs. At the same time, you use your taunts and big words to break them up mentally. Then, when it seems that the opponent has no strength of will left to fight, that's when you go for the throat. However, you yourself have a major flaw, and one which plagues every warrior, no matter how experienced. And that is underestimating your opponent. You've made pretty large assumptions about me, but assuming is a dangerous thing. You said that I couldn't fathom prolonged fights. That was wrong. I may be one to enjoy swift victories, but I have trained myself to endure prolonged battles with my enemies if they come up."-

"If what you say is true," Fortinbras inquired, "Then why is it that you don't seem to have the strength to stand up anymore?"

"That's the thing," Kirin's weariness suddenly vanished, "To truly be a clever warrior is to deceive your opponent. You failed to exhibit that. You thought that you already had the upper hand in this fight. But how could you make such an assumption without once ever battling against me yourself until now? If you want my opinion, you just say things to boost up your ego. But the reality is that you have nothing to show for it."

"You forget though, boy, we're still in this chamber. Any false move might prove to be your last."-

"I've already taken that into consideration." Kirin flipped his blades to the under hand position and then struck the floor. He then released his swords, letting them stand erect, hilt towards the ceiling. "My swords will catch fire very easily. Therefore, I will have to find some other way to battle you."

"And how do you plan on doing that? You plan on fighting me with your bear hands?"-

"If that's what it takes."-

"Foolish boy, fighting me without a weapon has only guaranteed one thing." Fortinbras charged head on. "Your death is not only assured, it's absolute!"

But suddenly, as Fortinbras drew nearer, Kirin drew out his last resort weapons. Raising his right arm, he deployed his infamous grappling hook, which was used again Riku and Sora back at Monsters Inc. Fortinbras was caught off guard. There was no time to react as he was too close to dodge dagger. The hook struck the general directly into his gut, piercing almost straight through his back. Fortinbras flew rearward from the force and skidded along the ground, mortally wounded.

Almost immediately, the blood began to drip from his mouth and he began to cough up a great deal of phlegm.

"You tricked me…" the general uttered with a sneer.

"It just goes to show that you are all talk and no action." Kirin said. "An experienced warrior would have known that there was some other scheme behind my action than just disarmament." The young man picked up his swords, "So much for excelling in the art of combat."

With that Kirin began to walk out of the ammunition storage. But no sooner had he passed where Fortinbras fell, he heard the general suddenly guffaw in a sinister chuckle.

"I have to admit, my ability to fight was rather far fetched," he strained. "But that doesn't mean that I'm not willing to go to the extreme." The general pulled from under his frock a grenade. He flicked the pin out with a loud ping. "As I said, the smartest warrior will always win, using whatever means necessary to emerge victorious. If I am not allowed to win, then no one does."

"You idiot," Kirin shouted.

"It's too late for that! You'll never get far enough to avoid the explosion!" With that Fortinbras threw the grenade into the thick of the ammunition crates without a second thought. Seeing the danger, Kirin quickly withdrew, running as fast as he could from the ammunition shack. He could still here the general's crude laughing, even as his time was about to end. The grenade detonated and its shrapnel pieces struck each box. There was second explosion. Then another and another and another until a mighty eruption bellowed out. The corridors filled with fire and the walls imploded. Kirin looked behind him and saw a wall of fire and speeding debris behind him. Unable to outrun the blast, he was overwhelmed by the explosion, caught in a frenzy of death.

What occurred next could only be described as utter chaos. Within the ship, the opposite side of where the explosion originated, Kairi and her comrades were thrown off their feet by the violent jerking of the hull. Fighting within the battery area halted for a moment as both sides felt the surge.

"What was that?" Tidus asked.

"It must've been an explosion from within the ship." The corporal replied.

"Brother," Kairi thought to herself, fearing for her brother's safety. However, a sudden piercing of dread came over her, striking deep into both heart and soul. Kairi fell to her knees. Seeing her collapse, Tidus rushed to her side.

"Kairi," he said, aiding her, "Kairi are you alright?"

"This feeling," tears were in her eyes. "Something's wrong. Kirin is in trouble."-

"How do you know?"-

"This dread, it just came over me."-

"It's all a figment of your imagination." Tidus tried his best to comfort her. "I'm sure that your brother is alright."

"I hope so. Dear God, I hope so."-

From Prime Minster Crassus' position, he saw a bellowing flame burst from the hull of the Aryan ship.

"What the devil happened?" he said.

"There was a massive explosion." One of the subordinates replied.

"It must've been a detonated ammunition stock." Another officer added. "What I know most about these Aryan ships, they run heavily armed."

"Well," Imetriarch thought to himself, "this guarantees one thing. The Aryans won't be able to resist for much longer." He then turned to another officer. "Is there any news about Master Muli? Has he made back it to our ship yet?"

"Not yet, Prime Minister," a third officer declared.

"I certainly hope that his strategy works."-

Back on the bridge of the Aryan carrier, the captain and the rest of the crew present felt the sudden violent tremble caused by the explosion. The emergency lights began to blink.

"What in God's name was that?!" the captain asked.

"It was an explosion within the ship." One of the operatives replied.

"Give me a status report."-

"One of our ammunition storage facilities on the port side was detonated. The explosion has managed to pierce through deck levels four through seventeen. The damage percentage exceeds over 84 on the port bow."-

"That means that we are permanently crippled. We won't be able to make sufficient repairs with that kind of damage."-

"Sir," another operative cried. "The defectors have managed to take over our batteries."

"Sir," another shouted, "We've detected large objects descending towards the region."

"What was that?" the captain asked. An onscreen visual was made. To the horror of the bridge and the Aryans on board, what they saw only proved that their inevitable end had come. Three large _A_ class carriers of the Universal Alliance had appeared and were now hovering off shore. The captain lowered his head. "There's no doubt about it, this is the end for us."

"Well, well," Crassus said with a grin as he saw the three grand ships of the Universal Alliance appear offshore in the early morning light. "It appears that the message got through after all."

"Reinforcements have arrived, sir." One of his subordinates cheered.

"Yes, victory has been handed to us with extraordinary grandeur." But Imetriarch's joy soon gave way to dread has he thought of the fate which awaited his fellow Oceanarians of the Aryan faction. "But sometimes, I wish there could be some kind of middle ground where all can benefit."

The forces of the Aryan faction feared the worst.

"So this is the end." The captain whispered to himself.

"There is a message from the Universal Alliance, sir." An operative said.

"Put it through." The operative opened the line from the Universal Alliance.

"This is a declaration to the Aryan Carrier." The Alliance stated. "You have violated the rules of sanctuary to the Arakis Foundation and its leading representatives. By order of the president, no one is to hinder those who have been officially guaranteed sanctuary by the Universal Alliance. Anyone who dares to defy this right will be eliminated unless otherwise objected by members of the alliance or those hindered."

"What now, sir?" the captain's subordinate asked.

"There's nothing we can do." The captain replied. "In accordance with the Universal Alliance's policy on sanctuary, the assailants are thus charged as guilty and will be swiftly executed unless an order is given by a high ranking official of the Universal Alliance or by a leading official of the party sanctioned. In other words, unless someone from the Arakis Foundation or the Universal Alliance comes forth in our defense, we are held accountable for execution."

"If that's the case, sir, then let us fight to the end!"-

"For how long though? Continuing to fight would only be futile for us. Our batteries have been seized by the defectors and we've sustained a great deal of damage. To add, those are class A battle carriers with heavy guns. We wouldn't stand a chance."-

"Then what should we do?"-

"The only thing we can do is wait for a response to be given. But if we take action before that, we'll be accounted for hostilities and execution is guaranteed."-

But a small flame of hope came to the forces of the Aryan faction. Another transmitted message was coming through.

"There's another message, sir." The operative said.

"Where from?" the captain asked.

"It's coming from the Arakis Foundation."-

"This might be our only hope." The captain thought to himself. He openly declared "Put it through. And link the message to the entire ship. I want everyone to hear it."

"Aye, sir," The message was accepted and the voice of the young Mulian Arakis was heard throughout the ship.

"This is a declaration to the forces of the Aryan Faction." Muli began. "I am Lord Mulian Nidarach Arakis, son and heir of His late Excellency, Lord Drako Arakis, former member of the Dark Empire. I know of why you have turned against me and why you have fought against me. You do not find my decision of joining and integrating with the Universal Alliance an acceptable one and that is understandable. Many of you have been part of the former Imperial Regime and have wished to see the Dark Empire in its former grandeur. You despise the thought of even joining along with an enemy you have fought against for so many years. But the time has come for us to lay down our arms and begin a new world, a new world where universal conflict does not reign. My father and the Three Excellencies did all in their power to maintain the old Imperial ideals. But look at what has happened. If our ideals were meant to be, then the Dark Empire would not have fallen and former Imperials would not be battling amongst themselves. Even now, the current Three Excellencies do not have any intension of forming a pact with one another. Even now, this new Imperial Axis is faltering. One man wishes to rule over the others, but all want this. This will only lead to more suffering and that is the last thing I want." There was a pause in Mulian's statement, but it was enough time for those of the Aryan faction to realize what his hopes were and allowed them to question their own cause.

"Rather for what we are fighting for, the question is what should we be fighting against? I have every right to declare you my enemies and see each an every one of you executed for the wrong you have inflicted upon me and my men. But I will do no such thing. You are after all, not only fellow Oceanarians, but fellow intellectual beings who have found purposes in their lives. We detest the thought of change, abandoning the values that we held so dear. However, the times will not allow things to return as they were. We must accept a new change, a new way, to make friends out of old enemies. But at the same time, we must not abandon that Imperial pride. Though it may not express itself as a dominant power, it shall forever remain a part of our hearts. And that in itself is something that no one can take away. I therefore offer clemency and forgiveness to all members of the Aryan Faction who have engaged against us today. You will be allowed to return to your homes, unmolested and with safe conduct without fear of retaliation. All defectors, past or present will be forgiven. So is my declaration and I shall stand by it."

The Aryans were left stunned and spellbound. Never before have they been given such conditions o compassion, and by the enemy commander whom they had tried to assassinate and kill all that time.

"Perhaps Master Mulian is more of a leader than what we took him for." One soldier present said.

"Perhaps his decision was not for himself and his family, but for all of us." Another added.

"Why would he be giving us this chance when he knows we did all in our power to kill him?" an officer said.

"What shall we do?" the captain's subordinate asked.

"It is an offer that benefits us all." The captain replied. "And it is one that I refuse to let go. Open up the line."

"But what about General Fortinbras…?"-

"I fear that he might already be dead. But I will not allow this ship's company and it's fighting men to perish for the sake of that man's selfish pride."-

"Aye, sir,"-

"It's over for us, my men." Some of the men cried tears of joy. Others wept tears of shame. "We have finally been beaten." He lowered his head, though the expression was vague. "We fully accept the terms of surrender."

As the sun rose in the sky, greeting the morning, the sounds of battle had ceased. For the first time in going on two days, there was a peaceful lull. From their barracks, the Aryans soldiers appeared. They threw down their arms and trickled towards the foundation trenches. The Foundation soldiers gladly embraced them. With their leader dead and the battle over, there was no need to continue fighting. These were after all former comrades. As the two sides integrated, there were some happy reunions. Brothers came together, fathers and sons were reunited, cousins and cousins, nephews and uncles, and best friends came together. For a while, it seemed as if there were no enemies at all, but rather two sides that reconciled after a night of brawling. There were, however, tragic reunions as well as some had found their friends and loved ones either mortally wounded, or dead on the field. Thus, not only was the atmosphere filled with joyful cheers, butt the wailing of sorrowful mourns. Tidus looked over the field to see this act of compassion. And even amongst the men near him, foundation and Aryan soldiers gave up all former hatred to embrace in brotherhood.

"I gotta admit one thing about these Oceanarians." He said to himself. "They know not to bear a grudge."

"Though they have been fighting against each other, sir." The corporal implied, "They never really had an excuse to hate each other absolutely. They could hate each other for having lost comrades and loved ones at the hands of the enemy, but then again there's not a man here who hasn't experienced that sensation."

Just then, Kairi appeared from the mass of men. Tidus spotted her from a distance, being the only other person amidst the crowd that was not wearing black. Kairi looked about as if looking for someone.

"Hey Kairi," Tidus cried as he waved, "Over here!" Kairi saw him and waved back. The approached each other. "I was wondering where you wandered off to."

"Tidus," Kairi asked with a timid waver in her voice. "Have you seen my brother anywhere?"-

"Kirin, no I haven't seen him."-

"I've looked everywhere. No one has seen him. I really hope that he's alright."-

"I'm sure he is."-

"But what if he isn't? What if he's been wounded, or worse? What if he was…?" Kairi couldn't speak anymore. Tidus put his arms around her and tried to comfort her.

"It'll be okay, Kairi. Kirin is a tough guy. He'd never die knowing that he has you to protect. If you just believe in him, he'll come back safe and sound."

"You think so, Tidus?"-

"I know so." Tidus released her and smiled. Kairi returned the gesture with a sad smile.

"Yeah, you're right. I just have to believe in him."-

"That's the spirit." Tidus gave a sigh. "Well, since the fighting is over, I'm gonna go back down to town and see if my house is still standing."

"Okay," With that Tidus scurried off back to town.

In the meantime, the three sides converged at the center of the field. The first was the captain of the Aryan faction and his subordinate. The second party representing the Arakis Foundation was young Mulian Nidarach Arakis and Prime Minister Imetriarch Crassus. And the third party in league with the Universal Alliance was none other than the infamous General Arinario Triiken, accompanied by the commander in charge of the western defense during the Oceansburg Campaign, Madam General Gala Devardios.

The three parties converged at the center of the field where the fighting was most intense. They greeted each other, all former followers of the old Imperial regime and the great cause of the Dark Empire.

"So here we stand again." Triiken began. "Former Imperials reunited."

"I am the captain of the Aryan carrier." The captain declared. "I have come to give a former surrender to you and your men." He pulled out his sword and handed it to Mulian. "I bestow this sword to you whom we have wronged."

Mulian smiled and turned the sword away.

"There is no need for that." The young boy replied. "I will not act as a dominant force to deprive you of your dignity."

"Then I bestow this surrender to the forces of the Universal Alliance." The captain turned his sword to Triiken. But Triiken too refused.

"By order of the president," he declared, "When this conflict is over, no side will achieve dominance over the other. Therefore, though tempted by tradition, I will refuse this symbol of honor. You have the right to continue bearing your arms, captain."

The captain nodded and sheathed his sword.

"My men are in need of rations, sir."-

"As are mine." Mulian replied.

"By the grace of the president," Triiken said, "He has stocked these carriers with provisions for both sides." He turned to Madam General Devardios. "Have the supplies transferred to both parties."

"Yes sir," The Madam General replied.

"Compliments of the Universal Alliance,"-

"You are too generous, sir." The captain said. "If only our higher-ups of the Aryan faction could show just as much compassion."-

Tidus reached the center of the field to see the three sides adjourning their converse. The minute that he laid eyes of Triiken, his eyes swelled up.

"It's you…!" The young man roared running towards the former Gatler General.

"Do you know that young man?" Madam General Devardios asked.

"He's merely an annoying little nuisance." Triiken replied. "Perhaps he's the raving village idiot."

"Who are you calling an idiot, you six foot tall git?!!" Tidus bellowed. "My arm has been sore because of you! It hasn't fully recovered!"

"You're rather facetious today, aren't you boy."-

"I'm not a boy anymore, you ditz!"-

"An imbecile who was bested by a simple thrust attack is no more than a mere boy."-

"Why you…" Tidus regained his composure. "So what the heck is a guy like you doing here?"

"I'm looking for Riku and Sora's young lady friend."-

"You mean Kairi?"-

"I believe that's the one."-

"But what do you want with her anyway?"-

"I have come to give her a message about her comrades."-

"Riku and Sora," Tidus was anxious. "Well, are they alright?! Tell me!"-

"Hey you," Madam General Devardios shouted, "Be more respectful to the inspector!"

"No need to raise your voice, Madam General." Triiken said. "The boy is just a little anxious about his friends that's all."

"Will you stop calling me a boy?!" Tidus roared.

"Would you prefer to be called a girl?"-

"That's not what I meant!"-

"Then quit your pointless billowing, you weed. Now where is she?"-

"Well, the last time I saw her, she was up there near the Aryan ship, looking for her brother."-

"What's that?" Triiken was stunned. "I was unaware that she even had a brother."

"Yeah, this guy named Kirin." Immediately after hearing the name, Triiken and Devardios reacted.

"Kirin," Devardios asked, "You're not referring to Kirin of the Flaming Blades are you?"

"Oh yeah, do you know him?"-

"That young man has gained a notorious reputation as a ruthless fighter." Triiken thought. "He was also one of the top commanders of the former Midnight Faction until his declared defection against the Imperial Axis, but to think him as Kairi's brother, what a strange twist of fate." Triiken then pondered at Kirin's face and compared it with the memory of Kairi's face. "But then again, they are almost identical."

Triiken said nothing further, inwardly or outwardly, and began his ascent towards the ship.

In the meantime, Kairi now stood alone, gazing out to sea. For some reason, she had halted her search for the moment to gaze out at the beautiful blue ocean with its calm surface and crashing waves on the cliff base. She looked to the sky, thinking of her friends and family who had been affected by this conflict in a way. She then pictured Riku and Sora in her mind.

"You guys," she thought to herself, "I wish you were here with us."

Her nostalgia, however, was interrupted when the sound of someone approaching from behind was heard. Kairi quickly turned. And to her amazement, she gazed upon a familiar face that rekindled her joy. Kirin had finally returned. He walked slowly, his swords attached to each other as his bow. He walked with a proud stride, a slight smile on his face. He seemed not to have received any damage because his uniform was still in tact, say for a few marks and cuts in the cloth. Kairi ran to him and smiled.

"Brother," she said, "You made it back alive!"

"Kairi," Kirin uttered. But his voice did not seem joyful, but rather a sigh of relief. Kairi looked at him funny.

"Are you alright, brother?"-

But before further word could be said, Kirin suddenly dropped his weapon. A stream of blood appeared on his lips and trickled down his chin. Kirin then collapsed into his sister's arms.

"Kirin," Kairi cried, wrapping her arms around him to catch him. But as she felt his back, she felt something sharp protruding from his flesh, followed by a warm, wet substance. Kairi raised her hand and looked in terror. Her hand was covered in her brother's blood. Kirin had in face received a mortal wound. His back had been riddled with shrapnel, striking his vital organs. He did not evade the explosion after all. Kirin went limp in his sister's arms, no longer having the strength to go on.

"Kirin," Kairi cried again. She nestled her brother close to her, embracing him. "Why are you so hurt?"

"I was caught in that explosion." Kirin whispered. "I thought I was dead for sure, but I had to keep my promise to you. I said that I'd come back alive. And so I did."

"But why did you put so much stress on your body, you goof? You could have died."-

"I had to make myself look presentable." Kirin shuddered, his breathing suddenly giving way to a gasp. The pain in his back was unbearable.

"Hang on in there, Kirin." Kairi held on. "Keep looking at me, keep looking at me." Kirin looked up at his sister, seeing only a blur of her face. He only smiled.

"I did it,"-

"You did what?"-

"I did it, Kairi. I protected what was the whole world to me successfully. Now, I can die in peace."-

"No, Kirin, you can't die!" Kairi held her brother against her bosom and cried. "Please, brother, you can't die!" Kairi called out to anyone in ear shot. "Someone, please help my brother! Please help him! Don't let him die! Don't let him die!"

"It's okay, Kairi." Kirin's eyes were dimmed. "I'm glad to have been reunited with you, even if it was for only a brief period."

"Kirin…"-

"Kairi," a voice cried. She turned to see Tidus and a handful of soldiers running towards her. Along with them were General Triiken and Madam General Devardios. Tidus reached the scene "What's happened…?!"

"It's Kirin," Kairi replied, "he's dying, Tidus. Please help him."

"Right," Tidus turned to the soldiers. "Get a medic over here now!"

"Yes sir!" a soldier replied and temporarily withdrew.

"How is he?"-

"He's been severely wounded in the back." Kairi replied.

"Kairi," Kirin uttered.

"Don't say anything, brother. Save your strength!" She tenderly embraced her brother and rocked him back and forth, doing her best to ease the pain.

"I'm so cold,"-

"I'll keep you warm, brother."-

"The medic's here." Tidus said.

"We'll take it from here, ma'am." Two Alliance medics appeared on the scene.

"Stay back, Kairi." Tidus kept her at bay as the medics took her brother from her arms.

"No, Kirin," she cried.

"I'll be alright." Kirin replied with confidence. "You just have to believe."

"Kirin,"-

"Ease up, boys." The leading medic said as they hoisted the dying warrior on a canvas stretcher. In unison they hoisted him off and carried him away.

"Kirin,"-

"It'll be alright." Tidus said, hugging Kairi, comforting her. "Your brother will be alright." Kairi, unable to speak, only cried. Triiken and Devardios looked on.

"Aren't you going to tell her?" the madam general asked.

"Kairi has enough on her mind." Triiken replied. "God forbid I burden her with more worries."


	105. Brother

Brother

The day reached its waning stage to mid-afternoon as it always had and things were peaceful amongst old enemies. But that same period of time seemed an eternity now as Kairi awaited the fate of her brother. She was not permitted to go into the medical hall where her brother had been sent. She had no word of his condition. She feared for his life as she watched helplessly from the doors looking inward to the vast hall of medics.

"Kirin," Kairi thought to herself, "Please be okay."

Her edginess was heightened though, as she heard the cries of so many young men who were still waiting to be helped. They lay along the corridor upon blood soaked canvas stretchers, moaning in a symphony of agony and pain. One by one, the screaming youths were brought into the facility one after the other to see the medics. She looked upon them, some with mortal wounds on their bodies. Others with severe burns covered with field bandages, blackening the white cotton.

It was then that Kairi saw a young soldier, no older than eighteen. He had received a deep shrapnel wound I his gut which had been bandaged to keep the blood from spilling. He seemed to reach for a canteen not too far away, but his weary body could not summon the strength. Feeling sorry for the young man, Kairi came to him and knelt by his side. She took the canteen.

"Do you want water?" she asked.

"Yes…" the young man replied. Kairi slowly lifted his head and let the cool water fall upon his lips. The young man smiled after his sipping. "Thank you…mother…" His head then went limp to the side. Kairi looked at his face. His eyes were suddenly semi-closed, his lips half apart. Kairi backed off, not knowing what to make of it, though she feared the worst.

"Medic," she uttered. One of the attendants came to her.

"What's the problem, Miss?" he asked.

"There's something wrong with that young man." The medic went to the side of the young man. Kairi watched as he put his fingers to the boy's throat. She then saw him shake his head then signal another medic to assist him. They suddenly lifted the still body of the soldier up.

"Another that could have made it." The first medic said.

"Too bad that they have to die so young." The second medic added.

Kairi began to cry as the thought of the young soldier's weary face still plagued her mind. She suddenly found the face of her brother pop into her head. She then looked about to see that each soldier wounded had that same face. Her daze was broken by the sounding of a deep voice.

"Miss Kairi," it declared. Kairi looked to see General Triiken approaching her, "You have been wandering about this corridor since they took your brother in."

"I still worry about him."-

"There is nothing that you can do for him right now. The medics are doing all in their power to help him."-

"But it's been over nine hours already. I'm worried about him. I have to see him, I have to see him."-

"This is not a civilian hospital. You can't just go in and see him. There are to be no visitors allowed whatsoever." Kairi could only cry. Triiken sighed. "However, I'll see what I can do." Triiken accompanied Kairi and both went to the guard at the door.

"I'm sorry, sir." The guard said. "I can't allow any unauthorized personnel into the medical hall."

"It's alright," Triiken said, "I grant permission for this young lady to enter."

"But sir, I…"-

"The doctors can say what they will, but they will have to explain to a higher-up such as I why they would not let a young lady go to her brother's bedside in his time of need. I'm sure you'll know what happens next." The young guard hesitated.

"Very well, Inspector." The guard replied. "I'll give you clearance."

"Thank you."-

Both were allowed into the medical hall. They were guided to a room where many of the other soldiers were put in rehabilitation. There, at the far end of the hall lay Kirin. His body had been dressed in clean bandages and he had been attached to a breathing apparatus. He also went through a blood transfusion to maintain his blood circulation. A doctor had finished her analysis on the warrior's condition. Upon seeing Triiken and Kairi, she clapped her board and came to meet them.

"I'm sorry," she said, "There are to be no unauthorized personnel here. I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to leave."

"But my brother," Kairi uttered, "Kirin,"-

"I'm sorry, you can't see him."-

"But,"-

"I have superiority over this ship and all the personnel, Doctor." Triiken declared. "I will decide who will be permitted."

"But Chief Inspector," the doctor replied.

"This may be the last time Kairi and her brother might see each other. You wouldn't want to be responsible for denying a younger sibling access to her brother when she fears he may die do you?"-

"Very well then, but I can only allow ten minutes."

"I see." Triiken turned to Kairi. "You have ten minutes, Kairi."

"Thank you." Kairi replied. She walked to Kirin's bedside.

"How is his condition anyway?" Triiken asked.

"He's lost a great deal of blood and has suffered severe internal injuries and a punctured." The doctor replied. "I don't believe he's going to make it. Having him here only prolongs the inevitable."-

"Do you not have rejuvenation tanks in this facility?"-

"Those are meant to be used to heal Alliance officers only."-

"With this one exception, I will authorize it."-

"But sir,"-

"I will take full responsibility." Triiken watched as Kairi approached Kirin's side. "Besides, that young man will be worth more to us alive rather than dead."

"You intend to use him for something?"-

"I can't allow such fine talent to be wasted in such a way. If he dies, however, then I'll hold you responsible for it. Do you understand?" The young lady knew of Triiken's notorious reputation. She was not willing to chance it.

"I'll authorize your order now, sir."-

"That's a good doctor." The young doctor scurried out without a second thought.

In the meantime, Kairi sat next to her brother's bed. His eyes were closed in a deep sleep. Kairi smiled with her eyes moist with tears. She shifted a few strands of his hair from his forehead. She then grasped his hand. It was cold as ice.

"Brother," she uttered quietly. Suddenly, Kirin's eyes opened slightly and looked about. He then turned his head, and looked to find his sister.

"K…Kairi…" he whispered, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit you, you goof."-

"But I thought no visitors could come in."-

"Not even the Universal Alliance can keep me away from you. So how are you feeling?"-

"I've had worse." Kirin tried to crack a smile, but his ailments were just too painful. "I'm glad to see you smile though."

"I'm just happy to see that you're alright." Kairi clutched tighter to her brother's hand. "I was so worried about you. I thought that you were gonna die."-

"The thing is, Kairi…" Kirin suddenly paused. "I thought I was gonna die too. For a moment, when I was shuffling about in the debris after the explosion, I could have easily slipped away. I thought that maybe this is a perfect way for me to repent for my sins, a way to seek atonement for all the wrongs I've done to people in the past. You don't realize this, Kairi, but I have done many dark things in the past. I've taken lives of soldiers and civilians alike." Kairi was stunned. "All that time, I've been doing everything that the Midnight faction and Sirius Viicous had been telling me just so I can find your whereabouts"

"Kirin," Kairi uttered.

"All this time, I've been trying to find you. But I never knew your name or what you looked like. I only knew that you were there. The feeling in my heart and the pendent we shared was my only link. It was not until recently that I remembered and my memories came back to me. But in the process, I have undergone a hideous transformation. I have become a heartless monster. With every innocent life I took, I lost more of my soul. I lost more of who I was."-

"Why are you telling me all of this?"-

"I have born a lot of sins, Kairi, and I can't hold them back anymore." Kairi then came to realize that her brother was crying. Tears rolled down his face, wetting his pillow. "I've done so many horrible things in the past and I can't possibly be forgiven for them. I don't know if I can repent for them. I didn't want to tell you because I feared you might have some negative aspects about me. But I can't hide it anymore. I've lost many a good night's sleep because of those deeds. And I'm tired of having to shut myself away from others because of those secrets. I just wish that I could be forgiven for it, but I know I never will."-

Again, there was a dead silence and Kirin feared a rising tension between him and his sister. But Kairi only put her forehead upon his hand.

"Are you truly sorry for what you've done?" Kairi asked. "Have you not beaten yourself up from the inside?" Kirin looked at his sister. "You could not have seen this coming. You couldn't have seen this outcome. If you had, you would not have taken such severe measures. But pressure and desperation does that to people and we do stupid things that may end in one person's suffering. But we never think of those things until the time comes before us. If you are truly sorry or if you have remorse, that's good enough for me."-

"But Kairi," Kirin said.

"You are my brother and you have finally found your way back home. You have been on your own for so many years. Now you can rest. You might have caused a great deal of pain towards others and may think that forgiveness if out of your reach. But you are still young like me and you can make up for all the bad things you've done in the past. No one is out of hope's reach. You can still repent by fulfilling obligations to others." Kirin smiled, despite the pain.

"You're right, Kairi. I realize now that I still have obligations that need to be carried out. I still have many things I need to take care of." He gazed deeply into his sister's blue eyes, seeing his own reflection upon her pupils. "At least there is one thing that I have done that was worth while."

"And what's that?"-

"Seeing you smile."-

"Really…?" Kairi began to cry again.

"When I was on the verge of death, I came to the conclusion that I'm not gonna let these things lick me. I'll beat these wounds and keep on living. If I had not taken those sentiments into consideration, I would have died early this morning."-

"Kirin,"-

"You and I have been reunited for only a short period. I'd hate to have to cut it so short now of all times. I'd hate to let you lose your smile. And I'd hate to keep so many tasks unfinished before my demise."-

"Brother," Kairi held his hand, tears falling down her cheeks. She watched her brother shutter a bit from his ailments.

"Miss Kairi," Triiken said, "We have to go. The ten minutes are up." Kairi continued to look into her brother's eyes, taking in all the features of his pupils to the last detail.

"I have to go now, brother."-

"I'll be back again, Kairi. I'll get better." Kairi sniffled and slowly released his hand before withdrawing from his bedside. But from the point of leaving his side to exiting the room, they never once broke eye contact. Triiken had to escort Kairi out, fearing she might bump into something.

The doors closed behind them and the doctors began their rounds soon after.

"General," Kairi uttered, "Will Kirin make it?"

"I've arranged to have him placed in one of the rejuvenation tanks." Triiken replied. "Hopefully, he'll be alive and well within an hour or so, depending on how serious his internal and external ailments are."

"So there's hope for him?"-

"So long as he doesn't die in the process," Triiken looked down upon Kairi. "As for you, I need to discuss something with you."

"About what…?"-

"This is an inappropriate place to talk, Miss Kairi. Let us converse someplace not as monotonous." Triiken and Kairi walked out of the hall, back to his quarters.

He boiled a pot of tea and set it before the two of them. They had an excellent view of the island.

"This tea was handpicked from my garden." Triiken declared, sipping the hot contents from his cup. "I find it to have quite a zing in flavor with age."

"So what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Kairi asked.

"It's regarding your comrades, Riku and Sora."-

The minute on hearing their names announced, Kairi stood up, thirsting for more information.

"Riku and Sora how are they? Are they alright? Did something happen to them?"-

"From what I understand, they've been doing quite well in their missions. So far, they have not encountered a snag they couldn't handle. That is…except for one obstacle."-

"What obstacle is that?"-

"I don't know if you recall, but your friends, aside from preventing the former Imperial regime from resurfacing, are trying to save King Mickey of the Disney Kingdom."-

"Yeah, I remember that somewhat."-

"Well, what they didn't realize is that in order to free him, they had to fulfill a task. They have to collect five separate puzzle pieces that unlocks the prison to which the king is being held in, as well as obtaining the information that leads to his location. But to do that, they must defeat the infamous Blade Generals."-

"Blade Generals…?"-

"Yes, so far they've managed to defeat four of them. However, the fifth is far stronger and much more elusive. Riku and Sora have already fought him at least three times or so and each time the battle was either indecisive, or ended in defeat."-

"Riku, Sora, are they okay though?"-

"They managed to survive every fight." Triiken took another sip from his cup. "However, it seems that their opponent is always one step ahead of them."

"Who is this person?" Kairi asked.

"His name is Guentory Finnele. But he's widely known by his alias, General Saber. He's the former leader and last living member of the Cavendish Shinobis."-

"The Cavendish Shinobis, you mean the guys Riku and Sora had to fight the first time?"-

"That's correct. He is unlike any the key bearers have fought before in the past. Being a shinobi, Saber is elusive and cunning. His strength is so preposterous; your friends have gone off to do special training to improve their strength against him."-

"Special training…?"-

"I won't tell who from though. It's top secret at the moment."-

"I see."-

"But while they are undergoing this training," Triiken continued, "Saber goes on with his rampage for the Midnight Faction. We fear that even the key bearers won't be able to stop him. He's the one man who has managed to slip in without notice. At this present moment, know one knows where he is, which makes the situation all the more precarious for us. I fear that even if your friends do complete their training, they still won't have enough to go head to head with Saber."-

There was a sudden pause within the conversation. But Kairi placed down her cup and stood from her seat. Her eyes suddenly turned stern.

"Take me to them." She declared. "I want you to take me to see Riku and Sora."

"That is out of the question, Miss Kairi." Triiken replied, sipping his tea.

"Why is that?"-

"For one thing, the trek is far too dangerous for you."-

"You think I'm helpless because I happen to be a girl? Or is it because I always seem to be left in the rear for others to take care of? Well, let me tell you something. I have fought alongside those guys more times than I could remember. I've learned from the best and I can take care of myself in the midst of battle."-

"Miss Kairi,"-

"I've been left in the dark all this time, not knowing what those two have been up to for the past month. The tension of not knowing what's happening to them is far beyond what I can bear and I am sick to death of it. I don't want to be left behind anymore! I will fight beside Riku and Sora, even if it cost me my own life!"-

Triiken set down his cup and smiled.

"You are quite the determined young lady, Miss Kairi." Triiken said. "I can see why Sora fell in love with you." Kairi slightly blushed. "I had a feeling that this might turn up, so I'll make it short." Triiken pulled out a long mahogany box and presented it before Kairi. He opened it. Kairi's eyes were glittered with awe. Before her was a custom made keyblade, well curved to match that of a feminine warrior. The hilt was heart shaped, guarding an intricate shaft of flashy design, ending with another heart as the head of the blade itself.

"This keyblade was custom made for you, Miss Kairi." Triiken continued, "Compliments of President Sneer and the Universal Alliance." Triiken then closed the lid. "I have been given orders to proceed with this. If your heart is strong enough, then the keyblade will come to you, proving your worth to the cause. Thus, you will be taken to Traverse Town where the rest of the KH team is waiting. However, if you cannot grasp the keyblade from out of this box, then you are not worthy enough to join the fight. Are you ready, Miss Kairi?"

"For Riku and Sora," Kairi drew up her hand, "I will fight to the bitter end alongside them!" Almost as if commanded, the keyblade appeared in Kairi's hand. She beheld the glimmer of this grand weapon, its taint of red and white, with a touch of feminine pink and dash of gold. The weight was light in Kairi's grasp. She smiled.

"Our cruiser leaves within the next three hours, Miss Kairi." Triiken implied. "Best you take that time to say farewell to your other friends."

"I will," Kairi retracted the keyblade. "I take my leave then." She thus withdrew without uttering another word. Triiken picked up his cup and sipped his tea. He then smirked.

"It's almost time." He thought to himself. "Soon a great battle with emerge. And all those whom the keyblades have chosen must rally to end this era of chaos."

Kairi came to meet with her friends. They themselves were helping with the clean up and the assisting of the wounded and burying of the dead. Selphie and Tidus were aiding soldiers, dressing their wounds, and Wakka was helping to move the debris from the field when they saw Kairi approaching them.

"Hey, hey," Wakka said to Tidus and Selphie, "Look whose coming."

"Hey Kairi," Selphie cried, signaling her.

"Hey you guys." Kairi replied.

"So what's the news?" Wakka wondered.

"So how is your brother doing?" Tidus asked.

"Kirin is doing alright." Kairi had a rather solemn look on her face and her friends were curious.

"Is there something wrong?" Selphie asked. "You look like you have something on your mind."

"Is there something that you want to tell us?" Tidus added.

"Guys," Kairi stalled for a moment, but continued with her declaration, "I'm going to go find Riku and Sora."

"What," her three friends were stunned.

"You're gonna look for Riku and Sora?" Tidus asked.

"But that's crazy." Selphie protested.

"It's dangerous, ya?" Wakka added.

"I know," Kairi replied. "But I can't wait any longer. I worry about them and I need to be with them. I've been here always worrying every day, not knowing. If I'm going to do anything, I'm going to help them fight."-

"But Kairi, there may be a chance that you won't come back either, ya?"-

"That's a risk that I am willing to take. As long as I am with Riku and Sora, that's all that matters to me."-

"If that's the case," Tidus declared. "Then why don't you let us go with you?"

"No, this is something that I must do myself. I can't afford to let you guys get involved."-

"But,"-

"You guys have a responsibility as well. After this fight, there is no doubt that the Aryan Faction and their allies might come back to take revenge. If you guys go with me, who's gonna be left to defend our home."-

"I guess you're right." Selphie said.

"Don't worry, I'll come back safely with Riku and Sora."-

"Then," Wakka uttered, "If this is the decision you've made, then we won't stop you."

"Thanks you guys."-

"How long will it be before you go though?" Tidus wondered.  
"I leave in about three hours."-

"You should take that time to rest up then. You have a long journey ahead of you."-

"Good idea."-

"We'll be seeing you then." Selphie said. She ran up and gave Kairi a big hug. The two embraced each other tightly. "You take care of yourself alright, Kairi? Bring Riku and Sora back safely."

"I will," The two released each other and gazed into each other's eyes. Kairi then looked at Tidus and Wakka.

"Keep us in your heart, Kairi." Tidus said. "We'll be waiting here for you guys."

Her eyes, teary, Kairi waved farewell to her close friends. As she vanished further into the distance, the three went about their business to restore order to their home.

Kairi came on board the Alliance carrier. There, she saw Mulian Arakis and Imetriarch Crassus conversing with General Triiken.

"We will depart from here soon enough, Your Excellency." She heard Triiken say.

"When will we be ready?" Mulian asked.

"Within the next four to six hours. As soon as we have secured all the needs necessary and have this world placed in a descent state where the people will be able to rebuild their home. We also have the countless dead and wounded that are need of attention. By order of the president, he wants to make sure to maintain equal share amongst everyone involved, aggressor and victim alike."-

"I never would have thought I'd see the day when the mighty General Arinario Triiken would take command of the Alliance forces so thoroughly." Crassus stated.

"With the Alliance as the new lone super power, I will do all in my ability to make sure that it maintains its word as well as its honor, doing as much for it as I had done for the form Dark Empire as an Imperial."-

"Then we will do the same." Mulian replied. The General saluted and his guest did the same before withdrawing. It was only then that they saw Kairi. Mulian ran to her. "Hey Kairi,"

"What are you two doing here?" Kairi asked.

"We've made arrangements to leave this place." Imetriarch said. "Triiken has provided escort for us to Oceansburg. It seems that this pact between the Arakis Foundation and the Universal Alliance will become possible after all."

"And what about you, Miss Kairi?' Mulian asked.

"Well," Kairi replied, "I'll be going out to find Riku and Sora."

"Ah, the key bearers," Imetriarch said.

"Those two are going to need my help this time around. This is a task they alone can't go head to head against." –

"Well, I wish you the best of luck, Miss Kairi. I hope for a safe journey home for you and your friends."-

"Thank you."-

"Actually, it is us who should be thanking you. You helped to save young Master Mulian. Had it not been for you, the foundation might have met its downfall two days ago."-

"Thanks, Miss Kairi." Mulian said.

"It was the least I could do, kiddo." Kairi patted the young man on the head and ruffled his hair a little. "I hope that you grow up to be a strong and righteous leader."

"Like my father?"-

"Y…yeah, like your father."-

"We take our leave, Miss Kairi." The two bowed respectfully and withdrew. Kairi watched as they walked away.

"Miss Kairi," Triiken said, "Prepare yourself, you'll be departing within the next couple of hours."

"Coming," Kairi replied and went to join the general.

Three hours had passed and gone quicker than expected. Triiken and Kairi in the meantime had another cup of tea in the waiting room near the launching pad. Kairi gazed down at a series of Alliance cruisers. The cruisers looked similar to that of the gummi ships except for their black and white hulls. Kairi watched as one of the cruisers was being moved to the launch pad.

"Is that it?" Kairi asked. "Is that the one we're going to board?"

"That's correct." Triiken replied. "We just have to wait for them to prepare the boosters. Then we'll be prepared to depart."

"It takes three hours to get it ready though?"-

"Space flight should never be taken lightly, Miss Kairi. It would be a shame to encounter a problem, especially in a high speed flight."-

"I guess you're right." She took another sip of tea. "So by the way, will Riku and Sora be there at Traverse Town?"

"Unfortunately, they will not be there."-

"No…? But why…?"-

"They are still undergoing their training regimen. It was guaranteed that they would be able to train for three weeks. As far as I know, only one half of a fortnight has elapsed. Instead you will be meeting up with Colonel Ophelia Billiard, the present leader of the KH team. That is until your friends return."-

"Ophelia Billiard…?"-

"That's right. She was a former member of the Midnight Faction before turning in favor of the KH team. Now, she's one of the most dedicated warriors in the group."-

"But how did she come to join the team in the first place?"-

"From what I understand, it's not only from a disgruntled past and dealings with the former Organization XIII, the Heartless, and the former Imperial regime, etc, but she seems to have developed sentimental and emotional feelings for your friend, Riku."-

"Riku, really…?"-

"Yes…"-

"My God," Kairi thought to herself. "Could it be possible that Riku has found another love? Or could it be that another love has found him. I never thought Riku would ever look at another girl after Namine passed away, if she passed away at all." Kairi made a sudden random ponder in her mind. "I always thought Namine was part of me that could never be separated. But I guess Nobodies do have wills of their own."

"Miss Kairi," Triiken said, standing up. "Let us proceed to the launch pad. They're waiting for us."

"Oh," Kairi replied, "alright."

The two made their way down to the launch pad. The mechanics were making last minute repairs and the pilots were readying their coordinates. Triiken stopped just a few feet away from the opened hatch. He pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time.

"Where are they?" Triiken mumbled to himself.

"Where are who?" Kairi asked.

"Well, I knew that you might have some trouble in the later campaigns against the Imperial Axis. As a precaution I've asked Madam General Devardios to send and transfer warrior to accompany us. Besides you, he will be a new addition to the KH team and he will be a strong asset. His strength is equal to Riku and Sora's."-

"A new addition…?"-

"That's right."-

"Who is this guy then?"-

"But Kairi," Triiken seemed to give wink, "You should know him well."

"Inspector Kuroda," a voice shouted out. Triiken looked to see the Madam General and the warrior approaching.

"Speak of the devil, here they come."-

Kairi turned to see. When she did, her heart began to pound as her eyes seemed to betray her senses. Low and behold, she saw standing next to the Madam General was her beloved brother Kirin. Healed and replenished, given new garments, which maintained the old Imperial look, he came before his sister.

"It can't be," Kairi uttered to herself.

"I'm sorry that we're a little tardy, Chief Inspector." Devardios said. The two saluted the chief inspector, "Madam General Gala Devardios reporting, sir."

"Prince Kirin reporting, sir," Kirin added.

"Better late then never." Triiken returned the gesture.

"Kirin is that really you?" Kairi asked.

"Hi, Kairi," Kirin replied. Kairi walked up to him and looked at Kirin from all over. She rubbed her hand around his arms, his chest, and his back.

"Are you for real? Are you really here, brother?"-

"I wouldn't be standing here if I wasn't."-

"But how? You were riddled and bloodied this morning and you could barely move too. How can you be here like this all of a sudden?"-

"I took the liberty of permitting your brother to be placed in one of the rejuvenation tanks, which is strictly used for Alliance officers only." Triiken explained. "With the use of that devise, one is able to heal from severe wounds in less than an hour. By the looks of it, Kirin has made a full recovery."

"I'm good as new, Kairi." Kirin said with a smile. Kairi was so overcome with joy, tears began to fall. She hugged her brother tightly and cried. Kirin was somewhat startled at first. "Kairi,"-

"Brother, I thought you were going to die! I was afraid you weren't going to make it, but here you are! This is real! This is real!"-

"Sister," Kirin put his arms around her. The two embraced so tenderly. "I have you to thank, Kairi. You gave me a reason to live on."

"Brother,"-

"Thank you,"-

"Isn't that cute," Madam General Devardios whispered, nearly tearing up in the eye as well.

"We'll fight together, Kairi." They pulled each other away. "I'll be there at your side, another friend, another brother in arms."

"Kirin,"-

"Kirin, Kairi," Triiken declared, "We have a task to fulfill. You can reminisce and embrace later."

"Yeah," Kirin said, "you do have a point. Sorry sir…" He looked at Kairi. "Shall we go?"

"Yes," Kairi replied.

"General Devardios," Triiken said, "I leave you take care of things here."

"You can count on me, sir." Devardios replied.

"Let us be off then." Triiken entered the cruiser. "We're taking off! Prepare for ignition!"

"Aye, aye, sir," the pilot replied. The three boarded and the hatch closed behind them. The rockets blasted and the cruiser lifted up out of the hanger and into the pure blue sky. It then bursts off in a loud sonic boom and vanished from sight.

Riku and Sora had already undergone severe training under Thundro. The Imperial was ruthless and unwavering, not allowing his pupils to gallivant about needlessly. It was on this particular day, however, that a transmitted message had reached his quarters. The key bearers in the meantime were still straining their bodies to the point of exhaustion. It had already been nine days, going on ten since their training began.

"A message on the secret line," Thundro said to himself. He activated the message. A holographic image appeared from the icon of the transmitter, followed by a hard copy on a piece of paper. Thundro read the message on the printed piece and sighed. "Riku and Sora may not take it well, but it's better than hiding it from them. This might change agenda a little."

The Imperial returned to the gravity chamber where the two key bearers were undergoing their training regimen at ten times the natural gravity. They were still lumbering about in the gravity like slugs and were at the present moment taking a short break.

"This is too much." Sora huffed. "Ten times the natural gravity is out of the question."

"You're telling me." Riku added. "I feel like a have a ton of armor on me. It's so difficult to move."

"I'm surprised I didn't bust a gut through all the strain."-

"That's enough blubbering, you two." Thundro declared as he walked in.

"It's easy for you to say. You've been accustomed to this kind of atmosphere for a long time. We only have three weeks."-

"Less than three," Riku said.

"That's all the more reason for you two to stop sitting around on your backsides and get back to your training." Thundro said.

"We're just taking a short break."-

"By the way," Sora asked, "Where did you go?"

"I just received a message on the secured line. Apparently, the message was sent from an anonymous source, though I have a feeling I know who it was that sent it."-

"What is it, another coup or something?"-

"Whatever it is, it certainly has nothing to do with us." Riku sighed.

"On the contrary, boys, it does." Thundro said. The key bearers lifted their heads.

"It concerns us?" Sora asked.

"Yes," Thundro paused for a moment. This eerie lull in silence disturbed the key bearers. Though they knew not what the message was, they could see on the face of the Imperial that the news born was not good in nature. "The Destiny Islands have been attacked."

"What…?!" The key bearers jumped to their feet, forgetting their own pains in concern for their home.

"What do you mean the Destiny Islands were attacked?!" Sora said.

"Who attacked them?!" Riku added.

"Why don't you read it for yourself?" Thundro said, handing them the printed paper. Sora snatched the message and began to read it. "Read it aloud, Sora."

"I bear bad news for the key bearers." Sora began. "Three days ago, the forces of the Arakis Foundation arrived at the Destiny Islands, landing on the major settlement on the big island."

"That's our hometown." Riku uttered.

"Read on," Thundro said.

"Mulian Arakis had hoped to seek temporary shelter while he and those men still loyal to him and the Arakis family continued on their trek to the Alliance capital." Sora continued, "However, a large force of the Aryan Faction, under the command of Lieutenant General Hector Fortinbras, had managed to catch up with the foundation's remnants. Fortinbras, in his determination to redeem his reputation after the disastrous engagement in the Oceansburg Campaign, sought to destroy Mulian Arakis and all traces of the former foundation. Thus, without giving any formal declaration to the citizens of Destiny Island, he engaged in highly aggressive hostilities towards both the foundation and the inhabitants of the main settlement."-

"The bastards…" Riku growled.

"Mulian Arakis, believing himself to owe a significant debt to the people of the Destiny Islands, decided to stay and defend the town to the best of his abilities. But two days of bombardment had proven chaotic to the town itself, which suffered a great amount of damage to many of the structures."-

"Damn it…"

"But what about everyone else…?" Sora asked, temporarily leaving his dictation of the letter.

"Continue," Thundro said. Sora commenced with the reading.

"Fortunately, it has been recorded that there were no civilian casualties during the confrontation."-

"That's good to hear." Riku sighed.

"All local residence picked up their belongings and moved to the far side of the Island where the battle did not reach. Only a handful of civilians stayed behind to help in the confrontation. No deaths occurred amongst them." Sora stopped his reading again. "You think Kairi was amongst those who helped?"

"Read on, Sora." Thundro declared.

"However, the Arakis Foundation had suffered a significant amount of casualties. Of the twenty-two hundred men who served under the banner of the Arakis Foundation, almost eleven hundred were killed, wounded, or missing."-

"Man," Riku said.

"However, this is a significant and miraculous victory on account of the foundation. The forces of the Aryan Faction had numbered over ten times the number of Mulian's troops, yet they lost a full third of their force, an estimated seventy-five hundred troops, killed, wounded, or missing."-

"Man that is a miracle."-

"Just a force of twenty-two hundred defeating a force ten times their number, wow."-

"Read on, Sora." Thundro said.

"Adding to the fall of the Aryan forces," Sora continued, "Over a half of the men serving were still sympathetic to the Arakis family and three-fourths of the men still alive despised General Fortinbras for his brash and arrogant attitude. Thus, a coup de tat commenced and the higher up of the Aryan Faction was overthrown. As chaos came over their forces, the Arakis Foundation managed to contact reinforcements from the Universal Alliance. The arrival of three Alliance carriers brought an end to the fighting."

"So our home was saved after all." Riku sighed relief.

"The Foundation has thus made safe passage to Alliance territory and shall commence with peace agreements between the Arakis family and the Universal Alliance within the next three weeks or so. Because of the efforts of the people of the Destiny Islands, the Foundation and the Alliance have guaranteed safe haven to its people and will donate funds for the immediate reconstruction of the town. The Alliance has also granted clemency to one Prince Kirin of the Flaming Blades who arrived at the start of the battle and took responsibility for penetrating the factional lines to bringing a downfall to the Aryan ranks."-

"Kirin made it to Destiny Island?"-

"Apparently, he is after all Kairi's long lost brother. But to think that he would battle against the Aryan Faction, they're a member of the Imperial Axis. So does this mean that Kirin's on our side now?"-

"Since you've been moving about constantly," Thundro inquired, "You might not have caught wind of the news within the Midnight Faction. Kirin has been openly marked as a renegade and is wanted dead or alive by Lord Sirius Viicous."

"But I thought that Kirin was one of the most trusted officers within the faction." Riku said. "How is it that he suddenly decided to swing in the other direction?"

"Was I correct in hearing that he is your friend, Kairi's brother?"-

"That's right." Sora replied. "We found that out back in Monsteropolis."

"Then perhaps the reason for his defection was for the sake of his sister. He only fought for the sake of gaining something in return. In this case, it was Kairi, perhaps the only family that he has left."-

"Just like Ophelia and Cunla."-

"That's how Sirius Viicous operates. He promises rewarding loyal followers by filling their heads with his propaganda about helping them fulfill their own goals in exchange for their absolute loyalty."-

"But can people be so stupid as to fall for such lies?"-

"You would be surprised how desperate people can become. They would be willing to trade their souls to the devil in order to get what they so long desired." There again was a silence between the three. This gave Thundro the opportunity to drop the subject entirely. "Now enough of this chattering, we still have training to do. I need to get you boys strong enough to battle against Saber. We have less than six days to complete the training."-

"Six days?" Riku asked. "But we've only been here for a little over a week. I thought we were here for three weeks?"-

"The last week I am keeping something open. That is why I expect you two to master ten times normal gravity before the end of the week. I also expect you boys to stay one full day in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. That should increase your stamina even further."-

"Well, that'll certainly boost our strength."-

"So are there any other concerns before we continue?"-

"One," Sora uttered. "I've been meaning to ask you lately, Master Thundro. I know you'll object, but it's something that's been wearing on my mind for a while now. What exactly is behind that jade door on the second floor?"

Sora was expecting his instructor to blast out with a sudden lecture about how he would not show them until the end of the third week as he had declared before. The key bearers might have expected him to ramp and rave about it. But instead, Thundro was silent. For ten seconds, they expected something to come out of his mouth. Finally, the Imperial uttered he few words.

"I know I said that I'd show you that final door on the last week that you were here. But I can't afford to let you reminisce about what's behind it. Today's just as good as the final. But I suddenly find it more beneficial to show you now rather than later."-

"You mean we get to see what's behind the door?"-

"Don't get too excited, Sora. Being in a good mood is the last thing that you want when entering that room." Thundro deactivated the gravity sequence. "Follow me boys."

The key bearers pursued Thundro up the stairs to the jade door. The key bearers were awed by its magnificence. Never before had they seen such a well detailed door of jade and gems.

"So what is this room called?" Riku asked.

"This is what I call the Mandate Chamber." Thundro replied.

"Mandate chamber…?"-

"There is only one like this around, and it resides here."-

"So what's so special about this room?" Sora inquired.

"Before I explain, do you remember, if you were told at all, about how His late Excellency, Lord Vischerz von Cavendish controlled the Universal Mandate?"-

"I do." Riku replied. "Sneer told us about it. He said that anyone who possessed the mandate is invincible and is able to bend history, time, and the will of the universe in his favor absolutely."

"Then let me ask you this. Exactly how many times do you think His Excellency used the Mandate when the motive was needed?"-

"I don't know, a hundred times maybe?"-

"I'd say about a thousand." Sora said.

"In all the millenniums preceding the rise of the Dark Empire," Thundro said, "Master Cavendish only used the power of the mandate once."

"Once…?" the key bearers were dumbfounded.

"Only once…" Sora uttered.

"That's correct. Despite His Excellency's thirst for power, he knew not to rely on the Universal Mandate, even in the most desperate of situations. The reason why is because he knew the extent of the Mandate's power and knew the outcomes of what might occur. The use of the mandate can change a historical lineage completely. What should have been would never come to pass. That is how potent the mandate is. It has permanent effects. Things that were supposed to be the hope of people became their doom. Where life was supposed to flourish would die. And where life was never meant to be would sprout."-

"That's very interesting, Master Thundro." Riku said. "But what does this have to do with the chamber."

"This Mandate Chamber is the only place in the whole of the Universe where one is able to experience first hand how things might have been had the Mandate not been used. This chamber somehow maintains the original historical line unaffected by the mandate's power. It is believed this is where the sacred flames once resided, the flames that counter the mandate's potency." Thundro walked up to the door. "Once you enter this facility, you will arrive in a time and place coinciding with your own history, but was never able to occur due to the effects of the Universal Mandate." He placed his hand on the handle. "Are there any other questions before you enter?"

"I do." Sora replied. "Have you ever been in there before?"

"I have, Sora. And let me tell you this. Had things remained as they were, it would have been I that had a notorious reputation for ruthlessness and thirst in torture and not the late General Ameba. Who knows, had things been tweaked a step further, it would have been you, Sora, and not Riku that would have felt the lash at the hands of not Ameba, but I." Sora's spine stiffened. "You will spend the next six hours in there. Once you emerge, you tell me what you saw of the past which was supposed to be."

"Sora," Riku uttered.

"I'm ready," Sora replied.

"Then be off and good luck." Thundro opened the door and the key bearers went in. Thundro then sealed the door. He turned away and returned to his quarters. "I wonder what it is they will see…"

Six hours had passed and gone faster than expected. In that time, Thundro spent two hours in the scenario chamber, two hours in the gravity chamber, and the equivalence of two hours in the hyperbolic time chamber until finally, the time had come for the key bearers to emerge.

"It's time," Thundro said as he looked at his watch. He exited the hyperbolic time chamber and made his way to the second level to the jade door. He stood and waited for ten minutes.

Suddenly, the door opened slowly and Riku and Sora emerged. But the looks on their faces were a somewhat frightened gaze. They were tattered and beaten, tired and exhausted. They did not utter a single word, still overcome by what they had witnessed. Riku then suddenly began to cry as if some deep emotional scar had afflicted him.

"So tell me," Thundro asked, "What is it that you saw?" Riku looked up at him.

"I can't tell," he uttered before collapsing to the ground. "I don't have a right to."

"Is that so?" Thundro then turned to Sora. "What is it that you saw, Sora?" Sora faltered and fell to the ground as well. But he uttered only two words that described the epic confrontation that they had witnessed, but were denied as an effect by the mandate.

"Keyblade…War…"-

"I see," Thundro sighed. "We'll leave it at that then. Quite a significant change for both you and I."


	106. Traverse Town

Traverse Town

Ophelia sat at the local tavern, helping herself to another cup of coffee. This is the first time since she had joined the KH team that group had rested. Though a long needed rest, it was not one that was spent in relaxation. The team was always weary. Ophelia herself feared for Riku and Sora, not knowing if the two young key bearers could survive the harsh training from Lord Thundro. Thundro was known for his ruthlessness and mercilessness with his students. Though his training day was average, a full twelve hours, he did not let up on his regimen unless necessary.

But it was not only the training of the key bearers that concerned Ophelia. It was also to fact that General Saber, the last of the Blade Generals remained at large. Though there had been no news of any recent activity he was involved in, the mere thought of him helping the Imperial Axis to gain more was unfathomable. It was this type of doubt that made the former colonel apprehensive.

"Another miserable night for me," Ophelia thought to herself. "I don't think I can stand another two weeks here, waiting for those two." Her thoughts turned to her silver-haired prince. She remembered that moment in Twilight Town where she and Riku touched lips for the first time. She could still feel the warmth and the comfort in the young man's embrace. "Riku, come back to me."

"Miss Billiard," a voice said. Ophelia turned to see Olette standing near her.

"Miss Olette," Ophelia replied. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see how things were going out here."-

"Everything's alright, how are the children doing?"-

"Goofy and Donald are watching over Hayden and the others. The children are a little bored though. This is the first time that they've been so far away from home. Then again, this is the first time that I've been so far away from home." She then looked at the seat next to the colonel. "You mind if I sit down?"

"By all means," Ophelia offered the seat and the two young women sat together. "Would you care for some coffee?"

"Oh yes, that would be great." A cup was handed to her and the two began to drink the bitter liquid. "So how long do you think we'll be here?"

"Until things blow over with the Imperial Axis," Ophelia said. "I don't know how long that might be though. I worry about Riku and Sora though. They right now are undergoing the hardest and most strenuous form of training regimen ever known."

Olette only looked down at her cup. For some reason she began to sniffle a little. A tear formed in her eye Ophelia noticed this and had a feeling of what motivated Olette's tears.

"Are you thinking about Pence and Hayner?" she asked.

"Yes," Olette replied. "Why did they have to die? Why did my town have to be attacked? All those people, why…?"

"It is what the Imperial Axis defies as judgment against those who oppose them."-

"But what kind of logic is that? We did nothing to deserve getting attacked. We had nothing to do with this confrontation. We didn't desire to have this happen to us. So why…?"-

"You did not want to be part of the conflict, but the Imperials didn't care. All they know is that one world gained is more power achieved. That's all they know and that's all they care about. The axis will not stop until they have every single world in their grasp. That is the goal they wish to achieve." Ophelia cringed. "And to think that I was stupid enough to actually follow their philosophies for a time, and all for the sake of a promise that could never be kept."

"What was it that motivated you to join the KH team?"-

"You might say it was due to a change in logic and philosophy, a change of heart, a realization of my worth within that organization, which of course amounted to nothing according to them, perhaps destiny found a better purpose for me than acting as a pawn of the Midnight Faction." Her thoughts once again sent to the face of young Riku. "Then again, it might be love…"

"Love…?"-

"Love…"-

"Love for whom?"-

"Well…uh…" Ophelia started to blush a little, she saw Olette's anxious eyes, wanting to know who it was that she admired.

"Miss Olette," a voice said. The two women turned to find Goofy coming towards them, "We need your help."

"What is it?" Olette asked.

"One of the kids wet the bed."-

"Oh boy," Olette stood up. "I better go take care of this. Sorry to have to run so soon, Miss Billiard."

"That's quite alright, Olette."-

"You can't take care of one spill?!" Olette said, scolding Goofy.

"Sorry, I'm not really accustomed to doing this kind of thing, you know." Goofy replied.

Once again the night was quiet. Ophelia continued to sip her coffee, keeping her hands warm around the cup.

Meanwhile, Kairi, Kirin, and Triiken finally arrived. The cruiser touched down and the three exited as the hatch opened up.

"So this is Traverse Town?" Kirin asked.

"This is the place." Kairi replied. "I remember coming here years ago."

"So it has a history then."-

"Yeah,"-

But as they stopped a while to stretch their legs, there seemed to be some debated discussion about the cargo that was brought along with them. Triiken wanted to keep trek of all the equipment listed.

"Prince Kirin," he called. Kairi's brother walked up to him and the pilot.

"What's the problem?" Kirin asked.

"You're experienced with cargo listings aren't you?"-

"Yes,"-

"Do you mind giving us a hand?"-

"Sure," Kirin turned to Kairi. "Kairi, you go on in. I'll be with you shortly. I have to take care of this thing. There was probably a miscount with the cargo."

"Alright," Kairi replied and strolled to the gates. She looked about the first district square. It had remained the same, just as she envisioned it. The night was a little nippy and Kairi had no means to keep her warm. "I could go for a nice cup of coffee." She went into the open air tavern, which was bare of people, and looked at the hot beverages. Unfortunately for her though, she did not have any money on her at the moment. "Aw man, I don't have anything to spend."

"Excuse me, Miss." A voice implied. Kairi looked to see none other than the venerable Colonel Ophelia Billiard sitting not too far away. "You care for some coffee?"

"That would be great."-

Ophelia signaled the innkeeper and the he brought out a fresh brewed cup.

"Care to join me?"-

"Thank you." Kairi replied. The two sat together and sipped from their cups, still oblivious to each other.

"You're a new face around here." Ophelia said. "However, you seem somewhat familiar. Have we met before?"

"I don't think so. I might just have one of those faces."-

"I see." Ophelia sipped her coffee again. "So tell me, what brings you to Traverse Town?"

"I have to meet with my friends."-

"I see,"-

"And what about you…?" Kairi asked. "What brings you here?"

"I'm here awaiting the return of my friends. They've gone off to fulfill a training regimen."-

"For what…?"-

"For the next upcoming battle against the Imperial Axis," Ophelia openly declared with such passion.

"So you're a soldier?"-

"That's right."-

"But," Kairi looked at Ophelia's uniform, "Why is it that you're wearing that black and red outfit. It looks more like an Imperial uniform."

"It's my form of distinction on the battlefield. I promised myself that this uniform will always see its fare share of Imperial blood until this fight with the factions is over."-

"I see,"-

"Why do you ask?" Ophelia wondered.

"I was just saying because my brother, Kirin, also wears that same kind of uniform."-

"Kirin," It was the uttering of that name that Ophelia realized who it was she was talking to. "Are you referring to Kirin of the Flaming Blades?"

"That's what a lot of people call him. I guess it's because of those weapons he carries with him."-

"You must be her then. You must be his long lost little sister, right? You must also be the other best friend that Riku and Sora were talking about. Your name is Kairi. And that means you must be…" Ophelia's heart began to pound as she recalled that conversation she and Riku had one month before when they were originally enemies. Inwardly, Ophelia sobbed, her heart seemed to open. "That means that this girl, she is Namine's other half." Kairi was stunned and a little freaked out.

"How do you know that? How do you know about Riku and Sora? Who are you?"-

"I'm…" But before Ophelia could utter a word, another voice rang out.

"Kairi, is that you?" it said. Kairi looked to see Olette coming towards her. "It's been a while hasn't it."

"Olette…?"-

"That's right."-

"Oh my God, it's great to see you." The two embraced. "It's been so long."

"Over eight years I think." She then looked at Ophelia. "I see you've already gotten in touch with Ophelia."

"Ophelia…?" Kairi looked at the colonel who now arose from her seat.

"I didn't properly introduce myself." The colonel exclaimed. "I am Colonel Ophelia Billiard." Kairi was again stunned.

"You mean you're Ophelia Billiard?"-

"That's correct."-

"No wonder you're wearing that uniform. Triiken told me all about you. You're the one then. You're the one that Riku likes aren't you."-

"Uh, well…um…"-

"Riku…?" Olette said. "Oh, so that's who you're in love with."

"Well…I…" Ophelia was a little flustered. "Well…yes…it's true. I've fallen in love with Riku."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of." Kairi said. "I'm just glad that Riku found another girl."

"Oh…?"-

"He hasn't really been the same since my other half passed away, if she passed away at all, though I'd like to think she's become a part of me again. It sounds a little crazy, but it's true."-

"I know…You are the original half of Namine…?" Kairi was shocked again.

"Namine…?" she uttered. "How do you know about Namine?"

"She was my step-sister. We took her in, my father and I, before the organization took her away. Riku told me all about it back in the Deep Jungle."-

"I…I don't know what to say."-

Immediately, Ophelia's heart began to pound as the name of her adopted step sister reverberated again and again in her ears. Upon her face came this sad smile.

"Miss Billiard…?" Olette asked as she saw the glint of a tear appear amidst the lashes.

"Are you alright…?" Kairi asked.

"It's been so long." Ophelia said. She suddenly embraced Kairi and took in all those lost memories which Namine and her shared. Kairi was at first a little surprised, not knowing this young woman who hugged her. But for some reason, there was this feeling that surged through her, as if there was a bond there between them all along, like they had known each other for a long time. Kairi put her arms around the colonel, this sad feeling coming over her. Ophelia began to whisper in a wavered voice. "My sister…you have returned to me."

"Sister…?" Kairi said nothing, not wanting to break the heart of the young woman, and only smiled. "It's alright, Miss Billiard." The colonel released her and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Ophelia said with a slight sniffle. "My conduct was inappropriate. We did just meet after all. I was just too overcome with joy, knowing that you and my sister were and still are part of each other."

"We're all friends, right?" Kairi asked.

"Yes,"-

"Well," Olette said, wrapping her arms around them both, "I'm glad to see that you two managed to get on the right foot at least."

"So where are Riku and Sora?" Kairi asked.

"They are at the present moment undergoing a severe training regimen under Lord Thundro to increase their strength." Ophelia said.

"They said that they'd be back in three weeks." Olette added. "Or so I've been told."

"How long has it been now?" Kairi asked.

"It's been at least a week or so, maybe a little over."-

"We've been assigned to wait here until they return." Ophelia said.

"Three whole weeks…?" Kairi sighed. "It seems so long though."

"That it does. But you might as well enjoy it while you can. This has been the first time in a little over a month that we've been allowed anytime to rest. Besides, if rumors are true about Lord Thundro, he may say that he'll train them until they die, but he won't let anything remotely dangerous happen to our boys."-

"I guess you're right."-

"Kairi," a voice suddenly called. The three girls looked to see Triiken and Kirin coming towards them. "There you are. Everything has been straightened out."

"That's good to know." It was then that Kirin laid eyes on the venerable Colonel Billiard.

"Colonel Billiard," he said.

"Kirin," Ophelia replied. "It's been a while hasn't it."

"That it has, colonel. And so here we both stand, two former allies, to enemies, and back to allies again for the opposite cause."-

"Is that so? So you're fighting alongside us now?"-

"Yes,"-

"Who is that?" Olette asked. "He's really handsome."

"That's my brother." Kairi said. "My long lost, older brother, Kirin."

"I see."-

"How is it that you know him, Ophelia?"-

"We were both former and loyal officers of the Midnight Faction." Ophelia said. "So how is it that you have decided to join us?"-

"I came to the same conclusion as you did, colonel." Kirin replied. "I now realize the extent of my life's value within the Imperial regime. And it matters very little to them. Besides," Kirin then looked at Kairi, "I had bigger matters to attend to than the faulty ideals of a corrupted government. I had my family to look after."

Ophelia smiled. She placed her hand upon his shoulder. Secretly, she searched his heart and soul, looking for any flaws. But it was true. Kirin had turned against his former overseer.

"I see,"-

"Do you have faith in me now?" Ophelia then grasped his hand in a hardy handshake.

"Welcome to the KH team, Kirin."-

"So where are the rest of your comrades?" Triiken asked.

"They are all at the hotel in the second district." Olette said. "Goofy and Donald are watching the children."

"And Goten and Leon, where are they?"-

"They were summoned away again. They had to take care of some unfinished business."-

"As is expected," Triiken pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. "I must return to Oceansburg and finish my tasks there."-

"You never seem to stand still, don't you Triiken?" Kairi said.

"It's what a man in my position is required to do. There is no time for mischief and rest in my line of work."-

"I'm so glad that I don't have your job then."-

"Farewell then." Triiken said. He thus scurried back to the cruiser.

"So now what do we do…?" Olette asked.

"The only thing we can do for the next few days." Ophelia replied. "We have to wait for Riku and Sora to come back."

"I hope they'll be alright." Kairi said.

"They will."-

The team thus, withdrew to the hotel to get a good night's rest. It would be the first time in a long time that the team would sleep so well. But then again, there was still that apprehension regarding the safety of the key bearers. More likely, if something were to happen in the course of the next week and a half, would they be able to deal with the situation despite the absence of Riku and Sora?


	107. Endurance of the Orbs

Endurance of the Orbs

As the rest of the KH team underwent an extensive period of rest and relaxation, the same could not be said for the key bearers, who now underwent the most heinous stages of their regimen. Thundro's training had excelled ten fold. Suddenly, in the second week, Riku and Sora found themselves not withdrawing to their room at all because Thundro would not allow it. They had undergone such severe training, staying out until the wee hours of the morning, taking one hour naps every so often. Thundro's attitude had changed drastically from the first week. In the Scenario Chamber he forced Riku and Sora into extreme battles, from fighting shinobis, to engaging against old opponents of the Z team, and going so far as to be involved into epic confrontations at such famous Three Kingdoms battles such as Chi Bi, He Fei, and Yi Ling. Imperial battles were not excluded as Riku and Sora experienced the horror of the Siege of Gombria and the Battle of Vandor.

In the Gravity Chamber, Thundro increased the level to ten times the natural level and had the key bearers move about until their bones were used to the weight. To add, he gave new uniforms to the key bearers, heavier than the previous. He drilled them hour after hour of every day. Despite the strain, the suffering, and the near death experiences, Riku and Sora did not falter. They took the challenges head on, repeating them continuously if they had to. Thundro was impressed.

"I have to say one thing about these boys." He thought to himself. "They don't give up. They remind me more of Goten. He had that same stubborn streak to continue. I guess he gets that from his father."

Finally, the end of the second week had come and the key bearers were once again confined to the treacherous and torrential atmosphere of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. For another full year-within-a-day, the young key bearers would endure the harshest elements they have ever encountered. There was no doubt that the trial would put them over the edge and perhaps delve them into a state of unimaginable chaos and insanity. But low and behold, as another twenty-four hours past in the fifteenth day of training, the key bearers emerged from the chamber.

Once again Thundro met them at the door and once again they came from the room changed young men. Sora had now grown a little taller, reaching almost equal height to Riku. Their hair was once again flowing down, long locks tide behind their neck. Sora again looked like Cuchulain, while Riku regained that flowing image of Sephiroth. Their clothes tattered and their bodies weary and bloodied, they came before the Imperial. This time, Sora, having used up a great deal of energy, was slumped over Riku's shoulder.

"I see that you two managed to survive another full year's course in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber," Thundro declared. "Your bodies have again undergone a change."

"I just hope that you're right about that chamber." Riku said. "I hope we didn't just waste two years of our lives in only two days."

"Unlike some other access points, this way guarantees the halting of age." Thundro looked into the weary eyes of the key bearers, sensing their new found strength. "I can tell that you have reached a new level of strength. There is certainly a boost in your power signatures. The only other person who has excelled this much was Goten. But then again, he has been undergoing this kind of training all of his life. However, I must say you've certainly gone beyond what Guentory Finnele ever achieved though, in all his years under me. He could barely spend two months, let alone a full year in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."

"We've encountered a great deal of those ten times normal gravity spots."-

"Hence the increase," Thundro used his power to heal the key bearers then turned to the Gravity Chamber door. "You know the routine, boys."

"We know,"-

"But don't we get at least a few minutes to cool off though?" Sora asked. Thundro was silent. Riku sighed.

"It's no use, Sora. You know perfectly well that requesting a rest period no longer fits in our schedule. Besides, Master Thundro would never allow it."

"Yeah, you're right."-

The key bearers huffed themselves up and accompanied Thundro to the gravity chamber. Once entering, Thundro calculated the gravity to ten times the natural gravity. He gazed at the young men to see if they had undergone any strain in the process. So far, he witnessed no wavering. Once reaching the programmed level, the three took their positions, Thundro on one side, Riku and Sora on the other. The key bearers unleashed their keyblades. They then took from their pockets the gold and glass orbs, with which they practiced balance for the whole session they were in the time chamber. As before, they tossed their orbs into the air and delicately caught them on the steel shafts of their weapons.

"Alright, boys," Thundro said, "Let's see how much you have improved." Thundro drew out orbs as well, another two both glass and gold. He tossed them mid air. At the same time, he drew out his twin swords and both spheres landed delicately upon the sharpened steel.

"Two orbs?" Sora thought.

"He's gonna fight us with two orbs again?" Riku wondered.

"The first one to drop an orb loses." Thundro declared.

"Is that so? Then you better watch yourself. You have two orbs to worry about."-

"Don't worry about me, boys. The only ones you have to worry about are yourselves. This is a straight forward duel. There will be no change in gravity and no use of elementals. This will be a strict blade to blade battle."-

"This should be easy enough then." Sora said.

"Then let us begin."-

Thundro suddenly attacked, the orbs still balanced upon his blades. The key bearers lunged as well, their orbs still balanced. The three engaged in intense combat at the same time. Back and forth they battled, keeping an eye on each other at the same time watching the ascension and descent of the orbs. Intertwined in a barrage of swings, thrusts, lunges, blocks, counters, and evasions, it seemed as if the warriors had choreographed their movements ahead of time in a series of practiced sessions. The reality was that the engagement was all in earnest. The reason for their precision was because of their heightened senses. For the key bearers, their senses had been heightened to such a level; they'd be able to sense a feather dropping from a mile away.

"Impressive," Thundro said within, "It seems that the Riku and Sora have evolved in their skills far more than what I had earlier perceived. It seems that they really take their training seriously. If they had been exposed to this regimen as children and continued on to this age, their skills would have been just as formidable as Goten's. And that in itself is a large compliment." The three dispersed for a while, after ten full minutes of intense fighting, to regain composure. Thundro looked into the eyes of his pupils. "Even as we stop, their senses have not diminished. They are waiting for me to make the next move. They are so focused, always on guard. Their eyes do not linger from me."

"Have you had enough yet?" Sora declared.

"You've certainly impressed me." Thundro openly replied with a smirk. "I can tell that you haven't been slacking off in there."

"We wanted to impress you. That was our goal."-

"And so you have." Thundro gripped his blades. "However, just because your strength has increased a great deal doesn't mean that you have improved enough to defeat me."

"We'll just see about that." Riku shouted.

"Then come at me and let's see what you can really do."-

"Alright, you asked for it." Riku looked at Sora. "Are you ready for this?"-

"Let's get him." Sora replied.

The two suddenly attacked with precise coordination and speed, attacking Thundro from two sides. Thundro watched them approach him.

"You're good, I'll give you that." Thundro suddenly lifted himself into the air. The key bearers watched as he lifted over their heads. "But you're not good enough."

"You can't elude us that easily!" Riku shouted. The two leaped into the air ready to make a critical blow.

But then, Thundro swung his twin swords and unleashed two blue energy waves that went streaking through the air towards the key bearers. Caught off guard by the attacked, Riku and Sora were struck and pummeled to the ground. Losing consciousness for a while, their orbs dropped to the ground. Riku's golden orb was dented and Sora's glass orb had shattered across the ground. Thundro on the other hand landed just as a graceful as ever, catching both of his orbs upon his blades with little difficulty.

"Well, well," Thundro said. He threw up the orbs and threw up his swords. He caught the orbs first and his twin blades sheathed themselves, falling perfectly into the slots of their scabbards. Thundro observed his two orbs and then looked at the damaged spheres of his students. "It seems to me that I've won this little match."

"That was no fair!" Sora protested, standing to his feet. "You cheated!"

"And how is that?"-

"You said that this would be a strict blade-to-blade duel and there was to be no use of elementals of any kind!"-

"Explain yourself, Thundro." Riku added.

"Well, I believe I was strict to the rules. However, the use of energy waves is not considered an elemental attack. It was neither a light nor a force element. That is the form that energy takes on, if it's strong and condensed enough. So you were not confined from using energy waves in this duel. To add, I accumulated that energy through my swords. So technically, it was still a blade-to-blade battle."-

"Then why didn't you explain that to us before?!" Sora shouted.

"I was under the impression that you were already aware of that fact. But apparently you were not. Unfortunately, the use of energy waves uses up a great deal of your own inner strength. You are not accustomed to the use of such power. Had you used enough chakra and increased its mass to a large enough magnitude to use against me, then your strength would have been cut in half or perhaps a little more. Therefore, you would never be able to recover beyond that point. And in my experience, one must not allow him or herself to overindulge in their strength reserves. Thus, the use of energy waves should be limited to the moment where it is absolutely necessary."-

"If that's the case," Riku implied, "Then your strength would diminish every time you deployed an energy blast like that."

"In most cases, you'd be right, Riku. However, I have been conditioned to launch multiple energy wave attacks without having to show the slightest sign of fatigue. Had you been exposed the battles here in the 'Z' realm, you would have discovered that your own tactics are miniscule, even with the power of the keyblade in your favor. I'm sure you have seen what Nappa and Vegeta were capable of in that simulation on the first week."-

The key bearers remembered that moment and recalled how frightened they were. Sora had experienced such a fight in his own lifetime, going head to head with Lord Cavendish himself.

"In this realm, a single one-on-one battle between two powerful foes can cover an area from as small as a region to as vast as a galactic quadrant. For example, Sora, that little scuffle that you get yourself into with His late Excellency Master Cavendish. I'm sure you remember."-

"Yes…" Sora replied, sweat rolling down his brow.

"Had His Excellency taken that battle seriously, you would have been dead after the first punch. And I'm sure you remember the original Ultima keyblade you had, which you used to fight against the Heartless of Xehenort and his Nobody counterpart, Xemnas and Organization XIII. In most cases, the keyblade cannot be destroyed by anything. But even the keyblade has its limits. Its power is confined to the strength of one's heart and one's destiny. So the strength of the keyblade depends upon the inner strength of the key bearer. However, for a force that had wielded the power of the Universal Mandate, and is capable of eradicating entire galactic systems by use of resonating energy in their eyes alone, the keyblades can be shattered just as easily as that glass orb you bore. That is why the first keyblade shattered, both you and your weapon were overcome by the force."-

"My God,"-

"Compared to that, what you have encountered so far against the Imperial Axis would be considered an irritation not worth observing by elite Imperial standards." Thundro approached the key bearers. "However, what I have sensed this day has convinced me that you are more than ready to endure the final test."

"The final test…?" Riku asked.

"Why do you act so surprised, Riku? You have been training all this time for this one moment." The key bearers' eyes began to sparkle, realizing that they have achieved their goal. "You should congratulate yourselves. You have gained enough strength to take in the Immunity Orb."

"Alright," Sora cheered.

"That's enough of that." Thundro said with a stern voice. "This is something that one cannot cheer over, Sora. Unless you have forgotten that pain I put Riku through when giving a sample of the orb's power." Sora silenced himself, remembering that moment. "This is what you have been conditioning your mind, body, and spirit for, to endure the pain of the Immunity Orb." Thundro held out his hands and accumulated a great energy source on his palms. From his hands, two glowing white orbs appeared, the same Thundro had presented to them before. "It will take an estimated five days for the orb to integrate itself into your system. But for those five days, you will rive in unimaginable agony. For five days you must bear the pain. For five days your bodies will contort and twist about from the sudden surges. Your mind will begin to fluctuate and you may become delusional, broken to the point of madness and beyond. If you give up, if you have the slightest doubt that the cause is not worth the pain, you will be overwhelmed by the orb and will die. A seldom few have ever survived this trial process, succumbing to their ailment after one or two days. However, if you manage to survive after five days, you would have gained a strong asset in your arsenal. So the question you have to ask yourselves is this. Are you ready?"

"Yes," Riku said.

"Once you have absorbed the orb, there is no extracting it. There will be no way out. The only thing left for you is the pain and suffering you must endure. So I'll ask you again. Are you ready?"-

"For our friends and our home," Sora said, "We're ready."

"Then so be it, boys. Good luck." Thundro suddenly thrust both of his hands into the torsos of the key bearers. The thud of the body was loud and the key bearers were overwhelmed by a sudden surge as the orbs were taken into their bodies. They fell to the ground in sudden pain. Thundro looked at them. After a few seconds, silence suddenly lulled. Riku and Sora looked at each other then looked at Thundro. The sensation of pain had been brief.

"Was that it?" Riku asked. "Was that the process?"

"It wasn't so bad." Sora added.

"So says you." Thundro uttered.

No sooner had he said that, then the first symptoms of the suffering began. There was a sudden burning surge and aching throb that reverberated within the key bearers a hundred fold. They became so overcome by the pain that they again fell to the ground and wriggled around like earthworms exposed in the air. They struggled and thrashed, kicking their legs violently as their bodies twisted and contorted in riles of agonizing pain and suffering. Riku and Sora began to scream in such blood curdling pitches, the sound was enough to haunt the mind of even the most battle hardened of warriors.

"The pain, the pain," Riku strained.

"My God, it hurts," Sora screamed, "It hurts so badly!"

"And this is only the tip of the iceberg, boys." Thundro said. "You will have to endure this suffering for the next five days." Thundro turned away and left without saying another word. He closed the doors to the gravity room tightly behind him. But even so, the sealed door did not absorb the screams of the key bearers entirely. The sound of their cries could still be heard, muffled behind the sealed chamber. Thundro sighed and retired to his room. "It's going to be a long five days. But sleep deprivation for me is nothing compared to what those two will have to endure."

Five days would pass, but it would be a period in which no rest would come for the key bearers. Almost twenty four hours a day, they would not be able to stand, at times pounding onto the floor until their fists were bloody. That was the extent to the orbs' power.

The first day was by far the worst since the pangs and contortions were a sensation Riku and Sora were not familiar with. They could feel their innards move about as the energy flowed into their veins. Their arteries seemed to burn and each thump of their heart caused agony to reverberate from head to toe.

"The pain," Sora would roar out continuously. "The pain, it hurts!"

"Damn it!" Riku would bellow into the late hours of the night as he slammed his hand upon the floor.

For the full day, the muffled cries of the young men could be heard. Thundro stayed up for a good long while now as the shouting of the key bearers burdened his ears.

"To think," he said to himself, "This is only the first day. It's painful for them, and to me rather irritating, having to hear their wailing into the wee hours of the morning. But at least I know that they're still alive."

The second day passed with the same results, pounding and screaming. Thundro bore the noise, believing that the cries from his two students were at least a sign that they had not succumbed to the suffering. The hours ticked by slowly, as if it extended for an eternity.

The third day passed, just as unbearable as the first couple of days. Riku and Sora, though not as frequently, continued to cry out. Their bodies had been able to fathom the intense pain, adapting to the sensation. But there was still that deep, inner gut wrenching that twisted at their very core, a sharp pain that tingled down the spine like so many impaling iron spikes penetrating their bodies all from multiple directions.

"The pain," Sora would cry out. "I can't take it! Take it out! Take it out!"

"No more," Riku would wail. His voice as if in tears, "God, Master Thundro, please take it out of us! Take the orb out!"

"There is nothing I can do, boys." Thundro would utter, continuing with his meditations and other activities and whatnot about the facility. "The process can not be reversed. You have only two options from this point on. You will either live or die in the end. There is no alternative."

The third day had come and gone just as the other days did before it. Now, the forth day lay before them, another horrendous twenty-four hours screaming and shouting. It was on this day that Thundro finally went in to see how his two students were doing. As he entered the chamber, he beheld a grotesque sight. There was blood splattered in droplets all over the floor. And there, sitting up against the central pillar, where the control panel was located, Sora and Riku lay, covering in blood.

"Boys," the Imperial uttered.

Thundro ran to them to check if they were dead or alive. He examined both warriors. Riku and Sora were both bloodied about both hands, their knuckles smashed to a pulp. He looked at their faces to find that their faces had puffed up from impact. Their noses and lips were bloodied and ghastly wounds were open on their foreheads. It was then that Thundro realized what caused this.

"They've been inflicting injuries on themselves." He thought to himself. "They've been pounding their heads and fists against the floor to ease the pain." He then checked for a pulse on each of them. "Well, at least you both are still alive. Still, I should have kept a better eye on you. Otherwise, this would not have happened." Thundro put his hands over the key bearers and used his inner energy to heal them. Their wounds disappeared and their energy was replenished. But despite that, the warriors were inactive. "Their physical wounds and outer afflictions have been mended. But there is nothing I can do to ease the pain within their minds, their hearts, or their souls."

"Master," Sora whispered, "Please take it out. Take the orb out of us."

"This pain is too great for us." Riku added. "It's killing us. We nearly killed ourselves to ease the pangs. It's unbearable."

"Are you giving up?" Thundro asked, his voice suddenly turning stern.

"Well…"-

"Is your cause not worth fighting and dying for?"-

"We want to fight for our cause and help our friends." Sora said. "But,"-

"There is no 'but!'" Thundro shouted. "If your cause is not worth fighting for, then just say so, succumb to the ailments that plague you and end your suffering by taking your own miserable lives right now!" Thundro stood up. "You will not gain any sympathy from me! I told you that the process was irreversible. You have only two choices from this point on! You will both bear the pain and live to help your friends. Or you will succumb to your torments and be no use to them at all." Thundro looked down upon the key bearers. "But it's funny though, only now at the end do you two decide to give up. I would have expected more from the great Riku and Sora. But if either or both of you decide to yield to the pain, then I guess you weren't worthy enough! You're not worthy to bear your keyblades, you're not worthy to have friends who respect you, and you are not worthy of my time and effort to train and prepare!"

This continuous line of put-downs wore on the key bearers. They had never felt so insulted before.

"You've made your point." Riku growled. "That's enough."

"No, I'm telling you this because you haven't gotten the point! You keep bickering and bothering about your pain and your personal ailments, yet you haven't even once thought about the disappointment your friends will hold against you if you come back and have achieved nothing! That makes all of my efforts pointless!"-

"But we're strong enough already." Sora said.

"And how did that little detail enter your minds, eh? Did it just pop out from your own imagination! Some heart you have, Sora. The feared master of the keyblade, the one who helped defeat Organization XIII and defied the might of the Imperial regime, can't take a little abuse from his trainer. You make me sick."-

"That's enough." Riku shouted, defending his friend. Thundro glared at the silver-haired youth.

"You are in no position to be telling me what to do, Noctin Tilandir. You may act tough, but when it comes to bearing pain, you can't fathom it. I would have thought that one like you would have been able to bear this kind of ailment, especially after undergoing that torture festivity with General Ameba way back when."-

"Be quiet,"-

"If you ask me, perhaps Ameba should have lashed you across the back a few more times and flay flesh from bone with every swing. Maybe that would have toughened you up."-

"I said enough," Riku shouted. He looked as if he were ready to lunge at the Imperial. Thundro realized this as he saw the sudden burning within the youth's pupils. There was a sudden surge of energy, one that he had not felt before. And for a moment, Thundro backed off. But then the pangs returned to both key bearers and they began to scream out loud again. Thundro, for the first time in four days heard the full extent of their screaming. And it was something that he found unbearable.

"I see," Thundro thought to himself. He went to the gravity control panel and activated the gravity level to twenty times the natural level. Unaccustomed to the pressure, the key bearers were thrown to the ground and lay flat on their bellies, screaming and trying to move. But the gravity proved too heavy for them. "I did not want to resort to this, but I have no choice. I can't afford having you inflict more damage on yourselves now can I?" Thundro quickly withdrew, closing the door behind him. He continued to listen to the screaming of the young men. "Perhaps those last few comments were uncalled for. That look in Riku's eyes, he and Sora have gained a great deal of power. I wonder how much they have gained while in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."

At the same time, back in Traverse Town, the KH team still lingered about, enjoying to their best the life within the settlement. They did anything and everything they could to keep their minds off of the Riku and Sora. However, it was during this time on the final week that Ophelia again had a strange premonition as she had for the passed few nights. Funny enough, her dreams and visions occurred the same time the key bearers were undergoing their endurance with the Immunity Orbs. She sat at the table, alone in the green room, her mind concentrated on the faint energy sources far away.

Kairi and Olette came in to see if she was alright.

"Are you okay, Ophelia?" Kairi asked. "You've been like this for the past couple of days."

"Is there something wrong?" Olette asked.

"Riku and Sora," Ophelia uttered. The other two females perked up.

"Riku and Sora," Kairi asked, "What about them? Are they alright?"

"They're in pain, such terrible pain."-

"Pain, what do you mean?"-

"They are in such terrible pain. They are undergoing a great deal of suffering."-

"How do you know that?" Olette wondered.

"I can sense them. Their hearts are wavering."-

"Are they in some kind of trouble?" Kairi asked.

"They are not in trouble. This pain they are willing to endure. It must have something to do with their training."-

"Then, you've been having that same vision."-

"You've been having it too, Kairi?" Olette inquired.

"I have, for the past four days now. It's a recurring dream I have at night. I see Sora twisting and contorting as if something is hurting him. He's always screaming and hollering and crying for the pain to go away. At the end of every dream, he seems to look at me with those puppy-dog eyes and I always wake up crying."-

"Oh Kairi,"-

"I only hope they can endure a little longer." Ophelia stated.

The gravity pressed upon the key bearers, not allowing them to move. They could not lift their heads to bang against the floor or raise their fists to smash them to a pulp. Instead, now they had to endure the pain within without twisting about their bodies to ease their suffering. Each passing second seemed an eternity to the key bearers as the wrenching throb only grew stronger as a wave against a rocky shore.

"I can't move, Riku." Sora uttered.

"Damn that Thundro." Riku growled. "He did this on purpose. He's increased the gravity so much we can't hope to move a finger."

"Is he trying to crush us?"-

"No, he did this so we wouldn't inflict wounds on ourselves again."-

"But the pain is too much." Sora felt a sudden wrenching in his gut, which caused his whole body to go numb. He cried out his suffering, screaming at the top of his lungs. "Riku…!"

"Hold on, Sora." But Riku too was overcome by the immense power of the orb as it thrust itself upon him as well. "Damn it, damn it, damn it…!"

"I can't take this anymore." Sora's physical and mental torment began to wear down on him, forcing him to crack. The youth was so overcome by the pangs within, it forced tears from his eyes. "Make it stop, make it stop…!"

"Sora…" Riku said. But the aura of the orb surged through his body, a burning sensation most intolerable. But for some reason, the pain only made Riku more furious and angrier now. Instead of being paralyzed by the numbingly painful effects of the Immunity Orb, he fought it. With that, he fought the gravity, straining himself, pulling away at his weight until he threw himself upon his stomach. He reached for Sora who was still prostrated on the ground.

"Riku, I'm gonna die." Sora strained as the energy again pounded away at his torso and abdomens. "I feel like my bodies about to explode."

"No Sora." Riku tried to crawl over to his friend's side. The heavy gravity kept him in place, but it was not enough to stop Riku. "You have to keep going, Sora. It's for our friends, our home, our future."

"Riku,"-

"Stay in there with me, Sora." Riku managed to crawl over to Sora on his bell. He tried to lift himself with his left arm. But the strain he put on his limb was great, the ligaments in the muscle tore and again the youth fell. His left arm was now useless. "My arm…"

"No Riku." Sora looked at his friend, seeing him in agony. "Don't strain yourself, Riku."

"We have to endure just a little longer." Riku stretched out his right hand, reaching for Sora. "Just a little longer," Sora's eyes dripping with tears as he saw his comrade in dire strength. He admired Riku's courage and his charisma. Sora's hopes were restored and a new hope glowed from within that even surpassed the sting of the aura's integration.

"I won't give up." Sora said. "I will stay strong!" Sora moved his arm to the best he could, reaching for Riku's outstretched fingers. Inch by inch, he moved his hand, hoping to touch the tips. In the process, there was a sudden surge of energy coming from Sora, a similar, unknown aura that had earlier accumulated within Riku. It was the power of his new found strength. The effects of the Immunity Orb were already starting to take its shape. A strange blue glow began to arise within the key bearer as his efforts to reach his friend's hand forced him to press one. Little by little, Sora crept. Then with one last strain, he summoned a great deal of energy, which bellowed like a raging fire, forcing the gravity to submit. In all his emotional strain, Sora threw his hand forward until his fingers were clutched around Riku's palm. He then gazed at his silver-haired counterpart. Riku, for some reason began to give a strained smile.

"You did it."-

"Stay in there with me, Riku."

"And you to me as well."-

Thundro felt the sudden surge of energy reverberating through the facility.

"That power." He thought to himself. "Could it have been…?" He knew where it originated. Giving a sigh of relief, he smiled and chuckled. "Well, well, it seems that the key bearers have done it. They've overcome the pain and have found enlightenment."

The fourth day had passed and gone, emerging into the final day in which the orbs were to have been fully integrated into the system of the each of the key bearers. Thundro awoke from his slumber. But for some reason, he felt rather refreshed. He yawned and smacked his lips before realizing that something was unusual about his surroundings.

"Something's wrong." He thought to himself. "There's a strange essence in the air." It was then that he realized what it was that was strange about the morning atmosphere. It was quiet, too quiet. For the first time in five days, there was silence. Immediately, his thoughts went to the key bearers. He threw himself out of bed and ran to the gravity chamber, fearing that something might have happened.

"It's barely into the fifth day. I hope Riku and Sora aren't…" His teeth and fist tightened. Opening the gravity chamber door, he gazed upon Riku and Sora who lay motionless upon the ground. Thundro quickly deactivated the gravity simulator and knelt by the two key bearers. "You boys better not be dead." He checked for a pulse. Sure enough, there was the silent steady beating of their hearts. Thundro sighed. "Well, at least you made it into the fifth day."

Using his power, he rejuvenated the key bearers. Riku and Sora slowly opened their eyes and found Thundro kneeling over them.

"Master Thundro…?" Sora uttered.

"Are we alive…?" Riku asked.

"You're alive, boys." Thundro replied. "And how do you feel?"

"Well, I feel…" Riku suddenly sat himself up, his eyes widened with surprise. He felt his body. There was no longer any pain. "The pain, the pangs, they're gone."

"Yeah," Sora added as he lifted himself off the ground. "The pain has stopped. But why is that?"

"You should congratulate yourselves, boys." Thundro complimented. "It seems that the Immunity Orbs have been fully integrated into your beings."

"Really…?"-

"Already…?" Riku asked.

"That's correct." Thundro replied.

"But how was that possible?"-

"Perhaps it was that surge of energy you deployed yesterday. It may have heightened your strength and quickened the integration process." Thundro folded his arms before him. "I guess I was wrong then. You two were not a waste of my time to train."

"Alright," Sora cheered. "We did it, we did it!"

"We've got the orb's power now!" Riku added.

"Now we'll be able to help our friends."-

"Just a minute, you two," Thundro said. The key bearers stopped their celebrating for a moment. "Just because you have achieved the power of the Immunity Orb does not mean that your training is finished."

"What do you mean?" Riku asked.

"You will have something else to achieve to add to your arsenal of techniques and abilities. I will present that to you two on the final day. I also have something planned for tomorrow, so you better be ready."-

"So what do we do now?" Sora wondered.

"I believe for today, you two have earned a day of rest."-

"Really…?"-

"Yes, you will be free to do whatever it is that you want for today. If you want to relax, so be it. If you want to train yourselves further, then so be it. You will have the full day and night to yourselves."-

"Alright,"-

"But let's have your hair trimmed a little first. You haven't had a trim since you exited the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."-

"Good idea." Riku said.

With that, the three dispersed from their usual regimen. Sora and Riku had earned their right of a full day's rest. They had survived their trial and have gained a powerful asset because of it. Now, their minds and bodies could rest at ease.

Meanwhile, in Traverse Town, Ophelia felt the diminishing of the painful surges. As she arose from her slumber, she smiled to herself. After five days of sensing the vibration of energy far away, she could finally rest her mind.

"You did it, you guys." She said.

The fifth day passed without any incident. The key bearers, for the first time in almost three weeks, were allowed to do as they please for a full day. Riku and Sora did a little free sparring, took nature walks, and meditated to sharpen their skills. Thundro was impressed. Despite being relieved of his authority for one day, the key bearers did not spend it in mindless laziness and continuous siestas. Instead, they did what they could to improve their mind and bodies.

Day turned into night and the key bearers were able to slumber without fear in a comfortable bed. As the night passed on, transforming into the wee hours of the second to the final day, they awoke easily and without trouble. Riku was the first to arouse himself from his bed. He looked over at Sora, peacefully sleeping with one hand on his stomach, the other coinciding with the side of his face.

Riku crept over to Sora's bedside and put his hand on his chest.

"Hey, Sora," he uttered, "It's time to wake up."

Sora's eyes slowly opened. He yawned and rubbed his eyes before gazing at his friend.

"Hey there, Riku." He replied. "Good morning."

"So how did you sleep?"-

"Oh," Sora stretched, "I haven't slept this well in the passed three weeks, or for that matter ever since we left home. I finally get to sleep in a nice warm bed in a secured area."

"There were beds in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."-

"I know, but I was just a little uneasy sleeping there. It was always day time in there and there was nothing really protecting us between our accommodations and the vast openness of that dimension."-

"There was nothing out there though."-

"Yeah, but still it was a little uneasy."-

Just then, there was a wrap at the door. It was Thundro.

"Boys, are you up?" he asked.

"Yes, we are." Riku replied.

"I'm coming in." Thundro opened the door to greet his two pupils. "I trust that you slept well."

"The best sleep since we started our adventure." Sora said.

"It is the second to the final day of your stay here, boys. I want you to get dressed. I'm going to put you through one last simulation."-

"Alright," Riku confirmed.

"By the way, you do not have to worry about putting on your Imperial uniforms. You can attire yourself with your old wardrobe again."-

"Really…?" Sora asked.

"There is no need for you to be formal in dress from this point out." Thundro opened the wardrobe at the foot of Riku's bed. He pulled out the old outfits of the key bearers, neatly folded. "I took the liberty of cleaning and pressing your wardrobes."

"Thank you, Master Thundro."-

"You do not have to be formal in title as well now. Your main training has passed. The only thing that matters now is to keep your bodies conditioned well enough to aid your comrades."-

Riku and Sora nodded and put on their old gear. The feel of cotton snug against the skin was a sensation they had been craving for three weeks.

"Now," Thundro continued, "Adjourn to the Pendulum Room for your last simulation."

The three made their way back to the Scenario Chamber. As they had done multiple times before for the past couple of weeks, the key bearers took their stand upon the scenario platforms.

"So is this going to be the final test that we have?" Sora asked.

"This is not exactly a final test." Thundro replied. "I always found that it is at times satisfactory to show your skills off in a battle you participated in years before."

"You mean, we'll be fighting a battle from our own past?"-

"But why…?"-

"It's just to show off your new found skills to both your former enemies and your former selves."-

"You mean we'll also be meeting with ourselves in this past battle?" Riku asked.

"That's correct. And because it's a simulation, your presence will not affect the outcome of this present reality. The question left is, which battle somewhere in your past would you like to engage in?"-

"Well, I don't know." Riku turned to Sora. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Let's see." He replied. It was then that Sora had a brilliant idea. He snapped his fingers, declaring his decision. "I have it. I know which battle I would really like to show off my talents to."

"Just give me the description and I will have it calculated into the simulator." Thundro said.

"The battle I want to go back to is…"-


	108. Xemnas Battle Revived

Xemnas Battle Revised

Prologue

Before beginning this chapter, I would like to point out an important factor. Because Riku and Sora will be reenacting the battle against Xehenort, they will also be confronting their original selves as they had appeared at the end of KH2. So when addressing the KH2 version of Riku and Sora, their names and certain key words will be written in _italics_. However, if their names or preceding key words are not _italicized_, that indicates that I am referring to the grown-up versions of the key bearers from "Final Confrontation." With that in mind, I hope you will take this factor into consideration and enjoy the preceding texts.

Now, it was the end of the great climactic battle against Organization XIII. It's last surviving member and supreme dictator, Xemnas, the Nobody of Xehenort, now confronted two heroes. _Riku _and _Sora_, the youths who had caused the downfall of his once mighty empire. Prior to this stand off, the _key bearers_ had caused a great deal of damage, depriving everything that the Organization had achieved, including the destruction of the once magnificent Kingdom Hearts. One by one, each of the members fell until only Xehenort remained. His first attempts to fight _Riku_ and _Sora_ were in vain. And once again, he stood against them alone in the realm of light. But this time, he was preparing not to hold anything back.

His once full black jacket had regressed to something more menacing as Nobody white intermingled with Heartless black. Like a tall tyrant, he glared at the _key bearers_.

"Heroes from the realm of light," he began, "I will not allow it to end this way, not yet. If light and darkness are eternal, then surely we nothings must be the same, eternal." There was a brief silence between the two sides. Then, _Riku_ broke the silence

"You're right," _he_ replied, "Light and darkness are eternal. Nothing probably goes on forever too." _Riku_ then gave that stern glare. "But guess what, Xemnas?"

"That doesn't mean you're eternal!" _Sora_ added.

Xemnas, overwhelmed by the confidence of the _key bearers_ only brought himself to chuckled

"No more eternal than that radiance of yours." He replied. Appearing in his hands, he drew out glowing red sabers, which would be the envy of any Sith lord. The _key bearers _drew out their weapons, ready to battle to the death. "Anger and hate are supreme." Xemnas suddenly vanished. The _key bearers_ were caught off guard. Suddenly, the Nobody appeared before _them_. He first took hold of _Sora_ and threw him into the air. Believing that _Sora_ was powerless airborne, Xemnas flew at blinding speed and went slashing away at the key bearer. But _Sora _was able to evade and retaliate. However, Xemnas' energy of thorns was just as formidable, strike and spreading, attempting to maim the _key bearers_.

"I'm coming, _Sora_!" _Riku_ shouted. _He_ lifted himself up and joined his comrade in the flighty air battle. In synch, the two_ key bearers _fought, facing energy orbs, thorn waves and sudden teleportation attacks by Xemnas as he appeared suddenly before them with his red twin light sabers. At times, his speed was so ridiculous, he created an after image. In the process, he also created clone which appeared temporarily at times to attack the key bearers and catch them off guard.

"Be gone!" Xemnas would cry as he struck another blow. Compared to Xemnas' skills, the _key bearers_ were still rather sluggish. _Sora_ and _Riku_ used the power of Curaga and their number of potions to their full advantage, continuously healing themselves when severe damage was taken. "You can't hope to defeat the likes of me!"

"That's what you think!" _Sora_ shouted. _He _unleashed his keyblade and managed to pummel Xemnas, dealing a critical blow. But even so, it seemed that Xemnas had not been affected by the attack.

"I hope you enjoyed your little fiasco, boy, because it's going to cost you your life."-

Xemnas suddenly unleashed a plethora of spinning attacks, appearing and vanishing before the _key bearers_ like a phantom and striking them when the opportunity made itself known. _Riku _and _Sora_ did all in their power to evade and retaliate, but it was apparent that Xemnas was through playing games as his attacks became more aggressive and more complex. _Riku_ acted as a shield while _Sora_ went in for the kill, but even their coordinated strategy wore thin as Xemnas eventually found a counter for it.

"Here, take this." Xemnas shouted. He started to unleash laser barrages on the ground and in midair, attacking the _youths_ at their vulnerable spot. He would first battle the _youths_ in mid air swift attacks. And when _they_ were tired and started to descend, he would then use a barrage of lasers to strike them from every designated angle. However, it seemed that Xemnas' main target was _Sora _as most of the Nobody's aggression was going against him. At times, he would pummel the _youth_ inmid air with a continuous stream of lasers. Xemnas would smirk as he saw _Sora's_ body torn away little by little and heard the boy's cried. "Die,"

"_Riku_," _Sora _cried. "Help me!"

"_Sora_," _Riku _replied, jumping in to aid his comrade. "Don't panic, I'm coming!" _He_ flew in protected his comrade. The chaos of the confrontation went on for ten minutes straight. And despite that length of time, Xemnas did not seem to lose stamina, whereas the _key bearers_ seemed to lose it constantly.

As it seemed that things could not get any worse, Xemnas himself went in for what he believed would be the final blow. He rushed in and grabbed hold of _Sora _in a powerful energy hold. He pummeled _Riku_ away, to far to help. _Riku_ looked on as _Sora _was suspended in mid air by this bright energy.

"Now you will die." Using the orb of energy, which encompassed the _key bearer_, Xemnas began to slowly sap away _Sora's _strength. _Sora_ cried out as he felt his life source slowly leaving him.

"_Riku_," the _youth_ strained.

"_Sora_," _Riku_ cried. He rushed into help. But no sooner had _Riku_ begun his run, the clone of Xemnas appeared before him, preventing him from advancing any further, using energy shields to repel the key bearer. But despite the formidable foe's efforts, the _key bearer_ was not deterred. Instead, _Riku _continued to advance, despite the resistance. _He_ fired a barrage of energy waves to fend off the clone and continued this process until he reached the Xemnas who held _Sora_ captive. _Riku_ grabbed the Nobody's hand and broke the hold, setting his friend free.

"Thanks _Riku_," _Sora_ complied.

"No problem,"-

_Sora _quickly healed himself and was again back on the battlefield, ready to fight.

"Impudent fools," Xemnas growled.

"Shut up," _Riku_ pummeled the Nobody, spun him around and threw him into the distance. "If you ever touch _Sora_ like that again, I swear your life is mine!"

"Big words, _Riku_, but can you back them up?"-

"It's my turn," _Sora_ shouted, rushing in. "I'll teach you for sucking the life out of me!"

Again, for a prolonged time of another ten minutes, the _key bearers_ engaged in tough and rather sticky battling with Xemnas, teleporting, evading, and retaliating. Lasers, thorn energy, and repelling orbs spread and intermingled in the epicenter of battle where the clash of keyblades commenced.

"We can't keep this up, _Riku_." _Sora_ said.

"Neither can Xemnas." Riku replied.

"But he doesn't seem to lose any stamina."-

"It's all just a façade. I bet he's drained completely."-

As the final blow was given, Xemnas and the _key bearers_ broke off their battle. The Nobody hovered high in the air while _Riku_ and _Sora_ looked at him upon the ground.

"I've had enough of this." Xemnas uttered. "You will not look to the sky with hope." He concentrated their energy to its full potential. "Let's see how you enjoy this, my trump card." All of a sudden darkness encompassed the room and a dome consisting of stationed lasers, each geometrically separated with great perfection, appeared around the _key bearers_, high and low and from every angle.

"Oh boy," _Sora_ uttered.

"Brace yourself, Sora." _Riku_ said. "This is gonna be bad."

"Now die," Xemnas shouted. And with that, hundreds of lasers flew at the_ key bearers_ from every direction. Using all the energy and stamina they had left, the _key bearers _evaded and blocked each laser that flew at them. _Riku_ and _Sora_ watched each other's backs and deflected every beam that attempted to strike them. The longer _they_ resisted, the more intense and condensed the lasers became in their ferocity. For almost a full minute, the _key bearers_ had to maintain their guard, spinning about their keyblades to repel the dangerous light. In the end, however, _they_ managed to survive the onslaught around them and the trump card of Xemnas. But the result left _them _tired and weary. Both _key bearers_ fell to their knees. With energy drained and no more potions to revive them, _Riku_ and _Sora _were unable to put up resistance any further.

"Our energy's completely drained." _Riku _uttered.

"We can't stop though." _Sora_ replied.

"As I had expected," Xemnas chuckled, "You have no energy left to battle with." He slowly approached the _key bearers_. "And so it ends here for you."

"No," _Riku_ growled, "It can't end like this."

"Is this it?" _Sora_ uttered.

But as it seemed over for the _youths_, a sudden flash of light bellowed behind them. There was a strong gust of wind and surge of energy. Xemnas and his opponents looked on to see this bizarre phenomenon occur before them. From the bright light, two shadowy silhouettes appeared and stood tall before the trio.

"What is this?" Xemnas thought to himself.

"_Riku_," _Sora_ cried, "What's going on, who are those two?"

"I don't know." _Riku _replied, just as stunned.

As the light faded, those present were in awe as who appeared. Riku and Sora had finally arrived.

"We're back." Sora said, "The battle against Xemnas."

"And there they are." Riku chuckled.

"What in the world…?" Xemnas uttered. "Who are you?!"

"That's what I'd like to know." _Sora_ added.

"Those two guys just appeared out of nowhere." _Riku_ said.

The key bearers approached, in unison, a fearsome sight to their younger counterparts. They past their former selves, a quiet smirk on their faces.

"_Riku_, _Sora_," Sora addressed, "You two have done well. Now let us take it from here."

"But, who are you guys?" _Sora _asked.

"You might say that we're your backup." Riku replied.

"Our backup, eh…?" _Riku_ said.

"What is the meaning of this interference?!" Xemnas demanded. "Who are you?!" The key bearers glared at the Nobody.

"But Xemnas," Riku declared, "Surely you should know us. You should know us very well."

"I have never laid eyes on you before!"-

"Are you that dense, old man? You've been fighting us this whole time."-

"What are you...?" It was then Xemnas realized what Riku was talking about. He looked at one duo and then to the _other_. After realizing, Xemnas began to guffaw. "Well, well, as I live and breathe, it is you."

"You…?" _Sora _wondered. "Has Xemnas met those guys before, _Riku_?"

"I don't know." _Riku_ replied. "But they do look a little familiar…very familiar actually."

"You've certainly grown up haven't you, Riku and Sora, wielder of the keyblades!" Xemnas declared. _Riku_ and _Sora_ were stunned to find that the two strangers who appeared before them were none other than themselves.

"What," _Sora_ uttered, "Those two guys are us?"

"No wonder they were so familiar." _Riku_ added. He gazed at his older counterpart. "I still look like a stud even after a few years."

"So tell me," Xemnas asked, "What is it that brings you here to this time?"

"Just came to deal a little payback." Sora declared.

"Is that so?"-

"You put us through a lot of hell, I just wanted to come back and give you the beating of your life."-

"You might have aged a little, Sora, but I highly doubt that you and Riku are a match for me."-

"So that's your opinion?" Riku asked.

"I guarantee it."-

"Then it just goes to show how little you know."-

"Fool, there are no others as powerful as I!"-

"Egotistical aren't we?"-

"If that's what you think," Sora said. He looked at Riku. "Hey, Riku, what do you say I take care of this little problem myself?"

"It's your score to settle, Sora." Riku replied. "You do what you want."

"Very well,"-

"Idiot," Xemnas chuckled, "Are you so confident in your own abilities that you mean to battle me on your own?"-

"That's exactly what I mean."-

"You _two_ might want to get back." Riku instructed the younger duo.

"But…" _Sora_ uttered.

"Do as I say. Sora can handle himself." _Riku_ looked at his elder counterpart with curiosity.

"Are you and he for real though?" _he_ asked. "Are you two guys really us in the future?" Riku suddenly turned around.

"That's right." Riku replied. He walked up to younger _Riku_. "You and I are the same. And you will be surprised what we are capable of doing in the future." He then turned to Sora who was about to enter battle. "You will see how much we have progressed."

Sora stood before Xemnas, ready to battle against his old foe.

"Well, this should be review for you then, Sora." The Nobody declared.

"Actually," Sora replied, "After everything I've put myself though, I came to realize how weak you were. Recalling the details of this battle and your methods weren't worth taking into account." This statement caused Xemnas' blood to boil. He had never before been insulted in such a way.

"How dare you speak like that to me in such a manner? You insolent pup," Xemnas suddenly attacked. He deployed his double light sabers and struck with all his might. But to his surprise, Sora was not there to be hindered. Xemnas was confused. "Where did he go?"

"Sora just vanished." _Riku_ uttered. "But where…?"

"Do I have the ability to disappear?" _Sora_ asked.

"That's right," Riku chuckled, "You two haven't developed that keen sense yet."

"What sense…?"-

"Sora didn't disappear, he's simply moving very fast. However, he's moving too fast for you guys to detect him."-

"But how can that be?" _Riku_ asked. "No one's capable of moving like that, not even Xemnas."

"Well, as _you_ can see, Sora's achieved that." Riku gawked at Xemnas who was still looking about confused and bewildered.

"Where did he go?" Xemnas growled.

"Above you," Sora replied. Xemnas looked up to see the key bearer hovering about like about him, perfectly stationary. "I'm really disgusted with your tactics. I expected more out of you Xemnas."

"Fool boy," Xemnas attacked again, holding nothing back, he used his thorn energy, his spinning attacks with his twin light sabers. He unleashed a barrage of lasers, but for some reason, despite his ferocity and close proximity to the key bearer, he was not able to hinder him. And what made it more aggravating to the organization leader was the fact that Sora had not even deployed his keyblade yet. He was only dodging and evading as if with little effort, predicting the attacks Xemnas would use ahead of times.

"Look at that," Riku declared while folding his arms in front of him as if a proud Saiyan warrior, "Xemnas is so slow, he can barely keep up with Sora."

"What are you talking about?!" _Riku _shouted. "I can barely keep up with Xemnas!"

"Don't I have a keyblade in the future?" _Sora_ asked.

"You do have a keyblade." Riku replied. "It's just that this fight is so futile for Xemnas, Sora doesn't have to worry about deploying his keyblade. But he'll deploy it sooner or later."

"Why don't you fight me right, boy?" Xemnas mocked the key bearer. "Where's your keyblade? Or don't you have one in the future?"

"I have a keyblade." Sora replied. "I'm just not gonna use it on you. You're not worth the effort."

"Is that so?" The Nobody slightly scoffed at that statement. "Are you just saying that because you don't have one and are hoping to bluff your way out of this?"

"I don't need to bluff."-

"Admit it, Sora. Even in the future years, I still accumulate a sense of fear within you."-

"That's not true, if it were then I wouldn't be here right now would I? You would have defeated me way back then, or should I say here and now." Xemnas realized the truth. Had he been victorious, Sora would not have been there, facing the Xemnas, in his older form. "Despite my disliking of you, Xemnas, there is still a chance for you to walk away. I don't wanna have to take your life a second time."

"I will not back down to idle threats." Xemnas began to attack again with just as much ferocity. "You destroyed everything that I had created! You toppled my control of all worlds! You destroyed by Kingdom Hearts! You brought down the might of Organization XIII and all Nobodies! And even more detestable, though I don't know if you still do, but you have that traitor Roxas residing within you."

"You envied Roxas didn't you? Not only because he obtained the power of the keyblade, but he also had me, his original self, to reside back to. You never were able to reunite with your original self because Riku took it over and you feared the fate of a Nobody. Without the one half, the other could not maintain its existence. Therefore, you would fade into nothingness. I can understand that sentiment and the fear of fading into nothingness, but to use the methods you required to carry it out…" –

"To each his own, Sora," Xemnas suddenly split into two. While one attacked Sora from the front, the other appeared behind the key bearer. Sora was able to evade the first blow, but as he turned to confront the second Xemnas, the Nobody appeared before him and using his energy, sent a powerful surge through the body of the key bearer. Sora was suspended as the energy encompassed him.

"Oh no," _Sora_ cried, "That's Xemnas' life absorption technique."

"He's gonna suck the life out of Sora." _Riku_ added. He turned to his future self. "You have to help him!"

"There is no need." Riku replied, unwavering. "If this were serious, then I would have jumped in without pause. But Sora can take care of this situation all by himself."

The three watched as Xemnas slowly drained the key bearer of his life force.

"And so you will meet your end." Xemnas chuckled. But to his shock, Sora suddenly looked at him with those deep blue eyes of his as if nothing remotely dangerous was happening. His façade was calm and expressionless. This was a concern of Xemnas. For some odd reason, his grasp on Sora seemed to slip.

Then, in a sudden burst of power, Sora's aura broke the hold, shattering the encompassing surge around him, dispersing the energy into the atmosphere. Xemnas stepped back in terror. The others were just as shocked.

"Did you see that?" _Sora_ uttered. "Sora broke the seal!"

"But how can that…?" _Riku_ added.

"Bravo, Sora," Riku applauded. "I bet Xemnas didn't see that coming."

"How on earth did you overpower my technique?" Xemnas uttered.

"It just goes to show you that I've progressed a great deal." Sora replied. Xemnas jumped back.

"You…you're not the same Sora."-

"I was wondering when you were gonna figure that out."-

"You dare to insult me?!" Xemnas began to increase his power to its maximum. But still Sora was stalwart.

"You can resist all you want and use any of your attacks as many times as you desire. But all of your efforts will be in vain."-

"Is that so? Then maybe you'd like a taste of my trump card!" Xemnas accumulated his infamous dome of lasers.

"Oh no," _Riku _cried. "It's this technique again!"

"Xemnas' trump card," _Sora_ added.

"Sora…" Riku said. His emotions were undeterminable.

"Now die," Xemnas sent an endless barrage of lasers to strike Sora. Sure enough, one hit him, then another, then another, and another and another until the lasers started striking the key bearer by the dozen, then by the score, and finally a hundred in one swing. A bright light and clouds of smoke began thicken in the center of the dome. Xemnas' fire continued until the laser icons on the dome itself were starting to explode due to the continuous fire.

After a full minute of barraging, the attack finally settled and only a cloud of smoke remained. Xemnas smiled to himself, satisfied with the results.

"Maybe that'll quiet that future self of Sora for good." He then looked at Riku and the other _key_ _bearers_. He landed short of twenty feet from them. "Well, it seems there are only three of you left."

"You monster," _Sora_ said.

"You're cruel." _Riku_ added.

"It just goes to show that even in your future forms; you stand no chance against me." Xemnas declared. But as he gazed at Riku, he noticed a calm look on the young man's face. "Why are you so calm, Riku? Aren't you shocked that I killed, Sora?" But Riku only smirked silently.

"Who said anything about me getting killed?" a voice suddenly shouted from behind the Nobody. Xemnas was stunned. He quickly turned towards the cloud of smoke that slowly dissipated into the air. To all their surprise, except for Riku, Sora emerged from the cloud without a scratch.

"Impossible…"-

"He's alive…?" _Sora_ uttered.

"Sora's alive?" _Riku_ added.

"Now you see why I wasn't the least bit concerned about Sora's safety." Riku chuckled. "In his present state, you couldn't hope to defeat him no matter how hard you tried."

"This cannot be! How in the world could you have improved so much?" Xemnas growled.

"It has been a few years." Sora declared. "And a lot can happen in that extension of time."

"I see…" Xemnas suddenly began to smile a devious look. His lip corners lifted up indicating a possible concoction in his mind. "If that's the case then,"

Xemnas suddenly unleashed a barrage of lasers. Sora easily evaded. But while the key bearer was in his eluding, Xemnas took the opportunity and attacked the two _key_ _bearers_ who were standing behind Riku.

"What is he doing?" _Sora_ wondered.

"He's attacking us!" _Riku_ shouted. The _key bearers_, except for older Riku, deployed their keyblades. Instead he just stood before the younger duo and deployed an energy shield.

"You'll have to go through me first." Riku declared.

"I think not." Xemnas suddenly split and vanished. He then reappeared and got hold of the young _Riku_ and _Sora_, encompassing their bodies with a powerful energy. He then threw the _duo_ before their elder counterparts as a barrier. Riku and Sora watched as the Nobody deployed his despicable act against their past selves.

"What's your game, Xemnas?" Riku growled.

"If I can't defeat you physically," the Nobody declared, "Then I'll defeat you the next best way! I'll outwit you!"

"And you're taking _them_ hostage?"-

"You prattled on continuously about how you were the future selves of _Riku_ and _Sora_. You actually managed to survive this fight with me, indicating that you, by some miraculous twist of fate, were able to defeat me in your own time. However, if I kill these _two_ now, then there is no way that you'll be able to survive. Thus, you'll disappear into oblivion!"-

"You…"-

"That is your one great weakness, Riku, Sora. You never thought about that twist did you."-

"You bastard…" Sora growled.

"Let me see how you like this little maneuver." Xemnas began to suck the life out of the _key bearers_ who were suspended in the air. _Riku _and _Sora_ began to cry out in agonizing pain as their felt their life force being drained. "Now watch as I kill your past selves and send you to suffer the same fate as my followers!"

"Help us…!" _Riku_ cried.

"Help us…!" _Sora _added.

"That's enough…" Sora growled. "You leave them alone…"

"Don't worry. I'll drain them to the point where they can't fight back." Xemnas chuckled. "In the meantime, why don't you play with these for a while?"

Xemnas snapped his fingers. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, hundreds of Dusks appeared around the older pair. Riku looked about to see all the dusks around him. Sora, however, seemed rather absorbed, hearing the screams of his past self.

"You…" He growled.

"Sora," Riku uttered, "Take it easy."

"Now let's see how you fancy taking on an entire legion of Nobodies!" Xemnas chuckled. He looked to the Dusks. "Destroy them both."

The dusks suddenly attacked.

"I hoped it wouldn't have to come down to this." Riku said. He deployed his keyblade. Then, with one strike and a sudden flash, the key bearer eliminated a good half of the entire Dusk force. Xemnas was stunned.

"He destroyed that many Dusks already?" he uttered. "It can't be…"

"_Riku_…" _Sora_ uttered as he felt his energy slowly leaving him. "Look…"

"He defeated all those dusks with one blow." _Riku_ added. He then glared upon the weapon of his elder counterpart. "Look at that keyblade."

"What kind of keyblade is that?"-

One, two three, the Dusks were eliminated in couple of slashes. Riku on the other hand did not break a sweat. He felt no fatigue.

"If that's the best you can do," Riku chuckled, "Then you really are in trouble."

"Fool…!" Xemnas shouted. He called forth more Nobodies, this time ranging to a plethora of different types, with its own unique and devastating power. But still, Riku defeated them with such ease. "This can't be happening. Riku's strength is so great, he can slash down Nobodies by the waves in one movement. Had he fought Organization XIII as he is now, all the members would have been wiped away in a single breath." He then looked at Sora who still stood about. "But why is it that Sora does not fight back?" He then glanced at younger _Sora_, who was still moaning in agony from his slowly draining energy. "Does he not care for the fate of his younger self? Do they not care of what happens to these _boys_?"

"Sora," Riku said. "I know I can handle this by myself, but aren't you gonna join in? Aren't you gonna save our pasts, or are you expecting me to do all the work now?" But Sora was silent. But then a strange surge began to uplift within Sora. Like a dark phantom, the aura began to bellow, dark in its nature, a darkness that even the Heartless would not dare accept. Riku felt the chill. He looked at Sora and dared not question his friend's actions. "Sora,"

"No more…" Sora growled. "No more…"

"Sora," Riku suddenly began to sweat. "Sora, don't do it. Don't lose control."

Just then, the key bearer's body began to glow profusely. The winds suddenly picked up and the ground began to shake.

"What is this power?" Xemnas uttered.

"This strength…" _Riku_ whispered, straining himself to stay alive.

"Incredible…" _Sora _gasped. "I'm that powerful in a few more years…?" Overcome by exhaustion, _Sora_ fell limp and unconscious.

"You've caused enough pain." Sora growled. "Let justice be done upon you!"

"Damn it," Riku said.

Xemnas' eyes grew wide with apprehension. Never before had he felt so much energy.

"Where did Sora gain so much power?" he thought to himself. Just then, as Sora looked up, his eyes had changed from a gentle blue to a soulless yellow. As he gritted his teeth, his K9's elongated to sharp fangs. His fingernails grew pointed and his body seemed to flex giving Sora hard muscle tone. His hair seemed to suddenly sprout about, becoming more spiked, stretching upward. Xemnas felt the inner part of himself turn cold with an indescribable fear. "What is this power?"

"Sora's delved into the rage," Riku uttered. "And he's fixed on attacking Xemnas." He then looked to his counterparts. "If I know Sora, he won't know the difference between friend and foe. It's up to me to save them."

Sora's energy suddenly burst into the air and every Nobody that was present was destroyed by the surge.

"This is not Sora." Xemnas uttered. "He's a demon. He's much too dangerous to keep in existence."

"It's over for you, Xemnas." Sora roared in a deep and sinister voice. "What you have done is unforgivable. Let justice be done upon you." He then unleashed his keyblade. Xemnas saw the menacing eloquence of the keyblade. Its strength matched Sora's yellow eyes. "Prepare to die…"

"You dare come close to me and I swear I will kill your past counterpart without hesitation!" Xemnas held the orb containing _Sora_. "Try me if you dare!"

But such a threat did not deter the now enraged key bearer. Again Xemnas cried, putting pressure on young _Sora_.

"Don't you even care about the fate of your younger self, Sora? Don't you care about your own existence?!"-

"I am not Sora." The key bearer declared, his eyes glowing with the slit pupils of a wild animal. "I am the Keyblade Hound…"

"Keyblade Hound…?"-

"Whether I live or die, I will rip your head from atop your shoulders…!"-

Just then, as Xemnas was overcome by fear, _Riku_ appeared before him and broke the hold he had on the _key_ _bearers_. He then kicked Xemnas in the chest before sweeping the younger counterparts under his arms and dashing away.

"I have them, Sora!" Riku cried. "Now do what you have to do!"

"Yeah…" Sora looked at Xemnas with those cold eyes and without pause, charged head on against the Nobody. Time seemed to stand still and Xemnas saw his life, his achievements and his failures flash before his eyes.

"This can't be the end…" he uttered.

"Die…"-

"No," Xemnas deployed his light sabers and charged at the Keyblade Hound. "I will not let it end like this! I will be the one to strike first!"

There was a bright flash of light and a high pitched clang of metal. In a heartbeat, the two were opposite each other, their weapons still raised. For a moment, it seemed there was no clear winner. But then, Xemnas collapsed to the ground.

"Cursed keyblade…" he uttered. His body dissipated and vanished into the light of the atmosphere as if his form was made of ash. Nothing was left of Xemnas. As it had been before, he was slain by the hands of Sora.

Allowing his will and pure heart to take hold, Sora regressed back to his normal self. Riku approached him.

"That was going a little overboard, don't you think, Sora?" Riku asked.

"Sorry," Sora replied. "He just got me really angry."

"Well, make sure not to overdo it next time."-

"I will." Sora then looked to he and Riku's slumbering past selves. "How are _Riku_ and _Sora_?"

"_They're_ doing alright. It's just that they had all the energy drained out of them."-

"Damn that Xemnas…"-

"Could you give me a hand, Sora, and take one of _them_?"-

"Sure Riku." Sora took hold of himself. "I'll take care of my past counterpart." Both _key bearers_ lay motionless in the arms of their future selves. "So what should we do with them?"

Just then light appeared before the key bearers.

"Light…" Riku uttered.

"Let's go…" Sora replied.

With past selves secured in their grasps, the key bearers entered the light and came before the darkened beaches at the end of the world.

"End of the line…"-

"Yeah…"-

"Even still," Riku's ears picked up the gentle crashing of the waves. "That sound is so peaceful here in the realm of darkness."

"To think that we almost declared exile here," Sora added. They lay the _key_ _bearers_ gently on the black sand, "This brings back old memories."

The two looked to the dim light like a pale moon in the distance. But as they did, the sound of a slow tick-tock began to echo. Then, the world seemed to fade around them.

"The simulation is over." Riku said.

"But what about…?" Sora asked. He kept his eyes upon their past selves as _they_ turned blurry before him.

"They'll be alright. Remember, nothing ever actually happened."-

"Yeah, I guess so."-

Within moments, the scene of the beach at the end of the world had vanished and the key bearers again found themselves before Lord Thundro.

"Well," he asked. "How did it go?"

"We beat Xemnas again." Sora replied.

"Don't let that battle go to your heads, boys. You must remember that the fight against General Saber will not be as easy as that. In fact, you may more likely find yourselves in Xemnas' shoes for that confrontation."-

"We'll keep that in mind, sir." Riku said.

"Since we still have a full day, let us continue training a little longer, for the sake of maintaining your skills."-

"Right," the two youths concurred.

"Then adjourn to the gravity room. We will commence our last training session there."-

The three dispersed from the Scenario Chamber and continued their training for one more day. It would not be long before they would return to the others and help them in the up coming battled against General Saber, the last of the Blade Generals and the final link to saving King Mickey.

However, rejoining their comrades in Traverse Town was not to be. Later that same day, a message arrived in Traverse Town, delivered by Leon and Cloud. The message itself seemed rather desperate.

When receiving the message, Ophelia, Kairi, and Olette were spending their leisurely relaxing time at the Inn drinking custom made coffee.

"Miss Billiard," Leon shouted, as he and cloud rushed to the table from which the ladies sat.

"What's the problem?" Ophelia asked.

"We have a big problem."-

"What is it?" Kairi wondered.

"We found the location of General Saber!"-

"What…?!" Ophelia stood up. "You know where Saber is?"

"Yes," Cloud replied. "But we should discuss this issue with the others."

"Have everyone assemble at the green room." Leon added.

"Very well," Ophelia acknowledged. She looked at Kairi and Olette. "Find Goofy, Donald, and Kirin and tell them to assemble at the green room in thirty minutes."

"Right," Olette and Kairi concurred and scurried off to fight their comrades.

"You guys come with me," Pointing to Cloud and Leon.

"Right," the two young warriors replied. They accompanied the colonel back to the hotel in the second district.

Thirty minutes had passed and the KH team was once again together.

"So what's the news you have to tell us?" Kirin asked.

"What's the news on Saber?" Kairi added.

"Apparently, he's been assigned to a world called Atlantis." Leon explained.

"Atlantis…?" Donald inquired.

"The lost city of Atlantis to be precise. Apparently, Saber found out from an anonymous source that there is a powerful energy essence that resides in that world."-

"An energy essence…?" Goofy wondered.

"It is believed that that this energy source has incredibly destructive power."-

"How destructive…?" Ophelia asked.

"Very destructive, in fact we believe that that same power source was used to destroy the entire continent of Atlantis. Plato put it that Atlantis was swallowed by the sea in the course of a single night."-

"I see…" Kirin said, "With a force that powerful, the Imperial Axis would prove invincible. They could threaten the whole of the Alliance. They could even attack Oceansburg again and this time they'll be able to destroy it with very little effort. There would be no way to stop them if the Axis gains control of that power source."

"Sneer has no one strong enough on reserve to go after Saber." Leon said. "We're the only ones that stand in the way of him and his men."

"This time, I'll be going with you?" Cloud added. "I want to know if the rumors are true myself."

"What rumors…?" Goofy asked.

"If it's true that _he_ and his gang have come back."-

"Who…?" Kairi asked. Cloud stalled for a moment before giving them a name.

"Kadaj…"-

"Kadaj…?" Donald asked. "Who is that…?"

"You might say that…" Cloud again hesitated. "He's my brother…"

"Your brother…?"-

"I don't know if it's true, but I heard that Saber had recruited someone with features that matched that of Kadaj and his gang. If it's true, I have to stop him."-

"Well, whatever the issue may be," Ophelia declared, "We know for certain that if the Imperial Axis gains access to that energy source, we might as well kiss all our efforts good-bye."

"But what about Riku and Sora," Kairi asked. "Aren't we supposed to wait for them?"

"Our priorities rest with stopping Saber right now. If the mythical energy source of Atlantis is as great and powerful as you say it is, then even Riku and Sora won't be strong enough to withstand its potency if it's unleashed. We have to go as soon as possible." Ophelia turned to Leon. "When will you need us?"

"We depart now!" Leon replied.

"Then get your gear ready, ladies and gents. Rendezvous to the ship immediately," She turned to Olette. "Olette, you remain here and take care of the children.

"I will." Olette replied. "Good luck."

"Let's head out!"-

"Yeah," the others cheered.

"I want a message sent to Riku and Sora. Tell them to meet us at Atlantis as soon as their training is over. In the meantime, we'll do all in our power to hold off Saber until they arrive."-

"Right," Leon replied.

"Move it!"-

The KH team rallied. Twenty minutes after, the message had been sent and the team was on their way to Atlantis. Armed with their signature weapons, the members boarded the gummi and were swiftly on their way.

"Set coordinates for Atlantis." Ophelia ordered.

"Coordinates set," Leon replied.

"All hatches secured?"-

"All air hatches sealed." Kirin said.

"All rockets ready to launch."-

"Rockets reaching critical level," Donald declared.

"All personnel fastened?"-

"All personnel fastened and secured." Kairi said.

"Cloud, take us out."-

"Ready for take off," Cloud declared. "Preparing to launch in T minus five…four…three…two…one…zero…"

Igniting the rockets, the gummi sped off at lightning speed towards the Atlantis Empire and General Saber.

In the meantime, Olette, Hayden and the children watched from the walkway of the second district as the gummi ship lifted into the sky and vanished into the distance like a shooting star.

"There they go, kids." She said "Wave good-bye!"

"Bye-bye," Hayden cried out. "Come back soon!"

"You take care of yourselves." Olette said with an inward voice. "The fate of all worlds depends on you now.


	109. The Final Test

The Final Test: The First Key Bearer Emerges

Once again the day passed with Thundro pushing the key bearers harder than ever before. But by this time, Riku and Sora had reached the end of their regimen and were by this time used to the strain. They battled with lightning fast reflexes in ten times the natural gravity. Their senses had been heightened to a new level. After enduring the equivalence of two years, undergoing a hellish surrounding, which nearly ended their lives, in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, the key bearers had achieved a level of training that would have otherwise taken them several extended lifetimes for them to accomplish.

Thundro smiled as he watched his two students spar with great ferocity before his eyes.

"To think," he thought to himself. "Just three weeks ago, those two couldn't even hope of moving in three to five times the natural gravity level. Now here, there are battling at immense speed at ten times the natural gravity. I have to hand it to them. They've come a long way, from cocky novices to battle hardened warriors. In the end, my harsh regimen and ruthless attitude toughened those boys up. That, as well as their will to continue."

"Is that all you've got, Sora?" he heard Riku shout. "Don't tell me you're giving up already!"

"In your dreams, Riku!" Sora shouted as he lunged at his friend. The two grappled their keyblades in an interlocking skirmish.

"Had they not been worthy enough," Thundro continued to speak in his mind, "They would have died on that first trial battle against me." He checked his watch. The time was 6:00 p.m. on the dot.

"Boys," he shouted, "Bring it in!"

"Bring it in?" Sora asked.

"Already…?" Riku added. They rushed to Thundro. "What's the deal? It seems way too early than usual."

"This is the final day of training, boys. It was in fact a day in which I wasn't planning on instructing you. So you might say I am impressed that you decided to continue your training."-

"Well…" Sora uttered with a sheepish grin.

"To the point, you'll have to rest your bodies for the final test tomorrow."-

"Final test?" the key bearers were curious.

"What do you mean?" Riku asked.

"You mean like a written exam?" Sora asked, a little apprehensive. Sweat suddenly dripped from his forehead. "Just to let you know, I really suck at final exams. Like that time I had to do a midterm exam for my Philosophy class about Descartes and Hume and…"

"There's nothing to be so fidgety about, Sora." Thundro interrupted. "This will not be a written exam. This will be one last spar."

"A spar…?" Sora sighed. "Well, I'm good at that."

"You two do recall when you took the trial battle to be accepted as students under me. Consider this your graduation battle."-

"Alright…!" Riku said.

"So we'll adjourn early tonight so you two can get a good night's rest." Thundro turned away. "I shall retire to my quarters then."

"Alright then," Sora replied. "Good night, sir."

The peace of the night came again and the key bearers enjoyed their final night at the facility. Sora lay in his bed, looking around at their tight little nook. For some reason, he felt a bit nostalgic. Riku had finished showering and was now drying himself off. He emerged from the bathroom in his black boxer-briefs and a towel over his shoulders. As he reached for his jeans that lay neatly on his bed, he looked at Sora who seemed to stare aimlessly at the ceiling.

"Are you alright, Sora?" he asked.

"I'm just thinking." Sora replied

"About what…?"-

"About our time in here…"-

"It wasn't very often."-

"Yeah I know, but it seems like only yesterday we came here."-

"I know what you mean." Riku buttoned and zipped up the front of his pants and just sat on the bed shirtless. "We gained a lot in Thundro's training regimen. We've become more balanced in our fighting technique and our strength has increased to a level I never thought possible." There was a moment's pause between the key bearers. Then Sora turned his head to look at his friend.

"Hey Riku," he said.

"Yeah…?"-

"Do you think that training with Thundro had made our friendship stronger?"-

"We've had our differences in those times, Sora. At times we would argue and end up fighting each other. But in the end we made up. So yeah, I think our friendship has tightened."-

"He sure is a hard task master at times." Sora sat up on his bed and lay his feet over the edge onto the cold ground. "So you think we're ready for the fight against Saber?" Riku smiled and shifted himself from his bed next to Sora. He put his arm around him.

"To tell you the truth," Riku uttered. "I really don't care."-

"You don't…?"-

"Not right now anyway."-

"Well, what do you care about right now?"-

"This…!" Riku suddenly threw his arm around Sora's neck and began to give him a hair ruffling noogie on the top of his cranium. Sora struggled to get out of his friend's grasp. They ended up rolling off the bed and onto the floor. Then Sora managed to get himself over Riku and straddle him. He pinned both of his arms down.

"Do you give, Riku…?"-

"Not a chance…!" Riku struggled, kicking his legs about, hoping to turn himself over. But Sora was relentless this time.

"Not so funny with the bottom rail on top now is it?! Do you give up?!"-

"Not yet…!"-

"You can't win this time, Riku! There's no space for you to roll over to."-

Riku continued to thrash about before realizing that it was useless. He smiled and laughed.

"Okay Sora," he said. "I give…"

Night quickly passed as soon as it had started and the key bearers once again found themselves standing before the mighty Lord Thundro. This time, the trio assembled at the place by the waterfall where their preliminary battle had commenced three weeks before.

"Boys," Thundro declared, "It has been an honor to train worthy young warriors like you. I commend you for making it this far, surviving the harshness and enduring the cruelty. Your spirits have been toughened and your bodies have been forged with new armor. Your minds have gained a great deal of knowledge both on the battlefield and within your own philosophies. Therefore, the final test shall commence."

"Right," the key bearers replied.

"Boys, this will not be a duel. This will be a bout. Do not hold back under any circumstance."-

"So there's no holds barred?" Sora asked.

"In the fight against Saber, do not expect anything similar to a duel. He will not fight by restricted standards. He will do all in his power to kill, especially with the grudge he bears against you. Thus, I will not hold back either. But remember your training and the lessons you have learned and you will not fail. I guarantee it."-

"Understood," Riku replied.

"Key bearers, I salute you. Now let us begin!"-

The key bearers drew out their weapons. But to their surprise, Thundro was not armed. He did not bear the sheaths of his twin swords which he had used to battle them time after time again.

"Aren't you going to use a weapon?" Sora asked.

"I intend on using a weapon." Thundro replied. "But I will not regress to deploying my twin blades for this particular battle. Instead…" Thundro drew his hands out. There was a sudden flash of light. And appearing in his hands were the weapons he would bear into battle. "I'll use these."

To the surprise and shock of the key bearers, they couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"It can't be…" Sora uttered. "Those are…are…?"

"Keyblades…" Riku added with a waver. "Two of them…"

"But if Thundro has keyblades, that means he's a…"-

"He's a key bearer too…"-

"I was hoping for that reaction, boys. Behold my weapons of choice! Laevateinn and Mjollnir…"-

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Riku shouted. "Since when were you going to tell us that you were a key bearer…!"

"Not just any key bearer, Noctin Tilandir, but the key bearer, the first key bearer who ever existed. I am the first to wield the power of the keyblades."-

"No way…" Sora said, all astounded.

"These were the first ever forged, weapons descending from the Norse Pantheon." He first introduced the keyblade in his right hand, a magnificent piece of art as ever there was. Consisting of silver and mother of pearl, the keyblade was slick and curved and its hilt circular with precious stones evenly spread on its outer border. The shaft was like a tri-bladed sword with its triple shafts. And for the head, what could only be described as the head of a mallet completed the entourage in such splendor and power.

"On my right," Thundro explained, "I bear the mighty hammer of justice, once wielded by Thor the legendary god of thunder, Mjollnir!" He then pointed to the second keyblade. It was a double-shaft keyblade with a moon crest as both head and hilt. Its design was emerald embedded with gold with a forged ring dangling as its chain. "And born in my left hand, I wield the mythical and mystical Laevateinn, forged from Draupnir, the ring of power by Loki, the great trickster god. These are the originals, the first forerunners of the keys of hearts, the very first keyblades."

"The first keyblades…" Sora was astounded. "Who would have thought?"

"So you intend to fight us with those then?" Riku asked.

"That is correct." Thundro took his stance. "And I will show no compassion this time. I will battle with the full extent of my heart and soul, with all the passion I have ever experienced in the midst of battle. The new keyblade masters versus the first keyblade master. Let this battle commence!"

Thundro made no further hesitation and charged. The key bearers were stunned as their instructor lashed out with such ruthless violence. He slashed and swiped with incredible accuracy. For the first couple of minutes, the key bearers were not able to make sense of how to react.

"Hey, take it easy will you?!" Riku demanded.

"Are you getting soft already? And after all that trouble I went though getting you ready for this moment?!" Thundro suddenly began to deploy his teleportation technique, attacking from all directions. The key bearers quickly engaged, going on the offensive, evading and dodging as best they could. But Thundro was too fast and at times, he would nearly cut them, tearing at their clothing instead. "If you fight like this against me, you'll never be a match for Saber!"

"He's attacking us as if he really wants to kill us." Sora said.

"I think that's what he's planning to do!" Riku replied.

"But isn't this going a little too far?!"-

"C'mon Sora, you should be used to this by now!" Riku put up a defense. But as the impact of Thundro's keyblades hit his own, it was clear that Thundro was not going to limit himself in his power or his bloodlust. "But then again, I really haven't gotten used to this either."

"I intend to kill you, boys!" Thundro declared. "If you hesitate, you will die! Throw aside the bond you forged with me these passed three weeks and attack and hinder me as if I were Saber himself! I will give no mercy. Therefore I will expect no mercy in return! Only when the critical death blow has been given will this battle stop!"

"But I thought this was just a spar!" Sora said.

"That's not open for discussion at the present moment is it?! Had I told you it was a bout of life and death, you wouldn't have agreed to it! Now you have no choice, but to fight!" Thundro lunged, preparing to strike the youth between the eyes. Sora dodged just as Laevateinn streaked by. There was a painful sting on his right cheek. Sora looked to see a few red droplets flying in front of his eyes. He tumbled to the ground and quickly jumped back to his feet. He felt his cheek and sensed a wet substance smearing. Gazing at his hand, he realized that he had been given a deep cut.

"Thundro…"-

"That is the extent of my word, Sora. You will fight and survive this last battle, or you will die!" Thundro attacked him head on again, not giving him a chance to breathe. But then from out of nowhere, Riku appeared in defense of his friend and blocked the incoming weapons.

"Riku…!"-

"Are you alright, Sora?" Riku asked.

"I'm fine…" Riku then glared at Thundro as their keyblades ground against each other, forcing sparks to flare.

"Why are you doing this, Thundro? Why are you trying to kill us after all the trouble you went through training us?!"-

"I have taught you all that you need to know! I have given you all the things necessary to fight Saber, spare for two things, a lesson and a second item. The final lesson is this," Thundro's eyes had changed. They looked ruthless, cold and emotionless like a doll's eyes. His pupils had grown small indicating that his mind was only focused on one thing, the death of his pupils. "The sensation left for you to experience is death…"

"Death…?"-

"If you are not ready to kill, then you better be ready to die!" The lock between the key bearers ended and Thundro and Riku pushed themselves away. "Saber will show no mercy to you! Think of this as your first step towards battling him! It's a step which you must survive!"

"I see," Riku took his stance. "Unless we kill, we'll be killed! But that's already a concept we know! We killed when we had to!"

"That's not the entirety of the point I'm making."-

"Then what the point you're trying to make?" Sora asked.

"If you must kill, then you do it without interference from your consciousness!" Thundro attacked again. "You see an opening and you take it on the first shot!" The trio clashed again. Tightly in their agility and speed, they clustered in a ball. Streaks and flashes of light and the clash of thunder reverberated as the key bearers engaged. "I know your tactics. I have heard of your technique to dispense with bothersome foes. You maim them out of commission, to the point where they are incapable of retaliating. Or you use your elemental attacks or your summoning spells to either immobilize them or render them unconscious, anything to avoid having to needlessly take the life of another. Well, Saber will not have it! If he gets the chance, he will exploit that void in your hearts and use it to his advantage. You might not be willing to needlessly take life, but he's willing to do that no matter what! He is willing to do anything, so long as it guarantees the deaths of the ones responsible for taking the life of his cousin."

"That's right." Riku thought to himself, remembering the grudge behind Saber's actions. "He's fighting for revenge. So he won't be satisfied until both Sora and I are dead."

"Now you realize the predicament. Saber's philosophy on dedication and revenge are absolute. Unlike most, he will not throw aside his own desires for the sake of an enemy's words. So negotiations will not avail against him. He has sworn to kill you two and there's nothing to persuade him otherwise."-

"But that's Saber we're talking about!" Sora shouted as he evaded and blocked another attack. "Why are you being so ruthless…?!"-

"I want to see if you have it in you to kill without hesitation and without concern or pity for the life and fate of your enemy! That is all that concerns me!" Thundro lunged again and again and again, forcing the key bearers to keep up their efforts to evade and block. "Besides, I myself have a grudge against you."

"A grudge against us…?" Riku asked.

"But what did we ever do to you?!" Sora demanded.

"The one thing I never hoped would have to happen." Thundro declared, "Having to pit one set of pupils against the other. I detest the sight of seeing young individuals I have trained battling against each other, and would like that to be avoided at all costs. And since Saber is nowhere to be found at the present moment for me to slay, I'll have to dispense with my other pupils!"

"So, that's all it was to you, a waste of time?! You took three weeks to train us and you got us in top condition! And for what, so you could kill us yourself?!"-

"The real question is, Sora, did you waste your own time?!"-

Thundro charged again, swiping away at the key bearers. Despite the clear motives of the Imperial, the key bearers were still reluctant to hinder him. But as the battle dragged on, Riku and Sora came to the conclusion that there was no other option. They either had to kill Thundro or die at his hand.

"We have no choice." Riku said. "We have to kill Thundro."

"But Riku…" Sora uttered.

"He is still an Imperial at heart after all. At least we can allow him to die the honorable death of an Imperial."-

"Yeah…I guess…"

"Then let's do this…for our friends…"

"Yeah…!"

The tables suddenly turned. This time, Riku and Sora went on the offensive and attacked Thundro with all their might. They cared not for hindering him this time as they now knew the importance of this final fight to the death. They no longer looked at Thundro as a master and teacher, but rather a sworn enemy who had come to take their lives. Thundro took up the defense as the youths descended upon him with incredible gusto and ferocity. Despite the danger he had put himself and the key bearers in, he only smiled.

"That's the way boys." He said. "Show me what you're made of!" He deployed elemental attacks at the key bearers. At first, the key bearers didn't dare throw themselves into the bursts of fire or wind, or the upheaval of earth. They could still feel the chill and heat of ice and flame and their faith in the Immunity Orb seemed to diminish quickly.

"I thought the Immunity orb was supposed to help us fend off different elements." Sora said. "Then how come I can still feel the heat and the chill sting me?!"

"Maybe it's just a phase." Riku replied.

"Are you willing to chance that?" Just then as Sora evaded another wind attack, He saw Thundro before him.

"Let's give it a little experiment shall we?" He unleashed a massive twister encompassed by fire and ice, a technique similarly used by his two pupils. Sora was overwhelmed by the fire and wind and ice.

"Sora," Riku cried, fearing for his friend. But as he observed, he realized that Sora was not at all hindered. In fact he was not at all wavered. The wind, the intense flames, and the frozen chill had no effects on his body. Despite the devastation that happened around him, Sora was unmolested as if he were taking a leisurely stroll in the park. He looked at himself, seeing the elements just bounce off of him.

"Wow…" the young key bearer uttered. Riku was amazed.

"So the Orb does work." He said.

"Excellent…" Thundro chuckled in his mind. "The orb has fully integrated into Sora's body."

"Well, Thundro," Sora chuckled. "It looks like you can't use elemental attacks against us anymore."

"We've gained a strong asset thanks to you." Riku added. The key bearers attacked again. Thundro unleashed a barrage of fire at both key bearers, but again no effect occurred and the youths were not halted in their advance. "Let's see if you like a bit of the same!"

"Flaming Funnel," Sora shouted. He and Riku deployed their combination attack and the column of fire engulfed the Imperial. But to their surprise, Thundro was unharmed.

"You'll have to do better than that." He declared.

"No way, he has the Immunity Orb too?"-

"Who do you think forged the idea?"-

"That explains it then." Riku said. Both sides stood upon the charred ground fifty yards or more away from each other.

"So I guess elementals don't work on either of us." Sora declared. "I guess in this case, it's strictly hand to hand combat with out keyblades.

"Not necessarily," Thundro chuckled. "I still have a few aces up my sleeve. I think you'll enjoy this little technique!" Thundro then raised Laevateinn as if he were ready to strike his opponents. The key bearers were confused.

"What the heck is he doing?" Riku wondered.

"Is he trying to strike at us all the way from there?" Sora added.

But rate reared its ugly head as suddenly, the keyblade suddenly spiraled upward into a chain of keyblades, securely linked to one another.

"Laevateinn Transformation number one," Thundro shouted, "Keyblade Whip!"

He lashed his weapon towards the key bearers. The tip of this new weapon reached all the way to the key bearers. Riku and Sora were still shocked at what they saw. Only at the last moment did they evade. The tip of the whip cut through the ground where they were previously standing. The moment the crack was emitted, the lash was retracted and once again regressed into one keyblade.

"What the heck was that?" Sora was all astounded. "I've never seen a keyblade do that."

"What kind of keyblade is it?" Riku asked.

"That was the first transformation of Laevateinn." Thundro declared. "It's called the Keyblade Whip."

"But how can that be?" Sora said. "How can a keyblade transform like that?"

"It just goes to show you that these two are the prototypes of the keyblades that followed. These keyblades, unlike most, contain incredible power. Power matched to the gods they were wielded by. Loki was the Great Trickster God as well as shape shifter, which meant he could transform himself into anything he desired. If that was true for Loki, why not do it to the keyblade as well?"-

"Incredible…"-

"And with Laevateinn, with the help of Mjollnir, I will assure your destruction!" Thundro then raised Mjollnir above his head. "Now let us continue!"

An electric surge accumulated upon the head of Mjollnir, causing the foundations of land to shake.

"That light," Sora said in awe, "What is that?"

"It's an electrical surge." Riku replied. "But I wouldn't worry. We have the Immunity Orb in our favor. That electricity can't hurt us."

"Sound your roar, mighty hammer of justice!" Thundro cried. He pounded the keyblade upon the ground and the high voltage mass surged towards the duo with a booming rumble, shattering the soil in its path.

"I've been known to be wrong sometimes though." Riku was having second thoughts. At the last minute, the youths dodged the attack, but it was too late, the surge erupted, exploding in a scattering and sonic boom which blew them away. They tumbled upon the ground with debris falling upon their heads.

"This can't be." Sora uttered. "I thought we could withstand any kind of elemental attack."

"You can withstand any elemental attack." Thundro replied. "But Mjollnir is another story. Since it was forged to eradicate an enemy with one mighty blow, no force can withstand its power. The only way to truly withstand the blow directly would be if you had power equal to that of a god. But to achieve that, you would have had to endure another three weeks amplified a thousand fold in regimen, and extended a thousand fold in length."

"But that's a lifetime and a deathtrap."-

"I said the Immunity Orb will help repel elemental attacks. I never said it was perfect." Thundro charged again. "Now that you know the advantages of these keyblades, you will meet your end." He grappled with the key bearers, using the now revealed tactics of the Laevateinn and Mjollnir. The lush grounds and beautiful scene of nature was suddenly transformed into an area of destruction and devastation as trees were uprooted and rocks were rattled loose from their foundations. The roar of Mjollnir and the sudden strike of Laevateinn's keyblade whip again forced Riku and Sora to go on the offensive.

"This is ridiculous." Sora grumbled. "How the heck are we supposed to contend with those kinds of keyblades?"

"He has to have a weakness somewhere." Riku said. They dodged and evaded at the same time conversing on their plan. "Those keyblades are designed for more of a long range combat. They keep us at a fair distance. If we can somehow get through…" Then Riku snapped his fingers. "I got it. We'll use our evasion technique."

"But Riku, that didn't work the last time we used it on him."-

"It won't have to. We just have to…" He whispered silently into Sora's ear.

"You boys can secretly prattle all you want, but there is no strategy you can use that'll break my defense." Thundro declared.

"That's what you think!" Riku suddenly unleashed a swirling twister towards Thundro was unaffected by the wind.

"You already know that that won't work on me." But as the debris cleared, he realized that the key bearers were no longer around. He looked through the corners of his eyes. The key bearers were nowhere to be found. Thundro smiled, "A shinobi tactic, eh? They've learned well not to attack head on." Just then, there came a sudden flash of light, Sora's Corona Flash Barrage. Then, appearing through the light emerged Riku's Darkness Decoys, one after another. They charged, head on against the Imperial.

"It's over for you!" Riku shouted.

"Clever, boys," Thundro said. He then slashed through the ranks of the incoming decoys, diminishing them. "But not clever enough."

"I got you now!" Riku shouted as he charged head on.

"Big mistake," Thundro lashed forth the keyblade whip. Riku quickly eluded. He threw himself out of the way within inches.

"Do it, Sora!" Riku shouted.

"You're mine!" Sora roared, charging from the extreme right flank. Thundro saw him coming at the last minute.

"Not a bad strategy." Thundro chuckled. "You caught me off guard." The Imperial suddenly used Mjollnir in Sora's direction. "But your timing was just a little too early." The surged rushed against Sora. But the key bearer evaded.

"I don't think so! That electrical surge may be powerful, but it can only travel in a straight line!"-

"You shouldn't presume." Thundro then twisted his keyblade about and slashed in an upward, side-sweeping motion. A powerful energy wave streaked through the air, catching Sora off guard. The young key bearer was struck and screamed out as the electricity of the gods gripped his body.

"Sora," Riku cried.

"It's over for you Sora." Thundro chuckled.

"So says you." A voice uttered. Directly from behind, Sora emerged and made ready to deliver the final blow. Thundro was caught completely off guard. He turned to see Sora's keyblade aiming between his eyes.

"Impossible," Thundro thought. He suddenly vanished from sight. Sora growled as his keyblade struck the charred dirt instead.

"Man, I almost had him."-

"Damn, that strategy nearly worked." Riku said. Thundro appeared again. He was all astounded as he saw two Soras before him, the one falling to the ground, struck by the surge, and the other that attacked from behind. Thundro sensed the inner core of the beings. He then smiled.

"That was incredible." He said. "You nearly had me in a spot. It seems, Riku, that you have developed your Darkness Decoys even more. Now, not only can you allow your clones to endure longer, but you have also developed the technique in which you can forge the likenesses of your comrades also, very well done indeed." Thundro lowered his keyblades. "However, such a façade is not enough to deceive me. If there's one thing that no Darkness Decoy or clone, at any sort or level, can assimilate, is a life force signature, which has a distinct energy source. So if you were to use that technique again, I would know exactly which one of you is the real thing. To add, now that you have used that tactic, I will be expecting similar ones, so that won't work on me a second time."

"Damn it, so close and yet so far."-

"But then again, I won't let you have your way now will I." Thundro drew up Mjollnir and prepared to face Sora. "I will end this! Here and now!" He swung Mjollnir at the youth. Sora prepared to evade as he saw the keyblade's head glow with another electrical surge. Thundro swung, but instead of the electricity bellowing out, there was a sudden sonic boom. The key bearer drew up his keyblade, using it as a shield, to ward off the sound wave. The impact caused Sora to stagger and fall to his knees. Then as is it seemed over, something like a chain suddenly gagged him as it wrapped around his neck. Sora looked to see that the keychain at the end of the Mjollnir's hilt had extended.

"What the…?" he uttered.

"Mjollnir grappling chain…" Thundro chuckled. He then yanked the chain and Sora went flying, gagging as he was pulled.

"Sora," Riku cried. Once in Thundro's hands, the Imperial tide Sora's hands behind him then pulled him up by the chain. Sora staggered in such dramatic fashion, looked helpless yet determined in a bondage pose.

"What do you intend to do now?" Thundro asked.

"How did you do that?" Riku asked.

"The sonic boom was a diversionary tactic. Using the grappling chain was my true objective."-

"Thundro you…"-

"And now with Sora in my hands, you have no other choice, but to do as I please. Otherwise, I will make him suffer."-

"Riku…" Sora cried as he was strangled by the chains around his throat.

"Drop your keyblade…"-

Riku hesitated. He didn't want Sora to get hurt. But if he diminished his keyblade, he'd be opened for attack.

"I…" He uttered.

"I said drop your keyblade," Thundro roared. "Or I will cause ten thousand volts to surge through the grappling chain and roast Sora to a crisp."

"Riku," Sora cried, "Don't do it! Don't worry about me!"

"But Sora," Riku said. He was still hesitant.

"I am not like your old foe, Xemnas." Thundro declared. "I know that you two hate to see the sight of the other suffering in such torment, and will do anything to see that the other is unhindered. Well, in this case, I could care less about how you feel. And right now, if you don't lower your keyblade, Riku, I will kill Sora."

"Forget about me, Riku." Sora shouted, "Don't give up!"

"You have five seconds to drop that keyblade!"-

"Don't do it, Riku!"-

"Five…four…"-

"Don't give in…!"-

"Three…two…!"-

"Very well, Thundro." Riku shouted.

"That's better…" But to Thundro's surprise, Riku didn't lower his keyblade. Instead, he formed his stance to perform Kenshin Himura's devastating attack, the Kuzu Ryu Sen. "What are you doing?"

"If you kill Sora, then there will be nobody left, you can hide behind, that'll stop me from taking your head."-

"That may be true, but your friend will be dead! I will have accomplished what I so desire."-

"That may be so, but Sora's ready to throw his own life away and I will not let him die in vain."-

There was a pause. Then, the Imperial smiled.

"That's exactly what I was expecting from you two." Thundro eased his grip and undid the chains that bound Sora. He backed away.

"What are you doing?" Sora asked. Riku ran to Sora.

"Are you alright, Sora?"-

"Yeah, but…"-

"The battle is concluded." Thundro replied.

"You mean…?" Riku was confused. "You mean the fight is over?"

"If this had been a real confrontation, Sora would have already been dead and either you or I would have met the same fate, Riku, that or both of us."-

"But you said,"-

"That this was a fight to the finish? I did say that, but it was all metaphorical. The reality was that I had to see how you would have favored in the situation I provided for you. And though your friendship is strong, you were willing to sacrifice your own lives to assure the success of your cause. That is true dedication. Besides, had I a true tendency to kill you, you would have been dead from the start." Thundro turned around. He then raised his keyblades before him. "Boys, raise your vacant hands."

Riku and Sora did as their instructor commanded and raised their vacant hand.

"Let the keyblades choose who will wield them." Then, from Thundro's hands, Laevateinn and Mjollnir vanished from sight.

Then, the keyblades appeared in the hands of the youths, who were shocked by the development. Sora had gained the power of Mjollnir, the mighty hammer of justice. And Riku obtained the power of Laevateinn, the mystic power of Loki.

"Now you have gained items just as powerful as the Immunity Orbs. Sora, you now wield the power of Mjollnir. That keyblade will thus enhance your fighting strength and your use of magic and summoning spells, giving them more effect. Mjollnir also has the ability to defeat an opponent with one hit, using the finishing move as I have deployed in our duel. Riku, the power of Laevateinn will also increase your use of summoning and elemental spells. Now its striking power is not as powerful as Mjollnir's, but it takes three different shapes. The _keyblade whip_ is one of them. Then there is the _Chaos_ in which it transforms into a larger blade that can defeat a company of enemies in one strike. Finally, there is the _Twilight_ in which the blade becomes double-sided like a bow, in case you find yourself in one of those tight predicaments. Let these weapons serve your well."-

"But…" Sora uttered. Both he and Riku were still stunned by receiving such a generous gift.

"You're giving them to us…?" Riku asked.

"These keyblades have been by my side since the day they were given to me. But I do not believe they should be wielded in the hands of a man who has caused so much death and destruction as a former loyalist and lord of the Dark Empire. Perhaps it was my strong heart and soul that allowed them to stick by me. But I dared not use them in battle and soil their precious forms for a cause that bore only the desire to dominate. Thus, I pass the power of the very first keyblades on to you who are worthier to wield them."-

"But why…" Sora wondered. "I mean you can still wield them in a great cause! Why don't you fight alongside us?"

"That is something I cannot do." Thundro turned away. "I loved the Dark Empire with all my heart, but I detested the methods they used. For a time up 'til now, I even raised my sword against my old comrades and took their lives for the sake of a cause and an organization I had always thought countered my own beliefs. Thus, I have betrayed both sides. Just as now, I have trained one set of students to assure the death of the other. I am to blame for the suffering of both sides and I regret that very much. Ergo, I will remain in seclusion."

"Thundro…" Riku said.

"You must go now and help your friends. They need you." There was silence between the three before Riku made his own vow.

"Then I vow this to you, Thundro. We will use these keyblades in the name of the cause to which you truly fought for."-

"My cause…?"-

"For peace…" Thundro saw all astounded. He could only smile and nod. Riku diminished the keyblades in his hands and drew up his right hand. They shook hands hardily. Sora did the same.

"Thank you for all you've done for us." Sora said.

"It has been an honor to be your instructor." Thundro replied.

"Let's go, Sora." Riku said.

"Back to Traverse Town," Sora added. Riku took out the gummi capsule and unleashed their ship. Both key bearers entered the vessel. The rockets rumbled and the ship lifted off. The youths gave a salute to the Imperial below. The gummi thus vanished into the horizon.

Thundro watched as the ship blinked out into the blue.

"Farewell boys…" he uttered. His eyes seemed rather blurred and a sniffle tickled his nose. A weight upon his chest seemed to slow his reaction. "I must be coming down with something." Thundro withdrew back to his quarters

But no sooner had he reached his room, there was a transmitted message that awaited his reply. Curious, Thundro accepted the transmission. He read the context and gave a sigh.

"So the team has left Traverse Town have they?" He said to himself. "What incompetence. A message from yesterday has only now arrived." He deleted the message and gave no second thought to what he had received.


	110. Atlantis: The Encounter

Atlantis: The Encounter

Despite their arrival at Atlantis, the KH team had spent most of their time so far, trying to track down General Saber. In the darkness of this subterranean world, remnants of a once proud civilization lay scattered. Great pillars and fallen structures bearing artistry and ancient runes of a language long forgotten lay proudly amidst the rubble. The team had followed a road, possibly the main thoroughfare to the one thriving metropolis, for miles on end. There had been signs that a recent party had made their way through.

Ophelia observed some of the evidence left. There were hints of wheel tracks, possibly made by some large vehicle. Bits of little like stray papers and cigarette butts were trailed along the road. And even more mysterious was the sight of what looked like an old camping ground with fire pits that had been recently dug up and used. She placed her hand over the pit. There was still warmth.

"It seems that the party was here not too long ago, at least four or five hours." She declared.

"You think it could be Saber's party?" Leon asked.

"I don't think so." Ophelia found some old tin cans dating the year 1914. "These seem to the traces of another party in search of this power source."

"Explorers maybe…?" Donald asked.

"Possibly, but if they're here as well, I'd hate to see what'll happen if they encounter Saber and the Imperial Axis."-

"Hey," Kairi shouted, "Look over there in the distance!" She pointed towards ruins that were several miles down the vast open cavern. Further away, there was a hint of what looked like a mellow glow. It took a while for the team to reach the end of the corridor.

The glow in the distance grew brighter and brighter the closer they came. Then, there came a low roar that intermingled with the illumination, along with a strange smell of burning wood, fuel, and other material.

"Do you smell that?" Leon asked.

"I certainly do." Cloud added. "That glow must be a fire or something."

The team came before another opening, carved through a thick fallen ruin, possibly drilled through by a large digging machine. That's when they noticed debris scattered in the tunnel. Not debris as in ancient litter from long ago, but modern items like canned food and letters paper. There were also stray bullet shells that lay on the ground.

"Look at all this junk." Goofy said.

"They must've been in a hurry." Donald added. Suddenly, the fowl tripped over something. He looked and nearly screamed his head off, had he not shut his bill at the last moment.

"Are you alright, Donald?" Goofy helped his friend before realizing what it was that Donald tripped on. He turned pale. "Miss Billiard, I think you better take a look at this."

"What is it, Goofy?" the colonel asked. But as she looked downward, she figured out the reason for Donald and Goofy's shocked reaction.

At their feet laid the body of what looked like a dead soldier. Dressed in a green overcoat and German style helmet and gas mask, the dead trooper seemed to have died very quickly, his arms slightly raised, already showing regomortus in his limbs.

"An Imperial soldier…?" Leon asked.

"I don't think so." Kirin said. "He doesn't have the same entourage of an Imperial soldier."

"He might be a member of that other exploration party we were discussing about earlier." Ophelia said.

"You think something might have happened?" Kairi asked.

"There's only one way to find out." The party continued to advance towards the glow. There was no doubt that a fire might have erupted due to the evidence of the glow's orange color, the smell of burning material, and the steadily increasing heat and presence of smoke.

As they finally came to observe the source of the glow, their eyes filled with shock at what lay before them. Fires had erupted everywhere in the tavern from what looked like demolished early twentieth century vehicles. Debris of clothes, crates of food, and weaponry were scattered. And amongst that were dozens of dead bodies of soldiers dressed in green.

"My God," Kairi uttered. "How terrible…"

"It looks like a massacre happened here." Kirin added.

"Saber…?" Leon wondered.

"Most likely…" Ophelia concurred.

"Hello," Donald cried. "Is anyone out there?!" But the colonel locked his bill shut.

"Be quiet, Donald! There could be a chance that Saber is nearby!" She sensed the air. "It's faint, but I can feel him. He's not too far away."

"I sense him too." Kirin added. "I also sense five other powers with him, five strong powers."

"Do you know who they might be?" Goofy asked.

"I don't know. I've never sensed these powers before. But I can tell that they're not pushovers. Three of the powers are about equal. Then, there are two much weaker powers, yet still formidable for us."-

"I recognize those signatures." Cloud growled. He then happened to gaze downward to find what looked like streaks of rubber tire marks which could have only been created by a fast moving vehicle. Kadaj and his gang were known to ride high speed black motorcycles. Cloud sighed. "I didn't want to believe it, but it's true. It has to be Kadaj…"

"Your brother…?" Donald asked.

"Yeah," Cloud looked down. "But I can't see how that could be possible."

"Why do you say that?"-

"Because Kadaj and his gang diminished from life years back,"-

"Ya mean they're…dead?" Goofy gulped.

"Not anymore by the look of it. But I don't see how that could be possible. Unless…"-

"What about the other two powers?" Leon asked. "Are they familiar?"

"I don't know. I've never sensed those powers before."-

"Where is it coming from though?"-

"From down that way," Ophelia said, pointing towards another carved path through another ruin. "Let's hurry. And keep quiet. With those types of battle strengths about, who knows what might happen if we have to battle them."

"Right," Kirin replied.

The team made their way through the passage way. The debris of demolished vehicles and still corpses of soldiers littered the ground. Bullet shells lay amongst the men.

"They must've had one desperate fight here." Leon said.

"Something strange about some of these soldiers here though." Kairi implied.

"What's so strange, Kairi?" Kirin asked.

"Have you noticed a lot of these soldiers seemed to have bits of sand covering them up?" Kirin looked at one of the corpses and realized that there were a few hints of sand about them. He then noticed that their uniforms and even their faces had been flayed by grainy particles.

"What's more, their clothing has been shredded as if a wall of sand had engulfed them and suffocated them all. But where's the sand?" Kirin looked about. Though the soldiers seemed to bear bits of sand, there was no other sand type matching the discovered grains anywhere else in the entire passage. "It's as if the sand just vanished."

"Let's keep moving." Ophelia ordered.

Goofy happened to look and find the sand suddenly appear to move.

"Uh…fellas?" he uttered.

"Keep moving, Goofy." Donald instructed.

"But…"-

"We have to stop Saber." Goofy pondered at what he saw, thinking that his mind might be playing tricks on him.

"I must be tired or something." He shook his head and continued on with his friends.

As the reached the end of the passage, they came before a bright bio-florescent light that illuminated yet another vast natural chamber. The team observed to find themselves on an outlet just above a deep crevice which fell at least half a mile or so. What looked like where a natural archway once stood perhaps acted as a bridge once, but was recently demolished.

"The party probably made it all the way here and might have crossed to the other side of this cavern." Kirin said. He looked at the foundations of the former bridge. "They must've demolished it to keep whoever was attacking them at bay."

"So you think Saber is on the other side of that ravine?" Leon asked.

"I sense their strength about." Ophelia said. "But it's not coming from the opposite side. It's more directed below us."

"Ya mean in that crevice?" Goofy asked.

"Most definitely,"-

However, the activities of the KH team were halted as they heard a sudden sound behind some of the old demolished vehicles.

"What was that?" Donald asked.

"Someone's behind there." Cloud said. The team drew out their weapons and slowly neared the truck.

"Whoever is over there," Ophelia declared. "Come out. There's no use resisting."

Just then, a tall black man appeared from behind the truck. He held his hands up high so as not to show any hostility.

"Take it easy," he said, making sure not to make any sudden moves. "We don't want anymore trouble."

"We…?" Kairi asked. She then noticed some other faces peeking out. One was of an elderly man, perhaps an old pioneer. The second was a young girl with dark skin and raven black hair, perhaps from a Chicano descent. A short stout individual poked his head out. He wore goggles of some sort. Beside him was a link man with a thick moustache and a pudgy old woman.

"There are more of you guys?" Donald asked.

"A talking duck…?" the old man uttered from behind the truck. "Well, I'll be."

"Careful, Sweet," the young girl implied. "They might be with that one-eyed guy."

"One-eyed guy…?" Goofy wondered.

"They must be referring to General Saber." Cloud said.

"We come in peace." Ophelia declared, lowering her fans. The others did the same. "There's nothing to worry about, we won't hurt you."

"Are you with that one-eyed man?" the black man asked.

"No, we're trying to hunt him down."-

"So are you here to help us?" the girl asked.

"In a way yes,"-

"It's alright, you guys." The black man assured the rest of his comrades. "You can come out. I don't think they're here to hurt us." From out and behind the demolished vehicle, six survivors emerged. The large black man introduced himself first before calling out the names of his other friends down the line. "I'm Joshua Sweet, the party physician. The young lady next to me is Audrey, chief mechanic. The old man is Cookie, our cook." He then pointed at the other members of the surviving group staring with the thin Italian man with the moustache. "That guy over there is Vinny, our demolitionist. The round Frenchman is Mole, our party's geologist and professional digger. And the elderly woman is Packard, head of our communication."

"I should have died years ago." Packard grumbled, taking a puff out of her cigarette.

"The way she smokes," Donald whispered, "I'm not surprised."

"I'm Colonel Ophelia Billiard." Ophelia replied. She introduced the KH team members as well. "That's Kairi and her brother, Kirin. Over there are Donald and Goofy. And those young men over there are Cloud Strife and Squall Leonheart."

"So what happened to you?" Kairi asked.

"They just came out of nowhere." Audrey explained.

"Shot off from behind us!" Cookie added. "We didn't even stand a dad gum bit of a chance!"-

"The first thing we hear are gun shots from behind." Sweet said. "Then the next thing we knew, a few of our fuel vehicles in the rear began to blow up."

"There was all this confusion and whatnot." Vinny implied with his thick Italian accent. "It had, like, all these really big explosions. It was exciting."

"For you it might have been. Anyway, the rest of the party went into this panic and started shooting rearward. Mole used our digger to carve an escape path. But before we knew it, it was over. Only six of us were left."-

"Are there anymore survivors?" Kirin asked.

"Well, the lieutenant, the commander, and our linguist, Milo Thatch tried to make it over what used to be a bridge. But it collapsed at the last minute, taking them and the rest of the party down with it. We don't know if anyone survived the fall or not."-

"Could you identify your attackers?" Leon asked. "How many were there?"

"I don't really remember how many."-

"I think there were like six of them altogether." Audrey said. "From what I can remember…"

"You said that one of them had one eye?" Donald asked.

"Well, he was wearing a patch over the right eye I think. He had this long flowing black hair and wore this raven black overcoat with a red uniform underneath. We thought he might have been British of something. But the strange thing is that his one good eye was red. I mean red, like blood red."-

"That sounds like Saber then." Ophelia uttered to herself.

"Can you remember any other distinguishing features?" Cloud asked.

"Well, he had all his buddies with him." Cookie said. "They _was_ these three cowpokes dressed in black and riding around on these lightning fast bicycles that was all bulky and stuff."

"Those three just shot and slashed at everything that moved." Sweet described. "They were the ones responsible for killing the majority of our party, especially the guy with that double-bladed sword. He must have been the leader of the three or something."

"They were wearing black leather." Audrey said. "And I think they might have been brothers or something because they all looked alike. They all had silver hair and aqua green eyes."

"So there's no doubt about it." Cloud uttered. His heart sank.

"Does the description match Kadaj and his gang?" Leon asked.

"Yeah…"-

"But those three were nothing compared to the other two." Audrey said.

"What over two?" Goofy asked.

"Yeah," Cookie said. "They were awfully strong for rug rats."

"Rug rats…?" Donald wondered.

"They couldn't have been older than twelve or thirteen." Audrey said. "One of those boys was dressed with a blue high collar shirt and white shorts. This kid had raven black hair. But he also had all these dark splotches all over his body. I've never seen such a thing. But his appearance matched his ruthlessness. You could see it in his eyes, those blood red eyes."

"The other boy was even worse." Sweet added. "He was the one who killed all those soldiers stuck in the carved passage."

"What did he look like?" Donald asked.

"He had this fiery red hair and black lined eyes and what looked like a Japanese caricature over the left brow. The thing was that he was carrying this giant gourd of sand on his back. That sand he used as a weapon to kill everyone in the passage. It was like the sand had a mind of its own and it was bowing to his whim."-

"That's news to us then." Leon said.

"I wonder who they are." Goofy wondered.

"There's only one way to find out." Ophelia declared. She walked to the deep ravine and looked down into the darkness. "We're going after them."

"Are you serious?" Sweet asked.

"That's crazy!" Audrey added. "You'd be killed!"

"If we don't do anything right now, we're dead anyway." Ophelia said. "The last thing we need is for Saber to get his hands on that power source." She drew out her fans, unfurling their black majesty. "Sweet, you and your friends stay here. We're going after Saber."

"Well," Sweet sighed, "good luck down there."

"Guys,"-

"Right," the rest of the teams said. Using what means they had, they descended into the darkness. Sweet, Audrey and the others watched as the team vanished into the darkness of abyss.

"You think they can really do it?" Vinny asked.

"If they have enough guts to go after those guys," Sweet replied, "They're either really confident, or they have a death wish."

"Either that, or they're one lamb chop short of a mixed grill."-

The team reached a slope that lead to lower levels of the crevice. They slid for a minute or two before reaching what felt like flat ground.

"It sure is dark." Goofy uttered.

"Keep quiet." Donald said. "Saber might be around here."

"Where do you think they might be?" Kairi asked.

"I don't know," Leon grumbled, "I can't even see the hand in front of my face."

"Here," Donald said. "I have a little something that might help us." Using the Firaga spell, Donald was able to create a substantial amount of illumination. The team looked about in the dim light of the fire to find jagged rocks and pumice ash scattered about the place.

"Look at this place." Cloud said.

"It's foreboding, isn't it?" Kirin added.

"Do you feel that?" Ophelia asked. The team sensed the rising energy in the air.

"I can feel it." Leon replied. "They're close, really close."

"Donald, make sure to keep that light low. We don't want to give ourselves away."-

"I gotcha," Donald said.

"Everyone keep quiet. Don't speak above a whisper."-

The group stumbled their way through the pumices and the debris. Pieces of metal from the fallen vehicles and smashed bodies of men, who had plummeted to their deaths, were scattered about in such a haunting array. Ophelia edged onward to the place where she sensed the energy.

Sure enough, they noticed what looked like a slight glow against the rock. Nearing ever so slowly, the team made sure not to cause any ruckus, in case Saber and his men were about. As they neared the glow, the sound of raised voices was heard. The team peeked behind an outcrop of rocks.

Low and behold, standing before them were the infamous six who had attacked Sweet's party. Saber was the first one they recognized. Next to him were the two young boys, as described by Audrey and Cookie. The one with the fiery hair and the gourd on his back, stood with arms folded in front of him. The other boy with the blue, high collar shirt and white shorts also stood vigilant.

And opposite them were the three individuals whom Cloud knew very well indeed. They stood not too far from their dismounted motorbikes.

"That must be them." Goofy whispered.

"Are those three guys in black the ones you know, Cloud?" Donald asked.

"That's them alright." Cloud's heart sank. "I can't believe that they're really here."

"So which on is which?" Leon asked.

"The one in the middle with the double-bladed sword is Kadaj. He's the leader of the three. Then the one with the pistols and the long hair is Yazoo. He's the sharpshooter of the three. Then the big guy with the short hair and the grappling claw on his right arm is Loz. He's the muscle. He uses that grappler on his arm to increase the power of a direct punch by at least ten fold. So don't let him hit you with it."-

"Well he might be strong," Kirin said. "But he looks slow."

"No, Loz might look big, but he can move like lightning."-

"How strong are they?" Goofy asked.

"Kadaj is the strongest of the three, but they are virtually invincible when working as a team."-

"Then we just have to break them up and fight them one on one." Kirin said.

"Quiet," Ophelia whispered, "take a look at what's going on."

The team stopped their whispering to see the action that was taking placed just below them. They realized that two people were tied and bound before the group. They looked beaten, indicating that their wounds were either inflicted by the fall or by forced interrogation. One of them was a large man, perhaps six foot five and middle ages. His hair was slightly gray and his face aged with a tad of wrinkles. But he was still a formidable sight, despite being humbled by his enemies. The other was a blonde woman about thirty and over, with a slender physique. Both had their hands tied behind them.

"Well, Commander Rourke," Saber declared, addressing the man. "You are either ignorant, or you are keeping something from us. And I doubt very much that you're the ignorant type. Therefore, you're hiding information we need to know."

"And what might that be…?" Rourke said.

"Do you find me so simple minded? I'm referring to your linguist, Milo Thatch. From what Kadaj told me, he saw young Milo in the same vehicle as you and Lieutenant Sinclair when the bridge collapsed. Well, we searched the rig you were driving and we have found no trace of him say for this journal," Saber held up an old text in his hand, "the legendary Shepard's Journal, which gives precise coordinates to the city of Atlantis and the power source that made it such a mighty nation."-

"So you have the journal." Rourke seemed rather witty in tone. "Now, you can find the city of Atlantis all by yourselves."

"And how far do you think we'd get old man? Despite this journal's significance, it is virtually worthless without someone to interpret the writing within. And without your linguist, there is no accurate way to find Atlantis. Therefore, this journal isn't worth the paper it's written on." Saber threw the book before the commander. "I'm being more than lenient with you. If you just tell me where Milo Thatch is, I might take into consideration sparing your miserable lives."

"You certainly have an insight, Saber, but I can't help you with your question. How do you expect me to tell you something I don't know myself?"-

"You two were still conscious when we came down here in pursuit."-

"That may be so," Lieutenant Sinclair implied, "but it was still dark down here. Mr. Thatch could have been thrown from the vehicle in the tumble for all we know."

"Well," Saber pondered for a moment. He then looked at Kadaj. "Kadaj, did you find any footprints leading astray from their vehicle?"

"No," Kadaj replied, "now that you mention it."

"Are you sure of that?"-

"Well," Kadaj turned to Yazoo. "Go check it out."

"Right," Yazoo replied. The long haired young man went back to the rig in question and scoured the area. He found no footprints that lead away from the truck.

"Well…?"-

"There's nothing here, Kadaj."-

"I guess that explains it. He wasn't present in the truck when it made impact."-

"Then it could be possible that he was thrown from the rig." The raved haired boy said.

"You do have a point there, Sasuke." Saber said, addressing his name. "That's a probable outcome. It's a pity though. Even if he was thrown from the vehicle, we have no idea of when or where he might have fallen or made impact."

"Hey listen," Rourke said. His voice had a shrill of desperation behind his words. "I've been thinking about your proposition, Saber. Now I might not be able to help you about where Milo is, but since you and I are after the same thing, why don't we just combine forces and make this a cooperative effort? If you spare our lives, we'll help you track down Milo and entice him to join us. Then when he leads us to the heart of Atlantis, we can dispose of him and share a piece of the profit. Knowing him, being an academic, he'd object to our motives and our actions anyway."

"You do have a point. He will be rather hard to obtain now that he knows who was behind the attack. And we have to have an interpreter to lead us to Atlantis."-

"So what do you say, Saber? Are we partners?" But Saber remained silent. He only gave this occupied glare to the side as if he were concentrating on something else. He then looked at Rourke with a covered grin. Again his eyes shifted, this time towards the boy with the red hair. He addressed the youth.

"Gaara,"-

"Yes…?" the boy replied.

"You can prove your life's value now."-

"It'll be my pleasure…" Suddenly, sand popped out from the gourd on his back and snatched up Rourke and Sinclair in a great wave. The two struggled as the sand encased their entire body except for their faces. Gaara held his right arm out, his hand open with fingers curled as if ready to tighten his fist.

"What are you doing?!" Sinclair demanded.

The KH team watched in horror as the sand came to life and confined the two captives.

"Oh my God…" Kairi whispered.

"That sand," Cloud said, "It's alive…"

"Sweet was right." Kirin implied. "The sand does have a mind of its own."

"Don't do this, Saber!" Rourke shouted. "Do you not realize how valuable we are in your search?"

"I hardly see the relevance in your assistance, Rourke." Saber replied.

"What do you mean? Do you think Milo will be persuaded to cooperate, let alone join you after he already knows that you killed our comrades?"-

"First of all, since he fell from the vehicle before it settled, neither you nor I know if he's still alive or not. Secondly, even if he were alive, he won't be able to elude us for very long. And finally, once captured, we will use our own means to persuade him to tell us what we want to know. He might be smart, but he's weak. We just have to pull the right strings in order to make him talk." Saber folded his arms before him. "Besides, having two profit hungry mongrels, like you and Lieutenant Sinclair, will only hurt our cause. I intend to claim the power of Atlantis for the Imperial Axis. And sharing a piece of the profit with the likes of you will only prove a burden to the organization."

"You…"-

"I hope you won't take this personally."-

"You're planning on killing us." Rourke gave his last sneer. "It can't get anymore personal than that."-

"Well then, I can't afford to spare you then, because allowing you to live would only give you a reason to bear a grudge against me. And you might try to stab me in the back sometime in the near future." He looked at his executioner. "If you please, Gaara,"-

"Now you will die…" Gaara covered the faces of Rourke and Sinclair with his sand, smothering out their cries. "Sand coffin…!"

He clutched the fist of his outstretched arm. Instantly the sand imploded and crushed both the commander and the lieutenant. Their deaths were so fast, there was no scream. The sand then fell to the ground, stained red from their blood. It slithered about on the ground, each grain cleaning its surface before receding back into the gourd.

"That was going a little overboard, wasn't it?" Yazoo said.

"Are you sure they were worthless to us?" Kadaj asked.

"I know they were." Saber replied. "I sensed about the place in that little pause before the execution and felt a slight twitch down that way." He pointed to the area just behind the three brothers. "It's a faint life force, one of a man who is still young, rather fragile in physique, yet strong in spirit. I believe that if we head that way, we will find the passage out and who knows, even to the very individual we seek."

"Then let's get going." Loz insisted.

"Wait," Gaara said.

"What is it?" Kadaj asked.

"We are not alone."-

"Yes," Saber said, "I know. I felt them to the rear of us, seven in all, each of them formidable."

"So you think…" Sasuke wondered.

"Without a doubt, the KH team has caught up with us."-

"What should we do then?"-

"Just follow my lead."-

The team could not hear the lowered voices of Saber and his troop. To them, they seemed only to stand around.

"I wonder what they're waiting for." Donald asked.

"Boys," they heard Saber shout out. "Mount up! We're heading that way!"

Saber and his allies mounted upon the three motorbikes. The vehicles rumbled and made their way to the passage entrance leading out of the cavern. The KH team watched them as they vanished into the darkness. But to their curiosity, Gaara remained behind. He stood there stolid, his arms folded in front of him and his back to the KH team as if unaware.

"What's going on?" Goofy wondered, silently speaking.

"I don't know." Leon replied.

"I wonder why that kid is still standing there." Kairi added. "He didn't go with the rest of those other guys."

"Well, we can't wait around for him to move." Ophelia said. "We have to go after Saber."

The team stayed vigilant, looking at the passage darkness where Saber and his allies had vanished, then to Gaara who still held vigilance over the cavern. For some reason, Goofy happened to turn his head to look at his other friends, who were still fixed on Gaara. But as he did, he realized that something was staring at him from behind his back. As he turned, Goofy came before a startling apparition. A large eyeball hovered no more than a few feet above his head. He began to shiver.

While he was doing that, the others kept their attention on the lone boy.

"If this guy is as dangerous as Sweet and the others said he was," Leon said, "Then we have to get around that kid without him seeing us."

"Uh, fellers…?" Goofy uttered.

"Quiet Goofy," Donald grumbled. "You'll give us away."

"But Donald," he tapped his mallard companion on the shoulder.

"I said put a cork in it." Donald shooed Goofy away.

"But…"-

"For the last time," Donald turned his head, "I told you to shut…" But no sooner had he glared at Goofy, Donald too noticed the eye hovering behind them. Immediately, he gasped. The gasp was loud enough for the others to take notice.

"What is it?" Kairi asked.

"Up there…" Donald pointed.

The KH team looked behind them and sure enough each member had the same reaction. They looked on in a shocked and apprehensive awe as the pupil shifted from one person to the other.

"What the heck is that?" Leon wondered.

"It looks like a giant eyeball."-

"I was wondering when you were going to notice." A voice declared. The team again turned their attentions back to Gaara. This time, the boy was standing face to face with them, glaring up at them from his position.

"You mean you know we were here the entire time?" Donald asked.

"It was not very hard." Gaara said with his voice horse and sinister. "I knew of your presence from the moment you descended into this cavern."

"Then there's no use hiding anymore is there." Kirin said as he stood up from behind the rocks. "Since you already knew where we were, further concealment is unnecessary."

"So what now…?"-

"We have no business with you, kid." Leon declared. "Our battle is with Saber. The question that you have to ask yourself is if you've going to stand aside or fight."

"The real question is can you get passed me?"-

"Fine," Kirin drew out his blades. "If that's the way it's going to be, then we have no choice, but to battle."

"I can guarantee you though, you will die this day. All of you."-

The key bearers drew out their weapons. But no sooner had they readied themselves against Gaara, the sounds of a sinister snicker and rumbling motors were heard behind him.

"I knew that little tactic would force you out of your hiding place behind those rocks." The voice echoed. There was a sudden rumble of motors and three flashing headlights appeared from the darkness of the exiting passage. Then, emerging from the shadow, Saber and his comrades appeared, Kadaj and Sasuke on his left, Yazoo and Loz on his right.

"It was all just a ploy to get us out of hiding." Leon uttered.

"That's not really the case. The reality is that we knew you were there the whole time. It was all just a ploy to get you to believing you had us fooled." Saber glanced as each of the faces of the KH team members. "I can see that your band has undergone a little change since our scuffle in Neverland. I heard about Cuchulain and how he died. It's a shame to have lost such talent, although rather fortunate for me. He would have proven to be a real thorn in our side had he been here. And what's this? That traitor Cunla is not present either? I guess he couldn't fathom me taking him hostage again. And an even bigger surprise, your fearless leaders, Riku and Sora are not present either. I bet they must've developed cold feet and didn't wish to battle me once more. Well, I wouldn't blame them since I was planning to kill them this time around."

"You take that back!" Donald shouted.

"Yeah," Goofy added, "Riku and Sora would never run away, not from the likes of you!"

"Then why are they not here?" Saber asked. "I sense no other powers besides yours."

"They went away to undergo special training! They'll be here soon enough to help us out!"-

"Hah, it doesn't matter how hard they train, they'll never be able to outdo me. And you won't favor any better." Saber then glanced at two new additions, one of them a familiar face, the face of Kirin. "I can see, however, that you decided to switch one traitor with another. It's been a while hasn't it Kirin."

"Saber…"-

"I never thought to find you here fighting alongside the friends of the key bearers. But then again, I wouldn't be surprised that you would join them, having been shunned by the Imperial Axis and wanted with a large price on your head. And all that for the sake of a sister you lost years ago." Saber then spotted Kairi standing just behind her brother. "Oh and who is the new girl? I presume she is Sora's love, and your long lost sibling, Kairi? I've heard the rumors." Saber addressed Kairi. "Don't you know it's dangerous to join in such a venture, Miss?"-

"You leave Kairi out of this, Saber." Kirin stood in defense of his sister.

"I can't guarantee that." Saber chuckled. He then glanced at Ophelia. "It's not your day is it, Colonel Billiard. You dared to face us without your most powerful warriors to aid you. And you replace them with a traitor and his sister, and two aging heroes, Cloud Strife and Squall Leonheart." Saber looked at Kadaj. "It looks like a little family reunion for you as well, Kadaj." Kadaj advanced his motorcycle a few feet forward.

"So it seems," Kadaj said, looking at his elder brother, "Well, well, well, so we meet again, brother."

"Kadaj…" Cloud growled.

"I believe we have an old score to settle."-

"Have you come to take mother away from us again?" Yazoo asked.

"Mother…?" Cloud knew of what they were talking about. "So that's it…"

"We won't let you take her away from us!" Loz shouted.

"Saber, you bastard, you've enticed them with lies and deceit!"-

"Lies and deceit have nothing to do with it Mr. Strife!" the general chuckled. "I simply had to pull the right strings. There were two things that drove these three, being reunited with their mother and killing their treacherous brother." Saber folded his arms in front of him. "Since the former cannot be gained just yet, they'll have to deal with the latter, slaying you." He pointed his finger towards the KH team and openly declared an aggressive statement to motivate his comrades to kill. "Those fools want to take that power for themselves, boys. Thus, they'll crush your dreams and desires with their triumph."

"No…" Sasuke growled.

"Shall we finish them all off?" Yazoo asked.

"Those seven will only prove trouble for us." Saber said. "Kill them all immediately."

Motors rumbled and the three brothers charged at the KH team. Sasuke joined the fray and Gaara prepared his defense.

"Stay together," Ophelia shouted. "That's the only way we'll survive this!" The team drew out their weapons.

"Get ready." Leon said.

"Kairi, get behind me." Kirin shouted.

"Right," Kairi replied.

Kadaj and his gang surrounded the team, jumping from their motorbikes. Their first target was Cloud.

"I'll handle these three." Cloud said.

"I can't let you do this alone, Cloud." Leon replied. "I'll tackle them with you!"

"Count us in!" Goofy declared.

"Yeah," Donald shouted.

"Thanks…" Cloud implied.

"So you think you and your little band can take us on, brother?" Kadaj chuckled. "Let's see if your coordination is as good as ours!"

Kadaj attacked Cloud head on. Cloud raised his sword. Goofy and Donald went to his aid, but they were shot at by Yazoo, who volleyed a barrage of bullets at them. The two dodged and evaded to the best they could.

"You won't be interfering with this fight, you two." Yazoo declared.

"Oh yeah," Donald shouted. "Take this!" He unleashed Thundaga to strike Yazoo. But the long haired youth easily evaded.

"You'll have to do better."-

"He's good…"-

In the meantime, Leon took his stance next to Cloud.

"I'll help you out." He said. But no sooner had he taken his position at Cloud's side, Loz suddenly appeared, throwing his grappling hook back in a punching position.

"You gotta go through me first if you want to help my brother!" Loz declared. He struck at both Leon and Cloud who evaded at the last minute. The punch caused the ground to level up.

"Man he's fast."-

"Your mine, pal," Loz thrust himself upward and struck at Leon midair. Leon drew his Gunblade forward. The two started to grapple in mid air. Loz used a teleportation technique that increase his level of speed and struck at Leon from all sides. Leon used his weapon as a temporary shield to fend off the attacks.

Cloud on the other hand found himself grappling with Kadaj. The two clashed with such grace and power, the sparks alone were enough to illuminate the entire cavern. Their swords then interlocked and ground against one another as the two combatants pushed to overpower the other.

"Face it, brother," Kadaj chuckled. "You're no match for me."

"We'll see…" Cloud growled.

All the while, when half of the KH team was dueling with Kadaj and his gang, Kirin and Kairi were busy battling against Gaara. Gaara himself did not have to move about as strenuously as those around him. Because of his ability to manipulate sand, he used the sand itself for his offensive, deploying the mass of grains as waves and grappling claws that would swipe and attempt to grasp at his foes.

"Man," Kairi said, "what is up with this guy?"

"He must be a sand ninja." Kirin replied.

"A sand ninja…?"-

"That's right. He seems to bear the trait of a sand ninja. His technique has that unique feature." Kirin dodged again, avoiding another sand wave. "He doesn't have to worry about attacking or defending by use of any kind of weapon. He uses the sand itself as a weapon, manipulating it by means of his own chakra."

"You seem to have knowledge of me and my kind." Gaara implied. "I am the strongest of my peers and the ultimate weapon of my village. And I must prove to myself that I exist."

"Prove to yourself that you exist?"-

"Yes, I must kill. It is my purpose in life to kill. And unfortunately for you, you two shall become my next victims." Gaara unleashed another wave against Kirin, this time in a wide enough area over the young prince so he couldn't evade.

"Brother," Kairi cried as she watched a wall of sand descend upon her brother.

"Now die!" Gaara's wave fell over the head of Kirin.

"Sorry, that's not gonna happen!" Kirin shouted. Using his blade, he unleashed a powerful sound wave that cut through the wall of sand. He then leaped through the clear gap and lunged down at Gaara himself. "The one who will die is you!"

But as Kirin came upon Gaara, his blow had been blocked. Quickly withdrawing, the prince was stunned.

"It is not as easy as you think." Gaara implied.

"What was that?" Kirin thought to himself.

"You will never get past my defense."-

"Oh yeah…?" Kirin attacked again. He lunged forward, attempting to maim the young ninja, but Gaara used the sand as a defense mechanism. A thin barrier of sand would leap up and fend off each of Kirin's attacks. It didn't take long for him to figure it out. "I see how he's doing it now. He's using the sand as a defense barrier."

"Fool," The sand lunged forward at the young prince. Kirin slashed about at the incoming sand. But this time, the wave was too great and it practically overwhelmed. There was a growing smile upon Gaara's face. "Now you die."

"You leave my brother alone, you jerk!" a voice shouted. Gaara shifted his gaze to find Kairi suddenly attacking from his flank. Immediately, his sand shield was deployed, blocking Kairi's attack. The keyblade struck the sand shield's surface.

"You nearly had me." The sand suddenly leaped out and grasped at Kairi. Kairi, however, being extremely agile, quickly evaded. Wave after wave of sand struck at her and the young woman was always close to being ensnared by Gaara's sand attacks.

"Hey," Kirin shouted, sweeping away another wave, "Your fight is with me, Gaara!" Kirin charged head on against Gaara. Using swift attacks, he evaded the sand altogether, nearing Gaara with every step. Gaara quickly deployed his sand shield. But Kirin unleashed a sound wave and temporarily broke through the barrier. Gaara was stunned. The prince then deployed one of his grappling daggers, which grazed Gaara's cheek.

But to his horror, the side which struck the shinobi's face began to crumble in pieces and his flesh was somewhat cracked. Overcome by this strange development, Kirin backed off.

"What the heck is he?" he thought to himself. The sand reformed itself upon his face.

"You caught me off guard that time." Gaara declared. "But I can assure you it won't happen again."

As Kairi and Kirin had their hands full with the freakish Gaara and his bizarre arsenal of sand attacks, Ophelia found herself in a predicament battling against Sasuke Uchiha. Descending from the same world as Gaara, Sasuke was another skilled shinobi with swift attacks and perhaps the most cunning opponent Ophelia ever had to battle.

"This kid is good for his age." Ophelia thought to herself. "It's amazing at how fast he's able to move."

She deployed all of her tactics against Sasuke, using her double black fans for defensive and offensive abilities. But to Ophelia's dismay, she found herself at a complete disadvantage and taking a more defensive stance. It seemed that every attack and counter attack she made against Sasuke was somehow quickly observed and avoided. Ophelia's only means to defend herself was quickly evading.

"You can't hope to defeat me." Sasuke said. "I can see all of your moves."

"But how…?" Ophelia asked. "How are you able to do this? You're just a kid!"

"My age has nothing to do with my level of skill. And there is nothing you can do to avoid the power of my Sharingan!"-

"Sharingan…? What's that…?" Ophelia then noticed the bizarre patterns of his eyes. Red irises with three black tomoe, comma shaped features that if connected by lines would form a perfect triangle. "It must have something to do with his eyes. I've never seen such eyes like that before. Those must be what he calls the Sharingan."

"With the Sharingan, there is no movement you can make that I won't observe."-

"You think just because you have that feature in your arsenal that you're invincible?!"-

"I'm unstoppable, especially against the likes of a weak opponent like you." Sasuke's overconfident tone and arrogance caused Ophelia to burn up.

"You little brat," she roared, "Don't you know who you're dealing with?!"

"I could care less. All I know is that you're a weak and incompetent opponent and you're not worth my time and effort."-

"You little…" Ophelia mumbled some profane phrases behind her tongue. "I'll show you just how skilled I am. They don't call me the Tiger of Goth for nothing!" The fight continued, this time with Ophelia going on the offensive. She was not about to let a boy get away with insulting her. Sasuke put up a great offensive and defensive effort, attacking swiftly, unexpectedly, and without mercy. With the power of the Sharingan in his favor, he easily read Ophelia's strategies and movements like they were nothing. He used his shuriken to engage in hand to hand combat and short range combat. At times, he would throw his shuriken, hoping to maim the colonel. His aggressiveness was unbound.

"It's like I'm fighting Cunla." The colonel thought to herself. "If this kid were to go head to head with Cunla, there's no doubt that both of them would be having each other on the carpet."

Despite his advantage of the Sharingan, Sasuke was no able to easily topple the colonel. He found it difficult to strike her. After five minutes of battling, neither combatant seemed to have gained any foothold against the other. Sasuke was impressed at how long his opponent endured his attacks.

"I don't believe this." He thought to himself. "How can she be this difficult to beat? I should have been able to go in for the kill. But every time, it seems like she can read my own movements just as well." Sasuke began to form his fingers into a series of hand signs, concentrating his chakra. Ophelia observed.

"What is he doing?" she wondered.

"I've had enough of this. Let's see if you and your fans can withstand a little heat." He concentrated his chakra. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Suddenly, a massive ball of flames bellowed from the boy's mouth like a dragon. The flames rushed at Ophelia who was all in awe at what she saw.

"What in the hell…?" she uttered. Using her fans, she swept a power gust of wind. "Maelstrom Sweep…!" The flames dispersed in all other directions. Sasuke couldn't believe what he witnessed.

"She blew away the flames like they were nothing. I guess I was wrong. She's not your average foe after all."-

As the fighting continued against his comrades, Saber only watched in awe at the battle unfolding before him.

"They're strong." He thought to himself. "But not strong enough to go against these elite warriors."

The battle was long an arduous, but to the dismay of the KH team, they were simply no match for Saber's new band of followers. Leon, Donald, and Goofy, eventually found themselves overpowered and weary after battling against Yazoo and Loz. And because of their solid black leather outfits, it was hard to distinguish their movements in the dark.

"They're just too strong for us." Goofy uttered.

"We put all we had into that fight and that guy just wouldn't go down." Donald added.

Yazoo looked at the due and flicked his locks from his face.

"That was all too easy." He mocked so calmly.

"I really hate that guy."-

"Don't worry I'll get to finishing you off later. I know you're not much of a threat to me."-

"Why you…?!!"-

"Easy Donald," Goofy held his friend back, "It's no use getting angry. You're in no state to continue fightin'."

"In that case, why don't you take care of this lug as well!" a voice shouted. Loz too had finished his fight with Leon. Using his grappler, he punched his opponent in the gut and sent him flying barely conscious. Leon fell to the ground, his Gunblade still clutched in his hand. He skidded upon the ash and rock, stopping before Goofy and Donald.

"Leon," the two cried, rushing to his side.

"That takes care of the riffraff." Yazoo implied.

"That's two down and one to go." Loz chuckled.

"Our brother…"-

The two coordinated themselves and attacked Cloud who was now on his own.

"Well," Kadaj laughed with glee. "It looks like your little band wasn't strong enough to take us on after all. It's just you and us now, brother. Just like old times."

"This can't be." Cloud thought to himself. "I can't fight like this all by myself, not in my present state."

It didn't take long for the brothers and their solid coordination to make quick work of Cloud and force him to fall in the same style as Leon. The three simply looked at the fallen KH team members like trash heaps.

"Cloud," Goofy cried.

"Are you alright?" Donald asked, coming to his aid.

"Those brothers of yours are definitely something else." Leon uttered.

"It's just like old times for me." Cloud replied. "I told you, their virtually unstoppable as a team."

Suddenly, Kadaj and his gang came standing over the submitting KH members, their weapons drawn aggressively for the final blow.

"So this is how it ends."-

"Shall we kill them now, brother?" Loz asked.

"No," Kadaj said, "Not yet."

"But why not, Kadaj…?" Yazoo asked.

"Well, they did fight well and with all their spirit. The least we could do is wait for their other comrades to join them."

Sure enough, such an outcome was about to happen. Gaara had deluded his opponents with his sand attacks long enough. Finally, by use of his sand clone, he was able to ensnare Kirin.

"No," Kirin uttered. "How could I have been so careless…?"

"Kirin," Kairi cried.

"Now you will die." Gaara declared.

"Not yet, Gaara," Kadaj shouted. "We're gonna kill them as a group, so set that guy over here."

"I want to kill him now."-

"You'll have your turn. You can kill them all if you want. Just make sure to keep them alive until they're all here." Gaara growled. Using his sand, he pushed the still encased Kirin with the rest of the group.

"Kirin," Kairi ran to her brother's side just as the sand diminished from his body. "Are you alright?"

"Are you alright?" Kirin asked.

"Yeah,"-

"That's all that matters right now then."-

"I wouldn't get my hopes up, friend." Kadaj chuckled. "You're gonna die soon."

"You…"-

"I have to admit this much about Kadaj," Saber thought to himself. "He certainly has a way to tormenting his foes. I certainly admire his style."

Suffering the same fate as the rest of her comrades, Ophelia too was defeated. In her last desperate attempt to defeat Sasuke Uchiha, she encountered for the first time the effective Jutsu techniques of a shinobi. Deploying a series of hand signals, Sasuke unleashed another fire attack.

"It's over this time." He said. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" From his mouth bellowed a series of fireballs, all of them rushing towards Ophelia.

"Another fire attack," she uttered. Using her fans, she blew the fireballs away. But to her dismay, the fire regressed and transformed into shuriken. Ophelia was caught completely off guard. Using her fan as a last minute defense, she felt the shuriken make impact. But further surprising her, the shuriken that struck the fan suddenly exploded and blew her off her feet. Ophelia tumbled across the ground, landing amidst her comrades.

Sasuke landed upon the ground, next to Gaara.

"That was easy enough." He said. "I have to admit you put up one heck of a fight. But now, it's over. Your fate is sealed."

"I guess that's it then." Kadaj stated. "You guys put up one hell of a fight. But unfortunately for you, it's over now."

"To think that the mighty KH team would fall so easily," Loz mocked. "You nearly brought the Imperial Axis to its knees and were considered a major threat. But now, you're no more dangerous to us than a beached whale."

"Gaara, carry it out."-

"It will be my pleasure." Using the sand from his gourd, the grainy mass crept towards the team like so many insects, a nightmare extremely terrifying.

But suddenly, there was the sound of hissing at Gaara's feet. He looked down through the corner of his eye. Low and behold a stick of dynamite was sizzling. Then, there came a large explosion.

"What was that?" Kadaj wondered.

"Where did that explosion come from?" Loz added.

Before they knew it, there was another explosion. Then another, and another and another, bellowing about them, kicking up thick, blinding clouds of ash and rubble. Kadaj and the others were dispersed.

"What's going on?" Goofy asked as the explosions ran around them.

"C'mon y'all!" a voice shouted. Ophelia peered through the chaos and saw none other than Sweet in the dim light.

"It's Sweet," she said.

Just then Mole, Vinny, and Audrey appeared.

"It's you guys." Kirin uttered.

"No hablas ahora!" Audrey shouted in Spanish, telling them not to talk. "We gotta get out of here!"

"Hurry," Mole shouted.

"Help Cloud up!" Leon cried. They pulled the semi-conscious warrior to his feet and began their flight. Vinny in the meantime, kept throwing bombs and dynamite.

"They're getting away!" Kadaj shouted, seeing the band disperse in the chaos.

"Get after them!" Loz cried. "He wants to take mother!"

"Caught off guard completely," Sasuke growled.

Saber watched as the team dispersed into the darkness to which they were headed.

"They're going towards the exiting passage way." Saber said.

"Let's get them!" Kadaj shouted.

"Hold," The Blade General drew up his hand.

"Why are you stopping us? They're getting away!"-

"That's exactly what I'm hoping."-

"But why…?" Yazoo asked.

"This might just work out for us."-

The team had traveled a great deal into the passage, encountering a great manifestation of strange rock formations.

"Let's stop and take a breather here." Goofy uttered.

"I'm with you." Donald added.

"We can't stop right now." Audrey shouted. "We gotta keep going!"

"What are you guys doing here though?" Ophelia asked. "I thought I told you guys to stay at the top level."

"Well, you know us." Sweet said. "We can't let you tackle this thing all on your own. Besides, we need to find Milo too. He's the only other member of our party who isn't dead."

"You do have a point."-

"Well," Donald sighed a bit of relief. "At least we're safe from danger at the present moment."

But no sooner had he said that, out from behind the rocks, a dozen monstrous forms with glowing blue eyes appeared. The team was again caught by surprise.

"So much for being safe from danger," Donald sighed.


	111. Atlantis: Ambition's Bounds

Atlantis: Ambition's Bounds

The group had now been surrounded by what looked like hideous, ape like beings whose bodies were covered in fur and faces bore nightmarish features. Yet they posed themselves like humans, standing upright and bearing what looked like primitive spear-like weapons. The team drew up their weapons in case any sudden move was made.

"Who are these people?" Sweet asked.

"I don't know." Ophelia replied. "Could it be possible that they're local inhabitants?"

"That can't be."-

"Well, whoever they are," Leon said, "They don't like us."

"They might get a little hostile then."-

"Leave this to us." Kirin said. "If even one of these hostiles dares to attack, I'll cut them down to size."

"You might want to rethink that, brother." Kairi said. "They have us outnumbered and we're surrounded."

Tensions seemed to rise between the two sides. But just as it was about to break into a full scale brawl against these supposedly indigenous people, a voice cried out from the rear.

"No don't do it!" The team looked. From behind the, line of hostiles, a scrawny, young, yet feeble-looking man appeared. He was wearing an old kacky shirt, wool trousers tucked underneath shin length socks, black shoes, and large glasses. "Those aren't the guys who attacked us, Kida!"

"Are you sure?" the leading warrior addressed.

"Yes, some of those guys are my friends."-

"Milo…?" Sweet uttered. "Is that really you?"

"Hey there, Sweet," Milo replied, "Glad to see that you guys are still alive."

"Hey, Milo," His comrades came before him to welcome the young man back.

"We thought you were dead for sure." Audrey said.

"Yeah," Vinny added. "We saw you fall down that cliff…and like…boom, we figured you to be dead."

"Well," Milo chuckled, "You might say that it was dumb luck." He looked at each familiar face. "So are you the ones who managed to make it this far?"

"Actually," Sweet said solemnly, "We're all that's left." Milo's heart sank.

"Are you serious?"-

"Yes…" The group lowered their heads, thinking of the comrades whom they lost in the course of the past couple of hours. "Well, all that matters is that you're alive."

"Yeah," Milo then noticed the seven members of the KH team. "By the way, Sweet, who are those guys?"

"Oh them," Sweet thumbed. "You might say that they're the last minute cavalry."

"Really," Milo presented himself before the KH team. "I'm Milo thatch."

"Ophelia Billiard," the colonel replied. The two shook hands. She introduced him to the rest of the members. "That's Kirin, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Leon, and Cloud."

"A pleasure," the team members said at random.

"Hey, Milo," Sweet interrupted, "I hate to ask, but who are these guys that came with you?"

"They're Atlanteans," Milo replied.

"You're kidding." Audrey said.

"Well," Packard grumbled, taking another puff of her cigarette, "I'm impressed."

"You mean there are still people down here after all these years?" Sweet asked.

"Yeah," Milo replied.

"They sure are ugly though." Donald whispered to Goofy.

But no sooner had he said that, the Atlanteans unmasked themselves. To the surprise of the outsiders, the Atlanteans were not the vicious, hideous beasts they were thought to have been, but rather ordinary human beings. Each individual had silver hair upon their heads and their eyes were hued from a sky blue to an aqua green. And around each Atlantean's neck, there was born a glowing blue. The KH team looked in awe.

"I guess they ain't so bad as ya thought, Donald." Goofy implied.

"Man," Donald grumbled, "Having to eat my own words."

"Guys," Milo said, pointing out the leader of the Atlantean party, a young woman, slender in physique. "This is Kida. She is the king's daughter."

"Welcome outsiders to our domain." Kida replied. "We welcome you to Atlantis."

"Thank you very much for your hospitality." Sweet said for the entire group. "But I think I speak for all of us that this welcome won't last for long."

"I know, Milo has told me about the predicament you are in. We have also seen these hostile beings that attacked you and your comrades."-

"You mean you knew about that the whole time?" Audrey asked.

"Yes, and we have observed the fight between the hostiles and that group of young people." She pointed to the KH team.

"They must've been watching our battle." Ophelia thought to herself.

"But if I may be so bold," Kida continued, "What brings you here to Atlantis? And why do these hostiles come to attack you?"

"I think they might be after the same thing we've been searching for." Sweet explained. "They might be after the power of Atlantis."

"I have heard of this power of our people, but I have never seen it for myself. Such knowledge has been lost since the time of the _Mebhelmok_."-

"The what…?" Donald asked.

"It means 'The Great Flood.'" Milo replied. "Kida and her people have lost all the precious knowledge they once knew when Atlantis was still a thriving empire."

"Ladies and gentlemen," Ophelia interrupted, "We are right now in a very precarious situation. If Saber and his men get their hands on that power source, you might as well kiss this world good-bye."

"Do you know something about the power source then?"-

"Only by the information that we were given," Ophelia pondered. "I have been concocting a theory based on the power's importance. The power of Atlantis has incredible natural properties, which is the reason why people are still living here. That power source is equivalent to solar power. Because of that solar power, life has been able to maintain itself here. However, if it is also capable of producing life, then that power source also has the ability to create death."

"I see," Leon implied. "That means if anyone were to take away that power, then the people of Atlantis will also perish."

"Yes, without that energy, the remnants of the Atlantean civilization will perish and the entire culture will become extinct."-

"Ay Dios, Mio." Audrey uttered.

"You mean that if we were to have taken that power source, we would have been responsible for killing off an entire civilization?" Sweet said.

"In so many ways yes," Ophelia replied.

"My God, and to think we came down here to retrieve something that important."-

"I'm not finished though. What I have told you was only the tip of the iceberg. If Saber managed to get his hands on that energy, he would have harnessed strength equal to the magnitude of the sun. That means if he used that power to go on a rampage, he could demolish an entire city in a matter of seconds."-

"Man…" Cloud said. "With that power, Saber would make Sephiroth look like an amateur."

"So not only does one world suffer, but all of them." Kairi added.

"We must return to Atlantis then and tell them of this danger." Kida said. She turned to some of her comrades. "I want seven of you to stay here and fight off these ruffians."

"I wouldn't advise that." Ophelia said. "These opponents are stronger than they appear."

"That may be so, but these are the elite warriors of Atlantis. They can fight any enemy that dares to attack." Ophelia sighed.

"Do what you will then."-

"You heard me." Kida addressed her men. "I want seven of the best to stay behind and fend off these hostiles."

"Yes," the men replied. Seven of them stepped forth and took their positions.

"Alright, the rest of you follow me." Kida led the way, her comrades, the KH team, and the explorers in quick pursuit of her.

The team had not traveled a full mile before reaching their destination. Arriving at the end of the seemingly endless tunnel of rock formations, they came before a vast cavern, lush and covered with a grand diversity of plant life. To think that such a unique utopia was located deep under ground. The cavern itself was so large that the other side could not be seen from their position. The height of the cavern was at least miles up so the jagged rock formations above appear invisible to the naked eye. And before the team, there was a grand city, or what was left of one.

The city of Atlantis was located on a tall mesa or plateau, located at the very center of the cavern. From that plateau, a plethora of waterfalls rained down from the sides. Where the source of water came from was a mystery in itself. Some of the falls diminished into a smoldering river of lava just below one side of the city. Thus, a great deal of fog and mist was made, covering over the vastness of the cavern, concealing the rocky borders. The city itself was giving of a strange glow, giving a day light effect to this once thriving metropolis.

"Look at this place." Kairi said. "It's so beautiful."

"A lost utopia…" Kirin added.

"To think that such a place actually exists," Audrey uttered.

"Well, in our line of work," Donald said, "It's not all that shocking."

"Let us hurry." Kida instructed.

The party trekked to the city via an old suspension bridge that crossed over the wide river of magma below. Despite looking rather rickety and ancient, the suspension bridge was steady, sturdy as rock, and strong enough for any cart of vehicle to travel. But as is expected, there was always one who seemed a little unnerved in crossing. Goofy happened to be one of them, chattering his knees about in fright.

"Goofy, get a grip will you?!" Donald said.

"B...but I'm scared of heights, Donald." Goofy replied.

"Don't give me that. You've been on heights before."-

"Yeah, but not like this."-

"Just hurry up will you? The others are leaving us behind."-

Goofy looked down for a second or two at the heated rock below.

"Oh boy…"-

"Goofy, hurry up!" Donald's voice seemed rather distant now. Goofy looked up to see that his friends were leaving him behind. Tensing himself, he rushed across the bridge.

"Hey wait for me!" Goofy cried, catching up.

Upon reaching the center of the city, the party was met by thick warm mists, a variety of plant and aquatic life and the beauty of the ruins which still stood as sentinels and a testimony to a past age. The city's center was the most impressive, levels of buildings inhabited by flora and fauna. The locals looked on in awe as the KH team and Milo's friends were guided to the king's throne room.

"Why are these people looking at us?" Kairi asked.

"Well, they haven't seen an outsider for thousands of years." Kirin replied. "Look at the homogeny of these people."

"It looks like a race of Rikus. They all have those same features, greenish blue eyes and silver hair."-

"Perhaps he's a distant relative of these people."-

It wasn't long before the party reached the king's domain at the top sentinel. The room itself had no solid ground, but was more of an aquatic garden with its variety of plants and animals as well. The team advanced to the throne over a series of stepping stones, which protruded from the surface of the shallow pool.

The king sat upon an old stone throne at the base of demolished statue whose eyes seeped water. He was extremely beyond his years. His flowing white beard lay upon his lap and his bare head gave a slight glimmer. Tattooed blue lines stead across his nose and the top of his cranium. His eyes bore no pupils, indicating that he was blind, but his actions made it seem as if that were not true in its self.

Kida presented herself before her father, speaking to him in Atlantean. The king replied in the native tongue. Though his words could not be understood by the majority of the party, they knew exactly from his tone of voice that he was displeased with Kida bringing them there.

"The king is not happy." Milo uttered.

"No need to translate." Ophelia added. "I can already tell that the king detests our presence here." As the conversation between Kida and the king died down, Ophelia came before him. "You majesty, you and your people are in great danger. Please allow us to help you."

"There is no need for your assistance." The weary monarch replied. "I know what it is you have come for and you will not find it here."

"We know about the power of Atlantis, your majesty, but we do not seek it as a prize. We have come only to prevent it from being taken."-

"I know your type, young lady. You are no different from the other outsiders who have come before you. They all have come in search of the same source of power. But I will tell you now that the power of Atlantis is not one that can be wielded in the hands of mortal men." The king stood up. "It is the reason why our empire was reduced to this. In my arrogance, I hoped to use the power of Atlantis as a weapon of war. But that proved too great and eventually led to our destruction."

"So that's how Atlantis met its end." Leon thought.

"Such is the extent of ambitious men." Cloud added.

"I can assure you that we will not do any harm to you or your people." Ophelia pleaded.

"It has not been the first time that a predicament like this has occurred." The king declared. "And it would not be the first time that those same words have been spoken. We at one time allowed outsiders to enter our city. They gave a similar offer, defending our culture from another invading force who was also interested in retrieving the power of Atlantis. They said that they would not let anything happen to the city or our people. Well, when the opposing side came, the defenders were good to their word. For a while, I figured them to be true at heart, but once the battle was over, that sentiment changed into betrayal. As compensation, they wanted us to give them the power of Atlantis for their efforts. We refused, so they turned against us. Many lives were lost before we finally quelled our so called allies. That mistake has already happened once, but I will not make it again."-

"That is not true. We don't desire the power of Atlantis. We are trying to prevent an even greater evil from possessing it."-

"And how do I know that you yourselves are not the real threat?"-

But before another word was given, that surge of energy struck each of the KH team members hard.

"Oh no," Leon uttered.

"They're coming," Cloud concurred.

"The enemy is coming!" Kirin shouted.

"Your majesty," Ophelia said. "If you won't be persuaded by our words, then at least be persuaded by our actions." She turned to the party. "Milo, you and your friends stay here to protect the king. The rest of us will fight off Saber."-

"But," Milo said.

"Just do it!"-

"Well, at least let us give you a hand." Sweet said.

"No, you and the others will only get in our way."-

"Hey," Audrey detested, "We can give you a hand! We're not useless you know!"

"And do you think that you'd favor any better against Saber and his men like those professional soldiers who were killed?"-

"Well…"-

"If you go with us, you'll have us worrying about your safety as well. So stay here and protect the king." Ophelia turned to the others. "Let's go now!"

"Right," the KH team replied and quickly exited the chamber.

As the team made their way from the top sentinel, Saber and his men came upon the stone ground of the city. Unlike for the KH team and the explorers, the inhabitants did not look in awe at the intruders. Instead, they ran and hid as if a sixth sense had told them that these men were bad.

"It looks like the locals are afraid of us." Saber declared with a snicker. "They run and hide from us like worthless little bugs."

"There weren't supposed to be people here." Sasuke said. "This changes everything."

"This changes nothing, Uchiha."-

"But these people…" Sasuke's attitude began to saver for some reason. Perhaps an old memory was triggered at the sight. "Why are we doing this?"

"Now, now," Saber drew up his hand slightly. Sasuke suddenly began to moan in pain. Falling to his knees, he grasped the back of his neck. "I can't have you losing your nerve now can I?"

"I…" Sasuke's black marks slightly receded, but reestablished themselves on his body. His Sharingan eyes still in effect.

"You want to settle the score with your older brother don't you?"-

"Yes…"-

"You want to obtain the power that will unleash your true potential don't you?"-

"Yes…"-

"You want to fulfill your role as an avenger, don't you…?"-

"Yes…"-

"Then you better behave and let your rage burn. Think about your brother and how he betrayed your clan by slaughtering every Uchiha, leaving only you alive to try and kill him."-

"I will…" Sasuke's wavering ceased and he had once against shown that darker side of his. "And I will kill him…"-

"The boy is ambitious and full of potential." Saber thought to himself. "He is driven by a sense of pride and revenge. But there's still that sentiment still lingering with in his heart. Not to worry though, a few more hours of staying under my control and the darkness would have completely taken over."

"We have company." Gaara suddenly uttered.

"They're finally here." Kadaj added.

Saber and his allies glared into the thick mist. Sure enough, from out of the dew, Ophelia and the members of the KH team emerged to confront them. They formed a line before the hostiles, their blades drawn for battle.

"Well, well," Saber said, "You're a lot more stubborn than I thought and just as foolish."

"Our senses weren't deceiving us then." Kirin growled.

"I take it by your presence," Ophelia said, "You already got passed Kida's men?"

"We did come across your little line of defense." Saber replied. "They thought that they had the upper hand against us in their supposed ambush. But we sensed their presence out before they could even set their surprise attack. Gaara took care of all seven of them without any trouble. And now that we are here in this legendary lost city, we will take the power that made it the greatest of the ancient world."

"So says you, Saber." Leon shouted.

"This is as far as you go!" Cloud shouted.

"I had figured that after our last little scuffle," Saber chuckled, folding his arms in front of him. "You would have realized the futility in resisting our might and would have withdrawn from this world entirely. But low and behold, you're still here. I guess you must not value your lives so highly."-

"That's where you're wrong, Saber." Kirin stated. "You might think we're not a match for you, but that doesn't mean we can't still try at least."

"If that's the way you want it then." Saber snapped his fingers. Immediately, Kadaj, Loz, Yazoo, Sasuke, and Gaara stood to confront their foes. "Give them a lesson in etiquette, boys."

"Get 'em!" Kadaj bellowed and the five elites assaulted the KH defenders. Once again, the old pairs battled against one another. Cloud, Leon, Donald, and Goofy, went head to head with Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo.

"To think that you would still have enough nerve to fight us, brother," Kadaj chuckled, "Even after we beat you the last time!"

"I've always been the stubborn type, Kadaj." Cloud replied.

"Your friends won't favor any better then you either, brother." Loz said, cracking his knuckles.

"Don't underestimate us, you big palooka!" Donald shouted.

"We ain't gonna let ya have your way!" Goofy concurred.

"That's fine by us, you two stooges." Loz chuckled. "We can take on weaklings like you with our hands tied behind our backs!"

"It's you and me again, boys." Yazoo said, "My aim against your skills."

"And I take on the brown haired upstart with the battle scar." Loz turned his attention to Leon who had set forth his Gunblade.

"That's right, bug guy." Leon replied. "It's just you an me again."

"This should be easy."-

Gaara deployed his sand abroad, using it to strike at Kairi and Kirin who moved like lightning now. Now that they knew Gaara's common defensive and offensive maneuvers, they did their best to keep on their feet and attack as a well coordinated duo. But Gaara's bloodlust was also heightened. Thus, his own strength and cunning had reached a new level.

"You will die." He uttered. "I must kill. It is the only way to prove that I exist. And you two are my prey."

"No Gaara," Kirin growled. "You will not have your way this time." He looked to his sister. "Kairi, make sure not to get caught by any of his sand traps."

"I gotcha," Kairi replied.

"Use your accelerated speed. That's the only way to get around his sand shield."-

"Right,"-

"Fools," Gaara growled, "I will not let you win."

Ophelia in the meantime confronted Sasuke Uchiha once again. As they had done in that cold cavern of ash and rock, the two great warriors, a professional soldier and a skilled shinobi faced off in the streets of Atlantis.

"You again," Sasuke scoffed. "I thought you might have learned your lesson the last time we fought."

"You got lucky the last time kid. But I won't make the same mistakes I did in our first bout."-

"There won't be many techniques you can use that I won't intake. With my Sharingan, I can see every move you make and can copy any technique you unleash. So your odds of defeating a skilled shinobi like me are nil."-

"Well, there's only one way to find out if your Sharingan is as powerful as you claim it to be. Besides, I don't need any special ability to predict your attacks."-

Battle fans and shurikens clashed against one another as the two grappled in intense hand to hand combat. Sasuke's fire jutsu attacks as well as his genjutsu, his ninjutsu, and his taijutsu were used as means to fight the colonel. But Billiard was just as craft as he was. Though not being a shinobi, she knew that a head-to-head battle was a brutish style and could not succeed against such a cunning and swift opponent.

To the dismay of the KH team, they were at a complete disadvantage. While each of them was battling hard against the hostiles, Saber was open to his own task.

"Quite a shame," Saber chuckled, "If only you had been stronger, perhaps you would have been able to stop me from getting what I wanted. Fortunately for me, you KH miscreants are incompetent."

Ophelia watched as Saber started her advance.

"Oh no, you don't." Ophelia shouted. She rushed to stop Saber, but Sasuke only got in her way, blocking her assault.

"Sorry, Miss," he declared, "But you won't go anywhere near Saber. He's going to get me the ultimate power. And I will use it to defeat my brother."

"Get out of my way, you little brat!"-

"That's not gonna happen." Sasuke unleashed his hand signs. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" From his mouth bellowed intense flames that burned the local flora and scorched the ancient ruins. Ophelia swept the attack away with a swing of her fans, slicing the fire attack in half. The flames danced around her.

"Stubborn little insect."-

"That's just for starters, woman!"-

The two continued to battle.

In the meantime, Milo Thatch and the others were concerned for the success of the KH team. The sound of explosions and gunfire could be heart in the distance.

"I wonder what's going on out there." Milo said.

"I don't know." Sweet replied. "It doesn't sound good though."

"I should go out there and help them." Kida declared. "I should go out there to protect my people."

"No," Milo advised. "That's not a good idea."

"But Milo,"-

"It'll be alright."-

"So says you, young man." The king declared with this rough and burly voice. "But how do I know that you too have not come here for the power?"

"Your majesty, I can assure you that we did not come here to take the life source of your people away."-

"And how can I be so certain that it is not you who are evil and are trying to deceive me?"-

"That's the problem about making judgments." A voice shouted. The party looked up to find none other than General Saber standing at the doorway. "You can never know what to trust more, your heart or your mind. But either way, it's a little late to make it up now."

"Saber," Milo shouted.

"Did you really think I was so easy to elude?" Saber folder his arms in front of him. "I'm only going to ask this once and one time only. Where is the power source of Atlantis?"

"We don't know!" Sweet shouted.

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised that you'd be clueless, doctor. But perhaps, the king will know." Saber made his way towards the throne.

"Fiend," Vinny shouted. He threw one of his dynamite sticks at Saber. There was terrific explosion.

"You'll have to do better than that." Saber chuckled, suddenly appearing right at the throne, standing over the king. The group was shocked.

"But how did he…?"-

"Tell me, old man, where is the power of Atlantis?"-

"You will not find what you seek here."-

"Perhaps, I'm not making myself clear, old man." With one strike, Saber hit the aging king in the gut. The king fell to his knees.

"You," Kida roared with rage. She lunged herself at Saber. But the Blade General used the force element to lock her in place, suspending her in mid-air.

"Patience girl, you'll get your turn soon enough."-

"You leave her alone!" Milo shouted. He too rushed at Saber.

"Let's get him!" Sweet cried, rallying the others. But no sooner had they begun to charge, Saber unleashed a powerful sound wave, which knocked his enemies off their feet. Everyone had been rendered unconscious.

"I'm getting a little fed up with your stubbornness old man. I can sense the power close by. So you either tell me or suffer."-

"There is nothing you can do to me that'll force me to tell you what you want."-

"Is that so?" Saber drew out his saber, its sharpened steel glimmering so smoothly. He then eyed Kida who was still suspended in the air. "Tell me, your majesty, how much do you love your daughter?" Immediately, the king's heart sank. He knew of what Saber meant. Saber flicked the blade slightly with his thumb, testing its sharpness. "It would be a shame that I would have to hurt her."

"You leave my daughter out of this."-

"I highly doubt that you're in a position to be telling me what to do, old man." Saber stretched forth his hand wielding his blade. He held the edge of the sword to Kida's throat. "Now let me ask you, how do you prefer her to die, quick and painlessly or slow with extreme agony?"-

"You monster,"-

"Let me put it to you this way. If you give me a straight answer, I will give your daughter the honor of a quick and painless death. However, if you decide to double talk me, I will kill her very slowly. First, I think I'll peel the skin from off of her body, shallow enough so that no large amounts of blood seep out. Then I'll let you wear her skin for a while. Then, I will slowly cut the flesh from her body, little by little, paper thin to make the pain last longer. Then perhaps I will slowly cut off her fingers and toes, one at a time, followed by her nose, and then her eyes. Maybe I'll pull out her teeth as well. Cut through the gum line and all that. However, the only things I will keep in tact are her ears. That way, she can hear, with perfect clarity, the screams of her father as he gazes upon the hideous mutilation of his daughter and the curses he would make on himself for allowing her to suffer in such a manner." He held the blade closer to Kida's fair skin. "I will give you to the count of five. If you do not heed my word and tell me what I want to know, then your daughter will die. So as you can see, whether the cost is a hundred of your people, or just your daughter, in the end the result is the same."-

There was a pause for a moment before Saber started his countdown.

"Five…four…three…two…"-

"Very well," the king replied. "I will tell you what you want to know."

"Then…?" Saber asked.

"The Heart of Atlantis lies within the eyes of our king."-

"You must find me feeble minded if you have enough gall to mock me."-

"I am not mocking you. I am telling you what you need to know."-

"A straight forward answer would have been more likely to let your daughter die quickly and without pain. But I guess you would rather see her scream out as I strip her of her skin and her dignity." Saber turned to Kida and made ready to make the first incision.

That was until something caught his eye. Gazing towards the stepping stones of the throne room's inner lake, he came to realize the solution behind the king's answer. The stepping stones themselves created what looked like an eye.

"I see now," the general chuckled, "The Heart of Atlantis lies in the eyes of our king." Saber smirked. "Thank you very much, old man. I guess you were useful to me after all. But then again, since you've already given me the solution, that means…" Saber suddenly turned around and severed the head of the aging king from his shoulders. "You're no longer required."

Kida wailed out as she saw her father killed. Anger, sorrow, and hatred reverberated throughout her body and soul. Milo had gained consciousness and saw the slaying of the aging monarch.

"You heartless beast," he said. "How could you do that to an old man?"

"Awe, so the scholar is awake again." Saber said. "Get up, boy. We have some things to do. And I'll need you for this last part."

"You killed my father!" she cried.

"Well boohoo, I sympathize, but I have greater matters to deal with."-

"I'll kill you!"-

"I'm sure you will, but I doubt that you'd be a match for me." Saber released Kida from his force hold, letting her drop to the ground. "Now, I'll need you to accompany me and Mr. Thatch to…"

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Kida pounced on Saber, but the general easily evaded.

"You can die later. I have other plans for you." He grabbed her by the hair and forced her to her feet. "Now if you don't mind." He looked at Milo. "You too, Mr. Thatch, stand over here, the both of you!"

The three stood at the very center of the eye. Immediately, the floor seemed to give way and the three were transported into a cavern just below the throne room. Still overcome with grief, Kida was in a daze, unaware of her surroundings. As they reached the bottom of this grand cavern, they came to see a large glowing light above their heads at the far end of the cavern. The light was surrounded by massive carved heads and hovered above a pool of water.

"Excellent," Saber chuckled, "The very source of Atlantis' former might."

Kida on the other hand, seeing this awesome spectacle, was overwhelmed with a pure feeling of pride and past.

"The kings of our past." She said. Kida fell to her knees and began to pray versus, giving her heart to her ancestors.

"Will you tell her to hurry up, Mr. Thatch. I have no time to deal with last minute religion."-

"Hey, Saber," Milo said angrily, "Why don't you lighten up on her alright?! You killed her father for crying out loud!"-

"Then I can't afford to lighten up can I? I can't have that girl becoming a sworn enemy." Milo, seeing the futility in resisting, helped Kida to her feet.

"I'm sorry, Kida."-

"This is what I have traveled here for, the greatest power this world has ever known. And in not too long a time from now, we will use this power to bring the Universal Alliance to its knees." Saber stepped upon the pool under the light. But as he did, there was a sudden reaction and the orb suddenly began to glow a deep fiery red. "What a strange reaction." He turned to Milo. "Well, can you explain this?"

"Alright, there is a giant glowing crystal hovering a hundred and fifty feet above our heads over a bottomless pit of water. Doesn't anything surprise you?"-

"Don't get cheeky with me boy."-

But then, as no clear solution had been concluded to, the light shined upon Kida. Thus, the aggressive red turned into a solemn blue. Kida suddenly smiled.

"Mahtim," she uttered. Her eyes began to glow the same light as the orb. Saber and Milo watched as she made her way to the light. She then ascended towards the orb.

"I see," Saber chuckled, "The power is in need of a host body. I guess the body of a royal family member is required. And once a body has been chosen, then the power will accept nothing else."

From the mass of hovering stone heads, the light began to increase intensity. Then, the barrier had opened, revealing the new form Kida had undertaken. She was now pure light, though her form remained. Slowly her form descended and like a divine figure, she walked upon the water. As she neared the shore, the great stone heads fell, causing the water to rise in waves. Once on the land, Kida stood vigilant as if accepting her fate.

"Well," Milo asked.

"Well, it looks like I've gained my prize." Saber unleashed his force element and caused Kida to hover into the air. He then glanced at Milo. "As for you, Mr. Thatch," The general raised his hand. "You are no longer of any use to me either." Using a powerful sound wave, he knocked the young man off his feet. Milo tumbled and skidded upon the ground. He slowly staggered while watching the general take his prize upon the elevating platform. The platform began to ascend.

"Wait," Milo cried, "You're not just gonna leave me down here are you?"

"Look at it this way, Mr. Thatch. You've always wanted to find Atlantis, and now that you have found it, you can consider yourself a part of the exhibit."-

"Why you…!"-

But Milo's cries were muffled as the cavern sealed again. Saber gazed at the beauty of the energy. However, he realized that he was not alone. Smirking, he lightly uttered.

"Oh," he said, "I see you're still alive, doctor, you and yours."

"It's not over yet, Saber." Sweet said as he and his friends staggered to their feet and blocked off Saber's retreat. "You are not taking that power source from here…ever!"

"And how do you plan on stopping me?"-

"With everything we have!" Saber turned to confront the group.

"Sorry, but I have a schedule to keep." Using his force element again, he caused all of Sweet's party to fly into mid-air and hover about mindlessly. "Why don't you stay here and take a load of your feet."

"You," Audrey shouted. "If I wasn't up here, floating like a balloon, I would kick your sorry…"

"Vulgar phrases don't suit a lady, so I would refrain from finishing that statement if I were you. I have what I want. Now if you excuse me, I must deliver this to my superiors." But for some reason, Saber stopped. He held his head up as if he were thinking about something. He smiled again with that devious grin. "Oh what the hell…It's been too long since I have enjoyed a good campaign. Why not let this be the coup de grace. I thirst to see the KH team fall completely before I fulfill my own duties. Though Riku and Sora are not here, I can always improvise with the members remaining. Since Ophelia and Kirin and the rest of those fools are filling in for those cowardly key bearers, then I will treat them just as equally."

Saber clapped his palms together and performed a transmutation, forming the stepping stones into a makeshift confinement cell to protect his precious power source from being stolen.

"I trust you won't touch that." He addressed the floating individuals. "I'll be back as soon as the battle is over." With that Saber left.

"Come back here you coward!" Audrey shouted. "Come back and fight! Ay, Madre mia!"

"Where's Milo?!" Sweet demanded.

"He's safer than any of you here that's for sure." Saber replied.

Saber reappeared upon the battlefield, watching the separate battles unfold before him. This time, the KH team was holding their own a lot better then they had in the first hostile encounter.

"Those people are persistent, I'll give them that." Saber thought to himself. "But even at their peak, they can never hope to battle against these particular five and emerge alive, let alone victorious."

Saber's words were true, despite the gained experience from their previous fight, the KH team was still at a disadvantage against their foes.

Kirin and Kairi had managed to catch on to Gaara's sand attacks. Thus, they regressed to using swift assaults, evading and confusing the young boy as best they could. Now they were striking at Gaara's sand shield simultaneously. Gaara was now on his toes, concentrating his chakra to increase the strength of his defense. For at time, brother and sister believed that their strategy would succeed. But they were yet to see Gaara's true power.

"They have caught on." Gaara thought to himself. "They have realized my sand shield's weakness."

"We have to go in for the kill right now." Kirin said. "Kairi, keep him distracted."

"Right," Kairi replied. Kairi continued attacking and withdrawing as if a mongoose tormenting a serpent.

"Stand still you little insect." Gaara growled.

"You won't catch me, Gaara."-

"You dare to mock me." He concentrated all of his sand to engulf Kairi. But as he did, he came to realize that Kirin was coming up behind him.

"You're mine," Kirin shouted.

"I think not," Gaara deployed his sand which caught hold of Kirin, locking him around the waist and his left arm. Kirin cried out as he felt the pressure of the sand grasping him. Gaara raised up his arm, his hand almost clutched in a fist. "I told you, you will not take me by surprise again."

"Kirin," Kairi cried.

"Now watch, girl, as I crush your brother to death."-

"You will not have my life so easily." Kirin cried. He suddenly raised his sword to cut the sandy arm that suspended him.

"Fool, a blade cannot hinder my sand attack."-

"You underestimate me, Gaara!" Kirin ground his sword against the sand, causing a spark. Instantly, his free blade was set afire. He then used his energy to intensify the heat and with one mighty swing, he cut the column in half. The place of impact has crystallized and the sand holding Kirin fell dead to the ground. Gaara was stunned.

"But how…?"-

"You fool, don't you know what reaction happens when fire and sand combine?"-

"I know of the reaction, but such a thing can't happen with the sand I possess. It can't."-

"Then again, the rules change with every world you enter. What might have been true for your world doesn't exactly apply in this world. That means the advantages you would usually have are void." Kirin ignited both his blades. "Now behold the power of Kirin of the Flaming Blades! Behold my secret sword technique, Flaming Havoc!" Kirin unleashed a column of fire which bellowed forth and struck Gaara's sand shield. Gaara's shield deployed itself. But as he came to realize, each grain of sand was bonded and crystallized to form glass.

"This can't be." the shinobi thought. "Not even Uchiha's flame jutsu can do this." Using all of his strength, he cancelled out the flaming column. But as it seemed it was over, he was again taken by surprise as one of Kirin's grappling daggers had broken through the shield via the fiery wave. Gaara had been completely overwhelmed, underestimating the strength of his opponent. He had dodged the blade, preventing it from striking his heart. But in the process, the blade embedded itself deep into his shoulder.

Suddenly, there was blood curdling scream. It was one that no one had heard before. Gaara's wailing was haunting at the same time sympathetic, like a wild animal caught in a trap.

"That scream," Kairi uttered.

"I know that cry." Kirin thought to himself. "That is the screeching of cold hearted warrior who for the first time has seen his blood. I bet this must have been the first time that Gaara was actually wounded. Now that his feels the pain and sees the blood, it is too much for him. But I wonder why he would react that way in the first place? I wonder about his past."-

"My blood," Gaara cried. "My blood," his eyes turned bloodshot and wide, his skin began to crack. The sand from his gourd began to attach to his body. It accumulated on his right arm, condensing and deforming his body from fingers to shoulder blade until his entire right arm formed into what looked like a giant paw made of sand, claws forming at the tips. The sand also latched to Gaara's face, consuming his right cheek and brow. His eye had transformed into a black void with a soulless yellow pupil in place of his green iris.

Kairi and Kirin were frightened by this grotesque transformation.

"What is he…?" Kairi asked.

"It's official," Kirin said. "That kid is not human, he's a demon."

"Unfortunately for you two, Gaara hasn't even started." A voice shouted. Kirin looked to see Saber standing not too far away. "Gaara takes on a hideous transformation, unleashing a great sand demon called Shukaku. This beast was cast within him so he could become the ultimate weapon in his village. However, it takes a great deal of energy to keep Shukaku sealed."

"So you're saying that a beast lives in that kid?"-

"Consider yourself lucky, Kirin. This will be the first time that Gaara has ever had to unleash Shukaku in a long time."-

"Where did you come by this kid? He's a freak!"-

"That's what his entire village thought; say for the few that knew the truth. I managed to acquire Gaara at the same time I acquired Sasuke Uchiha. It was during an event called the Chunin exams. Of all the shinobi there, Sasuke and Gaara were the ones best suited for the job. They were stronger than most and had a great deal of potential, yet at the same time, not strong enough to prove a potential threat. Not like any of those other fools in his world was really a threat anyway."-

"Now," Gaara growled, "You will all die!" Rushing forth with his transformed limb, he swiped at Kirin. He had become faster and the chakra he unleashed became greater than what the young prince had anticipated.

"His power's increased."-

"You should consider yourself lucky, Kirin." Saber chuckled. "It's not every day that Gaara displays his true potential."

"Yeah, lucky me…"-

"Well, if you excuse me, I have other battles to observe."-

Saber departed to see how the other battles were going.

He eventually came across the fight with Ophelia and Sasuke. This battle was about equal since both combatants were not able to outdo the other. In deadly hand to hand combat, they struck and swiped at each other. With such an asset like the Sharingan, one would think Sasuke would have predicted and copied the movements and techniques of the Tiger of Goth. But despite Sasuke's asset, he couldn't gain an advantage over Ophelia Billiard, who seemed to maintain her level of strength, speed, and agility equivalent to his own.

"How are you able to do this?" Sasuke said. "You move like lightning and yet my Sharingan hasn't even caught up with you. But there's no way you could have progressed this much in only an hour."

"It's because you're relying too much on the power of your Sharingan." Ophelia replied. "No doubt that it is an incredible asset, but relying on it alone can prove your downfall. Though your Sharingan is able to predict my movements and copy them with extraordinary accuracy, they're virtually worthless if the wielder lacks the physical strength to counter. Not to mention, your skills may not work outside of your world's natural law. Here, the rules are slightly different, giving some lasting effects on your Sharingan." Sasuke was flustered and rather apprehensive hearing those words coming out of Ophelia's mouth.

"How do you know so much about the Sharingan?"-

"I saw it in your head."-

"But how…?"-

"You're a smart kid, Sasuke. You can figure it out for yourself." Sasuke knew nothing of Ophelia's power to read hearts and minds though the mere touch of the flesh. In the hand to hand scuffled, Ophelia had brushed up against Sasuke. Though for only a moment, it was enough for her to intake a sufficient amount of data on many of Sasuke's techniques as well as his hidden past. But the young Shinobi was not about to let an enemy, let alone a woman defeat him.

"Enough, I will not be intimidated by your words! I will defeat you!" Sasuke performed his hand signs. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Unleashing flaming projectiles, he directed them all at Ophelia. But the colonel easily swept the flames away.

"That was too easy."-

"It's not over yet." Suddenly, from the flames, a barrage of shuriken came streaming through the air and prepared to strike Ophelia down. But again, she deployed her fans and used them as a shield. This time, she was ready and easily blocked the attack. The shuriken fell to the ground.

"You'll have to do better. You won't catch me off guard with that attack again." The colonel unleashed one of her black fans. "Let's see how you like a bit of the same." The fan rushed at Sasuke and the razor edge struck him dead. Or so it seemed. The figure in fact was not Sasuke, but a substitution. The maimed Sasuke thus transformed into a wooden log.

Then, from behind, a wave of shuriken bellowed from the bushes. But Ophelia easily evaded the barrage.

"Come out from hiding, Sasuke. You can't conceal yourself from me!" No sooner had she said that, the young ninja appeared again and stuck away with shuriken. Again, the colonel eluded. "You're not taking me seriously, attack me for real! Stop sending in these clones to do the work for you!" She easily struck down the clone down. "You only waste energy forming them."

"How does she know that?" Sasuke thought, observing her from a distance. Suddenly, the colonel flung one of her fans in the direction where Sasuke was hiding. "Impossible," He leaped out of his hiding place.

"So there you are, kid."-

"I have no other choice. I know it's not a clever shinobi tactic, but hiding is not going work anymore. To add, I'm still not fully recovered after our last bout." Taking out a Kunai knife, he grappled with the colonel. "I don't understand this. I have the Sharingan in my favor. How can I be losing?!"

"Your body hasn't fully developed the needed power to keep up with me, Sasuke." Ophelia replied. "Though your Sharingan is reading and copying all the techniques and tactics I use, your physical strength and your chakra are still smaller than what mine are, even with the power of darkness controlling you." They locked blades. "I know about your older brother Itachi and what he did to you, your family, and your clan."

Immediately, Sasuke's eyes grew big. His heart began to sink.

"What did you say?" he uttered.

"I know of your brother Itachi and how you are acting as an avenger to kill him. And I see why you joined sides with Saber. You hoped to gain a great power, the power of Atlantis. That way, you could use it to kill your brother and avenge the death of your clan. But little do you realize that Saber is only using you, manipulating the hatred and sorrow deep within your heart. That is how he is able to control you."-

"How do you know this?"-

"I too have my special abilities." There was a pause in the grip.

"You lie, you lie!" the two broke the deadlock. "I don't know how you came to know about all this, but I am not being manipulated! I am here on my own accord."

"Is that what you say, or is that what Saber wants you to say? Even as we speak, I can feel his presence within you. Your free will has been subjugated, you just haven't realized it."-

"That's another lie!"-

"If it was, why would you personally kill your own teammates Naruto and Sakura?"-

Sasuke's memory suddenly shifted to flashes of that moment, triggered by the colonel's words. He saw in his mind vague images of his closest friends being struck down by this new dark power he possessed. He remembered a large scale battle with his most reliable comrade, Naruto and how in the end finished him with a slash to the throat. All the while, he remembered Saber standing about as if controlling the battle to his whim. Finally, he remembered how he and Gaara had been chosen by the Blade General to aid in his conquest.

"I killed them…" Sasuke uttered. "I remember…I killed Naruto and Sakura…" Suddenly, the black splotches on his body were starting to waver and recede. His Sharingan started to fade, falling to his knees; he suddenly gave up his fight. "W…what have I done…?"

From his position, Saber observed as Sasuke was giving up the fight. He growled at the boy's incompetence.

"Damn it," Saber growled, "And here I was thinking that I had ridden that boy of those petty attachments. Oh well, I'll just have to rekindle his motivation while the darkness still has control of his mind and body." Saber began to accumulate his energy. Finally, when targeting Sasuke's mind, he unleashed his control hold on the boy.

Sasuke was struck a hundred fold, the thought of his slain friends was washed away in a flood of darkness and the thirst for power and revenge again took hold. The cried out, grasping the sides of his head as if a painful affliction had gripped his brain and squeezed it like a vice.

"Sasuke," Ophelia cried. She felt the dark surge in his body, it was all too familiar. "This is Saber's doing. He's using the sorrow of this boy's heart to manipulate him."

She watched as the black splotches turned fiery red and again manifested on Sasuke's body like a disease. His Sharingan was restored and his aggressiveness heightened to ten times what it was.

"Damn my friends," Sasuke growled, "They were nothing to me! They were simply weaklings who continuously got in my way! I care for myself and only for myself!"

"Sasuke…"-

"I will gain the power of Atlantis to defeat my brother and I will kill all who try to stop me!"-

"Sorry about that, Colonel Billiard." Saber chuckled. "But I can't have my subordinates growing a conscience now can I?"

"Saber, you bastard," Ophelia shouted. "How can you do this, manipulating kids like this?!"-

"Right now, colonel, I'm not the one you should really be concerned about."-

Ophelia turned to find Sasuke attacking her. She drew up her fan. The impact made when they clashed only indicated to her that Sasuke was completely overcome by rage. Saber had gripped the boy's mind in his favor once again.

"He's not going to stop this time. I don't want to hurt him, knowing that he's being forced against his will, but have no other choice."-

"That boy's mind is still hanging on to the memories of his friends." Saber thought to himself. "He's not like Gaara who needs no real motivation from me to kill. He kills to prove his existence. Ergo, he will take on any enemy. But Sasuke may prove to be more trouble than I figured him to be. But then again, he has that fear of dying as well. He does not want to meet his end without fulfilling the task he vowed to carry out, which made him all the easier to control. But now, he's regaining control. I can't have that." Saber looked to the other fights. "I may just have to dispense with him when this is over. Besides, little does he realize that there's no one there to seek revenge on anymore."


	112. Possible Demise

Possible Demise

The battle against Gaara seemed incomprehensible. Kirin and Kairi, despite them gaining knowledge of Gaara's abilities, they were now burdened with this new power the young shinobi possessed. It was one which they themselves could not fully contain. In the meantime, Ophelia Billiard had discovered Sasuke's motivation and realized that he had been manipulated by Saber. Trying to bring him around, Ophelia nearly succeeded in breaking Saber's mind hold on Sasuke. But at the last minute, Saber intervened and regained his control over the young Uchiha. Now Sasuke's aggressiveness had been leveled a greater height.

On the other side of the battlefield, however, Cloud, Leon, Donald, and Goofy were not having an equal match against Kadaj and his brothers, Loz and Yazoo. Yazoo, the sniper of the gang, easily eluded and evaded Donald and Goofy, at the same time blazing away a shower of lead at the two friends.

"This guy just won't give in." Donald growled.

"It's no use." Goofy cried. "We don't stand a chance against him."

"Now's not the time to be giving up on me, Goofy!"-

"But…"-

"We can take him on anytime and anywhere."-

"You idiots," Yazoo mocked. "You just don't get it. You have never stood a chance against me. So it doesn't matter how much you encourage each other to keep fighting, the result is always going to be the same."

"Keep your big mouth shut! I didn't ask for your opinion!"-

"A hot-headed fowl aren't we?"-

"You think I'm hostile right now?! You just wait until I get my hands on you! I ring your scrawny little neck!"

"I'm sure you will."-

Donald unleashed elemental attack after elemental attack in his anger, blindly deploying fire, wind, ice, and lightning about the area, trying to smite Yazoo. But he proved too crafty for the enraged duck.

"Calm down, Donald." Goofy said. "You're only wasting energy!"

"I really hate that guy!" Donald shouted.

At the same time, Leon was having enough trouble trying to go against Loz, whose brute strength allowed him to maintain a strong stamina. The two grappled in hand to hand combat. Leon used his Gunblade to smite and slash at his foe. But Loz's speed was as equally formidable.

"You won't get in our way again, pal." Loz declared. "I will not allow you to come between us and mother."

"Who is your mother?" Leon asked.

"That's not important right now!" Loz suddenly kicked an old pillar and sent it flying at Leon. Leon easily evaded, but was attacked again when Loz used his swift attack. Appearing right in front of him, he lunged with his grappling iron. Leon drew up his Gunblade and blocked the hit. The impact however, caused him to real backwards towards a stone wall. "It's over for you!" Loz lunged after his flying foe. He figured Leon to slam into the wall. Thus, he'd take the opportunity to finish him off once and for all.

But Leon was crafty. Quickly regaining the momentum, he retaliated. Gently turning and landing his feet upon the wall. He then lunged up at Loz, Gunblade straight in front of him.

"It's you who's finished!" Leon shouted.

"Why you…" Loz evaded at the last moment. The blade cut the side of his face.

"Damn it, I missed." The two landed opposite each other.

Loz looked at the deep cut on his right cheek. He lifted his hand and smeared the black blood of the geostigma.

"Why you," He glared at Leon. "You dare to do this to me?! You ruined by face, my perfect unblemished face!"

"I don't know what you're complaining about." Leon wiped the sweat from his brow. "It gives you a little more of a rugged look. Otherwise, you look like one of those male strippers at a lady's bar."

"Why…I…I…" Loz was so angry his mind was flustered over the insult. "I'm gonna make you eat those words you little shrimp!"

Loz's power surged, overwhelming Leon.

"Oh boy," he said, "I might just have struck a raw nerve."

Suddenly, Loz jumped at Leon, grappling iron cocked and drawn back. Leon easily evaded, but the impact the punch made with the ground made great blocks of stone to burst skyward. Leon was stunned at the attack. Just then, Loz struck from all sides, using the flying stones as his stepping platforms.

"I'll teach you to insult me you big…you big meany!"-

"Boy," Leon uttered, semiconsciously, "That guy can't take a little name calling. His vocabulary isn't very sophisticated either."

It was then that Loz appeared right in front of him.

"It's over!" He drew back his grappling iron. "This ought to finish you off!"

With the full force of his Dual Hound, he dug his ramming fist deep into Leon's gut. A powerful sound wave reverberated within Leon's body and his was sent reeling back wards. He struck an ancient pillar, breaking it in half, before slamming into a stone wall. There was a loud thud and Leon fell to the ground. He laid motionless, unconscious or even more.

"Well, that'll teach you to call people names." Loz said. He flicked back a strand of hair that loosened from his head. He then looked to see his other brother's still in action. "I better go give my brothers a hand. They just can't do anything without me."

At the same time, Kadaj and Cloud were still combating in the most intense of forms, the power of the Buster Sword against the double bladed Souba.

"You're wavering, brother." Kadaj chuckled.

"I don't understand this." Cloud said. "I don't understand how you and the others can be here!"

"Why is that so strange?"-

"Because you died several years ago!"-

"Well," Kadaj looked at his body, "apparently, you've been misinformed.

"That's a lie! I saw you die! You died in my arms and were absorbed into our planet's life force!"-

"Now who's delusional?"-

"I don't understand this." Cloud thought to himself. "Kadaj has no memory of that day. None of them do, in fact."

Meanwhile, Goofy and Donald were on their last legs. They had undergone a barrage of bullets as well as sarcastic criticisms and mocking remarks from Yazoo, who was still at the top of condition.

"I have to say," Yazoo said again, "If there's one thing I find more pathetic than your idiocy, it's your fighting skills."

"Was that supposed to be funny?!" Donald roared, "Because I'm not laughing!"

"Oh it was funny alright…for me."-

"I can't stand this!" Donald unleashed another barrage of elemental attacks. But as had happened countless times since the fight began, Yazoo easily evaded. "You've made me feel like a heel for the last time, you bad excuse for a Riku wannabe!"

"Oh that really hurts my feelings…" Yazoo was still in that calm state, not bothered at all by Donald's insults. This added to the duck's frustration.

"Now, now, Donald, don't let him ruffle your feathers." Goofy said.

"I don't care if I start molting! I'm gonna shut that big mouth up for good!"-

"Well, then you should try shutting yours first!" A voice shouted. From above, Loz suddenly appeared. Using his pike bunker, he slammed his fist into the ground and caused more stone to heave up from their foundations. Donald and Goofy, taken completely by surprise, were launched into the air. Then Loz attacked again. He used a stone slab to hurl at the two friends. "Here, have one of these!"

Donald and Goofy were struck by the masonry and fell to the ground. As they came to rest amidst the Atlantean ruins, stars began to encircle their heads.

"Hey Donald," Goofy said, "Did you see how hard that guy hit me?"

"No," Donald replied, "I was too busy getting a concussion." Uttering those last words, Donald blacked out.

"I think I'll take a little nap…" Goofy collapsed his head, blacking out as well.

"That was too easy." Loz chuckled.

"You know," Yazoo said, still calm in tone, "I could have handled this myself."

"Then how come you couldn't finish them off before I did with my opponent? Were they that strong?"-

"Not strong, just stubborn." Yazoo cracked his neck. "Oh well, that only leaves us with one more to go."

"Yeah," The two brothers looked up, "all we have to do now is help Kadaj get rid of our black sheep brother."

"Let's go then. We'll take him by surprise."-

"Got it…"-

Kadaj and Cloud were about equal in agility and strength. Had the fight remained unmolested by any outside force, then they could have battled forever until the weaker of the two began to fatigue.

"You can't win, brother." Kadaj declared. "I am the successor to mother's legacy!"

"You are only a remnant of that past!" Cloud shouted. "And that is a past that should be buried with those who forged it!"

"Then that makes you just as guilty since you were the one who helped create that history!"-

The two clashed and gripped each other's weapons. They pushed against each other, hoping that the other would give in.

"You might be ambitious, Kadaj, but you know as well as I that you are no match for me in a one on one fight."-

"So you say brother, and you might be right. I may not be able to face you in a proper one on one duel. But how can you favor against three of us?"-

"What…?"-

Seeing Kadaj's eyes shift rearward, Cloud quickly turned to see Loz and Yazoo coming straight at him. Seeing the danger, Cloud went on the offensive, using his Buster Sword to block the attacks. Yazoo blazed away with incredible accuracy, while Loz ran in, using his brute strength and cunning speed to exploit Cloud's weak points. In the meantime, Kadaj intervened, slashing away at Cloud, inflicting minor wounds on his body.

"It looks like you're reaching your limit, brother." Yazoo said.

"You can't fight all three of us at once!" Loz chuckled.

"And after your little bout with me," Kadaj added, "Your strength has been cut in half."

For ten minutes, they grappled, debris, projectiles, and flashes of sparks and fire echoed throughout the outskirts of Atlantis. Cloud did all he could to fend off his brothers. But he knew that fighting all three at the same time was a futile effort and a deadly one. Finally, reaching his limitations, Cloud began to falter, this senses diminishing. Thus, he became open prey for the wolves.

"It's over, brother!" Kadaj declared. He first slashed at Cloud, striking him across the chest. He quickly withdrew. Then Loz used a shockwave through the ground to rush at Cloud. Cloud used his Buster Sword to slice at the attack and prevent the surge from advancing any further. When the energy waves collided, they created a terrific explosion which brought tons of debris and water to bellow into the air.

The attack had not concluded yet as Yazoo fired away through the debris. Cloud used his weapon to block the attacks. But no sooner had that occurred. Kadaj appeared and struck the Buster sword from out of his brother's hands. Then Loz moved in. He emerged behind Cloud and in using the full force of his Dual Hound he caused every organ and every bone to rupture within Cloud's body. The young man fell to the ground. But his onslaught was not finished yet. Loz emerged in front of him and socked him in the face. He then appeared behind cloud and struck him at the back of the head. Using his teleportation tactic, Loz thrashed his brother around like a rag doll.

In the end, Loz shot a direct hit at Cloud from the back again and forced him face first into the stone floor. There, Cloud lay, motionless.

"Ha," Kadaj snickered, "even with all of his power, our brother is still no match for us when we fight together."

"What a fool." Yazoo added.

"To think that he had enough gall to fight us all on his own, you think he would have learned from our last little scuffle."-

"Bravo boys." Saber complimented, clapping his hands. "You've managed to eliminate four little bugs from the list."

"We're invincible as a team." Loz said. Saber observed as over half of the KH team was not out of commission.

"I have to admit, you're better than I expected." Saber then gazed into the areas where fighting was still going on. "Now, we only have three more to deal with."

"I thought you said these guys would be tough?" Kadaj asked.

"I would have to agree." Yazoo added. "Besides my brother, the rest of them were just a waste of time."

"Well," Saber said, "I was hoping that the key bearers would be here as well to fight you. They are the real backbone of the KH team. But judging by their absence, they must've had second thoughts. But it's not like Riku and Sora to leave their friends to the wolves."

"Are those two key bearers as powerful as you say they are?" Loz asked.

"That and more… Of course they wouldn't have been much of a match for you anyway. After what I have witnessed, your strengths surpass the key bearers even if they were in their Hyper Mode Fusion state. Too bad though, I'm sure the three of you would have enjoyed battling against them." Just the, there was another surge of energy and a second slowly fading. "Well, well, it looks like the last two battles will end soon."

Sure enough, the fights against Gaara and Sasuke ended in the most anti-climactic of ways. Kirin and Kairi were the next to fall. Gaara has attacked left and right, not giving the siblings any time to breathe. But it was Kirin who was getting the bulk of the abuse. With Gaara unleashing the power of Shukaku, he made quick work of young Kirin, who was pummeled left and right by the sand paw. Though he evaded at times, the majority of the attacks and counterattacks ended badly. Even his fire attacks were of no use. Plus being beaten so fast and so quickly caused him to lose a great deal of energy, preventing him from unleashing some of his more powerful signature attacks. It came to the point where Kirin was no longer able to lift up his blades.

"I can't believe this." Kirin thought to himself. "How could Gaara have gained so much power?"

"Your fate will soon be sealed." Gaara said. "Your senses and reactions are becoming more sluggish. And sooner or later, you will perish by my hand."

"No, I can't give up yet. There's just a little more energy left." Kirin staggered to his feet. His clothing had been torn, seeping stains of blood. Sweat dripped down his brow, intermingling with blood that dripped from his lip and his left brow. But though he was tired, he would not give up. "I have to take this guy down!"

"Now you will die…" Gaara lifted prepared to lunge. But as he crouched to thrust forward, Kairi suddenly appeared between him and Kirin. Both warriors were stunned.

"You've hurt my brother for the last time, Gaara." She growled. For some reason, Gaara was confused by this act. It was as if he had never seen such an act of bravery before. His mind suddenly filled with memories surging through his mind. He cringed, grasping the deformed side of his face almost as if an affliction was triggered, troubling him, and tightening in his mind.

"Why do you do this…?" Gaara said. "Why do you stand between us?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm trying to protect my brother from being hurt by you again!"-

"Protect…?" Gaara was confused. His past seeped through his thoughts. "What is he to you…?"

"He's my brother! He's one that I love!" Again Gaara was betwixt by Kairi's statement, as if the words 'protection' and 'love' caused a painful reaction. He glared at Kairi.

"Love…" With sudden aggressiveness, Gaara lunged at Kairi. "Nonsense…!"

Kairi watched as the claws of sand came at her in a swiping movement. Kairi could feel the power within the shinobi. She knew that she could not block the attack and might not survive it. But still she held her ground.

However, fate stepped in as Kirin used the last of his energy to throw himself between his sister and Gaara's blow. Kairi was shocked.

"Brother…" she cried.

Kirin held onto her tight just as the claws slashed deep into his back. He screamed out as the blood splattered from the wounds. But Kirin held on as he and Kairi fell forward. He quickly shifted his body weight, to cushion Kairi as they fell. They skidded along the stone before coming to a halt no more than twenty yards from where Kirin had been struck. There they lay, the prince still holding tight onto his sister.

Kairi peered up to look at her brother's face grief stricken with pain. He looked up at her.

"Hey there, Kairi," he uttered, "Did I get in the way…?"

"Why, brother," Kairi replied. "Why did you do that?"

"You forget… I would be letting Sora down if anything happened to you…"-

"Kirin…" Kirin gave her that weary smile before lowered is head. His facial expression relaxed and his eyes closed. Kairi feared the worst believing her brother was going to die for real. "No Kirin, don't do this…" Kairi placed her hand on his face, looking at the tenderness of his youth. "You didn't have to do that…" Putting her head on her brother's chest, she began to weep.

Gaara observed all the while in curiosity. His mind was still unfamiliar with the sight he saw before him.

"I do not understand…?" he said.

Just then, there was a solitary, applauding clap coming from behind. Gaara turned to see Saber and the Kadaj gang to his rear.

"Very well done, Gaara," Saber complimented, "You've managed to take down even the supposedly invincible Kirin of the Flaming Blades.

"But why does he…" Gaara could not finish his statement, looking back at the pitiful sight of a fallen brother and his concerned sibling.

"Oh, don't worry about that. The thing that matters the most is that you have won. Now drop concerns for the fate of your foe." Saber lifted up his hand slightly, unleashing darkness in his palm. No doubt it was what he used to control Gaara. As a result, the spirit of Shukaku receded and Gaara regressed into his normal form. He turned his back towards Kairi and Kirin as if their existence little mattered to him.

"I have fulfilled my fight."-

"Yes you have." Saber chuckled.

"So now what do we do, Saber?" Kadaj asked curiously.

"We just have one fight left to worry about." The five drew their heads towards the fight where Sasuke and Ophelia were still battling. "It won't be long before the last stubborn little insect falls."

Sure enough, the fight between Ophelia and Sasuke was meeting its final climactic end. Things were not looking well this time for the former faction officer, as if fate itself had a change of heart. Despite Ophelia's strength and advantage in power and speed, she was no longer a match for Sasuke Uchiha whose Sharingan eye glowed with a crimson red. She had come to realize that the strength Sasuke was deploying was not natural. It was mostly a darker element, which had heightened to exceed her strength.

"I can't believe this." She said, her body weary and beaten. "How did he suddenly get this increase in speed and agility? His strength is boundless now and I can't even get a good shot at him."

"Not so confident now are you?!" Sasuke declared so arrogantly as he charged once again. "With this new power, I am unstoppable!" He deployed shuriken as he charged. Ophelia did all she could evade.

"This power is not his own. This is a dark power, a familiar power. No doubt that Saber is behind this, using the darkness to heighten Sasuke's strength. But the more Sasuke unleashes the dark power, the more of himself he loses."-

It came to the point where Ophelia was using all of her strength to maintain a strong defense. Sasuke attacked from all directions, not letting up in his offensive. Not wanting to have to kill him, Ophelia cried out, hoping that Sasuke's true heart would hear.

"Sasuke," she cried, "stop this! Don't you realize that this power is not yours! Saber is only manipulating you! He's taking control of your mind in exchange for this power!"

"If that's the case, then so be it.' Sasuke chuckled. "I want more power! The more powerful I become, the stronger I will be to defeat my brother! Won't he be jealous when he sees what I am capable of?!"

"But don't you realize the extent of the damage this dark power will have on you? The more you let yourself be controlled by hatred and anger, the closer you get to being consumed by the darkness!"-

"I am the darkness! I control the darkness!"-

"You're wrong, Sasuke." Ophelia remembered peering into Riku's heart when they first met and remembered a vague memory. She knew the nature of the darkness and what would happen to the strongest hearts who tried to wield. With this in mind, she gave her young opponent the warning. "The darkness cannot be controlled by anyone, no matter how strong they are. If you depend on this strength too much, your heart will be swallowed up, a feast for the Heartless that linger about in the shadows. Then, you will no longer be who you once were."

"And that is what I am hoping! I do not want to return to being who I once was! If I did, I'd have to regress to the novice weakling as I was before, trembling in the shadow of my brother! Well, no more! I will become stronger, even if I have to become evil itself!"-

"Sasuke…"-

"This conversation is over…!" He performed his hand signals, unleashing his signature jutsu. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" He unleashed a series of fireballs once again. Ophelia did the same as before, using her fans to sweep away the fire. Anticipating the shuriken barrage that would emerge soon after, she placed her fans in front of her.

But to her surprise, the shuriken did not emerge from the flaming balls as expected before. Instead, Sasuke made an alteration to his attack and used the momentum to attack from behind. He threw the shuriken at the spot where the colonel could not so easily defend. Seeing the Shuriken coming at her, she managed to evade by a narrow margin. The blades flew by her, some of them cutting her uniform.

"That was close…" she thought.

"Surprise," a voice said. Ophelia was again caught off guard. Sasuke had used his substitution jutsu to transform himself into one of the shurikens. Ophelia turned to see him armed with a razor sharp Kunai in his hand.

"No, how can that be?"-

"It's over for you!" Sasuke was free to kill the colonel any way he wished. He could slash upward and cut her throat, or thrust the Kunai into her torso, her heart, her neck, or right between the eyes. But as he had all these options open to him, Sasuke's mind suddenly had a flashback when he gazed into those stunned eyes of the colonel. A memory of his friends and how he had killed them surged into his mind. For a moment, not worth a second's tick, his heart resurfaced as it reached back to his friends. All of a sudden, he didn't wish to kill.

Instead of using his Kunai to kill Ophelia, he kicked her in gut. Ophelia went flying backwards, and skidded across the ground. She tumbled about, her head grazed against a rock in the fall. Then she came to rest upon the old grounds of Atlantis.

Sasuke straightened himself up. The darkness had receded slightly, so though he was upset for not killing Ophelia, he was at the same time relieved. Saber and the others adjourned with him.

"Not bad, Uchiha," Gaara said.

"That girl didn't stand a chance against you." Loz chuckled.

"A good day's work, gentlemen," Saber said. They looked about at the fallen KH members who lay motionless on the ground like so many slaughtered pigs. "Now with the threat of the KH team gone, there is no one who can resist us. The power of Atlantis is ours for the taking."

The infamous six turned towards the citadel where the power of Atlantis awaited them. But before a step could be made to enclose their goal, a shuffling and a moaning declaration halted them. Ophelia was still conscious.

"Don't you go anywhere." She cried. She stood up wearing and somewhat dazed. Her forehead now dripped blood because of the impact her skull had with the rock. But even such a wound did not deter the Tiger of Goth. "Have you forgotten, I'm not dead yet!"

"Persistent, isn't she." Sasuke thought to himself. "She's a lot like Naruto. He never knew when to give up either."

"So Colonel Billiard," Saber said, "I see that you still have the life in you."

"Don't you or any of your cronies go anywhere near that power source!" Ophelia uttered. "Otherwise, I'll kill you!" Her words were only left with laughter and snickers.

"That's a good one." Kadaj mocked.

"You kill us?" Loz added.

"The writing is on the wall, Colonel." Saber said. "If you're other friends didn't stand a chance against us, what makes you think you can stop us all on your own. Look at you. You're a disgraceful sight. You barely have enough energy to stand, let alone fight."

"Let me finish this with her." Sasuke said.

"No, I think not."-

"Why not…?"-

"You've had your fun, boy. Now let others have a go." Saber turned his head in the direction of the Kadaj gang. "Loz, finish her off please."

"It'll be my pleasure." Loz cracked his neck and his knuckles and he advanced slowly towards Ophelia.

"What is the meaning of this?" Sasuke growled. "I could finish her off!"

"I don't think you'd have the stomach for it." Saber replied. "Otherwise, you would not have held back in that last attack and we wouldn't have to deal with this maimed butterfly any further."

It was apparent to Sasuke that Saber had seen that moment when he had the opportunity to take Ophelia's life, but refused. The general was displeased with the boy.

All the while, Loz stood before Ophelia, a mountain of a man. He took his offensive stance.

"Alright, little girl." He said, "Let's go."

"His strength is equal to Sasuke's." Ophelia thought to herself.

"Don't worry, I'll make it quick. But I can't guarantee that it'll be painless."-

Loz suddenly kicked up a stone slab and sent it flying at Ophelia. Using all of her strength, she evaded. But no sooner had she done that, Loz appeared to the rear of her. He punched her in the back. Ophelia cried out as the pain reverberated through out her body. Loz appeared again in front of her and knocked her in the face. He appeared at her flank and struck her again. Using his incredible speed, he struck at Ophelia seven times before she touched the ground.

Ophelia lay dying on the ground as Loz lunged at her, hoping to bust a hole in her back from above. But Ophelia still managed to elude with the little power she had left. The impact of Loz's fist caused the stone to break from its foundations. Ophelia stood up again only to come face to face with Loz once more. He punched her in the gut and forced her against a pillar.

"It's been fun, but we gotta call it quits." Loz said. Then, using the driving force of his Dual Hound, he caused a tremendous shockwave to surge through Ophelia. The blast was so great that it broke the pillar. Ophelia thus lay on the ground motionless amongst the debris. "That was too easy. I like beating up on cocky little girls."

"Boy, you're brave, Loz." Yazoo chuckled.

"Hey, shut up!"-

"I wouldn't leave just yet." Kadaj said. Again there was stirring. Loz looked behind to find Ophelia staggering to her feet again.

"Man, she's one stubborn roach. But then again, there's always one."-

"She's getting back up again?" Sasuke thought to himself. "Even after taking that terrible beating from Loz, which must've been ten times greater than my own, she still insists of fighting."

"They don't call her the Tiger of Goth for nothing." Saber implied in his mind. "Her reputation does her justice."

"I gotta admit, girl, you're tougher than most." Loz said. "Not even your friends were able to take that kind of a beating and stand up again. But in your current state, you could never hope to defeat me."

"You know something?" Ophelia smiled. "You might just be right." She fell to her knees again. Unable to stand and lift up her weapons, she could only await the final blow. Loz stood over her, an ominous presence.

"Well, you've kept me entertained at least. For that, I'll make sure to give you a quick _and_ painless death." He lifted up his arm, cocked back the Dual Hound, and with all his might, lunged at the colonel. There was a terrific explosion and dust and debris bellowed into the air. The impact was so great; all of Atlantis shook loose from its foundations. As the dust cleared, there was that anticipation of seeing the remains of the carnage.

But too the shock of everyone, especially Loz, Ophelia was not there. She had vanished from sight entirely. Kadaj, Yazoo, Sasuke, and even Gaara were surprised.

"What the…?" Sasuke uttered.

"What happened?" Kadaj asked. "She just disappeared."

But Saber knew. He growled and quickly turned his head to the right. It didn't take long for the others to realize what he was looking at.

Not too far from where Loz made his devastating impact, two figures stood erect, their backs turned away from them.

"Who the heck are those two guys?" Yazoo wondered.

"So," Saber said to himself, "They've finally come at last."

It was true. His senses did not deceive him.

Riku and Sora had finally arrived…


	113. Changing Tides

Changing Tides

Riku and Sora had finally arrived. After a few hours of delay, they managed to reach Atlantis and save their friends from certain destruction. Their backs turned towards Saber and his men, they showed little concern of the danger that faced them.

"Well, I'll be damned." Saber thought to himself. "Riku and Sora decided to present themselves before me after all."

The two key bearers turned to face their foes. It was then that they saw Ophelia Billiard, nestled in the arms of Noctin Tilandir.

"Who the hell are those guys?" Kadaj wondered.

"They just popped out of nowhere." Sasuke added.

Ophelia slowly opened her eyes. She looked up and smiled as if an angle had made itself known.

"Riku…" she uttered. "Sora…"

"Are you alright, Ophelia?" Riku asked.

"I've had better days."-

"Don't worry, we're here now. You're safe."-

"It looks like we got here a little late though." Sora said as he beheld his fallen comrades all over Atlantis. But he gave a sigh relief as he felt faint life sources coming from each and everyone of them. "But at least everyone is still alive."

Kairi, who had managed to assist her brother back to his feet, saw her long lost friends standing isolated from the rest of the party. She smiled a teary smile as her heart opened to her beloved companions.

"It's Sora…" she uttered with a whimper. She nudged her brother who was slumped down. "Kirin, its Sora and Riku, they're here."

Sora spotted Kairi not too far away, flagging him down with a wave of her outstretched arm.

"Kairi…?" he uttered. Both he and Riku looked.

"Sora, Riku," Kairi cried.

"What's she doing here?" Riku wondered.

"Hey, Kairi, what are you doing here?!" Sora asked.

"Well…" Sora then noticed Kirin slumped on Kairi's shoulder.

"Kirin…"-

"What…?" Riku asked. He looked. "Hey, you're right. That is Kirin."

Kirin managed to lift up his head. He smiled at the key bearers.

"Hey, you guys," he uttered, "You finally made it."

"Kirin, you're here too?!" Sora smiled. "So you decided to change your mind after all."

"I made sure my sister didn't get hurt."-

"That's good…"-

"So," Riku said, "Kirin is one of us now."

"Don't worry! We have everything under control now!"-

"Is that so?" a voice implied. The key bearers looked to see Saber approaching them. The general flew before the key bearers.

"So we finally meet again." Saber chuckled. "We've been excepting you, Riku, Sora."-

"Saber…" Sora growled.

"Riku and Sora…?" Kadaj uttered.

"So that must mean that those guys are the key bearers that Saber was telling us about." Yazoo added.

"They don't look so tough to me." Loz scoffed. There was a slight pause between the two sides before Saber began to speak again.

"Well, now boys," he said, "I had thought you had done the smart thing for once and withdraw from this confrontation altogether, but now I see that you're incapable of making such logical decisions."

"Coming here might not have been the smart thing to do, Saber." Riku declared. "But it was the right thing to do. It may not seem like a proper strategy to you, but Sora and I refuse to abandon our friends in their time of need for the sake of our own lives."

"Well, it really doesn't matter now anyway. All of your friends have been beaten out of commission and are no longer of any use to you as they are now. To add, I've already secured the power of Atlantis. We needn't have to deal with you."-

"You're not gonna get rid of us that easily." Sora said. "We've gotten stronger since the last time we met."

"So I've heard. I understand that you went through some special training. But it doesn't matter how much you've advanced. If none of your friends could take down my subordinates, then even you have to admit that you are out classed." Saber folded his arms in front of him. "But you've caught my interest. I'm rather curious to see how much you have progressed. I want to see what you've learned."

"That can be arranged." Sora clutched his fists tightly.

"Hold, Sora," Riku said. "We have other things to deal with, like getting our friends out of danger."

"Yeah…"-

"If you don't mind, Saber…"

"Not at all," Saber replied, "I might be a powerful warrior, but I'm chivalrous as well. I'll give you some time to secure your comrades, not that there will be any difference, even if you were to heal them with potions and senzus."

"You just be patient, Saber. You'll enjoy what we have in store for you." The key bearers walked away to where Kirin and Kairi were standing. Saber was not a little apprehensive. He thought that the key bearers acted a little too clam.

"I wonder," he thought. "Riku and Sora are far too calm. Are they that confident in their own abilities, even though they don't know the strength of my men and I? Well, we'll just see. No doubt that if they engage against Kadaj and his gang as well as Gaara and Sasuke, they'll lose some of that momentum. So even if I lose a few subordinates, that only makes my job a lot easier."

Riku and Sora joined alongside Kairi and Kirin, Ophelia was still nestled tightly in Riku's arms.

"You guys look terrible." Sora said.

"We were wondering what you guys were doing all this time." Kirin replied.

"Well, we got a little sidetracked."-

"Wasn't word sent out to you?" Kairi asked. "Ophelia sent out a message."-

"I guess we never received it." Riku replied. "But then again we were in a rather isolated area."

Riku put Ophelia down, steadying her to her feet.

"Well, at least you guys got here on time." Ophelia said. "We were almost worried that you weren't going to make it in time."

"We'll I think you guys could be using these." Sora declared. He pulled out four vials of potion and three senzu beans.

"Where did you get that?"-

"We made a stop at Traverse Town, thinking you were still there waiting for us."-

"That explains the tardiness." Kirin uttered.

"We left in rather a hurry though when we left." Ophelia said. "I guess Goofy and Donald forgot all about the potions and beans we had stocked away."

"Well, we have some now." Riku implied. He looked to Sora. "Alright Sora,"

"I got it." He gave the three senzus to Kirin, Kairi, and Ophelia. Within seconds, they were refreshed with healed wounds and replenished strength.

"Incredible," Kirin said, "I feel great."-

"This is the first time you've had senzu beans?" Sora asked.

"Yeah…" Kirin lifted up his arm. "I don't feel anymore pain."

"And the fatigue is gone as well." Kairi added.

Saber and the others watched as if with magic their foes came back to life.

"What in the world…?" Kadaj uttered.

"But those other guys were half dead just a minute ago." Yazoo added. "How could they have healed themselves so quickly?"

"It has to be those key bearers."-

"As should have been expected…" Saber growled.

"This is excellent." Ophelia said as she flexed her muscles. "We're back in top shape again."

"Alright, you guys," Sora said as he handed the potion vials to Kairi, Kirin, and Ophelia "You go ahead and give this to the others alright."

"We'll get them back on their feet before you know it." Kairi said.

"Then together, we can defeat Saber and his men once and for all." Ophelia added.

"No," Riku implied, "You guys have done enough fighting for one day." The others seemed somewhat puzzled with his declaration. Riku turned his head towards the foe. "Sora and I will take it from here."

"What do you mean?" Kairi asked. "You mean you're gonna fight him alone?"

"That's right." Sora said.

"But that's out of the question." Kirin protested. "If the six of us don't stand a chance, what chances do you think you'll have facing them alone."

"There's nothing to worry about, you guys. We can handle it."-

"But you see those five men?" Kirin pointed to Saber's subordinates. "Those five alone managed to fend the seven of us off. We never got close to facing Saber."

"Kirin's right," Kairi added, "Those guys are horribly strong. Like that kid, Gaara, the one with the red hair and gourd on his back. He uses sand attacks."

"And that other kid Sasuke." Ophelia said. "He uses fire style. And that big guy in the leather." The colonel pointed to Loz. "He packs one hell of a wallop!"

"I take it that he was the one who was beating you up then?" Riku asked, his gazed unbroken to the oafish brother of Kadaj.

"He's the one,"-

Riku's rage began to leak out very slowly. But as it did, there was a powerful aura that emerged. Sora's energy began to slowly seep out at well. The moment they sensed the key bearers' strengths, Kairi, Kirin, and Ophelia knew that something was drastically different.

Without uttering a word, the key bearers approached the band of six. Their friends looked on with this apprehensiveness, not knowing what to expect.

"Riku and Sora are far stronger than the last time I fought them." Kirin said.

"How strong have they gotten?" Kairi asked.

"I could sense their inner strength."-

"And…?"-

"The power behind is something that I would dare not go against."-

"So they've progressed that much, eh?" Ophelia said. "I never would have thought that they could improve that much in only three weeks.

"We'll just have to wait and see if they are capable of fighting against all six of those men by themselves. Either they are extremely confident, or they're putting on a façade."-

The key bearers stood before the company of villains. Saber stood slightly separated from the group, pondering on what would be unleashed by these youths. But as for Kadaj and the others, they, without a second though, provoked the key bearers into a fight.

"So," Kadaj addressed, "You must be the two guys that Saber was talking about."

"You must be Riku and Sora." Yazoo added. He pondered for a while. He first pointed to Riku. "I take it that you must be Riku."

"Yeah…" Riku replied.

"I could tell. That name seems a little fiercer than the other. And you match that description."-

"Which means that the little guy must be Sora," Kadaj implied.

"That's right." Sora said, "So what of it?"

"Spunky aren't we?" Yazoo sighed.

"Hey, Riku," Kadaj said. "I'd hate to admit it, but you have an identity equal to my brothers and me with your silver hair and aqua green eyes."

"You think so?" Riku wondered.

"Yeah," Kadaj stepped up to him. "Hey, I have an idea. How about joining us? We could always go with another good hand to be part of our little gang."

"That sounds tempting," But Riku's attitude already indicated that he had no interest. "But I'll have to decline. With all the look-alikes around me, I wouldn't feel unique."

"What a waste of talent." Kadaj turned his back on Riku and rejoined his brothers. "It's your loss, pal. We could have made a great team, you and us."

"Sorry, I already have a team that I'm part of. Besides, for some reason I just don't like your attitude. You'd only be cramping my style."-

"Those are pretty big words." Yazoo stated.

"Awe, don't waste your time with those two." Loz said, rejoining his allies. "From what I can see, they don't look so tough to me."

"Don't underestimate us." Riku replied. "We're stronger than we look. We've undergone some serious training while we were away.'

"I'm sure that you have, but even if you were to train for the full extent of your miserable lives, you still wouldn't equal to us."-

"Then why don't you be the first one to prove me wrong."-

"I think I will."-

"Who do you think you guys are anyway?" Sasuke shouted. "You just come over here thinking like you have a chance against us." Sora and Riku looked at the young shinobi.

"I take it that you're Sasuke?" Sora asked. "Our friends told us about you and your friend, Gaara."

"That's right,"-

"Well, Sasuke, you'll soon realize the reason behind our confidence."-

"What a nuisance," Gaara grumbled, "If they wish to fill in for their friends, then we should be obliged to treat them equally."

"Then let's bring it on." Sora said. "I can take you guys on myself."

"Is that so…? You fool…"-

"I bet you boys can't even fight." Yazoo chuckled.

"Yeah," Kadaj added. The five seemed to smirk and chuckle. "You guys are probably all talk."

"Then let's make this game a little more interesting shall we?" Riku suggested. "It'll be a three-to-one and two-on-one match up. Sora will take on Sasuke and Gaara. And I will have the privilege of battling you three."

"You plan on fighting all three of us?"-

"The guys cracked." Loz said. "He thinks he can fight all three of us all by himself. Our other brother Cloud couldn't even hope of holding his own against us. So what makes you think you'll do any better."

"You talk too much." Riku gave that cunning smirk. "Don't you have anything else to say besides being a back lash for whatever your other brothers quote? It's like talking to a stenographer. You say something and they say the same thing right back at you."Now of course this talk did not waver well with Loz.

"Why you," He simply inhaled and sighed. "You think you can go against us? I bet you wouldn't match equally against me. I'd be able to break you with both hands tied behind my back."

"Then let's find out." Riku folded his arms in front of him. "If you want to get your point straight, then talk less and fight more."

"Alright, I'll fix you up on that offer."-

"I take the first rounds with these guys, Sora."-

"Alright,' Sora said. "Just don't destroy the place alright?"

"We'll do…"-

The other combatants cleared the field. Saber watched anxiously, feeling the sudden rise in power.

"I can feel Riku's strength rising," he said, "but I wonder what the full bulk of his power is?"

"This ought to be fun." Loz boasted. "I'll enjoy beating you down!"

He suddenly kicked up a loose slab of stone and hurled it at the key bearer. Riku drew out his keyblade and struck at the slab. The stone was severed in two. But no sooner had the danger of the slab been evaded, Loz appeared behind Riku by means of his teleportation technique and struck at the young man's back. But just as it seemed he was dead on target, Riku suddenly vanished as if he was never there. Loz and everyone on that field were stunned.

"What was that?" Sasuke said. "He just disappeared."

"Where did he go?" Yazoo wondered.

"But wasn't he just…" Loz uttered.

"Hey pal," Riku then declared, "I'm right behind you." Loz quickly turned to find the young key bearer staring at him dead in the face.

"But how did you…?"-

"Impossible," Saber thought to himself, "How could Riku have become that fast?"

"So far, all your boasting has been talk to me." Riku declared.

"You little…"-

"Did you see that?" Kairi asked Kirin as they observed the battle.

"No, I couldn't see it." Kirin replied. "Riku just disappeared and then reappeared."

"I've never seen him move like that before." Ophelia added.

"What the heck was that?" Sasuke wondered.

"What you just witnessed was Riku's speed." Sora explained.

"What…?" Sasuke was shocked. "But how can that be? My Sharingan didn't even pick up his movements."

"You keep watching." Sora chuckled. "You'll see Riku's full potential soon. That is if he ever gets around to using his full potential."

"What do you mean his full potential?"-

"The truth of it is that he's just getting warmed up."-

"This is just a warm up?"-

Loz turned to face his foe. Gripping his fists, he snarled at the key bearer.

"You think you can make a fool out of me like this?" he growled. "Well, you're wrong!"

Loz attacked again, equaling his own speed to match Riku's. But despite the increase in his ability, he was not able to hinder Riku even once.

"C'mon slow poke." Riku mocked.

"Stop making fun of me!" Loz shouted.

"This can't be?" Kadaj uttered. "I've never seen Loz go all out like this before. And I've never seen anyone get under his skin like this before."

"That Riku guy is making a chump out of him." Yazoo added.

"Gentlemen," Saber said, walking towards them, "Wouldn't you find it more efficient if you worked as a team."

"What was that?"-

"I don't see what's holding you back. You've never allowed real one-on-one fights to occur up until now. And there was no real guarantee to single combat was there?"-

"He's right." Kadaj said. "We never made an agreement that this will be a one-one-one battle. After all, Riku did say that it was the three of us against him."

"Shall we give that big oaf of a brother a hand then, Kadaj?" Yazoo asked.

"Let's…" The two entered the fray.

"Not even Riku can fight all three of them at once." Saber chuckled. "No matter how hard he tries, those three are too well in synch with one another. They'll soon pummel that arrogant key bearer out of commission."

By now, Loz was attacking out of pure rage. But Riku still did not waver. Finally, he evaded and pummeled Loz at the back of the head. Loz tumbled on the ground.

"That was for Ophelia," Riku said.

"You,"-

"Hey," Kadaj shouted as he and Yazoo attacked from behind with weapons drawn, "Don't forget about us."

Kadaj went in and slashed away at Riku with his Souba. In the meantime, Yazoo took the opportunity to snipe at Riku from a safe distance. Loz smirked and used the opportunity to attack the key bearer as well.

"Now," Loz declared, "Let's see how tough you are when you're fighting all three of us at once."

The three brothers were in perfect synchronization, attacking Riku simultaneously and randomly from all directions. While Loz used his speed to strike at the key bearer and wreak havoc, Yazoo sniped in the open intervals, not giving the key bearer any time to recover. At the same time, Kadaj came in slashing away with his sword. For five minutes, the intense confrontation commenced. But for some reason, Riku seemed not at all concerned with the attacks from his opponents. This deeply concerned Saber.

"What's up with this?" he pondered. "Just three weeks ago, Riku and Sora couldn't even go up against Dark Sora together. Now, all of a sudden, Riku is taking on Kadaj's entire gang single handedly. This situation is anything, but normal. Riku should have been pummeled to death the moment those other two intervened. But low and behold, he's still holding his own. And he seems to have little concern. This couldn't have been due to their training could it? No one could increase their stamina this much in only three weeks." Saber then looked at Sora, who was still standing vigilant over the battlefield.

"If Riku exhibits this much power, I can only imagine how strong Sora is." But as Saber saw a second situation unfold before him, he smirked. "Then again, he agreed to battle against Gaara and Sasuke. And from what I can tell, they won't give him fair warning of their attack."

Fair warning was the last thing on Sora's mind as he watched the battle unfold before him. Just then, at the corner of his eye, he realized that both Sasuke and Gaara were gone. He did, however, feel something shuffling around his feet. As he looked down, Sora came to realize that his feet were covered in sand. Then, just as he turned, the sand leaped up and engulfed his body. It condensed around him, covering every inch. As he observed while in his sandy confinement, he beheld Gaara and Sasuke standing together with those sinister grins on their faces.

The sand from Gaara's gourd had leaked out and now held Sora in its deadly grasp.

"Now you will die," Gaara said.

"Did you expect us to give you a fair warning like Kadaj did with your friend?" Sasuke added. "You forget, we're shinobis, and fighting fair isn't exactly what we do. We do whatever we can to gain an advantage over our opponent. That kind of strategy may seem dirty to most, but those tactics are the ones that are most likely to succeed"

"Oh no, Sora," Kairi cried as she saw her love encased in the sand. "Sora's in trouble. He's been caught in one of Gaara's sand traps."

"Those guys were fighting dirty." Kirin growled. "They never gave him a warning." But for some reason, Sora's inner energy did not waver. This calmed Kirin and prevented him from jumping in. "Amazing, despite the predicament, Sora is not the least bit fazed about the situation."

"We have to help him." Kairi became anxious.

"There is no need."-

"But Kirin…"-

"Believe me, little sister, if Sora was in need of our help, I would have sensed his energy wavering. He would have also cried of assistance too if he knew he couldn't handle the situation. But low and behold, his energy remains steady, wavering not in the least." Kairi's concern slowly diminished from her brother's comforting words. "Don't worry. I think Sora will be alright."

"Sora…"-

"You will perish," Gaara said, holding up his hand, with finger gnarled in a closing position. He executed his attack. "Sand coffin…!"

He clutched his fist, hoping to crush Sora's body. But for some reason, his fingers could not close, as if they were held at bay by an invisible force. Gaara was stunned, such a thing had never occurred before.

"What is taking so long?" Sasuke said.

"I don't know."-

"Don't you guys realize by now?" Sora declared. "It's futile to face me as you are?" Suddenly, using a burst of his energy, Sora released himself from his sand tomb, dispersing Gaara's attack.

"This can't be. No one has ever been able to break my sand coffin."-

"We'll there's always a first."-

"Don't kid yourself, Sora!" Sasuke suddenly attacked. "This battle has only just begun!" He unleashed his flaming attacks. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke unleashed a flaming ball from his gullet and sent it surging at Sora. Sora was consumed by the fire, incinerated by the very core of the attack. Sasuke observed, believing that he had managed to defeat or at least severely maim Sora with his attack. But to his surprise, Sora emerged from the inferno unscathed. "No way,"

"Inconceivable," Saber thought to himself, "The key bearer is making light of Gaara and Sasuke? But how can that be? Sora broke Gaara's sand coffin as if it were made of glass and he was unhindered by Sasuke's Fireball Jutsu, even though he took it head on. And those are more than just basic elemental attacks. What extensive training could they have done that would have allowed them to excel this much in three weeks?"

In the meantime, Ophelia revived Cloud and the others with the potion Sora had given him. They now congregated to witness the battles that unfolded before them.

"So those two finally decided to arrive, eh?" Cloud asked.

"Amazing," Leon added, "Riku and Sora are fighting all five of those guys on their own. I hate to say this, but I'm a little jealous of 'em."

"I don't know what kind of training they underwent." Ophelia said. "But it's certainly paid off."

"C'mon Riku," Goofy cheered, "C'mon Sora, you can do it!"

"Beat those guys up!" Donald shouted.

"I will not be humbled before someone like you." Gaara growled. The sand from his gourd started to consume him, taking up his right arm.

"Oh no," Kirin said, as he watched, "Gaara's unleashing that beastly power like he did with us."

"Sora, look out," Kairi cried. "Gaara's transforming! He's unleashing his true power!"

"His true power…?" Sora wondered. His eyes came upon a now deformed Gaara with a large animal like claw of sand that encased his entire right arm. The right side of his face had been deformed into that of a monster as well. Even the teeth on the right side of his mouth bore sharpened fangs and incisors. "What is this transformation?"

"Sora's unleashed Gaara's inner demon, the Shukaku," Sasuke said. "That's a power that I myself would dare not face. Sora's done for."

"I fight for myself and love only myself." Gaara growled. "I kill to know my reason for existing and you are my prey!" With incredible speed and power, Gaara lunged at Sora. But the key bearer remained stalwart, not flinching even when facing such a powerful foe. Gaara struck, but Sora vanished just as he slammed his sandy claw into the ground, shattering the walkway.

"Is that as fast as you can go?" Sora asked. Gaara turned about.

"You think that it's over?" He swung around and unleashed a barrage of sand shuriken. "Now, you'll die."

But when striking against Sora, the sand projectiles seemed to either to deflect off or diminish upon his body.

"Is that all you're capable of doing?"-

"Fool…" As Gaara's rage burned stronger, the sand in the gourd began to consume him, forming on his left arm, his face, his legs, forming two hideous claws and a long, jagged tail. His face bore the resemblance of a large raccoon.

"He's transforming again." Sasuke uttered.

"Are you seeing this?" Kairi asked.

"The sand is taking over his entire body." Kirin added. "He's unleashing his full strength. All of that just to get back at Sora."

"What a freak…" Ophelia said.

"He's turning into a big sand monster." Donald cried.

"Do you think Sora stands a chance against him?" Goofy asked. "That Gaara guy is getting scarier."-

"Fiddlesticks! Sora can't be beaten him!"-

"Now, you will witness my true power…!" Gaara declared.

"I'm…I'm not sure what to say." Sora said in awe as he beheld the beast.

"Say nothing, just die!" The beast inhaled a great deal of sand through mouth-like air vents that suddenly appeared all over its body. "Wind Style: Sand Storm Devastation!" A blinding sand storm bellowed towards the key bearers. Not wavered by the attack, the key bearer held his ground.

"Fool," Sasuke ridiculed, "He's actually going to take Gaara's wind style jutsu head on?"

Sure enough, the sand and wind blew upon the key bearer with enough force to flay the skin off of one's bones. But low and behold, Sora emerged from the storm, advancing against it head long.

"Impossible," Gaara uttered in his mind.

"He's actually withstanding the force of the sand storm." Sasuke added.

"This is not some simple defense technique." Saber said to himself. He observed, seeding that the sand was being fended off by some invisible force. "Sora's elemental defense has been heightened to a new level. The sand element has no effect on him whatsoever. He's developed a complete immunity to the sand element; even the demonic darkness of the Shukaku cannot hinder his defense." He then looked to Riku who was still fighting against Kadaj and his entire gang. "Perhaps Riku has developed such an advanced technique as well."

The fight against Kadaj and his gang was starting to bore Riku, who was able to evade and dodge their attacks as if it were just another training session at Thundro's. Having faced such danger in his training, the fight against Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo was a walk in the park for him. Riku avoided one final attack and bounded away from the trio for a minute or two.

"You guys aren't as weak as I thought." Riku mocked them.

"I don't get it." Loz said. "This guy hasn't even broken a sweat. And here I am, sweating bullets."

"There's something about this guy that just doesn't seem natural." Yazoo added.

"He's full of hot air, that's what." Kadaj said. "Let's see if he likes this." Kadaj lifted up his hand. Suddenly, from out of the rock, giant skeletal beings of shadow appeared. Their teeth sharpened and their movements identical to giant rats. "Now, let's see if he can handle those guys for a while."

The beasts attacked Riku, but again the key bearer proved his grit. He deployed the Laevateinn keyblade, transforming it into the keyblade whip. He lashed the whip so hard, that its deployment could not be seen. The whip deployed instantly and struck each of the beasts, diminishing them. Again Kadaj was shocked.

Saber had witnessed the whole predicament and watched as the dark beasts were struck into oblivion. He looked at the keyblade Noctin Tilandir wielded.

"That keyblade," Saber thought to himself. "I've never seen that one before. Could that possibly be a new addition?"

"Did you really think that shadow techniques would work against the Child of Darkness?" Riku declared, as he lifted his keyblade in defense.

"But how did he…?" Kadaj gawked in surprise.

"Listen, this has been fun and all, but I don't have time to be screwing around with you three all day. I've come here to stop you from taking the power of Atlantis. And being entertained by weak opponents is not part of the agenda." Riku withdrew his keyblades. "Are you curious to see what my true strength looks like?"

"Your true strength…?"-

"That's right. The reality is, up to this point, I've only been warming up."

"You lie," Loz mocked.

"Just watch me."-

Riku began to unleash his energy. The minute he did, bits of debris began to lift up into the sky. The ground itself began to rumble. It was at that very moment that Kadaj and his brothers realized the full extent of their folly as the power of Noctin Tilandir revealed itself in its entirety. Loz swallowed his pride, regretting his earlier statement.

"This power," Kadaj uttered, a sweat drop dripping from his face.

"He's making the whole place shake." Loz added.

"Riku's strength is incredible." Saber said. "So he was holding back this whole time."

"Riku's strength," Ophelia said. "It's massive."

"But how did he gain so much power?" Leon wondered.

"It must've been from his training." Cloud added.

"Well, if that training made him this strong, then sign me up for the next session!" Donald implied.

Sora felt the surge reverberating through the ground.

"Well," he said, "It looks like Riku's revealing his all. If he's gonna unleash his full potential, then I will too." He too began to increase the output in energy. "Get ready, Gaara, Sasuke, you two met your match! Prepare for a good, old fashioned, Z style power up." The ground began to shake violently and debris levitated into the air.

"What is this chakra?" Sasuke said. But no sooner had he said that, he saw a strange glow appearing around Sora. The light grew brighter and the aura grew more monstrous with every passing second. "My God, I can actually see it."

"His chakra is so great; it's even taken a physical form." Gaara uttered.

"Not Sora too," Saber growled, "His power is just as formidable."

All of Atlantis shook as the key bearers released their chi. Tremors shook the seemingly solid foundations of the city itself. In the king's throne room, Sweet and the others, who were still hovering about like balloons, could feel the strange surge.

"What the heck is going on?" he wondered. "Is it an Earthquake?"

"Seismic activity," Mole said, "At this rate, it may bring the entire ceiling of this cavern to collapse."

"We have to find a way to get down from here!" Audrey grumbled. "Aye Dios, Mio! If it wasn't for that stupid Saber using his Hocus Pocus…"-

"Ah, it ain't so bad up here." Vinny yawned. "After a while, you kinda get used to this. I feel just like I'm sleeping on air."

"Well, I highly think that this is not the time to be taking a nap."-

"Audrey's right," Sweet said, "We have to help Kida and Milo." He observed the makeshift, alchemic cage that confined Kida. "Hey, Vinny, you think you can blow Kida out of that prison cell?"

"Well, yeah I can if I had my explosives with me." Vinny replied.

"What do you mean?"-

"Well, my explosives are still down there on the floor."-

"Then you better go get them." Audrey suggested.

"And how do you expect me to do that?"-

"Swim like a fish for all I care! Just get down there and get 'em!"-

"Alright, alright, don't blow a gasket."-

"You better hurry, Vinny." Sweet suggested. "I don't like the vibes from what's going on outside."

By this time, slabs of stone embedded in the old roads and walkways had loosened themselves from their foundations and began to levitate into the air. Electrical surges began to accumulate about the powering key bearers, snapping and crackling. The strange glow illuminating Riku and Sora grew brighter and more intense.

Saber looked on in awe and uneasiness.

"What a blunder," he said, "I never would have thought that the key bearers would have improved this much. Such a miscalculation on my part is inexcusable."

Suddenly, the key bearers reached the point of necessity. Then, as soon as the chaos had erupted, it died the moment they ceased their power up. The dust settled, the levitating pieces of debris crashed to the ground and the tremors mellowed, giving stability to the ground to which the combatants stood.

"What was all that about?" Yazoo wondered.

"I don't know," Kadaj replied, "But there's a certain uneasy feeling now."

"Ha," Loz scoffed, "was that all you were doing, Riku, making a show for us?!"

"That fool," Saber grumbled, "He doesn't know how to detect power levels."

"Let's get him!" Loz, Kadaj, and Yazoo attacked Riku with all their might.

"You guys still want to play around, eh?" Riku said. "I guess I can spare a few more minutes." The fighting resumed as it did before. But this time, Riku was in complete control, easily able to evade and counter with very little effort on his part. With his level of strength, he could shift the battle in any direction he pleased.

All the while, Sasuke and Gaara could feel the intense power coming from Sora. For the first time, they trembled at the sense of the key bearer's might.

"That power is incredible." Sasuke thought to himself. "How the heck are we supposed to contend with that?"

"Very easily…!" Gaara growled. "We kill him!" Without a second thought, Gaara lunged at Sora. "I don't care how powerful you've become! You are no match for my strength!"

But to Gaara's surprise, Sora suddenly went on the offensive. He attacked with incredible speed, eluding Gaara like a speedy little fly and striking at his sandy body. The keyblade tore through the sand. Gaara, however, could feel every ounce of pain as if his very flesh was being cut. He retaliated, but again the key bearer evaded. Sora appeared to Gaara's rear and struck him in the back. The great Shukaku swung around, but met only the sharpened edge of the keyblade.

"I have to do something." Sasuke thought to himself as he saw his comrade in need of assistance. He pondered at the situation. Giving a sigh, he came to terms with himself. "I have no choice. I hoped I wouldn't have to use this attack, but…" He backed off as Gaara and Sora continued their scuffle. He hid behind a felled pillar no more than fifty yards away from the confrontation and began to concentrate his chakra in the palm of his right hand. "This will take some time."

Gaara, in the meantime, slashed and thrust with every sand attack he knew, but so far they were child's play to Sora. And with the power of the Immunity Orb within him, Gaara's sand attacks proved virtually useless. So even if the key bearer was struck, he was not hindered.

"C'mon, big guy," Sora said, "Is this the best you can do?"

"You dare to mock me?! I am Gaara! I bear the power of the Shukaku! I cannot and will not be defeated by an insect like you!" But with every swing and every strike Sora made on him, Gaara's Shukaku form seemed to slow down, tiring him little by little. But the more he was hindered, the more angry he became, thus the greater the influx in dark power.

"Why is this happening?" Gaara thought to himself. "I am the strongest…How could I be losing when I have the power of the Shukaku?"

"I didn't anticipate this outcome." Saber thought to himself. "Gaara's Shukaku is a very potent spirit, the thing that gives Gaara his skill. In his own world, he would have been the ultimate scourge, the great apocalypse to rain down upon all hidden villages. Unfortunately, because he is now outside the boundaries of his world, the logistics have changed. Thus, what would have been an advantage to him before in his own world, has been denied to him in this world. Thus, his abilities have some significant limitations. In this case, Gaara never figured on battling against an opponent armed with a keyblade. For him, the Shukaku is what unleashes his full potential. But the Shukaku spirit feeds off of his sorrow, his hatred, and his anger. The more enraged Gaara becomes, the greater his strength accumulates. But the greater his strength accumulates, the darker his aura transforms. And unfortunately for him, the keyblade was forged and design to extinguish the darkness, no matter how potent it may be. In other words, with every strike Sora inflicts on Gaara, the more the Shukaku's power is reduced."

Gaara continued his onslaught, despite being constantly struck by Sora. However, Sora knew that merely swiping at Gaara was not going to make much of a difference. He had to end the fight as soon as he could. There were still others who were in need of their assistance.

"I can't spend all my time battling you." Sora said. "I've got friends to help. So I'm going to end this."

"You are wrong, Sora." Gaara roared with that sinister grim streaked across his face. "If there is anyone who will end this, it will be me!" Again Gaara attacked.

"I have no other choice. It's kill or be killed." Sora drew out the power of Mjollnir and made ready to use it against the Shukaku. Saber was again astonished as he witnessed the key bearer holding a new weapon.

"Him too?" he uttered. "Sora also has a new keyblade like Riku. I wonder what that one is capable of doing."

"Now die," Gaara roared. He plunged his right arm at Sora, hoping to smite down the key bearer for good. But Sora evaded just as the paw made impact.

"Let's see what this baby can do!" He swung his keyblade back. "Sound your roar Mjollnir!" With all his might, he struck Gaara's shoulder. The moment the head of the keyblade made contact, there was a terrific explosion that cracked the entire body of Shukaku. Light reverberated from inside. From there came a deafening explosion, which intermingled with the mangled wailing of Gaara as the pain surged through his body. The great sand beast was felled and there Gaara lay, motionless upon the ground, with a deep wound upon his shoulder. He cried out in such a pitiful tone that Sora instantly hated himself for having to inflict such a horrible wound upon one so young.

"My God," he uttered, "What have I done?"

"It hurts," Gaara cried. "It hurts," He grasped his arm and felt the wet liquid of his blood. Gazing upon the crimson horror, the boy's aggressive nature seemed to fade as this unspeakable pain manifested even in the darkest caverns of his heart. "My blood...It's my blood…make it stop! Make the bleeding stop!" Never before had Gaara been inflicted with such a hideous would. For years, his inner demon could fend off any attack no matter how sudden or unexpected it was. Yet now, not even the Shukaku spirit was strong enough to withstand the attack from Mjollnir, Thor's mighty hammer.

"I never realized that this thing had so much power." Sora said to himself. "So much destructive power."

"This can't be right." Saber said to himself. "Sora managed to strike Gaara down and diminish the Shukaku spirit with one hit. He truly wields a magnificent weapon. And that in itself will prove to be a problem for us."

"I'll have to avoid using this keyblade for the time being. I could end up causing more damage than preventing it. I don't want to have to take the life of that kid when he's still so young."-

It was at that moment that what sounded like a thousand twittering birds began to increase in volume and sound out throughout the area of the fight. With it, there was a sudden increase in power. Sora quickly turned his head about to see where that sound was coming from. Little did he realize that Sasuke had powered up to his maximum. He had concentrated all of his chakra into his right palm making his hand surge with electricity. It was this electricity that made the sound of a thousand sparrows.

"He managed to take down Gaara and his Shukaku spirit with one hit." Sasuke said. "That means that Sora's in a completely different league from us. So I can't allow him to spot me. I can't afford to waste anymore time." He peeked over the felled pillar, Sora's back was still facing him. But Sasuke knew that he could turn around at any moment. "He's already trying to look for me, trying to point out my chakra signature. I'll have to make this attack count absolutely."

"Where the heck is that sound coming from?" Sora wondered. The twittering seemed to echo from everywhere as the sound waves reverberated from off of the old stone ruins. "I can sense a strong power, but I can't pin point its exact location right now. There is still that linger of darkness coming from Gaara and those distant powers from those three guys Riku is fighting."

"Prepare yourself, Sora!" Sasuke said in his mind as he jumped over the felled column and dashed the full fifty yards as fast as lightning. Sora could feel the immense amount of chakra flowing from the young shinobi's right hand, but could not pin point an exact location. By the time he had concentrated enough to lock onto Sasuke's energy signal, the boy was within striking distance. "Behold my ultimate attack, Chidori, one thousand birds!!"

He was almost on top of Sora and within striking range. Then, at the last minute, Sora evaded just as the young genin thrust his arm forward. The attack was so close to hitting that Sora could feel the heat passing him. Out stretching his own hand, he grabbed Sasuke by the wrist. He could feel the energy surging and the burning of the electricity, but Sora was unhindered.

"That was too close." He said.

"Damn it," Sasuke growled inwardly. "He caught me at the last minute."

"Fool," Saber growled from afar, "What a waste of energy."

Sasuke looked up at Sora with those red Sharingan eyes of his. But Sora did not stir. He dared not strike the boy. After his maiming of Gaara and the Shukaku, he did not want to have to inflict such pain, especially on one so young.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke demanded. "You think you can just end this thing without finishing me off?" He reached for a Kunai that was stashed away in his pack with his other hand. "If you don't do something quick, I'll take your life."

"I don't believe that you would be able to strike me down, even with that concealed blade you're reaching for." Sora explained. Using the Mjollnir, he rested the hammerhead upon the fingers that grasped at the Kunai's ringed handle. Sasuke dared not move. "I believe you hold too much value in your purpose."

"And what makes you say that?"-

"Because I can see it in your eyes, you may not realize this, but I can sense your actions by means of your energy influx. You've seen what I could do and now you fear that a similar fate will be bestowed upon you."-

"I don't care what you think and do." Sasuke lifted his head in defiance towards the key bearer. "I am a shinobi and I follow the shinobi way. And as a shinobi, I show no concern or emotion. I will not let my feelings get in the way of my mission!"

"Then, let me ask you something, kid." Sora said. "Do you really want it to end this way?"

"What…?"-

"Do you long that much for death? And what exactly are you planning to die for? Why are you here?"-

Suddenly, upon hearing those words, Sasuke's conscience emerged, breaking the dark power which had such a powerful hold on him. His memory surged with the past days since he joined Saber in his expedition. His mind ceased his thoughts of anger and revenge and turned to his friends and how he had helped in executing their demise. The Chidori diminished from his open palm.

"Why am I here?" Questions began to pop into the young ninja's mind. "What is my purpose for being in this world so far from home? Why am I doing this?" Sasuke looked to the KH team members and the Atlanteans who were watching the fight from a distance away. His mind then regressed to thoughts of his own past and its comparison with the present situation. "I came here to take the power of Atlantis, so that I could become stronger and kill my traitor brother, Itachi for what he did to us. He wiped out my entire clan and he deserves to die. I am an avenger and I was the only one entrusted to kill him. That is why he kept me alive. And I will fulfill that goal no matter what!" Sasuke's rage turned to sorrow as he discovered his own faults. "But if I take the power source of Atlantis, I would be certifying the absolute demise of these Atlanteans as well. That would make me no better than my brother. And I vowed that I would not become like him, that I would be everything that he isn't. Then what has all my striving been for? To become the thing I hated the most? I helped kill my friends for the sake of becoming stronger. But was it worth it? What have I become…?"

It was then that Sasuke fell to his knees, loosening the tension in his muscles. It was then that the dark splotches on his body receded and his Sharingan eyes diminished to a humble grey.

"What have I done?" Sasuke said, lowering his eyes. Sora released the boy's arm and let him be. He had broken Sasuke's will to continue. He had unleashed an unseen guilt, an unseen sadness within the shinobi's heart. And like a dark cloud disappearing on a sunny day, the darkness lifted in Sasuke's heart lifted.

For the first time in so long, the young ninja wept. Perhaps it was being so far away from home. It might have been his loathing for his own weakness, or maybe it was the fact that he had committed such a terrible crime. But whatever the reason, Sasuke, for that brief moment cared not for the way to the shinobi, not to show emotion. To him, all that was irrelevant now.

Sora could feel the darkness lift. He knew then and there that Sasuke had been possessed the whole time.

"That power," he growled, "I knew it. Saber was behind all of this."

Saber looked on in disgust at the disgraceful sight.

"Coward," he said in the back of his mind. It was then that he witnessed the end of the second fight.

As the battle against Sasuke and Gaara met a swift and rather anti-climactic conclusion, Riku's battle against Kadaj and his brothers was about to end in roughly the same nature. Up until that moment, he had been toying around with the three brothers, making light of their tactics and their techniques. However, the brothers weren't aware of this deception.

"Well," Riku said, "I have to admit, you guys are persistent. But all your efforts were in vain."

"Don't act so confident." Yazoo declared, "So far, you haven't done any better. And at the rate you're going, you'll tire out sooner or later."

"I bet this is all you can do just to defend yourself." Loz mocked.

"And with the three of us fighting as one, there's no hope for you to win." Kadaj added. "We're only using up a third of what you're wasting. You should have considered joining us, Riku."

"So long as the three of us fight together, we can't be defeated by anyone."-

"You guys just don't get it." Riku sighed. "Superior numbers and well polished techniques and tactics aren't enough to help win a battle. What point is it having flies coordinate themselves against someone armed with a flyswatter? You guys have the determination, but you don't have to the strength to contend with me."

"I bet you're bluffing!"-

"You think so?"-

"Just let me get one good shot at you and then we'll see who the stronger one is!"-

"Very well, I'm tired of playing this game anyway." Riku suddenly stopped, allowing Loz to get in one powerful hit to his gut. Loz on chuckled.

"You fool," He slugged Riku in the gut with all his might and unleashed the power of the Dual Hound to add to the devastation. But Loz's amusement turned to sudden apprehension as he, despite striking Riku in the gut with all his might, had little effect on the key bearer.

"Who's the fool now?"-

"Impossible," Just then, Riku punched Loz in the gut. The hit was so powerful that it forced the brutish brother to his knees and curling like a ball. Yazoo and Kadaj were struck with fear.

"He took down Loz with one hit." Kadaj uttered.

"That can't be." Yazoo replied. "No one can take down Loz that easily."

"Are you in pain, Loz?" Riku said. "I guess that'll shut your big mouth up for a while."

"Don't underestimate me…!" Using what little strength he had, he lunged at Riku. But the key bearer easily evaded. Swinging back his hand, still wielding his keyblade, he slammed the hilt to the back of Loz's head. The burly oaf tumbled fifty yards before settling at the feet of General Saber himself.

"I can't feel my legs…" he uttered.

"Incompetent idiot," Saber thought to himself. He watched as the key bearer faced the last two of the three brothers.

"And now there are only two." Riku turned to the remaining brothers. "So who's next?"

"Why you," Yazoo drew out his trusted side arm, the Velvet Nightmare, and fired ten shots at the key bearer. "Try and dodge these!" But again both brothers were astounded as Riku's speed caught each bullet that flew towards him. His fist full of lead, the key bearer dropped the projectiles, all ten of them clinking as they hit the ground. "What…?"

"He caught all of the bullets?" Kadaj said.

"You won't get the best of me!" Yazoo started shooting again. But this time, it was Riku who was on the offensive, suddenly charging at the long haired remnant. Yazoo didn't get off five shots before Riku rammed him in the gut with his elbow and sent him hurdling backwards. Yazoo struck a pillar and there at its base, he lay unconscious.

"You bastard," Kadaj shouted. He swung his Souba at Riku only to have it blocked by the black shaft of the Ginroio Noria. Then using Laevateinn, he held the second keyblade at the young man's throat.

"This fight is over." Riku declared. "Drop your sword."

Kadaj stomach seemed to turn upside down as he saw the blade of Noctin Tilandir held at his jugulars. Overcome a sudden sense of fear, feeling absolutely helpless, Kadaj dropped his sword.

"Go ahead," he growled, "Finish me." But Riku held back his blow and lowered his weapons.

"My fight is not with you."-

"If you lower your guard, I swear that I'll pick up my sword and sever your heard from your shoulders, Riku."-

"I highly doubt that."-

"You just watch me."-

"You can try, but you'll only be shortening your life. I'm giving you a chance to live, so don't throw it away." Riku diminished the Laevateinn keyblade. "Besides, from what I can sense from you, I wouldn't consider you much of a threat." Riku turned his back. But the moment he did, Kadaj took up his blade again.

However, it was something that Riku had expected, and at the last moment, he turned around and knocked the sword out of his hand, just as he was about to strike. The blade flew far enough so that Kadaj could not recover it.

"You…" the youth growled.

"You got away with a warning." Riku said. "The next time won't be so merciful. You want to try a stunt like that again, you better be ready to lose your life." Realizing the futility of facing such a skilled opponent, Kadaj backed off. He fell to his knees in submission and lowered his head.

"I can't believe I lost…"-

"Don't take it to heart. This was not out of spite."-

Riku diminished his other keyblade and rejoined Sora, not fearing further retaliation from the leader of the three brothers.

"Not bad, Riku," Sora said, "I saw the whole thing."

"They won't be fighting anymore." Riku replied.

"Yeah,"-

Riku then looked at Saber.

"It looks like your on your own again." He declared.

"What arrogant confidence." Saber thought to himself. "I never would have thought them capable of taking down these five so easily. They proved so powerful; they even forced both Sasuke and Kadaj into submission, breaking their will to fight entirely. And I had figured those particular two to be the most likely of the five who would never give up. But I guess one cannot always judge by outer appearances."

"Hey, Riku, Sora," the other KH team members came to greet them. "You guys did it."

"Boy you gave those palookas what they deserved." Donald chuckled.

"We thought you wouldn't be able to do it." Kirin added. 'But I guess we were wrong."

"How the heck did you guys become so powerful anyway?" Cloud asked.

"It wasn't an easy regimen that's for sure." Sora said sheepishly.

"Well, it looks like we emerged victorious after all." Kairi said. The team chuckled at the thought of the fight nearly being over, but Riku kept a straight face, knowing the challenge that still awaited them.

"It's not over yet." Riku said. "We still have Saber to contend with."

"Yeah," Sora added. The team looked at Saber with glaring eyes, "Just one more to go."

"Awe, I wouldn't worry about it." Goofy said. "After what we've seen you guys do to those other five, I'm sure you can fight Saber easily."

"Yeah," Donald added. He then shouted at Saber. "You hear that, Saber?! You're all alone now!"

Saber gave that irritated look.

"Damn it all." He grumbled. "I had expected better results." He gazed at Gaara who was still prostrated on the ground, Loz at his feet and Yazoo slowly regaining consciousness. Then of course there was Kadaj and Sasuke who wandered about with their heads lowered in shame. "I had thought that these five would have been able to do the job. But as I expected, the use of subordinates has failed and all because of those damned key bearers. They have only proven that these five are irrelevant additions to my cause. As what had occurred many times before, I can't rely on anyone. And as usual, I have to handle the situation myself."

"So what are we gonna do now?" Ophelia asked.

"There's only Saber to worry about." Riku said. "The others have lost their will to continue fighting."

"It's just one more for us to confront." Sora uttered. "One more obstacle to surmount and one more general to defeat, then the puzzle piece is as good as ours."

"And then we can rescue the king from the confinement he had to endure for the past two months." Donald said.

However, little did the team realize that this last hurdle would prove to be the biggest and most difficult they ever had to surmount. And it all started with a plea. Loz, still battered from Riku's hits, did not have enough energy to lift himself back onto his feet. He looked at Saber standing stolid over him.

"Hey Saber," he uttered. The general looked down at him. "I'm having a little trouble getting up. Do you mind giving me a hand?" He held out his arm, hoping for some assistance. The general said nothing, but gave a stern. He obliged Loz by grasping his outstretched hand. Loz smiled, fully embracing Saber's compassion. "I appreciate the help…" Saber suddenly gave a devious smirk.

"Of course," he replied, "It's the least I could do to assist you." But Saber's grasp on Loz's hand tightened. Loz flinched. "However, I must say that I'm rather disappointed. And if there is one thing I cannot stand, it's being disappointed!"

Then, unexpected to both sides, Saber tossed Loz into the air. The burly young man screamed out as he went flying towards the cavern wall in the distance. Both the KH team and the weakened members of his own party were stunned.

"Maybe you won't be such a disappointment when you're in hell!" Saber roared. With that, he unleashed his own strength. Like Riku and Sora before him, the Blade General revealed the full capacity of his power. Again the winds picked up and debris levitated into the air. This time, they swerved around violently, picked up by the wind. The foundations of Atlantis shook violently from the tremors. It seemed that the city itself would collapse. Saber himself began to unleash a glow of light.

Riku, Sora, and the others were nearly blown away. They shielded their faces to avoid being struck by the debris.

"Man," Riku uttered, "What the heck is this?"

"Saber's powering up." Kirin cried.

"My God," Sora said, "I had no idea he was this strong."

"Now die," Saber shouted. From his body, the light condensed and suddenly spurted out as a strong energy wave. The wave struck Loz in mid air.

"No, Saber," he pleaded. "Why are you doing this?"

"It's simple," the general wet his lips at the thought of finishing him off. "You're no longer of any use!"

Overcome by the energy, Loz was consumed entirely and his body disintegrated, reducing him to ash. There was a terrific explosion illuminated by light and echoing with thunderous booms. As the chaos ended, it had become apparent that the key bearers were not dealing with an easy foe. This final battle against the mightiest of the Blade Generals would prove to be one of the toughest and most grueling confrontations they had ever engaged against.


	114. Guentory Finnele

Guentory Finnele

The immediate obliteration of Loz by Saber had only proved the extent of the Blade General's resolve. Observing his handy work, Saber gave no expression joy. Only a serious gaze was marked on his face. For a while, there was silence.

The key bearers and their friends were all astounded and somewhat frightened.

"Man," Donald uttered, "What an attack. He completely obliterated one of his own guys." Sora sneered, as he glared at the general.

"What kind of monster are we dealing with?" he wondered.

"Saber," Kadaj shouted. "Have you lost your mind?! Have you any idea what you just did?!"

"I'm fully aware of my actions, young Kadaj." Saber asked.

"But why, why did you kill Loz?!"-

"Does his fate really matter to you?"-

"Of course it does! He was my brother!"-

"And what is the meaning of love and brotherhood to someone like you." Saber suddenly turned his head, glaring his red eye at Kadaj. "If Loz wanted to live so badly, then he should not have failed in fighting Riku."

"What…?" The young man was stunned to hear such a cold declaration.

"Now that I think about it," the general faced the remnant, "You and Yazoo also failed. In the entire time you were battling against Riku, you could not once maim him, no matter how slight."

"What are you saying?"-

"I'm saying that you and your brothers are no longer of any use to me. So what's the point of having you around?" Saber then looked at Sasuke and Gaara from the corner of his eye. "The same goes to those two pathetic genin over there."

"Us…?" Sasuke uttered.

"You've worn out your use. What good are you if you idiots can't even take down a halfwit like Sora?"-

"But the promise you made us?" Kadaj said. "You said that we were going to be reunited with mother."

"You are a young, simple-minded fool, Kadaj." Saber chuckled. "You were desperate enough to believe anything about Jenova's mimetic legacy and would side with anyone who could help you achieve it. I only said that so you and your siblings would be motivated to fight with the greatest of your abilities. But of course we realize now that even at your peak, you're still a failure. What I can't believe is that you were actually persuaded by my honey words. But then again, what more can I expect from a copy."

"A copy…?" Riku said to himself overhearing those last few syllables.

"Kadaj was just a copy?" Cloud uttered. "That explains it then."

"I'm a copy…?" Kadaj was confused.

"That's right," Saber openly bellowed, "You and your brothers were mere copies. Your strengths were enhanced far above that of the original Kadaj gang. You were implanted with the original memory data taken from them, so you would bear the same type of grudge against your brother, Cloud Strife, and still have that urge to reunite with the power of Jenova. So basically, you were just a clone meant to act like those they originated from. But like all good machines, once they have lived out their use, there is no longer a need for them."

"You betrayed us." Kadaj growled. "You betrayed us!"

"Copies shouldn't fell betrayed. It's not in their program."-

But Kadaj didn't heed Saber's warning. He quickly turned and rushed for his sword. But Saber easily caught up with him before he could grab it.

"You…"-

"Nothing personal, boy…" Saber prepared to strike. But suddenly, a shot rang out. Saber saw a bullet approaching from the corner of his eye. He easily evaded.

"You'll have to deal with me first." A voice shouted. Saber turned to see Yazoo aiming his gun at him.

"I see you're still alive."-

"You'll pay for your betrayal." Yazoo fired his gun at the Blade General. But Saber simply raised his hand and halted the incoming projectiles as if they were nothing. In mid air the bullets stopped. Yazoo was shocked. "It can't be."

Saber reversed the direction of the bullets, aiming them back at the shooter.

"Right back at you," Saber deployed the bullets at once. Yazoo was given no time to react and was struck four times in the chest. Two bullets pierced his heart, while the other two struck his lungs. Yazoo was killed instantly.

"Yazoo," Kadaj cried.

"That bastard," Riku growled, "He's killing off his own guys."

"Takes care of that irritation," Saber declared.

Angered over his brother's death, Kadaj ran for his sword. He grabbed it and quickly rushed at Saber. He slashed at him, but it would a fatal mistake. Saber quickly threw up his saber and lodged it between the parallel blades of Kadaj's Souba. The young man's eyes widened with fear.

"A shame to waste such talents," the general said. "But then again it was a waste for the Imperial Axis to create such a faulty clone." Twisting about his sword, Saber broke off both of Kadaj's Souba blades at the hilt. He then struck the young man in the head with the hilt of his sword. Kadaj cried out, but not for long as he felt a deep pain rupture in his gut. Looking down, he realized that Saber had rammed his blade into his stomach. Kadaj keeled forward, blood flowing from his mouth. He coughed up the black-red phlegm which splattered upon the ground.

"Saber…" Sasuke uttered. "Why did you do it?"

"Kadaj…" Riku shut his eyes, not wanting to see such suffering.

"No," Cloud cried, "Kadaj,"

Kadaj grasped at Saber in his last attempt to resist, but all proved futile.

"Why, Saber…" Tears formed in his eyes. "Why…?"

"You're a smart lad, Kadaj," Saber replied. "You figure it out." The general pulled out the blade which had been pierced all the way through the youth, exiting out the right side of his back. Kadaj fell to the ground. Uttering his last breath, he cursed his own blindness.

"What a fool I've been…" With that, his hand fell to his side. His green eyes dimmed, they closed half way, giving Kadaj that dazed look of a morning riser. His lips were opened, slightly apart.

Saber slashed his blade, throwing off the blood that stained it.

"Only two more to go." He said. "Sasuke and Gaara, you two are next."

"What…?" Sasuke uttered. "You're going to kill us to?"

"If you didn't want to die, then you should not have lost."-

He turned to face and finish off the two shinobis. But as he did, he saw Gaara rushing at him. This surprised both Saber and the KH team who suddenly saw this kid reform a sand body and rushing in for the kill. Though still weakened by the blow Sora inflicted on him, he still had enough power to unleash the Shukaku, even though only one half of his body had been transformed.

"If that's the case," Gaara shouted, "Then I will kill you first! I will prove the worth of my existence!" He lunged at Saber. The sand fell upon the general and Gaara figured he had successfully crushed him. But to his shock, Saber appeared to his flank. The general's sword began to glow, revealing ruins engraved on its blade. He cut away at Gaara. And like Sora's keyblade, Saber's sword inflicted terrible damage on Gaara, both to him and the Shukaku. Gaara roared out in pain. "But how…?"

"Fool," Saber chuckled. "You're no longer in the confinements of your own world, Gaara. Therefore, even the power of the Shukaku is not absolute. And with me being armed with the legendary Alchemist sword, not even you can withstand my power. A power which could even kill the strongest of the immortal homunculi, did you really think that the Shukaku would favor any better?"

"I thought I recognized that sword." Sora said. "That's the same sword he used back in Agrabah."

Saber then unleashed his force element, forcing Gaara to be drawn to the gravitational pull. Gaara struggled in mid-air. Almost instantly thereafter, Saber leaped up and thrust his saber into the boy's heart. Gaara gasped before falling silent. Saber landed upon the ground again and diminished the force element. With that, Gaara fell to the ground. His body did not stir and the sand now laid motionless along side him. There was not doubt that this time, the once mightiest and most feared genin of his world now lay dead, never to rise again.

"Gaara…" Sasuke uttered.

"And then there was one." Saber implied. He looked at the young shinobi, a smirk upon his face. "It looks like you're the only one."

"But my brother, I have to defeat him."-

"Sorry, boy, but you can't have everything your way."-

Saber suddenly charged with incredible speed. Sasuke quickly drew out his Kunai and unleashed his Sharingan. But the general's movements were so fast that the young ninja could not register the movements, even with the power of the Sharingan. Sasuke was cut across the chest and fell to the ground. Wounded on his upper torso, he could only watch as his inevitable death came before his eyes.

"All in vain, Sasuke," Saber chuckled. "And this time, there is no one to save you." Saber made ready to eliminate his former subordinate once and for all. But as he did, Sora suddenly threw himself between him and Sasuke. "What's this…?"

"S…Sora…?" Sasuke uttered.

"This doesn't concern you right now, Sora. Step off. You and your friends will get your turn soon enough."

"Sorry to ruin it for you, Saber." Sora replied. "But I am not going to let you kill him."

"And why not, after he and Gaara tried to kill you, you should be thirsting to see this incompetent fool die."-

"You're wrong, I didn't want to kill him and I never will. And I'm not gonna stand around and watch you kill anyone else, especially your own guys."-

Riku and the others joined Sora.

"Get the kid out of here." Riku said.

"We gotcha," Goofy replied.

"Let's go, kid!" Donald told Sasuke.

"But why are you…" Sasuke was confused. His foes had become his allies as his allies became his foes.

"I don't know myself! But if Sora wants to help you, then let him help you!"-

"But why…?"-

"Because, it was the right thing to do,"-

The team escorted Sasuke to the rear. In the meantime, the other members joined aside the key bearers to fight against the last of the Blade Generals.

"You guys get back." Riku told his friends. "Sora and I will take on Saber alone."

"But Riku," Ophelia said, "We'd be able to help you."

"That's not the point. You have suffered enough. Sit this one out alright?"-

"But,"-

"Listen to Riku." Sora suggested. "We can handle this alone. Besides, we don't want any of you to get hurt. If the moment arises that we need assistance, we'll give you guys the signal."

"Sora…" Kairi uttered.

"I find that a fair strategy." Kirin said.

"But brother…"-

"I hate to say this, but if we try to fight Saber now, we'd only be getting in the way. From what I can tell, Riku and Sora are in a completely different class. The way they took care of Kadaj and his gang, Gaara, and Sasuke all by themselves, they're equal in strength to Saber. We wouldn't stand a chance. We'd only be fodder. However, if we do as Riku and Sora suggest, then at least, if they need our help later, we can join in. By that time, Saber would be in a weakened state and will not be as threatening. We can't afford to waste energy at the present moment." He put his hand on his sister's shoulder. "Let's save our energy for the time being."

"Is that what you two want?" Kairi asked Sora and Riku.

"That's right." Riku replied. "We'll say the word the moment there's the slightest bit of trouble."

"Very well," Ophelia agreed. She turned to the others. "Ladies and Gents, let's withdraw for now and let Riku and Sora face Saber for the time being."

"Understood," Cloud said.

"Right," Leon added.

"Then let's go." Ophelia directed.

The other members of the KH team withdrew leaving the key bearers alone with Saber. While retreating to a safer distance, Kairi cried out to her friends.

"You guys stay safe, alright?" she said.

"You can count on that." Sora replied, giving a thumb's up.

"We'll be alright." Riku concurred.

As the others were at a safe distance, the key bearers turned their attention towards Saber. The smile they had given to their friends turned into loathing glares towards the Blade General. But Saber was not at all intimidated.

"I hope you've enjoyed saying your pathetic pleas of 'good-byes' and 'good lucks,' but you're only postponing your inevitable defeat." The general declared.

"Shut up," Sora said. "You've done enough damage."

"You fools, standing against me, do you really think that you can emerge the victor against the mightiest of the Blade Generals."-

"I think we're more than capable of dealing with you…Guentory Finnele." Riku stated. The minute the name of Guentory Finnele exited his lips, Saber's heart suddenly began to thump rapidly. There was a silence between the three before the general continued."

"What did you say?"-

"We know all about you, Saber." Sora said. "We even know about the grudge you bear against us."

"You were once the leader of the Cavendish Shinobis." Riku added.

"But you left the leadership to your cousin, the late General Kai, the one that I defeated six years ago."-

Again silence befell the general before speaking again.

"Only one person could have told you my real name." Saber's fists tightened. "Master Thundro, how could you betray your comrades like this?" Saber looked up with a glare. "I see now, he must've been the one to train you. No wonder you have excelled so greatly in such little time."

"You have an excellent insight, Saber." Riku said, folding his arms in front of him. "It was Thundro that trained us."

"But why would he train you, the enemies of the Imperial Regime?"-

"It's because he had a need to do so and that we were worthy of it."-

"Then so be it." Saber smirked. "I'm sure that my master had his reasons for training you. But let us see how far you've excelled in only three weeks. Now you have managed to battle against Kadaj's gang and the two genin shinobis with barely any effort, but let's see if you can fight against me."

Saber suddenly drew up his hand and unleashed the force element to grasp at the key bearers and render them helpless. But to his dismay, despite the power of the force's epicenter and luring of loose debris to the gravitational pull, the key bearers were unaffected.

"Impossible…" Saber thought to himself.

The other KH team members could feel the pull and quickly grasped on to anything that might prevent them from being sapped into the vortex. They looked in amazement of the key bearers withstanding the effects of the gravity.

"Are you seeing this?" Ophelia uttered.

"Riku and Sora are completely unaffected by that force pull." Leon added.

"But how can that be?" Kirin wondered. "We're being drawn in from this distance. Yet they're just underneath it, but act as if there was no pull at all."

Riku and Sora charged the general. Saber was again surprised. The key bearers drew out their keyblades and started to battle against him. The general could not believe the strength of their blows and the accuracy and precision of their movements. For ten minutes, he had to withstand their assaults, heightening his own acute senses to battle.

"What power and speed." Saber said to himself. "I'm impressed. But how is it that they were able to withstand that strong of a force attack?"

"Give it up, Saber!" Riku declared. "You can't win against us! We've gained powerful assets!"

"Is that so?" Saber backed off. "Then try a little of this!" Using his dimensional element, thrusting his sword through rips in the barrier of the space time continuum. But as before, the key bearers were able to evade with great precision. They seemed to predict when and where the blade would emerge. Saber slashed and thrust as best he could with the attack, but again his efforts were in vain.

"I can see them." Sora said. "I can see when the sword would come out to strike us. They're as clear as day."

"Inconceivable," The general gritted his teeth. "They're even evading my dimensional attacks. And this is not an element that can be evaded so easily, if not at all."

Sora and Riku closed in until they were on top of Saber. Their weapons clashed, causing sparks to ignite.

"Look at that," Kairi cheered. "They're actually doing it!"

"They're actually beating Saber." Donald gave a hurrah. "Go Riku, go Sora, give that guy what's coming to him!"

"Even Saber's most powerful elemental attacks have no effect on them." Ophelia said with a smirk. "I guess when the elements don't work, Saber's nothing."

After a further ten minutes of battle, Saber had grown rather irritated of the key bearers and their continuous assaults.

"This is really starting to thorn my side." Saber grumbled. "I wasn't expecting this, but these key bearers have somehow developed a skill that makes them immune to the effects of my elemental attacks." There was a pause again as the two sides broke away. "I have no other choice. I must end this as soon as I can."

"Prepare yourself, Saber!" Sora shouted. "It all end's here!"

Again the key bearers attacked, not giving Saber time to regain his composure.

"Drat…" Using his inner strength, he unleashed the time element. But again, to his dismay, Riku and Sora were untouched by the element and continued their onslaught. Saber was again surprised, but not as shocked as before, knowing at that moment that the element was not going to work. "As I expected…"

"It's over," Riku stated. The three again clashed blades. Even as time had stopped around them, the trio still engaged. Again for five minutes, though not a second of time passed in the rest of the world, the combatants clashed before again breaking away. The time element ended and the key bearers were found confronting Saber far from where they were before.

"How did they get all the way over there?" Goofy asked.

"I don't know." Ophelia replied. "I didn't even sense their movements."

"I wonder…" Kirin said.

"There's no doubt about it." Leon said. "Those two have succeeded us to a new level of strength. They're in a completely different league altogether."

"Face it, Saber." Sora declared. "Your elemental attacks won't work on us anymore."

"I'm fully aware of that fact, Sora." Saber answered.

"Thundro told us all about your knowledge of all eleven elements! And he's helped us prepare for them!"-

"We've developed an immunity that can withstand any elemental attack, no matter how strong." Riku added.

"So I see." Saber chuckled. "You managed to withstand the effects of even the time element, an asset in my arsenal that cannot be broken by anyone."

"Then you should know by now that it's futile for you to resist any further. We're equal in strength and skill to you and we've rendered all of your elemental attacks useless." But Saber only guffawed. "What's so funny?"

"You idiots," Saber smirked. "You might have been able to withstand the elemental attacks, but that is not all that I have within my arsenal of abilities. I only use elemental attacks as a warm up."

"A warm up…?" Sora asked. He did not like the way the general casually uttered those words. "He was just warming up…?"

"Up until now, I never had to rely on my true strength because the elemental attacks were enough to take down the most powerful of opponents. You might say that it acts as the first line of defense. However, this is the first time that anyone has ever rendered the affects of my elemental attacks to a useless state and has forced me to unleash my physical strength and my fighting aura in its place. You should be honored. I haven't had to use my real strength since the fall of the Dark Empire." Saber began to increase his strength. "I know you boys are dying to see it. If I can't use the elements to defeat you, I'll just have to finish you off the old fashioned way, by pulverizing you!"

With that, Saber began to unleash his full strength. Again all of Atlantis began to tremble as the general gave way to his inner power. The ancient establishments themselves seemed to tremble with fear. Animals quickly fled from the scene, the winds swiftly picked up, and the waters of the lake became torrential. It was at that moment the key bearers started to lose their confidence as their senses picked up the ebbing flow of chakra that rose from the general.

"My God," Sora uttered, "are you feeling this, Riku?"

"I didn't realize he was this strong." Riku replied.

"That's the same kind of intensity I felt when he blew away that Loz guy."-

"Maybe this battle won't be as easy as we thought it was going to be. I knew Saber was powerful, but I never would have imagined it would be like this." Riku suddenly drew out his keyblade. "Sora, we have to stop him before he becomes too strong!"

"Right," Sora unleashed his keyblades and charged at Saber.

"Imbeciles," Saber said. "It is already too late to resist."

Unleashing his energy in an instant, at the same time echoing his voice throughout the cavern, he blew the key bearers away. The light of his aura was brighter than the sun and the effects of its force caused the waters to recede and the ancient walkways beneath him to break. The key bearers could only covered their eyes from the light and debris and hold their ground against the winds that repelled them. But as soon as chaos erupted, so did it fade into a placid peace once again. The key bearers looked on.

"Man," Riku uttered, "I don't like the feel of this."

"Riku," Sora said, he pointed out. The key bearers realized that Saber had suddenly disappeared from sight. Riku began to sweat.

"Where did he go?"-

"I don't know. I didn't sense his movement." The key bearers looked around. There was no sign of Saber. But then, a voice roared out.

"Sora, Noctin Tilandir," the key bearers turned their heads rearward. There Saber hovered just above the ground. "Prepare yourselves, boys. This is the end!"

Saber suddenly rushed them, his speed excelling anything they ever encountered. His sword deployed, the mighty Blade General slashed and struck at the key bearers. He went for Sora first. The moment their blades touches, Sora already knew that a significant different had presented itself between their strengths.

"This impact," he uttered, "so much power." Saber swerved, knocking the key bearer of his feet, and then pummeled him with the hilt guard of his sword. Sora was struck across the face and was sent flying backwards.

"Sora," Riku cried. He glared at the general. "Leave him alone!" Riku unleashed both key blades and simultaneously slashed one before the other, hoping to confuse the general and catch him off guard. But the Imperial easily dodged and evaded, as if predicting Riku's movements ahead of time. He finally caught hold of one of the keyblades, blocking it with his sword.

"You just never learn, do you?" Riku used the other keyblade to strike, but the Blade General eluded him again, swerving around and elbowing Riku at the back of the head. The young key bearer's back had been totally exposed, a tempting target for a determined Imperial.

But Sora intervened at the last minute to help his friend.

"No backstabbing, Saber," He said. He lunged forth, but missed again.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up." Saber swiped his blade downward and slashed Sora across the back. Sora cried out as the blood spilled from the open wound.

"Sora," Riku cried as he beheld his comrade wounded. He turned about and struck at Saber, but the Imperial only evaded again, vanishing from sight. "Damn it."

"What's the matter, Noctin Tilandir? Can't you find me?" Saber suddenly reappeared before the key bearer. Riku quickly reacted, but he dodged too late as the blade slashed at him, cutting thought the front of his shirt and making a shallow wound that stretched from his right upper abdomen to the top of his left breast. Saber gestured an overhead slash, hoping to cut the key bearer in two. Riku used both keyblades and caught the sharpened steel. Saber pounded away with his blade. On the final impact, he leaped up slightly, turning his blade downward towards the key bearer's head. Riku evaded. Saber landed just behind him soon after and slashed back. Again Riku managed to turned about and block, just as the blade came forth.

"Riku," Sora shouted, suddenly appearing to the aid of his friend. He thrust the keyblade, but again Saber evaded. The three grappled profusely, but Saber's offensive was too much. He had become to powerful for them to handle.

In the final moment of truth, Saber backed away. From a far distance, he suddenly unleashed a barrage of energy waves that he unleashed with his sword slashes. The blue auras streaked through the air.

"Look out," Riku declared. They evaded the waves by narrow margins. Those waves then made impact with some of the ruins behind them, cutting them clean from their foundations and causing them to tumble to the ground.

"Try this on then," Saber chuckled. "Thunderous Shock," Saber pounded his sword upon the ground. There was a loud sonic boom and another energy wave that surged upon the shallows of the lake and on the old stone roads, cutting through with unimaginable strength and speed, leaving only devastation in its wake.

"Evade," Sora shouted. The key bearers leaped up into the air. But as they cleared their way through the debris, they were met by those same long ranged energy slashes that Saber used to attack them before. This time, the key bearers didn't dodge fast enough. Riku managed to evade, but the wave had cut across the front of his shirt and jacket, leaving a few cuts and a burned patch of flesh. Luckily for Sora, however, he had been wearing his shoulder armor. That was probably the only thing protecting his arm from being severed off completely. However, the energy had cut through the armor, ripping the cloth of Sora's shirt and nicking him slightly on the upper arm.

"Well," Saber thought to himself, "I'm surprised. They evaded that attack with very little damage. What nimbleness."

By this time, the key bearers were exhausted. They had been pushed to their maximum, but even that was not enough to battle against this most cunning of foes.

"So much for the Immunity Orb," Sora said, inhaling another deep breath. "It won't save us from that physical strength of his."

"Not bad, boys," Saber chuckled as he hovered up the greet them. The key bearers quickly descended. Saber, proud of his accomplishment, took his position upon a pattered old bridge, just overlooking the area where they engaged.

Riku took hold of his coat and threw it asunder. Its tattered remnant was no longer functional, so it was discarded, despite the many battles Riku wore it into.

"This guy is too much." He said. "Even at our peak, we're still no match for him."

"What's the matter, boys? You don't seem as eager as before."-

There was utter silence between the two opposing sides. But the feeling was clear. So long as Riku and Sora fought as they did, there was no way they would win.

Their friends looked on in horror to see their two comrade humbled before the mighty Blade General.

"What's going on?" Kairi asked. "It looked like Riku and Sora were gonna win."

"Yeah," Donald added. "They had the fight in the bag. I wonder what happened."

"Didn't you think they were gonna win?" She waited for a response.

"Riku and Sora were winning earlier." Ophelia implied. "But the only reason is because Saber's elemental attacks had no effect on them. They must've developed some sort of immunity specifically for withstanding any elemental attacks Saber deploys. If elemental abilities were Saber's only techniques, this fight would have been over long ago and we would have been out of here within a few minutes. But Saber's elemental tactics are just a forerunning defense. His real strength comes from his physical power. And that's something that Riku and Sora have not fully gained. Three weeks were just not enough."

"But how can that be?" Leon wondered. "Riku and Sora managed to take all five of those other guys with a couple of hits. Yet, now they're barely clinging on in this fight."

"I'm not surprised. And I'll tell you why. Against any ordinary foe, those two would succeed. But Saber is no ordinary foe. He is the leader of the Blade Generals. He wasn't given that title for nothing." The KH team was stunned. "That man is one of Lord Sirius Viicous' top elite officers, the cream of the crop. The only ones capable of defeating him are those who wouldn't die, even after they were dealt a deathblow to the heart."

"My God," Cloud uttered.

"Miss Billiard is right." Kirin added. "Saber's strength is legendary. Neither of us, nor anyone has ever had the pleasure of seeing General Saber use his full power. With what I've heard about him, the greatness of his power has dubbed him the title as a brand new super nova. This will be the first time anyone has seen him fight with his full potential since the fall of the Dark Empire. Our boys couldn't even put a dent in the general's defense, which only means this fight will be long and arduous."

"And to think I could go against such power." Sasuke thought to himself, as he watched from the rear.

"Quiet," Donald shouted. "Let's see what happens."

The standoff between key bearers and Blade General was long and tense. Both sides were on edge, though Saber himself was not at all threatened by the key bearers.

"So what now, boys," the general said, "You're not having any regrets are you? But then again, you weren't really expecting this type of increase in power."

"He has us outdone now, Sora." Riku explained. "We have very few means at the present moment to battle him with."

"What are you talking about, Riku?" Sora said. "We have a lot of ways to overpower him. We could always unleash our berserk forms. You can use the power of darkness to increase your abilities. I can unleash the rage. And combining that with Saiyan Devotion, we'd be able to…"

"Have you forgotten what Thundro said?" Riku interrupted. "Unleashing those hidden strengths will only work to our disadvantage. Thundro was right. Saber has the ability to manipulate the darkness within people's hearts. You saw how he was able to control Sasuke, Gaara, and Kadaj and his brothers."-

"But maybe if we were quick about it and not give him time to…"-

"It's not gonna happen, Sora. Even as we speak, Saber is probably preparing to use his manipulative powers to gain control over us if we were to use that strength. If we risk using the darkness, the rage, or Saiyan Devotion even by a fraction, Saber will take hold of that negative power and use his abilities to control it and us."-

"Sorry Riku. You do have a point."-

"For the time being, Sora, we'll play it safe."-

"But we can't win as we are now. Even at our peak, we're no match for him. And we can't use the Musou Rage. We haven't defeated a hundred enemies yet. We haven't defeated a hundred enemies since the end of that battle in Long Valley. The most enemies we defeated during those three weeks of training were at least fifty, and at least half of those weren't real."-

"Then we only have one other option." Riku said. "Your Final Form, Hyper Mode Fusion. It's been improved over time to the point where you no longer need those special garments or require a certain amount of individuals to participate, and we would have a better chance if we were to combine both our strengths into one body."

"My Final Form…?" Sora sighed. "Riku you know as well as I that that mode doesn't last long. The longest it's ever lasted is five minutes tops, ten at the most. Not to mention once we separate, we're going to be left exhausted. And I don't know about you, but Saber doesn't seem the kind of enemy that'll just keel over and die in only five to ten minutes."

"Then we better make this fast."-

"Fools," Saber suddenly shouted, "Are you going to stand about all day and waste my time? You can plot and scheme all you want. You can regain your strength all you want. But no amount of stalling is going to prevent me from killing you!"

"Well, Sora…" Riku whispered.

"It's not like we have any choice." Sora replied.

"Then we better end this thing with him as quickly as possible. Once our powers unite into your body, we hold nothing back. We go straight for the kill. Saber has caused enough suffering and has eluded us for the last time. He goes down today."-

"Right,"-

"Then let's do this."-

"Give me strength!" Sora unleashed his full power. Riku did the same. There was a bright flash of light and a thunderous roar. Saber was astounded by the increase in strength. The winds suddenly picked up and the ground began to shake.

Then, from the chaos of the debris, Sora emerged in his Final Form. His clothing had transformed to an almost angelic appearance, consisting of white, silver and black. But Saber seemed little concerned the moment he laid eyes upon the ultimate Sora. He only smirked.

"Is that the best you two idiots can do?" he mocked. "Sora's Final Form? You think after the first time, you would have learned your lesson."

But General Saber's confidence turned to apprehensiveness as the power unfolding before him had grown to an innumerable height. The energy he felt soon overwhelmed him. The key bearer stood with a stern yet aggressive look on his face, the energy unleashed bellowing strong winds.

"You will pay for your sins, Saber." Sora declared. "Too many people have died because of you."

"This power," Saber uttered. "Where is it coming from? The key bearers could not become this powerful, even when combined."

"Prepare yourself!"-

It was at that moment that the very structure Saber was standing upon unexpectedly collapsed and he found himself falling amidst the debris. Then, Sora suddenly rushed at him. For the first time, the Blade General had been caught off guard by his opponent. He watched as the key bearer charged at him, as if time itself seemed to stand still. Then, with one mighty blow, Sora struck the general with his keyblade. The Imperial fell back, still bewildered of what had just occurred. The key bearer only maneuvered with incredible speed and appeared behind the general and kicked him into the air. The general sped skyward.

The others looked on with renewed hope.

"They got him," Donald cheered.

"Look at that." Goofy added.

Saber, however, did not stay in his bewildered state for long. He quickly turned himself about. But as he did, Sora came to tackle him a second time. Thundro made ready his blade to counter the key bearer. But the youth quickly evaded and sped off opposite of Thundro. The Imperial turned to see his foe turning his charge into an evasion.

"Don't think that you got away that easily!" Saber unleashed another energy wave using his blade. But his hopes of striking the key bearer from behind were short lived as Sora suddenly reappeared before him and struck him again with the keyblade. Six hits, Sora managed to inflict on him. With the sixth hit, he sent the general whistling through the air. He flew far from the city and towards the surrounding outskirts of vegetation on the other side of the massive gorge surrounding it. He made impact with the rock and the foliage, uplifting a great deal of debris on impact.

Suddenly, in a wild pitch of rage, Saber unleashed a powerful explosion that consumed everything within range of his fiery charka explosion.

"You bastard," he growled, as he emerged soiled and enraged. He immediately, rushed back into the fight, only to meet Sora half way back to Atlantis. The two clashed away with their blades, but this time, it was Sora who had the upper hand. With Riku's power combined with his own, the tables had turned in his favor. He bashed away at Saber with double keyblades. The General was now the one with the disadvantage. His power was lowered than Sora's thus he was quickly dealt with.

The two eventually withdrew back to Atlantis, still grappling with great fury. Saber slashed away, hoping to make one fatal blow the key bearer. But at a critical moment, Sora evaded, landed behind Saber and kicking him in the back. The general fell forward, but retaliated, his blade held high in the air. He made a side sweeping movement, but again he missed. Sora ducked and elbowed the Imperial in the gut.

Struck by shock and pain, the general grasped at his gut. The saliva dripped from his mouth as well as a stream of blood. This only indicated that he had suffered internal injury. He coughed, spattering droplets all over the ground. Sora on the other hand, though unhindered since he fused with Riku, was starting to wear down, his body slowly giving way to exhaustion. Though he still had the upper hand, his own attacks were taking a serious toll.

The two stood in a standoff as they stopped to regain their strength. Suddenly Saber leaped up and stood upon an old ruin.

"That little cretin," he growled. "How could he be doing this to me? He should be kneeling before me like the dog he is. But he's caused such damage to me. How can that be?" Saber glared at Sora, his eyes growing bloodshot from the blind anger. "He's caused me pain. I will not let him do any further damage."

"Wow," Donald said. "Look at that! Sora in his Final Form is more than a match for that guy! He has him against the ropes!"

"Amazing," Kairi added. "Saber's completely helpless."

"We're gonna win," Goofy cheered. "We're gonna win!"

"I guess in the end," Kirin sighed, "Those two managed to surmount even the mightiest of the Blade Generals."

"Don't get too confident." Ophelia said. "You forget, the only reason why Sora is as powerful as he is now is because he and Riku combined themselves to unleash his Final Form. The only problem is that at its maximum, it last for only five to ten minutes, depending on how much strength they use. If they don't finish this fight quickly, they'll separate and then it'll be Saber who has the upper hand again."

"Oh man," Leon uttered.

"I never would have thought of that." Donald added.

"Look," Cloud said, "Saber's attacking again!"

Saber slashed again and again Sora evaded. As the general thrust his blade forward, Sora took hold of Saber's wrist and held it tight. At the same time, he threw his elbow rearward, striking the general three times in the face and once in the throat before releasing him. Saber staggered. He gagged and choked at the same time regaining his vision. Grasping his sword, he swung at the key bearer again. But as before, Sora easily outmaneuvered him. Using the Laevateinn and the Ginroio Noria, he slashed and bashed away at the weakened general. In the midst of his thrashing, Saber was able to throw himself upward to avoid the next attack, only to be met by Sora again.

"Damn you," he growled.

"This is for all the people whom you and yours have killed!" Sora shouted. With all his might, he unleashed the infamous Kuzu Ryu Sen, striking all nine points of the Imperial's body. Saber went flying through the air again and landed upon the high basin of what might have been an old lookout tower. Sora, fatigued, landed upon the ground. He lost his balance for a second or two before regaining himself. He huffed for breath, both keyblades wearily at his side.

"Man," Sora uttered to himself, "This fight is taking a lot out of me."

"Don't give up yet, Sora." Riku replied from within. "This fight still isn't over yet."

"But I can barely stand, Riku. I don't think I can do this."-

"Yes we can."-

"Easy for you to say though, it's not your body."-

Then to their utter horror, Saber reemerged, standing tall on the old ruin. Though far away, Sora could already tell that the worst was still coming.

"He's still standing." Sora thought to himself. "He's the type who doesn't quit alright."

"That's alright." Riku replied. "We don't give up that easily too." Suddenly, Sora moaned out as he grasped at his shoulder. "Sora, are you alright?"

"I don't think my body can take anymore of this, Riku."-

"Don't worry, I'm just as exhausted, but we gotta keep going."-

There was again another stand-off. But it was clear that Saber had had enough. His hands clutched into fists. So tight were they, they could draw blood. His teeth grit against one another. The veins in his neck stood up, penetrating through his collar.

"This is impossible?" he said. "How can this be happening? I don't understand?! I am the crème de la crème of the Imperial Axis, a super elite officer with no equal! I am the leader of the Blade Generals, the strongest of the Cavendish Shinobis, and the master of the eleven elements! How could I be losing to low level trash like Riku and Sora! They are inferior to my might! So, why, why is this happening?!" In his rage, Saber unleashed a thunderous roar of anger. "I'll show you! I'll show you all!"

Sora, despite still having the edge, he was now fearful of Saber's change in attitude.

"He's still not wavering." Sora whispered to himself. "He's still standing."

"Stay focused, Sora." Riku replied.

The general wiped the blood from his lip and glared profusely at the red stains smeared on his white gloves.

"I bleed," he growled, "I bleed! I bleed before this unworthy scum! To shed my noble blood to these boys! I will never forgive them! This is the ultimate humiliation!" Saber's power began to grow again. "That's it, not more! I have had enough of this sulking around! If I can't kill them directly, then I'll take the more drastic action! I hate them for having me regress to this! My ultimate attack is meant to level entire civilizations and purge worlds of all their inhabitants. But now I'm using it to eliminate to stubborn little insects. What incompetence on my part!" Saber roared out again with a mix of maniacal laughter. "Sora, you have been a thorn in my side for far too long! Both you and Riku! I will take my revenge for the dishonor you brought on me as well as the death of my beloved cousin, which you burdened me with those many years ago!"

"Saber…" Sora said beneath his breath.

"Now, you can try to elude this next attack! The coup de grace of my arsenal! But know that if you do, then both you and this entire world be eradicated from existence!" At the moment of hearing that declaration, Sora's complexion turned almost a ghostly white. He watched as the hot red energy exploded from Saber as he leaped into the air like a dying star.

"You can't do that!"-

"Just watch me!" Saber prepared to unleash his ultimate energy blast. "Now you will die with this world you had tried so hard to protect! It was all in vain, key bearer! Give my regards to Cuchulain in the afterlife! You can reminisce with him for all eternity about how you failed!"

"My body is in no shape to take on power of that magnitude." Sora thought to himself. He looked on at this immense glow above them.

"If we don't take it on," Riku replied from within. "Then all of us will die."

"Damn it," Sora clutched his fists. "We have no other choice!" Sora unleashed his own full strength. Then placing the keyblade in front of him, he aimed it in the general's direction. "I hope that this works!"

Both sides powered up to the point where the entire world seemed to rumble, crumbling everything that stood upon the ground. The winds heightened and a self made storm seemed to rise and bellow. Debris flew into the air and the clash of thunder echoed in the great cavern.

The others could only watch as the two titans made ready for a head on clash of power.

"Man," Kirin said, "What strength."

"I never thought they'd be this powerful!" Cloud said.

"They're almost blowing us away!"-

In the meantime, Sweet and the others were still trying to liberate Kida from her cell when the palace stared to rumble.

"What the heck is going on out there?" Sweet wondered.

"It's an earthquake!" Cookie shouted. "Duck and cover!"

"And how do you expect us to do that?" Audrey asked. Cookie looked to see that everyone was still hovering about in the air like party balloons.

"Oh yeah…"-

"Hey," Vinny said as he put some explosives on the cell's surface. He happened to look at what was going on outside. "I think you ought to take a look at what's going on."

The troop looked out of the throne room doors to see two bright lights, one blue, one red, illuminating in the distance.

"What are those?" Audrey wondered.

"I think those are what are causing all the ruckus." Sweet replied.

Sora had reached full strength.

"This is as high as I can go, Riku." He strained.

"That's not good enough!" Riku replied. "Let's go further!"

"But…"-

"No time to argue!"-

Sora and Riku's combined strength maximized even more.

Saber, with his glaring one eye, prepared to deploy his deathblow to the world.

"Farewell forever, key bearers!" Saber roared. "You and yours," With all his might, Saber threw his hands before him and unleashed a massive, red energy wave. "Exmortis Apocalyptus!"

"Trinity Blast," Sora shouted. A strong blue energy wave came bellowing forth from his raised keyblade. The two powers streaked across the sky before making a devastating impact, which leveled the surrounding area to its foundations.

"Whoa," Kirin cried as the winds picked up to blow the KH members away.

"What a force," Ophelia added.

"Hold on everyone!" Goofy cried.

The two combatants continued their struggle, as energy beam clashed with energy beam and the two warriors gave their all to defeat the other. Saber was awe struck by the outcome.

"This can't be." He said. "Sora's power is equivalent to my own!" The two beams did not recede, nor advance, but rather maintained equilibrium in the middle of the chaos. But Saber was not about to give in to the key bearers. He would use all the means possible to win the duel. "No, I will not lose to the likes of those pathetic little bugs! I'll show them just how powerful I can be!" Saber began to concentrate more energy. Firming his stance, the general braced for another surge. He backed away one hand and concentrated more energy within. "Try and top this, boys!"

Saber suddenly sent a pulsating surge through his energy wave. This increased the massed strength and allowed the beam to advance slightly.

"Oh man," Sora uttered, as he felt the weight suddenly come down on him.

"Not so easy to block now is it!" Saber sent another surge through the beam. This forced Sora's own energy wave to be reduced to half of what it was.

"No, I'm slipping!"-

"Don't give in, Sora! Don't give up!"-

"But Riku, I can't…"-

"Yes you can! You can succeed. Together we can do this!"-

"R…right…!"-

"Fool, don't you get it?!" Saber shouted. "You can never hope to defeat the mightiest of the Blade Generals!"

He sent in another pulse, which forced Sora's wave to be overpowered even more. The youth could feel the hostile heat of his opponent's energy.

"I can't hold on forever, Riku." The young man strained. "I can feel my energy slipping. And I can feel the fusion coming to an end. In a moment, we'll separate and it'll be all over. If you have any plans, now's the time to use 'em!"

"I'm thinking," Riku replied, "I'm thinking,"-

"Well, whatever you're thinking, do it faster!"-

"Die you fools!" Saber roared as he sent another pulsating wave through the beam. This time, the red hot intensity of his energy was within a few feet of Sora and Riku.

"Riku…!"-

"I got nothing!" Riku replied.

"Then I don't have any other choice! Riku forgive me!" Sora suddenly unleashed all of his anger, rage, and hatred. "I summon the Rage and Saiyan Devotion!" It was then that Sora's eyes changed and his body bulked up as the dark power surged through his body. Then, almost instantly, Sora's energy wave pushed back Saber's beam as easily as a hot knife through better. Saber himself was astounded.

"This can't be!" he said as he saw his efforts extinguished before his eyes. He saw as his once dominant red beam was pushed back by Sora's blue beam.

"Sora, have you lost your mind?" Riku said from within.

"I had no other choice, Riku!" Sora replied.

"Oh well, what have we got to lose?!" Riku's aura unleashed its full strength as well. "I summon the power of darkness!" That final contribution from Riku broke the tide completely in the key bearer's favor.

Saber's concentration prevented him from using any other strategy. His anger, his frustration, his weariness, as well as the bulk of his power kept him stationary. For the first time in his life, he had encountered a predicament which he could not handle and win. The blue hue of pure energy rushed at him.

"Impossible…!" Just then, with a sudden explosion, Saber was consumed by the energy and sent reeling to the very ends of the cavern. The beam pushed him through the opening leading into the cavern and through the geological features of that subterranean world.

Sora only watched as Saber disappeared into the darkness, his screams fading away in the distance. Within seconds, Sora collapsed to his knees. There was a flash of light and once again one key bearer separated into two. Both key bearers fell to the ground, both on their backs, lying side by side gasping for air. Their bodies were drenched it sweat and aching with pain, but there was a great deal of satisfaction in their achievement. They looked at each other, smiled and laughed.

"You did it, buddy." Riku said.

"No," Sora replied, "we did it."

"They did it!" Goofy cried.

"Yeah…!" Kairi cheered.

There was cheering and whooping, not only from the key bearers, but from the Atlanteans who watched from afar.

In the meantime, Sweet and the others were suddenly released from the force element Saber had bestowed on them. They all fell to the ground.

"What in Jiminy Cricket's…" Cookie grumbled, "What just happened?"

"You think it's over?" Audrey asked.

"I think so." Sweet replied.

"Oh man," Vinny said. "And just when I was getting used to hovering around like a balloon."

"Well, never mind. We better get Kida out of that cell."-

"Right,"-

Just then, the faint voice of Milo Thatch could be heard as he was still trapped in the darkness of the cavern below the throne room.

"Hey you guys," he shouted with a muffle.

"We better get Milo out of that cavern too." Sweet added.

"Gotcha," Audrey replied.

The KH team and some of the Atlanteans went to greet the key bearers.

"Riku, Sora," Kairi said as she and the others hovered over them. The two youths looked up at their comrades.

"Hey you guys," Sora uttered.

"Sorry we had you worried." Riku added.

They were assisted to their feet.

"We thought you guys weren't going to make it back there." Leon said. "You had us scared for a moment."

"For a second, we thought you were really gonna die." Kirin added.

"It just goes to show that we're not guys who give in." Sora chuckled sheepishly.

"So it's finally over, right?" Donald asked.

"Saber could not have survived that attack." Cloud said. "He was taken over completely by that surge of energy."

"I don't know." Sora replied. "Saber's not the type to die so easily."

"Yeah," Kairi interceded. "But even if he were still alive, I don't think he'd be much of a threat."

"I can't sense any energy coming from the area he was shot to." Riku said. "If he is still alive, I don't think he'll try to confront us again, not like before"

Little did they realize that Saber was still alive and angrier than before. With all his might, he threw himself off the of beam's head just before it made impact with a wall of stone. There was a deafening explosion and Saber watched as the energy diminished on impact, taking with it a great deal of rock. The wall thus developed a large impact crater at its surface.

His body battered, his uniform tattered, and blood dripping from his lip and from a cut above his left brow, Saber roared out in fury.

"Those bastards!" he shouted. "How could they have gotten the advantage over me, the leader of the Blade Generals, this is inexcusable! I will not allow it to end so miserably!" Saber huffed and sighed. "I completely underestimated those fools. That is an unforgivable mistake. Oh well, live and learn I guess. But I wonder…" Saber pondered on the situation. "How is it that they gained so much strength in the end? Then again…" he thought of the moment Sora fused with Riku. "I wonder why Sora and Riku did not unleash the Rage, Saiyan Devotion, and the power of darkness like they did the last time they used it against me. Perhaps they knew of my manipulative abilities, though I should have manipulated them from the moment we first met back at Maleficent's castle. But if they were immune to the effects of elemental attacks, why would they hold back, unless…"

Saber smirked.

"I see, they must've developed an immunity that protects them from without. But it may not be able to protect them from within. The darkness in their own hearts is the greatest weakness they have. They must've known that. And they must've also known to time their unleashing of the darkness, when I was at the peak of my ability and only concentrating on defeating them directly. That must've been the dark power I felt in those final moments, before I was overwhelmed. They unleashed it when I was least able to react quickly enough. That is a mistake I will not make a second time. I will have to make a few adjustments to my strategy though."

Saber then looked down at the cavern he was in.

"This was the very place we started." He thought to himself. He landed and felt the softness of the ground. "No wonder this ground is soft. This is pumice ash, which only means that this is the shaft of a dormant volcano. I can feel the heat not too far beneath the surface, which only means that one significant explosion will cause the magma flows to open up again." He looked up. "And with the shaft blocked off to the surface; that means the lava only has one other way to go." He looked to the passage leading back to Atlantis. "Excellent, if worse come to worse, I can always use this as a last resort." Saber laughed maniacally as he did before. "Riku, Sora, you fools, did you really believe that I could be ousted that easily?!"

Saber thus began his rush back to Atlantis.

By this time, Riku and Sora had regained some of their strength.

"So now what do we do?" Donald asked.

"Did you guys manage to get the puzzle piece and the necessary info from Saber?" Goofy asked.

"Oh no," Sora replied. "I knew we were forgetting something."

"So that means Saber has it on him still." Ophelia said.  
"That means we'll just have to go find him." Riku stated.

"But what if he's still alive?" Kairi asked.

"Well, after taking that blast," Leon said, "I don't think he'll be giving us a lot of grief."

But no sooner had Leon said that, a dark power suddenly emerged, attracting the senses of the key bearers and the KH team. Immediately, their hearts started to thump as they felt the large surge of energy.

"Did you feel that?" Riku asked.

"But that's impossible," Sora uttered, "It couldn't be…"

Then from the darkness, came that same guffaw. Afterwards, there emerged the form to the Blade General himself.

"You have got to be kidding!" Kairi said.

"So much for not being much of a threat." Leon grumbled.

Before the team, the infamous Blade General stood before them like a stolid iron figure head thrust before their vision. A smirk upon his face and a glare in his eye, Saber was back for more.

"Idiots," he declared. "Did you really think you could get rid of me that easily?"


	115. Roxas

Roxas

Saber's presence was ominous. He had taken quite a beating from Sora and Riku's Hyper Mode Fusion, but it appeared as if no stamina had been lost. Now, a chill in each heart formed as this most legendary of mercenaries grinned a penetrating smirk. The Atlanteans, seeing the danger, quickly fled, leaving the KH team to stand alone.

"Well," he began after a long silence, "I have to say that I'm rather impressed. You boys did better than I had perceived prior to this fight. However, you realize now that all efforts were in vain."

"That may be so." Riku replied. "But from what I can sense, your strength has been reduced to at least half of what it was before."

"You're correct their, Noctin Tilandir, but then again, your own strengths have been reduced to half of what they were. And from what I can see, you two are in no condition to execute that tactic a second time. I am also fully aware that despite your immunity to my elemental attacks, you bear no immunity from within. I'm sure that Master Thundro told you of my capabilities sometime in the period he was training you. So he must've also mentioned my ability to control others, as you saw with Sasuke and Gaara, and the rest of those fools. And you equally feared that you, yourselves would become my puppets."

"And how did you come to that conclusion?" Sora asked.

"Simple, if you did bear some resistance against my manipulative power, then you would have used them along with your fusion technique like you did the last time. I admit, however, I too was unsure of whether or not you would be affected. But now that I do know, your arsenal has been reduced."-

"Stop your chattering," Ophelia interrupted. "You have some items we want! So you better give 'em to us!"

"Are you talking about these?" Saber pulled from his tattered overcoat, two items, the last puzzle piece and the black information disk that told the exact location of King Mickey. "I know how much these mean to you, but I will not give them up so easily. You can have them when you pry them from my cold and lifeless fingers."

"That can be arranged." Kirin growled.

"Don't get too confident now."-

"It's you who shouldn't get too confident!" Donald declared. "Or have you forgotten, each and every one of us has been restored to full health thanks to the potions and senzus that Riku and Sora gave us!"

"And do you really think that just because you're in top condition again that you'd be able to battle against me?" Saber asked.

"We have you outnumbered and we have you out matched and overpowered! What more do we need?!"-

"That may be so, but unlike your two fearless comrades, the rest of you are not immune to the effects of my elemental attacks. Therefore, I have nothing to fear from you. If you idiots couldn't hinder my hired hands with your peaked strengths, then I wouldn't consider you much of a threat." Saber then glared at the two key bearers. "However, your leaders are the ones who have proven to be a burden. And I have every right to take their lives. However…" Saber cracked his knuckles. "I can't allow such talent to go to waste now can I? Riku and Sora have proved powerful beyond my expectations. Ergo, their life essence and their souls will prove valuable to me."

In a strange twist of fate, Saber took off the eye patch over his right eye. He thus revealed a horrifying black iris with a solid white pupil. It seemed to pulsate.

"His right eye…" Sora's heart began to beat faster. His complexion seemed to fade from his cheeks.

"My God," Kirin looked on in horror. "What is that…?"

"I don't know…" Leon said. "But for some reason, looking at that eye makes my spine stiffen."

"All the more reason why I keep this eye concealed," Saber said. "You should be proud of yourselves, Riku, Sora. I have not had to unleash this eye in twenty years."

"What is it?" Sora asked. "What does it do?"

"This eye is what I use to collect the living essence and strong spirits of heroes such as your selves, hence the name 'The Eye of the Reaper.' For the past twenty years, I have confronted no foe whose essence was worthy to absorb. And I thought you no different, but this battle and its turn of events have proved that notion inadequate. Now, I have come to realize that your powers and your skills are good enough for me to take for my own. And once your hearts combine with me, then I would have gained all of your skills and your power, including being able to use the keyblade. The only question is who will have the privilege of being my first victim?" It was then that he glared at Sora with that horrific black eye. "I'll take the backbone of your team first."

"What…?"-

"You're the one I wanted revenge on anyway, Sora. After what you did, taking my cousin Kai's life." Sora drew up his keyblade.

"Guys…"-

"Don't worry, Sora." Riku assured him. "We're right here."

"We won't leave you!" Kairi added. The team drew up their weapons.

"Yeah," Donald shouted. "You hear that, Saber! We're not leaving Sora's side!"

"You want him," Leon declared. "You'll have to go through us first."

But Saber only smiled.

"Bugger off," he declared. Uplifting his finger, Saber unleashed a powerful force attack. The KH team was lifted into the air, attracted and suspended to the force's epicenter like paperclips to a magnet. "So much for going through them."

Only Riku and Sora stood at the ready, unaffected by the attack. But they knew that they could not win as they were.

"We have to be careful, Sora." Riku said.

"Right," Sora replied.

"Fools," Saber suddenly rushed at blinding speed. He suddenly appeared before Sora and punched him in the face.

"Sora," Riku cried. Saber suddenly emerged from the rear of the flying youth and kicked him into the air.

"Not so funny when it happens to you is it, Sora?!" Saber then appeared again and kicked Sora in the gut, forcing him to fly backwards a second time. "That was for your defiance of me!" Saber emerged behind Sora again and pelted him upwards. "That was for the pain that you caused me!" Finally, Saber appeared just above Sora. "And this is for an assault on my pride!" He combined his fists and used an overhead slam to knock Sora to the ground. Saber then emerged on the ground and kneed the young man in his gut. Sora's blood splattered from his mouth as his organs were battered and beaten within him. Saber then kicked him again, letting the youth skid across the ground. Then using the dimensional element, he grabbed his sword where it fell.

"Sora no," Kairi cried as she saw her beloved beaten so ruthlessly.

"Now," Saber chuckled. "To do away with that annoying little git once and for all and claim his power as my own."

"You leave him alone, you bastard!" Saber turned to see Riku coming straight at him. He slashed away with his keyblades, but to no avail.

"You're pathetic, Riku, giving such futile effort."-

"Futile eh…?" Riku suddenly unleashed his keyblade whip and lashed it at Saber. Saber was caught by surprise, seeing the sudden transformation. He evaded, but narrowly. The last managed to cut across his red frock. Thank goodness for his chest straps and center plate, the attack did minimal damage. But will, that was enough to rile up the general's fury.

"You…" he growled at Riku. "You'll pay for your insolence, Noctin Tilandir!" The general rushed at Riku. Riku drew up both keyblades and battled away at Saber. His efforts did not last long, however. Saber's strength and agility were far superior to his and it was only a matter of minutes, before the former Cavendish Shinobi made quick work out of the key bearer. Saber used his dimensional attack to strike Riku from all directions. Riku saw where the blade would emerge and evaded to the best of his abilities. Unfortunately, because he had been weakened from the earlier fight, his reaction time was somewhat sluggish and Riku received a few shallow cuts due to close calls.

"It looks like you're starting to slow down somewhat." Saber mocked him. "Don't worry, if you hold your position, I promise that you will be lightly maimed."

"And let you suck out my soul?! Get bent, Dracula!"-

"Such haughty boldness." Saber came before Riku in a flash and pummeled the youth with the hilt of his blade. Riku had been struck so hard, that he went into a temporary state of unconsciousness. He fell to the ground and lay not too far away from Sora. "I'm rather curious though. How is it that you and Sora can be such formidable adversaries when you're fused, yet so pitifully weak when you're separated?"

"Riku," Sora cried, seeing his friend lying motionless on the ground. Saber landed at his feet.

"You put up one hell of a fight, Noctin Tilandir," the general declared, "But all in vain."

"No, leave him alone!"-

"I have no intension of hindering him any further, Sora. I plan on taking his essence." The general turned in his direction and walked towards the still staggering youth. "But before I do that, I first have to extract the essence from you."

"I won't let you!" Sora staggered to his feet and held his keyblade before him.

"Try and stop me then." Sora charged at Saber. But as expected, the youth proved no match. Saber knocked the keyblades out of Sora's hands with a couple of strikes. Then he kneed him in the gut. Sora collapsed again. This time, there was no one to stop Saber. He grasped the youth by the throat. Sora closed his eyes, but the general forced them open.

"This won't last long." Saber snickered.

"Sora," Kairi cried.

"Sora," Goofy and Donald shouted. The KH team could only watch helplessly from their confinement at the force element's epicenter as Sora was subdued by this vile villain.

"Open your eye." He squeezed Sora's throat tighter. Sora's eyes slightly opened. That was all that was needed to gain access to his essence and soul. A blackness from Saber's 'Reaping Eye' entered Sora's eye. Within moment, what looked like a clean white and blue essence emerged.

"Are you seeing this?!" Kirin said.

"He's pulling Sora's soul out of his body." Leon gasped.

"Sora…" Cloud uttered.

Sora moaned out and tried to resist. But his body was too weary to put up a fight any further. He could feel his life draining away as if all the blood was being sucked out of him.

"Riku…" he uttered. "Someone…help me…"

Riku slowly regained consciousness. As he saw his friend being hurt by Saber, he immediately reacted.

"Sora…" he strained. "Saber, you put him down, you bastard."

"Don't worry, Riku." Saber replied. "You'll get your turn."

As it seemed over for the youth, a bright light suddenly appeared which repelled Saber from Sora. The light blinded everyone present.

"What is that?" Ophelia wondered.

"What just happened?!" Leon added.

"Saber was just repulsed by Sora." Cloud replied. "It was like something prevented him from draining his life essence.

Before the witnesses, this bright light began to take shape. It lingered about, forming a human figure. There was bewilderment amongst the ranks.

"What in the hell is that…?" Saber said. "This has never happened before."

As the light faded, a familiar face now stood between Saber and Sora. The KH team members, still hovering around the force epicenter, could only look on with a strange twist of fate. Though the majority of the KH team didn't know who it was that suddenly appeared on the scene, it was the old members of the KH team who were familiar with this individual's appearance.

Sora looked up to see this young man before him. His eyes immediately widened with shock.

"R…Roxas…" he uttered.

"It's Roxas…" Riku whispered.

"Roxas is here!" Donald shouted.

"You're right." Goofy added.

"But how is that possible?" Kairi wondered

"Roxas…?" Ophelia wondered. "Who's Roxas?"

"That guy is."-

"But where did he come from?" Kirin asked. "Who is he?"

"He's Sora's Nobody."-

"Sora's Nobody…?"-

"Just like my dear sister." Ophelia said. "She was your Nobody, Kairi."-

"That's right. But I wonder what Roxas is doing here?" Kairi was curious.

"For some reason, Roxas was drawn out when Saber tried to take Sora's soul." Kirin explained.

"Well, well, well," Saber said, "So you are the legendary thirteenth member of the old Organization XIII. Roxas, wielder of the keyblades and Sora's Nobody. Your reputation has preceded you, even as far as the ranks of the Dark Empire." The general folded his arms before him.

"I'm not gonna let you hurt Sora any more."-

"Is that so?"-

"You tried to take Sora's heart. But I'm here to tell you differently. If you want to get to Sora's heart and claim it as your own, then you'll have to go through me first."-

"Is that so? Well, this won't be the first time I've heard that phrase. But I have to say that you're bold and rather brash, but that will soon prove fatal in your hasty declaration to battle against me."-

"You like to hear yourself talk don't you?"-

"I have every right to."-

"Then let's see how big your ego is when I cut you down to size!"-

Roxas drew out his faithful keyblades, the Oathkeeper and the Oblivion. He drew them out with such style that his movements intimidated even his other half. Roxas posed his keyblades, ready to battle. Saber simply drew out his sword.

"Let us begin, shall we?" the general said.

"With pleasure," Roxas replied. The youth suddenly attacked with great fury. Saber immediately went on the defensive allowing Roxas to unleash some of his signature attacks. His movements were swift and flawless, almost perfect. Saber himself was rather impressed.

"Not a bad effort, boy. But if this is all you're capable of doing…"-

"Don't mock me and don't count me out!" Roxas was suddenly engulfed in this raging anger and struck Saber with all his might across the gut. He then struck again and again, pummeling the General for a good minute or so. "If there is one thing you should never do is count me out!" Saber seemed not to put up a fight and was tossed about like a rag doll.

"He's doing it!" Goofy cheered. "Roxas is actually beating Saber!"

"Go Roxas!" Donald cheered.

"At a boy, Roxas…" Sora uttered as he saw his nobody fight with such ferocity. He slowly sat himself up and gazed at the fight through weary eyes.

With one final blow, Roxas sent Saber reeling backwards until he skidded across the ground, uplifting clouds of dust in his wake. The general struck a pillar of an old structure and the entire ruin came crashing down on him.

It was this hit that forced Saber to lose grasp of his force attack, which thus released the KH team members and their allies from their confinement. They fell to the ground and managed to land upon their feet. Well, except for Donald and Goofy who landed on their faces, causing stars to encircle their heads.

"It looks like Roxas did it." Leon said. "He must've knocked Saber out of commission if he managed to release us from that force attack."

"We better go check on Riku and Sora." Cloud said.

"Yeah,"-

The team scattered to help their friends. Riku, by this time, had staggered to his feet and made his way over to Sora.

"How are you doing pal?" he asked.

"I've had better days." Sora replied.

"Sora, Riku," Kairi cried as she and the others rushed to them.

"I see you got out of that hold Saber put on you."-

"Thanks to Roxas," Kirin replied. "He must've really put it on to old Saber."

"Yeah…" Sora lifted himself up to his feet with all his might. Roxas still stood stolid, looking where Saber had fallen. He slowly hobbled his way over to his Nobody. "Thanks Roxas…"

"I couldn't let anything happen to you, Sora." Roxas replied, turning to look his original self in the eye. "You and I are of the same body. Whatever happens to you affects me as well."-

"But how is it that you're here?"-

"I thought you might need a little assistance. Besides, that guy was trying to snatch your heart. I couldn't let him do that. And since he was sucking half of you out, I figured I'd be that first half. I'd make an appearance and strike him down. And so far, I've proven successful." Sora smiled and put his hand on his Nobody's shoulder.

"It's good to see you again, Roxas."-

"It has been almost ten years or so."-

"This fight isn't over yet, you two." Riku said. "I don't think Saber can go down that easily."

"Right,"

Sure enough, as soon as the team had been reassembled, the debris that fell upon the general erupted and a bright flash of light bellowed amidst the flying debris. And there, standing in a cloud of dust with falling bits of granite was Saber. He seemed not angered, but calm, as if the blows he had taken inflicted no damage.

"As I had expected, Roxas, your blows are nothing."-

"Impossible," Sora said, "How could he still be standing even after that beating?"

"I see you're still alive, eh Saber?" Roxas implied with a confident tone. "Not bad."

"I must admit, you are quite amiable as a warrior. I hope you enjoyed your short-lived triumph because it's going to cost you your life. You see, I hate being hindered, especially by the likes of losers like you."-

"Don't get too cocky now, Saber." Donald shouted.

"You now have us to contend with as well." Kirin added.

"Don't bore me with your pathetic annotations." Saber said. "Superior numbers proves nothing in this battle! My heart tells me of the cause to which I must give up my very life! And I will not stop until I see the fulfillments of his Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous achieved! For the glory of the Imperial Regime!"

"Stuff a sock in it already!" Sora shouted. "I don't want to have to hear your stupid voice anymore!"-

"Well, you'll be hearing it more, especially, when your skull is being crushed between my fingers. Because in that moment, the last thing you'll see before you die is me looking down at you and smiling." Saber released a great amount of power which against wreaked havoc upon the allies. "You've caused me enough grief. Ergo, I shall hold nothing back!" Saber again charged. "Let's see how you like this little trick! This I picked up from the home world of Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, a small technique I picked up when battling against Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist!" Saber snapped his fingers. Suddenly, a barrage of exploding flames unleashed themselves amidst the KH team.

"This fire attack," Roxas thought to himself. "It's even more intense than Axel's." Saber snapped his fingers again and again, unleashing more flames.

"How the heck is he doing that?" Cloud wondered.

"He's using his energy to manipulate the oxygen in the air."-

"What incredible flame attacks," Sasuke said as he watched the battle from the sidelines. "I never knew he was capable of that kind of fire ability. That's ten times more destructive than even my Fireball Jutsu."

"And unlike the Flame Alchemist," Saber thought to himself, "I don't have to rely on a transmutation circle to pull off that attack." He snapped again and sent a wall of fire towards the team. The members were caught in the confusion, which made it easy picking for the general.

He first struck down the more obvious threats, Leon and Cloud.

"Leon," Cloud cried. "Lookout,"

Leon turned to find Saber ready to thrust his sword into his gut. He evaded and retaliated.

"Not this time, Saber!" Leon declared.

"Let's get him!" As a perfect duo, the two battled the general two on one. But within fifteen seconds, Saber quickly gained the upper hand.

"Idiots," Saber chuckled. Using his sound attack, he blew the two away. He then appeared behind them both as they fell and pummeled them with saber strokes. The two young men could barely do a thing to defend themselves with. "Try this on! A technique I picked up from battling Alex Louise Armstrong, the Strongarm Alchemist!" Using his brute strength, Saber pounded his fist into the ground and force giant mason slabs to pummel at the two. Leon and Cloud fell to the ground, their bodies tangled from the battering. "And now for the grand finale," Saber thus uplifted water from the lake and soaked the two heroes. Then, using an electrical surge, he sent four thousand volts surging through Cloud and Leon. The two cried out as they felt the electricity flow through their veins. Within seconds, they were unconscious. "That's two down."

"Hey Saber," Ophelia shouted, appearing from behind, "Why don't you try taking us on!" The general looked to see Ophelia, Goofy, Donald, Kirin, and Kairi all descending upon him.

"Well, this is excellent." Saber chuckled. "You actually brought the fight to me, which means I won't have to take the trouble of seeking you out!" All five gave everything they had to bring down their foe. But Saber was not the least bit hindered. Ophelia deployed her fans at the general, but all in vain. Donald unleashed a barrage of spells, but to no effect. Kirin used his own flame attacks, while Kairi used her keyblade to slash about at the general. Still, there were no effective results. Goofy used his shield for offensive and defensive maneuvers, but even he proved ineffective.

"This is pathetic," Ophelia said, "All that effort and we didn't even scratch him."

"Let me show you how it's down, Tiger of Goth!" Saber used his force attack again and caught all five into the epicenter. He then deployed his flame attack, using them as cinder bombs amidst the captive KH members. In one brief instant, all five were released from the diminished force epicenter after being charred with fire. Their weary forms thus fell to the ground, where they failed to rise again.

"A mere trifle," Saber said.

"You bastard," a voice shouted. "Damn you for hurting our friends!"

Saber turned about to find Riku, Sora, and Roxas coming at him.

"We're taking you down!" Riku bellowed.

"Where the others failed, we'll succeed!" Roxas declared.

"Not this time!"-

The three battled with incredible force and agility, but even they proved little effective against Saber. Within five minutes, the trio was dissolved. First Sora was kicked away. Then Riku followed, crashing to the ground. Roxas was the only one who stayed to battle. But even he started to wear down.

"This can't be." Roxas said. "You can't have this much strength, not after the way I pummeled you!" The two locked their weapons.

"You are a fool Roxas." Saber mocked him. "You're an even bigger fool than your original self. At least Sora knows a powerful foe when he sees one. But apparently you'll need a little more convincing. I only allowed you to think you were winning."

"You lie!"-

"If that's so, why is it that you're having a little trouble now?"-

"You won't beat me!"-

"Is that so…?" a voice suddenly uttered. Roxas looked behind him to see Saber glared down at him. Roxas was confused as he beheld two Blade Generals.

"Impossible, there are two of you?"-

"Don't act so surprised!" Saber slammed at the side of the head. Roxas buckled to the side only to be struck buy Saber again. The first Saber would keep Roxas in the air, while the second Saber pummeled him as he descended.

"Riku," Sora cried, "Look!"-

"There are two Sabers?" Riku was astounded. But as he analyzed the situation, he realized that there weren't really two Blade Generals. "There aren't two Sabers. Saber is using a clone attack. He split himself into two when Roxas wasn't looking. Thus, while the clone is pummeling Roxas, the real Saber is keeping him air bourn so his clone can continue his onslaught."

"A clone jutsu," Sasuke thought to him self, watching the battle. "Saber's using that tactic to wear out that guy even more."

In a wild pitch of rage, Roxas managed to retaliate successfully and strike at the clone. He pummeled it, believing it was Saber. But within seconds, the clone vanished, returning into the substance that it once consisted of, shadow. The damage had been done, however, and Roxas was left weary from the fight. His face was bloodied, his clothes tattered. Sweat dropped down his face and his body was weary beyond what he was accustomed to. Never before had he experienced this kind of exhaustion as an independent entity.

"You seem a little weary, boy." Saber implied. "But that's what happens when you try to take on two identical foes at ones. That is what the clone technique does. It helps to wear out your opponent. But then again, such techniques are ones that the likes of you seldom pay attention to."-

"Don't you dare mock me…" Roxas heaved.

"I highly doubt you are in any position to be telling me what do say and do."-

Roxas gripped his keyblades and impaled their heads into the stone.

"Let me show you my own technique!" Roxas drew up his hands and fired a series of ten powerful energy waves at Saber. "Try this on for size!"

But Saber simply took hold of each energy beam and absorbed it into his body, thus making him slightly stronger. This irritated and scared Roxas as well everyone else who was still conscious.

"He absorbed that barrage." Sora said.

"Saber's full of surprises isn't he." Riku concurred.

Saber began to approach Roxas. Perhaps this was the very first time that Roxas actually backed away from an opponent equal in height to him self.

"You call that a barrage?" Saber chuckled. "Let me show you something worthier to display. Let's see how you like Vegeta's trick." The general suddenly increased the level of chakra in the palms of his hands. He than thrust both arms in front of him, fingers spread and straightened, and palms wide open, "Machine Gun Blast!"

All of a sudden, an immense barrage of white beams suddenly bellowed from his palms. This barrage paled Roxas's own attack a million fold as a hundred destructive beams seemed to rush forward in a single wave. It was as if a shower of meteors had descended upon the young Nobody. Roxas watched in fear as the hot, shining orbs drew nearer and nearer.

"I can't possibly deflect that…" he uttered.

"Roxas," Sora shouted, "Run for your life!"

Roxas heeded Sora's words and quickly evaded, but the impact of each beam was so great, that it knocked him off his feet. Entire road ways were destroyed instantly as the beams hit. Roxas continued to evade as best he could, one step ahead of the incoming projectiles.

"Look at that," Riku uttered. "Saber's not giving him a chance to breathe."

"Roxas…" Sora said. Desperate to help, Sora rushed in to intervene. But Riku grabbed him by the arm and locked him close to his body to hold him back. Sora struggled. "Let me go, Riku! Let me go! I gotta help Roxas!"

"And what do you think you're going to accomplish charging in recklessly." Riku said. "You wouldn't last very long in the midst of that barrage. Besides, you think Saber will let you get killed. It's you he wants his hands on first. He'll be glad to snatch you up. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't mind killing you if you stepped in." Sora relaxed in his friend's arms and lowered his head. Riku could only comfort him with encouraging words. "We have to use our heads, Sora. Saber is in complete control right now. He has us under his thumb."

"Then what do you suggest we do?"-

"We have to attack him when the moment is right, when he least expects it. And when we do, we have to make sure it's a critical blow."-

"But when will that be?"-

"The opportunity will present itself."-

"So how do you intend to take Saber down with one blow?" Sora asked.

"With your new keyblade, Mjollnir," Riku replied. "Thundro said that one hit from that can take down even the most powerful of enemies."

"Well, yeah…"-

"Then it's all up to you…"-

"Me…?"-

"It's your keyblade remember…"-

"Yeah, you're right…!" But inwardly Sora grumbled, "Easy for you to say, Riku. You're not the one with Mjollnir. I might have a strong heart, but I'm only human. I wanna live for crying out loud."

All the while, Roxas was still getting pummeled by the barrage.

"How long can this guy keep going?" he wondered.

"You can't withstand this chaos forever, Roxas!" Saber chuckled.

Sure enough, Roxas ended up tripping over a piece of debris and landed on his back. The beams rushed in and struck the very place he fell. The Nobody was thrown up into the air, half conscious.

To make matters worse, Saber suddenly appeared behind Roxas. He struck the youth in the back. Roxas cried out. But again he was struck, this time from the front, then from the back again, and all within less than a couple of seconds. Saber's movements couldn't even be seen by the key bearers who observed from the ground. Finally, with one last punch, he knocked the youth to the ground. The impact caused the stone walkways to crack.

"Roxas," Sora cried.

Roxas only lay there, barely alive, barely able to move, his keyblades far from his grasp. Saber landed at his feet. With a cold stare and an evil grin, the Imperial reached forth and grabbed Roxas by the front of his shirt.

"So, tell me, Roxas," Saber mocked, "What ever happened to all that power of yours, eh?" Roxas could barely summon the strength to lift his head. Then without warning, Saber head butted the youth. A cry of pain came from the Nobody as his head suddenly began to bleed with a grotesque wound. "Sora's blood runs thick within your being. Such is the affects on a Nobody reunited with its other, so much for the invincible Roxas, now a pitiful, haggard sight."

Saber further inflicted pain on the already half dead Nobody. He began to punch Roxas in the face over and over again until blood splattered about from his lips and further wounds on his face. It came to the point, where the entire front of Roxas's wardrobe was torn away and he was left to fall upon the ground half naked from the top. Roxas's young body glistened in Atlantean day, his chest and torso beaten and battered from the impacts given by Saber.

Saber was not finished though. He grasped Roxas by the throat, gagging the poor young man. He gripped his fingers tightly around the Nobody's neck, strangling him at the pressure points. Roxas cried out, trying to struggle, but couldn't lift a finger to resist. His body had had it.

"You have extraordinary talents yourself, Roxas." Saber chuckled. "Unfortunately, being a Nobody, you have nothing worth taking. It all derives from your original selves. Sora holds your abilities within his head, which is why he is my target. That makes you disposable. You can thus have the honor of being the one to die first, though I doubt your death will mean much, being a Nobody and all. It's time to throw you out with the rest of the trash." Saber gazed at a pillar near by. "I wonder what would happen if a Nobody were to be impaled." Using alchemy, Saber used a long distance surge to strike the pillar. From the pillar, a giant spike emerged, long enough to pierce all the way through. "You can just hang around for a while!"

Then almost out of spite, Saber looked at Riku and Sora who stood a good distance away from the side lines.

"I hope you enjoy the sight of your Nobody's demise, Sora. But feel free to intervene and stop me at any time."-

"You…" Sora growled.

"Don't let your hatred surface, Sora." Riku said. "I know it's painful to watch, but if Saber managed to manipulate you, it's over for all of us anyway. The only thing that will change is the amount of suffering you have to watch as you mindlessly kill your own friends."

"Damn it…"-

"Saber's not gonna drop his guard. He knows that we're the only primary threats. He probably already has taken out intervention into calculations. So if we rush him now, it's over for us."-

"Now behold the death of your Nobody, Sora!" With a surge of energy, the general sent Roxas reeling towards the spike.

"Roxas," Sora couldn't contain himself any further and rushed in to save his Nobody.

"Sora, no," Riku shouted. But his words could no longer reach his friend, whose only concern was for the safety of his other half. Riku watched Saber's eyes, knowing that something would happen. "Damn it."

Knowing the danger, Riku rushed in to assist his friend by stopping Saber.

"It's too late!" Saber shouted. He raised his hand and prepared to fire and energy beam that would make direct impact when Sora caught up with Roxas. "Now die!"

But as he prepared to release his attack, he heard something approaching from behind. This sensation caused him to stall for a moment in his deployment and forced him off aim by a few degrees. Saber moved his head. Sure enough, an incoming Kunai was seen. It grazed his face, causing a shallow cut.

This sudden change allowed Sora to catch up to Roxas and grab him before making impact with the large spike. Sora held Roxas close and tumbled along the ground. The energy beam made impact with the right side of the pillar and caused it to collapse. Riku was equally surprised.

"What just happened…?" Riku wondered. In the meantime, Sora held Roxas close in his arms.

"Hey, Roxas," he said, "You okay…?" Roxas slowly opened one eye. He gazed at Sora, though still a blur. The Nobody smiled.

"Sora…" Roxas replied. Sora returned the smile.

In the meantime, Saber observed his cheek and the few drops of blood that emerged from the severed skin. He wiped the blood with his glove and rubbed it between his fingers. He smirked.

"Not bad," he said, "I completely forgot about you." All participating members looked to see who it was that threw the knife.

It was Sasuke Uchiha…


	116. Nobility and Redemption

Nobility and Redemption

Sasuke Uchiha had interfered at the last moment, using a last ditch effort to strike Saber from behind with his shuriken. But already, that strategy had proven faulty. Though Saber had evaded, he himself was rather stunned to find that he had been caught off guard.

Riku thus didn't continue his rush towards Saber. Instead, he ran over to Sora who nestled his half dead Nobody in his arms.

"You put up one hell of a fight, Roxas." Sora complimented.

"Thanks Sora…" Roxas replied.

"How are you guys doing?" Riku asked as he knelt next to them.

"I'm fine," Sora replied, "But Roxas was given one hell of a beating.

"I'm alright, Sora." Roxas uttered. "I've had worse."

"What happened anyway?"-

"It was Sasuke." Riku replied

"Sasuke…?"-

"Yeah, he just threw one of those shurikens at Saber."-

"But why…?'-

"Why else? Saber did declare after all that he would kill him."-

The wounded trio watched as Saber confronted his traitorous subordinate.

"You caught me off guard for a while there, boy." Saber chuckled. "But you have just sealed your own grave. You see, you would have been better off staying out of this, Sasuke. At least you didn't have to worry about my hostilities for the time in which you could have escaped with your life. Instead, you decide to openly oppose me and weigh my full aggression on you. To me, however, you are just another irritation that needs to be extinguished."

"Enough talk," Sasuke shouted. "If you want to prove your point, then stop blabbering and just attack!"

"You don't have to ask twice." Saber drew his blade for an offensive strike. "You'll soon be sleeping in an eternity box, you presumptuous little hobbledehoy!"

Saber attacked with incredible speed that Sasuke could barely see it. Sasuke jumped into the air just as Saber struck.

"You missed…!"-

"Oh did I really…?" Saber suddenly appeared above Sasuke. The boy saw the attack and quickly evaded as fast as he could. Just by a hair he managed to escape. Then, taking out every shuriken piece he still had on him, he unleashed a barrage at the general. But with hid force ability, Saber halted the shuriken in mid air. He accelerated their speed. "Right back at you…!" He directed the shuriken back at Sasuke. Unable to elude, Sasuke was struck by his own shuriken. He cried out as the metal projectiles struck him simultaneously. "Now you will die!"

Saber thrust himself skyward and cut the young shinobi in half, through the stomach. He landed not too long after that. He watched as Sasuke's mangled body fell to the ground. The key bearers watched as this unspeakable act had occurred in front of their eyes.

"No, Sasuke…" Sora uttered.

"He's dead…" Roxas whispered.

All but Riku seemed to be concerned. Riku only smiled.

"I don't think so." Riku chuckled. "Sasuke's more resourceful than what we give him credit for."

"What do you mean, Riku?" Sora asked.

"Just watch,"-

Riku was right because no sooner had Sasuke touched the old Atlantean walkway before the grinning general, he suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke. Saber was somewhat surprised.

"A substation jutsu," Saber thought to him self.

The reality was that the substitution was used only so Sasuke could prepare for his ultimate attack, the 'Chidori.' Now at full strength and close within striking range, he unleashed his Sharingan and rushed at full speed. The electricity crackled and sparked, like the sound of a thousand sparrows twittering away. He had to strike while the general still had his back towards him. Seeing the general still bewildered, this was Sasuke's chance.

"This'll teach you to betray me!" he thought in his mind. "You'll pay for what you've done to us all, Saber! This is for all the people I killed in your name! And I wish I wasn't foolish enough to obey you!" His mind reminisced of his friends. "Sakura, Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, I promise I will make it up to you by smiting the man who forced me to turn against you and oversee your demise!" Sasuke thrust his hand at Saber. "Behold the ultimate attack, Chidori, one thousand birds!"

But to his dismay, Saber suddenly evaded, turning into shadow the moment of impact. He thus reappeared, parallel to Sasuke's outstretched hand and took hold of it. Sasuke was shocked and fell into fear as he knew that it was over for him. He looked up at Saber.

"An attack that couldn't even work on Sora," Saber chuckled. "Did you really expect it to work on me?"

"You…" Sasuke reached for a kunai at his side. But Saber suddenly unleashed his own electrical attack, sending a thousand volts to surge through Sasuke. The boy roared out in such a haunting scream, it sounded throughout Atlantis.

Saber turned, and using his fire attack, sent the young genin reeling backwards in an arch before having him fall upon the ground and nestle against a stone wall.

"Do you even know who you're dealing with, Sasuke?" Saber said. "Do you think that I'd just die so easily at the hands of someone like you?! You are a pathetic waste of life, insignificant vermin who isn't worth the time and effort to waste on. Why should I be using up my precious power needlessly against the likes of you?"

Sasuke was paralyzed with fear as he watched Saber approach. The general glared at him with those stone cold eyes.

"Please, don't do this." Sasuke pleaded. "I can't die. I have to avenge my village first. I am an avenger!"-

"There's nothing for you to avenge though."-

"What do you mean? I'm talking about my brother, Itachi! I have to kill him first!"-

"Then I can rest assure that you won't have to bother about that." Sasuke was curious with the general's words. "It's already been taken care of for you."

"What do you mean?"-

"Did I stutter? I'm telling you that your brother, Itachi, is already dead."-

"What…?" Sasuke's heart sank. His fists tightened. "No, you're lying!"

"Would you like some proof? Then here," Saber drew out a package and threw it at Sasuke's feet. Sasuke opened it. But what he saw caused his blood to run cold. "Consider them a token of my gratitude for serving me, boy."

In the package were the remains of two Sharingan eyeballs, severed from the head of an Uchiha clansman. By their texture, they had been recently severed. This could only mean that what Saber said was true. To add, the reaction Sasuke had only further proved their authenticity.

"You killed Itachi…?" Sasuke whispered.

"Look on the bright side, boy. At least you no longer have to worry about killing your brother. He was struck dead within moments after we met. I had a feeling that when the time came to tell you, you wouldn't believe me. So I cut out the Sharingan eyes from his head and held them as evidence. Though I must say, it's not really my style to be lugging human remains on my person. I thought you would be happy at the sight. But now that you know your brother's dead, you don't want to smile anymore?"-

"You bastard…" Sasuke staggered to his feet. "Avenging my family and clan, by killing my brother, was all I had in this life! That's why I progressed so much! But now you've made my life pointless because of what you did!"

"Then stop sniveling and wait for the final blow."-

"No," Sasuke dropped the eyeballs of his brother to the ground. "You took something that was rightfully mine, rightfully my task to fulfill! Now, I have nothing else to live for! I have stooped so low only to meet a dead end! But I can assure you this! I will not die so easily until I kill you! You took more than what my brother ever could!" Sasuke drew up his kunai. "For that, I'll see you dead!"

"Then our alliance is terminated."-

"There never was an alliance!"-

"True,"-

Sasuke suddenly attacked with incredible speed. Saber easily evaded the boy, making him look foolish.

"He's making Sasuke look like a chump over there." Sora said.

"Too much like a chump." Roxas added.

"Sasuke is attacking on blind rage alone." Riku stated.

"I'm surprised that Saber doesn't try to possess him again."-

"At this point, there's no real use to doing that. Saber already knows that Sasuke is useless even against us. Therefore, he's not about to waste precious chakra just to possess an ineffective subordinate."-

"I'll soon put out your blinkers, you mutinous dirty bag." Saber said.

"I'll kill you!" Sasuke roared. But to try as he might, Saber was always a step ahead of him. He dispatched a squadron of shadow clones to confuse his foe.

"Fire style," Sasuke shouted, concentrating his chakra. Saber in the meantime, struck down each of the clones that attacked him.

"Is this the best you can do, boy?" Saber chuckled.

"Fireball Jutsu," With a blast of his lungs, the young genin bellowed a wall of flames.

"You still don't get it do you!" Saber snapped his fingers and unleashed the fire alchemy that spurred the young shinobi. Sasuke was blinded by the flames. "It's not over yet." From out of the fire, the general appeared and grasped Sasuke by the throat. He clutched the pressure points in his neck, making him limp in his grasp. Then, with one thrust, Saber drew his sword deep into the boy's get, so much that the point pierced through his back. "Maybe this'll teach you."

Sasuke could only grasped as his felt the intense pain of the blade enter him. His body went into twitching convulsions. The blood from the general's sword dripped as if red rain from a gutter. Sasuke's breathing faded, his heart almost ceased to pump.

"The Uchiha clan is dead." Saber chuckled. "Its prodigal son has perished."

Not giving a second through, Saber threw Sasuke's lifeless body in to the lake. There the young shinobi fell before slipping beneath the waves.

"No…" Sora uttered.

"Saber, you monster," Riku growled.

"Now," Saber turned to the trio, "It looks like you three are the only ones left." He looked about, seeing the other KH team members still prostrated on the ground. "By the scene before me, the rest of your comrades are a little out of commission. Is just goes to show that they're attempts in battling me was a mere waste of effort. Though I can sense their life forces slightly amidst, I would not consider them a threat to me here. And with that meddlesome Sasuke Uchiha drowning beneath the waves with a mortal wound, only you three prove to be my true obstacle."

"You bastard…" Roxas said. The three staggered to their feet and drew up their keyblades once again.

"Fools," Saber clutched his sword. "I show you the futility of your efforts, but you insist on continuing. What son's of Spartans you are to give rise to a second Thermopylae."

"Prepare yourself, Saber!" Riku shouted. The three interlocked in intense combat, showing no mercy to the other. Like a demon trio, the key bearers played the oath brothers against a defender thirst for power. Their movements were unseen, giving out only flashes of light, a lighting clash bearing no clouds. But they proved no match, despite their synchronization and precision in battle. Saber's strength was still formidable.

"How exhilarating," Saber thought to himself. "I have never had to battle this intensely in a long time. I have forgotten the thrill of a proper struggle."

The fighting continued with the results ending terribly for the key bearers. They halted their assault for a moment.

"This is impossible," Roxas grumbled. "I feel like a hamster on a wheel. No matter how fast I run, I'm not getting anywhere."

"His defensive capabilities are incredible." Riku added. "I can't believe that after all that, Saber still hasn't wavered. It's like he hasn't lost any of his potency."

"That may be so," Sora declared, "And he may have the advantage over us. But there is one thing he doesn't have that we do."-

"What's that…?"-

"He doesn't have the right motivation."-

"What do you mean, Sora?" Roxas asked.

"Don't you realize? His heart is in the wrong place. He's fighting for a lost cause and one that dictates the fate of others under oppression of the few. If he succeeds, then the autonomy of every world will be denied and placed under a supervised regulation. To deny people to follow their hearts is something we cannot allow."-

"Yeah," Riku said. "You're right."-

"We're the good guys!" Roxas concurred.

"Then let's hold nothing back!" Sora rose up his keyblade and gave the order to charge. He comrades rushed in to help him.

"Imbeciles," Saber growled, "They just never know when to quit."

Again the three battled. This time, it was the key bearers who gained the upper hand. Saber soon found himself in a disadvantage and losing his driving momentum. Suddenly, his opponents seemed faster and more coordinated.

"We got him right where we want him!" Riku shouted. After a fool ten minutes of battle, neither side gained full sway over the other.

By this time, the KH team members slowly arose. Ophelia was the very first. She looked up to see the fight unfold before her.

"Look at that." She uttered. "They're going against Saber stride for stride."

"Impressive…" Kirin said. "They're in a completely different league."

"As for us, we'd be better off dead."-

"So much for us being helpful in this battle," Goofy uttered.

"That's not true." Leon said. "We might have been pummeled before, but we're not out yet. We still have enough strength to make a difference. From what I can see, Saber's slowing down. It'll only be a matter of time before he gives in to fatigue and exhaustion."

"That is if he's capable of being tired." Cloud implied.

"I've had enough of this," Saber shouted. With a sudden movement, he was able to knock Riku out of commission, striking him across the face with the hilt of his sword and kicked Roxas in the gut, knocking the Nobody out. Both lay upon the ground.

"Riku, Roxas," Sora cried. He now had to face Saber alone.

"You and your friends have been thorns in the side of the Imperial Axis for far too long, Sora." Saber shouted. "It's because of you that I had to make up ten times the effort for everything we lost. You denied us a great deal of assets. You're even more meddlesome than Son Goku! And he's one of the most powerful warriors in the universe." The two clashed their blades again and again. "If I would have known you would be this much of a nuisance, I would have taken possession of your heart the moment you and I met. You are the first ones to push me this far! But no more! You and your comrades will die this day!"

"I think not!" Sora and Saber deadlocked. "My heart is telling me the path I must take. I will not allow your cause, your false cause to gain power over this or any other world." With those words, Saber heart flared.

"Is that what you think? You think my cause is false?!"-

"Any cause that assures the destruction of all worlds and obstructs their freedom is a cause that has to be downsized. I will not allow you to place the hands of the few to rule the many. There is no room for such oppressive ways of thinking!"-

"And yet you think your cause is any better?" Saber growled. "Your cause gives power to the many. And yet those many are not deserving of such power. What will they do with that power given to them? They will most likely abuse it and use their influence and status to gain everything they desire, giving rise of more oppression. That in it self will lead to anarchy and endless revolution. It is best to restrict that freedom and maintain it in the hands of the few who are able to control it."

"In the hands of the few, like that nut, Sirius Viicous…?! He's the worst of them all, spreading this chaos and suffering. I can't stand such people!"-

"Yet you are no different, Sora! You may not believe it, but your cause has flaws as well. Once the fighting is over, do you really think the Alliance will keep its word?! No, they will want to gain more and prosper more! So they will have no choice, but to exploit others!" Sora's eyes widened. "You see, you realize the truth! The Universal Alliance has its fair shares of dark secrets. The only difference between them and us is that you have not taken into consideration those dark secrets of your allies!"-

"I have no doubt of that. But do you think it's any better than your methods, openly oppressing the people? At least the Alliance is trying to maintain some sort of stability. But you and your Imperial friends had to rise up again and cause anarchy amongst the masses a second time. You should have just let the Imperial cause die with its dignity!"-

"Would you have been able to fathom the death of your cause had the boot been on the other foot?" Sora again was shocked. The clash continued. "You wouldn't be able to fathom the mere dismissal of a cause you have always believed true!"

"But why fight for those old beliefs when you knew you wouldn't regain your former power?"-

"Because it is the only thing that drives a man like me on, when the cause is all we have, then it is all we strive to achieve! Otherwise, I have no right to continue living! A man like me who is willing to throw away the very foundations, to which he bases his entire life's purpose upon, can only be pathetic! But once power has shifted in our favor, then we will extinguish all others that might get in the way of our ideals. All opinions and philosophies that counter our own code of ethics and logistics must be eliminated!"-

"But by doing that, you'll only give rise of a new generation whose minds are filled only with self ordained ignorance!" Sora protested.

"It's better that than allow the seeds of revolution to be sprouted in their minds and have some ambitious fool destroy everything we fought and bled so much for." Saber and Sora deadlocked again. "Tell me something, Sora, would you be willing to give up your cause for the sake of anything negative aspect I said about it?!"-

"I would never give up my cause for anything you would say, no matter how you interpret it!"-

"Then don't start thinking that I would do the same! You are not facing a Nobody or a Heartless, but an opponent of flesh and blood. And being such a foe, I have my own goals which I have deemed unbreakable. I am a true Imperial and it is that cause of a unified universe that drives to carry on?! I will not be intimidated by you or your friends, no matter if I am overpowered or overwhelmed by shear numbers! I will not kneel and humble myself to kiss the ground before your feet and be baited by a rabble's curse! Do you think I am willing to throw away the very establishments, which helped forge my being? Do you think I am willing to betray His Late Excellency and deny the dreams and visions he had given us hope for?! No, I will not give in, I will not be threatened. I would rather live a thousand lives of torture and torment than to throw away those ideals! I would rather throw before me my warlike shield and shout 'lay on' and damn any man who dares to cry 'hold, enough.' I would face any obstacle, no matter how insurmountable it would appear than to cast aside that longing and vision that drives me forward to a hideous end." Unleashing hell against the key bearer, the general concluded the final utterances of his fiery declaration. "I would rather die than to say we were wrong!!"

This sudden boost of anger and rage boosted the general drive. He managed to knock out both keyblades from Sora's hands. Sora tried to grasp at them again. But before he could reach them, the general grasped his throat. Sora gagged and chocked. He grasped at Saber's arm, futility trying to free him self.

"They say it is more efficient to demoralize an enemy by defeating the commander." Saber said. "Kill one to warn off a hundred. That means that if you die, Sora, then I would have broken the backbone of the entire KH team." Saber forced the youth's eyes open. He then glared at them profusely absorbing Sora's living essence as well as his soul. Sora could feel his life draining again. "No more interruptions this time."

"Sora…" Riku uttered as he raised his head to see his friend at the mercy of the enemy.

"Don't do it!" Roxas cried. All of a sudden, he started flickering.

"Roxas…!"-

"Damn it, he's sucking the life out of Sora already."-

The KH team members were all too weak to do anything now. Saber had complete control on the situation. They watched as little by little, Sora's soul started to absorb itself into Saber's being.

"Soon," Saber chuckled, "I would have gained ultimate power!"

But twists of fate have their own agenda and Saber was denied his fulfillment. From out of nowhere, a projectile appeared. Before Saber could react, the unthinkable happened. A kunai had been thrown and struck in his Reaping Eye. There was a sudden blood curdling scream and the general reacted most harshly. He dropped Sora from his grasp to comfort his lost eye.

"My eye, my eye," he cried as he felt the giant projectile in his head. He pulled out the Kunai, and a great deal of blood spurted out. With his one good eye, Saber looked. To his shock, he saw who it was that threw it. It was Sasuke, still bleeding, damp, and in a horrible state. "You're still alive?"-

"You'll take no more souls…" Sasuke uttered before collapsing to the ground. Saber roared with incredible rage.

"You will die permanently this time, Sasuke Uchiha!"-

"You first," Sora suddenly shouted. Saber turned to see Sora about to lunge the keyblade at him. Mjollnir was clutched tightly in the hands of the key bearer.

"This cannot be…!" Before Saber could even react, the head of the keyblade hit him. There was a thunderous clash and a streak of lightning. Saber was uplifted by the surge and sent reeling skyward. The only thing that could be seen was a bright flash of light and Saber's body consumed by the energy. In the end, the last thing that could be heard was his angered roar as it diminished into oblivion.

For a second there, everything was quiet. It was a strange quiet, uneasy yet not at all threatening. Riku and Roxas looked at Sora.

"He did it…" Riku uttered.

"He actually did it…" Roxas added. "He actually defeated Saber."

The other KH team members were astonished. As it seemed the cloud of chaos had ended, they cheered on for Sora.

"He did it!" Goofy shouted with renewed energy.

"Sora," Kairi cried. Hardly able to control herself, she ran over to Sora who was still staggering on his feet. The others followed. They spread themselves across the field. Cloud and Leon assisted Roxas too his feet, while Ophelia and Kirin helped Riku up. Goofy, Donald, and Kairi went to help Sora. "Sora…"

"Hey Kairi…" Sora said with a sheepish grin.

"You did it, Sora."-

"I did, didn't I…" Sora suddenly collapsed, but his friends stabled him.

"We thought you were goners." Goofy said.

"I thought we were too. But Roxas, Riku, and I stuck it out even to the very end."-

"That's a relief." Donald implied. "We thought you were really gonna die back there."

"It takes a lot more to get rid of us." Sora chuckled.

"Sora, you numbskull," Riku shouted, walking over to his friend with the others. "You could have saved us the suspense!"

"Yeah…"-

"At least we ended it right…?'-

"I'm just glad that it's over." Sora's laughter then went silent. "Well, I couldn't have done it without him…" Sora pointed to the Sasuke who still lay waterlogged and severely bleeding.

"Sasuke…?" Leon asked.

"If it wasn't for him stepping in, I wouldn't be standing here right now."-

"Is that so…?" Kirin said. He then walked over to Sasuke and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. Sasuke was still alive as his eyes slowly opened. "Hey, you alright, kid?"

"I've had better days." Sasuke replied. "But you guys got what you wanted. Just leave me here to die."

"I can't do that, kid. You're the one who saved the day." Kirin took up Sasuke in his arms.

"Is he alright?" Sora asked from afar.

"He's in critical condition." Kirin replied. "I'm gonna take him to see Sweet. Maybe they'll be able to patch him up.

"Alright then," With that, Kirin headed rearward to seek aid to save Sasuke's life.

"If only we had more potion and senzus." Riku said.

In the meantime, Sweet and the expedition party were able to free Kida from her granite prison and Milo from the deep underground cavern.

"Thanks for getting me out of there." Milo said.

"No problem," Vinny said, cracking his knuckles. "It was mere child's play."

"So how's Kida doing?"-

"Well, we managed to get her out." Sweet said. "But regarding this angelic form, that's something even I'm unfamiliar with."

"What do we do with her?" Audrey asked.

"The only thing we can do is wait and see what happens."-

Then, Kirin came in with Sasuke in his arms.

"Sweet," he shouted.

"Mr. Kirin," Sweet replied. "What are you doing here? Is the fighting over?"

"Yeah, it's over." But the moment the party saw Sasuke in his arms, they reacted harshly.

"Hey," Audrey protested, "What's the idea bringing him in here?!"

"He's the enemy!" Cookie added.

"No," Kirin said. "He helped us defeat Saber. He was being manipulated." Sasuke suddenly moaned. "Hang in there, kid." Kirin looked at Sweet. "You think you can save him, Sweet?"

"Let me see him." Sweet said.

"But Sweet," Audrey shouted, "He's the enemy!"-

"He's also a person in need and I have to help him as best I can. In my line of work, there are no friends or foes, only victims."-

"You're too kind for your own good, Sweet." Milo said with a smile.

"Thank you, doctor." Kirin gave his gratitude.

"Here's put him on the throne." Sweet instructed. Kirin placed Sasuke on the king's throne and Sweet gazed at the wound. He reacted with a solemn look. "The wound is deep, really deep."

"Can you do something?"-

"I'll do all I can, but at this point I doubt if I'll be of any effect. I'll try though."-

"Thanks..." Kirin turned. "Then I better get going. Take care of him will you? Sasuke's a hero."

"I will…" Sweet replied. With that, Kirin withdrew. Sasuke in the meantime, opened his eyes. "You're lucky to have friends like that, kid."-

"Friends…?" Sasuke uttered. His mind shifted to his friends who were killed. Then visions of the key bearers and the KH team came into view. Sasuke smiled. "Friends…"

Kirin managed to make it back to his friends within a few minutes. The key bearers and the other KH team members were busy with their wounds. A few Atlanteans looked about curiously at their savior party. The team saw Kirin return.

"What happened…?" Sora asked. "Are they taking care of Sasuke?"

"Sweet is on the job right now." Kirin replied.

"That's good," Riku implied.

"So all is over and done with,"-

"Not exactly," Ophelia interceded.

"What do you mean?"-

"We were in such an uproar to defeat Saber, we forgot all about retrieving the puzzle piece and the info disc he had on him." Leon explained.

"No use trying to find them now." Cloud said. "After all of that, I don't think there's a bit of Saber left."

"Yeah, you're right."-

"Sorry, you guys." Sora said. "I shouldn't have laid it on him so hard. Otherwise we wouldn't be in this predicament."

"You did the right thing, Sora." Roxas assured his counterpart. "If you hadn't, Saber might still be kicking the crud out of us."

"You have a point…" The team had a slight chuckled, but as before, their jollity was short lived. From out of the blue, an object descended. The team looked up to see this black form coming down upon them at incredible speed. As the form's features became more recognizable, the team's hearts were again filled with dread. Saber was still intact.

"It's Saber…!" Goofy cried.

"It can't be!" Cloud uttered.

Saber crashed upon the ground, his once formidable uniform of black and red reduced to tatters. The team was apprehensive at first, but eventually eased their guard as there was no life stirring within the general's being.

"Is he alive?" Kairi asked.

"I don't know." Ophelia replied. "I don't feel any life source coming from him."

The team thought it best to stay back, but Sora was willing to investigate.

"Sora get back here!" Roxas shouted.

"I think he's harmless now." Sora replied. "There's nothing to worry about."

"Oh yeah, that's what you think, but do you really know?! I've seen all those suspense thrillers where the bad guy looks like he's dead, but then suddenly comes back to life!"-

"I don't think so. This is reality." Sora stood over the body of Saber. He reached down and lifted the general's hand. He then released it and the limb fell dead to Saber's side. "I guess he really is dead. That strike from Mjollnir was too much even for him. Good thing though." Sora then scrounged around Saber's body. Sure enough, he found the disk and the puzzle piece. "After all we had to go through defeating you; we finally got what we wanted."

"Hey, did you find anything?" Riku asked. Sora turned to his friends and held up the disk and piece.

"I have them!"-

"Alright," The team cheered. Sora stood up again and put the piece and disk in his pocket.

"Then that's the end of that. For a while, I thought we weren't gonna make it back there." But Sora suddenly realized that his friends' jollity had ceased and their faces expressed fear. Sora was puzzled. "Hey, are you guys alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"More so than you think, Sora," Kairi uttered. "Look behind you…"

The minute Kairi uttered those words was the moment Sora felt a strange and ominous presence behind him. He felt the repetition of hot breath against the back of his neck. He slowly turned to see none other than General Saber standing before him.

"Impossible…" he said. Saber now bore a haggard appearance of his former self, his face beaten and bloodied, his uniform tattered and soiled, and his posture, like that of the Marathon Runner. His gouged right eye was too grotesque to look upon. But despite his look, the General still gave that look of fear.

"I'll have to give you ladies and gents credit." He said, holding to catch his breath. "Your combined strength is surprising. Yes, you spiced things up a bit. No one has ever had the capacity of hindering me to this pitiful state. But it really is too bad that even at your peak, you still pale in comparison to me." Saber clenched his fists.

"You have got to be kidding me," Kirin gasped. "How in the hell can he still be alive."

"But that hit with the Mjollnir should have done him in completely." Sora thought to himself.

"You're little triumph was short lived, my friends." Saber chuckled. "But no one ever gets the best of me for long." Saber suddenly rushed forward and struck Sora in the face. The key bearer fell to the ground.

"Sora…!" Kairi cried.

"For the pain and humiliation you have caused me, I will see you all dead!"-

"I don't think so." Riku declared. Saber growled at the youth. "You might still be alive, but I don't believe you have enough energy left to put up a proper defense, let alone attacking. You don't even have enough to deploy effective elemental attacks. From what I can sense, your power has been reduced to a quarter of what it originally was. And all of us are still alive and kicking."

"And when we stand together," Sora added as he staggered to his feet, "There is no one who can beat us, not even you." The KH team readied their weapons.

"I have to admit," Saber laughed, "You and the others do have me overpowered and outnumbered. But have you forgotten what I said before? I would never give in to the likes of you even if the odds were stacked entirely against me." With all of his might, Saber accumulated what was left of his strength.

"What are you doing?" Roxas asked. "You know perfectly well that that amount of energy is not enough to kill us all!"

"I don't intend to use this for you." Saber drew his hand away towards the entry way to the vast cavern and with one blow, he sent a ball of energy surging through the gateway into the darkness beyond. The KH team was confused.

"Now why did you do that?" Leon asked.

"You missed us entirely." Cloud added.

"You still don't get it do you." Saber said with a smirk. "I know up to this point that fighting you would be a waste of effort on my part. I have nothing more to give and barely any energy left to put up a proper defense. So I decided to put that energy to better use."

"I highly doubt shooting that energy into the darkness was of any better use." Sora scoffed.

"You think so?"-

Then came a sudden explosion and a rumbling in the distance.

"What just happened?" Kairi wondered.

"What did you do?" Riku demanded to know.

"You should know well by now that it is not always the strongest that wins," Saber declared, "But rather the smartest. In this case, I used that energy beam to set off my trap."

"Set off your trap?"-

"While being pummeled by that energy beam you sent against me, I had discovered that the place to which your comrades first engaged my men was actually the shaft of a dormant volcano."-

"A volcano…?" Donald wondered.

"Below the surface of pumice ash, I could feel the surging heat not too far from the surface. I thus calculated that one significant explosion in that cavern would be enough to cause the magma to breech the surface. With that, a flood of molten rock would surge from the reopened crevices. And because the shaft had been blocked, there is only one other alternative way for the magma to escape."-

"You mean…?"-

"Within a few minutes, this entire city will be engulfed in hot magma. The lava will spurt out of that passage spraying its boiling hot content throughout the city like a garden hose."-

"How could you…?" Roxas growled.

"Unlike most others, I am willing to go to the extreme in order to gain my goal."-

"But you haven't gained any goal!" Sora said. "You would have lost not only your life, but the power of Atlantis as well."

"That seems a small price to pay for getting rid of all of you." Saber chuckled.

"No," Kairi cried, "This can't be!"

"So much for protecting your friends…"-

"You…" Riku sneered.

"Whether you be good or evil, the lava can tell no difference. No one will be spared."-

The team looked to see a bright orange glow appearing at the end of the tunnel. The rumbling grew louder and louder.

"Damn it," Cloud grumbled, "I don't have enough strength to deter that."

"No one has." Riku replied.

"We're all doomed."-

"Do not fear your demise!" Saber declared. "Accept your deaths with open arms!"

"You bastard," Roxas shouted. He charged at Saber and attempted to strike. But Saber easily pummeled him.

"Roxas," Sora shouted, rushing to his other half's side.

"Don't start thinking that I'll die easily, even at the face of death. My goal right now is to make sure none of you have the ability to interfere with the demise of this civilization." Saber folded his arms in front of him. "Although, because we're all in the same boat, lacking the energy to do anything, there is no use in trying to make a difference…"

"It's never good enough for you, is it, Saber!" Riku stated. "You can't be satisfied with killing only us! You have to kill everyone in this world as well!"

"Do not get the wrong impression, boy. This is my decision and mine alone. Do not start thinking that my other comrades would do the same as I! But if this world must perish for the sake of seeing you dead, then so be it!"-

Around the same time, Kida's body began to glow even greater than before. Milo and the others were flabbergasted to see such a reaction.

"What's going on with Kida?" Audrey asked.

"I don't know." Milo replied. "I've never seen anything like this."

Just then, the young woman ascended into the sky. The party looked on in awe at this marvelous sight. Kida arose above the city, as bright and as beautiful as the morning star.

Her presence caught the attention of Saber and the KH team who beheld this bright apparition above them.

"Look at that!" Cloud shouted.

"What is that?" Kirin wondered.

"Is that the power of Atlantis?" Sora added.

"Impossible…" Saber growled. "How could she have escaped my confinement cell?"

The light then surged through the sky and the city seemed to light up, as if the architecture absorbed the bright light. Then appearing around Kida were the ancient heads of the kings, which had been used to protect the source of power prior to that. At the same time, the lava had reached the opening and was now bombarding the city with stray rock projectiles.

"What's going on?" Kairi asked.

"I have no idea." Ophelia replied.

"What are they playing at, these fools?" Saber scoffed. "Well it doesn't matter. At this point, there is nothing to stop the magma from engulfing this city. What they are doing is meaningless."

However, the heads of the kings encircling Kida began to spin around her faster and faster until they too were transformed into a ring of light round this magnificent central pull. Suddenly, a beam of electricity bellowed out and struck an object in the water. Then as second beam came forth, followed by a third, forth, and fifth beam, until a plethora of energy waves appeared, striking the same coordinated structures. No sooner had that happened, those stricken objects suddenly began to emerge. They seemed to grow, popping out from the depths of the lake

To the awe of everyone, the structures that moved were actually giant stone statues that had been activated by the power of Atlantis.

"What are those?" Kirin wondered.

"They're really big!" Goofy implied.

"They look like the colossi." Sora said.

"Too much like the colossi." Riku added. "But what are they doing?"

The colossi seemed to situate themselves along the perimeter of the city. Then, as it seemed the magma would have its way with Atlantis, the giants unleashed an energy source that connected and formed a transparent blue dome of energy that encased the city.

Immediately, the hopes of the KH team boosted up at the same time Saber's hopes plummeted as they realized what was happening before them. The giants had created a protective dome around Atlantis.

"Look at that." Donald said.

"It's beautiful." Goofy added.

They watched as the lava flowed around them, but could not break the shield. No projectile could penetrate the barrier now.

"Those giants actually set up a barrier to protect the city." Kairi said.

"So that's how Atlantis was able to survive the cataclysm that befell it before." Ophelia added.

"We're saved," Goofy shouted, "We're saved!"

All but Saber was joyful of the salvation. The general gritted his teeth and his fists.

"This cannot be happening." He said to himself. "I wasn't expecting this."

"Well," Riku declared, "It looks like your little attempt to destroy Atlantis has failed." Saber turned to see the KH team drawing their weapons against him again.

"There's no way out for you this time, Saber." Sora said. "You've lost; both you and your cause!"

"This cannot be…" Saber bellowed. "This is not according to plan!"

"Zip it," Kirin shouted. "You've lost everything, Saber. It's over!"

"Now back to what we were doing." Riku interceded. "We were going to finish you off!"

But Saber's worriment only gave rise of a maniacal guffaw.

"What's so funny?" Roxas demanded.

"He's finally lost it." Donald grumbled.

"You fools think that it's over?!" Saber chuckled. "This could not be a more opportune situation." Saber suddenly began to power up, using the rest of his strength from within. "I never thought I would have to regress to this tactic."

"What are you trying to prove?" Sora said.

"Isn't it obvious? Even the forces of nature have proven incompetent! And once again, I have to do everything myself!" The ground began to rumble and again dread came over the KH team. Saber's body began to glow an unholy red and a strange electrical surge encased him. "I have to admit I'm shocked that a shield was deployed by the power of Atlantis to protect the city. But that shield was only designed to protect threats from without. It was never designed to fend off threats from within. And this situation has been transformed into a predicament that I will easily be able to manipulate."

"What are you saying?"-

"Don't you realize? Why don't you take a look around! The shield is acting as an impenetrable barrier. Sure nothing outside can hinder us, but what of the danger within? If a significant explosion were to happen in here, there would be no place for that excess power to escape. Due to the confinements of the barrier, the effects of the explosion will reverberate again and again within these confinements, making the devastative results arise a hundred fold than what would usually be expected. You might consider it the equivalence of large hand grenade. Thus, once the chaos is over, there will be nothing left whatsoever, nothing but ashes."-

"He can't be serious." Roxas uttered.

"I will thus rely only on my own power to destroy this city and you! This was a tactic I designated strictly as one to use only as a last resort, one that would require the loss of my own life! I never would have thought I would be using it against the likes of insects like you. But it just goes to show that you have proven yourselves worthy. Soon, this entire city will be leveled to the ground."-

"I won't give you the chance to power up!" Riku shouted. He rushed forward to smite Saber.

"Go ahead, Riku, finish me! But know that if you do, you will only be hastening your eventual end." Riku halted. "I have gained at the present moment, enough power to unleash an explosion capable of wiping you all out as well as half of the city. Thus, you would all still die! And with barely any power left, I highly doubt that the ratio factor will favor you this time around. Just one significant strike on me and I will detonate! I lose my life, but for a purpose worth the sacrifice."

"You…"-

"You had your chance to stop me, but decided to fill my ears with your gossip instead. And this is the price you will pay. Now you can strike me presently and kill yourselves, but at least there's a larger guarantee that a few will survive the after effect. However, none of you will still be around to aid the Alliance. Thus, your meddling would have come to an end. But if you decide to wait, you will feel the entire force of my explosive power and there will be no one to survive." Riku and the others could only look on helplessly. "So even if you were to strike me now or later, in the end the result is the same."

"Damn it…" Riku fell to his knees. "We waited too long."

The KH team was at a standstill now as they saw death stare them in the face. Each member growled. There was no unwrinkled brow or dry eye.

"We came so close." Sora uttered.

"I can't believe it." Goofy cried. "I just can't believe it."

"It's over for us?" Donald added. "Is this really the end?"

"To think that we came so far only to die when the task was not yet complete," Leon said.  
"I would have liked to see home again." Kairi implied. "But I guess dying won't be so bad. I have my friends and my brother by my side."

"And I with you and yours," Kirin cooed.

Yet of them all, only Ophelia Billiard knew of a solution. She looked at her friends and smiled. The others were curious.

"What are you smiling for?" Sora asked. "Is there something on your mind, Miss Billiard?" With a solemn look, she spoke her mind.

"Do me a favor, Sora." She said. "Make sure to look after Riku."

"What do you mean…?" It was then that Sora realized what she had meant. "You mean…you're not going to…" He and the other KH team members now knew of the decision Ophelia made.

"The only way to preserve this world is to get Saber out from behind the barrier. And the only way to do that is to teleport him out. And amongst us all, I'm the only one capable to doing that."-

"But…"-

"It's better for one to die than all of us. I'm willing to make that sacrifice."-

"But what about Riku?!"-

"I will tell him myself." She turned away from the glances of her friends. "It has been an honor to fight alongside you. That was a cause worth dying for." Ophelia thus stepped forward with her head held high and her shoulders back. Sora and the others, overcome with shock, could not bring them selves forth to speak.

Ophelia came to Riku and knelt by his side. Riku looked up.

"Ophelia…" the young man uttered.

"You have nothing to fear, Riku."-

"What…?"-

"Please get up. This humble look doesn't suit the ferocity of Noctin Tilandir." She helped him to his feet and the two stood side by side. They looked into each other's eyes. She put her hand on Riku's cheek. "You take care of yourself alright?" With that, she gave Riku a tender kiss upon his lips. The two caressed before parting away.

"What are you going to do?"-

"The only thing I can do."-

"So you two intend to die side by side, eh?!" Saber mocked them. "Touching although rather pointless wouldn't you say?" Ophelia glared at him.

"No," she replied. She stepped forth before Saber and placed her hand upon his chest. She could feel the fiery will burn her flesh, but the Tiger remained steady. "You will not be killing anyone else, but me!"

"What…?!" Saber came to the realization behind the colonel's words. He knew of her skills and knew of her teleportation ability. He had to resolve for time and heightened his power to hasten his own detonation.

When hearing the colonel's words, Riku also reacted harshly.

"What are you talking about, Ophelia…?!" he demanded. "No, you can't, you mustn't! Don't do this!" But the Tiger only looked at him with that gentle smile.

"I'm sorry, Riku." She replied. "There is no other way now and no other solution to think of. I can only tell you this. Live your life to the fullest, Riku. Take care of yourself and your friends, especially Sora and Kairi."

"No, Ophelia…" The surge of energy blew Riku back, preventing him from advancing. Saber's body began to crack, indicating the power would erupt within moments. Ophelia had no time to lose. She only gazed at Riku, her smile undaunted, even with death at her fingertips.

"Farewell my love…" With that, Ophelia used the last of her power to use her teleportation technique and transport both her and Saber to a designated location outside of the shield.

"No," Riku lunged forth with all his might trying to grasp at her. But before he could, both Saber and Ophelia disappeared from sight. His eyes grew wide with a terrible sadness as he watched his own love vanish before him. With all his might, he shouted as hard as he could, begging for her to return. "Ophelia…!"

Ophelia transported herself and Saber to the banks of incoming lava. The magma spilled around them and the heat caused their flesh to itch with the burning. Saber looked around, his power unable to be controlled.

"Damn you, Tiger of Goth." He growled.

"If I must die, then I will do it knowing I took you with me." Ophelia replied.

"You took away my victory!" The shell of Saber's body suddenly broke and a great deal of energy erupted.

Within the confinements of the shield, the KH team watched as a powerful explosion bellowed before their eyes, blowing away much of the magma into the air. The city itself seemed to tremble in fear as the sonic boom sounded out. The team watched on with horror and sorrow as they knew that one of their own was caught in the chaos.

"Miss Billiard," Sora said.

"It can't be…" Donald added.

"She's really gone." Kirin stated.

The magma eventually continued its destructive force and covered the protective dome of Atlantis and solidified not soon after. For a while, everything seemed to go dark and quiet. But the power of Atlantis could not be contained and eventually shattered the blanket of hardened lava from its top.

There was a sudden cheer from the Atlanteans who praised the kings long past for helping save their home and their lives. No man, woman, or child was silent in their cheer. They had been liberated from an outside threat. But for the KH team, there was no cheering. For them it was a solemn end. They stood in silence, despite the jubilee of the people around them. Their tears fell from their eyes as they could only mourn the death of Ophelia Billiard.

"This can't be happening." Kairi said. "How could she have done that?"

"It was for the benefit of us all." Leon explained. "She gave up her own life to save ours."

"Guys," Sora beseeched, "Mind what you say." The team looked to Riku who stood alone, still uncertain of the outcome.

"Riku…" Kairi whispered.

Riku's eyes were still wide with shock, as if his soul had been sapped from his body. But as he came to realize what happened, his eyes filled with tears, which streamed down his face.

"No, Ophelia…" he uttered. "Why did you…why did you do that…?" His fists clenched, his teeth gritted. In a wild pitch of rage and sorrow, his heart broke. Riku roared out at the top of his lungs, so much that for a minute, the jubilant ravings of the people ceased. "Ophelia…!" Riku became weak in the knees from his sadness and pounded his fists onto the stone walkway. He pounded and pounded until his hands became tender and were fit to draw blood.

"God damn it! Why did you have to do that?! Why?! Why?!" His cheeks were soaked with his tears, his body trembled helplessly. "Why did you have to die?! It should have been me! It should have been me!" Like a whimpering dog, Riku bawled. "I should have died! I could have stopped it!" His heart had been shattered to the point where he could not even stand up. Every fiber of his body seemed to tremble and mourn, quivering uncontrollably.

It was then that he felt a hand upon his shoulder. Riku looked up to see Sora kneeling next to him.

"Riku…" Sora tried to ease his pain.

"Sora…" Riku uttered. "She's gone, Ophelia is gone."

"I know…"-

"She died because of me! I could have saved her! I could have done something! But I let her die!" Riku's tears didn't cease. His face red from pressure. "It's all my fault, Sora! It's all my fault! I could've prevented it!"

"It's not your fault, Riku."-

"It is… It's because I wasn't strong enough! I was too weak to help!"-

"Riku, listen to me." Riku looked up at his friend. "It is not your fault. Miss Billiard did what she had to do. She saw it as her duty to protect us all. She wanted to protect you."

"Sora…"-

"So don't blame yourself. It is no one's fault. It was her own decision and there was nothing you could do to prevent it." Riku couldn't bear to hear anymore. "Listen, all of us are still alive because of her sacrifice. Saber was denied his victory when Miss Billiard intervened. She sacrificed her own life so that you would be able to live, so that all of us would live so that we would be able to carry on and finish this with the Imperial Axis once and for all."-

"But I never got to tell her…" Riku looked down. "I never got to tell her that I loved her too. If I could only…"

"I believe she knew that all along." Sora implied. "And the last thing Ophelia would want is to see you cry, Riku."

"But I just let her die…"-

"Riku," Sora put his hand on his friend's back. "If you're sad, don't be afraid to show it. Just let it out."

Unable to speak, Riku leaned up against Sora and began to wail out. Sora embraced his lifelong friend and padded him on the head and shoulders. Riku pressed his head against Sora's chest, wanting to muffling his cries.

"Ophelia, I'm sorry!" he would sob. "I'm so sorry!"

"Just let it all out, Riku…"-

"I could have saved you, but I didn't!"-

The others came forth. Kairi knelt beside her friends and comforted them both.

"It's alright, Riku." She cooed. "It'll be okay."

The other KH team members could only bow their heads solemnly. There was a gloom upon them, a cloud of sorrow that lingered amidst a supposedly jubilant moment.

The shield eventually receded. Kida descended to her friends. Milo caught her in his arms.

"Kida," he said. "Are you alright?" Kida opened her eyes to see Milo looking at her. She smiled.

"Milo," she replied.

"It's over, Kida."-

The couple looked out in the distance, to see a tranquil atmosphere before them. Peace had once again been restored to Atlantis. But all was not joy that day. As easily as happiness was restored, sorrow and sadness came to nestle alongside it.


	117. Reflection

Reflection

In the time expansion as Saber was unleashing hell against the KH team, a significant problem had arisen for the Imperial Axis. Due to the absence of General Saber in some critical areas, the resistance against the Imperial regime grew more intense and more formidable. This vexed some of the Imperial commanders who were in desperate need of reinforcements.

A critical moment came and the commanders presented their grievances before Lord Sirius Viicous. The two responsible for delivering the message were his closest generals and consultants, Lieutenant General Felmir Noctin and Brigadier General Svengard Stentor. A meeting was held in the throne room of King Mickey's castle. Saluting their leader, they stood ready to present their case.

"Your Excellency," General Stentor began, "We have reached a precarious situation. Due to all the events that have happened, there is now questioning amidst the Imperial Axis and threats of defections are lingering. The rumors are thick as a politician's vile."

"I see," Lord Sirius Viicous complied.

"You must understand, my lord, that the resistance, we are encountering in these other worlds, is far more formidable than what we had believed prior to our takeover. Our men are being slaughtered by the thousands with every passing day and the loyalty of forced conscripts is being questioned. I do not wish to be a further burden to you with these views my lord, but I fear unless we do something, we may be looking at a second mass collapse."

"I would have to agree with my colleague, Your Excellency." General Noctin concurred. "We need a major victory scored to boost morale."

"Have we not taken over the world of 'Fullmetal?'" Sirius Viicous asked.

"Well, yes…"-

"Have not taken full control of the 'Shinobi' realm and destroyed the supposedly invincible Hidden Leaf Village?"-

"Yes my lord…"-

"Have we not regained what we lost in the 'Seed' Realm?"-

"We have my lord." General Stentor said.

"And of the twenty other worlds we declared to overrun, have we not gained control of eighteen of those twenty worlds thus far?"-

"We have my lord."-

"Then I don't really see the problem. All of these other factors are merely attempts to break up our control. They are rumors spread by defectors and traitors to cause confusion amongst our masses and spread doubt and questioning throughout our territory."-

"It's not the gaining factor, my lord, but simply that we cannot maintain control with the things that are going on. Every soldier lost is significant at this point."-

"Then we should dispatch our mobile droids and our mobile dolls." Sirius Viicous stated.

"But we can only manufacture so many of them at once." General Stentor said. "And because the Universal Alliance has been able to capture several significant facilities, we have severe limits in their production."

"Then what about the Bio-infantry, our cloned warriors…?"-

"The alliance has gained control of many of our reproduction facilities as well, Your Excellency." General Noctin implied. "Thus they are limited also."

"Going back to our earlier argument, my lord," Stentor added, "We cannot really rely on conscripts. Not only are they too weak, but their loyalties are in question now, especially with the sudden defections of Ophelia Billiard, Cunla, and Kirin no more than a couple of months ago. If top commanders can be persuaded to defect so easily, can you imagine the impact of a mass exodus from our ranks? You must also remember, my lord, that even here in the Disney Kingdom, our supposed new capital, there are also several dozen conscripts from this world who have been drafted and integrated into the Imperial ranks to make up for numbers. So far, there hasn't been any attempted rebellion. But these conscripts' loyalties still waver. Some of them have openly declared open protest against our control here. We've had the troublemakers executed and made an example of them, making it clear of the consequences for those who are disloyal. But there is still a chance that they might be secretly conjuring up a plan to destroy us from within."

"Then what do you suggest we do…?" Sirius Viicous asked.

"If I may be so bold," General Noctin suggested, "I know that our average fighting forces are not enough to fulfill the job. Even our active top elites are having trouble as well with the remnants of the resistance." The general suddenly smirked. "Only Your Excellency's personal bodyguards, the Immortals are capable of fulfilling such a task."

"The Immortals…?" Stentor uttered.

"My personal bodyguard you say?" Sirius pondered.

"No my lord, that is too bold a risk." Stentor looked at Noctin. "You go too far, sir! The Immortals are His Excellency's special fighting force. They are meant to protect only him."

"But they are also trained to be soldiers on the field." Noctin replied. "I have full confidence that if the Immortals are deployed, then even the Alliance will tremble."

"You can't…!"-

"That is not really our decision is it? It is all up to his Excellency."-

"Each of you speaks with the voice of a patriot." Sirius said. "However, if the rumors be true, then at least the Immortals will triumph if deployed." Sirius stood up. "I thus make a declaration that the Immortals will be unleashed to wreak my power over this and every other world. Deploy my bodyguard at once!"

"Yes my lord," the two generals replied and withdrew.

"Oh, and gentlemen, tell them that their first course of action is to take over that significant outpost we lost to Noctin Tilandir and his comrades. Tell them to retake Traverse Town."-

"Your wish is our command, Your Excellency." The two thus withdrew.

"Soon, Noctin Tilandir, you will see the full extent of my power."-

The Immortals, an assembly of the best of the best, the vanguard, the delta force, were forged to protect His Excellency in the time of need. Originally formed during the age of the former Dark Empire, they had the sole task of protecting the late Lord Cavendish. This personal army was established by the late Lord Drako Arakis and personally trained by Lord Lucien Exmortis Thundro. A force to be reckoned with, in their black overcoats and white crest helmets, the Immortals numbered some two hundred thousand super elites. Their name not only derives from the inspired unit of bodyguards once held so high by King Xerxes of Persia, but to the fact that despite a heavy confrontation, no Immortal member had been slain in combat up until the end of the reign of Cavendish. This would be the first time since the fall of the Dark Empire that the Immortals would be deployed. And the very first time, since their forging that they would be sent to far away territories.

A couple of hours had passed since the fight with Saber and the liberation of Atlantis. Things seemed to be going smoothly now. With the last of the Blade Generals dead, the mission of finding the puzzle pieces was complete. Donald unleashed one of the gummi ships and used the decoder to interpret the data on the disk.

"Almost finished," he said.

"We finally did it." Goofy implied as he watched his friend typing away.

"After all we went through; we have at last taken possession of all five puzzle pieces."-

In the meantime, Sora and Roxas cleaned themselves off and were made more presentable.

"Well, that was a thrill." Roxas said.

"If you can really call it that," Sora replied. He looked up at his Nobody. "Thanks for saving me back there, Roxas. It was nice to fight alongside you again."

"Hey, if you need me, you know where you can find me. Just look in the mirror." Roxas and Sora hugged before the Nobody vanished into his being. Sora could feel the warmth of Roxas nestle inside of him, warming his heart. Sora gave one big sigh, "Back safe and sound buddy."

"Sora," a voice cried. Sora looked up to see Kirin and Kairi coming towards him. "So Roxas reunited with you already?"

"Yeah…" Sora took from his pocket the last of the puzzle pieces. "After all that's happened, I can only reflect on how much we lost and suffered just for the sake of achieving these. It makes me feel sad. We lost three former members of our team."

"Three members…?"-

"Ophelia Billiard was one of them. The other two were Cuchulain and his son Cunla."-

"I heard about Cuchulain." Kirin said. "I am sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I believe Cuchulain wanted to meet his end like that. He always said that he wanted to die standing up. That's how we found him. He tied himself to a stone pillar, giving the illusion that he was still alive."-

"Cuchulain…" Kairi wondered. "He's that guy that came to see you before you left right?"

"That was him."-

"That's too bad."-

"As for his son, Cunla, he struck out on his own a little over three weeks ago." Sora sighed. "But at least one good thing has come out of all this."

"What's that?" Kirin asked.

"We gained two more powerful allies." Sora hinted with a smile that he was referring to the siblings. Kairi and Kirin gave a sheepish look.

"Hey you three," Cloud shouted, "Are you guys almost ready?"

"Yeah, we're ready!"-

"By the way, where's Riku?"-

"Well…" Sora sighed again, but his smile disappeared. "He's over there, still standing where Ophelia stood before she vanished."

"Is his heart still broken?" Kirin asked.

"I believe this is a loss that Riku will never truly recover from. This'll be the second young woman he's lost in his life, ever since Namine took up her own form to keep him company."-

"Poor Riku…" Kairi said.

"I can feel his pain." Cloud concurred.

"Just give him a few more minutes to come around." Sora suggested

"Hey," a voice shouted. Donald suddenly appeared and came rushing over to the group. "So this is where you guys were."

"What's up, Donald?"-

"I have the final location decoded."-

"Really…?"-

"Take a look and see!"-

The bulk of the team quickly assembled themselves in the gummi ship. Donald typed in the coded message.

"Is this it?"-

"That's it."-

The team glanced at the message.

_King Mickey, Queen Minnie, and Lady Daisy have been confined in the Imperial city of Cetorburg located in Northeastern Mythril three hundred miles away from Oceansburg._

"So that's it." Kirin said, "The final destination."

"Do you know anything about Cetorburg, Kirin?" Sora asked.

"I know that it's a significant stronghold. But other than that, I'm not really sure about it. Despite my former high rank within the Midnight Faction, I never once set foot on Oceanarian soil. I've only heard rumors through the gossip. I know this for sure though, it is considered to be the most impregnable city of the Imperial Axis."-

"Well, we'll just have to see for ourselves how impregnable it is."-

"I have something else to tell you guys." Donald said. "The Alliance is sending a party over here to help with the restoration and clean up of this world."

"Oh really…? When will they get here?"-

"In about an hour or so I believe. I understand that Madam General Devardios will be handling the situation."-

"That's good," Sora smiled some hope. "That means we have an open road all the way to Cetorburg."

"But first thing is first." Cloud said. "We have to return to Traverse Town and collect some provisions like more senzus and potions before we're in any position to do anything."

"An excellent insight," Kirin said.

"By the way, Cloud," Sora implied, "Where's Leon at? I thought he was with you?"

"He went to see how things were going with that Uchiha kid." Cloud replied.

"Here he comes now." Goofy said. The team looked to find Leon approaching. With him was Sweet. The team came to greet them, but dread fell over them as Leon and Sweet came before them with a solemn gaze.

"Well," Kirin asked. "How is it going? How's Sasuke…?"-

There was a dead silence. Finally, Leon spoke to Sweet.

"You better go tell them." He said. Sweet sighed and approached his comrades. The team was apprehensive.

"Well…?" Sora said curiously.

"The wound was too deep." Sweet replied. "It ruptured, and a lot of his internal organs had been pierced. To add, the severe loss of blood further complicated the matter. I tried the best I could, but…"

"What are you trying to tell us?" Cloud asked.

"I'm sorry, but Sasuke did not survive…" the doctor's words trembled. "He died…"

Again, the gloom resurfaced. The team mourned over the loss of the young shinobi, despite the fact that he was once an enemy, that all seemed irrelevant now.

"It's too bad." Cloud said. "And he was still so young too."

"All of them were just victims to the chaos." Sora added.

As the team stood about solemnly, they watched as the Atlanteans picked up the bodies of Kadaj, Yazoo, and Gaara. They laid them out to rest on the old stone walkway and covered them with blankets.

"Though they were enemies, the Atlanteans are treating the enemy dead so respectfully."-

"It is the custom of our people." A voice said. The team looked to find Kida and Milo approaching them. "We respect the dead, whether they are friends or enemies. In the end, death is the only thing we all have in common. Culture, race, and religion don't matter anymore."

"That's a good philosophy." Milo concurred. He looked at the KH team. "We must thank you for all that you've done for us. You helped Atlantis retain its existence and its power source."

"We are eternally in your debt. Your bravery will be remembered and your legends shall pass on to the next generation, as part of our proud history."-

"Thank you." Sora replied.

"We should get going." Donald advised. "The king is waiting for us."

"Then it's off to Cetorburg."-

"But first we have to obtain provisions at Traverse Town." Leon replied.

"Understood," Sora looked at Milo, Kida, and Sweet. "You take care of yourselves alright? Our comrades will be here within the hour to help with the restoration and the clean up."

"We'll be alright." Sweet replied. "You watch out for yourselves too."

"Everyone on board," Leon said. One by one the KH team members boarded. But Sora halted his advance into the ship.

"Wait, where's Riku?"-

"I think he's still standing over there, Sora." Kairi replied. The two looked to see Riku still standing steadfast in the same place. Sora sighed.

"I'll go get him. You and the others get ready."-

"Right,"-

Kairi boarded the ship while Sora went out to get Riku. He looked at the silver-haired youth who had this blank stare on his face. Sora placed his hand upon his shoulder. Riku was taken out of his gaze the moment he felt the touch. He looked at Sora.

"Sora…" he uttered.

"Riku," Sora replied. "We're ready to go." Both looked to the spot where Ophelia once stood. "Ophelia's loss was a tragic one, Riku." There was no response the first time, only a mumble. "I don't know if you overheard our conversation about Sasuke. He died too." Riku only sighed. Sora bowed his head humbly. "I'm so sorry this had to happen. A lot of people died today."

"It's alright, Sora." Riku replied. "None of us could help it. I'm sure that both Ophelia and Sasuke are in a better place."

"I guess you're right."-

Again there was silence before Riku began to speak again.

"I've come to a conclusion, Sora." He continued.

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Sora was curious.

"I have been reminiscing on what you were saying before and what Ophelia said before she died. I won't let her death wear me down. I will not go into deep depression like I did when Namine passed away. It's something that she wouldn't want me to do. I don't believe Ophelia would want me to be sad and waste my life mourning over her life that has already been lost."-

"No, she wouldn't."-

"I will stand tall and continue this fight. For everything she believed and died for, for everything that all of our comrades have suffered and died for. Sasuke was our enemy, but turned to aid us in the end. His decision to help us marks the absolute importance of our cause, that the preservation of each world's autonomy is the most significant." Riku drew out his keyblade. "I have sworn an oath and I will keep it. I will not rest until the day I see the Imperial Axis fall."

With those final words, both key bearers returned to the gummi ship where all of their comrades were waiting. The rockets rumbled and the ship lifted off. The team waved at Sweet, Milo, Kida, and the other Atlanteans before flying and coordinating themselves through the still smoldering entry into the cavern.

Another thirty minutes would pass, before a few Atlanteans would take positions on the outer rims on the opposite side of the encircling gorge, acting as sentries. It was at this period that one Atlantean passed upon the recently solidified lava formations, which still steamed. But as he did, he came upon a form, blackened and charred. There was a twitch and his eyes grew wide. He uttered only three words.

"It can't be…"


	118. Traverse Town: The Return

Traverse Town: The Return

There was a solemn, somber moment amongst the KH team. Already, three of the original seven had been lost in the course of almost a month. So what they had finally achieved came at a heavy price. For the entire duration of their trek back to Traverse Town. Not a boastful word was spoken.

Riku perhaps was the most grief stricken. Though he had vowed to push aside Ophelia's death and continue the strife they had endured for two months thus far, his head was still shattered. His mind continued to dwell, not only on the losses so far, but on the possible losses in the future.

"We've already lost Cuchulain and Cunla." He thought to himself, "Now Ophelia is gone too. How many more must we lose?" Riku then looked at Sora and Kairi, his closest friends. He couldn't bear the thought of losing them. He remembered that moment when Sora was on the verge of death in the campaign against Maleficent. He only feared that the next time, Sora may not be as lucky. "I don't want to lose any more friends. I don't want to be alone again. My heart won't be able to bear the weight."

Sora suddenly looked at Riku.

"Hey, Riku," he asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm alright, Sora." Riku tried to masquerade his sorrow. "Why do you ask?"

"You have this emotionless look on your face."-

"I was just thinking, that's all,"-

"Alright, you guys!" Donald shouted. "We'll be arriving at Traverse Town in about another three minutes. So get yourselves strapped in for a landing!"

But no sooner had Donald said that, a sudden flash came from within the distance. The team looked up.

"What was that?" Cloud wondered.

"Fireworks…?" Goofy said.

"I don't think so." Leon implied. Just then, when Traverse Town came within view of the team, so as to spot tiny details, there was a dead silence as they looked upon what looked like fires and explosions erupting just outside of town.

"What the heck is going on?" Kirin said.

"I don't know." Sora replied.

"Hey, look down there!" Kairi shouted. The team gazed down at the ground. Spread all across the ground were the faint forms of fallen alliance soldiers and demolished facilities that still burned in the nightly atmosphere. The team was shocked. They feared the worst.

"It's an attack by the Imperial Axis!" Riku declared. "It has to be!"

"How do you know?"-

"Who else would desire to attack Traverse Town?"-

"Land this thing as quickly as you can, Donald!" Sora shouted. "Land it at Traverse Town!" Sora's thoughts immediately swung towards the safety of Olette and the children she was caring for. "We can't let the Imperial Axis inflict anymore damage than they already have!"

"Right," Donald replied.

"Do you think it's the Midnight Faction again?" Goofy asked.

"Without a doubt," Sora replied. "After all, they did lose it to us the first time?! They might be attacking to try and redeem themselves."

"Well," Kirin said, "They picked a wrong time to mess with us."

"Let's go, let's go!"-

As they hovered over the city, the situation became apparent that the Traverse Town was once again under siege. This time, it was the Imperial Axis that was attacking.

"I'm gonna land in the second district!" Donald said.

"We haven't got time to land!" Kirin replied.

"Then we have no choice!" Riku said. "Donald, keep this thing steady! We're going to jump out of the hatchway!"

"What…?!" Donald shouted. "You have got to be kidding me!"

"There's no other option open to us right now! If we wait to land, the enemy will be all over us and it'll be too late for Traverse Town!"-

"I'll have to agree with Riku." Sora concurred.

"Alright, alright," Donald agreed. "But what am I supposed to do in the meantime?"

"You and Goofy provide covering fire!"-

"Gotcha…!"-

"Let's go, you guys!"-

"Right," the others cheered. They leaped from their seats and reached the hatch. The door opened and one by one, the KH members threw themselves out of the gummi and dove towards the ground. They touched upon the ground to see chaos erupting around them. Alliance soldiers were rushing to the front to protect the city.

"Everything's in an uproar!" Sora said.

"Hey you," Riku stopped one of the soldiers. "What's going on?"

"There's an attack!" the soldier replied. "The Imperial Axis is attacking full force!"

"Where from?"-

"They've already managed to take over half of the first district and they're about to breech the third district's defenses!"-

"Already…?"-

"They came out of nowhere, sir!" Desperate to defend the settlement, Riku shouted out the orders.

"Cloud, Leon, you go and aid the third district! Kirin, you and I will help the first district! And Sora, you and Kairi stay here as the last defense!"-

"Riku," Sora shouted. "Above us…!"

The team looked up. Over the hotel roof, fifteen individuals stood; their presence ominous. In the luminance of the night sky, the details of their uniforms, though faint, already made the team aware of who the attackers were.

"It's the Imperial Axis!" Leon shouted.

"They're here already?" Cloud growled.

The KH team clustered together, ready to take on any foe that dared to attack them. The fifteen men descend upon them. There was no hesitation in their actions. The moment they touched down, they attacked the key bearers and their friends without the least bit of mercy. This proved difficult for the KH team, especially this time around, since they had not had enough time to regain their strength after the battle with Saber. Their wounds were still giving pangs and the blood had not yet dried, but still they had to fight.

Sora and Riku kept their friends together as they battled the foe. But as they did, it was Riku who suddenly underwent a sense of nostalgia. Gazing at the black overcoats, a thought immediately entered his mind.

"These uniforms," he thought to himself. "I've seen them before." He felt the strike of his opponent's sword on his keyblade. The moment of impact proved to him that they were not facing the average foot soldier.

"Something's wrong here." Sora shouted. "These guys are a lot tougher than anyone else we've fought so far. If I didn't know better, they're almost up there with Saber!"

"They're not your average fighter, that's for sure." Cloud said. "If they were, we would have pummeled them all a long time ago without any trouble!"

"They're the Immortals!" Kirin shouted.

"The Immortals…?" Kairi wondered as she swung away.

Kirin, Riku and Sora suddenly found themselves surrounded by hordes of these soldiers.

"You said they were Immortals." Sora implied. "But are they really immortal, or is that their title."

"Lucky thing for us it's just their title and not their status." Kirin replied.

"Who are they?" Riku asked.

"They are the top fighters within the entire Imperial Axis! The super elites, the cream of the crop, and Lord Sirius Viicous's personal bodyguards and private army…"-

"You gotta be kidding me."-

"No, this is the real thing alright. The Immortals have never had to be deployed since the fall of Lord Cavendish. And I myself have never seen them fight until now. I always feared the day we'd have to confront them."-

"How powerful are they?" Sora asked.

"Each and every one of them is at least half or three quarters as powerful as General Saber."-

"But that's impossible."-

"I don't think so. Each and every one of these guys was probably a pupil of Saber's. He helped to recruit and train them as well."-

"Then these must also be the guys who helped to put the scars on my back six years ago." Riku said.

"What was that?" Kirin and Sora were curious.

"That's right. These were the same guys who helped Ameba torture me beneath the city of Gombria. I'd never forget those black overcoats."-

"I can see why the alliance has been having difficulty then." Leon shouted.

"They must be desperate or something." Cloud concurred, "If they're willing to send out their top brass fighters into the field."

The KH team came together and huddled back to back.

"This isn't good." Kairi said.

"Sorry you had to get stuck in our little fiasco, Kairi." Sora implied.

"I'm sure we've encountered far worse situations."-

"That may be so, but I can't think of any right now."-

The team was surrounded by their fifteen opponents. The fighting still continued with no side suffering casualties. But the stamina was greatly different and the KH team soon found themselves at a disadvantage.

"Man," Kirin grumbled, "Things couldn't possible get any worse."

But no sooner had he said that, there was a large explosion skyward. The team looked up to see the gummi, which had provided support for them, was blown out of the sky. Sora immediately became concerned about Donald and Goofy who were still on board.

"Donald, Goofy," he cried. Sure enough, Goofy and Donald went flying through the air and ended up repeating history as they landed on Sora.

"What a predicament!" Donald shouted. "We got blown out of the air! I can't believe the optical stealth device didn't work of all times!"

"Well, look on the bright side, Donald." Goofy replied. "At least we landed on something soft."

"That's true."-

"Will you guys get off of me?!" Sora demanded as he squirmed around under them.

"Oh sorry," Goofy said.

"We didn't see you there." Donald added.

"You guys picked a fine time to drop in on us." Sora blubbered.

"Now's not the time to be bickering, Sora!" Riku said. "We got other things to worry about!"

The KH team clustered closer together as the fifteen Immortals moved in. They again rushed unexpectedly and the KH team did all they could to maintain a defense against the attack. Keyblade, shield, and sword clashed together, causing sparks to fly. Try as they might, the KH team was in no condition to take on a fight of this magnitude, not after their battle with Saber.

"Damn it," Sora growled. "We haven't even regained half of our strength back after the fight at Atlantis and yet we're expected to fight top notch against these guys?"

"We have no other choice." Riku said. "There was no way that we'd predict Traverse Town was being assaulted by the personal bodyguards of Lord Sirius Viicous."

"I can't take this anymore." Donald moaned and fell to the ground.

"Donald," Sora cried.

"He's not the only one." Goofy uttered. "Sorry fellas…"

"Goofy…!"-

"We can't keep this up, not in our present condition." Cloud said. He, Leon, Kairi, and Kirin fell to their knees, their weapons still drawn, but not to the full extent of aggression. Only Riku and Sora remained. Seeing themselves surrounded, realizing they had achieved little towards victorious results, even the key bearers wavered.

Sora's body felt numb, unable to stand. His legs began to shake as if they would collapse beneath him. But Riku lifted him up, forcing him to keep his stance.

"We can't give up now, Sora!" he declared. "We can't let it end this way."

"I'm sorry, Riku." Sora whispered. "I barely have enough strength left to keep myself up."

"Sora…" But Riku's own strength seemed to give in. Fearing the end, he too collapsed to one knee. "Damn it, too be reduced to this." Riku looked at the Immortals with their black visor helmets covering their smirking faces. "Is this where it ends?"

It was finished for the KH team. The Immortals would sweep in and kill them all in their weakened state. But fate was not denying the KH team their lives just yet. For some reason, one of the immortals had been struck down suddenly. This caught the attention of everyone present. They watched as the Immortal fell dead to the ground. In his back a long spear was erected upward from his body. The glinting gold head glimmered in the night luminance.

"That spear…" Sora thought. His eyes grew wide. "Who could have…"

As the Immortals had made their spectacular entrance, so would the warrior who would ensure their demise. Standing on the tallest spire, above the district gates, the phantom form of a man stood tall, six feet at least. His face was vague from the shadow and locks of hair that draped over his brow, but his eyes were a soulless yellow. He too wore a black overcoat, its cape draping as far as his wrists and flapped in the nightly breeze.

The man said no word, but descended to confront the Immortals. The man landed by the Imperial he slew and tore the spear from out of his body, spilling blood and gore upon the ground. Looking at the spear, Sora realized that it wielded three long prongs. His heart began to beat as he beheld the familiar weapon. But he kept his words to himself.

"It's him," one of the Immortals uttered with a low and crackly voice.

"The legendary Phantom Berserker." Another added.

"Phantom Berserker…?" Leon said.

"That's really him?" Cloud added.

"Who's the Phantom Berserker?" Riku wondered.

"He's recently made a name out for himself while you were away. He's gained a reputation, not only as a liberator and a freedom fighter, but also as one the Imperial Axis' primary antagonists. No one knows where he came from or who he is. He just appeared one day."-

"I wonder…" Sora thought to himself.

The newly arrived foe came before the band of Immortals.

"You've caused enough chaos, you cursed slaves of darkness." The tall man said with his voice deep and threatening. "I will free you of your bonding."

His presence seemed ominous to the Immortals that some of them were inclined to waver.

"Stay calm," the officer in charge said. "It is just one man. We are the elite Immortals. We cannot be defeated."

"Immortals," Phantom Berserker addressed. "If you are what you say you are, then why is it that you hesitate?"

The Immortals gripped their weapons and prepared to unleash their full fury onto the young man. They suddenly attacked, almost vanishing and appearing around the youth. But no sooner had they began their assault, Phantom Berserker suddenly lashed out with his spear. He thrust and swiped in less then a second. In the blink of an eye, three of the Immortals lay dead with ghastly wounds. The others were shaken. They had never confronted a foe of skill before.

"Do not waver, you men!" The officer shouted. "He's alone! Kill him!"

Five more attacked the young man all at once, but they two were repulsed with three killed and two severely maimed. Two more unleashed their blades and swiped away from front and rear, but to no avail did they manage. Within a matter of seconds, they too were dead. One was cut across the throat, while the other's head was impaled.

Now, only five Immortals remained.

"The rumors are true." One of the Immortals said. "He is unstoppable!"

"Fool," the officer shouted. "He is but a novice! We're the true elites! Attack him, for the safety of His Excellency!"

Four of five remaining Immortals attacked. They slashed and cut with such precision, it is the reason for their title of super elite. But even this precision and accuracy could not hinder the Phantom Berserker. Within moments, they too were smitten down. The four lay slain in their own blood at the feet of their killer. Now only the officer in charged remained.

"You will not intimidate me." The commander said.

"Then come at me if you dare." The Phantom Berserker held his spear high and threw like a javelin. But the officer easily evaded and rushed at him. He thrust at the young man, but the youth grabbed hold of his arm and shoulder and held him in place.

Just then, there was a thudding sound and the officer suddenly slumped. The spear had rebound, attracted by its target's chakra and impaled the man in the back. The officer fell to the ground. And now none, but the youth still stood. He pried the spear from his victim's body and slashed out the blood that lingered at its three prongs.

"Wow," Kairi said. "Who is this guy?"

"I don't know." Leon replied. "I've never seen anyone move like that."

"Hey you," Kirin shouted as he and the others staggered back on their feet. "Thanks for getting us out of this."

"Stay were you are." The Phantom Berserker said. "This fight isn't over yet."

"It's not over yet?" Sora asked.

Sure enough, from out of nowhere, thirty more Immortals appeared from out of the darkness.

"Man," Riku growled, "Where they heck are all of them coming from?"

"I don't know."-

"Here," The youth struck his spear into the ground, stationing it in an upright position. He then pulled from his coat eight vials of senzu potion. "You might want a swig of these." He threw them to the team. Each member caught a vial and drank. Within seconds, they were all full healed and replenished.

"Thanks a lot, pal." Kirin said. "We needed that."

"Alright," Sora shouted, "Let's get this party started!"

But no sooner had that happened, there came further intervention, this time from a friendly force. From out of nowhere, two round shields boomeranged through the Immortal ranks and knocked a few of them off their feet. Then came an intervention of wind, which further blew the Immortals from their stance.

"What was that?" Leon wondered.

"Those shields," Goofy uttered, "I'd recognize them."

"That wind attack," Donald said, "It seems awfully familiar."

Sure enough, appearing all over the second district were four other individuals. Their faces concealed in tinted helmets. They're uniforms seemed a rough cut version of the Disney Royal Guards with the armored chest piece over a brown fatigue and red trousers supported by armored shin guards.

"Sorry we're late." One individual said as his double shields returned to him.

"We had a couple of things to deal with in the first and third districts." Another added.

"Did you have any trouble?" Phantom Berserker asked.

"Of course we had trouble. But we managed to hold on."-

"Excellent,"-

"Impossible," one Immortal soldier uttered. "Our comrades were defeated?"

"Never count on regulars." Another implied.

"Don't let these fools soil the name of the Immortals!" one Immortal officer shouted. "We will prove our grit to the senior elites!"

The KH team spread out with their newly arrived allies and battled against the Immortals. Despite their superior numbers, the Immortals had extreme difficulty in battling the KH team, especially against Riku and Sora who proved to be the most infamous of adversaries. They alone, eliminated three to four times the number of Immortals than the others.

But to their amazement, the mysterious cloaked youth was just as formidable, being the third of the powerful resistance.

"Look at him move." Kairi said. "He's so fast."

"He's just as powerful as Riku and Sora are." Kirin added.

"I wonder who that guy is." Sora said as he at times observed this phantom like individual evading and slaying an equal amount of enemy troops in such a short time as they did. There was a nostalgic unfamiliarity about him. "I wonder how he acquired that spear."

But Sora's mind didn't dwell on the issue for long. He continued to concentrate on the matter at hand.

With each member replenished to their original strength, even the invincible Immortals were beaten. It was mostly Riku, Sora, and the Phantom Berserker who defeated the majority of the thirty Immortals. The others only held a substantial foot against them. Despite this turn of events, the Immortals did not waver and continued to battle to the death.

Eventually, the Immortals who had been dispatched were either dead or severely maimed. The KH team looked at their accomplishment.

"So these are Sirius Viicous's supposed elite bodyguards, eh?" Sora said. "I guess I was wrong. They weren't so tough after all."

"Speak for yourself, Sora!" Donald shouted. Sora looked to see the other KH team members, other than him and Riku, gasping for air, or staggering at the knee, using their weapons for a crutch. "The rest of us were having a hard enough time fighting them, even at our peak!"

"Really…?"-

"You forget, Sora," Riku implied, "You and I went through special training with Lord Thundro remember? It's not surprising that the task of fighting these guys was easier for us two. But I'd like to see how confident you would be had we not taken a swig of potion."

"Oh yeah, I forgot." Sora rubbed the back of his head and gave a sheepish grin.

"You guys were lucky though," Phantom Berserker implied, his back towards the key bearers and the rest of the team, "The ones you faced tonight were lower class, third generation Immortals. Virtually nothing worth looking at compared to the top elites who used to serve under the late Lord Cavendish."

"Hey," Sora came to the young man, "I wanna thank you for helping us out back there. We wouldn't have survived it you hadn't intervened."

"No problem at all."-

"But I'm curious. That spear you're holding. That's the Gae Bulga isn't it?"-

"That's right."-

"Then let me ask you this, what happened to the last guy who wielded that spear? What happened to Cunla…?"-

"Cunla you say." The man replied. He suddenly scoffed. "That boy was not worthy enough to wield this spear. It was meant for more capable hands." The Phantom Berserker looked at the key bearer with a sinister grin on his face. "That's why I…" His message was all to clear to Sora. And he seemed to show some pleasure in saying so.

"What…?" Sora's mind filled with grief and sudden shock at this declaration. He feared the worst for the son of the Hound. "You don't mean you…"

Just then, the tall youth began to chuckle out loud and turned towards the key bearer and his friends.

"Do I really have you fooled that much, Sora? Or have you forgotten what like looked like already." As the face of the Phantom Berserker became more visible in the dim street lamp light, its features became more recognizable. Sora's eyes again widened.

"Cunla…?" the youth smiled and nodded. Immediately, Sora's mood changed from grief stricken shock to joyful surprise. "It is you, Cunla!"

"Cunla!" the other original members cried out as they beheld the young man. They approached and embraced him, shook hands with him and patted him on the shoulders and back.

"That can't be you, could it, Cunla?" Riku asked.

"It's still me." Cunla replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Well…" His comrades looked him over. "You're…taller…"

"Yeah, and it looks like your body has matured a great deal."-

"And what's the deal with your eyes and your deep dark voice?" Donald asked.

"We never would have thought you for the little guy we knew." Goofy added.

"Oh, that…" Cunla replied. Decreasing his strength, Cunla underwent a regressive transformation. His body shortened in height, his hair suddenly decreased in length, and his eyes turned from a ferocious yellow to deep blue. The key bearers were astonished.

"How did you do that?" Sora asked. "What was that?"

"I managed to master the power of the Rage in the over three weeks that I was absent." His voice was no longer deep and threatening, but rather the same as it was when the last time he was with them. "I am now able to summon it at will, at the same time not allowing its effects to override my logic and reason. But for some reason, the affects of the training has made a few changes on my body."-

"It's probably those teenage hormones kicking in. You have grown taller, even in your normal state."-

"Wow…" Goofy uttered. "He sure grows fast."

"By the way," Cunla asked. "I'm rather surprised to see that you two were able to keep up with the Immortals without having to use Final Form or use your own Rage."

"That's because we underwent a great deal of training under Lord Thundro while you were gone." Sora explained.

"We needed it in our last battle." Riku added

"Well, you can update me later, as soon as we have confirmed that Traverse Town and all its districts are still under alliance control." Cunla sighed. "To think that I once held this town against the Alliance, now I'm hoping to protect it from the Imperial Axis. Talk about irony."

"Excuse me, Cunla." one of Cunla's comrades approached. The one with the double grappling shields.

"What is it?" Cunla asked.

"I'd like to report that all areas have been regained and secured."-

"Excellent work...! And what of the children that were in the hotel?"-

"They're all safe and sound."-

"It's a good thing that we came when we did."-

"You can leave it up to us to get things done, Cunla." Another voice said. The team looked to see the other three of Cunla's party approaching them.

"I see you managed to cluster some good fighters yourself, eh Cunla?" Sora said, nudging the boy on the shoulder with his elbow.

"They're members of the Disney Kingdom resistance force."-

"I could tell by those uniforms." Donald said. "Those are the uniforms of the Royal Guards."

"Each one of them is a member of the elite underground movement called the Mickey Faction. Allow me to introduce my comrades."-

"There's no need for that, Cunla." Goofy said. "I already know who they are." Goofy looked at the taller of Cunla's comrades, the one with the shields. "Ain't that right, Max?"

"Max…?" Riku wondered

"Do you know him?" Sora asked.

"Of course I do." Goofy replied. "He's my son!"

"What…?!" Everyone, except for Cunla who already know, reacted. The young man sighed and took off his helmet, revealing a face identical to the captain of the Royal Guards. "You never told us that you were a father!"

"How's it going, Dad?" Max replied.

"Oh, my little boy has grown up!" Goofy tightly embraced him in that goofy sort of style. "Come here, Maxi, and give your ol' dad a hug!"

"Dad, stop that! It's embarrassing!"-

"Oh brother…" one of the trio members opposite the scene said.

"You three shouldn't be ridiculing them," Donald shouted facing them. The trio reacted. "You can't fool me with your shadowy helmets Huey, Dewy, and Louis!"

"Huey, Dewy, and Louis…?" Sora uttered, "But aren't they your nephews, Donald?"

"Of course they are!" Donald replied. "And they thought I wouldn't recognize 'em! Well, it's gonna take a lot more than that to fool your old Uncle Donald!"

"I guess he's got us." Huey said.

The three took off their helmets. Unlike what they had been in the past, the three brothers had grown taller and their voices matured, sounding like the tone of adolescent teens.

"But you gotta admit." Dewey added. "We're pretty good at what we do."

"But not good enough!" Donald scolded.

"Talk about a contrast," Riku sighed. "On one side, you have a father who won't stop squeezing his son. And on the other, you have an uncle who immediately blows his stack at his nephews."

"I never would have though you three to be the same three who worked the shops in the first district, or at Radiant Gardens. Not only do you look different and are taller, but you sound different. You sound more like teenagers rather than having that squeaky voice like Donald has." Offended by that remark, Donald smacked Sora at the back of the head.

"Shut up, Sora!" he bellowed, becoming red in the face. "I take that remark very personally!"

"Hey, Riku, Sora," a voice shouted. The team looked up to the leveled walkway to see Olette and the children standing at the railing.

"Olette," Sora cried. "You're here!"

"Are you and the kids okay?" Riku asked.

"Thanks to Phantom Berserker…" Olette replied.

"He's really cool!" Hayden added.

"It looks like you've won them over, eh Cunla?" Kirin said as he approached the cluster.

"Prince Kirin of the Flaming Blades," Cunla said. "I never would have thought to see you fighting alongside Riku and Sora."

"I had my reasons." Kairi stood next to her brother.

"So I see," Cunla smiled. "I assume that the young lady next to you is your sister." The boy introduced himself. "I am Cunla, son of Cuchulain."

"I'm Kairi." Kairi began. "It's nice to meet you at last. Sora and Riku have told me about you."

"Is that so? Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Kairi." Cunla looked at Sora. "You certainly are a lucky guy, Sora."

"Well…" Sora blushed.

"But you were right after all, Cunla." Kirin interceded.

"About what…?" Cunla asked.

"About the faction, both you and Miss Billiard were right all along. The faction was only using us."-

"Speaking of which…" Cunla looked around, realizing that Ophelia was nowhere amongst them. "Where is Miss Billiard? I didn't see here with you guys."

The mood suddenly changed. They lowered their heads in solemn respect. Cunla and his band were curious, as well as the children and Olette.

"Is there something wrong?" Cunla asked.

"It's a long story," Riku suddenly implied. "I think it best that we discuss this inside."

"Very well," At that moment, Cunla knew all to well that what he would hear that night would not bear good tidings.

Within the hour, peace had finally been restored. The Imperial forces had withdrawn. All Immortals who had engaged at Traverse Town were either killed or severely wounded. Leon, Cloud, Max, and Donald's three nephews took on the task of helping with clearing way the dead and helping with the wounded.

All the while, Riku and Sora explained the situation to Cunla, telling them of everything that had happened while he was away. There was feeling of sorrowful joy amongst those assembled at the hotel. Joy for what they accomplished and sorrow for what they lost.

"And that's the whole story." Sora said.

"I see." Cunla sighed, "To think that Ophelia Billiard, the mighty Tiger of Goth, would sacrifice herself so gallantly for those she cared and loved for." He looked up at Riku. "I'm sorry, Riku. I know that you and Miss Billiard were close."

"It's alright, Cunla." Riku replied. "It was something she was obligated to do. No one could stop her."

"Riku…" Sora uttered.

"I loved her with all my heart. I still do. But the one thing that I regret the most was not telling her I did. I guess I was too afraid of what she would think." Riku put his face in his hands and started to weep again. Sora put his arm around his friend, comforting him as best he could.

"We paid dearly for battling against Saber." Kirin said. "Many people died that day, including Saber's subordinates whom he killed with his own hands, his own subordinates."

"All that suffering for one puzzle piece." Donald said. "But if achieving this means that we're closer to freeing the king and bringing a downfall to the factions, then their sacrifices were not in vain."

"That's right." Goofy said. "We still have a little further to go."

"But where is King Mickey being held?" Cunla asked. "You haven't told me that yet."

"We have the exact location." Sora said. "He is being held at the Imperial city of Cetorburg."

But the moment that Cunla heard the name, he suddenly leapt up.

"Cetorburg…?!" he uttered in fright. The KH team was astounded that he would react in such a way. Immediately, Cunla's complexion paled, his eyes grew wide with apprehension, and the sweat on his brow began to form.

"What's wrong?" Riku asked. "What's wrong with Cetorburg?"

"Nothing, except that it's the one city within the Imperial territory that is incapable of being overrun by anyone."-

"What do you mean?"-

"Do you have any knowledge of that city?"-

"Only from what Kirin told us, that it was impregnable."-

"Not only is it impregnable, but it is the one Imperial city that even the Universal Alliance wouldn't deal with."-  
"Why's that…?"-

"Because of the way it is strategically placed and outfitted."-

"Well what can you tell us about the city?"-

"I know for a fact that the city is surrounded by four miles of open ground on all sides at a slightly elevated slope. Unlike other Imperial cities and those prior to, Cetorburg has a unique defense."-

"What's that?" Donald asked.

"It's armed with old style cannons, considered obsolete antiques dating as far back as the Holvan Rebellion."-

"Well, I would hardly call that formidable."-

"But if the weaponry is obsolete, why would the alliance not be able to take it over?" Sora asked.

"Perhaps there is a reason behind the use of these old weapons?" Riku wondered.

"There is." Cunla continued. "I will explain further. The reason is because the city itself is being protected by a series of special energy barriers, which is being accumulated by a pure power source that thrives without the use of technological assistance. This barrier has special properties. For one thing, the outer surface barrier prevents any projectile whatsoever from penetrating in attempts to strike the city. Only those of flesh and blood or non-mechanical equipment, not moving at a fast pace, can penetrate through the barrier, but only at its weak point, at the base of the dome. The outer dome itself stretches at least three miles in a 360 degree circumference from the city walls. Meanwhile, within the barrier, any advanced technology is nullified. Meaning that any kind of advanced equipment that relies on electrical or artificial energy reactions, or are conducted by a series of circuits are deemed useless. That means that vehicles, blasters, scouters, and present day weapons with computer components and artificial energy cells won't work. Only elemental spells and pure organic energy, such as energy beams and waves, and brute strength will not be affected. Also within the barrier, for some reason, only classical weapons are functional like old cast cannons and rifles. I believe the energy was manipulated that way, to not affect basic reactions."

"But I wonder why?"-

"The reason is because the Universal Alliance no longer uses such old weapons. They've abandoned the use of such weapons since the invention of laser based armaments and advanced computer technology to equip their military. Even the Dark Empire abandoned the use of classical weapons. Like the times, the armaments had to change. Such classic weapons were no longer of any use. They weren't destructive enough. And maintaining them cost money. Thus, they were considered useless and discarded. But it was this discarding of classical weapons that gave the Midnight Faction their edge, to create a defense which deems all supposed advanced technology useless, but allows the functioning of classical weapons. Sirius Viicous is known to have a fascination for old time battles on Oceanaria. Only an enthusiast like him could concoct such a system. To think that in this advanced world, present day armaments would not be the deciding factor."

"Well, if the barrier can be penetrated at the base, then why doesn't the alliance just use their own classic cannons, get inside the barrier and lay siege to the city?"-

"It's because the cannons within the city can reach a half mile outside the main shield's exterior. Projectile can penetrate the shields only from the outside. So everything they throw at an attacking force will not be affected by the protective barriers. That means attempting to set up a battery would be suicide. To add, it would cost a great deal to equip enough classical weapons to launch a successful assault. And even if they did manage to set up an artillery battery, there is a second shield placed at the two mile mark protecting the city."-

"Another barrier…?" Sora groaned.

"That second barrier is different as well. Not only does it repel outer projectiles, but its inner components prevent the use of spell casting, elemental, summoning, and whatnot. That means that Donald's abilities would be deemed useless."-

"You got to be kidding." Donald grumbled.

"That's not the half of the troubles." Cunla continued. "There is a third barrier erected, a reinforcement barrier that acts as a last resort. But even if you were to get past that last barrier, you then have to scale the high walls which are set with countless traps and defended by a garrison of two hundred thousand regulars and over a hundred thousand Immortals, Lord Sirius Viicous' personal bodyguards. And they're not going to be like the greenback novices we faced today. They'll be the real McCoy, the battle hardened senior elites, some of them the former bodyguards of the late Lord Cavendish himself. Not to mention, there are four separate rings of walls, each one more formidable than the last and heightened to a higher elevation. From afar, the city can only be described as a black wedding cake. No doubt that King Mickey is being held in the very center of the city. That's where the most notorious political prisoners and conspirators are held."-

The KH team was left speechless. Donald gave a big sigh.

"This just keeps getting better and better!" he said.

"Why don't we just masquerade ourselves as Imperial soldiers and penetrate the city without anyone noticing?" Riku asked. "I mean that strategy has worked countless times before.

"Not this time I'm afraid."-

"Why's that?"-

"Well for one thing, the Immortals would never fall for such a ploy. And secondly, since Cetorburg is so unique, and bears many of the Midnight Faction's top secret information and creations, there has to be a consulting with all the higher-ups of the Imperial Axis and a unanimous vote to approve your entry into the city. Then, one must obtain special signed documents from each official as proof that confirmation is definite. There is a two month waiting period after the confirmation. Ergo, you have a specific date and time to enter."-

"I don't think the king can wait that long." Donald uttered.

"Why not…?" Goofy wondered. Donald slapped his tall friend over the head.

"How do you know this anyway, Cunla?" Kirin asked.

"It's because I actually had the privilege of going into that city. That's why I know so much about its security and interior. Unfortunately, I don't know about any significant weaknesses that'll make penetration into the city any easier than it is presently. The only option we have is to attack it head on. And that in itself is suicidal."

"But why is it that Cetorburg has so much…uniqueness?" Sora asked.

"Simple…" Cunla sighed. "It is because Cetorburg is the former capital of the Midnight Faction."

"It is?" Kairi asked. The team members were dumbfounded.

"That it is. However, Sirius Viicous had the capital moved to the Disney Kingdom, so as to maintain easy access to different worlds. But despite that, Cetorburg is still as formidable as it was when the Midnight Faction took power. It's now used as a stronghold to keep the Northern lands of Mythril under Imperial rule." Cunla sighed. "This predicament keeps getting worse for us with every step. King Mickey had to be locked up in one of the most formidable cities known in the Imperial world."-

"So the only option we have is to storm it, right?" Donald asked. "Well, then that's what we'll do?"

"And how do you propose we do that?" Kirin asked. "Do you expect us to charge right in against such a heavily fortified city? Even if we were to have Cloud and Leon and all of our comrades helping us, we wouldn't be able to put a dent in their defense. You saw how easily we were fended off by those Immortals."

"We have no other choice though." Sora said. "Using espionage and cloak-and-dagger techniques won't work. If charging head on is the only thing we can do, then so be it. But we're gonna need help, a lot of it."

"You're right, Sora." Riku added. "Let's contact Sneer and see if he can lend us a hand."

"Right," the rest of the team members said. They quickly rushed passed all the clean up work left over from the battle. Not wanting to heed the sight of death anymore than they had to, the party quickly made their way to the third district. Cunla consulted the messenger in charge.

"Get in contact with the president immediately." He instructed. "We have a dire situation on our hands."

"Yes sir," the soldier replied. He imputed the calculations and contacted the president. The screen came on and the face of Sneer suddenly appeared on the screen.

"Aw, Cunla." The old frog chuckled. "I'm glad to see that you've returned to the side of the KH team. We were starting to wonder."

"We have a favor to ask of you, Mr. President." Cunla said,

"First thing's first though. I would like to congratulate you on a mission well done. You have finally brought a downfall to that despicable General Saber, bravo."-

"Sneer," Sora interrupted. "We don't have time for pats on the back, we need your help."

"And what is it that you want?"-

"Well, for starters, we managed to get the last of the puzzle pieces and have gained the last bit of information to where King Mickey is being held."-

"Excellent, where is he being confined…?"-

"Cetorburg…!"-

The moment that name exited Sora's mouth, a change on the president's face became all too apparent. He gasped slightly with eyes suddenly widening.

"My God…" the old frog uttered. "Of all places for my old friend to be confined, it had to be Cetorburg."

"We ask you a favor. We need you to help us take over the city."-

"That is an impossibility, Sora." Sneer protested. "There is no way that I can afford to lose so many men again."-

"What do you mean?" Kairi asked.

"I forgot to mention." Cunla interrupted. "There was an attempt by Sneer to destroy Cetorburg and the center of the Midnight Faction's rule about four months prior to your arrival to aid him. He sent a force of a hundred thousand to lay siege to the city and attack it head on."

"My men tried bombarding it, but the shield repelled each shot taken." Sneer continued. "I then tried to send men in to neutralize the shield. While doing this, we discovered that the shields allowed us to go through at the base. However, neutralizing it proved ineffective. This only indicated to me that the source of the shield was organic and not artificial energy. Thus the power deployed was manipulated to a specific condition. My men charged in, the tanks leading the way. But the moment they did, each vehicle malfunctioned and ceased to move. At the same time, the blasters my men were equipped with were suddenly neutralized. All technological features malfunctioned and failed. To add, fifty thousand men were killed or wounded. They weren't able to advance one step without being struck by a bursting shell. I could not afford such useless sacrifice and I'm not about to engage in another blundering assault again."

"But there is a way to attack that city," Sora said. "Cunla told us the effects of Cetorburg's shields."

"What…?" Sneer was astounded. "Do you really know the secret behind the city's defenses, Cunla?"-

"I do." Cunla replied.

"Well that is good news. Then tell me why my men could not use their equipment?"-

"The reason why your weapons didn't function properly was because they are laser based weapons. That means that their artificial cells were neutralized. Too add, because they were designed with a special targeting mechanism, that enhanced the malfunction. In other words all things that consist of advanced technology or use artificial or electrical reactions are nullified."-

"I see. So what kind of weapons would work?"-

"The Imperials inside the city use old style weapons such as old cast cannons and combustible weapons like rifles."-

"Well that narrows our chances of success. If only old style weapons can be used, then that means the battle force on the offense has to be three times greater than the number inside. And from what I can recall, the city is presently being garrisoned by three times the number of soldiers than when I first launched the attack." Sneer sighed and put his arms behind him. "Sirius Viicous did this deliberately. I suppose he wanted to make sure that the enemy could attack the city, but with limited resources. He realized that the military forces on both sides relied too much on advanced technology and used that as a weakness. He thus created an organic shield with manipulated properties so as to fulfill those certain conditions and cause the environment within to form in a certain way."

"The problem facing us right now, Sneer," Riku implied, "Is will you be able to supply a large enough force to help us?"

"There is no force large enough that is armed with classical weapons. I would have to refit the soldiers with past armaments. That would cost a great deal of money though, but I'll see what I can do. However, the number of Alliance soldiers I can provide you with is at least two hundred thousand."-

"I don't think two hundred thousand will be enough." Cunla advised. "Not for a head on assault on Cetorburg."

"If I start draining reserves, no doubt that the Imperial Axis will catch wind of this and start concentrating more of their forces on those already weakened positions. Two hundred thousand men is already a large enough cut from our reserves here."-

"Two hundred thousand will not suffice."-

"I'll spread the word to our other allies and see if we can assemble a coalition. Although, I don't know how the prospects will turn out. You must give me at least three days to have everything in order."-

"Three days…?" Sora huffed.

"I'm sure that the king can wait for three more days. But this is a crucial military offensive. Therefore, it is absolutely essential our actions be kept top secret. No one says a thing out of that room. If the Imperials were to catch wind of this, they might conjure up a way of countering our efforts."-

"So what do you want us to do until then?" Riku asked.

"Use your time diligently."-

"In what way…?" There was a slight silence. Sneer seemed to be conjuring up a new strategy. He suddenly grinned as he pounded his fist into his open hand.

"If I may suggest, the best course of action is to reclaim the Disney Kingdom and place it under King Mickey's rule again. That should take about an estimate of three days."-

"Are you serious?" Sora asked. "Retake the Disney Kingdom?! But I thought that was the faction's new capital."-

"It is, but it is not as heavily defended as Cetorburg. From what reports have told me, the city is lightly secured with contraptions, and only a garrison of at least thirty-five hundred men is stationed to keep guard over the whole kingdom. Besides, if you retake the Disney Kingdom, you cut off the Midnight Faction's interference into other worlds and will cause their moral to plummet drastically. With the Blade Generals defeated and the majority of the effective officers either dead or defected, our chances of successfully recapturing the Disney Kingdom have excelled. To add, if I know Sirius Viicous, word of Saber's defeat may have already reached him. Therefore, it would be most likely that he'll be waiting for you at Cetorburg, waiting for you to try and save the King. He would never expect you to do the reversal and attack his new found capital instead. This will give us an edge and full advantage if successful."-

"But if the Disney Kingdom is so lightly protected, why haven't you sent anyone in yet to try and retake it prior to now?"-

"And let Sirius Viicous have a good excuse to threaten Mickey's life? I think not. That is the one flaw in that the Phantom Lord has over us. If he ever found out that the Disney Kingdom was in danger of being overrun by the Alliance or any resistance, he would order the swift and immediate execution of the king. We would naturally have to take precautions not to engage so hastily. In the process, Sirius Viicous will take the opportunity to rally his nearby outposts to the kingdom and have his garrison reinforced ten to a hundred fold. And if a battle were to erupt, thousands would be lost. And at this point, I can't afford to waste even one skilled soldier." Sora's eyes widened with these words.

"I see, so that's why." There was a pause in the conversation before Sneer continued.

"But if you did manage to retake the Disney Kingdom without him knowing, then even if he were to threaten Mickey's life, it would already be too late. And killing King Mickey would only mark Sirius Viicous' own demise, since he would no longer have anyone or anything of great value or importance to negotiate for. Imperial rule would have been severed from the Disney Kingdom and their reign would be isolated only to the remnants left on Oceanaria and in the separate worlds they have conquered. You might say that you cut the main artery. Therefore, if you are to attack the Disney Kingdom, then you must eliminate all possible means that the Imperials might be able to contact their comrades outside the kingdom. That means you eliminate the communication and any space worthy vehicle they may have stored away in order to keep an alert from sounding to any of the outposts. Because if word does manage to escape before the task is done, then you'll have every Imperial unit raining fire down on you within hours of the uprising."-

"We understand,"-

"Well, I leave you to do further planning. I must away to take action immediately."-

"Understood,"-

"Then I wish you luck and I shall see you in three days." With those final words, Sneer ended the transmission.

"Three days, eh…?" Kirin said. "That should be more than enough time. In order to slay the beast, you must cripple it and weaken it first before going for the heart."

"But would it be wise to attack the Imperial capital so lightheartedly?" Kairi asked.

"There is nothing to be concerned about."-

"But this is the new capital of the Midnight Faction we're talking about." Sora said. "No doubt that place will be crawling with soldiers."

"Soldiers yes, but that's basically it. There aren't any real formidable defenses there. I should know, I've spent time there. Unlike Cetorburg, the Disney Kingdom has remained the same since Sirius Viicous took it over. There has been no real construction of any significant defenses."-

"Yeah, but when was the last time you were actually there?"-

"You forget, Sora," Riku implied. "Kirin is not our only source."

"Oh yeah, you're right." Sora scratched out his earlier opinions as his memory took hold. "We also have Cunla too. He was part of the Midnight Faction before, so he must've been to the Disney Kingdom at least once, right?"

"That's right." Cunla replied.

"And we also have Max, Huey, Dewey, and Louis. They were part of the opposition."-

"From what Max and the others have told me, maintaining order in the new capital has been hard for Sirius Viicous. Because of the Mickey Faction continuously causing sabotages, he's had to send out twenty-four hour shifts and random searches in private and public facilities just to maintain order. He recently sent a company of Immortals to watch over the place while he conducts business elsewhere. He's also left General Forgan Nightshade, commander of the winged phantoms, in charge. He has his men scouring the streets from above, watching for any enemy movements. It becomes more impossible for the opposition to take action now. Or so Max and the others say."-

"But do you at least have knowledge in the weaknesses of the Imperial defenses?" Donald asked.

"Not as well as those four. It's best to consult them on this matter."-

"Very well," Riku advised. He turned to Donald and Goofy. "Goofy, Donald, you get your son and your nephews. We're gonna need their help on this one."

"But are you sure that's gonna be alright?" Goofy asked.

"They're still young you know." Donald added. "They're only teenagers."

"I realize that," Riku replied, "But right now, they're the only ones who have the most recent knowledge of the Midnight Factions weak points. Their efforts are essential to us."

"Alright, but I'm still a little concerned about this." Donald and Goofy withdrew. Riku then turned to Kirin.

"Kirin, I want you to get Cloud and Leon and tell them that they're gonna help us again. In fact, tell them to call the rest of their comrades from Radiant Gardens and have them rally here within the next two hours. We're gonna need everyone."-

"Right," Kirin replied. "I'll also plan a defection amongst the faction forces too."

"You can do that?" Sora asked.

"Of course, a few of the elite regulars have served under me. There loyalty is strongly in my favor. Plus, there are at least several dozen conscripts taken in from the Disney Kingdom to perform duties within the Imperial ranks. They will do whatever possible to regain freedom from Imperial rule. I'll see if I can persuade them in the campaign."-

"Whatever helps us," Riku instructed. Kirin quickly ran off. "Cunla, get the gummi ship refitted and have us stocked with enough senzus and potions for the upcoming fight."-

"Understood," Cunla said.

"What about us?" Sora asked. Riku turned to him and Kairi.

"You two ready the armaments." Riku replied. "We're all going into battle with everything we have."

"Wait a minute." Kairi interceded. "Are you saying that you don't mind me coming along with you?" Riku and Sora looked at Kairi and pondered. Sora only smiled.

"Well, to tell you the truth." Sora said. "I think you're a lot safer with us than staying here."

"Besides," Riku added, "Your fighting skills will come in handy again." Kairi blushed.

"Thanks, you guys." she uttered.

"Then let's get going." Sora encouraged. "If we fight, we fight together."

"Right,"-

"Now let's move!" Riku ordered. "We take Sirius Viicous down now!"

Without a second thought, the three key bearers headed out to prepare for the battle to come. The final campaigns were about to begin. It would not be long before their ordinary lives would return and transform the present into a plethora of distant memories.


	119. The Disney Kingdom

The Disney Kingdom

Dusk was settling and General Nightshade had sent out his daily patrol into the skies overlooking King Mickey's castle and the rest of the Disney Kingdom. His subordinates surrounding him, they were equally vigilant. Nightshade was a man about medium height, no taller than Sora. His hair was a solid black, like that of a Goth and the fine strands encased his head draping over one side of his face. His complexion was slightly pale, giving him a ghostly appearance. He was young for his age, proving that he was a skilled commander indeed. His uniform was a solid black entourage with double breasted frock that draped at the knee. He was like a phantom, a specter, dressed in his midnight hue. Upon his person, he wielded a saber with silver handle and black scabbard.

He observed as one of his phantom guards flew in on artificial wings. He saluted the general.

"Well, what news?" he asked.

"There has been no sign of any trouble in the town, sir." The soldier replied.

"I see. Well, keep vigilant. The Mickey Faction is still active here and Master Sirius Viicous can't be badgered by these nuisances anymore than he already has. I will not allow it."-

"These Mickey Factioneers have been trouble since the day His Excellency took over this kingdom." One subordinate said. "They lurk about in holes and pop up to strike when we least expect it. You'd think we'd run out of expectancies by now. Their aggressions have excelled ever since Prince Kirin defected against us and made that daring escape."

"Do not mention that name again." The general clutched his fist. "A supposed trusted officer of His Excellency turns against his comrades just for the sake of a sibling. If I ever see that guy again, I'll kill him with my own two hands."-

"There is still speculation on how he escaped, sir."-

"There were men serving under him who were more loyal to him than to His Excellency." A second subordinate implied. "Then there are the large numbers of drafted conscripts from the city. It might have been possible that one of them was responsible."

"Forgive me for saying this, Sir. But I have a strange feeling that there might be a major uprising in the near future and an attempt to overthrow our control here."-

"Don't be silly." Nightshade chuckled. "I highly doubt that any resistance would rise here. And even if they did, I have my winged phantoms, a garrison of three thousand elite regulars from our local strongholds, and a company of the Immortals here to aid us. The Mickey Faction might be bold in attacking us when our backs are turned, but I highly denounce them as a threat in the open. They won't try anything, I can assure you."

"Only a fool would come to that conclusion." A voice said. Nightshade and his subordinates turned to see none other than Lord Sirius Viicous standing behind them."Your Excellency," they shouted, saluting to the masked leader. Sirius approached very slowly. There was a piece of paper clutched tightly in his hands. Though his face was not visible, it was apparent to all present that he was agitated about something.

"Remember," Sirius said, "We must not underestimate the will of the King Mickey Faction. They'll keep pounding at us until doomsday, or at least until we find their command center and break their backs."

"But peasants wouldn't dare rise against us. They would stand no chance." Nightshade proclaimed.

"And I am not willing to take that chance." Sirius Viicous seemed to sternly raise his voice slightly. Nightshade was curious.

"Is there something wrong, my lord?" he asked.

"I've just received word." Sirius held up the crumpled piece of paper. "General Saber has been killed at Atlantis." Immediately, there was shock.

"Impossible," one subordinate said.

"General Saber was defeated?" a second added.

"It can't be, it has to be a lie." A third interceded.

"This must be false information to spread confusion amongst our ranks and cause their morale to drop." Nightshade said. "No one can defeat General Saber. I mean, who would have such strength to do so?"

"Noctin Tilandir…" Sirius Viicous replied. Again, there were gasps from his men.

"Noctin Tilandir…?"-

"Riku and his friends were most likely involved, knowing the deal I made with them in Wonderland. There is no doubt in my mind that they were the ones responsible for defeating Saber."-

"This can't be."-

"Now they know where King Mickey is being held, at Cetorburg, no doubt that they'll connive their way into the city."-

"But that is not possible, my lord." Nightshade assured. "Cetorburg is the most heavily defended city within Imperial territory. It has no weakness. Even the Universal Alliance knows that. After their blundering attempt six months ago, they wouldn't dare attack the city, especially since the bulk of your bodyguards are stationed there, over a hundred thousand of them. Believe me my lord. If an alliance force of hundred thousand couldn't even get past the first defense, I highly doubt a band of youths can do any better."

"You underestimate the KH team, General Nightshade. It's much harder to detect a small group compared to a large one. Or have you not paid attention to the reports of the key bearers' successes?"-

"I believe, my lord, that the credit on their success is overrated."-

"Then perhaps you would like me to tell you that I've just received word regarding our assault on Traverse Town. It was repulsed."-

"Repulsed…?" There was now murmuring amongst the subordinates. "But what of the Immortals that were sent to aid the regulars?"

"They were defeated from what reports have claimed."-

"Defeated…? The Immortals…? By who…?"-

"Who else…" Sirius's teeth gritted tightly against each other.

"The KH team, right my lord?" a subordinate asked.

"Yes…" Sirius Viicous' fists tightened even more, slightly shaking in fury. "Those key bearers have gone too far. Their meddling has gotten out of hand. I never thought they would have progressed this much. I had thought they would be halted against General Knives almost two months before. But now word of Saber's death has reached my ear. I cannot afford his loss. Without a standing officer like him, I am only surrounded by third rate idiots with no real skill or power."

"Is that so?" Nightshade was rather offended by the statement. Sirius quickly reacted.

"Not directed at you of course, General Nightshade." Sirius turned towards him. "However, if you were to confront the KH team, would you be able to fulfill the task that Saber himself could not?"

"I believe I could, my lord."-

"Well, your time will come eventually." Sirius turned away. "I will away myself to Cetorburg."-

"But why, my lord…?" Nightshade and his subordinates watched as the Phantom Lord opened up a gateway into the darkness.

"Sora and Riku will come to save King Mickey. Ergo, since I can't rely on anyone to fulfill the task, I will dispense with them myself, which I should have done the moment I laid eyes on them. And then finally, Noctin Tilandir, we will settle the score between us. The impact that you and your friends have made on the Imperial Axis' progress only assures me that you are a significant enough obstacle for me to confront directly."-

"Shall I go with you, my lord and prove my grit?" Nightshade asked.

"There is no need. The fight against Noctin Tilandir is mine alone to face. Besides, you need to stay here and keep the Mickey Faction at bay." Nightshade bowed.

"I shall do my best, my lord." He implied enthusiastically.

"I know you will." Before departing, he looked back at the general, "Oh yes, and one more thing, General."

"What is that, my lord?"-

"Make sure those conscripts know what side they're fighting for. I would prefer them to battle on our side rather than have them defect for their old monarch."-

"I understand, my lord."-

With that, the Phantom Lord vanished into the darkness. The shadows diminished, leaving Nightshade and his officers in charge.

"This is a grand opportunity to prove myself to His Excellency." Nightshade chuckled. "If I am able to quell the Mickey Faction before he returns from Cetorburg, then I shall be ranked as one of his most reliable generals."

"But we still haven't found where the heads of the Mickey Faction are, sir." The leading subordinate said.

"I would have to agree." a second added. "There is no way that we can comprehend the location of the faction headquarters, if there is any at all." Nightshade turned to the winged phantom trooper who was still present and standing at ease.

"Give word to the rest of the winged phantoms. Tell them to patrol the skies over the outskirts of the city. And keep an extra watch, especially now that the sun is setting. Keep watch in the alleys and in those crowded market places. Nightlife never ceases there. That is most likely where those Mickey Factioneers will be assembling."

"I understand, sir." The soldier replied. Spreading his artificial wings and using the miniature jetpack on his back, he levitated himself into the air and glided skyward into the distance.

"Besides them, there is nothing really to fear."-

"Are you sure, sir?" a subordinate asked.

"There is no doubt about that. What confront us in those streets are only harmless peasants, with no real fighting skills. They rely on their sabotaging because they're too weak to battle against us head on. But once we overthrow the authority of the Mickey Faction, then the rest of these insurgents will crumble." Nightshade put his arms behind him. "And as for those conscripts from the local districts, that are helping patrol the castle grounds, tell them that any signs of disloyalty will result in immediate arrest and a slow, agonizing death."

"Sir…"-

Nightshade's presumptions proved false, however, as at that moment, not too far from the city outskirts, the KH gummi was landing. Using its optical stealth and anti-tracking, the ship was able to settle near an isolated farm just outside of the city without any observance. With that, the KH team emerged out of the ship one by one and took refuge on the house's rear porch.

The party consisted of the original KH team members, with Kirin and Kairi taking the place of Cuchulain and Ophelia. There were also Max, Huey, Dewey, and Louis who coordinated the team, and Cloud and Leon as well. But also coming along were three of their old comrades, The Great Ninja Yuffie, Cid Highwind, and Tifa Lockhart. Yuffie, being a master shinobi, was brought along for espionage and ambush. Cid, with his long spear, was excellent in electronics, making him a crucial addition. Tifa, with her Zangan-Ryu style of martial arts would act as part of the assault force against the Imperials.

Donald placed the ship back in its capsule and joined the rest of the group at the farmhouse porch. Max approached the door and coded the occupants inside with a series of coordinated knocks. A voice was heard from inside.

"Square…" the voice said.

"Enix…" Max replied. Immediately, the door opened and a fat cat, dressed in royal guard garments, about the same age as Max appeared.

"Glad you guys could make it, Max." the young man said. "I got your message."

"Have you been waiting long, PJ?" Max asked.

"No, we were just waiting for you to arrive."-

"Good work." He looked to the others. "Alright, you guys, get inside."

"What is this place?" Kairi asked.

"Your questions will be answered as soon as you all get in." PJ advised. He hurried them along into the house. "Hurry, hurry, there are winged phantoms flying around everywhere. Let's hope they don't detect what's going on. Otherwise they'll spread the word and those Imperials would be swarming all over the place like gnats."

The KH team asked no further inquiries and entered the farmhouse. The drapes were shut and the shutters were closed. Within the house were ten other men, dressed in civilian clothing.

"Alright," PJ said. He looked about before closing the door and latching it shut. He then stood beside Max, observing the many new faces. "So these are the members of the famous KH team I've heard so much about."-

"That's them."-

"I am PJ, the head coordinator of the Mickey Faction and of course a close friend of old Max here."-

"They've been friends for a long time." Goofy said. "I used to make cookies for them."

"You made cookies…?" Sora asked.

"Surprised…?" Donald implied. "You should see how he conducts himself in the kitchen."

"Guys," Riku interrupted, "we don't have time for this."

"You're right, Riku." Sora apologized.

"So what is this place?" Kirin asked.

"This, my friends is the center of the Mickey Faction's activities." Max explained, "An ordinary farmhouse where we rally our men for our operations. It's the last place the faction would ever suspect for rebel activity, despite being searched several times over. Let's head to the basement. We'll discuss the situation further in there."-

"Open it up." PJ advised. Three of the soldiers removed a large floorboard and opened up an entry way into the lower level of the house. PJ was the first to descend. "You watch your step. It's a little steep."

One by one, the KH team descended, entering a musky basement, crowded with old farmer tools and machines.

"This is where you guys hide out?" Leon asked. "Not exactly a clean place."

"This is just a deceptive look," PJ explained, "to make the enemy think that there's nothing here. However…" PJ lead them to a small nook, where two soldiers pushed back an old wheel barrel filled with tools. Beneath where it stood, another door was opened, this time leading into a solid concrete room. Unlike the basement level, this lower level was filled with armaments and strategy maps showing the outlay of the entire kingdom via secret passages.

The team looked about in awe.

"I wasn't expecting this." Cunla said.

"None of us were." Riku added.

"Look at this place." Sora looked about. "You'd never think that such bustling would be going on down here."

"Not too bad, you two." Goofy said.

"We managed to well orchestrate our organization, dad." Max replied. "We're the last hope for the people and the last true loyalists of King Mickey willing and ready to fight until the very end."

"So now that we're down here," Cloud asked, "What is it that you plan to do?"

"We have observed the situation thoroughly." PJ explained. "The Imperials have concentrated themselves at the castle and the outer limits of the city. There are continuous observation operations by the winged phantoms and the Imperials patrol the main thoroughfares almost twenty-four seven, with few men stationed at some of the suspected alleyways."

"I don't think that they'll be much of a threat." Sora said. "We can take 'em on easily."

"Don't get too confident, Sora." Riku advised, "This is the new capital of the Midnight Faction. They won't be so obliged as to lose to us without a fight this time around, or have you forgotten about the Immortals that were sent here? And we still don't know whether or not they are greenbacks, or if they're the senior elites like what Cunla was talking about."

"We can't afford to get too cocky this time around." Cunla added. "The Immortals will fight to the death. That is why they are considered the cream of the crop. And unlike the first ones we battled, Sora, the super elites will more than pack a wallop."

"Alright, alright, I get what you're saying." Sora repented. He sighed, speaking inwardly. "You just had to say 'it wasn't going to be easy.' I wasn't expecting the Spanish Inquisition."

"Do you know how many Immortals have been sent by the Imperial Axis?"-

"I don't know who these Immortals are." PJ replied.

"They just recently arrived." Max explained. "They're soldiers dressed in black overcoats."

"Well, now that you mention it." PJ pondered. "There have been some Imperials dressed up in black overcoats and had white tinted helmets."

"Those are the Immortals alright." Kirin said.

"Do you know where they are congregating?" Riku asked.

"From what reports have told me, these guys in black, these Immortals have been seen patrolling the castle grounds only." PJ said. "They seldom wander beyond the gates."

"I'm not surprised." Huey replied. "The castle is the very heart of the entire Disney Kingdom, the symbol of light untouched by darkness. So long as the Imperials control the castle, they control the will of the people."

"So in order to break the control of the Imperials, we have to retake the castle." Leon pondered. "Is that what you're trying to say more or less?"

"That's right."-

"However," PJ continued, "the Mickey Faction has not been able to plot any successful attacks. The reason being is that with the continuous patrols and inspections happening at random intervals, our men can't move without getting caught. At this point, no real progress has been made. But so far we've been lucky this farmhouse has not yet been discovered of its rebel activity. Also, our fellow Factioneers are few in number and have little experience in battle. Therefore we can't storm the castle head on or even infiltrate it secretly. That would be suicide against a foe that outmatches us in both strength and numbers. But now with your help, there's a better chance for us to succeed."

"So you're asking us to attack the castle head on?" Sora asked.

"Not attack it head on, but rather to act as a diversionary force." PJ unrolled a map. On it were a series of passage ways that lead into the castle. "This is a map of hidden passageways concealed within the castle. It was given to us by an anonymous source two weeks ago. So far, the Imperial Axis has not been able to detect any of them. There is one behind the fireplace in the library, a second concealed in one of the supporting columns in the throne room, another in the colonnade, a fourth in the courtyard, and one more leading to the Hall of the Cornerstone.

"We could have used these plans to initiate a coordinated surprise attack within the castle those two weeks ago," Max said, "but with our lack of man power and skilled participants, the attack, though it would have been successful for the first half, would have rapidly deteriorated, especially since these Imperial troops are elite fighters. They won't let down their guard and be lost in confusion for long."

"Exactly how many of you are there?" Riku was curious.

"Of the original two thousand members of King Mickey's royal guards, only a quarter of them were left after Sirius Viicous came to power. The rest were either killed in the takeover, executed for their threatening presence, incapacitated so as not to raise arms ever again, or were confined in Imperial prisons located in other worlds. Five hundred of our comrades eluded death and capture because they had been on leave from duty when the castle was taken over. Even though that was still a sufficient enough force to put up some kind of open resistance, they wouldn't have stood a chance extensively. Many of the guards on leave were recent recruits and still hadn't experienced a real battle yet."

"A week after the takeover," Huey told them, "we tried to rally the five hundred still free and tried to retake the castle with help from the civilians. But our men quickly lost heart and broke, losing half of our original force. The civilians quickly withdrew and went into hiding. The attack failed and we had to retreat."-

"Therefore," PJ intervened, "since then, we've been sabotaging Imperial equipment and attacking when they least expected it, hoping to weaken the Imperial presence. But in the process, we have lost a few more brave guys."-

"I see, so that's why you've been reduced to sabotaging." Riku implied.

"But now with you guys here, our chances of a renewed offensive have heightened. And when word of the KH team's presence reaches the Imperial ranks, I bet their morale will plummet."-

"It won't be as easy as you might think though." Cunla advised. "The Immortals are not exactly pushovers. They'll find our presence here a mere trifle."

"Well, if we were to execute a strategy," Goofy asked, "How would we do it?"

"I've figured out a plan." PJ explained. "Sneer informed me of the present situation and I have taken his aspects into account." He pointed out the tactics on the map while explaining his strategy. "As I mentioned before, there will be a primary diversionary stage where we draw the bulk of the Imperial forces towards the outskirts of the town. We engage them in the fifth and sixth districts. That's mostly where a lot of narrow alley ways are set. That'll provide a perfect strategic location for ambushes. If we maintain a strong offensive, the Imperials will have no choice, but to send in their reserves to try and drive us out. All the while, a team of our strongest fighters will use the secret passage ways and strike at the Imperial forces concealed within the castle. Since we want no intervention from outside units, go for the communication center first. That way, no warning or call for reinforcements can be made. Then go for the transport units and destroy the ships there. We have to isolate the command here and prevent any Imperials from the outside entering this world to reinforce their troops here."

"That's exactly as Sneer planned it." Sora said.

"How many should be in the team that infiltrates the castle, PJ?" Max asked.

"The original plan was to send in half of our forces to storm in. But that would have been too obvious, especially for a saboteur run. So I believe ten ought to do."-

"But don't you think that's a little suicidal, to only send in ten men into a castle crawling with Imperial elites?"-

"That is an excellent number." Riku advised. "But I think we can reduce that by at least half." The team was shocked.

"What are you saying, Riku?" Sora asked.

"I'm saying that only five will be needed, six at the most."-

"Are you crazy, Riku?" Kairi said. "Have you forgotten that there are Immortals stationed in the castle? We still don't know how many there are or how strong they are. Are you really willing to take that chance?"

"I am. We counter one strong force with another. Therefore, we send in six of our top fighters to inflict the damage. I believe that the team should consist of Sora, myself, Cunla, Kirin, Donald, and Goofy."-

"Just us six…?" Donald asked.

"It stands to reason." Sora said, backing up his friend's plan. "Riku and I have undergone training under Lord Thundro, so we'd have a better chance of causing severe damage amidst the Immortals. Cunla has extraordinary speed and agility to take down his foes. We've seen that in Traverse Town. Kirin has his flame attacks that can also act as diversionary tactics, confusing the enemy. Goofy has his defense abilities to help protect any member in need. And Donald has his spell casting. That'll allow him to act as back up and as a source of replenishment whenever we start feeling fatigued."

"He does have a point." Kairi agreed.

"Very well then," Max said, "You six will be responsible for infiltrating the castle."

"What about the rest of us?" Cid intervened, a toothpick in his mouth. "Are we just going to lay back and let them have all the fun?"

"The rest of us will create a diversion and lure the Imperials out from their lines."-

"We do have enough manpower." Yuffie said.

"Alright," PJ continued explaining, "The rest of us will take up positions at the outer districts of the city and slowly inch our way forward. We lure the Imperials out and force them to attack and try to quell us. That's when we hit them, when they're at their thinnest defensive capacity; we eliminate them one at a time."

"But what about those winged phantoms?" Dewey asked. "Don't forget that they'll be patrolling the skies over the battlefield."

"They can prove a problem." Louis said. "If they fly over our heads, they'll be able to spot our movements and inform their ground troops immediately thereafter, allowing them to conjure up a counterattack and break our strategy."

"Why don't we just use the gummi ship?" Cid asked. "I'm an excellent marksman and pilot. I could easily wipe them all out; both winged phantoms and ground troops."

"We can't do that." Max replied. "Damage to the kingdom must be limited to as little as possible. We can't afford to put the city itself in danger."

"He's right, you know." Tifa agreed.

"Damn it…" Cid snapped his fingers.

"Don't worry about them." Yuffie said. "I'll take care of the winged phantoms sure enough. I am after all the Great Ninja Yuffie."

"Very well," PJ said. "Then we will divide ourselves into three separate units and cause the Imperials to attack us at three separate stations. That should be more than enough to keep the Axis busy."

"One thing though," Leon asked. "Where is the infiltration force supposed to enter?"

"Why right here…" Max said. He gave the signal and two soldiers opened up an entry within the basement. The team looked in amazement. "I know what you guys are thinking. We had the same reaction when we discovered this passageway too."

"You mean the entry way was here the whole time?" Sora asked.

"That's what these corridors were made for. They were designed for a designated withdrawal for the King and Queen. If the castle was ever to be attacked, the King and Queen and all subjects could escape via these secret passages."-

"Unfortunately for the king," Donald sighed, "he and the rest of the court were nowhere near the entries to the passages when the Midnight Faction attacked. Besides, he insisted on staying to defend the castle to the very end. And the Queen obliged herself to stay by his side."

"But now," Huey said, "This hidden passage will prove the fall of the Imperial Axis within the Disney Kingdom once and for all."

"Then let's carry out the mission." Riku implied. "The sooner we retake the kingdom for King Mickey, the closer we come to striking a deathblow to the Imperial Axis."

"I'm with you there, Riku." Sora replied.

"Same here," Kairi added. "Wherever you guys go, I go."

"Here, here," Kirin agreed. It was apparent that the KH team and their allies were determined to ensure the downfall of the Imperial Axis and their presence in every world.

"Then we move out at midnight." Max said. "So get some rest."

It would be a long and restless period indeed as the sun fell behind the mountains, eclipsing the Disney Kingdom into its nightly hue. Street lamps and window lights were lit one after the other, illuminating the darkness. The hustle and bustle in the business districts was just as unceasing as they were in the height of the day. But unlike then, the nightlife was more relaxed with soft music and the sound of people tripping the life fantastic. However, there was some tension amongst the people as they watched squadrons of Imperials marching down the road in thunderous order. Soldiers stationed in pair or in trios walked the residential ally ways, their weapons drawn close to them. And in the skies above the city surrounding the castle, Nightshade's winged phantoms patrolled from above with night vision goggles to help spot any suspicious activity, even in the most shadowy of places.

In the castle, the Immortals, fifty in all, stood vigilant like hawks, their ears perked as a hound's. They stood at their stations, or walked along their routes, not showing the slight bit of nonsense of fatigue their expressions. Each light brightly illuminated the castle.

At his post at the castle's high observation, General Nightshade and two of his subordinates stood watch. Nightshade's attitude had shifted from confident to reluctant. Perhaps it was the effects of the night atmosphere. Pperhaps it was that ever present danger of the Mickey Faction's presence. Whatever the reason, he was now plagued by a thousand ton fear. He looked up with a worried expression. He gazed into the night where the new moon had set.

"The first night of a new moon." He said.

"Sir…?" a subordinate asked.

"This is a perfect atmosphere for factioneer activity."-

"There is nothing to worry about, sir." The first subordinate implied. "With our patrols as keen as they are this night, I doubt that the Mickey Loyalist will try to stir up a commotion."

"I would have to agree, sir." The second concurred. "Even if they did stir up trouble, our men would be able to pinpoint the exact location and quell the uprising in a matter of minutes. And within the castle itself, we have the conscripts under the watchful eye of the Immortals and our trusted units. They won't defect."

"There should be no reason for us to fear this night as any others that have passed. You said yourself, sir, that no action of the Mickey Faction can be hostile enough to oust us here."-

"I beg to differ with that notion, and I now question my own prior judgment." Nightshade said. "The enemy that wields the most patience is the one who is most likely to succeed. Until we have firmly established and developed this kingdom into the way His Excellency envisioned it, we can't afford to let our guard down even for a moment. This is still a fragile kingdom, not willing to bow to our whim just yet. If it wasn't for the Alliance being too preoccupied with our troops elsewhere, they would have sent in a large enough force to retake this world. So far, we've been lucky."

"But even if they did, we'd be able to rally our own troops at nearby worlds and have them concentrate in this kingdom as well. Besides, if His Excellency threatens the life of King Mickey, the Alliance and their attachments would not dare to assault us."-

"You do not realize the full truth that stands before us. We've only been pretending that we can rally our forces to protect this kingdom from the Alliance's attempts to retake it. But the truth of it is that our outside forces are placed in an equally critical situation. The Alliance has condensed its forces to match our troops stride for stride. Therefore, if we even waste a company to come and aid us. That'll only decrease our odds of successfully fending off the allied forces should they decide to attack. Therefore, we've only made the illusion that we are able to rally our troops to protect his world. The only card we have is King Mickey's life. That is the only thing preventing our control from being overrun. We're lucky that fifty Immortals have come to aid us. That's probably the best we can expect for the time being." There was a silent period as Nightshade looked out into the distance again.

"You seem rather on edge this night, sir. But how is this night different from any other night? You never seemed to be concerned back then."-

"It's just this feeling that something catastrophic will befall us."-

"Perhaps you have been stationed here too long, sir."-

"Perhaps…Perhaps not…"-

It was then that the leader of the Immortal guards appeared behind Nightshade. He saluted the general.

"I would like to report, sir." He said.

"What is it, colonel?" the general replied.

"I would like to report that all is quiet on all perimeters, sir."-

"Very well," Nightshade turned away. "But just as a precaution, I would like you to send out ten of your men to help with the patrol."

"As you command," the colonel replied, not bothering to object, and withdrew.

"Ten Immortals…?" the first subordinate said. "There's no need for that. Our elite infantry should be more than enough to deal with a few peasants."

"His Excellency," the second subordinate added, "also said that his personal bodyguards were to remain in the castle grounds."

"His Excellency also said that while he was absent, I was to assume command of the operations here." Nightshade said sternly. "I will do all in my power to keep this kingdom under our thumb. I will not end up saying that I lost the most important realm within the Imperial Axis just because a couple of my opinionated subordinates thought I was going too far with protecting the interest of the regime. I answer only to His Excellency. Everyone else is beneath my status, including you, do I make myself clear?"

"Sir,"-

"Unlike the Aryans under Fortinbras, who betrayed him at the Destiny Islands, the majority here are true followers of the Imperial cause. They will not be swayed in favor of the other sides' perspectives. And those who do turn tail against His Excellency and I, I will personally have them gutted like a fish." Nightshade drew out his saber from its scabbard, giving a threatening gesture to his wavering aids. "Now, is there anything else you would like to tell me?"

"Of course not, sir." The subordinates replied.

"Then tell the men to keep a sharp lookout! No one is to drop their guard until morning!"-

"Yes sir," the subordinates withdrew. Nightshade turned to the darkened sky, feeling the wind upon his brow. "I know that the Mickey Faction is out there. And for some reason, they bear a more threatening presence than they have before."

Nightshade's tuition of this particular night was correct. As three of the winged phantoms flew over the skies overlooking the outskirts, they saw beneath them a large body of men and women rushing towards the gates of the city.

"There's some trouble down there." One soldier said.

"It looks like an open resistance force." Another added.

"We better contact the general." The third concurred. But before they could, the first winged phantom was suddenly struck by a large object and died instantly. He fell towards the ground.

"What was that?" Just then the second and the third were also killed without a sound. They fell dead into the fields. The thing that struck them was Yuffie's shuriken. She silently ran ahead of the group, armed with her own night vision technology and cut down the winged phantoms with swiftness and precision. She quickly scaled the walls and quietly eliminated the guards on duty at the gate.

"Piece of cake," she said with a sigh, confident of her own abilities. She released the mechanism to the gate and the massive iron doors opened.

"That was fast," Max said.

"Trust Yuffie to get the job done quietly and without pause…" Cloud uttered.

"Alright, you remember how we branch off right?" Leon said.

"Yeah, Tifa and Kairi, along with twenty-five men will go with me. Cid and Yuffie, along with another twenty-five royals, will aid you. And Max and the three brothers form the third branch with the men left over."-

"Good," Leon drew out his blade. "Then let's go get 'em!"

Yuffie watched as her friends stormed into the city and branched off.

"Good work, you guys." She said to herself. She then looked about to see winged phantoms approaching. Throwing her shuriken, she felled each one before a warning could be given. "You are making this all too easy for me."

As the first Imperials encountered the rush of the KH team and the loyalist guards of King Mickey, they could not determine what was going on. But the moment, they saw these groups of individuals rushing at them, armed to the teeth, only then did they realize that an open rebellion had occurred.

"What's going on?" one soldier said. "Who are they?"

But before further explanations could be made, they were struck down swiftly and without mercy. It didn't take long for stray guards to spot the violence and spread the word. Whistles were being blown in the dead of night by officers on duty. The Imperial forces assembled themselves and hurried to where the fighting commenced.

Nightshade's ears picked up the sound of battle in the districts at the outskirts. He knew that the inevitable had happened.

"So it's happened." He said. "I didn't want to believe it would happen, but it has."

"General Nightshade," a subordinate ran to him, "I regret to report."

"Yes, I know. We're under attack. I can hear the whistles."-

"It's an open rebellion, sir!"-

"How many are there attacking us?"-

"At least a hundred men,"-

"Deal with them as quickly as possible. We don't want the enemy to rally the people and persuade them to take arms. We must battle and prove that we are still the mightiest here. It's only a hundred men anyway. This should not take long."-

"Sir," The subordinate prepared to withdraw, but Nightshade only stopped him again.

"But then again, this attack could be a feint, a diversion to draw our attention to that sector and have us weakened in other sectors. Tell the men to hold their positions and maintain vigilance at their present posts."-

"But what if the rebellion succeeds in their engagement?"-

"There's nothing to fear. Or have you forgotten that ten of the Immortals are on their way to quell the rebellion."-

"Oh yes, I forgot."-

"It'll only take ten to dispense with a hundred men, a task so simple on their records."-

Upon the field, hundreds of civilians scattered in every direction, hoping to flee from the danger. Others actually took up arms against the Imperial troops to help the resistance succeed. Because of the dead of night, the Imperials were struck down one by one in the rush. Guns and blasters went off, destroying some of the residential homes and killing both troopers and civilians left and right. At times, the chaos was too much, even for the most hardened of veterans.

"This can't be happening." One soldier said. "They can't be this strong."

"We have to withdraw to the town square and reorganize ourselves!" another Imperial soldier suggested.

"No," his head officer shouted. "Lay on! We have nothing to fear from this rabble!" But he was struck dead by a foeman's lance. To make things worse, a streak of energy emerged from the confusion and sliced through the Imperial ranks, slaying or maiming those in their path.

Cloud, Leon, and the others, kept tight formations, as they slowly advanced against the waning enemy lines.

"Forward," Leon commanded, "Don't give 'em a chance to breathe!"

"Keep your ranks!" Cid added. The guards kept to their positions, ready to take on anything that dared to oppose them. The three pronged attack was so successful in the opening stages that the Axis troops simply broke and ran. Some stayed behind to put up a final resistance, but they too were smitten.

All the while, Cloud's group took the lead, being the center prong of the uprising. They slashed and stuck at any Imperial that dared to face them.

"This is great," Tifa said as she pummeled ten troopers with one or two hits, "at this rate, we'll be at the castle within the hour."

"Keep up your formations!" Kairi shouted. "Don't waver!"

But no sooner had Cloud's leading force reached the first intersecting street, that's when they encountered the true elites. Standing before them were the ten Immortals. Their overcoats flowed down to their shins, their shoulder length cape attachments well formed at the front with a narrow V formed split from the collar downward. Their white helmets gleamed in the dimness of the street lights.

The resistance force was awe inspired by the precision of the Immortals.

"Who are they…?" one soldier asked.

"The Immortals," Cloud said. He drew his sword before him. "Stay on your guard! These are not like the troopers!"

Just then, the Immortals attacked. Cloud and the others prepared their defense as they confronted the phantom like elites. The moment they made impact, it was apparent that this fight would not be as easy as they expected. Ten guards had been struck down within ten seconds of the encounter.

Tifa, Cloud, and Kairi held their formation as best they could against the aggressors.

"How can they be so powerful?" Tifa said. "I thought for sure we'd break through."

"These are the Immortals we're dealing with." Cloud said. "You two stay close and keep the formation tight."

"Gotcha,"-

All the while, Leon and his group suddenly met stiff resistance from Axis troops who fired at them from behind corners and erected barracks. Yuffie jumped up and down, off the walls, eluding the bullets and blasts attempting to strike her. At the same time, she had to worry about the winged phantoms who themselves shot from above.

"Hey, Leon," she said. "I think we might have underestimated these guys." They watched as some of the stray energy blasts destroyed some of the buildings along the street.

"How come they get to shoot it out all they want and we can't use our fire power!" Cid asked. "We could use that to mow down these guys within a few minutes. Trouble's are over, problem solved, ya know?" Cit pulled out one of the gummi capsules. "I managed to snatch one of these here gummi capsules from Donald when he wasn't looking. All I have to do is unleash this thing, take off and slaughter the whole mess of 'em."

"Then you'll be putting the whole city in danger." Leon protested. "Or have you forgotten that there are civilians still in their homes." He pointed towards one of the windows. Cid saw faces peeking out. "We have to be liberators to these people, not vandals. Therefore, we can't put them or their homes purposely in any danger." Cid huffed.

"Damn it,"-

"Don't worry. We can take these guys on. If I could survive a battle with General Saber, I can survive these supposed elites."-

"Well hell," Cid gave a grin. "If we're gonna go out, we might as well go out in style." He jumped out as the Imperials shot at him. Using his lance, he repelled each bullet and struck down Imperial after Imperial. Many of the Axis soldiers saw, not a man, but a demon who could not be stopped. "C'mon you Imps, can't you do any better than this? You're making it too easy!"

"Boy," Yuffie said, landing aside Leon, "What'd you say to him?"

"Cid can't use the gummi and blow them all away." Leon replied. "So he's doing the next best thing, slashing 'em up."

"His blood is up."-

"That's right. And when Cid's blood is up, there's no stopping him." Leon put his Gunblade upon his shoulder. "Well, we might as well oblige him. No use in Cid having all the fun."

"I'm with you there!" Yuffie drew up her shuriken. "Let's get 'em!"

"Let's go, for King Mickey!" The troops rallied to Leon's call and rushed forward.

With Leon's party advancing, and Cloud's party fighting off the ten Immortals dispatched, Max, Huey, Dewey, and Louis were having their own scuffle with the waves of Imperials that suddenly appeared before them. Max used his double shields and plowed his way through the Imperial ranks, knocking out a great deal of them and maiming many others, so they could no longer resist. Huey, Dewey, and Louis deployed their magic spells at simultaneous intervals so the foemen could not counter. Ice, fire, wind, earth, shadow, light, and all these elemental spells were used.

At the same time, the twenty-five royal guards accompanying them maintained a strong holding line. Behind them, an ever growing number of civilians who had armed themselves with what they had or with what they could salvage from the wounded, dead, and dying Imperial troops.

"Keep at them!" Max said. "We have them on the run!"

"Let's give 'em once more!" Huey cried.

"Let's go, let's go!" Dewey added.

"For our home and for our king," Louis shouted.

"For our home," the soldiers and determined civilians shouted in unison, "For our King!"

Confused fighting commenced in the outer districts as the loyalist, for the first time in over two months, pushed back the Imperial forces to their defenses in the interior of the city. It wasn't until reaching the second line of defense that the rebels met stiff resistance. Max and the others made careful their movements as now the bullets buzzed thick around them.

"They got us pinned down." Max said.

"Not for long!" Huey shouted. Throwing forth his staff, he unleashed a ball of ice and sent it reeling towards the Imperial line. The Imperials were struck, but not significantly affected. "Well, scratch out that plan."

"There's no need to rush, brother." Louis assured him. "We just have to maintain a long enough offensive for Sora and the others to get into the castle."

While the resistance continued to accumulate from outside of the castle, beneath the streets, heading down a long narrow passage way, Sora, Riku, and the others made their way to the series of castle openings. It didn't take long before they came to the division segment of the passage, each leading to a different entry way.

"Alright," Sora said, "We've reached the splitting. Now where do we go?"

"We head for the library, right Kirin?" Riku asked.

"That's right," Kirin replied. "That's where the communication center has been erected. Luckily for us the passage leads directly to it."

"Unfortunately," Cunla implied, "there is no easy access to the docking bay."

"The closest access point to that would be the courtyard. And no doubt that's where the majority of the Immortals will be stationed. If we could somehow draw their attention away from that access point,"-

"Perhaps if we were to split up," Goofy said.

"Hey," Sora said, "I think you got something there, Goofy."

"Where…?"-

"He didn't mean literally, chucklehead!" Donald shouted.

"If we split up into threes, we could accomplish our missions a lot faster." Sora pondered.

"That's true," Kirin added, "But if we were to split up, that puts us in a more precarious position. We might be overwhelmed."-

"Still, it's an edge." Riku said. "Let's try that strategy." Kirin realized that further protesting would be futile. He sighed.

"Alright, alright, we'll split into three. But be extra careful. The Immortals are known for their team work and ability to fight as one. So don't go astray from your fellows."-

"Gotcha," Riku turned to the others. "Alright, Sora, Donald, and Goofy will overrun the communication center, while Cunla, Kirin, and I head to the courtyard and make our way to the docking bay. Sora, you guys create as much commotion as you can to draw the Immortals to your location. That'll give us the opportunity to slip past the guards easier. Hold them at bay for as long as you can."-

"Right," Sora said.

"You have enough senzus and potions from Traverse Town right?"-

"About five potions and five beans each."-

"Make sure to conserve for as long as you can." Cunla advised. "Drink half a potion vial or eat half of a bean for each time you replenish yourself. We have to let our aids last for as long as we can."-

"Understood,"-

"Then let's head out."-

With those final words, Riku and Sora's parties split up and withdrew to their separate destinations. They had to work fast without anyone noticing.

General Nightshade, in the meantime, had winged phantoms flying to him at different intervals, each one bearing bad news. And with every moment passing, one winged phantom would suddenly get killed, thus reducing the number of observers and winged support. One of the winged phantoms came bearing updates.

"What is going on out there?" Nightshade demanded to know. "What is the report?"

"There's utter confusion, sir." The soldier replied. "The rebels keep increasing in number. Many of them are civilians that have suddenly raised arms against us."

"I can't believe this. All this time, they never had the nerve to rise up and battle us before. Why do they suddenly launch an offensive now?'-

"I believe it's those new arrivals, sir. The ones that first stormed our defenses, they are somehow helping to rally the people against us."-

"Who are they?"-

"We don't know, sir. But no doubt that they are a special elite force sent by the alliance to try any overthrow us."-

"And what of the Immortals we sent out?"-

"They seem to be holding, sir."-

"Leave it up to the Immortals at least. They're not called the cream of the crop for nothing." Nightshade pondered. "And what of the other fronts?"

"All other sectors are quiet thus far, sir. There has been no attempted rebellion."-

"I guess it's only in that sector. But how can it be so difficult to eliminate a hundred peasants and a few cocky combatants?"-

"Our lines are holding for the time being sir."-

"Still, I will not allow these fools to gain anymore ground." He turned to one of his subordinates. "Send a message to our communication center. Tell them that we need immediate reinforcements."-

"But sir, I don't believe there is any need to have reserve troops come here and…"-

"It may seem foolish to contact for more troops. But I am not willing to take such a chance. Send out the order immediately!"-

"Yes, sir,"-

"And also have communications contact the docking bay. I want mobile dolls activated to help quell the rebellion."-

"But sir," the winged phantom soldier implied, "I don't think there's a need for them. We have everything under control."

"But I've been noticing that your numbers are starting to dwindle. There is, without a doubt, an assassin lurking about and killing your comrades. I will put a stop to that by unleashing the dolls. Besides, I will quell this rebellion by any means necessary. It seems eccentric, but you can never be too careful." Nightshade turned to his subordinate. "Send out the message now!"

"Sir," the officer withdrew.

"And what of me, sir?" the winged phantom asked.

"Keep safe and watch out. Maintain a strong position for as long as you can." The scout saluted and withdrew back into the night sky to the flashing lights beyond. General Nightshade's fists gripped tightly as he feared that an inevitable rebellious tide would rise and that there would be no way to stop it this time.

"I fear that such malice will come to smother our breath and bring fall to His Excellency's reign. But so long as I am here, I will not cast aside my responsibilities for the sake of my own life and reputation. His Excellency has entrusted me with keeping this world safe, and that is what I plan on doing, even if it cost the lives of me and all present here."-

However, little to his realization, the KH team had already penetrated through the castle. Riku, Cunla, and Kirin poked their heads out of the secret passage that emerged from one of courtyard walls at the corner, covered by lush vegetation. Thus, they were able to observe as the Immortals still rallied alongside a hundred or so regulars.

"I didn't realize there were so many here." Riku whispered.

"Keep it down, you guys." Cunla implied softly. "We have to wait for Sora's signal."

In the library, three two Immortal guards and a dozen operatives were stationed within. The currier, bearing the message from the general, came forth.

"Message from General Nightshade." He exclaimed.

"What's the news?" the officer in charge asked.

"He wishes to relay this message to our reserve units. Tell them that we request immediate reinforcements."-

"That's a little extensive don't you think?"-

"The General's orders, sir,"-

"Very well,"-

"He has also given instructions to tell the docking bay to dispatch the mobile dolls for air support."-

"Going all out is he? Trust General Nightshade not to hold back," He turned to one of the operatives. "Dispatch the message at once."

"Yes sir," the operative replied.

"You won't get that chance though!" a voice suddenly blasted out. Each Imperial suddenly turned to see standing before the fireplace Sora, Donald, and Goofy.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" But before a response could be given, Sora unleashed an energy wave from his keyblade. The blast struck, destroying the communication center and rocked the very foundations of the castle.

The explosion could be heard from all over the castle. The Imperials, bewildered at first, quickly rallied to where the commotion was occurring. Riku and the others jolted as they heard the blast.

"That must be the signal." Cunla said.

"Trust Sora to make an entrance," Kirin added.

"Couldn't he have taken it a little easier though?" Riku implied.

"C'mon, let's go." Cunla advised. The three slipped by in the ruckus, seldom noticed by anyone, even the Immortals.

Nightshade heard the pang of the explosion and the rocking of the palace.

"What was that?" he asked.

"I know not, sir." One of his subordinates replied.

"Well, find out at once!"-

"Yes sir." The subordinate responsible withdrew.

"It's the key bearer, Sora!" the officer cried. The two Immortals rushed in after the blast, attacking Sora without mercy. But the young key bearer and his comrades were quick to react and held off the onslaught of the two. But the striking power of the Immortals present was different from those whom they battled in Traverse Town. The impact was greater, the reaction more keen, and the agility and swiftness more formidable. All three of the combatants had their hands full with the two Immortals.

"These guys are stronger than they look." Sora said, "A lot more than those guys back in Traverse Town."

"Take them, you Immortals." The officer in charge ordered. The Immortals continued their onslaught, but it had become apparent that they were still not strong enough to defeat Sora. Yet despite that, the Immortals were able to take their toll on the key bearer by sapping his strength. Sora eventually overpowered them and maimed them on the legs and arms. The Immortals fell to the ground.

But just as the fight between the two sentries had ended, the doors barged open and five more Immortals emerged. They drew their weapons and attacked the key bearers. Sora sighed as he lifted up his keyblade. Upon his left hand, he drew out his other keyblade. Goofy and Donald took their place beside the youth.

"There are some more of them." Donald said.

"This ain't gonna be easy." Goofy added. As he felt the intensity in the air, he could only conclude in one phrase.

"Oh boy," Sora uttered, "It's gonna be another long hard battle…"


	120. Infiltration

Infiltration

The few Immortals present engaged against Sora and his friends. Like raved dogs they rushed at the key bearer. Sora, though slightly stronger than his foe, was no match against the superior numbers and coordination of the Immortals. Sora tried to keep his power at a minimum so as not to inflict severe damage on the castle. But by doing this, he severely limited his own abilities. Thus, the fight was prolonged and what should have ended for him there and then was extended ten times. But then again, the Immortals themselves varied in their strength, not bearing the full weight upon him and his comrades, and Sora could sense this. He knew that they were on equal playing grounds with him.

But as for Donald and Goofy, they were just too overwhelmed by the power of the Immortals. Having not engaged in any training at all, they fell easily to the power of the Immortals.

"Sora," Goofy hollered, "Help!"

"We can't keep up with this!" Donald added.

"Guys," he replied, "Don't wander, stick together! We have to prolong for as long as we can!"

"I don't know how much longer we can prolong this!"-

"We have to keep this up until Riku and the others destroy the weaponry at the docking bay!"-

"But the Immortals…" Goofy cried.

"Just get behind me and act as back up!" The Immortals' style of combat was one that Sora hated the most. Unlike the Imperial regulars, the Immortals relied on their evasion and speed rather than their brute strength. They did not fight Sora directly. Instead they made simultaneous rushes at him. At times, when one of the Immortals would attack, they would put all they had before withdrawing and allowing a new guard to take their place. The goal was to confuse the enemy, if not tire them out, at the same time maintaining their own numbers. They would then slowly maim the target, weakening them, before going in for the kill.

"I can't keep this up forever as I am now." Sora thought to himself. "And Donald and Goofy definitely can't continue at this rate, not against guys like these." Sora looked at the swelling number of elites, his face reflected off of their tinted visors. "They fight so wild. They fight differently than the Immortals we confronted in Traverse Town. No doubt that these are the guys Cunla was talking about. These have to be the senior elites." Sora gripped his keyblades.

"Sorry, Donald, Goofy," he uttered, "We can't keep up like this."

"What…?" Goofy asked.

"You're not giving up on us now are you, Sora?!" Donald shouted.

"No," Sora replied. "I'm saying that I have no other choice, but to increase my power."

"Are you crazy?! No! Not in the castle!"-

"Come on! Give me a break already, Donald! It's either that or we die as we are now!"-

"But the castle,"-

"I think we better do what Sora says." Goofy said. "It's either the castle or us! And we can always repair the castle!"

"Ah phooey," Donald grumbled. "Alright, alright, just make sure not to break anything!"

"Thanks, Donald," Sora unleashed his power, "Give me strength!" There was a sudden flash of light. The Immortals were awe struck by what they saw.

Just then, something went horribly wrong. The light suddenly turned to shadow and Sora was deprived of his keyblades. His body turned black as night and his eyes grew a pale yellow, not like that of the rage. Sora emerged in shadow, a frightening sight, even to the Immortals.

"What is that?" one of the Imperials said.

Sora looked down and saw that instead of transforming into Valor, Wisdom, Master, or even Final Form, he had regressed into the one form he despised the most, the Anti-Form.

"Oh great," he thought to himself, "I'm a heartless again! Stupid Anti-form! I forgot all about this transformation." Sora only sighed. "Oh well, I guess I'll have to bear it for now. But I have to make sure to be extra careful. I might have increased speed and strength, but the damage inflicted on me will be twice as effective."

"Attack that entity!" one of the leading Immortals cried. The Immortals poured into the library.

"Well, here it goes." Sora thus rushed at his foe.

In the meantime, at the docking bay, the sounds of the fighting could be heard and many of the Imperials rallied to where the disturbance was taking place. This allowed easier penetration into the docking bay by Riku, Cunla, and Kirin. They came within sight of the stationed ships and mobile dolls. Since word was never sent to the docking bay, the Imperials didn't bother activating their weaponry. This made it all the easier for the trio to cause damage.

"There they are, you guys," Riku said, "It's right for the picking!"

"Then let's do this!" Cunla replied as he swirled about the Gae Bulga. "Leave no ship or doll operable!"

"Gotcha," Kirin concurred. The three leaped up and within a matter of seconds, unleashed the full force of their strengths upon the equipment below. There were terrific explosions and instantly within that one strike, over fifty percent of the docked vessels were destroyed.

The explosions again caused the castle to shake. General Nightshade nearly lost his balance as the felt the tremors beneath his feet.

"What is going on? What was that?" he asked.

"Sir," one of the subordinates informed him, "The vessels and dolls at the docking bay have been destroyed."

"Destroyed…? But how…?"-

"We believe that there are saboteurs on the ground!"-

"That's impossible," Nightshade's concern was heightened. "How could this be possible? How could there be saboteurs? How could they have gotten passed out defenses? What have the Immortals been doing all this time?"

"We've also confirmed where the first explosion originated from."-

"Well…?"-

"It came from the library."-

"Damn it," The general's feet tightened and his body tensed up. "That's where our communication link is located."

"There is no need to be concerned." A second subordinate implied. "Whoever these saboteurs are, they won't live for long, not with the Immortals on duty."

"That is irrelevant now! Don't you realize that their mission has already been carried out? They successfully managed to attack our communications link. Therefore, we can't send word for reinforcements. At the same time, these infiltrators have wreaked devastation upon our combat vessels and mobile dolls. That means we can't send out air support for our men fighting in the outer districts, or can send word to headquarters telling them that we're in desperate need for reserves. So even if the Immortals are successful in eliminating those responsible, we are completely isolated from the outside world. And His Excellency will not return until his own battle with the KH team is finished."

"That's the thing sir." The first subordinate implied. "I believe the ones who attacked us is the KH team." Nightshade's eyes suddenly grew large.

"Impossible," He quickly withdrew to the lower levels to see for himself. "How could the KH team be here? They can't be here!"

The Imperials were confused at what was going on, not knowing who was attacking. And because Kirin, Riku, and Cunla were dressed in black, it was all the harder to distinguish them. They went up and down the columns, destroying one ship after the other.

"This is too easy." Riku said to himself. However, no sooner had he said that, he suddenly found himself confronted by three Immortals, left to guard the docking bay that intervened at the last minute. Riku only smiled as he drew out both of his keyblades. "Aw, just the three of you…? Too bad…"

Riku rushed forth to battle the Immortals. But to his dismay, these Immortals did not face him head on. Instead, they engaged in the same way their comrades did against Sora. They used their swiftness, agility, and simultaneous rushes to inflict wounds and wear down their victim. After the first couple minutes of fighting, it had become apparent to Riku and these were a different breed of Immortal.

"These guys," he thought to himself, "They fight differently than the last bunch. These have to be the senior elites Cunla was talking about."

Explosions erupted around the combatants and flames heated their bodies and drew sweat from their pores. The ground shook with each blast, but neither side wavered. Suddenly, the Immortals attacked again. Riku prepared his weapons and struck. Intense hand to hand combat ensued with neither side gaining the upper hand. Riku used his full strength, but came to realize that his foes had equaled their strength to his as well.

"This can't be." Riku thought to himself. "I never would have imagined they'd be this strong. I thought for sure I had the upper hand over them."

Like hornets, the Immortals engaged, swarming around the key bearer and smiting him from every angle. Riku could not handle three Immortals at once and his strength slowly gave in. His offensive regressed to defensive tactics, which put him at a horrible disadvantage. It was not long before the youth found himself cornered, overwhelmed by the relentless engagement of his executioners. Keyblades at the guard, Riku awaited the final blow delivered upon him.

"I can't believe it." he thought to himself. "I can't die, not like this, not when we're so close."

Just then, as the Immortals made their rush, Cunla and Kirin appeared to aid their comrade. Cunla thrust the Gae Bulga deep into one of the Immortals, while Kirin unleashed flames from his dual swords, confusing a second Immortal. He lunged forth and dispatched his grappling hook from his sleeve, digging the sharpened steel into the Imperial's chest. The third Immortal was struck by Riku who unleashed his keyblade whip. All three Immortals were either killed, or maimed. Riku took a breath of relief and lowered his keyblades.

"That was close…" he uttered. "I thought I was really gonna die back there." He looked up at his friends. "What the heck took you guys so long?!"

"You didn't expect to fight those three guys all on your own, did you Riku?" Cunla asked.

"We have to stick together if we're gonna survive this." Kirin added. "At least you're still in one piece. Be grateful for that."

"Well, what about the rest of the vessels?" Riku asked. "We have to eliminate what's remaining."

"Don't worry. We took care of it already. You did after all draw the only Immortals on guard towards you."-

"I did…?" Riku perspired slightly at the thought that he went head to head with three Immortals on his own.

"Kirin does have a point." Cunla said. "You did get their attention long enough to let us fulfill our mission. I'm surprised that you're not dead. These guys have to be at least twice as strong as the ones we fought." Riku lowered his head. He sighed once more and looked down at the slain and maimed Immortals.

"Those guys were tougher than the ones in Traverse Town, that's for sure. I couldn't even lay a finger on them. It was like I was battling three downsized versions of General Saber. So are they the famed senior elites that you were talking about, Cunla?"-

"These guys are definitely tougher, but they are not the top elites." Immediately, Riku's face turned ghostly white.

"Are you serious?"-

"These aren't the top elites?" Kirin asked. "How do you know this?"

"They say that if you confront a member of the older generation of Immortals, those who protected Cavendish, then you'd definitely know. The reason is because they just don't seem to die, no matter how many times you impale them in the chest and gut. Those types of Immortals are ones who went head to head even with the famed and invincible Z team and actually held their own. Fortunately for us, those first generation Immortals are a rare commodity nowadays."-

"That's at least some good news for us. But then again, let us hope we don't run into any of them." There was a silence with the trio. The roaring of fire and the explosions of leftover technology, being consumed by the flames, bellowed around the trio.

"Well, if we're finished here," Riku explained, "Then let's get going. I don't think Sora, Donald, and Goofy can hold their own against the Immortals and the regulars for much longer."

But no sooner had they begun withdrawing from the docking bay, they found themselves confronted by twenty Imperial regulars, who rushed down the stairs into the fray. The three drew up their weapons as they watched his onrush of enemy soldiers approaching.

"Great," Cunla grumbled, "More of them…" But suddenly, the mass of soldiers ceased their assault and stood no more than ten feet away from the trio. This confused the three, but still they did not waver. They kept on their guard. "Well, come on! What are you waiting for?!"

"Wait a minute, you guys." Kirin came to realize that the twenty men, though armed, did not raise their weapons up to stop them, nor did they attempt to rush them, whether one at a time or all at once. To add, the trio came to notice that each soldier bore a white scarf around their right arm. Kirin interpreted this as a possible resistance force within the Imperial Axis, who planned mass defection against Sirius Viicous. Willing to chance fate, the prince lowered his weapons. "I don't think they plan to battle us."

"How can you tell?"-

"If they did, they would've attacked us already."-

"Prince Kirin," one of the officers in charge said, "It's been a while, hasn't it."

"Who are you?" Kirin asked. "Identify yourself,"

"Sir," The officer draped off the cloth from around his face and head. Kirin immediately recognized him. "You mean even after I helped with your liberation over a month ago, you still can't remember my voice and face?"

"Well, well, as I live and breathe, it's Merrick."-

"Merrick…?" Riku asked. "You know this guy?"

"Of course I do. He's one of the soldiers who helped me escape over a month ago. He was also a part of my old outfit during the Gui Fant campaign." He approached his old comrade. "Have you come to join us?"

"I have sir, as well as so many others forced into conscription." Merrick replied. "We have been patiently waiting for someone to have enough nerve to rise up against the corruption of the Imperial regime. And now, by God, it's finally happened."

"What of Minotaur, Kraken, and Welsh?"-

"Sir," three more unmasked themselves before the prince.

"Well, well, so you're all here."-

"We pledge our loyalty to you, sir." Minotaur said.

"We made that vow the day you saved our lives at Gui Fant." Welsh added.

"But why are you taking up arms against the Imperial Axis?" Kirin asked. "You know full well that there will be no pardon for traitors."

"If the Imperial Axis can condemn loyal followers for one mistake made in the past, then they are a regime destined to fall." Merrick said. "Those who are your enemies are ours, sir!"

"And what of these men who follow you?"-

"These are conscripts from this world who wish to aid us. They've been waiting for a chance to overthrow Sirius Viicous and reclaim their home for their king."-

"I see," Kirin turned to Riku and Cunla. "So what do you think?"

"Well," Riku said. He sighed. "Why not…?"

The defectors cheered.

"Then to your post, boys," Kirin shouted. "Let's show these Imperials how we can really fight!"

The three along with the twenty defectors stormed out of the demolished dock and back into the courtyard.

All the while, Sora had been cornered. Because he had transformed to his Anti Form, he could not wield the keyblade. And with every hit delivered to his shadowing body, the greater the impact was in comparison to if he were in his normal state. Eventually, he regressed and divided into three again.

"Man," he said, "We barely accomplished anything."

"Phooey," Donald shouted. "We're done for at this rate."

"Then get yourselves ready for a little of the rage." Sora unleashed the power of Cuchulain's Rage, heightening his strength. Unlike his Anti Form, the Rage increased his defensive and offensive abilities ten fold, equal to his increased speed, agility, and reaction time. And with the Rage, he deployed Saiyan Devotion. With this new power, he sliced through the confronting Immortals as if they were no more of a threat than the average foot soldier. "I should have done this a while ago." He looked at Goofy and Donald. "You guys follow me and stay close!"

"Right," Donald and Goofy said, staying close behind Sora. The trio battled their way out of the library defeating many of the regulars who now took over the position of the Immortals who fell. They fired away with their blasters, but to no avail. Sora was just too far out of their league. Yet still, they continued to fight.

In the meantime, General Nightshade and his subordinates entered the colonnade to find the young key bearer ripping through the Immortal ranks as he fought his way out of the library. With the head of Mjollnir, Sora clubbed each of the soldiers that dared to approach and either killed or severely maimed them. However, being elite regulars, they eventually caught on to the key bearer's tactics and countered Sora's strategy, using a counteroffensive against the rebellious trio. Still, the ferocity of the key bearer and his comrades' earlier actions was enough to cause them to quake and even force the unshakable General Nightshade to tremble.

"Impossible," Nightshade thought to himself. "The key bearers are here! And that Sora fellow is slicing his way through our ranks as if a raved Baskerville!"

"General," one of the subordinates cried, pointing to the courtyard. He looked to find the rest of the KH team popping out from the docking bay entry way. Alongside them were twenty defecting conscripts. They fired upon the Immortals and the regulars stationed in the castle. There was massed confusion as Imperial engaged against Imperial, Mickey loyalists against Imperial loyalists. Like a swarm of locust, the two sides engaged.

"Damn it," Nightshade shouted. "The conscripts have defected against us!"

"What do we do, sir? The rebellion in the city has escalated. Our men are starting to lose heart. And this raid upon the castle is causing our morale to plummet even more!"-

"What are your orders, sir?" a second subordinate asked.

"I never realized how vulnerable this castle actually was." Nightshade uttered. "Is there anyway we can contact our outposts?"

"We have no means, sir. The KH team attacked us when we least expected it and struck the vital areas of our defenses. And they hit us in the very heart of the castle itself. We don't know how they infiltrated, but they quickly overran us. Even the power of the Immortals is not strong enough to contend with them."-

"Damn, how could the key bearers have become so powerful as to equal the strength of even the Immortals?" The general bowed his head. "So my premonition did come true. I didn't want to believe it, but it has. The time of our collapse has come." He concluded that the inevitable fall of the Imperial Axis within the Disney Kingdom would occur. There were no means for air support and no means to call for outside reinforcements. The Disney Kingdom was now isolated from any further Imperial intervention. But still, Nightshade was destined to prove his grit, despite the odds. He drew out his saber and held it in front of him.

"General," the first subordinate said.

"I made a promise to His Excellency that I would not allow this city to fall into the hands of the Mickey Faction, the Universal Alliance, the key bearers, or all those hostile towards us. And even if I die in the process I will at least die fighting!" He threw his sword towards the foe. "There is no longer a need for us to hold back! Kill them all! Send them to their graves!"

"But sir, we may end up striking down our own men."-

"It doesn't matter! Anyone who raises their weapons against us is our enemy! Kill them all if you have to and let God do the sorting out!"-

"Yes sir,"

"Then charge," The rest of the Immortals and regulars, loyal to the Imperial regime, launched a head on assault against the key bearers and the defecting conscripts.

"Here they come!" Merrick shouted.

"Give 'em hell, you men," Kirin shouted and unleashed flames that set the garden grounds aflame. The grey and black masses swarmed and slew at each other in such a close proximity. Men fell on their hands and knees, spinning around like tips, gouging, stabbing, slashing, sweating, and bleeding. They killed and maimed with an intense thirst to win and to see their goals and missions fulfilled. The once white washed walls of the courtyard were splattered with blood. Phlegm and gore soaked the royal carpets of the colonnade. Fire, ice, wind, and every manifestation of elemental attacks reigned within the castle. Even the invincible Immortals found themselves lost in the chaos, confused by who was who and slain by those whom they considered comrades. And at times, they slew those who were friends, but were thought as enemies.

The explosions in the castle had caught the outside defenders by surprise. They had not expected an attack from within the castle. Cloud and the others observed as the flashes of light and booming of each blast sounded into the night.

"They did it!" Tifa cheered.

"Excellent," Cloud added.

"Riku, Sora, brother," Kairi declared into the night. "Go get 'em!"

"Let's push 'em back!" Cloud struck at the Immortals with renewed strength. He and his comrades rushed forward and overpowered the ten Immortals who stood before them. One by one, each of the ten were eliminated by the onrush of the mob and the power of the KH members. The rebellion, now swelling with the ranks of enraged civilians, quickly over ran the elites and forced them to withdraw and regroup themselves.

Leon and his party observed the chaos at the castle.

"It looks like they've done it." He said.

"Hurrah," Cid shouted, as he watched flames bellow from the base of the castle. "Victory is ours!"

"Let's keep pushing!" Yuffie shouted. She leaped into the air and struck down the remaining winged phantoms that still defended from the air. Liberation for the Disney Kingdom was now in sight for the many soldiers and civilians whose home had been occupied and oppressed for over two full months.

Nightshade led his men forward into the fray, trying to rally them into their formations. But the confusion with the twenty defecting conscripts only added to the confusion. Since the Midnight Faction soldiers did not have any standing uniform like their other faction counterparts, it was harder to determine regulars from regulars. The nightly atmosphere only added to the strain since even the white bans on the arms of the defectors were hazed by the nightly atmosphere and rising mist.

"This is ridiculous." Nightshade growled. He and his staff withdrew for the time being. "How can it be so hard to distinguish friend from foe?"

"Sir," the first subordinate cried, "We won't last at this rate. We have no idea who is who!"

"Damn," The general shivered in rage and worry, not knowing how to organize his soldiers or even distinguishing who was fighting with him and who was fighting against him. "After all that boasting I made earlier, saying I would never let this world fall in the hands of the rebels, saying I would never make the same mistakes, I end up finding myself in the same predicament as Fortinbras, Hastings, Saber, Scimitar, Venti, and the rest of those commanders I deemed beneath my skill. I promised His Excellency. But how can I possibly make up for what's happened when I can't even distinguish my own men from the traitors, let along rally them."

"Then if I may be so bold, sir, as to make a suggestion," A voice said. Nightshade turned to find the Immortal colonel and the remaining of his detachment, some twenty or so Immortals remaining, approaching him. "I have a way to rally our troops from this mob and cluster them into their formations."

"You do?"-

"I do."-

"Then for heaven's sake man, tell me!"-

"Then here is the plan I had in mind. It may be a little brutal and savage in nature though." But Nightshade, desperate for anything, was not the least bit interested in the cons of the strategy.

"I don't care how savage it is, as long as it will work! What do you have in mind, colonel?" The general could not see the face of the colonel. Therefore, expression was vague. The colonel of the Immortals only chuckled slightly.

"Why not rally the ones you already know are your allies."

"What do you mean?" Nightshade asked. He and his staff were rather bewildered by the statement.

"I mean rally those who are confirmed as true loyalists. I can certainly distinguish my troops from the rest."-

Nightshade pondered and soon came to realize what the colonel meant. He noticed that amongst the Imperials in combat, the only ones with a standard uniform were the Immortals. However, he also came to understand the colonel's intensions. His brow perspired with apprehension.

"You're not suggesting that…" The colonel planned to kill all those who did not wear the garments of the Immortal guards. "But that would mean we'd be killing our own men. Is that what you're suggesting?"-

"Sir, we have no other choice. The only ones whom we can distinguish are the members of the Immortal party. Everyone else is vague and in obscurity. We know not whether they be friends or foes."-

"But there must be some other way. If we start hastily slaying our own men just because they aren't wearing a standard uniform like the Immortals, then even those troops loyal to us will find a good excuse to defect. There has to be another way."-

"And what alternative have we?"-

"No doubt that the defectors also have to distinguish themselves from the rest. We just have to look for any characteristics that differ from the loyalists like a certain color or feature on their uniforms."-

"And you think they'll cease their fighting just so we can search them? My way is a lot easier."-

"But you'll make enemies of your own comrades."-

"The Immortals are more than capable of dealing with that lot. It's best to save face with the few we know are ours while we still can. Besides, this new world of His Excellency's will be dominated only by the strong. Those who are weak, or whose ideals conflict with our own must be eliminated whether they are loyal or not, that is His Excellency's philosophy. And as his personal bodyguards, we will abide only to his words. As well, if this action succeeds, it will go down in history as the one controversial act that helped to save the Imperial regime from collapsing."-

"I can't…" Nightshade shook his head. "I can't just turn on those men for the sake of their conduct in dress."

"Unless we can form our ranks, there will be no hope left for us." Nightshade wanted to do what was best for Lord Sirius Viicous. He had given his word that the castle would not fall under any circumstance. But at the same time, he couldn't bear to confirm an order that would condemn loyal regulars to be slain by their own allies just because of their uniforms.

"Perhaps," he thought to himself, "Their sacrifice will be for the best." He then openly declared.

"Very well, colonel." He said. "Do as you see fit. Perhaps it is best to be safe in discrimination than to be uncertain in diversity."

"A wise decision, sir," the Immortal colonel replied. He called to his men. "Immortals rally, Immortals rally," The Immortals heard the call and ceased their fighting amidst the chaos. "Immortals rally to me!"

Instantly, the Immortals in the battle withdrew and formed at the end of the courtyard. The KH team watched as the lone Immortals of the fray joined their other comrades.

"The Immortals are retreating." Sora thought. "I wonder why."

"It looks like they're assembling on the opposite side of the courtyard." Riku said.

"I wonder though?" Cunla said. "I've never seen this type of tactic used before."

The Immortals stormed into a group, forming a straight line before their comrades and the enemy.

"Immortals," the colonel instructed. "Double rank formation!" The Imperials, with such solid synchronization, formed ranks of two, one behind the other. "Front rank, kneel!" The front ranks dropped to their left knees. "Present sabers!" The Immortals drew their weapons forward. "Ready sabers," The Immortals drew their weapons to their left side as if fixed in a slashing position. "Rear rank, prepare for energy wave barrage!" The second rank, still standing, drew out their left arms and opened wide their fingers. Accumulating at their palms were bright orbs of energy.

"I don't like the look of this." Riku said.

"They're preparing for an energy wave barrage." Kirin said.

"But they wouldn't, not with their own men still fighting in front of them."-

"I don't know."-

"The men before you are your enemies, gentlemen!" the colonel shouted. "Kill them all!"

"Fire at will!" the lower officers shouted.

Immediately, a bellowing sound came from the Immortals and large energy waves went streaking into the ranks of the regulars, defectors and loyalists. The KH team was stunned at this turn of events as they watched the Imperials being slain by their own allies. The loyalist regulars were just as surprised as they watched their comrades being slain by their own ranks.

"What are you doing?" One Imperial regular cried, "We're on your side!" He was blown away before another syllable could be uttered.

"Please don't do this!" cried another, before he too was struck.

"For the love of God, please…!" another cried before he himself was smitten. The combatants scattered before the Immortal onslaught, many of them killed at point blank, many were maimed with ghastly wounds, still trying to figure out why their own comrades would fire upon them.

General Nightshade could only watch on in horror as he saw his own men slain at the hands of their allies. He only lowered his head and shook it from side to side.

"Forgive me my men," he uttered, "It is for the sake of the future."

The chaos reigned as faithful troops of the Phantom Lord were struck down by his personal bodyguard. By the scores the men fell, bodies were left scorched and charred with seeping wounds of phlegm and blood, blistering out from the crackling flesh. Riku, Sora, and the others took shelter behind the walls, hoping not to be struck. They only gawked in disbelief at this ultimate act of betrayal.

"This can't be happening." Goofy said.

"Why the heck are they attacking their own men?" Donald added.

"This is butchery," Sora said. "Have these guys no sense of loyalty to even their own?"

"Why are they doing this?" Riku asked. "Why are the Immortals firing into their own ranks? Is it just to get rid of us, is that it?"

"It's because of the uniform code." Kirin explained. "Because of the twenty defectors, the Imperials can't distinguish between those who are loyal and those who are traitors in this dark night of battle. Therefore, instead of trying to distinguish who is who, they just take those who are known for their loyalty and use them to kill the others in question. All those who are not in the Immortal uniform are the enemy. That's the only way they can assure who stands on what side. And unlike the regulars, the Immortals have sworn absolute loyalty to Sirius Viicous. Therefore, they're willing to kill other fellow Imperials for the sake of military necessity." Kirin cringed. "This was inevitable from the start. Because the Midnight Faction never standardized its uniforms, it made it all the easier for enemy troops to blend in."

"What barbarians,"-

"This is the extent of their resolve…" the Prince gritted his teeth. "In the end, that's all these soldiers are to those top brass bastards. They're just a disposable commodity. It's just like the Gui Fant campaign all over again." His mind filled with flashes of the past and that blood bath at Gui Fant. He recalled the violence the combatants were confronted with, both from their enemies as well as their allies. "That was a slaughter, not a battle. The men were forced to remain behind, not allowed to withdraw back to their own lines in safety. The order to kill deserters was the consent given by Sirius Viicous and his staff, and to think that I foolishly abided by that order. They care nothing for the lives of the soldiers or to the families that await them at home. Sure there will be gossip on how these men died for the sake of the cause, for the sake of honor and loyalty. That's how history will always portray them. But they never really know. Those people never really know what it's like. They never want to see the true tragedy for what it is. They only want to find means of glorifying such sacrifice. Well, I hardly find allowing the massacre of your own soldiers glorious. If a cause gives its representatives the liberty of sending their finest to the slaughter pen without a second thought, then that is a cause that does not deserve to reign…ever…"

"Soon, there will be nothing left." Cunla said, "Unless we do something, we all die today."

Men were still getting killed as the barrage continued. The energy waves knocked away at the walls and structures of the castle, many were still dying in the process. The moans of the wounded on the battlefield were heard, screaming for the Immortals to stop or for their comrades to help them to safety. Sora, seeing this meaningless bloodshed, began to boil within. His anger grew deeper as he saw these men, he had considered enemies, being mercilessly cut down by fellow Imperials.

"You bastards," the youth growled. "Stop it," His rage grew greater. "Stop it,"

"Sora," Donald uttered, "Don't do anything irrational now."

"Donald's right, Sora," Goofy added, "Stay behind here and don't pop your head up."

"I will not let this continue." Sora shouted. "I will not let them get away with this!" He continued to watch as even the wounded on the field were not spared. There was the emerging of another barrage coming from the line of black overcoat stalwarts and it was that instant that pushed the key bearer to hit breaking point.

As the line deployed another volley, Sora blew out in his rage and streaked before the line. With one swing with Mjollnir, he swept the rain of beams into the air.

"What is this?" the Immortals colonel wondered.

"Sora," Nightshade uttered.

"Sora what are you doing?!" Riku cried.

"Get down," Cunla added. But their words fell upon deaf ears as Sora still stood before the huddled masses of Imperials who were still overcome with shock.

"You have no right to do this to your own men!" Sora declared. "You are killing your allies without thinking twice about it! What kind of men are you?! You think you can just brush aside your comrades just for the sake of the cause?! Well, I won't have it! I will not allow you to take anymore lives like this!" Sora's words seemed to halt the Immortals in their attack. "You have no shame! Have you no honor?! You are nothing, but mindless beasts of darkness! You only do this because some high up cretin doesn't want to get his own hands dirty! As far as he's concerned, you're all nothing but expendable pawns who'll jump at his command! You're all just pieces in his game! But this is no game you're playing! This is real and the people dying here are real too!" Sora's eyes glared with rage. "Tell me this, how many more people have to die before you're satisfied?! How many more men are you willing to sacrifice needlessly for the sake of this idiotic notion of unification that you call a cause? Just answer me that! How many more have to die!"

There was a brief silence before a solo voice did emerge from the Immortal lines to challenge the key bearer's fiery declaration. It was the colonel in charge.

"All of them…" the officer said. He rose up his hand. "Kill that fool!"

Without pause or regret, the Immortals unleashed another barrage. Sora drew up his keyblades, preparing to repel when again another surprise arose. Riku emerged at his friend's side. He unleashed the keyblade whip and diminished each beam.

"Noctin Tilandir…" Nightshade whispered.

"Another idiot…" The colonel grumbled. "I suppose you have a death wish as well?"

"You guys have a problem with Sora," he said, "Then you have a problem with me."

"Riku," Sora uttered.

"You don't think I'm gonna let you have all the fun, do you Sora?"-

"Wait for us!" Goofy and Donald shouted, jumping off from the colonnade to stand by their comrades.

"Well, it's all for one and one for all." Goofy said.

"Yeah," Donald concurred. "And we can't let them get away with this."

"You guys," Sora said.

"Deal a deathblow to the key bearers and their comrades, and you will have to deal with the wrath of the Son of the Hound!" Cunla shouted as he came forth with Gae Bulga thrust before him.

"Cunla…"-

"I'm with you guys all the way."-

"So be it," The colonel said. He turned to his men. "There is no need to hold back, gentlemen. Kill them all starting with those five upstarts!"

The Immortals began their barrage again. The KH team rushed in to face the line of Immortals all on their own. They slashed and thrust and did all they could the break up the line of elites. But the Immortals were invincible in their formation. The front line slashed away while the rear line fired barrages of energy waves at their intended targets. The team managed to break up the front rank, but was unable to scatter the Immortals from their positions. Neither side gained anything.

The Imperials hiding behind the fallen rubble watched on as these men whom they fought so hard against were now fighting for their protection.

"What fools," one soldier scoffed. "What do they think they can accomplish by fighting those twenty or so Immortals on their own?"

"They'll die." Another added.

"But they're dying to protect your worthless lives." Merrick said. "They stood up for you against the Immortals while you cringed in fear."

"And you call yourselves Imperials." Welsh said. "I believe those key bearers have more nerve than all of us put together."

"Why would they fight for us though?" one young Imperial loyalist wondered. "Are we not their enemies?"

"Perhaps we've only been deceiving ourselves all this time." Another said.

"I didn't join the Imperial forces just so I can get killed by my own allies." Another implied.

"My family wants be back home safely." Another added. "I didn't expect to be fighting against fellow Imperials."

"Does Lord Sirius Viicous not care about us?"-

Questioning and murmuring began to arise within the Imperial ranks. Were their lives so meaningless that they were in fact expendable? Doubt now clouded their judgment and the cause to which they so strongly believed in started to crumble. To further the sudden rise of anti-Imperial sentiment, Kirin began to bellow his monologue to try and convince these young recruits. Being well known in the Imperial ranks prior to his defection, Kirin was almost a god figure to the young soldiers. Their voices were those silenced as he began to speak.

"Is this how you men want it?" Kirin suddenly declared to the Imperials who were still alive. "This is how you are repaid for your loyalty! This is how Sirius Viicous treats the foot soldier who serves him. You are all destined to die, not at the hands of your enemies, but at the hands of your comrades, at the hands of those whom you had entrusted your body and soul. And now, you will be sacrificed needlessly. No one will care of your deaths. They will only know the figure, not the events. If you die, your testimonies will be forgotten. You, your families, everyone you know will not benefit from your deaths. You are only helping to establish the ambitions of one man, a man who cares not for any of those around him, but only for himself! To him, you are merely food for the strong! You are the disposable weak and you and your families will suffer the same fate for generations under such a tyrannical rule, serving only as food for the wolves and fodder for the cannons! If Sirius Viicous were to have his way, then the era of miserable battles will go on for eternity and more young men like your selves will be called to arms. You would not have lived your lives because they were and are still being spent and wasted on the blood soaked fields on some distance continent far from home. In the end, the cause is all that will only matter and more youngsters like you will meet the same fate. No young man will live beyond his twenties for he shall die in the trenches or in some other cataclysmic event. You think you fight for the future. But the truth is you have no future. Neither you nor your families shall see the birth of a peaceful time so long as a war monger is in power. So tell me, where do your true loyalties lie? What exactly is it that you are fighting?"

Kirin's declaration had stirred something, even in the most loyal of Imperial regulars. They came to realize that their lives were nothing and that their deaths would never be remembered except for the figures displayed on paper. Slowly but surely, the opinions of the soldiers began to change.

"If this is how His Excellency plans to rule over us," one soldier said, "Then I would rather die a traitor to the Imperial cause."

"We never should have rallied to that ungrateful bastard." Another added. "I have served the Imperial forces since the fall of the Dark Empire and this is how I'm repaid?! Master Cavendish would never have done anything as heinous as this!"

"Those bastards dare turn their aggression against us, their mates." A third soldier said. "What gives them the right to do that?"

"I don't want to leave my sons with my problems," A forth implied. "I expected them to live in a peaceful world."

"The truth has always been in front of us." One of the top veterans said. "We were just too stubborn or too scared to face it."

"This is the thanks we get for faithfully serving His Excellency?! We fight and die for him, and he only repays us in our own blood!"-

There was sudden scorn and loathing now for the master they vowed to fight for and whose ideals they sacrificed for. Thus, many of the soldiers joined the defectors and stood against the Immortals. Others were reluctant to join the resistance and battle against former comrades, despite the fact that they had been betrayed. There were those who could still not overcome the shock that they were being killed by their own men. And there were some who were still loyal that tried to turn the opinions of their comrades.

"Don't listen to that traitor Kirin," one voice spoke out. "Don't forget that he turned against the Imperial regime! He's being used as a tool to spread propaganda against Imperial rule!"

"Don't let the sacrifices of your allies be in vain!" another added. "We must keep on fighting for Lord Sirius Viicous!"

"Anyone who tries to rebel against us, I'll kill personally!" one loyal officer shouted. "It's for the good of the cause!"

But it was clear to the majority that the cause was lost and its authorities had stooped into keeping the men fighting by force. If one as loyal as Kirin could have been persuaded to defect so easily against the cause he once battled and murdered at times to obtain, there must have been a flaw in the hierarchy of the Imperial Axis. And being veterans of many gruesome battles, these elite regulars were not about to lose their lives any further for a leader who thought them disposable. And if it wasn't the concern for their own lives, it was the concern for their family's lives and their children's future. To see them having to live in this same hell was one they refused to have happen.

Fights broke out amongst the Imperials as loyalist tried to hold back the new defectors. But they were soon overwhelmed and the now rebellious regulars turned on the Immortals.

"That's the spirit, you men!" Kirin cried. "Make way, not for unification, but for an era of everlasting peace and prosperity!"

"Aye," the rebels replied and struck out against the Immortals.

Riku and Sora watched as Kirin lead the charge and seeing a vast number of regulars rush in against the Immortal line.

"Glad you guys could make it." Sora said.

"It took a little persuading for these hard boiled eggs to see the truth." Kirin replied.

The Immortals were just as shocked as they watched the regulars suddenly aggress against them.

"Our men are actually fighting against us." Nightshade uttered. "They've defected and in mass!"

"That's to be expected when they figure that their lives mean nothing to His Excellency." The Immortal colonel replied. "A true follower of the cause would have never fallen for the honey words of a turncoat. At least we can now battle them with a clear conscience. We will dispense with these false elites. Men like them, who can so easily toss aside their foundation beliefs, can only be pathetic. Therefore, death is the only suitable punishment for their betrayal."

"How can you be so calm?! They have us outnumbered now!"-

"Even so, the code of the Immortal is 'Death before Dishonor.' And each and every one of His Excellency's bodyguards is willing to sacrifice themselves to the last man. Words nor numbers nor feet of strength will deter these sworn protectors of His Excellency to turn against our lord or his cause. Besides, we have nothing to fear from the likes of them. Even elite regulars cannot match our abilities."-

"What kind of logical strategy is this? First we are easily isolated from our outside forces. Then, we are easily overrun, our invincibility is denied, our own soldiers turn against us, and now you want to sacrifice your lives when there is no hope or escape?! What utter stupidity! Even I can see the futility of holding any longer! We cannot retreat and we cannot hold indefinitely! Yet you just want to sacrifice yourselves here?! I see no point in that!" Though his face could not be seen behind his helmet, the colonel's silence made it all too clear that he was displeased with Nightshade's sudden negative attitude.

"Be off with you then," the colonel said. "If you are so willing to argue that our cause is lost, then return word to His Excellency yourself if you find the means to." Nightshade immediately found the tone of the lower rank offensive.

"I don't much like the tone of your voice. Are you giving me an order, colonel?"-

"I am,"-

"What makes you think you have the right to tell me what to do?! You are only a colonel! You respect your ranks!"-

"I take no orders from you or anyone. Only His Excellency's opinion matters. And he has entrusted me to keep this world under his control no matter what the cost. I am free to make any alterations to the strategy if necessary. That was the liberty he bestowed to me. And either defying your orders or giving you orders directly is one of them."-

"You dare to insult me…"-

"And what will you do, General? Will you turn your sword against me like those regulars just for the sake of your pride and position? And after that boasting you made earlier of how you would triumph over any force that dared to oppose us here, you now decide to aid them by finding more value in your own life than in the cause."-

"How dare you…" Nightshade wished to draw his blade against this upstart Immortal officer, but held his hand. He still held loyalty to His Excellency. But to see Imperial so willing to kill his brethren was a notion that he hated witnessing. In the end, he only concluded that his word counted more than his opinion. Sheathing his sword in its scabbard, Nightshade turned away. "I will not abandon my post. I gave my promise to His Excellency and I will abide by it. I will keep this world under his control even at the cost of my own life. But I will not just mindlessly advance. I will conjure up a defensive that'll give us back the edge." He turned to the colonel. "You keep them at bay, while I rally the rest of our reserves."

"Finally, you're coming to your senses, General." The colonel complied. "Then I will hold them off for as long as I can, sir."

"I will return with our men as soon as I can."-

Nightshade quickly withdrew to call forth the rest of the men who were stationed about the dormant parts of the city. But before he could even hope leave the sight of the Immortal ranks, there was yet another horrifying surprise standing before him.

From out of nowhere, members of the Mickey Faction suddenly appeared, barging from the throne room and confronting the general in his flight. Nightshade was stunned as he saw the familiar guard uniforms of King Mickey standing before him.

"The Factioneers are here!" he shouted. The Immortal colonel turned to see his superior confronted by the enemy.

"Impossible…" the colonel thought to himself.

Nightshade drew out his sword and made ready to charge the line, but the Mickey loyalists opened up with a volley of rifle fire. Nightshade was struck in the chest three times. His legs were hit as well as his arms. He staggered before falling to his knees.

"How can this be…?" he gasped. His mind went blank as his last few breaths left him. "Forgive me Your Excellency…" He thus fell upon the stairs leading from the courtyard to the colonnade and died.

The remaining Immortals and loyalists were stunned as they saw this line of Mickey guards suddenly appear. Taking their lead was none other than PJ who held a pistol in his hand.

"Where did they come from?" one soldier asked.

"I don't know." The Immortal colonel uttered. "How could they have slipped by our defenses so easily? Damn those bastards!"

"Look you guys!" Sora shouted. "It's PJ! And he's brought reinforcements!"

"It looks like checkmate." Riku said.

"I'm sorry," PJ said, "I hope I didn't come at an inopportune time."

"I don't think so." Cunla replied. "It's always good to see allies!" PJ pointed his gut towards the dwindling Immortal forces.

"Those are your foes, gentlemen! Subdue them!"

The Royalists charged towards the Immortal lines from the rear. Now the invincible bodyguards had to contend with men from all sides. While the KH team and the defecting Imperial regulars struck from the front, the Mickey Factioneers assaulted from the rear. And on the colonnade, riflemen shot away at the Immortals one by one. With summoning spell and elemental spells, the key bearers helped to break up the last of the Immortals.

However, the Immortals were still a formidable force as individual fighters and many of them fought in small groups, quelling a number seven times their own.

"These guys certainly don't give up." Sora said.

"They're willing to fight to the death." Riku added.

"No kidding…"-

They watched as one by one, the Immortals were overwhelmed. With their defensive line broken and their formation scattered, they were not as formidable. Many were struck and killed mercilessly by their former comrades for what they did. Others were maimed so severely, they were no longer fit to fight. But despite these factors, not one Immortal guard had surrendered by their own accord.

"Keep fighting, my fellow Immortals!" The colonel shouted. "We fight and die to the last man!" The dark coated elites concurred and many were killed in the final attempts, but not after slaying ten to twenty men.

Soon, the colonel found himself standing alone against overwhelming numbers. He kept his sword drawn as he was surrounded by edged blades and aimed guns. The colonel looked about at the cold stares that fell upon him, but he was not intimidated.

"Surrender colonel," Kirin advised. "It's over!"

"What a foolish request!" The colonel suddenly leaped up over the castle and hovered in the air. The resistance forces were all in awe.

"He can fly?" PJ said.

"I guess he's the only one who can." Cunla implied.

While in his hovering, the colonel looked out onto the grounds beneath. He watched as the inevitable fall of the Imperial forces became to clear. In the other sectors of the castle, resistance forces had suddenly popped up to confront what was left of the defenses. In the city itself, lines of torches and flashes of battle could be heard as the rebellion had spread into the deeper interior. Cloud and the others had managed to thin out the Imperial lines so much that defending such a vast area was out of the question.

In the course of a single night, the once invincible Imperial forces had been humbled. Even the majority of the Immortals had been soundly defeated. A garrison of thirty-five hundred elite regulars was now scattered in disarray and fighting for their very lives against overwhelming opposition from the Mickey Faction and the enraged populous. Briefly, even he started to think that regaining control was no longer possible. The severity of the infiltration had been thorough and extremely devastating. The castle, which was thought to be well secured, had fallen so quickly and so easily. The Disney Kingdom itself had been isolated before warning could be delivered. And now even the mighty Immortals had been dispersed and defeated, a foot thought impossible.

But his vow and pride as an Immortal was unbroken.

"I will not let this world fall into the hands of the enemy!" he shouted. "Even if I have to tear this world apart, I will keep it under Imperial rule!"

The colonel suddenly began to glow, his inner strength started to swell. Like a morning star, he illuminated light in the sky. Like a beacon, he caught the attention of everyone in the city.

"I don't like the look of this." Sora said.

"Is he going to do the same as Saber did?" Riku thought to himself.

Sure enough, the colonel did just that. But unlike Saber, he did not sally forth his power in the form of a single energy wave. Instead, he unleashed all of his energy in the form of a multi-beam barrage and scattered shot about the entire city.

Below, structures were struck and hundreds of civilians and soldiers were maimed or killed. Cloud and the others watched as chaos rained down from the sky. The last of the ten Immortal guards, who confronted them, were suddenly struck down from behind and maimed severely. Others were killed outright from the barrage. The rebels quickly withdrew to safety as they watched so many Haley's descend upon them and wreak devastation upon the populous and the city.

"What the heck is going on up there?" he thought.

"Is that a guy who's doing that?" Tifa asked.

"No doubt about it. That must be one of the Immortals."-

"I will kill them all!" the colonel shouted. "For the glory of the Imperial regime, I will maintain this world on my own, even if I must level the castle itself to the cornerstone to which it is founded on!"

This extremist action angered Sora.

"Stop this right now!" He flew high into the sky to confront the Imperial.

"Sora," Riku cried and flew up after his comrade.

Sora drew out both keyblades against the Imperial. The colonel only chuckled.

"You took away our victory, key bearer." He growled.

"There were good reasons for so!" Sora replied.

"For that, I will kill you where you stand!"-

The Immortals suddenly attacked with his bloodstained saber. Sora blocked and evaded as best he could. He retaliated, but he found that this Immortal was in a different league from the others. He suddenly leaped over Sora's head and kicked him in the back. Sora fell back to the ground, but quickly regained his stamina. But he only found himself again confronted by the elite. The colonel struck the Aungla Noria keyblade, The Way of Light, out of his hand. He then lunged for the Mjollnir and knocked the hammer keyblade out of the youth's hand. Now Sora was unarmed and at the mercy of the Immortal.

"All too easy!" the colonel raised up his sword up, preparing to deliver the final blow. But before he could hinder Sora, Riku suddenly appeared and unleashed the keyblade whip which struck the saber out of the Imperial's hand.

"Sora," Riku cried as he rushed to his comrade.

"Riku," Sora uttered.

The angered Imperial, enraged by the interference, drew up his hand and unleashed a powerful beam against the silver haired young man.

"Don't you interfere, you upstart fool!" He roared as he deployed the blast head on against Riku. Riku was struck and went flying to the ground, smoldering all over his body, his clothing torn asunder.

"Riku," Sora cried. He sneered at the Immortal. Then, seeing his keyblades still falling, he drew out his hands and instantly, both keyblade vanished from their plummet and reappeared in his palms. "Damn you for your actions!"

"What…?" The Immortal looked to find himself face to face with the Hammer of Justice. Riku watched as plummeted towards the ground, wearing and overcome with dizziness.

"At a boy, Sora," he uttered. He crashed into the roof of the throne room and hit the red carpeting of the walkway.

In the meantime, the cocky and extremist Immortal colonel met with a far worse fate. The moment of impact caused a plethora of lightning to streak in the night sky and thunder to bellow out. The Immortal was consumed by the light.

"Damn you…!" he cried.

Those final words thus vanished into the roar of thunder. For a full ten seconds, night was turned into day. As the light faded and the roaring of thunder mellowed down, Sora found that there was nothing left of the colonel. He had been diminished into nothing, but ashes.

Sora's concerns for his victory over the Immortal colonel were brief. His real attention was drawn to Riku who had plummeted for a height of thirty or so stories and crashed into the throne room. He quickly descended back to the castle. He entered the throne room via the massive hole made by Riku's falling mass. There, lying upon the ground, amongst piles of debris, was the silver haired key bearer. Motionless, Sora feared the worst for his friend.

"Riku," he cried. He landed next to his friend and picked Riku up. There was no life, no sign of stirring. The young man's eyes were closed shut. Sora held him close. "Don't do this to me, Riku! Don't do this to me again! Please open your eyes, Riku, open your eyes!"

The others, seeing Sora's descent into the throne room earlier, quickly rushed in to see what had happened. There, they came upon this tragic sight as once again, Sora cuddled Riku's lifeless body.

"No," Donald uttered. "Not again."

"It's like Gombria all over again." Goofy added. "Is Riku really…?"

"Riku," Sora cried, tears in his eyes. "Please, you gotta pull through, buddy, you gotta pull through!"

"Sora…" Riku suddenly uttered.

"Please don't die, Riku! Please don't die!" But of course the mood changed as Riku's mood did. Hearing Sora's high pitched wailing ringing into his ear, he immediately regained stamina.

"Will you shut up, Sora?! I'm not even close to being dead!" Sora looked down to see his friend with that irritated look on his face. Sora's sorrow turned to joy.

"Riku," he tightly embraced his friend, nearly choking him. "I'm so glad you're not hurt! I was so worried!" Riku of course tried to loosen himself.

"Hey Sora, will let me go! You're squeezing me too hard!"-

"But Riku…!"

"I get the wind knocked out of me and you immediately turn on the water works!"-

"But Riku, I'm just so happy!" Sora held onto Riku, hugging him until the youth was blue in the face. Riku tried to hold him back.

"Hey, hey, hey, will you get off of me?!"-

Though this tragedy had been turned upside down with a comedic twist, the others could only smile in relief, knowing that Riku was still alive.

"Well, at least he's still alive." Cunla said.

"It'll take more than that kind of fall to put Riku out of commission." Kirin replied.

"Ah, boyhood friendship," Goofy said with a sad whimper. He gestured with a finger across his eye, as if clearing an emotional tear. "Ya know, Donald, it kinda gets you right here."

"You're right, Goofy." Donald added. "But right now, I don't think that's how Riku sees it."

"Let me go you little moron!" Riku suddenly shouted. Then came a smack and the sound of flesh pounding against the marble floor. Riku knocked sense into his overzealous comrade; striking him atop the head and forcing Sora to hit the ground face first with leg up. Everyone reacted either with shock, a painful winch, or embarrassed stare. "Maybe that'll knock some sense into you!"

"Oro…?" Sora muttered.

"That had to hurt." Goofy said.

"He'll be feeling that in the morning." Donald grumbled.

There was a slight chuckle amongst the troops and the team, before the seriousness of the situation returned.

"So," Cunla said, "Is it over?"

"The Imperial forces outside have not yet disengaged." PJ said. "For all they know, the castle is still under the control of their comrades." PJ then turned to one of his officers. "What time is it?"

"It's two o'clock in the morning, sir." The officer replied.

"That means we managed to overthrow Imperial rule within two hours. That is an incredible feat, something we deemed impossible of accomplishing two months prior. And it's all thanks to the key bearers and their comrades."-

"Well, it was nothing." Sora said as he and Riku rejoined the group.

"But this still isn't over. Our success was due to our infiltration of the castle and the sudden defection of Imperial troops within the defenses. However, because of this fight, we've lost over half of our men to those Immortals. That is a number we can't possibly make up for. And there are still at least two thousand Imperial infantry still on the offensive outside the walls."-

"So what do we do?" Donald asked.

"Simple, we just have to hint to them that it's over." PJ raised his hand and beckoned over a soldier. The soldier was carrying an oak box with gold lock. PJ unlocked the chest and opened the lid. In it was the standard of King Mickey. "Soldier, have this raised at the top tier. Buglers accompany this private to the top tier and sound out the Mickey National Anthem. Let the city know that the castle is once again in the hands of the Mickey loyalists."

"Yes sir," the soldier replied and he and ten young buglers withdrew.

"No doubt that once the remaining Imperial forces see that the Mickey standard has been raised over the castle once again and our trumpets sound, they'll finally realize that their efforts will no longer amount to anything."-

"I hope you're right." Cunla said.

The early morning brought forth a clear sign of who was victorious. To everyone in the city, the sounds the bugles could be heard, playing the famous Mickey Mouse Club March, and echoing throughout the kingdom. Each eye was suddenly fixed on the castle. To greet their wandering pupils, the banner of the king was raised once again over the city. As each individual present, freedom fighter and Imperial alike, bestowed their eyes on the flying colors, it had become too apparent what side fate had decided to stand on.

Cloud and the others looked to the top tier and saw the grand flag with that familiar insignia, the mouse ears upon a white field and gold trim, flap triumphantly in the nightly breeze.

"They did it!" Kairi shouted. "They won! They won!"

"And that means we've won!" Tifa added. Both young women embraced each other with joy. The sound of cheering came from the crowds of exuberant subjects and soldiers who could no longer retain their excitement.

"Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah…!" they would should in endless unison, holding their weapons high into the air.

"A job well done," Cloud said with as smile as he rested his Buster Blade upon his shoulder.

But as there was joy in amidst the rebels, the same could not be said of the Imperial forces. The sight of the flag and the hearing of the bugles was a disheartening sight. They could not believe that their reign in the Disney Kingdom had been overrun in the course of a single night. They couldn't believe that the castle had fallen. It was all a mistake to them, it was an impossibility. But the waving banner had proven them wrong.

Disgraced by this defeat, many of the Imperial soldiers lowered their heads, took of their helmets, their turbans, their hats, and cried. Others grew angry and wanted to continue the fight. But doing so would only prove futile. Many, not willing to battle any further, lowered their weapons and presented themselves before the loyalists, being taken prisoner.

"The king's banner," one soldier uttered. "Does this mean they have taken the castle?"

"I can't believe it." Another soldier added. "I won't believe it! I'll keep on fighting!"

"But what's the point if the castle has fallen?"-

"We'll just take it back then!" There were mixed emotions amidst the Imperial troops. But one of the leading officers, a major, stepped forth before them.

"Lower your weapons, boys." He said. His men looked at him.

"But why, sir…?"-

"We have failed His Excellency. We could not protect this world from being overrun. The enemy has already regained control of the castle."-

"But we can take it again, sir!" the other troops agreed.

"And have us attacked from two fronts?" The soldiers were humbled by their commander's words. "We have fought bravely, my men, but we must come to terms. We have lost this fight. Any further sacrifice would be meaningless." The soldiers, disgraced at them selves, could only weep. "Let's go." Raising a white handkerchief upon his sword, he led his men to the ranks of the Royalists, unarmed and humbled.


	121. Why We Fight

Why We Fight

The sounds of battle died down from outside the castle walls, they faded along with the final few measures of the Disney Anthem. The great banner of the monarchy once again flew over the kingdom and the Imperials now were broken in moral. Little by little, the Imperials surrendered, seeing no further point in resisting.

At this same time, Riku, Sora, and the others observed the horror of the courtyard massacre. It seemed that for every slain Imperial, there were perhaps four to five men killed, whether they were Imperial defectors or royal guards. The blood soaked everything, at times dripping from the colonnade to the grassy knoll below it. The wounded were taken in, many with ghastly wounds. In this horror, the key bearers could only sigh. This was not the first time that they had seen death like this. Still, it was a sorrowful sight to behold.

"These men didn't deserve to be betrayed in such a way." Sora said.

"It is heartbreaking." Riku added.

"The sacrifice was worth it though." PJ implied, approaching the key bearers and their comrades. "The Disney Kingdom once again belongs to King Mickey and the people of this world. And the best part about it is that the rest of the Axis has no idea we've taken over. For all they know, the Disney Kingdom is still secured in the hands of Lord Sirius Viicous."

"The stakes get ever higher though."-

"That is something we cannot avoid."-

"Commander," a soldier said as he approached PJ, "What will we do with these Imps?" The group looked at the condensed group of surviving Imperials who had been disarmed and clustered in the middle of the courtyard.

"I think we should have them all held under lock and key." One officer advised.

"But what about the defectors…?" Sora asked. "They helped us win. Are we just going to arrest them and put them behind bars with the rest of the prisoners?"

"There is no other choice. We can't guarantee if they're even trustworthy. As far as we know, they'll suddenly decide to have second thoughts and attack us when our backs are turned."-

"But that isn't very nice though, to just toss 'em in the clink after what they did to help us." Goofy said.

"That may be so," Donald opposed, "But they are still Imperials. They might turn on us. I mean the only reason why they were fighting alongside us in the first place was because they were being killed by their own men. They fought to survive. But now that the threat is over, what will they do?"

"There is nothing to fear from us, sir." A voice implied. The group saw Merrick, Welsh, Minotaur, and Kraken approach them. They presented themselves before Kirin and saluted. "Mission accomplished, sir."

"At ease men," Kirin replied.

"And why would we have nothing to fear from you?" PJ asked.

"What we have done against the Imperial Axis, sir, is inexcusable and unforgivable." Merrick explained. "However, though only twenty of us had gained full sympathy for the rebel cause and defected on our own accord, the officials of the Axis will find this act of treason applicable to all the Imperial troops stationed here. They will interpret the defeat here as a lack of enthusiasm and sense of duty to the cause, and that every last man is responsible for the downfall. Thus, there will be no trial or quarter for those who have survived. Therefore, we are automatically condemned from the ranks of the Axis. And if caught, our actions are only punishable by death. There will be no pardon."

"And how do we know that's accurate in itself?" PJ's subordinate asked.

"What he says is true." Cunla implied. "The Imperial Axis is getting desperate now. They have recently issued a series of orders in which their forces must fight to the very last man. Anyone who survives a defeat will be branded as a coward and traitor and immediately executed."

"But why would they be doing that?" Sora asked. "Don't they know that'll only be interpreted as a good enough excuse for men to desert their ranks? They're depleting their own manpower!"

"Not that it's a problem for us though." Kirin said. "The least soldiers there are, the less we have to fight, and the easier it will be to topple the Axis without either side losing a great deal of life.

"The Imperial Axis demands only victory now." Cunla explained. "The soldiers engaged in battle have to be either victorious or killed to the last individual. That's why defections and desertion has become more rampant, especially with the battles becoming bloodier." Cunla looked at the dead and wounded in the courtyard. "About three days ago, there was a battle that took place at the city of Gilgamesh in Valoria, Oceanaria. The Alliance only took a hundred wounded prisoners. A hundred out of an Imperial force numbering some nine thousand men. And of those nine thousand, not a single round of ammunition lay amongst the slain or was found amongst the prisoners. Prior to the end of the fight, allied soldiers reported that as a last attempt to fend them off, the Imperial troops threw rocks at their attackers. This indicates that the soldiers could not withdraw from the field, even as their ammunition supply was drained. Of course being S class elites, from what I understand, they seldom run away. The funny thing is that Gilgamesh was not the real objective in that campaign. It was merely for a holding action. And yet so many were killed their. Even the elites are starting to feel the effects of the futility of further resistance. So far the only ones who are truly loyal are the Immortals. They had vowed to follow the words of the Phantom Lord faithfully and without question. Their lives mean nothing to them except for acting as the shield that protects Sirius Viicous."

"Perhaps that's why Sirius Viicous sent out the cream of the crop, he's probably also using them as a means to assure victory is achieved every time."-

"Unlike at Gilgamesh, where the entire force consisted of S class elite troops, other campaigns consist mostly of regular army and conscripts. And their loyalty tends to waver every so often. But I'm rather surprised thought that the elites here would give up or defect so easily."-

"There would never have been a defection from the elites here had the Immortals not decided to turn on them." Merrick explained. "But then again, there has never been an incident like this that involved loyal Imperials to strike against other loyal Imperials. Such an act has never been seen, even through the entire fourteen thousand year reign of the Dark Empire. Many of these elites found this betrayal as a betrayal of their loyalties and efforts."-

"That still doesn't change the fact that we can trust them." PJ's subordinate said.

"If I may be so bold, sir," Minotaur implied, "How about stationing us outside the castle walls, perhaps to act as a police force. That way we aren't within striking distance of the castle. That would be a least threatening position for us to be in."

"It stands to reason." PJ concurred. "Very well then, all Imperial defectors will have the privilege of patrolling the city streets outside."

"Thank you sir," Merrick said, the four Imperial officers saluted.

"To your post men," Kirin advised.

"Give out the order, Lieutenant." Merrick ordered.

"Sir," Welsh responded. He quickly went to the men. "All conscripts and defectors report to the courtyard outside the castle walls! We will be patrolling the streets!"-

"Rally," the defectors said. They quickly assembled and exited the castle, every one of them."

"What about the prisoners?" the subordinate asked.

"Captain," PJ shouted.

"Sir," the captain replied at his station in the courtyard.

"Have all captured prisoners assembled at the town square! It's too risky to keep them in the castle. Have an elite guard stationed around them and order the prisoners to remain in a lying position, on the ground, at all times."-

"Sir," the captain turned to the prisoners. "Alright, you Imps, get going!" The royal guards raised the prisoners to their feet and led the massive group out of the castle defenses.

"I'll accompany them, in case any try to escape into the night." Kirin said.

"Okay," Sora responded.

"Donald, Goofy," Riku implored, "You go with Kirin and keep those prisoners in order."

"Right," Donald concurred. He looked at Goofy. "Let's go."

"Gotcha," Goofy said. The two accompanied Kirin.

There was a silence as they watched their comrades walk off to their duties. Then, Sora broke the silence with a few concerned words.

"Sooner or later, the Imperial Axis is going to find out about this." He said. "And no doubt they'll be sending a task force to come and reclaim the Disney Kingdom."

"Then you should send word to the Alliance and tell them to send an occupation force to aid us." PJ implied.

"But if we were to do that," Riku said, "Then the Imperials will definitely know that something is going on and they'll be sending their troops to counter the allies. They have a shorter distance to travel, which means they'll be the first ones here."

"I've taken that all into account. And I can assure you there is nothing to worry about from this moment on. We have means of countering such a retaliatory strike."-

"How so…?"-

"Follow me,"-

PJ led the KH team to the Hall of the Corner Stone. Seeing the massive energy sphere in the center of the chamber, the group approached.

"Look at that thing." Cunla uttered in amazement.

"So what did you bring us down here for?" Sora asked.

"I told you there was nothing to worry about." PJ said. "And this is what will help us."

"The cornerstone…?"-

"That's right,"-

"But how will the cornerstone help us?"-

"It's quite simple." PJ approached the cornerstone and felt around the bust to which the glowing orb stood. At the edge of the base's top was a small white button, concealed on the bust to look like part of the carving. PJ pressed down and from that, an access board popped out. PJ then typed in a series of numbers.

"What is that?" Riku asked.

"This, my friends is the Disney Kingdom's main security. It has never been activated until now. This will solve our defense problem."-

"How's that…?"-

"The cornerstone acts as the main energy source that activates a defense shield that domes over the entire city all the way to the outer walls. Even the Imperials never know about this, thank goodness."-

"A defense shield, eh? But how strong will it be against the Imperial Axis."-

"Once activated, the shield will not allow anything in or out, say for transmission waves. Even if the Imperials were to bombard us with barge cannons, nothing would be able to get through the shield. It's virtually invincible and impenetrable."-

"Are there any flaws to it though?" Cunla asked.

"Only one, the entry through the secret passage, that's the only way to get in and out when the shield is activated."-

"I see,"-

"So unless the Imperials find that passage, we're completely safe?" Sora asked.

"That's right,"-

"Then I guess we can call for reinforcements." Riku implied.

PJ punched in the last of the numbers.

"Okay, here it goes," he pressed the activation button and immediately, this powerful burst of energy bellowed from the cornerstone. The light filled the chamber, blinding all who were present. The sound of its roar was deafening and the surge pushed them back.

"Awesome," Sora uttered.

Through an opened portal that led to the exterior of the castle, the energy erupted, a beaming column of pure white energy. This bright light bellowed into the sky and spread throughout the Disney Kingdom like a milky white haze. Cloud, Leon, Kirin, and the others could only stare in awe at this beautiful, glittering sight.

"Look at that," Cloud said.

"Wow," Tifa added.

"It's beautiful," Kairi agreed.

"That's the protective barrier." Donald said.

"PJ must've activated it." Goofy concurred.

"Incredible," Leon awed the sight.

"It's like Christmas," Yuffie chuckled.

Night suddenly became day as this shield illuminated the dark sky and raining its glitter beautiful light over foreigner and local inhibiter alike.

The key bearers looked up in awe at the beam.

"Now there is no one who can penetrate this shield." PJ said. "We are fully protected from the top to the bottom."

"So even if the Imperial forces were to send a garrison here, there's no way they can penetrate the shield, right?" Sora asked.

"So long as the hidden passage way remains unknown to them, they have no way of penetrating our forces. And even if they did find out, they would have to contend with our troops who'll soon be guarding its corridors."-

"Excellent," Riku said, "Then we have full liberty of contacting the Alliance from the outside worlds."

"But first thing's first though, Riku," Sora interceded. "How are we gonna contact the Alliance from here?"

"You're so clueless at times, Sora. You forget that we can make contact via the gummi ship. All we have to do is find Donald."-

"Then what are we standing around here for?" Cunla asked. "Let's get Donald and tell 'em we need the gummi transmitter."

"Right," The three quickly departed. PJ only shook his head.

"Those guys," he uttered to himself, "They never seem to give themselves a break."

Donald, Goofy, and Kirin had assembled themselves along with members of the royal guard. They kept a tight perimeter around the captured Imperials. Because of the sudden barrage unleashed by the Immortal colonel, several of the structures had been destroyed.

As had been instructed, the prisoners were ordered to lay face down on the ground. No one was to stand, or dire consequences would be paid.

"All of you stay on the ground!" Kirin shouted. "Anyone who stands will be shot on sight, no exceptions!"

"That's a little severe don't you think?" Goofy asked.

"We are still in a fragile position right now, Goofy. The Imperials still outnumber us. So we can't drop our guard until daybreak."-

It was then that the sound of a hundred marching feet could be heard approaching them.

"Who goes there?!" one of the soldiers shouted.

"It's alright," a voice replied, "We're coming in with more prisoners." From out of the darkness, Max, Huey, Dewey, and Louis appeared with their troops and some armed civilians who lead a large column of prisoners to the square.

"Stand down," Goofy ordered, "It's my son and Donald's nephews!"

"Keep moving you men!" Huey hollered at the prisoners. He turned to one of the subordinate officers. "Take over and lead these men into the square. Tell them no funny business or we start shooting."

"Sir," The subordinate replied and took over the place of his superiors. "Double time, you Imps! Keep moving!" Max and the three brothers joined up with Kirin, Goofy, and Donald.

"Mission accomplished," Max said as he saluted.

"Good work, son." Goofy replied.

"I see that all of you managed to get out of that scuffle without a scratch." Donald added.

"It wasn't easy, Uncle Donald." Louis said. "Those Imperials were all over us those first few moments. But we got 'em good in the end."

"It was mostly thanks to our men and a great number of civilians, who decided to pick up arms and join the fight that we were able to win." Dewey concurred.

"And what news of the other assault teams?" Kirin asked.

"I believe we did well enough." A voice implied. The team turned to find Cloud and Leon approaching.

"All positions have been successfully secured." Cloud said.

"Same here," Leon added.

"Where are the others?" Kirin asked.

"They stayed behind to watch over the other prisoners we took in."-

"Did you guys have any difficulty?"-

"In most cases, not really," Leon said.

"You speak for yourself." Cloud interceded. "I lost over half of the men who were with me."

"Half?" the party was startled. "How could you have lost half?"

"Well, what else can you expect when you're being attacked by ten Immortals? It wasn't exactly a walk in the park you know."-

"You battled against the Immortals?" Dewey asked.

"Yes, and they weren't like the ones in Traverse Town. They were even tougher and harder to beat. We had to separate them one by one so we could oust them easier. But there was great cost to both soldiers and civilians."-

"Sorry to hear that." Donald implied. There was a murmur amongst them.

"So is it really over?" Louis asked.

"For the moment, Louis, but I doubt it's ended indefinitely. No doubt that someone might have been able to leak out the information already. I expect that Imperial forces will be here to try and reclaim the Disney Kingdom for their own." Donald gazed up at the shield. "Then again, even if they were all to congregate here, there's no way that they'll be able to break through the shield now that it's been deployed."-

"I see," Leon said, looking upward at the thin dome above their heads. "So that's what that thing is."

Not more than a couple of minutes had passed before Riku, Sora, and Cunla came rushing towards them.

"Hey you guys!" Sora shouted.

"Well, well," Leon said, folding his arms in front of him. "I see you managed to get out of that hornet's nest without a scratch."

"Well, not exactly." Riku replied.

"By the way, I saw a bunch of Imperials walking around armed a while ago. And the funny thing was they were guarding their won guys."-

"That's how we were able to take over the castle." Cunla explained. "Thanks to Kirin here, he was able to persuade some Imperials to turn against their own ranks, especially after the Immortals opened fire on their own men."

"Really…?"-

"Indiscriminately," Kirin replied. "All those Imperials not in Immortal uniform were considered hostile and were shot. Even the most loyal of Imperial regulars were shot without question."

"No wonder they had no objection to turning to help us." Max said.

"Still, we weren't willing to keep them in the castle, in case they had a change of heart. But at the same time, we couldn't just treat them as prisoners, especially for half of them giving up their lives to stop their former comrades from massacring us. So we had them patrol the outer districts. Don't worry though. They'll be dispersed as soon as we've reorganized."-

"That's why we've come out here to see you." Sora said. "We were wondering if you could contact the Alliance and tell them to send an occupation force over here to keep watch over the kingdom."

"Are you kidding?" Cloud objected. "And have every available Imperial force coming here to wage war when they arrive?"

"The kingdom will be in no danger." Donald said. "With the shield deployed, nothing can get in, nothing. The Imperials can bark all they want. But so long as the cornerstone is in tact, nothing can threaten us."

"Well," Cloud had no knowledge of how things working in the Disney Kingdom. Using his own judgment, he could only sigh. "If you think that would be the best course of action, then who am I to interject?"

"Then we better make the call." Riku suggested.

"I'll use the secured line." Donald assured them. "I'll tell the Alliance to be as discreet as they can."

"Let's go then."-

"We'll wait here." Leon said. "We can take care of things."

"Just make sure than none of them get up." Kirin replied. "No one is to stand or they are to be executed on sight."

"Right,"-

Leon and Cloud, with Max and Donald's nephews kept vigilant over the prisoners while Riku, Sora, and the rest of the team withdrew to a secured area.

Donald unleashed one of the gummies and contacted the Alliance headquarters by means of the secure line.

"This is the Alliance headquarters." An attendant on the other end said.

"This is Donald Duck," Donald replied, "Member of the KH team. Put us through to the president!"

"Understood sir," The line was immediately connected to Sneer's office. Sneer was once again busy with creating another portrait.

"Well, well," Sneer said, "I didn't expect to hear from you so soon. Have you started preparations for liberating the Disney Kingdom?"

"We don't have to anymore?" Sora said. "The mission was already accomplished."

"What?!" Sneer dropped his pallet and brush. "You've already liberated the Disney Kingdom?!"

"Yes sir,"-

"But how could you have accomplished this task so fast? It hasn't even been the first day yet."-

"Well, if it wasn't for the underground resistance in this world helping us," Riku implied, "Then it would have taken a great deal longer for us to retake the kingdom."

"We didn't have to storm the castle head on." Sora added.

"And because of Imperial defectors, our attempts resulted in less hardship with taking the castle." Kirin concluded.

"Imperial defectors you say?" Sneer said. "Well, congratulations on a job well done. With your success, you have cut the main artery of the Imperial Axis. Now they will have no easy way of conquering other worlds. This is excellent news."

"However, we did lose a great deal of men in the process," Donald interceded, "Over half of the rebel forces have been killed or wounded and we've taken an estimated nineteen hundred Imperials as prisoner. But still, they outnumber our own fighting men by at least two to one."

"That's why we've requested your assistance." Sora said. "We need an occupation force that'll help reinforce our allies still remaining."

"You need men right now?" Sneer asked.

"As soon as possible," Kirin suggested. "We managed to isolate the Imperials here so their outside reinforcements wouldn't try to intervene and assist them during our attack. But I don't think it'll take long for them to figure out that we've taken over, especially with this excessively bright shield now protecting the city from the outside regions."

"I'll see what I can do. But I have to be sure the Imperials don't catch on. They have scouting units patrolling the skies between here and the Disney Kingdom. It'll have to be a miniscule force for the time being."-

"How many…?" Riku asked.

"About five thousand,"-

"That should be substantial for now."-

"What about your assembly of those two hundred thousand men for the attack on Cetorburg?" Sora asked. "Have you got them ready?"

"You managed to conquer the Disney Kingdom in a single day. I barely even turned in the consent with the Alliance Military Council. You expect everything to be ready now?"-

"So I take it we have no troops then?" Kirin wondered.

"Well," Sneer seemed a little anxious. "To tell you the truth, I don't think you'll need those extra two hundred thousand men."

"Why's that?" Goofy asked.

"It's because there has been an accumulation of…" Sneer didn't finish his statement. He was too overcome with a hidden awe. The KH team was anxious.

"What is it? What's accumulating? An accumulation of what?" Sora was determined to know.

"I think it best that you and the rest of the KH team return here to Oceansburg."-

"Why…?"-

"So you can see for yourself."-

"Well, what about the relief forces you'll send here?"-

"I can afford sending five thousand men. They can be there within the next two hours. Can you keep things in order until then?"-

"Yes we can." Riku assured the president.

"Then I will get to your request immediately."-

"Thanks Sneer," The transmission ended. "So an allied relief force should arrive within the next two hours eh?"

"So what do we do for the next couple of hours?" Sora asked.

"We can only wait." Donald replied. "While we're at it, we can start with reestablishing order in the Disney Kingdom and commence with the clean up. With the barrier up, there's no need to worry about exterior attacks."

"Well, you do have a point…" Just then Sora realized something. Cunla was missing from the party. "Hey, where did Cunla go?"

"I don't know." Riku replied. "I didn't even here him leave."

"He was just behind me a minute ago." Kirin added. "Now, all of a sudden he's gone."

"We better go look for him."-

"I don't think he could have gone far." Donald said.

Cunla had gone off to patrol the streets in case there were still those Imperials who remained defiant. He walked along a street that had been struck by one of the colonel's energy beams, during his fanatic barrage. Bodies of both Royalists and Imperials lay amongst the debris. Some pieces of wood were lit aflame

"Damn those Immortals." The young son of the hound thought to himself. "They're willing to sacrifice even the most loyal of Sirius Viicous' followers. And these men are just fighting for what they believe in. But what left do they have to believe in, if their own commanders can approve execution of their own comrades." Cunla sighed. His mind reflected to that incident back in the 'Wing' realm and how he carried out his own task of slaying a fellow Imperial, General Bayonet. "I should be talking. I too have done that back in the day. What an ironic twist of fate that I would despise the act that I myself had done once as an Imperial officer and assassin." It was at that moment, in one of the demolished buildings, a rustling sound came from the darkness. Cunla drew forth the Gae Bulga and held it at the ready for anything that would dare to pounce upon him from the darkness. "Who goes there?! Show yourself!"

He stood like a rock, this youth of many battles, but still nothing came forward, nothing threatening at least. Cunla moved closer and closer, but nothing happened. He finally lowered his weapon.

"Is anyone there?" he cried. Suddenly, there came a dying coo. Cunla took up a piece of torched wood with a substantial flame on it and entered the demolished building. He looked about, hearing where the cooing originated. It was at that moment that he spotted something moving about in the debris. He edged closer to the shadowy form.

As he shined the light in the area, he came to realize that the sound came from a wounded Imperial trooper. But not just any trooper, rather a young boy, just the same age as he. The young soldier was shivering, his body ice cold. Cunla looked at the boy's pale face. In his green eyes, the young hound beheld an innocence not yet broken. The boy's hand was drenched in blood. Cunla lowered his weapon and his torch to examine the youngster. He had suffered a mortal wound in the gut. The boy labored in breath, slowly dying. Immediately, Cunla recalled his own suffering when his father's weapon struck him in the gut.

The boy was almost identical to him with shaggy, dirty blond hair and developing physique. One could almost mistake him for Cunla's brother. Cunla sat by the boy's side and closely examined the wound. The boy winched and groaned as the youth touched the gaping slash on his stomach. Sweat dripped down his face and his body shivered.

"You'll be alright." Cunla assured the boy. He reached into his pocket to grab a spare potion or senzu. But to his disbelief, there was none left in his pack. He had used the last of his healing supplies during the battle against the Immortals, distributing to his other comrades in the scuffle. Cunla felt guilty and somewhat panicked. He could only comfort the young man with a smile. "Let me bandage you up and get you some help."

"Thank you…" the young Imperial uttered. He shivered. "It's so cold…"

Cunla took off his overcoat and gently covered the boy. Cunla did all he could do to keep him warm. He opened up the front of his shell jacket and stripped off pieces of his white T-shirt to use as bandages. It was then that he heard Riku and Sora calling for him.

"Hey, Cunla!" they cried. "Where are you?!"

"Over here you guys!" Cunla shouted. "Hurry, give me a hand!"

"What's wrong?!"-

"Please Hurry!"-

"Where are you?!"-

"I'm in this demolished building!"-

Riku and Sora quickly looked in and saw Cunla in the corner.

"Cunla are you alright?!" Sora shouted as he and Riku rushed in.

"I'm alright, but…" The key bearers came upon the hideous sight.

"It's an Imperial soldier." Riku uttered.

"He can't be." Sora said. "He's too young."

"Nevertheless," Cunla said, "He's in critical condition. I need a spare senzu or potion vial."

"We don't have any left though. We used them all in that fight with the Immortals."-

"Damn it,"-

"Please help me…?" the boy cried, tears in his eyes. "I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die." Cunla comforted and embraced the boy.

"Take it easy, kid. You're not gonna die."-

"I'm so cold. I'm so cold. I wanna go home."-

"I know…"

"Wait a minute," Riku said. "I think I have something." He searched his pockets and sure enough, he found a vial of potion left. But it was his last and only a few ounces remained. Not enough to fully replenish the boy. Still, it was sufficient to keep him alive.

"You're a life saver, Riku." Sora sighed with relief.

"Give it to me." Cunla stretched out his hand. Riku handed the vial over to Cunla and he poured the liquid down the young man's throat. The boy winced. "There we go. That should do it." Cunla uplifted the overcoat and watched as the wound was sealed up and healed. He patted the boy on the head. "You'll be alright, kid."

"So, will he make it?" Sora asked.

"Yeah, he'll be alright. His wound has healed up. But there wasn't enough in the vial to replenish his physical strength."-

"Well, he won't need that right now." Riku said.

"Riku, can you take him to the town square?"-

"Sure," Riku picked up the boy. But before leaving, the boy looked at Cunla and smiled. He reached out his hand. Cunla grasped at his palm.

"Thank you for your kindness." The boy uttered.

"It's alright." Cunla replied. All bundled up in the thick overcoat, the boy was carried away by Riku. Sora in the meantime, put his hand on Cunla's shoulder.

"That was a good thing you did, Cunla." Sora praised him.

"I saw in that boy's face my own." Cunla replied.

"But he couldn't have been an elite could he? He's so young. Is it common for the Imperial forces to recruit soldiers that young?"-

"No, it only goes to show that the Imperial Axis is become more desperate. They're starting to recruit old men and young boys. That young kid was just another unfortunate." Cunla lowered his head and quickly picked up the Gae Bulga. "That is why we fight, Sora. We fight so that no one that young has to endure the horror of the battlefield. I'm one exception, but many young children should not have to be exposed to the bloodshed of the battlefield. They still have their whole lives ahead of them and I find it unnecessary for them to lose their lives unexpectedly at such a tender age, whether they're on one side or the other. I won't let anymore children have to suffer my fate."-

"Well spoken, Cunla. You're no longer a boy, but a man." He put his arm around the youth. "C'mon, let's get going."

With that, the two returned to join their comrades.

Two hours had come and gone. And sure enough, from out of the early morning sky, five Alliance cruisers touched down upon the Kingdom. Seeing no further Imperial threat present, the shield had been temporarily deactivated, thus allowing the cruisers to touch down and send in their unites. From their large cargo holds, five thousand Alliance troops emerged. They quickly assembled in the kingdom and spread throughout the districts soon after. Artillery and heavy arms were deployed also, stationed at the outer defenses.

Amongst the allied soldiers was a familiar face. General Triiken emerged, head of this large force and presented himself before the KH team, who still stood in awe at the sight of the blue columns.

"Well, well," Kirin said, "Look who it is!"

"I see you boys have been busy." Triiken implied.

"It's been a while hasn't it, Triiken." Riku said. "Welcome to the Disney Kingdom."

"You've made quite a reputation for yourselves, boys. Word of your fight against General Saber and your fending off of the Immortals at Traverse Town has spread throughout the whole of the Alliance like an inferno. You've caused quite an uproar in the Imperial ranks. I've never seen their morale so low. Your reputation is almost as great as the Z fighters."-

"What about you, Triiken?" Sora asked. "What brings you here?"-

"I assisted Madam General Devardios in her assignment at Atlantis. Those people now praise you as gods in that world."-

"You're everywhere then aren't you?"-

"As the Chief Inspector, I cannot afford to let my mind wander for even a moment. Doing so may prove fatal. And if you want anything done right, you have to do it yourself."-

"Did you run into any trouble on the way?"-

"We had engaged against three Imperial patrol units on the way here. Luckily, the president assigned an escort force to aid us. As you can probably see from some of the scars upon the carriers, they have sustained some minor damage. No doubt now that the Imperials already know we're here. They'll be sending in more soldiers to try and retake this kingdom. But I seldom believe they'll do such a thing."-

"Why's that?" Cunla asked.

"The Imperial forces are simply putting on an air. The reality is that they have no reserve units significant enough to engage us at the present moment. With our ranks swelling, the Imperial forces have stretched themselves to the limit. Any deprivation of man power in any sector they control and they heighten our own chances of overrunning them. That's the reason why Sirius Viicous deployed his Immortal guard, to act as a final barrier that would also reduce our own numbers at the same time. He figured that no one could defeat the Immortals. But after the defeats at Traverse Town and here, there has been a great deal of doubt stirring within the Imperial Axis on whether or not they can maintain control over all worlds."-

"The Immortals we fought here were tougher than the last batch, that's for sure." Riku said.

"Far more," Kirin added.

"You should consider yourselves lucky that you've only been facing third generation Immortals. Those bodyguards of the old Imperial Regime are far more formidable."-

"How formidable…?"-

"Very…" Triiken put his arms behind him. "Many of them are a hundred times more powerful than General Saber. Many of them have become rogue warlords, creating their individual syndicates and trying to establish universal domination. Others on the other hand have rallied to wreak revenge on the ones truly responsible for the fall of the Dark Empire, the Z fighters." Triiken looked to his men while concentrated in his thought. "Though you played vital roles in helping to bring a fall to the former Three Excellencies, it was Kakarrot, Vegeta, and the other Z members that took center stage. They were the ones who helped rally the Saiyan Confederation military and forces of the Colnt Empire to converge on the cities of Vandor and Gombria. They were also the ones who fought head to head with Lord Cavendish himself, eliminating a great deal of the Z universe in the process." Triiken then looked at the key bearers. "Compared to that epic confrontation, your efforts are barely even noticed, except as side missions."

"Well, we weren't exactly trying to win a popularity contest here, Triiken." Riku grumbled.

"Nevertheless, now the former Immortals of the old regime converge on the Z fighters and their home planet Earth. As well, a few of the Z fighters like Goten, Trunks, and Vegeta have been sent out to battle against all possible threats from these former Cavendish bodyguards all over the universe. The emergence of the Imperial Axis, however, has become the new focal point. You boys march to Cetorburg, the former capital, yet no less formidable city of the earlier Midnight Faction. You go there to save King Mickey, the monarch who overlooks the peace of all worlds and seeing that they are isolated from the threat of the darkness and conquest of the Heartless. Thus, without a doubt, I guarantee that you two will become the new legends who assisted in bringing forth the demise of the Imperial Axis."

"By the way, Triiken," Sora wondered, "When we contacted Sneer to send help, he was telling us that we may not need those two hundred thousand soldiers to attack Cetorburg."

"The president has told me about the situation. However, he has also given me strict instructions not to utter a word. He wishes not for the information to go anywhere beyond his headquarters until you and the other members of your party meet with him."-

"I see," Sora sighed. "Well, then we better get going."

"Spread out and assemble all our friends." Riku instructed. "We have to leave now."

"Right," the KH team dispersed to retrieve the rest of their comrades.

Within the next hour or so, the rest of the KH team had been assembled.

"Is everyone here then?" Kirin asked.

"So far," Riku replied. He pointed out each one. "Let's see, Sora, myself, you and Kairi, Donald and Goofy, Cunla, Leon, Cloud, Yuffie, Tifa, Cid. Then there are Max, Huey, Dewey, and Louis."

"If it's alright with you guys," Leon interjected, "I was hoping to stay here and keep everything in order."

"Same here," Cloud added.

"Tifa, Cid, and I have decided to stay as well." Yuffie said.

"We four have also decided to stay behind." Max implied, siding with Donald's nephews. "Our biggest priority at the moment would be to stay here and make sure the kingdom doesn't fall into Imperial hands again."

"A wise decision," Kirin concurred. "I don't think your father and uncle would have approved you coming with us anyway."

"That's right!" Donald said.

"But that means our entire force has been dwindled to less than half." Sora said.

"I think we seven are more than enough." Riku assured his comrade. "Besides, if the Imperials do manage to assemble unexpectedly for a counterattack, then everyone will be needed to defend the kingdom."

"You do have a point."-

"Then it will just be the seven of us." Goofy added.

"We better hurry then."-

"Right," Kairi agreed.

Donald activated the gummi ship and the seven members entered. Triiken and the others saw them off.

"You guys take care alright?" Yuffie said.

"We'll catch up with you as soon as we can." Cloud added.

"If we can,"-

"You guys make sure to keep this kingdom under wraps." Cunla said. "We don't want those Imperial to be reopening the passage."

"So long as there are elites here," Triiken concluded, "I doubt the Imperials will try anything."

"Then we'll see you later." Sora said. "Good luck."

With that, the gummi hatched closed and the ship lifted off into the sky. Escorted by Alliance fighters, the gummi made it out of the upper atmosphere and headed towards the city of Oceansburg.

"I tell ya," Cid said, "Those youngn's never seem to stop."

"The fate of all worlds might just rest on their shoulders." Leon added. "I just hope they all manage to survive this in the end."

"Perhaps…" Triiken uttered. In his mind, his own thoughts began to bite at him. "Perhaps I should have told them about what's happening on Oceanaria, or perhaps about…" Triiken held his tongue from murmuring. "Oh well, they're of a college age, those key bearers, I'm sure they'll figure it out for themselves. That is if they manage to stay alive."


	122. My Fellow Key Bearers

My Fellow Key Bearers

It did not take long for word to finally reach Sirius Viicous of what had occurred. While Riku and Sora were now on their way to Oceansburg, the Phantom Lord was in a state of anxiety. He sat in his quarters, accompanied by some of his advisors, wondering of the key bearers' whereabouts.

"Where are they?" He grumbled. "Why has word not come yet? Why aren't the key bearers here yet?! Is that rodent king not important to them?!"

"There has been no word of the key bearers' whereabouts yet, my lord." One of the subordinates implied.

"Perhaps they are resting themselves, preparing for the battle with you, my lord." A second subordinate added.

"Either that, or they've run off scared with their tails between their legs." A third scoffed. "I'm sure that they must've found out about the formidable defenses of Cetorburg and knew it was fruitless to advance any further.

"I don't believe that." Sirius growled. "There's no way that the key bearers would abandon King Mickey for the sake of their own lives. Knowing how reckless those two can be, they'd storm the walls without a second thought."-

"But my lord, they wouldn't even get within a half a mile of the first barrier without being struck by a barrage of cannons."-

"Fool, you have yet to see the full extent of the key bearers' strength. If they had enough power to oust Saber, can you imaging how easily they could storm our defenses?"-

"But your bodyguards, the Immortals…"

"The key bearers defeated the Immortals at Traverse Town!"-

"Third generation greenbacks, my lord..."-

"Still, I will not take any chances. If word of the key bearers' whereabouts reaches us, inform me at once!"-

"Yes, my lord."-

Sure enough, one of the messengers barged through the door. He was out of breath as he reached his commander.

"Your Excellency, your Excellency," he cried, "Terrible news, we've received terrible news from our patrol!"

"Well what is it?!" Sirius Viicous stood up from his seat, anxious to hear to word. "What has happened?"

"Your Excellency, the Disney Kingdom has been overrun by the Mickey Faction! Our forces have been annihilated." The minute those last words was spilled, the Phantom Lord and his subordinates drew up shocked expressions upon their already pale faces. Sirius' fists tightened.

"What…?!" What do you mean our forces have been annihilated?! How could they be annihilated by a mere rabble…?"-

"It was the key bearers, my lord. There has been word spreading that the key bearers were involved."-

"What…?!" Sirius's fist grew tighter, so tight that they could draw blood. "The key bearers were involved?!"-

"Yes my lord."-

"But why was no warning given?" the first subordinate asked.

"Our troops were attacked before any fair warning could be sent out to our other forces."-

"How could they have gone so far as the castle without our troops summoning for reinforcements?" the second subordinate asked.

"I don't know." The messenger replied.

"But what of the Immortals we sent there? What of General Nightshade?"-

"That still has not been confirmed yet."-

But the intense bickering between the subordinates and the messenger was suddenly halted by a burst of dark energy from the Phantom Lord. Behind his mask, his lungs roared out his rage and a dark fire bellowed and consumed his body. The floor began to rattle and bits of the ceiling started to crumble and collapse.

Just then, the Phantom Lord drew out his hand and with an invisible force, grabbed the messenger by the throat and lifted him into the air.

"My lord," the young trooper gasped as he struggled, his feet kicking in the air.

"I was already in a foul enough mood before you barged in." Sirius growled.

"Please my lord…"-

"Do you realize how important the Disney Kingdom was?! That kingdom was a critical link that connected all of our forces to different worlds. We had easy access and could deploy our troops about our extended territory quite easily. But now that we've lost that world, it'll be five times harder to send troops to our outer regions. They've been cut off and isolated now."-

"My lord," the first subordinate beseeched his commander, "Do not blame the messenger. He could not have foreseen these circumstances any better than you or us. The key bearers decided to liberate the Disney Kingdom instead of going straight for the king. They must've known that liberating that kingdom was the only way to sever our military might."

"Damn it," he threw the messenger far across the chamber. The young man coughed, hacking up saliva and phlegm. "Get out of my sight you weasel, before I change my mind about being merciful!"

"Yes my lord," the messenger quickly skedaddled.

"My lord," the second subordinate uttered.

"Incompetent, incompetent, I am surrounded by incompetence!" Cursing the heavens, the Phantom Lord shouted out a fiery declaration. "Noctin Tilandir, you and all your friends will pay for this! You want a war then I'll give you a war!" Sirius turned to his advisors. "I want you to send word to all the Alliance that in three days, I will kill King Mickey! Perhaps that'll persuade the key bearers to hurry up. They'll attack recklessly against us and that's when we finish them off, once and for all." The subordinates were shocked.

"But you can't my lord." The first subordinate advised. "That is not a wise decision."

"And why not…?"-

"King Mickey is right now the only valuable prisoner we have. If we take his life, there will be no one whom we can negotiate for. The Alliance will then have no excuse to hold themselves back and attack us with everything they have."-

"Then let them come! You are all so confident in the invincibility of this city then let us see how invincible it is! No doubt that the Alliance will march against us! And when they do, then I'll turn the lush greenery surrounding Cetorburg into vast killing fields. I will extinguish ten to a hundred times their number until not even hell itself could fathom the sight of the unspeakable death. Now go and send word to those cowardly key bearers! Tell them that if they're man enough to face me, that they'll come to battle, through hell or high water."-

"My lord…"-

"Do not question my orders!"-

"Yes my lord," the first subordinate withdrew as quickly as he could, not daring to defy his commander.

"As for King Mickey, perhaps I should pay him a little visit." The Phantom Lord suddenly vanished from his quarters in a cloud of shadows.

"I've never seen His Excellency so angry." The second subordinate asked.

"I can only imagine what consequences await our cause so long as he is blind with this rage." The third subordinate added.

Immortal guards stood watch over the secured block to which King Mickey, Queen Minnie, and Daisy were being confined. They were busy in their merriment, drinking the wine and the ale that was graciously provided for them. However, their jollity was shattered as the Phantom Lord suddenly made an appearance. The captain in charge, upon seeing his lord, dropped his frivolities to great Sirius.

"My lord," he said, "It has been a while, Your Excellency. To what do we owe the honor of your presence?"

"Open the door to the block, captain." The Phantom Lord grumbled sternly.

"Open the block door? But sir, you ordered us to destroy the puzzle pieces we had on hand. We have no means to open up the cell, not unless you want us to squeeze through the feeding hatches on the upper level."-

"Fool," Using his inner strength, Sirius Viicous suddenly loosened and lifted up a piece of masonry from the floor. From underneath came five puzzle pieces, secretly hidden by the Phantom Lord himself. "If I want anything done right, I have to do it myself."

Using his energy to manipulate the movement of the pieces, he secured each section into the insignia upon the door. There was a bright light as the last piece completed the ensemble. Then there was a slight rumble and the door slowly opened. Sirius, saying no further word, marched off into the hall without looking back at his bodyguards.

Minnie and Daisy were sitting upon their cots when they saw Sirius Viicous pass by.

"It's Sirius Viicous." Daisy uttered. "He's going to Mickey's cell."

"Oh my," Minnie gasped, fearing for her king's life. "Mickey…"

Sirius Viicous opened the series of security doors and stormed down the spiral staircase. Coming before the mouse king's cell door, he drew out his keyblade and unlatched the lock. Mickey, as the last time they conversed, was still shackled to the wall. His face was now pale, making the young king look more like a ghost of his former self. He squinted as the bright light came in.

"Sirius Viicous," he grumbled, "I never would have thought to find you here of all places."

"You think that you're pretty smart, eh?!" The Phantom Lord shouted as he charged Mickey. He grabbed the king by his raggedy wardrobe and shoved him against the stone wall. "You think that you have reliable comrades who'll come to save you! Well, I'm here to tell you that you're wrong! Their efforts will all be in vain."

"What's happened…?"-

"I just received word that your people have just overrun my troops in the Disney Kingdom and that it is now under Alliance custody."-

"My kingdom…?" Mickey's eyes suddenly glistened with new hope. "So my people have prevailed after all. It just goes to show that they can withstand any might that confronts them, even yours, Sirius Viicous."

"That still doesn't change the fact that you are still in my custody. Since your kingdom is no longer under my jurisdiction, then there's really no use to having you around is there!"-

"You plan on threatening my life?"-

"I intend to have you executed in three days, that's what!"-

"What's the point of waiting? You have me at your mercy right now. But then again, I really don't care if I do die. My life is no more worth than anyone else's."-

"So says you, rodent king, But you'll soon find out how mistaken you are! You really think that your people will be able to maintain stability when you're dead?"-  
"They are willing to risk living an unseen future than to be oppressed under Imperial rule." Mickey said. "So you can kill me if you want. But it'll change nothing." Sirius Viicous growled and shoved Mickey up against the wall even more.

"You're just so calm and reserve aren't you?! Well, I'll put a stop that."-

"How so…?"-

"You might be willing to die, but how does your love and her mistress feel about dying?" Immediately, Mickey's attitude changed. "I give you this much, rodent king. Before you are executed, I will give you the pleasure of watching your beloved queen and Lady Daisy be tortured and slowly killed in the most hideous way possible."

"You wouldn't…" Mickey growled.

"Oh I would and I will. I have sent out a message throughout the Alliance, hoping that my words will reach the key bearers, wherever they might be. When they hear that your execution draws near in three days, they will recklessly come to your aid. Hopefully, they will die in the process." Sirius dropped Mickey to the ground. "Here's what I plan to do. I first intend to kill Lady Daisy, have her plucked and stripped of her flesh. Then cut out her beating heart from her bosom. That way, if the KH team does make it in time, then your friend Donald will curse himself for not saving her and curse you as well for not doing anything. And you can curse your own weakness in the process. If the key bearers have not made it by then, I will kill your queen next in the same fashion, slow and agonizing. Then, when that is over and done with, then you will die. And in that time, you will soon come to realize that the Disney Kingdom cannot exist without your influence. And it will crumble along with your life."-

"You monster…!"-

"You can thank your friends Riku and Sora for that! They decided to barge in and meddle in our affairs, the wretches." Sirius then glared at Mickey behind his Venetian mask helmet. "But then again, if they do come, I hope that they will survive. That way, I can savor my revenge by finishing them off myself."

"Tell me this, Sirius Viicous," Mickey demanded, "What is it about Riku and Sora that you hate so much? What is it about them that makes you want to kill them so badly?"

"They caused a great deal of grief for me in the past. My comrades, my commanders, my closest friends, as well as my self have had to endure a great deal of loss to them. Especially by Noctin Tilandir…"-

"Noctin Tilandir…? Are you talking about Riku?"-

"Yes…"-

"What is it about Riku then? What is it about him that you hate so much? What did he ever do to you?!"-

"That's simple…" The Phantom Lord then did the unthinkable, an act that he had never committed before anyone since the day he was brought in as a true Imperial. Before King Mickey, he took the mask from off his face. The minute Mickey gazed into the characteristics of the foeman his eyes grew large with a bottomless fear. His heart began to beat faster and his hands began to sweat. He shivered at the grotesque sight he witnessed. The voice of the Phantom Lord grew deep and cold. "It just goes to show how far revenge will take one on the verge of madness." Sirius Viicous drew up the king. "Take a good long look! But say not a word for if you do, the consequences will come upon you a million fold! Let that upstart feast his own eyes upon me and let him curse the day he had ever been born!" He gripped Mickey by the throat. "There is only one thing I hate most about Riku, one thing that exceeds them all! He lives…"

"It can't be…" Mickey gasped. "It's you…"

All the while, the key bearers and the rest of the KH team finally reached the city of Oceansburg itself. Though Riku, Sora, Donald, and Goofy had been there before, they were still awe struck by the magnificence of the Alliance capital. Cunla, Kirin, and Kairi on the other hand were left breathless at the size and sheer beauty of Oceansburg.

While landing at the base of the capital building, a familiar face was there to escort them. It was none other than Lu Xun, dressed in his signature, sleeveless tailcoat. He waved as the team members descended one after the other.

"Hey, Riku, Sora," he greeted.

"Lu Xun," Sora replied. "I didn't expect you to be here."

"It's been a while hasn't it, old friend." Riku added. "I take it that things are doing well in the Land of Dragons."

"Every ounce of Kang's presence has been liquidated." Lu Xun replied. He gazed at the new faces amongst the team. "I see that you've picked up a few new members."

"Allow me to introduce Kairi," Sora said, "And her brother Kirin. And of course you know Cunla."

"Of course," Lu Xun gathered up the assembly. "Well, now that we're here, let us see the president. He's been waiting for you for some time."

The team followed Lu Xun through the corridors, down through the busy centers and garden areas. They then boarded a lift that carried them to the very top tier of the glass pyramid building.

"I've never seen such a beautiful city." Kirin thought to himself. "And to think that the Imperial Axis wanted this burned to the ground."

Within five minutes, the elevator reached its destination and the party stepped out. Before the president's doorway were four elite Alliance guards who saluted as they passed, knowing of the team's arrival ahead of times. The doors opened and there was Sneer again at his desk, filling our forms. He immediately stood up.

"I have brought them." Lu Xun said.

"Excellent work, Lu Xun," Sneer replied, walking over to the assembly. "I'm glad to see that you made it, ladies and gentlemen." He looked at the key bearers. "It's been so long since we talked face to face."

"Yes it has." Sora agreed. Sneer suddenly turned solemn.

"I've just heard word of the recent loss of Colonel Ophelia Billiard at Atlantis. I am terribly sorry." The KH team bowed their heads. "Her loss was certainly a critical blow."

"Yeah…" Riku uttered.

"She will be missed." Sora added.

"It is a shame to lose such young talent, but let's not be disheartened at this point. Because of your recent successes, you have severely crippled the Imperial Axis." Sneer planted a hopeful smile on his face, trying to diminish the depressive mood. "I trust that my reserves managed to arrive within the past couple of hours."-

"They did, thank you very much."-

"It wasn't easy getting those men assembled."-

"If we may," Riku interrupted. "So how does it go with that assembly of the two hundred thousand troops we requested?" Sneer's jollity subsided somewhat.

"I did my best to consult the Alliance Military Council and the Civilian's Assembly of Representatives, but apparently, we just can't afford to reduce our reserved units anymore than have already. It was hard enough trying to send aid to the Disney Kingdom. If five thousand men were hard to assemble, then requesting for two hundred thousand is out of the question. The best that I was able to muster were two batteries of artillery from Oceansburg to act as support, but that's basically it. There will be no infantry. Besides, I told the council and the assembly of where the men would be deployed. I told them of the solutions and the flaws in the defenses at Cetorburg. But both sides were uncomfortable with the notion of sending in such a large force that has had no experience with using old fashioned weapons. With those weapons, we would have to change certain tactics. And even the most skilled veterans will have trouble adapting." Sneer shook his head. "Ever since that blundering attempt to take Cetorburg before, the assembly was not willing to chance it a second time."

"Not willing to chance it?" Cunla growled. "If we could take Cetorburg, not only do the Northern regions become open to the Alliance, but we'd be able to break the very backbone of the Midnight Faction. You take that city and I can assure you, Mr. President, the rest of them will fall like a house of cards."

"But can you really blame him though?" Sora asked. "These are two hundred thousand men who are putting their lives on the line. The concept of unpredictability is continuous. Even with the knowledge you've provided for us, Cunla, there still is a chance that our efforts may end in disaster. If things go right, then we could end this with the Imperial Axis and send a third of it falling to its knees in an instant. However, if things turn out for the worst, then two hundred Alliance soldiers would have sacrificed their lives for nothing."-

"But we can't just charge in, Sora. I've seen what Cetorburg is armed with first hand. Even at our peaks, we still wouldn't be able to pass the first line of defense. The Imperials can see us from every direction we come from. The Immortals are amassed there and are more comfortable in forming their ranks and fighting on that familiar ground. That means they'll be more formidable in stature. Not to mention we'd be fighting against a hundred thousand of them. I don't know about you, but even I seriously doubt we can take on that many by ourselves."-

"Man…"-

"But what about that thing you wanted to tell us?" Riku asked Sneer. "You said that there might be a chance we won't need those two hundred thousand troops."

"Aw yes, I was just about to get to that." Sneer replied. But before he could start explaining, a message on the intercom bellowed out. Sneer put the message through. "What is it?"

"Mr. President," the attendant said. "There is a declaration being broadcasted by the Imperial Axis, sir."

"Where is it coming from?"-

"It is coming from Cetorburg. It's a message regarding the key bearers to King Mickey." The team was in shock.

"A message about us?" Sora said.

"A message about the king…?" Donald added.

"Put it through." Sneer ordered.

"Sir," the soldier replied. Immediately, the voice of the Imperial Axis was heard over the line. It declared:

_This is a final declaration to the key bearers, Riku and Sora. By order of His Excellency Lord Sirius Viicous, the key bearers are to oversee the immediate liberation of King Mickey within the next three days. The key bearers have seventy two hours to free the monarchs of the Disney Kingdom. However, should the key bearers not be forthwith, then His Excellency Lord Sirius Viicous shall oversee the swift and immediate execution of King Mickey, Queen Minnie, and Lady Daisy. Therefore, the arrival of the key bearers is absolutely essential. If Riku and Sora care for the lives and safety of the royals, they must come forth to engage in a final confrontation against His Excellency and the Imperial Axis. His Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous, will be waiting for the arrival of the key bearers in the city of Cetorburg. If the key bearers wish to show their grit, they must prove by surmounting the obstacles that stand between them and His Excellency._

With that, the message ended. The team was left speechless.

"It's a former declaration." Sneer said. "Sirius Viicous is challenging you to a final showdown. The prize is King Mickey's life."

"Is he serious though?" Kairi asked. "He's planning to kill the king in three days?"

"Sirius Viicous is not one to bluff." Cunla said. "Once he concocts his plans, he is always determined to carry out with it."

"That bastard," Sora growled, "We go through all this hell just to save Mickey. And now when we're this close, he decides to hasten our pace by threatening the king's life."-

"What's his deal anyway?" Riku asked.

"Perhaps it's the fact that we've caused a great deal of grief." Kirin said. "Several of his best officers, including Cunla and myself, have defected. He's lost critical key worlds, and his plans have been fondled one after the other. Perhaps he realizes how formidable we are and that the KH team is one not to be underestimated."

"No, no," Sneer said, "I think it's a little deeper than that."

"What do you mean?" Lu Xun asked.

"I believe that Sirius Viicous's aggression is aimed at Riku and Sora only. It's you two that he's after. Why else would he make this fiery declaration?"-

"But why would he be after us?" Sora asked.

"I believe that there is some sort of grudge that he might be holding against you."-

"How's that though? We've never met him before."-

"Has there been any incident where Sirius Viicous has threatened you directly?" The key bearer's pondered at the thought.

"We'll, we've only encountered him once throughout our entire trek." Sora explained. "That was when we were in Wonderland. We had been captured by the Imperial forces. And that guy, General Venti, said that Riku was to be the only one executed."

"So this hostility is against Riku then." Sneer pondered. "Have you any idea who Sirius Viicous is?"

"I don't know who he is and I don't really care." Riku said. "All I know is that so long as he's around, the fighting will never stop. If he wants us to settle this, then we'll settle this once and for all."

"But you forget, Riku." Donald advised. "How do you plan on getting at him? You heard what the message said. Sirius Viicous is waiting at Cetorburg and he has hundreds of thousands of determined soldiers standing before him. And the seven of us alone couldn't hope to put a dent in those defenses."

"I'd have to agree," Cunla added. "I hate to say it, but we'll need more support."

"That's what I was getting at, boys." Sneer interrupted. "And that's why I said you may not need those two hundred thousand troops to help support you. The reason being is because I believe we've found a better solution."

"What's that?" Riku asked.

"There is someone here that I would like you to meet." Sneer walked to the far side of his office. "You may present yourself, sir."

Suddenly, standing up from a red, overstuffed chair, a young man appeared. Six foot tall, he had raven black hair, bangs draping upon his face, shading his green eyes. He wore a red shirt and blue jeans, completed with black boots and a leather jacket. Around his neck was a silver crucifix, indicating that he may have had a belief in spiritual enlightenment. The youth stood at six feet and his age, determined by his appearance, must've been a couple years younger than Sora. He stood before the KH team, stern yet shy.

"Who is this?" Sora asked.

"Riku, Sora," Sneer declared, "Ladies and gents, may I present to you Mr. William Kaine Anderson, grandson of Alexander Anderson, also goes by the name of White Wolf Anderson or Kaine for short."-

"It is an honor to meet the legendary keyblade masters, Riku and Sora." Kaine replied. He outstretched his hand. Sora openly accepted.

"It's nice to meet you." Sora replied as he gripped the youth's palm.

"Same here," Riku added, doing the same.

"Your reputation as being the greatest key bearers has preceded you." Kaine continued.

"So how is it that this guy can help us, Sneer."-

"I'd have to agree." Kirin added. "How is one more ally supposed to help storm Cetorburg?"

"Gentlemen," Kaine implied, "I am merely acting as a representative to my comrades."

"Your comrades…?" Kairi asked.

"But who are you exactly?" Sora wondered.

"Who am I?" Kaine replied. He drew forth his hand. And thus, appearing in a bright light, he wielded a fierce looking keyblade with black shaft and red hilt and head in the shape of a crucifix. "I am the same as you."

The minute they saw this sleek weapon, Riku, Sora, and the others were spell bounded.

"You're a key bearer…" Sora uttered.

"How can that be?" Riku thought.

"Did you think you were the only ones who could wield a keyblade?" Kaine said with a chuckled. "There's more of us than you think."

"That's what I wanted to tell you." Sneer implied. "There are more like him and more like you."

"More like us?" Sora asked. "You mean there are more key bearers?"

"A large congregation to be precise. All of them began arriving yesterday and are assembling just at the borders of the Northern Lands within Mythril. And the numbers keep swelling with every passing hour. I believe at the rate they've arriving, there may not be a need to call forth any further reinforcements from the Alliance military."-

"But why? Why are key bearers congregating?"-

"Our guess is as good as yours." Kaine explained. "The reason for the coming of our fellow key bearers are the same as mine possibly, there was just a touch of destiny that came calling for us. Our hearts thus led us all the way here as if fate had taken us by the leash."

"Exactly how many key bearers are assembling?" Cunla wanted to know.

"As of yesterday," Sneer said. "We estimate that the ranks have reached somewhere around three hundred and fifty thousand."

The number mentioned had staggered the KH team, boggling their eyes from out of their heads.

"Three hundred and fifty thousand…!" they all gasped in unison.

"But how can that be?" Sora added. "I never thought there were that many key bearers!"

"There had never been such a swelling number of key bearers since the First Keyblade War." Sneer explained.

"But if so many key bearers have congregated," Donald asked. "Why is it that the Imperial Axis hasn't tried anything to attack them or break them up?"

"From what I can take of the situation, the Imperial forces don't find the key bearers of any threat. They may not even know that they're key bearers since every warrior can conceal their weapon at will. The Axis may just find the body of youths as a rabble, or refugees, nothing really to be concerned about."

"But how is it that we're well known?" Sora beseeched to know.

"The reason being is because you and Riku were the forerunners to rekindle the use of the keyblade. Ever since your endurance with the Heartless and Organization XIII, word quickly spread like wildfire and other strong hearts hove found their way to using the keyblade also. Each keyblade has its own power and its own design." Sneer put his hands behind him and paced to the great windows that overlooked the Oceansburg skyline. "Ladies and gentlemen, this upcoming battle will prove the fate of all worlds. This is the test, the ultimate endurance. All of your destinies have led you here to this last climactic trial." He turned to the key bearers and their comrades again. "I wish you and your friends good luck. The fate of all worlds depends on your success."

"Right," Riku said.

"Your army awaits you, my friends." Kaine implied.

"Our army…?" Sora asked.

"You are after all the ones who had enough guts to rise against the Imperial Axis. And as your fellow key bearers, we are willing to follow you to the bitter end." There was a determined silence and a glare in every eye, the glare to cease the bloodshed. Sora nodded.

"You're right," he turned to his friends, "Then let's go."

"Yeah," the KH team member cried.

The KH team withdrew with Kaine and Lu Xun to assist them.

"Farewell, my boys and girls." Sneer uttered to himself. "As of this day, your names shall be etched in the history books as being the ones to bring downfall to the Imperial Axis."

The team made their way to the gummi block. Boarding a ship, the team left for the outskirts of Mythril, where Alliance and Imperial territory were separated.

"So how is it that you came to wield a keyblade, Kaine?" Sora asked.

"It's a rather lengthy story." Kaine replied. "I guess I was just one of the lucky ones."

"Well," Riku interceded, "As long as you're on our side, that's all that matters."

"When we land, there is no doubt that you will be swarmed by your fellow key bearers. So let me take the lead when we touch down."-

"Are we really that famous?"-

"There is no key bearer alive who doesn't know your names or the epic story you forged when battling against Xehanort's Heartless and the later Organization XIII."-

"Publicity can sure be dangerous." Cunla uttered.

"Hey, look down there!" Goofy hollered. The KH team quickly ran to the windows. Below them, condensed upon a road surrounded by rolling hills and dense forests of both sides were thousands of key bearers, all who observed the landing of the ship.

"Are all of those key bearers?" Kairi asked.

"Each and every one of them." Kaine replied.

"Look at that." Kirin uttered in amazement. He looked on further down the road. It had been packed with key bearers as if a great river of people seemed to flow in the middle of the hill rows. "Their numbers stretch to the horizon."

"I've never seen so many key bearers before." Sora said.

"We're about to land." Donald said. "Get ready."

The gummi made its way to the head of the column and landed in a clearing to which the key bearers formed. The rockets slowly died down as the ship made contact with the ground. The hatch slowly opened and the KH team emerged with Kaine taking the lead. But the moment, Riku and Sora emerged; there was a dead awkward silence from their fellow key bearers. The KH team slowly made their way through the crowd.

As they passed through the large congregation, they came upon thousands of stares, not in disgust, but in awe and admiration. There were those key bearers who were too overcome to speak, some whispered, others murmured, adding to the uneasiness of the KH team.

"It's them…" one key bearer would utter.

"The legendary keyblade masters," another added.

"Is that really Riku and Sora?" one whispered to his friend.

"It can't be." His friend replied. "They're not tall enough."

"They were the ones who took out Organization XIII?" one young key bearer asked the person closest to him.

"They sure are handsome." One young female key bearer implied.

Sora started to develop sweat on his brow as he looked that the thousands of sets of eyes and numerous faces staring right at him as if he were the only one present.

"I'm starting to get a little uncomfortable." Sora uttered. "Everybody's staring at us."

"They've been hearing about you a lot, Sora." Kaine implied. "You and Riku have become immortal legends. So it's only natural that they give you this larger-than-life glare."-

"I see…"-

Just then, a man in a black trench coat came before the team. He was tall and sleek, some of his characteristics almost identical to Riku's with his long silver hair hidden under a wide brimmed hat. He wore circular sunglasses with red lenses. Under his coat was a full black entourage with the exception of a red tie with black pentagram sewn on the tongue and black gloves with the same pentagram design, but with red outline. The young man took off his sunglasses, revealing two blood red eyes.

"Well, well, well, Kaine," he said, "I'm glad to see that you came back with the package."

"I certainly did." Kaine replied. He turned to Riku and Sora. "Gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to a comrade of mine, Victor Tepes."

"At your humble service,"

"And Victor, may I introduce you to…"-

"There is no need for introductions, old friend." Victor interrupted. "I know exactly who these two blokes are." He held out his hand. "Riku and Sora, the venerable keyblade masters I presume."

"A pleasure," Riku replied as he and Sora returned a friendly gesture. "These are our friends Kairi, Kirin, Cunla, Donald, Goofy, and Lu Xun."

"It is an honor,"-

"Victor was one of the major figures who helped to rally the rest of these young key bearers." Kaine explained. "You might say that because of him, we were able to spread the word so easily."

"Well, there really was no need. These others seemed to answer the call all by themselves as if some invisible force was leading them."-

"We could certainly use guys like you." Sora said.

"Now that we have the introductions over and done with, shall we head for headquarters?" Kaine implied.

"You have a headquarters set up?" Donald asked.

"Compliments of the Universal Alliance, they even sent a handful of officers to help us plan a strategy."-

"Shall we go?" Victor asked.

"By all means," Riku replied, "Lead the way."

The two key bearers led their guest further through the sea of anxious youngsters. They eventually made their way to a tent that was erected and was surrounded by Alliance soldiers, who had been sent to maintain order amidst the masses. The KH team was led into the tent with the guards keeping the curious at bay. Awaiting them was none other than Madam General Gala Devardios and a few members of the staff. Alongside her was another old comrade, Kira Yamato was amongst them.

"Hey Kira," Sora said. "It's been a while."

"Yes it has." Kira replied. He shook the hands of the key bearers. "Glad to see that you're still alive. And what about you?"-

"I'm still hanging in there." Sora then looked at General Devardios. "And General Devardios, how have you been? How was the clean up at Atlantis?"

"Not as bad as we feared." The Madam General replied. "Thanks to your efforts, the damage upon Atlantis was minimal and casualties were held to a small percentage. I am sorry when I heard about the loss of Colonel Billiard though." There was slight silence in respect for the KH team's fallen comrade. "A handful of men are still stationed at Atlantis to maintain observation in case the Imperials try to take it over again. Anyway, to business…"

The Madam General introduced each of the subordinates under her command.

"I would like you to meet some of the officers who will be helping us in this climactic campaign." She implied. "The best of the best I might add." He first pointed to an upstart young man with blond hair and green eyes. "This gentleman is Lieutenant Artorius Gallagher. He's the one in charge of observation and terrain. He'll be filling us in momentarily." She then pointed to a young woman with dark brown hair and blue eyes. "This is Captain Desdemona Malorius, our chief strategist and advisor. And finally," She turned to a strapping young man with dark brown hair and brown eyes. "This is Colonel Caribe Durovano, head or our artillery."

The moment on hearing the young man's last name, Riku and Sora were stunned.

"Durovano…?" Sora asked.

"You wouldn't happen to be related to General Marcus Durovano of the Gatler Generals would you?" Riku added.

"Marcus Durovano was my older brother." Caribe replied. "However, he's considered a traitor to my family since he decided to lend his sword in favor of the former Dark Empire. My family sympathizes only with the Universal Alliance. But I can understand why my brother would stand in favor of the Imperial regime. But then again, that was his decision."

"I see,"-

"To business ladies and gentlemen," Madam General Devardios interceded. "Not too long from now, we will be launching one of the most climactic campaigns in history. This campaign against Cetorburg will decide the fate on which history will turn itself. We now have the manpower and we now have the capacity to take over Cetorburg and bring all of Northern Mythril into our control, which means a gaining of vital ports and routes, and especially the gaining of necessary resources and the liberation of millions of fellow Oceanarians. The only thing we have to worry about now is how to approach the situation. Lieutenant Gallagher will present us on the matter."

"Thank you, Madam General," the lieutenant replied. He came before a map laid out on a table in the center of the tent to which the allies gathered around. "Here is the situation. Now of course Cetorburg is surrounded by four miles of open field, escalating in a slight incline. From what we can see, there are three separate barriers we must pass through in order to get to the walls of the city itself. From what observations have reported, the walls are protected by at least three thousand heavy guns placed along the exterior wall alone, two thousand for the second ring, one thousand for the third ring, and five hundred for the final ring. There is also a ring of earthworks surrounding the outside perimeter with barbed and razor wire, stockades, rifle pits, machine gun nests, and battery positions. At the two mile limit, there is an old rail fence that also acts as a temporary barrier to hold back any assault. Those are so far the most obvious characteristics we have come up with."

"The president has told us that you were once within the city, Cunla." The general implied. "Is there any further information we might have left out?"

"The second barrier has been manipulated in a way so all elemental attacks are nullified."-

"I see,"-

"However, pure energy attacks can still be used, provided that a number of us are capable of using such abilities."

"I believe we have that under control." Victor replied.

"Besides that and the details mentioned, I can't really remember everything else. It's very difficult to remember things especially when you're not paying attention to them."-

"Very well then," Devardios continued, "Since we have the basic format of Cetorburg's defense, we will discuss our means of approaching the city. I thus turn the floor over to our strategist, Captain Malorius."

"Thank you, Madam General," Desdemona said. "This is how we plan to initiate the attack. Due to the way the defenses are set up, there is no other alternative for us to approach the city, but to engage in a head on advance. However, doing so will be very dangerous. For three-fourths of the advance, we will be facing against heavy long ranged artillery fire that will hail on us like summer rain. In order to limit our casualties, we must have our forces spread out, so as not to receive heavy casualties during the bombardment. We will first create an advanced guard, each man twenty paces apart from one another. They will be followed by a skirmishing line by ranks of two. After that, we will send in one wave of two ranks at a time, with the front extending about a mile or two, towards the defenses. Make sure not to condense, otherwise the Imperials will concentrate on the masses and inflict heavy casualties. Maintain a brisk and steady pace until you've reached the earthworks. Then charge like hell. For those capable of using energy waves, use the blasts to destroy the fence in front. Once you've broken through the earth defenses, head for the main gates. That will be our access point. Destroy all resistance that may try to halt the advance. Now, our objective in the attack is to drive our way through the defenses and work our way to the final citadel to eliminate the energy source creating the shields. Once they're down, Kira Yamato's mobile suit troops will then charge in and bombard the city from the sky. How many men do you have on reserve, General?"

"I have at least five thousand mobile suits ready for deployment." Kira replied.

"But if we're driving straight through, won't that leave the rest of the defenses free to attack us from the flanks?" Kirin asked.

"I was just getting to that." Malorius continued. "Once we have pierced through the defenses, we set up a perimeter defense line on the flanks. We also call in our artillery reserves, led by Colonel Durovano and have them station battery positions on the captured fortifications. We thus begin to bombard the remaining resistance and have them broken up."

"It seems simple enough." Kira implied.

"That may be true in theory, but the charge will be far more devastating. There are still a number of factors we have not yet taken into account, and there may be elements to the Cetorburg defenses that we don't fully know about. However, I concoct a theory that the closer we get to the center of the city, the more difficult the resistance will become. No doubt that Sirius Viicous would place his Immortals in the last two tiers as a final resistance. His elite regulars will be the ones you battle at the main earthworks."-

"If that's so," Kaine said, "Then we'll plow right through them."

"You might be able to do so, but the regulars aren't expected to win in one-on-one battles, they fight in units and use their superior numbers to overwhelm the enemy, or at least tire them. That way, once you've reached the final defenses, your supplies and your energy would have been almost completely exhausted. That's when the Immortals will strike you. They'll attack when you're the least vulnerable. And because of their strength, they'll slice down two to three times the number usually expected. That's why you must destroy the shield generators. The Immortals are strong, but the majority of them are third generation Immortals. And they can't really cope with mobile suit attacks from the air for long.-

"So are there any questions?" Madam General Devardios asked. Sora raised his hand.

"I've got one." He implied. "I've been meaning to ask you. When do we attack?"

"That's right," Cunla added. "You failed to mention that."

"We'll deal with that issue when the moment arises. But as a precaution, I want all key bearers to be well rested. Following this night's march, they may have to engage in battle soon after in the upcoming morning, depending on what the elements will bear."-

"That makes sense,"-

"Any further questions you would like to inquire?

There was no real opinion after that. The plan seemed full proof. It was the best proposed so far and one that seemed the most logical and the most likely to work. With the limits they had while in the shield barriers, a head on assault was the only means that could be used.

In that case, I suggest we adjourn this war council. It's only a four hour march from here to Cetorburg and we must keep our advance secretive. The Imperial Axis has observed this massive body of key bearers, but finds them only as refugees or some mass of rabble. However, if they were to find out that we plan to march on Cetorburg; they will most likely try to stop us. And we can't afford to lose even one man. Thus, we will engage in a night march. The key bearers will begin their advance at seven o'clock tonight. There must not be any torches or luminance present if we want to remain undetected. We will thus assemble our troops at the tree line ridge south of the city. That is where we make our advance. Also, inform all key bearers to refrain from unleashing their keyblades until we are ready to attack." General Devardios turned to Sora. "Sora, I leave you to give the signal. Tomorrow, once you have taken positions on the field, you will be the one to initiate the order to unleash keyblades."

"I understand," Sora replied.

"Then prepare to march all night. Then rest once you've reached your destination. It'll be a full moon tonight so tell the key bearers to keep in the shadows. And maintain a single file."-

"Right,"-

"Good luck you guys." Kira said.

"Thank you." Sora replied, "The same to you, Kira."

With that the key bearers and the KH team exited the tent. But as they did, they came before the masses of wondering eyes hoping to have a glance of Riku and Sora.

"Make way," Victor shouted, "Make way you people! We're heading out!" A great murmur echoed, followed by cheering. Sora and Riku could only gawk at the masses with jaws dropped.

"This is going to be impossible." Sora grumbled. "How the heck are we suppose to keep order with this many key bearers?"

"We've taken the liberty of setting up a group of elite key bearers to take charge." Kaine replied. He gave a whistle. From the ranks, Thirty or so individuals appeared and saluted. "These are the best of the best that we've found. They'll be the ones in charge of relaying your orders to our ranks."

"Alright," Sora raised his hand and shouted at the top of his lungs "Ladies and Gentlemen please be quiet!" There was a settling amidst those closer. "As of this moment, we begin our march on Cetorburg! If we want this campaign to be successful, we will need your individual cooperation! We will be engaging in a night march towards the outskirts of Cetorburg! It's a four hour march, so maintain a steady pace! No torches, or fire spells, or anything that might give us away, should be used! There will be a full moon to light the way, but make sure to keep off the center of the road and walk amidst the cover of trees and in the shadows. Keep quiet during the march and have your keyblades retracted! Unleash them only when we are prepared to attack tomorrow! There will be lead key bearers here who will give you instructions! Make sure to follow their every command! If we want to succeed tomorrow, we must drop our individual desires for the time being until this is all over!" Sora looked to the masses. "Do you all understand?!"

"Aye," the key bearers shouted in unison and cheered again.

"Then let's do this!"-

"Gentlemen," Kaine said, "To your posts!"

The thirty in charge saluted and withdrew to their outfits.

"We should spread ourselves out too." Riku advised. "That way, we keep strong morale and order."

"Good idea," Cunla added. "Let's go." The KH team departed to different parts of the line, helping with the effort.

General Devardios and her subordinates watched the hustle and bustle.

"They certainly move quickly don't they?" she inquired.

"They certainly do." Malorius replied.

"Do you really think that this campaign will succeed, Madam General?" Caribe Durovano asked.

"Without a doubt, so long as those two are in the lead." She turned to the Colonel. "You better prepare your artillery batteries. Tell them to take the designated route."

"Of course,"-

"I must away to my troops as well." Kira stated.

"Very well then," Devardios confirmed.

With that, the operation to takeover Cetorburg was in motion. Within thirty minutes, already half of the force was already on the move. One may not have thought them as civilians or individual warriors. With precision and accuracy, each key bearer seemed to know their place, as if their hearts were beating as one. Thus, organizing them was of no real difficulty. This was the style needed for the upcoming campaign.

All the while, as the key bearers continued their march, Sneer looked out at the horizon from his office. The sun had already touched the mountain peaks in the far distance.

"I loathe myself," he uttered, "Having to put those put those poor key bearers under such stress. They had not had a good night's sleep in a while I reckon."

Just then, the door to his office opened and one of the elite officers came in.

"Excuse me for interrupting, Mr. President." He said, "But Lieutenant Colonel Sojiro Seta is here to see you, sir."

"Let him come in."-

"The president will see you now." With that, young Sojiro entered. His uniform neatly pressed and his hair still full as before, he saluted the president. Sneer turned to him.

"I can see that you are doing rather well. I do apologize for having to take you from your station and home in the 'Rurouni' Realm."-

"So long as I can be of some assistance, sir, that's all that really matters." Sojiro replied.

"Do you have the reports I wanted?"-

"I do," Sojiro handed a portfolio of papers. "All the assignments regarding our efforts to regain full control of the 'Seed,' 'Shinobi,' and 'Fullmetal' realms have been filed. So far, success in those worlds has been substantial."

"Very good, Colonel Seta," Sneer took hold of the portfolios. "We could use more officers like you."

"Oh yes, and one more thing, sir." Sojiro handed three more portfolios. "These are regarding our occupation of Atlantis and the Disney Kingdom. Order has been fully restored in those worlds."

"Is that so?"-

"Also, there is the matter regarding your earlier request for two hundred thousand troops to help in the assault on Cetorburg." Sneer raised his eyes.

"What about it?"-

"Apparently, both the Alliance Military Council and the Civilian's Assembly of Representatives have reconsidered your proposal and have decided to grant you your request."-

"Really…" Sneer was left speechless. His response seemed somewhat unenthusiastic, which Sojiro found rather uneasy.

"I thought you'd be happy at the news, sir."-

"I am, my boy, I am, but you see the situation has changed now. I already have three hundred and fifty key bearers marching on Cetorburg. All of them came on their own accord."-

"But sir,"-

"I do not believe that my request is needed anymore."-

"But Mr. President, the units are already assembled and prepared for departure."-

"Well, if you put it that way," Sneer thought long and hard. He did not want to lose any more men than he had too. But then again, suppose things didn't go as planned and Riku and Sora needed help. Not to mention, he did not want the public to think that the Alliance military had grown cowardly. He wanted his men to be just as much a part of the campaign as the keyblade masters. "Very well, I will take into consideration the use of these units. However, I must have the approach from a different direction, so as not to give our present advance away. I'll lay out the orders soon. I just need to know who we have available to take charge of the Alliance's advanced columns."

"I have them here, sir." Sojiro took out a list of names. Sneer gazed at the list and his eyes boggled out.

"Are you serious?" The president uttered. "These are more than just commanders. They're…"

"They're the best that we have. Besides, they can all be trusted."-

"Then I leave that to your judgment, Sojiro." Sneer replied.

"Very well, sir," Sojiro paused before pointing out one last issue, "One more thing, sir. It's regarding what we found at Atlantis. Do you think we should really withhold this vital information from the KH team? This after all concerns them as well."

"I will release this news to them at my own leisure, Lieutenant Colonel. Right now, I want to you to get ready."-

"For what…?"-

"For battle, you will be joining our columns." Sojiro only gave an expressionless look. He raised his hand and saluted.

"As you command sir," With that, the young former member of the Juppongatana withdrew from the office.


	123. The Lion's Den

The Lion's Den

The hours slowly passed and the army of key bearers slowly made their way to Cetorburg, the key city of the Northern lands. Due to the full moon, the key bearers were able to see their way perfectly through the pass. However, because of the moonlight, their movements could also have been observed by some spy or scout. Thus, they walked within the shadows of the trees that grew alongside the road. Crickets and night owls would make their melodious music, easing the minds of the soldiers.

Riku and Sora had taken the lead. They had hoped to greet the soldiers as they made their way to the end of their trek.

"It's quite a night, eh Riku?" Sora asked.

"It's not all the time that we do something like this." Riku replied. He looked back at some of the faces in the ranks. Though vague in the shadow, their expressions were not at all hardened. "A lot of these key bearers are no older than we are. Many of them have to be five years younger than we are."

"I know," Sora sighed sadly. "Let's hope that we can advance on Cetorburg without any real problems tomorrow."

"What time is it anyway?" Sora took out his watch from his side pocket.

"It's about eleven thirty."-

"We should be in sight soon enough." Riku suddenly stumbled. Sora caught him.

"Are you alright, Riku?"-

"I'm just tired that's all. I got a little dizzy."-

"You want some potion?" Sora asked. "Or maybe a squirt of the Curaga spell, that'll lift you up on your feet again."-

"No thanks. We need to save all the magic, potions, and senzus as we can for tomorrows campaign. We're going to need every ounce." Riku rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Well, I can tell you this much, these men and women are going to be exhausted by the time they reach Cetorburg. They won't be in any real condition to fight. When we get to the edges around Cetorburg, tell everyone to get a good night's sleep while they still can."-

"Right,"-

"Unfortunately, the rear guard will not have that privilege, since they're the ones who started last."-

"Well, we started around seven. We should have been there already."-

Sora's desire to reach the end of their nightly trek would soon be fulfilled. As they came around a bend, the first key bearers stared out in awe at a magnificent sight. Before them lay the mighty city of Cetorburg, which stood upon a vast open plain. Its tiers were stacked one on top of the other, the top smaller than its base, raising the city into the sky. The illuminant lights shined brightly giving the city a rather mystical yet frightening appearance. The moonlight struck upon its outer walls, but gave no real reflection of its black sides. Thus, Cetorburg was thrust upon the vision of the key bearers like a shadowy apparition.

"That's it." Riku said. "That's Cetorburg."

"Amazing," Sora added. Riku then turned the columns behind them.

"Alright, this column goes this way alongside the tree line. The other column, you go the other way along the tree line. Head down for about a mile before stopping. Make sure to get a good night's sleep while you can. You'll need your strength replenished for tomorrow." The key bearer columns moved slowly down the tree line. "Make sure to stay in the vicinity of the tree line. Don't wander into the field."

But then Riku suddenly collapsed. Sora rushed to his side. A few other key bearers came to aid as well.

"Are you alright, Riku?" Sora asked.

"Is there something wrong?" a voice asked from outside the group. The key bearers looked to find young Cunla standing behind them.

"Riku collapsed,"-

"Is he alright?"-

"I'm fine, Cunla." Riku replied. "I'm just a little tired, that's all."

"You guys have had enough for the past two days. You did after all engage in a major campaign against the Imperial forces at the Disney Kingdom. And you can't expect to emerge after that kind of scuffle and engage in an all night march without feeling the least bit fatigued." Cunla approached them. "Riku, Sora, you guys deserve a good night's rest. I'll take over with the conducting from here."

"But Cunla," Sora uttered, "You're just as exhausted as we are."

"I'm the Son of Cuchulain. I've been trained as a warrior all my life. These all night things are trifles to me. I've been trained to stay up the full extent possible for a human. Besides, we need you two in top condition to lead us into battle tomorrow. Go on you two."-

"We owe you, Cunla." Riku uttered.

Sora put Riku's arm around his neck and led him off with the rest of the column. Cunla then turned to the columns and stood vigilant.

"Alright, keep moving." He instructed. "Each column down your designated directions along the tree line and make sure to get a good night's sleep. You'll need all your energy in the morning!"-

As the night passed by the twilight hour, the grand army of key bearers steadily made their way to the field. They clustered and rested close to each other, taking up as much room along the tree line as they could. As Cunla observed these young men and women, some of them boys and girls, and as he watched them all drift to sleep in great heaps close to one another, he sighed sadly.

"Tomorrow," he thought to himself, "Many of these key bearers will be sleeping eternally. No doubt that the field will look something like this…"

As the morning approached, Lord Sirius Viicous had slept a restless slumber. In his mind, he was plagued with the continuous bombardment of failure. His once almost invincible organization was now crumbling before his eyes. In the period of two and a half months, his territorial expansion had been reduced significantly. With the loss of the Disney Kingdom, his forces were now isolated and could not withdraw, nor receive any support or supplies via secured routes. Now, his last major stronghold was about to fall under siege, but he was not fully aware of the danger lingering just four miles away. Like his dreams, his ambitions had fallen; awaken by the true reality that was the Alliance.

"All of this time and effort," he thought to himself, "All that my men and I have suffered for, now falls at the hands of two pig headed little bugs." His teeth gritted tightly. "Noctin Tilandir, you will pay dearly for interfering with my progression. You and your friends had to go beyond our bargain didn't you? Had I known this would have happened, I would have slain you back in Wonderland. That would have saved me a great deal of grief. But all that is passed now. I cannot change what has happened. My taste for revenge has gone beyond my ambition. And this end result comes as its conclusion. Well, this time, you will die for real. I will make sure of that personally."

It was then, around six o'clock that a call from the intercom sounded on his bedside table. As a forewarning, Lord Sirius Viicous found that Cetorburg could not thrive without the use of modern day technology. Thus, before setting up his manipulated shields of protection, he made plans to designate an area at the very center of the city that was unaffected by the elements of the shield. Hence, modern technology was still operable, confined only to the main observation and communication, as well as his personal quarters. Sirius Viicous activated it.

"What is it?" he said.

"Your Excellency," a voice over the intercom replied. "We have a situation. You must report to the military command center immediately."

"What kind of situation?"-

"The Universal Alliance is approaching."-

"What…?" Sirius Viicous leapt up from his bed. "The Alliance is coming here?"

"Yes, my lord."-

"How large a force…?"-

"At least a hundred thousand strong and they are heavily armed. There is another force of equal size approaching from the east."-

"So they still haven't had enough have they? I'll be there as soon as I can." Sirius Viicous quickly dressed himself.

He emerged from his room, uniform well pressed and his mask tightly secured on his face. As he came through his doors, he was greeted by one of his commanding generals and the leader of the Immortals within Cetorburg. She was strictly known as Madam General Ks.

She was a young Saiyan Warrior with dark brown eyes and an even darker head of hair, spiked and combed rearward, which would have made even the mighty Saiyan Prince envious. She was dressed in a black, double-breasted overcoat. There was also a detachable wrist length cape with red lining. Unlike most of the other Immortals, she wore only one shoulder strap that was looped from her belt on the left hip and slung over across her right shoulder. She also bore the ceremonial red sash and crest of a Madam General. Her Saiyan tail protruded through the spilt behind the coat's draping cloth and wrapped snuggly around her waste.

Ks saluted her superior.

"My lord," she said.

"Madam General Ks." Lord Sirius Viicous implied. "Have you come to accompany me?"

"As your leading bodyguard and commander of the Immortals, I have an obligation to remain at your side and to ensure your safety."-

"Thank you…"-

"Shall we go then, my lord?" Ks asked.

"Of course," Sirius Viicous replied. Sirius Viicous and the Madam General thus departed. Awaiting them were four more Immortals who took their positions around the Phantom Lord. Taking a transport to the lower levels of the top tier, leading to the command center, the Phantom Lord descended with his bodyguards. While in transport, Sirius again conversed with the Madam General.

"So why is it that you decided to take up the position as my leading bodyguard, Madam General Ks?" he asked.

"It seemed the proper position for a Saiyan of my talent." She replied.

"But you do realize that you are the only one present, in all of Cetorburg, who is a first generation Immortal that served under His Late Excellency, the late Lord Cavendish, and your own strength matches even my own and that of my other trusted bodyguards and hired hands. In fact I believe you surpass almost everyone here. You could have easily taken over as being the supreme leader of the Imperial regime."-

"And to have enemies around me, thirsting for my head? I know I am powerful, but to take lead of such a vast empire is something I am not comfortable with. And to maintain such a large territory would only mean more desk work than fighting. I would rather prefer to be a second in command, or one nearest to the top than be the leader. Besides, my ambition to dominate is surpassed by my basic instinct, my desire to fight. So long as you give me powerful warriors to battle, I will be happy serving only as your bodyguard."-

"Then perhaps you will enjoy the eventual arrival of Noctin Tilandir."-

"The Child of Darkness, I've heard about him and I understand that you bear a vendetta against him."-

"That is true."-

"Leave him to me then, Your Excellency. I will force him to his knees."-

"I expect as much from you. You are perhaps one of the only reliable officers left that follows my banner. The rest of my reliable officers are dead. I trust that you will not fail me as the rest of them have."-

"I can assure you, my lord that any who dares to stand in the way of you or your ambition will be cut down without quarter or trial.-

"Very well…" Sirius then murmured a statement randomly. "Thank goodness I nullified the effects of the shield to the final tier. Otherwise, we'd be reduced to strictly medieval style of transportation and communication."

The transport eventually made it to the central command where several other officers awaited the arrival of their leader. Amongst them was the commander of Cetorburg's defenses, Lieutenant General Trillioth Marcusio.

"So what is the situation?" Sirius Viicous asked.

"There are two large forces of Alliance troops heading towards us." General Marcusio replied. "One is approaching from the south east. The other is approaching from the eastern pass. They are heavily armed with Alliance Gatlers and heavy mobile artillery and are accompanied by at least ten thousand mega transports. Each force consists of about a hundred thousand men, two hundred thousand altogether."

"I guess they plan on storming like they did the last time."-

"But why would they? They're equipment will be rendered useless the moment the set foot into the barrier."-

"They might be planning to nullify the shields."-

"But such a task is impossible. That energy barrier cannot be nullified from the outside. It can only be nullified from the very core itself."-

"Well, the Alliance must have something big planned for us if they're sending two hundred thousand men here. How long will it be before they arrive?"-

"At the present rate, they should be arriving in the next ten hours or so."-

"That should be more than enough time for us to set up a few defenses to help slow down their advance."-

Just then, one of the operatives began to shout, calling the attention of his commanders.

"General Marcusio," he hollered, "My lord, we've just received a message from our observatory."

"What is it?" General Marcusio asked.

"They say that there is a large congregate of people assembling just to the south at the tree line border."-

"Can we get a visual?"-

"Yes sir," The operative activated the overhead screen. Within seconds, the visual to the south revealed the context. The army of key bearers had been discovered. All three hundred and fifty thousand had managed to make it through their twilight march and were now nestled as tight as sardines just behind the tree line.

The Imperials could not make of what they saw.

"That's the same congregation of youths we reported yesterday." One of the subordinates implied.

"Could they be with the Alliance?" another added.

"I don't think so." Marcusio replied. "By the looks of it, not a single one of those youths are armed. To add, the majority of them are far too young to be soldiers. From what I can see, some of them are no older than seventeen or eighteen. The Alliance does not allow people so young to enlist in their military. And consisting of men and women, not to mention their laid back conduct, I highly doubt they are a military force."

"They don't seem to be wearing any kind of uniform." Madam General Ks added. "They have no banners."

"Perhaps its one of those congregates of vexing protestors. There have been several of those popping up recently, large bodies of civilians putting themselves in dangerous situations just to end the fighting."-

"Where were they located last?" Sirius Viicous asked.

"Our scouts last reported that this same body of youths was located about ten miles south, at the Imperial/Alliance border." The operative replied. "That information was given to us around three o'clock in the afternoon yesterday."

"If these people are protestors, then why would they be assembled here at Cetorburg? And if they really are here to protest, why is it, from what I can observe, that not a single person bears even a protest sign. I suggest we keep an eye on them. This may be some kind of façade being performed by the Alliance."-

"Shall we have men deploy and break them up?" General Marcusio asked.

"There is no need for that. If they want to start something, then let them come to us."-

"But my lord,"-

"You and the rest are so sure of our invincibility. Then let's see exactly what this city can take."-

"My lord…" Sirius Viicous turned away.

"The arrival of the Alliance and a few upstart children bears no relevance to me. The only thing that matters is the key bearers. And when Riku and Sora come to rescue their cherished King Mickey, I will be ready for their arrival. You will deal with Cetorburg's defenses." General Marcusio and his men could only acknowledge their commander's orders and faithfully obeyed. Sirius suddenly halted from his withdrawal. "However, I am not going to change procedures for the sake of my own planning. If it makes you feel any safer, then give a couple of warning shots to drive them off. Follow the standard procedures following your actions."

"Yes sir," the general replied. "Tell forward batteries to execute a few warning shots. Aim for the southern pass. Let's see if we can't drive these youths away."

"Yes sir."-

Though their presence was imminent, Sirius Viicous in reality paid no heed to the mass of keyblade bearers laying strewn all over the forest lines to the south. And so long as he was unconcerned, so too were the other Imperials confined behind the city's defenses. But then again, it was no surprise that Cetorburg found the three hundred and fifty thousand key bearers to be more than an eyesore and an unworthy mob to face. Upon the ground each key bearer slept away the early hours of the morning. The last of them had arrived no more than a couple hours before and were just making ready to fall asleep. There was silence amidst the masses, with only a few conversations and silent snoring echoing and intermingling with the chirping of morning birds. There was a gentle mist that covered the ground, forcing many of these youths to bundle up close to one another.

Riku and Sora had propped themselves next to a tree and slept side by side. Sora had slumped down and rested his head on Riku's shoulder. Riku was the first to wake up. He slowly opened his eyes to see the light mist and the morning sun rising above the canopy of leaves.

"Boy," he grumbled groggily, "what a night." He nudged Sora with his shoulder. "Hey, Sora, it's time to wake up."

"Just five more minutes," Sora said, "That's all I want, five more minutes." Riku propped his friend against the tree, causing Sora's head to slump on his chest slightly." He then stood up and stretched, then walked around. He treaded carefully, hoping not to step on any of his fellow key bearers. He gazed at Cetorburg. It truly was a sight to behold, both magnificent yet frightening at the same time as it towered over the landscape, a leviathan of a city like a shadowy colossus. There was a slight haze, a light pink color, shaped like a dome covering the city. This was no doubt, the shield that protected the stronghold, invisible by night and visible by day. As Riku looked upon the extensive open ground leading to the earthen barracks on the outside of the city, and the later tall walls of each tier, with protruding cannon ports and hundreds of thousands of elites awaiting their approach, his heart sunk. For the first time in his life, Riku doubted the success of the attack and feared for the so many young ones around him.

Just then, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Riku turned to find Sora standing next to him, rubbing his eyes.

"You're awake awfully early, Riku." He said.

"How did you sleep, Sora?" Riku asked.

"I slept like a log. And it's a good thing too. We'll need our strength for the upcoming fight."-

Just then, Goofy and Donald came towards them.

"Morning…" Goofy yawned.

"When did you guys get here?" Sora asked.

"Around one o'clock." Donald replied. "We were really beat."

"How long has it been since the last of our guys got here?" Riku asked.

"Kirin took the rear guard. He said that he and the last of the columns managed to reach the front about two hours ago. They're all sound asleep now."-

"This army was certainly moved really fast." Sora sighed. "Three hundred and fifty thousand in a single night, that has to be some sort of record."

"Then again," Riku added, "These guys and gals don't wield keyblades for nothing."

"So that's it, eh?" Sora gazed over the open field towards their objective. "That's the city of Cetorburg?"  
"That's the one alright."-

"It looks so far away." Goofy gulped in apprehension.

"Too far," Donald added. "It's so vast and so open. There's not a single tree or shrub growing out there. There's no cover for us to take."

"Never mind that," Riku implied. "I doubt there's even a single ditch out there."

"It seems so foreboding now, especially in the daytime." Sora said. "It's like the field goes on forever." A sweat drop formed on his brow. "For some reason, Riku, I'm scared."

"I've got that same feeling too, Sora. But we'll have to get used to it. That field is the only thing that stands between us and Cetorburg."-

Just then, there came the sound of distant thunder, the sound of two cannons blasting away. Then came a deafening explosion as two shells fell near the tree line, exploding and spreading pieces of metal shrapnel into the air, in all directions. The shots landed no more than fifty feet away from where Sora and the others stood. They immediately threw themselves on the ground and could feel the pieces of hot iron buzzing over their heads and falling with a tingling thud. Though the shots weren't close enough to cause any damage, they were close enough to rile up every key bearer engaged in a siesta. Every head popped up and there were gasps and some panicking, but nothing too serious. Since many were seasoned key bearers, the blasts weren't all that terrifying. However, there were those who had still yet to experience the chaos of true warfare.

Sora and Riku lifted up their heads. Goofy and Donald did the same.

"What the hell was that?" Riku said. "What are they shooting at us for?"

"Are they going to attack us?" Sora wondered.

"Not quite yet," a voice said. The team turned to find Cunla approaching them.

"Cunla,"-

"Good morning you guys."-

"Get down, Cunla, before they start firing again."-

"I can assure you that they won't. Not for a while anyway."-

"How do you know for sure?"-

"I just do. What you've experienced was a warning, a standard procedure for any substantially large group of unknown persons who are too close to the city of Cetorburg. The Imperials give off two warning shots to tell us that we are not allowed on these premises. We are then given a full three hours to withdraw. However, should there be no withdrawal from the premises after a three hour period; then the Imperial artillery will unleash one full volley and strike to kill."-

"So that was a warning shot, eh?" Donald asked.

"Of course it wouldn't have been much of a warning had those shells decided to fall a few feet closer."-

"We have three hours then." Riku uttered. "Three hours to replenish ourselves and form up for the final attack."

"Hey, Riku, Sora," a voice shouted. The team saw the rest of their comrades rushing to them. Kairi and Kirin were two, then of course there were Lu Xun, Kaine, and Victor.

"Are you guys alright?" Kirin asked.

"Those shots were from Cetorburg weren't they?" Kaine added.

"We're alright," Sora replied. "It was close that's all. The Imperials just gave us a warning shot."

"However, we have three hours before they start delivering a full volley at us." Riku replied.

"That doesn't leave us a lot of time does it?" Kirin said.

"How are the boys and girls doing?"-

"I think most of them have been woken up because of those shells. Other than that, I think a lot of them got some good rest, say for the stragglers of the rear guard."-

"Well, they better get as much rest as they possibly can. We start charging in three hours."-

"But can't we just withdraw and put our troops in a safer location?" Kairi asked.

"That's not a good idea." Cunla advised. "If we do that, we'd only be allowing our troops to waste replenished energy and use up unnecessary amounts of potion or some other replenishing substance. Not to mention it will take a great deal of time to move all three hundred and fifty thousand to the rear. And we have to move through the southern pass, which is only so wide for everyone. I highly doubt that we could get everyone to a save distance within three hours, especially those who only just arrived a couple of hours ago. Besides, many of these key bearers are itching for a fight. They don't want to just turn and run."

"Cunla's right," Riku added. "Not to mention King Mickey, Queen Minnie, and Daisy have only so long to live. Every hour wasted is an hour closer to their execution. We've already spent one full day on this forced night march. That leaves us with two more days to go. Too add, the Imperial Axis might be sending for reinforcements to attack us. We have to strike now. We can't afford to waste even one life needlessly."

"Very well then," Victor said. "We will continue as scheduled. We'll have our troops set up formations within the three hour period and ready to go. We begin the attack at nine thirty. I'll have the plans sent to General Devardios and her staff." Victor quickly withdrew.

"Three hours," Sora thought. "Three hours,"-

"Then we better make sure to spend that time wisely." Riku replied. "Alright, you guys, go and rest some more. We begin our attack at nine thirty this morning."

As the first phase of the three hour period began, Victor made a hasty withdrawal to Devardios' headquarters. The Madam General and her staff had stationed themselves on a high ridge over looking the battlefield. The ridge was covered with trees allowing protective cover to conceal their position.

"I see," Devardios said, "So Cetorburg forces are giving us a three hour period to withdraw are they?"

"From what Cunla implied," Victor responded, "once the three hours are up then the Cetorburg artillery will pummel our troops out of the protective covering of the woods. And right now, we need every man."

"At what time was it when those first two shells struck at our line?"-

"It was about six thirty, Madam." Colonel Durovano stated, pulling out his watch to observe the time.

"That means we have until nine thirty to begin the advance. If we're going to lose soldiers, we'll lose them on the field." Devardios turned to Victor. "Tell our troops to be ready at nine o'clock on the dot. That's when we begin our advance. If necessary, tell each key bearer to take a swig of potion or replenishment. They need to be fully alert."

"Understood," Victor replied and withdrew.

"Colonel Durovano,"-

"Madam," the colonel replied.

"Prepare your artillery batteries. Tell them to begin their advance the moment the main gates are breeched."-

"Acknowledged," Caribe saluted and took his leave back to his units.

The period of three hours slowly passed. Fast and slow at the same time, it was a moment when both sides became apprehensive of the other. Neither the army of key bearers, nor the Imperials inside of Cetorburg spent a moment on edge. Despite resting and recuperation for the inevitable battle, weary minds were always wandering, sometimes fearing the worst.

It was the key bearers, however, that were the edgiest. Looking upon that vast open field, with their target four miles away from where they stood, there was not a single key bearer who wasn't the least bit worried of their fate, or the outcome. Many, even the most hardened veterans wept, or shook with fright. They knew that what they would do was a desperate action and many of them would not live to see nightfall.

Meanwhile, on the Imperial side, the soldiers waited on their positions, their commanders still observing the faint numbers of key bearers lying about on the southern forests. General Marcusio looked at his watch. The big hand struck nine o'clock. He picked up his binoculars and observed into the distance. The mass of youths had not dispersed.

"It's been almost three hours." One of his subordinates implied. "Three hours and not a single one of those impetuous youngsters fled."

"Not surprising," Trillioth replied. "They must have some sort of goal they with to accomplish."

"Perhaps we shouldn't wait anymore. Let's just unleash our big guns and blow the lot of them away."-

"We still have thirty minutes. If they are engaging in some sort of protest, they must be determined if they're willing to face death head on."-

"What monotony these protestors are. They're willing to shout out and give their lives away for the sake of ending the war, but they can't give aid to the true cause. Perhaps it will serve them right to die."-

"I will give them the benefit of a further thirty minutes." General Marcusio grumbled. "Only when the full three hours are up will I give the order to open fire. Until then, keep a cool head. Even if they were to start something, I highly doubt that they'd be able to proceed any further than the first half a mile."

Just then, Madam General Ks appeared on the walls.

"Is everything in control here?" she asked.

"Madam General Ks." Marcusio replied. "I didn't expect you to be here. I thought you were protecting His Excellency."

"His Excellency gave me orders to take up a position on the wall, in case a battle was to ensue."-

"Well, I can rest assure you that nothing will happen."-

"Be that as it may, His Excellency is only taking necessary precautions. He still believes that those youths have other intensions than simply trespassing on Imperial soil."-

"We'll just have to wait. In thirty minutes, we plan to unleash an artillery volley into their condensed masses. Then we'll see their true colors."-

Thirty minutes was just enough time for the key bearers to begin their mobilizing. Sora looked at his watch.

"It's almost the designated time." Sora thought to himself.

Just then, Victor appeared and presented himself before Riku and Sora.

"General Devardios has given the order." He said. "Prepare to advance."

"Very well," Riku implied. "Then tell our troops to form up."

"Right,"-

Victor turned to the key bearers still taking their last few minutes of siestas on the ground.

"Key bearers," he shouted, "Rise up! Prepare to attack!"

"Rise up!" a volley of voice came throughout the ranks. The leading key bearers struck up their comrades. The youths quickly fell into line. As they stood, Sora could only help but look in awe at the many thousands of individuals who were just like he and Riku.

"Look at that," he implied. "So many key bearers, their soft steps cause the ground to shake."

"This is one heck of a congregation." Riku added.

"Riku, Sora," Kaine implied. "Perhaps it would be best if we split the KH team into pairs and each pair guides a separate wave."

"You want to separate us into pairs?" Donald asked.

"It stands to reason." Riku agreed with Kaine. "If we split ourselves up, then we won't have to put the full team in danger this time."

"But Riku," Sora said.

"Riku's right." Cunla interceded. "At least if we split up the team, then we'd be able to maintain a strong morale amidst the other waves. And as Riku said, it might keep most of the team intact."

"Alright then, if you think that's best."-

"Then here's how we'll situate it." Kaine implied. "Riku, Sora, since you are the ones we rally to, you shall be in charge of the first wave."

"Great," Sora grumbled, "We're always in front."

"The second wave will be led by Kairi and Kirin. The third wave will be led by Victor and I, the fourth by Cunla and Lu Xun, and the fifth by Donald and Goofy."

"Hey, how come we're in the back?" Donald grumbled.

"That's how we'll sort it out."-

"Very well," Riku said. "Then get yourselves to your posts."

"Kairi," Sora beseeched his young girlfriend.

"Sora," Kairi added.

"When the fighting starts, it's going to be a hot day for us. You make sure to stay with your brother and keep you distance from me."-

"But Sora,"-

"I'm trusting you to stay alive, Kairi." Sora looked at Kirin. "You take care of her, Kirin."

"I will," Kirin replied.

"Let's get moving!" Victor shouted. "Otherwise, the Imperials will start bombarding us before we have a chance to attack!"

"Let's move, let's move!" The KH team quickly split into the designated areas. All, but Cunla had departed. The boy could only gaze out into the open field. Riku and Sora saw this stunned look on the boys face. They walked up to Cunla and put their hands on his shoulders.

"Don't worry about it, Cunla." Riku assured him. "This'll all just be a memory in the end."

"For us maybe," Cunla replied, "But what of the others?"

"We're key bearers." Sora chuckled. "We all should be able to handle this, right?"

"I can only fear the worst though. Many of these young faces will dim themselves today. Tomorrow is something they'll never witness again."-

"You know something don't you, Cunla." Riku implied. "Otherwise, this would not be bothering you so much."

"It is not my own life that concerns me, but the lives of three hundred and fifty thousand others only a few years older than I."-

"Do you know what's going to happen?" Sora asked.

"I do," Cunla turned to his comrades. "I know exactly what's going to happen. As of now, we are three hundred and fifty thousand strong. Our guys are forming up behind the safety of the tree line, but the moment they begin their advance on the open field, they'll be under heavy, long ranged artillery fire, solid shot, percussion, every kind of shell they can throw at us. Now we don't know what the status is for each key bearer. Some may have no trouble advancing. Others may find this a hell. They have more than four miles to advance before reaching the walls of Cetorburg with every shell striking at them on each foot forward." Cunla looked into the distance. "The advance will be slowed down by that fence out there. And our formations, what's left of them will begin to come apart. Once within the one mile range, the Imperials will commence with the full force of their field batteries, pouring more shot and shell into us. As we draw to the half mile point, we'll be under the range of aimed rifles and machine gun nests which will riddle our lines even further. Shrapnel shells, double and triple will be fired into us, burning holes into our ranks, and severely maiming, or killing our boys and girls by the score. Plus we have barbed wire and wooden stockades to surmount in the danger. By the time we get within our own striking range, we'll be under short ranged artillery, canister fire, with double and triple effect. Thousands of those little iron balls will tear bodies asunder. If we manage to even get beyond the earthen barracks, there won't be many of us left." Cunla sighed. "It's a simple mathematical equation. By the time we reach the walls, we would've suffered over fifty percent casualties. Perhaps our own abilities might prevent such masses from falling." The boy lowered his head. "But to tell you the truth, I don't think we're going to make it all the way to that wall." Cunla turned to his friends. "I guess…the reality is…I'm scared. I've never been this scared before. Through my continuous ordeals, none have frightened me as much as this. It's as if I could see the horrors of the battle before they begin. I can see our troops all in one long bloody moment, heading up the long slope to the epitome of hell itself. It's as if the fight was already done, as if it's already a memory."

"We won't let that happen, Cunla." Sora said, putting his arm around the youth. "So long as the KH team lives and breathes, there is nothing to fear."

"Sora's right." Riku added. "If we die, we die with honor. If we perish, we perish knowing we brought an end to the Midnight Faction's reign and the fall of the Imperial Axis."

Cunla could only lower his head.

"I hope to God we win. Good luck you two." With that, Cunla withdrew.

"The hopes of millions depend upon our success today." Riku said. "We have to make sure that our troops don't die in vain."

"You're right." Sora agreed. "We can't afford to lose. We have to win. It is absolutely essential. But still…" Sora knew of what Cunla was feeling. "So many young ones I see, and perhaps three of four I will never see again."

The long ranks of key bearers advanced from the safety of the trees, four separate lines with parted skirmishers at the front. The line extended a full two miles and over. The youths stood shoulder to shoulder and stepped in unison with their leaders before them. Riku and Sora took their positions in front of the first wave.

The Imperial lines were awe struck by what they saw, and ocean of youths suddenly appearing from behind the tree line.

"General Marcusio, Madam General Ks," one of the observing officers cried. "Take a look at this!" The two generals looked to see the waves of key bearers suddenly appear and form up just outside the tree line.

"What in creation are they doing?" Marcusio uttered.

"It appears to me that they plan to attack us." Ks replied.

"Attack us, a band of unarmed youths? Have they lost their senses completely?"-

"Apparently not,"-

"No, this is all just some façade. Why would an unarmed mob advance on us?"-

"It doesn't matter why. All we know is that they are now posing a threat to Cetorburg. Prepare your artillery and stand by to fire."-

"Madam General," the observing officer shouted again. "Take a look, to the center of that line." Ks gazed to where the officer pointed. Sure enough, amongst the crowd, she saw the two familiar faces of Riku and Sora.

"Well, I'll be damned," she uttered, "It's the key bearers, Riku and Sora."

"What…?" Marcusio gasped.

"To the very center of the line," Marcusio looked through his binoculars and witnessed the key bearers as well.

"It's them, the key bearers."-

"I must inform His Excellency immediately." Ks turned to one of her subordinates. "Have a runner tell His Excellency that Noctin Tilandir and his band are here."

"Ma'am," the officer replied and withdrew to give the message.

"All southern batteries load solid shot." Marcusio instructed. "Prepare to unleash a volley fire, fire for effect. But don't unleash a shot until I give the order."

"Sir," another subordinate replied. He relayed the order. "Southside batteries load solid shot shell, wait for General Marcusio's order!"

By this time, the key bearers had assembled in their formations, a long line of courageous individuals ready to face death. Kaine came before Riku and Sora and saluted before withdrawing to his own lines. But before doing that, he addressed the men and women leading the charge.

"Up you lads and lassies, up and to your posts!" he shouted. "And let no one present forget today that you are all mighty key bearers!"

"Key bearers," the masses shouted in unison. Three times they cried their title before giving a high pitched yell to boost their confidence. "Key bearers, key bearers!"

Sora then took the center stage.

"My fellow key bearers," he hollered, his voice carrying up and down the line. "My fellow key bearers, today we meet the climax of our journey! For the first time in a long time, we have all congregated in such mass numbers. Remember why we fight! We fight for the good and glory of our individual worlds! We fight to protect those worlds and to prevent them from falling into darkness! Our hearts, our destinies have led us here! If we are to remain free, then we must fight, and if need be die, for the sake of all who seek us for aid!" Sora gazed upon each face. "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers! For they who shed their blood with me this day are my brothers! Bring forth a new dawn, a red dawn, and a dawn to a new era of peace!" There was a great cheer that erupted from the line of key bearers.

"You got those last few lines from our Shakespeare class." Riku uttered.

"Well, what can I say?" Sora chuckled. "I always liked that Henry V speech."

"They seem rather optimistic to me." Marcusio said as he and the other Imperial looked on. "Perhaps they do want to fight."

"If they plan on attacking," Ks implied, "They better be prepared to die."

"Key bearers," Sora drew up his hand. Then in a bright flash of light, he unleashed his keyblade. He instructed the others to do the same. "Draw keyblades!"

Suddenly, almost in unison, every key bearer in the front lines drew out their weapons. A great manifestation of keyblades, all with their different intricate designs, some colorful, others less vibrant. They waved their keyblade in the air and shouted, as if their voices alone would bring Cetorburg to its knees.

The Imperials were again stunned at what they saw. They're humorous attitude towards the band of youths dimmed as they saw the ancient blades of heroes emerge into the palms of their adversaries.  
"My God," Marcusio uttered, "They're key bearers! They're all key bearers!"

"But how can that be?" Madam General Ks asked. "There have to be at least fifty thousand opposing us. Are you sure they're all key bearers?"

"My senses aren't deceiving me."-

"No wonder they all seemed to be unarmed. They had concealed their keyblades." She turned to the same subordinate who relayed her earlier message. "Inform His Excellency of this predicament! Tell him that an entire army of key bearers is about to march on us!"

"Yes ma'am," the subordinate replied.

"Prepare to open fire on my signal!" Marcusio instructed the artillery.

"Key bearers," Riku shouted, being the next to speak. "For your homes, for your worlds, for your families and your sweet hearts, and for your destinies and prides as keyblade masters, we go to battle! Forward…!"

"Forward…" The leading key bearers cried in echo, relaying the message to the far flanks of the lines. There was a sudden pause before Riku gave the signal.

"March…!"-

Then, like roaring thunder, the mass of troops advanced. Unfaltering and stable, right on they moved as if with one soul. They marched into the field, keyblade rested on their shoulders. They gleamed in the morning sun. Such a sight to behold these band of brothers, prepared for death without a thought of regret. Riku and Sora, leading the way, kept firm in their advance, their keyblades pointed towards their goal.

For a moment, such glory came into the eyes of each young person. There was a triumphant lull, a calm before the storm. For a moment, there was the tranquil peace of nature. But that would soon end as shot and shell would soon come upon all on the field, the first hail that hit upon fragile windows


	124. The Devil's Den

The Devil's Den

_Prologue_

_To the characters that are involved, there are some who are not of my own creation, but the creations of other fellow story writers and artists. For those characters that play a significant role, forgive me of placing your characters into any type of situation that you found unfit, unworthy, or inappropriate. Necessary situations were made to help keep the story afloat. As for those who have other key bearers for characters, if you wish to make an adaptation to your character's involvement in this epic confrontation, then feel free. Your creative minds can help you write the stories of your self-made characters and place them into the epic battle of Cetorburg. The story's scenarios are some what vast and somewhat vague, thus creating individual points-of-view or hidden testimonies will work to your advantage. What roll will your individual play as a helpful hand to key bearer's cause? And as a forewarning, this chapter may be extremely graphic in some places. Reader's discretion is advised._

As the attack was initiated, the Imperials looked on in wonderment and inspiration. Never before had such a sight been seen as line upon line of key bearers, rank pressing rang drew ever closer. Not a man upon the walls of Cetorburg, or dug deep into the earthen works surrounded, need be told that the enemy was now approaching. Every eye could see its legions, a vast sea of armed individuals with their steel arms glistening from the sun's rays. Never before had such a thing been seen, never before has Cetorburg witnessed such unwavering valor, such untainted courage. Hundreds of thousands of determined youths looked no larger than ants.

Ks and Marcusio watched as, like thing posts upon a fence, seemed to move in perfect formation across the field, unbroken and straight, like they had been precisely leveled by a deity's ruler.

"Such an irresistible sight," Madam General Ks said.

"They say that the Saiyan assault on Gombria was just as magnificent." General Marcusio added.

"Too bad that we have to destroy such a well formed advance, there is such young talent to be wasted."-

"All batteries open fire! Unleash a primary volley! Fire for effect!"-

"Fire for effect," a second officer shouted, "primary volley! Open fire!"

"Fire," cried the crew captains.

Instantly, all artillery pieces on the southern defenses, from first to top tier, released a booming chorus and puffs of smoke that created and artificial cloud line upon the city.

As the key bearers advanced, they beheld the individual puffs of smoke. They knew then and there, the battle had begun. The shells swooped down with incredible speed.

"Incoming," one key bearer shouted. Suddenly, all hell broke loose as up and down the advancing line, great explosions bellowed and key bearers found themselves severely maimed. The sight of the wounded was beyond what any had comprehended. Those with potions could not take them, for they came to realize pieces of their bodies had been ripped away. Others were not as fortunate as they were killed instantly with pieces of metal busting through their guts, their chests, their throats, and their heads, leaving ghastly wounds upon the corpses.

But still the key bearers advanced. Riku and Sora kept on advancing and the others gallantly followed.

"Keep your ranks tight you guys!" Sora shouted. "Keep 'em tight!"

"Excellent primary effects," General Marcusio implied. "All batteries reload and fire at will!"

The guns began to bellow at their own time now and shell upon shell fell upon the key bearers. More were suddenly killed instantly, or maimed beyond healing. Those who had suffered minor wounds, or who were still intact, used potions and healing means to replenish themselves. But the moment they were back in the fight, another shell would strike, this time killing them off for good.

"Use your elemental spells to drive back the shells!" Sora shouted. He used force and caught a few of the shells. He then leaped up and shot them away from the columns. Riku used Cinder Canister and blew several of the shells off course before they could fall. The other key bearers followed their example and used elemental spells to prevent the shells from striking. Though many were successful, the majority were not. The shells were coming in too fast and from different angles. To add, some elements only made the projectiles more dangerous to the key bearers.

But despite this, the key bearers continued their advance, determined to show their grit, no matter how brief. A full fifty thousand key bearers marched onto the field with gusto. It seemed that the barrage, for all its ferocity, seemed to do little damage to their stalwart courage.

From their positions on the forest ridge, Madam General Devardios and her staff watched as the shells fell upon the key bearers, killing and maiming several by the score with one shot.

"Look at that." She said. "Though hell comes on them like a blizzard, they press on."

"That is what I call undaunted courage." Captain Malorius added.

"Keep your ranks, boys," Riku shouted. "So long as we march forward, there is hope for all worlds!"

Steadily across vast open ground, the lines of wielders trudged. Explosions of all magnitudes ripped holes in the lines, but their formations refused to fall apart. Of the many shells that were sent reeling into the ranks, a quarter of them had been deterred by elemental spells.

"Those key bearers are incredible." Marcusio said. "They deflect our shells with their elemental attacks, quite ingenious. Well, let us see if they can handle this next lot." He turned to one of his officers. "All first level batteries are to load percussion shot. Set pieces to forty degrees and fire for effect."

"Yes sir," the officer replied. He turned to the battery commanders, "Ready percussion shot! Angle your guns at forty degrees and fire for effect!" The captains relayed the message. Percussion shot was loaded into the breeches. "Open fire!"

Percussion shot thus bellowed forth from the barrels and launched against the key bearers.

The key bearers saw the barrage coming and were ready. However, they were now expecting the shells to strike down upon them. But instead, the percussion shells exploded mid air, only a few feet above them. From that, pieces of metal fell upon the attackers. This time, the casualties were more extensive and more key bearers were killed as they were impaled through their heads and upper body by red hot steel shards.

"Their not letting up are they." Riku said.

"Keep pressing forward!" Sora ordered. "Don't waver!"

"Forward!" the leading key bearers shouted, encouraging their soldiers. "Keep the line's tight! Keep it tight, you guys!"

"Give 'em hell!" Riku cried.

Across the vast open field, the key bearers advanced. Chaos rained out something terrible that day. However, even hot metal and sharpened steel was not forceful enough to cause the key bearers reeling rearward. Instead they pressed on. Within fifteen minutes, they reached the first barrier. Sora could feel the weight of the shield keeping him back, but instead he pushed forward and made his way through.

"This is the first shield barrier, you guys!" he cried. "Keep going!"

"Home, boys, home," Riku shouted, "Remember home awaits you after this!"

The key bearers lurched forward and pressed their way through the base of the first barrier. The first mile had been accomplished, but there were still three miles to go. And with them, the reddened barrels of a thousand heavy guns.

"They've made it passed the first barrier." One of the subordinates cried upon the Imperial walls.

"Maintain a mass of fire." Marcusio ordered. "I want you to keep on firing until the barrels of these guns start melting!"

"Yes sir."-

"They managed to make it this far already." Ks applauded. "I have to commend them."

"But they'll soon realize the extent of their recklessness." Marcusio chuckled.

In the meantime, Kairi and the others watched from the safety of the tree line as fifty thousand key bearers marched on to their deaths. Even where they stood, they could see the mangled bodies of their comrades lay thick upon the ground. Kairi's eyes filled with tears as she looked upon the masses of troops who marched on. She gazed at the corpses of dead key bearers, their weapons lying beside their motionless forms. She feared for her friends, she feared for her brother. And most of all, she feared for Sora.

"Sora," she uttered.

"Sora will be alright." Kirin assured his sister. "He and Riku are the ones who defeated General Saber after all. It'll take more than a simple barrage like this to halt them."

"But Kirin,"-

"I have every faith that those two will emerge alive after all this."-

Suddenly, a voice shouted out. Kirin and Kairi looked to see Lieutenant Gallagher coming towards them.

"Prince Kirin," he cried.

"Lieutenant Gallagher," Kirin replied. "What is it?"

"Word from Madam General Devardios, she wishes for the second wave to commence with their attack!"-

"Understood," Gallagher withdrew through the ranks soon after. Kirin drew out his swords. "Are you ready, Kairi?"

"I'll be at your side," Kairi replied. She took up her keyblade. "Let's do this!"

"All units, forward!" There was a cheer from the key bearers and in unison they unleashed their weapons. Kirin held the blade forward and the second wave began their advance.

This was shocking to the Imperials who suddenly saw another mass coming towards them.

"General Marcusio!" the leading subordinate cried. "It's another wave of key bearers!"

"I'm aware of that." Marcusio said.

"There are that many key bearers?" Ks wondered.

"They must've split their force in two. Have all first and second tier batteries concentrate on the rear guard! The rest of the artillery will fire on the frontal assault!"-

"Yes sir," the lead subordinate replied. He relayed the message. "First and second tier batteries concentrate on the rear guard! Upper tiers fire at the frontal assault!"

Within seconds, the message was relayed and the batteries began their designated bombardments.

In that slot, Kairi and Kirin soon found themselves amidst the chaos and bombs and shells rained down on them. Percussion and solid shot pounded at their lines and caused and equal amount of devastation. The boys and girls were slain in rows while others were ripped to shreds by shrapnel. The once green fields were now being turned into a muggy brown as the green stalks of grass intermingled with the blood of the dead and wounded. The ground started to transform into something grotesque and the shells pocked the soil.

Kairi, not used to such extremes, could only stay close to her brother.

"Damn it," she growled. "Why can't those Imperials come and fight us face to face? They'd save us a lot of trouble."

"There's no use in screaming about it, Kairi." Kirin replied. "The only thing we can do is advance head on. Just stay close to me and you'll be alright." He looked to the rear. "Keep it together, boys and girls! Show these Imperials what key bearers are made of!"

"C'mon, let's keep pressing forward!" the other leading key bearers would shout in chorus to the others, sparking their grit.

The second wave now bore the full burden of an all out barrage, passed down, by the second wave.

At the same time, at the top tier, Sirius Viicous could hear the roaring of the cannons. By this time, the runner had made it to where he was stationed.

"What is going on?" he asked.

"A battle has ensued." The runner replied. "Riku and Sora, they've come!" Sirius Viicous gripped his hands tightly.

"Excellent, so they have brought the fight to me. But was there really a need to unleash such commotion."-

"That's the thing, sir. The city is being attacked by an army of key bearers!"-

"What," Sirius Viicous was shocked, "An army of key bearers?"

"Yes sir,"-

"Impossible, how can there be an army of key bearers?" Sirius Viicous leaped from his chair. "I must see this for myself."

He went to the observation platform on the top tier and looked to the south. He picked up a pair of binoculars and gazed into the distance. Though still very small from his perspective, he could see a hint of gleaming weapons, all in the shapes of keys.

"You see my lord." The runner implied.

"I'll be damned." Sirius Viicous uttered, "An entire army of key bearers. But how could such a thing be possible? Where did all of them come from?" Sirius lowered her binoculars. "Oh well, I always knew there were more than just a handful of us. But I never would have expected so many to create an army. But despite that fact, I'm sure that none of those key bearers down there can compare to the might of Noctin Tilandir and Sora." Sirius Viicous withdrew.

"Will you not witness the fight, You Excellency?" the runner asked.

"They may be key bearers, but they're still mortal. They can easily be dealt with as any other. Besides, my efforts are reserved only for Noctin Tilandir. Should they proceed this far, I will be ready to engage in the final climactic battle."-

"Do you really think the key bearers will have the ability to storm Cetorburg?"-

"We'll just have to wait and see won't we?"-

The bursting of shells slew key bearers by the dozen and it grew more intense as they reached the halfway point. Before the mass of key bearers, there stood the rail fence.

"There's the half way point!" Sora cried. He looked to the rear. "And we still have enough guys to go all the way!"

"We're almost there." Riku added. He turned to the other key bearers. "Those of you, who can use energy waves, use those attacks to tear that fence apart!"

"Yes sir," the key bearers replied. Riku used his X slash attack and Cinder Canister while Sora used the Twister Strike to tear away at the railings. The other key bearers did the same, using their own attacks to break up the fence and create gaps for them to run through. Pieces of wood and splintered railings flew into the air and landed in the grass.

"The key bearers have reached the rail fence." The lead subordinate shouted.

"They've gotten that far already?" Marcusio uttered. "Impossible."

"That means they're about to breech the second shield." Madam General Ks implied.

"What do we do?" the subordinate asked.

"All batteries concentrate on the area around the fence." General Marcusio replied. "This might work out for us after all. Load double solid and double percussion. Aim for the area just at the base of the second shield. Also, signal for our field batteries on the earthen barracks to open fire."

"Sir," the subordinate relayed the order.

All the while, the key bearers made it to the fragmented fence. But the moment they charged through the gaps, they were suddenly struck down by intense fire from the Cetorburg batteries. This time, they were hit by double solid and double percussion shots.

Double solid was armed with two smaller grenades that deployed after the primary explosion. Those grenades had three second intervals, allowing the devices to bind further into the ranks before exploding, causing further and more effective devastation. The same effect came with double percussion, which was too armed with two inner grenades. But unlike the double solid, the grenades exploded one second after the primary explosion, spreading the chaos to a wider area.

The fence was riddled and the soldiers along with them. Such carnage was unseen, even by the best veterans. They had never seen such destruction. Sora was one of them. As he urged his men forward, he watched as a grenade from an exploding shell flew by the side of another key bearer no older than he. The grenade exploded and took the boy's head off, blowing it apart like a watermelon. Sora was splattered by the blood, brains, and pieces of bone. The experience left him shocked.

"Are you alright, Sora?" Riku asked as he examined his friend.

"I'm alright, I'm alright," Sora said, "Just a little too close for comfort."

Shrapnel was now shattering the first wave. The boys and girls were now condensing, making it easier for the Imperials to inflict more casualties on them.

"Stay spread!" Riku shouted. "Stay spread!"

The key bearers plowed forward. They pushed against the shield that stood before them.

"It's the second shield, Riku." Sora cried. "We've made it."

"Push through, boys and gals! Push through!"-

The key bearers came through at the base of the shield. But as they continued forward, they were in for another surprise. As a hundred key bearers rushed thirty yards from the fence, leading the charge on, they were suddenly struck by an unseen force. Many fell dead, while others emerged with their legs blown off.

"What just happened?" one key bearer uttered.

"What's going on?" another inquired.

"Oh my God," Sora uttered, "It's a mine field! There's a mine field in front of us!"

"We have to detonate a path." Riku replied. He rushed in and prepared to unleash Cinder Canister. But the moment he crossed beyond the second shield, the fiery spheres above his head vanished from sight. The youth was bewildered. "What just happened?"

Just then a shell burst in front of Riku, knocking him off his feet.

"Riku," Sora cried. He leaped into the field and took hold of his friend. He dragged him back to the fence. "Riku are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Sora. Nothing's happened."-

"That's the second shield. It prevents any type of elemental attack from being used."-

"That means we can only rely on energy waves. That's the only thing that is not categorized as an element." Riku turned to the other key bearers. "Let's go, you men!" But to both he and Sora's dismay, the other key bearers seemed to be frozen in their positions. Riku encouraged them. "C'mon, we have to keep going!"

"It's suicide out there." One key bearer uttered.

"It's so far away." Another added. The negative murmuring had become a clear sign that the wills of the key bearers were starting to break. Their fear was heightened by the sound of their wounded comrades. One key bearer bellowed in agony.

"Mama," he cried out as he grasped at the entrails that hung out from his minced flesh. Again he screamed, hoping to be taken away from the pain and the chaos, "Mama!"

"Hang in there buddy!" one comrade cried, trying to grasp for the dying youth, only to be struck down by a shrapnel shard though the cranium.

"We're starting to lose them." Riku said.

"I'm not surprised." Sora replied. "This is the first time we've encountered anything like this."

The Imperials gazed on as the advance halted at the remnants of the fence. The key bearers, fearing the danger of the mine field in front of them, dared not advance any further.

"It looks like they've reached their limit." General Marcusio chuckled. "The key bearers fear crossing the mine field."

"Excellent," Ks added. "With the masses stranded at the fence, our artillery will mow them down like grass."

"Prepare to fire a volley of Mustard shells! Aim for the fence line and fire for effect!"

"Yes sir," the leading subordinate replied. He relayed the message to the entire front tier batteries. "Load mustard shells! Aim for the fence line and fire for effect!"

The cannons were reloaded with their shells. The command was given and a further volley was sent at the line of key bearers.

The shells fell upon the masses, exploding amongst the men and women. Suddenly, from the shells rolled large green canisters. One of the canisters rested near Riku and Sora. They looked at the thing curiously.

"Riku what is that?" Sora asked. It was then, from a cap atop the canister, yellow smoke suddenly bellowed out, screeching as it spewed into the masses. Riku's eyes grew wide. He knew what it was.

"GAS!!!" he shouted. The key bearers quickly withdrew, but the damage had been done. The gas had struck the masses at point blank. Some, after inhaling the content began to rive in agony. Their eyes began to burn, blisters formed upon their skin. Those who inhaled the gas began to cough and gag uncontrollably. Blood dripped from their mouths, indicating that severe internal injury had been caused. The gas caused panic to ensue and many fell right into the cloud, where they met horrible and agonizing deaths. Riku tired to calm down the masses. "Calm down, clam down, you have to eliminate the gas canisters. Get them out of our range." He then turned to Sora. "Use your Twister Strike to clear the gas!"

"Right," Sora used enough wind to clear the yellow clouds away before it could touch them. But for many, the damage had been done. "What was that?"

"Mustard Gas," Riku replied, "A deadly chemical that causes severe irritation and blistering on contact to the skin and the eyes. It tears away at the bronchial tubes and causes severe internal bleeding."

"My God,"-

"Tell all those who can use wind element to clear the gas clouds!"-

"Right," Sora turned to the other key bearers. "Get rid of those canisters, clear the gas!"

Many veteran key bearers used their abilities to clear the gas. But as the gas clouds were cleared, they still had to contend with the barrage of shot and shell that rained upon them.

"This is not working out for us." Riku thought. "We have to act quickly if we're gonna survive this."

Kairi and Kirin saw the clouds of mustard gas lift over the heads of the second wave.

"Those are mustard gas clouds." Kirin said. "They're using chemical shells against us, mustard shells."

"Mustard gas if bad, right?" Kairi asked.

"For anyone who has seen its effects before, it's not something you would like to experience." Kirin turned to the remnants of the line, "Boys and girls, on the double quick, forward march!" The key bearers increased their speed, from a fast march to a steady jog.

The clouds of gas could also be seen by General Devardios and her staff.

"They're using mustard shells." She said.  
"The advance has stopped." Captain Malorius implied. "The frontal assault has ceased their attack at the fence."

"If Riku and Sora don't pick up the momentum, the attack is lost."-

All the while, the third line was ready for deployment behind the woods. Kaine and Victor prepared their ranks. They watched as the second line drew closer to the half way point. They also witnessed the emergence of the gas clouds. To add, the casualties were growing ever greater before their eyes.

"It looks like our turn next." Victor said, "Let's show the Imperials what we're made of."

"Onward, you men, to victory and to glory!" Kaine shouted. "Long live the key bearers!"

"Long live the key bearers!" the others shouted and the third wave began its approach.

This again flustered the Imperials who observed the emergence of the third assault wave.

"Impossible," Marcusio uttered, "There's a third wave coming at us?"

"Inconceivable," Ks growled, "Is every key bearer in the universe here?"

"We better deal with them. Keep up a hot masking fire! Tell all batteries to fire where they are able and where the enemy is the thickest!"-

"Yes sir," the lead subordinate replied and sent the message. Now shot and shell was being deployed all over the field, cutting down all that marched on.

Victor and Kaine watched as the shells fell around them, striking their comrades at every step.

"What fire power." Kaine said. "The Imperials must be desperate."

"Let them do as they will." Victor replied. "Let them unleash a barrage that'll hold back hell itself. We'll still plow through and whip 'em."

Casualties began to mount as the use of healing methods became more irrelevant. Many key bearers preferred death rather than reviving themselves to only half of what they were with missing arms and missing legs. No amount of healing could patch together a severed limb or shattered bone torn from the body and held only by a piece of skin. Some of the key bearers had arms and legs snapped off like twigs by a single busting shell. Then there were those without means of healing themselves who could only scream out for the assistance from their comrades.

At the rail fence, where the advance had halted, the dead and wounded were mounting. The dead fell upon each other and upon the wounded, at times suffocating them from the intense weight. One could almost describe that mountains were being formed from the slain and maimed, their blood soaking the fields to an ugly brown.

Riku and Sora knew that if they were to remain at the fence, they would all die and the attack would fail before it had a chance.

"We can't stay here!" Sora shouted. "The longer we stay, the more our guys get killed!"

"I know, I know," Riku replied. He shouted down the line. "We have to keep advancing!"

"But there's just too much devastation," one key bearer implied, "We'll never get beyond this."

"We have to withdraw." Another added.

"We can't do that! If we start to withdraw, then everyone will think we've given up and the entire attack will collapse."-

"But at this rate, there will be none left to charge anyway."

"Listen to me!" Riku stood up. "There are only two types of key bearers who are going to stay here! Those who are going to die and those who are already dead! If you plan on dying, do it knowing that you at least had the courage to continue forward! The fate of our worlds depends upon our success this day!" Riku crossed over the fence line and charge forward.

"C'mon," Sora added, as he followed his friend into the fray. "We have to keep going?!" There was a stall on the attack. Some were reluctant to follow. "Are you so scared of these Imperials?! Do Riku and I have to go alone?! What'll you think of yourselves tomorrow, knowing you could have succeeded had you put more effort into it, but failed to?! With us, who will come with us?!" Sora drew his keyblade up and continued onward.

"He's right!" one key bearer agreed. "We came this far and we won't stop now!"

"Let's go!" another shouted, rallying his comrades. "You want at them?! Then let's go get 'em!"

There was a cheer and the waves of key bearers continued on. They came to the edge of the shield and broke through. Riku unleashed his keyblade whip and cut a path along the ground, the mines detonated, thus a safe path was forged. Sora swept with Mjollnir and caused a great deal of the mines to explode. Now an open road lay between them and the earthen barracks. Many of the other key bearers did the same as well, using their keyblades to cut their way through the mine field. Suddenly, the danger of the mines seemed irrelevant and the key bearers were ashamed at their earlier cowardice.

"That's right, guys!" Riku cheered, leading the attack on. "Use those keyblades! Show the Imperials what we key bearers can do!"

"Impossible," General Marcusio uttered. "They managed to sweep their way through the mine field. Now they have an open road all the way to the walls."

"General Marcusio," Madam General Ks implied. "Does your faith in Cetorburg's defenses seem to be wavering? If you want a quick solution, just mass the use of your more deadly shells, that'll slow the key bearers down for the time being." Just then, Ks suddenly turned away.

"Where are you going, Madam General?"-

"I'm going to get ready."-

"Ready for what…?"

"Should the key bearers get beyond the earth works, I shall be there waiting for them. It's best not to confine ourselves to the top tiers only. If we die, we'll take a great deal of those upstart youths with us. Until then, keep up a hot fire and keep them back at all costs."-

"Of course," With that, Madam General Ks withdrew to rally the Immortals. General Marcusio watched on as the lines of key bearers continued to advance, though most the waves had been broken of their formation and now advanced in patches. "Keep pouring it on them, boys! Fire a second barrage of mustard shells and a barrage of double percussion and double solid shot. And have all field batteries continue their barrage!"

"Yes sir," the subordinate replied.

By this time, the first and second waves had caught up with each other and were now advancing in mass. Kairi and Kirin ran through the ranks, hoping to catch up with Riku and Sora.

"It looks like our two waves have converged." Kirin said.

"We're almost there." Kairi added.

It had not been long before they saw Riku and Sora in the front of the charge. Kairi called out to them.

"I see 'em!" she cried. "Riku, Sora," The key bearers looked to see the two twin siblings rushing towards them.

"Kirin, Kairi," Sora said.

"Glad you two could make it." Riku added.

"We didn't miss anything did we?" Kirin asked.

"Besides the bombardment…?"-

"I think we got a good view of that already."-

"What was the damage?" Sora asked.

"Heavy losses on that trek, but the lines were still holding."-

"That's good."-

"Just a mile and a half more and we can kiss these Imperials good bye!" Riku said. He looked to the men and women following them. "Keep going, you guys! We're almost there!"

Just then, there came another barrage and mustard shells were unleashed again, deploying their deadly contents.

"Riku," Sora cried, "Mustard gas!"

"Use energy attacks to get rid of them!" The key bearers unleashed energy waves to repel the canisters, or at least knock them into an area where they posed no threat. Only a few of the key bearers were capable of using energy attacks and they used their skills splendidly. However, there were still those parts of the line that were dramatically affected. To add to the chaos, rain of exploding shell and solid shot tore more of the line up.

In the meantime, back in the rear, Cunla and Lu Xun were setting up their men to engage in the fourth attack. They watched as their comrades disappeared into the distance amidst the smoke and flashing of cannon. Cunla drew out the Gae Bulga and presented it before himself.

"It's almost time." Lu Xun uttered.

"Have all of our men been set up in their positions?" Cunla asked.  
"They're all ready, willing, and able."-

"Our friends need us, Lu Xun. We'll give those Imperials a fight they'll never forget, nor one they'll ever want to engage in again." He tightened the grip on the Gae Bulga's staff. The young man turned to the legions behind him. "Let's go boys and gals! Our destinies await us on that field! Onward, the battle of all battles begins now!"

"Forward!" the leading key bearers shouted. Each soldier deployed their weapon and the fourth wave made its advance. The soldiers in the ranks were silent as they marched. Perhaps it was due to the grizzly sight of their slain comrades whose bodies lay lifeless in the late morning sun. Perhaps it was the screams of their comrades who, though they could be healed, were severed of their limbs. Either that or it was the apprehension of having to face the same chaos. Whatever the reason, the fourth line was as silent as the grave in their march, with only the rustling of grass beneath their feet and the sound of tapping metal and rubbing leather and cloth to act as some form of racket.

"General Marcusio!" the lead subordinate cried. "There is a fourth wave coming out of the woods!"

"What…?" the general used his binoculars and spotted yet another wave. "Damn it, how many key bearers do they have massing behind those trees? Now there's a fourth line?"

"Sir, the third wave is catching up with the joined first and second waves! They're reaching the one mile limit! They've reached the outskirts of our earth works!"-

"Have all field batteries deploy shrapnel shells, mustard shells, triple percussion, and triple shot!"-

"Yes sir," the subordinate relayed the message to the batteries upon the earthworks. The order took immediate effect.

In the meantime, the frontal assault reached the one mile distance. Before them were a series of wooden stockades and steaks driven into the ground. These obstacles were used to slow down the advance. There was also barbed and razor wire that were further entwined between the steaks, to make advancing more tedious. However, to the key bearers, this was a simple obstacle that could easily be surmounted.

"Let's clear some of this roughage." Sora said. Using Mjollnir, he cut a path through the barracks, making it easier for the waves to advance. Using their keyblades, the key bearers cut down the obstacles with ease. But that easy task became impossible as shells once again fell amidst the advancing line. This time, the shells were ten times deadlier and ten times more effective in their destruction. Mustard shells were deployed and sent reeling into the ranks. The key bearers did their best to dispense with the canisters. But as they did, they were suddenly struck down by triple percussion and triple shot, which caused a great deal more devastation, killing more than maiming. To add, this was the first time they encountered the shrapnel shells.

Hollow shells, like solid shot, but filled with thousands of metal shards like lead balls, or metal scraps, inflicted hideous wounds. Many were struck down with metal shards lodged in their eyes, causing permanent blindness. Some of the shells were even filled with rusted metal, which poisoned the blood of many youths on the field. The effects of the shrapnel shells had certain characteristics. Because of the spread of metal shards, exploding shells looked as they were deploying metal clouds into the ranks. Thus some of the key bearers called them cloud shells. To other's, because of the rattling and clanging the falling balls made, they were also called 'rattlers.'

"They got rattlers falling all over us!" one young key bearer cried.

"Don't get intimidated!" another added, a she pressed her men forward. "We're almost there!"

"C'mon boys," Kirin shouted, "Never again!"

The masses trudged through the obstacles, the death toll rising ever more with every shot received. Sora continued to use Mjollnir to clear the way. In the meantime, the elite key bearers did all they could to fend off exploding shells. It was either energy attacks or their keyblades that they relying on now because elemental attacks were rendered useless.

And so across the final stretch, the last mile the key bearers rolled on, despite their casualties mounting to unthinkable numbers. The advance had caught the attention of all the Imperials within Cetorburg. No one, since the founding of Cetorburg, had penetrated so far. And the key bearer attack had not lost its momentum. There was something about the individuals facing them that made even the most battle hardened Imperials quiver. It was as if some kind of supernatural aura was urging the key bearers on into the belly of hell. It was this supposed invincibility that made the Imperials cringe.

"Inconceivable," General Marcusio growled, "Those key bearers haven't halted their advance. They're still coming!" He then observed as the third wave caught up and the fourth wave was slowly edging their way across the four mile expansion. "And a fourth wave is still on its way. What is it that inspires these individuals to continue this charge? Don't they realize the futility of this?"

Within fifteen minutes, the key bearers had made it to the last half of the final mile. It was at this point that they met their real challenge because now, they were within firing range of the infantry rifles and the machine gun nests.

"Keep pushing forward, men!" Riku shouted. The key bearers continued on their way. They had come so close that they could hear the Imperials shouting our orders.

"The key bearers are almost upon us!" an officer was heard. "Look to your front and mark your target before it comes!"

"Send those upstart youths reeling back their mothers!" another added.

"Keep steady aim!" a third hollered. "Wait for the order!"

"We're almost on top of them!" Sora shouted.

"Then let's hold nothing back." Riku added. Riku suddenly raised up his keyblade. His steady stride then turned into a maniacal run. Sora did the same.

"Charge," they both shouted. Almost instantly, the key bearers went into an all out charge, rushing through obstacle and open ground alike. They shrieked like demons as they charged. The sounds of a hundred thousand pairs of feet caused a low rumble and made the ground shake.

"The key bearers are on full charge, sir!" the leading subordinate said.

"Unleash hell!" Marcusio replied. "Deploy the infantry! Mutilate them!"

"Yes sir,"-

The order was given. From atop the earthen barracks, tens of thousands of Imperials rose up. Their banners, bearing the symbols of the Midnight Faction and the Imperial Axis, fluttered in the wind. One pair standards represented a thousand men. There were at least fifty pairs flying over the two mile expansion.

"Pour it into them, boys!" one Imperials officer shouted, "Fire!" The orders to open fire echoed from every officer's mouth. Fifty thousand rifles and forty-eight field pieces went off at once. Entire key bearer regiments vanished. From the machine gun pits, an endless barrage of bullets came flying and killed the key bearers by the score, as if they had struck a wall of death.

"Machine gun nests," Riku cried. He turned to the other key bearers. "Use your keyblades to fend off the bullets!"

As if by sensing the very energy in the air, Riku and Sora and many other key bearers were able to deflect the metal balls that hailed on them. Unfortunately, for many others, they were struck down by balls and bullets from every direction. Some of the key bearers received three to four bullets simultaneously. One boy was pumped through the gut by machine gun fire, while a rifle bullet struck him in the throat and another in the head. The boy died instantly.

To add to the intensity, the field pieces were still blazing away, cutting down the key bearers at close range. Some of the bodies were struck head on, exploding into the air bounded upon the attackers in heaps of human pulp. One young man's head was incinerated from a single busting shell, the shell then slew thirteen of his comrades behind him. At the final stretch, this was the bloodiest single moment in the entire charge as thirty thousand key bearers were slain in less than five minutes. But still, they lost no momentum.

By this time, the third wave had made full integration with the second and first. Thus, Kaine and Victor had managed to rejoin with Sora and the others.

"Top o' the morning, boys," Victor chuckled. "This is one hell of a fight, isn't it?"

"We can't give up now." Sora said. "We have just a little more to go."

"Well, when we reach those barracks, these Imperials are in for one hell of a ride."-

In the meantime, the fifth wave of key bearers was ready to engage. Goofy and Donald watched as their ranks formed. Fifty thousand key bearers were ready to march.

"I guess it's our turn, eh Donald?" Goofy asked.

"We have to help Riku and Sora." Donald replied. He turned to the masses of key bearers. "Let's go, for our homes and for our worlds!"

"Hurrah!" the key bearers shouted as they deployed their keyblades. Thus the fifth wave made its way out.

"General," the leading subordinate uttered.

"Let me guess," Marcusio sighed, "They have a fifth wave coming out right?"

"Yes sir,"-

"A fifth wave eh? Who would have thought they'd be sending in another onslaught against us. There have to be at least two hundred and fifty thousand key bearers on the field presently." Marcusio looked down to see the head wave edging closer to the slopes of the earthworks. "I never would have thought they could make it this far. But then again, these are key bearers we're talking about."

By this time, the key bearers had made it to the slopes of the earthworks. The Imperials were now throwing hand grenades into the charging lines. And the batteries began to fire double and triple canister shells, shot which scattered thousands of little balls or rusted metal shards, or even standard size cannon balls. This shell was the equivalent to a shotgun shell, only ten times bigger and a hundred times deadlier. Hundreds of key bearers were struck down.

The intensity of the rifle and machine gun fire was so intense, it was if a nest of hornets had been stirred and were now buzzing into the ranks of the oncoming youths. The led balls were so thick in the air, one could hold out a hat and catch if full in a matter of seconds. There was so much death and destruction; one could have thought that no living thing had the capability of surviving. But still, the key bearers pressed on.

"Fire away, lads!" the Imperial officers cried, and the rifle fire was thick. The key bearers climbed their way up the slopes in the midst of this inferno.

"We're taking on too many casualties!" Kairi cried. "At this rate, there will be no one left to storm!" Her words rang true. They looked around and realized that the machine guns and the cannons were already taking a heavy enough toll. Should they continue as they did, there would be no one left.

"Then we have no choice," Sora said. He looked at Riku. "Should we do it?"

"If it'll save lives then so be it." Riku replied.

"Then let's begin! Final Form!" With that, Riku and Sora combined their strengths to create Sora's upgraded Final Form. Sora then unleashed the power of the Rage and Saiyan Devotion. Then, like a beast, he charged up the slope and breeched the defenses. As he did, he pierced through the third shield. Now, there was nothing that could hold him back. "Prepare yourselves!"

"It's Sora!" the Imperials shouted as they aimed their rifles at him. But Sora easily struck them down.

"He's pretty good," Victor chuckled.

"We might as well join him." Kaine added. Kaine suddenly underwent his own transformation. His physique had suddenly changed and his raven black hair suddenly streaked with silver. His innocent green eyes turned a pale yellow, much like Cuchulain and Cunla when they use the Rage. In the process, Kaine's personality had changed. He was no longer the happy-go-lucky youth that would make even Sora envious, he now had the look of insanity and a thirty for blood. In a darkened voice, he growled. "White Wolf's Rage…" With that, Kaine too charged up like a maniac, breeched the defenses and entered hand to hand combat with the defenders.

"What was that?" Kirin asked.

"What you witnessed was Kaine's White Wolf's Rage. His fighting strength has now increased ten fold."-

"That form is like what Cuchulain and Cunla use."-

"He's not the only one." Victor stood up. "Release Control Restriction System to level three!" Suddenly, Victor's strength increased. "I have no need to restrain myself any further." Victor thus charged into the fray.

"Well, when in Rome!" Kirin and Kairi clutched hands, wishing each other good luck. Then, gripping their weapons, they followed their comrades into the chaos.

Because of this piercing, the key bearers interrupted the entire defensive capability of the earth works. Now the wave had easier access, striking at several points. Now, the key bearers went head to head with the Imperials in bloody hand to hand combat. There were pistol and rifle shots, saber and keyblade strokes, all soldiers screaming, yelling, spinning around like tops, falling. Many were maimed with ghastly wounds. Such a horrible sight indeed as Imperials thrust their bayonets into the youths, or choked them with gripped hands upon the ground. There was punching, kicking, thrashing, struggling of all types, but still the key bearers lay on.

"They've breeched our lines, sir!" the lead subordinate cried.

"Tell our men to hold at all cost!" General Marcusio shouted.

"Sir, we have another problem!"-

"What?"-

"A sixth wave has just emerged from the tree line!" a second subordinate said.

"What?!" Marcusio looked into the distance to find another wave advancing. "That's impossible, another wave?"

"The artillery needs time to reprieve, sir!" a third officer shouted. "The barrels are already hot enough and ammunition on the south face is already starting to dwindle!"

"Keep on firing! We have to have every gun at work! Use whatever you can to water them down and cool them off!"-

"Yes sir,"-

"And in case of any more surprises, fire a volley into that line of trees! If there are anymore key bearers there, I want them dead before they can take the field!"-

"Yes sir!"-

All the while, Madam General Devardios and her staff watched as the line of key bearers finally struck and pierced the Imperial lines.

"That's the style, Riku, Sora," she cheered, "That's the style!"

"But do you think they'll be able to pierce through the main gates?" Lieutenant Gallagher asked. "By the looks of it, they have suffered a great deal of casualties in the attack, at least over fifty percent don't you think?"

"The Lieutenant has a point." Captain Malorius added. "Despite the key bearers' supposed toughness, I don't think they can take on the entire garrison on their own, not with the number of dead and wounded now mounting amongst them."

"How long before The Alliance main bodies arrive?" Devardios asked.

"They still have quite a way to go. They may not make it here until late afternoon."-

"Damn it,"-

Just then, a courier came with a message. He saluted his officers.

"Madam General," he said, "We've just received word from the Alliance main bodies. They said that they've sent out an advanced unit of elite fighters to come and aid us."

"How many…?"-

"It's a total of fifty thousand. Twenty Thousand will be here within the hour."-

"Only twenty thousand will arrive within the hour?" Gallagher said. "But that's not good enough."

"At least it's better than nothing!" Devardios replied. "What of Colonel Durovano's artillery battery?"

"They've already moved out with the sixth wave." The courier replied.

"Are you sure we didn't deploy them too early?" Malorius asked.

"By this time, the Imperial high command has seen six waves move out of the tree line." The Madam General said. "No doubt, they won't take a chance this time. They might just fire a volley into the tree line, hoping to kill whoever is hiding within the woods. That's why I have instructed the last line moved to the very edge. The Imperials will aim for the canopy. Thus, the shells will fly over the heads of the key bearers, hopefully."

As the sixth wave made their way out into the field, Colonel Caribe Durovano looked on as the billowing clouds of smoke began to rise in the distance. There was incessant yelling that could be picked up slightly by his ear. Though the fight was four miles away, the sound of the conflict was clear in its pitch. At times, however, there were moments where the fight could not be heard.

"Acoustic shadows," the colonel thought to himself. However, within moments, there came the explosions of a hundred or so shells detonating amongst the sixth wave. A great deal of the key bearer line was struck and many were killed in the process.

However, this was not all that shocking, since the bombardments had been commencing since the first wave. What was shocking though was the sound of a bombardment taking place behind the sixth wave's advance. There came the rustling of leaves, the breaking of branches, and the frightened screams of a thousand individuals. Caribe looked behind him to witness a bombardment upon the tree line.

"The Imperials have caught on." One of Caribe's subordinates implied.

"We best hurry."

Amidst the tree line, the key bearers were huddled at the edge. Ergo, the shells mostly dropped harmlessly behind them. However, there were still a few other key bearers who had been caught astray in the woods, hoping to help comrades who refused to leave the sanctity of the forest. They were struck down by falling branches, severed from the blasts, or were killed by an incoming shell. On the edge, there were a few shells that rained at the tree line edge, killing and maiming at least a hundred or so, but nothing substantially devastating.

Madam General Devardios looked down to see the onslaught before her.

"They've struck the woods." Captain Malorius said.

"Hopefully, the final line of key bearers managed to evade it." The Madam General replied. She gazed into her binoculars and looked into the distance. She witnessed as the key bearers finally managed to pierce the lines. "This attack will need all the help it can get."

All the while, Riku, Sora, and the hundreds of thousands of key bearers, now did battle against the Imperials forces. However, because of the breech, now the Imperials were swarming from their posts to help quell the attack. Artillery, machine gun, and rifle fire intermingled with the energy waves of the attacking key bearers. Above them all, it was Riku, Sora, Kaine, Victor, Kairi, and Kirin that showed their true prowess upon the field. They cut through the waves of the Imperials like stocks of wheat. The other key bearers were just as formidable. But many had no experience with battling against the Imperial S class elites and they fell easily. Heads were smashed, throats were cut, bowels were impaled, and the owner of them were left hanging like smoked goose livers. For thirty minutes, the key bearers fought the Imperials, man for man, pushing, shoving, stabbing, and killing. Many were drowned in sweat, blackened by powder, and red with blood.

By this time, Riku and Sora had split and were now fighting side by side again. Using their senzus and reserved potions, they healed themselves every time they were mortally wounded or severely crippled.

During the intense confrontation, the forth line finally made it. Because they did not have to storm the earth works with every gun firing into their ranks, they were more enforced and their numbers were twice of those of the first three lines. Cunla and Lu Xun stepped onto the top of the parapet. Cunla drew out the Gae Bulga.

"Our boys have got them on the run!" He shouted. He unleashed the power of the Rage. His hair grew long, his eyes turned yellow, his physique bulked, giving him the bodily figure of a twenty year old, and his voice grew deep and dark. "C'mon lads and lasses, give 'em the cold steel!"

"Let's push these bastards all the way to hell and out again!" Lu Xun added. "Bring down those Imperial banners!" The two rushed into the fray and pushed their way to the front.

The ferocity of the key bearers was so impetuous, that the S class elites began to waver. They had never before met such a foe that could equal them stride for stride. Some of the S class elites even began to flee for their lives. One by one, their gallant banners fell, the defenses broke little by little. Seeing their defenses breeched, their banners falling, their comrades dying, and the impossible happening, even the most battle hardened S class elites wavered.

Cunla and Lu Xun made it to where Riku and the others were fighting.

"Glad to see you guys could make it." Riku said as he saw Lu Xun and Cunla at his side.

"You didn't think we'd let you have all the fun did you?" Cunla replied.

"You're still alive at least." Lu Xun added.

"Well, we did have it rather close on a few points." Riku chuckled.

"Keep on pushing!" Kirin cried as he cut through two more Imperials.

By this time, the defenses had begun to break. Now, because of the impeccable strength of the keyblade warriors, the S class elites suffered a greater number of casualties.

"You think that these guys would learn." Victor chuckled. Suddenly, an Imperial bayoneted him through the gut. Victor winched from the impact, but regained his composure as if no pain were present. He then drew out one of two pistols he had on his person, Spade and Ruin. Spade, a solid black pistol, was engraved with the word "Damnation" upon its surface. Ruin was the exact opposite, a silver pistol with the word "Salvation" inscribed on its side. In this case, it was Spade he drew. "You dare to strike me?" He put the gun to the Imperials head. "Let you be judged by heaven or hell!" He pulled the trigger and sent a bullet flying through the soldier's cranium. Within seconds, his wound had rejuvenated. "Next time, you'll no better than to deal with one of a vampire's bloodline such as I."

"What bloodiness," Kirin said.

"It's worth wiping these guys off the face of the universe." Kaine chuckled.

No longer were these innocent youths. The fight had transformed them into butchers and animals. In the end, many of the Imperials could not withstand the attack and many broke and fled for their lives.

This was a disgraceful sight in the eyes of the Imperial command.

"What cowards," General Marcusio growled. "And they call themselves Imperials?"

"There is no room for cowards in the Imperial Axis." His subordinate added.

"Guys," Sora shouted, "We have them on the run!"

"Push 'em back!" Kairi cried.

"They've lost it!" Riku rallied the key bearers. "Turn the colors on 'em! Turn the colors!" There was a cheer from the key bearers.

"Don't let them get away!" Cunla growled.

"After them," Kaine added.

"Kill them all!" Victor shouted. The key bearers charged in pursuit of the retreating lines.

But as they did, they were in for another shocking surprise. Before the advancing line, there was a flash of light, then a sudden explosion. The retreating Imperials were suddenly consumed by the explosions and were killed instantly. The key bearers were stunned at what they saw. They were nearly blown away by the force of the explosions. Riku and the others shielded their eyes from the incoming debris.

"What the heck is going on?" Lu Xun uttered.

"Those guys were suddenly blown away!" Sora added.

"Did the Imperials kill their own guys?" Victor added.

Sure enough, before the key bearers, there came a more formidable foe, a foe that the KH team was all too familiar with. They recognized the black overcoats with red lining. The white shoulder straps crossed at the center of each chest and fastened with a brass insignia, this time bearing the symbol of Lord Sirius Viicous. The straps were fastened to a white belt bearing a brass buckle with the same insignia. White gloves and white boots, and white helmet with black tinted visor completed the entourage.

For a two mile stretch, there were a number of these uniforms dressed in a perfect line. And over their heads, they bore grand banners, red field with the emblem of the former Imperial regime at its center with an entourage of grandeur.

From the rear, out of view, Madam General Ks stood visual over the formation of her ranks.

"The new Imperial regime does not accept cowardice." She said. "Any man who decides to withdraw without order will be branded a traitor and shall be executed without question."

Upon laying their eyes on the vast black ranks, the hearts of the KH team sank, their blood turned cold. They knew immediately who it was that stood before them.

"It's them…" Riku uttered.

"The Immortals…" Sora added.


	125. The Immortals

The Immortals

Now, unexpectedly standing in the way of the key bearers' advance were the elite personal bodyguards of the Lord Sirius Viicous. Once a body of guards loyal to the late Lord Cavendish, the Immortals served their new master just as loyally. Even the vast numbers of key bearers could not deter the Immortals from their ranks. There was a lull in the fighting as both sides faced one another. The Imperials upon the wall held their fire, wishing to see how the famous Immortal guard favored.

Riku, Sora, and the present members of the KH team were apprehensive. Yet the other key bearers seemed quite oblivious to the ranks, not knowing what to make of this new sight. Up until now, the Imperials were of a great variety of uniform styles, with grays and blacks with tads of whites, yellows, and reds. But to see a unit where every uniform was identical, that was truly a sight to behold.

"Who are those guys?" Kaine asked.

"Those are the Immortals." Sora replied.

"Immortals eh…?" Victor scoffed. "What would they know of true immortality?"

"I wouldn't take them too lightly. Those guys aren't exactly ones to easily walk over."

"But I thought they would be confined to the top two tiers." Cunla said.

"Well apparently things have changed. It's not going to be as easy to charge in as we thought earlier, not with that bunch in front of us."-

"It doesn't matter," Kaine growled. "We'll kill them all!"

"Let's get 'em!" a key bearer shouted. Sure enough, the entire wave of key bearers charged at the Immortals. Many began firing energy waves into the Immortal ranks. There were explosions and great billowing clouds of dirt and debris that lifted into the air as a result. The key bearers thought that their barrage had broken up the Immortal ranks.

But to an unexpected shock, as the smoke cleared, the key bearers came to sudden halt as they realized the Immortal lines still held, unmolested and unbroken. Their attack had no effect on the Immortals.

"Impossible," one key bearer uttered.

"They're still unbroken." Another added.

From behind the lines of Immortals, Madam General Ks simply snickered to herself.

"Pathetic wretches," she chuckled, "What were they trying to accomplish?"

"Shall we commence with our formations, Madam General?" A colonel next to her asked.

"Give these key bearers a real show. Show them what true elites of the Immortal guards can do."-

"Madam," The colonel began to shout our order. "Immortals draw sabers!" The guards drew out their well polished weapons. Each blade glimmered in the midday sun. The unsheathing was so precise and so synchronized that the sound that echoed was like a streak of lightning in a maelstrom. "Sabers at the ready!" Each blade was nestled and fully erected at each of the guards' right shoulders. "By threes, form firing step!"

The Immortals formed three ranks, the front ranks kneeling in unison while the center and rear ranks remained standing.

"Oh no," Riku said, "They're gonna do it."

"It's just like what they did in the Disney Kingdom." Sora added.

"Let's not give 'em time to breathe!" one key bearer shouted. "Let's attack them while they're still forming up!"

"Yeah," The yelling and screaming and hollering continued as the key bearers continued their rush at the Immortal line.

"Fire by ranks!" the colonel ordered. "Front rank fire!"

The front rank of Immortals accumulated their energy and fired a devastating barrage into the ranks of the key bearers. The key bearers were killed and maimed by the score. But still they pressed on. The colonel gave another command.

"Center rank, fire!" the second line unleashed a volley into the charging key bearers, "Rear rank, fire!" The third unleashed hell into the youths. More were killed, but the advance did not die down.

"Let's get them!" Riku shouted. "Hold nothing back!" The KH team and the rest of their comrades charged into the Immortal ranks. Rank by rank continued a simultaneous volley. But they could not halt the head of the advance.

"Send the front rank in for an attack!" Ks ordered. "We'll see who takes the glory from this field. Cut them all down!"

"Front rank advance," The Immortals stood up and rushed at the key bearer masses. The moment both sides made contact, it had become apparent that the Immortals truly were the greatest elites within the Imperials Axis. Never before had the key bearers encountered such resistance.

All the while, the advancing fifth line had breeched the second half of the four mile advance. Though their comrades had breeched the earthworks and were campaigning just outside the walls of the city, the artillery did not let up on those still advancing. The fifth line was pummeled with just as much destruction as their predecessors.

There was a slight waver, especially amongst the young rookies within the ranks. But Donald, Goofy, and the other veterans kept them together. They stuck with each other and plowed forward into the realm of despair.

"We're almost there!" Donald shouted. "Keep going!"

"Advance!" the leading key bearers cried. "Don't lose the momentum!"

All, the while, Riku and Sora watched from the top of the wall as blasts from the cannons continued on. They feared for their comrades who were still advancing across that open plain.

"Those artillery pieces could cause our comrades a lot of trouble." Riku said. "We better keep them silent."

"Why not," Sora chuckled. "There's no one here to stop us from inflicting damage on the city walls."

"Just make sure to aim for the artillery pieces. Those are the ones that matter the most. Refrain from slaying as best you can."-

"Right," Sora turned to some of the other key bearers. "All those who are capable of flying and using energy waves, knock out those guns on the wall!"

"Well, you heard him!" Victor shouted, relaying Sora's message.

A great deal of the key bearer suddenly took to the sky and began to fire energy waves at the artillery pieces, blowing a great deal of the batteries away. But no sooner had the first volleys been deployed, there was rifle and machine gun fire bellowing at them. All the while, several hundred Immortals flew into the air to meet the assailants. Sure enough, there were battles going on in the air.

Madam General Ks observed as the key bearers now took to the sky. She smirked.

"I have to say, these whelps have some talent." She thought to herself. "Send in the second line."

"Second line advance!" the colonel shouted. The next wave of Immortals rushed in and clashed with the key bearers.

"Here they come!" Riku shouted.

"Let's cut them to pieces!" Kaine cried.

"Forward," Sora added.

The fighting continued on. Despite their ferocity, the key bearers couldn't even chance themselves to fly over the walls because of such thick resistance. There were seldom few who breeched the tops of the wall. They were instantly slain. Those who tried to take to the sky were shot down by riflemen on top of the wall. At the same time, those key bearers, capable of firing energy waves, unleashed hell into the ranks of S class elite infantry, killing them by the dozen with each shot.

It would have been possible for the key bearers to be quelled by such an elite force. But there were a significant few who did not back down so easily. Amongst them were the members of the KH team and the maniacal duo Kaine and Victor. Madam General Ks observed them all. Though none were really of any concern, one was particularly concerning to the colonel next to her.

"That man," he uttered, "Is he immortal?"

"What was that?" Ks asked.

"That man with the silver hair and black garments?"-

"Noctin Tilandir…?"-

"No, the other silver-haired fellow…"-

The colonel pointed toward Victor, who recklessly charged forward, the one to receive the most hits, but suffered no damage. Ks watched Victor as he slew and shot every Immortal dead. His red eyes showed a type of blood lust. And his strength could only be described as super human. To add, when he was struck, anywhere on his body, he seemed not to be affected by the wounds inflicted. In fact, the wounds he received only vanished from sight after a few seconds. It was as if nothing could hinder him. But Ks only chuckled.

"Is that all you're concerned about?" she said.

"But Madam General," the colonel uttered, "Do you not see how he does not falter, despite being struck in the vital areas of his body?"

"I can see it. And I can guarantee you that there's no real concern. My guess is he's a descendent of the Nosferatu."-

"Nosferatu…?"-

"It's another way of saying vampire."-

"He's a vampire descendent?"-

"That's correct. And by the looks of it, that boy doesn't bear the same weaknesses as other vampires. He can even bear himself in the sun and not be affected."-

"So he has no weakness!"-

"Fool… Everything has a weakness. You just have to know where to look. In this case, we are dealing with a vampire, and one capable of walking full fledged in the sun. Vampires are immortal, but they are not invincible. We Imperials have encountered this kind of foe before. Thus, we helped to create a special technique that can deal with that type of rift raft. Just leave him to me."-

"Does nothing scare you, Madam?"-

"I am a Saiyan. Do you just expect me to meander off with my tail between my legs? I think not. Keep the line dressed and kill each any every one of those key bearers. This monotony ends today."

"We have to break through those defenses before the last of our guys get here." Kirin suggested.

"Riku," Sora said, "You willing to go in for another round?"-

"Why not," Riku replied, "Final Form!"

"Give me strength!" Sora and Riku once again merged to create Sora's ultimate Hyper Mode Fusion. His strength was released with incredible force, like what had happened prior on the slopes of the earthworks. Now, at the height of strength, the Final Form warrior was prepared to hold nothing back. He leaped back and began to accumulate all his energy at the tip of his keyblade. A large blue sphere of chakra formed at its end. Sora shouted to warn his comrades. "Key bearers stand aside! I'm blowing a hole through those defenses!"

Everyone on that field watched as this massive collection of power took form at the end of the keyblade.

"That power," Victor uttered. "It's incredible."

"Sora's going all out this time." Kairi added.

"We better get out of the way." Kirin suggested.

"Everybody move!" Cunla cried. The key bearers quickly cleared the field. The Immortals were inclined to do the same. They knew that confronting such a mass of power was beyond what even they were capable of. But then again, third generation Immortals never experienced such strength. Only one, however, did not falter from the path of the beam.

Madam General Ks stood firm before the gates of Cetorburg.

"Cowards," she growled.

"Here it comes!" Sora shouted, "Trinity Blast!"

From the keyblade bellowed a powerful energy wave that roared through the sky. Hundreds of key bearers and Imperials jumped out of the way, while some were maimed by the intense heat.

"Come on," Riku cried within the fused form. But suddenly, Madam General Ks swung her arm and struck at the beam. With very little effort, she deflected the attack from its course. The KH team, the key bearers, and especially Riku and Sora were stunned at what just occurred. They watched as the beam flew skyward into the atmosphere.

"What just happened?" Kaine asked.

"That woman deflected their attack." Victor added. For a moment, all eyes were on Madam General Ks who only shook her hand slightly.

"That numbed my hand a bit." She said.

"But how can that be?" Sora uttered. "I put everything I had into that shot."

"If that's the best you can do key bearer, I suggest you yield all efforts to overthrow Cetorburg from this point on. Your cause is lost so long as I am present!"-

"Who are you?"-

"I am Madam General Ks! Leader of the Immortals!" Her tail suddenly swerved itself behind her, before curling around her waste again.

"My God," Sora thought to himself. "She's a Saiyan Warrior."

"Sora," Cunla shouted, running to the Final Form's side. "Don't get too overconfident. Madam General Ks is the solo member of the original Immortal bodyguards, one of the last who served under Lord Cavendish."

"Her…?"-

"That's right. She was one of Lord Cavendish's most trusted bodyguards and was rumored to have had an affair with him in her early years."-

"You helped bring a downfall to the Imperial regime, both then and now!" Ks shouted. From her greatcoat, Ks drew out a chain bo, a staff which could be detached into sections of five, each connected with strong chain links concealed at the joins, making the weapon more formidable in striking power. Thus, it could be used as a staff, a whip, or some place in the middle. She stood at the ready. "For your meddling and assisting in the downfall of His Late Excellency, I will see you dead." She drew up her hand and gave the forward command. "Immortals advance, kill all the key bearers! Leave none alive!"

The rest of the Immortals present attacked full force with that one command and slammed into the key bearer ranks. Ks in the meantime, made an advance towards Sora who was still fused with Riku. Final Form Sora approached as well. Both struck down anyone who dared to stand in their way. Like magnets, Ks and Sora confronted each other. Soon, it seemed as if the fight spread itself from the two, as if fate prevented any other on that field from entering this clash of titans. Ks stood at the ready. Sora did the same, using both Laevateinn and Mjollnir as his main weapons.

"So you are the leader of the Immortals, eh?" Sora said.

"Are you surprised?" Ks asked.

"Not really,"-

"Then let us see if the legendary key bearers are as powerful as people believe them to be."-

"Let's fight,"-

The two suddenly charged at each other. Keyblade struck staff and the two had each other moving about on the ground. The fight had erupted ten fold now that the entire Immortal force at the front attacked with everything they had. They slew key bearers by the score, while only a few of their numbers fell. But the key bearers continued their advance, fighting with all they were capable of.

By this time, Donald, Goofy, and the fifth line finally arrived to see their comrades bitterly outnumbered and breaking slightly. While the Immortals took on the front of the charge, the S class elites battled the key bearers from the flanks, trying to cave them in.

"We're here," Donald shouted. "Let's go get them!"

"C'mon," Goofy added. The key bearers lunged into the fray. Rifle and artillery shot firing down at them from the walls. The key bearers charged into the gap and began to spread about the Imperials.

Goofy used his shield to clear the way of Imperials. Donald, not able to use his magic in the confinements of the second shield, used his staff as a club. They worked their way in until they caught up with the rest of the KH team.

"Glad to see that you guys made it." Cunla said as Goofy and Donald pulled up next to him.

"Is everyone still alright?" Goofy asked.

"All KH members are still alive and counted for."-

"What was that light in the sky we saw earlier?" Donald asked.

"It was Madam General Ks who did that."-

"Ks?"-

"That Saiyan who's going head to head with Sora," The trio looked to see Final Form Sora going into a grapple with the general. "Sora are Riku are going to have their hands full with that one. She's even tougher than Saber in my opinion."

"Tougher…?"-

"I hope those two will be alright?"-

"It's us that we have to be concerned with right now. Because of the sudden arrival of the Immortals, our advance into the cities interior will have to be postponed for the time being."-

The key bearers and the Immortals had at each other's throats, both sides inflicting and suffering severe casualties.

All the while, Final Form Sora took to the sky, combating the mighty Saiyan Ks. The Madam General was a formidable foe, her strength equal to that of General Saber. Her strength forced Sora to unleash the Rage and Saiyan Devotion and the two battled high in the air and about the field for ten full minutes. But the equivalence to Sora seemed more an eternity. Riku's half contributed by unleashing the darkness, increasing the power needed. As well, the key bearers fought as far as the two and three mile stretches. Thus Sora was able to use elemental attacks he would not have otherwise been capable of unleashing had they still been confined behind the shield that forbade such properties.

But despite using these elements, they were still one step behind in means of strength. Ks had the advantage over the duo and one that she could not so easily be deprived of. They clashed away, Sora using all he had in reserve. However, that proved ineffective this time, especially against such a powerful foe. The two gripped in a deadlock.

"What's the matter, boy?" Ks chuckled. "You take on your famous final form and unleash all hell against me, but you still can't hinder me? Why so?"

"I don't understand this." Sora thought to himself. "How could she have so much strength? Not even Saber was this resilient. It's as if I'm fighting Cavendish all over again."

"You thought that battling General Saber was tough? You have no idea what I'm capable of. Unlike that weakling, I don't have to rely on elemental attacks to get what I want."-

"No," Riku said from within, "Saber was a weakling?"

"But Saber was the toughest we've ever confronted." Sora uttered. "How could he be weaker than her?"

"What made Saber so formidable were his unique abilities to manipulate the elements." Ks explained. They broke off and continued to fight. All the while, Ks at times managed to pummel Sora, striking him every now and then, causing the young man to bleed. Sora on the other hand could seldom make an effective strike. This foe was far greater than he had perceived. "So long as Saber was master of the elements, no one could touch him, not even me. However, when it came to only using brute strength, he was limited. That's the reason why he mastered all the elements, so he wouldn't have to worry about relying on brute strength. Besides, most of the inner strength he had was not really his. He stole it by absorbing the life forces of other foes he confronted. But what's the point of having all that strength when it is not your own? Only one's own strength matters."

Using Laevateinn and Mjollnir, Sora slashed away at the Saiyan. However, his main focus was managing to get one good hit with Thor's Hammer. Sora figured that if he were to strike Ks with one mighty hit, he could probably weaken her severely.

"All I have to do is strike her once with Mjollnir and it'll be down hill all the way after that." Sora thought to himself. However, there was one thing he forgot to take into account. Because he was concentrating too much on making that one hit, he forgot that Mjollnir was much heavier than most of his other hey bearers. So though it was strong enough to take down a foe as powerful as Ks, it was slow and cumbersome. That was the weapon's one great disadvantage, especially when it came to battling an enemy that relied mostly on speed than brute strength.

"You seem to be having a little trouble." Ks mocked him.

"Don't you make fun of me!" Sora shouted.

"And what do you plan on doing about it? So far, I'm disgusted with your tactics! I had expected more out of the mighty key bearer Sora, the one who helped befall a great many of our officers. But I can see now that you're just a pussy cat. Nothing at all like the fierce lion legends tell. Is it that thought of me being more powerful than Saber that's wearing on your mind, or is it that you realize I am stronger than Saber?"-

"You can talk all you want, but that won't let me back down from this fight." The two grappled again. Sora used Mjollnir for defense rather than offense for hand to hand combat. He knew that he needed as much speed as he could. So he turned to Laevateinn for the offensive. But enough so, that was still not enough o contend with Ks.

"I'm getting a little bored with this." The Saiyan said. "How about finishing this confrontation once and for all? Try recovering from this!"

Ks suddenly knocked the keyblades away from Sora's guard stance and kicked him in the gut. The impact was like nothing he had ever felt before, a stinging pain that caused his entire body to go numb. She then spun around and struck him at the left side of the head with the end of her bo. Sora went falling, down towards the center of the field surrounding Cetorburg, in an area where the ground was still fresh and clean. The key bearer fell upon the ground, tumbling away. There he laid, blood dripping at the side of his head where the staff had struck.

"Sora," Riku cried from within. "Are you alright, can you stand?"

"Riku," Sora uttered. "I can't move. That Saiyan's hit knocked the wind out of me."

"You have to get up, Sora. I can feel her coming."-

"I can't…"-

"You have to. This fight has only just begun."-

"Easy for you to say, Riku," Sora staggered to his feet, using the keyblades as a crutch. "It's not your body that's being punched around like a sack of potatoes."

Ks landed to Sora's rear. Sora turned to confront her, weary and tired.

"So you still have the wind in you, eh boy?" the Saiyan chuckled.

"It takes more than just that little beating to get me down." Sora replied defiantly.

"That's why I'm taking on this job. If there's one person who can make sure you never rise again, it'll be me!" Ks attacked the weary key bearer. Sora drew up his keyblades and the two clash again. "I will succeed where the others have failed. I shall be the one to kill you!"

Sora tried his best to fight back, but the hit to his head hade caused severe dizziness, thus making it hard for him to coordinate himself. To add, the blood seeped into his eye, causing temporary blindness. The young key bearer was at the mercy of Madam General Ks, both he and his best friend's aura.

"She's too strong." Sora uttered to himself. "How could she be this powerful?"

"She is a Saiyan after all." Riku replied. "Quick, Sora, take to the air! We can't fight her as we are now. Take to the air and replenish your strength with a potion."

"Right," Sora quickly took to the air.

"Evading are we?" Ks chuckled. Sora took from his pocket a vial of potion. He popped open the cork and prepared to swill the green liquid down his throat. But no sooner had he raised his hand, Ks suddenly appeared before him. Using her chain bow, she struck at Sora's hand. The vial broke, shattering into a thousand pieces. To add to the misfortune, glass shards embedded themselves into the key bearer's palm, stripping off skin and causing blood to flow. As well, shards striking the hand's center pressure point gave out an excruciating pain and a moment of numb paralysis. The impact of the bo also broke Sora's wrist and finger joints. To make matters worse, it was Sora's dominant right hand that had been maimed. He cried out as his right hand seemed to curl up into an almost embryonic state. He grasped at it. Ks chuckled. "Sorry, but I can't have you healing yourself can I?"

"It hurts," he cried. His wailing was only halted as Ks struck him in the gut then pummeled his body again, striking at his knee joints, his elbows, and other vital parts of his body, hoping to cripple the young man.

"If you think that hurts, wait until I really get started."-

Upon the field, Cunla and the other KH fighters could sense Sora's fading. They feared the worst for both he and Riku who was still fused within his body.

"Sora's in trouble." Cunla shouted.

"We gotta go help him!" Goofy said in a panic.

"But we can't leave the line." Kirin suggested. "We have to push forward!"

"But Riku and Sora…" Donald uttered.

"You guys stay here and push through those Imperials as best you can!" Victor shouted. "Kaine and I will assist Sora and Riku!"

"But…" Kairi uttered.

"Just leave it to us." Kaine advised. "We're strong enough to take on that foe they fight."

"Besides," Victor chuckled. "With me in that confrontation, I highly doubt that even that Saiyan can contend with me, Victor Tepes, Son of Alucard."

"Well," Lu Xun said, "No use wasting time on the matter any further. Just get in there and help them."

"Right," Victory turned to Kaine. "Let's go!"

"Gotcha," Kaine replied. The two thus left the front to help Riku and Sora against the Madam General.

"We're just gonna have to keep these Imperials off our backs until they return." Kirin advised.

"Then what do you say we turn up the heat?" Cunla chuckled. "If these boys want a fight, then we'll give 'em a fight!" Unleashing the power of the Gae Bulga, Cunla unleashed hell upon the Immortals. "Come at me you worthless maggots! I'll show you what true power is!" Cunla charged into the fray, a hundred key bearers at his side.

"What incredible strength." Kairi said, "Especially for one so young."

"What more can you expect from the son of Cuchulain." Kirin replied. He turned to the key bearers. "Push forward you men and woman! Send these Imperials packing!" The rally of Kirin boosted morale and the key bearers pressed the Immortals back, even after suffering substantial casualties.

Sora had undergone incredible and merciless beatings from Ks. He had never been so bloodied, even in his fight with General Saber no more than a week earlier. Even with the Rage and Saiyan Devotion in full swing, they seemed to have no effect on this most formidable of foes.

"I can't keep this up." Sora said to himself.

"You have to stay strong, Sora." Riku replied from within. "If you don't, you will surely die."

"If, that's the case," Sora unleashed a brought glow which temporarily blinded KS in one of her attacks.

"What is this?" she wondered. As the light faded, she came to realize that Sora and Riku had split up from the Final Form. Sora was now his ordinary self again.

"Sora," Riku cried, watching himself spilt from their union.

"I can't let you suffer anymore than you already have." Sora replied. "If I were to have died, then so would you. I can't let you die, Riku."

"Sora," Riku landed upon the ground on his feet, but looked on as Sora tumbled upon the ground like a rock. He lay strewn on the ground, a tendered up form of his former self. His right hand still curled, his body weary, and his face bloody. Riku ran over to Sora. However, Ks landed upon the ground, standing over Sora. Riku halted his approach.

"Well, well," Ks chuckled, "What have we here, a fallen key bearer, eh?"

"Hey, you leave him alone!" Riku gripped his keyblade.

"Silence boy," Ks put her foot on Sora's chest and pressed down. Sora started to moan and cough as the weight of the Saiyan's boot pressed down on his lungs. "I highly doubt you are in any position to be telling me what to do." She then looked down at Sora. "I've been waiting to do this for a long time." Ks then raised her foot. And with one fast motion, she stomped onto Sora's chest. Sora roared out as the weight bore on him like a battering ram. Ks dug her boot deep into his gut, twisting and turning her foot about, causing Sora to wrench. His legs lifted up along with his head.

Riku could hear the groaning of his best friend, but could do nothing to help.

"It certainly hurts doesn't it?" Ks said with a snicker. "Maybe this'll teach you for meddling in our affairs."

"I can't breathe…" Sora gasped as he coughed and moaned with agony. This display of cruelty angered Riku. He recalled a time when he himself was put under such torment.

"Leave Sora alone,"-

"You can't be giving me orders." Ks chuckled. "Despite your Final Form, your Rage, your Saiyan Devotion, and the power of darkness working full swing against me, your end result was anything, but victorious. And that's just the way I want it. Now you stand there, unable to lift a hand to save Sora because you are afraid. And it is that kind of attitude that makes you weak."

"Don't under estimate me, Saiyan!" Riku shouted.

"Then prove me wrong and back up your words, Noctin Tilandir!"-

"So be it," Riku suddenly deployed both of his keyblades and attacked head on. Ks drew up her weapon and the two started fighting one another. Riku put all of his aggression and anger into offensive and struck with everything he had. But even so, he was no match for Ks, especially when he was now fighting on his own.

"I have to give you credit." Ks laughed. "You certainly aren't one to hold back.  
"You hurt Sora!" Riku shouted. "Now you must die!"

"You first," She managed to throw herself behind Riku and wrap her chain bo around his throat, strangling him. Riku struggled, retracting his keyblades and grabbing the chains to loosen them. Then, Ks began to knee the young man in his back, aiming for his kidneys. The pain winced Riku as he could feel his internal organs turning into jelly with every hit. Eventually, blood dripped from his mouth because of the beating. At the same time, the chain was tightened around his throat.

Sora looked on with weary eyes as he saw Riku being tortured and beaten again.

"No," he uttered.

"Soon, Noctin Tilandir," Ks said, "you and Sora will be amidst the deceased on this field. You tried to win, but could not. You might have been able to outdo Saber and the Blade Generals. You might have been able to out do our other officers, even managed to persuade a few of them to defect on to your side. You have been able to outdo everyone else, but you will not be able to, nor ever will outdo me." Riku's kicking began to slow down. His eyes rolled to the back of his head before his eyelids shut.

It seemed an inevitable victory for Ks. That was until fate intervened. Before Riku's life force was extracted to the next world, two individuals emerged and struck Ks at the right side of the face. Riku fell to the ground and coughed away as his gasping for breath became more rapid and larger in inhalation. Ks stumbled and rolled onto the ground. She lifter herself up, a growling glare upon her face and a stream of blood dripping from her lip.

"Who did that?" she grumbled.

"Oh terribly sorry," a voice chuckled, "Did we come at an inopportune time?" Ks looked to see none other than Victor and Kaine glaring at her.

"Did you forget that we're here as well?" Kaine said, his White Wolf's Rage still burning hot.

"Who the hell are you?" Ks growled.

"William Kaine Anderson and Victor Tepes at your service,"-

"What was that…" Ks inwardly thought. "So it is them…"

"Kaine…Victor…" Riku uttered as he saw the duo standing before him.

"Are you alright, Riku?" Victor asked.

"I've had better days. Be careful you guys, General Ks, she's stronger that what we took her for."-

"I can see that from the beating you received."-

"We're here now and we'll take it from this point on." Kaine implied.

"But…" Riku tried to say, but could not.

"You have to get back to the front line and lead our guys into Cetorburg."-

"You are the backbone of the entire attack." Victor added. "If you die, then the attack will falter. Once more, I don't think your king could fathom the thought of having you die when you're so close to the end."

"We'll take this Saiyan on ourselves. Get going!"-

"Right," Riku pulled out a potion and quickly healed himself. He then ran over to Sora who was still prostrate on the ground. "Don't sorry, Sora, I'm here."

"Thank goodness for potions." Sora uttered. Riku pulled out a vial and gave it to Sora. Sora was back on his feet within a few seconds. "Thanks for the recharge."

"Don't mention it."-

"Hah," Ks suddenly shouted. "Do you really think that just because you healed yourselves up, you'd stand a better chance against me?! Fools, you four can heal yourselves all you want, but it won't do any good in the long run! I'm still ten times more powerful than all of you put together and you only have so many means to replenish yourselves! You'll eventually run out of those resources! And when that happens, you will all be at my mercy!"

"I wouldn't be so confident." Sora drew up his keyblade. "Now there are four of us you have to face."

"No, Sora," Kaine said, "You and Riku have fought enough against this foe. You have to get back to the front and help with the advance."

"But…?" Sora was surprised.

"It's no longer your fight." Victor implied. "This is between us and her."

"But you guys…"-

"Listen to what they're saying." Riku said, putting his hand on Sora's shoulder. "They know what they're talking about."

"Riku…"-

"C'mon pal, our friends need us." Sora looked on at Kaine and Victor. He came to realize the severity of the situation. He nodded.

"Alright,"-

"Let's go," Riku and Sora turned towards Cetorburg and withdrew to aid the advance. Riku turned to Kaine and Victor.

"Good luck you guys."-

"Yeah, keep safe."-

"You too," Kaine replied. Riku and Sora thus scurried off to help the rest of the team. Thus, Victor and Kaine were left to deal with the might of Madam General Ks.

"Well, well, well," the Saiyan scoffed, "I must say that you two are quite compassionate for bloodthirsty warriors."

"It had more to do with proper strategy and less to do with compassion." Victor replied. "Had Riku and Sora decided to stay here, it would have been four powerful key bearers against you. However, that is just too many for one fight. The momentum of our attack must remain strong and those two are the pillars of power to the rest of our comrades. Their skills are needed elsewhere. Had they stayed to help in this battle, it would have been a waste of time and effort, especially against one like you."

"You think you're capable of beating me?"-

"The two of us should be more than enough against you." Kaine scoffed.

"Besides, we have a few abilities that should suffice in this confrontation." Victor added.

"Then let's see if your skills are great enough to tackle with me, the leader of the Immortals." Ks prepared her chain bo. "But know this, once this fight is over, you two will be dead and I would have just returned to Cetorburg to eliminate Riku and Sora as well. Therefore, your efforts here would have been in vain."-

"If we do die," Kaine said, "Then we will take you with us."

"Of course that won't happen." Victor snickered.

"We'll just see." Ks replied. Ks suddenly attacked the duo. Kaine and Victor immediately reacted. Deploying their keyblades, they began their battle against the Saiyan.

"Let's just see how powerful a real first generation Immortal actually is." Kaine said.

"Just hold on a while and you'll find out." The clashing between the three was an intense sight and one that could not be so easily observed by the average eye. The speed and the agility they displayed amounted to levels that the average key bearer or Imperial alike was incapable of achieving.

All the while, Riku and Sora once against crossed the vast field to Cetorburg. However, now that the defenses had been breeched, the fire power had slightly died down. Even so, there was still a great deal of devastation amongst the key bearers' ranks. Dodging shot and shell, gas and shrapnel, bullets and wires and mines, the two key bearers made it back to the front to help the rest of their comrades. They rejoined the side of the KH team who was spread out in a thin line, fighting off wave after wave of Immortals.

"There you two are." Goofy said.

"What kept you?" Donald added.

"We had a little difficulty with Ks." Riku replied.

"Did you defeat her?" Kirin asked.

"Unfortunately no…"-

"We might be strong." Sora implied. "But going against a Saiyan warrior? That's too tall an order, even for us to handle."

"Not surprising." Cunla said. "She is after all a first generation Immortal. She's in a completely different league of her own compared to the rest of these Immortal wannabes."

"By the way, where are Victor and Kaine?" Kairi asked.

"They stayed behind to face Ks." Sora explained.

"They're biding enough time for us to rush into the city and take it over." Riku added.

"Then we better not disappoint them." Kirin said.

"That's enough fooling around then!" Sora rushed in. Using Mjollnir, he charged up to the walls of Cetorburg. "We take this city now!"

"Sora," Kairi cried. "Come back!"

"How reckless," Donald grumbled. "Has Sora lost his mind or something?"

They rushed in as well to aid Sora, slaying or maiming every Immortal that stood in the way. The other key bearers followed suit. This rush formed a spearhead maneuver with Sora acting as the tip.

General Marcusio and his staff watched as the spearhead broke through the lines of black and grey and made way for the foundations of the wall.

"They're rushing the walls." General Marcusio said. "Fools, what do they plan to accomplish by doing that?"

But the general would soon realize the truth of how powerful key bearers actually were. Using all he had, Sora slammed Mjollnir into the base of the defenses. On impact, there was a mighty explosion. Masonry stone, artillery pieces, and even Imperial soldiers were sent flying high into the air and crashing amidst the Imperial ranks just behind the wall. The eruption caught the attention of all the Imperials in Cetorburg. Many witnessed this explosion and could not believe that the wall, which was deemed invincible, would come crashing down due to the efforts of a single key bearer. Smoke, dust, and ash puffed in smoke and blew into the first tier.

Both key bearers and Imperials were shocked by what had happened, but the devastation had more dreadful impact on the Axis as they came face to face with the truth of their dire situation. With the collapse of first tier wall also came the thoughts of total invincibility. The Imperials knew now that their so called invulnerability was their greatest vulnerability and there came stirring doubts that the city could hold absolutely against the might of the key bearers. If the key bearers could bring down the first wall so easily, it would only be a matter of time before they reached the very top.

"Sir," Marcusio's subordinate shouted. "They've breeched the wall! They actually destroyed a section of the wall!"

"This cannot be…" Marcusio uttered as the lifted himself up. He looked to see that the explosion had erupted no more than a few yards away from him. He shook his head, his eyes wide with this new born apprehensiveness. "How could they have…?"

Sora stood gasping, the mighty hammer clutched in his hands. His eyes were just as wide. He never anticipated that the impact of Mjollnir would be that great. He now stood before a hole that was fifty yards wide.

"Kaine and Victor were right." He thought to himself. "I am more valuable here at the front. I never would have expected this though."

"Well," Lu Xun uttered, "Sora's tactic might have been reckless, but it certainly saved us the effort of having to storm over."

"The walls have been breeched!" Riku shouted. "Let's give these guys what's coming to them!" Like a title wave, the key bearers rushed in. The Imperial troops all the while were gathering to block the entrance of the youth waves.

"Don't just stand there!" Marcusio shouted to the Imperials. "Kill them all! Don't let the key bearers flood into this tier!"

Instantly, the Imperials upon the walls began firing down at the key bearers, killing them by the score. But the key bearers retaliated. Those who could fly, leaped up and charged at the Imperial ranks, cutting them down with their keyblades or blasting them down with energy waves, if they were capable. More Imperials formed thick ranks to plug up the gap in the wall.

Sora, however, used his Mjollnir and sent a powerful wave rushing at the Imperial lines. Against such a powerful keyblade, even the S class elites found the task difficult. By this time, every Imperial soldier was coming down on the key bearers from the first tier defenses and the second tier began to unleash hell against them. But still the key bearers laid on, none flinching at the hell. After what had happened on the field in their advance, it seemed not even death itself could stop the key bearers from advancing.

However, the attack was not without it's strategists. Lu Xun and Cunla realized that there were still a great deal of Imperials coming at them from the flanks, trying to compress them.

"We have to hold the rear!" Cunla shouted. "We can't afford to be surrounded!"

"Key bearers, form defenses on the flanks," Lu Xun shouted. "We can't have our line collapse, no matter what the cost!"

The key bearers formed up and created a strong defense that extended from the earthworks to the breech at the first wall. Though seeming a rather flimsy defense, it was indeed an impressive sight, as if a great sword of human flesh piercing through the stone walls of Cetorburg.

By this time, the sixth line had finally reached their destination and charged in to help reinforce their comrades. Colonel Durovano moved forward the remaining of his artillery. In their advance, they lost twenty-five percent of their original battery number. But still a full three fourths managed to reach the barracks of Cetorburg. While the majority of the key bearers charged forward into the fray, a select few remained behind to escort the artillery pieces. They heaved each piece over the earth barracks and placed them upon the parapet, facing the Imperial walls.

"Keep those Artillery pieces together!" Durovano explained. "In the meantime, all those crews who lost your cannons in the charge turn about the Imperial field pieces! Give 'em a taste of their own medicine!"

Artillery men reached only a few Imperial cannons that remained intact and turned them about. Using the spare ammunition, they took aim at the Imperial lines.

"Seized Imperial batteries will fire upon the Axis on our flanks" Durovano instructed. "All Alliance batteries fire upon the walls!"

"Fire," the officers shouted and a commencing of artillery barrages began.

The Imperials on the walls were shocked as they watched their comrades suddenly hit by the first barrage.

"What is going on…?!" Marcusio demanded.

"It's the Alliance artillery!" his leading subordinate cried. "They're on the earthworks and are firing a barrage at us! They've even seized some of our battery pieces and are using them against us!"

"Impossible…!" Marcusio looked to see the Alliance guns turned on them. "How can this be happening? Now the Alliance has set up a battery to bombard us?! And they managed to set it up against the wall!"

"Your orders, sir?"-

"I want all able guns to focus on that battery!"-

"We can't, sir! We have no guns to bear on them!"-

"Damn it,"-

The tables had turned against the Imperials now.

At the same time, a much more devastating battle was taking place, far from where the attack had originated, over the still untouched fields of Cetorburg. Kaine and Victor now stood alone, in Riku and Sora's place, to battle against the Imperial Madam General Ks. Both sides had deployed their best in first rate combat. Their grabbling skills were flawless and each warrior was unleashing old tricks learned from their past and passed on from their mentors. Thus, neither side had gained hand over the other. Ks was now battling against two young men whose strengths surpassed her expectations. Kaine and Victor on the other hand were no less expectant. They perceived Ks to be just another cocky Imperial that had no actions to back up her words. But that notion proved inaccurate as the Saiyan's true abilities slowly emerged little by little.

In their bout, they too witnessed the explosion of the first tier. Ks, though surprised at the results at the first defense, was not at all worried. She knew after all that it was Riku and Sora who were leading their troops forward.

"It sounds like your friends are having a hard time keeping us out." Kaine said.

"If your defenses could fall so easily," Victor added, "There's no way Cetorburg will hold out very long against our momentum."

"You keep telling yourself that, boy." Ks chuckled. "You think that you can fight off all the Imperials stationed in that city?" The three continued to fight. "You might have breeched the defenses, but your losses have been extreme, especially after that massive charge you made over all that open ground. I bet you only have half of what you started with, if not less. And that won't be enough to successfully reach the final tiers."

"Don't underestimate the power of the key bearers."-

"And you should not underestimate the power of the Immortals. They'll cut your boys down like wheat."-

"Well, from what I have witnessed of the Immortals," Kaine implied, "They aren't that all impressive."

"Well, what can you expect from third generation Immortals. Many first and second generation Immortals have scattered to reap their own benefits. I am the only one who had enough charisma to stay behind and help rekindle the flame of the Imperial cause."-

"Well, it looks like that flame of yours is starting to flicker a bit."-

"Not if I have anything to do with it." The three continued their battle. "If Riku and Sora couldn't hope to battle me successfully, even at the height of their strength, what makes you think that you'll fair any better?"

"We won't be anymore effective than those two." Victor said. "But it's the principle of the thing." Deep within his mind, the young warrior thought of the love he left behind, a young woman for that matter. Her name reverberated within his mind. Paine. Victor grinned and clutched onto his keyblade. "We fight for a cause, a just cause. Ergo we stand against any obstacle that gets in the way."

"I would expect as much from such famed warriors as your selves."-

"So you've heard of us?"-

"Your reputations as key bearers have proceeded you. Your legends are equal to that of Riku and Sora." The three broke off in their fighting. "William Kaine Anderson, descendant of Father Alexander Anderson. And Victor Tepes, the son of the infamous Alucard Tepes, widely and famously known as Dracula. I never would have thought it to be you until you introduced yourselves to me."

"Then if you know us by reputation, you should also know our other little secret." Kaine chuckled.

"And what secret is that?"-

"If you don't know, you'll soon find out?"-

"Don't test my knowledge of you. You're more known to me than you yourself perceive."-

Ks suddenly charged again and the three continued their fighting frenzy. However, for some reason, Ks had increased in strength and speed suddenly. She had been slowly unleashing her energy so as not to have it detected by Kaine and Victor. Now, without their knowledge, Ks had gained a quick upper hand.

"Where did she get this power?" Kaine asked.

"She must have seeped out more energy." Victor replied.

"But how…? Surely we would have felt a surge."-

"She stalled us on purpose, to make us believe that we had her. All the while, she released her power little by little."-

"What's wrong, boys?" Ks chuckled. "You two don't seem as confident as you did a minute ago."

"So you've been holding back have you?" Kaine growled. "Well, so have we!"

"Is that so?"-

"Just watch us!" Kaine began to glow even more, increasing the power of the White Wolf's Rage. Victor did the same, nearly unleashing his full potential.

"Release Control Restriction System to level one!" He too began to transform as the power surged through his veins. Along with the change in strength came the change in clothing. His trench, tie, shirt and slacks vanished and gave way to a black leather jump suit which hugged every muscle on the young man's body, giving off a fine and intimidating physique. On the chest was born the symbol of Vlad the Impaler and on the back was born a crucifix with a pentagram acting as a background to the entourage.

"Now we're even."-

But their sudden shift in energy levels did not waver the confident Saiyan commander, who only smirked as if amused more by the display rather than intimidated.

"Is that the best you can do?" she chuckled.

"You go ahead and laugh, Ks." Victor declared. "But you'll soon be taking it all back when you find yourself begging for mercy at our feet!"

"Fight me then and force me to kneel."-

"So be it."-

The two attacked. This time, it was they who gained the upper hand. They overwhelmed the Saiyan with their techniques. Victor unleashed Spade and Rain and fired a barrage of bullets at the Saiyan. But the projectiles seemed not to hit their target. As well, even when the Madam General was hit, she bore no wounds, not even a scratch. It was as if the bullets would bounce off of her.

"You fools," she chuckled, "You never fought a Saiyan before have you! Well, I can tell you this. You have no chance of winning. A Saiyan of my stature can never be defeated by the likes of low level mongrels like you."

"You keep telling yourself that." Kaine replied. For ten minutes, the most intense of the entire attack, the three grappled and struck as if predators over a morsel. Their movements were so fast, not even those Imperials observing could see them. However, their impacts could be heard as the burst in the air like a barrage of shot and shell.

It came to the point where Kaine and Victor could no longer bide their time, knowing that doing so any longer would only decrease their energy. They had to finish it. Thus, Kaine broke off from the fight to gain some more power.

"What's the matter, boy?" Ks asked, "You tired already?"

"No," Kaine replied, "Just getting ready."

"For your demise…?"-

"No, for yours," Kaine released his elemental specialty, the power of fire. Like Kirin and Axel before hand, Kaine could manipulate his energy to take a fiery form. The fire element was the one thing he had managed to perfect and dominate over. A fiery aura engulfed his keyblade, Path of Justice, and the flames seemed so hot, they would singe the young man's hand. But Kaine was unhindered by the fire. "I've been developing a few new attacks recently and I've been meaning to try 'em out. This one I call Dante's Inferno."

"Then impress me,"-

"With pleasure," Kaine suddenly released his keyblade so that it levitated at the palm of his hand. He forced it into a spit, so the keyblade evolved into a flaming disk. "Have a taste of this!"

He threw the keyblade and it jetted itself towards the Imperial. Ks only stood her ground, fearing not the blade. The keyblade came closer and closer, increasing in speed and in heat. But at the last minute, when it seemed the keyblade would strike its target, Ks shifted her head to the side, the flames only causing a tingly itch on her cheek.

"Pathetic," she said. But she came to realize that Kaine had vanished from in front of her. "He vanished…"-

"Your mine now…" Kaine said. He appeared behind the general and caught the keyblade. Clutching it tightly, he struck point blank. If there was anything that equaled Kaine's ability to manipulate fire, it was his incredible speed, so fast that the human eye could not register. He struck Ks across the back of the throat. But the moment the blade made contact, something hard slammed into the right side of his head, as if a rock had been tossed at his temple. Kaine went flying towards the ground, his keyblade still clutched in his hand. At the last second, Kaine regained his stamina and avoided striking the soil. He turned to see none other than Ks hovering over him.

"Is that all you're capable of?" she chuckled.

"But how did she…?"-

"You call that speed? Riku and Sora are twice as fast as that! Three times at best!"-

"But how could you have avoided that? My speed excels beyond what the human eye can register!"-

"You forget? You're dealing with a Saiyan, not a human. My registry and keen sense are a hundred times more effective."-

"Is that so…?"-

Ks noticed that Kaine seemed unconcerned with her declaration. And there was a reason why. From behind, while conversing with Kaine, Victor found an open opportunity to strike. His keyblade at the ready, he slashed downward. But Ks knew of his attack and slashed her chain bo rearward. The end struck Victor on the forehead, creating a hideous gash, which drew out blood.

"Your little ambush didn't work." Ks said. She turned to look at Victor. "At this rate, you'll never hope to beat me. You'll receive more wounds than made them." But her words soon backfired as she watched Victor's gash suddenly disappear as if it never was. She was impressed. "Well, so it was you I saw rejuvenating."

"I can rejuvenate from any wound you give me, even a severed limb." Victor replied. "That's the advantage of being descended from one of the greatest vampires who ever lived."

"And he's not the only one." Kaine added. Ks turned to see that Kaine's wound was also healed up. There was no blood present, no cut. It was as if the impact never happened from the start. "You can wound us all you want, but it won't amount to anything."

"So you say," Ks chuckled. It was another turn about shock. What was supposed to concern the Saiyan proved futile. Ks was actually enthralled about the situation.

"I don't like this," Kaine thought to himself. "Doesn't she realize that we can't suffer any wounds?"

"You think that just because you are able to heal yourselves naturally that you are invincible? You expect me to just apologize and retire bowing? I think not my misguided friends. Had you been more exposed to the outer worlds, you would have come to realize that being descended from a flawless family lineage, even from that of an immortal, amount to nothing." She turned towards Victor. "I realize that you don't share the same flaws as other vampires. You've inherited all of their strengths and none of there weaknesses. But don't think that'll save you. We've encountered individuals like you, from homunculi to other vampires, to those who were even granted immortality through a wish, a cast spell, or even cursed gold or fate. And in the process, we've found a way to deal with your kind no matter what the circumstance."

It was at that moment that Ks unleashed a powerful enigmatic energy, bursting with a blood red glow and surging with white electricity. Its center was solid black, the energy swirling about within itself like a cloudy maelstrom of ominous properties.

"Prepare your selves, boys…" she said. "Your natural talents and abilities will no longer prove the deciding factor of this battle."


	126. A Worthy Cause

A Worthy Cause

Kaine and Victor were now confronted by this strange and rather bizarre form of attack. Ks held the strange ball of energy tightly in her hands. Though impressive, the two key bearers only scoffed at what they were seeing.

"So tell me," Kaine said, "Is that supposed to scare us or something?"

"You should be concerned." Ks replied. "This energy will be all that's needed to bring forth your downfall."

"It is impressive," Victor said, "But can you really use it against us? We won't make it easy for you."

"Is that what you think?" Ks raised the index and middle fingers of her free hand to the side of her head. "Then perhaps neutralizing you will be the best way to start. Let's see how you like this little trick I picked up when battling against the famed Z team during the Vandor Campaign." With her free hand, Ks accumulated a great deal of energy. "Solar Flare!"

Instantly, a bright light bellowed forth. It was a flash like nothing the two key bearers had ever encountered. The flash was so bright that their pupils throbbed with pain.

"This light," Kaine uttered.

"My eyes," Victor cried.

The light soon faded, but the attack had taken its toll, immobilizing the youths. They covered their eyes with their hands, unable to squint. Simply opening their eyes was painful.

"Now, you're mine!" Ks suddenly rushed in with her condensed energy. Victor's sight quickly healed. But by the time they did, the deed had been done and it was too late for him to react. Ks forced the energy into his gut. Within that instant, the energy absorbed into Victor's body and the forced sent him reeling rearward. The pain only lasted for a few seconds before Victor was able to overcome and retake his stance against Ks. He cracked his neck side to side.

"Was that it?" he chuckled. "Was that all you were capable of doing? That energy didn't even put a scratch on me."

"It seems that your little attack failed." Kaine mocked the Saiyan. "All that effort and this was the end result. As far as I can see, Victor is still alive and kicking."

Then, Ks without warning suddenly charged. She struck Victor across the face with her chain bo and sent the young man reeling side wards. Victor was quick to regain his stance, but now there was a strange feeling that reverberated at the place where he was struck. It was a tingly and throbbing sensation, something he was not all too familiar with. He rubbed his face to feel a hideous gash on his face, which stung the moment his fingers made contact with it. He winched and felt a strange wetness that soaked his finger tips. Looking down, he came to realize that what had soiled his digits. It was his own blood, a dark crimson red, more black than anything. As for his wound, it did not vanish as it had done before.

"What is this…?" Victor said. "This sensation…"

"So my attack did work after all." Ks chuckled. "The effects of it have proven positive."

"What did you do to Victor?!" Kaine demanded to know.

"Since your friend is the son of the feared Nosferatu, I figured his healing abilities were inherent and required little or no energy on his part. Therefore, his abilities prove more of a threat than yours do. His body can quickly heal up any damage inflicted on him, even a severed limb. That's something that even you weren't fully blessed with or so I've heard. Such is the legacy of an enigmatic bloodline. However, the attack I used made all those traits irrelevant. None, no matter how invincible or immortal they are, could withstand the effects of that one attack, a special manipulation technique used only by a select few. And I just happen to be one of those select few. It is an attack that deals with all immortals, one that has been practiced since the forging of the universe billions of years in the making, and one that even the famed Tepes family can't even overcome. It was a technique meant to eliminate even the immortality of gods and deities. And the outcome of the energy justifies its name, The Immortal Killer."-

"But if it is called the Immortal Killer," Victor uttered, "Why am I still alive?"

"The Immortal Killer was not meant to kill its target. It is simply a method used to deprive that individual of any kind of means that make him or her immortal or otherwise invulnerable. In your case, you will no longer be able to rejuvenate yourself naturally. To add, you have become, shall we say, mortal, despite your immortal lineage. Ergo, you will feel fatigue and pain and will be susceptible to death as any other. And that means you'll be a lot easier to kill. As well, when you use your more powerful techniques, you lose a great deal of stamina and energy as any mortal would. So you might want to watch out on what techniques you use on me this time." Ks suddenly shook the ends of her chain bow. From the ends, emerged two glimmering, foot long blades. "Let's just see how reckless you are now!"

Ks attacked again and swung away with her new revealed blades. Victor suddenly found himself more on the defensive. Now that the wound had taken effect, it began to wear on his mind, not allowing him to focus.

"So this is what it feels like to be mortal."-

"There is only one way to break the effects of the Immortal Killer." Ks said. "And that is to slay the one that cast it!"

"Then that shouldn't be much of a problem for me!" Kaine shouted as he rushed in to help his friend. He prepared to strike from behind, but Ks' bo swung about and slashed him across the chest. His wound eventually healed, but the outcome had proven that the fight was no longer a game.

"Just because you can heal yourself doesn't prove that you'll be any match for me in the long run. It is I who now has the advantage over you."-

"Just because you deprived me of some of my abilities doesn't mean you can take me lightly!" Victor declared. He released his strength one hundred percent. "Release Control Restriction System to level zero!" There was another surge and Victor stood tall with his keyblade tight in hand. The energy surged through his body.

Again, he took another strange transformation. Victors jumper transformed into heavy medieval with a flowing black cape, giving him a more ominous and threatening presence. His hair suddenly lengthened to his waist side. Upon his face, a beard and moustache appeared, further giving him a macho appearance. Along with his change came a boost in power that caused the skies at the eastern fields to grow dark.

"Impressive…" the Saiyan whispered.

"Victor's going all out now." Kaine thought to himself. "He's holding nothing back. Now, Ks will witness one of the ultimate powers that reigned in this or any other world."

"Let's see you face me now!" Victor chuckled.

He launched himself into a frenzy of speed, one which caught even the mighty Ks off guard. Ks was astounded as she witnessed this heightened swiftness.

"This speed," she uttered, "How did he…?"

But before another syllable could be added, Ks was struck in the face by Victor. The Saiyan flew rearward only to be struck again by Victor. Ks turned about to face him. But the moment she set up a new offensive, she was again struck. This time, it was Kaine who too the offensive, aiding his comrade.

"You forget that I'm here too," he said. "Never turn your back on me…ever."

"Little bastards," Ks growled. The duo pummeled the Saiyan with their heightened power. Like raved wolfhounds, they preyed upon the Imperial, slashing away with their keyblades, their bear hands, and whatever means they bore to inflict damage. The techniques to which they were feared came upon the general a hundred fold, beating her senselessly like a rag dog. Left and right Ks was hit until she was sent flying towards the ground.

"Now let's see you dodge this, Ks!" Kaine shouted. "Another new tactic I call Judgment of Heaven!" He unleashed a ball of fire, which surrounded his body. The heat was intense. Kaine then spun the flaming sphere about within itself and then shot the fireball at Ks. The Saiyan managed to halt herself from the fall and turned to face the fireball now only feet away. She drew up her arms to guard her face. There was a terrific explosion, equaling the eruption Sora unleashed upon Cetorburg's walls with Mjollnir. The heat scorched the fields, burning a great deal of the greenery and leaving a hideous black circle of charred soil. Flames, smoke, ash, and bits of burned dirt flew into the air, mucking the sky, making a suffocating atmosphere.

Kaine and Victor were caught their breath after that pummel.

"If only Yuna could see me now." Kaine thought to himself, thinking of the love he had left behind.

"That's the end of that trash." Victor added. But no sooner had the words escaped his lips, the duo could not believe their eyes as a blackened form appeared from out of the smoke and ash.

Ks had barely received a scratch. Say for a little singe on her greatcoat and her face slightly soiled and bloodied, the Saiyan seemed unhindered by what had just occurred.

"Was that all you could do?" she said with a snicker.

"Impossible," Kaine uttered. "She shouldn't even be here. She should be soot by now."

"I unleashed the full extent of my power into those last blows." Victor added. "That alone should have been enough to finish her off for good."

"It just goes to show that your skills are still less threatening than Riku and Sora's." Ks said as she duster herself off. "Your attacks might have seemed effective, but the reality was I was only putting on a façade to make you think that you were winning. The reason being is because I was eager to see those stunned looks on your faces when you realized your efforts were in vain, like the ones you're showing now. It matters not how swift the gnat is. It can never hope to defeat the bull." Ks flew high into the air to confront the now wavering youths. "However, I must say that I found the beating you gave me to be some what of a monotony. That was quite an impressive feat of strength you displayed. I hope you enjoyed your little triumph because it's going to cause you your lives. If there is one thing I hate more than being struck, it's being struck by losers."

Ks held nothing back now. She unleashed an incredible amount of energy that nearly blew the duo away.

"This power…" Victor uttered.

"Has she been hiding it this whole time?" Kaine added. "I never would have thought it would be this great!"

"Now it's really going to get ugly for you!" Ks shouted. "I've been playing with you for far too long! My misjudgment of you was a disgraceful call on my part! But no more! I will kill you here and now!"

Ks swiftly attacked, her power surging around her. Almost instantly, she struck at the duo. Her power was overwhelming, increasing her speed, her agility, and her physical power ten fold. Once again, the tide had turned, if it ever had from the start. This time, it was Kaine and Victor who are at the mercy of Ks.

All the while, Riku and Sora, leading their soldiers into the fray, suddenly felt the energy in the air.

"This power," Sora said, "Could it be…?"

"It's Ks," Riku replied. "It feels like she's unleashing hell against Victor and Kaine."

"Do you think they stand a chance against her?"-

"I don't know…" Riku sighed. "I can only hope for their success. But the way the balance of power dictates, the chance may be very slim."

"Behold the true power of a Saiyan Warrior!" Ks roared. She pummeled the youths left and right, as if a million of her were about them at the same time. Kaine and Victor were not used to fending against the amount of strength hostile towards them. It came to the point where they could only maintain a fragile defense since an offensive was out of the question. Ks pummeled and slashed, beat with her hands and feet, and even went so far as unleashing an endless barrage of energy beams.

"This can't be happening." Kaine uttered as he wiped the blood from his lip. It healed up quickly. "How can one person obtain so much power?"

"I don't know." Victor replied. He felt his wounds throb. "So this is what it's like to feel pain, to not be able to rejuvenate. You're one lucky son of a gun, Kaine. She didn't target you with that Immortal Killer."

"That is unless she decides to plunge her dagger deep into my chest. You forget I can only heal any broken bones or shallow wounds. I can't fully recover from any type of wound like you can. And my body has to use up so much energy to do such mending."

"What's the matter, boys?" Ks mocked them from above. "Have you lost all your will to fight?"

"Look at that," Kaine wearily raised his head. "We're getting the beatings of our lives and she just hovers over us without a scratch. What if she's right? What if we can't win? We've never encountered a foe as powerful as this. If Riku and Sora couldn't faze her, what chance do we have?"

"No," Victor growled, "I will not bow down to that wretch! I will not allow myself to crawl like an insect before her feet! We are descendents of two mighty bloodlines! And I don't know about you, but I am not about to disgrace myself or my family just because one individual says we don't stand a chance. Certainly she's powerful and certainly she has us under her boot, but what is the cause to which she fights? Is it simply to regain Imperial might? If that's all she has, then Ks will fall swiftly and easily. Once she realizes that her strength means nothing in the end, her will to fight shall break and her thirst for battle will cease."

"You idiots," Ks shouted, "Do you plan on standing about, wasting my time, or have you come to the conclusion that all of your efforts were futile and are just awaiting the final blow?"

"We'll never bow down to you!" Victor declared. He leaped up and charged at the Saiyan. He deployed all of his attacks, caring no longer for what would happen to him. Kaine quickly pursued and the two again regained a strong foothold against Ks.

"We'll bring you down!" Kaine added.

"That's the spirit!" Ks chuckled. "Don't cry when you lose!"

"Shut up!"-

Across the entire eastern front, the two did battle with Ks, their movements thundering along the way. The Imperials on the eastern defenses cheered for the madam general. It was those comments, however, that caused Kaine and Victor to become excessively enraged, yet at the same time excessively discouraged.

"Kill those cocky upstarts!" they would cry. "Kill the key bearers! They're nothing compared to our great Madam General Ks, defender of the Imperial Regime."

Such negative saying could be heard even at the distance and at the speed they were going.

"Those bastards better shut up." Kaine growled.

"Don't mind them." Ks chuckled. "They can cheer all they want."

"Easy for you to say, they're all cheering for you!"-

"Is that a bad thing?"-

"It's getting on my nerves!"-

"Then I should tell them to turn it up a notch!"-

"Don't let her and those other fools get the best of your mind, Kaine." Victor implied. "They're all just loud mouths anyway. Besides, once Riku and Sora bring the fight to them, they won't be yelling as loud anymore."

"You really have that much faith in those two?"-

"Riku and Sora have become the mythical heroes of the key bearers. The legends of their exploits and their adventures have reverberated throughout all the worlds. There is not a single key bearer who does not know their names. Compared to them, our own exploits seem trivial and insignificant. But that is the reason why we're willing to lay down our lives for them. That is why we took on the task for battling against you. So long as they lead the front, the key bearers' wills will never be broken."-

"In that case, I'll just have to kill them instead." The fight broke off. "Besides, you guys aren't even worth my time anymore. Since you claim to have no real importance, there is no reason for us to keep fighting like this."

"What are you…?"-

"Sorry boys, but I have to end the fight short." Ks drew up her hand in the same gesture as she did before putting Victor to the Immortal Killer.

"She's gonna do it again!" Kaine cried. The two shielded their eyes.

"Solar Flare," There was another bright flash of light and the youths were literally blinded, despite their pre-defense. Even with their eyes sealed shut, the light seemed to pierce through and burn their irises. The light soon faded and the duo slowly opened their eyes.

"You ran away, Ks?!" Victor shouted. But suddenly, there was a sharp pain and a deep thud that entered in his gut. Ks had thrust the end of her chain bo into the youth and pierced upward, chancing to strike at his heart and lungs. Victor winced and blood seeped from his mouth.

"Who said anything about running away?" The Saiyan whispered deviously into his ear. "I just needed a diversion to help slow you down." She cut the blade upward and more phlegm spewed from the vampire's mouth. "The blade may not be made of silver, but who cares. Once you're struck with the Immortal Killer, you can be slain just as easily by standard means of death."

"Victor," Kaine cried. He charged Ks. "You monster!"

"Monster eh…?" Ks turned about and fired an energy beam from her finger. "You of all people should be talking!" The beam she fired bore identical characteristics and properties to the Immortal Killer. The beam struck Kaine in the gut and pierced all the way through his body, leaving a cavity three inches in diameter. At the same time, a miniscule explosion caused his entire ribcage to shatter and his vital organs to rupture. His left lung had been incinerated and half of his entrails were lost. Ks grinned with an upstart's posh. "Oh did I forget to mention that I can unleash the Immortal Killer in the form of an energy wave? I know all about you regenerators and your nanotechnology. Your nanotech might have been able to somehow withstand the effects of the shield, but it can't escape the effects of the Immortal Killer. I can't have you rejuvenating and stabbing me in the back now can I?" Kaine winced and went falling towards the ground. His White Wolf's Rage diminished and the life was stricken from his eyes. "Try recovering from that."

"No…Kaine…" Victor uttered as he watched his friend fall lifelessly to the ground. He sneered at Ks. "You'll never get away with this…"

"I already have." Ks withdrew the blade from out of his body and let Victor slowly slump in her grasp. "This battle still holds a haziness in the final conclusion, but this fight is over for you two. And without the ability to rejuvenate your self anymore, the great son of Alucard Tepes shall fall dead at the hands of a Saiyan warrior. Consider it an honor though and an end of a legacy that has lasted over four millennia. If only your father could see you now. He would find you a disgrace to your family lineage. The Great Alucard cursed with a worthless scrapper for a son. You might be older than most, but I guess that's what made you so easy to extinguish. Your greatest asset proved to be your greatest weakness, as is expected of all." She then spit in the youth's face. "That's for all the grief and pain you gave me, boy." Ks looked down, observing the place where Kaine now lay. "You and your friend can be together in death now." Giving no more regards to Victor's fate, she threw the dying youth next to his already lifeless comrade. He hit the charred soil aside his friend. "That takes care of that rift raft, now to my other business. I still have to settle a little unresolved score with Riku and Sora. And once they're dead, then the assault of the key bearers will fall with them."

Ks then withdrew back to Cetorburg, via the eastern front. All the while, Victor still managed to move a little. He crawled to his friend, blood spewing from his wound. With wearing body and mind, he placed his hand upon Kaine's chest. Kaine stirred. His eyes half open. With blurry pupils, he gazed at the son of Alucard.

"Hey there, Victor." He uttered. "You look like hell…"

"You too," Victor replied, his voice wavering. "We've definitely had better days." They lay close together, almost in a tender embrace. "So this is what it feels like. This is what it's like to die…I don't know, but for some reason, it feels soothing…"

"We gave it our best… I just hope it was enough…" Kaine looked to the sky. "I feel so very tired…"

"I know…" Victor smiled. "Me too…" He gazed only at Kaine as the boy's eyes slowly closed. "Riku…Sora…It's all up to you now…"

With that, the two lay side by side upon the field.

The diminishing of their powers did not go unnoticed. Riku and Sora felt the energy vanish.

"Riku…" Sora uttered. "Victor and Kaine, I can't feel their energy anymore!"

"Damn it," Riku growled, "I hope that it's our senses deceiving us!"

"But you and I felt it."-

"This can't be happening." Just then, Riku felt another surge of energy, this time through his own body. "This power…"

"Hey Riku…" Sora too felt the same surge in his own body. "This energy I'm feeling. Could it be…?"-

"I think it is, but we'll wait for the opportune moment."-

By this time, the seventh line had reached the barracks and now helped to confront the Imperials. But as they charged in, they were in for another surprise. The Imperial forces were still thick around them and their columns could now only go so far. To add, the sight of the dead and the wounded was overwhelming, even to the most hardened of veterans. Of the three hundred and fifty thousand who made it across the field, now only one hundred and seventy five thousand remained fit for combat and their numbers still dwindled with every attack the Imperials made upon them.

Durovano's artillery, despite their gallantry, could not infinitely maintain a steady and continuous fire. The Imperials were still thick around them.

"We're not going to last at this rate." One of his officers cried. "The pieces are starting to burn red hot and the ammunition is fading to its final shots."

"Then tell the key bearers to seize and batteries that are still of use." Caribe replied. "We'll use those as replacements."

"But even so, we still have to hold a defensive position here. We can't succeed without support."-

"So long as Riku and Sora are at the front, there is nothing that the Imperials can throw at us that we can't deflect."-

"But even so, not even Riku and Sora can survive, let alone win, if our rear caves in. We've already lost over half of our number and yet we still have three more tiers to surmount."-

"Very well then, send a message to our headquarters." He looked at the sky. There were no clouds and the sun had hit its noon peak. "Use a solar message. Inform the general of our situation."-

"Yes sir," the officer replied and withdrew to the safety of the earthen slopes."-

Madam General Devardios and her staff were observing the attack when they saw the reflecting light of a signal mirror.

"It's a solar message." Lieutenant Gallagher implied.

"What's it say?" The Madam General asked. The lieutenant read the message aloud.

"Attention, attention, we need immediate reinforcements. Our forces have so far managed to pierce through the first wall and are fighting their way into the first tier. However, the Imperials are still thick around us. Requesting aid as soon as possible."-

"Unfortunately there's not one we can send." Captain Malorius implied.

"Where are those advanced forces the Alliance main body was supposed to send?" Devardios asked.

"There's still no word."-

"Perhaps we can splurge some troops from Kira Yamato's mobile suit troops." Lieutenant Gallagher advised.

"There are only a thousand mobile suit pilots. They wouldn't do anyone any good charging into that field. They'd be stricken by those heavy guns in a matter of seconds. And we can't use the mobile suits so long as those shields are in tact."-

"But the key bearers have no further aid. The seventh line has made it over the earthworks and is holding as best they can."-

"We just have to wait," Devardios explained. "We have no other choice."

As the key bearers inched their way into the endless chaos, they came before the second tier, which shot endless streams of bullets with their heavy machine guns. Some of the key bearers launched themselves into the air and used energy waves to dispose of the guns. Some even made it as far as the second tier, only to find them selves engaged in one on a thousand grappling matches with the Imperial defenders.

"Keep inching forward!" Riku shouted.

"Let's have at them!" Kirin added. "That's the style!"

"Whip 'em boys!" Kairi cried. "Push 'em back!"

The key bearers inflicted heavy casualties on the Imperials at the same time suffering an equal amount. The defenders held tight, but the key bearers gave reckless advances, breaking the lines. By the dozen per second they fell, blood flowed in streams down the gutters. Bodies were mangled and trampled by clashing fronts.

"We're almost to the wall!" Sora cried. "Keep going!"

There was one last thrust before the key bearers gained an open route to the second tier. But at the last moment, as it seemed another tier would fall to the key bearers, unfortunate events came into full sway and fate denied them access. Suddenly standing before the advancing front, Madam General Ks appeared.

"It's Ks," Riku uttered.

"Hello boys," the general chuckled, "Did you miss me?"

"Great," Sora grumbled, "What else could go wrong?"

"If she's here," Riku thought. He clutched his fist tightly before openly declaring. "What happened to Kaine and Victor?! What did you do to them?!"

"Oh the regenerator and the immortal, eh?" Ks said heartily. "I put them down for a long nap."

"You mean you…?"-

"They should have realized that their methods and their abilities aren't all top of the line in other worlds, especially here where I reside."-

"Why you…?" Sora growled, but Riku held him back.

"Save your strength, Sora." Riku replied. "We'll have our moment."

"I highly doubt that." Ks declared. "Your two little stand-ins fell so easily to me. But what can you expect? They were weak and inexperienced with the logistics outside their own world." Ks cracked her neck a bit. "Now, as I recall, we too still have a little unfinished business to sort out. I realize now that once you two are dead, then this attack or yours will die along with you."

"How do you know that? How do you know the attack will fail?"-

"They say that in order to warn off a hundred, one must go for the leader. Take out the leader of the cause and the cause itself will crumble. In this case, if you two die, then even the heartiest of key bearers will lose heart and withdraw."-

"You don't know that for sure."-

"Oh I don't, do I? Well, for your information it has happened in the past, including with the fall of the former Dark Empire. The greatest empires have always died the moment the one who forged them, falls."-

"Don't start thinking that the key bearers are anything like that."-

"If we were meant to duck our tails in retreat every time we thought we'd lose," Sora implied, "then we wouldn't be wielding these keyblades would we!"

"It's all in due time." Ks chuckled.

"Enough of this!" Sora charged at Ks.

"Sora, no," Riku cried, trying to stop him.

"You killed Kaine and Victor! You'll pay for that!"-

"Unscrew…" Ks chuckled. She drew up her chained bo and too the blunt of Sora's keyblade head on. The two grappled with great ferocity.

"Damn it." Riku grumbled and quickly launched himself into the fight as well. The two went head to head again with the Madam General.

Kairi looked up and watched as her two childhood friends entered the fray with this most powerful of foes. She feared for them and wished to aid.

"Riku, Sora," she cried, but Kirin grabbed hold of her.

"You can't do anything for them right now." He said. "This is a fight that they must resolve on their own."

"But they don't stand a chance! I have to help them!"

"And have them worry about your safety as well?"-

"But Kirin…"-

"Kairi, we have to keep the cause going! Riku and Sora are doing their part. We have to maintain ours!" Kairi sulked, but perked up her head at the sound of her brother's words.

"You're right. We have to keep going!" She drew up her keyblade and began to attack the Imperials along side her brother and the rest of her comrades.

All the while, the fight now escalated into the air and throughout the southern front. Riku and Sora gave all they could, but their results were still the same. Unlike Saiyans, Riku and Sora didn't achieve all that much more fighting experience. Again, it seemed the tide was wavering against them.

"You'd think that after your last little blunder, you would have learned by now not to face me again."-

"It's human nature!" Sora said as they fought. "We don't give up so easily and we don't die so easily either!"

"And as human nature, you seldom learn from your mistakes. You think one thing even though the writing is clearly on the wall denying your point of view."-

"Enough talk!" Riku shouted. "Talking won't get us anywhere! If we want to put our points straight, then we fight until one side is defeated."

"At last you're talking my language! Actions speak louder than words, especially raw violence!"-

Back and forth the trio battled, but it was already apparent that Riku and Sora were at a complete disadvantage. Separated, they barely could maintain a strong defense, let along engaging in an offense. For a full ten minutes, they engaged. They separated themselves from the rest of the line, hoping to draw Ks' attention away from the rest of their comrades and their motive proved effective. It seemed that all Ks was after as the two of them. She had concluded that the moment Riku and Sora died, the rest would fall like dominos.

"What's the matter, boys?" she mocked at them. "Don't you want to prove your manly power and fight me fair and square? I might be a Saiyan, but I'm still a woman. You're not scared of a woman are you?"

"After seeing Kairi angry several times in our lives," Sora replied, "We have every reason to think otherwise."

"You cowards, what are you afraid of?"-

"It has nothing to do with being cowards." Riku said. "Even the most skilled warriors need strategies every now and then." He inwardly exclaimed in his mind. "That's what will be your downfall. You think too much that you have us against the ropes. That's what gives us the advantage. Sooner or later, you're bound to make a mistake."

The fight continued with the duo still using evasion techniques. This wore the mind of Ks.

"You little bastards," she roared, "Stop running away and fight me right! Kaine and Victor put up a better fight than you!"

"Don't you know anything?" Sora explained. "We're waiting for the opportune moment."

"Cheeky aren't we?" Ks suddenly halted her attacks against them and only hovered about in the air, as if waiting for them to go on the offensive. "So you're waiting for the opportune moment are you? You think I'm stupid enough to allow you to lure me into a trap. I will not follow your agenda. I have my own schedule to keep. From this point on, you'll be following my time."

"And why should we?"-

"Because unlike you, I don't really care for my comrades," Ks drew out her arm. At her palm came a ball of energy. Riku and Sora knew what she was planning. "You think I wouldn't know? The Z team pulled that same strategy. They would lure their opponent to some secluded area so they wouldn't fear for their comrades getting hurt. Well, I've already become accustomed to such trivial tactics and I know exactly what buttons to push to get what I want."

"Oh no," Riku uttered.

"Now watch as I wreak terror upon your friends." With that Ks unleashed a multi- beam barrage that was aimed right at the line of key bearers. The youths looked on as the barrage came upon them.

"Incoming," one shouted.

"Deflect those beams." another added. Some of the key bearers launched themselves into the air and deflected the beams as best they could. However, being too numerous, many of the beams found their mark and wiped away a great deal of not only key bearers, but fellow Imperials as well, S class elites as well as Immortals.

"No," Sora cried. He feared for Kairi and the others.

Kairi on the other hand watched as one beam came straight at her. She screamed and flinched, waiting for the end. But Kirin intervened at the last minute and threw himself into the path of the beam. He tumbled down with his sister in his arms and rolled away just as the beam hit. Debris and rubble fell upon them, but they were unhindered.

"Are you okay?" Kirin asked.

"I'm fine." Kairi added.

"That ought to singe their feathers for them." Ks chuckled.

"Leave them alone!" Sora shouted. His rage heightened, he recklessly charged at the Saiyan. Ks turned to face him, the blade of her chain bo ready to strike. Like a whip she thrust the bo, hoping to slash the youth's throat. Sora, too overcome by his anger charged head on. At the last minute, Riku threw himself on Sora and pulled him out of the way, just as blade passed. Riku received a small cut on his cheek, but nothing too serious.

"Damn, I missed." Ks glared at the key bearers.

"You know you can't accomplish anything by attacking in such a manner." Riku said.

"She has to die," Sora growled. "I don't care anymore! She has to die!"

"If we're gonna fight her, we've got to use the old bean. We have to use our combined powers to fight here."-

"But it didn't work that last time."-

"That was last time. This time, we have a little something extra in store for her."-

"What do we do then?"-

"Just do as we did before, Final Form with Rage, Darkness, and Devotion. The other boost we'll use at the opportune moment."-

"Well, boys," Ks demanded, "I'm still waiting. Are we gonna fight or not?"

"You want a fight? Then we'll give you a fight." Sora prepared to unleash the full extent of his strength and become Final Form once again. Ks watched as both he and Riku began to glow that familiar luminance. "Final…"

But before the fusion could be performed, Ks intervened and whipped Sora across the face. Sora went flying.

"Sora," Riku cried. He too was struck down by the Saiyan.

"I'm not gonna let you two perform your little Hyper Mode Fusion." She declared. "I find it easier and much more enjoyable to deal with you when you're apart. Besides, I want to see your individual faces when they twitch in pain. The more, the merrier I always say."

Sora slowly staggered and spit out blood that had accumulated in his mouth. He wiped the sweat from his brow. He looked up and saw Ks coming down upon him.

"It's only a matter of time." Ks said. "Soon, you'll be so sick of my torment, you'll be begging me to kill you."

"Sorry," Sora uttered, "Begging isn't exactly by thing."

"Well, you'll soon get used to doing so."-

"You lay a hand on Sora and you'll have to answer to me." A voice shouted. Ks looked and saw Riku standing not too far away. Ks only laughed at the young man's futile attempts to seek justice for his stricken companion.

"Why bother standing up a second time, Riku? You stand no chance against me. Even when you are fused together, you can do little damage to me."-

"Then let's see how you like this little tactic." Riku suddenly unleashed a new power. His body began to glow a strong golden luminance. "I've been waiting a long while to use this. It was an attack…I optionally used when making a last ditch effort at Long Valley. And had this been optional back in Atlantis, Saber would have been defeated far sooner than he would have. This should be more than enough to deal with the likes of you."

"This power…" Ks was stunned, but not that concerned. Sora on the other hand knew what it was that surged through Riku's body.

"Riku is using…" He backed off apprehensively. "He's really going to use it this early in the game? I thought we were waiting for the opportune moment?"

"Interesting, Riku, so you've began to glow a little." Ks folded her arms in front of her. "So what is that to me? You believe that such a technique can work effectively against a first generation Immortal such as I?"

"Sora," Riku shouted. "Stand down! Wait for the opportune moment!"

"The opportune moment…?" Sora thought. Then he realized what Riku meant. Their opportune moments were of different times. He nodded. "I understand…"

"Then it's settled?"-

"So you're going to attack alone against me?" Ks smirked and drew up her weapon. "You're brave, I'll give you that."

But as those words exited the mouth of the Saiyan, so did her expectations of how the battle would conclude. Riku's strength and speed suddenly increased with epic crescendo. Riku emerged on her right before Ks could properly react. She drew up her bow chain and blocked the strike. But no sooner had that happened, Riku vanished only to appear to her rear. He struck with double keyblades now and Ks, despite her vigor, found herself at a disadvantage. Her confidence began to waver as she felt the full force of this new released strength.

"This power," she uttered to herself. "Where did it come from?" Riku pounded away at her and Ks did all in her ability to maintain a strong defense.

"How can this be happening?" Ks inwardly spoke. "Just a few seconds ago, this boy and his friend were at my mercy. Where in God's name did he pick up this increase in power and speed? I can barely keep up with him. I haven't had this type of situation happen to me since the day the Z team attacked Vandor."

"Not so funny when the boot's on the other foot is it." Riku declared.

"You just wait and see! When I regain my stride, you won't be so cocky! Your new found power can't last forever!"-

"We'll just see!" The two continued to battle.

"Riku," Sora uttered as he watched the fight unfold above him.

"I better finish this fight as soon as I can." Riku thought to himself. "Ks is right. I don't know how much longer my body can take this. I have to finish this on the next couple of hits."

"These key bearers," Ks implied in her mind, "How could they suddenly become so incredibly strong one minute after being pummeled by a strong foe prior? Well, I'll soon put this insect in his place." Ks managed to evade one of Riku's blows and struck the youth upon the face with her chain bo. But to her dismay, though the wood made direct impact to Riku's temple, the youth seemed unfazed by the strike. The Saiyan's eyes grew immense as this shocking development unfolded. "Impossible."

"Nice try," Riku said, "but not good enough." Riku attacked again.

"But how could he withstand a blow like that." All of a sudden, Ks began to dwindle in her confidence. Surely such an impossible thing was not happening.

Ks carried on with her battle against Noctin Tilandir. But eventually, she made a mistake. Perhaps it was her apprehensiveness. Perhaps there was a shred of doubt plaguing her mind. Perhaps it was the new strength Riku displayed that caused her to freeze. Whatever the reason may be, Ks had become rather sluggish. And with one mighty blow, Riku slammed the shaft of his keyblade across her face. He then reappeared behind Ks and pummeled her into the air. He appeared again no more than a few feet above her within a second's course and slammed her towards the ground again. He then struck her in the back, just as Ks was about to strike the ground, and sent her flying into the buildings of the first tier. There was terrific destruction as a plethora of structures came crashing down, or crumbled by a few stories, leaving a path of destruction in the wake. Ks quickly jumped back up and regained her composure. Her smirk had long since dissipated and transformed into a hideous snarl. Dirt now covered her face and flood seeped from her lip and from a small cut in her right cheek. Wiping the red fluid from her face, she gazed upon the blood staining her white gloves. Ks cringed with a vengeance, tightening her fist and clenching her teeth.

"That little bastard," she growled. "How dare he force me to shed my noble Saiyan blood! He's a mere human, an insignificant key bearer. Yet he manages to strike me down? He will pay for this."

"Riku's actually doing it." Sora thought to himself, "He's bringing that Saiyan down, and all due to the might of the Musou Rage." Sora pondered at the technique that both he and Riku were given so graciously by Lu Bu. "HJThe power of the Musou Rage, a technique that can only be used after defeating one hundred foes." He then looked at the area where Ks had last made impact. "Man, he really pummeled that Imperial. I bet she's feeling it now."

"Wow," Riku inwardly stated. "That was one hell of a rush. I was so fast, not even I could pick up my own movements. After that little scuffle, I bet Ks won't be opening her mouth as widely as she did before." But his jubilance turned to concern as he felt his body throb with pain. The rush suddenly dissipated, leaving him more tired than before. His angelic glow suddenly vanished. "No, not now…"

"Oh no," Sora watched as Riku regressed to his normal state. He felt the sudden surge of energy vanish like a candle flicker. "The Musou Rage has already been used up and left Riku drained." The voice of Lu Bu reverberated through the young key bearer's mind.

"_You must only use it when you really need to, because every time you use the Musou Rage, the more of your own energy it takes away from you, wearing down your body to the extent where it won't fully recover."_

"At this point, Riku can't possibly defend himself, especially when the Musou Rage drained him of his strength."-

"I took too long." Riku uttered. His grief was only heightened as he watched Ks suddenly emerge from the billowing clouds of smoke. His eyes drew wide and drops of apprehension formed on his brow, "All that effort and I barely even put a dent in her defense."

Ks felt the downfall in power.

"What happened to all that power you had?" she asked. Riku was silent. Ks wiped her face and smirked. "I see, the surge of power was just too much for you, eh Riku?" Ks walked forward. "Too bad, you could have used that boost right about now."

"Damn it," Riku uttered. "I better heal myself up before it's too late." He pulled out a potion to heal himself. But before he could take a swig, Ks grasped at Riku's arm and twisted it. Riku cried out, releasing the vial.

"There will be no healing for you, boy." Ks chuckled as she took the vial. She twisted Riku's arm even further and sent him to his knees, crying out in pain.

"Leave him alone!" Sora shouted. He rushed to aid his friend. But Ks only unleashed laser eyes and blew Sora back. The young key bearer fell to the ground.

"You stay out of this, Sora. You have no chance against me." Ks guzzled the vial of potion gluttonously. Her body was healed up and replenished. She then crushed the vial until only little shards of glass protruded through her fingers. She then lifted Riku up, his sneer unbroken. "You caused me pain, you little bastard. I'll return the favor a hundred fold."

She then began to punch the youth across the jaw. And with glass particles still clutched in her hand, she cut and scraped Riku's face. She then punched him in the cut, ripping his shirt and causing blood streaks on his abdomen. Riku cried out, gasping as he felt the thud of each blow.

"Riku," Sora cried.

"You like that don't you!" Ks thrashed the boy. "I'm only playing with you, you scrawny git!" It came to the point where Riku no longer put up a fight. Instead he hung limp in the hands of the Imperial. Ks lifted him up. "What's the matter, Riku, you out of spunk already?" Ks spit in his face. "Pity what a waste of talent." She examined Riku's bloodied face. "There's something about your face that I really hate. No wonder Lord Sirius Viicous wants you dead. If I had to contend with an ugly mug like yours protruding into my mind twenty-four seven, I'd want you dead as well."

Having no more regards for the young man, Ks tossed the key bearer into the rubble. Riku only lay where he fell, still overcome by pain and fatigue.

"It's too bad you're not a Saiyan." Ks chuckled. "Because of that last little scuffle, my replenishment has made me stronger than ever. Hasn't anyone ever told you that you have to kill a Saiyan in order to defeat 'em, because we become stronger after every fight, no matter how minor the skirmish."

Ks then walked over to Riku, who lay on his back. Like a predator, Ks loomed over the wounded key bearer. She then pounded her foot upon his chest, forcing Riku to scream out in agony.

"Riku," Sora cried.

"Does it hurt, Riku?" Ks mocked him. "It should, it should hurt very much. I want to see you suffer before you die." She pressed on Riku's chest. Riku struggled as he felt the air forced out of his body.

"I…can't breathe…" Riku strained.

"That's the whole point, Riku. We're back to square one, just like the first time. Now die…"-

"That's enough!" Sora shouted. Overcome by rage, Sora unleashed the Rage and Saiyan Devotion. The surge of power was incredible. Ks turned to see the young key bearer in his anger. "You leave Riku alone!"

"And what do you intend to do about it, eh?" Ks chuckled. "You are no threat to me, even at the height of your power. And with me being stronger than ever before, you stand no chance."

"I'll kill you!" Sora didn't hesitate and attacked head on

"Fool," Ks raised her hand to the side of her face, "Here's one technique that isn't confined to the effects of the shield. A pure energy light source, compliments of the Z fighters, Solar Flare!"

A bright flash of light bellowed before Sora. Sora was overcome by the light. He covered his eyes at the last minute, his pupils burning from the intensity. Riku watched the whole thing, despite it being a blur.

"My eyes," Sora cried.

"Sora," Riku hollered. He watched as Ks suddenly appeared behind his friend. The dagger of her bo had been unsheathed and was now aiming to strike Sora in the gut. "Look out behind you!" Sora reacted, using the power of Mjollnir.

"It's too late!" Ks shouted.

But then victory was snatched from the Saiyan as from out of the blue, a red and black keyblade, bearing a Christian crucifix, came spinning from out of nowhere and struck Ks upon her temple. The Saiyan winced, blacking out momentarily. But it was just enough to stall her timing and allow Sora the benefit of victory. He swung Mjollnir into the gut of Ks. The Saiyan watched as this unexpected twist of fate came at her in slow motion. Her heart raced as the head of Thor's hammer came in contact with her.

"This cannot be." she said in her mind. There was a thunderous boom and a flash of lightning. Ks was consumed by the power, her angry roaring echoing throughout Cetorburg. She went flying into the wall of the second tier. The power erupted and caused a great portion of the second tier to collapse, further hindering the defenses.

The KH team and the key bearers, as well as their Imperial foes watched as the explosion bellowed, giving rise and fall of more debris.

"It's Riku and Sora!" Cunla cried. "It has to be!"

"They must've caused that massive explosion." Lu Xun added.

"Now there's a gaping hole in the second tier. That's a good sign. That means fate has guaranteed our victory!"-

"I feel a large power dying."-

"That power." Kirin thought. "It's not Riku or Sora. But they themselves are wavering too."

"Riku, Sora…" Kairi uttered.

"It must be Ks whose been struck down. Good riddance to bad rubbish I always say."-

"With Ks out of the way," Cunla thought, "Now there is no real serious threat that stands against us."

As the chaos ended, Sora slowly opened his eyes, recovering from Ks' flash attack. He looked around and saw the damage he had done. Another gaping hole had been created due to the impact of Ks flying into the hard masonry. Falling rubble and debris trickled down like summer rain and the clouds were thick as cotton candy, making visibility limited. And since the dust billowed towards the higher tiers, the position of the duo was undetermined by the Imperials who were still about the area. Sora squinted, hoping to see if Ks had somehow miraculously risen to her feet. But as luck would have it, there was no sign of her. She could not have been hiding for there was no twitch of her power about in the air. Sora believed the unimaginable had happened. He had won.

"I did it…" Sora uttered. "I actually beat Ks…"

"Yes you did…" Riku whispered. "You beat her good." Sora saw his childhood friend dying on the ground. His concerns immediately turned to Riku.

"Riku," he rushed over and put his friend in his arms. "Riku, are you alright? Are you gonna make it?" Riku looked at Sora.

"Let me ask you something, Sora. Why is it that when every time we get into these epic battles, I'm the one always getting beaten up, while you save the day?" There was humorous sarcasm behind his words and Sora smiled.

"I guess it's because somebody up there just doesn't like you."-

"I hope nobody writes a book on these adventures we have."-

"Why's that?"-

"Because every page will be filled with me always getting beaten up, always getting tormented and tortured, and always having to engage in some kind of dramatic death scene or something."-

"Death scene…?"-

"Like now…" Sora looked as he saw himself tenderly holding Riku. He gave a sheepish grin.

"I guess you're right."-

"Well, how about a potion or senzu to get me on my feet."-

"Gotcha…" Sora pulled out a senzu and gave it to Riku. Riku was back on his feet within a matter of seconds.

"That was one hefty swing you put on Ks with Mjollnir."-

"I thought I was a goner though." Sora implied. "I thought I was really going to die back there. But I guess the powers that be want us to win in the end."

"You might have been impaled by that weapon of hers if it wasn't for that keyblade that flew in and blacked her out at the last minute."-

"Keyblade…?"-

"Yeah, it just went spinning in and slammed that Saiyan on the side of her head. It's right over there." The two walked over and looked to see the keyblade that struck the Imperial down. They instantly recognized it.

"But isn't that…?"-

"That happens to be mine!" a voice shouted out. Riku and Sora turned to see none other than Kaine and Victor approaching them.

"Kaine, Victor," Sora cried. The due went to mean the other. "You guys are alright!"

"We feared you were dead." Riku added.

"We would have been." Victor implied. "However, thanks to a few needed supplements, we were spared death." He pulled out two empty vials of potion. "I never thought we'd have to rely on these means to replenish ourselves."

"I was the one who suggested we have them." Kaine added, "Just in case there was such a twist of fate." He stretched out his hand and retrieved the keyblade. The four then looked to the place where Ks lay lifeless. "I guess you did her in then?"

"Yeah," Sora replied. "After all that hell, we finally got her."

"Ks was tough, I'll give her that much." Victor said.

Just then, their merriment was halted as Imperial soldiers began to fire at them from the remnants of the demolished second tier and the defenses of the first tier. The clouds had subsided enough for the four to be spotted and were now acting with high levels of hostility.

"So much for reminiscing," Riku shouted. But the firing of the Imperials was soon halted as a barrage of energy waves fell upon them. The four shielded their eyes from the billowing debris.

"What was that?" Kaine wondered. Just then, the sound of a thousand shouting voices could be heard. They turned to see their comrades rushing in to aid them. Kirin and Kairi were leading the front. Donald and Goofy were shortly behind them.

"The second tier has been breeched!" Kirin shouted, "Forward into the fight!"

The key bearers launched their attack into the immense gap of the second tier while many others struck at the Imperials who fired at them from the flank.

"Glad to see you're still kicking." Riku said as they met up with the other KH team members.

"It's not exactly a needle, but it'll have to suffice."-

"Riku, Sora." Kairi shouted as she hugged her two friends. "I'm so glad you two are okay."

"Good to see that you're alright too, Kairi." Sora added.

"Well, enough standing around!" Donald shouted. "There's a battle going on!"

"That's right." Kaine added. "We can reminisce later."

"Then let's go!" Sora cried. "The king awaits us!"

The key bearers poured into the massive gap of the second tier. By this time, most of the Imperials on the southern ramparts had slightly dispersed thanks to the efforts of the gallant key bearers. But they still posed a hostile threat on the flanks, especially when there would be random advances on the youths in certain areas, probing for weaknesses in the line. Up to this point, the key bearer forces were completely isolated and over three fourths of the entire Imperial force remained. Unless reinforcements came soon, it would only be a matter of time before the attack could no longer sustain itself and would have to withdraw. Even the key bearers, despite their gallantry and their bravery, could not possibly maintain such a defense indefinitely.

By this time, things were desperate with Madam General Gala Devardios who was now sending messages back and forth requesting immediate assistance.

"The advanced columns should have been here now." She said. "What is taking them?"

"There is still no word." Captain Malorius implied.

"If we don't send in reinforcements soon, the entire attack will be destroyed in detail."-

"The hour is almost up, Ma'am." Lieutenant Gallagher said. Devardios could only look on through her command glasses and gaze on as it seemed the Imperials now had the advantage.

But the distance sound of cannons and battle was soon broken by another eerie sound, like that of a swarm of wasps.

"What is that noise?" Captain Malorius wondered.

"I'd recognize that sound." Madam General Devardios uttered, perking up her cheeks. "That's the sound of Alliance transports."

"Ma'am," Lieutenant Gallagher shouted, "We have transports to the rear."

Devardios looked rearward and saw the southern skies filled with at least a hundred massive transports. Overcome with relief and hope, the young Madam General pulled out a tissue to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"Thank God…" she uttered. This arrival was declared official as one of the transport officers quickly came to meet her. Young Colonel Sojiro Seta, accompany by Devardios' aid, came to greet the Madam General.

"Colonel Sojiro Seta, Madam General." The aid declared.

"Madam General Devardios," Sojiro said, saluting.

"Colonel," Devardios replied with her own salute, "I'm sure as hell glad to see you guys." She came forward and shook hands with him.

"Sorry we're a little late. What's the situation?"-

"There's a devil to pay."-

"Have you held?"-

"Long enough for you guys to get here."-

"Our heavy horsemen are just about ready to lead the assault. The first and second Alliance volunteers are right behind them. We also requested assistance from General Takali of the Saiyan Confederation. He graciously sent us a full brigade numbering some three thousand of his finest, despite the barrage of objections by their senate. Cetorburg is finished with Saiyans on our side."-

"They had no idea that the attack was coming. With the way things are going, they still don't know."-

"The Imperials will think they're still fighting tired and dwindling ranks of key bearers. Instead, they'll be hitting a force of fresh Alliance troopers."-

"Very well done,"-

"I must away then, Ma'am." Sojiro saluted.

"I wish you boys luck." Devardios and her staff saluted as well and Sojiro made his way back to the already formed lines.

The transports had made their way to the edge of the woods and landed on the rich soil. From their opening hatches, Alliance soldiers spewed out of the cargo holds and quickly set themselves up. Even from some of the transports still airborne, thousands of soldiers fell and landed at the edge of the tree line. The majority of them were of the three thousand Saiyan warriors chosen to aid them.

The Imperials observed the arrival of this new force. General Marcusio, being the last head officer at the final secured areas of the first tier's defenses, could only look on in helpless horror.

"Another wave," he thought to himself, "Another wave and the city no longer has any real means on its southern ramparts to fully effect the outcome."

"You must withdraw from here while the lines are still secure on the other fronts." The leading subordinate implied.

"There is no reason dying at this point." Marcusio thus gave up his post, leaving it for the wolves who stormed in.

From the transports already on the ground, a thousand skilled horsemen emerged and lined their steeds up. At the head of the column was none other than the infamous Lu Bu. He was gallantly mounted upon his faithful steed, Red Hare.

Mounted on steeds just as formidable, next to him, were two other legendary warriors. To Lu Bu's right was the valiant, Chinese God of War and one of Lu Bu's old foes, the mighty Guan Yu. Clad in a magnificent entourage of green and red, with a golden dragon's head as his shoulder guard, he too was a sight of behold. His face was broad and slightly intimidating with his thick brows and his almost reddened face. Upon his lip and chin were a black beard and moustache that flowed so elegantly, giving some taste of nobility to his otherwise aggressive appearance. He stroked the long strands gently with one hand. In his other hand, he bore a Guan Dao, named after himself, a large bladed weapon with a long sturdy staff.

To his left, was one of the great Generals who formally served under the great Japanese Daimyo Ieyasu Tokugawa. His name was Tadakatsu Honda. A large and boorish man, he was clad in heavy armor, one that would cause even the most seasoned warriors to run in fright. What was most impressive was the helmet he wore upon his head, bearing large, almost antler like horns, a sight that matched Lu Bu's Phoenix Feather Headdress. He bore a weapon just as formidable as both Lu Bu and Guan Yu, a heavy spear called the Tiger Slayer, more famously known as the "Tonbogiri" or "Dragonfly Cutter."

The three stood at the head of the horse columns, hearing the explosions in the distance. Halberd in hand, Lu Bu gazed off into the distance and the carnage that awaited them.

"So that is Cetorburg is it?" he uttered, "Doesn't look like much does it."

"These fools shall fear the power of my Tonbogiri." Tadakatsu added.

"Let us crush all those who perpetuate the chaos." Guan Yu declared.

"With us here, there is no chance in hell that Cetorburg will remain standing." A voice said. Approaching the three was General Takali of the Saiyan Confederation himself. A gallant looking individual, tall and proud, yet dignified in stature. He had only one eye, inflicted from a battle in his youth. His hair stood up like a streak of lightning with bangs of hair draping on one side of his face, a style that would make Vegeta and Sasuke envious. There was an extent of locks tightly wrapped as a ponytail behind him. His skin was fair, tan yet pale. He was not armed with the traditional Saiyan armor, but rather with Saiyan Confederation Armor, a clad gold piece with white trim, a style identical to Lu Bu's with its arm and shoulder guards, its neck, chest, and abdomen pieces, thigh and leg guards, standing collar at the neck and sash and belt wrapped tightly around the waist. The only thing that remained of the old Saiyan armor style was the gold tipped white boots and white forearm guard gauntlets. On his back, he carried a large sword, one that would match even Cloud Strife.

"What fools these Imperials are." Lu Bu scoffed.

"Daring to oppose us," Takali added. "What makes them think they stand a chance against us?"

"With a great congregation of heroes here," Guan Yu said, "There will be no one who can stand in the way of our cause.

It was then that Sojiro appeared to greet them.

"Are you guys ready?" he asked.

"We're ready for a fight." Tadakatsu said. "Let my Tonbogiri be a passage to hell!"

"We're ready to move out as soon as you're ready. I want aid sent to Riku and Sora as quickly as possible."-

"I cannot allow Riku to die just yet." Lu Bu growled. "If there is anyone who will defeat him, it will be me. No one else shall hinder him. Destiny has given that privilege solely to me, the mighty Lu Bu."

"Still gnawing at that bone are we?"-

"I will take my stance with my men." Takali implied. He saluted and withdrew.

"I leave you to take charge of our first wave then." Sojiro replied. "But beware, you three. The Imperials are stronger than you think. Their forces too are filled with well known heroes. And they'll only become more aggressive with every tier you take."

"I'm aware of that."-

"Than I wish you good luck," Sojiro saluted and withdrew as well."-

Lu Bu gave the signal to advance. The horse columns were the first to take the field. They started in a slight trot, but soon excelled in a thundering gallop. Guan Yu looked about at the slain key bearers littered on the field. He could only bow his head in silence, seeing so many young ones dead.

"Such a vast field of slaughter." He said, "So many of them not beyond their fifteenth year. Do you think we can hope to break the defenses of that city?"

"It doesn't matter." Lu Bu said. "Their numbers make no difference. That factor alone does not determine the outcome of a battle. And so far, not one pathetic person could match my power. I must keep searching until I find a challenge worth my time." Lu Bu swung about his Halberd. "By opposing me, they are awaiting their own inevitable slaughter!"


	127. The Fall of Cetorburg: Part I

The Fall of Cetorburg: Part I

The thunderous galloping of horses was heard on the field and the masses of so many skilled horsemen flew across the field. The remaining artillery, pointing to the south, bellowed forth their guns and the shells went flying into the ranks of the oncoming cavalry. But to Lu Bu, this was a mere irritation.

"Pathetic fools," he declared. "What are they trying to prove?!" Using the massed energy at the end of his Sky Scorcher, he swung his halberd forward. A streak of energy bellowed in the form of a sonic boom and detonated the shells in mid air. "These Imperials might have withstood the Alliance prior to now, the endless sieges, and even the mass of the key bearers, but they will not survive me!"

"Kill them all!" Tadakatsu shouted in response. "Let's teach these upstarts not to raise chaos in other worlds ever again!"

Within a matter of minutes, the horsemen were on top of the Cetorburg defenses. Because Riku, Sora, and the mass of key bearers had stormed through prior, there lay before the charging horsemen a series of pathways clear of obstacles. Lu Bu led the advance over the earthen barracks.

Colonel Durovano saw the incoming cavalry approaching at incredible speed.

"Cavalry!" he shouted. "We have cavalry coming behind us!"

Cunla and Lu Xun looked to the rear. The moment they saw Lu Bu, they knew the extent of the charge's ferocity.

"It's Lu Bu!" Lu Xun shouted. "That cavalry is ours!"

"Everyone make way!" Cunla cried. Seeing the mounted troops coming straight into the ranks, the key bearers quickly scattered, creating an access path for Lu Bu and his horsemen.

"Give 'em hell!" Guan Yu shouted.

"You know the plan boys!" Lu Bu chuckled.

"To your stations," Honda roared. The one thousand horsemen split up. Guan Yu attacked the Imperials still harassing the left flank. Tadakatsu Honda struck at the Imperials on the right flank. Lu Bu directed the center prong to storm into the city and aid the front. The key bearers cheered and raised their keyblades as they watched one thousand horsemen charge in and slay the Imperials.

The horsemen wave plowed through the Imperial ranks like a well tilled field. The casualties were limited since the Imperials were contending with faster opponents. No sooner had the cavalry stormed through, five minutes later, General Takali and his three thousand Saiyan warriors charged in.

"Quell these maggots who dare to raise chaos in such a time of peace!" he shouted. The Saiyans moved in and slew the Imperials who dared to battle them. Now, even the mighty Immortals had a foe difficult enough to contend with.

"It looks like the cavalry is here." Lu Xun said.

"You're right." Cunla replied. "You think that the area is secured now?"

"Without a doubt,"-

"That's good. Well, if the Alliance has secured this area, what do you say that we hurry up and rejoin the KH team at the front?"-

"I think I better stay here and coordinate our forces. You go on ahead, Cunla."-

"Right," Cunla looked out into the distance. He watched as billowing smoke appeared at the second tier. "They only have two more tiers to surmount."

"I don't think even the Immortals will be able to hold any longer. It's an open road all the way to the city's center."-

"Yeah, that's right. They don't have to worry about…" But no sooner had Cunla reassured success, a feeling to dread came over him as he suddenly remembered one vital piece of information. His eyes widened. "On no, I forgot!"

"Forgot what?" Lu Xun asked. He looked at Cunla with a puzzling stare.

"Cunla you idiot!" the boy scolded himself. "You forgot to tell them! You forgot that one piece of information! You are so stupid!"

"What did you forget to tell them, Cunla?"-

"There's still one more shield to surmount."-

"One more shield?"-

"I have to tell them!" Without another word, the son of the Hound rushed to the front, pushing his way passed the condensed lines and the debris.

"I guess the information on this final shield must've been extremely important. I've never seen Cunla react like that."-

At the same time, the key bearers inched their way towards the third tier, suffering terrible losses as Imperials seeped out of the woodwork and wreaked chaos upon their ranks. Riku and Sora continued leading the charge. Kairi, Kirin. Goofy, Donald, Victor, and Kaine, were close behind them. Their mounting strength was indeed formidable, but that did not halt the holding action of the Imperials who shot at them from every angle. Many charged into the fray trying to kill the leaders. Though losing their lives at an alarming rate, the Imperials didn't waver in their efforts.

It came to the point where Riku and Sora had been separated and were fighting on individual fronts. Riku at one point continued to plow forward. He slew every Imperial that got in his way.

"Come on," he shouted. "We're almost there!" He would use every energy attack he knew and pummeled the Imperials forces. But even that was not enough to halt their attacks. "Let's go!"

But no sooner had he turned to rally his allies, the young key bearer came to realize something. He had plowed so far forward that he friends were ten yards behind him and the Imperials were already closing the path of his retreat. Riku found himself surrounded by angry Imperials.

"This is the end of the line for you, Noctin Tilandir!" one Imperial officer shouted. "Kill him!"

Riku quickly reacted and fended off every attack that was thrust upon him.

"Riku," Sora cried as he watched his friend overwhelmed by a sea of black and grey. Sora shoved his way forward, striking every Imperial that stepped before him.

"Sora," Kairi cried. She too began to plow forward, hoping to aid Sora.

"Kairi," Kirin added and followed his sister. Goofy and Donald saw them withdrawing and quickly hastened their advance. The resistance, however, grew as thick as cold molasses and the key bearers couldn't hope of advancing any further.

All the while, Riku was too busy fighting for his life. Because he was in such a tight predicament against well trained Imperial troops, he didn't have time to guzzle down a senzu or some potion to replenish his strength. At the same time, Riku had been shot in the side, sliced on the left arm and shoulder, and received a stab wound, from a lance, on the right leg. He staggered as the blood seeped from his ghastly wounds. He continued to fight, taking more soldiers with him before a spear thrust itself into his back and pierced his vital points. Riku managed to fend off the attacker, but the strike left him slightly crippled. The Imperials drew in on him, their weapons pointed upon him, one of them ready to stab his still beating heart.

"I can't keep this up." Riku thought to himself. He felt the wound in his back throbbing and he could feel every function of his body seem to shut down within a small period of time. He looked at the glittering weapon ends. His breathing became more labored. "One more attack and they'll have me for sure."

"Riku," Sora cried.

But no sooner had that happened, there came a sudden galloping, a sound of gushing wind, a thud, and the sudden clinging of a thousand metal strikes. Riku looked about and suddenly saw the Imperials around him fall. Both he and the other key KH team members were bewildered.

"What just happened?" Riku thought to himself.

"You are truly a reckless little scrapper aren't you." A thundering voice shouted. Riku looked up and saw a familiar face. Once he knew far too well.

It was Lu Bu.

Lu Bu steadied his halberd at his side.

"You forget," he declared. "If there is anyone who is going to kill you, it'll be me. Destiny has only allowed me that privilege."

"Lu Bu…" Riku uttered.

"Who were you expecting, a Saint Bernard?"-

The KH team and their comrades were just as surprised, not only by the arrival of Lu Bu, but also the cavalry. However, it was the meeting between Riku and Lu Bu that caught their attention."

"It's Lu Bu," Sora uttered.

"Lu Bu…?" Kairi asked.

"He's the guy Riku and I fought against a while back."-

"Of all people," Donald grumbled, "It had to be him."

"Well," Goofy implied. "It's good to know that he's on our side now…I think…"

"Tigers like him must always look for chaos." Kirin said. "So long as he fights for the sake of battle, he will never find true peace."

"What are you doing here?" Riku asked.

"What do you think?" Lu Bu replied with his deep and aggressive tone. "I'm here to save your sorry backside!" Lu Bu pulled out a potion and threw it to Riku. Riku caught the vial. "Now hurry up and guzzle before you get killed for real! And if that happens, I'll never forgive you!"

"You still want to settle that old score, eh?" Riku chuckled. He took a swig of the potion and was back on his feet. "Alright, if I manage to live after this, then you'll be the first one I settle the score with."

"You'd better…" Lu Bu and Riku scattered the Imperials with a Double Musou attack. Powerful energy waves seemed to blast away at the Axis troops like pebbles.

"Man," Kaine uttered, "Where did he come from?"

"Whoever he is," Victor added, "I'd sure hate to battle him one on one. I bet his strength equals even Ks."

The situation became dire now as the Imperials saw the severity of the situation. Despite their efforts to fend off the attackers, their defenses had fallen so easily to the key bearers. They even witnessed the defeat of Ks and how her mangled body suddenly vanished amidst the chaos. Lord Sirius Viicous and his officers watched from the secured observation room the overrunning of their forces.

"This isn't happening." The first subordinate uttered. "Those damned key bearers shouldn't have gotten past the first tier. Now they've broken their way through the second tier and are storming towards the walls of the third tier. Should they advance any further, the city will be lost."

"I never thought that such a dire predicament should take place." A second subordinate added.

"Never before has the city been stormed." A third added. "All this time, we thought we had no weakness. But now we find key bearers at our front door. To make things worse, we now have the head forces of the approaching Alliance military units joining in the confrontation."

"I don't get it. Up until now, we've always managed to toss back what they can throw at us. But now, they have broken through the bulk of our main defenses and haven't slowed down. No one who has ever entered Cetorburg has gone off to tell of the city's vital points. How is it that the Alliance and these key bearers were able to crack the secret behind our defenses?"-

"You forget," Sirius Viicous interrupted. "They had an inside man working for them, one who has stepped foot in this city before."

"Who…?"The first subordinate asked.

"Who do you think? The one who was once my most trusted subordinate and assassin…"-

"You mean…?"-

"That's right, that upstart little traitor Cunla."-

"Damn him," the second subordinate growled. "Damn that little snot nosed brat to hell! It's because of him that we have been put into this precarious position. And all because of that bastard father of his, Cuchulain. If it were not for that ingrate, Cunla would have still been under your thumb, licking the grime from your boots and following every command to the letter."

"Well," Sirius Viicous chuckled, "He'll soon learn the extent of his betrayal. You forget that we still have yet another little surprise waiting for him."

"But Your Excellency," The third subordinate inquired, "wouldn't it be better if we were to send…"

"That will come at my leisure." Sirius Viicous folded his arm in front of him. "You forget that I always have a little back up plan here and there."

"Then how do we deal with the present situation?"-

"He's right Your Excellency," the second subordinate inquired, "How will we fend off those key bearers and the Alliance soldiers now that they have penetrated far into the city's interior? At the rate they're going, they may be stationed in this very chamber within the course of a couple more hours."-

"If I may advise Your Excellency," the first subordinate implied. "We should call upon our fellow Imperials to aid us. You must contact Lord Admiral Rellantando and Lord Marcus Montague. Tell them of the situation we face."

"And have them find us in this dire situation?" Sirius Viicous protected. "Do you want our allies to think that we of the former Midnight Faction, for all of our might and praise, can't even defend our own capital city against a mob?"

"You Excellency…"-

"I would rather have this entire city demolished before that ever happens. I will not allow our enemies or our allies to think that we've been nothing, but talk. I don't want the image of our invincibility to falter." Sirius turned to his officers. "We still have the Immortals on the third and fourth tiers, a force ten times larger than the one that Ks led outside the gates. They will die before they let the key bearers have their ways."-

"But you forget, Madam General Ks is probably dead. We witnessed her possible demise."-

"The Immortals will continue to fight, leaderless or not!"-

"But she was the commander of the Immortals, the strongest of the lot! And that is a loss that cannot be so easily replaced."-

"I do not believe she is dead. She is a member of the first generation Immortal Guard, one of the last of her kind. She will not die so easily."-

"But my lord…"-

"We will wait! Until things look to precarious, we will hold our call for back up!"-

"And when will that be?! Until Riku and Sora themselves are pounding on the chamber doors?!" Sirius Viicous gave the officer an angered glare, is one glowing eye increasing in luminance. It was a hint to the insubordinate subordinate that he was unpleased. He lowered his head.

"We will hold our own until I say we are in need of reinforcements." Sirius Viicous declared, his voice stern and aggressive.

"Your Excellency…" the third subordinate uttered.

"That is an order, do you understand?" The subordinates dared not to question their leader.

"Yes sir," they replied.

"I will not bend to the whim of these arrogant youths." The Phantom Lord growled.

The Imperials still held fast at the third and fourth tiers. It had become apparent that retreating was no longer an option. It was sink or swim at this point. And the mighty Imperial vessel was slowly succumbing to the ebbing tide of the Alliance forces. At the first tier, the remaining remnants of the front line Immortal Guard were eventually quelled by the elite force of the Saiyan Confederation. The Saiyans had lost one hundred in the scuffle. But the Immortals, being third generation, could not contend with the might of the Saiyan Confederation and lost ten times the number.

The cavalry all the while were making a clean sweep over the Imperial forces. Though some of the horsemen were pulled of by surviving Imperials, the majority struck hard and slew many in their path.

"Push forward, men!" Lu Bu shouted, rushing into the fray and slaying many Imperials with one blow. Key bearers, Ally regulars, And Saiyan warriors faced off against the Imperials who fired into their faces no more than ten feet away. Mountains of wounded and dead formed on the cement streets of the city and the gutters ran with rivers of blood as the bodies were trampled upon by friend and foe alike.

"Don't stop you guys!" Sora shouted. "We're almost there!"

"Down with the Imperial reign!" Riku added. Key bearers and Saiyans alike flew over the heads of their comrades and landed upon the third tier, breaking up the defenses there. They went head to head with Imperial artillery men and regulars who fired from below, slaying airborne warriors by the dozen. To add, the bulk of the Immortal forces was present and sent the attackers retreating. Saiyans and Immortals engaged in mid-air and devastation erupted at an equal level of ferocity as the fighting in the ground.

It was the appearance of Saiyan Warriors that somehow caught the attention of Sirius Viicous and his men. Though they were more than a match for the key bearers, it was the aid of Saiyans that truly concerned them.

"Forces of the Saiyan Confederation." The first subordinate gasped. "But what are they doing here?"

"I thought the Saiyan Confederation reformed back to total isolationism after the fall of the Dark Empire." The second added, "Why do they come to aid the Alliance now of all times?"

"Your Excellency," the third subordinate uttered. "We must seek aid from the other branches. Our men can't fully fend off Saiyans."

"Damn it…" Sirius growled. His frustrations only mounted as further bad news reached his already beating eardrums.

"My Lord," one of the operatives cried, "We have a dire situation. More Alliance cruisers have touched down at the point of the first advance and a full three corp. of Alliance regulars, armed with bolt action rifles, are marching towards the city. It's believed that there must be at least twenty thousand altogether."

"The Alliance has already arrived." The first subordinate uttered. "Their leading troops have made it and are presently heading across the field."

"My Lord," the second beseeched, "You must call for reinforcements at once. Cetorburg has already lost half of its defenses. The enemy is now pounding at the third tier, one more before reaching us here." Sirius Viicous was still silent. He was still too proud to admit that his capital was in dire strength and need of aid. At the same time, he did not want to put the vital link in the chain under any stress. If Cetorburg were to fall, then all the northern lands of Mythril, territories under the control of the Midnight Faction, would become free for the Alliance and other powers that be to take over.

Sirius did not want to admit it, but there was no other option. It was either stand alone with what he had and lose everything, or he could let go of his pride and request help from his other comrades. He reluctantly chose the latter.

"Very well," he said, "call for reinforcements." His subordinates were relieved at his response.

"Excellent call, my lord."-

"What are the closest forces we can rely on?"-

"Lord Admiral Rellantando's Kambrian forces are no more than a five hour advance from here. They're numbers consist of some five hundred thousand strong. That's enough to force the entire Alliance offensive rearward."-

"Very well, then get Lord Admiral Rellantando on line. I will speak with him directly."-

"Yes my lord," the second subordinate relayed the message. "Contact His Excellency Lord Admiral Delorion Rellantando at once."

"Yes sir,' the operative replied. Via secret line, the message was sent. Within five minutes, contact was made.

"This is the Imperial High command of His Excellency Lord Admiral Delorion Rellantando." The operative on the other side stated. "State your business."

"This is Lord Sirius Viicous calling." The Phantom Lord declared. "I wish to parlay with the Lord Admiral. We are requesting immediate reinforcements."

"I shall put you through, Your Excellency." There was a moment of silence before the face of Rellantando appeared on the overhead screen.

"Well, well, well," Rellantando chuckled, "Lord Sirius Viicous. What brings you calling to my door?"

"We are experiencing a dire crisis here, my lord." Sirius replied.

"So I've heard. Cetorburg is under attack." Sirius was stunned.

"How do you know this?"-

"I have my sources. My satellites and a few of my scouts have marked the events taking place. Such a pity too…"-

"I did not want to have to make such a decision, but we are desperate. We request immediate reinforcements from your reserved military units."-

There was sudden silence from the Lord Admiral. This eerie quiet concerned the Phantom Lord.

"Did you not hear me, Your Excellency?"-

"I heard you." Rellantando replied.

"Then why don't you acknowledge?"-

"I know that you are in need of reinforcements, my friend, but that is a request I cannot fulfill."-

"Why not…? I know that you have a substantial force on reserve no more than five hours from this very city, at least five hundred thousand strong. You could have them intercept the Alliance forces who are about six hours away from us at this moment in time."-

"I could do that, but that is an impossibility. The reason being is because I have them set up for another campaign. They are going to engage a large Alliance force threatening our northern border."-

"But that can't be. From what reports have told me, there is no large Alliance force threatening our northern…" It was then that Sirius realized what was happening. He feared such an outcome, but did not want to believe it. Rellantando suddenly displayed a deceptive smirk, as if he had been waiting for Sirius to express such an emotion of shock. "You don't intend to send reinforcements do you."

"You certainly are a smart young lord." Rellantando chuckled with a sinister tone. "I was hoping you'd figure it out sooner or later. Too bad you have to be put in such a dire situation."

"But we have a pact. What of our oath to restore the Imperial Regime and regain what we lost? What of our alliance?"-

"Ha," Rellantando's true feelings began to emerge. "You actually took that seriously? Of course we will restore the Imperial regime to its former glory. That is still our objective. Imperial might will be safely secured…under Kambrian rule and Kambrian rule alone." This was now apparent to all present that the tie had been severed. "Though we are three great leaders, only one can truly rule. And that will be me and the Kambrian Empire."

"You've betrayed us!" the first subordinate shouted. "You've betrayed the Imperial Axis!"

"Oh no, I think you have it all wrong." Rellantando declared. "Think of it as seizing the opportune moment."

"You never really intended to join forces with us!" The third subordinate shouted.

"Of course not, I was simply biding my time, waiting for the right moment to make my move. I couldn't openly oppose you in the beginning so long as you had formidable strength on your side. But since you have been deprived of that reinforcement, the Midnight Faction is no longer a threat to me." Rellantando placed his elbows on the desk before him and laid his head on the tops of his folded hands. "I don't know if you've noticed, but the Imperial Axis was faulty from the start. Lord Marcus Montague has lost all of his influence since his little coup, little realizing that the majority of the people within the Arakis Foundation still held strong feelings of loyalty to the Arakis Family. Thus, he's had to withdraw all of his forces and lose all his territory in order to maintain power within the Aryan Faction. At the same time, you, Lord Sirius Viicous, have been allowing your thoughts of revenge against Riku and Sora to get in the way of your true objective. Though discreet and indirect as if might have appeared, the path you've chosen was not without its predictable signs. You spent so much time and effort playing with Riku and Sora that you didn't realize who much of a treat they were. Even though you perceived them as being as dangerous to the cause as they were, you decided to loosen a few strings so as to have events shift in the manner that you pleased. It would have been more beneficial if you just crushed the KH team all at once when you had the chance. You should have sent in all five of your Blade Generals to kill them instead of having them battle those rogues one at a time, as if this were all a chess game. Now, as a result, the key bearers are stronger than ever before and they presently bring an overwhelming number of their key bearing brethren to your doorstep, and only now do you take this entire endeavor seriously. With your city about to fall and the Aryan Faction on the decline, only one branch of the Imperial regime remains strong enough to oppose the Universal Alliance. Thus, fate has declared that Kambria shall rule from this moment on. No longer will it be under Oceanarian influence. Kambria shall guide the mandate of the universe and create a new age of unification of all worlds."

"I put all my trust in you and your words." Sirius growled. "I placed a great deal of faith in your charisma. I thought that we had something going here!"

"As I said, you can only blame your own ignorance, putting revenge before the cause. There have been a few individuals like that, who place their own desires before what really is important. Some of those you knew quite well." Sirius tightened his fist.

"You will regret this betrayal."-

"I think not. I may meet some rough paths in the near future. But as for you, your reign as Phantom Lord and leader of the Midnight Faction is over. As of this point on, our alliance is terminated and the Imperial Axis shall be placed strictly under the jurisdiction of the Red Ribbon Faction and the Kambrian Empire with me as its sole commander-in-chief. Henceforth, this little parlay is over and so are our ties." Having nothing more to say, Rellantando ended transmission and the screen went blank before the now heavy hearted Phantom Lord.

"He's right." Sirius inwardly thought. "I've only repeated history, to think that I had not learned from my previous mistakes after those very first days."

"That bastard," the first subordinate growled. "He was planning this from the start, hoping that we would be placed in such a vulnerable state. Then he'd maneuver and take everything for himself."

"Those Kambrians are nothing but deceiving connivers." The second added.

"What do we do now, my lord?" the third added.

"We stand alone now." Sirius implied. "There will be no help coming. Our own reserves are too far away and number only a quarter of what we face. To add, Kambria has severed ties and dissolved the Imperial Axis in exchange for their own desires to rule. We must now consider them a possible threat to us, these former comrades of ours." Sirius lowered his head. "This is all my fault having put so much faith in our own invincibility and underestimating the power of our opponents." He turned to his subordinates. "I'm truly sorry my men, but it seems that the cause is lost."

"No, my lord," the first objected. "You are not to blame for this."

"If it was not for Kambria's betrayal, we would have been able to send those ruffians sprawling." The third added.

"I should have seen it coming." Sirius said. "How stupid of me…"

"No one could have predicted it. For the first time, all three factions had been united under one banner and we really thought that restoration of the Three Excellencies and the creation of a new Dark Empire was imminent."-

"Do not blame yourself, Your Excellency." The second subordinate cried. "Even if we lose, let us at least go down with dignity. Besides, there will still be a chance that you will once again rise up to take control and revenge for Rellantando's betrayal."

"Is that how you all feel?"-

"Aye," everyone shouted. Sirius tightened his fists.

"Then we will fight to the bitter end. Call forth all of our reserves. I don't care how far away they are or how small the numbers are. All forces of the Midnight Faction are to withdraw to aid the capital at once. And once we have these key bearers in their graves, we will level all of Kambria to the ground for this unforgivable act of treachery." There was a cheer from the men. "Send out the order!"

"Yes my lord," the operatives replied. A general message was given out.

"I want all defenses strengthened at the final tier."-

"Yes my lord," There was a great deal of charismatic praise and a boost of enthusiasm. Sirius Viicous then quickly withdrew. His staff, pondering of why he left, quickly pursued him.

"My Lord," the second subordinate uttered. "Where are you going?"

"Riku and Sora have come this far." The Phantom Lord replied. "It is only honorable that I go to meet them."

"But Your Excellency,"-

"Do not get my intensions the wrong way. I know that my personal bodyguard will not allow me to join the fight. And they refuse to have me lead them. As is what is expected of most climactic conclusions, I will confront the heroes in mortal combat."-

"My lord…" The subordinates could not help, but admire the courage of their leader.

"I have been plotting and scheming to get the proper revenge, but our plans are never properly executed as they would be in our minds. I owe my fallen comrades something in exchange for my own self-indulgence. Hence I will give them the heads of the cretins who started this whole uprising. They will fear the name of the Phantom Lord." He turned towards his staff. "If for some reason I fail, I want you to carry on with the Imperial cause. Use whatever means you see fit to keep it alive."

"Yes Your Excellency." The subordinates saluted and watched as their master withdrew.

"The Midnight Faction is lost now." Sirius Viicous inwardly said. "I have allowed it to be so. I have betrayed my comrades by doing so. Thus, I will repent. And I will start by taking the head of he who has scarred my very existence. Your soul will finally be put to rest, my master. I will present the head of Noctin Tilandir upon your stone and epitaph" He rubbed the right side of his mask. "Only after that will I make a fresh start and reclaim what I have lost."

All the while, the head of the attack inched closer to the walls of the third tier. Shells burst in to the lines of the Alliance.

"We're almost there." Riku shouted. But as he advanced, there came over him a sudden chill, as if a shadow had come over him.

"This feeling," he thought to himself, "What is this?" He looked around. "Could it be?"-

"Hey, Riku," Sora asked. "What's wrong?"

"He's close. I can feel him."-

"Who…?"-

"Sirius Viicous…"-

"You can tell?"-

"Yes,"-

"But how…?"-

"There was this sudden feeling of dread that just overtook me."-

His feeling of dread was interrupted, however, as the shouts of the other key bearers could be heard echoing.

"We're almost at the wall!" they would repeat, urging the others on.

"C'mon, Riku," Sora tugged on his friend's shoulder. "Our friends have reached the third tier. One more stride and we'll breech them too."

"Hurry up," Kirin ordered. "We have to bring down the shield generators! Plow forward! Don't worry about the flanks! Just push as far as you can! Get to the final tier!"

Sora used his swiftness to charge at the wall despite Imperials charging and shooting at him, and shells falling upon him from cannon fire. With Mjollnir clutched tightly in his hand, he slammed Thor's mighty hammer into the wall of the third tier. As had happened with the first and the second walls, there was a massive explosion and an eruption of stone, steel, and flesh flying clear into the air. However, after seen these same explosions happen twice already, the Imperials knew better than to stand in the way of Sora's devastating keyblade.

"The third wall is breeched!" Sora shouted. "Let's go!"

"Move it you worthless maggots!" Lu Bu roared. "Show these Imperials your guts!"

The key bearers launched in through the massive gap. But as they plowed forward to meet the remaining Imperial forces, they were in for another shocking surprise. Standing before them was the bulk of the Immortal Guard. Now, the ranks flashed with a sea of black. Each uniform was now the same, indicating that the last two tiers were being held only by the Immortals.

"Oh boy," Kairi uttered, "More of those guys."

"It's the bulk of the Immortals." Donald uttered.

"We've reached the pinnacle of this fight." Kirin added.

"Ha," Victor chuckled, "Let these bastards come at us. I will show them the power of a true immortal."

"Attack," Lu Bu roared. The key bearers and their allies pushed into the Immortals.

The Immortals, however, did not waver. Being the cream of the crop, they only scoffed at their opponents.

"Immortals," the commander shouted, "Form firing step!" The first three ranks came forward, the front knelt, the center stood and the third remained steadfast in reserve. "Fire by ranks, front rank fire," A barrage of energy beams came rolling at the key bearers. There were massive explosions and the attackers were struck down. "Center rank fire," a second volley came. "Third rank fire," Again the key bearers were pummeled. But their ferocity did not end there.

"Pathetic fools," Lu Bu shouted. "Don't you even realize who you're dealing with?" He whirled his halberd in the air and with one mighty strike, slammed his weapon into the ground, sending a powerful energy surge rupturing towards the Immortals, a sight that equaled even Mjollnir's blow in devastating effects.

The energy waves plowed into the Immortals and struck a great many of them, sending scores into the air alongside slabs of masonry. Saiyans suddenly flew into the air and began firing a barrage into the Immortals. The Immortals deflected many of the beams and flew skyward to meet the Saiyan onslaught. Surprisingly, they were able to hold their own against the warrior race ranks. The Immortal phalanx held strong, but even that was useless against the weight of the Alliance. There was so much confusion that the fight was described as simply a roughneck brawl against two large mobs.

Unlike the S class elites, the Immortals were dedicated only to His Excellency Lord Sirius Viicous. Hence their resistance against the key bearers was equivalent to surmounting a wall of steel. Even the Saiyans had trouble. Though they were slightly stronger in levels of strength than the Immortals, the Immortals had superior numbers on their side, which made the push all the more harder. The Saiyans reformed their ranks and created holding actions, all the while breaking up the Immortal ranks as well.

The fighting seemed as if a sea of black created a mighty tidal wave that swept into the dwindling ranks of the key bearers and the alliance. Kaine and Victor helped the KH team at the front. It was a fight they themselves found the most difficult. The Immortals were hard to kill, using a lot of indirect tactics to battle their opponents.

"Damn it," Victor growled, "There's just no end to them."

"Are you complaining?" Kaine chuckled.

"Have you ever battled against these types of numbers?"-

"Well, no not really."-

"Damn cockroaches." Lu Bu shouted. "Don't you bastards ever die?!" He slammed his halberd into the ranks of the Immortals, forcing many of them skyward.

"We can't keep this up forever." Sora said. He watched as more of his allies were killed and wounded, consumed by ranks of black. "We have to go for the throat before we're the only ones left."

"I gotcha," Riku replied. He looked at Lu Bu, Victor and Kaine. "Hey, you three, you think you can keep these guys busy while we launch an offensive to the final tier?"

"The final tier…?" Kaine uttered. "Have you even seen what's in front of us?"

"If we stay here any longer, there will be too many more casualties inflicted."-

"Is that a bad thing?" Lu Bu asked. "You do wanna take down as many of these Imperial bastards as you can, right?"

"That's not the point." Sora said. "We wanna win this battle without both sides having to suffer more casualties."

"You and Riku are being as softhearted as usual, eh Sora? But I guess that's the reason why you two have been chosen as the ultimate keyblade masters."-

"Do what you have to do, fellas." Victor declared. "We'll hold these buggers off! We can hold them off all the damned live-long day."

"Thanks you guys." Riku said. He ran over to Kirin. "Kirin… Get the other KH team members here, and have at least a hundred key bearers rally to us. They have to be able to fly. Also, see if you can rally some of those Saiyans to help us. Tell them all to rally here at the center of the offensive."

"What are you planning?"-

"We're going in for a kamikaze run. We're going in with only a handful."-

"But that's suicide."-

"We understand that." Sora implied as he struck down three more Immortals. "However, if we stay here, we're only abiding time for the Imperial Axis to summon more of their reinforcements to come and aid them. We have to go for the throat now."

"But it'll be severely dangerous, especially since the majority of the defenders left standing are members of the Immortal guard."-

"That's a risk we are willing to take."-

"Please, Kirin, for the sake of all worlds." Kirin couldn't argue. It was sink or swim. He came to see that the assault had been halted by the elite Immortals and the men were dying by the score. If they were to pull off this sudden offensive, they could break the back of the Cetorburg defense once and for all.

"Right, I'll do it." Kirin replied.

"Tell them to congregate here at the center."-

"Understood," He shouted to the KH team members who were within close proximity. "KH team members, rally to Riku and Sora here!" Kirin then temporarily withdrew to call for more volunteers.

"Hey, Riku," Sora uttered, "What about Lu Xun and Cunla? They're still at the rear, holding the line against flanking attacks."

"Well, we'll just have to go in without them." Riku replied.

"But Cunla knows about the layout of the city better than we do. He's absolutely vital to have in this assault."-

"You do have a point, but I didn't inform Kirin that Cunla was still in the rear. Besides, I don't think we can wait for him to show up."-

"So says you!" a voice shouted. The two looked to see Cunla approaching them.

"Cunla," Sora shouted.

"You didn't think you were going to charge in without me were you?"-

"I thought you were at the rear, holding the Imperials at the flanks." Riku said.

"I was relieved. Thanks to that cavalry wave. However, it's rather hard trying to push your way through so many soldiers to get to the front."

"Well, at least you're here. You can help guide us through the layout of the city's interior."-

"Then I can start by telling you this, a piece of information that is extremely important." Cunla replied. "There is one more shield to pass through." Riku and Sora were stunned.

"On more shield…?"-

"Yes, I am sorry. I forgot to mention it because it was the most recent addition to the city's defenses and didn't resurface to my knowledge until just a few moments ago. The only way to get through is via the main gates on the western defenses. That's the only way to get in."

"Another shield…" Sora sighed.

"And that's not all. It's a shield that helps protect the forth tier, not only as a last ditch effort for a siege, but also from the effects of the other shields."-

"What do you mean?"-

"In other words, the forth tier still has operable advanced technology. The effects of the outer shields don't apply within this confined barrier."-

"But that means…"-

"That means we'll be having a lot of hell thrown at us. Sirius Viicous did that intentionally. There is a reason for this. That way, even if the enemy were to get wise by using classical weapons, and succeeded in breaking the defenses of all three tiers, there tactics would be rendered obsolete here, when they were confronted with high tech weaponry again."-

"Damn," Riku growled, "Sirius Viicous never ceases to amaze me."

"We'll have to be aware when we go through the gates again. The devastation they'll throw at us will be ten times greater."-

"Understood,"-

All the while, Kirin was shouting up and down the lines, seeking more aid for the upcoming attack. He cried up and down the lines.

"Key bearers rally to the center of the line, those who can fly! We need a hundred key bearers, who are able to fly, to rally to Riku and Sora! Saiyans rally, as many as can be spared! Rally to the center of the line! Rally to Riku and Sora." A hundred of the elite key bearers heard the call.

General Takali was nearby, organizing some of his troops for a holding action when he heard Kirin's cry.

"Young man," he shouted running towards Kirin. "What is going on?"

"Sir, we are planning a sporadic offensive to break to the final tier and destroy the generators. I am rallying the key bearers and the Saiyans. We'll be grateful of your support if you would be so gracious as to lend your strength."-

"I see," Takali knew that his men were more than a match for the Immortals, but the superior numbers of the enemy was the advantage they had over his men. However, if this attack were successful, the fight could end with a great deal of more lives spared. "How many do you need?"

"As many as you can muster to aid us. Have them assemble at the center of the line."-

"Understood…What is your name?"-

"Kirin sir…" The Saiyan General turned to his lieutenant.

"Lieutenant, have a portion of our men accompany Kirin back to his comrades for an offensive push."-

"How many…?" the Lieutenant asked.

"At least two hundred…"-

"Sir," the lieutenant acknowledged before turning to his men. "Sergeant, I want two hundred men to accompany that young man, Kirin, to the center front."

"Sir," the Sergeant replied.

"Thank you sir," Kirin said.

"Anything to help," Takali replied. Kirin, accompanied by two columns of Saiyans rushed back to the front. They gathered with the one hundred key bearers who were selected.

"Key bearers, Saiyans," Kirin declared to the masses, "Stand at attention."

"Attention," the officers would shout to their lines. Kirin returned to the front where Riku, Sora, and the others awaited his arrival.

"Riku, Sora," he shouted, "They're all assembled."

"Right," Riku replied. He turned to the other KH members. "Guys, let's go." He looked to the front lines. Lu Bu, Victor and Kaine were still battling hard. "Good luck you three. You and the others keep these Immortals occupied for as long as you can."

"Just make sure not to get yourself killed, boy." Lu Bu replied. "Remember, we still have a score to settle."

"Still gnawing away at that bone as much as ever I see,"-

"I'm telling you to stay alive. Otherwise, if you die, I'll chase you into the afterlife and kick your sorry backside from here to eternity."-

"Alright, alright,"-

"Sora, Riku," Kaine said, "We're expecting you guys to come back in one piece."

"We will," Sora acknowledged.

They with the rest of the team withdrew for the time being and assembled amidst the Saiyans and key bearers chosen.

"Alright," Riku instructed, "All of us have to stay together. We are flying over the ranks of the Immortals on the third tier and are aiming for the forth. No don't attack the fourth tier head on. There's still one more shield we have to face. We have to make it to the western defenses. That's where the main gate is. It is our only access for getting passed the shield. Fend off any Imperial that might try to slow us down. Don't worry about all those around you. Head for the top tier and find the generator room. That is our objective. We take that out and all the shields will deactivate. That will make Cetorburg completely vulnerable to any kind of attack."

"We are ready, willing, and able, sir." A Saiyan officer complied.

"Then on my signal!" The group prepared to charge skyward. There was a moment of silence amidst the chaos that took place no more than a few feet in front of them. Riku gazed as Sora. Sora looked at him and smiled. "Are you ready for this, Sora?"

"Together all the way, Riku," Sora replied. The two grasped hands. "See you at the top!"

Without further delay, Riku and Sora launched the attack.

"Charge," they both cried. There was a whooping roar that commenced and the company of kamikaze fighters flew into the sky. Saiyans held the lower half of the attack and fired a great deal of energy waves and scattering barrages into the Immortal lines, hoping to soften them up. A great many of the guard were killed or wounded in the assault.

The Immortals quickly went on the offensive and started firing energy beams back at their attacks. Thousands of them took to the air and attacked the group. But because the group had the higher perspective, they easily quelled the Immortal advances. Within a period of a few seconds, the group made it to the final tier.

"There it is," Donald shouted.

"And there's the western gate." Cunla added.

"Alright," Riku said, "Sora, you make ready with Mjollnir and slam at those doors as hard as you can."

"Right,"-

"Everyone, stay together!"-

"I want fifty men to stay behind and act as air support." One of the Saiyan officers shouted. Fifty of the two hundred Saiyans halted and hovered midair over the Imperial lines. "Soften up those bucket heads as best you can!"

The Saiyans started firing away at the Immortals below. The Immortals scattered and quickly retaliated with their own barrages. Many took to the air and hoped to quell the air support. The ferocious fire power of the Saiyans was undaunted however and the fifty warriors gave all they had to aid the key bearers.

Sora was the first to touch down. The others soon followed, keeping the other Immortals and Imperials at bay.

"Alright," Sora shouted, "Here it comes. Compliments of all the victims you slew!" He pounded his keyblade into the gates. There was a magnificent explosion and many of the Immortals were dispersed. The debris and the rubble fell upon both sides and the explosion given was enough to clear the entire western defenses.

"We're through!" Kirin shouted.

"Alright," Cunla shouted, "Rush to the inner facilities at the summit. Hurry while the Immortals are still uncertain!"

The key bearers and Saiyans charged in against an unimaginable number of Immortals who attacked from all sides. With advanced technological weaponry unaffected by the outer shield's properties, the defense of the final tier, by the Imperials was ten times more devastating. Many of the key bearers and a significant number of the Saiyans were engulfed by the black tide and were killed or wounded, but still they charged in. In the process, many of the Immortals were struck down in the suicide charge. Cunla used the Gae Bulga and swept away the Immortal guards by the score.

"We're almost there!" he shouted.

"Hey, Cunla," Kirin implied, "You said that none of the manipulated properties of the outer shields have no effect in this final tier right?"

"In order to maintain a well conducted siege, all elements are needed."-

"Then I guess there's no need having to worry on whether my techniques work or not!" Kirin struck his blades upon the ground and instantly they caught fire. The key bearers, the Saiyans, and the Immortals were impressed at the spectacular scene of flames. "Behold the true power of Kirin of the Flaming Blades!"

"That means we can use elemental attacks again!" Sora said.

"Then let's give these cocky upstarts really something to fear!" Riku shouted. He suddenly unleashed Cinder Canister and sent flaming spheres spewing into the ranks of the Imperials. Sora unleashed Twister Strike and reeled many of the Immortals into the air. He also used his summoning spells, each and every one of them, and wreaked havoc upon the Imperials. Donald went all out with his magic.

"You guys made me suffer enough, not allowing me to use my magic and elemental spells!" he shouted. "Now, you're gonna pay the price!" Like a mad fowl, he sent lightning volts, fireballs, ice winds, and an entire plethora of elemental spells into the crowd. The other key bearers did the same, no longer bound to the limits of the prior shields.

The observation room watched as the KH team and their fellows edged closer to the main gates, almost completely unopposed.

"I can't believe this!" the officer in charge shouted. "Those ruffians are cutting through the Immortal guard as if they were stocks of wheat."

"The interior is on the verge of being overrun." One of the operatives informed. "The key bearers will be upon us soon!"

"Damn it! I want all interior defenses up! Don't let those bastards get any further! Have all our reserves hold the key positions around the dungeon and the shield generators. Most likely, those are the areas they'll aim for. I also want soldiers stationed at the main power generators in case they decide to shut us down!"-

"Yes sir!" The order was relayed throughout the interior defenses and all available troops quickly rallied.

All the while, the opposition rushed towards the gates of the under halls.

"We're doing it!" Kairi shouted.

"We're winning!" Goofy cheered. Now, their task of storming the facilities within was a piece of cake. They made their way through the gates and quickly shut the doors behind them.

However, they came to the realization that reinforcement gates were starting to close in.

"They're sealing up the interior!" Cunla shouted. "We have to hurry!"

"Let's go, let's go," Riku rallied.

The Immortals seemed to increase in their aggression as they fired energy beams at the team, causing a great deal of havoc. The raiders used their weapons to deflect the attacks. Some failed and were killed. Like a title wave, the Immortals charged in with more aggression than before.

"You won't keep us out that easily!" Cunla cried. He thrust his Gae Bulga forward. "Skya's Revenge," There was a sudden surge in the thrust attack that bent the reinforcement doors to the point where they could not fully close. As for the regular steel doors, they were knocked off their hinges.

"Excellent Cunla," Sora praised his young companion.

"Hurry, everyone in," Riku shouted. The party rushed in almost single file. The tail of the party was almost in a panic as the Immortals quickly gained their momentum and charged again.

The Saiyans above fired barrages into the Immortals, keeping them at bay. The Immortals on reserve flew skyward and battled against the air support.

"Our air support is being overrun!" one key bearer bellowed.

"Never mind that," his comrade replied. "We have to stick with our main objective!"

A few of the key bearers and Saiyans were cut off and overrun by the Immortals, slashed and hacked to death like logs upon a lumber table. Blood spewed upon the ground and the mangled pulp heaps of what used to be bodies now lay strewn upon the masonry, seeping through the cracks like crimson rivers. Their comrades, some teary eyed, others enraged, could only turn the other cheek, trying to put the cause above the loss.

The last of the party members rushed in, but now there were waves of Immortals heading towards the doors.

"We won't be able to keep a secured rear with those doors damaged as they are." One key bearer informed.

"Riku, Sora," the Saiyan officer in charge declared, "You and your comrades go and fulfill your task. We Saiyan warriors will remain here and defend this hall to the last man."

"But…" Sora uttered, fearing the safety of the individual combatants. His statement was interrupted again by the officer in charge.

"We are Saiyans. We thirst for battle. Death is the highest honor we can achieve. Let us do this task. Fulfill your own mission and don't allow our efforts to be in vain."-

"Sora," Kairi uttered, "We have to go. We have to honor those men's sacrifices."

"Kairi's right, Sora," Riku agreed, "We can't stop now."

"You're right," Sora replied, but with a humbled tone.

"Let's get going you guys! Cunla lead the way."-

"Follow me, you guys and don't stray away." Cunla advised. "Most likely the Imperials would have set up ambushes and heavy resistance against the key areas we strive for. Stay together and fight as one."

The KH team and the key bearers thus went off into the bowels of Cetorburg, leaving the Saiyans to fight against the Immortal guards who recklessly tried to force their way through the main entry.

All the while, the Imperials still secured within the deep compounds of the center tier watched on in shock as they witnessed the key bearers and a large number of Saiyans enter the facility.

"They've gotten in!" one operative cried. "A large number of key bearers and Saiyan warriors have charged in."

"How many?" the commander of the post asked.

"There's an estimated two hundred at least."-

"Only two hundred…?" the commander seemed to scoff. "Well, I'm sure that we can take care of that lot without very much trouble."

"Do not underestimate the power of the key bearers." A voice implied. The commander turned to find none other than General Marcusio standing present in the room.

"General," the commander saluted.

"I want all available forces concentrating on destroying those key bearers."-

"But sir, I don't think…"-

"We didn't think that their attack wouldn't get beyond the second shield either now did we. Let's not start making assumptions that the artificial defenses alone will stop them. I want all forces concentrating on the infiltrators. I also want defenses concentrated around the main facilities, the generators for the shield and the main power supply for the city itself."-

"We've already done that, sir, under instructions from Lord Sirius Viicous himself."-

"Very well, and what of reinforcements…?"-

"His Excellency has recalled all available forces to defend the city."-

"Sir," one of the operatives cried, seeming rather desperate, "We have a problem."

"A problem," Marcusio asked, "what kind of a problem?"

"Word from our chief commanders stationed throughout the Imperial territory. There have been several uprisings amongst our forces." This was indeed terrible news.

"What…? What do you mean there are uprisings?"-

"They're springing up all over our territory and all over the locations we've occupied. Kambrian troops within the Imperial Axis forces have separated from our troops and have begun the immediate eradication of our soldiers."-

"What is the meaning of this?"-

"Lord Admiral Rellantando has turned against us." The commander in charge explained.

"His turned against us, but why? When did you hear about this?"-

"When we tried to contact the Kambrians for reinforcements, Rellantando himself declared the separation. It was a deception all along. He's been biding his time, making it seem as if we've united the Imperial factions into one super power. But the reality was that he was just putting on a façade, hoping that we drop our guard and lose a great deal of our key elements, our military, our resources, and the stations we're posted at. Once we were put in this critical state, where we could no longer properly react, he made his move and is now taking us for all we have. And without commanders like the Blade Generals left to fight and lead our troops, it won't be long before every world we've conquered falls under Kambrian rule."-

"Damn it all. Does His Excellency know?"-

"It was he who conversed for support." Marcusio pounded his foot upon the ground and tightened his fist.

"Our cause is lost then." He uttered in his mind. "What a disaster, that our once mighty regime would crumble to dust in such a short period of time."

"Are we finished…?" one subordinate asked.

"I believe so…"-

"Then why is it that we continue to fight? Doesn't it all seem so meaningless?"-

"In most cases it is, but we cannot give up, not so long as His Excellency demands we continue."-

"But what would we hope to achieve by fighting this losing battle?"-

"With both the Aryan Faction and us besieged in our own capitals, Kambria has gained full control of the Imperial forces. Rellantando holds all the cards, but it is a crooked hand that he has dealt. And soon it will be one that he will regret deploying. Though our organizations will fall, we will be known as those who are the true followers of the Imperial regime. We fell with honor rather than tried to survive based on betrayal and disgrace to our own people. In the meantime, the Red Ribbon Faction, though not having to worry about us, will have to face the Universal Alliance and its other comrades on its own. And it won't be long before they too will fall." Marcusio stood tall before his men. "If our cause does not live in these worlds physically, then we will at least preserve the dignity we have left. We must continue this fight even to the last individual. If we are true Imperials, then let us die with honor. It is what The Three Excellencies Lord Cavendish, Lord Arakis, and Lord Viro would have wanted. And that same spirit reverberates through His Excellency Lord Sirius Viicous."

"Aye," the commander in charge concurred. "For the eternal glory of the Imperial regime, we will fight even though we will meet inevitable defeat." the officer saluted. Soon every operative and soldier stood at attention, saluting with such prowess and pride. Marcusio wavered, almost bearing a teary eye, as he gazed upon the loyal men.

"Then let us die with honor."-


	128. The Fall of Cetorburg: Part II

The Fall of Cetorburg: Part II

Her eyes slowly opened to a blurry blackness. The thumping sounds of a million haunting cries pounded in her ears. As she blinked and gazed, the black blur became a white blur. Then unclear black forms that numbered in thousands appeared, condensed like a newly hatched litter of spiders. There came booming like cannons, echoing about the place. Bits and pieces of rock and rubble pelted her face and the wind of a thousand sweaty and bloodied bodies passed her pores and the stumped hair of her nostrils. As the next couple of minutes passed, she came to realize what was going on when her vision had returned to its once crystal clear tone. With this regaining of her senses, Madam General Ks staggered from the rubble of a fallen stone building.

Her uniform tattered and her face bloodied, she took hold of her chained bo, which lay no more than a few feet away from her. The forms she saw were the masses of key bearers and Imperials battling against on another.

"Damn it," she growled, "Those upstart youths have already gotten that far." She fell to her knees again. There came a searing pain from the center of her body and it seemed to resonate through every other muscle of her body. She grasped at the pain. On the moment of touch, her mind filled with those final moments before her thrashing. "Damn that Sora, striking me with that keyblade of his. How could he have caused me to lose so much energy? One hit and he practically paralyses every limb." She looked on to see the large gap in the walls of the third tier. Her blood boiled.

To further her frustration, there came the pounding surge of two familiar strengths. She clenched her teeth.

"This cannot be…" she uttered within her mouth. "How can they still be alive?! Damn it…"

All the while, Lu Bu, Victor, Kaine, and over a hundred thousand of their comrades pushed their way, inch by inch, through the masses of Immortal guards who proved to be the most stubborn and most facetious individuals, throughout the entire Imperial Axis, to ever be confronted.

But of them all, it was Kaine, Victor, and Lu Bu who stuck it out the most, practically surrounded and cut off from the rest of their comrades. While Lu Bu used his foot stomp and devastating Musou attacks and energy surges to break up the Immortal line, Kaine used the renewed White Wolf's Rage and tore the Imperials apart. He was wounded minor and severely several times, but simply rejuvenated. All the while, Victor was striking down his foes like a fanatic. Being a true immortal, his vampire presence sent shockwaves of fear surging through the hearts and souls of even the most battle hardened Immortal guard.

It came to the point where he had been struck by twenty spear, lance, and sword tips, as well as tri formed bayonets. His blood spilled in rivers, but he seemed to be unaffected. He slew all those who hindered him and continued fighting, even with the blades still embedded in his skin.

"Is that the best you idiots can do?" he chuckled. "You can stab me all you want, but your tainted blades will not halt me from bringing forth justice. Come at me, you mindless pawns of the Phantom Lord and I shall show you the path to the spirit world!"

"We're pushing them back!" Kaine shouted.

"Come at me, you worthless maggots!" Lu Bu shouted. "Are you so afraid of me that you don't want to attack?!"

The advance and the fighting was halted for a moment though as there was once again a strong explosion. Imperial, key bearer, Saiyan, and Alliance soldier looked up in awe at this bright light that suddenly launched from out of the explosion.

Kaine felt the surge.

"This power," he uttered. He looked at Victor. "Hey, Victor, are you feeling this? Could it be…?"-

"So she's back for a little more is she?" Victor chuckled.

The light arched and came roaring towards the third tier where both lines met. Both sides made way, except for the leading three. There was a massive explosion, which caused stone and iron to lift into the air and spread about the city like shrapnel of an oversized shell.

Ks stood before the trio, a glowing figure of red.

"Who is this…?" Lu Bu wondered. "Another nuisance…?"

"So you haven't had enough yet?" Victor mocked Ks.

"Well, well, well," Ks replied, "I would have thought you two would have met a sorry end after being struck by the Immortal Killer. But from your presence here, I realize now that you still have the wind in you."

"I guess your feared Immortal Killer wasn't all it was cracked up to be."-

"So you say, but I believe you're bluffing. The only way to withstand the effects of the Immortal Killer is if you have the capability of destroying an entire galactic system with the flick of a wrist. And I highly doubt that even the great Alucard Tepes could ever dream of achieving that kind of power, let alone his incompetent son."-

"I see your tongue flapping, but all I here is blah, blah, blah…"-

"What I don't understand is how you could have survived after being struck with Mjollnir?" Kaine asked. "That hit should have finished you off for good."

"Well, like you, young William, I too don't have a tendency to die so easily."-

"Well, this time, you will die for real."-

"Unlike us however," Victor chuckled. "We'll never die. And I don't think you have enough strength to summon more of those Immortal Killers. Not that they're of any threat to us…"

"Is that so…?" Ks smirked. Her body began to glow a flash of white before fading away entirely. "I'll just have to remedy that."-

"Lu Bu," Kaine implied. "You stay out of this. This fight is simply between Victor, Ks, and I. We have an unfinished score to settle with her."

"Who am I to interfere with old scores?" Lu Bu said. "But if you two can't finish it, then I'll get my turn."

"Don't worry, Lu Bu, you'll get your turn, provided that we get killed first."-

"Fat chance of that happening," Victor added.

"Bring it on, key bearers!" Ks shouted as she drew out the blades at the end of her chain bo. The duo attacked and the impact again caused the city to rupture.

"Well, don't just stand there," Lu Bu shouted to the key bearers behind him, "Let's bring forth a slaughter to these unworthy dogs!"

The key bearers again rammed into the ranks of the Immortals and again the battle at the center ensued, this time with the destruction reaching a hundred fold.

All the while, Riku, Sora, and the rest of their allies, found themselves swarmed and surrounded by the interior defense of Cetorburg. From out of every corner, Immortal guards and Imperial S class elites appeared, striking at the ever shriveling numbers of key bearers.

Cunla, in the lead, led the allies through the maze of endless corridors. For a full fifteen minutes, they dodged and fended off Imperial soldiers, destroyed security barriers and turrets, and limited the Imperials' own access.

"How much further, Cunla…?" Donald asked.

"We're almost there!" Cunla replied, "Just a little more to go."

"I hope you're right. I don't think we can take on these ambushes and surprise attacks anymore than we have to."-

It was then that the party reached a fork in the road. The corridor suddenly split. There was a map showing the layout of the city interior. However, it was in Oceanarian. Therefore, neither the KH team, nor the key bearers accompanying knew of what was inscribed. Only Cunla and Kirin, being taught by their Imperial hosts, understood.

"Where to now…?" Goofy asked.

"The shield and energy generator chambers are down the right corridor." Cunla replied.

"Then that's where we go." Kairi implied.

"But where does the left corridor lead?" Sora asked.

"That leads to solitary confinement and the prison block." Cunla replied.

"Solitary confinement and the prison block…?" Riku wondered.

"But that's where the king is." Donald said.

"But we still have to destroy the generators." Kirin implied.

"Perhaps we should split up then." Sora suggested. "The KH team will go to save Mickey while the rest of you go and destroy the generators."

"That sounds fair to me." Cunla implied. "Kirin, the other key bearers, and I will head towards the generators and shut them down for good."

"But Cunla…" Kirin tried to intervene.

"This'll work for us. If we concentrate the mass of our numbers on one spot, the Imperials will be bound to react and head for the largest threat."-

"I see…"-

"Then let's go." Sora cried.

"Alright," Cunla turned to those still remaining, "All of you head down the right corridor. Let's move it!"

The key bearers quickly rallied down the right corridor. Kirin held up the rear, making sure that everyone made it. He turned to the KH team.

"It's going to be hell down that corridor." He implied. "Sora, make sure to take care of my little sister for me, alright?"-

"Of course, Kirin," Sora replied.

"But Kirin…" Kairi uttered as she walked up to her brother. "You're not coming with us?"

"Cunla and the others need all the help they can get. My efforts would do better with them. Besides, it'll be excessively dangerous when we attack the generators. Besides, you're safer with Sora and Riku than anywhere else."-

"But I nearly lost you once…"-

"It's better for one sibling to die than both. I hope to God that it'll be you to live."-

"Kirin…" Kairi's eyes drew tears and she threw herself upon her brother. The two siblings embraced. "I don't want you to die either."

"There is nothing to worry about. I am Prince Kirin of the Flaming Blades. I cannot possibly be defeated by the low level scum who guard these catacombs." He pulled her away. "I want you to live."

Giving a salute, Kirin quickly withdrew, following the last key bearers down the right corridor.

"Kairi," Sora uttered, "We have to go."

Kairi could only look on as her brother withdrew into the distance. She remembered a similar moment when she watched her brother leave her arms during the Battle of the Destiny Islands. She feared that perhaps this time, she would not find her brother back alive.

"Come back to me, brother…" she whispered.

"Kairi…" Sora said.

"Let's go," Donald demanded, "We still have the king to save!"

"Let's hurry," Riku added.

"There's nothing to worry about, Kairi." Sora assured his young love. "Kirin will return."

"I hope so." Kairi replied. "I don't want anyone I know to die. In fact, I don't want nor wish anymore death on anyone, no matter who they may be. It's all…just so sad…"

Taking one final glance, Kairi and the others quickly scurried down the opposite corridor.

Cunla and the other key bearers headed down the corridor, Imperials appearing at the end of the walkway and firing profusely at them. Using his most devastating attacks, Cunla unleashed hell amongst the ranks, maiming, killing, and knocking our many.

"C'mon," he cried, "We're almost there!"

They came charging down a bend when suddenly standing before them was the final resistance line, highly condensed and barricaded behind a shield of moving lasers that could cut a limb straight off on contact. Machine gun turrets and Immortal guards and Imperial S class elites, armed with blasters, fired away.

Ten of the key bearers were either killed or wounded in the first attack. The others ducked for cover.

"Great," Kirin grumbled, "How the heck are we supposed to get passed that?"

"Quite simple…" Cunla chuckled. "We have two options. One is to bypass, the other is to charge head on."

"Well, we know charging head on is suicide, even for us. And how do you expect to bypass their defenses?"-

"Simple…" Cunla pointed upward. Kirin looked up to see a small screened opening on the ceiling, leading into the ventilation shaft. "All we have to do is crawl in and attack them from behind."

"But don't you think that'll be a little conspicuous? One person could pass the defenses unnoticed, but more than that?"-

"That why we're going to use both options. We attack from the front and rear at the same time."-

"And who's going to volunteer?"-

"No one, just you and me…?"-

"Just us two…?" Kirin slightly sweated.

"We have a better chance of surviving than anyone here."-

"Well, you do have point. The question is who will go through the ventilation shaft and distract the Imperials from behind?"-

Cunla looked at the key bearers, spotting one who was strong enough to hold their own for a few minutes. That's when he spotted one eager young key bearer, perfect for handling the task.

A young man stood behind him, long dirty-blonde hair, spiky in appearance. His eyes were blue and bore fare complexion. He was robed entirely in black, from his boots and jeans to the long sleeve T-shirt upon his back. A Cruxis crystal was born on his chest.

"What's your name?" Cunla asked.

"Zorfendor Mithos Irving, sir." The young man replied.

"You think you're up to the task of striking the Immortals from behind?"

"Yes sir,"-

"Then you better get to it." Kirin ordered.

"Sir,"-

"Wait for my signal." Cunla instructed. "I will deploy a primary shockwave against the Imperials to try and soften them up. When that happens, you break out and attack them while they are still uncertain. Destroy the laser security panel located on the right side of the corridor. That should deactivate the lasers and allow us through."

"I understand,"-

"Good luck…"-

Zorfendor hovered into the air, opened the hatch into the ventilation and moved down the pipes behind the Imperial defenses.

"I'll keep those buggers occupied for a while." Kirin said. He jumped out and spread about his flames. The Imperials on the other side began to fire away with their blasters and bullets. Using his quick speed, Kirin dodged and evaded and at times blocked the attacks.

The intensity of the fire power was so great, the noise allowed Zorfendor to bypass the defenses without detection. The sound of gunfire from the Imperials and the security turrets rattled the ventilation shaft, which was already tight enough a squeeze for the young man.

He came before the first opening, and looked down to see the Imperials standing in their formations, rear guards at the ready to spring their own fire power later in the barrage.

"This is it." Zorfendor uttered. He sheathed his keyblade so he could slide through the opening faster.

"I can sense his strength." Cunla thought to himself. "He's made it." He looked at the remaining key bearers. "Draw your weapons!" The key bearers obeyed. "Let's give 'em hell!"

Cunla charged forward through Kirin's flames and unleashed a powerful shockwave. The Imperials were caught off guard and many were sent flying, or falling to their knees. The security turrets were destroyed, sending shrapnel and spare bullets into every direction, killing and maiming many of the Imperials in the process. Soon thereafter, the key bearers rushed against the defenses.

The Imperials prepared to open fire again, believing the charge was folly. But no sooner had they aimed their weapons, Zorfendor jumped from the rafters and struck at the Imperials. The Imperials were further confused as this lone key bearer cut them down. Zorfendor threw himself against the right side of the corridor and struck the deactivation switch for the laser barrier. The lasers withdrew and the key bearers rushed in. Neither the S class nor the Immortals were ready for such a predicament. Cunla and Kirin slashed their way through the ranks, slaying many of them in the process.

"Excellent work," Cunla praised his comrade.

"All in a days work." Zorfendor replied.

"Lucky for us, the ventilation shafts have no protection."-

"General Marcusio," one of the operatives shouted, "The raiding party has managed to break through the primary defenses to the generator chambers!"-

"What…?" Marcusio uttered, "How can that be?"

"They might have gone through the ventilation shaft, sir." One of the subordinates implied. Marcusio stomped his foot.

"Damn it all. The ventilation system has no protection, say for bolted screens covering every access way."-

"If they can access the ventilation shafts to easily, our defenses maintain a strong Achilles' Heel."-

"Perhaps we can send in a couple of guards to defend the ventilation system." The officer in charge implied.

"That's irrelevant now!" Marcusio replied. "They've already passed the main defenses! Had we secured those shafts earlier, we could have halted their advance forever."

"Why is it that we didn't put up defenses in the ventilation prior to now?"-

"It is because we never would have thought the Alliance would have succeeded this far into the city. We thought them incapable of breaking through the first shield on the outskirts. And yet here we are fighting the enemy in our own halls."-

"What do we do now?"-

"I want all Imperial forces having at that mass. We must defend those generators at all cost. Should they be destroyed, this city will be vulnerable to every possible force the Alliance can muster."-

As Cunla and the others fought their way through the Imperial masses, hoping to eliminate the generators, the KH team worked their way through to the prison block where Mickey awaited their arrival. By an extraordinary stroke of luck, because the threat to the generators was so great, the majority of the defenders were concentrating on those particular defenses, leaving other key corridors open for penetration. Thus, say for a few squads of Imperial S class elites guarding the way to the prisons, Riku, Sora, and the others advanced to their destination almost completely unopposed.

"We're almost there." Sora said.

"Soon, the king will be free." Goofy added.

"And the queen,"-

"Don't forget Daisy." Donald interrupted.

"Of course…"-

"Once the king and the others are free," Kairi asked, "Then that's the basically the end?"

"Not entirely, unfortunately, this will not be the absolute conclusion of this conflict."-

"In order to ensure that the chaos doesn't arise again," Riku implied, "We have to extinguish the very figure capable of unleashing such further bloodshed."

"That Lord Sirius Viicous guy, right…?'-

"Exactly…"-

"So long as he remains alive and free," Sora said, "there is a possibility that the Imperial regime will rise again.'

"But how do you know he'll rise again?"-

"A man who can bring powerful officers like Saber and Ks to his employment is either an extraordinary persuading strategist, or he bears a power that even his closest officers fear."-

"Man, who is this guy?"-

"That's what we're going to find out once we catch up with him." Riku growled. "If I ever catch up with Sirius Viicous, I will strike him down."

"But you wouldn't kill him in cold blood would you, Riku…?"-

"A man like that who can cause so much suffering to others, does not deserve the dignified execution as all others."-

"First thing's first though," Sora said, "King Mickey has to be rescued first."

"Right,"-

The team continued down the hall, quelling all resistance in their path.

Meanwhile, concealed in his secret chambers, Sirius Viicous could feel the individual entities doing battle. Upon the third tier, Victor and Kaine did all in their strengths to defeat the infamous Madam General Ks. In the levels above, the surge of Cunla and Kirin against the Immortal guards and the S class elites could be felt as the inched closer towards the generator chambers. And no more than a few flights away were Riku and Sora. Sirius clutched onto his keyblade.

"They are coming." He thought to himself. Raising forth his hand, he called forth his Heartless minions. Many of them were super anti-Soras and super anti-Rikus. "I shall increase this fiasco and force the tainted one to come to me. Thus, we will finally settle the score." He looked to his Heartless minions. "Go my servants. Send Noctin Tilandir into the realm of everlasting darkness."

The Antis withdrew to attack all those who threatened Cetorburg.

All the while, Victor, Kaine, and the others were having all the trouble of battling against Ks and the Immortals. The fight was ever escalating, but still the Immortal general seemed not to falter.

"Fools, you still haven't learned." She said.

"You go ahead and blather all you want." Kaine shouted. "But we're true immortals. We can't die, thus we can't possibly be defeated by the likes of you."

"And you won't be using your little Immortal Killer to make us your Achilles' heels." Victor added. "Now that we know of what the energy looks like, we can avoid it."

"We've also been studying your diversionary tactics, like that Solar Flare. You won't blind us again."-

"Confident little bugs…"-

Just then, as the key bearers seemed to reign victorious over the Immortals, their load became ever greater as hundreds of thousands of Heartless suddenly appeared.

"Heartless," the key bearers shouted. Like locusts, the heartless suddenly appeared in vast tidal waves, sweeping over the key bearers.

"Damn it all," Kaine growled, "What a time for them to show up."

"Balderdash," Victor shouted, "They'll have to do better than this."

Thousands of Heartless attacked at the same time. Kaine and Victor were completely overwhelmed, but not a bit worried in the predicament. To them, the heartless were no more of a bother than flies. Ks watched as her foes became occupied. A grin came over her face.

"This may prove advantageous to me after all." She chuckled.

As the two continued to battle the Heartless, they suddenly saw Ks appeared before them. She struck at them with her chain bo, inflicting terrible wounds. Kaine and Victor quickly recovered.

"You didn't think we forgot about you, did you?" Kaine said. The two attacked Ks, but now a swarm of heartless came over them again. Once again, the duo battled the heartless. But as they were fended off, Ks appeared again and struck at the two. Kaine and Victor turned their attentions towards her. But no sooner had they done that, the heartless had regained the momentum and were on the attack again.

"You'll have to do better, boys." Ks chuckled.

Several times this was repeated before the duo realized what was going on.

"Those heartless are acting as a shield, screening her movements and blocking our advances. To add, the dark essence is blocking our ability to directly track her."-

"This has to be the work of Sirius Viicous." Victor implied.

"Best be aware. She may appear again and strike us with that Immortal Killer of hers."-

"Ha, she has to concentrate her energy in order to do that. That's a signature that even these Heartless cannot block."-

But no sooner had that been said, from out of the heartless ranks, the spiked edge of Ks' bo came flying out. But unlike before, the blade bore a glow similar to the Immortal Killer. It struck Kaine upon the shoulder and this time, the wound did not regenerate.

"Kaine," Victor cried.

"My arm," Kaine uttered.

"You think you know me that well?" Ks mocked the due from behind the Heartless. Suddenly, another strike followed by another and another and another came speeding out of the darkness. This time, both were struck and their wounds did not automatically heal. "You still have a lot to learn boys."

"I see," Victor explained, "She knows that we have he ability to detect the powers of the Immortal Killer. That's why she's concentrating it on the tip of her blades. Should those tips stab us or strike us upon the jugulars, that'll be too fatal a blow."

"That may slow us down," Kaine added, "Giving that tart a chance to hit us with the full force."

"Best be on our guard…"-

The tables had once again turned, this time against the attackers.

Cunla and the others were in just as precarious a position as their comrades outside. Heartless suddenly swarmed around, attacking the members of their raiding party.

"Where did all of these Heartless come from?" he asked. "It's been a while since we've seen them."

"It has to be the Phantom Lord." Kirin explained. "Only he is capable of summoning this many heartless, let alone antis of Riku and Sora."

"Best clear them out as best we can."-

"Keep advancing, you guys! Get to the generators first and foremost! Fight the enemy only when you find it necessary!"-

The key bearers continued their push, despite the fact that now a great deal of the enemy encircled them, a great eye of darkness and shadow fueling the Imperial storm.

The KH team was also hindered by many of the antis. Riku and Sora fused together and cut their way through the masses. Kairi, Donald, and Goofy did their best in the fight as well. Riku even used the manipulation stone to possess the heartless present and have them turn against their Imperial masters. But even that proved ineffective as the loyal outdid the defectors. However, there was some good news as the defecting heartless managed to overwhelm and defeat all the Imperials that stood guard at the prison block and the way to there. But even after ten minutes of attacks and defenses, it seemed as if the Heartless refused to give in, both they and the Imperials.

"Sirius is behind the heartless no doubt." Sora said.

"Damn these heartless," Riku growled, "They just keep coming."

"What do we do?" Kairi asked.

"We have no other choice." Donald added. "We can't stay here forever. We have to get to the king!"

"Right," Goofy added, "Let's go!"

However, there was a sudden lull in the fight. Riku suddenly propped his head up and looked down one of the off branch corridors. Down the way, he felt a familiar surge. He gripped his keyblade ever so tightly and ran down the hall. His friends were bewildered by this action.

"Riku," Sora cried, "Where are you going?!"

"This is where we take separate paths!" Riku replied.

"What do you mean?"-

"The only way to stop the Heartless is to defeat the one who summoned them."-

"Sirius…? Is he close?"-

"I believe so."-

"We'll come with you." Kairi implied.

"No," Riku halted his friends, "I have to tackle this myself."

"But…?"-

"Your efforts lie with saving the king and his court. Sirius Viicous does not concern you at this point. His grudge lies with me. I don't know why, where, or how, but he for some reason hates me most of all. His efforts seemed to have been directed for the sole purpose of driving me towards him. Well, if he wants to settle a score, then that's alright by me. I will face him and finish this once and for all."-

"Riku, you know you can't handle him on your own." Sora said. "Let's just head for the prison block." But Riku was determined to bring Sirius to justice. Giving a defiant look, he turned and withdrew. "Riku," Sora wanted to stop him, but he knew that doing so was pointless.

But Riku stopped and turned about to meet the team again. For a moment, Sora thought that his friend was actually reconsidering. But to his surprise, it wasn't the case. Instead, Riku took hold of his hand and gave him a black orb which absorbed into Sora's body.

"Before I go, I want you to take this." Riku said.

"What is it?" Sora asked.

"This is an ounce of my darkness. You may need it. No doubt that Mickey may be confined in a cell that can only be opened by a combination of light and darkness."-

"How do you know that?"-

"I don't know. I just have this feeling for some reason." Sora could only look down and his palm and how the dark orb slowly seeped and disappeared into his skin. He looked at his friend again.

"You can save the trouble by coming with us, Riku."-

"Don't let me repeat myself." He suddenly hugged Sora tightly. "You keep Kairi and the others safe, Sora. It's up to you now."

"Riku…"-

With that, Riku withdrew again. This time, he did not turn or look back and vanished into the darkness of the hall.

"Riku," Kairi shouted.

"Come back!" Donald added.

"Sora," Goofy asked, "What are we gonna do without Riku?"

"We can't separate like this!"-

"We have to go after him, Sora." Kairi said. "He could be killed." But Sora did not pursue.

"We have to free the king first though." Sora implied. "At least with him and the others liberated, we won't have to worry about Sirius making anymore threats to His Majesty if His Majesty isn't there."

"You do have a point."-

"Besides, if I know Riku, he's not easily deterred by the likes of a guy who hides in the shadows while his no good flunkies do all the fighting. At least that's what I hope."-

"Then it's settled," Donald interrupted, "We go for the king!"

With that, the rest of the team made their way to prison block, hoping to free Mickey from his almost three months of solitary confinement.

All the while, Kirin and Cunla struck down Heartless and Imperial with great fury. Cunla had again used the Rage and was now pummeling all resistance ten times faster. The key bearers behind him were awe struck as they witnessed this increase in power.

Before they knew it, the raiding party came before the doors of the shield generators.

"We've done it." Kirin huffed. "We've made it to the generator chamber."

They opened up the doors and beheld an impressive sight. Before them, upon a seven pronged stand with a base expanding for a hundred feet or more, hovered a rose glowing sphere, illuminating the entire chamber. So bright was the light that no shadow could make itself present within.

"All that's left is to destroy that generator once and for all." Cunla said as he regressed back to his original self.

The two stepped into the chamber. They looked about, but no one was around to stop them.

"This is strange. You'd think they would have someone here to at least try and defend the generator."-

But no sooner had they sighed relief, the doors suddenly closed on them. Cunla and Kirin looked, shocked and confused. They ran to the doors and tried to open them. But for some reason, they had been jammed from the outside. Cunla pounded on the door, but there was no use. These doors were heavily reinforced. The two backed off and looked long at the doors.

"The doors closed." Cunla uttered.

"But who could have…?" Kirin added, cutting himself short.

"Do they want us to destroy the generator that much?"-

"Maybe they figured that we weren't in here and tried to close the doors at the last minute."-

"Oh no," a voice suddenly shouted from behind. "The purpose of closing to doors was to isolate you two from the others."

The duo turned back to the energy sphere. Standing before the generator stood a tall individual will long flowing brown hair tied by a piece of black fabric. His complexion was fair and his eyes as blue as the ocean. He wore a uniform not like that of the Imperial Axis, but of the Alliance. The weapon clutched in his hand was identical to Cunla's

The face of this warrior was all too familiar. But of the two, Cunla was the one who reacted with more emotion. His eyes grew wide and teary. His body seemed to stiffen and shut down as he beheld this individual whom he had known only in his memories.

The man standing before them was none other than Cuchulain.

"It can't be…" he uttered.

"What is he doing here?" Kirin added, his voice equaling wavering.

"It can't be you…"-

"But it is, Cunla." Cuchulain chuckled.

"But you're dead…"-

"Not anymore…my son…"-

"Father…"-

"I never would have thought that you would progress so much. You have definitely become stronger." Cuchulain then drew forth his weapon, the Gae Bulga. Cunla was equally confused as he still felt the staff of the Gae Bulga in his palm. "Your legacy has surpassed even mine. And that is something that I cannot have."

The Hound suddenly lunged forward with incredible speed and slashed at the duo. Cunla and Kirin quickly evaded. But during the scuffle, both had separated. Thus, Cuchulain took the offensive, attacking them one at a time. And his primary target was his own son.

Father and son clashed, their spears blocking and lunging, hoping to draw the first blood.

"Father," Cunla cried, "Why are you doing this? Why are you attacking us? We're on your side?"

"On my side you say?" Cuchulain growled. "I don't recall ever having anything to do with you." The two continued to clash. They locked in a deadlock, pushing against each other with their weapons.

"How did you come back to life?"-

"I was graciously given a second chance by Lord Sirius Viicous. I thus owe him my life and my service."-

"No, this is wrong." The two broke in their clash. "You would never turn your back on your cause, not even for your life."

"Fool boy, it just goes to show that you don't know as much about me as you thought. I only took you in because I thought it would be interesting to have you by my side. But here I find you, surpassing even my own strength. I never expected that and I never wanted that. I don't want my son shadowing everything I strived for. And I won't let you start now!"-

"But father, we're reunited. You're here again. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"-

"It does," The Hound lunged again, "It means I can correct a mistake that I made back in Traverse Town. If I would have known that you would end up becoming stronger than I, then I would have just allowed you to die."

"No," Cunla's eyes filled with tears. "You can't really mean that, can you dad?"

"With ever fiber of my being and with all the rage in my heart, I mean what I say! You'll be better off dead!"-

"Father…"-

Cuchulain struck and pounded at Cunla. Cunla, still overwhelmed, sadden by his father's bitter words, and emotionally stressed by his father's sudden reappearance, could not maintain a momentum in the battle. He for a moment was caught off guard. Cuchulain thrust forth the three prongs of the Gae Bulga. Cunla tried to evade, but by a second off. The prongs ripped through Cunla's shirt and cut his side. The youth winched, but was not allowed to comfort the sting for his father was once again on the attack.

"You leave Cunla alone!" Kirin shouted. He came forward and deployed his fiery blades.

"Fool," Cuchulain laughed. He quickly turned and knocked the weapons out of the way. He slashed and cut Kirin across the chest. Kirin fell to the ground. "So you want to join in do you? Well, I can't afford time for you yet, young Prince Kirin. However, I'll let them have a little fun first."

From behind the sphere, ten Immortal guards appeared and quickly surrounded Kirin. Kirin quickly drew up his blades.

"Great, these guys again."-

"Kirin," Cunla cried.

"Kill him, boys!" Cuchulain ordered. The Immortals acknowledged and charged at Kirin all at once.

"I won't die so easily!" Kirin declared. "Have at you!"

Cunla only watched as Kirin was engaged in an intense fight against the Immortal guards.

"It won't be long before he tires and dies." Cuchulain implied.

"Why father, why are you doing this to me? You never cared before on whether I surpassed you or not. Why now of all times do you become hostile? And what of Sirius Viicous, why side with him? Even if he did give you a second chance, you would have rather killed yourself than be bonded to him forever and ever."-

"I am a true champion, one that has known the intensity of battle all my life. Like you, I realized what benefits I could achieve while siding with the Midnight Faction. Sirius would grant me the ability to fight and become stronger without bounds. And the path of chaos is the only path, which a true warrior like my self can travel."-

"You can't be my real father. You can't be!"-

"Oh, but I am. And I have been reborn as a new individual. I have a chance to make everything right and side with the individuals worth standing with. I've been mistaken all this time, Cunla. But if you're willing to battle your own father, then so be it. But you'll have to kill me if you intend to win, because I won't stop until you take your last breath."-

Cunla stood up and drew forth the Gae Bulga. But he seemed hesitant now. It was because he was again battle against his father that he hesitated. He didn't know what to believe. Could it be that his father was revived and now he had new allegiances? Or could it be that the individual before him was an imposter taking on his father's face? A plethora of questions plagued Cunla's mind. And it was this infestation that forced him into a submissive role. He did not have the same panache and spark in battle as he usually would. It just goes to show how affected he was.

He was struck and wounded several times by the alternate Gae Bulga. Three times on the sides, once on the chest, twice on the right arm and once on the left, scarred upon his face and once one left leg, and his body had been kicked and punched, forming bruises upon his flesh. He was even temporarily strangled, but was able to free himself. But despite the danger, he could not bring himself to harm his father. The events that took place in Traverse Town were still fresh in his mind and he did not want to hinder his father in such a way ever again.

Kirin witnessed this beating of the son as he continued to fight and defeat off the Immortals one at a time.

"C'mon, Cunla," Kirin encouraged, still in the midst of his own confrontation. "You have to fight him! If you don't, you'll die and our trek here would be for nothing! The rest of our comrades are still isolated on the outside of the chamber! So long as we stall in this battle, we allow them to die one at a time! We can't have that! We can't have our friends die in vain!" But his words seemed to fall on deaf ears. He only watched as Cunla put up a futile effort to stop his possessed father. "Cunla are you listening to me? You have to kill your father! There's no other choice!" Cunla was knocked again, this time he could barely regain his stance. "Cunla,"

"You might as well forget your encouraging words, Kirin." Cuchulain said. "Cunla would never dare strike his father again, not after the first time we battled."

"I can't do it." Cunla thought to himself, staggering to his feet. "I can't fight him. He's my father."

"Now die, Cunla." Cuchulain lunged at the youth. But Cunla again blocked. But he was kicked in the face by the Hound and sent reeling rearward. He slammed into the wall, a stream of blood now dripping from his mouth. His grip on the Gae Bulga loosened. Cunla thus lay against the wall, losing all of his will to continue fighting.

He watched as things went a blur in his mind. The shadowy form of his father now stood over him like a mountain.

"Pathetic," Cuchulain scoffed, "I thought you would have put up a better fight than that."

"I have no right to fight against you." Cunla whispered.

"That's good then. At least you've come to your senses and are willing to accept your fate, knowing that further resistance would have been a mere waste of effort." Cuchulain drew up the Gae Bulga to deliver the final blow.

But before the strike could be made, Cuchulain quickly threw his head to the side. The reason being was because a grappling dagger had been deployed from behind to strike him in the back of the skull. Cuchulain turned his head and saw Kirin standing stalwart behind him with his blades drawn.

"You again…?" Cuchulain growled.

"Kirin…" Cunla uttered, his eyes slightly clearing to see his comrade.

"Cunla, you have to kill your father!" Kirin shouted. "He's not the real Cuchulain! Your real father would never allow himself to be enticed by the Imperial regime!" Kirin made ready. "And even if he is real, then he's gone totally off the deep end."

"You're planning on fighting me, boy?" Cuchulain declared.

"I know Cunla is still bound to the memory of his father, which is why he is reluctant to hinder you. But unlike him, I won't hesitate to kill you. You can't full me! You're nothing, but a fake, a phony, a cheap imitation."-

"An imitation am I? You'll regret those words, Kirin."-

"Then come at me!"-

"With pleasure…!"-

Cuchulain attacked with excellent vigor, overpowering Kirin on contact. Kirin, still weakened with his fight against the Immortals was left slightly wobbly at the knees. This allowed Cuchulain to gain the advantage faster.

"What's wrong, Kirin," he chuckled, "You seem a little weaker than usual. I guess the fight with the Immortals has left you exhausted. But then again that is not a surprise since the Immortals are the top brass of the entire Imperial Axis. I have to commend you though. Being able to defeat ten Immortal guards all on your own is quite an achievement." The two locked their weapons. "However, in the long run, you have been left drained of over half of your energy."

"Cunla," Kirin cried, "You have to get up! You have to help me! I can't fight him on my own!" But Cunla only lay there lifeless, as if he were blind, deaf, and mute.

"It's no use. The boy has lost all his will to fight. He'd rather not fight at all than to hinder his father."-

"But you are not his father! His father died gallantly at Long Valley!"-

"He doesn't know the difference. As brilliant as he is, Cunla still has a lot to contend with mentally." Suddenly, Kirin was stuck upon the side as Cunla was before. The prongs cut deep into his side. Kirin staggered. "Expect no help from him. Cunla's finished. And by the looks of it, so are you."

"Damn you," Kirin unleashed his flames, but even that was not enough to stop Cuchulain. The Hound thrust forth the Gae Bulga and pierced Kirin's right shoulder.

The young man cried out as he could feel the three prongs digging deep into his flesh. He squirmed and struggled as an animal would in a hunter's trap.

"Pity, you came all this way only to fail!" Cuchulain twisted the Gae Bulga, causing Kirin to scream out.

"Cunla, Cunla…"-

"It's no use I said. Your words fall upon deaf ears."-

Cunla all the while could hear only low moans and ghostly sounds. Even the beating of his heart seemed to blast our, muffling all other sounds outside his chest cavity. The blood in his veins sounded like rivers and only the sound of the red liquid could be heard. His steady breathing was like a gust of wind, receding and advancing with every few seconds.

"I can't do it." He uttered. "I've already raised my hand against my father. I have already once struck him so foolishly and disgracefully. I don't want to have to do that again. Now having to kill my own father? I won't regress to becoming an Oedipus."

"Don't believe everything you hear and see, Cunla." A voice uttered in his head. Cunla raised his eyes, looking around. But there was no one. The voice was familiar, emerging like a maelstrom in his mind. It was his father's voice he heard, but it did not come from the tormentor who struck down Kirin. Instead, the voice emerged from within the compounds of his heart.

"Father, is that you?"-

"Yes Cunla,"-

"But how…?'-

"That Cuchulain that stands before you is not your real father."-

"But…"-

"Listen Cunla, I have always loved you. And being your father, I have never once dared to strike you out of smite or jealousy. I never cared on whether or not you surpassed me, but I would never try to keep you submissive. My real desire was to see you grow and create a greater legacy, one that surpassed even mine. Remember, it is your destiny and no one can take that from you."-

"Father…" Cunla's eyes filled with tears.

"Whoever that man is that fights you, it's not me. I would never dictate your destiny."-

"But I can't. I can't fight you, father."-

"That man bears my body and my knowledge, but he does not bear my heart or my soul." Cunla looked upon the imposter, still uncertain. "Listen to me, Cunla. Whatever wrongs you thing you might have inflicted on me in the past, let them go. Don't let our fight at Traverse Town wear on your mind. Don't allow your emotions permit you from doing what's right. Don't permit yourself to remain idle and witness the death of a comrade whom you could have saved. You must stay strong."

"Father…"-

"That man is false. Your true father stands with you."-

Cunla's eyes grew wide and he raised his head with a new determination.

All the while, the fake Cuchulain pulled out his Gae Bulga from Kirin's shoulder. The young man cried out in agony as his blood spilled about on the white floor. Cuchulain placed the blade upon his throat.

"Such a pity that you have to lose your life like this." The Hound chuckled. "Oh well, I guess all things have to come to an end." Kirin remained silent as the blade tips touched his Adam's apple. "Now, Kirin, I will rid you of your pathetic existence. But know this, at least I'll give you a swift and painless death because you had fought me as a true warrior should, unlike that worthless whelp of a son I have. Now die."

Cuchulain raised the Gae Bulga over the head of Kirin and with a swift lunge, dared to impale the youth's skull. But this was interrupted as suddenly, a second spear appeared and blocked the Gae Bulga's path. Cuchulain was shocked. He tried to force his weapon down, but it was held at bay. He turned his head to find none other than Cunla standing to the side, the rage burning in his eyes. His body had grown and his hair lengthened.

"Leave him alone." Cunla growled.

"Impossible." Cuchulain uttered. Cunla threw his phantom father off balance and sent him falling to the ground. "You…" He looked on at this new form Cunla undertook. "The power of the rage…But how did he…?!"

"You won't hurt my friend anymore." Kirin looked up at his magnificent sight.

"Cunla," he uttered, "You're back to your old self."

"Sorry I kept you waiting."-

"You got to your feet in time to save my life. That's all that matters."-

"This is my fight now, Kirin. You take a rest now and leave the rest to me."-

"Fool," Cuchulain growled as he lifted himself back to his feet, "You dare to stand against me, your own dear father."

"I came to realize something very important." Cunla declared. "You are not my real father. That point was made clear to me."

"And how did you come to that conclusion?"-

"My father's soul has been with me all this time, guiding me and teaching me. Besides, he would never dare to strike me or hinder me or deny me my destiny."-

"And how can you be so certain? You dare to repeat your past mistakes like you did in Traverse Town? You dare to smite your own father?"-

"I'll be willing to take that chance. If you dare to stand against your own former comrades so easily and so quickly without a real good reason or second though, then something is totally out of whack." Cunla drew forth the Gae Bulga. "I may not be set emotionally, but my heart is on the right track. And it says that you are on the wrong side. If you truly are my father, then you should be able to strike me down just as easily as you did in Traverse Town."-

"I will hold nothing back then!" Cuchulain attacked Cunla. But the young man was too swift for his father and easily struck him at the back of the head. Cuchulain skidded upon the ground. He quickly leaped back to his feet and made another defensive stance. "Inconceivable, his strength has doubled."

"Come at me, imposter!"-

"I'll teach you for having a lack of propriety to your elders!" Cuchulain attacked again, but again, he was evaded. In the process, he was struck upon the side with the Gae Bulga. Cuchulain flinched and grasped his bloody wound.

"Pathetic…" Cunla scoffed. The real Cuchulain would never allow himself to be smitten in such a way."

"Damn you, boy!" Again and again, the Hound attacked. But each time, Cunla pummeled him. Upon the final time, Cuchulain was sent skidding upon the ground and hit the base of the wall. He lay there for a moment or too before staggering to his feet with bloodshot eyes. "You bastard…! I hate you!"

"You are being pummeled by an inexperienced warrior like me. How crude can you get? And you call yourself Cuchulain, The Hound of Ulster?!"-

"Don't you dare mock me!" Cuchulain suddenly increased in strength until his body too began to change. Unleashing the rage, he became a fearsome berserker. "I will kill you for your insolence! Now die!"

But even with the power of the rage accumulating, the Hound proved no match for his son. Back and forth, he was pummeled by the youth until he was sent reeling rearward against the wall again.

"Fool," Cunla chuckled. "Is that all you can do?"

"You dare laugh at me?" the fake Cuchulain roared. His form became more frightening and more grotesque. But still, Cunla didn't waver. Just then, Cuchulain drew up his spear in a thrusting form. "You'll rue the day you assaulted my pride as a warrior!"

With all his might, Cuchulain tossed the Gae Bulga. The weapon went screaming through the air and dared to strike the youth to his grave. But Cunla was faster and evaded at the last minute.

"You're out of options now."-

"So says you." Cuchulain chuckled. The screaming of the spear became louder again. The spear had turned its course and was again on the killing path, aiming for Cunla's back.

"Cunla, look out!" Kirin cried.

"It's over for you!" Cuchulain shouted.

But it was not to be. Cunla quickly turned and drew up his Gae Bulga. Thus, with pinpoint accuracy, he ensnared the opposite weapon in mid air. He felt the push of the weapon against his own. Cuchulain and Cunla could only look on in amazement and shock.

"How did he do that?' Kirin wondered. "Cunla caught the Gae Bulga in mid-air."

"That boy, he's not human." The fake Cuchulain uttered.

"Here's back at you!" Cunla shouted. He thrust forward the Gae Bulga and sent it reeling towards its new target. Cuchulain quickly evaded.

"You missed!" But as he turned to face Cunla again, he watched as the boy suddenly threw himself upon him. Gae Bulga clutched in a charging position, Cunla struck at the fake with all his might. In the charge, the fake Cuchulain could see an out print of his real self vibrating like a great aura of power, glowing profusely, ten times brighter than the day.

There was a thud of flesh and a crack of bone, intermingling with the clinging of steel. Cunla had thrust his father's weapon deep into the gut of his fake father's body. Cuchulain slumped forward from the pain. But more pain was inflicted upon him as his own Gae Bulga boomeranged around and struck him deep in the back. Blood splattered everywhere and Cuchulain's life quickly diminished.

"Cunla," Cuchulain uttered. "How could you…?'

"You disgraced my father's legacy." Cunla replied. "Therefore, you must pay for your crime" Cunla drew out the Gae Bulga, forcing the clone to stagger. He then raised the spear over his head. "You and that generator will go together! Ulster slash…!"

There came a powerful energy wave that bellowed from the Gae Bulga. The blast struck the fake Cuchulain and sent him flying into the energy generator for the shields. The power of the shield energy became unstable and collapsed. There was a bright flash of light, followed by an explosion. Almost instantly, the energy ball vanished.

On the outside, upon the tiers, the shields were seen receding, diminishing from the city's defenses.

"They did it!" Victor shouted.

"They brought down the shields!" Kaine added.

"Impossible…" Ks uttered. "How could this have happened?"

"Now that the shields are down, there's no more reason to hold back!" Kaine unleashed his fire attacks and drew back all the Heartless waves.

On the ground, the key bearers were no free to use their elemental attacks and they used them with gusto. Now, the Immortals had even more formidable foes to fight since the key bearers were no longer limited to the properties of the shields.

All the while, Madam General Devardios watched as the shields vanished from sight.

"They did it." She chuckled. There was a cheer amongst the Alliance forces.

"It's over now!" Captain Malorius added.

"Contact General Kira Yamato and his mobile suit troops, tell them to launch and destroy the remaining defenses!"-

"With pleasure…"-

The order was given. Kira was enthralled at the news.

"So the time had finally come." Kira said to himself.

"We are ready to launch, sir." One of the subordinates implied.

"Excellent, have all units deployed to Cetorburg as soon as possible! Today, we take revenge for the suffering and losses that we had to endure!"-

"Aye sir,"-

With that, the dormant mobile suits were activated and sent to the front with no threat to hinder them.

All the while, Cunla looked on to the devastation. The great sphere of energy that was the foundation to the shields' power was gone, that along with the clone of his father. Overcome with relief and exhaustion, he fell to the ground. Kirin managed to get back on his feet and catch the youth in his arms. Like brothers, Kirin embraced Cunla.

"We did it," Cunla uttered, "We did it."-

"No, Cunla," Kirin replied, "You did it."

"Yeah…" Cunla closed his eyes and sighed relief. "Do you think my father was watching me?"

"I believe your father was with you the whole time. And I bet he's proud that you preserved his integrity."-

"Yeah…" He laid his head in Kirin's arms. Tears slightly formed upon his sealed lashes. "I'm so tired…"

"You rest, Cunla. You deserve it." While holding on to Cunla, Kirin looked on, knowing that the fight still wasn't over. "I hope that Sora and the others are doing just as well as we are. The fight should be easier from here on out."


	129. The Fall of Cetorburg: Part III

The Fall of Cetorburg: Part III

It was not apparent to the Imperial command that success in the field had slimed down to extremely narrow margin. The shield power levels had long ceased to exist and the commanders feared the worst.

"The shields are down," one operative shouted, "The shields are down."

"That's it then." The observation commander implied. "The chance of us winning now is highly unlikely, unless we receive reinforcements soon. Not even those legions of Heartless are of any effect."

"We will die with honor, commander." General Marcusio declared. "Let it be known that we fought to the last man with the little integrity left in our hearts."

"But it seems so pointless. If defeat is inevitable, why must we continue to fight?"-

"Even the smallest of chances can change the tide of battle. All we need to do is wait for the right opportunity."-

However, that notion was severed as another operative began to bellow.

"General," he cried, "I'm detecting a massive force heading towards us."

"What was that?"-

"I've confirmed it. They're mobile suits from the 'Seed' realm, General Kira Yamato's outfit!"-

"How many…?"-

"It's an army alright. At least nine thousand mobile suits confirmed."-

"Damn it. And they are at an altitude and distance to which third generation Immortals cannot bear."-

Suddenly, there came the pounding and shaking of impacts. The room was rocked violently and the lights and technology began to flicker. All personnel were knocked down.

"What's going on?" the observation commander asked.

"We're being bombarded!" the operative stated. "They are concentrating on key areas and those most threatening to their grown forces."

"Damn it. Without the shields, this city has no means to truly defend itself."-

"Oh yes it does." Marcusio said. "We still have our barge cannons. Deploy them at once!"

"Yes sir." The operative replied.

All the while, Kira and his men fired away, softening up the defenses of Cetorburg.

"Without there defense shields, Cetorburg is finished." One of the subordinates chuckled.

"Don't get too confident." Kira replied. "Knowing the Imperials, they have a lot of trick hidden up their sleeves, best not to be too hasty and concentrate all fire power on the defenses still remaining."

Kira's words proved true as a bleep on his screen allowed him to catch wind of the rising defenses of the fourth tier. Upon the decks of the fourth tier, barge cannons appeared from concealed hatches, double barrels gleaming in the sun.

"We've confirmed perimeter guns." One of the soldiers reported, "At least two thousand. Five hundred guns for each front."

"Maintain a steady course." Kira replied. "Engage defenses and take out as many of those guns as you possibly can."

"Sir,"-

The guns starting firing away at the incoming mobile suits, but many were able to evade the first barrage. Like wasps upon their nest, the mobile suits swarmed about, targeting each of the guns to the best of their ability. However, the Imperial guns were just as formidable, shooting down three mobile suits at a time. Kira used the guns of the Freedom to strike down the Imperial defenses, at the same time not trying to mindlessly slay the soldiers defending the city. Like Riku and Sora, Kira had gained a new respect for life. He would never again allow himself to become indulged in ideas of vengeance like he did at Lyzand. The course was before him and he directed himself in a straight manner.

"Athrun," Kira thought to himself, "I'll seek justice for you in the way that was intended."

As Sora, Kairi, Goofy, and Donald made their way towards the prison block; they felt the rumbling of each impact upon the city. The deep roaring of the explosions caused bits of debris and dust to fall from the ceiling.

As far as present threats had gone, Imperials were scarce, but heartless were frequent. From out of the very shadows, they appeared, assaulting the quartet from every direction.

"I hope Riku's having a better time than we are." Sora said.

"We should have gone with him." Kairi implied.

"Well, it's a little late to do that now. Also, if we did go with him, we'd only be getting in his way. This is a fight that he has to face alone."-

"But why…?"-

"As I said, he and Sirius have an old score to settle. This is one that Riku has to deal with by himself. We have no right to interfere."-

"Sora's right, Kairi," Donald added. "It's best we stay out of Riku's way. Once he has his mind set on something, there's no point persuading him otherwise."-

"Besides, right now, the king is our main focus."-

After five minutes of advancing and fighting, the heartless suddenly vanished from sight as if there was something repelling their advance.

"The heartless are retreating." Goofy said.

"The king must be close." Donald added.

"Yeah," Sora agreed, "I can feel that familiar power lingering. Mickey's strength is strong, keeping even the heartless from approaching any further. He must know we're coming."

"Hey," Kairi pointed, "I think we're here."

Before the team was a door with stairs leading down to lower levels. Written in white letters at the side of the door, were the words 'Prison block.'

"So this is it." Sora took the lead. "Alright, you guys, be careful. Just because the heartless and the Imperials aren't about right now doesn't mean that their in present, so keep quiet and don't let your guard down."

"Right," the others replied.

The four descended down the corridor. Only a few dim torches illuminated the dungeon stairwell, giving a gloomy and foreboding atmosphere. They almost tiptoed down each step.

As they reached the end of the stairwell, there came a brighter luminance at the end of the hall, entering into a large chamber. There were barrels of aging wine piled up along the walls, indicating that the wine cellar was posted along with the prison block. Lingering within the chamber was the sound of several voices echoing in carefree jollity. Sora halted the team and slowly peaked behind the bend leading to the main opening of the chamber.

Collected at an old wooden table were thirteen S class elites and five Immortal guards who were stationed at the post. At the far end of the chamber, within sight of the guards, was a large door bearing the Imperial symbol of the Midnight Faction.

"That must be it." Sora whispered.

"Where…?" Donald asked. He, Kairi, and Goofy looked around the bend and beheld the entry way to the block.

"The king must be behind those doors without a doubt." Kairi said.

"Let's go in and save him!"-

"Wait," Sora backed them off, "We can't afford to be reckless."

"C'mon, there are only eighteen of 'em at least. We can take 'em out easily."-

"There might be only eighteen of them, but they won't be easy to contend with, especially since there are only four of us. A head on assault would be reckless and suicidal. Also, there may be units on reserve that we may not know about. As far as we know, they could punch an alarm and send in ten times their number. They could spread themselves out, surround us and overwhelm us. And we won't have any means to escape."-

"Then what do you suggest we do?"-

"We have to lure them out of that open chamber and confine them into this hallway. They won't be able to form themselves up in such a confined space. Plus we have the element of surprise."-

"Leave it to us then." Goofy implied. "Let's go Donald."

"To do what…?" Donald asked. "You suggest that we fight them on our own?"

"Of course not silly, we're gonna lure them out just like what Sora said."-

"And how do you expect us to do that?"-

"Just follow my lead."-

Hastily, Goofy and Donald moved out into the open towards the group of soldiers who were busy in their frivolity with their pints. Sora and Kairi looked on in astounded shock.

"You guys…?" Sora uttered.

"You two…" Kairi added.

"Well," Sora gave a sigh, "There's no use stopping them, so we might as well go with their plan." He drew out his keyblades. "Are you ready, Kairi?"

"Behind you all the way," Kairi drew out her keyblade as well.

"Then get behind me and spring the trap when we're ready."-

The two hid in the shadows ad Donald and Goofy went in to catch the attention of the Imperials. Like members of the gang, Goofy and Donald just strode up to the Imperials. They both began to make the silliest faces possible.

"Nyah nyah," they both blathered, sticking their tongues out and making goofy gestures.

The Imperials were at first overjoyed to see their comrades in high spirits, but soon came to realize that the two newcomers were not theirs and their smiles turned to looks of shock. Goofy and Donald made their faces again and soon those shocks came to sneers. The moment, they saw the glare in the eyes of the soldiers; the duo knew that their gestures had gone too far. Immediately, they jumped rearward out of the chamber and towards the stairwell.

The guards on the other hand, too caught up in their earlier merriment, had become drunk. Thus, their senses were not as keen as they usually would have been had they been sober. However, they were still aware enough to realize that Goofy and Donald were enemies.

"Get them!" one of the Immortals shouted, as he drew out his saber. The others picked up their weapons and began firing at the duo. Goofy and Donald evaded at the last minute. Now they had eighteen stumbling Imperials coming at them. Not figuring on an ambush, they rushed after the duo without a second thought. They stormed out the chamber and ran up the stairs, yelling and screaming bloody murder. But as the last of the Imperials left to charge up the stairs. Sora and Kairi suddenly appeared. As Kairi attacked from the rear, Sora placed himself into the danger of the center.

All the while, Goofy and Donald turned about and started counterattacking. Before they knew it, over half of the Imperial numbers were defeated; the majority of them were knocked unconscious. Two of the S class elites and all five Immortals remained. The Immortals, despite being banged up by their prior glasses, still proved to be formidable and took a while for Sora to take down. The remaining S class elites were easy to stifle with two quick knocks on the head.

"Well, that was easy enough." Donald said. "I thought these guys would put up a better fight than this."

"Well, I'm sure they never would have expected us to penetrate this far into the city so quickly." Sora explained.

The four headed towards the door. They looked at it curiously, looking for a lock or some apparatus to open it. But there was none to be seen.

"There's nothing here." Donald said.

"Wait a minute." Kairi stated, looking closely at the door. She gazed at the symbol itself. "I think this is the mechanism that opens it."

"Where…?"-

"There," The four looked at the door and came to realize that the symbol itself was the key to opening the door.

"I wonder," Sora uttered. "Get out the puzzle pieces."

"Alright," Goofy implied and took out the puzzle pieces from his pockets. Five pieces for each of the generals they defeated. Now they all came together to unite as one.

"It looks like they have to be placed in a certain order."

"I think you're right." Kairi added. "By the way each one is designed; they have to be inserted according to how the design itself will allow. Well, let's give it a try." Sora placed the puzzle pieces into their individual slots. At first, there were some failures, but eventually he was able to fit in all five in the correct order.

Sure enough, as the fifth piece was placed in its slot, there was a loud clanging, indicating that some other mechanism had been activated. Sure enough, the hidden dial appeared, its starting arrow pointed at the zero mark.

"Oh great," Donald grumbled, "It's a combination lock."

"Now what do we do?" Sora wondered. "Saber's message kinda left out that bit of information. It never said anything about a combination lock."

"Don't give up too easily." Kairi suggested, as she observed the smaller details and features of the door in its entirety. "I believe the combination is staring us right in the face."

"How do you know?"-

"Look on the outside of the door."-

To their surprise, an encoded statement was inscribed on the stone trimming upon the door. It read:

_At nothing_, s_tride a full two revolutions eastward until coming to the sum of the two tens. Backtrack westward to the same destination as before, but as six marks are added. However, a short eastward withdrawal brings you back to nothing._

"Is that it?"-

"That looks like just a jumble of words to me!" Donald added.

"No, no," Kairi said. "There is deeper meaning behind the words. Look, you have to seek out the key clues."

"Tell us what to do." Sora suggested.

"Alright, follow my instructions." Sora went up to the dial.

"Keep it pointing at zero then turn the knob two full times to the right before stopping it at the number twenty."-

"Alright," Sora cranked the dial twice to the right before halting it at the number twenty. "Okay, what's next?"

"Then," Kairi continued, "turn the dial one full turn to the left and stop it at number twenty six."

"Okay," Sora followed Kairi's instructions, turning one full repetition before stopping the arrow at number twenty six. "Now what's next?"

"Finally, turn the dial to the right until it hits zero."-

"Okay,' Sora turned to the right until the arrow pointed to zero. Sure enough, there came another clank and another mechanism was activated. The door slowly opened and the way into the prison block was now a free access to the team. "Great work, Kairi. You did it."

"How did you figure that out though?" Donald asked. "That wording on the door edge is just a jumble of chatter to me, like something out of Shakespeare."

"I write stories as a hobby. It takes a creative mind to make up something like that. No doubt, in case anyone forgot the combination, they could always look it up in that statement. And no one would have been able to figure it out because it's written in words, not in simple numbers and letters."

"It's a good thing you saw that." Sora said.

"Gawrsh, Kairi," Goofy complimented, "You sure are smart."

"How else do I get A's in all my classes?" Kairi chuckled with pride.

"Alright, you guys." Sora interceded. "Let's go. The king and the others are waiting."

The moment they entered, they came before the first two cells. Thus, the first faces they saw were Daisy and Minnie. The moment, their eyes made contact, the two young women were overcome with joy and began to cry out.

"Donald," Daisy shouted.

"Daisy…?" Donald replied. Realizing his love, Donald ran over to her cell. "Daisy…!"-

"I'm so glad you came." Her eyes filled with tears.

"It's gonna be okay."-

"Sora, Goofy," Minnie cried, waving her hand with glee.

"Are you okay, your majesty?" Goofy asked.

"Of course,"-

"Stand back," Sora said, "I'm gonna open the cell." He turned to Kairi. "Kairi, unlock Daisy's cell."

"Right," Kairi replied. Both key bearers pointed their keyblades and unlocked the cells. Daisy and Minnie emerged from their cells after almost three months of solitary confinement.

Daisy, upon release, threw herself upon Donald and embraced him with such joyful emotion.

"Donald, Donald," she cried.

"Its okay, Daisy," Donald replied. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

"No,"-

"Your Majesty," Sora asked Minnie, "You two weren't hurt or harassed were you?"

"No, thank goodness," Minnie replied, "But the king."

"The king, oh yeah, where is he?"-

"Well," Minnie turned her head and pointed down the corridor.

"He must be further down." Kairi said.

"C'mon," Sora instructed. The group walked further down only to be halted by a bolted door with a large lock.

"Another door," Donald grumbled, "Give us a break will you?"

"Wait, I think this is a regular locking mechanism that requires a key." Kairi said.

"If that's the case," Sora added. He pointed his keyblade at the lock and a beam of energy came bellowing out from the key head. The lock was struck and a bright light accumulated from within. In seconds, the door opened. "That was easy."

"Uh, Sora…" Goofy uttered. The group looked to find that they were confronted by another thick steel door with another large lock.

"Another one…?"-

"This shouldn't be too hard right?"-

"How monotonous," Sora drew his keyblade forth again and unlocked the next door. The door opened in the same nature as the previous. But again, they were confronted by another door. Again they opened the next, but another was waiting for them in its place. Several times they had to repeat the process before they finally came to the last door.

As Sora opened the last door, the sighed expecting another door to be present. However, instead of another extension of the hall and another steel door awaiting, they came before a second stairwell leading further into the depths of the city.

"Well," Sora said, "at least there aren't anymore doors."

"They certainly put up some heavy security." Kairi added.

"I hope there aren't anymore." Donald grumbled.

"Me too," Daisy added, clutching to the back of his wardrobe.

"Hey, fellas," Goofy asked, "what if this place is booby trapped. Like if you go down the wrong passage and you get your head copped off," the group was unnerved, "Or maybe a giant boulder comes rolling at you and crushes you."

"Will you shut up?!" Donald shouted. "Why the heck did you have to say something like that?!"-

"Be quiet you guys." Sora advised. "As far as we know there might be more Imperials waiting down here."

But there were no Imperials to meet them. Instead, they descended the spiral staircase two stories before coming to another hall about fifty feet long. At the end of the hall was a lone cell with another large lock.

"That must be the cell the king's in." Goofy implied.

"You know what to do." Donald said.

"Yeah," Sora replied. He drew forth his keyblade and aimed for the lock. "After three months of confinement, Your Majesty, you are finally free!"

A beam went flying into the lock. But for some reason, there was no flash of bright light as what had happened before. As the team looked, the door was still unlocked. They, especially Sora were confused.

"Well…?"-

"Uh…let's try that again." Sora aimed his keyblade a second time and sent an unlocking beam towards the lock. Again the results were the same.

"What went wrong?" Minnie asked.

"Perhaps," Sora drew forth his hand. The darkness that Riku gave him was still burning within his palm. Taking his chance, the young key bearer sent the darkness flowing though his keyblade. The shadow intermingled with the light. "Riku, I hope your plan works."

Again, he sent a beam shooting out of the keyblade. This time, light and darkness twirled around each other. The moment the dark light struck the lock; there was a mix of night and day. With this combination, the beam unlocked the final door. Sora gave a sigh of relief.

"You did it, Sora." Kairi said. The others were overjoyed knowing that the tactic worked.

"Riku," Sora thought to himself, "I don't know how you do it, but don't stop…ever…"

The group approached cautiously and slowly opened the door. As they peered into the room, they beheld the frail form of King Mickey, now unshackled from his cell's walls. The king raised his head and shielded his eyes from the glare of the torches in the hall. It just goes to show that his eyes needed to adjust again to bright light, even the luminance of the fire.

"Your Majesty," they cried. Mickey looked up and smiled.

"Hey you guys," he replied, "What's up?"

"Are you alright, your majesty?" Goofy asked.

"I am now that you're here."-

"C'mon your majesty," Sora implied, "we have to go."

"Yes," Mickey staggered to his feet, still weak from his confinement time. Donald and Goofy helped him up.

"Mickey," Minnie cried.

"Hey there, Minnie, are you okay?"-

"Yes, I'm just glad to see you again."-

"Yes," Mickey looked on at each face. "I'm glad to see that you all made it safely." But Mickey soon realized that one face was missing. "Hey, wait a minute, where's Riku?"

"Well," Sora said. He paused for a moment. "Riku went off on his own to fight Lord Sirius Viicous."

"Oh no," Mickey hastened. "We have to get to him. He has no idea of who he faces."

"Wait your majesty. Are you saying you know who Sirius Viicous is?"-

"I do. And I know his reason behind the grudge he bears against Riku."-

"Well, are you going to tell us, your majesty?" Goofy asked.

"I can't." Mickey sighed. "His identity was meant only for Riku's ears only."

"Well, I don't think he can stop you from telling us." Sora said.

"That's where you're wrong, Sora. Though he isn't present physically, Sirius is still about around us. Though my strength is able to hold back the darkness of the heartless, I am nowhere near strong enough to fend off the shadows of the Phantom Lord."-

"My God, who is this guy?"-

"You'd be surprised." Mickey began to walk on his own.

"Wait your majesty!" Goofy cried.

"Where are you going?" Donald added.

"We have to help Riku, or he may die."-

"There is something you're not telling us." Sora declared. "What is it?"

"We catch up with Riku first. Only then will we find out everything." Mickey staggered and collapsed, but drew himself up again.

"Your majesty," Donald and Goofy rushed to his side to assist him.

"Well," Sora uttered, "If catching up with Riku means that everything will be explained, then who am I to argue." He turned to Kairi. "Let's go."

"Right," Kairi replied. The two followed Mickey and the others out.

"Is Riku far from us, your majesty?" Donald asked.

"I can feel his strength." Mickey replied. "He's close and he'll be confronting the Phantom Lord sooner than we think."

Mickey's premonition was more accurate than expected. Riku had himself descended into the belly of a dark hell. Like the dungeon, the deep catacombs of Gombria lacked the high technology as the upper levels. There were only torches to light the way down the masonry corridors. Keyblade in hand, Riku took cautious steps, in case there were traps or ambushes awaiting him.

"He's close," Riku said. "He's very close." He gripped the hilt of his weapon. "Once I find Sirius Viicous, I'll finally reveal his true face and deprive him of this grudge he holds against me."

Five levels he descended, keeping his guard strong. But there was no danger. No Imperials or Heartless awaited him. It was as if Sirius wanted him in full strength and didn't want Riku molested in anyway that would decrease his energy.

"He's toying with me. I know it…" Riku glared into the darkness. "You coward, come out and show yourself! Stop keeping me in this pointless suspense!"

Then from out of the shadows, there came an echoing laughter. Soft at first, as quiet as a whisper, but increasingly became louder and more maddening. The torches flickered; some of them blew out, darkening parts of the long halls. Riku drew his keyblade. He could see a dark form approaching him.

"Do you fear the darkness?" the voice said.

"Show yourself!" Riku demanded.

"Do you fear death? Do you fear that dark abyss of eternal torment?" The figure seemed to approach closer and closer, only to vanish like a phantom. Riku kept his guard up, his senses heightened to the atmosphere around him. He turned about to defend his rear as he felt spectral surges surrounding him, coming closer with every step. The shadows seemed to come alive only to vanish.

"Is that you Sirius Viicous?!"-

"What if I am?"-

"Come out and fight me right, you coward! Are you just gonna hide in the shadows like a boogey man?!"-

"You seem somewhat stressed."-

"You're just trying to psych me out with your darkness! But you forget, you can't hide from me in the darkness because the darkness itself resides within me as well."-

"So we have something in common!"-

"Ha, so you wish!"-

"I would refrain from using such bold statements. We have much more in common than our keen senses in the shadows, Noctin Tilandir."-

"Enough with your annoying voice and get out here now! I'm tired at shouting at darkness!"-

"As I recall, it's not me who's losing his temper." Suddenly the Phantom Lord appeared before him. Riku was shocked at first, but quickly reacted. He slashed his keyblade, but only struck a shadow that vanished the moment the steel came on contact.

"Stop mocking me, you freak!"-

"Let me ask you, Riku, does it hurt?" Riku was confused by the question.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Does it hurt in your heart when you are being humiliated and denied your pride?"-

"What are you getting at?!"-

"You'll soon find out. Just keep going forward. You'll find me soon enough."-

"When I do, you better be ready! I'm coming for you!"-

"Fiery declarations are meaningless here."-

"We'll just see." Riku quickened his pace, no longer concerned with what lurked in the darkness. Yet, his keyblade was still grasped tightly in case such assumptions proved false.

Sirius could feel his movements. His blood began to turn hot as the thought of fighting Riku one on one was inevitably close. His smacked his lips behind his mask.

"Soon, Riku, soon," But his thirst came to concern when he felt the surge of several other power levels in quick pursuit. He immediately recognized him and tightened his fist. "So, Sora, you and your friends are hastening your pace to catch up with Riku, eh? And I see you have liberated the king, the queen, and the lady. That means that there is nothing left to hold them back." Sirius folded his hands. "They may prove to be more trouble than they're worth. I cannot have anyone interrupting this battle."

Sirius snapped his fingers. Suddenly, two anti-Soras and two anti-Rikus appeared. They seemed almost humble in their appearance.

"Take your minions and halt Sora and the others. I have lost everything I have worked so hard to build to the Alliance. If there is one thing that will succeed, it will be this one goal I have always strived for, a one on one fight with Riku. Compared to that, everything else, including the resurrection of the Imperial regime is irrelevant." Sirius turned to the antis. "This time, if there are any mistakes made, I will not show any mercy."

The heartless withdrew with their orders. Sirius turned away again.

"My efforts have all added up to this, this one epic battle between two grudging foes. Though my hopes of restoring the ideals and might of my former commanders have been dashed, this one fight will prove to be the greatest accomplishment. And it will prove even greater when I finally thrust the end of my weapon into the heart of Noctin Tilandir. And soon, my master, your soul will rest in peace as Noctin Tilandir will pay for the crimes he and his comrades have committed against you and the cause to which you stood for."

Sora and the others were quickly behind Riku, feeling for him through the darkness of the corridors.

"Riku," Sora cried, "Riku wait for us!"

"I don't think he can hear us." Donald said.

"It can't hurt to try."-

Just then, they felt a surge of darkness. They stopped and quickly took their defense.

"Watch out," Goofy said, "I think we have company."

"It's the heartless without a doubt." Mickey said.

"Can't you increase your power to keep them at bay?" Sora asked.

"In entering combat, I wouldn't be able to hold them off for long. Besides, from the surge of the darkness that I felt, these are not your ordinary heartless. They're the elites of the shadows."-

Sure enough, hundreds of sets of yellow eyes appeared. Gazing into the dimness of the corridors, the team knew exactly what kind of heartless they were facing.

"They're antis," Donald cried.

"Get ready!"-

"Kairi," Sora instructed, "Watch my back."

"Right," Kairi replied.

"Minnie, Daisy, get behind us." Mickey instructed.

"Right," Minnie responded. She and Daisy took their place at the center while the others formed a perimeter around them.

There was a lull as the Heartless condensed around them. There were so many Heartless about them, they blocked out the glow of the torches. Their numbers were so great; their eyes gave the appearance of a night sky that descended onto earth.

"There are so many of them." Goofy said.

"Without a doubt, they must not want us to go any further than this." Mickey added.

"Well, that's not an option open to us." Sora declared. "We plow straight through them, no matter what the cost may be." He looked to his friends. "Are you guys ready for a rumble?"

"Yeah?!" they all replied.

"Then let's show these heartless what we can do!"-

The Heartless suddenly attacked. The moment they did, Sora and the others unleash hell and destroyed many of the heartless in waves. The antis, however, were not deterred and continued their own onslaught. Once again, the KH team would find another one of their greatest challenges at the hands of the Heartless.

Riku all the while, continued his hasty pace through the endless corridors and the lower levels of Cetorburg. His heart thumped with both anxiety and excitement as the thought of ending the efforts of a vengeful madman reverberated through his mind.

"Once this score is settled, Sirius Viicous," Riku thought to himself, "Then the souls of all those who were victims of your reign and savagery will finally be able to rest in peace. Soon the chaos will be over." Riku held his hand over his heart. "Sora, Kairi, I know that you and the others are with me. I can feel you coming to aid me. Grant me strength to defeat this phantom foe in the shadows and bring peace to all worlds."


	130. Identity Revealed

Identity Revealed

The battle upon the tiers continued on as Heartless and Imperials alike emerged to confront the key bearers and the forces of the Universal Alliance. Immortals and airborne Heartless took to the air and smothered the lower mobile suits that crept too far towards the ground. Kira and his units maintained a defense at a higher altitude, so as not to fall victim to the Immortals and their comrades below.

Of the entire confrontation, the most significant and most intense of battles was the fight between Ks, Kaine, and Victor. Ks continued using the heartless as a shield, hiding amidst the shadows like a vile burglar. All the while, she concentrated the essence of the Immortal Killer at the tips of her blades at the end of her chain bo and cut away at the son of Alucard and the descendant of Alexander Anderson bit by bit. Once struck by the essence, the wounds did not heal. They somewhat affected their bodies, shutting down their supposedly inexhaustible muscles and bones. Again, the two duo was placed at a disadvantage.

"Why won't you die…?!" Kaine shouted as he unleashed hell amidst the heartless.

"Not as easy as you thought, was it?" Ks mocked. "It just goes to show that just because you two are immortal doesn't necessarily mean that you are invulnerable absolutely. And this battle has proven it."

"I must admit that you are one of the toughest fighters we've ever confronted." Victor said. "And I can't help find your strength incredible, Ks. However, the causes to which we fight are completely different."

"And I find your cause awkward, not coinciding with your nature. You are a vampire, you feed off of blood. Why not fight for the cause that guarantees you rewards for your efforts. No doubt that we will engage in endless battles. Thus, you will be free to seep your fangs and glutton your appetite for blood without pause."-

"That's where you're wrong, Ks. My lineage may live off of blood and I may require blood to retain my strength, but to be a true vampire, you must learn restraint and civility. An individual that mindlessly feeds off of blood for the sake of gaining more power, or for the pleasure and lust of killing, is not a true vampire nor has the right to call them selves so. Those monsters we call demons. And I will never lower myself to their level."-

"You hypocrite,"-

"You want to know true hypocrisy? When an individual cries out fighting for a cause, and ends up killing their closest comrades as an example, that is what true hypocrisy is."-

"Those fools were below me."-

"That may have been, but they too were Imperials and you placed their lives in danger."-

"You do the same, killing your own kind."-

"Those who would endanger human lives are my enemy. Unlike you, I care for those who are week. Only those who aren't deserving of their life's freedom become my prey."-

"Yet the concept remains the same."-

"Enough talking," Victor and Kaine stood side by side, back to back, "If you want to prove us wrong, then you better win."

"That won't be much of a problem." Ks mocked them.

But her words ran cold as the heartless suddenly dwindled in number, becoming less numerous. To her dismay, this predicament once again deprived her of the advantage.

"The heartless are withdrawing." She thought to herself, a sweat drop falling from her face. "His Excellency must've summoned them back. But why…?" She clutched her chain bo tightly as she was revealed to her foes. "What an inopportune moment?"

"Well, well, well," Kaine chuckled, "It looks like your problem has gotten a lot worse."

"You can't hide from us now." Victor added. "And after your last little scuffle, your strength has been severely depleted."

"Don't get too cocky," Ks chuckled, "After the damage I managed to inflict on you, your own strength has been severely depleted."

"I can guarantee you this much. Because you are not deserving of your life's freedom, then you will have the honor of becoming my prey." Victor's fangs began to protrude in his devilish smile. "I wonder what effects Saiyan blood would have on me."

"You'll never find out."-

Suddenly, Ks appeared before the duo and struck for their throats. Kaine and Victor evade at the final moment and counterattacked with great ferocity. But with both sides now maimed severely, neither side could gain an advantage. Thus another long battle would ensue with no end in sight.

Lu Bu in the meantime, kept the key bearers and Saiyans in their ranks as they slowly broke up the Immortal guards. Waving about his mighty halberd, he crushed Immortals by the dozen with every strike, an accomplishment that neither Riku nor Sora could accomplish in one blow.

"Worthless maggots," he said, "What are they trying to accomplish." His thoughts turned to the resistance that had penetrated from within. "Those idiots better stop fooling around and get rid of those Imperials in the interior. And Riku, you better get back here alive! I will not allow you die without settling the score."

The battle continued with casualties still mounting on both sides.

All the while, deep within the city's interior, Riku had reached his destination. After a nerve wracking advance all on his own, nagged on by the dark presence of the Phantom Lord, he reached the end. Before him lay two large iron doors, the center piece was a large Imperial symbol of the Midnight Faction, its lines deeply embedded in the shimmering back iron. At the very center of the Cross of Conquest, there was also a large keyhole.

"This must be it," Riku thought to himself, "The very end of my journey. After all this effort, all this trouble, the answers will finally be revealed and I will at last see the true face of Sirius Viicous."

Riku drew forth his keyblade and unleashed an unlocking beam into the keyhole on the door. There was a flash of light followed by a loud clang, indicating that the locking mechanism was undone. The doors then opened in synchronization and Riku entered.

Before him, he entered a vast chamber, supported by columns, each with rings embedded at their base, filled with kerosene, and lit with intense flames. Riku slowly advanced over the black stone floor towards the end of the chamber. Each step he made echoed and reverberated to all ends of the vast chamber that seemed to extend to the length of four hundred yards or more in each direction.

The columns seemed to make a path down the very end of the hall. Sure enough, Riku eventually came to the end. Here the columns stopped and gave way to a series of steps that rose up a full story to a flattened level. Upon that, there was another series of steps leading to a second level. It was here that a lone seat, fitted in black leather, stood.

Riku began his ascent up the first flight of stairs. He slowly arose to the first level and gazed at the seat. Its back was turned against him. So the occupant could not be seen. But Riku knew who it was, recognizing the power that resonated. His keyblade at his side, the young key bearer stood tall.

"Here I am, Sirius Viicous." He said.

"I know," Sirius replied. The seat turned about and the Phantom Lord sat, glaring through his mask. "So we finally meet again, Riku. After all this time, after all the suffering, the chaos, and the loss of life and fellow comrades, it all boils down to this. It comes down to you and me."

"Why don't you stop talking? You've been doing that a lot, but no more. There'll be no more hiding in the shadows for you. This time we fight."-

"First thing's first. We must cherish this moment, this climax to the final epic battle. All of your efforts have concluded to this last confrontation." Riku's eyes were shadowed, yet his stance proved his rage.

"You have caused too much suffering to my friends, my comrades, and everyone in every world. Many sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, all people have died and underwent unspeakable amounts of suffering and torment because of your thirst for glory, your ambition, and your hunger for revenge. Because of you and your cronies trying to restore dead beliefs, we lost many friends. Van Flyheight, Athrun Zala, Shinn Asuka, Heero Yuy, Edward and Alphonse Elric, Cuchulain, and…" Riku looked back to his lost love, sacrificing her life for him and his friends. "And Ophelia Billiard…" His keyblade was tightly gripped. "And what of Cunla, losing his father, being humiliated by you. And Kirin, he too had to suffer, having been separated from Kairi since they were children. And you manipulated them both like puppets, pulling on their emotions as if they were strings. Even that young kid, Sasuke Uchiha, you allowed Saber to control his mind, a mind that could have been used for so much more. But now he's dead and he'll never get the chance. All this time, you have caused so much darkness to spread and allowed sadness to reign in the minds of many, scarring them deeply. For that, you aren't worthy or deserving of leisurely time. Your life ends here and now and at my hand. You wanted revenge over me, well here's your chance. I don't know why you hate me so much, and I know not how I wronged you in the past and I really don't care at this point, but I have every reason to hate you. You hurt many of my friends. For that, you have wronged me."

"Always the justifying type as usual." Sirius stood from his seat. "You still have that same cocky attitude as before. After all these years, you still haven't changed."

"After all these years…?" Riku was confused.

"That's right. It's been ten years, give or take."-

"Ten years…?" Riku did not recall a foe from so long ago.

"That's correct, ten years. Though saying it requires only two words, the full extension of that period was a hell to live through. You think that you and your friends have suffered a great deal. That's nothing compared to what I've undergone." Riku seemed blank in his understanding. "You don't recall me do you? Has ten years allowed your memory to slip this much? You of all people should know my reasons for hating you."

"Then explain this to me." Riku demanded, pointing his keyblade at the Phantom Lord. "How have I wronged you, where would I know you, and what would your reasons be for hating me so much that you would spread so much chaos?"

"It's not easy having so much in common with an enemy. Especially, when you come to realize that all you are is a lie. Can you imagine how much it hurt me when I came to realize that I was nothing, but a mere shadow of you?" Riku's eyes suddenly widened.

"No," he thought to himself, "It couldn't be…He can't possibly be…" Riku staggered backwards as if his legs turned to jelly. His heart pounded, beating to the point where it felt it would burst out of his chest.

"If I recall, I believe the first time we met was in the white washed halls of…Oblivion Castle. And the last time we did battle was before the tattered gates of the old Twilight Town Mansion." Suddenly, Riku's mind filled with flashes from his past. And at that very moment, he remembered the face of whom he confronted and fought those many years ago and the intensity of its outcome. Seeing that look of shock and apprehension on the young man's face, Sirius began to chuckle. "I see, you remember me now."

"It's impossible…" Riku nearly tumbled. "You can't be here! Not you!"

"Well, I hate to break the news to you, but your senses do not deceive you." Sirius Viicous suddenly grabbed hold of his mask. "I have been waiting a long time for this moment. Let's hope that you will show the equal amount of shock on that face of yours when you lay eyes on my true identity."

With that, Sirius removed the mask from his face. The moment he did, Riku's eyes increased so much in an inward fear, tears began to accumulate upon his lids.

"That's exactly what I expected from you when you saw my true face." Sirius chuckled. Riku, overcome with shock, could only force a few words to exit his mouth.

"You…

You are me…

My replica…"

Such a cruel irony and devilish twist of fate it was. Riku, after all this time wondering, now knew the true identity of the Phantom Lord. His old replica, the Riku whom both he and Sora confronted back in Oblivion Castle, had returned to wreak a terrible act of vengeance upon him.

But the Riku Replica was no longer the same as he appeared before. Though he bore the same features as his original self, the entire right side of his head was engulfed in darkness, like that of a Heartless. His right eye had transformed into the eye of a Heartless, glowing eerily like a candle in a skull. Deformed and distorted, his outward appearance matched the twisted blackness in his heart.

"Are you shocked to see me again, Riku?" Sirius asked. "Or is it that you're shocked to see me again in this twisted appearance."

"I don't understand," Riku replied. "I saw you die. I saw you fade into darkness. You can't possibly be here!"

"You're right there, Noctin Tilandir. I did die, but I was given a second chance."-

"How…?"-

"Talking is not our priority at the present moment. Our goal right now is to fight. You said you wanted to put me in my place and that I was not worthy or deserving of leisurely time. Well, was that all just talk, or are you having second thoughts about fighting me, knowing who I am and then realizing you'll never be able to defeat me."-

Riku lowered his eyes, again shading them from the view of the Phantom Lord. But after a few seconds, he concluded finally that conversing was not their primary objective. He thus drew out Ginroio Noria and held it at the ready.

"You're right," Riku replied, "You aren't deserving of a few final moments. We fight here and now. And you're wrong, my other self. I'll be the one to win just like before."

"Now, that's the spirit. I was starting the think that you'd grown yellow."-

"Don't bet on it. You would never back off from a fight either. The reason being is because you are me. So it would only be natural for you to behave in the same manner as I would." Sirius tightened his fist.

"So you truly haven't acknowledged that I am another individual other than just a puppet resembling yourself. That's just the reason why I have continued living, to prove you wrong. I always wondered, but now I know." Sirius unleashed his keyblade.

His keyblade was quite an impressive sight, twisted with demon wings, colored a sinister black with blood red. Thus the name suited it, The Demon Summoner. He clutched it tightly and held in the classical way.

"You never truly acknowledged me for who I was." The Phantom Lord declared. "Instead, you only acknowledged me for what I was, a copy and a clone. Well, perhaps this will all change your mind."

"As far as I'm concerned, you are still a clone of me, nothing more to it. After everything that's happened, you don't deserve to be called anything higher than a clone. Perhaps a faulty puppet that's gone berserk, but nothing greater."-

"Is that so? Well, think of it this way. You might consider me to be the personification of the individual you might have been had you been enticed by the darkness absolutely. Had you been a pure hearted person like Sora, kind, understanding, and compassionate, perhaps I would never have come to be. Thus, you might consider yourself responsible for my forging."-

"Shut up!" Riku shouted. "I've had enough of your mindless dribbling! If you want to fight, then let's fight and settle this once and for all!" Having no more patience to hold him back, he lunged at Sirius. The Phantom Lord swung his blade and the two locked in their first strike of combat. The two engaged in a ten minute brawl about the chamber, back and forth, clashing and banging away at each other.

However, as the fight progressed, it was apparent that Riku was fighting on raw emotion alone. This was a fatal flaw in his tactics and Sirius was quick to take advantage of it.

"You seem a little slow, Riku." Sirius chuckled. "You don't have the same panache as you did before. I guess my words got to you."

"Quiet…" Riku growled.

"You don't want to admit it, but you are responsible for my conceiving. And it was because of my becoming that such suffering happened. But it all could have been avoided had you not been as cocky and as arrogant as you were. So basically, you are fifty percent responsible for allowing this reign of chaos to fluctuate."-

"You're wrong! None of that had anything to do with me. You were the one who allowed the execution of those orders. You insist that you are your own self after all. Though you were made from my data, it was you who still allowed such devastation to take hold in the first place."-

"Trying to throw reverse psychology on me with a negative aspect, eh? It won't work."-

"I could say the same about you, you hypocrite."-

The two continued to grapple. Their conversing carried on through the pauses of each blow.

"I don't know why you insist on fighting." Riku declared. "You've already lost everything, the worlds you've conquered, your greatest strongholds, your best officers, even the city of Cetorburg itself is on the verge of collapse. All of your hopes and dreams have been pounded into the dust. There's nothing more for you to fight for. Thus, this battle is meaningless. Even if I do die, Sora and the others will continue after you and put you in your place."

"Oh you have it all wrong, my dear Riku." Sirius scoffed. "Though all those goals were significant, they were also expendable." Riku was again befuddled.

"What do you mean?"-

"I could lose everything, my empire, my comrades, the worlds I have conquered, and vast numbers of resources and manpower could all be lost. That is logically understandable since trying to strive for universal unification of all worlds is tedious and strenuous of those elements, especially with the presence of other ambitious men thriving to reach for the same goal. To add, with the number of enemies that I've made, I wouldn't be surprised that all my efforts would be lost. However, all of that proves irrelevant compared to the one reason that permitted my continuing existence, the final fight against you. If there is one thing that I do not find expendable, it's that."-

"So this is all just a grudge? You caused all this just for the one opportunity to get at me?"-

"That is the extent of my resolve. Revenge knows no boundaries or limits. I would slaughter and sacrifice millions to get you out of hiding." Sirius gave a smirk, further taunting his other self. "I had hoped prior to now that you would die earlier than this, but I knew fate would not allow that to occur. I was the only one destined to kill you. And the fact that you stand here before me means only that you are a worthy enough foe to be eliminated first. The Imperial regime will rise again and your bones will be the foundations to which it stands."-

"You're crazy,"-

"And what of you, you were no different that I once upon a time. You were willing to become enemies with your best friend because of your own envy and jealousy. You were jealous of Sora because he had gained new friends and became more independent of you. You wanted him to stay under your thumb as a subordinate. But the stronger Sora got; the angrier and more envious you became. It came to the point where you joined with Xehanort's heartless to remain on top and gave up your own will just to remain the dominant power between you and Sora."-

"I've learned from my mistakes, Sirius Viicous! I will never turn my hand against my friends ever again, especially Sora! He's gone too far out of his way for me too many times and I can't possibly make it up to him! The only thing I can do is be there when he needs me." Sirius suddenly sent silent and their battle was broken for a period of time. The two remained at a standoff.

"So are you saying that Sora is the backbone of your circle of friends?"-

"In every way he is…"-

"I see," Sirius smirked. "How interesting…"

"What do you mean by that? What's that smirk for?"-

"If you want to know, you'll have to defeat me."-

"With pleasure…!"-

Riku charged again and Sirius was there to meet him. Again the two clashed, bring a rumbling hell beneath the city.

All the while, Sora and the others had their hands full against the Heartless who now swelled in numbers. Now that the majority of the Heartless had been withdrawn from the defenses of Cetorburg's exterior, their masses became overwhelming and the KH team was having a difficult enough time battling against antis and Heartless, some of immeasurable size.

"There's just no end to them." Sora said.

"We can't stay here and battle them all." Mickey implied. "We have to catch up to Riku before it's too late."

"What should we do your majesty?" Goofy asked.

"If there's one way to get rid of these Heartless all in one sweep," Sora said. Sora suddenly unleashed the Rage and Saiyan Devotion. "Then we do it quick and easy." Sora slightly crouched down. "Stand back, you guys."

"Uh oh," Donald uttered.

"What do you mean uh-oh?" Minnie asked.

"What do we mean?" Mickey uttered. He formed a safety shield around the others. "You might want to brace yourselves."

"It's Sora's attack." Kairi said. "The Lu Bu Stomp…"

"Let's see how you guys like Lu Bu's trick." Sora declared. Thus, he pounded his foot onto the floor. With it came a powerful surge that eradicated many of the Heartless. Sora then used the Corona Flash Barrage and sent pulsating light into the ranks of the shadows. Then, using his thrusting attacks, he slashed and cut through the heartless by the dozen with one hit. He beckoned his friends. "Hurry you guys, this way!"

"Trust Sora to do something like that," Daisy said.

"I would have expected something like that from Donald." Goofy implied.

"Shut up," Donald grumbled.

"Let's go," Mickey declared. "The Heartless are still confused. This is our chance."

"Right,"-

Mickey led the way, the others were close behind. The Heartless quickly recovered from the blow and were in hot pursuit of the KH team. Donald and Goofy took the rear and struck at the shadows that still pressed on towards them.

Sora on the other hand began to run through the corridors, desperately advancing to the place where Riku's energy resonated.

"Hold on, Riku." He thought to himself. "We're on our way. Just give us a little time."

The situation became increasingly dire for Riku as Sirius seemed to gain the upper hand little by little. But despite that, he continued to battle his other self.

"Give it up, Riku," Sirius mocked, "You can never hope to defeat me."

"Says you," Riku replied. "I was able to beat you once before, I can do it again."-

"But that was then, this is now. And this time it's different. I've vastly improved since our battle at Twilight Town. And I've studied your tactics to the letter, including a number of the new techniques you've recently learned. Ergo, I'll be able to counter without any real trouble."

"Let's see it then."-

But before Riku could compose himself to hear a reply, Sirius had vanished. He appeared again behind the youth and struck downward with his keyblade. The Phantom Lord's weapon sliced through the black leather of Riku's coat. But by a sheer stroke of luck, it was merely a decoy. Riku had thrown off his coat and used it as a diversion.

He slipped away to the Phantom Lord's flank and lunged straight at the Imperial. However, Sirius vanished into the shadows and reappeared to slash at Riku again. The youth quickly drew up his keyblade and blocked the blow. Once more they engaged in a severe brawl.

"Well," Sirius gave a sarcastic compliment, "I have to be honest, you're not as weak as I had earlier perceived. That attack should have delivered the final blow, but low and behold, you were able to counter it."

"I'm just full of surprises." Riku replied. They continued to clash. "Let me ask you this though, why is it that you look the way you do?"

"You might consider this my mark of hatred." Sirius pointed to the darkness which was his face, rubbing the surface of his blackened cheek. "The darkness in my heart had festered giving way to this hideous enigma. You might say that I am a heartless not yet full fledged."

"If that's the case," Riku broke off from the fight. He raised his keyblade over his head, "You don't mind if I use this on you, do you?!" Upon the hilt of his weapon, the manipulation stone began to glow. Riku, with all his might, pounded the keyblade into the ground. There was a bright light that illuminated the entire chamber. Sirius was consumed by the flash.

With in seconds of its eruption, the light faded. And there stood Sirius as if he had been placed in a daze as if his soul had been sapped from his body. Riku gave a confident grin.

"That's a shame you're part heartless," he declared, "Because that means you can be manipulated as easily as they can. Thus, this battle was over before it began." Riku advanced so easily, his guard not fully at the ready. "With the power of the manipulation stone, I can bring your basic instincts under my power and allow you to stand vulnerable to my final attack."

It was over as he perceived. Sirius only stood like a statue, not having the will power to lift a finger. Or so it was thought. Suddenly the Phantom Lord glared at Riku before drawing forth his keyblade. Riku was shocked at this outcome and quickly evaded. The damage had been done, however, as Sirius cut three separate wounds upon Riku's chest and upper abdomen. The key bearer quickly withdrew and grasped at his wounds.

The peace was not allowed to settle as Sirius Viicous quickly advanced again. Like a wild animal, he attacked the youth, striking and slashing. Riku had not time to clean his wounds. He had to react quickly if he was going to survive. He did all he could to fend off the blows given by the Phantom Lord. Sirius manage to get a few good hits on Riku, striking him in the gut, causing him to winch, and then kicking him in the face with the tip of his boot. A stream of blood dripped from the right side of his mouth and trickled to his white shirt, staining the collar. Riku did not pay heed to his wounds however and continued to fight. There were a few surges in the engagement as both took offensive and defensive positions before breaking off for a breather.

Riku was slumped slightly, comforting his injuries. Sweat dripped down his face and intermingled with the cuts and scrapes on his face, causing minor stings. He could taste the blood upon his lips. He huffed and puffed, his body shaky, and his keyblade almost in a hanging position, yet still clutched at the edge of his fingers. Riku wavered in his stance, tattered and beaten, while Sirius Viicous bore no scratch whatsoever.

"I don't understand…" Riku uttered. "How could you have…?"

"You poor, simple-minded fool," Sirius bellowed, "Who do you think you're dealing with? You're not dealing with your average heartless. Though half of my body was consumed by the shadows and took on a heartless form, both my mind and heart are still intact and maintain their own logic and will power that overrides the instincts of a heartless."

"Damn it…" Riku uttered, staggering to his feet. "I should have seen that coming."

"You truly are a simpleton, Riku. Your intuition and keen senses have dulled down, despite your rigorous improvements. You should have figured by now that the manipulation stone cannot work on an opponent stronger than you are. And unlike you, all my preparations have been aimed to this very moment when I would finally take your life and claim your identity and name for my own. Therefore, my techniques are flawless."-

"Sirius…"-

"You don't realize how long I have waited, how long I have suffered just for this one confrontation. But now our time has come."-

"If you were so desperate, Sirius, why didn't you come after me before? What was with all the stalling?"-

"Ha, I knew that you proved no match for me. I wanted to fight you when you were at your best, like the time we did our final battle at Twilight Town a decade prior. The Riku who fought against the Dark Empire was still a small fry in that same fury in comparison to then. I had improved so much as a warrior; you weren't really worth my time and effort to stop. Besides, I had other matters to attend to, being a former officer of the Cavendish Regime." The Phantom Lord then ceased his chatter for a while as his inner emotions resurfaced at the thought of old memories, long embedded in his soul. "But then again, I never really took a second notice of you until that fateful day."

"What fateful day?"-

"The day when you would help those Alliance fools to take away everything precious to me. Twice you've not allowed me the privilege of being happy, living the life I always wished for. And that is just one time too many."-

Suddenly, there came the sound of rushing feet, coming through the great doors and rushing down the halls.

"Well, well," Sirius chuckled to himself, "It seems that your little band of rabble has arrived."

"Sora…" Riku uttered as he stood full. Sora and the others had finally arrived. He watched as the shadows of his friends drew nearer and nearer, the features of their clothing becoming more detailed with every closer step they made. He then came to realize that Mickey, Minnie, and Daisy were with them as well. "He managed to save the King and the others. What a relief."-

"Riku," Sora's voice shouted out.

"Riku," the others would cry as well. The moment they reached the arena, Sora and his friends drew out their weapons.

"We're here, Riku." Sora declared.

"We're here to help you." Mickey added. The silver haired youth, however, was against their intervention.

"No," Riku cried, "Stay back! This is not your fight!"

"It is now!" Sora declared. He glared at the wounds inflicted on his best friend. He then glared at the Phantom Lord. "Whoever tries to hurt you is our enemy too, Riku."

"That's right," Kairi added.

"Sora, Kairi…" Riku whispered. "You guys…"

"Now, turn and fight us, Sirius Viicous," Sora shouted, "You hurt Riku and now you pay! Let's see how well you do against all of us!"

The Phantom Lord began to chuckle.

"I think the better phrase would be how will all of you favor against me?" Sirius declared. He turned about to reveal his face. The moment he did, the team, especially Sora, was dumbfounded and shocked at the identity of their enemy.

"But isn't that…?" Goofy uttered.

"No, it can't be…" Donald added.

"He can't be…" Kairi implied.

"Riku…?" Sora said; his voice in a waver.

"So," Mickey thought inwardly, "He's finally come out of the shadows and revealed his true face."

"Quite a shock isn't it?" Sirius chuckled. "You never would have figured that I would bear the same face as your best friend. And you never would have thought to be battling against an enemy bearing the same likeness as he." Sirius turned full towards the KH team. His eyes were staring directly at Sora. "It's been a long time hasn't it, Sora?"

"No, it can't be." Sora uttered. "Why does he look like Riku?"

Suddenly, the memories of his past dreams descended within Sora's mind. He recalled all the dreams he had where Riku was battling himself.

"The dreams," he uttered from within, "The dreams…Riku…" He broke out in a cold sweat. He recalled those final moments in those battles within his dreams and how Riku would die at the hands of one who bore the same face. He then remembered the most recent and most frightening of nightmares, where he beheld the face of the murderer, a man with Riku's face, but bearing the features of a Heartless. Gazing upon the face of Sirius Viicous, Sora's fears started to take their toll as the phantom from his most vivid nightmare stood before him in the flesh. "He has Riku's face. Is he the one? Is he the murderer?" Sora's fear forced him to stagger. This concerned his friends

"Sora…" Kairi uttered.

"Are you alright, Sora?" Goofy asked.

"What's wrong?" Donald added.

"It's something about Sirius Viicous." Mickey conjectured. "There must be something about Sirius that's forcing Sora to act this way."

"Why," Sora cried, "Sirius, why do you have Riku's face?!"

"Come now, don't you remember me?" Sirius asked in a calm and gentle voice. He began to advance towards Sora as if urging him to remember something. But the young key bearer would not have it.

"No," Sora prepared to fight, "Stay back you!"

"But Sora, don't you recognize me?"-

"Stop freaking me out! Why do you have Riku's face…?!" Sirius was stunned. Could Sora have forgotten him?

"But Sora, surely you remember me from Oblivion Castle. What you told me…"-

"Oblivion Castle…? What are you talking about?! I've never seen you before!"-

The moment those words gripped his ears, his fists tightened, his eyes narrowed, and his teeth clenched tightly.

"I see," Sirius growled, turned to Riku again, "You…you wanted me out of the picture entirely, didn't you Noctin Tilandir! You didn't want him to remember our chance encounter in Oblivion Castle did you?! That's why you erased all traces of his memories there, his interactions with me!"-

"It has nothing to do with that!" Riku replied. "And I was not solely responsible! We didn't have a choice! It was either restore Sora's old memories and allow him to forget his recent ones. Or eliminate all of his old memories for the sake of a lie."

"So you think I'm a lie?!"-

"I didn't say that!"-

"Damn you, Riku! You wanted Sora to remember you and your old friendships only!"-

"That's not true!"-

"Don't give me that! Everything you say to me is a potential lie! Why should I believe you…?!"-

"You have to believe him, Sirius." Mickey shouted out. "Riku is telling the truth. It was the rebelling branch of Organization XIII that messed with Sora's memories. They wanted a key bearer on their side to match stride for stride with Roxas. But in the process, things went wrong and the rebels were eventually defeated. Thus, their plans had gone unfulfilled. Sora's old memories had to be restored. Besides, that was what he chose."-

"I did…?" Sora was clueless of everything. But of course, with all those memories erased, it was not surprising he had a hard time understanding.

"And how do I know that what you say isn't a lie either, Your Majesty?" Sirius scoffed.

"Will someone tell me what is going on?! Sora demanded to know. "Who is this guy? And why does Sirius Viicous have Riku's face?!"

"There are a lot of questions that need to be answered." Riku concurred. He made ready his keyblade. "You've been hiding secrets from us for long enough, Sirius Viicous. Why don't you start answering some questions like the one I asked before? How is it that you could still be alive?"

"Well, I wasn't expecting to give a history lesson." Sirius said. "But if you are so eager to find out the dark secrets of my vendetta before you die, I will tell you. Perhaps it is best that I start from the beginning. I was created as a puppet by former Organization XIII member Vexen for the sake of testing the strengths of both Riku and Sora, perhaps eliminating them if I could, depending on the orders I was given. However, after gaining my own heart and will power, I had come to realize that I could be allowed to live in the way I pleased. I had been given the orders to eliminate Sora in his trek through Oblivion castle, but during that time, I had come to realize that Sora was not at all the upstart and naïve youth that my creators had so vividly portrayed. It came to the point where both he and I battled alongside one another for a time. He treated me as if I were the real Riku, though I was entirely false. He said that my heart was real and that I had my own destiny to forge."

"I never knew…" Sora thought to himself. "How could such a significant chapter in my life be forgotten so easily?"

"Sora to me was considered a friend." Sirius then glared at Riku. "But Riku on the other hand was completely the opposite. He was an upstart, he was arrogant, cocky, and wouldn't acknowledge me for being nothing other than a shadow of him. Even in my final moments he did not truly acknowledge me as a living thing. Even to this day, his sentiments have not changed." Sirius faced Riku. "I remember those last moments where I was dying. The darkness had consumed me, but for some reason I felt relieved. I thought that you, Riku, might have told me the truth and that all our hearts, fake or real, go off to the same destination. But what I experienced in the realm of darkness was completely different. What I experienced was not forever slumber, but eternal pain and torment. The reason being was because unlike you or any other real person, I was a fake from the start. I was a forgery, thus I could not go the path of darkness or the path of light. Because I was a puppet, my body could not be split into two entities, a Heartless and a Nobody. Instead, I was split in half and then spliced back together again. The pain was too much for me to bear. And I was unable to end it all, unable to move by my free will, unable to die. My conscience could not fathom the hurt and could not immune itself to the sensation of a million hell fired knives stripping me of my skin, little by little, that sharpened pain of slivers in the thumbs. To make matters worse, there was no way out of the realm of darkness. Only shadows awaited me, dragging me down further into the endless depths and giving me that empty and frightening feeling. For a time, I had figured it was over for me and that I would spend the rest of eternity in this unspeakable pain and loneliness. But then I came to realize that the reason I was placed in such a state in the first place was because you put me here."-

"So is that the reason why you hate me so much?" Riku asked, "Other than the fact that I wouldn't acknowledge you as a true individual rather than a clone?"

"That is only a quarter of why I hate you, Riku. The pain had gone on for so long I had lost trek of days and nights. The darkness and the emptiness had gone on for so long that I found myself in the verge of madness. But I pointed that suffering against the thought of you, who had sent me to that hell, and that suffering turned into rage. But the more I became angry, the more the darkness began to spread and burn on my body. Already, it consumed the full half of my face's right side, giving way to the look you see now. I wanted the burning and the suffering to end, but I could not let go of my hatred. The only way to do away with the suffering and the anger all together was to purge you and all I was from my mind. And that is what I did. In the process, every memory that once festered in my mind disappeared as if they were dreams. The next thing I know, I see a bright light. I advance to this porthole with every fiber in my body and later find myself again in darkness, but not as dark and foreboding as it was in the realm of shadows. I was liberated, returned to the real world. I had no recollection of who I was, what my name was, where I came from, or how I came to be. My only recollection was this anger and hatred, but at that time I could not determine who or what it was that I bore this grudge against. Fearing that I was again alone and unloved, I almost shriveled up into nothingness. But it was then that my master found me. He was a trusted officer of the former Imperial regime. He took me in despite my appearance and he gave me a home to live and a place to stay and call my own. He was a stern father figure, ambitious at times, and strived to improve his position. For a while, I thought that my troubles were over and I had a fresh start, a clean slate, and a chance for a second life without any fear or worry from my previous endeavors.

Sirius paused in his declaration, reflecting those past moments.

"But then the news comes that you and Sora had arrived to stop the Imperial advance. That was when all the memories I lost came trickling back. Slowly, but surely I regained enough knowledge to put back the pieces of my past life. My hatred for you, Riku, was not as hot as it is now, however, because I figured that compared to most other key players, you two were too insignificant to make a difference. I figured you to be only a couple of dents in the side of the Imperial shield, thus I failed to take further notice. But once word spread that you stopped the Imperial advance by defeating the seven members of the Cavendish Shinobis and breaking up our presence in several key worlds, that was when I became rather concerned. My morale received a boost however when I heard that you got caught and were sent away for special treatment, Riku. I thirsted at the thought of you undergoing unspeakable tortures, enduring what I had to go through and I hoped that you would be just as deeply scarred. I later heard that you had died and I was jubilant. But at the same time, I heard that my master had died as well, so brutally murdered that same day. And for that, I grew upset, exchanging my jubilee for sorrow and feelings of further revenge. In the following weeks, the Alliance had toppled the Three Excellencies and the Imperial regime. And I could do nothing to stop them. I would prove no match for the might of the legendary Son Goku and the Z fighters. In the end, I could only watch as everything I once knew came tumbling down. They took away from me my friends, my home, my life, and everything that I had come to embrace with all my heart. And to make things worse, the phenomenon, The Great Resurrection, revived everyone who battled against the Imperial regime including you. But no one who stood to fight for the Cavendish regime was allowed a second life. I hated it, I hated you, and so did many other Imperial loyalists whose loved ones weren't brought back to life. Thus, I rallied them together and began my own movement, hoping to revive the Dark Empire.

The Phantom Lord looked upon the KH team.

"But perhaps one of the ultimate reasons why I hold this strong loathing towards Riku was because he was also the one who helped to slay my beloved master and mentor." He then looked again at Riku. "My master had undergone a great deal of pain and humiliation from you and your comrades prior to your capture, Riku. He had strived so hard to achieve his goals, but you denied him his dreams. And then you ruthlessly took his life. And I wasn't even there to comfort him in his demise. I never had a chance to bid him farewell. And it is all your doing. For that, you will never be forgiven." His keyblade was at the ready. "Therefore, it is my duty to seek justice for his death by killing the man who oversaw his end."-

"Then answer me this," Riku said. "Who the hell is your master and how is it that we wronged him?"

"But Riku, surely you should know him better than anyone else here. He was extremely ambitious, at times considered a threat to the Imperial regime. His renowned cruelty should be deeply embedded in your mind, my other self, since it was he who formed the scars on your back."-

The KH team widened in their gaze, a shiver of fear trickled down their spine as they came to acknowledge the identity of Sirius' master.

"No," Sora uttered. "It can't be…You can't be talking about…"

"Are you saying that your master was…?" Riku added, wavering upon his tongue. His body began to shiver as old scars suddenly seemed to resurface and cause his skin to throb. For a moment, he could feel blood seeping from resurfacing wounds. His heart began to speed in its pumping and sweat appeared upon his brow, dripping in streams.

"That's right," Sirius said with a grin, seeing the silver haired youth's reaction. "The Great Tormentor, the most ambitious within the former Imperial regime. He was destined to bring a drastic change to the structure of the old Dark Empire. You knew him well…as General Ameba…!" Like ghosts the team members became at the sound of the villain's title.

"Impossible,"-

"Ameba was your master…?" Sora's slightly backed away, his knees losing strength and forcing him to stagger.

"Does it seem so strange that one as ruthless and bloodthirsty as General Ameba would have an apprentice? But he was one who knew what he wanted. The others were scared of him because his techniques were too radical for them to handle. Yet in my opinion, there was never a better man fit for the job, taking the position as a leading lord of the Imperial Regime. Had they made my master a lord and adapted his methods sooner, the Three Excellencies would have still remained in power, the Dark Empire would have slowly dominated all worlds, and all resistance would have ceased by now."-

"How can you even hold such a man like Ameba in high regards?" Riku growled. "That man was a butcher and an extremist. He had no regards for anyone other than himself and his own desires. I should know because I have felt the extent of his cruelty."

"He was also the one who took me in when I was found, shivering close to the blood stained base of the old whipping post. He had sympathy for me. And for some reason, there was a touch of destiny between us. He too was shunned at times as I was and bore old scars that gave him that certain blemished entity. He was the one who gave me my name and who allowed me to excel in strength, cunning, and opportunity. And he even allowed me to become close acquaintances with the late Lord Cavendish himself. His ambitions, however, were never realized. None of their ambitions were realized because a few annoying little bugs decided to remain defiant." Sirius gripped the keyblade tightly. "All of that, all of which had become my new life, went tumbling down like a house of cards thanks to people like you who helped to stir unrest against the regime. Had it not been for you, perhaps these circumstances could have been avoided. But each and every one of you was in some way responsible for depriving me of my second chance. You had no right to do so. None of you had the right to dispense with my dreams. Isn't that the quota which you had fought so hard to preserve, to not allow others to be deprived of their dreams? What made me and my master so different?"

It was a cruel irony on the part of the KH team. They found it unjust for people to deprive others of their dreams. Yet hear they were smashing the dreams and desires of an individual who was never allowed the privilege to grasp at happiness, even when he was a mere fledgling. Now, there was a lull between the sides that lingered for a minute or two. But it was quickly broken with the utterance of Sora's sympathies.

"Sirius," Sora implied, "I can understand how you feel and I can only imagine what you've gone and are right now going through. I also realize that no one deserves to be deprived of their dreams and their happiness. But you must understand this. Despite the double edged situation, we can't allow you to have your way. If you continue to thrive, the chaos will never end and the suffering will continue on, reverberating for generations to come." Sora lowered his keyblade. "It doesn't have to end this way for you though. You don't have to end your life like this. You can still have a chance to make a better world." He stretched forth his hand. "What do you say, Sirius? You can make it easier for all of us by choosing to end the chaos by your own will."

"You are an understanding and compassionate individual, Sora." Sirius replied. "However, you are too understanding and compassionate for your own good. Do you really think that the Alliance will allow me to live and repent for the rest of my life? I know the Alliance better than anyone. They will not allow a man like me to live for long. I have caused too much suffering as Riku had so vividly stated, slaying millions and making twice that figure homeless. To the Alliance and all others, I am a monster. And a monster like me can only repent through his own demise. But I will not give the Alliance the luxury of humiliating me and depriving me of my dignity. If I must meet an end, I will do it knowing that I did not allow my comrades to die in vain. I will allow them and myself to maintain our dignities as Imperials. And above of all," He looked again at Riku, "I will die knowing that I fulfilled my ultimate goal, to bring forth the demise of Noctin Tilandir."

"If you want me, Sirius Viicous," Riku drew up his keyblade, "Then you've got me."

"Then let us finish this once and for all."-

"If that's the case, if you must fight Riku," Sora declared, "Then we have no choice." He drew up his keyblade as well. The others did the same. "If you kill Riku, you'll have to kill me first."

"Kill Sora," Kairi added, "And you'll have to kill me!"

"Kill Kairi and you'll have to kill us." Goofy agreed as he, Donald, and Mickey took their stances. Minnie and Daisy took their position behind them.

"It's all for one and one for all!" Donald declared. Sirius smirked.

"Then this will be the end of the KH team." Sirius chuckled. He looked at Riku. "You certainly have a lot of good friends, my other self, friends that you aren't worthy of having. But then again, against me, you'll need all the help you can get."

"Keep telling yourself that, Sirius Viicous." Riku replied.

The lines had been set and the supposed final battle was about to begin. That was until fate intervened once more.

Upon the tiers of Cetorburg, the tide had fully turned in favor of the Alliance and their branching military units. The Imperials within Cetorburg, without any hope of possible reinforcements, were now fighting against the edge. Even the esteemed Immortals found their lines receding further and further away. With the shields down, now Kira Yamato's mobile suit troops were able to fire into the city without any fear that their attacks would be deflected. Many S class Imperials, many of them hard core veterans, seeing that further resistance was folly, dropped their arms and surrendered. The first and second tiers were eventually taken over by the Alliance, leaving the top two still in Imperial hands.

Madam General Devardios and her staff looked on.

"Excellent execution," she implied. "At this rate the Imperials have no chance of fending us off." She lowered her glasses, a sparkle of tears formed upon her eyelids. "After all the hell and all the suffering that we went through since the rise of the Midnight Faction, we at last finally get to see her fall."

"It was at a terrible cost though, Madam." Lieutenant Gallagher said.

"A lot of fine warriors and soldiers died today." Captain Malorius added. "The key bearers were the ones who got the worst of it."

"This battle will go down in history as the most tragic of all however." Devardios told them.

"Bloodier and more tragic than the Saiyan losses at Gombria or the terrible losses of our forces at Vandor, would this battle not be equal to them?"-

"I have no doubt that the losses here are only a quarter of those campaigns. But there is a significant difference between this battle and those."-

"What's that, Madam?"-

"This battle was fought primarily by children."-

"I see…"-

As the battle raged on, the most intense of confrontations was taking place. At the same time, Sora and the others were catching up with Riku and were only now finding out the identity of Sirius Viicous, Ks had undergone hell against Kaine and Victor. With her strength only half of what it originally was, she found that fending off the duo was increasingly more challenging then the first time. However, the same could be said about the immortal and the generator whose on strengths had been limited due to the effects of the Immortal Killer's essence that reverberated through the tips of her blades. At her present level, Ks did not have enough strength to concentrate the energy into a sphere or even an energy wave. Instead, she had to magnify its power by means of her weapon as an extension.

It came to the point where both sides were exhausted and couldn't fight to their full potential. For a time, they backed off from their battle. Ks, exhausted from over a full thirty minutes of fighting against the due, could barely lift up her chain bo.

"This can't be happening," she growled. "I am a Saiyan warrior, a member of the most powerful race ever to exist in this or any other world. My strength is enough to level entire civilizations and destroy planets. Something that neither Riku, nor Sora, not these two idiots could possibly apprehend. Yet why…why am I losing to them? They should be on their knees begging for mercy." Her sweat trickled down her face and seeped into the wounds upon her skin, stinging at her nerve endings. "To be reduced to this pitiful status, and all because of a couple stubborn little insects."

The stage was no better for Kaine and Victor, who had suffered a great deal of wounds from the Immortal Killer's effects.

"We have to finish this." Victor uttered. "We have to eliminate her."

"I can't believe we look like this." Kaine implied, his White Wolf's Rage vanishing from his face. "How the hell can the both of us have so much trouble against one wounded enemy, a woman for that matter?"

"It won't be long. She'll eventually cave in. Then it'll all be over for her."-

"It'll be over for us too it we make one false move."-

"Well, then we better not go in half cocked."-

"Yeah…"-

"It looks like the end of the line for you boys. You seem ready to collapse." Ks declared with a chuckle.

"We could say the same about you!" Kaine replied.

"Yes, but I still have a vast reservoir of power left within me. I'll finish you off soon enough."-

"If that's the case, why aren't you attacking?"-

"I'd say you're bluffing Ks." Victor shouted. "You can't summon anymore strength than we can."

"Read me like a book, eh Victor Tepes? Well, they don't call you the son of Alucard for nothing. But it matters little now. We're both in the same boat. Thus, it's sudden death."-

"Not quite, though." Victor cracked his neck a little. "There is a significant difference. Though you may kill us, this battle is over for you." He pointed towards the battle outside theirs. "Take a look around, the Imperial cause is lost. Already many of your comrades have been killed, wounded, or have surrendered. The shield is down and there is no longer a barrier to keep the Alliance out. They will charge in with all they have and destroy Cetorburg to its foundations."

Ks could only look about and realize this grim truth. Thousands upon thousands of Imperials were now holding out of desperation. There was nothing left for them, but the cause. While some surrendered, others held on to their faith, believing that dying as in Imperial in battle was the most honorable sacrifice that could be made. She looked again at Kaine and Victor and smiled.

"The battle may be lost for us," she declared triumphantly, "But the cause is far from dying. Sooner or later, there will be others to return and take our place. So long as the history of the Dark Empire continues to thrive, there will be those ambitious enough to revive it. And with them will be those individuals like me who will be willing to put our lives down for that person and the cause they represent." Ks drew up her weapon again, this time with a sudden burst of enthusiasm. "But know this, my friends, if I am able to defeat you two soundly and swiftly, then I can go to an early grave knowing that I fulfilled my accomplishment with flying colors."

"Then why don't you try fighting those two when they're at their peak!" a voice shouted. Ks looked down to see none other than Lu Bu hovering just above the fight on the ground. "Normally, I wouldn't interfere in a duel. But knowing true Imperials, they never really play by the rules." He drew out to vials of potion. "If that's the case, then we fight fire with fire." He looked at Kaine and Victor. "Here you two, you might need this!"

Lu Bu tossed the vials to the duo. Kaine and Victor caught the vials.

"Potions," Ks protested, "How dare you use those in this duel! This is bad form!"

"Ks does have a point." Kaine implied. "This wouldn't be going according to the rules of this fight. It would be cowardly to finish her off when we regain all of our strength while she is limited what she has presently."

"You do have a point there, Kaine." Victor added, "However this is a battle of life and death. And we have our own matters to attend to when this is all over. We can't afford to die. Besides, one who has the audacity to deprive us of our natural talents plays just as dirty."

"Right," The two guzzled the potions and within seconds their wounds were healed, their energy replenished, and their strength was greater than ever. "I feel great now!"

"Now, we finish this."-

"You bastards…" Ks growled feeling her chances of victory slipping away as fast as her own fighting strength. "Where is your honor…?"

"You used whatever means to try and defeat us." Kaine said. "What limits us from not doing the same?"

"Now," Victor chuckled, "You are mine at last. Releasing Control Restriction System to level one…" Instantly, Victor underwent that same transformation he did before. Now with newly replenished strength, he could summon his higher levels of strength at will. His clothing had changed to that same black jumper suit, giving him that solid and sexy physique. But at the same time, darkness began to encircle him. A thousand eyes appeared, a vast haze of negative energy surrounding him. "I shall relinquish you of your undeserved life of freedom, Ks."

"Damn you...Victor Tepes." Ks growled as she fell to her knees. "Damn you all to hell."

"Go my hounds and feed." Victory drew forth his hand and like ravaging demons, the darkness rushed forward to consume Ks.

Ks was done for now, The hounds grappled with her and consumed her body. Victor and the others found it over for Ks. But such judgments can be deceiving at times, and something went terribly wrong.

Ks' mind filled with the thoughts of her comrades dying and suffering. The battle was lost, but she refused to give in just yet. Suddenly, thoughts of her Lord Sirius Viicous entered her mind. She felt the surges of hostile energy around him in some remote part of the city isolated and alone. The hostile strengths were ready to overpower him. This is what kept the flame of the Immortal leader burning hot. She still had a duty to fulfill.

"No," she shouted. "I will not have it end like this!"

Just then, Victor felt his hounds somehow recede, as if they were being held off by some unseen force. Both he and Kaine looked on curiously at this strange reaction.

"What's going on?" Kaine asked.

"I don't know." Victor replied. "I am not feeling any essence extracting from her."

Suddenly, there was a massive explosion that blew away not only Victor's hounds, but half of the third tier as well. Alliance soldier, Saiyan, Imperial, and key bearer were blown away by the blast. Others were shocked at what they witnessed. Kaine and Victor covered their eyes as the flash again blinded them. As they recovered and looked on, they saw through the dense smoke, the billowing dust, and falling debris a magnificent and frightening sight.

Ks had transformed into a Super Saiyan. Her hair had become a flashing gold, glimmering as bright as the sun. Her eyes transformed a solid emerald green. And the golden aura that resonated from her body was as strong as a million typhoons placed one on top of the other and concentrated a thousand fold. This was the first time Kaine and Victor had encountered the golden fleece of the Saiyan Race in battle, the power of the Saiyan Rage.

"What kind of transformation is this…?" Kaine uttered, his body shivering in both shock and apprehension. "Could this be…a Super Saiyan?"

"What is the secret behind Saiyan power?" Victor added. "How is it that even beyond their limit, they can still accumulate such levels of energy? With the kind of strength Ks is accumulating, she could defeat even my father without lifting a finger. That's enough strength to do away with this entire world and all those surrounding. Ks has become the new threat. If she unleashes that power against us here and now, no one, not even we can hope to stop her even at our full strength."

Kira Yamato and his mobile suit troops saw this glowing figure upon the third level.

"Look at that," Kira thought to himself.

"Commander Yamato," one of the soldiers said, "Isn't that the same type of transformation that that Vegeta guy underwent back at Lyzand?"

"Yeah," Kira instructed his troops. "You men stay clear of that individual! She may be a potential enemy! Steer clear." Inwardly, he thought to himself. "I'd hate for us to meet the same fate as the Imperial forces did at the hands of Vegeta."

"My master needs me." Ks declared. She then looked around to the enemy and dead Imperials surrounding her. "My comrades need me. My cause needs me."

With a burst of energy and scream of anger, Ks' aura unleashed a destructive barrage of energy waves that flew in all directions and pounded the Alliance forces. Many gained way to the devastation. But the beams made up for their lack of slayings by destroying a great deal of the structures and landscapes surrounding.

At the same time, Kira's mobile suit units were suddenly pelted by the barrage.

"Evade," the officers cried, "Evade!"

Many of the suits gained way, but were maimed by random beams.

"That's a hostile," Kira growled. "And she's just as potent as Vegeta."

"Shoot that monster," one of the officers shouted, "Shoot that golden demon!"

"No," Kira tried to halt his comrades. "We can't afford to be reckless against this kind of foe!" However, his words proved useless as several units began to fire at Ks.

"Kill her…!"-

"Idiots, that's not going to do any good!"-

Ks was struck by each of the laser beams and bullets. But her power was so great, the projectiles were deflected off of her before they could get within an effective striking distance. The Imperial gazed up at the aggressors with her green emerald eyes.

"All who threaten His Excellency shall die." Ks declared. Looking up at her attackers, she began to levitate into the air. Slow at first, but eventually she excelled in speed, so fast in fact that no one even saw her move.

"She vanished," one of the Kira's subordinates uttered. But his words were swallowed as the Saiyan appeared in front of his cockpit. His blood ran cold at the sight of Ks' soulless green eyes.

"All shall die who oppose The Phantom Lord," she said, "Without mercy!"

With one swipe, she cut the cockpit in half, the officer along with it. The mobile suit exploded in a bright fiery light and bits of debris fell upon the allies. This one act of violence caused the rest of Kira's unit to react.

"Impossible," another soldier said, "She took out a mobile suit with one hit."

"Kill her, shoot her," another shouted. The mobile suits charged and began to fire.

"No, you fools," Kira cried, "Don't attack! You won't stand a chance!"

But his words fell upon deaf ears as at least a hundred mobile suits charged Ks.

"Futile act," Ks said. She drew up her hand and swiped it before her. There was a powerful energy surge, which flew through the air and struck each of the one hundred aggressive suits. The moment of impact proved devastating as all the attacking units were obliterated.

"Impossible," the officer next to Kira said. His eyes wide with fear.

"Damn that Imperial." Kira growled.

Suddenly, Ks glared at the young coordinator in his mobile suit.

"You will all die for hindering His Excellency and depriving him of his dreams." She declared, pointing at Kira and the Freedom.

"Damn, she's targeted me."-

"You cannot escape my wrath."-

Ks charged at Kira's mobile suit, her aura as bright as day. Kira, knowing the full extent of Saiyan power, since his witnessing of Vegeta's indomitable strength, knew that he stood no chance. The Freedom, for all its power, agility, and speed, was nothing compared to the aura of a Super Saiyan. And Ks could rip through him as easily as one could tear tissue paper.

His subordinates feared for their commander's safety and quickly rallied in front of him, blazing away at Ks with no effective result.

"Commander Yamato," the subordinate cried.

"She's attacking," Kira said.

"Commander, you must flee! Seek shelter from this monster!"-

"It's pointless to run."-

"Commander…!" Kira had foreseen his own death, knowing that escape was impossible against such an enemy. Thus, he remained to accept his fate and battle to the last, no matter how short the period of his engagement was.

But no sooner had Ks began her assault, five Saiyan Warriors of the Saiyan Confederation appeared before her, their weapons drawn. Again, the lull arose as these warriors appeared from out of nowhere facing against the golden scourge.

"What's this…?" he thought. "More Saiyans…?"

"Are they on our side, sir?" the subordinate asked.

"I think so."-

"Madam General Ks," the leader of the five Saiyans announced, "By order of our commanding officer General Takali, the Saiyan Confederation Congress, and the Universal Alliance, you are here by placed under arrest for war crimes against civilians and prisoners of war in your prior services as an entrusted officer of the former Cavendish regime. Surrender now or you will be detained by force."

"Don't you fools dare stand in my way," Ks shouted, "Or you will all perish as well! And I will not hesitate to slay even my Saiyan brethren. I am an Imperial and I fight to uphold the Imperial cause no matter what the cost may be."

It seemed a second fight was inevitable. But Ks suddenly dropped her guard and lowered her weapon as if she was in a daze. Her senses detected her master's aura and it was surrounded by foes.

"What's going on?" Kira wondered. "Why did she halt her attack?"

Victor, seeing this escapade in the skies above Cetorburg, could sense a throbbing sensation within Ks' aura. He knew immediately the cause of her inaction.

"She is a member of the Immortal Guard," Victor quietly stated as he observed her actions. "Her obligation is to protect Sirius Viicous. She knows he is in trouble. She is going to him."

"I must protect His Excellency." Ks thought in her mind. "I am an Immortal. My obligation is to his safety first."

Ks burst further skyward into the air, the wandering eyes watching her sudden ascent. She then arched back towards the ground and pounded through the surface of the forth tier, burrowing deep into the catacombs. Both the Alliance and the Axis were stunned as they witnessed the chaos that uplifted as an aftershock.

"We have to go after her before she causes more damage." Kaine said. "Both sides are doomed should she be allowed to continue on her rampage."

"She goes to him." Victor replied. "And she leads us to him. And once that happens, Sirius Viicous will finally pay for the crimes he has committed against so many worlds."

"Either that, or she's going down there to relinquish the Phantom Lord of his rank. With the kind of strength she exhibits, she could easily overthrow him with a flick of her finger."-

"That too is another possible outcome. Either way, however, they both prove to still be potent antagonists that have to be dealt with right away. Let's go."-

"Right,"-

With that, Victor and Kaine quickly rallied and followed Ks into the depths of Cetorburg, alone.

General Takali and a handful of his elite Saiyan warriors watched the duo leap into the hole where Ks descended.

"We must go and assist them." Takali ordered. "Ks is still too dangerous for any of the key bearers, even Riku and Sora, to handle. We must keep her destructive capabilities confined."

"Sir," one of his officers asked, "Should we keep out own powers suppressed?"

"Yes, unleash them only when I give the order. We must maintain our masquerade."-

"Sir," Takali turned to his men.

"Alright, ten of you come with me. We must prevent Ks from going on a rampage."-

"Sir," the soldiers replied.

In orderly fashion, the Saiyans ascended into the air and descended into the gap where Ks, Kaine, and Victor had vanished.

All the while, Riku and the others surrounded Sirius Viicous, patiently biding their time and waiting for the right time to strike. All the while, the Phantom Lord stood at the ready, sensing each of the strengths around him, awaiting the first blow.

"It all comes down to this final confrontation." He thought to himself. "Riku is one never to back down and neither am I."

"The madness ends here." Riku declared. Without further hesitation, the KH team advanced of Sirius with great fury. From all sides they attacked, unexpectedly and without mercy.

But before the first impact of blades could be made, the ceiling of the chamber suddenly exploded and collapsed. The fight was again halted as Ks appeared, a golden apparition, descending upon the group. She slammed herself upon the floor, creating strong winds that blew the KH team away, or lowered them to their knees. All the while, several of the surrounding pillars collapsed and gave way, causing parts of the chamber to collapse.

There, standing like angelic defender, Ks stood between the KH team and Sirius Viicous. The team, especially Riku and Sora, were stunned beyond measure.

"This can't be," Sora uttered.

"Ks is still alive." Riku added. He was awestruck by her glow. "And she's become a Super Saiyan of all things."

"Not even we can contend with a Super Saiyan. That's too powerful a foe for us to battle."-

"Madam General Ks," Sirius said, "What are you doing here? You are supposed to be defending the tiers of Cetorburg. Now you've given the enemy an easy access point to penetrate even further into the interior."

"There is nothing to fear, my lord." Ks declared. "I am more than capable of making up for all we've lost today."

"Then why come to me when you could have obliterated the entire Alliance with one foul swoop?" Sirius feared a possible mutiny and shift of power. "Have you come to declare your defection and take all the power as your own?"

"I could easily do that, My Lord now that no one can stop me, not even you. But I am incapable of fulfilling such a vast and unreachable dream of creating a universe under one banner as you can. You have the gift to inspire and to lead. I can only take orders. I know nothing of politics or maintenance of an empire. It is you who must lead this universe into a new era. That is how His late Excellency Lord Vischerz Von Cavendish would have wanted it, since you were personally appointed by him to be his successor."-

"Sirius Viicous…?" Mickey uttered.

"He's Cavendish's successor?" Riku added.

"I may be a Saiyan," Ks declared, "But I am an Imperial first and foremost. And as the leader of the Immortal Guard, I am obligated to protect you as my first propriety."

"Ks…" Sirius lowered his head.

"You must withdraw from here, My Lord. There will be others here soon claiming for you life and I know not how much longer I can maintain this new form and be of use to you. But you must escape and continue your efforts to resurrect the Imperial regime, even if you must conduct it behind the shadows."-

Sirius lowered his head, the bangs of his hair shielding the expression in his eyes. He suddenly gave a smirk.

"Yes, you are right, Ks." He chuckled, "There is still a great deal for me to accomplish. And remaining here would not allow me to fulfill that task." Sirius turned to Riku. "It looks like our match will have to wait for a little while longer, Noctin Tilandir, how unfortunate for all this to reach an outcome so anticlimactic."

"Damn it, Sirius Viicous," Riku shouted, "Are you just going to run away from me again?"

"Of course not, my other self, I am simply rearranging my pieces on the board. But this time, I do it in a way knowing that I'll win in the end." Sirius opened a door leading into the darkness.

"You are not going to get away from me again!" Riku shouted. He prepared to rush at Sirius, hoping to prevent his escape, but Ks suddenly appeared before him.

"You plan on getting to His Excellency, you have to go through me first." She declared.

"Damn you, Ks,"-

"Nicely done, Ks, I knew I could depend on you." Sirius chuckled. He then looked at Riku. "We'll meet soon enough, Riku. I still have a couple more surprises in store for you and your friends. I will reveal them when you arrive to battle me for the final time." He smirked most viciously. "But before I go, I must first take a consolation prize."

"What do you mean?"-

Suddenly, Riku heard a Kairi scream.

"Riku," she shouted. Riku looked to find Sora suddenly sinking in a pit of darkness.

"Riku," Sora cried, "The darkness, it's taking me!" His friends rushed over and grabbed hold of Sora's hands and arms.

"Hold on Sora," Mickey cried.

"We'll get you out, buddy!" Goofy added. They pulled with all their might.

"Sora," Riku uttered. He glared at Sirius. "Is this your doing?"

"Of course," Sirius chuckled. "I told you that I need to set up the pieces on the board properly. It just so happens that Sora is one of them."

"You let Sora go right now!"-

"And how do you plan on stopping me? If you wish to kill me then go ahead. But I doubt you'll pass my bodyguard." Riku stared at the green eyes of Ks. Sirius entered the darkness porthole. "Until our next meeting, Noctin Tilandir…" With that, he vanished into the darkness.

"Sirius Viicous…!"-

"It looks like it's just you and me now." Ks chuckled.

"Not so fast!" a voice shouted from above. She and Riku looked up to find Kaine, Victor, General Takali, and a handful of Saiyans descending upon them. Kaine and Victor took their stance between Ks and Riku. Takali and his Saiyans surrounded the Imperial.

"You deal with us first, Ks!" Kaine said.

"Are you guys alright, Riku?" Victor asked.

"More or less," Riku replied, "But Sora."

"Yeah, we noticed,"-

"Go give your friend a hand, Riku," Kaine suggested, "We'll keep Ks at bay."

"Thanks you guys." Riku replied. He ran over to the others who were still trying to pry Sora out of that swirling vortex. "Sora, I'm coming!"

"Hurry Riku," Sora cried, "This darkness is sucking me in!"

Riku took hold of Sora's arms and they tried to pull him out with all their might.

All the while, Ks was confronted by the new arrivals. She was unconcerned though, being in her new Super Saiyan form.

"This fight is over, Ks." Takali declared. "You are placed under my jurisdiction and will be transported to await trial for the crimes inscribed on your previous records."

"Ha," Ks scoffed, "I have nothing to fear from you. You'll have to take me by force, old man. I have no intention of moving."

"Do not start to think that because you are a Super Saiyan doesn't mean that you'll prevail against us."-

"And you think you can stop me?"-

"We are not called the elites for nothing."-

"And what gives you the right to uphold that title? You can't even become Super Saiyans. Guys who lose so easily to third class Immortals can't hope to defeat an original like me."-

"Then you have a lot to learn about your own people, Ks." Takali suddenly unleashed his full strength. The others did the same as well. There was burst of energy and a flash of light, which blinded the others around.

"Not again," Kaine uttered.

"What the heck is going on?" Donald wondered.

As they opened their eyes, they were again filled with a combination of shock and apprehension. Before them, Takali and his ten Saiyan subordinates stood transformed into Super Saiyans. Their combined strengths matched the magnificence of their golden hair and emerald eyes. Ks was equally shocked to see that eleven Super Saiyans now stood to confront her.

"Unlike you, Ks," Takali declared, "we have been doing this for quite some time now. This is how we were able to overthrow Gombria at the end of the Cavendish regime. Surrender now. You stand no chance against us."

"Impossible," she uttered.

"Intense…" Victor implied.

"Now there are twelve Super Saiyans?" Kaine added. He sighed. "Well, at least eleven of them are on our side."

"Whoa," the KH team said as their eyes glimmered from the shiny light. This mesmerizing moment caused them to lose a tight grip on Sora who was still sinking.

"You guys!" He shouted.

"Oh yeah," Riku replied and they all continued their efforts with prying Sora out of the shadows.

Ks still remained defiant, though she knew the odds were against her. She still held her head up high.

"I'll fight you still!" she declared. "I am an Imperial and the leader of the Immortal guards! I will not back down! Not to the likes of you!"-

"You still have a lot to learn, girl." Takali explained. He felt a sudden decrease in her power. "And by the feel of it, your new form won't last very long at this point."

Takali's words proved accurate. Ks, not yet fully used to the sudden upsurge in power as a Super Saiyan, was suddenly drained of her strength. Her gold hair, green eyes, and flashing aura vanished within seconds and Ks was regressed to her original tattered form. Sweat and blood dripped from her grimed flesh and she was left gasping and in a great deal of pain. Each muscle throbbed and ached, so much that she couldn't even bend her fingers.

"Damn you, old man." She said to the general. Takali and his men held their weapons at the ready.

"Keep your weapons on her, men." He declared.

"So it's over?" Kaine asked.

"Apparently," Victor replied. But the escapade was not yet over as the KH team still tried to pull Sora out of the shadowy vortex.

"Hold on, Sora!" Riku cried.

"Guys, hurry!" Sora shouted. "I can't hold on much longer!"

Kaine and Victor ran to the scene and tried to give them a hand.

"What's taking you so long?" Victor asked. "How hard can in be to lift him up?"

"We're trying," Donald shouted. "He can't seem to budge!"

"The darkness has got a firm grip on him." Mickey added. "We can't seem to lift him up. He just keeps sinking."

"C'mon Sora," Kaine said, "Hang in there! We'll get you out!"

"It's no use, boys and girls." Ks uttered. The team looked at her.

"What are you talking about?"-

"Sora is done for. The darkness will not let him go."-

"Says you," Riku growled.

"Hold on, Sora!" Kairi cried. Sora, by this time, was already up to his chin. Ks smirked as she witnessed the futile efforts of the youth's comrades.

"You can pull all you'd like," she chuckled, "but the darkness only bends to the will of His Excellency. Sora will be dragged down into the depths of the shadows and you cannot do anything to stop it."

"Don't listen to her!" Riku said. He held on to Sora. "Stay in there, Sora!"

"I can't Riku!" Sora cried. "It's like something's grabbing hold of my legs and won't let go!"

"Just stay in there!"-

"Riku, I'm scared,"-

"I know, Sora. You have to hold on!"

"Riku, Kairi," Sora's head suddenly submerged into the shadows. His arms and hands were soon covered with it and repelled his friends from grasping at him. Sora thus sunk into the shadows, his muffled cries still hurt. "Don't let it take me away, Riku!"

"Sora," Riku threw himself onto the darkness, hoping jump in and follow. But to his dismay, all he hit was the solid ground as if there was no porthole to begin with. "Sora, come back!"

"No, Sora," Kairi cried.

"Sora," the other's shouted.

"Sora," Riku bellowed. But alas, the youth was gone. His grasping finger tips vanished with the receding shadows. Riku pounded his fist on the ground. "Damn it, damn it, damn it,"

"We tried," Mickey said, "There was nothing we could do."

"I can't believe Sora's gone." Kairi uttered. Riku suddenly burst with rage.

"Damn you, Sirius Viicous!" He roared.

"What a waste of effort," Ks chuckled. Riku, already steaming from his anger, turned his head to Ks.

"Shut your mouth, Ks!" He charged at the Saiyan. "I've had enough of hearing your annoying voice!" But before he could get at her, Kaine and Victor stopped him.

"Save it, Riku, save it!" Kaine cried.

"I've heard enough of your sarcastic remarks, Ks! Sora is gone and you laugh at it, you soulless, inhuman monster!"-

"You can get angry at her all you want, Riku." Victor beseeched. "But that's not going to bring Sora back! We have to think out a plan." Riku, enraged and frustrated, also knew that he was helpless in this situation. He fell to his knees, going limp in the arms of his comrades.

"Sora," he uttered, "I'm sorry. It's my fault, it's all my fault."

"No, Riku." Kairi said, comforting her friend, "We all tried. It's all our fault."

"But I'm responsible. I said that I'd be there for him in his time of need! And yet when he's slipping from my fingers, I'm powerless to do anything."-

"But Sirius said that Sora was going to play one of the pieces, right?" Mickey implied. "So I don't think he's dead. He might be confined in the realm of darkness somewhere."

"But where do we start looking, Your Majesty?" Donald asked.

"I don't know right now. We need to find some clue of where Sirius might station himself."-

"Perhaps the best way to find that out is to ask one who was closest to him." Victor advised. The group looked at Ks. "I will handle this."

Victor slowly walked up to Ks. But Ks, being as aggressive as ever before, started making threats to the youth.

"You come any closer, Victor Tepes, and I'll rip your head off." She declared.

"Well, since I'm immortal, I don't really see any danger in that declaration." The vampire replied. "Besides, you barely have enough energy left to lift you fingers, let alone strike me. And even if you did, do you think these Saiyan Confederation guys are going to allow you to resist?" Ks couldn't bluff her way out now. This time, she was completely under the mercy of the Alliance. Victor looked straight at her. "Now, I want you to look me in the eye and tell me where would your master be stationed?"

Ks, however, was not about to open her mouth. But the moment she gazed into Victor's blood ruby red eyes, for some reason she found them mesmerizing, attractive, and somewhat soothing, like the personification of the perfect youth, a young man to which any woman would lose their hearts, their minds, and so much more to. This was how Victor was able to place her in a temporary trance and open her mind. In her daze, Ks uttered only two words.

"Spectral Fortress…" With that, she suddenly collapsed unconscious. Victor sighed.

"Great, she's unconscious. That fight must've taken a lot out of her."-

"Well, we got all the information we needed." Kaine implied. "She told us of a place called Spectral Fortress. That must be the place where Sirius is hiding." Victor only gave an annoyed look at his friend.

"You forget though, Kaine. We have a destination, but where it's actually located is still a mystery!"-

"We don't have a location?" Kaine sighed. "C'mon, Vic, you're supposed to be on top of things here! You're the son of Alucard for crying out loud!"

"You tell that to Ms. Out-like-a-light over here! I can't find out anything when she's unconscious and lying on the ground like a slice of baloney! And if I try to penetrate into her mind's psyche…Well, let's put it this way, I'd have a better chance of eating my way through reinforced concrete!"-

"Well, maybe there's a map that we could probably use."-

"You git, you know as well as I that Sirius Viicous is too smart to actually mark his Alamo on a map. Otherwise, if he did, the Alliance would have swarmed on it like locusts and take it over, giving him no place to refuge."-

"Then perhaps we have to find someone who knows about this Spectral Fortress." Riku intervened. The group looked at him.

"Who did you have in mind?" Kaine asked.

"Well, there are only two possible candidates I know, Lord Thundro, and General Triiken. They're former Imperials and they're usually well informed. Then again, there's also the Alliance data base. That's almost up to date twenty-four seven. Either way, we better find a linkage that'll lead us to this Spectral Fortress." He turned to the others. "We have to get out of here and make contact with the president right away. He can help us gain access to this information." There was a brief silence. "We need to make haste. Sora's life hangs in the balance. If he is a prisoner to the apprentice of General Ameba, I can only imagine that Sora may be undergoing the same type of treatment I was given." The thought of Sora being tortured caused the team's blood to curdle cold.

"Very well," Mickey said, "Then we better hurry."

"Let's go,"-

"We will take charge of Ks from here on out." Takali said as two of his men picked up the unconscious Immortal. "So you can leave with clear consciences fearing no type of retaliation whatsoever from her."

"Make sure she doesn't cause you guys anymore trouble than she already has." Riku advised.

"We have that well acknowledged, young Riku. And we appreciate your concern."-

"Riku," Victor said. The young key bearer turned towards the Hellsing Duo. "It was a privilege and an honor to fight by your sides. However, now that the chaos is dying down, Kaine and I have other matters to attend to. We cannot ignore them anymore than we already have."

"You're not coming with us?" Riku asked.

"I'm sorry, but this is where we have to take our leave. However, this was one thrilling experience and a great achievement in the climax of our young lives. It is something that we will never forget."-

Riku smiled. He extended his hand to Victor. Victor acknowledged this gesture and the two shook hands.

"Thank you for you help, both of you. We couldn't have done it without you. Or for that matter, we couldn't have done it without any of our comrades who rallied today."-

"Good luck, my friend, and I hope that you are successful in your search for Sora."-

"Thanks…" Riku turned to his friends. "C'mon you guys, let's go."

"Yeah," Goofy added, "Sora's waiting for us!"

With reserve and silent tongue, the KH team withdrew from the catacombs of Cetorburg to the surface. Their final quest was now in motion. Victor, Kaine, and the members of the Saiyan Confederation looked on as the team members vanished from their sight.

"So there is one last foe for you to fight." Victor inwardly thought. "One last foe to defeat, one last friend to rescue, and after that subsides, the chaos will finally nullify to the foundations from whence it came."

During this subsiding in chaos, key bearers of the raid had managed to fend off the Imperials with miraculous results. Kirin and Cunla had reunited with the survivors and were now holding a strong perimeter.

It was during this period that two young female key bearers named Selvia and Hikari chanced to come across a significant find. Not too far from the generator chamber, the two girls entered the facility. When they did, they came across of frightening sight. Such a strange and foreboding exhibition lay before them, the scientific tanks filled with synthetic liquid essence and wracks of vials against the walls. The chamber itself extended fifty yards in each direction and was three stories high. The sight of hundreds of hanging limbs and torsos on the walls, yet the place was white washed and unblemished. Still, the sight of the forms in the darkened chamber caused the key bearers' neck hairs to stand on end.

"What is this place?" Selvia uttered.

"I don't know." Hikari replied. "Get commander Kirin and commander Cunla over here."

"Right," Selvia quickly withdrew to find her commanders.

Cunla and Kirin, now fully healed, kept watch over their comrades.

"Keep vigilant, boys and girls." Cunla ordered. "The Imperials may attack again."

"How are you doing, Cunla?" Kirin asked. "I hope half of that last potion I had was enough."

"Yeah, I feel a hundred percent better." Cunla stretched his shoulder muscles a little to ease the tension on his mind. "And it's a good thing too. The Imperials might attack full force again."

"Well, after how they got tarred by these youngsters, I doubt they'll be engaging in another bonsai charge."-

It was then that Selvia arrived, shouting for their requested presence.

"Commander Cunla, commander Kirin," she cried. Cunla and Kirin turned to her frantic wailing.

"What's the matter, Selvia?" Cunla asked.

"Hikari and I, we found something."-

"What did you find?" Kirin asked. The young girl was silent.

"I don't know…"-

"We better go check it out then." Cunla advised.

"Right," Kirin agreed.

"The rest of you stay here and hold the line. We will return." Kirin and Cunla quickly followed Selvia to the place she spoke of.

When they arrived, Cunla and Kirin reacted with the same emotions as the girls did prior. They were awestruck and apprehensive of what they saw.

"What is this place?" Kirin wondered.

"We were hoping you might know, sir." Hikari implied.

"Turn on the lights." Cunla instructed. Feeling around in the dark, Selvia found the switch. The moment the lights turned on, the full extent of the chamber's contents became as clear as day. The darkened forms they saw on the walls were puttied and waxed manikins. But it was what was in the tanks that caused their blood to run cold, the sight of deformed experiments in tanks for the faulty.

"What kind of monstrosities has Sirius Viicous been performing?" Kirin wondered. Cunla looked upon the large glowing tanks, watching their essence bubbling to the surface. He touched the glass. The moment he did, a nostalgic power surged through him.

"I've felt this before."-

Kirin in the meantime, looked at the wracks of small vials frozen at the sides. He examined a few. Each bore a familiar name.

_Dagger_

_Kai_

_Knives_

_Ks_

_Saber_

_Scimitar_

He then picked up a vial bearing his own name. Kirin's eyes widened.

"These are DNA samples." He uttered. A chill came over him. "What kind of facility is this?"

"This is a cloning room." Cunla implied. "That's what explains all of this, the manikins, the collection of genetic codes, and these birthing tanks." Cunla observed three of the tanks that had been emptied. They each bore the old name of the occupant who once was sealed within.

_Cuchulain_

_Sora_

_Maleficent_

"Sirius Viicous used clones, copies of people from our past. No wonder they bore a similar energy signature."

"This type of cloning method hasn't been used since the days of the former Organization XIII." Kirin said. "This is the Vexen method of cloning, using puttied and waxed puppets like these and pumping them with the genetic make-up and knowledge of the individual they're supposed to assimilate." Cunla looked down. This attracted Kirin's curiosity. "Is there something wrong?"

"Haven't you ever noticed, Kirin?" Cunla asked. "This is the same type of energy I felt resonating within the Phantom Lord himself." Kirin's memory too recalled such a sensation when he was in the presence of Sirius Viicous.

"Now that you mention, I too have felt this familiar surge when I stood before Lord Sirius Viicous those times I was serving under him." His heart filled with a chilled sensation of shock. "Wait a minute…So are you saying that the Phantom Lord is…?"-

"Yes, I believe Sirius Viicous is a clone too."-

"A clone…But of who…?"-

"I don't know…" Cunla looked around. "But I know one thing, so long as this facility still works, then more old foes will be allowed to thrive."

"Then what do you say we do away with it?"-

"Yeah," Cunla turned to Hikari and Selvia. "You two start dismantling this lab. Destroy those genetic vial wracks. Leave nothing left."

"Sir," the two girls implied. Using their strength, they began smashing the vial wracks one at a time, shattering each glass tube onto the flood. The tanks were destroyed and the manikins torn apart.

In there destruction, Cunla's mind filled with the thought of the clone of his father and how it could have tarnished Cuchulain's name and reputation.

"I will not allow good people to gain bad reputations because of these fake beings." He declared. He smashed the vial bearing his name and did not give it a second thought. "And I will not allow old foes to be revived to wreak more havoc and grief upon us, or anyone else…"

The final moments were now grim and General Marcusio, along with the Imperials still tightly safe behind the doors of the observation room, could only look on with frightened looks and teary eyes at the inevitable end that befell them.

"It's no use, sir." The chief observation officer said. "No matter how gallant our soldiers are; this city is doomed to fail."

"Damn it all." Marcusio growled. "I can't understand how this city could have fallen so easily? This morning, we were the scourge of all the Northern Territories. We were supposedly the most invulnerable and indomitable city within the Imperial Axis. Now, we find ourselves humbled and on the verge of defeat, and all because a band of inexperienced fighters, consisting of children and young people, decided to be defiant." He tightened his fists. "This will not bode well. With the fall of this city, our entire organization is doomed to fail. Now, all our enemies will know we are weak and vulnerable. How could we possibly hope to gain control of all worlds if we can't even maintain control of our own strongholds?"

"There were unseen circumstances, general."-

"Incompetent circumstances you mean…"-

"You must face the facts, sir. It's over…"-

"Blast it all…"-

"Sir, I beseech you. You must not wipe out a whole generation for the sake of pride. Our men are losing morale and their will to fight as quickly as they are losing the strength to bear arms." The officer hesitated, fearing a hostile reaction. So in the kindest of voices, he confronted his general. "Please sir, you must order the surrender."-

"Surrender…?" Marcusio turned and glared at the officer. "You expect me to surrender? After all the losses we've taken and after all we've been through?! You must be mad!" He remained defiant and immediately rejected the officer's proposal. "I will do no such thing. We will continue to fight, until reinforcements arrive, or until each and every one of us are dead on the field."

"Sir, if you keep this up, our men will be enticed to defect. Even S class elites and Immortal guards have their breaking points." Marcusio was still silent, shivering from some sort of emotional tension. "Please, sir, for the sake of these men. They too have families and those loved ones expect our soldiers to return home safely."

Marcusio began to break from within. He wanted to uphold the Imperial cause and continue fighting, making martyrs of all the defenders. But at the same time, he could be seen as a butcher who was willing to sacrifice every man to the last, even though there was no real hope in achieving victory. He then came to his own conclusion. Was he willing to die in such a way? Was he really so high in power that he could dictate who lives and who dies? It was then that he gazed at one of the attendants at his station.

The attendant was no older than nineteen years old. In his hand he bore a picture, bearing his family. With teary eyes he gazed upon the faces of each loved one. Then with soft words, so no one could hear, he whispered.

"Sorry Mom," he uttered, "It looks like I won't be keeping that promise of coming home after all."

Marcusio could only imagine the pain of the family. It was this surge of emotion that finally broke his stubbornness.

"How could it come to this?" He thought to himself. "An army of rabble managed to outdo us in our greatest stronghold. Could it be fate's doing? Has it abandoned us for a greater tomorrow? I guess everything will change…" He sighed. "Everything has changed." With a heavy heart, he looked to the chief observation officer. "Send an outward message to the Alliance forces. Tell them that as of this time, the city of Cetorburg and its Imperial defenders are ready to accept the terms of surrender."

"Sir…" the officer replied.

Marcusio's words were harsh and sorrowful yet relieving in a way. Every Imperial began to weep. There was no dry eye amongst them. The tears they bore were filled with emotion. To why each was crying shall remain forever a mystery.

The general loosened his hands, releasing the burden upon his conscience, and gazed up towards the ceiling and the sky without.

"Forgive me, Lord Sirius Viicous," he said, "Too many lives have been lost today. For now, we must deny death its nourishment and give our brave boys a rest."


	131. A Heart That Never Was

A Heart That Never Was

Eventually, the KH team emerged back to the surface of Cetorburg. When emerging, they came to a strange and unusual sensation in the atmosphere. The cannons had ceased to fire, the gun shots and explosions were now rare bursts, and the aggressive screaming on contested individuals had all but silenced. What came in its place was the yelling and screaming of thousands upon thousands of wounded and dying men on both sides. Kira Yamato's mobile suits had touched down while Takali's Saiyans stood on guard, watching over the captured Imperials who sat in patches all over the city.

The remnants of the Immortals numbered to only a few now. Their determination was unrivaled amongst the Imperial forces and many of those still alive were severely wounded or maimed to the point where they were no longer of any use in battle. In fact, of all the Immortals taken prisoner in the after math, not a single one was unhindered. They had all been left crippled and unable to fight.

Upon seeing the fighting at an end, there was a sense of tragedy intermingling with a sense of relief, especially for the KH team.

"The battle is over." Mickey implied.

"Thank God…" Riku said. "The fighting has come to an end."

"The battle may be over," Kairi uttered, "But look at this tragic sight." She gazed upon the field and the dead and wounded that intermingled in puddles of blood and sweat. "Neither side deserved to suffer like this."

"Well, at least we were the ones who won, right?" Donald asked.

"We were for the right this day." A voice said from behind. The team looked to find Cunla and Kirin emerging from the city as well. "However, we can't bash the Imperials for fighting so gallantly for the cause they believed in."

"Cunla, Kirin," Riku said. The team gathered around the duo. "You guys are alright!"

"As so are you."-

"That's a relief."-

"So these are the famous Cunla, Son of Cuchulain, and Kirin of the Flaming Blades, right?" Mickey asked as he approached them. Kirin and Cunla laid eyes upon the king. Their eyes widened.

"Are you King Mickey?" Cunla asked.

"I am," Cunla and Kirin bowed respectfully.

"I can see in your eyes that you are a just king."-

"Forgive us our earlier actions as once loyal Imperials." Kirin beseeched.

"There's nothing to get all bent out of shape over." Mickey laughed. "I've heard a great deal about you two from both Riku and Sora. Your recent actions are more than enough to make up for those earlier loyalties to Sirius Viicous. And I thank you for helping Riku, Sora, and the others for coming to rescue us."

"You are a kind king."-

"Speaking of Sora," Cunla interceded. He realized that amongst the team, Sora was the only one not present. "Where is he?"

Cunla brought up a touchy subject indeed. The other members of the KH team were suddenly silent and looked towards the pocked ground with saddened expressions.

"Guys…?" Kirin asked. He and Cunla, seeing the looks on their friends' faces, feared the worse. They wanted to ask a second question, but feared the response. "Where is Sora?"

"Well…" Goofy uttered. He wanted to speak, but could not fathom to say anymore.

"The thing is…" Donald added, but he too cut himself off.

Finally, Riku was the one to break the news to his comrades.

"Sora was kidnapped." He said.

"Kidnapped…?" Cunla asked.

"By Sirius Viicous…"-

"Damn it…" Kirin growled. "You save one friend only to lose another. That Sirius Viicous is a slippery one. I had a feeling that he wouldn't end it here."

"Any clue to where Sirius Viicous might have taken him?" Cunla asked.

"Ks uttered a destination before passing out." Riku explained. "It was a place called the Spectral Fortress." Upon hearing that name, Cunla and Kirin gasped.

"The Spectral Fortress…?" they both uttered.

"Do you know of it?"-

"We do."-

"The Spectral Fortress acts as the last bastion to maintaining Imperial resistance." Cunla explained. "It was originally used as a secret rendezvous point for the Late Lord Cavendish and the other members of the Imperial Council. It was set up so that their more top security meetings could be held without interferences. And if there were any possible attacks by the Alliance, they could easily take refuge there as a safe haven. But when the Z team came into play, the defenses of the fortress were immediately rendered obsolete and would be unable to defend against such a powerful force. Thus, because it was deemed unnecessary and a waste of the empire's budget, Lord Cavendish ordered the fortress's immediate disbanding and abandonment. And there it remained untouched and almost forgotten. However, without the presence of powerful foes like the Z team in this time and era, Sirius Viicous made use of the old barracks and reconstructed the fortress to its former grandeur. What rumors say, he did a few modifications, so that only those who qualify can enter. In this case, key bearers are the only ones capable of unlocking the otherwise impenetrable security door should it ever be discovered. This was in case if Cetorburg were to ever fall, The Phantom Lord would have one last haven to conduct his strategies. At the Spectral Fortress, he'll be able to direct the remnants of the Imperial forces from the shadows, reforming them until they are strong enough to retaliate and fight in the open once again. That's how he was able to reform the Midnight Faction into the powerful organization that it was."-

"It is rumored that the Spectral Fortress is invulnerable to massive attacks, provided the attacking warriors aren't deemed invulnerable like those Z fighters or the Death Lords." Kirin added. "The reason being is because there is a defense shield that permits only six individuals to enter the fortress per day. Therefore, a full scale attack by your average regulars is virtually impossible."

"Do you know where it might be located?" Donald asked.

"Unfortunately," Cunla said, "We don't know. Only the most loyal and most trusted of the Imperial officers could step foot in the Spectral Fortress."

"But what about you and Kirin, you were highly trusted officers."-

"Yes, but our loyalties had strings attached. I was in search of my father. Kirin was in search of his sister. Therefore, despite our undying loyalties, we were denied access into the Spectral Fortress because of those flaws. Sirius was not about to take any chances with string tied loyalties, fearing possible defection."-

"He was right, too." Kirin said. "We did defect."

"Only those who fight for the sake of the cause and His Excellency alone are aloud to enter this final haven. They must swear an oath under penalty of death to keep their mouths shut, no matter what horrible circumstances might arise. Ergo, only a few outside officers were allowed access. Some of these officers included all five of the Blade Generals."-

"Do you at least know what the possible coordinates might be?" Kairi asked.

"I'm sorry," Cunla implied, "The whereabouts of the Spectral Fortress are extremely classified. Only those who have been there know of its location. And as far as my knowledge goes, all of those outside officers who have visited that place are dead."

"Wait a minute." Riku said. "Cunla, you said that all five of the Blade Generals were permitted there, right?"

"Well, yeah, they were. No officers were as trusted as they were. In fact, that was one of the original reasons Sirius Viicous got me involved with you guys in the first place." The team looked at Cunla curiously.

"Why's that?" Goofy asked. Cunla paused for a while, analyzing the situation and making sure to use the right words.

"The reason being was because he wanted me to assure the deaths of all five Blade Generals and take their places as your opponent if need be. In exchange, he would help me find my father. But as you know, circumstances as they were denied us both of that fulfillment."-

"I see," Riku thought, "Sirius wanted to make sure that all Five Blade Generals had somehow lost their lives, so as not to reveal the location of the Spectral Fortress. Thus, he needed Cunla on the inside to make sure that none of the Blade Generals survived long enough to be captured and interrogated. But knowing their personalities, they didn't hesitate to give their lives up without a second thought. We've encountered that each time." He looked at Cunla. "Did anyone else know of the Blade Generals' involvement with the Spectral Fortress?"

"Not a soul." Cunla said. "Because I was the one assigned to be the assassin and the watcher, Sirius Viicous filled me in well about their involvement."

"Then perhaps there's still hope since we have one more living link."-

"Do you have something planned, Riku?" Mickey asked.

"Yes…" Riku replied. He turned to Donald. "Donald, deploy a gummi ship. We're going back to Oceansburg."

"But do you think it'll be alright leaving so suddenly and without announcement?" Donald asked.

"With Lu Bu and the others here, I highly doubt the Imperials will make a successful counterstrike. Besides, the more time we waste, the more likely Sora's life will be in danger."-

"Riku does have a point, Donald." Goofy said.

"Alright, alright," Donald replied. "You guys twisted my arm." Donald threw out a capsule, the tablet exploded, and a gummi ship appeared. The KH team quickly boarded and took their stations. Donald ignited the rockets and the gummi lifted into the air. "Hang on you guys. Next stop is Oceansburg."

Lu Bu was in the midst of his guard duty, when he saw the ship lift into the air. He huffed.

"Those idiots," he grumbled, "Don't they ever stand still?" He then gave a big sigh. It couldn't be helped for the KH team. He knew that concept all too well. "Oh well, I should be used to their taking off so suddenly by now."

Lu Xun was also present when he saw the ship rise and speed off over his head. He had met with Sojiro Seta who had gallantly led the Alliance forces against the remnants of the Imperial resistance on the first and second tiers. He too witnessed the gummi heading off.

"Isn't that Riku and Sora taking off?" he wondered. "Man, they never get a break do they?"

"It looks like they're heading out again." Lu Xun added. "It just never ends for them. But then again, this thing with Sirius Viicous certainly has its undulating endurances."

"And by the way they just took off without informing us first, it must mean that something has gone terribly wrong."-

"Like what?"-

"I believe that Sirius Viicous might have given them the slip again."-

"Damn it." Lu Xun clutched his fist at the thought of the Phantom Lord still on the lamb. But his tension gave way to a relaxing feeling when he dwelled upon the accomplishment of the day. "Well, at least one thing's for sure, Sirius Viicous has no other place to refuge now. Therefore, he has nowhere to hide."

"Sirius Viicous is resourceful though." Sojiro thought to himself. "No doubt he's found a way to conceal himself from our gaze. And I bet Riku and Sora know about this. I better inform headquarters immediately of their return to the capital."

In Oceansburg, General Triiken had received more vial news from his informants. He had recently been given a message and read it thoroughly.

"Very well," he said after completing his overview, "I understand and shall see to it immediately. Thank you for the update."

"Sir," the messenger replied and quickly scurried off to fulfill some other business.

It was just during this parting that Triiken witnessed the descent of the gummi upon the landing pad to where he stood. He waited stolidly as the ship's rockets uplifted gusts of winds that blew through his hair and ruffled his blue frock. Yet he never flinched.

The minutes the gummi landed on the ground, the rockets were deactivated and the hatch quickly opened. And from out of the hatch, the KH team members quickly vacated.

"Hey Riku," Cunla said, "It's General Triiken. He's come to meet us."

"Triiken," Riku shouted.

"Well, well," Triiken replied, "I'm glad to see that you've returned in one piece."

"We're you waiting for us?"-

"I was, however, I didn't expect you back so suddenly."-

"Well, enough small talk. We have some other important matters to attend to."-

"So I see. First of all, however, I would like to congratulate you and your fellow key bearers and team members on a job well executed. Cetorburg has finally fallen, giving in to the terms of surrender laid down by the Universal Alliance, and that the Midnight Faction no longer has a central axis to keep it together. Thus, the great faction will crumble." Triiken then looked at King Mickey. "I also see that you were successful in retrieving King Mickey from the clutches of the Phantom Lord."

"You can thank Sora for that though."-

"Pity, however, of the news that reached us regarding young Sora, being taken captive by the Phantom Lord and then concealed away in the infamous Spectral Fortress. But then again, what else can we expect from Sirius Viicous. He is your clone after all, correct Riku?"-

"What…?!" Cunla and Kirin uttered. Triiken was surprised at their reaction.

"I take it from their shocked reactions that you didn't tell some of your comrades, eh Noctin Tilandir?"-

"Sometimes I wonder, Triiken, how the heck do you know all this ahead of time?" Riku grumbled.

"Riku…" Cunla uttered, "Is it true? Is what Triiken saying true? Is Sirius Viicous your clone?" Riku lowered his eyes.

"Yes…"-

"That explains it then…" Kirin said. "And all this time we were oblivious to it."

"We were meaning to ask you, Triiken, since you brought up the subject." Riku intervened again. "Do you know where we can find the Spectral Fortress?" Triiken, however, remained silent. His voice arose, but with a solemn tone.

"I am usually very well informed." Triiken replied. "Unfortunately, I know not where the Spectral Fortress is located."

"But why not…? You're the most informed individual, right? And you're also a former Imperial. So how come you don't know?"-

"The reason being is because the Spectral Fortress is extremely secretive in its location. In the long run, extreme secrecy is the primary defense of that facility. Sure it is rumored that only six per day can enter, but even that is not a well enough defense. As far as the Imperials were concerned, and I'm sure you might have heard about the reasons for its earlier abandonment by the old Cavendish regime, the Z team could have been deployed into the Spectral Fortress and would have demolished it within a matter of minutes. So a vague location is the only real protection that fortress has." Triiken then smirked. "But then again, I'm sure you already knew about that as well. Otherwise, why would you be here? You've come for some other purpose than just wanting to ask me if I knew."

"Well," Mickey implied, "Cunla told us that all five of the Blade Generals had been to the Spectral Fortress."

"And as far as we know," Riku added, "Of the five, there is still one left."

"So you've come to see if you can extract the information?" Triiken asked.

"More or less,"-

"Very well then," Triiken turned away. "Follow me."

The KH team quickly rallied and was in pursuit of the chief inspector. They headed down a series of levels before coming to a well guarded facility, brightly lit and white washed from top to bottom.

"Welcome, ladies and gents." Triiken declared, "Welcome to the jail block."

"This is where you're keeping her, right?" Riku asked.

"Who exactly are we going to see?" Kairi added.

"The one person who might be able to tell us what we want to know."-

"We've been keeping her here with tight security and have placed her within our own secret location." Triiken said. They walked down the hall to the last door at the end. Triiken placed his hand on an identification pad just to the right of the door.

"Voice identification and password required." The electronic voice of the security device advised.

"Voice activation and password, 'Exmortin en quenchai un quency…'" There was a sudden release of air and the door slowly opened.

"Activation accepted."-

"So who's in that cell?" Kairi asked, receding behind Riku slightly.

"The one possible link that might lead you to the Spectral Fortress and to Sora," Triiken explained. "She's a member of the infamous five and the only survivor of that group, which we managed to apprehend in the Land of Dragons. Her name is General Scimitar, the last of the Blade Generals."

The group peered into the cell. It too had white washed walls. There was but a bed and a pan for doing private business. Upon the bed sat General Scimitar, a.k.a. the Great Warrior Queen Maeve. Her hands were bound by stainless steel cuffs, directly linked to each other by welding means. That way, the prisoner could not move her hands independently. Upon her legs were two sets of ball and chain.

She sat upon the bed, a smirk on her face. Yet her eyes were closed shut as if she was in some sort of meditation.

"What's with all the racket, boys and girls?" she asked. "If you don't mind, I'm trying to get in a few last moments of sleep. So I'd appreciate it if you just lower your tones all a little while longer."

"Comfortable aren't we." Triiken said as he and the KH team entered the room.

"So that is General Scimitar…" Kairi thought to herself.

Scimitar looked up to see the familiar faces of the key bearers and their comrades.

"Well," she said, "I see that you didn't come alone this time, Triiken. I see you've also brought in an audience? Am I to be an exhibition of abnormalities and wonders or something similar?"

"It has nothing to do with that." Triiken replied. "We have come seeking a little information about a certain something. And we find that of all the Imperial officers we've managed to apprehend, you're the only current source capable of answering the question I have in store."

"And what kind of question would that be?" Scimitar threw her head back so flauntingly.

"Have you ever heard of a place called the Spectral Fortress?" Scimitar was suddenly silent, but showed no waver in her actions.

"Of course I've heard of it." She replied so calmly. "But then again, what idiot hasn't heard of it? Except maybe for you lot. There were a great deal of rumors about the Spectral Fortress, but it was always considered a myth or a legend, nothing more. Every Imperial had at least heard about it once, but never really took it to heart. So why come to me?"

"That's simple," Triiken replied. "Unlike the rest of your comrades, you know a great deal more about the Spectral Fortress than just a few rumors."

"And how did you come to that conclusion."-

"It is because you were one of the entrusted officers who were allowed to step foot into that most secretive of facilities." Scimitar was again silent. This time, there was a slight waver in her actions, thought she tried to put on the façade of one still calm and reserve.

"How did you find this out?" she asked.

"I have my sources."-

"I see, and why would you be so interested in the Spectral Fortress in the first place?" Triiken looked at Riku. Riku stepped forth.

"It's because Sora was captured by the Phantom Lord and is now being held captive at the Spectral Fortress." Riku explained. Scimitar was tickled at the declaration.

"Oh what a pity," Scimitar seemed to mock. "Your best friend has been taken prisoner and now you want to save him like a heroic knight in shining armor. How touching." The team growled at this upstart shunning, but Triiken held them at bay.

"Now if you would be so gracious as to tell us, Scimitar." He beseeched.

"Well, I would, but I seem to be a little vague in the memory. Not too mention I seem to be undergoing a serious affliction of the mind. I believe it's called 'sealed lips' syndrome."-

"It seems you don't want to take this seriously."-

"That's not the case at all. I'm being entirely serious. That's the honest truth." But Scimitar was lying. Her sassy tone was obvious. And it drew under the skin of the KH team like a parasite. And it was this that angered them the most. Triiken thus struck a proposal.

"If you tell us what we want to know, then I can see to it that you are subsequently released as soon as possible. If not, reduce your confinement sentence to half of what was declared. And perhaps even a stay of execution?"-

"I've lived a well liberated existence." Scimitar chuckled, "So I'm not in any real hurry to seek freedom just yet."

"In other words you're afraid of Sirius Viicous." A voice declared. Scimitar looked up with a sudden serious glare.

"Who said that?" she growled. "Who dares say I'm afraid?"

From the rear of the troop, Cunla appeared to plead his responsibility.

"I said it."-

"Well, well, the turncoat and son of the Hound. I might have known."-

"Don't try to fool me with that calm look and that carefree attitude, Scimitar." Cunla said. "I know you and your personality all too well. You of all people know the extent of the Phantom Lord's resolve. The one thing he detests the most is the thought of a trusted officer being captured by the enemy. And he never allows that officer to return to his ranks alive, fearing that they might have leaked out vital information, whether that officer had or not. No doubt that he knows of your apprehension in China by my father and knows that you bear such a secret. Therefore, he will do all in his power to find a way to silence you for good. Thus, if you were to be released now, there's no possible way that Sirius Viicous would allow you to wander about freely for long. And the thought of being killed suddenly and unexpectedly is one that you detest the most. You are a great Warrior Queen of my homeland, the great Queen Maeve. As a result, you have your pride as a warrior and the last thing you want is to be assassinated, knowing that you stood no chance and weren't able to flaunt your skills as you would have liked to. That's the reason why you want to stay here confined within the Alliance capital. You know that this is the only place where you can truly be safe from harm."

"You have a very cocky and irritating attitude, boy." Scimitar shouted. "But then what more can I expect from the son of Cuchulain and a traitor to the Imperial cause of all things! You're just like that bastard father of yours! You're too arrogant and upstart for your own good!" These words caused Cunla's blood to boil.

"Did you just call my father a bastard?" he said, his eyes glinting. "Listen, you gimpy tart, I haven't been in the best of moods ever since this ordeal began. So you better not push me."

"And what do you plan on doing to me, boy?!"-

"I'll kick your butt! That's what I'm gonna do!" The two glared at each other with great hostility. Finally, in a fiery declaration, Cunla blurted out the igniting words of the fight. "Let's rumble, you old bag!"

"I can take you on anytime, you little brat!"-

"Bag,"-

"Brat,"-

"Bag,"-

"Brat,"-

"Bag,"-

"Brat,"-

The insults were shot back and forth like a ping pong ball and the KH team could only looked on, turning their eyes and heads to the one throwing the next insult. However, it came to the point where Scimitar could no longer take the futile action of simply insulting Cunla.

"Alright, boy," she declared, "Since you're so determined to put me in my place, then let's duke it out, right here and right now!"

"Ha," Cunla scoffed, "Like you really stand a chance against me! I could beat you with one hand tied behind my back!"

"Alright, then let's make it more interesting! If you do manage to beat me, then I'll tell you anything you want!"-

"That sounds fine to me! Just don't cry when you lose!" They turned to Triiken in blind ambition and determination.

"Okay, Triiken," the combatants shouted. "Give us a signal!"

The KH team and Triiken were a little dumbfounded.

"I can't believe this is actually happening…" Kirin grumbled.

"He's certainly like his old man alright." Triiken chuckled, "Always itching for a little one on one." He drew up his and snapped his fingers. The moment the click was heard, Cunla went on the offensive.

But suddenly, lifted up one of her legs and swung it at Cunla. The ball and chain flew threw the air and slammed Cunla at the side of the face. The KH team reacted with horror as they saw this brutal move executed by the Blade General. Scimitar chuckled as she saw the iron sphere impact with Cunla's skull.

"Oh, too bad." She mocked. "And you had such a cute face too."

But to her dismay, the ball fell to the floor and Cunla was left with no scratch upon his face whatsoever. This shocked the Blade General. And to further the stun, the iron ball that struck Cunla suddenly shattered into hundreds of iron shards. Cunla cracked his neck a bit.

"Was that all you could do?" he asked.

"Impossible," Scimitar thought to herself, "That kick should have knocked his head off completely, if not cave in his cranium. But this boy bears no scratch."

"Would you like me to get rid of that second ball and chain on your other leg?" Cunla stood at the ready. Scimitar made a tsk and stood fully erect.

"This is idiotic." She openly declared.

"What was that?" Cunla growled.

"It's just like young rift raft like you to go off displaying your skills so flamboyantly. It's a waste of my time really." Scimitar turned her back. "Go ahead and ask your questions so you can leave me in peace. I tire of looking at that youth's mug."

"Very well then," Triiken intervened, "Then why don't we just start where we left off, regarding the location of the Spectral Fortress."

Scimitar realized her mistake. In her blind rage towards Cunla, she inexplicably blathered, saying she would agree.

"When will I learn to keep my big mouth shut," she blubbered, pounding herself from within. "But I did promise. And I'm pretty much dead whether I say so or not. But I'm not prepared to die just yet."

She looked at Triiken.

"Very well, Triiken," she declared, "I will keep my end of the bargain provided that you maintain your part of it also."

"Understood," Triiken replied. "Now, regarding the Spectral Fortress, where is its exact location?"

"You won't be able to find it on any map, that's for sure."-

"Yeah," Riku huffed, "we figured that much."

"The fact is, you won't find it anywhere. Not amidst any of the worlds or any place else."-

"Are you trying to double talk us?" Cunla said. "Or maybe you're just trying to double cross us!"

"Of course not,"-

"Out with it then and enough of your stalling,"-

"Now, now, do you want the information or not?"-

"Calm down, Cunla." Riku beseeched his friend, gently laying his hand on the youth's shoulder. He then glared at Scimitar. "Go on…"

"The fact is the location of the Spectral Fortress is in the vast underground chamber deep beneath the great stronghold of Cetorburg."-

"Cetorburg...?!" Kirin said. "That's impossible!"

"You're lying to us." Riku growled.

"You don't believe me?" Scimitar asked. "Then go see for yourselves. Mind you, Cetorburg is a well fortified city. You can't hope to break through its defenses by yourselves."

"Well that's funny. They didn't seem all that threatening in the end." Scimitar was bewildered of Riku's statement.

"What do you mean?" It was apparent that Scimitar was oblivious what was going on all that time.

"Did I forget to mention that Cetorburg has fallen to the hands of the Universal Alliance?" Triiken said.

"It can't be." The Blade General was shocked at this news, but immediately denied it. "No, you're lying."

"I'm afraid it's true. The KH team can all vouch that it actually happened. They were all there during the fight."-

"We've seen the underground chamber." Riku added. "A vast hall with a series of stone pillars, all made of black marble. And at the very end of the hall are two flights of stairs leading to the Cetorburg throne of the Phantom Lord."

"Impossible," Scimitar thought. Riku's description was accurate. And such accuracy could not be made without first seeing. Therefore, she concluded that the team had been there, which only meant Cetorburg had fallen. She glared at the team. "When did this happen?"

"The assault began early this morning." Triiken said. "The Imperials declared their surrender no more than an hour ago."

All this news had come upon Scimitar so quickly that her legs nearly gave in. But she held on, maintaining a strong stance.

"To think that Cetorburg would fall in the course of a single day…"-

"And what a precarious situation it is for you now, especially with the sudden defection of the Red Ribbon Faction." This news was new to all of the KH team members and especially to Scimitar whose heart sank.

"What did you say?" Cunla asked.

"Rellantando has defected?" Kirin added.

"We had received news that the Kambrian forces are now presently taking over all facilities once controlled by both the Aryan Faction and the Midnight Faction." Triiken said. "Rellantando had also declared total control over the Imperial Axis."

"No," Scimitar uttered. "It can't be. Rellantando has betrayed us?"

"When did this happen?" Riku asked.

"It happened the moment he received word that Cetorburg was on the verge of collapse." Triiken further explained. "He knew that once Cetorburg had fallen, the symbol of the Phantom Lord's strength would diminish and all the Midnight Faction territories were his for the taking. Once the collapse was deemed inevitable, he then took the opportunity to intake all the power for himself and claim the Imperial regime under Kambrian rule. To have the Empire ruled by Kambrians was a notion highly rejected by the former Imperial regime under Lord Cavendish, which had been held under Oceanarian rule since its founding."

"That bastard…" Scimitar growled.

"Then again, it was expected. This unity between the three factions couldn't truly last long. Rellantando is an extremely ambitious man who takes all and leaves none. It was only a matter of time before he would claim everything for himself. And as of now, that in itself has become a reality."-

"What a greedy bastard..." Cunla said.

"That may be true, but his decision will prove his downfall. With this betrayal, eventually a great deal of Imperials will leave the Axis. To them, this takeover by Kambria is a breech of trust and is an act that can never be forgiven." Triiken halted further explanation. He looked at Scimitar. "Now enough of this talk about defections and betrayals. We still have some vital information to extract."

"I can't believe this," Scimitar mumbled to herself. "Rellantando, you have no honor. You had no right. You were seeking it all for yourself in the end. You'll pay for this, traitor. I swear it."

"If you don't mind me breaking up your afterthoughts, you still haven't told us the location of the Spectral Fortress," Scimitar looked up. She had been infuriated by this news. She still couldn't fathom the thought that the most powerful stronghold within the Midnight Faction would fall so easily. She was all the more enraged at the thought of Kambria suddenly taking all she once knew and transforming it into what they wanted. In all this confusion and mental stress, she came to realize the hard truth that it was over. With Cetorburg gone, all of the northern territories under Sirius Viicous would be easily taken over. And without that symbol of strength, the Midnight Faction would crumble into nothingness. And as a result, it wouldn't be long before Lord Admiral Rellantando gained everything that Sirius Viicous had strived so hard to achieve and place Kambria's banner high over all. This would be not a rise of Imperial rule, but Kambrian rule.

Scimitar could only sigh. One way or the other, she concluded that the efforts she and her comrades strived for was lost. Though the Imperial Axis would still maintain its strength, all of its power would have shifted to Rellantando. And to have that power come into his hands was a thought that sickened Scimitar to her stomach, since she loathed him above all others.

"I guess there's no use in hiding or stalling anymore." She replied. Inwardly she uttered. "I would rather see the Imperial regime fall a second time than have its essence placed in the hands of that pompous Kambrian bastard." She continued with her explanation. "Within Cetorburg's vast black marble chamber, on the underside of the throne's right armrest, you will find a red button. This will cause the flights of stairs to recede and give way to another flight leading downward into a long hall. At the end of the hall will be a doorway. Upon it will be a lock, which can only be opened by a keyblade of darkness. Once unlocked, you will enter the realm of the Spectral Fortress…"

"I see," Riku said, "That's what you meant when you said we couldn't find the fortress in any of the worlds. It's in a completely different realm altogether."

"It is the realm of darkness you will be entering. And from there, as rumored, only six may enter the threshold. No more than that…"-

"The realm of darkness…" Riku's mind filled with his memories of moments in that realm. "So Sirius Viicous has set up his final haven there…"

"Now, I told you all I know." Scimitar declared. "Now if you don't mind. I'd like to dwell with my thoughts in solitude. Your news of Cetorburg and this betrayal of that bastard Rellantando have worn on my mind for long enough."

"Very well then," Triiken replied. "We shall take our leave."

"And our bargain…?"-

"I will see to it as soon as possible, as one former Imperial to another." Triiken said nothing further and escorted the team members out one by one. Riku was the last to go. But before leaving, he turned to Scimitar.

"Thanks a lot for helping us." He said, expressing his gratitude to the Blade General.

"Don't belittle me with your sentiment, Noctin Tilandir." Scimitar scoffed. "It only gives me a headache."

Riku sighed and turned away. The door was closed, once again leaving the sole survivor of the Blade Generals alone in her solitude.

As the group left the block, they halted for a moment.

"So now we know." Kirin said. "The Spectral Fortress is located in the realm of darkness."

"A fitting place for a final battle," Cunla added.

"But one question remains." Riku said. "Who is going to go? Only six daily can enter, right? So who will be the ones to go with me?"

"We three will go with you." Mickey implied as he, Donald, and Goofy stood before him. However, his two closest companions had other concerns.

"But Your Majesty," Goofy said, "That's a little hasty don't ya think?"

"You've already been through a lot, Your Majesty?" Donald added. "Maybe you should sit this one out. Goofy and I will go with Riku."

"You two have been in just as much a calamity as I." Mickey declared. "So we're all in the same boat." Mickey turned to Riku. "We're gonna go with you, Riku."

"Mickey," Minnie uttered. She walked up to her lover. "You can't Mickey. What if you don't come back?"

"Ah shucks, Minnie, I'll be back. I always have before."-

"No use arguing…" Riku said.

"That's right." Kairi added, standing side by side with her old friend. "It's us five all the way." Riku's brow twitched.

"Us five…?"-

"That's right, us five,"-

"And who might our fifth member be?"-

"Me of course, silly…"-

"Oh no you don't, Kairi…" Riku said. "I'm willing to make one exception, but not two. You're not coming with us."

"Why not…? I want to save Sora just as much as you do. I have an obligation too you know."-

"Sora would kill me if I let you come and have something bad happen to you though."-

"That may be so, but that's not an issue either of you have to worry about right now."-

"Never mind, Kairi, you're not going and that's my final word on the matter."-

"You have a point there, Riku. But as far as I know, there's not a single person amongst us that I can't outfight, outrun, or outsmart. But if it'll make you happy, I'll stay behind. And I'll even watch you disappear into the darkness."-

"And then what?"-

"And then I'll follow."-

"That's what I thought." Riku began to gloat. "Alright, alright, you win, I lose! Now there are five of us. Are you happy?"

"Thank you, Riku." She leaped up and hugged him. Riku began to blush a little.

"Oh brother," Riku turned over the Kirin and whispered. "This is only the tip of the iceberg. Wait until you two really start catching up on old times."

"I can only imagine." Kirin said with a sheepish grin.

"It's hard to believe you two are related."-

"Well, since there are five of us now," Mickey said, "Who fills in the last station?"

"That will be me." Triiken declared.

"You…?" The team was shocked.

"Is there a problem?"-

"Well no," Riku said, "It's just that you're always preoccupied with other matters. I mean, won't Sneer worry about you?"

"If there are any of those disposable enough, I will take on that responsibility."-

"But what about us…?" Cunla asked. "We're just as committed as everyone else here."

"Yeah," Kirin added, "And we've been through just as much as they have."

"So why would you want to take a position that we would have gladly accepted?"-

"The reason is simple, young Cunla." Triiken explained. "This fight will be unlike anything you've ever encountered before. Sirius Viicous will be the most powerful foe you ever faced. To add, he is a clone of Riku who fights on raw hatred and anger thus making him very unpredictable at times. And the chances of surviving against a well focused enemy are slim. You have an obligation to live on and carry on your father's honor. I do not believe he would appreciate it if you died so early."

"Leave my father out of this, Triiken! I'm the only one that decides my own destiny! That is the responsibility he chose for me!"-

"But I don't believe he intended for you to go off and get yourself killed in such a reckless manner when your legend has only recently taken flight. Besides, I believe you owe me a little something in exchange for that duel you blew off between us back in the 'Wing' realm. Therefore, I will take that privilege now." Cunla couldn't argue. He remembered that moment well.

"Alright, alright, I'll give you that chance."-

"As for you, Kirin," Triiken turned his attentions toward Kairi's elder brother, "It is tragic for a sibling to die. Yet it is far more tragic for both to meet their end. Therefore, you will remain behind with Cunla."

"But…" Kirin wished to interject, but Kairi beat him to it.

"Triiken has a point, big brother." She said. "It's better that at least one of us survives. And you've been through so much."

"Kairi…"-

"Don't worry, though. I'll be fine."-

"Yes…" Kirin sighed. He looked at Riku. "Riku, I leave my sister's fate in you and Sora's hands.

"We'll take good care of her, Kirin." Riku acknowledged. "Besides, the way things are going, I think it's us that will need to be taken care of."

"Perhaps we could help with the Cetorburg clean up at least." Cunla suggested. "It's better than just standing idly by."

"Good idea," Kirin agreed.

"Then let us be off," Triiken declared. "Time waits for no man."

"Minnie, Daisy," Mickey implied. "You two stay here alright?"

"Of course," Minnie replied.

"Donald," Daisy said, "You and the others take care okay?"

"Alright, Daisy," Donald replied.

"Let's go you guys." Riku advised. "Sora's waiting."

"Yeah," the others added.

Turning towards the exit, the team returned to the surface, the final fight close at hand.

The darkness was everywhere as Sora awoke from his slumber. Slowly opening his eyes, he looked around. There was nothing, only the vast emptiness of black and shadows.

"Where am I?" he thought. "What is this place?" He ran about through the nightmare hue. "It must be the realm of darkness. I'm here again." He scanned about in all directions.

"Riku, Kairi," he cried, "You guys!" There was nothing. No response. There was only the dead and eerie quiet. Sora's heart began to pound. "I'm alone, all alone…"

Suddenly, there came the sound of a music box faintly echoing in the distance. Sora headed in the direction he heard it. Besides the thumping of his heart and the intake of breath, the soothing sound of the music box was his only comfort.

Then, reaching his destination, he came across a table and two chairs that had been set. Upon it were two cups and saucers, a pair of silver tea spoons, a plate of English biscuits, and a porcelain pot of tea. As well, on the table was the little music box, gilded in gold and shimmered brilliantly, despite the non presence of light. It was a gleaming sun to a world of darkness. Its interior was made of beautiful red velvet, cushioned with great perfection. And lying upon that velvet was a chain, bearing the image of a Paopu fruit.

Sora approached the table and looked at the contents.

"Where did this come from?" he wondered. Just then, there came a sound from behind him. He looked to find a figure standing not too far away. The figure had his back turned. Sora peered into the darkness. "Whose there?" There was no response. He neared little by little still calling out to the form. But as further detail came into focus, Sora recognized who it was.

It was Riku. The back of his friend's head was unmistakable. Filled with joy, Sora walked over to him with an informal and casual manner.

"Riku," he said. "Riku, it's me, Sora. How did you get here? Did you follow me?"

But as the figure turned, Sora's jollity turned to apprehension. His advance halted and turned defensive as the beheld the face of the figure. It was not Riku at all, but his other self, Lord Sirius Viicous. "It's you…"

"Sora," he said, "Good to see that you found me."

"Sirius Viicous," Sora growled. He drew out his keyblade. But Sirius did not bear his weapon. Instead, he held out his hand in friendship.

"Lower your weapon, Sora. I will not harm you." Sora defied his word and kept his stance. Sirius approached so causally, halting his advance no more than a few feet away from Sora. "We're not enemies, my friend."

"You hurt Riku and so many others. That qualifies you enough to make you my enemy."-

"Come now…" Despite the Phantom Lord's deformity, his human eye did not equal the grotesque appearance of the Heartless side of him. It was somehow different from before, not at all threatening or malicious. Enticed by this look, Sora lowered his weapon. "You are best friends with Riku, correct?"

"Yes…"-

Sirius walked over to the table and poured a cup of tea.

"This tea was freshly handpicked from my private garden." He said. "Would you care for some?"-

"No thanks." Sora replied.

"Suit your self," Sirius sipped the tea. Sora watched as Sirius put the rim of the cup to his lips.

"So tell me, why did you bring me here?"-

"I just wanted to talk to you, Sora."-

"Talk to me, why?"-

"I understand that you are the very heart of the KH team. You hold a lot of influence."-

"You're not going to try and entice me to join you, are you Sirius? If that's the case, you can forget it."-

"No, those are not my intensions. I simply need to get a few explanations out of the way. I brought you here, because out of all the members of the KH team, you seem to be the most understanding of the lot." Sirius sat down upon one of the chairs and continued to sip his tea little by little. Sora took his place on the seat opposite. There was a short silence before the Phantom Lord continued again. "So you do not recall me at all, Sora?"

"I'm sorry," Sora replied.

"Not surprising, that is the sacrifice you made in order to maintain who you are." Sirius sipped again. "So you have no recollection? Can you remember anything at all from your past that might help you recall? Do you recall the period between when you fought against Xehanort's Heartless and the battle against Xemnas and Organization XIII?"

"I'm sorry, I can't help you there. The only thing I really remember of that was Goofy, Donald, and I walking down this long dirt path in a vast grassy plain. After that, I found myself waking up in a capsule in the old Twilight Town Mansion. I don't know how I got there, but I guess that was the period which was wiped from my memory. I've heard Riku talk about Oblivion Castle, but I never really took in every detail. He did mention you a couple of times, but I always figured that you didn't survive."-

"Typical…"-

"I can't help you with anything regarding Oblivion Castle since I have no memory of it."-

"I can't hold you responsible."-

"But there's one thing I don't understand." Sora's hands slightly dampened. "Why is it that you would hate Riku so much, yet you're willing to talk to me? I am his best friend after all."

"I told you before, Sora. You were the one who gave me a purpose in life. You said that I had my own heart and my own memories and that they were special, hence making me a real person. I can't hold a grudge against someone who recognizes me as something other than a puppet or a remnant. That's something that Riku would never acknowledge, no matter how great the evidence or how intense the argument."-

"But don't you think you went a little overboard with it? You caused so much suffering and death. Aren't you the least bit remorseful?"-

"If I were like you, I might. But being one who has always been alone, I would not fully understand the meaning of what it means to truly be happy and to lose it. I have always been alone. You might say that it has been the only true companion I've ever known."-

"But what about all that talk you made with losing your master, General Ameba, and all that stuff about losing your closest friends in the old Cavendish regime? What about your second home and second life? Wasn't losing all that something that made you sad?" The Phantom Lord suddenly fell silent as if an irritation of the mind had taken effect. Not a breath could be heard from the replica. But the silence broke with a semi-depressed voice.

"Though my master's loss was regrettable and wears upon my mind to this very day, the truth is it was an uncertain relationship. My master, despite caring for me, never returned thoughts of affection or love. He saw himself only as my superior and me as he subordinate, though I wished he had thought me as being something more than that. I did all in my power to gain such deep affections from him, but feelings never entered my master's heart. It was only the occasional 'well done' or 'excellent work' that he showed, nothing more than that. However, though not as much as I would have liked, that was one of only a few times that I was close to finding true happiness. But the reality was, like my creator, Vexen, General Ameba saw my purpose as being only a tool of the Empire. At times, I believed that he held jealousy towards me because I was excelling in areas that he had failed, for example, being appointed as Lord Cavendish's successor by the Dark Lord himself. It was a tempting offer and an honored position, but I turned it down, fearing that by doing so, I would lose respect and trust from my master. For that matter, everyone throughout my life thought me no more than either an instrument or a subordinate. That is why I decided to take matters into my own hands and gain power, which was one of my reasons for creating the Midnight Faction. That way, I'd be able to take my rightful place as a ruler and fulfill those dreams denied of His Late Excellency and my master. And with my charismatic words, I would prove a force to be reckoned with and hoped I would do them proud."-

"But did that really make you happy?"-

Sirius Viicous paused for a moment, halting his action of raising the tea cup to his lips again. He lowered it to the saucer.

"I had everything in my grasp, power, trusted officers, territory, and a notorious reputation, something that I never would have thought I would gain in the whole of my life. But for some reason, that all seemed an empty accomplishment."-

"It's because despite all you've gained, you truly weren't happy. You were always expected to fulfill the goals of others rather than your own. You've been doing that your whole life. You never really felt the satisfaction of what it would be like to accomplish something that you desired. I think the real secret is to accomplish something that you yourself would also yearn for. When you find a common bond between your desire and those of another person close to you, then fulfilling that accomplishment is something you both would praise. Otherwise, it's like having to mindlessly fulfill requests for others who don't really know you."-

"But what would that be like if there was no one there to commend you? Suppose you were taken away from all your friends and acquaintances and were left to fend for yourself? All the while, you do that with people looking down upon you, both criticizing you and hoping for great things from you. And despite your accomplishments, people still don't give you the recognition you deserve. Instead they want you to go higher than ever before. How would you acknowledge what it truly means to fulfill something worth while? Would it be for your own self gratification, or would it be strictly for the benefits of others?" Sirius sipped his tea. "Is it so wrong to seek happiness, to fulfill one's personal desires?"

"There is nothing wrong with going in the pursuit of happiness, Sirius Viicous." Sora advised. "However, the methods we use are always in question. And the way you've been going, to achieve your goals, is wrong. No matter how much you may think it's the right thing to do, no matter what your status, what your argument is, or how long you have strived, no one deserves to seek happiness at the expense of others. People cannot be means to other peoples' ends."

"But that's the whole point I'm trying to make, Sora. Happiness can only sway in one direction or the other. For one person to be happy, another must accept disappointment or even worse. For the sake of peace, my predecessors had to give up their dreams and hopes. Thus, they were denied their happiness."-

"However, they were seeking to fulfill their goals using methods that thrived off breaking the dreams of others. And we are not talking about one or two people, or one or two groups for that matter. We're talking about everyone in every world. Though as effective as those techniques may seem, they are wrong and unnecessary."-

"It just goes to show how complicated this argument is. It's a vicious cycle that has no end. There are a great deal of twists and turns that one must undertake. And in those spur of the moment periods, we know not whether our actions were right or wrong. History and the view of the victors are the ones who determine that. In the end, only those with enough spirit and determination succeed in their accomplishment."-

"Not always though." Sora implied. "There are always a few exceptions. No one side is absolute. At times, there will be successful compromises that arise from moment to moment. But that also depends on the individuals willing to give up a little something in return."

"Then let me ask you this, Sora, out of your personal experience. What is the correct way to achieve happiness?" Sora was flustered. He had never engaged in such a mental engagement. It seemed that the argument had no end, had no conclusion. It was a cycle as Sirius put it. But through his experiences, he could only come to one end.

"I don't know about any correct way of achieving happiness. But I know this. So long as I am able to make my friends smile and be happy, that's all that matters to me. I would do anything for them. I would defend them with my life and if need be die. They've learned the same as I, and would do the same in return. That is what makes our hearts strong. So long as we are together and think of each other every now and then, our hearts will be one and will remain a powerful force. And not even a thousand of your Immortals could break that bond. In the end, all we have is each other."-

"So you find happiness in their happiness?"-

"We have found a common bond. That is what makes us inseparable. It's not possession, strength, expectation, or status that we want of ourselves or each other. It's the company of one another that we enjoy and that is enough to thrive on. Even you must have had at least one moment in your life where you wanted to make somebody very happy. Hasn't that ever happened to you, yearning to make one special person happy?"-

Sora's words struck like an arrow upon the beating heart of the Phantom Lord. His hand quivered slightly as his memories filled his mind. He looked to the charm in the music box.

"There was once a person whose happiness I wished for. But it was not my master, General Ameba. Nor was it His Late Excellency, Lord Vischerz Von Cavendish. In fact, it was no Imperial at all. The one whom I wished happiness for was an individual from my past life, when I was still in the service of Organization XIII."-

"And who might that be?"-

"A young girl with blond hair that glimmered like the sun, her eyes as blue as the sea, her skin fair and light, bearing no blemish, and a white dress that fit her gentle blazon so perfectly. She bore a smile that caused the stars to dance in their courses and a voice so gentle and sweet. She in fact was the one who entrusted that chain to me, the Paopu charm that you see in that gold music box." Sora turned to see the charm upon the red velvet. He was awestruck by its beauty and craftsmanship.

"Do you remember her name?" he asked.

"It was the most beautiful name I ever heard." Sirius replied. "Her name was Namine." Upon hearing that name, Sora's eyes widened. Sirius laid his tea and saucer upon the table and stood up. He then stood before the music box silently, the music slowly unwinding. For a moment, Sora could see sadness in the eyes of the Phantom Lord. "She was being held against her will by Organization XIII, forced to do their bidding, which sparked my reason for turning against the rebelling branch. It was also trying to win her affection that also enticed me to battle you. Namine had encrypted information in your mind, making you believe that you both were very close. The same went for me. Thus, there came this rivalry between us. However, in the end, you entrusted me with Namine's safety." He then sighed. "But I suppose you wouldn't remember anything about her now, would you Sora."

"Of course I knew Namine!" Sora said. "She's Kairi's Nobody!" Sirius suddenly looked at Sora with a stunned look.

"What was that?" he uttered.

"Namine was Kairi's Nobody."-

"She was the other half of your young woman friend?"-

"That's right. She came to the Destiny Islands, a few weeks after the end of the campaign against Organization XIII. I can't really explain how that happened, especially with the reuniting of her and Kairi, but Namine became a member of our group. She was one of the nicest girls we ever knew."-

"Sora," Sirius' voice dimmed in enthusiasm, giving way to concern. "Why is it that you keep referring to Namine in a past tense?" Sora lowered his eyes. "Did something happen to her?"

"Well," Sora knew it was inevitable. He had to tell the truth. His muscles tensed. "The thing is…"

"Is what?" Sirius was desperate.

"Namine died…" Sora's hands tightened. He awaited Sirius' reaction, fearing that the Phantom Lord might become hostile at the news. But there was only a shocked reaction from Sirius Viicous.

"She died…when…how…?"-

"It was about eight years or so ago." Sora confessed heart of those final days. "It was advanced stages of tuberculosis that killed her. There was nothing that could cure her. In the end, all we could do was stay to comfort her." Sora drew tears. "I don't know why the medicine the doctors gave her didn't work. They were strong enough to tackle that type of disease."

"I'm not surprised." Sirius implied. Sora looked up at him curiously.

"What do you mean?"-

"There is a philosophy behind the fates of Nobodies. As you know a Nobody is the shell of the person they once were. They have the ability to think and to live normal lives. This is what gives them the impression that they have hearts. However, should a Nobody be lucky to meet their original selves, they once again are assimilated in mind, body, and soul. However, there is still that hint of self acknowledgement, though it remains dormant to most Nobodies. But should a drastic need occur, the Nobody has the capability to detach themselves from their original self a second time, with the consent of the original of course. At times, the original self may not be aware of this summoning." Sora was dumbfounded of this information.

"How do you know this?" Sora asked.

"I have my sources." Sirius replied. "It is a significant chapter of the knowledge of Nobodies not fully known by many."

"Perhaps that's what explains Roxas' reappearance at Atlantis." Sora thought to himself. "He saw me in danger and I unconsciously released him."

Sirius continued with his explanation, sitting upon his chair with the Paopu charm in hand.

"However, because the Nobody had reunited with their original self and were again detached from their original self, they take on a different form. The second time around, they take with them an artificial shell of flesh and blood descended from the original self. All pure Nobodies, who weren't reunited with their original selves, do not have the capability of drawing blood. Where as one that had previously been reunited with their original self does have that feature. Unfortunately, this mortal shell is not permanent. Because Nobodies are only half of a person, they cannot maintain their new flesh and blood forms indefinitely. As a result, they slowly wither away, usually coming in the forms of afflictions and diseases. These diseases, despite all the remedies that would usually work, do not recede within a Nobody."

"I guess that explains why the medicines didn't work."-

"In their final moments of life, a Nobody must be within range of their original self in order to reunite and reestablish a safe haven to maintain their individual essence. The withering shell remains behind resembling a dead body. However, should the Nobody not have their original self in sight by the time the artificial life ends, then they will fade away as if they never were. They cannot form souls of their own."-

"Then it is true," Sora thought to himself. "Kairi and Namine have been reunited again. She was present in Namine's last moments, so Namine was able to extract herself from her mortal coil and reunite with Kairi's soul after all."

"But something still bothers me," Sirius implied as he sipped his tea again. "What could have caused Namine to take on a temporary form in the first place? What deep need was there?"

"Well," Sora had to choose his words carefully. This was not a friend he was talking to, but an enemy. Thus, his words had to be cautiously chosen before he could utter them from his lips. Sora did not want to tell Sirius about the relation between Namine and Riku. That would only rile the Phantom Lord even more, giving him further reason to hate his best friend. So, Sora lied by denying any knowledge of why, even though that by doing so, he might have given rise to a conclusion ten times the consequence. "To tell you the truth, I have no idea why she came. I guess it's because Kairi consented."

"I see," Sirius said. Just then, he lowered his cup and placed it on the table. Sora saw by the Phantom Lord's reactions that something was wrong. He feared that perhaps Sirius knew he was lying. Sora readied his hand, in case Sirius suddenly attacked. Thus, he'd be able to deploy his keyblade quickly. But the Phantom Lord made no aggression towards him. Instead, Sirius looked at him with a casual glare.

"Is there something wrong?" Sora asked.

"Your friends will be here soon, Sora." Sirius said. "They will be arriving shortly."

"Are you going to hold me prisoner now?"-

"Of course not," Sirius said. "I have no purpose to do so. I have made it my policy not to physically harm you whatsoever."

"But you and I are enemies. When Riku and the others come, you know I will side with them to battle against you."-

"Then relay this message to Riku and your other friends when you see them." Sirius looked at Sora. "When you finally come to confront me in battle, I will declare a one on one duel between Noctin Tilandir and myself. No one else is to interfere, not even you. Should you decide to step in, however, I will slay you without question, no matter what my past policies were." Sirius suddenly drew out his keyblade and held it against Sora. Sora didn't even have anytime to react. The speed of the Phantom Lord was so fast, he didn't even see his movement. The youth could feel the tip of the keyblade touching his throat. Sweat dripped from his brow.

"Why you…" Sora growled.

"This is just to show that I am dead serious in what I say, Sora. Despite my high regards for you, I will not allow even you to interfere with this last battle between Riku and I. Should you try then I will unleash enough wrath and hatred that would make even my master envious." Sirius lowered his keyblade and turned away. "Tell Riku that I'll be waiting for him at the summit of the Spectral Fortress."

"Wait a minute, Sirius!" But the Phantom Lord vanished without a trace. Sora's mind again wandered to the thought of those dreams he had. The apprehension of Riku's possible demise bore heavily on his mind. But this nostalgia was interrupted as the darkness then receded along with the furniture and trinkets left behind. The darkness seemed to recede giving way to another atmosphere. "What is going on here?" Sora soon found himself in a black marble chamber illuminated by torches on the walls and pillars. Sora looked around. "What is this place? Is this the Spectral Fortress?"

At the far end of the chamber was a great door with a large lock on it, indicating that it could only be opened by a keyblade. Sora, wondering of what might happen, drew out his keyblade and tried release the lock. But for some reason, the lock would not open. Sora only sighed.

"It's one of those locks." He thought to himself. "That type of lock requires both light and darkness." Sora opened his hand and accumulated what little darkness he had left that Riku gave him. There was very little left. "That's not enough to activate the locking mechanism. I need Riku." He looked on both sides of the chamber. Both sides were sealed. "I have no other choice, but to wait." Sora thus sat at the base of one of the pillars and awaited his comrades to come and get him.

Their presence would soon reverberate in the halls of the Spectral Fortress. Riku and the others had once again arrived at Cetorburg. Dusk was settling over the field and many of the combatants were now allowed to rest and lick their wounds. By this time, there was a great deal of activity that was going on as the KH team approached their destination.

Most of the wounded upon the tiers had been moved and were presently being nurtured back to health. Over two hundred thousand Imperial prisoners were being moved to designated areas on the second tier, awaiting transport to Alliance prison camps. Thus, the majority of those Allie soldiers still fit for combat were automatically placed on guard duty. Many of the other Alliance forces were deployed elsewhere with battles erupting on the outskirts of the Cetorburg Valley, which explained Riku's witness to hundreds of flashes and deep booming that would be seen and heard in the distance. No doubt these skirmishes were due to the tardy arrival of Imperial reinforcements sent to try and recapture Cetorburg.

As for the dead upon the field, they were left to lie where they fell. It was planned that after the prisoners were transported and the wounded safely placed in sanitation facilities, then the real clean up of the dead would take place. Thus, their motionless forms were left in their contorted positions, giving testimony to their final moments of life.

Within the city, there were still hollers and shouts of battle, indicating that patches of Imperial resistance were still present in the city. Dead and wounded could be found down every corridor and every room. This spectacle did not concern Riku and the others, whose main focus was the Spectral Fortress. After fifteen minutes of trudging, they once again arrived in the chamber deep within Cetorburg's catacombs.

"Once again we find ourselves in this midnight hall." Riku implied.

"Whoa," Kirin awed, "This is incredible."

"This is the first time you've been in here, right Kirin?" Cunla asked.

"Yeah,"-

"I never would have thought that I would be entering this room again. And to think, this is also where the entrance to the Spectral Fortress lies." Cunla observed the black marble in silence. "The first time, I entered as an Imperial. This time around, I enter as a member of the Alliance."-

"Your reminiscing must be fascinating," Triiken grumbled, "But we have more pressing matters at hand. Your memories of times long past can wait." Cunla rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Oh brother, I can't even look back on things without having you harp on me, Triiken."-

"Now all we have to do is activate the door that'll lead to the Spectral Fortress. Mickey implied.

"Scimitar said there was a small red button underneath the right arm rest that activates the door, right?" Riku said. "Go take a look."

"I'll do it." Goofy said. He went up the flight of stairs and peered under the right arm rest. And there upon a metal panel was a little red button. "That must be it."

Without a second though, Goofy pushed the button. Within seconds, the stairs began to recede from their foundations. They continued to move for fifteen seconds before halting at their distance limit. The team rallied together. Before them was a large pit with a flight of stairs leading downward.

"That must be the entrance of the Spectral Fortress." Mickey said.

"Yes," Riku added, "I can feel an intense amount of energy coming from there."

"Well, there's no use standing here." Donald implied. "Let's get going."

"Right," Riku looked at Cunla and Kirin. "You guys watch over things while we're away. No doubt there are still patches of Imperial resistance left that may stir up trouble."

"We'll keep things in order around here." Cunla replied. "You guys just keep safe and come back as soon as you can."

"We gotcha,"-

"Kairi," Kirin said, "Make sure not to get into any trouble."

"Don't worry about me, brother." Kairi responded. "I'm teamed with the best remember?"

"Remember, Riku, Kairi has been left in your hands."-

"Understood," Riku replied.

"We don't have further time to prattle." Triiken implied. "Let us hurry."

"Trust Triiken to move it along…"-

The six descended into the darkness, their friends watched on apprehensively as one by one the shadows concealed their once visible forms.

"I really hope they'll come back safely." Cunla said.

"I hope so to." Kirin added. "This is the true realm of the Phantom Lord they'll be entering."

It wasn't long before they reached the bottom of the stairs and came before a long corridor. The hall beneath was lit with lanterns. At a steady pace, the team approached their destination, a large door at the end with yet another lock upon it. This lock swirled in dark essence.

"This is the door." Mickey said.

"Once again we enter the realm of darkness." Riku added. He drew up his keyblade and unleashed the unlocking beam. The beam struck the keyhole and there was a sudden reaction. There came light from the lock and the sound of something being released.

Then, the massive door slowly cranked open as if by some mechanism. Before the team was nothing but darkness.

"Incredible," Mickey uttered, "I can't see a thing in there."

"Now that I look at it," Goofy gulped, "Maybe I ought to wait outside."

"Ah, don't be such a baby." Donald declared.

"Are we going in, Riku?" Kairi asked.

"Sora's in there somewhere, Kairi." Riku replied. "And right now his safety is all that matters."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Triiken scoffed.

"Okay, we're going in." Riku was the first one to go in. The others followed quickly behind. "Stay close together, you guys. This is the realm of darkness we're entering. It's very easy to get lost here."

Close together they entered the swirling sea of shadows, knowing not what kind of danger was lurking within.


	132. The Spectral Fortress

The Spectral Fortress

The darkness was vast and unforgiving in depth. Like night concentrated ten fold, the shadows lay thick around the team. Riku, however, seemed to know where he was going, because he seemed to travel in one direction, as if something in the determined direction was leading him on.

"How do you know where we're going, Riku?" Kairi asked.

"That should be self-exclamatory, Miss." Triiken interrupted. "They do not call him Noctin Tilandir for nothing." Kairi gave a crude look.

"I wasn't asking you!"-

"It little matters now. So why bother working yourself up into a frenzy over it?"-

"Why you…"-

"Don't mind him, Kairi." Riku said. "He's just being grouchy."

"How much further is it, Riku?" Mickey asked.

"Not much further now. I can feel it."-

"Are you sure?" Donald asked. "I can't see anything, but dark."

"Trust me,"-

Just then, appearing before the team, there came a bright light.

"Light," Mickey said.

"Where there's light, we'll find Sora. And where we find Sora, we'll find the Spectral Fortress." Riku's fists tightened, "And Sirius Viicous."

With mounting courage, they entered the light. The light did not last for long though. It faded again into darkness. But this time, there was a new surprise in store for them. Before them, appeared giant black gates, similar to the primary door at Oceansburg. These gates, however, was gilded with golden designs of swirling torrents and billowing wind clouds. They were embedded in a mountain side, which stretched on in height and length into the all concealing shadows. Thus, determining its true size was not possible.

When seeing these black gates, some of KH team members were chilled at its immense size.

"Kinda spooky…" Goofy uttered.

"Intimidating is more like it." Donald added.

"This must be the main gates to the Spectral Fortress." Triiken said.

"It's incredible," Mickey awed in wonder.

"Let's keep going, you guys." Riku said. "We didn't come all this way just to look at it."

"Riku's right, Sora's still waiting for us in there."-

"Do ya think it needs to be unlocked, Your Majesty?" Goofy asked.

"There's only one way to find out." Mickey looked at Riku. "Will you do the honors for us?"

"Absolutely," Riku replied. He drew out his keyblade and aimed it at the door. The release beam was deployed and struck a hidden lock at the center. The door began to rumble and clank as the locking mechanism was activated. The doors slowly opened, giving a moan of metal at the hinges. "Forward,"

The team passed through the gates and walked down a dimly lit hall. They kept up their guard in case there were any Imperials around waiting to ambush them. However, there were no guards around, so the full trek to the end of the hall was undisturbed.

Upon reaching the final stretch of the hall, the team came to another magnificent sight, one that left them spellbound. Before them was a massive fortress of masonry stone, a sight of ancient stonework at its greatest. The fortress itself was placed upon a mesa, or table of solid granite, thus isolating the fortress from the rest of the mountain's interior. As an effect, there was a deep trench surrounding the entire fortress, spreading one full mile from one side to the other and over a mile deep with jagged rocks at the bottom. Only a series of stone bridges, eight in all, were the walkways that linked the castle to the outside rim. The bridges were constructed for each of the four main directions and the four sub directions. The fortress itself had a similar design to Cetorburg with its rising tiers. The center tier was vast, spreading at a one mile diameter. The black stone structure concealed within this massive and foreboding cavern deep within the mountain gave a slight chill that ran down the spines of each of the KH team members.

"So that's it," Kairi said, "That's the Spectral Fortress."

"And somewhere in there, Sora's waiting for us." Riku added.

"I've always heard about this place." Triiken implied. "Now that I see it, it is far grander than I have ever imagined it."

"To you maybe," Donald grumbled. "To me however, this is the scariest place I've ever seen.'

"Let's keep going." Riku ordered. He continued forward down the staircase leading to the bridge before them.

Upon coming to the outer end of the bridge, they came to realize that the bridge itself was a treacherous structure. The bridge's walkway was only ten feet wide and bore no safety rails on the sides. Thus, one fatal slip would mean a mile and a half plummet to the jagged rocks below. This in itself was nerve wracking enough, especially for Kairi who had never seen such a structure before. Her hands began to sweat a little.

"Do we really have to cross this?" she uttered.

"We have no other alternative now." Riku replied. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."

"Alright," Kairi grasped at Riku's arm and the party began to walk across.

The party moved almost in a straight line, keeping themselves at the center of the bridge. Kairi kept herself latched on to Riku's arm. Goofy at times walked close enough to the edge to look down and see the rocky floor a mile and a half below. There were strong breezes, created by the cavern, slightly pushing the team a bit and causing rising tensions. It was as if the slightest creak of the bridge would force their toes to dig into the stone. It was a dizzying experience.

"I'd hate to fall over that." Goofy said.

"Hey Triiken," Riku asked, "Why is it that these bridges are constructed like this."

"It's both a physical and mental task for an attacking enemy to surmount, much like us." Triiken replied. "The shear length of the bridge can cause your knees to shake. The path itself has been rendered to a short width of ten feet so that the enemy is only capable of crossing in single file, making it easier to pick them off. As well, for those who are wounded and are unlucky enough to fall over the edge, they meet a far more hideous demise, being impaled upon the pike rocks at the bottom. Without a railing, all are susceptible to such a plummet should one false step be made. With such lack in safety, even the heartiest couldn't hope to walk across with ease."

"I'm not surprised." Mickey said.

"Nothing is going to stop us though." Riku declared. "A friend is in need of our help and not even thoughts of a horrible end will deter us."

"Typical declaration," Triiken thought to himself. "Nothing less that I would expect from Noctin Tilandir."

"Just tell me when it's over." Kairi uttered, trying to keep her eyes toward the end of the bridge.

Eventually, after thirty minutes of walking across, the team finally reached the end of the bridge.

"You can open your eyes now, Kairi." Riku sighed. Kairi looked about. Seeing that they were safely on the other side, she gave a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness,"-

But no sooner had the tension diminished, there was a sudden roar of from above and a rumbled that caused the team to stagger.

"What's going on?" Mickey asked.

"Look," Donald shouted, "Up in the sky!"

The team gazed up to see a red dome appearing over them. Before they could react, the red light had struck the base of the bridge they were on. So too was it the same on the fort's entire perimeter. Like a great dome, the red energy covered the fortress.

"What just happened?" Goofy asked.

"It seems that the shield has been activated." Triiken implied. "The fortress security system has read that six individuals have entered the premises. Now, no one besides us will be allowed to enter for the next twenty four hours."

"That must mean the Phantom Lord and Sora didn't enter via these bridges." Mickey thought to himself. "They must have used some other way of getting in."

"No use turning back then." Riku said. "We still have our own goals to accomplish." They were once again confronted by a massive doorway that stood tall before them only a few feet away. Upon it was yet another massive keyhole, glimmering with the same essence as so many of the locks prior.

"I'll give you a hand, Riku." Mickey said.

"Thanks Your Majesty." Using their keyblades, Riku and Mickey unlocked this secondary barrier with the intertwining of light and darkness. The doors opened with such grandeur, roaring and bellowing as the swing commenced.

Before them was a matching hall equal in appearance to the dark chamber of Cetorburg with its black marble pillars and dimly lit torches.

Little did he or the others realize that the chamber they were about to enter also had another little surprise in store for them. Sora was present in that same chamber, sitting by one of the pillars taking a little snooze. He slept soundly up until he heard the doors open. He opened his eyes to see the doors slowly separate from each other.

"Who is that?" he wondered, "An enemy?"

Sora quickly took refuge behind the pillar. Keyblade in hand, he awaited to spy on whether these newcomers were friends or foes. But the moment he realized that it was his friends, he became exuberant.

"It's the guys," he said. "They made it."

All the while, Riku and the others didn't notice him at first. Instead, they were awestruck by the grandeur of the first great hall.

"Look at this place." Kairi said. "It's so big."

"Kinda spooky too," Goofy added.

"You said that awhile ago, Goofy." Donald grumbled. "Stop being repetitive…"

"Keep your guards up." Riku declared. "The Imperials might spring an ambush."

Just then, Sora blasted out with no care as usual.

"Hey you guys," he shouted. He then ran towards the team.

Riku and the others looked to see Sora approaching them.

"Is that Sora?" Mickey asked. They looked harder into the darkness.

"Sora…?" Riku uttered.

"Riku, Kairi, it's me." Sora shouted. Riku carefully analyzed the strength, the energy, and the motion of the individual approaching. His stern look broke to a smile.

"Sora," Riku rushed forward. The two embraced. "Sora, you're alright."

"Sora," Kairi shouted, rushing up and hugging her life long friend and love, "You're okay...!"

"That's right, Kairi." Sora replied. "I'm just glad that you guys made it here safely."

"How did you know that was our Sora and not some fake?" Donald asked.

"Only our Sora would be reckless enough to charge at us with open arms in hostile territory." Riku said.

"I guess you got me there."-

"But we saw you dragged into the darkness." Kairi said. "We thought you were done for."

"I thought I was too." Sora agreed. "But here I am safe and sound."

"I feared that you might have been held prisoner and were being tortured or something."-

"Well, thank goodness it didn't have to result to that."-

"So then what happened while you were here, Sora?" Goofy asked. Sora suddenly paused. His smile dissipated into a solemn downward glare. The team knew by his reaction that something was wrong.

"The thing is…" Sora hesitated, "I saw him. I saw the Phantom Lord."

"Sirius Viicous…?" Kairi asked. Sora slowly nodded his head.

"What did he say to you?" Riku asked.

"He just wanted to talk." Sora replied.

"You conversed with him?"-

"Yeah… I'm sorry, Riku."-

"It's alright. But let me ask you, what was he like?"-

"Well," Sora looked up at Riku, "He actually was not as bad as we all thought."

"But he's the enemy." Donald declared. "How could you say something like that about him, Sora?"

"I know…I know…it seems stupid for me to say. But I looked in his eyes at one moment and I saw no malice or hatred. He was just as human as I was." Sora lowered his head. "He told me everything about himself. He was alone all of his life, despite being surrounded by comrades. None of them ever showed real care for him. He was simply seen as a tool or subordinate. That's what he told me. He even told me that he once had someone he cared for, years before."

"Who was that?" Goofy asked curiously. "Did he tell you?"

"The name of the young lady was…" Sora stalled again.

"She was named what?" Kairi asked. Sora dared no speak.

"I can't say…"-

"You can tell us." Sora looked up into the sympathetic eyes of his friends.

"It was Namine…"-

The team gasped.

"Are you serious?" Mickey asked. "Namine…?"-

"Yeah…Apparently, Sirius had an obligation to protect her. But was never allowed to fulfill that task…"-

"Did you tell him about…you know?" Kairi asked directing her head towards Riku.

"No," Sora replied. "I didn't mention the relationship between Riku and Namine. I didn't want him to have any further reason to hate Riku anymore than he already does."

"It's alright, Sora." Riku insisted. "Sirius wants to prove something to me. That's what all his efforts have been for, to prove preferably to me that he is more than just a clone."

"Well, have you made that acknowledgement?"-

"I don't wish to, not after all that's happened. He's gone completely out of control. And because of that, I will not acknowledge him as being anything more than a clone of me gone wrong."-

"But Riku…"-

"Unless he can prove to me otherwise, I will remain defiant and not allow him the benefit of being recognized as his own self." There was a moment of pause before Sora continued.

"There's something very important I have to tell you, Riku." He hesitated again, not knowing on what he was doing was alright or not. "It was a message that Sirius Viicous wanted me to relay to you before he left."-

"What was it?" Kairi asked.

"He said that he would be waiting for Riku at the summit of this fortress, the top tier I believe he meant." He turns to Riku. "And he's declared a one on one duel with you."

"A duel…?" Riku asked.

"That's right, a fight strictly between you and him. And he also says that anyone else who tries to interfere will be executed without question." The team gasped.

"In other words, if we get involved," Mickey asked, "He'll kill us?"

"That's correct…" Sora replied.

"Well, it's not like he can stop all of us though." Donald implied. "Who is he to make up the rules?"

"Yeah," Kairi added. "We'll still intervene and stop him."

"It's all for one and one for all as we say!" Goofy added.

"Don't worry, Riku." Sora said. "We'll be there for you." Riku was silent, his eyes shadowed by the locks over he brow.

Of all the members of the party, only one was defiant of the sentiment.

"No," Triiken shouted, "None of you will interfere." The team looked at him with a puzzled gaze.

"What…?" Kairi asked.

"What do you mean we won't interfere?" Mickey wondered.

"Yeah, Triiken," Sora added. "Who are you to say that we can't help Riku out?"

"It is only honorable that Riku meets the Phantom Lord in a one on one confrontation." Triiken declared. "He must match his all against Sirius Viicous and determine which one of them is the strongest."

"No, I won't have it. What if Sirius regresses to using dirty tactics? I won't just stand idly by and watch him take advantage of Riku!"-

"If Sirius is a true Imperial, then he will not regress to using anything outside of his own strength. He will rely specifically on the things he's learned, nothing more. So it would only be proper if Riku does the same and abides by the rules."-

"But how do you know that?" Mickey asked. "How do you know it isn't a trap?"

"Sirius might be an Imperial," Kairi added, "But he still has the capability to follow his own agenda. He may not keep his word."

"He's declared a duel hasn't he?" Triiken said. "Therefore, he has to abide by the rules set forth. Had this been a bout, Sirius would pull out all the stops and use everything and anything that could defeat Riku."

"Those words," Sora thought. "I know those words somewhere." His mind suddenly filled with a lost memory from days long past, a simple explanation from an old for, Lord Drako Arakis. "Yes, now I remember…"

"_The difference between a bout and a duel is this. In a bout, the two combatants facing each other may fight with no holds barred. They may use every technique, every skill, every type of strength and cunning they can possibly muster in order to emerge victorious. In other words, total war. However, a duel is slightly different. In a duel there are limitations to what one can do. One must abide by a certain order of rules and laws."_

"In this case," Triiken continued, "Since Sirius has declared a duel; a set of rules will be instated prior to the battle."

"Wait a minute here!" Mickey declared. "You know as well as the rest of us that Sirius is after Riku's life! There is no way that he will allow Riku to live, no matter what!"

"That's right," Kairi added.

"We won't allow it." Donald agreed. "We'll intervene…!"

"Guys," Riku said. The team looked at the silver haired youth. "I'm sorry to say this, but Triiken is right." His friends gasped at this declaration.

"You can't actually be serious about fighting The Phantom Lord one on one are you?" Mickey asked. "He's rotten through and through."

"As far as I can see, the only thing he wants now is my life. And he wants to show what he's made of. Well, let him flaunt all he wants, I'll take him on no matter what."-

"But Riku…" Sora uttered. "What about the first time you fought him? I saw all those wounds on you. He barely bore a scratch. He's strong, stronger than we could have even imagined. I could feel that energy in Sirius, though he tried to conceal it, that burning inferno of rage and anger."

"It just goes to show that I've been keeping him waiting for a long time." Riku gripped his keyblade, a stern upon his face and an un-daunting glint in his eye. "But no more… Now we settle this." Sora could only shake his head.

Once again, the flashes of his past dreams came to haunt him, so much that he ended up blurting the secret that he did not want Riku to hear.

"Is this all coming true then…? This prophecy…?"-

"Prophecy…?" Donald asked.

"What are you talking about, Sora?" Kairi asked. "What prophecy…?"

Sora suddenly came to realize he had made a critical mistake by muttering those hinting words. But by the time he acknowledged his mistake, it was too late. Instantly, he tried to hold back his tongue from saying anything further.

"No, I…it signifies nothing…" Sora mumbled. "I was just talking to myself…or…" But his tongue betrayed him, causing him to stumble about in his statement, making it obvious to the others he was concealing something. His friends were persistent.

"You're not telling us something. Please tell us, Sora." Sora knew that concealing his secret was no longer an option. So long as his comrades sparked with curiosity, it was unnecessary for him to conceal his knowledge any further. He looked at Riku.

"I've been wanting to tell you something for a long time, Riku. But I couldn't, fearing on how it may affect you. But I can't keep this up forever. I need to get it off my chest."-

"What is it, Sora?" Riku asked.

"You see," Sora paused again, "I've been having these dreams going on for six years now. Though some details have changed over time, the outcome has still remained the same."

"What is it?"-

"I see you battling against yourself. It is the most intense fight I have ever witnessed. I want to intervene, but I never seem to arrive in time. In the end, you…" Sora sealed his lips.

"I what, Sora…? Tell me." The eyes of the youth began to tear as he gazed upon the innocent face of his silver haired friend.

"In the end, you die, Riku…"-

The team gasped.

"Riku's going to die?" Kairi uttered.

"But these are just bad dreams, right?" Goofy said. "They can't come true."

"I highly doubt that." Triiken interjected. "Sora has been having these dreams for some time now. And having the same dream over and over is more than just a coincidence. It means that there will arise a period of terrible events in the future. In this case, Noctin Tilandir will lose his life." Triiken looked upon Sora. "Has there been any time where the demise of Riku was prevented?"

"No," Sora replied. "No matter how I try to alter the dream, Riku always dies."

"Then it's inevitable that in the end, Noctin Tilandir will meet his end at the hands of his other self."-

"No," Kairi said.

"I'm sorry, Riku." Sora uttered. He fell to his knees. "I shouldn't have told you. Now, I probably have made things worse."

"Sora," Riku knelt before his friend, "It's alright, I'm glad you told me." Sora looked up at his friend. "Now, I have nothing to fear."

"Riku…"-

"If I do die, I will die knowing that I at least gave it my all for my friends and for my home."-

"Riku…" Sora bowed his head. "You've already died once. If it happens again, I don't know if we'll be able to bring you back a second time."

"If that's to be my fate, then so be it." Riku placed his hand upon his friend's shoulder. "Time will only tell, however."

"I just hope that it doesn't end the way I fear though…"-

"Now enough sulking," Riku helped his friend to his feet. "We have other matters to attend to." Sora smiled, wiping away the tears in his eyes.

"Yeah…"-

"If we fight, we fight together." Riku patted his friend on the shoulder. "We'll stick together through thick and thin."

"Yeah…"-

"Then why don't we start now." Triiken insisted, suddenly taking the lead. "At the rate you're going with your high strung emotions, you'll die of old age before the Phantom Lord can even get a shot at you."

"Did you have to put it that way?" Riku grumbled.

Clearing their minds of their past emotions, the KH team continued their way down the hall, to the second door.

Oblivious to them, however, the Phantom Lord was watching their little parley with open eyes.

"So they've found Sora already." Sirius thought to himself. "And this is the path you've chosen, Sora. I admire your prowess to upholding with your friends, but I did hope you would be sympathetic to me, after all I've said."

Suddenly, a form appeared behind the Phantom Lord, kneeling respectfully. It was none other than Sephiroth, the One Winged Angel.

"Lord Sirius Viicous," he said, "The KH team is once again on the move."

"I'm aware,"-

"Shall I set up the pieces then?"-

"Of course, deploy my pawns and set them in each designated chamber. As for the corridors connecting them, I shall deploy the Heartless and my other minions to give our guests a warm reception."-

"Where would you like me?"-

"You place yourself at the last obstacle, Sephiroth."-

"Shall I kill them?"-

"It's your battle isn't it? You do as you please?" Sephiroth smirked.

"As you wish…" With that, Sephiroth vanished from sight leaving the Phantom Lord alone in his thoughts.

"Perhaps it would be more beneficial if I unleash the swarms now and soften them up a little. Besides, I could go with a little entertainment. Why not fill their egos up with a little false hope."-

The team approached the other side of the hall where the next door awaited them.

"Another door," Riku said.

"This also requires a dark keyblade to open it." Sora explained.

"How do you know?" Kairi asked.

"I tried to open it once already. The dark element is needed as well. And unfortunately, I used up all the darkness Riku gave me when releasing King Mickey."-

"Well, you don't have to worry this time around." Riku said. "I'm here now."

"Before we proceed any further," Triiken advised, "I would like to know the status in our healing supply." It was those words that caused the backs of each teammate to stiffen.

"Oh no," Mickey uttered. "We were so caught up in this mission, we forgot all about re-supplying ourselves with potions and senzus."

"Damn it," Sora growled. "How stupid are we?"

"Quick you guys," Riku shouted, "check your pockets. See if there are any left?"

They quickly felt around their wardrobes. To their shock, almost every pocket was empty.

"I don't have anymore." Kairi said.

"Same here," Sora added.

"I'm bare too." Riku agreed.

"I had none from the start." Mickey implied.

"Nothing…" Donald sighed.

"Well, don't expect me to have any of those rations." Triiken grumbled. "I have no use for them."

"Damn it," Sora uttered, "We're all out!"

"Oh God," Kairi said, "Now what do we do?"

"Perhaps we could go back and get some more."-

"That's an impossibility, Sora." Triiken replied. "The shield is already up. Once you leave, you can't come back in. The six individuals have already been selected to enter. Six times the fortress barrier can be penetrated, no more than that. Ergo, even if you were one of the last to get in, but forgot something outside the barrier and went to retrieve it, the shield would not permit you entry."

"Well then," Donald explained, "Maybe we could just withdraw and fight Sirius tomorrow. I mean, Sora's safe with us now, so we don't have to worry about any hostages or threats."

"And give Sirius an extra full day to conjure up some retaliatory strike?"-

"Triiken's right, Donald," Mickey said. "By retreating now, we'd only be giving the Phantom Lord an opportunity to think up some more plans to kill us."

"Ah phooey," Donald grumbled and folded his arms in front of him.

"So what do we do since we can't go back?" Kairi asked.

"We're just going to have to be careful this time around." Riku implied. "We have to make sure we conserve our energy long enough to reach the end."

"But how will we do that?"-

"We have to take it slow. If things work out, we'll be able to use the Curaga spell."-

"That's only if Sirius strictly sends Heartless to stop us." Sora advised. "They can only attack our hearts. So the Curaga spell will be our most effective element. But it won't have any effect on physical wounds."

"If only we were able to perfect that spell to the point where it could heal physical wounds," Donald sighed, "Unfortunately, with what's been going on, that progress has been halted and set back at least ten years."

"Hey fellers," Goofy suddenly shouted. "I found some, I found some!" The team looked up, a new hope on their faces.

"You found some?" Sora asked.

"Where…?" Mickey added.

"Right here, Your Majesty." Goofy chuckled. He took off his hat and pulled out the last two remaining vials of the senzu potion. Still full, their presence was the glimmer of hope to the team.

"You're a lifesaver, Goofy." Sora said.

"You've reawakened a new hope." Mickey concurred.

"Gawrsh, Your Majesty," Goofy gave that shy look on his face, "I was only saving these for a rainy day and all."

"You have the two critical items that will determine if we live or die here." Riku advised. "We'll only need to use them when it's extremely necessary."

"Gotcha…"-

"From this point on we conserve our energy to the best we can."-

"Then you better be as good as your word, Noctin Tilandir." Triiken implied. "We have a few hosts who wish to think otherwise."

The team gasped as they suddenly saw legions of Heartless suddenly appearing from all sides.

"Man," Sora said, "We haven't even gotten through the second door yet and already Sirius is making this difficult for us."

The team drew up their weapons.

"Look," Mickey shouted. The team turned to where he was pointing. To their dismay, the doors of the outer walls were closing shut.

"The doors are closing." Kairi said.

"They don't want us to escape." Triiken conjectured. "They're hoping that we go further in and not further out."

"Great," Donald blubbered, "Now we're stuck in here with at least ten thousand Heartless coming down on us."

"How are we gonna handle all of them without wasting energy?" Kairi asked.

"The only way I know." Riku implied. He drew forth the Ginroio Noria and held it above his head, key shaft downward. "We turn them against the Phantom Lord."

He thrust his keyblade onto the ground and there came a flash of light and a billowing gust, which struck through the heartless ranks faster than a hot knife through butter. Within seconds, each heartless present ceased their hostile actions and stood as if at attention.

"Whoa," Sora said, "I forgot all about the manipulation stone."

"The Heartless obey me now, Sora." Riku chuckled.

"I've heard that line before."-

"With an army of Heartless on our side, we'd be able to storm without any problems."-

"That was a clever move."-

"Let's go, you ready Sora?"-

"Yeah,"-

The duo aimed their keyblade at the door. In unison their release beams were deployed, entwining and entangling with one another like two serpents. They thus struck the lock and deactivated the mechanism.

"Too easy…" Sora gave a confident smirk. But the moment the doors started to open, there also came a bright light, followed by an electrical surge that leaped about in a snapping and crackling series of flashes dancing about the group.

"What is this?" Mickey asked.

"Look," Goofy cried, "Look at the Heartless."

The team turned to see the Heartless masses being struck by the electrical surges and instantly diminishing into nothing. Within the time that it took for the doors to open, each of the Heartless had been slain. Soon, the chamber was clear of all the thousand Heartless.

"The Heartless…" Sora uttered.

"What was that?" Kairi asked.

"That was a Heartless barrier." Mickey explained. "It's an old style of anti-Heartless defense. Specific rooms and chambers are equipped with this system to help act as a Heartless prove haven. It sends massive electrical surges through the chambers and slays all Heartless present. It has no effects on anything else. However, because of that one drawback, these types of barriers have been disbanded. But since this is the world of darkness, where the Heartless still reign supreme, those types of defenses are still state of the art."

"So much for our Heartless army," Sora sighed.

"No doubt that Sirius knew about this." Riku said. "He knew I had possession of the manipulation stone and was aware that I could manipulate the Heartless into joining our side."

"Then why would he deploy them in the first place?"-

"No doubt he's done so to test our efficiency in battle." Triiken conjectured.

"That's some efficiency test. Especially when we know we're gonna win every time."-

"Or so we think. The next time, there may not be Heartless to face us, but some other unknown foe."-

"I can't help thinking that there might be an element of fun in this." Riku thought to himself. "Sirius is undoubtedly toying with us."

Not wishing to stall any further, Riku, Sora, and the others continued their way through the massive twin doors.

Sirius watched as the team reached the first chamber.

"As expected," he thought to himself, "The team was able to break through the first line of defense without any problems. Now, they enter the first of the three main chambers before finally reaching the forth and final summit where I await them. How will they conduct themselves in the meantime?" Sirius folded his hands together. "There's only one way to find out. Let the games begin."

The party entered through the doors coming into a large chamber. Unlike the hall prior, with its long hall of black marble, this was a chamber constructed of white marble and embroidered with gold gilded decorations upon the ceiling and the base of the pillars. It was an arched cathedral like structure that extended for about a full one hundred yards in each direction.

"Look at this room." Donald said. "It's huge."

"It's beautiful," Kairi added.

"To think that Lord Cavendish would abandon something like this," Sora implied. "What was he thinking?"

"Guys," Riku advised, "Now is not the time to marvel at the architecture. There could be enemies waiting around to pounce on us at any moment."

Sure enough, as the team made their way passed the entryway, the doors suddenly closed, roaring and echoing and they shut behind the band of heroes. With the lingering sounds of slamming wood and metal, there came the sudden surge of energy all too familiar to the team. As well, there was the sound of slowly paced steps approaching from some unknown direction.

"Footsteps," Sora uttered, "And that familiar energy. Could it be…?"

"At the ready, you guys!" Riku ordered. "Keep your weapons up."

The team drew up their arms and waited the appearance of whatever it was that lingered about in the same chamber as they. Sure enough, from the far end of the room, there emerged two individuals dressed in a familiar black entourage, coal leather coats with hooded tops.

"Is that who I think it is?" Goofy uttered.

"Members of Organization XIII," Mickey added.

"Impossible," Sora said. "We defeated all the members…didn't we?"

"Welcome," one of the individuals said with a deep and somewhat calm tone. "Welcome to your demise."

"Who are you?" Riku demanded. "Identify yourselves!"

"Surely you would know us though." The second individual declared. "You did battle us in The World that Never Was some eight years ago."

The two drew off their hoods and revealed their identities. The team reacted harshly, seeing old faces of the two enemies of their past.

Saix…

And Xemnas…

"It's been quite a long time hasn't it, Riku, Sora." Xemnas said. "How nice it is that you decided to drop in and pay us a visit."

"No," Mickey cried, "You can't be here! You're dead…!"

"That's what they all said."-

"The cruel reality of this, however," Saix implied, "is that we are very much alive. We somehow managed to survive our previous battles and are now here for revenge."

"Don't try to fool us, Saix," Sora declared. "We know perfectly well that you guys are mere copies meant to imitate and think like the originals."

"Well, there's no fooling you, is there Sora." Xemnas chuckled, folding his arms in front of him. "Since we're clones of Nobodies, we had to have a special type of replication process. And as you can see, we're just as perfect as our predecessors."

"And our strength has been concentrated ten fold from the original Saix and Xemnas." Saix added. "Ergo, we will not be so easily defeated. In fact, when this is over, you will be the ones dead and buried this time around."

"Their strengths are incredible indeed." Triiken said to himself.

"Then if you're so high and mighty as you claim to be," Sora declared, "let's see if you can back it up!"

"With pleasure," Saix chuckled.

"Riku, Sora," Mickey cried. The duo looked at the king.

"What is it?" Riku asked.

"You two sit this one out." He, Donald and Goofy stepped forward. "We'll take care of these two."-

"Wait a minute you guys," Sora protested. "You don't have to do this. We're more than capable to battling against these two. There's nothing to worry about."

"Have you forgotten though? We can't just charge in recklessly, not with only two potions in our possession."-

"We're more than a match for these two though."-

"Listen to His Majesty." Triiken advised. "It's best that you two save your energy. With the little amount of resuscitating liquid in stock, you can't afford to receive any severe wounds or be allowed to drain your energy reservoirs."

"Well, we're not just going to stand here and let those two run amuck." Riku stated.

"Then tell me this, Noctin Tilandir," Triiken gave a stern glare at the youth. "How did you favor against Sirius Viicous the first time you combated?" Riku was suddenly struck stiff.

Memories of that fight surged through his mind. For that first time in ten years, he had been bested by an old enemy. While he had received severe damage upon his face, his upper abdomen, and his chest, Sirius Viicous received no wounds in return. It just went to show that the gap between Riku and his old replica had grown in size since the very first day they met at Oblivion Castle. Riku immediately backed off.

Sora, though wanting to counter Triiken's claims, knew that whatever he said would only prove hollow since he himself saw the ending results of that first battle. Taking sympathy with Riku, he patted his friend on the shoulder.

"Don't let it get to you, Riku." Sora implied. "Sirius is going to be a tough opponent to fight in the end. And we're both gonna have to be in tip top shape if we want to fight him."

"Thanks Sora…" Riku replied.

"We'll just sit this one out for now."-

"There's no shame in doing so." Kairi agreed. "A true warrior does not rely on his strength only."

"You guys…" Riku solemnly smiled. He then looked at Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. "Okay, Your Majesty, you go ahead and take care of this match."

"Right," Mickey replied.

"We won't let you down!" Goofy shouted.

"We fight to end the chaos!" Donald added. The three stepped up and deployed their weapons before them and the Organization XIII members.

"Pity," Saix grumbled, "We only get to step on three of you?"

"It's hardly worth our time." Xemnas added.

"You go ahead and blather all you want!" Donald shouted. "You're only postponing the inevitable!"

"Talk, duck, that's all you and your friends are, a bunch of talk!"-

"We'll see who the talk is when this fight is over!" Mickey said.

"Then let's start now!"-

Instantly, both sides engaged with incredible strength. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy used their primary tactic, fighting as one. While Mickey went on the offensive, Goofy acted as the defense and used his shield to protect the king. All the while, Donald used magic to strike at the foes from afar, at the same time using Curaga to replenish the fighting spirits of his comrades.

In most instants, this tactic would have worked flawlessly without problems. However, there were three significant differences that helped put Saix and Xemnas at equal level with the trio. The first was that since they were clones, and their powers were concentrated ten fold, they were far harder to eliminate. The second factor was unlike before, in the fight a decade earlier, Saix and Xemnas were not fighting on their own. They were fighting as a well coordinated duo. As Xemnas would act as back up fire and defense, the hammer blows of Saix would be used for offensive maneuvers. And the final factor was that they had already gained enough knowledge of the possible attacks the trio might use in the fight.

For a fool ten minutes, the chamber sizzled, flashed, chattered, sparked, and boomed with the sounds of battle. Lasers would be flying about in all directions. Elemental spells would hit their targets or go astray. Flickering sparks of clashing steel could be seen as hammer came in contact with keyblade or shield. Explosions would erupt, damaging the well refurbished chamber.

To the untrained eye, the movements were so fast, that the human eye was incapable of registering an image. Kairi, not being fully accustomed to such high speed battles, could not keep up in some parts of the brawl.

"It's as if they're vanishing." She said,

"You have to feel them out by their energy, Kairi." Sora advised. "You know how to do that already."

"This battle is way out of my league then. I wouldn't usually have this type of trouble."-

"You do have a point there. You haven't been exposed to these types of battles as frequently as Riku and I."-

"I can't believe what I'm seeing." Riku concurred. "Saix and Xemnas are perfect in their movements. They work so well together."

"Do you think we would have had trouble fighting them had we decided to battle them anyway?"-

"I believe so. Not only are they stronger, but their cooperation tactics are flawless. Not even King Mickey, Donald and Goofy can break up such synchronization. I do not doubt we could have been able to beat them with ease, but we would not have emerged from that fight completely unscathed."-

"That is what Sirius is trying to do." Triiken implied. "No doubt he is trying to weaken us before we reach him. That way, he'll have an easier time."

"Damn him,"-

Suddenly, there was sudden flash and random explosion. Then, seeing flying through the air was King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. They had been knocked senseless by the ruthless duo and were now sent falling to the feet of their comrades.

"Oh no," Kairi shouted, "They've been hit!"-

"Their strategy has been broken." Sora added.

Mickey and the others managed to get back on their feet, however, before striking the ground. Weary in their stances, sweat dripped from their faces, and their breathing was heavily labored.

"Your Majesty…" Riku uttered.

"No," Mickey cried, "You mustn't interfere. You and Sora have to save your energy for the last fight against Sirius Viicous."

"But Your Majesty," Sora interjected.

"The fate of all worlds depends on your success. We can't have you going into battle only half cocked." Riku and Sora couldn't argue, not against the words of King Mickey. They watched as Saix and Xemnas appeared upon the ground again, standing like vengeful specters out for blood.

"They're so strong." Donald uttered.

"They're a lot stronger than I remembered."-

"Do ya think we stand a chance as we are now, Your Majesty?" Goofy asked.

"We don't really have a choice at this point." Mickey held forth his weapon. "We can't afford to have anymore teammates undergo this kind of stress."

"So this is the extent of your power?!" Xemnas shouted unexpectedly, "How pathetic!"

"Demyx could fight better than you three put together." Saix mocked the trio. "And he was the weakest of the lot! He really had no other fighting skills, which is why he was placed at the very bottom of the Organization XIII combat hierarchy."

"If you want to prove us wrong, then try again. But the results will be the same."-

"So what do we do, Your Majesty?" Goofy asked.

"We're gonna have to change our strategy a little bit." Mickey explained. "Our usual tactics won't work. No doubt because they've been programmed to counter our attacks and a head on assault is not going to be effective at all. We must conjure up a strategy that they'll least expect."

"Well, there are two that we've been working on for some time, your Majesty." Donald implied. "Goofy and I have been experimenting with a couple new battle strategies. We've been saving it in case something like this happened. All you have to do is go into your usual routine and stay on the offensive. Let us do the rest of the work."

"Are you talking about…?" Mickey's worries were lifted from his conscience. "You think that they'll work though?"-

"Well, they've worked against the best of some of your guards who volunteered to spar against us."-

"These two are not like my guards though, Donald."-

"It's the only other option we have right now."-

"Well, it's worth a shot. However, we have to plan thoroughly. And what we're going to do first is boost up their confidence. Let's keep using our present strategy. And continue using it until I say so. "-

"Keep using the same strategy?" Goofy asked.

"Buy why would you want to do that, Your Majesty?" Donald added. "You know it won't have any effect."

"I know," Mickey implied. "That's the whole point though. If we want to win this, we have to get their egos bloated." Donald and Goofy smiled.

"I get it,"-

"Then let's go. And keep your energy to a minimum, just enough to keep 'em on their toes. When we have 'em where we want 'em, give it your all."-

"Right," they two agreed.

"Are you boys planning to have another go at us?" Xemnas chuckled. "Well, your chances of success are non-existent."

"You can scheme and connive all you want." Saix mocked. "The results are still going to be the same."

"Forward," Mickey shouted. The three launched into their cooperative strategy again.

"Idiots, they want to learn the hard way." Xemnas and Saix once again engaged their foes and the second phase of the battle began.

Sora and Riku watched observantly as back and forth, the combatants attacked and defended. They watched as Saix banged away with his hammer and Xemnas slashed away with his gleaming light sabers. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy held their own. But as for their offensive strategy, it had little effect and every once in a while, they would be overwhelmed by the opposition.

"C'mon you guys." Sora's fists tightened. "You can do better than that can't you?"

"Don't let them take advantage of you!" Kairi added.

Riku on the other hand was pondering on the amount of power that the trio was accumulating. He thought that the attacks were not as strong as they usually would be.

"Something's not right here." He thought to himself. "Usually, they'd be giving out two times this much strength in each strike than they are now. I wonder what's with the sandbagging." Riku looked at the two Nobody replicas. "Saix and Xemnas seem oblivious to what's going on. They're too concentrated on the fight. They don't even sense this shift in power. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are holding the true bulk of their strength back. But why…?" Riku then looked at Triiken. Triiken was concentrating only on the fight as well, or so it appeared. "I wonder if Triiken knows what's going on."

"A well executed plan, King Mickey." Triiken inwardly commented. "But it's a double edged sword you glide upon. Make sure not to botch up your plot."

Suddenly, the trio was once again sent on the retreat. They had to reorganize themselves against their Nobody opposition.

"No," Sora cried.

"What's wrong, Sora?" Kairi asked. "Why aren't they able to beat them?"

"I don't know? Xemnas and Saix can't be this powerful can they? They don't even seem remotely that powerful."-

"Haven't you boys figured it out yet?" Xemnas chuckled. "You're no match for us. So long as you stick with those same predictable tactics, we'll always be able to successfully counter them every time."

"We need to think of something new." Mickey said, so quoted him knowingly.

"Like what Your Majesty?" Donald asked, giving a slight wink. "They're too good. We can't possibly fend them off at this rate."

"We're just gonna have to stick to the same plan until it works at least once."-

"But what if it doesn't work, Your Majesty?" Goofy implied.

"I have to agree." Donald added. "They're accustomed to our fighting style."

"There's always that slim chance." Mickey declared.

"Can't you fools get it through your head?" Xemnas chuckled. "You can't take us down. We know too much about your teamwork style. There's no way you can beat us with the same tactic over and over again."

"Enough standing around, let's get 'em!"-

Donald and Goofy faithfully followed their patriarch and rushed at the duo with that same strategy. The sounds of battle and flashing of the fight now entered its third stage.

"I don't believe it." Sora growled. "Why are they using that same strategy again?"

"Maybe they're hoping for the element of unpredictability to kick in soon." Kairi stated her opinion.

"That won't much help at this rate. Xemnas and Saix catch on very quickly. They know the specific roles Mickey and the others play in their attacks, so why don't our friends mix things up a bit?"-

"You truly are a clueless buffoon, aren't you Sora." Triiken said. This angered Sora.

"What did you just say, Triiken?"-

"You heard me."-

"Awfully bold words. Why don't you try saying it to my face next time?"-

"Riku knows what's going on and he's a seasoned warrior as you are. A true warrior would have been able to see the actual scheme of things." Triiken looked up. "In this type of confrontation, the only way to emerge victorious is to allow the enemy's guard to be lowered little by little."

"The enemy's guard…?" Kairi asked.

"What do you mean by that?" Sora added.

"Don't you see, Sora?" Riku asked. "Mickey and the others know that their strategy isn't having any effect."

"They do?"-

"That's right."-

"Then why keep using it if they know their tactics won't work?"-

"That's the whole point. They know they can't win using such predictable tactics. The thing is Xemnas and Saix don't realize that. They're so bloated in their pride and superiority they don't even take notice of what's truly boiling up. All they see are Mickey, Donald, and Goofy losing to their whim. In other words, our friends are letting our enemies see what they want them to see."-

"In the process," Triiken continued, "with every successful fending off of their attacks, the enemy becomes less vigilant and more arrogant, believing that their own strength and cunning are the true factors to their seemingly assured success. Thus, their guards are slowly lowered and slowly slackened. This will give our comrades the opportunity to attack with unexpected strength and deadly accuracy."-

"That is the best way to defeat enemies like Xemnas and Saix. No doubt that Mickey and the others have a few new strategies and a lot of inner strength ready for the sudden blow. The thing is, if they were to deploy it now, with Saix and Xemnas still fully aware of what's going on, there is a slimmer chance that the new tactic would succeed. And if there's one thing that you and I know about those particular Organization XIII members, they're not ones to fall for the same trick twice. Therefore, if we want to defeat them, we have to be able to do it in one swift and fatal blow. Ergo, the only way to do that is slacken their guard a bit."-

"I see." Sora replied, realizing the whole strategy. "I get it now."

"I knew it would only be a matter of time before it finally sank into that peanut sized brain of yours." Triiken mocked. This again infuriated Sora.

"Listen you,"-

"Don't encourage him, Sora." Kairi shouted as she and Riku held their infuriated friend back.

"However," Triiken continued. "There is an equal amount of cons to pros in this masquerade." The three friends stopped their menagerie. "This is a double edged scenario that King Mickey and the others place themselves in. It's a game of chance. The thing about playing 'chicken' is knowing when to flinch. In this case, Mickey must judge the time and opportunity to execute his new strategy. He must make intellectual conjectures on whether or not the moment is right. If it's too short from the right moment, the chances of the enemies' guard being lowered are slim. Too long and the enemy may catch on."

"In other words if Mickey overdoes it, Xemnas and Saix might figure out his little plot" Riku concurred.

"And if that happens, then all their efforts would have been a waste. Let us hope that the young king has a keen sense of good judgment."-

All the while, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy carried on with their traditional roles in their battle sequences. Donald would attack from afar, staying out from the actual combat as best he could and supporting his friends with long ranged spells aimed at the precise targets. Goofy would stay at Mickey's side, using his shield strictly for defense tactics. And Mickey would be the one to charge out with an offensive attack as soon as the enemy went on the defense.

However, it was all a routine for Saix and Xemnas who knew the significant weaknesses in the trio's attack patterns. Donald was the most targeted since he provided covering fire. Without covering fire, Goofy and Mickey were far more prone to a sudden strike. Therefore, Goofy had to remain close to Donald in order to keep his friend safe from the enemy onslaught. Thus, Mickey was prevented a wider range of attack than he usually was accustomed to. Mickey would at times take chances to fight his opponents out in the open. But without a strong defense to shield him, he was far more vulnerable to attack and a possible fatal blow.

Xemnas would take on the role of a long range attacker, using laser barrages to harass the trio and using his swift attacks to outflank them and strike from behind. He would even split into two entities. As one would go on the war path, the other would shield his comrades from counterattacks. Thus, one might say that a trio now battled another trio. Xemnas would also grab hold of one of the members and start draining them of their energy. This was hard enough as it was since there were occasional three on three battles. Mickey would usually be the one targeted since he was the offensive of the group. Thus, it was up to Donald and Goofy to rescue him at times, all the while trying to fend off both Saix and Xemnas's shadow clone.

Saix on the other hand was simple slash and pound with his spiked Berserker Hammer. He would cause surges and powerful sound waves to echo that would even make the mighty Lu Bu envious.

"Face it you three," he chuckled, "You can't hope to beat us! We're too good for you!"

The three managed to tear off from the fight, left exhausted and weary after ten minutes of pummeling. Donald gave a few squirts of Curaga to his friends. They were replenished, though not at the full one hundred percent mark.

"Is it time yet, Your Majesty?" Donald grumbled as he heaved for breath.

"I believe so." Mickey replied. "We've sandbagged long enough."

"Good, I'm tired of having to hold back."-

"These are the times when I'm glad you have a short temper, Donald."-

"Just let me at 'em this time. And I'll really give those Nobody replicas a thing to fear in this life."-

"Alright," The three rallied, "Then let's do this thing!"

The three stood as a unit and made their hasty advance against the two Nobody replicas.

"Here they go again." Saix chuckled.

"They're so easy to read." Xemnas uttered. "They'll break off here in a minute with the duck using his long range magic to hit at us again. When that happens, I'll go in for the kill and take his feathered hide down for good." Xemnas split into two. "I hope you like roast fowl."

"I could go for something a little greasy."-

But as the trio neared, Saix and Xemnas realized that Donald was not breaking from the group this time. Instead, they were charging head on.

"The duck's not breaking off."-

"It's a head on assault."-

"What do they think they can accomplish with such a tactic?"-

"Now Goofy," Donald shouted.

"I gotcha," Goofy replied. Like a discus, he threw his shield at the duo awaiting them.

"Your Majesty! Flank and attack the bronze!"-

"Right," Mickey concurred. He vanished with his high speed.

"What a stupid move." Xemnas chuckled. "That shield is too obvious."

"A smart person would have thrown it a little closer and make it less likely to dodge."-

Casually, the two Organization members evaded, shield just about to pass between them.

"Big mistake," Donald smirked. Upon the tip of his staff, a strong Thunder spell was accumulating.

Xemnas, by some twist of fate saw at the last minute what was about to happen.

"No," he thought, "It can't be."

"Alright you goons, feel the wrath of Chief Wizard Donald Fauntleroy Duck! Olympus Maelstrom…!" Unleashing the full bulk of his strength, Donald threw forth a Thunder spell that would rattle the foundations of the world itself. The roar of the streaking thunder bolts were deafening and the lightning could blind a bystander for good. It had the speed and the strength to turn out your lights.

The spell's path was right on target as it struck the glimmering surface of Goofy's shield. Because it was crafted of precious metal, it also made a perfect electrical conductor. Thus, when struck by the spell, the intensity would be amplified ten fold and would spread about in an area a hundred yards or more. And to the misfortune of Xemnas and Saix, the shield passed right between them at the moment of impact.

"Impossible," Saix uttered as his eyes grew wide with shock and fear. His own heart seemed to speed up and slow down at the same time as he saw the spell make contact with the shield. Suddenly, there was a massive surge and an incredible explosion. The light was blinding, illuminating the grand chamber with its deadly beauty.

Saix was overwhelmed. To add, with his weapon still in hand, he added as a second conductor. With no protection, he was open prey to the electrical surge.

"This cannot be," he cried. The light over came him and tore his body to shreds.

"Whoa," Sora cried as the intensity nearly blew him and the others away. They were blinded and the wind blew strong within their hair. "Talk about a Thunder spell."

"That's the strongest I've ever seen." Riku added.

"Something must've really riled Donald." Kairi said.

"Leave it to the duck." Triiken implied, not wavered by the chaos that bellowed around him.

As the light faded and the booming echoes ceased, a lone shield, scorched and still burning red hot, struck the opposite side of the chamber, embedding itself in the white marble. There it stayed, steaming from the moisture accumulated by the cool air. Goofy and Donald stood there, heaving for breath and a little bit sweaty.

"That ought to teach you." Donald said.

"My God," Sora uttered, "They did it. They defeated Xemnas and Saix."

"Alright," Kairi shouted. "You won!"

"Great job, you guys." Riku added.

Triiken, however, did not boast as loud as the others. He remained vigilant.

"Fools," he said, "A true warrior should remain vigilant until the clouds of uncertainty have cleared."

Sure enough, the joys of the team turned cold as a lone figure emerged from the settling chaos, a fearful specter of vengeance.

"It can't be…" Sora uttered.

"Xemnas is still alive…?" Kairi added.

"It's just like him." Riku growled. "He doesn't die so easily."

"It just goes to show that one must not celebrate until the battle reaches its absolute conclusion." Triiken informed.

"That's impossible," Donald shouted, "I put everything I had into that one shot! He shouldn't even be here!"

"This is bad, Donald." Goofy uttered.

"I must say that I'm rather impressed." Xemnas chuckled. "You nearly had me there." The leader of Organization XIII stood and dusted him self off. "That definitely knocked the wind out of me. However, I'm sorry to say that it just wasn't good enough. Unlike Saix, unfortunately for him, my shadow clone was able to quickly react and set up an energy barrier in front of me and prevent the blast from striking me. However, the power was too much for him and the electrical surge dissolved him within seconds. That, however, gave me enough time to react and set up my own energy shield to the maximum. It was perhaps the only thing that prevented me from being reduced to a mound of ash."

"Now what do we do?" Donald thought to himself.

"That attack of yours left me drained. But I can see that you two have lost a great deal of strength as well. This will make it easier for me." Xemnas unleashed the bulk of his strength. Suddenly, Donald and Goofy found themselves surrounded by darkness and thousands of bright lights. This was immediately familiar to Riku and Sora.

"The barrage dome," Sora cried.

"Donald and Goofy don't stand a chance." Riku added, "Not in the state their in."

"Donald, Goofy, get out of there…!"-

"It's no use. Once you're engulfed in the dome, there's no escape."-

"Meet your end!" Xemnas shouted.

"Good bye, Donald," Goofy said as they embraced for one last time.

"Good bye, Goofy," Donald replied.

"Now die," Xemnas shouted. Goofy and Donald closed their eyes and awaited their inevitable demise.

However, to their surprise, the onslaught never happened. Instead, there was a dead and eerie clam. Goofy and Donald opened their eyes and looked about.

"What happened?" Goofy asked. "Are we dead?"

"I don't feel any different." Donald said. "How can we tell?"

"Well…" Goofy pinched his mallard friend on the cheek.

"Ouch, that hurt, you dip!"-

"That settles it. We're not dead."-

"But if we're not dead, what happened…?"-

It was then that the barrage dome dissipated into nothingness.

"What the heck happened?" Sora asked as he and the others saw the dome vanish.

"I don't know." Kairi replied.

"Something's gone wrong." Riku said. "Not for us though."

There was a dead silence in the chamber. Suddenly, Xemnas began to stagger as if all the energy had been sapped from his body.

"Damn you," he uttered. He slumped over. The moment he did, the KH team realized what was causing Xemnas to suddenly lose all his strength. There, upon his back, a golden keyblade was lodged in his flesh, and just behind him stood King Mickey still standing in the final form of a throwing stance.

"You didn't forget about me did you?" Mickey declared. "You were so caught up in trying to finish off Donald and Goofy that you let your mind slip off of my presence on the field. That was a big mistake."

"It's King Mickey," Sora said.

"He managed to strike Xemnas from behind." Riku added.

Xemnas looked behind him.

"You dare to strike your foe in the back?" the Nobody said. "It was cowardly of you to hit your enemy from behind."

"If I must do so to save my friends from a gruesome demise, then so be it."-

"My dreams…" Xemnas collapsed to the ground and slowly vanished from sight. "My ambition…gone…"

With that, the replica of Xemnas disappeared from sight. Once again, the air was clear and the danger had passed.

"They did it," Sora sighed, "They managed to defeat Saix and Xemnas."

"Great teamwork you three," Riku shouted. They rushed over to the weary trio, say of Triiken who took his sweet time as usual.

"Glad to see that all of you are still alive."-

"Glad to know we're still alive." Donald said.

"I thought we were goners back there." Goofy added. They turned to Mickey who slowly approached the group."Thank you, Your Majesty, you saved our lives."

"It was nothing." Mickey said with a sheepish grin. "Anything to help my friends…"

"We thought you were dead for sure." Riku implied.

"So how was it?" Kairi asked. "Were they as powerful as they claimed?"

"That and more," Mickey explained. "These replicas were far stronger than the original Xemnas and Saix. If it wasn't for our teamwork and Donald's ingenuity, I don't think we would have lasted up 'til now."

"You have a point."-

"Well, you guys better freshen up." Sora said. "You could use a potion to replenish your strength."

"Not a good idea, Sora." Riku interjected.

"Why not…?"-

"There are only two potions remember. We can't use them unless extremely necessary."-

"But we need everyone in top shape for the final fight."-

"That's alright," Mickey said, "We're still strong enough to keep up without a potion. Besides, Riku has a point. We can only use the potions when it is absolutely necessary, like if we were on the verge of death."

"I see…" Sora couldn't argue against such a fact.

"Well, since we've cleared this segment of the fortress, may we proceed?" Triiken said. He walked passed the group to the next door.

"Hey, hold on. Can't you give the guys a break?"-

"The longer we stall, the greater an opportunity we give the Phantom Lord to set up a retaliatory strike. Remember, we're in his territory now. Just when we think we have a reprieve, he will attack when we least expect it."-

"Triiken's right, Sora," Riku agreed.

"But Riku…" Sora uttered.

"If I know Sirius Viicous, he would take the same action as I would. And if it were me, I would do everything to keep the enemy on edge and find the open opportunity to kill them."-

"Damn it…"-

"Sirius won't give us a break." Mickey said. "He is after all Ameba's apprentice. Therefore, being ruthless is part of his upbringing."

"Yes, yes, this conversation seems very informative and all, but instead of mindlessly prattling on about the subject," Triiken grumbled, "Why don't we continue with what we came here for?"

"Alright, alright," Sora sighed, "We're coming Mr. Bossy."

The group approached the next door. All the while, Goofy retrieved his shield from its embedded place in the wall.

"Still shiny," Goofy chuckled.

"Hurry up, Goofy!" Donald declared.

"Coming Donald,"-

"The next door, Gentlemen," Triiken implied. "If you would so carry on with your task if you please,"

"You ready, Sora?" Riku asked.

"Yeah…" Sora replied

The two aimed their keyblades and unleashed the beams. The unlocking beams intertwined and struck the keyhole. The lock was released and the doors opened up. Before the team was another black marble hall, twice the length of the first, two hundred yards or more. The crackling torches gave the atmosphere are the more eeriness and apprehension.

"Again with the dark hallway…?" Donald moaned.

"Let's go you guys." Riku said. "And make sure to keep your guard up."

The group entered the hall with the doors closing quickly behind them, making the hall far darker.

Sirius watched on with intrigue.

"Well," he said, "It seems that they lack a little in healing means. This ought to make it easier for me." Sirius pondered a second thought. "However, I don't want to have Riku's strength reduced. I want to test the full extent of my power to his. Only then will I be satisfied. I don't want to harm Kairi since she bears Namine within her. And I don't really want to have to hurt Sora, not after all he's done for me, though he may not remember our interactions at Oblivion Castle. But as for the others, they are merely disposable nuisances. I have to get rid of them for sure." Sirius gripped his fists, recalling the faces of fallen comrades. He smirked. "Oh well, I don't think it would hurt that much to pester them a little bit."

As the team walked down the hall, they were again confronted by more opposition. Suddenly appearing before them were ten dark forms.

"Watch out," Goofy shouted, "We have company."

"Form your ranks!" Riku ordered. The team took their places.

"Are they Heartless again?" Sora asked.

"I can't really tell. But from what I can sense, they're more powerful than average." Suddenly, from the rank of ten shadows came the sliding of sharpened steel as if from a sheath. Sure enough, ten glimmering blades were seen in the darkness.

"It's the Immortal Guard," Kairi cried.

"The Immortals…?" Sora gasped.

"Great," Riku growled. "What a time for those guys to show up."

Suddenly, the ten Immortals attacked, swerving and vanishing like ghosts, hoping to elude the KH team members.

"Remember to keep your power levels suppressed!" Sora shouted. "We can't afford to waste any energy."

"We'll take on these ten," Mickey declared. "They're not as tough as Saix and Xemnas."

The ten Immortals leaped upon the team from all around. However, because the KH team was now accustomed to fighting the Immortals, and since their attackers were mere third generation rookies, it was easy for Sora and his friends to make quick work of them. Within five minutes, the fight was over without any of the KH members breaking a sweat. The Immortals on the other hand were either knocked out, wounded, or dead, depending on who they fought as an opponent.

"Well, that was easy enough." Sora said. "I'm not even tired."

"Tired nothing," Riku replied, "We barely took three swings each."

"It just goes to show that Sirius is getting desperate." Triiken explained. "He leaves only these third generation novices as guards. They aren't truly up there with elite Immortal status."

"At least none of them were like Ks." Sora sighed. "Otherwise, we'd all be in trouble."

"Well, shall we continue before more imbeciles decide to blockade our advance?"-

The team carried on to the other end of the hall.

Sirius was all astounded at how quickly his Immortal Guards were defeated. But then he gave a sigh knowing the reason why.

"Damn third generation novices." He grumbled. "And to think they are given the title of Immortal. My S class guards can put up a better fight than that." Sirius again heaved a breath of air. "Then again, if it were regulars they were fighting, they might have had a better chance at winning. But then again, Riku and his band are anything, but regular. No matter, I'm sure they'll have a little bit more of a challenge in the next room."

The team reached the next set of doors. As before, Riku and Sora used their synchronization to unlock and open the doors. Again, the doors crept open with surges of crackling electrical surges and again they stepped into a great white marble room with gold trim, brightly lit like the one prior where they fought the Nobody replicas.

"Another grand chamber of white marble," Kairi said.

"I wonder who we'll confront here." Sora thought.

But no sooner had he said that, the doors closed and once again, that familiar tapping of feet were heard on the opposite side of the chamber and two figures appeared before them. This time, they were not Organization XIII members. Instead, this duo was dressed in Imperial uniforms, that of field generals.

"Here comes the competition." Sora said.

"Get ready," Riku ordered. The team made ready. Sensing the strengths of the approaching enemy, Riku feared the worst. "These guys are powerful, even more so than Xemnas and Saix."

Sirius watched as his two pawns drew nigh to the key bearers.

"Let us see if you enjoy another fight against foes from your past." He chuckled. "And these particular two are far less merciful than Xemnas and Saix."

As the facial features of the enemy pair came into clear view, some of the eyes of the KH team widened. Triiken on the other hand was smirking.

"So…" He chuckled inwardly, "It's come down to this then."

"Those guys," Sora uttered. "It couldn't be."

"Not them of all people." Riku added.

The two officers were dressed in grey frock uniforms with gold and red entourage decorating their ensemble, signifying their status as generals. At their sides were officer swords. The first general, with long flowing hair, a style similar to Cuchulain, and brown eyes bore a curved saber. It was large and cumbersome looking, but extremely durable. The other, bearing an almost Kirin hair style with his dirty blond top, bore a straight sword, a rapier. His green eyes penetrated pass the locks of hair that dangled over his forehead.

"Of all the guys we would end up facing," Mickey said, "It would have to be them."

"Who are they though?" Kairi asked.

"Not surprising that you wouldn't know them, Miss." Triiken explained. "You did after all only encounter them once and not long enough to know their titles. However, Riku, Sora, and the others know them very well, since they were the ones they did battle with at Halloween Town during their escapade against the former Imperial regime." Triiken suddenly went silent before carrying on with his declaration. "I, however, know these two better than anyone else, especially since they are my oldest and closest companions to whom I had spent numerous times fighting alongside with on the field."

"Who are they?"-

"They are my brothers in arms." Triiken smirked again. "May I introduce them if you do not know them by name already? They are Octavian Riker King and Marcus Vickoldry Durovano."

"The Gatler Generals…" Sora uttered, a drop o perspiration forming on his forehead.


	133. Gatlers Reunited

Gatlers Reunited

"The Gatler Generals…" Sora uttered.

"To think that we would have to face them again," Riku added.

"So we finally meet again." General Durovano implied suddenly. He gazed at Triiken. "It's been quite some time, Arinario."

"Yes," Triiken replied, "It has been too long."

"So the infamous trio is reunited once again." General King said. "However, I never thought it would be under these circumstances."

"I'm also surprised to see you here. You look quite well for comrades who were incinerated by the Z fighters."-

"At least we had the decency to remain as Imperials rather than turning our backs in favor of the Alliance."-

"Blue doesn't suit you, Arinario." Durovano implied.

"Well, you might say that I've gotten used to it." Triiken replied.

"By order of His Excellency, Lord Sirius Viicous, you and your comrades are here by found guilty of opposing the regime and are therefore sentenced to be executed immediately."-

"You will not pass us." King declared.

"You two talk too much." Sora growled.

"Keep yourself silent, key bearer." Durovano ordered.

"Oh yeah, whose gonna make me?"-

"Insolent pup, if you were worth my effort to silence, I'd slice you down the middle from head to two before you could scream out another sarcastic remark. So you should consider it a good thing that you aren't worth that much."-

"You…" Sora's blood boiled.

"Easy there, Sora." Riku implied. "Don't waste your time on getting riled up on account of them."

"Riku, Sora," King Mickey said, "Goofy, Donald, and I still have a decent amount of strength left in us."

"We'll fight 'em." Goofy added.

"And we'll take them down as easily as we did Xemnas and Saix." Donald added. "They don't know about our strategy, so it should be easy to deal with them."

"No," Sora said, "We'll take care of these two this time."

"That is out of the question." Triiken interjected. "I will battle King and Durovano."

"You…?" Riku asked.

"That's correct," Triiken clutched onto the hilt of his blade. "I will fight them alone."

"You won't have to fight them alone though." Mickey said. "We'll help you out."

"You will do no such thing. You will stay out of this confrontation between me and my old companions."-

"But why…?"-

"The reason is simple. You and your two subjects are far too weak to battle against the Gatler Generals, especially after that brawl you had with Xemnas and Saix. As well, Riku and Sora must not participate either. They must conserve their energy for the upcoming battle against the Phantom Lord. Besides, you have not gained enough fighting experience to go one on one with Durovano and King."-

"What are you talking about?" Sora protested. "We've had more than our fair share of fighting you Gatler Generals."

"Remember the fight we had in Halloween Town?" Riku asked. "We went head to head and held our own."

"What you experienced in Halloween Town was merely a sample of our strength." Triiken said. "To add, there are a few different factors between then and now. You will be fighting against the clones of my comrades. And no doubt they've been enhanced in their abilities. Thus, the element of unpredictability sways in their favor. As well, you have only seen a fraction of their techniques in the battle at Halloween Town. And one cannot specifically learn everything about their foe in the course of a single fight. Besides, you might say that this duel of fate has been destined for me for so long."

"So you won't reconsider our help then?"-

"Your assistance will not be necessary here." Triiken addressed the team. "What you will do is continue on to finding Sirius Viicous." The team was shocked. They gasped at this declaration.

"Continue on?" Kairi asked.

"And leave you here?" Sora added.

"Is there a problem?" Triiken asked.

"Yes there is. We're not gonna just walk off and leave you to some unknown fate."-

"That is not an option open to you presently, young Sora."-

"But what if you lose? Or worse…?"-

"If I am to meet a horrible fate, then so be it. A true Gatler General and a true Imperial will always accept what lies before him when it is obvious. Right now, your task is to find Sirius Viicous and eliminate him once and for all. However, should you remain behind; you will only be giving Sirius Viicous more time to contemplate further strategy to resist. He may conjure up another obstacle for you to face, thus forcing you to lose more stamina. By engaging in these battles, you are extending the period he has to create another elaborate trap for you. And as far as I can see, we may be the only ones who are capable of ceasing his activity."-

"Triiken's right," Riku said, "This may also be a ploy, not only to exhaust us, but also to bide time for Sirius Viicous. He may not intend to have us reach him. As far as we know, he's hoping that we die on our trek. And if we do reach him, we'll be far too tired to fight him directly."

"So I take it we're continuing on?" Sora asked.

"Yes,"-

"And leave Triiken here?" Kairi wondered.

"I'm afraid so."-

"It can't be helped though." Mickey sighed. "We have to get to the Phantom Lord as soon as we can."

"Then we better go." Sora said.

"But what if those two guys try to stop us?" Goofy asked.

"They won't give you any trouble I promise you that." Triiken implied. "They are too focused on battling me right now. Besides, even if they did move against you to prevent further advancing, they'd have to drop their guards against me. And right now, that's something that they can't do, knowing that they face instant death if they break eye contact with me."

Sora observed the glare in each of the eyes of the Gatler Generals. They were fixed towards each other, as if nothing could break their concentration.

"Look at them." Sora thought to himself. "They're completely focused on one another. Nothing can break that stare down."

"You guys," Riku said, "Let's get going while we still have the chance."

"Right," The others replied. Riku then turned to Triiken.

"Triiken," he stalled for a moment. "I never thought that I'd hear myself say this, but…good luck and make sure not to get killed."

"Your concern is pleasing, Noctin Tilandir," Triiken replied. "But it is also unnecessary. I will win."

"Don't get too confident, Arinario!" Durovano chuckled. "Only the true shall be the victors." Triiken addressed Riku without breaking eye contact with the other Gatlers.

"Go now and leave these two to me."-

"Right," Riku turned to his friends. "Sora, Kairi, you guys, let's go."

"Yeah," the team replied.

They quickly scurried to the other side of the chamber. As they did, they kept their guards up against King and Durovano, in case they decided to attack them suddenly. Even with Triiken's assuring words, they were still taking precautions of their own. As they passed, Durovano spoke out to them.

"Make no mistake about this, key bearers." He said, "Once Triiken is dead, then you will be next."

"We'll be waiting then." Sora growled. "That is if you manage to get passed Triiken, the true Gatler General."

No further word was spoken. Riku and Sora unleashed their keyblades and deactivated another lock. The doors opened and the team continued on into another black marble hall, this one twice as long as the prior hall. Of them all, Sora was the only one to look back. The doors closed behind them, leaving Triiken alone against his old comrades.

"Now gentlemen," Triiken declared, "shall we begin?"

"Why not…?" Durovano said. He drew out his saber. King also unsheathed his rapier. "This shouldn't take too long. Although it is really a pity you did not allow your comrades the pleasure of staying to watch you in your final moments."

"Who would have ever thought that you would be so concerned for their safety and well being though, letting them go ahead of you while you stay here and so willfully battle us voluntarily." King added with a slight chuckle.

"It just goes to show how little you actually know about me." Triiken implied. "You know the strategic logistics behind my decision to remain behind, but not my reason. The sentiment that the KH team holds for my safety would only prove a hindrance. Ergo, it is best not to have such individuals present. Riku and Sora have high regards for life and the lives of people, whether they are friends or foes, which is why their death score is at an extreme minimum when engaged in battle. Just one death ways heavily on their consciousness. But that is the great sacrifice we must all make in war, just as the esteemed Gatlers had done during the reign of His Late Excellency Lord Vischerz Von Cavendish. It is what is expected and emotions can play no part in it. One must become cold and at times soulless in order to successfully fulfill their orders without having thoughts of regret fill their mind. I do not dwell on the importance of life and lives lost prior to now like Riku and Sora. Death comes to us all. It is always a matter of when and how. But the most important fact is why. And as a Gatler General, my reason is simply this. 'Exmortin en quenchai un quency.' That is the true essence of a Gatler."

"You are in no position to be stating our quota." Durovano growled, "Since it is you who are the traitor."

"You commit blasphemy by taking that motto as your own." King added. "You are not worthy enough to call yourself a Gatler General."

"No more than you." Triiken mocked so calmly, "You who have been forged from the genetic code of individuals long since dead."

"That may be true, but at least we're more Imperial than you are!"-

"You're replicas of my comrades, nothing more. Hence, you know not what it means to be true Imperials."-

"Let us see then." Durovano declared. "Have at you!"

The two Gatler Generals attacked Triiken with sudden brute force. However, by keeping his eyes upon them, he was easily able to counter. Back and forth throughout the entire chamber, they fought, slashing, winging, thrusting, etc. However, Triiken was just one step ahead of the competition. But even so, Durovano and King proved formidable in their stride.

"This is excellent." Triiken thought to himself. "I haven't had a battle like this for some time now."

All the while, Riku, Sora, and the others were continuing down the third hall.

"Man," Sora said, "This hall is even longer than the other two."

"Do you think Triiken will be alright?" Kairi asked.

"Most likely," Riku replied. "He's not the type to so easily falter."

"But King and Durovano are Gatlers too." Sora said. "And what I can remember of them, they pack just as big a wallop."

"You have a point there, Sora. However, there is one thing that sways in Triiken's favor."-

"What's that?"-

"He's the real deal."-

"You got a point there."-

Just then something appeared at the end of the hall, forcing the team to halt.

"Something's coming." Mickey shouted.

"It's an immense power too." Donald added.

Sure enough, appearing before them were members of the Immortal Guard. Twenty this time.

"Great," Sora grumbled. "More of these guys."

"We can't afford to waste any time." Riku declared. "Defeat them as quickly as you can without using up a great deal of energy."

"Let's hope that they're third generation novices."-

The Immortals charged in and again the KH team engaged.

In the meantime, after five minutes of intense brawling, none of the three Gatlers were stricken with any wounds. Triiken broke off from King and Durovano. Their swords still glimmering in the bright light.

"You certainly are more impressive than I what I prior believed." Triiken declared. "But I would expect nothing less out of you."

"We could also say the same about you." Durovano added. "You have vastly improved. The Axis could use someone like you to side with them." Durovano lowered his blade. "Why continue this charade, old friend. You are still an Imperial at heart. We don't have to fight."

"That's right," General King agreed. "We're all Gatlers and followers of the Imperial regime. We shouldn't fight amongst ourselves."

"Why don't you join us, Triiken? Drop this act of being the Alliance's lapdog and be held with high regards and recognition within the Imperial Axis. With us together, we could pull the regime from out of the gutter and return it to its former glory."-

There was a sudden silence between the two sides. Triiken lowered his head as if in deep thought. No one knows what was going through his mind, but no doubt he was speculating on what path to take.

"You do have a point." Triiken implied as he raised his eyes to his old brothers in arms. "To restore the Imperial regime and see it as it was at the height of its success is something that I wish to see again. However, those days are dead and can no longer be brought back." The duo was shocked at this declaration.

"What do you mean those days are dead?" King asked. "They're not dead! They just need a little help that's all."

"To become what after that…? It'll just become another battleground for head officers to fight over."-

"I cannot believe that you would be saying such things in front of us, Triiken." Durovano growled. "You were the most loyal of Imperials. Yet why do you stand here opposing what you came to love and serve with great dedication in favor of the one organization that you have despised since the day you became a Gatler General?"

"That's quite simple." Triiken explained. "After what I've seen from these present Three Excellencies, they don't have it in their right mind to unite themselves. They only hope to secure their place in power and then eliminate the competition when the right opportunity presents itself. Lord Admiral Delorion Rellantando has made such an opportunity open to him. He has now taken hold of the entire Imperial regime. He has thus betrayed the trust of his fellow Imperials and has forced the Axis to begin its long downward spiral."

"Well, that may be so." King declared, "But at least he is one to uphold the Imperial regime and the dreams of His Late Excellency Lord Cavendish." These words caused Triiken to grip his sword tighter.

"Do not compare that Kambrian upstart with His Late Excellency. The contrast between them is far different. Unlike His Late Excellency, Rellantando has no intention of permitting others to share his power. And such a regime ruled by one ambitious individual is one that is destined to fragment and dissolve within a decade or so. And a man who can so easily betray his comrades is not one to be trusted. He is a traitor, he's committed treason, and he has further spread the chaos."-

"So answer me this, Triiken." Durovano declared. "Why is it that you would so graciously accept the Alliance as your employer?"

"The explanation is quite simple." Triiken began. "Despite what you said, I do not consider myself a lapdog of the Alliance. They know this as well. I am allowed to take on any course of action that I see fit. However, the actions I take are specifically to ensure that the Alliance stays in power and remains true to its word. The reason behind this is obvious. I take my orders from a former enemy in order to prevent the chaos from arising. That was the Imperial quota I forged for myself and I stick by it. Those who would dare perpetuate the chaos must be eliminated without question."

"But these are former comrades you battle."-

"All the greater the insult…These boys fight only for the sake of revenge ever since the Great Resurrection denied their loved ones a second life. They only know what it means to be an Imperial by what they've learned from their families and peers. But they know not what it truly means to be an Imperial." Triiken smirked. "The same goes for you two. Just because you bare the uniforms of my former comrades and have the same data based knowledge as they does not make you Imperials."

"Damn you Triiken," King shouted, "You dare to question our integrity?!"

"What integrity would that be? You have none as far as I'm concerned."-

"Why you,"-

"Save you energy, King." Durovano said. "Triiken only wants us to prove that we are true Imperials and are worthy of being his equals. If that be the case, then let us show him what it means to be a true Imperial. Let us show him that new strategy we've been working on for just such an occasion."

"Yes,"-

"A new strategy…?" Triiken was curious. "You've been contemplating a new technique have you?"

"It's one that King and I had specifically conjured up in order to battle a foe and quickly defeat them." Durovano said. "We call it the Thunderous Torrent."

"Interesting title, but can it prove just as formidable as you say it is?"-

"That and more…"-

"Then let me see this new tactic of yours and hopefully I might be impressed by what I see."-

"Witness for your self," King chuckled. "You'll be surprised that we do more than just fight with our blades."

Suddenly, King vanished from sight. Triiken was rather surprised. Suddenly, the general appeared to his right, his rapier thrust before him. Triiken immediately dodged, but again King vanished. He appeared once again and thrust forward. Triiken again dodged, but this time by an extremely narrow margin.

"How did become so fast?" Triiken thought to himself. "King was never capable to using speed like this. But then again, this is an upgraded clone I'm battling."

Again King vanished only to appear again as quickly as he disappeared. Triiken tried to evade, but this time it was not fast enough. The blade struck its mark, cutting him upon the shoulder. Though the wound was shallow, it left Triiken rather spellbound. King halted his onslaught to praise himself.

"So what do you think?" King chuckled. "My speed is equal to your own now."

"I must say that it is impressive," Triiken chuckled. "However, that's not all you have in store for me is it?"

"That depends upon your point of view."-

"You are swift, but not quite up there to match my speed, not so long as I have the power of the Noctin Exmortin as my trump card."-

"Your famous signature move," King said.

"His only move you mean." Durovano chuckled. "We know you Triiken. The Noctin Exmortin is the only attack you really know. No doubt it has its benefits, but if that's all you've been concentrating on, then there's no chance in hell that you will win against us. We know of its weaknesses and of the factors that make that thrust attack so deadly."

"However, you know nothing about us. You know nothing of what we have gained. Therefore, the cards are stacked against you."-

"It's not like the first time this has happened." Triiken replied. "But I have more than enough confidence to extinguish you both." He turned to Octavian. "You might think you have the advantage over me, but then again you may be wrong."

"Why should we be wrong?" King asked. "We know everything about you. We are old comrades after all."

"No, you are just simulated essences meant to copy old comrades. You can be no more than that." This statement angered King.

"How dare you. Are you saying I cannot be anything more than just a copy?"-

"That's exactly what I'm saying."-

"We will prove you wrong then, old friend." Durovano declared.

"Let's have at him!" King shouted. Using his speed again, he attacked Triiken from all directions. However, this time, Triiken seemed to be able to predict every attack that he made. This shocked the young general.

"He's predicting my moves." King uttered to himself. "My ultimate speed and he's predicting it? But how did he catch on so fast?"

"Just as expected," Durovano sighed. "Triiken's power of observation has allowed him to gain the upper hand over King. That's possibly the one strongest asset he has. And it is one that we can't deprive him of unless in death."

"I told you that you were no match for my speed King." Triiken declared. "The only reason that you were able to catch me off guard in the first place was because I wasn't expecting you of all people excel that fast. Speed was never your strong point."

"Damn you Triiken." King growled.

"So much for this great strategy of yours, I was expecting a little more out of you."-

"Is that so? Well, let's put your own speed to the test."-

King started to excel faster than ever before. The two would bounce off the walls and fly mid air, trying to keep up with one another. At the same time, they would clash with their swords, causing flashes and sparks to illuminate for an eye's blink all about the chamber. Durovano was astounded, seeing this display of skill.

"Not bad Triiken." He chuckled. "You're keeping up with King. That is most impressive."

Pretty soon, the two former comrades halted their attacks and split off from the combat. They stood glaring at each other. But it was King who was the most frustrated. Though his face didn't show it, there was a fire in his eyes.

"I can't believe it." He thought. "I thought I had Triiken going there for a moment. I thought I had him beat. But he was making me play the idiot. How could I not see that?"

"You seem a little frustrated." Triiken said. "Were you surprised about how I was able to maintain an equal stride with you? And I thought you knew everything about me."

"Why you…"-

"Calm down, Octavian," Durovano shouted. "He's just trying to befuddle you."

"General Durovano…"-

"Remember, the full extent of Thunderous Torrent has not been fully unleashed."-

"Oh yeah…" King's stress turned to exuberance thanks to the reassuring words of his comrades. He then smirked at Triiken. "That's right Triiken. We still have a few surprises left in store for you."

"Well," Triiken said, "From what I've witnessed so far of your new tactic, I'm not very impressed."

"You keep thinking that, Triiken. You'll soon regret the extent of your imbecility."-

"Impress me then."-

King took to the air. Triiken immediately followed their after. The two once again did combat in the same manner as they had before. Back and forth, they fought, trying to hack away at each other with their swords.

"Please Octavian," Triiken grumbled, "Are we going to play that little game again?"

But King suddenly gave a malevolent smirk. Then, from the corner of his eye, Triiken saw what King was smirking at. From his flank three energy waves rushed at him. Triiken dodged one and cut through the second. But the third had managed to clip him on the right forearm, creating another shallow wound. Triiken looked to see where they came from. To his shock, it was Durovano who deployed them.

"You didn't forget about me did you, Triiken?" he snickered.

"Durovano…"-

"Hey, keep your guard up!" King shouted. Triiken looked to see his old comrade rushing at him with sword extended all the way to the front. Triiken evaded by a narrow margin. King turned to face him. "It just goes to show that you're not all hot stuff."

"It is remarkable that you are able to keep up with Octavian." Durovano added. "But I also notice that you concentrate a lot on him, which indicates to me that you are just as stressed as he is when it comes to speed. However, I can prove the deciding factor by striking you down."

"I see," Triiken said. "So you've conjured up a cooperative strategy."

"That's why we call it the Thunderous Torrent." King said. "You may be equal in speed to me, but what good is it when you're trying to concentrate on two enemies at once?!"

King once again attacked and Triiken had no other choice, but to react. However, now Durovano was aiding King by unleashing long range energy cuts through the air with his sword. And Durovano did not stay in one place. He kept moving around, not only to confuse Triiken and have the stress wear heavily on his mind, but also to prevent Triiken from trying to target him. At the same time, he unleashed his energy slashes at coordinated intervals so as not to put King in any danger. All the while, King kept up his attacks, slicing away and not having to worry about Durovano accidentally striking at him. Thus, his movements were well coordinated, for just such a precaution. This gave Triiken a far more challenging fight to engage in. Not only did he have to worry about being struck up close, but from afar as well.

"Their strategy is flawless." Triiken thought to himself. "They are well in synch with one another. Durovano makes sure not to deploy his attacks in a way that would hinder King. He hopes to maim me from afar. At the same time, King comes in hoping to deliver a final or fatal blow. And with me having to battle against two elements as skilled as them, enhanced clones for that matter, this fight will prove to be one of my toughest." Triiken smirked. "But then again, I too have a few little surprises in store for them."

Triiken broke off from the fight and withdrew for the time being. He emerged from the fight with a few more shallow wounds, but nothing fatal. He placed himself into a position where neither King nor Durovano could have an easy strike at him. King and Durovano settled side by side.

"I think he's actually wearing out." King chuckled.

"I guess Triiken was all talk." Durovano added. He addressed Triiken. "Make this easier on yourself, old friend, and just surrender!"

"Surrender and we might think about giving you a mercy killing instead of a traitor's death."-

"Surrendering sounds like a nice option." Triiken replied. "However, a true Imperial never falters in the face of adversity."

"Ha, are you still gnawing away at that bone? You don't deserve to call yourself an Imperial."-

"I have every right to. I have earned that right to be known as a true Imperial unlike you and your comrades."-

"And what makes you think that we and our comrades aren't true Imperials either?"-

"If your comrades were true Imperials, then Cetorburg might not have fallen." Triiken smirked. "As for you two, you aren't Imperials at all. You should consider yourselves less than grime at the bottom of my boot."

"What was that…?" King was again getting riled up.

"Easy King..." Durovano beseeched.

"You think that just because you've excelled in this new strength, that makes you a true Imperial?" Triiken scoffed. "Don't make me laugh. You two are simply simulated beings, nothing more. You may think that you're Imperials, but you're really not. That is what you have been programmed to think. For all I know, you were just formed from some kind of paper doll or wax manikin and had the information of deceased comrades placed in your make-up."

"Shut up…" King growled.

"Easy King," Durovano repeated sternly. "He's just trying to get at you."

"That's quite alright, Durovano." Triiken continued his mock. "Let King go all out if he wants to prove something to me."

"You might not be aware of this, but we are the ones who are winning."-

"It's not all about winning, old friend."-

"Isn't it interesting how losers always say that before they fail?"-

"Losers eh, like you're in any position to talk with that upstart and pathetic excuse of a lord you follow." It was these words that caused even Durovano to cringe. "Sirius Viicous is nothing, but a sniveling little rat that has no courage whatsoever to face against real warriors. Instead, he sulks somewhere in the darkness, hoping that no one would find him."

"Silence you…!" Durovano blasted out. "I will not have you mouthing off against His Excellency Lord Sirius Viicous like that!"-

"Is that so, Durovano? You are willing to back up a spineless punk that places his own desires of revenge before the cause? You're actually willing to call an incompetent individual like that 'His Excellency?' How pathetic…!"-

"Shut your mouth!" King roared.

"As far as I'm concerned, the only ones truly worthy of bearing that title are His Late Excellency Lord Vischerz Von Cavendish, His Late Excellency Lord Dextera Viro, and His Late Excellency Lord Drako Arakis. Those were the only men worthy enough to lead a power as grand as the Dark Empire. They knew what it meant and knew what it took to lead. That was the true Imperial regime. Not like this mockery of upstart youths of Imperial families who are still sulking just because their mommies and daddies weren't brought back from the dead during the Great Resurrection. They simulate a cheap imitation mob rather than a real Imperial regime. They have no idea what it means to be a true Imperial."-

"That's enough!" Durovano shouted. "You dare to mock the good name of His Excellency Lord Sirius Viicous? I will not tolerate it, even from the likes of you."

"Sirius Viicous has no business to call himself 'His Excellency.' And if you think he has, then you are just as blind and stupid to believe so!"-

"I've had enough of your mouth!" King roared. He did not hesitate anymore and rushed at Triiken in blind rage. "I'll kill you now and then you won't be able to make a mockery of His Excellency!"

"King, you fool!" Durovano shouted, beckoning him back. "Don't charge at him like that!"

"Idiot," Triiken chuckled. "And they say I don't know anything about them." Triiken formed the stance for the Noctin Exmortin. The moment he made the stance, he charged. There was a flash of light, a clang of steel, and cutting of flesh. Within less then five seconds, the fight was over. The two stood opposite each other, not one wavering. However, the identity of the winner was obvious.

Upon Triiken's blade was a black residue, like ink or oil. Then, King suddenly collapsed. His body then began to dissipate and vanish into the darkness in a steaming cloud of mist. Moments later, he vanished from sight.

"And thus," Triiken said, "I have denied him his entire false existence."

"Octavian," Durovano uttered. He glared at Triiken. "You traitor, you killed him!"

"So you say I have no knowledge of you, eh? Well, it looks like I know more about you than what you earlier thought."-

"What do you mean?"-

"As clones, you have inherited a great deal of characteristics from those whom you are supposed to assimilate. You have the same skills, the same strength, and the same cunning as well as a similar way of thinking as the original. And because of the process that was used to create you, your beings were enhanced with greater strength than what would have been expected from the original self. However, with these assets there also comes simulation in emotion. As replicas, you also share the emotional stresses and bonds of the originals. I knew from past experiences that each and every one of us had a different role and a different way of thinking." Triiken lowered his blade.

"You were one who excelled in the use of strategy and intellectual battle tactics, which made you one of the highest and most efficient officers within the Cavendish era. I excelled by means of my speed and my own cunning, including psychological torture and deception. And Octavian, being the youngest of the three, depended mostly on his brute strength and physical power to decide the outcome of battles. However, with pros, there are always cons."

"And what is that?" Durovano asked.

"King, despite his strength and newly achieved speed, still had that same emotional disposition. He was not one to accept failure, tolerate insults, or hear of ideals that countered everything that he and his comrades stood for. Therefore, he was at most times very hotheaded and short tempered. It is do to this disposition, that King grows excessively angry and blind with rage. Thus, he charges forward without conjuring up a strategy or even thinking twice of the consequences that awaited him. I took this to my advantage when I realized he, despite being a replica, had that same flaw in his mind. I thus pushed Octavian to the point where he could no longer maintain his anger and would charge head on, blindly and with no thought of how the outcome may conclude. But as you can see, we know the end result. I was rather skeptical at first on whether that plan would work. But as far as I can see, that was a plot well thought up."-

"You…" Durovano's fists gripped tightly. "And what of me…? Is there anything you know about me?"

"As for you, Marcus, though you are excessively extraordinary in creating strategies, you fall apart when things don't go according to the plan. Thus, you start to freak out and become easy prey. That is what your weakness is. That is the same flaw that led to the inevitable death of your original."-

"Triiken…"

"I have also concluded that you two were recent additions to Sirius' army. The reason being is because you knew so much about me and believed that you could win without any real problems. The only downside to this is because you had concentrated on me and my strength, you had no time to think about your own flaws. But your data make-up should have given you forewarning that I am a master when it comes to deception." Triiken raised his sword. "Now I wonder, Durovano, exactly what will you do and how long will you last now that you're alone?"

"I don't stand a chance against him on my own." Durovano thought to himself. "I still can't understand how quickly Triiken was able to defeat King. I thought our strategy was flawless. How could I have been so dense as to forget the psychological element in this situation?"

"Well, are you going to battle or back down, Durovano? Either way, your faulty being will fall this day. However, if you are a real Imperial, you should be willing to fight to the end."-

"This might work to my advantage." Durovano said inwardly. He then openly declared. "If you are a true Imperial, Triiken, then you will accept a final duel with me!"

"A duel, eh? Sounds interesting…" Triiken lowered his blade again. "And what are your terms. We decide who is a true Imperial and who is worthy enough to maintain their existence through this final test of strength." Durovano raised his sword.

"A head on attack is what I am proposing! No tricks, no long ranged energy attacks, just a simple clash with our blades. The one left standing shall be the one who deserves to live!"-

"Very well," Triiken suddenly crouched slightly, creating the famous stance for the Noctin Exmortin. "Then I shall duel you with this, my signature move. It would be a proper death for you. However, I will use it to its full strength, no holding back."

"Is that so? Then so be it." Both combatants took their stances.

"This may work out a lot better for me than I had anticipated." Durovano thought to himself. "Triiken is going to use his signature attack against me, the fool. This is a life and death situation, however. I will not be the one to fall this day." Durovano slowly concentrated the power at the edge of his sword. "No one is here to witness this fight, so no one will care if I break the rules of this duel a little bit. Besides, a traitor doesn't deserve such leniency. This next attack will cut him to pieces and he'll never even see it coming. He won't be able to use a direct thrust attack at that range and with such an obstacle to bar him."

"Let us fight and see who is truly worthy of being an Imperial." Triiken declared. He suddenly lunged forward against Durovano. It seemed that Durovano's little deception was about to result in the slashing and mangling of an old comrade.

"You fool," he shouted, "You fell for it!"

Durovano suddenly unleashed a barrage of energy waves that rushed full speed through the air, about to strike Triiken in the midst of his stride. It seemed immediate victory for the Gatler replica.

But Triiken seemed to anticipate the attack. He thrust his sword forward. But as he did, he unleashed his own energy. This energy was deployed in the form of a domed energy barrier what bellowed from the tip of his sword and flew no more than an inch or two away. Durovano's energy slashes were deflected or absorbed within the moment of impact.

"What the," Durovano uttered, "It can't be!" He drew up his word, but all in vain.

The energy struck him. Then there came a flash of light and a sound of scraping metal and piercing flesh. The next moment, Durovano found him self pierced through the chest by Triiken's sword and was now pinned to the wall. From his wound gushed black blood, shadowy and foreboding like an eerie fog.

Triiken was successful in his attack, but not without his own maiming. To his misfortune, Durovano was able to pierce his left leg and red blood dripped upon his trousers.

"Not bad, Marcus," Triiken chuckled, wiping the existence of the wound out of his mind as if there was nothing there to begin with. "You did better than I perceived. You managed to break through my shield and wound me."

"You bastard…" Durovano uttered. "You defied the rules. You weren't supposed to use long range energy attacks."

"You are not in any position to be mouthing off to me of rule defiance since you were the one who defied them from the start. Besides, the energy didn't pass one inch from the tip of my sword. Hence, I would seldom call that a long ranged energy attack."-

"But how could the Noctin Exmortin have that capability."-

"You should be honored. You are the first one to ever witness that attack. I was hoping to save it for a special occasion. I hoped to use it for the first time against Noctin Tilandir when we waged another life and death match, but you'll do just as well. It was a new stage of the Noctin Exmortin preferably designed to repulse any long range attacks that may try to hinder my thrust. The shield nullifies all incoming energy and deflects any incoming object. To add, I concentrated the power so it takes on a dome shape. Thus, even an attack from the extreme flank is repulsed. Thus, I'd be able to deploy the Noctin Exmortin and not have to worry about being hindered by the foe. Although I must say I'm impressed that you were able to wound me as you did."-

"But how…?" Durovano's voice began to waver. "How could I have lost to you, a traitor? You are no longer a servant of the Imperial regime."

"As I sad before, it takes more than just a uniform and a favoring opinion that makes you an Imperial. Being a replica, you don't know what it means to be a true up keeper of Imperial ideals. You must gain experience and find your quota, one that you hold personally, not by what others say, but by your own accord. You must be willing to accept death, defeat, and loss without hindrance. Only then will you be a true Imperial. But since your ideals were modified along with your body, the process of becoming such a person is a sensation that you will never know."-

"But how could you simply betray what we all stood for?"-

"My personal quota is to end the chaos and eliminate all those who wish to reignite it. And as far as I can see, the Imperial Axis was the one to spark it. Therefore, I carry out my vow to extinguish those who wreak havoc as an Imperial of the Alliance." Triiken looked at Durovano's dying eyes. "Besides, anyone who has the audacity to put their personal desires before the cause is not only pathetic, but has no right to take lead of that cause."

"You are truly a foolish man, Arinario." Durovano gasped in a last chuckle. His body began to undergo the same stages as King's did, slowly vanishing into nothing. "You think that you can continue with your quota and live to see its end result? There will always be chaos and neither you, nor the key bearers, nor the whole of the Alliance could ever stop it from arising again. How far do you think you can go? And what achievements will you gain by that incomprehensible quota to end the chaos…?"

With that, Durovano slipped into death and slumped upon the sword still impaled in his chest. He slowly disappeared into the shadows until not even his blood remained on the blade of Triiken's sword. In the end, only his saber remained. Triiken gave no tear or thought of regret. He only scoffed.

"I will remain by that quota until the day I am relieved of my life and my duties." He boldly stated.

Around this same time, as the duel against the Gatler Generals was coming to a close, Riku, Sora, and the others had a hell of a time battling against the Immortals. These were not like the earlier Immortals they confronted. They were more experienced and proved more bothersome than any of those prior.

Though the team emerged from the attacks without a scratch, they were left slightly weary and in rather a shock. The danger ended by the time they reached the next door at the very end of the long hall.

"I can't even see the other side of the chamber anymore." Goofy said.

"That doesn't matter right now." Donald replied. "We have these doors to go through."

"Sora," Riku looked at his friend.

"Let's do it." Sora responded. They drew up their keyblades and aimed for the keyhole at the center of the door. Their intertwining energy waves were deployed and struck the lock. The mechanism was activated and the doors slowly opened with the same roar and crackling electrical surges as they had before.

Once again, the team found them in another white marble chamber. This one was a large dome and at least three times bigger than those prior.

"I wonder if we'll meet another foe here." Kairi wondered.

"I hope not." Donald replied. "I'm still trying to recover from that attack by the Immortals."

"Stay focused," Riku implied. "No doubt there is someone waiting in here for us."

The doors closed behind the team, sealing them in. They sensed about the room, thinking that an enemy would be present. But there was no sign of danger, no sound of anyone approaching. It was a dead silence. The only thing that could be heard was their footsteps.

"No one's here." Goofy said. "Maybe they ran out of guys to fight us."

"I don't know." Sora told him. "It just doesn't seem right. I feel kind of uneasy."

"There is a force here alright." Riku explained. "It's a dark an ominous presence and it's making me feel somewhat on edge too."

"Who do you think it is?" Donald asked.

"I don't know."-

"I think I do." Sora said.

"You do?"-

"Do you know who it is, Sora?" Kairi inquired.

"I don't know where I've felt this strange feeling before," Sora continued, "But it seems all too familiar."

Sure enough, the enemy made itself known. A bright orb light suddenly appeared at the center of the chamber and descended before the team. Unlike most light, this light seemed foreboding and dark, despite its bright luminance. It hovered for a moment of two before touching down. Slowly the light dissipated. As it did, an individual emerged, which caused Sora's blood to run cold.

He was a tall man, slender in body, but macho in appearance with the steel shoulder guards on his black trench. His silvery hair fell in long locks fore and aft of head, his aqua green eyes piercing through the strands, dark and cold. Upon his right shoulder was a raven's wing, like that of the tainted that had fallen from grace. Gripped tightly in his hand, an elongated blade, sleek yet menacing all at once.

"It's him," Sora's eyes widened and his knees almost gave way. The sweat of apprehension appeared on his temples. Riku looked at his friend then looked at the man who confronted them.

"That's the guy then?" Riku asked.

"Yes,"-

"Of all the enemies we have to fight," Donald shivered, "It has to be him."

"Who is he?" Kairi asked.

"The one man that I wished I never would have had to face again." Sora replied. "The one winged angle…

Sephiroth…"


	134. The One Winged Angel

The One Winged Angel

A strange silence now reverberated in the chamber as the KH team once again stood face to face with Sephiroth, the scourge of the dark realm, a true and tragic villain as ever there was.

"I never thought that we would end up crossing each others' paths again, Sephiroth." Sora said, breaking the silence.

"It was destiny that intertwined our fates together." Sephiroth replied. "This time, we will settle a long delayed battle and see who is truly worthy of leading a continuing existence. Will the light emerge from the darkness, or will it be consumed in eternal shadows?"

"Then, let me ask you this. What offer did Sirius Viicous make to you that earned your favor for him?" Sephiroth paused for a moment or two. He then smirked.

"For the first time in my long existence, I have never met an individual equally consumed by the darkness as I. Therefore, our goals are the same, to smother all worlds in everlasting darkness. Therefore, I am here on my own accord."-

"Then I'll be brief. Will you stand aside, or fight?"-

"Don't waste your breath, Sora." Riku said. "You should already know what his decision will be. However, no doubt he was sent only to act as a deterrent to slow us down for the time being."

"You must be the famous Noctin Tilandir." Sephiroth implied. "You seem pretty sure of yourself. Well, for your information, friend, Sirius Viicous has given me full liberty of dispensing with you."

"Is that so?" Riku stood before the team, confronting the one winged angel solo. "Sora's told me a great deal about you."

"Riku," Sora uttered, wanting to stop his friend.

"He's told me that you're one of the toughest opponents he ever faced. But I wonder if that's true."-

"Mind what you say, Riku. He's far more dangerous than he seems. This is the same guy who gave Cloud Strife a run for his money."-

"That may be, Sora. But as far as I can see, this guy has no intention of backing down. He wants to fight us. And by the look in his eyes, he wants to kill us. Therefore, we have no other choice, but to battle."-

"Your friend has a point, Sora." Sephiroth advised. "I have no intention of allowing you any further. I will eliminate your defiant little band here and now." Sora was a little apprehensive. He looked at Riku who stood like a rock.

"Alright, Riku," Sora whispered, "We know his plan and have no choice, but to fight him."

"But the question is who's gonna fight him?" Donald inquired from behind.

"I don't think we have enough energy left to battle that guy." Goofy added.

"Not even that's the case." Mickey said. "The three of us combined wouldn't stand a chance against him. That dark energy resonating from Sephiroth…I can't even come close to it. He's way out of our league. And to have ourselves in this weakened state, he'd not only topple us without much effort, he'd annihilate us?"

"You guys don't have to worry about that." Sora said. "I'll fight him." The team was shocked.

"But Sora," Kairi uttered, "You can't."

"I have to, Kairi. Mickey and the others are in no condition to be engaging against a foe of this caliber. And I don't want you and Riku to get involved either."-

"Sora," Riku interjected, "You don't have to do this. I'll fight him. You've always spoken about how intense this guy is in a brawl. I would like to know how it feels for my self."

"No, Riku. You need all of your strength to fight against Sirius Viicous remember?'-

"That may be so, but I'm not going to have you fighting this guy alone. If you want we'll take him together."-

"But Riku,"-

"We're just as concerned about your safety as you are about ours. Don't let yourself be burdened with all the weight."-

"That's right, Sora." Kairi added. Sora, awed by his friends' courage and support, could only smile.

"Thanks you guys." He uttered.

"Enough with your sentimental rubbish," Sephiroth declared, "I don't care if you send in one combatant, or you send in the lot. I will emerge the victor in the end."

"Alright," Riku said, "Sora and I will take care of him."

"Are you sure, Riku?" Sora asked.

"For one thing, we won't waste as much energy fighting as a duo. Besides, there are still a couple of potion vials that can revive us should the worst happen."-

"Good point," Riku looked over at Kairi and the others.

"You four stay back and let us handle this."-

"Mickey, Donald, Goofy, make sure to keep Kairi safe." Sora declared.

"Understood," Mickey replied.

"You ready for this, Sora?" Riku asked.

"Let's get it on." Sora said. The duo drew forward.

"Only the two of you, eh…?' Sephiroth scoffed. "Oh well, I can handle it."

"Make sure to keep yourself reserved, Sora." Riku implied. "Don't use any techniques that'll drain your energy too quickly."

"Right," Sora replied. "But be careful, Riku. Sephiroth is known to strike hard and without warning. And above all, don't be targeted by his 'Sin Heartless Angel' technique."

"Sin Heartless Angel…?"-

"That's a technique that he uses to drain a foe of all their power, making them helpless. That way he goes in for the kill without fear of retaliation."-

"No way,"-

"Yeah, so just be careful."-

"How often does he use that technique?"-

"It's a rare occurrence, but highly deadly."-

"Right…"-

"Shall we begin, Gentlemen?" Sephiroth imposed. "Let us see if your keyblades will remain faithful to you when you are no longer standing."

"Let's go!" Sora shouted. "Bring it on!"

"Confident aren't we. Then allow me the privilege of starting us off."-

Suddenly, Sephiroth vanished and reappeared behind the duo in a finishing slash attack. Riku and Sora quickly reacted as they felt the surge of a dozen or so deadly blows coming down on them. They blocked and deflected to the best of their abilities and the aftershock left them spellbound.

"What was that?" Riku thought to himself. "How could he have struck all those blows after reappearing?"

"That speed," Sora uttered, "It's unrivaled."

"Impressive," Sephiroth chuckled. "You managed to block all of my attacks. Not bad considering that I wasn't holding back. This should be more entertaining than I expected."

Sephiroth vanished again. Riku and Sora were quick to jump and vanished from sight. The pounding of their combat could be heard, echoing like rolling thunder within the chamber. The sparks from their impacting blades flashed like lightning. But alas, their physical bodies could not be seen.

Kairi and the others tried to feel them out, but to no avail. The three opponents were just too fast for them to keep up.

"I can't believe this." Mickey said. "Are you seeing this?"

"I can't see it period." Donald replied.

"They're moving so fast." Kairi explained, "So fast our eyes can't register. Even when trying to sense out their individual entities, they seem only a blur."

The four could only watch as best they could and prayed that their boys would emerge on top. Unseen to the naked eye, there was a well orchestrated clash of titans. Sephiroth's blade, despite its length, was sleek and swift in means of its effectiveness and grace, matching even the excelled speed of Riku and Sora. Like dancers upon a stage, their movements were elegant and unwavering as if their moves had been rehearsed time and time again.

Of the three, Sephiroth was the one who was most impressed by the skills of his adversaries. His soul was filled with resilience at the thought of doing battle with such intensity.

"This is quite exhilarating," he thought to himself. "I haven't had a battle like this for a long time."

"Try this on!" Riku shouted, unleashing the power of his Cinder Canister. The fiery spheres rushed at Sephiroth, following him wherever he went. At the same time he had to undergo a series of rush attacks by both key bearers. Using his Meteor tactic, he sent burly slabs of stone towards the incoming orbs of the Cinder Canister. There were a series of explosions, but not enough to halt the onslaught.

"Let's see you handle this!" Sora shouted. He unleashed the Twister Strike, creating a powerful tornado to spin within the chamber, sucking everything into its vortex.

Kairi and the others quickly took shelter behind one of the marble pillars and watched the chaos unfold before them.

"This is incredible." She said.

"This is intense.' Goofy added.

"What the heck is Sora trying to do?" Donald asked. "That whirlwind of his is going to suck us all in!"

"Hold on, you guys!" Mickey cried.

Amidst the fight, Sephiroth only smiled at the havoc the tornado made.

"Fools," he said, "That's mere child's play." Using his sword, he unleashed a force that struck the twister and dissolved its devastating eye at the moment of impact. Sora was awestruck.

"Incredible," he said.

"You've improved a great deal, Sora. But that's not going to work on me."-

The two key bearers unleashed a great plethora of long range attacks and elemental spells, but they seemed not to hinder the One Winged Angel.

"I can't believe it." Riku thought. "He's deflecting and evading all of our attacks as if they were deployed by rookies."

"We have to think of something, Riku." Sora suggested. "These tactics are not going to work on him."

"We'll just have to find some way to confuse him for a bit."-

"It's my turn now, boys." Sephiroth declared. He began to glow. Then came the appearance of black orbs that surrounded him.

"Oh no," Sora uttered, "It's the Shadow Flare!"

"Shadow Flare…?" Riku asked. There was no time for explanation as Sephiroth deployed the twelve dark orbs at the key bearers.

"We have to evade." Sora pulled at Riku, but Riku's confidence did not falter.

"Remember Sora," he declared, "We have inherited the power of the Immunity Orb. Therefore, no elemental attacks will have any effect on us."

"But Riku,"-

"Stand your ground."-

"I don't know."-

"What fools you are taking my attack head on." Sephiroth chuckled.

To the dismay of the key bearers, what they sensed from the dark orbs was anything, but normal. Riku remained defiant. But as he felt this strange surge, the aspect of his own invulnerability from the effects of the dark element soon plummeted.

"On second thought," he uttered, "Evading might be a good idea."

"Now you tell us that!" Sora shouted. They managed to elude the first swing. One of the orbs actually grazed Riku across the face. The orb left his skin burning with such an infuriatingly and irritating sensation. Another orb grazed Sora's leg and unleashed that same painful sensation.

"This pain," Riku said, "Did it come from those orbs?"

"I knew those things weren't normal." Sora declared. "Those elemental attacks are not like the ones Saber used. These have a dark force behind them. I think Sephiroth might be disguising his energy into the element itself. That's why the orbs are affecting us."

"How about another pass, boys..." Sephiroth chuckled. The twelve orbs swung around and swooped towards the key bearers with incredible speed. This time, the key bearers dared not stand in the way of the spheres. They quickly dodged when they could. Back and forth the orbs would swoop, like the end of a mace connected to the strands of its handle.

"I thought we were completely immune to elemental attacks." Riku uttered. "But somehow Sephiroth has found a way to nullify the effects of the Immunity Orb. Either that, or he's excelled in a power that dwarfs even General Saber's."

"That can't be." Sora said. "Saber was just as tough, yet his elemental skills hadn't affected us at all. But Sephiroth's attack was able to hinder us."

"There must be some kind of explanation for it. But what…?"

"Now's not the time for idle gossip, you two." Sephiroth declared. "Not unless you want to the darkness orbs to tear you apart." The twelve orbs again swooped down. By this time, the key bearing duo was desperate.

"What do we do, Riku?" Sora asked.

"The only thing we can do presently." Riku replied. "Run,"-

The duo sprang to life again and evaded another wave of shadow balls. This time, there was no fooling around. Riku and Sora did all they could to shake of the shadowy manifestations. In the jostle, some of the balls hit the ground while others swooped up and swung about to aim their sights on the key bearers again.

"They're coming again!" Riku cried.

"Look out!" Sora shouted. They evaded again, but by a narrow margin.

"They're pretty good." Sephiroth thought to himself.

"What's the secret behind this attack?" Riku asked as he and Sora halted again.

"This is Sephiroth's Shadow Flare." Sora explained. "It's a similar tactic to your Cinder Canister. Once those dark orbs have locked on to an enemy's aura signature, they can't be shaken off. The only option you have is to destroy them while their in mid-air."

"Damn it…" Riku deployed Cinder Canister again. "Oh well, we'll just have to fight fire with fire." Noctin Tilandir unleashed the fiery spheres. They collided with the dark balls. Again there were explosions, some too close for comfort. A billow of flame and shadow made visibility difficult at points. The duo seemed in the clear.

"Great work, Riku!" Sora cried. But his jubilance was cut short as Sephiroth suddenly appeared before the silver haired youth. Sora tried to warn him. "Riku, look out!" Riku quickly drew up his blade.

Before Sora knew it, he watched as the two went clashing with one another. Their match seemed similar to a civil brawl between siblings or a domestic quarrel between a father and his son. Back and forth, the Sephiroth and Riku battled before catching each other's blades in a dangerous deadlock.

"Oh," Sephiroth said; a smile on his face, "What incredible strength you have, Riku. Where did you gain it?"

"I'm not about to tell you!" Riku shouted.

"Tell me this then. What is it that you cherish the most? Give me the pleasure of taking it away from you."-

"Never," Riku shouted and slashed away again. But to his misfortune, Sephiroth caught an opening made and took the plunge. He cut at Riku's left arm, creating a shallow cut upon his flesh. Riku flinched and cried out, but did not take more time than that to blubber over his wound. Instead, he continued to fight.

"Riku," Sora cried. But his words did not break the concentration of his comrade.

"It'll take more than that to fend me off!" Riku charged at his enemy.

"Try this then." Sephiroth chuckled, "Firaga Wall, my fifteen pillars of fire." He drew up his arm and instantly, a barrier of fire blasted out twenty feet from where he stood. Riku was caught in the explosion and was sent reeling rearwards, being charred and burned at the same time. Both he and Sora were stunned at this result. The fire was actually burning Riku.

"I've been burned?" Riku thought to himself. "But how…?"-

"The fire is actually having an effect on Riku?" Sora said quietly. "But how…? The Immunity Orb should be able to deflect such a basic element. Could it be Sephiroth? Is he using some special type of technique?"

"The Immunity Orb was guaranteed to have the ability to withstand all elemental attacks, even if they are a combination of elemental and inward spiritual strength like what Lu Bu used back in the Imperial capital. But Sephiroth, he's managed to singe me. There must be some hidden secret to his technique."-

However, further mental conjectures were no longer optional. The effects of the firewall now seemed to pull Riku back in. The young man saw himself being drawn back towards the wall of flames.

"It's not over yet, Noctin Tilandir." Sephiroth said with a grin.

"Not again." Riku hastily used an extra boost to keep him far from the inferno. "I can't get burned a second time."

"Riku," Sora jumped up to help his friend. He placed himself next to Riku just as Riku was touching down away from the heat of Sephiroth's flames. "Are you alright…?"

"I should have listened to you, Sora. I'm sorry I didn't take you seriously."-

"What do you mean?"-

"Sephiroth is more powerful than I anticipated him to be."-

"Well, we couldn't have negotiated our way out of this fight. And we're the only two qualified enough to go head to head with him."-

"You're right."-

"How are we going to get at him when we haven't even managed to bang at him once?"-

"We'll just have to conjure up a plan that'll work and put him in his place. But whatever we think up, we better do it fast. This guy's not going to give us any breaks."-

"Riku, Sora," Sephiroth cried, "I've just thought of a brilliant idea." The key bearers glared, not expecting a positive response. Sure enough, such a negative ideal was expressed to them by this SOLDIER commander. "I shall give you despair."

The One Winged Angel advanced again. The two key bearers quickly took to the air. Their adversary soon ensued. They reached mid-air and began to clash again. Their swiftness and agility proved a deciding factor, perhaps being the only element that protected Riku and Sora from the sharpened edge of this mightiest of antagonists.

"I can see now why Lu Bu had such a hard time sparring with this guy." Sora said. "I can't believe that Sephiroth was this strong. I've fought him before, but never like this."

"He's in a completely different class altogether." Riku agreed. "It's like trying to battle against General Saber all over again." The moment those words left his lips, Riku conjured up an interesting plan. So brilliant yet obvious it was, the images within his consciousness caused Riku to grin. "That's it, that's the answer."

"What is…?"-

"We'll just defeat this guy the same way we did Saber."-

"You mean…?"-

"That's right, Sora, your Final Form."-

"But it takes a great deal of energy to do the Final Form and it'll only last for five to ten minutes at the most."-

"That's a risk we should be willing to take. If we do it, then we better end this fight quickly."-

"Well, if you think it'll work,"-

"It has to Sora. This guy can't be any more skilled than Saber."-

"I suppose you're right." Sora's confidence grew stronger. "Alright then, let's fuse."

But before they could prepare themselves for the merging, Sephiroth unleashed his own attack.

"Make ready boys." He said. He thus raised his hand into the air. His palm began to glow. Sora took the liberty to look upon the One Winged Angel just for a precautionary measure. The moment he did and saw the light accumulating from the hand of Sephiroth, he knew what it was. And it was this past knowledge that filled him with a terrible dread.

"Oh no," Sora uttered, "He's going to use it!"

"Sin Heartless Angel," There was a surge in power. Sora could only look on in horror. Then, he heard Riku cry out.

"Sora," he said, "What's happening to me?" Sora looked to see Riku's body suddenly glowing.

"He's targeting Riku." He said in his mind.

As soon as the light appeared, it faded, taking with it all of Riku's strength. Riku fell to his knees gasping as if he had just undergone a strenuous training regimen. His body was numb, his breathing was heavily labored, and the sweat on his brow increased ten fold in their droplets.

"Riku," Sora shouted.

"What happened?" Riku uttered. "I feel so tired."

"Now you will die," Sephiroth declared. He lunged at Riku, hoping to deal a fatal death blow. But before he could, Sora rushed in, grabbed hold of Riku and pulled him away just as Sephiroth's blade drew in to cut them. By the narrowest margin they escaped death and Sora brought Riku to a safe distance. Sephiroth huffed. "Well, I wasn't expecting that."

"Are you alright, Riku?" Sora asked.

"Why do I feel like I have no energy at all?" Riku wondered.

"Sephiroth used the Sin Heartless Angel on you. He sapped all of your strength away. That's the tactic he uses to have an easy finish off. It's a good thing that I managed to get you out of there when I did."-

"So that's it for me then?"-

"No, the energy he sapped is only temporary. You just need a minute or two to regain all of your strength. But from now on, we'll have to stop him before he uses that attack again. Sit out for a while, Riku. Then once you've regained you original power, you should be able to perform the Final Form fuse."-

"You know full well he's not going to give us that chance. In this type of battle, one or two minutes seem an eternity."-

"We have to try. It's the only option we have right now."-

"Right,"-

"No time to rest, boys." Sephiroth shouted as he swooped in for the kill again. He struck down with his sword, but Sora managed to block it. He strained under the weight of the blade, gazing at the shimmering steel no more than a foot from his head.

"I'll hold this guy off for as long as I can." Sora strained. "You have to replenish your strength."

"Gotcha," Riku replied. He quickly withdrew, waiting for his power to rejuvenate. "Just hold on for a little while, Sora."

The other four saw Riku withdrawing from the fight while Sora was off fighting against the One Winged Angel.

"What happened?" Kairi asked. "Why is Riku backing off from the battle?"

"He was struck with Sephiroth's Sin Heartless Angel." Mickey explained. "It's a tactic that nullifies an opponent's strength to almost nothing. When struck and drained by this technique, Riku feels like he's had the life sapped from him. However, the effects are only temporary."

"We have to help them. That Sephiroth guy might just pull another stunt like this on Sora."-

"Sora has had some fighting experience against this guy, so he'll know what to expect."-

"I have to give them a hand." Kairi made an advance, but Mickey grabbed hold of her wrist. "Your Majesty please, my friend's are in trouble."

"They can handle themselves. But if we try to intercede, we'll only be getting in the way. That man is far out of our league. We'd only be acting as conscientious burdens to Riku and Sora. We have to let them do this on their own."-

"Your Majesty,"-

"We may not be able to help in the battle itself, Your Majesty." Donald said with a conniving look in his eye. "But that doesn't bar us from helping in other ways." He looked down the chamber where Riku stood. "Hey Riku,"

Riku looked at his teammates. Donald lifted up his staff and cast the Curaga spell. Within seconds, Riku's body had been replenished of its energy.

"My body," he said. "I feel great again."

"We thought you might need that!"-

"Thanks you guys!" Riku then turned his sights on the battle. "Sora I'm on my way." He lunged into the fight again.

"I thought Curaga wouldn't work though." Kairi asked Donald.

"Curaga doesn't work on physical wounds." Donald replied. "Luckily for us, Sephiroth's technique only drained Riku's energy. Had it been an attempt on Riku's physical body, there would not have been much that we could have done."

It was a good thing that Riku was replenished when he was for at that moment, Sora too was about to be struck with the Sin Heartless Angel.

"You stand no chance against me." Sephiroth said with a calm tone. "Even as you are, you bear only a fraction of my true strength."

"I'd say you're bluffing." Sora replied.

"Well, maybe," Sephiroth suddenly slammed Sora in the face with his elbow. The youth went flying rearward. This gave the One Winged Angel his opportunity. He raised his arm and unleashed the same attack he used on Riku before him. "Now, I don't have to bluff. Now, you are only a fraction of my strength."

Sora saw his body glow.

"No," he uttered, "Not so soon." Just as he landed, he felt the energy drain away from him. His body became heavy, his breathing drew a laboring tone, and sweat dripped from his brow. "This can't be. Riku hasn't even had enough time to fully recover. Sephiroth used the Sin Heartless Angel in a period of only a few seconds.

"Now you will die warrior of light." Sephiroth came in for the kill. And without any real strength left to defend him, Sora found himself as dead.

But hope was rekindled as the blade of the SOLDIER commander reached its target in an overhand slash. Riku suddenly appeared before Sora and blocked the blow. Both Sora and Sephiroth were stunned.

"You…" Sephiroth uttered.

"Keep your filthy hands off him, Sephiroth." Riku growled before pushing the Once Winged Angel away.

"Riku," Sora uttered.

"Are you okay, Sora?"-

"Yeah, I am. But how did you…?"-

"Nothing that a little squirt of Curaga can't fix, you can thank Donald for the boost. I'll take it from here. You get yourself replenished and back on the field."-

"Right," Sora quickly withdrew.

"I don't see how you could have regained your strength so quickly." Sephiroth declared. "The effects should have lasted at least three times longer than it did."

"It just goes to show you that I'm not like the rest you might have fought."-

"Such a confident remark," Sephiroth lowered his weapon. "You have a lot of potential. You are the splitting image of me, young, confident, and skilled. And we have so much more in common. We both embrace the darkness, giving us the distinct features, physical and mental. Why not favor your sword with me? Give in to your true nature and surrender to the darkness. Thus, you and I will engage in battle as brothers." These honey words seemed to mesmerize Riku and caused him to lower his weapon.

Sora had just been replenished by Donald when they saw what was going on.

"Why did they stop?" Sora wondered.

"What's going on over there?" Goofy asked.

"Sephiroth might be trying to entice Riku." Sora feared the worst. "I have to stop him."

"So what do you say, Riku?" Sephiroth asked. "Shall we become brothers, you and I? Reject the hopes of the light and seek the soothing comfort of the darkness."

"Riku," Sora cried, rushing towards them. "Don't listen to Sephiroth! He's simply trying to gain your favor!"

"Sora," Riku uttered.

"It is he who denied you your fate, Riku." Sephiroth continued. "You have so much more that you could achieve. You have so much more power and strength to gain. But so long as that youth continues to influence you, you will never know what you are capable of. He is the personification of light that hinders you. You must reject him, reject the light. Thus you will become even greater than my self. " Sephiroth drew out his hand. "So what do you say? We are a lot more alike after all."

"That's where you're wrong, Sephiroth." Riku growled. "We may have distinctly similar characteristics and we may be warriors of the darkness, but we are far from being the same." Riku drew up his keyblade. "Unlike you who rejected the light altogether, I have come to embrace it. Sora and I are a team and we're best friends. He is the light and I am the darkness. And neither can exist or be defined distinctively without the other."

"That's right." Sora declared, as he took his stance next to Riku.

"Him too…?" Sephiroth uttered to himself. "How could he have recovered so quickly?"

"I stand with my friends." Riku cried. "They are everything to me and I would die for them if necessary. I need no greater power and strength than that."

"You fool," the One Winged Angel said. "They'll only slow you down, acting as a crutch, denying you of your full potential."

"If that's the way it is, then I'm glad that their holding me back. Otherwise, if they didn't, if I decided to reject them and the light for the sake of strength and power, I might have ended up like you." Such words cut through the heart and soul of the supposedly stalwart and unwavering One Winged Angel.

Riku's words held such intensity and such irony that they caused Sephiroth to cringe with hatred.

"So be it. If you want to die with your comrades so eagerly, then I will gladly oblige. I will take the pleasure of depriving you of those whom you hold dearly."-

He stalled no further and attacked again. Riku and Sora were ready. Well synchronized, they battled against the might of the One Winged Angel. For another full ten minutes, they unleashed hell within the chamber. Sephiroth drew out all the stops, using his Shadow Flare, his Firaga wall, his speed, agility, and strength to fight against the two key bearers. The key bearers weren't short in their own retaliatory strikes. They used their teamwork as a primary weapon. Using elemental attacks, they unleashed hell against Sephiroth. Their long ranged attacks were deployed. It was total war within the walls of the chamber.

"You can use those pathetic techniques of yours all you want." Sephiroth chuckled. "But if there is no true power behind them, then it doesn't matter how many times you hit me, I'll always come back for more."

"I don't believe this." Sora said. "He's managing to withstand out assaults."

"We can't fight him separately." Riku insisted. "Final Form is the only thing that'll bring him down." He looked at Sora. "Are you ready this time?"

"Let's do this!" Sora shouted. "Give me strength!"

There was a sudden bright light, which forced Sephiroth to squint.

The others watched on, thought they too had their eyes covered.

"They're doing it again!" Goofy shouted.

"The Final Form Hyper Mode Fusion," Donald added.

As the light resided, Sephiroth beheld an incredible sight before him. There stood Sora in his Final Form.

"The light and the darkness have now merged as one." Sora said, his voice deep, with a hint of Riku's tone acting as a backdrop.

"This power," Sephiroth thought to himself. "So this is the technique that forced Saber to his knees, quite impressive."

It was then that Sora vanished from sight. He then appeared again and struck at Sephiroth. The One Winged Angel suddenly found him self at a disadvantage as the double keyblades swooped about him. He fended them off to the best of his abilities, but this new power before him was like nothing he ever encountered before.

"Look at that!" Goofy cheered.

"Riku and Sora are giving Sephiroth a run for his money!" Mickey added.

"Get him you guys," Donald shouted, "Get him."

"Against Sora's Final Form, not even Sephiroth can hold his own."-

"Do you think so?" Kairi asked. "Will Riku and Sora emerge out of this victoriously?"

Because of this fusion technique, Sora's strength had increased ten fold and made easy work of the mighty Sephiroth.

"Quite an impressive foot," Sephiroth thought to himself. "I haven't had a fight like this in so long. I've never felt this stressed since the last time I did battle with Cloud."

Back and forth, for a full five minutes the two did combat. Though Sora excelled in his strength, the battle itself was taking too long. Sephiroth was still holding his own. And it would only be a matter of time before his fusion with Riku ended.

"This is impeccable," Sora thought. "Even in my Final Form Sephiroth is proving to be a tough opponent. Not even Saber lasted this long against me in this form."

"You forget, Sora." Riku implied from within. "Saber's strength came from his ability to manipulate the elements to their maximum. But because of that, his own physical strength was limited. That's why he required the use of that Reaper's Eye of his, so he could sap the physical strength of his opponents. But Sephiroth is more like Ks. He's all muscle."

"And in a moment, this fusion is going to end. We have to end this battle quickly."-

"Then we do it by deploying our trump card."-

"Trump card, I was unaware that we even had such a thing."-

"Just follow my lead, Sora. Unleash our most powerful keyblades."-

Sora drew out the winning weapons, Mjollnir and Laevateinn. He swung them about and latched them together.

"I will not allow you get the best of me." Sephiroth chuckled. He suddenly vanished from their sight in the midst of the last assault. Sephiroth appeared a good distance away from where Sora was. His hand began to glow. "Let's see how long you can last once your power has been drained."

"No," Sora uttered. "He's too far away."

"We have to do something." Riku inwardly shouted.

"Damn it…"-

Sora unleashed the keyblade whip with the hilt of Mjollnir still linked at its head. With one powerful slashed, he snapped the whip, forcing the hammer from its foundations. At the same time, his body began to glow.

Sephiroth all the while was not expecting such a twist of fate as the mighty hammer Mjollnir came flying straight at him. He was caught completely off guard. At the same time Sora fell to his knees from the effects of the Sin Heartless Angel, Sephiroth was struck by the power of Thor's hammer.

The moment the head of Mjollnir struck its target; there was a bellowing flash of light, a surge of lightning, and a powerful explosion that rocked the very foundations of the Spectral Fortress itself. Riku, Sora, and the rest of their friends were blown away by the unfathomable force of the impact. For a full minute, chaos reigned within the chamber.

Then, as soon as the apocalyptic havoc had commenced, it halted just as suddenly. Now, a strange and eerie lull remained as the aftermath. Riku and Sora slowly raised their heads and looked about. The Sin Heartless Angel had forced them to split apart once again, leaving them both sapped of their strength. But though they were drained of their energy, they still had enough to move about independently. All the while, Kairi and the others were backed up against the wall, emerging amongst bits of rubble left from the onslaught.

"That was intense," she said.

"What happened?" Goofy asked.

"I believe our boys did it." Mickey said. "They defeated Sephiroth."

Riku and Sora looked about.

"I guess it's over." Riku uttered. "We did it. We defeated Sephiroth."

"Riku look up there!" Sora cried. His shout caught the ears of all the KH team members. Sora pointed upward and there hovering above their heads was Sephiroth. His body was undamaged, or so it appeared. Thus, the KH team could only think the unthinkable.

"It can't be."-

"No one could have survived a direct attack from Mjollnir." But something was happening to Sephiroth that caught the intrigue of the team. Sephiroth's body was slowly chipping away, bits of his being tearing off and vanishing as if they were only shadows.

"Wait a minute. I think Mjollnir did have an affect on him. Look at his body. It's slowly vanishing."-

"What does that mean though?"-

"It means it truly is over."-

"I must admit I wasn't expecting such a development." Sephiroth suddenly said, "To think that a couple of youths were able to defeat me in battle. I am very impressed." Suddenly, Sephiroth accumulated the Shadow Flare orbs around him. He also formed Meteors that intermingled with the dark spheres. They began to revolve around him like planets to a lone star. "However, battles are not without sacrifice, both to the winners and the losers. I told you that I would give you despair and I would have the pleasure of taking away what is most precious to you. Therefore…" Sephiroth's eyes turned from Riku and Sora to Kairi and the others.

"Oh no…!" Sora uttered, seeing this shift of contact. "He's after our friends." He turned to other KH team members. "Guys run, Sephiroth is targeting you!"

"Too late," Sephiroth unleashed his barrage of dark orbs and meteors and they went reeling at the four members of the KH team in the distance.

"Guys," Sora tried to run and aid Mickey and the others, but it was too late. All twelve orbs had struck at the four mercilessly. Despite their efforts to fend off the barrage, it was all in vain and the four were consumed by the darkness. A series of explosions bellowed in the place where the four stood. Sora frantically sped to the aid of his companions. Tears accumulated on his eyes and his heart pounded profusely behind his ribs. "No, Kairi, Mickey, Donald, Goofy…!"

As Sora's attention towards his comrades, Riku's attention turned to Sephiroth in a burning rage.

"You bastard," he shouted at the Once Winged Angel. "They had no intention of fighting you!" But before he knew it, Sephiroth had also unexpectedly deployed his sword and sent it reeling towards him. Riku, still burning with anger, at the same time still weary from the entire ordeal, became easy prey for a vengeful blade. The sword struck at his upper right leg and pierced all the way through. Riku cried out.

Sora heard this and looked back to see his friend's leg impaled by the blade.

"No, Riku," he cried. His shock turned to anger as he laid eyes on Sephiroth. "You cold hearted monster!"

"So long as the darkness itself exists," Sephiroth exclaimed, "I will never truly vanish. At least this time, I know I succeeded."

With those final words, Sephiroth's body dissolved into the air as black ash and became no more than shadow. In his wake, he left a sight of destruction behind.

Sora was nearly panicked as he saw his friends lying prostrated on the ground with mortal wounds. He looked to Kairi and the others then looked to Riku.

"Don't worry about me, Sora." Riku demanded.

"But Riku…" Sora uttered.

"Just go and see if the others are alright."-

Sora turned away, not wanting to see his friend in anguish. But then again Mickey and the others were in no better shape. Goofy, Donald, and Mickey were burdened with scrapes and bruises. Kairi was just in bad a condition. Upon her back, three large cuts had been made. The backs of her arm were scraped and bleeding and her right leg was severely gashed and bleeding profusely.

Sora ran to her side.

"Kairi," he cried.

"How bad is it, Sora?" she uttered. Sora did not want to lie. He had no right to.

"It's bad. Your right leg has received a very bad cut."-

"Sora…" Kairi slightly blacked out, but staggered.

"Kairi...!" He looked to Mickey and the others who were recovering from their own wounds. "Kairi's been severely injured. She needs a potion."

"Right," Mickey replied. He turned to Goofy. "Goofy, give Sora one of the vials."

"But Your Majesty," Donald implied. "We only have two."

"We can sacrifice one for now. We'll just have to share."-

"Alright," Goofy said. He took out one of the vials and popped off the cork. He handed it to Sora. "Here ya go, Sora."

"Thanks," Sora replied. He handed the vial to Kairi. "Drink a little bit of this to heal your wounds."

"Alright," Kairi replied. He put the neck to her lips and sucked down an ounce or two, but not too much. She knew the others were in need of some replenishment as well. Within seconds, Kairi's wounds were healed and her strength back to normal. "Thanks a lot, Sora."

"Don't mention it." Sora then gave the vial back to Mickey. "You guys better take some of this too."

"Right," Mickey replied. First, he took a swig, followed by Donald and then Goofy. They too were fully replenished.

"That's better." Donald said.

"But what about you, Sora…?" Goofy asked. "Aren't you gonna have some? There's still a little bit left."

"No," Sora declared. "There's one who still needs it more than me." Taking hold of the vial, Sora ran over to Riku who had managed to pull out the elongated sword in his leg. The blood rushed from the wound indicating that the main artery in the leg had been severed. Riku felt himself going numb.

"Damn it," he uttered, "Of all the times to be struck like this."

"Riku," Sora ran over to him. "Here's some potion for you. There's a little bit left." He gave his friend the vial and Riku graciously took if from his hand.

"Thanks, Sora," Riku took a little of the potion. In moments, his strength had recovered as well as his body. The wounds upon him vanished within seconds. Riku stood up. "How about you, Sora…? I left just enough to fill you up."

"Thanks Riku," Sora replied. He took to vial and drank what was left. He thus threw the potion upon the ground. The team reassembled.

"That was one heck of a fight." Mickey said.

"It was one of the toughest we've done so far." Riku replied.

"At least you guys were able to beat him." Kairi told them.

"And it's a good thing that Goofy still had two potions left." Donald added.

"That's right," Goofy chuckled.

"Unfortunately, however," Sora said, "We've used up one of two already. That means we have to be excessively careful this time around and make sure not to get wounded in the same manner."

"To tell you the truth, Sora," Riku explained, "At this point, there is no one else to stand in our way. Sirius Viicous is the only one left."

"How do you know?"-

"Why else would we have battled Sephiroth? He must've been the second strongest guy here that we faced so far."-

"Riku does have a point." Mickey agreed.

"Guys, this is the end of the road." The team turned towards the door at the end of the hall. "Behind those doors awaits the Phantom Lord and the final fight."

"Then let's finish this." Sora said. The team walked up to the door. Riku and Sora drew out their keyblades and unlocked the mechanism. The same electric surge resonated throughout the chamber, giving off a crackling sound as the doors swung open. Having no further comment to utter, the KH team silently entered the darkness of the longest hall of the Spectral Fortress, the last stretch standing between them and Sirius Viicous.


	135. The Memories of a Phantom

The Memories of a Phantom

_"I remember a time long past when I could have known the meaning of happiness and what it meant to have something worth while. But fate seems to be denying me that with every corner I turn. My pride as an individual was always denied, despite my efforts. Is it that I am forever cast in this shadow, to be considered no more than that? What ordained this fate? Is it my own hope to redeem myself, or something far greater that drives me on? There once was a time when I thought I was accepted for who I was instead of what I was. And now, of all those people who once did, only one remains that truly acknowledged me as a person than as a copy. And yet now he bears no memories of our past endeavors in Oblivion Castle and stands against me as an enemy. I remember it well, those long ago times."_

Oblivion Castle: The Final Farewell

And so the last of the rebelling Organization XIII members had been defeated. Marluxia, the defecting leader was brought to his knees by Sora. Now, deploying the Kingdom Keyblade towards the final door, Sora sealed it away, never to be reopened.

"That's it then." Sora declared. He, Goofy, and Donald turned to meet with Namine and Riku. Though Namine was one of his top concerns, his concerns for Riku overweighed his mind. "Are you okay, Riku?" But to his dismay, the Riku that stood before him was none other than the Riku Replica.

"I'm not Riku." The Replica replied. "I'm fake…" He lowered his head. "I can't remember when I was created, or why. All I've got is you and Namine, but those memories aren't real."

Not bearing to see such a broken heart, Goofy beseeched Namine for a remedy.

"Namine, can't you put Riku's memory back to normal?" he asked. The young girl only sighed in a downward gaze.

"I'm sorry," Namine replied. "It doesn't work that way."

The Riku Replica turned away from the group, his forged heart aching.

"It's alright," he uttered, "Don't worry about me." With this burden, Riku withdrew towards the lower levels. The team was silent as he left. But Sora was not one to let things end without resolve.

"Wait," he cried, running towards him. "Who cares if someone made you…?! You have your own heart. Those feelings and memories are yours and yours alone. They're special."

Riku turned to look as Sora, thought his back remained forward.

"Sora…You're a good person." He said with slight smile on his face. "I don't have to be real to see how real your feelings are. That's good enough for me." With that, the Replica had nothing more to say and withdrew without another word…without looking back. He only heard Sora cry out his supposed name as he vanished into the darkness of the hall.

_"Though I gained the recognition of someone so influential and significant, that dwarfs in comparison to the real concept. Even if millions acknowledged me as a person, how can I accept their opinion when the one person I want most to acknowledge me refuses to do so? Riku, this all revolved around him. Because of his refusal to see me as a unique individual, I have regressed to becoming something that is hated by everyone."_

Twilight Town Mansion: Riku vs. Riku

And so the two combatants confronted one another, preparing to engage in another bloody confrontation. The Replica gave a smirk as he saw his bewildered counterpart glaring upon him.

"Well, well," he began, "You've changed. The last time we met, you were afraid of the darkness, but not anymore."

"How can you tell?" Riku asked. The Replica gave a scoff.

"Because I'm you…" But such a declaration was not accepted by the upstart youth who saw his copy lower than him.

"No, I'm me." This countering statement angered the Replica and his fists tightened.

"'I'm me' he says. It must be nice being real. A fake like me could never get away with saying that." The Replica then blasted out in a fiery tone. "That's right, I'm a phony! The way I look, the way I feel…everything!" In his bitter rage, his power grew and a darkened aura began to accumulate. Riku was slightly repulsed by the surge of his other's power. "I thought by finding some new strength I could be someone…someone who is not you! But nothing changes! I'm still just empty!" The two drew forth their blades. "Everything about me is borrowed! As long as you are around, I'll never be anything better than a shadow!"

_"Even in those last moments, you had not truly acknowledged me for who I was. Perhaps it was pity and my final moments that made you say our hearts were destined for the same place. Despite that, however, you were always under the assumption that I was just a forgery of you. Do you think it's easy for me to accept that? Just because I happen to be a replica, you decide to treat me as if I were as disposable as tissue paper, an empty bottle, or a broken toy? It was that type of infuriating thought that made me live on. In the realm of Darkness I suffered, the burning, the scarring, like a thousand hells mixed into one tormenting event, tearing away at my heart, my mind, and my soul. Had it not been for that brief moment, that small glimmer of light, I would have still remained in the world of shadows. I awoke to find myself not knowing who I was or how I came to be. And it was here that I would create a second life and be given a second identity. It was here that I received my present name."_

The catacombs of Gombria: The Rebirth

Darkness again surrounded him, but not at all threatening as it had been before. The remnant once known as the Riku Replica sat up. He found himself nestled at the base of a wooden post. This structure was tinted with crimson red stains. The rusty shackles on the arms indicated that this was a torturing device, one that has seen much blood spilled.

"Where am I?" The remnant uttered. "What is this place?" Feeling his face, he didn't even recall himself. He felt somewhat deformed, thought the truth be told that he was. "Who am I?" The remnant seemed grief stricken as he strived to remember who he was. Tears seemed to form in his eyes. "Why can't I remember who I am…?" In despair, the remnant seemed to cry, curling into an embryonic position and wishing to fade into darkness.

It was then that a figure appeared from out of the darkness. A tall man in a green frock, topped with a long overcoat with brass shoulder guards, came trudging forward. He was pail in his complexion, his silver hair style like a leaning mop, with one side bearing long bangs, the other side short and well trimmed. His eyes were different as well. While the right eye was as normal as any other, the left seemed in a way fierce some and frightening, bearing full black, sparing a solid white pupil.

"And what have we here?" the man said. "Where did you come from, boy?" The remnant had no recollection, so answering was impossible.

"I don't remember…" he uttered. The man gave a stern look down towards him.

"You don't remember where you came from?"-

"No…"-

"Can you at least tell me who you are?"-

"I don't know who I am…"-

The man scoffed in the remnant's face.

"Pathetic, you can't even remember who you are?"-

"No…"-

"Do you have any recollection of your past whatsoever?"-

"No I don't…"-

"You better not be lying to me." The man seemed threatening now, but the remnant remained stalwart.

"I'm not lying!" A thunderous and determined voice echoed. "Why would I lie about this…?! I can't remember who I am! I can't… No matter how much I try, I just can't…" This act of defiance caught the intrigue of the tall man. He knelt down to the remnants level. He observed the darkened side of the boy's face and the gleaming yellow eye.

"You seem high spirited enough. And you are tainted just as I." The man pointed to the deformed eye.

"You are tainted like me?"-

"No one understands you correct? And you are filled with this inner torment that you can't explain?"-

"Yes…" the remnant was curious now. "But how did you know?"

"We are both similar, boy. You and I are not understood by those around us. Thus, we find pleasure in our own seclusion. That is the main thing we have in common." The man stood up. "I can already tell from your defiant manner and stern tone that you are not one to back down so easily and would blast out your own opinion without fear. That means there is a great deal of potential within you." The man stood up.

"Who are you, sir?" the remnant asked.

"I am General Ameba." The man replied. "And from this point on, I shall deem you as my apprentice and subordinate. You will thus address me as your master from here on out."

"Your subordinate…?"-

"You have a great inner talent. I will do all that is possible to see you reach that potential." Ameba looked at the boy's face again. "Since you do not recall your name, then I shall bestow a new one on to you, one that will strike fear into the hearts of many."

"A new name…?'-

"That's right, my boy, a new name." Ameba placed his hand upon the remnant's head. "From this day forward, you will be known as Sirius Viicous."

"Sirius Viicous…" There was a pause between the two.

"I have found my pupil. Consider yourself fortunate."-

"_In this second existence, I had become a member of a new family, my home of the Imperial regime. Oblivious to the memories of my prior life, I gained a great deal and at times learned harsh lessons in my time as Ameba's apprentice."_

Gombria's Main Hall: The Master and the Apprentice

A full year had passed. Sirius, a corporal now, was somewhat quiet as he walked slightly behind and to the side of General Ameba. So far it was another successful mission. However, there were some issues that had to be cleared before further progress could be made.

"We were able to bring the Alliance to its knees today." Ameba chuckled.

"Of course, master." Sirius replied. Ameba looked rearward slightly.

"You seem somewhat disturbed, Sirius. Is there something troubling you?"-

"There is, master…"-

"And what would it be that weighs your heart so heavily?" Sirius halted for a moment. Ameba, seeing his pupil standing still, halted his own advances.

"We've known each other for some time, master. You have been very kind, at the same time stern. But I must ask this before it holds my mind back any further."-

"Don't bother telling me, Sirius." Ameba turned. "I know exactly what you are going to say."

"You do?"-

"Yes, it's regarding on whether or not I regard you as being more than an apprentice. You want to know if there are feelings of affection and love for you."-

"Well…yes, master…" Sirius lowered his head.

"Then, I'll be brief, Sirius. You are an extraordinary young man and you have a great deal of potential. You have gained many skills within the year since I found you. I am impressed, but no more than that. The reason for my deeds to help you is simple. I took you in as my apprentice and have taught you all I know. That way, you would be able to create a legacy just as great and notorious as my own. A master is always expected to make sure his pupil emerges as an important individual. That was my duty and your duty was to maintain subordination under me. But as far as love and affection go, I have none for you. You are simply a subordinate, a plant I tenderly raise, a tool to be used at my bidding. You jump at my call and the orders of your superiors, nothing more to it."-

"I understand, master." Sirius dared not speak again.

"As an Imperial, one must be able to distance themselves away from others and dwell on their own, to live in darkness. Affection and love are merely a burden. They make you weak and inept. It is your own desires and your own strength that matters the most. My goal for instance is to become a Lord of the Imperial council. Therefore, I am willing to use whatever means necessary to reach that goal."-

"Is that your ultimate goal, master?"-

"The one I hold highest. And in order to do so, I must become cold and not attach myself to anyone emotionally. Not even you. Gaining a conscience and being concerned for the fate of others is not needed when it comes to achieving your own ultimate goal." Ameba turned towards Sirius. "In fact, that is why I have summoned you here to my quarters. It was regarding your concern for those women and children who were killed today. You seemed disturbed about it."-

"But something told me that it was wrong to have them massacred."-

"It is natural for you to think of that, but you must remember that they were the ones responsible for concealing spies away from us, allowing them to hide in safety and bring messages to the Alliance headquarters. It is that kind of deceit that we must eliminate whether they are men, women, or children. Thus, those townspeople paid the price for their crimes." The two entered Ameba's chambers.

"I know, master." Sirius lowered his head. "But I just can't fathom it. There were some survivors, family members of those who we're killed. They've seen my face. They know who I am and who to point out when it comes to taking possible revenge."

"That is why it is best to conceal your identity until the time is right and your heart has grown hard like a rock. Therefore, I will help you remedy this psychological flaw." Ameba walked over to his dresser and pulled out of the drawer a gold and white mask, the type that fit over the face alone, leaving holes for both the eyes and the nostrils. "Behold, my present to you."

"It's a mask."-

"Yes it is."-

"But how will I use it?"-

"In order to harden your heart and prevent others from seeing your real nature, you must first forge a second identity. With this mask, none of your enemies will be able to know who you are. At the same time, you'll be able to reform yourself into an alternate personality and can unleash hell without having your conscience gnaw away at the back of your mind."-

"You want me to conceal my face?"-

"Conceal it until they forget your true identity. Thus, you will be a man without a face and you can become as extreme and blood-thirsty as you would like."-

Not hesitating any further, Sirius placed the mask upon his face. Outward, the mask made him seem expressionless and cold, much like a statue. The mask helped to shadow his eyes, giving them an empty stare. As he looked at himself in the mirror, Sirius smiled. He enjoyed what he saw.

"I just might get used to this." He said.

"And so you shall, my young apprentice." Ameba replied. "It's only a matter of time."

_"And get used to it I did. As time passed on, everyone forgot what I looked like and started to question my identity. So I made it my policy to maintain my mask and wear it almost constantly, say for a few secluded moments. My master was also right about the psychological effects it would have on me. I eventually began to form a split personality. With the mask, I was able to become more ruthless and more cold-hearted and no one would ever know who I truly was. Not even Xemnas and those fools of Organization XIII would have been able to take it to an extreme equal to the Imperial regime. My reputation started to spread within certain parts of the Dark Empire. Eventually, it led to a fated meeting with His Late Excellency Lord Vischerz Von Cavendish. He had taken a shine to me, finding my style and conduct unique. Thus, I was called away at his request for a special meeting."_

His Excellency's Chambers: The Position

Sirius, now a colonel, was beckoned in to the grand hall, filled with lavish red furnishings in a white marble hall trimmed with gold. The floor itself was constructed of the opposite contrast, black marble. At the center of the chamber was a simple round tea table, with a silver tea set. There, His Excellency Lord Cavendish poured a couple cups of tea.

Out of respect and orderly conduct, Sirius Viicous saluted his superior and stood at attention.

"Your Excellency," he said.

"Aw, welcome Colonel Sirius Viicous," Cavendish began, "Please have a seat."

"Excellency," Sirius sat upon the second chair.

"Would you care for a lump to go with your tea?"-

"Please Excellency," Cavendish dropped a sugar cube into the cup stirred before handing it to Sirius. He took his own cup and sat on the opposite side of the table.

"I am glad to see that you were able to attend today." Cavendish explained, "Especially with your busy schedule."

"I only live to serve you and the Empire Your Excellency." Sirius replied.

"So I see." Cavendish took a sip of his tea. "I understand that General Ameba has gone away to Traverse Town along with Lord Drako Arakis, General Kai, and a newly hired mercenary named Lu Bu."

"That's correct,"-

"Had your master filled you in on what was going on?"-

"No Your Excellency, he simply told me of the destination."-

"There has been talk that President Sneer is meeting with two young warriors with a stout reputation. He hopes to recruit them into his little underground resistance movement. Thus, we have to break them up before they become too involved with our affairs."-

"I've heard that these two warriors were provoked by members of the Imperial regime."-

"Of course," Cavendish smirked as an inward thought entered his mind. But he was not about to express his own involvement. "But enough talk of such trifles. I have summoned you here for something far more important, Sirius."

"What's that, Your Excellency?" Sirius was curious now, nervously sipping his tea. Cavendish laid his own cup upon the table and stood for a moment, he walked away for a couple of feet before stopping.

"Your record of service is extraordinary. You also have a perfect reputation as a military officer on the field. You have never shown an ounce of unnecessary insubordination. All the while, you have been able to make correct decisions that have led to success time after time again, despite the objections of some of your superiors. But what I find most impressive is your ability and determination to uphold the Imperial cause as your number one priority." Cavendish walked towards Sirius. "Therefore, I am hereby appointing you as my successor as one of the Three Excellencies."-

Sirius was suddenly overcome with shock. So stunned was he of what Cavendish said that he inexplicably dropped his cup. The cup fell upon the marble and shattered into hundreds of shards. The tea splattered everywhere. It took a second or two for Sirius to realize what had happened. He feared Cavendish might have been offended by his sudden misconduct, but the mighty overlord only smiled.

"I see the news is overwhelming for you, Sirius."-

"Your Excellency, I don't know what to say." Sirius replied. "You've chosen me as your successor?"-

"That's correct."-

"But why…?"-

"I find no one else more suited for the job. You are one who can inspire and lead. I can tell right away that you are such a person, a person who is destined to walk in my footsteps, to walk the path of greatness. Your name will one day reverberate throughout this and all other worlds. You will be praised by your allies and feared by your enemies. I can guarantee that. I fear that my own time will end soon. After a fourteen thousand year reign, I'm reaching that age."-

"You're still strong though, Your Excellency. You don't need a successor."-

"One can never been too careful. Thus, it's best to take precautions."-

"But why me…? Surely there is someone far more qualified than I. Perhaps my master… He has always yearned to be dubbed as a lord and join his peers as a member of the Imperial Council."-

"Ameba as my successor…?" Cavendish pondered, but immediately concluded. "I think not. Unlike you, Ameba is more prone to fulfilling his own desires. And I can't have someone like that ascend to the status of Excellency."

"But his methods are extraordinarily advanced."-

"That's the problem right there. They are too advanced. Not only too advanced, but too expensive, and above all too overwhelming. When we take control of this universe, we want people to graciously accept us for generations to come. But that cannot be accomplished if we continuously engage in heinous and ruthless acts of violence and give them further reason to hate us and spread news of our malevolence. If I wanted it that way, I would have done all of the destruction myself. But there are times when we must be diplomatic. Ameba is far too radical for the present Imperial ideals and philosophies, the very foundations that have allowed our thriving for the past fourteen millennia. That is why we have always denied he were to become one of us. He knows not what it means to maintain pride as an Imperial. As an Imperial lord, you must know restraint. That is how we were able to sustain our power all this time."-

"So you're saying he'll never be fit for the job?"-

"Perhaps he will be in the near future, when the times call for it. He can be permitted provided that he abandons all the ideals that deemed him an extremist and a radical. But until then, he will not be admitted as a lord."-

Sirius lowered his eyes and stood from his seat. He saluted graciously.

"Your Excellency," Sirius said, "I thank you for your kind offer. It is a very esteemed and honorable position, one rarely given, especially to one as young as I." He stalled for a moment, hesitating to speak his mind this time around. But he didn't hold back. "However, I cannot accept the position of becoming your successor and ascending as one of the Three Excellencies."

"You are refusing?" Cavendish asked.

"My apologies Your Excellency, but I have some deep inner reasons." Cavendish looked at Sirius and sighed. He knew exactly why Sirius had refused.

"I can understand that." Sirius saluted and Cavendish returned the gesture.

"Then I take my leave, Your Excellency."-

"Mind you, Sirius. If you are to change your mind, my offer will remain standing."-

"Thank you Your Excellency."-

With that, Sirius calmly exited Cavendish's chamber as graciously as he did entering.

"_His Excellency had given me an offer that one my age would have surrendered his heart, body, and soul for. But I turned it away, knowing that if I did agree to his proposal, I would lose the respect given to me by my master, General Ameba. My master's affection was all I desired. And yet achieving such a high position before him would only throw a wedge between the bond I hoped was being forged, driving him away. That was something I wished to avoid at all cost. My master was easily swayed and could deny me his favor as easily as he could pass a beggar in the streets. Ergo, I always tried to place myself beneath him, so that he would gain most of the credit. It was during this same period, however, that the affair with the KH team began as well. And it was during this time that the old memories of my prior life began to resurface again."_

Ameba's Chamber: Old Memories Emerge

Ameba had returned to his quarters, only to received further orders from Lord Sirius Viicous that once again they were to depart. All the while, Colonel Sirius Viicous was assigned his own orders. He was to accompany His Excellency Lord Dextera Viro to engage in a military campaign against rebels who still hid themselves within the confines of the Kambrian Empire.

Sirius came to his master by request. Ameba was sitting at his meeting table, sipping down a glass of brandy. The youth saluted his superior.

"You summoned me, Master?" Sirius asked.

"I did," Ameba replied. "I just wanted to tell you that I am going to accompany His Excellency Lord Drako Arakis in another military expedition."

"Another…?"-

"I have no choice, Sirius. This is a very important mission for me." Ameba seemed somewhat excited. "The reason being is because my application to becoming a lord of the Imperial Council has just been passed for approval."

Upon hearing this, Sirius became ecstatic.

"Congratulations master," he declared. Inwardly, he wondered. "Could His Excellency have had a change of heart?"

"Lord Drako Arakis had made me a bargain." Ameba continued. "He will officially approve my application provided that I fulfill one small task. That task is being able to halt any enemy hostilities towards us without having to inflict heavy casualties. If I am successful, I will be appointed as a lord."

"What is your destination, master?"-

"Lord Arakis has instructed that we move towards a place called the 'Seed' realm. There is a war going on over there, an ongoing battle between the Naturals of the United Earth Sphere Alliance and the coordinator forces of the ZAFT military. It should be fun to see both sides raise their eyebrows at the sight of a third meddlesome power entering the fray. And it is we, the Imperial forces of the Dark Empire that will emerge victorious in the end. We're going there to test those new mobile doll models we confiscated from the 'Wing' realm. If I can gain surrender of all resistance in that world without resorting to my usual tactic of total genocide and inflicting heavy casualties, then that title of lord will be as good as mine." Ameba placed his glass upon the table, stood up and placed his arms behind him. "No doubt that Lord Arakis and the Imperial Council are testing me, to see that I won't regress into becoming enraged and inflicting a reign of terror and death amidst the inhabitants."-

"I understand that General Kai, under the instruction of His Excellency Lord Arakis, has sent Anubis to do a little underground work in the 'Seed' realm."-

"He has been there for some time now, employed to the Orb Union under the alias of Inspector Sibuna and is at this present moment doing some research that would prove useful for us." Ameba turned to Sirius. There was a moment of pause before he began to express his jollity over a possible promotion. "I am almost there, Sirius, just one stone's throw away from becoming a member of the Imperial Council. Then finally, once I have been accepted and integrated amongst my peers, I will be able to set forth a new era to the Imperial regime. No more conservative ideals. The age of radicalism and extremist actions will enter the lime light. It is my impact that will send us into a new era."

"I also understand that you are involved with the operations against these new foes, this KH team I've heard so much about."-

"Yes, the KH team." Ameba suddenly went silent. "I've been meaning to ask you something about them."

"What's that, master?"-

"I wonder are they acquaintances of yours?"-

"I don't think so." Sirius was confused at the question. "Why do you ask?"

"The reason being is because amongst the team members, there is one young man who seems to bear the same face as you."-

"What…?" Sirius' eyes grew large, "A young man with the same face as mine?"

"That's right. I don't really recall his name, but I believe I remember the title of his companion. The younger youth to him is called Sora."-

"Sora…?" Sirius' eyes grew wide. His heart began to pound and his head began to fill with unknown images. This forced him to stagger slightly. Inwardly he cried out. "I know that name. I've heard it somewhere before…! Sora…!"

"Are you feeling well?" Ameba asked.

"I don't know." Sirius recomposed himself. "I believe I might have come down with something."

"Perhaps it's best you take leave then for a while, Sirius. I'd hate to have you die so early in this game."-

"I don't think it'll come to that, master." He saluted. "If you excuse me, I still have other matters to attend to."

"Other matters…?" Ameba was puzzled.

"Yes, master, I have been assigned to act as an aid to His Excellency Lord Viro in the still lingering battle against Kambrian rebels. I am to depart immediately."-

"Typical of those Kambrians," Ameba sat himself upon the chair, which he sat upon prior. "It just goes to show how incompetent they are, despite their supposed natural genius. They can't even maintain control of their own people." Ameba took his brandy glass in his hand and sipped the contents. "Well, if you are to depart immediately, you better be on your way then. If I know His Excellency Lord Viro, he's not one to enjoy waiting for the tardy."

"Master, I take my leave then…"-

"Good luck, boy. You'll need it."-

Sirius saluted again and withdrew, leaving Ameba with his own thoughts. But as he entered the hall, far from the sight of his master, Sirius began to slump. His walk staggered as the weight of the thoughts within his mind began to press upon him. His heart seemed to beat faster and faster. All the while, his breathing became more confined as if someone were locking him into a vice and tightening.

"Sora…" he uttered. "Sora, I've heard that name before, but where?!"

The burden of thoughts was so great that they caused him to collapse to his knees. Just then, as if some great awakening had occurred, the memories of his past life began to flash in the order that they happened. He immediately remembered the name Sora and the comrades around him. It was then that he recalled the name of the one who stirred the hidden inner hatred within his heart.

Gaining his composure after such a surge, Sirius stood up with a new glare in his eyes.

"I remember now." He uttered. "I remember Sora. I remember where I've heard the term KH team. And I especially remember the one who made me like this…" His teeth grit tightly together as he uttered the one name he had not been able to remember since the day he was reborn into the world. "Riku…"-

_"After all that time remaining dormant within my mind, the old memories of my former life came flooding down upon me like a torrent. As time passed, I gained more and more of my memories until the events of my former life were perfectly clear to me from beginning to end. But in that time, I was not able to confront the KH team directly and settle a long awaited score with Noctin Tilandir. I had other matters to attend to. Thus, I was far from the activities of Riku and Sora. But then again, in those early days of their involvement, I had no real desire to battle them. I had come so far and they seemed so inferior, especially since they were ones living the life of Riley on their quaint little island while I was continuously improving my skills through a chain of endless battles. But as the Cavendish Shinobis were defeated one by one, and the reputation of the key bearers had grown substantially, that was when I started to gain the most concern. That was when I started to take notice of them more and more. How could a couple of upstarts, who had enough trouble battling against the former Organization XIII members, so easily topple the seven most power ninjas in the known universe. It angered me to know of this. But my anger received some relief the day I heard that Riku was captured and placed under my master's jurisdiction. My mind filled with the thoughts of how Riku would be tortured. I thirsted to see it. I thirsted to see his body abused. I longed to hear his screams and cries of anguish. But because of my most recent assignments, I was not allowed leave. I later heard that Riku was killed. It made my heart soar. Now, I was the only one left. Ergo, I had finally achieved my uniqueness. But this merriment was not to last long either. For soon after, I heard that my master had also been killed. It broke my heart. To think that I wanted to gain his affection all this time, now I would never have a chance of achieving that ever again. I was relieved yet angered at the same time. But as further news of disaster came with the fall of Gombria and Vandor and the eventual defeat of the Three Excellencies, my sorrow was stacked further upon my mind. I was again denied a home and my happiness. To make matters worse, the Great Resurrection phenomenon revived all who had suffered at the hands of the Empire. But as for those who faithfully served it and died, they were never given that second chance. It burned my soul as well as the souls of others whose loved ones served in the Imperial ranks. Thus, in bitter anguish and loathing for the Alliance, we rallied together again to bring a second rise to the Dark Empire. I had hoped to create such havoc that no one would ever dare forget._

_And yet now, here I stand upon the final bastion. I have lost all. I have nothing left to call my own. The only goal I wish to see accomplished is the death blow I give to Riku. I will see him battle as hard as he can to the end. Then, I will strike him when he is at the peak of his strength and his arrogance. Then once he is on the ground mortally wounded, his friends mourning for him, I will look down upon his body, his bloodied face, and smile. Then with all my inner emotion, I will smite him with the final blow and end my suffering."_

Just then, there came the sound of footsteps behind, interrupting his final thoughts. But he cared not. He only smiled.

"So Riku," he declared. "You've finally arrived."

"Sirius," Riku replied. "This is where it ends. This is where fate decides who lives and who dies this day."

"Yes indeed," Sirius turned to face Riku. At last, the _Final Confrontation_ is about to begin.


	136. The Final Battle

The Final Battle

Riku and his friends had no further trouble towards the ascent of the final tier. After the battle against Sephiroth, they were virtually unopposed. The Immortals had all but withdrawn, the Heartless were nowhere present. Only and open road remained before them. Down another long hall and up a long staircase the team trekked before they at last reached the doors of the final level. Riku and Sora used their keyblades and unlocked the last barrier between them and the last brawl. The massive doors opened, that same electrical surge bellowing around them. Thus, the team stepped onto a vast open space that was the top tier. The doors rumbled and closed behind them, isolating the team from the basin. The final platform was vast as if a plateau all its own. Above the heads of the team, the reddish glowing shield illuminated like a vast dome. And at the very center of this sentinel, no more than a hundred yards away, stood Sirius Viicous.

His back had been turned towards them and remained as stolid and unwavering as if in deep meditation. Slowing and silently, the team approached him, not uttering a sound. So quiet was their advance that a pin drop could have echoed about the vast cavern like a barrage of cannon.

As they reached a fifty foot distance away from Sirius, they halted. Riku then stepped slightly forward. Sirius still had his back towards them. Perhaps he hadn't heard them. Riku prepared to declare their presence, but Sirius was the first to speak.

"So Riku," he declared. "You've finally arrived."

"Sirius," Riku replied. "This is where it ends. This is where fate decides who lives and who dies this day."

"Yes indeed," Sirius turned to face Riku. He confronted the youth and his companions. "After all the effort, after all the threats and the losses, we again meet face to face, this time for the last time." He then gazed at Sora who was equally stern. "So Sora, this is what you have concluded to?"

"I stand with my friends, Sirius." Sora said, "Nothing more than that."

"Then as expected, you and your comrades will conduct yourselves accordingly during this duel." Sora clutched his fists.

"Sora," Riku uttered. "This fight is strictly my own, understand?"

"But Riku…" Sora implied.

"Sirius and I have been putting off this fight for too long. He wants me to see from his point of view and I want him to see from ours. The only way to accomplish that is through our blades, since talking will do no good for either of us. I want you guys to stay out of this fight. No matter what happens, I want you not to interfere." Riku turned towards the others. "This goes for you guys as well."

"But Riku," Kairi said. Her concerns for her friend caused her heart to beat. She feared the worse.

"This battle has been preordained. No one, but me can fight it."-

"We understand," Mickey agreed.

"Then I'll be off." Riku advanced toward Sirius.

"Riku," Kairi wanted to help, but Sora held her back.

"No Kairi," he said.

"But Sora…"-

"This is Riku's fight. We can't intervene."-

"Riku…" Kairi and Sora could only watch on as Riku walked off to meet his final destiny.

"Riku," Sora inwardly thought, "We've all come a long way for this one moment. I know that this is your fight and you have every right to battle it alone. But know this, when the time comes, and you are in need of assistance, I will help you. Even if you don't like it, even if you scorn me for it, and even if it costs me my own life and my own pride, I will not let you die. I'll help you to the best of my abilities."

All the while, Riku and Sirius broke off from the others and confronted each other in a classic style, a traditional stand-off.

"Whenever you're ready, Sirius," Riku declared.

"Good to know that you have accepted your defeat and inevitable demise with open arms, Noctin Tilandir." Sirius replied. "The table has been set. Now let us begin!"

The two deployed their keyblades and swiftly entered the fray. Back and forth they clashed, with incredible speed. Their tactics remained at a limit so both could conserve their energy.

"Boy," Sora said, "They weren't hesitant to start right away, were they."

"No formal declarations," Mickey concurred. "No long speeches of emotion. Nothing… They just go at each other's throats."

"My God," Kairi added, "I've never seen such a fight. It's intense."

"C'mon, Riku," Donald cheered, "You can beat him!

"Take him down!" Sora shouted.

They watched this most epic of battles enter its opening stages. All about the field, they brawled. Their speed was so impeccable that the eyes of their comrades could not register their movements. Therefore, they could only track them by the energy signatures the combatants accumulated. For up to two minutes this clash of arms went with neither gaining the upper hand over the other.

Finally, it came to a sudden stop and an eerie lull as both Riku and Sirius stood to examine one another.

"Most impressive," Sirius chuckled, "You didn't get a scratch on you this time."

"I can say the same about you." Riku replied.

"At least you weren't as careless as you were in our previous encounter."-

"My arrogance and overconfidence got the best of me then, Sirius. I'll know not to do anything that foolish again."-

Sirius then lowered his keyblade.

"I'm rather surprised, however, that you are still at full strength. Did you not do battle with Sephiroth?"-

"Both Sora and I battled him."-

"Is that so?" Sirius looked back at Sora. He too did not bear a scratch on him. "Well then, if that be the case, I highly doubt that you could have undergone that battle and yet emerge without a scratch and with your full power still in tact."

"It just goes to show that we're far more skilled than you thought we were."-

Sirius smirked at the key bearer. Then, without warning, he drew up his hand as if in a pointing position. From his finger, a red energy wave appeared and flew mid-air. Its target was not Riku as it passed by his ear without hindrance. The real aim was amongst the members of the KH team. It was Goofy.

The beam nicked Goofy on the top of the head, blowing a hole in his hat. The KH team members were shocked as they watched the malingering K9 toppled backwards. Goofy hit the ground.

"Goofy," the others shouted, surrounding their fallen comrade.

"Hey, Sirius," Sora bellowed, "What's your game?!"

"How dare you assault one of our friends?" Riku added.

"There is no real need to be concerned for the imbecile cur." Sirius chuckled.

"Goofy," Donald cried. "Are you alright?"

"Boy that was close." Goofy said as he sat up. He smiled at his friends. "Don't worry fellers, I'm alright."

"That's good to know." Mickey sighed with relief.

"All he did was hit my hat…"-

But the moment they realized what happened, it was too late.

"My hat…!" Goofy cried as he turned.

"Oh no…" Mickey added.

"That was where…" Donald concurred. The team looked to see the aftermath of the strike. From upon the tattered remains of Goofy's hat, broken glass and a green liquid seemed to seem out. Sirius's beam had struck its target, but it was not Goofy whom he intended to harm, but the vial of the very last potion that was stored in the confines of his cap.

"The last potion…" Kairi uttered.

"That's what Sirius was aiming for." Sora added.

"You see, Riku, I'm not as idiotic as you assumed." Sirius implied. "For one thing, I know full well that you used that new type of potion to heal yourselves up. You would have to be extremely powerful if you wanted to escape that fight with Sephiroth completely unscathed and without the use of replenishing means. As well, it is only natural that you would heal yourselves up after enduring such a hard battle. Ergo, I have taken the liberty of relieving you of your last healing sustenance, so you don't have the opportunity to heal yourselves again."

"How do you know that's our last?" Riku asked.

"Come now, Riku, who do you think you're dealing with here? You're dealing with the Phantom Lord. I've been observing you since the moment you reunited with Sora. The darkness has given me all the information I need. I know that you only had two left throughout your party and that you stuffed the last of them in Goofy's hat. As well, even if I didn't see your amount, I would have still come to the same conclusion as I had. The reason being is because of the way you've coordinated your strategy to contend with the obstacles that stood in your way. Your comrades did what was possible to keep both you from losing any strength. But even they wouldn't have been able to level off against Sephiroth. Ergo, you two had to step in and battle. But in the process you might have lost a great deal of energy, especially with that Sin Heartless Angel of his." Sirius placed one hand behind his back and gave that calm and gentleman look. "I may have left out one or two details, but I believe that sums it up."

"Oh well, it doesn't matter." Riku gave a sigh. "Even without those supplements, I'll still be able to defeat you."

"So you think so?" Sirius charged again. "Well what do you say that we raise the stakes a little bit?" Sirius suddenly multiplied himself into seven other individuals. Riku was stunned.

"What the…?"-

"Now let's see you face all seven of us at the same time."-

Riku braced for the impact and watched the movements of each of the seven who sliced and diced at him. Back and forth, in and out, left and right, the young man evaded and blocked. But like angry hornets, the seven Phantom Lords were always on him.

"This must be some kind of darkness decoy or shadow clone technique." Riku thought to himself. "He's doing better than I thought."

Sora and the others watched on and scorned Sirius Viicous.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Donald shouted.

"Seven against one is playing dirty!" Goofy added. "I thought this was a one on one fight."

"Sora," Kairi uttered, "We have to go in and help him. Riku doesn't stand a chance against seven Siriuses."

"This is still a one on one fight, Kairi." Sora replied. "Sirius just used a clone tactic. Riku's capable of doing the same thing. Thus, he knows the weaknesses within using such a strategy. He can handle himself." But as the seven condensed around his comrade, even Sora had a slight doubt. "At least I think he can."

"They move so fast and are so in sync." Riku inwardly commented. "I'm surprised I'm still in one piece. But then again, he's not the only one capable of using this style." Riku managed to break away from the seven temporarily.

"I must admit you're speedy." Sirius declared. "But you can't keep running from us forever." The seven Phantom Lords suddenly appeared all around Riku, their keyblades ready to deliver a final, if not fatal blow. "You're finished!"

"You think it's over when we're so early in the game?" Riku declared. "Guess again!"

Riku suddenly unleashed his own clones, the Darkness Decoys, they charged straight at the clones of Sirius and now the intensity of the battle increased with the accumulating number of combatants.

"Damn," Sirius thought to himself, "I forgot that he's capable of unleashing the same style tactic."

"Let's see how you like it!" the seven Rikus declared in unison.

"This fight keeps getting weirder and weirder." Donald uttered as they saw this springing of individual battles commence before their eyes.

"Are you sure we're not in the Twilight Zone?" Goofy asked.

"At a boy, Riku," Sora said with a smile, "Give Sirius a taste of his own medicine."

Each battle was just as intense as the clones would converge and separate again and again. But as time wore on, flaws in the tactics started to show and one by one the clones were defeated, eventually mellowing down to the original fighting duo.

Despite the ferocity of that clone brawl, both Riku and Sora seemed not the least bit fatigued, nor were they scarred anywhere.

"It'll take more than just a bunch of cheap parlor tricks to stop me, Sirius." Riku shouted. "If that's the best you have, I can only say that you are in trouble."

"That was just a warm up, Noctin Tilandir." Sirius replied. "There are still a few good tricks that I have up my sleeve." Sirius suddenly began to form a series of dark balls over his head. "Let's see you handle this."

"Please, dark orbs? Is that all you've got?"-

Sirius made no remark, but sent the orbs right away on their destructive path. Riku braced himself for impact, believing that the power of the Immunity Orb will take effect. But to his dismay, these orbs had the same strange abnormal feeling as they had when Sephiroth used them. Immediately sensing this, Riku dared not hold his ground and instead evaded. He dodge rolled back to his feet only to see more come at him. He drew forth his keyblade and deflected them back at the Phantom Lord. But Sirius immediately took to the sky. He withdrew the keyblade from his hand and instead used the dark balls against his other self. He continued an on going barrage of dark orbs that latched onto Riku's energy signature and followed him wherever he went. Like Xehanort's Heartless, he folded his arms in front of him and hovered about in safety while Riku was down on the ground fighting for his life.

There was a moment where Riku evaded a little too late and one of dark balls struck his left shoulder. The pain was numbing and caused Riku to cry out and flinch. But he had no time to sympathize for himself or kick himself for being too careless. The relentless orbs were still on his tail. Sirius only watched with glee as he saw Riku running about like a spooked Algernon.

"Imbecile," Sirius declared, "What was that you said earlier about the dark orbs being all I've got? It looks more to me like that's all I'll need!"

"I don't understand." Riku thought to himself. "It's that strange feeling again. Could Sirius have conjured up a similar style of energy and elemental manipulation as Sephiroth?"

"I don't understand this." Kairi said. "I thought Riku was immune to elemental attacks, even the dark element."

"I can't explain it." Sora replied. "For some reason the Immunity Orb is having no effect. This is the same feeling we had when fighting against Sephiroth. It seems to be a strange power that accumulates within the element itself. There must be some kind of special property that Sirius is using to manipulate his techniques."

"Are you sure, Sora?" Mickey asked.

"Of course, why would you ask such a thing?"-

"Well, the reason being is because this energy feels the same to me, just as if it were an ordinary elemental attack."-

"Nothing's changed." Donald added. "They still feel like dark orbs to me."

"You mean they feel normal?" Sora asked.

"Yeah,"-

This made Sora doubly confused.

"I don't get it." Sora thought to himself. "This energy seems strangely different from what we're usually accustomed to. I'm sure Riku feels the same sensation. But then again…" Sora looked at his friends. "Mickey and the others don't seem to notice. To them, it's all still normal. Is there something about Riku and I that are different? Do we sense a kind of power that Mickey and the others can't detect? Or is there some flaw with us?"

"Well, this is all very good fun." Sirius suddenly bellowed. "However, I can't afford to waste too much time fighting you, Noctin Tilandir. I still want to have a little time left to torture you."

"Like that's going to happen." Riku shouted. "I'd die first!"

"Then I'll be much obliged to fulfill your request!" Sirius suddenly unleashed a pillar of fire, much like the burning funnel that Riku and Sora use as a combination attack. Riku could feel the heat and that same strange power.

"Not this," Riku quickly evaded, dodging the dark balls and the avoiding the suction of the burning twister at the same time. "I've had enough! It'll take a lot more than elements to deter me." Riku quickly turned to see the dark orbs and the twister coming right at him. He drew his keyblade rearward and slashed it before him.

From the tip of his blade came a powerful sonic boom that echoed within the cavern. All elements, the fire, the wind, and the dark orbs were struck and quickly diminished, unleashing havoc before the Phantom Lord. Sirius squinted as the heat, the fire, and the force of the sonic boom forced him to waver slightly in mid-air.

"Quite surprising," he said, "You did pretty well. But then again, if you had been struck by trifling elements, then I guess you're not as skilled as I had thought. Thank goodness you proved that theory wrong. Otherwise, this whole ordeal you're undergoing would be a mere waste of effort."

"There's one thing I don't understand though." Riku wanted to know. "How is it that you have found a way to nullify our immunity to elemental attacks?"

"It's quite elementary." Sirius said.

"Quite elementary…? You're using some kind of energy that helps manipulate the elements to have some an effect on us."-

"You are half correct, Riku. The fact is this new energy you sense does not come from the elements themselves, but rather from within you."-

"Within me, what do you mean?"-

"Just take a look around you and you'll know what you want to know."-

Riku looked about. The KH team, hearing this conversation did the same thing.

"I don't get it." Sora said.

"What the heck is he talking about?" Donald added. "What does he mean look around and know what we want to know?"

But as Riku further observed, he suddenly realized what Sirius meant. High above, he glared at the glimmering under surface of the domes shield over their heads.

"It's the shield isn't it?" Riku said. "You manipulated the energy properties in the shield."

"That's correct." Sirius replied. "You catch on quick, my other self. But then again, we are of the same make up."

"He manipulated the shield?" Kairi wondered.

"That explains it then." Sora said.

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you figured it out for yourself." Sirius chuckled. "I purposely manipulated the energy of the shield so that I would have gained a slight advantage over you, in this case making you vulnerable to elemental attacks once again. But the only way to do that was to nullify the effects of the Immunity Orb."

"But how did you…?"-

"How did I know about the Immunity Orb? You forget that I am an Imperial. Thus, the greatest weapons and assets known within the Imperial regime are well known to me. I knew of the Immunity Orb and how it was used by the Death Lords to help fend off any kind of element, even if they are combined with inner energy. And for you to take down General Saber, the supreme master of all the elements, only that could have been accomplished by gaining the power of the Immunity Orb. No doubt you received this power by from Lord Thundro." Sirius landed upon the ground again. "Thus, though I was not very certain of you ascertaining it, I took the liberty of doing a little research and voila I find a counter solution to the Immunity Orb, one that even Lord Thundro never knew existed. This information was passed on by His Late Excellency Lord Arakis and concealed with the rest of his top secret documents. He only passed on this information between himself, His Late Excellency Lord Viro, and His Late Excellency Lord Cavendish. This was used in case the Immunity Orb was to ever be turned against the Imperial Regime. It so happened, by a mere twist of fate that I managed to stumble upon the plans first. Using what I found, I used the solution to create a manipulative shield that nullifies the power of the orb within a person's body. And I must say I'm quite pleased with the results. That's why you feel that strange energy. Nothing is out of the ordinary. It's just that both you and Sora aren't accustomed to feeling vulnerable. What you are sensing is the dormant power of the Immunity Orb trying to free itself. That is why you assume the elements are giving off a strange power. But the reality is you've simply regressed to what you once were." Sirius drew up his keyblade. "And now that you are as you once were, that means you can be hindered by any element now, no matter how basic they may be!"

Sirius suddenly unleashed seven fiery spheres, bellowing flames as hot as the sun. Riku was shocked at the same time astounded by the incredible display.

"Look at that." Sora said to his friends.

"That technique looks similar to Riku's Cinder Canister." Mickey added.

"Prepare yourself, Noctin Tilandir." Sirius declared. "I present you with another barrage!" One by one, he sent the flaming orbs towards Riku.

"So you wanna play that way do you?" Riku said. "Well, take your best shot!"

"Oh I intend to."-

Riku took off just as the first of the spheres came swooping down. He threw himself into the air. The moment he did, Riku watched as the seven spheres arched around and upward back towards him.

"I knew it," The youth thought to him self, "They're locked on to my energy signature." Riku quickly flew upward and around, evading the spheres as best he could. But evasion was not enough against Sirius who once again hovered about with his armed folded before his chest.

"You never seem to learn do you?" Sirius chuckled.

"Neither do you." Riku replied. "Let's see how you like a taste of your own medicine!" He unleashed his own Cinder Canister and sent them mingling about with the fiery spheres already in pursuit of him.

"And what do you plan to accomplish with that?" But before another word could be uttered, Sirius suddenly found him self being attacked by the fiery spheres. He quickly evaded. "So you think you can use the same attack on me with equal effectiveness, Riku? Well, you're wrong!" He took to the sky. Now both were evading orbs.

"Look at that." Kairi said.

"It's like a reflected image." Sora added.

"I've had enough of this!" Riku shouted. He suddenly stopped mid-air and threw before him an energy shield. The fiery spheres exploded one at a time and jerked him so violently. To have them all pounding in almost at the same instant cause the heat to amplify a hundred fold and eventually burn its way through Riku's shield. Luckily for Riku, only his hands were slightly singed.

Sirius on the other hand used ice particles to dampen and nullify the flames, making them smaller and smaller until the last dissipated into the atmosphere.

"That was a little too close for comfort." He inwardly commented. "Riku's strength is greater than I thought."

"Is that the best you got, Sirius?"-

"It has become apparent to me that you are correct, my other self. Trivial techniques will not prove effective against our battle strengths. So, let's just make it all the more challenging…for you…"-

"And what did you have in mind?"-

"Only this," Sirius drew up his vacant hand. "I have waited a long time to smite you with my secret weapon."

"Secret weapon…?" Riku was curious.

"What secret weapon is that I wonder?" Sora thought to himself.

"Behold my secret weapon!" Sirius declared. From his hand vacant hand, a shadowy light appeared and formed an elongated shape, stretching from the grasp of his palm to the middle of his shin. As the light faded, it gave way to a strange and spectacular sight.

"Golly, would you take a gander at that." Mickey uttered.

"It's a keyblade." Sora added, "A second keyblade."

The keyblade gave the expression of dark raven wings clustered in such perfect form, one atop the other. The head seemed like a fluff of frayed feathers spiked into a star like formation. The hilt was itself a pair of wings, macho and threatening at the same time. But despite its appearance, Riku was unimpressed.

"Is that all you wanted to show me, Sirius?" Riku scoffed, "A keyblade? That's your secret weapon?"

"Not just any keyblade, Riku." Sirius declared. "This keyblade is one of the rarest ever forged. Despite its ordinary appearance, this keyblade was forged by the darkness."

"The darkness…?"-

"That's correct…! This keyblade was designed to inflict the maximum damage possible. You might say that the darkness within this keyblade is so great that it has the capacity to overwhelm even the strongest of hearts. Thus, when struck with it, the average key bearer will become so engulfed and smothered in darkness that their light flickers and dies within seconds. They lose their hearts forever. To add, because of the magnitude of this keyblade's power, its effects on the body go beyond what is expected of the dark element's nature. When struck, the average individual will regress into total oblivion. They will become neither heartless, nor nobody. They will vanish completely without a trace as if they never were to begin with. Thus, it is instant death and instant obliteration for anyone unlucky enough to face it in battle. Hence the name…'The Death Summoner…' It is this weapon I will use to assure your total demise both in body and spirit."-

"My God," Sora uttered. "That's not a keyblade, that's a demon."

"I've heard of such keyblades." Mickey explained. "They were originally weapons of the Gods. They held such incredible power. Only those worthy enough to wield them could control them and bend them to their will."

"And unfortunately for us, Sirius managed to get a hold on one of them."-

"Now, despite what this keyblade can do against the average individual," Sirius continued, "I don't know what effect it will have on you, Riku, since you are anything, but average as well as being the infamous and charismatic Child of Darkness. Perhaps it'll take more than just one strike to finish you."

"Oh great," Riku grumbled, "That makes me feel a whole lot better."

"Now prepare yourself, Noctin Tilandir!" Sirius suddenly vanished. Riku quickly drew up his keyblade. He looked about, feeling for the energy of his nemesis. Suddenly, Sirius appeared before him, striking with the rare keyblade. Riku quickly blocked. He could feel the surge coming from the Death Summoner.

"This power," he uttered to himself, "It's far too horrible."

"You're having second thoughts are you?"-

"Not at all, Sirius,"-

"Good, because I'd hate to have you cower before the time is right."-

"I'd never cower before you!"-

"That's the spirit!"-

Both had double keyblades drawn and struck and smashed at each other. Back and forth they clashed, the intensity of their strikes growing with every passing second. Riku was now on edge, his concentration and focus beyond their limits. He made himself aware of the Death Summoner. Even with simple clashes, he could feel his power being drained by the darkness.

Soon, the two found themselves in such intense close quarter combat, the turns of the heads and twists of their bodies could have snapped their being in two because they were so sudden and reaching their virtual bending and turning capacity. Soon keyblade clashed with keyblade and the two halves had locked their weapons into positions that they could not easily pry themselves out of without the fear of the other retaliating and delivering a fatal, if not final strike.

For Riku, sweat drew from his brow. His pulse raced faster and faster, his breathing became more rapid. His muscles seemed to give way, the sweat dripped from his brow, and he felt as if his head would explode. Sirius Viicous on the other hand was as calm as a man strolling through the park on a cool yet bright summer day. He did not have the same strain as Riku did. Though he gave off the same amount of strength, his emotions didn't show. He only smirked. No doubt it was the possession of this powerful keyblade that made him so confident. He knew that Riku was incapable of delivering such a blow.

"You seem a little stressed my other self." The Phantom Lord chuckled. "Having trouble concentrating?"

"No," Riku replied. "Just a little perturbed that's all."

"Is that so?" Sirius moved the deadlock upward. With out warning, he drew up his foot and kicked Riku in the gut. Riku staggered and fell upon the ground thus breaking the deadlock. Sirius threw himself on top of Riku, the Death Summoner pointed at his heart. Riku quickly evaded just as the infamous keyblade dropped down. The keyblade struck the ground and caused the area around its impact point to turn black and crumble.

Riku was shocked.

"That could have been me." He thought.

"You won't get away that easily!" Sirius shouted. He lifted up his other keyblade, The Demon Summoner and pounded it against the ground. From the tip of the weapon, a hundred shadows suddenly appeared like raved dogs and charged at Riku. They surrounded the key bearer and swooped upon him one after the other. Each shadow in its assault seemed to bear a mouth of sharp teeth. Red eyes would appear, giving them a far more horrid appearance. But Riku was undeterred and slashed away at the entities one at a time. He seemed in the clear that was until Sirius threw himself forward for the kill. The Death Summoner was drawn forward.

"You're mine," The Phantom Lord shouted. But Riku quickly evaded, spinning around at the last moment. Sirius was astounded at the swiftness of his opponent. Riku spun himself around, hoping to strike his foe from behind. But again, he was denied as Sirius did the same, dropping out of his thrust attack and spinning around for a sideswipe. Riku, upon seeing this sudden turn quickly jumped up, cleared a few inches just as the Death Summoner reached what was supposed to be its mark.

The youth threw him self a good deal away from the fray to catch his breath. Sirius regained his stance and glared at his other half.

"Quite resourceful," he said.

"Man," Sora uttered as he and others continued to watch. "Did you see that maneuvering?"

"I've never seen such agility." Mickey said.

"None of us have." Donald added.

"I have." Sora said. "Those are the same moves that Riku used on me when we did our training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."

"But even so," Goofy said, "He and Sirius Viicous are on an equal playing field."

"Well, not quite." Sora smirked and folded his arms in front of him. "If you really want to know, Riku's actually holding back." His friends were baffled.

"He's holding back?" Kairi asked.

"That's right. He's far stronger than what he's showing now. If he wanted, he could become ten times stronger than he presently shows.'-

"But that fight with Sephiroth…" Mickey said. "Weren't you at your maximum?"

"Not really. We were simply reserving our energy for the time being."-

"You were holding back?"-

"But why…?" Donald asked.

"Thundro taught us a valuable lesson." Sora declared. "Never flaunt your powers for intimidation only. Unleash your full strength when you know you'll need it. As well we must know our enemy, at times even more than we know ourselves. Sephiroth might still have had a few good techniques in store for us, so we had to hold back and keep our own power reserved in case the inevitable were to happen. The same goes for this situation. Riku has to wait for the opportune moment."

"But that means we wasted a potion. We wasted a potion when all this time you two could have defeated Sephiroth with very little effort."-

"Not necessarily, Donald." Mickey implied. "That would have been too large an assumption on our part. Sephiroth's own strength had increased dramatically. Therefore, he might have developed far more devastating techniques in the process and might have wished to deploy them. Besides," Mickey looked at Sirius. "If Riku and Sora had used their full strength during that battle, no doubt that Sirius might have observed it, thus allowing him to know what to expect."

"I suppose you do have a point, Your Majesty."-

All the while, Riku and Sirius stood glaring at one another.

"Man, he's something else." Riku inwardly quoted, "To think that he could go stride for stride with me."

"Noctin Tilandir," Sirius proclaimed. "What's wrong, I was expecting a little more out of you than this."

"Don't worry about that. Things will heat up faster than you know it."-

"Oh yes…? And how will that happen?"-

"Like this," Riku's aura suddenly began to glow. Sirius watched curiously as his opponent's being started to manifest this illuminating energy.

"What the…?" Kairi said as she watched her close from immerse himself in this light. "Is Riku powering up?"

"He's taking it up a notch." Sora chuckled. "Soon, Sirius will have no idea what he's contending with."

Riku's power slowly grew and Sirius could feel the impulse upon the ground he stood on.

"This energy," He thought, "Impressive…"

"Now," Riku stood up, keyblades grasped in his clutches, "I call forth my most effective summoning spell up to date. I call forth Whiff." Suddenly, appearing over Riku's head was the same cute little bunny that he first saw in Agrabah. Whiff suddenly transformed and appeared upon Riku's back as a couple of black wings.

"A combination of inner strength with a summoning spell," Sirius thought to himself. "What could you be planning for me, Riku?"

"Look at that." Goofy uttered.

"Riku has wings." Kairi added.

"A set of dark angel wings," Sora implied, "Riku's Whiff summoning spell. He's really going to use it."

"Have you seen this before?"-

"It's one that Riku was working on in our training period, one that he was holding off specifically to use on Sirius Viicous."-

"I must say that you put on quite a show." Sirius said to his other self. "But if that's supposed to intimidate me, you're sadly mistaken."

"You just wait." Riku growled. He suddenly vanished. Sirius was awestruck by the swiftness. Riku emerged again at the extreme right flank and struck at Sirius. Sirius drew up his keyblade and blocked. Riku threw down his second keyblade upon the Phantom Lord and again Sirius blocked. Once more they were caught in a deadlock and both were straining against the other. But this time Riku was not at all stressed as he was before.

"Not this again." Sirius chuckled. He drew up his foot and again attempted to kick Riku in the gut. But this time, his efforts were in vain. The wings upon Riku's back folded in front of him, guarding his entire body from the chest down. Sirius was stunned.

"Not this time, Sirius." Riku replied. The wings threw off Sirius's foot and forced the Phantom Lord to stumble somewhat. Riku attacked again. Sirius vanished all the while and appeared at the extreme left flank. He caught an opening and struck with The Death Summoner. But to his dismay, the blow was fended off. Not by Riku's keyblade, but by his wings. The wings threw off the blow. "This is a tactic I've been working on for some time now. The black wings are used for both offensive and defensive capabilities.

"I never would have expected this."-

"And you never anticipated this either." Riku opened up the wings and sent a barrage of metal hard feathers screeching through the air at the Phantom Lord. Sirius drew forth his energy shield and blocked the barrage. He watched as the feathers stuck into the ground like razor sharp blades. Just then, Riku appeared before Sirius and broke through the weakened shield. Using his wings as additional limbs, he used them to knock Sirius off his feet. Riku side swiped the Imperial across the face. Then, he made repeated strikes with his keyblade upon the front of Sirius' being. Twenty times wings and keyblades hit their target before one final hit with the Ginroio Noria sent Sirius into a spiral upon the ground.

Such a spectacular sight this was, the KH team cheered.

"At a boy, Riku!" Kairi shouted.

"Give Sirius a taste of your strength!" Sora added.

"Let him have it!" Donald cried.

"Do it, do it," Mickey and Goofy hurrahed and repeated at the same time.

Sirius staggered with a few bumps and scrapes upon his person. But Riku wasn't about to let up. His wings stood fully erect into the air. On the underside, six orbs of energy, three for each extended wing, began to illuminate.

"Now take this, Sirius!" Riku deployed the six just as the Phantom Lord regained his stamina. Sirius watched as the six energy spheres came rushing at him. But instead of trying to dodge them, he smiled a most sinister smile and stood steadfast before the barrage.

Both Riku and the rest of his comrades were befuddled by this action.

"What is he doing?" Riku wondered.

"He's just gonna stand there and ask for it." Mickey said.

"Doesn't Sirius see those orbs coming at him?" Kairi asked.

"Does he want to get hit?" Sora added.

Sirius stood like a rock as the six balls of energy flew straight at him.

"You fool, Riku." He chuckled. "You just made a big mistake!"

"What…?" Riku was confused.

Then at that moment, Sirius vacated his palm from grasping a keyblade. He drew up his hand. And then the unthinkable happened. The six energy balls were sapped into his palm and integrated into his being. The KH team was shocked. Sirius lowered his palm after the last sphere was taken in.

"Thanks for the charge up." The Imperial laughed.

"No way," Riku uttered.

"Sirius knows how to absorb energy." Sora said.

"It can't be." Kairi implied.

"That explains why he didn't evade." Donald added.

Riku, though surprised, was not fully concerned.

"So you know how to absorb energy." He said. "Big deal, I'll know not to use energy waves on you then."

"That may be true." Sirius implied. "But that also means that you have limited your own abilities. You can't use long range energy attacks on me. Otherwise, I'll absorb it and have a little something extra to put on reserve."

"I'm surprised you didn't sap the attacks I threw at you before."-

"Elemental energy is not the same. The power has to be pure for me to absorb it. It must not manifest itself with elementals."-

"You gave away some vital information then."-

"But even though you know this now, you also know full well that elemental attacks will prove ineffective against me." Sirius raised the Death Summoner keyblade. "I know I'm capable of absorbing energy, but I don't know about you." Suddenly, upon the head of the Death Summoner, a large dark ball of energy appeared. "Let's see you take this on!"

With no further pause, Sirius sent the shadowy sphere reeling towards the key bearer. Riku had no time to think, all he could do was react. The black wings threw themselves in front of him, acting as a shield. The ball made impact with this barrier and Riku could feel the intensity behind it. Suddenly, he saw the wings breaking up as the dark ball kept on in its path.

"This can't be." Riku thought to himself. Using his own energy, he created a temporary barrier to reinforce the wings in case they collapsed. The ball spun faster and faster, tearing off more of the wings until finally, the spinning gave way to an unstable outward explosion which blew Riku away.

"Riku," Sora cried.

"Oh no," Kairi gasped.

They watched as Riku flew into the air and landed upon the ground. Feathers and shadows mingled for a while before dissipating forever into the atmosphere.

"You're lucky that you're quick on your feet, my other self." Sirius scoffed.

"That was a little too close." Riku thought to himself. "There was an incredible amount of power behind that. Had it not been for the wings and that accumulation of energy, I might have been killed."

"You've caused me pain, Riku." Sirius stood tall before the youth. Riku quickly jumped to his feet. "You struck me with your wings and your keyblades." Sirius looked upon his body, seeing the damage. "You've made my body ache and you've formed scuff and dirt marks all over my Imperial frock. Do you know how hard it is to keep an entourage such as this maintained? Very, very difficult…" The Imperial then only sighed and slicked a few strands of his hair back. "Well, it doesn't matter right now. You will eventually be reimbursed with the same treatment amplified a hundred fold."

"I jump for joy."-

"You think that you've shown off your strength? Well, let me give a taste of what real power is." Sirius began to accumulate his own energy. Slow at first, but eventually he accumulated the true essence of the darkness within him. The calm broke as small surges of electricity statically flashed around him. Little by little, they grew in number until like a blanket of small lightning storms began to rise from the ground, snapping off pieces of stone from the fortress floor.

Then appeared the rising debris, bits and pieces of dirt and rock began to levitate on their own. All the while, Sirius himself began to levitate and glow, a transparent black ball encasing him yet giving off a glimmering red surface in the little light that showed. Gusts of wind began to blow, harder and harder with every passing second. This forces the debris to spin about in a maddening fashion. The lightning now began to bellow and a powerful, endless roar echoed.

The KH team was shocked, speechless, and somewhat afraid of what they saw.

"What incredible strength." Sora uttered.

"He's revealing the true nature of his energy." Mickey added. They all covered their faces, protecting them from bits and pieces that might strike their eyes, nosed, or mouths. The sting of the debris flying into their forehead was painful. "I never would have guessed Sirius would be this strong."

"Guys," Riku shouted to his comrades. "Get back! Get back as far as you can!"

"But Riku," Sora replied.

"Do as I say! This power is unlike anything we've ever faced. Get back now!"-

"No use arguing." Sora turned to his friends. "Let's go! Get as far away as you can!"

"C'mon," Donald shouted. The group quickly withdrew.

Riku in the meantime, drew his arms in front of his face, shielding the debris that pelted him. It was at that very moment that Sirius Viicous unleashed the full extent of his power in one mighty blow. He suddenly threw his arms skyward and with this gesture, a great echoing boom erupted, blowing away everyone and everything within its effective range. The light illuminated ten times and its luminance burned and singed. The ground began to shake. It almost felt as if the fortress would tumble from beneath the feet of the KH team and the Phantom Lord. But the foundations held, despite the ongoing pressure. Winds picked up and lightning became more sporadic.

Within the course of a few seconds, however, the chaos had ended and things were as they should have been, quiet. But now, there was a strange and foreboding lull in the air as the Phantom Lord appeared once again from the descending dust and debris. Riku could only look on with apprehension, sensing this heightened strength.

"Sirius Viicous," he uttered to himself. "I never thought he was capable of unleashing such chaos."

The KH team had also recovered. They had managed to stay together, but they were now covered in fine stone powder and rubble. They dusted themselves off and continued to watch from afar the second phase of the battle.

"To think that Sirius could cause that kind of devastation just from powering up," Kairi said.

"Watch out, Riku." Sora said silently. "His aura is dark and malevolent."

"Noctin Tilandir," Sirius suddenly bellowed. Riku turned to make eye contact with his other self. There was a moment of peace as the two stared each other down. "Now, you will die!"

Sirius suddenly charged. His speed and his agility increasing ten fold. Riku was quick to react, but he realized now that his nemesis has reached a higher plateau of power. Sirius clashed with his keyblades. Riku did his best to fend them off. The fight lasted for only ten seconds before Sirius quickly gained the upper hand. He kicked Riku into the air and then struck him downward with the Demon Summoner. Riku quickly recovered. But again, Sirius had vanished.

"What's the matter, my other self," The Phantom Lord chuckled, "You having trouble finding me?"

Sirius appeared again, striking with his Death Summoner from behind. Riku managed to block, but was struck at the side with a powerful kick. He went flying with Sirius in quick pursuit. Riku unleashed Cinder Canister to slow and perhaps confuse his foe. But Sirius was able to eliminate the flaming spheres with a sonic boom. He still came head on at Riku. Riku halted for a moment and used a shield at point blank range, hoping the Imperial would strike it and be stunned, thus giving him an opportunity to counter strike. But such a tactic proved useless as the Phantom Lord quickly flanked to the side of the shield catching him off guard. Riku drew up his keyblades and blocked another attempted blow with the Death Summoner.

"You can't keep this up." Sirius snickered. "My speed and strength have been heightened to a level far above your own."

"And that means what to me?"-

"That's easy, your death."-

Sirius pushed Riku off again and attacked, this time from the extreme rear. Riku spun about to confront his foe only to find that he battled an after image. Sirius appeared again, this time from the right. To add to the confusion, he unleashed his shadow clones and they pummeled at Riku. The youth was starting to strain as he did not know which was which at times. He sensed out for the life source of the Phantom Lord and pummeled the clones one at a time.

"Get out of there!" Sora shouted.

Riku did just that got out of the way of the incoming Imperials. Using his Cinder Canister again, he threw each one at the remaining clones. They were struck and flames bellowed. Riku landed upon the ground and tried to catch his breath. But before his first inhale could be made, he felt a surge behind him. He turned to see that Sirius had unleashed his own fire barrage and sent the entities reeling towards him.

Riku took to the air again, the flaming spheres in hot pursuit. He used Hurricane Slash to deflect the balls, but only temporarily. Though some were eliminated, most of them had been sent in other directions. But still locked onto their targets energy source, they quickly regained the offensive. The spheres drew towards Riku, the speed increasing with every second.

"Come on and get me." Riku growled. At the last moment, when it would see the spheres would hit him, the young man jumped into the air, leaving the spheres to make impact with one another.

There came a fiery explosion that bellowed and burned the soles of Riku's shoes. He believed he was in the clear now. But no sooner had he safely evaded the attack, Riku beheld another dark energy ball reeling towards him, the same one deployed from the dark power of the Death Summoner

Seeing this ball charging before him, Riku deployed his shield at the last moment. The ball made impact and there was another great explosion, which blew Riku away. He was able to recover though, despite the devastation of the sphere's impact on his self made barrier. But again, he was confronted by another terrifying surprise.

Sirius Viicous had once again appeared before him. This time, because of the earlier endurance, Riku was completely open to attack. He had no way of defending himself, not after being pummeled from the prior attempts to strike him. This time, he stood no chance. And Sirius took this opportunity to his advantage.

"You're finished, Noctin Tilandir." Sirius chuckled. He deployed the Death Summoner. Riku did his best to evade. But his efforts were not enough. The Ravenous keyblade struck him across the chest. The blade tore through his shirt and made a cut across Riku's upper torso. On the moment of impact, Riku suddenly felt as if the energy had been sapped away from him. His body went numb and grew heavy. His senses seemed to blur and his head gave a spinning sensation as what would happed to one in a dizzy spell after spinning about like a top. He grew sick and weak.

Sirius passed with keyblade extended in an after pose, the tip of the Death Summoner red with Riku's blood. Though the wound itself was not fatal, the effects of the darkness within the keyblades' make up had taken its toll on the youth.

Sora and the others could only look on in horror as their comrade was stricken with this ailment.

"No," Sora uttered. "Riku was hit by the Death Summoner."

"No Riku," Kairi added.

"Sirius was just too fast." Mickey said. "This new strength of his, not even Riku can contend with it by himself."

Riku descended to the ground and knelt upon his knees huffing and puffing as if he had undergone one of Thundro's training regimens.

"This feeling," Riku uttered as he grasped the wound. The muscles in his arms and legs seemed to throb and stiffen. "It's like that technique Sephiroth used."

"Well," Sirius thought to himself. "It seems that Riku's managed to evade a fatal blow. But no matter, I can already see the effects of the Death Summoner's power already starting to take its toll." Sirius snickered and smirked most deviously. "It won't be long now. Just a few more strikes with the Death Summoner and Noctin Tilandir will finally meet total obliteration. Thus, my revenge and urges shall at last be fulfilled!"

Riku tried to stand, but his legs felt as if they were made of jelly. He could barely throw one foot forward to lift himself up.

"Riku," Sora cried, "You have to get up!"

"I know, Sora." Riku replied. "I know…but I…"

"What's the matter, Riku?" Sirius chuckled. "You don't seem as eager to continue as you did a few minutes ago. In fact, you seem a little sluggish." Like a vulture the Phantom Lord hovered about. "Are you feeling the effects of the Death Summoner's power? It works fast on the body doesn't it?"

"I'm not gonna let this guy mock me." Riku growled inwardly.

Sure enough, he suddenly began to stagger, one foot placing itself on heel and toe. Sirius was shocked and astounded.

"I don't believe this." He thought to himself. "Riku's accumulating this strange aura. His strength seems to be regenerating itself. But then again, I'm not the least bit surprised. They don't call him Noctin Tilandir for nothing." He watched as the youth slowly rose upon his feet. "This keyblade was meant to eliminate other key bearers. And key bearers are warriors of light. Thus, they wouldn't recover from the effects of this keyblade no matter how hard they tried. But Riku is a key bearer of darkness, the legendary Noctin Tilandir of all things. I'm not all that stupefied that he bears the capability to withstand the effects of the Death Summoner. So my earlier conjecture was correct. It'll take a little bit more to eliminate him then just one swipe."

"You'll have to do a lot better than that." Riku declared.

"Inconceivable," Sirius grumbled.

"Alright," Sora uttered, seeing his friend arise again, "Riku's back on his feet."

"Thank goodness," Kairi added, a tear forming upon her eye.

"I see it's going to require a great deal more then one significant smite to rid my conscience of your presence." Sirius said.

"Let's rumble." Riku replied.

Sirius suddenly attacked again. Riku drew up his keyblade and the two were once again in severe hand to hand combat. However, because of the most recent blow on Riku by the Death Summoner, the young key bearer's maneuvers were somewhat sluggish and this speed and strength were reduced to half of what they were before. Still, despite this disadvantage he had, he still managed to hold his own against the infamous Sirius Viicous.

"Even in his weakened state, he's still able to withstand my attacks." The Phantom Lord said to himself. "However, he's still just child's play."

Again, the fears of the KH team were realized as once again Riku was maimed by the Death Summoner, this time across his left arm. He felt that same negative surge flowing through every fiber of his being. Thus, Riku staggered again and fell to his knees. This time, he barely had enough energy left to sit, let alone stand. He fell upon the ground, weakened and bloody.

Sirius lowered his keyblade and approached Riku. Riku's eyes could only see a blur as the strained to see the face of his nemesis. Sirius glared at Riku, prostrated on the ground. He then glanced at Sora and the others from the corner of his eye. He could see the terrified and worried gazes on their faces for Riku as well as their scornful sneers and glares for him.

"Get up, Riku!" Kairi shouted. "Please get up!"

"Don't let it end this way!" Mickey added.

"C'mon, Riku," Sora said, "C'mon, you have to get up."

Sirius then looked again at Riku.

"I have been waiting for this moment a long time, Noctin Tilandir." Sirius uttered. "You are prostrated on the ground. Your friends call your name, pleading to you continue, begging that you'll be alright. And I always said to myself, whenever this day would come, and such a scene were to unfold itself before me," Sirius then gave a teething smile, one so devious and blood boiling, a passer-by could have instantly slain him for such mockery. "I would look down upon your bloodied figure and smile!"

"Then why don't you give yourself the satisfaction and just kill me?" Riku uttered.

"Oh no, Riku, I can't do that. If there is one thing my master had taught me about revenge is that you must savor every second of it. And right now, I am enjoying my victory over you. I have proven that I am the more cunning, the stronger, and the more agile of the two of us."-

"You haven't proven anything."-

"In your opinion that may be, but you're in no position to be giving me a lecture."-

Sora and the others could only watch helplessly. Sora was tempted to just suddenly jump in and aid Riku. He had the opportunity, he had the capability. But Riku's words burned within his head. His heart and mind conflicted with one another. His heart urged him to intervene and save the day. Though Riku would hate him for it and Sirius demanding the immediate withdrawal of his life, at least Sora would be there to keep his best friend from enduring any more torment. On the other hand, however, should he intervene, then Sirius may not only target him, but Kairi and the others as well, since the numbers of those engaged would no longer be limited. A plague of outcomes entered the youth's mind.

Sora slightly stepped forward, deciding to follow his heart instead, but before he could, there was another interruption that unexpectedly made its presence known.

"Concentrating all of your efforts to mock and humiliate a single wounded opponent was a fatal mistake, both then and now." A voice shouted.

Suddenly, the mighty doors that led to the final tier burst open and were splintered. From the exploding debris, a long glimmering sword appeared. There was a flash of blue and gold, which left the team speechless.

General Arinario Triiken had arrived…

"Sirius Viicous," he shouted, "I have come to claim your life!"


	137. We Fight Together

We Fight Together

From out of nowhere, Triiken appeared, crashing through the doors of the final tier. Rage in his expression, his signature technique screamed and howled through the air.

"Sirius Viicous," he shouted, "I have come to claim your life!"

The Noctin Exmortin surged towards the Phantom Lord.

"You," Sirius grumbled.

"Alright," Sora said, "It's Triiken…!"

But such an attack was futile against the Phantom Lord. He quickly drew up his keyblades and countered. The two engaged in close combat as keyblade met the razor sharp steel of the Gatler General's Imperial katana.

"Triiken…" Riku uttered.

Back and forth for a good fifteen seconds they battled before entering a stand off. Sirius smirked while Triiken gave only a serious glare.

"Well, Triiken," Sirius chuckled, "I must say that I wasn't expecting you to appear out of nowhere."

"I have only one other to defeat." Triiken replied.

"Is that so? Well, forgive me for saying this, but this battle is a private function. I have declared a one on one duel with Riku. Therefore, I kindly ask you to step aside. You will have your turn with me in a moment."-

"That is something I cannot allow."-

"And why is that?"-

"You are after Riku's life are you? Well, that's not going to happen. The reason being is because fate has left that open for me to accomplish."-

"Oh yes, I do recall you bearing some king of vendetta against Noctin Tilandir."-

"That is correct."-

"Then why don't you make it easier on yourself and join me." Sirius lowered his keyblades. "You and I are after the same thing, Triiken. Why battle against each other?"

"The reason being is because I never stand in favor of those who wish to perpetuate the chaos." Triiken formed up the Noctin Exmortin. "As tempting as your offer sounds, I have to decline. I would after all hate to have all of my past endeavors go to waste."

"So you will stand against me then?" Sirius raised his keyblades again. "Very well, if you wish to battle me, be my guest. But from I can tell of your stature, you won't live very long." Sirius glanced at Triiken's left leg which still bore the hideous wound inflicted by General Durovano. Despite the mending, the wound gave Triiken a slight limp. "I take it that King and Durovano were the ones who injured your leg. Therefore, your thrust is slightly slower than it would usually be. So, despite them failing to defeat you, they have at least maimed you so that you would prove less effective than you would have been had you remained fully in tact."

But the Phantom Lord's words fell upon deaf ears. Triiken drew up his sword in the most familiar fashion.

"He's going to use the Noctin Exmortin again?" Sora inquired. "Doesn't he realize that such a straight forward attack is not going to work against this guy?"

"You Gatler bums never knew when it was in your best interest to retire." Sirius chuckled.

"As a follower of the Imperial code, I choose death before dishonor." Triiken declared so boldly. "Should I smite you down, I will be satisfied. But should I only maim you, then that in it self will be enough to please me."

"Quite brash words, Triiken…"-

Sirius prepared himself, his keyblades forming a defensive access before him. Triiken thrust himself before the Imperial lord with all his might. Sirius timed the movements of his opponent perfectly, as he leaped into the air just as Triiken reached the place he was standing. Sirius then thrust downward, hoping to skewer the Gatler in the back, striking the opening at the back of his neck, thus piercing heart and lung at the same time.

Triiken was clever and quickly evaded with a jerk to the right, forcing the thrust to miss. He landed upon his feet just as Sirius' blade hit the ground. The Gatler countered, striking at the far rear with a side swipe attack. But Sirius leaped again and slashed at Triiken by means of the Demon Summoner. Triiken was grazed across the top of his left forearm, causing blood to seep from the broken surface tissue of his skin.

Sirius landed a good deal away from his opponent.

"What acrobatics…" Mickey uttered.

"But Triiken didn't get the better of the situation." Sora added.

"What was that you said again Triiken?" Sirius mocked. "You would be satisfied if you struck me down, or at least wounded me? Well, unfortunately for you, neither of those things occurred. Are you still satisfied?"

But Triiken said nothing. He only stood up, dusted himself off and again formed the pose for the Noctin Exmortin.

"My God," Riku uttered, "He's at it again."

"Triiken's still going to use that same attack?" Sora uttered. "But it's futile. That thrust might have been able to work on Riku long ago, but things change, in this case drastically. Now the attack seems only trivial child's play, especially against someone as skilled as Sirius Viicous."

"You have a point there." Mickey implied. "But it doesn't really matter now."

"What do you mean, Your Majesty?" Donald asked. The other KH team members were curious as well.

"It may be a predictable move, but at least he's doing it."-

Mickey's message was clear enough.

"I see…" Sora said. He remarked no more beyond those words.

"Come now, Triiken," Sirius grumbled, "Don't you have anything with a little more flash than that? You're using that same stupid and predictable move on me again."

"I realize that." Triiken replied.

"Then why bother using it at all?"-

"Because I must…"-

"Fine by me then," Sirius gave a sigh. "If you want to waste your energy and your life, that's your own business. But I'll do you a favor and make it easier for you since you were once an Imperial. I'll match my own thrust attack with your signature move. Perhaps that'll get it through your thick skull that such a trivial little gesture is a thing of the past and is not going to work against someone of my status."

"I accept your challenge then."-

Sirius glanced at Riku.

"Don't worry, my other self." He said. "I'll be with you in a moment. First, I must dispose of a traitorous Alliance lapdog."

Riku could only growl and inwardly pound himself for allowing him self to be placed in such a vulnerable position.

All the while, Sirius and Triiken stood face to face, their weapons drawn up to their offensive positions. Without warning, Triiken charged. Sirius did the same thing, his thrust attack equaled in power to the Gatler General's. There was a flash of light, a clash and sliding of steel, and for a moment, there came that piercing of flesh.

The two passed one another as if nothing had occurred and their attempts to cut one another were a false gesture. But to the dismay of the KH team members, yet not to Sirius Viicous, damage had been done. Triiken had been slashed across the chest. The blood seeped his blue frock, tainting the gold trim and white leather of his chest strap a hideous crimson red. In the meantime, Sirius bore no scratch on him. He bore no wounds upon him.

"So much for the infamous Noctin Exmortin." He chuckled. "I guess your so called invincible thrust attack was all bark and no bite."

"Do you really believe such nonsense?" Triiken asked. Sirius turned to see the Gatler General back on his feet. Though he had been dealt two blows, one to the arm and one to the chest, he did not falter. Instead, he once again drew forth the stance of the Noctin Exmortin. However, it was not the same as the ones prior. Instead, he took the ultimate stance with traded positions of hands from left to right. Both gripped the handle of his katana. But Sirius only snickered in amazement. He was no longer impressed with the Gatler General's maneuvers.

"I can't believe this, Triiken. You insist on using that same predictable move. I don't understand how a guy like you could have been dubbed as one of the most infamous officers within the former Cavendish regime. You're too easy to read."-

"The reason why I gained a reputation as being one of the most infamous officers within the former Imperial regime was not because of my ability to fight, or to strategize, but rather for the fact that I would persist until the very last breath I took extracted itself from my body. To fight to the end, to accept death before dishonor as I had so passionately told you before, that is what it means to be a true Imperial. Unfortunately, some of your officers didn't take that into consideration."-

"Fool," Sirius turned toward Triiken. "You can preach all you want to me. All I know is that you're not worth my time, but you insist on wanting me to give you my attention. Well, I'm sick of it. The only way to rid my self of your malignancy is to eliminate you. And that is what I intend to do." Sirius began to form flaming orbs around him. "I've already played it your way and won. This time around, I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of an equal technique. I'll save myself the trouble and eliminate you from a distance."

But Triiken remained defiant, his final stance unbroken.

"I don't believe this." Sora growled. "Here Sirius is showing off his prowess, he's going to hit Triiken in the middle of his advancing stride, Triiken can see he has no chance of taking a long range attack head on, yet he's still standing there determined to use the Noctin Exmortin."

"He's officially cracked." Donald added.

"He must be desperate or something." Goofy agreed.

"But Triiken knows he'd be cut down in his stride." Mickey implied. "There must be something behind this action."

"Maybe he's not the one who's desperate." Riku thought to himself. "Perhaps it's us who are desperate. If I know Triiken, he must have something planned. He must have some kind of counter attack in store. Still, I don't know how he'll evade an attack that could cover every possible evasion angle open to him."

"Come at me then, Gatler." Sirius declared. "Come at me and prove your grit!"

Triiken rushed forward, his stride at the maximum. But the moment he charged, Sirius sent in his fiery spheres, each one taking on a space that Triiken could have possibly used to evade.

"It's over." Sora said. But he was soon to eat his own words.

"Never count out a member of the Gatler Generals!" Triiken shouted. He thrust his sword forward and unleashed the final form upon the Phantom Lord as he did Durovano before him, a dome shield before his blade. The fiery spheres were repelled and exploded upon the shield's crest. Sora and the others were shocked, especially Lord Sirius Viicous.

"What's this!" he gasped.

"Triiken deployed a shield before his thrust?" Riku added.

"You're finished!" Triiken declared. His sword came at the Phantom Lord. However, Sirius was able to use his keyblades to fend off the thrust. He blocked and interrupted the stride, turned about and attempted to strike Sirius from behind, hoping to sever the Gatler's head from his shoulders. But Triiken, using his ultimate thrust form, swung the sword behind him and blocked the rear blow.

"Impossible…" Sirius uttered. Triiken then knelt slightly, lowering himself to Sirius' knees, at the same time keeping pressure upon the Imperial's blade. He turned the sword on its side and slid it upward. The sparks flying on the clashing steel. With such sleekness and speed, he struck Sirius Viicous across the left side of the throat.

The KH team looked on as the saw the blade make contact. No one, not even Sirius Viicous could have survived such a direct attack to the left jugular.

"He did it." Sora said.

But again, assumptions were made to fast. Sirius suddenly grinned. Using The Demon Summoner, he slashed upward, making a deep cut upon on Triiken's right breast reaching up to his shoulder. The Gatler was repelled.

"This can't be." He said to himself. He backed off a couple of feet. All the while, the KH team was still befuddled on what just occurred.

"What happened?" Goofy asked. "I thought Triiken had him for sure."

"We all thought that." Donald replied.

"But how could he have survived that?" Sora wondered. "We all saw the blade come in direct contact with Sirius' throat. There's no possible way he could still be standing right now."

Riku could only remain silent. His own ideas were in motion.

Just then, Sirius opened up the collar of his frock. Underneath the cloth of his coat and his dress shirt, at the place Triiken's blade made impact, there was a thin layer of Oceanarian steel.

"An iron neck guard," Triiken whispered to himself.

"You know what I like about history, Triiken?" Sirius said. "It's that those who heed past mistakes will know not to repeat them again. The reason why I lost my battle with Riku was because I was struck on the throat by him. I was soon taken advantage of because I couldn't move. The blow had severely reduced my strength and my senses, giving my enemy full advantage over me. Thus, in order to prevent such a thing from happening again, I focused my defense around here." Sirius so delicately glided his fingers across his neck. "I guess my earlier conjecture about you being easy to read was false, Triiken. You can be just as unpredictable as Noctin Tilandir. Not even I expected you to deploy an energy shield for a thrust attack to fend off my elemental projectiles. You did better than I thought. But unfortunately, despite being a surprise, that new tactic still wasn't enough. You had to time the attack right so you'd know when to relinquish the shield to cut me down. In this case it was at point blank range. Luckily I evaded at the last moment. But even if I didn't, your thrust attack wouldn't have worked since it was my throat you were aiming for, the only spot which guaranteed a swift and painless death." The Phantom Lord then unleashed another plethora of fiery spheres, their flames burning to a solar inferno. "However, like all good things, they have to come to an end. And in this case, Triiken, it's your life that has ended!"

The Phantom Lord deployed all fiery spheres upon the Gatler General. There was a great series of explosions and Triiken's mangled body went flying through the air, singed and charred. He fell upon the tier grounds and thus lay motionless. The life had been sapped from his mortal coil.

"I admired your strength and determination despite behind outclassed." Sirius continued. "Ergo, I shall see to it that your name will be etched upon the history books as being a warrior of indomitable stature."

"Triiken," Riku uttered.

"I can't believe it." Sora said. "Triiken's actually dead."

"Now then," Sirius turned to Riku, "Back to what we were doing."

Riku growled at the Phantom Lord. Using his regaining strength, he lifted himself up on his feet.

"You'll pay for that." Riku said.

"You should be thanking me, my other self, not threatening me. I just relieved you of another grudge holder thirsting to carve a reputation out of your hide."-

"Triiken was not my enemy, you are."-

"After being struck twice already by the Death Summoner, you'd think you'd learn some restraint."-

"Not when it comes to dealing with Imperial scum like you."-

"Imperial scum like me, eh? I admit you have spunk, but don't let it go to your head. You wouldn't want to die with those arrogant words still hanging on your lips."-

"Enough,"-

Riku lunged forward and again the battle commenced. Sirius, however, was not at all concerned for his own safety this time around. Riku's moves had become increasingly sluggish. The darkness had coiled itself within him and infested his body, making his coordination and awareness all the more limited. Yet, he fought on.

"Look at that," Sora growled. "Sirius is mocking him. He's not even taking this fight seriously anymore."

"Riku's been hit by that Death Summoner keyblade one too many times." Mickey said. "If he gets hit again, that may the last time we see him stand up."

"The darkness has got a firm grip on his heart and mind. Riku's using all of his strength to maintain his own awareness and compensate for the loss of power already taken from him. As a result, his body is starting to slow down."-

"At least Riku still has his heart to guide him right?" Kairi asked. "So long as his heart is strong, he can win."

"His heart is strong, Kairi. It can go on forever. Unfortunately, his body still strains. At the way things are going, his body will give in long before his heart does."-

"No…" Kairi began to tremble. Tears formed in her eyes. She feared for the life of one of her best friends. "Riku…"

Sora saw this reaction. His heart trembled just as much. He feared for Riku. He continued to believe in Riku's ability. But believing and hoping alone was not going to do the job. Sora's fists tightened, his mind plagued with ideas and questions. What should he do? Should he remain on the side lines and watch on as Riku draws closer to his inevitable obliteration? Should he let his dreams remain unaltered and again witness the second death of his childhood friend? Or should he intervene and save one of the most precious people in his life? But what would the reaction be? What result waited if he did? Such unanswerable pecked at him.

Riku in the meantime was not having the best of matches. The Phantom Lord had complete control of the battle. Riku was now just a puppet who could sway in any direction Sirius Viicous desired. His body seemed three to five times heavier than before. The sweat dripped down his face even entered into some of the open wounds he received, giving a stinging and throbbing sensation. Blood trickled from the cuts and intermingled with the salt of the sweat.

There was also a black substance, shadowy in appearance that bubbled in the wound and in the blood. This was the darkness that found refuge in the young man's flesh.

His breathing became ever more labored. The keyblades in his hands seemed to gain a pound with every swing.

Sirius smirked at the sight of his original self losing stamina. He praised himself for achieving his long awaited desires, though he had hoped for a much more epic and fulfilling outcome that what unfolded before him. He expressed his disgust with Riku's lack of strength and how quickly the battle had ended.

"Is this it?" he said. "Is this the grand battle I've been waiting for? Is this the legendary Noctin Tilandir who helped to topple the might of the Imperial regime? Never in my life have I seen a more pathetic sight. And here I was hoping that I'd have a decent challenge. But I guess my hopes were too high."

"Keep telling yourself that." Riku growled. "Go ahead and bloat up your ego. You're still just a fake." These words, though coming from an enemy severely maimed, wrenched the Phantom Lord's innards like a vice. He tightened his fists around the handles of his keyblades.

"Bold words from someone below my status," But Sirius quickly shook off his frustration. "Oh well, in a few minutes, I won't have to worry about being thought as a clone. Once you are dead, then I will be the only Riku left. Thus, your name and your identity will at last be mine."

Riku, with all his might, attacked the Imperial again. But again, his efforts proved folly as Sirius pummeled him away. The youth fell upon the ground and lay almost helpless. But even so, this did not halt his advance. He rose up and staggered again, his keyblades aiding him as a pair of crutches. Sirius, though longing to see Riku dead, did not want him to die. His thirst and his lusts for revenge boiled in high temperature within him.

"Despite my wanting to assure your demise," Sirius said, "Part of me doesn't wish to see you perish. The reason being is because I am enjoying seeing you suffer. Every gasp, every cry, every moan that you make, the smell of your sweat and the taste of your blood, they make me hunger for more. Such is the sweet scent if revenge."

"You're sick…"-

"Not when it comes to tormenting the one person who made me like this." Riku trudged forward, but fell to his knees again. His eyes half open, he looked upon the dark figure of his replica. Sirius knelt before his original and took hold of Riku's chin between his thumb and index. "Do you feel humiliated? Do you feel confused? Do you feel helpless? Do you feel somewhat worthless? Now you know the sensation that has been my one companion these many years. But I can assure you that what you are feeling now is only a fraction of what I had to endure."

"Don't touch me!" Riku swung the Ginroio Noria, but missed by a mile.

"Face it, my other self. You've lost. Everything you had is gone. You stand no chance against a warrior of my position. Just ease your sufferings and accept death with open arms."-

"You forget though, Sirius. You don't want me dead. You want me obliterated from existence in heart, mind, and soul."-

"If you give up now, I'll strike you with the Demon Summoner and at least let you have the dignity of keeping your soul."-

"I can't do that." Riku rose up, fully erect, with keyblades grasped in his hands. "If I simply give up, then I've let my friends down. They'll have to deal with you next. And to have them fight you when you're still in top shape is something that I don't want to burden them with."

"You tire your tongue as quickly as you tire your body. You have no power left to stand, let alone fight. The Death Summoner has sapped away your power. You are no longer a threat to me. And your moves are slow, cumbersome, and predictable. Your coordination is sluggish and lacking in efficiency. Every move you make is easy for me to read and counter. Therefore, I have full and total advantage."-

"Then what do you say we put that theory to the test!"-

Riku rushed again. His endurance was still as strong as ever, though his awareness was dimmed in shadows. Now, Sirius seemed to be moving at light speed. After being struck with the Death Summoner twice already, Riku's strength was reduced to half of its original level.

The KH team looked on and hoped. They wished and pleaded for the unseen forces to intervene. They prayed that fate would step in and whisk Riku away from the jaws of death. But no such call was heard, no such action was taken. Instead, fate seemed to be mocking their wants as a third time, they saw Riku hit with the Death Summoner, this time, cutting him across the upper half of his abdomens.

He collapsed to his knees, the keyblade dropping from his hand.

"Riku," Kairi cried.

"No Riku…" Sora uttered.

"Get up, Riku!" Donald shouted. "Get up!"

"Ya gotta get up!" Goofy added.

"Don't give in!" Mickey pleaded.

But their words fell upon deaf ears. Inside, Riku felt as if he had been torn limb from limb. He could no longer feel his arms or his legs, say for the slight throbbing they made. Sirius stood before him, a grim shadow sent to spirit away the helpless youth.

"Well, well, well," he said, "I could have sworn that that last hit would have put you out for good. But low and behold you're more persistent than I thought. Your heart is still strong. It is perhaps the only thing that's keeping you alive. But no matter, I'll end that beating in your chest with the next strike." Sirius raised his keyblade up.

All the while, Sora and the others beheld their companion's final moments. Sora then gazed towards the ground where Riku's keyblades lay. He watched as they both vanished from sight. This indicated to Sora that the end was over. Riku had given up all hope.

"No Riku," he thought in his mind. "Don't let it end like this. Not like this…"

There was no use resisting. After having been maimed three times by the Death Summoner, Riku had lost his will to fight. His foe was just too powerful and the weapon he wielded was too great a thing for anyone to stand against.

"I didn't want this conclusion to happen," Riku uttered to himself. "I want to keep fighting, but I barely have the energy to lift myself from my knees, let alone outmaneuver the Phantom Lord. Perhaps he is better than I am. Perhaps my own time has come." Riku then remembered how Sora spoke of him in his dreams and that he would die at the hands of the Phantom Lord. Riku smiled. "This is fate. This is where my time ends. I was always destined to die young."

He looked to his friends, wishing to glance at them for one last time, burning the images of their faces into his mind. Sora and the others made contact with his eyes, their worried and saddened looks not diminished. They then saw Riku smile.

"It's alright, you guys." He declared in a soft spoken tone. "This is where it ends for me."

"No, Riku," Kairi shouted, her eyes moist with tears.

Sora remained silent, his inner rage boiling.

"Give a last farewell to your comrades, Riku." Sirius said. "Because their faces will be the last thing you ever see!" His keyblade was gripped over his head. "Now die and be erased from existence!"

Sirius threw his keyblade upon Riku. It was over for him. But as usual, fate always had a way of making fun of everyone's joys and sadness. In this case, the tables turned again, this time in favor of Riku. Riku closed his eyes and waited for the final blow, but alas there was none. He gazed up and beheld a sight that left both he and Sirius shocked.

Sora had intervened…

Throwing himself before Sirius, he used his own keyblade to block the blow.

"What the…?" Sirius uttered, not knowing what to make of the situation presently.

"Leave Riku alone…" Sora growled.

"Sora…?" Riku said.

"Giving up already, Riku?" Sora tried to be a little humorous. "C'mon, I thought you were stronger than that."-

"You bastard," Sirius hissed, "I told you not to interfere. We had an agreement!"

"You thought I was just going to stand there and do nothing, Sirius?"-

"Sora," Riku declared, "This is might fight. This is my fate. I told you not to get involved, no matter what!"

"The dye is cast. You're not calling the shots anymore, Riku. I was not about to stand there and watch you get killed."-

"Sora…"-

"You dare intercede with this dispute, Sora?" Sirius shouted. He pressed his keyblade against Sora's weapon. "Then you will pay the price!"

"Shut up, Sirius!" Sora replied, pushing the Phantom Lord away. Sirius backed off.

"You should know your place!"-

"I know my place! It's between you and Riku!"-

"Sora, please…" Riku beseeched his friend. "Get out while you still can." There was a silent pause before Sora began to speak again.

"You're my best friend, Riku. I've already had to see you die once before. I'm not going to have it happen again. I swore that to myself." He looked at the silver haired youth. "You may hate me for butting in. You may scorn me. My deed may have wedged a rift in our friendship. And this action may and will most definitely cost me my life. But I am not about to let you fight alone. This in not only your burden to bear, it's mine as well. And to tell you the truth, the last thing I wanted was to see Kairi wallowing in misery. I didn't want her to witness the death of our closest companion." Sora smiled. "From this point on, we fight together."

Riku, upon hearing the words of his comrade, thought disappointed in his intervention, could only smile. For some reason, Sora's words were an inspiration. They made Riku's heart feel lighter, as if something dead within him came back to life.

Then, as quickly as they vanished, Riku's keyblades appeared within his hands. And as quickly as it had drained, his strength refilled his empty shell. He thus staggered upon his feet with a newly replenished strength and will to fight on.

"You're right, Sora." Riku said. "We've always been destined to fight as one."

"Now you're talking!" The two drew up their keyblades against the Phantom Lord.

This was troubling to Sirius who looked on with a shocked expression.

"Impossible," he thought inwardly, "How could Riku suddenly rise up again to oppose me? He was on the verge of death just a minute ago. He barely had the ability to lift himself from his knees, let alone standing and reviving the power of his keyblades to battle again. Now, he's been replenished to once again clash sparking blades. Where did this revival of his aura come from?" He realized the source soon enough as he maliciously glared at Sora. "It's Sora, it has to be. He's the one that inspires Riku. It's because of him that Riku's always strived to better himself. They are each others' strength. And that in itself could be hazardous to my own existence."

"Now, Sirius," Sora declared, "You have two to stand against this time around!"

"I do not want you involved in this fight, Sora!" Sirius declared. "Of all who opposed me, I have avoided you to this point. Now, get back! I will not fight with you!"

"You have no other choice! I told you before! I stand with my friends!"-

Sirius clutched his fists tightly. His eyes glared out with a raging hatred.

"So be it. If you are willing to suffer alongside Riku, then I will treat you just as equally!"-

Sirius hesitated no longer and attacked. The moment of impact forced both Riku and Sora to quiver. The strength behind his keyblades made them tremble. And for a moment, Sora regretted his actions. However, because two were now involved, the fight had once again equaled out. Sora's presence was more than enough to compensate for the energy lost by Riku. Now, with both simultaneously battling against Sirius Viicous, it seemed that the Phantom Lord was losing ground instead of gaining.

"Damn it," Sirius mentally growled, "They're a lot tougher fighting as a pair. I have to break up their number and eliminate at least one of them." As they battled, his mind wandered on who would befall his blade first. "I want to take my revenge on Riku a little more. But to hinder Sora…" Sirius was still uneasy with eliminating Sora, the one person who had so long ago considered him special. "Must I reduce myself to eliminate the only original person left from my long ago past who encouraged me to live on? Perhaps then I should just aim for the weakest and kill Riku straight off." But again he was reluctant. "But I have not fully exacted my revenge on him. I want more of it."

"It looks like his slowing down, Riku." Sora said.

"Don't get too overconfident, Sora." Riku replied. "Knowing Sirius Viicous, he might suddenly turn about and go on the offensive."

"You do have a point there."-

"C'mon," Goofy shouted, "You can do it, fellers!"

"Give it all you've got!" Donald shouted.

Kairi on the other hand remained quiet. Her inner thoughts were focused only on the safety of her boys.

"Riku, Sora," she thought, "Please don't die."

Back and forth, the battle continued, elemental attacks, major and minor were being deployed. Riku and Sora were careful not to use pure energy attacks for a long distance offensive, knowing that they would only be replenishing Sirius' energy reserves and turning the battle more in his favor. Thus, close hand to hand combat was the only real option. So tight were the twists and turns of their bodies, one would fear the combatants would split themselves in two.

Finally, there was a lull that mingled and the battle was broken off for a time. Riku and Sora were tired, huffing a little bit. Sirius too was fatigued, but his proud posture didn't show it. He kept a gambling face upon him, slightly smirking.

"Look at him." Sora uttered. "He's smiling."

"Bastard…" Riku scoffed in a whisper. "I bet he's exhausted as well. He's just not showing it."

"I have to admit," Sirius declared, "You are certainly much more of a challenge as a duo. And you're more troublesome as well. You've once again proven to be a threat to me."

"That's really too bad for you then isn't it, Sirius?" Sora replied. "Don't you know that fighting as a team is always better than fighting alone? Now that Riku and I are teamed up, you don't stand a chance."

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised that you would have to step in, Sora. Riku never would have stood a chance against me alone. He's too weak and inept." Riku's fingers gripped around his keyblades. Sirius caught sight of this twitch in the fingers and automatically knew he struck a raw nerve. "He can't battle against me without his friends to back him up. That's because he doesn't have the strength to fight me on his own."

Sora, upon hearing those words, looked at his friend. He could already see by Riku's glare that these words were starting to anger him. He quickly compensated, shouting out in Riku's defense.

"Shut up! Riku's not weak! He's the best there is!"-

"Is that so? Then why did he fall so easily to me?"-

"If it wasn't for that stupid keyblade of yours that saps energy away, Riku would have already kicked your butt by now!"-

"Yet he allowed himself to be struck by it. It just goes to show that he's feeble in the mind and not fully equal in mental ability and speed as I am. I bet you could favor better than he ever could, Sora."-

"No I wouldn't! If I had been in Riku's shoes, I might already be dead! I see what you're doing though. I'm not stupid. You're trying to create a rift between us. That way, Riku can question his integrity and honor and you hope that he'll brush me aside and fight you solo. Well, I can tell you this much…"-

"Sora," Riku said, "That's enough." He placed his hand on Sora's shoulder. "You know as well as I that Sirius doesn't have the guts to fight me head to head without some special weapon. He needs a powerful weapon to make him self look bigger. It's all behind that Death Summoner. It's because of that weapon that I was reduced to my present state. Still, those blows were just luck. Without it, he'd be nothing."

"You are a little on the down side to mouthing off to me, Noctin Tilandir!" Sirius scoffed.

"I'll mouth off to you whenever the hell I please, Fake!"-

Sirius gripped his own keyblade.

"We're back to that again?"-

"You can flaunt all you want and taunt me all you want. It only proves that you have a long way to go to fit into my shoes."-

"Riku…" Sora uttered. He smiled, seeing that Riku was accepting his fate. He was no longer that lone fighter as he was years before. Such trivial statements had no effect on him.

"My power comes from my friends, Sirius! They've always been there for me and they always will! We're unbeatable when we fight as one! It's a team effort!"-

"Is that so?" Sirius scoffed. "Then we'll just have to change that won't we!" Sirius raised his keyblade over his head. Upon the Death Summoner, that same dark energy began to form.

"Get ready, Sora…!"-

"Right," Sora replied. They both drew up their keyblades.

But suddenly, Sirius vanished. He appeared again at the extreme right flank of the duo.

"He's over there!"-

"You're mine now!" Sirius thrust forward the keyblade and the dark orb went surging towards the two key bearers.

"Evade!" Sora shouted. They dodged the ball just in time. "You missed your target, Sirius!" But the youth's confidence was sapped away when Sirius still stood there with a devious grin.

"On the contrary, boys, I believe I've hit my mark!"-

Confused, the two looked towards where the path of the ball was headed. To there fear, Sirius was not intentionally aiming for them. He was actually aiming for Kairi, Mickey, and the others.

"He's targeting the others!" Riku shouted.

"No," Sora cried, "You guys!" Sora quickly rushed to their aid. "Get out of the way!"

But the sphere was coming at them too fast. Kairi and the others had no time to react. Hence, Sora had to leave the front to aid the others.

"Oh no," Donald cried.

"Move…!" Goofy added.

But the ball was already within striking distance. The foursome saw their lives flash before their eyes. They feared that death and total obliteration awaited them now. Fate, however, stepped in as Sora threw himself before the team at the last moment. Using all of his strength, he took the energy sphere head on. He felt the power of the dark energy pressing against his keyblade.

"You guys," Sora shouted as he strained, "Move out of the why while you still can!"

"Sora…" Kairi uttered.

"Kairi, let's go!" Mickey said, pulling her by the hand out of harms reach.

Riku looked on as the events unfolded before his eyes.

"Sirius, you bastard," Riku shouted. "You'll pay for targeting our friends!"

But as he turned, he beheld Sirius already on top of him with the Death Summoner ready to slice him down the middle. Riku quickly blocked and engaged in a deadlock.

"You said that your friends were your power." Sirius chuckled. "Then the best way to relinquish you of your power is to smite those who give it to you." Sirius continued to press downward. "That's the reason why you like fighting in a group, Riku. It's because you're too weak to fight me any other way! You hide behind the shield of your companions with your tail between your legs! You never required that the first time we battled."

"Shut up,"-

"It's true isn't it? You were once a warrior on the verge of madness, willing to become the darkness itself! But now, you're not even an irritation worth my time and effort to battle. You can't even stand against me on your own."-

"No, you're wrong. You're wrong!"-

"Am I…? Even as we speak, you can't even summon the strength to fight me!"-

Sora, in the meantime, was still trying to fend off the dark energy. The shadows were burning upon his knuckles. He strained and sweated, using the full extent of his power to hold off the dark ball.

"This ball is so powerful." He strained. "How could there be so much power behind it?" At that moment, he heard his friends gasp.

"No…!" Mickey cried.

"Riku," Kairi shouted.

"Sora," Donald said, "Riku's in trouble!"

Sora looked to see the deadlock between Riku and Sirius. And to his fear, the Phantom Lord was gaining the upper hand again.

"No," Sora roared, "Leave him alone! Leave Riku alone…!" In his rage, Sora unleashed the Rage and Saiyan Devotion. He thus hurled the dark energy ball back at Sirius.

Sirius saw this coming and quickly evaded. Riku sensed the dark power approaching. Upon laying his eyes on the ball heading right towards him and his other self, he threw himself out of the balls path. The dark ball curved and flew into the air, passed through the energy barrier at the base and exploded in some unseen region. A reddish dark light bellowed and died.

Sora rejoined Riku. Sirius gave a sigh of relief.

"Not bad," he said to himself, "Sora was able to deflect that dark energy ball."

"You scumbag," Sora growled, "How dare you target Kairi and the others."

"Don't be so offended, Sora. I merely did what was most advantageous to me."-

"I'll never forgive you for trying to harm my friends."-

"Well, when you're fighting alone, you tend to become very advantageous of every situation."-

"You had no right to target the others." Riku said. "They had no intension of interfering."

"And then to attack Riku when his back was turned?" Sora added. "You coward…"

"That's open to your own interpretation." Sirius scoffed. "I found it more as a necessity. To hinder my foes, I must first exploit their weaknesses. And in this case, the weaknesses are all too obvious."

"Kairi, Mickey, Donald, Goofy," Riku ordered, "Find a safe distance away. Leave this battle to us!"

"Right," Mickey replied.

"You just don't get it do you." Sirius said to the due before him.

"You're the one who doesn't get it!" Sora bellowed. "What gives you the right to try and harm our friends?!"

"For the same reason it gave you the right to interfere with our battle, Sora. Did you not remember what I told you? If you interfere, you will pay dearly. I would unleash a wrath that would make even my master envious. That means that everyone present is a potential target, even your friends who wish not to meddle."-

"You bastard…"-

"You should really blame yourself, Sora, since it was you who broke the rules. I had no intension of harming them, so long as you stuck to our agreement. But now, as you said prior, the dye is cast. You wanted to interfere and save one friend, but instead you've endangered them all." Sora's eyes began to waver, the Rage and Saiyan Devotion slightly receding from his face.

"Lay off, Sirius!" Riku shouted, suddenly charging. "We didn't come here to waste words with you! We're here to fight! Now that you're targeting the others, we have no choice, but to eliminate you!"

"Try it if you will! But I promise this fight will be your last!"-

"I've lost all respect for you, Sirius!" Sora declared. "You die this day!"

The three once again interlocked in devastating hand to hand conflict.

All the while, Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Kairi had taken haven a good distance away from the confrontation.

"We better stay vigilant." Mickey said. "We can't afford to repeat that incident again. Sora and Riku have to concentrate all their efforts on Sirius Viicous. We mustn't become a burden on their minds."

"I can't stand this though, Your Majesty," Donald grumbled. "We should be in there helping them."

"And how long do you think we would last against Sirius Viicous if we attack in the open? Not very long that's for sure."-

"Blast it…"-

"I'm just as frustrated as you, Donald. But it would be a death warrant for us if we decide to join in. You saw how ruthless Sirius was, targeting us when we were in range."-

"But we have to do something, Your Majesty." Goofy said.

"Don't worry…" Mickey clutched his keyblade. "We'll have our moment. We just have to wait for the right time."

"I have to help them when the time comes." Kairi said.

"No Kairi," Mickey implied, "You'll stay here."

"What…?" Kairi was infuriated by Mickey's declaration. She immediately objected. "No, I am not going to do that. I'm going to give Riku and Sora a hand when I see my chance."

"You will not."-

"I'm not going to back down!"-

"I know how much you want to fight. But those two are right now battling to keep you from harm. You are their biggest concern, Kairi."-

"And what about you…? You guys said you'd move in when the time is right. You expect me to stand here alone and do nothing?"-

"That won't happen because I'll stay here to assist and protect you as well. Donald and Goofy will be going into battle on my signal." Kairi was stunned at this statement. Goofy and Donald were equally astonished.

"But Your Majesty…"-

"It may seem cowardly of us to stay behind, and I personally hate the thought of not being able to lend my strength. But I have no doubt, when the time comes, Riku and Sora will require protection themselves. And what better way to do that than to send in the next toughest fighting duo around."-

"Gawrsh, Your Majesty…" Goofy blushed.

"We're depending on you two to give Riku and Sora your best efforts."-

"You can count on us, Your Majesty." Donald replied with a salute.

"Then keep yourselves vigilant. They may need your strength very soon."-

"Right…!"-

And such assistance seemed to be required. Though Riku and Sora were fighting as an unstoppable due, their strengths weren't enough to contend with Sirius Viicous. The Phantom Lord was indeed sneaky, using indirect tactics to fool his foe and counter with fatal results. He would unleash elemental attacks as diversionary tactics so as to swoop in and strike with the Death Summoner. He would at times use elementals to act as homing missiles that locked onto the energy signals of the key bearers. Though as predictable as the strategy was, Riku and Sora found it rather monotonous to rid themselves of threatening projectiles of fire, ice, water, wind, and shadow.

The hand to hand combat was just as intense. Riku and Sora would at times pin Sirius in a corner and slash away at him with their double keyblades over and over again. Still, Sirius was able to elude the edge of their weapons. It stood to reason, however, because of what Sirius might have done or said prior. Riku, despite being able to battle again was only at a third his original strength. All the while Sora was too much concentrated on Sirius pulling another terrorist stunt as he did before, targeting Kairi and the others again.

So despite the appearance of an equal playing field, inwardly the confrontation was again swaying in the Phantom Lord's favor.

"Pathetic," Sirius babbled, "Even as a duo, you still find it difficult to surmount and counter my abilities. I can sense that your energy is being strained both physically and mentally."

"Keep your mouth shut!" Riku demanded. "You've been yammering for far too long in this fight!"

"It just goes to show that I do have the time and the ability to lecture. Perhaps that'll clue you in on how far beneath you are in comparison to me. You especially, Riku, have to be extra careful since your own strength has been reduced to less than half of what it was."-

"I'm not worried about my own life."-

"Neither am I!" Sora added as he swung his keyblade. "The only thing that concerns me now is the safety of our friends. We don't want you pulling off another stunt like that again."

"And whose fault is it that they were targeted in the first place?" Sirius asked.

"Don't you put this all on me?!"-

"It would have been easier to fathom just one friend's death."-

The fight would continue for another two minutes before both sides broke off again for a temporary reprieve.

"For how long though…?" Sora asked. "Even if I decided not to intervene and you did spare us, how long would it be before we'd eventually have to fight you again anyway? You would have attempted to kill us all eventually."

"Mickey and the others surely," Sirius said, "But I would not have slain you, Sora. Nor would I have hindered that young lady friend of yours. How could I bear striking the original self of Namine in such a cold manner?"

"And why wouldn't you? You didn't seem to hesitate trying to hit her with that dark energy ball of yours a few minutes ago, you hypocrite!"-

"That's quite simple. There would be no need for me to slay those who have played a significant role in my past life. Besides, I knew that you'd make it to them in time. If you wanted, I would allow you and Kairi to depart without further molestation."-

"And do you think that we would accept that? You caused us a lot of grief and a lot of suffering and you expect us to just walk away and let you fulfill your desires like nothing happened? If we were to do that, what point would it have been to fight you in the first place?"-

"You'll at least still be alive. Be grateful for that."-

"Well, you can forget it." Sora drew up his double keyblades again. "I'd rather die a horrible and gruesome death than to live and permit you to regain all that you've lost."

"Don't be that way, Sora." Sirius said. "Once this is over, I'll permit you and Kairi to return home. I will disallow further advances on the Destiny Islands. You have my word."

"And what about Riku…?" Sirius' glare hardened as he glanced at his other self.

"Riku's fate has already been sealed. His death is what I long for above all else."-

"And you expect me to stand by and so graciously accept his demise? I won't have it. I won't leave a friend to such a cruel fate, let alone my best friend."-

"You forget, Sora, I'll still be around. I am after all Riku's other self. Why not accept me. I am more than capable of replacing him. I am just as brash and cocky as he is. I'm made from the same genetic code. You'd never know the difference, say for the slight deformity. Besides, when this is over, I will be the only Riku left."-

"That is the biggest load of illogical crud I have ever heard! I'll not accept that! You may look like Riku, but you are nothing like him! And a far as I'm concerned, you'll never be anything like him! You can never be anything more!"-

There was a sudden pause and Sirius' eyes were shadowed. His face was hidden in darkness. Thus, his expression was unread, showing neither anger, nor sadness, nor neutrality. For some reason, Sora's declaration had struck a flaw in Sirius's mental armor.

"Is that so…?" Sirius suddenly uttered, breaking the silence.

"You said that I had no memories of Oblivion Castle and our interactions back then. Now that I think about it, it's a good thing I don't remember anything about you! Otherwise, I might be tempted to sympathize with your twisted logic!"-

Just then, Sirius' eyes glared up at Sora from their tops. In that instant, Sora did bear some regret for his unaltered statement. He realized that he had struck a raw nerve and immediately knew that his foe was displeased. Sirius' glance was not like the one he showed at their private rendezvous, nor was it the glance of arrogance he displayed amidst the battle. Instead, it was the same glare he gave to Riku, cold and unfeeling. Riku automatically felt this new tension and stepped a little in front of Sora, acting as a potential shield.

"Sora…" he uttered. "Get back."-

"But Riku…" Sora replied.

"That look in his eye. You said something that might have pushed him over the edge."-

"You know, Sora." Sirius declared with a low and sinister growl. "All this time I had held high esteems for you. I never wanted to hinder you at any time, as I still thought you maintained those same compassionate sympathies for me. But now I see your true notions, that your feelings were always false. You find me to be no more than a clone as well."

"I never said that!"-

"You didn't have to! I could see it in your eyes. I could hear it in your tone!" Sirius's energy began to grow again. "And you know what else? I've had a little change in heart, Sora! I've decided you'll be the first one that I kill! That'll make my revenge against Riku all the more complete! The reason being is because I want him to see you die! This time, I have no excuse for sparing you. But I now have every reason to slay you!"

"I don't think so!" Riku shouted. He lunged at Sirius. "We've stalled for long enough! You fight me first and foremost before getting to him!"

But Sirius heeded no word of his other self and simply evaded. He rushed at Sora with all his might. The moment their keyblades made contact, Sora now knew that Sirius intended to kill him this time. In his eye there was blind rage.

"This strength," Sora thought to himself. "He's not holding back anymore. He really intends to kill me this time."

"You deny knowledge of me?!" Sirius roared. "You believe I have no uniqueness! You're just like Riku! You find me as being no more than a shadow of him! And like an idiot, I accepted your honey words! All these years only to find out that your sentiment was just as false as his!"

"Wait, Sirius, I…" But Sora's plea fell upon deaf ears.

"It's too late for renegotiations, deceiver! Your true feelings have finally been revealed! All this time I was nothing to you, nothing!"-

"Sora," Riku cried.

"If you will not accept me as an individual, then you will perish!"-

"But Sirius…" Sora said. "I didn't mean…!" But his statement fell short. The Phantom Lord was blindly enraged. Further explanations would not deter him from his warpath.

Sirius lunged forward and cut upward. He broke Sora's guard and managed to cut him across the chest. Though the wound was shallow and seldom fatal, the effects of the dark energy from the keyblade instantly started to take its toll. Sora suddenly felt the same sensations Riku did. His energy was drained from his body like his life was sapped out of him. He immediately felt exhausted and weak, his limbs growing numb with every second passing. He landed upon his back, helpless on the ground. The darkness festered with in him, causing his body to grow heavier than before. Sirius was not through though. He jumped upon Sora and slammed his foot on Sora's chest. The youth cried out in agonizing pain. Riku and the others watched on in horror.

"No, Sora," Kairi cried.

"Sora," Mickey, Donald, and Goofy shouted in unison.

"He struck Sora!" Donald said.

"He's not getting up!" Goofy added.

"Fellas," Mickey declared, "You guys wanted some action, here's the chance to get it!"

"You mean we…?"-

"You have my permission to go into battle!"-

"Alright," Donald said with a smirk. "Now you're talking my language!" He turned to Goofy. "Let's get him!"

"For Sora and Riku," Goofy replied. They rushed forward.

"Good luck, you two." Mickey said as he saw his two companions withdraw.

All the while, Sora moaned out with the Phantom Lord weighing his foot upon his chest, staring down at him.

"And so you meet your end as I have promised." Sirius said. He felt Sora's energy slowly decreasing. His power could not be revived. The Phantom smirked at the youth. "At least you've lost your threatening presence for good, Sora. Unlike Riku, you can't rejuvenate from a blow inflicted by the Death Summoner. Therefore, you are easy prey to me now!" He held his keyblade high over his head, ready to smite Sora who was pinned beneath his boot. "Now, you'll regret your earlier statement!

"It can't be over…" Sora thought to himself. "Not like this…"

"Leave him alone, Sirius!" Riku roared as he charged the Phantom. Sirius saw the advance and quickly turned and countered. He and Riku fought it out again. "You want someone to kill first, you kill me then!"

"You long for death, my other self?" Sirius asked. "So be it then, since you are so willing to sacrifice your life this much!"

"Sora and the others are of no concern to you!"-

"I beg to differ. Friends of yours can only prove a hindrance to me. It won't be long before they're all dead."-

Sirius easily pummeled Riku, striking him with a darkness blow from the Demon Summoner. Riku was sent spiraling backwards. He tumbled upon the ground. And there he lay unable to lift himself up again. Sirius leaped up and thrust the Death Summoner downward. Riku saw his entire existence meeting its final moments. He clenched his teeth for the blow.

But such a blow was denied as Sirius suddenly saw an object approaching from his left flank. He turned to see Goofy's shield flying straight at him. He immediately evaded the shield's path.

"He's right where we want him!" Goofy shouted.

"Taste a little of this!" Donald declared, unleashing a powerful Thunder spell, "Olympus Maelstrom!"

A surge of electricity rained in a column and struck the shield just as it passed the head of the Phantom Lord. There was a powerful bellow and lightning and electricity spread out in such a violent manner.

"We got him!" Goofy cheered.

"Yes we did." Donald replied.

Their merriment was short lived though as Sirius emerged without a scratch. Sirius chuckled in his hover.

"Donald…"-

"It can't be…"-

"Idiots," Sirius chuckled, "You think that such a tactic will work on me? I've already seen its effects after watching your battle with Saix and Xemnas."-

"You saw us?"-

"This is my domain. The darkness allows me to see what I wish." Sirius turned towards Goofy and Donald. "It doesn't take a lot of brains to find a way and counter that attack of yours. Had Saix and Xemnas deployed energy shields around them, the electrical surge wouldn't have affected them. Then again, Xemnas saw it coming. He had the right idea. But unlike him, I anticipated your attack from the start, which was why I tool the liberty of deploying an energy shield the moment I saw that projectile trying to smite me." He relinquished a keyblade and lifted up his hand, extending it in an outstretched position before the duo, and without warning unleashed a powerful sonic boom that sent both Donald and Goofy flying rearward. They fell upon the ground, knocked out with stars encircling their bruised craniums. "All too easy, what were you trying to accomplish with that?"

"No," Mickey cried. "Donald, Goofy…!"

"He brushed them aside like lint." Kairi added. "They never stood a chance from the start."

Sirius lowered his arm and looked around. Riku and Sora lay upon the ground, exhausted, semi-conscious, and wounded. Goofy and Donald were out cold.

"It looks like no one's left to pester." Sirius thought to himself. "I could kill them all so easily not that they're virtually helpless, but I've decided to postpone the final blow for just a little bit. I'm enjoying this battle and I don't want to cut it too short." He then happened to look at Kairi and Mickey. "It seems that you two are the only ones left standing!"

"You wouldn't dare?!" Mickey said.

"Won't I?" Sirius suddenly vanished and reappeared right in front of Mickey. With one strike from his leg, he kicked the young mouse king aside. Mickey was instantly knocked out cold and tumbled upon the ground, bouncing slightly and kicking a great manifestation of dust. "That's another idiot out of the picture." Sirius then glanced at Kairi who now stood all alone. "It seems you're the only one left."

"You monster…" Kairi uttered.

"Now, now, young missy, don't be like that. I'm not as brash and cold hearted as some may thing." Sirius lowered his weapons and withdrew them. He examined Kairi's fair blazon. "I wonder what I should do with you." He walked up to Kairi.

"Stay back," she uttered. But she was at the time so frightened and apprehensive that she couldn't even lift up her keyblade. Sirius reached out and touched her cheek. Kairi backed away and flinched.

"To think that you are Namine's other self. I can see why she had such a gentle nature."-

"Watch yourself. I'm not as gentle natured as I appear."-

"So I've heard, Kairi. You slew and fought my men without pause at Cetorburg. Yet why do you stall with me…?"-

"I…"-

"Is it because I look like Riku? Is that it?"-

"No, you're not Riku!"-

"Then why don't you raise your keyblade and smite me, knowing I am a foeman and have hindered your friends so viciously? You could so easily kill me now."-

"I have every right too, but I…"-

There was a pause between the two. Sirius lowered his hand.  
"If it's not too much to ask then, would you be so gracious at to summon forth Namine so that I might be able to see her again." Kairi curiously looked up at him.

"What's with this guy?" she thought to herself. "Just a minute ago he was mercilessly attacking my friends. Now all of a sudden, he acts as though he'd never hurt a fly."

"I know that she still dwells within you. I can feel her presence.'-

"You've lost your mind! Namine died years ago!"-

"But you were there during her death! Surely she must've been integrated back into your body."-

"What a notion!"-

"I beseech you…" Sirius advanced again with a raised hand, but this time Kairi lost all apprehension and fear and drew up her keyblade to meet with the Phantom Lord's throat.

"No, stay back…!" Sirius halted at her fiery declaration. "I will do no such thing! I will not summon Namine out and expose her to your barbarism! Besides, you've hurt my friends, all of them! I won't do what you ask! I'll fight you instead!"-

"Has Riku's influence festered all I once knew? He's deliberately done this, so that I would not gain happiness."-

"You're crazy to think that! Riku never intended to do anything to you. None of us did! You brought it all on yourself! Fighting against you is my own decision, not his."-

"You will not dare raise your weapon against me, girl!" Sirius brought forth the Death Summoner and struck without warning. But he didn't strike Kairi. Instead, he knocked the keyblade from out of her hand and sent is spinning into the air and landing no more than twenty feet away. "I don't intend to harm you, so long as you do as I say. But, should you rebel, I may have to regress to using other forcible methods of persuasion."

"Keep you filthy hands off of her!" a voice shouted. Sirius sighed, he knew who it was.

"Don't you two ever give it a rest?" He turned to see Riku and Sora again standing to confront him.

"Riku, Sora," Kairi said with a slight glee. "You guys are back on your feet!"

"Not for long they won't…"-

"Kairi is not your target!" Sora shouted.

"I suppose you are right." Sirius turned to confront them. "I can see why you have been heavily upset with me targeting her, Sora. I would be enraged too if someone were to maim such a lovely living human flora. I'll leave her alone for now. Until then, what do you say we finish what we started?"

"Kairi," Riku ordered, "Get Donald, Mickey, and Goofy out of harms way. We'll take care of this."

"I understand," Kairi replied and quickly withdrew to aid her other friends still out cold from Sirius's attacks. All the while, Riku and Sora once again did battle with the infamous Phantom Lord.

"And so," Sirius said, "Our battle enters the second phase…"

"You managed to take advantage of us once already." Sora replied. "We won't let it happen again."

"We'll just see about that."-


	138. Inner Rage

Inner Rage

Once again, in chilled blood, the three combatants stood like steadfast statues, all featureless in their expressions, their eyes daggers of fire.

"Why is it that you always insist on blockading my path?" Sirius growled. "You're like two distasteful blemishes to which I can't so easily purge myself of."

"It's your curse." Riku replied.

"We have a real bad habit of not giving up so easily." Sora added. He drew forth one of his keyblades. "You threatened Kairi too, that was a bad move on your part."

"How much like a loyal dog to his master." Sirius mocked. "Obeys only those he knows and only accepts what he sees with his own eyes. I had no intention of harming her…had she simply complied with my requests in a positive manner."

"That's still threatening her."-

"Believe what you want." Sirius raised his keyblades again. "If you glutton for more pain, then that's your own business. It'll be my utmost pleasure to eliminate you both. And once you're out of the way, for good or in some other manner there of, then your other comrades will be open game."

"Forget it!" Sora and Riku attacked in unison. Riku took Sirius head on while Sora struck from behind. Sirius easily quelled both their strikes. Again there was intense hand to hand combat. But this time, the duo had other concentrations to worry about. This time around, they were not aiming for Sirius directly, but the one thing that proved the most dangerous, his Death Summoner. Sora and Riku kept eyeing at it. They then turned towards each other. Their eyes gave the hint to one another and knew what their task was.

"We have to get rid of that keyblade of his." Riku thought to himself. "Or at least get it out of his reach."

"That one keyblade has proven the deciding factor of this fight. Should we be able to get it far enough away from him, Sirius won't be able to summon it back to his palm. Then maybe the tables will be equally leveled after that."-

Riku continued to inwardly comment to himself.

"But we have to watch out. If that hits either of us one more time, that'll deal a fatal blow and give Sirius the chance he needs to finish us off. And right now, neither Sora nor my self are in any position to try and face him alone."-

The fight continued on upon the tier. All the while, Kairi went to Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, who still lay like bumps on a log, the stars still swirling around their heads and spiral expression on their eyes. Kairi picked up Mickey and Donald and placed them next to Goofy.

"You guys better get up." She beseeched. "Snap out of it before we're targeted again."

"Oh brother…" Mickey uttered groggily. "Anyone get the number of that rig that ran me over?"

"We're still alive?" Donald asked.

"By an extreme stroke of luck…" Kairi sighed with relief. "You're lucky that Sirius only used his energy and a leg to knock you into submission."

"I just can't believe it though." Mickey said, lowering his head in shame. "Sirius managed to catch me off guard and knock me into submission with only one kick."

"You can mope about that later. Right now, we have to get to a safe distance. If we're targeted again…"-

"I'd have to agree with Kairi." Donald concurred as he watched the battle unfold before them. The team looked and saw the flashes of steel and heard the sonic booms bellowing. The force of those same booms caused the ground to shutter.

"Let's go," Goofy said. They quickly withdrew from the sight of the confrontation and sheltered themselves against the protective wall that lined the outskirts of this artificial plateau. They immediately turned to witness the confrontation.

"This fight was way out of our league to begin with." Kairi said. "Sirius Viicous is just too powerful for us."

"He swatted us away like we were flies." Mickey softly spoke. "I didn't realize how far back we were in strength, even me."

"He makes Saix and Xemnas look like amateur chumps." Donald added.

"He even makes Sephiroth look mediocre."-

"And the way he just pummeled General Triiken, I didn't think that guy had any weaknesses."-

"It's that weapon of his." Kairi growled. "The Death Summoner…" She clutched her fists. "If it wasn't for that keyblade, Riku and Sora could've ended this a long time ago."

"Well, perhaps if they were able to knock it out of his hand or something," Goofy suggested, "Maybe they'd…ya know…be able to win."

"Sooner than you think," Mickey implied as he pointed. "By the way Riku and Sora are battling, it seems that they're aiming for the Death Summoner after all. They're trying to knock it out of Sirius's hand."

"But won't he just be able to summon it back, Your Majesty?" Donald asked.

"Not if they manage to knock it far enough away from him. If they can do that, they'll gain a quick advantage in this fight."-

"I hope so…"-

"All we can do is wait and hope."-

The two key bearers tried to be as discreet as they could. They didn't want Sirius to catch on to their real objective, so they concealed their movements, making it seem that hindering him was their top priority. Back and forth, they engaged. Skipping about the tier like fleas on a hound, the duo and the Phantom Lord interlocked in almost a deity leveled bout, one that would make envious even the One Winged Angel, Saber, or Ks.

However, this was all mere child's play for Sirius. He inwardly scoffed at his attackers, mocking their speed and their strength. He felt proud of himself, that he had so gracefully and most efficiently maimed his foes. It came to the point where there was another lull in the fight and both sides took time to rest themselves. Sirius on the other hand needed no such luxury. He found fighting the key bearers an exhilarating experience. His attitude was no different from anytime he would spar or practice. To him, Riku and Sora were just as dangerous new born kittens.

"You're making this too easy for me." Sirius chuckled. "You think that you can strike at me accurately with the effects of the Death Summoner still wearing on your bodies? I'm surprised that you're still able to maneuver yourselves as well as you have been with such poison eating at your innards."

"There is only one thing that motivates us, Sirius." Riku explained. "We can't afford to lose."

"If you win, all worlds suffer." Sora added. "But if you lose, then at least the chaos will finally come to an end."

"Fools, the chaos will never come to an end even if I am no longer living in this world." Sirius declared.

"You think we don't know that?" Riku asked. "Of course there will always be chaos."

"So why bother continuing to fight?"-

"The reason being is because we cannot allow a person like you, who holds an excessive amount of power, to thrive beyond this point. That keyblade of yours, the Death Summoner, is a sample of such power. And with it, no doubt, you will abuse its dark energy and spread chaos and pestilence throughout the worlds."-

"A thing of power that has the ability to obliterate a person's body, heart, and soul into total obscurity with one strike has no right to be wielded by anyone." Sora concurred. "And if it has found its master, the only way to prevent its further use ever again is to defeat the one who has possession of it."

"I suppose that you fear this keyblade a great deal." Sirius chuckled. "I'm not surprised though. This was after all the object that reduced you into the pitiful sights you are right now. And with it, I will assure your oblivion." Sirius placed his keyblades at his sides. "Oh and just as a little needed information for you, don't try knocking the Death Summoner out of my reach. I'm not as gullible as you think."

"What…?" Sora and Riku were dumbfounded.

"You knew…?" Riku asked.

"But how did you…?" Sora was just as equally astonished.

"You think I haven't figured it out all this time?" Sirius asked. "You knew that the Death Summoner had this unfathomable dark aura and you had to find some way to diminish it. However, knowing that trying to strike me was out of the question, you decided to regress to the next best thing, or should I say the only other way that you had open to you. If you could knock away my keyblade, you'd be given a temporary window of opportunity and equal the playing field, thus giving you a fair shot of extinguishing me for good. It's only logical thinking, yet extremely obvious at the same time. Even the ape creatures of the Indus could have figured that out without much trouble. I also witnessed that you two were always eyeing the Death Summoner, preferably while going on the offensive. But it would be natural for you to eye it constantly when you're on the defensive because you're always afraid that it might find you as an open target. Hence, I concluded that you were eyeing my keyblade because you wanted to search for the right moment to pummel it from my grasp. You were simply waiting for the right opportunity."

Sirius drew his arms up so that both were perpendicular to his body, thus giving him a T formed stance. He subsequently released the hilts of his keyblades. But instead of falling on the ground, they began to hover. Both Death and Demon Summoners pointed directly at Riku and Sora.

"What's he doing?" Sora wondered.

"I don't know." Riku replied.

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough, my friends." Sirius chuckled. "I wanted to show this off to you. It was one of my new techniques that I learned over the years. I've been saving it for just such an occasion." The hovering keyblades suddenly began to spin about as if fixed upon a bolted axis. Round and round, faster and faster they spun 'til at last they formed what looked like solid discs. There came a buzzing sound like an electric saw.

"What in the…" Sora was stunned.

"Look at that." Riku added.

"This is what I call the Ki En Zan Keyblades." Sirius chuckled. "This is one of my special hidden techniques."

"So you can spin your keyblades around on an axis. La-dee-fricken-da. What do you expect us to do?"-

"There's only one thing I expect you to do especially, Riku."-

"And what's that?"-

"Die!"-

Sirius suddenly sent the Death Summoner spinning at the key bearers. Riku and Sora quickly evaded. But what they encountered was only a primary effect. The Death Summoner swung itself around by Sirius's will and attacked again.

"This is a technique similar to what Scimitar used." Sora said.

"Sirius is using his chakra to control the keyblade." Riku concurred.

Sirius swayed the keyblade back and forth, slicing away from a secured distance. The keyblades acted as extensions of his arms and were accurately maneuvered with the flick of the wrist.

"Such explicate grace I have in my hand's movement." Sirius thought to himself.

Despite being confronted by an all too familiar style, Riku and Sora still had trouble trying to dodge and out maneuver the spinning keyblade, the Death Summoner of all things.

"I don't believe this." Riku grumbled. "We're humbling ourselves against this stupid technique again? I thought we were able to surmount this kind of ability after all the experiences we gained in our battle with Scimitar."

"Well, we didn't actually do very well back then either, Riku. But there's a significant difference between then and now. And it's not exactly stacked in our favor."-

"Besides the fact that we're battling a foe whose strength is amplified five to ten times greater than Scimitar?"-

"Not only that. But back then we could have afforded to get nicked by Scimitar's chakrams. There wouldn't have had any real effect on us. With Sirius and his Death Summoner, however, we can't even afford to get a scratch. Otherwise, that stupid keyblade of his will suck all the power out of us like a leech."-

"If it wasn't for that damned keyblade of his," Riku clutched his weapons tightly, still dodge rolling about and flying out of the keyblade's path, "We could have been able to finish this duel prior to now with better results than this."

"Well, he's not going to be doing us any favors. I must've really pissed him off after what I said." Sora observed Sirius for a second or two before having to move again. "Look at him. He's just standing over there like a puppet master."

"Like a conductor of his own symphony." Riku added. "Well, no more!"

Riku once again lifted himself off his feet, but this time he went on the offensive, charging directly at Sirius. Keyblades drawn to the side, giving him more speed in his stride, Riku set forth to end the life of the Phantom Lord. But such a heroic gesture was considered a waste of effort to Sirius Viicous.

"What do you plan to accomplish by doing this I wonder?" Sirius asked.

"The only way to halt the movements of puppets is to stop the puppet master." Riku declared. Riku used the Ginroio Noria to strike down at his foe. Sirius drew forth the spinning Demon Summoner and used it as a shield to block the attack. Riku leaped over Sirius's head and spun about, hoping to strike him from behind. But the Death Summoner soon followed, maintaining its spinning axis between Riku's weapons and the back of Sirius. Riku struck only to meet the spinning metal of the Demon Summoner. He was equally surprised to see that Sirius hadn't bothered to evade or even turn to face him. Riku moved to the side, thinking he had found an opening. But the Demon Summoner only spun about and blocked another blow.

"How is he doing this?" Riku thought to himself. "Sirius is managing to block my every hit with that spinning keyblade of his. And he's not even bothering to turn and defend himself from the blows."

"Do you find this technique to be more than what your eyes have perceived?" Sirius chuckled. "The Ki En Zan Keyblade technique is a tactic that can be used both defensively and offensively at the same time. I have concentrated my spiritual aura to take on two tasks."-

"But how could you be able to do that, taking on two difficult tasks all at once."-

"The answer is simple. While my mind is focusing on the movements of the Death Summoner over yonder, the power of my heart is used to control the Demon Summoner."-

"What…?"-

"I'll use small words so I can get my explanation through that thick skull and that underdeveloped brain of yours. The power of the mind and the power of the heart, though one, have two distinct natures. The heart's strength relies mostly on instinct. If it feels my body is in danger, it will react and force my body to maneuver. I've thus concentrated the power of my heard with my spiritual aura. Thus, should there be any threat to my body, my heart will automatically react. The energy is controlled by the impulse, which thus moves the keyblade about. All the while, the energy of my mind relies on more logical elements and my personal will power, my ability to think. I can thus use that to concentrate the movements of the Death Summoner independently."-

Riku moved walked slightly as an experiment to see for himself. The guarding keyblade moved with him.

"Amazing," Riku thought to himself, "I have to admit that's tight. Too bad he's using it against us."

"So it doesn't matter what you do, you can never hope to get past this primary defense. Had you been at the height of your strength, however, I might have had a little more difficulty."-

In the meantime, Sora was still dodging Sirius's keyblade. The Death Summoner buzzed about as quickly as an insect. But this was not an annoying little gnat or fly that could be swiped away. This was more like an angry hornet whose stinger was pointed for the fatal sting. And with Sora heavily damaged after being struck once already by this same keyblade that dared to hinder him a second time, his movements were sluggish and somewhat fatigued. And this feeling lingered heavily on the young key bearer, both in body and in spirit.

However, seeing Riku a good distance away, he feared for his friend's life and quickly uplifted his spirit, giving him new strength. He also could not afford to waste any more and energy, mental and physical, out maneuvering a mind controlled keyblade.

"I've had enough of this!" Sora said. "We gotta finish this!" As the Death Summoner made one last past without success of hitting its agile target, Sora drew up Mjollnir. "Sound your roar, Mjollnir!" He thus slammed the mighty hammer upon the tier of the fortress. There was a massive explosion that caught the attentions of everyone.

"Did you see that?" Donald asked as he, Mickey and the others watched from afar. The winds picked up, blowing some debris in their faces.

"What was that?" Mickey asked.

"What else, Sora just used Mjollnir."-

"He's trying to get out of Sirius's sight no doubt." Kairi replied. "He knows he can't make a move at the Phantom Lord directly."

Riku and Sirius were equally astonished.

"Where did that explosion come from?" Sirius wondered. "Could it have been Sora's keyblade, the mighty Mjollnir? Only that kind of arm could cause havoc like that." Bellowing dust and debris blew into the faces of both combatants.

"Sora," Riku cried.

Just then, appearing like a ghost upon moonless night, Sora rushed forward from out of the swirling dust clouds and lunged at Sirius.

"You're mine!" he shouted. With the Way of Light keyblade, the Aungla Noria, Sora attempted to cut at the Phantom Lord. But the Demon Summoner automatically came to the defense of its master and blocked Sora's blow.

"You mangy cur…" Sirius growled.

"Now, Riku, while you still have the chance!"-

"I see," Riku chuckled, "Good thinking there, Sora!" Sora's attempted assault had forced Sirius to aim the Demon Summoner at him instead of Riku. And without the Death Summoner acting as the second shield, Sirius's back was completely exposed and open for an attack by Riku. "It's over, Sirius!"

"Damn you," Sirius saw his vulnerability from behind. He quickly lifted himself into the air, evading the blow by centimeters. He could feel the intense breeze of the swipe.

"Damn it, I missed!"-

"Man, he dodged it!" Sora added. Sirius landed a good distance away. His keyblades went spinning towards him. He reached out his hands and caught each at the hilt. "Just when we had him too, he suddenly pulls a stunt like that."

"If only we hadn't been drained, I would have been able to strike at him."-

"You almost had me." Sirius chuckled. "That was a little to close to my liking. I'm just as surprised though. Usually, even the heartiest of key bearers and warriors alike would have died with one good hit from my Death Summoner."

"Well, you've only managed to make minor wounds on us."-

"But even so, that should have been enough to put you down permanently. You shouldn't be able to resist this much. Not at this magnitude anyway. But what can I expect from the two most legendary key bearers that were ever conceived into this breathing world." Sirius only sighed. "No matter," He once again put his keyblades in a spin, "I'll just have to exhaust you a little bit more. I haven't had my fulfillment of revenge just yet. Ergo, I'll play just a little longer with you."

This time, he held forth the Demon Summoner.

"Not that stupid tactic again," Riku exhaustedly groaned.

"You can't use it on us a second time." Sora openly declared. "We've already found one solution to countering it."

"I've already taken that into account, which was why I only displayed the first tactical use of the Ki En Zan Keyblades. The second tactical use is not as easy to evade though. And since I don't want to kill you off too fast, I will refrain from using the Death Summoner and have a few minutes seeing you sweat under the power of the Demon Summoner."-

"Bring it on then! We can take it this time around!"-

"Oh, but you have me all wrong. I'm not going to send in the Demon Summoner to try and slice you up!" Sirius lifted his finger and the keyblade began to hover before him. It suddenly began to glow a dark light. "I'm going to strike at you in a completely different manner."

"That keyblade, it's glowing…?"-

"Somehow, I get the feeling we're in for a bumpy ride." Riku uttered.

"Second style," Sirius declared, "Ki En Zan Keyblade Barrage!"

Then as if on command, the spinning weapon began to bellow out a series of energy waves that went hurling like a mess of tennis ball sized machine gun bullets at the duo.

"Evade," Riku shouted. The two quickly threw themselves out of the path of the barrage. The moment the energy balls made impact with the ground, there was a dark electrical surge followed by incredible explosions. Riku and Sora did their best to evade, dodge, and deflect the incoming orbs. Terror and destruction rained down upon them like a summer showed with apocalyptic results.

All the while, Sirius started to move about. He had levitated himself a couple of feet above the ground. And back and forth like an old pong paddle, he sent his devastating bombardment at the key bearers. This made it all the more difficult for Riku and Sora.

"Great," Sora grumbled, "Now he's bombarding us, and to top it all off, he's moving around, making the effects of his bombardment different every time."

"This even puts the intensity of the Imperial guns at Cetorburg to shame." Riku blubbered. "Sirius right now has an advantage over us. He's at a distance that we can't so easily get at him. And he's moving about, striking at different angles to keep us on our toes. He's not allowing us time to increase our spirits so we can unleash the energy necessary to counter attack."

"Then again, he's also hoping to exhaust us before then. That's one of the reasons for his efforts."-

Riku and Sora reunited. Riku released his power and summoned forth an energy shield. But even that was not enough to maintain real defense against the bombardment. The shots not only pushed them back, but they also dissolved the shield little by little.

"You fools," Sirius guffawed, "You can't hide behind your protective little shield indefinitely. I'll eventually force your barrier to falter and shatter."

"This isn't good." Sora grumbled. "He has complete advantage over us right now. The confinements of your shield won't last long either at this rate, Riku."

"We better think of a plan, Sora." Riku advised. "And we better do it fast. I don't know how much longer this shield can take this abuse, probably not for a few more minutes."

"Well, do you have anything?"-

"Not presently."-

"Well, I was thinking that perhaps we could lift ourselves skyward and use our own barrage to…"-

"That's not going to work. He could just use the Death Summoner as a shield."-

"Oh yeah…"-

"Perhaps maybe you could use Mjollnir and create a diversionary tactic like you did last time, allowing us to close in unexpectedly."-

"That won't work either. He's bombarding us now, not trying to cut us down. Not to mention, we'll be limiting our own vision. And Sirius has already seen that tactic. I don't think he's the type to fall for tricks like that more than once."-

"Damn it,"-

"Wait a minute," Sora suddenly had a plan. What if you were to use your Darkness Decoys against him? I could use Mjollnir to unleash another sight barrier. No doubt, Sirius will try and bombard at us when that happens. But when he does, you use the Darkness Decoys to rush at him head on. All the while, we make due with extreme flanking movements on his left and right. That way, when he's concentrating all his efforts on the decoys, we get him at his vulnerable fronts."-

"Great plan, let's do it!"-

"Then get behind me, Riku, because here comes another call from Mjollnir's roar!"-

"But before we do that, I have just a little something to dish up!" Riku suddenly lowered the shield, making them both vulnerable. But before the energy orbs could hit them, the Child of Darkness unleashed a powerful sonic boom that caused many of the orbs to explode in mid air. Riku flipped over Sora's head. "Do it, Sora!"

"Bellow your godlike voice, Hammer of Justice!" He slammed Mjollnir into the ground and another bellowing explosion erupted. A vast cloud of debris and dust went soaring into the air, with forced winds picking up.

"Not this again." Sirius sighed, mocking the pathetic attempts of his rivals. "Haven't you already tried that and failed? What makes you think you can do it again and win?" Then, from amidst the bellowing smoke, Riku and Sora appeared, their silhouettes shadowed in the clouds of soot. "I'll give you credit for effort, but none for originality." Sirius sent in a barrage and struck the shadows. But to his dismay, as the explosions erupted, there was no sign of his targets, not were there any yells to be heard. "What's this?"

Suddenly, popping from the puffing tops was the duo.

"Above…?" Sirius was astonished. He began to fire his barrage again. But no sooner had his orbs reached their targets, the two figures vanished. Sirius then saw them remerging from the smoke before him, traveling faster than before. "Damn it, they've tricked me!" Sirius sent in his orbs to hit the key bearers at point blank range. His aim was deadly, and the targets were good as demolished. But like the figures before, they were fakes as well. "Clones again…?"

No sooner had he realized the strategy, the execution was already under way. Riku and Sora appeared for the last time and in the flesh on Sirius's flanks. The Phantom Lord looked to his sides, all bewildered.

"It's over," Sora shouted.

"Your efforts end here!" Riku added.

"Impossible," Sirius growled. He quickly summoned back both of his keyblades and used them to block the hits of his nemeses. Riku and Sora struck, their blows deflected by the spinning weapons.

"Damn it," Sora growled, "He blocked it."

"That was too close." Sirius sighed. But had his hopes been reinstated, they were once again denied as two shadow clones appeared from out of the still bellowing dust. "Sly gits…"

"Try blocking them now!" Riku chuckled.

Sirius quickly threw himself into the air, clutching his keyblades all the while, forcing his foes to almost fall forward in the discontinued deadlock. As Sirius went skyward, the two shadow clones jumped up to strike him. Sirius slashed at the look-a-likes, eliminating them instantly. His ordeal only grew worse as Riku and Sora came in for the kill. Sora threw forth Mjollnir.

"Take this," he shouted.

"Blast you, Sora!" Sirius drew up the Death Summoner to block the mighty keyblade hammer. The two interlocked most ferociously. All the while, Riku came up from an angle to which Sirius could not so easily defend.

"I gotcha," he bellowed, lunging with Laevateinn.

Sirius managed to block both blows, but there were still two other keyblades open for attack. And attack they did, smiting Sirius both front and back. Sirius winched, but held his ground. The fight again accelerated with more hand to hand combat. But this time, Riku and Sora gained quick advantage, striking every so often and inflicting minor wounds and bruises upon the Phantom Lord. It came to the point where Sora even managed to pummel him with the Aungla Noria and sent him falling. Sirius fell towards the ground, but his foes weren't slow in their pursuit.

"I've had enough of this." Sirius clenched. He thus vanished from the sight of the key bearers only to appear before them. He kicked Riku in the chest and used the Demon Summoner to slash at Sora, breaking their attempted advance. The three once again split off.

Riku and Sora were left exhausted and disappointed when they realized their attempts had little effect. Sirius had received a few scuffs on his once elegant Imperial frock. His gloves and boots were dirty, his insignias and brass buttons smeared with dust, and a few scrapes and scratches, seeping and smeared with a few drops of blood, laid on his face. But other than that, his composure was unaltered.

"I don't believe this." Riku said, "All that effort and he barely has a scratch on him. Certainly we were able to graze him and hit him here and there, but we delivered no blows strong enough to take him down for good."

"I tried to strike him with the Mjollnir," Sora implied, "But he always managed to either evade or block it."

"That's because he knows how powerful it is by witnessing our previous fights. He knows not to be struck with it just as we know not to get struck by the Death Summoner."-

"Yeah, you're right."-

"I have to admit that you two put me in a bind back there for a while." Sirius said. "I hope you enjoyed your little triumph over me. From this point on, I won't be giving you any advantage." Sirius drew forth another power. This time, the darkness spread around the duo. Then appeared all around them like stars in the sky were red laser icons. Riku and Sora were shocked.

"This technique…" Sora uttered.

"It's Xemnas' barrage dome." Riku added.

"Well, we should be able to handle it, right?"-

"In our present state, it'll be difficult."-

"Oh no, boys," Sirius's voice echoed in the shadows. "Xemnas never had the ability to do this!" Just then, the size of the of each of the laser icons expanded ten times the original size and transformed into shining orbs. "Too bad you can't absorb spirit energy like I can."

"Oh my God…!" Sora shouted.

"Orbs away…!" On command, like a swarm of locusts, the energy balls came bellowing at the two.

"Sora…!" Riku shouted.

"Right," Sora replied.

Instantly, they went on the offensive. Their double keyblades were fluttered about with grace and force, a beautiful yet al inspiring synchronization of movements. For a full minute, the duo blocked every beam that dared to strike them. The magnitude of each impact slowly, but surely wore them down. For a while, Sora began to falter. Trying to withstand every blow was becoming increasingly difficult.

"I can't keep this up." He strained. "The impacts are…"

"Don't you dare give up now, Sora!" Riku shouted. "If you give up, we both die!"

"I'm trying…"-

"Try harder…!" They continued their defense. But by this time, even Riku began to feel fatigue slowly overcome him. His mind began to drift at times, but he held firm. Inwardly he thought "Who am I kidding? I won't last much longer either. And Sirius can go on forever if he has to."

"You imbeciles can resist to your hearts content," The Phantom Lord chuckled, "But it's only a matter of time before your bodies fail and you fall victim to the millions of orbs that still thirst to smite you! As for me, I can carry on with this barrage for quite a long time!"

Kairi and the others could see that their friends were in danger. They watched as the due began to decrease in strength and become more open to possible attack.

"Riku and Sora are pushing themselves over the edge." Mickey said. "Their hearts are still strong, but their bodies can't take the strain. But if they give in, it's over. There's a lot of power behind each orb. If they even let one of those things hit them, they're defense will diminish and Riku and Sora will be helpless victims before the barrage, like lambs to the slaughter."

"We have to help." Kairi growled as her fist tightened. "We have to help them."

"And get killed?" Donald uttered. "We wouldn't stand a chance against him. I mean you saw how easily he pummeled us."

"We have to do something, Donald." Mickey said. "If we don't, if we just stand here, they'll die for sure."

"He's right, Donald." Goofy added. "Besides, we can beat him if we attack together."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Donald sighed.

"Then let's get in there and help them." Kairi said, drawing forth her keyblade. "If it cost me my life, I will help Riku and Sora!"

"Then let's go!" Mickey cried.

However, their attempts were denied as another significant turn made its presence known. From out of nowhere, a flash of glittering steel came rushing from out of the shadows. Sirius turned his head to see the point of a sword rushing straight at his head.

"What in the…?" he gasped. He quickly evaded, but at a narrow margin. The sword had managed to make a shallow cut upon his left cheek. The sword descended and its point stuck into the hard stone. As an effect, Sirius's concentration has been broken. Immediately, the dome that encased Riku and Sora diminished as quickly as it appeared, the barrage halted within seconds.

The duo looked about bewilderedly and tired.

"It…it's over…" Sora said with a sigh.

"But how…" Riku wondered, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Why…?"

"I told you, Sirius," a booming voice echoed. "You must never count out the will of a veteran Imperial, especially one such as I!"

The voice definitely turned heads. But it was Sirius who was the most stunned. Standing no more than fifty yards away was General Triiken. His uniform had been smeared by the blood of his wounds and dirt from the bellowing dust. But still, the Gatler General maintained his composure.

"It's Triiken…" Sora said.

"He's alive." Riku added.

"He's still alive?" Kairi asked.

"I knew that guy wouldn't die so easily." Donald implied.

"Good to see that you're still alive and kicking, Triiken." Riku declared. "We thought you for a dead man."

"You must know that it takes a great deal more than trivial tactics like that to dispose of me." Triiken replied. "I've handled these life and death situations more than all of you combined. Such a blow is nothing."

In the aftermath, the cut upon Sirius's face began to bleed. With his running blood came a vengeful glare.

"You bastard," he growled, "You cut me."

"I figured that charging at you would have been too obvious, Sirius Viicous. With my wounds burdening me, I would not have been very effective. However, the sword was much harder to spot, being a far smaller and less obvious assailant. And I have an excellent thrusting arm. So you see, the Noctin Exmortin revolves around more than just the legs."-

"And what have you accomplished? Only your own demise…"-

"Not quite, I simply wanted to make sure that those two were relieved of their bombardment issue."-

"Well, I commend you for your efforts, but it was futile."-

"Right now, Sirius, I'm not the one you should be focusing no."-

Sirius quickly turned to see Riku and Sora charging at him.

"You dropped your guard!" Sora shouted.

"Damn it," Sirius growled. He dodged the attacks and once again, they were engaged in hand to hand combat. The key bearers were exhausted, but the determination they bore prevented them from staggering. "I don't believe this! You still want to have at me?"

"Nothing better for us to do…" Riku replied.

"You arrogant little buggers!"-

"Stop talking! It's making my head ache!" Sora mocked.

"When I'm finished with you, I'll tear your lifeless corpse asunder!"-

"Blah, blah, blah…!"-

"Miserable little… You'll soon be sleeping in an eternity box, you forty faced hobbledehoy!"-

The fight continued. Sirius quickly regained his stride and once again, the key bearing duo found them selves on the defensive and at a disadvantage. Their speed and strength, after all they endured previously was all but drained. They were fighting out of desperation now, doing all they could to stay alive.

Finally, the fight shifted again, still favoring Sirius. With one mighty blow with the Demon Summoner, he struck Sora straight in the gut. The youth fell to the ground in agonizing pain.

"Sora," Riku cried.

"Now you will die!" Sirius declared, lifting the Death Summoner over his head. "You are dead to my memories now, Sora! You betrayed my feelings! For that, I'll dispense with your very existence!"

"You leave Sora alone, you bastard!" Riku rushed in and began to pummel at Sirius.

"Noctin Tilandir, don't you ever die?!"-

The two grappled. All the while, Sora slowly staggered to his feet, but collapsed upon his knees. He grasped that the burning and aching sensation streaked across his gut. He looked on with half open eyes as Sirius and Riku brawl it out as they had so many times before. But this time, it seemed that neither was able to gain control over the other.

"Riku…" Sora uttered before collapsing again.

"Sora's hurt!" Kairi said. She tried to run to him, but Mickey and the others held her back.

"No, Kairi," Mickey beseeched. "It's too dangerous! Riku and Sirius are still too close to Sora. You might get hurt!"

"I don't care! Let me go!" Kairi thrashed about, but Mickey and the others held firm.

"You'll have to wait until the fighting subsides. Only then will we go and get Sora."-

Mickey's words were those of wisdom alright. And Kairi would have regretted going at that time. For at that moment, a Sirius began to unleash another fiery barrage. Stray balls of flames went flying about, striking places upon the top tier at random. Several of the fiery orbs struck right where Kairi might have been should she had decided to continue. The blasts threw them off their feet and the four were covered in rubble, slightly singed. Looking at the ground, the stone slabs of the floor almost in a melting state, Kairi could only thank her friends for stepping in.

"That could have been me." She uttered. "Thanks…"

"It would've been devastating to Riku and Sora had you been hit."-

All the while, Riku saw this bombardment and interpreted it as another one of the Phantom Lord's attempts to kill his friends.

"Trying to kill my friends again are you?" he shouted.

"Get over yourself." Sirius chuckled. "I have no interest with those worthless bugs! You're the only one I want right now, since you're the only one presently giving me grief!"

"Just as it should be…"-

All the while, Sora looked up to see the fight unfold before him. He watched as the two went skyward and clashed about over his head.

"Riku…" he whispered. But then a nostalgic feeling of dread overcame him. Sora had seen this fight before. In fact, he had seen it a hundred or more times prior. "I know this. I know this fight…" His eyes widened as the dread became more apparent. He now remembered where he had seen this battle.

In his dreams…

This caused Sora's blood to chill.

"Oh no…" he could only assume the worst. "It's really happening. My nightmares have become reality. But if that's so, that means that Riku…" Sora looked on helplessly.

All the while, Child of Darkness and his counterpart struck and slashed and evaded with extreme ferocity.

"You can't win!" Riku roared. "I won't let you!"

"Bastard…!" Sirius replied. Riku managed to somehow knock the Phantom Lord off his guard and give him another fifteen good strike with his keyblades. Sirius was now feeling the impact and the blows were far more effective than before.

"I'm losing it." He grumbled. "These buggers have proven tougher than I gave them credit for. I have to get out of this pummel and end it now! I've been playing for far too long."

"You're done!" Riku slashed with all his might. But this time, Sirius managed to regain his stamina and evade. He struck at Riku at the back of the head with the Demon Summoner. Riku fell to the ground. He managed to land on his feet, but the lack of energy force him to fall upon his side.

Sirius on the other hand, landed upon his feet. He quickly turned.

"I've savored my revenge for long enough, Noctin Tilandir!" Sirius declared. "Now, I'm finished with you! Prepare for total oblivion!" Raising the Death Summoner above his head, Sirius formed another powerful death ball at the foreside of the blade.

"No, Riku…!" Sora cried. Using all of his strength, he rushed to save his friend. For a moment, things went dead silent in his head and time seemed to slow down. Sora could only feel the beating of his rapidly pumping heart and his desperate rate of breath. All other sounds seemed to blur in hearing and vision. His only focus was Riku.

The visions from his dreams continued over and over again, plaguing him like a disease. Old memories of those sad and last moments at Gombria also festered. He recalled Riku's tearful eyes and kind, forgiving smile. He remembered the blood from the gaping wound and how its crimson texture slipped thought his fingers. The thought of hearing the final gasps, the dying groans, and the last utterances excelled Sora's blood with malevolent chill. It was this urge that forced him forward.

"I promised I wouldn't let you die again, Riku." He inwardly said. "And that's one I intend to keep! I won't let you die again!"

Riku all the while, was able to stagger to his feet. But as he did, Sirius already sent the massive energy ball flying towards him. The roar and rumble of the orb across the ground was screeching and deafening. Its power resonated like so many hateful souls concentrated into ten times hell's depths. Riku turned to see this ball coming straight at him. His eyes widened. Time slowed for him as well and total obliteration awaited him.

"No," he uttered, "Not like this…"

"It's over," Sirius chuckled. "After all my strife, after all the waiting, after all this time, my dealings with Riku will be over! And I will rightly claim what is mine! Enjoy your last moment, Riku!"

It was over for him. No longer would there be a future for the silver haired youth. But fate proved much crueler than that. Riku suddenly felt a force throw him back. He looked to see Sora throwing himself into him and pushing him aside.

"Sora, no…!" Riku cried as the watched the ball rush head on into Sora's exposed body. Suddenly, there was a thunderous blast and flash of light. Sora had been struck by the full force of the death ball. There was a blood curdling scream that bellowed from the youth's vocal chords. The energy surged and pushed him straight into the walls of the tier. The power diminished before the impact, but the force was enough to slam Sora into the stone with deadly propulsion. Like a beach ball, Sora bounced off the wall. There was a sharp crack and a tumble. Thus, there he lay upon the ground, blood seeping from open wounds upon his face and his body.

There came a dead silence that lingered before it was broken by the sudden screaming of Kairi, who had seen one of her closest friends so dastardly treated.

"Sora," she and the others cried as they rushed to the motionless body of the key bearer.

"No, Sora…" Riku uttered, only able to look on in horror as his friend lay upon the ground.

Kairi quickly threw herself to Sora's side and rolled him over on his back. His face was bloodied from the impact, his shirt torn of its cloth. His fair skin was singed as if with fire. And his once beautiful blue eyes were dimmed and covered by his slumbering lids.

Kairi tightly embraced him.

"No…" she uttered. She tried to shake him, believing he was only stunned. "Sora, Sora…!"

"No…" Goofy said, "Is Sora really…?"

"Don't say that!" Donald shouted. "No one can kill Sora! No one…! He can't die…"

But Sora didn't stir. He was as limp as a fish out of water. His youthful form was heavy in Kairi's arms. The life source within him could not be found. The team feared the worst.

"Sora…" Riku whispered, his body shivering from his sadness. He dared to reach, hoping his arm would extend the distance, but all in vain.

"Sora…" Donald lowered his head, tears formed in his eyes.

"No…No…" Goofy sobbed.

"This is not happening." Mickey sniffled. "I can't be happening…it just can't…"

"Sora, don't do this!" Kairi shouted. "Don't do this to me! Please…! Don't leave me!" She nudged him and nudged him, hoping that life would suddenly spur within him and he would make a lousy joke or say a cheesy line like he would always do. But the grim reality did not yield to such fantasies. Tears began to fall from the young lady's eyes and her lower lip shivered from her emotion. "Sora…!!"

She embraced Sora so tightly; hugging him as if there was no tomorrow. Kairi's wailing echoed to match her broken heart. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy lowered their heads and cried. This time, Sora would not be coming back.

But despite the heaviness of the sorrow and sadness, they were now paling in comparison to the rage and the hate that began to rupture within Riku. Behind his mournful expression and teary eyes, his teeth and his fist slowly began to clench to the point where they would break.

"Why Sora…?" he uttered to himself. "It should have been me. It should have been me! I should have been the one to die. I deserved it. Sora…he never deserved it."

"Oh well," Sirius sighed, "That's the consequence Sora had to suffer for his interference. I told him not to intercede and I pleaded him not to intervene. But I guess he's been hanging around you too long, Riku. Ergo, his stubbornness was the death of him." Sirius glared at his other half. "Perhaps if you were more firm, you wouldn't have had to be dealt such a terrible loss. So in a way, it's your fault that he's dead. Your own weakness and incompetence enticed Sora to meddle with our battle. Thus his death and oblivion was inevitable." Again silence besides the distant weeping began to linger.

Riku's grip around the keyblades forced them to shake due to his unfathomable rage.

"Shut up…" Riku growled as he stood. Sirius watched as a new Riku came into the scene. No longer were Riku's eyes as they once were, spurring with a life filled, innocent look. Instead, they grew sharp and cold, hollow like the eye holes of a glowing skull. So great was the intensity of this glare, even Sirius grew somewhat apprehensive.

"That glare in Riku's eyes." He wondered. "I've never seen them like that. They're so cold and soulless."

"It looks like Sora's death had pushed Riku over the edge." Triiken thought. "This is the first time I've seen such a death stare in his eyes. Not even our first battle had this kind of ferociousness. However, for some reason, this gesture is all too familiar to me."

"You wanted to prove something to me, Sirius?" Riku said, his chilling stare protruding through the strands of silver, darkening the shadows. "Well, you have. You've proven to me that you are not worthy enough to bear your own life, you defective, artificial, war monger! You aren't deserving of life." He suddenly blasted out. "You had no right to take Sora's life away from him! He had committed no crime or fault against anyone for the sake of ambition! He wasn't malicious or hateful! He bore no grudges against anyone, no matter if they were friends or enemies! He sacrificed everything he had to ensure the happiness of his friends and those around him! What right did you have to take his life?!"

With Riku's rage, there came a sudden surge, detected by all on that field. Just then, the darkness began to rise around him.

"This power…" Sirius thought to himself, "Where did it come from?"

"This energy," Triiken added, "I haven't felt this kind of malevolence since our reuniting battle. Will Noctin Tilandir unleash it? I believe he will."

"I've never seen Riku so angry." Mickey uttered.

"This aura of his," Donald added, "It's incredible!"

"Riku…" Kairi uttered, still holding onto Sora as she watched.

"This energy," Sirius's eyes widened, "Where did he get this power?"

"You killed my best friend," Riku shouted, "I will never forgive you! Never…!"

The darkness spread and consumed his body, the windy surge forced the combatants to stagger and falter in this awesome display of energy. As the raging shadows died down, appearing before the witnesses was a new individual. Riku stood now arrayed in a black heartless jump suit, bearing the insignia upon his chest. His eyes had become a hollow aqua blue.

He had become Dark Riku.

"Riku's dark form," Sirius thought to himself. "To think that he could still unleash it… But I thought he was incapable of using that form anymore." Sirius tightened his glare. "He was in that same form when he defeated me those many years ago." Sirius shook his head, shedding off his memories. "No, I mustn't let such a thought enter my mind. So he's turned into Dark Riku. So what? It's nothing all that special. I've seen this form countless times. I've been in that form countless times. It's obsolete. He can't bear anymore power than he does now."

Just then, Riku appeared before Sirius. Before Sirius could react, Riku slashed the Ginroio Noria across the gut of the Phantom Lord. Sirius hunched over. Riku then struck him in the back, lifting Sirius's body up again. Another strike to the gut caused him to hunch to the ground, grasping at the pain.

Riku remained steadfast, like an iron statue over its observer. Sirius was befuddled.

"This speed," Sirius uttered, "How could be so fast? I didn't even sense his energy move. He was like lightning. But how could he accelerate so quickly without me seeing it, and to inflict this type of pain on me?"

Riku glanced back at his nemesis.

"So how does it feel, Sirius Viicous?" he declared so calmly. "How does it feel to experience that kind of pain?" Sirius only growled.

"Inconceivable," Triiken uttered, "There is far more power behind the dark form than I earlier perceived."

"Wow," Donald said. "Sirius Viicous didn't even see it coming!"

There was an uneasy quiet that came before the two opponents.

"You bastard," Sirius hissed, "How dare you strike me down!"

"You had it coming." Riku replied.

"Damn you," The Phantom Lord plowed forward with everything he had. He slashed and struck, but with no results. Riku easily evaded and blocked each strike. Inwardly thinking, the Phantom Lord was bewildered by this sudden turn. "I don't understand this. How could he have gained so much strength simply by turning into Dark Riku? Just a minute ago he was barely able to stand. Now he's evading even my most devastating of offensive movements.

"You move way too slow."-

"Shut your mouth, lowlife!"-

"Lowlife am I?" Riku attacked with sudden strength and again thrashed the Phantom Lord. He bashed his rival away. Sirius skidded across the stone floor, nicked by every pebble and rock that lay in his path. But he wasn't soon to lay motionless as his foes did before. His boiling rage threw him upon his hands and he flipped over to face Noctin Tilandir once again.

Riku was not hesitant oblige. He rushed at Sirius head on. The Phantom Lord slashed with the Death Summoner.

"I'll finish this battle here and now!" Sirius thought to himself. "I can't let him linger. Otherwise, who knows what else will happen."

But Riku flipped over Sirius's head and rebounded from the rear, striking with the Laevateinn. Sirius was shocked at this sudden turn, but not disheartened. He quickly retaliated and struck again with the Death Summoner. Riku, however, saw the attack and reacted as if he'd seen the strategy orchestrated a million times over.

He ducked, just as Sirius's keyblade flew over his head by inches. Then with all his might, he slammed his elbow into the gut of the Phantom Lord. Sirius had the wind knocked out of him and almost keeled over. He fell to one knee, now a sight to behold. His uniform had been scuffed up, his black frock frayed on some places, deprived of its brass buttons. His shoulder and chest straps were smeared and scraped. The front his trousers were now forming nicks and holes in them. And his face, stricken with pain, was not scratched and cut. From his wounds, black blood dripped. From his lips, a stream of that same shadowy vile seeped upon his pale skin. Sirius gazed up at Riku with such infuriating guile, one would think a vessel in his eyes would burst and make one eye just as black as the other. Even his Heartless eye glowed more yellow than before.

"Bastard," he strained.

"You brought this all on yourself, Sirius." Riku declared. "After all, what goes around comes around. Why don't you just make it easier on yourself and give up."

"I will not stoop to groveling before the likes of you. I will have my head cut from my shoulders before I see victory so foul misplaced." Sirius rushed again, this time he unleashed his clones and all the members of this shadow army assaulted the youth at the same time. Riku, however, was not all that concerned. He easily pummeled the clones one at a time, eventually finding the right target.

"It's all trivial now." Riku again went on the offensive. Sirius knew that fighting in such a matter would only work to his disadvantage. He quickly eluded Riku for a time. Riku went in pursuit.

"I'll get him this time." The Phantom Lord chuckled inwardly. He began to send his keyblades in a spin again. He was again using the Ki En Zan Keyblade tactic. He halted for a moment, taking some time to prepare his defense. Riku came at him and he was ready. "Now, you'll know the extent of your folly!"

Sirius, using the Death Summoner for the offensive, began to fire a barrage at point blank range against Riku.

"He'll never be able to evade a wall of dark orbs," Sirius thought, "Especially when they are extremely devastating to the body, this descended power of the Death Summoner. Even Riku, for all his valor and strength cannot possibly withstand such a tactic. And at point blank range, his death is assured."

But to the surprise of the Phantom Lord, Riku was not hindered by energy one energy ball. He was moving far too fast and too rapidly to be struck. Riku eventually jumped over head and attempted to strike Sirius from behind. But the spinning Demon Summoner prevented such a blow from happening. Sirius quickly turned and used the Death Summoner to retaliate; sending is spinning edge forth to hinder his foe.

"It won't work." Sirius chuckled. "My defense is far too much for even you to handle on your own."

But no sooner had Sirius said that, Riku appeared again, this time at his flank. Sirius sent forth the Demon Summoner. But to his dismay, Riku had transformed his Laevateinn keyblade into one of its three forms, its Chaos form. The once sleek keyblade had been turned into a large striking weapon that would even make Cloud Strife envious of its size. Riku slammed the keyblade upon the spinning Death Summoner. The thud of the impact was incredible. Within seconds, the Demon Summoner was overwhelmed and sent spiraling back, making Sirius open for attack.

"Impossible…" he gasped. He quickly evaded, just as the impact of the Chaos form keyblade slammed itself into the rocky masonry floor. Sirius managed to get his keyblades spinning again, but now he realized that his supposedly invincible shield could be penetrated.

"Your defensive keyblade tactics were good." Riku said. "But they can't stand up against the kind of force I am now capable of unleashing. And even prior, we could have broken it easily. If Sora used Mjollnir on your little barrier, he could have broken through with very little trouble."

"Then why didn't he?"-

"The impact would have been too powerful. And he was not about to put me in danger just for the sake of defeating you."-

"He was too soft hearted."-

"That is the reason why I act as the darker and more ruthless half, so that he wouldn't have to."-

"Then if you could have penetrated the barrier so easily, why did you hold back until now?"-

"After being struck with the Death Summoner three times already, my strength had been sapped away. I couldn't ever accumulate a proper amount. Only now do I have that ability."-

"And at what cost did you have to suffer to gain this hidden power." Sirius's declaration forced Riku to cringe.

"I will repay you for that loss."-

"I very much doubt it. My cunning and skills are far too much for even you to handle."-

"Well, from what I've seen so far of your cunning and skills, they're not of any real concern to me. You remind me more of how I used to be, arrogant and cocky. But then again, what more can I expect from an imitation." Riku uttered those words so calmly and in such a tone, Sirius's rage began to boil. It was as if for that one brief moment, the simplest gesture irritated him. Even the mere sight of Riku standing with such an unwavering look on his face was enough to force Sirius to shake his eyes about.

"You will pay for your insolence!" Sirius charged forward with all of his might, striking and stabbing at Riku. Riku suddenly found himself in a rather befuddled and confused state as his foe lunged and thrust with all his might.

For a good five minutes, the two went wildly at each other, jumping and combating in the air, striking at each other from the ground, and displaying their skills and their movements all around their apprehensive comrades.

Kairi and the others were awestruck by the sight. The movement was so quick and the hand to hand contest was so eloquently and devastatingly unleashed, it seemed almost a rehearsed act, as if Riku and Sirius had some hidden agenda with each other and agreed to put on a grand show to display their skills. But the tone of the atmosphere proved otherwise.

"Get him, Riku," Donald shouted, "Get him!"

"Don't give up!" Goofy added.

"You can do it!" Mickey cheered.

Kairi, however, did not show as much enthusiasm. Sora still lay heavy in her arms, his face of slumber still visual in the corner of her eye, even as she watched the intensity of the battle. Her eyes still dripping and moist with her tears, she tightly gripped onto Sora.

"For Sora, Riku." She uttered. "Avenge him, you can do it."

Once again, the fight came to yet another critical turn. Sirius again found himself under the mercy of Riku's whim. He was starting to exhaust himself and knew he couldn't maintain his present level of strength for long.

"I am not going to let you make me look like a fool again, Noctin Tilandir!" Sirius shouted. At a critical point in the fight, he kicked up dirt into Riku's face. Riku was temporarily distracted. Just then Sirius appeared behind him. He quickly turned to battle. He and Sirius again began to clash about with their double keyblades. Just then, Sirius broke himself off and sent his keyblades into a spin. He was using the Ki En Zan Keyblade tactic again. "You might have been able to get the best of me last time, but I can assure you that I won't be taken advantage of a second time."

He began to fire a barrage from his deployed Death Summoner. Riku was able to evade as easily as he did before. However, this time around, there was something wrong with Sirius's offensive barrage. For one thing, it didn't seem as focused or coordinated as it had before. Secondly, the energy balls seemed fewer in number and more frequent in whatever direction they were aimed.

"I wonder," Riku thought to himself. Just then, by a mistaken maneuver on his part, one of the dark orbs managed to graze him. Riku flinched for a moment, but for some reason, he was unaffected by the darkness within the orb. "I'm not losing any strength. Interesting…"

Riku at last reached Sirius within a few seconds after the barrage began. He threw the Chaos Laevateinn over his head and down ward slashed. But to his dismay, Sirius had conjured up a new tactic for the Ki En Zan arsenal. Instead of having one keyblade used as a barrier, he withdrew the offensive acting keyblade as well. Thus both keyblades acted as a reinforced barrier. Riku discovered this the moment his keyblade made contact.

"You might have been able to break through the first barrier, Riku." Sirius said, "But not this time. When I place both keyblades on top of each other, they form a barrier that even you can't possibly penetrate with all your strength."-

"Is that so?" Riku asked. He suddenly appeared behind Sirius. But the double keyblades easily swerved to the rear and blocked another intended blow. Riku did the same process over and over again, but to no avail. This time he could not strike, not on his own anyway.

"You can only attack from one direction, Riku."-

"I have to say that you are resourceful. However, you forget that I can attack from both sides." Riku suddenly vanished and appeared again, this time to Sirius' left.

"I see you." Sirius maneuvered his keyblade. But to his dismay, Riku appeared on his right at the same time. He realized the mistake he made. "Clones…"

Sirius tried to out maneuver, trying to guard both flanks at the same time. But when he did, he again saw further error in his actions. Riku's Laevateinn was still in Chaos form. And when both Riku and his clone struck the barrier, they easily penetrated. Thus, both struck through the defense and hindered Sirius in a most brutal way. The Phantom Lord was cut of his flesh.

"Damn it," Sirius growled. "I've lost."

But just then, the form of the Phantom Lord vanished into a cloud of shadows. Riku's eyes widened.

"That was a clone."-

"Very observant, Riku!" a voice shouted. "Unfortunately for you, you're too late!" Riku turned to where he heard the holler. There stood Sirius with the Death Summoner raised over his head. A large ball of dark energy accumulated at its end, matching the intensity of Sirius's grin.

"I knew something was wrong." Riku inwardly thought. "Sirius was sending in a clone to do the work. Yet he orchestrated its actions so as not to get me suspicious. Only the real Death Summoner can hinder me."

"Now die," Sirius sent the massive energy ball reeling towards his nemesis. The intensity and power behind the massive sphere proved to Riku that this was the real thing. Sirius praised his success. There was no way Riku could dodge such a power so fast in speed and fury as the orb that threatened to take away his very existence.

His clone threw itself before the mass and tried to protect its original. But it lacked the same type of strength the real Riku had and instantly vanished into the orbs dark aura.

But despite this, Riku was not all that worried. He stood in the way of the oncoming orb, not flinching.

"Riku," Kairi cried, "Get out of there!"

"Move," Mickey added.

But Riku stayed stolid before the attack.

"Fool," Sirius chuckled, "He actually wants to lose all that he is? Well, so be it. Not need for me to fret over it."

But fate again made a gesture of mockery. With all his might, Riku swung at the energy ball with the Chaos. The orb struck the keyblade.

"Have back at you!" Riku shouted. Like a major leaguer, he deflected the ball and sent it speeding off back against Sirius.

"What…?" The Phantom Lord uttered. "Not only did he manage to withstand its force, but he was able to deflect it right back at me."

This was an energy source that Sirius dared not absorb for he feared of the negative effects it would have on his body, fearing it would eat away at him from the inside. Even a wielded and fully faithful weapon may not always benefit its master. Not able to evade in time, Sirius had no choice but to do the same. He withdrew the Demon Summoner and held forth the Death Summoner. The sphere made impact and pushed heavily on Sirius. He could feel the burning sensation and draining effects of the ball upon his skin and on his body.

"No," he uttered. "This cannot be happening! I am the strongest! I am! This cannot be happening!"

"And so you meet your own demise." Riku inwardly thought, "And at the hands of your own attack. Now you'll know how Sora felt."

Sirius held on, the cloth of his black frock starting to give way, tearing little by little. But still he pushed, resisting. In his frustration and worry, the imperial's own strength began falter. However, his rage would not allow him to give in.

"Amazing," General Triiken stated from afar, "Sirius is not giving up, despite the ferocity of his own dark energy."

Just then, Sirius unleashed all of his frustration as an outward explosion, his uniform had been torn to shreds by now because of the awesome power of his attack.

"I will never be defeated by the likes of you filthy little insects!" In all his rage, he unleashed his own inner demons in the form of an outward explosion. The energy struck at the ball. This acceleration in dark power forced the core of the orb to become unstable. Ergo, it could no longer keep its present shape.

Thus, in the most epic of styles, the orb exploded, forcing the entire Spectral Fortress to shake violently, even to the depths of its foundation. A dark light bellowed and the KH team covered their eyes from the glare and debris.

"Look at that." Mickey said flinching.

"There's no way he could have survived that one." Donald added.

For a full fifteen seconds, the explosion lingered, deafening the team. And as quickly as the explosion came, it vanished, leaving only billowing clouds of debris. Silence came over the field and Riku stood tall in the aftermath.

Riku dared not smile. His heart had not to the strength to do so. He could only looked on in an unending glare at what was left of Sirius Viicous, a billowing aftermath.

"It is finished." He uttered.

"He did it." Mickey said.

"He actually defeated Sirius Viicous." Donald added.

"Yea Riku…!" Goofy cheered. "Ya beat him, ya beat him!"

The three rushed over to Riku who turned to greet them.

"Gosh," Mickey complimented. "You did great, Riku."

"It was nothing." Riku replied.

"I bet Sirius never saw that one coming." Donald stated. The four looked to the field.

"I don't sense Sirius anywhere." Mickey told on.

"And you never will again." Riku replied. "He's never going to come back."

"Well, I have to congratulate you, Riku. You've done the impossible."-

"Thanks…" Riku half smiled, but could not raise his lip's other end. His eyes shifted to looking at Kairi who still girdled Sora in her arms. Riku silently walked over to her.

"Riku…" Kairi uttered.

"Are you alright, Kairi?" Riku asked.

"Yeah, I'm alright."-

"That's good…" Riku tried to smile and lift up her spirits as well as his own. But as he laid eyes upon Sora's lifeless body, his smile instantly vanished giving way to moist eyes. He knelt next to his slain friend, tears starting to drip. "Sora, sorry I wasn't there for you, buddy. But at least I took revenge you for. Rest in peace, my friend…"

He placed his hand upon Sora's cheek. But no sooner had he, there came a sudden surprising blank stare on his face. His lips were half apart as if about to gasp.

"This feeling…" he uttered. "Could it be…?"

In the smoldering of the aftermath, Sirius Viicous lay upon the ground. Never before had he felt so helpless, or so powerless. He was now a miserable sight to behold. His once glittering uniform with its trim and grandeur had been torn from his body, leaving only singed white undershirt to caress his blackened skin. Black blood dripped from his forehead.

He lay upon the ground, the rubble still felled upon him. Grasping at the dust, he sneered profusely.

"How can this be?" he thought to himself. "I had Riku crushed beneath my boot. Now, all of a sudden he's toppling me and my own tactics seem to have no effect. How could he have gained that kind of strength?" He tried to lift himself, but collapsed. For a moment, it seemed as if his eyes would moist from his failure.

"Am I destined to lose to him? Am I destined to be nothing more than a shadow of Riku? Is this really all I'm capable of? He seems so strong and so determined. He fights for his friends. I hate him for that. How could I be able to find such motivation when I am lacking in that element."-

_"Pathetic,"_ a voice suddenly uttered. Sirius's eyes looked about. He whispered a call.

"Who's there?" Only then did he realize that the voice was coming from within.

_"Is this how you want it to end, Sirius? Are you going to just declare your own defeat and allow that boy to dictate your very existence?"-_

Sirius immediately recognized the tone. Then like a phantom within, an apparition made itself know in the darkness of his mind, fooling his eyes. The form of a tall man in a grey overcoat stood with his back to the fallen Phantom Lord. He had silver locks upon his head. As he turned to spy Sirius lying on the ground, his mismatched eyes glared.

"Master…" Sirius uttered. "Master Ameba…"

_"You must listen to me, Sirius."_ The spirit of Ameba spoke. _"We both know that you are capable of unleashing unfathomable wrath to a magnitude far greater than what you display now. You are starting to doubt your own abilities when you have been climaxing yourself all your days for this single moment." _The specter turned to face him. _"You must find succession and satisfaction if you are to truly feel complete. Do not make my mistake and surrender your life to the elements when there is still that one burning desire raging within you. You are the last of a proud regime, Sirius. You are the last of the true Imperials. You are the one who can go beyond what any are capable of. Only now will you surrender all that? Will you allow Riku to take advantage of you, to insult you, to trample upon all that you represent? Will you claim yourself his shadow and allow that bastard the benefit of being right? You must stand again and take what is rightfully yours."_

"But master…" Sirius uttered. "I can't…"

_"You can and you will. I have seen you excel and succeed time after time again in your youth. I have seen you master steps that even I envied. I at times hated you for surpassing me, but never uttered a word. You wanted my approval so badly that you maintained your own status of being second to me. I knew of it all this time, but I never told you. If you are so destined for my approval then I give you this. You must fight until you meet the satisfaction that you desire. Only then will I accept you beyond being more than just a subordinate and a tool."-_

"Master Ameba…" Sirius's eyes glimmered. But no sooner had he said those words, another apparition appeared.

This time it was General Saber.

_"My lord,"_ the specter implied. "_You must continue with your efforts. Your entire existence has encircled around this one moment."_

"Saber…" Sirius gasped.

_"You are indeed a charismatic leader. And I would never have bargained to lend my strength to you if I thought you were anything less. You can inspire, you can share such charismatic words that motivate the lost masses. Only you my lord are capable of reestablishing the Imperial regime to its former glory as you have already done before. And if you fail, then at least allow yourself the satisfaction of fulfilling your burning wants."-_

"My dear Saber…"-

_"Do not allow Riku's cruel words to bend your composure and break your dignity. He says that you are nothing but a defective clone. Well, I say fie upon him and his beliefs. Riku knows not who you really are. You're not his clone, you never were, and you never will be. You have always been your own person since the day you were conceived. No one can ever change that. And in order to establish that fact absolutely, you must fight and continue fighting even to your last breath. Gain his admiration, even if you must take his life or at the cost of your own."-_

Sirius was silent, the words of his former comrade burned within him. Finally, a third apparition appeared to the rear and center of Ameba and Saber. The Phantom Lord's eyes widened when he saw who it was.

"Your Excellency…" he uttered. "Master Cavendish."

_"You are the last of the true Imperials." _Cavendish said._ "You are the last of a dying breed, of a dying cause. Do not allow the remembrance of the Imperial to die in such a fashion. You have always been the upholstering of those teachings. That is why I chose you above all to become my successor as one of the Three Excellencies. You have achieved that, now you must fight for it. Do not bend, do not yield, and do not kiss the ground at Riku's feet. He is the enemy, your sworn enemy. You must show and prove to him that you are more than what he perceives you to be. Show him your charisma. Show him your dedication. Show him that you are the best of the best. He has disgraced you and hindered you a hundred fold by taking away all that you have strived for. He's laughed at your losses and mocked your gains. He's scorned all that you represent. He's even gone so far as to turn even your best and most trusted officers against you, filling their minds with his honeyed guile and propaganda. And what is his reason, it is because you are something that he could never be in a dozen lifetimes. He's afraid of what you have become. Riku sees you as his subordinate, as his shadow. You, however, have become more than that. He will further try to fool you and make it seem impossible to become unique. But you will put him in his place. You will prove him wrong and you will do us proud. We have faith in you and that you will fulfill your destiny as the last of the true Imperials."-_

Sirius's mind filled with a burst of enthusiasm as he now had his mentors to urge him on.

_"Destroy him…"_ Cavendish declared.

_"Destroy him for the pride of the Imperial regime."_ Saber added on.

_"Destroy him for you have the power within you!" _Ameba concurred in unison with his peers.

The sound his comrade, his master, and His Excellency reverberated in the canyons of Sirius's mind. His fists tightened, his teeth grit, and thus he stood again to face Riku.

"Yes," Sirius uttered to himself, his energy rebuilding from within. "I have not yet begun to show the awesomeness to which I am capable. To waste such excellent strength for the sake of my own lack of enthusiasm, such do I scorn and mock my own ineptitude. I will raise myself up again, my worthy peers and mentors. I will take what is rightfully mine."

Riku felt this surge from the still billowing clouds. Mickey and the others also felt it.

"That power…" Mickey uttered.

"But that means…" Goofy added.

"That's right." Riku said. "This isn't over yet."

"And so Sirius enters the third stage of the battle." Triiken uttered to himself. "The Phantom Lord still persists on showing his grit."

Sure enough, Sirius appeared from out of the settling clouds. His uniform tattered, leaving the torn remnant of his undershirt. His deformed bosom could be seen in the open front of the garment. The KH team was appalled at the sight of Sirius's twisted form. The entire right side of his body was covered in shadow from jugular to right breast to torso and abdomen, dotted at the outskirts like so many black bolts randomly scarring upon already bale and youthful flesh. A nightmarish spectacle of a pox was he. And like an iron Achilles, stared down his foe.

"He's still alive…" Kairi uttered. She tightly embraced Sora's body like a teddy bear. Her eyes were fixed on the dark blemishes. "He is so badly deformed. I've never seen such an ugly and fearsome mark on anyone before."

"Half a heartless festers upon his being, a dark hue upon a milky surface," Triiken inwardly thought. "Such is the sin that Sirius bears."

Riku prepared to stand and fight again, but was interrupted by his determined comrades who suddenly took their position in front of him.

"Riku…" Mickey rushed before the youth. "We'll handle this."

"Yeah," Donald added. "He's no real threat anymore."

"No," Riku replied. "I'll dispense with him. It is after all still my fight." He stood up, still in his dark form and walked to face Sirius again. "You'd think you'd have enough by now, but as expected you're persistent. Then again, you are me after all."

"You keep referring to me as being nothing more, but a clone, Riku." Sirius declared. "Well no more. I will not be basted with those utterances ever again. I will not have them hinder my dignity and question my existence. I have become something that you have learned to fear."

"When are you ever going to learn, Sirius? You can't beat me. I have the right motivation. I have my friends and so many others to think of and care for. You no longer have anything. You've lost your empire. You've lost your best commanders. You've lost your territory, your comrades, your capital, and even this very fortress. There's nothing left for you to resist over."

"That is where you are wrong, Riku." Sirius's glare had changed. "I have found something that I will always be benefited from. You might have been able to take from me my empire. You might have been able to take from me my capital. You might have been able to take from me my comrades, my cause, and all that I have strived for and learned to accept. And if the time calls, you may even take away my mind, my body, and even the very depths of my still beating heart." Sirius's hands gripped. "But there is one thing that you will never be able to confiscate, no matter how hard you try!"-

"And what's that?"-

"My pride as an Imperial…!" In a sudden boom of energy, Sirius unleashed a roar of darkness, which forced Riku and the others to flinch.

"What's going on?" Goofy cried.

"Is that Sirius' power?" Mickey added.

"It can't be." Donald said. "It just can't be. He had nothing a minute ago."

Then, appeared before the team, there stood Sirius, dressed in the same array as Riku. Riku's eyes widened.

"Impossible…" he uttered.

"He's transformed…" Donald added.

"He's taken on his original form." Mickey said. "The dark form…"

"So much for him not being a threat anymore."-

"This power…" Riku gasped. "Where did it come from?"

"At last, I have reawakened my slumbering inner strength." Sirius said as he gazed upon his new look. "I am the mightiest warrior on this field once again."

"Damn it…"-

"And he chooses pride over life as a true Imperial should." Triiken said.

"This will be the final battle, Riku." Sirius chuckled, feeling the new surge of power flowing through his body. "And it will be you to fall."

"We'll just see."-

The two drew forth their weapons and presented their power to each other in the final upcoming round.


	139. Thy Joys Denied

Thy Joys Denied

Once again Sirius and Riku stood glaring at one another with their keyblades drawn at the ready.

"What do you say we get started already?" Riku asked. "I have better things to do than to stare at you all day."

"Anxious to count yourself amongst the slain are you?" Sirius chuckled.

"That is if you can hit me."-

"Idiot, if you hadn't noticed my new entourage…?"-

"So you transformed as I did, into your dark form, so what? You're still equal to me anyway."-

"You think so? What arrogance." Sirius started to glow. "What do you say that we put that conjecture to the test?"

Sirius suddenly attacked with incredible speed, so fast that Riku barely even saw it. Sirius drew forth the Death Summoner and lunged with it. Riku quickly evaded. But no sooner had he done that. Sirius appeared again, this time with another head strike from the left flank. Riku threw forth his keyblade before him and fended off the blow. He pushed Sirius off and counter struck. However, his efforts were in vain as the Phantom Lord dodged again by a split hair length. Like apparitions they fought one another, their after images and sudden appearances giving the impression that the battle was no more than an apparition. The sparks and the thundering of their clashing weapons were awe inspiring, yet somewhat frightening.

The KH team could not believe the magnitude of skill now excelling displayed before them. Back and forth like raved dogs over meat, the two halves gave blows. To a point, their weapons would glide upon each other's surface, creating sparks that would singe and diminish in the air within less than an eyes rapid blink. At times, they even interlocked their weapons, and with their utmost grace and agility, evaded and pushed upon each other like wild tango dancers. There would be complex spins and twisted turns of the back that would otherwise break or wear out the backs of any normal person. Like leaping frogs and crouching tigers, they'd orchestrate their movements. There was no judgment or hindrance of the mind that phased their concentration. Both combatants focused on the other. Not even the thought of death or special technique would filter into their craniums. The yells and gasps of the spectators seemed so distant.

Then, as quickly as it had started, Sirius and Riku broke off their attacks and flew into the air.

"You think it's over?" Sirius said. He once again sent his keyblades in a spin, unleashing the Ki En Zan technique again. "The real party is just beginning." He drew forth the Demon Summoner and started to fire that same barrage at his foe.

"You fool," Riku replied, "Haven't we done this already?" He easily dodged the incoming barrage like it was nothing. But no sooner had he taken that action, Riku realized that Sirius was still smirking. The moment this came to mind, the feeling of a massive energy accumulation came from behind Riku. He turned to see those same energy orbs swinging around right back at him. "Impossible…"

Stalling no further, Riku quickly evaded.

"This is a completely different style of barrage, Noctin Tilandir." Sirius gave a cruel chuckle. "This is nothing like the earlier barrage I deployed. This time, you can't evade. You're as good as gone."

"Damn it," Riku thought to himself. "He's manipulated all those orbs into targeting my energy signal."

"Now let's add a little bit to the fun." Sirius suddenly unleashed energy spheres from the Death Summoner. They flew about into the air and Riku was forced to evade. But unlike the energy barrage from the Demon Summoner, the orbs from the Death Summoner became stationary in the air, standing steadfast like so many stars.

"Oh no," Mickey said as he and his comrades observed.

"What's he doing, Your Majesty?" Donald asked.

"Sirius Viicous is placing the orbs from the Death Summoner in stationary positions."-

"What does that mean though?" Kairi asked.

"It means that because the orbs have been placed in still positions, Riku's own maneuvering abilities are limited. At the same time, he has to continue evading those homing spheres unleashed by the Demon Summoner. Either way, he's at the mercy of the elements. If he relies on his speed and agility to outmaneuver the barrage, he still has those Death Summoner orbs to watch out for. Should he even graze one of those stationary orbs, he'll lose a great deal of his strength instantly. Then he'll be helpless against the onslaught."-

"No…" Kairi looked towards the battlefront. "Riku…!"

"Damn it," Riku growled, continuing a cautious elude, "Sirius definitely has me in a pickle this time around." He had to remain conscientious of both the stationary orbs and the homing spheres that followed in hot pursuit of him.

"This is all too fabulous." Sirius chuckled. "I finally have you cornered like the rat you are. Now, try a little bit of this." Sirius started to wave his hand about. Suddenly, the death orbs started to sway from their courses and began to move about in random movements to further confuse and tense Riku.

The youth saw this and at times nearly struck some of the orbs. The movements were now at random intervals, making the situation all the more unpredictable and dangerous.

"I can't keep this up." Riku said.

Just then, in the midst of one of his maneuvers, Riku was nearly caught off guard and almost struck one of the moving death orbs. The orb had halted to the maximum of its stationed limits and Riku halted himself just in time. The orb was no more than six inches away. But as he halted, he was struck by three of the pursuing orbs behind him. Riku flinched, but did not stall. He knew that staying put would only make him a victim to the incoming barrage orbs. He threw himself upward with thousands of orbs trailing him.

"It looks like you got nicked a little bit." Sirius chuckled. "You have to be careful."

"Damn it all," Riku suddenly halted. "I'm not gonna take anymore of this grief. I am not going to play as your toy!" He concentrated all of his energy to the center of his body. The orbs came within a couple of feet as he unleashed an immense sonic boom that faltered the barrage orbs and forced them all to explode.

"Resilient little gaffer isn't he." The Phantom Lord thought to himself. "But not resilient to match against me."

Riku was no surrounded by diminishing light and shadows. He had managed to dispense with the stationary and pursuing orbs and for a moment gave a sigh relief. But such reprieve was again denied as from the corner of his eye, the Death Summoner was spotted, spinning like a discus towards him. He turned and evaded only by a few inches. But no sooner had that evasion succeeded; the Demon Summoner appeared just behind it. Riku barely escaped the second keyblade and the Demon Summoner struck him on his gut, grazing him as it passed. Still, it was enough to cause the youth cringe in pain.

Yet still, the ordeal was not over, because the moment the Demon Summoner made its run, Riku felt a sudden surge and evil presence behind him. Sirius had teleported behind Riku and prepared to strike with the Death Summoner.

"It's over." Sirius whispered.

"It can't be." Riku said. He quickly turned and threw the Laevateinn keyblade before him in defense. The tip of the Death Summoner came within inches of hindering him. Both grit against each other.

"You blocked it." Sirius threw Riku off, ending the deadlock. He attacked again, hoping to maim his foe at the midsection. Riku counter struck and evaded. He could feel the hot power of the Death Summoner rushing by his abdomen. Double keyblades clashed about. Thunderous booms bellowed with every strike of steel against steel.

Kairi and the others could only look on helplessly at the intensity of the confrontation before them.

"They're equal in strength now." Mickey said. "Neither will gain the advantage over the other."

"What do you mean, Your Majesty?" Donald asked. "If you ask me, it's Riku that has the short straw. Not only does Sirius have the Death Summoner in his possession, but he's attacking Riku with raw hatred. He's determined to savor his revenge."

"But it'll take more than just raw power to break such a stalemate."-

"At the rate they're going, they'll be fighting until dooms day."-

"C'mon Riku," Kairi cried, "You have to win, because if you lose, then who'll be left to stop that monster?!"

Kairi's prayers went unanswered though as the fight again shifted in Sirius's favor. He slashed and cut at Riku with everything he had. Riku did all his could to defend himself. Close came some of the blows, some putting effect on Riku's body. Suddenly, the two locked in a further dead lock. Their keyblades crossed at an axis and pushed against one another. They then drew their keyblades upward. This time around, it was Riku who used the opportunity to kick Sirius in the chest and break the deadlock.

"Bastard…" Sirius grumbled.

"You're mine," Riku shouted lunging forth. But Sirius deployed a last minute defensive shield of shadow that bellowed and blew Riku away. Riku staggered and fumbled about, recovering from the hit, but he was met by fiery spheres that charged at him. They struck the youth, burning and singing him. The immense force of each impact jerked the young man's body back and forth. Finally, the last hit sent Riku flying rearward. The Phantom Lord saw the helpless fallback his nemesis was undergoing and quickly took advantage of the situation.

"Here's my chance!" Sirius threw himself forward with Death Summoner drawn before him with nothing to protect Riku's exposed belly. "This is the end of Noctin Tilandir. He can't possibly counter successfully in his present position." But like Riku before, he made the same mistake of underestimating his foe and miscalculating the situation. But it hadn't crossed his mind a second time that the youth was still resilient.

Riku suddenly flipped around just as he came within striking distance. And instantly, he unleashed Lu Bu's technique, the Musou. Sirius caught the attack within hundredths of a second. He was able to fend off the first few blows, but he did not expect the magnitude of strength behind each repetition hit. The strikes upon his blade became stronger and stronger until he lost his balance and became open to the final hits of the Musou. For those last few moments, Riku was able to thrash about Sirius Viicous like a rag doll. And with one last strike, he sent a powerful energy blast bellowing and sent Sirius flying back fifty feet or more and falling to the ground.

But it was during his fall that as item was loosened from his person. It fell only a few feet away from Riku who had also taken a critical blow. Though he had not been injured himself, the power used to release the Musou attack had taken a severe toll on his body. Riku fell to his knees and gasped a while. He could feel the strain taking over his body again.

"The dark form is starting to wreak its effects on me," he uttered to himself. "I just hope it was enough to at least weaken Sirius to a point where he no longer is able to attack effectively."

But such a notion was dashed. As Riku gazed upon the fallen body of the Phantom Lord, his eyes widened with fear as he saw Sirius Viicous again raise himself, staggering to his feet. The imperial moaned and groaned, but his reckless heaving of breath proved that he was not about to yield. His anger was again building up.

Mickey and the others were dumbfounded.

"I don't believe this." Donald grumbled. "That guy stood up again.  
"Darn him." Mickey added. "He just won't go down."

"How's Riku doing though?" Goofy asked.

"He's in pretty bad shape that's for sure."-

"But how is he getting tired so quickly?" Donald wondered.

"The reason being is because he's using the dark form. Riku hasn't been fully accustomed to his dark form. He hadn't had to rely on if for so long. Thus, the stress that extra boost of dark power is having on his body and mind is finally starting to wear on him. After this, I don't know if he'll fully recover."-

"Oh no, Riku," Kairi uttered, "Not now of all times…"

"So he may not be able to fully recover after this?" Goofy asked.

"That can't be." Donald protested. "He'll be back to his old self. I mean when we do win, we can just bring Riku back and heal him with a potion or senzu."

"It is not his physical strength that has me worried." Mickey implied.

"What do you mean?"-

"I mean even though his body will replenish and compensate for all the damage it received, Riku's mind and heart may not be the same. The dark form is a taboo for him. There is an inner power in the dark form that slowly tears away at his mind and his heart as well as his body. This is not the heartless of Xehanort that unleashes this dark aura. This is Riku's own inner strength, his ability to unleash unrelenting darkness. However, the only thing that's keeping him sane is the strength of his heart, the motivation of protecting his friends, of relinquishing power from the forces of evil. However, the darkness knows no boundaries and can swallow up even the strongest of hearts. Should a wrong turn be taken, or some raw emotion was to enter his mind, he may be consumed by the darkness within seconds. Thus, Riku will regress to becoming what he once was when first overcome by Xehanort's heartless, an arrogant, power hungry individual of the shadows who knows not between friend and foe. Of course, this time around, should he lose his control of the darkness, the outcome may give rise of a force far more sinister than what Xehanort's other self could ever hope of accomplishing. The Riku we know will thus disappear forever and what will be left is the ravaging darkness taking on his form. He'll be even more dangerous that Lord Sirius Viicous."-

"Riku will become a Heartless?"-

"Not even a heartless. He may become something far worse."-

"Dear God…" Kairi's eyes grew large with fear, becoming more vigilant of Riku.

All the while, Riku had managed to step upon one foot, still knelt on one knee. He grasped at some of his wounds and labored for breath.

"I have to finish this soon." he thought to himself. "I don't know where Sirius had gained this incredible strength, but if I let it linger, he'll eventually overpower me. I have to think fast and find someway to end this."

"You've again caused me pain, Noctin Tilandir." Sirius declared with a weary voice. "I'll pay you back ten fold for that."

"He's thirsting to cut his reputation out of my hide. I can't let him gain advantage over me."-

"However, I can see that you're having a little trouble trying to stand yourself up as well, my other half. That's indeed a terrible predicament for you. But it's convenient for me."-

"Damn you, Sirius Viicous."-

"Now, now, insults won't change a thing."-

"I have to stand up if I want to win this."-

But as Riku trudged up to his feet, he suddenly came to notice the fallen object on the ground that was severed from Sirius's person. It was a keychain in the form of a bright yellow Paopu fruit.

"What is that?" Riku uttered curiously, his gazed fixed on the yellow object. His memories started to fester, memories from long since past. Thus a familiar face came into his mental view. He instantly remembered the design. It was in fact one he knew all to well. "Could that be…?"-

Sirius at the same time saw Riku reaching for this bright yellow keychain. His eyes widened.

"Wait," he inwardly gasped. "Isn't that…?" He quickly checked his person. As he grasped to the side of his waist, he came to realize that what was supposed to be there was no longer present. It was now obvious that the thing Riku was hoping to grasp at belonged to him. "That's mine."

In the meantime, Riku came within a few inches of reaching it.

"It can't be though." Riku said. "Why does he…?"

"Don't you dare touch that!" Sirius roared. Riku looked up, startled by the shout, only to find the Phantom Lord charging at him with all his might. With the Death Summoner swung behind him, Sirius was determined to smite Riku down once and for all. Riku quickly regained his strength and leaped away. Sirius all the while took hold of the item and grasped it tightly in his hands. "Don't you ever try to blemish this precious jewel of mine with your tainted hands, Riku!"

Riku landed no more than fifty feet away from his other self. He still saw that cold glare given by the Phantom Lord.

"How did you…?" Riku uttered, but was cut off immediately there after, not allowed to speak. Sirius in the meantime bantered out his own frustrations.

"This is mine, mine and no one else's! No one is to touch this, especially not you! She gave it to me. This is her gift of affection to me!"-

"You…?"-

"Yes, me…! Her affections were for me and me alone!"-

Riku's fists tightened apprehensively.

"Tell me, Sirius." He declared. "How is it that you know Namine?"

The question immediately clutched at the imperial's mind.

"How do you know about Namine?" Sirius asked. It then struck Sirius as he recalled the words told to him by Sora in their meeting only a couple hours prior. "Oh yes, I seem to recall. Sora told me during our converse that Namine had been on Destiny Island. Not surprising though, since she is indeed Kairi's nobody. He also informed me on that little bit of information as well." Sirius lowered his head. "But it grieves me so that she passed away those many years ago. And yet I never had the opportunity to bid my farewells."

"Did Sora tell you that too?"-

"He told me everything about Namine and how she became her own independent self and died shortly after when her artificial life expired of its strength."-

"Typical of Sora to blather away at that…"-

"No doubt that she had her acquaintances with you in her lifetime."-

"More so than you think, Sirius…"-

"What…?" The Phantom Lord was somewhat befuddled. He noticed that Riku's emotional stature was starting to turn from rage to sorrow. Riku seemed somewhat off in a distant world, no longer present on the battlefield. "How is it more than I think, Riku? Tell me!"

"Sora didn't want to say anything fearing for my safety." Riku continued. "But since it little matters now, I shall be the one to tell you."

"Tell me what?"-

"The reason for Namine to sever herself from Kairi for a time…" Riku lowered his weapon for the moment. "I know of the fate of Nobodies. Diz had told me of the philosophy behind them, although he never really took it to heart. But then again, neither did I. He told me that when a Nobody is reunited with their original self, they have found safe haven. Thus, fading in obscurity is a fate that they would be denied. However, should a Nobody have a burning desire, they can reemerge back into their own independent entity, only by the consent of the original self, whether they are aware of it or not." Riku was solemn for a second or two as a positive event proved the theory he presented. "That probably explains the reappearance of Roxas when Sora and I were battling against General Saber back at Atlantis. In the case of Namine's separation summoning, Kairi had seen the loneliness I was suffering. Namine no doubt saw this as well. Oblivious of their agreed emotions, Kairi unleashed Namine back into the real world with a body of her own. I was all dumbfounded when I first saw her. But then again, weren't we all? And that dumbfounded ness eventually turned to joy. But it wasn't until she started showing symptoms of her deteriorating artificial life that I recalled the horror of nobody philosophy and the fate of a reemerged entity, which Diz explained to me. My heart began to race with apprehension, knowing the fate that awaited her. She had come into this world only to die again. But it was for my sake that she was willing to emerge and that was a time I enjoyed the most."-

"What are you trying to say?" Sirius's fists gripped tightly as he feared the answer he would receive from the lips of his other self.

"Simply this, Sirius, Namine was my very first love." The words tore Sirius from within. "She was the one who had rekindled my life and gave me happiness, even if it was only for a short time."

"Riku…" Kairi uttered as she and the others heard this secret revealed.

"I didn't want to say anything about Namine's inevitable fate." Riku continued. "That is why I kept it secret, even from Kairi and Sora up until now." Riku's eyes lowered, looking upon the ground. "Perhaps it was fear. Perhaps it was denial. Perhaps I hoped that Namine would be an exception and be denied her eventual death. Perhaps it was because I did not want to have her wallowing in her own sorrow. But for some reason, despite this deception, I am glad to have kept it only to myself. Most likely, the reason being is because I didn't want to have to burden my friends with such unnecessary, negative emotions. I've done that too many times in the past already." Riku smiled. "Namine was the best thing that ever happened to me. She had put such an impact on all of our lives…even yours."

There was a solemn silence that began to emerge. Riku had felt enlightened. His heart was not bearing upon the thought of his first love, the one whom he had encountered for the first time at Oblivion Castle, the one whom he had worked with in the time they hoped to restore Sora's memories and the fight against Organization XIII, and the one whom he spent two endless summers with.

But the temporary peace soon soured and the lingering silence that was solemn in mood turned rancid with an eerie pause. Riku could feel the rising tension.

"You villainous dog," he heard Sirius growl. Riku looked up to gaze upon the Imperial Lord. "You dare to reveal this news to me? Do you find delight in toying with my emotions? Namine's love and affections were for me and me alone! This charm was a testament to that love and the only item I bore upon me when I was found again, the only link to my past life and previous endeavors. It was painful enough finding out that Namine had spent her artificial life on Destiny Island. It was infectious enough knowing that she was Kairi's nobody, but to find out that her affections and love were seized by you of all people causes my blood to boil more so ever than before!" Sirius looked at the charm with his rage shaken eyes. "I was the one solely sworn to protect her. I had such high hopes of being reunited with her some day and we would spend the rest of our lives together. But instead, fate has dared to mock me with a big stupid grin by denying me that last hope of truly being happy."

"Sirius…" Riku uttered.

"Dare not speak to me, you vile serpent." Sirius, angered and frustrated, began to clutch hard on the charm. His inner emotions were out of control, he didn't know what to think. Thus, his anarchic attitude emerged, and he shunned all, even those whom he deemed sacred. "Namine, you dared to betray me, you dared to betray my feelings? I thought you cared for me. I thought you really loved me. Yet how could you cast me aside for the sake of my other self, who is not even worthy of you? Did you even remember me? Did I even come into your mind when you decided to gallivant with my sworn foe?" In all of his grief, Sirius threw the charm upon the ground. So hard was the impact that the charm broke in two, straight down the center. His cold eyes glared at Riku. He began to curse again.

"You…! You are the one that betwixt her feelings, Riku. You are the one who made her forget about me."-

"I had no such intentions." Riku said. "Why is it that you keep blaming me for all these circumstantial events?! You brought this all on yourself! It's not my fault! You wallow in your own self pity just to gain sympathy. But after all that you've done, you aren't deserving of such affections!"-

"You are in denial, Noctin Tilandir. Your conspiracy against me will not force my morale to wither. You're right about me wallowing in my own self pity. But then again, if I don't feel sorry for myself, who else will?! There is only one way to end that afflictive emotion. And that is when I see your lifeless corpse staring blindly into space!"-

In a roaring pitch of anger, Sirius attacked. Riku was nearly caught off guard. All of a sudden, he found himself back in the old position of losing. Sirius's blows and swiftness had incredible impact, almost knocking him senseless. This time, Sirius was not about to let Riku regain any strength. He was not giving him a chance to breathe. He now pulled the pillow over Riku's face and wouldn't yield in his pressing until the hero's last breath had been driven from his lungs.

"I don't get this." Riku thought to himself. "How is it that Sirius can fight on raw emotion and gain this much magnitude in strength? Is he really that determined to kill? Is that the level of his hatred?"

"Riku," Kairi cried, fearing for Riku's life

"He's being overwhelmed." Goofy said.

"We have to do something!" Donald cried.

"We can't." Mickey replied. "These two are untouchable now. They are completely out of our league. We wouldn't even survive such an onslaught. The way Sirius is continuously pounding at Riku with the Death Summoner, he'd most likely target us and diminish us within the first hit should we try to intervene."

"Riku don't die." Kairi sobbed. She looked upon Sora's face and kept him close. "I've already lost Sora. I don't want to lose you either."

But fate was cruel, mocking both sides for the mere pleasure. Sirius pounded away at Riku with both keyblades, but it was the Death Summoner that was taking in most of the action. Riku was desperate for a strategy. He had to think of something fast. The dark form was already starting to break him at his limit. He could feel the darkness starting to gain ground. All the while, should Sirius get in one good hit with the Death Summoner then it would all be over for him. Either way, Riku was balancing himself on a double edged blade. Both outcomes would end with his eventual demise. He had to choose the less of two evils. That was his only option.

"I can't keep this up forever." Riku thought to himself. "The dark form will be gaining ground over my heart soon and Sirius is not about to let up on his blows. If I want to end this, I have to deprive myself of being conscientious of that keyblade of his. If I can knock the Death Summoner out of his hand, then I can equal this playing field."

Once again, the two were locking in a deadlock as they had been several times already.

"Make no mistake, Riku." Sirius said, almost foaming at the mouth, "I will kill you if it is the last thing I ever do!" he pushed Riku away and prepared to counterstrike.

"Here's my chance." Riku inwardly thought. He unleashed the Laevateinn Keyblade Whip and cracked at Sirius's right hand. The end of the whip took hold of the Death Summoner. "I got it." With one jerk of the wrist, he snatched the Death Summoner from out of the Phantom Lord's hand. The keyblade went flying far to the other side of the tier, where Sirius could not effectively retrieve it.

"No," he roared. "My keyblade…!"

"You won't be so tough now!" Riku mocked.

"He did it!" Mickey cheered. "He knocked away the Death Summoner!"

"Now Riku can attack with all his might and not worry about anything!" Goofy added.

"Go get him, Riku!" Donald added.

"Damn you!!" Sirius roared. "Damn you to hell, Noctin Tilandir!" With the Demon Summoner he sent the red eyes shadows forth in a burst of darkness. The shadows rushed at Riku. But the youth easily pummeled them all with just a few slight strikes with the Laevateinn. But no sooner had he done that, the Demon Summoner appeared, swooping in for the critical blow. Riku was caught off guard. To his dismay though, the Demon Summoner was not targeting him, but rather the Laevateinn. Riku's keyblade was knocked out of his hand as well and sent flying to a distance to which he could no retrieve it. The Demon Summoner all the while boomeranged itself back to its master.

Sirius caught it in the midst of its spin.

"Now we're even." Sirius said.

"Well at least you're not guaranteed a swift kill like you would have been with the Death Summoner still in your possession." Riku implied.

"That's fine by me. I could savor the time a little better and not have to worry about having you die so quickly. If I can't kill you instantly, then I'll have an equal amount of fun beating you to a pulp. Besides, you have now regressed to your former weapon as well. Ergo, we're back to where we started when we first engaged in the catacombs of Cetorburg." Sirius suddenly attacked again. "But unlike then, I don't intend on showing you mercy this time around."

And unrelenting he was, slashing away at Riku with all his might. This time, he was able to inflict more strikes on Riku and not have to worry about him suddenly dying instantly. Riku did the same, striking at Sirius at close range. Both fighters no longer hand a chance since their greatest assets were deprived from their clutched hands. Now they relied on their speed, their agility, and their strength alone. Both pummeled the other with the keyblades, Sirius taking in damage at the same time inflicting havoc on Riku. The same went for Riku, who was just as equally devastating in his maneuvers.

"Now they're really having at each other's throats." Triiken thought to himself as he continued to watch the battle unfold. "Sirius and Riku will not let up until one or the other either makes a fatal mistake or tires out first."

The battle raged on about the entire tier. Neither combatant was so focused on each other, they did not bother to try and retrieve their weapons. However, as the minutes slowly passed, it was clear that Sirius was gaining the upper hand.

"You will not win this, Riku." He said. "I am the most powerful here."

"That may be true," Riku replied. "But you are severely lacking in motivation. You have nothing worth fighting for anymore since it was all taken away from you."

"And that is what helps boost my motivation. By having nothing, I can lose nothing."-

"And exactly what do you want out of this fight if you have nothing?" Riku asked. "What are you trying to achieve?"

"The only thing I have left." Sirius knocked Riku away. "All I want now is revenge!"

"Revenge…?"-

"Revenge against you…! You are the one who has caused all of my suffering to take place. You are the one who has had the audacity to deprive me of my happiness." Sirius unleashed the shadows from the Demon Summoner again. Riku quickly diminished them, though they were at point blank range. He was almost struck by some of them, but managed to hack them down before any damage could be done.

But his relieved sighs would have to wait. Sirius appeared behind Riku. He stretched forth his hands, and in almost a hit man strangling position with a chord, Sirius hoped to cut the throat of the youth, or even sever his head from his shoulders. But Riku drew up the Ginroio Noria and blockaded Sirius's keyblade from coming in any further. He Sirius was pressed up again his back, his head almost on his shoulder. But Riku's concentration was only on the Demon Summoner. Sweat dripped down his temples.

"This is the fate that awaits you, Riku." Sirius said, his hot breath brushing against Riku's ear. "This is the fate that you deserve. You have caused too much pain and anguish to all those around you, even your own friends, though you aren't even aware of it. You can't even show your other self any sympathy. Had you done so from the beginning, all of these circumstances could have been avoided. But your bloated ego and your cocky attitude turned you onto this inevitable and inescapable path of destruction. Thus, your sin has affected not only your friends, but their homes and other worlds as well." Serious then head butted Riku upon his temple, forcing the young man to blacken out temporarily. Then, instead of retaliating with his keyblade, Sirius took hold or Riku by the scalp and jerked him back. He then began to sock the semi-conscious youth upon the face, chest, and gut, all the while still declaring his hatred.

"You are a villain, so you must die! You deprived from me my greatest joys and forced me into this heinous position! My dignity, my identity, everything that made me unique you refused to acknowledge. For that, I want you to suffer, suffer and die you miserable, undeserving cur!" He thrashed Riku about, bloodying him up with all he had before throwing him upon the ground. Sirius drew up his keyblade just as Riku stood and struck him. Riku hurled over. "You have dared to take away everything I learned to cherish and accept. It is only right that I return the favor with interest! Perhaps your companions will also take the full weight of that retaliation!"

Riku's thoughts turned to his friends and the slain form of Sora. His rage suddenly erupted.

"You will not hurt my friends!" Riku shouted. "I'd die before I see you banish another one from this breathing world!" He suddenly attacked with incredible ferocity and slashed about at Sirius with his keyblade, bloodying the Imperial to a condition equaling his own. Using his three sixty teleportation hit, he assaulted Sirius and sent him flying with a finishing power boom. Sirius flew through the air and fell upon the ground.

The entire ordeal left both of the warriors exhausted. Sirius lay prostrated on the ground, all the while Riku had collapsed to his knees. He gasped for breath, the sweat dripping down his face and mixing with his blood, giving a sting to the sensation. The cool breeze hit upon his temple. Blood and sweat, with a little saliva, dripped from his face and landed on the ground. Every muscle in his body ached and stiffened. Every bone in Riku's skeletal structure seemed to creak with weariness.

"I think I over did it a little bit." Riku thought to himself. "That's not good." He looked at Sirius. "But the again, I bet he's not having a fun time either."

"Most impressive a fight I ever had the pleasure of witnessing." Triiken thought to himself. "I never would have figured those two would last this long especially with the amount of devastating blows they throw upon each other's person. They are equivalent to spent boxers really. They are determined to continue on, though they push themselves beyond their limit."

"Man, what a pummel." Donald uttered. "It was like two slabs of meat striking each other."

"I've never seen Riku go through such a thrashing before." Mickey added. "In fact, I've never seen him draw blood and anger like this before."

"Even his fight with Xehanort, Saber, and Lu Bu combined couldn't match up to the magnitude of this battle."-

"It's because it's a one on one fight and neither side is gaining the upper hand over the other. Both are fighting to their utmost limit."

Riku lifted his head and slowly staggered, using his keyblade as a crutch. His black, heartless jumpsuit was now scuffed with dirt. His face was bloodied and sweaty, and his labored breathing confirmed the level of fatigue and weariness he was experiencing. Sirius Viicous on the other hand remained still upon the ground. He did not move, thought the signs of life were still bursting within him.

"Damn it," the youth thought. "He's still alive. I can feel it. Sirius is not going to give up."

In the meantime, Kairi watched on as her other best friend faltered upon his feet. She could not help, but cry. She feared for Riku. The blood within Sora's veins hadn't lost its heat yet and here she would lose another childhood friend.

"Riku," she uttered, her eyes gazing upon the middle of his strong back, where the strands of silver reached their limit. "You have to win this. You have to emerge victorious. You're the only hope right now. None of us can do anything to help you." She then looked upon Sora, her tears dripping upon his face. She grasped and tightened her embrace before turning to Riku again. "Please, don't give up…for Sora's sake."

Fate has a cruel way of playing with the emotions of people. Life and death are no more than a harvest for it. All things in the universe are moved by its invisible hand. The hand of God most people will interpret. This unseen force separates all worlds, yet at the same time reunites it. Therefore, the life of an individual person seems somewhat insignificant, like a speck of salt, in comparison to the vast see that is this plethora of thriving civilizations and worlds. What cares the power of such fate that one is to die and the other to live, that one may emerge victorious and the others wallowing in their defeat. Fate cares not even for the strongest and most charismatic of individuals. But in some cases, there are moments when fate feels sorry for a broken heart. In this case, though the outcome was cruel, it also emerged as a shocking boast of rekindled joy.

As Kairi and the others looked on upon the fight, she suddenly heard a soft groan like the coo of a dove. At first Kairi did not take it to heart. But when she heard it a second time, then that was when she took notice. She inadvertently gazed down at Sora's hand, not expecting to see a miracle. There was a twitch of movement that caught her eye. She looked again, hoping her eyes weren't deceiving her. Sure enough, she watched as Sora's index finger slightly jolted. Soon after, with smooth motion, the supposed deceased hand of Sora began to give an almost clutching movement, with fingers curling in and out. Immediately, her heart began to race with apprehension and excitement. Kairi's deep blue eyes gazed upon Sora's face. His eyelids, once thought lifeless, began to clench a little. Kairi gazed at him, all moist on the lashes, hoping to see more signs of rekindled life. Too emotionally struck to hold it in, she beckoned Mickey and the others who still didn't seem to notice, their eyes were fixed on the battle.

"You guys, you guys!" she frantically said.

"What's wrong, Kairi?" Mickey asked.

"Look, look at Sora!"-

"What about Sora?" Donald wondered.

"Look…"-

The party gathered around, gazing upon Sora. Suddenly, there came a whispered upon his lips and his hand began to move again.

"Did you see that?" Goofy asked.

"I don't know if I saw it or not." Donald replied, rubbing his still wet irises. "I don't know if I'm losing my mind. For a moment I thought I saw…"

"But I saw it too, Donald. I saw Sora move." Goofy's eyes moistened.

"Could it be…?" Mickey gasped. "Is Sora really…?" They looked on, hoping that their minds weren't play tricks on them.

Sure enough, Sora suddenly began to coo a little, as if in a stretch. The moment they saw him move, their hearts were overjoyed and too filled with happiness to say a word.

Sora wasn't dead.

The youth slowly opened his eyes, seeing nothing but a blur at first. But as he gazed he came upon the faces of Kairi, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. They were all teary. Sora looked at Kairi, since she was the closest to him.

"Hey, Kairi," he uttered with a groggy voice. "What's up?"

"Oh Sora!" she bawled, embracing him tightly.

"Sora," The others shouted and cheered. They whooped for joy with new established spirits.

Triiken saw this from afar.

"Well, I'll be damned." He snickered to himself. "It looks like the little git is still alive."

"Hey, c'mon you guys. What's wrong?" Sora said. "Why are you all crying? You act as if I came back from the dead or something."

"We thought you were dead, Sora." Kairi implied.

"Yeah, we saw you hit by that death ball." Mickey added.

"Oh yeah…" Sora gave a slow sheepish smile. "Maybe I should be dead. But I don't feel dead that's for sure."

"Oh Sora…" Kairi sobbed. "I'm so glad that you're still alive."

"Sorry if I worried you and the others, Kairi." But as Sora looked about, he did not see the face of his other comrade. He tried to sit up, but didn't have the strength to do so.

"Don't push yourself, Sora."-

"Yeah," Mickey added. "You have to give yourself some time to relax and regain your strength."

"Wait a minute, where's Riku?" Sora asked.

"He's over there." Donald implied, pointing to the field. Sora looked in the distance to see the darkened figure of Riku standing some fifty yards or so away.

"Riku…" Sora uttered. "So you've regressed to using the dark form. But at least you're still alive…I'm glad…"

"Riku, Riku," Kairi shouted. "Look over here! Look over here!"

"Riku," the others added. "It's Sora!"

Riku turned to see his friends.

"It's Sora, Riku!" Kairi cried, "He's still alive!"

"Sora…he's alive…?" Riku uttered. He could not believe what he was hearing. He looked hard to see if what they saw was true. Sure enough, there was Sora with a half raised weary smile on his face.

"Hey Riku…" Sora said. The moment he heard Sora's voice and saw him moving about, Riku broke out in tears, though his relieved look never vanished. He smiled back.

"Thank God…"-

It didn't take long for Sirius to realize this as well. While during this flamboyant period, he had managed to crutch himself upon his knees. It was upon doing this that he realized Sora was still alive. His eyes widened.

"Impossible," he gasped, "Sora's still alive? But how can that be? He should have died instantly after being struck with that death ball I threw. No one could've survived that." But Sirius's shock mellowed down. "For some reason though, I feel relieved."

Sora all the while continued to try and sit himself up, but his body was still numb from his earlier endeavor.

"Sora," Kairi demanded, "Don't push yourself like this."

"I have to get up and help Riku though." Sora uttered. "He can't do this alone."

"But you've been severely injured."-

"I have to…"-

"No Sora," Mickey and the others pleaded.

"Don't try and be a hero right now!" Donald demanded. "You are in no condition to battle."

"Yeah," Goofy added, "You have to rest first."

"No…I can't…" Sora replied. "I have to help…I have to keep fighting…"

"Sora," Riku suddenly declared. "You stay out of this from here on out understand?"

"Riku…?" Kairi uttered. They looked at the silver haired youth.

"But Riku…" Sora said.

"Donald and the others are right." Riku continued. "You are not in any position to continue battling. You nearly died the last time. We all figured you had met this horrible demise."

"Riku…"-

"You said to me before that you didn't want to see me die again. You said that you'd do all in your power to make sure that that never happened again. Well, now it's my turn to say that to you, Sora. I don't want to have to go through that a second time…" There was a silence that erupted on the field before it broke again in solemn words. "I now know that feeling you had, Sora, the feeling of losing a best friend. I really thought you were dead. I couldn't take the loss. My heart broke and my rage erupted, which is why you see me as I am now…"-

"Riku…"-

Riku gazed upon him.

"When this is all over, we'll all go home together."-

"Yeah…" Sora began to tear up. Never had Riku's voice sounded so kind and solemn as it had that very minute. He came to realize that his friend had truly changed since the day they went on their first journey those ten odd years ago. The once hotheaded and ambitious teenage Riku of fifteen had mellowed down to a compassionate and mature young man of his mid twenties.

But such sentiment was short lived as the bellowing voice of the Phantom Lord bellowed out.

"I can assure you that you won't be there to join them, Noctin Tilandir." He shouted. Riku instantly turned his attention to the Phantom Lord. "Your fate ends here and at my hands as destiny has determined it would."

"Not him again…" Donald grumbled.

Sirius looked upon Sora.

"I had thought you met a sorry end, Sora. But it appears that you still have the wind in you."-

"Are you shocked, Sirius?" Sora asked. "I'm a lot more resilient in spirit than you thought I was."

"I can see that. And I am rather shocked to see that you were able to survive that attack. But then again, I wouldn't expect anything less of you. However, though you are still alive, I wouldn't consider you much of a threat any longer. You haven't the strength to stand, let alone wielding both of your keyblades to do battle." His harsh words caused Sora to cringe. "From this point on, it is only Riku and my self to fight, as it should have been from the very start." The phantom Lord clutched his keyblade tightly. "However, had it not been for you and those other bugs interfering, this battle could've ended with my victory a long time ago."

"That's the reason why we intervened. We weren't about to stand on the side lines and watch you kill Riku."-

"And what was the end result of your interference besides your own near death experience as well as the endangerment of all those around you? We've only gone back to where we started."-

"Sirius…"-

"Now enough of this bantering," Sirius drew forth his keyblade, "We have a fight to finish. I have a life to claim."

"You're still determined on taking my life?" Riku asked. "Haven't you've had enough of that? That's old news."

"There are only two ways that I'd ever be satisfied. The first was to prove to you that I was more than just your replica. The second was to kill you and become truly the only unique Riku about. And since you won't acknowledge the former, I am determined to fulfill the latter and end your unworthy existence."-

"And what makes you think that I wouldn't accept the former?"-

"Don't make me laugh, Riku. You hadn't accepted the former since the day we met. And there's no way that you'd accept it now. You'd only be proving that I am who I am. And that is something you refuse to accept. You will not give me that satisfaction just as I refuse to accept the fact that you're still alive, despite all of my attempts to destroy you. If you and I are one in the same, then I will resemble you in that. Like you, I have my pride. And the last thing that we want to admit is that we're wrong. Not for you to fight and to give in to my whim would be wrong to you. Thus you resist. As with I. If I were to give into you, then I would be wronging myself. We both have our dignity and we will not tolerate anything below our expectations. Thus, only through death will this matter ever be resolved."-

"Sirius…"-

"And I only find it justified on my behalf since it was you who have caused all of this! Had you acted more civil in your brash and reckless age, you could have avoided this worse case scenario. The lesser of two evils would have been chosen and we may not have had to meet under these circumstances. But instead, you decided to make a mockery of me, even during the demise of my former life. You have taken everything from me. In my prior existence as well as now, you deprived me of my uniqueness, not wanting to accept my existence, believing strongly that I am merely your reflection and your shadow and can be no more than that! And in the past up until now, you have wiped away everything I learned to know and embrace with open arms. You took away my second home, the Dark Empire, my mentors and peers, as well as now with my territory, my capital, my best officers, everything that I had strived so hard to achieve, all that made me special!" Sirius gripped his keyblade. "And you know what hurts the most? It's to know that you helped the only two people left, who had truly cared for me and made the greatest impact on my life, to forget everything about me. Sora's entire memory of our past encounters was washed away. Now, he only sees me as I am now, as the murderous and treacherous Phantom Lord. He no longer bears any sympathy for me. And especially Namine, whose love and affections were given to you and not to me. I longed for someone to comfort me in my time of need, but was never given that. Instead, you were rewarded for the little suffering you endured, which was only a fraction of what I had gone through. And now, to find out, from Sora of all people, that Namine was Kairi's nobody? She has witnessed all that has been going on no doubt, and sees only the wrongs I've inflicted. She may now only see me as a monster just as her original believes."-

"Sirius…"-

"She was the only one that I had left, the only one that I had to cling on to, and now you've made my very existence pointless because of your actions. I was sworn to protect her with my life and was promised her affections. But now what more do I have to protect, what more is there to drive me on?! The only thing that I have left is my pride and this burning hatred and anger for you!!" Sirius's snarl grew more profuse. "I hate you, Riku! I've always hated you! I deserve to hate you more than anyone!"

"But why…?" Kairi demanded. "Why would you hate Riku so much as to go through all of this just for revenge?"

"It is because of his very existence that I am made to suffer! No one will ever truly accept me for who I am! They only see this deformed and twisted figure that makes my face and my body! They scream and run at the sight of my glowing eye. No one has ever accepted me for being more than a clone, or a tool, or an apprentice, or a subordinate, or even a future successor. No one has ever shown me real love or affection in its purist essence. They never once paid real attention to me except for when it came to reaching their own personal gain. Only then was I of any use or was ever recognized. Even as we speak, I can hear the voices of my master and former peers and superiors urging me on. But it is only because I represent what they could not gain! Only now do I realize that the only way to ever be noticed is through my actions. And since I couldn't walk the path of a just hero, I will prove myself a villain and hate the pleasures of this world. Thus, if I cannot have the sweet benefits of life, then no one shall. Perhaps they will realize the great darkness of this torment as well as I have." Sirius drew up his keyblade. "I swear this to you that when this is all over, I will forge a new Imperial regime. And I will forge it in the way that I see fit! I will forge it in my own image." He then looked at Riku. "And you, Riku, your bones shall be the foundation to that new era."

"So that's how it is then." Riku uttered. "There is no doubt in my mind now. This fight will end with one of us dying."

"Then let us both cease our blustering chatter and continue with where we left off."-

Both key bearers stood at the ready.

"I have to end this quickly." Riku thought to himself. "I'm starting to feel the effects of the dark form."

There was again an eerie lull before the battle commenced again. Sirius suddenly thrust himself forward. Riku was ready to meet him, the impact was made and the final phases of the battle's third stage carried on from where it left off. Again, the sound of their clashing weapons and the flashes of impacting steel could be seen and heard, reverberating throughout the field although the movements were at times obscure and unable to register.

"They're at it again." Donald shouted.

"My goodness," Mickey added, "And it's just as intense as it was before."

Sora, still lying in Kairi's tender grasp, being accustomed to such high speed battles could see the orchestrated accuracy, intensity, and danger of the grappling duo. Such twirls and twists of the body were ones that would cause even the heartiest of warriors to fatigue themselves within seconds of engaging. Bends and turns, swipes and slashes, all were clear yet slightly blurred to the young warrior.

"Riku's really pushing himself over his limit." Sora thought to himself. "He's determined to fight on, no matter what the cost, or what affect all that stress might have on his body."

The battle raged on before the team.

"C'mon Riku," Donald shouted. "You can do it!"

"Riku can win, right?" Goofy asked. "I mean he is fighting for us."

"He will win." Mickey replied. "I have my faith in that young man."

"It is going to take a little more than faith and motivation to aid him." A voice declared. The troop looked to see Triiken approaching them.

"Triiken…" Donald grumbled. "Are you gonna start letting down our hopes with that negative attitude?"

"It has nothing to do with negativity, mallard. I am simply stating a raw fact. Riku at this present moment is throwing everything he has into what he believes is the last confrontation against Sirius Viicous. Hence he's pulling out all the stops, attacking with all he has." Triiken stopped to watch the fight. "As of now, neither is concentrating on anything except themselves. Those two want to defeat each other so badly, they've blocked out all surroundings. However, because they are so concentrated on their foe, they seldom realize that they are reaching the height of their strength. Much like a runner in a marathon, their bodies and minds go on automatic pilot. Their bodies will move and turn with almost no real thought whatsoever. They are basically fighting on instinct now. But like all things in motion, they eventually run out of energy to propel them. In this case, it may not be long before both Riku and Sirius hit a wall and their bodies can no longer function properly. The question is who would give out sooner? That will provide the deciding factor."

"Well, Riku would never give in first." Kairi declared. "He'll keep on fighting."

"That may be true, but that is up to Riku's body to decide, not his mind or his heart. Even if they can go on forever, his body has limits. And those limits are absolute, no matter how strong the determination. And after being struck with the Death Summoner at least three times in the entire course of this confrontation, his body is carrying on ten times the amount of stress than it usually would have had he been in top condition."-

"You mean, there might be a chance that Riku will lose?" Mickey asked.

"At least a fifty percent possibility…"-

"Percentages mean nothing." Sora uttered. "Riku will win."

"That's right," Donald added. "Riku still has an ace up his sleeve that could end this fight once and for all right now if he wanted to."

"He does…?" Mickey asked.

"Yes he does, Your Majesty. Riku still has the Musou Rage that Lu Bu gave him back at the Emperor's Imperial City of China."-

"Oh yeah," Goofy added, "That'll make him untouchable."

"The Musou Rage…?" Kairi asked.

"When Riku unleashes the Musou Rage, if he unleashes it, he'll have Sirius begging for mercy." Donald said so confidently, folding his arms. "He'll be invincible."

"Moron…" Triiken scoffed. This agitated Donald.

"What do you mean moron?!"-

"I've heard all about this Musou Rage, a gift so graciously given to Riku and Sora by Lu Bu. Well, I can assure you that Riku isn't going to use such an attack."-

"And why wouldn't he?"-

"I'm afraid that Triiken is right." Sora said. The others gasped hearing his concurrence with the former Imperial. "Riku at this point in the game can't use the Musou Rage."

"Why not…?" Goofy asked.

"Do you think if Riku had that option open to him that he'd use it already?"-

"But maybe he's waiting for the right opportune moment." Mickey said.

"I very much doubt it. Riku could have used it a hundred times over by now. He could have used it earlier in the game, but he didn't. The reason being is because he knows all too well of the effects of the Musou Rage."-

"What are the effects?" Kairi asked.

"The Musou Rage is a powerful boost of energy that increases our strength levels ten to a hundred times what they would originally be. Thus, we would almost seem to be invincible. Nothing can penetrate or dissolve the overwhelming aura that bellows. Our speed, our agility, and our strength and keen awareness are heightened to levels not otherwise attainable even in a dozen lifetimes. However, in order to use the Musou Rage without fear of long term side effects, both Riku and I have to be in top peak condition. Any status lower than that is dangerous and even deadly, the reason being is because of the instability in power. Our physical and mental capacity has to be at its maximum level in order to withhold the unfathomable energy that flows from the Musou Rage. That one power source uses up more energy than Cuchulain's Rage and Vegeta's Saiyan Devotion combined and concentrated ten times the measure. Should there even be a slight falter, the energy will overwhelm our bodies and in the worst case scenario, we would most definitely…" Sora paused for a moment.

"Most definitely what…" Kairi was anxious and apprehensive.

"We might explode."-

The mere saying of such a detailed aftermath caused the KH team to shutter.

"Explode…?" Goofy said with moisture staring to appear on his brow.

"Yeah… That is how dangerous that energy is. And even in top condition, there would still be side effects. The reason why we need to be in top condition is because the stress given on us by the Musou Rage can deplete out power by fifty percent, cutting our total fighting strength in half. That is why we've only managed to used the Musou Rage once every time. We have to reprieve ourselves with a Senzu or a potion in order to restore that lost stamina. And even so, even after being fully healed, there are still effects that can wear on us for days. Even before Cetorburg happened, I could still feel the effects of the Musou Rage. And that was used back at Long Valley when Cuchulain was still alive. As for Riku, he recently used that on Ks back at Cetorburg. Therefore, the strain still reverberates within him and stresses his body."-

"My God…" Kairi said.

"But why didn't Riku just use it from the moment he and Sirius started fighting?" Donald asked.

"It's not only because of the recent period to which Riku used the Musou Rage that proved a hindering factor, but because neither Riku nor Sora could determine the true skills of Sirius Viicous." Triiken implied. "They were fighting an unknown enemy who is determined to keep his place as one of the new Three Excellencies and whose heart carried a great scorn for Riku. There may have been techniques that Sirius could have used that might nullify the Musou Rage. Even now, we know not if he has any trump cards left concealed in his sleeve."

"Well, so far the techniques would not have been all that threatening had Riku used the Musou Rage."-

"There was no way for us to determine that though, Donald." Mickey said. "We couldn't have predicted this outcome."

"Riku might have been able to use it had it not been for Sirius unleashing the Death Summoner." Sora said. "That proved the deciding factor and hindered us of a powerful asset."

"That Sirius," Donald growled. "He thinks of everything."

"Then again," Triiken implied. "He is Riku's other self after all."

In the meantime, Riku and Sirius continued their dance of death, striking for all vital parts of the body that would guarantee an instant demise, or would prove fatal as to permanently cripple the other and force them to submit.

"I feel like a hamster on a wheel." Riku thought to himself. "It doesn't matter how fast or how long I run, I never seem to get anywhere."

"You cannot defeat me, Riku! I have complete control over this battle!" Sirius chuckled.

"Don't get you hopes up!"-

"Oh, but I have every guarantee of victory. I can feel your grip upon the control of the darkness slowly slipping. The longer you stay in that dark form, the closer you get to being overwhelmed by the darkness. Certainly, your body will survive, but that darkness will fester and consume your heart as well as your mind. It eats away at your memories and you slowly forget even your long term remembrances. You will become like me, but with no control of your actions."-

"I hate to admit it." Riku thought to himself as he continued his battle. "But Sirius is right about that. I haven't been in the dark form for so long. At the same time, I've never had to maintain it for this long. My fights would have been over by now."

"I however can maintain this form indefinitely now that I am once again able to unleash it." Sirius clashed and clashed, driving Riku into a slight withdrawal. "Unlike you, I have already been consumed by the darkness. The eternal scar of this midnight hue, like a malignancy has permanently twisted my once radiant face and body, proves a testimony to my unaccountable exposure and time of torment in the shadows." They continued to brawl, sparking their keyblades in spits and bursts of light and shadow. "I must really thank you more though, my other self, since it was you who helped to motivate and rekindle a long lost power."

"Me…?"-

"Yes you. In fact, my friend, you always seem to have that effect on everyone, although in most cases not in a positive nature."-

"What do you mean?" Riku was now curious.

"In due time, my other self, I will explain in due time, although my earlier references should've already hinted you on that explanation." Negotiations and explanations were again halted, giving way to their grudges and prejudices, banging away with their armaments as barbarically and gracefully as many great combating pairs of the past have done.

"Can't we step in and help?" Goofy asked.

"We can't," Mickey replied. "It's not our call to make. This is Riku's fight after all."

"I myself would hate to admit the truth," Triiken implied, "But we are all outclassed in this battle, even I."

"Whoa," Donald said, "Did you just confess that you're not strong enough? I never would have thought to hear those words from you."

"You aren't exactly in a position to be giving me such bold annotations, mallard." This of course again wore on Donald's already shortened fuse and hot temper.

"Listen you,"-

"Calm down, Donald." Mickey said, holding his friend back. "The frustration is getting to all of us."

"But Your Majesty…"-

"It's this fight. It's wearing on all of us. Though we're not engaged in it physically, we still mentally strain."-

Of all present, the one who seemed most effected by these words was Sora. He still lay prostrate on the ground, bundled in Kairi's arms. His body was heavy and almost numb. Yet though still weary, he was determined to step in. Slowly he rose himself up.

"Sora…?" Kairi uttered as she watched Sora sit up. It was painful for Sora, but he managed to lift himself upright. He ached and slightly groaned, the sweat dripping down his face, intermingling with the dried blood stains marking his youthful skin. Kairi tried to steady him. "Sora don't strain yourself."

The other turned on the hearing of this declaration.

"Sora," they said.

"What are you trying to do?" Mickey asked.

"I have to help Riku." Sora replied as he tried to lift himself on his feet.

"Excuse me," Donald interceded, "But have you seen how fast those two are going and how hard the impacts of their blades are against each other? And yet you barely have enough energy to stand, let alone drawing your keyblades and entering the fray. But you've still determined to fight?"

"I have to try…" Sora uttered.

"You have to stay out of it, Sora." Kairi advised. "None of us have proven useful in this fight. You're lucky that you even survived that attack with Sirius' Death Orb."

"How the heck did you survive that anyway?" Donald asked.

"I don't know." Sora replied as he staggered to his feet and wobbled a bit. Kairi took hold of his shoulders to steady him. "I guess I don't know my own strength."

"Oh yeah," a voice suddenly rambled out, "That's how you thank the guy who saved your life?" Sora was caught off guard by the voice. However, the others didn't seem to notice. The young key bearer immediately knew who it was that spoke. He responded in his mind.

"R…Roxas…? Is that you?"-

"Of course…" Roxas replied. "Who else could it be?"

"You mean you…?"-

"It's not like I had much of a choice, Sora. If you were to have died and faded into oblivion, I would have undergone the same fate as well. And frankly, that's something that I wanted to avoid."-

"Roxas…"-

"Listen Sora; that was a reckless act that we both pulled off. It's a good thing that I intervened when I did, using the bulk of our energy to keep you from dying, let alone fading away permanently. It wasn't exactly a picnic."-

"But how did you manage to stay around after getting struck?"-

"I'm a Nobody, Sora. I was never meant to exist from the start. Therefore, there was no life for me to lose. So long as you're alright, I can go on forever. But I can tell you this much. Kairi and the others are right. You are in no position to be battling against Sirius Viicous. You'll only be getting in the way."-

"Well, that was a nice crack to make." Sora was a little peeved.

"I'm serious. If you jump in, you'll be signing death warrants for both of us." Roxas continued. "Even I can see how fruitless it is to continue fighting at this point."

"But what if Riku…?"-

"If we have not the strength to intervene, that's probably saying something. Perhaps it is fate that forbids us from helping. This is a fight that Riku has to face alone. It is a past sin that he has to purge himself of on his own. No one can intervene." There was a slight silence as the battle raged on. Roxas then spoke again. "Besides, if you rush in to do an act like what you did before, we may not survive the next time around."-

"I see what you mean…" Sora looked upward and whispered from his lips. "Thanks Roxas."

"Did you say something, Sora?" Kairi asked.

"Just thinking to myself," Sora outwardly replied. He looked at Kairi. "I think you're right, Kairi. This is not our fight anymore. Riku has to finish this on his own."

"Sora…"-

"Fate will not allow us to intervene this time."-

Fate was indeed a cruel taskmaster, looking upon the battle and turning the tables to its will. Riku felt another blow against Sirius as the Phantom Lord prepared to unleash another special attack.

First, however, both had halted their advances on one another to catch their breath. So far, they both were denied a possible advantage.

"How could it be possible that Riku could withstand for so long?" Sirius thought to himself. "I was certain the darkness would have consumed him by now."

"Face it, Sirius. I'm not that easy to take advantage of." Riku declared.

"So I see." Sirius replied. "But that'll change soon enough. I still have a few hidden techniques to show you."

"Oh yeah…?"-

"Yes, and I'll show it to you right now if you want." Sirius suddenly smirked. "But then again, you don't really have much of a choice."

At that moment, Sirius began to glow. Riku was astounded by the sight. Before he could react, Sirius unleashed it.

"Behold, my trump card!" the Phantom Lord shouted, "The power of the darkness! Sphere of Shadows…!"

He knelt to one knee and with his vacant hand, thrust down his open palm wielding a dark light that glowed in his spread fingers. Then like a cloud of black, shadows bellowed, consuming both Riku and Sirius.

"What is this…?" Riku thought to himself.

"This, my friend, is what true darkness is." Sirius replied.

Sora and the others were shocked at this new development. The shadows swirled about the combatants, making them all the harder to see.

"Riku," Sora shouted.

"What's going on?" Mickey asked.

"I can't see Riku." Donald added.

"This must be one of Sirius's trump card techniques." Triiken explained. "He's created some sort of dark atmosphere and confined it in what looks like a bubble. Perhaps there's some invisible barrier that's being manipulated so that we can't interfere."

"That means Riku's stuck in that bubble with that guy." Sora growled. He cursed his own ineptitude. "What a time for me to be lacking in any real power. I can't even summon my keyblades right now to lend a hand. And even then, I don't know it I'd be of much use."

"I can't sense Riku's aura." Mickey implied.

"Neither can I Your Majesty."-

"It has to be that barrier." Donald said. "It must be absorbing every trait of energy from within, so we can't decipher who is winning or losing against who."

"Sirius only wants us to keep us in suspense. He wants to keep us in the dark."-

"He may also want to kill Riku silently." Mickey said. "That way, when we realize what has happened, it'll already be too late."

"Riku, be careful." Kairi uttered.

"No doubt that Sirius wants to finish him off when he least expects it." Triiken thought to himself. Nothing was visible within the sphere. He only folded his arms in front of him. "This may be the end for Noctin Tilandir. Unless he can withstand the blows given by Sirius Viicous, perhaps break this technique of his with is own keen wit, Riku is without a doubt a dead man."

There were unseen moments going on in the bubble, concealed from the eyes of the KH team. The fate of Riku was unknown.


	140. Life's Worth

Life's Worth

Riku was entrapped in this bubble of the Phantom. Looking about, he saw only the shadows. Darkness bellowed like a deep fog, preventing any visibility. So thick it was that the youth could not even see an inch in front of his nose.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Mark me, Riku." Sirius's voice was heard, a booming whisper. "This is the technique I will use to defeat you."

"Defeat me…? Is this all you could come up with, Sirius, a realm of shadows?"-

"This is a realm that even the present world of darkness could not muster. The blackness is as thick as midnight mist."-

Riku then felt something brushing about silently about him.

"Planning from charging at me from the darkness are you?" Riku kept his guard up.

"Oh no, you have me mistaken." Sirius replied, still moving about unseen. "I don't intend to give you an instant death. That would be all too easy. No, I have better plans for you."

"And what's that."-

"You see, Riku, now that I have created a self-contained atmosphere, to which your friends cannot interfere, I am now free to do as I please with you."-

"You're not going to try and molest me are you?"-

"Funny aren't we. Well, we'll just see how funny you think you are once this ordeal is over."-

"I better keep my guard up." Riku thought to himself. "Sirius just might cut my throat when I least expect it."

There was a dead silence about. Nothing occurred. Riku remained untouched, but his apprehension did not give way. He knew there was some dark form lurking in the shadows. But as his guard remained steadfast, there was feeling of nostalgia that began to grow within him. It was a feeling that he hadn't felt since his younger years. And it was one that did not have a good lasting impression on him. For some reason, Riku began to feel queasy, not in the stomach as from food poisoning or sickness, but rather from a plague of the mind.

The darkness seemed so cold and so emotionless. Its depths seemed so far and untouchable. Riku could feel the hairs on his neck stand as if a great fear had over taken him. For a while, he could see forms moving in the shadows. They were not like heartless, which he had been accustomed to for so many years, but rather something far more sinister, far more foreboding.

"This feeling," Riku whispered to himself, "Why do I feel so uneasy? Why do I feel so scared? I'm used to the darkness. So why am I having this emotion?"

"What you feel is loneliness." Sirius uttered from the veil of black mist. "You are absolutely alone."

"Alone…?"-

"This is the same feeling you had in your trek when first coming to this world. It is also a feeling that I have known my entire existence."-

"Don't try to scare me, Sirius. It won't work!"-

"Why should I try and scare you with what I know is true?"-

"What do you mean?"-

"Tell me, Riku, what do you think your life is worth?"-

"What does that have to do with anything?" Riku asked.

"I simply want to know."-

"If you are so eager to know that, then I'll tell you that my life is worth a great deal, not only to me, but to my friends as well, to all those whom I've grown acquainted and fond of."-

"Such a statement I would expect from you." The Phantom echoed. "You are so easy to read."

"Are you trying to mock me?"-

"So your life means a great deal to your friends. So what? That proves nothing. It only proves to me that you have real great importance only when they are around. But without them, you're nothing."-

"Don't you dare hurt them, you bastard."-

"How touching that you feel for them, though I always thought you incapable of such emotion. But I don't intend on hurting them, for you see they no longer are able to reach us where we are. It is strictly between you and me."-

Sirius continued to move around Riku, mocking him and tormenting him. Riku started to frustrate.

"Come out and fight me if you're not a coward!" Riku demanded.

"I think not, Riku. That would be giving you the satisfactory of a descent fight. No, I intend to speak my peace."-

"Well, you better get it over with. I'm tired of talking with shadows."-

"As I said before, the course of your life amounts to nothing without your comrades to be there for you. You depend on them as if they were a crutch."-

"I do not!" Riku started to boil.

"Oh yes you do. You use them like tissue. You may have thought you changed, but you haven't. Your friends are just as disposable to you as a toy that has lost its functions."-

"Shut up, that is not true!"-

"Oh is it? You know deep in your heart that the facts I present are the absolute truth. You could not have progressed this far without them. It just goes to show how inept you have become."-

"I said shut up!"-

"The truth hurts doesn't it? I could recall a time that you would have been able to handle anything without need of aid. You were once a teenage youth so confident and so sure of yourself and your own skills. That is the reason why everyone looked up to you as being the leader. But now, you can't even hope to gain anything without some kind of assistance. You have become weak in your mind and body, Riku."-

"I know that those words are not true, Sirius! You can't bluff me!"-

"Is that so, then why do you tremble?"-

Riku's apprehension was starting to grow. He knew the truth for himself. His heart was confident. But for some odd reason, his mind started to ask questions of his integrity. Like all humans, the conflicts between the heart and the mind and continuous. They in most cases contradict one another. While Riku's heart praised his friends for helping him in his time of need, his mind started to question his own ineptitude.

"Have I really become so weak? Is it really that bad?" Riku thought to himself. He tried to shake off his worry. "No, no, Sirius is just trying to mess with me. None of that matters."

"Had you been stronger than you have been," Sirius uttered, "Perhaps you could have avoided these destructive circumstances. Had you been stronger, you could have been able to handle this all on your own without friends. They would not have had to be placed in this dangerous situation. Had you been stronger, Sora and the others would not have had to suffer like this."

"Those are lies! They're all lies!" Riku shouted. "Now stop trying to psych me out with your ramblings!"

"Why should I do that when you know yourself that what I say is true? It's not that all of what I say is lies. It's that you refuse to accept that aspect, which is the absolute truth. Your friends are suffering because of you. What should have been yours alone to bear you now bring to your friends. Much like a plague really, you've infected them, forced them to do your bidding and compensate for your inadequacy."-

"No, you're wrong, you're wrong…" As Sirius's words bounced off and echoed repeatedly into Riku's ears, like waves on the shore, those statements began to chip away at Riku little by little. His mind started to ask more questions and his heart began to waver.

"If I am wrong, Riku, why do you quiver?"-

"I said shut up…"-

"You know the truth I speak, yet you want to keep yourself concealed in a happy environment where there is no fault. But that is what I always expect from cowards who hate to hear the truth and the absolute opinion of others."-

"No, no…" Riku's heart was gaining way to grief. The strangeness of the atmosphere around him began to fester within him, making his knees wobbly.

"Such a negative impact that you have laid down to pass in inheritance to others. As I said before, you are fifty percent responsible for everything that has happened. Had it not been for your foolish ways and past mistakes, all this chaos inflicted by me would never have come to be from the start. Had it not been for you, I may not have been reborn into this breathing world scarce half made up, deformed and unfinished like a ranker monarch of old. And because of your past actions, you now force the weight of your burden to fall on your friends." There was a pause. "Had you acted more logical and taken into considerations long term effects, you might have rethought your conduct. But alas, such an alternative course was not to be. But then again, you do seem to have a knack for making it hard on everyone you know. You always seem to want and give them a piece of your suffering, trials that they didn't deserve and would not have otherwise have had to endure."-

"No, this is all wrong. This is all just a falsehood…" But the toll had been taken. Riku fell to his knees. He could feel his heart pumping, loosing ground to his mind what bombarded with so many questions. So great was the power of his mind over his heart that Riku lost the grasp of his keyblade that vanished from his hand.

Sirius, peering through the darkness, could see this turn. His grin stressed.

"My plan is working." He thought to himself. "I have again filled Riku with self doubt. The darkness is slowly seeping into his heart and mind, mixing up his opinions and thoughts. And soon, when he is drained of his mental ability, he will be mine for the taking at last. Oh, the fun of such truth and mockery, to see him suffer and break down in such a manner. This is far more thrilling an outcome than seeing the blood drip from his body."

"C'mon Riku," the youth thought to himself, "You gotta pull yourself out of the gutter. You can't let Sirius win…"-

In the meantime, Sora and the others only watched on at the unseen activity that bellowed within the bubble.

"What is going on in there?" Donald said. "I can't see a thing."

"That's the whole point." Triiken explained. "Sirius doesn't want us to see what happens."

"C'mon Riku…!" Goofy shouted.

All the while, Sora and Kairi stood close to one another, fearing for the fate of their friend.

"Riku," Sora uttered.

"Riku's in trouble." Kairi whispered to him. "I don't know, but I just have this feeling. It's as if he's undergoing some form of torture as if something is weighing down on him."-

"I know what you mean. I'm having that same feeling too. I feel as though Riku's heart is starting to grow heavy. But with what is beyond me. I just hope he can endure, at least until we can break that bubble."-

"Riku…" Kairi put her hand on Sora's shoulder and continued to watch.

"All we can do now is pray."-

Riku felt the weight of his past pressing upon him.

"Now, do you understand?" Sirius chuckled from the depths. "Now you realize that your life has been filled with these selfish acts. You realize now that your deeds have swung about to scourge you upon the back. Such is the fate of the Child of Darkness, bringing misery onto other people."

"No, that's not true." Riku said. "I never intended for it to happen."

"Basically, this was your sin from the start." Sirius continued to infect the, mind of his other self. "You were so ambitious with leaving the confinements of your home world that you were willing to engulf yourself in darkness just for the chance of escape. But it was this brash attitude that lead to where we are now." Sirius's voice continued to encircle Riku. "Let me further enlighten you on the concept of cause and effect. Because of you, Sora had to endure a great deal in scouring for you. All the while, you helped enhance the advancement of darkness and the League of Villains by helping to befuddle the plans of the resistance. You helped capture the individual princesses of hearts. All the while, you were so obsessed with being the best that you were willing to sever your friendship with Sora and be enticed by Maleficent just so that you could prove that you were still superior to him. But as Sora grew progressively stronger, the more you felt your grip as being the leader of the pack starting to slip. You wanted to be the hero. You wanted to be the one to put things back to what they were supposed to be. But instead, you only made things progressively worse. As Sora became more independent, you started thinking him more as a rival and an enemy. You dared to mock him and torment him."

"No…" Riku said, nearly curling, not wanting to hear it.

"It's true isn't it?" Sirius continued. "You even went so far as to fuse your body with the heartless of Xehanort hoping to maintain your dominance, especially when Sora reclaimed the keyblade from you. But in the end, when it was already to late, you realized the extent of your folly. You tried to make emends with you sins, but your leaving only gave way to further suffering. Instead of departing back to your world with Sora, you decided to fade into obscurity. But Sora, the naïve friend that he was and still is, held feelings for you despite your recent endeavors. Hence, he remained departed from Kairi and his home world just to find you. In the process he had to endure that little scuffle with the rebel faction of Organization XIII under Marluxia. That was when we first met and in the worst of circumstances. Perhaps had you been more civil to me, we may not be standing here, but hence such another alternative path was missed. In his search for you, Sora all the while lost his true memories. Though he did surmount the ordeal in the end, he had to choose between his new memories and the old ones. Ergo, because he chose the old memories, his memory of me had been stripped away. Thus, he now sees me as a monster rather than someone whom he had expressed such compassionate words to."

"All of that…" Riku inwardly thought, his mind throbbing and his heart filled with pain. "All of those things happened because of me…?" Though he knew Sirius's words to be poisoned, he could not help, but notice the truth, since he knew deep down that they had all happened and it was only logical for such outcomes to occur. "My God, what have I done?"

"Let's go further down the line to the time that you fought against the Imperial regime of the former Dark Empire. In your rage, upon hearing the declaration from my late master General Ameba, you accused Sora of being weak and inept. You said that had he been stronger, he could have defeated His Late Excellency Lord Drako Arakis and end the ordeal. But he did not. Therefore you and he were still left in peril. Thus, angered by Sora's lack of motivation, you struck out on your own. This only added to the ordeal because once you were captured by my former peers and superiors, Sora and your other friends were again burdened with more risks as to come and save you. In the end, you repented by thrusting yourself before my master's blade and inflicting his demise as well as your own. Yet who would have thought that the man you so heinously slew would lead right back to me."

"No…"-

"So as you can see, Riku, the impact of your life has had nothing, but negative effects. Though you tried so hard to repent, you cannot help, but realize the damage you caused, which gave way to a far worse outcome."-

"It's all my fault…" Riku collapsed upon hands and knees. His grief had been amplified as due to the effects of the darkness.

"Yes," Sirius thought to himself. "So Riku has now entered the stage to which I've yearned for. The darkness has done its deed well and has taken all the fight out of him. He no longer wishes to battle because his heart is so heavily burdened with the weight of his past sins. Ergo, he will be easy prey for me now. Such is the beauty of this technique, to isolate my foe and wear down their hearts with their past wrong doings until they are too over-born with the negativities of their lives as to not raise a finger against me. Only a positive thought can get him out of this. But unfortunately, for Riku, that's something that is never going to happen."

"Sora, Kairi, you guys," Riku uttered, tearing at the eyes, "I'm so sorry…So sorry to have caused all this. It's all my fault, it's all my fault. It's because of me that you were brought here. And now I've got you all in a bind that was only mine to bear…"

Sora, for some reason could feel this hidden emotion. His eyes widened with the shock. So overwhelming was this state of depression that reverberated through his body, he collapsed to one knee.

"Sora," Kairi cried, kneeling beside him.

"Sora," the other's shouted, excluding Triiken who remained silent and stern.

They looked on as Sora's eyes were starting to moisten. He was in a semi weeping stage. He placed his hand against his chest, feeling the thumping of his heart. His breathing became more intense and he seemed almost to shiver.

"What's wrong, Sora?" Kairi asked.

"What happened to him, Kairi?" Goofy wondered.

"I don't know. He just suddenly collapsed."-

"Sora…" Donald uttered.

"Tell me what's wrong, Sora."-

"Riku," Sora whispered, "He's in so much pain."

"Pain…?" This worried Kairi. "Is he hurt?"

"Not physically…not yet…But his mind and his heart are being weighed down…He's in such pain…such terrible pain…"-

"Sora must be able to feel Riku's emotional state." Mickey thought to himself. "Their hearts are still strongly linked. Whatever emotions Riku feels, Sora feels as well."

"Sora…" Kairi uttered. She saw Sora starting to cry.

"Riku…I'll share this pain with you." Sora began to utter as he collapsed into Kairi's embrace. "You don't have to fight this alone. Don't let such emotions fill your heart. It will destroy you. You have to fight it, Riku, you have to fight!"

_For some reason, the power of Sora's emotions reverberated and would reach the battle weary Riku, who had become so overwhelmed by the effects of the darkness that he had been placed in an almost trancelike state. He seemed not aware of his surroundings. Instead, his mind was self wallowing in grief._

_"Sirius is right." Riku thought to himself. "I am nothing. I have caused so much grief on my friends. I've burdened them with nothing but pain and suffering. What should have been mine alone to bear is now passed on to them." Riku inwardly wanted to cry, but could not summon tears, despite the pain. "Sora…Kairi…I'm nothing, but a burden to you. Perhaps it would have been best if I never had the urge to escape my home's confinements. Or perhaps it would have been best if I never existed at all. My life hasn't had any positive effects on you. They were all negative. I wish I was never born."_

_But no sooner had Riku said that, a voice started to speak to him._

_"After all they've gone through for you, this is how you repay them?" the voice said. Riku inwardly looked about._

_"Who is that? Whose there?"-_

_"The one guy you battled back in The World that Never Was those many years ago." Appearing in the world of his mind was an old acquaintance._

_It was Roxas…_

_"Roxas," Riku uttered, "What are you doing here?"_

_"I am being transmitted via Sora's heart." Roxas replied. "He's linking me to your mind, body, and soul with his own energy and emotion. I may not be your Nobody, but I can still be of some assistance."_

_"You can?"-_

_"Yes, and I'm here to tell you and convey a message from Sora that you can't let it end this way. He says for you not to be strived by the past events in your life."-_

_"But how can I deny what Sirius says when he has reveled the truth, the truth that I always kept suppressed. I always wanted to keep those memories away, but he has released them again." Riku lowered his head. "Only now do I realize the amount of negativity I've placed on others. No one would have had to endure this if it wasn't for me. My life has been marked with these moments where I've progressively made the situation worse."_

_"So are you saying that you are admitting Sirius is right?"-_

_"How can I fight against the absolute truth?"-_

_"To hell with the truth, Riku. Just because it's true doesn't make it correct…"-_

_"How can you say that, Roxas? Even if I could shake it off, what good would that be when that nagging fact keeps festering upon me. I did not heed Sirius' words before, believing that all his talk was only his method of mentally exhausting me. But now they weigh on me so heavily, especially presenting solid facts that I myself were aware of. This world would have been better without me. Maybe then, all of these things may not have happened."-_

_"Is that how you strongly feel?" Roxas asked. Riku nodded. "Then at least allow me the obligation of teaching you otherwise."_

_"How…?"-_

_"Like this…" Roxas raised his hand through the shadows and gave way to a portal. Roxas then placed his hand upon the middle of Riku's back and urged him forward. Riku was apprehensive of what he saw._

_"What is that bizarre light?"-_

_"That is our destination…"-_

_Close together, Riku and Roxas stepped forth into the portal._

_When emerging, they found themselves in a place all too familiar to Riku. He looked about with wandering eyes._

_"It's my home…Destiny Island…" he uttered._

_"Correction…" Roxas said. "This is not your home." Riku was befuddled._

_"What do you mean? Of course this is my home. I'd recognize it anywhere."-_

_"Again, you're wrong." Roxas's statements were starting to wear on Riku's mind._

_"Listen, Roxas…" he said with a firm tone, but the Nobody halted him before further utterances could be made. _

_"You said that you wished you were never born, right? Well, this is where we are, an alternative future in which you never existed. This is the Destiny Island that went on, but without you."-_

_"Without me…? But it doesn't look like much is different."-_

_"So says you."-_

_Just then, from out of the distance, the sound of sirens and running feet could be heard. Just then, two individuals dressed in black leather came running into the scene. They were two young men who looked rather haggard in their dress. The leather was not shiny, but rather dulled, due to years of use. They wore chains upon their sides and tattooed on the arms. While the taller of the two bore a red bandana upon his head, the other had an almost scraggly gothic look to his shaggy and dirty blonde hair. In their arms, they carried expensive computer equipment._

_"Move it," the smaller of the two shouted._

_"I' m moving as fast as I can." the taller added._

_"What's going on?" Riku wondered. Suddenly, there came the sound of pursuing paces behind them and a booming voice. Then appearing not far behind were three police men._

_"Stop in the name of the law!" the leading cop shouted._

_"They're catching up!" the smaller of the two men said. "Floor those feet of yours!"_

_"Those two are stealing!" Riku growled. He drew out his keyblade. "Not so fast, you two."_

_But his warning went unheard and the two bandits kept running towards him._

_"Ignore me will you?" Riku inwardly thought. He swung forth his keyblade. But instead of striking to stop them, the keyblade as well as himself went through the two bandits. Riku was shocked. He looked about to see the backs of the two men running away. "What's going on? How come I didn't hit them?"_

_"We're just shadows in this world, Riku." Roxas implied. "Remember, this is the world in which you never existed."_

_"Oh yeah…" Just then, the cops rushed through him. It was during this passing that Riku heard the names of the bandits called out._

_"Wakka, Tidus," the cop bellowed, "When we catch up with you, we'll put you away for a long time!"_

_"Catch us if you can, you bastards!" Tidus mocked. _

_The sound of the names and the tone of an old friend left Riku befuddled._

_"Tidus and Wakka…?" he uttered. "No it can't be." He turned to Roxas. "That couldn't have been Tidus and Wakka."_

_"We'll just see." Roxas said with a shrug. Again, the world distorted and reformed, taking both Roxas and Riku to another place and time. The two were now in a run down old shack filled with loot and horded goods._

_"Where are we?" Riku asked._

_"We are presently in the little hide out of the two terrors. Apparently, they managed to elude the cops again."-_

_Near one corner of the room, Tidus and Wakka sat overlooking their loot. Tidus was busy examining the new merchandise he and his comrade obtained._

_"This'll be worth every penny, Wakka." He chuckled. "I bet we could get some hefty prices on this equipment once we strip and pawn them."_

_"Hey, Tidus," Wakka asked, "Why is it that we do this? I mean do we really have to break the law in order to get around? It seems that we always hide and run."_

_"There is nothing else for us to do." Tidus said. "You know that only the strong survive. No one on this stupid island would be willing to do us any favors. We've known that all our lives."-_

_"But we're turning into the bastards that we hated, ya?"-_

_"Oh well, maybe it was meant to be."-_

_"No it was not meant to be!" Riku shouted, though his words were only silence to the figures before him. "I can't believe that you two would be involved in petty thieving and a life of crime! What the hell were you two thinking?!"_

_"No use trying to yell at them, Riku." Roxas advised. "Remember that they can't see or hear you. This is the world in which you were never born."_

_"But I don't understand, Roxas. Why are Tidus and Wakka being like this? How did they become criminals?"-_

_"It's because they never really had a mentor to look up to. Nor did they really have a good influential friend to be there in their time of need."-_

_"What do you mean?"-_

_"It's cause and effect. Do you remember how you and Sora first met these two?"-_

_"Well yeah…Tidus and Wakka were two new exchange students during our elementary school years."-_

_"Yeah, and you two made friends with them almost instantly."-_

_"Yeah, we did."-_

_"The thing is, Riku," Roxas continued, "Tidus and Wakka were rather timid at that young age. In fact that was why they were transferred to begin with, because they were always getting bullied by other kids at their old school. However, you came and took them in, hence the Tidus and Wakka whom you know were forged, two heroes who defeated Sin that are compassionate, just, and cool to hang out with. But because you never existed in this world, that interaction never occurred. As a result, Tidus and Wakka were instant targets to some of the school bullies and were easily taken advantage of. In the process, they began to harden and become angrier and more aggressive until they themselves turned into the terrors. They dropped their educational value and became affiliated with the bad side of society and started engaging in acts of thievery, assault and battery, street brawls, destruction of property, and breaking and entering. Thank goodness they haven't killed anyone yet."_

_"They should have known better…"-_

_"Then again there was no one to tell them that." Roxas then grabbed Riku by the arm. "Come on, Riku, there is still more to see."_

_"What next?" Riku uttered, still not taking his eyes off of Tidus and Wakka. While leaving, he heard one last comment from Tidus._

_"Now come on," Tidus told Wakka, "We still have to collect our weekly dues."_

_The world distorted and reformed again and Riku and Roxas found themselves in another part of town. This time, they found themselves in front of a brick building. The structure was well kept with white trimming and green shrubs in the front. Arched above the doorway was the title 'Destiny Island Exchange and Funding.' This was on the upper side of town, far from where Tidus and Wakka were busy doing their crimes._

_"Where are we now?" Riku asked._

_"We are presently in front of one of the most successful business firms on Destiny Island." Roxas replied._

_"What are we supposed to see here?"-_

_Just then, there came shouting from the top window. It sounded like an enraged woman._

_"Right on cue," Roxas said. The two made their way to the room where the shouting was taking place. Riku and Roxas found themselves in a grand room, which looked more like an executive office. The trappings of memorabilia trimmed the entire room. But they seemed to shake at the argument that ensued amongst them._

_Two women were present, one roaring out at the top of her lungs at the others._

_"What are those two arguing about?" Riku asked._

_"But don't you recognize them, Riku?" Roxas asked. Riku looked again. He instantly recognized them both, especially the fiery redhead at the desk._

_"My God…Kairi and Selphie…" he uttered._

_"That's right,"-_

_"I don't want to hear anymore of those excuses!" Kairi shouted at Selphie. "You knew the task that was given to you! You had a multi-million dollar account placed in our computer files and now you're telling me that the recent virus outbreak has infected our databases so we can't gain access to it? Did you even bother to make a hard copy?"_

_"We did, ma'am, but unfortunately, we've misplaced it."-_

_"And it might have fallen into the hands of another one of our competitors. That means we've lost a very valuable asset that could have increased our profit income!" _

_"I tried to tell you that I'm really sorry, Ma'am." Selphie replied. "This was all just circumstantial."_

_"Circumstantial, you say? With that account, we could have put all the other companies under lockdown!" Kairi gave a cold look. "And that's not all. There's one thing more Selphie. Losing a multi-million dollar account due to incompetence is horrendous enough, but to deliberately try and withhold information and important documents are far worse."-_

"_What do you mean?" Selphie asked._

"_Don't make me out to be the goat. You know perfectly well what I mean. I'm not an idiot." Kairi took from her desk a series of reports. "Could you explain how these managed to get into your work desk?"_

_Selphie was silent, a worried gaze upon her face. She knew that faking an expression of shock wouldn't work. She could only stare at it._

_"Yeah, you know what this is." Kairi growled. "These are the foreclosure forms that mysteriously disappeared for the past two years. Did you think I wasn't gonna find out about this eventually? I knew you had been keeping these from me, because the majority was assigned to be processed by you."_

_"Is that the real reason why you brought me up here, to reveal this to me?"-_

_"What do you think? You've been hiding these forms from me! Why?! Don't you realize that by doing that, our investors have lost a great deal of profit?!" Kairi sat in her chair. "No wonder there have been declines in our offers. They must think we're incompetent or something. No doubt you kept these from me because you were buying some time for those people that we foreclosed, so they could find some solution to maintain their property assets." Selphie was silent before saying on._

_"I have friends and family who live there. They've been foreclosed on their homes. I couldn't just…"-_

_"Just as I thought, you would go about sympathizing with those beach bums." Kairi scoffed, "No doubt that you must've hidden that multi-million dollar account for their sake as well. Well, you can go and fraternize with them all you want now. I'm letting you go!"_

_"What…?" Selphie's eyes looked up widely._

_"You heard me. You're fired."-_

_"No, you can't do that! I'm barely getting around as a desk clerk for this firm already."-_

_"You should have thought of that before you decided to think about others. These acts and mistakes are inexcusable. Because of your ineptitude, you have forced the benefits and income of this firm to plummet. I want you to clean out your desk. You're finished here. And you're finished working for any other firm on this island or anywhere else for that matter. I'll make sure of that."-_

_"But ma'am…"-_

_"Get out!"-_

_Selphie was enraged, but at the same time was in no position to be objecting. With heavy heart, she withdrew quietly from Kairi's office. As she did, she heard Kairi give last insulting utterances._

_"I don't know why I bother putting up with such rift raft."-_

_Riku and Roxas looked on at this heartbreaking ending. Roxas shook his head._

_"It's over then." He uttered._

_"I don't understand this." Riku said. "Why is Kairi being such a…"_

_"A tyrant…?"-_

_"Well…yeah…"-_

_"It was the way she was brought up."-_

_"But Kairi would never act like that, especially with her closest friends."-_

_"That's the thing, Kairi and Selphie aren't friends. They never were, not in this world anyway."-_

_"But why is she like this? Kairi's so compassionate and caring."-_

_"In your world yes, but not here, do you want to know why?"-_

_"I would like an explanation."-_

_"Well, do you remember who the first ones were that made friends with Kairi?"- _

_"Me and Sora…"-_

_"That's right." Roxas said. "There was a time, back in your past, that Kairi's parents wished to send her away to an esteemed private boarding school on the other side of the island to get her some proper education."_

"_Oh yeah, I remember that."-_

"_However, Kairi ramped and raved about it because she didn't want to go away from you and Sora or any of her other friends she made thereafter. You two were her best friends. Ergo, you three then connived to run away. Thus you took refuge and quarter on the island off the coast and hid for twenty-four hours. This in turn worried all your parents and convinced Kairi's mom and dad to reconsider sending her away. And thus, she remained to grow up with you, happy and well liked by all those around her. Unfortunately, in this world, there was never such interaction. Because you were never around to accept her in the first place, Kairi had no quarrels or good excuses to make. Thus, her parents sent her away to boarding school without hindrance or protest from others. It was there that she became affiliated with the upper class and excelled in her studies in business and economics, thus making her one of the most powerful financial geniuses on the island. But despite her success, she is also the most hated young woman around. You might consider her the Ebenezer Scrooge of this world."_

_"Why?"-_

_"The reason being is because she never had that peer interaction and never really got close to anyone. Thus, she only learned to pursue her own desires and success. Thereafter, she emerged as a Kairi completely opposite to the one you know."-_

_"But where was Sora during all this? He was the first one to find her on the beach. Why didn't he do anything?" Roxas only lowered his head. Riku knew that he was in for another shock. "You mean…?"_

_"That's our next and final stop, Riku." Roxas said. "Let's go."_

_"I can only imagine what horror awaits me." Riku commented._

_"You'll be left to judge that for yourself."-_

_The world distorted and formed a final time. Riku looked around to find himself in what looked like a rundown motel room. There was not much within, say for a bed, an old armchair that was worn and faded, two chairs and a table with a collection of junk, perhaps bearing long ago dates. What was most present were the many medicines, prescription bottles, anti-depressant brand names, and pain killers littered all over the room, from the top of the table to the chairs to even the top of the television._

_"Where are we now?" Riku asked._

_"This is where Sora lives." Roxas replied._

_"But this place is a dump…"-_

_"That's what happens to a life which lacks motivation, they seem only to care for a mediocre existence. In Sora's case, it's more like a false existence."-_

_Riku looked at one of the many anti-depressant bottles. He then looked to all of the medications about the room._

_"What's with all the medicine?" Riku asked. "This can't possibly be where Sora lives. I mean he doesn't even take this kind of stuff. He knows it's bad for him."_

_"Did you tell him that?" Roxas asked._

_"Well, no, Sora always had a really active mind. Why is it that he has all of these drug prescriptions hanging about the place?"-_

_"Truly you don't know the extent of this scenario's severity."-_

_"I think I have a pretty good idea already." Riku peered into some of topless bottles. In some, there were only a few pills remaining. But in most, there weren't anything. "Almost all of these bottles are empty, or at least bear a little of its former content. How could Sora live like this? Has he become addicted to drugs and narcotics?"_

_"You might say it's his only means to escape the miseries of his life."-_

_"His…miseries…?"_

_"Let's just say that he hasn't been living a very positive existence here."-_

_"But why not…?!"_

_Just then, the door opened and in came a weary young man. He was common in dress at best, pale, sickly, scrawny and in most cases a sympathetic sight to behold. Riku's eyes opened wide._

_"Is that Sora?" he uttered._

_"The one and only..." Roxas replied. "Are you surprised at his haggard appearance?"_

_"What happened to him?"-_

_"His life has been filled with nothing, but negative outcomes and aspects."-_

_They watched as Sora laid himself upon the bed, exhausted in expression and weary from his day's employment. He lay there for a couple of minutes, somewhat brain dead, not knowing of Roxas and Riku standing over him. Sora blankly looked into the ceiling, taking in the details of the cracks that made faded paths on the old white surface._

_"Man," Sora uttered. "What a tiring day, having to clean out all those garbage cans. The life of a janitor isn't easy. But then again, what life was there for me to live?"_

_"A janitor…?" Riku said. "He's a janitor? But how did he…?"_

_"This is what he's been reduced to." Roxas explained. "Sora not only has an addiction to prescription drugs and anti-depressants, as well as lives in this cruddy life style, but his employment and way of living are menial and low paying as well."_

_"My God…"-_

_"That's only half of Sora's problems. It gets far worse than this."-_

_"How so…?"-_

_But before further say could come forth, there was a pummel at the door._

_"Open up, Sora! We know you're in there!" a voice shouted._

_Sora threw himself up from the bed. His heart began to race._

_"Oh no, it's Tidus and Wakka." He uttered._

_"Tidus and Wakka…?" Riku thought. "What are they doing here?"_

_"No doubt they've come for their weekly shake down of Sora." Roxas explained._

_"His weekly shakedown…?"-_

_"You better open up this door, or we'll bust it down!" The enraged voice of Tidus bellowed. The pounding on the door continued. Sora was frantic now. He felt insecure. Just then, he looked at the phone on the bedside table. By this time, the pounding gave way to slams. The sound of the hinges unbuckling from their stations in the door way began to unnerve the youth. Not giving further thought, Sora ran to the phone to call the police. But before he could dial, Tidus and Wakka managed to knock the door off its hinges and charge their way in. They cornered Sora who immediately backed away. "Planning on calling the cops were you?!"_

_Armed with a metal bat, Tidus smashed it upon the bedside table, nearly hitting the phone and putting a horrible gash on the furniture top._

_"Sora…!" Riku cried, but again, his words fell on deaf ears._

_"It looks like you won't be calling for help now that we're here." Tidus said. "And if you try and attempt it, I'll bust your head open with my faithful little friend."_

_"Please, please," Sora pleaded, "I don't want any trouble."_

_"You seemed to want it when you were trying to call the cops."-_

_"I wasn't, I swear…"-_

_Tidus gave a calming look after he saw Sora cringing in fear._

_"That's good to hear." Tidus put forward the bat. Sora flinched. But instead, Tidus tucked the end of the bat under Sora's chin. Sora could feel the chill of the polished steel. "You know the routine."_

_"I don't have any money this week." Sora said. "I don't get paid until next week. You'll have to wait."_

_"You're not trying to hold out on us are you?"-_

_"No, I wouldn't dare."-_

_"Wakka search the place! Tear up everything if you have to."-_

_"Right," Wakka replied. He started to go through the drawers and threw about Sora's clothing. He tipped over furniture, deflowered the bed, and almost tore the place asunder._

_"What are you doing?" Sora asked. "I told you that I don't have any money on me. I don't get paid until next week."_

_"Well, I can't be very sure about that, now can I?" Tidus declared._

_"There's nothing here, Tidus." Wakka implied._

_"Did you look everywhere? Did you look in the bathroom?"-_

_"Well, no…"-_

_"Then look…!"-_

_"Alright, I'm on it."-_

_But before he could enter, there came a ring at the phone. Sora saw this as a sign of hope, but Tidus kept him pinned via the bat's glimmering head._

_"That might be…" Sora uttered._

_"You stay where you are." Tidus threatened. After three rings, the messaging system was activated. _

"_There is no one presently available." The artificial voice of a woman explained. "Please leave a message after the beep and your call will be returned to you as soon as possible. Thank you and have a wonderful day." Soon following rolled the temporary high pitch of the beep. Soon after that, a message was left. And it was one that disheartened Sora completely. It was his employer._

_"Sora," the message began, "This is Mr. McKenzie. It is now three o'clock, the thirty first of March. I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But due to the threat of foreclosure by Destiny Island Exchange and Funding, we have to increase our income. Thus we have to cut back on our employment numbers. Therefore, I must regrettably inform you that you are being let go from this company's janitorial staff. Please return at twelve noon tomorrow to collect your two weeks severance pay. Again I am truly sorry."_

_The message ended leaving the atmosphere uneasy._

_"Well, it looks like you can get your money after all." Tidus chuckled._

_"I just got fired from my job." Sora uttered._

_"Oh boohoo, that's too bad." Tidus retracted the bat from Sora's chin. "Since you're in such a depressing mood though, I'll make it slide for today. We'll come back tomorrow to get the money, say around one o'clock. And you better have it then. Otherwise, we'll come looking for you. So don't bother trying to skip out on us until then. It's not like you can really hide anywhere."_

_"Let's go, Tidus, before someone gets suspicious and calls the cops on us, ya?" Wakka beseeched._

_"I'm coming I'm coming. I just have one more thing to do." He then turned up on Sora and slugged him in the gut with the bat. Sora winched over from the pain and fell to his knees. "Just a reminder to tell you that when I say you have to open the door, you better do it." He turned away. "Let's go Wakka."_

_The two ruffians thus vanished from sight. Riku and Roxas, bearing witness to this endeavor, felt helpless. Riku ran up to Sora. _

_"Don't give in, Sora!" he shouted. "You have to be strong! Don't let them push you around! Believe in yourself!" He tired to put his hand upon Sora's back, but it only fell through like air. Riku clenched his fists and teeth. "I don't get it, why doesn't Sora stand up for himself? Why is he allowing himself to take all this abuse?"_

_"It just goes to show how influential you have been in Sora's life." Roxas implied._

_"What do you mean?" Riku asked._

_"Do you remember how you two first met?"-_

_"Yeah, I do."-_

_"Then you must understand that before he met you, Sora was extremely shy and easily gave in to the will of others. He did all he could to make sure to avoid all types of conflict. But then you came in, remember? Before, you would always see Sora sitting on the front steps of his home, just looking about, never talking to anyone."-_

_"That's right,"-_

_"Then one day, while you were off to the island to play pirates with some of your other friends and classmates, you actually had enough nerve to go up to Sora and ask him if he wanted to play too. You handed Sora a wooden sword. That is the same wooden sword that he still keeps to this very day as a momentum of that encounter, the symbol of your everlasting friendship. He was a little shy and hesitant at first, but he eventually opened up to you. You were the first real friend he ever made. He looked to you like an older brother, like a mentor. He always thought you were best and better at everything then him, which is why Sora tried so hard to become like you. In the process, he became very active, physical, his social abilities excelled, and his introvert attitude had taken a three sixty to becoming an extreme extrovert. Now, Sora is outgoing, happy go lucky, compassionate, and strong. And it's all because of your influence, Riku. You might say that he has learned to love you."_

_"Love me…? My influence…?"-_

_"Unfortunately, the present Sora never had that kind of interaction in this world. Because you never existed in this timeline, you weren't there to meet him in the first place. Thus, the course you know was denied and Sora remained in obscurity, staying in the shadows. He had given up on his educational career, which angered his parents, who immediately disinherited him of all the family assets and sent him off to live on his own. And because of that, the Sora you see now lives in these slummy conditions. That is how great an impact your life has had on Sora. Because you were always there, he had a good excuse to better himself and become stronger. Without you, Sora's just another sorry victim being taken advantage of by other people. And he'll wallow in his self pity first before lifting his fists in anger."-_

_"Sora…"-_

_Several minutes passed before Sora emerged from out of his trance and pain. His logical thinking seemed to have vanished suddenly. He acted so light headed as if just waking up from a sleepless night._

_Riku and Roxas watched as Sora stood up._

_"I can't take it." Sora uttered. He looked at his hands, which shook about as if her nerves were shot. "I can't take this anymore. It's always been the same for the past ten years. No one cares about me. No one has and no one ever will, even my own mom and dad. I let them down as well as myself. And this is the result. I am utterly alone and unloved…"_

_The words that Sora heard struck a chord in Riku's mind. Those were the similar words that Sirius spoke. Seeing Sora in such a pitiful state, Riku questioned his own judgments. _

_"Is that the magnitude of the impact my existence has made on others?" he wondered._

_"I'm going to end it all." Sora moistened in his eyes. "There is no longer a need for me to be alive." He stumbled about at first and walked into the bathroom, which survived Wakka's thrashing search for money. Riku and Roxas followed him. They watched as Sora turned on hot water and filled up the sink with the steamy liquid. He then opened up the forward cabinet and took out a straight razor._

_The minute Riku saw Sora deploy the razor, he immediately knew what was about to happen. His heart began to pound and his eyes widened. _

_"Oh God, Sora…" he uttered, "Don't do it! Don't do it!"_

_But Sora could not hear his words. Instead, he began to weep, shedding tears of self pity. _

_"Yes…I'll end it all. End this burden." Sora lifted up his sleeves. He then picked up the razor and revealed the sharpened glittering steel. He almost seemed to want to smile. Yet he didn't, for he was hesitant at first to do the deed. Ergo, his hand shook nervously. But Sora continued. "There is no longer any purpose in my life. It's all just an empty day by day existence with nothing to gain and everything to lose. And I can't take it anymore…"_

_"Sora…please don't do this!" Riku wailed, tears were in his eyes. He turned to Roxas. "Isn't there anything we can do?!"_

_"I said before, Riku, this is just a shadow world of things that might have been." Roxas implied. "We are merely invisible apparitions in this world. All we can do is observe."_

_"To hell with that…! I'm not going to allow this to happen! I have to do something! I can't bear to see Sora inflicting this kind of pain on himself…"-_

_"You don't exist in this world, Riku, no more than I. Hence, you can't make a difference whatsoever."-_

_"Please give me some hope, Roxas. Otherwise, I'll be haunted by this gruesome image forever! I've seen Sora on the verge of death one too many times. This last time, I thought he really did die. But now, even in this alternative world to which we don't exist, I still have to see him perish and under the most horrible circumstances. He's going to kill himself! Don't let me watch it! Don't let it happen!"-_

_"There is nothing I can do. Nor is there anything you can do for the Sora presently in front of us."-_

_"Oh God, Sora…"-_

_He watched as Sora then put the blade to his exposed wrists, the shining steel against his delicate skin. He steadied his hand, the thin blade upon his skin, pressing and giving a little sting. But the deed was not yet done. In his sorrowful tears, Sora uttered his final words before deploying the heinous act of suicide._

_"In all my forlorn days, I wish that there was at least someone, at least one person who could have been there when I needed the most comfort." He uttered._

_"I'm here, Sora!" Riku shouted, tears flowing from his eyes. But again, Sora could not hear his pleas. And with one stroke of the blade, slit open his flesh and severed the veins in his wrists. The blood began to flow, a dark red crimson on pure youthful skin. It trickled in rivers down his arm and fell upon the white tile like rain. His hand trembled, but still Sora took no heed. The pain of the wound could not out-weigh his sorrow._

_Riku turned away, crying. His stomach nearly turned over and he grew sick of what he saw. His head, his heart, and his body throbbed and shook nearly forcing him to regurgitate. He whimpered and sobbed at the thought of the cut wrist of his friend. Roxas, unwavering and knowing of the expectance, only lowered his head. Riku faced Roxas again, enraged with sorrow._

_"Do you take some sort of sick pleasure in torturing me like this, Roxas?" Riku cried. "Do you expect me to fathom Sora's self-inflicted torments? I can't take it! I don't wanna take it! I don't want to see him in this pitiful form!"_

_"You must find worth in your life if you wish to avoid such a tragic scene." Roxas advised._

_"Oh God, poor Sora…" Riku turned to see Sora cutting his other wrist. Again he was worn pail. Sora thus dropped the blood stained blade on the floor and observed the damage he had done on himself. He clenched his fists, forcing more blood to extract itself from his body. He thus placed his hands in the hot water and turned the clear liquid a thick red within seconds._

_"And so I'll die, unknown and forgotten." Sora said to himself. "I'll finally find peace in death…"_

_"No, Sora," Riku tried to comfort him, but his ghostly form could not touch the young man. "God damn it!" He turned to Roxas. "I want to go! I don't want to see this anymore! I can't stand watching Sora go through such pain like this!"-_

_"You have before haven't you?" Roxas asked. "You told me so yourself."_

_"And I swore never to see that again! But even worse to know that in this world, the pain inflicted was by his own hand! Must I continuously repeat myself of how I loathe this sight?! Must I always have to endure this tragedy?! Is it not bad enough that I've seen Sora nearly die in my arms at Halloween Town, or at Maleficent's castle, or even upon the very battlefield against Sirius Viicous?!" Riku put his hands upon his face and wept more. He then withdrew his hands as soon as he started to see Sora waver. He wanted to hug Sora, but to no avail. It was as if a hologram or illusions in the air were mocking him. "What crime did he commit? And against whom did he commit it against to deserve such a fate, to be forsaken even by his own mother and father?! Doesn't he realize how precious his life actually is?!"_

_"Perhaps if you had been here for him, you could've stayed that razor from his wrists. But what point is there to intervene when you are merely a phantom here?"-_

_"Roxas…"_

_They watched as Sora slowly began to stumble about. The more blood he lost; the closer to death he became. That was until finally, reaching the critical point, Sora fell to the floor and lay motionless._

_Riku and Roxas looked upon Sora's almost lifeless body, the blood from the severed arteries in his wrists still flowing upon the tiled floor._

_"This is what Sora's fate would have been without your caring and friendship." Roxas implied. "That is how great an influence your presence has made. So your life was not as worthless as you perceived it to be. That was all merely an attempt by Sirius Viicous to infect your mind and make your body helpless to the elements. Thus, he could as sure strangle you and know you'd not put up any resistance."_

_"Sora…" Riku uttered._

_Just then, Sora began to speak._

_"You," he uttered, "Where did you come from?" Both Roxas and Riku looked down at Sora all befuddled._

_"Are you talking to us?" Roxas asked._

_"Yes," Sora replied, "Who are you? What do you want?"_

_"You…you can see us?" Riku asked._

_"Yes, I can."-_

_"I thought you said he couldn't see us?"-_

_"Sora is in his death throw." Roxas explained. "He sees things that would not otherwise be visible, even the non-existent. As far as he knows, we're simply ghosts. Perhaps figments of his already dwindling mind."_

_"Sora…"-_

_"You…" Sora said onto Riku. "You have such a kind face."_

_"Don't talk Sora." Riku knelt beside the dying youth. "You'll be off to a better place, buddy."_

_"What's your name?" Riku, upon hearing Sora's acknowledging voice, could only give a sad smile._

_"My name is Riku." He replied._

_"Riku…That's a nice name…"-_

_"We're long overdue for a chanced meeting…"-_

_"I'm glad to have met you…Riku…" Sora's eyes closed for the last time. His head slumped to its side and his life left his body. Riku could only cry. Again he slumped and wailed over Sora's lifeless corpse. Though it was merely a shadow of what might have been, Riku still mourned for in the present world he was in, a friend he had learned to love in his own lifetime died unwanted and alone._

_"Too many times have I seen this tragedy. It tears my heart up to see it again. And what makes it worse this time around, I was never supposed to be there. So I could do nothing…" Riku lowered his head upon his chest. And there he sat in silence for a minute or two, his thoughts dwelling on the hideous scene before him. Sora's blood, though smeared all about the floor did not touch Riku's ghostly figure._

_"Have you learned then?" Roxas asked. "Have you learned your life's worth?"_

_"I have…" Riku said. "I will not allow this to happen again. I realize now the importance of my existence."_

_"Sirius only gave you half of the story, making you look like a villain. But in the long run, the results are more than satisfactory in their positive impact." Roxas put his hand on Riku's shoulder as they both stared down on the now lifeless body of Sora. "Without you, neither I nor Namine would have ever been conceived and wouldn't have had a chance to live in the world from the start. Without you, Ansem the Wise would not have foreseen his mistakes and give regret to the pain that his research had created. Had it not been for you, King Mickey may not have been able to go as far as he did. Because of your deeds, Sora has managed to survive countless times. When he was first maimed to the point of death at Halloween Town when fighting against General Kai, then again when you sacrificed your life to save his against General Ameba, and then again when Sora was mortally wounded when confronting Maleficent in her castle. Had you not taken care of him, he would have still been dead and unseen on some forgotten river bank. I cannot even begin to count the endless deeds besides those. But then again I'm sure your heart already knew that." Roxas smiled at Riku. "And if it were not for you, Cunla may not have survived that deathblow dealt on him by his father, and Cuchulain would've cursed his own hands for killing his son. But because of you wishing to save Cunla, not only did you gain a strong ally, but a close friend."_

_"How could I have been so blind?"-_

_"Sirius succeeded in forcing you to lose your will to fight by forcing you to see the negative aspects of your life and allowing the darkness to consume you. But now, you have been reborn with a new will, because you know that you have had more positive outcomes from those negative impacts. Though the process may not have been more than satisfactory, it is the result that matters the most." Roxas thus smiled at Riku. "So, Riku, are you ready to go back?"_

_"I now see my course." Riku replied. "Roxas, take me back! This fight isn't over yet."_

_"Gotcha…"-_

_"Oh, and Roxas…Thanks. And give my regards to Sora."-_

_"I'll do that."-_

All this, the trials and lessons given to Riku, occurred within seconds. All the while, Sirius Viicous now stood overhead, glaring down at his other half. Keyblade clutched in hand, he was ready to make with the final blow.

"So at last the darkness has done its deed." he said. "I will strike you down for good. Though your spirit will live on, at least you will no longer be a bother to me amongst the living." He rose up his weapon, believing that Riku's trance would never be broken and that he was easy prey for the final blow. Without mercy or pause, Sirius slammed the keyblade's blunt head upon Riku.

But within moments after the swing was made, Riku came back to life. Deploying his own keyblade, the blocked the deathblow to his cranium. This utterly shocked the Phantom Lord.

"This can't be…" he uttered. "Riku's still conscious?"

"I will not play to your whim, Sirius." Riku said. "I will not bow to your poisonous words again." He pushed Sirius away and slashed at him. The Phantom Lord was able to evade.

"You can't still be moving at your own will! The darkness should have been able to fester into your mind and immobilize you."-

"Have you forgotten, Sirius? They don't call me the Child of Darkness for nothing."-

"Damn you…"-

"It just goes to show that it'll take more than head games to bring me down. Although I must admit, you almost had me there."-

"So you wish to continue living your worthless existence?"-

"I now know the truth behind my life, Sirius. Although what all you said was true, it was the outcome itself that mattered the most. My friends weren't dragged into this because I wanted them to. They came in their concern for me. They love me dearly and don't want anything to happen to me, which is more than I can say for you. You don't have anyone to back you up anymore. And the aspects of your life have all been negative, even the outcomes."-

"Silence, Riku," Sirius growled, "I'll see that you suffer slowly, and not mentally this time around." Sirius vanished into the depths of the shadows. "The darkness may not have been able to hinder your mind, but it can still conceal my movements."

"Idiot, I too can lurk about in the shadows unseen."-

Riku also vanished into the blackness. There was a silence, but eventually, they started clashing again. With every encounter made, they would battle. The shadows were thick around them, thus trying to find one another was a difficult task in itself.

"What's going on now?" Donald asked.

"I don't know." Mickey replied. He turned to Sora. "Sora, what's going on in there?"

"I don't know either." Sora said. "But I can tell you this, Riku has somehow relinquished his pain. I don't feel the sorrow in his heart anymore."

"That's good news then."-

"That doesn't change the fact that we still can't see anything though." Donald interjected.

"Well, whatever menagerie is going on in there," Triiken implied, "It won't be long before one emerges the victor. The fact of the matter is who will emerge victorious."

"It's gonna be Riku, I know it!"-

"We'll just see."-

In the darkness of the bubble, Riku and Sirius Viicous were still having at each other's throats.

"You can't outmatch me here, Riku." Sirius mocked in the midnight fog. "You're in my world now."

"So what…?" Riku replied. "I'll still beat you. I'll still win!"-

"Oh really…?" Just then, Sirius emerged again and struck at Riku. Riku easily evaded and too vanished from sight.

"I can move around the darkness just as easily as you can. But then again, you did get all your talents from me."-

"From you, did I?" Sirius's gritting teeth clenched to the breaking point. "Fool, I'll prove to you that I am the best and that I am unique." Sirius halted for a moment. Using his dark energy he began to manipulate entities. From his palm emerged five energy rings, glimmering in shadow so as not to be so easily seen. "Try and outwit this. You won't be able to dodge or outrun me should you be slowed down."

He sent the five rings reeling into the darkness, silently spinning like ghostly apparitions.

All the while, Riku was making his round to counter strike. It was while doing this that he heard the sound of what seemed to be whispering gasps. He heard them all around. He also felt their presence, five of them.

"What is this?" he thought to himself.

Just then, the first of the rings made its past on him. Riku spotted it in time and quickly evaded. But then came the second from behind. Riku dodged, missing by a hair. But the third came rushing out of the darkness, followed by the forth and the fifth. Riku evaded those as well. But he could still feel them coming around to smite at him.

"I have to keep my mind focused." He said to himself. "Those things and the Phantom Lord are still about in this shadowy world."

"You can't possibly outmatch me and my dark confinement rings." Sirius chuckled, "They, like I, can sense your power and life signals. There's no way you can hide from me."

"Damn it, he has me in a pickle again."-

Suddenly, there came the sound of something spinning. It was all too familiar to Riku. Then, in the distance, he saw what looked like a glowing disk hovering about like a humming bird in sight. His eyes widened.

"Oh no," he said, "That's the…"

"Ki En Zan Keyblade Barrage…!" Sirius shouted. He thus sent a volley of energy orbs flying at the youth. Riku readied his keyblade and deflected each of the incoming spheres. He dodged and evaded, but could not shake them. They too were locked onto his life source.

"Damn it, not this again." Riku thought to himself. "And with almost zero visibility, this'll get a lot tougher."

Sirius was enjoying the stress he was putting on Riku. He had a plethora of obstacles and objects trying to smite his other self. Sure enough, Riku was outdone. While trying to out maneuver the orbs from the keyblade, Riku felt his hand suddenly get locked into place. He looked up to find that one of the confinement rings had struck him and was now keeping his arm in place.

"Oh no," he said. This was a definite hindrance. With his arm now locked in place, he could no longer move as well as he could.

"Got him," Sirius chuckled.

The barrage was able to strike him and knick him little at a time. Riku continued to dodge, but only so much now. But his maneuvers were again severed in half as a second ring grabbed hold of one of his legs and held him firmly. The remnants of the barrage continued to strike at Riku, though he was able to find them off. Just then, the third and forth rings grasped hold of his remaining limbs. Riku was confined, his arms and legs spread out to an extent, giving him an X formed look. He tired to struggle, but to no avail. Sirius's rings would not let go. Finally, the fifth ring took hold of Riku's throat and tightened, forcing him to gag somewhat.

"I can't move…" he uttered.

"And now you are mine." Sirius chuckled. He thus appeared before Riku and looked to him straight in the eye. He put his hands behind him and casually, like a cocky rooster, strutted up to Riku who was suspended only a couple of feet from off of the ground.

"What's the matter, Noctin Tilandir?" Sirius asked with a smirk. "You said that you'd win this. Are you only now realizing that it's not going to be as easy as you thought?"

"I wasn't expecting it to be easy now did I?" Riku strained.

"Fool, you won't be winning this fight…period." Sirius then placed his hand on Riku's face, feeling the smoothness of his skin. "Soon, this handsome face will be all mine…" He then slapped Riku across the cheek. This in turn angered the youth. He strained to break himself free and lunge at his foe. But alas, he was no match and was held in the confinements of the ring. His face could show that he was enraged. This only gave Sirius time to further lecture him.

"What, boy, what…?! You don't like it? You don't like being treated like a mongrel dog on a leash? Are you feeling enraged or shamed?! Perhaps humiliated knowing that you can't raise your hand against me anymore? Is that it?!" Sirius then slugged Riku in the gut, forcing the young man to keep. Blood dripped from his mouth. But still, this was not the end of Sirius's little torment. "You worthless, undeserving bastard, you have no idea of what humiliation actually is!" Again, Sirius slapped Riku about the face, further hindering his pride.

"Sirius…!" he growled.

"You don't know how long I've waited for this moment. I've always wanted to see you in this position, unable to do anything to defend yourself, unable to break the bonds of my will over you. All my years of yearning have paid off to this one moment, this climax of my career as the Phantom Lord." Sirius drew forth his keyblade. "But I will not smite you with repetitive annotations. I know that such lectures and mockery will not diminish your opinions. Hence, I will slay you and prove my individuality and that I am the only one worthy enough to bear the name of Riku!" He rose up his keyblade. "As well, knowing the extent of unpredictability that you've displayed in his fight thus far, I cannot allow you the opportunity of making a possible retaliation. I've savored my revenge long enough. Now I must smite you while the advantage is still mine."

"I can't let it end like this." Riku thought to himself. "I've renewed my will. I can't let it end without a fight. I'm so close to finishing it."

"Now, my other self, you will die!" Sirius thus slashed at Riku. But before he could hinder the youth, fate reared its ugly head again.

They say that one straw added will be enough to break the camel's back. Riku, in this case, had been pushed to his uttermost limits. Now, at last, he had reached the point where the darkness could no longer be confined within his head. His weariness, his determination, his desperation, and his rage all added up to a climactic explosion. Like a trap, the clenching power of the dark energy surged into Riku like a tsunami.

As Sirius landed his keyblade upon Riku's exposed body, it was suddenly repelled by an unseen force. This baffled Sirius.

"What was that…?" he uttered. As he gazed upon Riku, he came to see that Riku was starting to increase in power. A dark light consumed him and the energy accumulating started to overwhelm the conditions in the Shadow Sphere. "Impossible…Is this the darkness within Riku's heart?"

Outside the sphere, Sora and the others could feel the surge. And it was this increase of energy that had them trembling.

"This power…" Sora uttered. "Where is it coming from?"

"From who is it coming from would be a more appropriate question." Mickey replied.

"Could it be Riku?" Kairi asked.

"I don't think so. It's much too dark and foreboding."-

"Is it Sirius then…?" Donald wondered.

"If it is," Sora said, "Riku's in trouble."

"What is going on in there?"-

"I don't know."-

Sirius, however, now realized first hand the extent of the confined power within Riku.

"My God," he said, "So this is what his untainted rage looks like…"


	141. Regret: The Battle Ends

Regret: The Battle Ends

The breaking point had come, the utter most peak of stress, anger, and desperation had been touched. Riku, by means of his trial, had been containing himself within his Dark Form for an extended period. As a result, the darkness in his heart began to fester little by little, ebbing away at the protective barrier that kept it confined. But now by this point in time, the last few remnants had all but faded. And like a Krakatoa, the inner power of darkness spilled through the youth's mind, infecting his heart, his mind, and his body. Now, in his vengeful rage, he roared out.

Sirius Viicous looked on with widened eyes. He could not possibly grasp the amount of strength that he was feeling. He couldn't even bear enough strength to lift up and swing his keyblade because he was both afraid and awed by the Riku's released aura.

"This is inconceivable." He uttered to himself. "I had no idea the darkness within Riku's heart was that great. This is a power that even surpasses his infamous Xehanort Form. Where in the world did he conjure up so much power?" The winds began to bellow around him. "To think that I wanted this energy unleashed…And now Riku's even more dangerous than he was before. I have to smite him now while I have the chance!"

Sirius used all of his strength to hinder Riku. But again, the energy repulsed his blade. Riku struggled to free himself from the confinement rings that still held him in place. The aura was starting to ebb away the strength if the rings, slowly cracking and weakening them. Riku roared out like some confined animal. Sirius sneered. He drew up his keyblade again and tried to hinder. This time, he was prepared for the repulse. Putting an extra amount of power behind the final half of the blow, he was able to smite Riku. But to his shock, the hit did nothing to faze the young man.

"Not even a scratch." He said.

Then, in a burst of anger, Riku broke himself free from his prison, shattering the five rings that confined him. Then with blind instinct, he rushed at Sirius with keyblade drawn. Sirius quickly evaded, but was caught off guard by the speed of Riku. He was struck from behind, then from the front, then from both sides and to the front again, all within a period of a few seconds before knocking him to the ground.

"Impossible…" Sirius thought to himself. Riku landed only a few feet away, his back turned towards the Imperial. Sirius slowly staggered, the pain reverberating through his body, causing tremors in his muscles. The black blood began to increase in its drip from his mouth, indicating that he had suffered severe internal bleeding. "The blows… so much intensity behind each one…" Sirius glared up at Riku. "Damn you Riku…I will not lose to you again…"

In his increasing irritation, Sirius regained his power and lunged forth. Riku still had his back towards him.

"Dare turn your back against me, Noctin Tilandir?!" Sirius shouted. "I will not be scoffed by the likes of you!" He drew up his keyblade, prepared to strike the youth from behind. But Riku saw this coming, though his eyes were not upon the predicament. He suddenly slashed with the keyblade behind him. Sirius saw this coming and quickly blocked the hit. But Riku turned about again in a sudden three sixty spin and used his elbow to strike the apple of the Phantom Lord's throat. Sirius gagged and gasped as the impact came upon him. The protective neck brace that he wore was dented. The hinges of the lock were contorted and distorted from the impact. Thus, the metal collar was released and fell from Sirius's throat. The Phantom Lord grabbed his neck as if chocking, in which he was due to the strike. He glared at Riku with his already intensely glowing heartless eye. He met just as equal an intense gaze. Riku was stern, almost soulless since there was no glint of humanity left in his aqua blue irises. Like a Roman pillar defying time itself, Riku seemed almost a mountain or a stone figure.

"I cannot afford to fight out of recklessness." Sirius thought to himself. "That last hit could've been my last had it not been for that iron neck brace. But to have it shattered so easily when it was able to fend of even the supposedly invincible Noctin Exmortin of General Arinario Triiken, there is no doubt that this new power I face is the most formidable ever encountered. It'll take more than just instinct, brute strength, and determination. I have to think this over. Have some sort of a plan." Sirius thought of the KH team who still anticipated the outcome from the exterior of the bubble. "Perhaps I could use Sora and the others as shields. Keep Riku at bay. Maybe give him a sense of irony." But the Phantom Lord clutched his fists. "No, that won't work. Riku is already reaching a state where he may no longer think or care about his friends. He may not even be able to distinguish them as allies at this point. Besides, this is still a battle of honor. I will not use any other means besides my own self ingenuity to fight this brawl."

"Die…" Riku hissed. He suddenly lunged at Sirius.

"Damn it, he's already gone on the offensive." Sirius quickly evaded. He then counterattacked, striking at Riku from behind. Yet Riku was able to evade by a narrow margin and retaliate. Back and forth for what seemed forever, the two continued to battle before Sirius once again was gotten the better of and was pummeled by Riku, struck back and forth ten times.

"Again with this speed and this power…" Sirius gasped as the wind was knocked out of him. "He's so strong. I have to think of something quick if I wish to live through this. Otherwise it's the day of judgment for me here." Sirius quickly divided himself, using shadow clones to evade and catch Riku off guard. The Sirius army scattered and attacked Riku from all angles, using the same type of confinement rings and unleashing keyblade barrages about the shadows. But Riku's energy had come to an unreachable level. Because he was now consumed by the darkness, the movements of Sirius's clones and the attacks they deployed were as clear through his eyes as if it were a bright sunny day. The objects seemed to move in slow motion.

Riku easily evaded and dodged. And even when struck with a barrage, he was seldom fazed. The confinement rings were still moving about.

"Contain him," Sirius ordered his shadow clones, "Contain that beast!"

More confinement rings were deployed and sent whispering into the shadows. Riku evaded with ease, as if foreseeing the movements of the rings.

"It's no use," one of the clones declared. "He moves too fast!"

"Deploy your rings all at once and get at least one limb confined."-

"Right,"-

The clones did as were obeyed. The rings were deployed from all directions at the same time. This time, Riku was not so lucky. One of the rings had grabbed hold of his ankle. This was indeed a flaw as the rest of the rings rushed in. They grabbed and locked onto his limbs, three or four around each arm from shoulder blade to wrist, three to four on his legs, from kneecap to ankle, two thrust around his neck, and three encircling both his chest, his torso and his waist. Riku struggled again, this time being released was not so easy.

"We have him!" one clone cheered.

"Excellent," Sirius chuckled. "Now go my faithful comrades, kill him!"

With keyblade drawn, the Sirius army rushed in for the kill. But no sooner had that happened, their plans turned folly as Riku unleashed more rage and shattered all rings within seconds. Then with keyblade in hand, he struck all of the clones, diminishing them with one blow. Sirius was dumbfounded and filled with apprehension.

"Impossible…" he gasped. "He broke through those rings like they were made out of tissue paper."

Riku went on the offensive again, attacking Sirius without further stall. Sirius had to evade. He used the darkness to conceal himself. But now that Riku could see through the darkness without any trouble, his pursuit of Sirius was a simplistic task. Sirius could only evade.

"To think that I would be running from the likes of him…" Sirius growled. His pride was on the line. "No I will not be beaten by that upstart again! I refuse to have that fate! My destiny is on the line!"

Sirius unleashed clones again and immediately went on the offensive. Riku defended himself from the oncoming foes. He easily dispatched with half of the clone batch, but was pummeled by Sirius Viicous and those who remained. But he was quick to recover and remounted his offensive. He struck down the remained clones before going after Sirius.

"He's on my tail again." Sirius said. He pounded his keyblade upon the ground and unleashed the red eyes shadows, which would tear his foe to bits. But Riku's rage was far too great and he diminished the shadows without even having to lift up a finger. The demons were dispersed and vanished into the blackness. Thus, no obstacle was left to stand between Noctin Tilandir and his prey. Sirius was awestruck and fearful. He quickly took flight again, but Riku was again quick in pursuit.

"Sirius…" Riku uttered in a dark hissing voice. His speed increased and he appeared behind Sirius. But the Phantom Lord was prepared for such a movement and thus vanished as well, leaving Riku to strike an after image. He wasn't fooled for long through and quickly went on the warpath, following the Phantom Lord.

"You won't have my life so easily!" Sirius said as he deployed another flock of clones that attacked mercilessly. Riku held them back with all his might.

All the while, Sirius withdrew to a safe distance to prepare his own attack.

"I have no other choice, but to use the last of my trump cards." The Phantom Lord thought to himself. He began to concentrate his power through the keyblade clutched in his hand. "Demon Summoner, bring forth your ultimate rage." The keyblade thus began to glow profusely. The aura of its hue illuminated a strange reddish color, as if prepared to deploy the Ki En Zan Keyblade Barrage again. But now, there were snaps of electrical surges. "I only have one shot at this. I have to make it count."

All the while, Riku continued battling the remaining clones that used keyblade barrages to fight. But the dark consumed youth proved too much for them and easily evaded the onslaughts. He was able to bring down the clones one after another. Suddenly, one of the cloned grabbed Riku from behind and held him in a submission hold. Riku struggled, but the clone held fast.

"Hurry, my lord," the clone shouted.

Sirius in the meantime, had fully charged, his red glowing Demon Summoner pounding out electrical surges that snapped and crackled about its staff, hilt, and heat.

"Very well done, my faithful shadow clone," Sirius chuckled, "Now this is the end!" Sirius rushed in. "All it will take is one strike on you, Riku. One strike that you'll be cleaved in two! Not even your aura of darkness will be able to withstand this!"

But as Sirius rushed in for what seemed to him immediate victory, Riku proved otherwise. He concentrated all of his dark energy deep within his body. Then, just as Sirius prepared to strike, Riku unleashed a powerful energy blast at point blank. Sirius was taken completely by surprise. The clone was instantly eliminated by the surge. At the last moment, Sirius used the Demon Summoner as a shield to hold back the wave.

"This cannot be happening." he uttered. "He was all mine…!"

"Die," Riku roared. The intensity of resistance and force on both sides was unfathomable. Riku's energy bore incredible intensity. All the while, the aura from Sirius's caused the darkness to illuminate a blood red. Electrical surges bellowed like lightning storms. Riku's power, however, was gaining momentum and Sirius couldn't withhold the energy back indefinitely. He could not evade and he could not give in. Both would not only be a disgrace to him, but perhaps his own demise.

"I will not give in to this man." He uttered to himself. "I will not prove him right! I will not give him the benefits of being right! Only in death can he stop me! Only in death will this ever end! And it will be his death that results from this!"

Suddenly, Sirius too unleashed unexpected surge of power. His Heartless eye began to glow a different hue. No longer was it the soulless yellow as it was before, instead, its hue transformed into a blood red.

Sora and the others were dumbfounded at the sight. The black bubble of shadows before them started to surge with electricity. Then, the appearance of cracks in the barrier became visible.

"Is that dome supposed to do that?" Goofy asked.

"What is going on in there?" Mickey wondered.

"Whatever's going on in there, it's not good." Donald replied.

"Riku," Sora cried.

"Riku," Kairi added on.

The interior of the dome could only be described as an apocalyptic maelstrom. By this time, both warriors had reached their peak, unleashing the full amount of power that they could muster. Riku still continuously drew out power and pushed it towards Sirius. Sirius all the while, was pushing back, slowly sending out his accumulated strength. Debris scattered about them and the winds picked up. The force could only be described as one that would bring forth the dawn of Armageddon. Neither would stop, neither would give in. The darkness had taken over completely.

"Die," Riku roared. His energy pushed Sirius back, but the Phantom Lord held his ground. For a full minute, this deadlock lasted, though it seemed eternal time and back to the combatants.

"I will never be defeated!" Sirius bellowed. He deployed he full extent of his power to the point where the veins in his neck were emerging and seemed to burst and spill blood because of the strain.

So great now was their colliding might that the shadowy dome surrounding them could not withhold their rage any longer. In a sudden explosion, the dome erupted, sending out a powerful shockwave. The KH team watched as the dome cracked and cracked little by little until it exploded in their faces in a bright flash of light and electricity, sending a great deal of dust and debris flying in all directions. The shockwave knocked them off their feet and sent them pressed against the walls of the tier. The blast echoed in the vast cavern, forcing the Spectral Fortress to rupture at its foundations. The structure violently shook.

From that exploding inferno, Riku and Sirius went flying in opposite directions. Their dark jumpsuits were smudged and tattered. Riku landed upon the ground and bounced and skidded upon the masonry, dragging and stopping no more than twenty feet from his friends. Of course, the KH team didn't realize this at the time since they themselves were affected by the force of the explosion. Sirius, however, got the worst of it and was sent into the wall itself at a remarkably high speed. He broke through the stone and created a large hole in the wall. Blocks of stone and bricks were knocked from their stations in the structure and some fell upon the Phantom Lord, literally pressing and crushing him. The dust was thick from the impact and rose into the air like clouds. The sound of tumbling debris could still be heard. One might think that amidst the rumbling and roaring of falling stones, there was the dreadful scream bellowing its last high pitches before all went quiet. For a time, there was a dead silence that lulled upon the field, just as the last roars of the explosion diminished within the cavern.

Sora and the others slowly arose from the devastation. They dusted themselves off and bore witness to the aftermath of the devastation.

"What a rush." Sora uttered. He wearily looked to his friends. "Is everyone alright?"

"More or less," Kairi replied.

"Man," Donald grumbled, "Couldn't those two have taken it a little easier?"

"That was one heck of a fight they must've had." Mickey added.

No sooner had they reassembled, they saw their comrade lying upon the ground motionless, or so they thought.

"It's Riku," Goofy said.

"Riku," Kairi cried. She prepared to meet him and see if he was alright. But Sora stopped her before she could move.

"Don't go, Kairi." Sora advised.

"But why not, Sora? What's up?"-

"There's something wrong here."-

"What's wrong?"-

"His energy feels dark."-

"So why's that so concerning?" Donald asked. "He is after all still in his dark form."

"It's a concerning matter because that may be Sirius Viicous in front of us instead of Noctin Tilandir." Triiken said. The team gasped. "The power that lingers in the air is still indistinguishable at the moment and the combatants are almost identical. And none of us were conscientious enough to witness the breaking of the battle and see if the man lying before us is Riku or the Phantom Lord. As well, his back is presented before our eyes. Not his front. Hence, we know not if that's Riku unless we bear eyes upon his face first."

No sooner had Triiken said his explanation, the young man began to move and slowly stagger to his feet. Yet he collapsed back after managing to stand up for a few seconds. His head hung low and his body paced in a certain angle that made it hard for the KH team to distinguish if this really was Riku, or if it was the infamous Phantom Lord.

"Riku," Kairi said.

"I'll check it out." Sora implied. He slowly walked up to Riku.

"You be careful, Sora." Mickey said. "If that is Sirius Viicous instead of Riku, you better steer clear. You don't have a sufficient amount of power to confront him openly."

"Right…"-

Sora came beside the young man at a safe enough distance from the right, hoping to make sure that it was Riku that landed before them. Sure enough, Sora saw no shadow scars upon his face, or any glowing heartless eye. He gave a sigh of relief.

"It's alright, you guys," Sora said, "It's Riku."

"Thank heavens…" Kairi implied.

"That's good to know." Mickey added.

Sora approached Riku, who was still trying to stand himself up. He was stationed in a crouching position and his limbs were shaky. His breathing was heavy, indicating that he had exhausted all of his strength. Sora knelt by his side.

"Riku, you're alright." He said as he placed his hand on his friend's shoulder.

But to Sora's shock, Riku did not act the way that he expected. Riku, still consumed by the darkness, suddenly turned and pummeled Sora to the ground. The KH team members were equal in their reaction. They gasped as they watch Riku throw himself on top of Sora. He growled as he drew forth his keyblade and held the sharpened end tightly against Sora's throat. Sora looked into he eyes of his friend and saw that they were cold and expressionless. The murderous glare was still in his narrowed pupils. His teeth were clenched tightly. In that scuffle, Sora might as well have been pinned down by Sirius Viicous himself.

"Die…" Riku uttered.

"Riku, it's me." Sora pleaded. The glare in Riku's eyes did not diminish.

"Sora," Kairi cried. She wanted to stop Riku, but Mickey and the others held her back.

"Don't do it, Kairi." Mickey advised. "Any false move we make may cause Riku to react. And he might kill you as well as Sora."

"But I…" Kairi's eyes faltered. "Why is Riku doing this?"

"The darkness still rages within him. He's still coordinating himself on blind instinct. Right now, he can't tell the difference between friend and foe. We should've known better than to hastily approach."-

"Riku…Sora…"-

Kairi and the others held their ground as they watched this scuffle unfold before them.

"Riku," Sora cried. "Don't do this. I'm your best friend." But Riku did not relent and his blade crept up further into Sora's throat until there was a small nip that caused a little drop of blood to seep. Sora winced. "Riku, you're hurting me. Please snap out of it!" But Riku did not respond. His eyes still could not see the true form of his victim. "Riku, it's me…Sora…"

"S…Sora…" Riku suddenly said.

"Yeah…Sora…"-

"Sora…" Riku repeated the name. Suddenly, his eyes gained their humanity as the darkness gave way to the still burning light within. Riku suddenly found himself sitting atop Sora, his keyblade pressed against his friend's neck. "Sora…"

"It's me, Riku." Sora uttered.

"Oh my God…what have I done?"-

Realizing what he had nearly done, Riku withdrew his keyblade, his heavy breathing of apprehension and his still beating heart troubling him. He dropped his keyblade and quickly stood up from off of Sora. His knees couldn't fathom the weariness though. With a mix of fatigue and shock, Riku fell down again. His eyes stared blankly into space as his sweat dripped upon his face.

"He's out of it now." Mickey sighed.

"Riku…" Kairi said.

"Riku," Sora softly spoke.

"I can't do this anymore, Sora." Riku uttered. "What did I almost do? I nearly killed my best friend."

"It's alright, Riku. I'm not hurt."-

"I nearly killed you, Sora."-

"It's alright, Riku. It's not your fault."-

"I nearly killed you." Riku put his hands upon his face, not wanting to show his grief and guilt. In his mind, he could still see the dreaded scene of death that took place in the alternative future. He could still remember the vivid image of the straight razor slitting the very life courses of his friend and the blood spilling all about the ground. Riku shuttered and curled up, nearly sickened by the still fresh thought. And yet such a hideous sight would have become reality. "What have I become…?"-

"Riku…"-

"I don't wanna do this anymore, Sora. I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of all the suffering. I thought that I lost you again…" Sora came up to Riku and hugged him.

"It's okay, Riku. It's over…"-

"What have I done?"-

"You did nothing wrong. You did what had to be done." There was a silence between the two friends. Then at that moment, Riku's dark form diminished returning him to his tattered garments. He then looked up at his comrade.

"I'm so tired, Sora. I'm so very tired…"-

"C'mon Riku… You've earned your leisure."-

He placed Riku's arm around his neck and lifted him up. The silver haired youth slumped in Sora's grasp and slowly began to walk.

"Riku," Kairi said, finally free to rejoin her friends. "You're okay, Riku."

"Sorry to have worried you, Kairi." Riku replied. "I'm fine now."

"Riku," The others shouted as they rushed to meet the half dead hero.

"We thought you weren't going to make it for a while." Mickey chuckled. "But gosh you certainly did great."

"You deserve a good day's rest, my friend." Sora said.

There was a silence now as they looked back to the hole where Sirius had made impact. The team stood about for a few minutes, but there was no stirring of any kind. In the dimness of the dark and dust, a mound of fallen rubble lay. No doubt that Sirius must've been killed.

"So do you think it's over?" Goofy asked.

"I don't feel Sirius's power anymore." Donald added.

"It's over," Sora said. "It has to be. An impact like that should have laid him down for good."

"Sirius Viicous was one tough guy to battle, that's for sure." Riku uttered.

"You're telling me."-

"I mean it, Sora. Out of all the opponents we've confronted, he was the hardest one to fight. Saber, Lu Bu, Ks, and even Sephiroth couldn't come close to the magnitude of power that guy possessed."-

"It was an act of desperation on Sirius's part." Donald scoffed. "He was too caught up trying to beat Riku. But no one can beat Riku."

"You flatter me." Riku gave a sigh of relief. He stared at the hole in the wall for a while. "Perhaps now he'll accept his defeat."

"Well, he doesn't really have much of a choice now does he, being dead and all."-

"So what do we do?" Mickey asked. "If it's all over, do we just go?"

"As instructed by the president, we shall return to Oceansburg and confirm that the deed is done." Triiken implied. "It couldn't be simpler. There is no longer any necessity for us to be here."

"But shouldn't we…ya know…check?" Goofy asked.

"There is no need. Judging by the large mound of rubble I can see within that demolished segment of the tier's wall, Sirius was undoubtedly crushed to death. Not even he could have possibly lived with so much weight falling upon him. Besides, if he were alive, we would've sensed a hint of life amidst the rubble. And from what I can tell, I sense nothing."-

"Well you're probably right. I guess I must be a little scared."-

"After all of this," Mickey said. "I wouldn't blame you."

"Sirius won't be coming back after that." Donald chuckled.

"Then I guess we better get going." Sora agreed. He looked to Riku. "You ready to go, buddy?"

"Yeah…" Riku said. "After all that we've gone through, I'm glad to say it's finally over…"

The KH team thus gathered themselves up and prepared to leave. They made their way to the door, leading to the lower tiers of the fortress.

"Hey wait a minute," Goofy implied. "Don't ya think we should get Riku's other keyblade before we go? Ya know the one that got knocked out of his hand."

"Man, I almost forgot." Riku said. "Thanks for reminding us, Goofy."

"Don't mention it." Goofy said. He peered about. It didn't take him long to see it. The keyblade was sticking out of the ground no more than thirty feet at least from the entrance. "Well, looky there, I found it."

"I better go get it then…"-

"You're not in any position to be moving about so strenuously on your own, Riku." Sora advised.

"Aw c'mon Sora, can't you give a weary friend a break once in a while? You're like a mother hen at times."-

"Don't worry about it." Goofy declared. "I'll go get it. I always wanted to know what it would feel like to hold one of them there keyblades." Goofy ran off to get it.

"Typical Goofy…" Sora said. "He's always so…so…"

"Goofy…?" Donald uttered.

"And kind hearted too…"-

The happiness and relief in the atmosphere had been restored. Mickey couldn't help but take notice. Everyone was alive, the fight was over, and the nightmare that they had to endure for the past three months or so came to an abrupt end with the defeat of Sirius Viicous.

"Who would have thought that we'd all survive this in the end?" Mickey said. "Seven we had and seven remain."

"Well, we just had to have faith." Kairi replied.

"First we thought that Triiken and Sora were goners." Donald explained. "Then we thought Riku would kick the bucket at some point. And for a moment, I thought we were all going to get killed, especially when Sirius turned his aggression on us."

"Well, I guess we don't have to worry about that anymore." Sora chuckled. "Isn't that right, Riku?" Sora was looking for a happy response from his friend. But instead of a joyful reaction, there was silence. Sora looked upon Riku's face. For some reason, Riku's expression had changed. He was no longer happy and otherwise enthusiastic of the battle's end. But perhaps that was what concerned him the most. He had gone paler than usual and the sweat dripped upon his brow. His eyes were for some reason apprehensive as if something were on Riku's mind. They seemed to stare into space. "Are you alright, Riku?"

"Riku, you feeling okay?" Mickey asked.

"Are you queasy or something?" Kairi added. Riku's eyes began to waver and widen.

"It can't be…" Riku uttered. His explanation was not mysterious to the others. They too were affected, feeling the sudden surge of energy that hindered their minds. Even Goofy, half way to retrieving Riku's keyblade, was halted in his track. He too could feel the arising power in the atmosphere. The insecurity had returned. They turned to where Sirius made impact and were filled with a bottomless dread.

"Impossible…" Sora gasped. "This isn't happening."

"Are you feeling this?" Donald said. "Tell me that you're feeling this."

"What's going on?" Goofy asked as he rejoined his friends without retrieving Riku's weapon.

"Sirius Viicous…" Mickey wavered in his statement. "He's still alive."

"But there's no way. No one could've survived that impact." Donald uttered.

"Apparently we've all underestimated Sirius's strength." Triiken uttered. "His heart still beats. His will continues to burn. And from this arousal in energy, he's more enraged than he ever was before."

Sure enough, from the whole in the wall of the tier, there came a red glow that grew brighter with every second passing. And then finally, with sudden gusto, there was a massive explosion that sent the entire segment of the tier wall bellowing into the air. And the source of this eruption was none other than Sirius Viicous who stood like a rock, roaring at the top of his lungs with arms and legs apart and fists tightened to the point where he could draw blood via his fingernails. Tattered, bloodied, and weary, he drew himself out onto the open space of the tier.

The KH team was dumbfounded and fearful. They had thought Sirius was dead. But low and behold, the Imperial Lord had returned, striking back with a vengeance.

"How could he still be able to move after all of that?" Donald said.

"Move nothing." Mickey added. "How can he still be alive?"

"Sirius Viicous…" Sora stated, "He's not human."

"He still wants to fight?" Kairi wondered. "I don't believe it."

Of all the KH team members, it was Riku who was struck with the most disbelief. Sirius Viicous couldn't have still been alive. There was no possible way. Yet there he stood as clear as day, battered but still willing to carry on.

"This battle is far from over!" Sirius shouted. "I still stand, even though you interpreted the blow upon me as marking my demise. Well, sorry to disappoint you, my misguided friends, but I will not go down as easily as that."

But Sirius's composure could no longer hold onto its bluff. Too exhausted and weary, Sirius stumble to the ground, using the keyblade as his crutch. His dark form also diminished and he was once again in what was left of his once eloquent and elaborate Imperial uniform.

"Well, he might still be alive." Donald said. "But he's not strong enough to pose a real threat. Not anymore anyway."

"I guess you might be right." Mickey added.

"Why do you insist on fighting, Sirius…?!" Sora demanded to know. "Don't you realize that it's fruitless to keep on trying to battle, especially at this point?!"

"I can see how fruitless it is, but I don't care!" Sirius replied. "I still have my honor at steak!"

"What is it that drives him on like this?" Mickey wondered.

"Are you that insistent on defeating Riku?!" Sora asked.

"It is the only thing I have left." Sirius replied, still stumbling. "I have nothing more to fight for except myself and my own desire! If I can fulfill that one goal, that one desire, I will be in content! Even if I have to ensnare myself into this world's inescapable net of shadows, I will see my one thirst quenched. At least I'll be able to fade into oblivion knowing that I at least accomplished one thing that I longed for since the day I was conceived. I will finally be able to purge my very heart of this heavy burden. I'll be able to clear my mind of this pestilence. No longer will I remain in his shadow. No longer will I be called a replica!"

"Sirius…" Goofy said.

"Why," Sora thought to himself. "Why is he so determined to fight and kill Riku so badly? Has Riku's life had that much of an impact on him? Does it bother him that much that Riku's own existence questions Sirius's worthiness?"

"There is so much hatred in his heart." Kairi inwardly thought. "He won't be satisfied until he humiliates and subordinates Riku before taking his life."

"Well, you can forget it, Sirius!" Donald shouted. "You'd have to go through us first!"

"We won't let you hurt Riku!" Mickey added.

"You dare to stand in my way?" Sirius growled.

"We will and you'll fail!"-

"So I will fail will I? Then how is it that I am able to remain determined while you scour in fear behind your numbers? What I lack in friendship and allies I can more than make up for in my hatred and rage! I have nothing left! Therefore I have nothing left to lose! And only in death will I be halted from my destructive path!"-

"He's driven on only by vengeance now. Is that all he cares for, his honor?"-

"As one track-minded as that may seem, you cannot help…but admire him." Triiken uttered. The team couldn't believe what was coming out of the general's mouth.

"Triiken…?"-

"How can you say that?" Donald protested. "He's the enemy!"

"He might be the enemy, but he holds close to his heart what I have held close to mine all these years." Triiken explained. "The only difference between us is that he maintains that attitude in its purist form. He excels in upholding the old Imperial custom of honor far better than I, for he still bears the colors of the Cavendish era while I have discarded by noble garments for the Alliance blue. I am convinced that Sirius Viicous is the last of the true Imperials, the last of a long line of tradition that extends over fourteen millennia, and the last of a dying breed. He is fighting for his honor now. And he won't stop until he fulfills that one point of self-gratification. That is the one path he has taken and the only goal he has left. Thus, with such dedication, he deserves the title of His Excellency."

"But after everything he's done…?" Sora said. "He's more of a monster."

"If that we're true, however, Sirius wouldn't be taking this action. A monster and a true selfish despot would never so eagerly give up his life when he knew there was no chance in winning. They would take their own self preservation and life into account before all others. But not him, he does not hide and skulk from the eyes of his foes. To many, Sirius Viicous is a demon, or the devil himself. But yet he is the one who stands alone, openly willing to throw away his very existence for the sake of a wanting. Despite his notorious reputation, he shared the same dreams and opinions as so many others who fought against you. Thus, not all the wrong that has occurred falls on his shoulders. Now, it's the reputation of the Imperial cause that he wishes to save. His honor as well as that of his deceased comrades depends on his ability to achieve his goal, no matter how trivial or simplistic it may seem to us."-

"That's more out of stupidity if you ask me! It's just his pride! He has nothing else worth fighting for." Donald said, folding his arms in front of him. "In the end, it's all just an empty cause. Fighting for pride alone won't get you very far."

"Well, mallard, what else is there for him to fight for, when pride is all he has left?"-

Upon hearing those words, Riku's eyes widened. His mind was enflamed with thoughts as he watched his other self approach like a blurred specter.

"Sirius's attitude," he thought to himself, "He's just like the way I used to be." His mind filled with memories past and those moments in his life where his pride was placed on the line. He recalled those times where he wanted to be the best of the best and was willing to do anything to prove that, including his fusion with Xehanort's Heartless. "Are you that desperate to prove to me that you are more than just my replica? Is that what drives you on? You want to prove to me so badly that you are more than just a mimic forged from my data and knowledge. You so desperately want to achieve that goal, you're willing and prepared to throw yourself even into eternal oblivion to show the extent of your uniqueness. How in the world could I compete with that when I myself have reached my limit and have had enough?"

"Sirius is no doubt last of the true Imperials." Triiken continued. "The ultimate reason being is he would rather die first than live an ongoing existence in disgrace. That in itself would be a hell to him."

Sirius presented himself before the KH team. He knew the odds were against him, but he cared not. Riku was all he wanted now. All he thirsted for was being able to defeat him.

"I will fight you, Riku!" he declared. "And even if your friends try to stop me, I will still strike and slay you as well as anyone who tries to get in my way! And I will prove to you once and for all that I am my own person and not that of any other!"

"Man…" Sora growled. "He just never stops."

But then at that moment, Riku gave a beseeching statement to his friend.

"Put me down, Sora." He said. Sora and the others were puzzled

"What do you mean? You're not actually thinking about fighting him are you?"-

"I have to."-

"Riku," Kairi pleaded, "You don't have the strength to fight him like this!"

"Don't worry," Donald said. "We'll take him on together."

"No," Riku replied. "No one is to interfere. This is still my fight."

"But Riku…" Sora uttered. Riku was silent, gazing upon his other self. No longer was he making a mockery of Sirius. No longer did his give absolute scorn. After seeing the Phantom Lord stand again to confront him, Riku's own thoughts started to shift. He recalled the repeated statements made by the Phantom Lord in the course of their battles. It all made sense to him now.

"I get it now. It had taken a long time…but now I realize Sirius's way of thinking." The team was shocked at the words that exited from the lips of the silver haired youth. "Look at him. He's standing alone against all of us, yet he is still willing to prove himself and fight on. I don't know if it's an act of desperation or anger or whatnot, but he still stands attentive, determined to end this confrontation as well as my life." Riku gazed down. "He has had a negative impact on everyone's lives. There is no doubt of that. But I now see that it was all a result of my neglect to see him as he truly is. Perhaps he had a point all this time. If I had acted more civil, we could have avoided all of this. Only now do I understand."-

"But why now of all times…? You never tried to understand him before. Why the sudden change of heart?"-

"The reason being is because I never thought he'd go to this extent. I always thought that his talk was just a lot of mindless rambling that would diminish with his morale as soon as he realized how futile it was to continue battling us. I thought that behind his mass numbers and heavy arms and powerful weaponry that he was just another tyrannical lord looking for a way to gain more power for him self only. I believed that when he was deprived of all that and found himself alone with no one to protect him, he would back down and plead for mercy. Therefore, I never took a single syllable he said seriously. I just brushed it off like it was some form of propaganda he used to psyche me out. But his actions have forced me to think differently now. How can I neglect his words, now that I see how determined he is. I declared that I was fed up with all this suffering and didn't want to do it anymore. Yet, Sirius is still willing to carry on, as if that burning desire refuses to let him stop. He's gone beyond what I could bear. I now see that all his talk was for real. It was not because he was wrong. It was because I was in denial. He's been longing for this one chance to show his grit practically forever. And he's not about to throw it all away for the sake of his self preservation."-

"But you don't have to do this on your own, Riku."-

"I have to. He has no one to back him up. It's only fair that I do the same."-

"Riku…"-

Riku staggered a little, but regained his stance as Sora released him.

"I always thought that I matured, Sora. I always thought that I was no longer like the cocky teenage youth at fifteen as I was before. But now I realize that I hadn't changed at all. How can I say that I can understand others when I can't even understand the feelings of my own replica? He's putting everything on the line. It's only proper to oblige him on similar terms."-

Sora was silenced by this calm declaration. He could only looked on and watch has his best friend entered the fray one last time. Riku worked his way forward to confront Sirius. He drew forth his keyblade as he sluggishly made his way onto the field. Riku was just as pitiful a sight to behold as Sirius. He barely had enough energy to walk and finish the fight.

"No Riku," Kairi uttered.

"What is he thinking?" Donald grumbled. "How come all of a sudden Riku's gaining some kind of respect and sympathy for Sirius? All this time, he's been against him, putting him down and mocking him, as well as beating the tar out of him. Why now does Riku decide to match Sirius Viicous on equal terms?"

"Actions speak louder than words, Donald." Sora explained. "I too have to admit that Sirius's power is incredible. He stands completely alone with no one to help him. But he's willing to accept death if it means defeating Riku. He has to prove to himself that he is the better of the two. Riku sees this and he also sees reflected in Sirius's situation what he had gone through before as a teenager. When he and I confronted each other at Hallow Bastion those many years ago, Riku was on his own as well. His attitudes swung in the direction and extremity of Sirius. He wanted to prove to me how strong he was just as Sirius wishes to do so now with Riku."

"But is Riku willing to endure this on his own? Is he willing to accept death so openly?"-

"He sees it as his destiny. It's something he must fulfill by himself."-

Sirius Viicous and Riku once again confronted each other. But this time, they were two pathetic sights, no longer the confident and declarative halves as they once were when the fight began. Their original ideas had diminished, perhaps due to the amount of fatigue now affecting them.

"So I see that's you've decided to fight me solo, eh?" Sirius said with a heaving breath.

"You were my problem to begin with, Sirius Viicous." Riku replied. "You've always been my sin to handle alone."

"Your sin am I?"-

"You always said that I was fifty percent responsible for everything that's happened. Well, I'm going to correct that here and now. But let it be known that I'll no longer fight with the same attitude as I had in the beginning. And once this is over, I am done with you. I don't want to have to fight you anymore."-

"Are you cowering…?"-

"No, I just want you to know that I get it now…" These words caught The Phantom Lord off guard. "I never would have thought that you were still alive to begin with and to think that I would be doing you a great injustice by smiting and taking away those close to you. It was all circumstantial and there's no way I could have predicted that this would occur." Sirius's eyes were widened, but narrowed again.

"Are you confessing your wrongs to me?"-

"I am…"-

"And do you expect forgiveness?"-

"I'm not asking you to forgive me, Sirius. I simply want you to understand." Riku placed his keyblade before him. "However, if I fight you in this manner, you must guarantee that you won't hurt my friends."

"Your friends are the least of my concerns. You are the only one I'm after. I don't care what happens to Sora and the others. At this point, I don't care about anything else, not the Imperial cause, not what I've lost, not your friends, no one, only you. If I can defeat you by my own means of strength, I will be more than satisfied. Everything else is irrelevant outside of this battlefield."-

"So be it…"-

"A test of strength then…?"-

"Yes…"-

Both placed their keyblades before them.

"It's going to be a test of strength and endurance." Sora said.

"How's that?" Goofy asked.

"I get it." Mickey implied. "Neither Riku nor Sirius bear enough energy to engage in the type of battle they've been undergoing like they had in the beginning. They're completely drained. Therefore, they are going to match what's left of their strength with one last strike. The one left standing is the victor."

"Do not think that you can win by maiming me, Riku!" Sirius declared. "Should I still be standing, I will continue to fight until your life has been driven from your body. So you better be prepared to keep up what's left of your dwindling pride and resistance."

"Then I better make this count."-

The two stood opposite each other, the classical stare upon their faces. The KH team was just as equally apprehensive. There was a fifty percent chance that Riku would win. And that was the fifty percent that Sora and the others wanted to happen so badly. The last thing they wanted was to see Riku killed by the hands of Sirius. Tensions were high and the sweat from each brow was visible. So quiet was the atmosphere that one could hear the heavy labored breathing of the combatants, perhaps even the sound of a heavy beating heart. There was only a dead silence now. No sound or movement was made.

But as soon as it seemed the silence would go on forever, it was broken with the screams of two young men having at each other. Sirius and Riku ran towards each other with keyblades drawn forward. Time seemed to slow down. Almost in every detail, each foot step could be seen. Each drop of blood and sweat could be spotted in its course. And the twitch of each of the two opponents' eyes could be observed from afar.

As soon as the fight began, it was over. There was a flash of light and cutting of flesh and the two stood opposite each other, with keyblades in the aft position. There was once again a lull as the two continuously stood in their poses.

"Riku," Sora uttered.

Just then, the winner was decided. Sirius faltered and collapsed to his knees. A gaping had been struck across his chest.

"Impossible…" he uttered.

"He did it!" Goofy cheered.

"At a boy, Riku…!" Mickey added.

Sirius, however, was not dead. He was still eager to prove himself. He fell upon his knees, but managed to regain a steady uplift to his feet. This was concerning to the KH team whose cheers were brought to a sudden halt. Riku on the other hand had had enough. He dropped his keyblade and it diminished from sight thereafter. This was most distressful to the KH team who witnessed Riku's sudden collapse.

"No, Riku!" Kairi cried.

"Sirius isn't dead yet…" Sora said.

"You think this is over, Riku?" Sirius growled, his keyblade again acting as a crutch. "It's not. You only maimed me and I'm still alive."

"Yes you are." Riku replied. "As it should be…"

"What do you mean?" Sirius was stunned at this sudden declaration.

"You're still alive as I wanted it to conclude."-

"You wished that I would survive this? Are you saying that you were holding back?!"-

"As much as you may deserve death, I don't think it right. By killing you, I would only be sending you back to that hell which distorted you. And I will not have you fade into oblivion. No one deserves such a fate, no matter what. And I don't want to give you any further reason to hate me." Riku fell to his knees. And from his lips were uttered the most unexpected of words that would bring the mighty Sirius Viicous tumbling down like a house of cards. "Sirius…I'm sorry…for everything…"

"What…?" Sirius was appalled at what he was hearing. "What did you just say?"

"What are you saying, Riku?" Sora uttered. He and the other KH team members gawked with open mouths at the tone and the statement that pinched their ears.

"Is he serious?" Donald added.

"Is he really sorry?" Mickey said.

"No, Riku…" Kairi beseeched. There was a silence now, one that was solemn, uneasy, and unable to be explained.

"I know that fighting you will never bring around any kind of resolve." Riku continued. "And I don't really want to try and change that anymore. I don't want to have to confront you under these circumstances again. You have been placed in such a state of misery all this time. You were never allowed your own happiness. All you've known is anger, sorrow, and hatred. I see that now. I was blind to your thoughts before, but your actions have proven otherwise. And I also know that your hatred revolves around me and my actions against you. And I can't help but hate myself for allowing you to be placed in such a position. No one deserves to be deprived of their happiness and I know you won't stop until one of us is dead. You won't accept any compromise. But for the sake of my friends' safety and well being, I am willing to sacrifice myself."-

"You what…?!" Sirius's jaws tightened. The KH team was just as shocked and they gasped in disbelief. No explanation could come from their open mouths.

"I can't change what's happened, but I can make up for it. If you can do me that one favor, Sirius, if you promise to leave my friends alone and make sure that they leave safely, I will openly give you my life in return. And hopefully, this will quench your thirst for revenge and banish your hatred forever. You can at least be happy once in your life. No one deserves to be without knowing that feeling." Riku came upon his hands and knees.

"No, Riku," Kairi shouted.

"Don't do it, Riku!" Sora added.

"Riku," Mickey, Donald, and Goofy cried.

"What is that idiot trying to prove?" Triiken wondered. "He's defeated Sirius, why should he give up his life so needlessly? What does he think he can accomplish by this act?"

Riku waited for the final blow. Although seeming rather ridiculous an action, Riku was reluctant to think otherwise. For some odd reason, he felt uplifted, as if a burden in his heart had been vanquished. To him, such a noble sacrifice was needed to fill the void. But to his surprise, Sirius's reaction was anything, but obliging.

"Are you giving up?!" Sirius growled. His anger was heightened ten fold. "Is that it? You're giving up on your friends and your life?" To the Phantom Lord, this was the ultimate disgrace. "You bastard…! You dare make a fool out of me?!!"

Sirius suddenly kicked Riku in the mouth, forcing the youth upward. This time Sirius was not about to use his keyblade. He no longer had the patience. He withdrew the weapon and decided to pummel Riku with his fists instead.

"Is this how you want it?" Sirius shouted. "Is this how you want it to end?! You do me great injustice by not fighting me! Fight me Riku!" He pummeled him some more. "Don't sit there and take this beating! Fight back! Fight to the end like you said you would!"

Sirius continued to beat Riku, forcing blood to splatter everywhere. Though Riku was now at his mercy, Sirius found no comfort or fulfillment in simply beating up his other self.

"This is not how I wanted it! This is not how I envisioned it! I wanted you to fight me until I guaranteed your demise! I wanted to kill you when you were at the peak of your strength and pride! I'm not about to let you sit like a lump and take it! Pick up your keyblade and fight! You miserable sack of pus, you will fight me even if I have to beat you into submission!" Riku cried out and moaned as the pain was inflicted upon him. But he never dared raise his keyblade again. Sirius continued to beat him senselessly. "You disgrace, you coward, fight me! Don't loaf about taking this thrashing! Do something! Give me the pleasure of killing you as it should be, with honor! This is not honor! This is not dignity! This is not my portrayal of our grand battle's conclusion! Bring back the cocky fifteen year old I despised those many years ago! Lift yourself up and raise your weapon so that you can be given the death of a warrior! I'll give you that much! Just stand up and fight!"

He tossed Riku onto the ground and kicked him in the gut. Riku cried out. The blood splattered about on the ground like rain drops. But the Phantom Lord ceased in his amusement. Riku's pain was no longer a pleasure to Sirius. Instead, he found them irritating.

"Do you take fun in this, Riku?!" Sirius's words seemed calmer now. They were not as aggressive as before. "Do you take delight in torturing me like this by making light of my emotions and wants?! What happened to the infamous Noctin Tilandir?!"

Riku said nothing, he only lay there, labored in breath, sweating, coughing, gasping, and bloodied.

"No Riku," Kairi cried, tears flowing from his eyes.

"Stop this, Sirius!" Sora cried. "Riku doesn't want to fight anymore!"

"You stay out of this, Sora! This is strictly between him and me now!" Sirius roared. He picked Riku up by the throat. Riku was by this time bloodied so badly, streams of crimson red liquid dripping from his mouth and his forehead. Sirius, in his rage, began to squeeze at Riku's throat. Riku gagged and choked. The Phantom Lord lifted him into the air until Riku was dangling a few inches off the ground. He struggled, kicking his feet about, but to no avail. "Come on, Riku! Give me the satisfaction of killing you the way it should be! Give me a challenge! Don't disgrace yourself!"

"How can I…?" Riku uttered. "I have nothing left and I must make amends with you as well as myself. My sins have to be punished. But just because I don't fight back…doesn't make me disgraceful. I'm allowing you to have your way…Isn't this how you wanted to see me…at your mercy…?"

"But not like this…!" Sirius threw Riku upon the ground. The youth coughed and gasped, the blood staining the stone. Sirius stood over Riku, his glaring eyes looking down on him. "I tire of your non-violent tactics! They are getting on my nerves! I want a challenge! Pick up your keyblade, Riku…or die!"

Riku didn't heed Sirius's words.

"This fight has ended for me, Sirius." Riku uttered. "I'm giving you your chance to get even. If you are so willing to kill me, then please do so now. But please, don't let Sora and the others have to see anymore of this." This further enraged Sirius.

"So be it." Sirius growled. "If you are so willing to die without resistance, then I will gladly oblige!" As he prepared to bring forth the Demon Summoner again, it was then at the corner of his eye that he saw a keyblade lying no more than a few feet away.

It was the Death Summoner.

Sirius's rage as well as his vengeance was heightened. He would deliver the finishing blow upon Riku. Using his heart to guide it back, Sirius regained hold of the infamous keyblade. With all his might, he lifted it up.

Sora and the others watched on.

"The Death Summoner again…?" Mickey said.

"Riku, you have to fight!" Donald encouraged.

"Riku, don't let it end this way!" Sora cried. "Don't let him send you into oblivion!"

"Stay out of this, Sora!" Riku beseeched. "This is as it should be…"

"Riku…!"-

Riku then suddenly gazed at his old friend, sadly giving a smile.

"Thanks for being there when I needed you, Sora. Thanks for being my friend…"-

"Riku…"-

"Take care of Kairi and the others from here on out. It's all up to you now…" Again silence engulfed the atmosphere.

"I can't believe that fool's actually going to end his life in such a pathetic manner." Triiken inwardly scoffed. "What an idiot."

"Riku," Goofy, Mickey, and Donald shouted.

Just then, unable to restrain herself, Kairi ran outward towards the two combatants. Sora and the rest were stunned at what had happened. But at the same time, they reacted too late to make a difference. But then again, they really had no strength to make a difference.

"Riku," Kairi cried.

"Kairi, no," Sora shouted. "Come back!"

All the while, Sirius had lifted his keyblade to the highest extent.

"You're willingly accepting your punishment openly?" he said, glaring at Riku. "Then despair in oblivion and die!"

But before he could throw down his keyblade upon the youth, Kairi suddenly appeared and threw herself onto Riku, shielding him from the blow. Sirius was again shocked. Kairi covered Riku's upper body.

"Kairi…" Riku uttered. "What are you doing…?" But upon feeling the moist drops fall upon his face, Riku didn't need an explanation.

"What is the meaning of this, girl?" Sirius growled. "Get out of the way!" Kairi looked up at Sirius, but not with scorn. Instead, her eyes were filled with tears. Sirius was again shocked.

"Please don't do it, Sirius." She pleaded. "Don't hurt Riku anymore. Don't take him away from us."

For some reason, the cooing plea of Kairi stayed the hand of the ruthless tyrant. Sirius had been struck from the inside. Why he did it remains a mystery. Perhaps it was the look in the eyes of the young woman that enticed him to do so. Perhaps it was her tears. Maybe it was the fact that he was about to slay the original of Namine. Whatever purpose, Sirius Viicous dared not strike. Instead, he backed away, dropping the keyblade at his feet, which soon diminished from sight as well. Overwhelmed with blind emotion, he stepped back as if in shock. His eyes were fixated to Kairi's. The tears in her eyes caused his heart to pound.

"Why…?" Sirius inwardly thought; his voice rather tremulous. "Why would she do that…?"

"Riku…" Kairi uttered, holding Riku in her arms.

"K…Kairi…" Riku replied.

Sora ran up to his two friends.

"Riku…Kairi…" he said. "Are you two alright?"

"Yeah…We're fine, Sora…"-

"That's good to hear…"-

"But why would you do that, Kairi?"-

"I had to…" Kairi replied, her eyes were still teary. "I wasn't about to lose one my best friends again. I've had to endure that one too many times…"

"I'm so glad to have friends like you two…" Riku sighed with a smile. Their joys were short lived though as all three gazed at Sirius Viicous.

"Sirius…" Sora thought to himself. "Why would you…?"

There was silence and all eyes were on the Phantom Lord. For some reason, Sirius had lost that trait of a threatening presence. Before the KH team, he seemed more as one who had not seen the light of day for years, like a boy in envy at a candy store window. He trembled and gazed blankly at the trio in a daze.

"Why…?" he uttered. "Why is it that you are blessed with all of these joys and pleasures, Riku? What is it that makes you special? Your friends flock to your side and stay by your side even in the hardest of times, through thick and thin and to the bitter end. Yet you are undeserving of them. You need only to wave your hand and your friends are there next to you. I have never had such a luxury. I never had such affection directed at me. All my life I was only respected out of my acceleration in skills and importance and dedication. I was never respected or loved for who I was as a person. Your friends don't care about your stature, or your abilities, or who you are sociably. They only care for you by means of who you are. So what makes me so different from you?" Sirius put his hand to his face. "Is it this, is this what you see? Is this the first thing that comes into your mind, the hideousness of my deformed body? I can assure you that it is as human as yours, but no one seems to care for that. They only know that it's something grotesque and they don't want anything to do with it. Is that what has repulsed so many?" Sirius backed off, but his fist kept tightening. "That's the reason why I hate you! Your entire existence is a threat because it prevents me from achieving such gains. How could someone like me ever gain such feelings from others, to have a friend like Sora who would throw themselves in front of me and protect me from danger, even at the cost of their own life, or to have one as Kairi who would act as a shield between me and the threat? Who would do that for me? I have no one…"

Sirius then came across the broken charm of Namine. The trinket that he so much valued was now severed in half. He picked it up.

"All of my hopes, my desires, my dreams, they've all been cast to the wind." He continued. He looked up at Riku. "I wanted to kill you so badly, Riku. I wanted to see you suffer, to see you at my mercy, helpless and weeping for me to stop the torment, and was willing to go to the extreme to see that happen. But to willingly accept punishment and death, there could have been no action more disgraceful to me. How could I possibly take pleasure in killing my target when they have lost all willingness to battle and openly accept their fate? And what would be my accomplishment have been had I done so and slain you?" He looked at Sora and Kairi. "And what of your friends…? Why is it that you have friends like them, like Kairi and Sora who are so dedicated to you? They would throw themselves upon your pyre if they'd be given the chance…!" The voice of the Phantom Lord began to tremble and waver. "If you were sad, they'd comfort you. If you were angry, they would understand you. If you were happy, they'd laugh with you. They would do all that and more. Your minds always dwell on each other and that is what makes you strong. And if you were to die, they would weep for you. Their minds would be filled with the past moments and fond memories of you and how you came to be such a big part in their lives. If you were to die, Riku, if I were to have killed you in cold blood, there is no doubt that they would mourn for you…!" There was a sudden silence before Sirius began to speak again. "But if I were to have died, then who would mourn for me…?"

Then the unthinkable happened. Unexpected and impacting upon all members of the KH team, they witnessed a gesture by Sirius Viicous which they thought him incapable of doing.

He began to cry…

His heart had opened, revealing his sorrow, and the tears from his eyes rushed down his cheeks. Sora and the others couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"Sirius…" Sora thought to himself. "He's crying…"

"He's actually crying…" Mickey said.

"Who would've thought?" Donald added.

"Are you all surprised?" Sirius declared. "Are you all surprised that I can weep? Are you all shocked to know that I'm human like you are?! Go ahead and inwardly mock me! Or scoff outwardly to my face if you want! I deserve it! I have caused too much pain in this world and for what? Nothing has been gained for me! Instead I have lost everything including all those closest to me." Sirius continued looking at the charm. "And as a result, I have lost who I am. My identity as an independent entity has withered away! Who am I to fight against fate? I am nothing now, but a worthless wretch...! How can I possibly slay a hated foe when he admits he is wrong and openly falls prey like a sacrificial lamb? And when he admits he has done a great injustice upon my being, what does that make me?! What has all of my time, effort, and ruthlessness been for?!" Sirius fell to his knees. He began to wail out in his cries. "Perhaps I am never to be anything special! It was never meant to be!" He gazed at the broken chain. "All the rage, the anger, the vengeance, they have all dissipated from my mind! All I have left to comfort me is my sorrow and my shattered dreams. There is no one to comfort me in my time of need. I have been and will always remain utterly alone…" He held the chain close to his heart as if embracing a slumbering infant. "Namine, forgive me, for I have forsaken you and your memories!" His eyes shut. "I cannot slay Riku! I wanted to so badly all this time, but now such a notion brings a strong distaste in my mouth! I can't do it! I can't…! But how can I endure this, how can I endure such an unworthy existence after everything that's happened, after everything I've done…?"

The KH team members could only watch on in unexpected sympathy. They had never figured Sirius for being so emotional, to break down and weep. His heart had been opened up. Of all those present, only Kairi was the one to take action. She stood up and walked over to the crouching Phantom Lord. Riku and Sora said nothing. They could only watch.

Kairi sat upon her knees, gazing at the Phantom Lord, who still wept with his head down, his tears falling upon the masonry, dampening the stones. He continued to press the broken charm against him. So great was his guilt that he wished he could make up for his beastliness. He shivered like a leaf, his grief spilling.

"Namine…" he uttered. "Please don't abandon me…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…Please forgive me…"

Just then, he felt the warmth of a hand upon his cheek. At first, Sirius didn't know what to make of it. He slowly looked up to see Kairi giving a sad smile to him. In her eyes, he could see his long lost love.

"Please…" Sirius cooed; his voice now soft and repenting. "Namine… Namine… Tell me how do end this. Tell me how to end my suffering. Tell me how to end my sorrow. Please… Namine…tell me how…"

"Rest now warrior," Kairi said softly, embracing this once hated foe. "You deserve it…" She no longer looked upon him as a monster. She realized that Sirius was just as fragile as any other. Before her was a person who was never given love before in his existence. Now, she would be the first. "Just let it all out, Sirius. Let out all your emotions…"

Sirius, upon hearing such tender words, began to cry and wail. Kairi didn't care, she tightly embraced him, not letting go as if Sirius himself was a long lost friend who only needed sympathy. She patted his back, enfolding him and girdling him, the deformed blackness of his body no longer a threat or a distasteful mark.

Riku and Sora watched on in awe.

"My God," Sora uttered, "He's completely broken down. How could I have accused him of being a monster?"

"What have I done…?" Riku said.

"Riku…?"-

"I never would have thought Sirius could do this. But he has." Riku could only look away. "I now see that Sirius was not as cold hearted and soulless as we thought him to be. A heart of stone could never shed tears like that. He must've been holding them back his entire life. I have done him a great wrong, Sora. I've insulted him and mocked him all this time, believing he was the villain. But the reality is I was the villain."-

"Don't say that…"-

"That's all he wanted. All he wanted was for someone to really care for him, not out of cause or necessity, but out of the compassion of their own heart."-

Sirius held on to Kairi, his eyes still flowing with his mournful tears. His sniffling, his shaking, and all of his sins went dripping from his eyes like rain.

"Oh God forgive me!" Sirius bellowed in repentance. "I have done wrong to everyone! I have become a monster and have spread my pestilence of chaos to all worlds! My own sorrow I have passed to them! If I could, I'd take back everything… everything…"

"Sirius," Kairi lifted his head to see his face. The heartless side seemed not as foreboding as it was in its rage. It was mostly sad than anything. Kairi looked into the eyes of the Imperial and wiped the tears from his cheeks. "I want you to have this." With that, Kairi brought forth her lips and kissed Sirius upon the forehead. She could smell the scent in his hair. It was sweet and not at all repulsive. To coin the phrase, you can never judge a book by its cover.

Sirius was all a flutter, his heart opening up further. Yet he was still shocked by the gesture.

"Why…" Sirius said. "Why would you kiss such a beast?"

"It's something I wanted to give you." Kairi replied. "It's a gesture saying that you are forgiven and that you were never alone from the start."

"But I'm a monster…"-

"There are a great many things that we'd all like to take back, including myself. Can you forgive me of my former hatred of you?"-

Sirius looked up at Kairi's kind eyes. Not able to say, he solemnly nodded his head. Just then, he stood up and turned away. Kairi was left befuddled. She knew not if he was repulsed, or speechless, or blind with mixed emotion. There was a dead silence as Sirius stood with his back to the KH team. He then uttered his words, words that wouldn't have been expected of him.

"Go…" Sirius uttered. "Leave me in peace."

"Sirius…" Sora said.

"I am done with you. I am done with you all. I am done with this and every other world." Not looking upon the KH team, he continued to address. "Sora, take all your friends and leave this place. Don't ever tell anyone of what has happened. Sink these events from your memories!"

"Sirius…" Sora's fists tightened. "It doesn't have to end this way! You can still come with us!"

"Don't make me laugh, Sora. There is no way that the Alliance would ever pardon a man like me."-

"Sirius…" Sora stalled. "About what I said before… I take it all back…"

"Your confession is acknowledged, Sora. My heart takes back everything as well. But I will not go. I am destined to die here and that's all there is to it."-

"Sirius," Kairi cried. "Sora's right, you don't have to end it like this."

"Your words are warm, but they will not shift my thoughts. If not for the cause then for my sins I will perish. I have seen the results of my deeds and am ready to pay the price. I am ready to burn in hell and linger in darkness for all eternity." Sirius pulled out from his pocket a detonation switch. "I kept this for just such an occasion." Without further delay, he flipped over the cap and pressed the button. Suddenly, there were a series of explosions bellowing from the basin of the fortress. The foundations began to rumble.

"What's happening?" Mickey asked.

"I don't know." Donald replied.

"The foundations are being destroyed!" Triiken replied. "This fortress is being demolished!"

"What have you done, Sirius?!" Sora demanded.

"Now you have no choice, Sora." Sirius said, his eyes still not looking at him or any of the team members. "You either escape, or you die. You have thirty minutes to the outside perimeter and a long way to go before this place demolishes upon itself. Don't waste your minutes trying to persuade me to escape along with you."

"Sirius…"-

"Now leave me."-

Sora couldn't argue. He knew there was no other choice in the matter.

"You guys, let's get out of here!"-

"I thought you'd never ask." Donald said.

"Let's run for it!" Goofy cried. He, Mickey, Donald, and Triiken rushed to the exit, picking up Riku's keyblade in the process.

"Kairi, hurry," Sora beseeched.

"Right," Kairi replied, standing up and running to her two friends.

"Don't worry, Riku, We'll get you out soon enough." Sora heaved Riku to his feet, putting his arm around his neck.

"I'll be fine." Riku replied. "I have had worse you know."

"Riku," Kairi cried, taking hold of his other arm.

"You got him?" Sora asked.

"Yeah…"-

"Then let's go."-

They pulled Riku along, following the others who were already at the exit, leaving Sirius to stand and accept his fate alone. But as they left, Riku made a farewell statement.

"Sirius…" he uttered. The Phantom Lord looked to Riku, his heartless eye gazing behind. "I was wrong… You are special…"

Sirius said nothing, no expression, no nothing. He simply turned away.

"Go…my other self…" There was no need for any other words to be spoken. That simple statement from Riku was all Sirius needed to fill the gap in his heart. Without further utterances or glances, the team departed, leaving Sirius alone to his chosen fate.

All around them, the structure began to shake. The sound of the explosions could be heard in the distance, nearing with every minute passing. It seemed that with every sixty second interval, there was an explosion. And within every five minute interval, there was the sound of mass collapsing, meaning that the structures were giving way from their weakened foundations and were falling to their heaps. All about, pieces of debris and dust fell from the walls and the ceilings.

The KH team descended down the stairs and passed every chamber to where they had engaged against Sirius's hired hands. The chambers of Sephiroth, the Gatlers, Xemnas, and Saix were passed through, later to become heaps of rubble.

"We have to keep going!" Donald shouted. "Those explosions are getting closer!"

"We're hurrying is fast as we can." Sora replied as he and Kairi almost had to drag Riku through the halls. "Stay in there with us, Riku."

"I'll try, Sora." Riku uttered. "But I feel so tired."

"We're almost to the exit."-

Up until now, each door that had been closed with their earlier advancement was each to open, especially since they had already been unlocked and were of minimal size. But to the dismay of the KH team, the main doors for the outer defenses were not as easy to pry open.

As they reached the final door to their freedom, they found that heaving it open was a mere waste of effort. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy tried to push it open, but to no avail. The door was too big and too massive for just the three of them to handle.

"Keep pushing," Donald instructed.

"It's no use." Goofy cried. "It's just too heavy."

"You guys, stop fooling around." Sora said. He left Riku with Kairi and went on to help his comrades. But even with Sora's strength, they still couldn't budge the door.

"It's not as easy as it looks." Mickey strained.

"I knew it," Donald fretted. "I knew it. We're gonna die in here. We're gonna die!" The explosions drew nearer.

"We gotta get out of here somehow!" Sora said.

"It's no use, Sora." Riku uttered. "In the present condition we're in, none of us would be able to open that door even if all of us tried."

"Just goes to show how incompetent you all are." Triiken declared. He formed the Noctin Exmortin.

"Triiken…"-

"No, Triiken," Sora protested. "You're no more fit than us to be doing that!"

"You think so?" Triiken prepared to lunge forward, his energy once again resonating. Sora and the others knew that protesting would get them nowhere. They quickly stood aside. Triiken then lunged at the gates and thrust forth his blade. The energy was concentrated to be executed and deployed as a sonic boom. With that, there was a massive explosion and the grand iron door was busted open, practically being knocked off of its hinges.

The aftermath, however, left Triiken's body battered and weary. But the Imperial didn't seem to notice. He only calmly lowered his sword and sheathed it.

"You were saying."-

"I hate it when you do that." Sora grumbled.

"Never mind that," Mickey implied, "Let's get out of here while the getting's good!"

The team made their way across the bridge. But this task itself was very difficult. The ten foot width with no safety rail made the task all the more harder, especially when there was a deep crevice beneath. To make matters worse, because of the explosions, the bridge wobbled and shook unexpectedly and violently. The team was so frantic in emotion with crossing the bridge. They even tried to grip their toes onto the stone. Although such mental thought was not real effective. Their hands and their feet sweated as they crossed, their hearts thumped profusely.

"Keep going!" Sora cried.

The team made it half way when they saw the unthinkable happen. Behind them, the fortress began to collapse and burn in specific areas. The once grand shield dissipated into the atmosphere. There soon came a point where the explosions became more powerful. And when these more amplified explosions went off, they sent massive pieces of stone debris, the side of small houses and cars, flying skyward and bombarding all places surrounded. To one of the bridges not to far away, the team watched as a piece of the fortress descended upon the walkway and force half of the structure to collapse. This caused their skin to turn pale.

"That's not good." Donald said.

"Hurry before a piece of stone hits the bridge we're standing on too!" Goofy beseeched. The team continued, reaching the quarter mark.

"We're almost there!" Mickey said. He inadvertently looked to his friends behind him. But when he did, his eyes widened. There was another explosion. And from that explosion, a fiery piece of debris, rather large in its size came hurling right at them. "Incoming you guys! A massive piece is heading right at us!"

The team looked to see the flaming stone structure coming right at them.

"Hurry," Sora cried. The team ran for their lives. But to their dismay, the slab of stone seemed to follow them.

"Brace yourselves!" Donald shouted. The team readied themselves just as the stone block struck the walkway of the bridge. The bridge jolted as the heavy masonry caused a segment of the walkway to collapse. So great was the strike, the team was thrown upon their bellies.

Sora on the other hand, still holding onto Riku, was jerked so violently that he tumbled near the edge. But Riku on the other hand, was knocked straight off of the walkway and was on the verge of plummeting to his death. Sora quickly grabbed hold of his friend's hand. And there Sora lay, leaving Riku to dangle over the edge.

"No, Riku," Sora cried. Riku, however, had been knocked unconscious by the explosion. He was already fading in an out in semi-consciousness before. But now the explosion had somehow knocked him out for good. Perhaps it might have been due to a piece of stone that might have struck him on the head.

"Riku and Sora are in trouble!" Mickey cried.

"Sora, Riku," Kairi shouted as she and the others helped the key bearers and pulled them up. Sora sighed relief.

"Thanks you guys." He uttered.

"Are you two alright?" Goofy asked.

"I am, but I think Riku was knocked unconscious."-

"It must've been the explosion." Mickey conjectured.

"Well, never mind that. We have to keep going." Sora hoisted Riku's arm over his shoulder. But before further advancement could be made, the team noticed that Triiken was gone.

"Triiken," Donald said. "Where's Triiken?!"-

"Oh no," Mickey uttered. The team frantically looked. They looked to the demolished segment of the bridge. At least fifty feet of the walkway had collapsed and now fell to the bottom of the cavern in a fiery blaze. The smoke was thick and blinding. The team feared the worst for the Gatler General.

"You don't think Triiken could have…?" Donald uttered.

"No he didn't." Sora said. "Look over there on the other side!"

The team turned up their heads to other side of the demolished bridge. And from the billowing clouds of dust and debris, General Triiken appeared.

"Triiken's still alive." Goofy said. "What a relief."

"Triiken hurry up!" Sora shouted. "Jump over to this side."

But Triiken took no advance or any attempt whatsoever. Instead, he stood there like a statue. He smiled and pulled out a pipe from the inside of his frock. He calmly stuffed it with tobacco and lit it. All the while, the team was befuddled by his action.

"What are you doing?" Donald demanded to know. "This is no time to be smoking!"

"On the contrary," Triiken replied. "This couldn't have worked out better for me." He puffed away at his pipe.

"C'mon Triiken," Sora shouted. "This is no time to be fooling around! Now, hurry up and jump!" But Triiken didn't budge. Instead he turned away. "Triiken…!"

"You and the others already know the way out, Sora." Triiken replied. "I suggest you take it while you still have the chance."

"What are you saying?"-

"As what Sirius said, he was done with you all. At this point, so am I."-

"What…?" Sora's eyes opened up. "You're not thinking about… No! You're not going to do this to us, Triiken! Get over here now!"

"The more time you stall, the better your chances of dying are." With that Triiken advanced back to the fortress.

"Triiken…!" Triiken turned to Sora's pleas about for one last time.

"I told you before, I've survived these life and death situations more than any of you have. Besides…" Triiken then gazed at Riku who was slumped unconscious at Sora's side. "I believe the last thing Riku needs is another old foe from his past seeking some sort of hope to cut a reputation out of his hide and redeem his dignity. Riku has undergone a great deal today. It's only right on my part not to be depriving him of his joys any further."

"Triiken…"-

With no more in the converse, Triiken walked away, disappearing into the billowing clouds of dust.

"No, come back, Triiken!" Sora demanded.

"It's no use." Mickey said. "He won't come back. He's chosen his path and that is something we can't interfere with."

"But Your Majesty, he'll be…"-

"We'll all be if we don't move now!" Donald demanded.

"Mickey and Donald are right, Sora." Kairi advised. "There's nothing we can do for Triiken from this point on." Sora shut his eyes and could only fathom the thought of leaving their comrade. He turned with Riku still in his arms and quickly withdrew.

All the while, Sirius still awaited his fate. The top tier was crumbling beneath his feet now and the explosions erupted all around him, the flames heating upon his skin. He only grasped hold of the broken charm.

"And so passes the age of my reign." He said to himself. "So passes my life and existence." Then Sirius thought of a notion he had not otherwise have done. "But I still have so much to accomplish…However…"

Just then, the ground gave way between sudden bellowing shadows. Nothing was left standing. He had vanished amidst the heat of the flames and erupting foundations. The shield and all stone structures either collapsed, or were hurled into the air.

All the while, Triiken stood watching the inferno from the bridge. The debris now pummeled the bridge, forcing more of it to collapse. The tall pillars gave way and fell to the jagged terrain below. Triiken took one last puff from his pipe before knocking out the tobacco. He then looked up and smiled. The clouds of debris bellowed around him.

"And so my life ends along with yours, Sirius." He openly declared. "If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell…"

Sora and the others, already up the stairs and nearing the outer entrance, looked back to see the entire Spectral Fortress bellow and flame and collapse in an apocalyptic manner. They watched as the bridge that Triiken had isolated himself upon came crashing down.

"Triiken…!" Sora shouted. But there was nothing that could have been done. The team lowered their heads with heavy hearts.

"To think that they wanted it that way…" Mickey said.

"It's sad really…" Kairi added.

"Never mind that now." Sora implied. "They are both dead and gone and there is nothing we can do for them anymore. The only thing we can do is get Riku back and heal him up."

"You're right."-

"Let's hurry…"-

No longer did they look back. The KH team continued back to the exit leaving the once mighty and supposedly invulnerable Spectral Fortress to meet its end fade into oblivion in a mass of fire and brimstone. Soon, the very memory of that place would be engulfed in shadow, encircled by legend and myth. It would be a secret that Sora and the others would keep to themselves until their dying day.


	142. The End of an Age

The End of an Age

Riku slowly opened his eyes. The place was still utterly dark and blurry. He looked about to see hazy forms about him.

"It looks like he's coming to." He heard a voice echoing in the canyons of his mind.

"Riku," a voice cried out. After a while, Riku took notice of Sora looking down upon him. "Riku, are you alright now?"

"The potion worked." The second voice said. Riku turned to see none other than Kirin of the Flaming Blades looked down on him as well.

"Kirin…?"-

"Welcome back, you guys." Kirin said. "Glad to see that most of you made it."

"Wait a minute." Riku uttered. "Where are we?"

"We're back in Cetorburg." Sora replied.

"You were unconscious since the bridge." Mickey said from afar.

"Oh yeah…?" Riku wondered.

"It's a good thing that Kairi and Sora still had enough strength to carry you back." Kirin implied. Riku sat up and observed the faces of all his friends.

"So we all made it out alive…?" he asked.

"Well…" Sora uttered. The team was suddenly silent now. Riku knew that something was wrong.

"Someone died… I can tell by your expression."-

"Yes…"-

"Who…?"-

"It was Triiken…" Kairi replied.

"No way… Triiken…?"-

"Yeah…"-

"But how…?"-

"He was caught on the other side of the bridge." Sora explained. "A large stone projectile hit the bridge and severed the path between the fortress and the safety of the outskirts. Triiken was caught on the opposite end.

"Didn't he try to save himself?"-

"No…"-

"But why not…?"-

"I guess he just had enough…"-

Riku lowered his head. Triiken was one of the closest allies the team had, despite being a former Gatler General.

"I guess he'll never be able to settle that score with me then." Riku said.

"I think that was what he intended, Riku." Sora implied. "After seeing how much you endured against Sirius Viicous, Triiken decided that his own hopes of settling the score were irrelevant. He also said that you didn't need to have another grudge holding villain walking about, hoping to end you life."-

"I see…" There was a silence before Riku continued again. "So what's been going on while we were away? What's happened? What time of day is it?"

"It's night actually." Kirin implied. "I'd say it's about eleven o'clock. Almost nine hours since the end of today's major offensive."

"Only eleven o'clock? I could have sworn we were gone longer."-

"In that intense a fight, even a single hour feels like an eternity. So how did it go? You must've defeated Sirius right, knowing that you've made it back safely? How'd you managed it?"-

"Well…" Sora and the others couldn't say. After what had occurred, they were not ready to reveal the events just yet. Kirin could see the fatigue and frustration in their eyes. He dropped the subject thereafter.

"Well, don't worry about it." He said with a smile, trying to cheer them up. "You guys have been through hell. I don't think you need to answer questions just yet."

"Anyway, brother," Kairi asked, "What's been going on since we left?"

"Well, we've secured all of the prisoners and the wounded. We're still waiting for those transports to take them away to their destinations."-

"I wanna ask." Sora implied. "Where's Cunla at?"

"He's out there, helping with the clean up. He suggested that I stay here and wait until you guys got back. And sure enough, here you are all safe and sound." Kirin smiled again. "You guys did great. I think you more than deserve a long reprieve. First and foremost, however, we need to consult with the president. He earlier informed us that once you've returned, the entire KH team is to reassemble at Oceansburg and give him a full report. Afterwards, he'll make sure that you guys go on for a nice long rest."

"Alright…" Riku said.

"Then we better hurry to the outskirts. Cunla has guard duty amidst the Imperials we captured."-

"C'mon you guys, let's go." The KH team quickly assembled and headed out of the grand underground hall.

However, Sora was not yet finished with his preoccupation. Something had caught his attention as they made their way out so he halted once more for a final investigation. Riku was the one to realize this. He happened to look behind to see Sora crouched down in a squatting position. His back was towards the team. The others wondered at Riku's backward gaze and turned about to see Sora as well.

"What's Sora doing?" Goofy wondered.

"I don't really know." Mickey added.

"Hey, Sora," Riku hollered. "Hurry up, you're lagging behind!"

"Coming, Riku," Sora said with a hand to the back of his head and a sheepish grin upon his face. He quickly ran to catch up with his friends.

As the team emerged into the night air, they were surrounded by a scene of still bustling activity. Wounded had been placed in long rows and were being healed by medics. Saiyan, key bearer, and Alliance soldier alike were nestled side by side and given equal treatment. All the while, thousands of soldiers bearing torches stood guard, observing for any sudden uprising that might have been left unseen or unattended. The dead were the last to be moved. There were so many corpses about that some bodies were piled one on top of the other. And because of limited manpower, the task was ten times harder for the soldiers left to carry out grave duty. The sight of the motionless slain, accompanied by the moaning and screaming of wounded soldiers was enough to make the hairs of Riku and Sora stand on end.

"Man," Sora thought to himself, "This is even more morbid than when we left."

"There are so many dead and wounded." Kairi uttered. "It's so sad."

"Exactly how many casualties have we suffered in the course of this fight?"-

"Altogether we've lost over fifty percent casualties." Kirin replied.

"Fifty percent…" Sora lowered his head.

"That's staggering…" Riku uttered.

"The thing about it is that the number keeps rising." Kirin continued.

"No way…"-

"How…?" Mickey asked.

"There is still a great deal of resistance in some unsecured parts of the city." Kirin carried on. "The major part of the battle is over, but there are still a few pockets of Imperials who are still determined to continue fighting. Either they have been cut off from all communications and don't know what's happened, or they have decided to fight to the very end and maintain their honor and hope that the Imperial regime will rise again."

"Stubborn bastards aren't they…" Riku said.

"Then again, their pride is all they have left."-

"Yeah…" Riku's mind continued to withdraw back to the final moments of his own battle with Sirius.

"This battle has taken a lot of lives. And even for those who have survived, they have either been wounded mentally or physically." Kirin gazed upon the wounded. "But of all the forces engaged, the ones who suffered the greatest casualties were the key bearers."

"Not surprising…We did take the brunt of the assault…"-

"Of the original three hundred and fifty thousand, how many are left?" Sora asked. Kirin was silent for a while, not wanting to tell them .But he had no choice. Such a fact could not be kept secret from the KH team for long.

"We've had a recent head count. It's estimated that over one hundred thousand key bearers were killed in action today." The figure was staggering to the KH team and their eyes widened and moistened with grief.

"My God…"-

"Over one hundred thousand killed in action?" Riku said.

"That's not the half of it." Kirin continued. "No doubt that the figure is overwhelming. One hundred thousand key bearers were killed in the course of a single day. But that pales in comparison to the number of wounded. The figure is twice as much, give or take."

"Two hundred thousand wounded?" Kairi gasped.

"Of that number at least a hundred and fifty thousand have been mortally wounded. Many of them may not survive the night. Their wounds have put their status to a critical level. Body shots, shrapnel, peppered with bullets in all vital parts, loss of blood, effect from the mustard gas, all of these have proven extremely deadly and the expectancy for survival is low. That is why we need those transports as soon as possible."-

"Well why haven't they come yet?" Sora asked. "What's taking them so long?"

"You must remember that Imperial troops sent to reinforce Cetorburg and stop our offensive still proved a threat. Thus our transports couldn't make it until the Imperials were successfully thwarted. From what reports say, the fighting has ended only about an hour ago. We should be expecting the transports to arrive any time soon."

"And the remaining fifty thousand wounded not in critical condition?"-

"At least forty five thousand will have to have a limb amputated, if they haven't already been blown off. The remaining five thousand have suffered head and shoulder wounds. Their injuries are easily repaired. But they are still mentally suffering from that hideous endurance."-

"So the remaining fifty thousand or so key bearers that you excluded out of the total so far, what's happened to them?" Riku asked. "Were they the only ones who managed to stay alive and in one piece?"

"Of that remaining figure, thirty five thousand are missing in action and are presumed dead. So of that entire number, only fifteen thousand have been confirmed to have emerged from this battle unscathed."-

"Such ruthless butchery…"-

"It is my hope that people will learn from this battle and take into consideration that such open conflicts gain nothing, but misery."-

"Cunla was right…" Sora thought to himself. "He foresaw what would happen and it has passed."

The KH team continued to the outskirts, reaching the first tier. By this time, the very first of the transports could be seen approaching from the distance.

"It looks like the transports have finally arrived." Kirin thought to himself. "It's about time too."

"Hey Kirin…" Sora implied.

"What's up…?"-

The team was curious as well. They observed Sora and realized that he was gazing upon a group of captured Imperial troops who had been so recently brought out of the city's inner corridors. Looked upon them in the artificial light, Sora came to gaze upon the faces of not men, but boys. Many of the troops in the group were no older than Cunla, possibly not beyond the age of eighteen.

"Those aren't Imperial soldiers…" Kairi said. "That can't be…"

"I get a good look at them now." Sora told. "And only now do I see that we've been fighting children all this time."

"That just goes to show how determined they were to fight and how the Midnight Faction was not hesitant to oblige them. Those boys are sons, brothers, and friends of Imperials slain in the previous war during the fall of the Dark Empire. They were all determined to fight, and the Midnight Faction took advantage of their fiery youth. Thus, these boys became the backbone of Imperial might. Their energy and blind determination made them easy to manipulate. They were all enticed via the same methods that Cunla and my self underwent."-

"All this time, we were fighting boys." Riku sighed. "Some of them aren't even old enough to shave."

"That's the cruelty of this war. No one, not even the very young is safe from the impact of the chaos."-

The team continued on their way until they came to the outer walls of the city. There, before them, every Imperial prisoner was clustered together with their comrades and were surrounded by key bearers, Saiyans, and Alliance soldiers. They were forced to remain sitting. Anyone who dared to stand was marked and eliminated without question. Amongst the guards was the almighty Lu Bu who maintained a strong vigilant on the Imperials.

"Now don't let us have to kill any of you in cold blood." Lu Bu declared, the KH team overhearing his declaration. "If any of you even so tries to stand up, I'll personally sever your head from the base of your neck upward without pause!" The mere presence of Lu Bu caused even the most battle hardened Imperials from.

"Still as ruthless as ever, aren't you Lu Bu." Riku declared as he and the other KH team members approached.

"Well, well, Riku, glad to see that you're still alive and well. I guess that means we can settle the score."-

"Now…?"-

"No, I'm not really in the mood to be doing that. Besides, after what you must've gone through, you may not be much in a mood either."-

"True…"-

"Well, I'm out of here." Lu Bu slung his halberd over his shoulder. "I did my part." He passed by the KH team without a glance. "I'll be seeing you later."

"Count on it…"-

"Just when you think there's no one else to provoke you, you get challenged by another opponent." Sora said.

"It's my curse."-

"Alright, you Imps," one of the Saiyan officer shouted. "Prepare to move out! I want this first group to board the transport!" He pointed to where they were to go. "Get going!"-

The first group chosen all stood in unison and began to board. They carried with them their wounded, those who had received only minor injuries to the skin. Some of them limped on board. Yet all their heads were bowed in shame. They couldn't fathom lifting up their heads, not after such a humiliating defeat. Some of the young soldiers had tears in their eyes. So many youths, many no older than the key bearers they engaged during the whole of the morning and afternoon, had lost their will and their hopes. Ahead, they only saw misery and woe.

"They all seem so sad." Kairi implied.

"That's the kind of expression that the defeated always wear." Kirin explained. "These young men have lost their will. They know that they have lost everything. They believe that they have disgraced their families, putting them down by their defeat. Many of these boys were so boisterous when they thought they would restore the honor of their families. But alas, such hopes were not to be."

"I can't help but feel sorry for them." Sora said. "After all that's happened, it's kind of hard to distinguish who the real bad guys were."

"It is as it should be." A voice declared. The team looked to see yet another comrade appeared from the crowd of condensed Imperials.

It was Cunla…

"Cunla," Sora said, "How long have you been there?"

"I've been here the whole time."-

"Are you still on guard duty?" Mickey asked.

"More or less," Cunla walked over to the KH team from amidst the Imperials still sitting and waiting for their turn to be taken into the transports. "I was just sitting amidst old brothers in arms."

"You seem sad, Cunla." Kairi implied.

"I am… I know I should be boisterous and jubilant knowing that we won the fight. I have every right to do so, knowing that we toppled a powerful stronghold. But at the same time, I feel so ashamed and guilty."-

"Why is that?" Riku asked.

"It's because I've fought on both sides. I was once a loyal officer of the Imperial regime, the main assassin under Sirius Viicous. These young men and boys around me were my brethren. We would eat, drink, fight, and die together. Endure each other's pains and sufferings." Cunla lowered his head.

"Do you feel any regret of turning against them?"-

"Of course not," Cunla said. "I'm glad to have taken my stance with you. I'm glad that I was able to fight along side my father for a time. I have no regrets. I vowed that day in Traverse Town, when I was on the verge of death, that if I ever had a second chance of life, I would learn everything that you, my father, and the rest of the KH team had to offer. I am a young man of my word and always stick to what I say and vow from the deepest of my heart. But at the same time, I was thinking, how could I betray so many individuals that I have become acquainted with. At the same time I questioned my motives. I had joined the Imperial ranks for the sake of a promise given to me my Lord Sirius Viicous. He would help me find my father. In exchange, I was to remain under him and serve him faithfully, obey his every command without question. You can't believe how much I wanted to gain my hopes. Thus, I followed his orders to the letter. All the while, my reputation became so great and popular amongst the Imperial troops that I soon gained respect from my peers in arms. But meeting my father under such random circumstances seemed so sudden. The reality was that I wasn't ready for such a shift. I never would have figured that my father was fighting on the opposite side." Cunla then turned away to walk amongst the Imperial prisoners. The KH team followed after him. "That's what makes it so hard. I wanted to achieve my goal so badly, I maintained incredible loyalty. But once I had achieved that goal, I threw all I once knew away so easily."

"You've never really spoken like this before, Cunla." Sora said.

"It sounds strange I know…"-

"Not at all…" Riku replied. "We can relate to your situation."

"You don't need to hide your feelings from us." Kairi added. "You're still an Imperial at heart, we know that much…"-

"But would that be so wrong though?" Cunla asked.

"I know how you feel, Cunla." Kirin said. "My situation was no different from yours. I too had joined the ranks of the Imperial regime because of the promise they made me. That they'd help me get back my little sister. But sure enough, under circumstances, I was able to find Kairi by my own means."

"But didn't you feel like you were betraying a part of you?"-

"Yes, I did. And I still do. Despite my change in loyalties, the essence in my heart has remained the same. But you know as well as I that fate must've had a better destiny for us. Otherwise, our notions and our causes would not have shifted as easily as they did."-

"I guess you're right." Cunla looked upon the weary and saddened faces of his former comrades. "Still, I can't help but feel sorry for them."

"Cunla…" Sora uttered.

"Perhaps…in a way it was justified that we, in our trek, had suffered some forms of defeat and humiliation in the battles we engaged in. It's only proper to show our humility to these young men in grey and black who have suffered the ultimate humiliation."-

"Cunla…" Riku said. There was silence now amongst the team. Cunla gazed about the Imperials. He wanted to show that he meant no hard feelings to his former comrades. He wanted to express that now it was the time to lay down their arms and embrace a new age of piece. Yet at the same time, he did not want to lose a piece of who they were. Instinctively, Cunla started to hum a few bars to a highly popular tune amidst the Imperial ranks. This tune, whose chords matched along with the Welsh song "Men of Harlech," was one that the Imperials of old sang as a custom before a major offensive on an open field. With wavering voice, Cunla began to coo the first few bars. Hearing these first few notes, Kirin began to harmonize as well. He took his position along side Cunla.

_Brave Imperials_

_Cease your dreaming_

_Can't you see their bayonets gleaming?_

_Spy the allied standards streaming_

_To this battlefront_

What happened next could only be described as one of the most magnificent things that anyone on that field or within Cetorburg had ever seen. Almost on cue, like a storm in the distance, each Imperial soldier captured, from those still awaiting their boarding, to those already on the ramps of the transports, started to harmonize. Like a summer shower, the chords grew stronger with every verse sung. At first, it seemed as though that only Cunla and Kirin would be singing a midst a sea of silence and scorned murmuring. Being seen as traitors, perhaps the captured Imperials would think their singing of this tune was an insult. But to everyone's surprise, a few began to harmonize along with Cunla and Kirin. Those few began to reverberate, infecting the rest of the massed clumps of soldiers, and many more Imperials started to sing.

Along with this enthusiasm in song, each Imperial stood up against the will of their guards and overseers and began to bellow out their voices in unison, singing the greatest of songs. Never had such passion been placed in any moment as that.

_Brave Imperials _

_Stand ye steady_

_Tight clutched arms and at the ready_

_Wreak their ranks so foul and bloody_

_Imperials moving on_

_Chorus:_

_Fight on boys, don't waver_

_Vic 'try we must savor_

_Forward men onto the end_

_This battle our greatest endeavor_

_Brave Imperials onto glory_

_This will always be your story_

_Keep these stalwart words before thee_

_Imperials forevermore_

_Brave Imperials_

_To your station_

_Fill your hearts with jubilation_

_Cheer this epic confrontation_

_Imperials to the fight_

_Brave Imperials_

_Pray your verses_

_To the foemen spread your curses_

'_Til that allied heart disperses_

_Imperials gain your might_

_Chorus:_

_Fight on boys, don't waver_

_Vic 'try we must savor_

_Forward men onto the end_

_This battle our greatest endeavor_

_Brave Imperials onto glory_

_This will always be your story_

_Keep these stalwart words before thee_

_Imperials forevermore_

With every Imperial eye, there was a tear. Not a lid or lash amidst those Imperial boys was dry. Yet despite their sobbing and crying, they did not let up in their song. With heads high, not afraid to show their sorrow, they repeated the song a second time. It was a display that humbled the Alliance and their comrades. Even in defeat, the Imperials still had a way of showing their pride.

"My God…" Sora said. "Have you ever seen anything like this?"

"It's so sad." Kairi added, moistening in her eyes as well.

"At the same time triumphant," Riku replied, "They want to show their dedication and bravery so badly."

"Imperials must've had a lot of practice in showing their pride." Sora said. "Because you have to admit, they're really good at it."

"You guys," Kirin advised as he and Cunla rejoined them. Their hearts were still heavy. "We better be off. The president is waiting."

"Yes of course…"-

Thus, into the night the KH team departed, leaving without a second glance. Still, the echo of that Epic Imperial song continued to ring in their ears.

It had not been long before the team arrived again at the city of Oceansburg. Once again they assembled in the office of President Sneer. Sneer, however, was not very jubilant when they came with the news. He was in fact solemn in his attitude, especially after Riku and Sora told the very details of the fight. He, as well as Cunla and Kirin, upon hearing of the final moments of Sirius Viicous, were just a shocked by the outcome. He looked out the grand window towards the direction that of Cetorburg.

"So the deed is finally done." He said.

"Yes…" Sora replied.

"The fighting is over at last."-

"Yes…"-

"Man," Cunla uttered. "I never would have thought that Sirius Viicous had such nobility."

"And we so harshly misjudged him." Kirin added. "He was willing to throw his own life away and repent for all he did."

"Such miserable a nature this tiding bears." Sneer implied.

"Well, we'd thought you'd be at least a little bit happy at the news, Sneer." Mickey implied. "After all, we did emerge victorious…"

"But at what cost?" Sneer asked. "So many young men and women have died to see this moment come. Many of them have fallen after this last epic battle, both sides suffering severe casualties. Despite our triumph, there is also great sorrow." Sneer turned around. "So Triiken is dead as well. He was a fine officer. None could have ever come close to his level. And Sirius Viicous, I hope that he died well and at peace."

"He did…" Riku uttered.

"Such a shame…"-

"So what will happen now?" Kairi asked.

"Now, comes the time where we resurrect this era of reconstruction." Sneer looked to the window again. "I now have the difficult task of maintaining peace and rebuilding all that has been lost. Since the bulk of the chaos is ended, it'll only be a matter of time before I order the gradual disbanding of the Alliance military and maintain only a small standing number. The soldiers will be rightfully compensated and will return to their families immediately. I've already received approval from the Assembly. Still, there won't be real hopes of success, not with all that's happened."

"But what about the remnants of the Imperials forces…?" Cunla asked.

"After Rellantando's declaration, the factional powers are once again turned against one another. There are reports of coup de tats amongst the Imperial forces breaking out everywhere. Many officers of the former separate organizations are disgruntled and enraged about the Lord Admiral taking complete control and are now starting to increase inner strife within the former Axis. This marks the immediate downshift of Imperial power." Sneer looked at the team. "But never mind all that. You're weary and I don't believe that any of you are interested in hearing about the upcoming events in politics. You all have done very well and have suffered a great deal. I believe that you have all earned a long period of rest for the time being. I'll have you set up in Traverse Town for a while."

"Well actually…" Sora uttered. He lowered his head.

"What is it?" Sneer asked.

"Well…the thing is…" Sora stuttered again, but gained enough courage to speak his peace. "We were wondering if we could return to Destiny Island."

"You wish to return to your world?"-

"We've done what we came here to do." Riku replied. "And we request leave to go back to our families. I think we've been away from home for far too long." There was a silence, which seemed somewhat uneasy in nature. The KH team feared a possible negative response. Perhaps the president didn't want to relive them just yet. But instead, Sneer smiled.

"Well, I don't see why not." Sneer replied with a smile. "With everything in a downward spiral, I might be able to press a few buttons and have you sent back. But if you can give me at least one more week to prepare the necessary documents, I will have you sent back home for good. This applies to all of you. You'll be able to leave all of this behind you. That is if everything goes according to plan."

"So we'll be able to go home?" Kairi asked.

"You have my word. I guarantee you will be brought back home as soon as possible. But you must guarantee to me that you'll be able to stay away for at least one more week."-

"We'll do." Sora said.

"Then I guess there isn't very much more to discuss." Sneer put his arms behind him. "Now, go and rest yourselves. You've earned it."

"Well," Cunla interjected, "If it is alright with you, Mr. President, I would like to return back to Cetorburg."

"Cetorburg…?"-

"Cunla…?" Sora uttered.

"Why do you want to do that?" Riku asked.

"I must help the detachments with the clean up." Cunla replied. "Though the prisoners and the wounded have been secured, there is still the gruesome task of cleaning up the slain. I would like to return to hand some assistance."

"If you must do what you need to do then so be it." Sneer replied. "I am not keeping a firm hand on what you do for the time being."

"Perhaps it would be best if I tagged along with him at well." Kirin said.

"Kirin…?" Kairi wondered.

"My skills can still be used. Besides, I must see that all those slain soldiers on both sides are given a proper burial."-

"Perhaps it would be best if we went too." Riku said.

"But Riku…" Mickey said. "You don't have to do this."

"I have to." Riku lowered his head. "As much as I want to go home, and as much as I want to have a good day's rest, in my heart I know I can't." Riku raised his eyes. "We're all the lucky ones. So we'll make it back home. But those youngsters killed today, they'll never return home again. I only think it fair that I be able to make up for their sacrifices by allowing them to find a good resting place."

"Well, if you're going to go, then so will I." Sora added.

"Do the rest of you have the same opinion then?" Sneer asked.

"Well…" Mickey sighed. "It's not like we have a lot of choice in the matter. We can't just sit about while the rest of our friends are busy helping with the cause."

"I guess you have our answer." Kairi added.

"I only wish that there were more dedicated warriors like you." Sneer said with a smile. "If this is the decision you've made, I can't stop you. You do what you have to do. However, just for tonight, I suggest that you all get at least one good night's sleep. You can help with Cetorburg in the morning."

"Thank you, sir." Cunla replied. "Oh and one more thing…"

"Yes…?"-

"Regarding the Imperial soldiers we took prisoner today. What will happen to them?"-

"I will see to it that they are given fair treatment. They may be Imperials, but they still have rights. So long as I am president, I will see to it that every Imperial is treated fairly. And when this is over, I will make sure to have them released."-

"Thank you…"-

The team saluted and withdrew. Sneer was left in his office. He poured himself a cup of tea and sat down.

"The dawn of a new peace has arisen in this world." Sneer thought to himself. "At last tranquility has finally been restored. Still, there is the matter with Rellantando being a threat. He still holds a significant amount of power and resources to launch a major offensive from Kambria."

But no sooner had the team left; then a soldier entered the chamber and saluted.

"Mr. President." He said.

"What news do you bring for me this time?" Sneer asked.

"It's regarding these recent issues, sir." He gave the president a letter. Sneer took hold of it, opened the envelope and began to read. "Intelligence believed that it'd be best you received this news privately."

No sooner had the president read, his eyes grew large with apprehension and shock.

"Is this right?" Sneer asked.

"So as reports say, sir…" the soldier replied.

"I really don't know what to make of this."-

The KH team had rested for the duration of the night. Never had sleep been so at ease, but there was still that sense of obligation to their duty and their fallen comrades. The next morning, Riku, Sora, and their friends returned to Cetorburg to do as promised. What they encountered, however, was a scene far worse than the battle that took place the day before. Upon the field there were heaps of dead bodies, scattered the entire four mile extension, from the line of woods to the top tier of Cetorburg itself. To add, the day was remarkably warm, progressively becoming hotter as the day wore on. This in effect made the task all the worse for the few teams out in the field who were engaging in burial details.

Beseeched by her friends, Kairi was refrained from helping with the burial detail and was sent to help with the wounded still remaining, comforting them and coming to their every aid. Sora and the others continued their way onto the field and started assisting the already present detachments with hauling the corpses into their final resting places. But their resting places were not honored, organized pits in some far of area of memorial, but rather in a hole next to the place where they fell. And there is a reason for this. It was due to the heat that the corpses started to deteriorate a lot faster. By this time, the bodies were starting to bloat and stiffen. Their puffed forms made the dead seem like they had been filled almost like human balloons. The limbs were all twisted and contorted, reaching a rigor mortis state. The flies were starting to buzz about and the ravens began to pick off the corpses. Blood from the wounds had already turned black, further heightening the grotesque scene. The smell itself was unbearable.

"My God," Sora uttered, "It really wreaks..."

"It's because of the heat and the sun." Cunla replied, as he and Sora moved the body of a slain key bearer. "They have a really ugly effect on dead bodies, especially in this kind of weather. What a time for a hot day."

"I can't believe this." Riku grumbled, as he was almost finished with digging another grave. "So many bodies to look after…"

"Not to mention the majority of the military has gone off to guard against any possible counter offensive by the Imperial Axis."-

"If such a thing is ever going to happen…"-

"Only a few units have remained behind to help with the dead. Thus, our task is ten times more strenuous than it would have been had all the units remained."-

"Why couldn't Sneer have kept them around a little longer?" Kirin asked.

"Well, they can't be too careful of counter attacks." Sora and Cunla hauled the body. "Make sure to dig the graves close to where each soldier fell. Otherwise, their bodies will start to fester."-

"It's a good thing that we left Kairi back at Cetorburg to tend to the remaining wounded." Riku said. "She was spared this kind of exposure."

"It'll be a thought that would've haunted her for years had she come." Kirin added.

"What a gruesome task…" Sora uttered. As he and Cunla laid the body onto the gang planks and slid them down into a mass grave, he looked about to the vast task remaining before them. The majority on that field were slain key bearers. Their fallen weapons were driven head first into the ground, perhaps to act as markers. In some places, the dead had been moved into lines, though the majority of them had died at that spot. "Slain key bearers lay on this field, as numerous as slaughtered pigs. Despite seeing death before, never has it torn my heart out as much as this. Perhaps it might be the fact that many of these young ones are even younger than I was when I first picked up the keyblade."

There were explosions in the distance. The KH team saw what was going on, realizing that the Alliance had sent out teams to scour the portion of the field where the numerous land mines were buried. One by one, they were being detonated.

"Man, even in the aftermath, there is still possible danger."-

"There is still a lingering in danger and a great task remaining before us." Cunla implied. "C'mon you guys, we still have a long way to go."

The team continued their work in silence until the late hours of the afternoon and still there were so many who still needed to be buried. But by this time, their own bodies were stiffening and aching because of all the labor intensity, picking up corpses and laying them in their graves. In the time that they spent in their task, other activities were being deployed. Land mines were being detonated, weapons were being collected from the dead and being piled up. The individual keyblades were being collected and placed in a designated section. There were those key bearers still present and alive on the field who scoured the plains for dead and fallen comrades. There was mourning for those who did find slain friends, the wailing was a continuous echo that reverberated into the minds of the KH team and which would remain with them for a long time. All the while, there were photographers, journalists, and reporters who captured images of the hideousness of the scene and the sight of the dead. Some of their activity was rather disgraceful and they were driven back by angry soldiers and grave diggers who found the presence of the media and their conduct as dishonorable to their dead companions. Still, they carried on. The sun started to set and the bodies still remaining looked like hideous and eerie forms, giving the vast field a bizarre look to it.

At the end of the day, the KH team had reached their limit and prepared to retire for the time being and allow the graveyard shift to continue with where they left off. Riku and Sora, found themselves looking over a massed grave, containing at least fifteen bodies of slain key bearers who were killed at the fence line. Some of their faces were bloodied and deformed. Not because of shrapnel, but because of the damaging effects of the mustard gas that was used the previous day. Looking upon the cold faces of the dead, Riku and Sora could only look down in sorrow, knowing that of those fifteen laying in the pit, seven of them were no older than their mid teens.

"So many men dead…" Sora said. "Boys really…" Riku remained silent as his friend continued. "They never really had a chance to live and make something of themselves. It makes you think some times. The same goes for the Imperials. They were almost all teenagers as well. This was a kids' war, a boys' war. Being amongst them makes us seem almost like old men, don't you think, Riku?" Riku not being able to speak only nodded. Again the silence lingered before he suddenly began to speak.

"Sora," he uttered, "Do you think all this could have been avoided had I acted more compassionate towards Sirius Viicous?" Sora looked at him with a puzzled stare.

"Why would you ask such a thing?"-

"All of this happened because of me. I was the one who inflicted his torment. I was the one who gave Sirius Viicous his motivation to start contemplating his plans for revenge. Hence, this is the result of his resolve, over a hundred thousand young people killed in the course of a single day."-

"These events were all in earnest, Riku. There was no way that you could have predicted this. There was no way that any of us could've predicted this. And there's no way we could've prevented it from happening. I mean who knows when this ball started to roll."-

"I know… I know…" Riku looked away. "I'm aware that these things could not have been foreseen or avoided, but still…" Riku was still plagued with what Sirius had said to him. Perplexed by there bombarding questions of "what ifs?" he quickly turned and walked away. "I can't look at this anymore."

"Riku…?" Sora quickly ran to Riku's side and walked alongside him. "What's wrong, Riku? Why do you look so pale? Are you letting all of this bother you?"

"I'm the one who put things in motion to begin with." Riku replied. "I brought my sins upon others. What was mine alone to bear I carelessly unleashed, which in turn got others involved, others who were living their own lives in peace and minding their own business. Had I taken than into thought, I could've made precautionary measures and conducted my actions in a more subtle manner. And as a result, hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people and hundreds of worlds could've been spared such a tragedy."

"Don't talk like that, Riku. Your life is worth a great deal more than you think. Don't let what Sirius ever said to you make you look like the villain. Sure he might have come from your data and genetic make-up, but he was the one who executed his plans and started putting things into motion, not you. So don't make it seem as if your life doesn't matter a damn."-

"I know that fact all too well, Sora. Roxas pointed that out to me."-

"Roxas…? When…?"-

"When we were battling against Sirius Viicous…"-

"But how did Roxas…?"-

"I don't know, Sora. I don't know how I came into contact with him. But he showed me the value of my life and enlightened me on the relevance of my existence."-

"But then why would you be talking like this again if you accepted your life's worth?"-

"As important as my life may have been, perhaps my death would have been just as equally beneficial." Sora was shocked at Riku's words.

"How can you say that, Riku? You should never want to wish for your own death!"-

Riku was silenced by Sora's declaration. Eventually, they halted before an equally chilling sight. They had reached the designated area, a open vast space had been cleared of the dead and hundreds of thousands of keyblades were collected and stuck into the ground. They were as numerous as the quills upon the back of the wild porcupine, like so many needles upon a pine branch. They were placed in such density that one could've constructed a fortress or a stockade out of keyblades alone. And yet still, there were soldiers and other key bearers bringing in more and extending the area of this keyblade graveyard.

Amongst those who were collecting were Mickey, Donald, and Goofy who had earlier gone off to help with weapons retrieval rather than assisting the burial detail. To the, dealing with the dead was far too morbid a task. They looked on as Riku and Sora stood on the outskirts of the keyblade cemetery.

"My God…" Sora uttered. "So many keyblades in one place…"

Riku tightened his fists.

"I should have died a long time ago, Sora." Riku replied. "I should've died back at Gombria."

"I told you not to talk like that, Riku!" Sora demanded. "It's depressing…!"

"My life and legacy would have had more meaning if that were to have happened."-

"And what about us, Riku, how the hell were we supposed to cope with your death?!"-

"You would've gotten over it eventually."-

"No, you're wrong, Riku!" Sora stepped in front of his friend and firmly placed his hands upon his shoulders. "You can't start thinking like that! You can't begin thinking that your death would have been equally beneficial! You are all the world to me and Kairi! You've affected the lives of so many!"

"Stop it, Sora…"-

"I mean it! How do you think Kairi and would have felt if you died?!"-

"Sora…" Sora lowered his head before Riku. His eyes began to moist a little.

"Those many years ago, I thought it was the end. I thought I lost you, my best friend. How do you think I felt when I saw your lifeless body laying their in the casket. I always thought you would just wake up as if from a dream. But you didn't wake up. And for a while, I knew that life wouldn't have been the same without you. But then Sneer came with the dragon balls and allowed me the privilege or making one wish. I saw my chance to revive you from death. And I took it. I brought you back to life. And if doing so was a crime, then I am guilty as charged! Please don't make me start thinking that what I did was a mistake. Please, Riku…"-

Riku saw how distraught Sora was. He sadly smiled.

"I'm sorry, Sora…" Sora and Riku made eye contact. "I don't know what to think right now. It's just all this. All that's happened that has given me a sense of negativity on everything. I just feel so guilty knowing that I was one of the lucky ones. Not only one of the lucky ones, but the primary target. I was the main cause to all this. This was my responsibility from the start. But in the end, I survived along with all my friends. However, so many of these youths, most of them younger than we, have died, yet they didn't ask for any of this to happen. This was not their burden to bear."

"Riku…"-

Both looked upon the keyblades.

"These dark and tragic images will never leave our minds, Sora." Riku whispered. "The hideousness of this world's chaotic resolve has resulted in an entire generation to lose their lives in such a wasteful and miserable way." Silence lingered for a brief moment before Riku concluded his statement. "If at some point in my life someone would ask me 'what was the worst experience you ever had?' After today, there can be no other moment that would rival in equal comparison."

Sora, could say nothing further. He knew his words were not enough to comfort the amount of grief that lay on the shoulders of his friend. He could only place his hand on Riku's shoulder. He wanted so much to help and resolve Riku's pain.

"Riku…" he said. Riku raised his eyes. "I'm going to make things better for you."

"What are you going to do?"-

"It's a long shot, but I have to try." Sora quickly turned away and ran.

"Sora, where are you going?"-

"I have to see President Sneer again!"-

"For what…?"-

"I'm going to make things right!"-

Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, who had collected and driven into the soil the recent fallen keyblades, were curious and went to join Riku. By this time, Sora was already out of sight. But his actions caught the intrigue of his friends.

"Where's Sora going?" Goofy asked.

"He seems in rather a hurry." Donald added. "What did he say, Riku?"

"I don't really know." Riku replied. "He was a little vague in his explanation. He said that he was going to make things right, whatever that means."

Mickey's eyes widened.

"I think I know what be might be planning." He implied.

"Ya do?" Goofy asked.

"What is it, Your Majesty?" Donald asked.

"He might try to use the dragon balls." Mickey explained.

"Dragon balls…? Not those seven spheres that can grant any wish, right?"-

"The very same…"-

"My God," Riku uttered, "Sora's planning to wish everyone back to life."

Sora, by this time, managed to reach the gummi ship that had remained stationary at Cetorburg. Kairi in the meantime was helping tend to the wounded when she saw Sora running into the vessel.

"Sora…?" She uttered. The rockets suddenly ignited and the gummi lifted off. Kairi ran to observe. She hollered out, but in vain. "Where are you going, Sora?!"

Sora frantically flew back to Oceansburg. Air contact took control of Sora's destination.

"Unidentified craft," the commander of air control declared, "You are entering secured air space. Identify yourself at once, or immediate aggressive action will be taken against you."

"This is Sora," Sora replied. "I request an immediate parlay with President Sneer."

"On whose authority…?"-

"Please, this is an emergency."-

"Let me contact the President."-

"Hurry…"-

It didn't take long for Sneer to receive the message. He was looking over the documents he recently received and was preparing himself a kettle of tea when the call came through.

"Mr. President," the commander of air control said.

"What is it?" Sneer asked.

"There's an unidentified craft heading this way."-

"Is that so? Are they showing any aggression?"-

"It's not confirmed the intensions of this individual, but he goes by the name of Sora."-

"Sora…?" Sneer's eyes widened. "I thought he was at Cetorburg?"-

"What should we do, sir?" the commander asked.

"Let me have a visual."-

"Sir…"-

Upon the big screen over his desk, there came the sight of the little gummi heading at full speed towards Oceansburg.

"Sora…" Sneer thought to himself. "What in God's name brings him back so early?" He gave a sigh. "Well, it's better now than later I guess. I can give him the news I received yesterday."

"What should we do, Sir?" the commander asked.

"Let him through all security check points."-

"But sir, we can't confirm if he is a friend or foe."-

"Is he slowing down?" There was silence before the commander gave a response.

"Yes sir. The craft is reducing its speed."-

"Then you know the rest."-

"Yes sir."-

It had not been twenty minutes before Sora finally made it to Sneer's office. Accompanied by an officer and four soldiers, Sora presented himself before Sneer. He was slightly fatigued after all the rushing.

"The Master of the Keyblade, sir." The officer addressed.

"Leave us then."-

"Sir…" the officer and the soldiers turned about and withdrew leaving Sora and Sneer alone.

"Thank you for seeing me in such an unexpected notice, Mr. President."-

"Sit down and rest yourself, Sora." Sneer replied. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"That would be fine."-

Sneer picked up the fresh kettle and poured the contents into two separate cups. He handed one to Sora.

"I didn't think that you would be back here so quickly and on your own. I figured that you still had a task to fulfill."-

"It was an emergency that urged me to come here."-

"Well, you did save me the time of meeting with you. I had some news to give you regarding some of the matters I received yesterday after you left me. Although I was hoping to share it with the entire KH team, but I'm sure you can pass on the word to your comrades. But first things first," Sneer took a sip of his tea. "Now you said that you came here for an emergency. What sort of emergency calls you to my office?"

"I know that you are the only one who can help us."-

"And this is regarding…?"-

Sora was silent for a while. He lowered his head. But this was all to clear to Sneer, knowing the reason behind the young man's actions. Still, he set forth his inquiry.

"Before I give any explanation," Sora continued, "I would like to point out that I am doing this on behalf of my friends, especially Riku."

"What's going on?"-

"Riku has been a little on the down side. He blames himself for all that's happened. I can understand the angle he's coming from, but I'm always trying to be persuasive saying that there is no way he could've prevented or predicted all this. Still, the weight on his shoulders is still heavy. That's why I thought you'd be able to help. That's why I came to you. I was hoping that you'd be able to fulfill a deep request of mine."-

"There is no need to tell me any further, Sora." Sneer replied as he lowered his cup on the table. "I know what it is you came here for."

"You already know?" Sora was astounded.

"It's perfectly obvious what it is you want of me. You want to know if you can use the dragon balls again, correct? You want to make a wish to revive all those who were killed by the Imperial Axis and the factional powers, am I right?" Sora was silent. He hesitated out of apprehension, fearing that what he would hear might be a negative response. By the mood in the room, there was no doubt that such a predicament was inevitable. Yet still Sora made a subtle response.

"Yes…" he said.

"Sora," Sneer stood up and looked out of his grand windows, watching as the sun began to descend upon the horizon, "You know that I am not a cruel man and never intend to do you any harm. In most cases, you know I'd be more than willing to do anything within my authority to see you and your comrades get what you need. Unfortunately…" Sneer paused, "That is a request that I cannot fulfill."

"But why not…?" Sora asked, calm yet firmly. "You allowed us to use the dragon balls before."

"And I say to you now as I did back then, you were only allowed to use the dragon balls once. And that opportunity has passed. As well, there are other reasons for my decline."-

"What are they?"-

Sneer sat back down.

"I know that making a wish to restore the lives of the slain seems noble and just, especially after the waste of young lives at Cetorburg, an entire generation wiped out in the course of a single day, but you must also take to mind the impact a second revival would have. When you made your first wish those six years ago, people found the Great Resurrection as a miracle, as a sign from God. However, should the people be revised a second time, they may no longer consider it a miracle, but may fall under the impression that they had been given special rights to receive a resurrection from the grave after their supposed demise. Thus, they may think that be being brought back to life a second time, it's possible that people would expect a third and a fourth and would thus make light of life, thinking that if they do die, they could always come back." Sneer sipped his tea. "I know that such a conjecture seems long winded, but you'd be surprised on how people would react, knowing that they could be revived countless times. Goku and his friends have undergone such a situation for several occurrences already."

"Several times…?" Sora asked.

"Oh yes, there have been multiple incidences when their home planet Earth had been attacked and threatened, and thousands, if not millions of people have died in the course of their grand battles. But in the conclusion of each fight, which take place within single or several year intervals, they always used the dragon balls to revive those who have died needlessly."-

"But if they were able to make such wishes several times, why can't I?"-

"I'm getting to that, Sora. Let me explain further." Sneer placed his cup upon the saucer. "Goku and the Z fighters hate the thought of so many innocent people being killed by ruthless foes. They hate the sight of seeing the pure brought before the hands of a blood thirsty individual like lambs to the slaughter. However, at times I question their motivations as well. Things are not always black and white as most people think, especially in this day and age where you cannot truly distinguish the difference between good and evil. By wishing the dead back so many times, the people revived come under the impersonation that fate has an obligation to them. Hence, they start to think that they are partially immortal, when in reality they do not know the full extent of what it was that resurrected them. All the while, those who grant the wish are given extraordinary power. The power of the dragon balls is a force that is unrivaled in this or any other world because of their capacity to grant the desires of individuals. But there is the flaw. By defying death in mass quantity, we start taking on the role of a deity. And that is something that none of us, you and I included should be allowed to do."-

"But so many people…" Sora tightened his fist. "So many of our friends and allies have died, Cuchulain, Ophelia Billiard, Athrun Zala, Heero Yuy, Edward and Alphonse Elric, Hayner, Pence, Triiken, even that young ninja Sasuke Uchiha, they all were killed along with so many others who were involuntarily brought in to fight this war that wasn't theirs to begin with."-

"It is tragic I know, Sora. But whatever gave us the right to play God? Not even Goku and the Z fighters had a right to interfere with death and take on the role of God, denying death's course. And here's another thing. If you were to bring back all those who had been killed, what lesson would have been learned? What realization would have concluded without so much bloodshed occurring from the start? Do you think, if everyone were revived, that they would learn from their past mistakes?"-

Sora was silenced. He had never figured on such a concept.

"I never thought of that." He uttered.

"Nor did I or the Z fighters, or anyone." Sneer replied. "But then again we are only mortal. We make mistakes and choices, not knowing the outcome. Things that might turn out for the worse may be a blessing in disguise and vice versa. The concept of perspectives and emotions play a major part as well. But in order for something to be gained, there has to be an equal amount of loss. In this case, perhaps such a repercussion of bloodshed might be avoided next time because of the horrific memories that have taken place at Cetorburg. But if we were to wish everyone killed back to life, would things improve or stay as they have? We can't pass these events up as if they never occurred to begin with." Sneer took another sip of his tea. "As well, if you did plan to wish people back from the dead, you'd have to do it for both sides. Not just the Alliance and all those who fought your common enemy."

"But why would you want to that?"-

"The reason being is because doing so, to one side and not the other, would only give rise to further tension. Thus, dire consequences may result. In fact, I believe that is the main point that helped motivate Sirius Viicous and the other two of the Three Excellencies into achieving the amount of power that they did." Upon hearing those words, Sora's mind went blank. His eyes widened. He recalled his wish to revive all who were killed by the Empire. He thus reflected on what Sirius said to Riku back in the bowels of Cetorburg.

"_The Great Resurrection revived everyone who battled against the Imperial regime including you. But no one who stood to fight for the Cavendish regime was allowed a second life. I hated it, I hated you, and so did many other Imperial loyalists whose loved ones weren't brought back to life. Thus, I rallied them together and began my own movement, hoping to revive the Dark Empire."_

"It can't be…"-

"If you noticed," Sneer continued, "many of the Imperials you fought along the way were young, not even grown up enough to carry a weapon. No doubt that the majority of them were avengers who found the Great Resurrection an unjust revival. Not only did they lose their cause, but their loved ones as well. Therefore, sons took the place of their fathers. Younger sisters and brothers took on the role vacated by their elder siblings, and so on and so forth. The revival of the Imperial cause was most likely a backdrop for their rallying to the banners of the factional powers. They swore to inflict devastation throughout all worlds and have the Alliance and its associates feel the equal amount of impact. That is the reason why Rellantando allowed the sacking of Twilight Town to be as devastating as it was. The same goes for the sacking of all towns and cities in Siluria and all other settlements west of the Graakun River prior to the campaign at Long Valley. All of it was done for the sake of the men, so that they could savor revenge against our aids and our allies."

"All this…?" Sora put his hands to his head. "All of this happened because of my wish, because of me…? My God…" Sneer came to realize that what he said a little over the top. He tried to make it up.

"Sora…" But Sora wasn't in a listening tone. He was too fixated on how things came to be.

"I was the one who motivated Sirius and those others. I was the one who helped the ball rolling for this chaos. It's my fault…"-

"Sora, listen to me." Sneer said, putting his hand on his shoulder. Sora looked up. "Do not start thinking that this is your fault."

"But the wish…"-

"If you could have foreseen these events, do you think that you would have made your wish to begin with? I think not."-

"But…"-

"You earlier told me that you were saying the same thing to Riku. Don't start moping and moaning about what's already happened."-

"But it was because of that wish that I signed the death warrants of an entire generation, a generation that barely had anytime to live their lives."-

"Then if you are so guilty, so am I." Sneer replied.

"You…?" Sora asked. He was puzzled at the president's declaration.

"I am guilty because I did not foresee any of this. I too saw the revival of all those killed as a blessing in disguise. I thought it to be unselfish and compassionate on your part because you took into consideration the lives of all those lost, not just Riku's. I figured that the outcome would be the same as with Goku when he would use the dragon balls to wish everyone back to life. However, there is a significant difference between those events and the one presented before us now. It was because the fights on Earth were isolated incidences, felt only by those who were present on the Earth. And it was the wrath of one vengeful or ambitious rogue that threatened destruction, not an entire organization. But the Imperial Axis, like the Dark Empire, was spread throughout all worlds and wielded a cause dedicated to those who followed, and not just to the loyalty of one or two superior commanders. Hence, because of this vast occupation, more people were affected. Had I taken that factor into account, I might have withheld my choice to allow you to make the wish."-

"Then it is because of me."-

"You must understand this though, Sora. Tensions were already strong enough against us and the dwindling Imperial powers. More bloodshed was inevitable. Therefore, no doubt that conflict would have arisen had the wish been made or not. If it is anyone's absolute fault here, it is mine. I have so much to take care of, so much to maintain. And in the process, you, Riku, and the rest of your friends were involuntarily forced to participate. For that I am truly sorry." Sneer lowered his eyes. "We all do what we think is best, but there are always negative outcomes that emerge somewhere because of that. We wanted to end and avoid war, but instead we enhanced and engaged in it, shedding more innocent blood and killing so many, guilty and innocent. In a way, we are all partially responsible. Therefore, there is no one person to blame. It is all a burden that everyone has to carry because everyone helped to provoke it. As I said, we are not all perfect. We are mortal. We are imperfect, whether you are an Imperial, an Alliance soldier, an Oceanarian, a Kambrian, a key bearer, a Saiyan, an alchemist, or a Coordinator. If we were all meant to be absolutely perfect, then nothing like this would have occurred from the start."-

Sora realized what Sneer was saying. Seeing the president's action, Sora realized that what Sneer said was true. Everyone had a hand to play. Everyone in a way provoked the conflict into its escalation. By accepting this, Sora's burden was suddenly lifted.

"Thank you, sir." Sora uttered. "You're helped me lighten the load." Sneer could only smile.

"Sora," he placed his hand upon the papers that were present on the table. "I had hoped to tell you this news. However, it seems rather irrelevant now. Perhaps it would be best if I shared this information with you at a later date, perhaps when the rest of your friends are present as well."-

"Whatever you think is best, sir." Sora replied. He stood up. "Thanks for the tea. I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you. I'll leave quietly."

"There is no fault here, my friend."-

"Sir…" Sora thus turned away, leaving the president with his documentation. Sneer sat down in his seat and continued to finish what was left of his first helping.

"In reality, this is all my fault." The president thought to himself. "To put so much weight on that young man's shoulders, weight that wasn't even his to begin with, I curse my own inadequacy and incompetence…" Sneer closed his eyes and sighed. "A great many have died recently. The majority are young. And the young are the ones who suffer and die on the field, leaving their elders to scorn their own souls at the mistakes they've made that led to this worse case scenario."

In the meantime, Sora had made his slow withdrawal back to the ground floor. As he made his way back to the landing station, he was confronted by none other than Riku and the others who had followed him soon after.

"Sora," Riku shouted.

"Hey Sora," Donald and Goofy cried.

"It looks like we caught up with you." Mickey added.

"You guys…?" Sora said. "What are you doing here?"

"We were worried about you, Sora." Kairi explained. "You left in rather a hurry."

"Sorry about not telling you." Sora lowered his eyes. "I was just trying to…"

"You don't need to explain anything to us, Sora." Riku interceded. "We know why you came here." Sora was baffled at his friend's awareness of his intensions.

"You do?"-

"Yes… You wanted to ask Sneer if you could use the dragon balls to revive all those who were killed yesterday, right." Sora's eyes opened wide.

"How did you know?"-

"It was the most likely thing you would do, especially after what you did for me those six years ago." Sora saddened his look.

"I'm sorry, Riku." The young man lowered his head. "I tried to persuade the president, but he…" The youth couldn't speak.

"Hey, it's alright, buddy." Riku put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "You don't need to do that."

"But you've been bothered with all that's happened. And all that we've seen, how the heck can we ignore all this and allow so many to remain dead when we have one chance to revive them all back to life?"-

"And that's what I've been pondering on the most. I started thinking that perhaps all this happened for a reason, Sora. Perhaps all of those young people died for a much larger cause, one that we don't fully understand. Maybe there were some unseen forces at work who wanted to show exactly how tragic this war actually is and how devastating these battles really are. That way the same mistakes could be avoided should a similar predicament rise again. But if we fulfill our own wants and make things better, what alternative paths would be taken when there was no bloodshed from the start? If we were to wish them all back, what lessons would we have learned?"-

Riku's words were nostalgic to the blue eyed youth. Sora recalled those same words spoken from the president not too long ago. In that instant, he came to the realization that perhaps things were not as bad as he thought. Who was he do dictate life and death as if he were God? Sora sighed. Riku put his arm around his old friend.

"The only thing that matters right now is that we're all still alive." Riku continued. "We were the lucky ones."

"Yeah…" Sora uttered. "I guess you're right…"

"Well, what do you say we turn in for the night?" Riku held Sora close in a friendly embrace. "We've done our share for the time being, don't you think, buddy?"-

"Yeah…"-

With that, the team left Oceansburg with a clear conscience. But Sora still had to tell his friends of what Sneer said.

"By the way," he implied, "I just wanted to tell you that Sneer had some news for all of us."

"Oh, what was it?" Mickey asked.

"I don't know. He never told me."-

"Then what's the point in telling us?" Donald said.

"Well, Sneer said that he would give us the news himself later, as soon as we were all reassembled."-

"Then we should be waiting for his news." Riku told him. "Besides, Cunla and Kirin aren't here."

"Where are they?"-

"They're back at the ship, seeing that it was parked in its space properly."-

The team continued on with their gossip as they returned to the ships that awaited their return. Little did they realize that another old ally of theirs, the young Sojiro Seta, was on his way up to the president's office. Sora had not been out of Sneer's officer for twenty minutes when Sojiro came through the door, accompanied by the officer in charge and the four guards who had escorted Sora earlier.

"Lieutenant Colonel Sojiro Seta to see you, sir." The officer declared.

"I'm just blessed with a lot of guest this evening aren't I?" Sneer gave a humored snicker. "Very well then, commander, that'll be all."

"Sir…" The officer saluted and he and his detachment withdrew.

"I was expecting you a little later, Lieutenant Colonel."-

"I'm terribly sorry, sir." Sojiro declared.

"Well, this couldn't have been a better time." Sneer walked up to the youth and handed him a sheet of paper.

"What is this?" Sojiro asked.

"I want you to deliver this to Earth. Tell them that it's urgent."-

"Understood…"-

"Now," Sneer put his arms behind him, "What is it that you needed to speak to me about?"

"It's regarding this, sir." Sojiro handed another dispatch, "A message from the infirmary." Sneer took the note and opened it. His eyes were suddenly widened, not with fear, but with a twinkle. He smiled slightly. Sojiro continued his statement. "Apparently, the patient…has reawakened."

"Well, I can say this much." Sneer said. "This will definitely lift up smiles on the faces of the KH team won't it?"

"I should say it would, sir."-

"Then again, that's not the only element." Sneer looked to the outgoing message delicately held in Sojiro's hands. Sneer grinned a ferocious grin. "Sojiro…"

"Sir…?"-

"Let me ask you… Was Triiken good to his word?"-

"Well, yes sir, the paper work has been filled out. But you're not suggesting that we…"-

"Why not…? I feel a little humorous this time around."-

"But do you think this is an appropriate time to bring this up, especially when…"-

"I will handle the situation from here on out, Sojiro. Thus, I will take full responsibility for whatever happens. Besides, if I know Riku and Sora, they always expect the unexpected. But you may accompany as a precaution if you wish." Sneer turned to the young man. "I want everything ready within the next three days."-

"Of course…"-

"I'm depending on you now, Sojiro."-

"I understand." Sojiro saluted and withdrew, but he inwardly commented. "There is nothing to fear though, Mr. President. Soon things will be as they once were."

Sojiro withdrew from the office altogether, leaving Sneer in his solitude. He thus said to himself, gazing out of his grand windows to the dusky setting.

"And so thus comes the end of an age. The chaos is finally settling down."-


	143. The Road Home

The Road Home

Traverse Town was put on hold for the duration of the week. Instead, the KH team continued with the clean up at Cetorburg, at times taking in some nights with the night shifts. They spent warm summer nights out in the open amidst the hustle and bustle. It was peaceful yet tense, especially where there were still thousands of bodies strewn all over the battlefield, their lifeless eyes peering from out of the darkness. It was a horrific endurance for the KH team, having to see so many soldiers and so may key bearers dead and buried. But despite the gruesome task, they carried on, holding dedication before their own desires. They kept quoting to themselves, saying that their fallen comrades were the one's that mattered.

It had been two days before more detachments were sent by Sneer to quicken with burial detail. The past two days were hot and humid. Thus, the bodies became more grotesque and bloated. The number of scavengers, ravens, and flies increased and had to be exterminated so that they wouldn't disturb the dead. Eventually, through time and endurance, the scene gave way, from a scene of rotting corpses, to thousands of dirt mounds marking where they were interred.

As the third day passed, word was finally sent to the KH team. An officer had arrived to inform the entire KH team. Riku and Sora were on the verge of filling up their latest grave. Sora said a prayer and gave the final rights before he and Riku packed the dirt down tight.

"How many holes have we dug up and filled?" Riku asked.

"I don't know." Sora replied. "I kinda lost count."

"Well, it doesn't matter right now. At least we know that a few more good men have been laid to rest."-

"Yeah…"-

Just then, a voice came and shouted across the field.

"Riku, Sora," it bellowed. The two key bearers looked up to see Kairi approaching them. Alongside was the officer bearing the message. "There's a messenger here."

"What is it?" Riku asked.

"Riku, Sora," the officer saluted.

"What can't we do for you?" Sora inquired.

"President Sneer wishes to inform you that you and the rest of the KH team have been relieved."-

"Relieved…?"-

"Yes, sir, the president wants to give you and your companions team a rest. He instructs that you wait for him at Traverse Town for a private discussion."-

"What kind of discussion?" Riku asked.

"I don't know, sir. He simply wanted me to convey you only that he bears news for you and that you've postponed your leisure time for far too long."-

"Well, it's good to know that the president is so concerned for us." There was a silence before Riku began speaking again. "Tell the president that his concerns are acknowledged. We will depart for Traverse Town immediately."-

"Yes sir." The officer replied.

"However, give him this message. Make sure that he'll guarantee a proper burial for all of the fallen here. The least these slain can have is a decent internment."-

"Understood, sir," the officer saluted and withdrew. Riku turned to Kairi.

"Kairi, go find Mickey, Donald and Goofy." He then turned to Sora. "Sora, find Kirin and Cunla. Tell them that we're retiring to Traverse Town. Our task is done here."

"Are you okay with that?" Sora asked.

"President Sneer is a man of his word. He will keep his promise. In the meantime, we have to get as much rest as we can. Who knows what may happen in the next couple of days."-

Without another syllable spoken, Sora and Kairi withdrew to give their word to their other friends. Riku in the meantime padded down one last shovel of dirt onto the fresh grave of a fallen key bearer. He raised his eyes up to the surroundings and gazed upon the tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of mounts that were strewn all over the field.

"May you rest in peace my fellows." He said silently. "You're all dismissed."

Melancholy was still a constant companion with the KH team, even as they stayed away peacefully in the calming atmosphere of the Traverse Town settlement. The events of the past few days still plagued them. Hence, their few leisurely moments at Traverse Town were not at all a relaxing experience. After the bloody confrontations at Atlantis, the Disney Kingdom, Cetorburg, and the Spectral Fortress, the livelihood that the team enjoyed was not all that it could have been. Though there were attempts to cheer each other up and lighten the mood, the blanket of grief continued to hold heavy. Each team member went into their own seclusion, hoping that they would be able to wipe the sorrow from their minds and hearts.

Cunla and Kirin were always at the docking bay, looking over all the supplies and seeing that everything was in stock, or up and running. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy spent their time at the first district inn and tavern, spending away countless hours, from the height of the day to the candle lit nights. Kairi spent most of her time at the hotel, helping Olette and the children who were still staying comfortably in their accommodations.

The children were all so happy, playing around in the room. Kairi sat quietly, cooing one of the little toddlers to sleep. For a time, she felt relieved, cradling the little child in her arms. Olette sat next to her.

"How are you feeling, Kairi?" she asked.

"I feel a little better." Kairi replied. "After everything that's happened, I find it nice to sit back for a while."

"Was it that bad? The fight I mean…"-

"Yeah… So many had to die…" Kairi looked down into the face of the slumbering child. "It's so sad. They were all so young. You couldn't really consider them men and women. They were more like boys and girls. They were children who died on the fields of Cetorburg and for what? An entire future generation had to perish because of the mistakes of their elders. And to be one of those who survived, it makes me feel guilty."

"Cheer up, Kairi." Olette put her hand upon Kairi's shoulder. "Look on the bright side. Because of all that you've done, you were able to protect these little children from harm."

"I guess you're right." Kairi smiled a little, gazing at the happy faces of each kid that played around her. "The sacrifices of one upcoming generation saved the lives of another future generation." The child stirred a little before falling asleep again.

"How is everyone else coping with all that's happened?" Olette asked again.

"Well, they're off doing what they do best to contend with grief. I think they want to be alone for a little while. And its best, so they can have time to rethink their thoughts."-

"And what about Riku and Sora? Where are they at?"-

"The last time I remember, Sora was walking about in the alleyway. As for Riku…" Kairi sighed. "Well…I have no idea where Riku went. But knowing him, he always goes off on his own. Sometimes, you can never figure where he's gone."

"Don't you worry about him?"-

"Not really… Riku's always come back, he and Sora both." Kairi then looked down into the face of the slumbering child. But as she did, her mind began to envision a sight from her own past. Instead of seeing the face of a sleeping toddler, she saw the bloodied and near dead face of Sora, the way he appeared when he was thought dead at the Spectral Fortress. Kairi was silent. Her eyes moistened a little and she made a slight sniffle. "But then at times, I fear that one day they may not come back at all."

As Kairi dealt with her own melancholy, Riku on the other hand had secluded himself entirely. He decided to sit a while upon the steps in the waterway. Head in his hands, he stared blankly into the dim light, listening only to the sound of dripping and running water. He was entrenched in his own inner thoughts, recalling all that happened.

In his mind, he could see phantoms of close comrades who have long been deceased.

"I hope that they're all doing well in the afterlife." Riku thought to himself. Then, in nostalgia, he came upon the face of Ophelia Billiard who suddenly appeared before him as bright as day. He envisioned her innocent stance and her happy smile with those beautiful emerald green eyes. Riku's eyes widened. Tears started to form a little.

"Riku…" he could hear her say.

"Ophelia…" Riku whispered. "How I miss you…"

Suddenly, there came the sound of something approaching from the darkness, the sound of steady foot prints. Riku drew his hand up, prepared to unleash his keyblade should whatever was approaching him be dangerous. But to his relief, from out of the shadows appeared his best friend, Sora.

"Sora…" Riku thought inwardly.

"There you are, Riku." Sora said. "I was wondering where you went."

"Hey there, Sora, how're you doing?"-

"I'm doing alright. I was just a little worried about you. You went off on your own without telling anyone where you might have been."-

"Well, you know me, Sora. I always wander on my own. I have to be alone some times."-

"Yeah, but here in the dark…?"-

"The darkness is friendly, Sora. You should know that already."-

"Yeah, I know." Sora stood over his still sitting comrade. "Do you mind if I sit with you for a while?"

"Oh no, go right ahead."-

Sora obliged and sat himself next to Riku. Like so many times in the past, they sat close together. The sound of the trickling water was soothing, so the silence between the two lingered on. Then, Riku decided to speak.

"So how is everyone else coping with what's gone on?" Riku asked.

"They seem to be doing okay." Sora replied. "I checked on all our friends. Kirin and Cunla are outside the gates watching the maintenance for the gummi ships. Goofy, Donald, and Mickey are busy talking and reminiscing in the first district tavern. As for Kairi, she's still over at the hotel watching the children with Olette. Other than that nothing really exciting has gone on."

"After all the strenuous situations we've gone through for the past few days, I'd like to leave excitement behind for a while and just ease my mind."-

"Yeah…"-

The two sat again in silence, the sound of the trickling water still going on, a continuous yet soothing tune in the backdrop of the stone cavern.

"What about you, Sora?" Riku asked. "How are you coping with all this?"

"Well…" Sora paused for a moment before continuing. "To tell you the truth, I don't really know how to feel. This conflict was something out of the ordinary. It was something that we never really fought before. This is not like battling against the heartless or Organization XIII, although we've had our fair share of combat with them as well during this trek. But in most cases, we were battling against other fellow human beings who thought, fought, and bled just as equally as we did. And everything wasn't black and white, or divided by a line on who was the good guy and who was the bad guy. We came to know the other side as well."

"That's the thing about war. If you come to understand your enemy, you learn to sympathize with them. And that is something that you can't have when engaged in a conflict." Riku sighed. "But still, you can't help but want to understand. On the other side of your weapon, in most cases you won't see a monster. They only end up being guys no older than you are who are fighting just as hard for what they believe in. It's hard to swallow at times. We each share similarities in pains, emotions, values in friendship and family. We may also share a common heritage, language, history, stories, myths, and ways of life. But it's our different dreams…" Riku looked at Sora. "It's our different dreams that give rise to conflict. We all want to fulfill those dreams, but some try to outdo the other and create a utopia meant only for their visions." Riku looked at his hands. "It's a cruel irony at times. Though we are all supposed to follow our hearts, sometimes our hearts lead to conflict with one another. You and I are not the exception either. When I was trying to restore things back to what they were those many years ago, I had enough gall to turn against you, Sora. But then again, I was following my own heart. Little did I realize that doing so would only reverberate into these present events."

"Riku…" Sora uttered.

"You can't begin to imagine how much those moments tore me apart when I realized that what I was doing was wrong. And because of those actions, they eventually led to this moment. The fight with the factions, the fight with Sirius, they were all a result of that mistake."

"Riku…"-

"I have long feared that my sins would return to visit me. And they have. They have struck back with a vengeance." Sora put his arm around Riku.

"We all make mistakes, Riku. That's just a part of life. Things never turn out as they would in our minds. But still, we succeeded. We are key bearers. And as key bearers, we have an obligation to do what is right. To be a great warrior, you must be willing to fight. To be a great leader, however, you must be willing to accept the demise of the thing you hold dearest. You and I may not fear our own ends, but we never expect the countless deaths of so many others. But all the while, we must find purpose in their sacrifices. Otherwise, the blood they shed would have been for nothing."-

"You have a point there…" The two were silent again before Sora carried on.

"I wonder if his heart found the light too."-

"Who…?" Riku asked

"Sirius…"-

Riku paused for a moment. He looked to the ceiling.

"I don't know." He uttered.

"I know it sounds wrong to talk like that about him, especially after all that's happened. But still, I can't help, but feel a little bit sorry for him."-

"Sirius was following his own heart. But his dreams eventually came into conflict with our own. Though his dreams were worthy, the methods he used were less than satisfactory and resulted in everyone turning against him. In the end, he lost everything he gained."-

"Well, not everything. I think there's one thing that he gained which was more important than everything else."-

"What was that?"-

"Your approval…"-

That single statement silenced Riku. He lowered his eyes.

"That's all he wanted from me." The silver haired youth quoted to him self. "He simply wanted my acknowledgement."

"It's too bad that we had to meet under such circumstances."-

"Yeah…" Riku looked up again. "You know, Sora…"

"What is it?"-

"I hope you won't think me losing my mind when I say this, but if things would have been different, perhaps Sirius and I could have been friends too."-

Sora only looked at his friend with that solemn gaze. He then recalled the item he placed in his pocket.

"Riku, I wanna give you something." He said.

"Give me what?" Riku asked. Sora reached into the leg pocket of his shorts and pulled out the item.

It was the paper machete mask that Sirius was last wearing.

He handed it to Riku.

"I think you should keep this." He continued.

"Sirius's mask…" Riku uttered.

"I believe he would have wanted you to have it. Think of it as a momentum."-

"Thanks Sora, but I don't think…" But Sora stopped him before he could finish his statement.

"Believe it as helping to uphold his memory then. That way, he doesn't fade away. Also, this will act as our personal testimony that we knew Sirius for who he was instead of what he was."-

Riku sighed and smiled. He thus took the mask from Sora's grasp.

"Thanks Sora…"-

"Don't mention it."-

No sooner had the calmness returned; there came the distance holler of one of their comrades in the distance.

"Riku, Sora," the voice shouted.

"Who is that?" Riku asked curiously.

"I don't know." Sora replied. "It sounds like Cunla."

Sure enough, Cunla came running from out of the darkness.

"Riku, Sora, there you two are." The boy said.

"What's up, Cunla?"-

"We just received word from the Alliance headquarters. A messenger is being sent to give us the news."-

"A messenger…?"-

"But I thought Sneer was coming here personally." Riku asked.

"Apparently, there has been a slight change, so he's sending someone in his stead."-

"Not surprising, he is the president after all." Riku stood up. "Well, we better go and assemble at the hotel."

"Is everyone else going?" Sora asked.

"Yeah," Cunla replied. "I've relayed the message and the others are heading towards the hotel too. I said we'd meet them there."

"Well, we can't have a messenger, bearing important news for us, waiting now can we?" Sora stood up as well. "Are you ready to go, Riku?"

"Let's hurry."-

The three made their way out of the waterway. But no sooner had they begun, Riku suddenly stopped in his tracks. He seemed preoccupied, glancing back through the darkness.

"Hey Riku are you coming?" Sora asked.

"I'm coming." He shook himself off. Inwardly, he stated. "I wonder, what was that feeling just now…"

The party assembled in the Green room, anxiously awaiting the news passed on by President Sneer.

"I wonder what news Sneer has for us." Kirin thought aloud.

"Perhaps it's our next mission." Cunla explained.

"Our next mission…?" Sora asked.

"Most likely…"-

"But what next mission would that be?" Kairi wondered. "Do you mean we still have to fight?"

"The Imperial threat still hasn't diminished yet. We have managed to eliminate the Midnight Faction, and you guys were able to defeat Sirius Viicous. However, you forget that there are still two factions that pose a possible threat."-

"Are you talking about Marcus Montague and Delorion Rellantando?"-

"I don't think they pose much of a threat." Donald scoffed, folding his arms in front of him. "They're nothing compared to the Sirius Viicous."

"Oh you'd be surprised."-

"We have to do some more fighting…?" Goofy moped.

"There isn't really much choice. So long as the Montague and Rellantando are alive, they are still enough to pose a threat. Even though Montague has lost the majority of favor within the former Arakis Foundation, he can still…"-

"No…" Riku uttered suddenly. The team was curious of the response that Riku made.

"No…?" Sora asked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean no, Sora. We've already done our part."-

"But Riku…"-

"Are you saying that you're quitting?" Cunla asked.

"Not for my own sake, but for my friends." Riku replied. He gazed at Sora and Kairi. "I've placed you guys in such a position, having to take on a task that was mine alone to handle from the very beginning. I got you involved in my affairs, but no more."

"Riku…" Sora uttered.

"Do you remember what I said, Sora, back at the Spectral Fortress? When this was all over, we'd all go home together."-

"Yes I do, but it's still not over, Riku. We still have two more tyrants out there who could rise up again."-

"I'm not talking about us. I'm talking about you and Kairi."-

"Huh…?"-

"I thought that I was going to lose the both of you when we were storming the Spectral Fortress and fighting Sirius Viicous. I thought I had, especially when you were hit by that energy ball, Sora. That's why I think it would be better and less nerve wracking if I go on fighting alone."-

"What are you talking about?"-

"I'm saying that you and Kairi should go back to Destiny Island. I don't want to have to see you in danger again."-

"That's nonsense," Sora put his hand on Riku's shoulder and held firmly. "We're in this together to the very end."

"Sora…"-

"You think you're the only one who would suffer from a loss? What about Kairi and me? We care about you too, Riku. We don't want to see you get hurt or die. We've seen that once before already. And we're a team. That's what makes us strong. I don't care about going home. I don't care if I don't see home again. I don't care about having to fight some more. It's better than having to live knowing that you're still out there suffering in some place far away. If there's another big brawl, then let's take it on together."-

"Sora's right." Kairi added. "We're gonna stand with you, whether you like it or not, Riku. If we even have to see through to another epic battle ten years from now, we'll still be along side you."

"You guys…" Riku was almost caught in tears. He lowered his head.

"We second that emotion!" Mickey said, as he, Donald, and Goofy took their stance alongside Kairi and Sora.

"The same here…" Kirin and Cunla added. "If we fight, then it'll be as one."

"We've come this far," Cunla said, "We can keep on going."

Riku had nothing else to say. After what his friends had said, he found his own argument lacking in relevance. He could only smile after that.

"I'm not worthy enough to have friends like you…" The others smiled as well. They knew Riku had acknowledged them.

Little did they realize, however, that an ominous presence had made itself known just outside of the hotel.

A dark lone figure stood in the hallway with chakrams clutched in both hands. Slowing this person walked down the hall, reaching the door where Riku and the others were congregated.

"At last, I caught up with you and your friends, Noctin Tilandir." The individual chuckled silently. "I'll be giving you what you deserve."

Riku, however, was not oblivious to the danger for long. He felt the surge in his bones, that same ominous feeling he had earlier. His stance perked up, which caught the attention of his friends.

"What's wrong, Riku?" Kairi asked.

"There's someone at the door." Riku replied.

"There is…?" Goofy wondered.

"Yeah,"-

"Then we better…" He made way for the door, about to casually open it. But Riku caught him at the last minute.

"No," Riku held them back. "This is an ominous and dangerous feeling."

The others focused their sensed and felt that same power as well.

"You're right." Sora added. "I can feel it too. But how long have you been…"

"I sensed this presence back in the waterway."-

"This feeling," Cunla said, "It's so familiar."

"Do you think it's who I think it is?" Kirin wondered.

"There's only one way to find out." Riku declared with a whisper. "Get your weapons ready and stand to the sides of the door in case this person tries to charge in."

"Right,"-

The team readied their weapons and stood to the side of the shut door. Sora took hold of the handle, his keyblade at the ready.

"Alright, Sora," Riku advised, "Open it."

"Right," Sora replied. With one quick turn of the handle, he swung open the door. The team looked out and sure enough saw a far too familiar face looking right at them.

It was none other than the feared General Scimitar

"It's General Scimitar!" Donald shouted.

"Queen Maeve…" Cunla growled.

"Oh dear," Scimitar chuckled. "Just as I was about to surprise you all and barge right in, but I guess that plan was to no avail."

"Stop your squawking, Maeve! What're you doing here?! Are you here to fight?!"-

"Temper, temper now, son of Cuchulain, you shouldn't jump to hasty conclusions." Scimitar lowered her chakram rings and secured them to her belt. "If I wanted to fight and kill you, I would've already done it. And I wouldn't have purposely placed my self in front of the main entrance. I would've struck you from the window, far from view."

Seeing this none threatening gesture, some of the KH team members lowered there guard.

"Well, then what are you doing here?" Sora asked.

"Don't get too comfortable, Sora." Riku advised. "This is Scimitar we're dealing with. She could be playing us for a fool."

"Now that's not a very nice thing to say to the person sent that brings you Sneer's message."-

"Wait…what?"-

"You're the messenger?" Kirin asked.

"Of course I am." Maeve chuckled. "Who else were you expecting?"

"But I thought they had you behind bars." Cunla said.

"I was, but perhaps you remember Triiken's promise to me? I would be granted my freedom in exchange for giving you information about the whereabouts of the Spectral Fortress. He was as good as his word too. Two days prior to now, I was released by order of the Alliance president."-

"But why would Sneer do that?"-

"Well, he told me that he was feeling a little bit…humorous. That's why he sent me. I guess he thought it an amusement if I were to be the one to deliver the message. I suppose he wanted to pull a little joke on you to see how you'd react. "-

"Some joke, we nearly had a heart attack!" Donald bellowed.

"But aren't you afraid of any retaliation from your comrades, especially after what you told us?" Sora asked.

Maeve suddenly walked in, the KH team still on their guard. Instead, however, she sat down at the table and composed herself in a ladylike manner. The team dropped their guards. It seemed there was nothing really to fear.

"With you standing here, I have no doubt that you must've defeated Lord Sirius Viicous. And now that he's dead, with the Imperial Axis all but split and left in disarray, there isn't much more for me to do. Killing you all would've been a waste of my time as well as yours. And I don't know about you, but I'm not the type to accept the concept of death as easily."-

"Is that so?"-

"In most cases, I'd have to affirm that."-

Just then, Olette appeared, coming through the door leading from the red room. In her hands, she had a tray with ten cups, saucers, and spoons, and a porcelain teapot. She looked about at the faces of the KH team and Scimitar. There was an eerie lull.

"Did I come at a bad time?" Olette asked.

"You're just in time, girl." Scimitar declared. She looked at the contents in Olette's hands. "A cup of tea would be very assuring for me right now."

"Of course,"-

Olette prepared the tea. All the while, the KH team withdrew their weapons, realizing that Scimitar was not there to start anything.

"Here you go," Olette said, handing Scimitar the tea.

"Thank you, dear." Scimitar sipped the contents only moments after.

"So exactly what are you here for?" Cunla asked. "You said that you were the one to deliver the message, but I'm having a little trouble swallowing that story."

"I told you, boy," Scimitar continued, "The president was feeling very humorous."

"That tells us nothing."-

"There must've been some kind of deal that you guys made." Kairi said.

"You might say that." Scimitar replied. "You might call it an under the table deal."

"Under the table…?" Sora wondered.

"Aye, I was allowed a choice." Scimitar took another sip. "It was either be set free with no means or connections to get me back into a position of authority, or entitle myself as a loyalist of the Universal Alliance. And the president gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. He's giving Triiken's old position as assistant inspector of the Alliance special operatives to me."

"Really…?"-

"Are you still having trouble believing that? Then feast your eyes on this." Scimitar pulled out an Alliance identification card bearing her face. Cunla inspected it, making sure it was not a forgery. To his surprise, the card was authentic.

"That's real." Kirin said. "So she's telling the truth."

"Of course I am, you dolts. Your other friends at the docking bay had trouble believing that as well when they saw me, that's why they had to confirm the identification card twice. And do you think I could just walk right in here without someone shouting out an alarm had I been seeking some sort of hostility?"-

"So what was in it for you then?" Cunla asked. "Are you gonna tell us, you old bag? Of do you expect us to hire a private eye?"

"Just as monotonously insolent as ever, aren't you, you little brat…?" Scimitar scoffed. "Oh well, I can cope with it this one time." She sipped her tea again. "The catch for my loyalty was that I wanted to remain secretive and elusive as an agent. No one else on the outside of the deal was to know that I was still alive. So the name General Scimitar has been left in the dust. I'm now using my rightful name as identification, as Maeve."

"I see… So you're still afraid of dying are you?"-

"I told you, death is not something I'd like to cope with right now. The reason being is because my thirst to fight and my thirst for glory haven't really diminished. And to have some halfwit avenger trying to take my life for a wrong I committed against them, well let's just say that I'm not in any mood to go around facing death matches with grudge holders. And to be given such an offer from Sneer of all people, how could I refuse. However, should I feel that I've had enough of this snooping for the Alliance, I'll be off on my way just as quickly."-

"Not if I have anything to say about that."-

"Alright, alright," Sora said, "We get the whole picture on why you've joined the Alliance. What is the message that Sneer wanted to relay. That's the real issue here."

"Alright, since you're impatient to hear the news." Scimitar sipped some more tea. "Apparently, Sneer is extremely impressed with the level of service that you all have shown in these past endeavors. Thus, he would like to make you all high ranking officials of the Alliance's new Anime Branch."

"Officials…?" Kairi asked.

"That's correct. You will be given an excellent pension and weekly salary. As well, security benefits will be given to you, so if anything were to happen, the Alliance would see that your families and your next of kin are properly compensated."-

There was a silence in the room. No one knew what to make of the message. Some of the KH team members were too speechless to talk. However, Scimitar knew by the nature of the lull that the team was not at all enthralled by the news.

"So that's it?" Donald huffed. "That was Sneer's big message? He wants to make us officials?"

"I know." Scimitar scoffed. "I personally think you're not qualified enough to take on such a hefty job. But don't take it too lightly. You have to consider all the benefits that come with it. The positions that Sneer is offering are ones that you can't easily blow off. Youngsters at your age would sever three of their four bodily limbs at a chance for such positions of authority. You'll be amongst the highest ranking officers of the Universal Alliance's hierarchy, including having a fair say in the People's Assembly and acting as personal advisors to the president and all who precede him. You and your families would be secured for as long as you live."

"But in order to do that," Sora said, "would we have to stay away from home?"

"That is a sacrifice you must be willing to make. However, as an option, you and your families can be relocated to any place you'd wish. As an Alliance official, you'll have to be within range should a moment's notice arise. Think about it before you reach a conclusion. You'll be secured permanently."-

Just then, Riku stood up.

"With all due respect, Scimitar." He said. "That is a very tempting offer and to let it go would be insanity on our part." He paused again before continuing. "However, I believe I speak for all of us, if not the majority, that it is a proposal that we must refuse."

"Refuse…?" Scimitar asked.

"I know it sounds crazy." Sora implied. "But I think we've stayed away from home for far too long."

"We've decided to go back to Destiny Island." Kairi added. "It was a decision we made back at the Spectral Fortress."

"Is that so? Well, I couldn't really blame you now could I?" Scimitar placed her cup and saucer upon the table. "Is that the opinion shared by the rest of you?" She then looked at Cunla. "What about you, son of the Hound? Are you willingly ready to refuse such an offer?"

"Well…" Cunla pondered a while. Unlike Riku, Sora, and the others, he was a little indecisive. He saw no real place to call his own besides his beloved home on Erin. But there were too many sad memories there. As well, his use as a warrior and an officer could still prove useful. "I guess I could go along with your proposal."

"Are you serious?" Sora asked.

"Don't you wanna have a good rest after all this?" Kairi added.

"It's an offer that I can't simply cast aside." Cunla replied. "This is an opportunity of a life time. I'd be able to secure a bright future for myself. Besides, there's nowhere else for me to really go and call my home."

"You could always return to your home on Ireland." Mickey said.

"I could…but my duties are still in need and my talents could be put to better use than just fading away into mediocrity."-

"Well, it's your decision, Cunla." Sora sighed. "Although you know you're always welcome to stay at Destiny Island if and when you feel like it. You'll be amongst friends."

"Thank you, Sora. Well, I could always visit."-

"That's true."-

"And what about you Prince Kirin of the Flaming Blades…?" Scimitar asked. "What do you say on the matter?"

"It's definitely a tempting offer." Kirin replied. "But I'll have to decline. I think I've had enough fighting for one period of my life. I wanna try something else now, something different in this new era of peace."

"But peace hasn't been fully restored." Riku said. "We still have two other of the Three Excellencies to worry about now, Marcus Montague and Delorion Rellantando. They still pose the biggest threat."

"Well, that's the other matter that Sneer wanted me to discuss with you." Scimitar remarked. The team went silent in curiosity.

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"What about them?" Mickey added.

"You won't have to worry about either Marcus Montague or Delorion Rellantando." Scimitar chuckled.

"Why's that?"-

"Sneer had received word, around the same time that you were defeating Lord Sirius Viicous, that Marcus Montague has been forced to advocate his position in power by the Arakis Foundation, who by the way have given power back to Mulian Arakis and Imetriarch Crassus."-

"He was forced to advocate?" Kairi asked.

"That's correct, and now the Arakis Foundation is furthering plans to integrate itself in to the Universal Alliance as a financial organization to help fund for the postwar era, raising money for reconstruction, and this blossoming era of peace."-

"Is that so?" Kairi sighed with a smile. "Well, it's good to know that Mulian was reconciled with his people."

"He'll be a just leader. No doubt of that." Sora added.

"But what happened to Montague?" Cunla wondered.

"Marcus Montague was banished to the southern quadrant." Scimitar explained, "Placed on a deserted world far from the influences of either the Imperial regime or the Alliance. There he will spend the rest of his days in isolation."

"That's good to hear."-

"But Marcus Montague was a long winded blowhard." Kirin scoffed. "His defection was a mistake to begin with. So it's not surprising that he'd meet such an end. First he tries to justify the betrayal of Mulian Arakis so he can rise to power, using the most influential officers within the Arakis Foundation to side with him. And he did it without gaining favor from the majority of the soldiers or the people for that matter. In the end, he couldn't sustain loyalty and his organization shattered from within. It's a fitting end for a desperate despot." Kirin then folded his arms in front of him. "However, Delorion Rellantando is another matter. He's a motivational speaker and an opportunist who takes every possible advantage he can get his hands on. He has money, manpower, and the most advanced technology that any world has to offer. As well, he's extremely intelligent. I mean look at how he was able to forge an alliance with both Montague and Sirius Viicous. He then bided his time before turning against them and gaining all of the power for himself. And even if the other factional powers didn't sway in his favor, he still has security over his key strongholds. So despite the numerous defections, Rellantando still holds enough power to retaliate and regain what he's lost."

"I highly doubt it for him." Scimitar said. "Especially now…"

"What do you mean by that?" Sora asked.

"This is probably the most important part of the message that Sneer wanted me to relay to you."-

"Well what is it?" Donald asked. "Don't keep us in suspense!"

"What is it about Rellantando that's so important?" Riku added. Scimitar was silent for a moment or two before she uttered the words that the team was required to hear.

"Lord Admiral Delorion Rellantando was assassinated." Scimitar said. The team gasped.

"Rellantando was assassinated?"-

"Aye…"-

"But when…where…how…?" Cunla asked.

"I don't really know the particulars, but apparently he was found dead in his quarters. From what has been said, Rellantando was killed sometime after the fall of Cetorburg."-

"Is it confirmed?" Kirin asked. "Are the rumors true?"

"It's a fact, boy. The news is as thick as molasses in winter."-

"But what was the motivation?" Mickey asked.

"Isn't it obvious? No doubt the bastard was killed by a disgruntled Imperial factioneer. But then again, he had it coming. Once he declared total control over the Imperial Axis, many of the other former factional powers reacted with anger and derision. They thought it as a betrayal of their trust, a breech of Imperial honor for one man to seek all the power for himself when it was supposed to be a responsibility that had to be shared by two trusted others. Then he declared the Imperial Regime to be placed completely under Kambrian rule, which riled the anti-sentiment against him even more. That's the reason why so many defections were taking place against the Kambrians. As you said, Kirin, Rellantando was anticipating possible disfavor and open defections. But no doubt he wasn't really expecting it to be as grand in scale as he had conceived ahead of time. And I'm sure he wasn't expecting to be killed so easily." Scimitar gave a snoot look. "As for me personally, I'm glad that Kambrian cum bubble is good and deceased. I couldn't stomach him literally or in theory. If I had my choice, I would've slain him myself."-

"My God…" Kairi said.

"Well, what happens to us now that all of the Three Excellencies are either dead or banished?" Riku asked. "There isn't really much of a challenge ahead of us anymore and we don't really have a task to engage in."

"As you have requested," Scimitar continued, "You will be going back home just as you desired. Although Sneer was hoping that you would have decided to take on those important chief positions for the new Anime branch. However, he knew that your wish to return home would outdo his proposal, so he just opened it up as an option. There are still a few other candidates on the list. You should be expected to go home by the end of this week at the latest."

"Why do we have to wait though?" Sora asked.

"Sneer has planned to throw a formal ceremony dedicated to you. Each of you will be proclaimed honorary citizens of the Universal Alliance and will be awarded the highest medal ever forged and presented."-

"Really…?"-

"Yes, really…" Scimitar then stood up. "Well, I've told you what I needed to tell you. I best be on my way then. Taking over Triiken's old position, I can't afford to sit idly by." Scimitar bowed respectfully, something that none of the KH fighters would ever have that to see her do. "Thank you for the tea."

"It was no problem." Olette said. Placing her cape back on her shoulders, she withdrew from the room. But before she could fully depart, Riku ran after to stop her.

"Wait a minute," he said. "I would like to know what'll happen to the other key bearers. You know the ones who survived Cetorburg."

"Those young people will be returning to their homes." Scimitar replied. "There's no longer a need for them to be sticking around here. They've done their task."

"But what will Sneer do to compensate them?"-

"I don't really know about that. The president did not go into a lot of detail."-

"I see…" Riku raised his head. "So what happens from here on out for the Imperial Axis…?"

"With no true central power to unite them, the factional organizations of the former Dark Empire will wither away like candle light. And with no one to control the power of darkness, worlds cannot be unlocked for Heartless access anymore. So you won't have to worry about having to confront shadows. After the final faction remnants have been taken over, the Alliance will go into its peace time mode in which the military will be reduced and the soldiers sent off back to their jobs as civilians."

"What about you?" Sora asked. "Are you really planning to stay with the Alliance and take up Triiken's job? Or are you just taking this as temporary position until you find no need to be loyal anymore like you said earlier?"

"As I said," Scimitar replied. "There's nothing much more to do now that the Imperial Axis and all the former factional powers are withering away. I have my talents still of use and I am also a woman of my word. Sneer offered sanctuary, so I'll honor his promise by keeping mine. However, I must admit that my motives are strictly for my own benefits. So long as the Alliance stays in power, I'll remain as a phantom to move it along. And perhaps I might have the legacy of an old foe there to assist me." Scimitar smirked at Cunla. Cunla gave a stern look back. Scimitar thus turned about. But before stepping forward, she halted and uttered her last statement. "Oh and one more thing, I have a message for Noctin Tilandir from the president himself."

"What is it?" Riku asked.

"He says for you to cast your nightly colors off." The KH team was befuddled.

"What does that mean?"-

"How the hell should I know? I never got into all that symbolism crap. If I wanted to know the inner meaning, I would've taken up philosophy. I'm just repeating what Sneer wanted me to tell you."-

No further talk was given and the former Blade General, the last of the five, withdrew from sight.  
"I wonder what Sneer meant?" Sora said. "What did he mean by cast your nightly colors off?"

"I don't know." Riku replied. "I really don't know."

Once again, the night was left peaceful. A brighter future seemed eminent now that they knew the Three Excellencies and the Imperial Axis had been dispersed for good.

As they had before, the KH team separated into their usual solitude. The night was still long and the team was still trying to calm their minds. They knew that home was right around the bend and an era of peace was arising, but the inner demons refused to put their minds at ease. So it was back to coping and thinking. Riku went off to wander about the three districts as he had before. Donald, Goofy, and Mickey fraternized as they did before at the inn. Cunla and Kirin returned to their posts at the docking bay, again seeing to the refitting of the gummi ships and all other vessels coming in and going out. Olette and Kairi tended to the children, entertaining them.

However, it was during this frolic that Kairi realized Sora was standing alone on the balcony from the Green Room. He stood leaning against the railing, looking into the night sky.

"Hey, Olette," she beseeched, "You think you can hold down the fort for a while?"

"How come…?" Olette asked.

"I need to talk to Sora about something." Olette got the message and gave a semi-smile.

"You do what you gotta do, Kairi."-

"Thanks…"-

Kairi quickly went to the balcony. There she saw Sora gazing up at the stars in a tranquil state. He seemed so at ease, but was that really the case. Sora suddenly turned and laid his eyes upon her.

"Kairi…" he uttered.

"Sorry for disturbing you, Sora." Kairi replied.

"Oh no…don't worry about it."-

"What're you doing out here anyway?"-

"Just taking in the night air and thinking a little."-

"About that Scimitar said?"-

"About everything…" Sora told on. "About all that's happened since the day our lives were interrupted by fate again." He turned towards the stars again. "They're beautiful tonight. It's really soothing to see all those stars twinkling in that blackness. It's so hard to believe that each of those little starts obtains a world, or a multitude of worlds with different inhabitances. It kinda makes you think that your own problems and worries seem so insignificant."

"I know what you mean." Kairi said. She walked up and stood next to Sora. "After all that's gone on, you'd find yourself insignificant to the bigger picture."

"Then again, if it wasn't for our smallest of efforts, the bigger picture might not have been as complete."-

"Yeah…" Kairi lowered her head. Suddenly she started to sniffle. Sora looked at her. Although the moonlight concealed her eyes, he knew Kairi was sad and crying.

"Hey, Kairi," Sora said, putting his arm upon her shoulder. "What's wrong…?"

"Sora," she uttered, "Back at the Spectral Fortress…I thought…" she summoned the strength to tell him. "I thought I was really going to lose you. I thought that you really died. I started to believe that I'd lost you forever."

"Kairi,"-

"I know you might think it silly that I act like this now, but I really thought you were going to die there, Sora." She turned to him and gazed into his eyes. Sora saw how distressed she was. "I started to think that I'd never be able to feel your tender embrace ever again. I'd never be able to take in the warmth of your body, the smell of your hair, and look in your eyes. For that one moment, my entire world shattered to pieces. I thought that my life would never be the same. It would be as if a piece of me had been torn away and cast aside. I just couldn't fathom seeing you lifeless in my arms. I was…I was…" Kairi lowered her head and started to cry.

But then, she suddenly felt the strong arms of the key bearer wrap themselves around her and hold her gently. Kairi felt Sora's head next to hers.

"Thank you, Kairi." The youth said. His voice was tranquil and comforting. "I'm glad that you were with me in my waning moment of life."

"Sora…" Kairi's heart began to beat. Her eyes moistened with tears even more.

"You may not believe me, but my near death experience was not as terrifying as you might believe. I felt warm and at ease. My mind was at peace. I guess it was because of your presence, Kairi. You prevented me from fading away into darkness."-

"Sora…"-

"I'm alive and here with you. That's all that matters now." Sora looked at Kairi and wiped the tears from her eyes. "You can put your mind at ease now."

"Sora…"-

The two gazed deeply into the others eyes, the moon's rays reflecting off their blue pupils. Then, as if fate stepped in, Kairi and Sora were drawn closer to one another, little by little. Kairi halted and lowered her head, but she could not deny the handsome face of her heroic key bearer. She was steadfast and in moments advancing, but never withdrew. Time seemed to slow down, their hearts rushing all a flutter. The blood pumped faster and faster.

Then with gusto, a spark flew as the two touched lips. First there was a powerful reaction coming before the gentle submission of passions. Tighter their lips joined together until both were lost in their love, not aware of time and space.

"This feeling," Kairi said. "This sensation, I've been waiting for this moment my entire life. Never have I felt so happy."

Kairi wanted more. The taste of Sora's lips upon hers was sweeter than wine. No doubt that Sora also thought the very same. Bother their arms embraced one another, perked lips feeling the warm and loving sensation of its opposite. The seal had been made as two lovers engaged in a moment of romantic pleasure.

The end of the week came faster than expected and the KH team found themselves in the grand assembly hall of Oceansburg. They walked in unison down the vast walk way that spanned for a full two hundred yards. A velvet red carpet guided them straight to their destination. Alliance soldiers were packed in their ranks like sardines and clad in their well pressed dark blue uniforms. On both sides of the walkway, they stood at attention. The troops were in perfect form, presenting arms as the KH team passed. Amongst the ranks were also detachments from some of the commanding officers from other worlds. There were the troops of the Orb Union and ZAFT Military under the command of Kira Yamato, The elite royal guards from King Mickey's Disney Kingdom, commanded by Goofy's own son, Maximilian, The members of the Guardian Force under Van Flyheight's old command, the Preventers personnel under the command of Zechs Merquise, The forces of the Arakis Foundation, accompanied by Lord Mulian Nidarach Arakis and Prime Minister Imetriarch Crassus, soldiers of the Saiyan Confederation, and of course a detachment of the elite key bearers who engaged at Cetorburg alongside Riku and Sora. Chief members of the People's Assembly were present as well, standing at the stage in their designated stations of importance. Minnie and Daisy were present as well, standing alongside Lu Xun and Sojiro. They were proud of their friends in the deeds they've accomplished. All the while, a brass band played away. The drums pounded away and the brass sounded out, bellowing their song.

Riku, Sora, and the others were dressed just as formal. They too wore the elaborate blue uniforms of the Alliance out of formality. As they finally reached the stage, they stood at attention before the assembly, forming a straight line so that each team member could be seen in full view by everyone present in the hall.

Sneer stood before the assembly, the most important one of all.

"The new era of peace has arisen!" He declared through the hall, his voice reverberating in a pounding echo. "We have reached the conclusion of a supposedly endless period of bloodshed. Like many a gallant warrior and dutiful soldier, we answered the call to arms to protect, not only our homes, but those of others. However, in this time of turmoil, we must look to those who have taken lead and inspired the rest of us, going beyond the call of duty and engaging in acts that could have otherwise been avoided. Therefore I would like to make a dedication to the whole of the KH team, including those who are recently deceased." He turned to Riku, Sora, and the others. "I hereby bestow upon you all the highest medal of honor, The Justice of the Masses."

Sojiro, who helped with the ceremony, came before Sneer. He hand in his hands a gold tray with red velvet cushions. And upon it were ten beautiful gold and silver medals. Two of the medals were encased in small glass boxes. The precious metal design bore the symbol of the Alliance as the center peace, an icon of the glass pyramid. Surrounding it was a ring of olive branches and a ribbon bearing the name of the medal, which encompassed that. The insignias were latched to a beautiful blue ribbon which acted as a necklace to go around the neck.

Sneer went up and down the line, taking each medal and fastening them around each neck of the heroes, followed by a hardy hand shake and a salute. At the same time he handed the encased medals to Cunla and Riku.

"These are for you to bear." Sneer said. "These are the medals meant for your deceased teammates, Cuchulain and Ophelia." Both Riku and Cunla were teary eyed.

"Thank you, Sir." Cunla said.

"Ophelia and Cuchulain would be honored." Riku added.

"Don't worry about it, my boy." Sneer assured the youths. "One day, you'll meet them again." Sneer smiled, though his motive for doing so was still uncertain to the two young men. They simply interpreted it as a kind gesture. There was a proud silence amongst the masses. "The memory of your deeds will remain forever as a testimony of how you were able to achieve this era of peace not only for the Universal Alliance, but for all worlds who have been hoping to seek an age of tranquility." Sneer presented himself before the team. "For that, I salute you."

Sneer saluted to the team as a whole. The team returned the gesture. Then, came the thundering boom of thousands of weapons shifting as all the assembly did the same in unison. Sneer then turned to the rest of the troops.

"Victory and peace have finally been obtained!" he declared. "Let us rejoice to the peace and prosperity of all worlds!"

"Hurrah!" the assembly shouted. "Hurrah! Hurrah!" they cried again before shouting out in a wild cheer.

And so the day was passed away in grand celebration. After the ceremony came an honorary banquet with fanfare and gusto. Never before had there been such a grand boast of pleasure and leisure, old friends would fraternize and talk. There was singing, dancing, consumption of the vast platters of food and drink set before the invited and the honored. But like all great things, they had to come to an end. The sun eventually set and the party died down. Now the KH team stood together for the last time.

"So this is the end of another journey." Sora said.

"It seemed so long yet so short." Riku added.

"It seemed so long ago, but it only happened a few days ago." Kairi agreed.

"This is where we go our separate ways." Mickey said. "I thank you again for doing what you did for me, Minnie and Daisy."

"We are eternally in your debt." Minnie added.

"We'd do anything for friends." Sora said.

"So this is the end of an era." Cunla sighed. "I only wish that my father was here to enjoy it."

"Ophelia too…" Riku added.

"They have seen the end come." Kirin replied. "They are looking down upon us as we speak."

"You think so?"-

"I know so."-

"We've had a lot of great adventures together." Sora said. "We've endured dangers together. We went through hell and back and survived."

"We're the ones to carry on the legacy." Kairi agreed.

"Do you think that we'll ever get together like this again?" Goofy asked.

"There's a chance." Mickey said. "So long as there is a common cause and a common bond, we'll always be together."

"And no matter how far away we are," Sora continued, "No matter how many worlds we're separated, as long as our hearts beat in memory of each other, we'll always be together."

"We all share the same sky." Kairi said. "One sky…one destiny…"

"I'll toast to that." Donald chuckled as he placed his arm around Daisy.

"Then here's a last toast." Riku declared, "To friends, to memory, and to the rest of our lives."

"Here, here," The team toasted their glasses and passed the rest of the night away before they once again separated for their own homes and destinies. Goofy, Donald, Mickey, along with Daisy, Minnie, and Maximilian withdrew back to their home in the Disney Kingdom, prepared to take on the task of cleaning up and restoring the realm to its original magnificence. Cunla would remain behind with Sneer, taking on his new position as a chief commander of the Alliance's new Anime Branch. He would be joined with Lu Xun, Kira Yamato, Sojiro Seta, Trunks, and Son Goten who were also acting as co-commanders. Riku, Sora, and Kairi, along with the young Prince Kirin returned back to Destiny Island to live out the rest of their days.

And so the adventure is done. Another era of chaos has come to an abrupt end and the lives of the participants would go on as they had before. However, the funny thing about life is its unpredictability. There were still a few quirks and surprises awaiting the young people of Destiny Island.

Not long after the ceremony ended, Sneer was back in his office, taking care of more work. Suddenly, his intercom rang out.

"Mr. President," the secretary at the entry announced, "Commander Cunla is here."

"Send him in." Sneer replied.

The doors soon opened and Cunla walked in. He was now dressed in Alliance blue. He came before the president and saluted.

"I have come bearing the message you requested, sir." Cunla replied.

"Very good, Cunla," Sneer turned and smiled at him, "And how are you enjoying your new position?"

"I think I could get used to this." Cunla looked down upon his uniform. "It's nice to wear my dad's old colors."

"Wear them proudly, young man." Cunla handed the message to Sneer.

"By the way, sir, if you don't mind me asking, but what is this message about…?"-

"This is an update regarding the autopsy on Rellantando's demise." Sneer said.

"Why does that concern you, sir?"-

"Well, in case this person who killed him tries to do the same to me, I'd better be ready."-

"Don't worry, sir. We me in the Alliance ranks now, no one will dare try and hurt you."-

"I have my confidence in you, Cunla." Sneer replied as he read the contents written on the paper. His eyes gave a concerned glare.

"What is it?"-

"Well, we now know what caused Rellantando's death."-

"What was it?"-

"It was a cut across the throat."-

"My God…"-

"No doubt that he died instantly, but it's rather strange regarding the wound."-

"What is it, sir?" Cunla was curious.

"Well, from what reports say, the wound was an eerie black when they found him."-

"Festering maybe?"-

"I don't think so." Sneer put down the paper. "But I can tell you this much. Whoever killed Rellantando, they certainly know how to move about stealthily. They managed to kill him even when there were guards posted outside the door, or so the reports say." There was a silence. "Other than this, that's all I need right now."

"Then, if you are no longer in need of me presently, sir, I'll take my leave." Cunla saluted.

"First thing's first though." Sneer said, stopping him. "Let me ask you, Cunla. How would you like to do an errand for me and make a quick stop at Destiny Island, say three days from now?"

"Is it regarding Sora and Riku?"-

"In most cases, yes…"-

"Very well, sir."-

"And if you are successful, you too shall be rewarded."-

"I am honored, sir." Cunla thought a while before speaking again. "If I may be so bold, what requires my services on Destiny Island?"

"You'll find out soon enough." Sneer pressed the button on his intercom to alert his secretary. "You can send them in now."

"Yes, Mr. President." The secretary replied.

"I want you to accompany two warriors to Destiny Island, Cunla." Sneer addressed the young man. "One has requested to be stationed there and the other has to take care of some business."

"I understand…" Cunla replied.

Then, the doors suddenly opened and two individuals walked in.

"Ah, here they are now." Cunla turned to see. But as he laid eyes on the two, he turned in shock. He gasped with wide open lids. "They will be the ones to accompany you. You'll be departing in three days as soon as I have finished with some other urgent business regarding the status of this mission. I trust you are more than capable of handling this." But Cunla was too overcome with a stun. He could not speak. For a moment, his eyes were fearful and tearful at the same time.

"My God…" he uttered. "It's you…"


	144. Together Forever

Together Forever

Three days had come and gone like lightning on Destiny Island. The clean up of the fight there was thorough. Homes were rebuilt and lives were restored in record time. Riku, Sora, Kairi, and Kirin were stunned and impressed by the speed their fellow islanders put into restoring the demolished dwellings and homes. It was almost as if the battle itself never occurred from the start, say for the deep trenches and some of the demolished equipment that still remained. The homeless were taken care up, the wounded were healed, and the dead, if there were any, were buried. The slain soldiers from the battle were taken away by the Alliance forces to be interred someplace else. Slowly, the blood vanished from the ground, but the soil was still hollow, especially after so many gave up their lives for their individual causes.

Miraculously, neither Riku's, nor Sora's nor Kairi's homes had been molested during the whole of the fight that took place there. Their possessions were still where they had left them and not a shingle on their roofs had been knocked off by an exploding shell. Of course, the interiors were still a little dusty. They took up their living quarters and began their old lives once more. However, now there was a calm and solemn feeling to the surroundings ever since the great Battle for Destiny Island concluded.

The third morning since their return started like always for Riku. He always got up, went downstairs, locked up his home, and went out to the small island where he would rest upon his thinking spot in solitude. The old Paopu tree was just as faithful as ever, holding Riku up a few feet above the ground. He looked into the distance, into the calm blue of the shallow sea surrounding the island. Riku had been tranquil since returning home, the same feeling that he had the time he came back from his first great adventure.

"Such a small world," he thought to himself, "But part of a greater picture. Yet, despite my friends being around me, I still feel so heavy hearted. No doubt it's due to everything that's happened." When in his deep thought, Riku heard a voice shouting out behind him.

"Riku," the voice cried. The youth turned to find Sora running up to him. "You're here again, Riku?"

"Yeah…"-

"Are you still thinking about those moments in the past?"-

"Yeah…" Riku closed his eyes, slightly meditating. "Do you think that things will ever be the same, Sora?"

"Definitely not, not after what's happened here. Destiny Island will no longer think of itself as an isolated world, especially after that fight between the Arakis Foundation and the Aryan Faction. Now they know that there's a much larger world out there and that we're just as vulnerable to hostiles as everyone else."-

"We'll never look at life the same way again."-

There was a pause as the two looked out into the early morning horizon. Sora looked at Riku again. There seemed to be some sorrowful expression on his face.

"Is there something wrong, Riku?" he asked. "You seem sad."

"I don't know." Riku replied. "Even though peace has been restored, even though I'm now safe at home with all my friends and family, I still feel incomplete, like something is missing."

"Well, whatever's heckling at you, I'm sure you'll get over it."-

"You're probably right." Riku turned towards Sora. "I don't know how I'd ever manage without you, Sora."

"Well…"-

But before Sora could say another word, he felt Riku's hands upon both of his shoulders. He looked up into Riku's eyes. They were still solemn in look. Then, without warning, Riku placed his arms around Sora and hugged him.

"R…Riku…?" Sora uttered.

"Thanks Sora…" Riku said.

"For what…?"-

"For being here…"-

"Riku…"-

"I don't know how I'd be able to tolerate my life without you…my best friend." Riku continued. "I thought I was going to lose you against Sirius. You can't even imagine how horrible it felt when I saw you struck. For a while, I thought you were really gone for good. But you're still here. Thank God."

There was a sad waver in Riku's voice. Sora was overjoyed, knowing that he meant so much to Riku. He sighed and embraced his old childhood friend. The two soon broke apart in their embrace, slightly teary eyed with joy.

"C'mon, Riku," Sora said with a sheepish smile. "What do you say we get something good to eat?"

"Sora," Riku chuckled, "You never cease to amaze me."

"Yeah…?"-

"I could go for a bite."-

"Hey, let's get the rest of our friends together and go to the Seaside Café! We'll gorge ourselves for breakfast at the all-you-can-eat pancake buffet! What do you say?"-

"Why not, that's sounds like a winner."-

"Great, great, great, I will stuff myself today!"-

The two quickly jumped down onto the beach and headed towards their boats. But no sooner had they started, Kairi and Kirin had arrived at the last minute, walking town the sandy beach head.

"Hey, Kairi, Kirin," Sora shouted, waving at them.

"Oh, so this is where you two have been hiding." Kairi said.

"We came looking for you earlier." Kirin added. "But you weren't home. We figured that you'd be here since it's the place you've been heading to for the past three days."

"I've been meaning to ask you, Kirin." Riku said. "How are you getting along with our other friends, Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie?"

"They're extraordinary conversationalists, everyone. I think we've taken a shine to each other. But then again, we did fraternize somewhat during the battle against the Aryan Faction."-

"It's good to know that you and the others hit it off quite well." Sora chuckled.

"So how is life living with your brother, Kairi?" Riku asked.

"I swear, he never let's me do any of the chores." Kairi grumbled. "Hell, I can't even get him to sit still even in the late hours of the night."

"I'm sorry to be such a bother, sis." Kirin said with a goofy smirk. "I'm still in that military mode. I can't seem to fall back on my tasks."

"Well, that's a good thing. I hope you never get out of it. It certainly saves me a lot of trouble having to do house work on my own. And I know you're definitely not the type to goof off."-

"Your compliments are acknowledged, sis."-

"We still have to work on loosening you up though." Sora said.

"Speaking of which," Riku asked, "Have you found a job yet, Kirin?"

"Yes I have." Kirin replied. "I've been offered a position at the real estate and finance."

"You think you can do it?"-

"I didn't spend the past twenty or so years as a soldier for nothing. My strategic and analytical skills will take me on the up and up."-

"Well, good luck."-

"Anyway, we were wondering if you'd guys like to join us for a little breakfast get together." Sora interceded with a smile.

"Let me guess." Kairi said. "Would it involve the all-you-can-eat pancake buffet at the Seaside Café?"

"How did you know?"-

"We can read you like a book, Sora."-

"Kairi's right," Riku chuckled, ruffling Sora's hair, "You know how you are a fan for pancakes."

"I guess you got me there." Sora said.

"We were going to talk to you about that earlier." Kairi explained, "Which is why my brother and I were looking for you."

"We told all of the others and they agreed to it. They are going to meet us here as well, around eight thirty." Kirin looked at his watch. The hands pointed to the designated time. "And they should be here before you know it."

"You already passed the word along?" Riku asked.

"That I did."-

"Speak of the devil," Sora shouted, "Here they come!" He pointed to the dock and there were three little boats heading their way. Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie were aboard. They quickly docked and jumped onto the deck to meet with the others. Sora and the rest ran to meet them. "Good morning, you guys!"

"So we're all here." Tidus said as the two groups met.

"You guys planned to join us for breakfast this morning?"-

"That…plus…" Tidus thumbed to the boat. Riku, Sora, Kairi, and Kirin looked to see a bunch of beach wear stuffed in the three boats.

"Hey what's going on?" Kairi asked.

"We figured that since we're here, we might as well set up for our annual summer beach party." Selphie said.

"Yeah…but summer's almost over." Riku remarked.

"Well, we weren't able to celebrate the opening of summer because of what happened." Tidus replied. "But we can have one for the end of the summer. What do you say?"

"Well, since you have everything, why not?"-

"Alright…!" Wakka cheered. "We're gonna have fun today!"

"Let's get all the stuff unpacked before we head out for food." Sora suggested. "We'll set it up afterwards."

"Good idea." Kirin agreed.

They started unpacking the equipment and bringing it onto the beach front. Back and forth they went, placing all their things near the stone wall. It took about ten minutes before they were finished.

"Alright," Sora said, "We got everything unpacked."

"I'd say so." Tidus added.

"Well, now that we have everything stored away for later," Wakka said, "Let's go get us something good to eat, ya?"

"Yeah," Selphie agreed.

"Let's head out then." Kairi suggested.

"Right," Sora concurred. He turned to Riku. "You ready to go, buddy?"

"Let's…" Riku replied. The team made ready to go with Riku taking the lead. But no sooner had he taken his first step, something caught his attention. He had just sensed an unexpected surge of energy reverberating from some far off place. He stopped for a moment, his eyes growing wide. The others were curious of why he suddenly halted.

"What's wrong, Riku?" Sora asked. "Why'd you stop?" But Sora didn't require an explanation. He too felt the surge of what it was that stayed Riku's advance. Kirin also noticed, but didn't say a word. The others, however, were oblivious.

"Hey, you guys," Tidus said, "Riku, Sora, let's go."

"Quiet, Tidus," Riku ordered. "Something's coming."

"What…?" Selphie asked.

"Something's coming?" Wakka wondered.

"What do you mean something's coming?" Tidus inquired.

"It's a strong power whatever it is." Kirin said. "And it's approaching at an excessively high speed. Strangely enough, this power feels all too familiar."

"Riku, do you think it could be…?" Sora uttered.

"No doubt," Riku replied. "It's him."

"Hey look, look!" Selphie cried, pointing to the ocean horizon. The other's spotted and observed this bizarre sight. In the distance, a figure came rushing across the watery surface, gliding and forcing waves to lift up in the aftershock.

"What the heck is that?" Tidus asked as he squinted to clear his vision.

"Who the heck is that?" Selphie added.

"Is that a person?" Wakka wondered.

"It can't be, could it?"-

"He's come at last." Riku said, the sweat dripping down his face. The distance was closed in a matter of seconds. Before the figure halted at the beach front, sending sand to swirl about and lift up in clouds. The group covered their faces, protecting them from the sand. The chaos only lasted in a moment before dying to an uneasy pause.

"What in the…" Tidus grumbled. "What the hell was that, a hurricane?"

"That was no hurricane." Sora said.

As the sand settled, the friends spotted a tall figure, a man dressed in heavy armor and armed with a mighty halberd. Though his face could not be seen, the distinctive headdress of two long feelers was all too familiar to Riku and Sora who had confronted this foe before. The youngsters looked at this newcomer.

"Who's that?" Selphie wondered.

"So," the tall armored man said, "I've finally caught up with you, Riku."

"Riku…?"-

"Hey Riku, do you know this guy?" Tidus asked.

"Sora and I know him all too well." Riku said with a chuckle. "So you've come to finally settle the score with me, didn't you…Lu Bu…"

"Lu Bu…?" Wakka asked.

It was Lu Bu, the mighty guardian of Hu Lao Gate and who had managed to defeat the entire KH team without breaking a sweat. He turned around, his fierce gaze staring down on Riku. The others either cringed in fear, or growled in anger.

"You thought you'd skip out on our final fight did you, Riku?" Lu Bu said. "Well, you won't get away from me that easily. I'm not going to let you skip out on such an important confrontation."

"Weren't you satisfied the last time we met?" Riku asked.

"That wasn't a proper duel. You weren't up to speed back then. And I wanted to fight you after you defeated Sirius Viicous. His defeat indicates to me that you've vastly improved since the last time we met. So, I only think it fair that we meet on leveled ground and fight with no holds barred. Whoever wins after that, I will be satisfied enough."-

"Are you planning on taking my life?"-

"No, not this time around. I simply want to see how strong you are. You can keep your life for all I care. I simply want to test the depths of my strengths against a worthy opponent."-

"Alright then," Riku threw forth his hand and drew out his keyblades Ginroio Noria and the Laevateinn. "Then let's settle this once and for all."

"My pleasure," Lu Bu threw forth his mighty halberd, presenting its steel crest to the silver haired youth. "Let us begin!"

"They're really going to do it?" Kairi said.

"Clear the area!" Kirin shouted.

"Oh man," Tidus grumbled, looking to the beach wear that had been plied near the wall. "All the stuff…!"

"Forget about it, Tidus." Sora said. "It's not worth getting killed over."

"Killed…?"-

"The way those two fight, it's best to stay as far away as you can."-

"Everyone clear the way!" Kirin ordered.

They rushed to the outskirts. Kirin, Kairi, and Sora ran to the inner tree house and kept a vigilant. Tidus and Selphie ducked upon the stone walkway overlooking the beach, and Tidus found security on the ledge overlooking the shack and the beach head.

Riku, all the while, positioned himself. Lu Bu did the same. Both were at a standstill in their battle positions.

"So what do you think, Riku?" Lu Bu asked. "You think you're an equal match for me?"

"There's only one way to find out." Riku replied. Riku suddenly vanished from sight. Lu Bu only grinned. The youth then appeared behind the mighty warrior and struck with both keyblades. Lu Bu threw his halberd upon his back and blocked the hits. He then turned around with such vigor that sand blew up into the face of Riku. Riku struck again, but again Lu Bu held him at bay. Back and forth the two fought with basic hand to hand combat techniques. Riku would evade and strike, but to no avail. Lu Bu would execute similar moves, but that too proved folly, especially against such an agile warrior. The band of youngsters was mind boggled at the sight of the intense right. Even Kairi had never seen Lu Bu fight to his full potential.

"Look at that." She uttered. "It's like that fight with Sirius Viicous all over again."

"C'mon, Riku," Tidus cheered, "Beat that guy!"

"You can do it, Riku!" Wakka added.

"Go Riku!" Selphie cried.

Riku had his friends on his back so his morale was relatively high.

"My friends are cheering me on." Riku thought to himself. "I have their vote of confidence, so this fight is in the bag for me."

"Your friends seem to be rooting you on, Riku." Lu Bu chuckled.

"I can always rely on them to be at my back when the time comes." Riku outwardly spoke.

"Well, don't get too comfortable. They may be rooting for you, but they know they can't interfere with this fight. It's all you this time. No potions, no senzus, only the last man standing will decide the victor."-

"Don't get too confident, Lu Bu, this fight's only just begun."-

Again they clashed, throwing out a symphony of thunderous blows as they unleashed a thousand maneuvers and out maneuvers. The sand bellowed like the explosions of so many bombs going off. The two even lifted off and started fighting in mid air for minutes on end, a display that would have made Vegeta himself envious. Tidus and the others were spell bound. They never thought they would see such a thing, above all a battle that was being waged in mid air with no use of special equipment.

Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka, feeling somewhat vulnerable in the midst of the epic confrontation, ran to the haven where Sora, Kirin, and Kairi were stationed. Thus, all six looked on at the combatants, observing every move they made. Half of the group was spellbound.

"Are they flying and fighting up there?" Wakka gasped.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing." Selphie added as she rubbed her already widened eyes. "Riku's actually fighting with that guy in mid air!"

"Damn…" Tidus remarked.

"It's nothing all that shocking." Sora said. "I've been accustomed to these types of battles for far too long."

"You and me both." Kairi added.

Suddenly, Riku and Lu Bu vanished from sight, yet the sound of their confrontation could still be heard, bellowing in the sky, invisible explosions caused by no artificial substance.

"They vanished…" Selphie uttered.

"Can they disappear like that?" Tidus wondered. "And what's with all these explosions?"

"Where did they go?" Wakka wondered.

Just then, Wakka, Tidus, and Selphie saw Sora, Kirin, and Kairi moving their heads and eyes about in unison, as if they were watching something that wasn't there.

"What are you guys doing?" Wakka asked.

"We're watching the fight of course." Sora replied.

"Watching the fight?" Tidus gave a confused look into the sky, seeing only flashes and hearing booms. "What fight? I don't see anything."

"C'mon Tidus, you should know this by now."-

"Know what? Riku and that Lu Bu guy just disappeared into thin air."-

"No they haven't. They're just moving really fast."-

"No way…" Selphie said. "No one can move that fast."

"Oh, you'd be surprised how fast they can move." Kirin implied. "Their swiftness is impeccable, excelling from two to ten times what they're doing now. This is just an appetizer compared to the real McCoy."

"So they're moving so fast, we don't know what's happening, right?" Tidus asked.

"Actually, they're moving so fast that the human eye cannot register their movements."-

"But how is it that you're able to watch them?" Selphie asked.

"That's quite simple. We observe the fight, not by their movement, but by the life and spiritual energy that they're accumulating. That is what we can easily trace. So no matter how fast they go, we can still sense their movements. This way of observing is in my opinion the superior method of watching a high speed battle."-

"How do you do it?"-

"You must sense out their energy." Sora instructed. "Clear your mind of everything and focus on the power that resonates."

"Alright," Tidus said. He, Selphie, and Wakka concentrated just as Sora advised. They cleared their minds. Sure enough, the natural flow of the energy came rushing through them. There first came a series of flashes. That was followed by suddenly streaks of movement.

"I see 'em," Selphie said, "I see 'em!"

Before they knew it, those streaks of movement turned in to the form of Riku and Lu Bu, their figures as clear as day.

"Man, they are moving fast, ya?" Wakka gasped.

The fight still continued with neither warrior giving into the other. Sparks of their weapons flashed and the speed of their steel was indomitable. Up, down, left, right, across the water, onto the sand, and into the air the aggressors combated.

"Not bad, Riku," Lu Bu chuckled, "For a novice!" Lu Bu suddenly found and opening and struck Riku in the gut with the staff of his halberd; then swiped the youth towards the ground. Riku quickly twisted his body about and landed upon his feet. He saw Lu Bu coming and quickly evaded with a spin just as the warrior made impact with the ground. Dust and sand billowed. Riku retaliated and charged head long against Lu Bu. The mighty warrior evaded and blocked. Riku unleashed his keyblade whip, slashing away at Lu Bu. But Lu Bu was all too familiar with Riku's technique since he had already seen him use it at Cetorburg. Lu Bu sent energy waves surging through the ground. Riku evaded the linear streaks of death, at times by a thread.

"Man," Riku thought to himself. "I've vastly improved since the last time we met, yet Lu Bu is still as potent."

"Don't start sandbagging on me, Riku." Lu Bu declared as he rushed forth, continuing their fight. "I know you're still hiding the bulk of your strength. This is not the same power that could've defeated Sirius Viicous with. I know you have more reserves. You just want to drag this fight on for as long as you can. But I won't let you. If you keep the battle dragging on, you may lose your opportunity to put your enemy down for good. And personally, that is a method that I prefer. I hate the thought of white tape battles."

"You're that desperate are you?" Riku said.

"Not really, it's just that I have other matters to attend to after this. So what do you say that you stop beating around the bush and fight me right?"-

"Alright then, if that's the way you want it, then that's the way you'll get it!" Riku started to unleash his full potential. The power that he deployed was incredible, increasing at such a rate that the inner chakra was visible. Sora and the others were shocked.

"My God," Sora said. "Riku's not fooling around. Oh well, Lu Bu wanted to see the extent of his strength and he got it."

"Is this the same power that Riku used to fight against Sirius Viicous?" Kirin asked.

"Not the same form, but the power is equal as then."-

"But look," Kairi said, pointing out. "Lu Bu isn't even fazed."

"No way…" Sora's heart began to pump as the unconcerned look of their allied nemesis looked on unwavering at the sight of Riku's new strength. "It's like he's not worried at all about what Riku's using. But how can that be? This is the same level of strength that Riku used against Sephiroth. And Lu Bu himself said that he never won a one on one spar with that guy. Unless…" Sora feared for the worse.

"Unless what, Sora?" Kairi and the rest of the group were curious.

"Unless Lu Bu has also vastly improved as well since the last time we met."-

"Since the last time you met…?" Tidus asked. "Exactly how strong was this guy before?"

"Too powerful, that's for sure."-

"Riku…" Kairi uttered.

"C'mon, buddy," Sora gripped his fists tightly, "You gotta win. You can't lose to Lu Bu again."

The fight escalated now with Riku engulfed in his new power.

"Now, I'm ready, Lu Bu." He declared to China's greatest warrior. "The question is are you ready for me?"

"So this is the true extent of your power?" Lu Bu asked. "Well, I guess it's better than nothing."

Just then, Riku vanished. Lu Bu was stunned at the amount of speed that the youth accumulated. Riku appeared to his extreme left flank and struck with the Ginroio Noria. Lu Bu blocked the strike. But at the same time, Riku sent the keyblade whip hurling to attack his front. Lu Bu saw this and quickly evaded in an unbelievable twist. Riku was equally shocked.

"Man," he thought to himself, "Lu Bu just evaded like it was nothing."

"Riku's vastly improved in his speed and strength." Lu Bu inwardly quoted. "I can't believe how much he's excelled. He could even force me to break a sweat." Lu Bu only sighed. "Well, at least the kid's giving me a worthy challenge."

Riku didn't hesitate and continued his onslaught. Lu Bu prepared himself, throwing his halberd forward.

"Let's see how well you do this time around." Lu Bu declared.

"Your overconfidence will be your downfall!" Riku shouted.

"As will yours! You have no idea who you're dealing with!"-

Once again, the two grappled like hell, fighting with unspeakable speed and accuracy. The pinpoint hits were a hundred percent accurate. It was mostly due to the focus and clear minds of the two combatants that prevented any wounds from being made.

"C'mon, Riku," Lu Bu taunted, "Give me more than that!"

"You just wait!" Riku replied. The fight continued.

Sora and the others observed further.

"Even with his revealed strength, Lu Bu's still making a mockery of Riku." Sora said.

"Let him have it, Riku!" Tidus cried.

"Don't let that oaf beat you down!" Selphie added.

"You gotta win!" Wakka cheered. "You can do it, Riku!"

"Lu Bu's definitely improved since out last encounter." Sora thought to himself. "Even when using his full potential, Riku still can't touch the guy."

Suddenly, Lu Bu deployed unexpected strength and countered successfully. He caught Riku off guard for an instant, but that was enough to do the damage he was striving to achieve. He pummeled Riku, back and forth, thrashing him about in mid air like a rag doll. Riku felt as though his body was being torn limb from limb.

"Try this on!" Lu Bu twirled and kicked Riku towards the ground in a downward spiral. Riku went falling towards the sand. But he quickly regained his posture and turned upon his feet, landing successfully with a slight stagger. Riku's bled upon the mouth, but he simply wiped off the blood like it was nothing at all.

"Amazing…" Lu Bu thought to himself. "Even after all that, he still managed to stand back up on his own two feet. I have to give him credit."

"Whoa," Tidus said, "Riku's still standing."

"It'll take more than just a quick pummel to bring Riku down." Sora said, folding his arms in front of him.

"But still," Kairi said, "Anymore thrashings like that and Riku may not last much longer."

"He won't open himself to attack like that again."-

"I hope so."-

"Is this it?!" Lu Bu taunted. "Is the grand battle I've been waiting for?! Is this all you're capable of doing, Riku?! I must say that I'm rather disappointed in you! I was expecting one hell of a fight! Yet even after your so-called power up, you still weren't able to return the pain I bestowed upon you!"-

"Let me ask you this though, Lu Bu!" Riku replied, "Was that all you could do?! I barely even felt that pummel!" Riku took his stance again.

"The bastard's got spirit that's for sure." The mighty warrior inwardly thought. "I'll give him more credit for persistence."

"Make ready for round two!" Riku shouted. His power suddenly increased again and he was on the move. This time, Lu Bu was almost caught off guard, closer to his own pummeling by Riku. Riku emerged behind Lu Bu. Lu Bu threw his halberd behind him and blocked the attack. He turned around and began to fight again. This time, however, he was starting to lose ground. Riku's power and speed again increased and became more difficult for him to counter and predict.

"Man, he's gotten stronger. His speed and strength have at least doubled."-

"How does it feel now, Lu Bu?" Riku chuckled. "Not as easy as you were expecting now is it?!"

"You bastard, you're giving me a run for my money!"-

"Oh how the tables have turned so suddenly."-

This time, Lu Bu was the one on the defensive. He barely had enough time to react and go on the offensive again. Riku had become stronger than he expected. Riku's blows blurred because they were so fast. It was almost as if his limbs disappeared. Still, Lu Bu was able to maintain his own and keep the youth from striking him. Yet at the same time, the more intense tight fight became, the more excited Lu Bu became. He hadn't had such an intense fight in a long time.

"How exhilarating," he thought to himself, "I've not had a challenge like this since the last duel with Sephiroth." Lu Bu found another opening and easily took advantage of it. Riku's blow had been delayed to long. Though only for a split second, it was enough for Lu Bu to regain the offensive. He kicked Riku in the gut then struck him in the back with the staff of his halberd. Riku went flying, but the mighty warrior didn't give the youth time to breath. Instead he went in pursuit and bashed Riku about. Then he kicked the youth man towards the shack. Riku made an impact, crashing through the recently repaired wood boards, which had been put there to replace the damaged boards inflicted by Tidus and Triiken three months before.

"Riku," Kairi cried.

"Damn," Sora said, "How the heck did Lu Bu become so strong? Riku's unleashed his unbridled energy, yet he still hasn't managed to hit him even once."

"No, Riku," Kairi was about to run and see if Riku was alright. The others saw her advancing and quickly pursued. But Kirin shouted out.

"Stay your selves!" he declared.

"But Brother…"-

"This fight isn't over yet."-

"But that impact."-

"There's nothing to worry about, Kairi." Sora assured her. "Riku has taken a bigger beating than that. He can't be stopped so easily."

Sure enough, as the group observed, Riku emerged from the rubble as if no damage had been done whatsoever. He cracked his neck a little bit.

"It's incredible," Lu Bu thought to himself. "Even after that second pummel, Riku still has enough strength left to stand."

Just then Riku began to rush, his speed increased even more. This time, Lu Bu stood no chance. He swung about his halberd to strike Riku. But the youth's swiftness and agility seemed to have increased ten fold. He suddenly appeared behind Lu Bu and struck him at the back. Lu Bu fell forward only to meet Riku and in front of him.

"Impossible…" the warrior thought to himself.

"It's over for you." Riku said. Thus, he rushed forward and began pummeling his nemesis left and right. Lu Bu was struck from all sides as if a dozen Rikus were hitting him at once. Then, with a lash of the keyblade whip, Riku caught the warrior by the foot and swung him about.

"Look at that!" Tidus said.

"Riku's doing it!" Wakka added.

"He's actually kicking that Lu Bu guy's butt!" Selphie cheered. "Go get him, Riku!"

"You see?" Sora chuckled. "Riku was just playing around with him."

"Riku…" Kairi sighed.

"Now try this on!" Riku declared. He released Lu Bu and sent the warrior crashing into the wooden structures of the observation deck just to the right of the beach head. Clouds of smoke billowed and wood fell from their foundations.

"Alright, Riku…!" Sora and the others cheered.

"Keep it up!" Tidus shouted.

"You can do it!" Wakka concurred.

"He did it." Kairi said. "Riku beat Lu Bu."

"It's not over yet." Kirin implied. Kairi looked at her brother curiously.

"What do you mean?"-

"Riku's gained the upper hand, but he hasn't won the battle."-

"What are you talking about?" Tidus asked. "Riku just wiped the floor with Lu Bu. That fathead couldn't even touch Riku in that skirmish."

"Yeah," Selphie added. "The fight's over."

"So you say." Kirin sighed. "But I know Lu Bu's power better than anyone."

"Kirin's right." Sora agreed. "Riku's tough alright, but like him, it takes a great deal more than just one pummel session to take down someone as powerful as Lu Bu."

Sure enough, the fears of the Destiny Island group came true as Lu Bu appeared from the rubble. His armor had been scuffed and dirtied up with settling dust and debris. From his mouth, a stream of blood dripped down his chin. He wiped the red crimson from his lip.

"Just as I thought," Riku thought to himself as he saw Lu Bu emerge again, "He's as hard as I believed him to be."

"I have to say, Riku." Lu Bu declared, "You certainly gave me a scare back there, thrashing me about like there was no tomorrow." Lu Bu cracked his knuckles. "I was too smug and arrogant and I gave you an opportunity to take advantage of me. Well, it's not going to happen again. Like you, I won't make the same mistake twice?"

"Why not…? You did before at the 'Treasure' Realm six years before." Riku replied.

"Cheeky little bastard aren't you. Let's see how cheeky you are once I've finished you off." Lu Bu clutched tightly onto his halberd. "But I should actually thank you, my friend. You gave me a really good excuse not to hold back anymore."

"What…?" Riku's eyes suddenly opened. Sweat emerged upon his temples.

"I can see that you weren't expecting such a response. The fact of the matter is that what we've gone through up until now was simply a warm up."-

"Lu Bu was just warming up?" Sora uttered. "Impossible, he can't be any stronger than he is now."

"That's the thing about Lu Bu." Kirin said. "He's unpredictable."

So the truth was revealed. Lu Bu's body started to glow as the energy coursed through every fiber of his body. The power that raged caused the ground to shake. The wind picked up and sand began to blow. The waves began to chop about, forming white caps upon the brine. Riku shielded his eyes from the debris.

"This can't be." Riku thought to himself. "I thought Lu Bu had reached his limit. How is it that he could still wield so much power?" So great was the power of the warrior that the sky itself started to change, turning from a morning blue to a twilight grey. The clouds seemed to form over the island. The friends were shocked at the amazing power.

"Are you seeing this?" Tidus uttered. "That guy is actually forming a storm!"

"So this is the full extent of Lu Bu's power." Sora gasped. "I never would have thought he was this strong. At this rate, his power may even exceed that of Sirius Viicous himself."

"Riku," Kairi cried.

"Now, let's see how big you talk after I've blown you into the four winds." Lu Bu declared.

"Man," Riku said, "he has so much power."

"Prepare your self, you worthless scum!" Lu Bu suddenly rushed and struck Riku without the young man having a chance to react. Riku crashed into what was left of the wooden planks of the shack.

This was not the end though. Lu Bu charged again. Riku quickly threw himself onto his feet and jumped out of the way just as Lu Bu hit the stone cliff. The impact of his halberd formed a massive hole in the side of the cliff. Riku was high in the air.

"Let's see you take on this!" Riku shouted. He unleashed his Cinder Canister and sent the fiery spheres reeling towards the warrior. But Lu Bu was quickly react and retaliate, throwing himself in mid air and charging his opponent again just as the flaming orbs made impact with the beach, crystallizing the sand. Riku was taken by surprise as Lu Bu appeared behind him and knocked him downwards towards the sand. But the youth quickly rebound and charged at his assailant. The two locked again in epic combat. The impact of their weapons made streaks in the air as intense as monstrous volts of lightning, at the same time the booming sound of metal striking metal made thunderous bellows, which echoed for miles.

Bystanders on the beach on the main islands gathered to witness what was going on. They hadn't seen such a phenomenon in a long time, not since the day that the dragon balls were used. Many of those bystanders feared that their world was coming to an end again and quickly sought shelter.

Sora and the others could only watch on in awe and wonder as the intensity of the battle reverberated around them.

"Look at that," Tidus cried, "have you ever seen anything like that?"

"If they keep this up," Selphie said, "There won't be any more Destiny Island. It'll be wiped off the map!"

"Riku stop this! Do you want to destroy the entire island?"-

"At this rate, it may not just be the island that's destroyed." Sora thought to himself.

The fight carried on with both opponents unleashing all the stops, using elemental attacks, swift attacks, summoning spells, and a great many more of the techniques that they were accustomed to using. In the process, bits of the small island was diminished, the plant life was singed, torn from its roots, or stripped of its greenery. This was a fight that could only have been described as pure hell on earth. Then again, the two went into a deadlock. Neither gained the upper hand of the other.

"So what do you think, Riku?" Lu Bu chuckled. "It seems that your little triumph was short lived."

"How did you gain so much stamina?" Riku asked.

"You think that I'd spend my time sitting around in luxury? No, I was training the whole time, non stop, because I know that in the end, you'd increase your power to a level greater than it was the last time we battled. So I made sure to continue training myself until the day we met again." The fight stopped for a moment as the two broke in their deadlock. "And from what I can tell, I'm quite pleased with the results, even if they did come at a price."

"At a price…?"-

"I pushed myself to the edge of my limits and beyond, always believing that you were somehow stronger than I. I wanted to make sure that you wouldn't be able to get the best of me again. Hence, through all the hell that I went through, pushing my body to take on ten times the stress and pressure it was usually used to; I have at last reached my peak. And all for the sake of this one fight." Lu Bu grinned. "At least you didn't disappoint me. You have vastly improved as I expected."

"Then you're in for one hell of a bumpy ride, Lu Bu."-

"I think you have it wrong, Riku. Those are my words." Lu Bu suddenly released his halberd. But instead of falling towards the ground, it hovered before him. He was using his energy to keep the Maelstrom hovering. Riku was puzzled. Just then, Lu Bu caused the halberd to hover in front of him and forced it into a spin, the halberd began to glow. Spinning faster and faster, the halberd formed into what looked like a disk. Upon seeing this, Riku's eyes widened.

"This technique…" he uttered. "It can't be…"

Sora and the others were just as stunned. Sora and Kairi especially were left speechless.

"Sora," Kairi uttered, "That technique…"

"I know…" Sora replied with a gasp. "But how did Lu Bu…"

"Alright, Riku," Lu Bu declared, "Let's see how you like this little twist, a single line fire!" Suddenly, the glowing disk started to unleash a barrage of energy bullets that headed in Riku's direction. Riku quickly evaded the orbs, or deflected any that came too close. He found himself unable to get anywhere near Lu Bu. All the while, he was all too familiar with his technique.

"This is like Sirius's tactic." Riku thought to himself. "This is like that Ki En Zan Keyblade Barrage."

"There's no way you'll be able to get at me now!"-

"Is that so?" Riku thought to himself. He went into a state of thought, in which he made similarities between Lu Bu's attack and Sirius Viicous's. He quickly came with a solution and started to charge head on. "If my calculations are correct, if Lu Bu's tactic is similar to Sirius's, then it should have the same weaknesses as well!"

Riku rushed, deflecting all the orbs that came at him. Suddenly, he separated, using the Darkness Decoys to try and confuse Lu Bu.

"Interesting," Lu Bu thought to himself, "By the way Riku moves, he must have seen this tactic before, perhaps in his battle against Sirius Viicous. Not surprising…"

Using the barrage, he struck down each of the clones. But by this time, Riku had made it behind Lu Bu. With both his keyblades at the ready, Riku prepared to slash at his foe's back. But before he could, the halberd halted and its barrage and turned around to defend Lu Bu's rear. Riku's keyblade, the Ginroio Noria struck the spinning halberd.

"Nice try, Riku." Lu Bu chuckled.

"Just as I thought..." Riku replied. He suddenly lashed about Laevateinn, using the keyblade whip. The whip swerved around the defending halberd and struck at Lu Bu from the front. "You're finished this time."

But to his surprise, Lu Bu used another technique. To Riku's surprise, the halberd suddenly began to accumulate energy upon its axis. Then without warning, a chakra beam came blasting out, striking the youth at point blank range. Riku was sent really rearward, his shirt was torn from his body and his fair skin singed from the heat.

"Riku," Sora cried as he and the others watched the youth fall to the sandy beach and lay motionless upon the ground.

"No Riku," Wakka said.

"Was that a surprise, or was that a surprise." Lu Bu chuckled. "I bet you never thought you'd see that did you?" Lu Bu took hold of his halberd once again. "By the way you reacted to my barrage; I had a feeling that you had been exposed to a tactic similar to that. No doubt you must've gotten it from Sirius Viicous."

"How did you know?" Riku asked as he slowly arose and staggered.

"You idiot, I didn't spend so long around Sirius Viicous and not see any of his techniques. What you saw was an adaptation of his Ki En Zan Barrage. No doubt, he used that to fight against you in the Spectral Fortress. However, I've added a few twists and turns of my own to the technique. So although you know the weaknesses of the technique, they don't actually qualify to my version." Lu Bu brought his halberd to a sudden stop. "However, you should know me better than that, Riku. Fighting at long distance just isn't my style."

"Why not…? You could've finished me off. And you said yourself that you don't like prolonged battles."-

"That's true, but that doesn't mean I can't have a little bit of enjoyment in fighting. And I'm sure you feel the same way."-

"I guess you got me there."-

"Then what do you say we just get back to what we were doing?" Lu Bu suddenly rushed forward. "You were losing a moment ago!"-

"Big mistake…"-

Lu Bu slammed his halberd upon the sand. Riku, however, was able to evade at within inches. He retaliated and he and Lu Bu continued to battle upon the beach. But no matter how hard he tried, Riku was not able to hinder Lu Bu. And even when he did, the hits didn't seem to phase his foe.

"It's no use." Tidus said, "Lu Bu's too powerful. Riku doesn't stand a chance."

"He's already pushing himself over the edge." Sora implied.

"But what about his dark form…?" Kairi asked. "Why doesn't he just use that?"

"It wouldn't be wise. If he unleashed that, Riku may lose himself in his rage again just like what happened with Sirius Viicous. And this is not an isolated incident. He may become overpowered by the darkness again and may possibly turn his unbridled aggression on the people of Destiny Island. Riku's the only one who knows the true nature of the darkness. That's why he's trying all he can to maintain control, so he wouldn't have to unleash that untamable strength."-

"Riku…"-

"All he can do is maintain his strength and keep it at a minimum."-

"C'mon Riku," Selphie shouted.

"You can do it!" Tidus added.

The two continued on for a few minutes more before halting for a quick reprieve. Riku was exhausted and scuffed, his bear chest drenched in sweat and intermingling with the blood from cuts on his skin. He labored in his breath, his eyes half open. Lu Bu on the other hand seemed to stand as strong as a mountain. Though the sweat dripped from his brow, his condition was not as severe. His armor had lost its shimmer and was dirty from the debris, and he did bleed somewhat, especially with the blood dripping from his lip, but other than that, he was still in top shape.

"Man," Riku thought to himself. "I thought that I had gained enough strength to fight against Lu Bu and beat him with ease. But here I am being the one with the disadvantage. Damn it…" Riku clutched his keyblades. "I've reached the peak of my strength. I can't go any further without having to unleash the power of shadow and become Dark Riku. But by doing that, I may lose myself again. No one can harness that power. The essence of pure darkness is too great for me to wield entirely. I'll have to think of something different."

"You seem ready to collapse." Lu Bu chuckled. "Are you ready to submit to me and accept my superiority over you?"

"If I weren't me, I'd probably do so." Riku replied. "But unfortunately, I can be no one other than myself. And to that extent, I still have my pride to worry about."

"That's the attitude I like from you, Riku, stubborn and determined to the end. Just don't start bawling what you lose."-

"I never lose."-

"Neither do I. I just choose not to win."-

"Then try this on for size!" Riku shouted. Riku tapped into another power. His body exploded in a flash of light and there he stood, glowing as angelic as a being from heaven. "I may not be able to rely on the power of the darkness, fearing its unpredictable nature, but I still have the Musou Rage."

"You clever little bastard…" Lu Bu said. "You've been holding a trump card."

"Look at that." Wakka gasped. "Riku's actually glowing bright gold."

"What happened to him?" Selphie asked.

"Riku, you sly dog," Sora chuckled, "You did find alternative source of strength. You've been keeping that power in reserve all this time."

"What is that strength?" Kairi wondered.

"That's the Musou Rage."-

"Oh, so that's the Musou Rage…"-

"Impressive…" Kirin said.

"I should thank you, Lu Bu." Riku said to Lu Bu with great confidence. "You gave me this power!"

Without warning, Riku suddenly charged without warning. Lu Bu stood no chance. He suddenly felt the metal of the keyblade across his chest and gut. The impact had been concentrated a hundred fold reverberated throughout Lu Bu's body. Back and forth, he was hit. And with each blow, his armor was dented and in some places cracked.

"Look at that!" Tidus cheered. "Riku's kicking his butt! Lu Bu doesn't stand a chance now! He's getting wiped across the floor!"

"You go, Riku!" Selphie cried on. "That guy can't touch you anymore!"

"Riku…!" Wakka shouted.

"Riku's winning," Kairi said with tearful eyes. "He's going to win."

"Lu Bu can't win this time." Sora said. "Riku's using his own weapon against him."

"I wouldn't celebrate too much if I were you, Sora." Kirin advised. The team was curious.

"What do you mean? Lu Bu can't move fast enough to keep up with Riku."-

"That is until Lu Bu decides to go all out."-

"Huh…?"-

"You forget, Sora. Lu Bu was the one who gave you and Riku the Musou Rage." Sora's eyes widened. His cheer dissipated.

"My God, you're right." Sora continued to watch the fight. "Lu Bu's also capable of using the Musou Rage."

"And if I remember correctly, the Musou Rage only lasts up to five minutes or so. And when it does end, it leaves the fighter who used it completely exhausted. As well, the Musou rage can only be used once after every one hundred kills. That means once Riku's spent all of his energy on the Musou Rage, he'll be vulnerable to attack."-

"Oh no, Riku…!" Kairi cried.

Riku continued to pummel Lu Bu before striking him down to the ground. Lu Bu was able to regain his stance. But before he knew it, Riku was already on the beach and charged right at him.

"So you want to play that way, boy?" Lu Bu growled. "Then let's play it that way!" With all his rage, Lu Bu to unleashed the Musou Rage. Riku was equally astounded as he saw this sudden transformation.

"No," he uttered inwardly. "The Musou Rage…"

"Let's see how you like a taste of your own medicine!"-

Lu Bu suddenly vanished and started took the immediate upper hand. He struck at Riku with just as much intensity. However, because he too was in Musou Rage form, the impacts were not as deep. This was a pro to Riku, but it also proved a con because now, he could not strike Lu Bu with the intensity as he had before now that he foe was in the same state as he. Back and forth they fought for a full minute. But despite their efforts, no real damage was taken.

"They're knocking each other silly," Tidus commented, "But they don't seem to be having any effect on each other."

"It's because they're both in the Musou Rage mode." Kirin said. "That's a temporary state of absolute invincibility, so neither of them can hinder each other."

"It looks like neither you or I can do any real damage to each other so long as we're in this form." Riku said.

"Shows how much you know." Lu Bu chuckled. "I know this power better than you do! There is a way to smite an opponent, who is in the same state, effectively. Why do you think they call it the Musou Rage?"

Thus, Lu Bu released the ultimate attack in his arsenal, the True Musou. Lu Bu swung about with his halberd. Riku was suddenly struck with the halberd and felt the power surge through every fiber of his being. So great was the impact that he could have gone unconscious. It felt as though his bones had shattered and his muscle ligaments were torn apart. Lu Bu continued to use his True Musou until Riku was rendered immobile and almost out cold.

"Riku, no…!" Kairi cried.

"Lu Bu, you monster…!" Tidus shouted.

"My God…" Sora uttered. "That's why they call in the Musou Rage."

"Not only is it a temporary state of invincibility, but it also has a counter move." Kirin added. "If two foes are using the Musou Rage, one combatant can overwhelm the other by using a Musou attack."

Lu Bu did once last pummel. With a finishing move, he slammed his foot into the ground and forced a powerful sound wave to blow Riku away.

"All too easy…" Lu Bu said. "And now for the finishing blow…!"

But as he neared Riku, ready to smite the last breath out of him, Riku suddenly regained consciousness and retaliated with the same technique.

"Now it's my turn!" Riku declared. "You forget I can do the same thing!"

"Clever bugger…" Lu Bu uttered. Riku deployed his Musou attack and pummeled Lu Bu just as quickly and with just as much effectiveness as Lu Bu had done to him.

"Man," Sora said. "The tables really turned didn't they."

"Alright, Riku…!" Selphie cried.

Just as quickly as it had started, the fight ended again. Riku unleashed his finishing move and blew Lu Bu away.

"Damn boy…" Lu Bu uttered, "That was good…" He turned about and landed upon his feet. Lu Bu and Riku stood apart, glaring each other down.

"Damn it…" Riku thought. "Even after all that, he's still able to stand…" Just then, Riku felt all the power drain from him. The Musou Rage had ended and he fell to his knees. "No not now…"

"Oh no, Riku," Sora said.

"Riku's used up all his reserves." Kirin added. "He can't stand up anymore, let alone continue to fight."

"Riku…" Kairi uttered.

"I've reached the end of my rope." Riku said to himself. "I can't even lift myself up anymore."

"You certainly gave me a run for my money, Riku." Lu Bu chuckled. Just then, his own Musou Rage diminished and Lu Bu fell upon the soft, white sand. "What a fight."

"Lu Bu's down too." Sora said.

"C'mon Riku," Selphie shouted, "Get up! You have to get up!"

"You drained me of all my energy in such a short time." Lu Bu uttered. "I can't believe how much you've improved."

"I should be saying that to you." Riku replied.

"I don't have anything left. You forced me to go all out after that. I haven't been in so intense a fight since battling with Sephiroth." Lu Bu looked up slightly. Seeing himself lying upon the ground, helpless, then seeing Riku still sitting upon both knees, he only laughed. "I guess you won that fight, Riku. We had our rematch and I lost. You're the last one standing, or at least sitting up anyway."

"You know, Lu Bu, what do you say we just call it a draw." Lu Bu looked up. He hated the thought of a draw. But dropping his pride, he submitted.

"What the hell. I can live with at least one draw in my life."-

Summoning what remnants of strength he had left, Lu Bu managed to stagger to his feet. Riku did the same thing. The others rushed down to join him.

"Hey, Riku," Sora cheered as he threw himself on Riku and hugged him. Kairi threw herself with the two and hugged them both.

"You guys…" Kairi sobbed.

"Sorry to worry you all." Riku chuckled slightly.

"You did it, Riku!" Selphie shouted.

"You beat him!" Tidus cried.

"No…" Riku uttered, "I just battled a powerful and equal foe."

"I must say, you're the toughest I've gone against." Lu Bu said as he approached.

"But there's still on thing I don't quite get. How were you able to get here? "-

"Come now, Riku. Did you really think that I'd come here alone?" Lu Bu suddenly took out from underneath his dented armored chest piece a small transmitter. "The fight is done. You can descend now."

"What was that?" Sora asked.

"A transmitter to contact the others…?" Lu Bu chuckled. "They should be coming from that direction." Lu Bu pointed to the horizon over the sea.

"Who…?"-

"You'll find out soon enough." Sure enough, from out of the blue, traveling across the surface of the water was an Alliance cruiser, which approached at incredible speed. The group was stunned. "I think you'll find the ones aboard to your liking, especially you, Riku."-

"Me…?" Riku asked.

The cruiser decreased in its speed the closer it came to the island until finally, it reached a breeching halt. The rockets died down as it touched upon the beachhead with clouds of sand billowing in all directions. There was a settling lull and the cruiser fell silent.

Then, within seconds, the hatch opened up. And from the darkness emerged a familiar individual.

It was Cunla.

"Riku, Sora," he said. He descended onto the beach, dressed in his new Alliance blue uniform. He observed the devastation on the island. He turned to Lu Bu. "I can see that you and Lu Bu had your little rematch. Of course, I was expecting you two to take it a little easier."

"Cunla," Riku said.

"What are you doing here?" Sora asked.

"Just fulfilling the assignment given to me," Cunla replied. "I was sent by Sneer to conduct this operation."

"Well that's great. At least we get to see you again."-

"How are you doing?" Riku inquired.

"It's quite an experience working as a top Alliance official." Cunla looked at Riku from head to toe. "You look like hell though, after you scuffle. I guess Lu Bu gave you one major thrashing."

"That's the truth."-

"Here, I think you two might need these." Cunla presented two senzu beans, one for Riku and one for Lu Bu.

"Thanks Cunla," Riku and Lu Bu took their individual beans and ate them up. Within seconds of consumption, they were back on their feet. "I appreciate the charge up. So what was the motive that made you come here? "

"Lu Bu was in dire need to settle the score. Isn't that right?"-

"Of course…" Lu Bu replied.

"I mean besides that." Riku asked.

"Yeah," Sora added. "You two couldn't have come all this way just for a rematch."

"Well, you see the truth is," Cunla continued, "Sneer has concluded that this world may be in dire need of assistance. Though the Three Excellencies and the Imperial Axis have been extinguished for the time being, there is still a strong chance that remnant forces may still try to retaliate. So he's assigned an agent to remain and take residence here for an extensive period of time, until he sees fit to relieve them."

"An agent…?"-

"Are you talking about yourself or Lu Bu?" Kirin asked.

"Oh no," Cunla replied, "I'm too busy as a top official to take up residence, although I would like to."

"Then is it Lu Bu?" Kairi uttered.

"Hell no," Lu Bu scoffed, "I have better things to do than live a life of mediocrity."

"Well then who is it?" Riku asked.

"You'll see here in a moment." Cunla advised. He turned towards the cruiser. "You can present yourself now, ma'am!"

From out of the cruiser appeared another individual, a young woman to be precise, dressed in a blue Alliance uniform, a style left only for Madam Generals. Her dark brown hair flowed in the wind, her bangs draping and concealing her emerald green eyes. She looked over the group.

Almost instantly, the members of the KH team gasped in shock, unable to speak. They could not utter what feelings that stirred within them.

"I'm sure that some of you already know her." Cunla chuckled as he folded his arms in front of him.

"It can't be." Sora uttered.

"How could it be?" Kairi added.

"Is that really…?" Kirin said.

"Your shock is as good as our own." Lu Bu implied.

"She's still alive." Cunla added.

Riku was all too dumbfounded. He slowly advanced, his eyes fixed on the young woman. Overwhelmed with emotion, tears started to form on his eyes.

"Ophelia…" he uttered.

Yes, it was Ophelia Billiard. She had survived after all.

"Hey, Riku," she said. The sound of her voice echoed in the ears of the silver-haired youth. Such angelic tones reverberated to the very depths of his soul. His heart began to beat.

"It can't be…" he uttered.

"It's Ophelia Billiard alright." Cunla chuckled. "She will be the one to be taking residence here, if that's alright with you."

"But how did Ophelia survive?" Sora asked. "We thought she died at Atlantis."

"That's a miracle story all its own. Apparently, just after you left Atlantis, the Alliance retrieval crew arrived to help reconstruct the city and collect the bodies of the slain. But as they did, they soon realized that the Atlanteans had recovered Ophelia's body. She had been severely burned and was unconscious, but she was still alive. She was immediately sent back to Oceansburg where she underwent emergency treatment. Because her wounds were so extensive, she had to spend a full day in one of the rejuvenation tanks. Her body was fully repaired, but she was still in a coma. So after her physical treatment, she was sent to the infirmary. Sneer was informed of her retrieval and personally saw to Ophelia's care. It wasn't until a few days ago that she finally awoke from her coma. Sneer wanted to keep it a surprise and Ophelia ardently agreed."

"But how did she survive that explosion?"-

"She was able to transport herself far enough away to avoid the deadly effects of Saber's self detonation. But I guess it was those fans of hers that kept her alive. From what Ophelia testified, she actually used her fans as shields at the last moment. That was probably the only thing that saved her life."-

"Wow…"-

"Thank God though." Kairi sighed. "Miss Billiard is still alive."

Riku in the meantime, kept approaching slowly. Ophelia descended down the ramp and presented herself before him.

"I hope I didn't have you worried." Ophelia remarked with a smile.

"Ophelia, is that really you?" Riku's eyes watered, his heart began to pound. The two came face to face, no more than ten feet away. "I thought you were dead."

"You know you can't get rid of me that easily."-

"Ophelia…" Riku smiled. But before he could say anything further, Ophelia rushed forward and threw her arms around him. Her eyes were filled with tears.

"I missed you so much, Riku. I thought I would never see you again too."-

Riku put his arms around her and the two stood in a tight and loving embrace. They both cried, their knees seemed almost to give way. Sora and the others could only look on in silent admiration and happiness as they witnessed the reunion. Too overwhelmed for utterances, Sora started applauding. Kairi and Kirin followed. Then the whole congregation began to clap.

"I've come back to you, Riku…" Ophelia uttered.

"Ophelia…" Riku sobbed. They held onto one another, taking the warmth of their bodies. Ophelia rubber her hand upon Riku's bare back. The two came parted away to look into each others eyes and with passionate feelings, neared their lips for a gentle kiss. The two touched lips and held them close. The passion raged within them.

"This feeling..." Ophelia thought in her mind. "I've been waiting a long time to taste Riku's lips again.

"I'm glad for you all." Cunla remarked as he and Lu Bu came up to the two lovers. Ophelia and Riku parted their lips.

"Thank you, Cunla." Riku said. "Thank you for reuniting us."

"We are eternally in your debt." Ophelia added.

"You are my friends, Riku." Cunla said. "It's because of you, Sora, and the others that I was able to live my life to the fullest again. I should be the one to be thanking you."

"Still…" Riku said. "Thank you all the same."

Cunla could not find the proper words to express his own attitude. So he simply smiled and nodded.

"Well, listen, you guys." Cunla said. "I have to be on my way. I have some other urgent business to sort out elsewhere." Cunla turned to Lu Bu. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," Lu Bu replied. "I still have other business to sort out as well."

"Very well," Cunla turned to his friends again. "Then this is where we say good bye."

"Wait, Cunla," Sora cried as he and the others joined them. "Do you think you'll be able to visit us again?"

"Yeah," Kairi added. "We'll always have room for a friend."

"No doubt of that." Cunla chuckled. "I'll be back to see you again. You can count on it."

"See ya, kid." Sora said. He extended his hand, which Cunla gleefully grasped. He did the same with Riku.

"We're gonna miss you, Cunla." Riku said. "You stay out of trouble."

"You too," Cunla replied.

"Let's get going, kid!" Lu Bu declared as he stood upon the ramp of the cruiser.

"Coming," Cunla gave one last glance and wave before reentering the cruiser. Lu Bu quickly followed after. But Riku beckoned him.

"Hey, Lu Bu!" he shouted. "Let's have another rematch sometime!"

"It's a deal." Lu Bu replied with a smirk. "Just be prepared the next time we meet, because you'll be going down!"

"You wish!"-

With that Lu Bu vanished into the cruiser. The hatch closed and the ship lifted off. Higher and higher the cruiser arose, billowing up sand and water. The group waved farewell as the ship rose into the atmosphere and then disappeared into the vast blue of the sky.

"Well, that's the end of that." Sora said.

"So now what do we do…?" Kairi asked.

"Well, since we still have a lot of time," Tidus said, "What do you say we have a welcoming party for our new friend?"

"Sound's good!" Selphie chuckled. "Any friend of Riku and Sora's is a friend of ours!"

"I guess we can finally say it." Riku said. "Welcome to your new home, Ophelia."

"Thank you." Ophelia replied.

"Then let's get going!" Sora shouted. "It's party time!"

The group openly accepted Ophelia as one of their own. The gelling of the youths was almost instant as they partied away in their celebration upon the beach to the late hours of the night. Never before was such jubilation and jollity so profound and so intensely thrown. Thus, with joyful hearts, the friends of Destiny Island would live out the rest of their days in an almost unbreakable peace.

It wasn't long before Cunla and the others returned to Oceansburg to meet with the president. Lu Bu had already gone his own way, seeking strong opponents once again. Cunla all the while returned to meet with the president as instructed. He entered the office. Present with Sneer was Sojiro Seta.

"So was your mission successful?" Sneer asked.

"Yes," Cunla replied. "Ophelia has reached her destination safely."

"And what of Lu Bu," Sojiro asked. "Where is he?"

"Well, you know Lu Bu. He's gone off to find more powerful foes to fight."-

"That's the reason why he'll make a perfect frontline soldier." Sneer replied. "He'll be the one to end the chaos."

"Well, sir," Sojiro said. "With your permission, I'll take my leave. I'm needed at the infirmary."

"Very well then…" Sneer replied. Sojiro saluted and withdrew. Once Cunla and Sneer were alone, Sneer walked up to the youth. "You've done very well, Cunla."

"Thank you, sir."-

"There is no doubt that you have gone, and will continue going, beyond the call of duty."-

"Thank you, sir." There was a silence that arose. "You did want to discuss something with me correct?"  
"That I did. I believe because you have done so much for me and the Alliance as well as for other worlds, I only think it best that you be rewarded properly. That's the reason why I summoned you here."-

"Please, sir, I don't need any reward. Just the fact that I've done my job is all that matters to me."-

"You are too modest, young Cunla, but I believe you need the best reward possible."-

"And what reward would that be?"-

"The best you will ever have. So take care of your reward." Sneer sat at his desk. "You can come in now, sir!"The door opened and another individual stepped in. He stood just behind Cunla and saluted."I trust that your…revival…was not inconvenient?"

"No sir, it was not." The voice was that of a young man, but it was one all too familiar with Cunla. Cunla's eyes opened as he heard the familiar tone. His eyes began to water.

"It can't be." He said. Suddenly, he felt a hand gently place itself upon his shoulder.

"Turn and meet your partner, Cunla." Sneer said.

Cunla turned. The moment he did, his reaction was just as great as when he saw Ophelia Billiard.

It was none other than Cuchulain, his father.

"It can't be." Cunla uttered.

"Oh it is." Sneer said. "I used the dragon balls to wish him back."

"But you said that the dragon balls weren't allowed to be used again."-

"I had to make a few hard decisions and pulled out ten names of those who were worthy enough to be revived. Your father was one of them. I know I shouldn't have done it. But at least I could make a few people happy."-

Cunla was unable to speak. He then looked upon his father, who was just as kind in his look as ever.

"You've certainly grown up, Cunla." Cuchulain said with a smile. Cunla, too overwhelmed with emotion threw himself upon his father, forcing the two to fall upon the ground. Cunla, after so long, since his father's death, began to bawl. He tightly embraced his father, pressing his face against his chest to the point where the boy could have smothered himself. Cuchulain could only smile and wrap his arms around his only son.

"I missed you so much, dad." Cunla sobbed. "I missed you so much…"

"It's alright, Cunla." Cuchulain rubbed his hand in Cunla's hair. "I'm here again. We're together again."

"Dad…" Cunla didn't dare release his father just yet. The tears flowed from his eyes and soaked his father's shirt. But Cuchulain paid no heed and kept his overjoyed son secure in his embrace. Cunla then looked at Sneer. "Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you for bringing my father back to me."

"You have earned it, Cunla, as you have too, Cuchulain."-

"Thank you, sir." Cuchulain replied.

Sneer only smiled and looked on at this happy scene.

In the meantime, Sojiro had made it to the infirmary, approaching one of the rooms. Scimitar was waiting for him as well.

"It took you long enough, Tenken Boy." Scimitar said.

"Sorry for being late." Sojiro replied. "How is he?"

"Just as devious as he was before."-

The two entered the room to see another miraculous survivor.

Arinario Triiken.

Triiken had survived his near death experience at the Spectral Fortress. However, he was not the same as he was. He had intended to die, but was denied his demise once again. Unfortunately, he had lost a piece of himself in the process. Both left arm and leg were crushed by falling debris and were unable to be salvaged or saved. Thus, with the courtesy of friends from Central, Triiken was given auto mail to replace his long lost limbs. As well, the left side of his face was scarred due to the crushing debris. Sojiro and Scimitar entered to see him, now half man and half machine.

"Edward Elric would be envious to see me." Triiken chuckled as he lit his pipe. "So has the deed been fulfilled?"

"That is has, sir." Sojiro replied. "Ophelia has been brought to stay at Destiny Island. And Cuchulain along with nine others was revived with the dragon balls."

"So in the end, all the key players are still alive."-

"I'm surprised that you're still alive though." Scimitar said. "How you survived your attempted suicide was a miracle all itself."

"I told you that I don't die that easily. I have also survived multiple life and death situations countless times. This is no different, although I have lost a few limbs."-

"Is it okay though?" Sojiro asked.

"Of course, just because my body isn't whole doesn't mean that I've lost any potency. In fact you may think me invincible with this automail."-

"I was referring to Riku and the others. Are you sure it's alright, not telling them that you're still alive and all."-

"I was only temporarily joining myself with Noctin Tilandir and his band of miscreants. Once the endurance against Sirius Viicous and the Imperial Axis was finished, so was our alliance. Therefore, I have nothing more to say to him, knowing that we may be enemies again in the near future. It'll be rivals just as it was in the days of old."-

"Is that the honest to God truth?" Scimitar asked.

"Of course it is. But my thirst for revenge against Noctin Tilandir is not my priority. Now with a new age of peace emerging, my services of maintaining the tranquility of this era are needed more than ever. And you two will assist me in fulfilling that task."-

All the while, Sneer sat in his office, which was now tranquil. Cuchulain and Cunla had long since departed in jollity. Sneer sipped a cup of tea and smiled to himself. He reflected on the memories and past events of everything that had gone on. He also thought of the celebrations that were taking place, from the warm shores of Destiny Island, to the grand halls of the Disney Kingdom, even the very corridors of Oceansburg itself. Yet at the same time, he reflected on the poor souls who had been lost and so many others whose cause were lost. So his heart swayed not only for his allies, but his enemies as well. He again looked to the faces of Riku and Sora.

"So all the KH team has survived once again..." He thought to himself. "Riku and Sora have found their way home, united with their friends once again. Ophelia, Cuchulain, and even Triiken are alive once again or at least have been revived to health. A job well done to those who have sacrificed so much for the sake of peace, this new era of tranquility. I have never felt such a feeling in such a long time. But maintaining such an era is far more challenging than obtaining it. No doubt that further missions and adventures will be awaiting all the key players sometime in the near future. But for the time being, we best enjoy this placidness while it lasts." He sipped his tea again. "And so our lives enter their second stage, and the end of an age, with the beginning of a new, has come."

The day wore with the festivities everlasting. Food and drink and entertainment for the group of youths went on even as the sun set behind the horizon and the stars twinkled in vast quantities in the sky. The moon glimmered brightly, casting a nightly glow, which soothed the weary hearts of the KH team members. The warm brilliance of the bond fire that Tidus had set up illuminated the beach head. While the group enjoyed the night air, Sora and Kairi walked along the beach without shoes, letting the waves soak their feet.

"It sure is a nice night." Kairi uttered.

"The first peaceful night we've really had in a long time." Sora replied. He looked into Kairi's eyes. "I'm so glad that I'm with you tonight, Kairi."

"Me too, Sora…"-

"We've gone through so much, I've forgotten how nice it is to let my mind wander without a care in the world. But everyone's here now. The old gang is back with a couple new friends gained."-

"Speaking of which, I hadn't seen Riku and Ophelia for a while. I wonder where they are."-

"Perhaps they're spending a nice quiet evening like we are." The two stood gazing upon each other's youthful beauty. "Speaking of which, you wouldn't mind if I…"-

"I thought you would never ask." Kairi pulled herself up close to Sora, feeling the warmth of his body as she had before, that night at Traverse Town. And with such passion and affection, they kissed each other upon the lips good and long, away from the view of the others.

All the while, upon spit of land where Riku engaged in deep thought, the silver haired youth and Ophelia sat, looking on that night sky.

"This is the first time in so long that I've had such ease." Ophelia uttered. "It's been years since I've had such a feeling of peace. I've been away from it for so long that I've forgotten what tranquility was like. It seems like such a strange, but familiar feeling."

"You'll have to get used to it." Riku replied. "It takes a while." He stroked his hand through her long flowing locks. "I'm so glad that you're here with me, Ophelia. I didn't know that you were still alive. I thought you had died after that explosion that Saber made. I still find it hard to believe that you survived."

"I'm just as surprised as you. But I realized that I still had my entire existence ahead of me."-

"What made you change your mind about dying?"-

"When I was there, seeing my own inevitable demise rear its ugly head before me, for a split second my mind started asking millions of questions. Should I stay, should I go? Should I try and save my life, or die honorably." Ophelia then stared at the reflection of the stars upon the surface of the sea. "Then you came into my mind. I saw how sad you looked. Then I began to think to myself, was my actions selfish or was it for the best? It was at that moment that I decided to hang onto to life and continue living."

"Ophelia…"-

"I guess the real reason why I wanted to live was because I wanted to be with you. So I took that chance and dared to escape death's clutches. I have done so successfully."-

"I'm glad you did, Ophelia." Riku sighed relief. "I realize now what was missing in my life."

"Oh yeah, what was that?"-

"You…"-

Ophelia smiled. Riku lay down and gazed into the stars. Ophelia lay at his side and snuggled up closer, her hands upon his chest. Riku placed his arm around her and the two lay upon the ground silently.

"Why can't it always be like this, Riku?" Ophelia asked.

"We always take for granted these times of peace because we never seem to have a care in the world." Riku replied. "We have our own lives and individual strives to worry about. But it is during and slightly after times of turmoil that we find the greatest and happiest moments. I guess it's those times of strife that bring us together."

"Riku…"-

"The truth is there have only been a few times when I've been extremely happy." Riku looked into Ophelia's eyes and her into his. "And this is probably the greatest of them all." Ophelia smiled and sat up to look downward into Riku's face. Their lips drew closer before embracing each other in a prolonged and romantic kiss. Their hears began to beat, their hands clutched, and the warmth of their bodies were infused with one another.

Suddenly, there came a twinkle in the sky.

"Hey, look up there," Tidus started shouted from the beach head. All stopped what they were doing and peered into the night sky. The team looked on with awe and wonder as they saw before them a phenomenon that rarely occurred over Destiny Island.

It was a vast meteor shower.

The falling stars descended like rain drops. The group gazed on at this magnificent sight. It was almost as if the Heavens were cheering, praising the team for a job well done. The spectacle was spent in silence as the stars streaked across the sky.

"Beautiful…" Kairi uttered, the only words to be spoken during the event. "Simply beautiful…"

The rest of their lives now lay before them, a period of untouched and unaltered peace. As the years past, new memories would arise and join those that had already been established since childhood. But none would be as memorable as that one moment, when for a brief second, all was right with the world.


	145. Epilogue

Epilogue

_Adventures come and go, suspense, thrills and dangers pass as quickly as they arrive. And with them, years are dismissed, slowly passing, or quickly flying day by day. No one is immune to the passage of time. The KH team was no exception. As the years past, the once vibrant youth had all, but vanished. The decades passed quicker than expected, though there was strife and suffering in the meantime. So one must ask, what of the ones who remained? Of the original ten, only five were left._

_In most stories bearing happy endings, one may expect the key players to live their lives unmolested after their endeavors. But the reality of life is that not all are allowed such a lucky destiny. A few members of the KH team had met terrible tragedies indeed, while others were allowed to prosper until the end with only their memories to bear the drama of their legacy._

_Mickey, Donald, and Goofy continued to oversee the prosperity of the Disney Kingdom for years since the end of the faction period and the fall of the Imperial Axis. As the years passed, the age of King Mickey and his subjects began to dwindle. _

_Goofy had served as captain of the royal guards for years, becoming one of the most trusted guardians of the Disney Kingdom. However, he was one who did not live on to an old age. During a rendezvous to Oceansburg, as a form of diplomacy to the new era of peace, the convoy to which Goofy was part of was attacked by pirates. It was said that the rogue buccaneers had boarded the gummi he was on. Goofy, being an expert combatant was able to fend off many enemies. But in the process, a detonating grenade supposedly took his life along with all that were on board the gummi ship. Goofy's remains were never found. News of Goofy's death was disheartening to the entire Disney Kingdom, especially to King Mickey and Donald who grieved over the demise of their lifelong friend. Goofy was succeeded by his son, Maximilian, who served as one of the finest captain of the guards ever to be instated. But despite his efforts, he could never exceed the legacy of his father. _

_Donald too met with a sudden end. The arrival of an evil sorceress threatened to destroy the Disney Kingdom. Taking the responsibility into his own hands, Donald confronted the dark scourge on his own. Using his extraordinary magic skills, all those he had learned in his battles with Organization XIII, the Heartless, The Dark Empire, and the Imperial Axis, he made a brave effort and fought valiantly, ranking equal to his old friend, Goofy. However, the battle against the sorceress reached the point where both Donald and his enemy were sapped into a dimensional portal. Thus, Donald was never seen again. No one knows if he was still alive or not, but because the sorceress had not emerged a second time to wreak havoc on the Disney Kingdom, this indicated that Donald must've succeeded. However, in the end, after years of no word or sign of possible return, he was presumed dead and given royal honors. As a replacement, Donald was succeeded by his three nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie who acted as cooperating chief wizards._

_Mickey was heartbroken at the loss of both of his best friends. However, he continued to reign over his people, still believing that somewhere Goofy and Donald were still alive. Under King Mickey, the Disney Kingdom continued to prosper, maintaining is sovereignty and independence._

_All the while, back on Oceanaria, the father and son duo, Cuchulain and Cunla, played a significant role in the peace time effort. With Cuchulain alive once again, the security of the Universal Alliance was absolute. Cuchulain acted as the front line soldier for years, carving his name into the history of the Universal Alliance as being one of its greatest champions. All the while, his legend in Erin had made a dramatic turn. In the Gaelic version, Cuchulain was killed by the advancing forces of Queen Maeve and later died, strapped to a stone pillar. In reality however, he and Maeve proved equals, always trying to outdo each other on the front line of the Alliance military. Cuchulain would eventually retire to private life after his decreasing health forced him to submit. In his twilight years, he wrote a book on his life's adventures. Cuchulain would eventually die of natural causes at the age of eighty two. Yet he would never again step foot on his home soil of Erin. In the end, by his last wishes, Cuchulain's body was burned and his ashes were scattered. Cunla was happy to have his father sent to the other worlds that way. "He belongs to all worlds now" he quoted at the eulogy._

_As for Cunla himself, he served faithfully as a higher up of the Anime Branch of the Universal Alliance until his retirement at fifty four. Through the years, he too had raised a family, blessed with two girls and one boy. He was honorably discharged with military honors. He and his family eventually settled with the rest of his friends on Destiny Island and eventually ran for mayor and serving two terms. His efforts went to cleaning up Destiny Island and established the Destiny Island National Battlefield Park, preserving the entire extent where the fighting between the Arakis Foundation and the Aryan Faction had commenced. He eventually retired to private life altogether and still lives quietly. He now takes up a teaching position as a history professor at the recently established Destiny Island University, a prestige school that has attracted many not only locally, but from other worlds as well. _

_Kirin was one of the first of the ten to die. He had gone into business and became very successful in real estate and finance. Yet his generosity was legendary. It was said that during every Christmas holiday, he would offer a large holiday banquet to the impoverished citizens. He also did all in his power to see that those impoverished individuals were given an opportunity to serve for the better of the community. He was also very active in rescue operations. However, this would eventually lead to his demise. When Kirin reached age forty five, he was involved in a rescue during one of the most devastating storms in Destiny Island history. Three fishermen were stranded off of the coast. Kirin immediately took charge. However, in the midst of the rescue, Kirin was caught by a rogue wave and sent to the bottom of the sea. The next morning, his body was found on the beach. Kairi mourned the loss of her brother. He was taken from her and her friends before his time. He left behind him a wife and three children, two boys and one girl. But because of his financial background, his family was set for life. And because of his deeds, the three fishermen that he rescued survived. They were the first to speak at his eulogy saying that because of Kirin, they were allowed to live on. Kirin was buried in the town cemetery, next to Namine. His death marked the establishment of the KH row, in which only those of the KH team were allowed to be buried._

_Sora and Kairi of course ended up together. They married no more than two years after their return from their endurance against the Imperial Axis. They would eventually have four children, two sons and two daughters and live out their lives together. Sora went on to become chief editor of the Destiny Star, a major newspaper company in the middle of town. He also had taken up a position as a script writer and director at the Theater of Arts. Many of his plays were based off of the experiences he had undergone in his youth, featuring epic battles, dramatic deaths between friends, and romantic love scenes. Of course he did a few comedies that are still performed even to this day. At the age of fifty five, he retired from his position as chief editor and focused on his script writing. He would then retire from public appearance altogether and would eventually write a series of books based on the adventures of him and his friends. He titled the tales __Kingdom Hearts__ and separated the stories into five volume books._

_Kairi went into business with her brother Kirin as an equal partner in finance. However, after the death of her brother, Kairi decided to leave her position. She went into early retirement, leaving the efforts of keeping up the business to hired managers. She was still too grief stricken to continue employment there. However, as the years passed, she eventually recovered and Kairi was back to her old self. She took up a teaching position at the University as well, lecturing on English works. Only recently, with a steady income and secured future for herself and her family, did Kairi finally retire from her job as a college professor. She now does mini comics for the Sunday paper as a simple hobby._

_Ophelia Billiard continued to act as an undercover Alliance agent, always watching for suspicious outer activity on Destiny Island. However, ten years after her dispatch, she was relieved and discharged with military honors. In that time, she and Riku eventually married and started a family, giving birth and raising four children of their own, the same number as Sora and Kairi, two sons and two daughters. Never was the young couple so happy. Ophelia took up a position as an assistant advisor to the Destiny Island Bankers Association. There she continued her work serving the citizens until her retirement at age sixty one. She would go on working at a local bakery on her spare time. She and Riku would live out their days in a happy and steady marriage, watching their four children grow up to become respectable adults. However, at the age of seventy six, Ophelia contracted pneumonia. For two months she remained in her bed, her condition slowly getting worse. Then finally, unable to continue her fight, Ophelia succumbed to the sickness. She was buried alongside Namine and Kirin, forever a member of the KH team. Riku was heartbroken with the loss of his beloved and he never truly recovered in health after that. He had never undergone such a depression since the death of Namine decades earlier._

_Riku had gone on to serve as chief superintendent for city hall and was responsible for overseeing all city projects, from demolitions, to architectural work, to repairs and restorations of streets, public facilities, historic buildings, and the founding of neighborhood parks. Riku also ran a program on self defense. He also displayed his fighting skills during demonstrations. He was one of the other outgoing individuals. He would travel to other worlds, courtesy of the Universal Alliance, who still held their side of the bargain, and would demonstrate his skills. However, as he grew older, Riku retired from live demonstrations and went on to acting as a judge to battle competitions. It was always considered an honor to have him present. He and Sora would go together at times, but Riku carried on, even without his best friend to be there. He even advised as a stunt coordinator for sword fights during theatrical productions. He even ran for mayor for one term before handing over his public responsibilities to Cunla. Riku invested in stocks and bonds, becoming wealthy at his age. However, his life began to spiral downward after the death of his beloved wife, Ophelia. Although he was secure and his family set for the future, his heavy heart could not shake off the death of his wife. Eventually, his health began to fail and Riku retired from public life altogether. His only real comforts were his family and old friends._

_As for the keyblades, these mystic weapons fell out of use and remained dormant as a part of Riku and Sora's hearts. For a time, they had been able to unleash them at will. However, with no more battles to fight, the keyblades were eventually withdrawn for good. To add, with their aging years, it became more limited and less frequent to summon forth the keyblades. Until one day, the keyblade vanished for good. Thus, the tales of the keyblades faded into legend and legend in to myth. Even the grandchildren of the two heroes had some trouble believing that the keyblades every existed at all. _

_So of the original ten members, only five remain. Of those five, four are settled on Destiny Island. And of those four, three of them had been together from the very start. From the day they first met as children, to their adventures in other worlds, to the courses of their lives in a time of peace, to their twilight years, Riku, Sora, and Kairi, the original three together in youth, still stay close even as they reach their golden days. So the legend of the Paopu continues to ring true. Once shared, destinies become intertwined. So has this been a lasting testimony in the lives of the original key bearers._

As had happened before so many times in the past, morning had beckoned to Riku with the sun beaming through his window. However, this day was different. This was a day of dedication and solemn ceremony.

"It's already time to get up?" Riku thought to himself. "Oh well, if I don't get up, I'll be in bed all day. And today is the day I have to make a speech at the dedication ceremony for the sixty-fifth anniversary since the battle of Destiny Island. I'm getting too old for this."

He arose to an early start. But no longer was he the vibrant and agile youth he used to be. Riku was now an ailing old man, who barely had enough strength run about so recklessly as he could have ten or twenty years before. Although he still had that physical panache, his enduring vigor was dimmed. His fair skin, once so tight, had given way to aged wrinkles. Though his body was still thin, it hadn't the same firm muscular tone as it did. His stiffened and aching joints further prevented him from engaging in any activities too strenuous on the body. And his long flowing silver locks, the signature of his boyhood and early manhood have been cut short, no lower than his neck.

Riku stood from his bed and freshened himself up in the same manner he did for over fifty years. His sense of dress had changed as well, becoming something more sophisticated and mature for a man in his golden years. Yet he still had style. All he while he was reciting the lines of his speech little by little, hoping to remember them and get all key points straightened out.

"Father," a voice shouted from the first floor. "Are you ready yet?"

"In a moment…!" Riku replied. "I'll be down soon!"

Putting on his Sunday best, he descended down the stairs as best he could. Because of his stiffened knees, he found it harder and harder to descend and ascend the staircase. Awaiting him at the bottom of the stairs was Riku's eldest son, Vaughn. He was man who already was in his middle age years. He was stern and proud, a splitting image of his father.

"Let me give you a hand, father." Vaughn said as he came up the stairs to help his dad.

"Don't trouble yourself." Riku replied with a chuckle. "I might be old, but I can still master the stairs. I also still have my pride you know."

"Of course,"-

"Where are my two grandsons?"-

"I'll call them." Vaughn called out to his sons. "Marcus, Kadaj, your grandfather wants to see you!"

Through the front door, two young men entered and presented themselves before their aging grandfather. Marcus, the younger of the two was only fifteen. The elder, Kadaj, was nineteen and a blossoming college student.

"Grandpa Riku." Both said in unison.

"My God," Riku thought to himself, "I must really be getting old alright. I keep forgetting how big those two have grown."

"Are you ready for the ceremony, grandpa?" Marcus asked.

"Of course I am." Riku chuckled. "I'm always ready."

"Grandpa Sora and Grandma Kairi are already at the memorial." Kadaj said. "They called us up a few minutes ago."

"I must be falling behind in my times. I would usually be the first one there."-

"Shall we go then, dad?" Vaughn asked.

"Of course, let's skedaddle."-

"The rest of the families are also gathering at the battlefield memorial for the opening ceremonies. They should be starting the ceremony in about an hour or so." Vaughn turned to his sons. "Help your grandfather to the car, you two."

"Right," Kadaj and Marcus replied. They took Riku by the hands and led him to their auto. Riku slid into the seat of the car with young Marcus at his side. Vaughn and Kadaj get themselves in and the car drove off towards the town cemetery.

As they drove off, Riku looked outward to the bustling streets of his hometown. It was no longer the way he remembered it. The town had grown substantially since he was a boy. It had become a metropolis of galleries, folk art, industry, and commercialism, combined with a sense of agricultural. Looking to the growth of his hometown, Riku underwent a moment of nostalgia and his long lost youth.

"There was a time when I was able to do anything." Riku uttered. His son and grandsons listened. "I could recall an age, before I became so shriveled up, when I could leap over the tallest of buildings, fight the greatest of foes with the strength of a hundred men, and was agile as a cat, with reflexes as quick as lightning." Riku raised forth his hand. "And I remember the keyblade."

"Was your keyblade really powerful, grandpa?" Marcus asked.

"Of course it was. And it still is."-

"Wow, can I see it some day?"-

"C'mon, Marcus," Kadaj said, "You don't really believe in all that keyblade nonsense do you?"

"Oh it isn't nonsense, Kaddy." Riku replied. "It's just as real as you and I."

"That's the truth, son." Vaughn added. "The keyblade is real. I've seen your grandfather use it too. In fact if I recall, there were two of them. Of course I was very young."

"Then how come we've never seen it since then?" Kadaj asked.

"My heart just isn't what it used to be I guess." Riku explained. "Then again, you could always ask your Grandpa Sora. I'm sure he's still capable of unleashing his keyblades."

"I don't know about that, grandpa. His grandson, Abel, hasn't seen it either. He said that Grandpa Sora couldn't summon it anymore."-

"Is that so?" Riku inwardly thought to himself after making his comment. "Perhaps it requires more than just a strong heart to maintain the keyblade's power. It also requires a strong body and mind. Sora and I have lived far beyond our prime. We may have unknowingly passed on our keyblades to a much younger generation, either in this world or the next. Then again, Sora and I may not be capable of summoning them because of our decrepit old age and those weapons are secured in our hearts until the day we die." Riku looked out towards the surroundings the vehicle swiftly passed. "It's been so long since the last time I used the keyblade, I've forgotten how to unleash it. But with such a long era of peace, there has been no need for me to use the keyblade."

"Is something wrong, dad?" Vaughn asked.

"No son, nothing at all. I'm just thinking about the past." Riku kept to himself until they reached the memorial.

It wasn't long before the four arrived at the memorial. The war memorial was a giant statue of copper in the shape of a woman of freedom. In her arms she held the body of a slain soldier, a soldier that bore a striking resemblance to Kirin. The woman pointed to the vast open fields to which the erected stone epitaph overlooked. The statue had long since been deprived of its golden shimmer. It had dulled down to a dull brown. Yet the sight of the image of the woman girdling the fallen combatant was still a stirring and powerful image to look at.

Assembled below the memorial were thousands of white chairs to which the general public was to seat themselves. There was a great collection of flora placed specifically along the walkways and upon the stage where the important attendants would be stationed. The day was clear, a good time for solemn remembrance.

As Riku was assisted out of the car by his two grandsons, they were met by Sora and Cunla. Sora had ripened well through the years. Though his youthfulness had left him, he still had that look that made him seem younger than he actually was. His vibrant brown hair had turned grey and he was slightly thinning at his temples. His face bore a few wrinkles, but not so much that people might mistake him for being over a century old. Even as a man in his seventies, Sora still had that happy smile on his face as he did when he was still a boy. He was accompanied by two of his granddaughters, Elva and Mimi, beautiful as any eye could behold, and one of his grandsons, young Jonahs, a strong young man for the age of fourteen and best friends with Riku's grandson, Marcus.

Cunla had also aged substantially. His hair too had thinned and grew grey. He also bore a bushy moustache, which was normal for a man in his late sixties. He was still thin, agile, and feisty, showing that the spark of youth had not truly diminished. Cunla was accompanied by his eldest granddaughter, twenty year old Emer, and his youngest grandson Setante, who was also another close friend with Marcus and Jonahs.

Riku, Sora, and Cunla converged.

"Hey there, Riku," Sora chuckled, "How have you been doing? We haven't seen each other since Christmas."

"I just haven't been my old self lately." Riku replied.

"Our age is catching up to us, old friend." Cunla chuckled.

"I'm glad to see that you two are still healthy. By the way, where's Kairi, Sora?"-

"Oh she's already seated herself at the head with the other VIPs." Sora replied. "In fact, we should get ourselves over there now. The ceremony will be starting soon."

"Of course…"-

"We'll go to our seats too, dad." Vaughn said.

"Alright…"-

Thus, all except the three elders went to their seats stationed at the first row. Riku, Sora, and Cunla made their way towards the stage. There, Kairi awaited them.

"Riku, Cunla," she said, hugging them both as they approached.

"You look well, Kairi." Riku complimented. "I hope that you are in good health."

"Of course I am, silly. Shall we take our seats?"-

"Yes…"-

As the hour passed, and the seats had been filled to capacity, the brass band began to play a triumphant tune to signal the opening of the ceremony. Cunla was the first to take the podium and speak. He was after all the chairman of the Destiny Island National Battlefield Park. He looked over the crowd and openly spoke with powerful tones.

"We have gathered here today to mark the sixty-fifth anniversary since the great battle of Destiny Island." He began. "We do this not only as a commemoration to that epic struggle and for those who were killed here, but for all those in every other world who were fighting that similar enemy. This battle has proved to be the turning point, where the tide started to shift in favor of our cause. To many of you young folk, such events seem trivial and so far distant. You may not think it relevant. However, many of your families have been affected by the outcome of the Battle of Destiny Island. Your grandparents, those who are still alive now, underwent that horrific period, where death and destruction reigned down on them and pelted their minds with permanent scars. Never again will their lives be the same and never again would this world find itself isolated. In fact, many of you have come to accept those who are from other worlds. You students at the university have come in contact and have made friends with other students who have traveled from other places outside of the Destiny Island boundaries. That is another reason why this battle was so significant. It opened the Destiny Islands to the outside, realizing that there is an even greater world out there. Hence, you have gained a sense of social bonding. You no longer feel isolated. This world does not feel isolated. As a boy, I had always had a fascination with wanting to see different places. As a teenager, I had experienced that. And the vastnesses of the worlds we live in have their good sides as well as their bad. But despite that, we always have that wonder, that feeling of wishing to break ourselves from the confinements of our everyday lives. And the one person who knows that more than anyone is our own honored elder, Riku!"

Cunla and the public began to clap and hoot as Riku stood up to gave his long awaited speech. Riku looked upon the crowd, spying the faces young and old. Seeing the older generation alongside the recent generation gave him a sense of accomplishment. Riku prepared his speech notes. But the most significant gesture was the pulling out of his spectacles. Sora and the other old members of the old KH team felt somewhat saddened to see Riku in his age. Riku placed the glasses over his eyes. He looked upon his notes on his cue cards. He inwardly read the first line. "Ladies and gentlemen, we gather here again to commemorate the great battle…" But he halted his tongue.

"This speech seems so irrelevant." Riku thought to himself. "Every year it's the same thing." He took his glasses off again and looked straight into the eyes of the spectators. He began to speak, not from the words written on the cue cards, but rather from the depths of his own heart.

"I don't know how to begin." Riku began. "I was going speak of the significance of this battle and how it changed our history. But the message has always remained the same, as if it had been rehearsed. And day after day, the remembrance grows frail, not bearing the same type of intensity that it once had. What seems so important to us may seem trivial to you. But then again, that is probably one of the effects that we are pushing for. I look upon so many young faces, a second and third generation sprouting after my own. My own generation is slowly dying out. They were the ones that suffered the greatest, endured the harshest times, and underwent the cruelest of periods. However, that was what we wished, that was something that we brought on ourselves, so that you, the next and youngest generation would keep on living and establish your own futures in a secure world, free from the terrors of the battlefield and liberated from the threat of war. We took the burden of our actions and their consequences head on, thinking of those who have not been born, or those who have not been given a chance to live to their fullest. As I see the happy faces of my children and my grandchildren, seeing so many boys and girls playing about in the neighborhood without fear, and seeing young men and women making something of themselves, becoming responsible adults in an environment without fear, gaining a fine education, that indicates to me that I have done my job. I have achieved my life's accomplishment." Riku turned his attentions towards the youths of the crowd. "You children, you teenagers, you lively youngsters, in the near future you will be the ones to take our places. You will become future politicians, workers, and citizens, etc. and you will be telling your children of your own experiences in life and your own family history. You will reflect on the accomplishments of your lives and would praise or falter within, depending on whether or not your successes have equaled to your standards. You are the ones who will carry on where we left off. I know the harshness of the history that commenced where we stand now. We all know of the blood that was soaked into the ground those many years ago. And taking time to remember the fallen, those who have been interred upon these vast green fields, as well as those that fought on so many other battlefields in other worlds to help obtain this era of peace, is one of the greatest priorities that we have. I am confident that those who fell did not die in vain. Their legacy, both the victorious and the defeated are important. There was no evil. Those who opposed your grandfathers, grandmothers, and I were just as dedicated to their cause and were willing to do anything to see it fulfilled. I know how harsh that sounds, sympathizing with individuals who attacked our world and made us suffer for a time. But what I say is true. We all fought with our beliefs and with our lives. Every drop of blood and ounce of sweat was given up to realize this ideal time of prosperity. However, despite this fact, we fought not only for our individual flags, but rather to help establish a valuable lesson and hope that you, the young people, would not repeat the same mistakes we made. Your elders are slowly dying away and it is you who will be the ones left to continue the story. And when the time comes where war seems eminent, you must take into consideration the lessons that we have left, so that you could continue on with maintaining a stable future for your own children." Riku paused for a moment. "You all bear a proud legacy. Your families have undergone some form of strife as a result of what has gone on in other worlds. Make them proud not only by living, but by taking some time to reflect and know that someone in your family had helped to shape this world of ours."

There was a pause and a silence after Riku gave his final utterances. He feared that he may have made a mistake to make such a declaration aimed at both younger and older generations. He inwardly thought that a scornful sentiment had arisen and his message had failed to get across to the crowd. Perhaps his makeshift speech intensified anti-sentiment. But as he looked of the faces of many in the audience, he noticed that their faces showed not scorn, but a sad jollity. Some bore tears in their eyes.

Then, almost like a subtle thunder that shattered the calm before the storm, there came the sound of a single clap coming from almost behind him. He turned to see his old friend Sora standing from his chair and applauding. His eyes were teary. Kairi stood up as well and started to clap, followed by Cunla. Meanwhile, in the audience, Vaughn stood up and began to clap. His standing ovation affected the rest of the families and close friends. They too stood and applauded. Then, like rising waves, clapping became more frequent as more and more people in the crowd started to clap more frantically. Almost in an instant, Riku saw himself being given a standing ovation by cheering youths and respectful comrades.

"Bravo," some elders would shout.

"Way to go!" the youths cried, hooting and hollering for the elderly man. Riku could not express his thoughts in words. Instead he smiled slightly, expressing his relieved and joyful emotion as he walked away from the podium back to his seat. That was all which was required of him. The message had been made clear to everyone present. And the impact was in a positive manner far greater than Riku himself had expected.

The ceremony went on without incident. The ceremonial procession had gone on as planned, followed by the annual reenactment of the battle itself upon the actual grounds. The event lasted for a full hour with a standing applause at its conclusion. And as the day wore on, the hours growing late, people went their separate ways, back to their ordinary normal lives. But even as their own relatives withdrew after such a busy day, the old KH team members were still together.

"Another successful year," Cunla chuckled, "We've lived to see another passing of the torch, another ceremony gone without much incident."

"I don't know." Sora replied. "Riku's speech was the cream of the crop during all that."

"Was that your actual speech, Riku?" Kairi asked.

"To tell you the truth," Riku explained. "That speech I gave was all in earnest. The original speech was bent on strict dedication to those who died on the field, giving a brief history and the effects the battle had. It was basically the same speech that I gave every year since the day I made my first appearance on stage."

"That's possibly the reason why you were given such a standing ovation." Sora said. "Even I found that speech moving. I believed that you expressed your words with your heart. And now I realize that you had."

"All these years, I'd been speaking about the events of a significant battle, a battle that I wasn't even a part of. Yet I'm always expected to give a speech because of my reputation as being a one of the key players involved in the fall of the Imperial Regime. For the first time in a long time I have expressed my feelings the way I saw fit instead of the way it traditionally was supposed to be."-

"Well, if you have anymore speeches like that, Riku, you should do it again."-

"You certainly got a lot of flowers over it." Cunla chuckled.

"That's true." Riku said. "But then again, it's the same as it is every year."

"I wonder though." Sora looked up into the sky, watching the sun reaching its mid waning phase. "Do you think they were watching us?"

"Who…?"-

"Our other friends, Kirin, Ophelia, Cuchulain, and the others…?"-

"No doubt…" Riku put his hand on Sora's shoulder. "They have been watching us from the very beginning, watching us live our lives day by day. Don't worry, Sora. In the end, we'll end up together again, friends forevermore."

"Until that time comes, let's make the best of it." Cunla declared. "Our families are forming a get together in our honor. They'll be assembling at the Destiny Island Theater of Arts who so graciously offered to hold our celebration with some good entertainment."

"Sounds like fun." Sora chuckled.

"First things first though." Riku said. "I must first pay my respects to the others. It's only proper that they be involved in our celebration as well."

"Yes," Kairi added. "That would be a nice gesture for us to make as members of the old KH team."

"Cunla, tell my son Vaughn to get ready. We're going to make a quick stop at the graveyard."-

"Right," Cunla replied and went off as fast as his old legs could carry him.

"I've saved the best flowers for them."-

Not long after, Vaughn brought the four elders to the cemetery. Stocked with flowers in their hands, Riku and the others reached KH Row where their friends rested in eternal peace. One by one, they placed the flowers upon the graves of Ophelia, Kirin, and Namine. Kirin and Ophelia, because they were so close, were given the most attention. Riku and the others said prayers in their honor.

But Riku always paid attention to Namine's grave. He always put an equal amount of flowers upon her grave. Though she was more distant to most, Namine was still close to the hearts of the three old friends, Riku, Sora, and Kairi. They said a prayer upon her grave and slowly departed.

"We should get going." Sora said. "The day grows short."

"Just give me a little longer, Sora." Riku replied. "I'll be with you in a moment."

"Take your time, Riku, as long as you require."-

"Thanks…"-

Sora joined the others and looked on as Riku continued to stand before Namine's grave. He slowly lowered himself downward, his knees no longer as loose as they had been in his youth. He looked upon the inscription of Namine's name on the headstone.

"Namine," Riku uttered quietly. "I wish you were here right now, even though I know you've always been there. You'd be proud to see that we have lived our lives to the fullest. I have lived a good life. I have lived it in both the light and the darkness. I have experienced the pains and passions of so many different worlds. I have gone day by day without regret and I have not shut out the lessons learned in the past and the memories that have made me who I am. Thank you, Namine, for everything. You were the one who helped to rekindle the purpose in my life and gave me a reason to live on in full. Because of you, I was also able to keep the fire alive in all my friends and they in return have given me a reason to continue on so positively." Riku touched the writing upon the stone. "I miss you so much, Namine. But I know you were always there watching me."

"Are you ready, Riku?" Sora asked from the distance.

"Everyone's waiting for us." Vaughn added.

"I'll be there." Riku replied. He slowly stood up. But as he did, something caught his eye. Upon the corner of the head stone was a yellow object. Riku's eyes widened and he became short of breath as he laid eyes of the object.

It was a Paopu charm.

It bore a large split in the middle, as if it had been broken in half. Yet now it was mended. It appeared as if it had been for years. Riku's eyes wandered about the graveyard, hoping to spot someone familiar, but there was no one present.

"Riku," Sora said.

"Coming…!" Riku replied. He gave a sigh. Riku uttered no word. He acknowledged what this gesture meant. Thus, he turned away without a second look to join his aging friends. He knew who watched from a distance, but dared not pursue. Riku simple smiled. He knew that terms have at last been settled, terms to his _Final Confrontation._

End


End file.
